de facto redhead

I am horribly behind with my posts, and unlike everyone else I know, I don’t even have Pinterest to blame – every time I log on, my mind goes completely blank. Apparently, though, I’ve been feeling less-than-inspired on here as well…hence the lack of action on De Facto Redhead. But, for those of you who like chaos and confusion with some thrifting thrown in for bargooning pleasure, here is what I’ve been wearing and how I’ve been wiling away the time:

Boots, Spring; jeans, Costa Blanca; shirt-dress, Vero Moda; vest, H&M, belt, Le Chateau; bracelets, assorted; necklace, vintage, gift from Mom.

Boots, Spring; jeans, Levis; blouse, H&M; sweater, Zara; belt, thrifted; brooch, vintage.

Boots, Spring; jeans, Levis; sweater, Jacob; coat and hat, Urban Outfitters; gloves and purse, Old Navy; scarf, vintage. I wore this outfit in Toronto on January 21 while going to this:

This exhibit was taking place at the Bell TIFF Lightbox, and my mom and I managed to sneak in on the last weekend the event was in town. We dutifully paid our $15 for our tickets and proceeded to enjoy every minute of the exhibit. Grace Kelly’s letters, movie posters, clothes, wedding dress (a replica), accessories, and more were on display, and as soon as my mom and I got home, we started our online search for reputable books we could read about Grace Kelly’s life. The order was placed, and now we wait… We must know more about the “woman who had many lovers and was quite the hot tamale.” (Direct quote from an elderly lady behind us at the exhibit.)

This print was on one of walls outside the Lightbox. No pictures were allowed inside the exhibit. Boooo!

I look like this every day. Don’t you?

It wouldn’t have been a proper weekend with my parents if we didn’t darken the door of at least one thrift store. My mom and I each scored this Pyrex juice jug for $0.99 at the Burlington Goodwill.

Hello! We came home from the Freelton Antique Mall with a nice lady named Carla. We admit we were pricey at $12, but we will be forever grateful for Carla’s kind heart and sparkling smile.

What up, Sudbury? Why were you lurking in Freelton? What brought you there? And why did you have to be $7 and make me feel guilty about spending that on you? You are just too darn winsome.

A vintage 1968 edition of the Joy of Cooking, purchased for $1 at The Reuse Centre.

Another score at The Reuse Centre – a $0.25 mug for Darcy with his last name on it. 

Last night, Erin, Mike, Darcy, and took off for the outer ridges of Niagara wine country, and we stayed in Jordan. This is us at the Jordan House Tavern, and in the background you can see the pool table where I sharked it during my first game in about four years. I refute all accusations of beginner’s luck. Today, we collected a nice little bounty of wine and came home with plans to quit our jobs and open a winery. With my beginner’s luck, we can’t lose…

Boots, Spring; leggings, Dynamite; tube-dress, Spoof; shirt, Old Navy; jacket, closed-down boutique in Toronto; scarf, gift;  purse, thrifted; hat, Aldo.

Christmas is, indeed, 10 days away, but you wouldn’t know it by the weather today – it was 12 degrees in Burlington, and this is what I had on while running errands this afternoon. I made Irish soda bread this afternoon, and had to open the kitchen window because of the warmth of the oven. It was heat upon heat, this balmy afternoon of December 15. Unheard of, dear sir!

Over the past couple weeks, I have been counting down to Christmas by participating in all things festive. The month started out with the annual Santa Shuffle 5K:

Erin and I after this year’s Santa Shuffle. The random person we asked to take our picture told us were were “shiny” after she took the shot. Erin and I glanced at each other as if to say, “That’s rude!” but then we looked at the picture and realized she meant our reflective gear. OK, we forgive you.

Here I am at my staff party, which was was a couple weeks ago. We had a fantastic dinner at Red Canoe Bistro in downtown Burlington, and while this martini looks fabulous, it was not. Tequila and salt overload! I finished it, though, so I guess it wasn’t that bad… I am wearing a one-piece pantsuit from Anthropolgie, a fact that my co-workers thought was hilarious – a one-piece pantsuit!?!?

