Dickson's Blogathon

What were the developers thinking?

2008-04-23T05:36:15Z

"No Adventure Without Adversity"

2008-04-17T05:36:01Z

I'm not sure which one of us came up with the idea but somehow Andrew and I decided that Spring snowboarding would be better in shorts. As bad as my knees ended up looking, it was the result of falling forward only twice. But hey, no adventure without adversity! More pictures.

Ric's Grill: Nothing Special

2008-03-13T08:40:49Z

I'm a fan of steaks and whenever I have a craving, I head down to the Keg or the Coliseum Pizza & Steakhouse. If you are unfamiliar with the latter, thats because its not the type of place you'd expect to have good steaks. The building is nondescript and located in a shadier area of town, caters towards the average Joe. The interior is minimalistic and the one colored theme gives a very monotone mood. But don't let all that fool you because they know how to make a mean steak and given their price point, it is my steakhouse of choice. Granted, I haven't been to too many steakhouses but I haven't found a better one thus far and Ric's Grill is no different.

Sharon and I visited Ric's Grill during Edmonton's Dining Week where as a participating restaurant, they featured several of their existing menu items at a discounted price. However, it would seem that their participation was nothing more than a gesture. When we arrived at the restaurant, there was no indication of their participation nor were we handed the dining week menu. We politely asked for the menu but was told we had to indicate our interest during the reservation which makes absolutely no sense! Given that the items on the dining week menu are what they normally serve, their statement gives me the impression that they need to know ahead of time to segregate us from their normal patrons. Are they planning to serve us the bad cuts? Seat us by the bathrooms? Under staff our section? There was no mention anywhere that notice had to be given when making reservations and based on the conversations of our neighboring patron, it seems like we weren't the only ones scammed. Such act reminds me of the de facto customer service promising your satisfaction or your money back. It's found on literally almost every product from electronics to instant noodles because yes, it makes perfect sense for me to mail you back a half-eaten bowl of instant noodles so I can get my 50 cents back. I hate companies who make gestures knowing that there are enough barriers in place to prevent people from taking advantage of it. I'm sure my initial impression of Ric's Grill didn't help the rest of my experience.

Sharon ordered the 6oz Filet Mignon and I ordered the 12oz Top Sirloin, both medium rare.

My steak was flavourful in its initial bites but it seems someone forgot to drain the juices. By the time I was done, my plate looked like it would fit nicely in a horror movie. Its worth noting the steak was exceptionally thick which makes it harder to grill and what surely contributed to the unappetizing aftermath.

The food was good but definitely nothing special and given my dislike of their policies, I don't have any intention to return in the near future. You can read Sharon's take on the restaurant here.

Technorati tags: restaurant, review, edmonton food, ricsgrill, steak

CN Memorabilia

2008-03-06T07:30:56Z

I tend to be passionate about anything I work on and this usually leads me to collect items associated with my work. Back in December, I unsuccessfully bidded for a teddy bear at CN's United Way Auction and the only way to get one was to wait for the next annual auction or my next trip to Montreal where the CN store is located. Oddly enough, when I started Spring cleaning today I found a teddy bear given to me by my Uncle who was a long time worker at CN. It was given to me in the 1980's but I have no recollection of it. I'm glad I found it!

Certain fashion never dies - wearing stripes was and is still cool

Technorati tags: CN "canadian national"

iPod Accessories are a RIP

2008-02-14T08:36:32Z

Okay so the price gouging isn't exactly news but I didn't join the iPod game until this Christmas when I picked up a 16 gb iPod Touch. All I wanted for accessories was a simple case but they all came at $25 upwards! I ended up throwing down $35, a price that could have fed a family of four at a Chinese restaurant!

Fortunately, I can take some comfort after being told about DealExtreme, a site that specializes in extremely inexpensive electronics and accessories. I wouldn't trust all my electronic needs to this site, but there are times when you really don't care about the brand. I purchased several items and it finally arrived today. Here's the scoop:

Cost: $25 includes shipping (free for all orders)

Talk about competitive pricing! There was almost no aesthetic value in the packaging and the products look even cheaper than the pictures on the website. In this case, the packaging is good news because it means all the costs have been used for the functionality and they do hold up! The crystal case is perfect. The ear phones don't quite fit right and the sound quality isn't great but it is perfect for the gym. The FM transmitter requires the car adapter to boost the signal and despite the bad sound quality, the iTrip isn't much better either. The power adapter was back ordered but when it arrives, I expect it to be ugly looking yet functional. This certainly makes my $35 case look like a designer brand!

