C'est L'Halloween

I never feel more joy than when I'm thigh deep in pumpkin guts.
I plan to celebrate this very spooky occasion this year by carving 5 (count 'em, 5!) pumpkins.

(See how excited he is to be carved)

If there is one thing in life that I am confident in my abilities in, it is carving designs into hollow squash. (other than my play-doh wielding skills of course)
This year myself (an owl) my sister (a pirate) and my stinky puppy (a dragon) will be handing out piles of teeth rotting deliciousness all night on my porch.
You may be surprised to find out that Halloween isn't all about dressing (or undressing) as some sultry version of a usually cute/vicious/disease-infested woodland creature.
Yes, I am being a woodland creature as well, but I promise my costume is very unflattering and would fit the dress code of a convent.
After the weekend of partying, taking off your wig two drinks in due to your uncontrollable perspiration, and giving that guy dressed as The Joker your number (or was it that guy dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow?)...
Take Monday night to appreciate the more PG side of Halloween; give out candy, eat what's left at the end of the night and watch Hocus Pocus. (yes that is Sarah Jessica Parker. No she did not need a prosthetic nose to look like an evil 300 year old witch)

Get Mama's Pryin' Board

I'm going to say something that you may not know....

Hamiltonians like to EAT!

Did I just blow your mind? 

You probably couldn't tell we like to eat by all the scooters on the sidewalks, the infinite amounts of Tim Hortons locations, or that some of our most well known landmarks are ice cream and fish n' chip shops.

This city has a little bit of everything when it comes to cuisine.

First you'll have to wade through the endless seas of frozen (never fresh) jalapeno popper serving bars. 

And the sixteen Kelsey's that will suck you in on a Friday night like a fly to a spinach and artichoke dip web. 

When it comes to dining out I think Hamiltonians should ask themselves one question....WWGFD? (What Would Guy Fieri Do?)

Witnessing that man hunch over a burger with grease dripping down his arms is nothing short of beautiful. 

Watching Diners Drive Ins and Dives while I wait for my boyfriend to get home from work on a Friday evening gets me in the perfect mood for some southern BBQ.
Today I am going to encourage you to venture outside our stinky little city and experience a place Hamiltonians drive through once a year for the Peach Festival, Winona. (Or is it still Stoney Creek? It could be Grimsby.)

Just go on that road that Queenston Road turns into just past Stoney Creek's original Starbucks. Once you've gone down the road far enough and you're sure there is no civilization left, this gorgeous humble little shack appears.

Memphis Fire BBQ serves up the best brisket, coleslaw, mac and cheese, and ribs for kilometers.

 (yes those are ribs, use your imagination)

Their ribs taste like you are eating a fire cracker with sauce on it. I'm pretty sure they are the reason "dancing guy" dances downtown. 

If you eat there often you may end up looking like Homer Simpson when he became so fat that he had to wear a 'moomoo'.

 Once in a while though, it's nice to let that little fat boy that lives inside all of us out for a day.

A Hammer is NOT Just a Tool

Living in The Hammer is experienced differently by every single one of its residents.

Some people have lived here since they immigrated to Canada in the fifties. Some are only here for eight months a year to study at one of Hamilton's post secondary institutions. Some live here and commute to bigger cities everyday to work. And some don't have jobs at all. 

You would think in a city this diverse that there would be plenty of activities and interesting things to do. 

If your in the age group within ten years of reaching the ever coveted drinking age, you probably can only think of one thing to do on your nights off: I'll give you a hint - it starts with "H" and ends in "ess"

So if wearing bubble skirts and losing your mind (as well as your lunch) isn't your cup of tea, what can this city offer you? 

Try something new this weekend...

Usually if your not out drinking, your out eating. But what to do when your belly is full of the newest gourmet burger joint's bacon covered bliss? And that trendy cupcake shop's cream cheese frosted morsels are threatening to repeat on you? 
Believe it or not, one of the most happening spots  in Hamilton on a Saturday evening is your local dog park. My personal favourite is the fenced in park just off of Locke St. in the Steel City's historic downtown. Sure it smells like poop, and you will probably end up with a little on your UGG Boots, but you should still give it a shot (i promise it will be more enjoyable then the kind of shots that contain tequila).

 (This is my little Penelope. Fastest puppy at the park! She's cute and all, but she farts more than she breathes)

It is a beautiful place to walk around, and there is a Starbucks nearby that seems to always be open. 

Bring your puppy, your poop bags, and your pooch's favourite toy to fetch. Most importantly, leave the leash at home! 
It's a blast to see your dog light up and go all crazy eyed when they get to play freely with other dogs, which leaves you free to socialize with the other humans.

So you don't have a dog?

No big deal! It's not like a children's park where you can get arrested for watching and touching the children if you didn't bring a child as well.

Free-range puppies are meant to be enjoyed by all! 
So get your $7.00 triple shot non-fat caramel frappuccino, stand in a field littered with dog poop land mines and enjoy a quiet conversation with people and the animals they love!

Election Day in Ontario

So today is the day that all those commercials, pamphlets, news articles, and CHCH broadcasts have been leading up to - ELECTION DAY! 

(voting ballot, it's hard to write words in play-doh) 

If your anything like me, then you are just as confused about which party to pick as to which Kardashian sister is which.

I'm not going to lie, I'm not even entirely sure what this election is for. (Didn't we just have one?)

Beyond the politics, the parties, the seats, and the majorities vs. minorities I want to know what the outcome of this election means for myself and my city.
When it comes to politics I have always felt indifferent.

In my twenty-three years living in Hamilton, elections come and elections go, and I have seen little change in the city I grew up in (other than the HSR buses, they have bike racks now).

At least not for the better, I don't remember being asked for so much spare change on the street until recent years.
What can these leaders do to make the way I experience life in this province different?

Will they... make bus fare cheaper? Make post-secondary education free? Build even more Wal-Marts? Create more jobs? Put a Forever 21 in Limeridge Mall (fingers crossed ladies)? Invest in making our downtown core more attractive? Give us young professionals more reasons to not leave our city for greener pastures? Make pumpkin pie Hamilton's official food?

The polls are open until this evening, take this opportunity to research which party's "promises" would enhance your life, your city, and your province in a way you can be proud of.  

Happy Voting!