Living in Canada: Top Restaurants to Try This Spring
Cross border moving to Canada may leave you pining for the restaurants of your old neighborhood, but rest assured, there are wonderful restaurants waiting for you up north. Whether in Ontario, Victoria, Edmonton, or Montreal, you will be able to find a lovely place to sit and have highly recommended faire.
The Black Cat Cafe in Ottawa, Ontario
This is a small place with seats for only 30. The owner is the sommelier and can pair your meal with the perfect wine. Expect jazz music, and fresh, surprising ingredients. When was the last time you had lobster pudding served with chorizo sausage? Take a date and enjoy the hip atmosphere.
Sotto Sotto in Toronto, Ontario
Meaning “Hush, Hush” in Italian, you can guess the mood of this restaurant: romance. The Italian cuisine is accompanied by the choice of over 5,000 bottles of wine. This menu is comforting and classic, and comes with a feeling of friendship.
Corso 32 in Edmonton
Corso 32 was the address of the chef and owner’s Campania childhood home. As the restaurant’s name harkens to the past, the food forges ahead to the future of Italian. The chef has been said to be a show-off, but who cares when the food is this good.
Ulla in Victoria
Named after the mother of the chef, Ulla is a young, urban hot-spot located in Chinatown. The menu is mostly organic, and ushers in the new generation of connoisseurs. The atmosphere is bright, with quirky decor, and a place for anyone. Try their version of the chickpea snack; pickled, deep fried and salted.
Van Horne in Montreal
Van Horne isn’t shy with its totem pole (nicknamed Bill) in the dining room and Lichtenstein silkscreened paper plates on the walls. The food tends to come by color, with the sense of style similar to the decor. With only four main courses, your decision will be easy, and your trip will have been worth it.
Cross border moving may bring you in close proximity to one of these gems. If so, take time to stop in and see what all the buzz is about.
(Photo attributed to Flickr member @stuart_spivack via the creative common license)
Spring in Edmonton: 5 Ways to Stay Fit
Cross border moving can be stressful, and often exercise is the first thing to go out the window. When you arrive in Edmonton, you will find that there are many options for getting out and getting fit. Here are five great ways to start your fitness goals.
The North Saskatchewan River is a recreation spot for all the locals. In the spring, you can canoe and kayak, and while you are there get in a little fishing. Make a day of it with the family. Pack a picnic. Don’t forget to keep belongings in waterproof containers!
The river valley in Edmonton is lovely, and perfect for biking, walking, and jogging. Edmonton has over 100 miles of maintained multi-use trails. The parks department keeps them clean and debris-free, so that you can get along with ease.
If you are more of an indoor person, try the Kinsmen Sports Centre. Located in the river valley, minutes away from downtown, it’s Edmonton’s best multi-purpose sports facility. There are indoor and outdoor pools, two indoor tracks, two fitness centers, courts for squash, racquetball and walleyball, and a field house for badminton, tennis, volleyball, and more.
If you are more of the graceful type, sign up for dance classes at Foot Notes Dance Studio. They teach courses in American style ballroom, Latin dance for beginners, country and swing, and the argentine tango. If you want more cardio, they have a fitness dance program that includes belly dancing!
The best way to keep fit is to join a group. Try the Edmonton Hikers Meetup Group. They are dedicated to keeping active by hiking together. Go with them into the Rockies for a big adventure, or stay in Edmonton and experience the recreational areas around the city. Just sign up to participate.
After cross border moving, you will have plenty of options for keeping fit, and they will help you get out into your new city and meet your fellow Edmonton residents.
(Photo attributed to Flickr member @C.G.P. Grey via the creative common license)
Living in Edmonton: How to Enjoy a Staycation
After all the work of cross border moving, you may need a vacation, but on a budget. Consider a staycation in your new town of Edmonton. There is much to keep you entertained.
Test out your family dynamics by experiencing a high ropes course together. Ropes Quest at the West Edmonton Mall takes you to three levels of beams and ropes in a challenging obstacle course. You will be securely harnessed in, but will enjoy the sensation of being high above the crowd! Admission is $9.95 per person.
Head to the Art Gallery of Alberta in downtown Edmonton to see the “Icons of Modernism” show during February and March. You will see the work of artists who left behind the Paris Salon, and entering into Surrealism, Futurism, Suprematism, Constructivism and Dadaism. Enjoy artists such as Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Francis Picabia, Ferdinand Léger and Marcel Duchamp.
