Vancouver's West End, where I am fortunately living, is a great neighbourhood for finding unique restaurants. You want it, it's there - pho, chili, vegan/organic, fish, poultry, meat - as in Must. Have. Meat. - exotic, local products, international, ethnic, wine bars, pastries, the list never ends. Prices range for example from $8.95 for a generous Teriyaki Salmon box with salmon, rice, bean sprouts, salad, california rolls, miso soup and tempura at Osaka Sushi (1361 Burrard- take-out/dine in) to Le Crocodile where it's easy to spend $100 or more (with wine) on an excellent lunch -and well worth every penny (909 Burrard, entrance on Smithe Street - dress codes apply).
I met a friend for lunch at Latab on Helmcken just west of Burrard today. We've heard that their signature roast cauliflower served with wheat berries, feta and herbs is amazing - sadly we arrived too late to order it - sold out. However, if that dish is as good as the bowls of coffee-cured trout with bulgur (I think there was some mango in there, too), mint and other veggies, and the roast squash with smoked tofu, brown rice, kale and radish, then there is obviously a reason the cauliflower was gone by 12:30. The seasonings and sauces were perfectly balanced and complimented each dish - no flavour overwhelmed any other.
The venue itself is small but open and bright, and seating is limited, but hey, it's Vancouver so lunch tables are communal. Kitchen is semi-open, staff smiled a lot, they like doing what they do. Lunch is informal. Coffee and tea served in glasses not cups, european style. Go. Oh! And their evening menu is completely different. Make reservations. More meat. Great wine selection. I'll walk up the hill from my place soon and try out that menu as well.
If you are in downtown area for a conference, the massive annual Sun Fun Run (April 17 this year), or just shopping you really should drop in. It's a quick walk from anywhere! They are right beside the Sheraton Wall Centre.
Don't know about you but it's going to be my new Go To place to take out-of-town visitors and family. Cheers!
Latab is at 983 Helmcken Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2S5 (604)428-7004
Subscribe To Shamantra's House
Posts
All Comments
Friday, March 18, 2016
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
"Are We There Yet?" The Eternal Question Solved -
Years ago, husband and I travelled around BC and our little girl frequently came with us. And yes, we often heard the "Are we there yet?" from the back seat. Despite the 'no, not yet'; 'no, soon'; 'no, we've only just got in the car and we have a loooong drive before we get there ' - well, our answers never satisfied her.
There are ways to occupy a small person on a long trip. Counting the cars, counting the cows, counting blue cars, red, yellow; spelling games, reading a book, a snack, a stop to look at something interesting.
When my daughter was just three and half, we moved from Vancouver to a small city in the East Kootenays. My husband drove the moving truck. Mom and daughter flew there a few days later. One of the lasting memories of the flight was the plane flying over the house we had lived in. My daughter was fascinated to see the the horses in the field behind our house, the roads we travelled daily, the supermarket, and the bridge to Stanley Park, too.
For me, that was the Aha! moment.
So I taught her to read maps. Since she was still small, I kept it simple. We would look at books with maps - National Geo magazines and atlases were great for that since she could associate the pictures with the map we looked at. We would make up stories about what we would find at that point on that map. If we were going to travel, we would sit and plot out the route we would take, using road maps and coloured felt pens.
Even before she could read, she could follow the lines on the map and I would show her where on the map the park or town we were passing through was located. As she learned her numbers, she began to associate the mileage numbers on the road map with the distance and time it took to get to the next town.
She also learned directions and symbols - Left, right, straight, winding road ahead; and ordinals. The sun is in our eyes in the morning so we must be facing east. The Rocky Mountains are on the left side of the car - we driving south now. See, we have just eaten dinner, it is six o'clock and the sun is going down behind us; so we are driving east and west is behind us.
At five, she was telling us which way to turn and when.
At six, she was the Official Map Reader.
And the driver in the front seat would ask, "Are we there yet?"
She has kids of her own now. She can look at a map once and get to where she is going without getting lost. She recently thanked me for that.
Not sure how she answers her little ones when they ask "Are we there yet?" but these days, they can always follow along with Google Maps on the iPad or Mom's Blackberry apps. Much easier than trying to refold a map, eh? :)
There are ways to occupy a small person on a long trip. Counting the cars, counting the cows, counting blue cars, red, yellow; spelling games, reading a book, a snack, a stop to look at something interesting.
When my daughter was just three and half, we moved from Vancouver to a small city in the East Kootenays. My husband drove the moving truck. Mom and daughter flew there a few days later. One of the lasting memories of the flight was the plane flying over the house we had lived in. My daughter was fascinated to see the the horses in the field behind our house, the roads we travelled daily, the supermarket, and the bridge to Stanley Park, too.
For me, that was the Aha! moment.
So I taught her to read maps. Since she was still small, I kept it simple. We would look at books with maps - National Geo magazines and atlases were great for that since she could associate the pictures with the map we looked at. We would make up stories about what we would find at that point on that map. If we were going to travel, we would sit and plot out the route we would take, using road maps and coloured felt pens.
Even before she could read, she could follow the lines on the map and I would show her where on the map the park or town we were passing through was located. As she learned her numbers, she began to associate the mileage numbers on the road map with the distance and time it took to get to the next town.She also learned directions and symbols - Left, right, straight, winding road ahead; and ordinals. The sun is in our eyes in the morning so we must be facing east. The Rocky Mountains are on the left side of the car - we driving south now. See, we have just eaten dinner, it is six o'clock and the sun is going down behind us; so we are driving east and west is behind us.
