Halloween Past....taffy

Well I wante dto share a special picture of me and my BFF Stepanie 32 years ago on the last Halloween I dressed up and passed door to door for some treats...

But of course I can't find my old photo album (sad face).

So instead I will tell you about my fave Halloween candy! I loooove Halloween kisses or taffy depending on where you live.

A bit of background...Back in the 70's only really well off people would give chocolate bars on Halloween. My mother had a definite idea on what to give and that is what represents my idea of Halloween.

She would buy a big bag of peanuts with shells on, a big bag of Halloween kisses, a bag of 101 lollypops, a bag of inidividually wrapped bubble gums (the round ones) and a bag of Rockets. F.Y.I Rockets are called Smarties in the U.S.

She would fill a big stainless steel bowl with the mix and put the leftovers in a plastic bucket.

I still smell that mix of candy.

We don't have kid coming over on Halloween because we're near the water and it's too damn dark!

So I don't really buy candy anymore...Maybe a small bag of mini KitKats or Coffee Crisps but that's it.

But lately I've been craving Halloween kisses (or taffy or klandinkes- no I didn't mispell on that one...)

So I was really surprised to find these last week!

Actually these are a double blast from the past!

On the right you have Belanger kisses and on the left Allens kisses. The Allens kisses were originally made in Ontario until the company decided to modernize a couple of years ago, but fortunately the recipe was bought by Original and are now made in Québec (cool).

The Bélanger kisses were originally made in Québec but now are made by Allens in Ontario (go figure), They kept that recipe.

I prefer the Allens and Dan the Bélanger kisses. But what really matters is that we were able to find these classic candies!

Now my Halloween is complete! Well not really....I won't be a ble to watch my classic Haloween movie Hocus Pocus because our DVD crapped out on us....

Remember when a refrigirator lasted 20 or 30 year? and a VCR at least 10? Well not anymore!

Well at lest I'm watching Sleepy Hollow and I hope I can locate my photo album!

Sleep tight and don't let the neighbors bite! Unless you want to that is!

 

New Thrifty Finds!

Isn't thrifting the BEST?

I love the thrill of finding something amazing! Here are my latest finds....

Aren't these cute? Little individual casseroles for french onion soup or individual pot pies....

These are going in the shop.

Oooh yellow egg cups! Another fab find for the store !

Xmas ornements!

These are GORGEOUS!

Both boxes will go in the shop....

Here's what I kept for myself!

A Melita filter in white ceramic; you just insert a paper filter some coffee, place over a cup and pour boiling water....and presto coffee!

A Pyrex canister in the Spice-o-life pattern and a Xmas tree paper napkin holder (I've been wanting one for AGES!)

These pieces were a dollar each....SWEET!

So folks I'm off to list these great finds in the shop because we all know that Xmas is just around the corner!

And Susie QT...I'm keeping my eyes peeled for some objects with 'shrooms! I believe that you are totally right and these are the next owls!

Sleep tight :)

WTF? Tuesday! 'shrooms

I have to admit that the only way I like mushrooms are in my plate and in the woods; okay that's 2 ways....oops!

I never quite got the decorating with mushrooms thing; probably because my mom wasn't into 'shrooms. She was more into european-victorian-end of the century decor....which totally explained the lack of Pyrex!

Oh and I don't really like brown.....

So here goes!

This is some kind of planter/ wall hanging. It is flat in back with a small hole for hanging.

Brown and phallic synbols? I don't need that in my kitchen! NO WAY!

And who needs this by the stove?

Whoa that is a baaaad picture!

This is a giant salt shaker, it is about  5 inches tall!

Who made these things?

Funny thing is that things I couldn't stand 5 years ago, I'm now hunting for my home decor so who knows if in a couple of years...I might me pleading for some 'srooms!

Have a great FTW? Tuesday! and be sure to stop and say hi to Sir Thrift-a-lot  who's the host with the most!

Latest thrifty finds

It's already Sunday night! This was realy a crazy week! I was runing after time left and right. I did thift a bit....but no pictures yet.

Here's the coolest stuff I found in the last couple of weeks.

 I got this ashtray at Value Village for .49 cents.

If you're a regular reader you know we are smoke free (for 6 yeras now!) but I definitely have a crazy thing for vintage ashrays...go figure!