This does, however, beg the question of how DealExtreme even makes a profits. International shipping isn't cheap and the product prices are probably close to the street price in China. I didn't pay any custom fees either so how they actually turn this into a working business model is beyond me. Smuggled goods anyone?

Technorati tags: iPod, ipod accessories, accessories, dealextreme, ipod touch

Cars that can avoid collisions

2008-02-14T07:25:28Z

A cool video on BBC showing new technology for cars that can avoid collisions.

Fervent Food Blogger

2007-09-14T06:18:00Z

If you know a little about Sharon, you might know that she has become somewhat of an aspiring chef and food critic. In fact, she recently joined the ranks of food enthusiasts as a winner of the Edmonton Journal's annual "Cooking in the Loft" contest! Congrats!

Pop over to her website where you can see some of her creations and you'll realize that she can do much more than ice cream sandwiches :)

Is Paris Hilton really that hot of a topic?

2007-07-04T01:28:00Z

I was setting up another blog reader account at NewsGator and as part of setup, I was given the option to pre-populate my subscription list:

Paris Hilton should NOT be a category.

Happy Canada Day!

2007-07-04T01:19:00Z

Okay, so I'm a little late with the birthday wishes but I figured it's better than having another "update" title. Nevertheless, this is still an update: :)

On saturday, I performed at the Winspear with my choir (Taiwan University Alumni Association Chorus). The concert is a joint collaboration between my choir and the Vancouver Singing Choir. We performed with them years ago in Vancouver so it was nice to have them come and return the favor. The theme of the concert is Butterfly Lovers and if you're familiar with the story's music, you'll probably know why our concert ended up being 3.5 hours long. My brother and I also performed a duet so when the dvd for the concert comes out in 2-3 months, I'll post it up.
This weekend was unusually busy. In addition to the concert, I attended my friend's wedding on saturday and then emceed his second dinner reception on Sunday. I took a little time off on Monday but still managed to put in a full day's worth of work.
One choir down, another takes its place. I'll be performing with another choir (I don't even know their name) at Grant MacEwan early next month.
My mom's youth dance group, The Little Birds (translated from Chinese), will be performing at the Heritage Day opening ceremony (August 4th, 6 pm). I'll be there helping my mom out so look for me if you're going to be there!
Can a radio station be sued for releasing personal information? That's what happened today when someone at 104.9 FM forgot to hit the off button while taking personal information from a listener!

Back from Montreal

2007-06-10T23:25:47Z

Given that the Grand Prix was this weekend, I'm a little disappointed that I had to leave Saturday morning. After I completed my job training on Friday, I spent all evening walking around downtown enjoying the festivities. The streets were crowded with people, much like Whyte Ave. during the Stanley Cup Finals, and the many events in the area stretched for blocks. I watched the French Connection Fashion Show, explored the block full of unique cars including an original prototype of the Spyder being sold for $100,000, stumbled my way onto a BMW Race Car display and then finally joined the main celebration on Rue Crescent where games, vendors and a performance stage had people crowded heel to heel. At times, the sheer number of people and humidity had me gasping for air and taking shelter in an air conditioned boutique.

I really enjoyed my week of training in Montreal. I met a lot of talented people at CN, had a chance to explore the city and taking all into consideration, I wouldn't mind living in Montreal for a few years. And from the sounds of it, my job may have me going back to Montreal every now and then!

More Pictures...

Grand Prix Fever Begins...

2007-06-08T02:16:00Z

And for those not interested in cars, there is always the fashion festival show next street over.

More Pictures...

I WENT TO CHURCH...

2007-06-07T05:25:00Z

AND THEN THERE WAS LIGHT

IT CAME FROM ABOVE

IT WAS BRIGHT

IT WAS WARM

IT WAS EUPHORIC

BUT ALAS, $10 CAN ONLY GO SO FAR...

IT BECAME DARK

IT BECAME COLD

A NEW LIGHT APPEARED

I WAS ESCORTED OUT

Okay, so it didn't go quite like that but I couldn't resist poking at the name. This show at the Notre-Dame Church is a "historical and cultural multimedia show on the cutting edge of Canadian sound and light technology." Using screens and large canvasses including one for the ceiling, a projection of more than 180 degrees was created (see gallery). The show's story took us back in time to the birth of Montreal and followed its growth till the inception of the Notre-Dame Church as we see it today. Eventually, the screens retracted and the canvasses pulled away revealing the rest of the Church and as the architects in the story described each design, it would respectively light up in the Church until the entire place was filled with an array of colors from the stained glass on the walls and ceiling. Creatively done and definitely worth $10!

