Discovering Perspective

Oops... this has been sitting in my draft pile for a while

For my OAC Canadian Lit class, I chose Timothy Findley as my author for the ISP (Independent Study Project). I read Not Wanted on the Voyage and Pilgrim. I had previously never read any of his work but since that project he has been one of my favourite writers and Pilgrim my favourite novel.

There have been several odd occurances while reading his different novels. Many I attribute to the fact that Findley often refers to Southwestern Ontario in his novels and so there is an odd familiarity and eeriness when I know the places he writes about.

Summer 2002 I was exited to get around to reading his latest novel, Spadework. June 22, 2002 to be precise. Early the next day on the news I heard that Timothy Findley had died June 22.

Nothing quite as notable has happened as I have made my way through his remaining books, rationing them out since they are few and finite. That is, until earlier this week. I've been reading Headhunter this summer. One evening I was watching a TVO special on Modigliani (wait for it, this is relevant). I'm familiar with his more famous paintings but have never heard or seen much about him. After turning off the tv, I went to read in bed for a bit before turning in for the night.

Labels: Reading

Non-Sequitor by Wiley, Aug.28 2006

Round two of chocolate tastings was much more challenging as the variation among the samples were significantly more subtle and nuanced. They were all excellent, well crafted chocolates.

Tasting Comments:
Schwarze Herren Schokolade Edelbitter
60% min.
Germany

Strong cocoa with small hint of coffee bitterness and berry sweetness. Slight grit after melting. Pleasant.

Hachez Cocoa d'Arriba
77%
Germany

Mild and subtle flavours, specifically an orange rind bitterness. Oily texture at first dissolves into gritty and powdery.

Cote d'Or Degustation Intense
70%
Belgium

Milky and smooth flavour. Surprisingly the gentle sweetness is very pleasant and well balanced. Silky texture melts evenly.

Cote d'Or Degustation Brut
86%
Belgium

Similar to Cote d'Or Intense but dryer with hint of coffee bitterness.

My Opinion:
I will stick with my original commentary that Belgian chocolate is notably superior. They are refined, well balanced and beautifully crafted. I was actually very surprised by the sweetness of the Cote d'Or Intense. It is not usually something I specifically enjoy in chocolates. There's still something about the strength of the higher cocoa content that wins my vote. The German chocolates were still very good quality though a bit more abrasive. Depending on the situation, it may be a quality that is desirable. It would compliment brandy nicely, for example. I don't mind the gittyness, it adds to the texture, but the powdery aftertaste of the Hachez is my biggest criticism.

Registering for my courses and I'm amused/annoyed by the bureaucracy that I have miraculously managed to avoid to date. There are few electives in my program so shuffling permissions and prerequisites etc. haven't come up too much and anytime it has, the profs/Depts. haven't really cared that I was missing credits and said it was up to me whether I thought I could handle the course.

This year I have two electives which must be approved by the School of Architecture to make sure I'm not just taking fluff and then usually by the Department offering the course because chances are I don't have the prerequisites for fourth year + courses. I heard back from one department which said that the course I was inquiring about deals with advanced level topics and absolutely require previous knowledge covered in lower year courses. Unless I can convince them that I have such knowledge from alternative courses and studies, they would not wave the prerequisites.

Now, no offence to the rest of my University (specifically the arts programs) but I've taken courses in other departments before and sat there thinking: "wow, people get degrees for this?" *mind-numbing* They've been less than challenging compared to Architecture. I think an 'A' Master's student can handle a fourth year undergraduate course, especially given the response I got back from my Dept. implied that I might want to consider a more advanced course.

So now I'm waiting on approval for a PhD level course. It has no prerequisites other than being at least a Master's level student. Isn't that ridiculous. Not qualified for an undergrad course but should have no problem with the PhD course.

I keep saying, the real test for completing your Master's is the paperwork and navigating the bureaucracy. The thesis is the easy part.

I went to the Mayfair Theatre last night to see Sketches of Frank Gehry (and the DaVinci Code which was part of the double feature). It was good. It suits my obsession with watching movies about architects, real or fictional. I'm never sure if it makes me feel better about my choice of professions or scared. But I do find it lights something up in me that makes me say "that's what I want" (minus all the terrible things that always happen to the fictional and occassionally real architects). I also recommend it for anyone trying to figure out what is it that architects do? Why do they seem so crazy and odd?

Labels: Architecture

on the rocks
Originally uploaded by brunelleschi.

Lara invited the Southies up to her cottage for the weekend and conveniently my parents were up in Ottawa the previous weekend so I was able to hitch a ride. I spent the week at home which also meant I was there for Rachel's birthday. We went to Moxie's for dinner which was quite pleasant. I suggested the Yellow Tail Shiraz which everyone enjoyed. And of course, Mom made Grasshopper pie for dessert. Mmmm....

