Jill Browne, from home and away

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Weather:  Cold.  The same cold as yesterday, but no snow today. Yesterday we had enough to have to shovel.  It’s still a dry cold.  And no sun, what’s that all about?

This is one of those stories I don’t like telling, because it reflects poorly on my city.

Yesterday on the afternoon news, I heard that an 82-year-old lady with a gel-filled prosthetic breast had been humiliated by the security screeners at our airport.  She didn’t say she was carrying more than the allowed amount of liquids and gels, never thinking the prosthetic would count.  Result?  Public humiliation.

What made me even more sad about the story was that the lady was so upset she said she was done with travelling.

To the lady and her family, I would like to say, please don’t let this bad experience keep you from enjoying travel again.  As a resident, I am very sorry to hear of this whole incident, and I trust the authorities are making sure it won’t happen again.

I was at the airport last night to pick someone up.  Couldn’t help but wonder, as I passed the occasional security person in the terminal, “Are you the one?”, and that is really unfair to them.  It only takes one jerk to give everybody a bad name.

“Airport security apologizes to B.C. woman, 82“, from CBC.ca

Friday, January 14, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Weather: bloody cold but not windy.  And again, it’s a dry cold.

It seems a little strange to me to see cats walking around outside when I’m visiting other places, because we don’t allow that here.

In Calgary, we’ve had our Cat Bylaw for a few years.  No loose cats!  You can own a cat but he stays indoors or goes out on a leash or supervised, not just wandering.

It sounds like that old Monty Python sketch about the Cat Detector Van, but it’s true.

No cats.

Oh, and we have no rats in Alberta.

But bats, so far, are allowed.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

On an outing in the NW this morning, even though it was rather cold.  About -22 degrees C.

Passed by the corner where we go for dog food.

We’re well served for pet supplies in Calgary, with lots of choice of stores, but Fairplay is my favourite.

2604 Kensington Road NW, Calgary T2N 4S5

403 – 283 – 2117

In business since 1921, Fairplay has supplies for dogs, cats, horses (in the Horse Store), birds, caged creatures like hamsters and gerbils, supplies for pets with allergies, and wild bird seed.  More too, I’m sure.

You can buy a lot of things in bulk there, including dog treats and bird seed.  They offer a good selection, too.  In fact, thinking of the products I’ve bought there, it seems there is always more than two brands or styles to choose from. Often, several more.

To give credit to other pet stores, you often do find passionate pet lovers working at them.  Fairplay is special because it’s still a small and personal place with a welcoming, cosy atmosphere, and a long successful history.

The store is on Kensington Road a block west of Crowchild, in a little strip mall with a 7-11 and the Kensington Memorial Veterinary Clinic as neighbours.

Today’s outing took me up that way and reminded me how much I like the store.

Fairplay Stores web site

TRFKAN (The Restaurant Formerly Known As Nellie’s) is called The Loop Breakfast House now.  This wasn’t obvious to me, not that it matters since I know where to go: 2015 – 33rd Avenue SW, Calgary.

I’ve gone for breakfast (actually more like brunch, it’s a lot of food) about a half-dozen times in the past year, I bet.

Happy every time.

Today:

$11.95 for the Big Al, which is (gasp) 3 eggs, bacon, French toast or pancakes, regular toast, and potatoes. I was still full at dinner time.

My friend: a fruit plate and an omelette.

Both: coffee and milk.  (As in, a serving of milk that you buy, not just a splash in the coffee.)

Total bill, $41.00 before tip.

It’s independent, it’s comfortable, the food is good, and the neighbourhood is developing some atmosphere.  A lot of people would say Marda Loop is already funky and pedestrian-friendly.  Today was too cold to walk around, and I am not sure I would pick the Loop as my destination of choice for a stroll, but yes, it does have some interesting nooks and crannies.

I like The Loop Breakfast House for a casual weekday breakfast or brunch.  Can’t say how it is on weekends; I don’t go out much then!

The Loop Breakfast House in Marda Loop, Calgary. Photo: Jill Browne. January 12, 2011.

theloopbreakfasthouse.ca

403 – 802-2174

2015 – 33rd Avenue SW

Calgary, Alberta

Canola field under blue sky. Photo: Doug Bowman, CC License on Flickr.com

Monday, January 10, 2011.

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

It’s still winter.  In fact I think winter is only beginning.  It has its good side, winter does, but today I’m thinking of warmer things.

The cloud ceiling is still over us, and the temperature is down around -17 C.

Frost feathers starting to decorate our windows.

Makes me think back to the brilliant sunshine and the glow of the yellow canola fields.

I wrote Canola has a Glow of its Own back in those glory days of July.

Link to Doug Bowman’s photo

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

One of my good friends is Ranger Julie, who is a real park ranger.  She got the nickname when stationed up high on a mountain in a hut, watching for avalanches and helping hikers along their way. She’s seen everything to do with hiking, I’m sure.  The one story I remember is of a young Italian guy hiking in the Rockies with no food and no equipment, no tent, no sleeping bag, nothing.  He didn’t realize that Canadian hiking is a little more rugged than going from hut to hut in the Alps. By the time he reached Julie’s hut he was pretty hungry!

Imagine having a job that sends you out alone on horseback with a pack horse or two, for the summer, to live alone with the hikers and the mountains.  Sounds idyllic.  Julie doesn’t do that now but in the past she has.

It’s bloody hard work.

She got to be a ranger by paying her dues.  I think her first official parks job may have been on trail crew.

