cake.

Grandma turned 90, I turned 20.
We all ate cake.

Dev.

big blue

  Rockwood. Old Baldy. Winnipeg. Winnipeg. -Bets

an older man.

A conversation I had this evening got me thinking about my numerous "celebrity crushes" on the veritably elderly. These are five older men I adore, admire, and aspire to emulate. 

Peter Mansbridge (63) - What's not to love about this long-time CBC news anchor? The intelligence; the passion for journalism; the rich, articulate voice; the sharp suits - and have you seen the way he blushes like a schoolboy when flirting with Claire Martin?? *swoon*

Lawrence Ferlinghetti (92) - As my favourite favourite favourite poet, and one of the fathers of the Beat Generation, there are few men I admire more than Mr. Ferlinghetti. His bookstore (City Lights) was, and is, an arts mecca in the Bay area. He was arrested for publishing Allen Ginsberg's Howl. He is a left-wing activist. And, as mentioned, he writes some damn fine poetry. 

Maurice Sendak (83) - While I've always loved Maurice's work, it was only recently (after watching a documentary by Spike Jonze) that I found myself obsessed with the man behind the picture books. What's not to love about this crotchety old Brooklynite? He is a true artist with a deep, obvious compulsion to create. Inspiring in the most intriguing way. 

Paul Simon (70) - Rhymin' Simon is the greatest songwriter of our time. That's all that needs to be said. Disagree? Go give Graceland a listen and get back to me. 

George Whitman (98) - Of all the names here, this might be the least well known. Whitman founded Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore (technically Shakespeare & Co. 2.0, Sylvia Beach ran the first one in the 20's,  but that's a different story), which has served as a meeting place and living space for writers abroad in Paris since 1951. I highly recommend this documentary and this book to anyone wanting to learn more about George, his store and his literary legacy. Wow, a man who owns a bookstore. Do I detect a pattern here...?

Dev. 

soup du jour.

winter means soup. 

lots of soup. 

Dev. 

niege.

I live in a town where winter is one half of the year, where we wait in annual anticipation of the first snow fall. If it is after Hallowe'en, it is late. This year, it was.

Almost more beautiful than the first smattering of snowflakes is the following morning, looking out the window at a crisp, cool world of white. By the afternoon it will be dirty, grey and melted. But for a few short hours, everything is perfect.

I walked to work on such a morning in a big red coat and cozy mukluks, Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah in my ears. It was nothing short of magical.

Dev.

Just Dance

Dance your worries away:

1.Midnight City- M83
2. Shuffle- Bombay Bicycle Club
3. I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance -Black Kids
4. Sweet Dreams - The Eurythmics
5. Sprawl of Glass - Arcade Fire Vs. Blondie
6. Kids- MGMT
7. Camilo (The Magician) -Said the Whale
8. A-Punk -Vampire Weekend

Give it a listen here.

Fluid.

-Bets