23rd August 2009

It's Monday Aug 3rd 2009

Kate is driving and we are on Hwy 1

46 in Mass heading back to Toronto from Rhode Island. Kate is trying to get the sea weed out of her hair. She had the bright idea of going on the beach after a cute breakfast and having a lovely swim. Luckily for me I sat on the beach with my beach chair doing a sudoko. The sea was full of the red tide?? or seaweed or something. we have been to the Newport Folk Festival. Set off quite early on Friday morning and drove all the way through the wretched pouring rain getting in at about 7pm. We checked into our Rodeway Inn and went straight to downtown Newport for a bit to eat. Found the most amazing restaurant,


dark red walls, black ceiling and great art all over the place.



I had the best pan seared foie gras (!!) with a rhubarb glaze and two other amazing drizzles which I can't remember now - something about vanilla. Kate had the Ceviche of striped bass with yuzu and other great stuff. Then we both had the sea scallops with gnocchi and they were glazed exactly right - and a great bottle of wine. What amazing evening.

Seared Foie Gras ~ 14.95
Braised Rhubarb, Savory Vanilla Pudding, Clove Salt, Hibiscus Caramel

Seared George's Bank Sea Scallops ~ 27.95

Gnocchi, Snap Peas, Prosciutto, Liquid Olive, Sunchoke Sauce, Piquillo Pepper





It was pouring with rain when we got out so we got soaking wet and we were parked by a liquor store so we bought some wine and went back to our room to play cards. THere was a dreadful drunken party going on in the adjoining room which woke us up at 2 am. Kate had to phone the front desk at 5 am and then again half an hour later. Luckily it quietened down and we got a little more nap. Woketo a beautiful day and set off down town to find the nicest cafe for breakfast. The best portobello scramble - onion, spinach, portobello and cheese (and hollandaise for MK). Then off to the folk festival at Fort Adams. Had to walk a long way but through lovely parkland. Saw Billy Bragg, Ben Kweller, the Avett Bros, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings,Fleet Foxes, Iron and wine, the Decemberists and a singalong with Pete and Tao Rodriquez Seeger and friends, whilst sitting on the beautiful grass. Had delicious mediterranean salad and other food. Lots of people to watch and good atmosphere. Backdrop of the old fort. Pete is singing and remembering (50 year anniversary) and the moon rises over the old stone walls at the backdrop of the stage and the seagulls posing dramatically whilst behind us the sun sets beautifully over the bay. Took ages to get home but it was gorgeous and we stopped off at a different liquor store for more wine. Kate had to look at the photos of the salesman's grandchildren and then back for more card games and wine. Next day is overcast. We find another nice cafe for lobster benedict and portuguese french toast which we share. Then we get on the water taxi for the folk fest from downtown only to find we have missed David Rawlings Machine(!!) - great sadness. We catch Neko Case - Kate is refusing to see Dala (one of them being Amanda Walther who did the shrimp magnet costumes one year) and who she blames for the David Rawlings mix up. Kate goes to get an ice cream and they announce a special treat on the main stage from Toronto Canada...Dala (hahahahahahahaha). But it's the best ice cream ever. We catch a bit of Arlo guthrie and then go to see tim Eriksen and the shape note singers. I think we have come to the wrong stage because there are some glittery drums and TE looks very bizarre - can't be shapenote. Have we carried out stupid heavy shape note books for nothing? But I am wrong. It turns out to be wonderful and we sing along with our books. Then we go to the beer tent for a lovely beer and listen to Joan Baez while sitting at a picnic table on a pier. We decide to go back then and skip poor old Pete Seeger and get the water taxi back, stash our books and chairs in the car and find a gorgeous inn. We spy a corner table for two in the wide open windows on the second floor and are lucky enough to be able to sit there. georgeous clam chowder and I have moules and frites (only okay) and Kate has Cod with vegetables nicoise and capers. And a glorious bottle of wine. Then back to the room for a banjo session and an early night. So this morning we decide to find a nice cafe and are lucky enough to find a coffee shop on the wharf overlooking the fish market and some fancy ships and have the best scone and coffee and then off to the beach. Kate is all covered in the red stuff but luckily it is only 10 am so we go back to the room and kate has a shower and gets dressed and then on the road via a target. We get back seriously on the road at noon. What a brilliant weekend. It is a gorgeous day today so we can have the window open and it's not too bad in this silly van with the broken air conditioner and passenger seat window.

23rd June 2007

What a laugh Frances and I had at the post office in Hastings. We had bought too many clothes and souvenirs so we thought it would be a good idea to post parcels back to ourselves to save the extra weight charge at the airport. I must have parked at the wrong Priory Road parking or taken a wrong turn heading out of the parking garage, but it was a huge long walk to the post office and then a huge long line-up and then my parcel was over 2 kgs to the tune of one nightgown and I could unpack it all and take that out and then it would have been 10 GBP instead of 30 GBP! I'm afraid those jeans were just not worth it. So I unpacked my box and threw it out and took the jeans and the nightie back to the car. Frances was still at her cashier grappling with her parcel and was just about to cough up the huge amount of GBPs when they wouldn't accept her credit card (because of no chip) - she wasn't too pleased. We didn't have enough cash between us in pounds and then he said he would exchange her dollars for her but when she came to cound out the dollars at something like 130 she balked and wouldn't do it so he had to get the parcel back round the side and retrieve all the forms she had filled out and we set off back to the car with the parcels!!! Luckily it only cost a pound to park because we hadn't been longer than an hour (although it felt like it) . I nearly died laughing.