At five, she was telling us which way to turn and when.
At six, she was the Official Map Reader.
And the driver in the front seat would ask, "Are we there yet?"
She has kids of her own now. She can look at a map once and get to where she is going without getting lost. She recently thanked me for that.
Not sure how she answers her little ones when they ask "Are we there yet?" but these days, they can always follow along with Google Maps on the iPad or Mom's Blackberry apps. Much easier than trying to refold a map, eh? :)
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Mushroom Season
Bruno is a great dog friend with whom I walk around the neighbourhood. He checks out every blade of grass, is very particular about where he leaves calling cards and is very patient with me when I stop to admire all the rich diversity of plants and animals that live under the canopy of trees that keep the air clean in the West End.
It is Fall in Vancouver. We have been fogged in for about 10 days and it's gloomy, damp, chilly but the fog blanket helps to promote the growth of some fascinating and very fast growing mushrooms. Here are a few we found over the past month or so within a few blocks of home. I have no idea what types of mushrooms they are but the orange ones with speckles are beautiful, 5-6 inches in diameter. The photo is kind of washed out as the weather was dull; in reality they are a bright deep burnt orange. Not great pics but it's hard to hold a cellphone steady and hang on to a moving doggy at the same time. If you know what types they are, please comment. Enjoy:
It is Fall in Vancouver. We have been fogged in for about 10 days and it's gloomy, damp, chilly but the fog blanket helps to promote the growth of some fascinating and very fast growing mushrooms. Here are a few we found over the past month or so within a few blocks of home. I have no idea what types of mushrooms they are but the orange ones with speckles are beautiful, 5-6 inches in diameter. The photo is kind of washed out as the weather was dull; in reality they are a bright deep burnt orange. Not great pics but it's hard to hold a cellphone steady and hang on to a moving doggy at the same time. If you know what types they are, please comment. Enjoy:
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Wish List
I totally want this!
Designed by web cartoonist, author and all round Canadian girl, Kate Beaton.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Beaton
http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=BEAT-CANADA&Category_Code=BEAT
Monday, September 02, 2013
A Trip to Thailand and Laos
Last year I had the privilege of spending 5 weeks in Thailand and Laos. The people are wonderful, friendly, helpful, kind, infinitely forgiving of foreigners' faux pas, and they love to party! The land and climate are so different from BC! Cost of getting there is high, cost of being there is very low.
You will not starve. You will struggle with the heat and humidity, showers that may just trickle, some toilets that you may have to squat over to use. You may travel in buses that are old and rickety on roads that may not exactly be the TransCanada or Germany's Autobahn. If you are lucky enough you may find a seat on the trains with fans and windows that open. And you will love it there.
Trying to compress 5 weeks of travel into a blog post is well nigh impossible so I will occasionally post a few pics and write a bit about my impressions. Starting now:
We flew from Vancouver to Tokyo's Narita Airport. I was very sad actually and the reason is that in all of the reading about other cities the thing you never experience is the smell of a place. Mexico City has a certain smell - of hot dust, charred corn from the market stalls, clean clothes. In Paris you can smell the dampness of the Seine River, smell 2,000 years of people living, eating, dying, growing things, breathing. So, emerging from the jet at Narita, I was looking forward to knowing what Japan smelled like. Only to be disappointed by the hermetically sealed building. I could look out the windows at a view suspiciously like Vancouver's - flat airport concrete, gray, rain, mist. But no scent - Narita is just another sterile concrete and glass building. Could be anywhere.
On to Bangkok. Built on, around and over the Chao Phraya River and an intricate canal system close to the where the delta empties into the Gulf of Thailand. The predominant scents are river, fish, heat, humidity, vehicle exhaust, people, food cooking - it's a wonderfully heady richness. The place itself is big, noisy, a delightful mixture of old and new, traditional and ultra-modern - in clothing, architecture, transportation, shipping, available foodstuffs, buildings going up, buildings coming down, people, people, people!
____________________
Not great pics. Was having trouble with my camera. And I always seemed to be in motion!
More later.
Cheers
You will not starve. You will struggle with the heat and humidity, showers that may just trickle, some toilets that you may have to squat over to use. You may travel in buses that are old and rickety on roads that may not exactly be the TransCanada or Germany's Autobahn. If you are lucky enough you may find a seat on the trains with fans and windows that open. And you will love it there.
Trying to compress 5 weeks of travel into a blog post is well nigh impossible so I will occasionally post a few pics and write a bit about my impressions. Starting now:
We flew from Vancouver to Tokyo's Narita Airport. I was very sad actually and the reason is that in all of the reading about other cities the thing you never experience is the smell of a place. Mexico City has a certain smell - of hot dust, charred corn from the market stalls, clean clothes. In Paris you can smell the dampness of the Seine River, smell 2,000 years of people living, eating, dying, growing things, breathing. So, emerging from the jet at Narita, I was looking forward to knowing what Japan smelled like. Only to be disappointed by the hermetically sealed building. I could look out the windows at a view suspiciously like Vancouver's - flat airport concrete, gray, rain, mist. But no scent - Narita is just another sterile concrete and glass building. Could be anywhere.
