Let’s update my “What’s going on in Lethbridge” Blog with “What’s Going On In Lethbridge”. 

Red Dog Diner

It’s open! Who would have thought this would happen? I had lost all hope months ago. It was closed for 11 months, in fact, which seems to be a long time to remain closed. I’m sure the tale of the various legal issues surrounding its closing and reopening could fill a Kindle! Just think of the drama. Crime! Fire! Prison! Fraud? Who knows?!

All that truly matters is: we have our steamed dogs, poutine and cherry cola again. Plus they serve breakfast now. So there’s that!

IHOP

It’s open! I haven’t been there. Have you? Like, isn’t it just pancakes with whipped cream all over it? Whatever.

State & Main

What is this thing? Get excited people. It’s a new restaurant from Original Joe’s in the old East Side Mario’s building. Yes! If you don’t know, the Lethbridge Origy’ Joes is located waaay on the Northside and has some amazing food and beerz. But its sorta small and its always full. So this will be like a giant version of that, with more stuff on the menu. It opens Monday.

I know all this because I was at Original Joes last night.

Firey Greek

Remember McCunties (or maybe McGuinty’s) in that space behind “Pulse Rapeclub” and then it was something else for a month? Well now it’s a Greek restaurant. Which is good I guess since our other Greek restaurant Dionysios closed and is now some other restaurant but I don’t know what kind because the sign for it says nothing at all about the style of food so I will just continue to drive past it on my way to bury bodies just past Hardieville.

Gap

Lethbridge no longer has a Gap. We live in a city that can’t support a Gap! What’s wrong with this town? And yet we have 700 Dollar Stores and 37 places that sell canes for old people.

Tongue N Groove / Whispers

Still empty.

Finnegans

(former location of Average Joes, I think, or some other sports s-hole)

It’s closed. Currently being used as a campaign headquarters for one of the provincial election candidates. The old Wok Box is also a candidate headquarters. Good thing we have so many empty restaurants in town for all those candidates!

Shoppers Drug Mart West (2)

There is another Shoppers on the West Side. Why? I have no idea. Do we need 2? Really? Apparently we do. So now there are 2. I’ve never been in the new one. I imagine they have drugs, make-up and toilet paper.

New Mac’s

They are building a giant new Mac’s right next to the old original one on the West Side, now with a gas station! Gas sure is expensive. Couche-Tard.

More Banks

Pretty sure there are more banks on the West Side now. Always more banks.

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Still no new video arcades being built, but I’ll let you know as soon as I get word!

I got a new band.

It's called "Open Channels"

Check it out here!  http://openchannels.bandcamp.com/

It features Tony Zuc "Zoo Company" Co and I writing/singing songs and Jane "Janer" Jane playing keys / samplers live.

Songs!

Now that it's 2012, it seems appropriate to reflect on the ones we lost in 2011.

Here is my poorly researched tribute to the restaurants and pubs we lost this past year.

Well, it's Xmas Eve.

Santa is gearing up to deliver presents to all the good girls and boys, and pee in the stockings of the bad ones.

Here is a song I recorded in only 1000 takes. I couldn't ever nail it down perfectly, but whatever. Merry XMAS.

[ Play "Silver Bellz" ]

Here are some of my favourite tweets from 2011. If you don't have many or any on here, don't feel bad. Just stop blowing it.

A gift, from you to me.

This past weekend was a slizzblizz of Xmas parties! I took a few pics, though not as many as I typically do. These will have to do!

Fun-Dew 2011

My annual Fondue party marked the return of the Meat Tree, a big hit last year.

Crappy Gift Exchange 2011 (CGX2011)

My most anticipated party of the YEAR, involving the exchanging of the "crappiest" you can find. Winner get's the Erasmus Award. Congrats to Evan who took it this year with his Bob Marley / Jimi Hendrix shirt!

Holidog 2011

The 3rd annual (?) celebration of Hot Dogs with various toppings this year even included Alpha-Getti which I did not try. The night ended up at The Owl for the final Moby Dicks show. RIP Flappy.

So much partying! And there is still a haircut party to come! Gonna get my doo on!

I went to Orlando, Florida. See?

There. No need for a detailed day-by-day description of my trip to the various parks which are now giving me nightmares.

By the last half hour of the drive home at 1am last night, I felt like the Black Freighter guy:

I hope you enjoyed then eventually grew tired of Robolade 3000’s tweets. Not sure what I’ll do with him. Maybe turn him off, or set him to “low tweet” mode, or something. There are only so many times he can talk about the same thing with different adjectives before it gets old.

Oh, I’m throwing a big party tomorrow. Shit.