The Cat’s Pyjamas

There is one aspect of winter that I am sad to see go every year as things begin to warm up, and this is that eventually it becomes too warm to wear flannelette pyjamas. I get a real feel-good sensation about pulling on a pair sometime in early October, and say a fond farewell as I put them away around mid May.

I know there is nothing glamorous about these two-piece sets of soft cotton goodness, but here in Canada, if we are to have anything near a reasonable heating bill throughout the winter months, they are a necessity. Otherwise your sleep is disturbed by your shivering.

They are also the only items in my wardrobe (are night clothes considered part of one's wardrobe?) where I get a little cutesy. While I love the look of cute clothes on others, like knee-socks and peter-pan collars, these looks just don't suit me. But with my flannel jams, I can let the cute in a bit.

Food Friday : Fish on Fish Plates

Here are some live action pictures in the kitchen. I grabbed my camera while Nick was serving up our fish dinner on Sunday and I had to move quickly because I was not getting a second chance to get a good shot!

Nick is funny about always using these fish plates whenever we have fish. And for fish only, as they rarely grace our table beneath any other type of food. (I've mentioned them before here and posted a picture of the whole set, each plate having a different fish scene, and including a platter too ... they were given to me, along with some other things I was buying at a garage-type sale (there was no garage involved) years ago, because it was the end of the day and nobody else wanted them. Apparently everyone thought they were unattractive except me.)

For this improvised meal, Nick baked some Haddock in a coating of ground pumpkin seeds, dried bread crumbs and a bit of Panko. It turned out so well ... nice and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

The sauce was onions browned in butter, with a bit of flour to thicken. Fresh herbs were added (tarragon and basil). The liquids were white wine, lemon juice and the water from the steamed peas. That is what he is doing in the picture of him ... pouring the peas into a slotted spoon, so the water falls into the sauce below.

The Kate Nash Concert in Toronto

Kate Nash is one of my favourites. I love her voice, with her charming English accent, the lyrics she writes, and the fact that she plays so many instruments.I was so happy when, back in January, I saw that she would be in Toronto on March 15th. An extra bonus was the venue she was playing, The Horseshoe Tavern, which is such a great spot to see shows. It's not a huge place, holding only about 500, so knowing the show would sell out quickly, I went right out and got our tickets. Good thing I did, because it did sell out and we saw quite a few people at the door hoping for any extras. We were able to make one lady happy, as we had a spare that I'd gotten for our friend Meghan, who ended up being too sick to go out.

The Borrowers and Thoughts on Children’s Literature

Last December I wrote this post about the cute miniature Christmas dioramas that were in the windows at a downtown department store called The Bay. I spoke about my lifelong love of tiny things.

One of the comments left was from a dear on-line friend Vix, who keeps the blog Vintage Vix. She is a real sweetheart with such a bright outlook on life and a killer vintage style of dressing. It is no wonder that all who meet Vix on-line (and I'm sure in real life too) love this lady. I highly recommend you pop over and make her acquaintance. I guarantee that she will keep you entertained. (I know that a few of you already know Vix, as it is through her that I fortuitously got to know you!)

Anyway, in response to my post about my enchantment with miniatures, she suggested that I check out a series of books called 'The Borrowers'. I must admit that I was living under a rock where this series of books is concerned. They are children's literature, written in in the fifties by Mary Norton, and the tales describe the adventures of a tiny family, amidst a world of normal sized people. But I bet you already know that and many of you probably read these books as youngsters.

Out For Dinner with a Friend and What I Wore

Last Thursday I met my friend Julie at a spot called The Rivoli (on Queen Street West, east of Spadina). It is an old favourite having been there for 31 years.I distinctly remember my first time going there as a teen in high school. I was downtown helping a friend with a project and we went there for dinner. That was also the very first time I ever tasted Pad Thai, which they do very well. In fact, both Julie and I were going to have it when we stopped ourselves because we always both have Pad Thai when we go to The Riv. Instead I went for their vegetarian burger made with mushrooms and soy, served in a pita. It was delicious.