Happy New Year

It has been a happy year for some, but a hard year for others. Personally, it has been a tough year for us but we are looking forward to a wonderful year ahead. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year. And yes Bigdog, I made it to my 90th blog entry. Woo hoo!

New Year's Eve

Food, food, food

Food is a big thing for us and even more so when we're on vacay. There are a couple of stops we need to make when we are down south. Chick-fil-a is a fast food joint similar to McDonald's that serves chicken and waffle fries. We discovered that they opened a restaurant in Pennsylvania. Only 4 hours away from TO! Zaxby's is another fave. When we get home from the airport, we usually have Zaxby's Wings & Things waiting for us no matter how late we come in. Along side the chicken comes some texas toast all buttered up. Not sure why but without the toast, it is not complete. Yesterday morning we made our way to IHOP. A trip to the US of A is not complete without a visit to the IHOP. My little cousin Josh who lives here has never been and it's ironic because he is a pancake fanatic. Anyway, he ended up getting a meal that did not include pancakes! NOOB! In the end we managed to inherit the pancakes that came as a side with his Dad's meal. And then there's Okra Grill where they serve lowcountry, southern food. Think Paula Deen, ya'll. Then there's a new one we recently discovered called Fat Hen. I think the name says it all. Now that I am 10 lbs heavier, I think it's time to go home.

Island Hopping

Without Ann, we are all lost. We depend on her to plan out the activities for the day including where we're having breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ann left for Maui so we were on our own. What did we do? We made our way to Mount Pleasant for lunch at Mellow Mushroom. Not sure if this restaurant orginated in Clemson but I remember cousin April introducing it to us a long time ago. After lunch we noticed that the sun was shining so we made our way to beach at Isle of Palms. We parked right in front of a few rental bikes and before you know it, we were riding along the beach and over the bridge to Sullivan's Island. Going there was a piece of cake but coming back was a bit hard. We were fighting the wind and an uphill incline. After a great workout, I decided I earned a shopping spree reward so off we went to the mall. So Ann, we did okay without you but I'm surrounded with boys and miss you dearly.

Myrtle Beach

It's been awhile since visiting what my Auntie Melba coined as "Beyond" (aka Myrtle Beach). It was a place she brought us to every time we came to visit. Usually we would stay at Shorecrest, a condo she co-owned with her best friend. Other times we would go just for the day to shop. I always enjoyed the outlets but what I loved most was the time spent during the 2 hour drive. It's hard to believe that Auntie Melba is no longer here but as I was standing on the balcony awaiting the sunrise, I felt her presence.

Modern Family

Chucktown

Every trip to South Carolina must include a trip to downtown Charleston to visit the holy grail: the pineapple fountain. We had lunch at a southern resto called Magnolia's where I had shellfish over grits. It was the best shrimp and grits I have ever tasted. After lunch we walked over to the park and strolled along the boardwalk before Zane and his parents went back to Greenville.

White Elephant

The only rule was to buy a $25 gift but not everyone stuck to that rule which is why there was a lot of stealing and fighting for the 'good' gifts. Luckily there were numerous gift cards to choose from but because a gift could be stolen three times, there was a good chance you might end up with one that you don't like. For example, a $7.00 redneck calendar or filipino kosher salt (Pangasinan salt). In the end, I was happy with my $25 gift certificate to an italian resto and Norm managed to steal a $25 Target gift card. We just have to find some time to use them before we leave SC.

Merry Christmas to All Ya'll

We made it to South Carolina despite the big storm that caught everyone by surprise. Pearson was packed with stranded passengers who patiently waited in line for an agent to re-route them to the next available flight. Luckily our connecting flight was in Atlanta so we were problem-free. We've been here for a week now and it feels awesome to be home. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! See you in the new year!

Zane

Meet Zane. He is my cousin's 5 month baby boy. Today we are spending time kicking around at home babysitting Zane while his dad is at work and his mom is running around in a bikini doing a photo shoot. He's a pretty chill little fella and has the most amazing smiling eyes. It's kinda surreal because I took care of my cousin Brian when he was a baby and now I'm taking care of his little boy. I bounced him around and sang the filipino song that my Grandpa sang when he put us to sleep...and it worked like a charm. Not too sure how much time I have before he wakes up so better go and take a little nap myself.

Ella Mae

As much as many people dislike Facebook, it has allowed me to connect with my old friends in South Carolina. I have not seen my friend Ella Mae in 22 years and yesterday she so kindly drove down from North Carolina to have lunch with us. She now goes by just "Ella" as she refers to it as her adult name but I still call her Ella Mae since that's how I've always known her. When we met, it was non stop talking, laughing and eating and no weird, quiet awkward moments as you might expect when you meet someone that you don't really know. Its funny how we can just pick up from where we left off 22 years ago...

(picture to come)

Santa's Helpers

Merry Christmas from Santa's little helpers

(Eric and Dylan)

Drink and Be Merry?

Last night I attended a work holiday party that included wine...lots of wine. The party was held at the hospital which has been a holiday tradition for over 20 years. We transformed the cafeteria to a semi-formal dining area, complete with DJ and a bar. After dinner we made our way upstairs to the auditorium to sing carols and to watch the holiday skits put on by a few brave souls. Having the party in-house works well because staff that are working can still join in or we have food delivered to the floors. Anyway, last night I was busy playing photographer and did not pay attention to how many drinks my colleague had. She had way too much wine which resulted in loose lips, almost falling down the stairs and our Chief Operating Officer ordering her a taxi to get home safely to Mississauga (using her personal credit account). I'm all for having fun but I guess the rule is: drink and be merry in moderaton at work functions.

Featuring Francis & Tracy (Part 2)

The dynamic trio visited us when we lived in Vancouver Island in 2003. This picture was taken at Cathedral Lake en route to Tofino. We did not actually make it to Tofino but we were happy to have shared a sneak peak of the island we fell in love with.

Photography 101

So you know how much I love my new Nikon D90 but I know I was only using 20% of what it can actually do. Yesterday I attended a photography class at Vistek that was specific to Nikon users. It was great! I've always hated using flash but as a result I would get blurry pictures. Here he taught me how to manipulate my ISO and exposure to eliminate the need for flash. The only time we should really use flash is when the sun is directly on top of the subject. Who would have thunk? The fill flash that you mount on top of your camera works better as it is not as close to the lens and you can turn the flash sideways for indirect lighting. I also learned about how to manipulate my metering mode depending on what shot I'm taking (matrix works best 90% of the time). We also touched on how to use our Focus settings: single area, dynamic and 3D tracking. Dynamic is his preference because you tell your camera what to focus on versus the single area which focuses on a spot/major subject in your viewfinder. Anyway, it was a very informative class and am looking forward to trying out my new skills. Is anyone willing to be my photoshoot models? Perhaps someone getting married next year that rhymes with Trancis and Fracy?

...Back to Frank & Trae

As stated in a previous blog, I was going to feature this Rock the Boat couple but was sidetracked with all the weddings and baptisms. This picture was taken in December 31, 2004 when we went for our traditional new year's eve steak dinner at Barberian's. One thing that we share with this couple is the love of dining out and trying different restaurants. And when it comes to steak, we will pay a pretty penny to try the best beef TO has to offer.

Brownie Tower

Its been awhile since I've posted a food blog so here's my brownie tower. It looks good but I'm not a big fan of brownie mixed with whipped cream and fruits. I like my brownie on its own - perhaps baked with nuts and a drizzle of caramel. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

High Tea at Windsor Arms

It was nice to get away from work a bit early and enjoy high tea with the girls at Windsor Arms hotel. So far I have tried high tea at Four Seasons and King Edward Hotel but Windsor Arms takes the top spot with bigger and better scones, great ambiance and the strawberries and cream ending. I just love a 'girls only' gathering and am wondering if that stems from my all-girl highschool upbringing. It was fun watching Joy in her high tea character: sitting up straight, eating with her hand over her mouth and sipping tea. I'm not sure what they put in that tea but it makes you full to the point where you cannot finish the little, tiny niblets they put on the tiers. As we discussed, we could inhale the food if we were at home sitting on our couch and watching TV but when we're at the hotel in our high tea mode, we always seem to go home with a doggie bag. Since Grandpa loves scones, I managed to bring him two along with the jam that Lou so nicely baoned for me (Go Lou!).

(This was the only picture I had taken on my iPhone. See my fellow bloggers for more pics)

Eric's Baptism

Happy Baptism to Baby Eric and proud parents Evelyn & Stuart.

House Music All Night Long...

There was standing room only at the D&G house party. This party was reminiscent of the house parties that Gerwyn had in highschool. It was great to see old friends - friends we have not seen in over 10 years. The union of D&G and the reunion of friends made for a very special night that ended in the wee hours of the morning. I'm sure there will be many more parties to come now that we know that the D&G mansion can hold 100+ people.

Congrats to our friends D&G who met at our wedding, reunited at our cottage and is now Mr & Mrs Begonia!

D&G Wedding

Although we missed the ceremony we were happy to have made it to the D&G reception held at the Archeo Trattoria at the Distillery District. We were just in time to see the beautiful bride in her hanbok, a traditional Korean dress but later changed back to her lovely wedding gown. It was easy to find our seats as we were sitting in the "apple" table. What a great and simple idea. Cupcakes were made by yours truly which was a pleasure to make for such a laid back bride. We barely discussed the details and in the end the bride and groom were happy with the outcome (whew). After the reception, we went home and took a nap before heading to the D&G house party...

