I can has apartment!!

[blue_lotus13]

I put a damage deposit on an apartment in Edmonton, three blocks from Whyte Avenue. It has big windows and has been completely repainted, with new carpet and new linoleum.

I drove to Edmonton all by myself on Friday. I was very nervous about navigating the city, but thanks to my friend Darrell, I managed to do it. Darrell's directions took me around the perimeter. I calmed myself down by breathing deeply and trying to pretend that I was in Vancouver, because I know Vancouver and would feel more confident driving there.

Anyway, I managed to find my friend Amanda's house and arrived in one piece. Major triumph.

I immediately started calling places, and then took a cab to one place that ended up being in cracktown. When my cabby dropped me off he said, "This would be a good place to live if you wanted to buy drugs." I didn't even go into the apartment. Instead, I saw a cab, and asked a man standing nearby if he was the owner of the cab. He said he wasn't, but that I should go into a nearby African restaurant and ask for the driver. I did this, and a table of four recent immigrants from the Sudan invited me to eat injera (Ethiopian flat bread) with them. Then one of them gave me a ride to my next appointment, which was in an area of town called Oliver. He didn't charge me anything for the ride, but wanted my phone number. I told him I didn't have a phone, and thanked him profusely because he refused to accept any money. I then looked at the apartment, and was surprised by how huge it was. I was impressed enough to fill out an application, but then felt that I should keep looking because the apartment was on a very busy street, and its windows were small. As I walked around Oliver, I thought that I might still prefer living near Whyte Ave. I can see why people like Oliver, but I think I prefer Whyte.

The next day, Amanda and I went to the Old Strathcona Farmer's market, where we ran into my friend Andrea. We then walked around Old Strathcona, ringing doorbells on buildings and looking at places. It seems that people in the Whyte Ave area don't have to advertise on the Internet, because everyone wants to live in the area. Finally, I called about one place, and the landlord said that that place had been rented, but he had another apartment available in the area. So I walked over there, and saw it, and liked it, and the landlord drove me to his office in his Smart car so I could sign a bunch of forms.

My new place is within walking distance from the two independent movie theatres, countless restaurants, the library, the farmer's market, yoga studios and every amenity you could wish for.

Later that day I went for a pedicure, and then went to see "Mongol", which I enjoyed.

Comments

[stellastarstruk.livejournal.com]

Oh, congratulations. I used to live near Whyte Avenue too, and I worked there too. It's one of my favourite places in Edmonton. It's a great place to live.

[kelly-yoyo.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! It's a great place to live, I'm glad you're going to be there.