January 29......
Our day in Vancouver with Jean and Kim. Mainly we are all 4 of us off to a restaurant in North Vancouver. The rendezvous is with Andy's parents. Stella and Roger have organized a meeting for us in a restaurant called Thai House. It took us a little longer to get there than we thought. I am driving but it is more of a distance than everyone had anticipated.
Also, it is a funny thing but near the restaurant I elect to park the car myself and let the others get into Thai House ahead of me. The parking took a little longer than I would have liked because the Pay Station for parking was at the far side of the parking garage. The handicap parking is close to the street but the walk to pay for handicap parking is a bit long. I thought (bless me) that they pointed out the restaurant as being right across from the said parking garage. However, this kind of restaurant was a small deli restaurant. I asked the people in deli-restaurant about another restaurant but they said to go below....this different place was closed. When I asked the second time around I said that it was a Thai restaurant i was looking for....and it was across the street.
The Thai House is a respectfully good place. An easy to order lunch menu is probably everyone's choice. For about 10 dollars before taxes you can order one of about 12 selections. Adrienne and I agree to order two different selections so that we can try half of each. Pad Thai is one choice and a spicy pork is the other.
Stella and Roger are good company. The six of us have a lot more in common than I could have expected. Roger is talking about baby sitting his brother's horses in the valley. stella is talking to us about books and when statistics becomes more clear.
The afternoon is spent partially in Granville Island market again. Adrienne and Jean have to get some extra eggs, bread and supplies for our last two days in Van.
January 30.........
Finally figured out how to get into Jim's Journey Blogspot. The Hotel's computer is available but I spent yesterday going around and around the problem. I thought i had to Google my blogging. This does not work as there are so than bloggers out there. One has to sign in anyway so one has to to Blogspot "mission control" and then log in there with email address and password.
So we will head to Hawaii this afternoon. The"usual" routine for me is an early morning walk to the University Ave. area shops and then back again. The 4 of us have breakfasts at slightly different times but the eggs are those farm fresh eggs and they are very good. The coffee machine at the hotel is also a big help. Just lounging around until we pack up to go is all we have to do.
At least I am back with travel blogging.
Pictures will be a next adventure. Since I am not at home how do I get photos into the blog? The challenge will be faced.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
January 26 to 30, 2016......Holidays
January 26.....
It is all her fault again, of course. planning and then sending us away to Vancouver and then to Hawaii. (Adrienne)
On this day we have a direct flight from Ottawa to Vancouver. Leaving at about 6pm and arriving at about 9pm Pacific time. Rain is expected for our 4 days here but nobody is discouraged. This evening it is just to get settled in our mini-Hotel on the campus of UBC. We have been here several times before. It is exciting being in such a vibrant community of higher learning. Adrienne and I know the ups and downs of universities however they are one of best future investments for individuals and for a country.
January 27........
It is our first full day here so generally we taking it slowly. Mostly we go to the Granville Island market. I have a difficult time going around and around when all vendors seem to look the same. On the other hand......Adrienne is very enthusiastic about getting supplies. Cheeses of every description. Cheriso, bbq salmon, candidied salmon and 3 half loaves of bread. Enough for an army of ten. The strategy is to eat lunches in restaurants and then do wine and cheese at our hotel lodging. The wines we buy from Liberty Wine store are a Syrah from Church and State and a Zin from Great Northern.
So yes, our lunch is indeed at the Granville Island market. She orders a huge slice of pizza with a fresh salad on the side as her lunch. I'm satisfied with the basket of raspberries and a gigantic oatmeal-fruit muffin. there are so many of the best choices at this market.
In the evening we enjoy the fruits of Adrienne's shopping. The BC salmon is something we have to come back to when we are here. Her choices of cheeses and breads are again almost over the top.
We plan a busier day tomorrow.
January 28..........
Always I have to go for an early morning walk. Sometimes I head north to University Avenue and there is a string of cafes and small stores. Today I only stop for a tea at the 24-hour A+W.
Breakfast is at the hotel with fresh eggs on toast. The eggs are from free range or almost free range chickens. The yolks are richer more orange in colour. The flavour is also richer than our regular store bought eggs.
Before lunch we head over to Stanley Park. This is always a treat. The day is not so rainy. We scout out the totem pole area and the aquarium area as well as Propect point.
