Monday, October 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Post 57: Flower Power
Mitchy's room turned into an atelier; Orchid making a flower canvas out of Esme's back.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Post 51: C'est La Vie
MAY
I think it's interesting that "c'est la vie," which means "oh well, that's life" could easily be maltranslated to "it's the life." As in, quite a nice life.
Esme uses the term "bougie" as a nickname for bourgeois. No matter that it means candle.
Here is the height of the bougie lifestyle; croissant, coffee and letter-writing.
This was still in Val David. Can you believe how elaborate that croissant plate is?! Me neither. It was lovely to sit at the huge window, writing out my thoughts in poems and letters...
Went to the little art gallery afterward, then sat by the side of the road on a pebble and dust bank waiting for the bus, my ragged bag resting beside me and Mr Dylan serenading me privately once again. Blowin' in the Wind. The dust, I mean.
Post 50: Long and Winding Road
MAY
Got a bike and just cycled for 6 hours through the laurentians with stops at ponds and streams. The road was flat because it used to be a train track. Listened to Bob Dylan the entire way.
Got a bike and just cycled for 6 hours through the laurentians with stops at ponds and streams. The road was flat because it used to be a train track. Listened to Bob Dylan the entire way.
Post 49: Running Away
MAYRan away this day. I went Val David to stay at the Chalet Beaumont. If ever you head out that way, it's a most cozy hostel. I took the bus out. It felt good to be on the road again.
This is my bag, and my shoes. I looked a little ragged, hopefully like a vagabond.
Post 48: Veggie POUTINE
MAY
That's right. Vegetarian poutine. Thought it didn't exist, didn't you? So did the guy at Patati Patata when we asked if his poutine was veg. This is exactly what he said "Ha, vegetarian poutine? Doesn't exist! Vous ne la trouverai pas!" So two doors down at a little halal pizza place, they have veggie poutine. He even let us read the ingredients on the gravy. We thought he was seriously pulling our leg when he answered "Yes of course!" to our "Is your poutine vegetarian?"
I mean, really?
Post 47: Footie
MAY
Went to see l'Impact play against.....
well, you can tell how well I follow soccer. At any rate, it was fun.
Post 46: Birthdays
MAY
Ali and Sam's birthdays are a day apart. Birthday cakes are in order. One was a chocolate-toblerone-cheesecake, the other, a strawberry vanilla cake.
Post 45: Market Day
MAYMitchy, Roska and I went to the market to get fresh fruit and veggies. The baskets of mushrooms were especially quaint so I took a picture. Afterward, we stopped at a favourite vegetarian cafe that is decorated like a 50s living-room and has a 'Zine library. This was exciting for Roska.
Post 44: Laughter from the Kitchen
MAY
Esme must have been saying something funny. I love when there is laughter in my kitchen. We're slowly turning the apartment into a place of light, laughter and love.
Esme must have been saying something funny. I love when there is laughter in my kitchen. We're slowly turning the apartment into a place of light, laughter and love.
Post 43: Heavy Raindrops
MAY
The storm crept in from the north, it's smoky clouds billowed toward us. It matched my mood that day; dark, angry, restless. The air before a storm is like a held breath; still, heavy, anticipatory. Then everything being held back is let loose. So beautiful were the raindrops on our ragged deck.
The storm crept in from the north, it's smoky clouds billowed toward us. It matched my mood that day; dark, angry, restless. The air before a storm is like a held breath; still, heavy, anticipatory. Then everything being held back is let loose. So beautiful were the raindrops on our ragged deck.
