69th Wedding Anniversary

On Sunday, November 16th Grandma & Grandpa celebrated 69 years of marriage.  Grandma says the secret to a successful marriage is to always love and respect each other.  Sounds pretty simple, huh? I think with that you need patience, understanding, the ability to grow with each other and good sense of humour.  Norm, we have 63 years to go...

My weakness

Shortbread with a jam filling dipped in chocolate.  Deadly.

Mary Ann's Favourite Birthday

Gosh I have a lot of blogging to do.  Bear with me as I recount everything that has taken place since my last blog.  This pic was taken at Mae's place for her Favourite's birthday. She decided to be different by serving steak and chicken sandwiches and for dessert she had So Good and Tiramisu which are all her favourites.  In return, we gave Mae our favourite things which included:  iTunes card, Everyday Food magazine, Shopper's Drug Mart gift cards, shrimp chips and cookies from UK, angel food scented candle, more snacks, DVDs and i don't recall the rest but I'm sure Sally will remind me.  Yet another fun favourites birthday. There's never a dull moment at Mae's house.  We can always count on her boys to entertain us.  

Crocombouche

Our cooking class called for eclairs but Chef decided that he wanted to show us how to make crocombouche!  It was a lot of work to make the profiteroles, stuff them with sweet custard or cream, arrange them in a pyramid and decorate with spun sugar but in the end, it was beautiful and better yet, it was delicious. 

Creme Caramel & Bavarian Cream

Bavarian cream is usually the base of most desserts such as chocolate mousse.  Chef decided that plain old bavarian cream would be boring so he found some chocolate and we secretly added it to our recipe hoping that the other class would not notice.  Apparently Chef is not allowed to stray away from the recipes in the book but we like the little add-on's every now and again.

Creme caramel is similar to our filipino dessert leche flan.  It is very simple to make and since we had time, we made designs with our hot caramel mixture.  As Chef says, plain creme caramel will cost you $4.99 but with this added oomph, you can charge $5.99.  How simple is that?

Another one bites the dust...

This weekend we travelled to London, Ontario to celebrate the wedding of our friend Derek to his beautiful bride Julie.  It was a small wedding in a small town and although we did not know anyone except the groom himself, we were greeted like we were part of the family.  This was our first time in London so we stayed the night at a downtown hotel and watched the wild Western kids line up in front of Ceeps, a local bar.  We contemplated going but I neglected to pack my Uggs and my short shorts.  Besides, we had a great time at the wedding.  Great food, lots of wine and a whole night of dancing.  Who can ask for anything more?

Brothers

Gotta love this picture.  I don't really know what to say so I'll let the picture speak for itself.  

WND returns

After a long summer break, Wednesday Night Dinners were back on our schedules again.  I kicked it off with chicken pot pies and an apple pie.  I quickly remembered how hard it can get to plan and cook for these week night events but it's all worth it knowing that next week someone else is wearing the apron.  Stuart is the newest member of our group and although he got us excited about 'toads in a pond' he kept it simple by making pancetta wrapped chicken and paired it with baked potatoes and leeks.  He topped his dinner off with a caramilk chocolate cake. It was a pefect. Well done Matie! Welcome to WNDs!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving weekend was absolutely beautiful. The sun was shining and the leaves were stunning in all the different shades of red and yellow.  As you can tell by this picture, it was a warm sunny day - perfect for an afternoon photo shoot on Bigdog's patio.  As always, I am thankful for my hubby, our health and our wonderful life together. Happy Thanksgiving ya'll.

Chef School

Every morning I find myself constantly snoozing my alarm button to get a few more minutes of sleep but Saturday mornings are a different story.  I'm not a Chef. Far from it actually but taking a few cooking classes is something I really enjoy.  Maybe it's the reward that you get after each class whether it's a apple pie, a cake or learning how to mask a cake.  It looks like other people are enjoying my creations as well which makes it even more rewarding. The other day Mae dropped off a big load of apples she picked with the boys.  Luckily I had the help of my sous chefs: Diana, my official apple peeler/corer and Norm, my official butter tucker.  By the end of the night we made three apple pies and three dozen empanadas - probably more but Norm and Di kept eating them as they came out of the oven.  

