Porzia, Toronto, ON

Gord and I were invited to the spring media launch of Porzia (at Queen W/Brock Street), which is in our 'hood.

Ipsy Glam Bag - April 2015

I received my April Ipsy Glam Bag today ... the theme was Beautifully Bohemian.

• 4 to 5 beauty products in a collectible makeup bag 
• Monthly videos showing you how to get the Look 
• Win free products in contests and giveaways

Subscriptions are $10US a month or $110US for a year.  Shipping is free in the U.S. and $4.95US per month to Canada.  It works out to $212.85CN for the year ($17.74CN a month).

Here's what was in it:

• Make-up bag
• Bonita CosmeticsBonita Salon Nail Polish (Cocktails in Aruba) - 0.5 oz - $3.99 value
• theBalm CosmeticsNUDE Dude Eyeshadow Single (Fit) - 0.035 oz - $3 value
• KloraneDry Shampoo with oat milk - natural tint - 1 oz - $5.93 value
• Hikari Cosmetics Blush (Tango) - 0.21 oz - $15 value
• Crown BrushOval Concealer Brush - 0.25 oz - $4.47 value

Total value: $32.39US (excluding the bag)

Toronto Blue Jay 2 - Tampa Bay Rays 3

Last night was the home opener for the Toronto Blue Jays.  Gord and I couldn't get tickets for it (they sold out very quickly) so we went tonight instead.

I got there early (about 6ish) because I went straight from a client's office.  I watched the Jays' batters warm up.

Here is the walk up music for the Jays' players.

Meghan Hoople sang the national anthems.

Daniel Norris was the Jays' starting pitcher ... and the game began.

Book ~ "Dirty Sweet: A Mystery" (2006) John McFetridge

From Goodreads ~ In the middle of the afternoon on a busy downtown Toronto street a man is shot in the head behind the wheel of his SUV. The killer drives away before the light changes. It could be road rage or it could be a random act of violence. 

It could be but it isn’t. What it is, is opportunity.  For everyone involved. 

The witness, Roxanne Keyes, a real estate agent trying desperately to lease out space in unwanted office space, recognizes the killer - a man who had once looked to rent with her. She figures with this kind of leverage he’ll be a lot more interested now. Except he’s Boris Suliemanov, a Russian mobster in the strip club business, who’s now busy taking out competitors and expanding into drugs and grand theft auto. 

Then there’s Vince Fournier, a cool guy with a mysterious past who might be able to help Roxanne deal with Boris if he gets what he wants. He rents space in her building for his internet porn company but he’s looking for a little more from her. And finally, the homicide squad cops can see their own opportunities in the brazen daytime murder.

Roxanne is having a coffee at Starbucks when she witnesses a murder right front of her.  Roxanne recognizes the driver of the getaway car but when the police question her, she doesn't tell them.  Instead she figures she will use it to her advantage ... Boris, the driver, had been interested in renting office space from her recently and maybe this will convince him to do it.

In the meantime, Roxanne starts dating one of her tenants, Vince, who owns an online porn company.  Together they approach Boris with a proposition which hopefully he can't refuse.

I loved that this book was set in Toronto and didn't try to hide it.  The murder took place at the Starbucks on King Street W.  Roxanne sat on the patio of the Wheat Sheaf drinking a Keith's beer (great patio and great wings).  Stolen cars were loaded onto tankers off Cherry Street, just past the former Docks entertainment centre.  Boris owned a strip club out by Pearson Airport.  Roxanne and Boris have drinks at the Drake, which is in my 'hood.  I've been to the Lion on the Beach pub (now the Stone Lion).

This is the first book I've read by this author, who lives in Toronto.  I really wanted to like it as I enjoy mysteries/suspense and I did for a while.  But I found that the writing could have been tighter and that it dragged with too many mindless conversations.  I didn't like any of the characters so didn't care what happened to them.  By the end of the book, I was bored and just wanted to finish it.  As a head's up, the language is for mature readers and there are adult situations.

I won't be rushing to read more by this author ... just not my style, I guess.

Toronto Food + Drink Market, Toronto, ON

Gord and I went to the Toronto Food + Drink Market this afternoon at the Direct Energy Centre.

We walked up and down the aisle checking out the booths.  There are lots of the booths giving out free samples of food and drinks.  If you liked what you tried, you could buy it.

Toronto Rock 14, Vancouver Stealth 7

Gord and I are season ticket holders for the Toronto Rock lacrosse team games ... the Rock is a professional lacrosse franchise in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).  This is our third year going to the games and our second year having seasons tickets.

