i like TVP, but unless it has a while to soak in flavour it can still have a soy aftertaste and be fairly distinguishable from red meat.
this was a relatively quick way for it to pass 100% for ground beef - taste, texture, smell.
start some water boiling
wait till it boils
then add two thirds box of whole wheat penne,
while that water starts going
preheat the oven to 350 degrees
and also heat up a pan
add a glug of oil and
one-quarter cup diced yellow and orange peppers
one small diced onion
saute for a few minutes, add a bit of garlic powder
add a quarter cup of red wine or so
simmer for a few minutes, then add one-third jar or so of Catelli diced tomato and basil sauce (on sale right now at No Frills for a dollar)
as that is saute-ing and cooking away mix together (a one-cup measuring cup works great)
one-half cup TVP (texturized vegetable protein)
about three-quarters of a cup boiling water
stir in:
1 pinch italian seasoning
1 tsp or so of beef boullion
5 or 6 dashes of worchestershire sauce
a good glug of red wine (2 tbsp or so)
and shred
one cup cheddar cheese (or other cheeses)
About a minute before the pasta is finished and you start putting the dish together, mix together the TVP mixture and the sauce.
pasta finished cooking..? .. good!
drain the pasta, then layer in a medium casserole dish:
sauce
pasta, cheese, sauce
pasta, cheese, sauce
Bake (uncovered) for a little while - 20 minutes is good, but i got impatient and took it out after 10. it was still awesome.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 28
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
25. Being a real part of change
26. Anyone can be active and green.
27. The people
28. Opportunity
I have never lived ANYWHERE else where so much opportunity existed - for myself and for others.
Other cities may have more jobs, but a lot less opportunity as far as owning property, raising kids (especially on one income), and affordable food and recreation and community groups.
Here, what we have is in reach. You can get a great education for a small amount of money, without traveling far. You can eat just about any cuisine. You can drink great coffee. You can hike great trails and visit the beach and get around easily, however you prefer. You can open businesses and pay a quarter of the rent - or even own the building!
Hamilton is rich in opportunity. Not just potential for what this city can be, but what it is right now.
For the future, I do have to say... we can't screw it up. Cities need to be dense, connected hubs that respond to a shifting economy. I hope we catch up. To see the death of industry is painful, but the opportunity is staggering! We need to keep increasing the city's livability, stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure.
If you're poor, the barriers are largely psychological. Sure, there's predatory loan companies and unscrupulous businesses all over the place... but with OSAP, like I did, there's a lot you can do with your life before you've taken on any loans or have a credit rating. Mentors and awareness are huge here.
Right here, right now, though - we have a land of opportunity for those willing to reach out and take it. It doesn't mean it's easy... but wow, Hamilton allows you to do SO MUCH. You can be just about anything here, do just about anything, access just about anything. You may have to fight your way past red tape with a property or slug it out to get whatever job you need to get you by... but there's huge opportunity here to make just about anything of yourself and fulfill whatever dreams you have.
All we need is for the people who live here to believe that - and be willing to do whatever it takes to get there. I certainly do. And I certainly am.
Hamilton has the greatest opportunity in it of any Ontario city I know - for me now, for the kids we'll have one day, or the teenagers I mentor. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
25. Being a real part of change
26. Anyone can be active and green.
27. The people
28. Opportunity
I have never lived ANYWHERE else where so much opportunity existed - for myself and for others.
Other cities may have more jobs, but a lot less opportunity as far as owning property, raising kids (especially on one income), and affordable food and recreation and community groups.
Here, what we have is in reach. You can get a great education for a small amount of money, without traveling far. You can eat just about any cuisine. You can drink great coffee. You can hike great trails and visit the beach and get around easily, however you prefer. You can open businesses and pay a quarter of the rent - or even own the building!
Hamilton is rich in opportunity. Not just potential for what this city can be, but what it is right now.
For the future, I do have to say... we can't screw it up. Cities need to be dense, connected hubs that respond to a shifting economy. I hope we catch up. To see the death of industry is painful, but the opportunity is staggering! We need to keep increasing the city's livability, stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure.
If you're poor, the barriers are largely psychological. Sure, there's predatory loan companies and unscrupulous businesses all over the place... but with OSAP, like I did, there's a lot you can do with your life before you've taken on any loans or have a credit rating. Mentors and awareness are huge here.
Right here, right now, though - we have a land of opportunity for those willing to reach out and take it. It doesn't mean it's easy... but wow, Hamilton allows you to do SO MUCH. You can be just about anything here, do just about anything, access just about anything. You may have to fight your way past red tape with a property or slug it out to get whatever job you need to get you by... but there's huge opportunity here to make just about anything of yourself and fulfill whatever dreams you have.
All we need is for the people who live here to believe that - and be willing to do whatever it takes to get there. I certainly do. And I certainly am.
Hamilton has the greatest opportunity in it of any Ontario city I know - for me now, for the kids we'll have one day, or the teenagers I mentor. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 27
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
25. Being a real part of change
26. Anyone can be active and green.
27. The people.
I've lived in towns, suburbs, and cities small and large.
I've spent time with people of many different professions and economic classes.
I've been in places where the "norm" was vastly different than it was here.
And my favorite part of Hamilton is the people.
By and large, there's a work ethic that puts its head down and gets things done.
There's an unpretentiousness that says "join us" instead of sticking its nose up
There's a down-to-earth attitude and honesty among many.
And for good or ill, there's a tenacity. Once people get an idea in their heads, it's very hard to shake. And while that can lead to a stubborn resistance to good things -- very often it manifests by people doing what they have to do, over and over again. If it's applied in the right direction, I love and resonate with that tenacity.
And there's great diversity. Within a few kilometres of me, there's people that make nothing and people that make millions. Some have gone from rags to riches, and some have done the reverse.
I like that this is a city where you can know a lot of people's names.
I like that this is a city where the average person can accomplish a lot.
I like that this is a city where people have seen enough empty promises to be suspicious - instead of cities where success is so common they fall for any promise.
And I like that this is a city where most people hope for change.
And I like that, in spite of division, people here seem to share more common ground - common hopes, common fears, common goals - for themselves and the city.
It's certainly not a perfect city - and no other one is.
But I love the people here. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
25. Being a real part of change
26. Anyone can be active and green.
27. The people.
I've lived in towns, suburbs, and cities small and large.
I've spent time with people of many different professions and economic classes.
I've been in places where the "norm" was vastly different than it was here.
And my favorite part of Hamilton is the people.
By and large, there's a work ethic that puts its head down and gets things done.
There's an unpretentiousness that says "join us" instead of sticking its nose up
There's a down-to-earth attitude and honesty among many.
And for good or ill, there's a tenacity. Once people get an idea in their heads, it's very hard to shake. And while that can lead to a stubborn resistance to good things -- very often it manifests by people doing what they have to do, over and over again. If it's applied in the right direction, I love and resonate with that tenacity.
And there's great diversity. Within a few kilometres of me, there's people that make nothing and people that make millions. Some have gone from rags to riches, and some have done the reverse.
I like that this is a city where you can know a lot of people's names.
I like that this is a city where the average person can accomplish a lot.
I like that this is a city where people have seen enough empty promises to be suspicious - instead of cities where success is so common they fall for any promise.
And I like that this is a city where most people hope for change.
And I like that, in spite of division, people here seem to share more common ground - common hopes, common fears, common goals - for themselves and the city.
It's certainly not a perfect city - and no other one is.
But I love the people here. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
Friday, February 26, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 26
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
25. Being a real part of change
26. Anyone can be active and green here.
Hamilton has the right scale for it.
Hamilton has pretty decent infrastructure for it.
The exception might be the buildings in which it's difficult/impossible to do a green bin and/or without recycling facilities.
To bike from Dundurn to Kenilworth is 7 km
Lots of houses are on a small footprint environmentally - and other options exist.
The amount of trips necessary with a car is small compared to other cities.
And the recreation we have - from public pools to trails to being able to walk around - is amazing.
If leagues are your thing, there's everything from frisbee golf to volleyball.
And if all you want or need to do is walk, there's a lot of great routes to do it.
A lot of the barriers, like having neighbourhoods only accessible by car, isn't true except for tiny pockets here.
Even those without a lot of money can afford fresh food at the markets and grocery stores. Unlike many other cities that only have "convenience" stores for whole neighbourhoods, we have a lot of grocery stores in all areas of the city.
