Sunday, September 16, 2007

free! Sharon! art.


Lately I've been having a lot of surfing dreams. It's a bit weird considering i've only actually surfed three times in my life. I've paddled on a surf board a lot more than that thanks to my buddy James. On labour day weekend when we trekked up to LJ's cabin, he brought his long board and LJ's fish up so I could practice paddling and my overall feeling for being on the bloody things. I'm not sure what the muscles that run along the side of your ribs/back are called but it seems to me that their fitness is directly correlated to my ability to stay on a board - vertical or horizontal. Perhaps part of my training program is dreaming about surfing. In my dreams I'm really good. Hopefully if my travel plans this December take shape, I won't need to dream so much any more.

This weekend I received two free CDs. Have I ever mentioned my genetic disposition to all things free? This is why I still have rave flyers from 1999-2001 that I thought were particularly beautiful (and frameable), a six inch pile of promo mix CDs and a collection of coupons for the Denman Place gym that I'm building up the balls to use. If it's free I'll take it. So will my mom, her mom and probably my great grama too. We love free stuff. Costco samples - yes! Free stinky-ass perfume sample, why thank you. Weird acme kitchen untensil that I'll never use, yes please! This coupled with my inherent leaning towards extreme nostalgia, packrat decorating habits and bachelor apartments equals no bare surfaces. Ever.

I bought two pieces of art this weekend. I shouldn't have, but it's hard to resist your impulses when there's cheap red wine involved. I'm not sure why all stores don't offer free and/or cheap booze on Friday nights. Their profits would soar. My purchases were prints, so all my grocery money isn't gone. You find the artists here and here.

I've decided that Sharon Stone is my new semi-style-icon. Especially circa Casino, not necessarily Basic Instinct 2. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I think it's time to go blonde after a 5 year hiatus or maybe it's her natural, Idon'tgiveashit cougarness. I bought a new shirt from Winners today with big green wingy sleeves straight outta 1971.

posted by Miranda @ Sunday, September 16, 2007 30 Comments

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

summer: here for posterity

on my little brother's YVR hip hop debut (Del the Funkee Homosapien)
Zedeo: I'm not sure if M's fake ID will work.
me: Well I guess we'll have to try...
M: do I look older in these high heels?
me: let me accessorize you girl.
later...
me, to a random: this is my little bro's first hip hop show!
random: he's your little bro, I thought you were his mom.
me: hmmmph.
On surfing in Tofino:
"Paddle. Paddle. Paddle."
on the little things in life (Vancouver):
me: you're drinking my beerlini! (1/2 beer, 1/2 bellini slush)
bf: yes.
me: don't do that! That drink's the happiest moment of my life - in a jug! You're drinking the happiest moment of my life away!
On being mobile:





Jeets in Nelson: I really want to put a little cocktail umbrella in this drink. Do we have any?
Jeets' roommate: Nope.
Jeets: I know, I'll ask Miranda. (Runs over to me in her living room). Hey Mir do you have any little drink umbrellas?
me: No. What do you think I am a travelling f*%king tiki party?

Union Bay:
me, pearl, mel, eventually Molly: "I want my money!"
messages from NYC to YVR:
from E, 06/07: Caramel rice pudding with pound cake croutons. xo
from E, 06/10: Watching some of the SNL cast improv. What's up? xo
from my fave WestEnd dancing partner:
from Condon, 06/08: U still up for gettin down?

Finally over: JJ
Finally into: Xavier, Damien, Phill

posted by Miranda @ Wednesday, September 12, 2007 0 Comments

Thursday, July 19, 2007

more Madiba

Stephanie Nolen, hands down the Globe and Mail's best journalist, wrote a moving cover piece on Mandela's newest humanitarian foray: the Elders. You can listen to Peter Gabriel's Biko here. I love the use of the word gooey.

posted by Miranda @ Thursday, July 19, 2007 1 Comments

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

pa Afrika


Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela!


