True Vagabond

Toronto: Fresco’s Chip & Fish

Duane Bobbsemple — Tue, 08 May 2012 04:17:34 +0000

Located across the street from Kesington Park is a tiny take-out joint called Fresco’s Fish & Chips. I come here a lot. The fish and chips are amazing and they’re not all greasy and overbearing.

My favourite thing on the menu is the Lobster Po’ Boy sandwich with a side of poutine. It’s flavourful goodness trapped in between a bun. Pretty much everything on their menu is good though. So good, I ate here three times in two days good. So if you find yourself in Toronto, I strongly suggest that you check this place out.

213 Augusta Ave
Toronto – Kesington Market
www.frescosfishandchips.com/

Shambhala 2012 – Where The Wild Things Are

Duane Bobbsemple — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:45:21 +0000

Event wise, this has to be one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a while. The event that I’m referring to is the Shambhala festival, and this shit is next level. Every year a crew of family members come together at Salmo, B.C. to organize this otherworldly festival.

It’s no secret that the club experience (4 walls and a dj), is getting kind of stale. So this festival is pure genius. Shambhala is a celebration of music, art, and life. But the thing that makes this festival so cool is it’s set up. The festival boasts 6 unique outdoor themed stages, each managed by their own stage director. And the director’s go in on the stage designs.

For example the theme in these pictures, Fractal Forest. It’s an incredible elaborate stage design that’s literally set up in the woods. Each day & night people get loose in the Fractal forest to electronic music (and other genres). And this is just one of six stage designs. Now, I can’t see this festival appealing to everybody, only to those who are looking to GET FREE in one of the most amazing party settings I’ve ever seen. The festival runs from Aug8th – 13th. All online and retail tickets are sold out, but they’re still tickets with lodging available.

Shambhala Festival 2012
Salmo, B.C
www.shambhalamusicfestival.com/

LA: First Fridays – Venice

Duane Bobbsemple — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:07:33 +0000

If you just so happen to be in LA today, then consider today your lucky day. How come? Well, today is the first Friday of the month and today the citizens of LA converge on Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Shops, Galleries, and restaurants keep their stores open late while tons of people mill around in the streets. Oh, and I forgot to mention about all the tasty-ass food from the army of food trucks. So if you’re looking to do something different, try this. It sure as hell beats waiting in long-ass lines in Hollywood.

For more info click HERE.

Shouts out to my boy Trev Croft for putting me on.

Pics via [wineandbowties.com]

Barcelona: People, Places, & Things

Duane Bobbsemple — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:51:44 +0000

Barcelona is stunning. Whoever laid out the blueprint for this city, sure as hell got it right. It really felt like every time I turned my head there was something there to jump-start my senses. But good looks aren’t the only thing that’s going for it.

No, Barcelona is way more than that. For starters, the nightlife is legendary. The people are super-friendly. The weather is warm 8 months around. And there’s a cool mix of the old and the new. I’ve been there twice now, and the whole experience is still a little unreal. It’s an urban wonderland.

The first place I suggest you hit, is the beach. I mean, if it’s warm out then why not? There’s a real nice vibe over there and it’ll get things off to a good start. During the months of June to August the place is literally a seaside traffic jam. Oh, and you’re going to want to rent a bike because there’s a lot of beach to cover.

Chillin at the beach with the fellas

I just so happened to stumble on this random but beautiful park. There was a ton of palm trees, exotic birds, and bright ass flowers everywhere.

If you want really nice pics then come here, to Mt. Montjuic. There’s a ton of walking involved and it takes forever to explore, but you’ll come away with some really nice views of the city and some amazing pics.

A shot of the Palau Nacional @ Mt. Montjuic.

Some more scenery from Mt. Montjuic.

The Olympics grounds @ Mt. Mujuic

The sagrada familia.

I liked her steez, so I took her pic.

Tapas anyone? The Spanish love their tapas. So be prepared to eat some interesting concoctions.

Some cool shit right outside my hotel.

Neighbourhood shot.

At La Merce festival that takes place every year in September.

Day dreaming in Barcelona.

