My Bite Out of The Big Apple: 2007

Come and Gone

December 28, 2007

The stress of the season can take an exhaustive toll on anyone, myself included. With work and nightly holiday events associated with work making for super long days in the weeks leading up to Christmas, my feeling of running on empty was only worsened by my struggle to get over yet another sinus cold (surprise surprise) and an eye infection. Luckily the thought of coming home gave me the positive energy boost I needed to get through a rough couple of weeks.

After an expectedly delayed (and surprisingly not cancelled) flight from New York to Toronto, and my just barely making my connecting flight back to Alberta, I finally arrived in Calgary safe, sound and sick-free early Saturday morning to the familiar and comfortable aspects of home, ready for a week to unwind with family and friends whom I've missed so dearly. Not to mention play with the newest members of the Pecush clan, Macy and Roca. Unfortunately my grand plans for the whole week I'd be back took a spot on the back-burner when just one day into my Christmas vacation I came down with the stomach flu. Man, talk about bad luck... as if I hadn't been sick enough these past four months.

So... the gingerbread houses, the caroling at the piano, ice-skating in the park, the Christmas puzzles, and the neighborhood walks checking out Christmas lights and blown-up Santa's on the porch all had to be put on hold while I hibernated for most of the week. Even my long-planned trip up to Edmonton to see some truly great friends had to be cancelled. Being able to escape a city where time waits for no-one, I wish my time at home would've slowed down just a bit, lasted a little while longer and allowed me to be in better health so I could fully enjoy the great company of the people around me. Unfortunately you can't get everything you wish for at Christmas time.

I'm heading back to New York first thing tomorrow morning, the first day of the long downhill run of my internship. Wow, crazy to think about, how I'm already halfway through my placement, which has been such an amazing, enjoyable but sometimes taxing experience thus far. But I'm going back with an eager outlook, anxious to find out what the new year will bring, where it will take me (or possibly keep me), and what other exciting adventures I may find myself doing. At least it will start off with a bang. Despite my dislike for crowds, I'll be ringing in the new year with hundreds of thousands of other revelers in The Crossroads of the World... anticipating the New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square with my sister and good friend from university. Watch for us on Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve. We'll be the Canadians wearing those funky 2008 glasses waving to the camera!

Happy New Year Everyone! Wishing you all health, happiness and joy in 2008!

Macy and Roca wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year too!

I just love my parents' new puppies!

Sign of the Season

December 15, 2007

If there's just one thing that comes to mind when you think of Christmas in New York, it's likely the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. An annual icon of the season, the 84-foot tall Norway Spruce from Connecticut stands tall in the center of midtown Manhattan, shining vibrantly for its 500,000 daily visitors.

Trimming the family tree and saturating the house with holiday decorations is something I look forward to year after year. Unfortunately I missed out on helping to deck the halls at my parents house this year, so to make up for it, I ambitiously attended the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony awhile back. Despite my dislike for being couped up like a chicken in a holding pen with thousands of tourists (real New Yorkers are smart, they avoid situations like these by staying home), I stood, perhaps stupidly, for over 2 hours on a brisk, bone-chilling evening, staring at a bare tree, actually, only the top half of the tree, because I was that far away. Half an hour before the tree was to be lit, I caved. I went home. Despite the real excitement of the evening being so close, I much preferred the idea of waking up the next morning with my fingers and toes still intact instead of dealing with the possibility that the lights wouldn't even turn on when the giant switch was flicked. Man, how disappointing would that have been?

Well, the lights went on alright, and with a much closer and warmer view of the tree thanks to the TV in my heated bedroom, I arrived home just in time to see what I had hoped to have seen in person. On the bright side, I got an ample dose of fresh air and was able to hear the joyous sounds of pre-taped live performances of Carrie Underwood and Celine Dion.

This past week marked my return to the site that once left me with a simple memory of a gigantic, exposed, pre-lit Spruce. What a difference 30,000 lights on five-miles of wire can do, not to mention the sparkle of the Swarovski Star, adorning the Tree with all of its 25,000 crystals. Pretty spectacular I must admit. It sure beats my lonely, whimsical Whoville tree that's on display in my apartment.

A simply stunning sight!

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

The Plaza isn't the least bit crowded...

Stage Fright

December 7, 2007

It's been close to 20 years since the first time I stepped foot on a stage, performing 'Teddy Bear's Picnic' to a sold-out house at my year-end dance recital. Hundreds of performances would eventually follow over the course of my years in competitive dance, but no matter how routine and familiar it became to perform in front of crowds of known and unknown people, one thing was always for certain... the ever-present feeling of butterflies in my tummy!

