Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 525

September 8, 2011: Satan sends his love! My Snow Monkeys suffer their first loss – and the season hasn't even started yet! Mailbag!

Hey, check it out.  My sister, Andria, recently received a card from Satan.  He professes his love for her and then, rather ominously, vows to never forget her. Well, truth be told, it was a card from one of the kids at her daycare – a kid who, apparently, has trouble spelling his real name.  Not sure what it is but sis assures me it aint Satan.  Even if it was, I wouldn't have been all that surprised what with the ridiculous names wackos (aka celebrities) are bestowing on their newborns these days.  Of course, hilarious monikers aren't limited to Hollywood offspring.  My friend Janice once worked with a guy named Seamen Hung. So far, in my books, he holds the title of "Worst Name".  Do you have a friend, relative, or unfortunate worker who trumps Seamen?  I want to know.

Hmmm.  My Snow Monkeys have been dealt an enormous blow even before the start of the fantasy football season.  Turns out Peyton Manning's neck injury is a lot more serious than the Colts organization was letting on and now there is talk that he may miss anywhere from two months to the entire season.  Romo is my fallback QB and I also have Buffalo's Fitzpatrick riding the pine, but should maybe I should be hitting the waiver wire – just in case.  Hasselbeck, Alex Smith, Jay Cutler, or Rex Grossman – who do you like?  Okay, who do you dislike the least?

Mailbag:

JeffW writes: "Seem like you have quite a following among my fellow electronic engineers…"

Answer: Electronic engineers, SF fans and, most recently, bank managers.  Go figure.

moi writes: "When's the dinner with you mum?"

Answer: Next time I'm in Montreal – next weekend perhaps.  We'll hit Au Pied de Cochon and either Restaurant Graziella, LaLoux, Kitchen Galerie Poisson, or Lemeac.  Any Montrealers care to weigh in?

Ponytail writes: "Another thing I'll miss…did you ever post any pictures of Chris Vance?  I don't recall any.  Do you have any?  Was he camera shy, or just really suspicious of you?"

Answer: I limited myself to the crew, those working behind the scenes, and the occasional guest star.  I steered clear of the cast because the broadcasters had their own photographers on set and I figured they would want to turn some exclusives in the run up to the premiere.  I'm sure they'll be releasing plenty of pics of the charming Mr. Vance soon enough.

David writes: "Can you speak about the lighting conditions for photography?  Obviously there are some restaurants that have great lighting and it's easy to take photos inside."

Answer: When I photograph food, I prefer to go sans flash to be as unobtrusive as possible.  As you said, the lighting in certain restaurants better lend themselves to this than others.  Or you could just go for the early bird special and make sure you get plenty of daylight streaming in through that window.

Bloomgate writes: "Also wanted to reiterate my request for any info you could share regarding to Merlin mistaking the SG1 team for his knights of the round table.  Were there any plans or discussion of possibly fleshing that out in any way in a theoretical season 11?  Even a simple "Yes, the idea was floated" would at least tell me there was something to it.

Answer: In truth, no, there were no plans to explore this further.  It was solely intended as a throwaway gag on Merlin's first awakening.

Nick writes: "What is Brad up to these days?"

Answer: Brad is relaxing, spending time with his family, and doing some writing in preparation for a couple of upcoming projects.

Nick also writes: "Have you heard of/tried Taza Chocolate yet?"

Answer: Nope.  Tell me about them.

Tam Dixon writes: "I enjoyed Jodelle Ferland's performance in SGA.  The whole show was hilarious!  Whatever happened to the painting?  Do you have it hanging in your office?"

Answer: For a while, the painting hung in the office outside Lawren's office.  Eventually, it went the way of most everything else owned by the production – the ZPM's, the staff weapons, even Lawren himself – all sold off at auction.

Patricia Stewart-Bertrand writes: " The cancellation was really not surprising. After all, isn't the fifth season the magic number where the network can syndicate the show and make money, but also want to cut their losses as the show gets more and more expensive from there? And yes, I realize we are talking season ten, but technically, the first four or five seasons belonged to Showtime and not MGM, so the same formula applies.
Or, an I wrong?"

Answer: Your logic is sound but only insofar as it applies to the studio since it owns the show and benefits from the syndication package.  Of course, SG-1′s ten year run trumps that argument as well.

Tam Dixon writes: "So if Akemi had to go back to Japan, wouldn't she be able to reapply or is there a time period limit?"