Last weekend, the girls and I got together at my place to celebrate our seventh annual Christmas gift exchange. We started out with actual presents and switched to cookies somewhere along the way, but we are now fully committed to ornaments. We are also fully committed to our annual Christmas exchange potluck. Oh, food. We crawled from the couches to this position, and then collapsed in unison after the picture was taken.

I also guest-blogged over at Dear Edna today, and if you want to look at some lovely pictures of holiday Pyrex, head over there, like OMG, now! And, finally, this Saturday is Bryony’s annual Christmas party, so I need to stop everything and focus on the big things in life, such as what to wear. Ha.

I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since my last post! I had an editing project due in the middle of the month, and then I spent a week planning, shopping, and decorating for my Halloween party. I also admit that I took that week to catch up on my TV shows and relax. Unfortunately, however, when I am either too busy or being too lazy, the blog is the first thing to fall by the wayside. It’s a sorry-but-true fact. So, to make up for my ignorance, I am going to give you a picture-heavy grab-bag blog post that plays a little game of Fall 2011 catch-up.

Here is my Halloween costume – 1980s exercise queen! Every piece is from my closet – no purchases necessary. Shoes, Giant Tiger; leg warmers, gift; tights, Secret; bathing suit, Old Navy; tank top and belt, H&M; bracelets, gifts and Liquidation World; button, free from Edmonton Transit System; earrings, gift; scarf, vintage.

I had the most unexpected party guests show up at my door: Wanda (of Where’s Waldo? fame), Slash, a gangsta (yo), and a classy couple from the 1930s (did they find a hot-tub time machine?).

Me, today in my backyard, wearing my new boots that I thrifted this weekend while antiquing around St. Jacobs and Cambridge with my parents. The close-up is below, but if you’re interested, I’m also wearing Costa Blanca jeans, a red Smart Set sweater, a black H&M tank top, an H&M leopard-print jacket, a vintage scarf, and Foxy Originals earrings (gift from Caroline).

This is how I have taken to wearing my hair now. It’s either this or a side-braid. It’s too long and wild to do anything with, but I have decided to push any hair appointments to the end of December, which is when I last got my hair cut two years ago. Twenty-four months; it’s time to donate.

My new boots! I found these for $10 in an antique mall in St. Jacobs. They were labelled as never-worn and were in the original box:

Who is the woman who owned these boots? Why didn’t she wear them? There was another pair for sale (also for $10), but they were all brown, with a small heel, and I didn’t think I needed them. I’m kind of regretting that decision now. Uh-oh – non-buyer’s remorse!  The worst!

My first Pyrex purchase of the weekend – a Town and Country 403! It was $5.95 at an antique mall in St. Jacobs.

I couldn’t go home without something for Darcy, so I picked up this little brass penguin ornament for $3.50. He loves penguins, and he loves, well, things like this.

I have one metre stick up on a wall here at home, but left room for two more to be placed above it. I found one of those two elusive sticks at a Cambridge antique mall. Well, actually, my dad found it, and at $1.50 it was a steal since I didn’t see one other metre stick for less than $4 all weekend.

I didn’t buy all of these this weekend – just the red one, which was $4.95 and completed my primary-bowls Pyrex set. Yay!

I also found this other 403 bowl for my collection – it’s Snowflake Blue, and cost me $9. I have 11 bowls now!

I have one other wooden hanger that I found last year at the Aberfoyle antique market, and I want to put a few of them on a wall in the bathroom, but I need to find more before I do that. Wooden hangers like this are actually a bit difficult to find – especially when I won’t pay more than $5. I found this one at the Freelton antique mall, and it was $4.50.

Darcy came around with us on Antiquing Day 2, and spotted a box of comics that he thought we could frame. I thought it was a great idea, and once I find the right frame, we already know where these will be hanging. Love them for $3 each!