On to Bangkok. Built on, around and over the Chao Phraya River and an intricate canal system close to the where the delta empties into the Gulf of Thailand. The predominant scents are river, fish, heat, humidity, vehicle exhaust, people, food cooking - it's a wonderfully heady richness. The place itself is big, noisy, a delightful mixture of old and new, traditional and ultra-modern - in clothing, architecture, transportation, shipping, available foodstuffs, buildings going up, buildings coming down, people, people, people!
 |
| View from the Bangkok Skytrain. The mix of horrendously complicated wiring and the intricate carvings on the roofs, foodstands everywhere, motorbikes, scooters, real estate signs. Busy city 24/7 |
 |
| We took a day to wander up and down the river, hopping on and off water taxis to explore. Very inexpensive and a wonderful way to see what Bangkok is really all about. |
 |
| This might be a restaurant. Plenty of these are usually associated with the finer hotels that line the river banks. |
 |
| A royal palace? |
Not great pics. Was having trouble with my camera. And I always seemed to be in motion!
More later.
Cheers
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Vancouver Aquarium - Jellies!!!
They have just opened a Jellyfish exhibition that takes up two large rooms. The Aquarium also rents out these rooms for private events - I recently attended a wedding there. Food, service, dancing while the softly lit jellies fluttered about in their super-sized
tanks. Beautiful!
Here are a few photos of what to expect. None do justice, of course. These are just the appetizers.
Enjoy ...
OH!!! And an FYI:
"Vancouver’s Stanley Park was named the best park in the world this week, according to TripAdvisor’s first ever Travellers’ Choice Awards. New York City’s 840-acre Central Park took second place, while Colorado’s Garden of the Gods was third place". ~THE PROVINCE
Friday, June 07, 2013
My Veggie Garden
Anyway, the snap peas are living in plastic salad and bulk candy containers and share space with geraniums and some herbs. I cut little flaps in each container about an inch (2cm) from the bottom for drainage and aeration, popped in some good quality soil and added 5 starter plants about 4 weeks ago.
Not wanting to block the view with a wood trellis or long dowels, and having two hooks in place already, I ran fishing line from the small trellis (see pics below) up to the hooks. Added another line between the two hooks and have added extra lines that hang down from the horizontal one. Works like a charm; the pea tendrils curl around the fishing line quite happily and I don't have to worry about any latent chemicals that might be impregnated in the wood.
As much as I love my balcony it does have drawbacks. Even though it faces south and manages to draw a lovely breeze from the water there still seems to not be enough air circulation to prevent thrips, aphids and other pests for making themselves at home in the soil and on the leaves. The result has been that after years of experiments I've pretty well had to settle for tough hardy plants like geraniums, aloe and wood sorrel that are resistant. So the peas really are an experiment. But YAY!!! There are pea pods! There are still thrips; those tiny little fly-things that live in the soil and fly out every time the plants get watered. But now they fly right onto the bright yellow bug strips and stick there. Muahaha.
The peas look kind of spindly but they are producing so I have stepped up the seaweed fertilizer schedule. The herbs are two kinds of rosemary, oregano, basil and thai basil, chives and cilantro. The blue paperback is King of the Vagabonds (Book 2 of Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle). Brilliant and funny. Magazine is Wired. I hid the ashtray so you wouldn't know I smoked.
Sadly, by early August I had to admit defeat. The bugs destroyed the plants but I did manage to harvest some peapods. They were yummy, crunchy and sweet.
***I did read on-line about spraying plants with a very weak dishsoap/water solution. Haven't seen a bug since spraying the surviving herbs every second day for a week. I'll try growing peas again next spring. The bugs did not bother the hens and chicks, geraniums, aloe or wood sorrel.
Cheers :)
Thursday, March 28, 2013
How to Phish Out Phishing Scams - I Love This One
A few years ago during some very lean times I posted a guest room available for short stays. Someone wanted to book the room for a few days. They sent a deposit cheque for a very large amount, asking me to cash it and give them the difference when they arrived. Was it a scam? Of course it was a scam. The letter and cheque came from the US but the cheque was a fraudulent one written on a Scotiabank account in Ontario. Envelope addy handwritten but letter was by a different hand. Beautiful handwriting, too! I reported the scam to the bank then I took all the paperwork and emails to the local cop shop and we all had a good laugh.
And of course, because I couldn't get a coherent commit date for her arrival without several emails (I knew this was a scam btw) I finally just emailed her saying sorry the room was booked and no longer available. What address, please, so I can return the cheque. I never did get an answer to that one ... LOL
Here is the latest one and here is how I did my research. I've included names and sites here because it's all on the 'net and freely available. Read on:
Received a letter for a relative from a supposed lawyer
regarding an inheritance from a Robert XXX (surname same as relative's), last address Knightsbridge,
London. This is a scam. Did a little googling.
The letter is from a Thornhill, Ontario address from a Peter
Meyers – QC. This address exists. Odd thing is that the return communications
are through phone number and fax with UK numbers.
Looking at Google Maps it is an office building on Commerce Valley Drive East, Thornhill, Ontario (return address on envelope but
not in letter and mailed from Canada).
I could not find a Peter Meyers QC listed in England or Canada.
There is no Walton & Meyers LLP listed in UK phone directories or law firm
lists.
The Brit phone number is not listed after a quick search of
the number on Google. As this is supposedly a law firm, you’d think they would
have a phone number.
The supposed inheritance is in the Butterfield Private Bank. The venerable bank exists. It’s in wiki. The founder is probably twitching in his venerable grave.
A little more searching. There is no law firm listed by this name
in the UK or Canada or the USA.
Whois.DomainTools.com has a listing of all internet domain
name changes.
waltonmeyers.com was created on March 17th, 2012. It
belongs to:
Domain Name.......... waltonmeyers.com
Creation Date........ 2012-03-17
Registration Date.... 2012-03-17
Expiry Date.......... 2014-03-17
Organisation Name.... virginia lemus
Organisation Address. 8303 riverbirch drive
Organisation Address. apt 207
Organisation Address.
