Weekend in Review... the Ottawa Edition
Well it's Monday and so that means, I should be bitching and complaining, moaning and kvetching...
...and lord knows I gots stuff to bitch and complain, moan and kvetch about... but (sorry Ma) I refuse to be that person today... (just wait 'til tomorrow! lol)
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Was in Ottawa for the weekend. Catching up with friends I hooked back up with on Crackbook. (some I hadn't seen in 2 years, other 10-12 years!!!) We caught a friends Vernisage. We also went to look at the tulips, but there were not many tulips to be seen. Given what the weather was like in April, it's impressive that people were still not skating on the canal! We DID see a few tulips here and there and when we visited friends: Jason and Kevin, I took a shot of the tulips in their front yard. Hardly a glamour shot, but I promised myself that I'd take pictures of tulips, and I hate to go back on my word...
We also did a little shopping... 'cause I'm a shop-o-holic. It's pure un-adulterated therapy for me... not so much for my ManDidier alas, who opted to not step inside most of the shops I went in... you know all the essentials... a paper and card shop where we rely on their same sex wedding cards... (you'd think that in Montréal, with one of the largest Gay communities in North America that there's be at least a handful of tasteful cards available for same sex weddings... but NO! we have to schlep up to one of the most conservative cities in the Dominion, to obtain a nice card.) And since close friends are tying the knot this June I took the opportunity to pick up a card... at $7.95 - PLUS TAX- they'd better stick in it for the long haul, cause if they divorce in anything under 10 years, I'm demanding my money back! HEH!
I also hit at lest 4 kitchenwares shops... HEY! we were in the Byward Market area, AND I'm Gay! where'd you expect I would be? In the Sports stores? lol Picked up more cookie cutters... a cute '3 bears' set and a 5 pack of snow-flakes... 'cause I love Snow and Winter (when it's TECHNICALLY winter... not 1/2 way into spring) and my Mother is an absolute NUT for snowflake motifs and so I'm smelling a gift for Mom... not the cutters (are you mad?!) I'll bake something and send 'em to her. ...and considering the last remaining Christmas Shop closed in Ottawa, the snow flakes were a small mercy! (I'm still in shock that there are no Christmas stores left there, considering at one point there were THREE! A sad day for me indeed! The only thing that makes me happier than a kitchenwares stores or a Leather shop is a Christmas store. I Can't get enough of em. )
Then we hit a shop called 'Made in France' which was nice. Full of nothing but a lot of lavender, herbs de provence and some pricey chocolate. Yea, ok there was more than that, and I did manage to find a few things that I just had to have... like say the lime flavoured salt. Laugh at me now, but my slush margaritas are gonna kick mucho ass over sexy Javier's from that little grass hut on the beach in Cancun! Got some other misc. cooking ingredients and some candies for Didier, who is himself an import from France... so I thought that was a nice touch... n'est pas?
It was fun catching up with friends, old and new alike... although it seems (not to me, but whatcha gonna do) that with the expanse of friends, and my being an Anglo and my Man being a Franco that there are just some divides that ...well, just are. But then again I'm not sure... Is it language, or history?
You know what it's like, when your with a group of friends from your partners side, even if you're all speaking the same language, you sorta blend into the background.. you're not in the 'know', you don't always have a clear picture of the back story or the personal history to keep up with everything that's being said. Toss in a second language and you've got fun!
I admit that I don't speak a lot of French, I understand it rather well, but when it comes to trying to take part in a group conversation with 8 other native speakers, you tend to just sit and listen... smile and nod... Your internal translation mechanism overloads and by the time you're able to interject with your own views or comments (without looking like you just came out of your first French 101 class, and totally mangle their language) the conversation is already two topics away.
I guess I need to bone up on my French.
And I guess I also don't pay enough attention to my Man about this... I think I am, but I guess I'm not... Trying to keep in conversations with 3 other couples all around a long rectangular table and ensuring that your 'Other' is in on it all too is no small feat. You're trying to catch up with 4 old friends, (some of which don't really know each other that well) and also trying to learn more about two of their more recent (at least 'new to you') Significant Others, and well I guess you let your own S.O. slide in the process... and well that sucks.
