Langdon Hall

wL and I followed West Side Story with dinner at Langdon Hall. My initial plan was to dine at Bijou again but they were fully booked for the first sitting with people seeing evening performances at Stratford and there's not much to do in town to kill time before an 8pm reservation...so I decided to look either back in Toronto or something along the way....and that's when wL reminded me of Langdon Hall in Cambridge!

I've wanted to dine there for what seems like forever after seeing it land on Toronto Life's Best of List year after year and finally had my chance!

We settled into our table out on the terrace and decided on the 5-course tasting. I indulged with the matching wine pairings since I wasn't driving - as someone reminded me, you only live once, and who knows when we'll be out that way again?

Our meal began with an amuse of sweet pea jelly with trout, red peppers and cream.

Our first course was a citrus ceviche with a basil chip - I'll have to try serving my basil like that at some point. This was paired with the Gosset Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend from Clare Valley, Australia which was perfectly crisp and cool. Unfortunately, it's not available at the LCBO so if I want to taste it again, I may have to order it through the agent, and then, only by the case. sigh.

Our second course differed but we switched half way through so were able to try everything: I had the monkfish with garden beets and young asparagus,

and wL had the grilled octopus with compressed watermelon and pine nuts. The plating's rather disappointing but the contrast in taste and textures made up for it.

Our third course was rabbit with chanterelles, snail ragout and sweet peas, and this may just be my favourite of the meal.

For the fourth, wL had duck with a carrot-ginger puree (sooo yum! I will have to try this too!), asparagus and spinach,

and I had lamb tenderloin with a lamb shoulder cannelloni, artichoke hearts and an asparagus puree.

By the time our plates were cleared away, we'd been dining for 2.5 hours. The sun was setting and I was beginning to feel the itch of phantom bites, so we settled indoors by the fireplace in a couple of cozy wingback chairs for dessert:

Stawberry cromot(?) with coconut sponge cake and creme fraiche

Passionfruit chocolate mousse

All in all, it was a fantastic 4-hour dining experience. The staff was gracious with their impeccable service and we never felt rushed. We were there until 11pm and knowing that we had come in from Toronto, the maitre'd kindly informed us that a room was available should we not wish to make the long drive back. We declined, but one day, I think I will be back for a weekend stay...

West Side Story

I trekked out to the Stratford Festival for the first time in maybe 5 years to see their production of West Side Story. I've never seen the movie in its entirety and have seen bits and pieces here and there, most recently the number that was performed on the Tonys. I was surprised by how many of the songs I actually knew without knowing that they were from WSS.

As to the performance - it was amazing! I can see now why Richard Ouzounian, the Star's theatre critic gave it such a rave review, calling it the one show you had to watch in the Ontario theatre circuit this year.

Chilina Kennedy, the actress who plays Maria was absolutely stunning - she was innocence and love, passion and heart-wrenching despair - the girl can cry on stage like I've never seen anyone cry before!

I had to remind myself of the play's context at different moments because I found some of the scenes and racist slurs offensive - otherwise, it was fantastic. Go see it. I can't imagine that anyone in what seemed like a full-house audience left disappointed.

Question

Is it wrong for me to covet this bag?

It's a crazy sum but it's a classic investment bag that would last FOREVER.

For a long time I was anti-LV. But I finally succumbed 3 years ago with the purchase of the Sonatine below, which I'd been eyeing for at least as long. It was my gift to me for turning 30 and is the most I've ever spent on a bag that I've used maybe only a handful of times because it's not the most practical size for every day.


Anyway, I've been itching to buy things the last couple weeks and was browsing Roots when I came across the Olivia Bag and decided I had to have it as an affordable alternative to the LV bag above. I ordered in online Wednesday and it arrived today!! The leather is super soft and supple and it came with a dust bag made of organic cotton. The Lauren Tote I bought late last year didn't come with a dust bag. Wonder if that's a recent development, or a perk for ordering online?

Vision in White

It's been a LONG time since I indulged in some Nora Roberts romance and that's what I did yesterday with her latest trade paperback, Vision in White, the first of the Bride Quartet.

I whipped through it in a day, and it was wholly satisfying since it required little in the way of intellectual capacity. It was easy and formulaic and it was just what I needed for my mid-week Canada Day holiday.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the series and to see whether or not my predictions for the rest of the couplings are accurate or not. :)

Chanel Sunglasses

I was at Pacific Mall this Canada Day morning for dim sum with my family. We browsed the shops afterwards and I came across an optical shop that had these crazy elegant Chanel eyeglass frames with a single pearl detail in the arm. I recently got new glasses but if I hadn't, I would have been very tempted by the jewel-toned violet frames. I tried googling for them online but came up empty. Instead, I found the sunglasses, which would be more practical for me anyway since I typically wear contacts during the day.