Answer: Unclear.  She is applying for a six month extension to her visa.  If she goes back, she could certainly try to apply for another visitor's visa but I'm told it might be difficult for her to be granted acceptance since she's already been in Canada over a year.

DP writes: "Joe, would you need a work permit if you did all your work in the cloud* from Japan? What kind of bento breakfasts would you make for Akemi?"

Answer: I actually have given some serious thought to buying a place in Tokyo and splitting my time between Japan and Vancouver (and, possible, L.A.).  The only thing holding me back is the dogs.

Rob Cooper writes: " While I am surprised and excited you took Tony and Dez and wish you the best of luck with the Snow Monkeys, I am worried that you will somehow blame me when the weak, loaded with rookie O-line breaks down."

Answer: Well who the hell else am I going to blame?

Stargate Sanctum writes: " Do you believe there is any way the fans could convince MGM to release the deleted TJ flashback scenes, and if so, how do you think we would we best go about it?"

Answer: Don't know.  I'm sure if the studio knows there are customers out there clamoring for those flashbacks, they could included as part of the extras in a future dvd release.

Gina writes: " Was wondering, if on one of your dining outings to Scarpetta you had had the opportunity to sample the much talked about Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi?"

Answer: I have.  A great dish, but nothing comes close to the simple spaghetti and basil.

Debra writes: " Has your writing partner already left or just not like your dinners out?"

Answer: Paul lives in suburbia, so far away from downtown that he'd have to leave the morning before to get there for that night's dinner.  Also, we spend so much time together at work that we'd risk getting sick of each other if we started socializing.  And who'd want that?

PBMom writes: "I'm glad that you are going to be going home now (and so will Maximus), but how will this affect Maximus' treatments?"

Answer: Maximus had his last radiation treatment today.  In two weeks, he has his final anti-cancer vaccine.  After that, it's a matter of sitting back and hoping for the best.

Deni writes: "My daughter tripped and fell on the street in London and really got hurt, blood gushing everywhere, but NOBODY stopped to help her!"

Answer: How is your daughter doing?

Penny writes: "You may have answered this but did you keep any mementos? From any show you've worked on?"

Answer: I've got a genetic sample disc from Scorched Earth, some rubber/make-up pustules from Lockdown, plastic bags from The Scourge, and a torture pain stick from various episodes (that, in retrospect, I regret not bringing with me to Toronto).

September 7, 2011: My new favorite Toronto restaurant! Akemi's awesome day! Maximus!

"Why your aunt has so many pictures of Justin Bieber?"asked Akemi.

"That isn't Justin Bieber,"I told her.  "That's my cousin Jake."

Akemi scanned the photos on the shelf, then cast me a dubious look.  "Sure?"

"Yeah,"I said.  "I'm sure."

We'd just returned from a fantastic dinner at what is now my favorite restaurant in Toronto: Buca!  Too bad it took me six months to find it.  Highlights of the night included…oh, everything.  Cured pork belly, crispy smelts, crispy prosciutto-wrapped brains, stuffed zucchini blossoms, dandelion greens, gnocchi, lobster orechiette, sweet corn-filled pasta with taleggio, pork blood pasta with parsley and rapini, pork blood and chocolate tart, goat's milk yogurt and vanilla panna cotta, tiramisu, and milk and honey gelato.  Exemplary service led by Giuseppe Marchesini who thoroughly charmed my 84 year old aunt.

Apparently, this is one of Jewel Staite's fave Toronto eateries.  Why the heck didn't she tell me about it the last time I saw her in the gym?

Auntie Antoinette prepares to chow down.

When we dropped off my aunt, she insisted on loading us up with fruit.  Akemi was, of course, thrilled.  Between the fruit, the necklace Fondy had given her, and the special bento box Carl's wife, Karen, had prepared for her, it was a pretty sweet day for Akemi…

Carl presents Akemi with her very own bento box. And now the hunter becomes the hunted!

Akemi receives her very own bento box, Karen-style.

Yatta! Purezento!

The contents: a veritable smorgasbord of swag.

Akemi appreciates the thought. And - even more - the stuff!

Maximus's last radioactive road trip tomorrow.  Wish him luck!

Tagged: Buca Restaurant

September 6, 2011: Memories of SG-1′s 10th season! More I'll miss!

