Mass in Woodbridge, Visit to the McMichael Art Collection in Kleinburg, Visit to a British Grocery Store in Oakville, Visit to Llew’s Aunt Josephine and Sunday Family Dinner at Home

Sunday, September 8, 2024

Woodbridge, Kleinburg and Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Mass in Woodbridge, Visit to the McMichael Art Collection in Kleinburg, Visit to a British Grocery Store in Oakville, Visit to Llew’s Aunt Josephine and Sunday Family Dinner at Home

We had an extraordinarily eventful day! Starting from the Get-go, when we had our breakfasts and left for the 10.30 am Mass (Ryan drove us there and stayed for the Mass), till we went to bed at night, we were on the Go, Go, Go.

Mass at St. Catherine of Assisi Church:

As Ryan drove us to church, we left home just ten minutes before Mass began. It was a nice service with the added gift, given to each of us, of an icon of Our Blessed Mother as today is her Feast Day. If we were still in Bandra, we’d be celebrating Bandra Feast today as the Birthday of our Lady is celebrated world-wide. We queued up after Mass to receive the icon (one per family) but I took a second one for Russel.

A Wonderful Visit to the McMichael Art Collection:

After Mass, we made a quick detour to pick up Sharon, Ryan’s wife, and then with her in the car, we drove to our next port of call: The McMichael Art Collection which is not far from Sylvia’s place in Vaughn. It’s in the small town of Kleinburg, Ontario, which was about a half hour’s drive away.

I had never even heard of this museum, but Sylvia informed me that her late husband, Tony, was very keen for us to visit this place. Had he still been living, we’d have all made an excursion to this venue together. As it was, Sylvia decided to honor his wishes and pay for us to enjoy a visit there. I was fortunate enough to be given a free ticket to enter on the strength of my Met ID card. Sylvia treated the rest to tickets—again, in accordance with Tony’s wishes.

From the time we entered the vast property that houses this collection, I was charmed. For one thing, it is delightfully isolated, in a non-residential part of Ontario. Set in a sprawling wooded property, the approach is a long driveway, both sides of which have been converted into a sculpture garden. Had we time, we could have strolled through the property to admire the sculptural work, as a lot of visitors seemed to be doing. The grounds were already showing evidence of the arrival of Autumn. There were maple trees already exhibiting splashes of vivid red and many trees had already yellowed. Appropriately, there was also a lovely nip in the air, so that I was grateful for my light down jacket and scarf. I love fall fashion and I feel sorry that I no longer get to wear scarves or blazers.

Since time was of the essence, we headed straight for the car park. Just a little later, we were entering the lovely modern building that was custom-designed to house a collection of Canadian Art. The collection was started by Robert and Signe McMichael in 1952, when the couple purchased land in the village of Kleinburg. Moved by the natural environment, the McMichaels began collecting works of art by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, who also drew inspiration from the natural landscape. In 1965, when they offered their home and artwork to the Province of Ontario, their collection comprised 194 paintings. Today, there are 6,500 items in the permanent collection. Even before we entered, we took a picture by a sculpture of a polar bear with her calf. It set the tone beautifully for the items on display inside.

Once inside and after our tickets had been purchased (Sylvia’s treat), we got to know that there was a docent tour to be given shortly. We decided to take it and were treated to a lovely walk-through of a special exhibition entitled, “River of Dreams: Impressionism on the St. Lawrence”. We were stunned by this exhibition as it introduced us to the Quebecois artists who followed in France’s Impressionist tradition to produce works that appropriated their techniques and colors but juxtaposed them against Canadian themes and subjects. We saw Impressionist Works by A Y Jackson, James Wilson Morrice, Frederick Varley, Emily Carr, Franklin Carmichael, A J Casson, Lionel Fitzgerald, Lauren Harris, Mullen, etc. in the special exhibition. These have traveled from Montreal to Toronto as the museum there is being renovated. These artists were known as the School of Seven. The guide was highly knowledgeable and she took us through each of the artists represented in the exhibition pointing out landscapes, country pass-times and pleasures, seasonal variations in Nature, etc. Very canvas followed the subtle pastel shades of the French Impressionists and their fondness for blurred lines. We loved the work on display and were truly charmed by it. I also discovered that one of the most famous of Canadian artists is Tom Thomson and that I own a beautiful reversible silk scarf (a Christmas gift from a friend in Bombay) that depicts his depiction of a ‘Forest in Fall’. I was just thrilled when I saw similar scarves depicting his work in the gift shop. I’m pretty certain my scarf was bought here in Canada and presented to me. I will now treat it with renewed respect!

When we finished viewing the special exhibition, we walked through several galleries where we recognized the work of indigenous Canadian artists such as Nerval Morrisseau (whose work we had seen in the AGO). But we did not linger too long as we had a number of other places to cover. Still, overall, the McMichael Collection had been a true revelation to me and I was so delighted I became introduced to Canada’s Impressionists—for who knew of them earlier? Indeed, everything about this museum was wonderful. We LOVED the place—the property (wide-spread sculpture gardens), the architectural design, the layout and curation, the guided tour and the gift shop.

to the British Grocery Store:

A few days ago, while we were chatting, someone had mentioned that there is a store here in Toronto that stocks and sells British groceries. Of course, then, I was very keen to visit it as I was looking for Lyle’s Golden Syrup. I do not get this product in India or in the USA. It is only in the UK that I can stock up on it. Hence, this was on the agenda for me as a must-buy item in Canada.

