Shortly after Christmas, Marlena took us to see this elaborately decorated Christmas house in the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood. It was such an impressive sight I took my niece to see it twice (actually, the second time was because I inadvertently deleted the video we  made the first time).

Here are some stills:

click photos to enlarge

I also took my niece to see the house on 95th Street I blogged about a few weeks ago, and Maisie’s Magical Christmas House which I blogged about a few years ago. Here are some shots from this year:

click on photos to enlarge

Nothing beats Maisie’s for sheer excess, however we both liked the house in Allendale best – for homemade ingenuity and cheeky humour.

I thought it was going to be harder, but everyone got it. To me it looks like a prairie sky in winter as seen from the highway. It’s the windshield of my sister’s car as it’s going through the car wash. Here’s the uncropped picture:

Here are some more pictures:

Jackson Pollock?

Answer next week. (The Sister is not allowed to “guess”)

And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

From his own publicity bumf: “Radios, clocks, clothing, Ray Bans, chalkware, books, records, blankets, and so much more!”

“Fire King, Federal Glass, Pyrex, Eldorado Rena Ware, Hycroft, Medalta”

“Loads of Mid-Century Modern collectibles”

There’s much more than what you see here – he keeps restocking from his vast collection.

I’m happy to shill for Michael for no recompense other than the warm glow of friendship.

Ortona Armoury Arts Building (9722-102 Street) on Saturday & Sunday (Dec. 3 & 4) from 11 to 4.

Be sure to look up to see the x-ray light fixtures on the ceiling.

click to enlarge

This was at the Goodwill in the west end. A little bit of googling reveals it to be a copy of…

this image from a 1900 German postcard.

Michael C. had another garage sale in his studio (more about which later).

This painting lunged out at us.

click to enlarge

The tag says “Bear stopping man from committing suicide (my favourite interpretation)”

“There are only two styles of portrait painting; the serious and the smirk.” -Charles Dickens (Nicholas Nickleby)

As of Thursday you’ll have another option of where to park your tush in upholstered comfort when you come over for a visit at the ol’ Bachelor Bastion.

That is to say, I bought a couch this weekend. Guess which one and tell me why:

No.1

No. 2

No. 3

No. 4

No. 5

No. 6

No. 7

No. 8

No. 9

I’m really looking forward to seeing your guesses. It would also really amuse me if you gave each of these couches a name.

Eydie Gorme: Blame It On The Bossa Nova

Neal Hefti: Harlow (soundtrack)

Divine: Divine

I was walking around Old Strathcona last week and the afternoon light falling on the tower of the Varscona Theatre made it pop against the cloudless blue sky. I really wanted to take a picture, which often happens when I don’t have my camera with me (will I never learn this lesson?).

I returned a few days later to take these pictures. The new Varscona Theatre (as opposed to the old Varscona, which was a movie theatre that has since been torn down), was originally Fire Hall Number 6. The tower was used for drying fire hoses. The Walterdale Theatre, across the street, was the original Fire Hall Number 6 (and that’s your Edmonton history lesson for today).

As I was snapping pictures in the alley behind the theatre, my friend Mark Moose came out the back door of his store on Whyte Ave. to empty the trash.

Mark Moose

We got to talking about the tower’s new paint job which we both admire. Mark said reminded him of a Tetris game. He also called it “iconic.” He told me it was painted by Ian Mulder who is also responsible for several murals around town, including this one of Joey Moss on 99th Street.

The alley between Whyte Avenue and 83rd Street is full of colour, including this (sanctioned) graffiti: