With all the rain we've had in the past couple of days I've not been too motivated to walk my dog all over town. But this morning its dry and we had a good walk around Cloverdale and stopped to see what's playing at the Clova this week. Nothing that interests me enough to attend this week, but people have different tastes. Hopefully they'll still get good attendance all week. Both movies are on the short side. The final show lets out around 10:05pm.
At 7pm is Zombieland.
Starting at 8:45 is 9.
Cost is $7, stay for one or both movies. Tuesday nights are $4. Bring your own reusable popcorn or drink container and fill it up for $2.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sushi in Cloverdale
When I was growing up in Cloverdale we had a handful of restaurants. No fast food joints, but we had a couple of take out drive in restaurants. There were no Japanese restaurants when I was growing up, but today Cloverdale has several places where one can enjoy sushi. Growing up I would have never imagined that one day Cloverdale would have 5 Japanese restaurants to choose from.
The only complaint I have about most of these places is they close around 8:30, varies from restaurant to restaurant, and depending if its the weekend, might be open till 9 or 9:30. We often work late and there's nothing worse than craving sushi after 9pm and nowhere to find it.
Here's a breakdown for any sushi lovers.
Nikko Sushi has been in Cloverdale for many years. Located at 5676 176th Street. Its a small restaurant with a few tables inside and Japanese decor. Family run business, friendly proprietors. We've enjoyed eating here over the years. Sit down dining and take out service.
Sashimi Sushi is located in the Clover Square Village, on Highway 10 and approximately 176A Street, kind of behind Dairy Queen, in that block of stores. They have tables in here but its more of a take out service. No table service. Go up to the counter and order and either take it home or sit down at a table and eat. It was OK. For the same price you can get better service and atmosphere elsewhere in town.
Nan Sushi is located almost across the street at 17618 56th Avenue. They haven't been here too long. This establishment has changed hands frequently over the years. Some might remember it as a fish and chips restaurant or Chinese food was once here too. Sorry, I haven't tried here yet and can't give any recommendations. The only time we stopped to eat here, they'd already closed for the night.
O E C Japanese Restaurant is at 5827 176th Street. They opened about 8 years ago if memory serves correctly. However I'd say at least half this time they've been closed for renovations. I don't know if they just shut down for half a year or longer and go on vacation or what they're doing. But whenever it reopens and I go back, the restaurant looks exactly the same so I'm not sure what was being renovated, if anything. The food is good and its open later than most of the other sushi places in Cloverdale, closing at 10pm. Sit down and take out service. Their walls are covered with photos of patrons. They will probably whip out a camera and ask to take your photo while you're here but you can decline if you don't want your smiling image up on their wall.
Umami Sushi has recently opened earlier this year in the Clover Crossings Mall on 64th Avenue and 176th Street. Sit down service and take out. Their food is fantastic. We've gone back many times. The love fan dinner is a great deal.
But its after 9:30 and you want sushi. And its not Cloverdale, its in Fleetwood, but Il Uk Jo is open until 11pm. This is an all you can eat Korean BBQ and sushi restaurant. They have tamani rooms and table dining. I'm assuming they also offer take out service, but we've always eaten in. They offer all you can eat for $19.99. $1 more on weekends and holidays. 90 minute limit. For the Korean BBQ you cook it yourself on a gas wok that is on the table. Or rather Kerry cooks it himself because its chicken, beef, or pork and I don't eat that. The food is OK. There is better sushi around, but for all you can eat they have to cut costs in places and that's usually the rice. If you're really hungry and craving sushi this is the place to go. They're located on the south west corner at the intersection of the Fraser Highway and 152 Street.
The only complaint I have about most of these places is they close around 8:30, varies from restaurant to restaurant, and depending if its the weekend, might be open till 9 or 9:30. We often work late and there's nothing worse than craving sushi after 9pm and nowhere to find it.
Here's a breakdown for any sushi lovers.
Nikko Sushi has been in Cloverdale for many years. Located at 5676 176th Street. Its a small restaurant with a few tables inside and Japanese decor. Family run business, friendly proprietors. We've enjoyed eating here over the years. Sit down dining and take out service.
Sashimi Sushi is located in the Clover Square Village, on Highway 10 and approximately 176A Street, kind of behind Dairy Queen, in that block of stores. They have tables in here but its more of a take out service. No table service. Go up to the counter and order and either take it home or sit down at a table and eat. It was OK. For the same price you can get better service and atmosphere elsewhere in town.
Nan Sushi is located almost across the street at 17618 56th Avenue. They haven't been here too long. This establishment has changed hands frequently over the years. Some might remember it as a fish and chips restaurant or Chinese food was once here too. Sorry, I haven't tried here yet and can't give any recommendations. The only time we stopped to eat here, they'd already closed for the night.
O E C Japanese Restaurant is at 5827 176th Street. They opened about 8 years ago if memory serves correctly. However I'd say at least half this time they've been closed for renovations. I don't know if they just shut down for half a year or longer and go on vacation or what they're doing. But whenever it reopens and I go back, the restaurant looks exactly the same so I'm not sure what was being renovated, if anything. The food is good and its open later than most of the other sushi places in Cloverdale, closing at 10pm. Sit down and take out service. Their walls are covered with photos of patrons. They will probably whip out a camera and ask to take your photo while you're here but you can decline if you don't want your smiling image up on their wall.
Umami Sushi has recently opened earlier this year in the Clover Crossings Mall on 64th Avenue and 176th Street. Sit down service and take out. Their food is fantastic. We've gone back many times. The love fan dinner is a great deal.