(see next blog)

Taguibao Wedding & Baptism

I am happy to have witnessed a beautiful and intimate ceremony for Eva's baptism that was sealed with a kiss with the sacrament of marriage. As I watched from a far (as i played amateur photographer) I could not help but feel joy and happiness for the couple as they held hands with their daughter and son who were the maid of honour and best man. It was a picture perfect sight that even photographs cannot capture. Congrats to the Taguiboa's! I'm glad I didn't miss it...

Rachel's Bridal Shower

We had a blast at the ladies only bridal shower for our Rachel. We had lots of food, a whole island of desserts and a whole lot of laughter. It's funny how Trae and Joy, our entertainment ladies, changed the games to make it more 'clean' only to find out that the Tita's are just as naughty as us. I love weddings because it's a time when families come together. For this occasion, Rennie and her family flew in from San Francisco. It's nice to have you guys home!

Shout out!

All I wanted was a 'shout out' and instead I get my blog featured in Rock the Boat 2010 (seelinks of interest). Thanks Trae. I'll be sure to feature you and Frank in the next couple of blogs as I am sure your friends will be visiting my site.

70 years

This year Grandma and Grandpa celebrated 70 years of marriage. Wow. That's all I can say. Wow...

Diana's Divas

We gathered together at Bar Italia to celebrate Di's last days as Ms. Dee Lee. When we all raised our glasses to toast Diana her first words were, "Sorry it took so long"! Well, we haven't waited that long and on top of that, didn't you get engaged just two months ago?

Passsing the torch

I can't believe it's that time already. Hazel has to decide on a high school and she was debating on Notre Dame or Cardinal Newman. Two weeks ago Floree took Hazel to Newman (her alma mater) so it was fitting that I take her to Notre Dame. The first half of the open house was held in the gym - a place that seemed so much bigger back then. The student council did a great job with the assembly and the drama group closed it off with an entertaining and funny skit. For a moment, I felt like I was in highschool all over again and it was only fitting that my highschool sweetheart was sitting right next to me. I wanted to run up on the stage and start shouting, "N-O-TRE, D.A.M.E...lets go"! I was happy to see that ND still has the same energy and school spirit that it had when I was here. The second half of the open house was spent roaming around the Main and the O'Connor buildings and visiting each classroom. To my surprise many of my old teachers still remain as well as a classmate who is now a math teacher there. As we walked around the 68 year old building, I heard Hazel mumble, "I like this school". She was completely sold. Although I am sad that this sweet, little girl has grown up, I am also excited for this next chapter in her life that is the sisterhood of Notre Dame.

p.s. Thank goodness the arcade is no longer there. Whew!

Hot House Wednesdays

Last Wednesday night Saadia and I went to Hot House for the infamous hot house buffet. Everything was delicious and although we only went up twice and a third time for dessert, it was still worth the price. I wish they had a dish on their main menu that offers the BBQ chicken and cheese cappelletti pasta because they seem to be our favourites. As usual the dessert selection was a bit overwhelming so I went with the chocolate mousse. You can never go wrong with chocolate. Overall a lovely evening of girl bonding. Thanks Saads!

Happy Halloween

This year Halloween landed on a Saturday which was perfect because you can tuck your little kiddies to bed and head over to an adult Halloween party! During our university years Adrian would have the best Halloween parties - looking back I feel sorry for his mom who had to clean up the big mess we left behind. This year Adrian decided he was bringing the halloween party back...but this time in his grown up townhouse. There was a cute Korean bumble bee, Bert (without Ernie), Pedro Martinez Phillies pitcher, some jailbirds, a sexy fireman, a moon, a damsil in distress with her knight, one too many cleopatra's, a cougar, a condo and yours truly - a french chef. I love Halloween because you can dress up and be silly without being judged. This year was perfect because although we came home late, we were able to rewind the clock an hour and get some extra sleep the next morning.

A trip to the North Pole

Last Saturday we gathered together at Rachel and Eugene's. As Francis pointed out, we're all grown up now as can be noticed by our well planned potluck. We had oxtail, afritada, roast beef, churasco chicken, vegetables, leek and artichoke dip and a selection of cakes for dessert. While the big kids watched the UFC fight, i took the opportunity to get to know my godson. I don't normally get a warm welcome and usually there are a million other kids for him to play with but this time he gave me a chance and I wasn't going to let it pass. He was great at playing Pictureka - a game similar to Where's Waldo. Every now and then he would do a little victory dance after shouting out "Pictureka"! Upstairs he was eager to show me his Halloween costume, both of us giggling as I struggled to get him in it. After a million pictures and 6 hours later, Benjo and I were buddies. Mission accomplished. At least for now.