Today is one of my favourite days of the year. If you ever have the opportunity to be in South Africa on Madiba's birthday, it's a humbling experience. The love that South Africans feel for this man will warm the coldest heart of the most cynical political pundit. In Canada, the closest we have may be our feelings towards Trudeau or Pearson. Mandela's one of the few leaders the world has. All of the icons are gone, but he still stands - fist raised, 1000 watt smile beaming across his grandpa face.


In other news, Wooster reminded me of a crazy email forward I received a couple years back. The email subject was "I love Africa" and had a bunch of photo attachments depicting every day African life: donkeys pulling half trucks, petrol stations closed due to gas shortages and dudes taking their hyenas for a walk. Check out Pieter Hugo's exhibition for more hyena action.

posted by Miranda @ Wednesday, July 18, 2007 0 Comments

Thursday, July 12, 2007

mr sun sun, mr golden sun, please shine down on me

Summer's finally here. Yum.

I knew it was coming when I went to the beach with my grama on Canada day. We oild up with Hawaiian Tropic and talked about travelling. Then, she accidentally flashed her boobs while trying to get a strapless tan. She's leathery, I'm on my way. I have a lot to look forward to.

Or maybe its the permanent scent of coconut, spf and BBQ wafting through English Bay.

Or maybe its the colony of freckles sprouting on my shoulders, belley and knees.

Or the crazy temperature surge.

Perhaps it's the fabulous afternoon I spent at 3rd beach with Elly. The water was cold cold cold. It's also cloudy, filled with seaweed and floating log remnants but gaddam its refreshing. The lady that passed out at the concession should've spent more time in the dirty old Pacific. The boy swears there's sewage in the water at 3rd beach. That won't stop me from going today.

I sold a story to our national newswire and now it's in Thunder Bay.

Only 15 more days until surfing in Tofino!

posted by Miranda @ Thursday, July 12, 2007 0 Comments

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

summer spiderwebs

Summer update:
  • Discovering that my 5 year old sporty bathing suit has developed spiderwebesque see through bits in the bum area. Luckily I discovered this on my way to the second beach pool, not climbing out of it. I wonder if public pool humiliation is hereditary? Email me for the full spiderweb story.
  • Listening to him, her and this. Cheese please.
  • Savouring Isabel Allende.
  • Growing addicted to and anticipating cat fights in Age of Love.
  • Planning my trip to Tofino.
  • Attempting to get tix to see Del with my little brother.

posted by Miranda @ Tuesday, June 26, 2007 0 Comments

Thursday, June 21, 2007

bridge and viaduct crowd


Every single trip over the Georgia Viaduct or the Cambie, Burrard or Granville bridges I feel like I'm in a big city. Does anyone else feel that way?

Whether I'm in a car or on foot or on a bus, I always feel so cosmo zooming over their expanse. I know - it's a little sad that I associate large concrete roadways over polluted little False Creek as vanguards of Vancouver's metropolitaness. I think this association is left over from living in Johannesburg. Flying over that city, the view is nothing but a mess of curly over passes and six lane, circular roads. The Nelson Mandela Bridge isn't so bad either. If I'm going to fall in love with Vancouver finally after all these years/months, I might as well heart its uglier parts as well as it's pretty ones (namely, what I refer to as Vancouver's tits and ass: our mountains and ocean.

Next week I will volunteer at my 4th BEST pancake breakfast. If any Vancouverites who ride, walk or skytrain to work want to nosh on free pancakes, organic coffee/maple syrup then join me June 27. The breakfast happens @ the 200 Granville Plaza right near the Waterfront skytrain station. I'll be there early with bells on and pancake batter smeared across my shirt no doubt.
Pssssst. Summer's here. Go for a picnic. Make out on a bench. Pick some flowers. Take road trips south.

posted by Miranda @ Thursday, June 21, 2007 2 Comments