Moriarty's Bistro and Wine Bar

Every neighbourhood has one business location where nothing can survive. We've all seen these poor investment black holes: the mom and pop Turkish restaurant that's also a dry cleaner, the deli counter cafe that still expects a 15% tip, the corner store with only two shelves of imported British snacks. Three to six months later and the "For Lease" sign goes back in the window, ready to swallow up someone else's life savings. The space at 10154 100 Street used to be a revolving door; it has been several things, including empty, since I moved to Edmonton. But most recently, the wise and cunning owners of the Sherlock Holmes Pub, right next door, opened Moriarty's Bistro and Wine Bar, a classy, tasty, and hopefully permanent fixture in the downtown revival.

An Elephant Never Forgets...Winter in Edmonton

My route to work takes me past the local CityTV studio. Most days I peer in the window and see local bands destined for nothingness, hopelessly lame hosts failing to cook dead simple recipes, and green-screen weather reports. But the other day, as I passed the corner of 102 Street and Jasper Avenue, I noticed something a little different. Dudes in fezzes, a cluster of onlookers, cameras, a grinning host, and one giant elephant.

Vampire Weekend

I don't often go to see popular music performed live. I mostly don't listen to pop music, but that's not why I don't go. I just don't think there is anything to be gained from seeing someone lip sync his way through exact replicas of overproduced hit singles. If I'm going to pay money to see someone spout off about failed relationships or daddy issues or recentalgia, I want to see some interpretation. Stick an oboe in there somewhere. But when Vampire Weekend (they are pop music) announced that their North American tour would begin in Edmonton, I bought tickets immediately, in spite of the venue. Why? I wanted to see if they could reproduce the jingles from their albums.

Daylight Saving Time: Friend or Foe?

Duh - friend. I love coming home from work in the sun. A pox on all of you who suggest losing an hour once a year is worse than the obvious benefits. And also farmers. A pox on morning-loving farmers.

Think about it: no more passing out in dark alleys at 4:30 pm. You can pass out in well-lit ones now. The incessant hooting of owls (see last week's post) will finally go quiet. And muggers will finally get a well-deserved vacation.

Let's have DST all year 'round. Down with Daylight Losing Time.

Edmonton Photo of the Week

Yup. That's an owl. In EDMONTON.

This shot of a barred owl comes to us via Flickr user sirkillex, who went bird hunting (in a good way) at Whitemud Creek Ravine.

Louisiana Purchase: Then and Now

When I first moved to The Flat, I happened to stroll past Lousiana Purchase, an out-of-the-way Cajun and Creole eatery west of downtown. I thought to myself, "Self, remember to eat some of that." And I did. And it was good.

Edmonton Photo of the Week

This week's image, creatively titled img042, comes to us thanks to Flickr user dirklancer, who snapped this shot on Jasper Avenue between 96 Street and 97 Street. This shot caught my eye for a few reasons:

A Quick Note About Dog Shit

Edmonton has undergone a significant warming trend over the last couple weeks. And like much of North America at the end of the last ice age, the snow is melting, revealing the detritus deposited and forgotten under the winter onslaught. Except instead of revealing mountains and valleys, the current heat wave is revealing heaping piles of canine excrement.

Champion Family Foods: The Saddest Supermarket in Canada?

Let me begin by saying there is nothing objectively wrong with Champion Family Foods; it sells all the usual goods you would expect at a supermarket, for competitive prices, and the staff are about as helpful as one can reasonably expect in Edmonton. I don't think Champion Family Foods is a dangerous or unsanitary location to purchase your average comestibles. However, CFF (11720 Jasper Avenue) has somehow managed to make a deep emotional connection with me, a connection that affects me every time I go in to find something for dinner. This is not a positive emotional connection.