Audrey Hayes Art - Canadian Artist

sean's restaurant review

Sean spent the first half of spring break at the BCTF's AGM.  Usually it is in Vancouver, but this year it was held in Victoria which was nice because Sean got to stay in town yet feel like a tourist.  We don't spend a lot of time downtown, so it is nice to have four days having to eat every meal out and getting to try many of the restaurants that we just don't get a chance to try.  

Here are some of the restaurants that Sean tried & liked:  (click on images to link to restaurant websites)

 

Pulled Pork goodness.  Pulled Pork Poutine...OMG!!

 

    

Tasty Italian fare.

 

  

Asian street food.  Vietnamese Ginger Caramel Chicken...delicious!

 

 

Shiki Sushi - Love Boat...best sushi he's ever eaten!!

 

DAIDACO - Japanese Deli-Style soups, salads, & seafood.  Simple. Tucked out of the way. Very, very nice.

PIZZERIA PRIMA STRADA - Exquisite, wood oven, artisan pizza.  So good.

 

The girls and I joined Sean over night on Tuesday and we spent the following morning at the Royal BC Museum where we took in the Behinds the Scenes & Emily Carr exhibits. After the museum we made a stop at the Roger's Chocolates Soda Shoppe for lunch before heading to Market Square for a Wannawafel (as seen on Dragon's Den).  Super YUM!! 

There were so many other place he/we wanted to go.  Ulla was top on our list to try but it wasn't open the night I was downtown.  

I'd love to go back to Brasserie L'Ecole.  We went there last year and it was so good.

What are your favourite places to eat, in or out of town?

summer vs fall

As August comes to an end it feels like the summer has too.  The days are cooler, the sun is lower, and I am starting to think about sweaters and jackets for fall.  Unlike many of you who love the changing of this season to the next, I always feel a tad bittersweet at this time of year.  As a kid, even though I looked forward to back to school, I didn't like that the summer was over.  I still feel this way.  Summer is my favourite time of year and to think that I have to make it through fall, winter, and spring until it comes again sometimes bums me out a bit.  We did have an amazing summer, though.  Good weather and many adventures.  I have no complaints.  Although I shouldn't call it quits just yet.  We often have spectacular Septembers and since summer was late in coming hopefully it will last a bit longer this year.

It will soon be time to put away the outdoor stuff and clean up the yard getting it ready for winter.  What's nice is we still have lots of veggies still to come. The tomatoes are just starting to drip off the vines and the kale is still in full force.  And it is now time to pick our carrots.  This year we have the regular orange variety, but we also planted some purple ones.

I like them.  They may be a bit sweeter than the orange carrots, plus they are cool looking.  Have you tried purple carrots?  What do you think?

MY ART:  One thing I am looking forward to this fall [besides my birthday, then Christmas, then Spring] is that with the girls back to school and Sean back to work I am going to have a lot of time to focus on painting.  In fact, I have already been getting back into it.  I have been painting for the past couple of evenings.  Since the encaustic workshop I went to on Saturday, I have been totally inspired and the painting bug is back.  I have a few paintings on the go, trying new styles and different colours than I am used to.  I am totally pumped.

What is your favourite season?

Ciao August!

sweet tooth

My baby is growing up.  Macy has been complaining of a sore tooth for the past week.  I thought it must be a cavity.  Oh well, it is a baby tooth and we are going to the dentist in a couple of weeks. No biggie.  I finally decided to take a closer look at this sore tooth.  Turns out it is NOT a cavity...it's a LOOSE TOOTH!!!!  Macy is 6 years old and hasn't lost any teeth yet.  As a baby she was slow to get her baby teeth and so she is slow to lose her baby teeth.  After discovering this new "looth tooth", I decided I should check the others, too.  Turns out all four top teeth are wiggly.  Holy crapoli!!! 

She is totally excited about the fact that she is about to lose four teeth because she is going to make a lot of money. I am strangely sad about it.  I feel more sad about losing these little teeth than I did when she started kindergarten.  

It is going to be strange when her big, grown-up teeth grow in.  I can't imagine her with my big chompers.  A friend of mine once told me my teeth looked like big Chicklets.    

