Fundy-ville to Trendy-ville

Ever see one of those churches that looks more like a small shopping mall with a football field sized parking lot?? And the parking lot is actually full on Sundays?? My old neighbourhood was full of those. Kingdom Halls of Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Academies, neon signs advertising the Alpha Course. Our MP was the ring leader. I heard he organized a big protest against same-sex marriages. I secretly hoped I had known about it before so I could go throw tomatoes at them. There was a headline in the local paper quoting him as saying "we conservatives are probably the most tolerant bunch in the Canadian government". Gimme a break. The same day we got their flyer on the doorstep talking about which segment of the population should be cured and converted next. Christian Fundamentalists bug me. I call 'em Fundies for short. Fundamentalists of any kind for that matter. They are the root of all the world's problems.
I had to get out of that town.

This is where I live now...one of the most sought after neighborhoods in Vancouver - Yaletown. I've never seen so many different breeds of purse-dogs on the same block. I live next to a hotel where apparently "all the celebs go". It's definitely a place to be seen. I can see into the trendy lounge when I walk by on my way home from work. It's like a big fish bowl. Floor to ceiling windows, brightly lit. Just so there's no confusion about who is in there enjoying the $12 drinks. I can see into the hotel rooms from my window. I better be careful or this is going to become "Rear Window 2005".

I also get to shop at the trendy grocery store down the street. Just try to find something suburban in that place. All the familiar brands are hard to find. But there is a whole aisle of fancy olives. I guess they're for all the trendy Grey Goose drinkers. For the life of me I could not find just a regular jar of olives. Oh! And the bottled water section! Don't get me started!

I love the city. I joke about the trend-whores but really I am having the time of my life here. There's always something going on, something to do, people to meet. And if there's someone preaching on the street corner I can just walk by and roll my eyes and not have to worry that he is making decisions for me in Parliament.