In an article written by Susan Lazaruk of the Vancouver Sun, she reports that 2 new residential towers proposed for Alberni and Bidwell streets in the West End are designed to mimic large undulating cedars to lend a Vancouver character, according to the world famous design architects, Heatherwick studio from the U.K.

The design is intended  to use trees as the inspiration with the idea of gentle curving vertical structures that connect the public on the ground floor to the top of the towers.

The 2 tree towers, 1 thirty storeys, the other thirty-four, at 1728 Alberni St and 735 Bidwell St, would be made up of 401 strata residential units - studios and one, two and three bedrooms - with balconies and views to the mountains, Stanley Park and the harbour.

The project proposed more spaces  for bikes (524) than for cars (499), and would replace 2 mid 1980's era apartment towers on the land.

The new towers would sit on a five-storey, mixed use podium that would incorporate varied architectural materials, including wood and a lot of greenery. Each of the buildings' two bases is styled after a 'green mountain' that would house restaurants and shops, and have a ground-floor plaza designed to be open in the warmer months only.

The project is to be jointly developed by Bosa and Kingswood  Properties.

It's not know at this time when the buildings, if approved, would be completed.

According to an article by Kirsten Clarke of the Richmond News, homeowners in Richmond spend 44% of their income on mortgage payments, making it the second most cost burdened city in Canada.

The report by Point2, which studies real estate trends, looked at the 50 most populated cities in Canada and compiled a list of those considered to have the most unaffordable markets.

It's a similar situation for Burnaby and Oakville, Ontario which placed 1st and 3rd on the list. In Burnaby, homeowners spent 44.7% of their income on mortgages in 2020.

Other cities in Metro Vancouver included on the list, and where mortgages take up more than 30% of owners' income are: Vancouver (41.6%), Langley (40.5%), Coquitlam (38.5%) and Surrey (32.2%).

In 2010, mortgages in Richmond took up to 28% of homeowners' income, which increased to 34% by 2015.

In Richmond, homes prices more than doubled - jumping by 109.9% - in the past decade, while wages grew by just 32.1% over the same period.

One of my favourite things do is to collect somewhat useless, random, but interesting facts. Here are just a few.

The heads on Easter Island have bodies

The iconic stone heads protruding from the ground on Easter Island are familiar to most, but many don't realize what lies beneath the surface. In the '10's, archaeoligists studying the hundreds of stone statues on the Pacific Island excavated two figures, revealing full torsos, which measure as high as 33 feet.

The moon has moonquakes

Just as earth has earthquakes, the moon has moonquakes. Less common and less intense than the shakes that happen here, moonquakes are believed by US Geological Survey (USGS) scientists to occur due to tidal stresses connected to the disance between earth and the moon.

Pineapple works as a natural meat tenderizer

The fruit is packed with the same enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein chains, making it an ideal marinade for meats when you don't have a lot of time. But for the same reason, pineapple does not work for jams or jellies, since the enzyme breaks down gelatin as well.  The bromelain is so strong that pineapple processors have to wear protective gloves, otherwise over time the enzyme eats away at the skin on their face and hands, leaving dry skin and small sores.

You lose up to 30% of your taste buds in flight

This might explain whay airplane food gets such a bad reputation.  The elevation in an airplane can have a detrimental effect of our ability to taste things. According to a 2010 study conducted by Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, the dryness experienced at a high elevation as well as low pressure reduces the sensitivity of a person's taste buds to sweet and salty food by about 30%. Add that to dry cabin air which affects our ability to smell, and our ability to taste even further.

Your notrils work one at a time

When we breath in and out of our nose during the day, one nostril does most of the work at a time, with the duties switching every few hours. This 'nasal-cycle' is dictacted by the same autonomic nervous system that regulates heart rate, digestion, and other unconscious bodily functions and is the reason why when our nose gets stuffed up, it does so one nostril at a time.

Problem: When you need something that will let you work on the go, no matter where you are - whether it be at Starbucks or eating lunch in a restaurant. You don't want to carry a full size keyboard and mouse with you at all times.

Solution: Dartle Type

The Dartle is a handy device that enables you to leave your portable keyboard or heavy notebook at home. Simply use Dartle and type directly into your phone or IPad.  Or use Mouse Mode by simply moving your fingers across a flat surface to use mouse actions, manipulate images, or even draw - and of course, type quickly and effeciently.

The Dartle uses the latest Bluetooth protocols to connect to any mobile device or computer quickly and easily, replacing any keyboard.

Australian airline, Qantas has been named the world's safest airline for the third year in a row by AirlineRatings, the world's leading airline safety review website.

In making its selections, the safety and products website took numerous critical factors into account. These include audits from aviation's governing bodies and leading associations; government audits; airline's crash and serious incident record, fleet age, financial position and pilot training and culture.

Qatar Airways came in second  in the list of safest airlines followed by: New Zealand (3rd), Singapore Airlines (4th), Emirates (5th), EVA Air (6th), Etihad Airways (7th), Alaska Airline (8th), Cathay Pacific Airways (9th) and British Airways (10th).

Coming Soon: A list of airlines that are keeping us the safest from Covid-19.

The most expensive housing market in Canada appears to be ready to surge after 3 years of sitting quiet.

In Metro Vancouver, where the average homes costs just over $1 million, prices could just rise 9% this year, according to a forecast from Royal LePage.

That's a large rebound after 3 years when benchmark Vancouver homes gained just 0.5% as local government efforts to control housing costs started taking hold.

Prices in Vancouver will be driven up in 2021 as first time buyers try to get into the market and the demand for housing outstrips supply.

Vancouver is not just dealing with a few weeks of pent-up demand, but 3 years of pent-up demand.

Covid-19 has fueled a rally in Canadian home prices, as low interest rates and demand for more space drive a buying frenzy. A tight supply of available properties has helped drive up prices. This trend is expected to continue through 2021.

Nationally, home prices will jump 5.5% this year, with most of Canada's largest cities out pacing that rate of growth according to the report.