back to Terrace (well, virtually)

A lazy Friday night at home alone for me. I've puttered around, doing little bits of this and that and not anything very productive at all. Christmas music has been my soundtrack, too. Yes, I know it's August, thank you.

This will be a good weekend to catch up on the blog postings; that is, get some more photos posted with likely minimal commentary. Rest assured, I hope also to bake this weekend, and I will be sure to blog that, too. For now, though, let's revisit my hometown. Virtually, of course.

Up first, some shots of the old and new Skeena bridges, taken during the few sunny hours of the Friday afternoon of our visit.

Note all the fishermen around Ferry Island. Word had it that someone took a 75 pound salmon out of the Skeena only a week earlier.

We also swung by the Farmer market site. I know, it looks desolate on a Friday. A barren lot, weed-choked in places.Truly, though, the Market is THE social happening each week of the summer.


Saturday morning was a different scene altogether, and we dropped by to say hello to Greer. She and Anya (not in town when we visited) run a gourmet dog biscuit and coffee stand, making their own biscuits, in fact. Nice to see the customers flocking round her.

On Sunday we had a late morning coffee out at Lakelse Lake with Sandra and Wayne. Long time friends, they are renting the little red cabin for use throughout the year. I was envious, in fact. The cabin was very cute, very comfortable. The day was warm, the sun was shining, and the lake was oh-so inviting. Too bad we hadn't time for a dip, or for a leisurely day spent hanging out. Next time, maybe?






Now that I think about it, these three sets of photos sort of highlight some of the things that make Terrace a very attractive and wonderful place to live. I have no regret leaving there, but based on these, I hope it's obvious that I hardly had cause to complain about living there either.

Best. Dinner. EVER!

Well, best dinner ever until the next time we have the best dinner ever.

Conrad and I have a rule: any time anyone goes to any lengths to make any meal for us, we are deeply deeply appreciative. You make us some Kraft Dinner, we love you for it. Open a can of beans, heat them, serve them atop toast, and we worship your culinary chops. We're not joking. We know - as you can guess from this blog - the time, thought, effort, expense, and exhaustion involved in hosting friends for dinner (or other meals). Consequently, we adore those who cook for us.

Last night Greer cooked for us, and very well at that. Not only was the food delicious, but it was also an uproariously fun evening together. Here's the rundown...

Shortly after we arrived at her house, Greer had a pan of chopped garlic sizzling for an appetizer of sweet BC shrimp. BC products was her theme last night, and she did well by it. Conrad and I try to get as much local food and wine in on these BC vacations as possible, after all, so it was a great way to start. She cooked, Conrad opened a bottle of a Joie rose,

and in no time at all, we had warm bowls in front of us and a basket of bread for dipping in the garlicky wine sauce.


Second course: bison steaks.
Wow. Greer was out to impress us, and certainly the steaks looked quite fine. She had made a whiskey butter for them, had cut up veggies for grilling, and had corn cobs (still husked) soaking in cold water. All of this was to go on the grill. You know, there's a certain pleasure in sitting back and watching others cook, and there's another pleasure in kidding around when funny things happen like the corn husks catching fire on the grill. Mari, meanwhile, was distracted for a bit with a bone. Conrad was distracted by dessert ingredients.


Dinner turned out very well.

Greer had really thought about her different ingredients and how they'd work together. We had sweetness on the plate, saltiness, tanginess. The steaks were cooked to a nice medium and rested. The zucchini and tomato took on the charring well. The corn, slathered with a seasoned butter and lime, was a good replacement for a starchier side. We enjoyed an Inniskillin Meritage - lush on the nose, dry on the tongue, very good partnered with the lean bison.

After dinner frivolity with Mari entertaining us, thanks to a toy dragon. Yes, the dog is humping that toy. Crude humour, but so long as the dog enjoys it...

Dessert - I'd sent Greer the chocolate budini recipe and brought up ramekins. And then I mostly sat back and watched Greer go to work.



The puddings turned out well, though I think Greer's oven may be a bit on the hot side. We sipped a Gehringer Brothers late harvest Cabernet Franc, though we all agreed that it maybe wasn't a great match. No matter. Fun with whipped cream ensued, and Conrad made sure no raspberry was neglected.
Good Conrad.

So there, the best meal ever. Greer knocked herself out on this one, but rather than leave us impressed, it left us feeling immensely welcome. Coming back to the hometown is a very odd experience what with it being 5 years since the last visit and no immediate family left up here. It's just so nice, in the end, that friends still welcome us into their homes in such a manner.

hanging out with Greer(io) (and Anya!)

9:38 AM PST, and already we've been in the Maple Leaf Lounge at YVR for a good 3/4 of an hour. Why did that last sentence look like I used the AOL Translator on it? Hmm, let's try it: 938 M PST AND ALREADY WEVE BAN IN DA MAPL3 L3AF LOUNGE AT YVR FOR A GOD 3/4 OF AN HOUR!!1!!1!1 OMG LOL

Okay, maybe not. But we are trapped here for a little while as our 10:35 flight is now departing at 1:15. I may miss part of the celebrations of this Gay High Holy Day - how will I keep up on the Oscars gowns if I don't see the red carpet?

Back to proper blogging now with some recounting of time spent with Greer and her friend Anya here in Vancouver the past couple of days. They're probably back in Terrace already given their early flight, darn them.

I was tempted to call this entry "The Curse of Conrad". He, Marie, and I all joke about this thing that happens to Vancouver whenever he's in town: good weather. Oh, a slight drizzle almost every morning, but it's horizon to horizon blue sky out there right now. Not a curse, then, but something that seems to take place each time he's in town. I think I saw a sign on the Arthur Laing Bridge saying "Come back soon, Conrad". So it was on Friday when we set out late in the morning to meet up with Greer and Anya downtown. Sunny skies above the nearby train/bus terminal. and from the Sky Train station we had a terrific view of the Olympic Village construction and the mountains that seem to anchor Main Street.


Things were no less lovely downtown. We headed for the Hotel Vancouver, our meeting point.


This was our first time meeting Anya, and she bore up under the burden of me and Greer catching up on all the Terrace gossip well. Lunch was at Cassis Bistro on Pender Street - Conrad and I have enjoyed it a few times now.


I can't honestly recall what the filling in Anya's crepe was. It was the lunch special, and she enjoyed it, but I'm blanking, sorry.

My BLT. I wasn't a fan of the open face lay out, to be honest, but I will say that the roasted tomatoes were terrific.

Greer and Conrad each had the salad nicoise. I'm too lazy to put the cedilla on the c, sorry.We washed it all down with a bottle of Averill Creek Pinot Noir, and declined dessert in favour of picking up a small treat at a bakery in Chinatown later.

Conrad and I managed a short swim yesterday morning, then met up with the ladies to head over to Granville Island. I raced through the market picking up items for cooking dinner, then escaped back to the condo for a while without them. Greer and Conrad eventually picked me up for lunch in Chinatown, then we took her for one of our favourite coffees. Greer, I do believe, was impressed and delighted.

The two women came over for dinner last night. We spared them the indignity of photographing every minute of our time together - no shots of the rabbit I cooked, for example - but we did take a few shots as the evening wound down. The dessert/cheese course, for example. We sat in the living room area, sipped Brandenburg No. 3, ate some fregolata and kick-ass cheese from Poplar Grove, and otherwise settled into a happy, silly, relaxed kind of space.


I feel overindulged this weekend, and I am loath to go home, I admit. Blame the weather. Darn that Conrad!