Diana's Baby Shower

As usual, my day started after verrry little sleep (4 1/2 hours). Thank goodness the golf course my parents belong to was busy with a tournament today, so she could help me prep this morning.

I baked all the desserts last night. I had prepped the cream cheese mixtures for the smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches already and just had the decorating of the cupcakes and prepping fruit for the pavlova and boiling/prepping the eggs for egg salad. After waking up at 10am, I still made it to Diana's by 1pm. (I even had time for a shower).

Everything looked beautiful and whimsical. Sooky outdid herself with the decorations and cute little touches. Sally made the labels and Suzie organized the games. Mel made delicious scones. It was a lovely relaxing shower. Diana looked positively radiant...and ready to pop! Everyone seemed to have a good time. We're all ready for little Miss Lee Begonia to make her appearance.

BBQ at Phill and Pat's place

On Sunday, the Lee/Kim family congregated at Phill and Pat's parents place for dinner. It was also Phill's 25th birthday, so of course we celebrated with a BR ice cream cake and the 2 desserts I brought...Mocha Chocolate Chip bundt cake and butter tart bars (Diana personally requested the last one). Diana looks ready to pop any day now. I forgot to take a picture of her:( Officially she has 3 weeks left. Elijah is huge! So soft and squishy. Sweet temperant. Phill's dad has a movie style popcorn popper. It was very cool and delicious. Samara and Charlotte were chatting and bonding on the stairs while enjoying their popcorn. They were so adorable.

Greg's birthday, and Lobster Summer at the Keg

The birthday boy.

Enjoying his shooter from Steve all the way from Mexico.

It's Greg's birthday on Sunday, which means we're having dinner at the Keg for his birthday on the friday before. It also means we're just in time for Lobster Summer at the Keg.

I had forgotten all about it and had dreamed about steak all day so there was no question what I was going to have. It's been exactly one year since I've been at the Keg. They've made a couple of changes. They no longer have their yummy warm sourdough bread. Instead they had this bland challah style loaf. Soft, yet bland. They have a new spinach salad that you can have instead of the caesar. That was very tasty. Dried cranberries, carmelized pecans, goat cheese and mandarin oranges. I had the French onion soup, it was delicious. The filet had only baked potato as the starch side, instead of the usual additional options of rice, fries or garlic mashed potatoes. Viv, Gar, Dave and Ron had the Lobster...When I saw it, I have to admit I was jealous. But, after the soup, salad, 3 pieces of bland bread, I was already contentedly full. ( I know I said the bread was bland, but if you put enough butter on it, anything is edible) As it was, I couldn't finish my steak. I left a ridiculously small piece because I physically could not fit it in. The 2lb lobsters looked fantastic. If I had ordered that and not been able to finish it...that would have been a serious crime.

Rogers Cup, Nadal and travelling back in time.

Nelson gave me tickets to the Rogers Cup for Thursday evening. It's also the first time I've been back to York University, my alma mater, in at least 10 years (since the last time I've been to tennis).

After everyone I asked backed out or refused to accompany me, I decided to just go by myself. I was amazed at how much the campus had changed and exploded. I had to work hard to just make out some of the landmarks I remembered. The whole trip was strangely surreal. It was the first time I've been to the new Rexall Centre. It's a beautiful venue. The weather held up beautifully. In fact it was a little cool.

The match was World #1 Rafael Nadal and Kevin Anderson. The atmosphere was pretty electric. I suppose getting to see the world #1 ranked player in the world in person has that effect. Johnny (my bro) calls him a "punk". The crowd agrees that he's a rock star. Nadal easily overpowered poor Anderson in straight sets.

Stinkerbum...I mean Cutie pie Sabrina has left the country

It's been a long week of get togethers and restaurants...Goodbye to 54 Aileen on Saturday, greek at Astoria for Nick's birthday, chinese lobster at Wah Sing for Pippette's birthday, italian pizza and pasta at Terroni's for Steve's birthday, wings and fries at Willie Stouts for UFC. Throw in some Hollywood Gelato in there for good measure, good food, but now I'm tired. Frankly my tummy could use a little break...before we go out to the Keg for steak on Friday for Greg's birthday:P

Pip, Steve and Sabrina left for Mexico this morning. Pip and Sabrina will be back in a month for another visit. I haven't seen Sabrina since April. She's grown so much. My camera couldn't get rid of the red eye, even when put on the right setting...ugh! I think I've still captured how beautiful she is. Her favourite toy is...an orange silicone muffin cup from Williams-Sonoma. The kid has good taste.

God save the Queen...

I hadn't planned on posting this picture but my cousin Diana begged me to do it. It has been cropped to remove my cousin Sooky and her "Sailor Moon" costume. (She doesn't want any evidence of her dressed in her costume on the web...Apparently, I have no shame.)

A couple of days before I left for Vegas, Sooky's friend Trish emails to let me know their plans for Sooky's birthday dinner, on the Saturday night during Comic-Con. Dress up as your favourite comic book character... Yikes! I had only 2 days to think of and get a costume. I spoke to Jhanine about it and she knew of a couple of costume places in Las Vegas. We planned on going there to find something, anything that would work. Dressing up in costume is totally not my thing. I stopped going out for Halloween at the age of 8, deciding I was too old to do it. I gave away candy instead.

After the craziness of the Tea party was finished, Jhanine and I went to one costume place where they rent them out. Sounded perfect. I tried on quite a few, hating everything. I tried on a Queen Amidala costume that seemed to fit, but the problem was they didn't have the matching headpiece. They called around to some of the other places but no one had one.