You can do extra things too. Use Bullfrog power. Get rain barrels. Live closer to the things you access every week.
You don't have to have a lot of money to be active. Options exist.
You don't have to have a lot of money to be green. Options exist.
And that's another advantage of cities in general - and of Hamilton in particular.
Anyone can live an active and green lifestyle here. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
25. Being a real part of change
26. Anyone can be active and green here.
Hamilton has the right scale for it.
Hamilton has pretty decent infrastructure for it.
The exception might be the buildings in which it's difficult/impossible to do a green bin and/or without recycling facilities.
To bike from Dundurn to Kenilworth is 7 km
Lots of houses are on a small footprint environmentally - and other options exist.
The amount of trips necessary with a car is small compared to other cities.
And the recreation we have - from public pools to trails to being able to walk around - is amazing.
If leagues are your thing, there's everything from frisbee golf to volleyball.
And if all you want or need to do is walk, there's a lot of great routes to do it.
A lot of the barriers, like having neighbourhoods only accessible by car, isn't true except for tiny pockets here.
Even those without a lot of money can afford fresh food at the markets and grocery stores. Unlike many other cities that only have "convenience" stores for whole neighbourhoods, we have a lot of grocery stores in all areas of the city.
You can do extra things too. Use Bullfrog power. Get rain barrels. Live closer to the things you access every week.
You don't have to have a lot of money to be active. Options exist.
You don't have to have a lot of money to be green. Options exist.
And that's another advantage of cities in general - and of Hamilton in particular.
Anyone can live an active and green lifestyle here. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 25
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
25. Being a real part of change.
A little more personal today.
It was a tough trip. And it shouldn't have been.
J-Rod and I walked to the market at Jackson.
Admired the crane that was installing new equipment on the way.
Picked up a few items from the library
Found some dandelion greens for Robulon
Bought face wash from PharmaPlus
Browsed through Coles for a particular book. Didn't find it. Oh well.
Took a minute to stop at the bank.
Headed home.
It took all of an hour and a half. The weather was great, the walk was pleasant, and we found everything we needed quickly. As we set out, we noticed Waxy's looked busy (wonderful) and the snowflakes were the tiniest ones we'd seen in ages.
Except... the entire way we had a headwind blowing cigarette smoke in our faces. We'd speed up to try and unobtrusively walk past one, and another would light up ahead of us. I did not want a migraine on my day off.
It was good Jackson was so busy even without the work-week traffic. And to be fair, a lot of it was pretty average traffic.
It just seemed like the worst elements were louder today than usual. Crowded, rude, loud, spitting... letting their toddler sit down on the floor of a store and play with the doormat. That plus the smoke on the way really got to us... and by the end, we just wanted to get out.
But I thought I'd stop in at one last store for one last thing - to find the song playing in the background was some moron going on about "all my baby mamas." I just said "screw this" and walked out.
(I've probably said before that I'm real big on the "nurture" vs. nature side of development.
Environment still matters, regardless of age.
Until Hamilton takes care of how it treats its poor or less socially or emotionally nurtured, it's going to keep spitting out the same type of result.
With all the advantages of Hamilton, if you're a hard worker and you have a trajectory going, you'll be fine. If you can seek out opportunity and examples you'll be fine.
But... there's been people I've told people not to move here. They're not motivated enough.
If you need an environment that will help push you to succeed and get off your couch and provide opportunity and examples for you to succeed on a relatable level - this is likely not the place for you.)
So... why was this morning encouraging?
On the way home, I didn't want us to stay mad. Indignant, maybe, but not upset.
My first response was to list the six or eight people that I'm glad we know here. We are not the only ones. We have several good friends, not just acquaintances, that are doing the same thing as us. They're self-supporting, working hard, doing what they need to do - and making it! The lie of this city is that it's not possible unless someone else is paying your way or otherwise helping you out - or that it's not possible at all. But it is.
There were one or two where we said "yeah, this city's getting to them in _______ regard. We gotta make a point of encouraging them."
My second response was.... if we were in another city again, we'd likely just be another version of the other people we know. Even though people called us "exceptional" there, which is flattering but irritating, we really weren't. It was the norm to put yourself through school (with or without parental help) and get an education, and then work to pay it off. And if the thing you are trained in wasn't hiring? Find another job or retrain - don't sit around and whine!
Here, we can still do the same thing -- and show just how unexceptional (read: normal and achievable) it can be. To be an example of how you can come from very little, and make something of yourself.
And we can encourage others who are trying to do the same thing - and those who are only starting to make those choices in life, or starting to make those choices for the first time.
Not that you ever do it completely alone - we have faith, we have friends, and we have a community around us that all shape the environment we find ourselves in. Change is possible. And it is possible here.
But if we went to live among a homogenous group again, what good would that do?
Change doesn't come through isolation.
It doesn't (largely) come through donation.
It comes through presence.
It comes through example.
It comes through being part of things.
So I'm content to do something unexceptional in most contexts, and so-called exceptional in this one.
I'm content to remain a grown-up.
I'm content to be someone who's worked hard and made it through life - the ups and down.
I'm content to keep being an example.
I'm content to keep giving people skills to succeed.
And I'm content to be part of the many groups that offer larger solutions.
Because at least here the opportunity exists to be a part of the solution. Our problems aren't shuffled off in giant highrises or peripheral developments. They're at the core. And you can either run away and compartmentalize, or deal with it. But it's a lot harder to compartmentalize here.
Perhaps your place - in your city - is to be a developer. Or a tutor. Landlord. Grandparent. Neighbour. Mentor. Business owner. Employee.
But whatever it is, do it well, and be part of the solution. Don't distance yourself.
Many of us will have the opportunity to own property. Where you buy your house changes things.
So one day, we'll make the choice most parents need to - to initially buy, or move to a neighbourhood that you're comfortable with your kids going to school in. Thankfully, there's several neighbourhoods with great schools that are also close enough - and varied enough - to make a difference in while retaining proximity.
There's no need to move to the periphery of town for that like there is in other cities. But if you do, you'll still find needs you can address there - if you take the time to be aware of their existence and choose to acknowledge them.
As a Christian, and as a pastor, my view looks far ahead. I've posted this meditation by Archbishop Oscar Romero above my desk for a long time. Whatever your own perspective, the realization that change is incremental, but significant, is important. And there's also value in trying to find larger, collaborative solutions that address problems on a larger scale.
I can be a real part of change. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
25. Being a real part of change.
A little more personal today.
It was a tough trip. And it shouldn't have been.
J-Rod and I walked to the market at Jackson.
Admired the crane that was installing new equipment on the way.
Picked up a few items from the library
Found some dandelion greens for Robulon
Bought face wash from PharmaPlus
Browsed through Coles for a particular book. Didn't find it. Oh well.
Took a minute to stop at the bank.
Headed home.
It took all of an hour and a half. The weather was great, the walk was pleasant, and we found everything we needed quickly. As we set out, we noticed Waxy's looked busy (wonderful) and the snowflakes were the tiniest ones we'd seen in ages.
Except... the entire way we had a headwind blowing cigarette smoke in our faces. We'd speed up to try and unobtrusively walk past one, and another would light up ahead of us. I did not want a migraine on my day off.
It was good Jackson was so busy even without the work-week traffic. And to be fair, a lot of it was pretty average traffic.
It just seemed like the worst elements were louder today than usual. Crowded, rude, loud, spitting... letting their toddler sit down on the floor of a store and play with the doormat. That plus the smoke on the way really got to us... and by the end, we just wanted to get out.
But I thought I'd stop in at one last store for one last thing - to find the song playing in the background was some moron going on about "all my baby mamas." I just said "screw this" and walked out.
(I've probably said before that I'm real big on the "nurture" vs. nature side of development.
Environment still matters, regardless of age.
Until Hamilton takes care of how it treats its poor or less socially or emotionally nurtured, it's going to keep spitting out the same type of result.
With all the advantages of Hamilton, if you're a hard worker and you have a trajectory going, you'll be fine. If you can seek out opportunity and examples you'll be fine.
But... there's been people I've told people not to move here. They're not motivated enough.
If you need an environment that will help push you to succeed and get off your couch and provide opportunity and examples for you to succeed on a relatable level - this is likely not the place for you.)
