Two weekends ago...

Times are a changin' no matter what, restless minutes are over and traces fade away, as my disappearing henna tattoo is (not) here to testify anymore.

Two weekends ago, it was sunfest : an international music festival held in London over 4 days. Four days of togetherness, of auditive orgasms, of crazy dancing but mostly of awesome people. TO summarize it was basically a race... 3, 2, 1 GO

FRIDAY :  as I was driving to London, the excitement built up and as soon as I hit a parking spot (before the actual one, in a visitor's parking spot) I knew it would be epic. Racing already to find P so that I would go park the rented car legally, I caught a glimpse of some of the vendors and I went straight to the office where I found everyone. Greetings... and we're on our way to park Lady B (I don't know why but I'll name the car like this). Driving, parking, changing and then the office again for some duty planning : donations. That sounds good to me, I'll be able to watch/dance during the concert and get money for sunfest.

So we start our wandering around, first to get lunch and then for me to settle at the Jazz stage in order to  get the first donations. Kaja, Alpha, Delhy 2 Dublin : it's 40°C outside and we're rocking the earth already, I'm sweaty and dancing but getting some donations. Music feeds me up.

I'm joined later by P for a little dancing sesh and then we hit the office again to drop the jar and go to the beer tent for our evening. I had forgotten : we first do a big round for P so that she gets more work done before we take a rest (and a beer, or more). After that we grab some foody food, mine is Nicaraguan and delicious.

Finally we get to the Galaxy stage and we dance (Samba... watered by D with his watergun) we also went to check out the bandshell because Delhi 2 Dublin was playing again, in front of a huge crowd : not bad for a friday night (let's see what saturday has in reserve).

More dancing and more cheerfulness before going back home for a sweeeeeeeeeeeet shower.

SATURDAY : well let's start on a brand new note, saturday will be better, faster, stronger??? Indeed. We all get ready, pack stuff, grab a McDick (oups McDo) and then head out to Victoria Park. I think it's around 11 and we start freaking out because P's dad, who's supposed to play, thinks he has lost his bag. Everyone is looking for it, everywhere, a message is sent to the crew.... while the bag just decided to hide in the car...
So event and storm under control we all proceed to the stage and cheer A up. The Antler River Project, a good start to the day. And then again we all proceed to our specific duties. I grab a jar and I start going from stage to stage, dancing, and cheering the artists : Locos por Juana, Mdungu, Le Vent du Nord, Los Gateiros..., Palo Cruzao..., Lazo. Running around all day, I proceed to the Galaxy stage at one point, grad D's watergun and then try to fill it up, looking for a damn tap... "behind the stage he tells me" ok sure. On my way there ooooh well hello there T from FAF, under that tent it's sweaty, greetings and of course no tap... I proceed and try to find one. So I had to get out of the beer tent and I made my way somewhere. I think I first went to the Jazz stage and then to the abouttown stage and finally to the centre stage where I found A and started dancing. Joined by little P we keep going, I get donations and then we head out. I'm not sure how it goes from there, but I think I went to the Galaxy stage cause FAF was playing and I wanted to dance (check them out cause after that there's usually nothing in your mind except the funk : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYMdwuaf-Xk ) !!!! P joined in too for some fun and after that we went back to the car to change and get some food. But then we had to go to the bandshell to pay a tribute to one of the volunteer who passed away. We finally made it to our final destination for the night (as per usual) the beer tent and discovered LA CHIVA GANTIVA (check them out, they're freakinnnn' awesome: http://www.lachivagantiva.com/ ).

We were joined by friends and during one of the intermission we made our way out to get henna tats. Well, it was busy as hell!!!! So we went to get some food, (I got a pina colada smoothie) and finally checked out Les tambours de Brazza: what a show!!!!!! Those guys are just amazing, rhythmically speaking and show-wise. After that we finally made our way back to the Henna place when ooooh well Hello there D from FAF.... talking, and challenging... let's get henna on your face (not ours). So tattoo, and WARRIOR BALANCE GAME introduced to a new community.

