Snow Day! Adventures on Two Wheels...

As anyone here in Southern Ontario knows, last Friday brought our first real winter storm. It wasn't a bad one, as winter storms go, but it put a little wrench in Bee's bicycle wheels. We have a Bixi subscription (earlier Bixi post here) so we can use their sturdier bikes on days when it's a little messy underfoot, but Friday was just a little more than we bargained for. 

There is a "shared motivation" group out there on Facebook that we've joined called The Winter B-icicle Challenge (Facebook page). It provides our incentive to keep cycling on lousy days, so there was no way we were about to let a little wind and snow deter us. And so, off we went...

One of the "tools of the trade" is a sturdy brush to get rid of the frozen rain droplets that have coated the seat.

It was tough going. The snow was thick and wet, so staying in control was a challenge. And just when you had things in hand, the gale force winds pushed you back into the deep stuff. Splatter from passing cars was also an issue. The City had salted the streets but there had been no actual snow clearing. The bike lanes were mostly obstructed except for an 18 inch wide strip where the action of the traffic had melted the snow, so riding was done perilously close to the cars. We tried a couple of quiet side streets, but they were much worse.

We made it most of the way, but called it off at a Bixi docking station about 4 blocks before our intended destination. Oh, well...props for trying, we told ourself. Luckily, things were much better by the end of the day, and we managed to cycle back home without any trouble.

One thing we'll say about riding in the snow- the effort involved is gonna keep you nice and warm! It may have been  -10C outside, but underneath all our layers we were working up a sweat. We arrived at the office with red cheeks and a feeling of exhilaration- not a bad way to start a work day!

Last minute wish list...just a couple of extra ideas!

OK, thank god you're all like us and wait till the last minute, otherwise our tips to you for what we'd love to see under our tree would be so wasted! Here are a couple of additional ideas for all you procrastinators, once again from our friends at Remodelista.

After all, we plan to cycle right through the winter this year! Thank you soooo much!

seen...late night pit stop...

...somewhere along Queen St. W.

#11ElevenLive- 17:00EST

The ride home from the office:

#11ElevenLive- 09:00EST

Old reliable just before the ride to work, 

in front of a little "fall colour"

We're Ready to be Copenhagenized!

We are loving this little clip from Copenhagenize! It's a great example of that "delight of discovery" that can occur when you're moving through a place using your own energy. And it's a great example of how small thoughtful additions to the public realm can make everyone's life a little happier.

Copenhagenizing Copenhagen from Copenhagenize on Vimeo.

Copenhagenize is a consulting company founded by ex-pat Canadian Mikael Collville- Andersen (who also runs the popular & trend-setting Copenhagen Cycle Chic blog). The city of Copenhagen has been so sucessful in implementing integrated urban infrastructure, with a massive emphasis on bicycle use (as opposed to "cycling" which is a segregative term), that its citizens are able to provide consulting services to the rest of the world on how to "Copenhagenize" their own cities! Amazing!

An Island Getaway...Toronto Islands, that is!

On a Friday afternoon earlier this summer we hopped on our bike and headed for the ferry docks. Destination? Ward's Island. We had decided it was time to check out The Rectory Café, which happens to be a stone's throw from the Ward's Island terminal. It was also a good chance to visit a place we really hadn't been to in a number of years, and while we were at it, we thought "why not cross that little bridge and check out Algonquin Island for the first time ever?"

Lunch at The Rectory was a delight, (check out our posting here) and it was the perfect way to ease into "island time", meaning that we were more inclined after eating to mosey around exploring the backroads, rather than blasting from one end of the islands to the other.

After lunch we headed over the arching footbridge to Algonquin Island and had a look around. The properties seemed a little more spacious than at Ward's Island, and the feeling was less intimate. But boy, some of them have killer views!

Ward's Island (history here) still had the great character we remembered, even despite the rampant renovations that have gone on. The paths are narrower than at Algonquin and the whole place has a more overgrown and intimate feel. And yes, there are some gems there, too.

With some heavy clouds building on the western horizon, we reluctantly hopped back on the ferry that would take us home to the concrete jungle.

What a great afternoon! We'll be back next year.

Coveting- Danish Delight

We have plans to travel to Copenhagen later this year, and as a result we have our eyes open these days for anything and everything Danish. A recent posting at The Toronto Standard got our pulses racing- it featured both great design, which the Danes are well known for, and bicycles, for which they are equally well known. 

So, we are coveting one of these bicycle baskets. Trouble is, we can't make up our minds which one! 

The first is called the Bike Crate. It comes from a company called MAIK. They are in Copenhagen. We will be in Copenhagen. Their website has a map. We will go there. It's a beauty:

The second is called The Bike Porter from Copenhagen Parts. They too are based in Copenhagen and the Bike Porter seems to be available at about a dozen shops in that city. Talk about convenient. And we appreciate the flat packaging (those Scandinavians & their flat packaging!) which would make transport back to Canada pretty darn simple. And, it comes in several alluring colours!

Such a dilemma! We will have to inspect each closely and give due consideration to their individual merits. Or, we may just have to get one of each!

Island Lunch- The Rectory Café

We'd been trying to get over to the Toronto Islands all summer long, and we finally had the chance on Friday afternoon. And seeing as how our visit began during lunch hour and our cycling was inducing hunger pangs, no further excuse was needed to drop by The Rectory Café!

Although this was our first visit, The Rectory is a place that's been on our radar for several years. According to the restaurant's own published history, the house was built in 1948, survived the municipality's cottage demolition blitz, and then housed the minister who presided over St. Andrew-by-the-Lake church at Centre Island, this latter stage in its life providing the place with it's current moniker.

