FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE

Since moving to the new hospital here in the city - a new building housing both general medicine and psychiatric medicine (not sure but we might be one of the first with this new innovation),  - I am really quite enjoying it. Although I have to do a lot more walking within the hospital (and I am not getting lost anymore), you never know who you might run into. Sometimes it's friends you rarely get a chance to see and sometimes it's colleagues who work at different ends of the hospital.

Now if anyone was actually paying attention last week as they walked down the hall of  C2 and D2, they would have noticed that there was a special someone touching up the figures of some famous cartoon characters (the Pattersons) giving them a fresh look. The Pattersons along with their dog, Farley, have found a new home in our little corner of the world. Lynn Johnston, the creator of the cartoon strip "For Better or For Worse" diligently worked at touch ups on the family as they are set to take a permanent place in our new hospital. As a patron of the arts - albeit music (I can't draw if my life depended on it), I admire Lynn Johnston's work and am envious of her talent. That gene must have been a recessive gene in my family.

The story here is that John and Elly are exhausted. Elly is rubbing her foot from too much walking. Michael is carrying a grocery bag with groceries. Unbeknownst to him, there is a hole in the bag. Farley sees this and sees that some sausages have poked their way through the hole. Only the two kids have noticed this. Farley is being held back by Michael while his sister sees what Farley wants to do and does not pay attention to her ice cream dripping all over her shoes.

WARM WEATHER AND SANTA CRUZ BOARDWALK

With the cold weather setting in, pretty soon I will start hibernating.I really don't think this Mediterranean body is made for such cold weather...in fact I know it isn't. Although, contrary to what some of my friends may think, I have spent my share of time in ice arenas watching my nephews play hockey and my niece figure skate.  If it wasn't for the Tim Horton's coffee, I really don't know how I would have survived.

 It's really hard keeping warm when you are dressed in the latest stylish boots looking fashionable when your body starts to feel the pain of the cold as it slowly starts to set in, and your fingers start to freeze and you don't realize it until it's too late. And then you have to run out of the arena, and hope that there is some heat somewhere in the building so you can warm up your body again until the next time when you step out onto the other side and do it all over again.

Give me the hot weather...the hotter, the better. I have never complained that it is too hot. So today, I am thinking of Santa Cruz and being out on the boardwalk, the smell of the carnival food from the deep fried Twinkies, the giant size donuts, and lazing on the beach.  Old-fashioned carnival games and snack booths can be found throughout  as well as carnival rides. With so much to do, your day will go by pretty fast leaving you with just memories. Warm memories - not cold ones, and they are the best kind.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is an oceanfront amusement park in Santa Cruz,California.  The Boardwalk extends along the coast of the Monterey Bay,



Emery with the biggeest donut ever

 



AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH JAMIE OLIVER

That's what Jamie called it..."an informal discussion with Jamie Oliver" where you could ask him any question about his cooking, his life, and his interests along with taking home his new book "Jamie Oliver's Food Escapes". He told us he was in "our front room" and while he sat and talked to us and answered our questions, he would take a sip of his beer  (I'm pretty sure that's what it was) every once in a while, and  in the middle of a thought he would tell us about his evening the night before with Mario Batali and how they had had a little too much to drink.

Now I have to say I was very surprised at how many people were actually at the Roy Thompson Hall just to see him. That's more people than we can fit in our Capital Centre for any concert. He was quite humorous when telling us about what he hates to eat (but ate it anyway because it was a Navajo Indian tradition) - "lamb's asshole" - as he put it (oh and he reminded us it wasn't cooked or prepared in any manner either). But he said he did eat it, "and it wasn't good". I don't think I am going to be running out to try this either. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee it. Oh and his answer to "briefs or boxers?" - Well he said "anything that makes my genitals look good". So I guess he didn't quite answer that question for us. I had to pay extra attention and listen a bit more attentively because of his English accent but I was


Here is his newest book

  able to catch most of what he was saying.

He also spoke about his new book as well and how they test each recipe about 6 times, and each recipe ends up costing about 1800 pounds. And he talked about politics and how hard it is to try to get a healthy America when you have so much politics interfering.

All in all, Jamie is quite a humble guy hoping to change the world to eat a little more healthy and learn more about where our food comes from. I quite enjoyed my evening with him.

Not only did I get to see Jamie the past few days and get his new cookbook, but I also received a signed copy of David Rocco's new cookbook - "Made in Italy". Could it get any better?

GETING EXCITED FOR JAMIE

Well today was another Monday. Why is it they are always so busy? Before they start, the day has ended with so much jam packed into the day that you don't even have a chance to catch your breath. A couple of days in Toronto is going to do the trick and seeing Jamie Oliver will be quite the treat as will some retail therapy.

