Kiersten's Blogarama

Viardot

2008-05-15T19:32:00.003-07:00

Ah... new shoes. Nothing makes a girl happier. These are called "Viardot" and they belong to the Operetta family. I tried them on, and quite honestly, had trouble taking them off. They are beautiful, and I love them. I may even wear them to bed tonight.

Every Little Thing They Do Is Magic

2007-06-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

Sting's Ass

May 30, 2007 I went to see The Police - My seats were behind the stage, but the view was still great (there is nothing wrong with Sting's ass). This is a photo of the screen that we had... but even without the screen, we still had a great view!

Stewart Copeland

the view of the stage from our seats

the band

fictionplane - Joe Sumner's band - he plays bass and sounds just like his dad - they were fantastic!

We Won Game 2 and Lost Game 3

2007-04-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

This is a photo from tonight's game... which we lost 3-2 in regular time. I chose this photo because it shows an Anaheim player getting is ass handed to him and that made me happy.

One of many great saves of the night. This is from Game 2 which we won in 2nd overtime by a goal from Jeff Cowan. It was a great game, much better than Game 1. Go Canucks Go!

small streets and alleyways

2007-04-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

Oddities

2007-04-27T20:35:00.000-07:00

This is a medic... they have a specific name which escapes me at the moment... for special occaisions however, they wear long hooded black robes...
The sign by the Duomo

The Boar... rumor has it if you rub his snout, and then put a coin as far back in his mouth as you can, and you let it go and it falls into the grate, you'll come back to Florence. (mine did just that so Florence, here I come)

The Canadian Consulate? We're not sure as we didn't find anything when we followed the sign except for a restaurant...

Ah... Shopping... A girls best friend

2007-04-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

cute! another of Jenn's favorite outfits

Jenn's wedding dress
a paper shop... very popular in florence... and filled with the most beautiful things...
I thought I had more florence shopping photos but I was wrong... I think they're all in Rome...

Eating and Drinking in Florence

2007-04-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

Jenn's daily gelato fix

I'm sure we bought something in here to nibble on

cappucino at Rivoire in the Piazza della Signoria

Cappucino to go?

Perche no! It means... Why not!

God bless gelato

San Lorenzo and Santa Spirito

2007-04-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

Santa Spirito - a little church off a pretty courtyard that we found

San Lorenzo - burial place of the Medici Family

San Lorenzo is located outside the market area. So, we shopped and ate first before going in to see the church

Terrible start to Round 2

2007-04-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

We lost Game 1 of Round 2 by a score of 5-1. Terrible. I can't say that I was pleased, however, it was only game 1 and there is a lot more hockey to be played. We're down 3 big D-men, and we're tired from our series against Dallas, however, that is no excuse. Tonight is Game 2, and there is no score yet at the end of the 1st period. Will keep you posted!

Back to the gym

2007-04-23T21:11:00.000-07:00

Another quick note... After my weekend away at Wise, I managed to put on all the weight I'd lost since New Years. OUCH! However, within 1 week, I've already lost half of it - eating better and gym and pool 3 times last week. Yippeeee!

We're going to Round 2!

2007-04-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

Well, we did it! We booted out the Dallas Stars in Game 7. They managed to tie the series in games 5 and 6, but they were no match for Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7. It was all Vancouver all night! Vancouver tied the game in the 2nd period and then made it 2-1 in the 3rd. 2 more empty net goals and the game was over. Dallas is going golfing :) Wednesday night is Game 1 against Anaheim, so watch for updates.

Go Canucks Go!!!

I swore I'd never...

2007-04-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

my girl Chelsea
Melissa S. Voted off tonight

... do this, but I just have to tell you how happy I am that Melissa S. got voted of "The Search for the next Pussycat Doll" tonight. She was such a bitch. She was cocky and arrogant, and really, not all that pretty, and she kept putting down Chelsea (yes, my favorite, she rocks and dayam, if the girl didn't drop 190 lbs to come and try out for this show). So what, Chelsea isn't the best dancer, but the girl can sing, and she picks up the choreography pretty darn quick. What did Melissa S. bring to the table? She's a great dancer, she has some decent vocals, but she had no personality, she brought nothing unique to the competition... and for that Chelsea moves on to the finale and Melissa S. hangs up her boa. God, I love Karma!

Canucks Lead the Series 3 - 1

2007-04-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

WOOHOO! Game 5 is coming home to Vancouver on Thursday April 19th! That's when we're going to put Dallas away until next season! We're up, 3-1 in our series and it's getting SO good! Watched the game tonight with my dad. We had some pizza and beer and with the help of the "playoff rainbow" that came out for the 3rd period we won the game without going into overtime for a change... The "playoff rainbow" went away as soon as the game was over... it was rather uncanny, but you know, I don't care how we win, as long as we do!

Go Canucks Go!

The Weighting Game...

2007-04-15T21:55:00.000-07:00

Just another quick note... I'm pretty much back to where I started after my Easter Weekend debauchery on Wise Island with the girls (photos to come later). And I was doing SO good too! I bought a salad for dinner, and some fruit and am going back to the gym tomorrow night... It's a start right?

The Playoffs

2007-04-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

So... I'm here, just had to put in a note that Vancouver now leads it's series against Dallas 2 - 1 with an overtime goal by Taylor Pyatt, his first playoff goal. Yay! Game 3 is such a pivotal game, and can really swing the series towards a definitive winner... in this case? VANCOUVER!!!!! I'm so excited!

