The Dog's Bollocks, Toronto, ON

I had a late supper at The Dog’s Bollocks on Queen Street W, west of Tecumseth Street.

I ordered chicken parm ... it was a big meal and tasty.

Madi was my server. She was friendly and took good care of me.

Northern Maverick Brewing Co., Toronto, ON

Gord and I had supper at Northern Maverick Brewing Co. this evening (on Bathurst Street just north of King Street W).

I had Buttermilk Fried Chicken (Ontario chicken, housemade cornbread, fries, mango habanero hot sauce and ranch) … most of the chicken is coming home with me for my lunch tomorrow.

Twisted Hat

I knitted another twisted hat. It’s a fun and easy pattern once you get into the repetitive groove. I used variegated cotton yarn.

I found the pattern here.

Directions are for size small; changes for size large are in parentheses.

Hat circumference at bottom edge: 16 (18)" [41 (46)cm]; Hat stretches to fit 20 (22)” [51 (56)cm]

I used 4.5mm [US 7] and 5.5mm [US 9] needles and 4 ply yarn. 

Hat is worked in the round on double pointed needles.

With smaller needles, cast on 90 (102) sts. Divide sts evenly around double pointed needles. Join to work in rounds, taking care not to twist sts. Place marker for beginning of round.

Ribbing Round: 

[K1 through the back loop, p1] around. Repeat ribbing round until piece measures 1½" [4cm] from beginning.

Round 1: Change to larger needles and knit.
Round 2: [K2, yo, k2, k2tog] around – 90 (102) sts.
Repeat round 2 until piece measures 8 (8½)" [20 (22) cm] from beginning.

Shape Crown

• Decrease round 1: [K2tog, yo, k2, k2tog] 15 (17) times – 75 (85) sts.
• Next round: [K1, yo, k2, k2tog] around – 75 (85) sts.
• Decrease round 2: *K1, yo, [k2tog] twice; repeat from * around – 60 (68) sts
• Next round: [K1, yo, k1, k2tog] around – 60 (68) sts.
• Decrease round 3: [K2, k2tog] 15 (17) times – 45 (51) sts.
• Decrease round 4: [K1, k2tog] around – 30 (34) sts.
• Decrease round 5: [K2tog] around – 15 (17) sts.
• Decrease round 6: [K2tog, k1] 5 times, k2tog 0 (1) time – 10 (11) sts.

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread yarn through remaining sts and pull to gather. Secure end. Weave in ends.

ABBREVIATIONS
k = knit

k2tog = knit 2 sts together

p = purl

St st = Stockinette stitch

st(s) = stitch(es)

yo = yarn over

Book ~ "All Good Intentions" (2018) Trudi Johnson

From Goodreads ~ Behind closed doors ...

In the summer of 1996, Jeanne Sinclair, a St. John’s socialite, is getting to know her biological mother, Hannah West, whom she meets for the first time in over thirty years in the rural community of Falcon Cove, Newfoundland. Mother and daughter have in common their devotion to Charles Sinclair, a wealthy businessman, recently deceased.

Jeanne’s life becomes more complicated with the arrival of Kevin Gillis, a land developer from Halifax who is determined to avenge the treatment of his father, an employee of Sinclair in the 1940s. As the summer unfolds, Jeanne and Kevin find their loyalty tested by a growing attraction to one another and the discovery of new and intriguing Sinclair family secrets.

In 1935, Hannah moved from a small village to work for Charles and Virginia, a wealthy family hours away in St. John's, NF. She has relations with Charles and gets pregnant with Jeanne. To avoid scandal, Charles and Virginia raise Jeanne as their own and Hannah moves back to Falcon Cove, eventually gets married and has another daughter, Carrie.

Sixty years later, Charles has passed away and Jeanne has just discovered the truth about her mother. She and Hannah have just met and trying to establish some kind of a relationship. Jeanne is hesitant because she's concerned about what others will think but Joe and Lauren, her adult children, and others welcome Hannah and Carrie as family.

In the meantime, Jeanne has inherited Charles' house and it trying to figure out what to do with it as she has her own house. Kevin, a developer from Halifax, approaches her and offers to buy the house so he can turn it into an inn. Kevin says he's also writing an article about St. John's businessmen and is asking a lot of questions and everyone wonders what he is really up to. As Jeanne considers selling her father's house to Kevin, more shocking secrets from the past start coming out.

This book is the continuation of From a Good Home, which I recently read ... it picks up on the afternoon Jeanne and Hannah meet. It works as a stand alone but it helps to read the first one to get the full background. It was written in third person perspective depending on where the action was. 

