Easter Long Weekend

Besides the obligatory masses that we attended as well as the additional novenas that we did at home, we managed to set some time aside for some other activities.

Not only did Norm take me for a much needed foot & back massage but he also planned a little treat later that evening. He took me to watch Nicholas Nickleby at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Not only was it a great show but we had such great seats. As we walked home our intention was to go to Richtree for dessert but the cold air blew us all the way straight home. I am really getting tired of this weather.

Saturday we had a couple of tourists in the city that we happily showed around. We started off at the Eaton Centre, took the train to the CN Tower, walked around Spadina and ended our day at Wah Sing. Norm and I could not believe all the food we had. He was worried that it would be too much but as it turns out, we actually ordered more! We had lobster (of course), 3 or 4 plates of fried rice (i lost count), deep fried sole, spicy squid, salty fried chicken, steamed vegetables and 2 or 3 plates of noodles. It was a very lovely day with a sweet Wah Sing ending.

Sunday we met up with the tourists again and headed to St Mike's for Easter mass. After mass we had breakfast at...drum roll please...McDonald's! I can't even begin to tell you the last time we had a McDonald's breakfast. Norm and I devoured every bite of our hashbrowns and mcmuffin sandwiches. We even tried the cinnamon bun and it was sticky, gooey, good! Later that afternoon we went to Grandma and Grandpa's hall to celebrate with the Barrientos family. The McDonald's must have had an instant affect on me because Grandma was quick to tell me that I have gained weight, however, it didn't stop me from stuffing myself silly with more food. Who can resist when you have a smorgasbord of delicious food.

I can't wait to see what this week unfolds...now that lent is over, we can go back to our normal way of living - eating out!

A Stu Occasion

When Stu is in town it's definitely a reason to celebrate so we all met up at Terroni's to toast to the English bloke. We were given a private room that was away from the hustle and bustle Terroni is known for on a Friday night. Unfortunately we were unable to run away from a drug induced crazy woman who was stuck behind a door that led directly towards our private dining room. Maybe she was so scared of the freaky baby picture (not a real baby - a doll baby with those scary empty eyes) on the wall that she locked herself in the room? Well, it made for an interesting night and one that we'll laugh about in the years to come.

Pork & Raisins

Thursday night cooking class consisted of more rolling and pounding of the sweet dough and stuffing it with BBQ pork as well as making raisin loaf bread. It sounds easy enough but you need a lot of patience for the dough as you wait for it to 'proof'. The end result was that I was a little stingy with the pork filling and the raisin bread had barely any raisins. Oh well. Trial and error will lead me to perfection.

Ev's WND

Since Sally was MIA, I decided to bring my camera along and take pictures of Ev's delicious WND. The menu consisted of the following: shrimp salad, mashed parsnips, sweet potato fries and cordon bleu. The grand finale was profiteroles with chocolate sauce. One of us had more chocolate than cream. I wonder who?

Jeremy Ryan

Here's Jeremy again posing in his after party outfit. Don't you just love his argyle vest and baby blue pants?

Our Godson

My brother's youngest baby boy Jeremy Ryan was baptized on Sunday at St. Joseph's Church. Luckily the main roads were clear of snow so we were all able to celebrate this occasion. It was also the day we all had to reset our clocks but despite even that, no one showed up an hour later. The reception was held at Nagoya - an all you can eat Japanese buffet. Norm and I enjoyed all the food and cannot wait until we can go again after Easter. Unless there's another occasion. Anyone? Anyone?

Winter Wonderland

What do you do after a big snow storm? Take pictures! Sunday morning Norm and I ventured to UofT to take pictures. We were actually headed to Harbord Bakery to get that chocolate croissant we missed out on last week but as we drove by UofT I asked Norm to drive in so I could take a few shots. So to all of you in BC, South Carolina, California & Texas - Eat your heart out. This snow is all ours!

Coconut Buns Anyone

As I walked into class I was a bit overwhelmed with huge mixers lined up against the wall, the factory style oven that took up the other side of the wall and all the students who were busy shuffling back and forth preparing their ingredients for our class. I quickly took off my jacket, dropped my bag and began working. After 4 hours of pounding and rolling, here are my results. And here I thought it would be a relaxing way to spend my Thursday evenings. Not that I don't love it, because I do. It's just a lot of work.

My WND

Since Norm and I can't go to Terroni's, I decided to make it myself. This Wednesday I made all my Terroni favourites. First we started with Funghi Assoluti - baked oyster mushroom with parmigiano and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. This is the salad we all go crazy over so when I was able to replicate it at home, we were all excited! Next came the C'T Mang - pizza with prosciutto, pear, walnuts, mozzarella, gorgonzola and a drizzle of honey. I know it sounds a bit weird but the salty proscuitto, the bite of the gorgonzola and the sweet pear all come together to make this a delectable pizza. Just when they thought dinner was over I brought out a pasta dish called Pappardelle ala Iosa - pappardelle pasta with italian sausage, cremini mushrooms, green peas and olive oil. Delish! For dessert we wanted to make creme caramel so we called Ate Car and she shared her famous leche flan recipe with us. We were a little nervous because this was our first time making it but we were amazed at the turn out. It was the perfect sweet ending to my Terroni inspired dinner.

Norm's Secret Hideaway

Today Norm showed me a few of his secret hideaways - which I realize won't be a secret any longer. First we went to his office to drop off a few boxes that have been sitting in his car for the last year. Next we walked over to get a foot massage. Norm frequents this place often and talks very highly of it so he wanted me to give it a try. After an hour foot massage and a half hour back massage I felt invigorated and alive. No wonder Norm loves this place. It was absolutely amazing and I encourage all of you to try it. I'm not quite sure what reflexology is all about but I'm sure there are health benefits to be had. And the best part is the price. It was only $45 for 1.5 hours of pampering. During the week you will normally find a line up of old chinese men. Norm says when you see people lining up for something, it's probably good. After our massage we walked wearily towards Mother's Dumplings where we ordered shrimp, egg and chive dumplings to go (as not to break our lenten promise). It's a tiny, little restaurant tucked away on Huron St and is home to some of the best homemade dumplings. As I waited for our order I watched as the little old lady (I presume is "Mother") rolled out the dough and made the dumplings right in front of me. Our last stop was the Harbord Bakery where Norm claims has the best chocolate croissant. Unfortunately they were sold out but we came out with a few treats anyway. Not to worry, we'll be back for the croissant when we go for another foot massage. I have a feeling it will be sooner versus later.

Asian Baking

Since I enjoy my cooking classes so much, I've decided to take another. I just enrolled in Asian baking which is offered on Thursday evenings from 6 - 10pm. Here I will learn how to make the famous coconut & pork buns as well as the different asian pastries. I'm glad I was able to get in as there was a waiting list. Also, since there's construction happening at George Brown, most classes have been canceled. Sorry Gerwyn, your italian cooking has been postponed. I guess our Iron Chef competition will have to wait.

Lou's 30th

Last night we celebrated Lou's 30th at LiLy's Lounge on College. It was a grand affair with balloons and sour keys. Norm and I even managed to have a drink or two - thank goodness for the TTC. After a night of chatting I realized how much we needed to catch up on. I've tried to convince Lou to blog so we can keep track of their new home updates and wedding plans. She will be checking our blogs to get an idea so hopefully she will be on board our family blogging network. And by the way, Tim now has a crackberry - yes everyone, we can now reach him without having to send a SOS. Ready everyone... tim@servicecall.ca. Now we just need to get Grandma a laptop.

