eye exam

no food today, random sightings instead.

this window display has not changed in years

and i like how the eye chart has been carefully

repaired. the hat shop is amazing and one day

i will go in. the ice cream sign is one of my

favourites. the significance of the

pot hanging over a vacant shop is a mystery

to me.

fresh lunch

it is always a delight to

have lunch at fresh.

they have a number of

locations so we are

never far.

the menu offers

a good variety of

vegetarian dishes

and it is all very tasty.

today's lunch

was: black bean burrito,

deluxe veggie burger

and sweet potato fries

(we were hungry)

i spy a new café

the belljar café.

the café opened a few

weeks ago

adding ambiance

to the neighbourhood.

we ordered

one americano, one cappuccino

and a brownie.

we liked it

and plan to return.

work in progress

on my work table:

after a masking tape

incident

and

changing papers

twice

this drawing series

is progressing

slowly.

must continue...

weekend

a perfect start

to the weekend,

visiting friends

for dinner

and sitting

by the fireside

on a chilly

evening.

pizza

using a basic pizza dough recipe

with whole wheat flour

and whatever is on hand

peppers, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes,

artichoke hearts.

quick, easy

and

rustic.

earth day

happy earth day,

my offering,

a delicate

sanguinaria

from my tiny

dark garden.

secret knowledge

david hockney is

one of my favourite

artists,

i have been wanting his book

secret knowledge

ever since it was published.

this weekend to my

delight i was given

a copy.

the works of the old

masters have always

amazed me, and i too

wondered how did they

do it?

this book is so interesting

and beautiful,

i can't stop reading and

looking through it.

magnolia

at my mother's house

there is a small magnolia tree

that i am fond of.

i have only seen it in full bloom

3 or 4 times.

due to unpredictable spring

rains, high winds or sudden heat

waves i would often miss the

big flowering event.

this year due to cool weather

the flowers waited

for my visit.

funny how things like that

can be so significant.

brigadeiros, a brazilian treat

inspired by a recipe in the guest cooks'

portuguese language textbook.

flavours: rose water pistachio,

coconut lemon and cocoa.

brigadeiros make a chewy and fun

to make treat.

polaroid, the reporter

while cleaning out

my closet

i rediscovered

my father's camera

the reporter.

no film.

good morning

it is not only about

pastries and cappuccino

here.

i am always on the lookout

for ways to make simple

and healthy foods at

home. Commercial

breads are often

disappointing

and not fresh.

inspired by sarah

i baked these buns.

the dough was started the night

before and in the morning, voila

fresh buns!

her beautiful blog can be

found here. please visit.

to be demolished

this house

is to be demolished

(despite neighbourhood protest)

to make way

for an oversized

gaudy McMansion.

unfurling

i love this time of year,

when the trees

threaten

green

and

pink blossoms

burst.

floral tribute

i love you forsythia,

your bold yellowness,

a beacon of joyful

colour

on grey rainy days.

that said,

i have two forsythia shrubs

in the garden,

sadly i can't seem to

trim them properly,

thus creating an

exuberant mess.

sunny day at the beach

sunny day

at the beach.

airplanes

heading to the

island airport.

a closed lifeguard

station

and

kite boarders

enjoying the brisk

breezes and chilly

water.

sunday

happy birthday, mr. resident

i cannot take credit for this cake,

baked by the guest cook,

an alice waters recipe, the 1-2-3-4

cake from the art of simple food

with a buttercream icing and a

raspberry jam filling.

excellent.

another new café

like a moth

to a flame,

a new café

opened two weeks

ago,

nicely done,

very busy,

the cappuccino

was watery.

paradise

the city

is its own place

scraps here and there

no films at the cinema

bagels in darkness

new neighbours

looming

disappearances

changes

and stillness.