Neighbourhood #7: The Annex

I've been wanting to get back out on the streets (so I can walk them, literally....literally) so I can get a few more neighbourhoods under my belt before the bliss of living in Toronto ends.  After that I will be a tourist and not a local doing ironic touring.  The Annex has been a home base for several years.  All through out university it was a go-to place, and even after graduation I've always found myself drawn back to that neighbourhood.  This weekend I had a hankering for some brunch.  I put some feelers out and Adam was free before his work day started to we hit up Futures.  I get the eggs benny 90% of the time, and this time was no different.  Adam got the 3 eggs & sausage, it was a massive meal.  And we got some sort of early bird pricing as well.  There were only like 8 other people at the place, which is a really weird feeling for Futures.

After Adam had to leave I took a walk to BMV to buy some books I don't need.  I actually picked up a replacement book for one I lent out to my mother and did not get back.  I've been meaning to give it a re-read so I picked it up.  I really need to cut that business out until I've read everything on my shelf.  And even then I need to use the library more, much more.  I strolled back along Bloor St thinking about all the different time I've spent on that street.  Sushi & drinks with Debz, countless birthdays and drinking nights at the Green Room, my 23rd birthday at the James Joyce, an infinite number of trips to Futures and BMV, scrabble at Kilgours, drinks at the Pauper, Honest Eds, Jackie stealing the napkin dispenser from the Victory Cafe.  Seekers & Sonic Boom (although I haven't been in the new location yet).  Growing up on music from Lees Palace.  Sushi on Bloor.  The Trove around the corner.  Shopping for Christmas art supplies with Sarah at Midoco, and tea from Davids Tea.  This is a neighbourhood in Toronto that I truly love, and will always hold a special place in my heart.

I thought about sitting down and reading a book, but I've been to the Second Cup there countless times and Aroma a small handful.  There wasn't much left for me to explore.  I came home and unplugged for a while and did some reading here.  Knowing a place like that is 5 minutes away brings me some level of comfort and joy and I'm going to sever that when I move.  But back to happy thoughts.  I took some photos with my phone as I wandered around.  Nothing much special but here it goes:

The laneway behind Futures.  It's dirty but I love it.

 The best and only "secret" bar I know of in Toronto.

 

Waiting for Adam at Futures.  Mmmm, cakes.

The best best best second hand bookstore in Toronto, or possibly anywhere ever.

From The Planet Smashers to Electric Six to Peter Bjorn and Paul, I've seen it all here.  Though I've yet to sample their store front burrito.

Next time I'll get off my lazy butt and actually get out and properly explore a new place.  Happy Bunny Long Weekend.

It's a Blog-off

Now that I've have been alerted that I'm in direct blog competition with Jackie, this business is o-n.

Actually, it's not, but I do have a few other things I wanted to say.  March is sadly drawing to a close.  A month that has been hands down the best month of my life, including the last week of Feb ;)  I had a great dirty thirty.  I bought a condo (in Mississauga, but still lol).  I have a financial savings plan for the first time in my life.  My boss gave me her 3mos old blackberry (and even though she's not happy with her new one her threats to degift have all been insincere).  I've been out of my hovel a few extra times and consumed some delicious bevvies.  I finally got to give my landlord a piece of my mind about the stupid first floor.  And although he didn't respond to my complaints he said I've been a great tenant and he'd give me a recommendation if need be.  Just all together wtf awesome March.  Or as I might say to Adam, TBWTFAMI.

Also, Jackie, who I think I might be in love with, sent me the most amazing gift I have ever received.  It parallels and exceeds the awesomeness of my last most favouritest t-shirt.

Thank you thank you thank you lol.  All I can really say is, "I saw a squirrel, it went this *insert squirrel imitation*"  And in follow up to this brilliant t-shirt news, my second favourite ever t-shirt which I lost somewhere in life has just come up for sale again on its website of origin.  Soon it will be mine.  And that's all I've got to say about that, for now.

I did something really stupid the other day but luckily recovered from it.  I couldn't find my keys last night. I looked EVERYWHERE, which isn't too hard since the bedroom was excluded.  I finally decided to assemble a back-up set so I wouldn't have to scramble in the morning.  That includes my spare car keys that I keep on my bookshelf, and the keys in my shoe outside my door.  I open my door and low and behold my key-shoe isn't there.  And then it hits me, I just threw out my old runners and sandals, and with them my spare house keys.  Luckily the garbage bag was still in the bin out front, but how weeeeird that I would randomly give up on my key search, decide to assemble a back-up all within a week of tossing my keys in the trash.  Like I said, life is good.