I went to one more place to look for a costume. This place just sold them, no rental. Unfortunately nothing I could live with. So, Wednesday, I went online and ordered the Queen Amidala costume I had previously tried on. A store in Los Angeles. I called them directly to speed up the process. I arranged for them to send it directly to the hotel, expedited. It arrived the next day. I debated whether I would bring it home. I had to carry on the bloody headpiece on the plane both ways, back to Las Vegas, then on to Toronto. (To prevent it from getting crushed)

So now I am the proud owner of a Queen Amidala halloween costume...Enjoy my pain...

Home Sweet Home...and a little Twilight.

So, I'm finally home.
Unlike my previous trips, I feel like I've been gone forever. When I got back to Jhanine's place on Monday, I felt like it had been weeks instead of 4 days since I had left for San Diego.
It feels like I hadn't been home in months instead of 11 days. I guess it means my vacation was chocked full of stuff. The red-eye was fine. I slept a few hours. My brother John picked me up.
We had the funniest (in my opinion) conversation in the car, on the way home.
J-Have you seen the Twilight movies?
C-Yeah...(hesitantly) Why?
J- I saw them on TMN. The second one wasn't as good as the first one. I even taped the second one...what a waste.
C-I liked the first one better too. The second one was terrible. The third one just came out, but I'm hesitating watching it after the second one. I didn't like it at all.
J-Yeah...the first one was way better. I taped that one too. Really good.
C-(LOL) I don't know if I would say it was a "really good" movie.
J-I've only seen a bunch of horrible movies lately.
C-You know I have the first one on DVD.
J-Sweet.

Hysterical!
As I was getting ready for a nap, my brother was watching theVHS taped version of Twilight.
My brother is a poker player, typical guy fan of Adam Sandler comedies and action flicks, but apparently he has the romantic sensibility of a teenage girl. Just between us...

Back from Comic-con

So I just got back to Las Vegas from my 4 days in San Diego and Comic-Con. The weather in Southern California was not what I would have expected. It was cold in the morning and in the evening. Dreary. Sunny during the middle of the day when the sun burned off the clouds. But it was still not warm. High of 67F. I was prepared for it but the other ladies were not. It was amazing how the whole city embraces Comic-Con. The references are everywhere.





As for Comic-Con, it was awesome! It was full of some of the longest lines I have ever experienced and I didn't get a chance to see everything, like the big movie stuff. But I did see all the TV panels I had listed on my wishlist. The Big Bang Theory, The Vampire Diaries, Castle, Chuck, Family Guy, Joss Whedon, V, Fringe, Bones, Glee...Some others too. I took hundreds of pictures I need to upload when I get home. I didn't get any autographs myself but my cousin did get me a personalized copy of one of Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood books. I had a few celebrity sightings at the hotel. Penny from Big Bang (she's so tiny) Morgan from Chuck, Scott Wolf, Joel McHale from Community.








The hotel was beautiful. It was white and spacious, right on the water. Close to the venue but just far enough away not to be crazy. I knew I was somewhere different the moment I stepped onto the elevator and saw the mural on the walls...The whole interior of the elevator was covered in one big mural of True Blood. The promo image of all the characters in the woods. The first time I saw it I gasped. Later on in a crowded elevator, I wondered aloud, how difficult it would be to get this wallpaper for my room...(I heard a few bursts of laughter, then agreement from the crowd)



Saturday night, all my efforts in Las Vegas to get a costume for Sooky's birthday dinner paid off. I had ordered the costume to be sent to the hotel. Queen Amidala. 7 ladies went out for dinner. Three of us, myself and Melina and Sooky, in their Sailor Moon costumes were the only ones dressed up. Sooky appreciated the effort I made, since she knows that is totally not my thing. I did look pretty good. But, to be honest, it was like dressing up for Halloween. Nobody bats an eye at it. You see so many people dressed up, wearing crazy, elaborate, or just plain weird costumes at Comic-Con...people could care less. People look, but nobody stares. This guy at the restaurant wanted to take our picture but we wouldn't let him. (Sooky does not like her picture posted anywhere)
Now that I know what Comic-Con is about and how it works, I'll know for next time. After the ordeal of trying to get tickets this time I already bought a ticket for next year. I have until next June to decide if I want to go. Otherwise I can get a full refund. If anyone wants to go next year, let me know. I can give you the inside scoop.

Las Vegas update

The tea party was a great success. Everything turned out really well. It was a lovely afternoon. I had planned on going to the Bellagio to play poker but was so exhausted I fell asleep on the couch while watching tv. The next morning I met Jhanine's new friend Heather, also a South African, when we had morning tea with Heather, Lisa and Karen. Just the girls sitting at the table eating and gabbing. It was a nice, relaxed way to spend the morning.
I went to the Bellagio last night, the atmosphere was a lot more subdued compared to the last time I was here in June. With the World Series of Poker over and the WPT event also finished, the poker room was pretty quiet (about 70% capacity). A relaxed night and a small win is a great way to start things off.

Arrived in Las Vegas

So, it's hot.
When I got off the plane, it was 110F at 6pm. The air off the gangplank was a furnace.
The flight arrived 20 min early. Jhanine, Diamond and Phyllis (Jhanine's friend and 2nd mother) came to pick me up at the airport. I was starving. I ate lunch at 1pm est and hadn't eaten real food until 6pm pst (9pm est) when I bought a blueberry muffin at the Starbucks at the airport.
We went straight to Jhanine and Yale's place. After settling in, eating, checking out all my purchases I had sent to her place :P, we started baking. We made the carrot cakes, brownies, lemon bars, prepped an asparagus casserole and I was exhausted. Finally at 12:30am, 21 hours after I had woken up this morning, I crashed in my bed.
Round two began when I woke up at 7:30 am. The tea party is at 3:30 this afternoon. Gotta go and make sandwiches and scones.