Girls Night Out

The cougars were on the loose Friday evening at Kennedy Commons to watch Whip It. To our surprise there was a bacci table so a few of us took off our jackets and got down and dirty. I would have been okay with playing bacci all night but after we got our snack pack of popcorn, a drink and your choice of candy we made our way to the very back row of the theatre. It was like we were in highschool all over again except some of us now wear glasses, we're heavier or should I say healthier, one was experiencing heart palpitations as she squirted fake butter on her popcorn and I am sure one or two of us dozed off during the movie as it was a late showing. Our original plan was to go to Wonderland's Halloween Haunt but who are we kidding?

Too cute

I love this. It's a card that I received from Seyla. I asked her why she made my hair so big because i know she was way too young to remember my big, thick hair. She said it's hard to draw thin hair with her markers. Mental note: buy Seyla thin markers.

Why does she call me Ninang Medium you ask?

4 Year old Seyla: Are you coming to my birthday party?

Me: No Seyla, it's only for small kids and not for adults

Seyla: ...But you're only medium!

I am sure she will be calling me Ninang Medium until she is 20 and I will continue to call her Seylaboolaboola. Let's just hope I stay medium!

Yoga Monday

Monday nights are reserved for yoga night with Diana. It's perfect because the yoga studio is located smack dab in the middle of our condos. Soon (as in next month!) Diana will be moving...not too far but far enough to make it less convenient for her to go. My hope is that we can continue our Monday night downward dogging. It's always a great way to clear our minds and start the week off on the right foot.

Sacher Torte

This weekend in class we made a sacher torte. I know you're all probably wondering what the heck is a sacher torte...but it's nothing to write home about. I'm not a big fan of european cakes. This one in particular is dry. Inside the layers we added apricot jam and we topped it off with a chocolate ganache. If I had to do this cake again I would add a little oil, use raspberry filling instead of apricot, and put some whipped cream somewhere. Apparently you can order a real sacher torte straight from Vienna. It comes in a wooden box and will cost you $100.

Looks like Norm got a hold of my password. See post below.

My husband is the BEST

Thought I would let everyone know how much I love Norm, my husband. We have been married for 7 years, but we have been a couple for almost 20 years. He is really something else, like out of this world GREAT. I don't know what to say, but he is really great. So great, I wanted to do a collage for him. I love you Norm!

How do you solve a problem like Maria?

The Sound of Music is one of my favourite movies of all time. Once I heard that the musical was coming to Toronto, I was so excited! Not only did Norm manage to get tickets on my actual birthday but he also scored nice box seats. When he called the box office he asked where the best seats in the house were for his "small wife". It was great to give my neck a rest from looking over other people's heads or shoulders. Elicia MacKenzie who played the role of "Maria" did an extraordinary job. And all the kids: Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta and little Gretl were a joy to watch. These kids amaze me because they are so young yet they put on a perfect performance. I must admit, I had doubts that a musical can re-create the Swiss Alps but the hills were definitely alive at the Princess of Wales theatre.

Marquez Thanksgiving

My sister in law and partner in crime Floree had to work on Thanksgiving so we all pitched in to create a wonderful Thanksgiving feast. I made turkey, macaroni pie, mashed potatoes and apple pie; Mom made ham; And of course Mama (Floree's mom) brought enough food to feed an army. Instead of transporting the kids to our place, we thought it would be easier to transport the food to my brother's place. We came extra early to put the bird in the oven and most importantly to spend some time with the kids. Before sitting down to have our dinner, we said our prayers and asked the kids what they were thankful for. Hayden's response was, "I'm thankful for God and for apples". Apparently he's a fan of my apple pie.

Barrientos Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of my favourite holidays because of the fall foliage, family gatherings and all the great food! It's a time when family and friends can gather together without the gift giving obligations that often come with Christmas. It's a great chance for us to take a step back and see how fortunate we are and give thanks to all the goodness that surrounds us. This year each unit of the Barrientos family came dressed in a certain colour - particularly so that we'll look coordinated in our family photos. These photos are then taken to to a photolab to create the traditional Christmas photo cards - which is why I will not post those pictures here. I do not want to ruin the Christmas card surprise. Instead, I have posted pictures of us playing Headbands. It doesn't matter what game we play, it just seems to get louder and louder and more fun by the minute! We also played a BiMgo (our version of Bingo), majong and cards. Special thanks goes out to Dancing Queen & Big Dog for coordinating the food and for hosting this event for the big Barrientos clan.

A visit to Pumpkinland!