Back when Stargate was heading into it's tenth season, I was feeling very good about its chances for a pick-up.  And I wasn't the only one.  I remember standing on set one day while we were shooting The Quest II, chatting with actor Chris Judge (Teal'c) as the faux snow fluttered down around us (and stuck to the bottom of my shoes, never to be properly removed).  Chris was talking about the logic of a season 11 pick-up.  Well, he was talking about the logic of a season 11 pick-up while trying to convince me to buy a Bentley Azure.  Anyway, his argument made perfect sense.  Atlantis would, no doubt, go another season and, since the double-production benefited both shows immensely, it stood to reason that SG-1 would get another season as well.  I believed it.  After five years of having my doubts upended by a late season announcement of a surprise pick-up, I'd gone into SG-1′s tenth season with a certain amount of confidence.  How fitting then that that confidence would be upended by a late season announcement announcing the show's cancellation.

We got the news just prior to SG-1′s 200th episode party.  It was a grand affair – probably the franchise's best party – and not even the news that the show would NOT be back for another year could sour the mood.  Well, in all fairness, it didn't sour the mood because no one at the party heard the announcement.  The acoustics in the room were terrible and even so, no one was really listening to the speeches.  At one point, I turned to my writing partner, Paul, standing beside me and asked: "Did he just announce the cancellation?".  Paul shrugged, and said: "Have another cup of chocolate, buddy.", referring to the liquid chocolate from the fountain that, technically I suppose, was only for dipping but I'd been sipping all night.

Anyway, we'd been cancelled and, eventually, the news spread.  There was another season of Atlantis to look forward to, but this was small consolation to the cast and crew of SG-1 who had worked hard for many years (ten to be precise).  At the time, all but the season (series) finale had yet to be written.  And so, I suppose it was only fitting that Robert C. Cooper, would write the final episode, the appropriately titled Unending that concluded the series but left the door open for more adventures to come.

Looking back on the show's tenth and final season, I have to say it was my favorite (or maybe a close second to SG-1′s ninth season).

FLESH AND BLOOD (1001)

Picking up where we left off the previous season, Robert Cooper managed to juggle all of the various storylines and characters in an episode at turns humorous, poignant, thrilling, and shocking, paving the way for the introduction of the season's new Big Bad: Adria, daughter of the Ori (not "oreo" as one actress who auditioned for the role pronounced it).  Prior to her reaching adulthood (the ultimate Adria played by the beautiful Morena Baccarin), we glimpsed our villainess in three stages of development: the ages of 4, 7, and 12.  Seven year old Adria was played by Jodelle Ferland who returned to the franchise in Atlantis's fourth season as the spoiled princess Harmony in one of my favorite SGA episodes.  A lot of stuff going on in this episode and director Will Waring did a terrific job on what I believe was his first big season premiere.

On another note/production, here are some more of the terrific production personnel I'll miss as I head westward…

My old buddy, Director Andy Mikita - without a doubt, one of the hardest working men in show business.

The ever-colorful Damion.

Joe C. and the gang.

Joe K. Easy, ladies.

And, of course, ole Lemur Eyes - Tara Yelland, who had her big debut today. Sorry I missed it, but we'll have to do it again sometime.

September 5, 2011: It's an all Alex weekend!

I woke up this morning unable to move, my dogs clustered around me like a Cruella Deville topcoat.  I figured it was one of two things: 1) Like animals who sense earthquakes or similar natural disasters, my super-sensitive dogs were consoling me ahead of inevitable catastrophe, or 2) Winter had arrived.  Today's weather convinced me to go with option #2.  Wha- happened?  I could have sworn it was still summer yesterday!

September is shaping up to be a busy month as I count down the days to my Vancouver return.  Just received an email from Jen Spence (SGU's Lisa Park) who will be in town for a couple of days next week, so will have to make time for her.  And my buddy Steve.  Plus Anne-Marie, Carl, Marty G., Mega, Ryna, John, Nancy, Alan, Ivon, Alexander, Sarah, my aunt Antoinette, and many more.  I may have to stay an extra month just to squeeze in all these dinners.

As I've already mentioned, I'll be taking the rest of the years off.  Sort of.  There's a pilot script I've been meaning to get around to finishing and I have a fun, comic-related project (not Dark Matter, my Dark Horse comic book series, that hits the shelves January 2012) for this blog.  Also, with Akemi's October 18th visa expiration fast-approaching, I'm hoping we can find a way to extend that looming deadline.  It would be very sad to bring her back to Van for only a couple of weeks and then have her leave two days after my birthday (start working on those cards now!).  Well, all I can say is I'm working on it.  Tick, tick, tick.

