the hip are sooo hip

Concert was amazing, my photos are not - I need to figure out how to get photos at concerts that aren't blurry because shouting at Gord Downie to hold still while he was on stage just didn't cut it

Anyway, I have some photos and videos that I'll upload later.. in the meantime, check out this professional shot of their previous concert - obviously not taken by me, but by this person at the National Post.



Highlights of the night were when they played the popular songs - Courage, New Orleans is Sinking, Fiddlers Green, At the hundredth Meridien, Ahead by a Century, Poets,... then again it was just fun to see this band in an intimate setting. The theatre is maybe the size of small clubs back at home, definitely beats lawn seats at a packed molson amphitheatre

Plus, I haven't seen so many hockey jerseys in one place since, well, since I was home. It made me miss good ol' Canada. Home in a few short weeks!

you are ahead by a century

tomorrow night I'm going to see The Tragically Hip!

My brother said that the only time you ever really get to see the Hip is if you go to a show outside of Canada. This band is massive back at home, but outside of the true north strong and free, no one seems to know who they are.

Tickets are still available (which is a rarity for the hip) and the venue is pretty small - which means I'll be close enough to see the beads of sweat from Gord's forehead as he belts out 'new orleans is sinking'

I really hope they play some of their greatest hits - this is music I grew up to. I'm also looking forward to being in a room full of fellow Canadians!

Full report on the concert to come :)

reason #2394 why I want to move

I'm horribly hungover right now and a phone call from my favourite Viking tells me that the whole gang is over at their place and they're about to make a massive Sunday brunch of eggs, pancakes, sausages, and probably one of DA's famous bacon sandwiches..

but because I live on the stupid tube line that never runs, the thought of getting out of bed and taking the hour long bus ride down to join them right now just doesn't work...

PS. DA gets his first mention in my blog - are you happy now? xo

PSS. reason # 2395 the bathroom light blew therefore I now get to shower in the dark...

maybe I'm just on crack...

But I really thought it was snowing today on my way into work!

It was sort of a cross between flurries and light rain. But when I walked into the office and exclaimed excitedly to the office - 'Oh my god, it's snowing outside!'

All I got were funny looks

Pfftt.. damn brits.

PS. Can't wait for mother nature to 'dump' another two inches of snow down on London, thus shutting down the city entirely for a snow day

kids these days...

Just got back from babysitting my neighbour's two children... I got a text from the mother J. this afternoon asking if I could come babysit tonight as she had an art class that she had to get to and her husband was out of town. As my plans for tonight had been cancelled, I said yes.

J and her family live in the flat below me, but unlike my old British flat with dodgy carpets, theirs is totally refurbished with a large open plan kitchen and living room area, wooden floors and massive floor to ceiling windows that back into their private yard. It's a totally different place, and to be honest, I've missed being in a family home.

J's children are adorable... L is 9 and the sweetest thing while M is 12, a bit mischievous with a little attitude, but still a good kid. We ate supper together, then M. raided the pantry for some chocolate, which we all shared and then I sat at the kitchen table helping L with her maths homework.

It was an idyllic scene of Martha Stewart-like serenity... the babysitter helping the little girl with her math homework, as she reads each question aloud and works out the answer on a piece of graph paper.

The only difference here is that the babysitter is frantically working out the answers on her blackberry because she can't do simple arithmetic in her head anymore, and the little boy isn't quietly reading a book, but is rather playing a video game which involves getting points for vandalism, beating up other kids and stealing panties from girls... did I mention that he's 12??

Amid cries of M going 'yah, take that' while his character smashes a cricket bat over another player's head, L is sweetly asking me how to solve a math problem that should be simple, but I have no idea how to do...

i feel old.

goodbye my love...

It's with a heavy heart that I finally bid farewell to the love of my life, my new york boots.

These boots were bought on my first trip to New York - I took a few days off work a few weeks before Christmas to visit my friend K. who was living down there, working about three different jobs but living in the glamourous Soho district.

Your first time in New York is better than all the firsts in your life, and that's including sex. The sights and sounds that surround you, walking down busy streets, passing those iconic buildings, stopping in for a Magnolia cupcake then browsing the nearby used biography bookstore - I loved it.

I found these boots at a flea market in Hell's Kitchen. K. had already secured a pair of her own a few weeks earlier, and I was determined to find a pair for myself.

The first few stalls didn't have much in stock, most boots there were old cowboy boots, not was I had in mind. Then the next stall had a pair of vintage Cole Haans! But of course, they were about 2 sizes too small and no amount of forcing my feet in, gritting my teeth and saying 'they'll stretch' would make them fit my feet.

And then I spotted the boots. Dark caramel brown with a gold buckle on the side, the quintessential riding boots, in mint condition and fit my feet like a glove. Oh, how I loved you at first sight.

