Three Good Discoveries

Update: I'm still jobless, but somehow the weeks keep slipping by—how is Christmas next Thursday? I must say, though, that not all my days have been wasted. Portions of them have been very well spent doing Christmas-y things (mostly eating and drinking), visiting people, and sleeping a blissful amount. And I've discovered some good stuff along the way. Here goes a rundown:

1. Christmas trees from Fiesta Farms

I love buying my groceries from this store because of its great product selection and manageable size (this ain't no Loblaws Superstore). Their outdoor garden centre with Christmas trees is also an example of excellent organization—the trees are hung in rows with little descriptors (e.g. fragrant, sturdy branches), ripe for the picking. We chose a Douglas Fir for the second year in a row and it's a looker. Pictures TK! 

2. Haircut at Shampoo Hair Studio

I don't have a problem cutting back on most luxuries during these tough economic times. But haircuts? That's a toughie. I desperately needed to see a hairdresser last week, and I knew it would be very non-prudent to go for my usual $70 chop at Coupe Bizarre. When I half-joked about going to TopCuts on Facebook I got a stern warning from a friend who had a nightmare experience. So I scouted Shampoo in Kensington as a slightly cheaper alternative. The service was friendly, the cut looks great, so some pennies were pinched...or maybe just gently squeezed. (p.s. Do under-$35 quality cuts exist in Toronto, not counting those hair schools? If so, do tell.) 

3. Great Lakes Winter Ale

The colder the weather, the more I crave richer, darker beers. This one's a seasonal treat, tasting sweet and spicy with hints of cinnamon and orange peel. In other words, Christmas in a pint glass. I've said it before on this blog and I'll say it again: forget eggnog. Do this. Yum!

Honourable mentions: I also give kudos to amazon.ca for helping me do almost all my Christmas shopping on a slashed budget and shipping so quickly. And my last props go to those PC Blue Menu two-bite brownies, which I didn't realize were low-fat when I bought them in a mad rush, but which still tasted delicious. Keep up the good work, Galen!

End of Year "Best Of" Lists

One thing I love about the end of the year is all the "Best Of" lists that rank TV shows, movies, books, and other cultural things. Here's New York magazine's round-up. 

Unfortunately, I haven't seen any of the Top 10 films, but I agree that Sean Penn put on a sweet performance in Milk (which I still haven't gotten around to writing about...coming soon!). I viewed many of the entries in the TV category, which I'm not sure I should be proud of. But it's nice to feel like you know what the writers are talking about. Here's what I agree with: standout performances by January Jones (Mad Men...I have an obsession), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother...he so crazy!), Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live...I love Sue, her so freakin' excited character), and Amy Ryan (The Office). And yes, I'm finally a 30 Rock fan. 

What would be on your "Best Of" list for '08? I'll get back to you on mine when I bone up on my movie-watching. Revolutionary Road, here I come.  

Ad Props

I dislike TV ads in general, so like most people, I hate having to watch commercials before a film. But I was at the movies tonight to see Milk (more on that tomorrow...I have lots to say), and this Lexus commercial shown pre-previews didn't piss me off. I actually ended up liking it a lot. Sure, it's a bit self-congratulatory, but the "H" concept is really clever and it's feel-good without being too cheesy. It's also proof that good commercials exist, even though they're often hard to come by. (Hmmm...or maybe they're just hard for me to come by because I watch so much CBC, where the same five commercials are on constant rotation). 

Also, amid some annoying but very short ads for milk (the beverage), there was this fun H&M holiday ad. I don't know if I've ever seen an H&M TV ad, but this one was shot really well (case in point: model's face in the box!) and it's interesting beyond the clothes. It also made me sorta wish I had a holiday party to wear a cute dress to. Anyone need a date?

My Holiday Wish List

Inspired by The Globe and Mail's style section this weekend, I've come up with my own holiday wish list. It's fun to dream!

Note: I'm still not sure what the rules are regarding photos on blogs, so I've linked to photos instead. Unfortunately, it doesn't make the page look as nice. 

