I went to Jorge and Edmee’s Christmas Potluck party on Friday. It was a lot of fun, everyone brought a different type of dish and we all indulged in the season’s spirit. I was too tired, though and left just after 11:00 (early, by their standards).

Last night we went to the Reservoir Lounge, it was so much fun. The music was great and we did a lot of people-watching. I had a lot more fun than last week, when I went to EAU (11 dollar martini, anyone?).

Now Johnny is preparing my stay in Cabo, he is receiving me at the airport with the red carpet treatment (after all I haven’t been there since 1997), and apparently we are going to go clubbing and dancing like crazy, I’ll have a chance to compare the differences and similarities.

I also went to the Quail and Firkin earlier yesterday, I always have a lot of fun playing NTN Trivia and the Firkin’s chicken wings are among the best in town.

Two more days until my trip to Cabo, my airplane leaves at 7:00 and I have to be at Pearson two or three hours before my flight. I didn’t think of that when I bought the ticket (I didn’t have much choice anyway). I’ll have to wake up at about 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning to go to the airport, and I’ll be in Cabo by 10:30 their time. And it’s Christmas eve, so the party/dinner/gift-giving is going to be that same night, meanwhile I’m going to be all tired, plus it’s two hours behind in Baja, so even if it’s only 10:00 PM there, I’m going to feel as if it’s 12:00 (not taking into account that I woke up at ungodly hours). I hope I have a chance to take a nap before that.

I went to Jorge and Edmee’s Christmas Potluck party on Friday. It was a lot of fun, everyone brought a different type of dish and we all indulged in the season’s spirit. I was too tired, though and left just after 11:00 (early, by their standards).

Last night we went to the Reservoir Lounge, it was so much fun. The music was great and we did a lot of people-watching. I had a lot more fun than last week, when I went to EAU (11 dollar martini, anyone?).

Now Johnny is preparing my stay in Cabo, he is receiving me at the airport with the red carpet treatment (after all I haven’t been there since 1997), and apparently we are going to go clubbing and dancing like crazy, I’ll have a chance to compare the differences and similarities.

I also went to the Quail and Firkin earlier yesterday, I always have a lot of fun playing NTN Trivia and the Firkin’s chicken wings are among the best in town.

Two more days until my trip to Cabo, my airplane leaves at 7:00 and I have to be at Pearson two or three hours before my flight. I didn’t think of that when I bought the ticket (I didn’t have much choice anyway). I’ll have to wake up at about 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning to go to the airport, and I’ll be in Cabo by 10:30 their time. And it’s Christmas eve, so the party/dinner/gift-giving is going to be that same night, meanwhile I’m going to be all tired, plus it’s two hours behind in Baja, so even if it’s only 10:00 PM there, I’m going to feel as if it’s 12:00 (not taking into account that I woke up at ungodly hours). I hope I have a chance to take a nap before that.

I went to Jorge and Edmee’s Christmas Potluck party on Friday. It was a lot of fun, everyone brought a different type of dish and we all indulged in the season’s spirit. I was too tired, though and left just after 11:00 (early, by their standards).

Last night we went to the Reservoir Lounge, it was so much fun. The music was great and we did a lot of people-watching. I had a lot more fun than last week, when I went to EAU (11 dollar martini, anyone?).

Now Johnny is preparing my stay in Cabo, he is receiving me at the airport with the red carpet treatment (after all I haven’t been there since 1997), and apparently we are going to go clubbing and dancing like crazy, I’ll have a chance to compare the differences and similarities.

I also went to the Quail and Firkin earlier yesterday, I always have a lot of fun playing NTN Trivia and the Firkin’s chicken wings are among the best in town.

Two more days until my trip to Cabo, my airplane leaves at 7:00 and I have to be at Pearson two or three hours before my flight. I didn’t think of that when I bought the ticket (I didn’t have much choice anyway). I’ll have to wake up at about 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning to go to the airport, and I’ll be in Cabo by 10:30 their time. And it’s Christmas eve, so the party/dinner/gift-giving is going to be that same night, meanwhile I’m going to be all tired, plus it’s two hours behind in Baja, so even if it’s only 10:00 PM there, I’m going to feel as if it’s 12:00 (not taking into account that I woke up at ungodly hours). I hope I have a chance to take a nap before that.

