pour me another glass

Four letters that are usually associated with things like alcohol & drugs. Or, the word is attached to things that people are too embarrassed to like out loud. That horrible reality TV show, the most recent No. 1 on Ryan Seacrest's Top 40, copious amounts of chocolate or the fact that you like to eat pickles with peanut butter. Hey, no judgement here...

Vice. It can be such a dirty word.

My vice? Mine doesn't require ice or a twist of lime, rolling papers, a tv remote or a radio station. Heck, mine doesn't even involve a fridge. Nope.

My vice lies in small inconspicuous objects, simple sounds, familiar smells. The sharp corner of a photograph, the feeling of a lived in fabric. These are all my vices. Combined, they culminate to one thing. Nostalgia.

I can be paralyzed by the smell of pomegranate. I feel high when I hear Don Henley sing the words "On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair. Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air". I smile at the sight of old journals from when I was eight years old. And my closet is filled with ticket stubs, wristbands, bus, plane and boat tickets.

Precious memories are tied to all of these things. What makes it my vice, is the fact that I am consumed with visiting with them quite constantly.

A small part of me nags that I should make room for the new. Freshen things up to clear my mind. But the better part of me silences that other voice and reminds me that this clutter and these valueless objects have shaped me into who I am until this very moment.

For example, my unwashed sarong from Thailand still smells like sunscreen and the sand on Chaweng Beach and reminds me of the new friendships that were made there. My grade six exercise books inform me of how much I wanted to be an Egyptologist and my infinite wonderment with things buried away from time. & my blue beaten up CD case holds mix cds made for broken and obsolete CD players. But those songs remind me of awkward doubt, fleeting crushes and innocence.

I keep these things, these worthless things because they are my vice. I cave to these sights, smells and feelings. So, coming to terms with it, might as well mix all these things in a bottle and pour myself another glass of nostalgia.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

Ninety Three Kilometres

93 Km is roughly the distance from Calgary to Canmore. More specifically, to the Communitea Cafe.

The highway was paved with a darker shade of black thanks to the afternoon rain, but the cold precipitation wasn't about to dampen my spirits. Allowing myself to sink into one of Community's bean bag chairs, sipping a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon it was impossible to not let the feeling of happiness wash over me and let a smile tug at my lips. I was about to be a part of an incredible night of amazing music courtesy of David Vertesi, Colleen Brown and Hannah Georgas.

The Communitea Cafe has been the setting for many memorable shows these past 5 months. Many times have I chosen the intimate setting of this cafe over the venues in Calgary. There is something about the mini roadtrip out to Canmore mixed with a palpable "home away from home" feeling. It could be the beanbag chairs, or the colossal puffed wheat squares like your mom used to bake. Either way, the warm, easy going atmosphere seems to make everyone feel like family.

David Vertesi whom some of you may know as the tall, dark and handsome bassist of the wonderful band Hey Ocean! has recently been strumming a guitar on his own and man oh man is it ever good. Vertesi is a talented songwriter, guitar player and with his honest baritone voice it's no wonder he caught my ear when he played the song All Night, All Night, All Night, the first time I heard him open for MBF. Since then he has continued to peak my musical interest with the lyrics "when gentleman say, treat her like a lady, they mean break her heart." from his song Gentleman Say. If you know what's good for you, you will move your mouse and click here.

Colleen Brown is from Edmonton, and has a voice that is incomparable to any other. Smiling genuinely as her hands moved back and forth across the black&white keys of the Nord keyboard, I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Singing songs about love, loss and gardens she stole everyones heart in the crowd. After her set I was so spellbound and awestruck by her gift of music and by the fact that she had just willingly opened her heart to a room full of strangers, all I could offer her was a heartfelt handshake and my simple thanks. To give you an idea of this woman's talent move your mouse and click here.

Hannah Georgas. I fell for Hannah's music when I first heard her song "The Beat Stuff". The charming lyrics and Hannah's incredibly unique voice had me singing in the shower almost immediately. She fed my hunger for great music with the release of her single "Thick Skin", a hauntingly beautiful tribute to sibling tribulations.

While on tour with MBF I was incredibly lucky to get my hot hands on a copy of her latest album "This Is Good" and at the risk of sounding extremely cheesy... damn is it ever good. To fall for Hannah yourself move your mouse and click here.

So, my tip for the day. Go out and find those experiences that make your heart smile. The ones that make you truly love life and everything about it. You can be surrounded by friends or alone. Be prepared or unprepared. The only thing you need is an open heart and mind and a your beautiful smile.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

How To Fall In Love Again.

Ahh love. It can move you, change you, make you cry and make you laugh. Oddly enough, a city can do much of the same. The sunset from the top of 17th Ave can move you. The destitute sight of the King Henry on 9th Ave can change you. Traffic on Crowchild can make you cry. & the sight of white tufts of snow in the middle of June can make you laugh... and then maybe cry... again.

I have had the pleasure of being introduced to some pretty incredible people over my short 20 years on this planet. I have always been one to believe that certain friendships happen for specific reasons.

One friendship reminded me of just how incredibly beautiful Calgary is. Sure, you might say that she isn't as romantic as Montreal. Or, you might mention that she isn't as intellectual as Toronto. You could even say that she doesn't have the stunning landscape of Vancouver. I might even agree with you about some of those things. I guess it's all about what you fall for in a relationship.

However, like many long-term relationships, sometimes you need to just pack a suitcase and put some distance between you and your loved one. Once your feet leave familiar ground there is an incredible feeling accompanied by setting your gaze on something your eyes have never blinked at before. That feeling is my absolute favorite. I would pass up strawberry rhubarb pie, the croaking of frogs, the smell of lilacs and and Momma B's homemade soup for 20 minutes with that feeling of discovery every day.

You can imagine now, how hard it is to return home after some solid time spent courting that fantastic feeling. Coming home to the same roads, the same street signs, the same trees and the same masses of concrete can be heartbreaking. When you are gone you begin to think that your familiar relationship with that city has probably changed. In essence though, you find out that your city hasn't changed. Oh no. It has sat there, like a little puppy dog, waiting for your return. Never even batting a lash. What has changed is you.

Now, this doesn't spell disaster. This isn't the end of that relationship. There aren't going to be any lonely nights where you lay thinking "I wonder if he/she is thinking about me now." But it might take some time for you to acclimatize your new eyes to your familiar city. It's a relationship right? They take work.

What you might not realize is that your city is begging you to make memories in places you have never been before. Your city is open for making memories in places that are hidden in plain view. Maybe it's that lush green park you discovered while you were trying to find a launching point to float down the river in the balmy days of summer. Or, it could be the time you got lost in the South East and stopped to notice the rough, simplistic beauty of the train tracks. Either way, I encourage you to really look at your city with those fresh eyes. You can't change the fact that you have numerous memories in familiar places. But you can trust that there is still so much to get out of your relationship with your city.

Photo Credit: Kelly Wilson

Peas & Luhv,

Brie