Fishing Chain Lakes

Back in the day, it seemed like every other weekend I would go fishing with my dad. I think it's been a couple years since I've headed out with him, but this morning Tom and I got up bright and early to join my dad for some fishing in the Chain Lakes Provincial Park.

Fishing hats and life jackets-- a must!

My dad and I started out fishing on the banks of rivers and creeks, and about 15 years ago, he invested in a Zodiac, which has served us well over the years. At the time, we didn't have a truck or any kind of towing vehicle, so an inflatable boat was very convenient for us. We got roll it up for storage and fit it into the trunk of the car. Experience has taught us that this boat is also quite durable!

Zodiac inflatable boat.

Tom was pretty keen on paddling (despite the fact that we had a motor), so when we first shoved off from shore, he paddled us away from the other boaters unloading their boats.

Tom paddling.

Over the years we have collected quite a large collection of bait. My favourite are the flies, because they are so colourful and life-like looking. We didn't do any fly fishing on this trip, but I took a peek at the lures anyway.

Fly collection.

We tend to favour spinners when fishing at Chain Lakes. We've had a lot of luck with them over the years, specifically with a gold and black spinner that we now refer to as, "Old Faithful." Old Faithful is pictured below in the center row, on the right hand side of the container.

Spinners, spoons and Old Faithful.

My dad made the first catch of the day-- one of many little rainbow trout which barely measured 8 inches in length.

First catch of the day.

Tom was not far behind, eventually catching four fish. But all of the fish were little guys, and caught and released all of them.

Tom's third catch of the day.

Tom with his fourth and largest catch of the day.

In addition to the fishing, we also enjoyed some beautiful weather and some lovely scenery. The wild flowers were in bloom along the shores of the lake, and there were herons and hawks flying by over head.

Wild flowers blooming on the shore.

Eventually we were drawn back to shore by plain old hunger! We enjoyed an elaborate build-your-own sandwich lunch, provided by my mom. She also included my requested Rice Krispie squares! Delicious!

Dad steering us back to shore.

In total, we caught and released eight rainbow trout. Tom caught four, my dad caught three (two with Old Faithful), and I caught one (with Old Faithful). My count was very close to being two, but my first real bite of the day fought so hard that it snapped my line, and made off with my spinner and hook! 

Happy me!

I declare, fishing Chain Lakes a success!

Truck-aholic: Street Eats!

 Food trucks have spread like wildfire through Calgary. I didn't jump on the bandwagon right away, because word was that lineups and wait times were insane. Now that the trucks have been around for a few months, I've had a chance to sample what a few of the trucks have to offer.

CHEEZY BIZNESS


Cheezy Bizness has been serving up gooey gourmet grilled cheese. They had four or five sandwiches to choose from, each with delightful names like, "Hot Mess," "Aloha Arkansas" and "Home on the Range." I went with the "Kimchikaze," which featured kimchi, gruyere, sriracha mayo and in-truck made pastrami.

Cheezy Bizness Menu.

Kimichikaza Grilled Cheese.

I really enjoyed my grilled cheese, and I think I would eat there again. My only complaint is that the sandwich was $9, was completely regular in size (the same I would make in my own kitchen), and did not come with any sides. After I finished eating, I was still hungry!

NAACO

I had seen a few people posting about Naaco on Facebook, so when we saw the truck parked on the Stampede grounds, I knew I wanted to try it out. Naaco serves neo-retro Indian style food-- think naan bread and taco format. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) Naaco had a specific Stampede-Eats menu while they were on the grounds, so I can't comment on their regular menu.

Naaco Stampede Menu.

I had no idea what to expect from their menu items, and I decided to try the "Bolly Chips," their neo-retro take on Naachos! It was comprised of shredded mogo (I'm still not sure what that is), salad of carrot and red cabbage with lime and cilantro dressing, chicken chorizo and smoked cheddar cheese.

Bolly Chips.

The Bolly Chips were delicious! The flavour was something I can't even describe-- utterly unique. The serving was more than generous! I was completely full, even sharing some with Ashley and Jeff. I'll be on the lookout for this truck downtown so I can try their regular menu. And if that isn't enough to love about Naaco, they also operate using local, organic or sustainable operations wherever possible. They also have an herb garden growing on the roof of their truck! Fantastic!

ALLEY BURGER

Alley burgers quickly became famous in Calgary. Every few weeks, a local restaurant, Charcut, would tweet that they would be selling x-number of burgers from their back alley, and hundreds of people would line up for hours to get their hands on a $5 burger. When the food truck craze started, Alley Burger was quickly spreading food joy all over the city.

Alley Burger Truck.

Alley Burger often sells out very quickly, so Andrew, Ashley, Tom and I were eyeing Facebook first thing in the morning to see where they would be parked for lunch, and when they would be there. To our benefit, they were not parked where they initially said they would be, and were hidden behind a truck giving out free ice cream. So... Shockingly, there was no line, and we were served immediately!

