Weekly Perks, pt. 2

Please enjoy our obsessions of the week.

via So Many Records, So Little Time

The website So Many Records, So Little Time is one of the places I go when I'm in a music rut. Its constantly giving amazing recommendations—my favourite being a recent post on Fischer-Z. I can't stop listening to these guys. They're Brian Eno and Roxy Music-esque with a little bit of The Police thrown in there? But in a good way. Check out the song that started it all (for me).

via Anywho

I can't really believe it's that time of year again, but Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 Collection has touched down and it's too cute to be true. I love the patterns, the lady-like silhouettes (even though they are the worst possible shape for my own figure, they look superb on others). These snaps taken at a garden party celebrating the season's release are the perfect setting for the collection to first be seen. Bonus points for making the whole look more playful by adding those star glasses.

via The Food is Out There

I haven't tried these amazing lime and pistachio cookies, but they're made by Club Sandwich, a baking company run by my friend Genna that has never made anything less than insanely delicious. You can get the recipe here—but for you non-baking cookie monsters, you can also get her to bake them for you by placing an email order.

Via The Hairpin

 When Mister Rogers' show ended, he gave an amazing goodbye speech that honestly makes me cry every time I hear it. Do you want to cry? Do you want to remember what a good fuckin' dude he was? If you grew up in the Neighbourhood then you'll probably get a serious heart boner from watching it.

I've seriously been digging this mashup of Biggie vs. the Strokes all week. Crazy classics from two different eras, made entirely fresh all over again.

And one last thing—you've got to check out this gif. I'm not going to tell you anything about it, you've just gotta trust me on this one. 

New Fairytales

The Drawf's Dream by Jessie M. King for The Birthday of the Infanta by Oscar Wilde
via artsycraftsy

Last week it was reported that a collection of 500 fairytales had been discovered. Compiled by a 19th century historian and archived in Germany for 150 years, these stories contain myths and legends that Franz Xaver von Schonworth collected from country folk, labourers, and servants. These are stories that were previously only being spread by word of mouth until von Schonworth wrote them down. While this isn't unheard of for fairytales, von Schonworth, being a historian and not a writer, did nothing to add to the stories he collected—and leaving the stories untouched in something notable. Reading these stories will be like reading the oral histories from hundreds of years ago. A collection of these stories have been published (umm, English please?), but you can read one of them online here.

Fairytales are not just stories for children, and many of them contain real life lessons that are beneficial to any age. From the article: "Eichenseer says that fairytales are not for children alone. 'Their main purpose was to help young adults on their path to adulthood, showing them that dangers and challenges can be overcome through virtue, prudence, and courage.'" And, sorry, but you'd all be lying if you claimed not to need a little bit of that.

Hans Christian Anderson was a Danish writer revered for his fairytales—many still-famous tales were written by him, like Thumbelina and The Ugly Duckling. I also really liked The Storks. The Brothers Grimm have some great tales as well—these came from oral tales just like von Schonworth's, but the Grimms added their own literary devices to these old found tales, so in essence the stories became a collaboration. Some fault them for this, but the stories are still haunting and fantastic. You should read The Goose-Girl, The Juniper Tree, and The Queen Bee, and ignore that movie by Terry Gilliam. Oscar Wilde has also got some great fairytales, like The Young Prince and The Birthday of the Infanta. Lots of important lessons to learn there, guys.

Also very fairytale-like are The Middle Stories by Sheila Heti. I honestly wouldn't be able to choose a favourite, so read all the available-online stories here, and buy the book. These modern fairytales are quirky and charming—written in a traditional-esque fairytale style, they force us to look for lessons where there may or may not be. It's a modern take on an old style of tale telling, and it's wonderful.

Thrifted life: Candelabra from Moore's Pharmacy

Maybe it's because I watched Beauty and the Beast too many times as a kid (okay, and an adult) but I have this obsession with candelabras. I have several that hold one candle each—most of those I got from my grandparents, garage sales, and the like. This is my favourite candelabra by far: it holds three candles, it's perfectly tarnished, and it comes with a great story.

