One more sleep...

Updates from our home away from home starting this Thursday! YAY Nola!

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

It was an amazing parade! We had front row seats right near the starting point and got to see the extravaganza up close and personal! And with that, I'm checking another item off my life list!



I took hundreds of photos, but for now I'll leave you with some of my favourite people and things: Snoopy, Woodstock, Questlove and the gang from Sesame Street.

Lenny take New York City

After we'd been in New York for two days Lenny turned to me and said, "MOM! Let's pretend we're New Yorkers! We can talk about how boring Toronto is*!"

*Don't worry, Toronto, when we got home she announced that her home felt "fresh and new to her".

My kid took to New York (or as she would say You Nork) like a fish to water.

We'd all be here all day if I got into too much detail about this trip (and if you follow me on social media you saw it all happen in real time) but I feel the need to record a few moments for posterity. It was one of the best trips I've ever taken and it served as a reminder of the joy that friendship, travel and music can bring.

Our dear friend and gracious host Céline made sure that Len's first time in the big apple was full of magic. Our first night in the city we were treated like VIPs at Birdland.  The kiddo had such a blast that first night (jazz! showtunes! personal attention! buttered noodles!) that we went back several times during our stay. Each visit was more magical than the next. Birdland is now one of her favourite places on the planet!

^^^ Lenny gets up close and personal with the best and the brightest (and nicest) in NYC at Birdland. L - R, Christine Ebersole, Billy Stritch, Jim Caruso and Kenny Ascher.  Special thanks to Gianni Valenti, owner of Birdland, for taking Lenny under his wing. Seriously, these are some of the greatest memories ever, right here.

We saw the sights, including Barnum's Bones (DINOS!!!) and Lenny did a lot of "nature sketching" in Central Park.

I'd say seeing Stevie Wonder close out his Songs in the Key of Life tour at Madison Square Garden is a great "first concert" wouldn't you?  She was out of her seat dancing and asleep by intermission. So it was kind of perfect.

By the end of the trip, Lenny was convinced that she was, in fact, Eloise. Not one to discourage this kind of thinking, we had to come home with a full Eloise costume, naturally.  A few more updates from the trip to come...

Saturday Zen

Coffee in Harvard Square

I shot this Monday afternoon while I was in Boston on business (!!!) Hey, life list, come on over here, I've got something to cross off of you.

Serenity Now.

Sorry, I should say Serenity Now Then.  Serenity Then.

In the days since I returned from my Girls' Weekend at Ste. Anne's Spa I've been faced with what I like to think of as an onslaught of unpleasant.  No tragedies, just a lot of ick.  Looming deadlines, writer's block, a teething baby.  Bernie the Wondercat having a health scare, Bernie the Wondercat being on steroids and antibiotics (and therefore, me pacing the floor and suffering crying jags).  My period, a sore throat (ongoing) and just in the last hour or so I've been dealing with extremely itchy skin.  Like, I want to tear my skin off, itchy skin.  See? Ick!

So, now that I've just crapped all over my corner of the internet with my first world problems, let me tell you about the two straight days of pampering I just had!

I know, right?  I hate me sometimes too.

Cut to:  A Sunday morning in June.  Five thirtysomething moms leave their men folk, children and electronic devices* behind and head for the hills.

*Excluding Blackberrys. Obviously.

The car ride is uneventful.  No traffic, homemade sandwiches and a road trip coffee discovery for the ages: McDonald's coffee is both cheaper and waaaaaaaay more drinkable than the dread Tim Hortons.  I'm positively thrilled that I am now armed with this information.  This is EPIC.

When we arrive at Ste. Anne's it's everything we had imagined.  Rolling hills, well appointed gardens, beautiful buildings and people in white terrycloth bathrobes.  The notion that we were about to be one of the bathrobe people was very exciting indeed.

Here I am, taking in the landscape and Lake Ontario in the distance.  Le sigh.

We are ready to transform into bathrobe people!

Doesn't Yvonne look relaxed in her robe?
Don't ask her about the guy who was at the spa with his mom, though.
That would be a waste of a perfectly good hot stone facial.

The transformation is...complete!  Yes Annette and I are in wagons.
No, we can't pass up a silly photo opp. 