I went to Jorge and Edmee’s Christmas Potluck party on Friday. It was a lot of fun, everyone brought a different type of dish and we all indulged in the season’s spirit. I was too tired, though and left just after 11:00 (early, by their standards).

Last night we went to the Reservoir Lounge, it was so much fun. The music was great and we did a lot of people-watching. I had a lot more fun than last week, when I went to EAU (11 dollar martini, anyone?).

Now Johnny is preparing my stay in Cabo, he is receiving me at the airport with the red carpet treatment (after all I haven’t been there since 1997), and apparently we are going to go clubbing and dancing like crazy, I’ll have a chance to compare the differences and similarities.

I also went to the Quail and Firkin earlier yesterday, I always have a lot of fun playing NTN Trivia and the Firkin’s chicken wings are among the best in town.

Two more days until my trip to Cabo, my airplane leaves at 7:00 and I have to be at Pearson two or three hours before my flight. I didn’t think of that when I bought the ticket (I didn’t have much choice anyway). I’ll have to wake up at about 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning to go to the airport, and I’ll be in Cabo by 10:30 their time. And it’s Christmas eve, so the party/dinner/gift-giving is going to be that same night, meanwhile I’m going to be all tired, plus it’s two hours behind in Baja, so even if it’s only 10:00 PM there, I’m going to feel as if it’s 12:00 (not taking into account that I woke up at ungodly hours). I hope I have a chance to take a nap before that.

I went to Jorge and Edmee’s Christmas Potluck party on Friday. It was a lot of fun, everyone brought a different type of dish and we all indulged in the season’s spirit. I was too tired, though and left just after 11:00 (early, by their standards).

Last night we went to the Reservoir Lounge, it was so much fun. The music was great and we did a lot of people-watching. I had a lot more fun than last week, when I went to EAU (11 dollar martini, anyone?).

Now Johnny is preparing my stay in Cabo, he is receiving me at the airport with the red carpet treatment (after all I haven’t been there since 1997), and apparently we are going to go clubbing and dancing like crazy, I’ll have a chance to compare the differences and similarities.

I also went to the Quail and Firkin earlier yesterday, I always have a lot of fun playing NTN Trivia and the Firkin’s chicken wings are among the best in town.

Two more days until my trip to Cabo, my airplane leaves at 7:00 and I have to be at Pearson two or three hours before my flight. I didn’t think of that when I bought the ticket (I didn’t have much choice anyway). I’ll have to wake up at about 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning to go to the airport, and I’ll be in Cabo by 10:30 their time. And it’s Christmas eve, so the party/dinner/gift-giving is going to be that same night, meanwhile I’m going to be all tired, plus it’s two hours behind in Baja, so even if it’s only 10:00 PM there, I’m going to feel as if it’s 12:00 (not taking into account that I woke up at ungodly hours). I hope I have a chance to take a nap before that.

I went to Jorge and Edmee’s Christmas Potluck party on Friday. It was a lot of fun, everyone brought a different type of dish and we all indulged in the season’s spirit. I was too tired, though and left just after 11:00 (early, by their standards).

Last night we went to the Reservoir Lounge, it was so much fun. The music was great and we did a lot of people-watching. I had a lot more fun than last week, when I went to EAU (11 dollar martini, anyone?).

Now Johnny is preparing my stay in Cabo, he is receiving me at the airport with the red carpet treatment (after all I haven’t been there since 1997), and apparently we are going to go clubbing and dancing like crazy, I’ll have a chance to compare the differences and similarities.

I also went to the Quail and Firkin earlier yesterday, I always have a lot of fun playing NTN Trivia and the Firkin’s chicken wings are among the best in town.

Two more days until my trip to Cabo, my airplane leaves at 7:00 and I have to be at Pearson two or three hours before my flight. I didn’t think of that when I bought the ticket (I didn’t have much choice anyway). I’ll have to wake up at about 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning to go to the airport, and I’ll be in Cabo by 10:30 their time. And it’s Christmas eve, so the party/dinner/gift-giving is going to be that same night, meanwhile I’m going to be all tired, plus it’s two hours behind in Baja, so even if it’s only 10:00 PM there, I’m going to feel as if it’s 12:00 (not taking into account that I woke up at ungodly hours). I hope I have a chance to take a nap before that.