Have you ever passed the place on Bathurst just south of Dupont on the east side of the street? It looks like an old junk shop that hasn't been open in years, and technically that's the truth. The old sign still remains, "Moore's Pharmacy," (ed note: although now I think it's being covered up??) and no other name for the store is visible. When Amanda and I lived together, right near Bathurst and Dupont, we would stake out this place and gaze in the windows. It was never open, even though we walked by on different times each day. We did notice, however, that the buildup of mail would be picked up once in a while, and the display in the windows would be slightly altered.

It was a rainy Wednesday night when I got a text from Amanda, in ALL CAPS, telling me that the store was open. She had gone in and looked around, she said, and it was fantastic in there. I hopped on a bus to get there—it might be my only chance!—and forced Dan to come with me. But what we found in the store was not exactly what I had been expecting.

The door was slightly ajar, and we walked in and looked around. Stuff was piled up everywhere, and the only walking space was little aisles made in between the rows upon rows of junk. I say junk not in a condescending way—my mind was racing and I couldn't believe my luck. Who knows what treasures could be buried in this shop! I called out a tentative hello, and from behind one of the piles popped the head of an old man. Little did I know that I would be listening to him talk (and acting as a mannequin for his old clothes) for the next 45 minutes.

I was super curious about the history of the shop, which he said he had owned for many years but had let slide in the past few: he had a sister and a mother who had been ill. He was opening up every Wednesday evening, and hoped to start regular hours again soon. He said he worked in the fashion industry as a young man, and his passion for the clothes in his shop certainly showed: he had no problem getting in my personal space to lay across my shoulders fur stoles, bejewelled vests, and silk scarves. This guy was getting really into my personal space. I couldn't tell whether he was a practiced old-time fashionista or a creepy old dude. Dan looked on in horror.

Every piece in the store had its own history and meaning to owner. Many of the items, especially those in the front window, were pieces that he was not ready to part with. I made it out of there with this candelabra and a black silk T shirt that I was too scared to try on. I feel like I paid for the item less with my hard-earned money than I did with my time and patience.

I don't mean to knock the store—it was certainly an experience that I will never forget, and I really do wish him all the best. An old man in a junk store sounds kind of like a kindred spirit, but this guy was operating on his own level. I probably won't go back, but I would suggest to anyone interested to check out the store for themselves. But some advice: if you're going in, make sure you have lots of time, and don't mind being fondled. 

5 Christmas songs that won't make you want to kill yourself

If you have tried to brave any retail stores in the month of December, chances are that you've been inundated with bad Christmas music. It's everywhere—Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber, and nameless, faceless other singers who, because it's a Christmas song, take advantage and go full-on cheesy and over the top. I've started to despise most Christmas music, but there are a few saving graces—songs that I go to year after year to get me in the holiday mood.

Putting this list together I realized that a few of the songs contain either racist and homophobic remarks, but I'm going to chock that up to the songs being from a different time. Besides, if you like them kind of ironically then it's not bad, right?


The Pogues "Fairytale of New York"
This is a classic that my dad introduced me to when I was a kid. Yesterday, a bad bar band played this when I was having drinks with some co-workers, and I kind of glazed over and let myself slip into the world of the toothless Shane McGowan, a world where it's okay to be in a drunk abusive relationship in New York. I feel like I'm not really selling it, but it's a great tune.




Bandaid "Do they know it's Christmas?"
This song is so mislead it's crazy to think that it was written and performed in the '80s. It's kind of a guilty pleasure, guilty because the lyrics are so fucked up ("The only water flowing [in Africa] is their bitter sting of tears"). But it was for a good cause, and look at how much fun they are all having! Thank God it's them instead of you, huh!




Elvis Presley "Blue Christmas"
Elvis makes it onto every top 5 list that I make, just because he is wonderful in every way. Here is a live performance of his, but he has a whole album of Christmas songs that are pretty cool. This is my fave by far. And I like this little country-ish take on a song that's usually pretty soulful.




Vince Guaraldi Trio "O Tannenbaum"
I usually steer clear of a lot of the other songs on this album (I hate the sound of children singing) but this instrumental is a jazzy take on the original. It also reminds me of my Grandma, who taught me the words in Estonian was I was a kid (I don't remember them). Also, if it's not already, you should make watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special a yearly ritual.

Joni Mitchell "River"
 This one is sad, but worth it. I have been listening to her album Blue on repeat these days, and I have this theory that listening to Joni does the same thing as what happened to the Grinch at the end of his story—your heart can actually get bigger and have the capacity to hold more love in it. (AWWWW.) This song makes me feel reminiscent of the past (a Christmas pasttime) and lucky for what I have write now. So many feeeeeelings! (If you really want a Christmas-themed heart boner, watch this version of the song.)



