In the meantime….

I’ve decided to dip my toe into the world of craft fair vending – I’ll be showing at Arts vs Craft Halifax on August 20, 2011 at the Halifax Forum (2901 Windsor Street).  It’s going to be a wonderful day filled with local artists – 45 of us altogether.

You can see the gallery by visiting http://heathershandicrafts.wordpress.com & follow the group on Twitter and Facebook for all of the exciting updates!

Look forward to seeing you all there!

The Details:

When? Wednesday July 21 (yes, I’ve known for a couple of weeks.  I also knew I wasn’t going to be home to answer anyone’s questions.)

Where? Elmsdale, Nova Scotia.  It’s about a half hour’s drive from Halifax.

Why? Well, I’ve been missing home for a long time now as most of you know.  Finally, the right job opportunity has come along so I’m going to take the plunge!

Will I come back? To live, no.  To visit?  YOU BETCHA!!  I won’t be able to attend Ubercon, BGG.con, or Scrappetizer this (calendar) year, but look forward to some rockin fun long weekends/vacations in 2011.  And of course, once I’m settled, you are all welcome to visit beautiful Nova Scotia!

Will I be able to see you before I go? That might be tricky for some of you, but it’s not because I don’t want to see you.  My July schedule just didn’t leave a lot of time for me to socialize with anyone.

However…

I will be having a moving/tag sale this weekend on SUNDAY (10AM-9PM) & MONDAY (3PM-9PM)** at the apartment and I would love it if you were to drop in!  I know it’s not the sit down, play games affair we all wanted, but (hopefully) I will cry less.

HAH!

I will be away from the blogosphere for the next 6 weeks or so while I pack-move-unpack, but you can look for updates here starting in September!

I am working all of this week so the best place to leave messages is here or Facebook.

I miss you already!!  It’s been a blast

xoxoxox

Heather

** Forgot a couple of appointments that would make it impossible for me to be available all weekend…. sorry, peeps!

Click on the story title below for more information on the fabulous story game created by Daniel Solis!

Happy Birthday Robot!

Robot is red, has wings and a tail but Robot is crazy!  Robot thinks and dreams of world domination, but lazily Robot likes to help all of the little animals but they frequently run away.

Today, Robot invited friends over to conquer Earth, but his friends are lazy too.  Robot parties with friends and they all ate chocolate cake, but the cake is alive!  Robot designed the living cake because his recipe failed.  “Please don’t eat me !” Cake cried, his tears melted icing.  Robot faced to the kitchen for the spatula and made scrambled eggs but the cake ate the eggs.

Robot knew Cake would take over the world and the cake succeeded admirably but Robot wanted to help.  Robot tries to destroy the cake with his friends and the cake attacks with his space ships.  Robot defeats the Cake’s space army and becomes a great hero by liberating Earth and Robot wins a sword of gold.

Robot made friends with the animals by making them all new homes and nice parks full of flowering bushes. 

Robot continued to try inventing living cakes and other things but never conquered the world again.  Robot’s animal friends ate the living cake and found it tasty.

Robot and his friends lived a good life forever so they took up gardening

~fin~

Happy Birthday Boomer!

Dear Boomer,

Your birthday party was a lot of fun!  I had a great time taking pictures of you and all of your friends while you played with us… not to mention our team won! GO Trenton Thunder!! I bet it was all because of the extra mojo brought by you and the other fabulous mascots at the game.  See you in June!

Love,

Big Blue Bird Fan

I couldn’t have asked for a better day for baseball, really:  it was warm without being oppressively hot, the sky was perfectly blue with pretty white fluffy clouds, and the vibe at the stadium was pretty good.   Certainly not like the vibe you get at say, a Mets vs. Yankees game in the city.  And that’s odd, because that’s exactly what this was:  Binghamton Mets vs Trenton Thunder – a few levels down, but still.  While not a Yankee fan by nature, it’s hard not to be a hometown fan so I was pretty set to be happy with either outcome.

The Mets started strong but fizzled out after the 2nd inning, allowing 11 runs over 2 innings, which let the Thunder to walk off the field to celebrate Boomer’s Birthday in style with a 13-7 win.  My buddy Nicole asked for a Grand Slam moments before it was hit and probably had the best score on the day by taking home Phillies heartthrob Chase Utley.  I, on the other hand tried Dippin Dots (they’re kinda weird, texturally) for the first time and didn’t burn in the sun – total win!  Can’t wait to go back in June

I haven’t been inspired to scrap, just for me, in a very long time.

