« November 2006 | Main | January 2007 »
December 30, 2006
Condo Inspection
Today was the day. An opportunity to find out that there was nothing wrong with our new condo, and that our move would be seamless and without effort.
We bought our Platina, and the builder promised it on January 31st. It was, in fact, delivered on January 31st, and everything we found that was deficient was dealt with swiftly and without question (or cost to us).
Our inspection of the condo did not go so well. It seems that someone decided to drop the fridge on about one-third of the cabinets, and the gaps in the walnut floors are the size of the Grand Canyon. "The floor will expand over time" we were told. Do they not realize that we have been through more renovations than the average psychologically-stable person should ever be put through in a lifetime? And the heating/AC units (no forced-air here) had fallen away from the walls, peeling the caulking from its apparently unwelcoming position. Oh, and a large pantry door in the kitchen was missing. And the kitchen taps leaked. And, and and...
We asked them to deal with all of the issues, and they agreed, for all but the floors. Sad and disappointed, we went to our favourite happy hour haunt "Therapy". I needed a lot of therapy. We passed the details of our experience on to our attorney, and we have engaged the advice of a real estate litigator.
We've done this once before when the sale of the Schoolhouse fell through. This shouldn't happen to good people. We don't want to go down this road, but as we learned the last time, the threat of a lawsuit is often motivation enough to compel someone to do the right thing.
And so it goes.
Posted by dave at 09:30 PM | Comments (0)
December 28, 2006
Christmas in Ajijic
Somehow, we managed to squeeze a getaway to Mexico to spend Christmas with Chis' parents. We had to be back in New York for the inspection of our new condo, so it seems we spent as much time in the air, security lines, and driving between airports as we spent on the ground in Mexico. Nevertheless, we had a marvelous time. Chis' parents were wonderful hosts, and we ventured on memorable hikes into the mountains and through the cobblestone streets.
Before we left for Mexico, I was diligent in my personal grooming. The little mole on my left ear that sprouts pointy little blond hairs that you can only see in direct sunlight, the same one that my family doctor in Toronto reminds me to apply a compress (he thinks it's a giant zit), didn't appear to have need for trimming in the dim light of our teensy-weensy New York apartment. Roll forward to the brightly sunlit stairwell in Chis' parents home in Mexico. Big mirror. I caught a glimpse of my obviously failed grooming efforts as I descended from our room.
Oh my goodness... is that a forest growing in my nose? And that seemingly never-ending zit on my left ear that requires a compress was aglitter in the afternoon sun.
No matter what anybody says about New York's glitter, glitz and schmaltz, it is not bright enough to notice the most obvious shortcomings in personal grooming. Especially in a shoebox.
We traded our storage locker in Chelsea for a larger one today, and ran another load of crap to ease the load on moving day. Things seem to be lining up nicely for our move on Wednesday. The moving truck from Toronto, along with several deliveries, arrive Wednesday, and we will move out of our apartment Thursday. We will close the door on our eight months in the shoebox, and not look back.
We are very excited to be finally settling in to our new digs. May the guest list begin!
Posted by dave at 09:12 PM | Comments (0)
December 21, 2006
Happy Winter Solstice!
Today is the longest day of the year, and the city of New York is ablaze with lights. A beautiful and warm day, the sun seemed to set around 4 this afternoon. Despite the short days, New York is a magical place to be for the holidays.
Two years ago, we were within hours of our flight to London, and onward to Paris, and La Rochelle to fetch Platina.
A year ago, we were sailing south from Great Guana Cay in the Abaco Islands (Bahamas), to Great Guana Cay in the Exuma Cays. In fact, we were hustling to make it to George Town by Christmas Eve.
We made it to George Town mid-day Christmas Eve, and popped into the local Exuma Markets for a Christmas chicken and fresh vegetables. The following day, we met Mike and Judy on Por Fin, with whom we became instant friends. They are in Trinidad now, contemplating a long sail west toward the Panama Canal. They have invited us to join them, and we are considering it seriously.
