1 day of Picaroons!

I love me a good challenge.

I was totally unaware that Picaroons made the 12 Days of Christmas beer [challenge].  Each day they brew one keg of special beer.  You have to race down at noon time (or saunter down whenever you feel like it) to get the beer, cause once it is gone it is gone.

I do really love their product.  A little Yippee IPA always goes down well.  I remember being introduced to Winter Warmer by J$ at Wilser's Room - any my life has never been the same since!  (Love it when winter rolls in so I can get me some!  Makes skating home on the unshoveled sidewalks so much more fun!)

I had a pretty sad and horrible weekend.  So I was mighty glad to be invited to the Sweetest house for Sunday dinner.  Roast chicken with all the fixin's.   And what would compliment that meal ... well a growler of "Snowman's Best Friend" of course.

 A lovely Peppermint beer.  Sounds horrible (I did want to mix with the `Nog at first, and those that know me know I don`t do `nog!) but I was delightfully impressed.  Not overpoweringly pepperminty, and also not too stouty.  (Those are new "-y" words I just made up BTW!)

I probably will not be able to partake in an other days of the Picaroons Christmas beers, but glad I got to try this one!

Finish Being a Hooker

I am not sure if one can ever finish being a hooker ... it is rather relaxing, and I do find it a great way to spend my evenings!!

Thank you to Mary Maxim for opening up my eyes to a whole new hobby!!  I am looking forward to my next hooking adventure!

I would like to title my first hooking project as "You're so vain - I bet you hooked a rug about you"

I have seen some really beautiful pieces and I would really like to try some other styles, but I thought this was a good start.  I bought this kit through Mary Maxim, and enjoyed doing it, but the only complaint would be the quality of the yarn - I found it to be too ... cheap.  That won't stop me from doing another one, though I would love some guidance on how to kick it up a notch.

A very enjoyable hobby!  Knitting hurts my left hand, XStitch is also great but hurts my eyes, so this seems to be a great new option (and my right arm is more defined after wrestling with the hook and cloth!)

And to fully transition myself into a 90 year old crazy cat lady ... I present you with this ...

Go to Scoop and Save

Whoooaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh ....

That was the sound of the inner me as I entered into paradise - otherwise known as Scoop and Save.

Living in Freddy sans Auto can be a bit annoying at times, and it means that you often miss out on hidden gems such as this store.  (To set the record perfectly straight, I did rent a car once and made the trek up the hill, only to find that Scoop and Save was closed on Sundays.  And to set the record even more straight, I had rented the car to visit with my Mom, not just to go to S&S!)

If you were looking to buy German chocolate that was wrapped in tie-dye linen paper, and was made using blueberries that were grown on an organic farm in the only German city beginning with X, and featured a smiling baby with four teeth on the wrapper, you could probably find said item in this store.  Talk about random finds!!  I found my favourite German Printen (ginger cookies) from the city of Aachen and some British candy drops that help relax you when you fly.  As I look into my shopping bag now I discover some candied ginger, mango diet tea, chocolate shaped into Euro bills, pasta in the shape of Bier Steins (the last two will be prizes for my classes next semester ... that is if I don't eat them all first!), salted licorice, and perhaps my most interesting find ... a barley toy?!?!?

I was only slightly berated by the crowd around me at the cash desk for not knowing about this Atlantic Canada tradition.  The Sweet one regaled me with stories of her dad and barley toys.  The man behind me warned me they could pull out all my teeth, but they were so sweet and good. (He also pulled out his hard tack and told me this was another Christmas favourite - and as I re-read that sentence it sounds horrible!! and very unlady like!! But I am leaving it!!)  And the woman at the cash just giggled and told me to buy one.

So I am now the proud owner of a Camel barley toy.  I realize I am firmly outting myself as someone from away, but I don't quite get it.  As far as I can tell this is not a toy ... and I am certainly hoping it tastes nothing like barley!! 

In conclusion, I wish to give the Scoop and Save experience two thumbs up! (and that's not just because we went to Boston Pizza afterwards for our usual feeding)   I now know where to go when I need the most exotic ingredients I can imagine.  Awesome store!!

Check out the Christmas Lights!

Last year was this ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itPLuhqN2v8&list=UUrXWvMgk34w8snbolvVXRbw&index=1 

This year was  ....

Awesome!!
Great fun ... but not sure I needed the DQ!

Try three new resto/bars ... two down

I love Greek food!

I don't necessarily love the "eat too much garlic so it seems like something died in your mouth" feeling you get the next day, but that certainly doesn't stop me from indulging in the Greek.

So to my utter shock and dismay, I have somehow managed to never have eaten at Freddy's Greek joint, Dimitri's ... that is until recently with the Sweetest people and D.

My rating:

Ambiance:  Every restaurant should have Greek Barbie dolls tacked to the wall behind cellophane held on with thumb tacks, and pictures hung at ceiling level

Wine: A very generous portion of Greek wine in thimble sized banquet classes.

Hummus: See above with comment about garlic feeling ... but oh so good!!!

Chicken Souvlaki:  Yum!! Great with the Greek salad, rice and potatoes ...  

Company:  Couldn't ask for anything better! 

Great experience.  Nothing will ever meet my Mezes on the Danforth (have even tried a couple trips to Greece but even the real stuff cannot beat Mike and the Boys at Mezes), but this was a wonderful treat to try!  Wouldn't not say no to another trip!!

Opa!!!

Try three new restos/bars ... one down

Danke B for inviting me out to the new Japanese restaurant in town - Naru.

 http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/235/1701903/restaurant/Atlantic-Provinces/Naru-Japanese-Cuisine-Fredericton

I have had some hit and miss Japanese cuisine so I will admit that I am always a bit leery, but I have also heard amazing reviews for this place.  (A plus always a fun time out with B!)  I was certainly not disappointed by this lovely fare.  Great food, great company, couldn't ask for anything more!

Looking forward to returning again soon.   サムズアップ - is my review!

Go to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery

Am taking this back a couple weeks ...

Lil Samps came to visit yours truly in Freddy Beach and our Sunday activities included going (finally!!) to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery.  I had a lovely time with my good friend, and I really enjoyed talking about the art in the gallery.

I should really try and go again (be it to spend some more time with the Dalis, or just enjoy the art).  But for now I am happy that I accomplished going for my first time!

Danke Samps!!