It sucks a lot, when you realize what you thought was a wonderful night out with friends and good food and conversation, was not such a great time for your Other. I guess, over the years (in this relationship, and others) I've just resigned myself to the fact that when I'm the 'Other' that I'm just gonna have a less than mind blowing time, (with rare occasion). But over time, as you yourself become more comfortable with 'his friends', as you develop your own history with them, know more about them and so on, that you'll participate more, feel more comfortable and include yourself in the conversation. I have to better accept that this is not everyone's perception though. To me, it's not something I dwell on and even consider a negative, it just is... As a matter of fact I'm already stoked that a good friend Didier's; Philipe is coming to visit this summer and stay with us, for a week or so. While there is still a bit of a language divide, I really really like Philipe- I like all of my Didier's friends, but there's just something about Philipe that I love. I'd like to think that we have similar personalities (although that's likely just the perception of myself)... We laugh at the same things, (whether funny or not, at anyone and everyone's expense, including our own), we tend to both roll our eyes at the same things... and that to me speaks VOLUMES! We both have no problem with spending a nice summers day casually passing it by on a patio sipping a nice cool drink or 2... or 3 ;-) And I get little bits n' peices of Didier's past that otherwise might remain hidden, which is ALWAYS FUN! I - can't - wait! :-)
Time is the cure, I think. Or should I say... 'Le temps est le traitement.' (My apologies to the French!)
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Back to Ottawa... the food was good at least! ;-)
We hit the Red Lobster on Friday night. After being bombarded in recent months with ads on the idiot box got the R.L., it was with a high level of gratification that we hankered on down to a seafood feast. And for the first time EVER... and I cannot stress this point enough... for E-V-E-R, not only did I not finish my meal (got a doggie-bag) but that Didier DID finish his plate! (and that just NEVER EVER happens! heh!) It was damn good, or I should say, as good as two maritimers would ever expect in a fast-foodish restaurant 1000+ miles inland. :-) - I'm from the East Coast - Halifax, and he's from Nantes... near the Atlantic Coast of France. We both know what good seafood is, and don't mind telling you when it isn't! ;-)
On Saturday morning we went to 'Speed-o-matic' in Vanier, and it was anything but. On the considerably lower end of your 'diner' type establishments... I'm glad I took some imodium with me (just in case)
Sat night, where the aforementioned 8 couples met, we dined at a local spot called OZ KAFE. It's owned and operated by a friend of one of my friends. Not only was it a great meal, the service great, but they place was hip enough to pull off having a live DJ and the art on the wall was for once something I not only liked, but that I could afford and WOULD have bought if it were not for the fact that the piece I liked the most was already sold.
So here's a plug for...
OZ KAFE
361 Elgin Street(next to Lieutenant's Pump and PanchoVilla)
bon appetit!
And then on sun we had brunch at another friends house. It was very casual, and anything that starts with mimosas can't be bad, am I right? ;-) Lots o' croissants and cheese, baguette and cheese and assorted meats and chesses. And I couldn't be happier with all that cheese. Sadly the same could not be said for my Man who's not a cheese aficionado ... Odd dont'cha think, seeing that he's from France n' all . And then for dessert... chocolate croissants . How good is that?!?!?
---
It was a short and fast weekend. But fun. I'd give it 7 leopard spots out of 10! ;-)
Hope y'all had a good weekend.
...and lord knows I gots stuff to bitch and complain, moan and kvetch about... but (sorry Ma) I refuse to be that person today... (just wait 'til tomorrow! lol)
---
Was in Ottawa for the weekend. Catching up with friends I hooked back up with on Crackbook. (some I hadn't seen in 2 years, other 10-12 years!!!) We caught a friends Vernisage. We also went to look at the tulips, but there were not many tulips to be seen. Given what the weather was like in April, it's impressive that people were still not skating on the canal! We DID see a few tulips here and there and when we visited friends: Jason and Kevin, I took a shot of the tulips in their front yard. Hardly a glamour shot, but I promised myself that I'd take pictures of tulips, and I hate to go back on my word...
