YYZ to SFO

La Merceria - Toronto

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:57:31 -0500

“Argentinean Cafe & Home Accessories Shop”

506 Adelaide Street West
Toronto

One of my favourite little stores in Toronto is La Merceria. I heard about it thru a friend who loves small independent boutiques, a few years back. I ventured one day to check it out. What a gem!

Turns out, I knew the owner - Sandra Rojas-Chinni - from first year university. Her and her husband opened this shop together.

I loved this store from the beginning. It had the lovely combination of quaint coffee shop mixed in with a great boutique selling everything from housewares, paper items & clothing. The first thing I thought of was “Wow, this place reminds me of a little Caban.”

Sidebar: Caban was a store that Club Monaco opened in a few select cities that sold real cool stuff: housewares, clothing, jewelry, books, candles, books, etc. They closed them, to everyone’s disappointment, to make way for Joe Fresh (rumor has it). Turns out, Sandra (if I remember correctly) worked for a while with Caban - hence the Caban inspired products she sells.

It’s a small space but well thought out. Cafe in the front, then store along the side and to the back. Coffee bar on the opposite side. Sandra has a great eye for detail - her branding is nice and simple right down to the packaging. Oh, and I love the font she uses.

What I love about this place: It’s off the beaten path - on Adelaide street between Bathurst and Portland - downtown Toronto. Not much around for stores. Great coffee. Amazing Empanada’s. K. Hall Candles. Small selection of jewelry. I love it all!

Please check them out!

lamerceriatoronto.blogspot.com

(image from styleathome.com)

Battle of the City Magazines

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:19:28 -0400

What’s the best way to get to know a city (apart from on foot and the internet)? The written word! I love magazines and love when cities have their own “bible” as a resource for all things politics, food, culture, arts, fashion, etc.

When I was living in Toronto, I had a subscription to Toronto Life (torontolife.com). I loved it. Sometimes a little to high brow for my liking, but it always had interesting articles and of course, reviews on food and restaurants.

On the other side, there were two newspapers that were published every Thursday: NOW Magazine (nowtoronto.com) & The Grid (thegridto.com). I would say these were catering to hipsters, hippies, people who really cared about the city, music lovers and the LGBT crowd. These two papers are always good for up to date info on live music, arts, movie and theatre reviews, along with street fashion and my fav, the “Sightings” section.

So what has been my “go to” since I moved to San Francisco?

First, there’s San Francisco (sanfranmag.com). It’s thick, glossy, large and crammed with stuff. It’s my Toronto Life. Pretty much contains the same stuff, catering to a higher income group of people. Food, arts, “social” scene, politics, real estate, etc. Thankfully, on one of my many solo adventures out to a music festival, they had a booth, I drew a ticket and boom! I now have a year’s subscription to the magazine. Jumpy claps!

Second there is 7x7 (7x7.com) That’s right, a magazine named after the 7 by 7 square miles that this city is. Clever. I like this magazine a lot. It’s a little hipper (and hipster) and younger than San Fran Mag. It also has great movie reviews and restaurant reviews.

BONUS: I have also thrown in Sunset (sunset.com) magazine. It’s a great general magazine for “west coast living”. REALLY good recipes and also good ideas for weekend getaways. It’s found a sweet spot in my magazine rack because it also includes British Columbia.

Happy Reading lovies!

Running Photos I run a lot here - the constant temperature of...

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:46:47 -0400

A foggy morning before I set out.

Bay Bridge

Coit Tower

Alcatraz Island

Corn fields in Modesto

Hill running

Bank of America Building

Golden Gate Bridge - Bridge to Bridge

Running Photos

I run a lot here - the constant temperature of 15C (59F) every morning, really makes it easy to get out there - no excuses, no snow! I run with my friend and on the weekends it’s usually the standard solo run, to somewhere far, maybe even getting lost. I take my phone with me - especially on the weekends when I actually run in the daylight - to capture stuff along the way. Here are some shots.