I joined Close to my Heart as a consultant in April of last year because I was, and still am, excited about their product line.  I knew that I wouldn’t be excessively active as a consultant until I was good and ready, but the draw to savings was impossible to resist.  It wasn’t until August?  September? that my friend and upline asked me to help an (on hiatus) consultant by filling in for her at monthly crops at a local scrapbooking store.  It would only be for 6 months… how much of a strain on my time could it be?

Turns out, it could be a lot.

For one thing, it went from one crop to two per month.  That in itself wouldn’t have been so bad if it weren’t for the crazy project I was signed on with at work.  So, the 50+ hour work weeks followed by planning sessions one night a week, plus the bi-monthly 9 hour marathon at the scrapping store led to a pretty tired me.  To make matters worse, scrapbooking became more like math, and less like art… and those of you that know me well know that I’m math impaired.

Don’t get me wrong – I love teaching other people how to do what I love doing – I was just jealous of the scrappers.  I wanted to sit with them and play!

I decided some time ago that I wanted to go to the yearly CtmH convention which is conveniently being held in Washington D.C. this year:  somewhere I’ve never been before!  So not only would I be exploring a new part of the country, I would be surrounded by scrappers from all over the country.  Surely I would be able to glean some excitement from them!  Luckily, I didn’t have to wait until July… my inspiration came much sooner.  With my registration came a challenge – a 6+ layout challenge!  I’m only allowed to use CtmH product and have some very specific guidelines, but all of the sudden the ideas started coming… more ideas than I have time to execute.

Here are some examples from the last week or two, keeping in mind that they might not be submitted:

I’ve enjoyed making each and every one of these layouts and am still inspired to make more.  Good thing I have a bunch of photos to go through…

Happy Scrapping!

(I know I will be)

I am looking for a new last name and while I have a few family oldies under consideration, I thought it might be a fun thing to gather up suggestions from all of you.

There are rules, however:

• It must sound good with my name, Heather Anne
• It must be easy to spell
• It must be pronounceable
• If I’m to remain true to my ancestry, it should have Scottish roots, but it is not required.
• Idealy, it is not more than 12 letters in length.

I’m ok with making a humourous set of initials, but please don’t make it a goal, ok?

But apart from that?  I look forward to hearing what you think would make a good fit!  I’ll put up a poll with my favourites soon

Have fun!

Spring!

There’s been a lot of upheaval in my life of late, all related to growth.  I’m still in the process of starting my own business, still unpacking boxes, still dreaming of the future and what it holds.

Getting divorced has been the impetus for many a thing.  I’ve had to re-learn how to be self-sufficient!  I didn’t realize just how much I let Gil manage until I had to do it for myself, but the result is empowering.  I haven’t been on my own for the better part of a decade and look forward to brushing off the dust on my independence.

Starting a new job is always difficult, but the group I’m working with right now makes it exceptionally fun.  Yes, it’s only a temp position, and no, there’s no chance of it becoming permanent, but it’s perfect for where I’m at:  the folks are hard-working but know how to have a fun time doing it.  Plus, I get to explore other opportunities!

• Heather’s Huggables update: I’m going to be a vendor at Dex Con (add hyperlink) at the beginning of July and I’m super jazzed about it!  Which reminds me… must find the craft boxes and get sewing, already  *grin*  I also need to set up business cards and get the website copy written.  Once all of that is accomplished, I’ll be set to go!  Then, with the proceeds of this con, I’ll be able to purchase a reliable sewing machine and save my digits from becoming stumps.  After Dex, I’ll be better able to decide if this is something I want to pursue on a larger scale as well.  There are several places I could advertise that would keep me busy from where I’m sitting right now, I’m concerned about keeping up with demand.  Only time will tell.
• Close to My Heart: I’ve also decided to broaden my horizons and become a scrap consultant with CTMH.  For now, I will be a very-part-timer as I wet my feet, but knowing how much I love to take pictures and scrap them?  Yeah.  I can see it working for me.  I’ll be announcing my first Scraptacular soon, so keep your eyes peeled!  Of course, if you’d like to have a scrap party, you can always email me – I love to drive and love to teach!  All you need to do is ask!

