Seen and Heard in Edmonton

Some people aren’t big fans of this time of year, but it’s pretty fun in our house. All four birthdays happen between Jan. 22 and Feb. 20, and Valentine’s Day is in there, not to mention our half-anniversary (which happens the day after Feb. 14, hence the cheap but pretty flowers). All this to say I’m in a happy, whimsical mood, amid a lot of busyness, and that might come through in this roundup.

We begin with some interesting projects: Kevin Kossowan reaps some secondary growth in his root cellar; Glenn Kubish extols the beauty of Coffee Outside in a Pecha Kucha Night talk; and Jerome Martin gets ready to put the landscape of his youth on display.

A couple of interesting reviews: Sharon Yeo evaluates whether Chef’s Table is worth the money, and Diane of What Would Argenplath Pay? digs into a sticker subscription box.

I love it when a pattern emerges, and this time it’s all about pants. Joelle of Clothes But Not Quite tries some curve-accentuating jeans on size; Ana of March and May finds some embroidered jeans she loves; Ana Vicioso learns that grey is the new black for work pants; Nicole Rowan of The Spirited Thrifter bags a label she’s been hunting for years; and Adina J of Blue Collar Red Lipstick comes to terms with culottes.

Let’s get down to business now. Mike Johnston outlines what influencers should charge for sponsored posts; Ameet Khabra of dryrun explains what sends sales projections so off base; and Ashley Janssen shares Part 2 of her social media series, focusing on what to watch out for.

On the subject of storytelling; Dave Cournoyer and John Richardson remember Stuart McLean fondly; Laura Frey compares and contrasts Jonathan Franzen and Jonathan Safran Foer; Shayne Woodsmith visits with the poet of Churchill Square; and Jared at Variant Edition introduces a way for gamemasters to hone their craft.

A little more culture: Jenna Marynowski interviews the director of Bello, a local play currently touring elementary schools; Liz Nicholls soaks up some culture in New York, some of which is Edmonton-bound; and Sarah of Smile and Conquer contemplates whether audio books “count.”

It’s baby time! Hannah of Honey & Betts announces that she’s expecting her third; Jordanne of Dale + Peonies reveals the name she’s picked out for her son; and Kristina Lynne introduces us to baby Jack.

A little further along the parenting journey: Hannah Hamilton of The Momoirs learns a lesson about what is enough; Lori Godin of Frugal Edmonton Mama gets braver with age; and Kelly-Dawn Aulenbach shares the apps that make it easier for her to mother five kids.

A few recipes for you: Valerie Lugonja of A Canadian Foodie sneaks vegetables into her grandson; Lillian Tse of Beyond Umami nails gluten-free buckwheat crepes; and Erika Brown says guacamole is good for you.

If you prefer to eat out: YegFoodie finds a hidden gem in Calle Mexico; Cindy Nguyen at Let’s Om Nom gets her cocktail on at Baijiu, along with lots of good food; and Phil Wilson of Baconhound takes his tummy to Fort McMurray.

More adventures: Donloree Hoffman heads to the mountains on a whim; Linda Hoang checks out the bubbles in Abraham Lake’s ice; and Michael Short of Let’s Go Outdoors reports on a winter festival in Lac La Biche.

On the sports front: Vintage Edmonton shares several sheets worth of curling coverage from the archives; Ryan Batty of Copper and Blue argues that Connor McDavid is worth whatever he wants, but the Oilers still have to watch the bank; and Sunil Agnihotri crunches the numbers of the Oilers’ power play.

And finally, that’s so Edmonton: Cassie Paige displays her affiliation on her shirt; Chris at Edmonton Weather Nerdery reveals the Family Day weather trend; and Mack Male learns a lesson about garbage.

If you follow along closely, you’ll notice this blog roundup came out on a Wednesday instead of a Tuesday, which will be the norm from now on, as that suits my crazy schedule right now. I’m back at Capital Ideas now — here’s a recap of the latest event if you want to see what that looks like.