Jill Browne, from home and away

Friday, April 8, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

A quick trip to the airport yesterday. Since we were already up at the north end of the city, decided to go a little further up the road and check out the monster shopping centre, Cross Iron Mills.

I’ve been there twice before. The first was to check out the Bass Pro shop, when it was about the only thing open and built on the whole site.

I’d never heard of Bass Pro before. This hunting and fishing supply store not only stocks everything from fish hooks to power boats and quads, it also has more taxidermy on display than I can remember seeing in the Provincial Museum. A herd of caribou being attacked by wolves, for example.

Each time I think of the store, I try to do the mental calculation of what the fixtures and fittings must have cost. I get bogged down though, because I’m not up on the market price of black bears, let alone the more exotic critters.

Today we didn’t go to Bass Pro, but into one of the several free-standing parts of the mall.

It’s all pretty new still, and clean, but even when it was brand new, it looked like it was built to last no more than 15 years. Maybe that’s the trend: disposable shopping centres.

If it wasn’t such a warped analogy, I’d say this is like natural succession from grassland to forest. The farmer’s field became a mall. First there are recognized mid-range brands. Then it will slide a bit, and the occasional dollar store will creep in. Maybe a no-name liquidator and a quick cash pawn shop. Empty stores. The odd bit of vandalism.

The For Sale sign will go up, the mall will come down, and row upon row of new houses will appear. By that time, all the surrounding farms will be gone, turned into housing subdivisions themselves.

We’ll see in 2021 or so whether I was right about this.

To be fair, people who like shopping probably love this mall. It’s got lots of stores, lots of parking, and lots of space.

Starbucks at the Westin Hotel, Calgary. Photo by Jill Browne, February 22, 2011.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

The picture shows the Westin Hotel on 4th Avenue SW, downtown. It’s still one of the leading business hotels, with a great location for people who have meetings right downtown.

I haven’t visited the Starbucks in there yet.

Calgary skyscrapers. Photo by Jill Browne, February 22, 2011.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Shiny buildings, but not so shiny on a grey February day. It’s like that again today.

Here’s a Google Street View picture, also downtown, looking at different buildings, in warmer weather.

View Larger Map

And a link in case you can’t see that.

That clear structure hanging over the sidewalk, looking like several box kites joined together, is a sculpture put in when the building was known as the Amoco building. When the sun shines through it, there are rainbow colours. It’s quite attractive.

Chamber of Commerce Building, Calgary. Photo by Jill Browne, January 3, 2011.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Snow. Had lunch with an old friend at a Mexican restaurant with a pagoda-shaped sign where the Chinese restaurant used to be. Fun lunch, yucky weather.

I took this picture in January. The old Chamber of Commerce building is the home of the Chamber, and a beautiful building it is. It’s been integrated into the modern skyscraper behind it and can be reached via the Plus 15.

The Harry Hays Building, Downtown Calgary. Photo by Jill Browne, February 22, 2011.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I took the dogs out for a walk, since it was sunny and not nearly as cold as it’s been this week. Only about -10 C.

This picture from about two weeks ago shows the east side of the Harry Hays Building on 4th Avenue SE, right downtown. Many people know it as the place you go for passports, though in recent years there has been a more convenient office in the deep south. (More convenient for anyone who doesn’t have to go downtown and isn’t in the far north end of the city. Free parking.)

I remember going there for tax stuff once upon a time, and also I think I had a job interview in there where they fingerprinted me. When I asked if they would destroy the finger prints if I didn’t get the job, I was met with stares of complete incomprehension. Who knows, maybe I’m on file.  That must be what’s been curbing my criminal tendencies lo these many years.

The Harry Hays is one of the few office buildings at the east end of downtown. Very convenient for Chinese food.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Here are more of the pics I took yesterday while driving around, mainly from the south to downtown and back.

Today’s highlight was breakfast at Pfanntastic Pannekoek Haus, a Dutch pancake house on Crowchild Trail just south of 50th Avenue SW. You can get to it from northbound Crowchild, but if you are southbound, take the 50th Ave exit and head left (east), and work your way south a couple of blocks. Easy.

Mine was bacon, raisins, apple. Suzanne had brown sugar and lemon juice. Our mystery guest had the same as I did. All enjoyed the meal.

This is a Calgary classic and always reliable for a tasty and filling mid-day or even evening meal. The pancakes are giant crepes that lie flat on the plate. You get one, with your choice of 80 topping selections (including some combos). Very tasty. One is a meal.

Yesterday’s driving pics.

Crane images on Zoo overpass. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Pedestrian ramp to reach Bridgeland C-Train station by crossing Memorial Drive. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Where the Calgary General Hospital used to be. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Copper domes on church. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Entering downtown on the 4th Avenue flyover. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Booker's for seafood. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

New condo apartments for sale near the Bow River. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

No kids at school today. Family Day, an Alberta holiday originally, because we needed something to relieve us in February. I see that Ontario has got it now too.

But Peggy the mail lady still had to do her rounds, because federal workers do not have Family Day. They have to enjoy their nearest and dearest on their own time, in this particular instance.

Here are some more pictures of Calgary from my 2011 collection.

Cecil Hotel (the green building). Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Plus 15 near Centre Street. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 1, 2011.

Calgary Chamber of Commerce building. Photo by Jill Browne, January 3, 2011.

Calgary Tower, with new Bow Building on the left. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Workers on Bow Building site, No. 1 of 3. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Workers on Bow Building site, No. 2 of 3. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Bow Building site, No. 3 of 3. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Lounging at home, trying to get some work done, managing to actually do that.

The Heritage Classic outdoor hockey game was on at McMahon Stadium today, but I didn’t pay attention, I’m afraid. Glad to hear Calgary Flames won it!

It wasn’t as cold as yesterday, so I hope the people in the stands were comfortable.

Playing hockey outside is a great idea. I’m so glad the NHL has the outdoor classic.

Some pics from 2011 so far.

In the distance, the copper dome of a church, seen from the 4th Avenue flyover. Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Entering downtown on 4th Ave SE. Bow Building on left and Harry Hays on right (brown horizontal stripes). Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Cupola of former James Short School. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Not as exhausted this week, because we took things more slowly. I don’t mean ridiculously so, just a more pleasant pace.

I’ll put in some pics I’ve taken since the beginning of the year.

Christmas tree after Christmas is over. Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, January 2, 2011.

Driving south on Deerfoot from the airport. Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, January 3, 2011.

View of downtown seen from Deerfoot heading south. Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, January 3, 2011.

A big hardware store and parking lot, Shawnessy, Calgary. Photo by Jill Browne, February 5, 2011.

Grey sky with snow lightly falling, Shawnessy, Calgary. Photo by Jill Browne, February 5, 2011.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

A colder day with light snow falling and a very grey sky. The camera flare exaggerates the sun; really it was just a dull yellow hole in an even duller sky.

I didn’t mean these pics to be depressing but they really don’t have much life to them!

We had to go out foraging for food and office supplies, thus ending up at this mall in Shawnessy. The mall is at MacLeod Trail and Highway 22X, but there is a lot more of Calgary even south of there. If you haven’t been here for a while you may be surprised at how much the city has expanded. This is the last shopping I can think of this far south on MacLeoad, though.