Truthfully, near the top of my list was Because Beer. I have been a little obsessed with beer over the past few years, and have begun the foray into brewing my own, and as such was excited to see it showcased at home. This festival was amazing in so many ways. Putting Pier 4 on display for those who may not regularly make it down to that end of the city acted as a gorgeous backdrop, and was conveniently accessible via bus or bike (admittedly we drove, with a full car of people though!). The beer samples struck me as generous for the cost, and the variety of brewers present was surprising. I was able to meet many new brewers that I hadn't met before, like Garden Brewers, and some classic favourites... who I would feel bad naming as it's so hard to pick favourites! The food trucks were also fantastic with staples like Gorilla Cheese, and relatively new options like Meatwagon. The only thing that out-shadowed the food and drink was the atmosphere of the event. More so than at some festivals, every brewery seemed to be very welcoming, and the food trucks as well. I don't remember being at a single event and getting so many opportunities for personal discussions with owners, brewers, cooks and enthusiasts. The crowd itself was fantastic; I had some random encounters with strangers, in which I was able to pair a family up with something for each of them from Wellington (which they were all happy with! Woot!), met some friends I hadn't seen in a while such as Jeni (formerly of the Stowaway), Adam Clermont and Kevin Huynh, and a handful of others, and I even had the opportunity to meet some people I had only met online, such as Kate Goodwin. The weather was perfect, the beers were fresh, the company was great and the food was satisfying. I can't stop saying how excited I am for next year.
Aside from Because Beer, I was able to check out Art Crawl on Friday night and Open Streets on Sunday on James St N briefly before heading back to work Sunday. Both events showcased that same, vibrant spirit I feel in our city. I picked up a book for myself at Art Crawl (more Orwell... mOrwell?), and eyed some potential gifts for family members. At Open Streets, Sarah and I had a relaxing walk down the road taking in the sights and it wound up with me picking up another book, some Hemingway for something different. Our Sunday morning had started at Auntie Boom's on Ottawa Street, which was the best breakfast I have had in a long while, and I will happily recommend it.As I mentioned, it was bittersweet to be in such a busy city this weekend. I was not able to meet up with friends at the World Music Festival at Gage Park, nor at Seven Sundays. I was hoping to make it to World Music Festival to connect with Matthew Green who I haven't had a chance to talk to in person in some time, however I wasn't able to work it into my days. I'm sure I'll meet up with him at the gym once I'm home in the fall. I was quite broken-hearted to miss Seven Sundays, which I will miss in its entirety this year. They were a highlight of last summer, and did a great job of putting Gage Park in the light it deserves. I hope many of my family and friends take advantage of what they have almost literally in their backyards.
Well it is getting late, and I have rambled at length.
Thanks for reading,
~Ken
