Send in the clowns or not

February 18, 2014

Today I am hopefully optimistic by the news of a clown shortage.  According to the World Clown Association (yes there is an association), there has been a steady decline of practicing clowns since 2004.  The numbers have dropped from 3500 to 2500.  Older clowns are leaving the profession and younger people are not interested in learning the trade and quite honestly I am okay with that.  I have this dislike of clowns.  They refer to the term as Coulrophobia, which is a fear or paranoia of clowns.  I am not sure if I have a fear or if I just don’t like them.  I don’t find them funny or amusing, but instead I find them creepy.  As young children start to process facial expressions, psychologists suggest that the exaggerated facial features of clowns overwhelms and frightens young children not allowing them to distinguish what is real and what is not.

The art of clowns can be traced back to the 5^th dynasty of Egypt in 2400 BC.  The served a socio religious role and most priests would portray clowns.  The clowns we are familiar with are associated with the circus and began in the 18^th Century.  One of the first known clowns was Joseph Grimaldi who also created the whiteface makeup clown. Gradually the clown with the exaggerated nose and mouth and the various colours of makeup came to fruition and has stayed with us for centuries.  People who like clowns tend to remember Bozo the clown from television shows of the 50s and 60s.  This character was said to be created by Willard Scott of NBC’s The Today Show. Of course Ronald McDonald is a famous clown and next to Santa Claus, he is the most recognized figure worldwide.

Not having a love of clowns, I tend to remember the evil clown and that is why they creep me out.  Evil clowns can be traced back to art and literature of the 18^th and 19^th century right up to present day art.  The Joker from the Batman series and movies, Pennywise the evil clown from Stephen King’s It and the infamous serial killer and rapist John Wayne Gacy who performed as a clown in order to get close to children. 

I realize that clowns played an important role in our history and their amusement factor is greater than their fear factor but I just can’t wrap my head around why people like them. Like most things in life, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.  If clowns go the way of the dinosaur I wouldn’t be devastated.

Cheers

Grace

TASTE

Owner/operator

www.tastepc.com

Family

February 17, 2014

Happy Family Day to everyone.   I ask the question what is a family?  According to the Concise Oxford dictionary family is members of a household, parents and children or of relations, living together or not.  Could they get any vaguer?  If you ask my idiot brother in law, couples without children are not families.  He likes to tell Paul and me that because we have, by choice, no children.  Thankfully I don’t listen to my brother in law.  He really is an idiot.  So I checked out the Canadian Census website from 2011 and the numbers show a shift in the way families are defined.  The so called normal 2 parents with 2 children families are decreasing in numbers.  The census covered 9,389,700 families with 67% consisting of married couples, 39% had children and 44% had no children.  So I guess my brother in law’s theory is crap.  There are a lot of couples like Paul and myself.  Common law couples accounted for 13.9% of families.  Step families have increased in numbers as well, with 3,684,675 families.  Of these numbers, 10% were couples with the father’s children, 50% were couples with mother’s children and 40% were a blended family.  Same sex couples accounted for 64,575 families.  In 2011, foster families and skip generation families were also counted and of the skip generation, 4.8% were children who lived with grandparents only. 

Canadian families have changed and all for the better.  When I was in elementary school in the 1970s, I was probably one of the few children being raised by a single mother.  Schools and teachers really didn’t have to concern themselves with making children feel accepted.  For Father’s day I painted a rock and gave it to my mom.  It was a paper weight.  No one thought about who I would give it to.  Today teacher’s consult and they make sure that the child has a grandfather or uncle, someone they can make a gift for.  We have children with 2 moms or 2 dads and everyone is involved in the child’s life.  They say it takes a village to raise a child and in our world of fast paced living and stressful jobs, it makes a world of difference if you have help.  My mother raised 5 children but not on her own and thanks to our extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins, we had a great upbringing.  What better teaching can we give a child then the knowledge and love of grandparents or even elderly friends?