The same feeling was true every time I sat down at a piano to play for others, be it nervously at one of our formal semi-annual concerts (where we even had to rehearse our bows), or just plain frightened when I played before an intimidating expressionless RCM examiner, showing no emotional response whatsoever in their deciding whether the performance quality of my six memorized songs was worthy of a pass to the next grade. Oh how glad I am to no longer have to deal with that added stress. Nowadays, it seems that my opportunities to perform with a musical instrument are much more inviting... just as I found out this evening.

My debut performance as a violinist... with piano accompaniment and all! How exciting! I have been nervously anticipating this moment all week. Despite having practiced my scales, bow crossings and rhythm patterns every spare minute I could get, no amount of practice could ease the slight anxiety I was feeling all day leading up to my first time performing on the violin in Turtle Bay's monthly adult performance workshop. With only eight short lessons under my belt, I wasn't quite sure if I'd be able to pull this off without any screeching, but I'll let you be the judge! Am I now worthy of moving on to Jingle Bells? Too late, I've already been practicing. I'm sure my sister already has a program of Carols in place so we can duet on the piano and violin over the holidays!

Tourist Trapped

December 3, 2007

I swear the population of this city doubles on weekends. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, opened the holiday shopping season with a bang. Droves of people flocked to the city, thrilled to be given a run for their money with 4 a.m. - 12 noon markdown madness sales, all in an effort for retailers to benefit in the slightest from the downward spiralling of the American economy. As if this city is not crowded enough, the most popular shopping districts in Manhattan, Herald Square (which is home to all eight levels of the World's Largest Store, Macy's), as well as Fifth Avenue (shopping paradise at its best), are literally exploding at the seams on a typical Saturday afternoon. If you dare brave the pandemonium and hope to come out alive, I'll give you one pointer, get those elbows out and moving! It's a dog-eat-dog jungle out there, both in the stores and on the streets, and it's one jungle I'm so elated to not have to deal with... I think the majority of my Christmas shopping was done by Halloween.

So in my best efforts to avoid prime commercial hot-spots without having to hibernate in my apartment, I've most recently spent a free Saturday aftenoon entertaining and educating myself with a little history. The largest natural history museum in the world, The American Museum of Natural History, holds more than 32 million artifacts in 40 grand exhibition halls. Renowned for its collections that illuminate millions of years of the earth's evolution, from nature to space-age technology, the museum, which spans 3 city blocks and towers five stories high, is a tremendous undertaking, particularly when you're limited to just a few hours.

Perhaps my expectations in thinking I would be able to thoroughly take in the entire museum in just four hours were a little high. I failed miserably. No wonder people buy memberships to institutions like these... you'll give yourself a headache attempting to see it all in one afternoon. I know I did and completely crashed for the night upon my arrival home. What I did see though was quite incredible. From the Rose Center for Earth and Space which showcases a 13-billion-year history of the universe; to a series of fossil halls, including two famed dinosaur fossil halls wherein 85% of the fossils are real as opposed to casts; to a spectacular biodiversity hall depicting the Dzanga-Sangha rain forest, the most biodiversity-rich ecosystem on Earth; it was an information-overload outing on my part, but still an enjoyable one nonetheless. I'll be sure to give myself a little extra time though on my next visit to a museum... I've set aside a full day for MoMA this coming weekend but the Metropolitan Museum of Art will definitely require a full weekend, or maybe even a full week! Before I make that visit, I'll be sure to look into whether or not they allow visitor sleepovers.

A realistic display of elephants in the Akeley Hall of African Mammals

Tyrannosaurus Rex in the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs

The Origami Holiday Tree: Over 500 creations including dragons, unicorns, mermaids, and animals hang from and surround the tree

Holiday Barosaurs greet visitors at the entrance to the Museum

The Rose Center for Earth and Space

Turkey Day Celebration

November 22, 2007

Two Thanksgivings down, still no turkey. At least a yummy Christmas dinner is just 4 Mondays away and weeklong leftovers of turkey sandwiches, soup and casseroles follow close by. So on this (lack of) Turkey Day in New York, I opted for a 5 a.m. wake-up call rather than a very tempting opportunity to sleep 'til noon on my first American Thanksgiving holiday. But, apparently 5 a.m. just wasn't early enough... considering the hordes of people lining the street when I arrived on the parade route close to 3 hours before the Macy's parade was set to begin, I'm thinking most of them probably never went home last night after they took in the Big Balloon Blow Up.

