Potsdam, New York

Left home 8 o'clock this morning and stopped at Joyceville, ON for some 83.9 cent a litre diesel. Pouring rain for much of the journey. No problem at Ogdensburg border crossing but the town was not what you'd call "inviting" so we pressed on to Potsdam.
'Ogdensburg, city (1990 pop. 13,521), St. Lawrence co., N N.Y., on the St. Lawrence River at the mouth of the Oswegatchie, in a resort area, opposite Prescott, Ont. (with which it is connected by an international bridge); settled by French missionaries and trappers 1749, inc. as a city 1868. A variety of light industrial products are made there; two state prisons are important to the local economy. In the city is a museum with works of Frederic Remington, who lived in Ogdensburg." Source=answers.com
We check into the Clarkson Inn and have a siesta before heading out for dinner at Sergi's Italian Restaurant on Market Street where the service is sketchy. We order an ensalata caprese but the waitress says, "The owner is out and we can't find the cheese."

Elora

To Elora where we view the famed gorge and take a walking tour of the town. By the river we discover derelict indusrial buildings and enjoy taking photos and conjecturing as to the history of the area.

We have lunch at the Desert Rose Cafe a funky vegetarian restaurant at 130 Metcalfe Street. I opt for a soup and half sandwich combo. Yummy cream of asparagus is the soup of the day and I order it with a tofu spread sandwich: "A delicious mixture of organic tofu, finely chopped celery, carrots, parsely, and a hint of garlic. It tastes like egg salad!"

Guelph via VIA

I take the subway to Union Station and line up to buy a one-way ticket to Guelph, a stop on the Toronto-Sarnia line. There are six employees behind three wickets but only one person is serving folk in the increasingly long queue. I'm wondering if I should have stuck with Greyhound, my usual mode of travel.

With my $24.38 ticket in hand, I go in search of coffee. We board promptly at 10:40 and depart on schedule at 10:55.

I've never been on this particular line and struggle at times to pin point where exactly in the city we are until I catch sight of a familiar bridge or other landmark.

It goes without saying that you've got more "personal space" on a VIA car than the on the "hound". You also get views of city and landscapes you don't get blatting along the 401. One can even purchase drinks and snacks on board, although when a fellow passenger pays $1.75 for a bottle of water, I'm glad I bought my coffee at Union Station.

After a brief stop at Brampton, we arrive at Guelph Station 7 minutes ahead of schedule.

I walk across the street from the station to meet my daughter at the Cornerstone Cafe. I'm sipping a ginormous cup of green tea when she arrives. We both opt for their signature vegan Cornerstone Club sandwich which I , once again, vow to replicate at home. Although the food is great the service could best be described as quirky. Read reviews here.

Orchid Show & The Overcoat

Mom & I visited the Southern Ontario Orchid Show at Edward's Gardens at Lawrence & Leslie. We decided to get a TTC day pass which saved us $4.10 over using tokens/tickets. Coupons saved us each $2 at the show.

We where absolutely amazed at the stunning variety and the gorgeous displays of orchids. Way beyond the typical florist corsage orchids, these exquisit blossoms come in a vast range of colours, sizes and shapes. It truly was a treat for the eyes in the midst of winter.

Next to the Hot House Cafe, 35 Church St at Front St for dinner. We start with their yummy tomato basil soup and follow that with gourmet pizzettes on whole grain crusts. My CanStage member's card saves 10% off the food bill - approx $4.30.

We bundle up for the short walk to the St Lawrence Centre where we attend the "dress rehearsal" of CanStages production of The Overcoat which stars Peter Anderson. The performance went flawlessly and there were no interuptions so it seemed just like opening night except there were no printed programs available. The tickets were complimentary with CanStage subscription. It will cost $83 each for the same seats next Saturday night.

