I had a nice weekend, James and Alana came over to the Island and we went shopping on trendy LoJo (I bought a dress for N’aaaawlins and a belt) and had lots of drinks with Dougie and Brooke and Leslie. Unfortunately I am committed to being a good neighbour, so I had to end the Weezer sing-a-long that was erupting at 11:30pm, even if our harmonies on “Going Surfing” were pretty great. On Sunday I spent most of the day on blankets with Kevin and Jordan in various locations in Beacon Hill Park cause dang, it was nice out. Also this weekend I had the extreme pleasure of watching “Roadhouse” starring Patrick Swayze. The lady fashion in that movie was pretty bang on.

The lady in the above photo is a relation of Jordan’s. I love an old timey guitar gal.

On Thursday night we had a potluck. It started out as two separate events that merged together in a positive way. I turned on the Quadra sign, lit some candles and put on The XX and pretty soon everyone was enjoying delicious food like seafood chowder and nut loaf with mushroom gravy and chocolate dipped strawberries from the Empress that looked like they were wearing little tuxedos. It was fun to see Jessica and Stephanie as friends!

On Friday I hung out with the Ministry of Cake crew. There were sharpeis!! Two of em! We went to the warm spring beach for sunset and then drank tons of wine and made sushi and a fine cheese platter at Stacy’s nostalgia-inducing house.

On Saturday Jordan and I went to Red Fish Blue Fish. It’s really popular now. I talked to all the tourists around me and they told me they saw it on the Today Show. At night we biked to Duncan’s and watched “Bad Boys” and half of “Bad Boys 2″ on his sweet projector set up. Tina was there too and it was a cozy nice time.

This photo is actually the VCAM screening from a couple weeks back but it shows the sweetness of the set up.

On Sunday we went for coffee at Habit and then Jordan went to a screen printing class and I came home and watched a movie about a nun starring a stoic Audrey Hepburn and “Precious” which I wasn’t really into because I read SO much about it online. I felt like an apathetic Chatrouletter watching it.

Today Jordan and I got a package from Anja! She sent Jordan the awesome Raybans he ordered and for me there was one of her Modcloth dresses (fits so well!) and a postcard from 1919 of Beacon Hill Park here in Victoria. Awesome! I love local history. Thank you Anjew. She also inspired me tonight to order a pair of Swedish clog sandals.

Does anyone want to be in my sweater club? Requirements: must enjoy tea before bed like an old lady (mint-chamomile, hybrid double whammy) be able to pick “Landslide” on the guitar (shaky singing is okay), likes to read up on the history of old houses in neighbourhood (around the corner from my place is a house built for a captain who sank a ship killing 343 people!), interested in discussing Gossip Girl live via text message (sample text: “Jack’s back and you know thats no good. He’s back for a reason”.)

I’ve been a neglectful buddy. I still feel the need to recap the big birthday weekend, even though it happened a month ago.

February 11th was the Pilau’s birthday. We gathered a small and intimate group of our friends together for drinks and food at Stage Wine Bar. While the atmosphere and food was amazing, the service was quite underwhelming. In an attempt to make the most of the evening, I tried to ignore the nagging feeling I had when, for example, my food came after everyone else was cleaning their respective plates, but as soon as we left, our entire party could talk about nothing but the bad service. Then after a good ten minutes of unbridled ranting (most of us being current or ex-servers), our server hurriedly emerged from where she had been standing in full listening distance half a block away and scurried past us down the street. Whoops! We all felt bad, but not that bad, cause she still had automatic 15% gratuity in her pocket. Dougie later wrote a restrained yet scathing letter on our behalf—it’s a secret passion of his.

As a birthday gift for Jordan, I bought us tickets to see Wilco at the Royal Theatre. The night after Stage, we tore ourselves away from the Olympics opening ceremonies and enjoyed their lengthy and energetic set in one of the most beautiful theatres in Victoria. There were multiple encores! I was really impressed with the stage and lights set up; one of the best moments was when Jeff Tweedy let the audience take over the vocals on “Jesus, etc”, and everyone took to the task with gusto, not missing a single word.

The next day was my birthday! Although we had “officially” celebrated the previous weekend with the karaoke party, people came over for brunch in the morning. Tina made CINNNAMON BUN PANCAKES! They were absolutely incredible. While attempting to watch the Olympics we somehow discovered that we have cable?! I have no idea how this happened, because we certainly are not paying for it. Shhh! The rest of the afternoon was spent making cards in preparation for Hate Day and watching said Olympics.

