Trip Report
Jan. 2nd, 2005 05:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
c9The theme for Christmas 2004 is Food
yes, that's every year's theme
December 23: drove to Wasaga Beach (~200km), where my parents currently reside. Where's Wasaga Beach? It's one hour north of Toronto's Lester B. ("Mike") Pearson International Airport. It's the party spot for Torontonians these days. It's next to Collingwood, which is the next Whistler-Blackcomb. Nice spot. Stormy weather all morning made us worried about the drive, but it all cleared up quite nicely and we got there in time for dinner. Hooray!
December 24: visited the Collingwood Mall. Pretty sad. Bought batteries for my Dad. Well, more accurately for his calculator. Had lobster for supper. (Lake Huron lobster? No. My mother had flown back from PEI on the 22nd.) Eating lobster just three feet from a two-foot-deep snow pile is odd. But yummy.
December 25: Hooray for Christmas! My immediate family is non-religious, so the holiday is completely family-oriented, with a smattering of old Danish concepts hidden on the edges from my grandmother. Turkey, stuffing, etc etc. Very yummy. As is tradition, Vinny and Tim and I all received almost identical clothing items. Tim and I got over it years ago, but Vinny is still struggling.
December 26: drove to Montréal (~600km), where we were hosted by Marie-Nöelle and Sebastien, former Halifax friends of ours and coworkers of Vinny, now simply friends in a different city. We went out for Sushi at a fantastic spot near UQAM on St Denis. We spent a lot on sushi, but received for our troubles a mountain of fish, veggies, rice, and nourri. Yum!
December 27: drove to Scotch Lake, New Brunswick (~800km), where Vinny's mom lives. Tiring day. Saw big trucks and fake dinosaurs at a truck stop, but it was really cold so no pictures. Began our overdose on Red Bull, which can be easily found in Canada now (the carbonated and caffeinated kind, Canada used to only have the non-carbonated sugar-water kind). Went to Mike's (common eastern-Canadian resturant chain that mostly sucks) for lunch. Every time we go, we don't enjoy it and swear to never return. I don't know why, but we keep going back.
December 28: drove to Fredericton (~30km), had lunch at Fred's pancake house, then kidnapped![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
simplisticton (still buying tech toys) and Jackie (awfully pregnant) and went bowling! Seriously. It was a ton of fun. Then Ben, knowing I missed my Palm, gave me his old Tungsten T. W00t!
December 29: drove to Fredericton (~30km), checked out the mall (better than Collingwood, but still 100% Fredericton [that means bad, for those non-UNB alumni]). Kidnapped Ben and Jackie, and hit the toy store, the expensive stuff for gay men store, and the Brazilian restaurant for lunch. Then wandered the Shoppers making rude comments while Jackie was obstetricianated, then on to Chapters and Starbucks. Ahhh, habits.
December 30: drove to Montréal (~800km), and barged in onsenhor watching Star Trek (don't think I didn't notice!) and made him feel guilty for not being all talkative and energetic, whilst we felt exactly the same way ourselves. When jdhorner finally got home (tee hee) we walked over to Ye Olde Something-Or-Other. Very tasty food and great atmosphere, and always nice to hang out with the cool kids. Continued on to Ottawa at 8pm (~200km) and invaded skaughty's always immaculate and intimidatingly stylish abode. His guest sheets are nicer than our sheets! *sigh* Discovered that the New Year's plans we were expecting had been entirely cancelled and rewritten, to some extent without our being explicitly invited (probably because we had originally thought there would be two or three parties going on). I fixed that problem quickly, and we collapsed into bed.
December 31: Trip to IKEA, shopping at the mall (new work pants, sexy underwear that Daniel suggested, and spiffy new tshirt). Watchedskaughty buy frighteningly priced (for me) items at El Banana Republica. Lunch at Moxy's with Scott, Daniel, Vinny and me. Visited Meagan and deah, then got ready for the cottage. That's gonna require a longer post. [Stadtler: "Longer?" Waldorf: "I didn't think they could get that long!" Both: Hahahaha!"]
