America the Beautiful

As Canadians moving to the United States, Dean and I certainly had some reservations. Americans often assume Canadians are just cold-resistant versions of themselves. But, in my experience, there's that hard-to-define Canadian frame of mind that makes us different: a bit cynical but open-minded, friendly but reserved, passionate but peaceful, and liberal but conservative.

We worried that Americans wouldn't get our politics, that they understood a different brand of Christianity that gives our faith a bad name, that they would think we're weird for taking our shoes off indoors.

More on these topics later.

One thing we never worried about was the incredible beauty and diversity of our new home. Driving across middle America was such a treat. Wyoming and South Dakota won our hearts with their unabashed rawness, their oversized dinner portions, and their remarkable landscapes.

We made up stories along the way. Each night at dinner we'd imagine what job we'd do if we lived in that town, who our friends would be, and what we'd do for fun. It's a game I highly recommend for your next road trip.

left coast

After a full month in Seattle, I think it's fair to say we are settled.

There were things we LOVED about our nine months in Toronto (our little city home, our amazingneighbourhood, a few lovely friends), but more than anything I missed being fully integrated in a community of loved ones. Though we've never lived in Seattle, we are enjoying at least two or three evenings a week in the company of really wonderful friends—people who share our passions (God, literature, Mexican food, microbrews, reality TV, to name a few). We've also had two quick visits to Vancouver to celebrate milestones with friends and family. It is amazing.

And while many people have balked at our loooong car journey westward, getting here was almost as fun as being here. Dean and I spent six days on the road, with stops at previously mythical spots like Omaha, Wall Drug, Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park (actual film photos forthcoming). We reached the west coast on All Hallows Eve. I spent the next four weeks elbow deep in a backlog of writing and editing projects and am now enjoying a blissfully slow week of housekeeping (both the business and traditional variety).

Now that things have slowed down a bit, I'll be writing much more often. In the meantime, here are a couple of recent projects for your reading pleasure:

The Gentle Cycle - a short tale of life in north east Scotland, accompanied by a photo from Dean

I Facebook, Therefore I Am - a cheeky and not-at-all-deep reflection on my relationship with Facebook

Trinity Western Magazine no.19 - I serve as External Editor and occasional feature writer for this beautiful bi-annual publication

farewell gift.

This gorgeous clear crisp day is making me sad to leave Toronto, but oh! the west coast is calling. Dean and I are doing a pretty good job of crossing items off our TO to-do list (see update below).

We leave a week from today and will arrive in Seattle one more week after that. We're making the move into a wee holiday/adventure, taking the drive a little slower, with exciting stops at Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone Park—two places I have always wanted to visit.

Normally the last week before a move is spent frantically tracking down boxes and stuffing them haphazardly to the gills. Instead I'm up to my ears in (really fun) work. One minute I'm trying to put beautiful folk music into words, the next I'm writing about the drizzle in Scotland, and still the next I'm describing one of coolest educational buildings I've ever seen. Freelancing was a great move. Not a minute of regret thus far! Also, we owe a HUGE debt of thanks to Dean's new employer, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, for arranging our move for us and taking all the stress/work out of it.

And because I'm in a generally happy state of mind, here's a little gift, in the form of First Aid Kit, from me to you!

two week list

Forgive the cliche, but it really does feel like just yesterday we were packing up the Chapel and saying goodbye to Oxford. Now we're in the same spot again, wrapping up nine months in Toronto, and oh-so excited to start life on the West Coast.

It's around this time in any move when I start to get some early nostalgia for the place I'm living. Before we left the UK, I put together a one-month list—all the things I wanted to see and do in London/Oxford before we left for good. I'm two weeks behind on this (yes, we leave Toronto in two weeks, today), but nevertheless, I've put together a little list of things I'd be remiss to leave without doing in my last month in the T-dot. Notably, they mostly involve food! Three down, nine to go!