But its after 9:30 and you want sushi. And its not Cloverdale, its in Fleetwood, but Il Uk Jo is open until 11pm. This is an all you can eat Korean BBQ and sushi restaurant. They have tamani rooms and table dining. I'm assuming they also offer take out service, but we've always eaten in. They offer all you can eat for $19.99. $1 more on weekends and holidays. 90 minute limit. For the Korean BBQ you cook it yourself on a gas wok that is on the table. Or rather Kerry cooks it himself because its chicken, beef, or pork and I don't eat that. The food is OK. There is better sushi around, but for all you can eat they have to cut costs in places and that's usually the rice. If you're really hungry and craving sushi this is the place to go. They're located on the south west corner at the intersection of the Fraser Highway and 152 Street.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Playing at the Clova from Oct 23 - 29 2009
Only one movie playing this week at the Clova, at 7pm nightly. An animated film. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs.
Admission is $7 for this one show only, $4 on Tuesday night. Bring your own reusable container to fill with popcorn or a soda pop for $2.
Admission is $7 for this one show only, $4 on Tuesday night. Bring your own reusable container to fill with popcorn or a soda pop for $2.
Haunted barn for Halloween fun
I finally saw a haunted barn near Cloverdale when I drove past 192 Street just south of 32nd Avenue, on the east side of the road. I've seen it open over the past few years and this year its put on by Earl Marriott high school students.
The actual address is 3048 - 192 Street. The web page is www.barnyardphantoms.com but there isn't much there, other than the basic information, which may be less confusing than what I'm about to write.
Hours are now through October 25, then closed for a couple of days, and open again from October 27 to October 31. Opens at 7pm. Closes at 10pm weekdays and open to 11pm weekends. Admission is $7.
The actual address is 3048 - 192 Street. The web page is www.barnyardphantoms.com but there isn't much there, other than the basic information, which may be less confusing than what I'm about to write.
Hours are now through October 25, then closed for a couple of days, and open again from October 27 to October 31. Opens at 7pm. Closes at 10pm weekdays and open to 11pm weekends. Admission is $7.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Power out!
Power just came back on in Cloverdale. It was out for about half an hour. Most annoying in our house because our home alarm goes onto back up mode and beeps the whole time to let us know the power is out. Like the lack of lights, radio, computer, etc didn't clue us in.
This was a planned outage with BC Hydro working on their equipment.
For information on power outages, visit Hydro's web page:
http://www.bchydro.com/outages/orsMain.jsp
This was a planned outage with BC Hydro working on their equipment.
For information on power outages, visit Hydro's web page:
http://www.bchydro.com/outages/orsMain.jsp
Friday, October 16, 2009
Shaw is bugging me with junk mail
Is anyone else getting inundated with junk mail from Shaw trying to push their cable or phone services?
I had a bad experience with Shaw in 2000 when I was living in Dogwood Gardens. We had high speed Internet with them and decided to change over to Telus. Bottom line was the service from Shaw sucked. But that's neither here nor there. Some people will have a bad experience with a company and someone else will have a wonderful experience. When I lived at Dogwood Gardens we were on a business account with Shaw to provide cablevision to all the units. Cable was included in our monthly strata fee. We did not have individual accounts with Shaw. When the technician showed up to disconnect our Internet - about one month after we'd cancelled - he went to the tech service area. Didn't need to come into our house. While he was disconnecting the Internet he saw that we had cablevision. Well duh, like it or not, everyone at Dogwood Gardens had cablevision. It came out of our strata whether or not we even owned a TV set. This technician noticed that we did not have an account with Shaw for cablevision. No kidding. Dogwood Gardens was a business account, not individual accounts. So he decided we were stealing cable and took it upon himself to disconnect our cablevision. Without a word to us of course. Remember, he didn't have to come into our house. We phoned Shaw to say we had no service. And here we got the big runaround. Transferred to business accounts, transferred back to personal accounts, and back again. No one wanted to take responsibility for why we had no cablevision. After about 45 minutes we got a manager on the phone and it was discovered then that the Internet man had disconnected our cablevision. We were told it would be connected again in 3 days. Huh? Whose fault is it that some guy took it upon himself to willy nilly cancel our cable? You think they'd be out there lickety split to fix this, but they weren't.
I did fax a complaint to Shaw about it taking 3 days to reconnect our cablevision, but they did not have the courtesy to respond to me.
So I severed all ties with Shaw. I'll never use their TV service, phone, or anything else of theirs ever again.
When we moved into our current house a little over 2 years ago we've been receiving lots of junk mail from Shaw. And if that's not bad enough, in duplicate. One envelope will be addressed Current Resident Main. And the second one will be addressed to Current Resident Basement. What does Shaw think I'm going to do? Read one upstairs and then run down to the basement and read the other one? I've been sending them all back marked "refused" but they keep coming. I did complain to them that they didn't have the courtesy to respond to my fax from 2000 but have the audacity to send me junk mail in duplicate. This time I received a response from Shaw that they would remove my address from their mailing list. That was 5 months ago and the junk mail keeps coming in duplicate. Including two more today from Shaw Digital Cable wanting me to sign up for their service. And the odd thing was the phone number to sign up for their service can't be traced while doing a reverse search on www.411.ca.
How annoying can a company be?
