Funfundfunfzig

How to choose a font for a tattoo

2012-01-22T01:43:00.000-05:00

I'm in love with literary tattoos.

(I recommend Contrariwise as a great place for literary tattoo eye candy and inspiration!)

I'd say there are two different ways to go approach choosing a font/typeface for your tattoo:

1. If you don't know your quote/words yet, or if you know you want an ampersand, for example, but aren't sure what you want it to look like:

A good place to start in this scenario would be to investigate the six or so different type categories, and then choose maybe one or two of them that appeal to you.

2. If you have already chosen your words, then perhaps it already lends itself to a certain category already. Or, if not a specific category, then maybe a certain feel (informal vs formal, business-y vs casual, serif vs sans-serif.)

Here's an example:

I've been drawn to the word 'Selah' lately.
It's a term used in the Bible, mostly in Psalms, and from what I understand, the meaning is around taking a moment to pause and reflect on what's just been said.
It's used after statements like:

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us. Selah

and

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah

So in this case, I would picture the word 'Selah' to be used in a script. But fairly formal, as in calligraphy, and not an informal handwriting.

Next, I'd consider the size of the tattoo. A large size can allow for more detail in the font, whereas as smaller one would need less detail.

I like the site dafont.com for font exploration.
Here are some options I'd consider for a small Selah tattoo:

#1:

Font: Chopin Script

#2:

Font: Mutlu Ornamental

This one is too detailed for a small version.

But I couldn't resist including it anyway.

#3:

Font: Selfish

Interestingly, the more I look at this, the more

I realize it's probably too detailed for a small tattoo as well.

(i.e.the lines in the S requires you to be able to see the

differences in the thickness of the stroke.)

#4:

Font: Some Weatz

ps- I love capital S's!!

#5:

Font: Wedding Nightmares

Unless something jumps out at you right away, I'd say it'd be good to have a least 10 options to choose from.
Then maybe stare at them for a while to decide which one you want permanently inked on your body.

If I was choosing one of the above, I think it'd be between #1 & #4.
I also love #2 for something bigger.

Android vs iPhone... which to choose?

2012-01-19T00:44:00.000-05:00

Answer: Both.

Haha. Well, I'm trying to make it be both.

Here's the deal, last year I had an iPhone for work, and so I purchased an Android for my personal use. And then eventually I had to give back the iPhone and the Android became my sole phone.

I love the Android concept. Opensource, accessibility, collaboration, etc.
But, I'm actually fairly attached to Apple these days.
With a MacBook and an iPad, it's was getting to be a hassle to have my phone on a different operating system.

So here's how it broke down:

My Android:

Pros:
Admirable concept (opensource etc)
Plethora of free apps
Cons:

My handset was slow, buggy, and clunky
Required drag/drop syncing with my iTunes library

iPhone

Pros:
Wireless syncing with my iTunes library
iTunes on-the-go

Linking with apps from my other Apple devices

Fun interface

The newest apps

Variety of fun cases and skins
Cons:
Do I really want to have another Apple device?

Expense (spending more money on apps and impulse buying music from iTunes)

The Verdict:

iPhone wins. (We all saw that coming!!)

One of the biggest pros for the iPhone was having iTunes with me wherever I go. I listen to at least two hours of podcasts each day, and it was annoying me to have to login to my computer and keep track of new releases and then drag/drop them onto my droid.

I have a pretty good handle on which day of the week my favourites are released, but it gets tricky with the bi-weekly editions.

I sometimes used the Stitcher app whenever I forgot to copy over a new episode, but streaming is dangerous because I don't have a unlimited data with my cellphone plan.

With my iPhone I can simply go to the podcast and click 'Get More Episodes'. And, given the amount of time that I already spend in Starbucks, I don't have to go out of my way to find a wireless connection for the longer casts.

So these past few weeks I've been enjoying downloading apps and playing around to see what's new since last year.

As for my droid, I'm keeping it around just in case I ever want it for something that my iPhone can't help me with. (So far I haven't used it.)

Fun listening... Kimbra!!

2012-01-14T23:50:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm ready to admit it.
I have a cold.

I went about my new normal routine this morning (design class and then dogwalking!) and then came home and crashed.
On the bright side though, I don't feel guilty for spending the rest of my Saturday napping and then getting up to surf the net, drink tea, and listen to music!

During my explorations I came across Sarah's blog and music by Kimbra!

There's no resisting the clapping.

Also, men dancing in suits is one of my favourite things.

Speaking of which....

Discovering musical talent via CBC's As it Happens

2012-01-02T20:50:00.000-05:00

I just 'discovered' Charlie Winston.

I hopped in the car and the radio was set to CBC Radio 1. As it happens, "As it Happens" was playing!
So I listened to the ending of a segment, and then they played a fun song.

I waited in the car until the announcer said the name of the singer.
(I didn't have Shazam on my phone yet.)
It was David Myles singing I'll Never Know.

Later that night when I was downloading Myles' album Into the Sun, iTunes identified a few other albums that listeners also liked.
One of the them was Charlie Winston's album Hobo.

As soon as I heard the baseline in the song 'In your Hands', I was hooked.

Thanks CBC!
...and iTunes

All you can Alcatraz

2011-12-31T18:28:00.001-05:00

I have a mild fascination with Alcatraz.

A couple years ago I felt the urge to re-watch Escape to Alcatraz.

I prefer old-school styles of movie watching, including going to a movie rental store and renting an actual hardcopy disque.
Unfortunately my local Blockbuster didn't have stock of all movies created in the 70s. So I was out of luck.
I quickly forgot about the movie and rented Indiana Jones instead.

Fast forward to present day.

There's a small independent movie store close to where I live. The chances that it would have this particular Eastwood film were pretty slim, but I still had high hopes.
I walk over to the store around 8pm on a Friday night.
It was closed.

Are you kidding me?

It was at this point that I decided to take my movie renting up a notch.
It's not like this movie is going to be around forever! I need to watch it before it disappears!

So I jumped on the iTunes movie renting bandwagon. (Wait, is it a bandwagon? is anyone renting via iTunes?)

