the front lawn

2010 books

2011-01-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

It was a slower year for books (compared to 2009 and 2008, at least) but it was a year of really GOOD books... minus a couple embarrassing anomalies.
Here goes:

January
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
B is for Beer by Tom Robbins

February
Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

March
Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving

April
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill

May
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

June
Home by Marilyn Robinson
Four Souls by Louise Erdrich

July
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

August
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

September
Between the Assassinations by Aravind Adiga

October
Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi

November
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

December
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
The History of Love by Nicole Kraus
On Chesil Beach by Ian MacEwan

Because I only got polished off 21 books, it would hardly seem selective to share my top ten, so in the next week or so I'll narrow it down to my top six. Watch this space.

For my top picks from previous years, check out Best of 2009, and Best of 2008.

America the Beautiful

2010-12-06T12:35:00.000-08:00

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.

left coast

2010-11-29T11:14:00.001-08:00

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.

2010-10-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-13T09:49:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

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.

Zaac wins the Shore Song Search!

2010-08-01T10:43:00.001-07:00

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

2010-07-31T10:28:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-21T04:35:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

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

[image via NY Times]

giant

2010-06-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

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

hipster to hippie. a cautionary tale

2010-05-11T04:20:00.000-07:00

Another gem from Flavorpill:

Friday audio treat

2010-04-23T04:12:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-18T13:47:00.000-07:00

(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

2010-03-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-29T06:58:00.001-07:00

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

2010-03-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

[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

2010-03-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

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)

2010-03-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-27T06:48:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-23T13:25:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-23T10:47:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-02-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-15T04:28:00.000-08:00

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)

2010-02-13T08:53:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-12T14:00:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-10T18:44:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2010-02-02T20:24:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-02-02T14:16:00.001-08:00

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

2010-01-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-11T18:37:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-11T16:46:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-08T18:27:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-03T21:02:00.000-08:00

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!)

Toronto preparedness course

2009-12-27T13:33:00.000-08:00

One month from now Deano and I will be trucking along the Number One, eastward. Destination: Toronto, and our new lives therein.

I have been getting pretty excited about our cross-country/Atlantic move until I got off the plane in Saskatoon this week and met with a rude shock. Negative 25 degrees. There I was with no mitts, no toque, and a coat designed merely to ward off the evils of London's acrid rain—certainly not to cope with Siberian temperatures. Anything below -5 is a shock to this Vancourite's system, but surely these prairie temperatures are unlivable!

The funny thing is, I've endured Saskatchewan Decembers before, but this is the first year I've taken it personally. I realize that, come February, I too will be living in such a cruel climate, and frankly I'm not sure how I'll cope!

Since this holiday is the longest stretch I'v ever spent in the prairies (ten days!) I figure this time is meant to break me in... or beat me down... either way.

So I'm in the market for a warm coat and a sturdy pair of boots. Is it aiming too high to hope to find a marriage of function and fashion in both? Any tips?

merry christmas from the regiers

2009-12-25T10:06:00.000-08:00

budapest cont.

2009-12-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

budapest

2009-12-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

village past

2009-12-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

in the week or so before I left, Dean and I took one last little stroll through Stanton St John, just to say good bye. I shot film. The light was lovely that day.

home

2009-12-21T09:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry to be so quiet for so long - visits home always come with a dearth of downtime, and if that time finally does come I'm usually too exhausted to do anything but catch up on all the episodes of What Not to Wear I've been missing.

I got home over a week ago but, after a weekend with best friends, I plunged right away into work at my old stomping grounds, TWU. I set up camp at my old desk and spent five days working on copy for the magazine, notably including a feature on a fascinating artist/prof who survived a heart attack last year and is incorporating her experience (and the moving GIF from her angiogram) into her current art.

Tomorrow I take the first of five cross-Canada flights this month, as I go to join my hubby in Saskatoon/Swift Current for the holidays. And tonight I'll finally indulge in the sushi I've been craving since my last visit. Not a bad start to the week, I'd say.

my debt to britain

2009-12-09T03:45:00.000-08:00

I am in the throes of packing and editing a magazine and squeezing in all my goodbyes, so blogging is about to go on hold for another week, but before I sign off, it would be a shame to leave Britain without a short tribute.

Typical that after 3.5 years of longing to be back in North America, I am now becoming awe-fully aware of all the things I have loved about the UK. When I am back on Canadian soil I'll surely have a list of all the things/people I'm grateful to be reconnected with, but just for now, a list of the wonderful things that Britain has given me, for which I am deeply indebted:

+ a vastly expanded vocabulary which now includes irreplaceable words like chuffed, manky, and twoddle
+ a love for strong milky tea (multiple times a day)
+ clotted cream
+ a seriously impressive shoe collection
+ a killer curriculum vitae
+ endless design inspiration
+ Orla Kiely :)
+ Jamie and Living Etc magazines
+ cheap access to the Continent (this year: Prague, Paris, Barcelona and Budapest!)
+ incredible friendships in three fascinating cities

thanks to all who played a part in such a memorable three years! We'll miss you guys.

Story of Origin

2009-12-02T02:52:00.000-08:00

My first foray into creative writing in a very long time is now live at Canada's best new creative journal, This Great Society.

