Jimi's Coat of Many Colours

Goodness - another Jimi Hendrix post. Jimi's on my mind  lately as I have a burgeoning left-handed guitar player in the house. Susan at Bricolage brought my attention to this article at the Washington Post.

Now I knew that James Marshall Hendrix had spent a lot of time in Vancouver with his grandmother Nora. And that his Canadian cousins found him so obnoxious that they buried him up to his neck at the beach and left him there ( I heard that on CBC Radio). I didn't know that his grandmother Nora was of Native descent - her mother was half Cherokee. Zenora (her full name) and her sister, whose stage name was Belle Lamar, toured the U.S. in a traveling vaudeville group and were known for their extravagant costumes.

Could Jimi have developed his love for brightly coloured clothing at his Grandmother's knee? Could her native heritage have had an influence on her style? The National Museum of the Native Indian seems to think so. Half-sister Janie Hendrix has donated Jimi's patchwork coat for an exhibit opening in July entitled " Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture." I'm guessing from the title that Buffy Sainte-Marie will be included too.

Here's a lovely picture of Jimi's grandparents found at www.blackpast.org. Can you see the family resemblance? I can.

The top picture was taken by Katherine Fogden for the Smithsonian

Mix and Match Made in Heaven - Gudrun Sjödén

I've recently made some on-line purchases from Sweden. Designer Gudrun Sjödén strives to make colourful clothes in natural materials with an emphasis on Scandinavian design. Designed to be versatile, her pieces can be mixed and matched now and with future collections for all woman of ages, shapes and sizes. Sounds good.

Gudrun's all-encompassing manifesto is revealed in the pages of her web-catalogue where models span the ages from 20 to 60 with a remarkable model who is 98! Gudrun models occasionally too - demonstrating that one does not have to be thin to fit into her clothes.

Gudrun Sjödén Design has been around since 1976. Her contribution to a greener world is to create timeless designs with a long life-span. That's a good way to look at especially since her products are a little more than I usually like to pay. Landscapes, fruits and flowers are Gudrun's inpirations. I find her designs to be folkloric much like the sweaters I recently purchased from the Serbian tricoteuses IVKO - but that's for another time.

I've bought the selections shown above. (minus the boots, but I know a Kat that would probably like them!) I let you know how they work out. I'm sure that Canadian Customs will practically cripple me with duty.

Quiero hacer contigo lo que la primavera hace con los cerezos

I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.
Pablo Neruda, 1924

Contagious Quadruplets

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

Thanks to Kat for this.

Woody Allen: Have I mentioned I love Paris?

Woody Allen: Have I mentioned I love Paris?

Please click on the link to see the article in the LA Times. 

Photo - Woody Allen riffing on the clarinet. Credit - Britta Pedersen - EPA

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La Dee Dah, La Dee Dah...

Is it time to try this again, I wonder. I carried it off very successfully in 1982. Could it translate today? Am I too plump and old? Annie's outfit in this scene always jumps out at me; it always impresses. I love it.

Annie Hall is on my  list of all-time-favourite movies. Jr Teen Pup loves it too. We got it for him for Christmas. I catch him watching it alone sometimes. He's a big softie at heart.

School Project Gone Wrong

Reduce - Reuse- Recycle

In 1971 my 18-year-old brother joined Pollution Probe. He and his pals initiated a recycling program in our small town of Parry Sound. Being only 9 at the time I don't remember too much about it - but I do remember Steve and friends driving around town in a pick-up truck, collecting pop cans and baling newspapers from those residents who were interested in creating less garbage. I also remember a float in our Winter Carnival that the team had created, with a papier-mache globe dripping with garbage.

Was Parry Sound the first community to have recycling I wondered. In 1971 Pollution Probe published a book titled "Recycling Project". The report stressed the need for recycling but also offered various ways to implement such programs through household sorting and collection systems.  Parry Sound's chapter of Pollution Probe was one of 60 groups throughout Ontario concerned about garbage issues. It didn't last, but about 15 years later the "Blue Box" program was introduced all over Ontario.

Now Toronto has a waste diversion program. All my fruit and vegetable peelings, teabags, eggshells and garden waste go in my composter. Other wet garbage goes in a green bin. Now that I've given up on meat again, this output could be practically nil - if it weren't for the DOG. All other garbage gets picked up every two weeks. Again - that's practically nothing because we avoid those unrecyclable clear clam shell containers that salad and eggs are sold in  and I cook fresh 99% of the time. But one does have to get rid of furnace filters, light bulbs, holy socks.

Starting last year the city demanded that all retail outlets charge a nickel per plastic bag. A great deal of us in the neighbourhood take tote bags with us and speaking of tote bags, here's one.

