Transcendental Stimulation

Transcend Coffee's Garneau location opened last week in the old Pharos Pizza unit next to the Garneau Theatre. This is good. This is what we've all been waiting for. And don't get me wrong, I appreciate not having to drive all the way to godforsaken 62 Avenue and 98 Street to get a cup of Clover coffee (now owned by Starbucks - boo). But seriously, what in Jesus' name took so long? When you see the phrase "Coming Soon" you kind of assume that "soon" means "before I go crazy from unrequited coffee lust." Apparently not so.

It's summer, let's dress like idiots!

The long, cold winter in Edmonton has a way of tricking human physiology into believing the weather is warmer than it actually is. Any normal subset of human beings goes outside in 10C weather and thinks, "it's quite medium out today, perhaps I need a jacket." But in Edmonton, as soon as the mercury crawls above zero, people like to pretend that they live somewhere that serves more drinks with umbrellas in them. And this produces a few distinct characters you are likely to see around town.

Huzzah! for Yellow Pages Group Co.

In a stunning announcement last week, YPG Co. indicated they would no longer automatically deliver white pages to Edmonton and area homes. Not stunning, you say? Perhaps you are correct, sir. But still, this is good news for people who like trees, hate clutter, and who have even the faintest working knowledge of the interwebs. However, there are still a few remaining white(pages)supremacists.

Places I Like to Eat Lunch: Shanghai Express

There is something about shiny food that intrigues me. Fruit and veg can be shiny, but that's not what I'm talking about. I mean artificial shine; when people intentionally shine up their food, like a bowling ball or a nice pair of shoes, it makes me want to eat it. I can't explain why. And Shanghai Express makes the shiniest food around.