Things I like Thursday – Home (Toronto) #TILT

Well, after yesterday’s reminiscences I needed a list of postive happy things that I love more than ever. I’m still thinking about Jasper and our visit to Edmonton last week. It’s hard to believe that it was such a short trip, because we packed a lot into it. I managed to see most of my friends, and spend some time with family, and catch one of my favourite events (Heritage Days). I’m still writing recaps of the fun, but the one thing I really want to talk about is coming home.

Coming home to Toronto that is.  In such a short time, this place has become something really special to me. Coming back to Emmie Cat and our bed, and our kitchen, and the big box left over from JC’s Birthday BBQ present, it felt different. As if I had picked up what I needed from Edmonton (both literally and metaphorically) and now I’m back to where I belong.

Our flight was late, and we were standing around extra late at the airport picking up our bags. But the moment we walked off the plane, and into the hangar I was hit with this intense wave of humidity, and I knew I was back.

Other stuff:

– Vegan Laksa on hot rainy days. On Sunday it rained. I woke up early, met with some very awesome people, and afterwards walked to Hawker Bar on Ossington. Spicy coconut based soup, with noodles, veggies, and tofu. I’ve mentioned it before, but this was exactly what I was looking for that afternoon. Add to that it’s close enough for JC to join me after seeing a foursquare check-in (who says foursquare is useless!!! – not me!)

– Chili for Charity – Next week on August 14th, 2012, Sadie’s (504 Adelaide Street West, Toronto) will be having Chili-for-Charity for Cedar Row Farms. (here is the facebook event for more info.) After visiting Cedar Row Farm Sanctuary during their open house, I’d like to support them anyway I can, and even through little things like this (while eating delicious Sadie’s chili). Sadie’s is doing a lot of good stuff, plus they have a new website… and it’s not on myspace!

– Free Food. I’ve won three months of free Mama Earth Organics delivery because of a tweet/blog post about National BBQ Day from Meal Exchange. While I had originally planned on getting the majority of our produce from farmers markets till the season started to dwindle, this will be great too. I met some of the folks behind Mama Earth Organics at the Vegetarian Food Festival once upon a time and at the time, I was still living in North North York, and at the time, they didn’t deliver past Hwy 401.

– Getting some of my old cookbooks from Edmonton. We have e-book editions of most of the vegan cookbooks out there, but there is something nice about having a paper copy of some of my favourites. Many of the non-digital books I have in the house at the moment were comped to me for one reason or another, but I don’t necessarily love them. While I couldn’t find one of my absolute favourites (Vegan Soul Kitchen), I did bring home the Veganomicon (obv.) and the Joy of Vegan Baking.

– Finding a box of zines in my parents’ basement. Of course I knew vaguely they could be there, but actually seeing them, and getting to look through them, reminiscing about all the zine fairs, and distros, and people I had connected with years ago, was lovely. Even more awesome, my mother offered to mail it to me. Hurrah!

What was on your TILT this week?