2017/05 Moments May 2017 – Distractions, reflections

Fairfield, Iowa: Mock duck with spinach, mock abalone curry with coconut milk and avocado, successful experiments with canned Chinese vegetarian glutens. Rainy day with everyone falling into afternoon naps in the house by the farm, recovery from long travel yesterday. (Fairfield, Iowa) 20170501

Visual Arts Building, U. Iowa: Striking central atrium with ramps spiralling multiple levels upward. Arts installations still in progress, with end of term nearing. Walking tour of campus on a clear spring day. (Visual Arts Building, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa) 20170502

Coralville Center for the Performing Arts: Iowa City Girls Choir spring recital in an opulent venue. Our block of seven sent upstairs to the balcony, as ground floor space was packed. Experiencing the American lifestyle, as foreign visitors. (Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, Coralville, Iowa) 20170502

Maharishi University: Collection of instruments in the Maharishi Vedic Observatory, to observe and align with natural law. Walked around campus with a local resident who has friends who studied in the school, providing some explanations of the contrasting belief system. (Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa) 20170503

Deere & Co. World HQ : Combine has 14-foot wide wheelbase, so can be legally driven on the road, if the corn header is removed. Impressive front entrance display for a Fortune 100 company. (Deere & Company World Headquarters, East Moline, Illinois) 20170504

Deere & Co. World HQ : Henry Moore (1973) Hill Arches, on island beside water fountain, in landscape designed by Eero Saarinen and Kevin Roche. Crossing on small bridge over koi pond, swan approached as threatening, mate on other side nesting. (Deere & Company World Headquarters, East Moline, Illinois) 20170504

Chicago Diner: Pre-35th-Kellogg-reunion with MIS program leader from 1980 who hasn’t seen our family in almost 20 years. Remembering some of the faculty who are still with us, plus many who aren’t. Personalities haven’t changed much over the years. Sons appreciated vegan non-dairy dishes and desserts, as replicas of food they’ve been too allergic to previously try. (Chicago Diner, Old Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Illinois) 20170504

Block Museum of Art : Kristine Aono (2017) “The Nail That Sticks Up The Furthest”, 120,313 holes, some with nails, over copies of the testimonies given during the 1981-1983 Commission on Wartime Relocation and Interment of Civilians. One hole for each Japanese American interred during WWII. Installation is across campus from Kellogg School 35th class reunion. (Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois) 20170505

Kellogg School Global Hub: TGIF at 35th Reunion of the Class of 1982, on the second floor terrace around the atrium in the just-opened building. The more senior year reunions met upstairs, and recent graduates met on the ground floor. Former classmates attended some of the 4 lectures offering during the day, saying they don’t remember sitting to listen so long. (Kellogg School of Management Global Hub, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois) 20170505

Kellogg School Global Hub: Dean @SallyBlount update @KelloggSchool, first alumni reunion in Collaboration Hub atrium. Tiered steps up to second floor with former students having graduated 1 to 55 years ago. (Kellogg School Global Hub, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois) 20170506

Cai: Dim sum with International family first introduced in 1980, when I was first a foreign graduate student at Northwestern University. Solid Cantonese cuisine with xiaolongbao on menu means serious chefs. (Cai, South Archer Avenue, Chinatown, Chicago, Illinois) 20170507

Smart Museum of Art: John Chamberlain 1963 “Untitled” painted automobile parts. Already on south side, small diversion for art on campus. Return drive northbound past Hyde Park mansions. (Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, Illinois) 20170507

Second City Chicago Mainstage: View from the sound pit alongside the stage during intermission. “The Winner of Our Discontent” put humour into the current political situation following the last presidential election in the United States, plus some local Chicago humour. Improvisation is live and well. (Second City Mainstage, North Wells Street, Chicago, Illinois) 20170507

Twin Anchors: Two full racks of ribs split amongst four mouths, orders placed just 10 minutes before kitchen closed as after-theatre dinner. Historic restaurant served fall-off-the-bone pork. Photographs on the wall include Frank Sinatra as a patron, and The Dark Night as a movie venue. (Twin Anchors Restaurant, North Sedgwick Street, Chicago, Illinois) 20170507

Kerwood. Wind farm in western Ontario, alongside Highway 402 en route from Sarnia to Toronto. Farmland looks different from open fields on Iowa and Illinois, more trees, and less isolation. (Kerwood, Adelaide Metcalfe township, Middlesex county, Ontario) 20170508

