Thursday, 09 July 2009

Wednesday, 08 July 2009

Friday, 03 July 2009

Thursday, 02 July 2009

  • all because i had a pierogi craving

    ***UPDATE***

    i've been back several times now, but forgot to update this.  if you ever get a chance to check out Café Polonez, i highly recommend that you order this non-descript menu item:  Duck.

    yup, that's all it says on the menu... in English and Polish.  it is INCREDIBLE!  sadly, i didn't photograph it that time because i didn't bring my camera, but NEXT TIME, i will definitely take a picture.  don't order it if you're just eating by yourself.  it's much too large.  it's very good for sharing.

    just thinking about it is making me hungry... *sigh*

    ***

    and now arrives the long awaited reivew of the highly recommended authentic Polish restaurant in Toronto.

    Foogasmic Friday - Poland in Toronto

    Café Polonez
    195 Roncesvalles Ave
    Toronto, ON
    M6R 2L5
    416-532-8432

    this was such an *awesome* food experience.

     

    original date:   November 30, 2008 10:11 AM

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

  • seeking rich husband in NYC - Craigslist ad & the response

    disclaimer:  this was posted by EternalLove, but i reposted it because she's got XangaLock on.  this is *so* funny!!

    SEEKING RICH HUSBAND IN NYC- CRAIGSLIST AD & THE RESPONSE..

    What am I doing wrong?

    Okay, I'm tired of beating around the bush. I'm a beautiful (spectacularly beautiful) 25 year old girl. I'm articulate and classy. I'm not from New York. I'm looking to get married to a guy who makes at least half a million a year. I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City, so I don't think I'm overreaching at all.

    Are there any guys who make 500K or more on this board? Any wives? Could you send me some tips? I dated a business man who makes average around 200 - 250. But that's where I seem to hit a roadblock. 250,000 won't get me to central park west. I know a woman in my yoga class who was married to an investment banker and lives in Tribeca, and she's not as pretty as I am, nor is she a great genius. So what is she doing right? How do I get to her level?

    Here are my questions specifically:

    • Where do you single rich men hang out? Give me specifics- bars, restaurants, gyms
    • What are you looking for in a mate? Be honest guys, you won't hurt my feelings
    • Is there an age range I should be targeting (I'm 25)?
    • Why are some of the women living lavish lifestyles on the upper east side so plain? I've seen really 'plain jane' boring types who have nothing to offer married to incredibly wealthy guys. I've seen drop dead gorgeous girls in singles bars in the east village. What's the story there?
    • Jobs I should look out for? Everyone knows - lawyer, investment banker, doctor. How much do those guys really make? And where do they hang out? Where do the hedge fund guys hang out?
    • How you decide marriage vs. just a girlfriend? I am looking for MARRIAGE ONLY

    Please hold your insults - I'm putting myself out there in an honest way. Most beautiful women are superficial; at least I'm being up front about it. I wouldn't be searching for these kind of guys if I wasn't able to match them - in looks, culture, sophistication, and keeping a nice home and hearth.

    it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

    PostingID: 432279810

    THE ANSWER:

    Dear Pers-431649184:

    I read your posting with great interest and have thought meaningfully about your dilemma. I offer the following analysis of your predicament. Firstly, I'm not wasting your time, I qualify as a guy who fits your bill; that is I make more than $500K per year. That said here's how I see it.

    Your offer, from the prospective of a guy like me, is plain and simple a crappy business deal. Here's why. Cutting through all the B.S., what you suggest is a simple trade: you bring your looks to the party and I bring my money. Fine, simple. But here's the rub, your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity...in fact, it is very likely that my income increases but it is an absolute certainty that you won't be getting any more beautiful!

    So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset. Not only are you a depreciating asset, your depreciation accelerates! Let me explain, you're 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next 5 years, but less so each year. Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you!

    So in Wall Street terms, we would call you a trading position, not a buy and hold...hence the rub...marriage. It doesn't make good business sense to "buy you" (which is what you're asking) so I'd rather lease. In case you think I'm being cruel, I would say the following. If my money were to go away, so would you, so when your beauty fades I need an out. It's as simple as that. So a deal that makes sense is dating, not marriage.

    Separately, I was taught early in my career about efficient markets. So, I wonder why a girl as "articulate, classy and spectacularly beautiful" as you has been unable to find your sugar daddy. I find it hard to believe that if you are as gorgeous as you say you are that the $500K hasn't found you, if not only for a tryout.

    By the way, you could always find a way to make your own money and then we wouldn't need to have this difficult conversation.

    With all that said, I must say you're going about it the right way. Classic "pump and dump." I hope this is helpful, and if you want to enter into some sort of please, let me know.