Some highlights of my (apparently all Alex) weekend:

Friday night – dinner at Trevor Kitchen with….

Trevor, Sarah, and Alexander

Ryan. So awesome. He has FOIE and GRAS tattooed on his knuckles.

Akemi and I.

Also in attendance were precision driver David Julienne and stunt wizard Mohammed Elachi (not pictured clutching the requisite menu).

Then, Saturday night was BBQ night hosted by the lovely Sarah – and her boyfriend the German guy.  I brought sliders: buffalo, wild boar, camel, and kangaroo. All surprisingly good and, frankly, hard to tell apart once you lead 'em up with caramelized onions, avocado, barbecue sauce, and bird's eye chilis.  I lean toward the buffalo…

I find that camel goes down easier with beer.

Sarah mans the grill. Seriously. Who else is going to do it?

Trevor shows up, sweating like he's just run a marathon. The boy is sensitive to humidity!

Alexander shows off his latest purchase. I know nothing about guitars but I believe it's a big deal considering how much he paid for it! But who am I to criticize? I collect supervillain statues.

I couldn't resist snapping a pic of this hideous lamp in Alex's office. I figured no one would actually believe me without photographic evidence.

Alexander lights up Tokyo Tower. Or, as some people in the rest of the world call it: The Eiffel Tower.

The trio see us off. Then, five minutes later when I'm in the car, I get a call from Trevor who apparently remembered he doesn't live there and needed a lift.

And then, Sunday, we checked out the Spicy Food Festival which sounded a lot more interesting than it actually was.  We wandered about for the first twenty minutes, ravenous, and finally located the (all of six) food stands.  Had some not bad ox-tail, a great curry goat roti (would it have killed them to remove the bones before wrapping the sucker up?), and plenty o' plantain.  Then it rained.  And we went home.  Good times.

The happy couple.

The even happier couple. Kampai!

The happiest couple!

I'm off to complete my Mind Meld write-up for SFSignal's JP Frantz.  Just finalizing my top ten…

Today's entry is dedicated to blog regular PBMom.  Get well soon!

September 4, 2011: What a day!

Sure, this year has had it's fair share of twists and turns, exhilarating highs and crushing lows, but nothing has even come close to the rollercoaster of emotions I experienced today.  It was, in a word, "brutal" – tough, at times distressing, and yet, ultimately, incredibly cathartic.  I'm thoroughly exhausted and, while a part of me is relieved it's over, another part of me is bummed because, well, it's over.  Settled.  And now, we move forward to the next phase: the regular season.

I'm referring, of course, to my fantasy football league (R.I.P. Stargate) draft that was held this afternoon.

Last year, my Snow Monkeys got off to a slow start that they never really recovered from.  And, when Frank Gore went down on Monday Night Football, any hope of a post-season berth went down with him.  Some poor coaching and managerial decisions cost us early in that inaugural season, but I'm determined to get us off to a strong start.

Unlike last year, there is only one division.  So, no middling performers from inferior divisions sneaking into the playoffs this go-round.  10 teams.  16 roster positions.  1 champion!

It was an interesting draft, full of surprises.  The biggest of all kicked off the proceedings.  My Snow Monkey were sitting on the number two pick and, while I waited patiently for Reagan's Raiders to snap up Adrian Peterson, I agonized over my selection: Chris Johnson fresh off his hold-out or Arian Foster nursing a hamstring injury?  And then, instead of taking Peterson, the Raiders selected dog-killer Michael Vick (who I predict will have nowhere near the year he had last year).  Unbelievable.  I wasted no time in grabbing Adrian Peterson and then proceeded to stack my roster with some truly awesome talent: 3 QB's, 3 RB's, 7 WR's, a TE, a Kicker, and a Defense.

My team:

QB #1: Peyton Manning – A pretty sure bet and, despite talk of an injury, I doubt he'll break his ironman streak of consecutive games started.  He'll throwing the ball in week #1.

QB #2: Tony Romo – Rob will no doubt be pleased to hear it.  His season was cut short by injury last year, but he's back and the Cowboys are one of two teams I expect big things from this season.

QB #3: Ryan Fitzpatrick – He lit it up late last season and I think the Bills are great dark horse pick.  If he gets the hot hand, I won't hesitate to call him off the bench.

RB #1: Adrian Peterson – The #1-ranked fantasy player.  'Nuff said.

RB #2: Jahvid Best – Like I said, I expect big things from two teams this season.  The Cowboys are one, the Lions are another.  And leading Detroit out of the backfield is the underappreciated best.