San Francisco: Earthquakes

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:05:05 -0400

It’s true, I moved to the San Francisco, a city that sits on one of the most active fault lines in the world. Toronto, not so much - although it has had two tremors in the last year. Since experiencing two significant shakers in one day (October 20), I have become fascinated with this website from the US Geological Survey: Where, When, How big, etc. My only beef with it - it doesn’t tell you when, or where, the next one will happen.

Check it out:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqscanv/Quakes/quakes_all.html

Also, apparently there is predictions for a big one coming soon. YIKES!

(Oh, and I am not ashamed to admit it, the second one I felt in my 11th floor apartment made me feel very unsettled for quite some time after.)

A TRIBUTE TO TORONTO (P.S. I MISS YOU) This video came up a few...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:30:02 -0400

A TRIBUTE TO TORONTO (P.S. I MISS YOU)

This video came up a few times in my Social Media feeds, and I have to say, what a great piece of work. Since leaving Toronto, I have been feeling a bit homesick while trying to acquaint myself with San Fran. This video is a nice reminder that I lived in a GREAT city. Why is it fabulous? Great food, arts & culture, music scene, running trails, etc. And of course my friends & family with whom I have shared so many memories with in Toronto. Some of my favourite memories include:

* stealth Toronto Maple Leaf games
* TIFF (as mentioned in the previous post)
* organized sports with my coworkers
* Mercatto Restaurant
* brunch at Fusaro’s
* any time at Chez Jules
* Andy Poolhall for UKULA days
* supporting Toronto Fashion designers
* the opera at The Four Seasons Centre.

The list could could go on. Thank you to all those who helped in those memories & to those supported me moving here.

TIFF - Toronto International Film Festival

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:00:05 -0400

One of my FAVOURITE things about Toronto is they host TIFF: The Toronto International Film Festival. The only public film festival in the world.

I started off volunteering at the festival about 8 years ago and then started going as a general viewer. Soon after that, my sister and I starting making TIFF our annual “thing” - getting a ten pack of tickets, making our 1st and 2nd selects, and then getting giddy about the 5 movies we were going to see. Thanks sister, as you generally did all the leg work getting the tickets!

We became one of “those” festival goers. Zipping from one film to another, hydrating and then dissecting what we had seen after. So. Much. Fun.

So, in the spirit of “opening day” for TIFF11, I give you a random dump of movies that I would go see - commentary courtesy of torontolife.com

The Descendants - George Clooney is back on the Oscar campaign with this one. The Descendants, wowed just about everybody at the recent Telluride Film Festival and is now being proclaimed a certain Best Picture nominee. It’s the latest from Academy fave Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways), and features Clooney as an absentee dad forced to take care of his daughters after his wife falls into a coma. Aw. FYI, I am a huge Clooney fan and am sad that he’s in town & I am not ;-)

The Eye of the Storm - Australian Fred Schepisi (The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Six Degrees of Separation) is arguably one of the greatest living film directors, but because he occasionally has to pay the bills (ahem, It Runs in the Family), he never gets the credit he deserves. His latest, about a brother and sister vying for their mother’s inheritance, got rave reviews at the recent Melbourne International Film Festival, as did his sterling cast: Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis and Charlotte Rampling. FYI, I am a huge fan of Geoffrey Rush. Met him last year after The King’s Speech. Charmer.

Drive - This thriller about a Hollywood stuntman (Ryan Gosling) who commits a crime in order to help out a neighbour (Carey Mulligan) has already been anointed the next big thing by critics who saw it at Cannes. Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn (the Pusher trilogy, Bronson) apparently pulls out all the stops and shows today’s Hollywood hacks how to do action right. Let’s hope the critics weren’t just drunk on French wine. FYI, Gosling is Canadian. I support Canadian content!!

Take This Waltz - Sarah Polley returns to the director’s chair after her great Alice Munro adaptation Away From Her. Those who’ve read the script for Take This Waltz, about three Queen West types (Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and Luke Kirby) who get caught up in a summer love triangle, say it’s an utterly different film, but every bit as nuanced. It’s also supposed to be quite the love letter to Toronto, which is clear in the three clips that recently debuted online. FYI, I generally like whatever Sarah Pollley is in, but I love what she directs even more. I look forward to seeing this one.

