The Date and not Hungover*

Our anniversary dinner date was lovely.

The man had hired a car, so we wouldn't have to worry about driving. We left the kids in the capable hands of my mother, who was staying overnight. And even better, my sister, her husband and my cutesie niece came up to have dinner and a visit with them. When we headed out the door, only my sister was there to wish us a good evening. The kids were already off partying. Signs of things to come, I suppose.

Le Select Bistro was a great spot. The decor and ambiance was very much that of a Parisian bistro, and even better...no attitude from the waiter. (Okay, I know I'm stereotyping here, but I've had first hand experience of seeing a server get upset at a colleague because HE had heard the order wrong and brought back a sandwich without ham...another story for another day...).

So where were we...oh yeah, back at the bistro...

A beer for the gentleman and a lychee martini for the lady please. Very nice.

Puff pastry appetizers (escargot of course), lamb and slow cooked beef short-ribs entrees and a lovely bottle of wine from one of the hugest wine cellars I have seen in a restaurant. Wonderful, knowledgeable service amidst the quiet buzz of many a customer having a fine dining experience.

We didn't set the place on fire this time. At least not with actual flames.

After dinner, we walked up Spadina Ave. to Queen Street to enjoy some cocktails on the patio of the Rivoli. Quite a different scene. It was funny because this was just a couple doors over from the original site of Le Select, before it moved to its new location three years ago.

We ordered a couple of G & T's, and set about people watching while we sat amongst a patio of Queen Street hipsters. We've brought the kids down here many times, but hadn't had the opportunity to enjoy the vibe at night just by ourselves in a very long time.

I laughed about the henna tattoo I got a lifetime ago at the neighbouring Le Chateau ... we watched with interest as gaggles of young women walked by wearing sky-high stilettos and skirts barely covering their arses...a family walked by, with Mom pushing the stroller while Dad wore baby and they all wore matching afros ... we got annoyed as the groups of smokers outside of the restaurant hovered in front of us ... the signs from the huge H & M across the street were a bright reminder that indeed, this Queen Street was not the same that we had frequented as students. We noticed the students in their ripped jeans, slouchy hats with their carefree attitudes and we talked about whether we wished to be them again. So much has changed in 16 years.

We got caught up. Turns out there wasn't too much catching up to do. After all these years, we're still in tune with each other. Which in all honesty, was the most beautiful part of the whole evening.

*****

The boys went to see GI Joe the next day. A solid nine out of ten is what the boy rated the movie. What was the story about? He didn't really know, but it didn't matter. Action, it's all about the action, Mom.

The man brought home Famous Magazine and said: "Do you think I look like him*? A little? He's your type isn't he, fair, light eyes..."



I replied, "Actually, he does kind of look like you. Like 15 years ago..."

And so I checked. And he did. Sorta.


Lucky me.

(In more ways than one obviously. I finally got rid of that "Gilligan borrowed John Lennon's glasses and traded in the sailor shirt for a beater" look. Thank gawd.)

*I have yet to see the Hangover, but I hear it's hilarious. In the most immature way, I'm sure, but who ever said I was overly mature?

*****
Musical memory, here's one of our fave songs of 1993...

Crush

"There are THREE more crushes on me today!" he yelled as he climbed into the van.

Hm. I hadn't even heard of the ones previous to these.

"So who has these crushes on you and how do you know?" I asked as lightheartedly as I could.

"Well, Mom, they TELL me! Like Lauren*, for instance, passed me a note that said "Love, secretly". I guess that wasn't too secret though. And Yvonne* came right up to me and said, "I like you. Right up to me!!!!" he replied.

"Well what do you think of it all?" asked Dr. Phil/Mom.

"It's sort of weird." Too funny. Let's ask him again in about 8 years.

"And how do you respond when they say those things?" (trying to keep the smile from my voice, honestly, I really, really want to know!)

"I just pretend to pass out and then I run away."

What else is an 8 year old boy supposed to do?

"Oh. So how do they react?" (Mom is so nosy!)

"They just go their own way giggling."

Then he switched the subject.

