Ottawa: Parliament Hill activities

In the morning of our second day in Ottawa, I wanted to check out the Changing of the Guard ceremony which was scheduled to start at 10:00. Since we slept late the previous night (coming from the Lights and Sounds show), we were all a bit lazy to get up and going. As is always the case when we are on vacation, we ended up sleeping later and waking up earlier. We wanted to see and experience so many things but had so little time.  Hence, with only 30 minutes allotted for breakfast, we rushed to Parliament Hill.

The Changing of the Guard ceremony was quite an experience. The guards in their red uniforms and big, black fur hats marched in unison to the band music. DD#1 sat on the grass and was able to get into the front row. DD#2, hubby and Grandma viewed the pageantry from farther back. After the show, we figured we had some time before we needed to head for home, so we lined up for a tour of the Parliament buildings. We had to get “tickets” from the big white tent as there were only a limited number of slots for each batch of visitors. While waiting for our time slot, we took a stroll in the Rideau Centre mall and crossed over again to Byward market for a quick Japanese lunch at Sushi Go.

We toured the East side of the Parliament buildings. There, we saw the Senate room, and the other halls and rooms filled with icons of the country’s history. Our family’s favorite room was the Library, which was simply magnificent! Iron doors protected the precious treasures within. In the main reading room stands a white marble statue of Queen Victoria. Around her, tens of thousands of books filled the intricate shelves. The circular room with its High Victorian Gothic revival interior was absolutely grand!

Our final stop was the Peace Tower. It was a 30 minute line up to ride the elevator to the top. There was one working elevator and only about 8 people could fit at a time. We rode the elevator through the tower’s shaft containing the carillons. It brings you just above the clock and we were able to see the clock’s mechanism. At the top you get a fantastic view of the city and the Rideau canal. It was a perfect way to end our trip!

Ottawa: Nation’s capital

One long weekend in summer, we decided on a last-minute trip to Ottawa. This was our second trip to Canada’s capital. Grandma was in town and had not been there, so we figured this was a good destination. We started off early. We were done with breakfast and had gotten things into the car before we woke up the kids at 7am. The girls ate their breakfast in the car. We got to Ottawa just before noon, checked into our hotel and had fast food lunch at the nearby mall.

We planned to go to the Canadian Museum of Nature as this was one of the museums we did not get to visit in our prior trip. We had previously gone to the Canadian Children’s museum (which was great for DD#1) and the National Gallery of Canada (great for me and hubby). Since Grandma was not too interested in museums, we dropped her off at Casino du Lac Leamy (a casino, she said, that was as nice as, if not nicer, than some in Vegas!) before heading to the Canadian Museum of Nature.

The Canadian Museum of Nature was a hit with the kids. We saw the skeleton of a blue whale and the girls enjoyed the many hands-on activity centres. My favorite was the Mammal Gallery with the fantastic dioramas. The recreation of the habitats of the animals were so realistic, it felt like you were actually there!

We only had 3 or so hours before the museum closed, so we concentrated on galleries which were interesting for us.  We ended our visit at the Animalium which had a live collection of insects and bugs. The girls were fascinated with the Walking Sticks. These amazing insects blended perfectly amongst the foliage and twigs. The girls looked at all the bugs in awe. Whoever said bugs are for boys?

After picking up Grandma, we had dinner at the Fish Market restaurant at the Byward market. We had a wonderful fish n chips dinner of Halibut fillet coated in classic English style batter. After dinner, the girls wanted to go swimming at the hotel pool. And since we had some time before the 10:00 p.m. lights show at Parliament hill, we all took a dip for about an hour.

We were at the Parliament just in time for the show. The Mosaika Sound and Light show was spectacular! Beautiful images telling the story of the diverse cultures of Canada were projected onto the building. The kids were mesmerized with the lights and I took this opportunity to practice night-time photography. The show lasted about 30 minutes and is one I highly recommend.

I've heard  there are as many attractions in the winter as there are in the summer at Canada's capital. If we muster the courage to drive there in the winter, I'll be sure to post it.

Amadeus rocks!

I was initially dropping hints to hubby that I wanted a macaron tower cake for my birthday. That was until I realized how expensive it was (each macaron cost quite a bit of change, and it would take 20+ pieces to satisfy all of us ;P), and I was feeling a bit of a scrooge. So, hubby gave me the next best thing--a cake from Amadeus in Thornhill. 

