#maevaflavestaycation

Do yourself a favour and take a staycation if you can.

My girlfriend K. is nearly home (Saturday) from a two-week trip to India. We're not likely taking a big trip this year together, so I've got all this vacation time to use. Since she's away having a blast and experiencing new things, and life is just "same old, same old" for me, I thought, why not take advantage of this time by myself? Why not take 5 days off work and just be here? Here in my apartment, here in my city (Waterloo), here in my province (Ontario), etc. So I did! Today is the fifth day of my staycation, I'm returning to work tomorrow, and I have enjoyed this time off to the max!

Here's what I've gotten up to:

• Many sleep-ins (on my first day off, I slept in until 10:30!!!)
• Much leisure time spent on my computer -- catching up on my personal email inbox, doing some of my volunteer board work, buffering, and I even "went on a retreat" and spent two hours refocusing my professional blog (analyzing traffic, what works, what doesn't, etc.)
• Hanging out with friends and family!
• Eating -- pizza, Thai, panzerotti, Pakistani, sushi, burrito, sub, and more!
• Tasks around the apartment -- laundry, cleaning, organizing, and even little projects like I painted a chalkboard wall in the apartment and another project that I'll reveal later (I want to surprise Kate!)

New chalkboard wall in my apartment!

• Celebrated my friend W's birthday!!! -- first visit to Lahore Tikka House, trampolining at Skyzone, and more time spent with W. & friends
• Gym -- I've had four solid gym visits over the course of the staycation, including an awesome Sunday morning Body Pump class with my sister
• Arts & culture -- I saw Die Walküre at the Canadian Opera Company by myself on Sunday. It was nearly five hours of intense performance and gorgeous singing. I'm a regular opera goer, but still a rookie, so I was a bit apprehensive about a 5-hour opera. I shouldn't have been. I was totally enchanted! I also saw a movie, Birdman, yesterday at Princess Cinemas in Waterloo. I had wanted to see it anyway, but once it won the Oscar, I knew I had to. It was captivating! What a unique film; the way it was filmed, the acting, the meta-ness, the sort of heightened reality... something totally new. I loved it!
• Car wash -- bumper to bumper. This was so incredibly satisfying! My car looks brand new!
• Cooking -- I went for a big grocery shop on Monday night and then yesterday made a dish that yields ten servings!!! I even went out and bought new lunch containers, and then I divided the dish (lentil chili) into its servings and currently have eight (!!!) servings in the freezer ready for next week's lunches (meaning when K's home, I can devote time to being with her rather than cooking for the week ahead!). I also bought the ingredients for a second meal which I'll hopefully cook today!

That's mostly it! Sleep, leisure time, seeing friends, eating, cooking, working out, doing tasks, taking in performances... It sounds simple, but rejuvenated may not be strong enough a word. 

If you get the chance, do it! Now... back to my final 21 hours of staycation!

Sum.

I have plans of making Eggs Benedict for myself for the first time tonight. It's a favourite in breakfast spots, but I've never made it at home before and I want to try. But before I go off to the kitchen to do that...

I had an amazing weekend ripping it in Toronto with my newest best buddy; let's call her K.E.S.P. Today is the final day before I head back to work after a glorious holiday, so it was a delight to spend the weekend having fun with a friend and indulging in a number of pleasures. I got back to Waterloo around 1:30 ish and immediately cuddled with my kitty Spoon (I didn't take off my jacket or boots for at least 5 minutes... Spoonie deserved the attention). Then I felt like I needed a nap, so I climbed in bed and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I tried to turn something on to watch that I'd hopefully fall asleep to, but it didn't happen. So, I figured I'd just lounge in bed, snuggling with Spoon, and watch something I actually want to watch. That's what brings me to the reason I wanted to post right now...

I Am.

K.E.S.P. watched this documentary recently and highly recommended it, so I was happy to take the time to watch it. It was fantastic!!! I won't bother summarizing it for you, I suggest you watch it yourself. There were so many amazing takeaways, but here's the fact that resonated most with me.

We are all connected. Everything we do has an impact.

I tend to get overwhelmed watching documentaries with big ideas like this one had. I get so wrapped up in the good ideas and want so desperately to implement them in my own life, but being overwhelmed, I often end up implementing nothing at all. So I'm going to take a "small" part of this idea and work to consider it as regularly as possible.

Consider the energy I'm putting out into the universe. 

I know the feeling of walking into a room and feeling an existing tension that you may not have the context for, but you can actually feel. My cat Spoon knows that feeling, too. When my GF K. and I have a big talk (also known as a fight) and we're sitting next to each other on the bed, crying, maybe speaking in loud voices, feeling intense emotions, etc., Spoon jumps up and sits in between us (an example of another message in the movie: that all living things are the same).

The energy that I put out there matters. Big changes happen because of individuals' consciousness spreading enough to translate into critical mass and action. But even if big change isn't my goal, everything I do has an impact, great or small. Do I put enough thought into what I do? Do I consider the impact of my words, actions, and even thoughts and emotions? I think I could stand to be more conscious of those things. And it's not about being hard on myself, or critical, or changing everything I do and everything I am. Increased consciousness is small but mighty, and I'm conscious that I could be more conscious.

Now... onto Eggs Benedict!

I am enough.

Right now I am sitting on a chair on my patio outside in a t-shirt, breathing in beautiful fresh air, and catching up on things on my relatively new MacBook. I just finished a cup of coffee and have spent the day up until now doing a variety of enjoyable and productive tasks. I did six (!) loads of laundry including all of our sheets and towels. I made a roasted red pepper and sweet potato soup, which K. and I enjoyed for lunch, and there are still two portions saved for a lunch this week. Roasting the vegetables made the whole apartment smell like fall and it was just so lovely, never mind delicious. To quote one of my favourite people - not that she was the first to say this: "My cup floweth over".

But I'm not writing today to once again share the details of how I'm spending a delightful weekend day (though I've kind of already done that). I'm writing to share a concept that I'm predicting is going to be pretty life-changing for me.

I am enough.

What a concept! I am hard-wired to aim for more. My parents instilled it in me, and this drive is what has given me the success I've already been fortunate enough to experience so far in my life. This is an innate part of me that I can't do anything about, and I'm glad for that. But sometimes it's not a motivating drive, but more of a discouraging one. I'll be sitting and thinking about something and suddenly become overwhelmed by all that I'm not but should be doing. I think, I should stop ever visiting Facebook while at work. I shouldn't watch so much TV but should spend my evenings being productive at home, doing work for the committees I'm on, or doing stuff around the apartment. I'm always doing well, and I recognize that part, but I'm always thinking about what else I can do.

Again, this isn't a bad thing, but as much as I'm hard-wired to aim for more, I think I'm also hard-wired to do more. I don't think it's something I need to dedicate so much thought or worry to. I think I'll continue to go where I want to go and be who I want to be without worrying, so why worry?!