Organisation Address. charlotte
Organisation Address. 28210
Organisation Address. NC
Creation Date........ 2012-03-17
Registration Date.... 2012-03-17
Expiry Date.......... 2014-03-17
Organisation Name.... virginia lemus
Organisation Address. 8303 riverbirch drive
Organisation Address. apt 207
Organisation Address.
Organisation Address. charlotte
Organisation Address. 28210
Organisation Address. NC
Organisation Address. UNITED STATES
Google
www.waltonmeyers.com and you see “This
site is under construction”. Umm … A law firm website under construction for one year!!!
Yeah, right.
Results.beenverified.com
shows many Virginias with several aka’s, none in Charlotte, NC. Doesn’t mean
she is not there, just that she is not listed as being there.
How it
works is, you contact “Peter Meyers” aka Virginia, by fax because the phone number is screwy or you leave a message because "no one is available to take your call at the moment. Please leave a message". Or you send a reply to the supplied email addy. The firm's "secretary" now has your phone number and probably your email addy because you were silly enough to supply them to a complete stranger.
The scammers/hackers/she will contact you after fishing around to discover if you have money because of course processing the inheritance, with them as go-betweens and executors, will cost you money. You understand of course that because the paperwork all goes through the bank's "authorized" US offices and thence back and forth to London, there will be costs involved. Please send XXX dollars. Please send more. Please, there is a hold up for additional fees so send me everything you have in all your banks accounts. Oh, so sorry! A claimant with closer ties to the “deceased" has suddenly appeared. No further correspondence is possible due to the privacy laws in place. And because they have moved on to other fishing grounds y'all ain't gonna get a refund.
The scammers/hackers/she will contact you after fishing around to discover if you have money because of course processing the inheritance, with them as go-betweens and executors, will cost you money. You understand of course that because the paperwork all goes through the bank's "authorized" US offices and thence back and forth to London, there will be costs involved. Please send XXX dollars. Please send more. Please, there is a hold up for additional fees so send me everything you have in all your banks accounts. Oh, so sorry! A claimant with closer ties to the “deceased" has suddenly appeared. No further correspondence is possible due to the privacy laws in place. And because they have moved on to other fishing grounds y'all ain't gonna get a refund.
Looking at the domain registration it would appear Virginia gives this particular scam a 2 year shelf life.
And Virginia laughs all the way to the bank. Not Butterfield’s though.
Bye bye, have a nice day, y’all.
Sept 2014 UPDATE: Just got another one! From some yahoo supposedly in Togo with a yahoo! email addy. Again, (this time they don't even have a name for the dead relative), no identification, return office address, etc.
________
"Dear Friend,
My name is Barrister Ben Martins, a solicitor at law. I have an
important message for you concerning the death of your relative, and
he funds US$ 9.6 million and 25kg of gold bar which he left behind in
bank here in my country (Togo). He died On the 30TH of April 2008 in a
fatal accident, All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their
lives. Contact me for full details at(benmartins203@yahoo.com)
Enclose the following information's Below.
SEND YOUR INFORMATION BELOW TO ME:
FIRST NAME:...............................
LAST NAME:................................
DATE OF BIRTH:............................
OCCUPATION:...............................
TELEPHONE NUMBER:.........................
CITY:....................................
COUNTRY:..................................
EMAIL ADDRESS:............................
I am waiting for your urgent reply in my private email address
(benmartins203@yahoo.com)
Your's Sincerely
Ben Martins- (Esq)
Telephone;+228 9022 8004."
December 14, 2015 - Just received another one! These guys just never quit. $10.5M, eh? *Turns around and walks away.
________
Here are few links to organizations that track internet fraud:
http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/english/recognizeit_inheritance.html
http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/848613
http://www.snopes.com/fraud/advancefee/inherit.asp
http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/fraud/types-of-fraud/common-scams/inheritance-fraud
Sept 2014 UPDATE: Just got another one! From some yahoo supposedly in Togo with a yahoo! email addy. Again, (this time they don't even have a name for the dead relative), no identification, return office address, etc.
________
"Dear Friend,
My name is Barrister Ben Martins, a solicitor at law. I have an
important message for you concerning the death of your relative, and
he funds US$ 9.6 million and 25kg of gold bar which he left behind in
bank here in my country (Togo). He died On the 30TH of April 2008 in a
fatal accident, All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their
lives. Contact me for full details at(benmartins203@yahoo.com)
Enclose the following information's Below.
SEND YOUR INFORMATION BELOW TO ME:
FIRST NAME:...............................
LAST NAME:................................
DATE OF BIRTH:............................
OCCUPATION:...............................
TELEPHONE NUMBER:.........................
CITY:....................................
COUNTRY:..................................
EMAIL ADDRESS:............................
I am waiting for your urgent reply in my private email address
(benmartins203@yahoo.com)
Your's Sincerely
Ben Martins- (Esq)
Telephone;+228 9022 8004."
December 14, 2015 - Just received another one! These guys just never quit. $10.5M, eh? *Turns around and walks away.
Here are few links to organizations that track internet fraud:
http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/english/recognizeit_inheritance.html
http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/848613
http://www.snopes.com/fraud/advancefee/inherit.asp
http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/fraud/types-of-fraud/common-scams/inheritance-fraud
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Think About...
This is the sort of thing I think about when washing the dishes... Disposable razors ... Sure, they are convenient ... for you maybe. But think about this for a minute.
