toronto 2014

last week kai and i returned from visiting my family in toronto and i'd like to share some pics with you.

my mom lives has lived in the same house since i was two years old.  not much is too different.  the garden is and has always been filled with tomato plants.  my mother tending to her tomatoes.  laundry on the cloths line. hanging out in the garage taking shelter from the sun.  you are always asked what you want to eat.  it is always loud when everyone gathers; my brothers, their families, my sister and sometimes extras show up too.  but it's my brother's that make the most noise :) there is always way more food made than can be eaten. 

i love that kai gets embraced in all of this big, loud family style vacation.  he loves the chaos.  my family is so gracious with him; they make him laugh, give him their time, spoil him.  i'm so grateful he has them even if it's just a couple of weeks each year.



 

 

 

  

 

 

 



making sundried tomatoes



dried ricotta from italy... so good sprinkled on a plate of pasta with homemade tomato sauce

my brothers sam and domenic

 

 

 

 

 

the park, a hop and skip from my mom's house, is always a favourite place to hangout too.  a walk with my mom, soccer with my brothers, a game of ball, or just plain old fun at the playground.  so many memories here and now kai gets to create memories with my family too.

 



my brother sam with his girlfriend lucy



my brother dom with his newylwood ginny (they were just married on saturday!)

 

 



 

 

 

 

a backyard water balloon fight is always on the agenda.  kai and i initiate the friendly water play by preparing the balloons and then ambushing my brother domenic.   kai loves this now annual tradition.

 

 

kai + jonah

 

  

 

 

  

 

a walk to the neighbourhood candy store is a must  for my little guy whenever he's in toronto.  a real treat.

another favourite hangout during our visit was the neighbourhood pool. and especially when it was so humid out (the weather was weird, hot and humid or fall-like!).


 

 

we also played in 'the beaches' (the neighbourhood i lived in as a newlywood).  there's kew park/beach, the sometimes swimmable lake ontario, the cn tower in the distance, and the olympic pool (actually there are three pools in total - olympic sized pool for swimming laps, another for play and one for diving).  we made a couple of visits here; such a lovely area to spend time and actually feel like you are on vacation. 

and, it is guaranteed that the ice cream truck is around the corner waiting to be discovered!  soft serve vanilla ice cream with a chocolate dip... so good.

 

 





 

 

 

view from the olympic pool

view from the olympic pool



view from the olympic pool



 

 

 

 

 

 

  





we visited scarborough bluffs.  guys, i have never been, not even when i lived in toronto!  i've heard how beautiful it is and so my sister, nephew, kai and i visited one afternoon and it really is a lovely spot to while away time. 

my mom's friend lives in the area and we took the opportunity to visit with her.  comara elvira took care of me when i was little and she loves to tell stories about wiping my bottom, how i was such a fussy eater, and always getting into things i shouldn't have been.  i'm glad we made the time to visit.

 

the lake was numbingly cold

 

 

 

  

 

 



kai had sleep overs with each of my brothers which left me time to explore the city.  there was nathan phillips square, cn tower, queen street, and st. lawerence market (where i had a delicious peameal bacon sandwich). i was taken aback at just how massive the downtown core is (i guess i've become accustomed to quaint little vancouver!).  i loved walking the city; exploring, remembering, discovering.



 

 

 

kai gave his heart to one of my girlfriends when we met up for dinner.  it was so sweet how he was smitten with rose; she's funny, sweet, beautiful.  while we were browsing in a newly opened jewellery shop after dinner, kai told me he wanted to spend some of his monies to buy her a gift. at the gelato shop a little bit later, he presented her with a pair of earrings she had been ogling.  tearing up and surprised, rose was speechless. we all gushed over kai's lovely gift. 

 



 



we just had to visit evergreen brickworks; such an amazing place.  an environmental oasis (and former brick making factory) with trails for hiking, workshops on sustainability, camps for kids, etc.  i went twice.  once for the farmer's market with my sister and girlfriend and again for their pizza night (the best pizza ever from pizzeria libretto) with my brothers and their families.  if you have a chance, visit.  you won't be disappointed.













this gal has been my friend for as long as i can remember.  ange and i lived in the same neighbourhood and attended the same elementary school.  we crushed on the same boys.  we explored europe together for one unforgettable summer ions ago.  our friendship will be for a lifetime. 





product of our pedicure





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we attended my second cousin's wedding.  so many lovely details; her dress was stunning, the food delicious, a toast with limencello, and my mom crushing on the groom (!).  we also snapped a few group photos while we were all dressed in our best.

 

 

 

 





  

not pictured: jet lag, squabbles, kai missing his papa so much, the gluttony...

anyway, it was such a good trip, a nice blend of family and city.  but i'm homesick for my mom's homegrown tomatoes!