My Celebrity Look-alikes

2007-04-15T21:30:00.001-07:00

My cool celebrity look-alike collage from MyHeritage.com. Get one for yourself.

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to

2007-03-10T19:01:00.000-08:00

So... it's here, my birthday party and wouldn't you know it, I feel like TRASH. ARGH. I got this stupid cold/flu 2 days ago - thought I had it up against the wall, was up 2 rounds to 0. This morning it struck back and as much as I'd like to just go to bed, I can't really cancel my birthday party - I have a lot of good friends who are coming out to see me and celebrate with me. Hopefully I'll be able to hold on to whatever energy I currently have and can make it to at least midnight. I can sleep tomorrow... right?

I'm up, I'm down

2007-02-27T19:24:00.000-08:00

No idea where I am this past few weeks. The scale at the Y has been dissing me, so I'm not going to share with you what secret it's told me. It's ugly. Although, not that ugly I suppose... my clothes are still the same, maybe a tad looser. Hard to tell through all the layers I've been wearing since it's been so FRICKEN cold the last few days! I did make it back to Sveta's Step Class last night. God it's hard! She does the most difficult moves, but at least I enjoy myself and laugh lots when I can't do her mambo steps. I have plans to go to the gym tomorrow and back to Cardio Strip on Friday. She keeps making me lead in that class... I don't get it, I'm not a dancer by nature... maybe my inner stripper really is coming out??? Okay gotta run, wanna see the end of the hockey game... can we pull a win out of our asses in St. Louis tonight?????

The Count is On

2007-01-28T19:42:00.000-08:00

So... Jan 2, 2007. I was 140.01 lbs with a "body fat percentage" of 38.1. Skip ahead 3 weeks and I've now lost 4 lbs and 2% body fat! Oh My God!!! This stuff really works. My body is sore, I did 5 nights in a row this week (yes, I ended the week with another round of Cardio Strip). Today I went for a walk with my friend Karen :) Beautiful day to exercise. I am really trying to keep this up... So, I'll be back at it starting tomorrow night (no rest of the chubby I suppose).

Will keep you updated!

Not a Resolution, but a Personal Choice

2007-01-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

When I began my journey on Tuesday January 2, 2007, I weighed in at 140.1 lbs. Not great. Kinda chubby. According to the BMI (Body Mass Index) test that I took at Fitness World (my first visit) I was labelled "at risk" according to their standards. At risk for obesity. How f**king scary is that! I took them up on their free 1 week pass. Sadly, I didn't make it in as much as I wanted that first week (stupid snow), but I managed to get to Vinces' Step Class on January 3, and another step class on Jan 8 at the Kingsway location plus an extra hour devoted to Cardio Stripping (I'm dead serious on that). Now... that's more than I've done in a long time - yay me! I weighed myself on Thursday January 4. 139.8 lbs. Okay, not bad, I've lost a little bit - woohoo! Didn't make it out much the next week due to snow and "female issues" but by mid-January, I was back in the proverbial saddle! I signed up for a membership at Fitness World (all locations) on Monday January 15 then headed back to Kingsway for some more step (it's like a dance really) as well as Sveta's Cardio Strip class. Again due to snow issues, I failed to make it to Vinces' class again... But, I did make it back to Power Hour Aquafit on the 18th. And, another weigh in. 138.4 lbs. That's almost 2 pounds in as many weeks! I won't know the score until this Thursday, Jan 25, so I'll update you then. I will say though, I made it once again to Step on Monday, and I just got home from Deep Water Aerobics at Eileen Daly pool tonight :)
Wish me luck! And thank you to those that have been extremely supportive, I don't think that I could be THIS motivated without you. And I know that Sean at FW will never read this, but he's a huge motivator to me so thank you to him too. Besides, I like the shit and abuse he dishes out each week.

A Poem About Snow

2007-01-17T22:01:00.000-08:00

It snows on the mountains

It snows on the hill

It snows on my driveway

It gives me a chill.

I used to like snow

When I was a child

Now all it does

Is drive me wild.

I can't make a snowman

I don't have the time

I have to shovel

And this makes me whine.

My car it gets stuck,

In the garage

I let out the swear words

In an extreme barrage.

Bleep Bleep Bleep Bleep

Snow fucking bleep.

Sometimes I'm afraid

To go to sleep.

When I wake up

What will I face?

Snow on the driveway

It's such a disgrace.

My tires they spin

They smoke, I don't grin

I put on my boots

And start walking... AGAIN!

I am not a Tundra Princess

2007-01-12T21:39:00.000-08:00

Seriously people. This weather, it has to go. The sun, it can stay, but the -10 at night, and the ice and the snow... I'm sooooo done with it! This body is a temple, it belongs in Mexico, near a pool with a "tropical pick me up" in my hand and a hot cabana boy feeding me grapes and fanning me so I'm no longer so "esweaty". I was not made to live in a tundra. If I was, I would have moved to Winnipeg a LONG time ago! Who ever had the great idea to make us vancouverites see what it was like to live in the land of the torontonians.... can bite me. But not too hard, I might shatter!

The Freaks at Doulins

2007-01-12T21:36:00.000-08:00

Peter Parker? From Barker? Or was he Parker from Petersborough? Can't remember, but he was a freak who kept licking my hair. ICK. However, I think that I look rather pretty in this photo... and what a cute shirt!
Maverick wearing my glasses. I have to admit, he wasn't as much of a freak as his friend "Goose" who was a complete Germaphobe who tried to proposition Shannen. UGH!

