It's a well known fact: we like to talk about the weather. It's constantly changing, we're never happy with it and it's not always just small talk. Well, maybe it's still small talk, but I'm going to make another post about it regardless!
I make this observation because of a story my uncle told me after coming back from Africa. I can't remember where exactly, but they had beautiful weather. Sunny and hot, cloudless blue skies: a beautiful day wherever in the world you may be. Within one of the first few days after his arrival, he used what we consider a common small talk opener: "Beautiful day, isn't it?" The response from the local was an abrupt "Yes." After spending a few weeks he realized how foolish it was to comment on the weather: everyday was the same beautiful day!
Canadian prairies are a lot different. Snow in July, and suntanning on New Years sounds like something that'd be happening in the other hemisphere, but I've witnessed it right here at home. So we talk about it. And when the thermometer jumps up above the seasonal 5 degree high to a whopping 20 degrees, I'm going to write a post about it.
To celebrate this wonderful day, I'm going to go out to the back yard and fire up the bbq and have me a beer in the sun. Aaahh, the joys of summer. Let them never end!
Saturday didn't turn out to be all that impressive, crazy, or wild. But it was super fun regardless. Gayle and I caught Les Triplettes de Belleville at the Princess at 7, then headed out for a chill night on Whyte. Now, I realize that sounds like an oxymoron, because when is a Saturday night on Whyte ever really chill? Well, we managed it. We found cozy little spots that happily took our money in exchange for tasty drinks and food.
Since Sherlock Holmes wouldn't accept any of the 18 pieces of Identification I carried with me, we moved on to the Guilty Martini, which I've been to as both the Raven and 4Play in earlier days. Even though all three bars were in the same place, it was incredible to see the change. Raven was the place I never enjoyed, with greasy old men and a sports lounge atmosphere at its best. 4Play, apparently, was the drug lords' bar, and the only time i stuck my head in the door, I decided it still wasn't my kind of place, even renovated. I think the Guilty Maritini could be a winner. Unfortunately, they became a "dance bar" after we'd been there for about 1/2 an hour, smashing the intimate mood created by the dim red lighting, candles on tables,and gorgeous local artwork.
We left shortly after a busload of people came in, and decided to make it a "Night of the New" and headed to 53 degrees, the lounge for l'attitude restaurant where Sorrentino's used to be. Nice place, quiet... exactly the atmosphere we wanted. Clever name, too: Edmonton is at 53 degrees lattitude. We knew it'd be a tad pricey, but we were too involved in talking to drink fast! We would have ordered appetizers but decided that Nachos from BP's would be more satisfying, and thus ended our night of new.
We talked a lot that night... it was four in the morning by the time we turned out the lights for some sleep! It was a Saturday night to remember: even if it wasn't anything especially planned, it was still special. :)
We were sitting in a fairly empty greek restaurant, a consolation for my really awful afternoon, when suddenly someone the table of girls sitting in the corner behind me smashed a dish. The restaurant fell silent until she yelled out "OPA!!" Every single person in the place broke out into laughter!
