FRINGE!

K.P and I checked out Fringefest yesterday and as expected it did not disappoint. The Winnipeg Fringe Festival is collection of short plays, skits, improv, musicals etc. It is always a good time and this is actually the first chance that I have had to check out a show in some time. I some how make it to Old Market Square every year to hang out, watch the the outdoor stage or have a beer in the beer gardens but not to a show. This year was different! K.P is nutters for the Fringe. She took yesterday off to hang out and go see some shows. We decided that walking was better than biking because we are both sketchy on locking up our bikes (me more so than her) and you can have mobile beverages while walking. I headed out to meet her, I also found some of my douchebag sunglasses.

Weird poster

SMOKE!! I would partake of that deliciousness later

The bridge was heavy with foot traffic and I appreciated that the guy on the bike dismounted. I like polite bikers.

Beers in the sun. In this location I am sure these empties were quickly snatched up.

Einstein

New fountain! This thing is super bad ass and even cooler at night

New park to accompany the new fountain

Bike lock ups

We were kind of in a little rush but I was still stopping and taking pictures although I did skip past half the stuff I saw. This was not be skipped over. Assume all weird posters for the next week are for Fringe.

New condos. I don't know if I am entirely sold on this whole revitalization of downtown thing they have been working on for what feels like forever.

We have hit the Exchange. Look at all the bikes! Thank goodness we didn't bring them. There was no where to lock them up but seeing all the bikes all hanging out together makes me happy.

We had to stop, I didn't bring a big enough purse. There was so much goodness that I had run out of room and hands while trying to juggle my baby camera WHICH...sorry going off on a mini rant...I dropped it the other day while fumbling for my keys. It seemed all right at first but it's first charge since the drop and then my first attempt to upload pictures produced a "communication error" when I plugged the cord into the camera. I tried other cords, taking the battery and memory card out...nothing. Sooooo now I can't transfer pictures via the cord I have to take the memory card out and stick it directly into the laptop. First.World.Problems. At least she still works she is just going to be fussy now about how she will transfer pictures. I can live with that...BACK TO THE FRINGE...my purse, it's bulging.

The combination of those 3 people was so strange but not unexpected.

WE'RE IN!

Pretty urban knitting

Fait du Canada avec amour. J'adore ce signe <3

A cute little bike clutch

A creepy cute handmade stuffie

Sepia is as close as I get to Instagram

The view as we people watched while waiting for the doors to open for seating. If I had to live in another urban area that was not my hood it would be the Exchange, big old trees and buildings, cute quirky shops and restaurants, bars, green spaces.

Inside the venue. Air conditioned (I think) but it was much smaller than I expected. We were front row and there was a row behind us. It held 58 people so said the Fringe guide.

This is what we were seeing The Muff-Stache Colletive Presents Lady Skits. K.P picked, I approved.

Here is their blurb from the Fringe guide

" It began one naked, drunken hot tub night. After titful comparison, fretful debate on hair removal and voicing our vaginas, we aimed to change the world one ha-ha-ha at a time. Our collective creation (and bad boyfriends, F papers and insidious one-night stands) led to the obscurity of this sketchy comedy Lady Skits. In a dick joke-dominated world, let's get some vagina up in heeere!" 

How could I not love this? Such zealous use of the word vagina in itself was enough, I was sold! It did not disappoint. Gut-bustingly hilarious, brash and contemporary (they whipped cell phones out of their bras to text message in all of their skits). They did several skits with them as like sex in the city Greek goddess bitching about their boyfriends like Zues and Hades. A 21st century feminist show. There were some dudes in the audience who were laughing along with us ladies but don't take your man to this one. Take your girls and laugh and be revolted at a menstrual rap which involved a soiled tampon in a tupperwear and then mid way be prepared for a rather poignant but quick and thought provoking 4 person feminist monologue. Highly entertaining and as the dude behind me said as we were leaving the show "I wouldn't be surprised if it was voted best of Fringe". Congrats Lady Skits...SHOW US YOUR TITS!! This was obviously an R rated, mature audience show.

After the show we headed for some food, We had chatted about what we were going to have but who were we kidding? We knew what we were having... SMOKE'S! (photo NOT from last night)

More specifically Smoke's Poutinerie...yes, a store that only sells poutine. To my American friends who aren't in the know...fries, gravy, cheese curds...then this places twists them like Italian, Country style, Nacho, Veggie, BACON, pulled pork and their limited time one the Donair Poutine which I didn't see until after I ordered or I would have got that. This place is amazing and I was shocked we only had to wait 10 minutes. Check em out SMOKE'S I got the bacon cheeseburger but I would have to say that plain bacon in my very favourite.

A small crowd in what is essentially a to-go only restaurant.

Sadly it was nearing 10pm by the time I took this picture so it is not as appetizing as it could look but IDGAF!! Bacon cheeseburger (ground beef, bacon, cheese sauce) goodness...a.k.a heart attack in a box

K.P got the Country Style (bacon, chicken, mushroom, onions) but subbed out the onions for peas. I didn't know you could do that...Mmmm

This is a plain bacon in good day light on the big mama jama

K.P's under the table beer gardens chalk message

I was confused until I pointed him out to K.P. Apparently this year if you wear a foil hat you get a $1 off a Fringe show. They do this every year and the gimmick is something different.

My LPC's friend is in this one, another all female comdey troupe. I would love to go see this one.

Cakeology had cute colorful lanterns

We started to walk home and we passed a church that had this sign in the window. I didn't know Jesus took summer holidays.

MOAR POSTERS!

K.P bought a new camera (a Canon of course)

We decided Deuteronomy is probably one of the funnest words in the Bible to say

The new fountain but at night. It looks super cool from far back and that orange and yellow sculpture is from the old park that was built in the 70s. I am glad they kept it.

It's so bad ass and misty.

Our shadows...this may seem simplistic but this was a redemption shot. We attempted to take a similar shot on a disposable camera at the lake, in the dark while really drunk about 9 years ago. We thought we could just cover the flash with our fingers and we would be good. Well we got the pictures back and were really confused as to why there was a shitty picture of a gravel road then we realized what we had done. We still laugh about it to this day.

Caged bike lock ups

Tiny purse crammed with Fringe goodness.