Now what drew me to this one is that it was a promo item from an insurance company in Quebec and I now work for an insurance company. And how ironic is that? An insurance company giving away ashtrays? Now that smoking is considered evil...  

I did get my hands on some Pyrex too! My PRECIOUS.....SO LOVELY, SO COLORFUL!!!

I got the Spring Flower Green casserole at a yard sale for a steal while on our road trip in eastern Ontario. This couple seem to have a yard sale every week. We stop whenever we are in the neighborhood.

The Gooseberry I got by chance on Etsy while Xmas shopping. I got a great gift plus a treat for little old me!

Well have a nice week faithful readers and keep thrifting!

To die for!

Last friday I had an out of this world culinary experience....I kidd you not!

We had reservations at 6:30pm at one of the best restaurant in Montreal. We went to Joe Beef to celebrate our 21st anniversary.

I've wanted to try that place now for a couple of years but we were a bit unsure; being people that rarely go to expensive restaurants. But in August I read a review from my fave restaurant critic Leslie Chesterman and POW we had to go for sure!

It is located on Notre-Dame street in an old building lovingly restored The decor is modern country. And the food is unbelivable!

The first waiter I encountered worried me because he was so stiff and snob, I tought my evening was going to be ruined by his snotty attitude! But no. We got the best waiter; Patrick: and I swear he made the evening even better.

We ordered oysters from Prince Edward Island and pork belly as appetizers. I had a Joe Beef beer (local) and Dan the usual coffee. The oysters were meaty and sweet and I got an extra plus 3 huge shrimps (probably because of a small mixup in the reservation).

Then for mains we had a GINORMOUS NY strip (18oz) with blue cheese/horseradish and gentleman sauce along with the yummiest creamed spinach.....and BBQ ribs smoked 24hours with a Coca-Cola sauce and homemade parmesan french fries. I nearly cried of joy!

For dessert? I still can't believe we were able to order dessert! We did ask for doggy bags in order to sample their homemade soft serve! So for dessert we had  OMG a Paris-Brest!

 Imagine the same but with ice cream in the middle!

*sobbing with joy!*

The food was so fresh, plentiful and good, it's the way it should be in restaurants! And as local as can be!

This is the only pic I was able to take because either the lighting was bad or I was too busy sighing with joy!

I asked our fab waiter if I could bring the bottle home and he agreed with a laugh; It seems it's quite often!

I want to thank Patrick for a fantastic evening, we loved everything! And we will be back once we fill the coffers again!

And maybe one day Dan will stop screaming Paris-Brest every 2 seconds! LOL

I want to go in the summer to sit in the garden, I went and it's super cool. A lot of the produce comes from it. Otherwise on my next visit I want to sit in the window and be served once again by Patrick the big man from Gaspésie!

Love your cat!

Seen in eastern Ontario

So last weekend I got to enjoy my B-Day gift. I got to go on a roadtrip to Kingston , Ontario. I love that area, the vibe, the thrifting, the seaway, the colors, the food....

Here some of the stuff I saw:

 I nearly bought this, really! But when I grabbed the box, it smelled like old lady and dirty hair! EEEEWWWW!

These 2 casseroles have been at that flea forever (in flea market talk, it's more than a year). Old orchard is not one my fave patterns and I'm proud to say I've resisted bringing it home.

Hello there Jabba! I nearly bought this....let's just say that I know some Star Wars nuts real well...

But I finally left it in Kingston.

I fell in love with this evil eyed kitty but it was not cooperating for the picture!

OoooH! Did I just spy some Pyrex? Too bad I have them all!

Does that pattern ring a bell? It's just the same as Homestead from Pyrex but on a fondue pot.

On the way we stopped at Gananoque for lunch at the Pigiron Barbeque. Man oh man what joy!

They even serve homemade lemonade in a Mason jar. It was the perfect drink to wash down all that BBQ!

Here's yours truly waiting for her chow.

Here's the fabulous pulled pork sandwhich

Let me just say that the brisket with horseradish sauce was even better but I never got to take a pic!

Now I'm rested and full of energy for more thrifting!

Have a great night and yes I found some Pyrex but haven't taken the time to take some pics! 

WTF? Tuesday

Hi folks! The weekend was FABULOUS! But that is for another post!

Today I'm hooking up with Sir Thrift-a-lot for WTF? Tuesday!

I saw this and did a double take. It was minding its own business in a flea in Gananoque, Ont.

