SPT: Fortius

I may be stronger, but what would I give for that definition!
Carmen's got the best-defined biceps in the house.

Monday Night Football

Raising a boy has increased my admiration for the gender in general, but it has failed to demystify them.
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How do you come home from a football practise your mom won't even get out of the car to photograph with a giant smile on your face? "That was the worst practise ever!" (but the enthusiasm told a different story)

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There's been a month of high knees,

push-ups,

crunchies,

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"airplane",

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plank,
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and "six inches".

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(My abs were crying out for a football practise as I uploaded these photos.)
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Practise,

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Practise!

(Red receiver gloves were the best buy I could have made - now I can spot Steve on the field.)
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All building up to the glory of playing football on a Monday night.

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And winning your first game.

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Under the lights.

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It's not easy being green

My last NY post had to wait till Jaclyn got home from Montreal today, because she had the camera with the pictures I needed:
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Our first day in NY we did a little window shopping in Saks. I love shopping expensive stores because it makes me appreciate Winners all the more.
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The NARS cosmetics counter ladies invited Jaclyn and I for a *quick touch up*. Jaclyn thought that might infringe on her personal boundaries, so she declined. I knew it was a sales technique but I have no problem saying no-thank-you when the sales pitch shows up. The sales girl was a little shocked (peeved) that I didn't buy anything, especially considering my sallow (green) & dry skin that so desperately needs NARS make-up. Well, I was wearing green on purpose for Wicked later that night, and had I known my skin was green I wouldn't have let her fix it!
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Do I look different in my NARS make-up?

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Is it Wicked to let the make-up-counter-girl give you a makeover when you know from the start there is no way you're going to buy anything? Even when it is thrust upon you?

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Wasn't it very Good of Ken to give up his Wicked ticket when we decided to include Jaclyn in the NYC leg of our trip?

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I loved the musical, and I'm curious about the book. Has anyone out there read Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West?

Central Park, our very own walking Wikipedia, the Yankees, and the Empire State Building

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It was such a relief to hit Central Park on our second day in New York. I didn't realize how much the city was closing in on me until I got away from it. Central Park is like a miracle in the middle of the city. The trees insulate you from the sounds and sights, you can see the sky. It was rejuvenating.

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We walked up the park from midtown until we reached the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The first painting Jaclyn saw she said, "Oh, that's Lavoisier and his wife. He was a scientist and she helped him by translating scientific information into French so that he could read the works of other scientists." And it was. The walk through the park had been more stimulating than I realized: Jaclyn's brain was firing on all cylinders - she had recognized the painting from her science text book last year. It certainly is enjoyable to come across something you know something about; Jaclyn had that fun a couple of times in the Museum. There was an ancient instrument exhibit that covered material Jaclyn studied for her Royal Conservatory history exam last year, and many paintings of Old Testament figures she studied in seminary.

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With the museum and all the walking and dinner we were running a little late to get to the Yankees game.

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Which was alright because it was rain delayed for an hour and a half, with no rain cover in the bleachers section.

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Unless you had seats along the very back row against the wall, and then there was just enough shelter. It was raining hard enough that I thought they were going to call the game. We have a couple of friends that tried to get in a game on their trip to NY in the spring, and their game was rained out, which had me thinking we'd have the same rotten luck. I was happy to be wrong.
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The cheering that erupted when the infield was uncovered was incredible. And then the regulars in the bleachers started calling the players as they warmed up. Every player responded with a wave. There was one fan near us that wanted more cheering and chanting from the bleacher section than we were producing. He kept starting chants that didn't catch on (too many tourists, not enough regulars?). "Der-ek Jeter!" or "Jas-on Giam-bi!" The fans weren't even catching on to "Let's-go Yank-ees!" (Not even his buddies were joining in.) Eventually he started to shout out cusses in the same rhythms, and he got a talking to from the guy in front of him, thank goodness. So then he started calling:

"I-am sor-ry!" "So-o sor-ry!"

It's our new way to apologize now for any little thing - a private joke between Ken, Jaclyn and I. Well, not so private. I've blogged about it.

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We took the train back to midtown after the game, got off a stop or two before our hotel and headed for the Empire State Building. We walked right through all the roped-off line-mazes which made me think that midnight is just the right time to go up; in prime visiting hours it must take hours to make it to the elevator.

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Jaclyn liked sticking her head through the guard wires and looking straight down. I tried it. Once.

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It was a cloudy evening, but the view would cloud and clear intermittently, and with a little patience we got the full 360' view around the building. It was a challenge to get night photos of the city from above. I had to turn off the flash and hold the camera very still to compensate for the slow shutter speed.

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Otherwise I wound up with this.

New York, New York

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New York is an overwhelming city, especially in 48 hours.
I liked it; Ken loved it.
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As much as the city as a whole is overwhelming, I was a little underwhelmed by Times Square.
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And Rockefeller Plaza.
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I look upon my photos (er, Ken's photos) fondly, but the pictures are larger than life instead of the other way around. Sorry, but that is my opinion and this is my blog.
Those two notable landmarks aside (I know, I know you all disagree with me. I know!) those two landmarks aside, the rest of NYC ROCKED.
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It seems I can't back-pedal enough . . .
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As I said, Ken loved the city - he's a big city boy. Ken took two bus tours: one night tour by himself (Jaclyn and I were off to Wicked) and another daytime tour that we all took together. Ken couldn't get enough of the city as a whole or the architectural detail.
Could not. Get. Enough. To the tune of 300 pictures. I'll share a small portion of Ken's new passion (photography or NYC, take your pick).