Lookin Up

Another happy note came to me as quite a surprise:  Mr. Willy (insert picture)!  I took a short jaunt to Montreal at the beginning of April to see Kathleen before she (wail!) left for the UK.  Forever!  Did I mention the forever bit?  Well, more excuse for me to get my butt across the pond, right?  She’d found a home for MyElliot and the Wonderpuppy (Chase) but none had been found for poor Willy!  Those of you that know me will not be surprised to know that it took about a millisecond for me to decide that if it were possible to get him over the border sans complications, I would.  With the shelters full, the alternative was unthinkable!  So, after a rather quickly arranged vet visit, Mr. Willy and I left Canada with health certificate in hand.  The very nice border guards had a good laugh as Willy answered his own set of questions – I think he had more to say than me!

Moving.  One would think that having moved upwards on 20 times over the span of 35 years I’d be used to it but no, not so much.  I am *so* tired of packing up boxes only to unpack them all over again!  At any rate it’s mostly done – the moving part of it anyways (Thanks to my BersakBuddies!)  I have a few things, like Zoe, still at the apartment and a promise to clean out the fridge, but that’s the simple part.  Next, because I intend to spend the next couple of years at this location, is the rather nasty task of setting up house.  I’ve decided that there will be no compromises on a couple of things.  First, I’ve wanted a capital B bed for the longest time and now I have it!  I actually have to crawl into the sucker but when I lie down?  Oh, sweet mama!  Heaven.  Second is a tricked out craft room.  I still have to ask permission to go vertical (I’m a renter, after all) but I have the rest of it planned out in my mind. So, if you’re a patient lot, look out for pictures over the summer.  AFTER I’ve unpacked most everything else, that is.

The one constant thing of late has been photography and I’ve been impressed with my increasing skills.  I still want to take a course but they’re so darned expensive!  Why?  It’s not like we’re processing film anymore… *sigh*  I’ve left a selection of my favourites for you to peek at and as always, there’s more at Flickr.  And even better?  I’m now a published photographer!!  If I get my scanner going, I’ll show you!  But, if Luis is still reading,  Thanks!!

April Showers

Next weekend, the holiday weekend, will feature the Free Woman drive up the east coast.  Me, Bessie (my car), my camera, and not much else!  My destination is unknown but if I don’t smell the sea by the end of the trip I’ll be more than surprised.
After that, the adventure continues and you’re all along for the ride.

VS

So, as you may have read, I have a new member in my household:  one Mr. Willy.  He came to me via one of my best friends Kathleen and he came to her via our ex-boss Eric.

Mr. Willy is such a sweetie and hard to resist once he comes out of his hidey spot.  He has a way of looking at you that makes you do what he wants!  Mind, he also has this nipping thing that comes about if you haven’t done his bidding right away… like the 11pm ‘it’s bedtime’ nudge!  If that is not obeyed by 11:15, beware of teeth at calves.  Just sayin.

Right now he’s the only kitty with me at the new place.  Miss Zoe is still at the old apartment with Gil until I return after the long weekend.

Here’s why:  Zoe is a bitch.  Well that’s the short story, anyways.

Zoe and I have been together a long, long time… almost 10 years now!  She has ‘suffered’ the comings and goings of multiple ferret friends but for the most part, she’d much rather it was just her and her humans.  She’s verrrry protective of both Gil and me and there was a time when having more than a couple of visitors at a time was not possible because she’d freak out.  Hissing, spitting, clawing, the whole nine yards.  I have a friend that won’t come back to visit if she’s in the house 

Nowadays, she’s much mellowed and we’ve hosted parties without much kitty violence.  Of course, kitty sized doses of Xanax helps

So, imagine how she’d react to another CAT creeping into her territory.  No matter that he has NO CLAWS and is basically afraid of his own shadow.  Allll she sees is an invader that’s stealing attention possibilities from HER.  I can almost feel her saying to him, INTERLOPER BEGONE!

The first few days Mr. Willy was home with us, we had to lock him in the attic room that housed the games and other things we had not yet unpacked from our December move.  Poor thing found a corner to hide in and rarely came out.  Food was always the best lure.  That and morning lovvies.  Mr. Willy loves a good pettin!  Any time I came downstairs from visiting with him, Zoe would hiss at me.  If she was hanging out with Gil and the ferrets in the attic she’d hiss at the door that separated them.  It was not a pretty scene.

After a couple of weeks, I needed to start putting them together so that they could know each other better.

Riiiight.