A bit fancier than a La Rocca cake and, of course, pricier, Amadeus cakes still make for a great special-occasion cake (or maybe even an I-don't-need-a-good-reason-to-eat-cake cake). We had previously tried their Mont Blanc (hazelnut and dark chocolate mousse) and Melody (black currant mousse) cakes, and they were both heavenly. I am partial to chocolate, though, so this time, we got a Prince Noir. It had rich and velvety coffee cream and dark chocolate mousse.  Fellow chocolate lovers would do well to close their eyes and let it melt in their mouth. Also, the cake was not too sweet; it had a perfect bitter-sweet balance. The base was a hazelnut meringue which was a nice break from the usual chiffon. To top it off, the cake was exquisitely decorated (with intricate white chocolate swirls) and looked every bit as  elegant as it was mouth-watering.

The cakes on display in the store are an assault to the senses. They have a variety so pretty and yummy-looking that your decision-making powers will surely be tested! However, if you do want to try several, they offer a smaller sized cake and even mini-versions for a single serving.

We also got some macarons as a concession to my original wish. Their macarons were just okay, maybe a teeny bit better than the ones I got from Loblaws Maple Leaf Gardens. But I didn't really go to Amadeus to get some macarons. And in the end, I still got my wish-- an awesome birthday cake. Happy birthday, indeed!

A Carnivore's Tale: Dinner at The Keg Steakhouse

If you’ve read my Summerlicious and Winterlicious blogs, then you know that I am quite the carnivore. While I still pine for Intercontinental Hotel's Prince Albert's sirloin or prime rib with béarnaise sauce (or maybe their pan fried duck liver--yum!), I somehow manage to satisfy my meat cravings here in Toronto. While we’ve been to other steak places (and there are many more we have yet to try), I will always have fond memories of The Keg Steakhouse. When hubby and I found out that I was expecting our first child, this was where we celebrated. Of course, it really hit the spot with me since I was really craving some serious meat!

We usually go to either the Esplanade or Vaughan location, but the last time we were in downtown Toronto to see Madonna's MDNA concert, we checked out the one in York St.

We had the usual Keg Classic dinner which starts off with Caesar's salad. It was just so-so. A bit on the tangy side, like it had a squeeze too much of lemon or wine vinegar. They didn't skimp on the grated Parmesan, though, so that was good. Still, hubby and I surmised that nothing beats having the Caesar prepared and tossed beside your table.

While the Prime rib is the more expensive cut of meat (and is the cut usually served a little more fancily in some places—again, carved beside your side), I honestly prefer a good top sirloin (or striploin). Its meat is wonderfully marbled and a thin strip of fat/skin caps the cut. So divine. Our 8oz steaks came perfectly grilled--we like ours medium. The side of vegetables and accompaniment of roasted garlic mashed potatoes provided the perfect balance. Hubby chose the twice baked potato which was equally good. And of course, my Inniskillin Cabernet-Merlot went quite well with my sirloin.

It was good that hubby dissuaded me from ordering a 12oz cut. I really thought I could finish that size. Well, maybe if I had not eaten a snack a couple of hours before... However, I was too full by the end of the meal that I was not able to finish my potatoes! I felt bad leaving something on my plate, but I really couldn't stuff myself anymore. I wanted to enjoy the evening and not deal with indigestion!

This Zagat-rated restaurant continues to get a two-thumbs up from us. Good steaks, warm ambience and friendly service. Calling all meat-lovers!

L-U-V-M-D-N-A: highlights of Madonna's MDNA tour

I am a big Madonna fan. Any friend or classmate of mine from grade school can attest to that. I've also seen 3 Madonna concert tours in the last 8 years. Of course, the most awesome show was the first--Reinvention, as it evoked thoughts of, "I cannot believe I am actually here and watching her on stage!" The "Sticky & Sweet" tour was just as great.

The MDNA show I saw last night at the Air Canada Centre did not fail to impress. It was consistent with her trademarks: a spectacular stage, fantastic choreography and humorous (sometimes satirical) statements on sex and violence.

