To Travel is To Live

Every motorcycle trip I go on seems to be cursed with bad weather!  Since my previous trips took place late June to mid-July, when rain is typically heavier, this year I opted to go away for a weekend in August.  Unfortunately, it was probably the wettest weekend all summer, to date! But, we had fun.  The trip was certainly an adventure.  I used to be so much better at planning and executing those plans so that I was always ready for anything well in advance.  This isn't really the way I have been acting lately (and maybe Bryan is just rubbing off on me).  But, one week before our trip, I decided I needed a new helmet and a tank bag.  The tank bag I bought turned out to be awesome - I don't know how I survived without one before!  But, as anyone knows who buys a new helmet, it takes some time to work them in.  I had some trouble finding a helmet that fit - my old one whistled like crazy and it squished my cheeks so bad that it gave me a hea...

Each month, I eagerly await the next issue of Avenue magazine here in Calgary because there is always some excellent article (whether long or short) on a fairly new restaurant on the scene.  My favorite issue this year was their ranking of the top restaurants in Calgary, based upon a few different categories (Best Patio, Best Cocktail, Best for Late Night, etc.).  Topping out the Best Overall list was Alloy, a relatively hidden dining spot on 42nd Avenue SE.  For those who aren't familiar with the city, this is land of the trades and strip mall, with companies like ABB and random home or commercial services adorning the corridor.  It's not exactly a place you would expect to find a high-end restaurant.   However, I like Alloy's style:  They found a rather plain-looking building with a wrap-around parking lot, shielding patrons from the busy street.  Upon entering, you can easily forget how atypical this location is for such an establishment....

Ox and Angela, a relatively new Spanish-style tapas restaurant and lounge (it opened in 2011), has repeatedly popped up in my Open Table searches and I finally was able to experience the establishment.  Chosen as the place for dinner before our evening out at the Jubilee, Bryan and I arrived quite early, avoiding dinner crowds and taking advantage of the empty outdoor seating area.  Like most restaurants along 17th Avenue, Ox and Angela overlook this busy corridor but don't have a lot of space to offer their patrons.  There are two small patios, each capable of holding roughly 10 people. On such a beautiful evening, it was great to sit outside and people watch while we ate our meal. Tapas are not new to us, but we sometimes have difficulty deciding on how many plates to order and on which ones we both might like.  (I'm finding that bacon or ham products are becoming more prominent in many dishes, which is disappointing.)  So, to make things easier for both Bry...