One Night Live

Thursday night a few coworkers and I went to the One Night Live charity concert that supports our women & babies at Sunnybrook. I was excited to see my all time fav, Sarah McLaughlin. Norm did not go to this event but he would have loved to see Jann Arden. She's definitely under rated in her music and she is a true comedian. Josh Groban also made an appearance and although I wanted to throw my undergarments his way, it would not have made it given I was seated all the way up in the nose bleed section. Bryan Adams was the last performer who rocked the ACC until 1am. I wish I could have seen the whole thing but the air was getting thin up in my section and it was way past my bedtime. As I watched everyone rush to catch GO trains and leave early to avoid the traffic on the DVP, I walked home and was in bed in less than 10 minutes.

WND

Last night Di hosted WND. As you can read on her blog, she had an anxiety attack on Monday. Sometimes I wonder if WND had anything to do with it. It takes a lot of work and pressure when it's your turn. You not only have to think of a main dish but you also have to come up with a dessert. Tuesday night would be grocery shopping for your ingredients and the prepping of food. Sometimes you even cook a dish or two (usually dessert) to make it easier the following day. Normally we like to try things that are different and we hate to cook the same thing twice (except for roast beef). After Diana's anxiety attack I thought maybe it's a bit too much for everyone. But then again, it's really satisfying when someone else cooks. I guess all of the stress that goes into WND helps us appreciate it that much more. So to my WND crew, be strong and if you're feeling stressed, take Ativan! Norm will supply us all...

on call

This weekend was our turn for Grandparent duty so we made our way over after Saturday morning cooking class. I would have brought a sample of my cooked food but Norm ate most of it. Instead we brought an assortment of fruit as well as fresh bread from Richtree. Instead of going to church, Grandma was adamant about going to visit Tita Bernie so since her wish is Norm's command we ventured to Scarberia. After our 5 hour visit we took Grandma back home and since we were in the area we went to visit Mom & Dad. You can always count on Mom to have food ready within minutes. Her sour chicken will have Norm over in less than 5 minutes. Paul & Charissa made an appearance after a night of ice skating. They were just in time for all of us to convince Mom to take out her pistachio cream cake. It was delish! What a great way to end the night. Unlike Paul who exercised on his Dance Dance Revolution (expert level, that is) I went home and went straight to bed.

Keeping it simple

Last night's WND was hosted by Chef Norm and he kept everything nice and simple. Everything was prepared the night before which allowed him to sneak in a small nap before everyone arrived. For starters he served us clam chowder soup straight from a can. The main dish was his homemade Sheppard's pie and for dessert we made ice cream sandwiches with double chocolate cookies and mint chocolate chip ice cream. His inspiration for this meal came from Sally's new love for soft foods and the fact that we were all sick so he brought us comfort food. I'm starting to feel better already.

A 'love'ly day

We don't normally celebrate Valentine's but this year I decided to join the long line up at Godiva which was made up of mostly men. Some of them took the time to hand pick truffles while others grabbed the first box they saw. The guy in front of me was a student who was holding the smallest box they sold and probably spent his whole allowance on this Valentine gift.
An older gentleman spent most of his time at the front carefully choosing which truffle to put in his box of 32 and combined it with a box of Godiva biscuits. He has obviously done this before. After people watching at Godiva I made my way to the card store where I was met with another long line up. I was sure I saw these same people at Godiva. Again, I watched as people read and re-read cards to find that perfect one. I was on the look out for a mushy yet somewhat dirty card. (You like that one, Bigdog?)

Overall my experience of Valentine's Day was somewhat refreshing. It's nice to see people in love. And Norm if you read this, I would like to celebrate Valentine's Day from now on. I can't believe what I've been missing...

Norm's Birthday Weekend

Sunday morning we managed to get up early and brave the sub-zero temperature to start our day off at church. This time we decided to venture to East York to Canadian Martyrs. The 8 o'clock mass is usually empty - probably because of the winter chill and the mounds of snow that have over taken the parking spots along the road. It was a nice visit to the church. Especially on a special occasion such as this. After church we were welcomed with a traditional filipino breakfast courtesy of Mama Nitz. (I'm sure Dad helped, too). The mounds of food and uncomfortably full bellies brought the feeling of Christmas back in the air. Later that evening Norm requested that we celebrate at his favourite restaurant - Lin Garden. Francis and Trae made him a "I love Lin Garden" t-shirt which the owners of the restaurant absolutely loved. They started taking pictures of him and it even scored us free dessert! As Trae would say, it was a perfect Lin ending to a Happy Birthday weekend.

Class #5

This is the day Norm has been waiting for ... the day when I learn how to cook salt and spicy squid at school. Here's the secret: after you clean the squid and remove that thin purple layer, you score the squid with a design of your choice, quickly blanch it in boiling water, deep fry and stir fry with salt, garlic and chile. Besides the many pots you're left to clean in the end, it's a fairly easy dish to make. I also made pork with cantonese brown sauce. Norm devoured this dish and finished every last piece (serving for 4). They say a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I hope this is true.

Birthday Wishes

Today is Grandma's 88th birthday so Norm and I decided to go over with some cake. Turns out everyone else had the same idea so we had an instant party at Grandma's. It was a bit of a squeeze (standing room only) but it was warm and cozy - and I could tell Grandma really enjoyed our company. Prior to this day we were thinking of having a big party for her but now I realize that this small, unplanned family gathering was simply perfect.

Happy Birthday Grandma.

Bridesmaid

Today I saw Ev in her wedding dress. To post pictures would not be right but I cannot begin to explain how beautiful she looked. As she stood in front of the mirror giggling at herself, it hit me like a ton of bricks... Ev is getting married! Norm and I are so happy for her. There's no one more deserving than her. For those of you who know Ev, she is always so generous. When she asked me to be a bridesmaid, I gave her all the excuses in the book: I'm too old, I'm married, etc. but she was persistent and did not back down. In hindsight, my answer should have been a solid YES. She has always been there for me ... so now it's my turn. I am honoured to be her bridesmaid and will wear my seafoam green dress proudly.

On that note, we had a lot of fun trying on our bridesmaid dresses. I would normally go into the dress and wedding details but Ev is on board with a wedding blog. Yes, yet another victim of my blogger craze.

mel's diner

We had WND on a Thursday again. It's getting harder and harder to coordinate our schedules but we still manage to meet once a week. Besides great company...it's also a night when someone else gets to do the cooking. This week it was yours truly. As promised, I gave them a taste of my Cantonese cuisine skills. It was a lot of pressure for a novice but am willing to step up to any challenge. I started out with won ton soup. Sounds pretty easy but it was the hardest dish to cook. The soup stalk was made from shrimp shells and dried grouper that was broiled beforehand to bring out the fishy flavour. Making the won tons were fun but time consuming. Thank goodness for a sous chef. While everyone was busy eating soup and deep fried shrimp won tons, I was busy in the kitchen with the main dishes: cantonese chow mein, ginger beef with scallions and lemon chicken. By the end of the night my kitchen was a disaster and for those of you who know me - I am a 'clean' cook. This meaning, I wash my utensils, pots and plates as I cook not to mention wiping and re-wiping my kitchen counters. I tried to stay on top of everything but cooking with a wok can be so tricky. It's so needy... I can't leave it even for a minute. The evening ended great for everyone - full bellies and great conversations - all of which I missed because of my attention seeking wok. I am so glad we take turns doing this but for the most part I do enjoy it. As always, it was my pleasure.

