I've been hesitating about making this blog entry, for fear it might undermine the sanctity of something I'm coming to adore – Victoria's surprising and attractive complexity – simply by letting it be known about more generally. But I'm pretty sure almost no one is reading this blog and there's something compelling me to set my observations down in print.
Victoria is deceptive. She looks from the outside like a quaint little old lady who people want to come and visit once in awhile before going home to their much more exciting lives and circles of family and friends. To pay a little homage, perhaps, have a delicious cup of tea and a home-made scone, hear a bit of gossip, then kiss the genteel hand and depart. But even after just three months of living here it's already clear to me Victoria is much more nuanced, intelligent, complex, and intriguing than her image.
She's really more like university professor, middle aged perhaps, but still hip and attractive. Seasoned, sexy, and smart. Not a prof tied to just one department, either, but in some sort of special cross-disciplinary field. She's the kind of prof who is popular with both students and faculty because she's witty, urbane, ironic, playful, wise, knowledgeable and both willing and able to pass her knowledge and wisdom on to others. She's got some interesting history, full of eccentric and iconic characters, but she's also got a fascinating and engaging present.
But she doesn't let most people know this, at least not the multitudes who drop by at intervals for those obligatory visits to their elderly relative. They come in by ferry, by cruise ship, by plane, stay a few hours or days, see all the common sights, smell the flowers, taste the tea, and return home to tell friends about this quaint and beautiful city they visited. Of course, they loved visiting it, but they wouldn't dream of living here.
Which is just as it should be, because if it ever becomes widely known what an amazing city this is, it will be flooded with immigrants who will change it into Vancouver, Seattle, or Calgary, full of too many people and too many big box stores, everyone rushing around, obliterating the very traits they found so charming when they first came, literally loving the place to death.
No, let Victoria retain her old lady image. It's her best protection against the Borg. Victoria's secret.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
We have a living room again!
Wednesday (four days ago, now) our sofa and chair arrived! We've been camping with our recliner and a rocking chair now for over a month and were eagerly anticipating having a more abundant choice of seats again. But it was not as simple as we thought it would be!
The delivery men brought the couch into the building and down our hall but couldn't get it through the door! In the end, after a bit of calculating, they took it through into the courtyard outside our patio and brought it in over the patio fence. They had to lift it over the fence as there is no gate. Quite a feat as the fence is a good six feet high, with a large step down from the beds onto the patio floor once you get across the fence. We got quite the display of he-man musculature during this operation! I wish I'd had the sense to video them doing this but I was so nervous they would break down the fence that the thought never occurred to me until it was all over.
Yesterday, when talking with Becca and Mal, I learned they, too, were unable to get their old couch into their new house, or even into the studio. They'll have to sell it and buy something more flexible, a pity because that couch made into a very comfortable bed, but they seem quite cheerful about it. I find it so ironic we both had couch challenges in this move. Who knew our couches were so big? Or perhaps that our houses are so small? I hope our new sofa bed proves at least as comfortable as they one they will have to shed.
The delivery men brought the couch into the building and down our hall but couldn't get it through the door! In the end, after a bit of calculating, they took it through into the courtyard outside our patio and brought it in over the patio fence. They had to lift it over the fence as there is no gate. Quite a feat as the fence is a good six feet high, with a large step down from the beds onto the patio floor once you get across the fence. We got quite the display of he-man musculature during this operation! I wish I'd had the sense to video them doing this but I was so nervous they would break down the fence that the thought never occurred to me until it was all over.
Yesterday, when talking with Becca and Mal, I learned they, too, were unable to get their old couch into their new house, or even into the studio. They'll have to sell it and buy something more flexible, a pity because that couch made into a very comfortable bed, but they seem quite cheerful about it. I find it so ironic we both had couch challenges in this move. Who knew our couches were so big? Or perhaps that our houses are so small? I hope our new sofa bed proves at least as comfortable as they one they will have to shed.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Real life getting in the way of blogging
In my wanderings about this city and minglings with friends, I keep imagining blog posts I intend to write about what I'm seeing and doing, and then not getting to them. Maybe that's a good sign, though. I'm enjoying life rather than writing about it.
