A Quick Ode to Nashville

I know this blog is supposed to be about Canada, but I must digress for a moment to write about my super duper hometown south of the border...

When I saw today that Gwyneth Paltrow was offering a write-up on her blog about Nashville, I was skeptical. What sort of real advice could a big-city actress possibly divulge about a friendly southern city that prides itself on an eclectic mix of modern, old-fashioned and just down-home South?

Well, I ate my words (or thoughts, at least), because she did a pretty good job of pointing out some of Nashville's best, including the more obvious like Robert's Western World, the Ryman and Loveless Cafe (a gimme, really), along with a few lesser known spots like my old haunts The Family Wash, Margot and Marche, and even a few new spots that I have yet to try since moving northward. Now I'm jonesing for a trip home to bask in all the good eating, drinking and music that Nashville serves up every day!

Read Ms. Paltrow's aforementioned blog here: GOOP

More Photos for your Enjoyment

We had to bid farewell to our good friend Alicia a few weeks ago as she headed to London for another adventure, but not without a final ski trip to Lake Louise! This winter has been unseasonably warm, making for some beautiful days on the mountain (if not the best snow conditions).

We also enjoyed a foray deep into the Calgary Farmer's Market and then took a stroll along the Bow River which is already melting. Last year it was frozen solid until the end of April, so things are looking up! The huge chunks of ice alongside the river are evidence (I hope) of an early and beautiful spring coming our way, although if I've learned anything about Calgary in the past 17 months, I'm sure it has at least one more cold spell/snow storm in store for us!

Photo Updates!

Have I mentioned yet that I was lucky enough to go to the Vancouver Olympics last month?!

Sadly, Ben is in the middle of "busy season" and could not escape work to join in the fun, but Almudena and I managed to sneak out for a short but sweet weekend. It was all completely last minute - we booked airfare on a whim when a sale popped up a few weeks prior to the Olympics, booked one night in a hostel about a week later, and purchased event tickets the day before we flew out.

The atmosphere was beyond amazing - I have never seen such goodwill in the midst of huge crowds and long lines. We attended the women's mogul skiing event at Cypress (the infamous mountain which experienced delays and cancellations after downpours washed out much of the venue - and yes, we were watching our event DURING said downpour, but that is a different story!) We saw an American win gold and a Canadian win silver, and were still in the city (although on our way out) at the moment the first Canadian Olympian won gold on Canadian soil. From inside our hostel, we could hear cheers throughout the streets ... and man was there a party that night!

I met up with my fabulous cousin from Cali and her husband, and the girls had a photo-op with the superstar of the moguls event - Canadian Snowman, who was sporting not only his Canadian flag, but also a Molson Canadian beer :) After hours in freezing rain at that event, the next day was absolutely gorgeous - sunny and warm, so quite a treat for Almu and I after a cold Calgary winter! I just love Vancouver - the entire city seems to be on the water, with harbors and beaches all around...

Trucking On in the North

Many of you have been hearing rumblings of this for a while now, but it's official: Ben and I are extending our time in Calgary by one year!!

After much debate, we decided it's the best choice for us right now - life is pretty darn good here and the winter has been significantly milder this year, making the decision a bit easier! Of course don't ask how I feel when it drops back to -30 degrees in December!

We're looking forward to another fabulous summer in the Rocky Mountains (one was just not enough, not when summer is so short!) and one more ski season before heading southward again. If all goes as planned, we should be home sweet home in May 2011. Until then ... cheers and happy travels!! (Yes, if you have not made it up to visit yet, we are giving you an extra year of leeway, so come see us - this amazing area has to be one of the world's best-kept secrets!)

Things I Don't Love:

(On a less positive note!)

1) Escalator standers - you know who you are! If you insist on not walking up the escalator, then at least stand to the right, please :)

2) Not being able to smile in passport photos - which for me means ten more years of carrying around a passport in which I look like a stoner!

3) Local residents (most of them) who don't wak on the right side of the road or follow normal accepted pedestrian etiquette.

Things I Love:

1) Unseasonably warm winters

2) The big, wide-open Alberta sky that so many locals take for granted, but that repeatedly inspires awe in me

3) The spectacular sunsets that occur on every clear day, in aforementioned big sky. Extra love for a view over the city skyline or the mountains (which is not hard to do around here)

4) Knowing that in my heart, in spite of all the directions and places I pull myself, I'm still a Southern girl :)

Good Karma

I think that every company should offer employees the opportunity to volunteer during work hours. I’m not talking lots of time – just a few hours a month or every couple of weeks.

I would make the argument that giving people the chance to take a break from the frenzied work day to volunteer for causes they care about will sustain a happier, more productive workforce. Individuals who volunteer their time not only improve interpersonal skills and confront new (and unique and exciting) challenges, but also grow as human beings – and then they bring all of these life experiences to the table at work. It’s a win-win situation for everybody involved.

