a birthday dinner

An unusual dining post to share because - weirdly - there are no food photos.  Oh, one cocktail photo, because you know us, but no food.  In part this was because the lighting was low, in part this was because we were dining family style, and I didn't want to make anyone wait for me to photograph a shared dish, in part because we were simply having a very nice evening.  So no food photos, just a little commentary.

We all came together (minus Brenda, who joined us for dinner at the restaurant) at The Oud and the Fizz, an Armenian bar near Kensington Market. 

It was cool in a ramshackle, in formal way.  Chris and Allister had arrived early to have a snack and a drink, and they recommended to us a variation on a Last Word called the Ayki. 

Cool drink - it swapped out the maraschino for attar, a rose water syrup.  I need to try making that at home some time, because it was tasty.

After that enjoyable stop, we headed to the restaurant Allison had picked out for her birthday dinner:  Grey Gardens.  I just saw the latest Toronto Michelin awards yesterday, and Grey Gardens had received a Bib Gourmand, so good for them!

Allison had worked with the restaurant to do a set menu of multiple courses for us, two items per course, all shared at the table.  She also gave them guidance on wines for us, so we had a nice range of pet-nat, white, and red.  Highlights of the dinner?  The pickerel, hands down, the best item.  I think everyone raved about it.  So good.  The bread was delicious, and the potato chips and smoked fish dip were a great opener.  I was very fond of the gnudi and the Basque cheesecake, too.  Not a dud among the courses.  It was all excellent.

But best of all, all of us together. 

Somehow it was women at one end and men at another - weird coincidence - but it was easy enough to talk along the table and share laughs.  There was no rush to the meal.  We sat in the front window area near the bar, and we had ourselves a really terrific dinner.  A fitting 50th birthday meal for Allison.  I'm glad we all shared it.

splurge recommendation

So, do you have some money lying around and a desire to treat yourself nicely? Yes? I have a helpful suggestion.

Brunch at NoMI.

Get a window table. Not always possible, but the view over the Water Tower is something else. Admire the Chihuly chandeliers, if that's what they are. Get a glass of champagne (the cocktails are not a strong suit there, so go with the wine by itself). And indulge in the food.

Ah, yes. Yummy, pretty food. Stations set up for serving yourself, plus entrees made to order. I loved the remoulade (I think it was) scented with truffle. The Brussels sprouts salad was another winner. Seafood, cheeses, bacon and sausages. All of it good. My meal was grouper, and I was very pleased with it.

But really, good food, good view, let's get to desserts.


Ah, desserts. Ahhhhhh. I was greedy and happy and was especially charmed by the simple little macaroon and the very light bottom layer of the parfait crowned with candied pineapple.


Allison, Brenda, and I waited out a great deal of lashing rain, with such a wicked view of it coming down. Some coffee, much contentedly wandering conversation, and after a good two hours or more we ventured out shopping and playing the tourist. In amidst the horrid weather that caused them an extra night in Chicago we got a smidgen of blue sky and took advantage for photos.
It really is an impressive city, you know.

a long-awaited trip to our second home

For so long, years even, Brenda has heard about our love for Yoshi's. Last Friday, she got to know it herself. Welcome to our second home, Brenda. We hope you liked the dessert!

:-)

Brenda!

This may take me a few days to catch up. It already feels late to me, and it's not yet 9:00. I'm getting old.

But hey, a happy post. Brenda just made her visit to Chicago and even got a bonus day out of it. Yay bad weather! I'll have more to write about the dinner I cooked for her and Allison (also in town from Toronto) and some other dear friends, as well as a post on brunch at NoMI yesterday (Kick. Ass.), but I think I'll beg off a long post today and just leave a few photos from Brenda's first full day here.

Last Friday. 67 Fahrenheit degrees. Sunny. Perfect. I worked for an hour or so until she got up, then took her over to Whole Foods/Center on Halsted for a bite of breakfast. After that, I put her on a bus downtown to explore. She had a great day. I came downtown to have lunch at Bin 36 with her (lobster club sandwich with celery and blue cheese soup for me) before coming home to continue working away at a grant proposal. She continued seeing it all and loving it.

More to come in the next day or two. For now, let's be content that we got to see her here for once and that she had one brilliant day of weather to show for it.

Allison and Sean's wedding reception

A last posting about Allison and Sean's wedding two weeks ago, then, on this sunny October Sunday morning. Hmmm. Maybe I should run to Starbucks before continuing...