Saturday morning cooking classes is something I look forward to. This weekend was especially rewarding because I finally learned how to make cantonese chow mein and it was surprising how easy it was. I cannot wait to test out my recipes on my Wednesday Night Dinner crew and for any of my Blogger buddies who wish to stop by. After class we made it just in time for Seyla's bowling pizza party. We were greeted by Virgil and Charissa who welcomed me with a big bear hug. All the kids looked so cute as they bowled. As usual, when I see Ella my goal is for her to come to me (which she did) but quickly turned around to go back to Mommy. Just when we thought the party was over, we went to Trae and Fran's. There we opened gifts, played Leapster, ordered Lin and played games. The game was: Trae held up Seyla's flash cards and Norm and Fran competed. After they perfected their addition, they made it 'harder' by doing both multiplication and addition.
Did you know 3 + 3 = 3? You had to be there.

Getting to know me 2008

This is in response to A day in the life of...

2. What is on your mouse pad? Le Petit Prince

3. Favourite magazine? Oprah, Cuisine at Home, Glow

4. Favourite smell? Fresh baked cookies or a coffee cake

5. Things to do on the weekend? Exercise, cooking classes, fam jams

6. Roller coasters deadly or exciting? deadly

7. Croutons or bacon bits? bacon bits

8. Thunderstorms cool or scary? cool and scary

9. What's under your bed? dust bunnies

10. What's your favourite number? 29

11. What was your first car? Toyota 4Runner (We called him Junior)

12. Morning or night person? Definitely morning

13. Favourite sandwich? Chicken & eggplant from the Market; Chicken Milano from Richtree

14. Favourite ice-cream? Jamocha Almond Fudge and French Crisp

15. Favourite flower? roses, gerber daisies, hydrangeas, tulips....anything pretty.

16. Last person you went to dinner with? Has & Flo at Olivier Bonacini

17. Last concert you attended? Coldplay

18. Your favourite book as a child? Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

19. What jobs have you done? CNE Food Clerk, Disney Store Greeter, YMCA kids club, bank teller, HR

20. What do you prefer sunrise of sunsets? Sunrise because I can't stay up long enough to watch the sun set

Happy Days

Last night Chef Diana had us all over for Wednesday Night Dinner (on a Thursday!). She had a "happy day" theme going with some burgers, onion rings and milk shakes. The best part of the night was dessert. Diana always comes up with the best desserts. She gave us each an apple on a stick, we swirled it around in melted caramel, dipped it in chocolate scor bits and finished it off with a sprinkle of peanuts. Delish! But how does a lady eat such a thing? Ev lead the way by cutting it in nice bite size pieces. Norm & Gerwyn on the other hand ate it right off the stick.

It's my turn next week. Let's see if my Cantonese Cuisine classes have paid off.

North Pole

We ventured up north for Rayanne's birthday party and as soon as we hit 16th it felt like we reached the North Pole. Snow, ice and even white out conditions! Every time we drive up this way for visits, the weather is always extreme but worth the drive to visit family and friends. Our drive home was a bit slow with a few cars slipping and sliding. As we drove south, the snow disappeared and our car somehow drove us straight to Lin Garden. Sometimes our car has a mind of his own and knows what we need. Seyla even said so herself, "I missed Lin Garden". It seems Uncle Norm did, too.

Chicken 3 Ways

I must say I am really enjoying my cooking classes. It's one thing to watch Barefoot Contessa and Giada but it's even better taking courses because you can actually feel, smell and taste the food. Immediate gratification. Today we were taught to make shredded chicken with celery, lemon chicken and chicken corn soup. Although the recipes are easy enough to follow, there are tricks to the trade that our teacher often shares with us that you won't be able to find in a book. For example, today she made us each de-bone a whole chicken. She could have easily bought chicken breast for everyone (as per the recipes) but she thought it was a 'good to know' exercise for us...and that it was. The one thing I enjoy at school is being able to cook on high heat (as you should with Cantonese cooking), use cooking wine (flame and all) and not be at all concerned with all the smoke I am creating. Here at the condo the smoke will definitely trigger the building alarm followed by the sound of the fire trucks. It hasn't happened to me (yet) but ask my sister about her experience.

Culinary Arts

Today I went to my first Cantonese Cuisine cooking class. I was a little bit hesitant to take a course that was held on Saturday mornings because I love to sleep in on the weekend. After debating with myself I thought it was time to get off my butt and to start my long list of things I've always wanted to do. Besides, George Brown college is only a hop, skip and jump away. Class is from 8:30 to 12:00 which seems long on paper but when you're actually there you don't seem to notice the time. Most of the time spent is on preparing the food and washing your utensils in the end. The first thing our teacher taught us was that chinese food should only takes 10 minutes of actual cooking. If you take longer than that, it is overdone and dry. (My Aha! moment) It's prepping the food that takes long. Today I learned to make the following:

Stir Fried Beef with Scallions and Ginger
Deep Fried Tofu with Oyster Sauce
Deep Fried Bean Cake Puff

Anybody hungry? C'mon over and Wok with Mel!

Welcome back WND

We're back on track for Wednesday Night Dinners although this week dinner was on a Tuesday. Chef Norm worked hard to bring us a wonderful Italian dinner. First we started off with italian bread with cheese pimentos. Not sure if the cheese pimentos is Italian but it was good! (Thanks Mama Nitz) The main dish was pesto penne or penne with a rose sauce - most of us mixed both together. Even Sally who does not like her food to even touch each other. He paired the pasta with chicken cutlet which he breaded with panko. The main event was the tirimisu or as Norm calls it Trae-amisu. Everything was delicious. Maybe this year we can include WND in Winterlicious. Make reservations now - seats are limited!

Mama's, Coit, and Addison

San Francisco trip continued...

Our chowhound search took us to a place called Mama's in North Beach (Little Italy). It was a tiny little restaurant that was open only for brunch. Like all good things, we had to wait outside until a table was ready but we were glad we did because the food did not disappoint. Josh is into crepes and french toast so he got the biggest chocolate banana french toast on the menu. After a calorie rich brunch, we ventured uphill to Coit Tower which is located atop Telegraph Hill. Apparently the Coit tower was used to watch for incoming boats and potential enemies. This is probably the best view of the city. Unfortunately it was a foggy day (what else is new) but we made the trek up to Coit another day but this time with Auntie and Uncle in tow. I didn't think Auntie would make it but with a little bit of stretching in between, lots of coaching and self determination she made it up! So proud of you Auntie. After Coit we hopped on the Bart (subway) and made our way to San Leandro to visit Marie, James, Addison and Tita Sylvia. I was happy James (my cousin) came with us in case we got lost. Although our visit was short, we were really glad to finally meet Addison. We are avid followers of her blog and love to watch her grow.

All in all it was a wonderful trip to the west coast. Next trip: Barbados.

The lonely travellers...

Let's be clear

It wasn't me who let Frank, Traela and Boola in on the "wearing red instead of green" joke on Christmas. Are you kidding me? I would have loved to see Frank the Joker Tank get pranked. And to be clear, this was Norm's idea. That's right. I am innocent.