It was a peaceful and relaxing weekend at Iverhuron except for the last minute cool down in the weather which meant that Lake Huron was far too cold to swim in. I had really been looking forward to it. The Lakes are so much nicer for swimming than anything around here in Ottawa. Got a good view of the stars and some meteor showers. Ate way too much and probably didn't drink enough but ended up with a nice tan and a chance to catch up with some high school friends.

Traffic on the 401 meant I missed my bus back to Ottawa but luckily I have a grandma in Toronto so I got dropped off at her apartment instead of the station and spent a few hours chatting before catching the late night bus from downtown.

As always, it's nice to be home with my beau.

Ben has been kind enough to set before me a great challenge. A dark chocolate taste comparison. Please feel free to forward such challenges as often as you wish.

Ben provided the three samples to which I have added one of my own. The contenders are Godiva Solid Dark, Godiva Extra Dark, Cocoa Camino Organic/Fair Trade Bittersweet, and Cemoi Intense.

My initial disclaimer that I am in fact a chocolate snob and have yet to find chocolate to match the Belgian Chocolatiers though the French come in a close second. Don't even talk about anything with less than 70% cocoa. That counts as candy not chocolate. As with wine and most other culture, I find North American chocolate to be tamed down, non-challenging and afraid to offend. This generally results in a non-descript, nothing to really hate but nothing to really love final product. I have attempted to be fair in my evaluation and tried to describe the flavours and effects of each chocolate. However, final judgement comes down to my personal taste for bold, rich, un-bashful chocolate that succede in countering and complimenting the bitterness without disguising or ignoring the true character of cocoa.


The tasting comments:

Godiva Solid Dark
45-60% cocoa (assumed)
New York

Sweet honey flavour with a slight hint of acidic citrus. Relatively weak cocoa flavour leaning towards a mild milky Hershey's flavour. Aftertaste is all citrus. Texture is more oily than silky preventing full absorbtion of flavours.

Godiva Extra Dark
72%
New York

Mild but present cocoa and nutty flavours still with a hint of citrus. Disolves with a bit more character which lasts into the aftertaste. Oily texture.

Cocoa Camino Bittersweet
71%
Switzerland

Sweet mild cocoa flavour expanding into fruity berry, raisin and currant which dominate the potent, slightly odd but not completely unpleasant aftertaste. Buttery texture.

Cemoi Intense
80% min.
France

Rich earthy, roasted, coffee and walnut flavours with hints of cherry. Complexity remains through aftertaste. Silky texture.


My opinion:

I'm not a huge fan of overly present citrus or milky flavours. Along with the relatively low cocoa content, Godiva Solid Dark ranks fourth.

I'm torn between the interest in the odd flavours of the Camino Bittersweet and the my preference for nutty distinct cocoa found in the Godiva Extra Dark. I'll have to fence sit on this one.

No question the Cemoi Intense ranks top of this list for me. It hits the points of what I enjoy in chocolate.


Further recommendations:

If you ever come across this in Canada TRY IT! (and tell me where). 100% cocoa, 0 sugar. It's the perfect example of how the bitterness of cocoa doesn't have to be consummed by sugar.


Thanks Ben. Greatly enjoyed the request.

With yesterday's weather, I finally hit my a-fan-only-goes-so-far limit and needed to escape the 34 degrees apartment. It was the same temperature inside as outside and with humidity that was 46 degrees. The big dilemma is that 34 was uncomfortable but I know that anywhere with air conditioning was going to be around 19 or 20 which is too cold for comfort. In the winter I use energy to heat my apartment to 22. Why would I use energy in the summer to drop it below that?

So I decided to treat Mekki to a movie at Rainbow at St.Laurent Mall. I went prepared with a cardigan. As I walked into the Bay I was thinking of the energy conservation commercial with the couple in the parkas braving the cold as they burst out the door of the shop where they proceed to peal off the parkas to reveal tanktops and shorts. It's so ridiculous. No wonder there's an energy problems.

Mekki and I escaping from the theatre as soon as possible and walking to the car on the opposite side of the mall, started theorizing as to why air conditioning is overused. (I also vowed not to complain about the heat anymore) Mekki's first suggestion was Canadian conservative fashion. Canadians don't know how to dress for summer. Too shy to show some skin. I pointed out you don't need to bare it all to be cool. The full length wrap around skirt I was wearing is the coolest bottoms I own. They fan your legs as you walk and don't hold the heat you're letting off. But this led back to a previous conversation about the business suit.

I proposed a variation to Mekki's theory that it is the obsession with business suits as being the only appropriate attire for the business world. Office buildings have to compensate for the fact that all the guys are wearing trousers, shirt and tie and jacket with leather shoes. It's such an antiquated fashion. In its current form, it's been around since the early 1900 and possibly longer depending on the definition. Women have options when it comes to dressing professionally and it seems about time that men get that opportunity.

I'm always disappointed that it seems there are so few occasions where people dress up but I don't think the daily sitting at a computer requires that. Perhaps I should start the no-tie campaign as an energy conservation program. It will go along nicely with my idea to get rid of the no-clothesline by-laws in suburbia(n hell).