I have wanted a vintage cocktail shaker for a long time, so I finally decided to take the plunge and buy one this weekend. I picked this lovely guy up for $14.95. I can’t wait to use it!

Darcy spotted this board game underneath a pile of who-knows-what, and it came home with us, of course! Hockey? Management? Trades? Vintage? Sold, for $15!

I bought a set of the glasses on the left last year, but since then have broken two (of six). Luckily, my mom found matching ones priced individually for $3 each. Darcy and I also have a set of the Bluenose glasses, and I found another one to add to the collection for $0.50.

Next up this month is the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo, and then it’s a quick slide into December when I already have something going on every weekend! How does the calendar fill up so fast? Stay tuned!

Well, it was a long weekend, so that means the exalted or reviled grab-bag blog. As 50 Cent is fond of saying, hate it or love it? Daddy ain’t around, probably committin’ felonies. OK, not true, and my Family Day weekend wasn’t spent with my jailbird daddy – it was spent with Darcy, Susie, my mom, and my dad, who ain’t committin’ no jacked-up felonies.

Boots, Spring; tights, Aldo; shirt-dress, H&M; cream belt, vintage; brown belt, Suzy Shier; tank top, Urban Outfitters; earrings, gift from Erin; necklace, bracelets, and bird pin, vintage; nameplate bracelet, craft fair.

Sure, the nameplate bracelet is broken, but I like to wear it anyway, and it’s survived about 15 years of ownership, so give it some slack, all right?

Darcy and I went out to East Side Mario’s for supper on Friday because every so often we like to gorge on unlimited salad, soup, and bread at what we call “Generic Restaurant TMs” (the “TM” stands for the trademark symbol). And, as per usual, we left wondering why we ate at said Generic Restaurant TM. It’s like Bart with Lisa’s electric-shock cupcake – we never learn, and keep going back for more.

The La Palette experience.

Saturday at noon, you could have found me at La Palette, in Toronto, where Susie and I went for lunch/brunch before heading to the National Home Show. I sought out this restaurant after reading an article in Toronto Life about its French onion soup, which, for the record, is soup I have a hard time not ordering if it’s on the menu. Thus, my ongoing quest for the perfect French onion soup. Toronto Life called La Palette’s concoction “peerless,” and I have to say I disagree. I was disappointed in the soup because I didn’t think it was cheesy enough, there was an odd tang to it that made me wince slightly every time I ate a spoonful, some of the bread chunks were hard, and it arrived at the table merely warm, not hot. Sorry, Toronto Life, this March’s Food & Drink article was wasted on me and my common taste buds that can’t appreciate a slow-roasted beef bone broth. On the bright side, though, Susie very much enjoyed her omelette, greens, and “frites,” and the bread basket was pretty decent.

What I wore to the Home Show: Boots, Spring; tights, Secret; sweater-dress, Le Chateau; feathered necklace, Charlotte Russe; bracelet, necklace and bird pin, vintage; earrings, gift from Erin.

Susie and I.

The pictures above were taken just before Susie and I left the Home Show, and our smiles mask our bitter disappointment with the hour and a half we basically wasted at the Direct Energy Centre (it was good fortune that Susie won the tickets, and that we didn’t pay for them!). The show was oddly bi-polar, as if it couldn’t make up its mind to be a flea market or an actual home show. One minute we were looking at hulking garage doors and scratch-resistant flagstone, and the next minute, our eyes were being blinded by the shiny silver buckles of knock-off purses dangling precariously on particle board across the aisle. So strange!!! Susie and I went to see the Rockettes and their Radio City Christmas Spectacular a few years ago, and the performance was so weird and disjointed that we joked we must be on an acid trip. The Home Show experience elicited similar comments.

The endangered Krispy Kreme, in its natural habitat.