A night at the Met and a dance at Doulins

2007-01-12T21:29:00.000-08:00

Shannen
me, looking demure...

Mariana doing a belly dance... the envelope please...

and our bed for the night... SAWEEET

A small treat for us... strawberries, biscotti and chocolate for dipping, and a bottle of "champers"... mmmm bubbly good

Martha's Dinner Party

2007-01-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's correct. I had a dinner party for 8! Spaghetti, Salad by Mariana, bread and LOTS of wonderful red wine. Some enjoyed that a little more than others. It was a great night with friends and family.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T13:10:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope that you are all having a wonderful Christmas morning. I know that I sure did! There is nothing more wonderful than watching a child open presents on Christmas morning. Roxanne graciously accepted me into her home for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. We stayed up way too late stuffing all the presents under the tree (a first for me as I've always just woken up and they've all been there, so it was a real treat to see "Santa" in action). And then we woke up and had coffee and Carolans.... and watched Lucas (who is 10 and the sweetest child you'll ever meet) go crazy over his XBox from Santa. He even asked how to repay Santa. It was a great girls night tradition that we may have started for good now! We even played Trivial Pursuit last night - I won! And we ate party food (for breakfast too) and smoked and drank, it was great!

Have a wonderful Christmas, and all the best for 2007!

Balmy

2006-11-30T09:53:00.000-08:00

I think it's a balmy 5 or 6 degrees outside this morning! What a wonderful change from the -100 degrees we've been dealing with this past week. There is still plenty of snow, but I'm hoping that with the warmer weather, it might all GO AWAY! Still no car - it's still trapped in the garage and the driveway is still a nightmare (sorry mr. mailman - I tried to make you a path last night, but well... it kept snowing). To top that all off, we have a mini-barricade of snow at the top of the driveway thanks to Mr. Plow. A little frustrating, but I'm hoping that there are better, warmer times ahead.

Finally, something to RANT about!

2006-11-29T13:02:00.000-08:00

Oh my god - this is getting ridiculous! No offence to those of you who love the snow, but I really wish it would stop... we've had enough, or at least some of us STILL have ENOUGH of it at our house - at this rate, it will last until Christmas! My poor little car has been trapped in the garage for quite some time now. Yes, my feet may be warm, I however, am not whilst trekking up and down the hill early in the morning, and late in the evening. Yes, it may be exercise, but I won't be able to continue it when my fingers fall off due to frost-bite! Make it stop!!!

My own little winter wonderland

2006-11-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

A mini skating rink...
a tiny frozen plant...

my own little mini "cooler" - a frozen planter box...

My New Boots

2006-11-28T12:54:00.000-08:00

Well ... it was about time I got myself a pair of winter boots - these are called "snowflake" and they are good to -20 degrees :) My feet have been pretty warm and cozy in them!

2006-11-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

Riley - cleaning off the trees so they don't break...
Our view - isn't it Gorgeous!!!

2006-11-27T21:15:00.000-08:00

Before and After - the driveway (it currently looks like the Before shot again... oh well)

On the street where I live...

2006-11-27T21:07:00.000-08:00

Sunday afternoon - it was just ugly out there

First Snow - Saturday night

2006-11-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

Yes - my cat actually enjoys the snow

It's your birthday! Gonna Party!

2006-11-27T20:59:00.000-08:00

that's one sexy shirt!
We are SO hot!

These guys didn't get the memo

The Looks of 1974

2006-11-27T20:12:00.000-08:00

one hot tamale!
she's foxy!

hey! it's Magnum!

Gonna Party Like It's 1974

2006-11-27T19:59:00.000-08:00

No Party is complete until you have a disco ball with pink lights...
and punch! Rum punch... tasty

So Proud

2006-11-18T22:08:00.000-08:00

So... before my father and Manon headed south for the winter... I thought I'd teach him a thing or two about blogging so that those of us stuck here at home, wouldn't have to put up with the mass emails all the time (sorry dad, the blog is way better). He's done 3 posts in the past 4 days, and I even had a chance to catch up with him on ... MSN! He was using emoticons and "winks"... I feel like a proud parent ... like I just took off his training wheels or something. I, of course, am "tech support" but so far, my job has been pretty easy! Keep up the blogging!!!

More Statues in the Piazza

2006-11-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

You tell me - but I think I have a "thing" for statues....

Ah Florence - the ongoing commentary

2006-11-12T16:32:00.000-08:00

For the next 3 days... we meandered, wandered, sauntered through the streets and markets of florence... saw churches, bell towers (442 stairs i think... maybe a few more), museums, and gelati shops... mmmmm gelati.... drank some wine, had some pizza, lots of panini's and virtually no salads.... they don't believe in them over there.... or at least, that's my theory.... We shopped, we sat, we ate, we drank and we relaxed... it wasn't crazy, but we weren't totally lazy either... it was WONDERFUL... we totally needed it compared to the hustle and bustle of Roma that we were going to be experiencing.... I bought a very nice Italian Leather purse, a wallet and a belt... I love leather, and it's CHEAP over there! Totally worth it. The art, the buildings, are all so beautiful - a wonderfully romantic place to visit. We made it to Pentalfo D'oro (spelling?) ... we somehow ended up downstairs for dinner so it cost a bit more, but was wonderful. Bruna is gorgeous, but she did the menu more than once for us, and even let us ask questions... we had other english speaking folks on either side of us, so it was a very enjoyable evening... we all tried some new dishes too :)

The Piazza della Signoria

2006-11-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

There is so much more to show in the piazza - the Rape of the Sabine Women (real statue) is there, Perseus is there and so much more. It's amazing to have so many statues all in one place. Right beside the Piazza is the Uffizi Gallery. We didn't have time to take this one in, but it was incredible to see all the artwork and statues outside of it.

