The way life is meant to be lived...

Sometimes we take our hometowns and the surrounding area for granted. By taking places for granted we don't take the time to truly explore them or appreciate their unique beauty. On such place for me is Salt Spring Island. This island, with a population of 10,000, is only a short two hour ferry ride away from Vancouver where I reside. A few weeks ago, I finally visited Salt Spring for the first time. In short, I can say that I was truly impressed.

In the two hours it takes the BC ferry to arrive to Salt Spring from Vancouver, you feel as if you've been transported into another decade. The first oddity "city folk" will come across is the fact that nobody on Salt Spring seems to lock their doors at any time of day or night. The idea of a traffic jam here is a laughable one. The closest Salt Spring comes to a traffic jam is the lineup of cars at the ferry terminal.

The residents of Salt Spring are an interesting bunch. Most seem to be former "city folk" who got tired of the life in the fast lane and exiled themselves to the quiet life the island has to offer. Economics of Salt Spring make it rather similar to Vancouver. Real estate is expensive and for most locals unaffordable. Like most other similar communities Salt Spring makes a good chunk of its income from tourism. Hence, summers are the busiest time of the year when the population swells to over 20,000. To make ends meet most residents hold down a few part time jobs and most of those jobs are in one way or another related to tourism.

Salt Spring is rather rich in an artistic sense. Many painters, sculptors and other artists call this island their home and use it as their muse. Some other business that successfully operate on the island are goat farms that produce cheese and a local vineyard. All of these goods are put on public display for all to enjoy and purchase each Saturday at the Farmer's Market. The market runs during the summer season.

Monet to Dali, Billie Goat to Cleveland

On Saturday, I visited the Vancouver Art Gallery exhibit, Monet to Dali, for the second time. A repeat visit indicates how much I liked this exhibition. Monet to Dali is a quick way to get caught up on art history and key pieces of European art. The exhibit includes pieces from Monet, Cézanne, van Gogh, Picasso and Dali to name a few.

Vancouver Art Gallery

My favorite painting in the collection is a landscape by Monet. The most surprising aspect of this exhibit is found on each plaque describing a painting or a sculpture. The description for each piece includes:

Collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

I'm not sure about you, but I have certainly never known that Cleveland has such a rich collection of European works of art. Based on the merits of its Art Museum, I have added Cleveland to my lists of places to visit.

Azia

One of the greatest ways to travel the world without leaving home is via food. Vancouver is a great city for experiencing international cuisine right in your own backyard. On Friday, I checked out Azia, a pan Asian restaurant in Downtown. The restaurant is squeezed in on a block of Smithe Street between the Paramount Cinema and Earls. In many ways Azia reminds me of Earls and similar chains. It's sleek and polished, food offering is vast and unfocused, decor is cosmopolitan and modern and ambiance is upscale yet casual.

Azia: Prawn tempura

One thing about Azia that does stand out is food presentation. Extra touches are added in the presentation of each dish. Another neat aspect, which makes Azia more unique than other restaurants, is a rather interesting and varied collection of serving plates. The pattern and shape of each plate is unique and intriguing. For people that like for their portions to be sizeable, Azia will disappoint. The portions are small and pricey. The food is delicious. Azia is the answer to one's dilemma when a light meal is in order but the Thai versus Japanese battle ends in a tie.