October 29 - Day 102

So long, farewell...

It's time to head back home. This is C in Gatwick airport, notice how sad she is that I am leaving. I am sad too, I had an absolutely amazing time. I saw so much and had a chance to catch up with friends - old and new. Until next time...

October 28 - Day 101

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

After a delicious breakfast at the B&B we head out for another day of exploring Bath. Today we walk around the city seeing the Circus (buildings of grandeur built in a circle, and Royal Avenue. We then take a tour of the fashion museum, the highlight being the collection of Princess Diana dresses. We then have the most delicious late lunch at a little place called Demuths - sweet potato risotto and butternut squash and haloumi salad, yummy! Then some more wandering - this shot is of the exterior of the Roman Bath (which we visited the interior of yesterday) with Bath Abbey in the background.

October 27 - Day 100

Bed, Bath & Octoberman.

After a 3 hour train ride C and I are in Bath. On the agenda for our 2 day visit is a tour of the Roman Baths, a D-I-Y Jane Austen tour, a trip to the Fashion Museum and a show at Moles featuring Octoberman. When I planned this trip I found out that one of my dearest friends T was going to be in Europe playing in Octoberman and I knew I wanted to be able to catch one of their shows. They played an awesome set, and even made it on the Moles wall of fame. This shot features Octoberman front man/creator M2 and drummer extraordinaire MB (sorry T it was a tight shot). After the set we kept the party going, hitting a club and even shakin' it on the dance floor!

October 26 - Day 99

Planet India.

After a plane ride, a 45 minute tube ride and a train ride I'm back in Brighton! It's a miserable rainy day so C and I head out to do some shopping and grab some dinner. No trip to England is complete without some proper Indian food and we decide on Planet India. We shared a selection of curries and breads, so delicious!!

October 25 - Day 98

Museumsinsel.

A full day of museum exploration is on the agenda for today. The first stop the Pergamon Museum, built in 1930, which houses multiple reconstructed immense and historically significant buildings such as the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. Museum #2 was the Neues (New), architecturally this was the most interesting museum of the day as it was destroyed in World War II and rebuilt under the direction of David Chipperfield. The museum reopened in 2009 and contains the Egyptian Museum of Berlin, including the bust of Nefertiti. When touring the museum the audio guide gave references to the collection but also gave visitors a chance to learn about the rebuild, which I found most interesting. Today's photo was taken in the Neues. Last museum of the day was the Bode which houses sculpture collections and late antique and byzantine art. After our knowledge bombardment we headed to West Berlin to Ku'damm to see the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The evening is completed with a home cooked meal, a $2.99 bottle of wine and some stand up comedy.

October 24 - Day 97

The Hangover: Berlin Styles.

Kidding, no hangover! Another reason to love Berlin. Today we attempted to see the Hitler Exhibition at the German Historical Museum but the queue was too long. Instead we hit up the Berliner Dom, walked around Museumsinsel (museum island), and the city quarter. This shot is of the Berliner Dom, a protestant counterweight to St Peter's Basilica in Rome, commissioned by Emperor Wilhelm II. During the second World War the church was hit by a fire bomb and was severely damaged. After a temporary roof was installed to protect what remained of the interior, reconstruction began in 1975.

October 23 - Day 96

Champions.
A full day in Berlin! More sights including:

• Jewish Quarter - Tacheles - Kunsthaus Tacheles, a formerly a department store. The site was also a Nazi Prison. The exterior of the building was damaged due to shelling in WW II. Much of the damage was never repaired. In the beginning Tacheles provided workspace and housing for international artist residents but the associated housing burnt down in 1991. Today it's known as an artist squat.
• Alexanderplatz: a central square and traffic junction reserved for pedestrians
• Fernsehturm: The TV tower, the highest building in Germany.
• Mitte: Old Berlin

After a power nap and dinner we head out for a proper night in Berlin. We start in the Turkish quarter hitting Lucille's and Beer Heaven. After that it's on to Que Pasa where the strongest $3.50 cocktails I've ever had are the highlight of the menu. Last stop of the night is a club called Monarchs, also known as the 50's & 60's club. It's filled with hipsters who dance to music of, you guessed it, the 50's & 60's. We roll home at 7:00 am. Did I mention there is no last call in Berlin? Champions.

Day 22 - Day 95

Welcome to Berlin.

This morning, after a short flight from Heathrow we arrive in Berlin. I'm only here for a couple hours before I can confidently say I'm crushin' on Berlin. It's artsy and gritty and inspirational. Today we tour Germany's capital hitting up the East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall), Reichstag (parliament), Brandenberger Tor (Gate), the Jewish Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie. Day one is completed with a trip to JM MacMillan's local KPTN, where beers are 1.70 euros, and the Red Bar.

