Robbie Burns Supper

Robbie Burns
Born January 25, 1759

Last night we attended a Robbie Burns Supper as guests of my brother, Ken, put on by his Lodge at the Masonic Centre.  This has been a wonderful family tradition for over 4 years now. 

The program follows the order of service for Robbie Burns suppers, so after the piping in of the head table guests and the Toast to the Queen, there is the traditional "Selkirk Grace" written by Robbie Burns:

"Some hae meat and cannot eat.
Some cannot eat that want it:
But we hae meat and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.'

 

This is followed by the "Parade of the Haggis" when guests stand and clap their hands while welcoming the haggis which is accompanied by bagpipes of course, and the platter is set down on its own table at the front of the room:



Parade of the Haggis

Each table then received their own haggis:

Our Haggis

The tradition then requires a proper "Address to the Haggis" in gaelic before the knife is plunged into the haggis to rip it open:

Next, we had the traditional supper of:

Cock-a-leekie soup

Roast Beef (prime rib), with gravy, bashed neeps,

mashed tattie and wee green things, with haggis of course:

After dinner there is always entertainment, and this year the North Shore Celtic Ensemble was featured.  I had never heard of this group before and they were wonderful.  A group of young students, mainly from the North Shore of Vancouver playing traditional Scottish and Irish music, fiddle music as well as original compositions:

You can find out more about this group from their website:  http://www.nsce.ca/

The evening carried on with the "Immortal Memory" - a speech in honour/memory of Robbie Burns, a toast to Robbie Burns, a "Toast to the Lassies" and a response.  Robbie Burns Day is celebrated all around the world.

Hoito Restaurant, Thunder Bay, ON

Neil grew up in Fort William/Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay) ON, and has great memories of riding on his bike to pick up bread at the Kivela Finnish Bakery and the family going for meals at the Hoito Restaurant/Finlandia Club, 314 Bay Street, Thunder Bay.

We recently learned that the Hoito Restaurant is being featured on the Food Network's "You Gotta Eat Here" program and has been noted as one of the top ethnic restaurants in North America.

The Hoito celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010.  Thunder Bay at one time had the largest population of Finns outside of Finland, drawn by the forestry and mining industries.  The Hoito Restaurant is in the basement of the Finlandia Hall, and features Finnish style food.  It is famous for its Finnish pancakes, of course.

Finnish Pancakes from the Hoito

According to the souvenir placemat which of course Neil saved from our last visit there years ago, the Hoito Restaurant originated with Finnish bushworkers at a camp near Nipigon.  These single guys had no trouble finding accommodation in the town, but couldn't find a decent meal at a good price.

So they held a meeting, raised money in small loans from prospective customers and commenced operations at the current location.  The restaurant has hearty food in large portions, low prices.  Originally diners ate at large communal tables accommodating up to 12 people.

Here are some pictures from the souvenir placemat:

Joan's 75th Birthday

Neil's sister, Joan, celebrates her 75th birthday today!  Born in Flin Flon, Manitoba in the middle of winter - she was a beautiful baby.

Joan as a baby - this was actually a postcard
which I assume her parents mailed to family and friends.

The family moved a few times and eventually settled in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), ON.

Joan as a baby being held by her mother, Gertie.

Joan as a teenager - note the saddle shoes

The family moved from Port Arthur, ON to Vancouver in December, 1953 so that the children could live at home while attending university.  Joan quickly became popular among her high school classmates at Magee.

Joan posing in the back garden of their Vancouver home

High School Graduation Picture - 1955

Joan modelling - note the 1950s full skirt with crinoline

A recent picture of Joan, taken in her home with granddaughter, Gabby

Happy Birthday Joan, and many more healthy, happy years to come.

Miho Museum, Japan

Sunday night we had dinner at Minerva's Restaurant in Kerrisdale with a business associate of Neil's, Earl, and his wife Hanna.  They wanted to talk to us about their upcoming trip to Japan, and get ideas of special places to visit there.  Neil and I spent three weeks in Japan in April, 2003.  After dinner they came back to our home to look at our Japan pictures.  This sure brought back memories for Neil and I.  We had spent 8 days in Tokyo, 4 nights in Kyoto and 2 nights in Osaka.  We made many day trips out of Tokyo and Kyoto.

One of the biggest highlights of our touring throughout Japan was spending a day getting to and from the Miho Museum, located about one hour by train/bus from Kyoto.  We took public transit, first by train, then bus to the JR Ishiyama train station. From there we took a taxi up the mountain to the museum, which had opened just the year before.  So there was no regular bus service from the train station to the museum then, but there is now.