Following the event, my colleague and I decided to try a recommended vegetarian restaurant called Chu Chai. We thought it was 20 minutes away from the church but somehow we got it wrong and it took us almost an hour to get there. A little bitter, we had even higher expectations for the restaurant and we weren't disappointed at all. Of all the restaurants we have tried so far, my colleague and I both agree this was the best. I had a deep fried tofu sandwich with cucumber in the middle, a vegetable beef with baby corn and mushrooms served with sticky rice, and a tricolore chocolate mousse dessert that really hit the spot.

We later found out how far we walked when we took the metro. It took five stops before we got back to the hotel.

To see the rest of my pictures (including their ghetto Chinatown), go here.

Technorati tags: montreal, notre-dame, church, food, chu chai

Culinary Review x Deax!

2007-06-06T05:54:56Z

Yesterday, my colleague and I went to a Brazilian All-You-Can-Eat-Meat restaurant (Lipitor not included). Le Milsa is a relatively small restaurant and if I were not looking for it, I could have easily dismissed it as your run-of-the-mill family restaurant. There is a Brazilian atmosphere but the lack of creativity by using soccer jerseys as uniform merely enforces the idea of a on par restaurant. The food however was really good. Waiters would make their rounds carrying different types of premium meat - lamb, fillet mignon, sausages, roast beef, ribs etc. - each carefully cooked to bring out the flavors. The meat was accompanied endlessly by sweet rice, baked yam and sauteed mushroom. A vanilla ice cream completes the 5000 calorie meal. And with a price of only $30, I would go again if my heart didn't threaten to strike. We were about to leave when the lights dimmed, music blared and disco colors lit the room. Two dancers came out to entertain guests and they even enticed some diners to join in. The male dancer also showed off some impressive breakdancing moves! I didn't get the pictures I wanted as the waiters were in a hurry and well, I was just too damn full to move.

Today was round two with Reuben's Restaurant. My two course meal included a cream of asparagus soup and a Rocky Top Chicken as the main dish. The soup was creamy in taste yet still had a desirable runny texture. The main dish included a charbroiled chicken drizzled with their own BBQ sauce on a bed of mash potatoes all topped with bacon, corn and beans. The BBQ sauce was really strong and dare I say even better than Tony Roma's? Everything was well prepared and like last time, the portions were more than enough. That's 2 out of 2 for Reuben's! Will there be a round 3??? (Forgive the bad picture!)

Technorati tags: le milsa, montreal, food, reuben's

CN Montreal: Day 1 & 2

2007-06-06T05:36:18Z

For a company that isn't so particular with the exterior, CN really does a good job with the inside of the building (pictures to come). The front doors open up to a large foyer with marble floors and a giant silver CN logo etched into the black wall. A security desk is positioned to greet guests coming from the outside and a connected pedestrian hub. And despite having eight elevators (at least), there is still a short wait time during the morning rush. I've visited two other floors and they seem entirely identical with row upon row of cubicles carrying a consistent and matching color scheme that gives a nice feel but causes a few deja vu moments. A gym facility and public cafeteria on the second floor makes choosing a lunch venue an easy choice. I haven't really toured the Edmonton CN Tower but they are building a new one by YellowHead Trail and 97th Street and should be moving there within a year.

During these two days, I've spent the majority of my time learning about CN's industry and meeting new people. And from watching and interacting with others, I've had the opportunity to learn how a culture filled with bilinguals and monolinguals mesh together. As one who knows a language other than English, I've been taught not to speak in front of others in a language they may not understand. And for that same reason, my family makes an effort to speak English whenever we have guests - even if it means a less efficient form of communication. But there's none of that here. People communicate in whichever is the most efficient language. Subconsciously, everyone gets labeled (forgive the negative connotation) and people will weave between English and French depending on who they are speaking to regardless of present company.

Other than work and eating, I didn't spend too time exploring the city. It's been gloomy and windy for the past two days so I'll wait until there's a break.

Technorati tags: montreal, cn, culture, language, french, english

Afraid of Heights?

2007-06-05T03:18:39Z

If you have been to the CN Tower in Toronto, you'll undoubtedly recall the experience of walking over the glass floor that kept you from plummeting 1800 feet to the ground. It was exciting and unnerving at the same time. Now imagine not just having a few panes of glass but a 10-foot wide walkway made of transparent glass suspended 4000 feet above ground. That's what the Skywalk facility will do upon completion in 2007 with a "U" shaped walkway that will extend out over the Grand Canyon.

Appropriately, the ad for this facility included a note regarding its safety boasting the ability to support the weight of over 70 Boeing 747 airplanes, 100 mph winds and an 8.0 magnitude earthquake within 80 kilometers. This place is going on my must-see list.

Technorati tags: grand canyon, skywalk facility