During the renting process I noticed that there is a free Alcatraz iPhone app!
For Alcatraz ~~nerds~~ enthusiasts.

by Geoki

It describes the history and lore around Alcatraz and escape attempts. There are also movie trailers and Alcatraz-related videos.

Josh & Chuck from the Stuff You Should Know podcast did an episode on Alcatraz not too long ago.

I think that's what reminded me to watch the movie.

Here's another free app, "Alcatraz Breakout".

This one's a game.

Is it just me, or is this kind of creepy?

Maybe I'm just a bit somber about Alcatraz at the moment. Escape from Alcatraz reminded me that aside from being this unique prison on an island, it was in fact a real prison. People did live and die there.

And I can't get that finger chopping scene out of my mind.
creeepy.

"That's a Canadian Actor!!"

2011-12-30T21:47:00.000-05:00

A few days before Christmas, my colleagues and I went out for a celebratory lunch. When we walked into the near-empty restaurant, I immediately recognized a man seated at a table next to us.

None of my colleagues appeared to recognize him. And rather than stand up and point at him and scream: "That's a Canadian Actor!!", I decided to keep my cool, and mention it later.

We enjoyed a lovely meal and eventually left the restaurant.
As soon as the doors closed behind us, I asked if anyone else recognized the man.

Alas, no one did.
So it was on me to remember which show/movie I'd seen him on.

Back at the office, I rolled up my sleeves and did some google searches on this guy.
What I knew was:

he's an actor
on a Canadian show/movie
he played a sort of dramatic role

My Google search looked something like this:
male + Canadian + actor + drama + television

The results included lots of pictures of Ryan Gosling, but none of this man.

So I enlisted the help of one of my coworkers who used wikipedia to find a list of all the Canadian tv shows and read the dramatic-sounding ones aloud to me.
And then I IMDB'd any of the contenders.

It was very futile.

Eventually I gave up and went home.

At home I did some more Google searching.
In vain.

Fast forward to a week later, I'm sitting in a coffee shop with my BFF, chatting about life.
Somehow I got on the topic of this frustration: The unknown Canadian actor.
I was describing to her how I recognize his face from some Canadian show, but can't figure out which.
her reply: "Oh. Like that train show or something?"

she.is.brilliant.

It was Andrew Kenneth Martin (a.k.a Charles Lucas) from Train 48

How to liven up your bookstore experience!

2011-12-27T22:54:00.000-05:00

A while ago, I wandered into my neighbourhood bookstore and instead of sticking to the few sections that I regularly frequent, I found myself exploring the store.
Philosophy, biography, mystery & fantasy, war history...

I only vaguely even knew that these sections existed!

So, I dreamed up this project whereby each month, I would buy a book from one of these 'new to me' sections. At the end of the year, I would've explored the entire store. And opened myself to all kinds of new knowledge! (Who knows, maybe I'll become fascinated with the War of 1812!)

One of the tricks with the project is that it takes me a while to read books. I tend to think that I'm a slow reader. Combine that with the fact that I don't set aside a lot of time to read, and the idea of reading one book each month is quite ambitious!

Eventually, I found myself back in the bookstore with lots of time to kill, and so I wandered into the Biography section and decided to start my project!
This first book was selected based on the prettiness of the spine:

At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream
by Wade Rouse

I'd recommend it.
It opened by eyes to Henry David Thoreau - I now want to take a course on 19th century literature. And it made me think about my life in the city.

I haven't decided what's next....

We still can

2011-12-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

Remember this speech?

I remember watching this video for the first time back in 2008.
It gave me goosebumps.
... and it still does.

"Nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of people calling for change"

USB Necklace: Keep your files close to heart

2011-12-18T22:07:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love the beautiful geekiness of these USB locket necklaces by Emily Rothschild.

I'm deciding whether to get the mini version or the regular-sized version..

Photos by Emily Rothschild

Wisdom on my coffee table

2011-12-06T22:29:00.001-05:00

My obsession with Wisdom continues...

I bought the book!

It has been residing on my coffee table for about a month and a half.

It is a beautiful piece of work.

From the exhibit, I knew that the images were beautiful, but as I flip through the book I'm struck by the way the words are arranged on the page.

It really is remarkable how much impact text can make.

This past month I've found myself simple reveling in the beauty of the book rather than soaking in the wisdom! So, I've implemented 'Saturday Afternoon Wisdom'.

Every Saturday afternoon, after my dog walking, I will take time to read at least one of the interviews.

exciting!!

My Digital Story

2011-12-06T22:10:00.001-05:00

At long last!

Here is my digital story that I created this summer as part of Volunteer Toronto's SharedTime Project.

It was such a blast to create this.

During our three-day workshop, 10 volunteers from across the city gathered at Evergreen Brickworks and, with the help staff from the Centre for Digital Storytelling and Volunteer Toronto, we crafted our stories!

We laughed, we cried.... it was such a special experience to hear what others are doing and experiencing in the city. And there's such a feeling of 'Wow' when we gathered on the last day for the screening of our stories. To watch everyone's polished stories and congratulate each other.

Speaking of screenings.... I had the opportunity to take part in the SharedTime Premiere on the December 5th, 2011 - the UN International Year of the Volunteer +10.
I must say, it is quite something to see your work up on the Big Screen!

DIY: Super Easy Jewelry holder

2011-11-22T19:28:00.000-05:00

Project: Jewelry holder picture frame (for hanging on the wall!)
Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Materials Required: Picture Frame, mesh-y plastic placemat, brads, duct tape, scissors

For the longest time I've wanted to make something to hold some of my jewelry. I have limited space on which to sit a classic jewelry holder, so I knew whatever I made would have to hang on the wall...or from the ceiling.

When I spotted this large black picture from at the UMBRA concept store, I decided that it was finally time to get to work!
I removed the glass and the backing from the frame.

large picture frame

I also found these place mats. They're made out of plastic and look like strings that were melted together. The results is a place mat with little holes in it. (Perfect for hanging earrings in!)

Step 1 was to cut placemat to size. An inch or so smaller than the outer edge of the picture frame.