Other highlights in this issue:
Battleaxe Sweetheart (short story by a super talented writer in UComm)
Level Playing Field (series of paintings juxtaposing classic and modern ideals)
One of my Own (essay by fellow PA alum, Linnea McNally Jenkins)

good news from TO

2009-12-02T00:34:00.001-08:00

Toronto has had its first snow-free November in 162 years.

... now if it could just hold off another 11 months.

bye bye chapel

2009-11-30T07:35:00.000-08:00

It is a gorgeous, COLD, clear autumn day in Stanton St John. I just cleared a giant pile of leaves from the Chapel's front steps, in anticipation of the movers coming later this week.

The sparse tree branches out there are a good metaphor for what the Chapel looks like indoors - pretty sparse! Pictures are off the walls, bookshelves are empty, and all we have to show for three years of life in the UK is in four big boxes.

Maybe it's fitting then, that I finally show you all (those of you who haven't already seen these on FB) what the Chapel looked like at the height of summer - voila! a much overdue house tour, here on the front lawn!

Downstairs: Living, kitchen, entry and a little loo

Upstairs: one lovely big master suite with bathroom and dressing area (and my "office" of course). I'll miss coming to work here every day!

it's not the seaside, but...

2009-11-26T04:05:00.000-08:00

My permanent life in England ends in exactly two weeks tomorrow and I'm making good progress on my to-do list—I cooked up a powerful rogan josh on Tuesday, I'm nearly finished the third of my four books, I've shot 1.5 rolls of film, tromped in the Cotswalds and visited some new London spots.

Tomorrow I'm spending the night with friends in London, after which I plan to cross items 1 (one last west end show) and 6 (Cath Kidston goodies) off my list.

So that leaves evensong at New College (Sunday!), the Ashmolean (maybe Wednesay when the Queen will be there!) and finally, a visit to the sea.

That last item will, sadly, remain uncrossed off, but with good reason - rather than chilling by the Atlantic, I'll be chilling (well, freezing probably) by the Danube! Dean and I just booked a weekend in Budapest with our awesome friends Chris and Heather. yippee!!!

*********************************************
Moving sale update: the iPod dock has sold, and the Eames chair is off the market. We didn't really want to sell it anyway. The Habitat bench is still up for grabs at a reduced rate of £65. Any takers?

big top wedding

2009-11-26T01:32:00.000-08:00

The photos from this NYC wedding made my morning. I sorta laughed my way through the entire slideshow, wishing I had seen this spectacle for myself!

[via Jeremy&Kathleen]

the seafarers

2009-11-25T06:06:00.000-08:00

The Seafarers - Sea of Love from Eighty Four Films on Vimeo.

via we love you so

for sale!

2009-11-25T03:04:00.000-08:00

If you live in Oxford, or even southern England, the following may interest you:

We're selling stuff!

Click on the listed items to learn more.

Habitat oak Radius bench
Eames eiffel dsr chair
Philips micro hi-fi (iPod, CD, USB, bluetooth etc)

email me at thefrontlawn@gmail.com if you're interested.

2 down (8 to go) - Exmouth Market & IWM

2009-11-23T00:52:00.000-08:00

A Swedish housewarming brought me to London this past week, and since I was making the trip anyway, I decided to make a day of it and cross another item off my leaving-England-to-do list: explore a new London neighbourhood.

I had three sites in mind, actually, and a view to take my time and see whatever I may along the way.

First, inspired by this photo and a recent interest in pie, I took myself to Exmouth market, near Angel. In the end I passed on the pie and instead grabbed myself a bagel, a cappuccino and a window seat at Brill - notably one of the best London coffee shops I've found (cosy, friendly, perfectly priced, delicious coffee and great tunes played at that magic volume for getting a spot of work done and brilliant eastend people-watching when you need a distraction). In addition to good coffee, Exmouth had some amazing stationery, gift and book shops: all the makings of a great London find in my books.

From there I ventured south of the Thames to the Imperial War Museum. This visit was partially inspired by some WWII posters I recently spotted in a mag, and my own research for an article that will be coming out here next week. This museum actually blew me away. There was so much more than I expected: a floor dedicated to the Holocaust, an exhibit on children in the war, the Blitz, spies in both wars and some incredible machinery. Not surprisingly, I actually spent the most time mooning over WWII and Cold War design and debating whether or not I have room for one more poster in my luggage.

I made one last stop on my way back to Baker Street, at Borough Market - one of my favourite corners of London - to pick up a housewarming gift and an overpriced cuppa from Monmouth. ah, bliss.

Now, admittedly, I'm a bit behind on my to-do list, but I have been doing plenty of other fun things in the meantime:

+queueing to see New Moon with all the pre-teens on Saturday night
+eating curbside falafels and chips
+meeting with sweet American friends for coffee
+having two lovely Londoners in Oxford for a day of clean air and hot drinks
+planning one last euro adventure before we leave (stay tuned!)

cotswold ramble (9 to go)

2009-11-17T03:42:00.000-08:00

This weekend I crossed the first item off my to-do-before-leaving-England list! There are still nine to go but I can happily double some of them up (stay tuned).

