Edmonton
We crashed at Bne's place for a couple of days and got to catch up with a bunch of Saskatoon expats now living in Edmonton as well as TUO's littlest sister. TUO got her hair done in a salon on Whyte while I scrounged around the book and game stores and coffee shops.
Al & Jen's Wedding
Despite the overcast and rainy day, the wedding was a lot of fun!
The happy couple!
First dance
Kate & Mitch
Friends gathered
Carl & Bne, Kaz & Rilla
The groom bustin' moves!
Saskatoon
Being back in S'toon was great. Alan was kind enough to let us crash at his place. Suz was being her usual sweetheart self and threw a party to celebrate a bunch of our birthdays (including me and TUO). We manage to catch up with a LOT of people!
Terry, John, Jen, & Alan
Suz's party extravaganza!
Laura, Dana and li'l Walter
Special Salute: Broadway Roastery Coffee
I like coffee. I like coffee a lot. I like the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I like light brews and dark brews without any cream or sugar. I also have a thing for "those unmasculine European coffees" (name that movie quote), with a special love for mochas (or mochaccinos they are sometimes called) and all the tasty variants thereof. I mean - strong coffee, espresso, chocolate syrop, and steamed milk topped with whipped cream - how can you NOT like that?!?
Well, despite having traveled and sampled coffee from a good portion of North America (including all over Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario, Washington, California, Virginia, North Dakota, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, and New Mexico), the best mochaccino I have ever had were those found at the Broadway Roastery in Saskatoon. I don't know if it's the fact they use a rich chocolate whip instead of regular whip cream or the quality of the coffee beans or espresso, but that's a DAMN fine cup o' joe! I dare anyone to find anything approaching this coffee barrista's masterpiece!
Back in Edmonton
Back in Edmonton, my long-time buddy Trent was kind enough to run a game for TUO and I and our mutual friend Rob. It was a one-shot set in his own game setting/system called Kingdom Come. It is AWESOME and he should really get off his duff and publish the damn thing already! :-)
Rob and Trent
Back in Cali
After being stuck on the tarmac at the airport for far too long, we finally took off and arrived back in Cali. It was a warm and sunny day - again. It sounds awful, doesn't it? I think growing up in Saskatchewan really put an emphasis on constrasts. Constrasts make you appreciate the good times more and puts the bad times in perspective. Bitter cold winters, damp springs, hot dry summers, cool windy falls. Seasons. I loved the fact that it rained most of the time we were in Canada, loved the smell of the leaf mold after a long winter, loved the act of going in out of the pouring rain and chill and into the roasted-bean smell of a coffee house, sipping on hot coffee to warm up. I guess I'm a bit sentimental about such things.
I like coffee. I like coffee a lot. I like the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I like light brews and dark brews without any cream or sugar. I also have a thing for "those unmasculine European coffees" (name that movie quote), with a special love for mochas (or mochaccinos they are sometimes called) and all the tasty variants thereof. I mean - strong coffee, espresso, chocolate syrop, and steamed milk topped with whipped cream - how can you NOT like that?!?
Well, despite having traveled and sampled coffee from a good portion of North America (including all over Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario, Washington, California, Virginia, North Dakota, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, and New Mexico), the best mochaccino I have ever had were those found at the Broadway Roastery in Saskatoon. I don't know if it's the fact they use a rich chocolate whip instead of regular whip cream or the quality of the coffee beans or espresso, but that's a DAMN fine cup o' joe! I dare anyone to find anything approaching this coffee barrista's masterpiece!
Back in Edmonton
Back in Edmonton, my long-time buddy Trent was kind enough to run a game for TUO and I and our mutual friend Rob. It was a one-shot set in his own game setting/system called Kingdom Come. It is AWESOME and he should really get off his duff and publish the damn thing already! :-)
Rob and Trent
Back in Cali
After being stuck on the tarmac at the airport for far too long, we finally took off and arrived back in Cali. It was a warm and sunny day - again. It sounds awful, doesn't it? I think growing up in Saskatchewan really put an emphasis on constrasts. Constrasts make you appreciate the good times more and puts the bad times in perspective. Bitter cold winters, damp springs, hot dry summers, cool windy falls. Seasons. I loved the fact that it rained most of the time we were in Canada, loved the smell of the leaf mold after a long winter, loved the act of going in out of the pouring rain and chill and into the roasted-bean smell of a coffee house, sipping on hot coffee to warm up. I guess I'm a bit sentimental about such things.
