Thursday, 19 January 2012

Icy, Icy

Winter has come to Vancouver, albeit a moderate version of winter compared to the great Albertan usual, but winter nevertheless. There is snow, and temperatures in the below-zero range, and everyone is talking about the weather.

It's pretty snowy in Seattle too, and apparently they have called in the National Guard to help them out. A situation which has led to a comic by The Oatmeal, that was true and funny: "Every time it snows in a big city, everyone is having the exact same conversation".

And, an icy fountain from my walk home from the grocery store tonight:


That is all. Good night.

Sunday, 15 January 2012

A Winter Walk

What's up, internet? I got an iPhone!

I have been spending a lof of time alone lately, due to my current status of job-hunting-in-a-new-city. I really don't mind finding ways to spend my time, and have done a lot of fun and productive things this fall on top of looking for a job. BUT. Every once in a while I just get a little lonely when everyone is at work and I am on my own. I try to get out and do a little something every time I feel that way, so this week I took my new iPhone out for a little walk down on the sea wall in Vancouver. I chatted with my sister for a bit during the walk and made the pathetic but amusing observation that two of the friends (I am using the term loosely here) that I spend the most time with these days are 1) DJ Roomba, and 2) iPhone. They are fun toys to have around for extra amusement.

SO. Anyways. You may have heard of this excellent thing called Instagram, an app for your phone that makes all of your pictures look adorable. So I decided to take photos of my walk and live tweet them for my own entertainment. Apologies to Jen for the repeat as I am pretty sure she is the only one who probably followed the live tweeting of my walk. I know Kerry followed it later though, because I told her she had to go back and respond to all of my tweets.

And for my mom and anyone else who might not be on twitter or know a whole lot about it. Live tweeting is kind of stupid, but the general gist of it is that you tweet about something as you are doing it. If you don't know what tweeting is, then call me and we can chat. Basically, I was that person who was taking a beautiful walk on a beautiful day who was also engrossed in their phone like a moron instead of looking up at the pretty sky. But it was entertaining for me, and that was the major goal. So, SUCCESS.

 Some seagulls near Creekside Community Centre by False Creek

A view of the hill on Granville Island near Emily Carr University of Art + Design.
 
 Two street signs right along the water. How adorable are those street names? Only in Vancouver. Or any other coastal city I suppose.

 Part of being an Edmontonian transplanted in Vancouver is feeling smug about Alberta winters. For some reason people here are constantly salting the sidewalks and roads and boardwalks even though there is no ice and hardly any snow. So weird. WHY ALL THE SALT?

 The Granville Market. So cute. Come visit and we can go there and look at all the pretty food.

 The hill by Emily Carr from the other side. I walked past all the very hip students there and felt old. 

 Some pretty white berries in the bushes.

A little fountain/canal I found in amongst the condos along the waterfront. A view of downtown across the water.


And that was my walk in Vancouver on a gorgeous January day. Brought to you by Instagram. You'll be seeing more of these photos from now on.