(until proven guilty)

Napa, Yoda & Sausalito

We managed to squeeze a trip to Napa Valley despite the difficulties in finding a rental van. The trip to Napa was very scenic with the rolling hills and valleys. I can only imagine how beautiful it is during the summer months. Fall would be even more breathtaking. Our first stop was to a vineyard called Plumpjack (or Fatjack as I like to call it). I think it was the name that caught our attention. I can't really tell you which one I liked best because honestly, they all tasted the same. What I can tell you is that I prefer white versus red. Our next stop was the Rutherford Grove winery. Again, we tasted about 6 different wines and by the 3rd round a few of us were getting the red face syndrome. It was a lot of fun and if we were to return, we'd do it right and take the Napa wine train. That way, no one has to drive. On our way home we stopped by the outlet mall. It was a small outlet with only 40 stores but it had everything we wanted: Banana Republic, Coach, Benneton, BCBG, Kenneth Cole and Nine West. By the end of the night we were all smiles whether it was the shopping, the drinking or maybe both.

We decided to give our feet a rest and toured James' neighbourhood in the van. Norm decided he wanted to speed down the 45 degree angled hill. Luckily I was sitting directly behind him so I can pull his ear when ever he got overzealous. My poor Aunt and Uncle were yelling from the back seat. Thank goodness for blood pressure medication. We also made a trip to ILM where James and other ILM employees work hard to bring us Pirates of the Carribean, Transformers and Indiana Jones (coming soon). Yoda greeted us at the front door. It's always great to see Yoda but I was hoping to personally meet Mr. George Lucas. Maybe next time.

Sausalito is a little seaside town outside of San Francisco. The best way to experience it is on a bike but we had limited time...and plus, we already paid for a van. So after we explored the marina we parked our car, walked around and took pictures of San Francisco (great view of the city from here). This little town reminded me very much of Nanaimo. It seems like a great place to retire but I'm sure it comes with a price.

After a day with Yoda, Napa and Sausalito we decided to end it with a nice dinner in Japantown (J-town as some call it). It's not really a town. More like a mall. We found a small restaurant that had "home food" or the closest we can find to home food. By now my family was craving rice. Too bad we couldn't locate Jollybee. I wanted to see what the hype was all about. I guess that will have to wait for next time as well.

Golden Gate & New Years

So let's work backwards here as I fill everyone in on our San Francisco vacation. New Year's Eve was spent walking halfway across the Golden Gate bridge. Why only half way you ask? Because the wind was so strong that it made my straight hair go up in a gigantic mohawk. I would have walked all the way across had there been something nice waiting on the other side of the bridge (ice cream perhaps?). I still wonder what the big attraction is with this bridge but like everyone else, we took tonnes of pictures. After 5 minutes of looking at the bridge, we went to Golden Gate park in hopes to find a hippie sighting. It was a beautiful park and can only imagine how beautiful it is during the summer months when everything is in bloom. As an amateur photographer I was clicking away. What a great place to take wedding pictures! After a day at the park we made our way to Haight and ate at Cha Cha Cha as recommended by a local. Thanks Eric. We enjoyed the food and the sangria! We slowly made our way uphill until we saw a bus (thank goodness). Before heading home we stopped off in Japantown where we had dessert - bubble tea and crepes. Marie says these crepes are similar to the ones she had in Japan so of course we had to check it out. We finally made our way home to James' studio. We checked out from our hotel because they were charging $279 for one night (New Year's Eve) so instead we crammed into the studio with our family and tried to see how many people would fit on the bed sideways. Turns out we were all pretty comfortable except for Norm. As my cousin would say, "Norm is like Yao Ming to us". James took us to his local mediterranean restaurant that he frequents once a week. When the belly dancer came out to perform and dazzled Norm with the hip shaking - we came to the realization that this is why James likes this restaurant so much. After dinner we tried to make our way to the Embarcadero where they had fireworks and ice skating but the bus wait was too long so we ventured back home on the rooftop and had a quiet family countdown. What a nice start to the new year.

Welcome back melandnorm

I was hoping we'd be able to extend our stay in San Francisco due to the bad weather in Toronto but our fearless pilot did not let the threat of 15 cm of snow scare him away. Shucks. This morning I could hear my bones cracking due to the below zero temperature. My first thought was - I wish I were still in California - but then again, it's good to be back home.

Paul & Dad greeted us at the airport and whisked us away to the house where Mom prepared a proper Christmas spread complete with peanut butter cocoa. What a great way to end a wonderful vacation. I think Pre-Christmas and Post-Christmas celebrations will be a new family tradition. It's a smaller version of Christmas with simple, homemade food and lots of holiday cheer!

This year I have a few goals:
I hope to lose 5 lbs or gain 20
I hope to save enough money to buy my very own SLR
Take swimming lessons (this seems to be on my list every year)
Learn how to knit or crochet (yes, I'm getting old)

Happy New Year my fellow bloggers.
If you're reading this and you don't have a blog, your goal should be to start one. It's a lot of fun, right Trae?
It's about time...

Ghiradelli Square & Pier 39

Here at the Hilton internet comes at a price of $15/day. Norm had to do something for work so I'm just trying to make the most of our $15.

We woke up at 7am and headed to Macy's for some early morning specials. By noon it got too crowded so we had lunch at a Thai restaurant and headed down to Ghiradelli Square and Pier 39. Norm finally found the popular In-n-Out burger and did as he was told - ordered an Animal Style burger (just like a local)!

Tomorrow we plan on heading to Napa in hopes that the weather will cooperate. So far the weather has been phenomenal - as long as you're dressed properly. My South Carolina family was taken off guard and was forced to buy jackets and sweaters in order to survive the cool pacific air. It's definitely warmer than Toronto so Norm is enjoying not having to wear long johns.

Not sure when I'll be able to update this again since internet comes at a price here at the Hilton. Then again, I guess if you can afford Hilton, you should be able to afford all that comes with it. I don't mind paying $15 for internet but the small evian bottle for $6.50 in our bar fridge is where I draw the line.

Merry Christmas

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

Cow Hollow

Although I vowed not to walk down the steep hill to Cow Hallow, Norm tempted me with food. A chocolate croissant to be precise. We immediately fell in love with the neighbourhood. Again, little shops and cafes and low rise condos that have "to die for" views of the Bay. It was a lovely walk with lots of paper shops. (Yes Charissa & Trae, paper shops!) Of course I went in to all of them, touched each and every piece of paper and left empty handed. Our nice outing quickly turned sour when I looked up at the steep hill we had to climb to get back home.

I'm happy to report that I made it up but I think it's time for an afternoon nap.

Oh, and by the way, it's a lovely 14 degrees today. It doesn't feel like Christmas. It feels like summer.

Day 1 in SFO

Day 1 - Yesterday we started the day off with french breakfast at La Boulange. It was the best brioche french toast I've ever had! The cafe itself was tiny so we were lucky to get a table for 3. After breakfast we grabbed some coffee at Peet's. You could tell it was a local favourite. I have never seen a line up like that before, not even for Tim Horton's. We took our Peet's coffee and walked around the Pacific Heights neighbourhood. It reminded me of the Beaches in Toronto. Lots of dogs, parks, kids and cute little boutiques. The houses are gorgeous. Not sure if I'd be able to park on a steep hill though. Some of these slopes are just crazy. I have not attempted to walk down (or perhaps roll down) only because I know I'll have to walk back up. I didn't come here to exercise. I'm on vacation.

James wanted to cook everyone Christmas dinner so we picked up a honey baked ham (already cooked, nice try James). This ham joint also had a long line up comparable to Peet's. It has received a lot of rav reviews by many of James' colleagues. Norm tried a sample at the store and he walked away saying it's not as good as Bigdog's. I had no doubt.