So... why was this morning encouraging?
On the way home, I didn't want us to stay mad. Indignant, maybe, but not upset.
My first response was to list the six or eight people that I'm glad we know here. We are not the only ones. We have several good friends, not just acquaintances, that are doing the same thing as us. They're self-supporting, working hard, doing what they need to do - and making it! The lie of this city is that it's not possible unless someone else is paying your way or otherwise helping you out - or that it's not possible at all. But it is.
There were one or two where we said "yeah, this city's getting to them in _______ regard. We gotta make a point of encouraging them."
My second response was.... if we were in another city again, we'd likely just be another version of the other people we know. Even though people called us "exceptional" there, which is flattering but irritating, we really weren't. It was the norm to put yourself through school (with or without parental help) and get an education, and then work to pay it off. And if the thing you are trained in wasn't hiring? Find another job or retrain - don't sit around and whine!
Here, we can still do the same thing -- and show just how unexceptional (read: normal and achievable) it can be. To be an example of how you can come from very little, and make something of yourself.
And we can encourage others who are trying to do the same thing - and those who are only starting to make those choices in life, or starting to make those choices for the first time.
Not that you ever do it completely alone - we have faith, we have friends, and we have a community around us that all shape the environment we find ourselves in. Change is possible. And it is possible here.
But if we went to live among a homogenous group again, what good would that do?
Change doesn't come through isolation.
It doesn't (largely) come through donation.
It comes through presence.
It comes through example.
It comes through being part of things.
So I'm content to do something unexceptional in most contexts, and so-called exceptional in this one.
I'm content to remain a grown-up.
I'm content to be someone who's worked hard and made it through life - the ups and down.
I'm content to keep being an example.
I'm content to keep giving people skills to succeed.
And I'm content to be part of the many groups that offer larger solutions.
Because at least here the opportunity exists to be a part of the solution. Our problems aren't shuffled off in giant highrises or peripheral developments. They're at the core. And you can either run away and compartmentalize, or deal with it. But it's a lot harder to compartmentalize here.
Perhaps your place - in your city - is to be a developer. Or a tutor. Landlord. Grandparent. Neighbour. Mentor. Business owner. Employee.
But whatever it is, do it well, and be part of the solution. Don't distance yourself.
Many of us will have the opportunity to own property. Where you buy your house changes things.
So one day, we'll make the choice most parents need to - to initially buy, or move to a neighbourhood that you're comfortable with your kids going to school in. Thankfully, there's several neighbourhoods with great schools that are also close enough - and varied enough - to make a difference in while retaining proximity.
There's no need to move to the periphery of town for that like there is in other cities. But if you do, you'll still find needs you can address there - if you take the time to be aware of their existence and choose to acknowledge them.
As a Christian, and as a pastor, my view looks far ahead. I've posted this meditation by Archbishop Oscar Romero above my desk for a long time. Whatever your own perspective, the realization that change is incremental, but significant, is important. And there's also value in trying to find larger, collaborative solutions that address problems on a larger scale.
I can be a real part of change. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 24
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
Normally, I carry a travel mug. Usually it's filled with tea from home, although some mornings I'll grind and brew coffee. I like cream in my coffee, and it's a rare coffee I can drink black. But I don't drink enough coffee to buy cream, so I use milk.... or I just go out and buy a coffee if I want a really good one.
I read this book in high school that piqued my interest... then found out a lot more about coffee. I worked at Second Cup and a few other places. And no matter what I'm in the mood for, in Hamilton, I can get it.
Let me start with another story, though.
I never liked Kraft Dinner. I can eat it about three bites when it's really hot, right out of the pot. And then I look at the rest and my stomach turns. The store stuff is even worse.
About two years ago, I had real, homemade macaroni and cheese for the first time. And it was glorious. There were breadcrumbs and real cheese and the texture was completely different.
It intrigued me enough to look at recipes for fancy mac and cheese using exotic cheeses, with lobster and crab, or even truffles shaved in. Even if I'd never eat them, knowing those versions existed was neat... and I make much simpler versions of homemade mac and cheese once every few months now.
Coffee's much the same. Starting to understand there was more out there than perked "church coffee" made a whole new world open up to me... and I'm hooked.
And that's why I use my highly scientific "macaroni and cheese" comparison scale to talk about coffee quality. It's probably going to be useful in this post.
Of course, Tim Hortons started here. I've got a donut or two from that particular store. And although St. Catharines edges us out slightly for Tims-per-square-kilometre, we've still got enough Tim Hortons to keep the entire city running.
Because this is the Kraft Dinner of the coffee world. It's reliable, dependable, it's addictive, and it'll keep you truckin' through your day. However, once you've had the real thing, you'll never mistake Tim's for it again, and you do realize one day it will probably kill you. But you just keep going back - familiarity, availability, and cost keep it the cheapest drug we've got.
And boy, is there far worse coffee than Tim's. It could be "store brand" stuff that's only good for perking... or the chemical, foul equivalent to the mac and cheese you pick up in a dollar store. Luckily Hamilton is low on these. I did have the worst coffee of my life in a truck stop in Indiana last year. Fun times!
Thankfully, most Hamilton coffee is either KD-dependable - or edging towards the homemade mac and cheese level of quality. Even the fancy stuff at some places.
And there's a lot of great high-quality coffee at reasonable prices.
I'm willing to pay an extra quarter for that quality, especially when it's fair-trade as well. (If I can afford to buy a coffee that day, I can afford the extra quarter. I may not be rich, but relatively speaking, I'm a ridiculously wealthy North American consumer. I don't begrudge the quarter - or even two quarters.)
There's lots of independent shops - many of them run by passionate small business owners:
My Dog Joe's (with a James North location opening soon)
(and there's other coffeehouses on James North too)
Heart of the Hammer
Bread and Roses
Westdale Cafe (not only fair trade coffee and tea, but sustainable materials used for the finishes and floors)
Bad Dog Cafe
Grandad's Donuts (they may be a chain, but small enough to fit in here for me. Great donuts!)
FRWY (excellent cafe in spite of limited hours - volunteer-run, nonprofit)
Harbour Diner does more than coffee, but deserves a mention for their excellent $1 fair trade coffee with unlimited refills
There's chains too.
PAMs
Williams (the waterfront is the most well-known one, but also near Mac and Mount Hope)
Second Cup (They sell La Minita, so I forgive them the awful/raucous Westdale location.)
Starbucks (several locations, from Locke to Ancaster to Upper James. I got caught in the Upper James location once during an EPIC rainstorm. The power was out for hours. Locke's a location I can get a lot of work done in)
And there's coffee roasters too - buying your coffee from these guys is a great way to shop locally.
Red Hill Coffee Trade
Detour Coffee
Speakeasy (haven't heard anything from them lately, but the store's still functional and their Twitter's still updated)
Bread and Roses also roasts coffee now.
That said, we could use many more coffeehouses. Heart of the Hammer opening up was encouraging - great hours and great selection.
Gore Park desperately needs a coffeehouse that can work as a meeting/work space by day and by night, not just a pit stop for caffeine refueling - and a central location like that means some of the condo dwellers would be drawn into the park, students would have a destination to stay in Gore Park for besides switching buses, and business people would have a place to go. (And I wouldn't have to travel to Westdale or Locke to plug in a laptop and concentrate for a few hours - although now Heart of the Hammer is a closer option).
Sure, Mr. Gaggia and I will meet one day when I have disposable income and counter space. Until then, I'll enjoy a cup of joe from My Dog Joe or good old Tim Hortons.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. Small businesses
24. Coffee
Normally, I carry a travel mug. Usually it's filled with tea from home, although some mornings I'll grind and brew coffee. I like cream in my coffee, and it's a rare coffee I can drink black. But I don't drink enough coffee to buy cream, so I use milk.... or I just go out and buy a coffee if I want a really good one.
I read this book in high school that piqued my interest... then found out a lot more about coffee. I worked at Second Cup and a few other places. And no matter what I'm in the mood for, in Hamilton, I can get it.
Let me start with another story, though.
I never liked Kraft Dinner. I can eat it about three bites when it's really hot, right out of the pot. And then I look at the rest and my stomach turns. The store stuff is even worse.
About two years ago, I had real, homemade macaroni and cheese for the first time. And it was glorious. There were breadcrumbs and real cheese and the texture was completely different.