As the official kick-off event for the holiday season, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade drew a crowd of millions on this unseasonably warm November day, where temps soared close to 20 degrees Celsius. Marching bands, performance groups, floats and giant helium balloons flowed through the streets of Manhattan, from the Upper West Side to Macy's flagship store on Broadway and 34th Street, pleasing enthusiastic on-lookers of all ages.

It was utter chaos and mayhem being a part of the masses and masses of people on the sidelines of this event. Having strategically placed myself to have the luxury of leaning against the railing of a subway station entry for the duration of the parade, I also had the best view in witnessing trainloads of families arrive at the stop, only to be stranded underground. The throngs of people above ground, prevented them from climbing the subway steps to ground level; there was physically nowhere for anyone to move to allow them through. Apparently, even the subway had to bypass this particular stop and go on to the next because of absolutely no space to let anymore people off the train. Talk about claustrophobia at its best... and to think this was only one corner of a route that went on for 2.5 miles.

This aspect of my parade morning alone will remind me to stay home for any forthcoming parade in this city, but at the same time, I'm glad I braved and survived the insane elements to surprisingly enjoy this truly unique New York experience in history and tradition. But if there is ever a reason that I have to forego my watching its live broadcast on TV and once again be a part of it in person, it will only be because I'll be marching my way through it! Marching bands have violinists, right? Darn. I think I picked the wrong instrument... I best find out if Turtle Bay offers lessons in trumpet.

The 81st annual Macy's Parade gets underway along Central Park West

Just one of many spectacular floats

One incredibly huge (and talented) marching band

One of America's most recognizable icons

My personal favorite!

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? In the Macy's Parade of course!

The Parade kept going and going...

The Incredible Hulk

Holiday Tradition... But With More Sparkle

November 19, 2007

So it may still be a little over a month before Christmas (35 days to be exact... I've been counting down for some time now), but the holiday season has already bursted into New York on a grand scale. The impeccably designed Macy's Christmas display windows have now been revealed, ice dancers are gracefully gliding through Bryant Park's 'The Pond' and the Rockefeller Center Plaza gets lit up to the stars with the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony next week.

It snowed last night in New York and will continue to for awhile... maybe not outside, but definitely inside Radio City Music Hall. With the annual tourist mecca 'Christmas Spectacular' show now underway, the world-famous Rockettes are celebrating their 75th glorious year, in what can be considered the biggest and most flashy show yet! From a full-scale double-decker bus taking the audience on a scenic ride through New York as it pivots against a 90-foot LED screen; to an extravagant display of fireworks; to a captivating Nativity scene complete with live camels and donkeys; to the mesmorizing display of 36 Rockettes meticulously performing athletic choreography in their Swarovski crystal studded costumes, the show certainly ignited the spirit of the season in audience members alike.

With the lights dark on Broadway for some time now, with no close end in sight (thanks to a Stagehand strike that has shut down more than two dozen plays and musicals during the most busy time of the year), disappointed theatre-goers, myself included, were lucky enough to score a ticket to this real Holiday treat... where the glitter and shimmer of the Rockettes' extravagant costumes alone could light up more than just the Radio City stage. And guess what? You too can check out the glitz, the glam and those high-flying kicks for yourself without even having to come to New York, unless you want to of course... watch NBC on December 1 as the show will be broadcast for the first time on network TV. Maybe then you'll join me in thinking how cool it would be to be a Radio City Rockette... although I'm not sure how long I'd last in their multiple kicklines... I'd be certain to pull a muscle or two.

Ice Skating at 'The Pond' in Bryant Park

The final touches are being added to the Rockefeller Center Tree in preparation for the Lighting Ceremony on November 28

Ice-skating Rockefeller style!

Celebrating 75 spectacular years and counting!

The stunning Swarovski Christmas Tree hanging in the Grand Foyer of Radio City Music Hall

The magnificent proscenium arch

Celebrating the holiday season with less sequins, more crystal

Nina and Me

November 12, 2007

There once was a time, that on any given day, I'd be able to pull an empty sandwich bag out of my pocket... actually, every pocket of every jacket and pair of pants I owned. I also had ample supply of Windex, paper towels and stacks of unread newspaper on hand in the event that certain 'business' matters just couldn't wait.