I had a bad experience with Shaw in 2000 when I was living in Dogwood Gardens. We had high speed Internet with them and decided to change over to Telus. Bottom line was the service from Shaw sucked. But that's neither here nor there. Some people will have a bad experience with a company and someone else will have a wonderful experience. When I lived at Dogwood Gardens we were on a business account with Shaw to provide cablevision to all the units. Cable was included in our monthly strata fee. We did not have individual accounts with Shaw. When the technician showed up to disconnect our Internet - about one month after we'd cancelled - he went to the tech service area. Didn't need to come into our house. While he was disconnecting the Internet he saw that we had cablevision. Well duh, like it or not, everyone at Dogwood Gardens had cablevision. It came out of our strata whether or not we even owned a TV set. This technician noticed that we did not have an account with Shaw for cablevision. No kidding. Dogwood Gardens was a business account, not individual accounts. So he decided we were stealing cable and took it upon himself to disconnect our cablevision. Without a word to us of course. Remember, he didn't have to come into our house. We phoned Shaw to say we had no service. And here we got the big runaround. Transferred to business accounts, transferred back to personal accounts, and back again. No one wanted to take responsibility for why we had no cablevision. After about 45 minutes we got a manager on the phone and it was discovered then that the Internet man had disconnected our cablevision. We were told it would be connected again in 3 days. Huh? Whose fault is it that some guy took it upon himself to willy nilly cancel our cable? You think they'd be out there lickety split to fix this, but they weren't.
I did fax a complaint to Shaw about it taking 3 days to reconnect our cablevision, but they did not have the courtesy to respond to me.
So I severed all ties with Shaw. I'll never use their TV service, phone, or anything else of theirs ever again.
When we moved into our current house a little over 2 years ago we've been receiving lots of junk mail from Shaw. And if that's not bad enough, in duplicate. One envelope will be addressed Current Resident Main. And the second one will be addressed to Current Resident Basement. What does Shaw think I'm going to do? Read one upstairs and then run down to the basement and read the other one? I've been sending them all back marked "refused" but they keep coming. I did complain to them that they didn't have the courtesy to respond to my fax from 2000 but have the audacity to send me junk mail in duplicate. This time I received a response from Shaw that they would remove my address from their mailing list. That was 5 months ago and the junk mail keeps coming in duplicate. Including two more today from Shaw Digital Cable wanting me to sign up for their service. And the odd thing was the phone number to sign up for their service can't be traced while doing a reverse search on www.411.ca.
How annoying can a company be?
Playing at the Clova from Oct 16 - 22 2009
This week it gets a little confusing at the Clova. The double feature plays Friday to Wednesday. And then a single on Thursday.
The double feature playing nightly from Oct 16 - 21 starting at 7pm is The Invention of Lying.
At 8:55pm its (500) Days of Summer.
And then to throw in a curve ball on Thursday night, one movie only Julie and Julia. I'll have to double check this but I believe this is something to do with a fundraiser for breast cancer.
The cost of admission is $7, or $4 on Tuesday. Watch one or both movies for that price. The single feature on Thursday, Julie and Julia is also $7. So just a oner for that price on that night.
Bring your own reusable popcorn and drink container and fill them up for $2.
The double feature playing nightly from Oct 16 - 21 starting at 7pm is The Invention of Lying.
At 8:55pm its (500) Days of Summer.
And then to throw in a curve ball on Thursday night, one movie only Julie and Julia. I'll have to double check this but I believe this is something to do with a fundraiser for breast cancer.
The cost of admission is $7, or $4 on Tuesday. Watch one or both movies for that price. The single feature on Thursday, Julie and Julia is also $7. So just a oner for that price on that night.
Bring your own reusable popcorn and drink container and fill them up for $2.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Price Smart Foods early closing
Tonight we finished up at the farm and driving home Kerry decided he wanted garlic bread with the spaghetti we were planning for dinner. I did not want garlic bread because I find pasta dishes filling enough without it. But he wasn't giving in. Garlic bread or nothing. And so we headed to Price Smart Foods around 7pm because they are closed at 10pm nightly. That's the one in the shopping plaza on 64th Avenue and 176th Street next to London Drugs.
I decided there were a couple of things I needed to pick up at Price Smart Foods. Nothing urgent but seeing as how we were going there anyway I could use milk and cranberry juice.
We arrived in the parking lot about 7:15 and the lot was empty. No cars! What's going on? We drove up to the store and it was shut down with the iron gates pulled tight and nobody inside. There was no updates on the door advising they'd be shutting down early.
I wonder if there was a robbery. No police cars in sight, but if the place was robbed earlier in the afternoon standard procedure would be to close for the rest of the day and put a sign up explaining why.
No signs posted.
Price Smart was open earlier this morning when we'd driven past.
Very weird. I can see them closing early on Thanksgiving - tomorrow, Monday October 12 - because that's a stat holiday. But closing early on the Sunday evening before Thanksgiving? I mean that would just tick people off who realize they don't have something in the house and need to run out and buy a can of cranberries or something.
There is nothing on the website. I wonder what happened. I sure hope all staff and any customers involved are OK.
I decided there were a couple of things I needed to pick up at Price Smart Foods. Nothing urgent but seeing as how we were going there anyway I could use milk and cranberry juice.
We arrived in the parking lot about 7:15 and the lot was empty. No cars! What's going on? We drove up to the store and it was shut down with the iron gates pulled tight and nobody inside. There was no updates on the door advising they'd be shutting down early.
I wonder if there was a robbery. No police cars in sight, but if the place was robbed earlier in the afternoon standard procedure would be to close for the rest of the day and put a sign up explaining why.
No signs posted.
Price Smart was open earlier this morning when we'd driven past.
Very weird. I can see them closing early on Thanksgiving - tomorrow, Monday October 12 - because that's a stat holiday. But closing early on the Sunday evening before Thanksgiving? I mean that would just tick people off who realize they don't have something in the house and need to run out and buy a can of cranberries or something.
There is nothing on the website. I wonder what happened. I sure hope all staff and any customers involved are OK.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Pancake breakfast at the Cloverdale Legion
I noticed the Legion is holding their pancake breakfast Saturday October 10. Cost is $4.00 and includes pancakes, sausages, eggs, coffee, and orange drink.
The Legion is located on the north side of 57th Avenue between 176th Street and the Cloverdale Bypass. Across from the firehall.
