25 on 31 is not that bad!

I'n sure you remember that back at the beginning of the month I undertook the 1:365 picture challenge.

Well I'm happy to say that I posted 25 times in January and that is AMAZING to me!

Here's today's picture taken in December in Massena NY .....

Joy and cheer the McRib is here! And I don't care! Molded processed pork with pretend bones and god knows what in it don't float my boat!

But the sign sure cracked me up!

Do you watch 'The Taste' ? I hope to see my friend Anthony freak out, but he can't totally be himself  because he is on network tv! Oh well.

'night night faithful readers....

Well...

Well, I wanted to post about the seed catalogs I've been receiving....and took a couple of pictures....

But this morning I got a new Apple download for my phone and guess what? My phone can't connect with my computer and I'm too tired to deal with this.....

And this is what I don't like about the Apple cult, you buy a product and then you have no idea wat is happening!

For the past week I haven't been able to put songs in specific playlists...why? I have no idea!

I think that if I need another intelligent phone that I will buy another kind outside of the Apple cult.

Maybe a Samsung or a Blackberry

 

Chocolate Stanley cups??? Really?

 

As if we needed another excuse to buy chocolate! LOL

 

Be well!

 

Linda, I hope Mr. Toes is getting better, he is constantly in my prayers 

 

Monday...sigh

Not a big fan of Mondays....except those on vacation!

So today was a slomo d of day, where everything is complicated and slow moving. It happens!

But whenever I feel blue I think of my furry faces!

 

Yoda loves the snow and running in it; which explains the snow on her adorable face.

 

 

Gotta go I need to be rested for tomorrow

Fun with Snow

Yes I'm showing you a picture of yours truly shoveling snow in my PJs!

Who cares what the neighbors think!

 

Sorry about that Dad!

I bet this pic will be right there with the white trash/green chair/blowmold near the pool shot!

 

Yep Dad still talks about that one!

 

 See? I'm having fun and shoveling too!

 

Be well my friends!

 

Please say a little prayer for the speedy recovering of Mr. Toes ,Linda's kitty

from A la Carte

He got shot by a pellet gun

 

Thrifty Finds

Unfortunately this post is not about thrifting per se, spelunking in huge boxes of vintage goodies, no it is about finds that are thrifty.

At the beginning of the month I went to Holt & Renfrew (the chichi store that sold the $120.00 cookies).

I found loose leaf teas from England in cute tins for a lovely price!

Now I drink a lot of tea during the day and I know loose leaf is always pretty expensive.

Lucky I found 2 of my faves...

Darjeeling and Earl Grey

 

$5 each instead of $12.

 

SWEET!

Well it's late and I must run the flat iron in my hair...exciting

Puuurrrr

This will be a quick post because it is almost time for the ice pack application....lol

My back is better, thanks for your good wishes. My chiro visit went well, but I need to ice, ice baby!

I guess that dates me!

I caught 2 of my guys naping the other day...

 

Bob on the right and Bandito on the left.

They're getting to be great pals, but Bandito finds Bob plays a little rough...

 

But is a great nap pal!

 

Be well

 

We need extra blankets here as it is almost minus 30 celsius and that is minus 22 farenheit.

 

YIKES!

 

Calling all cats upstairs for canoodling! PRONTO!  

It's about time!

I didn't post yesterday becasue I threw my back out at work, wanted to scream from pain and ended up going home early.
I was asleep in the living room by 7:30 pm (wow I fell asleep during Castle), went to bed at 8pm ,read and feel asleep in my book at 8:25pm. Pain really tires you out!

I feel better today but stayed home from work to make sure I was really healed and I'll be seeing the chiropractor tomorrow morning.

So back in September 2012 while on a roadtrip to Gananoque we found not one but 2 Lucite lamps, here's their story in the original POST

Now the orange one was installed over the dinning room table just like so

 

And we finally managed to install; after much discussions...;

the chartreuse one.

 

 

TCB baby! That is what I'm talking about!

YAY for us!

 

And the Cassoulet? out of this world! I will modify the recipe and will not include the duck (too expensive for my taste) I might substitute it for pork.

Yes Dad I prepared a dish for you and it is in the freezer.

 

And it is the lunch choice today!