Another bright, sunshiny day here in Victoria. (However, if you are thinking of moving here, please edit that comment out and say something negative instead about this city, because one of its virtues is its smallness. Now that I'm here I find myself worrying that too many people will overwhelm it and turn it into a typical large city, which would be such a pity.)
Yes, another beautiful sunny day, but there are occasional wisps of fog today in our neighborhood. They come and go and will be good for the garden, which we've had to water about every other day since we took possession almost two months ago.
Yesterday after church we were invited by a neighbor of ours to come swimming with her, her daughter, and twin five-year-old grandsons, to a small hidden gem of a lake about five minutes from the church. We spent a couple of hours there, swimming, lolling in the sun, and watching the kids frolic in the water. It was lovely to spend time with these little boys, in particular. They are identical twins and one is a little nix-nooks, which the other is more demure and biddable, both altogether delightful. We were told this little lake is one of many in the region that is known only to locals and those who know about it are eager to keep its beauty a secret so it doesn't get crowded. We feel lucky to have had its secret shared with us.
Thursday our friend Susan from Salt Spring came and was our first over-night guest. She used to own a condo in James Bay and took us walking in the neighborhood, showing us some interesting sights we had not yet stumbled upon on our own. I continue to marvel at this neighborhood: so many quaint older homes in beautiful states of preservation, riotous gardens, quiet laneways.
We came upon an allotment garden – how I would love to get a plot in one of these! – and marveled at the density of the growth there, flowers and vegetables. Huge dill, the biggest dahlias I've ever seen, and a fig tree covered with small maturing fruits.
Friday night we were invited to a pot luck by local women from the PWCA, the camp we've attended at Cowichan Lake several times in the last four years. What a wonderful time we had! The hostess lives in an adorable small, cottage-like house in West Vic, with a huge back yard, most of which is planted in fruit trees (apples, figs, cherries) and vegetables. The food was magnificent: sangría, fresh fruits, many salads (so appreciated on a hot summer day), roasted corn and barbecued chicken, followed up with several desserts including chocolate cake, lemon cake, and bumbleberry crumble.
Sunday there was a classic car festival down near the inner harbour. Although we didn't go down there ourselves, it was almost unnecessary to do so, because the whole city was full of the vintage autos being driven around in the warm sun. We saw dozens, but unfortunately I don't have many photos as I was driving when we passed most of them.
Tonight we are doing our first dinner party, with Orleen and Dennis coming over for lasagna, which we plan to eat on the patio. Our living room furniture arrives Wednesday (halleluiah!), but if it turns cool we can Plan B will involve the dining room.
Another bright, sunshiny day here in Victoria. (However, if you are thinking of moving here, please edit that comment out and say something negative instead about this city, because one of its virtues is its smallness. Now that I'm here I find myself worrying that too many people will overwhelm it and turn it into a typical large city, which would be such a pity.)
Yes, another beautiful sunny day, but there are occasional wisps of fog today in our neighborhood. They come and go and will be good for the garden, which we've had to water about every other day since we took possession almost two months ago.
Yesterday after church we were invited by a neighbor of ours to come swimming with her, her daughter, and twin five-year-old grandsons, to a small hidden gem of a lake about five minutes from the church. We spent a couple of hours there, swimming, lolling in the sun, and watching the kids frolic in the water. It was lovely to spend time with these little boys, in particular. They are identical twins and one is a little nix-nooks, which the other is more demure and biddable, both altogether delightful. We were told this little lake is one of many in the region that is known only to locals and those who know about it are eager to keep its beauty a secret so it doesn't get crowded. We feel lucky to have had its secret shared with us.
Thursday our friend Susan from Salt Spring came and was our first over-night guest. She used to own a condo in James Bay and took us walking in the neighborhood, showing us some interesting sights we had not yet stumbled upon on our own. I continue to marvel at this neighborhood: so many quaint older homes in beautiful states of preservation, riotous gardens, quiet laneways.
We came upon an allotment garden – how I would love to get a plot in one of these! – and marveled at the density of the growth there, flowers and vegetables. Huge dill, the biggest dahlias I've ever seen, and a fig tree covered with small maturing fruits.