Chelsea is reading the newspaper!  The whole thing!

Rachel slept in!  Well, sort of.  Close enough! 

Frankly, that would have been enough for me.  A bathrobe and a chaise lounge.  That's all I needed.  But it wasn't all I got.  No sir.  I got the Caribbean Therapy.  Want to know more?  Yeah, you do.  Just reading this description makes me instantly more relaxed.

Your Caribbean Therapy treatment begins with a soothing foot soak using Aveda’s Caribbean Body Cleanser, complete with a sea salt scrub. While your feet are soaking, your therapist will perform a sensory journey with essential oils in order to customize the aromas of the treatment specifically to you. After choosing your preferred aroma, the therapist will leave the room while you undress. Once you are comfortably on the table, your therapist will re-enter the room and begin the body exfoliation portion of the treatment. Your therapist will add a few drops of your chosen aroma onto a pair of exfoliating gloves and exfoliate your entire body. This helps to slough off any dry, flaky skin to allow the the Caribbean Therapy products to penetrate better. Next, your therapist will apply the seaweed body mask, add wrap you in warm linens. Your therapist will then perform a face and scalp massage to help relieve any stress and release any tension. Following the wrap, you will shower off the remaining seaweed and once again relax back onto the massage table. The treatment ends with your therapist applying Aveda's Caribbean Body Cream to your entire body, to leave your skin soft, smooth and moisturized. The Caribbean Therapy treatment is 75 minutes long and is a great choice for anyone looking to pamper themselves.

Yep. I'm pretty sure just reading that has healing properties.

We stayed about 1km off site in the Innkeepers Cottage.  A spacious, quaint farmhouse that we had all to ourselves.  When we wanted to head back and forth between the spa and the Innkeepers all we had to do was call the front desk and they'd send someone over in a minivan for us.  The service, I should add, struck that perfect balance between pampering and cloying.  It never felt like too much.  Nobody was pretentious, but nobody ever denied a single one of our requests either.  Get a load of our house!

Monday morning coffee on our front porch = happy place.

Our days were filled with wonderful meals (including afternoon tea), a little bit of wine (you bring your own and there's no corkage fee), lazy hours poolside and sessions in the grotto hot tub and the steam room. There were long walks, yoga classes and overstuffed armchairs and biscotti.  Beautiful gardens, sunshine, cool breezes and most importantly time spent with great friends.

This is the view from the table where we had our afternoon tea.  Scones, clotted cream, compote, oh my!

At first glance I thought this guy was a cow.  Don't judge.
They talk a lot on their menu about the free range beef raised on site...

We've all know each other for well over twenty years.  That kind of history and connection can't be underestimated.  I'm so grateful to have these vibrant, wise, fun-loving women in my life.  I'm so glad that we found this peaceful, beautiful place to celebrate each other, our achievements and our friendships.  I'm so glad we still know how to relax and just be goofy and have fun together.  

We're simple girls, with simple needs and probably would have had just as much fun spending the night at the Super 8 up the road with a bottle of cheap wine and some Cheatos, for real.  

But, yeah, I'm glad we did this instead.

If I could, I'd make you look at these in my rec room after dinner.

I've got a busy week coming up with a couple of meetings and a couple of photo shoots so before all of that fun started, I wanted to share some of the photos from our trip to New Orleans.  I'm going to treasure the memories of Lenny's first vacation forever.


Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.

Just off Canal Street...

Who's got two thumbs, just went for a rooftop swim at dusk and is enjoying free internet access and a glass of Malbec in the Moroccan inspired hotel lounge while the baby and boyfriend take a nap?

THIS GUY!!!!

Just popping in with a quick progress report.  Lenny has been a champion traveller.  No meltdowns on the plane rides, no meltdowns in the hotel.  She seems to really enjoy feeling the warm breezes off the Mississippi and kicking around in her stroller sock-free.  She's been a charming little lady to all of our friends down here, new and old, and is as comfortable in the hotel room as she is at home, which is to say she remains her goofy, playful self.  Also?  She has produced two new teeth!  These are her New Orleans teeth and from this point forward, will only be used in the consumption of beignets and red beans & rice.  Don't tell our Pediatrician.

