For US Thanksgiving Christopher and I made our first trip back home since we moved down to Connecticut. I was so excited to go back and catch up with old friends. Our schedule was jam packed trying to fit in seeing as many friends and family members as we possibly could, as well as trying to hit our favourite restaurants for cuisine we have not yet found a suitable replacement for in the US (mostly Asian food).
A summary of the weekend - I'd say it was a very successful trip:
- saw both sets of parents, obviously
- ate lunch with 3 of my cousins (and 3 of their little ones)
- had dim sum :)
- took my parents to see Wicked for my mom's birthday and enjoyed a wonderful pre-show meal at Hiro Sushi
- saw Christopher's friends' new Subaru WRX STI and Toyota RAV4
- used up a free night stay at the Pantages Hotel that I won at a golf tournament this past summer for ladies' closest to the pin
- was treated to a yummy lunch at my old fave Congee Star by my old colleagues from work - thanks guys, I miss you!
- coffee-talk with a couple friends catching up on all sorts of gossip :)
- took care of some errands: safety certified our car so we could buy it out (which we also did), got an oil change, did some banking, returned some defective dishes back to William Ashley (be sure to check your china patter very carefully - I was shocked to see the kind of defects they let out the door)
- spent 2 nights in Toronto catching up with several good friends
- enjoyed a great home-cooked meal at Chris's parents' home
Our next trip back home will be over Christmas (Dec 23rd - Jan 1st). If you're gonna be around, let us know - we'll get together for some Holiday cheer :)
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
The Great White North
I used to think that Americans were ignorant about the Canadian climate. Too many times I have been in a conversation with someone from the U.S. and they make a comment about how it gets so darn cold up in Canada. And while I was always polite and just laughed off whatever they said, I often wondered to myself how our neighbors to the south could think that our weather was so drastically different than theirs - especially since I grew up in the GTA and there is a good portion of the States that is located further north than Toronto.
But I was wrong. Now that I have moved to Connecticut I understand why Americans think Canada is so cold. It's because it is.
It is the middle of November, in New England (not in the South or anything) and I see kids running around in T-shirts at recess. I find myself constantly overdressed - at work, coming home from the gym, walking the dog - all the time! It's starting to really aggravate me, especially when I don't have a layer on that I can just take off. And mostly I'm annoyed with my inability to dress appropriately for the weather. When I get dressed in the morning I put on what I would normally wear on a mid-November day in Canada - turtleneck/sweater, blouse & jacket, golf shirt & hoodie, and I am always too hot!
Tomorrow's high in West Hartford, CT is 66 degrees, but in Toronto it's only 53 (and yes I am trying to 'Americanize' myself by using Fahrenheit instead of Celsius - I can use the practice).
And it extends beyond attire. I find myself cooking dishes that are more suitable for a colder climate. Now that it's November I'm using the crockpot more, making more soups, and generally heartier meals, because that's what I would do in Canada! Perhaps eating this heavier food is what is making me feel too warm all the time...
While it is true that the similarities between the U.S. and Canada are vast, sometimes the subtle differences (like a few degrees in temperature) can make a world of difference.
But I was wrong. Now that I have moved to Connecticut I understand why Americans think Canada is so cold. It's because it is.
It is the middle of November, in New England (not in the South or anything) and I see kids running around in T-shirts at recess. I find myself constantly overdressed - at work, coming home from the gym, walking the dog - all the time! It's starting to really aggravate me, especially when I don't have a layer on that I can just take off. And mostly I'm annoyed with my inability to dress appropriately for the weather. When I get dressed in the morning I put on what I would normally wear on a mid-November day in Canada - turtleneck/sweater, blouse & jacket, golf shirt & hoodie, and I am always too hot!
Tomorrow's high in West Hartford, CT is 66 degrees, but in Toronto it's only 53 (and yes I am trying to 'Americanize' myself by using Fahrenheit instead of Celsius - I can use the practice).