I was fortunate that Ryan agreed to drive me to a place called Oakville, which turned out to be a really beautiful town with the most enticing shops. Seriously, were I alone or had I more time on my hands, I could have spent an entire morning browsing in those one-of-a-kind boutiques and shops. But the rest of the company with me was not so inclined. So, we found the British store, Ryan dropped us off and went to park and I felt like a kid in a candy store once I was inside. I did find my Golden Syrup and also Colman’s mustard powder, Bisto gravy granules with onion flavor, Border’s Dark chocolate covered ginger biscuits and a couple of other items that I absolutely cannot do without. So, in the end, it was a very successful trip and certainly worth the search and the drive for it.

Visit to an Elderly Aunt:

As we were not far away at all, Llew decided to go and pay a visit to his only surviving aunt on his mother’s side, his Aunt Josephine (his late mother’s late brother John’s wife). She happened to be in an assisted living community and, having received the address and directions from her daughter, Irene, we went to see her. The rest of our group stayed in the car parked outside as we did not intend our visit to be very long.

Aunt Josephine was at the very end of a game of bingo when we found her inside. She is now 96 years old but seems perfectly coherent and lucid in her conversation with us. I am not entirely sure she recognized us or knew who we were, but she chatted away with us as if she had known us forever. We gave her the bouquet of flowers that Llew had picked up for her and at the end of the visit, she invited us to come over to her room—which we did. It is a very cozy and comfortable space, filled with photographs of her family members and personal mementoes, including pictures of her husband, Llew’s Uncle John. It was a brief but very enjoyable visit with her and we were very glad we carved out the time to include this visit as well.

A Family Dinner in Woodbridge:

We had been surviving on snacks that we picked up from the British store (chocolate biscuits, British crisps) and water—so, by the time we reached home, we were starving. As we knew we had a big dinner coming, we had a light late lunch. I made myself a toasted sandwich with cream cheese and had a nice cup of tea.

Later, in the evening, after we had showered and freshened up, Sylvia’s two sons, Ryan and Wayne, their wives Sharon and Amelia and their children came over to her place for dinner as they have been doing every Sunday for decades. Even though Tony is no more (perhaps, all the more reason, because Sylvia is now alone), they come in on a Sunday bringing food with them and their children—six teenagers in number (three for each son). The cousins, of course, have the time of their lives when they are together and the adults are free to gab and catch up with the events of the week.

By the time we decided to have dinner, I found out that Chinese take-out had been ordered as well as pepperoni pizza for the teens. We filled our plates and then sat down to eat as the chattering continued.

And so a very eventful and packed day came to a close. The days are flying and although it is amazing how much we are managing to fit into our stay here in Canada, it is still astonishing to me how quickly Phase Four of our travels will come to an end and we will be headed back to the USA for the start of Phase Five. We really do intend to make the most of our last days here.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

Meeting an Old Friend, Finishing a Work Assignment and A Wonderfully Enjoyable Saturday Dinner at Home with Friends

Saturday, September 7, 2024

Woodbridge, Ontario

Meeting an Old Friend, Finishing a Work Assignment and A Wonderfully Enjoyable Saturday Dinner at Home with Friends

Today was a very relaxed days compared to the recent ones we’ve been having. For the most part, we stayed put at our friend Sylvia’s home in Woodbridge. After breakfast, I asked to be excused from social interaction as I had an assignment to finish. As an examiner and evaluator of the applications from Indian research scholars for Fulbright Fellowships, I had about 25 applications to read—most of which ran into about 60 pages. I had begun several days ago, reading a few applications at a time, but I did want to finish all of them today as I had a strict deadline to meet. Accordingly, I went downstairs to our basement apartment and closeted myself in our room with my laptop so that I could focus on my work and finish it as quickly as possible.

A Visit from an Old Friend:

About an hour or more into my work, Llew came down to inform me that an old friend of ours had stopped by, all the way from Mississauga, to visit us as she knew we were not mobile and could not go over to her place to see her. Vivienne is an old friend of Llew from his days in Dubai—so they go back several decades. I went up to chat and stayed with her until she left, a good hour or more later. It was good to see her again and catch up with all her family news, but I was happy to be able to return to my work again.

I stayed working right up to lunch by which time I was very pleased to have finished my work. In the afternoon, I decided that I would post my grades to the assigned person and would be all done with my evaluation assignment. Lunch was a very casual feeding off leftovers in the fridge as we had been eating out so much that there was quite a bit of food in the house for our grazing pleasure.

After lunch, we had showers and naps and generally took it easy. We knew that the evening would be occupied again with the visit of more friends.

Dinner at Home with Old Friends:

As decided, our friends Ann and Kevin came by in the evening with the intention of staying with us for dinner. Anna, being the excellent home chef she is, was likely to bring food with her. But, I noticed, to my surprise, that she actually picked up food as she is overwhelmed with her responsibilities of babysitting her little grandchildren. We made ourselves very comfortable as we spent the entire evening chatting. Anna has a hilarious sense of humor and a really delightful way of narrating her many escapades with her little grandsons. Sylvia’s son, Ryan and his wife, Sharon, also arrived to spend the evening with us and Anna regaled us with stories that had our sides splitting as we listened to her.

After drinks and nibbles, Anna put out her offerings: she brought a large lasagna, Caesar Salad, her own home made cutlets and garlic bread. It was a simple meal but delicious and filling. For dessert, Sylvaia brought out a lemon meringue pie that she has picked up from Vicci Bakery and we had ourselves a very nice pudding indeed.

