how much is a thousand dollars? (pt. 2)

Last night we decided to procure some winter tyres to get us through the horrendous road conditions we were facing during our road trip thusfar. 

how much is a thousand dollars? (pt. 1)

It is only in the rarest of occasion when one is forced to assign a dollar value to a human life. A parent forced to pay for a ransom for a daughter taken in a faraway land. A son who's been given the bill for a surgery that saved his mother's life. A judge assigning the compensation for a negligent death.

Such dramatic occasion, fortunately, have not happened to us. A similar but less severe one did force us to think, is a thousand dollars really worth it?

lake louise: skates, skis and dogs

There are days when all I want to do is rug up with a warm blanket on a comfy couch, turn on the TV and watch Game of Thrones in an endless loop.

But today was not that kind of day.

fairview dining room, 'twas a fair view indeed

Five peppercorn crusted bison carpaccio - $10

Before we tuck in for the night inside our plush king-size bed at the Fairmont Chateau in Lake Louise, we headed for dinner at the Fairview Dining Room.

We got ourselves a window-side table for two. The snow that is now falling in earnest is framed beautifully by it.

cows, udderly creamy treat

I've always wanted to use the word "udderly". Merely typing it is making me giggle like a little school girl. Udderly cute... udderly udderly udderly....

coyotes, big man breakfast

Southwestern frittata - $12.95

I watch too many food shows: Masterchef, Masterchef the Professionals, Top Chef, Kitchen Nightmares, Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown just to give you a few. As much as it is for frivolous enjoyment purposes, I like to think that there's a bit of educational aspect to it. For example, I learned in Kitchen Nightmares that Gordon Ramsay likes to swear, a lot. In Masterchef, that sometimes the story behind the food than the food itself will get you ahead. And in Top Chef I learned what cook-to-order means.

the maple leaf, classy with a lot of substance

We're in Banff, people! Ah... Finally.... We can straighten our hunched backs and uncurl our toes, stretch those arms upwards, breath in the fresh mountain air and absorb the breathtaking vista.

holy moley! holy smoke!

Three words: Oh My Gawd!

dadeo, po'boy oh-boy oh-boy

There were a few instances during the road trip in Canada when I didn't bring my good camera with me, thinking that it wasn't worth carrying to lunch or dinner or any other meal I was having at the time. This was such an instance.

old spaghetti factory, to fill our bellies

Lunch-size spaghetti (with meatballs) - $8.95

My first encounter with the old spaghetti factory (OSF) was in Winnipeg at The Forks. I was charmed. The decor at the Winnipeg branch had a paris-meets-wild-wild-west feel to it, with its stained glass windows and art deco lampshades and furniture. Though they had a combination of seating arrangements, we picked one of their comfy and intimate booths.