Head Tale

Had to go to Saskatoon today for a board meeting for one of the organizations I’m involved with.

I arrived in Toon Town early so took a quick tour around, not having been there since March.  (Big advantage – no massive hangover today like the last time I was in Saskatoon!)  😉

I took my usual route down 8th Ave checking out which businesses and restaurants were new then turned on to Broadway Ave to go past the house where my sister used to live when she lived in Saskatoon.  

(I often feel like things work out for me so well in terms of timing of these things.  Her and her husband happened to live in Saskatoon at the same time I was doing some contract work for Sask Publishers Group members including a few that were in  Saskatoon so I had a place to stay that was convenient to Thistledown Press, the University and a few other clients.)  

 

Stopped at the JS Wood Branch  of SPL to have a look at the library that, along with the Central Branch, are often my main stop when I’m in Saskatoon.

Then on to the board meeting after a winding drive through downtown, again to see what was new.

Last night, while Googling to get directions to our meeting location, I realised it was in “Wolf Willow”, a co-housing building.  I wasn’t familiar with this type of living arrangement but further reading revealed that co-housing originated in Denmark 50 years ago and was brought to North America in the late 1980’s.  Co-housing was a similar to a housing cooperative but even more integrated with residents owning their own condo-style living spaces (800-1200 sq ft) but completely sharing all common spaces as an extension of their own private space.

 

At the end of our meeting, the board member who lived in the complex, along with his wife, gave us a tour and it was fascinating to see a mode of living that’s so unique (it’s the only co-housing development in Saskatchewan and one of only a handful in Canada.)

One of the biggest advantages is that, instead of everyone needing to own certain items when they have an individual dwelling, those kinds of items can be “pooled” in the common areas by owners in a co-housing situation.  They had a beautiful second floor deck with an assortment of different types of patio furniture, a large kitchen/dining/sitting area (where we had our meeting), a music room, a crafting room, and even a workshop that was filled with everything you’d need for anything from woodworking to welding!

 

There was an evening celebration for two retiring board members but I was anxious to get home so took a pass on that (I may regret that decision when I hear about the food at the next board meeting!)

Since I was in the neighbourhood, I thought I’d pop by and see Saskatoon’s newest library and see how it compared to Regina’s newest library.  (I prefer RPL’s but I’m biased!) 😉

 

Then happened to bump into two Ryan Meili supporters carrying their groceries out of the Good Food Junction co-operative in Station 20 West.  Had a nice chat with them then decided to pop in there as well since I’d never been (contrary to the store’s name, the only thing I bought was a soda for the road home!) 😉

 

About to head out of town, I loaded the UrbanSpoon app to look for a restaurant that was (preferably) cheap, quick, on my way out of town and something I rarely get in Regina.  Hit the jackpot with a place called Lebanese Kitchen.  It’s been there for three years but is a block off 8th and I’d never heard of it before.

Now, I’ve spent years trying to find a chicken schwarma that compared to the ones I used to have as a weekly Friday ritual at Falafel King when I worked in Calgary.  I’ve tried them in Regina, Vancouver, Kelowna, Toronto, Montreal and never found one that was as good as the ones I remembered in Calgary.  This place comes *really* close though – so close I almost went back and ordered another one just to take home for tomorrow. (And as I type this, am really regretting that I didn’t!)   

 

Final stop on the way out of town – gotta check out McNally Robinson Booksellers – one of my favourite bookstores ever.  Didn’t buy anything but my “To Read” list has grown by about another dozen titles.  (Lucky, I work in a library!)

 

See you next time Saskatoon!