It's been quite some time since I've had the added responsibility of caring for a pet... and I've quickly realized just how much extra time and energy it takes to do so! With my roommate away for two weeks and not having her usual dog-sitter available, I excitingly volunteered my 'don't-be-silly-I-can-handle-it-piece-of-cake' efforts to look after her precious Nina. Up until the time the two of us were left alone to fend for one another, Nina and I were simply acquaintances. I'd see her when I woke up, and again when I got home from work, occasionally patting her on the head, but that was the extent of our relationship. I'm certain she saw me as a foreign stranger (which I am) worthy only of a blank stare and bark upon my entrance through the front door.

My latest experiences in walking a dog literally involved dragging my babylove Shih Tzu, Caesar, along the sidewalk, taking a good half an hour to get from the front of my apartment building to the back. How stubborn he became in his old age, having absolutely no interest or desire in going for walks, but being oh-so-cute nonetheless! Most recently, Nina has been the one taking me for walks... dragging me along the concrete with her incredible degree of nervous energy. If there is one dog that should live anywhere but New York City, Nina is it. Panic-striken at the slightest glance of a jogger or the sound of a cyclist passing by, she leaps, barks, and yelps all the while completely tangling herself up in the leash. A simple walk around the block is exhausting for her, simply because of the energy she exudes being so unbelievably conscious of her chaotic surroundings. In this concentrated and bustling city, it's no wonder Nina is uneasy, scared and stressed... I know because I've experienced this too.

How relationships can change over such a short period of time. Having recognized and finally accepting me as her temporary caregiver, yogurt and kibble mixer-upper, and personal pooper-scooper, Nina and I are now one another's best company. In a city that can be very lonely despite people being everywhere you turn, I'm lucky to have Nina around to brighten up my day (despite her embarassing temper tantrums on the street). She is constantly following me around, forever sitting beside me with her snout on my lap and has become the best possible foot warmer I could ask for as I catch my nightly zzz's.

Who's this now circling at my feet? What's this plastic in my jacket pocket? Oh yes, I have some responsibility to attend to, and quickly... Nina is really starting to pace which can't be ignored. I'm not at all stocked up on the aforementioned items... although I wish I was. Cleaning up 'business' inside at times seems a little more appealing than what I'm in for every time I step out my front door with Nina.

Completely wiped after a frantic walk

Her charming good looks sure can be deceiving!

New best friends...

Am I Lovin' New York?

November 4, 2007

... I've been asked that alot, and I've found it to be a bittersweet question to answer. Of course everyone who has ever been here falls in love with what this city continually has to offer. The energy, the excitement, the rush... it's all very thrilling don't get me wrong. But once the touristy 'honeymoon' ends so to speak, and the sacrifices you've made to become a resident here start to sink in, I've found that the love I have for this city is challenged on a daily basis.

I think we all have preconceived notions and expectations of New York thanks largely to the media. We're constantly inundated with images of the city through television and the movies and as a result we feel as though we know it, like we've experienced it without ever having felt it. It's all very baffling because despite seeing it so often, we don't really know it at all. It's very different, living it, being fully exposed to the rawness of it. I think that is what has been the most eye-opening aspect of my time here thus far.

I love how New York is such a walker-friendly city; a great excuse to get out and explore, see and do more than you can possibly imagine. But oh how I miss my car and the convenience of having my own transportation. Nowadays, my daily transportation involves being smushed into a severely overcrowded subway car, desperately hoping that the volume on my iPod will drown out the sound of the crazy homeless guy publicly preaching his religious values, rapping about God, then singing Feliz Navidad. I recall that being a day that I felt so unbelievably anxious to escape the position I was in, that I jumped off the train as soon as I could, preferring to walk the remaining 30 blocks home instead.

I love the proximity of everything here; you can step out of your apartment building and be just steps away from anything you could possibly need... great deli's, amazing restaurants, unique shops... Starbucks. On the downside though, I miss having S P A C E... personal space, breathing space, mental space, green space... a place to escape space.

I love never being bored. More importantly, I love that the opportunities still exist, at my age, for me to continue to pursue my two passions in life, dance and music. I'm not sure I love the feeling of utter exhaustion I experience every day from my chosen desire to jam-pack my days, but it's definitely one sacrifice that's been more than worth it.

