Français
This one is just in French, because the platform to which I am referring is 100% in that language. It is a new initiative by the Assotiation des auteur.e.s de l’Ontario français to promote the work of its members, francophone literature in Ontario as well as help
Urbanism
[English follows French, be patient.] Il y a des affaires qui sont tellement nounounes que mon vieux fonds franco-québécois revient au galop et s’accapare la place qui lui revient pour les démantibuler sans merci. La patente à gosse du maire nocturne d’Ottawa me casse les pieds quelque chose
Urbanism
One of the coolest parts of my work is to get advanced copies of books I’m dying to read and tell you what I think of them. Carolyn Whitzman’s excellent Home Truths in one you won’t want to miss when it becomes available in a couple of
Urbanism
There’s a lot of talk in Ottawa these days about whether our transit system is going to hell super fast or is entirely fucked already. On a good day it barely works — if by “works” one means getting people to where they’re going in a reliable manner that
Urbanism
Not to boast, but I’ve spent the last year and a half heroically navigating, on my trusty and very dependable comfort bike, the living hell that is the area around where the new central library is being built. The part where Scott turns into Albert, specifically. First the old
Urbanism
Because I travel lots and never not have a camera with me, I decided to start collecting great examples of people-friendly places and tell their stories. I opted to make it a different website because a) it’s more narrowly focused than this one and b) my hope is to
Urbanism
Labour Day weekend is here and in addition to the yard work I didn’t do all summer I’m planning to finish reading two books and finally get around to spring-cleaning the front closet. You could say I’ve had a busy 2024 so far, and not just because
Urbanism
It is indecently hot and sticky this week and no, that didn’t stop me from running and kickboxing and frisbeeing and generally sweating buckets. It’s vacation time for many people and as we head into the August long weekend (who cares what it’s called or why?) and
Urbanism
When I took Eldest to Paris in April one of the things she remarked was how easy it was to move around without a car. The picture above was taken in the fourth arrondissement somewhere near a thrift store she wanted to visit and where, incidentally, she did purchase something.
Urbanism
A short note today, because 1) it’s summer and 2) I am preparing to compete (!) in Ultimate this weekend, first competition in anything since Worlds in karate in 2018 I’m not nervous at all and 3) I am working on two longer pieces for you that should be
Urbanism
Showing my age with this one, no doubt. But what better time to discuss snow and winter safety than in the middle of a scorching heat dome of a heat wave? Also the Northern Pikes are among the most under-rated bands this country ever produced. Fight me. But seriously: I
Urbanism
On Monday I watched a presentation by a group of housing experts on the benefits of pre-fab infill as one of the key solutions both to the housing crisis and also that little climate emergency thing. The BuildingIN program is two-fold: It includes a new simulation tool to test the