How many billions of the things are manufactured globally in a year? The info I found says "In the US 68 MILLION men use them every year". (LOL - no mention of women who shave underarms, legs and other body parts frequently)
How often are they used before tossing them in the garbage? Anywhere from twice to a dozen?
Did you know that using a safety razor will cost you way less? Let's face it, we pay more for the packaging than for the product. And that goes in the garbage, too.
Since the blades are made of poor quality metal and the handles and cartridges are plastic, that's an awful lot of non-biodegradable stuff going into landfills and being dumped in oceans. Millions of cubic feet annually. It will sit there forever too. A thousand years from now our descendants will come across these in their billions and curse us. Justifiably.
Think about it.
And I like the way a beard looks on a man. Just let me wipe that egg from your moustache for you - unless you are saving it for a snack ;)
How many billions of the things are manufactured globally in a year? The info I found says "In the US 68 MILLION men use them every year". (LOL - no mention of women who shave underarms, legs and other body parts frequently)
How often are they used before tossing them in the garbage? Anywhere from twice to a dozen?
Did you know that using a safety razor will cost you way less? Let's face it, we pay more for the packaging than for the product. And that goes in the garbage, too.
Since the blades are made of poor quality metal and the handles and cartridges are plastic, that's an awful lot of non-biodegradable stuff going into landfills and being dumped in oceans. Millions of cubic feet annually. It will sit there forever too. A thousand years from now our descendants will come across these in their billions and curse us. Justifiably.
Think about it.
And I like the way a beard looks on a man. Just let me wipe that egg from your moustache for you - unless you are saving it for a snack ;)
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Arsenic in Rice Products!
"Arsenic Found in All Rice Products: Alarming levels of harmful arsenic have been found in every rice product tested by the FDA in its ongoing investigation, reports the Chicago Tribune.
There is currently no official upside to the amount of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, allowed in food.
But Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in a statement: "First and foremost, I want to warn parents that every rice cereal product we tested contained arsenic. These results are shocking because rice cereal is often a baby's first solid food. Parents and caregivers should moderate the amount of rice products they feed their children, while the FDA sets standards to limit this known carcinogen in our food." via Chicago
*There is more to this story - click on the Chicago link above.
** Unless, by some small miracle there is a pocket of truly organic rice fields or paddies with water not previously filtered through mine tailings somewhere in the US.
I'm on holiday right now but will expand on this story later in the year.
Just a Quick Note ...
I am in Thailand!!!
Back home in a week or so and will post some pics and fill you in on my trip.
In the meantime, have fun.
Shamantra
Back home in a week or so and will post some pics and fill you in on my trip.
In the meantime, have fun.
Shamantra
Saturday, September 15, 2012
A Typical Saturday Morning in My Neighbourhood
I know, I'm cheating, but I posted this in Okara's Single's Survivors Guide too, because it fits and because it's too nice a day to sit at the computer.
So have a quick read then go out and enjoy the weather while it lasts:
I really cannot function without that first fantastic cup of coffee in the morning so waking up to discover I was out of milk was rather horrifying. Actually, I use Silk which is an organic soya product. A quick shower and I was off up the hill to the local Supervalu - the only store in my part of the West End that sells Silk. The weather is fantastic btw!
Two hours later, after a stop at Denny's for pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs with cheddar (not a normal haunt of mine but I had a craving for bacon), a stop at the Comox Street farmers market and another stop at Shoppers Drugmart for eggs (much less pricey than elsewhere) I realized I had forgotten the Silk and had to slog up the hill again.
Here is a picture of what I bought at the farmers market.
The place was packed with people lining up to buy local organic produce, honey, soap, artisan breads, organic meat and sausage, jewelry, and checking out the latest information on the City of Vancouver's food waste collection service. I picked up a small block of beeswax for my sewing kit - not that I do much sewing lately - but running the thread through beeswax makes it a lot easier to get the thread through the eye of the needle. As an aside, have you noticed that as you get older the eyes of needles get much smaller and the thread is really really thick?
The mixed shard and beets came to five bucks, the buckwheat honey and beeswax was six. I found a great recipe for a raw beet salad and the greens can be steamed and served with a drizzle of vinegar, a pinch of sea salt, pepper, and finely chopped garlic sautéed in butter and/or a few tablespoons of white wine or stock .
The prices at the farmers market tend to be a little higher but if your budget is limited it's still worth it to pick up a few items. After all, you are supporting local small businesses, the food is freshly picked and besides that it gets you off your duff and away from your computer for an hour or two. That is a lot cheaper than a gym membership you don't use anyway ;)
Now I'm going to just sit back and relax and enjoy a great cup of coffee.
Damn! I forgot the onions!
Two hours later, after a stop at Denny's for pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs with cheddar (not a normal haunt of mine but I had a craving for bacon), a stop at the Comox Street farmers market and another stop at Shoppers Drugmart for eggs (much less pricey than elsewhere) I realized I had forgotten the Silk and had to slog up the hill again.
Here is a picture of what I bought at the farmers market.
The place was packed with people lining up to buy local organic produce, honey, soap, artisan breads, organic meat and sausage, jewelry, and checking out the latest information on the City of Vancouver's food waste collection service. I picked up a small block of beeswax for my sewing kit - not that I do much sewing lately - but running the thread through beeswax makes it a lot easier to get the thread through the eye of the needle. As an aside, have you noticed that as you get older the eyes of needles get much smaller and the thread is really really thick?