It intrigued me enough to look at recipes for fancy mac and cheese using exotic cheeses, with lobster and crab, or even truffles shaved in. Even if I'd never eat them, knowing those versions existed was neat... and I make much simpler versions of homemade mac and cheese once every few months now.
Coffee's much the same. Starting to understand there was more out there than perked "church coffee" made a whole new world open up to me... and I'm hooked.
And that's why I use my highly scientific "macaroni and cheese" comparison scale to talk about coffee quality. It's probably going to be useful in this post.
Of course, Tim Hortons started here. I've got a donut or two from that particular store. And although St. Catharines edges us out slightly for Tims-per-square-kilometre, we've still got enough Tim Hortons to keep the entire city running.
Because this is the Kraft Dinner of the coffee world. It's reliable, dependable, it's addictive, and it'll keep you truckin' through your day. However, once you've had the real thing, you'll never mistake Tim's for it again, and you do realize one day it will probably kill you. But you just keep going back - familiarity, availability, and cost keep it the cheapest drug we've got.
And boy, is there far worse coffee than Tim's. It could be "store brand" stuff that's only good for perking... or the chemical, foul equivalent to the mac and cheese you pick up in a dollar store. Luckily Hamilton is low on these. I did have the worst coffee of my life in a truck stop in Indiana last year. Fun times!
Thankfully, most Hamilton coffee is either KD-dependable - or edging towards the homemade mac and cheese level of quality. Even the fancy stuff at some places.
And there's a lot of great high-quality coffee at reasonable prices.
I'm willing to pay an extra quarter for that quality, especially when it's fair-trade as well. (If I can afford to buy a coffee that day, I can afford the extra quarter. I may not be rich, but relatively speaking, I'm a ridiculously wealthy North American consumer. I don't begrudge the quarter - or even two quarters.)
There's lots of independent shops - many of them run by passionate small business owners:
My Dog Joe's (with a James North location opening soon)
(and there's other coffeehouses on James North too)
Heart of the Hammer
Bread and Roses
Westdale Cafe (not only fair trade coffee and tea, but sustainable materials used for the finishes and floors)
Bad Dog Cafe
Grandad's Donuts (they may be a chain, but small enough to fit in here for me. Great donuts!)
FRWY (excellent cafe in spite of limited hours - volunteer-run, nonprofit)
Harbour Diner does more than coffee, but deserves a mention for their excellent $1 fair trade coffee with unlimited refills
There's chains too.
PAMs
Williams (the waterfront is the most well-known one, but also near Mac and Mount Hope)
Second Cup (They sell La Minita, so I forgive them the awful/raucous Westdale location.)
Starbucks (several locations, from Locke to Ancaster to Upper James. I got caught in the Upper James location once during an EPIC rainstorm. The power was out for hours. Locke's a location I can get a lot of work done in)
And there's coffee roasters too - buying your coffee from these guys is a great way to shop locally.
Red Hill Coffee Trade
Detour Coffee
Speakeasy (haven't heard anything from them lately, but the store's still functional and their Twitter's still updated)
Bread and Roses also roasts coffee now.
That said, we could use many more coffeehouses. Heart of the Hammer opening up was encouraging - great hours and great selection.
Gore Park desperately needs a coffeehouse that can work as a meeting/work space by day and by night, not just a pit stop for caffeine refueling - and a central location like that means some of the condo dwellers would be drawn into the park, students would have a destination to stay in Gore Park for besides switching buses, and business people would have a place to go. (And I wouldn't have to travel to Westdale or Locke to plug in a laptop and concentrate for a few hours - although now Heart of the Hammer is a closer option).
Sure, Mr. Gaggia and I will meet one day when I have disposable income and counter space. Until then, I'll enjoy a cup of joe from My Dog Joe or good old Tim Hortons.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 23
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. The small businesses
For me, one of the best defining features of both large cities and small towns are the small businesses. (For example, if you're in St. Thomas, check out Farmgate Markets. Here, check out Reardon's)
When they're good, they're passionate, and they love what they do.... it's great.
However... middle-sized suburbs have a lot less of those. With the exception of a few master-planned "new urbanist" communities, most development of the past several decades is residential development with de-centralized shopping centres. More recently, power centres have been the normal model. Either way, these fill up with chain businesses. The smaller businesses around most of those places tend to be very high-end and/or very specialized.
Some like that just fine. I don't. And that's why I like Hamilton and the small businesses we have.
Cities and small towns get the 'small business' deal most of the time. And we have truly fantastic small businesses in Hamilton. Passionate small business owners - in all areas.
So you can get Miller's shoes on James or on the Mountain. You can take a walk in Dundas or Durand and enjoy the shops. Even in areas that are a lot lower-income, there's great small businesses - whether you're on Barton, Cannon, Kenilworth or the International Village.
And we don't ONLY have small businesses that cater to luxury markets... they're accessible to the lower and middle class. And the size of the city means I've gotten to know a lot of people at the places I shop.
So I get (my few) art supplies from a couple different stores.
We walk over to get crickets and silkworms for Rob Wilco at the Reptile Store and ask them all our questions.
If I need something for a bike, I know four or five places and people I can call. (My own bike went to someone who needed it more, but I'd like to eventually get another one).
My coat's missing a couple buttons right now - but that's OK, because I know where to go on Ottawa Street - and they also have great places to get tacos, children's clothing and antiques (and more!)
I can go to the market and know where to get each item, because each person has their specialty.
Last year at the One of a Kind Craft show in Toronto we got some great samples from Saigon Soul Food-- and then realized the company was another small business from Hamilton. Fantastic.
A lot of people love what they do - and it makes their business unique. I can talk about three or four different people's coffee businesses and how they each are passionate about what they do and each have a unique product.
And I'm not much of a consumer. I don't have a great disposable income, nor do I buy a lot of anything. I just get out there and started buying a little here and a little there...and became part of the conversation. It's not hard to do... and it's well worth it.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
23. The small businesses
For me, one of the best defining features of both large cities and small towns are the small businesses. (For example, if you're in St. Thomas, check out Farmgate Markets. Here, check out Reardon's)
When they're good, they're passionate, and they love what they do.... it's great.
However... middle-sized suburbs have a lot less of those. With the exception of a few master-planned "new urbanist" communities, most development of the past several decades is residential development with de-centralized shopping centres. More recently, power centres have been the normal model. Either way, these fill up with chain businesses. The smaller businesses around most of those places tend to be very high-end and/or very specialized.
Some like that just fine. I don't. And that's why I like Hamilton and the small businesses we have.
Cities and small towns get the 'small business' deal most of the time. And we have truly fantastic small businesses in Hamilton. Passionate small business owners - in all areas.
So you can get Miller's shoes on James or on the Mountain. You can take a walk in Dundas or Durand and enjoy the shops. Even in areas that are a lot lower-income, there's great small businesses - whether you're on Barton, Cannon, Kenilworth or the International Village.
And we don't ONLY have small businesses that cater to luxury markets... they're accessible to the lower and middle class. And the size of the city means I've gotten to know a lot of people at the places I shop.
So I get (my few) art supplies from a couple different stores.
We walk over to get crickets and silkworms for Rob Wilco at the Reptile Store and ask them all our questions.
If I need something for a bike, I know four or five places and people I can call. (My own bike went to someone who needed it more, but I'd like to eventually get another one).
My coat's missing a couple buttons right now - but that's OK, because I know where to go on Ottawa Street - and they also have great places to get tacos, children's clothing and antiques (and more!)
I can go to the market and know where to get each item, because each person has their specialty.
Last year at the One of a Kind Craft show in Toronto we got some great samples from Saigon Soul Food-- and then realized the company was another small business from Hamilton. Fantastic.
A lot of people love what they do - and it makes their business unique. I can talk about three or four different people's coffee businesses and how they each are passionate about what they do and each have a unique product.
And I'm not much of a consumer. I don't have a great disposable income, nor do I buy a lot of anything. I just get out there and started buying a little here and a little there...and became part of the conversation. It's not hard to do... and it's well worth it.
Monday, February 22, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 22
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
Last year, I was heading to Toronto in the morning... as the train curves along the track, you see two things. First, the sunrise over the sailboats in the harbour and the lakefront stretching away in the distance. I saw that every day.