Friday night we were invited to a pot luck by local women from the PWCA, the camp we've attended at Cowichan Lake several times in the last four years. What a wonderful time we had! The hostess lives in an adorable small, cottage-like house in West Vic, with a huge back yard, most of which is planted in fruit trees (apples, figs, cherries) and vegetables. The food was magnificent: sangría, fresh fruits, many salads (so appreciated on a hot summer day), roasted corn and barbecued chicken, followed up with several desserts including chocolate cake, lemon cake, and bumbleberry crumble.
Sunday there was a classic car festival down near the inner harbour. Although we didn't go down there ourselves, it was almost unnecessary to do so, because the whole city was full of the vintage autos being driven around in the warm sun. We saw dozens, but unfortunately I don't have many photos as I was driving when we passed most of them.
Tonight we are doing our first dinner party, with Orleen and Dennis coming over for lasagna, which we plan to eat on the patio. Our living room furniture arrives Wednesday (halleluiah!), but if it turns cool we can Plan B will involve the dining room.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Lunch on the wharf
We've been hearing about Red Fish Blue Fish for a long time, and have passed by it on several occasions in the past when walking down by the Inner Harbour. There's always a huge line up and it's always deterred us from trying this place. Today we had some early morning errands to run and decided to take the advice of an on-line review we read that suggested arriving 10 minutes before their 11:00 am opening. We skipped breakfast, and ran a bit late, but it was OK, as the opening time is actually 11:30. We were there by 11:05 or so and were the first in line. By the time it opened, there were about 25 people behind us!
The food was definitely worth the wait. This place not only serves some of the best seafood I've tasted, but it does it in an amazingly eco-sensitive way, even on Victoria standards.
I hope the placard is just slightly readable!
We had cod fish and chips (lovely light tempura-like batter, the best we've had yet in Victoria, with very tasty chips that make you want to keep eating them), salmon tacones rolled up with delectable cole slaw and million island dressing, and a small serving of grilled Fanny Bay oysters. Everything was just primo. We'll definitely be going back to try some of their many other dishes.
It's unusual to find a restaurant of this calibre operating essentially like a chip wagon. Their kitchen has been created inside an old shipping container. There are stools and counters under cover, with a view of the harbour, so it would even be fine on a rainy day, which today decidedly was NOT. When we ordered they asked if we wanted it to stay or wrapped to go, so in really bad weather you could just take it home and eat it in the comfort of your own kitchen.
The food was definitely worth the wait. This place not only serves some of the best seafood I've tasted, but it does it in an amazingly eco-sensitive way, even on Victoria standards.
We had cod fish and chips (lovely light tempura-like batter, the best we've had yet in Victoria, with very tasty chips that make you want to keep eating them), salmon tacones rolled up with delectable cole slaw and million island dressing, and a small serving of grilled Fanny Bay oysters. Everything was just primo. We'll definitely be going back to try some of their many other dishes.
It's unusual to find a restaurant of this calibre operating essentially like a chip wagon. Their kitchen has been created inside an old shipping container. There are stools and counters under cover, with a view of the harbour, so it would even be fine on a rainy day, which today decidedly was NOT. When we ordered they asked if we wanted it to stay or wrapped to go, so in really bad weather you could just take it home and eat it in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Last Friday night after eating dinner, we kept hearing big boat horns. We hear these occasionally here, but we'd never heard so many before. Whatever was happening we wanted to see it! We could have walked down to Ogden Point, but we were afraid we might miss the excitement if we didn't get there quickly, so we jumped in the car and drove down.
There were three huge cruise ships at the point, two docked and one just pulling away. I wasn't able to get a photo of this, because I was driving, but when you approach Ogden Point from the east on Dallas Road, the sight of the cruise ships so close to the residences is really quite amazing. It's as though someone threw up two or three huge hotels right across Dallas Road from the homes there.
There's quite a lot of parking down at Ogden Point, and much of is is clearly reserved for cruise ship support vehicles. There are many buses. But there is also pay parking for people down for the walk or for a bite in the restaurant. Surprisingly, you can even charge your electric vehicle down there, if you pay to park in one of two electric charging stations I found!
There were three huge cruise ships at the point, two docked and one just pulling away. I wasn't able to get a photo of this, because I was driving, but when you approach Ogden Point from the east on Dallas Road, the sight of the cruise ships so close to the residences is really quite amazing. It's as though someone threw up two or three huge hotels right across Dallas Road from the homes there.