1. Visit the AOG and MOCCA

2. Eat Korean (and we both enjoyed it SO much we're going back for our last night in town!)

3. Purchase upholstery fabric at Designer Fabrics to re-cover the seat of my favourite armchair

4. Tour the Steamwhistle brewery

5. See a show (Circle Eloize at the Sony Centre - wonderful!)

6. Brunch at Bonjour Brioche

7. Brunch at Cafe Marmalade  (fruit and yogurt-filled buckwheat crepe and fresh OJ)

8. Lunch at the Drake Corner Cafe

9. Visit Union Station

10. Stroll through the leaves in High Park

11. Tour Casa Loma

12. Purchase item from 69 Vintage (or other fabulous TO vintage shop)  (lovely pleated navy polka dot skirt at Common Sort)

Strombo-thon

Like most Canadians, I have a love-hate relationship with Canadian broadcasting. I firmly believe Canada needs our own media and will defend the need for more funding and even for regulation... but (confession) I'd sooner watch Two and a Half Men (which, Dean will attest, I believe indicates the low American comedy has hit) than sit through any CTV-produced sitcom.

One thing we DO do well north of the border is current events, and no Canadian, regardless of their political leaning, will dispute that George Stroumboulopoulos sets the standard for great late night talk. We love him. He and Peter Mansbridge. They can do no wrong.

Yesterday Jess Janz and I scored ourselves front row seats at George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight (formerly The Hour). While Toronto is in the throes of TIFF and some people are cruising King Street hoping to brush up against celebrity outside the LightBox, I prefer to get all my fame in one place.

The epic six-hour multi-episode taping featured interviews with all of the following:
Paul Giamatti
Rosamund Pike
Jason Priestly
Zach Braff
Edward Norton (!!!)
Errol Morris
Gene Simmons + Shannon Tweed
Jill Hennesy

Holy cannoli! It was quite the lineup. The crew of Gene Simmons' Family Jewels were even on set, so be sure to watch for our chuckling mugs in a future episode.


[image via Toronto Star]

Only in Saskatchewan

Hand Santizer Linked to Public Intoxication

We had a good laugh chez-Regier on Saturday morning when Deano spotted this CBC article about recent thefts of bulk alcohol-based hand santizer from public buildings in Regina. His sister and brother-in-law are social workers in various communities in southern Saskatchewan, and these are the kinds of challenges they are up against.

I am a West Coaster through and through, but since marrying a Saskatchewan boy I have developed a soft spot for the Canadian prairies... in all her glue-sniffing glory.

cross stitch

This inspired me to put my knitting aside and pick up a new hobby for the winter.

[by chezsucrechez, via designsponge]

in which we make a big announcement

Since hubby and I got married four years ago we've lived in 6 different homes in 4 different cities (lost track? Vancouver, Aberdeen, Oxford, Toronto). While we both love the adventure, we also have longed to put down roots at some point. I, for one, knew I'd never truly be able to do that anywhere but North America's west coast. We always assumed that would mean a return to Vancouver. Our move to Toronto this year was the first step westward, and we expected to enjoy this fabulous city for a few years until a position opened up for Dean in BC.

By now, however, we're used to rolling with the unexpected... so we're thrilled to share with you that Dean has been offered an Assistant Professor post at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

In other words, we're moving to Seattle!

We'll spend the next two months wrapping up our respective jobs here in Ontario and plan to reach the Pacific by November 1st.

Looking forward to spending lots of time with most of you then.

Yes, visitors, there will be a bed for you.

xo

Zaac wins the Shore Song Search!

HUGE congrats to Zaac Pick! His song, My Century, just won the Shore 104.3's Sounds of Summer song search, judged by Vancouver music bigwigs Sam Feldman and Terry McBride and Bruce Allen. It's a well deserved victory and I can't wait to see where it takes him!

[image via Shore 104FM]

Book Covers - then & now

If I had any artistic talent at all, I would design book covers. Design is never more relevant to me than on the front of my favourite works. I love Flavorpill's overview of classic book designs reinvented.

Zaac Pick in the Surrey Leader

A little promotional piece I wrote for uber-talented musician and friend, Zaac Pick, appeared in the Surrey Leader today. The Shore closed voting early for some reason, so while you can no longer vote for My Century in the Shore Song Search, you CAN still download his album from iTunes!

[Rachel Pick photo]

jazz age dance party

It's been a busy couple months, but I haven't given up on the Front Lawn.

These pics from the Sartorialist made my day:

Sweet Home Leslieville

Welcome to my 'hood! I wrote a wee guide to the best neighbourhood in Toronto over at the Curator.