I went to Jorge and Edmee’s Christmas Potluck party on Friday. It was a lot of fun, everyone brought a different type of dish and we all indulged in the season’s spirit. I was too tired, though and left just after 11:00 (early, by their standards).

Last night we went to the Reservoir Lounge, it was so much fun. The music was great and we did a lot of people-watching. I had a lot more fun than last week, when I went to EAU (11 dollar martini, anyone?).

Now Johnny is preparing my stay in Cabo, he is receiving me at the airport with the red carpet treatment (after all I haven’t been there since 1997), and apparently we are going to go clubbing and dancing like crazy, I’ll have a chance to compare the differences and similarities.

I also went to the Quail and Firkin earlier yesterday, I always have a lot of fun playing NTN Trivia and the Firkin’s chicken wings are among the best in town.

Two more days until my trip to Cabo, my airplane leaves at 7:00 and I have to be at Pearson two or three hours before my flight. I didn’t think of that when I bought the ticket (I didn’t have much choice anyway). I’ll have to wake up at about 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning to go to the airport, and I’ll be in Cabo by 10:30 their time. And it’s Christmas eve, so the party/dinner/gift-giving is going to be that same night, meanwhile I’m going to be all tired, plus it’s two hours behind in Baja, so even if it’s only 10:00 PM there, I’m going to feel as if it’s 12:00 (not taking into account that I woke up at ungodly hours). I hope I have a chance to take a nap before that.

I went to Jorge and Edmee’s Christmas Potluck party on Friday. It was a lot of fun, everyone brought a different type of dish and we all indulged in the season’s spirit. I was too tired, though and left just after 11:00 (early, by their standards).

Last night we went to the Reservoir Lounge, it was so much fun. The music was great and we did a lot of people-watching. I had a lot more fun than last week, when I went to EAU (11 dollar martini, anyone?).

Now Johnny is preparing my stay in Cabo, he is receiving me at the airport with the red carpet treatment (after all I haven’t been there since 1997), and apparently we are going to go clubbing and dancing like crazy, I’ll have a chance to compare the differences and similarities.

I also went to the Quail and Firkin earlier yesterday, I always have a lot of fun playing NTN Trivia and the Firkin’s chicken wings are among the best in town.

Two more days until my trip to Cabo, my airplane leaves at 7:00 and I have to be at Pearson two or three hours before my flight. I didn’t think of that when I bought the ticket (I didn’t have much choice anyway). I’ll have to wake up at about 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning to go to the airport, and I’ll be in Cabo by 10:30 their time. And it’s Christmas eve, so the party/dinner/gift-giving is going to be that same night, meanwhile I’m going to be all tired, plus it’s two hours behind in Baja, so even if it’s only 10:00 PM there, I’m going to feel as if it’s 12:00 (not taking into account that I woke up at ungodly hours). I hope I have a chance to take a nap before that.

I have a saying, not only mine, but not less true because of that: We in Toronto are hostages of the garbage people. It is incredible how city workers have us threatened to the knob.

Last year, on January 6th Pamela asked me if it was the day we were supposed to put the Christmas tree down. Instead of thinking about the Epiphany or any other tradition, my answer was: it depends on when your garbage night is. Yes. There is only ONE DAY in the year when you are allowed to dispose of your Christmas tree. And that is not all:

One, and only one night (or day) a week is your Garbage Night and you may not put out your garbage any other night (or day) under risk of being fined a hefty amount of your hard-earned dollars. Also, you have a limit on the amount of bags and how they should be prepared.

For me it is Wednesday night.

Only certain kinds of bags (and garbage) can be put out on the curb: “Up to six items of garbage will be picked up weekly from each household, each weighing no more than 20 Kg. Broken glass and other sharp objects must be placed in a clearly marked, sealed container. Garbage put out in small shopping bags, cardboard boxes or cartons will not be collected. Please use garbage container no smaller than 30 litres and no larger than 125 litres or a standard garbage bag strong enough to hold 20 Kg.. Please remove all tie downs (i.e. bungee cords) prior to collection” (this statement is literally taken out from the Garbage and Recycling Calendar, a brochure published by the City of Toronto).

Why do they just pick it up once a week? Even in Mexico City (which is a mess in every other aspect) has daily garbage pick up. It is not as if it was cheap to live in Toronto!