Tonight, Sean discovered that her two bottom teeth are loose as well.  She is going to have a toothless grin for school photos next month. OY!!

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Speaking of teeth, if you have a sweet tooth you would love Sean's blackberry/blueberry tart. Sean and the girls went blackberry picking along the trails by our house.  Then they backed this yummy tart from scratch.

 
I don't usually like baked fruit, but this was good.  Even Emmy liked it.

Hope you have a sweet weekend.

 

finally

After several weeks of not painting, I finally found some time to paint the over the past couple of days.  Unfortunately, I haven't really been able to get into a groove.  It just doesn't seem to flow...the paint that is.  I can't get the paint to do what I want it to do and it is frustrating.  I know I just have to work harder and it will come. 

I feel that I need a creative boost.  My plans over the next month is to take a couple of art workshops, revamp my blog, create a proper website, and paint like I mean it. Oh yeah!!

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Last month was Sean's birthday.  Instead of buying him a practical present, the girls and I were a bit selfish in our gift giving.  We bought him the ice cream maker attachment for our KitchenAid.  Since we got back from Hawaii we have made and enjoyed the following yumminess:

Now, I know what you are thinking but don't be concerned.  This could be dangerous, but we are only making small amounts.  

 

My favourite so far has been the chocolate with chocolate chunks ice cream...surprise, surprise.  If we were making Baskin-Robbins' World Class Chocolate, then we'd have a problem. What's your favourite ice cream?

If you could make any flavour combination of ice cream, what would it be?

It's supposed to heat up around here over the next couple of days.  Keep cool!

18 and counting

Sean and I got to spend all day together on Sunday without the girls.  Of course we love spending time with our kids, but it was nice to have some alone time, especially since it happened to be our 18th anniversary of being together. Where has the time gone.  We've been together for almost half our lives...our whole adult lives.  

Once we dropped off the girls at their grandparents', we went to meet a new baby.  Our friends had a large baby boy a few weeks ago and we finally got to meet the little one, born 10 lbs. 13 oz.  Ouch!!

Then we were off to Muse Winery out in Deep Cove to see some of the artists in the Saanich Peninsula Studio Tour.  It is a beautiful place with a little alfresco Bistro patio nestled next to the vineyard.

We then went to Sea Cider, for their 3rd birthday party, with the ulterior motive of peaking at their art show mezzanine.  

 

We ended up buying some sweet Pomona Ice Cider [for me] and Temperance apple juice [for Sean]. YUM!!

  

Finally, we finished our day with dinner at a new downtown restaurant...Browns Socialhouse.  It wasn't bad. 

One thing that kind of bugged me was their slogan, "restaurant.bar.socialize." Two nouns and a verb?  I want consistency here, people.  Either go with nouns - "restaurant.bar.socialhouse." or go with verbs - "eat.drink.socialize.".  In my opinion, the two just don't mix. 

It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed spending it with my honey.  

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I was given some Amish Friendship bread starter last week and I have been waiting for it to mature. I will have 3 more starter batches by Wednesday.  If anyone is interested in having a starter batch let me know and I'll get it to you on Thursday.   

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MY ART:  Yesterday, I started my new painting for over our fireplace.  But as usual, I ran out of my Pthalo Blue paint.  I picked up some more today.  Now I am heading down to my studio to continue painting.  Maybe I'll take some in-progress photos of this one.  

Hope you are all having a great June.  Summer is almost here and it is starting to feel like it.  YAY!!

 

equals fun

I've had quite a bit of teaching work the past couple of weeks and haven't had much time to blog or paint, but now that my working days are over for this school year it is time to focus on getting through the last two weeks. As the school year comes to an end I have noticed the calendar filling up with year end activities for the girls.  Then summer truly begins.  

We are trying to plan the summer with little family get aways and hopefully a long overdue anniversary trip for Sean and I.  We were going to go away for our 5th wedding anniversary, then our 6th, then our 7th, and it just never happened.  This year is our 8th.  So it is time.  We are thinking Maui.  Any suggestions about must do's when we are there?