And so a very relaxed day came to an end. It was nice for a change to have a day at home filled with the company of good friends and endless laughs.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

A Day Spent Getting my Art Fix! In the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) and a Posh Italian Meal with Friends in Vaughn

Friday, September 6, 2024

Toronto, Canada

A Day Spent Getting my Art Fix! In the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) and a Posh Italian Meal with Friends in Vaughn

Today was another fantastic day in Toronto, Canada. A lot of folks ask me what I miss about living in India. This trip made me realize what I do miss: I miss driving; I miss enjoying Sunday Mass especially the good sermons we used to get from the Jesuit professor-priests at my parish in Fairfield, Connecticut; I miss the drama of the changing of the seasons; I miss having easy access to interior decorating supplies the way I can find so easily in Michael’s, Home Goods. Marshalls or TJ Maxx. But, over and above all these, I miss access to world-class Art (especially the Old Masters). So, on a day like this, when we had nothing really planned until the evening, it was my day to get my Art Fix—to feast my eyes (indeed, all my senses) on the art collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario (known simply as the AGO).

Journey from Whitby to Toronto:

So, our day began in my cousin Lancy’s home in Whitby, where we had spent one night, and where we became aware that while we were having a lazy lie-in downstairs in our basement apartment, Lancy and his wife, Ilene, had woken up at the crack of dawn and were hard at work making paanpaleys for us. These are typically Manglorean rice crepes that are eaten usually for breakfast. To accompany them, they had ground coconut chutney. You can just imagine what a terrific breakfast we had.

After breakfast, Lancy took us all around his home and showed us his brilliant handiwork. He is a DIY Ace and his home is filled with the things he has made himself—e.g. an entire set of oak furniture; a large wall clock that looks like a leather wrist-watch complete with strap and buckle, the steps and the patio leading to their back garden. His craftsmanship is most impressive. But soon, it was time for us to pack up and say goodbye to them and their warmth and hospitality. When we realized that it would take them over an hour to drop us by car to Toronto (where we were headed to spend the day), we told them that if they dropped us at the nearest GO (commuter train) station, we could take the train in and save them the journey back and forth. They were actually quite pleased that we offered to find our own way into the city.

So that was what they did. After a lovely 20 minute drive through some of the sweetest, prettiest suburban hamlets, we arrived at Whitby train station. There, we obtained tickets from the vending machine, through the assistance of a staff member, and ten minutes later, we were on our way. It was a very pleasant ride, for the most part, skirting the banks of Lake Ontario. We also had wifi on the double-decker train. Everything was exceedingly civilized and a real pleasure to travel. As this is the first time that we do not have our car in Toronto, we are discovering local commuter possibilities and we are very impressed by them. About 45 minutes later, we were entering the city, as the first high-rise buildings came into view. About five minutes later, we pulled into Central Station, I had used the wifi on the train to find out how we could get from Central Station to the AGO (which was our first stop) and discovered that we could use the subway very easily.

So, at Central Station, we left the commuter train platforms behind us and followed directions to the subway. At the subway stop, I asked the ticket dispenser for directions and he very clearly told me where to go, which subway train to take and at which stop we were to alight. We bought our tickets and followed his instructions. In less than ten minutes, we were at West Dundas Station and following my GPS, we easily arrived at the AGO, having walked through the city for a couple of blocks. There, I was given a free ticket through my Met ID card while Llew had to purchase one to get in ($30).

Exploring the AGO:

For the next few hours, we were fully enthralled by the art collection contained within this world-class museum and art gallery. We started off at the European Art collection and discovered it to be small, but significant. Almost every canvas was by an Old Master. And so, we saw works by Rembrandt, Tintoretto, Renoir, ⁠Anthony van Dyke, ⁠Rubens, ⁠George de la Tour, Bernini, Carpeau, Gainsborough, Boucher, Jean-Baptiste Simeon-Chardin, Degas, ⁠Van Gogh, William Waterhouse, ⁠Lyall, as well as indigenous Canadian artists such as ⁠Belacourt, ⁠Kent Monkhouse ⁠and Norval Morrisseau. It was just glorious!

Lunch with our Friend, Samita:

As I knew we would be in Toronto today, I had gotten in touch with my friend, Dr, Samita Nandy, who lives between Canada, India and Portugal. We had first met more than 15 years ago at a conference when we had both presented papers in Lisbon, Portugal. Our friendship has thrived and survived and now that she lives for part of the year in Bombay, we meet quite often in India too. She was delighted to meet us in Toronto and readily agreed to come to the AGO so that we could have lunch together.

And so we sat at a pizzeria, just outside the AGO, at a place called ‘Pizzaiola’ where we ordered and shared a large pepperoni pizza and washed it down with cold Cokes. Samita was great company and as we told her all about Chriselle’s wedding and our travels, the lunch hour passed by, our pizza was consumed, she was ready to move on and we were ready to return to the museum.

Another Round of Museum Delights:

Back inside the museum, we were rested enough to begin our second round of artistic delights. We took a guided tour with a docent named Lynne who gave us a detailed walk-through in a special exhibition entitled, ‘Moments in Modernism”. It was a wonderful chance for us to see the work of leading lights such as ⁠Andy Warhol, ⁠Mark Rothko and ⁠Chuck Close. Of course, I took many photographs and found myself in heaven, surrounded by such great art.

Then, when we’d had our share of wonderful musing in a terrific museum, we were ready to hit the road again, reverse our journey and take the subway directly back to the last stop--Vaughn Metro Park, from where we took an Uber to return to Sylvia’s home in Woodbridge—the Uber journey took about 20 minutes and cost us about $20.