Adrienne has made reservations at at a downtown restaurant called Chambar. At last I get to describe what we have eaten. It is a planned suggested lunch menu for a city sponsered foodie event.
At first we order the stuffed calamari which has ground up veal inside. The flavours in and around this "surf and turf'" are amazing. The chef and staff are makimg a reputation here for sure. Our next course is a lamb dish. And what a lamb dish. Four generous paties of minced lamb are on top of a delicious collection of tomatoes, green beans and other vegies. A mayonaise sauce is at the centre to hold it all together.
The afternoon is time for Museum of Anthropology on the campus of UBC. Totem poles and Bill Reid works or art. The in situ totem poles outside are also interesting. Thank goodness the UBC people have cooperated with the BC indigenous peoples to reflect their history and traditions.
Jean and Kim arrive late in the evening.
January 29.........
Breakfast with the fresh eggs.
It is all her fault again, of course. planning and then sending us away to Vancouver and then to Hawaii. (Adrienne)
On this day we have a direct flight from Ottawa to Vancouver. Leaving at about 6pm and arriving at about 9pm Pacific time. Rain is expected for our 4 days here but nobody is discouraged. This evening it is just to get settled in our mini-Hotel on the campus of UBC. We have been here several times before. It is exciting being in such a vibrant community of higher learning. Adrienne and I know the ups and downs of universities however they are one of best future investments for individuals and for a country.
January 27........
It is our first full day here so generally we taking it slowly. Mostly we go to the Granville Island market. I have a difficult time going around and around when all vendors seem to look the same. On the other hand......Adrienne is very enthusiastic about getting supplies. Cheeses of every description. Cheriso, bbq salmon, candidied salmon and 3 half loaves of bread. Enough for an army of ten. The strategy is to eat lunches in restaurants and then do wine and cheese at our hotel lodging. The wines we buy from Liberty Wine store are a Syrah from Church and State and a Zin from Great Northern.
So yes, our lunch is indeed at the Granville Island market. She orders a huge slice of pizza with a fresh salad on the side as her lunch. I'm satisfied with the basket of raspberries and a gigantic oatmeal-fruit muffin. there are so many of the best choices at this market.
In the evening we enjoy the fruits of Adrienne's shopping. The BC salmon is something we have to come back to when we are here. Her choices of cheeses and breads are again almost over the top.
We plan a busier day tomorrow.
January 28..........
Always I have to go for an early morning walk. Sometimes I head north to University Avenue and there is a string of cafes and small stores. Today I only stop for a tea at the 24-hour A+W.
Breakfast is at the hotel with fresh eggs on toast. The eggs are from free range or almost free range chickens. The yolks are richer more orange in colour. The flavour is also richer than our regular store bought eggs.
Before lunch we head over to Stanley Park. This is always a treat. The day is not so rainy. We scout out the totem pole area and the aquarium area as well as Propect point.
Adrienne has made reservations at at a downtown restaurant called Chambar. At last I get to describe what we have eaten. It is a planned suggested lunch menu for a city sponsered foodie event.
At first we order the stuffed calamari which has ground up veal inside. The flavours in and around this "surf and turf'" are amazing. The chef and staff are makimg a reputation here for sure. Our next course is a lamb dish. And what a lamb dish. Four generous paties of minced lamb are on top of a delicious collection of tomatoes, green beans and other vegies. A mayonaise sauce is at the centre to hold it all together.
The afternoon is time for Museum of Anthropology on the campus of UBC. Totem poles and Bill Reid works or art. The in situ totem poles outside are also interesting. Thank goodness the UBC people have cooperated with the BC indigenous peoples to reflect their history and traditions.
Jean and Kim arrive late in the evening.
January 29.........
Breakfast with the fresh eggs.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
January .11,12,13,14......2016
Catch up on the blogging front.
Wine bottling is going pretty well. The longest time in spent in bottle washing. Corking is not too difficult a procedure. Sometimes I forget to check if I have the required 26 corks for bottling a carboy of good Chilean wine.
Tuesday I was invited to play doubles tennis at Carleton University. They have a bubble wherein they house 4 tennis courts. The costs seem reasonable and I think no membership is necessary. Quite a distinction between the blustery snow and winds outside the "dome" and the hitting the tennis ball indoors. Every once in a while there was a thunder clap noise followed by a rustling sound. As it was a huge amount of snow sliding off the roof of the bubble no one was worried. As long as the roof does not fall in.