Why don’t we make our own definition of families?  I like to think of families as people we surround ourselves with who offer love, support, compassion when needed, firm discipline when needed and a sense of belonging.  Does it really matter how they come into our lives?

Cheers

Grace

Owner/operator

TASTE

www.tastepc.com

Indulgence

February 16, 2014

Today I woke up and had nothing to do.  I couldn’t believe it.  No store to go to and nothing to do for the restaurant.  I wasn’t sure what to do with myself as this never happens.  I took one hour working on my crossword with three coffees.  It was blissful.  I stayed in my pajamas until noon.  What was wrong with me?  Why was I indulging in this pleasure?  Now the crossword was done and I didn’t know what to do next.  I gave myself a manicure and a pedicure.  Wasn’t sure what to do so I stuck my hands in soapy water and then I stuck my feet in soapy water.  I think that is what you are supposed to do.  I can’t polish my finger nails because of the health regulations in restaurants, but I did polish my toes.  Paul kept asking me if I was going to get out of my pajamas.  I kept saying soon.  What to do next?  I indulged in my weeks’ worth of Young and the Restless.  Really stupid show but I allow myself one hour of stupidity.  In this case it was 5 days of 1 hour.   I have been watching it since I was 14 and the characters are still the same.  Yes Victor and Nikki are still on the show.  Decided I would try and get some exercise because I want to get into shape and get healthy.  Whatever!  I got into my running shoes and plunked my hat on my head and my IPOD in my ears and off I went.  Big mistake.  I was 5 minutes in and decided that getting into shape when it is minus 16 with the wind chill was a stupid idea.  That was the end of my getting into shape.  I will try again in 33 days. Went back home and took a nap.

That was my day of indulgence.  I could get used to this.

Cheers

Grace

Owner/operator

TASTE

www.tastepc.com

The day after Valentine’s Day

 

February 15, 2014

Scene 1: The day after Valentine’s Day and you look over at your beautiful partner and blissfully think of the night before and then you notice the pile of clothes on the floor that he still hasn’t picked up.  Then as you walk into the kitchen, your head a little groggy from the $80 bottle of wine you had the night before you notice your beautiful roses that, OH MY GOD have already wilted.  How much were those beautiful roses again?  Oh yeah the price of a nice pair of shoes but it’s the thought that counts.  Let’s face it if you didn’t get roses, you would have been disappointed, ok pissed off.  You get your coffee and remember the great time you had and you can’t put a price on that.

Scene 2: The day after Valentine’s Day and a young fellow awakes in a panic, OH MY GOD, did I give her a ring.  What have I done?  It was Valentine’s Day and I was under pressure.  Can I take it back?  Do I have to pick invitations? What happens to poker night with the boys?  No, I made the right decision. She is beautiful and I love her.  OH MY GOD.

Scene 3:  The day after Valentine’s Day and you wake up exhausted from a very busy night before when the restaurant was packed and you know you will do it all over again tonight. 

Guess which scene belongs to me?

Thanks to all who came out last night it was a great time and much appreciated.

Cheers

Grace

Owner/operator

TASTE

www.tastepc.com

Valentine’s Day no pressure

February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone and if you bought roses today than you helped contribute to the 200 million roses purchased on this day alone.  Valentine’s Day really isn’t a holiday, but if it makes people happy and want to spend the day with family and friends, what the hell. 

It is believed that the celebration started as a day to honour Christian Saints named Valentinus.  In the middle ages the association with romantic love began.  Presents, flowers, sweets and cards were distributed.   I thought I would share some of the different ways that countries celebrate this overly romantic day.  In the United Kingdom, legend has it that a character Jack Valetine knocks on your door and leaves gifts for the children. In China it is called the lover’s festival and in Finland it is referred to as Friend’s Day, focusing more on celebrating all the people in your life.  Japanese women give out chocolates to the man they love and if the man returns a gift of the same value, you are about to be dumped.  That sucks!  If he returns a gift of three times greater value than marriage is ahead.  In Portugal it is the day for lovers and is celebrated with gifts and romance.  Of course in North America, Valentine’s Day brings a lot of pressure to guys in relationships (no pressure boys but you better get that ring).  Children bring Valentines cards for class mates; hope the teacher has extras for the kid who might not get any. 

