Shopping for Flowers for the Deck and Garden : Shaw Flowers and Gifts

c="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/flowers-for-deck-and-garden.jpg" alt="flowers-for-deck-and-garden" width="640" height="427" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-24331 blk-brdr">While I have grown herbs in pots on our deck every summer for years that we used for cooking, I haven't always put the effort into growing flowers. Actually, our outdoor space was pretty ugly for a long time after we moved in and we hardly ever went out there. That changed after we found the budget to get some decent outdoor furniture. Then the outside space became our favourite part of our home from June to October. But I still didn't plant much in the way of flowers, leaving it at a few of the standards -- some marigolds, snap dragons, petunias, or pansies and a fuchsia plant.I do love flowers though and appreciate every blossom I get from the perennials in the garden, that have been able to survive with our very shady growing conditions. I'd just never found a convenient spot within walking distance that sold annual flowering plants at a reasonable price, so summers would slip away without them.Then last year, I had an outdoor ladies get together (seen here) in July and when I went to find flowering plants to brighten things up, the shelves were pretty much empty and I settled with a couple of grocery-store plants that were really meant to be indoors. They did the trick for the party, but made me aware that if I wanted some pretty colour out on the deck all summer long, I had to get busy early in the season.And busy I have gotten this year! By a chance drive-by a couple of weeks ago I found a great place for flowering plants in our neighbourhood. Of course, I'd noticed Shaw Flowers and Gifts (located at 1068 Dundas Street West, at Shaw Street, directly across from the north west corner of Trinity Bellwoods Park) before, as they have been there for a long time, however I'd never noticed that in the springtime they used their side patio to sell outdoor plants.

An Excellent Movie Watching Experience

Neither Nick nor I had seen the movie Avatar, so when our friends Kim and Chris invited us over to watch it at their place a couple of Saturdays ago, we jumped at the chance. This gets better though because they have a cool television that could play the movie in 3D. They just had to click a magic button, give us each a pair of special glasses to wear, and viola, a terrific movie watching experience was had.

We had dinner before the movie - in keeping with the casual Movie Night theme, Chris grilled up some hot dogs. We love them so were pleased to hear they were on the menu.

Sushi for Me and Julie Bee at To-Ne

I've been talking about wanting to try out new restaurants lately but there are times when the-tried-and-the-true is all that will do.

When we were planning our get together, my longtime friend Julie B. and I tried to pick a different spot to have a sushi dinner recently. We wanted a place that was easy to get to for both of us and we did have several options to choose from, but online reviews kept warning about poor service here and/or bad or overpriced food there. Well, that is all except for To-Ne Sushi at 414 Queen Street West, which gets consistently good reviews.

So yes, this is the same place the two of us went for our sushi-fix last time we went out (here). We decided not to mess with a good thing and ended up going there again. And it was excellent this time too. The food was so beautifully presented and very tasty. Plus how can we resist a little bouquet of fresh flowers that decorates every plate?

Recent Thrift Store Finds

When I was up at my parents' place last month, my mother and I went thrifting. They live in a town that has some very good thrift stores, so we usually go to see what treasures we might find whenever I visit.Here are the things I got. It might look like a lot but we went to three stores, one of which I always seem to have good luck at. It's a Goodwill and it is jammed with things. You really have to look carefully because, while they try to keep things in departments, the items are all just stuffed together on shelves, the good mixed right in with the junk. I find the search fun and don't mind the mess, as this means less is spent on staffing and so more of what shoppers spend finds its way to the hands of the charity.We'll start with the things I got at Goodwill then ...A fine china teapot made by Seltmann Weiden Bavaria. Nick and I have recently both gotten into tea in the past year and we needed another pot with a good non-drippy spout and this one was in perfect shape and just waiting for me.

Saturday Night Out : Dinner at Buca on King Street West

It was time for a catch up with my friend Nyla, so we got together a week ago Saturday. We decided to meet in a part of town where there are many bar and restaurant choices, on King Street West between Spadina and Bathurst (in Toronto).It was one of those beautiful early summer evenings where a sweater was not needed. In fact, it was the first of the warm nights this season and it was delightful to be outdoors. The open air patios were full and the street was bustling with a fun party atmosphere.First we headed up to a rooftop patio of a club, where we found a perfect spot to talk and enjoy a cocktail. The sun was just beginning to set and it was quite gorgeous up there.