A passing grade

I got a passing grade by my teacher, but even more important is the "two thumbs up" from Grandpa who is the master of apple pie making.  As always, the hardest part to make is the dough itself but I'm sure with practice it will be perfect by the time Thanksgiving comes around.  

Tim & Lou's Wedding Slideshow

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The Chef is back!

After taking a hiatus from cooking school (and from blogging, ahem) today was my first day of Baking Arts class that runs until December.  I enjoy cooking but most of you know my love for baked goods. I also started back at the gym only because I want to fully enjoy my weekly treats. Today was not a full cooking class but we did make our pie dough in preparation for our apple pies next week.  For those of you who want to try my creation, please make your way to Grandma's house next Sunday. And bring your own ice cream!

Lou & Tim get hitched!

Lou & Tim tied the knot at the Old Mill.  It was a lovely ceremony and the fact that it was only 30 minutes made it that much better.  After the ceremony we made our way outdoors for the butterfly release.  A few of us were given monarch butterflies in a box and on command we released them and watched them begin their journey to Mexico.  There were a few little stragglers that wanted to join the party so they parked their orange wings on some shoulders, flowers, heads, and even someone's breasts.  I made sure to keep moving so that it would not land on me - can you imagine if it did? You know how much I love caterpillars.  The reception was lovely as expected and I was lucky to get a front row seat to watch as the couple would kiss as we made kissy-kissy, smootchy-smootchy sounds.  Eventually the kiss turned into a french kiss and I turned my attention to see Seyla and Hannah hide behind their napkins. Once our captain Trae led us to the dance floor, it was party time.  There was lots of drinking - a little too much for some kids that didn't make it past 10, but all in all it was a great celebration of love, laughter and happily ever after.

Jenn & Sean's Wedding

When Jenn first told me she was getting married, she went straight to work and quickly put together her to-do list for her dream wedding.  It wasn't too long when she realized it demanded a lot of work and time and so she ditched the fairy tale wedding.  Instead, they went to Bora Bora where they pledged their undying love for each other.  After a week in paradise, they came back and celebrated with their parents, siblings and 30 of their closest friends at an Al Dente Italian restaurant. It was a simple, romantic and intimate reception.  Everything was perfect. But deep inside there was a part of me that wished we could have celebrated with them in Bora Bora.

Ev & Stu's Wedding

At last, the day everyone has been waiting for...Ev & Stu tied the knot on Saturday, August 23rd. First of all, she could not have asked for a better day.  The sun was shining so bright that you forgot about the rainy weekends past.  Our day started at 8am as we got our hair styled at Marc Anthony and got ready at the Four Seasons Hotel in Yorkville.  Just when we thought we were on the ball, time slipped away from us and ended up being half an hour late for the ceremony.  I bet Stuart was getting nervous but once the bus pulled up to the church, we all got in our places. It's showtime.  I got teary eyed as Ev walked down the aisle.  She looked so beautiful, so happy.  After the ceremony we all crammed on the coach which took the bridal party to the Distillery for pictures and took the UK visitors on a tour of TO.  After pictures we went inside the Fermenting Cellar and it took my breath away.  To see everything come together, to see all the details, to see all of Ev's hard work come alive. It was perfect. Everything was perfect.  Congratulations to Ev & Stu. Looking forward to a lifetime of WNDs with you both.

Pool Party

Norm and I usually have a knapsack packed away in the car that includes towels, flip flops and bathing suits for those emergency situations.  This weekend it came in handy as we were at my brother's place and we made a last minute decision to go to Petticoat Creek.  It was packed but that's expected on a long weekend and a sunny one at that.  Swimming and sunbathing were followed by a stop at DQ. Who can resist a Skor Blizzard or a strawberry sundae? The next day the fun continued at a pool party we were invited to.  It's always nice to know someone with a pool and even better when it's family because you can go there unannounced. Norm had a diving competition with the kids, making sure that all the plants and flowers surrounding the pool got a nice spray of pool water. Summer days by the pool...awesome. 