That evening Jessica, Jon, Kevin and Blair joined Jordan and I for a very special birthday/Valentines Day/couples swap/bon voyage, you’re going to Japan, Jessica! dinner at Brasserie l’ecole. After our mixed experience at Stage, I am relieved to report that Brasserie lived up to all of our expectations—fantastic service, food, drinks and ambience. It was a really wonderful evening with some of my closest and most beloved friends and dang, Jessica and I looked divine.

After dinner, cheeks rosy with wine and tummies full of food, we parted ways with Jess and Jon, and headed to the 50/50 arts collective for the Rugged Uncle show. I love Rugged Uncle! They are funny and sassy and they will let you in their band if you can play guitar with a beer in your hand. I had never been to this particular venue and I was amused and delighted by the speakeasy feel of the place. My brother even came along! He eyed everything with a sort of cool interest and joked to me about feeling like a fish out of water. Rugged Uncle was great, as usual, and I won’t go into details as to the rest of the evening, but it was funny enough that I drew it out in comic format afterward. The term “Weed Wizard” was born and Kevin and Blair put me into the safest, most awesome Safety Zone ever so that I could enjoy the last band of the night, Listening Party. Even with all the fun, the only casualty of the night ended up being my left over chicken drumstick from dinner, which I unceremoniously dropped on the sidewalk on the trek home.

Sunday was Valentine’s Day or as we know it around these parts, Hate Day!! We gathered at Blair’s place with Hate Cards in tow and feasted on Hate Tacos and Hate Hot Dogs and let each other know how we all REALLY felt. Boggle was also played. The end of best birthday weekend!

Alana took me for tea! When she told me she had a special birthday outing planned for me, I immediately guessed TEA TIME. Alana is my tea buddy. Hitting up the Laduree tea salon in Paris was one of the highlights of my last trip to Europe and she is never shy about sharing her precious Rose tea when I visit.

Denys and Jordy joined us at the White Heather Tea Room , where amongst a sea of white haired gentle ladies, we sipped our tea and contemplated our tower of tiny sandwiches, lemon flavoured pastries and miniature cheese crackers. Heaven! I must say however, our tea time conversation somehow turned to how we rated the size of our B.M.s (how many pounds you felt like you list on a scale of 1 to 10 pounds, in Starbucks sizes ie. tall, grande, venti, etc.) so I do hope no one was eavesdropping on our enthusiastic chatter.

We finished our afternoon with a walk in the balmy February sunshine (Victoria!!) through the already-blooming grounds of the Lieutenant Governor’s House grounds.

Thank you, Alana! You made my day so special– tea time will always be our time ♥

I am still basking in the afterglow of the immensely successful karaoke birthday fete held on Saturday night.

It was obvious everything was going to come up Awesome when Alana, James, Jordy, Denys, Christian and Kara all came over from Vancouver to help Jordan and I celebrate our 27th birthdays. After witnessing the amazing karaoke machine Amanda L. rented for her birthday, I was dead set on having drunken crooning as the centre of my own birthday celebrations.

Doug graciously offered his chic urban downtown loft (located in the heart of the ultimately tongue-in-cheek “design district”) as the locale and thank goodness for concrete walls, because that karaoke machine was the STAR of the party.

It probably helped that we procured a keg of delicious Phoenix Gold beer, which we gave away to party guests in the form of Liquid Courage. A few of us were there early, warming up the machine, and as people began to trickle in, the vibe got better and better.

I wish I could even remember everything I sang that night. If there was an empty mic, I was there to make it a duet. I had a huge grin on my face for the entire party. Despite some key people missing (Anja, Laura, Jessica, to name a few!) so many of my wonderful friends were in attendance and no one was shy. Afterward people remarked to me how friendly everyone was and I couldn’t have agreed more. It was great seeing the people I love meet each other and hit it off and even sing together.

Artists sung that night included: Christina Aguilera, Roy Orbison, Pat Benetar, Mr. Big, Soul Decision, Blink 182, Heart, Dolly Parton, ABBA, Johnny Cash and June Carter-Cash, Metallica, Garth Brooks (a special all Kamloops group rendition of “Friends in Low Places”), CCR, Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, Pussycat Dolls and many more, not to mention various Disney and show tunes (Denys and I ripped it up on “All That Jazz”). My favourite performance, without a doubt, was Kathryn singing “Jolene” with Brooke on harmonies, because it isn’t everyday you get to hear someone with such a fab voice sing your favourite song.

An entire evening spent laughing and singing with wonderful people! It was so special and probably one of the best birthday parties I have ever had. My only regret was not singing more– and missing out on a special duet of “Ice Cream” with Jordy (who took home the honour of Party Dump).

Booyah, internet! It’s January! You know what that means? It means I don’t want to leave the warm, dimly lit confines of Rockridge Manor! Every fibre of my being is fighting lately, half tells me I should be out seeing people and working on LIFE projects, the other half reminds me that there are still two seasons of “30 Rock” to be watched.