RB #3:  Knowshon Moreno – Well-ranked and while he'll certainly be the Broncos' go-to-runner, I'm going to have to count on him breaking some big runs because Willis McGahee is Denver's goal line specialist.  Trade bait?

WR #1: Roddy White – I was downright envious of whoever it was that had White last season.  Well, no need for envy this year because I snapped him up with my second pick.

WR #2: Hakeem Nicks – To be honest, I selected him on the strength of his ranking.  Eli Manning is hot and cold but, if he's hot, then Nicks should be the recipient of many throws.

WR #3: Dez Bryant – He did well for me last season and now that he's got a year under his rookie belt, I like him even more.  And the fact that I have Romo throwing to him offers me a very tempting double word score.

WR #4: Lance Moore – He was one of New Orleans' more consistent receivers last year and, by all accounts, he had a great camp.

WR #5: Steve Smith – A great player who has to bounce back from a disappointing season.  Of course, you can chalk that disappointment up to a weak QB.  This season, with Cam Newton at the helm, things may be somewhat better.  And if Newton throws the long ball, Smith will be the guy to run under it.

WR #6: Mike Thomas – Speaking of the long ball, the Jags have a high-powered offense (to off-set their anemic defense) and their top receiver last year was Mike Thomas.  Here's hoping the good times continue rolling for him.

WR #7: Mohamed Massaquoi – Admittedly, a bit of a reach, but once he's fully bounced back from his foot injury – and provided Colt McCoy gels at QB – this pick could pay off nicely.

TE: Brandon Pettigrew – A solid performer for me last year.  Here's hoping he's 100% for the season opener.

Kicker: Mason Crosby – I was surprised to see the kicker for Green Bay's high-powered offense still available mid-draft, so I grabbed him.

Defense: The New Orleans Saints – I expect to see them in the NFC Championship.

Other players I kind of had my heart set on that slipped through my fingers: Percy Harvin, Matthew Stafford, and Mark Ingram.  Plus a couple more that are on the waiver wire.

The soon-to-be-also-rans I'll be playing against this year: The Autodrafts, whoa philly, Reagan's Raiders, The Running Dead (Ivon Bartok's team), Pigskin PIrates, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Van Isle Vultures, Mighty Molsons, and, my week #1 opponent, Surrey Monkey Poachers.

SNOW MONKEYS!!!

September 3, 2011: That dinner with Marty G.!

The other day I received an afternoon text from Golden Boy Martin Gero: "Are you and Carl free for dinner tonight?".

"Will check with Carl,"I responded.  And then, before I fully committed: "Where to?"

"416 Snackbar?"

"Great."

I'd heard good things about the place, a restaurant that specialized in comfort finger food.  Apparently, it was a cutlery-free establishment, so I looked forward to seeing how, exactly, we were going to sample the wide variety of offerings.  Turns out the answer was pretty simple: take a bite and pass it along.

Carl gets comfy.

Heeeey! It's Marty G.

Special guest diner: Mike Banacek, P.I.!

 We had just taken our seats when I heard someone outside shout: "Goddamn it!".  I turned and noticed a heavy-set fellow with a shaved head staggering about.  I assumed he was an angry drunk and redirected my focus back to the menu when one of the girls at the next table waved down our waitress.  The guy was hurt.  I turned back.  Indeed.  He was sitting on the floor, bleeding from a nasty-looking cut to his forehead.  Turns out he wasn't a stumbling drunk but a stumbling guy who'd been unloading packages from a truck when the back door had swung back and conked him in the head.  Hard.

Marty G. and Mike were on their feet and out the door, calling 911, then comforting the guy while they waited for help to arrive.  I contributed by informing the guy that "Chicks dig scars." which really seemed to hearten him.

Anyway, the paramedics arrived, he was treated, and we all returned to the table for a meal of numerous small bites.

No love for the heirloom tart but the steak tartare was a winner, even among the non raw meat-eaters.

The Scotch Egg Benny was a huge hit.

Akemi and Martin seemed to really enjoy the "rabbit food", mystery ingredients + corn (?) wrapped in a lettuce leaf.

Damn. I was really looking forward to these stuffed zucchini flowers. Not at all how mom used to make 'em.

We did the steamed buns three ways: meat, fish, and veggie.  All quite good but the crispy fried fish bun was perhaps the best thing I had that night.  Another highlight was the Mini Mac – not macaroni and cheese but a miniature Big Mac.