 

Be well my friends 

 

Thrifted!

I found this asian treasure at Renaissance last week...

A french carafe with tiny glasses, 6 of them!

 

 

Look at that cool/tacky design!

Because we all know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder! 

 

This will go in the store...

 

Second of all, I'm sure you remember the flea market I visited last week?

 

Cool Flea Market

 

Yes I'm about to uncover the location, I'm sorry I didn't before, this was really greedy on my part.

 

The super cool flea market is the St-Michel Flea market, corner of St-Michel and Cremazy.

 

Please leave the ice cream cone, please, please pretty please...

 

Speaking of the ice cream cone from the flea market...Dan is worried I'll bring it home, Dad is sure I'll bring it home and if the price is right I WILL BRING IT HOME YES I WILL!

 

 

 

 

this is the cassoulet, our supper tonight, just before a trip in the oven.

 

Well the verdict is in and it was delicious! Hearty, stick to your ribs delicious!

 

Dan keeps going on about the sausages and the beans!

 

Have a nice night.

Home

We wanted to go on a mini roadtrip, but let's face it folks we had to TCB on the homefront!

I'm ashamed to tell you that the tree wasn't down....yet

So now I can proudly tell you that all the ornements are put away and that the tree itself will be put in its box tomorrow and on its way to the basement.

Of course when you put away Xmas stuff; you cannot help but reminisce...

  

I got this cutie patootie from a flea in Massena NY in December.It is made in Japan

It set me back $1.

 

Now this is my yearly ornements in Pyrex pic.

 

 

 

I had a lot more but they were unbreakables and they got packed earlier

 

Most of the glass ornements are heirlooms from my parents and some are even from my grandparents, and even my great-grandparents.

 

  We had snow so Dan shovelled evrything, I shoved a blade roast in the new crockpot with spices, onion,garlic and red wine , changed the beds, tidied the kitchen and started the beans for the cassoulet.

The Montreal Gazette published  an easier and simpler cassoulet recipe so Dan  wanted me to try it.

 

I was really surprised because last time we had it we had a really hard time digesting it even if it was made by a famous Montreal chef; I swear I burped it for 2 days.

Dan keeps making faces everytime someone mentions cassoulet!

 

in case you're wondering...Cassoulet is an old french dish with beans, duck, sausages and pork.

 

It is of course a cold weather dish....

 

I can't wait to taste it! 

 

I hope mine goes down easier...lol

 

 

Grocery store sighting

This is why I love ethnic grocery stores! Some products are so unique or off the wall!

 

I give you Balli Cerez!

It is a mix of honey and nuts.

The label really cracked me up.

 

 

The label reads for every one who wantsto be young with a strong mind and nerves; for

every old man who dreams to have his youth back.

 

But how to we fix the guy with the jar on his head?

 

By the way I looked it up on the internet and it is supposed to be amazingly good!

 

Who knows? I just might follow Dave's advice RIGHT HERE and go get a jar!

 

I love honey and I love nuts!

A square what?

A square toilet that is.

I had a lunch date but got stood up as my friend from work hurt his collar bone and did not bother to call me to cancel....I will give him an earfull when he comes back, lol

So off to lunch I went all by my lonesome to try a new ramen place, yes ramen again...I'm telling you it's the next big food craze here in Montreal.

It's called Misoya Ramen on Bishop street...it's barely opened 1 month.

More expensive than last week's chinese ramen but they had a 9.99$ lunch special...

With gyoza; lovely japenese potstickers....

 

Then the soup

 

 

You see the white powder in the middle?

It is parmesan cheese! Really! To the right fried potatoes.

That is soooo un-japanese!

 

To the left a slice of pork, probably pork belly; way too fatty.Not enough noodles.

The broth had a lovely lemony taste but was so salty; I felt like a cow in a

field getting a salt lick!

 

Weirdness factor: 100%

Potstickers: 100%

Ramen soup: Forget about it!

 

The restaurant is part of a chain and is considered one of the best ramen place in NYC

 

Thanks but naynay!

 

Oh and the toilet

 

 

Romantic Interlude....

Sigh....

Sigh....

Sigh....

It is here at last....

I've been waiting for it for nearly 5 years....