The Miho Museum was designed by world famous architect, I. M. Pei, who designed the Grand Louvre glass triangle in Paris.  The museum was the dream of a family in Japan who had collected many interesting art objects and antiquities from ancient civilizations - the Middle East, Greece, Asia, China and Italy.

But it is the spectacular design of the museum - including the approach and its setting in the wooded mountains that makes you gasp with delight and amazement.

Entrance - Parking Lot

Spectacular Entrance way from the Parking Lot - Tunnel bored through the mountain

Coming out of the Tunnel at the other end and approaching the Museum

Arial View of the Museum Complex - from the Museum website

View from Main Floor Lobby Entrance to the Museum -
large windows which bring in the outdoors - pine trees, forests and mountains

Another view inside the entrance way - this shows of I.M. Pei's design
of the roof complex form underneath

Looking down the long hall to the right of the entrance

Close up of the tile mosaic in the floor in the above picture

Egyptian Statute

Oriental Statue

Saying one last goodbye in the lobby of the museum - spectacularly beautiful

This was truly the most memorable part of our visit to Japan, and I highly recommend that visitors make the effort to get to this site.  The air and the drinking water were much purer and satisfying to the soul.  Lovely restaurant too.

Nephew Sam's Birthday

Our nephew, Sam, turns 22 today.  He is presently an Honours Political Science student at the University of British Columbia. 

We had a wonderful birthday celebration last night for him.  First, we held a family dinner at Bistrot Bistro on West 4th Avenue, a boutique French Restaurant, that reminded Sam of the 2010 - 2011 year he spent in Paris France at SciencesPo.  The restaurant features comfort French food such as Boeuf Bourguigon, Fisherman Stew, Lamb Shank, all a la carte.  Sides included yummy mashed garlic cream pototoes, frites and ratatouille and we started with a fresh baquette with olive tapenade.  I will certainly go back.  Afterwards we all went to Linda and Shelly's home for a delicious chocolate birthday cake.

Sam studied International Relations at SciencesPo which hosts over 1,200 international students per year.  He had an opportunity to explore Paris while living there for about 10 months.

Last night while eating birthday cake, we each shared our memories of Sam growing up - both funny and reflective.  Here are a few memories of Sam in pictures:

                            Sam - Just a few weeks old, held by his proud Dad, Ken

Being held by Uncle Neil, who looks terrified at holding such a small baby!

Sam as a toddler - isn't he darling!

As a teenage - with long hair!

Here he looks more clean cut

Sam at about 15 years old - He was a fabulous Baseball Player - pitching and Centre Field

Sam at 18 - Graduation from Kitsilano High School, Vancouver

Sam on the fashion runway in Paris - He was asked to model in a Fashion Show

Sam exploring Paris

Elly Griffiths' "Ruth Galloway Mysteries"

A few weeks ago I reviewed the first two books that I had read in the new British murder mystery series created and written by Elly Griffiths: The Crossing Places and The Janus Stone.  I impatiently waited to get my hands on book #3 from the Vancouver Public Library and my reserve came up much quicker than I thought.  I  have finished reading it and found it just as absorbing as the first two.  It is a delight to get involved in the lives of so many characters on a continuing basis.

The third book is "House at Sea's End", and it continues with the adventures of Dr. Ruth Galloway, a forensic archaeologist, who is called to assist in police cases which involve the discovery of human bones, and to work closely with DCI Harry Nelson, the investigating officer.

This book is set in a remote area of the Norfolk coast - the town of Broughton set on a cliff at the sea's edge, that is being eroded by the ocean and wind.  Elly Griffiths gives us the following picture on her website of an ocean side cliff that inspired Broughton Sea's End:

At the beginning of the story, bodies are found wedged into a deep recess in the cliff.  Forensic testing subsequently done by Dr. Galloway reveals quite a bit of information about them.  Secrets about the activities of the Home Guard during WWII are revealed through detective work, uniting Dr. Galloway and DCI Nelson yet again in solving the mystery.  An engrossing read.

Boxing Week Sales with Neil

I took my husband Neil shopping during the Boxing Week sales, looking for a new blazer for him.  This was under protest as he said his current blazer was "just fine" but of course it is worn out and shabby.  Trust wives to know this.

So off we went to the Bay, first Oakridge, where they didn't have his size in the chosen blazer by Nautica - he wanted the blazer with the snazzy buttons.  Knowing that the Bay would have more selection at the bigger, downtown Vancouver store,  I enticed Neil to shop the next day at the downtown Bay by promising him a fun day - visiting the Vancouver Art Gallery, lunch, and then touring through the lobby of the beautiful Hotel Vancouver all decorated for the season.  This was all on the recommendation of my friend Jenny of Pearson Report.  It made for a delightful day.

