False Positives

This was our first trip back in exactly 7 years, having been there in at this date in the days before that awful day. We have only just resumed traveling to the “States” again, a combination of things, including the exchange rate but mostly friends, having drawn us back.

We left early Sunday morning via Porter Air and the Toronto Island airport. I had several positive reports from people doing the same trip, but I had mixed feelings. Having lived on the harbour front and dealt with the planes flying in and out of that airport I was not a fan. But the new air line (Porter has been flying less than 2 years) and their planes have won me over or at least made me neutral. The planes seem quiet, and the fly in and out away from the inner habour and most of the residential. The departure was smooth and painless, which is saying something in these days and times! The Porter lounge was stock full of (free) coffee and cookies (and Mac’s and open Wifi), again a pleasant throw back to better times.
We even got a muffin and yogurt on the 1 hour flight. (shocking). The Newark New Jersey airport was bigger than expected with a fair number of international flights, but customs was no problem. The New Jersey Transit staff was helpful getting us into NYC and in no time we were at Penn station. We were staying at a friend on the upper West side of Manhattan, off the red line.

That afternoon we popped into the East Village to discover a wonderful Jazz festival in progress, as well as to explore a bit of that area and Union square area, before joining a dinner with our friends, and friends of friends.

One of the best decisions we made on this trip was to get an unlimited Metro Card which allowed use to pop on and off of the subway and buses before we got too tired walking everywhere.

That Monday we dived on the subway (quickly getting the handle off the local and express trains) down to Battery park and then up a very nice pedestrian mall to the busy site that is Ground Zero.

After that somber site, we left for Chelsea Market and the Meat Packing District for its food and buzz. Then a stop for more coffee at the Manhattan location of Mr Grumpy Cafe Café Grumpy and it’s excellent coffee and staff, as recommended to me (I got the John Allison mug!)
, before shopping from the Rockefeller Center to the (..sorry “THE”) Apple store and it’s madness (I thought the “piston” elevator was very neat).

Tuesday was all about US Open Tennis, and the first round. Getting there via Subway was smooth, but then the wheels came off. Part of it was my fault: we should have come much earlier (before the gates opened at 10). The line for day tickets was huge, in part because the web site was crappy, confusing and unsure (not just to us but to other people we talked to). Then I was not allow edto bring my Aspire One laptop in (I was told because of security?!), so that went in a locker. And there was problems / huge lineups with food and under cooked hamburgers. And a (very) few (very) rude people. Ack! We did however enjoy the Tennis and the venue’s and hope to go back soon.

Seeing the grounds of the 1964 Worlds Fair was a treat!

Afterwards we connected with some other friends from Toronto (who also watched the Tennis and better planed it) and had an excellent dinner at the Old Homestead in the Meat Packing District, amongst several tables of boisterous gentleman. Our friend was telling us about the days events including Marat Safin’s temper tantrum on court (before coming back to win it), when who walked back to his table - next to us - but Mr. Safin himself! Whoops! The girls would have liked a photo but he ignored us.

Wednesday was SoHo in the morning including a great lunch at local place 12 Chairs

and then seeing the exhibits at the MOMA.

On Thursday we only had time to walk around the neighour before catching our noon flight back and popping on the TTC home.

My only regret is not having more time and not going to Williamsburg and seeing more of Brooklyn. That will have to be for next time! soon(er)

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 The Toronto Ukrainian Festival (formerly the Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival) is comming back to Bloor West Village (it was “away” last year at Toronto’s waterfront Harbourfront Centre) and will be on September 12 - 14, 2008.

This is the 12th year of the Largest Ukrainian festival in North America.

Rock musician (and Winnipeger) Randy Bachman (of Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive fame) has been appointed the 2008 Festival Parade Marshal.

Come and join the fun, bring the family (take the TTC), check out the music, dancing, and food (you don’t have to be Ukrainian), but save some peroigies for me.

Here’s a set of photo’s of 2006 Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival, or enjoy the slide show below :

if your a Yahoo Upcomming user it’s http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1023075/

if your on face book it’s an event : http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=8374960969

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 Roncesvalles Village is a wonderful neighbourhood in Toronto’s west end, south of Bloor and East of High Park, sometimes known as “Little Poland” (there is a Roncesvalles Polish Festival this September 13th and 14th).

Not to be out done by the fancy pants events prompted by the city like Summerlicious and Winterlicious,the village is throwing a month long food festival to celebrate the areas restaurants.

The Roncylicious web site has all the details.

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Lou’s Coffee Bar (as in Cindy Lou) @ (514 Annette :north east side side of Annette and Runnymede Road, in the west end of Toronto i.e. Bloor West Village, High Park, Malta Village, and The Junction ) is the friendly neighborhood bean shop (and my preferred “Third Place”). Friendly to dogs and new Mom’s as well.