I try to be positive about Valentine’s Day, but Paul and I never really celebrated the occasion.  We have been in the restaurant business for over 11 years and we always work on this day. I have been lucky enough to have had 25 Valentine’s days with Paul and I like to think that all the other days of the year are just as special.

Tomorrow I will write about the day after Valentine’s Day and it is just as special or not.

Cheers

Grace

Owner/operator

TASTE

www.tastepc.com

The good the bad and the ugly

 February 13, 2014

There are many acts of kindness occurring on a daily basis, and while some are genuine what I consider good, others may be for more selfish reasons or perhaps reasons beyond the person’s control, which I like to consider the bad.  Just as there are acts of kindness, there are as many acts of stupidity, which I consider ugly.  This week I have been witness to all three.  The Olympic Games are no exception to acts of kindness and Canadians showed the world that we can give it as good as the next guy.  The head coach of the Canadian men’s ski team showed that the simple gesture of giving someone a hand when in need takes little effort.  Justine Wadsworth noticed that the Russian Cross Country skier Anton Gafarov, had broken his ski after a fall.  He ran out and gave Anton a new ski so that he would be able to finish the race in front of his home town crowd.  When asked why he had done this the coach answered because it was the Olympic thing to do.  The Canadian coach did what he did without any thought to consequences.  It was the right thing to do at that moment and I believe that is what a true act of kindness is. The Russian skier finished last but he did finish and was grateful to the hand that helped him get to the end of the journey.  Yesterday speed skater Gilmore Junio gave up his spot on the 1000 metre race so his fellow skater Denny Morrison could race.  Morrison had fallen prior to the games and had not made the team for that race.  Junio knew that the 1000 metre race was not his specialty and that Morrison had been the silver medal winner at the worlds, so he had a better chance of winning for Canada.  While I agree that Junio’s act was selfless and kind, was it a genuine act.  His coach had asked him to consider giving up his spot so Morrison could race.  As a young athlete, Junio is only 23, was it right of the coach to place that pressure on him?  He had legitimately made the team and deserved his spot.   This young athlete was placed in a situation where he was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t.  He gives up his shot at a medal or he gives up his opportunity to be a hero and a team player.  A true act of kindness is something you do just because it is the right thing to do.  Perhaps giving up his spot was the right thing to do, or maybe he felt pressured into it.  Regardless, these two acts are part of who we are as Canadians, and as humans and it shows the world that we are the nice people that the world believes we are.  Then there is the act of stupidity and that came thanks to the idiot at the restaurant.  He was badmouthing the women’s hockey team, the same team that has won all three of their matches and is in first place at these Olympic Games.  This is the sport that began in the 1998 Winter Olympics and has seen Canada step up to the podium for gold in 2002, 2006 and 2010.  This Canadian women’s hockey team is exciting to watch and these female athletes put in 100% every time.  So as this goof went on and on about women’s hockey not being a real sport, and his friend was disagreeing with him and looking rather uncomfortable, I brought over his bill and mentioned the next time he was in if he would bring his Olympic gold medals with him.  He looked perplexed as I commented about the fact that he knew so much about Olympic sports, he must be a past winner.  He didn’t leave me a tip and he probably won’t be back, but I have a feeling his friend will after he gave me a rather large gratuity and a thumbs up.

Cheers

Grace

Owner/operator

TASTE

www.tastepc.com

Not just America’s sweetheart

 

February 12, 2014

The first time I had heard of Shirley Temple was on an episode of the Brady Bunch in 1974, when Cindy Brady auditioned for a Shirley Temple contest.  I was 7 years old and I thought it was fantastic.  I didn’t realize that Shirley Temple was 5 when she performed Good Ship Lollypop and Susan Olsen who portrayed Cindy Brady was 12.  It didn’t matter to me; I loved the blond curly hair and the big blue eyes.