~~
I met with a friend recently: Kasia. Kasia and I have known each other for maybe six years now, but we've never quite clicked. We have had some really fun times together with our mutual friends, but one-to-one there's been something blocking us. When we met recently, there was no blockage. She's a very powerful and wise woman, that Kasia. We sat and suddenly everything was spilling out of me including my need to aim for and achieve more forever and always. That's when she said, why not make this your new mantra:

I am enough. 

It's so simple, and could've easily been disregarded, but in the week and a half or so since I saw Kasia, it has been there like a second pulse. I'll start to get myself in a tizzy about doing more and I'll hear the phrase or even say it out loud. During my daily lunches with my work bestie, I'll find myself talking about all that I should be doing, and then I'll catch myself. No.

I am enough.
~~

I had a few big break-throughs at work in the past few weeks; I finished a big program plan, and made some significant progress in the way I'm approaching my work, and I feel a big part of that is due to my new mantra. Once you accept that you're enough, you realize you really do have everything you need. It's not about losing the drive, it's about accepting that it's already there, and there's no need to worry. I'm excited to see the doors it opens for me.

Energy

Once again I'm having an absolutely lovely Saturday. I woke up at 9:00, took my sweet time getting out of bed, and then requested over an hour of silence in the apartment so that I could drink my coffee and read my book club book in peace. My beautiful girlfriend obliged, and it was honestly like a gift. I feel like a million bucks having had that precious time this morning... and I finished my book: Annabel by Kathleen Winter. It's for a new book club I joined and it was incredible.

My inspiration for this post isn't another lovely weekend day though, it's energy. Deep, I know.

I think of a lot of things in terms of energy... "God", for example. When I feel most spiritual and connected to some higher power, it's because I feel the energies of the universe colliding and leading me towards something that - if I open myself up to it - I'm destined to be part of. It's like that feeling of all the stars aligning for something special; those energies working together for something bigger is what I see as God.

I also think of energy and where we get it or lose it. As an introvert, I see myself as gaining energy from peaceful, quiet, and calm time; usually alone, with my girlfriend K., or a close friend. I expend my energy in the opposite situations, where life is busy, full of people and activity. I can handle both kinds of situations, but it just changes my energy; whether I emerge fuelled or exhausted.

Yesterday I was talking to a friend about situations in which you can be a doormat or more aggressive; receiving bad customer service, for example. She was saying that her boyfriend will always speak up in those types of situations; make sure he is heard and that the situation is addressed in some way. Some might see him as an asshole, but she always feels like she is never taken advantage of, and I so appreciate that notion. I hate bad customer service, but will rarely speak up, and if I do, it's not in a very aggressive way. I don't like to think of myself as a doormat though. I see it as where you're willing to spend your energy and where you aren't. There are limits, sure, and there are times where you must speak up... and perhaps situations where you really shouldn't. For me, speaking up - in these situations - often means expending my energy in a way that makes me feel really unsatisfied when it's all over. I don't feel better. So if expending my energy makes me feel worse, then why would I be motivated to act? In my friend's boyfriend's case, he can't not speak up in those situations. He would feel unsatisfied if he didn't, so it makes sense for him and not for me.

Like I said, there are limits, but it helps to consider that we don't have to be separated into doormats and aggressors. If we know ourselves, we just act according to what makes us feel best and that our energy is used wisely.

Sunday

I'm just having a really nice Sunday and I feel like posting about it / as a result.  Unfortunately my girlfriend K. is not here, because that'd be one thing that would make it better.  I dropped her off in Mississauga yesterday so she could head home to Toronto, spend two days with her family, and then go with them on a family vacation!  I stayed overnight in Mississauga with my bestie W. for around 24 hours.  We chilled, we ate, we watched "Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights".  This morning, W's mom made us aloo paratha for breakfast.  I was in heaven.

Then I drove back to Waterloo.  The weather was perfect for a Sunday afternoon drive, and I had a great playlist to match.  I went straight to the gym upon getting here, and had an excellent work-out.  When I go to the gym, there's a number of forms my work-out might take.  Sometimes it's a quickie; in and out in about 30 minutes (save the shower for home).  Sometimes it's for a Body Pump class, in which case I'd warm up with 10-15 minutes of cardio and then do the class.  Today I had my medium-level luxury work-out: 10 minutes on the arc trainer, 20 minutes of strength training machines, 10 minutes on the treadmill, and then the luxury part -- long sauna, shower, and then 10 minutes or so on the massage chairs the gym has.  Who knew going to the gym could be such a rejuvenating part of a Sunday afternoon?!

That reminds me: yesterday (July 5th) marked 1 year since K. and I began our journey to better health and physical fitness.  As of July 5, I've lost a total of 47.6 lbs.  Even better, my lifestyle has changed completely and for the better.  I feel amazing!

After the gym, it was over to the grocery store.  You know when grocery shopping is the last thing you want to do, but you sense you'll want to do it even less tomorrow?  I'm glad I bit the bullet.  I also filled up my tank, took out some money at the bank, and got a drink at Starbucks.  A few errands and a treat, and then I was back home for the evening.  I'm here now with a beautiful breeze coming in through the patio door, my sweet cat Spoon nearby, and nothing to do for the rest of the day but relax, prepare for the week ahead, and enjoy myself.  That's why it's been such a nice Sunday.

Helsinki!!!

Helsinki, here I come!!!

I've mentioned before that one of my best friends - John - has been living in Finland for a while now, and likely will live there forever.  It's hard not to have someone so close to you physically close to you, but it was inevitable and we manage to stay in each other's lives regardless. However, since Finland is so important to John and he loves the country so much, it was also inevitable that I visit him there.  The time has finally come.

I've planned to go to Helsinki this spring/summer for a while, but today I actually bought the tickets and so it's official!  I depart Toronto on June 8, arrive in Helsinki June 9, and don't return to YYZ until June 20.  Approximately 12 days to spend with John, see the sites of Helsinki, eat delicious food, party with John's friends, and maybe take a few side trips (Tallin [Estonia] and Stockholm are on the menu).

I can't wait!!!

Two of Hearts: 3 Movies I Watched this Weekend

It is Monday after the long Easter weekend and I am very slowly adjusting back to a life where I must wake up, do things, wear clothing without elastic waistlines, and be generally presentable.  Normally I'm okay with this, but today I'm not.  It was a delightful weekend!  Highlights include time spent with great friends including karaoke, a beautiful trip to Mel's Diner, time spent on the couch, time spent with more friends, GREEK EASTER!!!, and some epic movie viewing.  I could go on about all elements, but I think I'll focus on one - epic movie viewing.