Handwash only

And so the saying goes "when it rains, it pours". It has been a couple of weeks now since we've noticed our washing machine leaking and now it's so loud that we need to turn the TV on full volume and talk to each other in sign language.  Our appliances came with our condo so we have determined that it is approximately 10 years old which is more than what I would ask for from a washing machine.  So off we went to do our research on different types of washers but because we needed a condo sized washer, it narrowed it down to only a few.  Otherwise I would go for the Whirlpool Duet. And if you're wondering about front loader vs top loader, do your research on the particular brand you are buying.  There are a lot of forums that complain about mold and mildew so when I asked the salesperson at Sears, he said all you have to do to avoid mold and mildew is to keep the washer door open to let the air circulate after each load. Other recommendations were to wash the washing machine with vinegar, bleach, or other home remedies.  Nonsense! So needless to say, we bought a simple old fashion top loader that will hopefully last another 10 years. I'll save my vinegar for when I eat chi-charon.

Ev's Stagette

Martha Stewart herself planned her Stagette so everything was perfect, just the way she likes it. She hired a Blackjack Dealer complete with table, chairs, chips and cards to teach us the tricks of the trade. Diana played a "How well do you know your other half? game" which got the drinks rolling.  The night ended with a dance marathon at Pravda where Ev rock-n-rolled until the wee hours of the morning.

Diana's Marathon Birthday

This week has been all about Diana since it's her Birthday week!  The week started off with a last minute dinner at our place where Norm had a chance to showcase his chicken curry. Tuesday night Diana had her WND Favourites on her rooftop patio where she served all of her favourites from Salad King and her favourite pastry from Kensington Market.  Festivities continued on Wednesday at Saadia & Raju's where they had an amazing spread: mini burgers, chicken crepes, chicken wings, portabello mushrooms, pasta salad and a bean salad.  Di is a big fan of games so Saadia gave us each some construction paper and markers where we had to write and draw an illustration of our 'favourite thing' about Diana.  Later we had a chance to sneak upstairs to try out the WiiFit.  As it turns out, my Wii age is 24! That's right...24! Must be the Yoga. The girls were a little upset because I lied and told the Wii I was 30 (instead of 32, my real age) but regardless, I doubt that would have made a difference to my Wii age.  The wonderful night ended with sparklers as we sang Happy Birthday to our dear Princess Diana.  My favourite thing about Diana is her birthday...can't wait until next year!

Go home Yankees!

Even without Rios we were able to beat up on the Yankees but then again, we had the Wild Child AJ Burnett who was solid and almost pitched a complete game.  It was a hot game (literally - Ev and I were burning up under the hot sun) but by the time the 7th inning stretch came along, the sun had given us a little break.  According to Norm, this was a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  I'll have to cheers to that!

A day with California bound

Breakfast at Richtree, gelato at Solferino's, fish & chips at the market, butter tarts at the north market and shopping at Eaton Centre.  I know, my blogs are always centered around food but when you live where we live, how can it not?  We're surrounded by good food!  Had we walked down to the Harbourfront there would have been Peruvian, Indian and Jamaican just to name a few!  While the girls went to the Eaton Centre, the boys snuck away and got their feet massaged. I'm sure Eric will be revisiting this place everytime he comes off the plane but next time, I want in.   

Globe Bistro - Summerlicious

Trae's pick for summerlicious this year was a restaurant on the Danforth called Globe Bistro. Don't judge it from the outside because the inside is beautiful and spacious. It has three levels with a private dining room and a beautiful urban rooftop patio. Dinner was good but portions were small.  Tim paid $15 extra for a 15 oz ribeye, potato fries and salad. Norm's highlight of the night was the roasted pork belly.  My highlight was picking food off Tim's cutting board of a plate without him knowing.  Pig!

Summerlicious at Bistro 990

Summerlicious turned out to be a girls only outing - which I always enjoy.  Topics of conversation are always more interesting (not that anyone filters when Norm is around).  The evening started off with manicures and pedicures to start.  I was not lucky enough to join in this luxury but I did make it just in time to have my share of the 'good bread'.  Unlike other fancy restaurants, Bistro 990 had decent sized portions.  It was a lovely evening with foie gras spring rolls, rib eye steak and pavlova.  We ended the night with doggie bags...and some even scored some extra bread!