This year, we head south to Ajijic, Mexico to see Chis' parents for the holidays.
Happy Holidays!
Posted by dave at 07:10 PM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2006
Naked
This morning, over a third cup of coffee, I finished David Sedaris' side-splitting newest book "Naked". Not quite as funny as "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim", but close.
In the final chapter, he orders a brochure from a nudist colony for his brother, a floor sander who, due to a recent polyurethane spill, had been discovered naked by the startled owners of the condo in which he had been working. "Included in the envelope is a calendar of events. In May they held a golf-cart rally, several themed campfires, a chili cook-off, and something called Wild West horseback riding. Test eye shadow on all the rabbits you want. Strap electrodes to the skulls of rhesus monkeys and shock them into a stupor, but it is inhumane to place a nudist on horseback the day after a chili cook-off."
Posted by dave at 04:00 PM | Comments (0)
December 06, 2006
NYC bans trans fat
I honestly don't know how I feel about this. My economics hero, Milton Freidman, who recently passed away, preached less government intervention, more free markets. So the economist in me says, bugger the consumer. If they want to eat trans fat, become obese, die early from heart-related bad cholesterol, then let them do it.
When I lived in Canada, my tax dollars paid for national health care. I was paying for people to eat trans fat, become obese, and die early from heart-related disease. In that system, sure, ban trans fat. And tobacco, too.
In America, market forces of supply and demand should rule, because I don't have to pay for someone else's bad eating (or smoking) habits. Banning trans fat will drive up the cost of fast food restaurants, resulting either in squeezing their profits, or forcing them to raise their prices. This either means inflationary pressures, or belt-tightening, neither of which is productive for a growing economy.
The restaurants in New York are considering a lawsuit, arguing that more government regulation is bad for business. I agree.
But I also think that government has a responsibility to inform, educate, and possibly intervene, when it comes to public health. Like asbestos. Do I believe government had a responsibility? Absolutely.
I'm not suggesting that trans fat should not be banned. Heck, I don't eat the stuff. I'm a health NUT. And a fitness NUT. I do yoga, and I run, and I walk, and I eat really, really well. I will live to be 125.
But these are my CHOICES, which I make by becoming educated and informed. In my tiny world, the forces of supply and demand are hard at work. I do not demand trans fat, and the price I would pay for it if I did would be zero. So in my tiny world, the market for trans fat doesn't exist.
So where does this leave me. If we're going to ban trans fat, ban tobacco, too. And alcohol. These all have knowable public health care costs. I guess tobacco and alcohol haven't been banned because their lobby groups are stronger. Don't get me wrong, I love wine. And as an educated and informed consumer, I make a choice.
If we're only going part way, then let restaurants to whatever they want, and charge a "fat tax" if they serve food with trans fat. This puts the public health cost right in the hands (literally) of the people who will suffer most by it. It focuses the consumer decision on price. Like the "sin" taxes on tobacco and alcohol, if trans fat is a sin, then tax it like one.
Posted by dave at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)
La Boheme
Unfriggin' believeable. Chis and I were season subsribers to the Canadian Opera Company for years. We love, no, adore the opera. Last night, we saw La Boheme at the Met. I have never seen such an exquisite performance in anything, ever. Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon performed the role of Rodolfo. In the final act, when Mimi dies, his final adoring cries to her are piercing, full of anger, longing and love. Mimi, performed by Anna Netrebko, was also outstanding. The duets by these two highly talented performers were truly spine-tingling. The sets were incredible - the third act, outside of an inn, was set behind a veil of gauze, lending an eerie, damp, snowy feeling that lends perfectly to the emotions as the lovers decide to split. Placido Domingo conducted, and while the timing occassionally seemed a little off, the performance was spectacular. We may now have to go to see Rent again.
Posted by dave at 09:50 AM | Comments (0)