New Year's Lunch

Bill and I celebrated our 27th anniversary yesterday on the 1st day of the New Year. It was raining so we caught the streetcar up to Queen Street West. I liked the look of this tractor but it didn't look good through the camera. I handed the camera to Bill and he got the picture.

The slick streets made everything look gorgeous, especially this rickshaw.

There was plenty of evidence of New Year's Eve reveling. Evidently this person  had had enough of it all.

The Shanghai Cowgirl Diner was absolutely packed when we walked in at one o'clock

but we spotted and empty table for two. The Cowgirl had laid in lots of staff for New Years Day so we had excellent service. Their service is always excellent anyway and so warm and friendly.

Bill had a classic burger and fries. I had their spinach salad with sauteed mushrooms and peppers. Yum!

People watching was fun.

The rain had let up when we stepped outside but all the surfaces were still reflective so we decided to walk for awhile and look for pictures.

Is this another sign of last night's revelry -- layers of posters torn and slashed and now hanging limp in the rain.

The owner of Cabaret Vintage Boutique always has such great window displays.

We joined the mannequins in bravely facing the new year.

We walked as far as Trinity Bellwoods Park. It started to rain again so we hopped on the TTC to get back to our cozy nest for the rest of the afternoon. 

Christmas Day

Bill and I were lucky enough to be invited to spend Christmas Day with some of our oldest friends. Look at this inviting, comfortable living room, with it's lovely snacks. I can highly recommend the sausage rolls!

The table in the dining room says, "You have been invited to dinner!"

I peaked out into the back yard. Just enough snow to make it look like Christmas.

We were going to have a gift-less Christmas this year, but the gifts crept back in on their own. How does that happen?

It was so much fun to be with friends old and new,

enjoying the snacks, and catching up.

Soon it was time to fill our plates

and take our places at the table.

Bill and Harriet in Christmas Cracker crowns.

And here is our traditional Christmas dinner. Roast turkey and stuffing with roasted potatoes, steamed brussels sprouts, mashed yams, green beans fried in butter with garlic and slivered almonds, and the whole plate set off by a home-made pomegranate chutney. It is here we become mindful of our many blessings.

[2 Jan 2011] Here is a postscript -- a photograph taken by one of our Christmas hosts: a welcome reminder that their back garden will flourish again.

David Sedaris

Nancy heard David Sedaris read at Massey Hall last year and after the show asked him to autograph a book for her friends Bill and John. Sedaris asked Nancy questions about her friends and then inscribed the book she gave us.

 Please click on the picture to enlarge. Lovely!

Good Looking

This past November, I showed 28 new photographs at Arcadia Gallery. The pictures in Good Looking: Photographs by John Elmslie were taken in Toronto, New York, San Francisco and Rome.

Rob Gray designed the invitation. Rob also designed the invitation to my first show, The Floating World, in 2005, and the invitation to the show Bill and I had in 2007, The Phone on the Beach at Cefalù.

Lori Fox Rossi took this picture at the opening. Thanks, Lori! That's Bill in the green shirt.

Here is the long wall of the gallery one Saturday afternoon before I put the lights on. 

The motto for the show is by American painter Charles Burchfield: "Astonishment and wonder are the keynotes of this picture -- Eliminate all else - ".

We had a steady stream of visitors to the show on the three weekends. A few people booked private views on weeknights.

I enjoyed spending time with my pictures. It made me want to run out and take millions more pics!

Find all twenty-eight Good Looking photographs here.

Decorating Nancy's Christmas Tree

Every year Nancy invites her closest friends over to help her trim her tree. An indispensable ingredient of this party are Nancy's Poinsettia cocktails. Here are the ingredients all set out for the party.

It's a secret recipe, so I'll just say that to a base of chilled Prosecco

Add vodka, Grand Mariner liqueur, and pomegranate and cranberry juice.

Bill and I hadn't seen Nancy's son, Cal, in a while. It's always nice to see him.

This is Rebecca's first Poinsettia of the year. No-one is allowed near the tree until they've had at least two drinks.

We have Stephen to thank for putting up the enormous tree.

And so Bill and Rebecca begin.

This decoration found its way to the heart of the tree.

Nancy has an incredible collection of new and vintage ornaments.

We love this party.

A tremendous amount of care goes into getting the ornaments hung just right. Here's Nancy making last minute additions.

This house is one of my favourites.

Toronto bassist, Terry Wilkins, dropped by to say Hi and see the tree on his way to a gig.

Work done, we all tore into the highlight of the evening, Rebecca's legendary apple crumble. It was even more delicious than it looks. 

Kensington Party

Annellie and Dimitri had Bill and I and Harriet over on Saturday to meet some of their friends. That's Annellie, our hostess, with her back to us at the left.

Here's John. He and Mark are film editors like Annellie.

Our host, Dimitri, illustrator and animator.

Dimitri, Mark and Harriet.

Mark.

Bill took this picture of yours truly. The Christmas Season is officially open.