David's

2006-11-12T16:27:00.000-08:00

Can you tell which one is real???

Piazza della Signoria

2006-11-12T16:18:00.000-08:00

Me and "Fake David" in the background
Rivoire - a fancy cafe in the Piazza

A Brief Halloween Interlude

2006-11-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

I think we got our "man" poses down. These beards were very fuzzy, and very warm... and very entertaining!

There is no "constant sorrow" here.

The Ponte Vecchio

2006-11-06T20:25:00.000-08:00

There are tons of tiny little jewellry shops all along the ponte vecchio... skinny little doors and tiny little shops... fascinating!

On the Ponte Vecchio

2006-11-06T20:19:00.000-08:00

This is Jenn's photo of the little "fountain" on the ponte vecchio... hers was better as i like the way the water is falling from it's mouth...

Florence Tourist House

2006-11-06T20:08:00.000-08:00

This was the B&B that we stayed in for our visit to Florence. The room was decent, on the 3rd floor. You could take the "elevator" up - it held 1 person and suitcases, or 2 people with no baggage. Or, you could just walk up the stairs - which I did most of the time. It was interesting at night as all the lights were on a timer. I got caught one night in between floors when the lights went out... it was pitch black and I had no idea where I was for a few seconds... it was rather entertaining... from then on.. I'd race up the stairs to hit the lights so that they wouldn't got out on me again.
I have no idea why all the doors are SO BIG! One theory I've heard is that in the olden days, the doors had to be that big in order to get your horse inside. That's a pretty darn big horse if you ask me! You can't see it, but my head is basically where the door handle is.
One of those windows up there is ours....
Our room! Not huge, not small, but comfortable.

Our Adventure Begins...

2006-11-06T20:03:00.000-08:00

Things didn't start off the greatest... Sunday night we took the train up to Bedford to stay on Jenn's "friends" (that would be Andy, see photo below) army base for the night. I had a TERRIBLE bed, but did have a flat to myself... until about 3:30 or so when some army guy came home... that was strange, but he went to his room quickly, and I layed in the crap bed for an hour counting daddy longlegs and wishing I could sleep. The unfortunate part... we had to get up at 4:30 to get to the airport on time...

Up early to catch a flight from Luton airport to Rome Airport... We got there, checked in and then trekked up thru security which is where everything went pear shaped.... Jenn got stuck at security... very very very inefficient security - they wanted to search her bag, but she was 5th or 6th in the queue with only 1 very slow crabby old lady doing the searching.... long story short... we missed the flight... by mere moments we missed the flight... D'OH! Now what... we NEED to get to Florence today, Doris (one of my aunts) is expecting us. (unbeknownst to me... she missed her connection in frankfurt so in the end, we arrived within half an hour or so of each other).

Eventually, we made it... flight on alitalia at 12:15 and we were there... We had to try and figure out the Rome Termini station though to get a train to Florence... IT'S HUGE! And we came in at one end of it and had to get to the other end!!! ARGH... but.. again, we made it and arrived safely in florence... (i guess watching all those episodes of the amazing race totally paid off!!!) We grabbed a taxi, grabbed Doris from the side of the road and we were off to the B&B ... it sure felt good to have a bed that night!

Jenn and Andy

2006-11-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

This is Andy - the fellow that my friend Jenn in London is currently seeing. He's really cute, but it's hard to tell as he has writing across his eyes. This is unfortunately the only photo I have of him. I only met him once, he picked Jenn and I up at the train station, took us for dinner (well, we paid, he drove), and then set us up for the night at the army barracks...

Thanksgiving at Jills - London, October 8, 2006

2006-11-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

Shannon & I at Jill's - before dinner - our eyes havent' got that turkey glaze yet...
Beautiful Lena...
Post Turkey Carve...
So much food! Jenn and I made 4 pumpkin pies, we had 3 or 5 different types of salads, 2 types of stuffing, veggies, bread and of course... Turkey!!! Wonderful!

Bess' Birthday - London September 23, 2006

2006-11-05T22:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Bess! Bess and Jenn at dinner - we ate a Chinese Restaurant in Soho, before heading to another Chinese Restaurant for Karaoke. Actually, we sang in the back room of a Chinese Restaurant and it was nice as it was just our group so it didn't matter how embarrassing it could have been... we were with friends. It was a great first night of my vacation.
Jenn and I at dinner
Everyone else at dinner. Mostly it was Canadian gals, but there was a few folks from Australia, one from New York, and the rest were from London.
Sam and Bess. I think that Sam was most excited about the Karaoke - I was with him, one of the first groups to arrive, and within 5 minutes, he'd picked out at least 15 songs to sing. Sam has a great voice too, so it was a pleasure to have him entertain us.
Denji and Bess. Denji lives in NY so I'm hoping he and I can meet up in May when I head out east.
Niamh (pronounced Neve), and Shannon (both Canadian) and a lovely lady whose name escapes me singing "Oops, I did it again" by Britney Spears.