The restaurant is open year round, but it's principal calling card is it's beautiful outdoor terrace. Large and well- shaded, it reminded us of many of the magical gardens we've dined in while visiting off-the-beaten-path restaurants in rural France.

The menu (check it out here) is not overly ambitious, but is sophisticated enough to lift it above other run-of-the-mill cafés. We opted for a pulled pork panino from the sandwich section of the menu. The pork was juicy and tender with just the right amount of barbeque sauce. Unlike many cloying varieties out there, the sauce deftly balanced sweetness and tangy acidity. The pork was topped with smoked mozzarella and served on a nice ciabatta roll. A dollop of garlicky mayo finished it all of. Alongside the panino was a small serving of tender greens and a (rather unnecessary) garnish of reduced balsamic vinegar and herbed olive oil. 

We very much enjoyed our lunch at The Rectory. We would say that it accurately reflects our conception of a Ward's Island sensibility- good quality without pretension. And, of course, it's setting on a warm summer afternoon can't be beat. The terrace invites a leisurely-paced meal, and much like a trip to the islands in general, you can't help but let the stresses of the city melt away as you drink in the nature-infused air. Quite magical, really!

*******

The Rectory Café

102 Lakeshore Ave

Ward's Island, Toronto

416-203-2152

http://therectorycafe.com/

Seen...Nothin' Runs Like Deere

 Colour coordination on the Sea Wall, 

False Creek,Vancouver this past March.

(and, yes, it's a John Deere!)

Saturday Night

Midnight at Queen and Bathurst
(the male of the species is capable of making his plumage
match his means of conveyance)

Hey, Baby-- Do You Bixi?

An unfortunate tire puncture recently left Bee in a bind- how to commute for the day while it was being repaired? A quick smack on the side of the head solved the dilemma- of course, he would try out the new Bixi Bicycle service! (Well, duh!)

For those who are unaware, on May 3rd Toronto launched its own version of the successful Bixi bike rental scheme that's been in use in Montreal for a few years now, and which that city has successfully exported to the likes of London, Melbourne, and Washington. The premise is simple: replace short trips that would normally be taken by transit, taxi or car on congested city streets with bicycle jaunts. (The name is actually a mash-up of *bicycle* and *taxi*!) To encourage quick usage, and therefore ensure plentiful supplies of bikes in many locations, there is a 30 minute time limit. As of the 31st minute, you start to rack up extra charges. If your errand- running involves a two way trip you must drop off your first bike then pick up a second when you're ready to roll again. You can do this as many times as you want within the subscription period you've paid for. (24 or 72 hrs. or one month or one year).

This morning Bee strolled to the end of our block, swiped his credit card, purchased a 24 hour subscription for $5 and was on his way. Twenty minutes later he was docking the bike a block from the office. This evening he did it again in reverse, but at no additional cost. Sweet!

 

The bikes are, umm....sturdy! Not unattractive, they are built for comfort, not speed, and they are made to last. The ride was smooth given the fat tires. There are three gears, which left us a little frustrated at making slower progress than we're used to (not to mention a little tired from pedaling so furiously!), and it took us a few minutes to figure out how the gear shifter worked. After that we just left it in third for the rest of the trip.

We will definitely use Bixi again. It won't be an everyday thing for us, because we ride our own bikes daily under normal circumstances. But when the regular rides are in the repair shop, or if we've left them at home on a rainy day and, lo and behold, the skies clear at lunchtime, Bixi will be our go-to alternative.

How 'bout you, will you Bixi?

Postcard from Vancouver (1)

One of Vancouver's joys (and there are many) is its connection with the water. Its sea-side setting contributes hugely to the beauty of the city, factors prominently in the active lifestyles of its residents, and of course provides a bounty of delicious things for the seafood lover to consume.

We recently spent a Saturday touring the town on a bicycle, and just as our energy was starting to flag in the early afternoon we stumbled upon Go Fish. We had heard of the place from a colleague, but had been told it was on Granville Island, which is not accurate. We were riding on the southern False Creek Seawall (headed for Granville Island in fact) on a section that wasn't right at the water's edge.  As we rounded a bend heading back towards the water we noticed some folks standing at the railing devouring take-away food. A quick head swivel and we saw that tucked behind some trees was a sidewalk leading off the bike path onto a working wharf. With the scent of French Fries in the air we decided it was time to explore!

Dismounting, we walked our bike through the opening and there it was- a bright blue shipping container with an open serving window and a half dozen folks lined up to order. As we cast our eyes a little further, we noticed a large wooden dining deck attached to the side of the container, and a lot more people!! Mostly just standing around waiting!

 Not to be dissuaded by the crowd, we got in line and placed our order for halibut and chips. Despite the array of "fancy" take-away on offer, being at the source on this singular occasion we craved the classic. (OK, we'd have to tolerate the "pacific rim" coleslaw, but after tasting it we had no quibbles.)

With a little time on our hands- estimated wait: 25 minutes- we explored our immediate environs. Down the gangway was a floating dock where there were moored a couple of fishing boats selling their fresh wares. We briefly contemplated the logistics of stuffing a salmon in our carry-on but decided we were going to have to settle for simply living in the moment, with only the memories (and this post!) as a souvenir.

We nabbed a stool at about the 15 minute mark and nursed our soda. Soon enough our name was called and we were presented with an overflowing basket of fries topped with a couple of slabs of golden battered fish, a cup of tasty slaw and the requisite tartar sauce. YUMM!! The air was cool, the skies were threatening (idly so, as it turned out), the fish was steaming hot, and we were ravenous! We were also in heaven. Heaven-by-the-Sea.

*******

Go Fish

1505 West 1st Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6J 1E8