[image via NY Times]

giant

My latest foray into short fiction is now up at This Great Society.

hipster to hippie. a cautionary tale

Another gem from Flavorpill:

Friday audio treat

I do love a good Flavorpill mix tape, but this one happens to include Antlers and Band of Horses, making it extra special.

Download it for yourself right here.

of infomercials and celebrity trainers

(More than a week after the fact) My latest article for the Curator is now online! This one tackles the beast that is P90X, and of course the inimitable Tony Horton. Take a couple minutes to read it.

[image via extremefitnessresults.com]

Motel 6-ing it

Road trips of my youth were defined by fights with my sisters over who shared space under a bad floral bedspread and who took the floor (usually my twin sis, Dianna—she kicks!). None the less, Motel 6 has been a familiar comfortable resting place even in my adult road trips: I know exactly what to expect and that it'll cost me less than 50 bucks.

What a treat though to discover my favourite budget motel chain is getting a slick little makeover. Read about it at the New York Times.

private Paris

 Ten-course dinner in a private Parisian supper club? yes please!

From the New York Times:
"Secluded in private apartments, unmarked buildings, blind alleys and underground caverns, a host of hidden new hangouts has sprung up in the City of Light’s shadows, creating a vogue for stealth addresses and a corresponding surge in confounded pacing, desperately unfolded maps and requests for directions."

Now that we actually have dining room chairs (see below!), perhaps I'll have to start my own private supper club right here in TO :)  I'll just need to find a chef...

The Keys

Somehow I've been lucky enough to make a lot of incredibly talented friends over the years and travels. I like to share them with you guys from time to time, so I'm thrilled that one of my favourite people and favourite musicians, Tenelle Porter has finally recorded some songs with her band The Keys, and posted them on Facebook for our listening pleasure.

If you like pure, sweet vocals, rich cello and intelligent song writing, then you'll probably want to check them out, right here.

new job, new feature

It's been a quiet week here on the front lawn. I took some time away from the computer and put it towards good times with visiting cousins and long walks in the sun. It was so gloriously warm on Thursday night (after a record-breaking 20-degree day) that we strolled to a nearby ice cream parlour at twilight and sampled the local gelato. On March 18th! It was bliss.

The reason I COULD take a break from my computer is that I landed a great little job here in Toronto. While I have loved the freedom of freelancing these past months, I have really missed being around creative people and simple routines of getting ready for the day. I also missed the guarantee of a pay-cheque every two weeks :)

The job? I'm a Marketing Strategist and Copywriter for a boutique-y comms firm, called Walden, just down the road from us on Queen East. It offered everything I was looking for in a job: lots of writing and imagining, and a little project managing; a laid back creative environment; flex hours; interesting people; and swift commute (by foot even!). I thought these perks were enough to offset the less than ideal pay. Besides, cost of living in Toronto has nothing on London.

In other news, a project that I've been working on for ages finally wrapped up this week. Lots of you will be getting the print version in the mail, but those of you who aren't TWU alums can check out the latest issue of Trinity Western magazine online. While you're at it, take a few minutes to read my feature, The Aesthetics of Attentiveness!

Pictorial Webster's: beautiful words

I'm likely among a dorky minority that thinks dictionaries are a gorgeous thing. So many wonderful words in one place! Even with the advent of dictionary.com, I still consult my giant Merriam-Webster's Collegiate to ensure I am using a word JUST RIGHT. Heck, I used it just today when I suspected I was abusing the word 'parlay' in a sentence (indeed, I was).

But no one can argue that Chronicle Books' new(ish) Pictorial Webster's is anything short of stunning. Even the subtitle (A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities) is enough to set my heart aflutter. But crack open the pages and you'll got lost in a sea of pictorial delights. Maybe that's why there's an octopus on the cover.

Last week while exploring West Queen West (not a typo, non-Torontonians), I stumbled upon Pictorial Webster's WALL CARDS—teachers and contemporary mommies, take note! I can't think of a more stylish way to learn one's ABCs.

the (other) City

[image via blogTO]

I've admitted, in confidence, to at least a few of you that I'm a closet 'The City' watcher. Now I guess the cat's out of the bag. I just love that doe-eyed Whitney Port and her fabulous entourage, wardrobe, apartment, cringe-y boyfriends and colleagues, etc etc. but mostly I just love New York.

Once in a while, in the depths of insomnia or a lonely Sunday night at home, I'll even tune into the Hills or, ahem, The Real Housewives of New Jersey. And I never miss an episode of the Bachelorette (admit you love it too).