 

Yes this is the Green New Dots 404 bowl.

 

If you're looking for me, I will be in my kitchen fawning over it!

 

It came from Etsy and even if I paid a pretty penny, it was still less; including shipping than the prices I usually see in Ebay.

 

Sleep tight :)

Who knew?

Who knew that in the greater Montreal area there is a real bona fide flea market?

No new socks, curd cheese or spice mixes....Just old treasures just the way I like them!

 

 

Love those phones

 

 

I think I'm in love with that ice cream cone

 

 

I never saw so many lucite lamps

 

 

That is so tackylicious! 

 

And you know what else? Yes there was Pyrex, even some pieces I didn't have, but way out of my price range....

And you know what else? I can't wait to go back!

Spotless

I've read quite a few times that your trusty cast iron pan should never hit  soap and water....

Instead,

You wipe most of the fat and then you use cornmeal to soak up the balance and then take a cloth to get rid of the cormeal....Just like Paula Deen does!

 

Now if I'm not mistaking, I've also read that if you fried bacon, the cornmeal you use to soak up the fat you keep to make cornbread. Never done this but it sounds tasty!

 

HECK, ANYTHING WITH BACON IS DELICIOUS!  

 

Yum bacon! If I have my say I will have bacon soon!

 

Be well and I will have thrifty pics tomorrow :)

Yum!

I had no lunch and had some errands to do...

so I ended up in Faubourg Ste-Catherine (AKA Cockroach Town) with a huge appetite...

I wanted fried anything, you know hormones....

But I saw this...

 

The guy was actually making homemade ramen noodles!

 

That is very rare, especially in a has been dinky food court....

 

 

 

This is number 4 pork and vegetables

 

Not only the make their noodles for each orders but they also make their own hot sauce which happens to be delicious!

 

 

It was hot, homemade and filling! A great deal for $6.95.

 

The name of the joint is Yuki Ramen.

Chinese Ramen, not the same as japenese ramen. Equally delicious but quite different.

 

I will be back and real soon!

 

That's a BIG promise!

Yes that's nice but from a dépanneur (convinience store)/ currency converter?

 

I'm not sure!

This was taken today on Crescent street below Ste-Catherine street.

 

If, by any chance you're not familiar with poutine....

 

It is a Québec invention that consists of french fries, gravy and curd cheese.

 

It is considered one of Canada's national dishes (really?)

It can be sinfully delicious or reaaly crappy not worth the calories...

 

Now the french fries have to be fresh, not frozen 

It can be jazzed up with cut up hot dogs, chicken, peas, smoked meat and countless meat delicacies.

 

Chichi chefs have even put foie gras on it...and maple syrup! I don't think so!

 

Be nice!  

Thrifted!

It was so good to smell the slightly stale moth ball tainted air of the church basement....

It makes me feel so alive (yes I can hear you, crazy as a bat, I am)

So this is what I found....

 

Needlepoint seacoast

Judging by the frame, it's circa 1960.

 

I'm thinking of re-doing my bedroom this coming Spring in a vintage beachy cottage theme; so

it will fit perfectly!

 

Nighty night

Deals!

I love the after Xmas sales, even if I don't buy a lot...

So I headed to Holt & Renfrew (home of the crazy expensive cookies) to see what they had to offer.

Hum, 20% on top of 40% off? Count me in; if the price is right of course!

 

Well I bought some Daarjeling tea for 5$ instead of 14$

and some other items that will remain secret for the time being!

 

I did see the big glass jar of cookies that was around 50$ instead of 120$, which is a good deal but like my co-worker Debbie says: it is a lot of money for cookies!

 

I also saw this...

 

 

A lovely baby sweater...

 

 

 

72$ for a baby's sweater? Really?

 

FREAKY!

 

This is just a glimpse of the rich people universe.

This is the kind of sweater that Kim Kardashian would buy for her baby.

I'm just saying.

 

CRAZY!

Done!

So far I've been really  motivated by my 2013 words (organize and TCB)

The bathroom cubbard

ok granted not that bad...but a mess never the less

 

 

Do I need more nail polish? I don't think so!

 

I did manage to throw 5 away. Not bad.

 

 

 

Much better!