Come on in Junction City, for the organic fair trade brew from micro-roaster Toi, Moi & Café (tea is served too!); and stay for the yummy baked goods (inculding absolute best New Moon vegan cookies)  , open WiFi, and atmosphere.

Lou’s Coffee Bar :

514 Annette Street, Toronto, Ontario, CA

Update : Now Open, minus the sidewalk sign, Sunday Morning’s from 9 to Noon to wild enthusiasm.

On May 6 the Bloor West Villager published the story Shop owners lose sidewalk signs to city about the loss of the side walk sign visible in the first photo. I was there and saw the theft.

Update  June 6th:  For their first year anniversary they held a special event “Gems of Dzherelo : a Benefit Art Show & Sale for the Dzherelo Children’s Rehabilitation Centre in Lviv, Ukraine.” It was a great success!! here are some Flirk Photos :The crowd outsite; The Joint is Jumping; The Chris & Danica Show : Signing for the Cause

Update July 11th : The Official Lou’s Coffee Bar web site is up! and they are on Twitter (come follow allow!)

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ET has been busy again. (Me? I was just trying to get more frosting on the cookies then myself - and was not completely successfully. )

.

We also had Carrot Cup Cakes

and Sugar Cookies

and Gingerbread Tree’s

and Gingerbread folk

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Just got back from a 4 day in San Fran. I haven’t been there for a while and only on business with next to no time for tourism. This trip was pure pleasure.

Short story : a great city, friendly people, we had great weather and did a LOT of walking. (a few photos are on Flickr)

We stayed in the Mission District (it’s good to have family and friends in foreign cities!), and could have spent all our time in this area alone, particularly Valencia and Guerrero Streets (between 22th and 18th): Coffee shops (like Ritual); Hip retail shops (Borderland Books ScFi, Fantasy and Horror; Paxton Gates; Little Otsu); Pastry Shops (Tartine’s Bakery on Guerrero and 18th is not to be believed -lineups out the door during the weekday mid morning- and for good reason !); and restaurants both fancy (Farina on 18th was our Fav) and humble.

San Fran’s BART and Muni streetcar’s made travelling around easy; much appreciated when it was time to return. And I love the BART link to the SF airport.

The best fun in the Union Square area, with it’s high end name retailers, was seeing 2 groups of halloween party goers : a the gaggle of cross dressing beauty queens; and many young asian cosplay girls (high heels and short shirts) off to a different party- okay there were guys there but apart for one “Kakashi Hatake” I wan’t paying much attention.

And Yes, I saw the Apple store, just as they getting ready for Leopard launch (and already a line up), as well as playing with both the iPhone and iTouch pod devices (however I did make my saving roll against bright and shinny, barely).

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) delighted and challenged us (the very purpose of Modern Art?) with it’s exhibitions on Olafur Eliasson, Jeff Wall; and Joseph Cornell.

We walked up Buena Vista park (foggy, so no view that day but gorgeous), and down into Haight Ashbury neighborhood, which included a visit to Giant Robot, before going onto the Golden Gate Park , it’s Tea Garden and in the Botanical Garden being swarmed by very aggressive grey squirrels (cute when it’s a chipmunk, but 6+ squirrels? not so much).

We also did a day trip up to Sonoma wine country (an hour north of the GG bridge) and were able to visit a couple of wineries, including the Gundlach-Bundschu Winery with its picnic tables. They were very generous with the tastings (it may have had something to do with 4 lovely ladies I was traveling with) and I greatly enjoyed the weather, food, wine and company.

We are looking forward to returning to San Fran as soon as we can.

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ET has been busy, and the results have been yummy:
a small plate of short bread, and xmas biscotti, almond crescent, Amoretti cookies, & hazelnut button cookies

sugar cookies

gingerbread men

more gingerbread folk

Happy Newtonmas!

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This weekend (Friday August 25th evening to Sunday August 27th) is the 10th Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival. Very big deal. They close Bloor between Runnymede Rd and Jane Street TTC subway stops, and everyone becomes Ukrainian! Come and join the fun, but save some peroigies for me. (Last year was fun too.)

Now with a small Flickr set of photos.

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(view image to see in full glory) ET made this Mango Cheese cake for TG’s celebration weekend. Much loved (” The best Cheese Cake I ever remember eating” - Jim). Lot’s of catching up with familar faces, and meeting new and interesting people! see previously .

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(view image to see in full glory) Berry Flan (custard pie), with hand picked raspberries and blackberries, local blueberries and stawberries, and ET TLC. Ted declares it “Best Pie Ever”. Ho Yum. (MC reports “ho lang”)

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