Election Update - One week!

You may not know, but the election is only a week away up North.  We can't vote, but it has been so much fun to watch!

Our current representative is Borys W.  I would spell his last name, but it has 12 letters and a lot of consonants.

Borys and Gore

He is the liberal candidate. Here, there are 5 parties: liberal, NDP (New Democrats), Bloc (a Quebec-only party), Green and Conservative.  Confusingly for Americans, liberal signs are red and conservative/Tories are blue, flipping Obama's whole "purple" country around, and adding orange (NDP), green and light blue for the Bloc.  I don't know who the other candidates are, because the day after the election started, a large red yard sign with BORYS went up next door and so I haven't paid much attention.  (And I do mean LARGE. Canadians are serious about their yard signs. These things are a meter long, and put up with wood stakes.  On some streets, there is serious color as neighbors are fighting to show who they support.)

Michael Ignatieff, the liberal leader and candidate for Prime Minister, is from the riding, or district, just to the south of us, and so there are also a lot of signs for him as well nearby, and we regularly drive by his campaign headquarters.  We've also driven through the NDP's leader's riding, which is also in Toronto.  (Harper is from Alberta, which is out west, and the Bloc guy is obviously from Quebec, and the Green leader is not really considered a serious candidate since the Green party does not hold any seats in Parliament.)  I just heard that there was vandalism in Toronto last night to yard signs and tire slashing, so things are getting nasty.

There is a lot of campaign coverage on traditional Canadian media outlets. To find out who you would vote for, you can visit CBC's Vote Compass*.  Of course, if you haven't checked out shitharperdid.ca, it is worth a visit.  The videos are especially fun (Ryan Gosling. Watch the Ryan Gosling one).  

There are also some interesting grassroots websites designed to avoid a Harper majority. Stephen Harper is the current, conservative Prime Minister.  So some have created http://www.projectdemocracy.ca/ to help people vote to avoid a conservative majority, whatever that looks like in their riding.  There are other websites as well, to collect donations in a similar fashion.  It will be interesting to see their effects.

Finally, today there was this article about a person who passed away last week, and who put in their obituary, "In lieu of flowers, vote LIBERAL."  

*Prediction: MD will be NDP.  

Oy Vey, Part 2: Pesach Edition

I forgot to mention what ties it all together:

Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher.

Written by a friend of a friend of my cousin R,  J has promised me a copy for Mother's Day (maybe signed, J?) which I will then frame and hang proudly in my kitchen.  I hope to follow it up with a copy of Larry the Lobster, who wants to go to Seder (which doesn't exist, but should, because most Jews I know eat more shellfish than pork).  Family members of J's will remember fondly how I shared with the Rabbi about J's Dad's fondness for lobster after he passed.  

I'm still very sorry.  The Rabbi handled it with remarkable tact. The two younger brothers, though, laughed their asses off.

Anyway, I first found out about this book at Caplansky's, where it is displayed, and then I found out about the Jewish geography connection, and then there was the Gaga pig connection, and now my Pesach joy is complete.  

I ordered lamb from the butcher* for Easter, just to confuse everyone.

*I found my butcher now! Incidentally, it is from White House Meats. Love the D.C. connection, right?

**And Baxter is not really about a Kosher pig, but really about the joys of Shabbat dinner. Read more about it here at Amy's blog. 

Oy Vey! And, Gaga's Got a Gun

I forgot to post about my other new favorite restaurant, Caplansky's Deli. Yum.  Montreal smoked meat is really, really good and I had the hash. I can't eat it often, but boy it is delicious.  The t-shirts say that they are "Kicking it Old-Shul" so next time my meat-eating friends come up (I'm talking about you, Dad, B.R., and any others interested) we will need to go back.




But really, we need to talk about the fact that my mother, who is turning old this year (sorry, mom), informed me that when she moves to Tucson later this year, she and my father will be purchasing guns*.  Ostensibly, they will be to kill the Javalina pigs while she is walking in the desert.  The desert is a dangerous place full of animals to kill. 