After grocery shopping we headed down to Union Square where it was absolutely madness. The crowds of people were insane. We check in at the Hilton hotel today which is in the heart of Union Square. Shopping. Now that's what I call a great start to a wonderful vacation!

The joys of flying

I don't think Norm and I can ever go to the Philippines because the 5 hour trek to San Francisco was pretty painful. The advantage to being small is the abundance of leg room but the disadvantage is always being stuck in the middle. Both arm rests were taken by Norm and my neighbour and of course my leg room was compromised as well because...well, you know how men sit. Luckily we ate before boarding because they were charging $6 for a "gourmet" sandwich. After two movies (Hairspray & Nanny Diaries) and a 5 minute nap we finally arrived in San Francisco. My first thought was - Wow, it's cold here. Thank goodness I went with my better judgement and brought my winter coat.

Today I anxiously await until Norm and James wake up. As always, I'm the first to sleep and the first to wake up. I'll have to adjust to the time difference. Waking up at 3:00 AM Pacific time is not a good thing.

(Btw, Sal - I am presently blogging from my cousin's MAC computer. I think I'm in love.)

And we're off

I don't think we've opened our fridge for a whole week. We've been so busy with Christmas parties, delivering gifts, and of course work. Every night we come home, we crash on the couch half asleep as we think of the things we have yet to do before our departure. Luciky we have an afternoon flight so we have a chance to relax and I must not forget to blog for my fellow bloggers who are quick to tell me when I am falling behind. This Christmas will be a little different as we will not be home or as someone calls it "breaking tradition". Perhaps we can start new traditions like Pre-Christmas and going somewhere warm for the holidays. I actually enjoyed visiting with family and friends during the week. I was overjoyed that Benjo warmed up to me and got to know my name. He was showing me a trick or two with his basketball. The girls had their Christmas concert that night but I stayed home with Benjo and I was glad I did. I also visited Ella and to my surprise she reached for me and was all smiles. At the end of the night she didn't want to go to her Mom and was waving good-bye and pointing to the door. If only she had a passport.

Well, the lonely travellers are off once again. I'll be sure to blog about our adventures.

I better clean out my fridge before I leave.

Let's Celebrate

It has been a tough couple of months with Norm's plate overflowing with work, school and more work. Last night he had his final exam so afterward we celebrated at our favourite Italian restaurant - Terroni. They opened a new location on Adelaide and it is absolutely beautiful. The walls are full of wine, stacks of canned tomotoes and rows of hanging prosciutto (kinda gross actually). Dinner was lovely as usual but the company was even better (the wine probably had something to do with it). With only a few days to go before our trip it seems that we have shifted gears and are now in vacation mode.

Let the countdown begin

Random Pictures

Just got around to uploading my pictures and thought I'd share some with you.

Baby Ella with Ate Seyla
Similarities:
Loud (typical Barrientos trait)
January birthdays
A love for animals (especially Cisco and Zoe)
They have their fathers wrapped around their fingers

This little fella is AJ - Mae's youngest boy.
He has a heavy hand that will knock the lights out of you. Determined. Silly. Just plain old cute.

This little fella thinks he's the King. The King of Lin Garden maybe.
Not so cute.

During the Santa parade clowns would come around and sell these noses. I tried to explain to Seyla that these noses will not stay on her little asian nose so of course she listened but I could tell she was sad when all the other kids got one. So I buckled and I bought her one. As you can see, Ninang was right. This is her holding her nose in place because it would not stay on. Poor thing. Next year I'll bring a rubber band to hold it in place.

The gift

This past weekend we met up with Cindy and Marcus to celebrate Christmas and apparently my birthday, too. We went to Moxie's which I remember to be similar to Kelsey's but when we got there it was poshy, sleek, and modern so we were worried that the prices would reflect that. Luckily it wasn't all that bad. Cindy and I shared a main dish as well as an appetizer that had the works - I love sharing because of the variety. I get bored easily if I were to order just plain old pasta. I'm a big fan of tapas - sharing plates - but only as long as you don't double dip! After dinner we exchanged Christmas gifts and she also included my birthday gift as well. You will never guess what she got me...a coach purse! I guess the word is out but just in case you guys are unclear: I love coach purses. See, who said buying for me was hard?

What a busy work week (exhale)...

I ended this busy week with 3 work parties all held on Friday. The first one was held at the Sutton Hotel where we were treated to a guest speaker who emphasized how important it was to "smile". I'm not sure, but doesn't it take more muscles to frown? You know me, I'm lazy so I'd rather smile. The second party was held in our very own HR office where one of our VPs held a high tea. It was great - bite sized scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. What a great way to spend an afternoon. After work the cancer centre held our annual holiday party - Francis and I were the bartenders for the evening. I think he was a little surprised that I was able to carry a 24-pack of beer and was able to twist the caps off without hurting my precious hands. I'm tougher than I look. Small but mighty. (Right Sal?)

I know what you guys are thinking: That I get paid for partying at work. Well, it's about time! I've worked my buttocks off all year so as I wind down to the final moments of 2007 - I think I'll sit back and enjoy these few odd moments of not working at work.

Pre-Christmas

We couldn't just go to San Francisco without celebrating Christmas with the family so Friday evening Bigdog and Dancing Queen had us over for dinner. As usual, we had an abundance of delicious food but what else is new when Dancing Queen and Mama Nitz are involved. We had a lot of fun playing Taboo despite having a strict Taboo police watching and commenting on our every move. It eventually turned into a game of Charades when dad tried to act out a spider - you had to be there. It was girls versus boys and as usual the boys could not accept defeat. It always gets a little tense when your partner beeps you for a word you're not supposed to say. Luckily my partner was drunk so he had no clue. Not that I was cheating anyway. As with every Christmas Eve we spent the night and I woke up to the wonderful smell of garlic friend rice, eggs, longanisa...and the eating fest continued. Everything was perfect. It actually felt like Christmas and as we stepped outside, the -9 degree weather (that felt like -50) confirmed that yes, we are in December.

I love pre-Christmas. I am officially making it a family tradition.

Santa is almost done shopping...

This weekend our goal was to finish our Christmas shopping. Instead of fighting the crowds in Buffalo we made our way to Vaughan Mills instead. Most of our shopping was spent at Toys R Us. We managed to get the "big" gifts out of the way - meaning, gifts for our godchildren. I was amazed with the new toys they have these days (here i go aging myself). I was drawn to the Leapster or Vtech toys because of their educational qualities. Norm, on the other hand, was in the Bratz and Hannah Montana section trying to stay on top of what's "in". Since we'll be leaving for SFO on the 22nd, expect Santa melandnorm to come barreling down your chimney with your gifts. And by the way, I prefer lactose free milk to go with my cookies. Brownies would be even better!

Ev's Engagement Soiree

Stuart is in town so Ev took this opportunity to have a meet and greet engagement party at the Bier Market. I've already met Stuart but I must say - everytime I see him I like him more and more. As Norm would say, he is genuinely nice. You don't meet a lot of people who give you that kind of first impression. Ev is a lucky girl. But I would also say, Stuart is a lucky lad himself.

Santa came to town...

