Freaky, frenzied fun with Franelle!!!

November 25/11.

Happy birthday to my Dad today!

Dad with my sister, Carrie (pic taken in September).
The infamous Rex Loring is 86 today! Will be seeing you on Sunday, Dad, in Oakville with prezzies!!

Can't stop myself from running this pic again! Dad in his twenties during the CHEX days in Peterborough, where my parents first met. SO cute!

This whole week has been a bit of a blur, faster than a speeding bullet, since the arrival of my best friend, Franelle, from L.A., on Monday night.

Haven't seen her in a very long time, so we've had a lot of catching up and 'splainin' to do (as our pal, Ricky Ricardo would say)!

The first night, (here with Franelle's fab sis, Valerie), we ordered Japanese food - salmon & sushi (with Henkell, natch)! - to celebrate her visit!

Later, (at 2 a.m.), Franelle & I watched the new episode of House, (which I PVR'd),

and let Hugh Laurie take us away for a while! - Thanks Hugh!

The next day, Val & I took Franelle to the Eaton Centre to shop and see the fabulous Christmas decorations!

The massive reindeer, all lit up - amazing!

The Swarovski Crystal Wish tree is pretty stunning!

The tree is 55 feet tall, (sorry, didn't have my calculator for metres),

and is decorated with over 40,000 crystal ornaments. Costly tree!
Must take a ton of security!

I really had no idea you can SKYPE with Santa!! Coolio!

The reindeer look beautiful and bright no matter what the angle!

You can't tell from this pic, but these pretty stars are rigged up to give off a gleaming, cascading, animated light effect.

Fun to watch!

Franelle accompanied me on a shopping spree at GUESS,

pouring me in & out of tight little black dresses for Sam's upcoming Christmas party.

Fell in love with this one and bought it! (but forgot to bring the
right shoes! Will look much better with sexy stockings and my shiny silver stilettos)! - And ya, judging by the back of this gown, have to hire a stylist to figure out what kind of magic bra to wear!

(only kidding. Meet my personal stylist, (i.e., Franelle), who already has all that figured out)! Whew!

After shopping till we dropped, caught an early dinner at a vegan restaurant called Fressen on Queen Street West.

Was a bit of a challenge for me, (with an aversion to onions & garlic), but they were accomodating and prepared a couple of dishes just for me, sans those ingredients! Meanwhile, Val & Franelle indulged in them!

Wednesday morning, hard to believe it's late November. Woke up to plenty of sunshine and lots of coloured leaves still on the trees!

We decided to take advantage of the sunny day and head for Kensington Market, where my daughter, Kate,

needed to pick up some custom-made t-shirts for her Improv team at Rosedale. Mission accomplished!

Then, off to a major-league, calorie-laden bakery, where we picked up mucho sinful goodies!

Ai Carumba! These guys have EVERYTHING!

For my pals who worry about my weight...don't! We picked up crusty bread, butter tarts, an amazing apricot almond torte, bagels, Havarti cheese and a Nanaimo bar (for Kate), and after THAT,

shuffled over to Spadina, where,

yep, you can get - ALL DIM SUM - ALL THE TIME!!!!

Franelle ate all this herself! (just kidding! We shared every dish! - and brought some home, too)!!

Fab food, especially the deep-fried calamari.
(and oh-so-good-for-you, too, - in case you didn't know)!

While shopping in Kensington, happened upon some Grinchy friends!

("Lady Grinch" was quite fond of me apparently! - while the Grinch himself was excellent at leering)!

Meanwhile,

Franelle found an amorous pal of her own! Look out! Here comes trouble!

So many wild & wacky stores in Kensington!

Checking out the vintage clothes and accessories at Courage My Love.

And at Flashback. Bought a pair of tiny silver heart clip-on earrings (for 10 bucks), to wear at Sam's Christmas party next Friday.

Finally, heading home along Dundas. The Yonge/Dundas square is sparkly, even amidst streetcars, billboards, construction workers and heavy traffic!

When we hit our street in Riverdale, couldn't believe it. ALL the leaves are gone! Now, it really looks like November!! No more bright colours.

Now, rolling into Thursday!

Franelle, (my personal stylist for two weeks), went with me to sexy, sizzling La Senza - (at not-so-sexy Gerrard Square),

to track down the hot item I so desperately need for that little black party dress. Since I've led a sheltered life (?) I wasn't really up on the benefits of Dream Shapers self-adhesive bra thingamajigs! REALLY??

let alone silicone gel-filled bra cups for backless and strapless wear! It ended up, La Senza didn't have my size in "gel-wear" (who knew?) - too small I guess! - So, had to go with a different make. Sure hope the adhesive holds up! (Don't want to risk a wardrobe malfunction)! Gak

"Sure hope my TAIL holds up!" (Hey, what the heck is my old Cowardly Lion blog mascot doing in this entry???)

After shimmying in & out of the little black dress so many times, it was off to, - you got it, another bake shop. THIS time, the famous HARBORD BAKERY!!

Living in the States, Franelle is butter tart-deprived, so here's the best place to buy them.

(albeit, $1.75 per tart)!

SO much chocolate nut bark!! My teeth hurt just LOOKING at this!!

Upon arriving home, checked out the baked goods inventory! Ai yi yi!
Cheese sticks, chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin pie, butter tarts, mundlebroit, chocolate brownie (for Max), Nanaimo bar (for Kate), cheese blintzes and a baguette! Clear the decks!

Oh, and hey, remember the rollicking ME DAY I took a while back, when I spotted that to-die-for short red "Santa Baby" dress in a store window?

Sure wanted to own one. Guess what? Saw MANY at La Senza, so come on! PLEASE? Lemme just try it ON!!!!!!

Stylist Franelle snapped the shot in the dressingroom. SHE sez it's OK to run it, if I just show the top! OK with YOU???????? Well, I didn't BUY it!!!! Santa, Baby, hurry down the chimney tonight!! Ho! Ho! Ho!

So, that's been our week so far! - (and I even left OUT all the wild, raunchy, convoluted conversations, raucous, racy laughs and sinful swearing. Franelle is a master. LOVE it)! And much more to come!
Update soon I hope!