excited as a kid on white christmas

There are some things age will never take from me.
My sweet tooth, a love of Winnie the Pooh, the lyrics to MMMBop (not by choice) and my excitement at seeing snow.
I had an early start one morning last week so I rugged up and headed off downstairs. I got to the door to the street and looked outside. Turned, raced back up the stairs, grabbed my camera, and headed out again.

South Hill, my current 'hood, is not remotely picturesque. Bubble tea signs do not make for attractive landscape. But with a good crop of snow on the streets, covering the cars and dusting the trees, Cantonese Canada actually looked pretty. I've been told snow in Vancouver is rare. It's happening more and more, but general advice was not to get my hopes up. The snow that scattered the streets by no means called for a day home from school. There was barely enough for a dwarf snowman. But it was snow.

Yes, I was that person walking down the street photographing the white stuff. The most striking image was the cemetery with the mountains in the background. I'd expected it to melt quickly, but there was still plenty around when I left the gym, when I left home for work later, and even when I caught the bus home from work. My joy wasn't easily contained either. In fact I was asked an embarrassingly number of times if it was the first time I'd seen snow. Which is isn't. Not by a long shot.

While the snow had made me giddy, I could feel my 'adult' reasoning edging it's way into my head. I was concerned about the lack of tread on my gumboots and walked cautiously to avoid ending up with my butt on the pavement and I left for work with a ridiculous amount of time to spare because the buses were travelling extremely slow, along with the rest of the traffic. The visual appeal also faded. The beautiful fall leaves I love didn't stand a chance. They became a tinted slop in the gutter mid-morning. The fog came in, which blocked my view of the mountains. The final straw was the newspapers on the ground that looked like they were in the first stage of recycling - a mush on the pavement. It was also damn cold. I might as well have stuck my fingers in the snow for all the good my gloves were doing me.

The next day, everything was still gleaming. And my excitement returned. There wasn't fresh snow, but the weather hadn't discouraged what was there. Car rooftops were still covered, the pavement still crunched underfoot and I was still imagining the snowman I'll build when it really snows. I walked to the bus stop enjoying my wintery surrounds, but this time sans-camera. After all, I am a local now.

landing in a fairytale

Not long after I arrived in Vancouver, a customer recommended I go to Steveston, a small fishing village about 30km from the city. The same conversation also included a comment about how she doesn't know anyone in Richmond anymore because they are all - looks around and then whispers - "Asian". But despite this, what she said about Steveston sounded nice so I put it on my list.

After several weeks of replying "Oh I might go to Steveston" when asked my plans for my days off, I finally made it - luckily on the only sunny day of my three off this week. I hopped off the bus at Steveston village and landed right in the middle of a fairytale. I don't mean by this that Steveston is a charming village that makes you feel like you stepped into some magical, old fashioned world. I mean an actual fairytale - the filming for Once Upon A Time, a new prime-time show starring all the fairytale crew: Cinderella, Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, Prince Charming, and of course an Evil Queen. The show began airing last month and has been picked up for the full series. In pure coincidence, I'd only heard about the show the day before. A lot of filming is done in Canada, particularly in British Columbia, because it's cheaper than the States. In fact a horror film about Tasmanian Devils will start filming next month. For Steveston it means some action during the quieter winter months.

Robert Carlyle, aka Rumpelsliltskin, filming Once Upon A Time

The town is on the water and has a busy port area. In summer it's a popular destination, but cooler weather doesn't so much scream 'let's all go eat fish and chips and ice cream by the water'. So having a series shot in the streets for the next month or so is good news. One of the main streets has become Storybrooke. An marine shop has been boarded up and is now the Storybrooke Library, the studio has rented two shops to film in and put up several mock-shopfronts over existing businesses. I got chatting to a local who's a big fan of Robert Carlyle (of Full Monty fame among other BBC productions), who plays Rubpelstiltskin. She said the crew had been really accommodating of the curiosity of locals and visitors and were happy to have people hanging about watching or taking photos. We could still enter the shops in the area they were filming, but sometimes had to wait for the director to yell 'cut' before walking down the street. The businesses are compensated for lost business and lot of the employees on the shoot are locals, so it's a big boost for the town.

So back to Steveston. I'd expected it to be quieter than if I'd visited in summer and I'm glad that was the case. Dave's Fish and Chips (the place my customer had recommended I have lunch) was still packed though. I was disappointed to discover the fish served there is from Alaska. It would be like a fish shop in Stanley (Fishing port in Tasmania) serving fish from New Zealand in my books. Why on earth would you? But it filled a hole. As did the cupcake from Bell's Bakery afterwards. One part of the town gives the impression of a small fishing village - small craft stores and little coffee shops, always named after someone (Dave's Fish and Chips, Sara's Ice Cream etc), but then one street over is Starbucks, McDonald's and apartments towering over the shops on the street, their windows straining for views over the water.


