Birthdays, Updates and Delicious Deserts!

So much to talk about, so much to write....where to begin? Where? Where? There have been a lot of 'where' questions in this world - one of my favourites would have to be the Sharon, Lois and Bram query:
"Where oh Where is sweet little Mary?"
But enough about Mary and her escapades......the second part of my last post is still owing.
I have made a decision about a new 'leaf', a new sprig of soya if you will, that I want to turn over, and it goes a little something like this:
I want my body to be really clean, really pure (a word that if used too much can smell as funky as a face cloth that was once wet that is now dry and hard, curling itself into a fetal-like position next to some equally as funky soap on the rim of my wash basin - yuck). What I mean, is that in a manner that is as far away as possible from a "dolphin songs heal the ozone layer and I want another pair of hemp underpants" kind of way, I want to be good to my body; I want to put only yummy things into this body (or this temple as one shitty jerk once refered to my body as), and I want to rid myself (body, mind, and heart) of as many impurities as I can without moving to a diet of strict air and sunshine.
SOOOO, part of my move to cow country will include a step up in my already trying-hard-to-love-my-bod lifestyle. I also need to learn to relax...this is being screamed at me by those lovelies in my life that have conquered their own stress demons and see me turning myself into a hot, steamy ball of stress lines and ugly energy.
yoga, organic, local, sleep, happy-work, focus, peace - those are the words I am going to make my students make a word wall for. yeah right.

Okay - food. Yummy food.
Many reports, many yummies.
Thursday night saw the kick off of my 28 years of livin' it up birthday rompus - and it is all about Affinity Vegetarian Restaurant on John Street in the Hammer. The juxta-position between the vibrant mural of an Eastern European pastiche that is a vestige of the previous (and well established) Budapest, and the delicate Chinese wall art (traditional paintings, calligraphy and some ornate carvings) sets the tone for this deliciously tossed up restaurant whose menu has a little bit of this and a little bit of that (what song is that from)
There is a hint of Toronto's famous veggie hut - Vegetarian Haven (please bow down) - but done positively Hammer style (enter the wacky mural that, rather, then being surplanted to complete a Toronto-acceptable decor, is actually the focal point for any dinner who sits facing North in the large dining room).
On the first visit to Affinity (and yes, there were two visits this birthday weekend - hey! its my birthday, I get to pick!): I enjoyed the crystal wraps (rice paper wrapped around a massive portion (maybe a bit too much) lettuce, soy-ham and carrots), complete with a sauce that smacked of coming out of a bottle and a bit on the too sweet side for me - but yummy none the less. My fine, fine dinner companion enjoyed two ordered-appetizers (bbque buns and curry pastry) and one that accompanied his main entree (soya nuggets). One thing is for sure - the portions are as large as the mural (relative folks, relative) - the bbque buns looked awesome, and the curry pastries were reportedly not only hot, but satisfying.
My main was the sweet and sour soup - perfect! Go and taste it. (I had it both evenings - sometimes too much choice can be overwhelming for me .....)
Almost the entire menu is presented as vegan - and I can't think of one dish that couldn't have been made vegan!!!! Feast your hearts out.

Oh, the owners are from Taiwan and the tea is excellent!!!


Tonight I dined like a duchess on a homemade meal of roasted veggies, grilled fu, Whole Foods Guaach, WF vegan birthday cake (chocolate), hemp ice cream (fantastically nutty/earthy taste) and berries that were organic and ever so nice!!!

The meal was made with love, which just made it that much more wonderful. Thank you Anne, Jim and Russell.

Watched The Aristrocrats last night - whoah. First time in my life I actually managed to watch gilbert gottfried for more then ten consecutive seconds and not contemplate suicide.

I am loving red house painters and everything neko case. I think they will travel well to the west.
SPEAKING OF THE WEST ---- drum roll please. Heck, wait...I should make this a new entry.
wait maybe I will.......you are to wait with baited breath for the next entry.