Yesterday afternoon Seyla and I parked our chair and blanket along Wellington at 11:00AM so we could get front row seats to see Santa. Norm thought someone would steal our chair but it turned out that everyone had the same idea. There were lines of chairs with no one in them. Luckily we live a stones throw away so we went back home to warm up, got some food in us, watched a little TV and we were back at the parade at 12:30. Seyla preferred to sit on the blanket and as the parade went on, a few other kids joined her on the blanket. I'm sure she didn't mind. Besides, it's all about the kids - right? Canada post was the first group to open the parade as they collected all the letters to Santa. Seyla wrote a letter that went like this: "Dear Santa, How are you? How are your elves? I love you. I would like a barbie. Love, Seyla".

Holiday Plans

We just confirmed our holiday plans last night. Looks like BigDog won't be the only one absent at the annual family Christmas Eve gathering. Norm and I will be flying out on December 22nd and won't be back until the new year. I was a little surprised that Norm wanted to leave before Christmas. Christmas is usually a big deal for these guys - uncontrollable eating, sleeping, eating, sleeping, watching Christmas Story 20 times - and everyone except Norm falling asleep before it even begins. Lately Norm has been working extremely hard and is in need of a nice, long vacation. We are both looking forward to spending Christmas in San Francisco. My South Carolina family will be meeting us there as well as my sister and Allan. Get ready James, the people are coming!

Babysitting

Last night Norm and I had a little visitor. Seyla came to spend the evening with us while her parents went to watch the Stevie Wonder concert. Seyla had so much energy after dinner so we decided to go for a walk. First we checked out the Christmas windows at The Bay and then made our way up to Christmas Street up on the 5th floor. I think Norm and I were more excited than she was. We eventually made our way back - Seyla skipping all the way home. After decorating her ballet bag and helping Uncle Norm ice a cake, it was time to put her to bed. She tried everything to postpone the dreaded event...Ninang can I have some water, Ninang I need to go to the bathroom, Ninang I want a pillow, Ninang I want a blanket, Ninang I don't want a blanket...I eventually fell asleep, probably before she did. I wish it was a weekend. Then we could stay up and she can make us laugh, as usual. Little joker.

There's no place like home

November is usually a time when I remember my late Aunt and Grandma whose birthdays are both in November. I was contemplating going back "home" for the US Thanksgiving to spend time with my family but have decided not to. I'm not really sure why. I would normally hop on the plane without giving it much thought but every time I think of going back to South Carolina, I get really sad knowing my Aunt will not be there to pick me up at the airport and Grandma will not be waiting for me at home standing at the screen door. I remember Grandma would always cry when I arrived. I thought she was just happy to see me. Tears of joy. One time I asked her and she said, "Because I know you have to leave again...". I have a lot of wonderful memories in South Carolina but in the last couple of years I've had really sad memories. I guess it's all part of life. God has a plan for everyone, I know. Hopefully one day I'll find the courage to go back. I know it's a door I eventually have to close.

Deep Fried Ice Cream

Have you ever tried deep fried ice cream? Mae & Glenn treated us to a home cooked mexican meal and for dessert they did they unthinkable - they fried ice cream. First they rolled it in corn flakes, fried it for a few seconds and sprinkled cinnamon. It was delish! We also had a caramel crunch cake and Mae's infamous blueberry cheesecake. Happy Birthday Mae! Thanks for cooking...on your birthday.

Flow Birthdays

Celebrations were held last weekend at Flow in Yorkville for Francis and his mama. The filipino chef had a few filipino-inspired selections. For an appetizer we ordered a slow roasted pork belly which was essentially lechon. Francis joked that my main dish which was a braised beef in tomato tamarind sauce was basically menudo. For dessert there was a selection of cassava cake, creme caramel (leche flan) and an imitation of sans rival. Not too sure if Dancing Queen and Bigdog were impressed because they themselves are good filipino cooks! I guess we could have gone to Jesse Jr for some authentic pinoy food. But it's not often that we get to dress up and walk the streets of swanky Yorkville.

So now that we're in November it's time to think about Christmas. Have you been naughty...or nice?

Sushi

Last night we celebrated my birthday with Paul & Charissa at Sushi Island. I've always wanted to try this place after my sister raved about how good it was. She was absolutely right, it was good! I was a little worried because it was an All You Can Eat joint but there were some options that worked well for me. For $12.99 you can get all the rolls such as dynamite, soft shell crab, red dragon, etc. If you want sashimi it will cost you a heftier price of $20.99. The catch is that you have only an hour and a half to eat but I was really impressed with the wait staff and how often they came around for new orders. We had a great time trying different types of rolls. One was called a fire cracker roll which had tuna tempura bits, spicy mayo and Japanese 7 spice sprinkled on top. As Di would say, it was so good!

Next stop: Flow restaurant in Yorkville.

Birthday Weekend

Although I had to work this weekend turned out pretty awesome. As per my title - yes, birthday celebrations are still in full gear. Saturday night we were all invited to Ron's place, or as Norm calls it - the dream bachelor pad. You name it, he has it: Wii, PSPs, Xbox, DVDs of all sorts, sport paraphernalia, cigars, and an abundance of chocolate and candies as well as a fridge full of nothing but beer and water. Since Ron obviously doesn't cook and because Sally was using her sore back as an excuse, they did the next best thing - ordered Lin Garden! Lin Garden is loved by many but remember the rule: If you go to Lin Garden, you have to call us. Sally didn't even attempt a dessert but bought me a birthday cake instead. Sally is so nice! I'm so thankful to have such a nice friend!


Sunday was spent celebrating my birthday with a few highschool friends. I've been friends with these girls since highschool and although I don't get to see them as often as I'd like, we always have such a great time together. Celebrations were held at Christine's lovely new home. She was a wonderful host and even packed up food for each of us to take home. Thanks for the nice gifts (I thought we said No to gifts this year?) and for all the cakes!

TGIF

At last, it's Friday. Unfortunately I will be working at a job fair tomorrow but nonetheless it's still Friday!

Just thought I'd post pics of my birthday lunch at Pearl restaurant located at Queens Quay. I really enjoy dim sum because of the variety and the perfect, small mel-like portions. Norm, on the other hand, would prefer a steak dinner any day but sometimes you just need a change. The location of Pearl is unbeatable. It's in Queens Quay terminal on the second floor and most tables have a view of the lake. Lucky for us, we got a nice window seat with an awesome view. The food was probably the best dim sum I've tasted but it came with a price. Now I can cross Pearl restaurant off my list. Next stop - Sushi Island.

Birthday Week

I don't normally take my birthday off but this year I thought, "Why the heck not?".

Yesterday I was treated to a nice birthday lunch. I was touched that my manager and a couple of close colleagues took the shuttle downtown just to celebrate my birthday. I guess a 2 hour lunch is okay if the boss joins us! Back in my office I was struggling to keep my eyes open. Wine makes me sleepy. I was awakened by a delivery of a dozen red roses. It was absolutely beautiful and I was pleasantly surprised. I knew it was from Norm but just to make sure I read the card and it said: "King Edward Hotel, Massage, Oct 16 11am". Yup, it's from him. In the evening we headed to Ev's place for WND. She made a tasty apple crumble pie (we've renamed it Apple Crumb-aclat!) and jambalaya. This day was the perfect start to my birthday week.

This morning I woke up and saw a birthday card next to my dozen roses. On special occasions we don't normally get each other gifts but cards are mandatory. To me, it speaks louder than the roses. I can't deny -- the roses are a nice touch! -- but it's what's inside the card that counts!

Happy Birthday to me...

