Interesting Building : Bathurst Street Theatre

I got a call from my mother mid-week saying that my dad had won tickets to a play that was to be on Sunday afternoon. I readily agreed to join in, because I looked forward to the visit, but had also been wanting to see the building in which the play was being staged, The Bathurst Street Theatre.

I used to pass this building, located on Bathurst Street, just south of Bloor, while in the streetcar on my way to work, and always wondered about it. It had clearly been built as a church but wasn't being used as such. I knew it was a theatre but had never had the opportunity to go inside.

Bits and Pieces : November 2011

I always seem to end the month with a batch of photographs that are lone-wolves which don't warrant a whole post on their own. So I am planning to begin doing a Bits and Pieces set, on the last Sunday of every month.

That being said, here are some miscellaneous shots taken in November.

Saturday is Caturday! Ed’s New Favourite Spot

We love our cat Eddie enough that we would surely buy a cute bed just for him. Well actually I should back up. We have bought a cute cat-bed just for him, but he only slept in it for about a month and then, for some inexplicable reason, it just wasn't good any more. It was washable so we gave it a bath. But still no go.

Since then we have learned his pattern. He is a serial favourite-spot-finder. He will decide he likes a certain spot, be it a cardboard box left over from shopping, a certain blanket placed just so, a basket that's barely big enough to sit in. At one place where I was working, the sweet Office Manager used to save the top cardboard tray shaped lids from the photocopy-paper boxes for him, which I would regularly bring home on the subway and streetcar.

And during the period that his chosen place is still good, according to some mysterious checklist of attributes known only to him, he will be found in this spot 99.5% of the time that he is in the house and not eating, playing, or sitting on Nick.

When whatever happens to the particular place that deems it no longer good, he begins a restless wander for a couple of days, until he finds a new one. It is quite clear to us when he needs a new spot so we suggest places to him, by putting him in a fresh place he might like. He will immediately jump out, and then later, be found in that very place, as though it was his idea all along. This new place will be good for a while and then the whole process will repeat. Simply washing or changing the blanket does not do the trick.

However, now I may have found a perfect solution for his wanderlust in search of resting spot utopia. A couple of months ago, I picked up a new kitty-litter tray (don't tell him that's what it is!), and put a blanket in it. I showed it to him and he really liked it. I have regularly changed the blanket and he still chooses it for his place. We have set a record for length of time that he likes his spot!

Food Friday : Easy Pickled Beets

This week's food post is a demonstration of how to make pickled beets that are stored in your refrigerator (rather than sealed within sterilized jars).First, a little recollection ... I remember when I first began cooking for myself and wanting to have some steamed beets with my dinner. So, I went about peeling the raw beets with a vegetable peeler. Suffice it to say, that I never prepared beets from scratch again because the mess that the peeling caused was something to behold!Now, having seen what Nick does, I realize the proper and much less messy method is to boil the beets before peeling. Then after allowing the beets to cool slightly (so they may be handled), the peel simply pushes off with a little friction from your fingers and thumbs.The following are the steps taken to make a large jar of pickled beets, which must be stored in the refrigerator.  They keep for a pretty long time since they are immersed in a vinegar solution which deters spoilage, however they won't last as long as ones that are canned the usual way, with sterilized canning jars with sealed ring lids.They are easy to prepare but do take some time, as there are two boiling sessions involved.

Themed Thursday : Falling for Autumn

I was reminded during a newscast on Monday that our official autumn season still has a whole month to go, so I thought I would linger in this lovely time of the year and present a themed post comprised of photographs that remind me of fall.