"Horizon-on-Bay" condo for sale

This is one of our condo's that we have listed for sale in the building where we live at 633 Bay Street just north of Dundas: http://tours.advirtours.com/tours/10/05/100539/images/gallery.html It is a fairly large ( just under 1,000 sq. ft.) one-bedroom plus den that has been totally renovated and re-designed, listed at $359,900

Mensroom Etiquette

This is a ten minute clip that's really essential viewing in order to truly "grasp" this oft-misunderstood, previously taboo topic:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IzO1mCAVyMw

perfect...

Penfold's Bin 389 Red Wine

This wine was offered to me yesterday at my brother-in-law's place..it was a gift to him from his sister. If I could afford to drink this every day, I would - it's just tremendous. Sadly, it costs $36 putting it out of my range except for a very special occasion.

Cheap Faves...

I've mentioned Hardy's "Stamp of Australia" Shiraz/Cabernet before, as well as Long Flat Shiraz/Cabernet and Jacob's Creek Siraz/Cab...

My latest, and maybe my new "cheap-fave" is :

Lindeman's "Cawarra" - yet another Shiraz/Cabernet.

All of the above are very nice for a "Tuesday-evening-dinner-at-home-in-front-of-the-tube-or-the-BBQ-with-yer-wife-kinda-meal". All are around $10.

For a little nicer occasion (even to take to someone's home), I'm still really happy with Lakefield's "Promised Land" and the Bin 555 from Lindemans, both around $15.

Also, the newest discovery I've previously told you about is Stump Jump for $13.95 - excellent value in the Vintages section.

Cheers!

Grape-Stomping Incident

Wait for this quote: "Ooooh....ya.... I think she's actually hurt...."

http://youtube.com/watch?v=90m2Xw_Haj0

Ya think?!?

hahahahahahahaha..........sorry, but, hahahahahahahahahaha

Cucina Restaurant on College

We went to this newer place recently (four of us). Very nice-looking comfortable space. Attentive but not intrusive waitress. Great basket of bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. Wonderful, huge spicy shrimp appetizer with an interesting mayo/aioli dip. Another assorted seafood appetizer including smoked salmon, calamari, sardines (?) and two more of those great shrimp diavolo! A drink each, then on to the mains: Two people had the individual pizzas, pronounced very good by one, and "not what I had in mind" by the other (while recognising that many people would enjoy it anyway - it being the "Rustica" pizza). Another had ribbon-sort-of pasta with mushrooms and italian sausage and parmesan cheese, which was rated very well, while I had the angel-hair pasta with grilled shrimp in a pesto cream sauce which was fantastic. We had a great bottle of red zinfandel wine called Ravenscroft or something like that...very nice...

All in it was just under $200 for the party of four. A very relaxing, tasty night out in one of our favourite neighbourhoods.

Cucina is on the North-East corner of College and Grace.


Cheers and Bon Appetit!

Another opinion:

http://www.torontolife.com/guide/restaurants/italian/cucina/

Maggie's Restaurant on College near Bathurst

We were there yesterday for a really nice breakfast in a cool little place. Saugages and three eggs with a bit of fruit, garlic fries, and coffee plus poached eggs and bacon with fruit, fries and coffee = $17.20

Would definitely go back there...

Casino Royale - new Bond rocks

Went to see (finally!) the latest installment in the excellent action series, called Casino Royale.

This may be the best Bond movie since...well, I don't know since what... you should insert your own favourite Bond flick in this sentence.

Great action from the very beginning, particularly the stunning, stomach-churning, pulse-racing chase scene through a village and then a construction site! (I know - sounds weird, but it's great!).

The "NewGuy" (Daniel Craig as Bond) is perfect - good-looking (I'm told), well-put-together (legs like a running back in the NFL), tough-as-nails, clever, and a bit sensitive.

Travelogue-beautiful scenery in places always makes me want to see more of the world after I come out of any Bond movie, and this one too has it's share of great looking places that I'd like to see for myself someday.

Over two hours long, this movie is very good all the way through, but could have benefitted from a little judicious editing to bring it down to one-and-a-half hours of really tight movie-goodness.

Go see it now...go buy it when it comes out on DVD (I'm going to).

(this review was originally sent to many on my e-mail list in December)

Basell's in Niagara Falls

I'm giving this place a 9 out of 10 only because I don't believe that anything's perfect (except, perhaps, for me!). This is a terrific throw-back diner (not done up in a faux "retro-style", but I just think it actually hasn't changed since the 60's). Anyway, we always go here when we visit the Falls, and always I get from nine to thirteen strips of bacon in my bacon'n'eggs order!! The home fries (ordered as an extra) are terrific, and are kinda-cheesy-tasting. Great value, great no-nonsense service. Good prices, too! Not "cheap", but excellent value.

http://www.restaurantica.com/restaurants/5715/

Wine web-site

An interesting site for wine information: www.nataliemaclean.com

Dreamgirls 8/10

Went to see Dreamgirls movie the other night, and loved it!

Great musical, based on the successful play of the same name, and of course, based on the story of the Supremes (with Diana Ross, and featuring Motown head honcho - Berry Gordy).

Jennifer Hudson sang a couple of spine-tingling, standing-ovation-worthy, show-stopping songs. Eddie Murphy was absolutely excellent playing a combination James Brown/Marvin Gaye character, and Jamie Foxx was really quite good as the slightly oily, very ambitious and successful Berry Gordy character.

Beyonce was just fine as the Diana Ross character (and she's exceptionally beautiful), but was overshadowed in the singing (and acting) department by Jennifer Hudson.

First star= Jennifer Hudson
Second star= Eddie Murphy
Third star= the music/atmosphere
Fourth star= Jamie Foxx
Most beautiful person= Beyonce

Very enjoyable movie, specially for fans of Motown music in general and for those of us who remember when Diana Ross was still good (and still kinda-hot).

"Stump Jump" from Australia

My newest favourite wine under $15 is Stump Jump

http://www.sawineco.com/images/products/darenberg-the-stump-jumper-2003.jpg

It is (as usual for me) a red wine from Australia, and is a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre.

I don't really know what that means, except that I know I like Shiraz (like Eaglehawk, etc.), and also Shiraz/Cabernet blends (like Jacob's Creek and Promised Land and Cawarrah), and I like some other more expensive wines from d'Arenberg (like Laughing Magpie), so I decided to try this one.

It was in the Vintages section of the L.C.B.O. - somewhere I usually don't shop - but it was just $13.95 so I went for it.

Big, bold taste at a fairly reasonable price. Would be good with some pretty strong-tasting meals, and is just great all-by-itself!

New Beatles CD

I'm a huge Beatles fan, and am always a bit concerned when people start f***ing around with their music.

However, this cd has just knocked me for a loop!

It's a very cool "mashing" of classic Beatles songs by Sir George Martin (the Beatles original genius producer) and his son Giles.

The effect of their judicious tinkering with these great works is exhilarating, and I'm again astounded with the sound of John Lennon's strong, raw voice...particularly in this amazing version of Strawberry Fields Forever. And the simplicity of songs like "Yesterday" still is riveting.

Soaring guitar work from George throughout the album plus great rumbling, boiling, bubbling-over-the-rapids drumming in Come Together and others, cool psychedelic sound effects in many of these tracks makes one get all emotional listening to these old favourite songs through "new ears" almost, and increasing our love and respect for the best pop/rock band in my lifetime.

Get this music for yourself, and/or as a gift for someone who's open-minded about their music,and a fan of very good old music with an interesting spin...

ms