Halloween Photos

2006-11-05T22:32:00.000-08:00

So, as soon as I get the photos from Carla, I'll be updating the rest of Halloween. I had a few costumes this year. For the annual Jere and Carla Halloween Party, I was one of two Soggy Bottom Boys from the movie "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou". We had matching overalls, hats and beards which were very hot (and not in the sexy sense) and bushy and sheddy. It was an extremely comfy costume, and it also created a lot of hysterics between myself and Carla. We were unable to look at each other for any length of time when we had the beards on. Too funny! On Tuesday, for work, I decided to come as a "Happy Time Temp Agency" employee. In other words, a grim reaper based on characters from the TV show "Dead Like Me". I got to wear my own clothes which was great. I proceeded to hand people death notes all day long, just to stay in character. It was a lot of fun!

In the meantime, I need to get a start on my recent trip photos now that I'm finished sorting and editing them. So... enjoy :)

Stanley Park Ghost Train

2006-11-05T22:00:00.000-08:00

This year I went to the Stanley Park Ghost Train with Karen, Angie and Aunt Marg who was in town for the Halloween Season. It was cold, but we survived by drinking lots of beer at the pub, and lots of hot chocolate at the park. We saw lots of racoons roaming around, a scary barnyard, and many creatures from B Horror Movies along the train. It's not terribly scary, but it's always very well done. Karen and Aunt Marg even got in on the action by becoming "The Hideous Beast".

License and Registration Please

2006-11-05T21:55:00.000-08:00

I've got glowy blue eyes
Eli is one sexy bitch
Ah... Miss Mariana... she's full of spirit

Severed Chicken Arms at the 5 Point

2006-11-05T21:48:00.000-08:00

Devilish Mariana
Red Hot and Stone Cold
Jingly Jingly
I've fallen and I can't get up!
I'm such a groupie

I'm a good photograher...

2006-11-05T21:45:00.000-08:00

At least Mariana looks good.... I have a nice eye...

Italy and London Photos

2006-11-02T14:00:00.000-08:00

Hi! For all of you waiting ever so patiently for photos from my trip to London and Italy, I'm afraid that it might be a while before they are up. I'm slowly, but surely, sorting my way through approximately 1000 + trip photos. This is very time consuming. In the meantime, I hope to post some recent Halloween photos this coming weekend, so keep your eyes peeled for those! To all of you that I "trick or treated" with this weekend, thanks! I had a great time - let's make next year even better!

Roma

2006-10-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

Ah... what to say about Rome.... its HUGE for starters... and OLD for seconds! I mean... REALLY FRICKEN OLD!!! there are columns that date back to 1000 BC, and some of the other buildings are between 2 and 3 thousand years old. and you can still see them.... and touch them... and walk thru them. talk about feeling small and insignificant!!! we spent all of yesterday at the Vatican, its museums and the sistine chapel and then went into st. peters basilica.... GORGEOUS!!! Truly spectacular! Today, we have been taking it easy, wandering here and there, throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain, wandering some more, seeing the Capital... it is truly a wonder.... tomorrow we are off to the collesium, the forum and the pantheon... i can not wait! (if you are wondering, i cant figure out the apostrophe key)
Ciao Bella from Roma....
xo

Florence

2006-10-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hi! If anyone is checking this... then Hi! I am not currently in florence, but i will tell you that it was beautiful. we had a very relaxing 3 days and managed to see the 2 museums that were recommended to me, the Opera at the Duomo Museum, and the Galleria Dell Accademia. We have seen some of Michelangelos greatest works. I have climbed to the top of the bell tower at the Duomo (quite a climb!!!), we ate gelato and pizza almost every day, and we crossed the arno river via the ponte vecchio... unlike my friend jp, i did not pee in the arno...
i can not get over the history here in italy. everything is just so OLD! and beautiful, and amazing and now i am just rambling about it all. i have to post a quick rome blurb while i still have internet access so you will all just have to wait for the photos....
xo

Last Day :)

2006-09-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

Well.. it's my last day of work for a few weeks. It feels so good to say that! I have about 2 1/2 hours left here, and I am just doing my best to get everything done, although I have to say... my motivation level is currently circling the drain. It's going to be a long afternoon/evening as I'll be hanging out all alone at the airport after I get dropped off. It's hard to play the tacky tourist game, or the international spy game by yourself. I'll probably just sit and read, or go to the bookstore and read in there. I think for me, that is the worst part about vacation - especially when travelling alone. The waiting to get on the plane, the waiting to get somewhere. As much as I enjoy flying, I'd rather just get there! Hopefully I'll be able to sleep tonight on the plane - it's always a crapshoot whether or not I'll catch some zzzz's.
Anyways - adios, syanara, goodbye! See you in a few :)