We also did a little shopping... 'cause I'm a shop-o-holic. It's pure un-adulterated therapy for me... not so much for my ManDidier alas, who opted to not step inside most of the shops I went in... you know all the essentials... a paper and card shop where we rely on their same sex wedding cards... (you'd think that in Montréal, with one of the largest Gay communities in North America that there's be at least a handful of tasteful cards available for same sex weddings... but NO! we have to schlep up to one of the most conservative cities in the Dominion, to obtain a nice card.) And since close friends are tying the knot this June I took the opportunity to pick up a card... at $7.95 - PLUS TAX- they'd better stick in it for the long haul, cause if they divorce in anything under 10 years, I'm demanding my money back! HEH!
I also hit at lest 4 kitchenwares shops... HEY! we were in the Byward Market area, AND I'm Gay! where'd you expect I would be? In the Sports stores? lol Picked up more cookie cutters... a cute '3 bears' set and a 5 pack of snow-flakes... 'cause I love Snow and Winter (when it's TECHNICALLY winter... not 1/2 way into spring) and my Mother is an absolute NUT for snowflake motifs and so I'm smelling a gift for Mom... not the cutters (are you mad?!) I'll bake something and send 'em to her. ...and considering the last remaining Christmas Shop closed in Ottawa, the snow flakes were a small mercy! (I'm still in shock that there are no Christmas stores left there, considering at one point there were THREE! A sad day for me indeed! The only thing that makes me happier than a kitchenwares stores or a Leather shop is a Christmas store. I Can't get enough of em. )
Then we hit a shop called 'Made in France' which was nice. Full of nothing but a lot of lavender, herbs de provence and some pricey chocolate. Yea, ok there was more than that, and I did manage to find a few things that I just had to have... like say the lime flavoured salt. Laugh at me now, but my slush margaritas are gonna kick mucho ass over sexy Javier's from that little grass hut on the beach in Cancun! Got some other misc. cooking ingredients and some candies for Didier, who is himself an import from France... so I thought that was a nice touch... n'est pas?
It was fun catching up with friends, old and new alike... although it seems (not to me, but whatcha gonna do) that with the expanse of friends, and my being an Anglo and my Man being a Franco that there are just some divides that ...well, just are. But then again I'm not sure... Is it language, or history?
You know what it's like, when your with a group of friends from your partners side, even if you're all speaking the same language, you sorta blend into the background.. you're not in the 'know', you don't always have a clear picture of the back story or the personal history to keep up with everything that's being said. Toss in a second language and you've got fun!
I admit that I don't speak a lot of French, I understand it rather well, but when it comes to trying to take part in a group conversation with 8 other native speakers, you tend to just sit and listen... smile and nod... Your internal translation mechanism overloads and by the time you're able to interject with your own views or comments (without looking like you just came out of your first French 101 class, and totally mangle their language) the conversation is already two topics away.
I guess I need to bone up on my French.
And I guess I also don't pay enough attention to my Man about this... I think I am, but I guess I'm not... Trying to keep in conversations with 3 other couples all around a long rectangular table and ensuring that your 'Other' is in on it all too is no small feat. You're trying to catch up with 4 old friends, (some of which don't really know each other that well) and also trying to learn more about two of their more recent (at least 'new to you') Significant Others, and well I guess you let your own S.O. slide in the process... and well that sucks.
