Calgary Update
In Calgary almost three weeks and here’s what I know …
- Calgary people are friendly. It’s weird. Like walking down the street, they smile and say hello, and it’s really discombobulating. In Vancouver, people walk by, earbuds in, and look at their Prada loafers or off into the horizon of concrete.
- Calgary real estate is cheap like borsch used to be. The condo I’m renting in Cowtown is twice the size of my place in Vancouver and has a gas fireplace, library, gym, and tenth floor garden. I’m writing this post from my office (!) looking out at the best little bakery / hip brunch eats / overpriced coffee shop in da city. In my Van condo, my office was also my laundry room / sauna room / storage closet.
- Calgary is Canada’s sunniest city. There have been only three days without sunshine and blue sky since I’ve been here. Okay, I’ll admit that Vancouver is experiencing an unusually sunny autumn, but … um, well, let’s withhold judgment on this one for a bit, shall we?
- Calgary is dry. When I first moved into my new pad and found open boxes of Kleenex in every room, I’d thought my landlord had allergies. Turns out that it’s so arid here that your nasal cavity is constantly collecting dust and crusties. For the first couple weeks, my nose was blowing out what can only be described as red Slushy coke-nose effects and my lips ― the ones on my face ― are so chapped that I pick off seventeen layers of skin each day. #nasty Vancouver is wet.
- Calgary’s downtown area exhibits human life form on the lunch hour only. The rest of the time you can hear crickets. (And they will be chirping out some country tune, guaranteed.) Vancouver’s downtown area exhibits a great number and type of people at every hour.
Minor inconveniences and the silver lining within them …
- To make my place “rentable” for the Vancouver market, I had to replace my laundry appliances ― ka’ching ― install a new dishwasher ― ka’ching ― fix the floors ― ka’ching ― provide unlimited Wi-Fi and cable TV and make sure everything from dish soap to personal hygiene items were supplied. Survey says: $$$. Silver lining: I won’t have to buy this shit again ― unless the tenant is a clepto.
- Though the rental I’m in was generous in supplying Kleenex, it lacked in a few other essentials such as dish cloths, dish towels, kitchen knife, cutting board, mixing bowls, vegetable peeler, garlic press (necessity), whisk ― they’ve got organic whipping cream here by the litre, so a whisk is mandatory ― cookie baking tray, measuring spoons and cups (hello ― snow + fireplace = I’m taking up baking, y’all), and Himalayan rock salt lamp. Okay, maybe the salt lamp isn’t a necessity … if you’re Calgarian. But I’m a hipster-whipped West Coaster, come on! Silver lining: justified online shopping. Bam!
- Because I’m not sure if I’m staying in Calgary forever or just for the winter ― who moves to Calgary for the winter??? ― I’m not changing my phone number, which means that my door buzzer cannot be connected. I’ve left my phone number taped to the intercom for delivery people. Silver lining: Extra exercise running downstairs every other day to collect cheaply made affordable plastic products bought on Amazon and arriving from China any day now. Any day now! (It was only a few months ago I paid almost $180 for an organic cotton, locally made robe from an Ecco shop in Vancouver. Ah, how quickly necessity overrides obviously shoddy values.)
Also, I’ve succumbed to petroleum jelly, again for the swollen and sore chapped lips on my face. (I promised not to make this post about my vagina, and I’m sticking to that commitment.)
So, anyway, Vaseline is the only thing that works to save my mouth from looking like a blood-letting vampire’s. Let’s lump this choice in with supporting my new local, petroleum-economy based community. #Oy
Things I love best about Calgary aka #LOVEYYC…
- One of my very bestest BFFs lives here! She’s busy and I’m an (outgoing) introvert, so we don’t crowd each other. #perfect
- Because I’m such an introvert (read: homebody) and because, like any true introvert, I love love love the space I’m in and it has everything I need ― home office, gas fireplace, jacuzzi tub, private library (with fireplace), decently equipped fitness facility ― I don’t have to “brave the cold” when winter finally arrives, which according to the forecast is next week.
- Organic, local, home-delivered groceries! spud.ca delivers right to my door! Spud is also in Vancouver, but there I was only a few mild-weather blocks away from Whole Paycheck, Urban Fare, and Choices (local organic grocery stores). Every Monday is like Christmas here! (If you’re in Cowtown, use coupon code: CRCAL-JORANC We’ll both save! Win-win.)
Also! Because of Vancouver burger mania, I’m now back on the Thrive and feeling it already. I’ll report more on that soon because hello! promo contest or some such sales-y stuff below to entice you! 😉 Get ready for Silly Skinny Chick in Calgary blog posts. 😉
xo AJ
p.s. I’ve seen real live men wearing cowboy hats. It is true. Who knew!?
