[Atlantic]

I was chatting to Scotian during the week and the idea for an Edmonton lifestyle thread came up. Seems like there is upwards of at least 20 guys out here now.

This is not a thread about looking for work - use the extensive Oil Sands thread. Rather a place to discuss lifestyle, training, day/night/online game, social venues and events, entertainment and just generally shot the shit about working in the patch.

The way I see it we are all out here to improve our bank accounts and quality of life in one way or another. A collective pool of knowledge and advice will benefit everyone. A rising tide lifts all ships as they say.

I have some topics in mind that I will bust out in the following days. One of the first things I want to post some data on is gaming on a budget in Edmonton. I spend very little and have been having good success.

Whoever is out here post a quick update so we have a rough guide of who is around nowadays to get the thread going. A lot of guys I have lost track of or haven't even meet yet.

Anyone with any initial questions/topics post them too and we can try get the info flowing.

[Atlantic]

Actually decided to have a crack at this tonight even though I’m tired and ending a night shift:

Gaming on a budget in Edmonton


Cheap ways to meet girls:

First up is Tinder.

Yes it takes some work and it can be annoying but it does have some great advantages for living in Edmonton. The huge one is you can use it when working out of town to pipeline for when you are back. You can literally pipeline while working on a pipeline. Get a GPS cracker (easy to find in the download store on any phone). Set it to Whyte Ave and swipe right on your lunch break to anything you would bang. By end of shift you will have some leads. Don’t tell them you are out of town but rather you are busy with some business but you will try catch up soon for some coffee. I find a lot more girls are willing to meet during the day for something casual rather than drinks at night. Plus this allows you to hit up multiple girls per day. Perfect for when you only have a short period of time back in town. Line up as many FB and number leads as you can. Overbook since a lot will flake.


Daygame

Best spots I have found are bookstores, coffee shops, around U of A and my favourite summer spot – the Rivervalley. A good trick is to get a bicycle and ‘get lost’ and ask a cute girl for directions. Have a map on you for effect or use the one of your phone. Then without making it look obvious ask for a number to maybe hang out sometime. A good trick is to pretend to cycle away after getting directions but then stop again to ask. I used this my first few weeks in Canada and it worked well.


Getting a secondary social job

I have mentioned this before but short version: Get a job in a café/clothes store/swimming pool/bar/nightclub/grocery store etc. Anywhere with lots of female staff and customers. The job itself doesn’t matter it’s just a front. Game as much as possible before you get fired haha. When you are getting hired tell them you have a main job but that you are happy to work casual hours when you are around and/or cover shifts. A lot of employees will be flexible and let you leave town and return to work when you are back. I did this for 5 months last summer and had a great time. In fact I had 4+ jobs at one point although I wouldn’t recommend going that far.


I am off to bed so Ill continue tomorrow with cheap/free activities to do with girls that are still fun.

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

Maybe you could do this as a data sheet in the travel forum? Seems to fit the bill.

[Atlantic]

(06-26-2014 07:27 AM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  

Maybe you could do this as a data sheet in the travel forum? Seems to fit the bill.

True. If a mod can change it to the travel section Id be grateful. Or do I have to PM to ask?

[scotian]

This is a great thread idea Atlantic for anyone considering moving to Edmonton, there's a lot of info in the oil sands thread but its buried in the 100+ pages so hopefully us Etown locals can drop some good intel here for the new comers.

One thing that comes to mind whenever someone tells me that they're moving to Edmonton is location, location, location! I know that the same can be said for just about any city in the world but with Edmonton its of particular concern because if you pick the wrong area, your life could really suck and I don't want to see that happening, especially to the new guys. The reason for this is that geographically, Edmonton is huge and its constantly expanding outwards, I think I read somewhere that Edmonton is larger than NYC area wise, and at under one million people, it isn't a population dense city at all. For this reason, I always suggest that guys stay in the older, more established areas of Edmonton and away from the suburban outskirts, your location will have a major impact on your social life and could even affect your work, especially if you don't have a vehicle.

I'll add more to this later, hopefully I can figure out how to make a Google Maps pic showing where to and where not to live in Edmonton.

[TheFinalEpic]

Edmonton born and raised, will definitely contribute.

I've noticed in recent years the city has started to really pick up in development not only outwards but in the city centre as well, consider living here; the new arena and higher end condos are pretty much the sole real estate discussion today.

Even though the city can come off as boring, we get all seasons, and the river valley is absolutely beautiful year-round. Great place for a low cost first date.

[hiphoppotamus]

Anyone find the girls who go out at night really trashy or is this something peculiar to Alberta?

[Atlantic]

How did the meet up go recently? I should be back in a week if anyone wants to meet up.

[Jack Of All Trades]

The summer's here, I don't have a prime location like whyte ave or downtown. So I'm gona try and scope out the malls during off hours. Main issue with edmonton is it's just too spread out, anyone try driving and stopping to hit up girls?

