In Ontario, Step 3 begins tonight at 12:01 a.m. That means the following will be allowed: indoor dining will be permitted, as well as outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people, indoor gatherings of up to 25 people, gyms at 50% capacity, a larger capacity at essential and non-essential retail and museums, galleries, zoos, and science centres can open at 50% capacity.
Because we have been in Step 2 since June 30, 2021, which has allowed indoor gatherings of up to 5 people and outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people, I have been seeing relatives over the past two weeks. I should note that I have had two vaccine doses! I visited my sister and brother-in-law, whom I hadn’t seen in a year, at their home in Richmond Hill; we had a visit from my niece and her nine-month-old daughter who popped in from Halifax; and we had a backyard lunch at my uncle and his partner’s house. It’s so great to be doing “normal” things again and it was wonderful to see family members I haven’t seen in over a year-and-a-half!
Next week, I am off to the cottage with family for a week and after I return, I plan to meet one of my friends for a long overdue lunch and another of my friends for a walk and drinks on the patio.
In the meantime, here’s what I’ve been crushing on:
The Wire on Crave
I finished watching Better Call Saul on Netflix, which I loved, and was looking for a new series to dive into. My sister recommended The Wire a few years ago. I should tell you that this series ran from 2002-2008, but it still holds up today (although it’s funny to see the old cellphones and computers). It focuses on the real-life, day-to-day experiences of a team of Baltimore police officers, including wiretapping investigations of the city’s notorious drug dealers. The series is critically acclaimed for its authenticity owing to the fact that it was written by former police reporter David Simon. There are several familiar faces in this crime drama including Idris Elba as the mastermind drug-dealer-turned-businessman, Amy Ryan (she later played Holly Flax on The Office) as Officer Beatrice “Beadie” Russell, and Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther) as Wallace, a 16-year-old drug dealer working for Avon Barksdale. It goes without saying that there are some violent scenes and a fair bit of nudity, but despite that, I highly recommend this series.
Sandals by Take Me
I bought these Sandals by the Spanish brand Take Me, at Walking on a Cloud last year (they’re still available this year), but didn’t have anywhere to wear them. I am breaking them in this summer and just loving them. The colour is called Pistachio and surprisingly, they go with a lot of outfits. I was living in my Birkenstocks for the past four summers so I needed a dressier sandal that I could still walk in! These Take Me sandals have a leather and cork insole and wedge heel so they are super comfortable. I also like the velcro straps because you can tighten them as much as you want.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
My sister lent me this book and it’s the perfect book to read in the summer and especially, while I’m on vacation. Longlisted for the 2020 Scotiabank Giller Prize, Indians on Vacation centers on Bird Mavrias and his wife Mimi’s trip to Prague to trace the steps of her Uncle Leroy. Leroy sent postcards home to Canada from various landmarks in Europe, but also absconded with the family medicine bundle…Bird is Cherokee and Greek, and Mimi is Blackfoot hence the title of the book. Bird and Mimi don’t always agree on their travel itinerary (in fact, they never do!), but their journey is thankfully punctuated by Bird’s irrepressible sense of humour.
Basil Vinaigrette
I made a Shrimp, Avocado and Strawberry Salad when my niece came from Halifax last week and, I have to admit: it was delicious so I thought I would include it in my what I’m crushing on blog post! I marinated the shrimp in a basil vinaigrette for almost 24 hours and this resulted in the shrimp tasting so flavourful! I used the remaining vinaigrette as the dressing for the salad. The basil vinaigrette is easy to make in a blender or food processor. I had to buy fresh basil from the grocery store because, even though I grow basil in the backyard, I didn’t have enough to use for this recipe. I can’t wait to make this again because the basil vinaigrette is so delicious!
I hope you enjoyed what I’m crushing on for July 28, 2021. Let me know in the comment section some of your current favourites!