And from time to time, I'd see herons wading in some of the smaller, marshy areas right below the track. It always made me happy to see either of those things. I'd be sitting on the train with a stupid grin on my face - because I love, love, love it. Where else do you see herons wading as you go to work in the morning?
(It's rather unfortunate that's not what you see from the QEW driving along the other side of the city.)
The size and history of our waterfront is staggering. Our entire city is built along a lakeshore. We have swaths of land, incredible microclimates and ecosystems. Parts that used to be much worse have been remediated from what they used to be.
Not a lot of other cities can claim this much lakeshore. And the waterfront has been transformed from what it used to be along the Bayfront into a vibrant community with several destinations, a far cry from the rough area it used to be. Other areas of the lakeshore, from new townhomes along the QEW to parks are also beautiful.
We're lucky enough not to have built a highway directly at the waterfront's edge like the QEW in Toronto - because Toronto won't have an earthquake like San Francisco did that allows them to reclaim their waterfront.
And while a lot of our industry has died a long and slow death, some viable industry - and some new industry - still needs part of the waterfront too. Some new companies have opened up in recent years and provided valuable tax dollars. Other brownfield sites are most easily cleaned up and well situated for industrial use.
We can keep both aspects of that... if we have the right buffer zones between what remains industrial and what's remediated, and if properties are redone one step at a time.. we can retain some of our port identity and some of that income/tax base, as well as the areas where nature, trails, residential and tourism flourish.
But the waterfront as a bastion of heavy industry that employs tens of thousands will never happen again, and one of the defining features of great cities is how they use their waterfront - so I hope we can be smarter about it in the future. I hope we can enforce pollution standards on the industry that is there. Particulate falling on lakefront houses isn't acceptable. Sure, let industry use the space it needs, (and compact it into the space that isn't being used), at least for the next few decades, but intentionally allow remediation to creep over.
Whatever happens, the waterfront's size and existence are something you can't find in a lot of other cities - and where else are you going to see herons in the morning?!?!
Hamilton has a huge, expansive waterfront. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
22. Waterfront
Last year, I was heading to Toronto in the morning... as the train curves along the track, you see two things. First, the sunrise over the sailboats in the harbour and the lakefront stretching away in the distance. I saw that every day.
And from time to time, I'd see herons wading in some of the smaller, marshy areas right below the track. It always made me happy to see either of those things. I'd be sitting on the train with a stupid grin on my face - because I love, love, love it. Where else do you see herons wading as you go to work in the morning?
(It's rather unfortunate that's not what you see from the QEW driving along the other side of the city.)
The size and history of our waterfront is staggering. Our entire city is built along a lakeshore. We have swaths of land, incredible microclimates and ecosystems. Parts that used to be much worse have been remediated from what they used to be.
Not a lot of other cities can claim this much lakeshore. And the waterfront has been transformed from what it used to be along the Bayfront into a vibrant community with several destinations, a far cry from the rough area it used to be. Other areas of the lakeshore, from new townhomes along the QEW to parks are also beautiful.
We're lucky enough not to have built a highway directly at the waterfront's edge like the QEW in Toronto - because Toronto won't have an earthquake like San Francisco did that allows them to reclaim their waterfront.
And while a lot of our industry has died a long and slow death, some viable industry - and some new industry - still needs part of the waterfront too. Some new companies have opened up in recent years and provided valuable tax dollars. Other brownfield sites are most easily cleaned up and well situated for industrial use.
We can keep both aspects of that... if we have the right buffer zones between what remains industrial and what's remediated, and if properties are redone one step at a time.. we can retain some of our port identity and some of that income/tax base, as well as the areas where nature, trails, residential and tourism flourish.
But the waterfront as a bastion of heavy industry that employs tens of thousands will never happen again, and one of the defining features of great cities is how they use their waterfront - so I hope we can be smarter about it in the future. I hope we can enforce pollution standards on the industry that is there. Particulate falling on lakefront houses isn't acceptable. Sure, let industry use the space it needs, (and compact it into the space that isn't being used), at least for the next few decades, but intentionally allow remediation to creep over.
Whatever happens, the waterfront's size and existence are something you can't find in a lot of other cities - and where else are you going to see herons in the morning?!?!
Hamilton has a huge, expansive waterfront. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 21
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
Hamilton has history reaching very far back indeed.
As a city itself, that begins with George Hamilton starting in 1815, a full city in 1846.
Think about that for a second. Almost 200 years have gone by. A long time in some eyes, but just a few lifetimes' worth in others.
There's high highs - and low lows.
There's industry and achievement and celebration. There's advances in science and beautiful buildings and times of prosperity. There's royal ties, the "Ambitious City,"
There's also failure and division and corruption. There's violence and the Mob and gangs and backroom deals and gambling dens.
In short, it's everything that makes a good story -- it just depends on how it ends. Hamilton has to decide whether it wants comedy or tragedy. (For more of that story, this is one of the best places to start and their links section is good too.) You can also see People from Hamilton and a couple history resources: WikiTravel, Wikipedia, Landmarks, HamiltonKiosk - there's a lot of other stuff out there too, like cemetery tours and Doors Open and our transit history )
For the past, there's people passionately dedicated to preserving this history.
Graham at HIStory and HERitage and Brian at Historical Hamilton are two I've met.
Why even though I've never seen it up, I keep hearing about the Birks Clock. I live on the border of Corktown.
For the future, Hamilton needs to choose.
You can go back to the glory days, and want to reclaim whatever aspect of those you liked best. That might be the downtown of yesteryear or the days 10,000+ people could get a steel job and move up on the Mountain away from downtown. It might be the school you went to or the lifestyle you lived.
Or you can remember and keep those things as part of Hamilton's identity, but move on to what new things need to be done and the new industries that need to be created and the new facets of its identity that Hamilton needs to find.
Whatever happens, Hamilton can't ignore its past -- but it also can't wallow in it. We need people who are going to look ahead and write the next chapter of Hamilton's history intentionally, not allow it to happen to them.
So we need to step up. Start diversifying the economy. Put a limit on industrial areas, insert commercial buffer zones between them and residential. There's no rhyme or reason to allowing homes to exist that close to pollutants like that anymore. We need to urban-plan our existing neighbourhoods. Put a hard line between "industry" and waterfront for now.
And as the past couple decades has found urbanists enjoying the advantages of downtowns and cities, Hamilton needs to look away from its jaded past of "getting away" from downtown. Hamilton needs to get over its stereotypes and start to understand what a healthy downtown looks like, not let it default into whatever the lowest common denominator and neglect come up with. We need to care for our waterfront. We need transit good enough for all economic groups to use - in all wards and all of the 'downtown' areas from Dundas to Stoney Creek. We need centres of amenities in each neighbourhood to localize and centralize mini-economies. Above all of those things, we need good jobs locally.
Hamilton has a future, and it can go a lot of ways. But that's not my point.
Hamilton has hundreds of years behind it. There's drama, history, character, intrigue - and chapters yet to be written. Hamilton has history. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
21. History
Hamilton has history reaching very far back indeed.
As a city itself, that begins with George Hamilton starting in 1815, a full city in 1846.
Think about that for a second. Almost 200 years have gone by. A long time in some eyes, but just a few lifetimes' worth in others.
There's high highs - and low lows.
There's industry and achievement and celebration. There's advances in science and beautiful buildings and times of prosperity. There's royal ties, the "Ambitious City,"
There's also failure and division and corruption. There's violence and the Mob and gangs and backroom deals and gambling dens.
In short, it's everything that makes a good story -- it just depends on how it ends. Hamilton has to decide whether it wants comedy or tragedy. (For more of that story, this is one of the best places to start and their links section is good too.) You can also see People from Hamilton and a couple history resources: WikiTravel, Wikipedia, Landmarks, HamiltonKiosk - there's a lot of other stuff out there too, like cemetery tours and Doors Open and our transit history )
For the past, there's people passionately dedicated to preserving this history.
Graham at HIStory and HERitage and Brian at Historical Hamilton are two I've met.
Why even though I've never seen it up, I keep hearing about the Birks Clock. I live on the border of Corktown.
For the future, Hamilton needs to choose.
You can go back to the glory days, and want to reclaim whatever aspect of those you liked best. That might be the downtown of yesteryear or the days 10,000+ people could get a steel job and move up on the Mountain away from downtown. It might be the school you went to or the lifestyle you lived.