I love the people I work with and the family-like environment they've welcomed me into, but man do I miss the people I care about most. I can't express how much I miss the great company of my amazing friends, having my sister be by my side as a motivating factor in an intense dance class, going shopping with my partner-in-crime... my Mom has an eye for deals unlike anyone I know, and talking shop (i.e. cars) over coffee at Timmy's with my Dad.

So do I love New York? Yes I do... you have to to be able to survive in this town when you're on your own. What I don't love... not having the presence of my family and friends within arms reach distance to lean on. I know the support is there though, and is just a phone call or e-mail or perhaps a visit away, which means more than anything. So with each passing day, I'm adjusting to change and learning to accept a completely different lifestyle than what I've known for years. Time will tell if my 'love' for this city will keep me here after my internship is complete. But since I don't have to make that decision for awhile yet, for the time being, I'll continue to make the most of this once in a lifetime adventure... accepting the good and tolerating the bad, as I fulfill my personal reasons for being here and explore what else it is that I'm looking for.

It was a very exciting weekend for me to be able to reunite with some familiar faces from home; the ever-fantastic Darka and Brad, my mentors from Bottom Line Productions!

Turtle-or-Treat

October 27, 2007

Ahhhh Halloween... brings back such fond memories of one's childhood doesn't it? The afternoon dress-up parties at school complete with those Safeway cookies shaped like bats with lots of orange sprinkles; having to create not one, but two costumes for the spooktacular day - one to model during the day in class, another that would allow for a snowsuit to fit under at night; making the very first stop of a really long night of trick-or-treating at the 'cool house'... that being the one that gave out REAL chocolate bars - the full size ones; and alas remembering Halloween as the day that I first snuck into a bar underage... ahem... no secret here... I recall my mom drove me, even waiting in the car on Whyte Ave to make sure I got in ok, and my sister high-fiving me in front of the bouncer upon my sneaky entrance.

Well Halloween came a little early for me this year... having celebrated it today at Turtle Bay with our annual Haunted Open House. The ghoulish fun-for-all-ages event was free and open to the public, with a large portion of our turnout being the Schools' students and local families from in and around the community. From pumpkin decorating, face painting and meet-the-instrument trick-or-treating, we had an overwhelming turn-out that made the event a huge success. Wrapping up the afternoon was an interactive concert featuring a dual piano performance of Camille Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals. After fourteen musical movements and hundreds of kiddies bouncing off the walls on a sugar-high, a whole new meaning to the title of that piece was evident in our concert hall.

What a relief that Halloween is, for the most part, done for another year... which in my books really only means one thing... time to start pulling out the Christmas decorations! Well, in my case, my whole one decoration which I already have out, a Seussical style Whoville tree. Hey, it's never too early for a little holiday cheer.

Little Bo Peep and some Turtles as her Sheep

Horti-what?

October 21, 2007

Having been couped up in the dark indoors for the past three days, thanks to my having to nurse a stomach flu, an unbelievably long lasting migraine and to wrap it up, another sinus cold, I was exceedingly restless to just get out of the apartment, get a real breath of fresh air, take in some conspicuous scenery and enjoy the continued trend of 'summer' weather here on the east coast.

Not wanting to stay in the city on such a glorious day, I ventured out to The Bronx. No, I was not headed to Yankee Stadium... due to an unfortunate lack of post-season action there wasn't much reason to, and no, I was not about to embark on a round of search efforts for Jenny from the Block. Instead, I went to one place that anyone who knows me, would be rather surprised to learn of my visit. Yes, you guessed it... The New York Botanical Garden. To be completely honest, I know absolutely nothing when it comes to horticulture, floriculture, arboriculture or any other '...culture' for that matter. That probably explains why I do such a poor job of keeping any purchased flower alive for more than two days... let alone plants! Oopps, you mean I'm also supposed to water them Mom? Not just rotate them in the sun?

So if I was going to learn anything about horticulture ever, I made the opportune decision to visit the garden on one of the best possible weekends... opening weekend of Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Chrysanthemum. Expert horticulturists spend years perfecting the rigorous, meticulous, time-consuming and demanding skills necessary for cultivating and exhibiting kiku. And I just happened to stumble upon one the most extensive displays of chrysanthemums grown in the Imperial style ever presented outside of Japan.

