YVR6: The Last One
It seems entirely appropriate, given the fact that I actually live in Vancouver now, to cut it out with the YVR posts, so this is the last. And a grab-bag it is.
Contrary to the beliefs of some unscrupulous commenters, I’m loving Vancouver. L-O-V-I-N-G. I mean, when I’ve been able to get out of the apartment, that is. I’m working remotely (same company, same job as in YYZ) but not on my own PC — still in transit between there and here and not due to arrive for another week — on a borrowed laptop with limited memory and processor power. So a normal, 8 hour workday takes about 12 hours to achieve (as opposed to the regular 10).
I only today got out to do a bit of exploring and gym-inquiring and arrived home with a big smile on my face. Loving. The weather’s been great — cloudy, off and on, but some sun every day since I arrived. Those of you who love sushi will not want me to gush unnecessarily about the awesomeness of the fish here, so I won’t. But I will say that Champ has begged me not to drag him for another tapas dinner at +α until at least next week. Try the Toro Garlic Pepper there. No, really. The staff are warm and awesome, as is the music, all accompanied by a big pitcher of Sapporo.
I found a barber and got a good cut. Trading an old Korean guy in Toronto for an old Greek guy in Vancouver? Painless.
I’m loving the complete absence of dry skin here, though I forgot until last Monday how crappy every shave I’ve ever given myself in Vancouver has been. I have no explanation for this phenomenon. Maybe the water?
Oh, speaking of water… Until our stuff arrives next week (fingers crossed), Champ and I have been living a superspartan existence, very John and Yoko (minus the giant Dakota suite (and, hey, me being the elder makes me the Yoko, right?)), sleeping on an inflatable bed on the floor. Anyway, on Monday night I got up to get a glass of water and ran the cold in the kitchen sink. Only it was warm. Then hot. Then hotter. “Oh,” I thought (sleepily), “maybe I just don’t get these Euro taps and I’ve pulled when I should have pushed.” Nope, hot in both directions. Dang.
Next morning, the plumber arrives. Looks like they attached the cold water line to the dishwasher and the dishwasher-hot line to the cold tap. Grrreaaat. This makes one who tests for a living exceedingly cross, as it could have been averted by… testing after installing. A half-hour later, he’s installed a new fitting and we have cold water.
Next next morning, we’re standing — no table — having our coffee and I notice water on the floor. Did we drip while transferring the Brita jug to the fridge? Um, no. Stepping on the kitchen floorboards caused water to bubble up between the joints. Uh-oh. Plumber comes and this time the fitting he installed the day before was not crimped properly. Did he test that? But now the floorboard joints are warped and buckling. The contractors arrive and decide the waterlogged boards need to be taken up, the concrete dried and the boards replaced. And this is what that looked like:
Water, water, everywhere
Then they haul in an industrial dehumidifier and two industrial fans to run all night. Like trying to sleep on an airport ramp, it was.
Morning comes and the concrete is dry. But the contractor decides the new floorboards probably won’t match the old ones closely enough. So? The entire floor is pulled up. Bang, bang, bang, saw, saw, bang, saw, bang. I am, by the way, working in my office while all of this is going on, or trying to.
Day three sees some truly amazing and professional floor installation, and they get it almost all done. They finished today. The trim will be done on Monday. Fingers crossed. I can only imagine the nightmare had our stuff arrived this week. Fingers crossed.
So today I was able to get shitloads of testing done for work, giving me license to do some touring and the checking-out of a swank gym named after a basketball star which looks like it’ll be the one for me. And some errands and diversions:
Substation (Burrard Street, Vancouver, 19 June 2009)
Now, I’m no fan of streetmeat — and don’t tell Champ I did this, since I kinda felt like I was cheating on him while doing so — but when I passed the lineup-free Japa Dog stand in front of the Sutton Place Hotel, after passing it in the car every couple of days and seeing huge lines, well, I had to, y’know? Japa Dog is famous, in a tourista kinda way, for their Japanese take on hotdogs. It was good. Really good. Not quite orgasmic, although Ice Cube came ten times! No, really:
Ice Cube Came Ten Times!
I’d have another. I mean, when your servers offer a restaging of Godzilla v. Mecha-Godzilla, who can resist? Big smile on my face.
Japa Dog Girls Do Godzilla v. Mecha-Godzilla
5 comments
I feel you jim, Primus is the worst company. it is very bad that they carry Canada name behind their name “Primus”, I signed up for the VOIP and it was the worst choice I have ever made. then I decided to more to regular phone line and they asked for $50 connection fee. it took them 7 days to transfer the phone. my family lived with no phone or internet for complete 7 days. then they offered me a very good offer on the internet. so they promised me to get the internet and they never did. I lived without internet for about a week again. then I said fuck it and called Rogers and got a phone service and internet from them it took them 1 day to set everything. I rather pay more but not to live in this shit.
Great photos
I agree with Mark. I do not find this movie depressing per say … but simply brilliantly written. I have the whole show memorized too … and I can watch it over and over again. And God bless Leonard Frey … what an actor !
My dear sir:
It has come to my attention by means of my attentiveness that you haven’t said much lately. Ahem ahem. If you let it go to a month, you’ll start to grow the impression that you have to explain, blah blah, and that the post has to be awesome to compensate etc. I therefore must urge you with great urgings to get something up here before November 24th. You can talk about how mustache-growing affects kissing on the part of the kisser (I know about the kissee already). Or the weather. What you had for lunch. I’m just saying, immediate action must be taken to avoid certain disaster. Or something. Please. Pretty please.
K primus is shit..
heres the story..
2008. My modem fucked up randomly, took them 1 month to fix it wdf 1 month? idiots much.
Now 2009,
My modem works all lights are on, BUT INTERNET DOESNT WORK, i call them up im like, why aint my interent working? all lights are on the damn modem. and some indian fucker says TO LOGIN WITH MY PASS AND USER ON 192.168.*.***
I do that still doesnt work, Then he shuts the phone on me,
Well then, im moving to shaw, and im not paying there bills no matter what, They wont let me cancle it since its under my dead wife, So They can suck on it, im not paying for shit. Gg primus, your company sucks, a bunch of kids can overwhlem it.
Soooo…Where the F are you? You can’t tell me that life in Van is so fabulously awesome that there is nothing to complain about! Is that city so perfect, are the roads so pothole free, are the politicians so straight that there is nothing to talk about? Or.. are you sick … that tiresome sinus issue you have? Us loving followers (yes from Toronto) need to know?
@anne & SkippyBoy: Thanks for the votes advocating more posts. They’re coming. Truth is, I’ve been working more hours than usual and diving, headfirst and enthusiastically, into establishing a social network here in Vancouver. Life is good here, very good.
Sometimes, I feel sad that there’s so much negativity on the Internet. Whether or not you like, dislike, or have no particular opinion on someone, I just don’t think it’s very nice to be so mean.
I guess I just wish people were sweeter.
This is terrible. I was on another site http://www.timhortonsfranchise.com and see they don’t treat thier franchisees any better. This is disgusting what a giant corporation can do. Spread the word.
I think it’s JUST adorable! There’s something rather touching about the small pox and polio notes to me. You’re right Brett, it’s become something better than useful, it’s become art.
let me add a voice to those advocating more posts. i miss you too and will keep checking.
hope you guys have great holidays in your new home.
I’m adding my voice to the chorus of people who want, nay, NEED posts from you, Brett. Please post soon! We miss the Canadian snark!
Missing ya, man, but glad it’s for good reasons, not bad. Hope to see you posting again soon!