Jeeves and the Jaguar

Several months in the making, Jeeves and the Jaguar officially launches today!  The new site centres around my XJ8, featuring original photography, vintage print ads, stories behind the car, and general pop culture.  It's all pretty tongue and cheek, but it should be a lot of fun.  I'm hoping to document my travels from behind the wheel this summer.  Be sure to follow the new site and add it to your feeds!

Click on over to view JeevesandtheJaguar.com! 

Local Restaurant Review - Medicine Hat

My favorite hangout spot in town is Local in downtown Medicine Hat.  From the incredible food to the ambiance, there really isn't any other place quite like it around here. 

The menu is concise, but well executed, and features pub favorites like, burgers, nachos, sandwiches, wings, etc. - with an upscale twist.  I'd personally recommend any of the burgers as there isn't a bad one in the bunch, but if forced to choose, you can't go wrong with The Classic with cheese and a side of yam fries (pictured below) YUM!  

As far as restaurant burgers go, the presentation here is spot on and the portions are generous.  I'm actually getting hungry just looking at that picture again.  Entrees range from around $10-$16.

Once the food has won you over you'll come to appreciate the location even more.  It's rare to find a patio in this city with much character or surrounding scenery.  With the bulk of the Hat's restaurants clustered along Dunmore road, the traffic hardly flatters those areas.  Local is different. 

The relaxed buzz of downtown foot traffic and the well maintained surroundings remind you that the design is unique to the building and area (it was repurposed from the former DeVine restaurant) and is far from just another prepackaged layout. For a franchise technically owned by Earl's, this actually does feel surprisingly original and local.

I live downtown as it is, but it's also nice to have an excuse to walk around and appreciate the character of the area.  There's plenty of parking along the side streets during the evening - midday is another story.

The interior is just as comfortable and features clever design cues from the location in Medicine Hat - notably, an aerial view of downtown wallpapered to an accent wall.  There's also a large central bar surrounded by raised tables and large booths around the perimeter.  Whether you're out for a meal or to sample a beer from their long list of selections, both imports and on tap, this is a place worth making the trip for.

Downtown has been undergoing a slow but steady transformation over the last few years.  With the revitalization of the Monarch Theatre, an additional floor added to my apartment building last summer, and the development of condos nearby, trendy places like Local are not only a welcome surprise, but are hopefully a sign of things to come.  Visit this place!

Welcome Distractions

When I first took to the Internet back in 2005 I'm not really sure what my expectations were.  That's when I first started blogging, but I use that term extremely loosely.  There was no focus, no target audience, and no style.  But in 2006 came my YouTube account, then a slightly more motivated approach to blogging, and finally, Editing Luke appeared in 2007.

On the verge of promoting a brand new site on June 10, I'm left once again to consider what I'm hoping to achieve with my welcome distractions.  I'm cautious to the fact that Editing Luke is becoming a bit of a nostalgia trip as I re-contextualize things that I've already done.  This is a challenge when my future isn't quite as predictable as my ambitions as a film student were.  In terms of my writing, where do I go from here?

Then there's also a strong desire to see my sites gain more momentum on their own.  While I'm still motivated to write for myself, I feel like I need more gratification than I did before.  

This isn't a pity post, but these are legitimate concerns I have and I don't have any role models to follow by example.  I'm the only person I know who has kept a blog consistently for over four years without letting it die out, and I think at least half of the people in my social circle had a blog or website at some point during that time.  Is it discipline or did they realize something I haven't that lead them to quit?  Who knows.

In some ways I figure we're all just winging it and hoping for the best. Maybe it's time for a bit of soul searching. This isn't the first time and it certainly won't be the last.