hanging out in Vancouver with Van and with the drinks gang

Let's wrap up the Vancouver trip.  No travel for me for two weeks, and it feels right to get this most recent bit of travel put to bed, so to speak.

Conrad, as I mentioned, didn't come with us on the trip, so it was just me and Van

grabbing a few quick minutes in the United Club

at LAX before boarding for Vancouver.  An upgrade for me, but not for Van, alas.  Ah well.  We made it there at the same time anyway!  

It was early/mid-afternoon when we got to our hotel, not a lot of time to unpack and freshen up before heading on down to catch the Aquabus

over to Granville Island to meet Marie,

Rachel,

Allison, and Catriona for dinner at Dockside Restaurant.  We sat outside and enjoyed a fine early evening, catching up.  Fish and chips for me and a few others. 

Then we wandered across the island to The Improv Centre for a show. 

That was fun.  It wasn't too mature for Catriona, and the troupe did a great job of it.  A nice night for us all to get together before the big wedding day the next day.  Van and I caught the Aquabus back across False Creek and headed back to the hotel on what was a truly lovely night out in the big city.

Friday morning, after my walk and our coffees, Van and I moseyed down to the club to meet Allison and Catriona for lunch on the patio.  No urgency to our time there - a leisurely lunch (soba noodles and shrimp for me)

with a glass of wine and a fine view.  After that, though, it was time to get ready for and then head to the wedding.  And that was Friday in the city.

Saturday morning I was up early and out for a walk on my own before meeting my friend, Bryan, for more of a walk. 

We headed to the West End to a coffee shop and grabbed a light breakfast.  A lot of gab, more walking back.  It was great to see a non-wedding friend on a weekend devoted to that event.  Van eventually got himself going,

and we headed to meet up with Chris and Allister and others at a bar-ish place set up in the Plaza of Nations.  It was nice enough, but there was a Brazilian Fest set up all around our venue, and the constant live music was hard to have conversation over.  Van and I stayed an hour, by which point other friends and family were arriving.  We ceded our table space, headed into Chinatown to a store that specializes in barware, then walked back to the hotel.

Saturday dinner was an early one - it was the only reservation I could get for what was supposed to be three of us - at Nightingale.  I've enjoyed the food there in the past and was happy to go back.  We walked over and were promptly seated upstairs. 

I ordered their special martini,

Van had his own cocktail, and we shared some plates.

Roasted cauliflower with turmeric vinaigrette.

Buttermilk fried chicken.

Japanese sweet potato with mushroom XO and chive creme fraiche. 

A pasta with peas and mint.

Meatballs.

Carrot cake.

I think I like the cauliflower the most, but all of it was quite good.  Van wanted dessert wine as a nice treat with the cake, so we ordered the 375mL bottle and enjoyed that together.  After that, it was back to the hotel and a relatively early night.

Sunday morning I did a nice walk, first stopping at the Starbucks across the street. 

Our flight was at noon, and before we knew it, we were packed, checked out, on the Canada Line to YVR, through customs and such, arguing with the lounge people about access (I was right, they were wrong, they let Van in in the end), and then upgraded and boarded. 

A comfortable flight home for us at the end of a very pleasant trip north. 

he is home!

I don't share too much personal on here, I know.  Yes, you see my food and drink and my travel, but I don't share much else.  Just the way it has always been.  No apologies for that.

But here's something:  Conrad has had a bit of a health issue he has been dealing with through the summer.  It should now be resolved following surgery earlier this week.  He is home, and I am here for several days supporting his recovery.  All in all, he's doing well - look at that smile!

- and the recovery should not be difficult for him.  In the very near future that may curtail doing some of the things that I would normally post about, but that's ok.  I'd rather a happy, healthy Conrad than dinners out or trips away! 

but how was Toronto otherwise, Peter?

A week and a half ago, early on a Saturday morning, I found myself on a plane at LAX, heading to Chicago

where, after some lounge time, I boarded a second flight to Toronto. 

A long (and kind of pricey) cab ride into the city (but the driver was very good conversation, a lovely man) and I was at my hotel, the Hyatt Regency on King Street.

I'd had a long day with mostly lounge and airplane food to eat at, well, odd times, and though I wasn't super hungry, I did want a late dinner, so I headed to the hotel bar for a bite and drink.  That turned into a long while with a Floridian named Amy sitting next to me, chatting to me. 

No, not hitting on me - her husband was at the other end of the bar - and yes, she was rather tipsy.  But she was friendly, and I enjoyed the chat.  Sometimes that's the fun part of being at a bar.

I slept in the next morning.  And by sleep in, I mean 7:00-7:30 range.  Not bad for me.  I grabbed a decaf latte at the Starbucks on the ground floor of the hotel,

then wandered out for a walk in the city. 

How funny that we were at the corner of King and Peter! 

Apt?  Sure, why not?  I wandered through fairly quiet streets over to the city hall area, taking photos as I went. 

Then it was time to get back to the hotel

- Allison was due to meet me to go for brunch, and I needed to get ready.

Brunch was over in the Distillery District, at a place called El Catrin Destileria.  We met up with Allison's friends Jen and Greg whom I don't think I'd seen in the more than 15 years since Allison's wedding.  Oh, and their cute little dog, as well.  The tacos I had were decent,

but it was nice to sit out on the patio on a fine day and catch up more than anything.

The afternoon after that passed simply:  Allison and I headed to the Oasis pop-up store, chatted a bit with the folks in line with us, and spent two hours waiting to get into the store.  In fact, Allison had to head home before I got in the door as her daughter was due home.  I did get in eventually, though, and bought a football jersey to wear to the concert.

And then, friends, it was the concert evening, though not before Allison and I had pizza with her daughter.  The night ended late for such an early morning ahead.

Before I knew it, it was onto the first of two flights the next day - connecting through Denver this time - sporting the other Oasis shirt I bought. 

A sixty hour trip in total, from home to back home.  Wow!  I'm not sure what will next bring me to Toronto and when, but I'm glad I at least had a nice little glimpse of it outside of the concert.