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Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
New Job at the Air Canada Centre
Just got a job at the Air Canada Centre!
I'm pretty excited about my new parttime job, an Ice Box Server at the Air Canada Centre. It will be a great way to be submrged in the action, make some extra money and have fun. I think that is what work should be about.
Every since I was young, I dreamed of working for the Toronto maple Leafs, what I later found out was part of a gigantic organization Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment. While I am gonly doing this as a parttime gig, it is still very exciting and I can't wait :)
I'm pretty excited about my new parttime job, an Ice Box Server at the Air Canada Centre. It will be a great way to be submrged in the action, make some extra money and have fun. I think that is what work should be about.
Every since I was young, I dreamed of working for the Toronto maple Leafs, what I later found out was part of a gigantic organization Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment. While I am gonly doing this as a parttime gig, it is still very exciting and I can't wait :)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Pride Parade Weekend
It’s been a while since I have written, but I promise that this story will be worth it.
I sit here munching on an English muffin, thinking about my weekend. It was a gorgeous, sunny weekend for the most part, with a few showers on Sunday.
Friday I got off at one, met my girlfriends from ST and sat on the patio at the Pilot for a few hours, catching up and chatting. Jess is visiting from her new home in Newfoundland, so it was great to see her. We went back to Hayley’s, got ridiculous, and then Ian and I met and went to the Jays game. (Jays won, yeah Jays!) Then, leaving Ian so he could study, I went to Dani’s and saw her new house. It is adorable! She and Jay have it set up so cute!!!
Saturday I had to go do a dress fitting and then headed to Burlington to see Brittania. We had a “Kel and Bee Day”. We went to the beach and laid out on the sand, listening to tunes and keeping hydrated by means of our Bubas. It was such an amazing day to catch some rays! We felt like we were burning up a little after a few hours, so we got some ice cream, and went to the Wal-Mart Superstore. My first time there! We bought Bee a little air conditioner/ tower fan for her apartment and it ended up working swimmingly. The rest of the evening consisted of appitizers, a Caesar salad, mimosa’s on the patio and April coming over to watch super girly movies.
Sunday I drove home and worked out, then got ready for Pride. I met up with Courtney from work and we were a little late for the parade but stillw anted to go, especially when the rain stopped. So we got off at Wellsley Station but decided to go meet Hayley’s friends, Mike and Nina, on the (are you ready for this?) roof of the Brass Rail. Now, Hayley had warned me that it is super dangerous, especially since it had been raining (she went on top of the Brass Rail last year) but Courtney and I were up for a little adventure.
For those of you who don’t know, the Brass Rail is a famous strip joint at Yonge and Bloor. And it doesn’t have one of those roof’s that you just climb the stairs to get up. Try and follow me, and visualize: We headed (following Mike’s directions) to the back of the Brass Rail, into a parking lot. We shimmied down a narrow alleyway that you had to go through single profile. We walked past a garbage pit and headed up the rickety stairs. You’d think we were finished. I glance across at one of the roof’s to my left, and Mike is point to my right. ‘What is he talking about? I need to get on the roof he is on.’ I thought. Then I turned to my left. That’s when it hit me that we had a few more roof’s to climb before we hit our final destination. And of coarse, I was wearing a jean skirt.
I threw my purse up over top of the wall onto the second roof, my flip-flopped feet struggling to grip the bars of the ‘fence’ we had to climb. I was up first, and then it was Courtney’s turn. Mike was now at another roof, closer to us. “Now you have to climb up the slated roof,” he said, pointing to an intensely slanted roof, “But don’t run up it too fast, because the other side is death.” I tried first with my flip flops, and then realized that I should probably take them off. I was on all fours, climbing the slant and didn’t dare look down once I reached the peak, as the other side was a long was down to Hayden Street. Two muscular men stood at the top roof, where Mike had been calling out instructions. I was standing on the peak of the roof (my feet are tingling just thinking about it!) and gripping onto the top roof. I grabbed the two guy’s wrists, and they hoisted me up and I was just dead weight. However, I did have to use my feet to kick myself up along the brick so I didn’t scratch myself. Made it!! Courtney did the same, and we were up. It was quite the trek. We walked along the rooftop with Mike, over to the small crowd that had gathered on the rooftop, watching the parade. It was a great view. One guy had a water gun and was spraying it down on the people below on Yonge. We caught the last ½ an hour of the parade and then it was time to head down. Scary stuff.
Luckily a few of the guys, including Mike, were gymnasts. They helped everyone down and it was equally as scary getting down as it was going up. Two guys stoop on the peak of the slanted roof (Court and I couldn’t believe that they did that!) hoisting people down, one by one. Then you had to crab walk down the slanted roof. Everyone was clapping as one by one, everyone made their way down. Once the last guys made their way, they were running down the slant and jumping, showing off their gymnastics skills.
Court and I walked around for the rest of the afternoon, both having cuts and scratches from our hilarious rooftop experience. We met up with a guy from work, watching in awe as men were dressed in S&M clothing, and even saw a naked man walking down the street, happy as a clam. The police brushed arms with him and didn’t even mutter a word about him putting clothes on.