Having come to terms with the fact that I'm not too highbrow to revel in such smut, I'm in no position to judge... but, aw what the heck! judge I will: What could new Toronto-based reality series, JacLife, possibly have to offer? I love a good dose of CanCon, but cannot imagine who will make the effort to tune into slice.ca to watch six episodes of socialite-in training, Jaclyn Genovese and her crew as they run a Queen West boutique. Toronto may be Canada's answer to New York, but Queen West is no SoHo. Likewise, running a boutique doesn't rate as high on the intrigue scale as, say running a tattoo parlor or promoting a global brand like Diane VonFurstenberg.

Here's what blogTO has to say about it:
Some more riveting scenes already in the can: Jaclyn in her fabulous bathroom brushing her teeth! Jaclyn in her fabulous store vacuuming the carpet! Jaclyn in her fabulous loft eating cereal! Basically all the things you and I do everyday, but more interesting cause she's rich.

If you'd like to give JacLife the benefit of the doubt (and think you can handle it without barraging the screen with snide remarks), watch the teaser here.

Canada Loves Hockey

The sounds of Vancouver when (and after) Canada gets hockey gold. Crosby scores about 1:18 into it. MAGIC.

(thanks Linnea!)

75 Best Dressed Men (of all time)

Because I'm married to an insanely well-dressed man, I quite appreciated Esquire's list of the 75 Best Dressed of All Time (yes, ALL time).

I love that everyone from Albert Einstein ("demonstrating the proper way to wear a cardigan") to the Marlboro Man to Steve McQueen ("Because no one in history has done more to advance the noble cause of khakis, jeans, cable-knit sweaters, and leather jackets") made the list.

going sew-lo

My dear, generous hubby gave me a pretty amazing sewing machine for Christmas. I'd been wanting one forever and had been itching to try my hand at projects that didn't involve knitting needles, crochet hooks or a keyboard.

My pretty little Janome sat in its box for a good month while we made the move to Toronto and then got our new home in order... and then it sat there for another two weeks while I tried to source the perfect sewing desk on Craig's List. After driving all the way to Newmarket to view a desk that turned out to be a dud, I realized that I could wait forever to use my new machine, and that it was time to just sit down and use it—perfect desk or no.

I've sewn an item or two in my day, but always under the helpful guidance of my Momma or auntie. So the other night, I set myself up at the dining room table (not suggested if you are having company in the week ahead) and taught myself how to sew all over again.

I ran through all my stitch settings on a piece of scrap fabric. I threaded a bobbin for the first time. Then I unthreaded and rethreaded it properly. And then, I embarked on my first solo project. I turned some old scarves into a wee pillow case.

The end result is too ugly to display here, but it was a start!

And to reward myself, I am indulging in some of my favourite sewing blogs and websites :)

Today I'm loving Colette Patterns for good vintage inspiration. She also has a free pattern for an adorable pair of mini bloomers, which I'll be making as soon as I get my printer up and running.

I also love the smock-y APC inspired clothes at Wiksten-made. Really, simple designs like these are what made me want to sew in the first place. I love this stuff.

And lastly, always the best spot on the web for sewing 'shareware' (did I totally misappropriate that term?) is BurdaStyle. How many patterns have I bookmarked here for future reference? I've lost count. Enjoy!

"I don't give a damn about your yellow buzzards"

In honour of the Man in Black's would-be 78th birthday, Flavorwire kindly shared 78 things you didn't know about Johnny Cash.

Some faves:

7. When he was a child working in the cotton fields, Cash used to eat young cotton buds, despite his mother’s warnings that they would give him bellyaches.


15. During his stint in the Air Force, Cash learned to translate Russian Morse code.


25. When Cash first moved to Memphis, he enrolled in a radio class at Keegan’s School of Industry, hoping to become a DJ.


32. After an oil leak from Jesse James set the Los Padres National Wildlife Refuge on fire, Cash became the only person ever successfully sued by the U.S. for starting a forest fire.
33. The blaze Cash’s camper started killed all but 9 of the endangered condors at the refuge. When questioned about the birds at the deposition, Cash replied: “I don’t give a damn about your yellow buzzards."