After Susie and I were finished at the Home Show, we decided we wanted/deserved a treat. Cupcakes won out as the most desirable confection, and this decision was determined by the simultaneous squeals of excitement we both let out once the word “cupcake” was mentioned. Fast-forward two and a half hours, and Susie and I are sitting in my car, eating chocolate-glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts.* We couldn’t find a cupcake shop in the area we were in, and since we each had a voucher from FabFind for six free Original Krispy Kremes, we gave up the cupcake search after high winds, transit inadequacy, and pure frustration left us deflated and rabid for sugar. Family Day Weekend, Part 1, end scene.

Tomorrow I’ll regale you with Sunday’s second-hand purchases. The antique malls brought forth much bounty, and I can’t wait to share the fruits of my foraging!

*Did you know a bizarrely located Krispy Kreme standalone store exists on Harbord Street in Toronto? I can’t decide whether it’s good or bad for me to have acquired this little piece of information.

Welcome to De Facto Redhead, 2011! I just got back on Saturday from over a week away with family in Petrolia and Espanola, and now I don’t want to do anything but lay on the couch and consecutively watch every episode from my newly gifted Will & Grace Season 4 DVDs. Thus, in the middle of taking down the tree and Christmas decorations today, I found the entire exercise to be too depressing and watched two episodes of W&G while having a tea and eating a few Godiva truffles my brother gave me as part of my Christmas gift. Later this evening, I caught up on my blog-reading, and in the spirit of their short holiday posts (I’m still feeling mentally stagnant), here is my week off in pictures:

Yep, that’s me looking dopey, but the holidays aren’t about looking your best, even when you feel happy (more pictures to come that provide evidence for my theory). This picture was taken just after I finished opening my Christmas gifts from Darcy, and after I spent all day (and week) baking, wrapping, packing and readying ourselves for the holidays. I was really tired.

It’s Christmas Eve, and isn’t Uncle Darcy fun?! And isn’t my niece doing a good job of pulling off my fedora?

Me, Darcy, and Darcy posing like excited children in front of our stockings on Christmas night. Will Santa find us, even though we’re hoping for him a day late?

Well, apparently Santa recognized me all grown up and without makeup on, because he left behind a Popple for me!

Susie, Me, Cristiana, Sheri, and Heidi roasting chestnuts on an open fire on Boxing Day. These are my Espanola High School ladies, and we can cackle with the best of them. Kristy, we missed you!

Game night at my parents’ house, with my brother and his girlfriend Kayla. Guess who’s making a funny face and refusing to smile for the camera…?

The annual family shot on the back deck. A reindeer took our picture and then kicked Darcy in the face.

And there you have it – Christmas vacation, over in a flash. Sigh. The first week of January is the worst! But it’s not all bad because guess how much money I’ve spent on clothes, etc. in 2011? $0! That’s right, it’s time for Tally it Up, Part 2. I’ll write soon with a final total from 2010. Did I make it over $700? I bet you spent the last week torn up and wondering.

Happy New Year!

Nope, not going to Louisiana for Christmas Day, but I have been listening to Aaron Neville’s Christmas album a lot, and thus learning what to do and expect if I was ever in the deep south for the holidays. Fay do-do, anyone? Mama, I’ll find a way.

I have been alternating Aaron with my other Christmas CDs while taking care of Christmas business this week. Here is what I looked like while shopping for Darcy today:

Just had a little lie-down on the bed, and called a few friends. No big deal. I even wore heels!

In reality, I have been baking, cleaning, and wrapping like a madwoman, and now my back and neck hurt…so maybe I really do deserve a lie-down…or maybe I just need what I’m holding here:

Caitlin, Susie, Erin, Me, Andrea, and Leslie.

My friends and I went to Bryony’s Christmas party last Saturday night, and what I have in my hand is my good old standby drink of cranberry juice and vodka. What I have on is the skirt I just bought at Forever 21. What I have in my hair is a frustrating hat piece that needed constant adjustment. What I had the next day started with an “h” and ended with me not being mobile until suppertime. But look-y here, something to make all my holiday woes disappear – Santa Claus, arriving at my apartment with everything I just listed on Dear Edna‘s blog as guest poster for her “Fifth Day of Christmas.”

