Heart of the Continent

I'm sitting here at WPG's airport, enjoying the existence of free wifi.  In less than an hour, I'll be on my way to Chicago to meet up with my pal AlieMalie, who I haven't seen in over four years.  I'm super excited.

I've had a great time here in Winnipeg!  I leave feeling relaxed, and my brain is clearer than it has been in awhile.  I'm relaxed (so much so I had to say that twice).  I had a great long weekend in Winnipeg... I was here five days, that's like a long weekend, right?

Seeing Feist at the Winnipeg Folk Festival was amazing.  I love festivals, and it's always great to try a new one.  It's at a very large park outside of the city, and it was a great space to enjoy music.  I enjoyed all of the musicians that we saw (Snowblink, James Vincent McMorrow, Justin Rutledge, and someone else whose name escapes me) but Feist took the cake.  She is one of my favourite live performers.  I've had friends call Feist "French cafe background music".  But, as my pal Matt said, "if so, that's one cafe I'd like to go to."  She has such great performance chops; her guitar solo during Sea Lion Woman was amazing, and I was proud that I did not bawl during "Let it Die".

The rest of the time I was here I did lots of fun I stuff.  I drove 1.5 hours north to Grand Beach on Lake Winnipeg, and had a great time relaxing on the beach and going for a small hike... however I returned with the worst sunburn ever, and covered in mosquito bites.  We went to see Spiderman, and had some good laughs at the security levels at Oscorp.  It was an OK movie, but turn your brain off.  I went to the Royal Canadian Mint (if you ever go, ask for Phil as your tour guide), walked around downtown a lot, and got pretty damned drunk in Osborne Village.

I treated myself to a great spa escape at Ten Spa at the Hotel Fort Garry.  Massage (on ouchy sunburns), facial, and insane mani-pedi.  A woman told me that she was jealous of the mani-pedi I got (complete with paraffin wax and everything).  My toes are now a colour called "Bad Romance" (black with purple sparkles).  It was a great way to spend five hours and I'd love for the massage therapist that I had to move to Toronto.

On Sunday, Matt and I did the legendary hotel brunch at the Fort Garry.  IT WAS INSANE.  Yes, it cost me $50, but I ate that much food, I am sure of it.  I got so full, that I couldn't even try all the pastries and desserts and I wanted to so badly!  I didn't even have room for an omelette!  I was crushed.  We ate for seriously 2.5 hours.  I'm pretty sure that I worked it all off by walking around all afternoon, and then going for a run.

Oh yes, and maybe my favourite thing from Winnipeg was the abundance of dragonflies.  They were flying around Folk Fest, Grand Beach, and by the Forks.  They are a rarity in my Toronto existence and I loved watching them.

To sum up, I will leave you with what I believe were the two funniest things I said during my trip to Winnipeg.

"Friendly Manitobans are friendly even when you hit their car!"  (I kind of hit a van, but no damage to either vehicle THANK GOD.  I left a note for the van owner 'cuz there was a dent, that was not from me, and he called and was so nice and wished me a happy vacation.)

"The Hotel Fort Garry brunch - where freshly squeezed orange juice flows like water."

Good times.  Now off to make good times in Chicago!