Post 42: Toe Paint
MAYPainted my nails with acrylic paints, then clear nailpolish overtop. Surprisingly, it worked better than real nail polish and turned out to be a most satisfying colour.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Post 40: Frustration
MAYThis day, I was feeling very down. Frustrated with everything and everyone, tired but restless, angry, and feeling very stuck. I needed to go somewhere. My short-term solution was to take a long day on the mountain. Walking there, I came across this blue-speckle cobbled path. I felt the yellow dandelions and deep green grass looked rather lovely in contrast, so I took a picture. Just this simple beauty made me feel a little better. I walked to Beaver Lake, wrote some poems (not so angsty as you might expect), some letters, then walked to the lookout. I found a place near a stream to rest against a tree and read some Beat poetry. This day helped a little, though I still needed to get away.
Post 39: Ninja Training
MAY
Here, Kureiji is breathing in boiled mint and eucalyptus. It looks like some strange ninja training -- scent indentification perhaps. I said so to one of the roommates, who believed me for a second. Really though, he was trying to clear his sinuses. The blindfold was to keep the strong fumes out of his eyes.
Here, Kureiji is breathing in boiled mint and eucalyptus. It looks like some strange ninja training -- scent indentification perhaps. I said so to one of the roommates, who believed me for a second. Really though, he was trying to clear his sinuses. The blindfold was to keep the strong fumes out of his eyes.
Post 38: Cat on Deck
MAY
Benji sleeping on the deck. When no good photo opportunities present themselves, I turn to the cat or my bedroom.
Post 37: Visits and Moving
MAY 1st
The first day of May, Reyna was moving out so she had a moving party. It was also the day Mitchy arrived for the summer, as well as the day Bert and his friend came to visit. There were actually too many of us there to help Reyna move, so the rest of us sat around, then decided to go out to a lesbian bar in the Gay District. We stopped at Foufounes Electric afterward. Overall a great night.
From left to right, Bert, Esme and Roska
Post 35: Ronnie Burkett and Portabello Burgers
APRIL 28th
For my birthday, which was a month ago before this picture, Ema bought us tickets to go see Ronnie Burkett, one of the best pupeteers in North America. We dressed up (somewhat--we put on skirt/dress and cute shoes) and ran in heels (well, she was in heels) to get there in time - we are perpetually late people. Afterward, we went to the local burger place for their delicious portabello mushroom burgers.
Thanks for the lovely birthday gift <3
Left: Charlotte, Right: Ema
Post 34: Red Bed
APRIL
Aren't I clever, with my rhyming title? I am only a little sorry for the sudden onslaught of posts.
I think I had no pictures this day, so I took a picture of my room...
The toilet paper roll on my bed is due to the infernal cold Kureiji gave to our entire household. I still have remnants of it, actually. It was mostly a bad cough, phlegm and a sore throat, and low energy, but it is lasting forever! Even Kureiji, who never get's sick, was sleeping many hours a day and unable to get up to his usual antics.
Aren't I clever, with my rhyming title? I am only a little sorry for the sudden onslaught of posts.
I think I had no pictures this day, so I took a picture of my room...
The toilet paper roll on my bed is due to the infernal cold Kureiji gave to our entire household. I still have remnants of it, actually. It was mostly a bad cough, phlegm and a sore throat, and low energy, but it is lasting forever! Even Kureiji, who never get's sick, was sleeping many hours a day and unable to get up to his usual antics.
Post 33: Radical Voice and Movement, Film Making, Poetry and Slushy Feet
APRIL
We spent the day at workshops put on by the travelling feminist group Sister Spit. Concordia University was hosting them, so we got to go to the workshops for free. I went to the Radical Voice and Movement workshop, which was so wonderful, and the DIY FilmMaking which was interesting, and made me want to make a short film. Esme attended them with me, while Roska went to a 'zine making workshop. In the evening, Sister Spit, which is made up of maybe 6 feminist artists (poets, writers, 'zine makers, filmmakers...) put on a show at El Matore, a venue on Jean-Talon. The poetry by poet Lenelle Moise was particularly powerful, and I practically fell in love with the strength and passion in her poems.
