The sum of all parts

Connecting the dots is a regular theme these days across the fields of work and play. It's worth noting that one size does not fit all when it comes to where we work - we should change people/environments/tools as needed to foster better communication and creativity.

Here are some things that are part of the daily inspiration:

[Geek Chic]
Attention Surplus - new podcast that "explores the intersection of technology, culture and purpose" - episode #2 is up and about some online options to give back.

[Creatively Speaking]
Excited about the upcoming Artist Project - Toronto, showcasing the talents of Canadian independent artists

[Let's get Digital]
A Facebook integration where your find out your milky future...

[Pages]
A night at the Red Lobster is a short story that was fully satisfying in a novel way.

[Seen]
As a pre-Oscar warm up decided to revisit a few oldies The Godfather (III stinks), Dead Poet's Society and Possible Worlds (Robert Lepage - interesting/odd of course).

[Yum]
Had a great meal of Japanese 'bar food' last week at Godzilla/Ima Dake on St. Catherine W. Excellent choices of fish and a great seafood pancake. They also serve ramen.

[Heard]
New releases from Ron Sexsmith [love the title 'long player, late bloomer'], Hey Rosetta, and Adele's video are all on rotation right now...

[Travels]
Toronto and NYC on the radar, looking forward to a little bump and hustle in both!

And so it begins....

The year of doing things differently.  Work, play, sport, eating - everything is going to be up for grabs and as macro-planned as possible.  The interesting part will be discipline (which I generally lack), so I will need to set up some kind of framework in order to get things done.  The nice part is, I'll be on my own clock. 

otherwise, here's some other things made me tick:

[Geek Chic]
Pre-fab(ulous) housing: Mini Homes by Sustain Design Studio

[Creatively Speaking]
By hand, in small batches, soap by Amarais Artisan

[Let's get Digital]
This could change the way we see things: Google art project

[Screened]
Blue Valentine - well done, not a date movie :-)

[Pages]
Reading Palo Alto by James Franco - short stories of teen angst - uneven but interesting.

[La vie locale]
Talon Courier someone finally delivers!

[Trippin']
Skied Sutton this week - each day was a completelly different experience, from powder to spring skiing and back to -20, magical glades make it all worthwile.

A few of my favourite things...

.... reading in my deep clawfoot bathtub * staying in bed reading the newspaper * spending the day flitting from one thing to another with no pressing agenda * watching snow fall outside from the inside * laughing until I'm exhausted * short burst of intensive anything...

and the other things that kept or caught my attention this week:


[Geek Chic]
I want to go to there...Alex Bogusky's Fearless Cottage

[Creatively Speaking]
Kid Koala's Music to Draw to is back on for the next three Mondays, 7pm, Theatre St. Catherine (264 St. Catherine).

[Let's get Digital]
The State of Wikipedia

[Yum!]
Le Fabrique - enjoyed a good (albeit slightly too rich) meal with lovely bubbles, a nice option in this stretch of St. Denis. Will definitely tr brunch next.

[Screened]
HOWL - Interesting mix media rendition of Ginsberg's experience and the poem.

[Pages]
Reading Freedom by Jonathan Franzen, has the same underlying tone as the Corrections, curious to see where it goes.

[Ca m'interesse]
Jim Bryson and the Weakerthans in Montreal, Feb 10

[Trippin']
Skied in Maine (Sugarloaf) - great terrain and views, old school vibe including slow chairs :-)

Stepping out

First two days of the new year are off to a good start, long mornings, daily discoveries and another friend turns 40. Spent a nice long week in Toronto, here's some of what I came across:

[Geek Chic]
Innovative Diaries

[Creatively speaking]
social product development - ideas to the test

[Pages]
Through Black Spruce - Joseph Boyden

The Monocle - briefings on global affairs, business, culture and design

[Scene]
Well, two out of three isn't bad - the film about JP is a waste, but the other two were a pleasure...
- Black Swan
- True Grit
- I'm Still Here

Saw the Julian Schnabel show at the AGO - massive works tied to film. Also stumbled upon their current exhibit on Coach House Press and related art scene.