I am going to add one more song that doesn't make the top 5, mainly because it's really annoying and grating, but I love it nonetheless. WARNING: this one might make you want to kill yourself.

Alvin and the Chipmunks "Christmas Don't Be Late"

Growing Up in Toronto: The Mad Hatter

"When people who grew up in Toronto in the ’80s talk about their childhoods, one thing inevitably comes up: The Mad Hatter. “Did you go there? Was it real?” And when people who were not children in 1980s Toronto overhear us talking about the place, they always think we’re making it up. Yet even those of us who went to parties at The Mad Hatter wonder if it wasn’t actually some collective hallucination."

via The Grid

I read a Grid article this morning called "Down the Rabbit Hole" on The Mad Hatter, a birthday-party venue in North Toronto that was... for lack of a better word... dismal. Have you read it? If not, do yourself a favour. It's written by Sheila Heti, who is probably Toronto's best current author, and it's made up almost entirely of quotes from people our age who went there and remember it better than I do. It's so, so funny.

As soon as I saw the bizarre, ominous mural that adorned this place, something clicked inside me. This vivid memory came into my consciousness that I hadn't thought about for years, and I really hoped that I wasn't just making it up, influenced by the article and jealous of the experiences I'd read about.

I was in a dark room with at least 10 other kids and there was a strobe light on. I remember this really well because that was my first experience with the in-out-out of vision strobe effect that I still get whenever I'm high. The door was locked from the outside and we couldn't get out. There was a huge pillow fight going on. I was not having fun—in fact I was terrified. Someone hit me in the face with a pillow, and I tasted blood. I remember wondering if I was going to die. This was probably also my first experience with anxiety.

I emailed my childhood best friend with this memory and a link to the article, and she confirmed not only that we were there but that it was her birthday party. They fed us boiled hotdogs on lunch trays (though, to be fair, this probably happened at the Bathurst Bowlerama as well) and a chocolate McCain's cake.

According to the article this place closed in the early '90s, which must have made me under the age of 5 when I was there. Does anyone else remember this place? I am fascinated and would love to hear more stories.

Amanda Digs Dave (Brubeck, That Is)

There's a quite a bit on my plate right now – a few big work projects are wrapping up at the same time and I've got to keep a sprightly pace to keep on target. The solution? Simple. Brubeck.

I won't pretend to know much about jazz, but for a while now, I've been a big fan of the Dave Brubeck Quartet's masterpiece album from 1959, Time Out. It's got such a creeping coolness and directness about it – it's straightforward and surprising, shifting time signatures with ease and pulling you in with familiar melodies. You've definitely heard some of these before, such as the memorable "Take Five":

But what I've been listening to recently a lot is less ballsy, and a lot more like comfort food: Dave Digs Disney. Brubeck put his signature spin on some of Disney's standards in 1957, like "Heigh-Ho" and "Someday My Prince Will Come", without getting too literal about it at all. It embodies a sort of breeziness that feels entirely nostalgic and grownup at the same time. Sort of what visiting Disney World might be like if you were an Aristocat, maybe.

I really love the album as a whole (which you can download here), the way each number builds upon the last and wraps me in a dreamy world just tinged with Disney. You bet, I'm still coming down from the trip, but I think this drifts away from the source material enough to make it feel modern and adult.

If you've only got time for one, try "When You Wish Upon A Star":

Giving Thanks

via

I really like the sentiment behind Thanksgiving. It's probably one of the most valuable holidays we've got, when taken as a moment to reflect on all that we're lucky enough to have (over a huge feast, no less!). It becomes hard to see sometimes, when you're in the thick of daily life, but if you're able to read this blog that I wrote as a luxury, when you have enough time to use the internet as a luxury, it's a testament to how good we've got it.

What am I thankful for today?

Turning 25
Sometime, maybe not far from now, I'll lament not being younger. (I know a lot of people, even at my age, do, which seems so bizarre – 25 is young!) But for now, it just feels like life is getting better with each passing year. I'm getting to know myself better, and I'm better honing the direction I'm taking my life. I'm growing more in tune with myself. Thank you for giving me the time to feel like my past is deep, and I have a future that (fingers crossed) is even deeper. And maybe that sounds cheesy, but it feels really good. It feels healthy and positive to like the age I am. I'm not always great about enjoying the moment, but this is one that feels really good.

