In search of a good steak....

Donna and I had lunch today in Kerrisdale (very yummy Thai restaurant) then off to Windsor Meats on MacKenzie to buy a steak.  I ended up with a ribeye he cut specially for me since I didn't want it too thick...10 oz which we'll split.  We love our steak but don't want too much these days.
I also found a fruit and vegetable market in Kerrisdale that had prices and quality like you only get in Chinatown.  And Donna alerted me to free parking in London Drugs.  All good discoveries as I quite like the Kerrisdale Village and its shops and restaurants.

Lots of exotic meats in the store and I was interested to see a pintade.  We had pintade with Monique and her parents at a restaurant in Annecy many many years ago. 

 Seems a bit on the pricey side...think I'll stick with my Cornish Game Hens.

Photo of a cooked pintade.

Good on the Germans!

There seems to be a bit of a trend of German truck drivers having their trucks painted realistically to advertise what they transport....rather cool, I thought.  Don sent this along.

Japadog (Japanese Hot Dogs) "Best hot dog" - Vancouver, BC | Follow Me Foodie

  
 On our way swimming to the Waterfront Centre we pass the Japadog stand....this incredible popular food stand sensation which now has a stand in NYC.  I think you can't live in Vancouver and not try it although it is now getting rather mixed reviews of "over-rated" and "overpriced".  I see they now have  a restaurant on Robson so we'll probably do that option.


This is from a foodie blogger:

**Korubuta Terimayo – 6/6

• Most highly prized pork! Kurobuta 100% pure all natural Berkshire pork. Kurobuta is the Kobe beef of pork. $6.47 Including tax $7.45
• It’s a Korubuta pork sausage with Teriyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, fried onions, seaweed/Nori.  This is still the best and most popular hot dog. I still love it.
• It’s the juiciest sausage and most flavourful. I’m a bit sad though because either they took out, or forgot, the fried onions that’s supposed to be in there.
• It’s sweet, savoury, hearty and I love the crispy nori on top.

 

Of course you can’t forget the Wasabi Mayo on any of the Japadogs! (Free condiment)

Read the full review here.
Japadog (Japanese Hot Dogs) "Best hot dog" - Vancouver, BC | Follow Me Foodie

CANstruction

Team: Fluor
Name: oCANpogo
Winner: Best Meal
From the mysterious depths of the popular Lake Okanagan in British Columbia, Canada, comes oCANpogo. oCANpogo is a fierce 15 metre long sea-snake with a body that undulates when it swims in Lake Okanagan. Those who have lived to tell their tale claim it is a prehistoric serpentine creature, with the dragon’s head, sharp teeth and webbed feet.

This is quite a cool project that has groups competing to make sculptures out of cans and then the cans are donated to food banks.  They're on display this week at various places along Georgia and right around where the newly refurbished Rosewood Georgia Hotel is so we'll take a peek in there since we haven't seen the new incarnation yet.

Team: AMEC
Name: Tutankhamen’s Mask
Winner: Best use of Labels
The mask of Tutankhamen is an icon from the past,
In tuna and in turkey, his image is recast,
We picked the teenage pharaoh for this year’s Canstruction theme,

Global Civic Policy Society | Vancouver Urban Forum

 A rather interesting debate going on about how densification creates less urban sprawl and how the "burbs" are bigger greenhouse gas emitters than the inner city.  I can see both sides of the issue.

Global Civic Policy Society | Vancouver Urban Forum

Great sunset tonight after a glorious day

Gorgeous sunset last night and a beautiful day today....

First time cooking magret de canard....

I bought this magret at Les Amis de Fromage and it seemed like a simple dish to prepare and I know Monique loves magret de canard.  I had second thoughts when Monique said she has stopped preparing it since so many time it's tough!  However, it turned out perfectly and we all enjoyed it and it went extremely well with this fabulous St. Emilion wine that Monique brought.  Jim and Monique enjoyed a game of foosball or "babyfoot" as they call it in France.

Super evening...

 We had a great time last night beginning with tapas and wine at Cloud 9  then the Renee Fleming concert which was excellent.  We enjoyed the traditional arias and all especially enjoyed her rendition of Endlessly that Metallica does.  Take a look.

Ren�e Fleming - Endlessly - YouTube

 Monique at Cloud 9.

View from Cloud 9.

 Orpheum

Some interesting music....way to go, Oliver!

Nigel and Leslie's son, Oliver, is in an interesting band...I was quite intrigued by the music.  He was interviewed in Mosaic.

mosaic.

And I decided to buy the EP.  I'm very impressed with how they have this all set up.  It's now on my iPod.

Greetings Janice Sexton! Thank you for purchasing:

Leisure Suit EP, digital album, $5.00

Total:
$5.00 USD
If you haven’t gotten your download already, click here. Try this if you need help downloading.
If you want to contact Leisure Suit for any reason, please click right here.
Thanks again for your support,
Leisure Suit

 P.S.  Well,  it's not quite on my iPod yet except for the one free download.  Richard will be over on the weekend so will get him to help.

Overnight in Victoria

We went into Victoria to attend Nin's service.  Derek gave an wonderful tribute to his mom and we were very glad to be there.