"The Overcoat seamlessly integrates physical theatre and the sweeping music of Dmitri Shostakovich to tell a richly detailed story of the transformation of a common man’s ordinary life when he acquires a beautiful new overcoat.
Inspired by the short stories of Russian author Nikolai Gogol and evoking the silent films of Chaplin, Keaton and Lang, The Overcoat lampoons affected society whilst remaining an emotionally compelling, elegiac and comedic account of the allegorical Everyman.
Set amidst the grandeur and poverty of a universal metropolis, 22 actors conjure the recognizable tale of how the need to be popular can inspire lust, envy and exquisite madness. "

Total savings with coupons and discount: $178.40

No such thing as a free lunch, but how cheap can you get one?

To Guelph last week to visit my daughter who's a music student at U of G. I ask her, " where's the cheapest place on campus for lunch?" She suggests we go to the Grad Pub.
Pictured here is what we got: a veggie samosa with tamarind dip, basmati rice and vegetables with pineapple juice for her; a veggie wrap and large mug of cranberry tea for me.
Total cost? $6.88 for two lunches. This is the one to beat.

Vancouver-Seattle Tour: Day Five

Brunch with my sister and family at CJ's Eatery 2619 1st Avenue, Seattle. It's a relaxed and popular spot near the Space Needle where we decide to make the best of this sunny,clear day. Using a coupon, we save $1 each on admission to the Observation Deck."Located on the grounds of Seattle Center, it was built for the 1962 World's Fair, during which time nearly 20,000 people a day used the elevators — 2.3 million visitors in all for the World Fair. It is now privately owned. The Space Needle is a tower 184 m (605 feet) high and 42 m (138 feet) wide at its widest point and weighs 9,550 tons. It is built to withstand winds of up to 240 km/h (150 mph) and earthquakes up to 9.5 magnitude (which, by coincidence, was just enough to resist Seattle's later discovered Cascadia earthquake) and has 25 lightning rods on the roof to withstand lightning strikes.
The Space Needle features an observation deck at 158.4 m (520 feet)[a third the height of Toronto's CN Tower], the SkyCity restaurant at 152 m (500 feet), and a gift shop. From the top of it, one can see not only the Downtown Seattle skyline, but also the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Elliott Bay and surrounding islands."Source:www.answers.com
We take the Seattle Centre Monorail to Westlake Mall and browse the shops. My son lucks out at Macy's where they have a 50% off sale on Ecko Unltd jeans, hoodies and jackets. He's going to need another piece of luggage to get his bargains home.
Getting back to West Seattle is cheap and convenient - we take the 21 Arbour Heights bus paying the off-peak fare of $1.25 each and get off at the corner of my sister's street.
Out for dinner at Cactus Aliki Beach location. "For over 15 years, Cactus has been satisfying Seattle's need for high-quality, innovative, Mexican, Southwestern, and Spanish cuisine from its home in Madison Park. And since August of 2006, residents and tourists have been enjoying the spectacular Puget Sound views from our location on Alki beach in Seattle. The Butternut Squash Enchilada - Crisp white corn tortillas layered with jack and goat cheeses, spinach, roasted butternut squash and caramelized onions. Topped with guacamole and New Mexican red chile mole - was fabulous.
Fun games of euchre round off the day. Today's savings: $2 US - Total Savings:$112.34 CD

