The smell of roasted nuts and hot chocolate mixed with exhaust is what I would experience every morning at Harvard Square T station. Sweetness combined with mechanics mmmm good morning!. A friend of ours who just recently moved to Canada from England pointed something out on her blog:
One thing we have noticed, bus stations and sky train stations don’t have any shops or news agents. [MapleMole]
I assume this is what you can find at Tube stations in London. However, as you head out into the suburbs, Skytrain stations like King George and Scott Road do have little shops where you can get a bottle of water, a pack of gum, and a daily read down on the street. But the thing I know for sure about Harvard Square, Downtown Center or Gov’t Center stations in Boston was that on track-level there was usually a Dunkin Donuts kiosk. Just grab your coffee and a paper and jump on the train.
I’ve always wondered, in this caffeine-crazy city where you can’t go half a block without bumping into a cafe, why don’t we have a mini Starbucks say… at the bottom of the escalators on Burrard? Is there some type of by-law that prevents it? Vancouverites love their coffee, but would something like that just get in the way?
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We are so busy this week I think come Saturday I’ll either be sick or my head will fall off. Here’s what’s coming up this week in the land of Miss604.com:
Tonight is the Metroblogging Vancouver meetup, we haven’t had one of these in ages, and I haven’t been to one in like a year so it’ll be great o reconnect with my fellow contributors.
Thursday is game 2 of the World Series, featuring my beloved Boston Red Sox. We’re heading out to a special event that I’m not sure I can blog about right now. Needless to say it will involved a lot of baseball, Vancouver charm, and peanuts. Lots of peanuts.
Friday we’re going out to celebrate my big brother’s 32nd year on this planet. He’s had a huge year, finished his degree and gotten a new job so there’s lots of toasting to be done. Expect first-ever “my brother is awesome and it’s his birthday” post in the coming week.
Quick site note… I’m currently writing a little mini-story and I’d like readers’ opinions on where I should publish it, if anywhere. Should I keep it in a Word doc on my computer for my eyes only or should I post it somewhere on my blog, on a new sub page? My only fear with posting is that it might get ripped off. Not that it will be that fantastic, but you never know these days, eh. Any thoughts or feedback would be appreciated.
It must have happened with bacn but since I got on TechBurgh‘s radar I’ve had a little window in the social networking community that is alive and well in Pittsburgh. As it turns out, I’ve been named their Weekly Tech Girl, which is pretty great.
Favorite thing about technology in general: It makes life easier and has allowed me to have an excuse for being nerdy, thus making me cool in this day and age… even though I just used the word ‘thus’. [Weekly Tech Girl – TechBurgh]
If you have a chance check out their blog and podcast as well. Thanks guys!
The topic of “Umbrella Etiquette” in Vancouver is a dead horse and I’m about to give it another kick. For years now bloggers have published their own “rules of umbrella use” for public spaces, streets, and walkways:
So yes, we’ve all had our share of umbrella etiquette posts, but mainsteam media’s caught up with us. News1130 has just posted their own rules for umbrella use, which echo previous statements and pet peeves:
1. Size DOES matter. Using a golf umbrella walking down Robson street will likely make you a few enemies.
2. Hold on tight. If the wind is blowin’ so is the brolly! Watch you’re not letting those pointy corners knock around your fellow pedestrians.
3. The awnings are off limits, especially is someone without one approaches. Seriously, you’ve got an umbrella.
4. The cross path ‘duck n’ lift’. Taller person raises, shorter person takes the low road.
5. Shake away from traffic. Tossing off the stowaway raindrops towards passersby only leads to awkward exchanges with your fellow man.
6. Use plain ol’ common sense. It goes a long way on a rainy day.
Any more to add to the many lists? Besides, if you’re a true Vancouverite, you’re skin and everything you wear is made of Goretex and you don’t even need to use an umbie…right? I’ll end by using a line from the Craigslist posting, “If these rules are not followed, then any fellow [Vancouverite] has the right to take your umbrella, patio or otherwise, and beat you with it.”
Langley’s longest-running and most popular Town Hall forum, hosted by Langley Township Councillor Jordan Bateman and Sam “Politics” Kirk. Featuring more than 150,000 visitors, 500,000 hits, and 9,000 Dotcomments in the past year. [LangleyPolitics.com]
Together the Jordan and Sam have been covering politics in the Township, in some form or another, for the last 10 years and Jordan is “youngest elected member of Langley Township Council, representing 100,000 residents.” They touch on everything from Council meetings, local news, national politics, school board meetings and opinions.
Recently Jordan wrote an article in the Abbotsford Post about a Facebook group of young drivers who admit and boast about speeding along a stretch of road near the border, he also cross-posted this on his site.
A small Facebook group offers a frightening glimpse into the mindset of some of the young drivers who regularly use 0 Avenue.
The “0 and 16th Ave Speeders” are a group of about a dozen people who “admit to speeding on those roads.” Some of their comments should worry you.
“I must admit I like doing between 90 and 100 ks,” wrote the group’s founder, Richard Allegretto. “Speeding is only dangerous if you drive like an idiot while doing it, if everyone is doing the same speed and not weaving in and out of traffic, things should go just fine!” [LangleyPolitics]
Naturally that post has tons of comments, on both sides of the argument, especially seeing as how some Western Canadians feel speed limits should be increased on certain city roads [News1130]
Like I said, these guys have been blogging about Langley Township matters for several years so I’m a little late to the story. Just the other day Jordan was in the Province and on CKNW talking about Aldergrove border issues.
I find what they’re doing is absolutely wonderful. They’re creating a dialog, discussion, forming opinions and letting others express theirs in a local political situation that is, thanks to them, far from closed off from the public – as it should be.