The Pride Parade was such a great celebration and it was my first time there. Everyone was so happy, friendly and proud. There was no animosity in sight, just the feeling of acceptance for everyone, by everyone. I will definitely be going back, and most likely watching it from the best seat in the house again, even if it is a little too adventurous for a typical Sunday afternoon.
I sit here munching on an English muffin, thinking about my weekend. It was a gorgeous, sunny weekend for the most part, with a few showers on Sunday.
Friday I got off at one, met my girlfriends from ST and sat on the patio at the Pilot for a few hours, catching up and chatting. Jess is visiting from her new home in Newfoundland, so it was great to see her. We went back to Hayley’s, got ridiculous, and then Ian and I met and went to the Jays game. (Jays won, yeah Jays!) Then, leaving Ian so he could study, I went to Dani’s and saw her new house. It is adorable! She and Jay have it set up so cute!!!
Saturday I had to go do a dress fitting and then headed to Burlington to see Brittania. We had a “Kel and Bee Day”. We went to the beach and laid out on the sand, listening to tunes and keeping hydrated by means of our Bubas. It was such an amazing day to catch some rays! We felt like we were burning up a little after a few hours, so we got some ice cream, and went to the Wal-Mart Superstore. My first time there! We bought Bee a little air conditioner/ tower fan for her apartment and it ended up working swimmingly. The rest of the evening consisted of appitizers, a Caesar salad, mimosa’s on the patio and April coming over to watch super girly movies.
Sunday I drove home and worked out, then got ready for Pride. I met up with Courtney from work and we were a little late for the parade but stillw anted to go, especially when the rain stopped. So we got off at Wellsley Station but decided to go meet Hayley’s friends, Mike and Nina, on the (are you ready for this?) roof of the Brass Rail. Now, Hayley had warned me that it is super dangerous, especially since it had been raining (she went on top of the Brass Rail last year) but Courtney and I were up for a little adventure.
For those of you who don’t know, the Brass Rail is a famous strip joint at Yonge and Bloor. And it doesn’t have one of those roof’s that you just climb the stairs to get up. Try and follow me, and visualize: We headed (following Mike’s directions) to the back of the Brass Rail, into a parking lot. We shimmied down a narrow alleyway that you had to go through single profile. We walked past a garbage pit and headed up the rickety stairs. You’d think we were finished. I glance across at one of the roof’s to my left, and Mike is point to my right. ‘What is he talking about? I need to get on the roof he is on.’ I thought. Then I turned to my left. That’s when it hit me that we had a few more roof’s to climb before we hit our final destination. And of coarse, I was wearing a jean skirt.
I threw my purse up over top of the wall onto the second roof, my flip-flopped feet struggling to grip the bars of the ‘fence’ we had to climb. I was up first, and then it was Courtney’s turn. Mike was now at another roof, closer to us. “Now you have to climb up the slated roof,” he said, pointing to an intensely slanted roof, “But don’t run up it too fast, because the other side is death.” I tried first with my flip flops, and then realized that I should probably take them off. I was on all fours, climbing the slant and didn’t dare look down once I reached the peak, as the other side was a long was down to Hayden Street. Two muscular men stood at the top roof, where Mike had been calling out instructions. I was standing on the peak of the roof (my feet are tingling just thinking about it!) and gripping onto the top roof. I grabbed the two guy’s wrists, and they hoisted me up and I was just dead weight. However, I did have to use my feet to kick myself up along the brick so I didn’t scratch myself. Made it!! Courtney did the same, and we were up. It was quite the trek. We walked along the rooftop with Mike, over to the small crowd that had gathered on the rooftop, watching the parade. It was a great view. One guy had a water gun and was spraying it down on the people below on Yonge. We caught the last ½ an hour of the parade and then it was time to head down. Scary stuff.
Luckily a few of the guys, including Mike, were gymnasts. They helped everyone down and it was equally as scary getting down as it was going up. Two guys stoop on the peak of the slanted roof (Court and I couldn’t believe that they did that!) hoisting people down, one by one. Then you had to crab walk down the slanted roof. Everyone was clapping as one by one, everyone made their way down. Once the last guys made their way, they were running down the slant and jumping, showing off their gymnastics skills.
Court and I walked around for the rest of the afternoon, both having cuts and scratches from our hilarious rooftop experience. We met up with a guy from work, watching in awe as men were dressed in S&M clothing, and even saw a naked man walking down the street, happy as a clam. The police brushed arms with him and didn’t even mutter a word about him putting clothes on.
The Pride Parade was such a great celebration and it was my first time there. Everyone was so happy, friendly and proud. There was no animosity in sight, just the feeling of acceptance for everyone, by everyone. I will definitely be going back, and most likely watching it from the best seat in the house again, even if it is a little too adventurous for a typical Sunday afternoon.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
dads surprise 50th birthday down south
So I ended up having a great trip in San Fran and had 24 hours in between the red eye flight that brought me to back to Canadian soil, and the morning flight that flew us to Jacksonville, Florida.