Half Life & Thai 4 You

To Canadian Stage production of John Mighton's "Half Life" which featured Corner Gas star Eric Peterson, Carolyn Hetherington and Diego Matamoros.
"In the twilight of their lives, Clara and Patrick fall in love in a seniors’ home, convinced they are rekindling an affair cut short by wartime. When they announce plans to marry, their respective children find themselves in the awkward position of determining the romantic fate of their fragile parents. Sensitively wrought by John Mighton, this affecting exploration of memory and aging earned the 2005 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama. "
I found the dialogue natural and well written. The character of Agnes,(Barbara Gordon) was a composite of several nursing home residents I have known.
There was a plot thread, however, that did not ring true. Nursing home care-giver Tammy (Maggie Huculak) uses the confused and frail Clara's money to purchase items for the her. Twice Clara's son Donald asks for receipts as he feels there is a discrepancy between the price one would expect to pay for an item and the missing money. In each instance, Tammy cannot provide a receipt. I found it a real stretch of the imagination to believe that a nursing home resident, who no longer has power of attorney over her affairs, would have a wallet of cash sitting in a bed side table drawer. Also, it would be highly irregular for a staff member to make purchases on behalf of a resident.
After the play we went for dinner at a favourite local restaurant:
Thai 4 You, 1675 Bloor St. W. (east of Keele), (416) 533-2221
The relaxed service and authentic ambiance, which includes gorgeous tableware that I always threaten to take home, is complemented by excellent Thai food that is great value for money. There are many vegetarian choices on the extensive menu.

My Cuppa Tea

To My Cuppa Tea, 661 The Queensway, Etobicoke, ON M8Y 1K8 (416) 503-0466, for a birthday treat with good friends. The most difficult thing is deciding which of the varied teas to try. I opt for the orange rooibos. The carrot & ginger soup doesn't dissapoint - great texture and not stingy on the ginger. My friends order the "High Tea for Two", a multi-tiered cake plate with dainty sandwiches and sweet treats that is so generous we end up taking some of it home.

Creemore & Dufferin County Museum

Wednesday January 9, 2007
To the village of Creemore, Ontario yesterday where the big story is the lack of snow in this outrageously mild Canadian winter.
The headline on the front page of the Creemore Echo is "NO SNOW" to the chagrin of the ski clubs, who are laying off staff in droves, and tow-truck drivers everywhere. We lunched at Affairs Cafe where they were missing the ski crowd. Upside we could park right outside at 5, Francis Street East.
The Creemore Springs brewery is across the street. Great to see a small brewery in a small town. Then to Dufferin County Museum & Archives which is a splendid four-storey modern structure right in the middle of nowhere at Airport Road and Highway 89. We were given a tour behind-the-scenes of this sumptuous museum. All the stars must have aligned when the grant application went in! We took some photos from the tower built to look like a grain silo.By R.L.T.

Girls do Boys at Hugh's Room

To Hugh's Room at 2261 Dundas St. West, Toronto (416) 531-6604. This favourite venue offers top notch musical entertainment with excellent food. It's not a restuarant per se, as they are only open when there are live shows. On Friday Jan 5 we take in "Girls do Boys" presented by Michael Wrycraft. There was not a weak performance among the nine female acts who sang the numbers penned by their favourite male songwriters:

Linda McLean - Bruce Cockburn
Madviolet - Simon & Garfunkel
Ivy Mairi - Otis Redding
October Browne - Lindsay Buckingham
Rita Chiarelli- Elvis Presley (pictured here)
Andrea Koziol - Bill Withers
Oufti - Red Evans
Katherine Wheatley - Gordon Lightfoot
Soozi Schlanger - Steppenwolf

Kensington Market Festival of Lights

Photo by sjgardiner
Photo by Cornelius Crab
To the 20th annual celebration in Kensington Market to mark the Winter Solstice. "The Festival of Lights was created by Ida Carnevali in 1987 when a handful of costumed troubadours with trumpets and tambourines defied the mid-winter blues; this now legendary multi-cultural celebration welcomes thousands of participants annually. "
We were amazed by the fabulous stilted dancers, massive puppets, street performances and sheer number of revellers. Marchers carrying hand made tissuepaper lanterns inspired us to pledge to participate next year. See Red Pepper Spectacle Arts for more.
We duck into the King's Cafe to warm-up, talk business and have a vegan Chinese dinner.
The "Fried Bean-Curd and Veggies" was not what we expected when it arrived - this tasty dish was comprised of strips of crisp tofu layered on seaweed and garnished with steamed bok choy. The curried vermicelli noodles were a big hit. "Lightly fried rice noodles done Singapore style with bell peppers and an assortment of vegetables in a spicy curry sauce."
192 Augusta Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2L6416 591-1340

