| Olympic Village |
[11 Jul 2009|06:50pm] |
Perhaps the most visible reminder of the impending 2010 Winter Olympics in the City of Vancouver is the Olympic Village site. Currently being constructed to high environmental standards on a former industrial site along the southeast portion of False Creek (just across the water from downtown), the site will house athletes and serve other functions during the Games. Then the buildings will be converted into a high-density neighbourhood of condos, subsidized low-income housing, a school, and street-level retail spaces.
The Village has certainly not been without controversy as the development's financing is guaranteed by the city government, but I think it will ultimately become the most 'enduring' and well-utilized legacy of the Olympics.
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| Victoria Regional Rapid Transit |
[06 Jul 2009|08:30pm] |
BC Transit has been conducting a series of public open houses about the Victoria Regional Rapid Transit project. Although I did not get to attend an in-person session, I completed an online survey that included questions about a preferred alignment between the West Shore suburbs and the core of the metropolitan region, which includes downtown Victoria.
The preferred alignment and mode will be announced in September; depending on a variety of factors, construction could start in 2011. Of the various modes under consideration (such as rapid bus, streetcar, and light rail), I most strongly favour light rail for its combination of speed, capacity, and potential to attract additional ridership. But I certainly think that a modern streetcar could provide good service on these (and other) secondary routes:
* Downtown Victoria to the University of Victoria (via Royal Jubilee Hospital and Camosun College)
* Ogden Point Terminal / James Bay to Oak Bay Village (via Cook Street and Fairfield)
* Vic West to Uptown / Saanich (via Gorge/Selkirk)
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| "Open the Doors to History" @ Emanu-el Synagogue |
[01 Jul 2009|09:04pm] |
John and I accompanied our friends David and Kelvin to "Open the Doors to History", a Canada Day program featuring guided tours and lectures and various sites in downtown Victoria. We opted to visit a place that we had never been inside: Congregation Emanu-el, the oldest continually-operated synagogue in Canada (and the oldest house of worship of any kind in British Columbia). Donning yarmulkes, we stepped into the Conservative-affiliated synagogue that was built in the Romanesque Revival style in 1863, just five years after Victoria was incorporated as a city.
I was fascinated by many things in the lecture, but I was most impressed at an overriding 'secondary' theme that emerged in Lynn Greenhough's talk: the tolerance (and support) that Victoria Jews have historically received from the wider community. Consider:
* Victoria voters elected a Jewish auction house owner to represent them in the colonial legislature in 1859.
* The second mayor of Victoria, who took office in 1865, was Jewish.
* Christians donated some of the funds needed to build Congregation Emanu-El in 1863; its completion was celebrated with a community-wide parade as it was the first brick religious building to be erected in the young city.
* Non-Jews also contributed to the restoration of the synagogue in the 1970s and 1980s.
Multiculturalism and respect for minorities (of all kinds) is a major part of Canadian identity, so learning about the long history of non-discrimination and welcome accorded to our city's small (by national standards) Jewish community seemed like a perfect way to spend Canada Day. :)
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| mid-2009 update |
[29 Jun 2009|10:32pm] |
According to the various Body Mass Index (BMI) calculators on the web, I have now attained a 'normal' weight as my BMI is 24.8 (25.0 and over is considered overweight). The 'obese' category begins at 30.0; my BMI was 34.6 in 2006 and was 32.5 as recently as August 2008. I hope to lose another 8 pounds as my ultimate goal is a weight of 175 lbs. and a BMI of 23.7.
On a personal level, the most surprising aspect of the BMI calculator is the fact that I could weigh as little as 137 lbs. and still be within the 'normal', rather than 'underweight' category; friends and family members have strongly advised against pursuing a weight below 160 lbs. ;)
***
For a variety of reasons, I'll probably read fewer than 60 books for the first year since 2003. However, at mid-year, I am definitely 'tracking' to read at least 50 as I've completed 25 books (including 11 works of fiction).
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| Pedalling Revolution |
[25 Jun 2009|07:31pm] |
I discovered the existence of Jeff Mapes’ new book, Pedalling Revolution, via a review in the New York Times that was written by David Byrne, former lead singer of the Talking Heads. Mapes is a Portland resident, and his book was published by the Oregon State University Press, so I wasn’t surprised to see it prominently displayed at Elliot Bay Book Company in downtown Seattle last week. I purchased a copy of the book, which surveys the movement to promote bicycling as a ‘mainstream’ form of transportation in the United States. So far I’m finding Mapes’ work to be engrossing and well-written, and it will definitely rank as one of my favourite non-fiction reads of 2009.
