The Organic Berry Bar

In these fiscally challenging times how wonderful to find when visiting The Organic Berry Bar a well known drinking hole in the neighbourhood, a plethora of newly minted libations that reflect these uncertain times when recession and ecological concerns are at the forefront of virtually everything. I was most pleased to see the following offerings written on the giant display chalkboard:



Green Sidecar

Hydroponic Bloody Mary

Tax Free Martini (with a rebate twist)

Anti-Aging Sloe Gin Fizz

Long Island Anti Oxident Iced Tea

Recyclable Coconut Shell Pina Colada

...........................................

To list but a few.
How rewarding and perhaps instrumental in the decline of the number of alcoholic drinks sold in this bar!


*Newly available exclsively at our Iqaluit branch, Global Warming Arctic Ice Vodka

On The Road...Again

When you feel like you must get away but aren't sure of logistics and don't feel like planning, simply throw the bare necessities into a weekender (you'll not need more)grab some healthy snacks and some bottled water, hop into your chariot (any reliable set of wheels will do)and voila, you're on the road! You drive until you reach a spot that tugs at your innards asking you to rest awhile and that is the first stop on your jaunt. Not planned, not orchestrated by anything sensible or mundane; a new place and the beginning of a future memory. This type of travel will afford you an incredible lightness of being and and will deal with your wanderlust at the same time, un unbeatable combination. As you travel the roads, listen to a copious amount of songs by Johnny Hartman and no matter where you roam, don't listen to country music or you'll end up heading back home.. prematurely.

Fish'n Chips and Other Fast Food

You see a t.v. ad and you think wow, finally an authentic British-like Fish 'n Chips place where the batter doesn't dwarf the fish which would of course be moist as opposed to sere, but no, as good as it looked, as well endorsed as it was, this place in the downtown area was definitely not even worth the drive. Picture the lone fish guy emerging from beyond your eyeview, (rear of the joint) and without so much as a misting of soap and water, beginning to prepare your order. The phone rings and the gloveless wonder answers it while 'prepping' our fish. He has no attention to spare should we have any specific requests and when his conversation ends you may request "light" batter" but that would only produce an annoyed response. "Why didn't you say so before?" (2 min. prior)When you respond that he was otherwise occupied his voice goes up a few decibels as he insists you could have interrupted him if it was important. He then begins a lengthy monologue; "I have no more light battered halibut, I suppose you want me to waste a perfectly good piece of fish (in the fryer for maybe 3 secs.)I don't want to argue, maybe you'd be happy getting your money back" at which point I catapulted my voice into his soliloquoy and said YES PLEASE! The same unwashed hand returned our money with a final caveat from tattoo boy, " I don't want you as customers anyway" Chippy's now joins the long list of fast food places where the ever vigilent consumer must 'gently' remind the prep person to wash those hands especially if the gloves are off!

Baby It's Hot Outside

With the humidex we expect 45 degrees cel. today, what a bonus especially if you're like me and HATE the heat as much as you hate the humidity. I plan to remain indoors in the A.C. zone for as long as this heat wave lasts which kind of puts the kibosh on geting outside to "enjoy" the summer season. So, no more, watching baseball in the park,walking along the shore with an ice cream cone (melting cone)or cycling around the many scenic bike paths etc.etc. I have no choice but to avoid the great outdoors unless I am going for the sweaty look and the sticky feel, I am so NOT!! Living here we all know about seasonal hibernation which normally occurs during the winter when temps. get so low that in the best interest of self-preservation we remain wrapped up at home in front of our fireplaces or space heaters. Summer brings with it hopes of light, air, (no smog...)and infinitely less clothing so it stands to reason that thoughts of summer bring feelings of freedom. For me when it is this hot, summer fills me with dread. No muscle tops, short shorts or flip flops can protect me from the overwhelming feeling of sweatiness and discomfort. I learned early on that unlike winter, summer allows for absolutely not enough unravelling of clothing layers unless you choose to spend it in a nudist colony...not me!

John Cleese Is Ill

Must have been a whopper of an illness to prevent the advertised m.c. of tonights gala from showing. When one of the festival organizers stepped onto the stage to announce that Cleese was too sick to perform, everyone initially suspected this to be a ruse or a joke lead in intro.. but no, it was actually true and it was a festival first to boot. The stand-in host did his best but for us, the bloom was off the rose. We watched countless comics but were amused by only a few. I thought this was due to the initial sense of 'let down' or disappointment, but as I look back on this gala, it becomes clear that it was due to a general lack of great comedy.

When Picking Up...

Anyone even thinking of heading to their local airport during the summer months should never do so alone. It is adviseable to take at least one other picker upper along because there are now multiple possibilities for exiting the arrival lounge and unless you have backup recruits to man the other doors, you may end up losing the friend or relative you are supposed to be meeting. There is always that transparent glass partition through which you will catch your first glimpse of the one you are waiting for, but as it also acts as a sound proof barrier, you have no hopes of calling out a name or whistling a secret tune to announce that you are there. You might be inclined to try to perform a series of jumping jacks in a bid to attract your particular passengers attention, but this is not a guaranteed means to that end unless you are trying to get the entire populace gathered in the arrivals area to witness your gymnastics and deem you to be a few screws loose. There is a new service available at most airports that just might be perfect if you cannot get anyone to accompany you. In fact this option could well make it preferable to go to the airport alone because you can rest assured that the knowledgeable individuals who have been well trained to make your airport experience that much easier are only a phonecall away. Call 1-800-Rent A Greeter

The Hybrid Again...Still...

Today Mom was mistress of the long fairway shot courtesy of good playing AND the #4 Hybrid. She finally got the 'swing' of the club and made short shrift of all fairways no matter how long and winding. I had no choice but to try again and as each practice shot was a flop I refused to take an actual shot with that club. In a stroke? of genius, I measured her Hybrid against my 3 wood and found a distinct disparity in the length, no wonder my shots were for naught, her Hybrid is tooooo short for me. Once I had the problem sorted out I happily returned to my clubs even surpassing my hopes/expectations (as in overshooting the green!!)with my 5 wood so I have decided to forego any contact with Moms Hybrid until further notice; kind of like when the fat lady sings or when the shaft of the club grows!