tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94525122011-08-01T15:52:14.168-04:00I moved to Toronto from NYC in May of 2004. I plan to talk about things to do in Toronto (and probably things and places to avoid too!)Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.comBlogger521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-59196579248042226262010-09-06T18:50:00.002-04:002010-09-06T18:50:40.780-04:00

I have been spending most of my time online blogging for www.ossingtonvillage.comPlease visit the site!

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-8736083095110680732009-05-18T08:59:00.003-04:002009-05-18T09:05:27.929-04:00

What a fun night last night at Cadillac Lounge. Every Sunday now they have a live band who knows a ton of covers as support for karaoke singers. It was cool: some of the people were good singers, and some were just fun performers. The woman who sang/danced to/commented upon George Michael's "Faith" and the guy who flipped his hair around while singing Metallica's "Enter Sandman" came to mind.No

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-72348148124408076192009-04-07T21:18:00.003-04:002009-04-07T21:37:56.183-04:00

Brian came home from the supermarket late last week with romaine lettuce and anchovies, all excited to make a caesar salad, as we haven't done it in a long time.So this past weekend, Brian made us caesar salads, using the recipe from our Gourmet cookbook, as I suggested, and it was good. But... I found it too liquid, not creamy enough. And, it got me thinking. I still have romaine, and anchovies,

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-4278460295857288502009-04-05T18:19:00.003-04:002009-04-05T18:26:36.554-04:00

I found this recipe for scones on Everybody Likes Sandwiches and have been waiting for a good day to make them.Yesterday turned out to be that day. I woke a little earlier than the hubby, got up and made some tea, and turned on the oven to bake.The scones were relatively easy to make and turned out delicious. I followed the recipe almost exactly except a little more whole wheat flour and a little

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-47284769247437587172009-03-31T19:54:00.002-04:002009-03-31T20:23:51.840-04:00

I have been spending so much time reading other blogs, that I haven't updated this one in months.Therefore, I thought I'd give a shout out to some of the blogs I've been reading and enjoying a lot. These folks are much more dedicated than I have been.Taste TOPioneer WomanZoilus - Carl Wilson on MusicTV Tattle TV NewsI'll try to take a cue from these regular updaters and do the same.

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-86015059799544928452008-10-19T17:57:00.002-04:002008-10-19T18:02:53.474-04:00

We had a Canadian citizenship party yesterday and committed to serving Canadian food and drink. It was great!I think the biggest hit was the peameal bacon. We bought it on our St. Lawrence market run and baked it in the oven at 350 for a couple hours. I didn't even get to try it, but apparently it was delicious.We also served Malpeque oysters, smoked salmon and Montreal bagels, ketchup chips,

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-14788978613797347182008-10-14T15:40:00.002-04:002008-10-14T15:42:05.004-04:00

I have been a Canadian citizen for just over a week, and the timing was right, because today I can vote. I realize this isn't that important an election, as the Conservatives are likely to maintain their minority leadership. I still am happy to be able to exercise my right for the first time. Don't forget to vote!

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-8253244128374502032008-09-30T15:34:00.002-04:002008-09-30T15:40:40.364-04:00

I am getting sworn in on October 6.Getting Canadian citizenship proved a much easier process than getting permanent residency. I applied in February and in the mail received a letter stating they would notify me of my test date within a year, and a book to study for the test. In August I got the letter for my test date. I took the test on September 15 and it was easy; the hard part was the hour+

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-34734825178432998232008-08-30T12:10:00.004-04:002008-08-31T11:03:42.870-04:00

Our pear tree is bearing fruit, lots of it. So far this summer I have made a pear upside down cake, pear marmalade, pear sorbet and pear and vanilla jam and I have another large bowl of pears that I picked Friday. Looking at the tree, there are still loads more pears. I don't want them to go to waste!Other recipes to make with pears: brandied pears, pear torte, pear brandy, pear and carrot soup..