The Internet
My companion, my omnipotent answer field, my creative outlet. You bring so many connections and ideas my way, and you ask nothing but a little power and whatever time I'll throw your way. Also, my life is increasingly interconnected with you, which feels weird, but it's really convenient, so thank you. As much as I love my dog, you truly are man's best friend.

People making cool shit and sharing it
Thank you for challenging me. Thank you for making me up my game. Thank you for showing me new and beautiful things and words that entertain me and inspire me to make cool shit myself. Even if I don't know your name because it's one of those nameless Tumblr photos that circulate, you rock my world, even if only for a moment. You help me feel inspired, and that is so generous.

My family and friends
An oldie, but with good reason. Thanks for fun times and great memories. Thanks for letting me be silly with you, and sad with you, and smart with you. Thanks for loving me as I am, and for having patience with me. Thanks for being there for me to love, and for me to practice being patient. For new friends, thank you for hanging out with me, because I think you're so cool and can't wait to get to know you better. For old friends, I don't see you enough, but thanks for not needing much maintenance, and thanks for being exactly the same when we do get to hang out – that's so refreshing.

Thank you for supporting my endeavors, thanks for collaborating with me, and thanks for reading this blog. Even if I don't know you, I consider you a friend for doing that. You'll never know how much it means to me.

Disney World
Thanks for being there when times get rough. It's nice to know there's a magical place where nothing goes wrong that's only a plane ride away. You are fantasy made true, and it's good to have dreams that attainable.

My roommates and partners-in-crime, Daniel and Charlie
You guys are the best, full stop. Thanks for making my home the place I most want to be in the world. Thank you for letting me give you belly rubs, and I love you both a million times over.

Even if you're not Canadian and celebrating a day off like us today,

take a moment to reflect on some of the things you're grateful for.

It's the cheapest thrill you'll find.

31 Day Photo Challenge

After seeing this cute lil project on the Bicyclette blog, I decided to try my hand at it, even though I'm not very good at sticking to deadlines (and this is a daily deadline!) and even though I'm starting late it's a valiant try.

Self portraits are always the most difficult, I find. Even though my Photobooth is filled with pictures of me all made up and posing for the camera, the thought of sharing those with the world is terrifying! Here is a pretty tame one.

Check back every Wednesday and I'll update you with a week's worth of photos in a new post! The daily pic will be in the side bar of the main page of the blog. Enjoy them, and thanks Bicyclette for the great idea! If anyone else is tackling this project please let us know in the comments below!

Mixtape: Mouse Ear Swagger

So I'm back! I survived the wonderful world of Walt Disney, and made it back with a heap of great memories, delightful photos, and a lot more freckles. No seriously, my freckles have freckles.

Homegirl G and me, post-Tower of Terror ride

Getting that last blast of 35 degree weather was a nice swan song for summer, and after the week I had just before leaving, I needed a good, relaxing vacation (emergency stays and last minute changes and work overloads, oh my!)

Memory lane

When I get a chance to catch my breath, I'll do a followup to the rules for doing Disney right, but for now, here's our mixtape for the trip. There's a lot of sugary pop, a lot of cool jamz, and a lot of good ol' fashioned fun. You'll recognize many songs from my 6 tracks to rot your brain to post from a while back, but what can I say—I don't like to challenge myself musically that often, and now you can rot your brain on the road. Just go with it bros, download and enjoy away.

Mouse Ear Swagger

1. Two of Us – The Beatles

2. Party in the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus

3. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry

4. What Ever Happened – The Strokes

5. Gucci Gucci – Kreayshawn

6. Moves like Jagger (feat. Christina Aguilera) – Maroon 5

7. Touch the Sky – Kanye West

8. Gotta Have It – Kanye West & Jay-Z

9. Hypnotize U – N.E.R.D.

10. Too Close – Next

11. Ignition (Remix) – R. Kelly

12. Inside Out – Britney Spears

13. Umbrella (feat. Jay-Z) – Rihanna

14. E.T. – Katy Perry

15. Power – Kanye West

16. Why I Love You (feat. Mr. Hudson) – Kanye West & Jay-Z

17. Rocket Man – Elton John

18. Laura – Ricky Nelson

(I got the album artwork image here.)