I was chatting with my mom this morning about the possibility of a visit to J and his wife in New Jersey the next long weekend...so perhaps new sunglasses are in order...?

Update: Just found these frames with the 3 rows of pearls, still beautiful but I'm not keen on the thicker arms - the pair I was eyeing had the single pearl like the sunglasses above.

The Making of a Marchioness

The Making of a Marchioness (Persephone Book No. 29) by Frances Hodgson Burnett of The Secret Garden fame is my quickest read this year: I started it Saturday afternoon and finished it around 1:30 this morning.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It's written in 2 books and my initial thought was that the happy ending of Book 1 would have sufficed perfectly, but Book 2 grew on me. I was rather impatient with it at first because of Emily's naive, almost stupid innocence but the intrigue and plots resulted in a very satisfying happily-ever-after.

From the website:

Part I, the original Marchioness, is in the Cinderella (and Miss Pettigrew) tradition, while Part II, called The Methods of Lady Walderhurst, is an absorbing melodrama; most novels end 'and they lived happily ever after' but this one develops into a realistic commentary on late-Victorian marriage. 'Delightful... A sparky sense of humour combined with lively social commentary make this a joy to read' wrote the Bookseller. Kate Saunders told Open Book listeners that she was up until two in the morning finishing this 'wildly romantic tale whose hero and heroine are totally unromantic' (Daily Telegraph); the Guardian referred to 'a touch of Edith Wharton's stern unsentimentality'; the Spectator wrote about the novel's 'singular charm'; and the Daily Mail stressed the 'sharp observations in this charming tale.'

Plyometrics!

My cousin, A, sent me this link a couple weeks ago and I've only just had the chance to give it a go and let me tell you, it will work you good! I don't think my last long run made me sweat like this 10 minute* work out did!



* My first attempt clocked in at about 27 minutes - first I had to find a clock with seconds to time the 1 minute sets and when you factor in the time to watch the demo and the minute or two in between to catch your breath, you get a work out in about 30.

Modern Lanterns

So I've been thinking of lighting off and on for a long while now, particularly in my living area where it's always been rather dim given the one table lamp I previously had in the far corner.

There's no junction box in my living area for a ceiling pendant so the only alternatives have been lamps unless I wanted to get an electrician in. I felt a little hamstrung by the height of my sofa arms - they're irregular at about 28" and I haven't seen any side tables that height, or table lamps I've liked enough.

I diverted myself with thoughts of a pendant over my dining table but while browsing yesterday came across the modern floor lantern at West Elm. I love the clean, contemporary look of them, but I especially love the space-saving base which allows me to flank the lanterns up nice and close to the sofa.

I think my living area's pretty much done now...save for the photos to fill the empty frames still sitting on the photo ledge and maybe a big house plant...

Feeling koi...

I was out for my dose of vitamin D today and happened upon this koi vase at Chatelet that I decided I had to have. So cute. :)

The Book of Negroes

I finally finished reading Lawrence Hill's The Book of Negroes when I was home sick again yesterday afternoon. It was soooo slow to start but I'm glad I persevered because it turned out to be such a worthwhile book to spend time with.

The novel is about a woman named Aminata Diallo who was stolen from her African village at the age of 11 and sold into slavery to work an indigo plantation in South Carolina. She eventually finds her way to a free Black settlement in Nova Scotia by registrering her name in the "book of Negroes" a British military ledger that allowed 3,000 Black Loyalists passage on ships sailing from Manhattan. Her ultimate wish however, is to return to the village of her birth and she nearly succeeds after returning to Africa with the Sierra Leone Company. She narrowly escapes enslavement a second time and spends her final days in London, England, where she finds her happy ending.

Birdcage! Lantern!

You know how I've been preoccupied with birdcages of late? Well, I found this birdcage lantern light online at Urban Outfitters today which got me all excited because among other things, I've been thinking of pendants for my dining area - I personally prefer the white one because it'll go better with the present decor but the red one photographs better:

I'm not seriously thinking that this is an option...it's a little too fussy for my space but it is oh-so-charming!

The Coral Pendant at DWR is a more likely candidate given the natural colour and the open, airy feeling it imparts:

It's presently on sale, but at $425, it's still a little more than I'd like to spend on a fixture right now....so I think the hunt continues...

