Tavern United, Winnipeg, MB (downtown)

Gord and I had supper tonight at Tavern United on Hargrave Street.  We got there just before the rush and could have sat anywhere, including the rooftop patio, if we'd wanted.  It was a bit chilly out so we sat at a high top on the main floor.

I ordered the TU Signature Double-Smashed Cheeseburger (minus the cheese, lettuce and onions).  It was a good burger.  The bun was soft and the patties tasty.  The fries were really good too but it was a lot of food and I couldn't finish all the fries.

Bellissimo Restaurant & Lounge, Winnipeg, MB

I had lunch today at Bellissimo Restaurant & Lounge on Waverley Street.

I've been there a few times over the years.  It's near my client's office and is the only restaurant nearby ... and I'm always happy that we have time to go.

I love love love pizza!  I ordered what I always order ... a pizza with pepperoni and tomatoes.  As always, it was delicious!

My clients go there often so the servers know them and are really friendly.

Shannon's Irish Pub, Winnipeg, MB

Gord and I had supper at Shannon's Irish Pub (Carlton/St. Mary) tonight.

It's in the basement.

It was pretty quiet when we got there.

Seagulls Restaurant and Lounge, Gimli, MB

Gord and I had a late lunch at Seagulls Restaurant & Lounge.  It's right on the beach.

I ordered a Seagulls' Burger (no lettuce or onions) with the chef's rather than fries.  The potato was good but it could have been warmer.  It was a good burger.  The bun was grilled in what tasted like garlic butter and was small and soft, which I like.  The patty was tasty.

Gimli, MB

After checking out the New Iceland Heritage Museum, Gord and I walked around Gimli (about an hour north of Winnipeg).  What a cute place!

One thousand Icelanders arrived in 1875 to settle the area. New Iceland took up 58 km of the Lake Winnipeg shore with Gimli being its first settlement. A monument in Viking Park explains the name Gimli came from Voluspa, an Ancient prophecy from the writings of the Elder Edda ... A hall more fair than the sun, thatched with gold, where people shall dwell in happiness forever.

Gord and I with the viking

Then we walked along the harbour.  What a lovely walk!

New Iceland Heritage Museum, Gimli, MB

Gord and I visited the New Iceland Heritage Museum in Gimli this afternoon ... it's about an hour northeast of Winnipeg.

The museum is dedicated to preserving the history and artifacts of the large population from Iceland who migrated to the Interlake region of Manitoba and now referred to as New Iceland, a region on Lake Winnipeg which was named for settlers from Iceland. It was settled in 1875.

Gord had heard about it a couple months ago and since we were nearby, we had to check it out.  Can you imagine people emigrating from Iceland to and settling in northern Manitoba in the late 1800s?!

There are lots of souvenirs you can buy.  Alas, they didn't have a cool teeshirt that caught my eye.  But the Icelandic sweaters were awesome ... I've made quite a few in my day!

Book ~ "Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know" (2019) Malcolm Gladwell

From Goodreads ~ In July 2015, a young black woman named Sandra Bland was pulled over for a minor traffic violation in rural Texas. Minutes later she was arrested and jailed. Three days later, she committed suicide in her cell. What went wrong? "Talking to Strangers" is all about what happens when we encounter people we don't know, why it often goes awry, and what it says about us.

How do we make sense of the unfamiliar? Why are we so bad at judging someone, reading a face, or detecting a lie? Why do we so often fail to 'get' other people?

Through a series of puzzles, encounters and misunderstandings, from little-known stories to infamous legal cases, Gladwell takes us on a journey through the unexpected. You will read about the spy who spent years undetected at the highest levels of the Pentagon, the man who saw through the fraudster Bernie Madoff, the suicide of the poet Sylvia Plath and the false conviction of Amanda Knox. You will discover that strangers are never simple.

No one shows us who we are like Malcolm Gladwell. Here he sets out to understand why we act the way we do, and how we all might know a little more about those we don't. 

This book is about how we misunderstand people's actions and tones and give people the benefit of the doubt and assume the people we're talking to are being honest.

It starts with the story of Sandra Bland.  She was a Black woman who had just moved from Chicago to Houston.  She was stopped by a police office in rural Texas for failing to signal when moving into the right hand lane.  Things escalated and she was arrested and put in jail.  A couple days later she committed suicide in her cell.  What happened?  How did it go from a routine traffic violation to suicide?  Gladwell analyzes the behavior of both and give us his opinion.

Gladwell also analyzes what happened in other true situations including Hitler's convincing behavior with an English prime minister before World War II, a Cuba spy in Czechoslavia who defected to the U.S., Bernie Madoff's investment scam, pedophile Jerry Sandusky, reading the expressions of the actors of Friends, terrorist KSM, if alcohol an excuse for rape, the arrest of Amanda Knox for the murder of Meredith Kercher, the death of Sylvia Plath and more.

It was an interesting read as it gave background information I didn't know but also discussed stories I didn't know about.

