Well, I had a lot I wanted to get done to day and, although I didn't accomplish everything, it was a nice, full day... 1) The Running of the Bulldogs Akemi and I headed down to Yaletown early this morning to register our french bulldog, Lulu, for "the running of the bulldogs", part of a…
August 23, 2014: State dishes – Best and Worst!
Every state in the U.S. has an iconic dish to call its own. Georgia has its peach pie, Louisiana its gumbo, and Pennsylvania its scrapple. But not all plates are created equal. I imagine that some came late to the party and, after finding out that ribs and brisket were taken, just threw up their…
August 22, 2014: Who’s in?!
Oh, it's on! This Sunday, come cheer Lulu on as she puts her undefeated record on the line (note: she's never participated before so she is, technically, undefeated) in the Running of the Bulls at Pet-A-Palooza! Looks to be a busy day because, in addition to that, there's this: And then this: Finally, here's Akemi's…
August 21, 2014: Jelly update! Japan plans!
I brought Jelly in to see a specialist last week. After a careful study of the x-rays and the my old gal, he reversed the initial diagnosis of a separated hip. Apparently, upon closer scrutiny, it looks bad - bad it isn't THAT bad. So that was great news. And then, Tuesday, she was unusually…
August 20, 2014: Updates on that new SF show!
We released our official writer's drafts of episodes 1 and 2 today. Paul and I co-wrote #1 (the pilot), but I did the solo honours on #2. After some discussion, we've decided to start writing separately. In truth, we've been writing separately for years now, but this is the first time we won't be sharing…
August 19, 2014: My Vegetarian Line-up!
Vegetarian Week was a resounding success - insofar as I went seven full days (plus one for good luck!) without eating either meat or seafood. And, surprisingly, it wasn't that hard. I didn't miss it my old eating habits nor was I tempted to fall off the wagon at any point. So, after a week+…
August 18, 2014: A Walk in the (Dog) Park!
Like me, my dogs are homebodies. Jelly is dog bed-ridden while Bubba and Lulu...don't play well with others. Oh, sure, Jelly enjoys her daily half-block walks. Bubba loves his trips to the farmer's market. And Lulu may be ambivalent to other dogs, she likes nothing better than to meet people. And so, when I heard…
August 17, 2014: My Top 10 Most Disliked Fruit!
This list requires some explanation... #10. Candied Fruit Okay, not really a fruit per se, but I include it at number 10 to round out the list - and because my grandmother would always serve us these when we were kids and I always hated them. Tooth-achingly cloying with a weirdly textured "rind" possessed of…
August 16, 2014: Top 10 Greatest Fruit!
In order of awesomeness... #10. Coconut #9. Pear #8. Papaya #7. Miracle fruit #6. Yuzu #5. Cherry #4. Watermelon #3. Blueberry #2. Avocado #1. Banana
August 15, 2014: All Hail the Conquering (Vegetarian) Hero!
5 days into my 7 day Vegetarian Week, I've far surpassed expectations. And, by "far surpassed", I mean actually doing it. Unlike Pescaterian Week that saw me fall off the wagon four times, I've yet to have any meat or meat-derived products (ie. stocks, animals fats, or delicious bacon bit toppings). To be perfectly honest,…
August 14, 2014: Doggy updates and a mini mailbag!
First off, I'd like to direct your attention to a GoFundMe campaign organized by blog reader Lorinda. Her daughter's service dog, a 12 month old Rottie, requires surgery to repair ligament damage in both knees and it's a pricey procedure. If you'd like to donate, head on over here: http://www.gofundme.com/roxysknees. And if you're unable…
August 13, 2014: Pre-Production update! And a mailbag!
Yashaaa! * (*Made-up exclamation of satisfaction with a recent accomplishment. Yoshay! is an accepted variation). Just finished a first draft of episode #4! Initially, I thought it was going to be long but, in the end, it actually turned out a little long. I had WAAAAY too much fun with this one. I'm going to…
August 12, 2014: My June Reads!
These are outrageously overdue. Capsule reviews of my June reads. And there were a lot of 'em... LAGOON by Nnedi Okorafor When a mysterious object crashes into the waters off the coast of Lagos, the lives of three strangers are forever changed as they become intermediaries between humanity and an alien race. A mix of…
August 11, 2014: Dog bones! Awesome t-shirts! And Boxy!
Well, I got that second opinion on Jelly's hip. Apparently, she dislocated it a while ago. It's an old injury and that makes it even harder to treat. Popping it back in will be a very painful procedure - and given the deterioration of her hip bones, it's almost guaranteed to pop out again. Our…
August 10, 2014: Dumplings! Dumplings! And more Dumplings!
Guess what we had for lunch today? Why, yes! How'd you know? Today, Akemi and I headed down to Chinatown for Vancouver's Golden Dumpling Cook Off, featuring signature dumplings from a variety of local chefs, all in support of The Chinese Elders Community Kitchen. The purchase of a "golden dumpling passport" got you a dumpling…