Then we went back to the office to see what was next and we finally ended up going to the bar Scott's corner. Settling there, and shots of Tequila... well I turn to P and I just confirm : "I'm not driving tonight" and the evening of fun began. We actually joined the band members of FAF for an epic night of fun. Beer, games, history of Newfoundland and we're out (let's just mention stories in the washroom without actually mentioning them, but just not to forget : it involved T, P and I, the men's washroom, a visit and....... that's it.) Going back upstairs and bumping into the waitress ("You've got to be fucking kidding me" that's what she said) we kept drinking and talking, I started doodling while D was explaining and playing Warrior balance with the guys when someone came and announced that we had 10 mins to go. Finishing beers and getting out. FIRST HALF TIME = OVER

SECOND HALF-TIME : we're out, and figuring out what's next, P is on T's back, I'm whistling and comparing whistles and then we decide to walk back to the hotel. Crossing streets, videotaping everything, arabesque and all... We get to the hotel for an epic entrance and a funny ride in the elevator.
Hotel Room n°1213 and we keep going. Stories, band aids being replaced, and we decide to go back downstairs. We're out, playing warrior balance and chilling when I decide to hide T's flip flops. 3 hours later (JK) we all go back upstairs (oooh we played hot and cold for the shoes). We're in the room, googles on, and some hiding happens again. Challenge : you have 10sec to hide. For sure : 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 DONE : efficiency level 10 power 10.

You have 10 mins to find them.... 10 mins later after having led T in weird places (the fridge????) inside the toilet... I gave them back and we finally went downstairs to go home. We grabbed a cab (not the executive ones, way too expensive). We got home, walked and rested nicely...

WELLL now SUNDAY:

After a few, very few hours of sleep, we're up, and getting stuff ready for the day. Mostly : the work is to get the food vouchers ready and to file paperwork. After that we all go to Victoria park and I think it's around 12 when we get there. I went to the abouttown stage and started rounds of donations to the sound of La Chiva and Le vent du nord (Maybe Palo Cruzao too). As per usual awesome dancing good times and then with A we went to get some food, while joined by P (oooh burrito: they were delicious, I kept one for later). Then we walked to the bank and got some money. After that P not feeling good because of a bad Timmy's went to take a nap. I kept walking around and got to the Galaxy stage for Les tambours de Brazza. After that I went to change and joined P again. Some of her friends were there so they decided to walk around and we decided to go check out FAF (after the night gnaaaahahaha). Dancing/donations... everything goes fabulously like a pony on that day!!!!

After FAF at 3:45 I think we walked around to get food and then we went to the galaxy stage to chill. From that moment on, I went 1. to get a scarf, cause it was chilly (yeah 35°C gave me the shivers), 2. Food : I had cuban food). On my way back after grabbing water from the office, I went back to the tent where almost out of nowhere, I got stopped and had to take over the eco station for a bit. La Chiva is playing, I'm just dancing with the garbage... Finally he came back and I made my way to the stage to dance. After them Locos por Juana played and A joined in for some dancing before going because of other duties. We got some rest and got ready for our last round with FAF : A & A finally joined in, A played with them for a good session. This time was fantastic, the music, the people, the energy the show : sunfest, everybody loves sunfest ;)