And it extends beyond attire. I find myself cooking dishes that are more suitable for a colder climate. Now that it's November I'm using the crockpot more, making more soups, and generally heartier meals, because that's what I would do in Canada! Perhaps eating this heavier food is what is making me feel too warm all the time...
While it is true that the similarities between the U.S. and Canada are vast, sometimes the subtle differences (like a few degrees in temperature) can make a world of difference.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
The OC
This past weekend Christopher and I enjoyed a weekend away in Ocean City, Maryland (perhaps this is the original OC?). After being away in Dallas for a week at a trade show it was a nice treat for the both of us. The weather was great, highs between 63 and 72. We managed to get in 2.5 rounds of golf Friday - Sunday before the rain across the entire eastern seaboard rolled in.
Ocean City has a great boardwalk - similar to Virginia Beach. A long wide boardwalk made out of actual planks of wood (not concrete) that you would see on TV. And similar to Virginia beach there is several hundred yards of beautiful sand between the boardwalk and the water. They must work really hard maintaining this beach, because it is definitely not natural. According to Wikipedia, the beach restoration programs were started in 2002 in the OC. They haul in tons and tons of sand from offshore and bring it up onto the beach. This is how the fine soft sand ends up all along the beach instead of only along the water's edge. Great for sunbathing! I can only imagine how packed this beach is during spring break and the summer!
On Saturday after golf we gorged ourselves on all the junk food the Ocean City boardwalk had to offer. Caramel corn from Fisher's Popcorn, boardwalk fries from Thrasher's French Fries, fresh squeezed lemonade... it was fabulous!
One of the other culinary treats that the OC has to offer is steamed crab. Even though November isn't in crab season, many of the Ocean City establishments still offer steamed crab imported from other waters. My crab fest (Christopher isn't really into eating crustaceans with his hands - but I love it!) took place at Bahama Mama's. Their crabs arrived at our Kraft paper-covered table steaming hot, thickly coated in a salty-spicy crab seasoning that went perfectly with a cold beer. A trip to OC is not complete without crab, and Bahama Mama's is a true gem! Forget all those 100+ item all-you-can-eat joints, this place is where you want to go (and during crab season they do offer an all-you-can-eat option that includes several sides & BBQ chicken along with their yummy crabs).
Ocean City has a great boardwalk - similar to Virginia Beach. A long wide boardwalk made out of actual planks of wood (not concrete) that you would see on TV. And similar to Virginia beach there is several hundred yards of beautiful sand between the boardwalk and the water. They must work really hard maintaining this beach, because it is definitely not natural. According to Wikipedia, the beach restoration programs were started in 2002 in the OC. They haul in tons and tons of sand from offshore and bring it up onto the beach. This is how the fine soft sand ends up all along the beach instead of only along the water's edge. Great for sunbathing! I can only imagine how packed this beach is during spring break and the summer!
On Saturday after golf we gorged ourselves on all the junk food the Ocean City boardwalk had to offer. Caramel corn from Fisher's Popcorn, boardwalk fries from Thrasher's French Fries, fresh squeezed lemonade... it was fabulous!
One of the other culinary treats that the OC has to offer is steamed crab. Even though November isn't in crab season, many of the Ocean City establishments still offer steamed crab imported from other waters. My crab fest (Christopher isn't really into eating crustaceans with his hands - but I love it!) took place at Bahama Mama's. Their crabs arrived at our Kraft paper-covered table steaming hot, thickly coated in a salty-spicy crab seasoning that went perfectly with a cold beer. A trip to OC is not complete without crab, and Bahama Mama's is a true gem! Forget all those 100+ item all-you-can-eat joints, this place is where you want to go (and during crab season they do offer an all-you-can-eat option that includes several sides & BBQ chicken along with their yummy crabs).
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Catch Up!