On Saturday we headed to Linacre College to pick up our friend Jeremy and his lovely fiancee (in town for a visit), Maren. After grabbing some requisite lattes, we went for a long drive along one of my favourite routes from Oxforshire to Worcestershire: through the flawless village of Burford, the alliteratively splendid Stow-on-the-Wold, and finally stopped in 'the gem of the Cotswolds' Broadway for a tromp through the fields and a pub lunch.

Next stop was Tudor-iffic Winchcombe, for a rainy walk to the Sudeley Castle. the Castle was closed for the winter but I was hoping for some Blenheim-like grounds to roam. All we got was a glimpse into the gardens and the use of a free loo.

All in all, a worthy farewell to the Cotswolds.

J Tillman (eating my words already)

2009-11-13T04:52:00.000-08:00

Dean got turned onto Robin Pecknold's side project White Antelope earlier this year but, as Camp Regier has been entirely oversaturated by Fleet Foxes, I didn't embrace it quite so wholeheartedly. It is good mind you, but I needed a break from Robin's admittedly wonderful vocals.

But it was definitely a treat today to discover another Fleet Foxes outpost courtesy of drummer Joshua Tillman. His tunes have some of that same FF fairytale quality, multi-part harmonies and 70s folk feel, but Josh's vocals are a refreshing change. and yes, Hillary, this is probably going to top Mumford and Sons in my 2009 listing.

Download his Daytrotter Session from SXSW here.

He is playing The Crocodile in Seattle on December 11th.

I suppose it would be foolish to attempt a drive down to Seattle on the very day I arrive from the UK?

Oxfordshire's (highly stylized) White Horse

2009-11-12T03:05:00.000-08:00

On a cold and foggy Sunday afternoon, three kids set out to see one of Oxfordshire's oldest unsolved mysteries - the White Horse.

For fans of crop circles and other pastoral quirks: the White Horse is said to be roughly 3000 years old. No one knows why it's there, or if it's even a horse, but at least since 1072 it's been referred to as one.

Dean, Tenelle and I donned our wellies to go check out the phenomenon. The fog rolled into the Vale of the White Horse at the same moment that we did. And fog aside, we discovered that it is nearly impossible to see the full white horse from land. (Scroll down to see the full creature in an aerial shot.) An airplane not at our disposal, here's the best we did (that's a tail, hind leg and back you see):

Tenelle, expecting a truer depiction of a horse, was a bit mystified. Later, when we stopped for lunch we discovered that she wasn't the only one who envisaged something that looked a bit more horse-like:

To be honest though, horse or no horse, this was one of the most beautiful British landscapes I've seen outside the Lake District. We made a short walk of it, but on a sunnier day and in better shoes, I might have taken up the Guardian on this suggested 16km route.

Given the conditions we did have, the highlight of the day was a stop at an Uffington pub for Sunday dinner - fish and chips for Dean, pork roast for me, and for Tenelle, that British pub favourite: ham, eggs and chips!

The White Horse from above:

one month list

2009-11-11T05:35:00.001-08:00

It's November 11.

Know what that means?

One month exactly until I leave the UK as a resident. Next time I set foot on this island I'll be nothing more than a tourist. An educated tourist, but a tourist all the same.

The last month has disappeared and I know that if I'm not intentional I will leave these shores with too much regret. Today I sat down and wrote a list - a list of all the (non-work-related) things I must do before I leave England.

Here goes:

1. see a West End show
2. tromp through a muddy field in a Cotswold village
3. go to the sea
4. cook lamb rogan josh for Dean
5. go to evensong at New College or Christchurch
6. purchase something in Cath Kidston's London print (see above!)
7. shoot 3 rolls of film
8. read 4 books
9. visit the newly remodeled Ashmolean museum
10. explore one London neighbourhood that I've yet to visit
bonus: book a bargain spa day in London :)

I better get moving. Stay tuned for progress reports!

Mumford & sons

2009-11-11T02:56:00.000-08:00

Potential to be a 2009 favourite, and I'm not sure why I never got around to listening to them until now—Mumford and Sons just made my morning.

This is pure, good folk with a Fleet Foxes-esque sound, but also little hits of Damien Rice. Major bonus is the refreshing banjo that lends it a maritime vibe.

Do have a listen.

rwanda: hope rises

2009-11-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

The other night we were showing some friends the trailer for a film that one of our most super-est talented-est friends has spent the last three years creating. It's like, the fifth time I've viewed this clip , but somehow it still always gets a reaction out of me.

Trevor made multiple trips to Rwanda with the help of his other super talented friends, to capture the story of a Rwandan couple who inadvertently found themselves on opposite sides of a tribal war - he is a Hutu and she is a Tutsi. They do an amazing job of capturing both the horror of those days, and also the hope and healing that Rwanda is experiencing now.

After years of watching latest edits and hearing about the evolution of this film, I'm happy to say it's finally available on DVD. I've already reserved my copy and highly recommend you do the same! Watch the trailer below or, better, watch it here so you can see the full screen.