Let's go Blue Jays!

Chicken wings, beer and a baseball game... what better way to spend a Tuesday night.  The Jays are in a slump these days but we were optimistic.  In the 6th inning we were down 6-2 but with the bases loaded and Rios at bat...you just had a feeling that something great was just about to happen.  Turns out we tied it in the 7th inning and won the game in the 9th.  What a perfect way to end the night!  Go Jays Go!

Gone Fishing

There's something I like about fishing.  Maybe it's the adventure of experiencing different fishing sites and finding the perfect spot.  I also like to wake up early and head to the market to pick up items for our picnic lunch.  These days we are in love with fresh bread, fresh pastries and of course, cheese!  We had a few passengers with us - Princess Seyla, Kahlua and of course the princess herself, Diana.   The day was perfect - and we even had a chance to go to the big Apple.  

Happy Anniversary to us

The book says the traditional 6th year anniversary present is candy or iron.  I didn't have a chance to buy Norm candy but we raided Rocky Mountain at Niagara-on-the-lake and came out with chocolate covered pretzels, pralines and a caramel apple.  Close enough.  I also bought him a cast iron pan (although someone suggested to get him 'iron pills') which he is thoroughly enjoying.  You can't go wrong with a man who likes to cook.  And what did he get me, you ask?  Well, it came in a little blue box (which was good enough for me) but inside was a beautiful silver bracelet to add to my growing collection.  Our anniversary this year was spent at Niagara on the lake, Niagara Falls and we even managed to go to Rochester, NY and a pit stop to the Cheesecake Factory in Buffalo.  And who says the high gas prices will have an affect on our driving this summer?  Although we love our city, it's always nice to get away.  We love to just pick up and go. 

A weekend with kids...

While Norm was 'sightseeing' in Boston, I got to experience life at my brother's house.  They were expecting me right after work on Friday night but Ev twisted my arm to stay downtown for some shopping and dinner with Di.  Early Saturday morning I made my way to Meadowvale where Flo had breakfast ready (I can get used to this).  Jeremy was awake so I was lucky to spend some alone time with him as he tricked me into taking me out of his exersaucer.  Most of my time there was spent carrying this 28lb little boy. I think I may need a hip replacement now. Soon after, Hazel heard the chatter downstairs and quickly got out of bed to see me.  She so sweetly cleaned her room from top to bottom just for me.  Flo says I should come over more often since she has never seen Hazel's room so clean.  And then there's my little man, Hayden.  As soon as he saw me he asked, "Tita Mel, what took you so long?".  Apparently his mother made the mistake in telling him I 'might' come over as early as Friday night. There's no such thing as 'might' in a child's vocabulary and so he stayed up until 3 am waiting for me.  So what's a girl to do with three kids and a sister in law? Two words: Vaughan Mills.  I took Hayden to the racetracks, Hazel shopping and pushed Jeremy around the mall.  A few hours later we made our way home, ordered Frederick's and called it a night.  Life with kids is definitely a challenge but anything is possible when you have a brother who picks up food, moves my car at night to avoid a ticket and Flo's famous chocolate chip cookies that followed me all the way home. 

And now, it's back to reality...

Ev's favourite things

As per Sally's blog, Ev invited us over for her birthday dinner.  Just to name a few, she received Glen's favourite toilet paper, oregano oil which is Di's favourite home remedy, sun screen from her favourite Pharmacist and Pocky from her most favourite, fobulous friend.  It makes shopping a lot easier when you shop for what you like versus what you think the receiver will like.  Although it is always hard to buy something for Ev (as we all know she has everything) it was a lot easier this year.  I walked into my favourite store, Banana Republic, and purchased a bracelet I absolutely would have loved for myself.  I was thankful there was a sale but I still went over the $25 limit. Ev, buy me a coffee and I'll call it even. 