The book has prompted me to think about the popularity of bicycling in Victoria and the infrastructure that supports and encourages it. Two major trails, the Lochside and Galloping Goose, cover a major portion of the region and are heavily used for commuting and recreational purposes; a third trail will be constructed in the upcoming months. Bike lines exist on multiple streets, another factor that contributes to the city’s national status as a leader in the percentage of resident who commute by bike. And office buildings, such as the building I will work in starting in mid-2010, are being constructed with on-site bike storage and shower facilities.
But I still ride far less than many of my peers, a fact that I primarily attribute to my proximity to multiple transit lines as well as the ease of reaching multiple destinations on foot from our home in downtown Victoria. :)
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| New home |
[21 Jun 2009|10:15pm] |
John and I will soon be moving into a 2-bedroom suite at the Aria Residences, a new two-tower condominium complex in Victoria. Located in the southern part of the city's downtown, the development consists of 174 private residences and 5 street-level retail units. As these photos attest, its architecture has a dual personality: the brick elements facing the street are moderately traditional, while the rear (which faces a small park and a lawn bowling green) is definitely modern.
We are particularly excited about the location of our new home: we'll be less than two blocks from the Inner Harbour. Residential mid-rise and high-rise construction is continuing in the area, bringing more immediate neighbours and amenities. A large number of transit routes, including the bus lines that travel to the Swartz Bay ferry terminal, are serviced by a bus stop located within one block of the Aria. And, while we will retain a downtown location, we will be located just two blocks away from the city's largest urban park, Beacon Hill, and the mixed-use Fairfield and James Bay neighbourhoods will be within a 10 to 15 minute walk.
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| Close of Spring |
[20 Jun 2009|07:03pm] |
Today, June 20, marks the close of another spring season in the northern hemisphere. In Victoria, temperatures weren't particularly warm: the high reached 17 C (about 63 F) and cloudy conditions persisted through most of the afternoon. We spent part of our morning with friends at the Moss Street Market (http://www.mossstreetmarket.com/ ), a community craft and farmer's market located in the Fairfield neighbourhood; then our group walked to the Cook Street Village area for lunch and coffee.
Despite the dry (by local standards) conditions, the city seems graced with an abundance of greenery. :)
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| Seattle |
[17 Jun 2009|10:02pm] |
John and I had an enjoyable trip to Seattle this week, and a major highlight was the opportunity to see our friend Ben, who joined us as we explored his neighbourhood (Capitol Hill) and accompanied us to other areas of the city. John and I are much more familiar with Portland, so we enjoyed the chance to discover more of the largest city in "Cascadia."
My father's former (and quite temporary) neighbourhood, Queen Anne Hill, features great architecture and spectacular views of the city centre from the viewpoint at Kerry Park.
Smith Tower, which opened in 1914, is probably the tallest 'terra cotta' structure I've ever seen.
I photographed this 'accordion' trolley bus on Broadway in Capitol Hill, Ben's eclectic and densely populated neighbourhood just north of Seattle's downtown.
The Pioneer Square district of downtown Seattle features plazas, mature trees, loft apartments, and some of the oldest building stock in the city. Elliot Bay Books, which is located in this area, is an impressive independent bookstore, and I look forward to returning there on future trips to Seattle.
My mother accompanied me when I made my first trip to Vancouver in September 2000, and during that holiday we took a day trip to Seattle, allowing me to see it for the first time as well. We visited the Experience Music Project and had lunch at Zeek's Pizza. Today, almost nine years later, John and I had lunch at Zeek's, which still offers tasty New York-style pizza by the slice.
Note: a complete set of Seattle trip photos can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerryfaust/sets/72157619813008889/ .
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| 'random' vacation |
[13 Jun 2009|11:48am] |
I'm taking next week off from work, but for the first time in recent memory I have no concrete plans for my vacation time.
There's a strong likelihood that John and I will try to visit Bellingham, Washington on Tuesday; we might venture as far south as Seattle. Bellingham's familiar attractions include a great Italian restaurant, Mambo Italiano, and Village Bay Books, an excellent independent retailer. Perhaps we'd also get the opportunity to explore Mt. Baker and the North Cascades. If we go to Seattle, I hope we can visit Ben (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) altf4ljdrama) and explore the newish Seattle Central Library, which was designed by Rem Koolhaas. I'd also like to visit Elliot Bay Books and the neighbourhood known as Queen Anne Hill, where my father spent some of his childhood.
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| Truman Capote |
[10 Jun 2009|09:12pm] |
I'm finally getting around to reading the work of the late Truman Capote.
