For years I’ve wanted to have a kitchen cam. I thought back when cams were new and exciting that I might plug one in somewhere by my stove, or strap one to my head headlamp-style whilst making dinner, so that you could all see that much better what I was taking about. “Learn how to edit video” has been on my to-do list for approximately 4 years, and I’ve still not done it. Although I’m sure if I asked any 10 year old in my neighbourhood, they could show me.
Gabrielle of Design Mom and her family of eight (!!) recently launched a new series called Olive Us, and I adore it. They aren’t all food-related, but this one is, and I thought you might love it too.
(Aside: I don’t watch cooking shows on TV much anymore, since they don’t seem to actually cook so much as have wars, competitions, makeovers, and stress out over who’s dinner party or batch of cupcakes is a disaster or success. There’s no crying in cooking! Food is supposed to soothe, nourish and connect us, not intimidate and pit us against each other – don’t you think? I like this message better. Can’t we all just get along – over a bowl of tzatziki?)
Flew back from Vancouver this afternoon, stopped for coffee and sandwiches at Rosso en route home from the airport, and took W and his friends to Ghoul’s Night Out at Heritage Park. It was fantastic. The best part was when the two six year old girls tried to explain to him what a bride was in the back seat on the way home. That might have been the scariest part, too.
Upon entering the park (and exiting, too) there was dueling, with swords and real armour and knights – likely those same dudes who used to spend their lunch hours playing D&D, having probably more fun than the kids did watching them. Swordfights are cool.
They did a fabulous job of transforming the park into a spooky spectacle, complete with witches and cauldrons, haunted houses, fortune tellers, a full-scale Mad Hatter’s tea party (with the king and queen of hearts, Cheshire cat, White Rabbit and others in attendance) all nestled among awesomely creepy houses, barns and back alleys. There was even an eerie horse-drawn carriage.
And a zombie flashmob. A zombie flashmob! We need to do that in downtown Calgary sometime. Zombie flashmob.
An astounding number of talented and enthusiastic volunteers helped put this together and perform various zombie/ghoul/witch/undertaker roles, manage games, tell stories, sit in pumpkin patches and psych kids up to go inside haunted houses. And put on a monster mash with lights and disco music.
And of course the usual gas station, candy store and bakery (transformed into a boolangerie) and a restaurant in the old barn, if you want to get something to eat and make an evening of it. Although we had no trouble occupying over 2 hours, without even stopping to do any crafts.
I was in no way coerced into writing this – I love to be able to spread the word about events are so well done, appropriate for a wide range of age levels (including grown-up) with great attention to detail and without gratuitous gore. It’s a great way to spend an evening with the kids and celebrate Halloween. Big ghouls (13+) are $10, little ghouls (3-12) are $6 and kids 2 and under are free. The bakery is cheap, too.
If you’d like to bring your little ghouls, you can buy tickets online here.
I hear it’s snowing today in Calgary – or least it’s in the forecast. I’m frantically trying to wrap stuff up before heading to Jasper for Christmas in November next week, and today at Chapters in Vancouver there were a whole lotta Christmas card displays. It’s coming, you know.
So I was asked last week to poke around the CORE in downtown Calgary and come up with a sort of wish list of gifts great for moms. They’re trying to get the word out about the season’s biggest shopping event on on Wednesday, November 30th from 6:30 – 10:00pm. On the agenda: free parking, eats and drinks, special one-night-only offers from CORE retailers, a performance by Juno winning singer Chantal Kreviazuk and the unveiling of a 40-foot illuminated Christmas tree. All ticket sales (tickets are $15) will support two local charities working to revitalize Calgary’s downtown: BeCause, a next generation initiative of the United Way of Calgary and the National Music Centre Project.