If by knowing each other better includes Zoe chasing and hissing Mr. Willy out of a room, then I succeeded.  I think the intimidation may have had some reprocussions,though.  Mr. Willy stopped using the litterbox, choosing to eliminate on our furniture instead!  Thankfully, he kept choosing the same spots or I’d've been doomed.  So I had me a thought and I realllly hope it works!

I’ve decided to move Mr. Willy first and let it be just me and him for a while.  Then at the beginning of June, I’ll move Zoe in.  Hopefully, moving HER into HIS territory will throw her for a loop.  I don’t think that they will ever be truly friendly, but I hope that they can co-exist peacefully sometime soon.

I’ll be sure to let you know how that goes.

Wish us luck!

So how about we say that I enjoy eating and leave it at that?

Sounds good to me.

We’ll leave the food porn out of it.

Exploring new worlds with the tip of my tongue

It’s pretty safe to say that I don’t travel far from home.  I have been off the continent but twice (Puerto Rico and Prince Edward Island) and knowing that I won’t be able to travel extensively for some time I’ve decided to tour the world through food.  Living this close to New York City has to have some advantage, doesn’t it?

The importance of having the right dining companion(s)

Thus far, I’ve done most of my exploring while away in Halifax where I meet up with my favourite exploratory dining companion, Gerald.  We make a point of sharing every dish we order and talk endlessly about how flavours work (or don’t) and whether we could pull this off at home.

I remember driving the Cabot Trail in October and landing at the Keltic Lodge where I had probably one of the best meals of my life food-wise, but it fell a little flat because I dined alone.  The views out of the windows of the Purple Thistle Dining Room were breathtaking, the staff attentive, and the meal divine but without someone across the table to share my thoughts with, the experience as a whole kinda fell flat and I was surprised to note that it affected how I tasted things.  Somehow, I wasn’t as mindful of the little nuances and I’m sad to say that as a result, I don’t remember what exactly I ate.  All of this to say that it seems important to me to explore cuisine with someone that’s either enthusiastic about broadening their horizons, or mine, but preferably both.

Tasting Nova Scotia

February is the right time to be in Nova Scotia for an eating adventure as its annual Savour Food & Wine festival takes place, offering many gastronomical offerings, courses, and events.  My trip was already planned out when I found out about it so it’s safe to say that next year will definitely feature a trip revolving around this.

This trip featured mostly repeat visits to restaurants I really liked with the addition of  Thai dining (twice!); something I’d never tried before.  Now that I’ve tried it, I’ll have to look around New Jersey (and well, NYC) for more of the same.  Here’s what where & how we dined (Comments from Gerald will appear like so)

Wing Fu - I love Chinese food and Wing Fu never disappoints!  After my hassle-filled 46 hour trip from New Jersey to Halifax and some new (i.e. clean!) clothes in hand, it was very comforting to sit down to Hot & Sour Soup, Ginger Chicken and Veggie Lo Mein.  Could it be that I now find Chinese food more comforting than mom’s mac & cheese?

Wing Fu might be the best Chinese restaurant in Nova Scotia, and I’m lucky enough to have it within long walking distance, and the prices are completely reasonable to boot Hot and Sour soup is a personal favourite, and I think I prefer noodles to rice now (and rice may be the one weak link at Wing Fu as well) so lo mein is a given. Ginger Chicken was Heather’s idea last time she was out, and I have to say I was plesantly surprised. Sure, I love Ginger, but my first love with Chinese food is stir fries, not meat dishes. This is simple delicious, though. It tweaks the tongue without being obnoxious.

Curly’s – I did not have the scallop pie (and yes, this is a surprise)!  My tummy was kinda off so I forwent the superdelish & rich and instead opted for a Grilled Chicken Caesar wrap which was thankfully lightly dressed.   While not exactly adventurous, I was still in comfort mode and this did the trick.  I was really more into the company of friends than eating, anyways.

Curly’s is a fairly run of the mill tavern, with the exception of the Shubie Mud (a decadent brownie and ice cream dessert) and the seafood. I was in a comfort food mood, though, so I just went for a mozza and mushrooms hamburger & fries, with gravy for the fries. It was fine, but unexceptional. I’ll eat at Curly’s every so often, but I don’t clamour for it unless I’m going to splurge.

The Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop – No trip to Elmsdale is complete until I visit Nancy at The Sweet Spot.  Her fudge is the smoothest I’ve ever encountered and I feel pretty safe in saying that even if I were to find a reputable candy maker here, I would still prefer hers.  This initial trip was just to place the large take home orders of Maple and Chocolate Mint fudges but naturally I could not leave empty handed.  One piece of Vanilla fudge and a piece of (the oh-my-goodness best) Caramel later, I was on my way.

There’s not much to say here that Heather doesn’t cover, except that I am amazed that we are lucky enough to have a confectioner this good in the neighbourhood.  The prices are high, but the quality is off the scale. Unusually for sweets, the flavours are subtle, and the sweetness is pleasant, not overwhelming.

Stayner’s Wharf Pub & Grill – Stayner’s is another of those places that I’ll probably go to every time I ‘come home’ to Halifax.  This being a lunch time visit, I chose to order 2 appetizers to share with Gerald & Dan over one single dish.  Not surprisingly, I ordered the calamari and the Figgy Parm.  The Calamari is lightly breaded an fried just right, leaving the whole so superbly tender that it almost seems sinful to dip it into the sweet chili sauce, but then you do and it’s like a little bit of heaven in your mouth.  The Figgy Parm (crostini topped with prosciutto, figs, cream & parm cheeses w/cranberry chutney) is just as evil and I’m still dying to replicate it at home.  I completely forgot to ask for the recipe:  I have half a mind to call and ask.  I mean, I think I have the components figured out, it’s just figuring out how to put it all together properly.  Also yummy was the fried pepperoni I snagged from Daniel’s plate, only found locally.  I hope Dan forgets that he wanted to add some to my care package.  Goal for next visit:  go for live jazz night.

In addition to sharing the calamari (perfection) and figgy parm (which is almost overwhelmingly good – it just trips so many flavour notes, every one a pleasure), I ordered a cheese burger and fries with gravy. I was expecting a good burger, but this was beyond just good. It may be the best burger I’ve ever had. The trick of a lean but moist burger is a little beyond me, but not the chefs at Stayner’s and the flavour is awesome. Even the cheese (real cheese, not processed stuff) are really good. Someone has a real eye for detail at this little place, and it shows in everything I’ve had. The Simply Seafood Too, which I had over the summer, is a marvelous blend of seafood, pasta and sauce, by the way.

Oh, the pepperoni is made by Chris Brothers, by the way, just in case you’re curious

Chabaa Thai Restaurant – This was a new cuisine to both Gerald and I.  My only exposure, if you want to call it that, was Lemongrass Chicken instant soup. <insert appropriate giggle here> I knew right off the bat that Pad Thai was getting ordered but it was hard to narrow down the rest of the meal but after a long perusal of the menu we settled on Mango Salad, Lemongrass Chicken, Pad Thai w/prawns, and mixed vegetables (ordered specifically for the baby corn & Chinese napa).  The first delightful surprise was the Mango Salad.  Don’t get me wrong, it obviously sounded good on paper but here’s the surprise of it:  lime leaves.  I don’t even have the right words to describe how they taste, only that they were fabulous.  The chicken dish was sadly lost in my memory next to the Pad Thai which was the tastiest noodle dish I’ve ever eaten.  So much going on in one dish!!  I’d forgotten how much I enjoy the flavour of tamarind and look forward to learning how to incorporate it into my home cooking.  The only real disappointment of the night was the vegetables, but I think that was more the fault of the waitress then the veggies themselves.   No baby corn & no napa!  Double whammy of missing vegetable goodness!  After inquiring about their whereabouts (none left in-house), we chose not to send them back.  They were good but I suspect the bitter taste of disappointment marred my opinion of the overall dish.

Wow. Just wow. I should have tried Thai food fifteen years ago. The mango salad was delightful, and lime leaves are sui generis and delightful. The Lemongrass chicken was surprisingly subtle, although the chicken was a tad overcooked. The other flavours were a delight, though. The absent baby corn and napa cabbage was a big disappointment for me, but the stir fry veggies were still well worth it. I didn’t even mind the tofu in it

The highlight, though, was the prawn pad thai (oddly, all forms of pad thai cost the same at Chabaa). It’s a symphony for the palate. Powerful yet subtle, a little fruity, a little caramel, and reassuringly carb-laden. I could eat this once a week for the rest of my life, easily.

I will return to Chabaa as often as I can, and I heartily recommend it to anyone that is even close to Halifax.