No more voice, I speak like Amy Whinehouse, we all grab our stuff from backstage and we get out of the beer tent. Meeting up with people, we decide to get some food and to walk around. We finally get to hospitality where we grab a beer and enjoy the after party. Everyone is congratulating everyone, sharing good times and we then all depart for Winks. We arrive there, of course, before that we went to the car, had some pee/changing stories but... So we walk to the bar and once there all share drinks on the patio : conversation on and on, we can here the drummer's talking pchhhhhpadapadapadapada, tchhhh),  12/8, smash turbo, some cream stories (weird), energy on stage, collaborations... After quite some time, we're asked to finish and leave. We all get out (some did not understand that we had to leave without the drinks...) It's ok, we're all out saying goodbye (I don't even know why because we all went the same way...) So we're out, we do say goodbye to A and then TT opens the newspapers box and get his bag of chips mixed and matched hidden earlier. We all start to walk back and across the park. We sing, we dance, we stop by the van cracking some jokes... and again start walking. Some of us wanted to visit a church (quite normal) some of us were doing headstands... walking around. We finally get to the hotel, epic entrance, we're about 20 people, we all fit in one elevator and start singing "I like to move it move it...". the elevator jumps around too and we stop at the 5th... wrong stop or just a pause before others grab stuff from their room to come back up. 7th floor : who pressed the wrong button!!!! Keep going, keep going... We all get out and finally make it to the 12th... Trying to be silent, and then 20 people get in the room. Putain : "on est 20 et y'en a encore 20 qui arrivent...." We all start to hang out, play music, take pictures, tales of lives, experiences and then photoshoots!!!! People start going home and after a good time we do the same. But before, we all get out to grab food and drinks at the closest subway : 1 footlong italian BMT... and finally hit a cab......
Until I realize, once at home, that I left my camera case with the rented car keys in it, in the washroom at the hotel.... I quickly send a message and then go to bed with a sub... It's morning time 8:53, I check my message ASAP, nothing and I get out to tell Paula about it. We start thinking (in the fuzziness of that morning) that we should call the hotel in order to know if they checked out... They did, we ask about the case... nothing was found... Ok well, I'm going down there to check. We leave with A, P's mom and I. Bus station, hotel. I go up, room 1213 ooops ;) and nothing... So I decide to go back to Victoria Park and before that I make a quick stop at the subway, maybe I somehow left it there (but no, my brain has an impressive memory capacity). I get to Victoria Park and call Paula. She tells me they have it at the front desk because she got a message from D who told her that T sent an email saying so. Back to the hotel, I get to the front desk and I get my camera while they're trying to figure out who stayed there... I'm like... I don't know :)   !!!! I get out of the hotel and P joins me. We go for breakfast, before I hit the road to go back to reality.

JUST EPIC ;)

The Antler River Project

Lazo : "everybody loves SUNFEST"

Le vent du Nord: bien rafraîchissant

FAF : rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrockin baby

Hey critic notepad upside down... "I think that break had too many notes in it..."

FAF

LA CHIVA GANTIVA

Henna on your face : for sure

Fresh Henna!!

Locos por Juana

A taste of France tonight... a crême brûlée, cracked à la Amélie

And yes, this is the third post in what... 2 days not even, that's in order to make it up to the days and actually months when I don't write...

So tonight my parents were invited by the most amazing friends (sorry people in France these guys were pretty awesome tonight, I still love you preeeeetty much) to the Bauer Kitchen in Waterloo. We already knew the restaurant was amazing, food is great, as much as the service, but tonight was the night.

I had already been there and tried their gnocchi with their chianti Sangiovese (I don't know why it's not on the online menu anymore but it was a great combination). This was a really good dinner. The second time was a work dinner and I just went with pasta and water (not the best for sure, but that was a different setting... and I was training for my half-marathon too)

But tonight, tonight...

So we get in the restaurant, and the waitress sends us to a huge wooden table with 8 red seats. We have a huge, huge table, and I felt like we would have to scream so that we would be able to hear each other. We all sit down, get settled and two things happen, almost simultaneously. First, P sees the flyers "Oy Oy Oysters, from 5pm to 8pm only! Get your Oysters". "It's 7:53, where is the server..." Yeap they did get them but no I did not try Oysters...(my education in terms of seafood, prevented me from doing so... unless I can see the sea I'm not eating seafood...). But that's not the only thing that happened tonight.
Secondly, our waiter, realized we all spoke french and started speaking in french "un petit peu" but he did an amazing job... The tone was set, we were all happy and food already sounded delicious.

Ordering :
I don't remember everyone's order but I'll just describe mine and let you know how fantastidiously good it was (yes, a combination of fantastically ridiculously good). I ordered the :


DUCK CONFIT : crispy duck legs, roasted mini potatoes, squash & parsnips, dark chicken jus and plum orange compote

This just sounded amazing, canard doré et craquant au confit d'orange accompagné de ses minis pommes de terre rôties, panais... jus ce cuisson et compotée d'orange et de prune.

Yeah, how do you feel about that????

Of course, such a meal cannot but come with a good wine (red of course). My nose is sniffing the wine list up and down searching for a perfect worded match and the MacMannus Petite Shiraz (USA california) just caught my attention (Yeah I know the actual caption did... but they mentioned Tim Burton and when mentioning Tim Burton if it's not good it's screwed...) So I settled with this Californian wine and I must say, when my food arrived, everything just combined perfectly.