OK, grande misto in hand, let's go!

Allison and Sean had an inspired venue for the reception, given their love for movies: the Eglinton Grand. There was ample space for seating, for a terrific slide presentation at the front, and for dancing. Ah, dancing. More on that later.

The reception moved along quickly. Too quickly, it felt. Sorry, not a criticism, just the feeling that it was a wonderful night, and so time moved far too fast for our liking. Mark, one of the groomsmen, did a fantastic job of MCing the event, we dined well (but only took a photo of dessert, curiously), the cake was cut, and soon it was nine-ish and time for music. Among the first dances was Allison's waltz with her dad (loved his Scottish regalia!), and then the rest of us took over.
No comments, please, on our stunning choreography.

Here's the amazing thing. In seven years together, Conrad and I had never been dancing. Never. Well, OK, I lie slightly. We occasionally get silly and romantic and dance together in the comfort of our living room, slow dancing and holding each other as a soft song plays some nights when we've had just the right about of wine and winking at each other. It's a true mark of how much Conrad enjoyed the wedding and felt comfortable with the surroundings that I got him on the dance floor several times, easily, for fast and slow songs. Maybe that's why the night ended too soon for my liking. We had other willing partners, too. Fun all around.

Our table was the bridesmaids' table, and we had a great evening with Brenda, Nikki (and her husband Steve, who was a terrific guy to chat with and even dance with), Nina, and Portia. We also wandered over to other tables to chat with Marie and some of the Montrealers I knew. I hated that midnight eventually came.

We're grateful to Allison and Sean for having invited us to share in the celebration. I'm a true western Canadian, so I can never bring myself to like Toronto itself, but I can certainly love spending time with such good friends there.

And now, if ever Conrad and I marry, we have some high standards to meet for providing our friends with a good time.

after the ceremony

Gosh, how long ago did Allison and Sean get married? Two weeks almost? Time flies when you're at work and then on the west coast visiting family.

I have 3/4 of an hour until boarding my plane here in Vancouver, so time enough to catch up on the wedding weekend photos. After the ceremony, of course, come the photos. The couple, their families, the wedding party. It's been some 16 years since I was in a cousin's wedding party, the only other time ever, so I'd forgotten how much goes into the process. Conrad bore it well, I'm glad to say, boring as it must have been despite the lovely day out. He caught a number of group and individual shots as well.

I have to say, I loved the colours Allison and Sean chose for the wedding party. Green is not easy for everyone, but it worked. Brenda was especially gorgeous, but I know I'm biased from having known and adored her for several years now.

Onwards with photos:

The couple with Allison's family. Allison's mother, Isobel, is in the blue dress while her father, Louis, is kilted on the end. The other family members had come from as far as Scotland and Dallas. I had such a fun time chatting with her Auntie Kathy. Or is that Cathy?

The wedding party awaits its turn. The ladies' shoes were not handling the soft, damp ground well for all they looked great.

Sean with his mother, Phyllis; his father, Ted; and his brother, Mark, a groomsman.

Allison with Marie, a close friend who did a reading during the ceremony. Marie is one of the several friends I'd heard about many many times over the ten years I've known Allison, and I was so glad to meet her and the others instead of knowing them by personality traits or activities. Take Marie, for example: no longer will she simply be a fellow Kevin enthusiast.

The musicians played on a little while. Well, for photo ops, at least.

The wedding party in full.

Allison with her bridesmaids: Nina, Janet (matron of honour), Portia, Brenda (see? gorgeous!), and Nikki. More names I've long known, now better known to me as faces and enjoyable dinner company. More on that in the last wedding post whenever I get to that.

You know, I've known Allison since we started library school together in 1998. Ten years. Her birthday was the first month, so I baked white chocolate chip cookies for her and brought them in to class that day. A month later we were neighbours in the same, small apartment block. I kind of miss the contented simplicity of those days.

Groomsmen and Sean: Mark (Sean's brother), Tom (his cousin), Mark (yes, another one - he gave me and Conrad rides to and from the ceremony, and he was a hoot to chat with), and Kevin (the best man). Good group of guys. I was a little nervous about fitting in, but that was groundless fear. They were all great to chat with and get to know a little. And we all looked great, you gotta admit.

One last vanity shot of me. Well, for this entry. Goodness knows my vanity is otherwise limitless.

25 minutes to boarding...