costume preview

so bad it's good

Katie somehow whipped up an entire zine in past couple weeks. I don't quite know how she did it between work and school, but she managed to squeak it in just in time for Canzine this past weekend. The day before the event she needed me to design the cover from the cool illustration Blair drew and print it off for her. I started thinking about the table set-up at Canzine and pulled out light strings, made a quick banner and used a duvet cover as a table cloth. Here's how Katie's table turned out. Looked great, eh?
Katie's zine turned out fantastic - here's how to get a copy.

It was almost kind of nice how the Canzine mayhem happened out of the blue to give me a bit of a break from halloween. Before Katie called for some help I was sewing my shirt for my costume. As I was pushing a sleeve through the machine I flipped the front of the shirt into my Saturday morning coffee. Then moments later the machine totally seized up on me. I felt so hopeless and called my mom for some sewing machine guidance. Luckily I fixed the sewing machine problem and rocked the shirt into completion, gave it a wash and it's good to go for iron-on decals now. That means my costume is completely done and I couldn't be more excited about it!

glittered spiders

Now that Halloween is in full gear I'm finding it hard finding time to blog about it. The costumes are really taking shape and the house is all decked out in Halloween. I held back with the decor this year as we aren't holding any parties. Just the usual holiday decor of candles, mums, gourds and pumpkins.
When not working on costumes I've been spreading a new Halloween fashion trend - glittered spider rings. I made black, orange and silver rings and they seemed to get a lot of notice. So I've started a cottage industry and made some for family, co-worker and co-workers daughters.

the results...

A month ago I blogged about our immediate need for a retaining wall.

Our front lawn is much higher than our driveway and with all the rain we've been having it seemed like a good a time as any to have a retaining wall constructed.

We had a contractor come in an put in the retaining wall in the mid-September and we are really pleased with how it turned out.

Run for the Cure

Boy, I feel better after ragging on the Food Festival, hehe. So it's time for a more positive entry. Sunday was the CIBC Run for the Cure where our team "Miracles" walked 5km to help raise funds for breast cancer. The day was beautiful and, believe it or not, warm when the sun came out.
Hot Tot had a special pink ribbon bandana on, but there were so many other dog's way more dressed up for breast cancer awareness. One black lab had a pink crown, her own shirt with number, pink ribbon collar and pink ribbon leash. Tot made tons of dog friends during the walk. Here she is with Beans the Boston Terrier, another dog with just as much energy as Tot!
The run was so well organized compared to last year. Gotta love when things only get better with time.

Superstar Tot

Hot Tot is on Martha Stewart's pet costume contest. Please go vote 5 stars for her!!

Welland Food Festival is very... um, Welland

We've only heard good things about the annual Welland Food Festival. The Smokin' Buddha, who catered Karissa & Kevin's wedding, were scheduled to be sampling and Anna Olson was to be having a cooking demonstration so that pretty much sold us.
We decided to check it out on Saturday afternoon. After seeing Anna's demonstration on preparing celery soup, we went in for the food tastings. The set-up was not really easy to figure out, so we walked... and walked and circled several times looking for The Smokin' Buddha. We finally decided that they must have been a no-show. And nothing else looked even remotely appetizing. After feeling finicky, I finally chose the Rex, a Welland staple for Italian cuisine. I bought a sample of Gnocchi, tasted it and had an immediate reaction of being transported to childhood, "Tastes like Scarios." Which means they were really yucky.
It really ticks me off when I pay money for disappointing food. If I can make something yummier at home, why bother have someone else destroy my love for food?! Some of you may suggest that the simple luxury of not making it yourself is enough to justify it. Not the case here - it's just a real piss-off that a restaurant would think they should be making money off less than great food. It's not even a matter of personal taste here - there's just poor quality, lack of imagination and questionable taste buds.

Oh, and back to talkin' Scario's. I found a total 80's flashback ad for Scario's and UFO's on You Tube. I can just picture these cans on the shelves of Welland's old Valdi, Pupos or Bargain Harolds.

annex beer is warm

Yesterday Tot joined Nuno and I to Olson's for lunch. The Ravine location is all decked out in fall, including their menu items.
This sandwich is a fresh turkey with a cranberry dressing. I brought back tarts for my coworkers, maple, pumpkin pie and apple crumble. I had to show my appreciation for their coolness for having Tot join us in the afternoon. She was very well behaved and did me proud. She was loving everyone up and cuddling like crazy. Becky made the mistake of dropping her head too low and Tot took a dive right into her nose for a slimy kiss.
Tot just couldn't relax all afternoon with so many new and distracting sounds. A couple times she thought it was a good idea to bark and say, 'hello' while we were on the phone. Good thing she was pooped after a day at the office, so we put her into her room and headed to Toronto for the Wedding Present show.
It was awesome - just so spirited. I don't think it's possible for the band to disappoint live. Although the new album is a stinker, I would never give up on them.
See the set list didn't include our wedding's first dance? That's OK, David knows how much the oldies like Dalliance, Kennedy, Lovenest and Gonemean to his fans. Interstate 5 was pretty great live. I wish I could suspend time during songs like those.

After the show Nuno said that David 'shreds' on his guitar. I looked at him puzzled and giggled. I'm not sure who uses that term... but I guess I can picture Gedge shredding a carrot and his guitar is a box grater - so, um, it kinda works. After a while it made me die of laughter reminicing of the time my uncle took my cousin, sister and myself (we were going to see Jeff Buckley and Juliana Hatfield in grade 6) and he went nuts over the opening band, Cold Water Flat. After the show he went up to the lead guitarist/vocalist and proclaimed, "You guys wailed!". I don't know, we thought that might have been appropriate if he'd been cast in Wayne's World, but it was *so* not alternative rock of him to say. Last night I downloaded this song of Cold Water Flat's and now that I'm a bit older, I think my uncle wasn't so far off, wailed may just be appropriate.

