JUNK BOAT TRAVELS: 2016 IN RETROSPECT

2016 IN RETROSPECT

We started 2016 in Mazatlan. Click here for a lengthy post about our time in Mexico in 2016.

Here we were are enjoying our travels in Mexico.

JANUARY - MID MARCH

MAZATLAN

Click here to read about a dinner out with other bloggers written

by Contessa.

And another blogger at the same dinner.

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE

GUADALAJARA

GUANAJUATO

PUERTO VALLARTA

MARCH

We lost my Aunty Nell this month, the last of my maternal aunts.

We came home in mid March and they finally got winter!

Click here for a recap of our first two weeks home.

Came home to new ceiling and pot lights in the kitchen, Dave had finished it while we were away.

Had fun decorating our place with our purchases from Mexico.
Had a plumber come and replace all the piping under the kitchen sink, no more blocks!
We celebrated John's birthday at Canoe one of favourite restaurants in Toronto.
Happy Birthday!

We shopped at St. Lawrence market and went to a French pastry shop on Danforth.

But it is fun to have everything available to cook. We went to The Pantry in the east end for Irish sausages and white and black pudding for St. Patrick's belated Day.

APRIL

April continued to be winterlike for the first week.

Week 1 April

We went to our favourite pizza place - Olympic
I started co-hosting the condo coffee club.
Went shopping with my BFF and tried Noodles and Company for Thai soup, really good so I took John there later in the month.
We tried sea asparagus for the first (and last) time.

Week 2 April

Movies Eye in the Sky
Burgers at Batch
Chowder at the Market

Week 3 April

We started having smoothies every day and did a lot of shopping at St. Lawrence Market.
Took a brisk spring walk along the Humber.
John chose Sawtow in Chinatown for General Tao's chicken. We also checked out some places on Spadina.
John's son was in town on business so we met up for dinner.
My BFF and I went to the AGO and had lunch in the Members' Lounge.

Week 4 April

Lunch with friends at the Elephant and Castle and then we attended a performance of Kinky Boots - fantastic!
Lunch at La Carnita for tacos and a movie, Criminal.
We went to the ROM to see the Tattoo exhibit.

MAY

Week 1 May

Drove to Montreal to see family for dinner and lunch with cousins

A very uninspired lunch at .Cafe Polonez.

Week 2 May

Rearranged some furniture, got the perfect blue quilt for our bedroom. Lunch at Aroma, Indian buffet.

Went to see Batman v Superman, meh. Some ghost signs and CHUM.

Shopping and lunch at Red Lobster with my BFF.

Week 3 May

Saw Money Monster.

Lots of organizing in spare room after we got rid of the old computer desk that took up too much room and replaced it with a better new desk with filing. It was from Ikea so John took on the challenge to put it together.

Week 4 May

We went mural hunting along Dovercourt and had brunch at Gayley's.

John golfed at Wooden Sticks and began his weekly golf league.

I went shopping and had dumplings at Mother's Dumplings.

More shopping with my BFF and duck dumpling soup for lunch.

We went to Doors Open and went through the OCAD. Also toured the Montgomery Inn.

We went to the AGO and had afternoon tea in the Members' Lounge and then saw an exhibit.

JUNE

Week 1 June

Recovered the chair in our bedroom to match the quilt.

Saw Return to Grace at the Mirvish Theatre after crab legs at Red Lobster.

John got a new phone.

John had his weekly golf and played again that week.

Week 2 June

Went to the theatre to see Forever Plaid.

Saw High Rise at the TIFF theatre.

Week 3 June

I went on a summer quest to track down all the brains for The Brain Project.

Another delicious pizza at Olympic.

We took an interesting Heritage Toronto bus tour, it covered the entire route of the 501 streetcar.

Hosted my cousin's son overnight before he headed off to Asia.

Lunch in the Gay Village.

Lunch at the Duke of Richmond with my BFF.

I attended a CPR course.

We began the task of emptying all our closets in preparation for their replacement.

John left for Pittsburgh with a friend to attend the US Open.

Week 4 June

John at the Open in Pittsburgh.

My BFF and I lunched at the Luminato Food Festival downtown and wandered the Distillery District.
A walk around Corktown.

The closet guys started demolition and completed the job in a few days.

Attended our 3rd Taste of Toronto
John and I went to the Distillery District for a Mexican lunch.

JULY

Week 1 July

John painted the pantry with some leftover paint and we got it organized.

Went back along Queen St. E to find some murals and see the Ashbridges Estate.

Discovered that Toronto has a labyrinth.
Toronto Pride which got a mention from an Australian blogger, Andrew from High-Rise.

Week 2 July

John is diagnosed with celiac so we experimented with gluten free recipes.

John golfed Royal Ontario.

I visited the Post Office Museum and area.