There's quite a lot of parking down at Ogden Point, and much of is is clearly reserved for cruise ship support vehicles. There are many buses. But there is also pay parking for people down for the walk or for a bite in the restaurant. Surprisingly, you can even charge your electric vehicle down there, if you pay to park in one of two electric charging stations I found!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Finally! Unpacked!
Over the last three days we have been acquiring the replacement for our broken entertainment unit. Last Friday we located a replacement component in Used Victoria. Monday we viewed it and decided to buy it. Tuesday we hauled it home. Wednesday we re-assembled it. Today we set up the stereo and TV components and unpacked all our DVDs, CDs, cassettes, and VHS tapes into it. Voilà! Here is our new entertainment wall. The TV hides when not in use, behind the upper centre doors.
It actually cost us a bit less than the insurance company reimbursed us for breaking the old one, because we bought used and got very lucky finding something that was a good match for the two side pieces.
It's such a relief to have the boxes unpacked! We can actually SEE outside into the garden now from the living room! And while we still don't have a sofa, at least we have a place to PUT it when it comes!
It actually cost us a bit less than the insurance company reimbursed us for breaking the old one, because we bought used and got very lucky finding something that was a good match for the two side pieces.
It's such a relief to have the boxes unpacked! We can actually SEE outside into the garden now from the living room! And while we still don't have a sofa, at least we have a place to PUT it when it comes!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
A big problem on the way to being solved
Well, yesterday we bought a used entertainment cabinet that we thought would match the broken piece of our entertainment unit while at the same time fitting within the smaller space we have here to fit the thing. We spent much of today reassembling it. It's an IKEA Kavaljer, which the owner had taken apart.
It was a big job, and at one point we had to go out to buy a replacement bolt for one that went missing, but by the end of the day the job was done and it looks like a good fit with our old system. Tomorrow, when we are fresh, we'll start putting the components in and then move it into place. If that all goes according to plan, we'll be able to unpack our CDs, DVDs, cassettes, and records! And then we'll truly have a living room rather than a warehouse.
It was a big job, and at one point we had to go out to buy a replacement bolt for one that went missing, but by the end of the day the job was done and it looks like a good fit with our old system. Tomorrow, when we are fresh, we'll start putting the components in and then move it into place. If that all goes according to plan, we'll be able to unpack our CDs, DVDs, cassettes, and records! And then we'll truly have a living room rather than a warehouse.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Still unpacking
I never imagined it would take us so long to get unpacked! We've been in here a month and still have about 10 boxes left to unpack. It's all the stuff that goes into the entertainment centre, for which Atlas is giving us a measly $600 to replace only the part that broke. Except the part is no longer to be had from IKEA. So we've been trying to figure out how to replace this convenient and attractive piece of furniture with something affordable. Friday I hit on the idea of replacing the centre TV stand with something narrower while keeping the two side units. Then I dove into Used Victoria and found something that looks like a possibility. We will go take a look at it tomorrow morning and if it works, we should be unpacked by next weekend, I hope!
The wall bed was installed Friday and it looks great and has enough space for all my knitting and sewing stuff, plus Mal's toys. No one has slept on it yet – how remiss of us! Our friend Audrey was here yesterday but arranged to stay elsewhere in case the wall bed didn't get installed on schedule. But at least we can offer comfortable accommodation to guests now.
The living room still looks like a tip. It's full of the stuff we have no room for, so it's a blessing our sofa and chair won't be ready until September! I have a bunch of stuff listed on Used Victoria; some has sold already and I hope to get rid of some more of it early next week.
The garden looks wonderful and it is truly the main beauty of this apartment. Visible through wide sliding glass doors from every room, it makes this place feel much bigger than it really is. I've put in lots of herbs, a tomato plant (an experiment, don't know if there is really enough light for this), a few annuals. there is a pretty yellow creeping plant in flower along the borders of the raised bed right now and the tiger lilies are about to burst forth. I'm going to have to learn the proper names of all these plants that are new to me! Last week we did a big clean up out there, got rid of a lot of dead foliage, especially from the ferns, and it looks even better than before.
