I will be back on a plane next week to return to Taipei and I am beginning to feel homesick already! That said, I am also excited about returning to Taiwan to continue sharing my music and also to celebrate Chinese New Year!!!
Anne and I had a delicious day from a scrumptious brunch, to an afternoon at the
Afterwards, we shopped around at St. Lawrence Market where we did more food shopping! I don't know if it's because we're Chinese or if it's because of our Cheng genes, but my sister and I both LOVE food! Our entire day comprised of mostly exploring and trying new foods.
We also shopped along Queen St. West. Whereas I used to love Queen St. East because of it's eclectic mix of mainstream, vintage and unique shops, it has become overly commercial over the years and Queen West is where all the unique stores have moved. Although one thing I realized is that although I like the "bohemian look" because of the hippy in me, it is actually quite expensive when it is done in designer clothing. Tie-dye and ripped jeans may have been staples of activists of old, but these days, trying to look "John Lennon" is very expensive, which is kind of an oxymoron if you think about it. Trying to look like you are "grassroots" and down to earth, but paying designer prices...well it's just not something I can afford to do...nor do I agree with it necessarily.
That said...if I weren't a "struggling artist" perhaps I would indulge a little bit in this area. But for now window shopping was enough to satisfy! Albeit I did invest in some real vintage from a cute little store called Cabaret Vintage. The clothes there are hand selected from the 40s and 50s and I realized how much more effort they put into sewing and design of clothes from that time as opposed to these days where everything is mass produced without the attention to detail.
When our hunger returned we ended up finding a cute little restaurant called Pomegranate which serves Persian food. It was a great taste adventure because of all the spices they use. We had vegetarian caviar (made out of an olive paste), and rice cooked with fresh dill, saffron and fava beans. I cannot describe how great it is to discover new flavors.
We ended the day at a bakery where we indulged in a Portugese egg tart with filo pastry and a sponge cake topped with egg custard. Unfortunately I also indulged in a coffee which is why I'm up so early in the morning today!
It was a beautiful day and I cherish not just the food we ate, but the time we spent as sisters. We talked about where we are in our lives and what we'd like to see happen in 2006. It was also great that we didnt' have a plan (which is highly unusual for me being a control freak). Instead we "went with the flow" and the flow was good.
It is difficult to imagine where both of us will be a year from now. My sister is also at a crossroads in her life and making some big decisions. While we plan and wait for some things to happen, we also feel our lives even more uncertain because of my mom's illness. It is difficult to make plans when ther is a piece of your heart that is not fully at rest because it worries about someone so important.
My mom has been taking medication, but there has not been a significant improvement yet. In fact, it has caused some degradation which makes us all a little uneasy. I do believe this is a reminder to love her more, as love is truly the best medicine. My mom is a real trooper and I admire her optimism and courage SO MUCH!
It's been an intense "vacation" here in Canada. I have learned a lot more about myself and I had some good opportunities to reconnect with friends.
What will 2006 bring?
I believe it will be beyond my imagination. Hence just like I enjoyed the flow of living without a concrete plan on this wonderful "Sister Bonding Day" I hope I can also do the same for this year!
1 comment:
I love to read ur article about Canada so that I can know more about another kind of lifestyle.
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