The mixed shard and beets came to five bucks, the buckwheat honey and beeswax was six. I found a great recipe for a raw beet salad and the greens can be steamed and served with a drizzle of vinegar, a pinch of sea salt, pepper, and finely chopped garlic sautéed in butter and/or a few tablespoons of white wine or stock .
The prices at the farmers market tend to be a little higher but if your budget is limited it's still worth it to pick up a few items. After all, you are supporting local small businesses, the food is freshly picked and besides that it gets you off your duff and away from your computer for an hour or two. That is a lot cheaper than a gym membership you don't use anyway ;)
Now I'm going to just sit back and relax and enjoy a great cup of coffee.
Damn! I forgot the onions!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
A Caution to Parents About PVC School Supplies
Having raised children myself, reading this recent Discovery.com article about the high phthalate content in PVC materials in school binders, backpacks and other plastic items used by our kids every day sends out big warning signals. Phthalates are used to soften plastics. Many toys and other items with phthalates were banned in Canada, the US and EU but the product continues to be used in the production of school supplies and clothing.
"Vinyl lunchboxes, backpacks and even 3-ring binders were among the 75 percent of supplies tested by an independent laboratory for the CHEJ that were found to have elevated levels of the endocrine disruptors. Research has linked phthalates, which are used to soften plastic, to birth defects, obesity, asthma and infertility, among other ailments. Some were banned in toys in 2008." news.discovery.com/It's buyer beware, especially since many products do not list phthalates in the contents labels. Phthalates are also found in food wrap, vinyl lunch boxes, modelling clays,thermoses and water bottles, office supplies, shiny rain gear, electronics and plastic eating utensils. If you sew things for your kiddies or for crafts be sure to ask for contents info from fabric suppliers, too.
For more info check out this pdf publication produced by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice. It also contains a green list of safe products, how to determine what has PVC content and related data and info. Well worth spending a few minutes to read.
Update Dec 2014: This website notes it's best to avoid microwaving foods in plastic, and avoiding using items with scented products "as much as possible, including air fresheners, and dryer sheets, and not using recyclable plastics labeled as 3, 6, or 7".
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141210140823.htm
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Cooperative Enterprise Beats Economic Downturn
Sorry, I've been busy with co-op things but I did run across this BBC article about Mondragon, one of many successful worker-owned cooperatives. There is much on the net about this cooperative's working model that can be applied to many situations, from banking to manufacturing to housing initiatives.
Cooperatives work!
Have a look then do some more research:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19213425
Cooperatives work!
Have a look then do some more research:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19213425
Friday, March 02, 2012
A Co-op is Like a Village
Sorry for the delay. Crunched my foot two weeks ago and have been feeling sorry for myself ever since. Well, not really. I took a step the wrong way and came down on my ankle hard enough to cause severe bruising to bones, tendons, muscles from baby toe up to and including the ankle. Pulled a calf muscle on the other leg so have been doing a sort of double hobble dance - much to the amusement of folks in the neighbourhood. I'm glad there are no broken bones. I am not glad to be missing work for the doctor's prescribed three weeks. I love my hockey games! And I have missed taking Bruno for his walks and feel very doggy-deprived. Oh, well.
So here's the thing about living in a co-op. Your neighbours know almost everything about you. This is not always a bad thing. When trouble happens your neighbours are always there to offer help, comfort and an encouraging word. Someone left a huge bag of citrus fruits on my doorknob. No note. Someone went to the corner store for me. Someone else drove me to Costco for my semi-annual Big Shopping Day. The co-op has a few dollies for our use so said friend and neighbour loaded up the dolly and pushed the cartload of groceries right to my front door. Then took the dolly back to the storage room.
The co-op is likened to a small village and so it is. In the past few years we have lost a few co-op residents to old age or to illness. The death of a loved one is always a horrible experience and there is no way just a few words can truly provide all the comfort the survivors need. But there are little things neighbours can do to ease the burden. Some of the neighbours formed a group to provide cooked meals for grieving parents for several weeks. Respecting privacy, others have slipped condolence cards through the mail slot or quietly watered plants and swept outside the doorways. At general meetings those who passed are acknowledged and a few moments of quiet reflection take place before the meeting commences. Collections may be taken for flowers, food or other smalls needs. Laundry is found folded and ready to take home from the laundry room. Little things done quietly and with dignity.
We end up stronger as a community, kinder to one another and more mindful and respectful.
Folks here don't tend to move out very often.
Friday, February 17, 2012
A New Blog! Okara's Single's Survival Guide
Thought I would share this with you all so pop over and have a look. I've only just started Okara's Guide but I'm hoping it will inspire the newly single - and everyone else - to offer their own tips and tricks on the practical side of doing stuff for yourself.
I will include photos and links and maybe embed some YouTube videos. If you have suggestions, send them in.
P.S. Before I even posted my first article there were 42 viewers according to my stats page. I guess that's a good sign!
Okara's Single's Survival Guide
I will include photos and links and maybe embed some YouTube videos. If you have suggestions, send them in.
P.S. Before I even posted my first article there were 42 viewers according to my stats page. I guess that's a good sign!
Okara's Single's Survival Guide
Thursday, February 09, 2012
I've Been Busy ...
...So have not attended to this Blog as I should. Apologies to my readers who faithfully check in daily and weekly.
I'm on the board of directors at my co-op so that keeps me busy.
My Mom is ill and this understandably enough this keeps me from thinking of things to write about. Focussing is not one of my skills.
Still dog-walking though. I love those walks around the neighbourhood. Bruno is a marvellous, friendly doggy-person.