Isn’t “30 Rock” the best? Yes, I am very late to that party but oh! Banter! Wit! Being attracted to Alec Baldwin even though it feels so wrong! I want to be late to every television show party because then I have SO many wonderful things to watch. I made the mistake of starting on “True Blood” fairly early in the season and now I have to wait until next summer to see new episodes. (I was forced to sustain myself on the tasteless but nourishing pablum that is the “Southern Vampire Mysteries” series by Charlaine Harris. I think I read 15 of the things this summer.) I want to shout from the rooftops: I love good TV!!! My brother and I always are debating the merits of television. I still don’t quite comprehend why he thinks it’s such a waste of time: from what I can understand, his opinion lies somewhere between “feeding the fat cats in Hollywood” and controlling his own destiny. Alls I know is that “Teen Mom” exists and thus my own existence is a little more special.

This last weekend I was struck with an unshakable urge to join my friends for a night out on Friday in Vancouver. With the help of Denys, I showed up at Guu with Alana in tow. Jordy stared at me with a thrilled but confused expression. “How did you know where I was?!” He asked.

We went to Honey that night. They were playing Motown and Alana could barely contain herself in the line. She knew every song. By the way: BAR CULTURE. I don’t GET IT. Wait in line to get inside (watch d-bags pay the bouncer fat hunnies to get in ahead of you). Wait in line to check your coat. Wait in line to buy a drink. Wait in line to use the washroom. Thank DOG Alana is the most amazing person to dance with to Motown EVER. I had the weirdest sensation that dancing to that genre with Alana is the closest I will ever come to getting in a time machine and going to the era and dancing with the denizens of Motown in the 1960s. Al is that legit. Twisting and shouting aside, I think maybe watching youtube videos of our favourite MuchMusic Video Dance Party hits at Denys’ condo was preferable to wrastling girls in tube dresses and denim skirts and touseled Blake Lively hair for a spot at the bar. We ended the night with Jordy and I on the balcony talking about Highway 97 and Denys and Alana chatting en francais in the living room.

The next day Alana, Jordy and I attempted a shopping trip but I was burnt out after braving the Saturday Urban Outfitters crowd. After an afternoon of watching bad yet glorious cable at Alana’s, Jordy and I decided to fulfill one of our dreams and go to the huge Japanese dollar store, Daiso, in Richmond (with Darcy Tucker, of course). It was two stories of practical and kawaii every day objects and I was in HEAVEN. I had to put so much stuff away before we even got to the til. Afterward we trekked out to East Van and I ended the day chatting sleepily from the couch with Laura.

I went home on Sunday, but had to reflect on all the amazing restaurants I had tried that weekend as well. On my fourth attempt, I finally got to try Guu (Thank you Denys!), which was ridickalus. Deep fried BRIE!!!! Also finally tried La Taqueira (tasty but damn you Hernande’z, you still own my heart) and Vietsub (though I tasted those meatballs for hours) and BEARD PAPA!!! Beard Papa is a Japanese cream puff store! Can you even believe it? It got Jordy and I talking about Japan– we want to go together in the early summer this year. I think it would be the most enchanted trip ever, just me and Jordy and a million super cool things like funny uniforms in every store and tiny things to hang off my cell phone and Nomihodai. The South and Japan? That would definitely make for a happy year in traveling.

Oh yes, in order to balance out a month of TV watching, I am also trying to read more and keep a tally of what I’ve read so I can sneak an intelligent book in here or there. After an aborted attempt at “The Weaker Vessel: Women’s Lot in 17th Century England” by Antonia Fraser (okay, this one is just on pause) and “The Mists of Avalon”, so far this month I have read “Veronica” by Mary Gaitskill. Although I sought this book out because it was apparently about the seedy underbelly of the world of high fashion modeling, it was one of the 10 Best Books of the Year, as chosen by the New York Times Book Review, and it was a National Book Award finalist. Therefore, I will file this under “smart” books. I am also reading “The Collected Peanuts”, which is melancholy and clever and perhaps could be considered “smart” as well, and “Santa Olivia” by my patron saint of “dumb” books, Jacqueline Carey. JC, I worship at your feet.

Happy birthday to my pal Al!

Alana is a most wonderful friend. She can speak Parisian French. She has glamourous hair that will stay in place if you just mash it together (see above). If you begin singing a good song from the 1960s or 70s she will join in, because she knows all of them. She stands by her man. She has excellent dance moves. She has impeccable taste in tea and pastries. She let me sleep at the foot of her bed for two weeks once.

Bon Anniversaire ma cherie!!

