I Heart Edmonton

Edmonton Valley Zoo By Emil Tiedemann I struggled with No.59 on this list, I have to admit. Not that I necessarily have anything against the Valley Zoo - an institution here in Edmonton since 1959 - but I’ve been wary of the whole zoo industry in general for years.  However, the Valley Zoo in particular was a part of my childhood, and a part of growing up for countless locals for decades now. It’s a place where parents can take their young children for the day to teach them about other species from around the world and from throughout our own homeland.  Lucy the Elephant (photo by Jerry Cordeiro ). I remember taking field trips in elementary school to the Valley Zoo and being fascinated with the various types of reptiles, birds, wild cats, and of course, Lucy the Elephant , who has become somewhat of the poster child for those who are against elephants in Canadian zoos. Even American game show host Bob Barker has visited the Zoo to speak out against Lucy’s north...

Shaw Conference Center By Emil Tiedemann My friend Cindy introduced me to donairs back in the day, and so I owed her in a big way! If you like donairs, then you know what I’m talking about. That just might have been the reason why I agreed to cancel my New Year’s plans and join her for the very last Big Sugar concert before they called it quits (until reuniting in 2010, that is).    A view of the Shaw in downtown Edmonton, overlooking the river valley. That was December 31, 2003, and the Shaw Conference Centre was already 20 years old. That was the first time I had ever been to the Shaw, this strange - but in a good way - looking structure dangling on the side of the river valley in downtown Edmonton.  That night, I got drunk, Cindy met some guy, and I scarfed down two - yes, two - donairs by the time I made it home on the LRT. It was a good night, overall.  The Shaw is one of the premier venues for trade shows, festivals, concerts, galas, luncheons...

Could Edmonton's Ro ssdale Power Plan t become our own version of Seattle's Pike Place Market?! by Emil Tiedemann I T was my sister's 30th birthday , so I wa nted to do something special to celebrate. I knew she had never been to the States before, and so although we had initially looked into checking out Portland, we decided that we'd take a trip to Seattle instead.  My sister, our two good friends, and myself spent just one weekend in Seattle, but we all fell in love with the experience , namely one aspect that really stood out to us and most likely to most other visitors to the Washington city . Pike Place Ma rket .  The amazing Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. Located just off the Puget Sound , Pike Place is a bustling and charming gathering place for locals and visitors to come to for fresh fish and deli meats, artisan crafts and trinkets, quality wines and oil s, ethnic specialties, second hand books, locally-brewed coffees and teas, or e...