Retail Therapy

I just arrived home from a couple hours of retail therapy on Queen West and the one basic item I really wanted - a black and white striped T - eluded me.

But! I did not return home empty-handed. I left the Gap with this pretty silk-blend ruffle camisole in "rosey blush," inspired in part by Erin's recent hot pink post over at Elements of Style.

Visits to Zara, H&M, Aldo, Urban Outfitters and American Apparel yielded zip. Tonight's shopping was all about cheap and cheerful buys, which was great because every store had sales on.

I stopped in a couple of home decor shops for a quick browse and was sad to see that Rumah was closing! I've always loved their gorgeous wood tables and have always thought that they would be perfect for my "grown-up" house. They also had lovely accessories, most of which were sourced in Asia. It was closed by the time I got there tonight and the earliest I'll be able to return for a look will be Saturday. Wonder what, if any, great buys will be left?

My last stop on the way home was at Outer Layer, a jewel of a shop where I picked up the Sula perfume oil set because
a) I couldn't decide which one I wanted
b) I've always liked the idea of layering different scents and this was an affordable way to do it
c) I will not lie: it came in pretty packaging. ,-)

White Box Condos

It's a bit slow at work today with the execs away on business through to the end of the week so I had time to catch up on my news and came across this article in the Star about "white box condos" in some US cities. The concept of buying an unfinished condo - the white box - which buyers can then outfit with paint, appliances and other finishes as they see fit is not a new idea. This is how developments are sold in Amsterdam (and possibly other European cities). I first found out about this through my cousins who both bought new condos in the last few years. D laid his own hardwood floors, picked out his own bathroom fixtures and is still undecided about his kitchen backsplash. While I love the convenience of having things edited by a designer so decisions are fairly easy to make come design time, there's a part of me - the part that watches too much HGTV - that relishes the idea of starting with a completely blank slate. Maybe this will hit Toronto when I'm ready to move onto my next home...and if that new home happens to be a condo, well, fun fun fun!

Adorable cuteness

Catching up on my blogs and just came across this video of eight baby pandas via Disgrasian. So adorable...

See more funny videos and Cute Animals Videos at Today's Big Thing.

...but still not quite as adorable as our own little Piglet, who was here for a week and left this past Sunday. I miss her morning giggles which served as my wake up call over the long weekend that I stayed at my mother's.

Dessert Party

I'm home today recovering from what must be the flu given the aches that wracked my body yesterday. The headaches are gone and so are the 80 year old knees and what remains is general fatigue. The day hasn't been a waste though: I've spent most of it on my balcony (in fact I'm blogging from my sectional), resting up in the sun, drinking lots of water and catching up on the last 3-4 issues of Style at Home, Canadian House and Home and Elle Decor (I've been very behind in my design porn).


I was inspired by the story about Rosie Daykin, a Vancouver-based designer-turned-baker and owner of Butter Baked Goods in the May issue of House and Home. She likes to throw dessert parties which I found rather girly and sweet. I used to bake all the time but haven't on a regular basis for a long time partly because of time constraints and also because I don't want to get fat eating all the treats. But a party is a perfect way for me to satisfy the yen to bake and share the finished products...so now I'm plotting, thinking about a dessert menu...maybe cute little mixed berry tartlets like the recipe I came across in the May issue of Style at Home...or lemony raspberry tarts from a back issue of Food and Drink...mini brownie cupcakes...good ol' chocolate chip cookies...? Mmmmmm......

Birdcages and resistance

I've been inspired by the idea of using birdcages for display ever since coming across these images online:


I can't recall now where I came across the 2 above, but this one below is from a March 2008 house tour over at Apartment Therapy:

So when I stopped at the HomeSense in Etobicoke today, I was super-excited to see these over-sized birdcages:

Too bad there's not enough room in my condo for them.

I do have this small one below, which is also from HomeSense. I found it in March and added the clip-on butterflies which I picked up at the Ideal Home Show in London a couple months ago.

But the hardest thing for me to resist tonight was this pair of Oriental garden stools:

Even though I already have one for my balcony, and I'm not sure I really need two of them, I just could not help myself. Plus the price was so right! Yes. I am weak.

Dinner Tonight

Since I made chili-mango salsa last night with the extra ingredients I had left over, I decided to have the salmon again, but since there wasn't really time to make lemon risotto (to be honest, I was too hungry to wait) I opted for steamed rice seasoned with fresh parsley and lemon juice. Ooh! And I also savoured a glass of the Hoegaarden Rosee I brought back from Amsterdam. Mmmm...