My dad lives in Ponte Vedra Beach/Sawgrass, Florida. It is a beautiful town and my sisters and I (And our boyfriends and friends!) love going to visit. This time was no exception. My step mom planned a huge surprise 50th birthday for my dad and I am not kidding when I say HUGE. She sent out the invitations around Christmas time and rented out a beautiful patio of a restaurant called the Aqua Grill, surrounded by a small inter coastal.
Long story short, I cannot believe we pulled off the surprise, but we did. My step mom, Kim, did such a great job organizing everything - it was so much work and it is VERY hard to keep a secret from my dad!!! Around 80 people ended up attending and people flew in from all over North America for the party, so needless to say it was such a reunion!
I'll start with Friday. My youngest sister Shane, her boyfriend John and my boyfriend, Ian and myself, all flew to Florida. My other younger sister Bridget and her boyfriend Spencer were flying in later that night. We arrived at the airport and my step mom managed to sneak away from my dad, saying she was going to pick up our stepbrother Trevor and came to get us at the airport. She drove us to our hotel so we could check in and it was such a beautiful hotel. We stayed at the Sawgrass Marriott, and our villa was overlooking the Sawgrass Golf course, where they play the TPC every year. We shared a room with Shane and John, just because it was easier that way. Our room was beautiful!! Then we went and picked up my stepbrother Trevor from his friends house and Kim took us to see the rest of our family, who were staying at a Marriott in Jax Beach, overlooking the ocean.
It's always wild times hanging out with my family. My dad has 5 brothers and sisters, so there are 6 of them altogether and they are a riot! Only two of them couldn't make it, so it was a great time hanging out with my aunts, uncles and cousins. we ordered tons of Chinese, pizza and Greek salad, and sipped on wine and beer.
That night I couldn't sleep, so when Bridget and Spencer arrived around 1:00am, I crept out of my room and into their room to chat for a bit! I didn't get much sleep that night, as I fell asleep around 5.
We woke up the next day, and were quite groggy. We showed and Bridget and Spence came over, having already gone out for breaky and done a little exploring. The six of us decided to explore the hotel a bit together and take advantage of the free mimosas given out in the hotel lobby.
We walked through the grounds on our way to the main building and lobby and were quite pleased with our surroundings. Bridges, ponds, and two pools were evident, and when we looked a little closer the hot tubs caught our eye. The one hot tub, which we later explored, was buried a bit deeper and was surrounded by plants and ponds. It was awesome.
We headed to Publix, one of the main grocery stores in Florida and i started to rain. We stocked up on wine, beer, danishes, snacks, deli meat and sub ingredients and headed back to the hotel to lounge, listen to some tunes, hit up the hot tub and pool and catch up. Bridget's friend from boarding school even came to visit for a bit.
6:00 came quicker than we anticipated and we called the shuttle (us girls were in heels and dresses, so we didn't want to walk!) and arrived at the party. It was so exciting to wait for my dad and Kim to show up-- we had no idea what his reaction was going to be! A group of my dads friends from high school, university and beyond, were guessing how long it would take for him to swear. Needless to say, it didn't take long.
The patio kind of curved around, and we all went to the side. My dad and Kim were walking in and my dad kind of did a double take, and didn't realize it at first, then he looked at Kim and looked back at the crowd and was in SHOCK. It was a good thing he had his shades on because he most definitely shed a tear or two. He went to the first group of kids that were closest and just started hugging everyone. He went up to my cousins and started trying to ask them about work, but was so flustered and shocked, he just said "I don't know what the h*ll I am saying." He put his friend Paul, since he has known since he was 4, into a headlock because Paul had called him earlier that day and said he was golfing in Toronto. Well, he wasn't completely lying- he and the guys rented a house down the street from my dad and were golfing together- just in Florida! He was so happy my sisters and I made it too, along with friends from all over the map, not to mention family members.
I just can't believe the surprise was pulled off! It was so amazing!
There was a band, an awesome buffet, an open bar, a massive cake with a hockey game set up on top, and laughter n every corner. M step mom created a massive picture of pictures that everyone had sent in to her, and people all signed the border of it. There was a slideshow on the bar on a digital frame of old pictures, and on each table there was a bouquet of flowers and various old pictures of my dad sticking out with black and white checkered ribbon and party favours. So cute! So thoughtful! So much detail!
We had such a great time and were the last ones to leave at midnight, and Bridget, Spencer, Ian and me went back to the villas and lifted a table from our balcony to theirs and played drinking games with cards until who knows what time.
I cannot even begin to explain my hangover today, and it is too painful to think about, so I am not going to.
