Take Off! My Life and Times in Toronto
My life and work in Toronto, Canada.
My life and work in Toronto, Canada.
My employer sent an email out last night warning employees not to come into work until 1pm today. Apparently, there was a bomb threat! Several employees expressed concern that this was a cover for a massive layoff -- so far no one's gone.
 | In today's The Globe and Mail is an short article about the delays in building a terminal for the "Breeze" twin-hull ferry which has arrived in the Toronto area now. I hope they get this sorted out before Anne and the kids get up here. |
CNN, proving itself to be the flagship of American journalism, is running a headline about an NYU undergrad who has been sleeping in the NYU Library for eight months. Why they think this is news, let alone a headline is beyond me. In times of economic distress, undergrads do all kinds of things to survive. I recall Russ Brenner living at WRPI for about half a year during the Reagan "boom years". That someone cannot afford housing today is hardly news.
PS. Dude ... read From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler before trying this stunt again.
Charles Schmalzried alerted me to an ad in the Dallas Morning News (page 14L, Sunday edition) for my grandparent's old home in West Highland Park. It's back on the market for $469,000. A virtual tour is available. It's pretty disgusting to think we sold that home in 1989 for $133,000. I wanted to buy it and finance it through my great uncle, but he wasn't interested in hanging on to the property and was queerly obesessed with liquidating the place. It was on the market from the start of the Texas Oil Crash of '86 right up to the end of the Savings and Loan Crisis of 1989.
From the ad, it sounds like a lot of money was poured into the place. The photos bear this out:
Flying to Dallas today, arriving around 6p at D/FW.
Friday night Anne and I are going out to celebrate being married for 14 years. You have been warned.
Saturday morning is Alanna's belt test in McKinney.
Sunday is Leo's BD party at Allen Natatorium.
As per last trip, I will not have a car so getting around will be difficult. If you want to see me, plan on driving to McKinney!
The Toronto Maple Leafs start the second round play offs tonite against Philadelphia.
If you've known me for a long time, the previous statement should shock and alarm you. I've never had much interest in "men on ice with sticks", but the whole Toronto experience has me caught up in the playoff fever. (That, and the fact that the fans are everywhere like corner preachers.) I actually watched most of the play off games (admittedly, every restaurant in town has a TV -- or ten -- tuned to the games), and saw most of the game winning goals being scored.
I'm hoping Toronto faces off Dallas (not much chance) and beats the Stars for the Stanley Cup. Hey, I can dream, can't I?
Anne and I were married by a JP in our home in McKinney fourteen years ago today. I won't be home until tomorrow evening, so I can't be with her on this special day, but I want her and everyone to know how much I love her, and how much she and our family mean to me. The essence of being married is knowing that someone else cares about you, and children make the bond that much more special. I'm very happy to say that I'm very much married to Anne Rohn Gerard!
PS. No, she didn't make me say this ;-) ! ("Youse guys"|"Y'all" know her too well)
My son Leo is nine today! His birthday party is this Sunday, delayed so I can attend and also to not be on a weekday. Happy birthday, Leo!
I'm going to come back to Dallas for a long weekend on the 6th of May. I was planning on going to Niagara-on-the-Lake again with Barbara, but my daughter has an all day adventure at Six Flags Over Texas and I can chaperon (it's band related) if I fly home the night before, so I am. This fits nicely into the "go home every two weeks" promise I made a while back, too.
So my return weekends to Dallas are:
And the added bonus of 6-6-2004 flying the whole family up to Toronto for two weeks (split in CN and NY).
I'm flying home this Thursday (3.30p departure from Toronto, arrive at 6p in D/FW) for another three day layover. I'll be in town until Sunday evening, when I catch the 7.30p flight back to Toronto.
While I haven't got any big projects in mind for the weekend (other than fixing computers), I do plan to attend Alanna's belt test on Saturday morning, Leo's birthday party on Sunday, and Anne and I will celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary sometime during this shore leave.
According to this article, the "Spirit of Ontario" high speed catamaran ferry had an accident in NYC on April 1, delaying the service past it's May 1st start date.
It looks like the fares (one way) are $28/adult and $10/kid, plus $40/car. A family of four in a car costs $116 each way. This is actually less than I expected. The travel company isn't touting this as a shorter trip (it is, to a large extent) but rather as a way to take a "mini-cruise" across Lake Ontario. The boat's amenities sound awesome.