Tomorrow, to make up for missing her Rainbow Songs class back home, we'll be taking in Irvin Mayfield at the amazing Wednesday at the Square concert series.  Much as I love our Wednesday music class, I've got to say this has got it beat...if only on account of the trumpets, pulled pork and margaritas.

The grown ups are both hella-relaxed and I, for one, am feeling grateful, rejuvenated and both more in love with this city than I've ever been and happy about heading home in a couple of days to resume our lovely life in Toronto.  And now that I've typed that I expect disaster to strike in three...two...

See?  I'm not completely changed.

A sort-of family portrait, before we head out to the Gay Easter Parade in the French Quarter...

New Orleans Memories: Peter Bennett

This time next week we'll be landing in New Orleans for our first family vacation, avec Lenny.  It will be my fourth visit since Katrina.  Each time I have the opportunity to visit I fall a little more in love with the place. We were there last Easter and I talked a little bit about the trip here, but there was so much going on a year ago with the house and the pregnancy and the fact that it was right on the heels of my first trip to New York in over a decade that I didn't take the time to share many of my pictures with you guys.  In an effort to rectify that and to get myself pumped for the trip I'm going to share some of my favourite shots from the last trip every day until we take off next Saturday.  

Think of it as the blogging equivalent of listening to that Dave Matthews record every day for the week leading up to the concert in Buffalo that you drove to in the pouring rain with your friends crammed into a Ford Taurus.  Everyone did that at least once in 1995, right?  Right?!

This Gent had a table set up near Jackson Square after midnight on a week night where he had an elaborate display of twinkle lights and goblets filled with water.  He was playing beautiful music on the "glass harmonica" and engaging everyone who passed by in conversation.  His willingness to take requests and his efforts to encourage his audience to try their hand hand at his instrument only added to his charm. 

See that wagon behind him?  That's what he uses to cart his glass harmonica home in, hitched to the back of his bicycle.  He works all day, almost every day.  And he loves it.

His name is Peter Bennett, he's a retired teacher (from the Midwest, if memory serves) and a true entertainer, living his dream in New Orleans, the only place I can think of where this lifestyle is an acceptable and attainable dream for one's retirement.

I hope we can visit with him and enjoy his renditions of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Stairway to Heaven again this year.

Practically

Lenny just spent two nights at the Best Western in Sarnia.  She's practically Eloise.

The Halfway Mark.

Things are motoring along nicely here in New Orleans. This morning we're renting a car and heading to the Musicians' Village to drop off the gear that I was able to purchase with the proceeds of my photography exhibit in February. Between that, The Robeau's time in the recording studio on Thursday night and all the other fun stuff we've been doing (eggs benny poor boy!) it's easy to forget that this trip is also sort of a "babymoon". In fact, today marks the 20th week of my pregnancy. HOW one EARTH did THAT happen? You know what that means. We're already halfway there! Or...we're only halfway there...depending on which day (or hour, or minute) you ask me.

The second trimester really is all it's cracked up to be. Granted, I get tired more easily and when I need to eat, I NEED TO EAT. I'm not even going to mention the constant peeing. Oh, look at that, I mentioned the constant peeing. It's hard not to mention it when it's constant. Ask me about the best public restrooms in New Orleans sometime. I'll hook you up. Right now my biggest grievance is that my already suspect sense of balance has completely disappeared. My centre of gravity is all out of whack and as a result my equilibrium is shot. Which is, for lack of a better word, disorienting. Excuse me while I clutch that wall or lunge at your shoulder for support.

The Friday before we left on our trip we had our second ultrasound. It was at a different facility than the first one which meant a different technician and different rules. Remember how I mentioned that I had to pee constantly? Well, these nice people insisted that I drink enough water to fill my tiny, crowded bladder AN HOUR BEFORE my appointment and HOLD IT until half way through the ultrasound at which point I'd be allowed to empty out two cups. In fact, here's a paper cup. Fill it up twice and stop peeing, come back to the table and let me poke you in the abdomen some more. Sound good? Are you crying? Are your tears yellow?

I know the uncomfortable full bladdered pregnant lady is a tale as old as time, but it's 2010! Hasn't the technology improved? I didn't have to do this at the 12 week ultrasound. I'm not ready to admit that it has to be this way.