Going into tonight's game, they were in first place (11 - 4) and were playing the Vancouver Stealth. This is the Rock's second last home game, they've lost their last two home games and Vancouver doesn't have a great record ... so we were hoping for a win.

The Rock players warmed up

As usual, Scotty Newlands sang the national anthem.

2015 Ontario Brewing Awards, Toronto, ON

Gord and I attended the 2015 Ontario Brewing Awards tonight. It was held at Corus Quay (Jarvis and Queen's Quay).

Seventy breweries had submitted their product for judging in the awards, which is up 27 from 2014.

Sample glasses

Gord and I both enjoy beer ... and there were so many brewers and beer that we'd never seen before there.  It was fun to check them out.

Book ~ "Comet's Tale: How the Dog I Rescued Saved My Life" (2012) Steven D. Wolf and Lynette Padwa

From Goodreads ~ Forced into early retirement by a spinal condition, Steven Wolf reluctantly left his family and moved to Arizona for its warm winter climate.   A lifelong dog lover, the former hard-driving attorney is drawn to a local group that rescues retired racing greyhounds. 

When Comet, a once-abused cinnamon-striped racer, chooses to "adopt" Wolf, he has no idea that a life-altering relationship has begun - for both of them.  Racers, cruelly treated and exposed only to the track and cage, have no inkling of the most basic skills - walking on tile floors, climbing stairs, even playing with toys or children - so Wolf must show the mistrustful greyhound how to thrive in the real world. 

Gradually, a confident but mysterious spirit emerges from the stunning animal. And when Wolf's health starts to worsen, the tables turn and Comet must now help Wolf with the most basic skills. Wolf teaches her to be a service dog and soon enough she's hauling his wheelchair at top speed through airport terminals, towing his cart through the grocery store, helping him get out of bed and attracting friends to Wolf's isolated world. She plays a crucial role in restoring his health and even saving his marriage. Their unshakable faith in each other makes them winners once again. 

Wolfie was a lawyer in his mid-40s who was forced to retire because he had back problems.  He couldn't handle the cold winters of Nebraska so he spent them in Arizona.  He heard about a local group that had rescue greyhounds for adoption.  He is a dog lover and had two golden retrievers at home and ended up adopting a greyhound named Comet ... or was it Comet who adopted Wolfie?

As Wolfie's back problems got worse, he trained Comet to become his service dog ... helping Wolfie get out of bed and chairs, open doors, give him balance on walks, pull his shopping cart and more.   The Nebraska Humane Society honoured Comet in 2010 as "Service Dog of the Year".  At times because of his pain and medication, Wolfie was very isolated with only Comet as his companion.

I love reading stories about dogs and I enjoyed this one.  The bond between Wolfie and Comet was obvious and Comet was so smart and intuitive.  Not only is this the story of Wolfie ad Comet but I learned more about the plight of greyhounds. According to the author ...

Tens of thousands of greyhound puppies are born every year. A miniscule percentage of those dogs are bred for shows, like the Westminster Dog Show. The vast majority, estimated to be more than 20,000 puppies per year even with so many fewer dog tracks from the heydays of the 1980s through the 1990s, come into this world on breeding farms. There kennels are equipped with long-chained runs, which teach the dogs one thing - how to run fast. At about 15 to 18 months of age, these greyhounds are sent to tracks where they spend all their time in cages between races.

This is not to say that many of these dogs are not cared for, fed and given their shots on time. Indeed, many breeders will tell you unequivocally that they love their greyhounds. The conundrum, though, is that the numbers of these dogs that must be bred to satiate the racing industry’s demands necessitate greyhounds be raised and treated more like prize livestock than family pets.

Instead of being euthanized or sold for medical research as in former days, many discarded greyhounds - those who don’t make it as winners - are now finding their way to one of the three hundred groups that prepare them for adoption. Greyhounds are not raised in farm kennels in order to become cuddly, loving house companions but that’s exactly what they can be.

I liked the writing style.  I found Wolfie, Freddie (Wolfie's wife) and Comet likeable.  Comet sounded like an awesome dog (she has since passed away).

Banknote Bar, Toronto, ON

My pal, Shawna, is in town from Regina (she heads home tomorrow) and Gord and I had supper with her at the Banknote Bar (at Bathurst/Queen W) this evening.

Gord and Shawna both ordered Southern Fried Chicken.  They said it was delicious and would get it again.  Maybe I'll get it next time!

Book ~ "First Love" (2013) James Patterson and Emily Raymond

From Goodreads ~ An extraordinary portrait of true love that will move anyone who has a first love story of their own. Axi Moore is a "good girl": She studies hard, stays out of the spotlight, and doesn't tell anyone how all she really wants is to run away from it all. The only person she can tell is her best friend, Robinson - who she also happens to be madly in love with. 