I'll probably take my family on it when we go down to Anne's mother's home in early June.
PS. It's 151 miles from Whitney Point, NY to the Rochester docks, and 239 miles from Troy, NY. That turns into (roughly) 2 1/2 hours of driving from Whitney Point and four hours from Troy plus the 2 1/2 hours on the ship to Toronto. My best time on the road is 5 1/3 hours from WP and around 8 hours from Troy. It's definitely shorter (it cuts the driving in half for Troy!) in terms of drive time.
More info about the ferry is located here.
Mike Jones (of Plano), you stood me up! I was at the Benihana, just like we planned, but you weren't there! Instead, I chatted with some Oracle dba from Keller, TX.
The Benihana in the Royal York Hotel is in downtown Toronto, the regal gem of the town's hotels. Valet parking is free if you order an entree, so I took advantage. The restuarant is embedded in the west end of the hotel's ground/basement floor, so it's a stretch to look "Japanese" like the Dallas Benihana. Dark and somewhat boxy, the teppana tables are standard.
The food was largely as expected ... better than the Dallas restaurant but slightly different from the Las Colinas restaurant, which is still my favorite.
I loved this musical! It's always fun when you know the songs, but to hear ABBA classics twisted around and inverted ("Take a Chance On Me" is turned into a song about a young man hitting on an older woman, for instance, instead of the original where an older man rebuffs a younger girl) made them sound fresh again. The Toronto cast is great, and I was reminded of why live performances are so unique and special compared to movies.
Go see this if you can!
There's an article in the New York Times today about rivals Nvidia and ATI Technologies. Interesting read.
Some of you might wonder what my employer is paying me the big bucks to do up here. Well, now I can reveal the truth (thanks to my digital camera).
I watch Elmo's World. I call it "Hell-mo's World" but it's essentially the same show, just repeated until one goes starkers.
It starts with Elmo singing his theme song, which is probably only slightly less annoying than Barney's giggle, while the camera pans onto his "building".
Everything in Elmo's World is a crayon drawing brought to life (except, unfortunately, that evil hand puppet that is Elmo). Consequently, Elmo's World is, first and foremost, a learning annex for kids who want to draw on walls with crayons.
In the clip that I have to watch (over and over again), Elmo says hello to his fish, which (astonishingly) does not reply. This causes Elmo to open wide and belch like a cannon. (I wish ... this is just Elmo deep into a vowel sound):
Finally, Elmo's door dialates the same way you'd expect it to if you're into your 2nd gram of LSD, and lo and behold, behind it are a gaggle of kids. Elmo's favorite snack. Dig in, Elmo! Mmmm ... them's good eats!
Sometimes I wonder if I'm getting paid enough, but then I think of the fellows at DG Systems who have to watch every single TV commercial in North America, and I realize that perhaps my pay's not too bad afterall -- but Elmo Must Die.
I noticed that Castle Computers, formerly of Latham, NY, has moved to Niskayuna, NY on Route 7. And they're still an Apple dealer. I bought my first Mac from them twenty years ago.
If you visit them, tell 'em Russ sent you.
I'm seeing a lot of Canadian Geese these days.
Mind you, that's practically UFO spotting for me since I get outside about twice a day ... and that's just to get back to the RI. Canadian Geese (for I suppose these monstrous, grey and black flying things are, in fact, Canadian) are, let me be blunt, large. I didn't realize anything that size could fly without kerosene and turbine engines.
You'll be standing outside, minding your business (i.e. bundling up just a bit more because it's even colder than you can imagine for April) and you'll hear, off in the distance, the sound of Italian drivers. Honking. Honking. HONKING.
Then, like a swarm of Mitsubishis, they dart overhead, flapping madly, just the way you'd imagine penguins would if they could fly, and for the same reason. These damn big birds are too big to fly! They called Hughes' wooden monster the Spruce Goose for the same reason -- nothing that big should be airborne.
Everytime they've gone overhead, I've stopped in my tracks and just watched them go by ... quietly honking off into the distance. Fascinating.
Stumbling around Slashdot I noticed a story about a web site offering advice on Installing Linux on a Dead Badger. Now, I'm pretty badger saavy for an American, having heard about Badger Watch on the BBC and all, but this was a new twist on the whole mounted animal nature trail concept.
Don't take my word for it ... Joe Bob sez check it out.