[alecks]

There definitely are a lot of trashy type girls here but the upaide is that they get outweighed by the quantiy of hot girls,its summer so they are all out partying shopping etc.

Have two hotties on lockdown at the moment via pof/tinder

[donnie514]

Awesome thread idea.

Cactus Club on Jasper: Park in the parking lot of Joeys if you can't find street parking. Go early grab a seat at the bar right next too where the waitresses pick up the drinks. If you don't want or can't game the waitresses then this place would be a skip but I like the vibe of place and gets me in the mood.

Central Social Hall: Walking distance from Cactus Club. Not a bad a spot with good ratios until after 11:30. The place isn't too happenin so its easy to pull girls to a "better spot" aka my house or Azucar Piquante

Azucar: This place is not only far but blows big time. They keep lights on, bad ratios, bad dress code but somehow I always come back and have a blast. If you are willingly to salsa dance you can do very well over here and bonus points if you can speak some Spanish. The girls will love it.
-Bartenders are easy to buy off
-The Girls are there for the taking
-Best place in town to keep your Latin Fever at bay.


Anybody got any good date spots for drinks?
Anybody know of any cigar lounges or high end whiskey bars?

[Atlantic]

Has anyone had any out of town success on Tinder?

I am working near Grande Prairie and the results have been dismal. I have had great success back in Edmonton but its just not working out here. Girls are fast to state they are 'only looking for friends' and slow to write back. Plus my catfish episode.

One funny thing happened. Have you ever gone through a girls profile and one picture shows up multiple times? (more then the allowed 6 pics, sometimes it shows up 10 times+ in a row). Well I don't know how but this happened with a topless gym post gym picture of me. It was showing up about 15 times in a row. Took me a week to find out and fix it haha. Girls must of thought I was a complete douche.

[TheFinalEpic]

Anyone else notice that there are a hell of a lot of attractive girls in the neighbouring cities of Sherwood park and St. Albert? Seems that if I meet a hot girl at an Edmonton establishment, chances are she's not actually from Edmonton and from one of the two.

[Jack Of All Trades]

Out of edmonton sex ratios are just plain skewed. Think of it this way, they were small towns to begin with, add 5000+ oil workers to a small city making 100k+ a year screws it up easily. Grande Prairie has pop of what? 50k? the vast majority are men so the numbers aren't on your side. Edmonton has a larger existing population so it can absorb all excess population, women also make the move as well so it's still pretty good.

[alecks]

Guys can you recommend me a good gym in edmonton and I'm not talking about a leisure venture. I'm talking tons of free weights/ lots of squat racks benches and platforms for deadlifting. The closest I've seen is snap fitness just at mill creek cause I'm gonna be moving down near there

[Tresdus]

Where do you live? I go to Worldhealth, 10 locations around the city. I've seens guys deadlift and squat 6 plates there.

If you want to sign up there let me know and I can refer you so you get a free 2 week period.

[Atlantic]

(06-30-2014 11:51 PM)Jack Of All Trades Wrote:  

Out of edmonton sex ratios are just plain skewed. Think of it this way, they were small towns to begin with, add 5000+ oil workers to a small city making 100k+ a year screws it up easily. Grande Prairie has pop of what? 50k? the vast majority are men so the numbers aren't on your side. Edmonton has a larger existing population so it can absorb all excess population, women also make the move as well so it's still pretty good.

Funny you mention GP. I am working pretty close by at the moment. Although there are cute girls the poor ratios definitely change the dynamic.
Girls on tinder have terrible attitudes and in town they don't bring any energy to interactions. I have yet to get any attraction and I have been out here a month. Compare that to Edmonton where I meet several new girls every week who if I had the time are solid leads. I don't really try in these small towns anymore and prefer to focus on reading, work and gym.

[Atlantic]

(06-30-2014 09:39 AM)TheFinalEpic Wrote:  

Anyone else notice that there are a hell of a lot of attractive girls in the neighbouring cities of Sherwood park and St. Albert? Seems that if I meet a hot girl at an Edmonton establishment, chances are she's not actually from Edmonton and from one of the two.

Anyone know of any good day game spots in either St A or Sherwood park?

[scotian]

(06-30-2014 12:18 AM)donnie514 Wrote:  

Awesome thread idea.

Cactus Club on Jasper: Park in the parking lot of Joeys if you can't find street parking. Go early grab a seat at the bar right next too where the waitresses pick up the drinks. If you don't want or can't game the waitresses then this place would be a skip but I like the vibe of place and gets me in the mood.

Central Social Hall: Walking distance from Cactus Club. Not a bad a spot with good ratios until after 11:30. The place isn't too happenin so its easy to pull girls to a "better spot" aka my house or Azucar Piquante

Azucar: This place is not only far but blows big time. They keep lights on, bad ratios, bad dress code but somehow I always come back and have a blast. If you are willingly to salsa dance you can do very well over here and bonus points if you can speak some Spanish. The girls will love it.
-Bartenders are easy to buy off
-The Girls are there for the taking
-Best place in town to keep your Latin Fever at bay.