Click here to learn more about the film and the production of it.

cruel

2009-11-10T05:21:00.000-08:00

Walking down Cornmarket this morning, in the rain, after my soggy paper bag dropped, and broke, a fresh jug of milk all over the ground, a pair of buskers were playing Summertime on the trumpet. With no hint of irony.

two cities

2009-11-09T00:40:00.000-08:00

I admit it, I'm a stalker.

I monitor with embarrassing frequency the goings on of one 'Vancouver, BC'

But ever since we got confirmation of our Toronto move, my attention has shifted (somewhat) to some preliminary TO research.

So, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm not only confessing, but also sharing my window into the lives of each lovely Canadian city.

Latest Vancouver reading:

Urban Outfitters' Vancouver blog - for art openings, fashion and general hipster fun

The Block magazine blog - I loved the Block, even when it attempted to be a hip suburban magazine, and I like it now, though it's maybe a bit too glitzy to truly reflect Vancouver style.

Latest Toronto reading:

From the guys who bring Beyond Robson to Vancouver, the slightly better BlogTO is keeping me apprised of relevant goings on in my future city.

Daily Dose of Imagery - the original photo blog, still going strong after all these years

And of course, I've been spending way too much time on CraigsList checking out flats for rent and mid-cen-mod furniture for sale.

seine, november 2006

2009-11-06T12:30:00.001-08:00

found some old photos tonight.

gearing up to say bye bye to europe.

treat for Domino mourners

2009-11-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

Sometimes Goop comes up with some great gems. Thanks Gwyneth!

In the latest issue i was tipped off to Lonny - a new web magazine from a former Domino editor and photographer. Yup, I'll still miss holding that glossy goodness in my hands each month, but I'll certainly take this as a next best!

from one big smoke to another

2009-11-05T07:22:00.000-08:00

Answers to your questions:

Dean was offered a job at the University of Toronto. And he took it.

He'll be doing roughly the same thing he's doing now, for around the same salary, but said salary goes a lot further in Canada and he'll be the unit's lead health economist, and he'll have his own office (a big selling point for Deano).

I'll be... writing and editing still, I imagine! Freelance is keeping me steadily employed these days, but I am missing the creative collaboration of a team. I will probably start looking for something permanent in early spring when my two big current projects wrap up.

yes, Dean is sad to leave his beloved England (will the Torontonians appreciate his British style? and where will he wear his Wellies? he wonders) but I'm mostly just sad to be leaving behind a few awesome friends.

Yes, Oxford is beautiful, full of history, culture and great architecture, but it is certainly not home.

and again, yes, admittedly Toronto isn't home either, but it's a heckuva lot closer, and has all this stuff going for it:
+ it cuts the Christmas commute in half
+ it puts me in prime proximity of this gal who is having a baby in Pennsylvania in May
+ it's Canada's publishing mecca
+ it gets HOT summers
+ it's on a major body of water (the Thames is not a major body of water, so forget what you were thinking)
+ it's a really big and pretty cool city - a big mash-up of cultures much like London, but with more places to park
+ we know a few people there who we like!

so i guess this is a fairly awesome thing.

Our timeline at the moment looks something like this:

Dec 11. Amanda to Vancouver
Dec 16. Dean to Saskatchewan
Dec 22. Amanda to Saskatchewan
Jan 1. Dean to Oxford, Amanda to Vancouver
Jan 7-11. Amanda to TO for apartment hunting!
Jan 16. Dean's last day of work!
late Jan. Dean to Vancouver
early Feb. D+A move to Ontario!

We look forward to seeing MANY of you while we're in Vancouver, Sask, and before we leave Ox, and we will have a guest room in Toronto for all you visitors.

oh shoot, I forgot to mention

2009-11-04T01:28:00.000-08:00

we're moving.

Details tomorrow.

anthropologie at last

2009-11-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting a long time for this Regent Street shop to finally open, and open it is! Complete with suspended narwhale and a living wall.

Bracing for a visit next week. Londoners, please, don't push.

discovery weekend

2009-11-03T05:35:00.000-08:00

In a very few days we will reach the 16 month mark in our Oxford life.

In fact, it's just over three years since I first picked up and moved to the UK to join Dean in his second year of PhD studies at the University of Aberdeen.

We've seen A LOT in our first couple years in Britain - most of Scotland, the south coast of Wales, we've seen Kent, the Dorset coast and the Lake District, we've rambled our way through nearly a dozen Cotswold villages, and I can now find my way around London without a map (sometimes)... but for such a tiny island, Britain has so much to see!

This weekend I started composing a mental list of everything I still want to do in England - starting with activities right here in Oxford, extending all the way down to the southernmost tip of Cornwall. Every weekend from now until December 11 (when I head home for Christmas), I plan to cross at least one item off my list.

And this weekend we crossed off two!

Saturday took us to the Oxford Botanic Gardens. Sure, it's autumn, but that doesn't make plants any less fascinating.

Sunday we Jazzed up to Birmingham to see if the Brummies are as dumb as they sound (just kidding! only some of them were) and if the shopping lived up to its own reputation. It did!

cassette from my ex

2009-10-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but there is a box in my parents' basement filled with small black and grey tokens of sentiment - treasures that I cannot throw away. They may never grace another ghetto blaster, but they are an analog archive of my romantic history.

