Uncle Jessie

As Francis said at the viewing, "What kind of gathering would this be if he did not go up to the mike and say a few things about Uncle Jessie".  On that note, this Blog is dedicated to Uncle Jess. During family events Uncle Jessie would always lead the prayer before our meals.  Usually at this time everyone is famished and the smell of the food tantalizing our nostrils was torture. We would patiently wait and listen to Uncle Jess say grace that was sometimes accompanied with some form of music.  Just when we think it is over, Uncle would sneak in an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.  At the end of the prayer, he would always get a big AMEN as everyone rushed to the food table. Uncle always took his time in prayer and taught us to be patient.  

When Norm was doing home visits in Scarborough, his favourite place to take a break was in Uncle Jessie's backyard. It was meticiously clean, very neat and had zen like qualities. Norm would often go there unannounced and sometimes unnoticed. Thank you Uncle Jess for welcoming and creating the best outside office anyone can ask for.

Uncle Jessie will be missed by all. But as the saying goes, just look in the eyes of his children and grandchildren and there you will find him.  

Rest in peace Uncle.

Croissants

I absolutely love croissants. It's my whole reason for taking the Breakfast Breads course. Norm and I often try out different bakeries and test out their chocolate croissants.  So far the best one yet is from Thuet but it also comes with a hefty price tag.  Now that I know how to make these beautiful creations, we no longer have to wander the streets of TO.  But then again, now that I know how much butter goes in, I haven't made any since. I guess sometimes it's best not to know. Ignorance is bliss.

French Toast Party

Since taking baking courses at George Brown, a small fan club started to develop.  A friend even hangs out in front of George Brown in hopes of getting a taste of a fresh baked something.  My biggest fan is definitely Norm but trailing behind him is Grandpa.  One day he asked me how to make french toast so I gave him the recipe and the following Sunday we went there with our whole kitchen in a bag.  We had a french toast party with the Grands that also included some fresh baked danishes and Grandpa's fav cinnamon buns! And so the story goes:  everyday before working at the Westin Harbour Castle hotel, Grandpa would stroll the streets of downtown and stop by a cinnamon bun shop.  He says it's one of his favourites along with a homemade apple pie and tea biscuits.  Grandpa's grandpa often baked these favourites and so I can only imagine the memories that came back with even just the smell of a fresh baked something. 

Breakfast Breads

I successfully graduated from Baking Arts I and continued on to Breakfast Breads with my cooking partner, Saadia.  So far we learned how to make brioche, cinnamon buns and croissants.   This class is very different from the 'beginner' class.  Chef is very strict and has rigid time lines.  I guess it's good discipline for those going into the industry but most of us do this for fun and don't need the army like environment.  Luckily she has a nice assistant who does not hesitate to help out where needed.  Pictured here is our chelsea bun.  It was oooey, gooey, good.  A little birdy (Grandma) told Grandpa all about it so I had to bake one especially for him.  The look on his face after his first bite, and after his third cinnamon bun, made waking up every Saturday morning worth it.

Another Kris Kringle

We finally put our Christmas tree away but not before having yet another Kris Kringle with my high school buddies.  Brian took us back in time and played some old reggae and classic house music.  It took everything in me to not get up and bust some TriUnity moves.  I did, however, do a little Notre Dame cheer as requested by my fans.  Gosh, it's been so long. Luckily I did not attempt the 'russian' otherwise I am sure I would be in the hospital with a torn something or other. Anyway, just wanted to thank my Kris Kringle for my Indigo gift card.  And thanks for waiting for me to come back so I can celebrate Christmas with ya'll!

Baby Harper

Congrats to cousins April & John who had a baby girl on January 2, 2009.  My little cousin April and I grew up together in South Carolina. I know, she's no longer little (although she's still shorter than me) but I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of her.  I know she will make an amazing mother and I hope to be a wonderful Aunt, even though I'm far away. I cannot wait to meet little Harper Haralson.  Hopefully I can take a trip out to Houston for a quick visit.