Another road closure

Looks like I have a theme going. I am happy to report any road closures this summer in and around the city.  This weekend College St was closed for the Taste of Little Italy.  Everyone seemed to be enjoying the patios but we were on the look out for something "different".  They had rows and rows of BBQ's that were serving chicken and beef kabobs, burgers, and of course corn.  What caught my eye (and my appetite) was a bakery called Riveria.  We had something called "arancini" which is a rice ball with peas, onions, cheese and ground beef.  It resembles an orange (hence the name) once it is rolled in a ball and fried until golden.  We also treated ourselves to some pastries filled with sweet ricotta cheese.  Thank goodness we went to gym.  In fact, it may have been still within the 'power hour' time limit.  At that same bakery, we heard a few people ordering ice cream sandwiches.  I figured it must be good since so many people were ordering them.  To my surpise, they were actual sandwiches - kaiser bun with ice cream inside.  I actually remember my Grandma making me these same ice cream sandwiches with plain white bread.  How could I have forgotten something that was so good?  After we strolled over to Augusta/Kensington Market and had a late lunch at El Trumpo.  Norm had a craving for mexican so we enjoyed 5 beef tacos, nachos and guacamole.  As usual we opted for the patio seating where we people watched and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  After lunch we decided to walk off all the food and ended our day off at Spadina.   I feel lucky and privileged to live in a city so diverse and full of culture.   

Happy Birthday Twins (kinda)

First let me explain my title - my brother and my sister share the same birthday but they are one year apart.  They have always shared birthday parties, shared cakes, and maybe even shared gifts. 

This year my brother decided to leave the kids at home so we headed to Terroni's  where we had pizza, pasta, belini's and red wine.  And what's a birthday without cake so we ended dinner on a sweet note with an array of desserts - tirimisu, creme caramel, and chocolate torte.

After dinner we headed over to Pravda for some birthday drinks.  Norm's choice of drink was a espresso martini, Has went the James Bond route, and Flo & I enjoyed the lychee martini.  It was our first time in their new location which was bigger and more beautiful. They have Happy Hour Monday to Friday from 5- 7pm.  Half price martini's. Good to know.  

 

Another closure

Tonight Yonge Street was closed for the NHL Awards.  I was hoping to see some of my favourite hockey goons but had no luck.  The red carpet was already being rolled away as everyone was already inside the building.  We continued our walk along Yonge street in our quest for a good pad se ew.  I have not found something comparable to the one in SFO and even tonight did not quite compare.  Still, it was a beautiful evening to dine on a patio.  As we walked back home we found the NHL award ceremony had ended and to our surprise we ran into Jarome Iginla.  Iggy!  

Woofstock, North Pole and Sex in the City

It's always nice to start the summer with road closures and street parties.  This weekend they closed Front Street for Woofstock, the biggest dog party ever.  Most dogs were prepared for the hot weather as they were wearing visors and sunglasses.  Those that needed to cool off jumped into the pool (yes, there was a canine pool party) while those that were tired retreated to their doggy strollers.  After some fun at Woofstock, we made the trek to the North Pole for some burgers and beer on the newly, finished deck. What a beautiful day to spend outside with the small kids, the big kids and the young at heart kids.  My last stop was at Milestones where I met my girlfriends for dinner and ended the night with a late Sex In the City show.  Don't worry, I won't divulge any information for those who have yet to watch it so I will end this entry here before I slip...

A few of my Favourite Things

This year we will be buying each other a few of our favourite things.  I know, it's seems odd that you wouldn't buy the celebrant what they want but in doing this, we might learn more about each other and find something new on your own favourite list.  This year I bought Sally a lululemon headband that came with a lululemon bag.  I like this headband because it actually stays in place and neatly tucks away my growing bangs.  I also scored Sally a big lululemon bag which is great for grocery shopping or in her case, lugging 'drawer worthy' things back and forth to Ron's house. Inside the bag was a booklet that includes all Yoga studios in the GTA.  I am hoping Sally will give it a try so that I have someone to do the downward dog with. I also included a pair of Gap socks.  I love these socks because they are soft and thick and they have a nice padding for the soles of your feet.  Lastly, I bought Sally a waterbottle that is not plastic.  This was initiated because I saw a few plastic water bottles in Sally's car.  I guess the theme of my gifts surrounded the idea of staying healthy and to think green!