The duck was roasted and crispy on the outside as perfectly as it could be... The veggies cooked or braised --it would be more appropriate-- had this perfect relation with the meat and the wine just enhanced all the qualities of this meal. A taste of old France right there, on my palate, I couldn't believe it. The sauce, the potatoes, the meat and the wine. A combination of flavors each adding what the other just needed to make it whole (holy????).

So we discussed before and after... Food was so good that you could hear the silence right at the first "bouchées". No, we did talk after the discoveries. I did "savouré" my meal and my wine, but the conversation was going on. We talked about wine, food, school. Life in general, marriage, and P and T had an idea : to tell the waiter to celebrate my parents anniversary!!!! They offered us CHAMPAGNE... So we enjoyed our "coupe" de champagne and all got some more amazing food : dessert = crême brûlée--for some--, fruit bowls, cheesecake. I broke my crême brûlée with the tip of my spoon and I did feel like I was reliving a scene from Amélie.... *sigh*

We talked more, and shared one of the most amazing moments here in waterloo again!!!!! Thanks wonderful friends, you rock!!!

Our waiter was asked by S where he learnt french and of course at UW with T.S and KLF (entre autres). It couldn't be someone else, because after all these years, he was still able to speak it!!!!

PS : go to the Bauer Kitchen it's just the best for real food.
(http://www.charcoalgroup.ca/main8.cfm?id=81A91C56-F8FB-C24C-5AFB957C2A5DB66F)

Coleeeeeeny out ========>

Incongruity

Being in another country, how funny is that, well sometimes it can be pretty funny. You never remember those moments of loneliness when trying to figure out how things work??? Well here is a reminder as I observe my parents... confused

First thing first, or not necessarily, but still : new car, new ways and still they all work the same way right??? So we're driving and my dad is looking at the ventilation (it's closed). Well there is a little piece on it and you know, it's the one that makes it go from side to side... well he is trying really hard to open the ventilation with this one... until he figures out that it's actually the rolling one on the side that actually opens it... Bazinga the car tricked him

Then of course doors, well we are always confronted to doors (open, closed, sometimes you think they're open and WHAM you just hit it, face first...). This one always happens, so you're at the door and instead of pushing you're pulling or the inverse when you have to do the reverse thing. It happened to my mom, of course... One trick guys if there's a handle, it usually is pull, when it's a bar it usually is push. Or try to think ahead and look for the sign ;)

Another random one, you're in the washroom you just went and now you want to wash your hands... Usually you think that turning the tap is what makes it work. So I'm on the left side, my mom is on the right and she's turning the tap... I stop, I tell her to look at me and then I pull the tap towards me... Yeap that's another trick right ;)

I guess I can come up with many stories like this and you too... so please, share and let us enjoy a good laugh....

PS: pictures of the coolest book ever, it's a point it book, buy it and all you have to do is point to the thing you want ;)

Coleeny out ==========>

Balls' view??.... at Ball's falls

Ball's view oh wait no Ball Falls' Conservation area with some canadian nuts in the air...

Well well well, how to start a day and how to end it??? You can never control it. Just to set the tone, it was on sunday, parents visiting from France and a day trip planned ahead. Starting early with some hearty breakfast : the hungryman's delight (3 eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast and coffee); and slowly moving to a cruising drive down 401/403/QEW and the vineyard region of Niagara Falls.

Nothing fancy you must say. Well I wouldn't agree more if it weren't for some quite disturbing sightings.

Tawse winery had this magnificent castle entrance, you felt like entering a vineyard-- of course not the Fffrrrench way but you know canadian way of saying yeah bitches we grow wine down there soooooo big doors, pathways, huge fountain, big wooden doors for the building etc. My palate couldn't get any of the exhilarating sweetness and flavors of these wines but my nose quite enjoyed them. Starting or mostly stopping with the Cabernet Franc icewine. This raspberry/strawberry (berries mostly) perfume just took my heart away....