Mix tapes, yes actual tapes. There is still nothing better - that dull click between songs to help you anticipate what comes next; static to usher in Side B; and the knowledge that someone spent actual TIME on this, for YOU - and only made ONE copy.

So I am inclined to think that this book is fairly awesome and would be equally fun to read as it would be to curate. One day I would love to sit down with many of you and get your mix tape stories. stay tuned.

Canadians are nice

2009-10-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

Further confirmation of what we all already know: Canadians are a kind and polite people group.

I have heard enough consular nightmares from friends here in London to dread the approaching day when my passport would expire. With only a little more than a month remaining before I am due home (December 11th, mark your calendars), and only two weeks remaining of passport validity, this week I braced myself and blocked out an entire day to spend at Canada House.

My passport application process up to now had not gone smoothly. The photos I had initially taken were not to Canadian passport standards (for a quick fix to this problem I highly recommend a visit to to Passport Photo Service on Oxford St, who had my regulation size mugshots ready in 2 minutes); I couldn't find a single doctor, lawyer or notary who had known me for more than two years and all of my UK ID is under a different name than my Canadian ID. You can see why I might have thought the actual submission process would be a sordid affair.

In fact, with much credit to the Canadian High Commission, it was a really pleasant process. I even got a hug.

some nice things i learned about Canadians:
+ Canadians take a number when they are asked to
+ In spite of what number is called, Canadians are polite enough to let the fretting retiree with a lost passport go first
+ Canadians smile at you when you join them in a room
+ Canadians will offer to help you track down your nephew's phone number in Regina, using their Blackberry (me! this was me!)
+ Canadians will give you a giant grandma-hug for helping in the smallest way.

I was in and out of Canada House in 30 minutes with a patriotic smile on my face.

Hogwarts High

2009-10-28T08:32:00.000-07:00

What if Harry Potter had been written and adapted 20 years earlier? (click to enlarge)

[via FlavourWire]

the new A-Team

2009-10-28T02:40:00.000-07:00

is anyone else stupidly excited about this?

rambling

2009-10-26T03:44:00.001-07:00

happy Monday!

we've got a full weekend behind us including brunch with two old friends and one new one, a ramble through STJ's footpaths, dinner at a quintessentially Italian spot and drinks at a quintessentially Oxford spot, church, the world's best tomato soup, another ramble - this one through Blenheim's park grounds and finally a quiet night of reading by the fire.

I love full weekends. By Monday I feel like I can accomplish ANYTHING. Though so far this one has just involved email catchup, picture posting and an entire pot of earl grey :)

the ten commandments of rocking

2009-10-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

#3 Thou shalt put real thought into choosing a name. There hath been enough bands named after wolves and bears and whales and goats and every other beast that creepeth upon the earth.

Read the rest here.

Oxford books

2009-10-22T03:01:00.000-07:00

So many of the best British authors I've read this year hail from Oxbridge (and notably a lot of wonderful people I've met this year do too!) but I find there's something a bit magical in reading books that are actually set in the city where I live. In Aberdeen the choices were few, but here in Oxford all kinds of literary greats set their scenes.

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome. This book isn't set in Oxford per se, but it is about three hypochondriacs in London who decide to take a wee boat trip up the Thames to this fine city where they spend two days in the final chapter of the book. It was originally meant to be a travel guide, relating all the history along the way, but evolved into a funny narrative with some good historical tidbits too.

Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. One of my favourite books of all time, but not suggested for those who want a quick uplifting read! Scandalous for the time it was written and really tragic, but beautiful all the same. It is set in a fictionalised Oxford called Christminster where Jude is a stonemason with scholarly aspirations who meets some holdups along the way. I liked the playful way Hardy refers to actual places in Oxford - renaming the neighbourhood of Jericho 'Beersheba' and making up college names like 'Biblioll College'.

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. I picked up a vintage Penguin edition of this in Wales this summer. Okay, so I haven't read it yet, but I DID read A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh plus i saw (most of) this film, and indeed it was muchly filmed in Oxford. The book itself features Hertford and Christchurch colleges and Waugh is undoubtedly a skilled author. What more could you want?

Inspector Morse by Colin Dexter. In fact there are 13 Inspector Morse novels, written over 22 years, each entirely set in Oxford. Sure it's not highbrow, but the books do have a loyal following, further abetted by the TV series based on the books. Who'd think a peaceful city like Oxford would be home to so many brutal deaths (Note: Morse eventually passed on and the show was turned over to his assistant, INspector Lewis. The joke here in Stanton St John is that the village sees a few murders each year, but a film crew always cleans up the evidence). I have a used copy of The Wench is Dead which I really must read before we leave England for good!

Finally, honorable mention goes to Penelope Lively's book The House in Norham Gardens , actually a children's novel, which is set on our former street in Central Oxford.

jimmy choo for H&M

2009-10-21T01:08:00.000-07:00

no kidding. These should be fun.

bookclubbing: how to

2009-10-20T01:53:00.001-07:00

This week has been a bit reminiscent of my uni days as I've been madly trying to make my way through a 750-page novel in time for my London book club on Wednesday. The book arrived last Wednesday which means I'm ploughing through a dense 100 pages per day. Thank goodness my Oxford book club is reading a manageable novella this month!