Alley Burger Menu.

I decided to try the original Alley Burger, and I was NOT disappointed. The Alley Burger is comprised of a Spragg Farm's pork and roasted garlic sausage patty, Quebec cheese curds and Piri Piri aioli. This was one of the most delicious burgers I've had in a while, and I'm pretty sure it was all due to the melting goodness of the cheese curds.

Alley Burger Poutine.

We also got a single order of poutine, which turned out to be more than enough for the four of us to share.  MORE CHEESE CURDS! Overall, the meal was delicious and reasonably priced. You will definitely see me at the Alley Burger truck again!

FIASCO GELATO

My final food truck experience was really an accident. Andrew, Ashley, Tom and I had walked with our Alley Burgers to the Central Memorial Park on 13th Ave so we could enjoy our lunch in the shade. We were reflecting on how hot it was, and how lucky we were to find shade-- when the Fiasco Gelato truck drove by. We finished our meal and headed over to the truck to get some much needed dessert.

Fiasco Gelato truck.

Blueberry basil gelato.

We all tried a different flavour. Tom had candied carmel bacon, Ashley tried coconut carmel, Andrew had strawberry, and I had a blueberry basil combination. The blueberry basil was very refreshing for a hot day, and I was very pleased with my choice.

NEXT UP

Next on my list, I'd like to give the Noodle Bus, and Perogy Boyz a try. So many options, I can't wait!

Have you had an outstanding food truck experience? If so, please comment and let me know!

A Laugh or Two

Some conversations over the last few weeks that have kept me laughing.

1) With my 3.5 year old nephew.

Dylan: I went to the hospital and the doctor glued me back together.
Amanda: Did it hurt?
Dylan: NO! 
Dyaln: Then I had a blue popsicle!
Amanda: Was it good?
Dylan: Yeah.

Dylan fell off the couch and whacked his head.  The doctor literally glued his cut together!

Co-worker's door.

2) With a co-worker.

Co-worker: Can you write on my door that I'll be late in to work? My car broke down.

Amanda: Sure...

We promptly defaced his office door.

3) With my husband.

Tom: You just need to get hit in the face a few times.
Tom: Stop making that crying noise. 
Tom: You're fine, you're not an abused woman.

Trying to teach me to "not be afraid" of a nerf football.

4) With my girlfriends.

Paige: Wait! Do you think it's okay to get drug tested AFTER the bachelorette party?
*Awkward Silence*
Mallary: ... I wasn't aware we were doing hard drugs at the bachelorette party.
Paige: No! I just meant all the alcohol.

Mallary discussing the timing of her mandatory drug testing for her new security sensitive job.

5) With a friend from University.

Nate: Are you a hugger? I never know if we should hug when we say good-bye.
Amanda: I'm not really a hugger.
Nate: WELL I AM! (leans in for hug)
Nate: Ugh. You're a terrible hugger.
Amanda: Ugh.

5) With a co-worker.

Cole: The nurse asked if I was in the Stampede.
Amanda: Maybe she thought you drank your face off, and that's why you're blind in one eye now.
Cole: She thought I was a cowboy, jerk!
Amanda: Cowboys can drink their faces off.
Cole: Cowboys do drink their faces off.

E-mailing while co-worker was getting his eye checked out at the hospital.


6) With friends in the park.


No conversation. I just really ruined this photo.

Ashley, Billy and I in the park.

Hope you find something to laugh about this week!

Stampede Centennial

Friday marked the opening on the 100th Annual Calgary Stampede. Having lived in Calgary all my life, the Stampede is a familiar tradition. Cowboy hats, plaid shirts, boots and Wrangler jeans come out of the closet in preparation, and free pancake breakfasts pop up all over the city. The Stampede is kicked off with a parade full of floats, horses, marching bands and entertainers. Festivities continue for the following ten days. Beer flows freely, sunburns are inevitable, and people give you strange looks if you're NOT decked out in Western attire.

Exhibit A: Jeff decked out in Western attire.

Last year I took a break from the Stampede and didn't make it down to the grounds, so this year I decided to go all-out. Ashley, Jeff and I got both rodeo and grandstand tickets, and anxiously watched the weather to see what it would do. The forecast declared it would be a beautiful day! Sunny and 24 degrees. And indeed, the day started out blue and beautiful.

View of the rodeo infield.

Of course... The beautiful weather did not last, and gave way to an afternoon downpour. Dark clouds filled the sky, and we were thankfully that Ashley had the foresight to choose seats that were in a covered section of the grandstand.

A storm passes overhead.

A little inclement weather didn't slow down the cowboys. We saw the ladies barrel racing, bareback riding, saddle bronc, steer wrestling and bull riding.

A bull who had bucked it's rider.

When the rodeo was done we took to the grounds and found Ashley a cowboy hat. We took in the midway, and looked around at what the food stands had to offer. Hot dogs, poutine, burgers, milkshakes, corndogs, deep fried dough, deep fried cheesecake, deep fried Mars bars-- pretty much anything you could imagine, deep fried.

