Well chalk today up as an another first experience of parenthood. We took the twins to two radically different locales this weekend. First we went to a community park and playground in Port Moody where we let them play on the swings. Then today we took them to South Granville where we explored the shops and stuff around there. Did I say that they were radically different experiences?
The “experience” part of going to the playground came more from observing who else was at the playground with the fruit of their loins than from what we were doing.
As we approached the swings a mother was pushing her kid in the swing-set. The kid looked like he was big enough to be pushing his own kid in a swing, but who am I to judge. The fact that he, the kid being pushed in the swing, had his hair gelled up into a fancy-schmancy doo wasn’t bothersome. Nor was his Ed Hardy shirt. He just looked too big to be on the little kid swings, especially being pushed by his mother.
The mom took it upon herself to explain to me that her kid was four and her other kid, who was not there, was 25. She just shrugged and said, “What are ya gunna do?”
At that point a wild pug caming racing into the swing area throwing all the other parents into a frenzy of picking up their kids as this wild black and white pug raced around jumping on anything it looked at. Charming. The entire time the mother of the four year old and 25 year old was shouting, “Its okay, he’s friendly!” Maybe too friendly for the people at the park.
Everything got better though when her nephew arrived and tied a 200 pound pit bull to the swing set. Double the charm. The pit bull was actually less intimidating though because it was so fat and out of shape that it just wanted to lie down and rest. Funny enough, we chose this time to leave, along with many of the other parents.
The good part of the swings at the park was finding that Annalie loves the swings. She was laughing and having a great time. Typically Story is more of the dare-devil but Annalie was the queen of the swings that day.
And then today, Sunday, we headed to South Granville to tour the shops. What a profound difference in clientele! The switch was so great that a sales lady followed me almost the enire time I was in the Williams-Sonoma store. She did become a little more friendly when I struck up a conversation with her about the differences between All-Clad cookware and Le Creuset.
For those who do not know, All-Clad is an aluminum core sandwiched between five layers of stainless steel whereas the Le Creuset cookware is an enameled cast -iron cookware. I love food, and all things food related…I’m just sayin…
The highlight of our walkabout on Granville had to be the walk through Pottery Barn Kids. Drool factor at warp level. The fun stuff in that shop for little ones was beyond belief. My favourite item was the bed shaped like a boat. Never mind the girls, I want that boat-bed for me! And then I went all wet when I heard that there was actually a Pottery Barn for ADULTS just down Granville at 10th.
It was a forced march down Granville to the adult Pottery Barn store. Inside I found my wet-dream of a kitchen table. It is the kind of table where memories are lived. A big old farmhouse style wide plank table with legs as thick as an elephant’s ankles. Gorgeous. And I say this in all sincerity, it was only $1200. For a table that will last a life time.
From the Pottery Barn we beat a hasty retreat to the suburbs.
Two days of exploring two different worlds. Such a cool city we live in.
I believe you just missed my husband in Williams-Sonoma – but I’m not supposed to know that. It may be that I will have the world’s most expensive home food processor for my birthday. Or not. Reality may have set in when he saw the price tag.
And, I have to weigh in on the Le Creuset. Currently, we are invested in All-Clad, but having lived with Le Creuset – it is THE BOMB! Had a big Dutch oven that browned the beef & onions on the stove top, then I’d add the other ingredients and put the stew in the oven. Of course, we never finished a full pot of stew at one sitting, so the next day – a few more ingredients and back in the oven.
And, for entertaining! Well, you’d cook something & turn off the heat & it would stay hot/warm until you got your act together for all the other parts of the meal.
And, the ultimate bonus? You don’t have to spend any time in the gym if you are hoisting a large Le Creuset frying pan & Dutch oven on a regular basis.
And, since I’m here, let me speak about the table. I sooo get ya on the wow factor of the solid farm table. The drawback I can’t get around is: How do you clean the crevices when you live with people who might do mud-pie mashed potato sculptures on the table when you’re not looking? Or finger paint runs off the side of the page? Or play-dough?!
When I open my smooth top table to insert a leaf, I am aghast at how many crumbs have lodged in a space that will not allow a piece of paper to slip through. And, given that we use placemats, often eat in the living room, and neither of us has ever played mashed potato sculpture on it … well, it just shouldn’t be!