Instead of going to Buffalo for the weekend (Plan A) we opted to go to Whittamore farm (Plan B) with the kids for some fun at Pumpkinland! Seyla had a great time running around through the corn maze, jumping on the bale of hay, feeding the animals, milking a (fake) cow, playing in the treehouse and sitting on all the pumpkins! Ella, the more conservative one, took her time getting acquainted with her surroundings but quickly followed her Ate around always asking, "Can I go, too?". The line up for the wagon ride was too long a wait for my tired little friends so instead they enjoyed some ice cream and in lieu of picking out a pumpkin, I got some pumpkin

pie!

Are you a morning person?

I used to love waking up at the break of dawn and getting a head start on the day. Saturdays I would clean, do laundry and make a run to the market all before 9am. Lately I've realized that I can't get up. I've even changed my cooking classes to the afternoon. This morning my mom called at 645 am. Note: I don't have to wake up until 8 am today since I'm working downtown. However, I had to wake up because I thought it was an emergency. Turns out she just wanted me to know that she is going to make ham and wanted to make sure that I was making turkey for Thanksgiving. Is it possible? I don't blame her for calling so early. It's usually the only time she can catch me. My aunt from South Carolina (her sister) also calls me this early on a weekend. I'll have to inform them that I am no longer a morning person.

I need coffee.

Engagement Party

Tonight we gathered at Saadia & Raju's place to celebrate the exciting times ahead for Diana and Gerwyn. Everyone helped in putting together the delicious spread of chicken with basil, lamb chops, mushroom risotto, noodles, fried rice, salad and appetizers. We always worry that we won't have enough food but in the end the Soriano's had a ball packing away tomorrow's lunch or dinner. As expected, I was in charge of dessert. I made the caramel crunch cake (featured in an earlier post), red velvet cupcakes and bought a PC cheesecake. I think we all had a great time eating, chatting and toasting to the soon to be Begonia's! Congrats again guys! And thanks again for staying in the 416...

Nuit Blanche

Once a year, certain parts of downtown Toronto are converted into "art projects". We usually think of art in the traditional Louvre-esque sense: sculptures, oil paintings. Nuit Blanche produces a different art experience! For instance, the art project at Bay St and King St was a carnival ride that swings people up and down, free cotton candy and free popcorn: this was an artist's impression of how the stock market took all of us for a wild up-and-down ride this past year.

"Suspended 65 metres in the air between the Viljo Revell-designed Toronto City Hall towers, the four 7m square alphanumeric quartz lamp arrays will display codes, DNA sequences and elemental words. With each of the four "characters" consisting of 16 light segments, the machine is capable of displaying nearly 4.94 billion distinct graphic combinations, facilitating the expression of any word in any language. Automated code sequences will run between live performance times".

To add to this, there was food this year! Organic burgers, roasted corn, the indian-food vendors. Now THAT, is art that I can appreciate.

Let the blogging begin

At the end of every year I normally have approximately 87-88 blogs. It has been consistent every year but presently I am only at 46 entries and we are now in October. I do apologize to my blogger buddies but I'm sure we can all agree that it has been a rough year for everyone and blogging has been left at the wayside. My goal is to reach 90 blogs this year so let the blogging begin. Oh, and has anyone figured out how to print these blogs into nice little keepsakes?

How sweet it is

That's right ya'll, I learned how to make the infamous caramel crunch ooey gooey goodness cake! Mom & I are on mission to learn how to make sans rival. It's a filipino cake with meringue layers similar to this but in between are layers of butter. Now that I know how to make the meringue, I think we can attempt the sans rival and just in time for Christmas!

It's about time...

You all know that I don't have a cell phone. If you wanted to reach me, you can call me at work and in the evening and weekends you can call me at home. When I drive I simple borrow one of Norm's many work phones 'just in case'. Lately the old fashion way of meeting hasn't been working. When I meet friends at the Eaton Centre, I still meet them at 'the clock' even though the clock no longer exists. Well, the other day Norm and I met after work but we were waiting at different spots. After 15 minutes of waiting, I went to a pay phone and slipped a quarter into the machine to call Norm. It quickly told me to add another 25 cents! Wow, where have I been? Norm picked up his cell phone but didn't hear me on the other line yelling, "Norm! Don't hang up! Norm? Can you hear me?" and click, he hung up. To make a long story short, we successfully found each other and we went straight to Rogers to pick up a cell phone. I promise not to be one of those people who have a cell phone but never answer, unless of course I'm at work, school, gym or church. Let the fun times begin...

Confirmation

Hazel, my 12 year old niece, called me last night to ask if I can be her confirmation sponsor and of course I said Yes. When we are baptized our godparents are chosen for us by our parents. Up to this day, I honestly do not know who my godparents are. When I was confirmed, my mom once again influenced me to choose her friend. I have not heard from this friend since. After my conversation with Hazel, I asked my sister in law if she or my brother influenced her to choose me but apparently it was completely her choice. I am completely honoured. Growing up, my aunts and uncles were a very big part of my life so I make every effort to be a part of hers.