I suppose I should have taken the high road and mentioned that it was very flattering for these girls to tell him how much they like him. Or that he should be thankful that he's making such a good impression. That I'm proud of him that he's good with his peers and obviously very likeable and fun to be around. It's actually quite sweet and cute.

But I didn't, because my mama bear instincts just kicked in.

What? My boy??? Back off!!! (Well, not really, but I wasn't expecting this stuff for at least another few years. )

Wonder if this is why the Boy loves Archie's new song so much (it is really a sweet song).

Here's another sweet, driving song...


At least we haven't yet reached the angst of Garbage...



Oy.

*names changed to protect the innocent, and yes, they really still are ... and very cute :)

Greener Days

One of our local radio stations ran a "Green Day - American Idiot" weekend in honour of the upcoming U.S. election. Every few songs, they would play a Green Day hit.

How interesting that this band was credited by some as the group that brought to the forefront, or at least made publicly acceptable (remember the Dixie Chicks?) the whole anti-Bush wave.

Whatever their political inclinations, I've always really enjoyed Green Day's music. They came out with their first big album around the time that I got married (wow, THAT long ago) and they were just boys back then. I remember when I purchased "Dookie", to add to our audio library. There was a part of me that felt, well, let's just say a little mature to be buying music from this alt rock/punk band. But I found the music pretty catchy, and I was still young enough to imagine that I wouldn't look matronly in your average mosh pit.

As Ian has always told me, I have a golden touch when it comes to purchasing CDs. CDs that he wouldn't necessarily buy himself, but he would end up enjoying so much he'd forget that it wasn't him who bought the thing in the first place. "Dookie", of course, scored big time for the band.

It was still on pretty heavy rotation the year we started what unbeknownst to us would become a long infertility journey. Cranking up "When I Come Around" on a Friday evening after work, talking about plans for our weekend while making dinner in our tiny galley kitchen, enjoying what we thought would be limited couple time before having babies in our midst ... never expecting it to take four years before we were to become expectant parents.

*****

Here we are in 2008. The Boy, after a couple of years of coaxing and cajoling from frazzled parents, has finally decided that he is interested in taking music lessons. Of the guitar variety. We found him a teacher who is a musician in a couple of bands. A long-haired young man, laid back, soft spoken with the look of a younger, thinner Kevin Smith. Certainly a change from my first music teacher (a scary nun who wanted to smash the ganglion on my wrist with a bible ... ugh).

And the first song the Boy is learning to play on the guitar?


(which incidentally, came out the year I got pregnant with little G)

How cool is that?

Musical Memories - an Ode to Sloan

The other night as I sat down to watch one of the best shows on CBC (well, probably the only show I watch on CBC, if only it weren't on so late every night), the Hour, I noticed that they had changed the theme song. It used to be the New Pornographers. But this season, they're using the distinctive sound of Sloan.

Have you heard of them? If you haven't, check this out... (well, it's the longest intro ever in this video, so forward about 2 minutes to the actual song).



They've been together 17 years now. Wow.

When they first came out around 1992, I enjoyed their indie flavour, the "Canadian-ness" of them. Smart hip lyrics, fun melodies. "Coax Me" and "Underwhelmed" among some of their early hits.

The definitive album for me, though, was "One Chord to Another" released in 1996, where "Good in Everyone" (the clip above) was featured. That song and my other favourite, "Everything You've Done Wrong" bring back some great memories.



Of a time when I was first married, in our first house together. Filled with hope and excitement after deciding that it was time to start our family. I remember bopping around the house to this CD, we were playing it on heavy rotation. Full of optimism for our future.

The journey to family wasn't quite as easy as expected.

To be honest, I haven't been following these guys in the last few years. So when I heard this music introducing the Hour, it made me curious about what they've been up to.

Looks like they're still doing it. And doing it well. They're currently on tour with Lenny Kravitz.

I'm glad. I am in a happy place again, all these years later. Bopping around with my breakdancing wannabe 8 year old and blossoming 3 year old popper. With the occasional 80's dance saved for the Man. And for that I am very, very thankful.

Wishing everyone celebrating this weekend, a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends.