To Travel is To Live

Alright, alright!  [Pictures to come...] It's been WAY too long since I traveled and updated this blog but I am BACK! Bryan and I traveled to Aruba with friends, Dave and Lexi, for a 2-week 40th birthday vacation celebration.  We're hitting the three ABC islands, in order, so it's gonna be a blast! Flights were good, considering we had the red eye from Calgary to Toronto Saturday morning.  I actually slept!  We didn't get stuck beside screaming kids!  No obnoxious people were giving me dirty looks for being a 'bad mom' (a little side note on a recent flight to Mesa I took alone...see below). Anyway, we arrived, safe and sound in Aruba on Saturday afternoon.  Customs was super easy here - no mystery button to press to see if you were either A) free to clear or B) subject to a complete smackdown by angry officials.  Phew! In all honestly, customs here was the most efficient I've ever seen it anywhere in the world.  We didn't talk to anyone...

Well, we did it.  We finally got away from the house! It's been almost 12 full months since we went on any type of vacation.  Our wedding last October was our last excursion out of the city.  We've both had time off work for various reasons since then, but nothing longer than a week, nothing at the same time, and nothing that allowed us to clear our heads. We visited Canmore a couple of years ago and had such a good time that we decided to do it again.  This time, though, we brought this zoo! The condo we rented at the Solara Resort and Spa was perfect for Bryan, me, and the 3 pets.  We had a one bedroom unit on the ground floor that allowed us to easily let Tia (our dog) out at all hours of the day and night.  She had to be on her leash as the area behind the condo is not fenced (and there are small bunnies everywhere) so getting dressed at 2:30 AM was an adventure... The kittens fought in their carrier the entire way to Canmore.  Luc...

Bryan and I needed a weekend away from Calgary so here we are in Canmore for the weekend.  The weather is quite lovely for December and so far we have been able to walk everywhere quite easily.  The sun was out earlier today but it seems to set early (mountains are in the way).   We attempted to get a deal on a place to stay here in Canmore.  I spent many hours looking for a room here for a weekend away in the summer but most nights were around $200 each, which was a bit too much.  So, I was quite happy to receive a Groupon deal for the Lodges at Canmore for $99 / night.  I purchased the Groupon and picked this weekend...and then saw the actual charge on my bill.  Stupid Groupon is all in US dollars when you pay, but listed in Canadian on their site.  Very deceptive!  And, with exchange and other charges, we still ended up paying over $200 / night for this place.   Anyway, what can you do?  We are renting a condo for the we...

Along Stephen Avenue in downtown Calgary, the magic of Christmas is brought to life by the magnificent lights strung up between lamp posts and the various window displays that take you back to a time reminiscent of department store shopping and hot chocolate with friends as the snowflakes fell lightly around you.  When we decided to see A Christmas Carol for a pre-Christmas treat at theater, it only seemed fitting that dinner should preclude this event at one of the many delightful Stephen Avenue restaurants.  I've been to Catch once before and only to try oysters for the first time with a friend, years ago.  I remember a cozy atmosphere in a dark, back corner, along with some delectable oyster-sauce pairings (I still recall how yummy a raspberry flavored sauce was).  And, since then, I've only heard great reviews about the rest of the food at Catch, so we decided to spend our Christmas celebration dinner there before the play.  Catch is situated on two leve...

Bryan and I didn't make any formal plans for New Year's Eve but I thought it would still be nice to at least get out of the house for a good meal.  We haven't been for Indian food in ages, it seems, so when I found Royal Ganesha on Open Table, I thought it might be a nice place to try.  The reviews for this restaurant are all great, so I figured it seemed like a great opportunity to get back into my exploration of Calgary restaurants.  Plus, I LOVE Indian food so I was really excited to try this! Located in the west end of downtown Calgary, amid the never-ending quantity of high-rise, overpriced condo buildings, Royal Ganesha is situated within an old (presumably) home that has managed to survive fate of the bulldozer like most other buildings in the area.  Parking was very easy for us, as there was a spot on the street out front, but I am not sure whether there is other parking nearby with the lot across the street stating it's being designed into (you guessed it...

Inglewood holds a special place in my heart and I truly want each and every business that operates there to thrive.  I also hope for a different take on the traditional when I explore what this beautiful community has to offer.  Without Papers , a delightful pizza joint in the old Nectar Desserts (another past gem of this neighborhood) location, combines the area's sense of history with their unique, hand-tossed, authentic Italian-style pizzas.  The stairs creak from age and use as you climb the narrow entryway into the restaurant, where, at the top, the room opens up into one expansive, modern area.  Complete with an open kitchen and a small bar where you can watch the chef making the tasty crusts, the room exudes an airy, comforting atmosphere that makes you just want to sit back and relax while enjoying amazing food with friends and family.  Added to this ambiance is the constant showing of various films on opposing walls.  Our December evening in With...

For two years I have seen the signs indicating a haunted house within the community of Douglas Glen yet have never managed to check it out.  This year, I began walking by the house which hosts the attraction, watching the owners building and setting up their garage and converting it into something that was proving to be very intriguing.  Sitting outside their house throughout the year are often two older-style hearses, which, honestly, are something I would absolutely love to own!  These people are truly Halloween fanatics and I was eager to support their efforts this year. After running out of candy (yes, we suck) and turning off our lights, Bryan and I ventured out on the lovely Halloween night to visit the haunted house.  I was expecting it to be fairly busy but as we rounded the curve in the street, the sounds of excitement and Halloween ghouls floated towards us, enticing us and drawing us near.  The cars were lined up for blocks on either side of the str...

One day last week, an email arrived from one of the many promotional companies I subscribe to advertising tickets to the TELUS Spark Adults Only night.  The featured theme was CSI, a night of insight into the world of forensic tools and techniques used to solve crimes.  I love anything that deals with forensic science, most notably, forensic psychology (or, really, any forensic information I can find on neuroscience, psychiatry, illnesses of the mind, or general behavioral traits in criminals), and decided this might be an interesting evening out with Bryan.  Apparently, TELUS Spark offers Adults Only nights once per month on the 2nd Thursday of each, offering up different themes, opening up the exhibits to the more 'grown-up children' out there, and even offering up a bar.  Previously, the mere thought of visiting Spark, an attraction identified as one where children can play with science and learn about how things in our world work, gave me shivers as I imagined...

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...