Also, I woke up last night sleep width wise at the end of my bed.  That's never happened to me before.  Sure I shift and kick and feel sorry for anyone that has to share a bed or listen to my night crying (so I've been told).  But a perpendicular move is even new for me.

You know what's great about renting and then buying?  After I pay for my April rent I'm going to have 9 weeks of earning money with no major expenditures.  I'm already trying to calculate how much I can put directly onto the mortgage right away while still keeping some bones in the bank for rainy day shiz.

I've been watching Little Britain on netflix.  Even though I have it on dvd it's just so much easier to click click next.  I've actually been meaning to tell Jackie I'm dumping her for David Walliams.  He's 10x the lady you are.  Jk.

PEACE OUT.

So Do You Golf?

So today I was essentially, what I am choosing to call, man-clubbed.  I will be the first to admit I may have been able to handle the situation better but...I still think it was rude.

Our account rep for a freight company came by today.  Our old rep was passing off to the new rep so they were both there.  I heard the front door open and Dean was on the phone so I stepped out to great them, and without introducing themselves the old rep said, "Dean" so I said ok and went back into my office.  I figured out who it was as they carried on with their shpeel about trying to get more business blah blah blah.  Meanwhile I was in and out of my office a few times to go to the warehouse.  Finally on one pass by I got stopped and it went a little something like this.

Dean:  You guys should meet Julie.
*handshakes with both reps, hello hello*
Old rep:  This is Joe Shmo he'll be taking over for me.
New rep:  Yes this account has been passed to me.
Old rep: It's a fairly easy account.  *insert some joke about us causing trouble all the time*
Me: *some sort of comment back*

Now this is where I should have said, in Vickie's absence I'll be handling the freight relationships.  But before I really had the chance the new rep turns to Dean.

New rep: So, do you golf?
Dean: Not really
New rep: Oh that's too bad.

I know I'm new at this company and very little clout but excuse fucking me.  You don't introduce yourself when I greet you and then you pretty much ignore me immediately following our introduction.  I wrote him a follow up email after he left to clarify a few points in our contract, like the fact that it said it expired March 2012 (brilliant guys, brilliant).  And I felt like finishing it with, "Looks like you asked the wrong effing person if they golfed."  Dean thinks I'm overreacting but that is probably the worst feeling I've had since I started working there.  Even worse than someone rudely giving me the hand when I asked if I could help them.  Some people's kids.

You Can Blog If You Want To

It was Nikki's 30th this weekend.  She came over around 3:30 on Saturday to hang out and pick up her special gift.  I asked my aunt to get some Criminal Minds swag and get a signed photo of the cast.  She happily obliged.  Which means I also now have my own cast photo, but I'm not quite sure what to do with it.  Last month when Nik came by for my 30th she strung together a birthday necklace out of some lotus beads I had picked up for soup but then decided against cooking.  I thought I'd try to one-up her necklace and then took it a few steps too far.  I'm actually quite proud of how it turned out, although it's too junky to ever be of any use.  It actually felt like one of those back support things people keep in their cars.

After a bit of chilling we headed over to Jack Astors for dinner.  I had the Sesame Chicken and Nikki had a wondrous burger with a gluten-free bun.  I feel blessed every single day that I can eat gluten, because damn it's yummy.  My meal was SO good.  I've recently been disappointed at meals out, but this one was super delicious.  After dinner we headed over to the Brickworks to catch a paranormal magic show of sorts.  It was entertaining but that only trick that stumped me was explained by a friend immediately following the show and I was underwhelmed by the simplicity of the tricks.

Then we headed back to my place to drop off my car and head down to Dave's.  There was another big bday party there taking up almost the entire front half but we managed to grab a few seats at the bar.  We eventually migrated to a table beside the bar.  A few people came and went, and at the end of the night a surviving designated driver gave us a lift back up to my place.  Pretty decent turn of events as I was going to get us a taxi each way.  Nik fell in love with this piece of art hanging on the wall at the bar.  It's from Labyrinth.  I seemed to be the only one that didn't pick up on where it was from.  If you're at all curious, check out this youtube, and don't mind the ad at the beginning.  Because 30,000 hits is apparently enough for this user to waste our time.  Probably made 30c on the whole deal.  Anyways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88dyduvKyPI

And for your viewing pleasure, a phone pic of the art.  I should I have taken a pic of the painter's name but yano...being drunk and all.

Word.
Out.

Coming May 21....

o_O

And then there was that time when I was google street-viewing and thought I saw a woman jumping off the top of her car. *Pause...pause*....ooooh, it's a mural.  Moving on.