Yes, both Llew and I were quite tired by our eventful day and were quite happy to get a cuppa, some rest, our showers and some TV before we were ready for our evening’s appointment.

Dinner with Close Friends in Vaughn:

I was definitely looking forward to dinner this evening, For one thing, it is such a long time since I have met our friends, Edwin and Christine, that I was really eager to catch up with them. Secondly, I am very fond of them, really enjoy their company and find them to be very stimulating in their outlook and interests Thirdly, I always fondly recall the wonderful time we’d had when they lived in Dubai, at least 35 years ago, when they had been the epitome of hospitality to Llew and me. This evening too, they were treating us to dinner and had chosen a place close to us—so that we did not have to deal with public transport to get to them.

Accordingly, Edwin and Christine arrived at Sylvia’s place. We did not lose much time over pleasantries, but got going pretty soon in their car. They had chosen an Italian place called ‘Nacosto’ in Vaughn and since Italian is my favorite cuisine in the whole world, I was simply delighted. We shared a bottle of Cabernet at the table (I had a margarita in the interest of avoiding my sulphuric allergy) and had ⁠Roasted Artichoke Hearts for an appetizer. Needless to say, these were simply delectable and set the tone very well for the rest of our meal which was simply joyous. We decided to order a whole lot of Mains and share them—this way we’d have a kind of Tasting Menu and everyone could tuck into something they liked. And so we ate Gnocchi with Bolognese, ⁠Pappardelle pasta with Pork Cheeks Ragu, ⁠Linguine with Seafood (clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster), Tagliatelle with Mushroom Sauce—all divine. For dessert, we shared ⁠Tiramisu (served rather dramatically with a lit sparkler in it) and Donuts with Salted Caramel, Chocolate Sauce and Lemon Curd. I have often sat back at the end of these meals and wondered, How will I ever go back to eating normal meals again?????

Throughout the meal, we chatted, as we always do, about old times, their kids, Sylvia and our kids, Chriselle’s wedding, etc. There is never a dearth of topics to tackle and the conversation was avid and interesting. But, sadly, at the end of the day (literally!), we had to get home and we were driven back to Sylvia’s. There, we said our long goodbyes and called it a night after what had been a truly splendid day for me.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

A Day Spent at Niagara Falls: Slap-Up Italian Lunch, Lucky Stint in Falls View Casino, Long Stroll to the Falls, Wine-Tasting at Colaneri Winery and a Delectable Dinner in Whitby.

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

A Day Spent at Niagara Falls: Slap-Up Italian Lunch, Lucky Stint in Falls View Casino, Long Stroll to the Falls, Wine-Tasting at Colaneri Winery and a Delectable Dinner in Whitby.

We had the most eventful and adventurous day today. It was probably one of the highlights of our stay. For one thing, we were going to the Niagara Falls after more than 30 years. We had last been there when we had taken my Dad on a driving tour of the US East Coast and Canada. Of course, we have passed by Niagara countless times, through the intervening years—but that was only en route from the US to Canada and vice versa, when crossing the border. We had not really been to the actual Falls themselves, for a very long time, and I was super excited.

A Day Out at Niagara Falls:

My cousin Lancy and his wife, Ilene, who live in Whitby, offered to drive us to the Falls and suggested that, at the end of the day, they drive us to their place for dinner and then we spend the night with them in Whitby. This made perfect sense, logistically, as it would avoid them having to drive back and forth from Whitby to Woodbridge. Accordingly, we had our breakfast and awaited their arrival at Sylvia’s place in Woodbridge (from where they said they would pick us up at 9.00 am).

Not much after 9,00 am, they were actually there and after a very short visit with Sylvia, the four of us left. We had a bit of a problem initially as we tried to find the highway that offered the least traffic. But I have to say that all of them were jammed except for the one that requires paying tolls and I am not sure they had a transponder. Anyway, after a shaky start, we were actually on our way, and about three hours later (yes, it really is that far from Toronto), we arrived at our destination.

Lunch at Falls View Casino:

Lancy and Ilene were in phone contact with their daughter, Andrea, in Whitby, who did the research and kept us equipped with a suggested itinerary for the day. We pretty much followed it to the T and, in accordance with her idea, parked our car in the public parking area near Falls View Casino which she said was the casino closest to the Falls. Llew and I were very pleased that we would have the chance to try and see if Lady Luck would be on our side as we’d had no time to do any such activity when we had passed, like lightning, through Las Vegas, three weeks previously. At that time, we were trying desperately to make it to our destination in Utah by night fall and had foregone the charm of trying our hand at a spot of gambling.

But first, lunch! We were all experiencing hunger pangs and after taking a quick look at the Falls from the gardens in front of the Casino-hotel, we went inside to find a suitable eatery. Falls View Casino is grand and we really did enjoy walking through it, admiring the shops, getting free samples of cosmetics and soaps and eventually getting to the Food Court. As Lancy and Ilene had just returned to Canada after almost six months in India, they did not want Indian food and were ready to try another cuisine. We told them lunch was our treat and they should choose a place in which they would enjoy the meal. Eventually, Ilene chose ‘Vittorio’s’, a fine dining Italian restaurant where we had a truly splendid meal. After choosing our drinks (red wine for Ilene and Llew, a fancy cocktail for me and a mocktail for Lancy), we ordered from the extensive menu. We started off with Fried Calamari and then decided to choose Linguine with Shrimp and Spaghetti with Meatballs which we shared (each couple partook of one of the ultra-huge platters). The food was just amazing and I could easily have sat there all day in the cool, very quiet and very posh interior.