Time is Running Out

2006-09-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well... It's Thursday, and in 8 sleeps from now, I'll be on a plane on my last vacation of the year. I'm heading to London to visit the Queen! Okay, so I probably won't run into Her Majesty while I'm there, but there will lots of other sights for me to see. I am meeting up with my friend Jennifer who currently lives in London. We'll have 1 day in London together before we head east. She and I are taking a trip together to Italy. I'm sooooo excited! I've never been to Italy before. We are going to Florence and Rome, and will probably do a day trip to Siena and to San Gignalmo, which are just slightly south of Florence. We are going to spend 9 beautiful days in Italy - eating, drinking, and taking it all in. I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to want to come home after this one. After Italy - we are heading back to London when I will spend just shy of a week visiting with hopefully a few other friends I've met through the ages, and seeing the sights. There are a few places I've been to in London, and quite a few I haven't and I intend to see them all. I haven't seen Jennifer since she was here at Christmas and I think it will be great to spend some quality time with her. I'm also hoping that my friend Trina who is also from Vancouver and currently residing in the UK will come down for the last weekend that I am in London. I am also hoping to catch a rugby game that my friend (so, we've never met, but he comes highly recommended by my friend James in Australia) Phil will be playing in, which will also hopefully result in a very messy night out on the town. I've also written to 2 other seriously cool people who live in Scotland, and I'm hoping to have a pint with them as well. I just need to make it through the next 6 working days, and this weekend. I have a rather large list of things I NEED to sort out here before I take off and as each day goes by, my list appears to get LONGER and LONGER! It's frightening! Saturday alone is a crazy day - car appt, nail appt, hair appt, 2 birthday parties... I think that if I sit down at all that day - I'll never get up!

Phew - I get tired just thinking about it all... I promise that I will try and post while I'm abroad - probably not photos, but if I can get on and at least share my thoughts... I will :)

Wish me luck!

Other Assorted Beastie News

2006-09-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

So, I took these photos in February. I was hanging out one night, minding my own business, when I heard the most awful noises coming from outside. So, being the curious sort of cat that I am, I went to the window to investigate. Wouldn't you know it, 2 raccoons outside my window - gettin' it ON! I'm not sure that she was overly pleased at the situation, but well.. there wasn't much she could do about it at the time. I knew that they were going to have babies - and I finally saw them tonight - there are 4! They came trundling up the stairs in my backyard while I was outside on the phone, again, minding my own business... We have babies!

My Cat Hates You

2006-09-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

Every so often I go to www.mycathatesyou.com to see if the photo of my little baddass is up on the site yet. Guess what! He's there! I'm such a proud mama :) If you want to see him, go to www.mycathatesyou.com/cats/id/3744.

Savi and Angila get married

2006-09-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

Savi, Angila and me at their wedding. It was a beautiful day, and a fascinating, yet long, ceremony. I'd never seen a traditional Hindu wedding before, I'm so happy that it was Savi's that I got to see first. I've known Savi since childhood, and I've never seen him happier than when he is with Angila. She is a beautiful soul, and a perfect match for Savi.

Newly Married

2006-09-09T16:28:00.000-07:00

Savi and Angila - newly married. She looks like a princess!

Here comes the bride

2006-09-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

The ceremony begins
Bride and Groom meet for the first time
Waiting for Angila - her parents walk her down the aisle to Savi

Setting the stage

2006-09-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

This is where the ceremoy takes place for Savi and Angila's traditional Hindu wedding ceremony. 2 seats for the bride and groom to sit on, and a sacrificial fire which they will make offerings to.

Ah Tofino

2006-09-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

So - this is a photo of my sister lying in a hospital bed at the Tofino General Hospital. She'll probably kill me for putting this one of her up on here, oh well. Those are the risks I take for art.

Well... the 4 of us girls (Shannen, Mariana, Bettina and I) left for Tofino on Friday morning, June 23. The day started off well, we found Mariana's new house, we got on the 10:30 ferry (without a reservation) and the weather was stunning! It was a long day of driving, but we managed to make it to the Ocean Village Beach Resort. It reminded us of Kellermans (from Dirty Dancing). It was very "quaint" with basically 1 room to sleep 4 girls. There was a kitchen and a bathroom, and a patio overlooking the ocean. Beautiful! I'm ready to relax for the weekend while the girls go out and be active and learn to surf.

We had fresh crab Saturday night for dinner (killed out front by the crab guy), and lots of beer and good laughs. I'd gone to see the girls playing in the ocean that afternoon after my nice quiet walk along the beach - just myself and a camera - trying to lure out the artistic creature that I'm sure lives somewhere DEEP inside. I took some photos of them, for them, and then promptly fell asleep on the beach. Shannen and Mariana went into town in search of "a pot" and Bettina and I headed back to lie on the beach out front of Kellermans. I however neglected to put sunscreen on "the legs that never tan" and guess what! They burned.... pinky pink and very toasty.

Sunday I was supposed to head back to the mainland :( It was a little sad, I really didn't want to leave this little slice of heaven that I'd found. The girls left early for some more surfing, and after a few cups of coffee and a few smokes on the patio, I was off. I'd promised Mariana I would exchange a shirt she'd bought in the village, and that I would bring reinforcements and refreshments to the girls, and take some more photos for them. After parking for about 5 minutes, probably less, I got back in my car... and wouldn't ya know it .... it wouldn't start. Panic set in. I was supposed to be back at work on Monday... tomorrow.... the busiest day of the month for us at work... CRAP. After explaining to "christine" on the phone with BCAA Roadside Assistance the "gravity of my situation" the call was put in to get me a tow truck. I waited close to 5 hours, and never actually saw the tow truck - I did however have a very interesting conversation with the fellow at the tow truck place that went something like this:

Him: "I think that's the driver on the other line, can you hold for a sec?"

Me: "Sure"

(now at this point, he simply held the phone away from his mouth while he talked to the driver, so I could hear every word of his conversation which went something like this:)

Him: "Where are you? ..... "What's going on?" ... "Can you drive it?" .... "The WHEELS?????"

(at this point, my head is in my hands and i'm ready to cry - I seriously, can not believe this!)

Him: "The front axle is gone?".... "Where are you again?".... "Well, no, you can't FUCKING drive it like that!"