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-73775225430087413142008-08-30T11:57:00.003-04:002008-08-30T12:08:45.888-04:00

Yum. We went to Pizzeria Libretto, the newest hot spot in our neighborhood, on Wednesday night, which turned out to be opening night and I am hooked! First, the place is way bigger than I expected, probably seats about 70, which is good news as I am sure it will be popular. For the first night, I was impressed by the service, decor and of course, the food.The menu consists of salads, bruschetta,

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-32047443986486954932008-08-17T18:54:00.006-04:002008-08-30T11:57:48.229-04:00

A blog I read, Chocolate & Zucchini, linked to an interesting list of 100 items to eat. I have followed the instructions and bolded those I've eaten and crossed out the ones I would not try.1. Venison2. Nettle tea3. Huevos rancheros4. Steak tartare5. Crocodile6. Black pudding7. Cheese fondue8. Carp9. Borscht10. Baba ghanoush11. Calamari12. Pho13. PB&J sandwich14. Aloo gobi15. Hot dog from a

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-62590029527283015902008-03-20T11:52:00.004-04:002008-03-20T12:04:38.403-04:00

Brian and I had dinner at Sidecar on College Street (College and Clinton) and are looking forward to our next visit.Sidecar is a new sleek little bistro with fun drinks and delicious food.We arrived on time for our 9:30 dinner reservation last Friday night and waited at the bar for a bit, enjoying our drinks - B had a whiskey sour, and I a Ginger lemonade. While we waited, we chatted with the

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-69621044353195603912008-03-05T11:10:00.002-05:002008-03-05T11:19:20.391-05:00

We went to see Josh Ritter last night and it was a fantastic show. I strongly recommend listening to this guy. He was a great performer, lively, fun enthusiastic, and a really strong singer. He also didn't leave the stage for over 1 1/2 hours, so has a lot of energy too! It was great. The crowd got really involved, and we had a really fun night.I also love going to shows at The Phoenix. It's a

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-63424983169992675622008-02-10T19:29:00.000-05:002008-02-10T19:31:59.656-05:00

Whoa! I cannot believe I haven't posted since October. That will have to change, starting now! I have been trying out bars and restaurants, sampling some music and theater and as enjoying the winter weather. I will post more soon.

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-63397819502585548622007-10-15T18:47:00.000-04:002007-10-15T19:02:45.643-04:00

1. Free delivery. At any time, day or night, I could get the following delivered to my apartment in NYC: beer, groceries, wine, pizza, hamburgers, Mexican food, Spanish food, fast food, bagels and cream cheese, eggs and bacon, steak, liqour, cigarettes (and I don't even smoke) all for the cost of the order, with little to no delivery charge. What can I get delivered to me in Toronto for that?

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-27994967167320493902007-10-13T22:57:00.000-04:002007-10-14T10:04:36.652-04:00

Last night we spent some time at Cafe Taste in Parkdale. I had read about it on tasteto and was interested in the wine and cheese bar in our neighborhood.We liked it immediately upon entry: warm, cozy and relaxed, all the tables looked comfortable. It is a small room, with several tables and a bar area. The menu is a long list of dishes with cheese (YUM!) including salads, cheese plates and

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-71088626184288475642007-09-23T17:52:00.000-04:002007-09-23T18:01:28.811-04:00

Wow! Just made my first trip to this Asian supermarket on Cherry Street and I was very impressed! First of all, the place is massive and has a huge selection. We admired the sushi and dim sum selections just past the entrance, grabbed a pint of Haagen Dazs for half the price at our normal supermarket, and kept filling the basket. 3 packages of dumplings were $9.99 so we grabbed chicken, shrimp &

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-51191861566447501882007-09-09T14:21:00.002-04:002008-09-30T15:47:52.703-04:00

We went to the Virgin Music Fest yesterday at Toronto Island. The weather was great and it was a good list of performers, but we decided not to go again today because it was difficult and tiring.When we got to the ferry terminal at the harbor, there were thousands of people in line. So we began the day of frustrating waits. Waiting to get on the ferry, waiting to get off the ferry, waiting for

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-88064732452439559962007-08-19T17:43:00.002-04:002008-09-30T15:47:33.840-04:00

Last night we tried a new bar that just opened the other day in our hood. Reposado is a cool casual bar with friendly staff and a specialty in tequila. For Toronto, the tequila selection is pretty good, and we had a "flight" of three tequilas, a white (not good for sipping, more for shooting), an anejo, and a reposado. The last two were quite sippable and flavorful. We had some beers with the

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-15210110728956694392007-08-13T16:22:00.001-04:002007-08-13T16:30:36.032-04:00

Was on vacation last week, so this refers to something that happened two weeks ago, but I still want to mention it as a warning to people.I checked my online credit card statement and noticed a transaction from the previous day for a restaurant/bar I had not been to in 5 months. Yet, I was being charged $80+ by them. I immediately called my credit card company and explained the situation. The