Thanksgiving at BigDogs

I decided to post this ASAP because we all know that Dancing Queen and BigDog are our biggest Blog readers, critics, and fans. Since our summer was full of visitors, we were not able to see them as often as normal but we were all able to reconnect during Thanksgiving. When I walked in I was surprised to receive comments on my newly straightened hair but I realized quickly that Bigdog was in the know because of my blog. Glad to know that it not only helps update those who are far away but also those in Toronto who we don't get to see as often as we'd like.

Thanksgiving at BigDog's brought the Christmas feeling in the air (although the weather was unusually mild at 36 degrees!). Norm and I were in charge of the turkey, stuffing and butter tarts. We were all impressed with Paul's first homemade potluck dish - mexican chicken is what he called it. (Although I'm convinced Charissa did all the cooking). BigDog went around force feeding us with his crab stuffed mushrooms (they were so good!). And what's a party without the infamous seafood casserole! This Thanksgiving I am thankful for all the great cooks we have in the family. Thank you for making me fat.

Miguel's 15th

Our godson Michael shares his birthday with my Mom on October 8th. This year he turned 15 and although his Mom keeps saying this will be the last birthday party...inside we all know that he will always be her baby. It was also a time to celebrate their new home. They moved into a cozy condo perfect for just the two of them! Happy Birthday Mike - I look forward to your 16th birthday party next year!

Marquez Thanksgiving

After my hair appointment we celebrated my Mom's birthday as well as Thanksgiving at Has & Flo's. We weren't able to cook the way we normally would but we agreed to keep it simple this year so we turned to our trusty old friend: Swiss Chalet. But because I love to cook, I managed to make cornbread muffins the night before. I guess it's the southern blood in me. At the end of the night we surprised mom with an ice cream cake. Hazel and I decided that 59 candles would totally melt the cake so we only put 6.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Hair Weekend

Thank goodness for a 3 day long weekend. Rohani and I got our hair straightened yesterday. It's something I treat myself to every 6 months. Growing up I've always had big hair. Most people who have thin hair would kill for this but of course we're never happy with what we have. Growing up I had to find ways to tame my mane which is one of the reasons why I've always had toned biceps (the hair dryer weighs at least 10 lbs.). All through highschool my hair was up in a permanent bun. Then came the Jennifer Aniston haircut where big and layered was in so that worked for awhile but boy was it a lot of work! Going on a vacation was hard because I had a separate luggage for my hair accessories and I had to wake up at least 2 hours before everyone to straighten my hair. Now at last I have found a solution and although not permanent, am happy to sit for 6 hours every 6 months for $200. Some may say that's too expensive and to that I say, You just don't understand.

COACH Obsessed

My Aunt and cousin called a few days ago telling me about the great coach sale that's going on. Great. Am I supposed to fly over to South Carolina and go shopping? Although that would be nice, it's also unreasonable... although when I was younger, I'd go to South Carolina at least twice a year. It's different now, I guess. We're older. We have mortgages, jobs and responsibilities. So on to Plan B. We drive to Buffalo! That's right. We had a day off last week so we drove to Buffalo to check out Coach. The sales were not what I had expected. It's never as good as SC so I came home empty handed but at least my mind was at rest knowing that I didn't miss a good sale. But back in SC, my cousin went back to the Coach store and bought me a bag. Now that's love! Thanks Auntie and Ann. I am lucky to have personal shoppers.

Earrings!

Look who got earrings! Cutie Patutti Ella Bella.

Happy Engagement!

Congrats to Rennie & Eric on their engagement.
Location: Lilly's Resto Lounge on College St.

A warm welcome...

Introducing our newest addition to our family Jeremy Ryan Marquez. Born on Saturday, September 22, 2007 weighing in at 7lbs 5oz. Congratulations to my brother and Floree along with his siblings Jonathan, Hazel and Hayden.

Pajama Party

Breakfast for dinner was served at our place on Wednesday. It was a full house so I'm glad some of us got dressed in our pajamas and got comfy. The early bird special was a bowl of champorado (chocolate rice) which everyone enjoyed except Diana. Glenn was quick to snatch hers up and was probably hoping secretly that Ev wouldn't like it either. Not a chance Glennboy. The main event was a bowl full of Norm's special fried rice that was paired with a selection of pork-sourced breakfast meats. Take your pick: longanisa, tocino, spam and chicken bacon for our lighter/diet option. This meal would not have been complete nor would it not be "filipino" without the pungent smell of a fried fish. The face everyone made when the "smell" came out of the bag was priceless. It smelled like a dead foot, as Norm just commented, he would rather use durian slime as his hair gel. To end the evening, Norm brought out the halo halo and all the fixins'. Everyone enjoyed putting their favourite toppings including a scoop of ube macapuno ice cream. What can I say, it was a Fobulous night had by all.

Fermenting Cellar

On Saturday we went with Ev to check out a possible wedding venue at the Distillery - The Fermenting Cellar which, by the way, is very fitting for Ev & Stuart. While Ev discussed the details with the coordinator, I took my camera and started shooting away. I can already tell that this place was a winner. The feeling of the place is very rustic but nouveau at the same time. The only problem is Ev has to coordinate everything - from tables, china, drapery, decorations, etc. which may be exactly what she is looking for: a blank slate. Norm and I prefer the "plug & play" option where the venue takes care of everything. This lessens the chance of being a Bridezilla or in my case, a maidzilla.

Welcome back WND

Back to school signals back to Wednesday Night Dinner so this week Ev kicked it off with an Italy- inspired menu. We started off with bruschetta and melon wrapped in prosciutto. Then came out the gnocci with chicken parmigiano and ended off with an all time Italian dessert favourite: tiramisu. As always, dinner was wonderful but the best part is getting together on a weekly basis. This week our group was bigger than normal. Mae managed to fight through traffic all the way from Markham just to join us, or to get her shrimp chips. Sally, our WND crasher decided to bring another crasher, Ron. But since Ev cooks for a whole army, they were more than welcome! Next week is Norm's turn and a request has been made to turn dinner into breakfast - filipino style. Looks like Norm is going to bring out the infamous Barrientos garlic fried rice with all the fixins'. I think I'll challenge him to a breakfast cookoff with my bacon and grits. Bring it on Hubby!

She's officially taken!

Congrats to Ev & Stuart on their engagement. He proposed while vacationing in Italy. How romantic is that? Wedding plans are already coming along (c'mon guys, it's Ev we're talking about here). Save the date for August 2008!

September Long Weekend Review

At 4:30AM on Saturday morning we got up and got ready for the ride up to the cottage. It was a smooth ride with no long weekend traffic. I guess that's the advantage in leaving early but by the time we got up there, we all needed a nap! Mae & Glenn made their grand appearance mid afternoon with both kids in tow. As always, the weekend was full of eating. Apparently we brought way too much food but I'm a firm believer in bringing more versus not enough. The weather was absolutely beautiful. We couldn't ask for a better weekend. Jared enjoyed playing in the water and going out on canoe rides with the boys. I took Jared's spot in the middle of the canoe while Di and Mae did all the rowing. I guess there is an advantage in being small. At the end of our canoe trip, Mae tried to make me fall into the water but in the end she made herself fall - but Gerwyn saved her. All weekend the boys went fishing. They even took the canoe out to the middle of the lake and they came back empty handed. The girls tried their luck on the dock and voila! - fish were coming to us like we were celebrities. Glenn eventually caught one, Norm had no luck and Gerwyn caught...a tree. (See facebook for the video clip) It was hilarious! Another highlight was the stars at night. It was fun gathering around the fire and watching the stars and the moon light the lake. All in all it was a wonderful, relaxing weekend and an awesome way to end summer. Until next year...