Or you can remember and keep those things as part of Hamilton's identity, but move on to what new things need to be done and the new industries that need to be created and the new facets of its identity that Hamilton needs to find.
Whatever happens, Hamilton can't ignore its past -- but it also can't wallow in it. We need people who are going to look ahead and write the next chapter of Hamilton's history intentionally, not allow it to happen to them.
So we need to step up. Start diversifying the economy. Put a limit on industrial areas, insert commercial buffer zones between them and residential. There's no rhyme or reason to allowing homes to exist that close to pollutants like that anymore. We need to urban-plan our existing neighbourhoods. Put a hard line between "industry" and waterfront for now.
And as the past couple decades has found urbanists enjoying the advantages of downtowns and cities, Hamilton needs to look away from its jaded past of "getting away" from downtown. Hamilton needs to get over its stereotypes and start to understand what a healthy downtown looks like, not let it default into whatever the lowest common denominator and neglect come up with. We need to care for our waterfront. We need transit good enough for all economic groups to use - in all wards and all of the 'downtown' areas from Dundas to Stoney Creek. We need centres of amenities in each neighbourhood to localize and centralize mini-economies. Above all of those things, we need good jobs locally.
Hamilton has a future, and it can go a lot of ways. But that's not my point.
Hamilton has hundreds of years behind it. There's drama, history, character, intrigue - and chapters yet to be written. Hamilton has history. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 20
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
Cities have big, usually annual events. And a city like ours, with rich diversity in geography and population, has a HUGE variety of them.
Want a small sample of the yearly festivals in Hamilton? Take a look here. FoundLocally's listing is more comprehensive.
A couple years ago, I was walking through the IV and noticed a poster for the Mustard Festival. Later that week, I went back, ate a lot of corn, mustard and pretzels, saw couples dancing to big-band music.... and saw Ferguson Street used (for once) to its potential. It was awesome. I've gone every time since.
Festival of Friends is Ontario's LARGEST outdoor annual festival. And Gage Park hosts other events... the Mum Show, It's Your Festival, etc.
There's also the Dundas Cactus Festival, Locke Street Festival, Fringe Festival, Hamilton Harbour Fishing Derby, Festitalia, Localicious, Wingfest, GritLit... and that's just scratching the surface. I'm really looking forward to the Turkish Festival this year as well.
There's also fairs in Binbrook, Ancaster, and Rockton ones and the Winona Peach Festival. (And while it isn't Hamilton, we're very close to Niagara Grape and Wine too!)
More commercial events are here too, like the woodworking and RV/home shows - or even Lululemon sample sales... and events that occur with more frequency, like the James North Art Crawl.
Unfortunately, we do a bad job of promo for most of these. Most of these are things I've only seen a year or two since moving here, or been to because they're in my neighbourhood. I've found things like this 60-page Tourism Hamilton Guide only by searching for something unrelated.
(Tourism Hamilton's banner doesn't actually indicate they're located in the Pigott building - I lived here for two years before I realized you could actually go into that location and get information [Once or twice I've seen some students at a kiosk for them in the park. Why they can't hire a couple summer students with a summer jobs grant to walk around as Hamilton ambassadors through the core is beyond me])
They'll get even more important as Hamilton's economy and population continues to shift. Festivals and events in places like Gore Park make it a destination and draw people into places they haven't been before, while places like Gage Park and Ferguson Street are used to their potential. They provide a gathering place for a diverse cross-section of people, and most of them are inexpensive or free with the option to buy food, items, etc. And they employ a lot of local people.
I love the festivals and events that we have in the city. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. Location
3. Size (population)
4. Scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. Buildings
7. Nature
8. Film industry
9. Markets and restaurants
10. Trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. Climate
13. Safety
14. Landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. Sports teams
17. Schools
18. Entertainment options
19. The churches and (other faith groups)
20. Festivals and events
Cities have big, usually annual events. And a city like ours, with rich diversity in geography and population, has a HUGE variety of them.
Want a small sample of the yearly festivals in Hamilton? Take a look here. FoundLocally's listing is more comprehensive.
A couple years ago, I was walking through the IV and noticed a poster for the Mustard Festival. Later that week, I went back, ate a lot of corn, mustard and pretzels, saw couples dancing to big-band music.... and saw Ferguson Street used (for once) to its potential. It was awesome. I've gone every time since.
Festival of Friends is Ontario's LARGEST outdoor annual festival. And Gage Park hosts other events... the Mum Show, It's Your Festival, etc.
There's also the Dundas Cactus Festival, Locke Street Festival, Fringe Festival, Hamilton Harbour Fishing Derby, Festitalia, Localicious, Wingfest, GritLit... and that's just scratching the surface. I'm really looking forward to the Turkish Festival this year as well.
There's also fairs in Binbrook, Ancaster, and Rockton ones and the Winona Peach Festival. (And while it isn't Hamilton, we're very close to Niagara Grape and Wine too!)
More commercial events are here too, like the woodworking and RV/home shows - or even Lululemon sample sales... and events that occur with more frequency, like the James North Art Crawl.
Unfortunately, we do a bad job of promo for most of these. Most of these are things I've only seen a year or two since moving here, or been to because they're in my neighbourhood. I've found things like this 60-page Tourism Hamilton Guide only by searching for something unrelated.
(Tourism Hamilton's banner doesn't actually indicate they're located in the Pigott building - I lived here for two years before I realized you could actually go into that location and get information [Once or twice I've seen some students at a kiosk for them in the park. Why they can't hire a couple summer students with a summer jobs grant to walk around as Hamilton ambassadors through the core is beyond me])
They'll get even more important as Hamilton's economy and population continues to shift. Festivals and events in places like Gore Park make it a destination and draw people into places they haven't been before, while places like Gage Park and Ferguson Street are used to their potential. They provide a gathering place for a diverse cross-section of people, and most of them are inexpensive or free with the option to buy food, items, etc. And they employ a lot of local people.
I love the festivals and events that we have in the city. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
Friday, February 19, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 19
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. The Location
3. The size (population)
4. The scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. The buildings
7. The nature
8. The film industry
9. The markets and restaurants
10. The trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. The climate
13. The safety
14. The landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. The sports teams
17. The schools
18. The entertainment options
19. The churches (and other faith groups)
I'm going to speak from my own experience here - with my church, and the church as a whole - other faith groups in this city are doing amazing things.
One of the most encouraging little things when I moved here was to see a pastor from another downtown church biking past me on his way to work. I just thought "dude, we have urban pastors here! Other pastors get it!" Literally, that's what was crossing my mind.
On Feb 14, the church I attend and work at hosted "A Piece of Common Ground" dinner with our Turkish Muslim friends. In lieu of the video I was hoping to get, Patti's post on this speaks volumes. The Beam Centre is quite something, and I really enjoyed the evening.
The media company near us filmed a commercial in our building near that time.
Community groups that have been using various parts of the church space.
Hundreds of free income tax returns for low-income residents will start up again soon.
And that's only a few of the minor things one church in one place in the city is doing.
One case study identified the five things churches in Hamilton can do to improve the city are:
1) grow community
2) promote community service
3) attract people to live downtown
4) draw private investment
5) add beauty to the physical appearances of community
A lot of churches do that well here.
There's some churches that highly value and beautifully represent great architecture.
There's churches here that encourage and attract people to live downtown.
There's churches that do incredible work in the community.
And to be fair, there's churches that sit there all the time and have very little connection with the week or the work of everyday folks.
There was also the moment not long after I moved here when my sister asked "oh... downtown? You didn't end up at _____________that's getting investigated and having charitable status revoked and whose staff are buying $700 purses with the funds?"
I'm glad that type of place is the rare exception. Churches in this city do incredible work! And I can only scratch the surface by speaking of L'Arche and Philpott and Salvation Army and FRWY and Hughson St. and Crossfire and Micah House and even Good Shepherd or our entire Catholic school system.. but that's a tiny start.
And it's so connected here.... the True City network that has churches of all types in it is also something I sorely missed in other cities... it's great to know the leaders of churches in this city have a heart for people - but not on just one or two "hot-button" issues. They want to see the entire city succeed.
Being able to meet with other youth pastors - of all types of churches - has been so encouraging. Even more encouraging is hearing how pro-city a lot of them are - from transit to living downtown to buying local.