Mmmmm…..Thai food.
Elmsdale Pizzaria – Ahh, Donair!  How tempting is it to learn how to make you properly and open up shop here in NJ?  My nutritionist would definitely not approve.  My tummy & taste buds resoundingly disagree and I salivate just thinking about eating this Haligonian treat.  It looks like Gyro but tastes much sweeter, thanks to the sauce & cheese.  Did I mention the sauce?  The same sauce that’s used copiously enough to make the pita unusable?  Yeah.  I don’t know how the idea was conceived but I find that I don’t care.  It’s just another food item I will have every time I visit.  That and the garlic fingers.  My only advice when eating this stuff is to make sure the company you’re keeping is eating it, too.  Two (or more) garlics cancel each other out:  nobody will complain about your breath if they have it, too!

Donair and garlic fingers – These have been staples since I was in university, and are practically the official foods of Nova Scotia youth Donairs were invented and perfected here, and serve as a simply amazing drunk food, or as a treat. To give you some idea of their popularity, no pizzeria in Nova Scotia could get away with not having them on their menu. Even the national chains have them, but only in Nova Scotia (and maybe New Brunswick). Messy, yummy, spicy sweet goodness.

Oh, and for the curious, garlic fingers are basically pizza dough with garlic butter and a thin layer of mozza cut into two-inch wide strips. Simple, but also perfect for dipping in donair sauce or in sour cream. Cook until the cheese *just* starts to brown.

Wing Fu – Take 2! – The second visit to WF was slightly dampened by some customer service drama that just. wouldn’t. go. away.  That and our eyes were waaaay bigger than our tummies.  We remembered to order the spring rolls this time alongside Chicken Moo Goo Gai Pan, Pork Lo Mein, and more stir fried veggies.  Just what army we thought we were feeding is beyond me, but it was all very, very tasty as per usual.

This meal was also hurt because it came on the night after “discovering” Thai food. While Chinese and Thai are completely different than each other, and comparisons are unfair, they are also much closer to each other than to European cooking, and the familiarity of the flavours of the Chinese food made them seem bland this night. To make matters worse, I think Moo Goo Gai Pan may just be a bit humdrum compared to a lot of dishes at Wing Fu, and we didn’t try anything as distinctive as the ginger chicken from the first visit. The lo mein still rocked, though.

Tim Horton’s – The coffee is better than Dunkin, no question.  They charge way too much for a toasted bagel but the 12 grain is really quite meaty and satisfies that early morning carb craving quite nicely, tyvm.  If only they mailed out the coffee to the US, I’d be a very happy girl indeed.

The Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop – On the spot, literally!  I purposely went to the store an hour later than planned, knowing full well that CTV was due to be there at the original time we set for the Great Fudge Pick-up.  Well, guess what!  They weren’t done filming.  The cameraman overheard that I came from NJ to get the goods.  Long story short – I got finagled into a spot, managed to get the store name wrong (!!), all with a lip full of cold sores.  Beaut!  I don’t even *want* to know my little bit aired.

Steamy’s – OK.  Steamy’s can only mean one thing:  POUTINE.  Up until May of last year, I didn’t think it possible that I would ever eat poutine outside of Quebec, but I was proven wrong.  So very wrong.  It’s such a simple food, really… french fries, poutine gravy, and cheese curds.  How could so many people get it wrong?  I mean really, people!  Don’t serve me fries with brown sauce and mozzarella and try to pass it off, ok?  I won’t have it!!  The bonus to this visit is that I got to bring a local with me to spread the word of the Gospel of Poutine.  Proselytizing never tasted this good before…

I’ve had faux poutine (with mozza instead of curds and standard gravy and fries rather than montreal style) plenty of times before, and I love it. This was something else again, though.  It just goes to that next level, and is something special. I think a lot of it is the quality of the gravy – bad gravy is the easiest way to ruin a poutine, so the opposite just makes sense. The texture of curds is more pleasant than mass market mozza, too, though.

Too much of this stuff would kill you in a hurry, but I look forward to treating myself to it again. I don’t think I’ve been completely spoiled for the more pedestrian variety, either.