Em, yep, you read right, I'm keeping up with two book clubs at the moment - one, a random assortment of expat women who have come to Oxford for their own or their husbands' studies/work; the other, a more intentionally selected group of London Business School book nerds.

I've come to embrace my participation in such a supremely nerdy to-do because frankly, as a newcomer in a city, I've found there is no better way to connect with likeminded women - and I am a pro at being a newcomer! To put things in context, in three years of marriage we have lived in three cities and I have moved house a total of six (SIX!) times.

My bookclubbing odyssey began at my Aberdeen Starbucks. An American customer learned that I was from Vancouver, where she once lived, and that we had mutual acquaintances there. We were reading the same book so she invited me to join her and some other ladies to talk about it. Their ages spanned four decades, but they were all fascinating women with insight and stories to tell. Bookclub was the highlight of my month. I liked those ladies so much, I joined them on a weekend retreat at a Scottish abbey. (photographic evidence below!)

[image courtesy of Becky Holloway]

In Oxford it came about much the same way - a church acquaintance tipped me off about a group of expat women who read and I turned up, book in hand, to meet a room full of really wonderful strangers! In London, bookclub is a good way to ensure I get into town at least once a month to catch up with those lovely ladies.

Since I've started telling friends back home about my bookclubbing I've been peppered with questions about how to do it. While I don't think there's a formula, here are some suggestions

Where to meet:

In Oxford we meet in homes around town. Those of us with enough space take turns hosting and usually that person puts on a little spread of goodies and maybe some wine to loosen tongues.

In London we meet in a pub - one that we know will have a table large enough for us all and that will be quiet enough for the first hour at least. We each pitch in a fiver, which supplies about two bottles of wine and a few bags of crisps.

What to read:

As a rule, all three of my bookclubs have been fiction only.

In Oxford we read only British authors, ideally those who were Oxford-based at some point (Lewis, Evelyn Waugh, Iris Murdoch etc)

In London our very international group is reading books from each of the countries represented - Canada, N.Ireland, Sweden, Australia and England!

Best to pick something meaty, but not too long. Up to 300 pages is manageable for even the working moms. Choose something too light and you'll be short of topics to discuss (While we all loved Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day it didn't sustain conversation too long!)

How to discuss:

We take a pretty organic approach in Oxford. Whomever picked the book will give opening impressions and explain why she picked the book, then we open up the floor from there.

Things in London are a bit more regimented. She who picks the book leads the discussion and has questions prepared, and everyone else has one discussion question ready just in case - it makes for really in depth conversation, but boy is it hard to not get sidetracked!!!

Who to join

In Oxford we agree to a date at the end of each meeting and stick to it. Everyone seems to finish to book in time, whether we like it or not.

In London the dates slide to accommodate work or social calendars and because we all know one another, we seem to be less diligent in finishing the book on time!

While the idea of discussing great books with friends is incredibly appealing, experience shows that you're more accountable to a group of strangers/new friends than a group of your besties. Too often you may opt for a good ol' catch up over a serious literary discussion.

Next time: a list of my favourite Oxford-themed literature :)

50,000

2009-10-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

This morning the front lawn reached a nice rounded 50,000 hits! oh, i know this number is small by some comparisons, but I was chuffed nevertheless. With the ease of FB and Twitter updates, I sometimes wonder if I am the only one who reads blogs anymore (and likewise, sometimes wonder if my mother is the only one who reads mine!) but little milestones like this warm the cockles of my heart and make me want to write more often then I currently do. Thanks to those of you who keep coming back!

anyway, you're all thinking, "yah Amanda, why don't you write more? You live you in an awesome cottage in the Cotswalds and get to go to London quite regularly" (I know you're thinking this because many of you said it when I was home last month). But the fact is, life in England is pretty quiet. I work at home where excitement is watching the leaves change colour, successfully lighting our woodstove, or starting a new book, and in London my adventures are usually confined to a Baker Street pub and Business School gossip.

Actually, this week I resolved to take myself on a wee adventure or two, and that I did: on Wednesday, this constituted a visit to a favourite London spot, the V&A, and then yesterday we took Anni on a tour of Brick Lane and some late night shopping at Oxford Circus. Maybe it's time I determined to make my English life as exciting as you all assume it is...

happy thanksgiving!

2009-10-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

okay, so I'm four days late, but it's no less exciting to have the smell of pumpkin cake wafting through the house. We're celebrating tomorrow with our dear northern friend Anni and her Canadian friend Marko, who are coming to spend the weekend at our chapel! My favourite pumpkin sheet cake is just out of the oven and a wee turkey is thawing in the fridge. This is such a yummy time of year!

While I wait for it to cool, I'm wrapping up a press bio for my super talented friend Zaac Pick (whose beautiful song 'Drifters' was features on One Tree Hill the other week) - it's one of those rare fun projects with plenty of freedom for finesse.