Some people have backyards or garages where they can store the garbage all week until Garbage Night/Day (this has been blamed for the proliferation of raccoons and other pests). That is not my case. If I eat anything that produces garbage (like rotisserie chicken) I have to be very careful when disposing of the left-overs (I usually eat everything and if I have a guest do not allow them to leave anything uneaten, but it is impossible to eat a chicken’s bones), I have to dispose of the garbage as neatly as possible, double bag it and tie it in shopping bags (so that it does not get smelly for during the days I have to keep it) and finally, on Wednesdays, put it out on the curb in a big garbage bag. Small shopping/supermarket bags will not be collected. I have seen with my own eyes how city workers (A.K.A. the Garbage Police) pick up bags that have been left out on non-garbage nights, open them, examine the contents and take polaroids of them. Then they fine the owner of the bag, if they do not know who it is by the contents, they will fine the owner of the dwelling where the bag was found (hence the polaroids).

All of Toronto’s trash gets sent to Michigan, since there are no more landfills left in the GTA. Now, there is a big mess down in the US because, of course, citizens don’t want anyone else’s trash, but we pay them and they are happy to receive the money, plus it is totally legal.

For our benefit, I shall say that Toronto is a much cleaner city than London, where every night you can find, in any given street, garbage bags left out for collection since about 7:00 P.M., even in the fanciest/most touristy streets.

Not very attractive.

I have a saying, not only mine, but not less true because of that: We in Toronto are hostages of the garbage people. It is incredible how city workers have us threatened to the knob.

Last year, on January 6th Pamela asked me if it was the day we were supposed to put the Christmas tree down. Instead of thinking about the Epiphany or any other tradition, my answer was: it depends on when your garbage night is. Yes. There is only ONE DAY in the year when you are allowed to dispose of your Christmas tree. And that is not all:

One, and only one night (or day) a week is your Garbage Night and you may not put out your garbage any other night (or day) under risk of being fined a hefty amount of your hard-earned dollars. Also, you have a limit on the amount of bags and how they should be prepared.

For me it is Wednesday night.

Only certain kinds of bags (and garbage) can be put out on the curb: “Up to six items of garbage will be picked up weekly from each household, each weighing no more than 20 Kg. Broken glass and other sharp objects must be placed in a clearly marked, sealed container. Garbage put out in small shopping bags, cardboard boxes or cartons will not be collected. Please use garbage container no smaller than 30 litres and no larger than 125 litres or a standard garbage bag strong enough to hold 20 Kg.. Please remove all tie downs (i.e. bungee cords) prior to collection” (this statement is literally taken out from the Garbage and Recycling Calendar, a brochure published by the City of Toronto).

Why do they just pick it up once a week? Even in Mexico City (which is a mess in every other aspect) has daily garbage pick up. It is not as if it was cheap to live in Toronto!

Some people have backyards or garages where they can store the garbage all week until Garbage Night/Day (this has been blamed for the proliferation of raccoons and other pests). That is not my case. If I eat anything that produces garbage (like rotisserie chicken) I have to be very careful when disposing of the left-overs (I usually eat everything and if I have a guest do not allow them to leave anything uneaten, but it is impossible to eat a chicken’s bones), I have to dispose of the garbage as neatly as possible, double bag it and tie it in shopping bags (so that it does not get smelly for during the days I have to keep it) and finally, on Wednesdays, put it out on the curb in a big garbage bag. Small shopping/supermarket bags will not be collected. I have seen with my own eyes how city workers (A.K.A. the Garbage Police) pick up bags that have been left out on non-garbage nights, open them, examine the contents and take polaroids of them. Then they fine the owner of the bag, if they do not know who it is by the contents, they will fine the owner of the dwelling where the bag was found (hence the polaroids).

All of Toronto’s trash gets sent to Michigan, since there are no more landfills left in the GTA. Now, there is a big mess down in the US because, of course, citizens don’t want anyone else’s trash, but we pay them and they are happy to receive the money, plus it is totally legal.

For our benefit, I shall say that Toronto is a much cleaner city than London, where every night you can find, in any given street, garbage bags left out for collection since about 7:00 P.M., even in the fanciest/most touristy streets.

Not very attractive.