Anyway, I follow Vegan Reader faithfully and came across a page there about "Being Poor - Words of Encouragement". After reading some of responses I was inspired to contribute the letter reprinted below: [things in italics added for clarity]
I'm on the board of directors at my co-op so that keeps me busy.
My Mom is ill and this understandably enough this keeps me from thinking of things to write about. Focussing is not one of my skills.
Still dog-walking though. I love those walks around the neighbourhood. Bruno is a marvellous, friendly doggy-person.
Anyway, I follow Vegan Reader faithfully and came across a page there about "Being Poor - Words of Encouragement". After reading some of responses I was inspired to contribute the letter reprinted below: [things in italics added for clarity]
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Blog Stats - This is So Cool!!!
This blog has been floating around the net since some time in June of 2005 but it was not until June 2009 that Google started tracking viewer stats for me and with an almost 2 year hiatus from internet I didn't even discover the stats page until this past September when I re-upped. And up until then, let me tell you, it was depressing because there I was, sharing thoughts and photos and thinking no one was reading. Didn't stop me though. I like writing.
However, it has been gratifying to see that I do indeed have readers. And apparently they check back for more once in a while. I had no readers in June 2009, but in July of that year 149 viewers read the blogs and by November and December 2010, 571 and 535 respectively. I have to attribute some of this to more assertiveness - using Twitter and my Facebook page to let friends know I've posted a new post. I also joined Bloggers.com and a comment on CHOW.com regarding my Big Bear Ranch blog also made a difference I think; as does the use generous use of labels. Of course, none of this has helped me sell my photos on items available at CafePress, but what the heck. This is fun!!!
My most-read items? I thought for sure anything to do with the 2010 Olympics. I have had a few hundred folks check those out - mostly USA, Russian and Euro viewers. But the kicker is the one I wrote in August 2007 about my sure fire cure for mosquito bites! 314 and counting. The January stats reveal 24 readers so far - the UN Year of Cooperatives and the Christmas Spirit posts being the most popular.
Now, I never set out to be a blog star; not my style. And believe me the numbers are so low that that will never happen. The most successful bloggers specialize in something - anything - and are either experts in that field or are really, really good at finding newsworthy items, articles and/or news on that subject. Me, I'm a generalist. I write about whatever strikes my fancy. I appreciate those who take the time to read my contributions and I am thrilled when my readers spend a few minutes to send a comment about my pics and blogs.
I am still learning how to cross-reference my blogs and link to other sites. And labelling is an art form!
While washing the dishes blog ideas pop up like mushrooms so even if it is just to keep the creative juices flowing - try creating your own blog. I use Google's Blogger but there are plenty more out there to choose from.
It really is fun!
However, it has been gratifying to see that I do indeed have readers. And apparently they check back for more once in a while. I had no readers in June 2009, but in July of that year 149 viewers read the blogs and by November and December 2010, 571 and 535 respectively. I have to attribute some of this to more assertiveness - using Twitter and my Facebook page to let friends know I've posted a new post. I also joined Bloggers.com and a comment on CHOW.com regarding my Big Bear Ranch blog also made a difference I think; as does the use generous use of labels. Of course, none of this has helped me sell my photos on items available at CafePress, but what the heck. This is fun!!!
My most-read items? I thought for sure anything to do with the 2010 Olympics. I have had a few hundred folks check those out - mostly USA, Russian and Euro viewers. But the kicker is the one I wrote in August 2007 about my sure fire cure for mosquito bites! 314 and counting. The January stats reveal 24 readers so far - the UN Year of Cooperatives and the Christmas Spirit posts being the most popular.
Now, I never set out to be a blog star; not my style. And believe me the numbers are so low that that will never happen. The most successful bloggers specialize in something - anything - and are either experts in that field or are really, really good at finding newsworthy items, articles and/or news on that subject. Me, I'm a generalist. I write about whatever strikes my fancy. I appreciate those who take the time to read my contributions and I am thrilled when my readers spend a few minutes to send a comment about my pics and blogs.
I am still learning how to cross-reference my blogs and link to other sites. And labelling is an art form!
While washing the dishes blog ideas pop up like mushrooms so even if it is just to keep the creative juices flowing - try creating your own blog. I use Google's Blogger but there are plenty more out there to choose from.
It really is fun!
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Daily Internet Habits - What's on Your Toolbars?
Now that I'm retired and have a new PC and time enough to enjoy poking around the internet I have established a routine of sorts. After making a cup of coffee - fresh ground Ethical Beans with brown sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and soya milk - I head for my PC and going in order of priority from left to right on my Google Chrome toolbar:
First up - Tagoria- An RPG I've been playing on and off for years. I collect my ambers from working on the farm, do the obligatory safety fight on some hapless lower level player, chat for a few minutes on the shout box, then -
Second up - Check my email. Sort, delete, read stuff.
Next - Facebook. It's a way to keep track of what my relatives and friends are doing. Sort of. I do not use the multitude of available corporate info-collection apps since they collect way too much info that is no one's bloody business. I like to think I still have some privacy. A myth, I know, but a nice one. Enough said about that!
Moving right along -I check out my work schedule on-line daily. It can change.
Then - BBC news feed. Browse that for a while. This can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour or two. Main interests are international events, sciences, tech.
Ditto for the Discovery News feed - Although I'm a little disappointed at some of the content. Supposedly science info but editing skills are often lacking and tend toward sensationalist or just plain misleading headlines. No link - find it if you want.