Big Brother

I don't usually have a heart to heart with my brother (I save that for my sister) but even though I don't tell him everything, he always knows when I need a little boost.  This weekend they came over and he took us shopping at Eaton Centre and later treated us for dinner at Wah Sing. Growing up, I always remember my brother working whether it was at the corner video store or summer jobs at the CNE and every pay day he would take me out to eat or even buy me something I needed (shoes for school).  After all these years, I guess some things don't change and even though I am grown up and have my own job, I will still let my big brother treat me every now and again.

 

Thanks Mama Lee

We all helped in bringing everything up to the rooftop patio for this weeks' WND.  As we unravelled the table cloth, we found some food Diana was saving from last year.  It must be the secret ingredient to the delicious kalbi we had that evening.  As we eat, Gerwyn gave us a history lesson on Marco Polo and Columbus.  We were all impressed until the sangria wore off and we found the the true story thanks to Wiki.   The evening ended with a beautiful, red sunset.  You know what they say, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight".  

Thanks Mama Lee for the kalbi.  And Happy early Birthday Di!

Good Eats

Last night we took Stu to our favourite Chinese restaurant.  You guessed it, Wah Sing.  As usual, they left the ordering to us so we ordered the usual:  soft shell crab fried rice, cantonese chow mein, green beans, spicy squid, fillet of sole, and of course, lobster.  Everyone thought it would be too much food but it all disappeared an hour later.  Wah Sing is always a sure thing. 

Welcome Home

WND was held at Ev's but this time she had a little help from her fiance, Stuart.  He's back...but now he's back for good.  Norm is so excited now that he has another male join our WNDs.  He has definitely been through a lot of 'rubbish' talk about Sex In the City, Oprah, explicit details of our trips/experiences.  I think that's what makes him such a great husband!  And now that Stu has joined our group, I'm sure he will learn a thing or two from our girl talk.  Welcome home, Stu!

Happy Birthday Hayden

Normally little 4 year olds ask for toys on their birthdays but our little boy, Hayden, being the unique boy that he is, asked for ties and a bowler hat.  When he is misbehaving, instead of taking away his toys, his parents will take away his tie.  It all started when the whole family started playing Toontown where Cogs walk around in ties and suits making the neighbourhood gloomy and grey.  Your goal is to make them laugh using gags such as throwing a pie at their face or squirting them with water.  When asked why he wanted to be a Cog, his response was, "Because they are strong".  This is coming from a  little boy who barely cries because "boys don't cry".  Not too sure how long this will last but I'm sure next year, instead of running around looking for the latest and greatest toy, he will probably want a calculator or perhaps a bowling bag. I am so excited to watch our little boy grow.  Something tells me he is going to give us a ride of a lifetime.

Healthy Living

Norm and I always try to stay on the healthy side but as we pealed our winter clothes we noticed what was keeping us warm throughout the harsh winter season.  It was an awful sight.  It gave us the kick in the butt that we needed to get back into shape.  Normally we go our separate ways at the gym - Norm goes towards the room with big, grunting men and I, to the ladies only room. Today we did something different.  This time we trained together and I got a dose of those crazy workouts Norm finds in Testosterone.  First he started me on dips and pull ups.  I've done this before but he was literally standing beside me yelling and hitting my butt to go faster.  Luckily no one was there to see the abuse.  Next I did leg lifts - because I refuse to do Norm's version of a sit up.  Try lying down on an incline, sit up, and ever so slowly go back down.  You only have to do this three times to get abs like Frank. I'm sure that's his secret.  Next we found an empty squash court and he made me do the unthinkable. It's hard to explain but picture me walking with my hands while my feet dragged a mat.  I was only able to do it three times across the court as my wrists were starting to give out.  Off to another room where we picked up heavy weights and just walked around the room.  Sounds easy enough but give it a try and you will be surprised at how much you sweat.  

Working out is easy enough to do but you have to pair it with healthy eating. Today we ate fresh fish, chicken, omelettes, brocolli, bok choy and instead of rice we had quinoa.   Looks like we're on our way back to our healthy lifestyle.  It's not going to be easy (or cheap) but at least we still have time to look good for bathing suit season.  