Friday our friend Jenny was here for a few hours from Vancouver and we took our first walk through Beacon Hill Park with her. Within a block of our front door is an amazing water park, which Mal is going to love.
A short walk further is a petting zoo. The park is full of wildlife. Well, some of it is rather tame wildlife (but not all!). Ducks are everywhere and they are quite tame because people feed them duck food they buy from the pet store.
Herons are nesting high in the trees. We saw an eagle at the top of one of the trees. He was probably watching for a chance to nab a baby heron. I noticed there are no visible ducklings; he probably got them already.
Wednesday or Thursday night we walked out on the breakwater at Ogden Point, which is about a 10-minute walk from here. It's about 1 km to the end, where there is a small lighthouse. Yesterday we tried the restaurant at Ogden Point with our friend Audrey. It's cafeteria style, but good food, reasonable prices, and a great view.
Today is Pride, but I've had a bit of an upset stomach, so I didn't go to the parade. Anyway, someone had to stay behind because the Shaw guy is coming between 2:00 and 4:00. We've been having problems with the Internet going up and down. Now that my online course at RRU has started this is more than inconvenient because I have students who expect to be able to reach me. Hoping this gets resolved today!
The wall bed was installed Friday and it looks great and has enough space for all my knitting and sewing stuff, plus Mal's toys. No one has slept on it yet – how remiss of us! Our friend Audrey was here yesterday but arranged to stay elsewhere in case the wall bed didn't get installed on schedule. But at least we can offer comfortable accommodation to guests now.
The living room still looks like a tip. It's full of the stuff we have no room for, so it's a blessing our sofa and chair won't be ready until September! I have a bunch of stuff listed on Used Victoria; some has sold already and I hope to get rid of some more of it early next week.
The garden looks wonderful and it is truly the main beauty of this apartment. Visible through wide sliding glass doors from every room, it makes this place feel much bigger than it really is. I've put in lots of herbs, a tomato plant (an experiment, don't know if there is really enough light for this), a few annuals. there is a pretty yellow creeping plant in flower along the borders of the raised bed right now and the tiger lilies are about to burst forth. I'm going to have to learn the proper names of all these plants that are new to me! Last week we did a big clean up out there, got rid of a lot of dead foliage, especially from the ferns, and it looks even better than before.
Friday our friend Jenny was here for a few hours from Vancouver and we took our first walk through Beacon Hill Park with her. Within a block of our front door is an amazing water park, which Mal is going to love.
A short walk further is a petting zoo. The park is full of wildlife. Well, some of it is rather tame wildlife (but not all!). Ducks are everywhere and they are quite tame because people feed them duck food they buy from the pet store.
Herons are nesting high in the trees. We saw an eagle at the top of one of the trees. He was probably watching for a chance to nab a baby heron. I noticed there are no visible ducklings; he probably got them already.
Wednesday or Thursday night we walked out on the breakwater at Ogden Point, which is about a 10-minute walk from here. It's about 1 km to the end, where there is a small lighthouse. Yesterday we tried the restaurant at Ogden Point with our friend Audrey. It's cafeteria style, but good food, reasonable prices, and a great view.
Today is Pride, but I've had a bit of an upset stomach, so I didn't go to the parade. Anyway, someone had to stay behind because the Shaw guy is coming between 2:00 and 4:00. We've been having problems with the Internet going up and down. Now that my online course at RRU has started this is more than inconvenient because I have students who expect to be able to reach me. Hoping this gets resolved today!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Settling into our new home in James Bay
This is unquestionably the most difficult move I've ever done and I've spent most of my life moving around. I started working on this move in January, decluttering and downsizing in preparation for listing my condo in Calgary. It is now six months later and although we are moved into our new place, we can't finish unpacking because the movers broke a big storage unit and we are waiting for them to decide whether to replace or fix it. So all the stuff that would normally have gone into that big wall unit is sitting in boxes in a corner of the living room. As a person who values order and serenity in my surroundings, I find it difficult to still be living among boxes, without some of my own things being available to me, and without my favorite pieces of art on the walls.