Much better is Discover Magazine's blog. Excellent science news, in brief. Written by people who know their subject matter. Also, a source for video lectures, symposia, all sorts of interesting science discussions news and debates. You can spend hours here. This morning I watched a discussion about the role of the sciences and the role of the humanities in the 21st century. Great food for thought!
Wired is another science blog. A little more upbeat. Science, tech, a little politics, volcanoes, earthquakes, physics, webcams, etc.
TED has some excellent lectures - Ideas Worth Spreading. I'm hoping much of what they offer is being shown in schools. There is something for everyone here.
Just when you think I'm all science and reason - I check out BurdaStyle and Threads to see what freebie sewing patterns are new to the site. Then hop over to CafePress to see if I've sold anything recently. Ditto for eBay and Etsy.
I also check out YouTube, especially the Vancouver Film School stuff. There is some incredible talent in this city and students come from countries all over the planet. Sometimes in the evening I watch one or two of the free movies on YouTube as well. Check out Robinson Crusoe on Mars - there are several links. Remarkable, considering the film was made before CGI. Plenty of world-class documentaries, some classics, award winning animation, etc.
Some days I spend pretty well the whole day on the net. Other days, I'm trying out new recipes, walking the dog, visiting, serving on my co-op's board of directors, out taking photos, and thinking about my next blog.
Happy New Year. The links above are my gift to you. Enjoy!
First up - Tagoria- An RPG I've been playing on and off for years. I collect my ambers from working on the farm, do the obligatory safety fight on some hapless lower level player, chat for a few minutes on the shout box, then -
Second up - Check my email. Sort, delete, read stuff.
Next - Facebook. It's a way to keep track of what my relatives and friends are doing. Sort of. I do not use the multitude of available corporate info-collection apps since they collect way too much info that is no one's bloody business. I like to think I still have some privacy. A myth, I know, but a nice one. Enough said about that!
Moving right along -I check out my work schedule on-line daily. It can change.
Then - BBC news feed. Browse that for a while. This can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour or two. Main interests are international events, sciences, tech.
Ditto for the Discovery News feed - Although I'm a little disappointed at some of the content. Supposedly science info but editing skills are often lacking and tend toward sensationalist or just plain misleading headlines. No link - find it if you want.
Much better is Discover Magazine's blog. Excellent science news, in brief. Written by people who know their subject matter. Also, a source for video lectures, symposia, all sorts of interesting science discussions news and debates. You can spend hours here. This morning I watched a discussion about the role of the sciences and the role of the humanities in the 21st century. Great food for thought!
Wired is another science blog. A little more upbeat. Science, tech, a little politics, volcanoes, earthquakes, physics, webcams, etc.
TED has some excellent lectures - Ideas Worth Spreading. I'm hoping much of what they offer is being shown in schools. There is something for everyone here.
Just when you think I'm all science and reason - I check out BurdaStyle and Threads to see what freebie sewing patterns are new to the site. Then hop over to CafePress to see if I've sold anything recently. Ditto for eBay and Etsy.
I also check out YouTube, especially the Vancouver Film School stuff. There is some incredible talent in this city and students come from countries all over the planet. Sometimes in the evening I watch one or two of the free movies on YouTube as well. Check out Robinson Crusoe on Mars - there are several links. Remarkable, considering the film was made before CGI. Plenty of world-class documentaries, some classics, award winning animation, etc.
Some days I spend pretty well the whole day on the net. Other days, I'm trying out new recipes, walking the dog, visiting, serving on my co-op's board of directors, out taking photos, and thinking about my next blog.
Happy New Year. The links above are my gift to you. Enjoy!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
How to Really Share the Christmas Spirit
I walk a neighbour's dog. He is a lovely and friendly creature and for some reason people in the neighbourhood want to stop and chat and get their hands licked by said doggie. One of the people with whom I chat is a gentleman who lives in a nearby park . I have seen him several times, sitting on a sunny bench and doing crossword puzzles. Beside him is his transportation - a shopping cart loaded with all his worldly possessions. A tarp, a ground sheet, two sleeping bags, miscellaneous supplies and cooking utensils. And two or three extra large plastic bags loaded with the daily haul of pop cans and bottles. From this he earns his income. What always strikes me is his dignity and his gentle manner. He is always clean, his white hair brushed and pulled back into a pony tail, his beard well-groomed.
I asked him once whether he stayed in a shelter and he said no, the shelters are not always safe from predators. He can't afford to lose anything. so he lives in the park in a secret place that is protected from the weather. One week he wasn't at his usual bench and I was worried that something had happened to him. The following week he was back, looking very weak. Two brave and class-act young men had been walking around with a can of pepper spray, zapping homeless people. My friend was one of their victims. He managed to get help but his lungs were affected and he ended up with pneumonia and had massive doses of penicillin. Wouldn't stay in hospital though - didn't want to lose his worldly possessions.
Once a week, he helps the trash collectors roll the big garbage bins out of the apartment blocks. In exchange, he gets to rummage around and take any refundable bottles and cans. He performs a function much needed in our wasteful society, as do many of the homeless men and women who rummage around in our leavings - tools, small furnishings, old clothes, anything that may still have some monetary or exchange value. I respect their independence and dignity, their friendliness and their courage in the face of illness, aggression, scorn and derision.
So while the rest of us are enjoying turkey with all the trimmings and the pleasure of watching loved ones open that Christmas present they really really wanted - take a few minutes to set aside a small collection of cash, maybe a scarf or sweater you no longer wear and perhaps make a nice big turkey sandwich and go search out one of those folks who clean up after us. And thank them for the valuable work they do in the community.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)