Although it was may, we had a sudden fall of snow that day (which lasted no longer than one day). Esme had just bought a pair of boots and apparently the glue on the soles wasn't waterproof because they peeled entirely off the shoes and she ended up walking in socks in the slush. She lasted a full block, then I gave her a piggy back ride until I couldn't anymore. Although we were only three or four blocks from the metro, she felt she couldn't do it any more, so we hailed a cab. Above, that's Esme on the left, and Roska on the left.
We spent the day at workshops put on by the travelling feminist group Sister Spit. Concordia University was hosting them, so we got to go to the workshops for free. I went to the Radical Voice and Movement workshop, which was so wonderful, and the DIY FilmMaking which was interesting, and made me want to make a short film. Esme attended them with me, while Roska went to a 'zine making workshop. In the evening, Sister Spit, which is made up of maybe 6 feminist artists (poets, writers, 'zine makers, filmmakers...) put on a show at El Matore, a venue on Jean-Talon. The poetry by poet Lenelle Moise was particularly powerful, and I practically fell in love with the strength and passion in her poems.
Although it was may, we had a sudden fall of snow that day (which lasted no longer than one day). Esme had just bought a pair of boots and apparently the glue on the soles wasn't waterproof because they peeled entirely off the shoes and she ended up walking in socks in the slush. She lasted a full block, then I gave her a piggy back ride until I couldn't anymore. Although we were only three or four blocks from the metro, she felt she couldn't do it any more, so we hailed a cab. Above, that's Esme on the left, and Roska on the left.
Post 32: Three Person Feast
APRIL
We invited over our across-the-street neighbours for dinner and made a ton of food -- lentil curry, hummous, chapati, garlic beet greens, beets and dates. Unfortunately, our neighbours realized they had a previous engagement so I was left with Esme and Roska to eat all the food. And man did we eat. And eat. We couldn't move from the table afterward.
We invited over our across-the-street neighbours for dinner and made a ton of food -- lentil curry, hummous, chapati, garlic beet greens, beets and dates. Unfortunately, our neighbours realized they had a previous engagement so I was left with Esme and Roska to eat all the food. And man did we eat. And eat. We couldn't move from the table afterward.
Post 31: Extra #3
APRIL
Another picture from the Old Port Shoot. Walking back through alleys afterward. Walking down, Esme was using a cane (due to her injury), carrying a dead fish in a jar, had a skull painted on her face, was wearing a dark purple velvet dress, black pointy boots and a black shawl. She looked very much the witch.
Post 30: PhotoShoot
APRIL
Despite feeling frustrated, tired and grumpy, I decided to take a walk with Esme, Roska and Kureiji to the old Port for a photoshoot. Roska dressed in Esme's long dramatic red dress and wore her own green combat books. Esme dressed up as a sugar-skull from the Day of the Dead Festival in Mexico. This is picture I took of Esme photographing Roska in a parking lot. We brought candles for the shoot too. Kuneiji and I didn't dress up. Kureiji is behind me somewhere running up walls.
Esme's fish, Chiu, died that day. After much debate, we decided that putting him into the fleuve would be the best funeral for a fish (one idea was to bury him on the mountain in a glass jar filled with water). We brought the candles for that purpose as well.
Post 29: Lazy Dayz
APRIL
Still lounging on our sun-soaked balcony, Esme and Benji enjoy a little cuddling. Not too cuddly though, it's too warm. Benji is the floppiest cat I know.
Post 28: Old Port Study Sesh
APRIL
Possibly the same day as the previous picture. A lot of these hot study days are a blur for me, all strung together in a haze of balcony-sitting, music-history-studying, coffee-drinking.
This day, Joe, Ema and I decided we needed a change from the balcony, so we went to the old port to study. When it got cold in the evening, we went for chinese food in Chinatown.
Possibly the same day as the previous picture. A lot of these hot study days are a blur for me, all strung together in a haze of balcony-sitting, music-history-studying, coffee-drinking.
This day, Joe, Ema and I decided we needed a change from the balcony, so we went to the old port to study. When it got cold in the evening, we went for chinese food in Chinatown.