A Separation - This Iranian film won the Golden Bear for Best Film at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, and the award was well-deserved. Director Asghar Farhadi (About Elly) has fashioned a gripping and humane portrait of life in contemporary Iran by focusing on a fiercely personal legal battle between two couples. We can’t think of another recent film that more convincingly illustrates the limits of the law in achieving truth and justice. FYI - TIFF makes it possible to see many films from around the world that you would normally not be exposed to. This movie I would definitely go and see.

To round out those movies, I would also see From the Sky Down, the documentary from David Guggenheim about U2 and also PJ20: Pearl Jam 20 from the amazing Cameron Crowe.

Happy Movie Going!

A Trip to the California Science Academy: My three favourite...

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:37:02 -0400

A Trip to the California Science Academy: My three favourite things - Super 8MM + Jelly Fish & Gymnopedies No 1 = soothing video I made

Famous Quotes about San Francisco

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 23:46:00 -0400

Thanks to Lori for sending these to me. My favourite is this one (because it’s so true):

“The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco” - Mark Twain

“One day if I do go to heaven I’ll look around and say, ‘It ain’t bad, but it ain’t San Francisco.” – Herb Caen

Now there’s a grown-up swinging town. – Frank Sinatra

“The Bay Area is so beautiful, I hesitate to preach about heaven while I’m here.” - Billy Graham

“I love this city. If I’m elected, I will move the White House to San Francisco. I went to Fisherman’s Wharf and they even let me into Allioto`s. It may be Baghdad by the Bay to you, but to me it’s Resurrection City.” - Robert Kennedy

“I’m proud to have been a Yankee. But I have found more happiness and contentment since I came back home to San Francisco than any man has a right to deserve. This is the friendliest city in the world.” - Joe DiMaggio, at his fiftieth birthday party.

“You are fortunate to live here. If I were your President, I would levy a tax on you for living in San Francisco!” - Mikhail Gorbachev

“Your city is remarkable not only for its beauty. It is also, of all the cities in the United States, the one whose name, the world over, conjures up the most visions and more than any other, incites one to dream. - Georges Pompidou

“East is East, and West is San Francisco.” - O. Henry

“San Francisco has only one drawback. ”Tis hard to leave.” - Rudyard Kipling

“No city invites the heart to come to life as San Francisco does. Arrival in San Francisco is an experience in living” - William Saroyan

“What fetched me instantly (and thousands of other newcomers with me) was the subtle but unmistakable sense of escape from the United States.”
- H.L. Mencken

“It’s an odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be seen in San Francisco. It must be a delightful city and possess all the attractions of the next world” - Oscar Wilde

“Leaving San Francisco is like saying goodbye to an old sweetheart. You want to linger as long as possible.” - Walter Cronkite

“It’s simply a very romantic place. Just one look at any of those streets, and you couldn’t be anywhere else — it’s so beautiful, and there’s that location, and the sense of the free spirit. Who couldn’t become ravenous in such a place?” - Julia Child

“We’re crazy about this city. First time we came here, we walked the streets all day, all over town and nobody hassled us. People smiled, friendly-like, and we knew we could live here. We’d like to keep our place in Greenwich Village and have an apartment here, God and the Immigration Service willing. Los Angeles? That’s just a big parking lot where you buy a hamburger for the trip to San Francisco.” - John Lennon

“Isn’t it nice that people who prefer Los Angeles to San Francisco live there?” - Herb Caen

“If you’re alive, you can’t be bored in San Francisco. If you’re not alive, San Francisco will bring you to life.” - William Saroyan

Goodbye Toronto - I can’t wait for all these lovely people...

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 13:57:13 -0400

Can't wait till you visit!

My work girls.

Some fine Advertising women.

Love these guys!

My sister. My biggest fan.

My boys.

Advertisings finest

Edge!

Music lovers unite!