Step 2: Use duct tape to tape the placemat to the back of the picture frame.

Step 3: I attached some brads to the placemat.

Step 4: Attach jewelry and hang!

Tadaa!

Keep your files close to heart

2011-11-20T22:45:00.001-05:00

Check out these beautiful USB locket necklaces by Emily Rothschild:

Love them!!

(photos by Emily Rothschild)

Dog Walking is my new favourite thing.

2011-11-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

Dog Walking Update:

I love it!

It definitely did not start out as a fun time. (Walking around in circles for 2 hours and picking up dog poop? no thank you.)

But, I've come to enjoy it as I 'bond' with the dogs more. Some dogs are more difficult than others, but for the most part, they're all adorable. I definitely have favourites. My original favourite was adopted after being at the shelter for over a month. (We're all very happy for him!) My new buddy is this guy:

Isn't he handsome? He's bigger than he may appear in this picture (picture him bigger than a retriever).

There's one dog in the shelter right now who is wearing a cone around his head and when we go for walks he continuously shakes his head to try and get it off. It's sad yet hilarious. Poor guy.

Some of the dogs have a cough, which requires us to put on protective clothing when we take them for a walk. I view it as a costume!

Dogs + strolling + a costume (sometimes) = good times!

Unique Morse Code Necklaces: COATT Jewelry

2011-11-06T22:30:00.000-05:00

Last week I was introduced to these morse coded necklaces by COATT Jewelry.

The necklaces feature the morse code interpretation of words or phrases.
Amazing, yes?

This one says friend:

I love how simple they look.
(images by COATT)

The BeltLine: The best trail in Toronto?

2011-11-03T22:22:00.000-04:00

A couple weekends ago, a friend and I explored (and conquered!) the BeltLine Trail.

It's definitely a pretty trail, with a tree canopy and wide pathway. At one point, it is situated behind some fancy houses, so you can gawk at the backyards of Toronto's rich ~~and famous~~ people.

We encountered quite a few runners. So perhaps it is known as a good running trail. It is well-paved, I'll give you that.

We started the trail near Davisville & Yonge St and strolled along until the end.
Closer to Davisville, it oddly intersects major streets, which means that you either have to J-Walk to reconnect to the trail, or you have to walk up to the lights and cross the street like a law-abiding person. Either way, it is kind of annoying. It does only happen a couple times. After that, the trail continues uninterrupted until the end.

Verdict: Definitely not the best trail in the city, but it is a good trail for an afternoon stroll.

Church= Cookies

2011-10-30T22:00:00.001-04:00

I pass this church every Monday.

"Come to church. We have cookies."

Cracks me up.

The best way to spend a Saturday Afternoon in Toronto: Evergreen Brickworks

2011-10-15T23:17:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I love Evergreen Brickworks.
I went back there a couple weekends ago, and rented a bike from BikeWorks.

This weekend, and friend and I grabbed our Nikon dSLRs, and headed off for adventure!
Here's the evidence:

My shoes.

Brick factory

colours

Graffiti Phone Booth

heehee!

Yup. I love Evergreen.

Sneak Peek: What I'm up to

2011-08-21T00:29:00.000-04:00

Here's a sneak peek at what I'm up to:

Moving!!
I've discovered a benefit to being a bad packer. When it comes time to unpack, it feels like you're opening presents!
I have no clue what's inside each box.
And they each have such delightful contents.
The box that's currently closest to me contains pots and pans, cutlery, magazines, towels, books and mugs, an iron, and cushion covers!

Scribbles!

New dSLR!
I'm thinking of starting a Fun Flickr account...

Working on my course. I'm having a blast.

Cleaning and organizing...

and putting in drawer liner!

Dog-walker training here I come!

Obsessed with Wisdom

2011-08-11T14:32:00.000-04:00

One of my favourite photography exhibits ended last week: Wisdom by Andrew Zuckerman.

I just stumbled upon it back in June. And I went back 3 more times to peruse the photos and read the quotes. ...and gain some wisdom!

It was such a special experience. Strolling among the photos, stopping at each one to discuss the photography and quotes with friends.

"Cooking is truly an act of love" - what do you think?

Or, the concept that if you're not moving forward, you're decaying. Being stagnant is actually decay.
hmm. Where does contentedness fit in?

One of the benefits of going to see the exhibit so many times was that I started to remember the quotes and could compare/contrast them in discussions with friends.

This seems manageable:

Here is one of my favourites: (of course)

"enormous risks". wow.

Here's another gem:

And from the book:

love it.

My new favourite part of the city: Evergreen Brickworks

2011-08-06T15:54:00.000-04:00

A few weekends ago, I spent a weekend at Evergreen Brickworks (EBW). I was there participating in a Digital Storytelling workshop. (It was brilliant!!! Stay tuned for more info on how it went.)

Every so often I come across these gems, and I wonder, "why didn't anyone tell me about this?!"
EBW is one of those cases.

I love. love. love. this place.
It feels like an oasis.

A place committed to nature and community.

I think part of the feel comes from the fact that it's kind of in the middle of nowhere. It's definitely accessible by car, but not really by public transit. Yet it's only 10 minutes away from the city.

However... They have a free shuttle! And.... the shuttle drop-off/ pick-up spot is about a 1 minute walk from my new home!!

SCORE!

So, if you're looking for me, just pass by EBW first.

I can't wait to hang out there - all the time.

Saturday farmers' market.

Sunday antique market.

Yummy food/cafe (locally grown, organic delights)

Weekday activities (I need to do more research on this. ...I want to take a workshop there!)

Bike rentals and nature trails

fun.

11 fun things to do in the elevator

2011-08-01T18:14:00.000-04:00

According to my Yes and Yes calendar, this past Saturday was National Talk in the Elevator Day.

My new job requires me to take the elevator at least twice a day, and I've been thinking about how to make it more of an enjoyable experience.
(One thing to note, is that I'm only on the 3rd floor, so the ride isn't very long.)