It was a beautiful day however. Chilly, but lots of sunshine. I could see why this place was so popular. I spent the afternoon wandering around the shops, periodically going back to the filming to see what they were up to. I watched one scene (Rumpelstiltskin's alter ego "Mr Gold" pulling up in his car and his chauffeur opening the door for him) which took a phenomenal amount of time to put together. The shot must only last seconds in the episodes, but it took so much effort. I'll have to start watching the show now.

vancouver's top sanga!

Meat and bread. A great combination, yes. Also the name of my new favourite lunch place. No surprise there. If you know me well then you know I love a good sandwich.

My absolute favourite is an old family recipe: a honey piecey. (piecey: [noun] piece of bread folded to create a sandwich).

After significant research I can tell you where to find the best salad sanga in Burnie. The answer is Bakers Dozen for taste and Trio for price.

And I admit a sultana or raisin sandwich (just bread, butter and raisins) is weird, but it's damn tasty.

So when I heard about a place that apparently sells Vancouver's best sandwiches, I was more than intrigued.

It took a little while to get down there, but I made it a few weeks ago.

Meat and Bread only has four sandwiches on its menu. The famed porchetta, with crackling (pictured); meatball; grilled cheese; and a daily special which has included braised veal, and hoisin beef (not together...two separate sandwiches).
Both times I've stuck with the porchetta. The first time because it was all anybody had talked about. The second time because it was so darn good the first time. The sandwich is made on the spot. There's a guy charged with carving up a huge roast pork. The next guy plops it straight on the bun when you order and adds a drizzle of salsa verde. All the other sandwiches are made to order too. There's usually a line, but it's worth the wait.
There are a couple of other things on the menu - a daily soup and salad, and maple and bacon ice cream sandwich. Ok, don't pull that face. The ice cream sandwich is actually pretty tasty. At the end of the day, it's ice cream. How bad could it get?

But there's more to my love of Meat and Bread than just food. While the cafe has about three two-seater tables, the masses feed at one long, wooden table running almost the length of the cafe. The other alternative is the end of the counter. Either way you end up squished up next to, or seated across from strangers. I can't help but adore the conventional and social nature of it all.

three months and three days

My inspiration. Minus the beard.

Three months and three days. That's how long until I take to the start line for my first half-marathon.
That's 95 days.
Or 2280 hours.
Or 8,208,000 seconds.
I like the bigger numbers better. It tricks me into believing I have an infinite amount of time to train.
After toying with the idea for a few weeks, when registrations opened for the "First Half" Half Marathon I was more than tempted. The event is limited to 2000 runners, and entries are usually full in a couple of hours. There's nothing like the threat of missing out to make me jump into action.
I've been running significantly less than I used to - both in frequency and distance. I put it down to having no dog to exercise, and no work-place stress to deal with. When life is just peachy, there's less motivation to exercise.
But that's going to have to change.
Joining VanRun - The Vancouver Running and Jogging Club - has helped my motivation. Usually because there's food on offer after each run. But I'm also surrounded by people who do some pretty amazing things.
Melissa - a gym manager/triathlete. Was nervous about a recent half-marathon because running isn't her strong suit. Even though she keeps the men on their toes on VanRun outings.
Craig - knocked over a 50-mile event on the weekend and has a 100-mile run this weekend. Crazy much?
Alison - a new mum who managed to overtake many an embarrassed competitor at a recent half-marathon. Why were they embarrassed? She was pushing a pram as she did the race.
Post-run talk over sushi or beers is dominated by war stories: "The time I did a triathlon without training." "Remember that marathon in 100-degree heat."
This talk has one of two effects. Either you are completed intimidated by these super-humans who clearly need to learn to relax. Or you start to think that if they can do it, why can't I?
I'm not under the impression this will be easy. I'm the most unfit I have been for years. It's not the best starting point to train for the longest run I've ever done. But I'm also going to need something to keep me going during the winter. It's not the time one wants to be running outside. It's damn cold!
But with a beanie, long tights and gloves, I've got few excuses.
So how did my first post-registration run go? Well I slacked off 20 minutes into a 40-minute evening run. Great start huh?

eat and greet

At first glance, The Social Feed could be mistaken as a dating opportunity. And when I've told people about the concept, it's the first question asked. Why else join a group of strangers for dinner? While a romance to eventuate from the events would make a great story, it's not even close to the motivation of the organisers, or the guests, of Social Feed dinners.

The creators, three friends from university, enjoyed hosting dinner parties. Friends would come, they would bring their friends, and eventually these guys were having complete strangers for dinner. Sandy, one of the masterminds, said they found the more random the group of people, the more fun the evenings. Five months ago the guys took the concept from social to commercial and launched The Social Feed. They organise regular long-table dinners at restaurants in Vancouver, opening up the seats to anyone who wants to come. The dinners are limited to about 20 people. The concept is very welcoming to those who come alone and those who come with others are encouraged to sit side-by-side to open up conversation around the table.


