Queen Street West
Aug. 14th, 2004 10:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_vultureToday my hostess took me for a brief introduction to Queen Street West before she had to go to work. Now that was a much more satisfying experience! Queen Street West, in the parts that I explored, still didn't have much in the way of pagan havens and hidden delights, but it definitely had a lively and youthful energy to it. It is also quite a pretty section of town, being fronted mostly by two to three story Victorian style buildings that act as a delightful contrast to the ambient counter-culture feel of the shops found within them. If I were to describe this area in one word, it would be "funkayyy!"
In my mind, it's a FAR better shopping experience than Yonge Street and even better than Adelaide's Rundle Mall, but still not quite up to ousting downtown Victoria, though it does score more points in some areas. For example, it's more lively, whereas Victoria, even when packed with tourists, is a lot more laid back. And the street kids are wittier (compare the funniest thing I read on a piece of cardboard today, "Smile if you masturbate," to the funniest I've ever heard from a Victoria street kid "I'm loitering for loonies"). Granted, the Queen Street youths did not demonstrate much in the way of talent; whereas Victoria averages about one busker a block (and some of 'em are even good! (my particular favourite is a trio of percussionists who specialize in playing homemade marimbas)), there was not a single instrument to be heard in Queens Street West. Nor were there any street artists or other performers (in Victoria, I've even encountered a young fellow selling his poetry). There were just a number of youths holding up pieces of cardboard trying to be witty.
Still, as you can guess, I had a wonderful time and I'm looking forward to exploring it further!
In my mind, it's a FAR better shopping experience than Yonge Street and even better than Adelaide's Rundle Mall, but still not quite up to ousting downtown Victoria, though it does score more points in some areas. For example, it's more lively, whereas Victoria, even when packed with tourists, is a lot more laid back. And the street kids are wittier (compare the funniest thing I read on a piece of cardboard today, "Smile if you masturbate," to the funniest I've ever heard from a Victoria street kid "I'm loitering for loonies"). Granted, the Queen Street youths did not demonstrate much in the way of talent; whereas Victoria averages about one busker a block (and some of 'em are even good! (my particular favourite is a trio of percussionists who specialize in playing homemade marimbas)), there was not a single instrument to be heard in Queens Street West. Nor were there any street artists or other performers (in Victoria, I've even encountered a young fellow selling his poetry). There were just a number of youths holding up pieces of cardboard trying to be witty.
Still, as you can guess, I had a wonderful time and I'm looking forward to exploring it further!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
I am glad you enjoyed it.
Date: 2004-08-15 11:03 am (UTC)Next stop: the Beach. Now that's FUNKAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!
You'd probably like Mill Ave
Date: 2004-08-16 04:49 am (UTC)Venice Beach near L.A. comes to mind as well. I was only there once, back in '96 though, while visiting friends in the area.
Blessings, John (Yes I have an LJ now. Can I add you to my friend's list? You can add me.)