[Yum!]
Spent a lot of time walking the city supported by the many coffee shops and none disappointed - special mentions to The Tempered Press, Ideal and Ezra's Pound. A good initiative is the Indie Coffee Passport to promote said shops around the city.

Had nice meals at Frank, The Grilled Cheese,Banu,Salt and Paese. All recommended, will be interested to see if Salt will be consistent.

Let the games begin

Hibernation countdown - starting to pull books, creative projects, ideas and planning to surf and sleep the entire month of February.

Meanwhile have a few weeks of catching up to do with family, friends and brain food. Here's a go of what's in front of me:

[Words]
Re-reading "The Berlin Stories" by Christopher Isherwood
Hating [but tub reading] "The Death of Bunny Munro by Nick Cave
In Spanish & English, "Fully Empowered" by Pablo Neruda

[Opinions]
Check out Urban Food Production

[yum]
While in Toronto next week will be eating at Fressen, Banu and Osteria...reviews to follow

Back to the drawing board...

As the weather cools, time to change activities and add some layers. Here's a few things that have kept me distracted of late:

[Yum!]
Foxley - Toronto joint that has many small plates of goodness.

[Heard]
Bought a baglama or two in Greece - december holiday with the family may never be the same!

[Ca m'interesse]
People's Food Policy Project

[Lu]
The Winter Vault ****
The Year of the Flood ****
The Friends of Meager Fortune ****
Palestinian Walks: Notes on a Vanishing Landscape ****

15 days in Greece

Athens
From the lukewarm response I heard about Athens - it's clear not many people really get to know the city. It's an amazing place of contrasts and offers so much to be discovered with relative ease. Had a great time touring sites and galleries, shopping [EU!] and my favourite part, the wholesale districts, central and flea markets. Had nice sunny weather and with a map, set of in a different direction daily.

Stayed at Hotel Attalo - close to everything including the metro, had breakfast room and rooftop bar, very reasonable and helpful, friendly staff.

In addition to eating street food (corn, chestnuts, pretzels) and snacking through the markets, had a great meal at Filema where the waiter treated (and joined for) me to Mastiha, and Bliss, where the organic Greek beer flowed :-)

More on Filema is here http://dineoutathens.blogspot.com

Bought a baglama (small bouzouki) at John Samuelian's shop which was full of local musician and met an Iranian musician who promises to try and visit Montreal on his future Cdn tour...i'll post more info when I hunt down his moo card (which I loved seeing so far away from NA, they remind me of a present day calling card)

Thessaloniki
Greece's second largest city - like Athens very diverse and beautiful in a 'gritty' way (thanks H&J), despite light rain all three days, quickly got the lay of the land and walked it easily.

Stayed at Hotel Egnatia - similar to hotel in Athens, and good location. Thess has a central market and a lovely waterfront to wander along. A university accounts for a large student population, out in force while I was there protesting against the government's and country's financial affairs (which are beyond dire in case you haven't heard - interesting article here from Vanity Fair that I had read on the way over...)

Ate at Mylovos where I had my first (and probably last) glass of Greek wine - just brutal but food and atmosphere was worth it. Thess also has a lot of well known sweet shops (every two feet it seems), so sampled cookies and cream-filled pastries, worked off (I hope) with all those walks.

Agios Germanos, Prespa
Once off the train in Florina, was picked up and driven about 1 hour north to visit friends in the village of Agios Germanos. As a country mouse the days were filled with walks, talks, eating, drinking and singing [70 songs?] with a day trip to Albania and massage by Spanish hands thrown in for good measure. Hopefully the pictures will do it some justice (given "micro-climate" it was foggy most days) and you can read more here

all trip pics here - let me know if you have any questions.