As it is clear in the picture, a bow and arrow would work just as well, Mom.  And now my dad's annual gifts from the Bass Pro Shop won't go to waste, because my mom will really be able to use desert camo.  I expect pictures like this to be posted regularly to her upcoming blog, Gaga and Guns.  I asked if guns come in pink and flowers and if the gun safe will be purple.  My mom actually marched in the Million Mom March, so this turn of events is somewhat surprising.  

J was shocked... and appalled.  Then he realized the possibility of Javalina back bacon and ribs, and he became a little happier.  We've not yet identified if there is a butcher in Arizona who will process and ship meat internationally, but I'm sure that Gaga will handle that right after the gun class.  And we decided if the pig killed her, and we had to have a funeral, we would serve Javelina carnitas at the funeral.  That wouldn't be in bad taste, would it? 

So, sing with me in this tune, dedicated to my mom:

Gaga's Got a Gun

Gaga's got a gun

Gaga's got a gun

Her mind has come undone

from being under the hot desert sun

What did that piggy do?

Did he snort on you?

They say when Gaga moved to Tucson

She went a little crazy - Tea Party! ! !

The piggy didn't have it comin'

Now that Gaga has a gun

Things ain't never gonna be the same

*No one in our family obviously supports violence against people, including the most recent violence against Gabrielle Giffords and staff in Tucson.  I felt like I needed to make this disclaimer given the topic/location. 

And my Dad is less easy to make fun of, because he is a Air Force Veteran, so has firearms experience. Actually, I have more firearms experience, because I've actually taken a firearm safety class. Little known fact, eh?  Thanks for being a good sport, Mom. Love you.

Adventures in the Potty

S looks at E in the public potty where we are out like it is the first time we have ever gone to the potty as a family.

S: E, you DON'T have a penis.

E: No, I don't.  Good, S. What do I have?

S: I have a penis.

E. Yes, that's right, S.  And what I have is called?

S: I don't know.

E: You have a penis and I have a... crotch. Girls have crotches, S. Boys don't have crotches. Boys have penises.

S: Girls have a crotch?

E: That's right, S. Want to see?

S: Yeah! (Takes a look as E hops off the potty. S hops on.)

S: I have a penis. I put my penis down when I go pee in the potty. Dada has a penis.

E: That's right, S. You are doing a good job on the potty. Maybe Mama will show you her crotch when she goes potty (um, no, if I can help it).

S: Do I have to wash my hands?

The kid is doing a great job using the potty, and E is doing a great job helping.  And no, we don't call girl parts crotches. So that part was a little surprising, but pretty funny.

Toronto - Yum!

There are many reasons to love Canada. If you are a faithful reader, you know about the pancakes in Elmira and our favourite bakery, Hot Oven.  You know about the good people of Gander and the good people of our neighbourhood.  You know that even though it is cold and the winters are long, we go skiing and play and now the flowers just may make an appearance in our yard.

But we did not know how good the eating was when we moved here.

Dear reader, let me just say, yum, yum, yum.  I don't even know where to begin to take people, and we are still trying out new places in our neighborhood! These are not fancy places; most are within walking distance and many only have 10 or so tables.  Let's just recap our last few meals of dining out, shall we?

Lahore Tikka House - This is on Gerrard St., a street famous for its Indo-Pak cuisine and stores.  A colleague of J's gave us this suggestion, so we took J's mom there.  It is always fun to take your mother-in-law to eat in a double-wide trailer with plastic chairs and loud Pakistani music blasting.  Fortunately, she is adventurous and the food was amazing.  It was spicier than we are used to, but our previous forays into Indian cuisine had served us well and we were able to try some familiar dishes and some new ones, including Kashmir tea. It was pink (saffron) and served with almonds, pistachios and sugar.

The service was super friendly, even bringing out a special dish for the kids as well.  I can't say E loved the food, so we followed it up with a visit to a dessert parlor in Greektown, a short drive away.  E and S loved Lahore Tikka House for the the Backyardigans playing in the washrooms. Why the Backyardigans was playing there, I don't know. Next time, though, only J will take them as it was only playing in the women's washrooms.

Henry VIII Alehouse - A local pub that has more than 100 single malt scotches in house (and within staggering walking distance from our house), they also have lovely food.  We went there for brunch, and J had a traditional English breakfast with baked beans, broiled tomatoes and sausages, which he loves, and I had a Croque Monsieur (breakfast grilled ham and cheese) that made me understand why Toronto is also called Hogtown. They have Single Malt Scotch tasting nights, and they also have a lovely chicken and chutney sandwich on naan.  