Having read that Michael Alig is going to be released from prison on May 5, I was reminded that I've always wanted to watch Party Monster.  My friend W. was visiting for a few nights and I asked him if he'd seen it (assuming he had) - he hadn't!  W. was the perfect viewing partner for this movie.  Even better, it was on Netflix.  Bam.  W. whipped up some hummus and we hunkered down for a viewing.  It was a very interesting movie.  I thought Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green both did great jobs in their respective parts, without knowing too too much about Michael Alig and James St. James.  The movie was creepy, funny, enlightening, fascinating, dark, and sad.  I'm now fascinated by club kid culture and keen to read more.  One particularly intense moment was when James St. James was down and out and Michael Alig puts on a cassette to cheer him up.  What's the song?  Stacey Q's "Two of Hearts".  What was one of the two songs my friends and I sang at karaoke the evening before?  Two of Hearts.  Serendipitous, no?

Anyway, Saturday afternoon I was chilling by myself and decided to watch one of the recommended films for people interested in "Party Monster".  One of them was a documentary called "Limelight" about Peter Gatien, legendary club owner who owned the Limelight in New York City where Michael Alig was a promoter.  I learned more about the club kid culture, the introduction of ecstasy to NYC, Peter Gatien (from Cornwall, Ontario), and the massive lawsuit that targetted Gatien as responsible for the rampant drug use and selling in his clubs.  This film was equally fascinating.

Finally, I watched something quite different but not totally unrelated: "Philadelphia". I've watched this movie a handful of times before, but it never loses its impact.  Tom Hanks is incredible, as is Denzel Washington, and the story is so moving and sad.  I still teared up during the epic opera soliloquy.  Incredible!

So there you have it, darlings!  A weekend of movies & more!  Until next time!

John.

You know who's amazing?!  My best friend John.  It's his birthday today & so I wanted to use this platform to celebrate him.

John and I met at an in-person discussion group on campus during our undergrad.  I knew I wanted to be friends with him when he made a reference to the show "7th Heaven" and we laughed about the fact that the family dog's real name was Happy (and Happy as Happy).

Our transition from strangers to friendship was seamless, to the point that I don't remember when/where/how it happened.  The why is obvious.  Everyone who meets John wants to be friends with him.  I was one of the lucky ones who connected with him and vice versa and the rest is history...

John and I joined forces with our bestie Waleed as well and became a powerful trifecta.  Having those boys to roll with when I was in undergrad was the best!  I practically lived with them at one point.  We did everything together, and it was such a fun time!

John is one of the funniest people anybody who knows him knows.  He's also one of the smartest people.  That combination results in wit that you wouldn't believe.  His pop cultural references, quick comebacks, hysterical observations, brilliant slang..... you can barely keep up with it!  He's also incredibly tuned in to current events, speaks numerous languages, and has a generally great understanding of the world we live in.  He is a total marvel, and I am lucky to call him one of my best friends.

It was obvious from early on in our friendship that John loved Finland, where he'd spent a year as an exchange student after high school.  He'd made great friends there, spoke the language fluently, and felt a strong connection to the country.  As a result, it was no surprise to me when he moved there a few years ago to study his Master's and likely live there forever.  It's hard to see your friend go, but it was a foregone conclusion, and I'm happy he's so happy and building a life for himself there.

We may not get to see each other on a regular basis, but we keep in touch as best as we can, and he's still one of my favourite people in the whole world.

Plus, I get to see him in a few months when I travel to Finland!!!  (More on that later).

Now, before the clock strikes midnight in Helsinki, I want to say...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNI!!!

I love you so much.  xoxoxo

Some things I want to share

I'm fully moved out of my Toronto apartment.
The apartment my girlfriend K and I (plus Spoon the cat) called home from September 2012 is now empty... at least of our stuff.  I haven't been living in the apartment since late January, but this past Friday we took out the last of it.  It feels bittersweet, as it has when I've moved out of every place I've lived in, but perhaps this one especially.  It was K's and my home; our first space together, and it really was special to get a cat together, too.  The kitchen was almost unbearably small, and now that I'm living in a relatively huge place, it's sort of a wonder how we lived in that small apartment.  But it was home, and it was ours, and I loved it.

The sweet part is twofold: a new, big apartment to call home, but also, there was something mentally difficult about straddling two places for a month.  It was unsettling.  Clearing it out of the last of the stuff felt really therapeutic.

K has not yet joined me in our new place in Waterloo.  She will, but she has to wrap up some things of her own in Toronto for the next few months, so she'll likely join me in the summer.  It's hard, of course, but our relationship is so strong, so we're getting by just fine.  Plus, when she joins me, she'll be ready for a fresh start, too, and that's a better time to move anyway... when you don't have too much left behind.

The 158-Pound Marriage
I read my second book of 2014: John Irving's The 158-Pound Marriage.  I believe this is one of Irving's first novels.  I've owned it for quite a while and have taken at least two stabs at it before, never finishing it.  This time I did.  After I read my first novel of 2014, The Devil Wears Prada, Irving felt appropriate because he's always so substantial and TDWP was anything but.  And it was substantial, but I was left unsatisfied... probably to a larger degree than usual because I expect so much of Irving's books... but maybe it being one of his earlier ones was the reason why.  Maybe I just didn't "get" it like I usually do.  Maybe I couldn't relate to it.  I'm not sure.  It wasn't bad, but it just didn't meet my expectations.

"Homeland"
Then there's something that exceeded my expectations.  "Homeland", the television show starring Claire Danes, among others.  Oh. My. God.  SO GOOD!!!  I started it last Monday when I took a day off and was in search of something new and wonderful to watch, and I finished first season yesterday when I was home sick.  The season was incredible.  I spent part of it wondering how there could be a second season, but the season finale made it clear that there is a lot more material to tap into.  The other crazy thing (pun intended?) was how Claire Danes really started showing her stuff in the last two episodes of the season.  She's such an amazing actress, and was throughout all of the episodes, but the stuff people really raved about was most apparent in the last episodes.  It was the kind of high-quality acting that I saw so much of in her movie "Temple Grandin".  She has a well of emotion, from one extreme to another, that makes her perfect for the character of Carrie Mathieson.  I wish season 2 was on Netflix.  I'll have to watch it by other means...

The Time Traveller's Wife
I've said it before: finding a new book to read is always a struggle.  I woke up extra early this morning as I was off sick yesterday and went to bed really early, and also wanted to have lots of time this morning to ease my way back into good health and readiness for work.  Before having coffee and breakfast, I scanned my bookshelf and settled on The Time Traveller's Wife.  I saw this movie ages ago when it was in theatres, and my friend who I saw it with had read and loved the book.  I really enjoyed the movie, but was a bit uncertain about how good the book could be.  I sped through 20 pages this morning.  It's fantastic!  Much better written than I anticipated (I'm a snob) and the story is so interesting.  I can't wait for more!