In hindsight, the salmon steak I got was WAY too big. Oh well.

Weekend Update

I had a few friends over last night for dinner and served salmon with chili-mango salsa and lemon risotto - 2 recipes that are super simple and definite keepers. The sangria was also a hit, although there was a mishap out on the balcony that led to a note slid under my neighbour downstair's door with apologies and the request to call or email at their convenience for the return of my wooden spoon and pitcher lid.


We watched as dusk settled into night and enjoyed the LED light show that was the CN Tower. If you click on the photo below, you can see the moon playing hide and seek in the clouds:


As has been my usual habit, I was up before 9am today and decided to make the most of the morning and headed out for a run down by the lake. I hadn't mapped a route and just ran. My strategy in working up to the 10 Mile run in 5 weeks is to start with the walk-run intervals again...though not very strict in timing. I've just been running and stopping for walks at random-ish milestones. I play mind games with myself and think, I'll stop and walk at that next big tree up there...when I hit that gate, I'll start running again...I'll walk the length of this parking lot and start running again when I reach those stairs and take them up...silly things like that. Despite being silly, it's working. I ran just over 13K today in about 96 minutes which is the farthest distance I've run. The weather was perfect too - just cool enough with a good breeze coming off the water and I felt pretty strong out there because I probably could have gone further.

Since getting home I've caught up on So You Think You Can Dance which I'd PVR'd during the week, done a couple loads of laundry and changed the sheets on my bed for the graphic trellis design I picked up last month. I'm rather looking forward to slipping between my new linens tonight!


But before that...work beckons... :(

Ta da!

Here's what my balcony looks like now:



I planted ranunculus bulbs I brought back from Amsterdam in the 2 pots this afternoon and according to one of my online sources, they should flower late summer...fingers crossed!!

Soft Skills 101

I had a meeting this morning with my SVP that I was worried about because while I'm pretty good at the technical stuff, I'm fairly weak at packaging it up for consumption. But thanks to the coaching from J, the VP I've been working with on my current project, it went really well and I wanted to blog about it so as not to forget the lessons learned:

1. Pre-meeting, set the expectations: Send ahead an agenda via email outlining why you want to meet and what you want to cover in the meeting, along with any pre-read materials.

2. In the meeting, set the scene: Re-cap why you're meeting, what you'd like to cover and how you'd like to do it - I typically dive right into the subject at hand without setting up the context, mistakenly assuming that everyone else is on the same page as me. The truth though, is that everyone else has at least a dozen other things on the go, senior executives even moreso, so it's really important to make sure the people present all understand the purpose of the meeting and what you want to accomplish. If possible, bring along a summary to guide the discussion - this could be the pre-read material, but not necessarily.

3. Ask for clarification: If you don't understand something, don't be afraid to put your hand up and say so.

4. You don't have to have all the answers: If something comes up that you don't have an answer to, it's OK to say, "Let me look into that and get back to you."

5. Review the next steps: At the end of the meeting, play-back the next steps and the decisions made to make sure everyone's in agreement as to what's been decided and what's left to-do.

Apple Blossom Amaryllis

While in Amsterdam I visited Keukenhof, a 35 acre park of heavenly bulbs in bloom. It will come as no surprise to you that there were shops on the grounds that sold bulbs including a dizzying array of tulips in every colour imaginable, and a wide assortment of amaryllis bulbs. Among my European haul was this amaryllis bulb, which I thought I'd killed because it took me almost a month to plant it and I hadn't refrigerated it or anything. Thankfully it was hardier than that and has begun to bloom!

Yesterday, it showed the promise of 5 flowers....


...and when I came home from work today, I was surprised by this lovely in flower:

I wish now that I'd bought more! :)

I've assorted ranunculus to plant this weekend but I'm also thinking of tackling an orchid next...

Which Jane Austen character are you? (redux)

When I took this quiz last year, I was Marianne Dashwood, which came as a bit of a surprise. And because I'm procrastinating, I decided to take it again, just for kicks because it came up in LinkWithin. This time around, I'm Elinor:

"You are practical, circumspect, and discreet. Though you are tremendously sensible and allow your head to rule, you have a deep, emotional side that few people often see."

Take the Quiz here!