Fortunately we were in luck and found his new blazer in the correct size very quickly at the downtown Bay.  Couldn't persuade him to continue shopping so off we went for a quick bit to eat and then to the Vancouver Art Gallery, where they are featuring an exhibit called "Shore, Forest and Beyond, from the Michael Audain Collection".  The exhibit is on until January 29, 2012 and I recommend it.

This exhibit features carved First Nations masks, original art by Emily Carr, some painting by members of the Group of Seven, and several magnificent pieces by E. J. Hughes.

The Emily Carr paintings on display were mainly much brighter and colourful, than those Emily Carr paintings I have seen before - which were dark, deep in the forest.  But you can see from the following picture (from the VGA website), called War Canoes, Alert Bay 1912, what I mean - lots of colour, and brightness:

 

There are no pictures of the E.J. Hughes paintings which were included in the exhibit on the VAG website, but there is a wonderful website for E.J. Hughes Gallery in Duncan, BC:  www.ejhughes.ca.  I am certainly going to visit it the next time we are going by Duncan on Vancouver Island.  Here is an example of his work, copied from E.J. Hughes Gallery website.  This print is available for purchase for $2,500.

Nanaimo Harbour as it looked in 1948 with the CPR Princess Boats/Ferries

 

After the VAG, we walked across to the Hotel Vancouver lobby were we took in the special decorations for the season.  Here are pictures taken in the lobby:

Candy Cane House

Close up of the window in the Candy Cane House - lots of candy canes and candies.

Then we walked over to the lobby of the Sutton Place Hotel to take in their special Christmas trees:

This one has peacock's on it.

Close up of the peacock feathers.

A tree decorated to celebrate music.

So a shopping expedition made into a fun day!

Nephew Chris in New Brunswick

Our nephew, Chris, decided to stay in New Brunswick over the Christmas break instead of flying home to Vancouver.  He is living in Fredericton for a year, taking the UNB teacher's certificate program.  He already has his Master's Degree in Math & Chemistry and decided he would like to become a high school teacher.  Being in Fredericton, a smaller town than Vancouver, appealed to him and his love of the outdoors.

Over the  Christmas break he is visiting his friends in Hartland, New Brunswick, home of the longest covered bridge in the world!

Anyway, Chris sent us this picture of himself petting a deer outside his friend's home:

As you can see, they had a white Christmas.

Visiting Santa Claus/ Woodward's Christmas Windows

Walking through the malls lately, you cannot escape the Santa Claus photo stations, with the lineups of parents and their young children, eyes all aglow in the wonder of telling Santa Claus what they want for Christmas.

Here are a couple of related old family photos:

The above picture is of Santa and me when I was about 4 years old.  Note the doll!  It would have been taken at Woodwards' downtown as my mother used to take me downtown on the interurban tram line from Burnaby to downtown which had a station near our home in the Collingwood & Joyce Streets area.

The above painting is by Brian Croft and features the interurban trams plus the Woodwards Christmas windows.  Visit his website to see more wonderful paintings feauturing historic items from Vancouver's history:  www.briancroft.com

Woodwards Christmas Window

The Downtown Woodwards Store

The above picture is Santa, my younger sister, Linda, and me taken probably Christmas 1953 when Linda was about 2 1/2 years old.  Linda looks terrified!  Note my scabbed knee, socks falling down, and scuffy shoes!

New British Murder Mysteries

I enjoy reading British murder mysteries such as those by P.D. James and Elizabeth George but have read most of their books so I keep looking for new authors to enthral me.  Suggestions are welcome!

The Vancouver Sun a few months ago featured a book review on the second book by author, Elly Griffiths, called "The Janus Stone".  The review made it clear that it would be best to read the first book "The Crossing Places" before continuing with the second.  The author is branding each of these books as "A Ruth Galloway Mystery".

"The Crossing Places" introduces you to Dr. Ruth Galloway, a middle aged, single woman living in a secluded cottage located near seaside marshland in Norfolk.  Dr. Galloway is a forensic archaeologist who teaches at the local university.  The story starts with her being called upon by DCI Harry Nelson to analyze human remains found on the marshland which he thinks are those of a child, Lucy Downey, who went missing 10 years prior.  These bones turn out to be centuries old, but then another child goes missing and the investigative tale begins.  I found the plot absorbing, but not so complex with overlapping stories as to be confusing.

I then read the second book, "The Janus Stone", also featuring Dr. Galloway and DCI Nelson, with their relationship getting more complex.  Again, they investigate situations where bones are recovered from ancient archaeological sites.  I recommend this one as well.

The third book in the series "The House at Sea's End" has been published and I have reserved it at VPL.  Can hardly wait to read it.