It sucks a lot, when you realize what you thought was a wonderful night out with friends and good food and conversation, was not such a great time for your Other. I guess, over the years (in this relationship, and others) I've just resigned myself to the fact that when I'm the 'Other' that I'm just gonna have a less than mind blowing time, (with rare occasion). But over time, as you yourself become more comfortable with 'his friends', as you develop your own history with them, know more about them and so on, that you'll participate more, feel more comfortable and include yourself in the conversation. I have to better accept that this is not everyone's perception though. To me, it's not something I dwell on and even consider a negative, it just is... As a matter of fact I'm already stoked that a good friend Didier's; Philipe is coming to visit this summer and stay with us, for a week or so. While there is still a bit of a language divide, I really really like Philipe- I like all of my Didier's friends, but there's just something about Philipe that I love. I'd like to think that we have similar personalities (although that's likely just the perception of myself)... We laugh at the same things, (whether funny or not, at anyone and everyone's expense, including our own), we tend to both roll our eyes at the same things... and that to me speaks VOLUMES! We both have no problem with spending a nice summers day casually passing it by on a patio sipping a nice cool drink or 2... or 3 ;-) And I get little bits n' peices of Didier's past that otherwise might remain hidden, which is ALWAYS FUN! I - can't - wait! :-)
Time is the cure, I think. Or should I say... 'Le temps est le traitement.' (My apologies to the French!)
---
Back to Ottawa... the food was good at least! ;-)
We hit the Red Lobster on Friday night. After being bombarded in recent months with ads on the idiot box got the R.L., it was with a high level of gratification that we hankered on down to a seafood feast. And for the first time EVER... and I cannot stress this point enough... for E-V-E-R, not only did I not finish my meal (got a doggie-bag) but that Didier DID finish his plate! (and that just NEVER EVER happens! heh!) It was damn good, or I should say, as good as two maritimers would ever expect in a fast-foodish restaurant 1000+ miles inland. :-) - I'm from the East Coast - Halifax, and he's from Nantes... near the Atlantic Coast of France. We both know what good seafood is, and don't mind telling you when it isn't! ;-)
On Saturday morning we went to 'Speed-o-matic' in Vanier, and it was anything but. On the considerably lower end of your 'diner' type establishments... I'm glad I took some imodium with me (just in case)
Sat night, where the aforementioned 8 couples met, we dined at a local spot called OZ KAFE. It's owned and operated by a friend of one of my friends. Not only was it a great meal, the service great, but they place was hip enough to pull off having a live DJ and the art on the wall was for once something I not only liked, but that I could afford and WOULD have bought if it were not for the fact that the piece I liked the most was already sold.
So here's a plug for...
OZ KAFE
361 Elgin Street(next to Lieutenant's Pump and PanchoVilla)
bon appetit!
And then on sun we had brunch at another friends house. It was very casual, and anything that starts with mimosas can't be bad, am I right? ;-) Lots o' croissants and cheese, baguette and cheese and assorted meats and chesses. And I couldn't be happier with all that cheese. Sadly the same could not be said for my Man who's not a cheese aficionado ... Odd dont'cha think, seeing that he's from France n' all . And then for dessert... chocolate croissants . How good is that?!?!?
---
It was a short and fast weekend. But fun. I'd give it 7 leopard spots out of 10! ;-)
Hope y'all had a good weekend.
4 comments:
Hey you crammed a lot into that weekend ....I always go to the Byward Market too ..something about out door browsing on a nice day makes Ma a happy camper . Had an old boyfriend of mine contact me on Facebook this weekend . I nearly sheet . Will miracles never cease .
I cannot imagine walking around the Market and NOT buting something! lol
You know your comment about Crackbook is interesting... I mean I've been contacted through the system to add people that I used to work with, and quite frankly, the only reason I communicated with them then was because I was being paid to. So I didn't add them. They might be nice people even, but not my ''cup o' tea'' if you know what I mean. Harsh? yes. Truthful? HELL YES!
I've heard of others being contacted by exs and so on, and it makes them uncomfortable because they DID add the people.
So my question is this... Have any of you other Facebookers refused anyone?
Did you regret it?
I've denied contact references, so as to avoid being affiliated with a church I went to when I was a kid. Last thing I need is a bunch of those yahoos trackin' me down. That's not to say I don't have friends from that church, but I don't need all of the Facebook realm associating me with a church or anything else for that matter. Fuh dat!
I hear ya!
I lokes me Crackbook, but... I belong to no groups or networks. I say... if you know me, you know me, if you don't you don't!
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