Yolk, Chicago, IL

Gord and I had breakfast this morning at Yolk (on East Ohio Street) ... it is in the Streeterville 'hood.

The 'hood is named after George Wellington "Cap" Streeter

There was a line-up when we got there ... just a five minute wait

Gord ordered Eggs Benedict.  He said it was good and he'd get it again.

O’Callaghan’s, Chicago, IL

Gord and I had a late supper at O'Callaghan's (on W Hubbard Street).   It's a cute pub.

Gord ordered Fish & Chips, swapping his fries for onion rings.  He said it was good.  It was a perfect portion.

Tall Ship Windy, Chicago, IL

Gord and I did the 7:30pm sailing on the Tall Ship Windy.  It was about $30 each and was about 75 minutes.

The Tall Ship Windy, sailing from Navy Pier in Chicago, is a 148 foot traditional four masted gaff topsail schooner. She offers fireworks cruises, pirate cruises, and a variety of other public and private cruises in Chicago. She is built of modern materials, however, like old trading schooners and sail training ships, the Windy has all the character and charm of the great Age of Sail. 

 Windy was built by Detyens Shipyard, Inc. of Charleston SC. A custom design, she was conceived by Captain Robert Marthai “Captain Bob”, longtime sailor and traveler, also became a maritime adventurer, maritime historian, designer and shipbuilder. Windy was welcomed as the biggest and newest schooner to the Lake Michigan Fleet in July 1996. Windy reveals its designer’s love of Traditional Sailing Ship, yet integrates modern amenities and safety items such as pressurized plumbing, bow thrusters for docking, and a 300 hp Cummins diesel engine.

The theme was "Real Pirates of the Inland Seas"

We sat in the front (the bow).

Gord

Navy Pier Ferris Wheel, Chicago, IL

Gord and I walked along Navy Pier this afternoon.

We went on the ferris wheel.  It's $8US and takes about 7.5 minutes to go around.

The views were great!

Rock Bottom Brewery, Chicago, IL

Gord and I had a late lunch today at Rock Bottom Brewery (on W Grand Avenue).

They have a rooftop patio that looked great.

We sat inside where it was cool.

They make their own beer onsite.

Book ~ "Photography: Techniques To Help You Take Better Pictures" (2012) Alistair Scott

From Goodreads ~ Photography tips and advice to help you … 

• add wow to your images with simple, little-known techniques that change a good shot into a great shot
• get pin-sharp, perfectly composed & correctly exposed images, time and time again
• choose the best camera and identify only those essential accessories - take stunning portraits of your family and friends
• earn cash from the sale of your images to pay for your hobby 

This guide, with its mix of non-technical language and humor, is unique. Award-winning photographer Alistair Scott presents a selection of his best tips that will help you take better photographs … and profit from them. Covering everything from buying your equipment, through operating the camera’s controls effectively, to techniques for portrait, landscape and family photography. These tips will have you shooting like a pro.

I like reading books about photography.  Gord and I have taken classes and I'd like to get better at it.  Books remind me of this.

This book's chapters include:

1. Kit and Caboodle
2. How to be a Sharpshooter
3. Compose Yourself
4. The Light Fantastic
5. Shooting People
6. The Call of the Wild
7. Be a Good Sport
8. Child's Play?  No Way!
9. High Days ... Holidays ... Houses and Other Things
10. Take Case
11. Earn from your Camera

This is a good book for beginners.  I found it explained things in an easy-to-understand way without getting too complicated.  As it is fairly high level and doesn't get into too many details, it whets the appetite so if you want to learn more about how to do something, you can either research it online or get another book.

There were some colourful pictures to show what the author was talking about.

Float Toronto, Toronto, ON

I woke up early this morning and felt like going for a float.

Float Toronto on Queen Street W (at Beaconsfield) is in our 'hood and they had an 8am appointment available so I took it.  I've been there a couple times and have enjoyed it.

Floatation therapy, also known as floating, floatation, sensory deprivation, or R.E.S.T (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy) involves lying in a salt-water solution in a spacious tank. It is one of the most effective means of stress relief and relaxation available. Now widely accepted as a legitimate therapy, floatation is also used to treat a wide range of ailments and conditions and has been proven to lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone). The term sensory deprivation is often used as the environment is designed to limit sensory input and allow your body to fully relax.

Your ears (with earplugs in) stay just below the water; the tanks are insulated against sound leaving you in peaceful silence.  After you shut the door and turn off the light, you float in total darkness – you won’t notice a difference between keeping your eyes open or closed.  Inside the tank, you’ll find 10 inches of water and 900 lbs. of dissolved Epsom salts – a solution that allows you to float effortlessly. The water and air are both kept at 34.1C – this is skin-receptor neutral, which means that when you fully relax, you lose track of where your body ends and the water or air begins. During your float, the outside world is gone and amazing things happen. It turns out that when you’re not fighting gravity or receiving sensory input, your body has a lot of extra resources at its disposal. Your mind is free to navigate without distraction, your brain pumps out dopamine and endorphins, and the parasympathetic nervous system gets to work helping you rest, de-stress and heal. It’s likely to be the most relaxing thing you’ve ever experienced.