Also on Tuesday was theatre night. The play was "The Murder Room". Of course, it was another farce but we went on opening day of the play's run. Very well done for a beginning as there was slapstick and a lot of running around for the actors. At intermission I saw Dr. Barry and said hello to him and his wife.
I'm free most of Wednesday so I get to visit Papa at Rideau Place. Everything is okay with him and we usually go for tea on the 5th floor of the senior's residence. Usually the official tea time is 3pm but my father and I like to go before the rush and simply serve ourselves a little tea and biscuits which are available at all times on that floor.
Adrienne is busy on this Wednesday preparing for guests to share a meal with us this evening. She is cooking Creole Shrimp on a bed of rice which we have offered up to many friends. In fact, our friends bought over a dessert and a bottle of pinot noir which we were also thinking to go with the meal. A good time was had by all.
Tonight, Thursday, I have a meeting with Beer and Books. Today's book is a tome on the life and works of Shakespeare. Many of our readers did not get too far with this book but I hope they show up to enjoy chatting and beer drinking. The venue this evening is Pub Italia. There is a "confessional" one may reserve and this is very sympatico for our reading/discussion group.
Great jazz evening. A concert to remember. Bill Bernie, John Geggie, Mark Ferguson.
Wine bottling is going pretty well. The longest time in spent in bottle washing. Corking is not too difficult a procedure. Sometimes I forget to check if I have the required 26 corks for bottling a carboy of good Chilean wine.
Tuesday I was invited to play doubles tennis at Carleton University. They have a bubble wherein they house 4 tennis courts. The costs seem reasonable and I think no membership is necessary. Quite a distinction between the blustery snow and winds outside the "dome" and the hitting the tennis ball indoors. Every once in a while there was a thunder clap noise followed by a rustling sound. As it was a huge amount of snow sliding off the roof of the bubble no one was worried. As long as the roof does not fall in.
Also on Tuesday was theatre night. The play was "The Murder Room". Of course, it was another farce but we went on opening day of the play's run. Very well done for a beginning as there was slapstick and a lot of running around for the actors. At intermission I saw Dr. Barry and said hello to him and his wife.
I'm free most of Wednesday so I get to visit Papa at Rideau Place. Everything is okay with him and we usually go for tea on the 5th floor of the senior's residence. Usually the official tea time is 3pm but my father and I like to go before the rush and simply serve ourselves a little tea and biscuits which are available at all times on that floor.
Adrienne is busy on this Wednesday preparing for guests to share a meal with us this evening. She is cooking Creole Shrimp on a bed of rice which we have offered up to many friends. In fact, our friends bought over a dessert and a bottle of pinot noir which we were also thinking to go with the meal. A good time was had by all.
Tonight, Thursday, I have a meeting with Beer and Books. Today's book is a tome on the life and works of Shakespeare. Many of our readers did not get too far with this book but I hope they show up to enjoy chatting and beer drinking. The venue this evening is Pub Italia. There is a "confessional" one may reserve and this is very sympatico for our reading/discussion group.
Great jazz evening. A concert to remember. Bill Bernie, John Geggie, Mark Ferguson.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
January 10, 2015 busy weekends, busy schedule.
Adrienne has to shop for clothes in the afternoon. It is time for me to do more bottling. It is a carboy of Viongier this time that required my time and effort. This time it went a little bit faster than the day before. I have to do all this wine work before we go on holidays at the end of the month.
The Viongier wine is very fruit forward and is acidic as Jean had predicted. That is why I volunteered to buy this from the S.O.B. club wine. They had this extra carboy.
Fiction
This is on my to do list but it will be much more difficult than relating past events. I was to ask A. about random topics or random quotes or random anything to present a possible course of writing. I will see.
This last summer in Picton, Ontario. At the Cheese Festival.
The Viongier wine is very fruit forward and is acidic as Jean had predicted. That is why I volunteered to buy this from the S.O.B. club wine. They had this extra carboy.
Fiction
This is on my to do list but it will be much more difficult than relating past events. I was to ask A. about random topics or random quotes or random anything to present a possible course of writing. I will see.
This last summer in Picton, Ontario. At the Cheese Festival.