January 1: drove back to Kitchener (~600km), found the cats alive (good) healthy (good) social (good) and innocent of any major damage to the home (great). Unpacked the car, then immediately headed for al Denté, a not-entirely-uncontrived restaurant nearby that my work had used for its Christmas party. The one I couldn't attend due to the teaching in Chatham (~250km) they had booked for me several weeks ago. So they gave me a gift certificate, and off we went. Very tasty, but far too rich. 2005: Year Of The Diet. Home, laundry, bed.
January 2: yeah, I know we're home, but I might as well tell you what's up. Got groceries, took the cats to the vet for the first time (they liked the vet, even handled the needle well, but did NOT like the car; no big surprise). I tried to return the car, but Avis closes early on Sundays, despite what they told me when I picked up the car. Rather than go through their annoying after-hours drop-off procedures and walk home in the freezing rain, I just took the car again. I will return it the second they open in the morning, so they can't charge me more. I will also use my coupon, so they can't charge me the same, either. If only I could get out of the charging altogether. I also started my 21-day gym membership that Vinny got me for Christmas! I am pretty sure I'll be joining for real after that, but it's a handy way to try it out. GoodLife is no Nubody's, I'm sad to say. Though they do have their own perqs, like free DVD rental and shareable CD players. This evening I believe we will be visiting the Huether Hotel (pronounced Hooter, sorta) with Ben (Vinny's coworker) and Greg (his significant other).
Phewf! That was tiring. And looking back up the list, I see that I'm not even done. Time for the story of New Year's, just forstargazen. Well, and you too.
Sorry for the blurriness, but here's the trip meter in the car when we got home.
3754.7 km
yes, that's every year's theme
December 23: drove to Wasaga Beach (~200km), where my parents currently reside. Where's Wasaga Beach? It's one hour north of Toronto's Lester B. ("Mike") Pearson International Airport. It's the party spot for Torontonians these days. It's next to Collingwood, which is the next Whistler-Blackcomb. Nice spot. Stormy weather all morning made us worried about the drive, but it all cleared up quite nicely and we got there in time for dinner. Hooray!
December 24: visited the Collingwood Mall. Pretty sad. Bought batteries for my Dad. Well, more accurately for his calculator. Had lobster for supper. (Lake Huron lobster? No. My mother had flown back from PEI on the 22nd.) Eating lobster just three feet from a two-foot-deep snow pile is odd. But yummy.
December 25: Hooray for Christmas! My immediate family is non-religious, so the holiday is completely family-oriented, with a smattering of old Danish concepts hidden on the edges from my grandmother. Turkey, stuffing, etc etc. Very yummy. As is tradition, Vinny and Tim and I all received almost identical clothing items. Tim and I got over it years ago, but Vinny is still struggling.
December 26: drove to Montréal (~600km), where we were hosted by Marie-Nöelle and Sebastien, former Halifax friends of ours and coworkers of Vinny, now simply friends in a different city. We went out for Sushi at a fantastic spot near UQAM on St Denis. We spent a lot on sushi, but received for our troubles a mountain of fish, veggies, rice, and nourri. Yum!
December 27: drove to Scotch Lake, New Brunswick (~800km), where Vinny's mom lives. Tiring day. Saw big trucks and fake dinosaurs at a truck stop, but it was really cold so no pictures. Began our overdose on Red Bull, which can be easily found in Canada now (the carbonated and caffeinated kind, Canada used to only have the non-carbonated sugar-water kind). Went to Mike's (common eastern-Canadian resturant chain that mostly sucks) for lunch. Every time we go, we don't enjoy it and swear to never return. I don't know why, but we keep going back.