You know those trails and bridges you hike across?  Trail crews go out and fix those. Sometimes when I’m crossing a bridge or walking up some impossible slope holding on to a cable, I think of the poor fearless workers who built it. Ranger Julie and her pals.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Weather today:  Around freezing and overcast all day.  No sun.

There’s lots of choice for Vietnamese food in Calgary.  It’s one of the cheaper lunches, and leaves you full for the rest of the day.

My friend was shopping at Best Buy and suggested we meet at the nearby Pho.  It’s actually called Le’s Pho, 8180 – 11 Street SE, Calgary.  Forget the address.  Get to Heritage Meadows (between Deerfoot and Blackfoot, at the east end of Heritage Drive, down on the flats).  The Best Buy is at the south end.  Le’s Pho is across the parking lot.

I’m actually having trouble figuring out if it’s Le Pho, Le’s Pho, Le’Pho, but I know the location is right.

My friend had a big bowl of beef soup, I had the chicken on top of vermicelli.  We shared an order of salad rolls.  The total bill before tip was $24.05, and as far as I could tell it was a 50/50 split.

It’s one of those Vietnamese restaurants that you find all around Calgary.  Though the outside is kind of featureless industrial, the inside has the unmistakable ambience of “let’s not spend a lot of money on the furniture and decor”, which is fine by me.

I’m not a connaisseur of this food.  I like it once in a while, and I got what I came for.  No complaints.

It was odd that the waiter didn’t want to give my friend a knife to cut the salad roll in half, though.  He seemed to find the request a bit of an outrage but complied anyway.

If this map is ridiculously small, I believe you can enlarge it and it should show you where I mean.  The little arrow may be on the back of the building, though.  That’s just a Google Maps thing and I couldn’t change it.

Thursday, January 6, 2011.

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Weather today: Beautiful sunny winter day, temperature at mid-day just above freezing.

I’m meeting a friend for lunch tomorrow and trying to think of where we should go.  This put me on the track of thinking about coffee and the indy coffee spots I’ve tried around town.

The truth is, I drink a lot of coffee from Starbucks, because I like the taste, and I like the atmosphere, except when it’s crowded.

I also go to The Second Cup, which is a Canadian coffee franchise.  Like the taste, like the atmosphere of my two favourite Second Cup locations.

I know that some people prefer to go indy when there’s a choice, and I agree, it’s a good thing to do.

So, if you love coffee and you wonder where on earth to find an indy coffee place in Calgary, the first place I’ll suggest is Kawa, on 8th Street SW between 13th and 14th Avenue.

Kawa Espresso Bar

Why people like it:  the coffee.  This is for people who really enjoy the taste and smell of good coffee, and at least some (probably all) of their coffee is organic.

I like the coffee, but I will warn you that wherever you find parking around here, you’ll have to pay for it. I am happy with the decor but I don’t find it as inviting as some people do.

Kawa has some devoted, I mean really devoted, fans.  Their coffee is as good as people say.

More coffee places to come.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011.  Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Weather today: about freezing or a little warmer, no wind.  Major Chinook arch.

Breakfast

Breakfast for two was just over $30 with tip.  We ate substantial meals; enough to call it the main meal of the day.

Each had the same thing: a “Blackstone Bowl”, English muffin, beverage (coffee for me, diet cola for my friend).

The “Bowl” is a layer of potato wedges, a layer of chopped tomatoes, some slices of bacon, and scrambled eggs with cheese on top.

Not great, not terrible.  Is it the best you can do for $15?  I doubt it but I’ll have to start paying attention.

I’ve been going out for breakfast about once a week.  Should have a new restaurant to report on soon.

Ricky’s Restaurants, Calgary

A notice from the Whyte Museum in Banff came today by email.

Among the several programs and exhibits coming up, was a mention that William Waterworth’s prisoner of war logbook would be on display, along with additional material.  I’ve just emailed the museum to ask about the dates.

UPDATE:  The display is up already and will continue until mid-March 2011.  It’s in the Archives, not the Museum galleries.  The Archives’ hours are 10 to 12 and 1 to 5, Monday to Friday, but I would double check before going on a statutory holiday Monday.

I had the great privilege of meeting Mr. Waterworth at his home in Banff a couple of years ago.  Sadly, he died recently.  This came as a surprise to me. When I met him, he was in great shape, despite having just had foot surgery.  My belated condolences to the Waterworth family and friends, should any of them happen to read this.

My meeting happened because I was a volunteer researcher for a museum exhibit called “For You, The War is Over“, which showed something of the prisoner of war experience for two groups of men: Alberta men captured as prisoners of war in Germany, and German men held as prisoners of war in Alberta.  Through that project, I met a few of the dwindling number of surviving prisoners living in the Calgary area, and some of their families.

Mr. Waterworth’s log book, which I was very honoured to have been shown, is relatively rare.  When the Allied prisoners were released, they faced a long, hard march back to friendly territory.  Men died on the trail, with their friends unable to save them.  They typically didn’t carry anything that wasn’t useful, so many log books and other personal items were left behind.

Another Calgary flyer, Barry Davidson, brought his PoW log book home.  Through the generosity of his family and the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta, you can see Mr. Davidson’s log book online.  The books have some similarities, and some distinctly personal touches.

Mr. Waterworth’s log book is a family heirloom.  Thank you to the Waterworth family for allowing others to see it.

Those who fought in the Second World War, and in wars before and since, regardless of where and how they served, literally put their lives on the line for the rest of us.  They are all heroes.

Whyte Museum website

Excerpt on the Whyte’s website about the logbook: “Bill Waterworth’s Wartime Log”

Barry Davidson Prisoner of War logbook on the Bomber Command Museum of Canada website