Kingsway Fish and Chips - Those of you who know me know that I am not a fish eater.  I eat fish under duress oftentimes and have learned to endure it, but I don't really seek it out.  Not anymore.  At Kingsway, I even ignore the chips.  Everything is hand cut downstairs - S made friends with Dave, who was there this weekend - including the chips, and fried in house.  I know that you don't necessarily want fried fish every day, but boy, when you do, you want well-made fish that is fried well with oil that is changed regularly and a light, crisp batter.  Again, not E and S's favourite, though they do have things for them if they were inclined to eat things other than fish. But why bother?

1800 Degrees - I will not recap this entire dinner except to say that J had lobster poutine.  He is obsessed with poutine, a dish that consists of fries, gravy and cheese curds.  This was better, apparently.

This does not include our various Thai restaurants, including our favourite, the Spoon and Fork, where E and S eat us under the table, the various Middle Eastern restaurants, or the various take out places, where one can pick up something to eat at home.  We really have only found a few average restaurants, and maybe one that was actively terrible.  

Lest we forget, there is always the rotisserie channel to get us hungry.  Yes, there really is a rotisserie channel.  You know how, during the holiday season, there is a Yule Log channel? Well, here, always, you can choose between aquarium, fireplace or sunset, and now, just in case you were interested, you can also watch chickens cooking.  

 

Newfoundland - Gander International Airport

J and I made the kids listen to the radio instead of watch television this Saturday morning.  (The horror!)

Of course, we listened to CBC Radio 2, our favourite Canadian radio station.  The program was the Vinyl Cafe, and it was featuring a lovely program on the Gander International Airport in Newfoundland.

Do you know where Newfoundland and Labrador are? 

To summarize the program, Gander used to serve 150 international flights as a refueling stop before or after the atlantic crossing, and was the busiest airport in the world. Obviously, air travel has changed, and now they get about 11 international flights a month, and about 5 scheduled flight a day.

The program was notable for two things.

One is the lounge. Link to this page to view pictures of the amazing, modernist, beautiful lounge.

The other interesting reminder was that around 40 flights landed at Gander on September 11.  Since it is an extraordinarily small airport, Newfies took in passengers like family for the several days they were stranded in Newfoundland and Labrador.

J met some residents returning to Gander on a flight and asked them about this.  While they lived about an hour away from the airport, the Newfies said that many of these families still return for vacations every summer, and since tourism is a major industry in the area, there has been a significant increase in traffic since September 11 thanks to the generosity of the residents.  Lifelong relationships were formed in those few days.

You can watch a video on GMA about it here:

Go Leafs, Boo Caps

We went to our first NHL game in Canada - as Leafs Fans.

They played the Caps in what was a "must win" game for the Leafs.  Mathematically, at least, they had a shot at the playoffs, according to what I overheard, Buffalo also had to lose the last 3 games (if there are, in fact, three games left).  So, it now looks like they are out of the running. It was a great, close game, going into overtime and then requiring a shootout to decide the game.  Our rookie goalie, and NHL rookie of the month, Reimer, did a great job.  And by "our," you'll remember we live in Canada.  There were lots of BOOOS for Ovechkin, and he is fun to boo. And he loves it.  He took the last shot for the Caps in the 3 shot shootout.  It was Ovechkin and the goalie on the ice, one at each end of the rink.  The stands were dark and filled with yelling fans booing him, and he took a second, with his hands on his knees, to get ready and just listen to the sound of the arena.  Fortunately, he missed.

Toronto loves their Leafs. And they love their hockey, more than anything.  E and S came with us, and they were really into it as they have just gotten skates and full face hockey masks are required equipment for their skating lessons.  After they learn to skate, their class feeds into a program called Hockey 101, and they are both ready to play.  They watched the play pretty carefully for their ages, and liked seeing how fast they could skate, and why they wore their helmets.

The stands were full on a Tuesday night, something I'm told is not uncommon.  The Leafs are a hot ticket.  After the game, and before the overtime, they played this song. Take a listen. It's a fun one - and note the changes in uniforms.