But, right after we finished our lunch, we decided to push forward as we wanted to cover quite a bit of ground today. So, using the GPS on our phones, we made our way down the hill to get to the long promenade that leads to the very front of the Falls. In the process, we saw the Rainbow Falls (which are better viewed on the American side of the border and are, therefore, also known as the American Falls) and stopped to take pictures there. The long walk (of at least half an hour) continued until we actually reached the Niagara Falls (also known as the Horseshoe Falls). As we walked closer to the best vantage point, the crowd increases until it was difficult to get a clear spot on the parapet for pictures that would only include one’s group and no one else! Still. The Falls are fascinating—with their power, their sound, their speed and their impact. Truly, it is a sight that never gets old or boring. I kept looking at all the commercial growth of this region in 30-odd years and I was astonished. In the 1950s, when Niagara was just a very small town, it was a very popular honeymoon destination for Americans and Canadians alike. Today, it is a full family area of entertainment as there is something for everyone, including a lot of children’s amusement parks and arcades to keep the little ones happy. Most people take a ride on the famous ‘Maid of the Mist’ boatr that gets you to the very foot of the Falls or they take a walk behind the Falls. As we have done these must-do activities on past trips, we chose to simply stay in the periphery and take pictures. So, we took a lot of pictures at the Falls and spent quite a bit of time there, before we decided to move on.

Trying our Luck in Falls View Casino:

Our long walk took us back to Falls View Casino where we decided to woo Lady Luck by making only very minor investments on the one-armed bandit machines (as none of us is a seasoned gambler). We loved the casino with its lovely dim lighting, the color and sound of the machines, the general atmosphere which is so different from anything one can find anywhere else. We found a one-armed bandit machine that we could use and Llew and Ilene tried their luck. Llew was very lucky and made quite a bit of valuable Canadian greenbacks! I then tried my luck on another machine and I too was very lucky, getting quite a considerable haul. So, in other words, we easily got back the money we had spent on our slap-up meal and we left the casino feeling very pleased with ourselves.

Wine Tasting Along the Niagara Wine Trail:

It was time then to explore the famous Niagara Wine Trail and we were very grateful again to Andrea who gave us the name of Colaneri Vineyards and Winery which was closest to Falls View Casino and still on our way back home. We had the most marvelous drive along the Vineyard Trail as we passed mile after mile of vineyards laden with fruit that were hanging appetizingly and ripening slowly in the late summer sunshine. In just about a month’s time, with autumn knocking at the seasonal door, it would be time to harvest them. But, for the moment, they left the hillsides green with abundant and very productive vines.

It was not long before we found Colaneri Vineyard and drove straight into it. It is always a treat for me to come to a place like this. The quiet, the serenity, the neatness, the general ambience which is highly reminiscent to me of vineyards in Beaujolais in France or in Napa Valley or Sonoma County n California (or even much closer to our homes now—to Nasik—only three hours’ drive from Bombay) always warm my heart. We strolled among the vines and took some pictures and then we were walking towards the lovely upscale restaurant where one could indulge in the thrills of a winery-tour followed by a tasting of at least 10 wines, or simply sit down and taste a glass of wine produced by the same vines and winery.

In the end, although we did contemplate taking the tour and the wine-tasting, we realized that we did not have adequate time if we also wished to make it in good time for dinner at Whitby in our hosts’ home. So we sat down and ordered wine by the glass and thoroughly enjoyed it with the complimentary nibbles that were supplied. After about an hour of simply enjoying the bird song and doing a bit of people-watching while savoring our tipples, it as time to hit the road again.

Dinner at my Cousins’ Home in Whitby:

We did hit a fair amount of traffic on our way home, but it was not much of an issue as we used the time to catch up and chat about so many things. About three hours later, we were pulling into their driveway in a completely new development in Whitby where we found that their daughter, Andrea and her husband Mike, were there already with their two sons. It was great fun to meet them, to interact with two very lively and very cute boys, to get to know Mike better while Ilene and Lancy pottered around in the kitchen as they got our meal ready. We sat with drinks and nibbles and after freshening ourselves up in our basement apartment below, we were ready for dinner.

Lancy and Ilene are both terrific home chefs and they served us a typically Manglorean item called Kori Roti which is Chicken Coconut Milk Curry, traditionally eaten with a crisp, wafer-like crispbread called Roti. They had actually bought this in Mangalore where they had recently spent some time and together with Zucchini and Salad, we had ourselves a really tasty, home cooked meal. But, although we were there at the table for no more than an hour, the long day with all its activity, had definitely taken its toll on all of us. Not too long, after Lancy served us his dessert—another rare treat and another traditional Manglorean item called Vorn--made with lentils, coconut milk and jaggery—we were ready to call it a night after another totally wonderful day in Canada.

All that was left was to go downstairs to our basement apartment, brush and floss our teeth and go down to our super-comfortable bedroom.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

A Pot Luck Luncheon in Mississauga That Went On All Day!

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Mississauga, Ontario

A Pot Luck Luncheon in Mississauga That Went On All Day!

Today was a very relaxed day and one in which all we did was socialize and have a good time with friends with whom Llew goes back at least six decades! Yes, indeed, we were scheduled to meet for a Pot Luck Lunch at the home of our friends, Teresa and Sennen, who live in Mississauga, a Toronto suburb.

So right after breakfast, we relaxed a bit and then showered and got ourselves ready for day-long partying. As Sylvia does not drive, friends Bryan and Avril came along to her home to pick us all up at about 11.00 am for the hour-long drive to Mississauga. We piled into their car and were off.

