We're not in Kansas anymore: pt. 2

I got some strange looks from our hosts when I snapped this shot.  They couldn't understand why I would want to photograph a random car on a random street.  I had to explain that we don't have 'letting agencies' in Canada.  Also, it's not common for corner shops to advertise 'nougats, oysters, wafers' for sale.  Apparently 'oysters' are a sweet, which makes more sense than selling shellfish in a corner shop.


I'm glad I took the time to take shots like this.  Of course, photographer's remorse, I wish I had taken many more....

Friggin' in the riggin'

Last night, I was fortunate to attend the final artist talk by the NSCAD Lunenburg Artist Residents aboard the tall ship Providence.  It was an amazing setting, as you can see by this shot taken of a flag atop a nearby tall ship.


The occasional cannon blast from adjacent ships punctuated the talk, not unlike those in  Tchaikovsky 's 1812 Overture.  It sure kept us on our toes, who needs coffee when there is  a cannon blasting away?!


Good luck to Nadia, Lynette and Jason with their future endeavours!

We're not in Kansas anymore...

The end of my first day in Glasgow was in a Tesco Express in the Shawlands neighbourhood.  I wonder if anyone noticed (or cared) that I was taking pictures of every aisle in the store?  I'm glad I did and wish I had taken more product shots throughout the duration of the trip.  But, at some point I had to stow the camera, stop documenting everything and use my brain/camera instead.


I love the prodigious use of British flags on these boxes 'o' cake!  I wonder if it was a tie-in with the Royal Jubilee or if that's just the normal packaging?  


I was trying to think of an equivalent American or Canadian product that is swaddled in theat nation's flag?   How about you, faithful readers?  Do you have any examples of flag branding/packaging?


Also wishing I had bought a box of that Cherry Bakewell cake...it looks scrumptious!

Nice day for a street party

Later on in the afternoon, during our first day in Glasgow, we stumbled upon a West End music festival.  


All manner grilled food was on offer from various vendors and no shortage of pints.  Everyone seemed to be having a grand old time.

What's on this weekend? Bacon, eggs, beans and more bacon!

Time to get back to my usual routine of sharing out local community fundraiser/food events!

Two breakfasts on offer this weekend, all the other community groups and their volunteers must be at the beach or the cottage...

The Big Ex returns next week, kicking off on Tuesday with the SUPER popular street parade starting at 6 pm (bring a lawn chair and arrive early to scope out a good spot).  I might have to check out the wrasslin' event on Thursday the 26th...there's going to be a breakdancing/wrestling robot, I mean...C'MON!  Shockwave the Robot.  That is all.

Breakfasts

July 21, Saturday: 

Riverport and District Firemen's Breakfast, 

7:30- 11:30 a.m., 

usual menu, 

$7 adults; $3 children 6- 12; children 5 and under free. 

Next breakfast August 4.

Saturday, July 21
Benefit Breakfast For Fellow Firefighter and EMT, Robert Frampton. 

Bridgewater Fire Department,

7- 11 a.m. 

Bacon, Eggs, Hashbrowns, Toast, Baked Beans, Coffee/ Tea/ Juice. 

Adults $7; children, $4 (5 and under are free)

First proper pint

Within hours of landing in Glasgow, it didn't take too long before I had sampled my first pint of cask ale.

I sampled Kelburn's Goldihops ale.  It was smooth and malty with a nice hop'y finish...as one would hope and expect.  


Cask ales are not carbonated like North American beers making them more of a gulping drink rather than sipping mouthfuls of foam and maybe a little beer.  Also, casks are stored at cellar temperatures rather than refrigerated. This seems to unlock more aromatics and reveals more complexity in the ale's flavour.  If you have a basement in your domicile, I recommend storing your beer down there.  Put some in the fridge for your friends from Ontario who insist drinking beer at near freezing temperatures. 


Needless to say, my first experience with a traditional Scottish ale was not my last.  Bottom's up!

A wee bit 'o' kickabout

The day we arrived in Glasgow, we had an impromptu Dérive.  It was great, I got to see a lot of the city, ~10 km worth!  While in the city centre, I was lucky to snap this shot of some kids having fun kicking around the 'ole football.  