Something I just learned from the City of Toronto website. Don't include biodegradable packaging in the Blue Box. It messes up the sorting procedure and cannot, obviously,  be recycled into anything new. It goes in the Grey Bin where the air can get to it later in a "fill".

Visit to the 1920s

Hey, this is nice. My note cards are featured on an Etsy Treasury today called Visit to the 1920s. That put a smile on my face. Here's the link. http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4bd0831f8dea8eef4e5978cf

I Went to a Party

Last week I went to a party here.

I ate in here.

I wore this.

And these.






And I got my husband to dance with me.






1. Liberty Grand 2. Renaissance Room 3. Ivko 4. Groundhog

Artist's Lofts

I've been looking and drooling recently over decor blogs which feature "hard" lofts with naked cement and soaring windows. I commented on Solid Frog, that these lofts are almost impossible to find in Toronto. Everything's been converted, plastered, hidden, covered in the North American Ticky-Tacky that we're supposed to love. And once everything has been covered in plasterboard and painted "Builder's White" (except for that one industrial-looking tube - they're de rigeur) the realtors still advertise them as "Artist's Lofts".


An example. Up the side-street from me is a warehouse dating from 1907. I think it was originally a candy warehouse and then a baseball glove manufacturer. It's not bad as far as loft conversions go - they actually left the plaster off a couple of exposed walls. When we first arrived in the area the building was populated with trapeze artists, painters, musicians, photographers - people with pin-ball machine collections, people who trekked to Burning Man. Out back was a communal garden and a fire-pit. Then one day, these residents were told they had to move from their apartments because their living-spaces were being renovated into Artist's Lofts.  Oh the irony.

Photo from B&B Italia via Mia Linnman at Solid Frog

People in Iceland - How Are You?

Although I haven't waded through the 14,000 news items provided through Google News about the volcano Eyjafjallajokull and the havoc its ash is reaking, I can't find anything on how the population of Iceland is faring. Iceland has a tiny population, about 320,000. But are they walking around with handkerchiefs pressed to their nostrils? Are kids missing school? Is livestock able to graze?

They've had a terrible year financially and now this. But I haven't heard a peep about how the people from Iceland are dealing with this latest disaster. HOW ARE YOU DOING?

Back in 2002 I had to find (virtually) and describe every town and tourist destination in Iceland for an online travel encyclopedia I was working for. It's wonderful and temperate, yet a place of extremes. Here's how I described it back then

"Iceland is a combination of fire and ice; where active volcanoes, geysers and hot springs occur amid glaciers, ice fields and fjords. Rich in history, literature and folklore, Iceland offers many winter sporting activities with bird watching and fishing close behind"

To my ear, the name of the volcano Eyjafjallajokull is virtually unpronounceable. I would have said Ay-yaf-yalla-yokul, but I'm not even close. My favourite translation instrument Forvo doesn't have a sample yet. But if you listen here, (it's fast) the first one is an example of  how it's supposed to be said. I've also found a blog called The Iceland Weather Report that states it's business as usual there. Good to hear.

top image - www.thetravelpeach.com
bottom image -www.art-iceland.com

"I'm Not Greedy - I Just WANT a Great Deal",

So said my husband's 80-year-old aunt at brunch one day. Hear, hear Aunt Eileen - I want a lot too.

I want to live in Paris. I don't especially want to work - but if I have to, I'll work 20-25 hours a week. I'm not bilingual and I'm not really skilled in anything. I do a  little research, writing, painting. I know -  I like reading. Maybe I can get a job reading or writing restaurant reviews or walking around museums. Yeah! And I won't get out of bed for less than $75,000 per year.

We have to have an apartment in the Latin Quarter or Saint-Germain. It has to have at least 100 square metres. A lift is essential. It has to have great street views and be close to amazing street markets. I'll only pay 1,000 Euros tops. Oh, and it will be dog-friendly.

My son will go to the best school. But all work will be done in English - I wouldn't want him to be stressed.

Surely, that's not asking too much!?!?


 
photo from Lodgis.com

The Sleeping Giants

ROFLMAO. Rolling on the floor laughing my arse off. That's how you would describe my reaction when our new beds were delivered yesterday. In the showroom the beds looked large but not overly so, but in the attic of our Victorian home our beds are making a statement to say the least.

Our queen-sized Simmons Beautyrest are 28 inches off the ground and practically divide our vertical space in two. While the rest of our house has sizeable rooms with high ceilings, we sleep on the third floor where we get bumps on our heads from the angles and dormers. Built in 1892 the house was built for people with smaller proportions. These "super-size me" beds are deliciously comfortable but ridiculously big.

My Jr. Pup reported it was "like a monolith". His bedroom is now a room with a bed. Effort has to be made to navigate around it.

While 28 inches doesn't seem like much at first my 6 ft husband's toes no longer reach the ground. " I feel like I'm 10 again" he said.

