sassia*s

Mi Diario Español .....My Spanish Journal....

housing matters

2005-04-10 | about Canada
Apr 8, 2005

"Oh, my ... ! " I immediately took off my spring coat and zip-up sweater right after getting in Mrs. N's place. It was hot in there! ( refer to yesterday's dairy )

She lives in a condominium that faces Southeast. It is a corner unit. I found it comfortably light at first because it has wide windows on the walls. She can get enough light from South and West, two directions. All the walls are painted in white that reflect the light. They enhance the light atmosphere.

But ... actually the sunlight raises the air temperature like crazy!!! Plus, the building was quite old. It has only central air conditioning system that can only be controlled in its management office. The tenants have a switch but it is effective only when the central system is on. The box of stupid switch on the wall doesn't even have a controlling dial or something! On a warm day in winter or early spring like today, it goes up to 30℃. The tenants can do nothing but fan yourself until the manager turn it on in summer.
I humored Mrs.N to say that it would be warm enough in winter. She seems not so happy about it. The air conditioner works too much in Winter that they have to be in T-shirt all the time.

Because the investment on real estate properties is in style in Canada, a lot of condominium buildings are under construction in suburban areas. I found them visually more fashionable and more functional in facilities to lure tenants. Those new condos have an individual mater for hydro (electricity) and air conditioning, which means the response for the tenants' needs is more flexible.

I like it light when spend time at home. I like Mrs.N's place a lot in terms of lightness. But I can't take it being sweaty year-round!!
Choosing housing is such a hard work.

おくさま友達(笑)のNさんのお宅にお邪魔しました。
Nさんは、Yoshiの会社のトロント駐在員の奥さんです。
Nさんちは、南東向きのコンドミニアム(マンション?)の角部屋で、とても明るくて素敵なお住まいなのです。
が。
…暑い…。
半端じゃありません。春の外気温10℃で、室内30℃以上。。それなのにビル内のエアコンは、中央集中型といいますか、ビル全体で管理されてるので、本格的な夏にならないとクーラーが入らないのです。

たくさんの移民を受け入れているからか、人口が増加し続けるトロントは、ここ10~20年住宅の建設ラッシュが続いています。それに伴って不動産投資も盛ん。(そしてその波にさらわれて、Yoshiもちゃっかりコンドを購入してたり。)私が住んだ2年の間にも、コンドミニアムのビルが春のつくしのように次々と天へ伸びてます。新しいコンドは、各ユニットごとにエアコンや電気・ガスメーターが付いてるみたいですが、古いものは全部集中なんですょ。光熱費も、メンテナンス代と称して、ビル管理費に組まれているようです。つまり、いっぱい使っても節約しても、ビルの中で折半・という感じ?
不便。。でもコンドの良いところは、ビル会社が管理してくれるので、修理やメンテ(雪かきとか外掃除とか)をお任せできるところですかね~。

それにしても、今日はセーターの下にTシャツ着ててよかった。。
汗かきかきでお茶をいただきながらおしゃべりしました。

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where I live 1

2005-04-06 | about Canada
Apr 6, 2005 /

As I promised Papacomamaco-san ( 好きなものに囲まれて暮らすママの日記 ), I will introduce you to a part of my townhouse. Take a look at my patio! Looks lovely, doesn't it?
Almost all of my neighbors have a fantastic gas BBQ grill in their patio but regrettably not for us.. What we have is a tiny portable charcoal grill. But, hey, isn't it better to have BBQ with smell of charcoal?

Where I live is called townhouse. Do you know what it is like? It is a house that looks like a huge mansion but is actually divided into many units inside. Each unit has three stories and seems to have unique layout. ... I have been in neighbor's corner unit that is more spacious and gorgeous. Anyway,
I will show you another picture of it next time. Don't miss it!


ウチの庭(パティオ)ですょ。
去年の初夏に撮った写真なので雰囲気さわやかですね。
天を仰いでイッちゃってるのが私そして3階から撮影したのがだんなYoshi。…そう、ウチは3階建てなのです。プラス半地下。
ウチが借りてるお家は、タウンハウスというタイプの家屋です。
ゴージャスな作りの長屋というと分かりやすいかと。。(分からんょ~)ひとつのでかい建物の中で、縦割りに何世帯もが暮らせるという感じの、…言ってみれば横長のマンション?
全体像はまた次回。。(ネタが尽きたときにでも(笑))

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bulkbarn

2005-03-16 | about Canada
Mar.15, 2005

Bulkbarn is Canada's bulk food retailer.
Check this out!!

I like shopping there because you can buy groceries as much as you want. Seriously, you could buy, say, kilos of flour if you are a serious baker. While you could buy 10g of it when you are out of it during baking. Yes, they sell by weight.

I went to the store today. What I bought were brans for bread, brown sugar for muffins and a bottle of multi vitamin. The vitamin was the only thing I needed but on impulse I got the other...

They sell groceries such as various kinds of flours, powders, dried fruits, peas and beans, candies, honey and morasses, things for cake-decorating and you name it!! They even sell dog food and ingredients for handmaid soap!
If you are a home baker or pastry chef, you will definitely it!!

... Try this store when you have a chance to come to Eastern Canada!
This chain retailer is based in Ontario and has its branches only in Eastern provinces. ( I didn't know that either. I have just checked the website.)


私の好きなカナダのお店・バルクバーン
量り売り屋さんです。
好きなものを好きなだけ買えるので、とても経済的v
お菓子作りなんかの材料で、ちょっとしか必要ないのにパッケージが大きすぎるっ…とかってよくありますよね?
ココならほんと、10gだけ!とかもアリなので嬉しいです。
それに、単価も安いし。
チョコレートやクッキーなんか特に!
包装にお金かからないからなんでしょうかね。