The weekly uncovering of the urban lifestyle, contemporary trends and other (Canadian) peculiarities from a totally biased and nonobjective European perspective. Infiltration, intrigues, wonder and more ...

ast week covered the urban phenomena riding the curve of trendiness. The urban topic will be left to what it was. However there was still some vital visual evidence missing in that file, proving the extend of the urban infestation. This week's update makes up for that. Enjoy the splendor of these urban shots.

As we speak, proverbially so, the blog count has reached 25. Meanwhile more than 250 people have taken notice of all this randomness. Therefore it's time to reflect on the achievements of this little place in the vastness of the blogosphere. So buy yourself some expensive Champagne, pretend I paid for it and raise your glass to whatever you feel is appropriate.

While I have the attention, I would like to point out one or two little things.

On the right hand side, you will find links to other blogs. Several of these are random, I happen to stumble onto them every now and then. Others are from people to which I'm related in some fashion or another. By all means check them out every now and then.

Below the blog links you will find the Infiltration progression map. As it's one of Google's many nifty little geeky toys, I felt the beta tag was obligatory. The infiltration progression map will show you an overview of Vancouver and many of the (re)markable spots in and around it. Some of these are related to blog entries, others are not (or not yet).

Eventually I intend to start a franchise based on this infiltration map. It will feature undiscovered points of interest that get bring people around the world in touch with the local civilization. Or in lack thereof, just the locals. The franchise will be named “Alone on a Planetoid” and will feature a cheap black and white print made at my office. Maybe it's not one of the most solid business plans around, but I guess it beats waiting for the google adsense to make me a millionaire.

Since we're on the topic of good intentions and future certainties. I will be doing a tour around Europe early July, featuring some lectures and signing sessions... Dates and other arrangements will follow, please contact my agent (SO) for more details.

Normally I'm not too big of a fan of this kind of "humour", but the "do you think that ..." line is just brilliance. I just can't withheld this little gem from all you people with a taste far better than mine.

In Fashion For Free

Next year, same time, things will probably be somewhat different from where I am now. These are the classified reports keeping the home front informed about what's really going on in Canadia.

There's an interesting phenomena going on. It started long ago in primary school going under the names of “awesome” and “cool”. During high school it had evolved and recieved a name on its own, in our little social circle it went around as “alternative”. University would bring its own ring to it, depending on the state of the referrer, from “novel” to a more retrograde “awesome” during less clear episodes. Post university would add some glamour to it: “bourgeois” or “contemporary”. Now here in the northern parts a new version rears its ugly head.

urban native art

The topic here is of course: trends or “the curve”. A collection of ideas, expressions and other phenomena that determine how something at a certain time is intended to look, sound, feel or taste. Coincidentally it also offers a certain type of people to distinguish themselves and mock their not so “cool”, “novel”, or “contemporary” fellow human beings. To each his own.

Last week Vancouver was host to the yearly “Interior Design Expo”, one of the many ways the curve manifests itself. As part of the continuing infiltration program, the SO and I decided to check it out. Moreover one of my contacts in Vancouver is an accomplished furniture artist and was displaying his creations.

The show was filled with all kinds of furniture, ranging from just-above-Ikea level to genuine interesting creations. However no matter how much the furniture distinguished itself, nothing could escape the need for being “curve compliant”. And curve compliancy required that everything was “Urban” and I doubt it had something to do with hip-hop.

the urban entry to the expo

Urban toilets. Urban beds. Urban chains. Urban lamps. Urban kitchens. Urban paintings. Urban television sets and apparently even the stray BMWs on the show are now called “Urban Cars”.

Once the aware of the urban concept, one can see of the workings of the curve and the Urban concept is riding the curve wave all the way. Urbanity has escaped or outgrown it's natural confinements (style, fashion, interior design) and went mainstream. A short stroll around the streets of Vancouver will yield a variation of curve aware establishments: “Urban Sun Tanning”, “Urban Shoes”, “Urban Pets”, “Urban Food” and so on and so on.

Being one of those individuals who's-not-so-fashionably behind this proverbial curve has always giving me an excellent perspective on what is “happening”, when it's just slightly out of date. Sometimes I'm aware enough to see what is currently “in fashion” and on a rare occasion I accidentally find myself before the curve. These incidents are usually short lived though.

urban wall decoration

The fact that I am aware of the Urban concept means that it probably won't take too long before Urban has become “so-early-2K”. The first signs were already visible on the furniture expo where the new “uber urban” style is beginning to reveal itself: “Urban European”. As an European living in an urban area, I must say I'm quite content with that development. For once I won't have to do anything to be “in fashion”... at least for a little while.

Something to avoid spending money on this summer: the dancing, emo-spidey ... totally not urban