On a lighter note

Something tells me the writer of this headline has recently acquired a dog. I’m not sure what to make of the main article. Part of me wants to say something along the lines of: Of course the whole organic thing has gone corporate, what did you expect?

Zero Yonge Street

I can’t get all that upset about the condos slotted for the Pier 27 site at the foot of Yonge St. (link, link, link), though perhaps that’s a sign that I’ve lowered my expectations to the point where anything in that area other than windswept parking lots, mothballed party boats, random examples of ‘70s Brutalismcontinue reading

Speed kills, but no one cares

I don’t think anyone would think of me as a law and order type, but I’m increasingly convinced that we have a dangerous lack of enforcement of existing traffic laws in the city, and a disregard for the destruction big metal vehicles cause. So I am appalled that the two teenagers who were racing theircontinue reading

A fizzy that’s good in the heat

We recently picked up a bottle of Allimant-Laugner Crémant d’Alsace Brut (Vintages 30593, $19.95), since we’re fond of cracking open a bottle of fizzy for random celebratory occasions such as Tuesdays, and we’ve long since run out of the Crémant d’Alsace we buy from Opimian. Very fresh, lots and lots and LOTS of green applecontinue reading

Magnetic helmets!

Magnets may offer a way to boost mental performance, US research suggests. No, they don’t fend off aliens and the CIA. Well, perhaps they do — who knows?

Delivery delays

The general idea here seems worth considering, but the hours strike me as very impractical. Fresh food gets delivered in the morning, and is it reasonable or desirable to expect everyone to be there to receive it before 7 am? The idea that 7-8 am is actually rush hour *downtown* also strikes me as hyperbolic.continue reading

Pinot Gris for summer

There are still a few of these left in the system, though not as many as I thought there would be: Pierre Sparr 2004 Pinot Gris Reserve, 13%/$16.95. (Vintages April 28 release.) I’ve always been a bit ambivalent about Pinot Gris, J. more unqualifiedly enthusiastic, so it was good to find a bottle we couldcontinue reading

The Lives of Others

Although I suspect it won’t be here for much longer, contrary to what I told TB yesterday it looks like The Lives of Others is going to be in the theatres at least for the weekend. We finally got around to seeing this movie after J. saw the Globe review maybe two months ago. It’scontinue reading