Hopefully Christopher's NFL picks have been keeping you all entertained :) I have been travelling a fair bit this past month (Calgary - Indianapolis - Los Angeles - Dallas) and using that as an excuse to neglect our blog (but you don't have to tell me, I already know, it's weak at best). I've posted a few catch up posts below in attempt to make up for my absence.
Last weekend Christopher's parents came down for a visit. This was their first time down to see us since we've moved. The weather wasn't the greatest - but we still managed to get it all in.
On Saturday it was pouring rain across the entire state. In West Hartford we received 1.78 inches of rain that one day! To stay dry we tried to stick to indoor activities. First we went to my favourite bakery - Panera Bread. There's one close enough to walk to from our house, but to stay dry we drove the 3 blocks. After brunch we headed over to West Hartford Center to do a little shopping, but the heavy rain had us heading for the car after our first store! On our way to the mall instead, we decided to go to the outlet mall in Westbrook, CT. Closer to the coast the rain was much heavier. 
In comparison, on Saturday Westbrook received 2.77 inches of rain - over 50% more than West Hartford. After a little shopping, we went to the coast since we were so close. We were quite surprised to see that many of the houses next to the shore were completely surrounded by water! And while several of these houses were built on stilts, there were still some that appeared to have basements. I can't imagine how these could stay dry, but I guess I'm sure they're used to it if they live so close to the shoreline.
On Sunday the rain had stopped so we did the Heublein Tower Hike. This short hike is 1.25 miles up Talcott Mountain, ending at the Heublein Tower. It was a little windy out, but it was a beautiful day and the sky was nice and clear so the view of the foliage and the surrounding area was picture-perfect. We finished off the weekend with a nice home-cooked meal at our house. It was nice to be able to make a roast and play hostess. Cooking for two, I don't make many roasts since we can't eat that much and get tired of leftovers quickly.
PS. We got to play one of our favourite card games with Christopher's parents this past weekend - Wizard. If you like euchre and bridge it's a great game to check out. One of the things we like about this game is that it isn't dominated by the same player time and time again. Each time we play it is very competitive and is always lots of fun. Last time we played I wasn't in contention at all, but this time I was lucky enough to be the victor :)
Last weekend Christopher's parents came down for a visit. This was their first time down to see us since we've moved. The weather wasn't the greatest - but we still managed to get it all in.
On Saturday it was pouring rain across the entire state. In West Hartford we received 1.78 inches of rain that one day! To stay dry we tried to stick to indoor activities. First we went to my favourite bakery - Panera Bread. There's one close enough to walk to from our house, but to stay dry we drove the 3 blocks. After brunch we headed over to West Hartford Center to do a little shopping, but the heavy rain had us heading for the car after our first store! On our way to the mall instead, we decided to go to the outlet mall in Westbrook, CT. Closer to the coast the rain was much heavier. 
In comparison, on Saturday Westbrook received 2.77 inches of rain - over 50% more than West Hartford. After a little shopping, we went to the coast since we were so close. We were quite surprised to see that many of the houses next to the shore were completely surrounded by water! And while several of these houses were built on stilts, there were still some that appeared to have basements. I can't imagine how these could stay dry, but I guess I'm sure they're used to it if they live so close to the shoreline.
On Sunday the rain had stopped so we did the Heublein Tower Hike. This short hike is 1.25 miles up Talcott Mountain, ending at the Heublein Tower. It was a little windy out, but it was a beautiful day and the sky was nice and clear so the view of the foliage and the surrounding area was picture-perfect. We finished off the weekend with a nice home-cooked meal at our house. It was nice to be able to make a roast and play hostess. Cooking for two, I don't make many roasts since we can't eat that much and get tired of leftovers quickly.PS. We got to play one of our favourite card games with Christopher's parents this past weekend - Wizard. If you like euchre and bridge it's a great game to check out. One of the things we like about this game is that it isn't dominated by the same player time and time again. Each time we play it is very competitive and is always lots of fun. Last time we played I wasn't in contention at all, but this time I was lucky enough to be the victor :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
