So I ran into Feist the other night...

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:32:10 -0400

Seriously, I did. We didn’t speak or anything, and she very likely didn’t see me, but man did we hit it off.

Actually, that first bit was simply a device to lure you in, it really did happen, but it’s an aside to what I really want to say.

On Friday night we went to Robert Hengeveld’s latest gallery opening. The project on display is titled “Staging the Gap”, which I spoke about in a previous post. It’s a great piece, very cool to see up close and one I’m proud to say I contributed something to.

The show is on from now until July at the Katharine Mulherin Gallery, 1080 Queen St. W, Toronto, Thurs – Sun from 12-5pm.

www.katharinemulherin.com

Next stop for the piece is Winnipeg through Video Pool, 300 - 100 Arthur Street from July 25 – August 22.

www.videopool.org

Want even more? I bet you do. Robert also has a show featuring some different work opening this Thursday, June 26 from 7-10pm at the DeLeon White Gallery,1139 College Street, Toronto.

www.ecotecturecanada.org

Here’s a video teaser of Staging the Gap with the song Tyrone Warner and I put together. See it live yourself! Feist did...

The name lives on!

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:03:21 -0400

I have a baby boy. His name is Oliver Callum Grant and he’s awesome.
I love him to bits.

End of an era.

Mon, 5 May 2008 16:47:31 -0400

It pains me to announce this, but the day is imminent. Our beloved 1992 Mazda 929 is entering early retirement. She’s had a good run, 16 years and a solid 280,000 km under her belt. She started to show some age spots (rust) recently, and all her luxury features gave up working long ago, but there’s really no question, Old Man Winter did her in.

In all honesty, I probably have a pretty strong case against the City of Toronto for killing our car. After attempting to negotiate the 500% increase in potholes all over the roads, our little beauty’s suspension just couldn’t keep up. Basically, our car was bullied by our streets into calling it quits. Mayor Miller, its time to own up.

And so, the hunt began this passed weekend for a new (used) car.

The first salesmen we dealt with was basically this guy...

After a close inspection of the car and the lamest test drive ever (around the block while he sat in the back seat), we sat down to talk business. It became clear almost instantaneously that this guy new absolutely nothing about the car we just drove, but he was more than happy to slap a $399 “Certification Fee” and a $299 “Administration Fee” on to the asking price, which blossomed before our eyes. Needless to say, we walked.

The second stop on our shopping list ended up being the polar opposite of the first - private seller, beautiful car in great shape, but with a hefty (and ridiculous) price tag. We knew we were in trouble when the garage door opened and next to the car we were interested in sat the owners second ride, a Porsche. Clearly this guy did not need to the money, and the car was in such perfect shape we really had no ammo to negotiate with. Nonetheless, we lowballed him, he said no, and we went on our merry way.

Happy medium, where art thou?

Wednesday looks promising actually - we travel to the wilds of Brampton to inspect another motor vehicle. In the meantime, I’ll start writing complaint letters to Mr. Miller and wait for my cheque from this city with its apology.

I’ll miss you 929.

Back to Main

Spring has sprung, let the hot fudge flow.

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 21:07:37 -0400

It’s that time of year folks. After a winter that would not end, Spring appears to have finally shown its face...shame on you Spring for holding out on us this long. Despite the fact that temps are just barely creeping above the 10 degree mark, we’re seeing plenty of shorts, flip flops and muscle shirts these days. I guess it’s our way of flippin’ the bird at old man winter and saying good riddance...while we shiver. Ah well, it’s all worth it, patio season is fast approaching, and cottages will soon be open for those long weekend getaways. And lets not forget the blistering heat and humidity of summer that will have us begging for Autumn in no time. Ah, the circle of life.

To celebrate the occasion, we made the inaugural DQ-run of the season on the weekend...that’s Dairy Queen for all you Baskin-Robbins loyalists...31 flavors have got nothin’ on the sheer perfection of the Blizzard. Don’t believe me? Take a moment and look at the faces of the people in the picture above, see the joy in their eyes, the eager anticipation, the pure satisfaction. In a nutshell, DQ is delight.

We hit up our favorite location, nestled at the top of Pottery Rd, overlooking the Don Valley and the city beyond. I will admit the staff seemed a little scattered and disoriented, but lets go easy on them. Any respectable Ice Cream Artist would be a little rusty and disheartened after such an oppressive winter - it’s like a year in solitary confinement for them.

The ice cream did not disappoint. I deviated from recent tradition and made a return to my roots by ordering the Peanut Buster Parfait...dynamite as always.

DQ, you are so good to me.

Extreme UltraKing

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 16:04:41 -0400

In the market for a new bed? Tired of that postage stamp of a mattress you’ve been tossing and turning on for years, you know that King-size? Have you been slumming it long enough and reached your breaking point? The winds of change are a blowing people, and I have the mattress for you!

You may have thought a King was the end of the road...well you were wrong...in a very big way. That’s right, how does 120 square feet of mattress goodness sound to you? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Extreme UltraKing, 12 feet wide and 10 feet long...I’m not kidding. Plus, it can be yours for only $23,743.00, an absolute steal of a whopper of a deal.

Don’t worry, if your bedroom (or apartment) happens to be smaller than this mattress, there are other options, like the Super UltraKing - 10’ x 9’, or the UltraKing - 7’ x 8’, for those modest types.

Yes indeed, we live in a world full of ridiculous things.

Practically speaking, just think of the sheets you’d need to cover this behemoth. You’d have to wash them one at a time, if one even fit in your washing machine. And what if you like to travel when you sleep, roll around and really cover a lot of territory? That mid-slumber pee-run could be disastrous if you woke and found yourself in the middle of the bed and had to scooch the 1/4 mile to the edge just to get out.

To see it all in action, check this teaser out. My favorite moment is around the 1 min 20 second mark - kids jumping on the bed with the parents watching from a distance...it’s golden.