* not with ink

Two weekends ago, I was out for coffee (and sugar) with my roommate and our neighbour-friend. As we walked back to our building, I lamented my lack of groceries and how I tend to get meal-fatigue despite my love of cooking/baking/eating well. I asked her if she ever experiences this, and how she combats it. "Pinterest." She confidently replied, "And I meal-plan. I have to, now that we have a kid." She lamented that it is tricky as a solo-person. You have to do all the work, all the time. You end up eating leftovers for DAYS. You get away with things like dry cereal and half an apple... We talked a bit more, and she went up the last flight of stairs, and I sat down and still had to think of what to make for food that week (despite the half-dozen cookbooks I own, I frequently come up empty). And then she emailed. A link to Pinterest. Another link to Pinterest. A third Pinterest idea. AND. Also: we could maybe plot meals to share?! Like a mini pot luck! This si...

I changed the layout of this blog-thing again. I wanted the other one to work, but it wasn’t doing it for me. We’ll see about this one.  In theory, I am also going to update the bio page to be more professional; something I could direct people towards for potential freelance work. I have been eating a breakfast of granola & plain greek yogurt. It has surprised me with its deliciousness and filling abilities. I don’t get hungry again til lunch! In other news, babies: The adorable toddler upstairs has learned my name and is constantly saying hi to me (apparently, I don’t even have to be around for this to happen) and I just want to squeeze her to pieces. My niece is hardly a baby anymore. She is potty-training and talking and laughing, but not too big for me to swing up in the air and pull into my shoulder and pretend to bite on the ear. Her sparkly blue eyes are captivating – it is fun to watch my brother melt at the sight of a giggly daughter. Have I told you that ...

I wore my fall jacket for the first time on Sunday. It was definitely a sad moment, as I'm reluctant to let go of the summer season. In fact, I've been moaning about the end of summer and the onset of autumn for several days (maybe a week or two?), and realized I need to counteract that negativity. So I made some soup. If there is one thing I love about pre-winter (my new name for fall), it is soup. Soup and stews. I started the season with my all-time favourite Yam & Peanut soup. It's delicious, hearty, and simple. This morning, I walked to work with a lunch-sized serving in my tote bag, and started dreaming about the other soups I'd like to make: Potato & Leek Chicken & (anything) Thai Tom Yum Curried Parsnip Spinach and Tortellini Spicy Squash with Apple (or pear) Southwestern Stew Corn Chowder Tahjine I love soups. And I would love to bring your favourite recipes into my kitchen. In exchange, I will gladly share recipes...

Today was the first meeting of the Saturday Brunch Club, founded by Karen. Everyone is welcome. These are the rules (So far. Still under construction.): The first member to the restaurant will have their coffee/tea paid for by the last member to arrive. There is a ten minute grace period for late arrivals. After ten minutes, we sit without you.  Unless agreed upon at the time of ordering, members are not required to share their food. Members need to bring cash for easy bill settling. I think that's pretty much it. We meet every two weeks, and next up is Lady Marmalade . Come and eat!

Coldplay Someone asked me recently what I thought about this article that references a quote from Coldplay lead Chris Martin, admitting that their lyrics "are a bit sh*t." So this is what I think: a. An artist can say that they aren't super-fond or proud of some of their works - but I don't like how the article then picks which lyrics they think are dumb. What if those particular ones are ones Martin is proud of? b. In a song/poem/work of art, not every single stroke or line is the focal point. On their own, they may even seem bizarre or pointless. But if, together, they make a piece of art, then that is the point. And I happen to think that, as a whole, Coldplay's songs are certainly above par, both musically and lyrically. c. I also think (in an only vaguely related thread) that it is strange how Coldplay is doing so much publicity around their new album. Have they ever done this before? Why are they doing it now? It is making me slightly suspiciou...

I am neither a food critic nor an interior designer, but I feel the need to share a small slice of my excitement over last night's dinner experience at Marben . Things I Loved: The rustic/masculine ambiance. From a giant painting of a falcon, to bathroom sinks deeper than my arm is long, to the woven-wood artwork along the length of the ceiling and the rusted/antique implements used in light fixtures... it felt to me like a hunting lodge. A high-class hunting lodge. Thick napkins. This is just important. Frequent refilling of water glasses. Out of a lovely decanter/jar. The kitchen view. I sometimes was distracted from our conversations by the angle I had into the food goings-on. Their use of locally grown, organic foods. They name their producers on the menu & on a tall chalkboard, and clearly cultivate relationships with them. This started a great little convo on the importance of stewardship and thoughtful food purchases. Tapas-style sharing. For an indecisive ...

March has ended far better than March began. Tonight's two highlights, you ask? 1. Meredith came for a visit. We ate lentil soup (with extra cumin) and lemon blueberry loaf (actually mini muffins) and talked about all the important things in life. I love her. 2. I received this text, from a friend who consistently sends fantastic texts (spacing and punctuation is precise to the text I received): I am hungry, now. Pass me a slice of pizza. You are a loser. I wrote this haiku  For you. I really wanted to use the word loser.

I woke up before my alarm. Poor sleep has been haunting our house for TOO LONG. I felt sick enough to be grumpy, but not sick enough to skip work. I had a cultural misunderstanding. G needs a dress-up costume for school later this week. G's mom : You could be a Hanson brother! Me: Yeah!! No one would get it but the teachers, but it'd be great! I love their new single. Well, I guess it's not new anymore...but it's great! G's mom: What? Me: Yeah, they're still making music. Crazy, hey? G's mom: No, I meant the hockey players. Me: Oh. (who're they?) I went to the zoo. C: What's that hanging down there? Me: ( trying to remain calm) Um, I think that's the rhino's penis. C: Oh. What's that animal? (pointing elsewhere) Me: It's a tapir. C: I want to be a baby tapir. I sang along to M.I.A.'s Paper Planes with a 3 year-old. It seemed wrong and yet adorable. (I skipped some lyrics) I enforced health and safety rules. (after sch...

...FRESH BREAD with BUTTER!!!! My cheeks are full of deliciousness. That's why my face looks funny. But happy . The friend who took this photo said this (me eating a pre-dinner slice of bread because I was SO HUNGRY) was the "saddest thing they'd ever seen." An exaggeration. And, according to my love of carbohydrates and baked goods, a tragic misunderstanding.Who doesn't love fresh bread and butter!? On that note, I think I'll slather myself another slice of sunshine.