MYSTERYmail

a wondrous puzzle has arrived in the mail. This package, had no return address on it. On further inspection no note on the interior. More searching yielded little, the written note "sending you a warm & sunny breeze from a white sandy beach." Hmmm who has been on a warm beach? The packaging clearly says girl. Turning the sea shell over a sticker gives it all away - Made in Philippines. Hilarious, yes "made" in the Philippines, or rather found in the Philippines. I think this clue linked with the kraft paper origami crane, and girl means this mystery joy is from A!!! Also on close scrutiny the post mark is Richmond BC - so I think A was home visiting w/ her family. Or????

Am I right?

ASHwednesday

It's Lent again, to follow daily photos check over at little-lent

for now things have been changing in the home, I have this new settee!

prisonersofwinter
wear funny things, case in point >




















Here I am wearing a sweatshirt and turtle neck which i had put on earlier to meet Jel for tea. Top part, not so bad, but i am still wearing the black poly pro long underwear necessary when it is -30. I had to take the jeans off on returning home, because i can't stand the feeling of layers under them. Finding it a bit cool in the house i added giant indian pants bought in china town as wardrobe for a film. Moccasins and wool socks.

Evening versions of UNfashion are first about subtraction from the day and then addition, the morning version is a quick addition to whatever was worn overnight. I might document some of those too as they are just as ridiculous.

HOLDING|OUT...

...for spring

TORONTOPARKA

If you know me you know i HATE the parka, being forced to wear the parka is a sign of being broke by winter. All is lost, its tights, long johns, fleece, wool and down layer upon layer until I look no different than a garden gnome or a third grader at recess.

It does make things eventful, going to the post office to mail Christmas notes required a ten min layering process. Stopping for coffee was also equally burdensome. I guess this winter humiliation is what keeps Canadians humble.

The bottom photo shows the cozy side of winter storms from inside!! I was intrigued how the chandelier from inside was reflected out onto the street.

COLLECTinium

The beginnings are here - all that talk about a gallery of collections/collectors in a curated space takes its first step with a cataloging project - turn of the century beaded purses. They are marvelous and sometimes they have little treasures inside.

My work table, I'm very proud of my white gloves they make me feel official. In the background M is taking all the photos.

For a test of the lightbox, I took a pic of my in progress knitting of the new dish cloth pattern. My choice to not follow the pattern exactly is causing some irregularities.(The purse photos are much clearer and not point and shoot format, like below and i believe much whiter and brighter.)

callHOME


i should call my mom - even the world is telling me so. A walk down dundas confirmed this.


i'm very excited about this little ball of eco cotton - its going to become a dish cloth of a new pattern (to be posted soon - i hope). I actually want to skip on work and try it right now. Also very excited to learn hyperbolic crochet, later on in the month.

(above photos taken in Trinity Bellwoods Park)

SUNDAYproject

before

after

possibly it might have been better before - but regardless it felt good to affect direct change. I had picked up this ladder earlier at an antique market, it replaces a very rickety dangerous ladder.

aWALK

I had my hair cut today (happy about it) consequently was walking in Kensington Market and came across these characters. The later is an Elvis in the distance (for Sue). The usual market favorites were picked up Moroccan Olives, a strong old goat gouda from Holland, and some lovely organic grained bread. I had a little feast when i returned home adding a roasted red pepper soup - these are some of autumns little pleasures for me.

IZZYportrait

last time Isabella was at the garage she was painted by a local artist MICHAEL PIECZONKA as part of his 'plein air' series. I now have her for my very own collection. Izzy is always a source of meeting new people , incidentally this is the second artist inspired by her charm.

Isabella herself is currently looking for a new owner, with a garage and plans to make her beautiful again.

THANKSgiving

these were taken up in the Muskokas - i can't imagine anything more vibrant.

TORONTOrain

I went to work today - to an office in the architects ghetto - an architects office - its temporary for this month, but possibly i could make a place for myself. Feeling somewhat dampened from the freezing freezing rain storm i was caught in while cycling home - more blankets!

I caught this great red carpet event in a store window along queen - dedicated to TIFF. I'm back in Canada - where the moose are....


Wait i should say how i did get the job in the firm, its all through Izzy (my beetle - coincidently for sale). She stayed in a nice man's garage while i was in NYC turns out he's a millworker with connections, he arranged for my interview (found the rented garage on craig's). I interviewed for a different position as an assistant to a designers side line practice, but in the end i am at the the large firm she works for. My job hunting process is a wonder even to me.

NYCINtheDISTANCE

oh my it could be time - still in denial - lets just say "i'll see you later NY".

my boxes are packed and stacked (they have moved me 4 times in the last year).