I didn't happen to be in an elevator on Saturday, but the previous Friday, I made an effort to talk in the elevator. It wasn't much of an effort though. ...I said "Thanks!" to someone who held the door for me. :)

But it's a new month! I'm crowning August 2011 as "Talk in the Elevator" month.
We'll see how it goes.

To start off, I've developed this list:

11 Fun Things to Do in the Elevator:

Whistle/hum The Little Spanish Flea song
Face inward (with your back to the door)
Swap Twitter handles
Count down the numbers aloud (New Year's Eve style!)
Tell riders a super random fact (Did you know that 'Frisbee' used to be a trademarked name? It's like Xerox or Kleenex.)
Jump right before the elevator stops
Ask riders what they're listening to on their iPods
Dance
Conduct an impromptu poll - Nikon vs. Canon, Mac vs. PC, M&Ms vs. Smarties, BB. vs iPhone vs. Android, Mary Poppins vs. Maria (Sound of Music)
Change outfits (Clark Gable style. ...no flashing!)
Chug your drink before you get to your floor (bonus: if you're with a friend, get them to yell "chug! chug! chug! chug!)

What else should I add to the list?

Want a Change? Just Do It!

2011-07-29T11:41:00.001-04:00

(photo (c) Xandert)

Earlier this year, I was chatting with a friend about my desire for change in my life, and she described me as being 'restless'.
And she's completely right!

I've since embraced my restlessness, and am running with it!

As I write this, I'm sitting in my half-empty apartment, surveying the items that I still need to pack.

Back in the Spring, I was apartment hunting, but because I had to give 60 days notice for terminating my lease, I was having major difficulties finding a new apartment that was available in 60+ days.

The solution?

1. End my lease.
2. Chill for a bit. (30 days)
3. Then start looking for a new place!

Thankfully, it all worked out splendidly. My new apartment is in The Danforth (which everyone keeps telling me is an amazing neighbourhood), and it has most of the key features I was looking for.

One of the benefits of 'forcing' change, is that it makes life more exciting! Rather than the predictability of structure and planning, this method creates an unknown element which is fun to live within.
During the month where I was chilling, I was able to dream about the future. Who knows where I'll end up! Downtown? North York? Port Credit? The west-end? The east-end?
(I should mention, one of the keys to this approach is that I wasn't too stressed about the situation. My Plan B for if I didn't find a place was that I would move back in with my parents. So it's not like I was facing homelessness or anything serious.)

The other fun aspect of this approach is the punch!
You know when you make unplanned decisions, you often need to roll with the punches that arise?

In my situation, the punch was that my new apartment's move-in date doesn't aligned perfectly with my current apartment's move-out date. So I'm moving in with my parents for a little bit.
This means, storage facility, commuting, two moves, living out of a suitcase, and other things.

But again, this kind of adds some extra flavour to life.
I think of it as lime zest.

tangy.

The moral of the story is: If you want a change in your life, just do it!

WANTED: Fun!

2011-07-27T09:33:00.003-04:00

Guess who's learning braille!!

I'm stoked. I registered for the Braille Transcriber certification course, and I received all the course materials, so I'm on my way!
Braille is fairly complicated.

This is going to be a fun journey.

Earlier this month I went wandering around the city and came across a labyrinth near the Eaton's Centre.
Labyrinths are fun, I suppose.
But I was mostly intrigued by this plaque with braille instructions/descriptions:

In addition to the studying/work that this course requires, I want to add more daily fun to my life.
Enter... dogs!!

The plan is to become a volunteer dogwalker with the Toronto Humane Society.
I attended an info session last week, and now I need to start the application/training course. We'll see if I meet all the criteria. For a charity, they have a really strenuous volunteering application process. (Multiple phone and in-person interviews, various training sessions...) I suppose it's understandable, given that you're dealing with living creatures. And the THS has had such bad press over the past couple years

Other options:

Barista course: There's a Groupon right now for a 3hr course training you fancy-coffee-making skills! I don't have an espresso machine but I figure it might be fun to get one. And/or to learn about how Starbucks gets my latte tasting so good! [Update: I bought the Groupon!!]
Photography course: I wanted to take this earlier in the year, but I decided not to because I don't own a dSLR. And then today, while I walked through my new work neighbourhood, I had a great idea for a photo project. So now I want to get a dSLR. ...And if I get the camera, what's stopping me from doing a course?
Illustration: For whatever reason, I feel like taking a drawing course. I think it'd be fun!
French: Should I take more french? It's kind of counter-productive to take a one-off courses and then wait months (or years) until taking another one. Maybe I should enroll in a longer credit course. Or certificate program! (intense!!)
Desktop Publishing: A while ago I was looking into certificate opportunities in T.O for desktop publishing courses. I ended up dismissing them though, because I wouldn't be in town in the Fall. But now that I am staying in town, maybe I'll go ahead with it!

hmmm, what other fun course options are out there?

Apparently Canada looks like a whale

2011-07-22T23:19:00.000-04:00

My new necklace has arrived!!

It's a tru.che original!

Like many others, I was shocked and appalled by Urban Outfitters' blatant ripoff of this artist's work, so I responded - with my wallet.

And now I own some shiny representation of my love for my country! Which apparently looks likes a whale....

Picture by Tru.che:

(I asked for my heart to be placed closer to Toronto.)

Buy your own here!

How to gain Wisdom

2011-07-20T10:51:00.014-04:00

Buy it on Amazon!

Wisdom is a book by Photographer/Filmmaker Andrew Zuckerman.

I first came across this work last week - there's an exhibit of Wisdom at Brookfield Place (BCE) in Toronto.

I stumbled upon the exhibit and quickly became mesmerized by the large-scale portraits/quotes. About thirty minutes later I discovered that the book was located at a nearby table! So I became enthralled with that for a while.

I then returned to the space the next day to take another look.

Check out this portrait of Painter Andrew Wyeth:

His face and his facial expression are amazing. Combine that with his quote which is about the power of love, and it's quite possibly my favourite portrait out of all of them.

I want a copy of this for the dining room in my new apartment.

Can you imagine? Right over the head of the table?

Speaking of new apartments... the Wisdom book would make a great house-warming gift! (hint hint)

The exhibit is at Brookfield Place until August 5th.
I highly recommend a visit - or two.
(bonus: It's right by Cheeseland!)