This weekend looks like it is going to be a good one.  I am having a canvas custom made to fit over our mantle.  I will begin painting it tomorrow.  I can't wait.  And to get me inspired, I think I might head out to this weekend's Saanich Peninsula Artists' Studio Tour.  I've never been to this one before.  I want to go to the Muse Winery, not only to see the artists, but maybe I'll also get to try some more wine [had some at the ICC Food Fest couple of weeks back and it was pretty good stuff].

 

Then on Sunday we may head to the Sea Cider Ciderhouse for their 3rd Birthday party to raise money for Lifecycles, promoting island food security.  I also want to check out their mezzanine where they often host art shows.  

Well, busy days ahead.  Lots of painting and planning to do.  Thanks for stopping by.

weekend food fest

Despite the crappy weather, Sean and I enjoyed a fantastic Sunday afternoon at

The 3rd Annual ICC LOCAL FOOD FESTIVAL:

"Defending Our Backyard is one of the highlights of Vancouver Island’s festival year.  Chefs from some of the finest restaurants on Vancouver Island are working together to raise public awareness of the importance of local food and supporting local farms.  Defending Our Backyard celebrates Island food, farms and flavours at the picturesque Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites in Colwood."

We tried loads of foods made by some of Victoria's best chefs, using locally grown ingredients.  I got liquored up with some of our local best in wines, ciders, and even mead.  My favourite wine of the day was the Star Ortega 2009 from Starling Lane Winery.  I was refreshing, smooth and had a hint of apricot.  Mmmm!!

If you are a beer drinker, which I am not, every brewery was there to share a glass of beer.  

And Sean, being a non-drinker, enjoyed some tea from Silk Road and some yummy sparkling apple juice from Sea Cider Ciderhouse.  My other favourite drink of the day was from Sea Cider.  A cocktail of their Ice Cider, sparkling apple juice, and sparkling water.  So yummy!

The rain didn't seem to dampen anyone's drunken spirits.  I really enjoyed it and Sean was in his glory.  He loves food - making it, learning about it, and he secretly wishes (or not so secretly) that he was a true "foodie".  

It was a great way to end the month.  I shall bid May farewell and hope that it takes the rain with it.

Welcome, June!  Please bring us some much needed sun.  

Ciao,

cupcakes!

A couple of weeks ago, Macy announced she wanted to have a "fun"raiser to collect money for charity.  She wanted to make cupcakes and sell them to our family.  She then immediately started making posters of cupcakes.

A couple of days later the earthquake in Haiti hit.  So when Macy brought up her fundraising project again, we knew what the fundraiser should be for. Macy was quite happy to raise money for Haiti and then we heard that her school was trying to raise enough money to buy a Shelter Box to send to Haiti.  Perfect!

Today, Macy and Emmy [with help from Sean] made red velvet cupcakes.  At Macy's request, the cupcakes had pale purple icing and a cherry on top.  We then set out with fresh baked cupcakes to sell cupcakes to our families.   

Thanks to our family for their generous donations.  We haven't counted it all yet as we got bags full of coins.  But the girls were pleased with the yogurt container full of money that they brought home.  It was a very successful fun-raising project.   

Have a great week.

three-eight

While Sean and I lived in Montreal, we would frequent a little dessert cafe called Rockaberry.  It had the most amazing desserts.  My favourite was the Chocolate Cheese Pie.  OMG, I loved it.  When we moved back to BC it broke my heart to know I would never have another Chocolate Cheese Pie again.  

I moved back to Victoria while Sean stayed in Montreal to finish up his Masters degree.  On my birthday that year, Sean's grandmother died, so Sean flew home for the funeral.  But before making his way to the airport, Sean stopped off at Rockaberry to pick up a piece of Chocolate Cheese Pie.  He put it on dry ice, put it in his carry on bag and flew it all the way from Montreal to Victoria.

Imagine how surprised I was to get a Chocolate Cheese Pie for my birthday in Victoria.  That was probably the sweetest gift I've ever received.  It just so happened Sean's plane had problems with the heating system and they sat on the tarmac for hours with no heat, not enough blankets, in November, in Montreal, with dry ice at his feet.  If that isn't love, I don't know what is.  

