I’ve been in Toronto for meetings for a week and I’m amazed how my relationship with this city keeps changing. The few times I visited growing up, Toronto just felt big and vague; later, when I lived here for a year of university, I found it lonely; and now, after being here more and more for work, I’m actually starting to like it. (Miracles!) The trick is to find the interesting people: that’s what makes any place come alive.

I’ve been staying, as I so often do, with my friend Jennifer McLagan and her husband, Harolds. That’s Jennifer in the picture with me holding a fake, giant bone which H made for her when her cookbook “Bones” came out. I remember when she was testing recipes for it: every time I visited we ate meat on (or in) the bone! Now, because for the past year she’s been writing a book called “Fat”, it has been a fat fest every visit. (Her pork belly braised in orange juice is one of the most memorable dishes I’ve ever had in my life.)

I also saw a dear old friend of mine from school who took me to a restaurant where we had our tarot cards read! (Good forecast, luckily – ha, ha.) My director, Henry Less, and his wife, Sissy, took me out on their boat on the weekend, too, so I got to look back at Toronto from the water and see it from a whole new perspective (that’s them in the picture without me, because I’m behind the camera – for once).

Anyway, good holiday -- and nice to learn that “iffy” first impressions of a place don’t necessarily stick!” I am off to Paris tonight for six months to write. More anon…

À bientôt,