22 Random Things I Love About Edmonton
Way beyond “the river valley”
Edmonton, the capital city in Northern Alberta, gets a lotta shit thrown at it.
It’s been called, “deadmonton”, “bleak, disjointed, depressing”, and my favourite — “boring and in the middle of nowhere”.
So naturally, as someone who craves art, culture, a vibrant urban scene, and has been a downtown T.O. girl for the past 5 years — I up and moved here.
If you want to know why I did it, watch this.
TL;DR: I needed a break. I was tired of feeling like what I wanted was impossibly out of reach, mostly in the housing/lifestyle department (so a simple, non-existential reason, really).
Now that I’ve been here for 9 months (through a quarantine, no less!), here’s a collection of random things I like about this city.
THE “IT’S NOT TORONTO” STUFF
’Cause a lot of what I felt in the beginning was the contrast of it being “not that place.”
1. I live in a HOUSE
And it blows my mind.
I have a bedroom with a bed I can walk around on both sides (if you know, you know). I have my OWN bathroom. I have an office. We have a huge kitchen, and our living room is currently doubling as a yoga studio/dance studio. I take a bath every other day.
It’s the good life.
2. The sounds I hear in my home are from my roommates (whom I like) and not that asshole neighbour who lives above/below me
The night I was moving out of my Toronto apartment, I was cleaning and packing my suitcase. It was 10PM. It was Friday. This place was a 3-story Victorian home with old creaky floors. Beautiful — but inconvenient.
My downstairs neighbour texted me to say it’s late and “I don’t get to be loud just because I’m moving out.” I was like, “I will literally not live here in 6 hours, and you will never see me again, so kindly fuck right off.” (I didn’t send that, but you know what I mean).
So maybe this makes me the asshole neighbour? Either way, I don’t have to mute or muzzle myself here, and sounds caused by people I love don’t bother me.
3. I (usually) don’t worry that people can hear me having sex
‘Cause in Toronto’s small apartments, I worried about this *often enough*.
4. I hear a siren like, barely ever
It’s just nice to not hear them.
5. I no longer have road rage while biking
I’m either in a bike lane or existing on the roads with cars. It’s an insane feeling not to have drivers cutting me off or pushing me into the curb. I just pedal along and mind my own business. Can you imagine?
In Toronto, cycling road rage was part of my identity. I gave drivers shit all the time. Not because I’m a dick, but because they threatened my life and it was scary. I don’t have fear adrenaline coursing through my veins anymore.
6. Bus drivers stop on the road to let me pass in front of them (!)
Like, whaat?
This might be just a “I’m from Toronto and feared for my life as a pedestrian/cyclist” shock moment. I’m not really sure why drivers here are so selfless, but I will take it.
I’ll take it every damn day. ’Cause missing that bus in the winter, no bueno.
7. My cousin is not going to evict me
I mean, pretty sure (right, dude?).
The “ACTUAL EDMONTON” STUFF
Things Edmonton deserves credit for, all on its own.
8. It’s called YEG
Named after the airport code. If you live here, you’re a “yegger”. Pronounced like “kegger”. It’s really cute, and I like cute stuff.
9. The Walterdale Bridge
It defines the skyline from any direction, and a city skyline is *very important* to my overall life satisfaction.
I heard Edmontonians had a lot of bad feelings about this bridge before/during its construction. Then they saw it, realized it defined their skyline, and changed to loving it. I say thank you to whoever kept pushing the project forward. You did a good thing.
10. Within 5 minutes, I’m lost in the ravine
I cannot stress enough how life changing my daily walks are. I am in the deep of nature in less than the length of a Drake song. Dude, it’s fucking magical and I can’t get enough.
11. I have a walk partner
Get ready to laugh about this one. The guy I wrote this post about is now my walk partner. We aren’t together. We’re friends. The relationship has been complex and complicated and ebbed in and out of a lot of different states.
I’m happy with where it’s at now because 1) he lives across the street 2) he’s down for ravine walks and 3) I like walking and talking. A lot.
12. My roommate is a dancer
Salsa, bachata, cha-cha, he does it all. And he teaches Zumba 2X per week. We’re soulmates.
13. It’s usually sunny
Yeggers love to tell you how Edmonton has, on average, 325 sunshine days a year (basically 90% of the time). Having sunshine is a great thing, even for a pale mandatory-sunscreen human like me.
14. The skyline is really pretty
Okay, I’m going to talk about the river valley now. You knew I’d have to eventually. ’Cause it’s beautiful, awesome, amazing, stunning, and when its green — its GREEN. When it’s orange — its ORANGE. (But I prefer the green).
I’m going disagree with what people have said about Edmonton. It’s not ugly. When I see the city from the south side looking north, dare I say Edmonton is MAJESTIC AF.
Yes, I put majestic and Edmonton in the same sentence. Come for me.
15. The skies in general are really pretty
Are you kidding me with these sunsets?
16. Giant rabbits (lol, I know)
We have a pet hare that’s been living in our front garden (we think she’s pregnant). Hare’s have extremely tall legs. When I first saw one I was shocked at their size. It’s mental to watch — when they stand up it’s like a transformer getting into position.
RAPID-FIRE
No explanation needed, you’ll get it.
17. Meeting friends in the alley
18. Family dinners
19. Everyone has a fire pit
20. Closing the back gate*
*there’s something so satisfying about it
21. Speaking French at Café Bicyclette*
*I live in the French quarter, and yes this is a flex
IN SUMMARY / BUT MOST OF ALL
22. I’m free to express myself
The physical space gives me mental space. I’m listening to the birds right now — not the sound of construction. I don’t feel the subway vibrating beneath me. It’s quiet around me so I can listen within me. My nervous system feels at peace.
I’ve been given the space to be me. For that, YEG, I thank you.
