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Category: Toronto
| One Comment
A whole week completely in the above-zero range, a first for 2008. I walked around High Park today to start the week off right.
Archive for ◊ March, 2008 ◊
31
Mar
2008
Bathroom Queue
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Category: Critters + Creatures, Xena & Beano, cameraphone
| 13 Comments
I have had a housemate since February, so I always close the door when using the bathroom. When I open it again, I have to be very careful because there are two creatures just on the other side and at the beginning I’ve bumped the door into one or the other.
At first I thought it was because they wanted to use the litterbox — Hugh made a habit of using the litterbox whenever David or I used the bathroom next to his box — but now I think it’s only because they want to come inside and nose around what I’m doing in there.
For those who have pets, is it like this at your house, too?
30
Mar
2008
Nicole’s Farewell Bash
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Category: Friends, Out + About
| 2 Comments
Our dear Nicole (below photo, centre) was due to return home to Germany today after her six-month work stint in the GTA, so the CS group in Toronto had a farewell bash in her honour at the newly-opened Crown & Tiger pub on College Street.
When I arrived, it was all dark inside because of Earth Hour and everyone was practically hushed to silence by the darkness. It was so quiet I thought I must’ve had the wrong place!
oops, the flash didn’t fire, but I thought the streaks were interesting
Once the lights went up, the pub started to fill with parties small and large, including an older group who — I think — were celebrating a birthday…
… I believe it was the lady in the purple sweater. So what does Marin do? Why, head on over to help celebrate, of course!
It was quite funny because I overheard a girl exclaim: “That’s my GRANDMOTHER!”
29
Mar
2008
Meet Miss Shatzi
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Category: Critters + Creatures
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I arrived home after 2am from a Friday night out with friends and took Miss Shatzi for a half-hour walk around the neighbourhood. (It’s very safe around here, recent fatal shooting notwithstanding.)
Shatzi belongs to my neighbour and is a sweet, lovable dog who’s very easy to walk (unlike Gigi). Miss Shatzi will be getting more face time around here as the weather begins to improve.
28
Mar
2008
2 Stars For Spelling
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Category: USA, Working Life
| 4 Comments
As seen driving along in San Francisco, on our way to Lincoln Park. The 4-Star Theater gets low marks for spelling. It’s as if whoever was in charge of the signage got lazy looking for letters (isn’t it “Definitely Maybe“?) or consulting the dictionary. They got “Persepolis” right!
What can I say, I’m easily amused in the passenger seat.
You know what’s NOT funny, though? Finally doing my taxes and confirming (because I suspected it would be the case) that for the first time in my whole life, I won’t be getting an income tax refund, I will actually have to PAY! *sob* It’s a rather significant amount, I think I might have to do a print drive or something.
27
Mar
2008
It May Be a Fluke But I’m Warning You, Anyway
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Category: Consumer, Travel
| 9 Comments
*long-winded consumer story ahead*
Tonight I booked an airline ticket on Aeroplan points, after looking at all the different options for a few days. I have used the site pretty regularly for years, so I’m familiar with the functionality of the reservation screens. Aeroplan has this “compare flights” widget on the sidebar where you can store the flight(s) you’d like to compare as you browse others. Once I was satisfied that I’d shopped around enough, I went to the sidebar where I’d stored my (one) flight preference, reviewed it, and clicked on “book flight”.
I’m very consistent about reviewing flight details before I book, because I generally book nonrefundable tickets and the consequences of making a mistake are costly. Internationally, my itineraries are quite complicated and I have to reserve flights in a particular order with contingency timing built in to make the whole agenda work. By the time I reach a decision I’ve looked at pages and pages of flights and it’s easy to make a mistake because all the info looks similar. Before I put in my credit card information I even open up a new browser window and run the search criteria through one more time to make sure I’ve got exactly what I want. Sometimes I make a cup of tea just for a quick mental break and having the second browser window open means if the website gives me a time-out error at the first window at least I have the second one.
Anal, perhaps? Yes, when it comes to spending money — I want to spend it deliberately, not over a silly mistake!
I went all the way through the booking process — and this is where Air Canada is remiss in not having the flight details showing in a separate frame or on the sidebar where it is always visible during the payment process — and once I reached the final page with the confirmation number and final details I, in my typically anal way, reviewed the details once more and noticed AEROPLAN BOOKED ME ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RETURN FLIGHT.
27
Mar
2008
Singing the Praises of Kulfi
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Category: Food + Drink
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Mmmm…. kulfi and ras malai, before devouring at Bombay Bhel Indian Restaurant (Eglinton, just east of Yonge). This is the GREENEST kulfi I’ve ever eaten — the green colour comes from the pistachio nuts, but I suspect this specimen has been artificially greened-up. Even green cardamom isn’t that green!
I can’t recall when my love for kulfi began. I wouldn’t say it began when I started eating Indian food more often, because that was when I was living in Scotland and I am certain I never ate kulfi there. I don’t think the Scottish were into Indian sweets as much as we are here (and by here, I’m referring to the large clusters of Indian restaurants and pastry shops around Vancouver and Toronto).
26
Mar
2008
Marin County Civic Center
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Category: USA
| One Comment
I love shooting architectural detail and was fortunate to be visiting a fellow architectural enthusiast while in California. Last week Kevin drove us to through gorgeous scenery in Marin County and we stopped by the Marin County Civic Center on our way to China Camp.
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, it was one of his last commissioned works and completed in 1962, a few years after his death in 1959. Besides administrative offices, it has on its property an Exhibit Hall, Memorial Auditorium, a Fairground and Lagoon Park, a theatre and meeting rooms.
“We know that the good building is not the one that hurts the landscape, but is one that makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before that building was built. In Marin County you have one of the most beautiful landscapes I have seen, and I am proud to make the buildings of this County characteristic of the beauty of the County.” — Frank Lloyd Wright
26
Mar
2008
Busted Again!
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Category: Critters + Creatures, Xena & Beano
| One Comment
I know! Three cat posts in a row! But I can’t help myself, I live with mischievous critters. Exhibit A:
I got Beano out of my glass of water, then turned around and now he’s in my mug of tea! The rascal!
Taken with my crappy cameraphone last night.
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