65. He used to carry around a jar of instant coffee and ladle spoonfuls of it into the coffee he ordered in restaurants.

Read 'em all here.

Advanced Style

Think 'the Sartorialist,' and then add 40 years and you'll have a pretty good idea of what Ari Cohen is doing at his blog, Advanced Style.

I got such a kick out of this blog, passed along to me by my very stylish (but not so advanced) Auntie. Thanks Renee!

I love the photo below, not only because of the awesome overcoat, but also because it depicts a different kind of 'style' icon, Willian Zinsser, author of the authoritative writers' text book: On Writing Well.

Lonny #3

If you haven't already drooled your way through the entire thing, you'll be interested to know that the third issue of Lonny (the online salvation of Domino fans) went up last week! The best thing about having all the style and substance of Domino in an online format is seemingly limitless photo pages—though I should warn that it's not advisable to drool on your keyboard while viewing.

I especially loved the cover feature showing how two sisters interpreted identical floor plans in the same building. Both apartments are spectacular but I gravitate towards Antonia's vintage + modern mix and utilitarian kitchen.

And since I am currently on the hunt for a great pendant light for our dining room, this photo caught my eye in particular.

And if you love Lonny as much as I do, you'll probably love its editor's blog and her apartment. Check out a tour of Michelle Adams' adorably small NYC home right here.

point blanket dilemma

Watching all the Olympic footage has made me a very proud Canuck (and Vancouverite!) this past week. I get the same feeling when I stroll by the current window displays at the Hudson's Bay Company—alongside all the Olympic paraphernalia are stacks of thick woolen Point Blankets and like-striped clothing that make me drool and feel a certain Canadian-ness that swells the cockles of my heart.

And lucky me: a couple years ago I inherited a genuine vintage multi-stripe Point Blanket, in all its dusty, smelly, scratchy goodness. I love this blanket dearly but at the moment it is collecting even more dust in our linen closet while I figure out just what to do with it—and for that matter, how to clean it!

It looks great as a bed spread, but is just too heavy to sleep under, so I've been thinking about other uses for it besides emergency-car-blanket.

For starters i love love love Smythe's hooded swing coat. But this might be beyond my sewing ability.

 

[via pretentiousbitties.blogspot.com]

Likewise, if I'm feeling uber ambitious I could use it to reupholster our cheapo/aging Ikea Klippan sofa.

Slightly less work would be to convert it into a bunch of throw cushions and maybe even a sturdy tote.

[image via faffaround.blogspot.com]

But the question I keep coming back to is: is it sacrilege to cut up a vintage Point Blanket? Am I destroying a valuable piece of Canadian history? And, I'm not kidding, how does one un-dust an 80-year-old wool blanket?!

what type are you?

After supper on Saturday, our very first Toronto dinner guests, Rodrigo and Sahra showed us this brilliant test from the geniuses at Pentagram. Follow the link to let an Austrian shrink 'analyze' your type.

What type are you?

my diagnosis: I am Van Doesburg. Yes, I suffer the orange cream first so I can save the hazelnut for last, but surely I'm not this rigid?

history of winter olympic posters

 I loved flipping through this collection of old winter games posters at NBC sports. Cool to see the design evolution over so many decades... scary to see what the Calgary team put together in '88, but otherwise mostly classic design!

pickles! (and other grocery related thoughts)

Last night I did my second big grocery run since we've arrived in Toronto/Canada. I'm still amazed at how much I can buy for so little moolah, an how HUGE the items are. But frankly, when presented with two bottles of lemon juice (one miniscule and one giant) with a 60 cent price difference, how can you refuse the big-ass bottle?

In three years of grocery shopping in the UK I always sensed that my options were reduced, but I could never pinpoint why - the supermarkets were just as big, after all. I realized last night that this is because UK supermarkets have entire aisles dedicated to things like pre-packaged cakes, frozen potato products and prepared meals. By contrast, Canada has massive fresh produce sections, in-store delis and a much better meat selection.

What surprised me the most were the items that set my heart aflutter after a three year absence:
+ pierogis
+ the selection of healthy cereal
+ Asian goodies like rice crackers and sushi rice
+ real prawns (not shrimp!)
+ and delicious garlicky, dilly pickles! We polished off a giant bottle last week and have already started on a second.

other surprises:
+ popsicles. We Canucks must really like our frozen treats on a stick - the selection is huge!
+ Canada has majorly beefed up its cheese selection, definitely comparable to any in Europe.
+ the few items that are cheaper in the UK: dried apricots, chicken (when it goes on sale) and soba noodles!

