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Foxymoron is...

  • Andrea Chiu
    — a writer, journalist, music fan, nomad

    E-mail | Flickr

    Please DO NOT directly link to mp3s. Download them and upload them on to your own server. Music files are only on-line for a limited time. Please support artists. These mp3s are provided for promotional purposes only. If you like what you hear, buy the album. Thanks.

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August 28, 2006

Spirits of the West

I've had a good final week here in Toronto. Maggie and I did the old lady thing on Tuesday and took a road trip to the Niagara Region (which I may recount with photographs later on). There were beaches, gnomes, slot machines, bad family restaurant food, the Sky Wheel and highway construction. It was awesome.

On Friday, the Gang of Losers took over section 527 of the Skydome (I will never submit to the "Rogers Centre") and helped the Jays kick Royal ass with slow claps and our superb wave skills. Unfortunately, we were one strikeout away from getting free Pizza Pizza pizza. There were no dancing fruits either, but we surprisingly made it through all nine innings without a moment of boredom. Go Jays!

Last but not least, I saw my good friend Trudie get married on Saturday. We've known each other since we were 12-years-old. It was a lovely wedding and reception made even more beautiful with an open bar and the random break dancing circle late in the evening. She and her new husband, Keith are now in St. Lucia having a well-deserved "rest." Congratulations!

Three weeks in Toronto and my body is deteriorating. It's the vacation attitude that says yes to beer, dessert, French fries instead of salad — and the Swiss, oh, the Swiss. At the ripe age of 26, I fear the best days of partying, eating and carelessness are behind me. It doesn't help that I drive everywhere here in suburbia. Just two more days of vacation and I'll go back to my healthier lifestyle of exercise and more conscientious eating in Hong Kong.

These so-called vacations will soon be my death...

Spirit of the West - Home for a Rest
Chantal Kreviazuk - Green Apples (for the new married couple)

Photographs to come. I left my USB cable in Hong Kong...

August 22, 2006

Thirteen points

Quitter

I feel like this tonight...

Stars - "On Peak Hill" (Live)

August 21, 2006

I know I drive alone

P1030893

Although I brought some work with me, I feel like I'm vacation and have limited my time in front of the computer to a measely 45 min/day, at most. This is why I haven't posted much and why I only wrote that crappy filler blog entry in list form.

People ask me what I've been doing since my return to Toronto and I haven't had anything interesting to say. No adventures to report or even a romantic recount of squatting at my favourite café. No, I've just been zipping up and down the Don Valley Parkway in my rented Mazda, hoping I won't be late or caught speeding, as I rush to meet friends and family to talk (again) about the past year. While I love everyone I've seen on this trip home, the repetition is wearing thin. I want adventures! I want romance! I want speed! So Tuesday, I'm heading north to a place where there are skyscrapper trees, roadside fruit stands with berries and fresh corn, a diner with 60's mint green décor and milkshakes.

Esthero - I Drive Alone

August 14, 2006

Toronto is a good home

P1030879

The past week has been wonderful in more ways than one:

  1. The Airport Greeting Committee arrived with flowers, banner and a direct route to Swiss Chalet.
  2. Tequila Bookworm has free wi-fi now.
  3. Friendly retail and restaurant service.
  4. Fake prom was excellent. I got to wear a dress and tie.
  5. St. Ambroise on tap.
  6. Spacing, Maisonneuve and Shameless magazines at Pages Bookstore
  7. The Kensington street party celebrating the third anniversary of the Blackout. Firethrowers and the neighbourhood street version of Stomp.
  8. Friends!

August 04, 2006

I put on makeup for this?

nfb-fruit

So are you like, going to the prom? I'm just asking because like, everyone is talking about it. But it's not like I want to go that badly, I just thought like, well, if everyone else is going then... I know it's kind of lame, and like, who really cares about that shit and the DJ always sucks but I mean, if you go, and like, I go, it might be like, less lame. So, um, I guess what I'm asking is, do you like, wanna go with me? Not WITH me, but like, together? Like a group thing, yeah, like in a group, together...?

So I was just wondering. Yeah.

I hope "November Rain" is the last song.

Guns N Roses - November Rain
Boyz II Men - Yesterday
Boyz II Men - It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday

August 01, 2006

August and everything after...

Gone fishin'

By now you've probably settled into the season. You've worn in your flip flops so they fit your feet and don't give you blisters. Your tan is evening out. You have not one but two long weekends left — one of which includes an out-of-town road trip. And the heat! It's enough to make you stay in and appreciate what god gave us: air conditioning. But you don't because your friend just text messaged you and somewhere in that sticky, body-odoured heat, there is a cold beer and an umbrellified cocktail calling your name.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to August, my favourite month of the year. Here's part of my August soundtrack:

Bran Van 3000 - Loaded
Dragonette - I Get Around
The Sounds - Dance with Me
Shout Out Louds - 100 Degrees (Indie version)
The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno

Photo: The view from Stanley Bay on a beautiful afternoon.