Teena in Toronto

Saturday, 15 September 2012

Pub St-Patrick, Quebec City, Qc

I hadn't eaten since breakfast this morning so was hungry.

After walking around Old Quebec City for a while, I stopped at Pub St-Patrick for supper.

Quebec City, Qc

I have a sales conference next week in Quebec City so flew in today to spend a couple days exploring.

This afternoon I headed to Old Quebec City, about a 15 minute walk from my hotel.

At De la Couronne and Cote d'Abraham, there is a staircase to go up.

Or you can take the elevator that is next door.

From Goodreads ~ Jane Porter is hardly a typical woman of her time. The only female student in Cambridge University's medical program, she is far more comfortable in a lab coat, dissecting corpses, than she is in a corset and gown sipping afternoon tea. A budding paleontologist, Jane dreams of travelling the globe in search of fossils that will prove the evolutionary theories of her scientist hero, Charles Darwin.

When dashing American explorer Ral Conrath invites Jane and her father on an expedition deep into West Africa, she can hardly believe her luck. Rising to the challenge, Jane finds an Africa that is every bit as beautiful and fascinating as she has always imagined. But she quickly learns that the lush jungle is full of secrets--and so is Ral Conrath. When danger strikes, Jane finds her hero, the key to humanity's past, and an all-consuming love in one extraordinary man: Tarzan of the Apes.

This book is written in first person, in Jane's voice. The story takes place in the early 1900s. The writing style was old-fashioned and in a tone from that time.

The story jumps around over the years, from when Jane was in school and getting ready to go to Africa with her father to meeting Tarzan to years later when she is retelling it to Ed Burroughs. I found it was most interesting when it was telling about her time with Tarzan.

If you want to get to know Jane better, this is the book to read.

Foggy Dew, Toronto, ON

Gord and I met my pal, Liz, and her beau, Jamie, for supper tonight at the Foggy Dew (King W/Niagara).

Liz and I worked together back in the mid to late nineties. Liz and Jamie have been together for about a year and it was the first time we've met him (usually it's just the girls who get together).

The pub was fairly busy and we grabbed a table in the corner.

Jamie and Liz order the Cottage Pie (slow cooked Angus beef with peas and carrots in a rich Guinness and fresh herb gravy, topped with sweet potato mash and served with a house salad). They both said it was delicious!

Island Foods, Toronto, ON (King Street W)

I had lunch today with my pals, Eduardo and Louise. We worked together in 1998 and get together a couple times a year to catch up.

Island Foods (Dufferin/King W) is just a few blocks west of where we worked so we would go there quite often ... and that's where we met today.

It's a busy popular spot so we got there about 11:45am ... from noon onwards there was a constant line-up.

Dog and Cat Shaming

I discovered Dog Shaming a couple weeks ago.

It's a hilarious spot where people send pictures of their dogs when they have been bad.

Here's one from today ...

There is also Cat Shaming (though it's not as well laid out) ...

Tuesday, 11 September 2012

In remembrance of the Canadians lost in 9/11

In remembrance of the Canadians who died in 9/11:

Book ~ "Faces of the Gone" (2009) Brad Parks

From Goodreads ~ Four bodies, each with a single bullet wound in the back of the head, stacked like cord-wood in a weed-choked vacant lot: That's the front-page news facing Carter Ross, investigative reporter with the Newark Eagle-Examiner. Immediately dispatched to the scene, Carter learns that the four victims an exotic dancer, a drug dealer, a hustler, and a mama's boy came from different parts of the city and didn't seem to know one another.

The police, eager to calm jittery residents, leak a theory that the murders are revenge for a bar stickup, and Carter's paper, hungry for a scoop, hastily prints it. Carter doesn't come from the streets, but he understands a thing or two about Newark's neighborhoods. And he knows there are no quick answers when dealing with a crime like this.

Determined to uncover the true story, he enlists the aide of Tina Thompson, the paper's smoking-hot city editor, to run interference at the office; Tommy Hernandez, the paper's gay Cuban intern, to help him with legwork on the streets; and Tynesha Dales, a local stripper, to take him to Newark's underside. It turns out that the four victims have one connection after all, and this knowledge will put Carter on the path of one very ambitious killer.

We meet Carter Ross who is a reporter. He ends up working on the story of the four murdered victims. They don't seem to have any tie to each other until Carter starts to dig and manages to find one, which puts him and others in danger.

This is the first in the Carter Ross series. I enjoyed the writing style. It is funny and sarcastic, but not over the top.

There is a cross section of characters and I liked them. The interactions between he and Tina and he and Tommy are funny. Tina's clock is ticking and she thinks Carter would be a good candidate to be the father of her child. Alas, they keep getting hammered and he ends up sleeping on her couch. Carter comes from a rich background and dresses very cool ... if he were in the 90s. Tommy is always bugging him about his pleated pants.

The ending came together well and I bought the "who dunnit".

Monday, 10 September 2012

Dish cloth

I made a dish cloth tonight.

It was really easy and a new pattern for me.