This was the first time in my  life I had bought a real bed.  I bought a futon in 1983 which was thrown out in 1987 so that doesn't count.  We'd been using hand-me-downs up until now.  Jr. Pup was using my bed from when I was 12 and we were using a bed from Sr. Pup's parent's cottage probably from the same vintage. Let's just say we're procrastinators.

We had the mattress and box-spring on the floor for the first 10 years of our relationship. Then we were using a Mate's bed frame -  meaning a bed with drawers underneath, not the bed of a mate - and recently we were back on the floor again.

Senior Pup awoke this morning saying "I dropped my second pillow in the night and I had to wait for the sound of it hitting the floor." In the middle of the night I awoke in a semi-dream with the distinct feeling I was in the flatbed of a 1952 Ford Pickup. But that was just a dream because in reality I would have been much closer to the ground in a pickup truck.

I'm wondering why new beds have to be so high.  We don't have to worry about chamber pots or vermin under the bed. Now our dog can't even get on the bed.  My bedside table wasn't remotely useful. I had to replace it with an IKEA Butler's tray. I can hardly see my televison.

The bed is wonderfully soft and supporting. It's a nice to have such a dilemma but I have a feeling that we may, in the days to come, escape the bed frame and end up back on the floor again.

Picture of Little Nemo in Slumberland taken from www.goodcomics.comicbookresources.com
The Real Princess is taken from http://dulac.artpassions.net/

Haircut 100

Hey, I got my hair cut. It feels like the first real cut since I got my hair cut at Sassoon in 1986 - gee, I can't even count that on my fingers - 24 years ago!

I have been this blond forever, I should say until this past January when my virgin blond got highlights from a box. (It was a dark winter). My roots went really blah.  I must have picked the right shade because after 6 days I had to tell the G-pup. There are the occasional blobs of extra-blond, but all-in-all a good experience.

Purple and Red

I was grandiloquent in a previous post about my desire to redecorate. We did manage to find nice fabric and make really nice curtains for the study/TV room but my mood fell a little flat since the beginning of the new year. Not enough sun.

We also have so much clutter that stripping paper and repainting is really daunting. Where would we move all the furniture, books, CDs etc? My house is only 17 feet wide. Would we ever remember how to hook up the TV again?

Any way, the sun's back and I'm starting off small again. I'm thinking of repainting the front door on my Victorian row house. Benjamin Moore Exotic Red and Kalamata. Has any one painted with red AND purple before? Does red really require 6 coats?

My worst recipe ever

Shrimp Fritters aka Camarones fritos eu massa in Portuguese. I found the recipe in Elisabeth Luard's book European Peasant Cookery. Elizabeth Luard is a sweet woman and can probably make anything taste nice. I got it into my head that this recipe would be great if I made it with chick pea flour. There's a Provencal pancake called La Cade made with chick pea flour kind of like Panisse. Now I'm free associating. Panisse. Chez Panisse. Sounds great. Can't go wrong.

My husband is maddeningly slim but he can eat and eat and eat. Many a cat and dog has had to forgo table scraps for the G-Pup. He has a hollow leg. He couldn't finish any of it. My guys were holding their throats, gagging for milk, water anything.It was one of those meals where I actually had to take the food back into the kitchen. I think we had KD instead.

Another really terrible experiment was trying to recreate turkey stuffing as a savory bread pudding. We all love stuffing at Christmas and always want more. I tried seasoning bread with sage, onion, chicken bouillon and celery salt and topped it with egg, milk and cream. It was yucky. Too dry, it resembled one big burnt crouton. Again it was either KD or sandwiches that night.

What's your worst recipe ever?

Photo found at Imageshack.us

Clever Carrot Cake with Custardy Cream Cheese Icing

I used this recipe to make cupcakes this past Easter weekend. Easy Peasy - Spicy and delish.

Here we go!

1½ cups grated carrot

1⅓ cups sugar

1⅓ cups water
1 cup raisins

¼ cup shortening

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

Bring the above to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Let cool for at least 10 minutes

Then add:

2 cups of flour

1 tsp of baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ cup chopped nuts

Bake at 375 degrees in a prepared pan for 50 minutes.

For the icing I came up with the following cream cheese recipe - but I'm sure you have your own.

2 cups icing sugar

¼ cup custard powder

½ cup soft butter

½ a brick of cream cheese. 4 ounces - I think.

1 tsp of vanilla

½ tsp lemon flavouring (optional)

couple of drops of yellow food colouring although the custard powder does lend its own hue.

This recipe makes a heavy carrot cake. You'll love the aroma as the carrots and the spices simmer.Clean up is a breeze.

As per usual, I forgot to take any pictures. The above is from Wiki and was taken by David Benbennick.