I gave myself a bit of a holiday yesterday, spending the afternoon in London, at the V&A, followed by a much overdue pub night with a gaggle of lovely ladies from the Business School so today is all about buckling down, AND getting the house in tip top shape. Speaking of which, while I posted photos of our house on Facebook, i'm not sure they ever made their way here to the frontlawn. House tour and a photo tour of our little village is forthcoming, right after the 'holiday' weekend :)

walk the line

2009-10-13T06:05:00.001-07:00

First Aid Kit, covering Johnny Cash, in Paris...

back to school

2009-10-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a class. Nothing serious. The sort of thing you might expect a widowed retiree or a bored mom (mum?) to do - except it's at Oxford which, I suppose, gives it a bit of credibility.

Today was my first day of school and I may have been the only 20-something in the class. The retirees and me. We're learning to write fiction! A writer I may be, but making up stories from scratch is not my forte. I'll let you know if I show any promise in the end.

Our 78-year-old instructor had me a bit nervous with her dual hearing aids and slow stutter, but it was obvious she had a spark... a spry certain something. A quick bit of research reveals that she has earned her stripes - grew up mostly in Rhodesia and came back to Oxford where she met her Indian husband while waiting tables. She spent nearly two decades in India running a dairy farm until they returned to England with all of £10 to their names. Most notably, I also learned, she and her husband practice yogic flying every day. Now there's a woman with some stories to tell!

back from home

2009-10-07T04:58:00.000-07:00

I'm home! or rather, I'm back! When you live far from home it's hard to know what to call each place. My recent emails to family must surely be confusing as I use the word to describe the place I've just come from and the place I've just arrived. The very nature of the word seems to imply that home can only be one place, and that does resonate with me.

So what's what? Can home actually be just the place where you pay rent and store your things and have the contents of the pantry memorized, or is it always going to be the place where you became you alongside the people who helped make you that way, regardless of whether or not you still have a bedroom there? Dean likes to remind me that home is where your heart is, so I guess my home covers a thin line connecting Oxford to Vancouver/Island via Swift Current.

My heart must be pretty stretchy.

Since I returned to the UK, I've been submerged in a cloud of jet lag, but have also managed to get out and about to welcome my friend Jeremy to his new life in Oxford and to chat Orwell with my fantastic bookclub girls. I also started a new gig at St Aldates where I'll be offering up my communication skills once a week from here on out!

And what did I get up to in Vancouver? Well, plenty. Here are some photos from the few times I actually remembered to pull out the camera!

Nathan's world-class Asian-fusion in Victoria

Three-year-old Rowyn's Tai Kwon Do bow in Parksville

Two of my favourite city girls braving the Van Island outback for a day

Kelly, myself and Nina celebrating Julie's 29th birthday!

A couple of Scots in Vancouver after a record-breaking downpour

Me and cutie Josh in Coquitlam

A HUGE thank-you to the many people who hosted me, treated me to coffees, lunches, dinners and belly laughs. I love you kids.

sartorial wish list

2009-09-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I could put this beside a good half-dozen names on my Christmas shopping list. In the meantime, I might just get a copy for myself...

hey, iPhone users!

2009-09-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

When you get tired of 'writing on steam', 'popping bubble wrap' or 'throwing trash in the garbage can' here's a smart app you can download for your iPhone!

From my favourite publisher of clever, modern short fiction, McSweeney's: Small Chair. Includes interviews, videos and of course those beloved short stories!
[via flavourpill]

oh canada!

2009-09-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

I've been back on my home turf for two weeks as of tomorrow and have been reveling in the sunny weather, cheap restaurant food, loving family and fun friends. In the meantime, the digital world has taken a bit of a back seat and frankly, I'm enjoying it that way.

Here's the itinerary so far

4 days of adorable nephews, nieces, in-laws (sisters, brothers, parents, cousins, grandparents... whew!), thrifting, boating, Tim Horton's-ing, and learning to ride a motorbike!!

1 yummy & sunny beachside picnic

5 days of working on a gorgeous magazine at TWU, a lunch-date-a-day, dinners with friends and a haircut

1 brunch with five of my favourite PA friends & co., followed by coffee with a long lost highschool bestie (yup, I just used that word!)

right now I'm in the middle of 6 glorious days on Vancouver Island which so far have included churching, prawning, middle-aged aerobicizing, jogging through the forest with our family pooch and icecream cake with the Dumont kidlets. whew!

Today I'm off to Victoria to see the first of four babies I'll be visiting this trip.

Just over a week to go!

nevermind the gap

2009-09-18T15:41:00.000-07:00

Visit the Curator to read my latest article about my love affair with the London bus!

too sweet to eat

2009-09-07T01:59:00.000-07:00

I have a major thing for old typewriters and one of the things I miss most here in the UK is my gorgeous old portable, currently in storage in my auntie's basement. Love letters, poems, and even to-do lists, they all just look cooler when manually punched out in faded ink.