December 28: drove to Fredericton (~30km), had lunch at Fred's pancake house, then kidnapped
simplisticton (still buying tech toys) and Jackie (awfully pregnant) and went bowling! Seriously. It was a ton of fun. Then Ben, knowing I missed my Palm, gave me his old Tungsten T. W00t!December 29: drove to Fredericton (~30km), checked out the mall (better than Collingwood, but still 100% Fredericton [that means bad, for those non-UNB alumni]). Kidnapped Ben and Jackie, and hit the toy store, the expensive stuff for gay men store, and the Brazilian restaurant for lunch. Then wandered the Shoppers making rude comments while Jackie was obstetricianated, then on to Chapters and Starbucks. Ahhh, habits.
December 30: drove to Montréal (~800km), and barged in on
senhor watching Star Trek (don't think I didn't notice!) and made him feel guilty for not being all talkative and energetic, whilst we felt exactly the same way ourselves. When jdhorner finally got home (tee hee) we walked over to Ye Olde Something-Or-Other. Very tasty food and great atmosphere, and always nice to hang out with the cool kids. Continued on to Ottawa at 8pm (~200km) and invaded skaughty's always immaculate and intimidatingly stylish abode. His guest sheets are nicer than our sheets! *sigh* Discovered that the New Year's plans we were expecting had been entirely cancelled and rewritten, to some extent without our being explicitly invited (probably because we had originally thought there would be two or three parties going on). I fixed that problem quickly, and we collapsed into bed.December 31: Trip to IKEA, shopping at the mall (new work pants, sexy underwear that Daniel suggested, and spiffy new tshirt). Watched
skaughty buy frighteningly priced (for me) items at El Banana Republica. Lunch at Moxy's with Scott, Daniel, Vinny and me. Visited Meagan and deah, then got ready for the cottage. That's gonna require a longer post. [Stadtler: "Longer?" Waldorf: "I didn't think they could get that long!" Both: Hahahaha!"]January 1: drove back to Kitchener (~600km), found the cats alive (good) healthy (good) social (good) and innocent of any major damage to the home (great). Unpacked the car, then immediately headed for al Denté, a not-entirely-uncontrived restaurant nearby that my work had used for its Christmas party. The one I couldn't attend due to the teaching in Chatham (~250km) they had booked for me several weeks ago. So they gave me a gift certificate, and off we went. Very tasty, but far too rich. 2005: Year Of The Diet. Home, laundry, bed.
January 2: yeah, I know we're home, but I might as well tell you what's up. Got groceries, took the cats to the vet for the first time (they liked the vet, even handled the needle well, but did NOT like the car; no big surprise). I tried to return the car, but Avis closes early on Sundays, despite what they told me when I picked up the car. Rather than go through their annoying after-hours drop-off procedures and walk home in the freezing rain, I just took the car again. I will return it the second they open in the morning, so they can't charge me more. I will also use my coupon, so they can't charge me the same, either. If only I could get out of the charging altogether. I also started my 21-day gym membership that Vinny got me for Christmas! I am pretty sure I'll be joining for real after that, but it's a handy way to try it out. GoodLife is no Nubody's, I'm sad to say. Though they do have their own perqs, like free DVD rental and shareable CD players. This evening I believe we will be visiting the Huether Hotel (pronounced Hooter, sorta) with Ben (Vinny's coworker) and Greg (his significant other).
Phewf! That was tiring. And looking back up the list, I see that I'm not even done. Time for the story of New Year's, just for
stargazen. Well, and you too.Sorry for the blurriness, but here's the trip meter in the car when we got home.
3754.7 km
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-01-02 05:50 pm (UTC)Not to worry, the guests pillows I had you sleeping on were of exceedingly poor quality, likely compelling you to buy that goose down pillow at Ikea the next day. My sincerest apologies.
no subject
Date: 2005-01-02 07:48 pm (UTC)(and your pillows were mighty comfortable)
(you have *guest* pillows? sheesh. :-)
no subject
Date: 2005-01-03 01:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-03 04:18 am (UTC)