Bistro Sets

A quick browse yielded the following possibilities at pretty good price points:

Bolero Bistro Set at Canadian Tire on sale for $89.99

City Patio Set at Urban Barn for $169

Neo Patio Set at Urban Barn for $169

Tarno by phoenixc on Polyvore.com

Tarno Folding Chair, $15 each and Tarno Table, $19 at Ikea

Strawberries! In a Jar!

I so want to do this on my balcony:

WIP: Balcony

The furniture I purchased last Friday for my balcony was delivered late this past Friday afternoon and here's what it looks like all set up:

I purposely didn't get a corner piece for the end because I wanted the side of the sectional closest to the door to be open. Also, my balcony is very wide - the sectional covers less then half of it - and I'm thinking of placing a bistro set on the other half. If my outdoor room's crowded with people, I like the option of being able to seat 4 (or 5 if super-cozy) rather than just 3 because of the arm at the end.

In an effort to finish the room, I spent this afternoon at HomeSense looking for the perfect garden drum stool. I first saw their great collection a couple weeks ago and came away with a simple one in metallic gunmetal grey to complement the metal finish of the sectional. I spied some gorgeous embellished stools in green but they didn't go with the contemporary lines of the sectional, nor the soft blue of the cushions. Oh well...


Thanks to all the nearby construction, the wind's kicked up an amazing amount of dust so I made another stop at Canadian Tire to pick up a storage bench to pack some of the cushions in when they're not in use, and a vinyl cover to protect the rest. This will save me from having to wipe things down each and every time I want to use it, which would certainly drive me nuts.

Next week, I'm thinking it's time to plant the assorted ranunculus bulbs I brought back from Amsterdam. I've been keeping my eyes open for the perfect planter box(es) but haven't quite found what it is I'm looking for. Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be successful next week!

LOVE

I came across this pendant thanks to Holly over at decor8 and think it'll be perfect hanging over my dining table. The shape and look reminds me of a dandelion, which would reference the design of the lamp in my living area. Oh when oh when will the new Ikea PS collection be available in Canada???

Lounging in Monaco

Summer hours started for me today and I spent part of my half day at Canadian Tire where I finally pulled the trigger on some outdoor furniture for my balcony. Behold, the Monaco Collection:

Never mind the numbers on the image - I couldn't find one without them - isn't it pretty? It's fairly comfortable too and this is precisely the configuration I bought except that I got 2 armless middle chairs and just one corner piece as opposed to vice versa in the photo. I didn't get the matching table - I'm thinking garden drum stools instead...and maybe a little bistro set in a similar soft blue I saw at HomeSense a couple weeks ago...assuming it's still there.

The Bay/Dundas location offers free delivery for orders over $100 so I'm just waiting now for the call to arrange a time. Maybe it'll arrive in time so that I can serve brunch for a couple of my girlfriends out there next Saturday....and ooh! sangria parties! :)

Tiffany Keys

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Tiffany's new Keys Collection.

In need of some ME time

It was a long weekend here and as it happened, it turned out to be far busier than I had planned. I kicked it off with dinner and a movie with the neighbour, let's call him P. We went to see Wolverine which was what you would expect of an action film - plus Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds were yummy.

I hosted a brunch on Saturday with a group of friends, some of whom I haven't seen in almost a year! There were 8 of us crowded around my Ikea Docksta(!), catching up over waffles with blueberry syrup and the tastiest egg strada made by G's wife, E. I had a few hours to chill before heading over to my neighbour's 3 doors down for a BBQ (incidentally, in the 9 months I've lived here, I've never met him...I think I might have bumped into him once when I took my garbage out).

P had invited me to the BBQ Wednesday night and I was a little uneasy about going, not knowing what he had said so I was non-commital. When he asked me again on our way out for dinner Friday, I joked about how I grew up in the suburbs where we don't talk to our neighbours, to which he replied that he grew up in the 'burbs too and knowing your neighbours isn't so bad. When I finally asked how the invitation played out, he said he hadn't told him anything, so I decided maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. I'm glad I went. I have some really cool neighbours - some really good looking neighbours. :) P came by to pick me up around 6 and we walked over together. The food was fantastic and the alcohol was flowing. I did not get home until 3:30 and took a drunken shower before falling into bed around 4.

I had promised to meet my mother for dim sum Sunday so got up around 9. I had stupidly not taken any preventative measures like drinking tons of water or taking a few ibuprofens before bed so had a terrible headache and still felt drunk. Dumb dumb dumb. I had to take a nap at my mom's before coming back downtown and after my bath, napped some more, before P called to confirm that I was going to our other neighbour's BBQ. I didn't stay as late this time - I was done by midnight but it was still a great time.