We stayed at the Hotel Grand Pacific and enjoyed a great swim and had dinner there with Derek and Mary Sunday night.  It was great to see them and we also got to see Don and Elaine and Monique.

Monique is coming into Vancouver today and staying at the Sands Best Western which is close to us for three days and we are looking forward to having some good meals together and we're all off to see Renee Fleming who is performing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at the Orpheum Theatre Wednesday.  I think the last time we went to the Orpheum was to see Charles Aznavour many years ago.

From dark to magnificent light...

Yesterday started out being one of these black days that seem like it's evening, then the sun came out and we went for a swim.  Then to see the movie Monsieur Lazhar at the International Village Cinemas.  Great deal with free parking and then we went to the foodcourt and picked up butter chicken, lamb curry, naan, and popadoms for take out.  Wonderful food and dined looking out a a magnificent sunset.

I highly recommend the movie...a real treat.

Storyline:

Bachir Lazhar, an Algerian immigrant, is hired to replace an elementary school teacher who died tragically. While the class goes through a long healing process, nobody in the school is aware of Bachir's painful former life; nor that he is at risk of being deported at any moment. Adapted from Evelyne de la Cheneliere's play, Bachir Lazhar depicts the encounter between two distant worlds and the power of self-expression. Using great sensitivity and humor, Philippe Falardeau follows a humble man who is ready to transcend his own loss in order to accompany children beyond the silence and taboo of death. Written by micro_scope 

Les Amis du Fromage

We went to this absolutely fabulous cheese shop that also has lots of other goodies and various types of cheese for raclette.  Wow....what a place!

Great fun at The Sylvia last night...

We really enjoyed this singer at The Sylvia last night...great voice and fun songs to listen to...and Red Truck Ale...how can you go wrong?


Cole Petrone | Singer-songwriter musician in Vancouver, British Columbia area

Beau at 6 weeks

Here are some photos of the Bing's new puppy, a Sheltie.  They will pick him up when they get back from Palm Springs in a week.  What a darling!  He now has his ears up like a big boy.

For Nin

Nin passed away last night in hospice.

Jim and I met Derek's mom, Nin, in the 70's and we were immediately charmed by her infectious smile and vivacity.  We had recently been to London for the first time and loved the city so meeting a real live Londoner was quite something for us!  She had a tremendous spirit and sense of fun and we loved her.

She took up French and had Monique as her French teacher and of course they were kindred spirits...packs of dynamite in tiny packages!

I interviewed Nin when I had this idea of doing video life stories and she was a wonderful subject.  I loved hearing her talk about her experiences in the Blitz and later her early life in Canada as a war bride.  From one of the biggest cities in the world to a small town in the boonies, small children, and a husband, Andy, who went back to complete his university.

Quite the times but I can imagine her smiling through it all and recently she told Monique she would be leaving this life with a smile on her face.

NIn,  this is how we'll all remember you, singing and dancing, and we will miss you.

* These  little videos are from July 14, 2010 when Nin invited Jim and I, Monique, and Derek and Mary to celebrate Bastille Day at Carlton House.

The Proposal!

Before Richard left for NYC he told us of his plans to propose to Emily by altering the headlines and stories in the New York Times...something they read online when they're together.  I'm not sure if you can read it all that well on my blog but the big headline was:

CANADA, U.S. EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE CLOSER TIES
A Canadian official is slated to speak today at 16:21 EST in New York with an American response to follow soon after.

And even  I get a byline as "Janice Fleming" for CALIFORNIA FORECASTS STRONG JOB GROWTH and Jim as "James Penman" fro "MICROCLIMATE MEANS SUNNY SKIES OVER BROOKLYN".  Kind of cute since I gave up going back East to journalism school to marry Jim.


*  BTW.....Proposal accepted!

Emily talking to us on the phone from Prospect Park.

Richard giving us the great news from Prospect Park.

The temporary ring which was a big hit.  They'll shop for a ring together in NYC

Breaking news from Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NYC

Richard just phoned from Prospect Park to tell us he proposed to Emily and she said yes!  We are so happy for both of them....we love Emily and think they are absolutely wonderful together.

We wish them all the best and look forward to having Emily as part of our family and can't wait to celebrate with them and her family.

Wow!

Fun with the Fishers

We had a lot of laughs as usual with Linda and Cec and it was great to see them at our place yesterday.  They came down on transit from Surrey and we look forward to doing the same going out there.  There is a way to beat the traffic!

Dinner with Richard

 We had a yummy dinner with Richard last night at his place.  He ordered this great pizza from the Firewood Cafe and we also had leftovers for lunch since he's heading off to NYC today to visit Emily for 10 days.  And it was great to see some of our posters again.  Richard took charge of them when we were selling the house and wouldn't have room in the apartment.  Lots of great travel memories.

Welcome to the Firewood Cafe - Gourmet Pizza and Pasta

Granville Island

Mussel Mania...best deal in town!  Then to the market to buy lamb kebobs (no photo since we ate them for lunch,  dry sausage from Oyama...Savoie type with mountain herbs,  soup, and fudge.  Super sunset and reflections on the way home on the little ferry.  Then,  warmed up with a Calvados and watched one of our "found" movies...."Die Hard 4".  Can't get rid of the underlining for some reason.