Shirley Temple Black died this week at the age of 85 and Hollywood will never have such a classic and iconic star.  Born on April 23, 1928, Shirley as the daughter of a banker father and a not very successful dancer mother was thrust into the world of music and dance at the young age of three.  Having been discovered at the Meglan Dance Studio, she was quickly signed to a contract to perform in 26 short films called Baby Burlesques.  I watched a few of them on u tube and for a 3 year old they were pretty ridiculous with sexual innuendos and precociousness.  What did stand out is Shirley’s performance and her ability to get you to fall in love with her. She earned fifty dollars a week, which in 1931 during the great depression was a substantial amount.  By the time Shirley was 7 years old she was under contract to 20^th century Fox studios, earning $150 dollars a week.  She had performed in numerous films and was the top money making star; a title she held for 4 consecutive years.  Shirley would find out later in life that the $3.2 million dollars that she thought she was worth had been squandered away by her parents, leaving her only with 44,000 dollars.  She was so famous and adored that even President Roosevelt had commented that the country would survive the depression as long as Shirley was around.

As many young actors experience, as Shirley aged her career floundered.  By 1949 when she was 21, she was done in Hollywood.  Now most young stars in this predicament would have found themselves involved in drugs, alcohol and scandal, but Shirley Temple was not just a young star.  She went on to have a successful 55 year marriage, 3 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She was the United States representative of the United Nations and eventually US ambassador for Ghana and Czechoslovakia.  She was a pioneer in woman’s issues and a great role model.  In 1972 she discovered she had breast cancer and had a mastectomy which she gracefully shared with the public.  Sound familiar?  Angelina Jolie had the same procedure made public but it was 2013.  Shirley Temple Black bravely talked about this in 1972 and was one of the first actresses to do so. 

Even though she faced hardships, deceit by family and friends and Hollywood which is notorious for throwing people away after they have used them, Shirley Temple Black was elegant, strong and courageous throughout.  She was a legend and after 43 feature films, 14 short films and television work, she will always be remembered as the curly haired cutie, who is riding the good ship lollypop to a better place.

Cheers

Grace

Owner/operator

TASTE

www.tastepc.com

What a beautiful place

 

February 11, 2014

This morning I spent a few hours with my Aunt Valerie at the Dorothy Ley Hospice.  My aunt has deteriorated physically over the last month or so but spiritually and mentally she is the same aunt that I love and remember.  She is well aware that she will not be with us for much longer and her courage is admirable and a source of strength to all around her.  She refers to her stay at the hospice as a hotel and she is both grateful and at peace for herself and her children.  The hospice is a lovely and serene place where the staff and volunteers are incredibly patient and gentle.  Outside of her window is a lovely forest scene with the snow gracefully placed on the trees and the little bit of sunshine peeking through the clouds.  Her room is not sterile like a hospital; in fact her hospital bed is attached to a wooden headboard and footboard.  She has family pictures and items from home to keep her content.  The hospice has a beautiful dining area and living area for family complete with a warm and inviting fireplace.

I am saddened and disheartened by her situation and I wish she did not have pancreatic cancer and were not dying.  The fact remains that she is dying and I am so glad that it is in such a serene and peaceful place.  I know that she will leave us with dignity and peace of mind.  I hope, if there is a just and loving God, he will take her away from all this pain that she is suffering and allow us the opportunity to say our goodbyes.