Over the years we tried to find the recipe for my beloved Chocolate Cheese Pie.  Even one of Sean's students emailed Rockaberry to get the recipe with no luck [but that is a whole other sweet story].  Since then Sean has researched and experimented with enough recipes that we now think we can make an almost perfect Chocolate Cheese Pie.

Last night we went out for a pre-birthday dinner and I came home to a Chocolate Cheese Pie.  Pure LOVE and I'm not talking about Sean ;) 

Today I am 38.  

Now, let me eat pie.

cupcakes anyone?

I have sweets on the brain today.  We are planning a combo, double birthday/Mother's Day party on the weekend.  I personally like cupcakes for parties.  They are the perfect serving size for young and old, and you don't make a mess cutting into them.  But Sean likes to make cakes, so, we'll see.

   

Look at these cool baby gifts.  My sister's friend, Shannon, makes them.  She makes cakes, popcorn, cupcakes, and lollipops out of washcloths, diapers, onsies, receiving blankets, and burp cloths.  How awesome is that.  So, if you are looking for a unique baby gift, check out her website, Cuddlecakes.  And they are very affordable, too.  

She also makes these cute Cuddle Clips for girls, which I love. Cuddlecakes sells them 3 for $4 and they are awesome quality.  You can't do better than that.  Shannon was so nice and gave me a couple of sets, and my girls love them.  I will definitely be buying more.

MY ART:  The big painting I've been working on is a bit challenging. Mainly because it is taking me a long time to see results, due to the large size. I get impatient. But I am enjoying the big canvas. It just might be a while before I finish.   

Have a great day and enjoy something sweet.  

these are a few of my favourite things

I have been trying to get into shape and be a bit more health conscious, these days.  I mentioned the other day that I was going to run like a maniac this week...well, that hasn't happened.  Not even once. I have not ran in over a week and I am very disappointed in myself.  It is mainly a scheduling issue.  But I intend to do better from now on.  

I wanted to share some of my favourite snack foods.  One of my biggest weaknesses is chocolate ice cream.  Well, I have been eating this guilt-free alternative for over a year.  It is Safeway's Eating Right Fat-Free Chocolate Frozen Yogourt and I love it as much as any ice cream. Don't let the fat-free scare you, it is really good.  My other snack favourite is Safeway's Eating Right Potato Crisps.  I love these, too.  Almost no fat and yummy as hell.  There are a few flavours but I love Cheddar the most.  Wasabi Ranch is good, too.

MY ART:  I now have four paintings on the go.  Unfortunately, not much is going on with any of them.  Hopefully tonight my productivity will be higher than it has been.  I primed a large canvas the other night 3' x 4'.  Now I have to decide what to paint.  Hmmm.  Any suggestions??

Have a guilt-free evening and I'll see ya tomorrow.

cutting board canvas

Even though Sean (my husband) is an amazing high school biology teacher, his big passion is cooking.  He has received his culinary training from the world renowned Food Network Culinary Institute ;)  The Food Network is the most watched network in our home, well perhaps next to Treehouse.  I am certain he knows as much as any chef but he doesn't have much time to put theory into practice.  So whenever he gets a weekend afternoon free from marking biology labs, he loves to cook.  One of his big joys recently has been soups.  I must admit, his soups are GOOD.   I think his favourite part of the process is chopping.  This is what a typical soups starts with. 

celery. carrots. onion. shallots.

I have to admit I am one lucky lady.  My husband loves to cook and that means I don't have to.  Which means I get dinner made for me every night.  The down side to that is dishes.  Oh well. 

I think I have a SWEET DEAL.

Here is the what was left over from the onion. a couple of days later. hmmm.

Oh yeah. I almost forgot. I was going to put up post another painting today.  so. here. it. is.

This is another study. acrylic on canvas panel.  8X10.

 

I have always loved the look of oil pastels on paper and have done variations of the above painting in pastel.  Then I wanted to see if I could recreate the same feeling using acrylic on canvas.  I love the colours in this one.  I wanted it to have the feeling of an old European facade standing on a narrow, cobblestone street.

today: it's still raining.  In fact, the rain became thick and slushy on my drive home.  It is bitterly cold outside at +3 degrees Celsius.  I am counting the days until spring.

happy wednesday.  aud xx