We woke up, checked out and Kim picked us up and took us back to their house for brunch. My step mom had hidden all the food at a friends down the street and there was SO much of it. My dads friends that rented the house down the street came over before their flights and ate and of coarse my dad was making eggs with is 'fresh basil from the garden.' The food looked and smelled wonderful, but unfortunately, I spent an house before my flight lying in Trevor's bed, not able to move. I think the rest of my family came over later, after we left for food too. Kim did such an outstanding job, and my dad was as happy as a clam. It was great.
So here I am back in Fort Erie. My great grandmother on my moms side passed away at 96 years old on Friday, so we are attending the funeral tomorrow. Shane and John are still in Florida. (Oh, and I walked by LL Cool J in the Atlanta airport and barely knew it!) My mom, Ian and I ordered Chinese and ate at my nannies and Ian and I reminisced about the trip. It was short, and definitely sweet. Family and friends are the most important thing we have in this life, and it is times like this that we can sit back and take it all in. My dad is definitely surrounded by loyal, loving and wonderful people, and that shows what a special guy my dad is too.
Until next time...
My dad lives in Ponte Vedra Beach/Sawgrass, Florida. It is a beautiful town and my sisters and I (And our boyfriends and friends!) love going to visit. This time was no exception. My step mom planned a huge surprise 50th birthday for my dad and I am not kidding when I say HUGE. She sent out the invitations around Christmas time and rented out a beautiful patio of a restaurant called the Aqua Grill, surrounded by a small inter coastal.
Long story short, I cannot believe we pulled off the surprise, but we did. My step mom, Kim, did such a great job organizing everything - it was so much work and it is VERY hard to keep a secret from my dad!!! Around 80 people ended up attending and people flew in from all over North America for the party, so needless to say it was such a reunion!
I'll start with Friday. My youngest sister Shane, her boyfriend John and my boyfriend, Ian and myself, all flew to Florida. My other younger sister Bridget and her boyfriend Spencer were flying in later that night. We arrived at the airport and my step mom managed to sneak away from my dad, saying she was going to pick up our stepbrother Trevor and came to get us at the airport. She drove us to our hotel so we could check in and it was such a beautiful hotel. We stayed at the Sawgrass Marriott, and our villa was overlooking the Sawgrass Golf course, where they play the TPC every year. We shared a room with Shane and John, just because it was easier that way. Our room was beautiful!! Then we went and picked up my stepbrother Trevor from his friends house and Kim took us to see the rest of our family, who were staying at a Marriott in Jax Beach, overlooking the ocean.
It's always wild times hanging out with my family. My dad has 5 brothers and sisters, so there are 6 of them altogether and they are a riot! Only two of them couldn't make it, so it was a great time hanging out with my aunts, uncles and cousins. we ordered tons of Chinese, pizza and Greek salad, and sipped on wine and beer.
That night I couldn't sleep, so when Bridget and Spencer arrived around 1:00am, I crept out of my room and into their room to chat for a bit! I didn't get much sleep that night, as I fell asleep around 5.
We woke up the next day, and were quite groggy. We showed and Bridget and Spence came over, having already gone out for breaky and done a little exploring. The six of us decided to explore the hotel a bit together and take advantage of the free mimosas given out in the hotel lobby.
We walked through the grounds on our way to the main building and lobby and were quite pleased with our surroundings. Bridges, ponds, and two pools were evident, and when we looked a little closer the hot tubs caught our eye. The one hot tub, which we later explored, was buried a bit deeper and was surrounded by plants and ponds. It was awesome.
We headed to Publix, one of the main grocery stores in Florida and i started to rain. We stocked up on wine, beer, danishes, snacks, deli meat and sub ingredients and headed back to the hotel to lounge, listen to some tunes, hit up the hot tub and pool and catch up. Bridget's friend from boarding school even came to visit for a bit.
6:00 came quicker than we anticipated and we called the shuttle (us girls were in heels and dresses, so we didn't want to walk!) and arrived at the party. It was so exciting to wait for my dad and Kim to show up-- we had no idea what his reaction was going to be! A group of my dads friends from high school, university and beyond, were guessing how long it would take for him to swear. Needless to say, it didn't take long.
The patio kind of curved around, and we all went to the side. My dad and Kim were walking in and my dad kind of did a double take, and didn't realize it at first, then he looked at Kim and looked back at the crowd and was in SHOCK. It was a good thing he had his shades on because he most definitely shed a tear or two. He went to the first group of kids that were closest and just started hugging everyone. He went up to my cousins and started trying to ask them about work, but was so flustered and shocked, he just said "I don't know what the h*ll I am saying." He put his friend Paul, since he has known since he was 4, into a headlock because Paul had called him earlier that day and said he was golfing in Toronto. Well, he wasn't completely lying- he and the guys rented a house down the street from my dad and were golfing together- just in Florida! He was so happy my sisters and I made it too, along with friends from all over the map, not to mention family members.
I just can't believe the surprise was pulled off! It was so amazing!
There was a band, an awesome buffet, an open bar, a massive cake with a hockey game set up on top, and laughter n every corner. M step mom created a massive picture of pictures that everyone had sent in to her, and people all signed the border of it. There was a slideshow on the bar on a digital frame of old pictures, and on each table there was a bouquet of flowers and various old pictures of my dad sticking out with black and white checkered ribbon and party favours. So cute! So thoughtful! So much detail!
