Year: 2013

Videolog: Reflektor

Arcade Fire
Reflektor (2013)

This pre-release track has been available for a while but it’s a good intro if you’re not familiar with the new Arcade Fire album that was released this week.

And yeah, that’s a David Bowie cameo…

Post mortem

Statistics and superlatives:

  • Total distance traveled: 3505 km
  • States/provinces included: 6 (North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Ontario
  • Days: 12
  • Nights: 11
  • Most surprising lodging: Motel 6 in Burlington. It was actually quite nice, clean, and quiet. And everything worked. It’s not your average Motel 6.
  • Best shawarma: Falafel Queen in Toronto.
  • Cheapest sit-down breakfast: Skyway Diner in Burlington.
  • Cheapest gas (US): $2.979/gallon in Wytheville, Virginia.
  • Cheapest gas (Canada): $1.151/litre in Guelph, Ontario.
  • Most colossally bad idea I’m glad I didn’t act on: Driving to Thunder Bay to visit Canada’s easternmost Safeway store before it becomes a Sobeys.
  • Best mood elevator when I needed it most: The toll collector on the West Virginia Turnpike who was dressed up for Hallowe’en.
  • Second best: The random teenager who stepped away from his posse in Kensington Market to tell me he liked my jacket.
  • Honorable mention: The cashier at Loblaws who shared my giddy glee about Coffin Crisp, the Hallowe’en version of Coffee Crisp.
  • Biggest regret: being in the GTA on a weekend when they were doing several shows and still not seeing Sloan.

 

 

Days 11-12: Toronto and home

Safely home now.

Wednesday, my last full day in Toronto, was actually a pretty nice day weather-wise, and I spent most of it on foot.

I probably walked (conservative estimate) 12-13 km, covering Queen Street East from the beaches to downtown, big chunks of Dundas Street West and Bloor Street West, and Broadview. I took lots of pictures, looked at books, and ate a lot (surprise). I could really spend days just walking the streets of Toronto. I love it.

Other Wednesday highlights:

  • Preposterously large breakfast at the Tulip.
  • No lunch required due to preposterously large breakfast at the Tulip.
  • Dinner in Greek Town. I ate at Messini, which I’ve really liked in the past but didn’t much care for this time around. I think they were out of lettuce but didn’t want to admit it, which made for a very unusual gyro/salad combo.

On Thursday morning, I packed up the car and headed back toward home. After some stops in St. Catherine’s and Niagara Falls, I didn’t dawdle much more, only stopping for lunch and dinner, gas, and bathroom breaks. I did the full 1200 km in one day, landing here at 1:30 in the morning.

Thursday highlights:

  • Listening the Rob Ford train wreck unfold on the way home.
  • CBC Radio 3 making West Virginia tolerable…again.
  • Smiley cookie with dinner.

More details, photos, follow-up, etc. to come.

Sunset

20131031-014911.jpg

I have to go back to that other country–the one I don’t like nearly as much–tomorrow. That makes me sad.