The dinners sell out quickly. After all, it's a pretty good deal. The meals usually consist of several dishes and the price averages at $20-24, including tax and tip. On Wednesday night, the dinner was at Cork and Fin, an upmarket seafood restaurant in Gastown. The restaurant does a Prix Fixe menu of three dishes for $32 (before tax and tip). The Social Feed diners enjoyed a very similar menu for $24 (including tax and tip).

This particular group were mostly women. There were a few SF regulars (including Sandy) but most of us were first-timers. The intriguing concept has gained a bit of media attention in the last few months and appealed to a variety of people. Some are new to the city and having trouble breaking into new social groups given the insular nature of a lot of Vancouverites. Others just like the idea of enjoying a good dinner. So far, every event on the website has sold out. Everyone comes with the same idea - to meet new people and enjoy good food. With that as common ground, conversation flows easily around the table.

The organisers partner with a variety restaurants. Past locations include a Lebanese restaurant, Chinese, vegetarian, Irish pubs and traditional Canadian fare. There is also a focus on local produce.  The menu consists of dishes placed in the centre of the table, adding to the interaction between diners.

 Our menu at Cork and Fin:

Sawmill Bay Oysters with Champagne and cracked pepper mignonette

Lobster Bisque with truffle cream

Beef Tenderloin with Dungeness Crab Hollandaise served with Haricots Verts and Nugget Potatoes

At the moment The Social Feed operates only in Vancouver. However, Sandy and Reg, another partner, tossed a coin to see who would move to Toronto to branch out. Reg won, or lost, depending on how you look at it. The organisation is also planning an expansion into the States, with San Francisco on the agenda.

don't take candy from strangers? not tonight

The pumpkins came first.

In a city where I have yet to see pumpkin soup on any menu, super-size versions of the vegetable popped up outside every supermarket overnight.

Then the fireworks appeared. Temporary shops opened in every available retail space selling every type of (legal) firework. As dark fell, the pop and fizz of the fireworks could be heard nightly from my apartment. It was rare to see a spark though. The legal versions must be fairly tame.

My first Halloween began in earnest a week before the main event, at Fright Nights - an annual Halloween extravaganza held at an old amusement park. Some of the rides are permanent, but most of the Fright Nights attractions are installed for the occasion: several haunted houses, film students dressed in costume roaming in the dark, terrifying unsuspecting visitors (me), and other related performances. By my second haunted house I was ready to go - either home or to a magical place filled with bunnies and lollies. The smoke machines were made redundant by the damp and foggy Vancouver evening. I did brave the roller coaster, which was an achievement. The wooden ride, built in 1953, rattled like its last ride would be the one you're on. And a haunted house full of clowns? Clowns are scary enough thank you very much.

With the event itself falling on a Monday, the "grown up" crazies hit the streets on the weekend. A last-minute costume saw me dressed as a witch (right). My friend Victoria was more creative, donning her wet suit and some realistic make up as a shark-attack victim (below right). It is the one time of the year she could wear a wet suit on the bus and not look out of place. Her costume was far from outrageous in comparison to others we saw. One freaky looking character on the sky train had me staring at the floor the whole ride. Most of the clubs sell tickets to their Halloween events, but Victoria and I ended up at a local rugby club. Along with Gumby, Toad from Mario Brothers, Black Swan, a sexy airport inspector and the sexy sax man.

Australia has yet to adopt Halloween in all its candy-filled glory. A few people might hold costume parties. Stores are trying to cash in, but there hasn't been much take up. All I can say is thank god. My teeth barely survive Easter. By midday on Halloween, I was riding a sugar high. Lets thank my boss for sitting out a bowl of candy on the counter. And the lady in the kitchen who brought in chocolate cake. And the proximity of delicious treats at my work. It lasted all day.

While Halloween might be seen as another commercial-driven occasion, it is thoroughly embraced in North America. As soon as pumpkins were on sale, people were putting them in their gardens. Along with fake graves, skeletons, lights, cobwebs etc. While the costumes and parties are fun, Halloween itself is essentially enjoyed by children. Come dark (or just before dark for the little tackers) children dress up - in greatly considered costumes - and hit the streets 'to trick or treat. This year I joined them. Being too old to trick or treat myself (most kids stop about about 14) and not having any youngsters to chaperone, I walked through the neighbourhood to admire the festivities. Not every house took part. Those who opted out simply turned off all the lights and stayed at the back of the house. The more welcoming went to the effort of decorating their house, at least with a pumpkin outside, or in some cases got in costumes themselves. When one door swung open, there were buckets of candy ready to be given out. Halloween must become an expensive exercise.

Trick or treating in Kerrisdale

The trick or treaters weren't the least bit shy in approaching the houses. Most came back down the path reviewing their stash and directing their friends to the "good" houses. Others complained to their parents that their bags were too heavy. So they unloaded and kept going.

By Tuesday morning my belly ache from the sugar had subsided, the pumpkin supplies at the supermarket were dwindling and fireworks were 75% off. Advent calenders and Christmas decorations had taken their place. And so it goes on.