One glass of Pinot, one glass of Chardonnay, one glass of each of their icewine later, we tried to hit the road again. Unfortunately the rain hit it first. We waited for a few more minutes inside and then head out and took the Ford Fusion again (opening sunroof, just so you know).

Next on the list was Calamus: different style, different taste, but still as good as one can get. Again what struck my attention was the description of a Cabernet Franc from 2009. Plum, cherry, balanced... these words resonated in my brain but also on my palate. I couldn't help but imagining those floods of tasty fluids in my mouth. So we gave it a try and apparently words can describe it pretty decently: a full-bodied wine, balanced...

Since we were trying to get things done around the region, we decided to go to the conservation area after (being an advanced time in the afternoon....) So there we were, walking to the upper falls, feeling like the last Mohicans, yes it does look like this...

Well there aren't much water left, but the sight was amazing. There was still another guy to have a look at so we went to the lower falls (27 m height). Crossing the park, the bridge, walking the pathways, crossing the heritage centre, an old church, an old barn, and the falls, it's pretty high man. Ohh wait is there someone praying down there...

I can see an orange bag, a white and blue striped form, and then I do turn my head cause I also thought that maybe someone fell or something... (I would have loved to). Nope... but a couple actually getting it on (or should I say in????), on the rocks. Yeap ball's view instead of ball's falls. Well that kinda made everything look.. should I say weird, I can't even find something to describe this moment perfectly I actually have no clue on what to say or how to say it. It was super random and they were just--of course-- not classy at all. To the details: so guy : shirt on (of course) white and blue (like a team's jersey), pants down, shoes on//Girl: black shirt and red dress (still on)... And to spice things up, I think I just found the word, animal (not bestiality not like something savage and stuff) but they looked like animals and kinda showing themselves off : doggy-style.

That's it, Ball's view will be remembered for its falls and its "balls" (and not the actual brothers who were granted land by the British crown during the American revolution for being Loyalists...)


Well now, Coleeeeeny out ========>

La pastèque et l'estomac

Bien le bonsoir, oui pour une fois ce soir ce sera en français... Me direz-vous qui ne comprend pas l'anglais de nos jours... Certains d'entre nous le comprennent avec Les Experts (oui le doublage est tellement mauvais en français que l'on peut deviner les mots en anglais...) Enfin bref, ce n'est pas cela qui compte.

Une journée de plus à Waterloo, c'est quasiment la fin de l'entraînement pour le demi-marathon et les journées y ressemblent tout autant (à la course). Mais pas de façon négative, je dirai même mieux de façon positive. Pourquoi et bien parce qu'un cerveau qui se remplit, c'est un cerveau dynamisé et c'est tellement agréable de sentir les idées venir et partir, créer, écrire, réfléchir, rechercher et produire des essais. Essais qui finiront en présentation à des conférences, alors oui se lever à 5h45 tous les matins ça a du bon. Le meilleur moment, pour ceux qui doutent de mon point c'est ma petite pause du matin en allant à l'université. Un jour je vous mettrai une photo. Mais ça donne à peu près cela. Après avoir roulé de chez moi à University Avenue, je prends le trottoir, je rejoins ring road, puis je monte la côte qui va au Tatham Centre et là c'est le meilleur moment comme je l'ai dit. Le soleil (il est 7h10-20) caresse votre corps, et vos idées. Une bolée d'air frais??? Moi je rétorque qu'un coup de soleil le matin, ça passe bien aussi. Une minute tous les matins à apprécier la nouvelle journée et vous avez la patate pour toujours. Pas de redescente quand on commence ainsi.

Alors les amis, à la revoyure, c'était un petit message ensoleillé pour commencer votre nuit de rêve, bien que mes amis français tout autant que ma famille doivent être bien endormis à cette heure-ci.


Pour le réveil un petit conte :

La Pastèque et l'estomac

Il était une fois, une jeune fille ayant mal à l'estomac,

Gargouillis et grognement, son estomac était aux abois

Alors, elle y repensa...

"A quoi ?"

Me direz-vous,

Et bien à la pastèque qu'elle avala.

Un pépin en son sein et voilà!

Tout ce qu'elle produira,

C'est l'été, par sa bouche sucrée.