JANUARY

Spent New Years in a hotel room with about twelve of my closest friends. Went to the Vancouver Aquarium. James and Alana moved to Paris. Went out with Starbucks girls while completely sober and came away with a new appreciation for alcohol. Laura came for a surprise visit. Watched “The Wire” and “Flight of the Conchords” obsessively.

FEBRUARY

Went to Arizona and stayed at my Grandpa’s. Did something that I still cannot remember for my birthday. The night after my mysterious birthday party, Kevin, Kara and I watched three romantic movies. Anja and I said “OMD” (“Oh my dog”) a lot.

MARCH

Kevin and I bundled up and sat on the beach for hours on the first “warm” day of the year. Doukhobor choir put on a big show. Moved around my bedroom. Was obsessed with flowering trees on my street. Kevin bought me a fish named Penelope and made her a home in a jar. Went to a “Hippie Sing-a-Long circle”. Walked around the lake listening to Dan Savage a lot.

APRIL

Doug and I were in a furious bout of text message “rap battles”. Sample: “I ain’t steppin on number one, so don’t get mad at me / Remember Tasha Yar? She felt Data’s grey anatomy.” I went to Portland for an amazing three days. Laura came to visit and “Cool Buddies”, the buddy cop series about two cops with opposite ‘tudes work on a boat show (I think?), was born. Kevin and I bundled up and laid in the park for hours on the second “warm” day of spring. Hosted “Project Runway Canada” nights with Kevin, Gill and Emily and the occasional grilled pineapple. Brunched with nice friends. Went on sexy goodbye dinner date with Kevin in honour of his move to Vancouver. Patronized the Urban Oasis for the first time.

MAY

I practiced singing and playing the guitar a lot when Jordan moved to Kamloops for a month to work on the election. Epic brunches were a continuing theme. Went to Immaculate Machine show. ANTM finale included theme cupcakes with captions such as “Waste of a Body” and “Pretty Ugly/Ugly Pretty”. Kevin moved out of his apartment in Victoria. Vancouver weekend included bowling for Kara’s birthday and seeing Jordan. Went to Castlegar to perform in annual Doukhobor festival and had an okay time. Went to LONDON and walked to an average of 2.5 galleries and historical sights every day. Took the Chunnel to Paris.

JUNE

Hung out in Paris with James and Alana. Went to San Sebastian for two days and felt like a bummer. Went back to Paris and felt very happy. Had a “stagette” for Jessica. First lake swim of the year at Thetis. First sunburn of the year on the Canoe patio with work friends. Actually hung out with people from work. Was a bike warrior in an Immaculate Machine video. Played board games in a backyard.

JULY

Jessica and John got married on Little Shuswap and I was a bridesmaid! Slept over at Cathy’s mom’s house in Sorrento for the first time since grade 7 and floated on the lake. Went to Quiz Night and played baseball and the Urban Oasis. Saw the Emperor and Empress of Japan. Went to Anacortes for What the Heck Fest with Anja and dalas and saw some nice shows. Took my bike to Vancouver and cycled every where (mostly to the beach) and watched the fireworks from Cathy’s apartment. Also that weekend I saw the craziest sunset I have ever seen where everything turned orange and there was thunder and lightning and sunshine.

AUGUST

TYEE 2009 CABIN V. Did an epic hike in Garibaldi park and swam in an ice blue lake beneath a glaciar. Between those two behemoths, nothing else appeared to have happened this month.

SEPTEMBER

James and Alana move to Vancouver! Jordan and I take the Helijet to Vancouver and also see an Immaculate Machine show. Kevin moves back to Victoria! I go to Portland for a chill hangout visit. James and Al come to Victoria for Dougie’s kegger. We go to the Rifflandia music festival. Jessica and I see Philippa Gregory speak and she is glorious.

OCTOBER

We got to Vancouver for Laura’s birthday. Work friends have a sleep over at Stacy’s. Host the second annual epic Thanksgiving and Karaoke weekend. Anja comes for Thanksgiving! Fall is beautiful. Witnessed the courage and drama that is the Olympic torch route trying to figure its shit out. Halloween at Atomic Vaudeville.

NOVEMBER

Laura comes for a visit! James and Alana come to visit and Toban passes out in the stairwell and we go to an Immaculate Machine show but just sit backstage. My parents come to visit and we go out for two fancy dinners and debate a lot. We go to the beach for Remembrance Day.

DECEMBER

Kim and Luke get engaged. I wore plastic poinsettias in my hair a lot. Ate fresh oysters. Overdosed on Christmas activities. Hosted an eventful Gingerbread Showdown. Went to Kamloops and had a relaxing time. Rang in the New Year barely paying attention to Atomic Vaudeville.