Yes it is a floor lamp with a HUGE straw hat for a lampshade.

Definitely not my cup of tea. I'm sure somebody will squeal of joy and buy it. But not me!

I can just picture it full of dust!

And I bet it smells of cigerette smoke. Eeeeewwww!

Who designed that? What were they thinking?

Have a great week, I'll be on the look out for scary things in thrifts.

WEEKEND! HEEEEEEEHAAAWWWWW!

Ok so I wanted to have a lenghty post on times changing and the end of another era.....well that is for another time!

I want to shout from the top of my lungs that HALLELUYAH THE WEEKEND IS HERE!

I know, I know, I've already posted about the unrest at my workplace but I can't resist an update! Well , it's not really an update....

This is the company that told me I would get a permanent job by September for sure....NOT HAPPENING!

I'm still happy to get up in the morning and still thrilled to handle cheques and assorted payments, however I'm not feeling the love from my boss and I don't think they will renew my contract.

In a twisted way I think my boss is blaming me because the training was crappy; like I didn't learn fast enough. But really what is there to learn when they don't teach you anything or when they do it's so fast you don't even know what hits you so you can't ask questions your brain can't process it fast enough!

So now for a change of pace! No nudie bar or chip wagon or asian joint....

Really this is Roadtrip time....time to relax, thrift,nibble, thrift, relax, drink coffee, thrift some more, have a cocktail, supper and thrift some more!

This is what I chose for my B-Day gift to go on a road trip to Kingston, Ont! The road is so lovely, we take the old hihway most of the way.
The views of the St-Lawrence nd the Seaway are breathtaking and littered with little thrifts. And Chip Wagons....you can always get a snack in western Ontario.

It's the second place (besides New England) that I've fallen in love with. I just need to visit Cornwall, Iroquois, Brockville, Gananoque and all the litle places in between!

That sign is so cool, vintage and not politically correct at the same time!

That is probably the smallest bar in Ontario!

This Chip Wagon is in Brockville, Ont. Just so you know, it's pre-molded patties with crap in it not real meat!

STAY AWAY!

But these beauties are docked in Kingston! I can't wait to see them!

I might just get some of these.....If I'm lucky!

I wish! I can't wait to see what we dig up!

Have a nice weekend and a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Be sure to give thanks for all your riches vintage or new. Life is a gift to be fully enjoyed and be grateful for.

FTW? Tuesday! Big Ass Lampshades

Do you remember David Letterman and his big ASS hams? Well I felt the same way when I saw these!

By the way I'm joining Sir-Thrift-a-lot's party: FTW? Tuesday! If you see something weird/ tacky/inapropriate in a thrift shop snap it and join the tuesday party!

Here they are.....

I gasped when I saw this one high on a shelf and I just had to take it down (dust and all) and try to take a pic. That's why the picture is not that good...I just propped it on a display rack.

It looks like a Phentex medusa!

This one was probably knotted/crocheted or whatever by the same crazed crafter!

They are at least 24 inches across! Over what table would these fit? A banquet table?

I shudder at the thought of seeing these in action!

Be sure to vist Sir-Thrift-a-lot and all the other hawk eyed thrifters who spotted awful stuff!

The end of an era

I was really sad and disturbed to learn last monday that one of the area's 'landmark' burned to the ground.

The Miss Dorion motel is no more. This was the cheapest, ickiest dive of a motel and nude dancer bar.

I've blogged about it before. I don't know what fascinated me about this place....Was it this sign?

I have a feeling it's related to my side show fascination....

This was in better days.

Everytime we would drive by I had a wise crack remark to make. And on the rare times I failed to pass a comment Dan would ask me if I was ok.

Since the its demise I've learned that the nude dancers only arrived in the early 90's before it was some kind of show place.

When  I first saw it it not only had an inground pool and a chip wagon so you could catch some exotic dancing, hang around the pool and eat fresh french fries....How classy is that? LOL!

Last year it had a 'makeover'....the owners slapped some ugly ass siding and not on all sides of the building.

See? the siding looks like fake rock. This is a pic from August when the Miss Dorion had a minor fire.

Mind you I wasn't aware of that! It had been closed and for sale since then.

Last saturday I made a special detour to witness the damage.

Only the pool is left.

A big pile of rubble. It does smell like arson!

All gone!

I sure am gonna miss bitching about you!

Will a condo tower replace you? If so I'll be there with snide remarks ready!