Tim Allen, are you out there? Take that weenie whistle back from Judge Reinhold and give me my Louboutins instead.

Isn’t the overhead lighting flattering? You could crop me out of this picture, paste my head on a spinning hypnotist’s ring, and people’s darkest, most sinister secrets would soon be revealed. (The girls: Front row, me and Melanie; Back row, from left to right, Susie, Bryony, Monica, Caroline, Jen, Kristy, and Erin.)

Susie, Melanie, Erin, and I were at the show a bit earlier than the other girls, and we took that time to procure wine, wine, and more wine. Apparently, in addition to our vision becoming fuzzy, the camera decided to do so as well…

A couple posts ago, I mentioned that I was going to the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo in Toronto. This was on November 19, and yes, go to it I did…along with eight of my fantastical girlfriends! We were loud, we consumed a lot of wine, two of our glasses got broken, we scored free samples from male wine reps, we ate sushi, one of us paid $5 for a penny-sized piece of lobster, we got separated and tried calling each other on cellphone connections that sounded like international calls on tin cans, we ate macarons (not macaroons*), and we did and said many more things that I’m having trouble remembering now. The red wine that my teeth didn’t soak up (always an A+ look) must have went straight to my head. Ooops. But not really. I did, after all, consciously and soberly buy $50 worth of drink tickets.

*Up until about a day before the show, I was a cultureless ingrate who thought macarons and macaroons were the same thing. You?

P.S. I always forget that not everyone is on Facebook, where I announced last Friday that my latest fashion post on Dear Edna is available. Check it. Or become a fan of De Facto Redhead on Facebook – that’s good, too!

Christmas is coming!

Yes, Christmas is, indeed, coming – in exactly 39 days! I have started my Christmas shopping, but since I obviously can’t reveal my purchases, I took the above picture of some Christmas gift tags I bought this year. Just over a week ago, Erin asked me to go with her to a holiday-shopping open house at Lulu & Lavigne Home Studio, in Hamilton, and with the lure of free cupcakes making me tear up Highway 403 in a fit of a blinding anticipation, there was no way I was missing out. My only purchase was the tags at 40% off, but I can say with confidence that Sweetness Bakery gained a new client because I ate two of their mini cupcakes at the event, and then bought four full-sized confections this past weekend (more on that later!).

Want some?

Staying on the baked-goods track, I made this banana-chocolate loaf (I hate that word) last week, and it was amazing! The recipe said to wrap the loaf overnight, and then cut into it the next day, but that author was crazy to think anyone (read: me) could resist something that looked like this, hot out of the oven. I sold all my bakeware at my yard sale in Edmonton, and I just recently acquired new pans, etc., so this loaf was me, back in baking action. Here’s what my counter looked like mid-bake:

You can check out the recipe for this Two-Tone Banana Bread here.

I got to enjoy the last piece of the bread on Friday, the day after Darcy left for the weekend to visit his friend in Houston, Texas. Yes, I had five days and four nights to myself, and I made them count. The first adventure of the weekend was actually getting Darcy to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, which is in Cheektowaga, New York. The flight on Air Tran was so cheap in comparison to WestJet or Air Canada, there wasn’t really a question about choosing this airport/airline, so after getting through the border safely (I always feel so nervous!), we were early, so we went to eat at a local eatery Darcy had looked up – Charlie the Butcher. It was a great lunch!

The view at Charlie the Butcher.

The food at Charlie the Butcher: Beef on Weck, potato wedges, sweet potato fries, and a hot dog with a German name that I can’t remember. And yes, I know my hot dog looks pathetic, but the condiments were at the table, and I put them on after the picture was taken, OK?