How to Do Disney World

In one week's time, I'll be heading down Florida-way with my chief ride-or-die homegirl, Gillian, to the happiest place on earth. Yes, we're headed to Disney World, and there's no one in the world I'd rather do it with. We first went just after graduation (four years ago! My, how time flies), and had such a blast that we plan on making it a tradition.

But there are rules to doing Disney right. See, G and I are dead-set on maximizing our fun, and we're equipped with a plan. Last time we went was pretty spectacular, but this time, we've got the code down pat. So I've invited her infinite wisdom to help me collect the rules and prep for our 6 days of magic.

G: Don't worry if you don't like kids. I don't much care for children. I find them obnoxious and smelly and loud and lame. The awesome thing about Disney World is that kids are almost absent from my entire experience. Kids like shit like character meetings, parades, and leaving a park after two hours because they're "overstimulated." If you avoid these things (like any self-respecting childfree adult), you're in the clear. Also, the children you do see at Disney World tend to be happy and occupied, so they're at least 30% less annoying than they are in your neighbourhood. Bonus: If you stay at a Moderate to Deluxe level resort, you will barely encounter small children at all.

A: Get snap happy. This is no time to be a classy tourist – consider it a challenge to fill your camera's memory card. When I went to Paris, I took only pictures on film with my medium format Holga – fine for Paris, but a tragedy for Disney. You want pictures of yourselves soaked after Splash Mountain. You want pictures of yourselves attempting to finish huge ice cream cones. You want pictures of yourselves posing with the themed statues. And you definitely want a picture of yourselves in front of Cinderella's Castle. Whenever I'm feeling a bit low, I look at the pictures from our last trip and feel like I'm shooting up Vitamin D.

G: Write down all the crazy shit you observe. Amanda and I have some solid memories from our first trip in 2007 – for example, a morbidly obese 40-something woman with a teetering tray full of food shouting, "I got yer chicken strips, Scooter!" across a crowded Colonial-themed quick service restaurant. One can only hope she was addressing her son Scooter, and not a lover of the same name. Oh lord, we have memories! But I get sad when I contemplate all the gems we've lost to the passage of time. This time, I'll be bustin' out a notebook on the regular so every tableaux of Life in Modern America is catalogued and archived.

A: Have a soundtrack. I can't stress the importance of this enough. You know how you can hear a certain song and it transports you back to a particular time in your life? You want music that makes you feel that way about Disney World. For me, that includes Elton John's "Rocket Man", Kanye's "Touch the Sky" and the Beatles' "Two of Us". They were all on our original mix, and every time I hear those songs, I feel like I'm on vacation. This is especially important for G because she really hates flying – during takeoff, we play the mix, hold hands, and cruise on south.

G: You should – nay, you MUST – go in the off season. Not only can you get a free dining plan and afford a nicer hotel, but you will spend less time in lines. The best time of year to go is late August/early September, when US schoolchildren are already back in the classroom. No kids! And the kids that are there are better behaved. The type of parent negligent enough to take their kid out of the first or second week of school is totes crazy enough to tell their kid to shut the fuck up in the line for Space Mountain.

A: Disney ain't for dieting. Especially if you're dining on Disney's dime (with your well-timed free dining plan). You get a free pass. Go hogwild. And make sure to bundle two of your regular dinners for one of the signature dinners so you get a fancy night out. Our fave is an evening at Narcoossee's so we can spring for a nice bottle of wine and get Surf 'n Turf while we watch the fireworks burst over the castle.

G: If you never went as a child, best believe you'll have fun as an adult. You need to take the risk (as my homegirl Amanda did when I begged her to make a BFF trip after we graduated university) and trust that Disney World is just as (if not MORE) magical as an adult. Think about it: you're choosing your travelling companion, you can drink your way across the nations of Epcot's World Showcase, and you are better able to appreciate all the wack shit going on. Besides, when you have children, they will ruin Disney for you. They will constantly want to go to the bathroom and buy shit and spill things and cry, and that will totally cramp your style. Enjoy Disney with a ride-or-die homie while you have the chance, which leads me to...