Fran's Famous Rice Pudding

After the concert we opt for dinner at Fran's Diner - grilled veggie wrap for me. I order the world famous (to die for) rice pudding for desert and convert two friends to the cause.
"The Fran’s tradition started over 60 years ago with Fran Deck and his wife Ellen Jane. Starting with a modest ten-stool diner at St.Clair and Younge St in 1840, the couple’s vision was one of serving unique high quality food throughout the whole day to their customers.
Over the years Fran’s became a Toronto institution known across the city and surrounding areas for its unrivalled home style cooking and warm welcoming atmosphere. Offering fresh food 24 hours a day it quickly became a gathering place for people from all walks of life. "
"The most recent addition to the Fran’s family is located right in the heart of the downtown core at the corner of Shuter and Victoria St’s. This location was designed to mingle the old with the new and it is clearly apparent in the décor. We are walking distance from the Eaton Centre, Queen St shopping, steps from Massey Hall, and the Canon and Elgin Theatres. Able to accommodate parties from 1-40 people, open 24 hours a day every day of the year.
200 Victoria St. (Victoria & Shuter. At the Pantages Hotel)"

Bonfire Tour Days Twenty-six to Twenty-eight:Lewes, East Sussex

Day Twenty-six, Sunday November 12, 2006
Only place for breakfast in Lewes early on Sunday morning is Caffe Nero where we have yogurt, croissants and coffee. To Saint John's Southover for Remembrance Day service. The names of four family members are read out in the Roll of Honour. The service and the vibrant church community do them proud.
Quick grocery shop at Tesco before picking up Julian at the Trevor Arms in Glynde before a drive to Brightling - home of Mad Jack Fuller. Take photos of the obelisk, pyramid and church. Pleased to see that they now have postcards of the church, one of which shows Fuller's pyramid tomb. Pop in to the Swan Inn at Woods Corner, Dallington for beverages.
Back in Lewes I meet my sister and family at Caffe Nero for coffee before going to their place for dinner. Photo: many birds perching on St John's basking shark weather vane.
Day Twenty-Seven, Monday November 13, 2006
Our last day in Lewes and there are many loose ends to tie up. I visit the library to use the internet, return a book and make photocopies. We drive out to Hamsey to look for Willmett's Farm and the Old Rectory which is now Hamsey Manor. On to the Bluebell Railway's Sheffield Park station where get platform tickets and have coffee. Quite a crowd is gathered there as this is the final day of the Terrier Gala - A gathering of five of these popular locomotives dating back as far as 1872.
Lunch at the Chalk Pit Inn on the Offham Road, just outside of Lewes. I am surprised to read about the Shiffner connection to the chalk pit and its tramway which idocumenteded on the pub's walls.
"During the early 1800s the owner of the chalk pit decided to build a tramway to transport the lime and chalk from the quarry down to the barges on the river Ouse, as the steep slope was dangerous and costly in both horse and carts and men. In 1809 William Jessop opened the tramway which had a large wheel at the top with a brake, the weight of full trucks of lime and chalk travelling down pulled the empty ones back up the 60% sloped track. This method of transport was used until 1870 when the pit was closed."
Source: http://www.hows.org.uk/personal/rail/incline/off.htm
Visited my grandmother's cousin Mabel who will be 101 year young on December 15th, 2006. She is as alert and chipper as ever. I told her that her brother Fred's name was read out on the Roll of Honour at Southover Church during the Remembrance Service and she was moved to tears.
Met up with various folk at the Brewers Arms including Kim Fuller whose branch of the family has been traced back to Waldron, Sussex and may be connected to Mad Jack's tree.
Day Twenty-Seven, Monday November 13, 2006
Sorting and packing to go home before quick breakfast. I have acquired at least 25 books on various subjects from Frida Kahlo to Michael Faraday. Many thanks to our chauffeur Michel who drove us to Gatwick airport. No problems checking in and the flight is uneventful. Landing at Pearson is the usual nightmare - no we don't have a $2 coin for a luggage trolley, how many people landing there off international flights would? We opt to take a limo and are glad to be back home after a month away.