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Garden Party Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

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Garden Party Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Even if you don't want to enter a contest just check out this blog for sewing inspiration.

Bon Appetit

Enough of the sight seeing, these are the must-eats of Montreal:
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Smoked Meat Sandwiches
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What can I say? They're better than they look.
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Schwartz's is a must-experience as well as a must-eat -- beginning with lining up outside the restaurant until a table for 7 opens up. Or a table for 2, or any number in your party. It's a popular place! You're going to wait outside for a little while.
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Here we've got Blake, Natalie, Kevin, Barb, Jaclyn, and Ken. But someone's missing . . .
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Here she is! We couldn't quite see Whitney in that last picture. Whitney makes seven.
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Schwartz's has a menu, but just get the smoked-meat sandwich, that's what you came for. I would recommend ordering the 'lean' meat, maybe that's just me. While you're at it get a pickle and french fries. Come on, you're on vacation! (Don't let it bother you that you saw the whole roasts of smoked meat sitting in the front window; smoked meat will keep at room temperature for 2 days.)
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Bagels
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Natalie and I sped over to Fairmount Bagels after our dinner at Schwartz's to pick up some fresh hand-thrown bagels for breakfast the next morning.
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It turned out we didn't need to hurry, Fairmount is open 24 hours producing bagels to deliver to grocery stores all over the city. (Sesame is the signature flavor.)
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Sugar Pie
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You might need a sweet tooth to enjoy the French-Canadian Tarte au Sucre. It is a sweet carmel tasting pie made from maple syrup. I think I've found a winning recipe for it here. It's so good, Natalie named her blog for it.

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Natalie knows what she's talking about when it comes to good food. The food made in her home during our visit was exquisite. We had a Greek feast one night, another Greek-inspired recipe another night, and some wonderfully mild, yet flavorful smoked salmon quesidillas for another amazing dinner. To say nothing of crepes and Eggs Benedict for breakfast. Kevin is a lucky man.

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Natalie, mind if I share one of your recipes?

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Smoked Salmon Quesidillas

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Smoked Salmon

Capers

Finely diced jalapenos

Shredded Monteray Jack cheese

Fresh mozzarella

cilantro

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Assemble the above ingredients to taste in a flour tortilla. We grilled them on the BBQ, which gave them a smokey element - wonderful!

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Serve with sour cream and fresh fruit salsa.

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Fresh Fruit Salsa

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grapes

green apple

cantaloupe

pineapple

honeydew

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Natalie diced her fruit very fine in her mini-chopper, I don't think you'd want it chunky. The fruit compliments the smoked salmon beautifully.

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(Now that I'm home it's all cottage cheese and fruit and jogging, but hey, I was on vacation!)

Old Montreal

Ken's brother, Kevin, transferred with his company to a branch in Montreal last winter. The timing was perfect for us to take Jaclyn out to Quebec to practise her french (and get Ken within a drivable distance to see a NY Yankees game in the old Yankee Stadium).
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We farmed the younger kids out: Steven to a friend on the football team so that he could keep going to practise, plus this family is just all around great. Carmen and Chloe went to my sister's (Marie) house even though I feared they might not be willing to come home after a week in the funnest house on earth.
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I've never been to Europe, but old Montreal gives off the European 'feel' that exists in my imagination, anyways.
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Right down to the cobblestone streets.
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Natalie (Kevin's wife, my sister in law) taxied Ken, Jaclyn, and I up to old Montreal along with her two kids. We met Michelle there with her cute little girls, and I was amazed by how well all the children shopped with us. I mean, I wasn't amazed at Jaclyn's ability to shop, but the littles were so cheerful and cooperative! That's not how I remember sight seeing or shopping with small children of my own.
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Michelle and I have been good blogging friends for a year and a half, and it was terrific to get to meet her in person. She made me one of her friendship pillows which is hanging right next to my bed now, so sweet. I also sewed a little something for her little girls, and enjoyed meeting them as well as foregoing the bizarre shipping costs to Quebec. It is crazy expensive, like we don't even live in the same country, to mail something from Alberta to Quebec.
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In some ways we don't live in the same country. I had no trouble with simple french, the 'arret' sign didn't stump me, and sales people were happy to speak to me in English, nevertheless, I found the french experience a little taxing. Maybe brushing up on my second language will go on the growing list of Year of Barb Part II?
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We toured two cathedrals: Notre-Dame Basilica,
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as well as Notre-Dame-De-Bon-Secours.
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It rained on us a little bit later in the day,
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but mostly we had beautiful weather.
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Yes, Ken was really there. Here's a little proof. He tried to sneak in to my daisy picture.

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Mostly Ken was behind the camera. Here is the old Bank of Montreal - now a nation wide bank.
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There were plenty of cool buildings for Ken to photograph, and as it turned out, he was just getting warmed up for New York.

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