Sweet thing.

Goodbye Toronto - I can’t wait for all these lovely people to visit!

Campagnolo - Toronto

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 13:42:24 -0400

On a quick trip home, I recently visited the fairly new (8 months old) restaurant Campagnolo - good honest home cooked food. I believe it! My boyfriend and I sat at the chef’s bar (which we love to do) and were amazed by the food creations being prepared. Mainly an Italian style restaurant, we ate till we rolled out.

I definitely recommend this place to others - campagnolotoronto.com

Goodbye to a Spectacular View & Location

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 21:16:09 -0400

Thanks to Stephanie Street in Toronto for 12 twelve years - the great memories, the location to everything and the view. It’s been bittersweet. I am moving on up!

Sight Glass Coffee - San Fran

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:56:14 -0400

I ended up getting a place in SoMA (South of Market) about a week ago and the great thing is that I am already familiar with the area as this is where my friend lives. I like it. Gritty to start (at 8th Street) then cleans up as you get towards the Embarcadero. Lots of great bars and restaurants and little to no food/coffee chains.

This morning, on the reco of my friend, I checked out Sight Glass Coffee. I love coffee and have learned to appreciate it black, especially if it’s roasted, ground and brewed right. For sure, I am kind of a coffee snob. Basically these guys roast on sight and brew their coffee thru a Chemex - kind of like French Press but minus the press.The coffee I had was amazing - the El Salvador blend. Great hipster vibe, lots of room, great designed space and yummy pastries.

Buyer beware - if you are in a rush, this is not a place for you. They take their time brewing the Joe so it’s just right. Also to note, coffee is not piping hot - warm temp. only. And for those used to a $2.00 coffee, Sight Glass Coffee is more expensive - about $3.00 a cup depending on the size and type of brew. If you love coffee, it’s definitely a place you want to visit.

Ferry Building - San Fran

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 10:30:23 -0400

I had visited my friend a few times before I decided to move here and one of my favourite things to do is visit the Ferry Building. It’s a constant “go to” place and always on my “suggest list” when friends go to San Fran.

Located at the foot of Market Street, the Ferry Building was open in the late 1800s and was the hub for trains arriving from the east, and was also a port for ferryboats in the early 1900s during the goldrush.

Long and short of it, the automobile was introduced, the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge were built, so there was a decline in the use of ferryboats and train. Also, the double decker freeway was built across from the Ferry Building, casting a shadow on it’s beauty. Earthquake struck in the 1980s, freeway was torn down and the Ferry Building was put back into the spot light. Cleaned up and reno’d and here we are today.

Today, it’s so many things rolled into one! It’s an amazing food hall of local artisans who serve and sell the most amazing local food. You can also get local wine and kitchen supplies to be that chef you have wanted to be. Oh and don’t forget the cheese!

There are also a few great restaurants as well.

Outside of course, is the Farmer’s Market. It’s open Tuesday, Thursdays & Saturdays! There are so many amazing foods from the Bay area - lavender, strawberries, peaches, brussel sprouts, chicken, beef, herbs, etc. It’s a feast to any food lover and cook.

I like to run down there - about a 1.3 mile run - poke around, grab a snack (okay a freshly made pastry, don’t judge ) and then I run back home. It will definitely be a place I will go to regularly on my bike to buy my produce and support the local farmers.

If you have never been, you must go.

Information Source: www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com

Amerifriend

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:52:00 -0400

My best friend of over 15 years was thrilled that I was on this new adventure. She professed that her two favourite things about me moving were the following: me eating American snack food and me being her “Amerifriend”. I immediately laughed, because for the last 5 years I have been sending my US purchases to my girlfriend that I am going to work with. Funny how the tables have turned.

So what’s an Amerifriend you ask? Well here is one definition that I found on the WWW:

An American who lets a Canadian pal use his/her mailing address when shopping online, to skirt international shipping fees or restrictions, and then passes the item on by mail or in person.

Yep, I am officially an Amerifriend. I am going to be honest here - close friends and family only. I am not your mule. xo

Since I am moving to a very eco forward city, I tried my hardest...

