Knitted beanies

I knitted 9 beanies in the last week to donate. I used Caron Anniversary Cake and the colour is Oceana.

I found the pattern here and it was an easy pattern. 

I don't have a small 5.5mm circular needle so used 6.5mm so it's a bit bigger than a beanie and fits like a comfy hat.

With A and circular needles, cast on 80 sts. Place marker, join being careful not to twist sts.

• Rounds 1-8: Work in 2x2 Rib stitch pattern until beanie measures 2” (5 cm) from cast-on edge
• Rounds 9-22: Knit around

Shape Crown

• Round 1: Knit. 
• Round 2 (dec): *K6, K2tog; repeat from * around — 70 sts. 
• Round 3: Knit. 
• Round 4 (dec): *K5, K2tog; repeat from * around — 60 sts. 
• Round 5: Knit. 
• Round 6 (dec): *K4, K2tog; repeat from * around — 50 sts. 
• Round 7: Knit. 
• Round 8 (dec): *K3, K2tog; repeat from * around — 40 sts. 
• Round 9: Knit. 
• Round 10 (dec): *K2, K2tog; repeat from * around — 30 sts. 
• Round 11: Knit. 
• Round 12 (dec): *K1, K2tog; repeat from * around — 20 sts. 
• Round 13: Knit. 
• Round 14: *K2tog; repeat from * around — 10 sts. 

Finishing

Cut yarn leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail. With yarn needle, draw tail through remaining 10 sts twice, pull tightly and fasten off. Weave in ends. Block lightly. 

Mill Street Brew Pub, Toronto, ON

I had supper at Mill Street Brew Pub in the Distillery District. 

The hostess sat me at a crappy table in a long empty room with just one other group of people (there were lots of empty tables throughout the restaurant). I asked for a different table and she said no because it was that table’s turn. Huh!? I asked again and she begrudgingly moved me to a less crappy but not stellar table. At least I could see a TV with the Jays game.

On the plus side, my Carnivore pizza (tomato sauce, mozzarella, sausage, bacon, soppressata) was delicious and half came home with me for lunch tomorrow.

Yummi Candles, Toronto, ON

As an Elite Yelper, I was offered the opportunity by Yelp to attend the DIY Scents & Suds at Yummi Candles in the Distillery District this afternoon. 

All-star Yelpers in September (like me!) received a complimentary facial roller.

We made four scented bath bombs there and were given a kit to take home to make scented incense. For my bath bombs, I chose cherry and vanilla caramel and for my incense, I chose clove and orange sugar. Debora led the workshop along with helpers Amber, Linda and Alejandra, and were soooo friendly and helpful. It was a fun time!

One Eyed Jack, Toronto, ON

I had supper on the patio at One Eyed Jack on (Richmond Street W/ Peter Street) this evening. It was fun to watch the Blue Jays game with other fans.

Gotta love the $16 wings and beer deal! Yum! The wings were big and juicy. The medium sauce was tasty. 

Varda, TIFF Lightbox, Toronto, ON

I had a glass of Riesling at Varda, on the third floor of the TIFF Lightbox, after seeing Eleanor the Great, which was really good. I'd wanted to see it during the TIFF Festival but it was always sold out. 

There were just a handful of people yesterday so it was a nice spot to relax and read.

Tom's Dairy Freeze, Etobicoke, ON

I had a late lunch at Tom's Dairy Freeze on the Queensway. 

I had a banana split … because it was 20C/68F and sunny and I'd just did a 2 hour line dancing class in a hot gym. It was fun but the whipped cream was kinda lame.

Book ~ "Steamed Open" (2018) Barbara Ross

From Goodreads ~ It’s summertime in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, and the clamming is easy - or it was until a mysterious new neighbor blocks access to the beach, cutting off the Snowden Family Clambake’s supply. Julia Snowden is just one of many townspeople angered by Bartholomew Frick’s decision. But which one of them was angry enough to kill? 

Beachcombers, lighthouse buffs and clammers are outraged after Frick puts up a gate in front of his newly inherited mansion. When Julia urges him to reconsider, she’s the last to see him alive - except the person who stabs him in the neck with a clam rake. As she pores through a long list of suspects, Julia meets disgruntled employees, rival heirs and a pair of tourists determined to visit every lighthouse in America. They all have secrets, and Julia will have to work fast to expose the guilty party - or see this season’s clam harvest dry up for good.

Lou, a well-liked wealthy elderly woman in Busman's Harbor, Maine, recently passed away. She left her mansion to a Bart, a young distant relative of her late husband's. The mansion has beach access which Lou has always allowed the locals to use. When Bart moves in, he immediately puts up a gate which cut off the locals’ access to the beach and makes lots of enemies with this arrogant behavior. When Bart is found murdered, Julia is busy running her family’s clambake business for the summer season but starts digging into the case. Not surprising, she discovers that nearly everyone in town had a motive to kill Bart.