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-67134811530530559232007-07-31T20:49:00.000-04:002007-07-31T20:57:23.535-04:00

I went to lunch today with 2 colleagues to Bistro 990 and had a great meal.The atmosphere was charming and old world, and the food was delicious. The service was great, which may have been because it wasn't very busy, but we felt well taken care of.So, what did we eat? Well, lets start with the delicious crusty French bread at the beginning. I could have had more than the 2 pieces they served us

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-21941975649166798692007-07-23T22:36:00.000-04:002007-07-23T22:46:37.325-04:00

Toko Sushi Bar is on Yonge Street just north of Wellesley. My co-worker and I were walking back to our Bloor Street office and looking for somewhere new to eat when we spied Toko. It was only 11:45am but we were ready for lunch. They were open and waiting for customers, so we grabbed two seats at the bar and began to take serve ourselves from the rotating sushi bar.I used to go to places like

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-68789293245299751662007-07-22T16:44:00.001-04:002007-07-22T17:06:14.156-04:00

Coca is located on Queen West, #783, and we have walked by many times and wanted to try it, mainly because it is a tapas bar and restaurant, and I love tapas.Finally on Wednesday night we were free and in the mood, so off to Coca we went. I have heard it is hard to get a table there, and when we arrived at 7:40 on Wednesday, that was still the case. Fortunately there were plenty of seats at the

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-24259960110632909712007-07-17T16:46:00.000-04:002007-07-17T19:57:04.397-04:00

Went to Houston's for lunch today and really enjoyed it. It is not a budget restaurant by any means, as most mains are over $20, but if you have the money and are in the neighborhood, I recommend it.Where is Houston's? Yonge Street, just north of Front.What kind of food? The specialties are steaks and ribs, and that was what we had. I had the Half rack of ribs with 3 shrimp and the ribs were

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-59728312586099611692007-07-15T12:36:00.000-04:002007-07-15T12:41:52.737-04:00

We biked over to the Farmer's Market in Liberty Village this morning. This is a new market with only farmers selling products from their farms, so you know it's fresh! Today we bought some sweet and juicy raspberries (delicious for breakfast this AM!), corn on the cob, sweet potatoes and tomatoes. It is so close and convenient and fresh. I am looking forward to peaches in August, apples in

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-37939083136767417792007-07-14T18:51:00.000-04:002007-07-14T19:01:23.987-04:00

Went to a fringe play last night and one today. Two very different shows, both enjoyable. I love the Toronto Fringe Festival because I go so things I would never normally see and as it is only $10 a ticket, I always find it worthwhile.The play last night was Ubu Roi and was an avant garde play with 4 cast members in a small space where most of the audience sat on the floor. The play was written

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-47682314901698049302007-07-07T11:26:00.000-04:002007-07-07T11:34:04.731-04:00

Went to the Molson Amphitheatre for The White Stripes show on Thursday night. Great night to see a show, and what a great show! The Amphitheatre itself didn't impress me (was my first time there), as it took forever to get in and out of that place, but the beer was cold and The White Stripes were fantastic! I love that there are only two of them yet they make so much noise and rock so hard. The

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-69971383005556515452007-07-02T22:46:00.001-04:002007-07-02T22:56:53.174-04:00

Since Brian likes ribs so much, we had to go to Ribfest, and today was our last chance! It was a hot sunny day, and since we were driving to Centennial Park, we brought our golf clubs to drive some balls before we ate. The driving range was busy, but at least it was easy to find, unlike rib fest! We drove around for 15 minutes looking for the event, and there were signs everywhere, but no

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-23402774090865397472007-07-01T13:28:00.000-04:002007-07-14T18:51:19.566-04:00

Yesterday we drove to Vineland, Ontario, parked our car at a winery and spent the afternoon touring wine country on our bikes. It could not have been a better day for it, with the sun shining and a cool breeze the entire day. This is a great way to spend the day, as most of the wineries won't charge for the tastings, and the scenery along the Niagara escarpment is so beautiful.The first stop on

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-43470665140121738992007-06-30T19:45:00.001-04:002007-07-01T14:08:45.616-04:00

I saw Michael Moore's Sicko on Wednesday night. Wow. Go see it. If you are American, hopefully it will light a fire under you and everyone else to freaking change the way our health care system cheats citizens. The film is interesting, thought-provoking, funny but also depressing. GO SEE IT!