Honourable Mention:  The Vines Pasta Grill – Because we somehow failed to realize that the restaurant wasn’t open on Mondays.  Luckily, I didn’t blog about my last visit so whilst I mourn the possibly lost opportunity to try Potato Parsnip with Tarragon soup (not to mention the Tiramisu and the Chocolate Decadence and the…), I can relive my October experience.  My first trip to The Vines included a Tomato Basil soup with Feta which I’m going to replicate in my apartment one of these cold wintry days to go alongside a grilled cheese sammy.  Sweet and salty all at once, perfect for my tastes!  Chicken Filo was my entree and the easiest way to describe it is Beef Wellington, subbing out the beef for chicken.  I remember this because it was the first time I’d ever eaten duxelle and it kinda overloaded my senses.  I don’t remember ever being sad when finishing a course before and that’s quite how I felt after the last bite.   Until dessert.  And for that, I’ll let Gerald take over.  I have a feeling that he’ll manage to say it all.

I got to go to The Vines a week before Heather came up (including the mentioned potato parsnip tarragon soup – amazingly, very nummy), so I was more or less sated. Still, this place is so good that missing out is always a disappointment, even if Chabaa was the consolation prize.

I want more tiramisu and chocolate decadence, though, darn it! Last time we went was the first time I had had these desserts, and either would have been a remarkable experience. Together they were practically religious. Such a contrast between them, too! The tiramisu is subtle and creamy with an alcohol kick. Elegant, yet it is hard to really describe it as understated because the flavours are layered and complex. Compared to chocolate decadence, though, it is the height of subtlety.

Chocolate decadence is chocolate on top of chocolate on top of chocolate. It practically shorts out your brain, managing the trick of being more chocolatey than chocolate. Creamy, rich, aromatic. Unbelievable.

The main part is somewhere between cheesecake and truffle, while the base is dark chocolate-flavoured crumb crust. Served with a few dots of brightly flavoured raspberry puree on the side, any chocolate fan should consider a pilgrimage.

Chabaa Thai Restaurant – take 2! The decision to go back was so embarrassingly easy.   The Pad Thai was calling our names and we heeded its call!  To this, we tried the spring rolls (just small enough, in my opinion), hot & sour soup,  Beef Panang, and Chicken Pad Thai.  My only disappointment was the tea.  I ordered Jasmine tea fully expecting to see the pods at the bottom of my teapot but instead it was a mass produced tea bag.  *sigh*  The soup was exceptional if a bit hotter than expected.  I think it caught us both by surprise at least once, right at the back of the throat.  I would eat that soup anytime I had a cold, that’s for sure!  The Beef Panang was excellent.  The coconut wasn’t overwhelming at all and I felt it actually took away some of the lingering heat from the hot and sour soup.  This time around we had chicken instead of prawns and I found it better this way and perhaps it had something to do with the messiness of it… chicken just blended in better (This may be the only time I refer to a bottomdweller as clean!).

Yeah, this was a no-brainer once we discovered The Vines was out. The Spring Rolls were absolutely perfect, with the vegetables hot but crunchy, and the wrapping a rich brown and crisp. Even the chili sauce that came with it was just right. And accent, not dominating.

The hot and sour soup was every bit as good, and better than any Chinese H&S I’ve had. Yes, I could have handled it being a little less spicy (when the juice catches the back of your throat unexpectedly, it literally takes your breath away), but somehow the spiciness felt right.

The pad thai was amazing once again. There really isn’t anything intelligible to add.

I was a little less enthused with the Beef Panang than Heather was, but that was due to personal preference rather than any real defect in the dish. Green beans are okay, and better than carrots, but not among my favourite vegetables, and on the heels of the hot and sour soup the spiciness wasn’t as welcome as it might have been. I didn’t hate it by a long stretch, but I think I’d rather try other dishes in future.

I’d forgotten about the green beans!  I think I remember talking about alternate veggies and deciding that  broccoli would be a better choice (for me, at least)

Future Prospects:  Where I’d like to go next time around

Opa!

5 Fishermen

Sugar Moon Farm

Addis Ababa – oh no!  I just read that the Ethiopian restaurant is no longer there, having been replaced by Aleppo (middle eastern cuisine).  Boooo indeed!  Guess that’s why I can find no to add here…

In the past, I’ve either driven or taken a direct flight from New Jersey, all in moderately good traveling weather.  Not so, this time around.  For once, the weatherman was true to his word and there was a winter storm that stretched up the east coast.  As a every good flyer should, I checked to see if my flight was delayed/canceled prior to leaving the house:  still good to go.  Upon my arrival at the airport (lesson one: when traveling with heavy luggage, make sure your carry-on straps onto your back, not over your shoulder), I was informed that indeed, my flights were canceled, but please go to this other terminal for more information.  Fine.  Off to Terminal A I go.