Coldstone

Last week Norm & I stumbled on what we thought was only available in the US. Coldstone Creamery is now popping up at select Tim Hortons. They take plain ice cream with your choice of toppings and smack it around on a cold, granite stone. It's quite the experience when you're in the US where there are many Coldstone Creamery stores but here in Toronto, you will find them inside Tim Hortons which changes the whole experience. We ordered vanilla ice cream with banana, caramel and pecans. Sloppy Jo behind the counter slapped it around the granite a couple of times and scooped it in a cup while leaving some ice cream drippings on the sides. It looked gross but I must say it tasted good! Although I found it weird to see Coldstone in our Canadian coffee shop, and although Sloppy Jo needed a lesson in the art of ice cream smacking, I still give the ice cream itself a thumbs up! Yet another reason why we don't need to go south of the border.

Congrats D&G

Congratulations are in order for Di and Gerwyn on their engagement and the purchase of their new home. Luckily they kept our pact by not moving out to the 905's (no offense Mae and Glenn) and instead trading in the downtown condo for a beautiful brick home in Leslieville. We were lucky enough to take a sneak peak and we were full of excitement and awe as we moved from one room to another. I can already picture the Christmas tree in the living room, the wonderful smell of food coming from their huge kitchen and the football party G would have in their cozy basement. Such an exciting time in their lives. A house. A wedding. And a... Well, you know what they say. Things happen in 3's.

Cheap Date

We've been meaning to take advantage of the matinees available at the AMC theaters just down the street at Dundas Square. Since my baking course was postponed until next week, we took advantage of the day and watched an 1100 am showing of Julie & Julia. We were not only excited about the measly $12 we spent (for two people!) but we were also surprised to find some extra tickets for free popcorn and a drink. Bonus! This morning we went back to AMC to watch Norm's movie pick, the Hangover (go figure). It was a hilarious movie that had us in stiches all the way through. Looks like we have re-discovered the joy of movies and at such a great price!

Great Wolf Lodge

Do you ever feel the need to be a kid again? To have no worries in the world. To just eat, sleep and play. We did just that at Great Wolf Lodge with the company of some of our favourite little friends. Catching the waves in the wave pool, racing in the lazy river, playing basketball in the little kiddie area, racing down the water slides, and sneaking off with Norm to ride on the Niagara Rapids tube ride. I did not want the weekend to end.

Do you remember being on vacation with your family and wanting to eat 'out' but your parents/relatives would bring everything from home including the kitchen sink? Well, i hate to admit it but we are now those parents. We brought empanadas, siopao, tocino, longanisa, palabok and of course a rice cooker! It wasn't at all that we were trying to save money. It's simply because our food is better.

Before our drive home, we found a community centre where the kids can play and where the boys can nap. Trae gave the green light for the kids to wet their feet but before we knew it, the kids were soaking wet from head to toe. Leave it to the filipino kids to run around the splash pad in regular clothes. I think the kids had just as much fun here as they did at GWL.

Ah, to be a kid again. A filipino one.

Welcome Baby Eric

Baby Eric surprised all of us by coming into this world 3.5 weeks early. This gorgeous little boy weighed in a 5.6 lbs and despite his premature entrance to this world is doing amazingly well. Congrats Ev & Stu. We look forward to sharing this new adventure with you.

Remembering you...

I remember the times when you would call us and talk to us for hours - always asking such intelligent questions and leaving us questioning ourselves. I remember hanging out upstairs on our rooftop patio and taking pictures of you holding the CN Tower. I remember our trip to Centre Island and how you were content with just hanging out with us instead of going on the rides. I remember you always hiding from the sun because you didn't want to get dark. I remember your love for nicely packaged snacks, most especially pocky. You never ate them. You considered them art but everytime I would come over you would offer some to me. I remember your adoration for your little sister from the moment she was born and always showcasing her new antics as she got older. I remember your determination in school and how proud we were of you. I remember when your grandparents were here to visit and instead of hanging out at the hotel, you chose to come home with me and to protect me as I walked home that night. But what I miss most is your smile. It didn't matter what kind of day you were having, you always smiled and greeted us with a kiss and a hug. You were always so courteous of your elders - even though you said I was more like a "friend" because i looked so young. There's not a day that passes by without me thinking of you but this day is special. Today is your birthday and we miss you so.

Surprise!