We had such a great time and were the last ones to leave at midnight, and Bridget, Spencer, Ian and me went back to the villas and lifted a table from our balcony to theirs and played drinking games with cards until who knows what time.
I cannot even begin to explain my hangover today, and it is too painful to think about, so I am not going to.
We woke up, checked out and Kim picked us up and took us back to their house for brunch. My step mom had hidden all the food at a friends down the street and there was SO much of it. My dads friends that rented the house down the street came over before their flights and ate and of coarse my dad was making eggs with is 'fresh basil from the garden.' The food looked and smelled wonderful, but unfortunately, I spent an house before my flight lying in Trevor's bed, not able to move. I think the rest of my family came over later, after we left for food too. Kim did such an outstanding job, and my dad was as happy as a clam. It was great.
So here I am back in Fort Erie. My great grandmother on my moms side passed away at 96 years old on Friday, so we are attending the funeral tomorrow. Shane and John are still in Florida. (Oh, and I walked by LL Cool J in the Atlanta airport and barely knew it!) My mom, Ian and I ordered Chinese and ate at my nannies and Ian and I reminisced about the trip. It was short, and definitely sweet. Family and friends are the most important thing we have in this life, and it is times like this that we can sit back and take it all in. My dad is definitely surrounded by loyal, loving and wonderful people, and that shows what a special guy my dad is too.
Until next time...
Saturday, May 16, 2009
san fran bliss
The name of this blog may be "Big City Bliss" however I have decided to temporarily relocate and write about my experience here in San Francisco so far.
It feels like I have done so much since my freezing cold hands were wrapped around a steaming cup of hot cocoa on the plane ride from Chicago to San Fran. I am here in San Fran with my mother, and I will be working for her at a conference here. She owns a publishing company in Buffalo, NY and publishes two magazines, one on Bipolar disorder and one on depression. The websites are: www.bphope.com and www.hopetocope.com. I am really proud of her because she is doing such great things and helping to disperse of the stigma attached to depression.
Anyway, we arrived in San Fran and the emperature was a mere 68 degrees, but it didn't really matter. I was enthrawled with the ights srrounding me on the drive from the airport to our magnificant hotel. The homes are on mountains and the water is sparkeling and crystal clear. There is a warmth in the air, despite the cool breeze in this city. Its amazing. It could be that I am overwhelmed by being in Calforinia in general, as his is my first time, but I have been to a lot of amazing cities and countries and so far, San Fran is still equisite.
We stepped into our hotel and our eyes widened. We are staying at the Westin St. Francis, right downtown in Union Square. The hallways are wide and beautiful, with tall ceilings and old chandelers. This building, as we learned on our cable car tour today, is the only one in the area that was not ruined by an earthquake in the early 1900's. It has a glamours, 'old- Hollywood' type feel to it, and as I sit here and type, I am in awe at the size of our room, the old antique handles on the doors, the marble countertops in the washroom and the old-feeling bucket bathtub. It is such a beautiful hotel. I am never disappointed in a Westin, however this hotel takes the cake with the old-glamour vibe.
We walked around the city yesterday, had a nice lunch at "Max" down the street from our hotel and set up for the conference. The conference centre is massive and spilt up into three different buildings. On our walk back to the electric Union Square we did some shopping. It really is a shopping centre. Everything from Tiffany and Co., Prada, and Saks Fifth Avenue to Macy's, Ross and Bloomingdales.
We headed to the Cheesecake Factory above Macy's for dinner and have a great rooftop view of the city. We shared grilled articoke and a pizza and I ordered an awesome tropical martini that was delightful as soon as the blended drink his my lips. We stopped at Borders on the way ack to the hotel and passed out quite quickly, tired from our long day.
This morning we woke up and headed to Alcatraz. We preordered our tickets, which I really recommend doing bcause it sells out quite fast. I have friends that are also i the city right now and they went last night on a Friday) to try and get tickets to Alcatraz and they were told that all the tours were sld out until Sunday. And they leave every hour! Goes to show how popular the tours are!
We grabbed bevies after a brisk walk to "Peets Coffee," apparently a Calfornia favourite. It was attached to a sourdough bread place, and that is when the realization struck that San Fran'ers are obsessed with sourdough bread! We grabbed a bun and headed on the tour.
I have wanted to visit Alcatraz ever since my parents visited San Fran in 1993 and brought back a pen that had a moving image on the end of it. The image was a prisoner being chased my a shark, with Alcatraz in the background. So I was so excited to finally visit this egendar prison. It was a great experience starting with a 12 minute ferry ride to the island. The Island of Alcatraz is actually a gorgeous island, with lush trees and white capped waves crushing against the island outskirts. Once a month, the youngest correctional officer to have ever worked at Alcatraz prison comes and speaks to the tour groups before they begin their venture into the prison. He publishes a book and we actually ended up buying a copy and got it signed by him! He was fascinating.
