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Lex, go to the Ex.

I just got an email from the Ex (for non-Torontonians that's the Canadian National Exhibition or CNE), promoting their 5 after 5 deal.

Tuesday through Thursday we can go to the Ex for $5 after 5pm.

The Ex for $5. That rocks!

And makes the Food Building an even better deal. Who goes to the Ex before 5pm anyway?!?

The email is saying "Lex, go to the Ex!", and I'm listening.

Note -- "To get your Five after Five CNE ticket on Tuesday (Aug 29th), Wednesday (Aug 30th) or Thursday (Aug 31st), visit any of the CNE ticket booths.This special offer is NOT available online or at GO Transit Stations. "

Tags: the ex, canadian national exhibition, cne, five after five

$5!? Let's Go To The EX!!

CNE Ride

I just got an email from the Ex (for non-Torontonians that's the Canadian National Exhibition or CNE), telling me that Tuesday through Thursday we can go to the Ex for $5 after 5pm.

The Ex - $5. 

That rocks!  That makes the Food Building an even better deal.  Besides, who can go to the Ex before 5pm anyway?!?

Note: Direct from the email -- "To get your Five after Five CNE ticket on Tuesday (Aug 29^th), Wednesday (Aug 30^th) or Thursday (Aug 31^st), visit any of the CNE ticket booths.This special offer is NOT available online or at GO Transit Stations. "

Vox Hunt: Take Time To Reflect

Take a picture of your reflection.

Grace Foods

I know, I know... I already used this one as part of on of my 4Way Days.  But I love this shot, not because I look so great, but because Grace Foods on Bank St. in Ottawa is great!  Look at all those orange price stickers on the bottle tops.  I'll bet if we zoomed in really close on the mirror just above the doorway this would even show me from all angles.  Is that good?  Probably not. Is it amusing? Definitely!

QotD: I'm reading (or about to read)...

Vox's QotD today leaves me questioning - do I really have a "nightstand"?  I certainly have piles upon piles of books beside my bed, in the living room, on my desk, beside my desk, on Gerry's desk, in a bookshelf or twelve... books-a-plenty my friend.

What books are on your nightstand?

So, I'll answer the QotD as if the subject line is the real question because the answer will be more concise... and besides I'm too damned lazy to itemize the 50+ books scattered around my bed.          

               

QotD: I'm reading (or about to read)...

Today's QotD leaves me questioning - do I really have a "nightstand"?  I certainly have piles upon piles of books beside my bed, in the living room, on my desk, beside my desk, on Gerry's desk, in a bookshelf or twelve... books-a-plenty my friend.

What books are on your nightstand?

So, I'll answer the QotD as if the subject line is the real question because the answer will be more concise... and besides I'm too damned lazy to itemize the 50+ books scattered around my bed.

I just finished two books that have an overlapping theme of getting and staying off the grid:   John Twelve Hawks' The Traveler and John Grisham's The Broker.  An interesting theme for someone who blogs as much as I do... read into it what you will.

The Traveler is written as both an alternative-reality tale set in present day, a cautionary tale of power and control our current technology already has over our day to day lives, and a fantasy novel about and an archaic underground triumvirate of mystics (travelers), warrier-protectors (Harlequins) and bad guys (the Tabula or Brethern).  One of the interesting tweeks of this novel is that the author lives off the grid and is "unknown even to his agent and editor" (Bookmarks Magazine). Is he show us reality or just a genius at marketing... will we ever know?

The Broker was one of my BookExpo finds which I didn't offer up to the mini-BookExpo crowd because I wanted to read it first.  I really enjoyed this book.  More than I expect to, since I haven't been reading much spy-fiction lately.  But I love the descriptions of Bologna, and found the bewilderment of a smart man trying to figure out a new country, a new language and a new at-risk lifestyle fascinating.  Pieces of it read almost as an introduction to getting off the grid quickly.  Sadly, their solutions involved eventually having access to big money.  Cabs to Zurich simply don't come free.

I've just started The Perfectionist, which is the tragic true story of the rise and ultimate suicide of French gastronomy's golden boy chef Bernard Loiseau.  The author Rudolph Chelminski has a fairly gentle touch, or at least so far he does.  He also shows an honest affection and appreciation for what it takes for a chef to garner three Michelin stars.  It will be interesting to read further and see how much he delves into the impact a negative review can have on an artist's psychi.

Given the number of people who sent me clippings of this man's suicide, which happened just 6 months after the launch of our first guide, I felt this was a must read cautionary tale. 

Base Camp, Campfire, Backpack, Writeboard, Ta-da List - hunh?

One of my very smart blogging buddies pointed me towards BaseCampHQ.com in a post the other day. (Which very smart blogging buddy, I refuse to remember likely because of the quantity of wine consumed at the 40th and 60th b'day parties I attended this weekend... hey smart-blogging-buddy feel free to step forward and give me a link so I can get to the point!)

ANYWAY, the guy over at 37 signals have produced a whole series of award winning Web 2.0 tools for working collaboratively over the hinternet.  Perhaps useful working on restaurant guides in cities that are far.

I've taken a quick look at their portfolio of apps and they look pretty interesting:

QotD: Here comes the bride

Wedding

No weddings this year, but two in a row at the end of last year. 

I got my new camera the day of the first one.  It was a beautiful candle-lit wedding at Mildred Pierce.  And by that I mean - no photos anyone is happy with.

By the second one, I had finally gotten the hang of the new camera.  That, along with the beautiful sairis, and permission to take photos in the temple created some stunning images.

7 days 4ways

Now I'm home, my days are a little less photogenic, so I'll be moving to 4WayWeeks. 

Last weekend, we spent plenty of time on our bikes. Yay!  This included heading down to Harbourfront to check out the "Quay to the City". 

For a kilometre, one lane of Queen's Quay was transformed into a bike path lined with geraniums and grass.  At the York Street end there was a huge archway built out of bikes.  They had canoe & kayak lessons in the fake-lake behind the Harbourfront centre and Adirondack chairs lining a portion of the boardwalk. The general response to the event has been that it's "great for bike riders" and disappointing for the rest. 

Less than 72 hours after I got home, we had mom arrive to claim the couch. The remainder of the week was filled with wandering about looking at art, shopping and recovering.

We had a great visit, some great food, and it was almost as if I had a real vacation.  Cool!

Tags: harbourfront, toronto, bikes, 4ways, quay to the city, ocad, lee valley store, bike arch, shopping, burrito, mom

7 days 4ways

Now I'm home, my days are a little less photogenic, so I'll be moving to 4WayWeeks. 

Last weekend, we spent plenty of time on our bikes, yay!  This included heading down to Harbourfront to check out the "Quay to the City". 

For a kilometre, one lane of Queen's Quay was transformed into a bike path lined with geraniums and grass.  At the York Street end there was a huge archway built out of bikes.  The general response to the event has been that it's "great for bike riders" and disappointing for the rest. 

Less than 72 hours after I got home, we had mom arrive to claim the couch. The remainder of the week was filled with wandering about looking at art, shopping and recovering.

We had a great visit, some great food, and it was almost as if I had a vacation.  Cool!

Vox Hunt: New Angle

Capture a new angle on something you see every day.

deconstructed club

The club is my usual diner lunch.  It's a dish that the kitchen generally carps and moans about making - fussing with 3 slices of bread laying and assembling.  A deconstructed version makes things fast and easy.

Well perhaps not when it's served at the AGO.

But how often do you see a sandwich from the inside?