Riverdale Farmers Market, Kiwi's in the Park, Bruce Willis and Roger Federer!

We've had a quiet time of late.... I say we and that is more the royal 'we' ...meaning me... because the boyfriend has been back in the States keeping face and pace with the locals at the 'Hopper and on various golf courses. ( He tells me he goes down there for work... but I dunno... sounds more like hijinks's at the 19th and recreation to me!) If he ever puts digit to keyboard you might hear about his exploits from the horses mouth!

Though its not all floor mopping and dish washing pour moi either!

I'm just back from an afternoon spent with new mum Michelle and new granny Barbara Joyce, Kiwis newly arrived in TO. Barbara and I strolled with 9 week old Charlotte up Yonge Street to Rosedale cafe 'Doria' where we sipped tall glasses of iced tea laced with homemade lemonade and nibbled bruschetta. (Pip and I met the pair at our local park on Sunday. Pip wearing his map of NZ tee shirt attracted the ladies attention).

Michelle joined us after work (she's a plastic surgeon) and while perusing the LCBO at Summerhill (that's short for great big booze shop) we were embroiled in the Sobieski Vodka launch and celebrity guest appearance by Bruce Willis!.. who though kinda cute (its the eyes that do it) is not nearly as yummy in real life as on screen! A recent poll up here cast him as the action hero most women would prefer to take a tumble with! He was in town promoting his latest movie The Expendables.

Sobieski Vodka launch spokesman Bruce Willis at LCBO Summerhill

Back at our pad, I've been working away at my family history website...researching and putting together a blog/website of Dad's family story in the states. Its the marrow in the bone for me... I love this stuff... and along the way I've met and made new friends, learnt about the history of the British, French and American settlements and wars in the States and Canada, which Dad's ancestors were a part of http://www.phillipsfamilyancestry.blogspot.com/  (I've utilised a ready made blog/website template from Googles blog function. Blogger.com)

When I'm not glued to my laptop I'm on my bike, cycling around the city running errands, shopping for farm fresh produce at the Riverdale Farmers market and generally enjoying getting out and about...or 'oat in a boat' as they say up here. It's fun freewheeling around the city, wind in my hair, cooling off downhill and heating up uphill. Bikers are well catered for with bike lanes aplenty and wide footpaths when evasive action is necessary. My quick release basket clipped onto the handlebars means I can only shop for one basketful at a time...perfect!

Cabbagetown gardens in full summer bloom.

Riding through Cabbagetown to the Farmers Market which runs Tuesdays 3-7pm was lovely this week. The summer flowers are in full bloom, a true mix of tropical and traditional plants bloom for the short weeks of summer heat. The steamy tropical humidity means that things like taro, hibiscus, mallow, huge begonias like peonies and all manner of variegated tropical foliage grow like triffids and bloom like crazy along side the most prolific hostas I've ever seen ( a giant white flowering variety is out now all over the city). Green, white, pink and blue hydrangeas, orange day lilies, great clumps of yellow black eyed Susan's and sunflowers signal summers height here.

Riverdale Farmers Market

The Farmers market is quite small, but each stall is top notch product for these parts. I bought delish

artisnal cheeses from Monfort diary at Stratford, Ontario. Click the artisnal cheese link to read about the trials and tribulations of this innovative cheese maker and how the company got itself up and running after a run of bad luck. To go with my mozzarella I spied a basket of zucchini flowers.

Fiore Fritti in the making and fav fruit and veggie stall.

Back home, following David Rocco's recipe for Fiore Fritti,  I stuffed the Zucchini flowers with the soft white spongy mozzarella cheese and a slither of anchovy then coated in a mix of flour and white wine to make the batter. A whip through some shimmering olive oil in the pan and hey presto golden deliciousness which we'd eaten before I could take a piccy.

Along with those I sandwiched home grown sage leaves with more anchovies and dipped in the same vino batter. A little platter of Braesola (fine paper thin air cured beef) rolled around rocket and pepper spiked ricotta finished out Tuesday night repast.

Anchovy stuffed sage leaves. Mac ever hopeful of tidbits. My bike basket full of goodies.

Last night we headed out with crampons and GPS to the Rexall Centre at York University to watch the evening semi-final match between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Along with friend Lori and daughter Kirsten, we'd booked last minute and were in the nose bleeds (cheap seats in the gods). Expecting the same slick north american crowd moving systems we took the TTC (subway) and shuttle. Allowing nearly two hours for the journey we barely made it to our seats as Roger and Novak took the court. We've been spoilt by the American Open (tennis and golf) military like organisation. That said it was a lovely evening, and our top row seats were far closer to the action than we'd hoped.

With Kirsten and Lori on way to Rogers Cup semi's.

When Federer won the first set 6-1 in 26 minutes we thought we'd be back on the bus by 8pm. Thankfully Novak stepped it up and won the second set and the final was a nail biter. We saw some great rallies and I loved the depth and texture of Federers play, his control of the speed and spin of the ball is wonderful.

Action on centrecourt in Toronto

Firework's lit the sky when the final point was won and we happily trooped back to wait again for buses put on by the LCBO ( Liquor Control Board of Ontario) to shuttle us back to the subway.

Federer wins Semis

Sunday morning, with a humidex forecast into the 40's, we hit Cherry beach early with Mac, enjoying lakeside temps degrees lower than downtown. Also strolling with his dog was Steven Sabados of Designer Guy's fame. Pip and I swam afterwards, much to the locals horror, apart from a group of five serious swimmers training, you rarely see anyone brave the gorgeous refreshing lake water! Though two paddle boarders, a group of canoeists and some windsurfers from the club along the bay did prove that Canadians do love being on top of the water rather than in it!

Apres morning at the beach. It's a dogs life afterall!

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