Saturday 23 August 2008

Time To Go

And not a minute too soon.

The blogger formerly known as Urban Cowboy will soon be only Urban, as I am moving back to Toronto.

Now I know Toronto is not perfect, but I can't believe we are getting guys popped in broad daylight outside a Timmy's (just in behind the red arrow, as shot from my balcony) - and across the street from my own grocery store, for crying out loud!

Which is what happened at noon earlier this week.

Luckily, it is just druggies offing other druggies. But what I'm worried about is, if they are all hepped up on their Mary-gee-wanna, their aim might not be so good.

Just kidding about the Mary-gee part. It's crystal meth and crack that are king in Cowtown. And those are the guys that are freaky. The easy money in this city attracts a seamy underbelly of guys who've never had this much money in their lives. Or this much drugs.

So good time to be heading out. I'll miss a lot about the city, but not everything. But soon it will be time to start bellyaching about Toronto, that piece of crap communist city masquerading as cosmopolitan. Gimme a break.

But until then, I'm going on hiatus. Yehaa, y'all. UC, soon to be U.

I Bet The Clock Is Ticking......

...til the wrecker ball gets this cool little place just off the Red Mile, in Calgary [see next post for more on the Red Mile].

Now these are the type of druggies Calgary needs more of. These guys have probably never shot or stabbed anybody.

But, like all neat architecture in this city, it will likely be gentrified before too long.

Luckily, I'll be gone first.

El Paso, Texas?

Nope.....

San Pedro de Marquis, Dominican Republic? Nope.....

The Red Mile, Calgary? Yup.

Who'd a thunk it? Cool little church right off the Red Mile [1]. I was half expecting Clint Eastwood to saunter out, glare and start firing.

[Ed. Note 1: The Red Mile is the mile or so of bars leading from the Calgary Saddledome, where the Flames play hockey, to even more bars.

Since all good Flames fans wear red jerseys during games, this mile long stretch became a sea of red after every playoff game. And then a sea of pee and then a sea of hurl. Subsequently, this year it was a sea of blue, as the cops shut down all fun.

Actually, the Flames essentially did this themselves, by losing in the first round.
]

You Had Me At Detox Body

.....with an Ionic Footbath? Where have you been, Pham Spa?

I suspect there'd only be about half of me left after removing all toxins, but if that what it takes.....

Now that I think of it, there are several of my friends (and you know who you are, HA boys) who would also have less junk in their truck after a Pham Spa session.

We should add a session to next year's closing ceremonies.

Sunday 17 August 2008

Fish & Relatives....

...as the joke goes, both start to smell after three days.

I think this "visitor" is well beyond that threshhold.

Saturday 16 August 2008

50-50.....

...are the chances of this little guy lasting til the winter.

"Big boys to the left."


"Big boys to the right."

"Tear down, re-build,
Fight, fight, fight".

I guess I shouldn't be so high and mighty, anti-growth, as I live in one of those big behemoths in behind there.

Yeah, it's so easy to criticize others.

Maybe that's what I'll do today......

Monday 11 August 2008

Don't Do It!

Don't tell me this beautiful limestone schoolhouse is done.

Hopefully they're just doing some heavy duty landscaping - ha ha, gulp - but with this city and their preservation efforts, you can never tell.......

Sunday 10 August 2008

Delicious or Disgusting?

Hmmm...some uncooked fish for lunch. Obviously wasn't listening very well when asked to go out for a bite on Friday.

Let's see, what do we have?

Well, there's some standard raw tuna in the front there. Okay......

Then some.....sea urchin to the left (looks like someone's tongue - but tasted worse). Then something with a real bite to it, hidden in some rice above that. Should sushi sting your mouth?

Next was some bright orange fish eggs, again hiding something with a big tail sticking out the end.

Below that, whatever this was was so vile it had to be completely hidden inside some....some....something.

Oh, and not delivered yet was a delightful plate of eel. Guess it took them a while to round them up from.....the eel pit, I suppose.

Obviously not everyone had the same opinion of the meal as I did. Slurp, slurp.

Now, what is this unusual green paste?

Some cool mint to cleanse my palate?

Those aren't pillows!!

Yowza! Wasabi!! Bring on the tea - and lots of it. And don't mistake it for that black bowl of death beside it, either.

Did you say there was a Wendy's near by?

Friday 8 August 2008

Yowza!

What a sunset out here - you'd think the Rockies were on fire.

Visiting a friend's farm outside of Calgary.

Not a bad shot for my piece of crap little camera thingy.

Of course, some joker on a blog farther down the dial will likely post something ten times better. And may even have the gall to show my little snap beside his.

Sheesh. Can't ya let the little fellas have their day?

And here is an industrial strength water slide into the pool. You don't want to miss the water, as you'll have worked up quite a head of steam by the time you hit the bottom.

They shore build everything big out here.

Monday 4 August 2008

I Don't Believe It!

What have we here?

A whimsical mural of idyllic summer life. Dad grilling on the 'que.

Mom serving drinks to all the guests. It all looks fine.

But is it?

She's wearing socks and sandals!?! Even the dog is shocked.

It's bad enough if you are brain dead one day and do this by mistake. But to deliberately draw it this way......

If it's so cold that you must wear socks, then don't be wearing sandals. If you say, but my sandals are my most comfortable shoes, then you need to be buying better shoes.

And it's not just middle aged Euro-geeks who do this [and go to
Socks & Sandals.com to see some real pros].

But I was on vacation and a girl in her 30's was walking on the beach wearing her bathing suit...with Teva sandals...and black socks!! I poked the person beside me, am I seeing this right?!

The girl must have had ESP, because shortly after this she removed her sandals and then, quite reluctantly I bet, her black socks.

What's makes people do this?! And how do we get them to stop!?

[This ends our regularly scheduled ranting.]

Sunday 3 August 2008

Ontar-iar-iar-io

Just returned from a trip to Ontario cottage country.

Ahhhh.....and a beautiful sunset. Courtesy of friends who invited me up for the weekend. Thanks B&J.

Sittin' out at midnight with your shorts on (or not....). Can't do that too often out in Urban's neck of the Western woods.

Humidity? Bring in on, dude.

Sun & Fun

Next morning went for a tour of Lake Kashiwigimog (casha-who? ....never mind) with Captain Big Joe at the helm.

A beauty day.

Although my knee and I declined, the younguns got up on the water skis later in the afternoon.

While the adults concerned themselves with more.....uhhhhh....adult pastimes - but not while boating, of course, ossifer!

So True...

Posted in kitchen at aforementioned cottage.