Book ~ "The Dogs of Cuba" (2019) Emmy Park

From Goodreads ~ Discover the lives of Cuba's dogs through the lens of award-winning photographer Emmy Park. 

This book is full of beautiful and raw images; explore the relationship between Cubans and their canine companions that roam the colorful streets, iconic landmarks, and remote areas of Cuba. 

Learn about local animal rescue organizations that provide care and medical attention to dogs without homes, and why they need support. Featuring every Cuban province, be transported into the daily lives of dogs against the backdrop of rugged streets and lush landscapes.

Emmy Park is a NYC-based fashion, portrait and pet photographer.  She went in Havana in 2015 to document the Cuban skateboarding scene.  Noticing dogs everywhere, she ended up touring Cuba's four provinces taking pictures of the dogs.  She learned that there were no laws for the protection of domestic animals in Cuba, leading to the abuse and abandonment of dogs.

Through social media, she connected with animal rescue organizations in Cuba and decided to use her photography to raise awareness of the plight of the dogs in Cuba.  She hopes that seeing the images will inspire you to join her movement in helping the dogs of Cuba.

I love reading books about animals so this book caught my eye.  Plus because Park is a photographer, I was interested in seeing how a professional would capture the pictures.  The book is full-colour pictures.  Some of the dogs are obviously well-loved and well-cared for.  But it's obvious that some aren't ... they are skinny and one seemed to be looking for food around some garbage.

Shaydid, Grace O'Malley's, Toronto, ON

Sister Sarah and I went to Cuba in April 2018 ... it was an east coast theme with Shaydid, a cover band from Halifax, NS.  They were playing at Grace O'Malley's this weekend so I went tonight (I've seen them there a few times since our Cuba trip).

They are a fun enthusiastic band and play a variety of songs that everyone knows.  They came on about 10pm.

Once the tables were removed from the dance floor, it didn't take long for it to fill up.  By the end of the night (1am), the dance floor was jammed!

Brazen Head Pub, Toronto, ON

After Gord and I left the Toronto Wolfpack game, we headed to the Brazen Head Pub in Liberty Village for an early supper.  It was a busy spot!

Toronto Wolfpack 46, Rochdale Hornets 0, Lamport Stadium, Toronto, ON

The Toronto Wolfpack RLFC is a Canadian professional rugby league club, based in here Toronto, which competes in the British Rugby Football League system.  In 2018, the club competed in the Championship, having begun to play in 2017 in League 1 and won a promotion in its inaugural season.  Gord and I have been going to the most of the games since 2017 and have been season ticket holders for the last two years.

The club is noted as being the first North American team to play in the Rugby Football League system, the first fully professional rugby league team in Canada and the world's first transatlantic rugby league team.  Their home stadium is Lamport Stadium (aka "The Den"), which is just a couple blocks from where Gord and I live.

Today the Wolfpack were playing the Rochdale Hornets.  Going into today's game, the Wolfpack was in first place with just one loss and Rochdale was in last place with just one win.

Here are Gord and I ...

Gord's friend and former work colleague, Roger, and Ben, Roger's dad, joined us.

The Rochdale Hornets had fans at the game.

The Wolfpack Dance Squad entertained ... today's theme was Country Day.

Jefferson, the Wolfpack mascot, and Gordo were decked out in their country gear.

Book ~ "The Dog Went Over the Mountain: Travels With Albie: An American Journey" (2019) Peter Zheutlin

From Goodreads ~ On the cusp of turning 65, a man and his beloved rescue dog of similar vintage take a poignant, often bemusing, and keenly observed journey across America and discover a big-hearted, welcoming country filled with memorable characters, a new-found appreciation for the life they temporarily left behind, and a determination to live more fully in the moment as old age looms. 

Inspired by John Steinbeck’s "Travels with Charley", Zheutlin, hits the road for a 9,000-mile odyssey with Albie to experience all that American is and means today. 

I've read and enjoyed a couple books by Zheutlin about rescue dogs.  In this book, he writes about a trip across the U.S. he made with his rescue dog, Albie.

Zheutlin had read John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley and decided when he was in his mid-60s to do the same with Albie.  After about a year of planning, he and Albie drive around the U.S.

This book is a diary of sorts of Zheutlin and Albie's journey ... the places they see, the people they meet and the adventures they have.  He found that because he had a dog with him people would more easily will talk with him because most are drawn to dogs.

I thought this book was just okay.  I think an American would enjoy it more because Zheutlin was describing in detail the various U.S. places he and Albie were exploring and the people and politics there were encountering and I had a hard time relating.

Topbox - August 2019

My August Topbox arrived today.

For only $12 a month, you will receive a Topbox with 4 carefully selected, indulgent, beauty products. Then test the products in the comfort of your own home.

 Here's what I received ...

Suncoatgirl water-based peel off nail polish (Girl Power)

Medusa's Make-Up Eyeshadow - Mystical Eye Dust (Medusa) 

YESNA Pumpkin Turmeric 2-in-1 Radiance Polishing Mask

belif Eye Bomb