Frankly, this is where I think all things go wrong, at least with the luggage.  (lesson two) I should have asked for a more competent customer service rep.  (lesson three)I should have taken the luggage to Terminal C on my own.  But hindsight is 20/20.  I was placed on a flight to Montreal where the weather was clear of all snow, then to connect with the flight to Halifax.  As a courtesy, they would take my luggage here (in Terminal A) and transport it for me to Terminal C so I would not have to schlep it again.  I even thought to ask, never having  traveled via connecting flights, to see if I had to pick up my luggage in between flights.  My answer was no; that I’d meet my luggage in Halifax.  Huzzah!  50 pounds of luggage lighter, I proceeded to security, then to my gate for the smooth trip to Montreal.

Welcome to Canada, more specifically to Montreal – my birthplace!  I don’t ever remember being at this airport before but it looks modern and clean and I’m definitely excited to be there.  And how lucky am I?  The line at Customs Canada is just about non-existent and I see someone straight away.   I wasn’t carrying firearms, booze, tobacco, or vast amounts of money so the interrogation was pretty quick.  I was directed to the luggage carousel but when my luggage didn’t come around, I was not concerned:  I was, after all, assured of meeting my luggage in Halifax by the knowledgeable Continental staff member.  There are 2 more checkpoints at Customs and it isn’t until the very last one, past the point where you can return to retrieve things, that the Customs officer asks me about my main luggage having noted that I’m only carrying my CPAP and a computer case for a weeks stay.  I told her my little story and knew I was in trouble when she started shaking her head.  At least she had a solution:  see those black phones over there?  Go pick one up and talk to your airline:  They can fetch your luggage for you and clear it through Customs.  Yaay!

Never, ever, count your chickens before they’re hatched.  That black phone is an instrument of the Devil.  It’s just there as a tease, to lull you into thinking you’re being productive.  Additionally, I had no idea that Northwestern & Continental were linked up and so never thought to call them, too.  After much fruitless time trying to contact luggage services, I called Gil to get a customer service number and was advised to fly sans luggage to Halifax and file a claim there.  Not ideal, but fine.

Now through all of this, I’m in touch with friends in Halifax who tell me that the weather is really bad.  Nobody has heard of the airport closing yet and my flight from Montreal is not canceled.  It was supposed to be a short hop, only an hours flight.  Yeah.  About that.  One hour very easily turned into two as we circled above Halifax waiting, hoping, for enough visibility to land.  I don’t need to tell you that we never landed, right?  Oh no!  Instead, we are flown back to Montreal to spend the night at hotels in the hopes of flying out next day.  Be sure to pick up your luggage because you’ll need to re-check it for tomorrow’s flight.  I’m sorry… did you say luggage?  I don’t have any! At least I can probe around some more and find it before tomorrow’s flight?

Well, I have to say that traveling about is ever so much easier without luggage in hand but what a pain to have to wash your undergarments in the sink and have to wear your same clothes more than one day straight.  Not so problematic with jeans, but tops are yucky especially when you’ve slept in them.  :p

I arrived a good 4 hours pre-flight to continue the search for my luggage.  I’m trying not to freak out but really.  Why can’t anyone tell me where the luggage is?  wasn’t it scanned in Newark?  Are the bar codes for nothing?  Can’t I log on somewhere and check on its progress much like I would a package in the mail?  I finally manage to speak to a luggage rep and file a claim just in case my luggage miraculously appears at customs after my arrival in Halifax.  I’m told to check with Air Canada once I arrive and file a claim there as well, if necessary.

The flight was from Montreal to Halifax was unremarkable and there was absolutely no surprise when I arrived & checked with Air Canada to find that my luggage had not arrived.  While not a tragedy, everything can be replaced, it made for an un-restful afternoon of shopping when all I really wanted to do was hang out with friends.  It was not until Wednesday that I discovered my luggage had arrived on a direct flight from Newark before I ever made it to Montreal (via Continental, not Air Canada).  In all the hubbub, I’d forgotten to get back in touch with Continental (lesson four: call everyone).

Lesson 5 was all about how to successfully pack carry-on in such a way that if the same were to happen on the way back, I would not be stranded without the necessities. From now on, I will always include:

• a spare set of clothes
• my medications
• more than one copy of my itinerary
• travel sized toiletries
• notepad and pen
• the GPS (if needed)
• a small amount of currency already exchanged

Traveling is always an adventure.  It pays to be prepared!