G: Only go with someone you're ride-or-die with. This is serious. I once heard Holly Madison say on a Girls Next Door DVD commentary track that she felt like you couldn't truly know her unless you'd been to Disney with her. Not only did I realize that Holly and I are soultwins, but I would go one further. If you aren't a BFF I'd want to grow old with in some Golden Girls-type arrangement or full-on wifey material, I am not going to Disney World with you. And you should have the same parameters. Going to Disney is like going to Heaven or Atlantis. Would you want to look back on your trip to Atlantis (the mythical place, not the horrendously tacky Bahamian resort) and think, "Oh yeah. I was there with that girl I met through [insert ridiculous 20-something hobby you'll have since abandoned in favour of TV] who only wanted to talk about her gluten allergy"? No, you do not. Don't taint a magical experience with anyone other that your A-Team.

A: Challenge yourself. This year, I'm going to do the Tower of Terror. I'm going to do it. There's no way I can back out. Even though it combines two of my least favourite things – ghosts and that awful stomach-dropping feeling – I can't NOT do it this year. I wussed out last time and have regretted it ever since. If G can face her fear of flying to get down to the Magic Kingdom, I can do a ride that sticky-faced 7 year olds can manage. But that being said...

A: Don't challenge yourself too much. Take it easy. Feeling hot? Feeling run down? Go back to your room and take a nap. This ain't no marathon – this is vacation, and vacation's about feeling good. The last time we went, G ended up getting really sick, so we upped our relaxin': early evenings back at the hotel room, a couple trips out to the drug store, late morning sleep-ins. The one day we stuck it out was our Epcot day and as a compromise, I ended up pushing Gill around in a wheelchair. It was probably the least fun day of the trip, but a so-so day in Disney is still an awesome day by real world standards. We ended up with sweet pictures and I ended up with slightly more toned arms.

Taking it easy also includes rolling with the punches – don't get worked up over dumb stuff. The lineup's really long at the Haunted Mansion? Then grab a fast pass and wait out the clock on It's a Small World. Family in front of you being assholes? You'll never have to see them again in 10 minutes' time. Feeling like you need some alone time? Then say so and go read in a hammock for a bit. Predict your needs so you stay chill, and keep hydrated. It helps if you've chosen your Disney companion well and they are similarly even-tempered.

G: Buy an ear hat. Trust me, this will add to your experience. If you're not wearing an ear hat, you haven't fully given yourself to the experience. A part of you is still holding back thinking, "What will all these people think of me and my best friend, both women in our 20s without kids, arm in arm, each holding giant ice creams in our hands and wearing mouse ears on our heads?" Answer: Take a look around. You are surrounded by fellow nerds looking to have a good time. It's time to go full retard. The experience of being around a bunch of other adults who are all geeking out about being at Disney World is akin to waiting in line for a new Apple product on opening day. There is an immediate familiarity among everyone in the group. Even if you aren't super into iWhatevers, you know that these are your people. Also, the hats are a classic. Not only will you own a piece of classic Americana, but you can start a creepy collection of the hats you get with each visit. (Note: A collection of any kind is advanced level Disney shit.)

Love you girl! Just one week!

Do you do Disney?

Got any tips or things we have to try?

Thrifted Life: the squishy-faced cat

Amanda and I first got the idea to start Burgundy Girls from our BFF Jill who suggested, since we are both hoarders packrats collectors of cool things, that we share with the outside world some of the awesome and amazing items that come in and out of our apartment. Now that we no longer live together (physically, at least, emotionally we will never part) I figure that we collectively have even more stuff that you would ever possibly want to read about.

Amanda and I both love thrifted items; part of what makes a piece so special is the history behind it–and if I don't know the history then I'll just make one up. Knowing that something you own is not really yours, that is has already had a life of its own and will probably have one after you, makes it more important–the feeling that it's not really yours, it's bigger than you, and you are just borrowing it. I feel that way about lots of things in my apartment. A good 75% of the nicknacks I have, though, belonged to my grandparents and great-grandparents, so their histories are known to me, and I love them for it.

I propose that this can be the first of a fairly regular column, Thrifted Life, when we need a break and run out of more creative content (because seriously, we do this every single weekday).