Green initiatives are also common in a lot of places, though I freely admit many churches still find that tough. The imagination is great though... where else but in car-dependent Hamilton would you hear of "Worship without your car" initiatives? But again.. it's awesome!
This is personal for me. I love cities and I love Jesus. And maybe it's hard to tell, when the church has for years moved to cheap land around cities... but Christianity is historically quite comfortable in cities.
Many have noted... The Bible starts in a garden and ends in a city.
Even through exile, the Hebrews were exhorted to pray for the good of the city even as they were captives there. The city of Jerusalem stands central to much of the Old Testament. Some of my favorite books in the Bible are the letters to the New Testament churches... some are veyr minor places, many were larger centers such as Rome and Ephesus and Corinth.
I'm also very comfortable with the reality in the New Testament that groups of believers, "churches," had no power - certainly not in a political sense. They pointed to God as the source of individually transformed lives, and a calling to belong in community. From those transformed lives is where change came.
All differences in time period and political reality aside, that translates very well to today. Churches point to God as the source of individually transformed lives, and a calling to belong in community. And I thank God there are so many churches in this city who are pointing to God and offering community... and bringing change to those around them.
I see it every week. In my church and others. I hear - and see - that change and community.
Every week, financial and recovery groups meet.
I see those who aren't able to work - or fit into normal society - find a safe place and a listening ear.
Part of my job is teaching teens life skills about topics like sex and money (comprehensively, with lots of discussion and research - not simplistically).
People get counselling to work through issues, prepare for transitions, or improve relationships - by people who are trained in and know those areas.
I see people prepare food together
I see people who struggled in education get into college - and graduate, and find jobs.
I see people who are generations apart having a conversation.
I see those who aren't able to go to school find jobs and encouragement.
I see those deeply hurting start to heal... and grow into confident, alive people.
I see inner, quiet, deep change working itself outward.
I see people able to show emotion for the first time in decades.
I see families whose problems aren't fixed magically... but who are starting to heal.
I see relationships that were cut off for years being returned.
In short... I see individual lives transformed, and people finding community and being part of their city. And I love it.
I love the churches in Hamilton. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. The Location
3. The size (population)
4. The scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. The buildings
7. The nature
8. The film industry
9. The markets and restaurants
10. The trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. The climate
13. The safety
14. The landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. The sports teams
17. The schools
18. The entertainment options
19. The churches (and other faith groups)
I'm going to speak from my own experience here - with my church, and the church as a whole - other faith groups in this city are doing amazing things.
One of the most encouraging little things when I moved here was to see a pastor from another downtown church biking past me on his way to work. I just thought "dude, we have urban pastors here! Other pastors get it!" Literally, that's what was crossing my mind.
On Feb 14, the church I attend and work at hosted "A Piece of Common Ground" dinner with our Turkish Muslim friends. In lieu of the video I was hoping to get, Patti's post on this speaks volumes. The Beam Centre is quite something, and I really enjoyed the evening.
The media company near us filmed a commercial in our building near that time.
Community groups that have been using various parts of the church space.
Hundreds of free income tax returns for low-income residents will start up again soon.
And that's only a few of the minor things one church in one place in the city is doing.
One case study identified the five things churches in Hamilton can do to improve the city are:
1) grow community
2) promote community service
3) attract people to live downtown
4) draw private investment
5) add beauty to the physical appearances of community
A lot of churches do that well here.
There's some churches that highly value and beautifully represent great architecture.
There's churches here that encourage and attract people to live downtown.
There's churches that do incredible work in the community.
And to be fair, there's churches that sit there all the time and have very little connection with the week or the work of everyday folks.
There was also the moment not long after I moved here when my sister asked "oh... downtown? You didn't end up at _____________that's getting investigated and having charitable status revoked and whose staff are buying $700 purses with the funds?"
I'm glad that type of place is the rare exception. Churches in this city do incredible work! And I can only scratch the surface by speaking of L'Arche and Philpott and Salvation Army and FRWY and Hughson St. and Crossfire and Micah House and even Good Shepherd or our entire Catholic school system.. but that's a tiny start.
And it's so connected here.... the True City network that has churches of all types in it is also something I sorely missed in other cities... it's great to know the leaders of churches in this city have a heart for people - but not on just one or two "hot-button" issues. They want to see the entire city succeed.
Being able to meet with other youth pastors - of all types of churches - has been so encouraging. Even more encouraging is hearing how pro-city a lot of them are - from transit to living downtown to buying local.
Green initiatives are also common in a lot of places, though I freely admit many churches still find that tough. The imagination is great though... where else but in car-dependent Hamilton would you hear of "Worship without your car" initiatives? But again.. it's awesome!
This is personal for me. I love cities and I love Jesus. And maybe it's hard to tell, when the church has for years moved to cheap land around cities... but Christianity is historically quite comfortable in cities.
Many have noted... The Bible starts in a garden and ends in a city.
Even through exile, the Hebrews were exhorted to pray for the good of the city even as they were captives there. The city of Jerusalem stands central to much of the Old Testament. Some of my favorite books in the Bible are the letters to the New Testament churches... some are veyr minor places, many were larger centers such as Rome and Ephesus and Corinth.
I'm also very comfortable with the reality in the New Testament that groups of believers, "churches," had no power - certainly not in a political sense. They pointed to God as the source of individually transformed lives, and a calling to belong in community. From those transformed lives is where change came.
All differences in time period and political reality aside, that translates very well to today. Churches point to God as the source of individually transformed lives, and a calling to belong in community. And I thank God there are so many churches in this city who are pointing to God and offering community... and bringing change to those around them.
I see it every week. In my church and others. I hear - and see - that change and community.
Every week, financial and recovery groups meet.
I see those who aren't able to work - or fit into normal society - find a safe place and a listening ear.
Part of my job is teaching teens life skills about topics like sex and money (comprehensively, with lots of discussion and research - not simplistically).
People get counselling to work through issues, prepare for transitions, or improve relationships - by people who are trained in and know those areas.
I see people prepare food together
I see people who struggled in education get into college - and graduate, and find jobs.
I see people who are generations apart having a conversation.
I see those who aren't able to go to school find jobs and encouragement.
I see those deeply hurting start to heal... and grow into confident, alive people.
I see inner, quiet, deep change working itself outward.
I see people able to show emotion for the first time in decades.
I see families whose problems aren't fixed magically... but who are starting to heal.
I see relationships that were cut off for years being returned.
In short... I see individual lives transformed, and people finding community and being part of their city. And I love it.
I love the churches in Hamilton. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 18
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. The Location
3. The size (population)
4. The scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. The buildings
7. The nature
8. The film industry
9. The markets and restaurants
10. The trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. The climate
13. The safety
14. The landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. The sports teams
17. The schools
18. The entertainment options.
There's a lot of great options for entertainment in the city, whatever form you prefer.
One day we were driving by Copps, I saw all these dads and little kids heading towards the doors. The guys seemed to be dressed similarly - cut-off sleeves, pale jeans, baseball caps. The kids were dressed... well, like little kids.
"What's here? Monster trucks?" said I.
"Uh... nope, swing and a miss" said Jarod, pointing to the giant sign for Miley Cyrus up ahead.
Those poor dads...
Okay, so Miley isn't my thing. Chances are, though, that your thing is here - whether that's festivals, theater, waterfront stuff, parades, dancing, concerts, sports, movies... it's here.
And a lot of great entertainment here is inexpensive or free too. The one event we see every year is Cirque du Soleil, and the priciest I'll go.
One of my favorite moments a year ago or so was going to a performance at Hamilton Place. I can't remember her name, but the singer was performing comic renditions of famous songs and arias, complete with costume changes and characters. It was entertaining, it was fun, and it was well done.
It was a perfect event for what I saw in front of me: a mother with her two (or three?) young kids, all dressed up and paying attention. They were quietly asking questions about the songs being sung, and she spent time quietly explaining to them what it meant and what the costume changes were for and so on and so forth... I love it. I want that to be me and Jar with our kids someday, explaining the exact same things and helping them dress up for the occasion.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. The Location
3. The size (population)
4. The scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. The buildings
7. The nature
8. The film industry
9. The markets and restaurants
10. The trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. The climate
13. The safety
14. The landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. The sports teams
17. The schools
18. The entertainment options.
There's a lot of great options for entertainment in the city, whatever form you prefer.