The Legion is located on the north side of 57th Avenue between 176th Street and the Cloverdale Bypass. Across from the firehall.
Playing at the Clova from Oct 9 - 15 2009
This week at the Clova is a remake of the old movie and then TV show - Fame playing nightly at 7pm.
At 9pm its Love Happens.
Admission is $7 - watch one movie or stay for both, same price. Tuesday night its $4.
Bring your own reusable popcorn container or drink container and fill up for $2.
The Clova is located in downtown Cloverdale on 176th Street between 57th and 58th Avenues.
At 9pm its Love Happens.
Admission is $7 - watch one movie or stay for both, same price. Tuesday night its $4.
Bring your own reusable popcorn container or drink container and fill up for $2.
The Clova is located in downtown Cloverdale on 176th Street between 57th and 58th Avenues.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Marble Slab Creamery
A couple of days ago while driving home from Langley I spotted a van on 64th Avenue with Marble Slab Creamery on it advertising their ice cream. We wondered where they were. Wonder no more because in today's mail we got a coupon for their location which is in the new shopping plaza behind Wal-Mart on 24th Avenue and 160th Street. Almost across the parking lot from the Future Shop.
The coupons promoted were buy an ice cream cone and get the second one free. $3 off an ice cream cake. And buy a quart of ice cream at regular price and get the second one for half price.
We were in the area and went in to give it a try seeing as how its a nice sunny day. First thing is 4 people in line in front of us and only one clerk serving customers, so we waited several minutes to be served. I did see another women peeking out from the back room a couple of times. She finally came out to assist just as we were paying and getting ready to leave. By this time several customers were behind us, everyone taking advantage of the BOGO coupon on a nice day.
First off its kind of hard to figure this place out. They have a menu and they have prices but its difficult to figure out exactly how much an ice cream cone is. Basically you choose one of their concoctions which is ice cream mixed with other stuff like walnuts, strawberries, chocolate chips, marshmallows. Must be over 50 ingredients to be mixed in with the ice cream. The clerk scoops up ice cream, puts it on a scale to weigh it, and then returns to the marble slab to mix in the fixings, and puts it in a waffle cone. By now the ice cream is getting kind of soft and melting. I chose a Snickerdoodle - vanilla ice cream with Snickers and caramel. Kerry chose strawberries and cream. When all was said and done at the cash register the total was $6.77. And that's with a BOGO! Wowsers! $6.77 for 2 ice creams, I can see it, but to come in without a coupon and spend that much each on one ice cream cone - no way. The ice cream really isn't that great anyway.
About an hour later Kerry had a stomach ache.
The ice cream cakes were nearly $30 each. The quart of ice cream was $8.95. To buy 2 with the coupon would be nearly $14, comparable to buying Haagen Daz ice cream.
Bad idea to come here if you have nut allergies. The ingredients are mixed on a marble slab that is scraped down inbetween cones, but to my eye it would be plausible that some leftover ingredients from a previous ice cream order may still linger on the marble slab.
So, I'd say if you have a coupon for a BOGO head on in and try it. Otherwise skip this creamery. There are better ice cream places around.
The coupons promoted were buy an ice cream cone and get the second one free. $3 off an ice cream cake. And buy a quart of ice cream at regular price and get the second one for half price.
We were in the area and went in to give it a try seeing as how its a nice sunny day. First thing is 4 people in line in front of us and only one clerk serving customers, so we waited several minutes to be served. I did see another women peeking out from the back room a couple of times. She finally came out to assist just as we were paying and getting ready to leave. By this time several customers were behind us, everyone taking advantage of the BOGO coupon on a nice day.
First off its kind of hard to figure this place out. They have a menu and they have prices but its difficult to figure out exactly how much an ice cream cone is. Basically you choose one of their concoctions which is ice cream mixed with other stuff like walnuts, strawberries, chocolate chips, marshmallows. Must be over 50 ingredients to be mixed in with the ice cream. The clerk scoops up ice cream, puts it on a scale to weigh it, and then returns to the marble slab to mix in the fixings, and puts it in a waffle cone. By now the ice cream is getting kind of soft and melting. I chose a Snickerdoodle - vanilla ice cream with Snickers and caramel. Kerry chose strawberries and cream. When all was said and done at the cash register the total was $6.77. And that's with a BOGO! Wowsers! $6.77 for 2 ice creams, I can see it, but to come in without a coupon and spend that much each on one ice cream cone - no way. The ice cream really isn't that great anyway.
About an hour later Kerry had a stomach ache.
The ice cream cakes were nearly $30 each. The quart of ice cream was $8.95. To buy 2 with the coupon would be nearly $14, comparable to buying Haagen Daz ice cream.
Bad idea to come here if you have nut allergies. The ingredients are mixed on a marble slab that is scraped down inbetween cones, but to my eye it would be plausible that some leftover ingredients from a previous ice cream order may still linger on the marble slab.
So, I'd say if you have a coupon for a BOGO head on in and try it. Otherwise skip this creamery. There are better ice cream places around.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
What kind of books do I like?
So with all this talk of waiting for my books from Chapters that was delayed by Canada Post, that brings up the question of what kind of books do I like to read? I’m a big fan of Stephen King. I own all his novels. I still buy them, but some of them have sat for years unread on my bookshelves. I’ll never be able to part with my collection. Carrie was the first novel I read shortly after it was published. And or course that movie is in my collection. Partly because John Travolta was in it! I like Christine, The Shining, and Pet Semetary. Gee, it looks like most of my favorites were what King wrote in the late 70’s through the mid-80’s. I also have his book On Writing which is pretty much his autobiography. The book gives glimpses into what is going on in Stephen King’s mind - do we really want to know how he comes up with this creepy stuff?!