Four years ago, a couple of art school grads set up the most incredible stationary-ish shop on Main Street: the Regional Assembly. New mom Christina actually tipped me off to this - the store hosts a monthly letter writing club - complete with paper and vintage typewriters for use, free of charge. It just keeps getting better! They also have a gallery devoted to handmade/self published books. So let's add this up: a shop full of my favourite things (letterpressed cards + vintage office supplies like file cabinets and CANCELLED stamps + buttons + self published literature + closet sized reading room) that's situated on my favourite street, in my favourite city. If you added in a shelf full of Persephone books, I might walk in one day and think I had died and found my way to heaven.

but anyway, all this to say, when I set my eyes upon this typewriter cake at Design*Sponge this morning I was pretty sure that it was the COOLEST THING EVER. And when I read on to learn that it was created in honour of the Regional Assembly of Text's fourth birthday, I was convinced.

more first aid kit

2009-09-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

Last night i was reluctant to go out to the pub after a viewing of the latest Almodovar flick (i was sleepy, okay!), but I gotta admit I was grateful that hubby dragged me along once we spotted a promo poster for swedish darlings First Aid Kit who are gracing our very own Jericho Tavern next month.

In honour of my excitement for this event, another video:

introducing...

2009-09-05T01:59:00.001-07:00

after much fiddling and too little web design savvy, I'm nonetheless pleased to introduce frontlawncreative.com!

... for all your copywriting / editing / project management needs.

I'm in business over here! Managing to fill much of my work week with various projects, but always happy for more.

Drop me a note and I'll send you a quote. (it rhymes.)

chapel preview

2009-09-04T03:39:00.000-07:00

I keep promising a tour of our new place, but the kitchen just never stays clean long enough to photograph it! Here's a little preview of a favourite reading nook, and our scandalous open-concept bed/dressing/bath room :)

another invasion

2009-09-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

Spotting tiled Space Invaders is one of my favourite Euro pastimes. No trip to Paris or east London is complete without at least a few sightings. Thus I'm quite pleased that the little pixellated aliens have expanded their reach in London. Can't wait to start spotting the newcomers.

*POSTSCRIPT* In response to Claire's question, "What are these?": It's just street art, like graffiti, created by a guy who goes by the moniker, Invader. The little space invaders are inspired by the 70s/80s video game called, of course, Space Invaders. Think pac-man era, very pixelated video games. i think my friend Christopher had this on his Atari when we were little :) Anyway, Invader posts his work in cities all over the world. Read more about it here.

Tom's Diner

2009-08-31T02:44:00.000-07:00

When Dean's parents came to visit us a couple months ago they brought with them a giant case of CDs that we'd been stashing at their house for the last few years. Since this week was one of long drives (twice to Heathrow and once to Ikea) I've been reliving my history by circulating through dozens of mix tapes acquired in the last decade.

Today I popped in one tellingly titled Manda's May Pick-me-up, circa 2004* which, along with undergrad faves like the Thrills and Dido, had the unexpected addition of Suzanne Vega's hypnotic memory-triggering beats. Oh, Tom's Diner, you drop me right back into a bus on a seventh grade field trip when we annoyed our teachers all the way to some community theatre or old folks' home endlessly singing "da da daa-da, da da-daa da" and stumbling over your not-at-all rhyming words.

I never really got that song as an 11-year-old and I suppose I thought it had some deeper meaning that was just over my head, sure to be discovered at a later date. But 18 years later it's still just a meaningless vignette that brings me great satisfaction to sing along with. I still know every word.

(*courtesy of Jules in honour of, probably, some prolonged/awkward breakup)

twins in windsor

2009-08-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

My gusty/adventurous twin sis is moving to the Middle East for six month to teach English. Lucky for me she had an eight-hour layover between flights, so I took myself to good old 'heafrow' to meet her. and then I took the both of us just down the road to Windsor for an overdue catchup. Later (she will hate me for this) I made her model her new wardrobe :) It's a good look Di!

a fine fellow

2009-08-24T02:16:00.001-07:00

Dean's PhD grad pics arrived in the mail last week. Funny/cute, right?

The photos were a good reminder that I've neglected to share some big recent news with all but a very few of you. Earlier this summer Dean was named a Fulford Research Fellow at Somerville College.

There's a lot about Oxford, we find, that requires explanation to outsiders (there's a lot that I still don't get), but one of those things is that the University is made up of 38 colleges - each one houses a few hundred students where they eat and sleep and take some of their tutorials with professors who are associated with that College. Some lectures or tutorials might take place at other colleges depending on what you are studying and what profs are most fit to teach the subject.

All that said, you can be a faculty member at Oxford without being connected to a college. For the last year Dean has worked at the NPEU - a department of the university - as a senior researcher. To have any hope of working your way up to professor status, however, you need a college association, so securing a fellowship (though most are unpaid) is a pretty big deal. They mean access to lecturing opportunities (which ARE paid), they look great on your CV, AND they mean you can have free lunch at the College whenever you feel so inclined. I, for one, am looking forward to the invites to fancy college bops! :)

Congrats Dean!

Orla a/w

2009-08-22T01:49:00.000-07:00

it's always a happy day when a new Orla Kiely collection comes out. take a peek here and tell me if I'm crazy to think I could totally make the adorable frock in the centre of page 6. The dress at right is also particularly lovely.

Alas, we're currently trying to live off one income in case my freelance contracts slow down... in the meantime I'll satisfy myself with a selection of £5 sale rack skirts from 'Primarni' (cringe away, Verity! ;) Photos coming soon!