Cheer on your new favorite hockey teams– the Edmonton Oilers (Wednesday March 28th against the Dallas Stars) or the Edmonton Oil Kings (Saturday, March 10 against the Red Deer Rebels).
Spend the day at the Royal Alberta Museum, one of Canada’s most popular museums. Take an outdoor self-guided grounds tour. See a natural history frieze, petrified wood (the national stone of Canada), and a totem pole in the Native Northwest Coast art style.
Get to know Edmonton as the festival capitol of Canada, with 30 festivals in Edmonton year-round. Upcoming festivals are the Global Visions Film Festival, and the Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival.
As a new resident of Edmonton, you’ll want to stick close to home and experience all there is to do in the area. Once your cross border moving is over, check out these tips for a fun family staycation.
(Photo attributed to Flickr member @oddsock via the creative common license.)
Living in Edmonton: Top 5 Resolutions for 2012
When cross border moving to Edmonton, New Year’s resolutions might be far from your mind. But once you are settled, you might realize that 2012 is coming and would make a fresh start for you and your family. Here are the top five resolutions for your new life in Edmonton.
1. Become a hockey fan. Cheer for the Edmonton Oilers, or attend the 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, taking place December 26 – January 4. You will be able to watch Team Canada fight for its first gold medal since 2009.
2. Get some exercise in the North Saskatchewan River Valley. These beautiful trails are perfect for running, walking, biking, or even a Segway tour (find out more at http://www.rivervalleyadventure.com).
3. Help the local economy, and your own health by shopping local at one of Edmonton’s farmers’ markets. The City Market Downtown is on 104 Street, a great place to shop. You can find a silversmith, baker, and typical fruits and veggies. The Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is 26 years old, and takes place in a 19th century historic building. It’s Edmonton’s only year-round indoor farmers’ market.
4. Teach your family to work as a team at Ropes Quest, the three-level ropes course in West Edmonton Mall. This experience is like no other. It gives opportunity for finding your inner strength, as well as the importance of cooperation and team-work.
5. Get out and meet your neighbors. There is no time like the first days after you have moved in to say hello to neighbors. They will appreciate your efforts to reach out. Remember the names of everyone in the family, and say hello to them when you see them outside. Consider having an open house to further create relationships in your new community.
After cross border moving, you will likely be worn out physically and emotionally. Give yourself some time to recover and then start thinking about the days ahead. Make some resolutions for yourself for your new year in a new city.
(Photo attributed to Flickr member @BradJones9 via the creative common license)
Moving to Canada: Life in Edmonton
Maybe you are considering cross border moving to Edmonton, Canada, the capital of Alberta. This city, located on the North Saskatchewan River, is the northernmost North American city with a population of over one million people.
The river valley is a striking feature of this area — providing urban parks and campsites, and a beautiful large green space. To give you an idea of its size, it is 22 times larger than Central Park in New York City.
Edmonton has four seasons, with lows of 10 °F in January and highs of 63 °F (17 °C) in July. It is known as one of Canada’s sunniest cities, receiving 2,299 hours of sunshine per year. You will be able to take advantage of the excellent biking and walking trail system throughout the city.
Major religious groups in Edmonton are Protestant, Catholic, and those who profess no religion.
Shopping will keep you busy, as Edmonton is home to the largest mall in North America, the West Edmonton Mall. There is also South Edmonton Common, North America’s largest walking mall.
Edmonton is known for its neighborhoods such as Oliver, which is situated just west of downtown with high-rise living. There is also the Warehouse District, with buildings converted to lofts and condos. McKay Avenue is a quiet neighborhood with some of the downtown hotels. On 124 Street you will find art galleries and restaurants with lots of character. McCauley is home to Little Italy and Edmonton’s Chinatown.
For nightlife, you’ll want to visit Whyte Avenue. It is in a state of revival, with its historical buildings converted to trendy clubs, restaurants, art galleries and specialty shops. This is where you will find live theater, comedy and music venues.
You wouldn’t be describing Edmonton if you left out their nickname of “The Festival City.” Try out events like “The Works Art & Design Festival,” which features Canadian and international art and design, or the “Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival.” The major festival of the summer is the “Capital City Exhibition,” which is much like a state fair.
For children’s education, there are three publicly funded school districts for kindergarten and grades 1–12. Two are English speaking and one is French speaking. There are also private schools and charter schools.
Photo provided by Flickr user @vomsorb under the creative common license.
