http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton en-gb Sun, 19 May 2013 18:26:26 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/So-how-bad-a-May-Long-is-this-207604841.html I have been hearing a lot of griping lately, that the forecast for May Long weekend calls for too much rain. On the other hand, I'm hearing a lot of Crankshaft-level cynicism from people who throw up their hands and say, "It ALWAYS rains on May Long." It couldn't always rain on May Long, right?... Wed, 15 May 2013 15:40:00 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/Crunching-some-WestJet-numbers-207547531.html Now that I'm officially booked into the very first WestJet Encore flight from YBR > YYC (that's airline talk for Brandon to Calgary), I've been soliciting ideas on what to do for the 18 hours that my girlfriend and I are in the city. We've had plenty — including some great ones from the Wed, 15 May 2013 09:51:00 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/Im-going-to-Calgary-207428521.html On Monday, WestJet announced that they would add Brandon to their list of Encore destinations — flying here once a day from Calgary in the morning and returning in the early afternoon. On Tuesday, I bought a ticket. In fact, two tickets. My girlfriend and I will be among the first in line Tue, 14 May 2013 14:43:00 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/Photo-from-the-past-shows-how-little-has-changed-206946281.html Twenty-three years ago today, I was a strapping young lad, about to head out on my Brandon Sun paper route, when I was taken aside for a quick photo. The photographer posed me in front of the newspaper offices, had me extend that day's edition towards the camera, and took my portrait. I don't Fri, 10 May 2013 11:29:00 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/Target-Opening-Day-review-206429511.html Will Target make a difference in the Brandon retail scene? Judging from the opening hours on Tuesday morning, the answer is yes. A lineup halfway down the building was waiting to get in when the doors opened precisely at 8 a.m. Staff — including security guards — efficiently herded Tue, 7 May 2013 10:25:00 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/Your-weekend-patio-roundup-204911181.html So, it's finally warm(ish) and sunny out there. You're itching to get outside and enjoy some of this long-delayed spring. You want to enjoy a cool beverage in the warm sun. You want a patio! Although Facebook friends tell me that there are plenty of patios open in Winnipeg, it's been like Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:22:00 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/A-paucity-of-patios-204850081.html Whatever happened to the power of the press? Earlier this week, I put out a plea to local restauranteurs. "Hey," I said. "They are calling for sunny skies and a high of 15 C on Friday. That's my payday … I want to sit outside on a patio after work." I said it would be easy enough to Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:02:00 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/Lounge-owners-Plan-now-to-take-my-money-on-your-patios-204123541.html Attention bar and lounge owners and managers in Brandon: This weekend will be nice. Okay, it's not going to be like SUPER nice, but compared to anything so far this year, it's going to be baking hot. At this point (and I know that forecasts aren't carved in stone) the Environment Canada Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:30:00 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/Learning-through-eating-201682141.html I really like ACC's new-ish slogan, "Learn by doing." That's not because I'm really a hands-on learner (I am, a little, but I'm really a text-based learner with a fondness for charts and graphs) but because I think it perfectly sums up their whole approach to education in a succinct little Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:00 CDT http://www.brandonsun.com/opinion/blogs/grant-hamilton/Brewpub-idea-fermenting-nicely.html Those who know me know that I tend to brim with self-confidence. I'm perfectly aware that it verges on cocky — perhaps arrogant — at times. But even I was daunted last fall when I realized how much it would take to turn Brandon's vacant downtown fire hall into a brewpub. Oh, it's a Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:53:00 CDT