[image via nataliedee.com]

in defense of Quatchi

Just in time for the opening ceremonies, my latest article is up at Curator magazine.

The sad irony has not been lost on me that we moved back to Canada just in time for the Olympics, only to set up camp 4,300 kilmetres away. We are experiencing the festivities vicariously through friends' facebook and twitter feeds, but today while watching the torch relay I got those first pangs of "oh shoot. We should have BEEN there."

Instead we're coming to the end of a two week stay-cation... one that involved lots of sitting in government service centres, unpacking and breaking down about 50 boxes, walking and street-car-ing all over this giant city to get our bearings, and even spending a night at the hospital (thank goodness we knew where it was - and we're both fine).

Beyond the convenience at the familiarity of living in a Canadian city again after three point five years abroad, I am really LOVING our little Queen East neighbourhood. There are no less than four independent coffee shops within five minutes' walk, a perfect balance of dodgy and trendy restaurants and wonderful conveniences like an open-late Korean supermarket and two 24 hour street cars just off our street. Can't wait to show you all soon!

avatar and the dreaded papyrus font

Last night Dean and I caught up with the rest of the world and saw Avatar. While waiting a month to see the show means we've already heard ALL OF YOU talking about the film, it also meant we could show up only 15 minutes beforehand and still get the best seats in the house (we even indulged in the popcorn/pop combo to mark the occasion).

I liked the movie, yes. It was beautiful, yes. The acting and writing were mediocre, yes, but the effects second to none. You've said it all before.

But in all your cinematic discourse, I'm shocked that only one of you mentioned the ridiculous font choice for the Na'vi subtitles! I'd all but forgotten that conversation, but maybe it is what prompted me to play a game on our cross-country road trip last week: counting how many tasteless usages of the Papyrus font I could spot on the drive (note: any use of the Papyrus font counts as tasteless - I have addressed the topic before). Average was five sightings/day, emblazoned on ads promoting everything from real estate to a pig farm. eeeek!

The debate we had with our friend Trevor when he mentioned it two weeks ago was whether the font choice was an ironic move by a cheeky animator (a wink-wink, only understood by those in the design world) or whether it was just chosen by someone who thought it looked 'earthy' and 'pretty'.

I have my own thoughts on the matter, but what do you guys think?

stuff!!!

As of three days ago, we live in Toronto! And as of a two hours ago, so does our stuff!

It's a monumental night: I have been dreaming of sleeping in my very own bed ever since we put it in storage three years ago. After years of British beds, guest beds, futons and air beds, tonight Dean and I get to curl up in our very own pillow-topped pocket-coiled mattress, and we are excited.

The drive out was smooth and fun, with stops in Winnipeg, Minnesota and Indiana. Receiving our belongings tonight was a bit more eventful—the police made an appearance after our moving truck had been blocking traffic on the street for nearly an hour :)

Toronto is crisp and bustling. We've been schlepping all over it, picking up essentials like drivers licenses, car insurance, new phones, warm coats, and long underwear.

Our home and our neighbourhood are as great as I'd hoped. Can't wait to share them with you all, as soon as all these boxes are unpacked!

Who is Mukmuk?

While doing some research for an upcoming article about the Olympic mascots I stumbled across this little teaser for the late-addition Olympic 'sidekick' Mukmuk, created by those heralds of cuteness at Meomi Design.

It had to be shared.

If you, like me, were confused by the sudden appearance of a fourth mascot, allow me to fill in some gaps. Mukmuk isn't an official mascot, just 'virtual' one (ie. another toy to buy, but won't be making a live appearances at a mall near you). He is a Vancouver Island marmot who, apparently, hopped a BC ferry to cheer on the Kokanee hockey team. Watch for more details in the near future!

moving day and more on baby Kintyre

2,000 some-odd lbs of books and furniture are now in a truck, on their way to Toronto. I spent much of the last couple weeks puttering around in a 5'6 crawl space (perfect for me! uncomfortable for Dean) re-boxing and consolidating all our worldly possessions. I am certainly excited to finally use all those wedding gifts I put in storage three years ago!

