Why I don't take the bus
The big news in Canada today is of a bus ride from hell last night: "Thirty-six passengers of a Greyhound bus traveling from Edmonton to Winnipeg Thursday night watched in horror as a fellow passenger reportedly stabbed another man sleeping next to him, eventually decapitating him and waving the man's severed head."
Posted by Sebastian / Edmonton / July 31, 2008 /
Best friends forever
With my friends Julie and Joe in Toronto:
Posted by Sebastian / Etceteras / July 29, 2008 /
Toronto
I took a quick trip up to Toronto yesterday to hang out with my BFFs Joe and Julie. We had a blast wandering around Canada's most boring large city. I love Toronto and endlessly praise its virtues, but my god, the city can be so lame sometimes. Torontonians can seem incredibly self-conscious and that insecurity reflects itself in every interaction. But their city is massive and nuanced and perfect for exploring so those of us who love it keep coming back for more, despite our mixed emotions and occasional frustration.
In any event, some photo evidence...The Hazelton Hotel, below, recently rated by my fav columnist and condo critic Christopher Hume. I think it's a terrific building.
Down the street in Yorkville is this cool old building:
Nearby is Toronto's most adventurous new building, the new Crystal Building at the Royal Ontario Museum. I can't help but stop and stare at it every time I'm in Toronto.
Posted by Sebastian / Toronto / July 28, 2008 /
Real coffee
The latest obsession in my constantly-obsessed life is Joe The Art of Coffee. It's my new hangout. Not only is the coffee actually drinkable, but the aesthetic of the place is so calming. Loves it!
Posted by Sebastian / NYC / July 25, 2008 /
Only in Vancouver
...do you see a headline like this: "Dead heron won't be removed from tree near Stanley Park tennis courts." That's what the CBC is reporting (please click to see the gross photo!).
According to the report, "The Vancouver Park Board has no plans to remove a dead heron hanging in a tree next the Stanley Park tennis courts. Spectators at a weekend tennis tournament expressed concern that the carcass, which was likely from the Great Blue Heron colony in trees next to the tennis court at the southeast entrance to the park, should be removed. But park board chair Korina Houghton said staff recommended that the dead bird, which is suspended in the branches about four metres above the ground, be left in the tree until it falls out on its own."
Posted by Sebastian / Vancouver / July 24, 2008 /
Toulouse
Last year, before going to Toulouse, in southern France, for the first time, my friend Eric described the city as "the Scranton of France." It turned out to be so much more! And the New York Times things so as well, in this week's 36 Hours feature. Toulouse is terrif.
Posted by Sebastian / Europe / July 21, 2008 /
Bye, bucks
It turns out that in Starbucks' recently announced plan to shed some 600 stores, the axe will fall hardest in New York, where 11 shops will close. As the Times wryly points out, "Starbucks said that 11 of the 600 coffee shops it planned to shut by mid-2009 would be in New York City, which would leave New Yorkers with 225 Starbucks to choose from."
Posted by Sebastian / NYC / July 21, 2008 /
A modern plague: loud cell phone talkers
I have a little -- but increasingly passive-aggressive -- thing for people who talk loudly on their cell phone. Modern technology is great: you don't need to scream into your phone for that person 2,000 miles away to hear you. On Sunday I had two profoundly disturbing experiences of this sort. The first was at Paradise Cafe in Chelsea, the joint notorious for its awful service, and I suppose, sometimes awful clientele (yours truly excluded), too. When I stopped in for my usual weekend morning iced coffee fix, the same girl who was there talking loudly on her phone last weekend was back, chirping away, although this time she had lovingly placed her bare feet on another chair. Eeeewww! (See the photo snapped from afar for visual evidence.)
In my second hair-pulling moment of the day, I was over at Joe The Art of Coffee, on 23rd Street, getting my usual weekend afternoon iced coffee fix. The man sitting next to me clearly has relationship issues with his wife and control issues with his children. I learned all this, you see, because said man was talking at a decibel level that would give a lawn mower a run for its money. Truth be told, he also sounds like he has a touch of manic depression. In any event, I never thought I'd be able to snap a shot of said social-etiquette-offender without him noticing -- you'll remember, I was sitting next to him. But he was such a space cadet it was a cinch.
Posted by Sebastian / Etceteras / Technology / July 16, 2008 /
The Bay begins to says buh bye
It seems Canada's most famed name in retailing is on its way out. The Hudson's Bay Company -- the oldest corporation in the Americas, for those who know their history -- has been sold to the parent of Lord & Taylor. Many stores in The Bay chain will quickly be converted to Lord & Taylors. I'm the first person to whine about how crappy The Bay is (except for its Vancouver flagship with its awesome Olympics gear collection), but it does seem sad to see the Hudson's Bay name winding down.
The history of the Hudson's Bay Company, as a fur trader, land explorer, and territorial ruler, is fascinating. There's perhaps no more Canadian an institution than the HBC.
Posted by Sebastian / Canada / July 16, 2008 /
Time to end 'Don't Ask'
An editorial in today's Washington Post calls for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell: "The 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy that continues the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the U.S. military was wrong when President Clinton signed it into law in 1993, and it's wrong today. The only difference between then and now is that more people are now coming around to that conclusion."
Posted by Sebastian / Politics / July 11, 2008 /
Shingles rock
There is nothing quite like a big old summer house in Maine. I am obsessed with shingle style "cottages"! Below are some of my favs from my town in Maine (including one hot clapboard home).
Posted by Sebastian / Maine / July 6, 2008 /
America's day
Happy Fourth to all! It's gorgeous up here in Maine, where today I shall endeavour to retain my crown as the winner of the annual Fun Run on North Haven. (It's not hard to win when it's only 1 1/2 miles -- this is my kind of race!)
Posted by Sebastian / Maine / July 4, 2008 /
Canada's day
Happy Canada Day! On this day the Dominion of Canada was created by the joining of the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Canada. (The Province of Canada became Ontario and Quebec).
Test your knowledge of Canadian -- and American -- history on the Globe and Mail's quiz. I got 18 out of 20 correct, thank you very much.
Posted by Sebastian / Canada / July 1, 2008 /
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