Christie Conservation Area Antique Show 2012

Saturday 26 May 2012

One of my favourite summer traditions is visiting Christie Conservation Area's antique show, which always falls just a few days before my birthday. While I didn't walk away with any typewriters this year, I did buy myself a few early birthday gifts, including a handful of mason jars and some old military ammunition cases. Though I couldn't afford much of what the vendors were selling, it was a great day of ducking into vendors' tents to grab a few moments of shade and eye some drool-worthy items.

Happy long weekend

Monday 21 May 2012

Happy long weekend, everyone. I hope you were all able to enjoy a good book under a sky this blue. My weekend was filled with banjo music, good friends, Orange Peel Ale, and even a failed attempt to catch our own dinner.

Quotable: A Boy of Good Breeding by Miriam Toews

Friday 18 May 2012
"And they laughed and acted casual about everything and tried not to make any promises or plans. They could never go back to where they'd been. And nothing seemed to be waiting for them down the road. So they were free. It was a sad kind of freedom but at least they knew it."

I stumbled upon this quotation on my old blog last night. I loved it so much I couldn't help but repost it here. I need to get back in the habit of jotting down favourite passages from books I love.


Welcome, CBC Hamilton!

Saturday 12 May 2012

As a journalism student in Ottawa, I had big dreams of working for the CBC, pausing every time I walked past the Ceeb's Sparks Street location or saw a news van parked on Parliament Hill. Somehow, I ended up working in educational publishing (which, of course, is an entirely different story), but, even today, I still get a twinge of excitement when I see a CBC building, whether I'm in Toronto, Ottawa, or Halifax. So, it was no surprise that I could hardly contain my excitement when I checked out the CBC's new space in my own city during last night's art crawl. The arrival of CBC Hamilton's digital service brings with it great possibilities for artists and fellow social media dorks like myself in this city. Welcome, CBC Hamilton — and thanks for the cupcakes!

Doors Open 2012

Friday 11 May 2012

The book I loved the most in my childhood was The Secret Garden. Despite the tragedies of her life, Mistress Mary seemed like the luckiest girl in the world, with her own overgrown secret retreat. I couldn't help but think of that book, and how much I loved it, when I visited Auchmar Estate and its wild gardens as part of Doors Open Hamilton 2012. I was almost waiting for Mary's robin to perch on the ledge of the wall, leading me inside.


Another highlight of Doors Open was the Hamilton Cemetery tour with the very knowledgeable Robin McKee. I couldn't think of a better tribute to a writer than the one found on the tombstone above.

J.H. Gordon Books

Friday 4 May 2012

I love a used bookstore. Every time I travel, used bookstores rank high on my to-see list, as books make far better souvenirs than plastic keychains and mini Eiffel towers. As much as I love scouring these stores for the perfect find, sometimes it's nice to walk into a used bookstore where you don't have to dig through piles and piles of discount paperbacks to uncover a gem.

Tonight I had that experience in my own city, when I visited J.H. Gordon Books at 314 King Street East in Hamilton. I walked away with four new books to add to my collection, but I easily could have walked away with a hundred. It's clear that Julie has spent hours upon hours carefully choosing each of the titles that line the walls of her new space. I had a great night checking out the store. The lovely Amanda said it best: "There's something so civilized about drinking wine and browsing books!" Congrats, Julie!

My haul
 
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