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-3772505493717228012007-06-30T19:27:00.000-04:002007-06-30T19:33:58.310-04:00

It has been a long time! I am going to make an effort to post more about Toronto and my life here.Much has changed - I have been working full time for over 2 years, we bought a house - go to www.sharwood.ca for that blog!I really like Toronto a lot, and am going to use this space to post on places I like, and things to do in TO.Coming up: Michael Moore's Sicko, our bike tour of the wine country

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1108429327777456892005-02-14T19:57:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:46:19.714-04:00

I GOT THE PAPERS!! I am now a permanent resident, which means I have to look for a job. We only had to spend a day in Buffalo to do it. (wouldn't recommend Buffalo if you have a choice)It did snow while we were there, so I felt our visit was complete. The highlight was our visit to Target in Niagara Falls. We need a Target in Toronto.More to come on the job search.

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1105720457985357002005-01-14T11:31:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:45:55.503-04:00

But I can still only laugh - Canada's immigration minister resigns.The funniest part of this: Sgro quit after learning that the pizza shop owner had filed an affidavit which accused Sgro of offering him help to stay in Canada in return for pizza deliveries and assistance with her election campaign.I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT HER PIZZA!! SOMEONE HELP ME!! THIS IS INSANITY!!What kind of pizza? I would have

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1105720168298031992005-01-14T11:10:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:45:25.463-04:00

I am so frustrated with this whole immigration process. We sent in every single form, every single photo, every single damn thing needed for the family permanent resident visa in MAY 2004! In July, my husband and I both received letters from the Consulate General in Buffalo stating they had all the information and were going to process the information. In December, my husband asked someone who

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1104867598301453382005-01-04T14:30:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:45:39.821-04:00

Went to see The Aviator last night. Thought it was really good, but had to move seats halfway through because of these really annoying people next to me. The girl kept talking to her boyfriend and he kept laughing really loudly at EVERYTHING! He especially would laugh if he heard someone else laugh, so I started getting self-conscious about laughing out loud cause I knew he would join in. I mean,

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1104647881774524802005-01-02T01:22:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:44:52.313-04:00

Had a great New Year's Eve. We went to Didier on Yonge Street for a prix fixe 7 course dinner with wine pairings. I think my favorite course was the venison (perfectly cooked!) with poached pear, celeriac and fried fig. YUM! The dessert course of delicious Valronha chocolate was appreciated as well. Didier is a new restaurant on Yonge, and they are definitely more focused on the food than the

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1104369830743927232004-12-29T20:20:00.000-05:002004-12-29T20:23:50.743-05:00

Been a few days, recovering from holidays. Warming up here in Toronto, finally. Above 0 today for the first time in a week at least! Felt nice. But enough about the weather here. This blog has links to all sorts of ways to help the relief effort in Asia after the tsunami. See what you can do.

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1103996549591857712004-12-25T13:35:00.000-05:002004-12-25T12:43:21.113-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1103920433711388092004-12-24T15:23:00.000-05:002004-12-24T15:33:53.710-05:00

OK, I know she has been labelled a primadonna and has stopped at least one concert immediately after beginning because of "bad sound quality," but I like her music and want to stop the tyranny of the record industry!! Basically, Fiona Apple's record label has hijacked her album and won't release it because of lack of commercial viability. One guy started a petition to get the album released. If

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1103901047657094852004-12-24T10:06:00.000-05:002004-12-24T10:44:52.880-05:00

It is white and wintery in Toronto - we had a lot of snow on Wednesday and it has been quite cold since then. The trees are glistening with ice, and the snow is on the ground. It definitely takes work to get around. Last night we just went to the local pub and had a pitcher of beer and some grub. This was followed by a trip to the video store (seconds before it closed! Luck!) where we rented "

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1103584713536850332004-12-20T18:06:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:43:39.939-04:00

On Saturday night we went to the Rivoli on Queen Street and saw some good bands. The opening act was John Southworth and he was really original and funny. He has a great sense of humour and his songs reminded me of Donovan, Bob Dylan, and Tiny Tim. No Joke! He was really great. I have already checked out his website and am probably going to buy a CD. The headliner was Howie Beck, also very good,

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1103513430860132742004-12-19T22:24:00.000-05:002004-12-19T22:30:30.860-05:00

We went to a couple of holiday parties today. Started drinking champagne and eating smoked salmon at 1PM, so by now I am quite tired and very full. My mother-in-law is throwing her annual holiday party on Tuesday night, so I have volunteered to help prepare. Think tomorrow we may make a trip out to Sam's Club! It is a very special place - although they don't sell liquor at the Sam's Clubs here.