This is a sketch of a squishy-faced cat that I got from my grandmother's basement, that on first glance is probably the worst picture of a cat you've ever seen. My grandma said that when she worked in the accounting department at Eaton's in her 40s there was this married guy that was in love with her. He and his wife would come over for dinner and he would embarrass himself by drinking too much and paying her way too much attention. This picture, she says, was his last-ditch effort to win her over, knowing that she loved cats, and hoping that she would love him for his "artistic side." He eventually cut off all contact, and this picture went down into her basement for almost 40 years.

So here's to Jack in '73, whose picture is now hanging in the house of the granddaughter of his unrequited love.

In Memoriam: Jack Layton

We're going to take a break from our regular scheduled programming for a moment of silence.

via

Jack Layton, the leader of the NDP and Canada's official opposition, passed away this morning at the age of 61. He had recently taken time off from politics to fight with an unspecified cancer, and he passed away this morning in his home.

It was hard news to wake up to this morning, not only because Layton was progressive Canadians' best hope of representation, but because he seemed like a truly great man. He went by the nickname Smilin' Jack, and it was fitting—he was a true optimist and a community man, rarely seen without a smile. His wife, Olivia Chow, is also a federal politician (and in fact, represents my riding of Trinity-Spadina), and they always seemed very happy and in love with one another.

We here at Burgundy Girls are shocked and saddened by the news. We celebrated Layton and the NDP's historic win during the last election (they more than doubled their highest amount of seats), and hoped this meant there was a reversal of the conservative tide in Canadian politics. Regardless of your political leanings, there was no denying that Jack Layton loved Canada, loved Toronto, and did his job admirably—providing a voice to a huge portion of the Canadian population.

Now, with Layton's passing, we can only hope the mantle of hope and change will be taken up by other politicians. He will be sorely missed, and we're glad we got to experience some of the joy and optimism he brought to the political table.

via

For a taste of what Layton was like, enjoy this fun little spot from the Rick Mercer Report from last year, where Layton shows Mercer around his eco-friendly home, right in the heart of an old Toronto neighbourhood. He also speaks Cantonese with his wife and mother-in-law, and pokes some fun at himself.

He also modeled for Prada and Gucci back in the day—what a babe, right?

via

Here's to a great man whose legacy, spanning all party lines, will never be forgotten.

Layton's last note to the Canadian people, written two days ago, can be read here. It contains his advice for the future of the NDP party but also the future of the country. We should take solace in his final words to us. We should use it as a new opportunity to live with intention and stand for the change that we want to see in how Canada is governed.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

Graceland, In Pictures

 It was scary hot this day. Outside, unlike everywhere else, there was no AC, so waiting for the bus to get from the main compound up to Graceland was pretty uncomfortable. Note the guy passed out on a bench in the background. That is how everyone felt.

This, however, is how everyone looked. Everyone had their pictures taken in front of a mural of the Graceland Gates. The bus tour didn't actually include a stop at the gates. This was the closest we got.

Dan, being a true documentarian. With the price of a ticket everyone got a headset to wear when walking around the grounds. The recording spat Elvis propaganda at you in an informative tone while directing you from room to room. That's the bus in the background. We were carted around pretty much everywhere, though it wouldn't have been far to walk.

This is the front of the house itself. Doesn't look so big, does it? That's because it was not that big. I was surprised; after hearing so much about the place I thought it would be larger than life. It was roughly the size of a McMansion.

This is the sitting room, and no, the colours have not been adjusted in this picture. It was kind of beautiful it a really retro way, and the carpet was strangely spotless. This was the only room light enough to capture with my 400-speed film, but you can imagine the other, equally as elaborate, but in asian style, jungle style, etc. 

We weren't allowed up the stairs, but up there is where Elvis actually died. I wonder how far I could have gotten if I'd just bolted. I'm pretty sure there were armed guards keeping the privacy of the Presley family. You can see at the bottom right how packed the place was with people. There was a lineup to walk through the entire house.

The lineup continued outside the house to the Meditation Garden. I half expected to see people crying, and I was disappointed when no one did. For a mediation garden, though, it wasn't very relaxing.

Here are the remains of the man himself. Grave sites are always kind of underwhelming, aren't they. One thing I found interesting is that Elvis' granny outlived him and his dad Vernon. Priscilla talks a lot about Elvis' grandmother is her book Elvis and Me, which I have plugged before. I found a small stack of them in the gift shop (I kind of can't believe they carry it there, it's almost like blasphemy) and I wanted to wave them around shouting "Read this and then tell me what you think of him!!!!!!!!" You should all read the book, it's very enlightening, and paints Graceland in a way that is very different from the way it's seen today. There is a disconnect for me between the real Graceland and the Graceland in my book, in its heyday, and in my dreams. I still loved it though. 