I spent part of my sick day organizing my office/guest room.
My first visitor - W! - is coming for the weekend and I'm so excited.  I finally live in a place that has a dedicated guest room.  A guest room is great for so many reasons, one of which is the fact that you have a place to hide stuff you don't feel like dealing with.  It was the only place in my apartment with boxes that I hadn't emptied, partly because they weren't urgent, and partly because I knew they were full of miscellany that I didn't want to deal with.  However, yesterday was pretty much my only chance to tackle the craziness, and I did with vigour!  I dumped the boxes on the bed and slowly but surely - and with lots of breaks - put stuff where it belonged.  It's not fully dealt with, but the bed and floor is clear, the desk isn't too cluttered with stuff, and it generally looks welcoming.  I have to deal with the closet and figure out a long-term organizing strategy, but that can happen later.  For now, it's clean and ready for W, and that's all I can ask for.

Discovering T.O. #11: TSO, Roncy & Free Times Cafe

Is it still "Discovering T.O." now that I've been back here for a year?!  I argue that it is, because my mom has lived in Toronto for 30+ years now and is still discovering the city.  That's the fun thing about living in a big city: there's always something new to see, a new neighbourhood to explore, a new restaurant to try out, etc.  I've had a lot of those experiences since my last "Discovering T.O." post, but I'd like to share a few I had this weekend to begin with...

It's been a busy weekend!  One of those weekends where you don't have too much downtime, but that can be a good thing now and again.  Friday night I went and saw the Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform at Roy Thomson Hall.  I went with my girlfriend K. and two friends from high school.  Kate's an opera singer, Rachel's a cellist, and Justine and I are former musicians (clarinet and cello, respectively), so all of us have an appreciation for classical music and symphonies.  The main event at the TSO that night was Carmina Burana.  You might ask yourself, "What's Carmina Burana?"  You might be surprised to know that you know it!  Or at least, I think you do...  Check it out:



In a word, it was fantastic!!!  The TSO and accompanying Toronto Mendelssohn Choir were stunning, the music was engaging, and the company was wonderful.  I cherish the opportunities I have to experience arts and culture in the city.  Nights like Friday always make me want to get out more!

Saturday (yesterday) was a bit of a crazy day.  It was rainy, K. and I were in funky moods, and the energy of the day was just generally not great.  Then we went to a Body Combat class at the gym and the endorphins rushing through us gave us a second wind.  We had a delicious lunch at Fresh (there's now one in our neighbourhood!!!  And right next to the gym!) and felt happier, so we went shopping for Halloween costumes (we were going to a party that night).  Then we weren't having a lot of success at that, so our moods went sour again.  Ugh!  We got home, relaxed, I had a nap, and then we were feeling pretty good again, so we tried at successful Halloween costumes once again and... SUCCESS!!!  I was a lumberjack (easy enough!) and Kate was our cat Spoon!!!  Haha!

So off we went to the beautiful Roncesvalles neighbourhood in Toronto, where our friend Larissa now lives (and a lot of other friends, for that matter).  Larissa & Co. ran quite the party!!!  Orange-y lighting, cobwebs everywhere, jars filled with brains (cauliflowers), a candy bar, and more!!!  It was a blast; great music, lots of friends, and great costumes!  My favourite was a guy who dressed as Zack Galifianakis with two ferns on his shoulders, as in "Between Two Ferns with Zack Galifianakis".  BRILLIANT.  It was a great night!

And then today - Sunday - we woke up, relaxed a wee bit, and then headed to College & Spadina area for a brunch with friends, including our friend Josh who hosted us in St. John's, Newfoundland, where he lives, but he was home for a visit.  Josh made us a reservation somewhere I'd never been, called Free Times Cafe.  He said he was tempted by the Jewish brunch buffet, and I thought, that sounds amazing!  It was!  The place was busy, yet comfortable, and had excellent service.  We got a table in the backroom where the stage was, and the band today played Klezmer music, which was excellent and put everyone in such a great mood.  And then there was the food..... YUM!  Lox, potato latkes, challah french toast, salmon patties, gelfilte fish, salads galore... mmmm.  The company was excellent, the food was delicious, the vibe was great... another great Toronto experience.

And now I'm home doing laundry, enjoying some downtime and the sounds of K. practicing in the background... no complaints!

Montreal.

As you know, I used to travel by train a lot when I was living in Port Hope and regularly travelling to Toronto by VIA Rail.  I travel by train less so now because I have my beautiful car Hubble, but even still I travel once and a while for work.  Thankfully I was collecting VIA Preference points that entire time, and one day I decided to see how many I had.  Turns out I had enough for a free round trip to Montreal!!!  Since my girlfriend K. was still away in Halifax and I’ve been trying desperately to keep occupied while she’s away, I thought, why don’t I go to Montreal?  So I did.

**Sidenote: She's coming home tomorrow.  Woo hoo!!!

I’m lucky to have friends living all over the country/world, so I arranged to stay with my friend Katherine who moved to MTL in March of this year.  She graciously hosted me, so with my free accommodations and free travel I knew I could really have some fun in the city.

I left Toronto Friday morning and did my workday from the train.  I actually found my time on the train extremely productive .  I got a lot done and the time went by really quickly.  I arrived in Montreal at about 2:30 pm.

I went from the train station first to Café Trisip, a nearby cafe.  I killed about two hours there waiting for Katherine to meet me to give me her spare key.  

Cafe Trisip.

I got to her place around 5:00 pm, dropped my bags, freshened up, and then cabbed down to China Town (Rene Levesque & Saint Laurent) where I met my long-time bestie Rachel for some pre-concert pho at My Canh.  Rachel lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland normally, but she’s in Montreal for around five weeks for the Orchestre Francophonie festival (she plays the cello).  So cool!  Unfortunately she wasn’t performing that evening, but we got to watch a very casual concert in a park.  It was excellent!

Orchestre Francophonie in the park.

Some pretty building with significance I can't remember.

After the concert, Rachel and I headed north to meet up with Katherine for some drinks closer to Katherine’s neighbourhood.  We went to two bars, but I can only remember the name of the first: Big in Japan (bar, not restaurant; there's one of each).  Great name, and great spot; very classy, kinda old school speakeasy feel.  However, you can only have so many $10 gin cocktails, so we moved to a more casual spot (can't remember the name) with $5 drinks and hung out there for a while.  Then we parted ways with Rachel, and Katherine and I went back to her place for a late night chat, mostly focused on "Orange is the New Black" (I'll save that for another post).

Katherine & I.

(L to R) Katherine, Me!, Rachel

After a good sleep and a great shower, I was ready to take on Saturday with Katherine.  We started things off at Le Souvenir for brunch.  I had excellent huevos rancheros on their patio and tried not to get burned in the sun, and had more amazing chats with Katherine.  Then we wandered a bit, popping into a great store with trinkets and stuff for home... cooking accessories and the like.  I love those stores.  Then we went to Drawn & Quarterly, an amazing and hipstery bookstore in her neighbourhood.  So great!

Huevos Rancheros

Drawn & Quarterly

Then I believe we stopped at Katherine's place for a bit where I put on lots of sunscreen, changed into running shoes, and we headed off to conquer Mont Royal.  It was a decent walk to get to the mountain, first of all, and then the hike up it was substantial!  It was great though.  The paths were very small inclines, very shaded with a canopy of trees, and the conversation - once again - was fabulous.  I was winded a few times (namely, when we had to climb stairs instead of the slow incline), but it felt great, and man was it worth the view!  We even got all the way to the top where the cross is!!!