And checked out the renovated Toronto Reference Library.
Explored Harbord Village.

Week 3 July

Strolled around James Garden, new to us.

We drove to Buffalo for Taste of Buffalo.

Then onto Rochester NY to check out the incredible murals.

We stayed two nights at the Hilton Garden Inn Rochester Downtown hotel which offers unique character with a modern vibe in a historically significant building originating from the 1920s.

We visited the Jell-o Museum.

The Vietnam Memorial. I then had 2 reporters ask for permission to use some of my photos.

Baihly Marie

Hi Jackie! My name is Baihly, I am a reporter for WDIO-TV, an ABC station in Duluth, Minnesota. I stumbled upon your blog and found a photo you took in Rochester, New York of the "Vietnam Veteran Walking into Wall" memorial. There is an effort to bring a replica of the statue to Minnesota, and I'm wondering if you would give me permission to use your photo in my story. If so, I can have a "Courtesy: Jackie McGuinness" or "Courtesy: Junk Boat Travel" added to the photo. Thank you!
FriYou accepted Baihly's request.
30/12/2016 16:38

Jackie McGuinness

Sure, by all means go ahead and use it. Courtesy - Jackie McGuinness.
30/12/2016 16:38

Baihly Marie

Great! Thank you. It's a lovely photo. Happy New Year!

Michelle Lee

Hi Jackie, I would like your permission to use the photo I found on your blog of the Veteran's statue in Rochester, NY. Our veterans are raising money to build the same statue here in Northern Minnesota. I am doing a news story on their efforts.

Susan B. Anthony

George Eastman Museum

I met up with a blogger and her husband, she had contacted me after reading my blog.

This is her blog.

Week 4 July

We drove to Montreal for the weekend with family.

John picked up his new car!

Lunch with my BFF at the Museum Tavern and then the Chihuly exhibit,.

A day trip to Midland to see Sainte Marie Among the Hurons, The Martyrs' Shrine, and 2 churches at St. Marie.

Week 5 July

Dinner at Canoe for my birthday.

We attended a friend's 40th birthday party.

And a family BBQ.

John golfed Remington.

I toured the Mackenzie House and Ryerson Campus.

BFF and I lunched at the Adelaide Market and shopped.

AUGUST

Week 1 August

We went to see the new sculptures at Corktown Commons and had brunch at the Dominion Pub.

John golfed Royal Ontario.

I wandered downtown to City Hall and the AGO.

Harbourfront, lunch, and sunshine, Music Garden, Irish Famine Sculpture.

Weekend 2 August

John and I enjoyed lunch in High Park and a visit t o Colborne Lodge.

Lunch at Union Station after some serious shopping for a wedding.

City Heatwave

Week 3 August

Lunch with John at Harbourfront and we went to Billy Bishop airport to see the new tunnel.
I dragged John to see the Chihuly exhibit and lunch at the Museum Tavern, John's favourite mussels.
Found the Sherlock Holmes display at the Toronto Reference Library.

Week 4 August

Headed to Peterborough for a family wedding weekend.

Back home we went to see the murals at Islington.
Discovered an awesome cider bar Her Father's Cider Bar and Kitchen.
Hosted a birthday dinner for my nephew and his Dad.

SEPTEMBER

Week 1 September

We went to Montreal to see family and do some sightseeing.

Let's go the the EX! You know summer is drawing to a close when the Canadian National Exhibition sets up in town.

Week 2 September
Hot and steamy summer in the city - Labour Day.
Watched the amazing Air Show from our condo rooftop.
We went to the Buskerfest.
Lunch in the Distillery District at El Catrin.

Week 3 September
A niece and I went to a Sip and Savour at the Gladstone Hotel.
John and I go Island Hopping Toronto style.
We took the heritage Toronto Lost Breweries Tour.
We checked out Wurst as they have a large selection of ciders on tap.

Week 4 September
John had tickets for the Ryder Cup and his friend couldn't go so I said I would go to keep him company on the drive to Minneapolis.

Week 5 September

Day 1 Toronto to Kalamazoo
Day 2 Kalamazoo to Milwaukee
Day 3 Milwaukee
Day 4 Milwaukee to Minneapolis

OCTOBER

Week 1 October

Day 5 Minneapolis

John went to the Ryder Cup.

I took a walking food tour in Minneapolis.

Day 6 Minneapolis to Madison
Day 7 Madison to Owasso
Day 8 Owasso to Toronto

Week 2 October

It's Thanksgiving and we go to my BIL for a family dinner.

Week 3 October

John golfs with BIL and they come to dinner.
John also got invited to a Toronto Marlies hockey game which he really enjoyed.
Baseball fever was alive and one of our nephew's was featured in a commercial during the game.
Weather continued to be gorgeous and we left for Williamsburg for a week.