The best cheese in Toronto?

2011-07-15T13:38:00.001-04:00

I went to the Obika Mozzarella Bar last night.

1. Silly name. It most definitely sounds like a sushi bar. (And look at the logo!!) They're trying to capitalize on the sushi bar trend. But I say, if your restaurant is built around cheese, you don't actually need to capitalize on anything. A cheese-focused restaurant is a brilliant idea. I shall call it 'Cheeseland' from now on. However, I will hand it to them, the odd name stuck in my head the instant I heard it. It could be that I was attracted to the concept of a mozzarella bar, or it could be that they were clever in their name choice. ...perhaps it's a bit of both.

2. Mozzarella bar!! There's something wrong and so so right about this concept. I was pretty excited about it, and Cheeseland did not disappoint. They have three signature cheeses and we tried two of them. First was the cheese that is described as "deliciously creamy". And it was.
Next was their 'delicate' mozzarella cheese (flown in two times a week from Italy!). And it was delicate. Which is a good thing. The light/delicate quality meant that I didn't feel too guilty about eating an entire plate of cheese.
We also had some salad (nothing to write home about) and a pizza with gorgonzola cheese on it, which was pretty amazing. I may order that the next time I go.

And yes, I will be going back!

The restaurant has this odd 'open air' concept, which annoyed me a bit (there's a never-ending fountain nearby), but aside from that, it was a good time. The servers were very friendly too.

If anyone wants to open up a competing Cheeseland, I would suggest focusing on cheese plates - served on wooden cheese boards! Perhaps all the appetizers be different cheese plates with suggested fruit and wine combinations.
And please, include cheesecake as a dessert!

Dear Stranger, You're awesome!

2011-07-06T09:51:00.000-04:00

It's time to write some fan mail to strangers!

Over the past week or so I've been impressed by some strangers/acquantances who have really pleasant and welcoming 'spirits'.
You know those people who just draw you in, and sort of emit sunshine?

I've decided to let them know.
(Now, there's fan mail to podcasters or celebrities, but that's not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about super random fan mail for regular people who aren't particularly putting themselves in the spotlight.)

I wrote my first "you're great!" email last night to a couple I met briefly while apartment-hunting. (Bonus: the couple is currently living in my new home. Good vibes all around!)

There is a little hesitation on my part, cause who knows how I'll be interpreted, or misinterpreted (i.e. presumed hidden agendas), but I'd say it's definitely worth the risk.

Here are a few components to consider including in the email:

Who are you (If the person is truly a stranger, it's likely that they may have forgotten your interaction with them. Jog their memory!)
Describe what is special about them
Explain how they impacted your day/life

Also, try not to sound like a stalker or crazy person.

Happy writing!

What I'm drinking this week

2011-06-29T09:07:00.000-04:00

This is my Starbucks beverage this week:

That's a decaf, sugar-free vanilla, non-fat, extra-hot, Americano Misto.
It's definitely a mouthful!

I feel embarrassed ordering it, and then I remember how good it tastes. It's worth the embarrassment.

What does your future hold?

2011-06-27T09:13:00.000-04:00

(photo by Nino Andonis)

what to do, what to do?

2011-06-21T11:49:00.000-04:00

My French-language course is winding down. Two more weeks to go, and then I'll have my Tuesday and Thursday nights back!

I realized a couple months ago that if I don't plan out my life, I don't actually accomplish much. So I've started a list of '31 things to accomplish by 31' (inspiration from Sarah Von) and my planning for the next couple months relates to the things I want to accomplish. (yay!)

One thing on the list is to learn Braille.

A couple years ago I investigated becoming a Braille Transcriber, but my plans were thwarted fairly early on in the process.
Now I've decided to try again. Fingers crossed!

Another thing I might attempt this summer is becoming an Audio Book Narrator.
The idea itself makes me laugh, because I don't think I'm a very animated speaker. The process I'm looking into is fairly involved (various tests, audio samples, and interviews). But I'll start and see how far I get. It should be fun.

I'm not sure what else to try and start this summer. If everything goes as planned with my job, I will be out of town from October to Christmas. So in-person activities are out of the question.
hmmm...

How to Enjoy Yourself in Toronto

2011-06-19T01:01:00.000-04:00

Last weekend a friend of mine came to visit me in T.O and I was given the challenge to provide her with an exciting classic Toronto weekend.

As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy planning (I prefer the 'go with the flow' method), I struggled to come up with a timeline of activities for the few days.

In the end, I only had one timed item on the list of activities. However, as is usually the case, we had a great time! We wandered around the city and enjoyed some of my favourite Torontonian things.

1. Luminato: "Habit"
This was my first time taking part in the 'Free Creativity' festival.

We went to OCAD on Saturday morning to view a play called "Habit". A description from the Luminato website:
"Three actors inhabit a house for eight hours a day, spontaneously going about their business while seamlessly repeating a script....as you watch through the windows of ... a fully-functioning house, constructed inside the project space... Habit raises fascinating questions about the nature of performance, spectatorship, and even reality itself."
It was pretty hardcore. Brilliant concept. Uncomfortable script / subject matter.

2. Starbucks
Yes, I'm including this on the list. My beverage was made just the way I like it. And it made me happy.

3. AGO giftshop
I love browsing through the AGO Store. This is where I bought my latest gadget!

4. Burrito Boyz
Arguably the best burritos in town.
We popped by the Adelaide location and took our burritos to go.

5. 401 Richmond Roof-Top Patio.
My first time to this patio.

It's smaller than I envisioned, but it has a great 'community' feel.

I imagine that all the creatives in the building pitch-in and make the space comfortable and clean.

6. 401 Richmond
After munching on burritos on the patio, we wandered around the building. I love this space. I should go there more often. The building itself is fantastic, as are the tenants. We wandered around the design book store and art gallery.

and I was enthralled with the washroom.

brilliant.

7. NFB Mediatheque
To give our feet a rest, we headed to the NFB to watch some free films.
We ended up watching Nadia's Journey. A film about the experience of women living in Algeria. It's an eye-opener for sure. And really sad.