An hour later, we were at the very large home of Teresa and Sennen, where a huge group of Karachi friends had already gathered. They also happen to have a perfectly proportioned, beautifully-designed back yard and deck. Covid has much to answer for in terms of the fact that it induced everyone to spiffy up their backyards for socializing. They created a large wooden canopy over their existing deck and then extended the deck outwards into their lawn. This has made the deck extra-large and fully shaded. The weather, fortunately, was just perfect. I can imagine that it would not be as comfortable on a really hot day.

Anyway, the attendees were Tony (Fernandes), Sylvia, Bryan, Avril, Corrine, Carol, Merwyn, Belen, John, Dolly, Romina, Dominic, Jennifer, Anna, the hosts Teresa and Senen and Llew and myself plus Elaine who traveled from Montreal to be present with us. We were sorry that Lester and Joyce (also invited) could not join us as they had a previous engagement—nor could Charmaine, Stella and Gemma. Most of this crowd were teenagers together in Karachi and were members of the CYC (Christian Youth Club) where they first became friends and cemented their relationships. Over the years (and mainly in the 1970s and 80s), they majority of them emigrated to Ontario or Quebec (Montreal), where their lives took different directions. However, they remained very close friends and have socialized together over the years, being with each other through good and bad times. The many occasions on which Llew and I have visited Toronto, over the years, have been excuses for them to get together at large pot-luck parties such as this one. Today, mostly in their 70s, they are retired very comfortably and have lives filled with activities of children and grand-children, most of whom live in the vicinity. Getting together with them in an opportunity for us to catch up on their lives, tell them about life in India and find out about their extended families. Sadly, it is also an opportunity for us to realize how many of them have passed away and are no longer with us. Margaret and Alcuin, for instance, related to me through a relative of mine, are no more (and I miss them). Lionel (Gemma’s husband) is gone. Most recently, of course, we lost Tony (Pinto), Sylvia’s husband, and the whole lot of them got together to attend his funeral. For this reason, we did not start eating our lunch before Elaine read out a lovely tribute to Tony as well as a poem she composed. All of us realized how much Tony meant to this group and how deeply they feel his loss.

That aside, there is a great amount of laughter and joviality when this group meet—which, I am told, is now getting rarer. However, as they are all fine chefs (the males as much as the females), there is always wonderful food at these gatherings. The table on the deck was laden with Veg. Patties, Veg Samosas, Chicken Sandwiches (Bryan’s specialty), Chutney Sandwiches, Ham and Cream Cheese Sandwiches, Pistachios and Mixed Salted Nuts as drinks did the rounds. Sennen was a wonderful host and there was Prosecco available too for those who craved some fizz. Looking at all the appetizers, I wondered how anyone would find space for the Main attractions. But by the time the food was placed on the buffet island inside in the kitchen, appetites were whetted again for a more substantial repast. And so, Lamb Biryani, Lamb Curry, Chicken Curry, Tandoori Chicken, Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza, Cutlets and Salad, made their appearance in a lovely East-West menu blend that had us salivating. We filled our plates and returned to the deck to eat and to take a bunch of photographs. Since I have been married to Llew for a such a long time, most of these friends are now my dear friends too and I feel fully at home in their company. Hence, I had a fantastic time too.

When this round of food items were done, desserts were brought to the buffet island. I must add that this meal went on for a few hours—so by the time dessert was laid out, it was already about 5.00 pm. with no one showing any signs of leaving. The array of desserts, for those inclined towards a sweet tooth, were Crème Caramel, Ambrosia, Daal Dose, Jalebi Pudding, Apple Blossoms (mini Apple Pies), Neapolitan Ice-Cream and, of course, Indian mithai. And, of course, don’t ask me how, but we found the room to sample those delights too. All the while, we chatted about old times—always a revelation to me as it is fascinating for me to know about Llew’s early life in Karachi and to realize how similar it was, in so many ways, to our growing up years in Bombay.

It was well after 6.00 pm that folks finally showed signs of departing—and that was simply because most of the drivers wanted to reach home by 7.00 pm. Night blindness has hit us all, as the years have galloped on, and no one now fancies driving in the dark! And so, gradually, the long goodbyes were said, as the crowd trooped out after thanking our generous hosts and taking their leftovers with them.

We piled back into Bryan and Avril’s car and, an hour later, we were back in Woodbridge, after a day of happy camaraderie and really terrific eating and drinking. All that was left to do was to say Goodnight an get right into bed.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

A Most Relaxed Day in Toronto: Trip to Vaughn Mills Mall and Dinner at my Cousin Betty’s Place in Woodbridge.

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Toronto, Canada

A Most Relaxed Day in Toronto: Trip to Vaughn Mills Mall and Dinner at my Cousin Betty’s Place in Woodbridge.

Today was a very relaxed day in Woodbridge, a Toronto suburb. After one of our very filling breakfasts at Sylvia’s, Llew and I caught up with the speeches by all the stars at the Democratic National Convention 2024 (Clinton, Hilary, Barack, Michelle, Oprah) as we’d heard so much about how great they were. We, of course, were traveling when it was taking pace in Chicago—and so missed all of it. Thanks to You Tube, we caught it all, in retrospect. Well, yes they were wonderful. Each better than the other. But, the fact is that, no matter what was said or how it was said, I believe everyone has already made up their minds about whom they want to see next in the White House. Still, it was lovely to see the arguments offered against Trump and for Harris. It was also good to get to know Tim Walz (because who on earth had even heard of this guy?) and to see his devotion to his family.