Cheers

Grace

Proud niece of my wonderful Aunt Val 

I just want to buy a bottle of wine

February 10, 2014

In 1927, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and the Brewers Retail Board were created in part to ease the regime of the temperance movement, and 87 years later we still have the same archaic views of alcohol sales.  The LCBO is very profitable for the Ontario government to the tune of billions of dollars and why would you want to get rid of that cash cow.  The Beer Store, who many believe is owned and operated by the Provincial Government, is actually owned by Molson Coors Brewing at 49%,Labatts a division of Anheuser-Busch Inbev at 49% and Sleeman Breweries, an arm of Sapporo Breweries at 2%.  The Beer Store sells 80% of the beer in Ontario, with the rest being sold by the LCBO and brewery direct selling.  Conveniently, the beer store has released a study that claims beer prices would increase by $10 for a 24 pack if they were sold in corner stores.  How reliable is a study with this result when the study is sponsored by the beer store.  It’s like saying I did a study that all 5 feet tall women are the best at everything.  The fact that I am 5 feet would have no bearing on the result.  This debate of selling alcohol at corner stores and grocery stores has been on the table of the provincial government for decades.  Every time an election is near, this issue comes up and yet no political party is courageous enough to have it on their platform.

According to the beer store,  the price of beer would increase by so much due to the cost of transportation and distribution.   The Beer Store operates its own fleet services, which means they provide all the delivery of their products to all licensed establishments.  They also charge for this service depending on your purchase amount.  How could this increase costs if they charge for the service. The establishment still pays.

Beer, wines and spirits are priced according to a minimum selling price.  This minimum price is used to guarantee profit to the provincial government, to support the domestic alcohol beverage industry and to control alcohol consumption.  All alcoholic products are subject to the excise tax, also known as a sin tax and this will never change.  When the PST and the GST were harmonized into the HST, tax on alcohol went from 15% to 13%, yet the price of the alcohol actually increased.  The LCBO and Beer stores increased their mark ups so that the prices remained high and  alcohol consumption would not increase.  The argument for not having beer and wine sell in corner stores is always the same.  Alcohol will be sold to minors; consumption will increase causing mayhem in the streets.  The province of Quebec sells alcoholic products in grocery stores and the prices are equivalent across the board. Provinces that allow sales of alcohol in corner stores do not show increases in crime or consumption by minors.  It does not make it easier to get alcohol; it just makes it more convenient.

How can we possibly want to be considered a cosmopolitan city, the likes of New York, Paris and London when we still treat our citizens like morons who are unable to purchase and consume alcohol without the government “assisting” us?  Occasionally when luck has it, I get to travel to the Azores and when I am grocery shopping I pick up my wine, beer and spirits at the same time.  I usually have to fight off all the minors and drunks who are creating mayhem at the same time.

Thank goodness for the Ontario Government, we are so much more civilized.

Cheers

Grace

Owner/operator

TASTE

www.tastepc.com

The night music changed

February 9, 2014

Though the magic of the internet, I just finished watching the Beatles performance on the Ed Sullivan Show.  It was 50 years ago today almost to the hour when 73 million people sat in front of their television sets to watch these crazy young men perform.   So I thought about what it was like on February 9^th 1964 and I put myself in that time and place.  I wasn’t born yet, but I can only imagine being 13 or 14 years old and along comes 4 young lads from England playing this incredible music.

The Beatles have influenced everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Joe Cocker to David Bowie and many other young musicians who decided to pick up a guitar and start playing.  I was a teenager in the 80s, and I can’t recall who the artist was that would command that kind of hysteria.  The 50s had Elvis, the 60s the Beatles, the 70s David Cassidy but who did we have in the 80s.

Every decade has someone that young teenage girls go crazy over, but The Beatles were more than that.  They grew and evolved as music did and they changed the face of rock n roll. 

I watch the grainy footage of that day and I see 4 young buys whose lives would change forever and I am so grateful that the footage lives on.

Unfortunately 2 of those 4 young men are gone from us, but fortunately the music lives on and we will never forget the day that The Beatles invaded the U.S. and Canadian airwaves on the Ed Sullivan show.

 

Cheers

Grace

Owner/operator

TASTE

www.tastepc.com