8. 7 West Cafe
After coming back home and watching the Oprah DVD, we headed out to XocoCava for some after-dinner ice cream. Unfortunately though, they close at 10pm. ...Where do you go when everywhere is closed? 7 West of course!
7 West is one of my favourite spots. I'm a tad bit obsessed. We were there for a few hours and then headed back home.

Day 2 involved visiting a small community church in my neighbourhood, having lunch at a local park, and window shopping along Yonge St. We also stopped by an art store and I bought myself a huge canvas to make my next painting (stay tuned for the final piece!)

So how do you enjoy yourself in Toronto? Wander around, take the subway, explore, go through open doors, eat, stay up late, and most importantly, do it all in the company of a friend.

Phone Love

2011-06-15T11:44:00.000-04:00

My latest gadget: A MoshiMoshi POP Phone handset by Native Union.

I love this thing.

It's a silcone-y old school style handset.

Probably not the most practical thing, but it's SO much more fun than earbud-type headsets.

Digital Storytelling

2011-06-13T11:11:00.001-04:00

Upcoming fun: digital storytelling!

Through my volunteer work with the Annex Cat Rescue, I've signed up for a 3-day digital storytelling workshop!

The course is being offered through Volunteer Toronto and at the end of the three days, I'll have a completed digital story (like this!) describing my experiences volunteering with ACR.

I'll admit, when they first emailed me about participating, I was intrigued, but quickly had doubts. I emailed them back and said I would think about it and get back to them in a couple days.
I thought: 'My experiences aren't all that unique... What would I say? I'd probably let them down. I'm not interesting enough. They should probably find someone else. '

Blah blah blah.

I had these thoughts for an hour or so, and then remembered Funfundfunfzig and realized that
a) This workshop sounds like fun! and
b) My experiences will definitely be 'good enough' (whatever that means)!

So, I emailed back and told them I'll take the course in July!

Perhaps I'll post the final video here!

A big bowl of vegetarian fun!

2011-06-11T11:19:00.023-04:00

I cooked something....yummy!

I have this chronic condition where I spend hours in the kitchen making a meal for myself which ends up tasting horrible.
it's a problem. (...which could easily be fixed with a couple cooking classes, but that's besides the point!)

Well, my new vegetarian ways have prompted me to take on this challenge head-on.
armed with some tips, a cookbook, and some (correct) fresh ingredients, I now have a signature dish, which I absolutely love.
(wait, does 'signature' mean that I created it? ...cause I'm pretty sure I didn't make this up myself...)

I haven't thought of a name for it yet. For now I'll call it, Big Bowl of Vegetarian Fun.

Ingredients:

2cups chopped peppers
some chopped green onions (what's the other name for those? ... oh yes, it's "scallions")
2/3 cups Italian-flavoured veggie ground round
2 7-inch torillas
2 dollops of sour cream (fat-free will do the trick!)
spray oil

Kitchen appliances:

stove-top
oven (microwave oven will suffice!)

Other stuff you'll need:

Food scissors will come in handy
chopping knife
cutting board
a third-cup measure
cookie sheet for the oven
skillet

Directions:

Step 1: preheat the oven to 350
Step 2: cut up the tortillas into little triangles, put them on the cookie sheet, spray some oil on them, and pop them into the oven (they'll be in there for 15 or so minutes....until crispy!)

Step 3: spray some oil in the skillet and turn it on to medium/low heat
Step 4: cut up the peppers and green onions and throw them in the skillet
Step 5: (about 5 minutes later) add the veggie ground round and mix it up!
Step 6: cook for another few minutes then turn off the heat.
Step 7: The tortilla chips are done! Remove from the cookie sheet and place them in a bowl.
Step 8: Remove the big bowl mixture from the skillet... and place it in a big bowl.... add the sour cream on top of the mound.
Step 9: Enjoy! healthy vegetarian goodness... and chips!!
Step 10: uh.. there isn't anything else to say here. I just couldn't leave it at 9 steps...

I'd say, this recipe serves 1.5people. ...or one hungry person. (I eat it all myself.)

Also, I add some cherry tomatoes sometimes.
And if I feel fancy, I may sprinkle some dill on the tortilla pieces before popping them in the oven.

Podcast Gold: MATES

2011-06-07T00:11:00.000-04:00

I love me some Tom Cavanagh.

So when I stumbled upon the Mike and Tom Eat Snacks (MATES) Podcast, I was intrigued.

On the one hand: Seriously?! How ridiculous!

But on the other hand... Tom Cavanagh!!
Plus, my interest was peaked by the vast array of snacks. From yogurt to microwave popcorn, to snickers, to 3rd Degree Burn Scorchin' Habanero Doritoes, to Crudités.

So, I took a chance and downloaded all 20 or so episodes.

The verdict: I. love. it.

Yes, it is ridiculous.

And yes, it is hilarious.

I burst out laughing today on the subway. Cavanagh did a comparison of the Parisian french accent vs the Quebec french accent.

I was still laughing about it when I arrived at work. (Check out the first 5 minutes of the Microwave Popcorn episode.)

A great one liner from the Snickers episode: "Snickers is the Paul Neuman of candy bars"

It's a fun, random, ridiculous, hilarious time.

And now I want to go eat some classic lay's potato chips.
fried, not baked,

Achievement Reminder

2011-06-04T19:24:00.000-04:00

This past week, I decided to put together a list of some of my accomplishments/achievements for the purpose of encouraging myself to pursue new dreams, and pushing through challenges.

I feel like I regularly get this "I can't possibly do that!" mindset, and then I become resigned and disempowered.

I'm counting this as my affirmation to myself, which was this past week's Operation Nice Assignment!

Here's my "Philipians 4:13" list:

ice cream for breakfast

2011-06-04T10:56:00.000-04:00

A gem that I saw on Pinterest last week: Super Healthy Banana 'Ice Cream'!

I made it for breakfast on Sunday and it. is. amazing.

Life just seems to be better when you eat chocolate first thing in the morning... you know?

