"Art is the new steel"

A quote, from The Print Studio on James Street North, I have come to really identify with.  Every day I love that Tony and I have decided to move to Hamilton.  It gets a bad rap, and, I will be honest, two years ago, I probably would have had the same opinion as most of the people who have never lived here.  We've only been here a month, but I feel more energy and motivation to get involved with the city and the community than I have anywhere else before.  There is so much potential here, it would be a shame to let it go too waste and let the politicians make our decisions for us... clearly, they are too easily swayed by promises of money, no matter how ridiculous absurd the idea is!

So today I decided to visit my more immediate community and since on fridays we have 'summer hours' at the office, it was the perfect day.  (Though I have to admit, the 40 degree humidex, made it seem less than perfect as the time passed and my clothes felt more like a second, very thick skin).

After leaving work, I wandered over to White Elephant Vintage to peruse their amazing handmade items and vintage clothing.  I was a little overwhelmed so I'll have to go back and get help from my sister on making a decision - I think I'll start off with a tea towel by Jenna Rose, - the pillows, at almost $60, are a bit out of my price range.  I especially love her print of old victorian homes, which look just like ours (except, maybe, slightly more whimsical).

Anyway, I then stopped by a new place with vintage objects and furniture, located where White Elephant used to be... I definitely didn't even get the name, yet.  It's that new.  I'll have to get it and report back.  Jeremiah had some great pieces in there and he's keeping an eye out for me for a coffee table to go with our amazing, but very hard to work with sofa.

Then I popped in to Mixed Media where I got a whole stack of posters for the Our City Our Future movement - the site in support of the PanAM stadium in Harbour West,  as opposed to in the East Mountain suburbs.

*** If you'd like posters to put around your neighbourhood, go here for locations where you can pick them up, or for the link to download and print your own.

I proceeded down James Street North dropping into businesses and asking them to hang the posters in their windows to show support and to spread the word about the site.

Not only were most people super receptive, but I even got into several conversations with groups of older Italian gentlemen about the stadium and the good it can do for downtown, how Bob Young is just after money and not the well-being of Hamilton (clearly), and whether or not I was Italian at all.  No, but "I married a man who is half-Italian, half-Croatian" - "Good combination" they said, but still claimed he got the better end of the deal.  (I had to agree!)

The folks at Our Corner Bar and Grill are also starting a petition and will be going door to door to get signatures of those people who may not go online to sign.  I lef them my number, so that I could help when it gets going.  Bob Bratina - the counsillor for Ward 2 - which Harbour West is a part of, claims we "dont' want the stadium here" ... I don't think he's actually asked anyone, because each person I spoke with says the exact opposite!

On that note, go visit the site to show your support!

-a.