Roadtrip!

Sunday morning we woke up and said: Let's go to Buffalo! And so we did. We picked up Mom and off we went to the armpit of America. Again, Buffalo has never attracted us as much until they opened up the Cheesecake Factory and Banana Republic. Norm's patience was put to test as we came to a full stop at the Peace bridge where we waited 1 hour. He later treated himself to a ginormous, double decker, Tons of Fun burger that we agreed to share but I whimped out because I could not figure out how to wrap my tiny mouth around the massive burger (and I knew Francis had his camera ready). We were all in shock when Charissa's salad came out. We couldn't even see her behind the mountain of green salad in front of her. We could have easily shared one salad but watching everyone's reaction was part of the fun. After lunch our eyes were droopy with fullness. You can't escape the "itis" when you visit the Cheesecake Factory so Bigdog decided to take the car keys and sleep the food away. The rest of us walked it off and although I only had 45 minutes at Walden Galleria, I managed to purchase a pair of pants. And what's a trip to Buffalo without going to Target. As usual, we loaded up on snacks to keep Norm busy (and patient) as we waited another hour at the border. We watched as Paul's van went up to the booth and were quickly cleared to cross. We witnessed skid marks as they quickly drove away from the customs officer fearing they will see two beautiful coach bags that would quickly blow their cover.

It was another fun family event that apparently continued until the wee hours of the night at Kenny's. We would have loved to join them but they left us at the border and didn't look back.

Happy 89th Birthday Grandpa

Tonight was the long awaited steak dinner for Grandpa's 89th birthday. Grandma & I enjoyed pina coladas while Norm & Gramps enjoyed a glass of wine. It's been a long time since Grandpa has been out for a steak dinner so he thoroughly enjoyed his very large medium rare rib eye. Grandma enjoyed her steak as well but she commented many times on how much she liked the pina colada. Next time me & Grams are just gonna skip the food and go straight to the bar. We had a wonderful night with the grandparents.

Happy 89th Grandpa. I look forward to next year.

Shrimp Chips

Remember the shrimp chips at Marks & Spencer? Thank goodness Ev found an English lad because everytime she comes back from London, she has a whole suitcase of shrimp chips that we just go crazy for! Well, I am happy to announce that I have found a place that sells Skips! There is a UK booth in the international building at the CNE that also has a store at Eglinton Square. At last, we have them at our fingertips. But don't tell Ev, I still enjoy the treats she brings home for us!

Let's go to the EX!

Last night Norm and I took advantage of the dry weather and headed to the EX after work. Our first stop was the Food Building! (of course) Norm had his garlic and cheese beaver tail and I had the most delicious wings at St Louis. With food in our bellies we headed up the midway and watched as people whacked the whack-a-mole, put money on red, and played games that look way too easy, but you know there's always a trick. For example, how hard is it to throw a ball into a slanted basket? I'm convinced that the bottom of the basket has a spring that shoots the ball right back at you. Or how hard is it to throw a ring on to a bottle? Chances are the ring probably doesn't fit! I guess in the end it's all fun and games. For us, it's tradition to go to the CNE. As kids we worked in the Grandstands which is now replaced by the Toronto FC field. I remember Norm when he worked at Orange Julius. Gosh, that was 17 years ago. I guess you can say we go to the EX to feel young again!

Family Affair

Friday night we scrambled to find Grandma a wheelchair so that we can continue our weekend as planned...but now with Grandma in tow.

Saturday started off with a nice lunch at our place - portuguese chicken, rice and potatoes as well brie cheese and caprese bruschetta. After lunch we walked (and wheeled) over to Mabuhay Philippines held at the convention centre. As expected at a filipino convention, we ran into more family: mom, dad, grandpa, Francis, Trae, Seyla, Mike, Carlo with his "family friend" and some friends I haven't seen in ages. After making our rounds at the convention centre, we walked towards the Harbourfront for yet another filipino event. This was more my scene (and pace)...we chilled near the lake where we had "merienda" - coffee & ensamada. We watched the boats and as usual talks about owning one or maybe pitching in for one were quickly formed. In the end we realized it would be too expensive to maintain but maybe if we win the lotto. Off we went to the marketplace where Norm was busy pushing Grandma to the little booths selling jewelry. It's definitely her achilles heel. And of course, what's a trip to the Harbourfront without getting in line for the roasted corn. We all enjoyed the lemon, butter and spiced corn as we listened to the musical band practicing beside us. We made our way to the stage where we sat on the grass (and Grandma in her wheelchair) and enjoyed the last show of the evening. It was a nice, cultural day had by all - including Baby Ella. After the show we walked back to our place and had dinner. At 11 pm we realized we should call it a night because we would all see each other again the next morning...

Sunday we all met up again at Shoeless Joes for a engagement brunch for Tim & Louise. They reserved the restaurant to celebrate their engagement with family and friends. There we had mamosas and were treated to an assortment of breakfast foods as well as our family's special dishes: the infamous garlic fried rice, seafood casserole and cheese-jello. These things we just can't live without.

WND revamped

No, Wednesday Night Dinner has not returned. It will resume in September when everyone is back from their honeymoons. But last night Gerwyn and Norm had a date so Di and I decided to crash it. We had a nice dinner and later walked over to get our favourite gelato. Summer nights are slowly coming to an end so we have to take advantage of the beautiful weather. Walking around with no jacket and flip flops has been a privilege. Some people (ahem - Allan) have complained that Toronto is too hot. I guess you have to experience our long winter to really appreciate our few weeks of summer sun. So if you guys want to spend an evening out on a patio - you know we'll be there in a heartbeat.

Yet another wonderful weekend

As planned, Norm and I headed to Canadian Tire to buy my very first bike. That's right folks, it's my first bike ever! Norm insisted I buy a youth bike because it was smaller and it would suit me better. The nerve! Luckily the salesman convinced Norm that a women's bike would better suit me after he adjusted the seat to the lowest possible setting. And I couldn't leave the store without buying a helmet as per Francis. Safety first!

We decided against The Taste of the Danforth because of the big crowds and long line ups. Instead we hit the Spadina Street Festival and ended our night at the Hot & Spicy Festival held at the Harbourfront. There we enjoyed the musical talents of the steel drum band, enjoyed a tasting of churro (a spanish dessert) and waited in a long line up for a stick of corn which we later found was worth the wait.

Sunday morning we grabbed our bikes and made our way back to the Harbourfront where we enjoyed a nice Second Cup coffee. Just when I thought summer was almost over... it feels like it has only just begun.

This evening we celebrated Ella's 7 month birthday. Bigdog made a special appearance with his dancing queen and a bag of crispy pata. He was definitely the star attraction. He is also my biggest blog fan (and critic) so Bigdog...this blog's for you!

Woof.

Dinner with the Boss

Tonight the comp & benefits group were invited to the Boss' house for dinner. We had great food, wonderful company and probably a little too much wine. I don't normally like going to work functions but this one was a little different. First of all, how often does your boss cook for you? Second, how often do you see your boss in shorts and a t-shirt? It definitely changes the mood. Everyone was laughing, having a good time, and probably talking way too much (it will come back to haunt us I'm sure). I say, forget about these fancy parties at the Vaughan Estates. I prefer this more laid back, intimate affair. I'll cheers to that.