Get Happy, Joe

Two of my Errandonnée trips in February were to dance rehearsal, and you may have been wondering what I was rehearsing for. Like I did two years ago, I was taking a swing dance choreography class, and we performed at the Bees Knees Swing Goes to the Movies show in April. The videos have just been posted, and I thought I'd preen share them with you.

I wound up being in three numbers. The first was the opening number, choreographed by Mandi Gould and set to one of my absolute favourite songs, Get Happy. I'm aways in the back, in the red snood^*.


The second number was Juke Box Joe's, choreographed by Rachel Sparacio-Foster (the lady in the blue dress).

It's based off a 1944 soundie (which is one of those musical shorts they used to show before and between movies) by the same name. I was the girl with the really intense wink.


The final number of the show was Lullaby of Broadway, choreographed by Mandi again. Tonnes of fun in this one.

(That's me in the red dress, dancing with a sailor. Typical me.)

If you want to see the rest of the numbers, check out the playlist. I'd tell you which ones are my favourites, but then I would just end up naming them all.

^*Hair snood, not neck snood. I didn't even know neck snoods were a thing, but apparently they are.

Thinking only of the past as its remembrance gives me pleasure: P&P #20

Pride and Prejudice (1980)

It's my dad's birthday today. I miss him, especially as I've been doing this challenge because he was a huge Jane Austen fan. I'd love to discuss some of the books and movies I've been reviewing with him -- although he would be horrified at some of the more, shall we say, salacious offerings.

It seems appropriate to review this miniseries today, since it was my introduction to P&P when I was younger. It was on Masterpiece Theatre, my parents sat me down to watch it with them, and after the first episode, I was hooked. We had one of the first VCRs of the 80s (top-loader, chipped out of stone) and my mom taped it. I watched and rewatched it until it got grainy, fast-forwarding through the introductions and watching Alistair Cooke's head dance about. When my dad told me it was based on a book, I was all "There's a book?! " and thus began my love of the book and long discussions with Dad about it.^*

I hadn't watched it in years, and I wanted to review it as I see it now, not as I remembered it. Would it stand up to my childhood adoration?

Now you has jazz jazz jazz jazz jazz

Well, sort of.

The 25th Beaches International Jazz Streetfest (aka Jazz Fest to most) is a bit of a misnomer. Most of the acts on the street aren't jazz at all, but despite that it's still one of my favourite street festivals of the summer.

The return of squid on a stick

The DC couldn't come with us on the Hydro Fields and Bungalows ride on Sunday because he had to work, so he met up with me at Ed's Real Scoop and, full of ice creamy goodness, we went on to the T&T Waterfront Night Market on Cherry Street. This seems to be a tradition^* with me: bike around the city, eat squid on a stick.

Hydro Fields and Bungalows

I'm always happy when people offer me ways to explore parts of the city I haven't been to before. Denise, who I know from the Cupcake Rides, organized a bike Meetup that introduced us to the new Gatineau Hydro Corridor trail in Scarborough. I hadn't heard of it before, and I might have thought the trail was in Quebec. It's not. In case you were wondering.

After a solid week of oppressive heat and humidity, Sunday's weather was gorgeous. I rode to our meeting point at Broadview and Cosburn with a brisk breeze in my face; I was almost concerned that I would be, dare I say it, chilly. I needn't have been.

Is it a real challenge if I set it myself?

I have been far too lazy so far this summer. This is good in some ways, because I've gotten a fair amount of reading done, but I have Plans and Things that need to get Done. In particular, I've been sitting on a bunch of sewing projects and that sweater that Lucy fricasseed the pattern for. Experience has shown that I kind of need a challenge, preferably with prizes, to get me motivated.
All Style and All Substance was celebrating her third blog anniversary and mentioned her Seven Week Challenge, which got me thinking. And plotting. And planning, which is the same as plotting only less ominous-sounding.

Anyway, so I'm doing my own seven six week challenge. Except it's going to be a 9 in 6, because I have a few smaller projects to be squeezed in every now and then and I'd like to have one completed sewing project for every week of summer. I'm listing them here with planned deadlines so I can held accountable. Not that that's really worked before, because apparently I have very little shame and don't like being bullied. Especially by myself.