January 9, 2016 We go our seperate ways
Actually we go our separate ways only in the evening. Kim and Helene and I were going for a jazz evening while Adrienne and Jean and Jessie were invited to Jan s house for dinner.
The jazz evening featured flutist Bill Bernie and John Geggie and Mark Ferguson. They played a great array of classics and some numbers by Mark. The piano tuning was contributed by Helene.
Also, I got a chance to bottle another 26 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc. Quite a process but I have to develop better efficiencies. In other words, without compromise I have to proceed with the cleaning of the bottles in a more mechanistic, deliberate fashion. I will learn.
The three wise men at Christmas 2015...
The jazz evening featured flutist Bill Bernie and John Geggie and Mark Ferguson. They played a great array of classics and some numbers by Mark. The piano tuning was contributed by Helene.
Also, I got a chance to bottle another 26 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc. Quite a process but I have to develop better efficiencies. In other words, without compromise I have to proceed with the cleaning of the bottles in a more mechanistic, deliberate fashion. I will learn.
The three wise men at Christmas 2015...
January 8, 2016
Got to keep up the writing even if is a bit spurious....
So I noticed today was my sisters birthday. Miet in Toronto. I sent a quick happy birthday text just to keep in touch. Also saying that I mentioned her birthday to Pa.
Since it was Friday the afternoon tennis at Sportheque continued . Brian substituted for Gerald and it was again a close pairs competition.
Adrienne set us up for an Old Sod Society concert. They were from Wolfe Island, Ontario. Very funny indeed. Playing old time tunes and old time instruments.
Here is a photo of the Christmas goose Adrienne cooked......
So I noticed today was my sisters birthday. Miet in Toronto. I sent a quick happy birthday text just to keep in touch. Also saying that I mentioned her birthday to Pa.
Since it was Friday the afternoon tennis at Sportheque continued . Brian substituted for Gerald and it was again a close pairs competition.
Adrienne set us up for an Old Sod Society concert. They were from Wolfe Island, Ontario. Very funny indeed. Playing old time tunes and old time instruments.
Here is a photo of the Christmas goose Adrienne cooked......
Thursday, January 07, 2016
January 7, 2016....Temperatures between -10C and 0C
After a brief -22Celsius for a day or two the temperatures are moderating. Or they are a bit above seasonal average.
Yesterday's annual wine-food fest at Pat's place was again an overwhelming success. Everyone got the chance to try very interesting wines and the appetizer foods were again out of this world. It is a pot luck format both for the wine bringing as well as for people bringing favourite finger foods and other party treats. This way one hangs around a table for as long as you can consuming as much of everything as you can when finally you have to sit down and rest awhile. Always talking with friends.
Not much today. I had an awful "inflammatory" experience in my right shoulder-right arm area. It took the ibuprofen at least two hours to finally settle things down. At 4pm it was still time to do a usual 5km walk up to Linda Lane and back. The end of the day can be so beautiful in winter time. The pinks and powder blues in the western skies are something to behold at the end of daylight on these shortened winter days.
Adrienne goes to bridge this evening. I will have to settle down with some usual Netflix if it is working or some TVO documentaries available on a laptop online. TVO has some good food stories. One is "The Truth about Calories" and the other is a series about global food costs and why they are a bit on the rise.
Adrienne is a happy tourist in Lyons when taking a boat along the Rhone River.
Yesterday's annual wine-food fest at Pat's place was again an overwhelming success. Everyone got the chance to try very interesting wines and the appetizer foods were again out of this world. It is a pot luck format both for the wine bringing as well as for people bringing favourite finger foods and other party treats. This way one hangs around a table for as long as you can consuming as much of everything as you can when finally you have to sit down and rest awhile. Always talking with friends.
Not much today. I had an awful "inflammatory" experience in my right shoulder-right arm area. It took the ibuprofen at least two hours to finally settle things down. At 4pm it was still time to do a usual 5km walk up to Linda Lane and back. The end of the day can be so beautiful in winter time. The pinks and powder blues in the western skies are something to behold at the end of daylight on these shortened winter days.
Adrienne goes to bridge this evening. I will have to settle down with some usual Netflix if it is working or some TVO documentaries available on a laptop online. TVO has some good food stories. One is "The Truth about Calories" and the other is a series about global food costs and why they are a bit on the rise.
Adrienne is a happy tourist in Lyons when taking a boat along the Rhone River.
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