Some scary orange skies over Calgary circa 2017
Flashback Friday: North central Calgary times
Going through files — if I can get my files in order then I can get my life in order, right — and found a couple of gems from my Calgary life back in 2017.
One is of the Rosso, one of the few local coffee chains that has bothered to open a location in the North (looking at you Phil & Sebastian). The South always felt cooler so it was nice to have a local spot to go to.
The other is from a Confederation Creek protest march. Those were the days of raucous watershed activism.
Pokemon + Bow
I have a thing for Pokemon cards. I remember thinking they were the coolest as a kid. It's fun to find them. Even if they are just dissolved and discarded and lying on the ground.
This spot where I was having a picnic with my parents is also a great spot for some classic yyc photos.
Dairy Bar none
Some shots from Calgary wanders in Inglewood, Ramsay, the Beltline and Downtown. Apparently I get around.
Drive from Calgary to Vancouver
Here are some shots from the drive back out to Vancouver from Calgary, one of the prettiest and most terrifying stretches of road out there. Highway driving freaks me out, a lot, so it's nice to have someone to do it for you. I enjoy being the passenger and getting to snap photos out the window.
Lac des Arcs is always a good idea.
In the loop
There is some really really nice housing in Marda Loop. I wish we had zoning more like this everywhere.
The area could still working on having actual high street zoning so that the whole of the mainstream all the way to and then along 14th could actually have retail and active frontages but overall it's a good hood in yyc,
Hidden bench, crouching view
I randomly found this hill while fleeing the Lilac Fest traffic frenzy. Turned out there is a sick view.
Float on
Some Elbow River shots. I really love the unicorn raft. That is living your best life.
Festivities of the Lilac
Street festivals are one of those things that I feel like I am supposed to like but usually just find kind of overwhelming. Usually they're crowded and hot making this introvert want to flee. Still, they do have perks and moments.
I got some on sale socks out of this one so that's a big win.
For the bottom pick the vendor was all you like my art and want to buy something. I was like I am broke so no. May I photograph this bobblehead of yours?
There are also Bob Ross socks. If they weren't like $13 and I didn't already own a gazillion socks I'd buy some.
Banff + Canmore
When I was back in Calgary I really wanted to get out to the mountains. I don't like highway driving so it was really nice to have the option of taking the bus out. Super damn nice.
It's great to see transit options happening in the Calgary Region, which arguably includes Banff and Canmore. I had fun. It's always good to get out and explore Banff and Canmore.
Reader Rock Garden in black and white
I thought it would be fun to try some of these Reader Rock Garden picks in black and white.
Pencil me in
These are some really cute pencil bollards outside Arts Common. A good solution for our security and public realm.
Reader Rock Garden
Some shots from my visit to the Reader Rock Garden.
William Reader was really important in the history of Calgary and his advocacy to keep the rivers public has had an enormous impact on the way I view public space and the way so many Calgarians experience their city.
It's a nice place. Not enough people know it's there.
Outliers at Fairy Tales Film Festival
Some cellphone snaps from the Outliers film a couple of days ago.
A friend invited me, in part because I went on one of Kevin Allen's Gay History walks a few years ago so he knew I'd be interested. It was a cool film and I hope that they make those commemorative plaques happen. This history should be noted and celebrated in our public spaces.
I also think that there's potential for the use of sidewalk stamps to reference this history. When at some point the sidewalk outside the Carousel Club is replaced you could easily put some stamps of carousel horses in the sidewalk as a neat little reference to the important space that was once in that place.
East Village, Inglewood and Ramsay wanders
Some of these shots overlap with stuff I'm going to include in my Calgary Bay essay — I swear I'm working on it and it will actually happen. I was at the confluence and felt like it made sense.
I generally love Inglewood and Ramsay. They're nice fun communities, though a bit too nimby we love single-family homes for my liking.