After I dropped Darcy off at the airport, I made my way back toward the border, where I stopped at an outlet mall. I bought an olive-green corduroy skirt at Old Navy, but who cares about that when you can shop at Charlotte Russe! Oh my God, has anyone else shopped here before? I had only heard of it on the What I Wore Today blog, but didn’t know anything about it. The sparkle in this place almost made me pass out, and I felt like I didn’t know where to look because I wanted EVERYTHING! The clothes and accessories were also reasonably priced, similar to Forever 21, but all I took away with me was a tank top with metallic chains hanging on the front of it, and a bronzed metal necklace with brown feathers attached to it. I needed to restrain myself because Christmas is coming up, after all, but I will see you again, Charlotte Russe.

So this all happened on Thursday, and on Friday, I went on a thrifting extravaganza, going to every second-hand store in Burlington. I had such a great time, and I found not only Pyrex for my collection (you can check out my purchases on the Pyrex Collective here), but I also bought a creamy-coloured angora-and-wool winter coat with a fur collar at Goodwill for $14.99, a black cross-body purse at Goodwill for $4.99, and three belts of varying golds and blacks at the Burlington Humane Society second-hand shop for $1 each. Yay! These purchases, in combination with my U.S. purchases (Old Navy skirt, $5.48; Charlotte Russe tank and necklace, $16.80), bring my Tally it Up spending to $634.82.

On Saturday, I made my way into Toronto, where I met up with Caroline at her place. We went out for dinner at Ferro, where we split the Spinacce “insalate” and I had the Gnocchi Alla Napoli for my main. Oh, God, it was so good! Caroline, I’m coming to see you again today, OK?

After dinner, we had a drink of Baileys back at the apartment, and settled in to watch the second Sex and the City movie. We also settled in to…our Sweetness Bakery cupcakes! I told you I would mention them again, and here they are:

How amazing do these look?

Here we are, fake-eating the s’mores cupcakes. We demolished Caroline’s couch with their crumbs immediately after this picture.

That pretty much brings an end to my weekend, as Sunday I went out to the Freelton Antique Mall for a browse, but didn’t get anything for myself except for a couple postcards I plan on framing, and then on Monday it was time to head back to the U.S. of A. to pick up Darcy at the airport. Luckily, I had these friendly woodland creatures to guide me in times of crisis:

We had a serious chat about stores in the area, and one of them told me to go Hobby Lobby. I went forth with their blessings, and I discovered ample bounty. Thanks, Mr. Deer! (Along with Charlotte Russe, I now also love Hobby Lobby.)

Next up, I am heading to the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo this weekend!

From left: Caroline, Me (dress from Mango), Erin, Jen, Bryony, Kristy, and Susie.

I can’t believe tomorrow is Thursday! It seems like this week has flown by, especially since all of Sunday and, admittedly, a large portion of Monday was spent recovering from my friend Jen’s amazing wedding on Saturday. Jen’s nuptials presented, for the first time since I’ve been back in Ontario, the opportunity for all “the girls” to be together under one roof, so it was very exciting (and loud) times. Can’t you tell how happy we are? That happiness might also have had something to do with the amount of wine we had consumed by this point in the night, but here are Susie and I, still looking happy (and more polished, I might add!) earlier in the evening:

Sobriety indicators: Lipstick is intact, and hair is still up.

Everyone had a wonderful time, so I thank you, Jen and Luke, for such a fun night. Congratulations!

Our wedding favour. So cute!

This past Monday, Darcy and I had to drag ourselves to Toronto again, which we felt kind of blah about after being so exhausted post-wedding on Sunday, but the brisk evening that presented itself while walking down Carlton Street was more than enough to wake us up. Even livelier, however, was the reason we went to Toronto in the first place – the Dandy Warhols! Darcy is a pretty big fan, so even though he (and I) have seen them before (in Chicago and Edmonton), there was no question about getting tickets for their show at the Phoenix Concert Theatre for our third viewing. I am not a concert/music connoisseur, so all I can really say about the show is that I liked it a lot. Haha! I am pretty deaf when it comes to the different nuances of stereo sound, etc., so, really, if I like what I’m hearing, then I’m generally good to go. And, aside from the sub-par falafel I had before the show, I would say Darcy and I had a fun night! Here is what I wore:

Boots and hat, Aldo; tights, Fruit of the Loom; sweater-dress, Le Chateau; purple-and-black shirt, Urban Outfitters; jean jacket, Roots; purse (gift from Kristy L.), Danier; scarf, vintage; gloves, H&M.