When Axi spontaneously invites Robinson to come with her on an impulsive cross-country road trip, she breaks the rules for the first time in her life. But the adventure quickly turns from carefree to out of control after the teens find themselves on the run from the police. And when Robinson suddenly collapses, Axi has to face the truth that this trip might be his last. 

 A remarkably moving tale very personal to James Patterson's own past, "First Love" is testament to the power of first love - and how it can change the rest of your life. 

Axi is 16 and needs a break from her homelife ... her father is an alcoholic and her mother took off when her younger sister died a few years ago.  She plans on running away and asks her best friend, Robinson, to go with her.  They head off across the U.S. using "borrowed" cars, motorcycles and trucks,  Axi sees Robinson as more than just a best friend and hopes that he loves her as much as she loves him.

I enjoyed the writing style and it went at a good pace. I liked the short snappy chapters. It was written in first person perspective from Axi's point of view.  Because of her young age (Axi and Robinson are in their late teens), Axi went on a lot about her love for Robinson which I think teen readers will relate to but a more mature reader would find a bit much.  It was a bit farfetched in some of the things they were able to do and get away with but I just went with it.

I liked Axi and Robinson ... Robinson had more of a carefree nature and was able to convince Axi to chill out and enjoy life.

I thought it was an okay story and would recommend it for teens and older.

Book ~ "Memory House" (2015) Bette Lee Crosby

From Goodreads ~ Is it possible for a memory to outlive it's owner? 

Ophelia Browne knows the answer is yes. She knows because she’s been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for those forgotten memories. But now she’s nearing ninety and Browne women seldom live beyond ninety. 

Before time runs out Ophelia must find a successor. Someone who can take hold of the gifts and keep the memories from fading.

 When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. The two women forge a bond of friendship as they sip magical dandelion tea and share stories. When Annie starts to sense the memories, Ophelia is delighted but then a thread of violence begins to unravel and Ophelia fears things have gone too far.

Annie is recovering from a broken heart and is not happy with her job as an actuary.  She needs a weekend away and stumbles upon the Memory House Bed and Breakfast, where she plans on spending a couple days but ends up staying a few more.  Ophelia will be 90 in a few months and is running the bed and breakfast along with an apothecary.  She has a special gift in that she can feel the memories of others on objects she has picked up along the way.  She senses that Annie also has the gift and the two women become friends, with Annie visiting the bed and breakfast on a regular basis.

This is the fourth book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  It's a nice story of a friendship between two women with many years and experiences between them.  It's kind of airy-fairy because Ophelia is able to feel and remember other people's memories on objects in her collection but I was buying it.  I liked the main characters, Annie and Ophelia.

It is written in third person perspective in present tense, though some chapters are in first person perspective ... they are short and italicized and the name of the person is at the beginning of these chapters so you know who the focus is. This style worked for me as it let me get into their heads and know what they were thinking.

The author has mentions of characters from her other books ... like Ethan Allen from Spare Change, Jubilee of Jubilee's Journey, and Delia of Passing Through Perfect.  It's okay if you haven't read these books as they are just brief nods.

I look forward to reading more in what a I hope will be a series.

I received a copy of this ebook from the author at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Toronto Rock 7, Rochester Knighthawks 11

Gord and I are season ticket holders for the Toronto Rock lacrosse team games ... the Rock is a professional lacrosse franchise in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).  This is our third year going to the games and our second year having seasons tickets.

Going into tonight's game, they were in first place (11 - 3) and were playing the Rochester Knighthawks.  Rochester was second in their division and had lost their last game badly (16 - 3) so we figured they would be coming on strong tonight.

So nice to see Iggy back!  He was missing in action last week.

Everyone loves Iggy!

As usual, Scotty Newlands sang the national anthems.

Tilted Kilt Pub and Eatery, Toronto, ON

Before the Toronto Rock game tonight, Gord and I had supper at the Tilted Kilt on the Esplanade.  I'd been to the one in Las Vegas in October and enjoyed it.

Book ~ "Reconstructing Amelia" (2013) Kimberly McCreight

From Goodreads ~ Litigation lawyer and harried single mother Kate Baron is stunned when her daughter's exclusive private school in Park Slope, Brooklyn, calls with disturbing news: her intelligent, high-achieving fifteen-year-old daughter, Amelia, has been caught cheating.