THE END

Pics taken by Duane Bobbsemple for truevagabond.com

Louis Vuitton presents “Taxi Encounters – Venice”

Duane Bobbsemple — Thu, 03 May 2012 08:08:16 +0000

I don’t understand what he’s saying in this video, but who cares, the scenery is amazing!

Nepean Point – The Best Seats in The City

Duane Bobbsemple — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:55:44 +0000

Ottawa - I grew up here, in Ottawa. It’s not the liveliest city, but it’s a nice looking one. If you ever pass through my hometown, one thing you have to do is sit at the feet of Samuel De Champlain. The view from here is ridiculous.

You can see the city from all directions; the parliament buildings, Ottawa River, The Chateau Laurier, Gatineau-Hull, it’s all here. There’s even seats for you to chill and eat your lunch. I always come here after devouring some beaver tails (more on that later).

Once you’ve found this, the statue of Samuel De Champlain, then you know you’re in the right place.
The view from here is much much better in the spring, summer, and fall. I took this pic in the dead of winter.

You can even see Quebec from this spot as well, which is the Gatineau-Hull region I mentioned earlier.

THE END

380 Sussex Drive
Overlooking the Ottawa River.
Ottawa, Ontario

Pics taken by Duane Bobbsemple for truevagabond.com

Mr. Porter – The Way I Pack

Duane Bobbsemple — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:31:42 +0000

A lot of people, including myself, can learn a thing or two from this video. Packing is an art. And when done right it can save you time, money, and an unnecessary headache. In this clip Mr. Porter asks 3 well-travelled business men to share their wisdom on how to pack. Watch and learn.

Complex’s 100 Coolest Places

Duane Bobbsemple — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:56:58 +0000

Travelling in the US anytime soon? Then here, use this list that was recently published on complex.com. In light of Complex’s 10th year of exsistence the magazine recently put together a list of ‘Complex’s 100 coolest place of the decade’. Be careful though, the list is Complex’s 100 coolest places of the DECADE and some places are either closed or really not saying much these days.

View the list HERE

Berlin: An Hour At The Bauhaus

Duane Bobbsemple — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:46:05 +0000

I’m not much of a design addict. So when my boy H (that’s short for Harold also pictured below) invited me to tag along with him to Berlin’s Bauhaus museum, I initially wanted to say no. Staring at mockups and blueprints isn’t my idea of fun. But somehow, I ended up going anyway. If you’re not familiar with the Bauhaus (don’t worry I wasn’t either), the Bauhaus was a school that was founded by Walter Gropius. And the idea was to fuse the arts and design and simply make things look better, a lot better. Let’s just say without the Bauhuas Ikea would look a whole lot different.

So we get there, and at first, I found the museum really underwhelming. It was small. So small I kept on asking H where the other rooms were. But as with just about everything, it’s not about the big details, but the small ones. So I started to really take things in; like the furniture models, home appliances, and other things. It made me realize that we live in almost a completely Bauhaus world. No, seriously, if you have anything with a post-modern design in your place chances are the inspiration came from here. One thing I really liked were the quotes that were on the walls. Some really insightful gems that gave me a burst of inspiration.

However, I have mixed emotions about this place. On one hand, I found the overall presentation of the museum to be really underwhelming. But on the other, I learned a lot while I was there. If you’re a design geek or you’re looking to learn something new, then I’d definitely recommend that you check it out. But if not, then there are a ton of other places you should go before you come here.

Photos by Duane Bobbsemple

Croatia Summer Salsa Festival 2012

Duane Bobbsemple — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:12:21 +0000

Question, can you handle six 7 days of non-stop dancing and partying? If not, then you’re better off reading about some remote island, and if yes, keep reading. Beginning on the 19th and ending on the 25th of June the picturesque city of Rovinj will play host to the eighth edition of the Croatian Summer Salsa Festival.

This festival kicks ass and for 7 days the ancient hilly streets of Rovinj transforms into a hotbed of liveliness. The festival features open-air street parties, pool parties, beach parties, and even a boat party. And the alcohol flows, so much so, things can get a little crazy (but a good crazy). Don’t worry if you can’t salsa, because instructors are brought in from around the world to give lessons. So professional or not, there is no excuses. For more information and online reservation click HERE

Pics via [crosalsafestival]