Kris Kringle

It seems that Christmas is never ending. I guess that is partly the reason why my Christmas tree is still up. Friday night we gathered together for our annual gift exchange - white elephant, so you can imagine the stealing and dirty looks everyone was giving each other.  In the end, I think everyone ended up happy.  I got a recycled wine bottle cheese platter.  Thanks Di! Instead of cooking, we ordered Chinese food. Everything was delicious and now I'm back to where I started. I guess I'll have to Spin that much harder.

Old Friends

When ever I go home, I always try to meet up with my old friends. This is Bobbie Jo, my BFF in 5th grade.  We were inseparable.  I would attend all her soft ball games, we would take hours getting ready for school dances, we would buy the same outfits but in different colours and she told me all she learned in sex ed class when my Grandpa refused to let me go.  It's been more than 20 years and yet it seems just like yesterday.  

Go Tigers!

We decided to start the new year in Jacksonville, FL for the Gator Bowl:  Clemson Tigers vs Nebraska Huskers.  I'm not really a football fan but the excitement is contagious when you're surrounded by 70,000 screaming fans.  Our tailgating experience was interesting. Parked beside us was a family of 6 all crammed in an old Chevy. Imagine three big Americans in the front seat, and three in the back. As they got out, they quickly set up their folding chairs and started eating fried chicken.  It was just as I'd picture it but even better. The game itself was an emotional roller coaster as the teams took turns in the lead.  In the end, the Tigers were defeated but the orange sea of fans still sang loudly as the Clemson band played the school song.  After the game we had a quick bite to eat and headed four hours north back to South Carolina.  

Orlando, FL

After a quaint little Christmas in SC, we drove south to Florida for a mini vacay.  Since we've been to the Disney parks before, we decided to forego the long Disney lineups and instead enjoyed our vacation home that was equipped with an inground pool.   As predicted, Norm was the first one to jump in the pool followed by my uncle.  Soon there were a couple of us in our pajamas who were pushed in the pool, myself included.  The option to heat the pool was available at $35 a day but the weather was so nice that it was not needed.  No wonder Canadians flock to Florida during the winter season.  New Years Eve was fun as we played cards and drank champagne as we rang in the new year. I look forward to 2009.

Greenville, SC

Yesterday we made the 3 hour trek to Greenville, SC where cousins Brian & Kate live.  It's a booming town full of young professionals and where a number of big companies are setting up shop.  My cousin works for GE which is partly the reason for his move to Greenville.  It's also 45 minutes away from Clemson, their alma mater, making football games easily accessible.  Upon our arrival, they wanted to take us out to Lieu's, their favourite chinese bistro.  We ate until we were 110% full and then headed downtown to an ice-cream shop called Spill the Beans.  It's a quaint little town with cute shops and restos.  I think it's a little too small townish for me but knowing Norm, this is exactly the type of town he would move to.  Here you can get a big house (2000 sq ft) for $150,000.  It's tempting. Really tempting.

Tang, la!

When my cousins and I were little our Grandpa taught us how to play cards and even bet money. The name of the game is Tang but I've heard some other families call it other names.  It usually happens after dinner when someone would yell out "Tang, la!" and everyone would scrounge around for change and bring it to the game table.  Prior to dealing our 5 cards each, we would bet 10 cents each for the lowest spade and 25 cents for the lowest black pair. Back then, that was a lot of money - especially for us kids.  Eventually we would add on and bet on the lowest diamond, red pair or even zebra (red and black pair).  There was never any clear winners but we always had cheaters. Grandpa, for example, would hide the Ace of Spades and none of us clued in every time he won the lowest spade bet.  My brother and his sidekick Brian were always quick to take our coins when we weren't looking or come up short when paying the winner.  But we all cheated when our Grandma would drift off to sleep and slowly her fan of cards would fall for all to see. Last night was no different. As always, it was a loud and rowdy game with rule makers and rule breakers, some of us were short changed, and for some reason my Aunt always won the spade bet. Hmmm, I'm on to you Auntie!  Sunday afternoon we will be going to my Uncle's house for lunch so I will save my change in case someone yells out, "Tang, la!" 