So I haven’t read much of Stephen King in recent years, but I’m still reading. My tastes run from murder mysteries, chick lit, comedy, romance, literary travel, and autobiographies. I also have most of James Michener’s collection. Now those novels are part history lesson part fiction. My favourite Michener novel is The Drifters. The characters, who for the most part were young Americans, traveled to places that I am familiar with and spent some time in Spain, particularly Torremolinos, where I also hung out when I was trekking around Europe in my early twenties.
But lately my tastes have been running to a combination of chick lit murder mysteries with a little romance and comedy tossed in. Huh? Is such a combo possible?
I really enjoy books by Cynthia Baxter who writes the reigning cats and dogs series and the murder packs a suitcase series. In the first series veterinarian Jessica Popper stumbles upon corpses inbetween her animal care duties. Most of the series takes place around Long Island, New York but one novel took place at a veterinary conference in Maui. In the murder packs a suitcase series, a new travel writer Mallory Marlowe goes to Orlando, Florida to write an article about whether or not the old Florida family style attractions from the sixties still exist. She becomes a suspect when a fellow travel writer is murdered. In the second book in the series she travels to Aspen, Colorado to write an article about what non-skiiers can do for fun in this town and to visit an old high school friend who operates a successful spa. Her friend is found murdered in a mud spa and suspicion is the name of the game while Jessica tries to find out who killed her friend.
I’m also into novels by Elaine Viets who also writes about ordinary women who become amateur sleuths and solve murders. One series is called dead end jobs and follows Helen Hawthorne who moves from one minimum wage job in Florida to another and one murder to another. Her other series is Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper. And as the title suggests, Josie works as a mystery shopper and solves murders on the side.
I’ve also started reading another series of book based in Florida by Blaize Clement who writes the Dixie Hemingway mysteries. Dixie is a former cop who now runs a pet sitting business. But she can’t dodge her old stomping grounds or a former co-worker when she comes across dead bodies in her new occupation.
I’ve also been enjoying a series written by Kathy Brandt diving mystery novels featuring Hannah Simpson. Kerry also enjoys the novels about this scuba diving cop. Alas the last novel she wrote in this series was 3 years ago and left us on a cliffhanger. Just who was coming in the door in the last sentence of her last book??? The author has a website but no contact information. I have tried emailing her publisher and her agents to find out if there is going to be another novel, but all I get is sales pitch responses and no answer to my question.
Those are the series and authors who have currently captured my attention. Nothing like putting a paperback novel into my purse and pulling it out to read in waiting rooms or at the barn while I’m waiting for my horses to finish eating their dinner.
So I haven’t read much of Stephen King in recent years, but I’m still reading. My tastes run from murder mysteries, chick lit, comedy, romance, literary travel, and autobiographies. I also have most of James Michener’s collection. Now those novels are part history lesson part fiction. My favourite Michener novel is The Drifters. The characters, who for the most part were young Americans, traveled to places that I am familiar with and spent some time in Spain, particularly Torremolinos, where I also hung out when I was trekking around Europe in my early twenties.
But lately my tastes have been running to a combination of chick lit murder mysteries with a little romance and comedy tossed in. Huh? Is such a combo possible?
I really enjoy books by Cynthia Baxter who writes the reigning cats and dogs series and the murder packs a suitcase series. In the first series veterinarian Jessica Popper stumbles upon corpses inbetween her animal care duties. Most of the series takes place around Long Island, New York but one novel took place at a veterinary conference in Maui. In the murder packs a suitcase series, a new travel writer Mallory Marlowe goes to Orlando, Florida to write an article about whether or not the old Florida family style attractions from the sixties still exist. She becomes a suspect when a fellow travel writer is murdered. In the second book in the series she travels to Aspen, Colorado to write an article about what non-skiiers can do for fun in this town and to visit an old high school friend who operates a successful spa. Her friend is found murdered in a mud spa and suspicion is the name of the game while Jessica tries to find out who killed her friend.
I’m also into novels by Elaine Viets who also writes about ordinary women who become amateur sleuths and solve murders. One series is called dead end jobs and follows Helen Hawthorne who moves from one minimum wage job in Florida to another and one murder to another. Her other series is Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper. And as the title suggests, Josie works as a mystery shopper and solves murders on the side.
I’ve also started reading another series of book based in Florida by Blaize Clement who writes the Dixie Hemingway mysteries. Dixie is a former cop who now runs a pet sitting business. But she can’t dodge her old stomping grounds or a former co-worker when she comes across dead bodies in her new occupation.
I’ve also been enjoying a series written by Kathy Brandt diving mystery novels featuring Hannah Simpson. Kerry also enjoys the novels about this scuba diving cop. Alas the last novel she wrote in this series was 3 years ago and left us on a cliffhanger. Just who was coming in the door in the last sentence of her last book??? The author has a website but no contact information. I have tried emailing her publisher and her agents to find out if there is going to be another novel, but all I get is sales pitch responses and no answer to my question.
Those are the series and authors who have currently captured my attention. Nothing like putting a paperback novel into my purse and pulling it out to read in waiting rooms or at the barn while I’m waiting for my horses to finish eating their dinner.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Fat Phege's Fudge Factory
Back in early 1978 my mother and I went over to Victoria to check out the University of Victoria. I’d previously been considering a couple of universities in Ontario, but after taking a look at UVic, that was where I ended up going. All irrelevant back story.
It was during this trip that we looked at some brochures in the hotel and discovered one for Fat Phege’s Fudge Factory located in Market Square. That’s a good walk from the Parliament Building or the Empress Hotel. Head up Government Street and turn right at Johnson and the square is down a ways. Its full of curio shops and restaurants.