Having said that, I'm trying my best to ignore the clutter in my living room and enjoy the parts of the home that are largely settled, most especially our beautiful patio, where I've begun to plant herbs, some tomatoes, kale, lavender, and a few annuals (lobelia, impatiens). We've developed a good relationship with the resident manager. This is a clean, quiet, well-maintained building, full of friendly people, we are finding it stays comfortable cool in our apartment even during the heat of these summer days.
Our apartment is on the ground floor in the rear courtyard of the building and we have a huge private, fenced patio with raised beds. Being on the east side of the building, we get sun in the morning and in the afternoon it stays cool on our patio even when it's hot outside. There are many established plantings already and some bare spots where the previous residents took things out when they left. But this is great, because it gives me space to put in what I'd like instead. Aside from putting in a few edibles, I'm mostly just watching this garden at the moment, to see what it might need or like to have in addition to what is there already. Just outside our patio is a huge sequoia and I often see hummingbirds in its lower branches, so I've put out a hummingbird feeder and a hanging fuschia in hopes of luring some into our garden.
James Bay is an amazing neighborhood, full of interesting old houses. We are a block from Beacon Hill Park and a five-minute walk from the sea. Last night we walked down to the Inner Harbour to watch the Canada Day fireworks. We are on a quiet little street, with very little traffic, mostly local. Yet, we are just a block off the lower, quiet part of Douglas, which makes it very easy to get around the rest of the city when we want to.
Five short blocks west of us is a little commercial strip along Menzies that includes a Thrifty's, a drug store, several restaurants, a book store, post office, and more shops I've yet to explore. Around the corner is the Emily Carr House (haven't yet been for a visit). Two blocks away is a small corner grocery that is full of healthy food, including lots of gluten free items, organic food, fresh produce, local honey (including James Bay honey from hives within just a few blocks of us). A few blocks in another direction and there is a more mainstream corner store, full of junk food just in case we get the urge.
The abundance of good, healthy food is one of the things I love most about living in this city. Everywhere you go, even small shops, organic food can be found. There is also a lot of local food everywhere and merchants make it very easy to see the origin of whatever they are selling. It's like it defaults to transparency, the opposite of what you find in so many other places.
Having said that, I'm trying my best to ignore the clutter in my living room and enjoy the parts of the home that are largely settled, most especially our beautiful patio, where I've begun to plant herbs, some tomatoes, kale, lavender, and a few annuals (lobelia, impatiens). We've developed a good relationship with the resident manager. This is a clean, quiet, well-maintained building, full of friendly people, we are finding it stays comfortable cool in our apartment even during the heat of these summer days.
Our apartment is on the ground floor in the rear courtyard of the building and we have a huge private, fenced patio with raised beds. Being on the east side of the building, we get sun in the morning and in the afternoon it stays cool on our patio even when it's hot outside. There are many established plantings already and some bare spots where the previous residents took things out when they left. But this is great, because it gives me space to put in what I'd like instead. Aside from putting in a few edibles, I'm mostly just watching this garden at the moment, to see what it might need or like to have in addition to what is there already. Just outside our patio is a huge sequoia and I often see hummingbirds in its lower branches, so I've put out a hummingbird feeder and a hanging fuschia in hopes of luring some into our garden.
James Bay is an amazing neighborhood, full of interesting old houses. We are a block from Beacon Hill Park and a five-minute walk from the sea. Last night we walked down to the Inner Harbour to watch the Canada Day fireworks. We are on a quiet little street, with very little traffic, mostly local. Yet, we are just a block off the lower, quiet part of Douglas, which makes it very easy to get around the rest of the city when we want to.
Five short blocks west of us is a little commercial strip along Menzies that includes a Thrifty's, a drug store, several restaurants, a book store, post office, and more shops I've yet to explore. Around the corner is the Emily Carr House (haven't yet been for a visit). Two blocks away is a small corner grocery that is full of healthy food, including lots of gluten free items, organic food, fresh produce, local honey (including James Bay honey from hives within just a few blocks of us). A few blocks in another direction and there is a more mainstream corner store, full of junk food just in case we get the urge.
The abundance of good, healthy food is one of the things I love most about living in this city. Everywhere you go, even small shops, organic food can be found. There is also a lot of local food everywhere and merchants make it very easy to see the origin of whatever they are selling. It's like it defaults to transparency, the opposite of what you find in so many other places.
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