Toronto Blue Jays 2 ~ Chicago Cubs 1, Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON

Every summer Dawn, our pal and neighbour, organizes her staff (and their friends and family) for an afternoon Toronto Blue Jays ~ Chicago Cubs game at the Rogers Centre. Knowing we’re fans, she invites us. And that’s what we did today! 

It was a fun game! The Jays beat the Chicago Cubs 2 - 1. Whoohoo!  Thanks, Dawn!

Gord and I ... and Dawn photobombing behind us

Honeycomb (aka Newfie) knitted mittens

I just finished knitting a pair of Honeycomb (aka Newfie) mittens to donate ... the colours are reef and black.

I used 4 ply yarn and 5mm double pointed needles.

Wrist

1. With A, cast on 42 sts
2. Knit 1, purl 1 for 18 rows
3. Purl
4. Purl, increasing 2 stitches on each needle for a total of 48 stitches

Pattern

1.  *Knit 4 with B, slip 2 purlwise with A*, repeat to the end of row
2. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
3. Purl 2 rows with A
4. Knit 1 with B, * slip 2 purlwise with A, knit 4 with B*, repeat to the last three stitches, knit 3 with B
5. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
6. Purl 2 rows with A
7.  *Knit 4 with B, slip 2 purlwise with A*, repeat to the end of row
8. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
9. Purl 2 rows with A
10. Knit 1 with B, * slip 2 purlwise with A, knit 4 with B*, repeat to the last three stitches, knit 3 with B
11. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
12. Purl 2 rows with A

Thumb

1. In step 12 above, purl 2, put 7 stitches on a stitch holder for the thumb and cast on 7 stitches, purl to the end.  Purl 1 row.

Mitten

1. Knit the pattern until long enough (I did 6)
2. Knit 1 row
3. *Knit 4, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
4. Knit 2 rows
5. *Knit 3, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
6. Knit 2 rows
7. *Knit 2, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
8. Knit 2 rows
9. *Knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
10. Thread the yarn through remaining the loops and pull tight
11. Weave end inside

Thumb

1. With A, pick up the 7 stitches from the holder
2. Pick up 7 stitches around the thumb hole for a total of 14 stitches
3. Knit to fit length of thumb
4. Knit 2 together all around
5. Thread the yarn through the remaining loops and pull tight
6. Weave end inside

Martin Goodman Trail, Toronto, ON

It's a hot sunny day and I had the urge to head to the beach ... so I drove to the Lakeshore parked near Sunnyside Beach and went for a long walk along the Martin Goodman Trail.

There were a few people at Sunnyside Beach and a couple in the water.

I headed west along the Martin Goodman Trail.

Gaga Chromatica Ball: Viewing Party & Singalong!, The Theatre Centre, Toronto, ON

The staff at The Theatre Centre (at Queen Street W/Dovercourt Road) took over their café the last couple weeks and tonight it was Angelo’s turn. He hosted the Gaga Chromatica Ball: Viewing Party & Singalong!. 

Celebrate the 3 year anniversary of Lady Gaga’s Chromatica Ball in Toronto! Bring friends, dance, sing, drink Gaga’s favourite cocktail in true Little Monster fashion. 

Just as we would have at the concert, Gaga-themed outfits, t-shirts and scream-singing along are encouraged! Angelo will bring a few rare merch items for you to see IRL before the film and there will be time to share your best LG stories to share with fellow LMs!

Angelo had lots of memorabilia and is an obvious fan. It was lots of fun ... check out my Instagram for the singing and dancing! Thanks, Angelo!

Book ~ "John Candy: A Life in Comedy" (2025) Paul Myers

From Goodreads ~ From his humble beginnings in sketch comedy with the Toronto branch of Second City, to his rise to fame in "SCTV" and Hollywood film classics like "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", "The Great Outdoors" and "Uncle Buck", John Candy captivated audiences with his self-deprecating humour, emotional warmth and gift for improvisation. Now for the first time since Candy’s tragic death, biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs.

Drawing on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy’s closest friends and colleagues including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short and many more, "John Candy: A Life in Comedy" celebrates the comedian’s unparalleled talent, infectious charm and generosity of spirit. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, Candy faced the world with a big smile and a warm demeanour that earned him the love and adoration of fans around the world.

This book is a behind-the-scenes look at the life and career of John Candy (1950 - 1994). It dives into Candy’s rise from local sketch comedy in Toronto to Hollywood fame, while also showing the kind, generous and sometimes troubled man behind all the laughs.

Candy grew up in Toronto and got his comedy start at Second City. Thanks to Dan Aykroyd, he landed a spot on SCTV and became a breakout star with his big heart and even bigger characters. From Stripes to The Blues Brothers to Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains and Automobiles to Cool Runnings, Candy built a career on playing lovable funny underdogs. This book takes you through those roles and others (there are whole chapters on most of his movies).