There are not a lot of chefs I run out to get tickets to see. I usually like to go to their restaurants and try out their food, but since Jamie doesn't have one anywhere near here, this is about as good as it gets. And it doesn't hurt that he is easy on the eyes as well. And that English accent....Oh yes it's the cooking I am going for.

A few years ago during the Toronto Film Festival, we got lucky and landed tickets to a Hello Canada Magazine Party. We saw various celebrities as we as we mingled, but I got so excited when I saw David Rocco in the room, that I didn't even notice his wife with him. (hard to miss because she is quite pretty, but I did and only noticed her later). Now David Rocco isn't exactly a chef with a restaurant, but he does write cookbooks and travels through Europe filming his TV show.  Of all the things to say to him, I told him that my mother loved him and watches his show all the time. (Imagine...I said that - not that it wasn't true, but of all the things to say to him). He actually was quite nice.  And the picture actually turned out. You see my friend who usually goes to the film festival with me really has a hard time  taking pictures...I really mean it. She has a bad habit of putting her finger over the flash - and I have many a picture to show you that has me (or half of me) with some actor or actress or half the actor or actress. So she was in good form this evening, even after a few drinks.



David Rocco ....Just as nice as he is handsome



SERENDIPITY

Serendipity....a happy accident or a pleasant surprise. Ever since I first saw the movie "Serendipity" with John Cusak and Kate Beckinsale,  I had been eager to visit its namesake restaurant. Maybe because the movie has connotations of "what ifs" and "possibilities", but also because I thought that John Cusak was quite gorgeous and funny in his role.

I had seen Oprah on her show once while she was at Serendipity 3, and having the frozen hot chocolate was on the list of one of the "must do" things in life, and that this was one of those life experiences not to be missed.  Now if you know anything about me, you will know that I do a lot of things because they are "once in a lifetime experiences" and you never know what is coming round the next corner or exactly how much time we all have to enjoy any of these things. So while visiting New York, I tried quite a few times to get to Serendipity 3 but was never in the right area of town or I was just too busy and didn't get there. (there was probably a sale at DSW and I couldn't tear myself away from the shoes).

So it was a pleasant surprise to find that while visiting Las Vegas, they too had a Serendipity 3 - but this time it was right at Ceaser's Palace and oh so very close to me. There was no missing out this time. On one of the hottest days there in early July I sat with a friend while being lightly misted with water to keep us cool - we should have gone there sooner. The menu is huge and quite varied, but the one thing I knew I wanted was the frozen hot chocolate. Anything else was bonus. I can't remember what I did end up eating before I had the frozen hot chocolate, but I know that whatever it was - it was on a huge scale. My friend had the foot long hotdog and it was exactly that. We ended up starting with a frozen hot chocolate shared between the two of us while we waited for our food and then we each had one for dessert - gosh we were stuffed. So whether you are in New York or Las Vegas, it is worth a trip to cool down for one of these treats. A must on the list of "must haves".




They also have an opulence $1,000 sundae. Seriously....



Now doesn't this just look sooooo good.

National Cappuccino Day

Today, November 8th,  is National Cappuccino Day. Cappuccino was created in Italy in the 1600s and got its name from the order of Italian monks known as the Catholic Capuchins. This group of friars wore small capuchins (caps) and dark brown cloaks (similar to the colour of the drink). The popularity of the coffee grew in the 1900s with the advent of the large espresso machines which we have become accustomed to seeing in restaurants and cafés creating the brew.

While in North America we drink cappuccinos throughout the day, in Italy, it is sinful to have a cappuccino with a meal and is meant to be enjoyed in the morning, usually with a sweet pastry, cornetto (an Italian croissant) and sometimes filled with creama (cream), jam, or Nutella.

Antico Caffe Greco or Caffe Greco as they usually call it in Rome is the perfect place to have a great cup of cappuccino with a pastry on the side. It is a historic landmark  which opened in 1760 on 86 Via dei Condotti in Rome, Italy. It is perhaps the best known and oldest bar in Rome.Today it remains a haven for writers, politicians, artists, and notable people in Rome.

Now I happen to see that the latest thing with McDonalds is McCafe. I first saw a McCafe in Rome a few years ago which only makes sense because what Italian doesn't like cappuccinos with fresh baked goods. So now I see that they starting to put in the cities here in North America. I wonder if I can get a cornetto here in North Bay. I'll have to try one day.