Though I liked the first one, I liked this one better. The writing style was still a bit stiff and unnatural but not as much. Whether they were rich like Jeanne and her family and more lower class like Joe and Lauren's friends, the way they spoke seemed like I was reading a book set in aristocratic England rather than Newfoundland or Canada. For example, everyone including Joe and Lauren and their friends called their parents "Mother" and "Father" rather than "Mom" and "Dad". 

As with the first book, there were a lot of characters but in this one there was a list at the beginning saying who was who which was helpful. I didn't find Jeanne as unlikeable in this one and she seemed to soften towards the end. I liked that the story took place in St. John's and the author didn't try to hide that.

"Artificially Intelligent", Toronto Fringe Festival, Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, ON

I saw Artificially Intelligent, which is part of the Toronto Fringe Festival, this evening.

It was at the Tarragon Theatre (Bathurst Street/Dupont Street).

You could buy Fringe merch from Ellen

I’ve seen Anesti a few times and as always he was funny and lively with lots of audience interaction. Definitely worth seeing!

"AbracadabraHaHa", Toronto Fringe Festival, Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, ON

I saw AbracadabraHaHa, which is part of the Toronto Fringe Festival, this evening.

It was at the Tarragon Theatre (Bathurst Street/Dupont Street).

You could buy Fringe merch from Ellen

He was silly, funny and entertaining with lots of audience participation. I was watching him carefully and I don’t know how he did his magic tricks! Definitely worth seeing!

Sunnyside Beach, Toronto, ON

After lunch at the Sunnyside Pavilion Café , I hung out at Sunnyside Beach for a while on a bench. It was humid and breezy. There were a few people on the beach, a couple in the water and lots strolling around.

Sunnyside Pavilion Café, Toronto, ON

I had a late lunch today on the patio at Sunnyside Pavilion Café.

I ordered a pepperoni pizza. It was really meaty and tasty ... I was amazed at the amount of pepperoni on it. I took half of it home.

The Shameful Tiki Room, Toronto, ON

When a friend of mine from Montreal comes to Toronto, she and her husband visit The Shameful Tiki Room (on Queen Street W, west of Dufferin Street). I've never been so Gord and I checked it out this evening. Fun time!

Rhino Bar & Grill, Toronto, ON

Gord and I walked to the Rhino (Queen Street W/Dufferin Street) and had supper on their patio this afternoon.

Gotta love happy hour $5 beer!

We both ordered fish and chips (beer battered haddock, house tartar, coleslaw, lemon, served with house cut fries), which was good … the batter on the fish was thin and greasy and the fish was meaty.

Book ~ "From a Good Home" (2016) Trudi Johnson

From Goodreads ~ Every family has its secrets. 

In 1935, Hannah Parsons left her home in Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland, at the age of seventeen to work in service for Charles and Virginia Sinclair, a wealthy St. John’s family. While working for them, Hannah catches the eye of the patriarch of the household and her life takes an unexpected turn. 

Now sixty years later, Charles Sinclair has passed and his last living will and testament is about to throw his family into turmoil. His children and grandchildren learn that no family is as perfect as it seems and that some secrets refuse to stay buried forever.

In 1935, Hannah left her village in Newfoundland to work for Charles and Virginia Sinclair, a wealthy family hours away in St. John's. She's never been away from home but felt it was a good chance to grow and learn about life away from her large impoverished family.

Sixty years later, Charles Sinclair is a widower and on his deathbed. His younger daughter, Jeanne, has been taking care of him. When he passes on, his will clashes with his last promise to Jeanne. Jeanne has been bitter for years ... her husband had left her and she has driven Joe and Lauren, her adult children, away ... so this betrayal by her father hits her hard. As the will is read and coincidental gossip is exchanged, secrets from the past start coming out.

I liked this story and the way the secrets were slowly revealed. I thought the writing style was okay, though a bit stiff and unnatural. Whether they were rich like Jeanne and her family and more lower class like Joe and Lauren's friends, the way they spoke seemed like I was reading a book set in aristocratic England rather than Newfoundland or Canada. For example, everyone including Joe and Lauren and their friends called their parents "Mother" and "Father" rather than "Mom" and "Dad". It was written in third person perspective depending on where the action was.

There were a lot of characters and it was hard to keep track sometimes of who they were ... a guide in the beginning would have been helpful. I found Jeanne was a bit extreme. Growing up, she was her father's favourite but her mother was cold and unemotional, which is how Jeanne chose to be. She didn't seem to get along with anyone, including her children and her only sister. I liked that the story took place in St. John's and as I've been there, I knew where the action was most of the time.

Happy Canada Day!