Bonfire Tour Days Eighteen to Twenty-five:Lewes, East Sussex; Caterham,Surrey; Clenchwarton, Norfolk

Day Eighteen, Saturday November 4, 2006
To the farmer's market which is held on the first Saturday of every month,9 amm-1pm in the Cliffe Pedestrian Precinct. Rupert was doing "vox pops" live on Rocket FM (getting folk to speak to Dino Bishop in the studio via mobile phone.
Lunch at my sister's with the crew, then of to the temporary Rocket studio at real estate agent Fox & Sons on the High Street which overlooks the War Memorial.
There is no possible way that words can do justice to the sheer scale and magnificence of the Lewes Bonfire Grand Procession - even pictures can't capture the intense atmosphere. Suffice it to say, they did themselves proud and we had arguably the best view in town.
On to the uptown studio after the procession as the Bonfire Societies moved on to their fire sites. The whole thing is surreal and dreamlike. Traffic is blocked off from the town. Torchlight, flares and fireworks give the medieval streets an eerie glow. Being dressed in "normal" clothing makes you feel a freak.

Day Nineteen, Sunday November 5, 2006
Excellent family church service at Saint John Southover. Chris Staynor led the congregation in a quiz which led nicely into his sermon on A Day in the Life of Solomon.
Amazing trek up Kingston Ridge with Clive, Doug and Rob. The view of Lewes from there was superb. Dinner of insalate caprese - a personal favourite- and tortellini chez Helen. Good time had by all.

Day Twenty, Monday November 6, 2006
Another lovely day for a walk on the South Downs with Clive, the McBeans and the hobbits. This time up the Cliffe to the golf course and over the hills to Glynde. Tasty lunch at the Trevor Arms
and return to Lewes by train.
Dinner at sister-in-law Ursula's where she has made my favourite cheese pie.

Day Twenty-one, Tuesday November 7, 2006
Picked up rental car, a Nissan Primera, at Chailey Motors. Drove up to Kew to visit the National Archives where Ru had requested some papers.
On to mother and father-in-law's at Caterham for dinner and the best night's sleep I'd had in about a week.

Day Twenty-two, Wednesday November 8, 2006
To Caterham town centre for grocery shopping and lunch at the Coffee Bay which is in the railway station.
Amazed that roses are still blooming in the garden. Quiet and restful time getting caught up with family and looking at postcards in Stella's collection.
Watched a TV program called Flog it! which is somewhere between Bargain Hunt and Cash in the Attic.

Day Twenty-three, Thursday November 9, 2006
Northward to Clenchwarton, which is just outside of King's Lynn, Norfolk, to stay with my mom's cousin and her husband. Stopped in Ely, Cambridgeshire to look at the Cathedral and Oliver Cromwell's house which is now a museum/tourist information office.
Lovely dinner and good chats with Auntie Jean and Uncle Ed about what it was like to live in Lewes during the war and various points of family history.

Day Twenty-four, Friday November 10, 2006
Drove into Spalding, Lincolnshire for a look around and some shopping. Coffee and browsing at the Bookmark book shop & cafe then fish and chips for lunch at Turners Fish Restaurant, 20 Red Lion Street. On to a massive, interesting garden centre called Baytree. We spot aTrabant lurking in a garage there.
Treated to Uncle Ed's long standing specialty Welsh Rarebit for dinner. I watch and take careful notes as he's cooking.

Day Twenty-five, Saturday November 11, 2006
Across East Anglia to Martham, near Great Yarmouth, to visit more of my mother's relatives and find out more about the Moore family genealogy. Weather glorious and scenery interesting.
Stop in to have tea with the in-laws at Caterham before heading home to Lewes.