View from almost the top of Mont Royal.

The cross at the top.

The cross from the bottom.  Can you see it way up there in the distance?

After that great adventure we went home to shower and chill.  And then we went to dinner at Lola Rosa (a friend's suggestion; thank you, Facebook), a vegetarian restaurant not too far from Katherine's.  Her friend met up with us, too, and we had veggie nachos to share and then each got a hemp burger with a side salad and a few chickpea fries.  It was filling, but delicious, and the service was amazing.

After a long day and a lot of walking, we decided to take it easy on Saturday night, and so I introduced Katherine to "Portlandia".  Of course, she loved it.

Proof that Montreal is Canada's Portland: abandoned cassette tapes found on the way home from dinner.

We had a slightly earlier morning on Sunday and got an early start on exploring Old Montreal.  We started with brunch outside of Old Montreal, at Le Passe Compose.  That place was amazing!  Definitely more Francophone than I'd experienced thus far.  I can read simple French really well; I've still maintained a pretty solid vocabulary, which I'm grateful for.  But I think my verbal French is probably pretty weak, and my comprehension would be even worse.  I could say thank you and order my coffee and eggs Benny, but it doesn't go much further than that.  However, the food was excellent and good service, good conversation... you're getting the picture.

My salmon eggs Benny at Le Passe Compose.

Then we walked again and this time into Old Montreal.  It's so beautiful there; so old Europe, artsy, and it was a gorgeous, sunny day with lots of people out and about so it was a great place to be.  We browsed shops, walked the cobblestone, and that sat down on a park bench for a while just taking it all in.  We also had a quick (planned) encounter with my friend Jennifer; I had something of her's and so we had a quick exchange.  Always nice to see a familiar face.

An artist in Old Montreal.

Old Montreal.

Street performer.

More walking, more browsing, and then we headed back to Katherine's, stopping for a bite along the way at Burger de Ville.  I'm trying to eat healthier these days, but I couldn't fathom being in Montreal/Quebec and not having poutine.  So I did!

Need I say more?

And then it was back to Katherine's to pack up and ship out.  I cabbed to the train station, had a massive delay on the train, and then was home sweet home Sunday evening.

Thanks to friends & Montreal for such a great trip.  A bientot! 

Currently reading... Little Bets by Peter Sims (and the latest Toronto Life)

Posts to come... "Orange is the New Black" (obv)

#Swoon4Spoon

I have a cat.

I've never had a real pet before in my life.  By "real pet" I'm referring to anything that lives outside of a cage or a bowl.  My mom is nervous around cats and dogs, and so we never had them... and truthfully, I was pretty nervous around cats and dogs, too.  Maybe I imagined having a pet in the future, but not really... I can maybe remember dreaming that I'd one day have a dog, but as I moved into my twenties it wasn't part of my future plans.  Pets just seemed like too much work, and they represented permanence.  In the past 8 years I've had 6 different homes... permanence isn't something I've felt for a while.

But the more serious I got with my girlfriend, the more I realized that I'd likely have a cat one day.  My GF has had cats for her whole life, and so I accepted that a cat would be in my future... I just didn't expect to have a cat so soon.  That's how life goes though... here's how it went down...

Our friend L. fosters cats through the Annex Cat Rescue, so she'll take care of a cat for a few months and help find it a "forever home", even involved in the screening process of the potential new owner.  Back in November, L. started fostering a cat named Spoon.  My GF went to visit the l'il guy and fell in love.  She gushed about Spoon when she came home that day, but that's where the story could've stopped.

Two months later, L. posts a photo of Spoon on Facebook and says she'd love to find him a forever home, and would prefer that he go to a friend.  K. (my GF) was so hoping our home could be Spoon's forever home, but I needed some time to consider this.  I wasn't at all opposed to having a cat... I wasn't even concerned or nervous... just apprehensive, perhaps.  I needed to ask a lot of questions - weird ones!  "Will I be surprised a lot, i.e. will the cat jump onto random places, frightening me?"  "How much will it cost?"  "Are cats inherently evil?"  And so on, and so forth...  After a lot of discussion, and a lot of patience on K's part, we decided the next step was to meet the cat.

When I met Spoon, I had to hold him.  He's just got such a great demeanor: cuddly, mellow, sweet, friendly, etc.  We cuddled with him, asked L. lots of questions, and then afterwards, when we got into the car, I told K. we should go for it.

That evening, K. called the Annex Cat Rescue and had a screening, wherein she answered some questions, and then was approved on the spot for adoption!  The next day we went to Petsmart and bought everything we could possibly need to care for a cat (including a few special things to enhance Spoon's life).  A week after our initial meeting with Spoon, we came back to L's place, armed with our new collapsible cat carrier, allowed L. to say her goodbyes, and then brought Spoon into the car to take him to his forever home.

We've now had Spoon for almost two full weeks.  It seems like he's been here forever... in a good way.  I thought I'd need to sleep with the bedroom door closed for a few weeks before I was comfortable with him having the run of the apartment... turns out it only took one night! I love having Spoon around.  He's so funny and cuddly and sweet and I couldn't believe how quickly I fell in love with him.  I frequently find myself lying on the floor petting him... I've brushed him for 10 minutes before (he loves it!)... I love knowing that he sleeps near me (or on me)... and I love how happy K. is to have a cat.

So... I'm a pet owner, and there's no going back now.

Giving Thanks

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

The first thing that I am thankful for today is my girlfriend.  She brings light to my day - every day - from the moment I get up, and that is something to be thankful for.

The second thing that I am thankful for is John Irving, his book In One Person, and good books everywhere.  After dropping my GF off this morning where she needed to be, I came back home and spent a quiet thirty minutes or so with my coffee and the last 25 pages of In One Person.  There was a lot of warmth in those thirty minutes, and like I always do with a good book, when it came to the end I got shivers, gently closed it, and spent 60 seconds or so digesting it.  I never expected my favourite author to write such an LGBTQ community-focused novel, but he did, and with an angle I've never seen, and I loved it.

I'm also thankful that once I'm done this quiet morning time and get myself showered and ready, that I'll be walking over to my parents' place - a twenty minute walk away - to enjoy a day of more warmth, loved ones around, delicious food, and a lot of blessings.

I feel lucky and I feel blessed and I feel thankful.