Turns out we weren't able to get any really good pics or find out the gender as Art Vandalay spent the whole hour we were there covering up his or her privates with his or her gangly arms. This is the best we could do. Be glad it's labeled.


In fact, it's such a poor likeness, please enjoy this Life Magazine cover from the mid 60's featuring an 18 week old fetus. There ya go. There's a kid that was ready for their close up.


So far, my mental state has been hanging in there although I am beginning to have moments where I worry that we won't have everything ready (hints of nesting?) and moments where I feel incredibly, incredibly anxious. Then I realize that no, I wasn't anxious at all, it was just gas.

Try this at home!

While we were in Montreal, almost a month back now, we took an afternoon to walk through the old part of the city, taking pictures and enjoying the quiet that you experience when it's the middle of the work week and everyone else is trapped in the office. We happened upon this cute lemonade stand and it was getting pretty warm, so I thought I'd see if I could manage to order one in my mangled franglais.

When the sweet girl working the stand asked me, in her heavily accented english, if I wanted a handful of fresh mint in my lemonade, you have to know I was all "that is the most brilliant idea I've ever heard!" in my head, even if all I could muster up was "oui".


The beauty of this idea is in it's simplicity. A handful of fresh mint, blended into a glass of homemade lemonade and poured over ice. The mint cuts the sweetness of lemonade, making it that more refreshing. For those of you that are devotees of the mojito it is reminiscent of one, but it's more intense somehow, and I think more delicious. Try making one at home. And then try making one at home and adding Vodka. That's my plan, anyway.

Montreal is just LOUSY with street performers.

We saw a young woman fly through the air with the greatest of ease...

On Knowing What It Means...

It's been about a month since we returned from New Orleans and I've yet to upload all my photos or blog about our experience this time around. It was a perfect trip and I think that somehow by writing about it...or (ahem) unpacking my suitcase I'll be admitting that it really is over.

Last week, on one of the first nice sunny days we've had here in Toronto this Spring, I was taken back there a little bit. I caught a whiff of a lilac bush in someone's front yard and then someone else's rotting garbage and I realized just how much I missed New Orleans. When the smell of garbage makes you all nostalgic for a place, you've got it bad.

At some point down the road I'll tell you some stories about the amazing folks we met (you'll enjoy the one about the taxi driver with the TV set at his feet, watching "his stories"). In the meantime, here is a brief selection of photos. Pour yourself a coffee and chicory, pump up some Louis Armstrong and enjoy.

And We're OFF!

In about 90 minutes we're going to hit the road for our return trip to New Orleans, where we're going to spend the rest of the week. I'll see you on the flip-side, Bloggy McBloggerson.

Blogging from Buffalo

The Robeau and I are spending Victoria Day, that most colonial of holiday Mondays South of the border in Buffalo, New York. We've already enjoyed seeing some of downtown near our hotel and hope to balance some sight seeing and book reading / relaxation for the rest of the weekend. Even on short trips like this, not far away from home, The Robeau and I travel very differently. As I discovered on our trip to New Orleans a few years back, he is of the "relax and do nothing in the hotel room" variety and I am of the "chart it, graph it, see it all" variety. My theory is that this has to do with him traveling so much for work (it's no big deal) and me not being very well traveled (it's a BIG freaking deal). In life, I am not type A. Not at all. On vacation, I'm crazy type A. So he's doing his best to come along with me and look at STUFF (Stuff in a different city!) and I'm here blogging in our room at the Hyatt Regency because it feels like I'm being more productive than it does when I'm lying in bed reading. I need to get my head checked. But not this weekend. TOO MUCH TO DO!!! TOO MUCH TO SEE!!!

Here's the view from our hotel room. Where I blog.

Ottawa Bound!

Well, I’m flying the co-op. Heading out of my downtown apartment and taking a good old fashioned road trip to visit friends in Ottawa. I’ve yet to visit the nation’s capitol so I want to take in Parliament Hill and The National Gallery. Other than that it should simply be some long awaited quality time with some really great people.

Had a great time at The Laugh Resort last night as always. Such a fun, intimate little room.

For those of you that will be home tonight, NBC is rerunning the Law & Order that Gregory Hines guest starred in last season. Definitely worth a peek. But you knew that, didn’t you?