The feature film "Capote", which featured an excellent performance in the title role by Philip Seymour Hoffman, focused on the author's efforts to research and write the landmark non-fiction book In Cold Blood. Perhaps I'll read that famous tome in the future, but I've chosen the debut novel Other Voices, Other Rooms as my entry portal into Capote's world. Like many of my favourite works of fiction, this novel's protagonist is an introverted outsider who undergoes a defining 'coming of age' experience.
Friends and long-term readers of this journal are aware of my regard for Gore Vidal, Capote's lifelong nemesis, so it will be interesting to compare Other Voices, Other Rooms to Vidal's The City and The Pillar; both books are considered to be landmarks of gay literature, and both were published in January 1948.
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| Real estate euphemisms translated |
[06 Jun 2009|09:54pm] |
Sometimes real estate listings contain creatively ambiguous language, so I thought I'd include my personal translations of some popular phrases. :)
"Bring your decorating ideas." translates to "Current owner has not updated decor since at least the 1980s."
"Located on the quiet side of the building." translates to "Faces neighbouring properties rather than the street."
"Efficient floor plan." translates to "This is a smaller-than-average condo."
"Immediate possession possible." translates to "Nobody lives here at the moment."
"Motivated seller." translates to "We don't expect to sell this home at the list price."
"Handyman's special." translates to "Major repairs needed."
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| Pedal to Petal |
[04 Jun 2009|12:04pm] |
Although there are many environmental benefits associated with apartment and condo living, it can be difficult for residents to compost organic waste. My own building offers convenient recycling depots for multiple kinds of plastics, beverage containers, and paper and cardboard products, but organic waste cannot be conveniently recycled.
However, the new Pedal to Petal cooperative has recently sprung up to meet this gap; for a nominal fee (currently $10 a month), apartment and condo residents can have their food scraps and other compostable waste picked up on a weekly basis. These organic materials are then transported by bicycle to a composting facility for processing. Ultimately, the resulting compost is distributed to community gardens and ‘urban farms’, including some that grow fresh food for low-income people.
Early reports indicate that the co-op has been tremendously successful, and I hope it continues to prosper over the long term.
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| Beautiful Day |
[30 May 2009|11:06pm] |
We accompanied two friends from Victoria to Vancouver today; weather conditions were ideal for our short stay in the city. The bottom photograph was taken during our afternoon visit to Queen Elizabeth Park.
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| Music industry decline: 90s contributing factors |
[28 May 2009|03:51pm] |
The growth of peer-to-peer file sharing networks (starting with the original Napster) has been widely blamed for a massive sales decline in the music industry. While I don’t dispute the impact of non-licensed downloading, I do think that two other factors contributed to widespread music consumer discontent during the 1990s and thereby ‘set the stage’ for the MP3 revolution.
The killing of the CD Single format. According to year end playlist charts, the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Slide” received more radio airplay than any other song during 1998. Yet fans of the band and the song could not purchase a CD Single version; it was only available as an ‘album track’ on the studio album Dizzy Up the Girl, so buyers were forced to purchase the entire album to obtain the song.
Several other singles were released as “radio only” promotions during the decade, reinforcing my suspicion that record company executives were deliberately trying to ‘kill’ the CD Single format.
Heavy Promotion of “One Hit Wonders.” Every decade of the rock era has produced multiple one-hit wonders, but the 1990s seemed to encompass an overwhelming number of such acts: Dishwalla, Primitive Radio Gods, Chumbawumba, Donna Lewis, Dog’s Eye View, Sister Hazel, Mark Morrison, Crash Test Dummies, Lou Bega, and Blackstreet spring immediately to mind. Although CD singles were released for some of the tracks produced by these acts (such as Dishwalla’s “Counting Blue Cars”), many buyers who purchased the full-length albums by these acts were probably disappointed.’
New artists with multiple hit singles on their debut albums, such as Alanis Morrissette, were a relative raridy during the decade, a fact that surely contributed to listener fatigue.
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| Return + Images of Montreal |
[23 May 2009|11:56pm] |
We arrived at Victoria International Airport yesterday evening at 18:50 local time after we decided to change our itinerary (with the help of a sympathetic Air Canada ticket agent at Montreal Trudeau Airport). Our altered ticket bypassed the Winnipeg and Vancouver airports altogether: we flew to Toronto and caught a connecting flight to Victoria.
Montreal is a wonderful city and I'd be happy to return someday; perhaps we'll include a nearby locale, such as Ottawa or Burlington (VT), in future vacation plans.
Some images from our holiday:
Note: A complete set of Montreal images can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerryfaust/sets/72157618570416505/ .