The author spoke with a lot of Candy’s friends and co-stars (including Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Tom Hanks, Martin Short and Dan Aykroyd) to show the deep affection and admiration so many had for him. Off-camera Candy was generous and thoughtful ... for example, buying Thanksgiving dinner for entire film crews, comforting homesick extras and always making time for people. The book also looks at Candy’s struggles with anxiety, his weight and the pressure of being “the funny guy.”

I was (and still am) a fan of John Candy. He passed away just over 30 years ago and I'm surprised it's taken this long for someone to write such a book about him. I enjoyed it and it was interesting to learn more about Candy. It's obvious that it's well-researched and honest ... though he knew better (his father had passed away young of a heart attack), Candy liked his smokes, rum & Cokes and food. It would have been nice, though, to have some photographs included as it's just all text.

Happy Simcoe Day!

It’s Simcoe Day here in Ontario ... a civic holiday that honours Colonel John Graves Simcoe. 

Simcoe was a notable figure in history: 

• A hero of the American Revolutionary War 
• Commander of the Queen’s York Rangers 
• Founder of what would become Toronto 
• The first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada 
• Visionary behind the building of Yonge Street 
• He passed legislation that began the process of abolishing slavery in what’s now Ontario, 30 years before the rest of the British Empire and 60 years before Abraham Lincoln did the same in the U.S.

Honeycomb (aka Newfie) knitted mittens

I just finished knitting a pair of Honeycomb (aka Newfie) mittens to donate ... the colours are raspberry and black.

I used 4 ply yarn and 5mm double pointed needles.

Wrist

1. With A, cast on 42 sts
2. Knit 1, purl 1 for 18 rows
3. Purl
4. Purl, increasing 2 stitches on each needle for a total of 48 stitches

Pattern

1.  *Knit 4 with B, slip 2 purlwise with A*, repeat to the end of row
2. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
3. Purl 2 rows with A
4. Knit 1 with B, * slip 2 purlwise with A, knit 4 with B*, repeat to the last three stitches, knit 3 with B
5. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
6. Purl 2 rows with A
7.  *Knit 4 with B, slip 2 purlwise with A*, repeat to the end of row
8. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
9. Purl 2 rows with A
10. Knit 1 with B, * slip 2 purlwise with A, knit 4 with B*, repeat to the last three stitches, knit 3 with B
11. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
12. Purl 2 rows with A

Thumb

1. In step 12 above, purl 2, put 7 stitches on a stitch holder for the thumb and cast on 7 stitches, purl to the end.  Purl 1 row.

Mitten

1. Knit the pattern until long enough (I did 6)
2. Knit 1 row
3. *Knit 4, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
4. Knit 2 rows
5. *Knit 3, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
6. Knit 2 rows
7. *Knit 2, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
8. Knit 2 rows
9. *Knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
10. Thread the yarn through remaining the loops and pull tight
11. Weave end inside

Thumb

1. With A, pick up the 7 stitches from the holder
2. Pick up 7 stitches around the thumb hole for a total of 14 stitches
3. Knit to fit length of thumb
4. Knit 2 together all around
5. Thread the yarn through the remaining loops and pull tight
6. Weave end inside

Chamberlains Pony Bar, Toronto, ON

Gord and I stopped in Chamberlain's Pony Bar (at King Street W/Portland Street) … they opened almost a year ago in a former hair salon. 

They were showing Olympic equestrian events from the 1980s on the TVs.

Gusto 101, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had supper at Gusto 101 on Portland Street (just north of King Street W). It’s a former auto garage. Our friend and neighbour, Dawn, had given us a gift certificate for Christmas and we finally used it this evening.

We ate on the street level patio. It was a busy spot with lots to see!

Inside on the main level ...

Duke's Refresher and Bar, Toronto, ON (Queen Street E),

I had supper at Duke’s Refresher and Bar on Queen Street E/Broadview on the rooftop patio this evening.

$5 happy hour beer ... right on!

Book ~ "Living in the Present with John Prine" (2025) Tom Piazza

From Goodreads ~ In the spring of 2018, Tom Piazza climbed into a 1977 Coupe DeVille with the great singer-songwriter John Prine, taking a Florida road trip that soon evolved into a deep friendship, full of jokes and tall tales over epic meals, afternoons digging around antique malls and record stores, and long nights playing guitar and trading songs. 

Eventually they decided to write Prine’s memoir together and Prine shared intimate, often hilarious stories of his youth and family in Chicago and Kentucky, his breakthrough into the national spotlight, his riotous early years in the Nashville country scene, and much more. 

When Prine died suddenly of COVID in April 2020, that unfinished memoir evolved into an intimate narrative of the artist’s final years. Piazza offers fans an unforgettable portrait of the beloved musician in his late glory - as a boyish cut-up, an epic raconteur, a great American poet, and most importantly, the good friend his fans have always imagined.

