Lonesome Cosmonaut

When I started this blog several years ago, my life was pretty aimless. I had moved to Calgary for the worst reasons, I didn’t have a job, and I had no ambition beyond getting to the next day. Things have improved drastically over the years, and my life seems to be heading towards its apex. Looking at my bucket list, I’ve managed to accomplish a great deal of the things I’ve wanted to do since making it. Some things were big, some were small, but things I had always wanted to do.

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VHS is a fantastic format, insofar that a crap load of movies have been released on VHS. Even better, they are becoming increasingly cheap as even DVD’s are running out of favour, being replaced high-definition formats. However, the matter of space is an issue with VHS, and unfortunately my massive collection could no longer be discretely tucked away in my new apartment. Upon reducing my collection, I learned a few valuable lessons, which I’ll share with you now. Continue reading »

In Calgary a restaurant can be here today and gone tomorrow, and when I saw that the Lido Cafe was closed I was really bummed out. Fortunately, it turned out they were just spiffying the place up, and have kept the diner feel that keeps the locals coming back. Continue reading »

If you have ever taken the Crowfoot C-Train line to the downtown, you’ve like caught a quick glance at the Avatamsaka Monastery. Overlooking the Bow River, this little d-spot adds cultural richness to an otherwise bland business zone with its impressive front entrance and colourful decorations. Having seen the monastery daily on my way to work, I needed to check it out. Thanks to the bucket list, I finally got off my butt to do it. Continue reading »

(EDIT – The Lido Cafe is now back up and good to go – the AHS notice was simply regarding the renovations)

There’s nothing more irritating than when you have your heart set on dining out at a particular Calgary restaurant and find that it is closed. On the Lido’s front door is a notice by Alberta Health Services that the restaurant is closed. While not technically in the downtown, the Lido Cafe in Sunnyside was considered by many a d-spot that had its charm with the greasy-spoon diner feel and varied menu items (think Chinese food with your baked potato). The restaurant was in the midst of re-painting the interiors, so it’s possible that this closure by the AHS is strictly short-term (paint fumes, etc.). The Lido’s web page is under construction, with no news of the closure. Links and the AHS notice under the fold. Continue reading »