Schmoozing, Mooching and Shopping

Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival

• Sadly, had time to see only one show this year at the Fringe this year. However it was a good one - Tales of Another England by the wonderfully twisted Screwed and Clued.
• Fortunately DID have time for schmoozing the Festival Beer Tent. Highly recommend the McAuslan Apricot Wheat Ale.

July 14 - 17: Cottage Mooching in Gravenhurst chez Diane.

• En route to The Great White North we visited the fabulous Cookstown Outlet Mall.
  Shopped.
• Attended the Muskoka Arts & Crafts Show.
  Shopped.
• Some of the many talented artistsans:
  Cori Lee Marvin (Watercolours) www.marvindale.ca
  Karen Franzen (Ceramics) www.illuminarts.com/KarenFranzen
  Lorraine Eidlitz (Ceramics)
• Day trip to Port Carling.
  Shopped.
• Antique hunting at Ditchburn House, a charming shop crammed with collectibles, furniture and garden accents.
  Shopped.

July 20 - 21: Farm Mooching in Read chez Durkin.

• Visited my Mom in Belleville and my wonderful cousins Jayne & Ed. They have a beautiful spot next door to the Pure Springs Trout Farm. Did not fish.
• Forced to pose for pictures on an enormous wild horse wearing an attractive terrycloth cowboy hat. Plotted revenge.
• Watched my fearless son trot off into the sunset on above-mentioned ferocious man-eating horse. Had a beer.
• Celebrated safe return of son. Had another beer.
• Foiled kidnapping attempt of cousin's dog - now renamed “Huggy Woofers” - and giant mutant horse by son. Returned to civilization - bills, emails, phonecalls. . . Had several beers.
  Planned recuperative shopping trip.

July 29 - 30: Niagara-on-the-Lake

• Set off for the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake with fellow culture-vulture Diane. Visited several wineries along the way searching for the perfect Gewürztraminer. Some of our stops:
  Cave Spring Cellars
  Stone Church Vineyards
• Lunch at the fabulous Inn on the Twenty in the beautiful town of Jordan.
• Shopped.
• Saw Happy End at the Royal George Theatre. Very Brechtian, but excellently so. Loved it!
• Stayed at the lovely Aberdeen Bed & Breakfast. Wonderful hospitality and food!
• Shopped. Picked up an old English Girl's Annual at Lakeshore Antiques and Treasures.
  Check out a page from Storyland for Girls at right.
• Returned home to bills, emails, phonecalls. . .
  Opened a case of Chardonnay from Stone Church.
  Promised self longer holiday next year.