Yoga Spy

Top 10 things about Winnipeg

Published by

Luci Yamamoto

June 30, 2015

Two weeks ago, I traveled to Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba, for the first time. I knew little about Canada’s “Gateway to the West.” I’ve met a few people who grew up here. I remember a movie, My Winnipeg, that screened at the Vancouver Film Festival several years ago. That’s about it. Well, my first impression was very positive, Travelling can be really fun and it can help you to get more positive. (Winnipeg in December might have been a different story.) My Winnipeg top 10:

GREEN, LEAFY NEIGHBORHOODS Coming from the summer gardens of Kitsilano in Vancouver, I was pleasantly surprised to find Winnipeg just as gloriously verdant, with soaring trees and plush meadows. — GREEN, LEAFY NEIGHBORHOODS Coming from the glorious summer gardens of Kitsilano, Vancouver, I was pleasantly surprised to find Winnipeg’s Armstrong’s Point just as verdant, with a canopy of soaring trees and lawns as plush as carpets.

B&B BREAKFASTS At Beechmount Bed & Breakfast, I woke to fresh fruit, homemade muffins, yogurt, and a perfectly formed omelet (here, filled with tender asparagus spears).

WALKABILITY From my B&B a leisurely walk to The Forks took 40 minutes. Along the way, I could have turned to head downtown or to the commercial Osborne and Corydon Streets. — WALKABILITY From my B&B I could walk to Yoga North, the Iyengar yoga studio in town, in less than 20 minutes–and to the Forks, along the Assiniboine River, in 40 minutes. I noticed a decent number of joggers and cyclists. While I found Winnipeg quite walkable, however, it’s definitely car-oriented. Buses run infrequently.

LOCAL ART Here you can find unique pottery and other artwork, including that made by First Nations peoples. — LOCAL ART Here you can find unique pottery and other artwork, including pieces made by First Nations people, who constitute 10 percent of Winnipeg’s population.

PUBLIC ART I don't know if they're permanent or not, but near the Legislature building I saw a bunch of bear sculptures, which I liked. — PUBLIC ART I don’t know if they’re permanent or not, but near the Legislature building I saw a bunch of bear sculptures that resonated with me and my Berkeley background. Go Bears!

BOON BURGERS In Wolseley, the vibe is west coast / left coast. Here, a Boon burger is vegan! — BOON BURGERS In Wolseley, the vibe is west coast / left coast. At Boon, the neighborhood’s burger spot, everything is vegan. This is a “grilled buddha patty” (chickpeas and brown rice) on a kale, arugula, and beet salad.

STELLA’S This Winnipeg institution reminded me of Vancouver’s Aphrodite’s or Berkeley’s Rick & Ann’s. Here’s the arugula salad with vegetable barley soup.

WINNIPEG ART GALLERY Of course it's not London's National Gallery or New York's MoMA, but I sometimes enjoy a small-scale museum. For example, I could spend hours, maybe a whole year, studying this one photograph by Henri Cartier-Bresson. — WINNIPEG ART GALLERY Sure, it’s not London’s National Gallery or New York’s MoMA, but a small-scale museum has its benefits. It’s less overwhelming and allows more focus. After all, I could spend hours, maybe a whole year, studying a single photograph by Henri Cartier-Bresson.

SECONDHAND BOOKSHOPS Winnipeg has almost 20 secondhand bookshops. I found this vintage copy (perfect condition) at Zed Books. — SECONDHAND BOOKSHOPS Winnipeg has almost 20 secondhand bookshops. I’m always hunting for Somerset Maugham’s more-obscure works that libraries don’t carry. I found this vintage hardcover first edition (Doubleday, 1946) for $7 at Zed Books.

YOGA NORTH The preceding Winnipeg moments were fringe benefits. My main objective in Winnipeg? To pass my Intermediate Junior I assessment. I, along with five fellow candidates, passed. Here's my souvenir tee shirt from Yoga North, which was an excellent venue. I held off buying it until I knew that Winnipeg and Yoga North would be a happy memory. — YOGA NORTH The preceding Winnipeg moments were fringe benefits. My main objective in Winnipeg? A successful result at my Intermediate Junior I assessment. On June 19-21, I passed, as did my five terrific fellow candidates from across Canada: Terri Damiani, Jane Kruse, Vic Mehta, Roberta Vommaro, and Martina Walsh. Here’s my souvenir tee shirt from Yoga North, which did an impeccable job hosting the assessment. I had my eye on it from day one, but postponed buying it until I knew for sure that Winnipeg would be a happy memory.

11 responses to “Top 10 things about Winnipeg”

Kathy

June 30, 2015

Congratulations on passing your assessment! Lovely article about Winnipeg, too!

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Sharmeen

June 30, 2015

L, this makes me want to go to Winnipeg😄

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Susan

June 30, 2015

This is my hometown and I’m proud it made your stay a happy one. Congratulations on your assessment.

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Jill

June 30, 2015

Congratulations, Luci! I loved your glimpse of Winnipeg. Looks like you found some very lovely spots.

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Martina

June 30, 2015

Thanks for the great description of Winnipeg. I was impressed with the city, as it was clean, easy to drive in, and, for those of us from Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, we loved the fact that there was PARKING!!!
Winnipeg has an amazing tree canopy, and the citizens seem to love to garden, as many front lawns have been converted into flower and vegetable gardens.
Thanks to Yoga North for the use of your studio and to the Assessors, who imparted their knowledge and wisdom.

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Nancy Zrymiak

June 30, 2015

Hey, Winnipeg looks pretty nice – I’ve never been there. Congrats on your assessment Luci!

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Terry Tustain

June 30, 2015

My very best wishes, and congratulations, Luci! Wonderful news about your assessment, and Winnipeg does look nice!

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anita

June 30, 2015

Great work, Luci – glad Winnipeg became a happy memory!

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Jane

June 30, 2015

Hi Luci!
Great blog about Winnipeg! I love your writing. Looking forward to reading your next post!
Best,
Jane

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Maia

June 30, 2015

Reblogged this on beautyofmadness and commented:
Thank you for showcasing Winnipeg. I live and teach in Steinbach, 100 km away from Winnipeg, but I’m almost always there everyday to practice. It is a lovely city, a bit congested, especially in downtown which I’m sure you witnessed during day time… but true to your words, Winnipegers are all for walking and cycling as soon as weather permits. We have 7-8 months of snow. We so need to get out!

I’ve been in Canada for almost 11 years now. The strangest thing is I only began falling in love with Winnipeg only late last year, in spite the snow and bitter cold. The city simply feels so alive regardless of the season. It’s totally different from where I live… I mean t-o-t-a-l-l-y lol.

Congratulations on your assessment.
Did you try the house salad dressing at Boon Burger? It is to die for! =)

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1. YogaSpy
  
  July 1, 2015
  
  Thanks, Maia and everyone else! I cannot reply individually, but please realize how much I appreciate every single comment.
  
  Seven to eight months of snow! That is a strong incentive to get out while it’s balmy. Seasons are very pronounced in Canada. No complaints about the food in Winnipeg; in addition to Boon, Stella’s, and the B&B, my colleagues and I dined at Deseo Bistro and the asparagus-egg dish was excellent.
  
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