The show, slated for 8pm, started with some club mix from DJ Paul Oakenfold just before 9pm and ran for about an hour. If you were not in the VIP area inside the wrap-around triangular stage, you would not feel like you were in a club--which we assumed was the point of having a DJ headline a concert. That whole segment, to be frank, was quite boring.  Many folks actually made a beeline for the foodstalls outside,  just waiting for this drone of an opening act to end before heading back to their seats.

Madonna finally came out at 10:20(ish) with an elaborate confessional scene that included chanting monks, segueing into "Girl Gone Wild." Stalking the stage with a mock semi-automatic rifle and ending with a scene in a motel room bed with snipers rappelling from the ceilings, Madonna moved as though she were practicing for another James Bond movie. Well, we can all die another day as she proceeded to perform her hits. "Vogue" was less elaborate than the rendition she gave at the Super Bowl. "Holiday", "Papa Don't Preach" and "Like a Prayer", meanwhile, were among the other staples she performed.

I told Hubby that one good thing about watching Madonna's concerts is that you will not see an MTV-version of the songs. I loved how some hits were transformed, in a number of cases, quite drastically. Not everyone's cup of tea, though. Hubby found "Like a Virgin" painful to listen to, as Madonna throatily sang it with such a slowness that Hubby did not even recognize the song initially. She mashed up "Express yourself" ever so cheekily with some lines from Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" which had the crowds roaring. I especially liked the rendition of "Open Your Heart" which had the Kalakan Basque trio drumming and blending with her. 

There were also some Jabbawockeez-inspired acts and some fantastic moves from slack liners. The LED-lit stage had constantly rearranging modulars to convert into steps and towers. These even simulated a marching band in "Give Me All Your Lovin" to fully complement the levitating drummers and the ones on stage. 

The concert was better than watching the Immortal by Cirque du Soleil. It offered many of the same elements a Cirque show would have: amazing contortionists and dancers (and no "Bubbles"), athletic stunts and, of course, live music.  Madge also played rhythm guitar in three songs--something she seems to be doing more of recently.

And while the concert might have been a tad disappointing for some fans given that she sang so few of her greatest hits, Madonna's shows will always be one of the best entertainment events around.

My Boston top three eats

In our very short stay in Boston, we had to get some of the best eats. These local favourites, and now ours, have branches along the Freedom Trail which made accessing them very convenient. We got to take in the sights and discover great food while following the red line. I would walk the Freedom Trail again and again if only to eat in these places. And while there are surely many, many more wonderful food places in Boston, here are our favourites:

1.       Boston Chowda: The Rockport lobster bisque was not particularly spectacular, but the clam chowder was hands down better than the seafood chowder at Doug’s fish fry, or any other clam chowder I have had so far. The chowda was creamy and filled with chunks of seafood. Even without getting a bread bowl, it was wonderfully hearty. It was quite hot and muggy on the day we had clam chowda. Not really an ideal day for soup, but it was still worth it! We didn’t need a rainy day to enjoy this one. They had other offerings apart from the soup, and they all looked quite inviting. Next time, I will try the lobster roll along with their pot pies and crab cakes. It might take some time before we go back, so maybe I should ask if they deliver to Toronto!

2.       Regina Pizzeria: Hubby and I joked that we had to get some Boston Pizza while we were in town, but we didn’t realize that this local pizzeria would be a hit. We got a half-and-half meat lovers and four-cheese pizza from their brick oven in Faneuil Hall. Hubby enjoyed the meat lovers and even saved some for breakfast the next day! I found it a bit on the salty side. However, the girls and I loved the four-cheese pizza, which consisted of Mozzarella, Ricotta, Pecorino Romano, and Parmesan, sprinkled with fresh basil and garlic sauce on top of a secret 80-year old crust recipe. Definitely one of the best pizzas we have had!

 3.       Mike’s Pastry: I will admit that I did not research this one, but am extremely happy to have discovered it. While walking on the Freedom Trail along the North End, I saw quite a few folks holding boxes of Mike’s pastry. And of course, I had to get some too! I found the place just a little off the Freedom Trail’s red line and lined-up for some wonderful delights. The attendant recommended the chocolate chip cannoli (a best-selling flavour of  their specialty).  I got that, as well as some chocolate cupcakes. They were the best cannoli we’ve ever had! The pastry was thin and crisp and the ricotta filling was light and creamy. Finishing one is satiating, but I wish I had gotten more flavours! Later on, I found out they had pistachio, limoncello, (and I can’t believe I did not see this…) espresso (am drooling with just the thought of how this would have tasted) and many more. The chocolate cupcake was also good--moist and not overly sweet even with the icing. Walking further on the Freedom Trail to the city’s “little Italy” turned out to be one of our best decisions in this trip!

