Goulet!

From the sublime to the ridiculous, I enjoyed him doing both. RIP, Mr. G.

My basketball year?

I went to a Toronto Raptors preseason game last week. I've been flirting with the game for years. I think this is going to be my basketball year. The Raptors made quick work of the Clevland Cavaliers but I will say this, that LeBron James is something to see!

Gimme some CANDY!

It's the Friday night before Halloween. By the time I finally leave the office King Street is already crawling with people in costumes, ready to get their drink on. Hey, look, it's a slutty nurse. Oh, and a slutty witch. A slutty skeleton? No. That's just a skinny slut. Some dude in a Where's Waldo costume (yeah, that's right) comes up to and asks me what I'm dressed up as.

Me? I'm overworked-underappreciated-bone tired-dirty hair-woman.


Gimme some CANDY!

New Orleans: Where do we go from here? - Photo Exhibit Redux

I'm remounting my show!

From November 5th until December 31st, a selection of the photos from the series New Orleans: where do we go from here? will be exhibited at Cajun Corner (920 Queen Street East in Toronto).

All proceeds from sales of the prints will go towards The Habitat for Humanity Musicians’ Village in New Orleans.

You know you're in Canada when...

It's grey and rainy today. A homeless man, still buzzed from whatever he drank for lunch is crouched on the sidewalk, wrapping an old sleeping bag over his shoulders. He lets out a big, loud yawn. Then, "Oh! Excuse me!"

Even our drunk, homeless people are polite.

"Some say the funniest magazine cover that ever was..."

Do you love this as much as I do? I realize this is a few weeks past relevant, but man, it cracks me up!

It's a lazy Sunday at our house.

A fact reinforced by the sound of cats snoring.

They made him an offer he could refuse.

We'll miss you, Joe.

Read the details.

No known cure.

Those skin tone fishnets make you look like you have a rare skin disease.

Two of my favourites meet inside the pages of the paper of record.

I am an Op-Ed Columnist (And So Can You!)

"Discover the Norah Jones of Rieslings"

What does this mean??? That it's really young and old people LOVE it?

Crankmeister T is too through!

Well, after two days back at work it's starting to feel like we never went away at all. Don't you just hate that?

Other things I am too through with:

The Boss and his crazy mental games. Poor Joe Torre. If he's ready to move on, I hope he gets to make that decision himself. It's time to start another Steinbrenner death watch! Who's with me?!?!!!

Major Leaugue Baseball's obsession with Bon Jovi. I like Bon Jovi as much as the next guy, but COME ON! Enough already.

Tony Gwynn. Would someone please give this man a cookie and make him SHUT it? He makes Tim McCarver sound like a Harvard man. For real. Tony Gwynn is so dumb, he sounds like he should be wearing overalls with no shirt underneath. He sounds like he should have a bit of straw stuck to his lips at all times. Tony Gwynn, I have one thing to say to you, and it is "SSSSHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

Yesterday's Provincial Election had an all time low voter turn out here in Ontario. 50% turn out. That is shameful. Ontario? Shame on you. Shaaaaaame.

Sorry. Crankmeister T is in the building. Surely I can think of something nice to say? How about....I made that Apple Crisp when we were in Collingwood. I would like to make Apple Crisp for all of you. That's how much fun I had doing this. AND I used Becel instead of butter, Splenda brown sugar instead of brown sugar and organic rolled oats, and it was still delicious. Now if only it wasn't still flirting with 30 degree weather in OCTOBER we might all be able to enjoy a nice fall dessert. Bah.

Clearly, my attitude is not fit for man or beast today. I'm gonna go, but first I want to share some photos of the great outdoors with you. Of what our peaceful and tranquil "country getaway" looked like. I miss it already. What the hell?

I'm a little bit country...

Last night after work I was standing at the corner of Queen and John in Downtown Toronto, like I do, waiting for the streetcar. Starbucks in one hand, cell phone in the other. Screaming teenagers standing outside the MuchMusic studios to the right of me, ranting homeless dude to the left of me. And usually? Usually this is the kind of energy I thrive on. I'm a Big City Girl. Capital B, C and G. I love the noise, the hustle, the bustle. But yesterday I was tired. I leaned against the lampost on the corner while I waited to be crammed onto the streetcar like a commuting sardine. When I peeled myself off the post I noticed a white, sticky substance on my jacket, my purse, my hands. Someone had used glue, the kind of glue you apply from a bucket with a paintbrush, to stick up a poster for an event at a nightclub. "Party with Paris". Sponsored by Paris Hilton. What the hell? I realize that I'm not the first person to complain about getting a sticky mystery substance on their clothes thanks to Paris Hilton, but I took it personally. Not hot, Paris. Not hot at all.

It was that exact moment that I really started to look forward to the four day weekend I've got coming up. The Robeau and I are going to Collingwood, for what I am calling a "country get away". Of course anyone who is truly outdoorsy is laughing their ass off at me right now. Collingwood, North of Toronto, is about as urban a "country get away" as you can get. It's ski country in the winter and it has a lot of Yuppie money pumping into it, which means a fancy grocery store, a beautiful strip of quaint shops and yes, a Starbucks. We've gone a few times because the Robeau, he likes the country and this seems like the best compromise. Last year, we found a ski chalet that we can rent for a bargain when it's the off season. It's on 10 acres of land. There are trees everywhere. And a hot tub! Did I mention the hot tub?! We really only hit the Starbucks on the way in and out of town, but it makes me feel better just knowing it's there.

Crickets still make me nervous, but the view from the kitchen of our little get away is helping me find my inner country girl:


I've loaded up the ipod with a bunch of new CDs including Terence Blanchard's A Tale of God's Will (about Hurricane Katrina) because he never fails to inspire me. I've got some (new to me) Carmen McCrae for singing along with and of course, the new Joni Mitchell CD, Shine (available only at Starbucks!) because what is more perfect for a Canadian country get away than a little Joni Mitchell? I'm going to sleep late, go for long walks with my camera and put Bailey's in my coffee first thing in the morning. I may even make an Apple Crisp. I'm a little bit country like that. Small c.

Game One

A reminder from two years ago. Hang in there, boys.

REBEL

He doesn't care about your sign.

He doesn't care about your tape.

He's a REBEL.

My Girls.

Annette and Loreto and I all went to grade school together. Old friends are special. All those years of walking to school together, pooling our change for a bag of chips on the way home. Joy riding in the elevator of Loreto's building. Sitting on my balcony, drinking iced tea. Letting Annette do our make up in her basement and then taking glamour shots of ourselves. Old friends are in a unique position to know exactly how geeky you REALLY are. Old friends are the ones you can let it all hang out with.

I'm so lucky that I get to talk to Annette pretty much everyday, at least via email. I was her Maid of Honour a few years ago, and now, here she is, big shot in the bid-ness world, about to become a Mom. We haven't seen Loreto in almost three years, since she went of to the Lower East Side of Manhattan to teach. She's "To Sir With Love"! Scratch that, she's Michelle Pfeiffer from that movie with the Coolio song. She's fierce. She's gorgeous and tiny and I bet every bad ass in her class was terrified of her.

We're glad to have her back, that's for sure! We spent a couple of hours together today, the three of us, eating brunch, getting Starbucks and strolling around swanky Yorkville.

The best thing about old friends is that no matter how long it's been since you've seen eachother, you can always just ease right into the way things used be. See?