Waiting in line, eager to get a seat so we didn’t have to stand. We succeeded, and had a pretty good view:

The Dandy Warhols!

The rest of November should prove to be an eventful month, with something different going on every weekend. Stay tuned for more grab-bag blogging!

OK, I had three people weigh in on the question of whether to grab-bag blog or not (thanks Ami, Caroline, and Joanne!), so I am going to go ahead, twist the math, and consider them a true representative sample of my readership. Data-man Darcy would not approve! But enough about him and more about me! Let’s go way back, like old-school back, to the Thanksgiving weekend…

The Reaper’s Realm bus!

Yes, this bus is cut in half, and yes, it is amazing! Vrooooooom! Off you go into the woods on a Halloween adventure that consists of creatures crawling onto the bus and down the aisles, things popping out from the trees, and huge 18-wheeler cab trucks chasing you alongside a corn field. Wheeeee! This thrilling ride that makes me feel like a kid again (and that was the finale after an extremely giddy ride to the Reaper’s Realm site) is out in Lambton County, near where Darcy’s dad and sister live, in the Sarnia/Petrolia area. We went on the ride a few years ago, but then Darcy and I moved away, and that was the end of that tradition. Until now. Reaper’s Realm 2011 already has Darcy, his sister Candice, and I making plans for mid-to-back-of-the-bus seating positions for optimal spooking chances. We sat at the very front for Reaper’s Realm 2010, and we were annoyed by the surly and unenthusiastic bus driver. We wanted him to cut a jugular or something! Anyway, I still screamed at the actors who caught me unawares, and I was laughed at mercilessly. But when we’re this happy afterward, it had to be good:

This shot is blurry because it’s from a camera phone (I still like it, Danielle!), but you can see the sheer Halloween joy on our shining, earnest faces. [Me, Darcy's dad's girlfriend Sue, Darcy's dad Gary, and Darcy (in his University of Alberta colours).]

Darcy’s sister Candice, mine and Darcy’s nephew Ethan, and Me preparing to go up to the top.

So, obviously I spent the Thanksgiving weekend in Sarnia and Petrolia with Darcy’s family, since here we are at the Brigden Fair. I can’t remember the last time I was on a ride, so this was so much fun. Darcy and Joe (Candice’s beau) didn’t go on the ride above, and both found it quite funny that I screamed (again) when this mini-Drop Zone gave way. Needless to say, I was not holding Ethan’s hand at that point – I was gripping the seat handles like death was imminent. But I enjoyed myself, and ate the kettle corn I bought within, oh, a day. Good times! *Side note: I spotted a true Nanny McPhee front tooth on one of the carnie workers. Fascinating!*

The Thirty Bench winery in Beamsville.

Besides working at home, my job definitely has its perks, such as complimentary events like this one – a winery tour last Friday! I was there for business, of course, to interview the winemaker for the website I write for (check out ontario.mydestinationinfo.com here!), but I had also never been to a winery, so this was much more than just work to me. In fact, it barely felt like work at all! I got a great interview, and submitted my article today. Writing it was easy after seeing the vineyards, the wine-tasting room, and the cellar, where I got to sample two merlots that had been barely fermenting for more than two days. The wine came out of huge oak barrels with little spouts on them that reminded me of Disney cartoon casks, and it tasted so good – like juice! There were little pieces of grape skins in the wine, too, which just added to the authenticity of my experience at Thirty Bench. In fact, you can watch this video and hear me talking to the winemaker. Haha! I told Darcy we have to go back and have a full tasting with a wine consultant. Here is another picture from Thirty Bench, of part of its vineyards:

So pretty! So idyllic!

