Haiku #143 - Toronto

food, coffee, massage
a trip to Chinatown yields
many benefits


Alex, Kurt, Cherie and I had a terrific breakfast at Karine's yesterday.  Tucked away inside a food court, it's a definite must-eat for budget travelers in Toronto: cheap, yummy, environmentally conscious.  I had a roast-veg omelet, and stole some of Alex's fries with homemade ketchup.  We caffeinated ourselves at Dark Horse Espresso Bar, and then unwound with hourlong reflexology foot massages at a place on Dundas in Chinatown.  It was pretty amusing with the four of us and each of our masseuses in one room, chatting amiably in Mandarin and English, with Cherie acting as translator when necessary.  


We're here for two more days, then on to West Virginia and beyond!

Haiku #137 - Teeth Whitening

Pam & me right after my teeth whitening
(the dent in my forehead is from the glasses I had to wear)
Pam whitened my teeth
I can't wait to go out and
show off my bright smile!

Alex and I went on Thursday for a complimentary teeth whitening sponsored by Altima dental to the members of our company.  I was expecting it to hurt, but it didn't at all - the worst part was having to wait 24 hours to eat anything colorful!  Now we're both back to our normal diets...so far teeth are still bright and shiny!

Alex staining her teeth again. 


Haiku #134 - Cancelled Flight and Lost Luggage

JFK: Clarkie, Kurt, and I enjoy our breakfast of (delayed) champions.
Tonight, Alex and I enjoyed Smash - advertised in the background.
flight cancellation 
may lead to pre-noon drinking
at the airport bar


I realize the past couple posts may lead readers to believe I'm an alcoholic.  Be that as it may; I'm comfortable enough in my lightweight-ness to be taken for the opposite.  


The New York-based numbers of our company assembled at JFK just in time for our flight to Toronto... and at the last minute, we were told the flight had been canceled.  No explanation.  We were re-booked on a flight leaving four hours later from LaGuardia, but had to wait for confirmation that we'd all be able to get on the flight.  Obviously, the thing to do was to have a breakfast cocktail in the airport bar.  


Somewhere in the shuffle, one of my checked bags went missing.  Hopefully it will join me in Toronto soon.  Epic travel day!

Haiku #127 - Montgomery, AL

"are the ribs good here?"
Cherie asked.  Waitress response:
ate rib, licked fingers.


Well, you can't ask for a much more honest response than that.  And they were good.  The service was very friendly, and surprisingly fast.  Giancarlo ate with us, too, and he did very well interpreting the thick Southern drawl of the bartender.  "What sides you want, baby?" Cherie and I took a short walk along the river before we had to be at the theater.  Last show before a short layoff, then Toronto!
The Harriott Riverboat - Montgomery, AL

Haiku #126 - US Space and Rocket Center

who'd have expected
a roller coaster on Mars?
kids of all ages!


Kurt and Cherie and I went to the US Space and Rocker Center this morning before the matinee.  We rode a motion-simulator ride that we expected to be an informative and exciting exploration of Mars, which turned out to be a fact-free simulated Martian roller coaster.  We looked at rockets and airplanes, and Kurt and Cherie rode the G-force simulator.  We didn't have time to check it out very thoroughly, but it was fun.  And it was nerdily amusing to say we were at the space museum waiting for a shuttle (even if it was just the hotel shuttle).