Cineplex Queensway: Given choice between 2D and 3D, still preferring the older technology. Arrived early, as last time in different cinema was crowded, but this time isn’t during a school break. Luxury of time to see matinee of Guardians of the Galaxy v2. (Cineplex Queensway, Etobicoke, Ontario) 20170509

Pizzeria Via Mercanti: Massive blue-tiled wood-fired oven with pizza spatula follows traditional Italian methods in the branch located in Little India. Diningroom has lots of space at lunchtime, as a good place for a relaxed business discussion. On diets, we split a pizza and a salad. (Pizzeria Via Mercanti, Gerrard Street East, Little India, Toronto) 20170511

Lalibela: Ethiopian injera on platter with veggies, then grilled beef and lamb on top, and two deep fried fish on the side. No cutlery, this Mother’s Day dinner was eaten with our fingers. Confirmed that the meal was gluten-free, the injera is made from teff. (Lalibela, Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20170514

Ralph Thornton Centre: Public consultation on Unilever Precinct redevelopment, our home is might in the middle of it! Area of 25 hectares compared to London Canary Wharf 29 hectares, and New York City Hudson Yards 11 hectares. We’re 3 short blocks over from the proposed SmartTrack/GO-RER station, and heard that committee approved the TTC relief line alignment up Carlaw Avenue, this morning. A huge leap forward from the neighbourhood we joined in 1988. (Ralph Thornton Centre, Queen Street East, Riverside district, Toronto, Ontario 20170516

120 Bloor Street East: Martin Bunch at Systems Thinking Ontario presenting on Ecosystem Approaches to Health, with 3 case studies. Uptown venue for first session to include remote electronic participation, started off with the dreaded delay of fumbling with technology. (120 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20170517

New Century Plaza: Eye scanners at optometrist office have been a regular part of our appointments for some years. I’ve been seeing the same practitioner since I was a teenager, he’s 10 years older than me. Biannual visits are something we do as a couple, old people make dates together to see doctors. (New Century Plaza, Markham, Ontario) 20170519

Pine Hills Cemetery: Lowkong Society annual cemetery visit, Victoria Day weekend so cold that we could see the breath of the speakers. Usual roast pigs, duck, chicken and steamed rice cake for al fresco lunch. We took our oranges and apples home before the rain started. (Pine Hills Cemetery, Scarborough, Ontario) 20170521

Dragon City Mall: View from Spadina and Dundas, after clan dinner. Rare occasion when everyone is together. Rainy day. (Dragon City Mall, Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20170521

Riverside: Dinner party at home with family and friends, early on a school night. Making time for the luxury of social graces, good conversations in a relaxed setting. Hairy melon soup, Chinese beef stew, hoisin chicken, watercress with garlic, shanghai bok choy with shitake mushrooms. Matched with 2000 Margaux, Château d’Angludet acquired in 2002 without another occasion to consume. (Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20170523

The Local Restaurant: Pizza in progress in the oven of the resto in the school of hospitality, tourism and culinary arts. Lead professor seated us, saying that only two students had showed up as servers, and they were new. The technician (facility manager) tried to fill in more, but we were more interested allowing the students to learn. (The Local Restaurant, Centennial College, Progress Avenue, Scarborough, Ontario) 20170324

Dragon Pearl: Table for 20, as our full family extended by sister’s clan in town for wedding. Chinese buffet restaurant laid out in long table makes conversation unfortunately difficult. More occasions for family gatherings this weekend. (Dragon Pearl Restaurant, York Mills Road, Don Mills, Ontario) 20170525

Transportation Services, City of Toronto: Playing @Doors_OpenTO with Litter Vacuum vehicle, parked outside the maintenance garages at one City of Toronto venue. Building wasn’t open for touring. I worked in this office in the summer of 1979 as a business analyst, before the days of electronic spreadsheets. We moved into our home just down the street in 1988. (Transportation Services, City of Toronto, 433 Eastern Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20170527

St. George’s Hall: Private club @Doors_OpenTO @artslettersTO Great Hall, with bright stage and banners on the wall. Club founded in 1908 moved into Elm Street building in 1908. Tour led to daylight-lit art studio on 3rd floor, library on 2nd floor. Biking cross town visiting multiple previously-unseen places was refreshing on a cool spring day. (Arts and Letters Club, St. George’s Hall, Elm Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20170527

Mount Pleasant: Family of four generations, convening at the resting place of the fifth. Rare occasion to pull in members from Texas, California and Virginia, not to mention all over Toronto. Half of the group continued the conversation started at lunch, at home until after dinner. (Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario) 20170528