Ozukuri ("thousand bloom"): a single plant is trained to produce up to 300 or more flowers

Ogiku: a single large blossom balanced atop a tall stem

Kengai: a cascade of small-flowered chrysanthemums grown on and supported by a bamboo and wire-framework that can stretch the branches six-and-a-half feet away from the plant's roots

Bonsai ("plants growing in a tray"): the ancient Japanese art of growing mature but miniature trees and shrubs in containers

So with a market on practically every street corner selling beautiful flowers, I had no excuse to not put myself up to the challenge of seeing if I can keep a bundle of flowers alive until the next time I get sick (which could be a lot sooner than I think). Don't ask me what kind I purchased though... remember, I am oblivious to knowing the names of any. I just picked out the prettiest ones.

Bamboo Installation

I love lilypads!

An eye-catching arrangement in the water

A Pretty in Pink Plant

Colors of Fall

Rockefeller Rose Garden

Inside the Haupt Conservatory The Bronx River

What's that Screeching Noise?

October 15, 2007

Every year I like to try and learn something new. Last year I attempted snowboarding and what an experience that was. Having only ever skied twice in my life beforehand, I was banking on my rather reliable degree of balance to carry me through. But after taking two and a half hours to complete a five-mile trail, and experiencing far too many wipeouts than I'd care to relive, perhaps the transferability of balance learned in ballet class didn't completely cut it in my gracefully carving, goofy foot forward, down the powdered mountain. Or maybe I was just distracted by the instructor of my snowboarding lesson earlier in the day... a hottie New Zealander who certainly had an accent to chin-dive for... perhaps even powder burn for!

Being anything but close to mountains these days, I figured now would be as good a time as ever to learn the violin. Having put on hold my desire to play this instrument for quite some time, working at a respected music school with an amazingly talented faculty definitely puts me in the best possible position to alas try my 'something new' for this year. I spent a good chunk of my weekend admiring my new instrument, very anxious to meet the bow to the strings to see what kind of delightful sounds I could produce. Well, I found out today in my very first lesson that the sounds were far from delightful. My 'music' aired moreso on the side of fingernails screeching down a chalkboard. By the likely disgusted look on my face, my instructor ensured me it was supposed to sound that way. A special timbre she called it, the result of playing a note without the damping action of a finger on the string. Pfewpf! She must know what she's talking about afterall, having been a principal violist with the Juilliard Symphony.

Time will tell if the violin and I are a good match. If it doesn't work out I may have to re-think my 'try' ambitions for the upcoming year and stick with what I'm accustomed to. Give me til Christmas time... if I go beyond mastering my initial goal of memorizing the notes of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to be able to also play Jingle Bells, then I think this could quite possibly be a match made in violin heaven!

Maybe one day I'll play at a level that will afford me one of these! What a sweet Christmas present that would be!

Boost Without the Bull...

October 9, 2007

er... Red Bull that is.

I've said it once and I'll say it again. New York is the true definition of exhaustion. And after only 6 weeks of living the unbelievably fast Manhattan pace of life, I have to admit that some days I've struggled to catch my breath. Even on days that I do feel like I've completely caught up to myself, my mind begins racing so quickly, absorbing every ounce of my concentrated surroundings, that not even lunch-hour yoga classes can fully clear my head or attempt to maintain my sane and focused mentality!

The Thanksgiving/Columbus Day long weekend could not have come at a better time. Though it was a tempting opportunity for me to catch up on some much-needed sleep, I instead made a quick trip up to Toronto to spend some quality time with my family. Having not seen my sister or parents for a couple of months, I felt like I was coming home from college for the first time, desperately anxious for a re-charger hug from a loved one, as a means of re-energizing myself to deal with and survive the at-times suffocating vibe of The Big Apple.

Rest and relaxation will just have to wait until Christmas... so can the turkey. Our weekend was jam-packed checking out all the touristy sights that the great city of Toronto has to offer. As our personal tourguide, Jess with itinerary in hand (I taught her well!), took us galavanting through her new home city. We visited the historic Distillery District, window shopped on Queen Street, strolled through Cabbagetown, and lingered along the harbourfront. It was a rather busy weekend exploring what can be called Canada's version of New York and it couldn't have been with better company. We were all smiles, thankful for having the opportunity to be together on a special holiday... I hope. Or else we were all just really happy to still be wearing our summer clothes! Something completely unheard of back in Alberta for this time of year!

I'm back in New York now, feeling renewed and refreshed to get through the next couple of months before I return home for the holidays... wherever home is these days. No surprise here though that a few ounces of the ever-present sensation of sluggishness still exists. Good thing I picked up a Red Bull on my way home from the airport... it can be a real life-saver sometimes.