Fat Phege’s has great fudge. Since that first trip in 1978 I’ve been back there countless times. I’m sure I went there at least every month that I attended UVic and whenever I’m in town I have to stop in for some fudge. I’ve bought fudge all over the world and I’d say Fat Phege’s is among the best I’ve had.
A few years later I was delighted to be shopping at Guildford Mall one day and there was a Fat Phege’s just opened there. I can’t recall if the owner sold his Victoria shop and come over to the mainland to open a sister store or if they had decided to expand and open the second shop. Unfortunately they didn’t stay in business too long there. I guess Surreyites don’t appreciate good fudge. Or maybe it was the prices. They are up there.
Back in the early nineties when Kerry and I started seeing each other he knew how much I liked this fudge and he phoned in to place an order. At the time I was renting the basement suite at my parent’s house so he asked the staff member if they could put the fudge in a plain wrapper and not put their name on it anywhere because he thought my father might get into it first. Ha ha! That’s funny! But the clerk did tell him that a lot of the fudge they mail out goes missing and now that he thought of it, maybe it was due to identifying themselves as Fat Phege’s Fudge Factory on the package.
So I wonder. Was it the Canada Post employees enjoying some fudge? Or perhaps another member of the household who got to the mail first that day?
Fat Phege’s fudge is pricey, but no more so that any other fudge and candy shop. Check them out on your next visit to our capital.
http://www.fatphegesfudgefactory.com
It was during this trip that we looked at some brochures in the hotel and discovered one for Fat Phege’s Fudge Factory located in Market Square. That’s a good walk from the Parliament Building or the Empress Hotel. Head up Government Street and turn right at Johnson and the square is down a ways. Its full of curio shops and restaurants.
Fat Phege’s has great fudge. Since that first trip in 1978 I’ve been back there countless times. I’m sure I went there at least every month that I attended UVic and whenever I’m in town I have to stop in for some fudge. I’ve bought fudge all over the world and I’d say Fat Phege’s is among the best I’ve had.
A few years later I was delighted to be shopping at Guildford Mall one day and there was a Fat Phege’s just opened there. I can’t recall if the owner sold his Victoria shop and come over to the mainland to open a sister store or if they had decided to expand and open the second shop. Unfortunately they didn’t stay in business too long there. I guess Surreyites don’t appreciate good fudge. Or maybe it was the prices. They are up there.
Back in the early nineties when Kerry and I started seeing each other he knew how much I liked this fudge and he phoned in to place an order. At the time I was renting the basement suite at my parent’s house so he asked the staff member if they could put the fudge in a plain wrapper and not put their name on it anywhere because he thought my father might get into it first. Ha ha! That’s funny! But the clerk did tell him that a lot of the fudge they mail out goes missing and now that he thought of it, maybe it was due to identifying themselves as Fat Phege’s Fudge Factory on the package.
So I wonder. Was it the Canada Post employees enjoying some fudge? Or perhaps another member of the household who got to the mail first that day?
Fat Phege’s fudge is pricey, but no more so that any other fudge and candy shop. Check them out on your next visit to our capital.
http://www.fatphegesfudgefactory.com
Playing at the Clova from Oct 2 - 8 2009
This week at the Clova:
The Informant starts at 7pm and the second feature playing again this week is Julie and Julia beginning at 9:05pm.
Nightly costs $7 to come in for either one or both movies. Tuesday night is $4, stay for one or both. Bring your own reusable popcorn container or drink container and fill it up for $2. Or look for the ad in Friday's Surrey Leader for the two movies playing that week, bring in the ad for a free medium popcorn.
We saw Julie and Julia and it was a lot of fun. Meryl Streep really throws herself into her roles and its worth going to see just for her perfect rendition of Julia Child. Matt Damon stars in The Informant and it sounds like the kind of movie Kerry will enjoy so we'll probably go again sometime this week.
The Informant starts at 7pm and the second feature playing again this week is Julie and Julia beginning at 9:05pm.
Nightly costs $7 to come in for either one or both movies. Tuesday night is $4, stay for one or both. Bring your own reusable popcorn container or drink container and fill it up for $2. Or look for the ad in Friday's Surrey Leader for the two movies playing that week, bring in the ad for a free medium popcorn.
We saw Julie and Julia and it was a lot of fun. Meryl Streep really throws herself into her roles and its worth going to see just for her perfect rendition of Julia Child. Matt Damon stars in The Informant and it sounds like the kind of movie Kerry will enjoy so we'll probably go again sometime this week.
Update to getting my package of books from Canada Post
We had to pick up something at the Clover Square Village last night so I stopped back at the postal outlet at Shopper's Drug Mart to pick up my books. It was a bit after 7:30pm.
I waited in line for 5 minutes. A woman sending a package couldn't decide how she wanted to send it and got prices on just about every imaginable way of getting her package to its destination.
Finally it was my turn. The clerk scanned the bar code. My package still hadn't arrived!
However, when I returned around 8:30am this morning my package was there and I now have my books in hand.
I did email a complaint into Canada Post. There's no point for the employees to lie and give a date and time to pick up something at an outlet if they won't have it there at that time. They can write in a different date and time, say 2 days later, as it was in my case. By the time I returned home this morning I'd received an email from Canada Post. They did not know about my second visit there last night. I was told in the email that my package was available for pick up as of 6:00pm October 1. An hour and a half before I showed up at Shopper's Drug Mart only to be told my package had not arrived yet.
I don't see the point in lying to consumers.
I waited in line for 5 minutes. A woman sending a package couldn't decide how she wanted to send it and got prices on just about every imaginable way of getting her package to its destination.
Finally it was my turn. The clerk scanned the bar code. My package still hadn't arrived!
However, when I returned around 8:30am this morning my package was there and I now have my books in hand.