There are five rooms individual rooms with a floatation tank and a shower ... they have everything you need including ear plugs, shampoo, conditioner, etc.

Happy birthday to me!

53 years ago today ... at 2:12pm ... I made my arrival into the world at the Grace Maternity Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Here I am at my first birthday party ... celebrating with cake and a washing machine.  Good times!

Happy 13th anniversary to Gord and I!

Sister Sarah, Teena, Gord and Ken 
July 26, 2002 ~ 5:30pm
City Hall, Toronto, ON

Toronto’s Festival of Beer, Toronto, ON

Toronto's Festival of Beer is happening this weekend at Exhibition Place.  Gord and I went this afternoon along with our friends, Darlene and Christine.

The Festival boasts over 60 brewers featuring more than 300 brands from all over the globe. From lagers to stouts, fruit beer to ales, we have something for everyone! The Festival features more than just beer; there are several non-malt based beverages available including cider and ready-to-drink beverages! Our food vendors are all well known Toronto food purveyors creating some great grub for you to enjoy! Whether you’re looking for oysters, poutine, or a burger, you’ll be able to find the perfect thing to satisfy your appetite!

This is our fourth year going and we usually go on the Friday night.  It was fun to go today for a change.

Me and Gord

Christine, Darlene and Gord

Today was sold out months ago but it never seemed crowded.

beautybox five - July 2015

My July beautybox five arrived today.

Beauty Box 5 is a subscription-based, beauty sampling service that delivers 5 deluxe samples and full-sized products right to your door every month.

Subscriptions are $12US a month or $99US for a year.  Shipping is free.

Here's what was in it ...

• Love Life Skin Collection - 4 x 0.03oz samples - $0.12 value
• Nanococo Nail Polish (Dazzle Purple) - $3 value
• Pur~lisse Flash Tattoos - 1.2oz sample - $5 value
• OFRA Lip Gloss (Golden Rose) - $12.95 value
• OFRA Lip Liner (Glazier Pink) - $13 value

Value = $34.07US

Book ~ "Arranged" (2012) Catherine McKenzie

From Goodreads ~ Anne Blythe has a great life: a good job, good friends and a potential book deal for her first novel. When it comes to finding someone to share it with, however, she just can't seem to get it right.

After yet another relationship ends, Anne comes across a business card for what she thinks is a dating service and she pockets it just in case. When her best friend, Sarah, announces she's engaged, Anne can't help feeling envious. On an impulse, she decides to give the service a try because maybe she could use a little assistance in finding the right man. But Anne soon discovers the company isn't a dating service; it's an exclusive, and pricey, arranged marriage service. She initially rejects the idea, but the more she thinks about it - and the company's success rate - the more it appeals to her. After all, arranged marriages are the norm for millions of women around the world, so why wouldn't it work for her?

A few months later, Anne is travelling to a Mexican resort, where in one short weekend she will meet and marry Jack. And against all odds, it seems to be working out - until Anne learns that Jack, and the company that arranged their marriage, are not what they seem at all.

Yet another of Anne's relationships has ended.  When her best friend, Sarah, gets engaged, Anne, who is in her early thirties, wants what Sarah has.  She had found a business card on the street for a matchmaking agency and she eventually calls them.  That's when she discovered that it's not a matchmaking agency but an agency that arranges marriages.  It costs $10,000 and there is a quite a rigorous process including an intensive questionnaire, counselling sessions before and after the marriage and a marriage/honeymoon in Mexico.

Anne signs up and is matched with Jack, another writer.  They feel a connection and go ahead with the marriage.  Things are going well between them until Anne discovers something about Jack.

I liked the writing style and thought it was well-paced.  It is written in first person perspective in Anne's voice.  As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

I thought this was an interesting premise ... an arranged marriage between two professionals who wouldn't normally do it for religious or cultural reasons.  I can't imagine being brave enough to do it.  Everything happens really quickly but I was buying it.  I liked Anne and Jack and thought they were good together and was cheering for them.  I liked Jack's sense of humour, which was at times a tad sarcastic.  I also liked William, Anne's boss, and his interactions with Anne ... they were funny together.  Anne had a lot of support with her friend, Sarah, and her brother and sister-in-law, Gilbert and Cathy.

I would recommend this book, especially if you are looking for something different in a chick lit.

Montana's Front Porch, Edmonton, AB

I'm flying home this afternoon to Toronto and had lunch at Montana's Front Porch at the Edmonton Airport.  I've been to some Montana's restaurants and have liked their food.

I ordered Double Dusted Chicken Wings with medium sauce.  The wings are suppose to be one of the "signature" items ... hence the "M".  If my wings are indicative of what they usually serve, I wouldn't be bragging about them if I was Montana's.  These weren't freshly cooked just for me (they were just warm and that sitting around for a while taste) and they were overcooked at that.  Not good :(

Ramada Sherwood Park, Sherwood Park, AB

I had a seminar to conduct this morning in Sherwood Park (just west of Edmonton) and I spent last night at the Ramada Sherwood Park.

The reception/lobby

Here is my room ...