NEW HOUSE GUEST

This is the painting I purchased on Saturday from Nadina. I think it's great. It's called Spring Phoenix, and fits right into my penthouse with class !

Nadina you sure are one talented women!!!!!!!!!

SPRING PHOENIX

Today, I was the whole day at Nadina's place. She asked me to help out with her Art Exhibit/fundraiser. She was going to sell her art, and hopefully raise some more money to help pay for her recent CD project that she just did with Guy Few. In this picture, on Nadina's left, is the painting I purchased from her today. I love it, and it's called Spring Phoenix, she was inspired to paint it, shortly after completing the recording session with Guy last March...

Me, Nadina and Guy Few in Nadina's kitchen..

SINGING, A GREAT WAY TO RELEASE STRESS !

Tonight after Amici's last concert of this season, and a very successful one I might add, Caroline went to a local bar close to my office to have a beer and do some much loved Karaoki... I sang 4 songs, including my Bette Mildler fav.. " you are the wind beneath my wings.. " I felt much better after singing, and just letting lose... Singing at the top of your lungs infront of complete strangers, strangely releases alot of my tension...

Happy Victoria Day

Today was the last day of our 3 day well needed weekend... tonight I went over with my 28 cm long sparklers to Ineke's... here's some pictures from our enjoyment of the festivities...

The Sovereign's birthday has been celebrated in Canada since the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).

May 24, Queen Victoria's birthday, was declared a holiday by the Legislature of the Province of Canada in 1845.

After Confederation, the Queen's birthday was celebrated every year on May 24 unless that date was a Sunday, in which case a proclamation was issued providing for the celebration on May 25.

An amendment to the Statutes of Canada in 1952 established the celebration of Victoria Day on the Monday preceding May 25.

From 1953 to 1956, the Queen's birthday was celebrated in Canada on Victoria Day, by proclamation of the Governor General, with Her Majesty's approval. In 1957, Victoria Day was permanently appointed as the Queen's birthday in Canada. In the United Kingdom, the Queen's birthday is celebrated in June.

In 2007 Victoria Day will be celebrated on Monday, May 21st.

SPEAKING OF GADGETS ...

I wanted to share my newest gadget, handy phone extraordinaire ! the newest Smartphone the HTC S621 .. I love it ! worth every penny.. for much less I might add than the comparative Blackberry of Palm Treo...

I'm not doing an ad for Rogers.. but for those who know me.. I am always on top of the newest techy tools to help me in my many jobs..

Features
Wireless Phone: complete wireless phone features Speakerphone: 5 way conference calling and enhanced music listening E-mail: Windows Mobile 5, Outlook Exchange, Personal and Corporate Email, Instant Messaging Integrated QWERTY keyboard: combines a phone keypad with a QWERTY keyboard for easy letter and number entry Internet: EDGE enabled for faster downloading of e-mail, attachments, content and surfing the Internet. Bluetooth-enabled: wirelessly connects to a stereo Bluetooth headset (using A2DP) and other Bluetooth devices Embedded ring tunes: 33 polyphonics ring tunes Music Player: Bring your music with you on the road. Support for MP3, AAC and eAAC.
Connectivity
USB Cable (included) Bluetooth WiFi 802.11 b/g Compliant

COOL NEW GADGET !

First came the Coca Cola machine, then came the ATM, money machine, now as I discovered tonight at the Loblaws down by the lake..( Queens Quay) a DVD dispensing machine... ( the DVD, that is spit out of the machine comes in a simple thin plastic cover) very cool... as long as you have a Credit Card you can rent a newly released DVD for only $1.99.. whats.. the catch ? well.. you must bring back to this machine the next evening before 12 midnight the next day.. or your credit card get charged another $1.99 .. and so on and so.. on.. as long as you bring it back.. you're fine.. ! very cool...

CONGRATS NICHOLAS!

Tonight, I took Ineke and Nicholas up to the Science Centre in Don Mills, to attend a Scouting awards ceremony, to which Nicholas is receiving a Silver Award of Excellence from a very distinguished guest!

Here you see him with his award and the presenter.. ( Jim Creeggan of the Barenaked Ladies)

Ineke and I are very proud of Nic !

nice job !

SUNNY DAYS...

Milo and I went out for a nice walk to Ramsden Park today..

just north of Bloor, off Yonge Street.

SPRING 07 IN TORONTO

Well so far.... so good.. spring has been nice this year in Toronto.. I always still have to get used to the fact that spring is so much later with starting than in Amsterdam.. like at least 6 cold weeks later ! .. I took this picture on my walk yesterday at the local city park just up the street from my office. This is St. James park at the corner of King and Jarvis Streets.. as you can see the tulips are perfect right now.. next week they may be gone already ! I just love the spring, because summer is right on it's heels !

GOOD MUSIC ... GOOD FRIENDS !

Today, once again, I was playing with my orchestra, the Oshawa Durham Symphony. The program is really nice ! Beethoven Symphony no. 1, and the 3rd and 5th Beethoven Piano Concertos.

Anton Kuerti is the piano soloist. Amazing pianist, and amazing that he is playing 2 concertos in one night !

Leslie Newman, the flutist in our quintet, Network Winds, is playing this program as well. This picture was taken tonight at the hall in Oshawa...

NADINA'S AMAZING NEW CD

I am proud to be friends and colleagues with such an amazing creative person as Nadina Mackie Jackson or as we know her.. NADIVA...!!.. she just released her latest CD.. and it's a keeper.. it should and will win all sorts of praise and awards.. very inovative and just superb playing !

click on the picture to take you to the CD purchase page !

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Yesterday, Sunday, I had the whole family over for nice pre-mothers day dinner. Although my mom is no longer around, the room was of course filled with 3 other moms and their kids ( 9 in all ) !

It was a nice day... to bad it was to cool to be out on the deck...