This goes on for another minute or so before he comes back to me. I attempt to tear a strip off of him, I'm tired, I'm cranky, I've been sitting here in the park for about 5 hours, and by now, I really WANT a drink. Evenutally, we sort it out - he's got to come and get the towtruck that has broken down and my car and he has to drive them back to Port Alberni (2 hours away on a really narrow windy road) to deliver my car to Harborside Ford in Port Alberni so they can fix it.

Sunday night - I got drunk. Shannen and I went out for some sister time, and to take some photos - mine are all crooked, Shannen's look great! We found a little art glass store, with a slightly crazy owner/artist. It was the ONLY place open on Sunday night (go figure). Shannen and Bettina went to bed early (they were going to surf one last time on monday morning) so Mariana and I continued to drink on the patio - we ended up going for a drunken walk on the beach around midnight (it all started when she dropped her pipe off the balcona country). That was pretty entertaining, it's hard to be quiet when you're hammered.

Monday morning I drive the girls up to Longbeach and then head back to the cabin for the final pack/clean adventure. Mostly, my adventure is trying to wake up Mariana. I get her up just as I head out the door to get the girls. Back down to Longbeach I go. I see Bettina and she asks me if I've heard her message (???). Nope, but then I spot my sister and she's holding her head in a funny way - like she maybe banged it against her surfboard and is now bleeding all over the place funny way. Yup, she's off to Tofino General Hospital for some rather reluctant stitching up. She's a brave girl - she did the stitches all on her own while Mariana, Bettina and I sorted out the cottage, the gear, and the coffee. 4 stitches later - we were on the road. A little later than expected but I'm already a day late for work so what does it matter at this point? A great lunch at a little off the road trailer called SOBO, a crowded ride back up to the Harborside Ford in Port Alberni where I got a really clean, and now working car, then one last trip into Coombs to say farewell to the goats and we were on our way home.

Coombs and Goats on the Roof

2006-09-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

I love Coombs. It is one of my favorite places to visit. It's tiny, they have a beautiful market with food and trinkets and goats on the roof. One could get lost in the market for hours, picking up cheap bargains and fresh organic food. It is located about 6 kms outside of Parksville on Vancouver Island, and if you've never been, I suggest that you make a trip to go immediately.

Photos from Tofino

2006-09-06T22:21:00.000-07:00

The Beach Bar

2006-09-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

Glorious Sunsets

2006-09-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

At Kellerman's....

2006-09-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

Our cozy little cabin for 3 nights in Tofino - it reminded us of Kellerman's from Dirty Dancing. The view was great, and it was a short walk down to the beach.

A walk on the beach

2006-09-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

Along the Beach

2006-09-04T16:58:00.000-07:00

Surfer Girls

2006-09-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

Surf's Definitely Up!

2006-09-04T16:43:00.000-07:00

I thought I liked guys in Uniform - I also really like guys in wetsuits with surfboards and tans!

Surf's Up!

2006-09-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

Bettina taking a rest after a hard morning of surfing at Longbeach just outside of Tofino.
Shannen and Mariana
The girls and their boards :)

Tony Orlando (without Dawn)

2006-09-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

Another old guy who can still put on an awesome show! This was probably my favorite concert at the PNE this summer. His band, which he showcased a lot more than most artists, was incredible. He also had Toni Wine on the keyboards - she was responsible for writing "Groovy kind of love" for Phil Collins, and the "meow mix" commercial. The Lefty Brothers, Kerry and Tracy Cole, with Michael Jackson (yes, his real name) on the drums were also wicked - Kerry has the most incredible voice, and can do Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Led Zeppelin. Best show I've seen in a long time!

Ache Brasil

2006-09-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

Back to the PNE for Ache Brasil - an amazing Brazilian band. They play great music, and the get the crowd pumped with dancing, and drumming, and capoiera - brazilian martial art.

Jeff Healy and his Jazz Wizards

2006-09-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

Another great night at the PNE - Jeff Healy (good Canadian boy) and his Jazz Wizards. They played a mix of jazz, blues and dixieland jazz that was phenomenal!

David Cassidy at the PNE

2006-09-04T16:01:00.000-07:00

For an old guy - he can still rock! My friend Stephanie and I totally thought we would come and make fun of David Cassidy for an hour and a half - but it was honestly one of the funnest shows I've been to! He can still make the ladies swoon.

Viva Mexico!

2006-09-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

So, this was my first trip to Mexico. I was NOT disappointed, and plan to return as soon as possible. The people are amazing, the food was incredible and I loved every second! I didn't quite drink the $828.00 I had planned on, but we did eat and drink quite a bit. I think my favorite drink was the Blue Ocean (ron, blue curaco and pineapple juice - yummy). I ate guacamole with EVERY meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks). We swam with the dolphins at Xel-ha, and I saw the HUGEST fish I've ever seen while snorkling that afternoon. I experienced torential rain, and the hottest sun, and the largest nightclub I've ever been in. It's called Cocobongo, and it's in Cancun. It holds between 2 and 3 thousand people. They have acrobatic acts, and dancers, and musicians. It's 3 levels and an open bar and it's like spring break every night! We shopped in Playa del Carmen, we saw the ruins in Tulum and we played in the Caribbean Sea. Viva Mexico!

I like to eat... I like to drink...

2006-09-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

Okay - so I couldn't quite get my head under the booze taps - but lord knows, I tried!
It's always time for a drink
Vodka, Gin, Mayan Ron, TEQUILA!
This was the Paella they served at the Crazy Beach Party. It was delicious!