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:25:00 -0400

Since I am moving to a very eco forward city, I tried my hardest to have no plastic. Alas, bubble wrap was still required. I only bought a roll of it and still came out with leftovers. Oh well, can’t win them all!

You've Got Friends

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:51:39 -0400

Since announcing my departure, I have had lots of emails/phone calls/carrier pigeon messages/faxes/texts from friends and family wanting to help - it’s been overwhelmingly amazing (if I can even use that term!). From packing to setting up dinner reservations, people have been extremely helpful.

This arrived today at my work:

A good friend of mine, who has a very big heart, reached out to me and was insistent on helping me out. So what did they do? They sent 25 boxes and tape to me. HIGH FIVE! Such a small thing but is so helpful right now - saves me from running to the LCBO to snag free liquor boxes OR spend money on boxes.

So a big thank you my friend (who shall remain anonymous) you have shaved at least 2 hours out of the next few days of my packing.

And THANK YOU to the rest of you who have taped something shut, made a reservation for me or just offered up random services - you are the best. XO

Memories of Ontario: Music that reminds us of Home

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:16:00 -0400

Memories of Ontario: Music that reminds us of Home:

I follow this guy Andrew (@WheresAndrew) who works for National Geographic on Twitter. He’s great because he travels around the world documenting his life thru his blog and twitter. These past few weeks he’s been traveling thru Ontario, taking in all she has to offer.

Like Metro Morning, Andrew opened up his blog to his readers asking to “Pick his Playlist: Ontario”. Readers responded with oodles of songs that reminded them of Ontario. So that made me think. What music reminds me of Ontario and what will I be listening to, to remind me of home? Well, here’s a snapshot of bands off the top of my head:

The Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, Neil Young, Sarah Harmer, Jim Cuddy, Shad, Metric, Shania Twain and Kathleen Edwards.

I attached the link (click the title) in case you were interested in what others had to share. It’s a great list and Andrew has his work cut out for him creating a new playlist! Happy listening!

Food Trucks - San Fran

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:41:57 -0400

Food Trucks - San Fran:

One thing I am so looking forward to when I move is FOOD TRUCKS. I love to eat and the popularity of Food Trucks in the US is on the rise. New York seems to have the best ones going, but I hear San Fran has a few gems. Toronto - not so much.

I dig the idea of checking your phone, seeing where their location is and boom! instant lunch!

What place would you take a visitor to in Toronto?

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:54:00 -0400

This question was recently asked by Matt Galloway, host of CBC Radio 1’s Metro Morning. I thought it was a great question, because he also wanted you to think beyond the regular tourist areas - St. Lawrence Market, ROM, Hockey Hall of Fame, etc.

I took up running seriously, over 10 years ago, and as a result, I have a good memory of how to get and navigate thru the Belt Line trail, Moore Park Ravine, Don Valley Trail, etc. I love all of these, as they provide great opportunity to run in green space throughout the city. Did you know you can run/bike/walk from Cherry Street up the Don Valley Trail to Sunnybrook hospital? It’s a great adventure - I highly recommend it.

So where would I take my visitor? On a nice shaded walk thru the Belt Line. It’s nice on a summer’s day - lots of shade, runners, cyclists, families, dogs, etc.

A nice gem in the heart of Toronto - The Belt Line

Current Motto: Purge. Move. Pack. Repeat. Since signing on the...

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:38:00 -0400

w/o July 4

w/o July 11

w/o July 18

Current Motto: Purge. Move. Pack. Repeat.

Since signing on the dotted line June 27, things have been moving in the fast lane. Packing has become first priority, along with purging and donating stuff, and moving items to my Mom’s house for storage. Each week, my apartment gets leaner and meaner with my belongings. I honestly thought I was a living a simple life. That’s a lie. I am not a hoarder, but I can tell you I have acquired 10 whisks over time (which I am still keeping!) and numerous pairs of socks. Life lessons: buy only what you need. KISS - keep it simple stupid.