The idea/recipe is from confident-beautiful-motivated.tumblr.com .

Step 1: freeze a banana.
Step 2: take said frozen banana, remove the peel, and put it in a blender
Step 3: add 2 tbsp of cocoa powder (I used high-protein chocolate pudding powder. super yummy and filling!)
Step 4: blend and enjoy the extravagance of guilt-free ice cream in the morning!

yay!!

Endless Eye Candy

2011-06-03T14:07:00.002-04:00

Eye candy of all kinds, that is.

I *just* found out about this catalog of all kinds of lovely things!
Fine art, home decor, crafty projects, and even some traditional eye candy....

How many hours have I sent browsing the pins lately?

Some recently 'pinned' gems:

Patio Scrabble. (from Sunset.com)

Cheesecake-stuffed strawberries (by SugarDerby)

(topped with graham crackers!!)

The time is now (via ffffound)

A lovely space (via lovely spaces)

Penny flooring (from Revolver)

(click the link for more pics of the floor - it's amazing!)

My new favourite game: Oprahland

2011-05-30T12:58:00.001-04:00

Good.is released a new infographic on Thursday about 'The World of Winfrey".

It highlights her ""aha!" moments, guest appearances, and media acquisitions" from the last 40years.

...and it looks like a board game!! Complete with different character game pieces - Stedman, Gail, Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz... it is missing Nate though.

I want/need to make this into an actual game.
Perhaps a drinking game.
Maybe play it while watching the Oprah DVD.

Take a shot each time she: screams aloud, cries or causes the guest to cry, or mentions Gayle or Stedman.

hmm...to be continued...

The book that changed my life

2011-05-28T09:18:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I read the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.

And my life will never be the same.

I've been a proud (?) meat-eater all my life. Haven't really ever considered not eating meat.

In fact, when I first saw this book - I picked up because I was attracted to the cover. ... yes, I'll admit I usually always judge books by their covers - I read a quote of praise on the back cover that said something along the lines of "If you continue to eat meat after reading this book, you are a horrible human being".

And I was so offended! The audacity!

So, I snatched up the book and bought it out of spite. ("oh yeah? I'll show you! ...I'll read this book while eating plates of chicken and steak, and I'll continue to be an amazing, honorable person!")

About a fifth of the way through the book, I sent this text to my sister: "I'm reading this book about eating animals. I think I may become vegetarian."

And now, a few weeks later, I'm considering going vegan.

(I'm having a hard time with the concept of giving up eggs (cake! cookies!!) ... not to mention cow's milk... (Starbucks' lattes!!))

Seriously though, I'm one of the last people I could have pictured forgoing meat. But in the end, after looking at factory farming practices, antibiotic use, environmental degradation... eating chicken for dinner tonight just isn't worth it for me.

Change your words, change your world

2011-05-27T10:44:00.001-04:00

How to sleep at your desk, undisturbed

2011-05-26T09:17:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, a co-worker suggested that we should all get Ostrich Pillows:

by kawamura-ganjavian.

A perfect way to bring the siesta to Toronto.

(via Geekologie)

Doodle Decor

2011-05-20T10:56:00.000-04:00

I'm tempted to transform a wall of my kitchen into mindless doodles.

This stock image from iStockPhoto has tempted me to create elaborate flowcharts and diagrams.

And now Pikaland's fantastic new 100 Things to Draw list has sealed the deal!

I'm quite not hardcore enough to take a sharpie to the wall, but maybe I'll buy a huge whiteboard or something.

This calls for a trip to the art supply store...

I talk good French.

2011-05-17T21:57:00.000-04:00

Fun with Groupon!

I signed up today for 6weeks of French language classes. By the end of June I'll be parle-ing en Francais with ease!

It's currently my favourite season in Toronto (patio season), so it's time to decide on some outdoor activities. Enter BlogTo's 'Best of Toronto' lists.

They're almost like a challenge - how many amazing Thai restaurants can you visit in one month?

Last year a friend and I took on the 'best ice cream in T.O' list. Sadly, we didn't get through all of it (I do have a waistline to think about!)

This year perhaps it'll be along a French theme - the best French restaurants, or the best French toast, or the best poutine!

Or maybe we'll just resort to the best new cafés. You can't go wrong there.

Plus cafés are French....right??

Yay or Nay? Running=Fun

2011-05-16T17:43:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I completed my first 5k run. As a typically sedentary person, it is a pretty big accomplishment for me - from the process of training for the run (thanks Couchto5k!) and actually completing it!

Throughout the past month or so, my view of the run has been: 'I just have to do this one 5k, and then I'll never have to run again!'
But on the days leading up to the run, I started thinking about maybe doing a 10k at some point...then perhaps a half-marathon, and maybe even a full marathon in a few years.

One of the friends who I did the 5k with is now talking about signing up to do another 5k in June and/or September. And I'm conflicted about whether to join her or not.
On the one hand, I don't consider myself a 'runner', and I do enjoy being sedentary and lazy.

But on the other hand, there is something to say about setting a goal, and actually meeting it. If nothing else, this experience has shown me that I can do things that I didn't think were possible. (When I started, I struggled to jog for more than a minute without being terribly winded.)

And, if I'm being completely honest with myself, I do enjoy evening runs - uploading some new podcasts to my iPod and then listening to them while I jog through the neighborhood...

So I guess that's my answer.
Yes, running=fun.

Can Information Look any Cooler?

2011-05-16T01:05:00.000-04:00

A quick Google search led me to the Cool Infographics website which houses a collection of some of the best infographics out there.

Infographics are awesome.

'nough said.

Music Videos at their best: La Blogotheque's Take Away Shows

2011-05-16T01:04:00.000-04:00

Awhile ago I discovered La Blogotheque's Take Away Shows.

The Take Away Shows self-description:
"Every week, we invite an artist or a band to play in the streets, in a bar, a park, or even in a flat or in an elevator, and we film the whole session. Of course, what makes the beauty of it is all the little incidents, hesitations, and crazy stuff happening unexpectingly. Besides, we do not edit the videos so they look perfectly flawless, instead we keep the raw sound of the surroundings. Our goal is to try and capture instants, film the music just like it happens, without preparation, without tricks. Spontaneity is the keyword."