Ladybug... Maybe a male though ;)

Rocking stone

Soft as the sand, hard as wood, life (soft and solid)

Leaving a mark...

Oooh I see

Coleeeny ====> OUT

Le lévrier canadien

Greyhound,

Never mind them on the road, let them pass, they need to take you wherever you're going so you better let them roll or drive.
Toronto this weekend, somewhere else another week, as per usual friends take you places and create memories. This is why we love traveling and seeing friends wherever we can, wherever we are. Why stay in the same place when the friends you made across the Atlantic can now come and visit in, still, a complete different place from your original hometown.
The big "T" as hectic as usual. Its streetcars, its cars, its strollers, its bikers, riders, walkers, runners, everyone from everywhere, doing everything...
I hope everyone is chilling on a day like today, since this is what I'm doing right now, headphones on, "Salted Caramel Mocha" on the side and a nice and non-smelly new wallet (oh yeah cause of course I dropped my stinky rotten smoothie on it the other day).
This is what we all need sometimes. A break, from weeks of work, teaching 5 days a week, presentations and essays take you away from your pleasurable activities. For me it was writing, writing this blog but also writing on the typewriter. Well, maybe these times away actually make you like these moments even more. Still, I missed it and thursday night was just magic. The typing was just exhilarating. I'm glad I still have my half-marathon training, so that I can just escape for 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 or 13K and enjoy the ride with my running shoes, the wind and the sun.
This is what happened again last night, 6pm going home, putting the shoes on and woam, let's go, JUST DO IT that's so true, it feels so good. These are the best times ever. (Of course time with friends are awesome too...)

OOoh yeah, time with friends. Yes indeed, these ones are not bad, especially on days like St Paddy's day. Breakfast and beer, marking and then chilling with friends, more drinking, more talking. Chilling on a sunny day on the patio of the house. And then when the drinks start to kick in some food chasin' at "ish and chips" because of course the "F" fell... (Ooh wait no, it's the actual name). The night was punctuated by the sound of sirens, these poor firemen must have taken care of a lot of drunken asses... A good night with friends indeed!

With K and P on the patio

Me and Lil'P

Look @ that M*****F***** glass

;)

Let them rule (or roll by the end of the night)

Enjoy life people,

Sur ce Coleeeeeeny OUT =====>

Life is a pooplet of sugar

Hi everyone,

Well I haven't had any freaky encounters to talk about lately and life has been pretty sweet. Monday dinners as usual, nights out, nights in. Red wine and beer, copies and papers have been casually giving rhythm to these past few weeks.

Until the other day...

I mean yesterday. As usual, I went to my office to get some work done and go to different appointments when suddenly our secretary, K, knocks on the door. Me, not even knowing who was there, "le nez plongé dans le bouquin" I just look up and see her and wonder why she came all the way down to our office. S was there too, working on her paper and K just goes: "Have you received an email.... Did you check your Quest account" Le me going "no, no... why" (In my head it's all tupsy-turvy: did I pay my tuition, did I forget something) and then she goes : "Well you got accepted for a scholarship"

Time for some realization: "what, but I did not do anything..." K : "Well we just threw your name in and you got accepted" so... being a first year PhD female student with excellent records is enough ;)

I logged in my Quest account, went to the financial aid and wham just got slapped (but very happily). Well that was just overwhelming. I had to get it out and had tears in my eyes. Hugged my lil' S and went for a coffee. On the way there I came across lil' P and hugged her too. Happiness is warm inside and outside. I called everyone, well, those I could call and let them know what had just happened. The day was not over, I went to the dentist and they did not make me pay!!! What a beautiful and sunny day in the loo.

On a different note, as we were talking with J before some groceries I was telling her how I felt about France and Canada and how Canada has been great to me and how life is good "on the other side". I just told her, since we were talking about places where we'd live that "My region lives in me, but I cannot live in my region or my country"... Is it sad, is it pessimistic... sometimes you feel like there are places where you're not completely yourself. I love France, I miss it, especially La Bretagne and Nantes but there's a but.... It's in the bigger picture that I don't feel like I belong there. Anyways, good talk again and


Sur ce,




Talk to you later




Coleeeeeeny out =====>