I did email a complaint into Canada Post. There's no point for the employees to lie and give a date and time to pick up something at an outlet if they won't have it there at that time. They can write in a different date and time, say 2 days later, as it was in my case. By the time I returned home this morning I'd received an email from Canada Post. They did not know about my second visit there last night. I was told in the email that my package was available for pick up as of 6:00pm October 1. An hour and a half before I showed up at Shopper's Drug Mart only to be told my package had not arrived yet.
I don't see the point in lying to consumers.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Canada Post woes
Yesterday, September 30 2009, I arrived home to find a delivery notice from Canada Post. The Canada Post employee stopped by my house at 12:40 and I was home about an hour later. So I missed it fair and square. Can't be home all the time. I know its 4 paperback books I ordered from Chapters last week. Nothing urgent, but I'll be happy to start reading one of them soon. I kind of wondered why it wasn't just left in my mailbox, albeit sticking out a little, or else left in the gap between the storm door and the front door. I mean its 4 paperback books. How big a package can they come in?
My notice says to pick up after 1300 tomorrow. So that would make it today, Oct 1 after 1pm.
Today its raining but I took my dog, Lacy, and walked to the postal outlet in Shopper's Drug Mart at the Clover Square Village. I arrived at 2pm. The clerk looked at my card, punched the number into her computer, and said she didn't think my package was there. To her credit she went into the back room and searched and also went through some drawers behind her counter looking for it. Nope. Not there. She offered the explanation that the driver must not have dropped it off last night and suggested I phone after 7:30pm tonight and see if its shown up.
Gee, I sure hope the package does turn up. I'd hate to think its lost in action or some Canada Post employee is kicking up their feet and enjoying one of my novels.
It makes one wonder why did the Canada Post employee who left the card put on it to pick up after 1300 tomorrow if he or she was unable to meet that time frame? Like I said its raining and being outside for over half an hour and now dealing with a wet dog all for nothing is not my idea of a fun way to spend the afternoon.
Curling up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. Now I'm talking!
My notice says to pick up after 1300 tomorrow. So that would make it today, Oct 1 after 1pm.
Today its raining but I took my dog, Lacy, and walked to the postal outlet in Shopper's Drug Mart at the Clover Square Village. I arrived at 2pm. The clerk looked at my card, punched the number into her computer, and said she didn't think my package was there. To her credit she went into the back room and searched and also went through some drawers behind her counter looking for it. Nope. Not there. She offered the explanation that the driver must not have dropped it off last night and suggested I phone after 7:30pm tonight and see if its shown up.
Gee, I sure hope the package does turn up. I'd hate to think its lost in action or some Canada Post employee is kicking up their feet and enjoying one of my novels.
It makes one wonder why did the Canada Post employee who left the card put on it to pick up after 1300 tomorrow if he or she was unable to meet that time frame? Like I said its raining and being outside for over half an hour and now dealing with a wet dog all for nothing is not my idea of a fun way to spend the afternoon.
Curling up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. Now I'm talking!
What's happening in Cloverdale in October 2009
Hmm, I was expecting to find all sorts of haunted houses put on by school groups or businesses to raise money for charity in the spirit of Halloween fun, but I've come up short. One of the best haunted houses I went to was a few years ago held at the Heppell's farm on 184th Street and it was put on by students at Lord Tweedsmuir. I believe it was to raise money for the school band's trip, so we went to support them. It was actually a haunted barn and the students did an excellent job of decorating and putting themselves in costumes and acting. But as all kids do, they grew up and graduated, and moved on.... Usually I see some haunted houses signs while driving around. One of the local high schools, and I'm not sure if it was Lord Tweedsmuir or Earl Marriott had a haunted house at a farm on 192 Street near 32nd Avenue last year. And whichever school it was, the other one had a haunted house on 24th Avenue, somewhere around 182 Street. If I see around this month I'll post them later. Usually there are fireworks at the Cloverdale Athletic Park on Halloween night around 7:30. I haven't seen any notices of it yet this year. Will update if I find out for sure.
October 3, Saturday - The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is having a Light the Night walk held at the Millenium Park on 176th Street and 64th Avenue starting at 5:30. For more information http://www.lightthenight.ca/bc/
October 16 - 31 - One has to go a little out of Cloverdale for this one but Potter's Nursery in the Newton area is hosting its annual Potter's House of Horrors each night from Oct 16 - 31 between 6pm and 10pm at 12530 72nd Avenue. Tickets cost $13 each. Between 6pm and 7pm, family hour tickets are $10 each. During this hour the actors and noise levels are toned down to make it less scary. No refunds if anyone decides to exit early!
Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch located at 18507 20 Avenue is open on weekends from 10am to 5pm to pick pumpkins. A tractor pulling a hay wagon takes you out to the field to choose a pumpkin. There is also a small petting zoo.
October 17, Saturday - The Cloverdale Legion located at 17567 57 Avenue is hosting Oktoberfest starting at 5pm. Sausages, potatoes, sauerkraut, veggies and dessert for $9.50.
October 31, Saturday - Halloween! Every year Cloverdale hosts a parade on the Saturday nearest Halloween, and this is one of few years that they hit it on the button. The parade starts at 2pm. There is more information on registering children here http://www.cloverdalebia.com/cgi-bin/itsmy/go.exe?page=13&domain=1&webdir=cloverdale
October 3, Saturday - The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is having a Light the Night walk held at the Millenium Park on 176th Street and 64th Avenue starting at 5:30. For more information http://www.lightthenight.ca/bc/
October 16 - 31 - One has to go a little out of Cloverdale for this one but Potter's Nursery in the Newton area is hosting its annual Potter's House of Horrors each night from Oct 16 - 31 between 6pm and 10pm at 12530 72nd Avenue. Tickets cost $13 each. Between 6pm and 7pm, family hour tickets are $10 each. During this hour the actors and noise levels are toned down to make it less scary. No refunds if anyone decides to exit early!
Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch located at 18507 20 Avenue is open on weekends from 10am to 5pm to pick pumpkins. A tractor pulling a hay wagon takes you out to the field to choose a pumpkin. There is also a small petting zoo.
October 17, Saturday - The Cloverdale Legion located at 17567 57 Avenue is hosting Oktoberfest starting at 5pm. Sausages, potatoes, sauerkraut, veggies and dessert for $9.50.
October 31, Saturday - Halloween! Every year Cloverdale hosts a parade on the Saturday nearest Halloween, and this is one of few years that they hit it on the button. The parade starts at 2pm. There is more information on registering children here http://www.cloverdalebia.com/cgi-bin/itsmy/go.exe?page=13&domain=1&webdir=cloverdale
More bad driving around Cloverdale
Right now 60th Avenue between 176th and 177B Streets is closed for road construction. There are several signs around announcing the closure between September 28 and October 3. (I think! Maybe its the 2nd!) There are plenty of detour signs around too. Basically this has clogged up traffic in both directions on 58th Avenue between those 2 streets. I see a lot of traffic travelling southbound on 176th aka Cloverdale Bypass in the left hand turn lane to turn up 58th Avenue to get around the closure.
Yesterday, Wednesday September 30, I was out at the Honeybee Centre to pick up a free jar of cranberry honey courtesy of a free coupon that came in the mail. I also purchased a jar of raspberry honey while I was there. I'm coming back to Cloverdale on 176th Street coming up to 60th Avenue. I'm in the curb lane because I need to turn right a little ahead. There is a lot of traffic in the left lane. The left hand turn lane from 176th to turn onto 60th Avenue is blocked with pylons. And oddly enough I watch one of the cars in the lane next to me duck between the pylons and get in the left hand turn lane. There are 2 other cars already in the left lane, closer to the intersection. Where do they think they're going to go? 60th Avenue is completely blocked with barricades so no one will drive up there. So now these cars in the left hand turn lane have turned on their right indicators and trying to get back into traffic. There is a huge line of traffic and no one is letting them back in. What are they thinking? That the pylons set up on the left hand turn lane are there for driving practice to weave in and out?
This morning - October 1 - at 8am I was on 188th Street, heading north, and stopped at the traffic light at 64th Avenue. In the oncoming lane across the street from me are vehicles ready to cross the intersection and one truck in the left hand turn lane. Our light turns green. I'm in a newer model Vibe and have good pick up, so away I go but that truck hits the gas, cuts me off, and turns left - east up 64th Avenue. I hit the horn. What a dangerous move, especially when its pouring rain and streets are slick. And get this. He's driving a company truck. I read Fraser River Excavating on the side of the door. I can't figure out why companies allow dangerous drivers to operate their company vehicles that identifies themselves. Talk about bad advertising. Not that I have any reason to use the services of a company that excavates. Can only assume some of their employees are working in the new subdivision areas in Clayton.
When I was returning back to Cloverdale around 8:30 I was headed down 64th Avenue. There is a steep hill between 181A and 180th Streets. Between 7am and 9am on weekdays there is a sign stating no left turns onto 180th Street. And sure enough there is a car with its left turn indicator flashing wanting to turn left on 180th and all the cars on 64th were ducking around it on the shoulder. By the time I got there he'd got a break in traffic and made his turn.
Yup, this town is becoming a haven for bad drivers.
Yesterday, Wednesday September 30, I was out at the Honeybee Centre to pick up a free jar of cranberry honey courtesy of a free coupon that came in the mail. I also purchased a jar of raspberry honey while I was there. I'm coming back to Cloverdale on 176th Street coming up to 60th Avenue. I'm in the curb lane because I need to turn right a little ahead. There is a lot of traffic in the left lane. The left hand turn lane from 176th to turn onto 60th Avenue is blocked with pylons. And oddly enough I watch one of the cars in the lane next to me duck between the pylons and get in the left hand turn lane. There are 2 other cars already in the left lane, closer to the intersection. Where do they think they're going to go? 60th Avenue is completely blocked with barricades so no one will drive up there. So now these cars in the left hand turn lane have turned on their right indicators and trying to get back into traffic. There is a huge line of traffic and no one is letting them back in. What are they thinking? That the pylons set up on the left hand turn lane are there for driving practice to weave in and out?
This morning - October 1 - at 8am I was on 188th Street, heading north, and stopped at the traffic light at 64th Avenue. In the oncoming lane across the street from me are vehicles ready to cross the intersection and one truck in the left hand turn lane. Our light turns green. I'm in a newer model Vibe and have good pick up, so away I go but that truck hits the gas, cuts me off, and turns left - east up 64th Avenue. I hit the horn. What a dangerous move, especially when its pouring rain and streets are slick. And get this. He's driving a company truck. I read Fraser River Excavating on the side of the door. I can't figure out why companies allow dangerous drivers to operate their company vehicles that identifies themselves. Talk about bad advertising. Not that I have any reason to use the services of a company that excavates. Can only assume some of their employees are working in the new subdivision areas in Clayton.
When I was returning back to Cloverdale around 8:30 I was headed down 64th Avenue. There is a steep hill between 181A and 180th Streets. Between 7am and 9am on weekdays there is a sign stating no left turns onto 180th Street. And sure enough there is a car with its left turn indicator flashing wanting to turn left on 180th and all the cars on 64th were ducking around it on the shoulder. By the time I got there he'd got a break in traffic and made his turn.
Yup, this town is becoming a haven for bad drivers.
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