For those of you who are curious about the mysterious mummified baby who was discovered in our soon-to-be home, I stumbled across the libretto for the CBC radio opera that was based on the discovery. Our lovely friend Kelly heard it on the radio last night—just a couple hours after we'd been telling her about it! It's a quick read, broken into five parts, that offers an interesting perspective on how baby Kintyre may have found its grave in the floorboards of our attic.

Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four
Part five

Listen to the whole thing here.

Fitness Club Fiasco/Allosaurus

This time next week Dean and I will be in Saskatchewan loading up Karl (our Honda) for the big trip to Toronto.

Both of us have really warmed to the idea of living in Canada's mega-city—largely because we are sick of cross-Atlantic flights, but also because it will be so refreshing to live in a BIG city at last. Sure I was in London four days a week last year, but I didn't have the freedom to decide at 9pm (on a school night) that I wanted to go see a gig, knowing I could have a good night out and still be in bed by midnight.

Last week, on my first night in Toronto with Jess, we did just that. And if I were keeping score T.Sweet-style, I'd have to say: big point for Toronto.

From her King Street loft, 15 minutes and $5 landed Jess and me in the basement of Clinton's on College Street for sets from two killer Canadian bands that you should probably make a mental note of:

Fitness Club Fiasco - a cross between Death Cab and STARS, and maybe a bit of Mates of State thrown in. These Canadians have set up camp in Bristol and are already making a good impression on the Brits. They certainly made an impression on me. (woo, thanks Leah for letting me know that this is a TWU outpost! nice.)

Allosaurus - I can't remember what I did more of during this show: laugh or dance. I did a lot of both— Dancing because these techno beats were seriously fun, and laughing because of the most committed '80s get-ups I've seen since 1990, wickedly bad dance moves and because the two guys that make up Allosaurus obviously get a major kick out of each other.

29 Kintyre and the mystery baby

SUBTITLE: No Longer Homeless

good news kids! Dean and I have a new home!

I am always meeting new people, and have made numerous acquaintances this week in Toronto. When they invariably ask where I live, I've had to give a very long-winded answer about being FROM Vancouver, but most recently living in Oxford, and before that Aberdeen, but in 20 days (yep, less than three weeks), being a resident of Toronto.

But as of today, I can simply say I live in Riverside (and supposedly people in Toronto will know that I mean...). This evening I signed the lease on our new apartment in a little old house just off of Queen East, and I am chuffed. Queen East is in the midst of incredible gentrification, making it a lot like Main St in Vancouver — still a little edgy, but full of independent shops and restaurants.

As my new landlord took me through the space that she and her husband have lovingly restored, she explained that the house is actually famous and has secured it prime spot in Toronto lore.

Why? Three years ago, in the midst of renovations, the contractor found a bundled package in the rafters. He tossed the package down and peeled back the decaying blanket to discover a mummified baby! Read the story here.

no pants subway ride 2010

This story answers some major questions I had while waiting for a Toronto streetcar last night.

welcome to Toronto, Amanda. We go trouser-less in -10 degrees and you are complaining in your down jacket!

They breed 'em tough out east.

best of 2009

I'm in the midst of a rare treat: An evening all by myself in a sexy downtown Toronto loft. The perfect night to curl up with a new book :)

It's a weekend of apartment hunting. So far I've had 5 viewings—1 hit and 4 misses. There are three more to see tomorrow and then I'll make my final call. I'll give you a hint though: I discovered that I'm through with charm and character. I want something NEW, CLEAN and BRIGHT. Crown mouldings and fireplaces don't turn me on anymore unless they are accompanied by a dishwasher, a second bathroom and a 24 hour gym.

I am crashing for the weekend with an adorable young lady, who was once my 'youth group kid' and can now be certifiably called my friend (doncha love when that happens) and a really fantastic musician, and I need to shout out to her for her gracious hosting: Thanks Jess Janz!

But without further ado, I bring you my top ten reads of 2009:

1.    The Road by Cormac McCarthy

I read this book on a cross-Atlantic flight. I was riveted. I ignored the inflight entertainment and kept myself awake until I had finished it. No book of 2009 moved me like this. I went in with no preconceived notions of this book – I hadn’t even read the back cover – and relished pondering the mystery of what had caused this barren and burnt landscape and then discovering the answer for myself.