Glasgow was great, I recommend visiting it!  More pics from Glasgow and Scotland to follow, stay tuned!

Dem Clouds

Shot in my friend's back yard last Friday.  What a great way to end the day!

Greenfield Planked Salmon Supper: July 28th

I'm seeing lots of hits on the 'ole blog from folks looking for some info on this year's Greenfield Planked Salmon Supper.


From what I have scraped online, it looks like it is held on the last Saturday in July.  For 2012, that is July 28th.


Hope this info helps!


Here's a video I shot with my old point and shoot (apologies for the quality), showing the salmon cooking in front of the open fire.  Yummah!

Hula Hoops, Walker's Crisps and Twirl

File under: we're not in Kansas any more, Toto....or Canada, for that matter.


Shot in Glasgow's airport, while waiting for our bags to arrive and before I saw the "no photography" sign.  


For the duration of the trip, I was on an eat/drink things I can't get in Canada mission.  I tried all manner of crisps, candy and chocolate.  Perhaps not the healthiest of missions, but it was fun. 


Don't worry, mom.  I managed to eat some healthy food as well, eventually. 

Welcome to Flavour Country: Skyr

When in Iceland (or if you are lucky enough to find it in North America), you MUST try Skyr.  


Skyr is a delicious live culture milk product.  It is similar to yoghurt, technically it is a fresh acid-set cheese.  It is similar to Liberty's Méditerranée product, it is thick and chocked full of protein.


The packaging of this product was fun.  The spoon came nestled under the dome on the lid, folded in half. It clicked into place when unfolded.  The first, and not the last, of many design-y things I was to discover while in Iceland.


Skyr, a great start to the day...or any part of the day!

Even the garbage cans looked cool

Our first stop on our circumpolar tour, the Keflavik International airport in Iceland.  As you can see, this place is gorgeous.  As the title states, even the garbage cans looked cool.  You'll have to trust me on that one, somehow I didn't manage to snap a shot of one waste bin, for shame!

We finished our trip with a 5 hours stopover in Boston Logan airport.  Needless to say, Logan felt decidedly American and the contrast between the two reminded me that the Keflavik airport was very slick and 'design-y'.


More pics to follow in the days and weeks to come.

This was shot back in the middle of June, on an sunny day not unlike today.


Head on down to your local chip truck/dairy bar and go and fill up on soft serve and grease!

What lies beneath: Illex illecebrosus

So, I managed to land my first squid last night!  Turns out it is a Northern shortfin squid; aka Illex illecebrosus.


I think it was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time.  Getting it in the boat happened rather quickly so I can't recall exactly 'where' I got it with my mackerel jig.  I think it was likely in the non tentacle end (is that the head or tail?  Neither?).


Once it was over the gunwhale, it squirted ink all over the inside of the boat and in the bucket where we stuck it to try to contain that black self defence liquid.


After I arrived home, with the help of a youtube 'how to clean a squid' video, I managed to clean and cut up the tube.  Then, I tossed it in flour and quickly fried it in some hot olive oil.  You'd be hard pressed to find squid fresher than that!

Isle of Harris: Hike to an Abandoned Lighthouse on Scalpay

I'm back!  Uh...in case anyone wondered why I haven't been posting for the last two weeks, I have been travelling in Scotland and Iceland!


This shot was taken near an abandoned lighthouse in Scalpay.  Scalpay is on the Isle of Harris (or, Harris as the Scots call it) in the Outer Hebrides.  The coastal hike we took to get to the lighthouse is outlined here.  The hike was well marked and explained in a small booklet of Western Isles walking/hiking routes I picked up at a local shop.  It was amazing to see the Isle of Skye across the body of water (its name escapes me) from Harris.  Walking through peat covered hills reminded me I was not close to home.  Oystercatchers and other coastal birds were having a time as we rambled along the trail...and managed to avoid the rain that followed shortly after we returned to the car!


More shots and tales to follow...stay tuned!