Larry Niven's seminal Ringworld is one of the SciFi Channel's upcoming minseries, according to Cinescape. I'm thrilled to hear this ... the technology to render the story is finally available. I only hope the staggering scales of the artifact and the story can be conveyed accurately.
I was watching TVO tonight (the Ontario PBS), and I actually sat through a sports review of the NHL playoff. The back-and-forth ended with the journalists' predictions of the final contenders for the Stanley Cup.
I (for one) am rooting for Toronto ... go Maple Leafs!
 | Just a reminder to all ... this weekend ATI is closed on Friday (Good Friday holiday) so I will be travelling to RPI and the Capital District that morning (a delightful 6hr drive). I plan to hook up with the Kraus family, the Jones family, Mike Weisberg, and Bob Oldendorf. Any other takers? Bob sez Aaron Heller will be in town that weekend, too. It could be quite the WRPI reunion. Now, where did I put my roller-skates and hat? |
 | In the morning, we took off for brunch in Greektown. This is a part of Toronto east of the Don Valley Parkway that is famous for it's Greek restaurants and shops. Recently, it was featured in the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding (the family diner and some of the stores in the film are on Danforth Street in Greektown). Like many movie stars, Nia Vardalos (the star of the film) is a Toronto native. We drove down the DVP in far better weather than the night before and into Greektown. It is an endless run of small shops, stores and restaurants. The street signs are themed in Greek and feature the colors of the Greek flag. Clearly, this must be a wonderful place to visit during Greek Festivals. |
We found a small establishment called the Vive Restaurant and Cafe on Danforth that offered a brunch menu.
We got the last table, right near the door. I was a bit put off because it was so very cold today and the wind blew raw. Fortunately, only one party came into the restaurant after us, and before the food arrived and could be chilled. Barbara was spying the menu when I stole the opening photo of her. She ordered bagel and lox, and I asked for an egg on salmon with béarnaise sauce. It was fabulous. The service was poor, what with one girl doing all the tables, but we didn't mind as the food was good and the people watching was (as always) interesting.
After the meal, I noticed we had parked in front of the Communist Party of Canada, nestled about the Greek-Canadian Democratic Organization. No doubt, I'm on Ashcroft's list for certain now. It's a wonder I was allowed to cross the border later that day ;-).
Barbara spotted another interesting shop called Fermentations on the Danforth. This was a hint of the day to come, with the theme and the aria being wine.
On Sunday afternoon I drove Barbara to Niagara-on-the-Lake, a small Victorian town on the shores of Lake Ontario at the Niagara river. The town is largely a collection of antique shoppes, bed and breakfasts and businesses oriented toward the Shaw Festival which runs from April thru December.
We visited the Shaw Shop and found some nice gifts for family (no, you can't have them yet!).
I began asking shop salespersons where we could get dinner with the local specialty icewine. The answer, over and over, was "the Vinyards".
We ended up at a Vinter (Wine County Vinters) owned by Peller Estates Vinyard where we taste tested three Peller icewines. I've finally found wine that I genuinely enjoy. Icewine is made from frozen grapes, and has a sweetness far in excess of normal wines. The bottles are substantially smaller than normal wine bottles, and the price is rather more like a liquor than a wine. But it's worth it.
At the vinter, we were told of tours at Peller Estate Vinyards ... and if we hurried, we could make the tour ... so ...
 | After the tip at Wine County Vinters, we drove the short ride to Peller Estates Winery to partake of the 4:30 tour. The current slogan here is the road to our winery took 75 years to build. |
What started as a whim became a fabulous afternoon adventure. The new vinyard facility was built two years ago for $10M, but it looks "shrink wrap" new and ten times that price. The main entrance boasts a warm lobby with a large fireplace.
To the left is a receptionist and the wine store.
The view from the lobby reveals the short entrance road and some of the vineyards.
The basement has a showroom quality to it, with the oak barrels laid out elegantly in a gorgeously lit room.
The tour guide explained the general parameters of aging wine, the kinds of wood and flavoring they impart on the wine. We were the only people on the tour (it seemed like the entire place was ours) so we could ask any questions that came to mind.
As the tour came to an end, we went back to the bar in the "Library" where we were offered tasting (again).