A Visit to Vaugh Mills Mall:

About mid-morning. Ryan arrived and offered to take us for a spin wherever we wished to go. It was, I believe, the last few days of his summer vacation (he is a middle-school teacher) and knows that, in a few days, he will no longer be around to chauffeur us. Hence, we decided to go to Vaughn Mills Mall. It is always nice to get out of the house and browse or window shop, even if one does not really have a great desire to buy. Still, our trip was fruitful as Llew was keen on buying shoes and Clarks had a fairly decent sale on—which induced him to buy two beautiful new pairs of shoes. I was eager to buy a black eyeliner pencil and I got one at Sephora, plus I was able to get a couple of perfume freebies which was nice. We didn’t see any bears in the US National Parks, but we saw a family in the Vaughn Mills Mall—in a nice center-piece tableau! We ended our mall visit with a trip to Baskin-Robbins for ice-cream—always a nice treat.

A Cousins’ Reunion at my Cousin Betty’s Home:

To our utter astonishment, in a city that has wide-spread suburbs that run from East to West involving long hours of highway driving (and traffic!), it was a real hoot to discover that my cousin Betty lives just a ten minute walk away from Sylvia’s house! She is my Dad’s late brother’s daughter and she has lived in Canada for about twenty years with her husband, Toby. As it turned out, her cousin Zita with husband Louis, was visiting Betty from Bombay—so they happened to be at Betty’s place too. When I informed Betty that we’d be visiting Toronto, she immediately and very warmly invited us for dinner to her place. I was delighted to accept as it would allow me to see some of my Canada-based cousins under one roof. Betty also invited her brother Lancy who lives in Whitby and another one of our cousins, Golwyna, who lives in Downtown Toronto. And so, it ended up becoming a really lovely D’Souza Cousins’ Reunion at Betty’s place. Naturally, Sylvia also joined us and this made us a merry lot as we clustered around Betty’s laden round dining table to enjoy her offerings.

Betty is also an amazing home chef and so her dinner spread was vast: Pork Ribs, Chicken Coconut Milk Curry, Chicken Wings, Pullao, Paanpales (Neer Dosa), Coleslaw with Dressing, Sautéed Green Beans with Caramelized Onions with Chocolate Layer Cake (brought by Goldwyna) for dessert. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening with Betty as we reminisced over old times, as we always do when we, cousins, gets together. There was so much laughter and a load of memories brought up and much exclaiming about the fact that my cousin Goldwyna now bears a most striking resemblance to my Dad (her Dad’s brother)!

Betty is also a cake-maker and cake-decorator par excellence and we had a chance to look at the astounding sugar paste flowers that she made for her niece’s wedding cake, a few years ago.

Betty is also an amazing home chef and so her dinner spread was vast: Pork Ribs, Chicken Coconut Milk Curry, Chicken Wings, Pullao, Paanpales (Neer Dosa), Coleslaw with Dressing, Sautéed Green Beans with Caramelized Onions with Chocolate Layer Cake (brought by Goldwyna) for dessert. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening with Betty as we reminisced over old times, as we always do when we, cousins, gets together. There was so much laughter and a load of memories brought up and much exclaiming about the fact that my cousin Goldwyna now bears a most striking resemblance to my Dad (her Dad’s brother)! Betty is also a cake-maker and cake-decorator par excellence and we had a chance to look at the astounding sugar paste flowers that she made for her niece’s wedding cake, a few years ago.

Overall, we had a fabulous time and the best part of all was knowing that we were literally only a ten-minute walk away—although Betty and Toby picked us up and dropped us back at the end of a wonderful evening. Back home at Sylvia’s, we descended into our basement apartment and spent a really well-rested night.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

A Truly Wonderful Day in the City of Toronto: Exploring the Royal Ontario Museum with Friends And A Slap-Up Dinner at Trattoria Milano in Eataly.

Monday, September 2, 2024

Toronto, Canada

A Truly Wonderful Day in the City of Toronto: Exploring the Royal Ontario Museum with Friends And A Slap-Up Dinner at Trattoria Milano in Eataly.

We had such a fabulous day in downtown Toronto on Labor Day—a national holiday in Canada.

But to begin at the beginning: We had a lovely breakfast at Sylvia’s in which we tasted the delicious bread she had bought, a couple of good cheeses and some spreads. Replete with a good meal, we awaited the arrival of Ryan, Sylvia’s son, who offered to drive us all the way to Toronto from Woodbridge as the holiday would mean very little traffic. Ryan drove us through some of the nicer parts of the outskirts of the city which allowed us to admire some really beautiful architecture in the upscale homes in this district. All too soon, we were outside the Royal Ontario Museum whose Modernist exterior was designed by famous architect, Daniel Libeskind, whose avant-garde lines and unconventional work I have seen and admired in Berlin and in Washington DC. We would spend the next few hours enjoying some of the finest art and archeological treasures that this unique building holds.

Exploring the Royal Ontario Museum:

We had informed our friend, Tony, that we’d be spending the day at the Museum. He decided then to join us there. All we had to do was await his arrival and we did that in the Main Lobby, just past the ticket office, where we were able, at length, to admire the stunning Byzantine mosaic ceiling which is, actually, one of the Highlights of this museum. In just a little while, our friend Tony joined us, bought his ticket (we’d bought ours earlier and I was given free entry with my Met ID card) and we were off. I have to emphasize that this is not really a museum of fine arts—it is mainly a museum that traces the history of various world civilizations through art and artifacts. To see the city’s collection of exquisite fine art, one needs to go to the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) which we would do, a few days later.