Kate can't believe that Amelia, an ambitious, levelheaded girl who's never been in trouble would do something like that. But by the time she arrives at Grace Hall, Kate's faced with far more devastating news. Amelia is dead.

Seemingly unable to cope with what she'd done, a despondent Amelia has jumped from the school's roof in an act of "spontaneous" suicide. At least that's the story Grace Hall and the police tell Kate. And overwhelmed as she is by her own guilt and shattered by grief, it is the story that Kate believes until she gets the anonymous text:

She didn't jump.

Sifting through Amelia's emails, text messages, social media postings, and cell phone logs, Kate is determined to learn the heartbreaking truth about why Amelia was on Grace Hall's roof that day-and why she died.

Told in alternating voices, Reconstructing Amelia is a story of secrets and lies, of love and betrayal, of trusted friends and vicious bullies. It's about how well a parent ever really knows a child and how far one mother will go to vindicate the memory of a daughter whose life she could not save.

Kate is the single mother of 15-year-old Amelia.  Kate gets a call one day to rush over to Amelia's private school because Amelia has been caught plagiarizing a paper.  By the time she gets there, Amelia is dead ... it appears she committed suicide by jumping the roof of the school.  Kate is numb and accepts the police's report that it was indeed a suicide ... until she gets a text that Amelia didn't jump.  Kate contacts the police and another detective is assigned to the case.  Because he feels the original detective did a shoddy job, he reopens the case to see what happened.  Kate then discovers that there was a lot of her daughter that she never knew.

This is the first book I've read by this author.  Though it took me a couple chapters to get into it, I'm glad I stuck with it as I enjoyed it.  The story is told through emails, texts, Facebook statuses, newsletter/blog posts and narrations (first person perspective when it is Amelia's voice and third person perspective when the focus was on Kate) which jumped around through different time periods (from 1997 to present time).  I usually don't mind when a book goes back and forth in time but I found with this one it took me a while to get used to the rhythm (even though the chapters had the dates) ... once I did, I was fine.  As a head's up, there is swearing (F-bomb, etc.).

I liked Kate and Amelia.  It was sad and weird knowing right away that a main character dies and then get to know her throughout the book.  I had no idea how the book was going to end ... it could have gone in a few different directions and the author ended it well.

I look forward to reading others by this author.

Book ~ "Creatures of the Rock: A Veterinarian's Adventures in Newfoundland" (2014) Andrew Peacock

From Goodreads ~ When Andrew Peacock made the move from Ontario to Newfoundland, he thought he was kicking off his career as a newly qualified veterinarian with an adventure in a temporary location. It was certainly an adventure - a whole series of adventures - but there was nothing temporary about it. He practiced in Newfoundland for nearly 30 years and is still living there. In fact, he has lived there so long, the locals are starting to think of him as one of them.

"Creatures of the Rock" chronicals a career spent working with and getting to know a rich variety of animals and their owners, on farms, in homes and in the wild. Andrew was the only vet for miles around. A day of practice could include anything from a Caesarian section on a cow in a blizzard to freeing a humpback whale from a trap designed for cod to capturing a polar bear after its surprise visit to a bingo parlor. And, on the human side, anything from trying to impress a surprisingly large audience of farmers with your first boar castration, to taking care of a family just as well as its stricken cat, to discouraging farm hands from helping themselves to hypodermic needles. All this against the background of a domestic scene in which Andrew's wife, Ingrid - also freshly qualified, as a doctor - shares the adventure of making a new life, and in due course of starting a family. 

 Told in a series of brief, endlessly engaging stories, "Creatures of the Rock" is a funny, thrilling, unflinching but ultimately heartwarming narrative about the connections between people and animals, and people with each other. 

In the early 1980s, the author graduated from vet school in Guelph, ON, and accepted a job in Newfoundland.  Part of his contract was that he had to agree to stay for two years ... and he's still there!

This book is a compilation of his experiences which include rescuing a whale caught in a fishing net, castrating cows and pigs, transporting an orphaned baby moose in the passenger seat of his truck, etc.  Rather than serving his promised two years and moving back to Ontario, he and his wife, Ingrid (who was a doctor) found the house of their dreams in Freshwater and raised their children.

The book is reminiscent of the stories of James Herriot (which I enjoyed) but set in Newfoundland.  The colourful flavour and accents of the locals come through.

I liked the writing style.  I felt liked I was sitting and having a cup of tea with the author and having a chat.  The stories were interesting and funny.  He's been lucky to have lots of crazy experiences.  It's obvious he loves what he does and loves Newfoundland.  There are pictures at the end to give you a taste of what his life was like.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Happy 4th birthday, Crumpet!

My girl is four years old today!