Bonfire Tour, Day Twelve: Lewes, East Sussex

Painting: Vale Royal by Julian Bell
To St. John the Baptist Church in Southover for 10:30 service. Arrive early and enjoy listening to the band practicing the hymns. Excellent sermon by Ray Gaydon which could be called "A Day in the Life of David". (See 2 Samuel 12 v 1-10, Psalm 51).
Met hubby at Brewer's Arms in the High Street for lunch. He opts for the traditional English Sunday dinner - Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding and all the trimmings. Cream of vegetable soup followed by rhubarb crumble with custard for me. Another delicious meal at a reasonable price.
I return to Pelham House to catch two more Lewes Live Literature Festival events. The first is a spin on Desert Island Discs called Desert Island Paintings. Local artist Julian Bell is interviewed by the festival's artistic director Mark Hewitt. Using slides of paintings (and one sculpture) Bell talks about his life and works.
Next up is Sue Roe, author of The Private Lives of the Impressionists. Using slides, Roe recounts the lives of the nine early impressionists (Manet, Monet, Pissarro, Cezanne, Renoir, Degas, Sisley, Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt) and how they lived, socialized and worked together in Paris.

Bonfire Tour, Days Six, Seven, Eight & Nine: Lewes, East Sussex

Day Nine: Thursday, October 26
Sun shining for the first morning we've been here so decided to visit Lewes Castle - it was closed due to the appearance of a swarm of bees. We toured the museum and town model slide show for free.
"From the high towers of Lewes Castle visitors can see both the town and the distant views of downs, river and forest. The best way to appreciate this view is to visit Barbican House Museum first and watch 'The Story of Lewes Town', a sound and light show based on a scale model of the town.
The castle was begun soon after 1066 by William de Warenne as his stronghold in Sussex but not completed until 300 years later with the building of the magnificent Barbican. A later owner of the castle was Thomas Read Kemp, local MP and the architect of Brighton's Kemptown. Barbican House Museum now houses the Sussex Archaeological Society's archaeology collections, a changing temporary exhibition gallery and a specialist bookshop providing books on all aspects of history and archaeology."
Met up with June for lunch at the Dorset Arms where we chatted about Lewes shops, the significance of Bonfire to the locals and David Arscott's upcoming book about the Sussex Dialect.




Day Eight: Wednesday, October 25
Went to Anne of Cleves House in Southover Street, Lewes as we wanted to view their temporary photograph exhibit "Lewes Shops". "Anne of Cleves House is a 16th century timber-framed Wealden hall-house that formed part of Anne's divorce settlement from Henry VIII in 1541. The house contains wide-ranging collections of Sussex interest, including Sussex pottery, and the bedroom and kitchen are furnished to reflect an earlier period." The power was out in the district so we got free admission.
Grocery shopping at Waitrose where we bought ready made sandwiches for a quick lunch.
Fabulous dinner at sister Helen's where both the food and company were delightful.

Day Seven: Tuesday, October 24
To Lewes station to catch the 8:47 to Victoria Station, London. Took the underground-Victoria Line to Green Park then transferred to the Picadilly Line to Russell Square. Short walk to the British Museum where I met Helen, Andrew and Rob. Fascinating temporary exhibit called Power and Taboo: Sacred Objects from the Pacific. Next to the Silver Vaults on Chancery Lane. Lunch at a Weatherspoons pub.
Next to Sir John Soane's Museum. Short walk to Dr. Johnson's house where we looked up the word sausage in his dictionary - and no, it wasn't there! Where's Baldric when you need him?
Dinner with Will at the Fat Cat Cafe in Mile End where he works. Fun playing Black Jack on the train back to Lewes.