Don’t you wish this was your house?

Here I am, last Saturday morning, the day after the winery excursion. Yes, you’ve seen this outfit before, but I don’t care because I like it! Anyway, the outfit is not the focal point of this picture – it’s the house in the background! My good friend Peter works at Canadian House & Home magazine, and its pros (including Peter!) are behind the design of the Princess Margaret Welcome Home Sweepstakes for Cancer lottery home in Oakville. Lucky Susie and I were invited by Peter to go to what was a ticketed event that let us sit in the house’s AMAZING kitchen with Lynda Reeves and food editor Amy Rosen while they demonstrated how to cook a “Cheese Strata” and sticky buns. Afterward, we toured the house, which took forever because it was so big, and because Susie and I had heart attacks just about every time we turned a corner. *”Ooooh! Ahhhhh! Look at this!!” they squealed.* Moving along, we were eventually ushered into the garage, where samples of the cooked food was waiting. I discarded of the gross raisins in the sticky buns, but other than that, it was time very well spent! Not to mention the welcome acquisition of a pretty good gift bag. “Why, yes, I’ll take this bag for free,” I said calmly before doing a lunatic’s leprechaun dance in the driveway.

After we left the lottery home, Susie and I stepped back in time, and I had horseshoes made for my nag.

OK, not true. But we did go to Starsky, which is a wild time in a grocery store. You might not think that’s possible, but, oh, it is. I dare you to go here and not be awed by the dessert, deli, and cheese counters. If you aren’t tempted by at least one free sample, well, you must be dead inside.

Happy 30th Birthday, Mike!

Last Saturday was a really busy day (and night). After I got back from roaming around Oakville, I only had a few hours before it was time to get on the road again – but this time to Hamilton. Erin‘s beau was celebrating his 30th birthday, and Darcy, Caroline, and I made the trek out to the Hammer together. Here’s a picture of Erin, Caroline, and I before we left for Gallagher’s:

I look a tad slit-eyed, but we all look happy and well supplied with drink, so the photo was a keeper. What isn’t pictured here is us, still up at 4 am, eating crackers, meat, and cheese. Let’s leave that one to the imagination.

Me and Susie out at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.

And here we are, finally into this week! October has definitely been my month for free events, because on Tuesday night, I was Susie’s date to Ballroom With a Twist. She had obtained tickets through work, and I was happy to oblige and take one off her hands! This particular production was created by Dancing with the Stars‘ Louis Van Amstel, which I thought gave it immediate potential to be a great show. Um, not so much. By the end, Susie and I were in agreement that it was a 2.5- or 3-star show at best. Dancers were out of sync, and there was an odd interlude during which amateur dancers who had won a local contest had the opportunity to dance onstage. There was then a Q&A with the Dancing With the Stars pros who were in the show, after which the audience was led through a hokey dance routine. Why? Why? Apparently a lot of other people had the same thought, because about a third of the audience in our section began inching out the doors at this exact moment. Oh, but wait! The show isn’t over! That’s right – the whole production started up again and went for about another 25 minutes. So bizarre.

From left, clockwise: Bryony, Kristy, Caroline, Me, and Susie.

All right, last event of the week! On Wednesday night, the ladies and I went out to Milagro on Yonge Street in Toronto to support Susie in her job at the Canadian Cancer Society. The event was called Feast for the Fight, and a portion of our dinner tab was donated to the cancer society. The restaurant we went to is Mexican, and I’m not a big lover of this type of food, but as I said to Darcy when I got home, “It’s always nice to see my friends.” And Susie’s pick of the Holy Grail of cheese pots (the “Queso Fundido”) was pretty friggin’ good, so that counted as a plus, too. I love being back in Ontario!