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| Montreal notes |
[21 May 2009|08:25pm] |
Architecture
Montreal is an old city (by North American standards), and John and I have enjoyed exploring the city's historic churches and neighbourhoods. The abundance of brick and granite facades, as well as the presence of thousands of pre-1900 rowhouses, are constant visual reminders of the contrasts between these city and the cities of British Colombia.
We also visited the Canadian Centre for Architecture today; its retail shop is the largest and most comprehensive architecture bookstore I've ever seen (a featured title is the newly-released Le Corbusier and the Occult).
Coincidentally and sadly, this morning's online edition of the Victoria Times Colonist announced the death of Arthur Erickson - one of the country's greatest modern architects and certainly the most famous to emerge from BC.
Nature/Environment
Montreal primarily occupies an island in the St. Lawrence River but its terrain is not completely flat. One of my week's highlights was the scaling of Mont Royal, a hill overlooking the city's downtown (elevation: 764 ft). The northern edge of the Adirondacks is visible in the distance and we might fly over the nearby Laurentians tomorrow shortly after our departure from Trudeau airport.
Most of this week's temperatures have been pleasantly cool, but a warm air mass pushed today's afternoon high to 28 C (about 82 F), a temperature that I rarely experience during the hottest periods of Victoria's summer season. :)
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| Montreal comfort food |
[19 May 2009|05:57pm] |
My friend Mike A. asked me about comfort food offerings in Montreal, so I sent this response via email:
You know you're in a Montreal comfort food restaurant when you can order french fries (frites) as a main entree (alongside various mayo-based dipping sauces)! Montreal's comfort food establishments place a heavy emphasis on french fries and poutine; we had excellent poutine tonight at La Paryse, which included wonderful brown gravy and mozzerella (in leiu of cheese curds). Rotisserie chicken, which is served with brown gravy, is another local comfort food favourite. Montreal's Jewish community is credited with introducing the smoked meat sandwich (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_smoked_meat) and we hope to have lunch at Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen this week. Italians are the 3rd largest ethnic group in Montreal and pasta-only entrees, including spaghetti with meat sauce, appear on many menus. And burgers of all types figure heavily in the local comfort food scene.
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| Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire |
[15 May 2009|09:24pm] |
My grandparents resided in the village of Long Crendon, England, for a time in the 1950s. My grandmother and I recently talked about the small community, located within Buckinghamshire, and her efforts to locate specific information about the house she resided in. This conversation sparked my own curiosity about contemporary life in the village, and I began to explore the community's official web site (http://www.long-crendon.com/ ).
Three aspects of this web site fascinate me:
* The 'stock photo' of the Parish Council
This image, located on the main page of the site, is an obvious stock photograph as the real council members (seen at http://www.long-crendon.com/council/council_members.php ) bear no resemblance to the men and women in this group photo.
* The restaurant recap
Foreign secretary Robin Cook famously called chicken tikka masala "Britain's True National Dish", but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Thai and Indian cuisine-two of my absolute favourites- are represented in five of the community's ten restaurants & take away establishments.
* The post office description
Long Crendon's current population consists of 2,500 residents, so I wonder if the description of the post office (filed under 'Shops' in the "Living in Long Crendon" section) is intentionally ironic: "a bustling centre of activity where you invariably bump into local friends and neighbours, it offers comprehensive postal services including an ATM." :)
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| 500 Block of Yates: Renovations |
[11 May 2009|07:44pm] |
Several buildings in the 500 block of Yates Street in downtown Victoria have undergone significant renovations over the last year.
The Leiser Building, built by Jacob Leiser in 1896 as a retail store, has been redeveloped as loft condos. The adjacent Thomas Earle Warehouse was also renovated as part of the project; both buildings contain street-level retail and share a common courtyard. The Daniel Webster Building (at centre-right in the bottom image), built in 1855, is one of the oldest commercial structures in the city; it recently received a complete facade renovation and a coat of blue paint.
This once-nondescript 1970s office building received a radical transformation as grey tiles and a glassy storefront. Nood (New Objects of Desire), a New Zealand furniture chain selling inexpensive replicas of famous modernist furniture pieces (by Charles & Ray Eames, Le Corbusier, and others), opened its Victoria location here shortly after renovations were completed.
The Humphreys Building, built in 1891, has been transformed into a mixed-use development with 12 rental apartments on the second and third floors; perhaps a bakery or coffee shop will soon occupy its first floor. :)
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| Decade... |
[08 May 2009|11:40pm] |
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I graduated from Indiana University exactly ten years ago today.
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