Spring time isn’t just for pretty new clothes, although that is high up there on my list. It’s also time to start thinking about my garden patio. Elections in the past two springs meant this was a task I couldn’t take up until summer so planting seeds was ruled out for me.

I have noticed that some seeds I planted late last season are now plants this year! Such a green thumb I have. I think I may actually get my strawflower garden.

The big challenge with my garden (I can’t complain about size as I have a bigger space that other folks) is configuring plants and rigging up other contraptions to keep the kitties on my patio instead of running loose throughout the courtyard sticking their curious little noses into other people’s bedrooms or hiding under bushes for hours when I need to leave the house. Seems like a fun game to Sal when I chase him through bushes, but not so much for me. The other challenge is to pick perfect plants that aren’t toxic to the little brats.

And of course, I need to make myself happy which is easily done if I can get some snapdragons going along with some herbs, roses, and other pretty flowers.

However, I want to grow taller plants this year as I fear I may need more privacy from the neighbours. Other years I invested in that perfect chaise lounge for the deck and last year a storage bench, but this year I need more practical options to enjoy the garden with fewer cat escape acts. That means taller, thicker, stronger plants.

So, that is my immediate challenge. Ideas are welcome!

If you think this photo is funny,

then you can’t miss the May 27 event - http://calendar.bc.ndp.ca/

There will be imitations! Plus Joy is the MC.

Somehow Lark 8th Ave escaped my radar, but lately their name has come up in a number of fashion mags and blogs so I am now up to speed on their existence and wares. I will have to blame the fact that we were otherwise engaged when they opened a year ago this month.

Oh well, I know it is there now and that they carry some of my favourite Vancouver designers like Allison Wonderland.

Allison Wonderland and other great designers are also sold on Paper-Doll.com. the-web-site-I-try-my-best-not-to-look-at-for-fear-of-going-overboard.

Now open, just next door to my hair salon Colour box, is Dutil. Just jeans, jeans and more jeans of varying designers and styles. Check them out at 303 W. Cordova for denim from $100 to $1000.

One of the only things I actually got before kids in North America (we were like 3 years behind on all other shows) when I grew up in NZ is still one of my favourites - ABBA: the movie.

You poor Canadian kids missed this one as it wasn’t released in North America due to the fact that it was the story of a dj covering ABBA’s 1977 tour of Australia. My mum took me to see it on the big screen several times!

Recently the movie has been shown on our TV stations so you can catch up. My favourite is all the little Aussie girls singing “Ring, Ring” and doing the hand movements just like I used to, oh such memories. But the movie is just a view into the tour lives of the group, and the silly dj trying to catch up to them for an interview.

1. Doormen (boy are there a lot of them) in NY are unionized members of the SEIU and are a very influential local of the union.

2. The Rockettes are named after Rockefeller as Radio City Music Hall is part of Rockefeller Centre.

3. Fluevogs in NY have exactly the same sticker price as they do here. Huh.

4. Central Park is totally man made. Huh, who knew?

Okay, totally random, but interesting to me!

Looking forward to my own bed and furry buddies, but sad to leave still. After we packed up and got our coffee, we headed to the east village for brunch and shopping. (more…)

Running out of time inspired us to get up at a more decent hour so we could fit everything in before we left. First we headed to Gramercy Park to pick up Ellie and Danielle. (more…)

We really did mean to get up early on Friday and hit all the museums we possibly could.

But we didn’t. We got up late again. Which meant we didn’t have time for the 45 minute (each way) subway ride to the tip of the city to see the Cloisters. But I read the book later at the Met.

After we called Ellie, we headed out for museum day (not really my favourite pastime, but when in Rome..). (more…)

Lesson learned - when I drink cheap wine in dive bars I sleep like crap. We got up late again so had to haul ass to get out the door and on the town. We hit the Comfort Diner for what else but comfort food. Mmm…tuna melt, yam fries and coke.

We had decided today would be the day we check out a Broadway show so we headed to the TKTS booth. (more…)

Much more fun to be had on Day Two - shopping in Soho according to my pre-planned itinerary.

We got up late. Those steaks made us sleep a really long time - plus being on vacation we felt we deserved to sleep until 9 am Vancouver time. After gazing up at the beauty of Grand Central station like the tourists we were, we managed to figure out who to ask about how we take the subway to Soho.

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Such a short post. On day one we flew to New York from Vancouver through the world’s suckiest airport in Ottawa where we were forced to eat at Nate’s since you now have to buy all your own food on Air Canada and your selections are limited to sandwiches and snacks. Cheap asses. The movie was “Rumour Has It” with Jennifer Aniston where she sleeps with a guy she previously thought could be her biodad. Creepy.

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I can’t believe I thought I would find time to blog to y’all so you knew what we were up to in New York. I have so much to tell you, but not today. Today I unpack pretty things and lay on couch in coma from 6 days of non-stop running around trying to take in everything we possibly could.

Important note to folks though (well, important to me) - I am not doing 7 am bootcamp this month, mostly because two months of needing to be in bed early on weeknights followed up with a visit to the city that never sleeps made me realize two things:

1. I want to do more fun and interesting things on weeknights, which is tough when bed starts to call you at 10 pm every night.

2. I like - and need to catch up on some - sleep. Getting up at 6 am every morning is great for two months, but three in a row is pushing it.

I will definitely keep up my exercise routine and look at another boot camp session, but for the next month, I wanna hear about those fun things going on during the week. I still have to be perky and coherent for work in the mornings, so we aren’t talking hardcore here, but this city also has a lot going on and I want to get out there.

Chloe Sevigny was filming right outside my birthday party on Friday night.

I was sad that she didn’t come in as she seems like the kind of chick who would be into a 70s party. But I found I was more forgiving of the inconsiderate crew who had decided to block my route home the day before by double parking instead of just pulling into the huge open parking spot behind them, or the fact that one of the crew actually tried to hold the door to the party closed so people could not come in or out, once I found out she was in the movie being filmed. Just for Chloe will I be that sweet. It was my birthday after all. And they all seemed to like my baby blue disco shoes.

I would also be completely remiss if I did not mention that I didn’t get to watch this weeks ANTM until Saturday, only to see my Mollie Sue get voted off. I am seriously considering another boycott.

Goodbye Miss Mollie. We will miss you.

Thanks to everyone who attended the big birthday bash on Friday night. We had a lot of fun. And thanks for all my wonderful pressies and cards. Lola particularly enjoyed those that came with tissue paper.

It was a low key birthday weekend, mostly spent researching the sights and sounds of New York in preparation for the big trip. Luckily most of this research could be done while sitting on the couch.

I did make it out of the house a couple of times. (more…)

News flash - living with men makes women fat!

Duh.

Emily Haines rocks - and as my concert companion frequently states when we’re on the topic - “she’s hot” too. As lead singer of Metric , she has a stage presence that is almost evokes a rock goddess of the cailbre of Kim Gordon - which is saying a hell of a lot. She can rock, she exudes strength and she’s got a great voice.

Metric played the Commodore last night (more…)

It’s been a busy couple of days, all of which resulted in me bringing home one of the first Honda Fit’s to hit Vancouver.

Her name is Frida.