Okra Grill

A visit to the Charleston would not be complete without a visit to Okra Grill. It's a small, simple restaurant without any frills but people flock here because of the good old southern food they have to offer.  We all ordered separate dishes but as usual we changed it to family style and traded and tasted each other's food.  Hush puppies (deep fried corn meal) are my favourite and I was glad these did not disappoint. Okra is also a must (hence the name of the resto) so you can have it deep fried and coated with a light batter or simmered in a tomato sauce. Collard greens are also a southern staple and is usually cooked in butter.  Norm and I shared a seafood dish that had shrimp, fish and crab cakes but I was quick to try my Aunt's sweet, butter deep fried chicken and Ann's country, fried steak smothered with gravy. As you can see, it's a restaurant that one should not frequent often but it's definitely a winner if you are craving good old, southern cooking. 

A Southern Christmas

We managed to escape the winter wonderland and ventured south for Christmas.  It's been awhile since I've been home so I've forgotten the traditions that take place during this time of year.  Misa de Gallo was always something I attended when I was little. I'm not sure what misa de gallo means but basically we gather together a couple of times before Christmas to pray and sing carols.  I guess it's also a social event but it's nice because it reminds us what Christmas should be about. On Christmas Eve we attended midnight mass, something we had not done in years but realize now how important it is. Our family took up a whole row so as you can probably guess peace be with you was a little complicated. Here in the south when you say the Our Father, everyone holds hands - even strangers.  After mass we got home and had our midnight Christmas dinner which consisted of sushi and sashimi, chicken rice soup (arroz caldo), chicken salad and salmon with caper dips with pita, eggrolls and fruit.  It was supposed to be a light snack but we ate way too much and konked out by 4 am but still managed to wake up at 10:30 to prepare for Christmas dinner.  But first things first -  a visit to see Auntie, Grandma and Grandpa were mandatory, especially at Christmas.  It was while I was standing there looking at their stones that I realized just how much I missed them, again especially at Christmas.  As soon as we got back, I went straight to work.  I must say, the seafood casserole turned our amazing and it was a huge hit (thanks Dancing Queen).  For dinner we had turkey, ham and roast beef with all the fixins' and for dessert, my almost famous apple pie. It was a perfect southern Christmas.  Oh, and did i mention that it was 32 degrees celsius today?  

Merry Christmas to all.  

And to all a good night.

Christmas Whirlwind

I try to get enough sleep in November to last me through the holiday season but every year it's never enough.  I'm exhausted and we haven't yet made it to Christmas.  Work alone had 5 Christmas parties plus I had to finish up on work before the Christmas closure at my downtown office. Thankfully Saadia volunteered to cook a lovely Christmas dinner for our WND crew.   We were hoping to visit our godchildren before our departure but mother nature had other plans.  The news called it 'snowmageddon' but what do you expect when you live in Canada? Many scrambled to find a way home, and many of my coworkers were frustrated with the cancelled GO trains/buses. It was a mass exodus to leave the city but some stayed behind in hopes that the snow would stop and the streets plowed.  As for me, I was home in a flash. Living 4 subway stops from home is great! By dinner time, Norm and I walked the city streets and although the snow had given us a break, the temperature dropped to friggin freezing!  We enjoyed the snow nonetheless. It was fresh, untouched and sparkly. It almost looked fake. Apparently another snow storm is heading our way.  We were scheduled to leave tomorrow morning but we switched it to Monday afternoon.  Although I would love to be in sunny South Carolina, I would rather ride out these storms.   For now, I'm going to enjoy my Christmas weekend with Norm.  Maybe Mother Nature is trying to tell us to slow down and enjoy time with our families.  How about making a snowman together? Or baking Christmas cookies? Tonight we're enjoying a roast beef dinner, wine and Love Actually.  It's just what I needed.  It's perfect.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the WND crew.

Sally has been voted off the island.

Welcome Saads!

Black Forest Cake

I don't normally fancy black forest cake but I quite enjoyed this one.  We started off with a making a Devil's food cake (chocolate cake) which we divided in three layers.  In between the layers we added cherry jam and cream.  The hardest part was masking the cake without looking like a lopsided mountain. The highlight of making this cake was decorating it with rosettes, shredded chocolate shavings, chocolate sprinkles, and running a decorating comb along the side.  All this with cherries on top!

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?