If you have a chance, wander over to this post and see if you agree with their hockey songs.  I first became interested in hockey when my parents took me to a Kings game in high school, back when Gretzky, Robitaille and McSorley were still playing.  We sat in the nosebleeds, people cursed, players fought and the crowd sang rock and roll part 2, the first time I heard that wonderful tune.  Of course, our kids are getting another sporting event introduction altogether, as we have already taken them to Maryland football games with our tailgating group, known for their polite rejoinders to the opposing team, and their mother has been known to boo anyone in Duke attire*, so I am not sure their first hockey experience was the same revelation.  

I also have a theory it is one of the reasons Canadians are so nice - because they get out most of their aggression on the ice.  And, why their kids are so well behaved. Because their parents can say "2 minutes for roughing," and their kids get it, and go straight to time out. Has totally changed my discipline, I can tell you.  

*Speaking of which, why does Canadian Old Navy need to sell Duke shirts? Seriously. Let them sell University of Toronto shirts or something. Come on, now. 

Elmira: The Center of it All

Lots of pics - link to web!

Thanks to the good folks at Treehouse television and "Are We There Yet: World Adventure," the feature on Friday, April 1st was on the Largest Maple Syrup Festival in the World.  It is held in a place called Elmira, Ontario.  Since Elmira is just a short distance away thanks to Google Maps (1 hour and 22 minutes), we watch way too much T.V., and the festival was the very next day, we decided to pack up the car with Bubbie and go.  

View Larger Map (B is Elmira!)

Because if you are in Canada, and are that close to the World's Largest Maple Syrup Festival, and you pass up that opportunity, you really don't deserve to live in Canada with all of its wonders.  

I made everyone get up very early.  The festival began at 7 a.m.  Why? For the pancakes, of course!  So we arrived at 9 a.m.  My friend on the paleo diet would have appreciated the person eating the large turkey leg as we walked in.   We stood in this line as we arrived.

It looks bad, but it was only about a 40 minute wait. The pancakes are made according to a secret festival recipe.  They are cooked on 6 of the World's Biggest Griddles, of course. Dad, eat your heart out, and next time, plan to be in Canada the weekend of March 31, 2012.  You did not need special training to be a pancake flipper. I asked.  All pancakes come with a hearty portion of Canadian maple syrup, not the Aunt Jemima stuff.

They were pretty good pancakes. We all got doubles.  All the proceeds go to charity in Elmira. The festival attracts about 50-60,000 people in 1 day, a pretty decent amount for a town of about 12,000.

The festival was shockingly well-organized and well-run.  While there were waits for events, none lasted over 45 minutes (for pancakes), lines were orderly, and people were pleasant. There was no one cutting in line or grouchy about waiting.  We also went out to what is called the "sugar bush." (You can make your own jokes.)  We had to take a bus and then a tractor to the forest.

Sugaring season lasts 4-6 weeks depending on the weather, but most of the sap runs in 10 days.  The taps don't hurt the trees, as long as they are tapped correctly.

Now they use plastic buckets, but fortunately they still had metal ones, and they were selling them for only $2! So guess who has a new home decor item?

 

The sap is boiled in this contraption.  It is really used just to evaporate the water and concentrate the sugar.  Maple syrup comes in several grades.

In this second picture below, I was able to stick my finger in and taste the sap/syrup water. Apparently they weren't too concerned with me contaminating it like Willy Wonka ("Augustus, No!").  It was very light tasting.

And what would any good festival be without a Queen? This is Cassandra, Queen of the Furrow.  That sounds like a John Waters movie, but she happily obliged my request for a photo, because almost all Canadians are nice.  I don't know the responsibilities or obligations of the Queen of the Furrow, but E was VERY excited to happy to take her picture with any Queen.  

As you can see, it was a nice day, but still pretty cold.  According to festival officials, they have held the festival when it has been sleeting and snowing. It is Canadian dedication to go to a maple syrup festival in sleet.

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Check out my new photo tab and my Flickr photostream.  It has my photo (or more) of the day posted.  I don't know how to send that via email but I'm having fun with it, so it is worth a bookmark.  You won't believe the fun things you can do with your iPhone camera.