Monday, 15 June 2009

  • do i miss her?

    sometimes people ask the stupidest questions.

    someone had asked me about Elfie (for those who don't follow my blog, Elfie's the dog i adopted in March).  so i told them how she was doing.  i hadn't even said much (and i don't know this person super well) before this person blurted out, "so i guess she's a pretty good replacement for Shadow.  you don't miss her anymore do you?"

    picture the biggest ball of rage imaginable.


    source:  http://static.desktopnexus.com/wallpapers/23366-bigthumbnail.jpg

    yeah... that's me.

    let's get something right clear here.

    P1000461
    Aug 28, 1994 - May 12, 2008

    I WILL ALWAYS MISS SHADOW.

    you know why?  because she was my best friend in the whole world.  she was my little lion dog.  i took care of her and taught her everything she knew.  thirteen and a half years, she was everything i lived for.  since the day i first discovered dogs, i was *desperate* for a puppy... it took 16 years, but all that waiting finally paid off and i was blessed with the world's best dog.

    it's not to say that i don't love Elfie.  i do love Elfie... BUT SHE'S NOT A REPLACEMENT!!


    Elfie hiding under the registration table at the Purina Walk for Dog Guides
    source:      http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3619538106_2bd4b47cf4_m.jpg"

    the main reason i spend so much time with Elfie is because of how much i miss Shadow.  it's not that i project Shadow onto Elfie, but rather, i am more aware of how much time i lost with Shadow because i was focused on other things.  i should've spent more time with her because i always knew that i would run out of tomorrows with her a lot faster than i would with a human being.  on the drive to the hospital last May, i kept begging her not to die.  i kept telling her that it wasn't time yet.  i even reminded her that we had a deal... she wasn't supposed to leave me behind.  and this was before the doctors had even told me what was wrong.  somehow, when i lifted her up into the car (all 85 lbs of her) i knew in my heart that this was probably it, even though in my head, i kept telling myself otherwise.  it's just over a year now.  May 12 truly was a sucky day, but i let it go by without too much fanfare or noise and just remembered the good times quietly in my own solitude... because that's just the way Shadow was -- don't make a fuss, just gimmie some food. 

    Olympic Shadow_resize
    Olympic Shadow 

    Elfie started out with a lot of problems when i got her in March (recall:  displeased, ophthalmology update, That’s a lot of friggin’ drama, the Elfie update).  i've had to spend a lot of time, energy, and money on her.  but she's coming around now... she's great with me and getting better with my family.  i say give it another few months and she'll be stellar.

    but with all those details, i digress from the main point of this post.

    i don't stop missing Shadow just because i have Elfie.  that's just stupid.  and anyone with two brain cells to rub together should know better than to ask such an asinine, stupid question.


    source:  http://markmincolla.com/brain%20cell.jpg

    Elfie is great, but she's not Shadow.  i don't love her less than i love Shadow, but it's not the same thing either.  people who don't understand this, don't know what it's like to love.

Friday, 29 May 2009

Wednesday, 27 May 2009

  • WTF on corkage fees

    I just read this article and all I have to say is, “HOW much is corkage?!"

    BYOB: Toronto restaurants drop corkage fees

    I rarely ever participate in BYOB because I usually order wines from restaurants that I cannot get at the LCBO. It just makes sense to me to try something that I can’t easily get myself. That’s why I’m immensely annoyed when the only thing they have is Wolf Blass or Peller. It’s not that they aren’t good wineries, but I can buy the same bottle for $12-$20 and drink it at home. So if you’re going to charge me $30-$50, then it better be because I can’t get it myself.

    I know the article is toting the fact that some restaurants are waiving corking fees but I can’t believe how much some places are charging regularly.

    I think the highest one I saw in the article was $45, but there were a lot of $30s and $40s. With those fees, who the heck participates in BYOB? I could buy a more than decent (re: excellent) bottle of wine for $45. I guess it’s for those froo-froo highfalutin folks who can’t imagine drinking a $15 bottle of chardonnay with their $95 sea bass, but serious, is opening and serving my wine, and taking a cut for the liquor licence really going to cost the restaurant $45?! No. I know they add in a cut because they’re not making a profit off the booze (because I brought my own), but I’m pretty sure that even at $15, they’re still going to turn decent coin. I guess they could charge that when they assumed everyone was expensing it and corporations were covering it, but if I’m taking out clients for dinner, I wouldn’t be bringing my own bottle unless I was trying to impress someone who was a wine connoisseur. If it’s on the company nickel, I’d just order off the list.

    Anyways, the short of it is, in principle, I’m glad that they’re reducing the fee. But in actuality, it has no impact on me.

  • please let them be right

    it seems like the weather predictors just suck so bad at their job... but i'm hoping that this time, they're right.

    Long Term Forecast

    it says no possible chance of rain on Sunday.  so please don't rain.  20 deg C would be perfect.

    Elfie and i will be walking 5km in support of the Purina Walk for Dog Guides (as mentioned earlier this week).  Please consider supporting (click to donate) a worthwhile cause to help out those who could use some assistance in getting around in this crazy world.