The boots and I have enjoyed a long and loving relationship looked upon many with envy. I've enjoyed the admiring stares we've gotten while out together on the town, and when someone inquired after them, I'd breezily say, 'oh these? I got them at a flea market in New York.'

Sadly, after 3 years of wear and tear, not to mention walking on the salt-encrusted streets of Toronto, the boots have finally met their end. A hole started to appear at the end of last winter, and not even my trusted shoe repairman could fix it. Today, while walking down Regents Street in the rain, my foot started to feel a bit wet, and when i looked down, a large hole on the side of my right boot was staring up at me.

So after a long reign, the new york boots are destined for the bin.

I think part of the reason i've held onto them so long and loved them so much is that they always remind me of those few short days I had in New York. That was a time just before my life started to get very complicated, and back then, I had no idea the kind of messy emotional roller coaster I'd be throwing myself into. When I first got those boots, my life was simpler and I hadn't made so many mistakes. Now that I'm throwing them out, I find myself shaking my head and wishing I could go back and redo so much.

Regret is such a bitch.

A rainy sunday

I woke up this morning full of energy and drive to get things done.

I threw a load of laundry into the washer then went outside with the aim of doing a good 8 km run up to Hampstead Heath - one of my favourite spots in London. For those T.dot readers, it's a bit like High Park - you have hilly roads with expensive Victorian-style homes leading the way up to a rambling forest of paths and open green spaces, not to mention great views, ponds AND a petting zoo.

Coming back I stopped by the grocery store to get some provisions for the week. As I was paying, I looked outside and BAM just like that the skies had opened up and flooded. It was piss-pouring rain out and I had no umbrella and three bags of groceries to carry back to my flat (about a 10 minute walk away).

No matter, I threw on my headphones, put on a good song and ran like hell through the rain, bright orange Sainsbury bags bouncing off my legs as I splashed through puddles and slid on wet leaves, finally making my way home, soaked to the bone, exhausted and so happy to be back.

After showering and putting on some dry clothes, I set about making my typical Sunday meal. Because I often work quite late during the week, I like to make massive meals on the weekend that I can freeze and defrost during the week. I've done soups, casseroles and hearty meaty chili, but in light of the upcoming week of dreary cold rainy weather, I currently have a rich beef stew simmering on the stove.

My favourite source for recipes is Michael Smith. Yes, he might have this ingratiating, slightly patronizing way of speaking to the camera, but I absolutely adore his method of cooking and his recipes. I'm not a fancy cook, I like comfort food and Chef Michael encourages you you experiment with what you have in your kitchen, trusting your instincts and own ideas of what flavours go well together.

The recipe is perfect for a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon.

Michael Smith's Classic Beef Stew (adapted by yours truly...)

Ingredients
* Pack of stewing beef
* A bunch of root veggies (carrots, onion, celery, parsnips, etc)
* Handful of small potatoes
* garlic
* one OXO beef bouillon cube
* some red wine
* olive oil
* some flour
* salt / pepper and whatever spices in your pantry you think work... I'm currently adding to my collection as spices are surprisingly expensive)

1. Roughly chop your veggies and set aside
2. Dust the beef in flour and toss with salt and pepper
3. Heat large pot with olive oil...if you live in a flat like mine with a scary gas stove, try not to singe the ends of your hair when lighting the stove
4. VERY IMPORTANT - brown the meat, that means laying each piece down and leaving it to brown before turning each piece over to brown the other sides... warning, you will probably get a little burnt with the splashes of hot olive oil, or you can be a wimp and wear a dish washing glove
5. Remove browned meat and set aside, then add the veggies (except for the potatoes) and some smashed cloves of garlic into the pot... let them brown up and soften (takes about 5-7 minutes)
6. Add a splash of red wine and stir that around, dislodging the brown bits at the bottom (that gives your stew flavour)
7. Add the beef and potatoes and top up the pot with boiled water so that it covers everything, throw in that bouillon cube too and swish that around
8. Put the lid on and let that simmer... go write a blog post about your cooking adventures, check facebook, curl up in bed with a good book and occasionally go and check on the stew to make sure the kitchen hasn't burnt down

Oh and a good tip from Chef Michael is to leave some chopped veggies to throw into the pot near the end of the cook time so that you have a nice mix of textures (soft and still crunchy) in the stew... I happened to forget this time around

Once it's done, enjoy some with a slice of crusty bread and let the rest cool down before bringing out the tupperware (some for the fridge, some for the freezer)

I also like to dole out smaller portions for the freezer, that way I can de-frost individual portions more easily, it just means that my freezer gets a little full of tupperware containers, but I'm sure my flatmates don't mind so much