Day Six:Monday,October 23:Train to Eastbourne to work out at the closest Curves gym to Lewes.The club is a well laid out, comfortable and friendly facility and it was just a few minutes walk from the train station. Chatted to owner Peter Furminger who lived at one time in Don Mills, Ontario. He and his wife Lina are in the process of opening a Curves outlet in Lewes but the planning permission is slow going in this part of the world.
Quick lunch and browse around charity shops - things are much cheaper in Eastbourne than in Lewes.
Back to Lewes and the Rocket fm studio for Rupert's 5 to 7 pm program. Dinner in the Beijing Restaurant.

Bonfire Tour, Day Three:Lewes, East Sussex

Dinner at Pizza Express in Lewes High Street last night with my sister, brother-in-law and nephew. Service was quirky but food of an acceptable standard - prices horrifying.
Shared a starter: Bruschetta con Funghi - Portobello and closed cup mushrooms baked with cream, béchamel sauce, red onions, parsley and a dash of balsamic vinegar, then piled onto freshly baked dough sticks - £3.95= $ 8.30.
Rocket FM on the air as of 9 this morning. Had breakfast listening to Kevin Cramer and Andrew Carroll. My husband starts his two week stint doing the drive time show called "Get Smart!" from 5 to 7 pm locally which is sponsored by the East Sussex Library where I'm currently writing this. You don't have to be in Lewes to listen in - follow the instructions on the main web page.

Guelph: life on campus

There is definitely something special about University Campuses. There is a heightened sense of consciousness - socially, environmentally & politically.
On the University of Guelph campus, there are far more vegans and vegetarians per capita than in the general Canadian populous. So Guelph, being a university town of about 125,000 people has at least three veggie restaurants.
Dinner at The Cornerstone (1 Wyndham St. N, Guelph - 519-827-0145) yesterday where we had an amazing veggie club sandwich. I must try to replicate this at home.
Earlier, I sat in on Dr George Grinnell's lecture (English 3300: Restoration to Romanticism)on Lady Mary Wortley Montagu's Turkish Embassy Letters (1716-1718).
After dinner we attended a Guelph Campus for Christ meeting where Jamie Strickland's talk focused on evangelism. The C4C group is gearing up for their debate: Does God Exist?
Time: Wednesday Oct 18, 7:30-9:30 Tickets: $2 at the door Location: War Memorial Hall
Description :Are you interested in hearing the arguments both for and against the existence of God? Joe Boot (theist), the Canadian director of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, will be having an informal debate with Dr. Chris diCarlo (atheist), professor at University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Both Mr. Boot and Dr. diCarlo will share their perspectives on this controversial question as well take questions from the audience.

Fresh by Juice for Life

Lunch at Fresh on Crawford -894 Queen Street West Northeast corner of Queen and Crawford. As ever, the place is buzzing with prompt, helpful service and great specials.
"At Fresh, we create a gourmet vegetarian dining experience out of wholesome ingredients & delicious, non-traditional recipes. Our cuisine is influenced by the flavors and styles of many cultures around the world, all served in an atmosphere that is warm, relaxed and welcoming. All of our juices, dishes & desserts are vegan, with dairy options throughout the menu. Fresh's extensive juice bar offers a range of mouthwatering vital fluids, energy elixirs, power shakes, super power shakes, lassis, fruit smoothies & vegetable cocktails." See their website for more.
Next to The Paper Place - 887 Queen Street West -to see what's new. From gorgeous chiyogama to handmade notebooks and quirky gift ideas, there is always something of interest.

Taste of the Kingsway

They could not have been disappointed with the turn out for the Taste of the Kingsway on Friday night. Met friend Jessica at Second Cup at 6 pm when the midway and vendors were still setting up. By the time we left, just after 9 pm, Bloor Street (closed to traffic from Montgomery Road to Prince Edward) was teeming - mainly with teens. Spotted the smart car promotions stand among the auto dealers present. Sampled the wares of The Green Mango. Dessert by ViBo was awesome - half a fresh Ontario peach flamed in Brandy topped with vanilla ice cream and cinnamon sugar.