One day we were driving by Copps, I saw all these dads and little kids heading towards the doors. The guys seemed to be dressed similarly - cut-off sleeves, pale jeans, baseball caps. The kids were dressed... well, like little kids.
"What's here? Monster trucks?" said I.
"Uh... nope, swing and a miss" said Jarod, pointing to the giant sign for Miley Cyrus up ahead.
Those poor dads...
Okay, so Miley isn't my thing. Chances are, though, that your thing is here - whether that's festivals, theater, waterfront stuff, parades, dancing, concerts, sports, movies... it's here.
And a lot of great entertainment here is inexpensive or free too. The one event we see every year is Cirque du Soleil, and the priciest I'll go.
One of my favorite moments a year ago or so was going to a performance at Hamilton Place. I can't remember her name, but the singer was performing comic renditions of famous songs and arias, complete with costume changes and characters. It was entertaining, it was fun, and it was well done.
It was a perfect event for what I saw in front of me: a mother with her two (or three?) young kids, all dressed up and paying attention. They were quietly asking questions about the songs being sung, and she spent time quietly explaining to them what it meant and what the costume changes were for and so on and so forth... I love it. I want that to be me and Jar with our kids someday, explaining the exact same things and helping them dress up for the occasion.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 17
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. The Location
3. The size (population)
4. The scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. The buildings
7. The nature
8. The film industry
9. The markets and restaurants
10. The trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. The climate
13. The safety
14. The landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. The sports teams
17. The schools
Hamilton has a wide variety of schools. The opportunity here is HUGE.
McMaster (specifically, MacDiv) is what allowed me to move here in the first place. Top-notch faculty and programs. Mohawk and Redeemer are other options... and the first 2 are easily accessible as far as tuition and geography go. When I had to go back for a second program (cardiac testing) the ease with which that was able to happen, and the existence of a practical but challenging program like that floored me.
In October, I met someone from Dundas who takes his kids to Strathcona Elementary - and is moving to the area - because of their SAGE program, which is excellent in many ways - especially because I like the parental participation part of it.
Of course, there's Hillfield Strathallan and the other private schools too. And many high schools specialize in different areas, whether that's Westdale's IB program or the arts program at SJAM.
Hamilton makes the (laughable) assertion that their goal is to be the best place to raise a child. While I do think it is a great city to raise a child, notice that raise is a verb ;) (and environment matters a great deal).
I know I have zero credibility on this till I raise my own kids, but I plan to follow the example of those I know who are raising their kids here and sending them to Hamilton's public schools. Some are tough, but there are many, many great public schools - and other options like Montessori programs and co-op preschools and all sorts of great resources. (Catholic school isn't an option... I don't think trying to explain I was a female Protestant pastor would go over too well with the requirements to get your kids in there... ;))
Full-day kindergarten (which is optional if you don't like it) is a HUGE bonus as well - and many of our schools, especially the ones in worse areas, will get this. What a huge benefit.
A lot of the bridging programs and adult education don't lead well into postsecondary, however, and even some high schools don't let you go into that. I'm not as familiar with that, but I do know even people who have gone through high schools that didn't grant an OSSD have been able to upgrade, go back, and finish a college program and make good money. Now they're thinking - maybe I'll go back for a much more challenging college program. Good for them. It's possible here!
A bit of a tangent, but there are many pluses as well in Hamilton for raising kids - not the traffic blasting past one's door on the main streets, but there's many side streets that are quiet, and parks, libraries, pools, all sorts of lessons and activities nearby.
Hamilton has great post-secondary, secondary, and elementary schools. There's a lot of opportunity here. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. The Location
3. The size (population)
4. The scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. The buildings
7. The nature
8. The film industry
9. The markets and restaurants
10. The trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. The climate
13. The safety
14. The landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. The sports teams
17. The schools
Hamilton has a wide variety of schools. The opportunity here is HUGE.
McMaster (specifically, MacDiv) is what allowed me to move here in the first place. Top-notch faculty and programs. Mohawk and Redeemer are other options... and the first 2 are easily accessible as far as tuition and geography go. When I had to go back for a second program (cardiac testing) the ease with which that was able to happen, and the existence of a practical but challenging program like that floored me.
In October, I met someone from Dundas who takes his kids to Strathcona Elementary - and is moving to the area - because of their SAGE program, which is excellent in many ways - especially because I like the parental participation part of it.
Of course, there's Hillfield Strathallan and the other private schools too. And many high schools specialize in different areas, whether that's Westdale's IB program or the arts program at SJAM.
Hamilton makes the (laughable) assertion that their goal is to be the best place to raise a child. While I do think it is a great city to raise a child, notice that raise is a verb ;) (and environment matters a great deal).
I know I have zero credibility on this till I raise my own kids, but I plan to follow the example of those I know who are raising their kids here and sending them to Hamilton's public schools. Some are tough, but there are many, many great public schools - and other options like Montessori programs and co-op preschools and all sorts of great resources. (Catholic school isn't an option... I don't think trying to explain I was a female Protestant pastor would go over too well with the requirements to get your kids in there... ;))
Full-day kindergarten (which is optional if you don't like it) is a HUGE bonus as well - and many of our schools, especially the ones in worse areas, will get this. What a huge benefit.
A lot of the bridging programs and adult education don't lead well into postsecondary, however, and even some high schools don't let you go into that. I'm not as familiar with that, but I do know even people who have gone through high schools that didn't grant an OSSD have been able to upgrade, go back, and finish a college program and make good money. Now they're thinking - maybe I'll go back for a much more challenging college program. Good for them. It's possible here!
A bit of a tangent, but there are many pluses as well in Hamilton for raising kids - not the traffic blasting past one's door on the main streets, but there's many side streets that are quiet, and parks, libraries, pools, all sorts of lessons and activities nearby.
Hamilton has great post-secondary, secondary, and elementary schools. There's a lot of opportunity here. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
28 Reasons I Love Hamilton... Reason 16
Why write 28 reasons I love Hamilton?
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. The Location
3. The size (population)
4. The scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. The buildings
7. The nature
8. The film industry
9. The markets and restaurants
10. The trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. The climate
13. The safety
14. The landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. The sports teams
Of course, I knew about the Ti-Cats and the Bulldogs. And I already realized that sports are one of the only things that regions really gather together over, so I appreciate their cultural significance.
I had heard about the place that created goalie pads (Kenesky`s)
And I had an inkling about McMaster
It took a little while to hear about the Around the Bay Road Race and some of the other sports and leagues - and it wasn't until last summer I did the Frisbee Golf course at the conservation area (Christie, I think)
Not until I was reading in the Spec about high school sports, though, did I realize how seriously this city takes athletics. (The Pan Am stuff is a nice bonus too).
And I gotta say... I LOVE it.
I love hearing the crowds chant Oskee wee wee oskee wa wa!
I love seeing high school athletes that take themselves and the game seriously.
I love seeing thousands of people running in the Around the Bay race.
I love the teams, the pride, the fans and the dedication in Hamilton. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
1. Hamilton is a CITY.
2. The Location
3. The size (population)
4. The scale
5. Creativity and the arts
6. The buildings
7. The nature
8. The film industry
9. The markets and restaurants
10. The trails, paths, and running routes
11. Gore Park
12. The climate
13. The safety
14. The landscapes and views
15. The ability to live modestly
16. The sports teams
Of course, I knew about the Ti-Cats and the Bulldogs. And I already realized that sports are one of the only things that regions really gather together over, so I appreciate their cultural significance.
I had heard about the place that created goalie pads (Kenesky`s)
And I had an inkling about McMaster
It took a little while to hear about the Around the Bay Road Race and some of the other sports and leagues - and it wasn't until last summer I did the Frisbee Golf course at the conservation area (Christie, I think)
Not until I was reading in the Spec about high school sports, though, did I realize how seriously this city takes athletics. (The Pan Am stuff is a nice bonus too).
And I gotta say... I LOVE it.
I love hearing the crowds chant Oskee wee wee oskee wa wa!
I love seeing high school athletes that take themselves and the game seriously.
I love seeing thousands of people running in the Around the Bay race.
I love the teams, the pride, the fans and the dedication in Hamilton. And that's another reason I love Hamilton.
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