Luke Mulholland Band at Healey's

Show was just "OK", unfortunately!

We (brother-in-law Brian, and my buddy Doug) had a good time anyway, as we started by having beers at my place (Bay and Dundas), then walking over to the newly-renovated Spadina Garden Restaurant (best Crispy-Ginger-Beef and Cantonese Chow Mein in the world?) on Dundas just west of Bay, then walked down to John and Richmond and stopped in to Smokeless Joes little downstairs beer-bar where I selected an "Innis & Gunn" beer from Britain...this place has a staggering selection of beers from around the world. Then continued on down to Healey's which is now located directly across the street from Gretzky's.
The place is a very good size, the food looked good (we were too stuffed to try it) and we played a couple of games of pool while waiting for the band to come on. They put on an acceptable show, featuring covers of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Hendrix, and others, as well as a few original songs which weren't too bad. The kid can sure play, but his stage presence is not very good yet, and his voice is still a bit weak, I'd say.

All that being said, we had quite an enjoyable evening...you know, it's always good to get "out-with-the-lads" and even just shoot the breeze over some good food and beers and live music, right?

Molly Johnson Concert

We went to the (Danforth) Music Hall last night to see one of my favourite jazz/pop singers, Molly Johnson. She is touring to support her most recent CD Messin' Around She is very ably supported by her band: piano player, stand-up bass player (and song-writing collaborator), drums, electric guitar and a multi-woodwind instrumentalist who plays three different saxes, two clarinets and a flute or two! Her music is very easy-to-listen-to, and her personality is one of a really neat artsy friend you may have known in high school or college. This is one of her best songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL699yVUSj0 and this one is from her new cd: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rd91kB9A-0&mode=related&search= and this one is for Thomas the Train fans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r67Kejw74Mw&mode=related&search=

Sneaky Dee's! We may never have to cook again...

This place is (in the famous words of Tony-the-Tiger) GGGRRRRREEEEAAAAAATTTTT!!!!
We had the "Daily special" yesterday evening: The "King Crown" (a huge, delicious pile of nachos with refried beans, salsa, white cheese, and tons of guacamole and sour cream) with a 60 ounce jug of beer for only $19.50. We added a small order of perhaps-the-best-chicken-wings-we've-ever-had, and some fantastic home-cut fries and had a great meal! It's a very casual, low-key, eclectic kind of place, where interesting (and mostly much younger) people of all types seem to gather for good, pretty inexpensive food and drinks in this perfect location, right at the start of the Little Italy strip on the south-east corner of Bathurst & College. Total bill: $35.00 plus tip, for four people!! http://www.sneaky-dees.com/Daily.html

Hockey Parents & their "kids"

This picture was taken on Sunday, April 15th, 2007. Malvern Arena - the "Hoggs" Tournament. The team that I regularly play on (Toronto Islanders Hockey club) was entered. My brother was asked to play on our team for this one, so my parents came out to watch a couple of games. A good time was had by all!

Helpful (???) hints...

My all-time personal favourite tip: When you buy your Tim Horton's coffee to go, instead of just tearing the plastic lid tab up and locking it into place...you tear it up, the same, but then you push it back down into the opening you've just created to drink out of. Why? Well, once you've had a sip or two, that now-submerged inside tab helps prevent any coffee from splashing back up through the drinking hole!! My second favourite tip is to create a perfect book-mark by cutting a triangle in the lower corner of an envelope, then slipping this triangle over the page in your book that you wish to go back to.

"Kalendar" Restaurant on College Street

We went to this place on College Street just west of Bathurst last night. Just walking by, and looked in to find that this place is just the kind of place we like to go to....it's not huge, and has nicely-decorated exposed-brick walls with lots of different sizes and types of mirrors. Also a few old clocks and very artfully done touches throughout. Old original looking wood floors, interesting lighting and an intimate kind of feeling partially caused by the very comfy atmosphere/decor, and partly cause by the proximity to other diners...not usually a very good thing, but in this case it just added nicely to the "vibe". We weren't so close we were evesdropping, but we could have done so very comfortably if we had chosen to do so. Oh, and the food was great! Naan bread appetizers with hummus and another dip were perfect, my "scroll #3" was very nice, a kind of roti with chicken and some curry, including a very fresh organic-greens salad. Lamb chops were excellent I was told, as was the swordfish dinner and the pork medallions with apricot, etc.! Service was low-key but very attentive and friendly - just right! Desserts looked good, but we only managed to share one between four people - it was an excellent three-fudge pie. Yes, we'll be going back here soon : http://www.martiniboys.com/Toronto/Kalendar-review.html

Weather Forecasters Are #$@$%^&*(*'s

The following is a mini-rant I received today from my friend Jeremy. He's perfectly captured my long-held feelings on this topic: "What the 5-day forecasts count on is that you're not able to remember the five days. I've been watching the five-day forecast since Friday and each day there's a completely new one with completely different temps/precipitation/clouds... everything! With each passing day I'm thinking, hell its three degrees worse or now there's a little bit of precipitation that wasn't there before…each day crappier….The difference is unbelievable!!
I can't believe I fell for the Weather Forecasting Scam once again. I remember I would always say, if I want to know the goddamn weather I'll stick my f*****g head out the window, and sometimes I go with pink sky at night sailors delight (pretty reliable). But no, once again I got sucked in to actually anticipating these mother f****rs would get it right. KISS MY ASS I tell them. Don't publish that crap. I am now declaring my official ban of any weather forecasting!!!! (Except maybe for my own head out the window or a pink-sky-at-night-sailors-delight)". Right on , Jer! I couldn't have said it better.