Some of the artists I've watched so far, include:
Villagers
Jamie Lidell (see below)
Jason Mraz
Mumford and Sons
Spoon

Here's Jamie Lidell. (He's my favourite.)

Jamie Lidell - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Discovering new bands in Toronto

2011-05-16T01:03:00.000-04:00

On the 'Fun Quest', a friend and I tested out a new way to discover bands in the city.

Pick the price.
Pick the date.
Pick the venue.

And then go see whoever is performing!

We ended up at the Horseshoe Tavern on April 30th, to see Malajube (who can resist French indie rock?).

Thankfully though, we arrived early enough to see Library Voices perform! (Who can resist Saskatchewaners?)
They were the highlight, in my opinion. The crowd loved them, and they genuinely seemed to be having a blast. I view them kind of like a bunch of close friends who enjoyed hanging out and making music and so decided to go on the road together.
Their group dynamic is evident in their Take Away Show:

Library Voices | Party Like It's 2012 | A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

The correct way to peel a banana

2011-05-16T00:24:00.001-04:00

I only just recently discovered the Judge John Hodgman podcast.

It cracks.me.up.
Seriously - on multiple occasions I have I burst out in laughter while walking down the street.

One particularly fun episode is on the correct way to peel a banana. Is it the popular 'from the stem' method that most humans use? or is it the 'from the nub' method that monkeys tend to use?

Another of my favourite episodes is 'You Say Tomato, I say Justice'. It has me questioning many of my friends on how they say the word 'often'. Apparently we all say it incorrectly.

How HotDocs Works

2011-05-15T23:48:00.000-04:00

Not having participated in a film festival before, I was a little confused about how HotDocs actually works, so here’s my little overview of how the process worked for me:

Step 1. Decide which film pass I want

My Festival Pass, a couple tickets and the Screening Schedule

The film passes range from single tickets ($14 each) to a 10-ticket pass ($100) to more hardcore passes (I think they go up to +$300).

There are also a bunch of other passes for students and seniors and amateur film-makers, etc, and a pass specifically for the late night screenings (after 11pm).

Note: There is an earlybird special, so if you buy your pass before a certain date (in March), you get more bang for your buck.

Step 2. Decide which films I want to watch

This is where it might start to get confusing.

I bought a 10-ticket pass, which gets me 10 tickets which I can use for any film. The pass is transferable, i.e. I could use the pass to watch 5 different films with a buddy, or I could watch 10 different films by myself, or I could grab 9 friends and we could all watch one film together, using the pass, etc.

I ended up doing a mix – I watched some films alone, and some with friends.

While the Festival Pass gives me hypothetical access to all the films, if you know which film(s) you want to see, it is best to arrange specific tickets beforehand, to guarantee your spot.

Here’s Situation A: I know what I want to watch

I know that I want to go with my friend Leah to see the film Mothers of Bedford on Friday at 9:30pm. (amazing film btw!) So I call up the HotDocs box office (or I could have gone online) and tell them my Festival Pass number and the number of tickets, and they mark down my order.

Then, sometime before the day of the screening, I head over to the Box Office and pick-up the tickets. (If I did this enough in advance, the tickets could be mailed to me.) At the Box Office, they mark the back of my Festival Pass to indicate that I have used up two of the 10 tickets that come with my pass.

Then, on Friday night, Leah and I head over to the screening and hand over our tickets! No waiting in line!

Situation B: I don’t know what I want to watch….until very late.

The film I want to watch is showing at the Cumberland theatre in 45 minutes, so I head over there and approach the makeshift HotDocs desk and purchase a ticket. Since I already have bought a Festival Pass, they simply mark the back of my pass to indicate that I’ve used up another one of my ten tickets. There's no need for me to hand over any cash.

Now, if the film I wanted to see has already been ‘sold out’, then it becomes a different situation…

Situation C: The film I want to watch has already been ‘sold out’ and is in ‘RUSH’ status

At the last minute, I decided to watch Kumare on Sunday afternoon. (another great film!) I head over to the HotDocs desk at the theatre and am informed that the film has already gone ‘rush’. Basically what this means is that other, more organized, people have reserved/ordered their tickets in advance, so now I can’t order my ticket before the screening. Instead, I’ll have to stand in line and hope that the theatre doesn’t fill up before I get in.

So about 45 minutes before the screening, I join the rush line. They start to let us in 15 minutes before the film is supposed to start. We go to the HotDocs desk and purchase tickets (either via Festival Pass or cash), and then head into the theatre, grab any remaining extra seat, and then enjoy the film!

(note: try and avoid rush lines as much as possible. They kinda suck. But, HotDocs says that 80% of people waiting in rush lines do indeed get in to see the films, so at least there’s that.)

I think that explains the basic questions I had at the beginning of my HotDocs experience. There is a fair bit of planning involved - usually when I watch movies I check the times the day before - but it's all part of the fun.

Next year I may upgrade to one of the hardcore Festival Passes and take a week off work to watch the films.

Long Live Documentaries!

2011-05-15T23:12:00.001-04:00

Those who know me, know that I love documentaries. So when I decided to add more fun into my life, I knew that HotDocs would somehow be included.

(HotDocs is North America’s largest documentary film festival, and it happens each year in Toronto, Ontario!)

This year was my first time participating in HotDocs – usually I become ‘aware’ of it too late, and am disappointed. This year though, I was completely on the ball, and enrolled friends to experience the docs with me.

Within the week of the festival, I ended up watching six full-length docs and three shorts, and I attended two panel discussions.

By far, the best part of the festival was the interaction with the directors after the screening. For the majority of the screenings, the directors were on-hand for Q&A after the films. This adds so much more depth and context to the films!

All the films I watched were great, each in their own way. Grande Hotel was one of my favourites. The cinematography was stunning, and the subject matter is fascinating.

The short that screened with Grande Hotel was also really unique: “Goodbye Mandima”.

Overall, HotDocs was a blast! I can't wait to do it all again next year :)