BULLDOG GIN

No, really, it's not because I'm unemployed and restless that I'd like this for my liquor stash. It's because when I went to the Martini Club a few months back, a staffer there made me a cocktail with this gin. The list of other ingredients escapes me, but citrus and crushed pink peppercorns were also involved. That drink hit a chord with me—it helped that I was fascinated by the beautiful Distillery District space that MC occupies—and I'd like another. The bottle also deserves props. $42.45 at the LCBO (www.lcbo.com).

ANDREW WILSON PAINTING

Although I consider myself an art amateur, the pieces in Magic Pony often suit my taste. I love the colours in this painting by Andrew Wilson, called A World's History VII, and the organized chaos of it. It would be great way, I think, to start my collection. $1,500 at Magic Pony (www.magic-pony.com). 

FRYE LISA T-STRAP HEELS

When it comes down to it, I'm not much of a heels person. But these ones have a T-strap and are designed by Frye, a label I've loved ever since I bought Frye boots three years ago. It was my first major footwear purchase (even though I was broke at the time) and one I didn't at all regret. $158 USD at Urban Outfitters online (www.urbanoutfitters.com).

SHAY CHEESE TASTER

Cheese is definitely one of my weaknesses, and this gift wouldn't help me cut back. It would, however, help me explore my palette with selections from around the world delivered to my doorstep every other month for a year (whew!). It would also motivate me to set dates for the wine and cheese parties I always talk about, but only rarely get around to throwing. $420 at Shay Cheese (www.shaycheese.ca).

 

ROLAND KEYBOARD

I used to play piano a lot, but I haven't had access to one in a long time. When I do get a chance to play, I cringe at my lost ability and weak fingers that were once in tip-top shape. A couple of months ago, I fell in love with a Roland keyboard that looked portable enough to fit and store in my tight-for-space apartment. It had weighted keys and sounded like the real deal—enough, I would hope, to persuade me to practice on a regular basis. About $1,800, at Long & McQuade (www.long-mcquade.com). 

Simple Pleasures

Alright, this isn't going to blow anyone's mind, but I've come up with a delicious hot drink idea. It came about because of a few things: a) No job means Starbucks runs have been all but cut, b) I recently discovered a delicious loose chai tea from David's Tea on Queen Street, and c) I'm reading Christine Sismondo's excellent book Mondo Cocktail: A Shaken and Stirred History and it highlights some delicious and inspiring drink concoctions. But I can't be drinking gimlets in the middle of the day now, can I? This is not an episode of Mad Men.

Here's the deal: Warm up some Natura vanilla soy milk in a saucepan or the microwave—better yet, a steamer if you're fancy enough to have one—then steep some loose chai tea in it. The tea I use is called Chai Me Up and I make my own teabags with nifty filters. Sprinkle with cinnamon. I feel like if you slipped some rum in it would taste like eggnog, but that's not really my bag. And that's it.

One problem: I'm a much more productive worker in coffee shops, so I'm going to have to do some creative envisioning that I'm in a café while sipping on this drink for it to be a true success story.

Tom Waits

I spent far too long on the computer yesterday and felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my head. Not so smart. So I'm going to keep this short.

When my head was buzzing, James suggested I listen to some Tom Waits to take in some great lyrics and relax. It definitely helped. Here's a link to one of my favourite Tom Waits songs on Youtube. It's called I'm Still Here.

Creative Discipline

A few months ago, I read The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano, a novel that follows an underground poetry movement and all the people connected to it. It's a heavy read on one hand because there are so many different narratives and it jumps around location-wise, but the writing is so raw and engaging, it's not at all hard to get into. I started a much "lighter" novel called Cease To Blush afterward and I couldn't get into it because the writing seemed immature and cluttered compared to Bolano's clear-cut prose.

In the introduction to The Savage Detectives, I read about Bolano's last novel, 2666, which he wrote before his death in 2003. I was in Pages this morning and saw the recently translated English edition, which is close to 1,000 pages. Apparently Bolano was determined to finish it before he died of liver disease.

A guy who can write an epic novel while close to his death bed—now that's impressive. I can't even comprehend that kind of discipline or uninhibited creativity. (Especially when I think about the screenplay I've been meaning to write for the past two years...). I'm going to try and think about Bolano when I'm feeling lazy and uninspired, and flip through a few pages of The Savage Detectives when I want to be reminded of really good writing. And I'm going to get around to reading 2666—see The New York Times review here.