 

I managed to clean most of the kitchen pantry

 

so progress report: Bathroom 100% done (Dan washed the walls, and everything!)

Kitchen pantry: 95% done       

 

AMAZING! And I managed to just hang around in my pjs most of Sunday.

 

Be well my friends

                    

 

 

 

 

 

Another surprise

You remember the Tassimo coffee maker Tassimo sent for Dan ?

It works great and makes delicious coffee, the cappucino is unreal!

So after we received it I got another email from the PR company thanking me for participating and they wanted to send me a surprise. Heck I love surprises!

On December 24th when I came hom from work there was a big box on my balcony....and wouldn't you know it was a Tassimo coffee maker! SWEET!!!

I couldn't keep 2 , right? right! For one micro second I tought about having a giveaway for a lucky reader....

But when we mentionned that I got a Tassimo to my step daughter, her face light up, she got all excited, so of course I had to give it to her!

So don't worry dear readers I'll figure out a way to have a fab giveaway!

Now for today's picture....

Now who knew that a cartoon character had favorite Jelly Belly flavors?

Really?

 

Are you surprised they all are pinkish?

 

 

Catching up

I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one having issues with Blogger....

Many thanks to Six Balloons fr the HTML tip, it made my day!

So here goes...

So this is the new temp location for La Queue de Cheval...

Beautiful isn't it? With all the snow and lights.

 

They had to move because the partners had a falling out and the one who owned the name moved out.

The found a new location but are in the progress of renovating it.

So here they are in this historic building that used to house a bar and party place the 1234.

It got its liquor license suspended last year...which is really bad for a bar.

 

So now it is the super expensive La Queue de Cheval 

 

Like I wrote, I've blogged about this place before.

 

It's the crazy meat prices place!

 

 

 

And these

 

 

Porterhouse anyone?

 

I think I'll wait for a sale and buy a nice Rib steak and enjoy it at home...

 

Be well and see you soon!

 

 

Still going through the archives....

First let me say that your very nice comments warmed the cockles of my heart (the orthograph is totally by feeling, is it right? Meh!)

I was an average figure skater but I eventually got all my badges. When it was time for a private instructor my Mom pulled the plug real fast on figure skating.

To my Mom you had to be the best (or top 3) or you weren't worth the time of day.

Now for my picture of the day....

                                 I so totally miss the sea....
                                 This is such bad english I want to earl

                                 I case you haven't guessed I still can't upload pictures in my blog from my photo album! Why is that?
                                I went kind of crazy and deleated some things from the computer and that might be why....The positive side? I get to re-visit all the fun things and great pictures!

                               Organize progress: bathroom : 75%
                                                              pantry : 60%

have a great weekend my friends, I hope to go thrifting....fingers crossed!

It sure didn't go as planned

I wanted to post a lovely picture of the restaurant La Queue de Cheval's new temporary location on de la Montagne  street in downtown Montreal since it is lovely in the snow....

But for some reason I can't upload pictures from my photo album...so since I commited to posting a picture everyday....

I went though other albums....and found this!

That is classic!

This is probably from 1975-1976

 

1974-1975

 

1973-1974

                                            Yes dearest readers this is yours truly Miss V!

                                           I had a lot of fun figure skating, and I don't skate anymore, the skates hurt
my ankles too much, oh well.
                                           It happens

                                           Sleep well!

Words to live by

Words to live by.

In 2012 I saw that some bloggers had chosen a word to represent the year ahead; including my friend Linda from A la Carte

As December was coming to a close, I felt a deep need to organize my pantry, to make everything orderly....

So it seemed fitting that my word for 2013 would be organize and what better companion to organisation than TCB (Taking care of Business) ?

It is also my picture of the day. Will I be able to organize my house/basement/garden shed/pantry?

That is the question! But I sure will try!

We started 2013 bright and early and Dan went to work in the bathroom and I in the garden shed...

Progress report:garden shed: 10%
                            Bathroom: 50%

1 picture each day

Now I don't really know how this works... But I found it intriguing...

1:365  one picture every day of 2013.

I hope I will be able to stick with it.

so here goes!

Going to the movies!

 

We went to see Skyfall

 

I looooove James Bond movies!

 

Nighty Night!