 Anyway, if ever in Rome, I do suggest you either head over to Caffe Greco or to McCafe for some great cappuccino.

Cheers All.

Jamie Oliver Soon

I am getting pretty excited for next week. I get to spend two hours with Jamie Oliver at the Roy Thompson Hall. I don't know what he will be doing. Will he actually be cooking? or do a demonstration? All I know is we get his new book to take home, and I get to spend about two hours with the Naked Chef. Yippee! A couple of days in Toronto with some shopping and some dining are a good break to look forward to.

I hear his new book has recipes from Spain, Italy, and I think a couple of other places - not too sure. I haven't read the reviews yet. In fact, I am not even sure the book is out on the shelves yet. But I haven't googled it, and maybe I will just wait until I am actually there and they hand it to me.

So my excitement will live on for another week. Maybe actually being there and seeing and hearing Jamie talk about his experiences and how his recipes came about might entice me to cook more of the recipes in the book. It will be another book to add to my ever exploding number of cookbooks that I have accumulated. I have a passion for cookbooks and probably own over one hundred of them. There are just so many good chefs now with their own books - and when did they all start looking so good? Wow it's a whole new world and I think it started with Jamie Oliver years ago. So it is only fitting that I get to see him. So stay tuned and hopefully I have some good tidbits to tell you about Jamie.

SLOW RECOVERY

You would think I would rember to put the clocks back an hour so that I could have that extra hour of sleep, but I totally forgot that this morning when I woke up after being out all night and just did not remember. But that was okay, because I wasn't up for long. I took a Gravol and went back to sleep.

So slow moving is an understatement today. The wine gala was all it should be - a fun night out, good friends, good entertainment - Rick Emmett crooned, and lots of wine and food. They had Absinthe for us to try - which I did and found out that there is only one place you can get it at a restaurant in North Bay for about $15 a shot (or a drizzle because that's about as much as you get and then add the cold water to it). It was okay - reminded me of anise and what Italians used to add to cookies a long time a ago. There were many wines to try as well. Honourable mentions were Peller Estates and Cave Spring Cellars.

I enjoyed listening to Rick Emmett as he sang Eric Clapton songs and did indulge us with some of his Triamph music. Can the years really have gone so fast? He was quite a gentleman as he mingled throughout the rooms and spoke with guests as did the rest of his band. Hopefully, they enjoyed the evening as much as we did.

But the best part of the whole evening was spending time with friends as we laughed and smiled and held each other up as the wine we had been drinking started to take its course and the food we had been eating had just not been enough. I thank those friends for such a fun night out and hope they had just as much fun as I did.

WELCOME EVERYONE AND COME JOIN THE RIDE

So I have decided to document my travels, my life, and my experiences. Hopefully, you at the other end will enjoy reading my stories. Sometimes they will be about food  and cooking. Sometimes they will be about my travels and where I am at any given moment. Life to me has always been an adventure and you never know what is just around the corner.

In my spare time, I have started writing a book. Well actually, it's a cookbook. I have so many friends who say they can't cook and it takes too long, so I am going to prove them wrong. I thought that if they heard my stories about certain foods and cities, they would join me in trying to recreate the experience themselves. So, you are going to hear a bit about my book and you are going to hear about places I love and a bit about my life in general.

Now tomorrow I am going to the wine gala. This is a time to try many of the new wines served with food from our local eateries here in North Bay.  Is it all about the wine? Well yes, but it's all about having fun. We are starting our evening with Rick Emmett performing. This will also include a silent auction which sometimes, if I have had enough wine, can get a little bit out of hand as I bid way too much on things - but it's a fundraiser and isn't that we are to do. One year two of us were bidding on Michael Buble tickets to his concert, a one night stay and a vehicle to get us there. When we hit $950, I think we finally stopped - and it's a good thing too. That would have been a rude awakening the next morning, but Michael Bublie is worth it.

Hey it was only a month ago at the Ritz Carlton that I was bribing someone with $100 to get me closer to George Clooney who was partying in the bar there (where three of us girls had ended up that evening) after his Toronto Film Festival debut of his Ides of March....see it does getter. I told you this would be exciting. And throw in Ryan Gosling for good luck - yes he was at the party too, with his mom, and you can't get any better than that.

So back to the wine gala. After trying on 17 black dresses in my closest, I still don't know which one I will be wearing, but I am sure I will figure it out tomorrow. It's a day of primping to look our best - you would never guess that by the end of the night though. We have a trusty driver picking us up to make sure we get there, and who will bring us all home so we make it in one piece. So stay tuned as I tell you about our evening and I will try to remember some of the names of the wines I drink tomorrow night.