I hope you feel these things today, too!

~~~

rc-4 update: 

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7. If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone
8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
9. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
10. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
11. In One Person by John Irving

5 non-fiction, 6 fiction, 9 authors represented, a variety of subject matter.  Perhaps hitting the goal of 20 books read in 2012 is unlikely to happen, but who cares?!  I'm reading!

She's Come Undone

My friend and I had a great conversation recently about books.  Together we turned our noses up at Fifty Shades of Grey and went on to discuss what we were reading and what our favourite books are.  I mentioned I was reading John Irving's latest novel, In One Person.  She said, "I love John Irving!!!"  I said, "Me too!", and told her which ones I've read (A Widow for One Year, The Cider House Rules, and The World According to Garp).  She shared her Irving reads, and then said, "But as much as I love John Irving, he's competing against one other favourite author ...[dramatic pause]... Wally Lamb."

The friend that I was chatting with is one of my best friends, but I still reeled at her other favourite author.  Could she be serious?!  How was it that we shared the same two favourite authors?!?!  I love Wally Lamb, but even more than that, I LOVE his book She's Come Undone.  This conversation excited me so much that I soon put aside In One Person and began to re-read (my fourth time) She's Come Undone.  I'm reading it right now and it's as good if not better than the other three times I've read it.

Unlike other books I've read recently - the Hunger Games trilogy, or even Tuesdays with Morrie which I love, but still... - She's Come Undone is like nourishment.  The writing is so strong and powerful it's like actual food... like oatmeal, the kind of food that sticks to your ribs, prepares you for the day, warms you up, and stays with you for more than just a few minutes of satisfaction.  The story is deeply upsetting, sometimes depressing, but it's always done in a way that fills you up rather than leaving you simply empty and depressed.  I love this book, and it hasn't lost its effect on me.

This is good timing for a rc-4 update:

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7. If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone
8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
9. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Currently reading... She's Come Undone (duh!), In One Person
On deck... A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Discovering T.O. #10: Trinity Bellwoods Park

I spent a good chunk of Saturday and some of Sunday, too, writing a blog post for Sugar & Gravy that is very different in tone from the ones I've been writing as of late.  However, I got busy with other things and haven't yet finished it.  I promise that it will see the light of day sometime soon, but in the meantime, here's something more pressing.

Yesterday I spent about five hours in Trinity Bellwoods Park.

TB Park is not a new hot spot by any stretch, but it was my first time being in the park for any length of time, which is why I'm writing about it.  I always hear about so many people spending the summer's most beautiful days there, and I kept meaning to give it a try myself.  The other day my friend Waleed and I were trying to think of something to do together and I suggested it be something free.  That's when I was finally compelled to put a desire into action, so we decided we would meet at the park around 12:30 pm, have a picnic, and hang out.

That's exactly what we did.  I got there around 12:30 and started with a little journalling.  Waleed arrived about 30 minutes later armed with everything two ladies could need for a day at the park -- a great mat to lie on, a bottle of green tea, and then he made us delicious tuna sandwiches with mustard and other fixin's.

For the next four or so hours we just relaxed.  We randomly saw two friends, my sister and her boyfriend stopped by for a bit, we played cards, we talked, we people-watched, and we ate a bag of Cheetos.  The weather was perfect -- sunny and warm, but with a consistent breeze that kept it completely comfortable all day long.  Plus, we found a great shady spot under a tree, so it really wasn't hot at all.

What I loved most - and I had a similar moment when my girlfriend and I went to Centre Island - was seeing so many people taking advantage of something free and beautiful the city has to offer.  The park was PACKED!  People, dogs, bikes, birthday parties, baseball games, families, friends..... there was such a positive energy there, and I was really happy to be a part of it.  The time flew by, just chatting and taking it all in.  Again, it's one of those times where I felt I spent a summer Sunday exactly the way it's meant to be spent.

Life in TO

Guess what?!?  For the past 10 days I have been, and moving forward I will continue to be, an official resident of the city of Toronto.  I haven't truly lived here since 2005... it's pretty wild how time flies.  5 years in Waterloo, 2 in Port Hope, and now I'm back... and I couldn't be happier!

Was it hard to leave Port Hope?  Not really.  My two years in PH were formative and important and happy and satisfying, but the time was right to make the move, and I was just flat-out excited when moving day (June 30th) finally came.  But it's important to note that I really did love my apartment in PH and it was somewhat sad to say goodbye to that great place, but onwards and upwards!!!

At least, it will be upwards soon... temporarily I'm living at my parents' place, and likely will be until September.  It's a pretty sweet gig for the meantime, and I'm grateful that I have a place to stay.


So how have I enjoyed my time back in the city???  FULLY.  The weekend I moved home just happened to be: Toronto Pride + the Canada Day long weekend + my sister's 30th birthday.  Does it get any better???  On June 30th, once all the moving craziness was done, I spent the evening celebrating 3 decades of my sister's life at the historic Lambton House (built in 1847) in the west end of Toronto.  She rented out a room at this great venue for a private party with a bar and her own DJ.  It was awesome - great music, great friends, quirky drinks (including "The '82" and "The Extra Dirty 30"), a dress code theme ("indie darling"... I was inspired by Hannah from "Girls"), and generally a lot of fun!


On Sunday, July 1, I woke up, showered, wore my finest combo of Pride and Canada Day-appropriate clothing, and headed down to the Church-Wellesley village to celebrate the gorgeous weather and the special day.  3 friends and I started the day off at Lola's Kitchen, which I believe I've mentioned before.  We were lucky enough to get a table on their patio and we took our sweet time enjoying many summery drinks (mimosas, Caesars, sangria, and watermelon spiked lemonade), their delicious food (I had the day's special: grilled cheese Benedict - delightful!), and the perfect combination of summer sun and heavenly breeze.  

Once we finished, we headed down Church St. from about Charles all the way to Carlton, checking out the vendors, people-watching, and generally taking it all in.  We crossed Carlton, down the subway stairs, and up to the corner of College & Yonge, and found a good spot to watch the parade out front of Hoops Bar, just north of College on the west side of Yonge.  It was a great spot to watch from, and despite feeling complacent about Pride every year when it comes around, once again I was overwhelmed by my own pride while watching the parade - pride for my city, my community, myself, and the amazing people I saw marching for various causes, all in the name of acceptance and gay pride.  Yes, I may be proud all year long, but what's the harm in marking a day to celebrate it in particular?  Nothing.  In fact, it's wonderful!!!


After about an hour or so of parade-watching, my girlfriend and I headed back up to her house for a Canada Day BBQ.  We ate snacks, drank beers, watched the Jays' game, sampled some delicious summery cocktails her sister put together (all tea-based... very cool), and then dug into the feast -- home-made burgers, corn on the cob, salads... TO DIE FOR.  Kudos to Steph for all her labour.  It was very well-received.