After the tour, we took a peek in the restaurant ...
and couldn't resist having dinner there afterall. We sat next to the veranda, where we had a fantastic view of the main vineyard.
 | I had heard, around the office, that of all the tourist traps in Canada, Niagara Falls takes the cake. Who am I to argue? This place is a zoo. A nut house. A carnival. A miniature Vegas. It's loud, tacky, in-your-face and a blast. |
The main tourist drag through Niagara Falls is called Clifton Hill, which starts at Falls Ave. and goes up to Ferry Street. On this two block stretch, which goes up with a steep incline, are all the tacky museums, shows and attractions on the Canadian side.
Popular around the world, the Guinness World Records Museum has a couple of gimmicks out front to draw in the crowds. The heaviest of them is a 10,000 lbs. granite sphere suspended on a cushion of water that you can spin with your hands.
At the bottom of Clifton Hill Rd., you have a spectacular view of the American Falls and the elevator system that transports tourists down to the Niagara River where the Maid of the Mist awaits them. Alas, she is not running until May.
Barbara and I visited Niagara Falls on Saturday. It was her first visit to the Falls, and my second. We started on the American side (I met her in Buffalo, NY where she parked her car for the weekend), driving to Goat Island where I took this photo of the Canadian Falls from the American side.
We went over the Rainbow Bridge and spent the bulk of the day in Niagara Falls, Ontario, which neither of us had been to before.
Our first stop was to see the Falls from the Canadian vantage point. When I first saw the falls in 2002 from the American side, I was impressed with the view. I was even more impressed with the view from the Maid of the Mist. But the Canadian view is truly the best. You can see the full Horseshoe Falls (the Canadian Falls) and the American Falls face-on.
I took a photo of Barbara while standing as close to the Niagara River as she could stand (she got dizzy watching the water race by). The water is racing towards the drop off with no hint of the height of the Niagara Escarpment.
The American Falls appeared to have gained two large ice sculptures (or stalagmite) in front of the Falls themselves (seen in the middle of this photo).
The promenade along the Canadian side is quite long, running from above the Horseshoe Falls all the way to the Rainbow Bridge. We walked to the Horseshoe and about 1/2 km further south before turning around in the bitter cold and mist. We saw the array of spotlights used to illuminate the Falls, as well as the southern tier hotels (shown in this photo).
But that's taking us to Niagara Falls, Ontario ... which is another blog entry.
Note: this blog entry is not a summary of our entire weekend ... there's lots more to come.
Saturday night, after driving back to Toronto (Barbara's first visit there) to the RI, I called in a reservation at Le Sélect, a French Bistro restaurant in downtown Toronto. We were offered at 9:30pm table-for-two, which we accepted.
It was a dark and rainy night, so the drive down the twisty, winding Don Valley Parkway was perhaps a little bit more exciting that Barbara wanted. Nonetheless, we arrived intact downtown. I exited the Gardiner Expressway at Spadina Ave., and we ambled up to Queen St. where Le Sélect is.
The restaurant is a very upscale replica of an authentic Parisian bistro. It features a zinc bar as part of it's authentic Paris look and feel. I found this quote on the webpage rather amusing:
We were seated near the back, in an intimate corner where the wall seating wrapped the corner. The walls are decorated with replicas of various jazz concert and artshow posters from all eras, but not in excess. The clientele was urban eclectic, which was a delight for me. Back in Collin County, it seems like everyone is the same in almost every possible way. Here, there were young and old from multiple cultures and races ... it was very refreshing to see.
The menu is very traditional, and features many lamb dishes. I had a goat cheese salad with a raspberry vinaigrette (the menu lists it as Salade frisée au chèvre chaud) dressing. The cheese is lightly toasted onto the greens, which was a very nice touch. The baked onion soup (the menu lists it as Soupe à l'oignon gratinée) is very good ... not a salty, bland soup you'd expect at an American restaurant.
For a main course I had (of course) the Alberta 8 oz. cut (the menu lists it as Pavé de boeuf de l'Alberta). It was quite good, and the sauce was rich and delicate. The peppercorn was very subtle, not like versions of this dish where the peppercorn is seared onto the meat. It was filling without being too much (nutrition tip: 8 oz. is a lot of meat!).
I finished off with zee Chocolate Mousse, which Barbara pointed out is really just a pricy chocolate pudding. True, but still ... mmmmmm ... Chocolate Mousse.
Barbara picked up the meal (thanks again!). All through the meal I kept thinking about how much Anne will like this place when she comes to visit in June!