Mae, Di, Sally and myself were busy putting together a surprise shower for Ev & Stu. We all know how sharp Ev is so to be sure she would not have any suspicions we told her it was a surprise birthday party for Glenn and for a little humour we added that it was an 80s themed party. Not only did Ev make transformer cupcakes for Glenn and came bearing gifts but she also came dressed in the 80s with her homemade t-shirt with a whole bunch of pins and Stuart was a hit with his David Bowie t-shirt and a mullet hair-do. Mission accomplished. Our guests were treated to a culinary treat: Di's kalbi, salmon on a cedar plank, chicken souvlaki, pasta, salad and lots of dessert. I took the opportunity to expand my cupcake repertoire with tiramisu, carrot and chocolate chip cupcakes and Sally provided guests with a ice cream sundae bar. I am so happy that the party went smooth and that Ev was truly surprised. Today little Eric surprised all of us by coming earlier than expected. Ev went into labour Sunday morning and gave birth to a healthy baby boy at 6:25 pm. Congratulations to the new parents!

CNE

There were so many new things to see at the Ex this year. We watched the professional surfers on the FlowRider as I ate the infamous tornado potato. Norm did not have his speedos otherwise he said he would have showcased some of his many talents - belly flopping is a favourite. The food building had some new additions such as Webers and a UK booth that housed the Marks & Spencers shrimp chips! That's right ladies, get them while you can! We did not stay too long this time. Just a visit to the food building and a walk up the midway. It was a busy night with the $1.75 entrance fee. We plan on revisiting the EX sometime this week so we can eat those now expensive Tiny Tom doughnuts ($5/dozen!) and so I can challenge Norm to whack-a-mole.

Harbourfront

Everyone should make a trip down to the Harbourfront before the summer comes to an end. It was a beautiful day on Saturday and it was even sweeter near the lake. Ella enjoyed walking on the boardwalk, chasing the birds, eating ice cream, watching the boats, sticking her feet in the water and doing some art work at one of the exhibits. Meanwhile, Kuya Freddie had food on his mind as he followed his nose to the smell of street meat and grilled calamari, ice cream for dessert and coconut juice to wash it all down. Norm spent the day working as he is trying to beat his month end deadline but he found some time to join us for dinner at Wah Sing. In my opinion, that's always a perfect way to end the day.

My rooftop patio

When the weather is this beautiful who wants to stay indoors? There are a million things to do around the city but sometimes you just want to simply enjoy the weather.  I recently rediscovered my rooftop patio - oh how i love it up there.  We have a beautiful 180 degree view of our city that faces south towards the lake.  I had a day off on Friday and it was spent reading a book upstairs. It was perfect. No work. No phone calls. Just me and my book. We only have a few more weeks before the end of summer so that's where I'll be if you're trying to find me.  

Harper's Baptism

A summer full of weddings, baptisms, showers and BBQs...it's neverending.  It was not in our plan to make it to South Carolina for Harper's baptism but Norm and I decided last minute to drive down to Buffalo, hop on a plane and make an appearance.  We're glad we did because we had a chance to spend time with family as we prepared cupcakes, chocolate covered pretzels, fruit pizza and even my 12 year old cousin Josh contributed by preparing a beautiful fruit tray. The reception was a success.  They had two food stations:  filipino and southern.  I went straight for the southern station and filled up on shrimp with grits, sweet potato hash and fried green tomatoes. Usually my trips to South Carolina consist of shopping but instead I traded it for a trip to the beach. It was perfect.  Norm was happy. And besides, I managed to sneak in some shopping in Buffalo on our way home...

Cupcakes galore!

I spent most of Thursday morning baking cupcakes.  I was a little nervous not just because it was my biggest order, but because it was for Sally's wedding.  We didn't actually sit down and discuss all the details.  Their only request was to make them vanilla and Sally wanted me to incorporate their monogram.  Everything else was up to me.  Where do I go from here?
As you can see, my designs are fairly simply.  I piped pink flowers and added silver balls to the white cupcakes.  To the pink cupcakes I made white chocolate disks and added their monogram.  
My finished product.  I added fresh pink roses and white orchids to add some freshness.  To top it off, I had bobbleheads of Sally & Ron!  Special thanks to Ev for her cupcake stand, to Charissa for the cupcake boxes, and to Norm for his help.  A special thanks to Sally & Ron for allowing me the honour of making their cupcake wedding cake!  

Mr & Mrs Padua

Brian & Bernice definitely know how to throw a party.  The wedding party introductions was amazingly different and very much a B&B production.  Anthony & the rest of the Neil McNeil boys created an awesome video of the brotherly romance (aka "bromance") that these guys share.  Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gys7kedId0  It was an awesome night with my Dame girls, including my girl Diana. As the house music played I could see old house moves come back to life.  I tried to bust out my old TriUnity moves but I quickly realized that I was getting too old.  I couldn't slide the way I used to but I sang my heart out as I danced in one spot.  It was a great wedding and a wonderful reunion.

Congrats B&B!