Midway ferris wheel.

We took a look through the dream home, and through a tent aimed at kids with piglets, chicks and cows.

Baby chicks under a heat lamp.

Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the grandstand for the chuckwagon racing. Before we headed back into the building, we made sure to stop for my all-time favourite Stampede treat... Mini doughnuts! Nom nom nom... So good! Full of cinnamon sugary goodness...

Mini Doughnuts!!!

Our seats were a little higher in the stands for the chuckwagon racing, but we still had a great few of the arena and the stage. We watched eight heats of chuckwagon racing-- some with VERY close results.

Chuckwagons lining up at the start.

When the racing was done we were treated to an entertaining grandstand show featuring the Calgary Stampede Young Canadians-- talented young singers and dancers from the Calgary area. Interspersed in their dance numbers were Asian acrobats from Tokyo's Jinan Acrobatic Troupe, First Nations dancers and world champion hood dancer, Dallas Arcand. And of course there was (in my opinion), the star of the show-- Paul Brandt! Paul sang a number of his well known hits, including Convoy, Didn't Even See the Dust,  Small Towns and Big Dreams and Alberta, all while suspended on a stage in the air! I had a great time cheering and clapping, even though Paul was at one point wearing some exceptionally tight white pants!

Fireworks during the grandstand performance.

A fantastic fireworks display ended the show-- beautiful colours exploding one after the other. And in the distance we could see the Light up the City fireworks from the northeast quadrant of town.

As we filed out towards the exit, we made one last stop at a food stand so that Ashley could get a turkey leg to go. I'm pretty sure this leg came from a monster of a turkey. Ashley reports it was a delicious purchase.

Giant turkey leg.

There are still 8 more days of Stampede to go, and plenty more beef on a bun to be eaten. Yeeee-haw!

Good Eats in Edmonton

 It has been a few years since the family has descended en masse on Tom's Aunt Merrilyn and Uncle Neil in Edmonton. For the Canada Day long weekend, seven of us arrived on Friday evening, where we greeted enthusiastically by Pork Chop and Haddie. Haddie showed us her rope toy, while Pork Chop (also known as Choppy) whined from underneath the deck. Choppy, a 19 year old rescue dog, enjoys hanging out under the deck!

Haddie.

Pork Chop (aka Choppy).

Saturday was an interesting afternoon of catching up, and delicious food. Tom and I started our morning by driving into SW Edmonton to pick up some macarons from an old friend, Connie. Connie started a macaron business, Mirabelle Macarons, about a year ago. A few months ago, I was lucky enough to sample a few of her DELICIOUS flavours, and I knew that these little desserts would make a fantastic addition to our family gathering. My favorite flavours were milk chocolate passionfruit and matcha green tea, but for this event, we got the salted caramel and white chocolate raspberry. If you are in the Edmonton area, and have any kind of event (bridal showers, baby showers, family reunions, weddings), I highly recommend Mirabelle Macarons!

Tom and I visited Connie and her husband, Chris (who I have known even longer than Connie), for about an hour and a half, before we jumped back in the car and went to check out Andrew's new condo a few minutes away. Thanks to his aunt and uncle, Andrew's condo now contains a couch and two bookshelves, instead of just a blow-up bed and a chair. Between Ashley and Andrew, they have three residences, and four vehicles, so decorations and furniture are a little sparse. Living in different cities has been a logistical challenge for them!

When we arrived back at Merrilyn and Neil's, there was magic happening in the kitchen! First I spied a bowl full of ground almond and fragrant spices, all ready for dinner.

If only you could smell them!

Next came the chopping of onion, garlic and ginger.

Onion, garlic and ginger.

In the meantime, we started a game of lawn croquet with Dave's brand new birthday set. The weather in Edmonton was absolutely amazing. I heard on the news it got up to 26.9 degrees, and believe me, it felt like it. The sun was blazing!

Dave, Tom and Andrew strategize.

Ashley and Tom observing game play.

As we played, we took in the smells of Tandoori chicken roasting on the barbeque, and fried garlic and onion wafted out of the kitchen window.

Tandoori chicken.

After we finished a couple rounds of croquet, and Tom had hit me in the head with a soccer ball, we headed inside to consume dinner-- which can only be accurately described as a masterpiece!

As Neil said, "Just a little meal I whipped up in 6 or 7 hours!" Haha! It was amazing. In addition to the Tandoori chicken, there were spiced chick peas and black eyed peas, lamb in a spicy creamy almond sauce, naan, curried vegetables and basmati rice.

Dinner table spread. Unbelievable!

Delicious!

For dessert we ate macarons and Italian pastries. The meals this weekend (not to mention the company!) were absolutely amazing-- and I didn't even take pictures of breakfast, which included frittata, potato ramekins and sausage!

Merrilyn and Neil, thanks so much for your hospitality! We had a wonderful time.