Anybody got any good date spots for drinks?
Anybody know of any cigar lounges or high end whiskey bars?

Donnie, you have to check out "Bistro Roma" on 97 street and 118 avenue, its a Colombian restaurant during the day and club at night, I went during the day to watch the Colombia-Ecuador game and it was full of Colombians. To get there, go north on 97 street, turn left at 118 ave, then go all the way around the roundabout and take your last turn, you'll see it there by the tattoo parlour, its in a shitty neighborhood. Also, I found a place in the West Ed mall that sells aguardiente, I forget the name of the liquor boutique but its near the London Drugs on the lower floor, I picked up a bottle of Antioquiena sin azucar for $35.

(07-09-2014 11:17 PM)alecks Wrote:  

Guys can you recommend me a good gym in edmonton and I'm not talking about a leisure venture. I'm talking tons of free weights/ lots of squat racks benches and platforms for deadlifting. The closest I've seen is snap fitness just at mill creek cause I'm gonna be moving down near there

Is that the gym right beside the Value Village on 82nd and 89st? If so its a 30 second walk from my condo which I'm moving into in October, I'd be interested to know what its like inside, just in case I ever get my ass back into the gym.

Guys there's a few decent festivals coming up, the biggest being the Fringe Fest which attracts a lot of artists and also the Heritage Festival which takes place in Hawlerak Park, that's probably one of my favorites because there's tons of ethnic pussy floating around there for three days, plus some really good food. Another good one which I've been to and includes a nice parade is the Edmonton Cari West Festival, lots of sexy island girls from the West Indies that weekend.

I can't comment much on what happens in Sherwood Park but I used to live in St Alberta for a few months, its nice up there, I think its one of the richest postal codes in Alberta, that's where a lot of politicians and business people live, there's basically no riff raff up there but its a bit dull. The people are friendly enough but the bars aren't really all that happening, there's some spots for day game like small malls or Star Bucks but nothing too interesting. Down town St Alberta is kind nice, there's a couple decent restaurants and nice parks there, actually, if I had a family, I would want to live up there, but not as a young single dude.

[Tresdus]

Yes it's the same one scotian. From what I've heard Snap Fitness isnt that good. I considered going there, too but didn't in the end.

Is it just me or does every single girl in Edmonton have a tattoo?

[DjembaDjemba]

Snap fitness is garbage. Small, stuffy, missing key equipment, snake oil salesmen staff, not worth it.

There are however very good gyms in Edmonton with limited patrons and plenty of key pieces of equipment- free weights, squat racks, etc, whatever your hearts desire.

About the tattoos; if she was born and raised in Edmonton, good chance is that she has a tat. Sluts with tats gentlemen, it's the staple of the city, bread and butter, oil and gas, pipes and flanges...sluts with tats.

I'm down with the with sluts with tats.

In regards to finding a good place to find women in Edmonton, you'll have to utilize whatever means you want, all depends on your hunger and determination to get laid.

When I came 2 years ago I used night game, day game, and club game.

The nicest girls I met online, the filthiest sluts I met in the clubs, and in the daygame department, the results didn't justify the effort, but I'm sure in festivals there's no shortage of single and willing women.

This is where everyone finds their little niche and fills it.

[scotian]

Did any of you check out the Edmonton Art Walk on Whyte ave this weekend? I went a couple times years ago and its usually packed with people, obviously a more artsy crowd, some of you probably passed by it today or your way to watch the world cup game because it happens where most of the bars are 104-108 street.

[yardyboy]

(07-09-2014 11:17 PM)alecks Wrote:  

Guys can you recommend me a good gym in edmonton and I'm not talking about a leisure venture. I'm talking tons of free weights/ lots of squat racks benches and platforms for deadlifting. The closest I've seen is snap fitness just at mill creek cause I'm gonna be moving down near there

The Sports and Wellness Center at MacEwan University is another good gym in Edmonton. Decent selection and a variety of weights, as well as a few deadlift platforms. If you're into swimming, the gym membership comes with full access to their pool and hot tub.

Has anyone had any good experience with the Edmonton City Centre Mall or even Churchill Square?

[DjembaDjemba]

The Edmonton Heritage festival is coming up on August 2nd, highly recommended. It's a good spot to chill out for the afternoon and try a variety of global foods.

Lots of good Ukrainian food (and women).

The taste of Edmonton is happening right now until the end of the week, including the weekend. It's a smaller version of heritage, but still good to take a girl, or just hit up solo to check out the sights, sounds and tastes.

There is also the Edmonton night market on Friday nights from 7-11pm. Street festival, food vendors and hipsters. That's located on Jasper, and it's a good jump off spot to hit up the bars after.

[donnie514]

Switched jobs and back on the Rigs. Waiting to be called up. If anyone wants to meet send me a PM or something.