The views from Alcatraz are beautiful and this was one of the first things we noticed as we trekked p to the top of a steep hill to the actual prison. We grabbed our audio guide and, as my mom said, we were "never bored once." The guide features 4 inmates, 4 officers and a woman who actually lived on Alcatraz as a child. It was fascinating!
After the tour and a bit of exploring, we headed back to mainland San Fran. We headed to Pier Market restaurant for lunch and sat outside, directly in the sun. (Let me tell you- I need to get rid of this terrible t-shirt tan now!) I had wine, diet coke and amazing Dungeness Crab. I love cracking cab, unveiling each tender piece and dipping it in hot butter. Oh and I love wearing a bib and getting away with it! y mo had a crab salad. I was so content after that meal!
We then decided to grab a cable car tour through San Francisco. It was a 2.5 hour tour and was phenomenal. We went everywhere- the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Chinatown- to name a few. Our touruide even took us the the Full House house. I have wanted to see it up close and personal since I was young watching Full House.The house is so cute, and actually a lot smaller than it looks on Full House. It was very exciting, all the same!
After the tour, we did a little shopping and headed to a wne bar and sampled some wine. I sampled 3 chardonney's, and two of the three were quite good, however I think they helped my migraine progress, unfortunately!
We went to check out a Mexican restaurant and that was a complee bust, so we hopped on a streetcar and headed back to the hotel, stopping in Rite Aid on the way. I showered and noticed the severity of my burn and flinched. It's really bad, and I need to fix it somehow- asap. I won't be able to even it out though, as we start working at the convention tomorrow.
As I nursed my migraine, we ordered roomservice and relaxed. All in all an exciting, educational day!
It's still big city bliss, just in another city. And an amazing city it is.
Goodnight and until next time...
It feels like I have done so much since my freezing cold hands were wrapped around a steaming cup of hot cocoa on the plane ride from Chicago to San Fran. I am here in San Fran with my mother, and I will be working for her at a conference here. She owns a publishing company in Buffalo, NY and publishes two magazines, one on Bipolar disorder and one on depression. The websites are: www.bphope.com and www.hopetocope.com. I am really proud of her because she is doing such great things and helping to disperse of the stigma attached to depression.
Anyway, we arrived in San Fran and the emperature was a mere 68 degrees, but it didn't really matter. I was enthrawled with the ights srrounding me on the drive from the airport to our magnificant hotel. The homes are on mountains and the water is sparkeling and crystal clear. There is a warmth in the air, despite the cool breeze in this city. Its amazing. It could be that I am overwhelmed by being in Calforinia in general, as his is my first time, but I have been to a lot of amazing cities and countries and so far, San Fran is still equisite.
We stepped into our hotel and our eyes widened. We are staying at the Westin St. Francis, right downtown in Union Square. The hallways are wide and beautiful, with tall ceilings and old chandelers. This building, as we learned on our cable car tour today, is the only one in the area that was not ruined by an earthquake in the early 1900's. It has a glamours, 'old- Hollywood' type feel to it, and as I sit here and type, I am in awe at the size of our room, the old antique handles on the doors, the marble countertops in the washroom and the old-feeling bucket bathtub. It is such a beautiful hotel. I am never disappointed in a Westin, however this hotel takes the cake with the old-glamour vibe.
We walked around the city yesterday, had a nice lunch at "Max" down the street from our hotel and set up for the conference. The conference centre is massive and spilt up into three different buildings. On our walk back to the electric Union Square we did some shopping. It really is a shopping centre. Everything from Tiffany and Co., Prada, and Saks Fifth Avenue to Macy's, Ross and Bloomingdales.
We headed to the Cheesecake Factory above Macy's for dinner and have a great rooftop view of the city. We shared grilled articoke and a pizza and I ordered an awesome tropical martini that was delightful as soon as the blended drink his my lips. We stopped at Borders on the way ack to the hotel and passed out quite quickly, tired from our long day.
This morning we woke up and headed to Alcatraz. We preordered our tickets, which I really recommend doing bcause it sells out quite fast. I have friends that are also i the city right now and they went last night on a Friday) to try and get tickets to Alcatraz and they were told that all the tours were sld out until Sunday. And they leave every hour! Goes to show how popular the tours are!
We grabbed bevies after a brisk walk to "Peets Coffee," apparently a Calfornia favourite. It was attached to a sourdough bread place, and that is when the realization struck that San Fran'ers are obsessed with sourdough bread! We grabbed a bun and headed on the tour.
I have wanted to visit Alcatraz ever since my parents visited San Fran in 1993 and brought back a pen that had a moving image on the end of it. The image was a prisoner being chased my a shark, with Alcatraz in the background. So I was so excited to finally visit this egendar prison. It was a great experience starting with a 12 minute ferry ride to the island. The Island of Alcatraz is actually a gorgeous island, with lush trees and white capped waves crushing against the island outskirts. Once a month, the youngest correctional officer to have ever worked at Alcatraz prison comes and speaks to the tour groups before they begin their venture into the prison. He publishes a book and we actually ended up buying a copy and got it signed by him! He was fascinating.