Maybe it'll work this time.

1. First up, because I need to get these finished before I start on anything else, are my Thurlow trousers. They were almost done in June before exams started, but then I ran into fitting issues and put them aside because I couldn't deal with them . Plus I had to mark stuff. Then inertia took over. Due: July 23

To Campbell House, therefore, they were to go: P&P #19

Elizabeth - Darcy: An Adaptation of Pride and Prejudice by Hallie Burt & Kate Werneburg, Toronto Fringe Festival, June 4-14

Imagine my delight when, perusing the Fringe program, I came across the following title: Elizabeth – Darcy: An Adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. To wit:

This is a love story. This is a comedy. This is two women playing all the parts. This is the Jane Austen you love with a squeeze of lemon. This is you moving through historic Campbell House with the story. This is you getting caught up, swept away, laughing out loud.

Sign me right up.



Now, Fringe plays can be a bit hit or miss, but this one delivers. Hallie Burt & Kate Werneburg completely inhabit each character with a mere addition to their costume: a feather fascinator for Caroline Bingley, a fan for Mrs. Bennet, a lace dickey for Mr. Collins. And using a flower for Jane seems to be a popular idea:

The actors use all of Campbell House quite well, going from room to room; I was afraid it would feel awkward to stand right next to an actor when they were performing, but after a while I got so caught up in the story it didn't matter. I have never been inside before, although I've always been curious, so it was a good opportunity to get a peek at it.

My one quibble is that they dropped Bingley's income down to ₤4000 for no good reason. It bugged me more than it should have. There was a lot of necessary cutting due to the time restrictions, but I didn't feel that anything major was lost, and the meat of the story came across really well. How well it works for someone not familiar with the story is another thing; maybe it will inspire them to read it.

Best parts: Burt's transformation into Lydia ("Whee!") and Werneburg as Mr. Collins; his proposal scene in particular is really funny. Also cute: Mr. Collins being a bit scandalized when the audience, instead of making up two lines across from each other to create the feeling of the Netherfield Ball, starting making a square around the room. "Must be one of those new London dances!"

The show is playing for six more performances. Go see it! Go early, because they are selling out, and wear comfortable shoes.

As for me, I have five more tickets to use. Fringe on!

Not exactly Wordless Wednesday

The Toronto Fringe Festival has begun. Last night, we went to see 2 For Tea by James & Jamesy. So hilarious. I laughed so hard I couldn't see at one point.

They still have three shows left. They have sold out each time, so catch them while you can. Bring a tea cup.

Update: They won Fringe Patrons' Pick, so there's an extra show on Sunday! Yay for them! And for you! Go, go, go!

Pancake of the Month: Hummingbird Pancakes with Cream Cheese Anglaise

So, there is an indie pattern company called Cake Patterns and I, observant lass that I am, only recently clued into the fact that most of their patterns are, in fact, named after cakes. To be fair, they only have five patterns right now, and aside from one name, it's not readily apparent. It wasn't until Steph (Hi, Steph. We have never met. Can I call you Steph?) announced her next pattern was Red Velvet that I started to wonder. Tiramisu is obvious. Then I thought that Pavlova was maybe not named after the dancer, but after the cake named after the dancer. But is there a Hummingbird cake?^*

Yes, yes, there is. Apparently it's a southern thing. And since there is a hummingbird cake, there must be hummingbird pancakes.

Hoo boy.

Looking at the recipe tells me that these are not pancakes for everyday. That's a lot of sugar. Yes, I do have quite a bit of a sweet tooth, but even I am saying wowza. The icing in the cake is replaced by Cream Cheese Anglaise which has even more sugar. My teeth were aching just thinking about it. But I persevered. You know, for Science!

The result?

Surrounded by tradition... with opposable thumbs...

Happy Canada Day!

Last night, the DC and I went to a friend's house for a BBQ (a fine tradition) where thanks to all the bananas for no good reason because bananas apparently don't attract them more than anything else I got eaten alive by mosquitos (sadly, another tradition) and we lost our hip attitudes and were completely enthralled by a family of four raccoons that were playing in the trees in the backyard (tradition with furry masks and nimble fingers).

Lock up your garbage and have a lovely holiday for those of you who celebrate it.