THEN we had the holiday Monday, on which we celebrated my sister's birthday again: the family edition.  We had a great little lunch in the backyard and then went to Canada Square movie theatre to watch "Take This Waltz", Canadian director Sarah Polley's second feature film, starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, and Sarah Silverman.  I don't want to go into too detailed a review of this film.  My feelings about it are complicated which makes me feel like Sarah Polley did exactly what she intended, which I respect and appreciate.  I loved how unashamedly she highlighted Toronto - it was such a thrill seeing the city displayed without trying to pretend it's somewhere else, presumably in the states.  The acting was really incredible, and there were some extremely powerful moments.  Overall I liked it and I'm glad I saw it.


The rest of the week was pretty uneventful.  I'm working part-time from a home office in Toronto which has been a great new routine to adjust to and I'm finding it to be a very productive situation.  I saw some apartments and actually applied for one yesterday (stay tuned!).  Then on Friday night I went to Mississauga for the evening with some of my very besties and had a very chill time, eating Thai food and watching "The Comeback".  

Saturday morning I woke up relatively early, my sister picked me up from my friend's in Mississauga, and we drove down the 401 + the 402 to Sarnia, ON, my mom's hometown, and where some of my aunts, uncles, and cousins live.  We spent 24 hours at my uncle's place, which used to be my grandparents' house, so I've been there many times before.  He's done some incredible work on the interior and it's so amazing to spend time there, filled with memories of the time spent there as a kid, but then to be surrounded by a beautiful variation on the place I've known so well.  We arrived around 3:30, spent some time relaxing and catching up with my aunt and uncle, and then my aunt tucked me into the hammock where I read Mockingjay and took a snooze.  [Aside: I'm finally getting back into Mockingjay.  I'm determined to finish it this month and move onto something totally new.]  After a snooze and a shower, I joined more family and friends for a perfect summer dinner: BBQ'd ribs.  It was a delicious meal with fabulous company and I went to bed fully satisfied and fell fast asleep with the sound of the waves in my ears.


Sunday morning we woke up early and after some breakfast down by the lake, we took 3 dogs (my sister's, uncle's, and aunt's) for a long walk down the shore.  The combo of sun and breeze was delicious and we took our sweet time walking.  When we got back to the house, I went for a swim.  The lake was more wavy than you would imagine, and I felt like a kid again - turns out 15 years later it's just as fun to jump into the waves as it was before.  After that we had sandwiches by the beach, a little more reading and sunbathing, and then we packed up the car and headed back to TO.


So - needless to say, life in TO is off to a wonderful start!  I can't wait for whatever comes next...

Birthday Week!!!!! / Discovering T.O. #7 / Port Hope Showcase

Last Monday, May 28, I turned twenty-five years old.  Quite a milestone, really.  I keep wishing I had some sort of letter from my younger self to my 25 year old self to see what I was expecting / hoping for.  The truth is though that it doesn't matter.  I couldn't be prouder of who I am and where I'm at in life, so letter or no letter, I'm one happy 25 year old...

...made happier by the fact that I had the most wonderful series of mini-celebrations of the day of my birth.  I'd like to tell you about them.

1) The Beamish House: locally just called "The Beamish", unfortunately this great pub and restaurant doesn't have a website.  Once a year the school that I work for throws a huge reunion weekend for its alumni celebrating 5, 10, 15, and so on reunions.  The weekend peaks with a dinner on the Saturday night on campus followed by an evening of debauchery, traditionally at The Beamish.  This small, quaint pub is taken over, and although its interior doesn't have much space, its patio is sprawling.  It's a great night, and two of my besties ventured out to Port Hope to enjoy the evening with me.  This was on May 26, but it kick-started birthday celebrations in just the right way.  Before they headed back to the city the next day, we indulged in the classic greasy spoon breakfast at Dimitri's in Port Hope.  I had the Grand Slam breakfast.  It may not have dill-infused hollandaise sauce drizzled all over it, but it did the job.

2) Jim's Pizza & Pasta: this is another classic Port Hope establishment that I highly recommend.  The truth is that this wasn't particularly the highlight of birthday celebrations, but I find that restaurants are a good anchor in this blog for other stories.  The real highlight was having my girlfriend come to PH on May 27 to have dinner, chill times, and then be there with me first-thing on my special day.  That said, grabbing dinner at Jim's Pizza is ALWAYS a delight.  This is my GF's favourite spot in Port Hope, and we always each get the pizza & salad combo.  With this combo, you get a small, 4-slice personal pizza with any 3 toppings you'd like PLUS a huge serving of delicious Caesar salad (Greek is also a choice, but I mean, really).  After our delicious dinner we bought some snacks and went home for a viewing of "Best In Show".

3) My Special Day itself: the authentic birthday day was no exception to the fun already had.  I woke up with the GF and opened a gift from her and from other family members who had sent theirs in advance.  Then I made us breakfast (she would've made it, but she likes the way I make eggs best!) and we lazily enjoyed the morning (I took it off from work), and then I drove her to Oshawa where she took the GO train back to Toronto.

I had a great day at work, complete with cheesecake shared with my colleagues!

When the work day was done, my Mom and sister came to Port Hope to take me to dinner.  And what a dinner it was!  We ate at Trattoria Gusto (finally a PH resto with a website).  I've eaten here 3-5 times before and it's very delicious.  I find that's a bit of an anomaly about Port Hope - not a lot to do, but 3-4 incredible restaurants!  We went all out, sharing a beet salad, calimari, and carpaccio to start, and then for my main I had the chicken parmesan, which was succulent.  We finished it off by sharing a decadent, rich brownie with a candle on top.  It was fantastic!!!

4) Old school gay village celebration: Even though I'd had my fair share of celebrations, I wanted to do it up right with a night out in Toronto, which went down this past Saturday, June 2.  I hemmed and hawed over how I wanted to celebrate, and it dawned on me - when was the last time I had a night out in the Church & Wellesley neighbourhood a.k.a. the gay village in Toronto?!?!  I came of age in that neighbourhood and came into my proud, gay self, and I have great memories (nostalgic already?) of drag queens and dance parties, so I thought - it's about time I go back.

This evening started with appetizers and drinks at Smith on Church St.  I'll be very honest with you -- I didn't really do my due diligence on Smith.  I basically looked for a restaurant in the village that had a few classy-looking/sounding appetizers and said, why not?  Full disclosure: all it took was seeing that Smith had a charcuterie board.  Charcuterie = class.  Thankfully my lack of research didn't result in 11 friends and I dining at a dive.  Smith had us seated at a long table set for 12 upstairs at the restaurant, with a big window, a fireplace (too hot for that though), and a view of the goings-on of Church St.  It had a great vibe and the drinks and food were great!  For the record, I did order the charcuterie board and I loved it.  I didn't look to see what was on it, but I did eat cow tongue and I enjoyed it!

After 3 lazy hours eating and drinking at Smith we head off to Zelda's new location on Yonge St. for a drink.  I ordered the "Proud Mary" (for its name only) and we left shortly after that.

Where did we go?  Where else does one go when they want an old school gay village celebration?  Buddies in Bad Times.  Buddies has such great music and so much sweaty and fun dancing on Saturday nights, and this past Saturday was no exception.  We danced and drank and had ourselves a great time until about 2:30 when last call was made and it was time to catch the late-night Yonge bus home.