This story was written in first person perspective in Julia's voice. It's a cozy mystery so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. There were lots of twists and it's a bit unbelievable that Julia was able to find out so much more info than the state police (but I guess that's the benefit of being a local?). I can do without Chris, Julia's boyfriend's obsession with her niece's friend's green eyes. It started in the last book and was explained in this one (I hope that's the end of it). At the end of the book, there are recipes that were mentioned during the story including linguini with clam sauce, clam potato casserole and raspberry muffins.

This is the seventh (of 12) in the Maine Clambake Mystery series. I read the first six recently and will keep moving through the series. I liked this one better than the last one.

"Ruined", The Theatre Centre, Toronto

I volunteered this evening at The Theatre Centre (Queen Street W/Dovercourt Road) for Ruined and it was funny. It’s there until Saturday.

Award-winning comedian Daniel Stolfi, best known for his hit solo show, “Cancer Can’t Dance Like This” presents his 5th solo comedy special, RUINED, a comedic deep dive into how his Italian immigrant parents “ruined” his childhood … and other things he finds funny. Stolfi uses a blend of physical comedy routines, which he spent way too many hours trying to perfect in his attic, stand-up comedy so risqué, he might lose friends, family, and even his wife – for the sake of a laugh. And heartfelt and hilarious stories of his childhood “ruined” by his well-meaning, but undeniably Italian, immigrant parents. Complete with a special opening guest comic each night you wont want to miss this unforgettable evening of storytelling, stand-up, and physical comedy by one of Canada’s best!

Book ~ "Stowed Away" (2017) Barbara Ross

From Goodreads ~ It’s June in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, and Julia Snowden and her family are working hard to get their authentic Maine clambake business ready for summer. Preparations must be put on hold, however, when a mysterious yacht drops anchor in the harbor - and delivers an unexpected dose of murder.

When Julia’s old prep school rival Wyatt Jayne invites her to dinner on board her billionaire fiancé’s decked-out yacht, Julia arrives to find a sumptuous table set for two - and the yachtsman dead in his chair. Suspicion quickly falls on Wyatt, and Julia’s quest to dredge up the truth leads her into the murky private world of a mega-rich recluse who may not have been all that he seemed.

Julia is getting her family’s Maine clambake business set up for summer in Busman’s Harbor, Maine. Their place on Morrow Island includes Windsholme, the old family mansion that was partly burned last year. An architect comes in to check out the mansion to see what can be done with it. The architect turns out to be Wyatt Jayne, Julia’s old prep-school mean girl. Julia isn’t happy to see her again but tries to be civil, as her mother seems to be taken with her. 

Wyatt is staying aboard her boyfriend, Geoffrey's yacht, while it's being refitted at the local marina. Geoffrey is very wealthy (made his fortune off the housing crash) and pretty much keeps to himself, partly because many people dislike him or protest against him. Wyatt invites Julia, her boyfriend Chris, and Quentin (a mutual friend) to dinner on the yacht with Geoffrey. It's pleasant enough but odd. The next morning, Julia gets a panicked call from Wyatt ... she'd found Geoffrey murdered. Julia teams up with Flynn, an off-duty police officer (he's girlfriend was the yacht's chef), to figure out what happened.

This story was written in first person perspective in Julia's voice. There was a twist towards the end that was a surprise but also unbelievable. The whodunnits in this series have been pretty straight forward but this one was a bit convoluted. It's a cozy mystery so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. At the end of the book, there are recipes that were mentioned during the story including oven roasted beer-can chicken and potatoes and gnocchi.

This is the sixth (of 12) in the Maine Clambake Mystery series. I read the first five recently and will keep moving through the series.

Coronation Park and Trillium Park and William G. Davis Trail, Toronto, ON

It's such a nice day and I felt like being outside so I headed out to Coronation Park ... it's been a while since I've been there.

Knitted beanie

I knitted a beanie to donate. I used Caron Anniversary Cake and the colour is Oceana.

I found the pattern here and it was an easy pattern. 

I don't have a small 5.5mm circular needle so used 6.5mm so it's a bit bigger than a beanie and fits like a comfy hat. Plus I did 1x1 ribbing.

With A and circular needles, cast on 80 sts. Place marker, join being careful not to twist sts.

• Rounds 1-8: Work in 2x2 Rib stitch pattern until beanie measures 2” (5 cm) from cast-on edge
• Rounds 9-22: Knit around

Shape Crown

• Round 1: Knit. 
• Round 2 (dec): *K6, K2tog; repeat from * around — 70 sts. 
• Round 3: Knit. 
• Round 4 (dec): *K5, K2tog; repeat from * around — 60 sts. 
• Round 5: Knit. 
• Round 6 (dec): *K4, K2tog; repeat from * around — 50 sts. 
• Round 7: Knit. 
• Round 8 (dec): *K3, K2tog; repeat from * around — 40 sts. 
• Round 9: Knit. 
• Round 10 (dec): *K2, K2tog; repeat from * around — 30 sts. 
• Round 11: Knit. 
• Round 12 (dec): *K1, K2tog; repeat from * around — 20 sts. 
• Round 13: Knit. 
• Round 14: *K2tog; repeat from * around — 10 sts. 

Finishing

Cut yarn leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail. With yarn needle, draw tail through remaining 10 sts twice, pull tightly and fasten off. Weave in ends. Block lightly.