John Prine was an American country/folk singer-songwriter who has been around since the early 1970s. I've been a fan of John Prine for over 40 years. I've seen him many times in concert and was happy I attended his last concert here in Toronto (The Tree of Forgiveness tour). I think his death during COVID probably hit me the hardest of all the celebs who had passed away during that time.

Tom Piazza spent time with Prine at home and on the road with the intent of writing an article about him before Prine asked him to work on a memoir about him. They ended up enjoying a two year friendship before he passed away. Piazza shared moments that showed Prine's sense of humor, his love for the simple things and the way he saw the world a little differently than most. Even after surviving cancer, Prine didn’t dwell on the past or future ... he was all about appreciating what was right in front of him (especially food and dessert!). Prine's songs were simple but packed with emotion, real life, heart and a touch of wry humor. 

I enjoyed this book. I like that there were actual interviews with Prine transcribed so we got to know Prine in his own words and his sense of humour. Prine sounds like a fun guy to hang out with. In addition to spending time with Prine, Piazza also spent time with his family including Prine's wife, Fiona, his sons and his late older brother, Dave. It was nice to see the intimate pictures of Prine as a regular guy. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Don't Try to Find Me" (2014) Holly Brown

From Goodreads ~ Don't try to find me. Though the message on the kitchen white board is written in Marley's hand, her mother Rachel knows there has to be some other explanation. Marley would never run away.

As the days pass and it sinks in that the impossible has occurred, Rachel and her husband, Paul, are informed that the police have "limited resources." If they want their 14-year-old daughter back, they will have to find her themselves. Desperation becomes determination when Paul turns to Facebook and Twitter and launches FindMarley.com.

But Marley isn't the only one with secrets.

With public exposure comes scrutiny and when Rachel blows a television interview, the dirty speculation begins. Now the blogosphere is convinced Rachel is hiding something. It's not what they think; Rachel would never hurt Marley. Not intentionally anyway. But when it's discovered that she's lied, even to the police, the devoted mother becomes a suspect in Marley's disappearance.

Is Marley out there somewhere, watching it all happen, or is the truth something far worse?

Fourteen-year-old Marley disappears one day, leaving her iPhone behind and a note on a whiteboard saying, “Don’t try to find me.” Her parents are shocked, especially Rachel, her mom, and Paul, her father, starts a huge online campaign to bring Marley back. But as her parents goes public, cracks start to show in their seemingly perfect life and and it becomes obvious Rachel has been hiding things.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I thought it was okay, not great. It is written in first personal perspective jumping back and forth in Rachel’s and Marley’s voices and different timelines (the chapters are labeled). As the story progresses, we eventually discover why Marley ran away and the ramifications of her decision. The police don't seem overly effective or interested in finding Marley and I found it unbelievable that Paul's online campaign was more instrumental than them. Why wasn't there an amber alert issued right away? I didn't find any of the characters overly likeable. As a head's up, there is swearing and teenage "adult" activity.

Book ~ "Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook" (2010) Anthony Bourdain

From Goodreads ~ "Medium Raw" marks the return of the inimitable Anthony Bourdain, author of the blockbuster bestseller "Kitchen Confidential" and three-time Emmy Award-nominated host of "No Reservations" on TV’s Travel Channel. 

Bourdain calls his book, “A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook,” and he is at his entertaining best as he takes aim at some of the biggest names in the foodie world, including David Chang, Alice Waters, the Top Chef winners and losers and many more.

Medium Raw is Bourdain’s follow-up to Kitchen Confidential, which I read last week. It's a series of essays where he writes about the food world, the people in it and how much everything (including himself) has changed. Bourdain’s older, in his second marriage, dad to a young daughter and no longer living the reckless chef life.

He talks about the behind-the-scenes reality of restaurants, shares some opinions on celebrity chefs (some he loves, some he absolutely does not) and gives props to the underappreciated people doing the real work in kitchens, like immigrant line cooks and fish guys who never get the spotlight. 

I thought this book was just okay. Because it is a series of essays, it jumps around a lot about many subjects. Some of the essays were interesting (like personal ones about himself) and some weren't. He makes references to people and restaurants I've never heard of (maybe they were part of the New York scene?) and I didn't really care about them. As a head's up, there is lots of swearing.

Downtown Winery, Toronto, ON

After our massages, Gord and I stopped in Downtown Winery on Ossington Avenue (just north of Queen Street W) ... OSSFEST was happening so it was busy with fun energy!

Laya Spa & Yoga, Toronto, ON

For our birthdays, Gord and I don't buy each other anything ... instead we gift each other with experiences. Today is my birthday and we went for 60 minute massages at Laya Spa & Yoga (Queen W/Ossington). Thanks, Gord!

Gord and I