October 21 - Day 94

V & A and Tate Modern.

Day 2 in London. This is the main lobby of the Victoria & Albert museum. We spent the morning exploring this museum named after Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. The museum was built in 1852 and its collection spans over 5000 years of art from ancient times to present day in virtually every medium from the cultures of North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa. After a take away lunch from Marks & Spencer we then head to Tate Modern which houses international modern and contemporary art. After a whirlwind tour of the V&A and the Tate I have a list of artists I can't wait to study. We finish the day off with a pint in Leicester Square and dinner in Soho.

October 20 - Day 93

Off With Her Head!

In London today, first stop the Tower of London. Built by William the Conqueror in the early 1080's the tower (20 towers in all) was home to some of Britain's most famous prisoners. A guided tour given by Yeoman Warder, Dave was most informative and entertaining. Yeoman Warders, also known as Beefeaters are members of the Royal Bodyguard. They have served an honourable 22 years with the British Army and today provide guided tours as well as provide live in security for the tower. After the tower we head to Trafalgar square to the National Gallery to see works by Vermeer, Seurat, Monet, van Gogh, and Rembrandt, to name a few. After the gallery we walk along the Thames, and finish the day with a proper English pint at the Duke of York.

October 19 - Day 92

Road Trip!

Road trip, UK styles is on the agenda for Day 3 of vacation - thanks to C for driving! First stop Stonehenge, 13 km north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones. Built in three stages, dating back to 3100 BC, it has been estimated that construction required more than 30 million hours of labour. Speculation on its purpose ranges from human sacrifice to astronomy. Second stop on our tour was the city of Salisbury. After a proper Cream Tea we headed to Salisbury Cathedral. Built in just 38 years (1220-1258) it is a testimonial to the faith and practical skills of those who built it. Inside we were able to see the best preserved original Magna Carta. After exploring the city we head back to Hove and rest up for another day of sightseeing - next stop, London!

October 18 - Day 91

Royal Pavilion

Day 2 of vacation begins with a delicious full vegetarian english breakfast, with a flat white coffee and then onto a tour of the Royal Pavilion.

Built for the Prince Regent, later King George IV, in stages between 1787 and 1823, the Royal Pavilion is remarkable for its exotic oriental appearance both inside and out. This royal 'Pleasure Palace' was revered by fashionable Regency society and is home to some of the finest collections of the chinoiserie style in Britain. After the Pavilion tour it's time for some shopping and then back to Hove for a stop at the local Tesco to buy ingredients for a relaxing dinner in.

October 17 - Day 90

Holiday!

It's been a couple weeks since my last post as I was on vacation in England and Germany - I had an absolutely amazing time and you'll get to catch the highlights in the next few posts!

After an overnight flight and a train ride I am in Brighton, UK! Here is a shot of the famous Brighton Pier. Our first day of sightseeing included walking from Hove into Brighton, along the beach, exploring the Pier, wandering the North Lanes and a delicious dinner at a Thai restaurant.

October 16 - Day 89

Center-piece.

I like to change up the dining room table centerpiece every once in awhile. Keeps things interesting, plus the table doesn't get much use as I can't seem to break the eating dinner in front of the tv habit - bad I know! The table is a second hand teak piece from the Anitque Warehouse, even comes with an extra leaf for entertaining, however, not extra chairs, which means I can only have dinner parties for 4 ;)

October 15 - Day 88

True colours.

This the my tree in the backyard - same tree from yesterday's shot. You can see the leaves are still in the midst of changing. When you look at the tree from ground level you see more green than red, but if you look out the second level window of my house, like I am now, you notice more of the reds and oranges..you also notice how some of the branches are now encroaching on the neighbours roof...

October 14 - Day 87

Treeful of starling.

This is the tree in my backyard. It's gi-normous! It's actually sort of growing into my back neighbours shed - the shed's not really impressive, but this tree sure is.

October 13 - Day 86

Fine arts.

I have not been to the art gallery since highschool, wait that's not true I was there a couple of years ago for a garage sale where I bought a decorative wooden plate with a bull fighter painted on it - ole!

October 12 - Day 85

Gold Leaf.

I'm starting to feel like a storm chaser, only a foliage chaser. I gotta get the shot before too many leaves have fallen or someone decides to rake their lawn. In trying to come up with something smart ass to say about foliage I've been surfing the net and I've come across the foliage network website...the foliage network has over 550 spotters that report on foliage conditions in their area - reports are submitted twice/week and analyzed by the foliage network - the data is then plotted and a foliage map is generated....holy foliage batman!