Then when we finally got to the airport the next day, Frances was horrified at the final cost of the car and they had the nerve to charge her more at the airport desk because the airport taxes had gone up (but luckily they didn't charge her extra for her luggage, so that saved the day). She was pretty peeved by the time I left her at the second tax return counter (she had to go to a different one because it was a watch she was claiming for !!!) so I'm glad I wasn't travelling back with her, even though she was first class. I didn't have to pay extra for the airport tax but I didn't dare tell her that! My flight was an hour late and then Kate was late picking me up but it was nice and breezy and I found a seat so I did another puzzle Paul had saved for me and relaxed.

13 nov 09

Well. what does it matter?.... I am drinking Dewars - Barney's everyday scotch - haven't had it in ages. It's the end of Friday the 13th. (November 2009) I'm sitting at my usual perch in the kitchen and looking to my right at the "dining room" and thinking....YESSS... how can this be bad? I have a great glass (waterford), listening to BBC7 and playing Bubbleltown.

I just can't believe that Barney is no more. Is that really all that is left of his mortal remains? In that, nice jar, but still... there? I am surely connected by the glass of Dewars and the urn on the cupboard? I stare ...and have a drink... this scotch is lovely! Haven't had it in ages. Drank, (if I was going to drink scotch).... Famous Grouse (famous grouch, I called it!)

Whew - woke up the next morning with a bit of a hangover!! I shall never drink again.

december 19th, 2009

It's Saturday December 19th and I'm enjoying the little lads as Joe and Ali go out to do some jobs. Ferg, Monty and I are sitting on stools in a circle and Monty falls off his, so Ferg gives him how own stool and goes to get another for himself. Then he uses the tippy as a table and puts a tiny poinsettia on it because "it's light as a feather". "Voila" he says "all decorated!"
So there we are at the Budgie Cafe (so named because of the mechanical budgie which oversees it= but it has had to be turned off because it is too noisy) and we are drinking plum tea and chatting. Kate turns up and is offered a cushion by Ferg. Then Randy turns up so Ferg gets him a cushion too and shows him around the Budgie cafe, calling him by name every two seconds (very impressive since Kyle didn't get past "that guy"). He's very talkative and is demonstrating how one serves as a waiter with one hand and the thumb has to be kept down so as not to tip the plate.

Then he's telling us about a computer game he has..".it has...er......robots....er....a movie....er.....games..er.....activities.....and hours of non-stop excitement" - all delivered deadpan. We laughed so hard and you could see his face trying to figure out how he'd made us laugh. He was quite pleased with the result though.

23 December 09

It's Dec 23rd 2009 and NOT Christmas Eve and I'm wrapping presents. Kate is out at Randy's. It's been nice and quiet but now the cats have appeared and are milling around and hissing at Poppy. Poppy was hammering away at a large red
carrier bag and I was sure she was just trying for a treat. So I say "There's nothing in there Poppy" and lift the bag up to show her...it's pretty heavy....I look in and....Minnow! Well, did I ever laugh! She didn't come out and there was much repeat hammering and Poppy was walking all over the bag.



I was worried about Minnow. So that all passed, Minnow came out, so I stood the bag up and I went back to wrapping. Then there was more hammering and I said "What now?" and I go to look and there's Kipper in the bag! More ridiculous laughter from me. They had great fun but they battered the nice shopping bag. Oh well.

February 10th 2010

Golly, I'd forgotten about the blogging. But now I want to say how great it is....Kate and I just got 30 bottles of our own wine (!!!) from Fermentations for $177... therefore $5+ per bottle - courtesy of Kate's birthday present to me last year. And might I just mention my Christmas present which was some shares in the Montforte Cheese Factory which entitle me to a certain number of cheese vouchers per year - but I've already used up quite a few of my vouchers at the St. Lawrence Market on those gorgeous cheeses. One particularly delicious sheep cheddar with garlicscapes and one with sundried tomatoes. Lovely. So now I am enjoying my first bottle of my wine - a pinot gris with a 1 sweetness and it is still good at home - I was a little worried that the glass I tasted at Fermentations might be lulling me into a false sense of security and that, once home, it would taste disgusting. But, I tried some before making dinner and now I'm finishing off the bottle and it is still gorgeous.

After making the wine we drove back through Kensington Market and I stopped off at Sanagan's meat locker (my new favourite discovery) for some more of their gorgeous meats. I got the best tenderloin steak (should I say roast-it was certainly big enough for two meals) which was well marbled and a deep dry red colour. I knew it was going to be great. I put on some Viking potatoes from the specialist potato guy at St.Lawrence north market. In the pan with two garlic cloves (which, when cooked, got mashed with butter and cream) and on top a steamer of some broccolli. Then I just pan-fried the steak (after having rubbed it with garlic and seasoned with salt and pepper, in my hot cast iron pan with some of the gorgeous olive oil from the Olive Pit on Queen St. It was the best meal I've had in ages. Just delicious. The steak was rare but not running at all - nice and dry. With huge flavour. And the rest of it was unbelievable. so...was it the wine...or was it the food? Wer weiss?

I wanted to post a photo of the backyard in winter - it's so lovely. But I can't seem to make this blog import the photo. Oh well, the backyard looks lovely. Nuff said... Ha Ha - just found out how to do it...