Post 27: Galapagos-Bound
APRIL
Ema was just a few days from leaving for the Galapagos Islands on a conservation trip, so here she is modelling her new conservation-work-allowing, head-sitting umbrella. Along with leopard-print slippers, a hippie skirt, a cherry shirt and bug glasses. How could I not have taken a picture? I love that she wears the strangest combinations - she looks this strange much of the time. Somehow, she usually pulls it off.
Much of April was spent sitting on our balcony. We get sun almost all day on that side of the apartment, and we were studying for exams.
Post 26: Tea Time
APRIL
Al dropped by so we had impromptu afternoon tea -- Homemade strawberry jam courtesy of Kureiji, chapatti (roti), curry-lentil dip, peach-flower tea.
From left to right -- Hal, Esme, Roska and Al. Kind of a strange picture of all of them.
Post 25: Another Extra
APRIL
Here is another extra, to make up for lost days. This is the same day as the last one, but it captures the light better. There is our mountain and the pointed turret I'm in the process of painting.
Post 24: Deck Hanging
APRIL
Here is Kureiji (left) and Roska (right) spending time on the back balcony. The light was really amazing, but my camera didn't capture it. Roska stayed with us for a month and it was awesome having her as a guest.
Here is Kureiji (left) and Roska (right) spending time on the back balcony. The light was really amazing, but my camera didn't capture it. Roska stayed with us for a month and it was awesome having her as a guest.
Post 23: And Now for the Pie
APRIL
Wondering what happened to those 45 boxes of strawberries? We ended up sorting them two days later. By this time, MANY of them were very moldy. We had about 4 huge mixing bowls of moldy strawberries by the end, but luckily we had enough good strawberries to make three pies and coconut-stawberry ice cream. One pie was for our house, one was for Kureiji (he did get us the strawberries after all) and the third was for another friend (I'll call him Muzi) who's birthday had been the week before.
Post 22: Beloved Breadmaker
APRILYes, we have a breadmaker. It is heaven-sent, I swear. There is nothing better. Okay, maybe I'm overdoing it, but there is nothing like just dumping a bunch of ingredients into a metal bucket, and getting hot, sweet bread three hours later.
Here is my beautiful roomie Ema -- she made the bread this time but put too much of the ingredients so it overflowed when the dough rose.
Post 21: Thai
APRIL
Esme, Reyna and I went to a thai restaurant nearby. It was pretty delicious. It was bring-your-own-wine, so we brought a bottle of velvety red Espana. Can you tell yet that I'm a foodie? Don't worry, you'll soon have plenty more proof.
Post 20: A Little Extra
APRILWell, since I know I missed a few days in April, here is an extra picture to make up for that. It's from the same day as the 45 boxes of strawberries. I put on Kureiji's clothing. I think I look pretty fly.
Post 19: Strawberry Heaven
APRIL
One day, Kureiji, who dumpster dives, brought us 45 boxes of strawberries. We stacked them, then forgot to sort them for a few days.
Post 18: After-Easter Treats
APRILReally didn't do anything for easter, though some days after (maybe it was the day after?) Esme and I went to the bakery and found these for half price. The pink one with the chick is raspberry-pineapple mousse, the other is a chocolate bomb. Mmmm. Also bought Ginger Beer at the Jamaican canteen nearby. It's the real stuff -- it burns the back of the throat.
Post 17: Warning; Mature Subject Matter
APRIL
If you are very squeamish, you may not want to see this picture. Otherwise, here is Esme's cut under her knee from the car accident.
It took a very long time healing because, well, it's on a joint.
Beauty.
If you are very squeamish, you may not want to see this picture. Otherwise, here is Esme's cut under her knee from the car accident.
It took a very long time healing because, well, it's on a joint.
Beauty.
Post 16: This Little Piggie...