October 11 - Day 84

Bananas - B-a-n-a-n-a-s!
I'm lucky to have a few great bakers in my life; my nana, my mom and one of my best buds Megs. I've never been much of a baker myself - stiff competition, but every once in awhile I practice and tonight seemed like a night for baking. Mix 3 or 4 mashed bananas with 1/2 cup sugar, one slightly beaten egg, 1/3 melted butter and a drop or two of vanilla.. In a separate bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix wet and dry ingredients together, throw in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes.

October 10 - Day 83

Nana & George

M & J host Thanksgiving dinner - and what a great dinner it was! Good food, good people, good times! I'm thankful each day to have such a great family! Oh and here's two of those members now, my mom and george (aka sadie).

October 9 - Day 82

I heart foliage.

I'm gonna warn you now, October is bound to have a few foliage shots in it. I just think it is so beautiful, I often have to remind myself while driving to pay attention to the road, not the trees! (Kidding, I am a very good driver - I always pull over to shoot foliage)

October 8 - Day 81

We Stand On Guard

It was a gorgeous day to have off, so after an afternoon latte with C & R, I head down to the cenotaph and take some shots. This project is really making me pay attention to the places and things I see on a regular basis, instead of a passing notice, and I'm grateful for that.

October 7 - Day 80

Rock-tober.

I headed to London tonight to catch Hey Rosetta! play at Norma Jean's. Since I was flying solo I brought the Olympus, and figured I'd have a great chance at some quality shots, and I'm happy to say I did. Meet Tim Baker, vocals, guitar and piano of St. John's Hey Rosetta! Dreamy, huh? But good looks aside, Hey Rosetta! has quickly become one of my favourite bands of recent times. Check out their sessions/podcast on CBC radio3, believe me you will become a fan. Opening the show was Halifax's Rich Aucoin. This was my first exposure to Rich and he did not disappoint - 3D video, glowsticks, parachutes and karaoke! I got a chance to speak with him after the show and not only is he a creative genius, but also a philanthropist, marathon runner and cross-country biker, and a perfect East Coast gentleman! Oh Vancouver's Hot Hot Heat was also there, but obviously East side took this one!

October 6 - Day 79

Autumn's Here

I took this shot on my way home from work today. It was on Douglas St. There was a house that had a massive tree in front with fiery red, orange and gold leaves. This is the front lawn. So beautiful!

October 5 - Day 78

Douro St.

I came out of yoga tonight to this view, and I couldn't pass it up! Again it's about 7pm. The sky behind me to the east is dark grey but to the west this purple/pink/grey/blue/yellow sky is unfolding.

October 4 - Day 77

High Wire

Taken from my front porch around 7pm. The sky was incredible tonight.

October 3 - Day 76

Pinhole.

I took a walk in the woods today (old grove) to get familiar with my new camera. My plan was to get a fall foliage picture for today but when I took this shot I was in love. It's in the old grove looking into the cemetery from across the river, using the pinhole feature on the camera. I made a pinhole camera in highschool and took a shot of an old broken down coffee vending machine that had been thrown behind the school to rust, perhaps that's when my interesting perspective started to grow...

October 2 - Day 75

Olympus SP-800UZ

Dear Canon Powershot,

I'm not replacing you. I'm just adding another camera into the mix. I need a better zoom and I'm swayed by fancy features. You will always travel in my purse and be there for the unexpected moments. You were my first digital love and will always be. Don't be mad at me, be happy for me.

ox.xo.d.

October 1 - Day 74

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Heat 1 TBSP oil in stockpot. Add one medium onion chopped and 2 cloves garlic minced and saute until soft but not brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Add 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes, 6 cups of vegetable broth, 1 TBSP + 2 TSP curry powder and 1/2 TSP salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a mozzarella avocado grilled cheese and a Season 1 episode of Roseanne.

September 30 - Day 73

dts.

On a bank run I stop at Sputnik for some additional morning fuel and a baked good. My parking spot was in front of Down The Street. Three birds with one stone - bank, coffee, photo.

September 29 - Day 72

Goose of Canada

I came upon this flock of geese after my run. I took several shots, the last one is of them retreating in the water. I don't think they appreciated me. Here's some interesting facts about Canada Geese: In spring and summer geese must consume large quantities of food for the nutrients they will need during migration, and they frequently spend 12 hours a day or more feeding, that's my kind of grazing! The Canada Goose finds a mate during its second year and mates for life. Unlike their Stratford neighbours the Swan, if one of the pair dies, the other will find a new mate. These geese can travel more than 1000 km in one day. They also often use the same nest each year...nest sweet nest.