 

Patio Season

I got a call from a Blogger Police (who, i should mention, does not have a blog).  I guess the warm weather has kept me outside and away from my computer.  On Friday, Rachel & I decided to go out for lunch but only to a place that had a patio.  We headed over to Zelda's, home of the best sweet potato fries, and found their patio was booming with people who didn't seem to be in a rush to get back to work.  I guess we get really excited when the weather starts to warm up, especially after such a long and hard winter.  Although we skipped out on Baskin Robbins, our afternoon lunch in the sun was exactly what I needed.  Had it been a Laura Secord, I definitely would have ended it with a french crisp. 

At last...

I am now part of the Mac family. Today we bought our very first MacBook. It's not a Pro - which only experts like Sally can handle. Instead we bought a white 13". So to all of you Mac owners, Let's chat! But give me some notice so I can look presentable for my debut!

Bird's Nest

Something I've always wanted to learn was how to make a Phoenix Nest or sometimes called a Dragon's Nest. The nest was made by arranging thin pieces of taro in a bowl and quickly deep frying until it comes out of the bowl and is able to hold it's form. Once that is done, everything else comes easy. I made a quick chicken, shrimp and vegetable dish and put it in my edible bowl. I am really going to miss cooking classes this summer. The school is undergoing renovations so I guess that means I will have to find another hobby. For those of you who are interested, my teacher is offering classes at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Scarborough. See website for more details: http://www.cccgt.org/F.cgi/(en)/courses_by_category.html

Our Savior Sue

Sunday was Hair Day and as all of you know it's a full day affair. The three lovely, big haired ladies met at Pacific Mall where Sue and her crew were stretching their arms and wrists in anticipation of the 7 hours they will be spending with us. Knowing full well that it takes them even longer with me, I came with freshly clean, showered hair so off I went straight to the chair where they started the tedious Japanese straightening procedure. For me, it has to be done every 6 months and although it's expensive and long, it's worth my time and every penny.

A day with the kids

It's always amazing to see how fast kids grow right before your eyes. Jonathan has grown up to be a lovely young man with a mustache that Hayden wished he could have. Hazel is wonderful at being Mom's little helper. As we all pack into the van, she buckled both her little brothers into the car seat and made sure they had everything they needed within reach. Hayden has great fashion sense as can be seen when he sports his skinny, black tie. He apparently never takes this tie off, not even for bed. And lastly, Jeremy is the best baby in the world. He never cries and is content just watching everybody and slowly he drifts away and falls asleep.

All of these kids bombarded our place in the afternoon for lunch. They dragged me and my wallet to the Eaton Centre but thankfully the two younger ones were asleep. Whew. After we worked up an appetite, we went to Wah Sing where we met Mom and Wendell and had a feast to celebrate Jonathan's belated, belated birthday.

Triple J

Last night we met up with Jeff, Jen and Jasmine. It's been a long time since we've seen them but we just picked up where we left off had a wonderful evening at Richtree. We finally had a chance to meet Jasmine who is a little energizer bunny that keeps going and going...I wish I had pictures to share but I forgot my camera (i know, it never happens. must be old age). As always, kids shy away from us in the beginning but by the end of the night we wanted to take her home and I don't think she would have complained. Actually, Jen and Jeff probably would have welcomed a good night's rest! I have tried to recruit them to our blogger world in hopes that we can get weekly updates of Jasmine. Hope you can help me convince them, too.

Earth Hour

Of course we took part in Earth Hour, did you? We started off at home and watched the countdown on CP24 as if it was New Years all over again. When we saw Nelly Furtado at Nathan Phillips we decided to walk down and enjoy it...live! We sipped on hot chocolate to stay warm as we watched the unplugged performances by Nelly Furtado, Fefe Dobson and the Philosopher Kings. After the performances we went home, turned on the stove to cook dinner, watched TV and surfed the net during commercials. I guess it only lasted an hour but in my opinion, we're doing our part. We have a small living space that is sufficient for our current needs, we have one car that we use only on occasion, we take the subway or walk to work and we walk to the market to buy local products. I am guilty, however, of having my computer on from the minute I get in the door but how else am I going to be the Blogger Police?

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.