Being 25 is off to a fabulous start, and many thanks to the friends, family members, and Port Hope/Toronto establishments that made my birthday celebrations so special!!!

May Long

HAPPY VICTORIA DAY, Canadian friends!!!  I'm still reeling from a fabulous long weekend in Victoria's name, and would like to share the details.


Before I get to the main event, I want to start by sharing that I spent the first chunk of the weekend (Friday afternoon - Monday morning) at my best friend's place in Mississauga.  His condo is known to be the place of ultimate relaxation - a weekend there means food, television, movies, sleep, and so much down time you could stockpile it up for months.  This weekend was no exception and here are some highlights:

1. Our first order of business upon arriving in Mississauga on Friday was heading to our favourite (Asian) grocer, T & T Supermarket for some provisions.  I warn you: this place is overwhelming.  It's hard to walk around and not want to buy everything.  I settled for a huge bottle of sriracha sauce personally, but we also got tonnes of dumplings, some pork buns, snacks, and other items.  Always a good way to start the weekend.
2. After a solid 18 hours of lounging, a fourth friend arrived and we figured we ought to get out and enjoy some of the amazing weather the day was offering, so we took a drive to Port Credit where we found Roc'n Doc's, a random little pub on the Lakeshore that had a great rooftop patio.  It was hot, sunny, and we enjoyed a few beers and some appetizers.  Great way to get out and enjoy the day while still keeping it low-key.
3. Another highlight of the weekend for me was spending time with a straight man who joined us in watching countless hours of both RuPaul's Drag Race as well as the documentary, Paris is Burning.  That's a lot of men dressing as women for one afternoon for anyone, but he was engaged, intrigued, and loved it!
4. Sunday was more of the same, but once again the weather was so beautiful we figured we had to get out there and enjoy it!  Our first stop was a grocery store / butcher / Indian food take-out.  We were there for one thing: biryani.  Unfortunately that one thing wasn't ready yet so we took some side trips to kill time - first we went to Canadian Tire to buy a kite!  Then we went to Tim Horton's for Iced Capps (so Canadian).  Finally the biryani was ready, so we took all our goods with us to the Brueckner Rhododendron Garden on the Lakeshore.  At the garden we lay out a blanket and enjoyed our biryani in the sun.  Once we'd had enough of that, we went down to the lake (at least I think it was Lake Ontario) to be very wholesome - flying a kite and skipping stones in the water.  It was a great way to pass the time!
5. Finally, on Sunday night we went to Udupi Madras Cafe for a late dinner where I enjoyed a delicious dosa - the second I've ever had, and absolutely incredible (though I can't pretend it's better than the GTA'S best dosas at Guru Lukshmi, also in Mississauga).  It was a delicious meal with the best company a girl could ask for.

Overall -- the perfect weekend, but that's not all...

The biggest adventure of the weekend was going to Niagara Falls with my girlfriend, which was a perfect 24 hour mini-break.  We arrived there Monday around noon after a quick trip on the QEW from Mississauga, and checked into our room at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel.  This trip was planned thanks to a great Groupon - 1 night's stay at the Marriott, $20 off dinner at T.G.I. Friday's, free breakfast for 2 at the hotel, and shuttle passes for 2 from the hotel to all the major sights around town.  Approximately $115 or so in total, so a great deal!!!


After dropping off our bags, we searched for somewhere nearby that wasn't a chain to have some lunch.  We found Yukiguni off the beaten path as we were both craving some sushi.  For a random Niagara Falls joint, it was a really great meal of soup, salad, tempura, and some cucumber/avocado rolls.  Pretty reasonable, too, but not a place I would recommend you going out of your way for.


After another quick stop at the hotel, we took the shuttle bus down to "The Falls" where we strolled along the rail (navigating through the huge crowds of people), taking photos at random intervals along the way.  The last time I was at the falls it was pouring freezing rain and not pleasant at all.  This time it was hot and sunny, made bearable by the occasional mist flying at our faces.


I took a few moments to really take in the falls and think about how large, powerful, natural, and amazing they are.  My mom commented tonight about how she always thinks about what it would be like to be the first humans in Canada coming across these falls.  It's true... imagine hearing the roaring and then just seeing this massive rush of water coming over the edge... incredible.


From the falls we headed to Casino Niagara where my GF wanted to have her first casino experience.  I've had mine before (brought in $40 and lost it all), so I came in for support.  She brought in $20 and left with $5, so I consider that a real accomplishment.


After the casino we walked up Clifton Hill where all the silly sights are - Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum, fun houses, and the like.  We popped our heads in different places, but didn't really go in anywhere.  We did, however, go up in the Niagara SkyWheel where we got a stunning view of the falls.  I'll be honest with you - I was terrified to go, but I powered through it (despite some tears), and it was worth it for the fun of being up there and seeing the incredible view.


From there we walked back to our hotel to relax for a bit before dinner.  T.G.I. Friday's wouldn't be our usual choice for dinner, but with the $20 voucher of course we had to go.  It was totally fine for a chain restaurant/sports bar.  I had a great chicken salad and she had a veggie burger.  The food was good enough and our server was really great and friendly!  It was a nice dinner.


After a good night's sleep at the hotel, we woke up early to take advantage of our free breakfast - it was in The Keg, which was attached to the hotel, but it was the Marriott's breakfast, not The Keg's.  As a result, it was a typical hotel breakfast buffet... except not a very good one.  The fruit was gross, the pastries still frozen, the bacon too burnt, and... yeah, not good.  Oh well!  At least we didn't pay for it.  After breakfast, we checked out, packed the car, and then took the shuttle again down to the falls, except this time...


...to ride The Maid of the Mist!!!  My girlfriend had been on the Maid of the Mist before, but I never have and have always wanted to, so off we went!  Thanks to our brilliant plan of waiting until the day after the holiday Monday, we sailed through the line to get on the world-famous boat, donned our classic blue rain ponchos, and rode past the American falls to see the real deal Canadian Horseshoe Falls.  It was incredible sitting surrounded by the falls, with the mist pouring all over us to the point where I thought it was raining.  It was so so so cool!  I'm really glad we did it.


Back to the hotel from there to hop in the car and head back home.  Rather than take the QEW the whole way, we took the Niagara Parkway part-way which travels through the scenic area where all the vineyards and beautiful houses are on the way to Niagara-on-the-Lake.  It was a beautiful route to take with so much to look at along the way.  We ended up stopping in Niagara-on-the-Lake for lunch at an absolutely PERFECT restaurant -  The Pie Plate Bakery & Cafe.  It was full of mismatched cutlery and mismatched chairs -- exactly what we were looking for.  We enjoyed delicious thin-crust pizzas that tasted so fresh and delicious, followed by a nice little lemon square to share.  My GF also bought a strawberry-rhubarb pie to take home that looked delicious.  It was a great way to finish off the trip.


Back on the QEW and back to Toronto and back to the grind... it's tough to dive back into work after such a wonderful holiday, but it's great to know that you took some time away from the glow of the computer to enjoy the great outdoors and the loves of your life.