I will admit that I'm very glad that I've gotten to know my neighbours...but at the same time, I'm mentally exhausted. Today, I just wanted to stay home and not talk to anyone or see anyone. But I had committed to meeting R today at his place to see the walls he'd painted in the colours I had helped him pick out (they looked great!) and then to see Star Trek on IMAX. So off I went.

This weekend's flurry of social activity and my subsequent fatigue reminded me an article I'd come across awhile back called Caring for Your Introvert. Some of it is rather tongue-in-cheek but I totally identified with the idea of needing to recharge "after an hour or two of being socially "on," ...This isn't antisocial. It isn't a sign of depression. It does not call for medication. For introverts, to be alone with our thoughts is as restorative as sleeping, as nourishing as eating." In a related aside, I re-took the MBTI here and after being resolutely ISTJ for as long as I can remember, I was surprised to discover last week that I am now an ISFJ! Granted, the F is only mildly expressed but still! How and when did that happen!? I'm going to sign off now and ponder it for a bit.

Good night!

Bold & Patterned

I stopped by the Homesense at Warden and Eglinton on my way home this afternoon just for a look-see and found some fantastic stuff for outdoors including some very affordable 3-piece bistro sets and awesome garden drum stools. I was very tempted to pick up a few of the latter for my balcony but I'm not quite sure on the height of the Ikea outdoor sectional I've been mulling over:

It won't be in this configuration - my balcony isn't this deep...but it's definitely an affordable option...

I did not leave empty-handed though! Looky here:

Can you tell that I was feeling bold patterns today? The 2 storage boxes are perfect for the Expedit in my den and I've always loved that trellis pattern. As for the giraffe print organizer? I have no explanation. I just couldn't resist.

Lucky Me

The weather was perfect for a 10K run, which is how I spent my morning. I didn't beat last year's time as was my original goal, which was OK by me. I ran it without stopping to walk (except for the few steps at the 4K mark for Gatorade and water) and even had enough juice at the end to pick up the speed for my finish.

After showering, I headed out for brunch on the Czehoski patio and ordered steak and eggs for the first time. I ran on an empty stomach so was famished. A few bites in, I heard a big plop! A bird had shat above and it landed smack dab onto my steak. I couldn't help but laugh at my luck. The waitress kindly took it away and the chef offered to make me something else, so I opted for the french toast. When it arrived, I ate it promptly, partly because I was so hungry, but also to avoid a redux.

My next scheduled event is the Acura Toronto 10-Miler at The Distillery on July 19. My tentative goal is to work up to the Waterfront Half at the end of September...depending on how I feel after running the 10 Miler which is the equivalent of 16K, I'll register for the half...ambitious? Perhaps. But we all need something to work towards, right?

Meanwhile, the jackpot for this Wednesday's Lotto 649 draw is a modest $9MM and I'm hoping I have the winning ticket.

New Frames!

My key fob issue was resolved this morning. Apparently there was a typo in the system so I guess they entered in the wrong ID for my fob, which is why it wasn't registering. So I was able to meet my Mom for dim sum this morning afterall! She arrived back a couple days after me from 6 weeks in HK so we got caught up on each other's trips over shui mai and shrimp rolls.

I was looking for Koali frames after seeing R's fiance's gorgeous Trumpet Creeper style a couple months ago and found this style in one of the many optical shops at Pacific Mall:


I love the swirly details on the frame and they're actually pretty light. I balked at the original price but the shop was having a 50% off sale this weekend on everything in store so I decided to get them in the end. I just have to get my eyes examined now.

Prisoner in my own home

So you know how I'd written earlier about the change in the security system in my building which would require a new key fob? Well, after submitting all my paperwork and being told that everything would be ready come the change, I was locked out yesterday and had to follow someone in. I spoke to my super who said he'd fix it right away but I wasn't convinced (he's not very competent) and checked on the way out this morning. And guess what? It didn't work. So I called again and he said he'd fix it again...but when I got home today it STILL DIDN'T WORK. So again, I had to follow someone in, who, technically, shouldn't have let me into the building. My super's conveniently off-duty this weekend so I called the after-hours answer service who told me that someone would get in touch with me. That was almost an hour ago.

I left a voicemail for my building manager (another winner), posted a message on my building's facebook page to see if anyone else had problems (though it seems not) and emailed my Board. And now I wait. I had plans to go out for a final run before the 10K on Sunday but now I can't leave. So I'm pissed. To say the least.