El Mariachi

2006-09-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

Nothing better than a Blue Ocean and a Mariachi band
Stephanie and the band. The music was so amazing!
Edgar Fernandez - he had such an incredible voice!
Edgar Fernandez's Mariachi band

La Plage

2006-09-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

Our beach club
fun at the beach
The beach in Talum
Talum - the water was SO blue! I had never seen anything so wonderful. It's clean, and warm, and wonderful.

Juegos de locos

2006-09-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

Today was Crazy Beach Party day for the guests of the Riu Lupita - lots of great food and some "crazy games!" First, the Conga Line. That's Roberto in the black pants, and Kendra in the Tutu
The dancing game - yes, I played! This was "ron, ron, ron, ron" (you dance with your own partner. When you hear "tequila" you have to switch)
"Sex on the Beach!"
"Pina Colada!" And we're out :(

The Miss Riu Pageant

2006-09-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Every night, there was a show at the Riu Lupita. Saturday night was the Miss Riu Pageant. The winner got a tiara, and the chance to be Miss Riu, which would give her all sorts of different priviledges at the hotel (first in line at the buffet, first in line at the bar). This was one of the funniest shows I've seen. There were different "tasks" that the contestants had to do. A sexy dance, a kissing contest, a conga line, and a skit. During the skit, each woman was told how she was to be - super slow motion, super fast motion, drunk, and chinese. The gal from Spain was AWESOME. She had to act out the play in drunken style. Kendra had told me that I had to go in this, and I was going to, but I chickened out at the last moment - and I'm sure glad I did! It was way more fun to watch I think. Miss Spain was by far the best, but she lost by a very small margain to Miss Portugal. What a great night! The pictures below are from the pageant.

I want.... I want to go to RIU..... LUPITA!

2006-09-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

Kendra! She's from Calgary and one of the Anamacion staff at the Riu Lupita.
Solanne - during the Miss Riu Pageant
Gerardo - from the North of Mexico
Gerardo and Romein

Towel Art - a Mexican Treat

2006-09-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Day 1 - They must think we're in love
A swan! This is what happens when you leave a nice tip
Awww - Mr. Towel Art Snail
Puppy! His head isn't attached - I found out the hard way
??? This is what happens when you don't tip
A cute little mexican towel girl (we tipped again)
A girl and her puppy - this was all that was left of our towel art zoo

Monkey Business

2006-09-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

You want to touch my monkey? $5
It was shortly after this moment, that he bit Stephanie

mmmm bugs! Okay, so this was the cutest thing ever - he was soft and for the most part, very gentle. For $5 you got to hold him and get your picture taken with him, with your own camera. All the money goes toward his food and his care.

All Creatures Great and Small

2006-09-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

2 geckos outside our room - i think they're getting frisky!
There were so many iguanas wandering around Talum - so cute!

Around Tulum

2006-09-01T12:48:00.000-07:00

A beautiful shop where I bought a gorgeous blanket... and a skull...
Traditional Mayan Dancers put on a show for all the tourists
First they dance, then they fly
Money? Bathrooms? Pottery? Books? Foreign signs are always fun!

Tulum

2006-09-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

An Old Wall
El Castillo
More ruins
A view of El Castillo from a distance

Rant of the day

2006-07-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

Okay... I don't really have much of a rant of the day. I guess if I had to choose something to rant about, it would be work. We've been SUPER busy lately, and I know that I've done WAY more than my normal share of work. I covered for 2 people last week, and I am still up to date in my diary actions, and all the mail that is on my desk. Why is that? Because I worked like a f**king dog, that's why! No one can say that I don't deserve this vacation! Um... that's all I got. Pretty lame huh?

Ladies Night 2006

2006-07-11T22:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, yet again we went to Ladies night put together by the Burnaby Lake Rugby Club. This year was a little different, it was organized by .... the Ladies and therefore, this year, it was called the "Wine and Grind". Fabulous! I didn't include as many photos as last year, but you get the idea. The girls get drunk, the boys get naked, and everyone has a great time!

The Girls - Amanda, Karen, Shirley and me

Me and Sammy Turnau
Brad Major - the Hardest body in the lower mainland

The boys

4 More Sleeps

2006-07-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm super excited! In 4 more days, I will be heading south to Mexico for the first time! My girlfriend Stephanie and I are going to the Riu Lupita in Playa del Carmen (just outside of Cancun). For 7 nights we'll be enjoying everything an all inclusive resort has to offer. I'm going to eat, drink and play $828.00 worth! We even get bottles of booze tethered to the wall in our room. Does it get any better? We'll be taking a day trip to Talum, one to Xel-ha to swim with the dolphins, and many many many trips to the beach, the pool and the bar. YAY!

Matt Costa

2006-07-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

Another Fantastic Show!

Shannen took me to see Matt Costa for my birthday this year. couldn't have asked for a better present! This guy can sing, and has great taste in opening bands too. The 88's were incredible, can't wait to hear more from them!

Franz Ferdinand & DCFC - Before the Show

2006-07-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

Brandie, Alex, and me - love his pants!

Me and Bob - such a cutie!
Me and Brandie before Franz and DCFC

Great Concerts

2006-07-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

DCFC had such a great set!

Franz Ferdinand played with Deathcab for Cutie at the end of April. Awesome!

Jeff Martin - amazing, and always a great show!