Cast on 33 sts.
K 4 rows.
Next Row: K1, * yo, K2tog*; rep from * across.
Next Row: K.
Rep these 2 rows.
K 4 rows.
Bind off.

Book ~ Best of Bridge Slow Cooker Cookbook (2012) Sally Vaughan-Johnston

From Robertrose.ca ~ An exciting new collection of recipes from the Best of Bridge kitchen that are not only delicious but incredibly convenient.

Sally Vaughan-Johnston and Best of Bridge — the team that brought you Bravo! and Fan Fare! — are back with this collection of recipes created specifically for the slow cooker. This truly is a winning combination: the convenience of a slow cooker, combined with sure-to-please Bridge recipes.

This fantastic collection features recipes for everything from elegant appetizer, breakfast and brunch ideas to delectable desserts. And many of your favorite classic Bridge recipes have been adapted to work in the slow cooker.

The Best of Bridge motto remains the same: “Simple recipes with gourmet results.” The recipes work, and the one-liners will keep you smiling in the kitchen.

I received a copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

When Gord moved in more than ten years ago, he brought along his crockpot. He'd gotten it as a wedding present with his first wife back in 1976. I'd never used a crockpot so stored it away. Then I saw that my pal, Angie, was making crockpot meals. It sounded easy so I got ours out ... and it was very easy yet yummy.

This book appealed to me because I thought it would be fun to expand past just chicken pieces and a bottle of BBQ sauce (though delicious) ... and it was.

It starts with "Slow Cooker 101", which was helpful and I learned a lot.

Best-Ever Braised Short Ribs

Gord made the Best-Ever Braised Short Ribs for supper in our crockpot (aka slow cooker).

He found the recipe in the Best of Bridge Slow Cooker Cookbook.

They were soooooo tender and tasty! I'd be okay if he made this again :)

Ingredients:

4 to 5 lbs (2 to 2.5kg) beef short ribs
Salt and pepper
1T (15ml) vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large carrot, chopped (we used baby carrots)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2t (2ml) dried thyme (we didn't have any)
2T (30ml) tomato paste
1/4 cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar
1 cup (250ml) beef broth
2 bay leaves
1T (15ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
2T (30ml) chopped fresh parsley (we didn't have any)

Kitties are a bad influence

My closet has been bugging me for a while. I spent a couple hours this morning rearranging it. I didn't throw out much but I ended up some more space and I know where everything is again. Yay!

Crumpet and Morgan were a big help! They are great supervisors.

Afterwards they were so tired out and settled onto the bed for a snooze. They were so cute that I couldn't resist cuddling in with them for a while.

Then I got up and organized some cupboards we have in the bedroom.

The lure of the napping kitties was too much for Gord and he joined them this afternoon.

Once Gord got up, Morgan and Crumpet realized they didn't need him ... they still had each other.

Book ~ "Taking Action Working Through Procrastination and Achieving Your Goals" (2012) Jay Earley

From Goodreads ~ Do you find yourself avoiding important tasks? Is it hard for you to make decisions and take action to move your life ahead? This book shows how to work through the psychological issues that drive Procrastination so you can take action and accomplish your goals.

You will learn about the different types of Procrastination, the fears that drive them, and the childhood wounds behind them. You will learn how to work through your fears and practice overcoming procrastination so you can achieve your dreams.

This book is based on the Pattern System, a comprehensive and detailed map of the human psyche.

Taking Action is more than a book. It includes:

An online workbook
An online quiz
Recorded guided meditations
An online community

Do you find yourself avoiding important tasks?
Learn about the part of you that doesn't want to do them.

When you are faced with a project that must be completed, do you get distracted or busy with other tasks?
Uncover the fears that are behind this avoidance.

Do you decide to do something and then forget about it?
Explore the childhood origins of your fears about taking action.

Is it difficult for you to discipline yourself to exercise, meditate, or eat well?
Understand the part of you that may rebel against your best intentions.

Is it hard for you to make decisions and take action to move your life ahead?
Work through your fears so you can move forward with confidence.

Do you want more self-confidence and success?
Create a practice for overcoming procrastination and accomplishing your goals.

I received an ecopy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

I tend to be a procrastinator. If there is something I want to do, I'll jump right into it. But if it is something I don't want to do, I have no problem finding other things to do to avoid it. I tend to avoid doing things that I think may lead to failure. If I don't start it, I can't fail, right? I've read that it's a characteristic of being being a first born. Plus, I'm easily distracted. So I thought this book would be helpful.

Book ~ "Full Frontal T.O.: Exploring Toronto's Architectural Vernacular" (2012) Shawn Micallef and Patrick Cummins

From Goodreads ~ For over thirty years, Patrick Cummins has been wandering the streets of Toronto, taking mugshots of its houses, variety stores, garages, and ever-changing storefronts. Straightforward shots chronicle the same buildings over the years, or travel the length of a block, facade by facade. Other sections collect vintage Coke signs on variety stores or garage graffiti.

Full Frontal T.O. features over three hundred gorgeous photos of Toronto's messy urbanism, with accompanying text by master urban explorer Shawn Micallef.