Remember when I said I had more free stuff for you later? They offered up a $100 CORE shopping card for me to give to one of you if I go window shopping and choose some of my favourite things. The theme: gifts for moms. I’m not sure my motherly taste will reflect others’, but here goes:
Everyone could use a good notebook – Moleskine or otherwise – don’t you think? I found the ones above at Indigo Spirit, but they had some pretty fab ones at Land & Sea, too. Where they also had these cute little portable speakers that plug into any device capable of holding music.
And these! Who wouldn’t love a set of ninja gingerbread men cookie cutters?
I never have figured out how to stylishly wrap a scarf around my neck – but I might not screw up this cozy cable knit cowl neck thingamabob from Cassis. At least you’ll know it fits.
Unless you have a mom who hates tea, she’d likely love a cast iron teapot from Teaopia. I may have a friend who drove over one once with her VW van just to test its durability. It passed.
At Holt Renfrew (hey, I can dream), I found these big ol’ Betty and Wilma meet Julia Child pearls.
And this pretty fab grey Franchi clutch purse that would make me feel oh so Sarah Jessica Parker (if it weren’t for the rest of me – and the fact they likely don’t make Manolo Blahniks in size 11).
I think this might be my favourite thing on the list: a Buddha butter dish. I’m not hard to please. (Back at Land & Sea) For extra bonus points: pick up a block of great quality butter. Mom may cry.
Slippers are always a safe bet. These are sort of Ugg meets Wampa. (La Senza)
And last on my list, how could I not include Anne Taintor flasks? Not to insinuate your mom drinks. It’s for top-grade maple syrup, to stash in her purse and use when you take her to brunch.
Also from Land & Sea.
Ticket info for ‘Twas the Night can be found here.
Comments are closed – we have a winner! Heather is going on a CORE shopping spree! Congratulations Heather!!
I pulled a pie out of the freezer tonight. A wee one (of a few) I picked up at the Saskatoon farmers’ market earlier this summer, carefully toted home in my carry-on bag, then wrapped and stuck in the freezer, because what was I going to do with three pies at once? But if you ever go to the Saskatoon farmers’ market you will swoon at the sight of at least a dozen granny-types of all ages (and I mean that in the best possible way – I adored my grandma) selling handmade pies of all kinds. Cherry, apple, strawberry, rhubarb, Saskatoon… raisin pies, even. I was in pie heaven. Yet staying at a hotel and flying home the next day. You’d do the same, I know it.
Also? I think I paid $3 for this pie. Which turned out to be rhubarb-Saskatoon – can’t get much more Canadian than that. I was baking date squares for CBC tomorrow but my Dad was coming over for dinner, and not wanting him to ravage said date squares, I popped this into a pan and slid it into the oven alongside. It reheated beautifully.
Dinner itself was a salad of sweet onions and tomatoes my friend A. brought back from the Okanagan (along with peaches, nectarines and yellow plums!) with fresh (albeit wilty) basil, olive oil and balsamic. My dad (whom I love) said it wasn’t authentic – he likes his with Kraft zesty Italian dressing.
We had corn and radishes, and those bun-looking things on the right are Portobello mushrooms stuffed with Spolumbos sausage (from the butcher dept at Co-op) cooked on the grill.
But really I was just looking at the finish line: that pie. Which cooled to warm and we ate with our hands – big wedges of fruit encased in a pastry coat. I hardly missed the ice cream.
So. Speaking of pie.
I’ve been meaning to have another little get-together, since the potluck back in the spring (could it be as long ago as it was??) and I thought we might have a little pie party. What do you think? This time I’ll tell Mike about it, and try not to be in the shower when everyone arrives.
As last time, everyone is welcome, just leave a comment here and I’ll contact you. And if you want, you could bring a pie. It’ll be a pie potluck! I’ll get take-out containers so we can all have doggy bags. How does that sound? No pressure.
So if you want to join the pie party, let me know. I’d love to hang out over pie. (And coffee! And tea! And something bubbly! Is it too late for mojitos? Do they even go with pie?) I’m thinking it will be next Saturday, September 10th. Because there’s no time like sometime in the next two weeks.