The views from Alcatraz are beautiful and this was one of the first things we noticed as we trekked p to the top of a steep hill to the actual prison. We grabbed our audio guide and, as my mom said, we were "never bored once." The guide features 4 inmates, 4 officers and a woman who actually lived on Alcatraz as a child. It was fascinating!
After the tour and a bit of exploring, we headed back to mainland San Fran. We headed to Pier Market restaurant for lunch and sat outside, directly in the sun. (Let me tell you- I need to get rid of this terrible t-shirt tan now!) I had wine, diet coke and amazing Dungeness Crab. I love cracking cab, unveiling each tender piece and dipping it in hot butter. Oh and I love wearing a bib and getting away with it! y mo had a crab salad. I was so content after that meal!
We then decided to grab a cable car tour through San Francisco. It was a 2.5 hour tour and was phenomenal. We went everywhere- the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Chinatown- to name a few. Our touruide even took us the the Full House house. I have wanted to see it up close and personal since I was young watching Full House.The house is so cute, and actually a lot smaller than it looks on Full House. It was very exciting, all the same!
After the tour, we did a little shopping and headed to a wne bar and sampled some wine. I sampled 3 chardonney's, and two of the three were quite good, however I think they helped my migraine progress, unfortunately!
We went to check out a Mexican restaurant and that was a complee bust, so we hopped on a streetcar and headed back to the hotel, stopping in Rite Aid on the way. I showered and noticed the severity of my burn and flinched. It's really bad, and I need to fix it somehow- asap. I won't be able to even it out though, as we start working at the convention tomorrow.
As I nursed my migraine, we ordered roomservice and relaxed. All in all an exciting, educational day!
It's still big city bliss, just in another city. And an amazing city it is.
Goodnight and until next time...
Thursday, May 7, 2009
style swap
On a tight budget and being the reccessionista’s that so many of us are, shopping trips are becoming rarer then ever for a lot of girls I know. That’s why I thought it was so amazing when my friend Julia, the owner of stylehog.com, decided to do a “Style Swap’ event. The event was held in April and was a great idea for women who are sick of their clothes to swap in a tee or two and get some new ones in return. The rules were as follows:
- Bring 1-4 items (such as shoes, belts, accessories, purses, clothes, jackets, pants, coats, etc.)
- The items must not be incredibly dated
- Arrive at the loft by 8:00pm
- Enjoy the open bar (sponsored by Belvedere vodka!) and wait for the ‘go ahead’ to rummage through the organized collection of used goods.
-
I brought my friend Rachel from work and we had a great time. It was such a good girl’s night out and I actually ended up with a few really cute pieces. Believe it or not there were even some Dolce and Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Esprit and Juicy items.
If you want to check out the stylehog blog, it is a great site and by signing up for the newsletter, you can get tips on ways to save money while shopping in an expensive town like TO. Visit: www.stylehog.com
- Bring 1-4 items (such as shoes, belts, accessories, purses, clothes, jackets, pants, coats, etc.)
- The items must not be incredibly dated
- Arrive at the loft by 8:00pm
- Enjoy the open bar (sponsored by Belvedere vodka!) and wait for the ‘go ahead’ to rummage through the organized collection of used goods.
-
I brought my friend Rachel from work and we had a great time. It was such a good girl’s night out and I actually ended up with a few really cute pieces. Believe it or not there were even some Dolce and Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Esprit and Juicy items.
If you want to check out the stylehog blog, it is a great site and by signing up for the newsletter, you can get tips on ways to save money while shopping in an expensive town like TO. Visit: www.stylehog.com
korea, in toronto
There are definitely times I miss Korea. Recently, more than ever. Our best friends from Korea, Leah and Andy, are teachers in Minnesota and recently took their spring break on an airplane all the way to chilly Canada. We had a great time showing them around Toronto and learning a lot about the city ourselves in the process.
We went to the distillery district and had a fabulous time walking around amongst the beautiful buildings and old industrial atmosphere. Ian and I had never been there before either, and the four of us loved sticking our heads into art galleries and peeking in boutiques and breweries. The gang had a couple of pints at Mill St. brewery, a famous Toronto brewer and enjoyed our afternoon walking around on the cobblestone grounds.
We packed a lot of fun events into our time with Leah and Andy. We advised them to go to places like Dundas Square and Steam Whistle Brewery and took them to a Jays Game (we had an amazing time! $1.00 dogs and some ziplock bags—inside joke), Kensington Market (Their personal favourite: The Hotbox Café), Niagara Falls, Queen Street West, Chinatown, and some great pubs and restaurants.