Patrick Cummins has photographed Toronto's built environment since 1978 and has worked as an archivist in Toronto since 1986.

Shawn Micallef is the author of Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto and a senior editor at Spacing magazine.

I find it fascinating to see how Toronto has changed over the years. Full Frontal T.O. is Patrick Cummin's photo diary of just that. He has taken pictures of places over the last 30 years and goes back on a regular basis to note the changes. Shawn Micallef provides commentary to the pictures.

I enjoyed this book because most of the pictures are of the west end of the city (which is where I live) and there are a lot from my 'hood. I'd recommend it to anyone who lives or has lived in Toronto.

I noticed a couple errors, though ... for example, there are pictures that are noted to be on Queen Street W but are actually on Queen Street E. Another is an updated picture of the corner Queen Street W/Shaw which was supposed to have been taken in 2001 but must have been 2011 since the County General, which is now on that corner and in the picture, only opened last year.

Canada 1, Panama 0 ~ 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

Gord and I went to the Canada - Panama soccer game this evening. It was a qualifying game for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

We were in the SW corner ... here's the view from our seats looking towards downtown.

It was a sea of red cheering for Canada. CANADA! CANADA! Almost 18,000 were loud and proud!

Bar Vespa, Toronto, ON

Before the soccer game this evening, Gord and I had supper at Bar Vespa.

We haven't been since it opened last year.

We both had a Mill Street Birra Sophia ... it was tasty.

Book ~ "Confessions of a Prairie Bitch" (2010) Alison Arngrim

From Goodreads ~ For seven years, Alison Arngrim played a wretched, scheming, selfish, lying, manipulative brat on one of TV history's most beloved series. Though millions of Little House on the Prairie viewers hated Nellie Oleson and her evil antics, Arngrim grew to love her character—and the freedom and confidence Nellie inspired in her.

In Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, Arngrim describes growing up in Hollywood with her eccentric parents: Thor Arngrim, a talent manager to Liberace and others, whose appetite for publicity was insatiable, and legendary voice actress Norma MacMillan, who played both Gumby and Casper the Friendly Ghost. She recalls her most cherished and often wickedly funny moments behind the scenes of Little House: Michael Landon's "unsaintly" habit of not wearing underwear; how she and Melissa Gilbert (who played her TV nemesis, Laura Ingalls) became best friends and accidentally got drunk on rum cakes at 7-Eleven; and the only time she and Katherine MacGregor (who played Nellie's mom) appeared in public in costume, provoking a posse of elementary schoolgirls to attack them.

Arngrim relays all this and more with biting wit, but she also bravely recounts her life's challenges: her struggle to survive a history of traumatic abuse, depression, and paralyzing shyness; the "secret" her father kept from her for twenty years; and the devastating loss of her "Little House husband" and best friend, Steve Tracy, to AIDS, which inspired her second career in social and political activism. Arngrim describes how Nellie Oleson taught her to be bold, daring, and determined, and how she is eternally grateful to have had the biggest little bitch on the prairie to show her the way.

I hated Little House on the Prairie ... really, I truly hated it and didn't watch it.

But I like bios so I thought I'd check this book out.

I enjoyed it. It was interesting to get the behind-the-scenes dirt (and sometimes it was literally dirt as "Laura" and "Nellie" fought in the mud!). According to Arngrim, she and Melissa Gilbert were and still are great friends. With Melissa Sue Anderson, not so much ... she wasn't very nice. Michael Landon didn't like to wear underwear and had a weird sense of humour. Alison became very close to her TV husband and after he passed away from AIDS, she became involved in the cause.

I liked the writing style. It was funny and sarcastic. At times, she talks about serious issues (like her brother sexually abusing her when she was six ... A-hole!!) and her nomadic upbringing (her parents sound flighty) but she discusses it in a honest manner.

Though not a fan of Little House on the Prairie, I became a fan of Alison Arngrim's.

Wednesday, 5 September 2012

Jack Astor's Bar & Grill, Toronto ON (Front Street)

I had supper tonight with my pal, Franca, at Jack Astor's on Front Street.

Franca had the California Grilled Chicken Salad ( A marinated grilled fresh chicken breast and hothouse tomatoes, served on mixed greens with balsamic dressing. Topped with fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, beet curls and a balsamic glaze.)

I had what I usually have there ... Chicken Parmigiana (Fresh chicken breast, lightly breaded and topped with smoked Mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. Served with bowtie pasta, tossed in a creamy cheese sauce.). It was good, though they were a little stingy with the cheese on the chicken.

GlossyBox - August

I picked up my GlossyBox at the post office today. Whoohoo!

Luxe Box - September 2012

I had signed up for an annual membership for Luxe Box in the spring.

I should have gotten a box each month. I got three before they changed their membership format. I could either get my remaining $80 back or I could go on the quarterly plan and have an $80 credit. Because I chose to stick with it, I would get this new quarter box at the old price.

It came in the same good quality box ... rectangular rather than the usual square one.