Something Unexpected has happened to me – it’s called Churchill, Manitoba. Two weeks ago I was at a meeting with Travel Manitoba’s Vice President of Advertising and Communications, Linda Whitfield. Linda casually inquired if I could clear my calendar to participate in the “Mush Ado About Aurora: Northern Lights & Winter Nights” media trip to Churchill. I [...]

Down on the corner of Main St. and St. Mary Ave, is the dingiest little club in the whole city, Times Change(d) High and Lonesome club. It’s crowded, it’s noisy, and it’s small. It’s also one of the best bars in Canada. Times Change(d) is a great venue to go to if you’re in the mood to [...]

I’ve been writing the “Unexpected Manitoba” blog on winter activities since January and I still have a couple of juicy items on the menu that I’d like to share with you – so here’s hoping winter hangs in there. Near the end of January I received an email from Linda and Peter Albrecht, proprietors of Walkinshaw [...]

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not that cultured. Given the choice between, say, attending an opera, or going to roller derby match, I wouldn’t have to think hard about my choice. I’d be strapping my skates on before you had even finished the question. But there are some things I never hesitate to [...]

. . .“Super Dave” has decided Manitobans should get off their butts and take better care of their health. To that end (pun intended), he has spent the last decade building and maintaining about 20 kms of classic cross-country ski trails and 7 km of skate-ski trails through his property. In 2000, [...]

Over the last three months, I’ve spent more time in the Winnipeg Art Gallery than in the last year. I realized this the other day, at the WAG – where else? – and I was taken aback at first. But after a second to think about it, it dawned on me how great that was. [...]

There’s something about the Oscars that screams ‘community event.’ Sitting down with friends to watch the nauseatingly long ceremony is a tradition for many people, myself included. For the last ten years, my friends Mike and Alanna have hosted an Oscar themed pot-luck party. There are prizes for the best movie related dish, and everyone gets [...]

I think the best thing about the Freeze Frame International Film Festival has got to be that it’s not all about the films. I know that sounds weird, for a film festival, but hear me out. In addition to the movies they bring in, Freeze Frame offers up workshops and classes for kids and parents [...]

Friday Feb. 26, 2010 The car is pointing north and we’re aiming for Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park and the Radisson Hecla Oasis Resort. Hecla Island is on the west side of Lake Winnipeg, north of Gimli. It you follow PTH 8 to its terminus you’ll find it. The Island was designated as a provincial park in 1969 and [...]

I’ve mentioned on this blog before how fancy I feel when I’m in an art gallery. Well, take that level of fancy, and double it. That’s how fancy I felt when I was in the Winnipeg Art Gallery, listening to chamber music. That’s right, chamber music. The Winnipeg Chamber Music Society performed a concert at the [...]