We packed a lot of fun events into our time with Leah and Andy. We advised them to go to places like Dundas Square and Steam Whistle Brewery and took them to a Jays Game (we had an amazing time! $1.00 dogs and some ziplock bags—inside joke), Kensington Market (Their personal favourite: The Hotbox Café), Niagara Falls, Queen Street West, Chinatown, and some great pubs and restaurants.One o
f my favourite nights however was when we met up with two other couples that were in Korea with us. Julia and Mark live in Toronto and Anne and Colin live in Whitby. The 8 of us met up at a Dakgalbi restaurant in Korea Town and it brought back so many memories of great times in a great country. Dakgulbi is an amazing Korean dish with chicken, cabbage, sauce and other veggies. To learn more about it, see the link: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dak_galbi) The restaurant was called Joon’s and we felt ‘right at home’ – Korean styles anyway- again. We had amazing food (I was like “Bring on the kimchi!”) and decided to head out to another bar before revisiting another spot from our Korean past- the noraebang. So we stocked up with wine bottles and soju (Korean liquor) and headed to the bar for a few drinks. It wasn’t long before we made our way to the noraebang.
A noraebang is a singing room (‘norae’ is actually directly translated into the word ‘song’) and South Koreans love them. (And now, so do we!) ‘Bang’ in Korean means ‘room’ and they haven’t different types of rooms everywhere in S. Korea. They have pc bangs (computer rooms) where you can go and buy time to play computer games on one of their computers and dvd bangs (quite obviously a dvd room) where you can go with a group of friends (it’s cheaper that way) and watch movies on their couches and big screen. We did this a lot of the time for the ‘girl’s nights’ we had in Seoul. There are obviously so many other examples, but I am sure you get the idea. So we headed into the noraebang and sang our hearts out… it is even open until 4:00am. We used to sing until 7:00 and not realize the sun had come out in Korea. So this is the next best thing! I still can’t believe that there is a Noraebang in Toronto! It was a fantastic night and a great way to spend time with some of our favourite people before they headed back to the US. We miss them so much, but we were so excited to see them, and so happy they got to see our daily lives and what it is like in Toronto. We can’t wait to visit them now!!!
I definitely suggest trying some dakgalbi to anyone who is interested. It is spicy and extremely tasty! Just writing about it is making my mouth water… speaking of which I need to eat something! Until next time…
f my favourite nights however was when we met up with two other couples that were in Korea with us. Julia and Mark live in Toronto and Anne and Colin live in Whitby. The 8 of us met up at a Dakgalbi restaurant in Korea Town and it brought back so many memories of great times in a great country. Dakgulbi is an amazing Korean dish with chicken, cabbage, sauce and other veggies. To learn more about it, see the link: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dak_galbi) The restaurant was called Joon’s and we felt ‘right at home’ – Korean styles anyway- again. We had amazing food (I was like “Bring on the kimchi!”) and decided to head out to another bar before revisiting another spot from our Korean past- the noraebang. So we stocked up with wine bottles and soju (Korean liquor) and headed to the bar for a few drinks. It wasn’t long before we made our way to the noraebang.
A noraebang is a singing room (‘norae’ is actually directly translated into the word ‘song’) and South Koreans love them. (And now, so do we!) ‘Bang’ in Korean means ‘room’ and they haven’t different types of rooms everywhere in S. Korea. They have pc bangs (computer rooms) where you can go and buy time to play computer games on one of their computers and dvd bangs (quite obviously a dvd room) where you can go with a group of friends (it’s cheaper that way) and watch movies on their couches and big screen. We did this a lot of the time for the ‘girl’s nights’ we had in Seoul. There are obviously so many other examples, but I am sure you get the idea. So we headed into the noraebang and sang our hearts out… it is even open until 4:00am. We used to sing until 7:00 and not realize the sun had come out in Korea. So this is the next best thing! I still can’t believe that there is a Noraebang in Toronto! It was a fantastic night and a great way to spend time with some of our favourite people before they headed back to the US. We miss them so much, but we were so excited to see them, and so happy they got to see our daily lives and what it is like in Toronto. We can’t wait to visit them now!!!I definitely suggest trying some dakgalbi to anyone who is interested. It is spicy and extremely tasty! Just writing about it is making my mouth water… speaking of which I need to eat something! Until next time…
To check out the distillery district, click on the link: http://www.thedistillerydistrict.com/
To check out Mill St. Brewery, visit: http://www.millstreetbrewery.com/
To see where Joon’s Restaurant is, visit: http://www.yelp.ca/biz/joons-restaurant-toronto
To learn more about noraebangs, check out; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noraebang
To checkout XO Karaoke Box, the noraebang we went to, it is located at 693 Bloor St. West (in Koreatown, Toronto), and their phone number is 416-535-3734. Check out the little blurb on it at the following link: http://books.google.ca/books?id=Ne3C6ZDElDsC&pg=PA136&lpg=PA136&dq=Singing+Rooms-+Koreatown+Toronto&source=bl&ots=5bWMr3ANE1&sig=gYTMQu2bmKyIM2laRapmgysDmB0&hl=en&ei=QhgDSs_sO4qvmQfdw_HyBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4
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