Boston on Dwellable

“Tastes of the Hill”--a Multicultural Fest

 On one of the last Sundays of summer, we went to Richmond Hill to check out the Tastes of the Hill festival. There were several shows slated for the day which began with the national anthem and a message from the mayor. The “Taste of Scotland” performance of the Richmond Hill Centennial Pipe band was quite interesting as it is not often we see bag-pipers in kilts. It was a good, non-TV exposure for the kids. The rest of the entertainment, which went on for the duration of the afternoon, featured other cultures—African, Indian, Caribbean, Italian and Chinese.

At the main stage area as the pipers wait to perform

Holding a festival with a multicultural theme was a good idea. However, we felt vendors for the food village and the intercultural village (where they have the retail booths) were on the thin side. In the food village, the most interesting booth was the Hawaiian BBQ with its stall decked out like a hut. It had the longest line up in the village. There was also a Caribbean vendor serving some curry and jerk chicken, as well as a Samosa hut. Since our most recent recollection of food stalls is the Asian Night Market, even if many booths were available (serving sushi, pizza, hotdogs, roasted corn, etc) in this event, it seemed too few for us. But, that might not be a fair comparison…

The retail booths also did not feature the diversity that I was expecting. I was really hoping to see a lot of interesting goods from different countries. And while there was a booth offering traditional Indian henna tattoos and others selling artwork (such as the Mill Pond gallery), the goods did not inspire a shopping spree.

The children’s activity area with bouncy castles also had a charge of $10 per person (all day play) or $25 for a family. Other events would typically offer this for free! Of course, “free” meant longer line ups, whereas here, the children could really play all day! The volunteers were great, though--helping folks find parking space and making themselves available for questions.  All in all, Tastes of the Hill was just an okay event which supported a couple of local charities.

Children's activity area

The great thing with going to this event, however, was that we discovered Richmond Green Park (where the event was held). It was such a lovely park with gardens in full bloom. The playground was new and the equipment was interesting, not your typical seesaw or swing. The girls had a great time on the giant metal caterpillar.

Richmond Green park playground

Then, we headed off to the gardens to see varieties upon varieties of multi-colored flowers that were guaranteed to brighten up anyone’s day! There was even a section where you can have a wedding ceremony! Yes, it was that…floral!

Wedding garden

Featuring so many cultures in one event is but one of the amazing features of Canadian society.  The fact that events like this usually support charities makes them even better. But to hold an event in such a beautiful venue, now that makes it something to remember.

Mommy's first day of school

My daughter turns to me and asks, “Is it first day of school yet?”

And so begins her new life--as a kindergartener. I have been trying not to think about her going to school even as I mechanically prepare for her school stuff. Months before, we had attended Kindergarten night and school bus introduction, bought the backpack, lunch box, and outfits. I scoured the internet on snacks and lunches I could prepare for her. But I tried not to REALLY think about it. She was no longer going to be MY baby. She was going to have her own world and I wouldn’t be the only one in it. OK, ok, her dad shared her world, too. Friends have told me that the kids are fine and that they have a blast in school, it is the parents who have difficulty letting go. I agree. I got some books to get my daughter psyched up and excited about school while I tried to hide my anxiety. It worked. She was excited, but I had mixed emotions. I was both excited and a little bit sad. We read the “Kissing Hand” together and I had to do a quick run to the bathroom to keep her from seeing my eyes well up with tears.

We made the most of that last summer going on many day trips. But of course, it had to end and we all had to face the first day of school. Camera in hand (and a pack of tissue in my bag), we set off for school. The parents were allowed to hang around for a few hours on the first day. Whether it was intended for the kids or for the parents (or maybe to give the teacher some help), I would say that this was a fantastic idea! It eased the transition. Not long after we arrived, my daughter was off exploring her classroom and checking out the different play areas. I told myself, she would always be my baby and my heart’s fears were replaced with pride. “There goes my girl!” I thought. I wasn’t as much of a wreck as I thought I’d be. I was brave and strong. I hoped deep inside she was thinking, “There goes MY mom!”