Halloween

About a month ago we started shopping for our Halloween costumes. Nuno and I go all out for Halloween and we quite often go together as a theme (this also includes our pug, Hot Tot). We have tons of fun with it. I'd love to spill the beans on our costumes, but I think I'll hold back until the day.

While shopping at thrift stores for costume pieces I've stumbled upon some amazing deals!
Like these shoes - Steve Madden's hardly worn (b/c the label on the soul was in pristine condition). OK, shoes, I know, kinda gross to pick up used, but between the spray Lysol and Lysol wipes, I feel pretty good that they were alright to wear. I all but stopped shopping at thrift stores past the 90's, but I'm now going nuts finding great items.

This month's Martha Stewart Living is the Halloween issue. Every year her Halloween issue is my favourite. Her ideas are just killer, this issue is no exception. As well, this month's issue of Everyday Food is probably the best they've ever produced. I swear they have a window into our kitchen as we have so many favourite recipes from Everyday Food's back issues. Basically, our favourite recipes have been reinvented into new and delicious ideas. She has the most creative and inspired people working for her, regardless if your a fan or not, you have to admire her crew.

Christina & Emanuel's Wedding

We attended Christina & Emanuel's wedding this past Saturday. It was a slightly drizzly and overcast day, and I only note this because Christina can't stand the heat and humidity - so the weather on her day was perfect!

This was my favourite moment of the entire day. Ever since he was young, Emanuel sang in the St. Micheal's choir (the Catholic mass that you see televised on Canadian television). After signing the register the St. Micheal's men's choir sang. It was beautiful and gave us all chills.

The wedding was full Portuguese - the first in a very long time. You know what that means? A Midnight Seafood Buffet! If you haven't experienced this type of wedding - I'll explain to you. After having a dinner of soup, salad, fish, chicken, beef and dessert - rows of tables are placed out at midnight with piles of lobsters, crabs, shrimp, codfish croquettes, mussles, suckling pig, pasteries, desserts, cakes - and of course, wedding cake. It's over the top.

Christina and Emanuel have been together as long as Nuno and I, just short of ten years. Emanuel and I were the staples at every family function for a long time now. Man, Christina & Emanuel are one of those marriages that everyone's been waiting so long to see. They are so happy and perfect for each other.

so sweet

Yesterday Katie asked Tot if she takes classes in sweetness.

Our little Tot is so nice, she's helping to inspire a children's book about pugs.

Steve Perry Pereira

Imagine our excitement this weekend when Marcie's step father told us that former lead vocalist for Journey, Steven Perry's, birth name was Steven Pereira with a family originally from the Azores.

How perfect to be with the family for the great reveal - right in the peak of my love for Journey. Nuno & Miguel were getting razzed by all of us asking for some sample vocal stylings, but with no pay off. I might just have to invest in a pair of crotch tight jeans for Nuno.

Oh! It looks like Steve Perry & Nuno Bettencourt have been jamming together. If they were ever to release anything I think Nuno should do the album artwork.

Nuno's been working on an illustration for the Film Junk site. Now that it's done I wanted to share it. It will be used for their podcasts and some T-shirts will also be available using this design. I love the way it turned out and it was really neat to stop in and see all the faces emerge over the past few days.
While Nuno was working he had iTunes on shuffle and we both kinda rediscovered Built To Spill. They had three albums that meant a lot to me at the end of high school and into college, There's Nothing Wrong With Love, Perfect From Now On and Keep It Like a Secret.

grand bend weekend

I sometimes feel like I could gush about being born into the fantastic family I have, but I have to also add that I married into the most amazing family as well.

Nuno and I were invited to spend the weekend in Grand Bend at my sister-in-law's family cottage. I have to giggle when you hear 'cottage' these days - then you arrive to a gorgeous home nicer than your own. So we spent the weekend with the entire Pereira clan. That meant an entire weekend with the sweetest little boy of all time, my nephew, Ronan. This guy is so adorable I can't bring myself to have the next child in the family knowing it will be compared to the most perfect little guy Ronan - hehe.

Each of Nuno's siblings families took care of a meal, which meant we were given the task of supplying the Sunday breakfast. We bought fresh nectarines, peaches, raspberries and strawberries from a local Niagara stand & brought our 2 waffle irons to make waffles with whipped cream. I also couldn't help but bring some baking - Anna Olson's 'Smores Squares which were everyone's guilty pleasure.

This past weekend's weather was so crazy sunny and warm - not seasonal, especially taking into account the sort of weather we have experienced from this summer's weekends. So, I think that may have heightened our enjoyment. We spend the weekend walking, bike riding, laying on the beach, eating extraordinary meals, drinking rare beers courtesy of Miguel and, of course, enjoying each other's company. The cottage had a Nintendo Wii with Wii Fit, which I immediately became addicted to and unlocked all kinds of new stuff. I'm tempted to buy one - but must curb... the urge...
The only damper on the weekend was when my thoughts turned to my dad. He's in pain after his surgery and when I went to visit Friday I felt so sorry for him. I felt guilty having so much fun while he was in so much pain.

Run for the Cure

I've been saying that I wasn't going to do CIBC's Run for the Cure again this year. The reason is because I didn't want to go alone again and I didn't want to disappoint myself if I didn't raise as much money as last year. Then, today I thought - why not just get a group together? I hope Hot Tot and Nuno will join me - and anyone else? It'll be cool, we can make up a name for our gang. I'll ask my mom to hang out at Madame Curie Park and hand us water as we walk down the Welland Canal Parkway. It'll be lots of fun for a great cause.