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1103377434286076202004-12-18T08:37:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:44:20.645-04:00

So yesterday I heard from the woman in the MP's office who is helping me find out my immigration status. Apparently they claimed to her (via fax, there is no speaking with them) that they are waiting for my medical papers. She responded that they were included with the original application, and is now waiting for further response.THESE IMMIGRATION PEOPLE MAKE NO SENSE!! If they were missing part

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1102892735455716172004-12-12T17:40:00.000-05:002004-12-12T18:58:14.560-05:00

We bought our first Christmas tree yesterday (at Home Depot, natch) and just finished decorating it. We picked a mighty fine tree too, I must say! It has been snowing pretty consistently all weekend, which was so appropriate. We spent the afternoon decorating it, listening to Christmas CDs and making a stew for dinner tonight. It seemed an ideal way to spend a December day.

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1102647543816041622004-12-09T21:56:00.000-05:002004-12-09T22:00:12.170-05:00

You know what I miss about New York? Food delivery!! I could order Mexican, Indian, Caribbean, steak, French, anything and have it delivered within 40 minutes any night!! I tried to order Indian food tonight and found out I needed to order $25 worth of food to get it delivered. And I am in Toronto! It's not like I am in the burbs. New York was awesome for that. Miss it. I ended up heating up

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1102562362200275862004-12-08T22:09:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:43:00.747-04:00

My meeting at the MP's office went really well. They seem to think I have nothing to worry about with my immigration application. Apparently, I haven't even waited the average amount of time yet!! It seems long, but it isn't comparatively. So, I probably have at least until the end of February before I can look for work. I feel better just knowing that.So, I am discovering that Canada is not

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1102477501113614122004-12-07T22:44:00.000-05:002004-12-07T22:45:01.113-05:00

Had to add this - America December 08, 2004 Why Americans pretend to be Canadian By Elaine Monaghan Travellers adopt new identity to escape scorn abroad FOR some Americans, to be mistaken for a Canadian is the ultimate humiliation, yet hundreds of US citizens travelling abroad have willingly acquired a disguise of a T-shirt with a Canadian flag. Traditionally, Americans have looked down on

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1102461438189042742004-12-07T18:06:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:42:24.816-04:00

I know it's almost winter, because I spent the whole day in the building. I miss the snow! Today it was just rain, rain and more rain. I think it may have stopped but now it's dark already! Oh well, big plans for tomorrow.Tomorrow I have an appointment at the local MP's (Minister of Parliament's) office. I am going to ask for help with my immigration application. Basically, I just want to know

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1102393749257810352004-12-06T23:24:00.000-05:002004-12-06T23:30:53.626-05:00

My first day of snow as a Canadian resident! Very cool. I went out this morning to do some Christmas shopping and it was cold, windy and snowing, and it was fun! Fortunately, not too many other people were shopping where I was, so it was pretty easy. This afternoon (after shopping), I went for a short swim and had a sauna. Great way to spend a snow day. I have to start using that sauna more; it

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1102286170831417082004-12-05T17:26:00.000-05:002004-12-05T17:36:10.830-05:00

We went to a great holiday party last night. It was a pretty early start: we got there at 7:45 and headed straight for the bar. Had a few really yummy martinis with framboise and pineapple juice. Because of the early start, 10PM seemed like late night. People were dancing up a storm! I had a blast! That was our first holiday party this year, and it was a great start to the season.

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1102197679776839702004-12-04T16:53:00.000-05:002004-12-04T17:09:31.360-05:00

We spent this afternoon at the Canadian Cross Country Championships in Sunnybrook Park. http://www.torontoolympicclub.com/cross_country_2004.htm NO! I didn't run or know anybody running; we just watched. As it was ending, the rain started, and it was cold out!! I am now warm and toasty inside and drinking tea. We have a holiday party to go to tonight. Should be fun!

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9452512.post-1102119428629590002004-12-03T19:13:00.001-05:002008-09-30T15:41:19.241-04:00

Hi. Welcome. I am an immigrant to Canada from the U.S. A little over one year ago, I married a wonderful Canadian man. Six months ago, I moved to Toronto. Since then, I have been awaiting immigration status to work or study and resume my existence as a contributing member of society. As I must rely on a bureacracy to do that, I am settling in for a long haul.While I wait, I will enjoy my life in

Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12599870849670589241noreply@blogger.com0