2.    American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

Based on the life of former first lady Laura Bush, this book is structured according to three major life incidents: accidentally killing a young friend in a high school car accident, becoming a librarian and meeting her future husband while in her 30s, and of course, being the wife of a doofus who becomes president. Sittenfeld actually gave me some sympathy for both George W and Laura. American Wife is not a short book, but if it were twice as long I wouldn’t have complained.

3.    The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

I am a sucker for books about India. This one didn’t disappoint. It was witty, colourful, dealt with the class divide and all of India’s special quirks. It was really sad at times and laugh out loud hilarious at others.

4.    A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemmingway

This book totally exceeded my expectations and contained many of my favourite things: Paris, snobby literary circles, romance, celebrity gossip, trips through Europe, scandal etc etc. I have dreamed of books like this, then I found it.

5.    The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

I can’t pinpoint exactly why I loved this book. Indeed the language was beautiful, and it documents a tumultuous affair and loveable cuckold of a husband, but those aren’t why I love it. To me it was just this perfectly rounded, complete object that pulled me in and kept me in suspense even though, Green tells us exactly how the book would end in the first 20 pages. That takes skill.

6.    Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

I bring this book up in conversations to sound wise and worldly, but also because I think everyone (especially Christians) should read it. It’s about a boy who was raised a girl (vague genitalia and a careless doctor) and finds out when she/he’s a teenager. It tackled lots of grey areas with eloquence… oh yah, and won a Pulitzer.

7.    Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

This was my first graphic novel and it ruled. It’s about a progressive/communist family dealing with an oppressive Muslim Iranian government in the ’80s. It was especially poignant because my sister is in the Middle East right now – I can’t wait to loan it to her when she gets home!

8.    Microserfs by Douglas Coupland

This book is basically prophetic. Nobody knows modern culture like Coupland. I loved reading, from the present, his depiction of Microsoft/Silicon Valley in the 90s and seeing how his predictions have manifested themselves. He gets it dead on.

9.    Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome

Maybe this book was particularly special because it’s set on the stretch of the Thames between London and Oxford (hello, that’s a familiar commute!) but I don’t think you need to know England to find this book ridiculously funny. Read my previous review here.

10. The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

Minorly predictable, but so wonderfully written that you excuse it. This is about the rise and fall of a crazy old lady in her youth, and the doctor who is treating her. I just got swept up in this book and couldn’t put it down. That makes a gooder in my books.

2009 books

Happy new year everyone!

2010 is going to be defined by major changes like a new city, new jobs and who knows what other surprises. 2009, on the other hand, was defined by books!

I crammed a lot of reading into my daily commute between Oxford and London. I don't miss that haul, but I do miss the hours I spent wrapped up in my scarf, forgetting the grumpy commuters around me while immersed in an awesome read. I read more books this year than any previous year and probably any future year. Here they are below - watch this space for my list of 2009 winners and losers (or in the meantime, read last year's).

2009 books

January

1.    Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

2.    The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

3.    STori Telling by Tori Spelling (oh yes I did)

4.    Love & Respect by Emmerson Eggerichs

5.    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arther Conan Doyle

February

6.    Microserfs by Douglas Coupland

7.    ‘Tis by Frank McCourt

8.    The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde

9.    Persuasion by Jane Austen

10.  Books vs Cigarettes by George Orwell

March

11.  Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

12.  My Uncle Oswald by Roald Dahl

13.  The Mysterious Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

April

14. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

15. A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh

16. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

17. Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

May

18. The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

19. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winnifred Watson

20. Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders by John Mortimer

21.  A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemmingway

22.  The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich

June

23. TM McSweeney’s issue no. 30 (short stories)

24. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

July

25. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

26.  Under the Net by Iris Murdoch

27. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

August

28. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

29. Making Conversation by Christine Longford

30. Saturday by Ian McEwan

31. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

32. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

September

33. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

34. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

35. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

October

36. Keep the Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell

37. The Potato Factory by Bryce Courtenay

38. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

November

39. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome

40. The Great Divorce by CS Lewis

41. The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

December

42. Inspector Morse:The Wench is Dead by Colin Dexter

43. At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald

44. Jake’s Thing by Kingsley Amis

45. Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens

and books started but never finished:

The Sound of One Hand Clapping by Richard Flanagan (of the infamous book burning incident)

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens (not recommended as beach reading!)