A Recap of My Trip

And we're back! In my first post back from my wonderful vacation I'd like to share with you some of the highlights of the best road trip ever. Most of the pictures we took were film, so the ones I'm sharing today are our digital few, taken, with the exception of the Loretta Lynn pictures, by Dan.

This is where we stayed the first night, in Cave City, Kentucky. Wigwam Village #2 was built in the 40s, but has been updated significantly with cable and really strong AC. Cave City is a bit of a tourist town, there a national park nearby and lots of caves. Sadly, we had to keep moving, but we did get to stop at the flea market where I got ring that has a wolf head on it. Very cool. 

Then suddenly (after about 12 hours of driving in total), we were in Nashville. The Grand Ole Opry was pretty incredible, and I'm now a lifelong fan.

We were by far the youngest people there, as you can see, and we made friends with the old couple sitting beside us, just to my left in the pic. The man in front of me wasn't very impressed though, when I said I didn't know where Missouri was. Being Canadian just wasn't an excuse for him.

This guy started off the event, Little Jimmy Dickens, who I totally fell in love with. At 90 years old (and 4'11) he is the oldest and longest running member of the Opry family, and his musical and comedic performance does not disappoint. ("Keep taking pictures of me, ladies, I just swell up like a big ol' bullfrog. You can take my picture and put it on your dresser at home, or you can take me to put on your dresser." I think I swooned.)

Then came the reason we were there. Loretta Lynn is everything I thought she would be—sweet, gentle, and bashful. She still has that mournful kind of voice, and the crowd went wild for her.

After a few minutes I got to sneak up to the front with all the rest of the hardcore fans and snap away while she sang "Blue Kentucky Girl."

I learned something else that night: old people shrink. Look at how tiny she is! The dress absolutely dwarfed her.

Here are some pics from the Country Music Hall of Fame, where I learned lots about the different veins of country music, and found out that my favourite is the rockabilly movement stemming from the '50s.

Though they seemed to leave out a lot of the newer stuff that Dan and I love, we learned a lot about country's roots, and saw lots of instruments and artifacts from the beginnings of the musical genre.

Here's a clip of me talking about the various smells of the city.



Nashville was great but we were excited to leave and get to know the hopefully less touristy, more soulful city of Memphis. Sun Studio was our first stop, and it was fantastic.

Detroit is home to the Motown Museum, where the tour takes you around the actual house where the recording happened, and the tour guide's enthusiasm and spirit helps to make to tour great. Sun Studios' tour was really similar and really impressive. Our guide played recordings for us that were not only recorded in the studio that we stood in, but we got to stand in the same place, with the same mic that the singer used. You could almost see it happening around you! I was happily surprised that it wasn't too Elvis heavy, and focused a lot on other, even better musicians.

I had the best ribs of my life that night, at a place called Marlowe's where Elvis used to eat when he was fat and close to death. They have a pink cadillac service that picks you up from your hotel (basically so you can get plastered and eat way too much, both of which we did) and takes you to the restaurant. Here's me, holding up the line.

This was a pretty special place. There was an Elvis tribute singer there that night, and without going into too much inflamatory detail, shit got weird.






The south is a very patriotic place, and I got to experience that in a way I've never seen before. This guy had dedicated his version of "Dixie Land/Glory" to all the veterans in the restaurant and abroad, while Dan and I sat shocked for a while before whipping out the camera.

Anyway, here are the ribs and the sides that went with 'em.

We had some really great food. It was so hot most of the time (we hit 110F one day) that we often just got whatever food we could to nourish ourselves. We had Taco Bell more than a few times (no regrets!) White Castle once (never again!), and McDonalds for breakfast (the McGriddle sandwich is the best thing that's ever happened to me). When we did it right for food it was mostly southern BBQ, pancakes, and baked mac 'n cheese.

We had a great time, and life seems a little more sad now that we are back to real life, not living on the road and visiting new places everyday. One day I'll be able to make a life out of driving around, but until then, short bursts will have to do.