(click photo to see more NY sites from Sue - this one from the top of the Empire State where i worked)

NYCBIRTHDAYS

Sue is turning 30!!! This was the first party to mark her 30 days of 30! Suzie next to her also shares the same birthday day as Sue. Odd, even odder all of us girls happened to wear yellow that day (see us at the kiddee table).

Plus other things last day out with some work friends, we were at the beer garden in Williamsburg. Enjoyed by all. Long benches, steins, bratwursts and cabbage. Leaving work has been much harder than i had anticipated - seems it takes a whole year to get used to the people and the work.... i'm sad to go - there were tears. I don't hate work anymore.

Lastly - if you would like these Laurel and Hardy salt/pepper shakers - first one to reply gets them. I went to pick up a morning coffee and the man behind the counter gave them to me. Story is, they were found in the basement (a box of them). So today was coffee and a free bit of oddity. Good I'd say.

NYCSUBWAY
I took these on my way home from work today, often when it is late and i have to wait for the L train I study these markings on the wall and i can always find a shape. I study them intently because i'd like to sketch them later, but i don't. So i'll begin to photograph them and then i'll have something to work off of.

Do you see the ape's face? There are more characters down there to be found! Mostly i see faces, I wonder if other people tend to see different things like animals or everyday utensils? It's like finding the shapes in clouds, only i can re-visit these because they don't change.

(above: 34th st platform - waiting for the Q or W or R doesn't matter all will take me to union sq. - below: waiting at the L)

NYCTHINKING OF HOME

Posting from the Empire State Building - working late on my last week of work. I've been image gathering for a project and I found this for my apt - I think its perfect!

NYC RAINY AFTERNOON

It's lovely and cozy, sort of cool, cooler than it has been. I'm not so good about writing when things are in flux, so in the last while there has been much debate about renewing my visa and staying longer or returning to Toronto. In the end it is back to Toronto for me with a few things on my agenda, start up a gallery about collections with Michael, and take another real work, real world design day job, but only four days a week.

I'm excited to return also because i feel like the reasons for being in NY have been revealed. The cure has been wrought, i am out of the deep rut i had been in prior to leaving. So that's it the irony of coming to a very hard city and coming out soft around the edges.

NY adventures continue - this is my bicycle. She has no name. We have not bonded, i'm not sure why. She has a rattle in her fender and her seat is some sort of icky hot foam. I don't know what it is she must be a rebound bike or something. I think when I sell Isabella, I will purchase a real bike like a kronan and call her Isabel II and it will be right. Also cycling in NY is a bit nuts, and i have yet to get used to it. Plus I did not buy the required heavy duty chain lock, so i can't leave it anywhere unless i do want to ditch it like kittens taken into the country.

I've said it before and today was the proof, cooking is rarely done in NY and those skills are learned, without practice they get rusty. Take this morning in fine Bridget Jones style, my good friend (name withheld), made brunch for me; and there was a fire! Small, containable, possibly avoidable. Nevertheless, we then ate our crouque Madames open faced and all was well. The smoked salmon in the centre was terrific. We smell a little like burnt toast now.

A little of Sue and Arden on the street, SOHO.

NYCHOLIDAYS

It's holiday weekend. We have guests and its good. I feel v. patriotic on all fronts as i took Canada Day off of work, and there was a large ensemble of characters assembled for the 4th of July fireworks. All pretty fantastic.

Now its a bit grey and refreshingly cool. Seems that everyone is somewhere else - the hamptons? Soon it will be time to reflect. Or look forward to new things in the upcoming Toronto chapter. NY is dwindling away and the list of to do and see grows in the last days. Guess it will always be nice to come back for things.

This is some of the grit and age I came here for, found in a greenpoint cafe down by the water discovered on a bicycle exploration.

NYCLETTER LOVE

These are certainly overdue! Letters from TF and Jelena, she makes the best envelopes! 'Perfect 4 you' is for another post but lets just say, I'm in a french girlish mood. Plus a hat, I'm feeling weak, I have an injection into the economy cheque in my pocket and its hot. Is there a better way to spend it but frivolously? and it is American, Victor Osborne is right here in my Brooklyn neighborhood, a mere peddle away.

NYCFIND

I ran into these two characters on my walk home last night. I don't think i even need to go into it - the garbage bags tied around their chests and their happy oblivion!! It's too much - dude you are in a garbage bag on the curb - don't you see what's happening??

Makes me wonder what kind of garbage bag i'm wearing that everyone else can see?

ps - back story, i walked by these two on the sidewalk, did the classic double take, in front of a man putting out his garbage. He raises an eye-brow i feel compelled to explain, I must take a photo. He notices how interested i am taking different angles trying out the flash - its dark. Then he asks if i am Jewish or Christian. I answer Christian. He goes back into the house. Satisfied or disappointed?