I am lucky to now work for a company that values community service, so every month I have the privilege of continuing my involvement with The Walk-In Closet. I have been working with this group for a little more than a year, and every month I still look forward to the time I’ll get to spend with the amazing women there. It’s so easy to get bogged down by day-to-day life, to feel bored and sorry for yourself because you spend the day sitting at a desk, or because you have to get up early, or because it’s cold outside. But each time I walk into the doors of the Walk-In Closet and interact one-on-one with a woman who is trying to change her life for the better, I’m reminded of how lucky I am.

In the face of huge adversity, whether it be conquering cancer, healing an addiction or escaping an abusive situation, almost every woman I work with comes in looking for a fresh start - willing to work hard and fight for a positive outlook on life against all odds. I love this – I love seeing this resilience and often wonder if I pull more inspiration from them than they do from me!

I will be curious to re-examine the corporate mentality toward volunteering once I return to the US - I find that community involvement is a huge part of life in Canada (or at least in our little region that we've grown to know and love!) I supoose it goes back to that more "socialistic" mentality. Even though Alberta is the most conservative of the Canadian provinces, it is still more liberal than most parts of the United States, and there is a strong sentiment toward taking care of your own. Cheers to that, and let's hope the attitude spreads!

News Flash!

So last night, I broke my 18-month vegetarian (err... flexitarian?) streak with half of a filet mignon at Canada's favorite steakhouse, The Keg. Not only did I dig into a meaty piece of steak, but I also happily devoured the pepper bacon wrapped around said steak.

Now I know a lot of you are really happy to hear this news, but don't get too excited - this meat "fix" will probably tide me over for at least another few months - maybe even another 18 months, but only time will tell.

I should explain that this turn-of-events was pre-meditated: I had been craving steak for the first time since going vegetarian, and the protein monster in my stomach was no longer satisfied with beans, tofu and nuts. My conditions were that it 1) be a piece of decent quality steak, and 2) that it was Alberta-raised, since I am, after all, living in beef country. I also trust that by eating Alberta steak, I'm not only supporting local farmers, but am also supporting a higher standard of quality and ethically raised animals.

Anyway, the long and short of it is that I ate steak and enjoyed it, but probably not enough to go back to a carnivorous diet. I also fulfilled one of my "to-do's" of living in Calgary, as Calgarians love their steaks and it would have been blasphemy to leave here without trying the local specialty!

The Funk

Well, it's that time of year again... the winter blues! I could blame Canada, which would be an easy scapegoat, but I think "the funk" (as I endearingly like to call it) will find you no matter where you are. Whether it's below freezing, snowing and I'm sliding around icy sidewalks - or just gray, rainy and blah (another of my favorite descriptive terms) - January and February are not my cup of tea!

My self-prescription? Lots of soup-making, baking, movie-watching, hot yoga, cuddling with Ben and Bosco ... and as of today, Vitamin D supplements, apparently a winter survival secret of Canadians.

The upside? Snow is beautiful! I've never been a big snow person, but it's growing on me. Case in point: a few weeks ago, after a frustrating ski day for me in Fernie, British Columbia, Ben and I suddenly found ourselves alone in a winter wonderland of the sort that I had only seen in ski movies.

It's these moments, when I realize I'm striding the side of the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by pine trees ensconced in fluffy piles of snow, that all the cold and stresses melt away and I find myself thrusting off my skis and throwing myself into a powdery pile of the white stuff, laying down and soaking it all in. Or when I feel the thud of a snowball on my back as I'm coasting down a clear hill, only to turn to see Ben crouched down with a "catch-me-if-you-can" grin, and we take off after one another on skis and snowboard, feeling like kids.

It's True, Home is Where the Heart (and Family) Is!

I have been the ultimate blog slacker of late ... and the farther behind I got, the more daunting it sounded to catch back up. However my ever-helpful sister-in-law (thanks Jenny!) pointed out that it's not necessary to comb over every detail of the past few months, since our return from our epic roadtrip in September. Perhaps a photo highlight reel will suffice to cover our adventures (my birthday celebration, our new rental house, ski trips, hockey games, out-of-town visitors, hikes ... pretty much the usual stuff for us!) Stay tuned - I will try to do a future blog with a quick photo update :)

Oh, and did I mention that I am now working full time? I've joined the ranks of 9 to 5-ers at Ben's company, partly to counteract my growing restlessness and desire for more daytime social interaction, and partly to compensate for our travel expenses, past and future!

At the moment, Ben and I are happy to be back in Calgary with Bosco, but after 10 days of visiting with family and friends in Tennessee, it feels strangely quiet to be in a house with only the two of us. We are licking our wounds a bit after non-stop drinking and eating over the holidays, but what a fantastic trip home!

In spite of all the deeply stunning and dramatic scenery we've discovered in Western Canada over the past year, a short hike around the mountains in Chattanooga (pictured above) reminded me that Tennessee will always be the most beautiful place to me. There's something about the hills and valleys, the emerald green moss, willowy trees, humble mountain streams, and the limestone rocks that make my heart feel at peace.

It's funny how sometimes you have to go far away to discover where home really is. With talks of extending our contract here in Calgary, it may take us longer than planned to get back to Tennessee for good, but we are definitely looking forward to getting there!

On that note, a very happy New Year to all and I hope your holidays were full of joy and happiness!