APRIL
...is made of chapatti dough! Esme came in with bunch of chapatti (roti) dough and formed it into a pig nose (it was initially a man's face). That's me wearing it. Okay, so technically I didn't take that picture, but obviously my rules for this blog are a little flexible.
Post 15: Thrifty Espresso
APRIL
Ala and I went to Eva B, the maddest thrift store you will ever encounter. They give you free espresso, have naked dismantled mannequins hanging all over the place, and a 1$-garment swimming pool. Pretty sweet.
Ala is my future roommate, and I can't wait for her to move in at the end of the summer <3
Ala and I went to Eva B, the maddest thrift store you will ever encounter. They give you free espresso, have naked dismantled mannequins hanging all over the place, and a 1$-garment swimming pool. Pretty sweet.
Ala is my future roommate, and I can't wait for her to move in at the end of the summer <3
Post 14: Car Crash
APRIL
My roommate Esme was cycling down a bike path when she got hit from the side by a car. Her knee suffered a bunch of fractures, bruises and bleeding. Here is her bandage.
The strange thing is, our roommate Hal had insisted that she wear a helmet that night. Normally, he doesn't say anything, but this night he did. About 15 minutes before she got hit, she came to drop something off with me at the library (where I was living so I could finish my 20 pager) and I felt weird about her cycling so told her to be really careful. Clearly Hal and I felt something wasn't right. Then she got hit, while on a bike path (going by a cross street). Anyway, ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET. It has nothing to do with your own skills as a cyclist; I don't care how good a cyclist you are. The fact is, some drivers are crap and we are all human and make mistakes.
My roommate Esme was cycling down a bike path when she got hit from the side by a car. Her knee suffered a bunch of fractures, bruises and bleeding. Here is her bandage.
The strange thing is, our roommate Hal had insisted that she wear a helmet that night. Normally, he doesn't say anything, but this night he did. About 15 minutes before she got hit, she came to drop something off with me at the library (where I was living so I could finish my 20 pager) and I felt weird about her cycling so told her to be really careful. Clearly Hal and I felt something wasn't right. Then she got hit, while on a bike path (going by a cross street). Anyway, ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET. It has nothing to do with your own skills as a cyclist; I don't care how good a cyclist you are. The fact is, some drivers are crap and we are all human and make mistakes.
Post 13: Still Life avec Pilon
APRIL
My spelling of pilon may be wrong. Is it "pylon", rather?
This is around the corner from my house. It was hanging out on a non-functioning fountain for a while. It has since disappeared. Art?
My spelling of pilon may be wrong. Is it "pylon", rather?
This is around the corner from my house. It was hanging out on a non-functioning fountain for a while. It has since disappeared. Art?
Post 12: First Growth
APRIL
This was one of the first days of green grass, which is why it's just a picture of a field. I was on my way to yoga, so it must have been a wednesday.
Post 11: Rat Visits
APRIL
So here I am, finally. I've been incredibly overwhelmed by the thought of charting which pictures are for which day, and since I missed a few days of photos, I've decided to simply put up pictures by month instead of with specific dates. I may not have pictures for each day of the past two months, but since I don't mind, you shouldn't either. I'll put them up each separately.
This is from April. A friend, Piper, visited from Nova Scotia. For a while in the winter there was talk of her moving here and moving in with us, but she decided not to. Anyway, this is her pet rat Thor hanging out on my friend and future roommate's head. I'll call him Kureiji.
So here I am, finally. I've been incredibly overwhelmed by the thought of charting which pictures are for which day, and since I missed a few days of photos, I've decided to simply put up pictures by month instead of with specific dates. I may not have pictures for each day of the past two months, but since I don't mind, you shouldn't either. I'll put them up each separately.
This is from April. A friend, Piper, visited from Nova Scotia. For a while in the winter there was talk of her moving here and moving in with us, but she decided not to. Anyway, this is her pet rat Thor hanging out on my friend and future roommate's head. I'll call him Kureiji.
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