Mr & Mrs Soriano

On July 17, 2009 Sally became a Soriano!  Sally is definitely the toughest gal I know (besides myself) and she proved it by walking and dancing the whole day & night with a broken ankle! Nothing stops this girl. If anything, it makes her stronger.  But behind her tough demeanor, I recently discovered her sweet, sensitive side.  At the end of her speech she thanked her husband and poured her heart out in front of all their guests.  This is not the Sally I know but it is certainly something that I can get used to. I hope the two of you continue your outwardly affection towards each other. Love is definitely in the air...and it's contagious!

Congrats Mr & Mrs Soriano!  Have fun in Italy!

Zoe July 13, 2003 - July 9, 2009

Zoe Licious Umali Barrientos born on July 13, 2003 third youngest of a litter of 13.  Zoe was a big part of the Barrientos family.  She will never refuse a snack no matter how big or small. Often found perched beside Seyla awaiting any loose pieces of chicaron.  Loved to lick any salty surface. She is known to 'sleep around' but especially loved to sleep in the perfect space between Great-Grandma's bow legs or on Timmy's beer belly.  Wins over the hearts of all - especially with her sweet demeanor and gentle kisses.  She will be missed by big brother Cisco, parents Cecile & Vic, best friend Seyla, Godparents Mel, Norm, Tim, Lou, Fran, Trae, Paul & Cha,   Grandparents Nitz & Virgilio, Great-grandparents Purita & Tim and the whole Barrientos clan.  Zoe will remain always in our hearts.  May you rest in dog Heaven. 

Roadtrip 2009

Roadtrip!

Norm and I usually kick off the summer with an anniversary trip so this year we packed our Subaru and took the streets of Montreal, the rolling hills of Vermont and the seaside city of Boston.  Here are some highlights of our trip:

Montreal

We stayed in a boutique hotel called Saint Sulpice in old Montreal.  Our suite was as big as our condo and we were steps away from the old Montreal square and behind us was Notre Dame cathedral.  For dinner, we found a beautiful Italian restaurant called Da Emma which was off the beaten path, about a 15 minute walk from the square.  Normally you would need reservations but Norm used his charm and managed to get a table after sitting at the bar enjoying a much deserved drink to kick off our vacay. The food was absolutely incredible and the atmosphere was perfect.  It was located in the basement of a building and although I was a little worried as I walked down the stairs, it was a pleasant surprise to see a restaurant so alive and full of people (mostly Italians) who share the same love as we do:  food!  The next day we visited Jean Talon market where we enjoyed merguez sandwiches - lamb sausages in a french bagette.  Very tasty and it was the perfect snack to tide us over to our next stop...Vermont.

Vermont

What a beautiful, green state!  The highways were lined with little green mountains.  I say 'little' because it does not compare to the rockies in the west coast, but still they were a pretty sight and i can only imagine what the fall foliage would look like.  Our first stop was Burlington, Vemont.  If you sneeze, you'll miss the main square - which was closed off to cars and offers visitors a selection of shops and restaurants. An hour away is a little town called Warren, Vermont - home of Sugarbush ski resort and the town of 'covered bridges'.  Unfortunately the rain would not stop so we had to forego our hiking, zip trekking, and waterhole swimming plans.  Instead we woke up early, had a wonderful breakfast at a local cafe and headed south east to Boston.

Boston

I was glad to turn the wheel over to Norm right before the Mass turnpike.  I'm not a fan of tunnels so imagine driving in one?  Here we stayed at the Fairmont Battery Wharf at the north end of the city.  It was walking distance to Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, little Italy and of course, the Barking Crab.  Norm was excited to revisit this place and was so pleased with the lobster that we came back on our second night for another round of lobster and sangria.  We took the the Duck tour that takes us around the city and ends up in the water (similar to TO's Hippo tour).  If you ever visit Boston, I highly recommend the Duck tour as it was a great history lesson and the best way to see the city both on land and on water.  I also want to mention another great find - Mike's pastry.  There was a long line up that was out the door so naturally what would you do?  Get in line!  I wasn't sure what I was lined up for but I knew it was something good.  As it turns out, they had the best cannoli's you can find in Boston!  Sweet ricotta cream creations - with the perfect cookie shell.  We revisited Mike's pastry for breakfast, lunch, snack and a late night dessert. 

The trip home was a long haul but i managed to find some "rest stops" - conveniently located at the outlet malls. All in all, it was a great trip - especially since we made frequent stops to visit different places.  Personally, i would rather fly.  Norm, however, loves the freedom of driving. I guess it's not so bad as long as we get to stop, shop and explore along the way.  

Sally

Only 2 more weeks to go until Sally gets hitched.  Here are some pics of the fun we had over the last couple of weeks.  Yes, the cougars were loose in the city of Toronto - but it was fun and well worth the aching feet and pounding headache the next day.  Looking forward to your big day Sal!  

Sally's Pre-wedding Adventures