Having discovered that there was a Highlights Tour of the Museum at 12.00 noon and since we had an hour at our disposal, we started off our own exploration of the museum in the Medieval European section. For the next one hour, we were completely bowled over by Medieval items ranging from stained glass panels and ivory carvings to carved coconut shell artistry in the form of drinking cups and beakers. There were also arms and armor and all manner of items in ceramic. But, for my money, the best part of this section, were the vignettes of interiors of domestic spaces from those of peasantry to noblemen which took us right into that era with a startling realism.

Just a little before 12 noon, we made our way down to the Main Lobby again to the meeting spot which was right in front of a gigantic seated sculpture of Lord Buddha as Alokateshwara. It was huge and yet beautifully polished and made such a fine focal point in that vast lobby. A little later, we were joined by a large number of other visitors and then by the tour guide herself who happened to be of Indian descent. Her name was Neera Chopra and she was wonderful. For the next one hour, she took us around the museum and showed us some really fascinating pieces. Some of the items that I remember are:

--a gigantic Tung dynasty ceramic statue of a seated man. (We have two of these in the Met in New York)

--really large raw semi-precious stones (they were more like boulders) with topaz and amethyst in them

--the largest gold coin in the world with the face of the late Queen Elizabeth II engraved on it.

--a Medieval Byzantine ciborium

--an Egyptian Mummy

--the skeleton of a dinosaur

were all quite interesting indeed and her commentary, at every juncture, was really impressive. She knew her material and was also skillful in answering questions. Only at the very end of the tour, I informed Neera that I am an Emeritus Docent at the Met Museum and she was so excited about it that she asked if we could take a picture together with each of us holding up our ID cards. She then gave me her number and told me to whatsapp the picture to her.

A Lovely Walk Along Snazzy Bloor Street:

By the time we left the museum, we were hungry and ready for an early dinner. Sylvia decided to treat us to a slap-up meal and we had the great pleasure, in looking for a place to eat, of walking along Bloor Street which has some of the finest designer showrooms for our browsing pleasure. It felt as if we were strolling down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan or on Bond Street in London. All the big names were there: Ferragamo, Hermes, Dior, Calvin Klein, Dolce and Gabbana, Karl Lagerfeld, Prada, Michael Kors, Steve Madden, you name it, it was represented there. I had the best time admiring the superb window décor which, I am well aware, is an art form in itself. These showrooms were located in lovely skyscrapers that hold the city’s commercial offices. In the distance, we could see the iconic CN Tower. As it was close to day’s end, many people were hurrying home after a hard day’s work.

Exploring Eataly and Enjoying an Italian Diner at ‘Trattoria Milano’:

After weighing a few options and leaving the choice of place to Sylvia, we eventually entered the ManuLife Building to explore Eataly—the lovely brain child of Italian-American chef Mario Bataly—to browse through their array of authentic Italian food shops, each offering a different delicacy directly from Italy. If it was pasta, you wanted, you could have it. Or pizza, or gelato, or any number of cold cuts or spec (as the Italians call it), or pastries and cakes, or cookies, or boxes of Italian chocolates or nuts. Of course, we were not in the market to buy any ingredients (as we already had a baggage weight problem on our hands), but we were keen on finding a good place to sit down and have a drink and a relaxing meal.

Eventually, we settled on a space called ‘Trattoria Milano’ which was definitely an upscale eatery—more like a fine dining place. After we’d placed our orders for drinks, we decided that we would order four different starters and then four different mains and share them all. This would give all of us a chance to taste a vast variety of the chef’s creations. Everyone loved the idea of doing it ‘Family Style’, and the next thing we knew, our tables were groaning with the most appetizing food.

I personally enjoyed my Negroni Bianca (a gin cocktail) while Llew and Sylvia shared a bottle of Cabernet and I then gave myself up to the pleasure of enjoying a kind of ‘tasting menu’ that went as such: Heirloom Tomato Salad with creamy yoghurt-herb dressing, ⁠Insalata Verde (Italian Green Salad), Veal Meatballs with Pesto & Mustard, Melon and Proscuitto for starters. Our shared Mains were ⁠Ravioli with Minced Veal and Brown Butter Sauce, Milanese Pork Tenderloin with Proscuitto Wrapping and Side Salad of Arugula and Peaches, Buccatini with Burrata, Cherry Tomatoes and Basil and Risotto with Scallops and Thyme. Needless to say, all the food was simply scrumptious and showed the mark of a master chef that had concocted these creations and then executed them with the finest attention to flavorful detail. We absolutely loved the meal. And yes, we did find room for dessert. We had Hazelnut Mousse with Praline Filling and Dark Chocolate Shell and a ⁠Chocolate & Hazelnut Mousse with Salted Pistachio Ice-cream and Fresh Raspberry Garnish. Yummmmieee!

Filled to bursting with our sensational meal, all we needed to do was thanks Sylvia profusely for her generosity in treating us to this meal, say goodbye to Tony and then find an Uber that would take us back to Woodbridge. This showed up in about 20 minutes and we were whisked off home.

We’d had an exceptional day—my kind of day! Filled with the delights of a world-class museum, the knowledgeability of a well-trained docent, the snazziness of a gorgeous street filled with high-end fashion merchandise that is pure eye-candy (regardless of whether or not one can afford to buy it) and then, the sheer gourmet pleasure of gastronomic wonders. I simply cannot imagine a better way to spend a day in a big city while on vacation.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.