For dessert: S'more. Akemi's first - but certainly not her last. "I love!"she said before polishing off all three orders.

All in all, a resounding "meh".

On the other hand, a terrific time last night at a place called Trevor Kitchen where I enjoyed a terrific salt cured foie gras club with salt pickle chips and some truffled goat cheese poutine with seared foie gras.  Tonight, I head over to Alexander and Sarah's for a barbecue.  While Akemi cooked up some caramelized onions, I picked up sliders…

The selection includes buffalo, wild board, kangaroo, and camel. Wonder which one Alex will prefer...

September 2, 2011: Dark Matter! Carl's bento surprise!

I'm holding off on booking my return flight(s) to Vancouver until I get a few things settled here in Toronto.  Between tying up these various loose ends, I'll also take the opportunity to catch up with friends coming into town: Anne-Marie from Montreal, my old Stargate co-worker Jennifer Johnson, and – surprise, surprise – blog favorite and Special Features Producer Ivon Bartok.

I've decided to take the rest of the year off to recharge and watch Dark Matter, my scifi comic book series come together under the watchful eye of Dark Horse editor Patrick Thorpe.  I know he must be tired of hearing me say how much I love artist Garry Brown's pencils, but I can't help it.  I do!  Check out his cover for issue #1 (above).  You'll all get a sneak peek at more of the artwork for Dark Matter in an upcoming Previews solicitation.  Make sure to get down to your local comic shop and tell them to stock up.  Reserve now to avoid disappointment!  In the meantime, you can check out an interview Garry did in which he discusses his process and influences: interview.   Then, head on over to peruse the amazing work on this sketch blog - omegasketch.blogspot.com - featuring not only Garry's work but that of over a dozen other talented artists.

Yesterday, Akemi decided to do something special for Carl.

His very own bento box complete with heart-shaped figs, cherries, blueberries, banana, oatmeal kuma-chan, hiyoko, and (unedible) panda!

Carl was thrilled -

And then remembered he had a full day of work ahead of him -

Now that I'm no longer office-bound, Akemi no longer has to wake up at 6:00 a.m. to make me my bento.  So, for now, I'll simply have to hold on to the memory of the last masterpiece she crafted for me:

Check it out. Double Kuma!

To those of you asking – yes, now that I have the time, I will wrap up my SG-1 reminiscences with a reflection on the show's final season.

Off for drinks tonight with Alexander, Sarah, and others.

September 1, 2011: My history with Toronto! Maximus's radioactive road trip #4! It's raaaaaaaw!

I'm sure it'll come as no surprise to you all, but I never really grew to love Toronto over the course of my short stay here.  Part of it was due to the fact that we moved here in the dead of winter, the overcast bleakness that welcomed us a perfect complement to the city's leaden architecture.  Part of it was the endless traffic exacerbated by the equally endless road closures for construction that never quite seemed get underway.  And, admittedly, part of it was my own bias, a personal distaste for Toronto that I acquired at a very early age.  I'm fond of telling the story of how, growing up in Montreal, I used to suffer the six hour car ride from my hometown to T.O. every summer in order to visit my grandmother.  My sister and I would dread the annual family road trip, but my father always tried to put things in perspective.  "This is your grandmother's one hundredth birthday,"he say.  "It'll probably be the last time you see her."  And so, duly guilted, my sister and I would hop into the car, resolved to make the best of an exhausting, occasionally nausea-inducing, situation .  Then, the following year, it would be: "This is your grandmother's hundred and first birthday.  It'll probably be the last time you see her."  And then: "This is your grandmother's hundred and second birthday.  It'll probably be her last."  My grandmother lived to the ripe old age of 112.  Them's a lot of road trips – and a lot of time to develop an intense dislike for hogtown.

Having said all that, I have to admit that the city is not without its charm: great restaurants, fun things to do in the summer, and some genuinely nice people.  It also offered convenient proximity to the University of Guelph, the best animal oncology hospital in Canada.  And, for my pug Maximus, the timing of this extended visit couldn't have been better.

Today, we were there for his fourth (of five) radiation treatments.  According to the oncologist, the size of the tumor remains unchanged but, on the bright side, his swollen lymph node  is considerably smaller.  Hopefully, the anti-cancer vaccine he's taking will kick start his immune system soon.  We should know in a few weeks.

So, Akemi and I watch a lot of the cooking shows – Top Chef, Iron Chef, Chopped – but her favorite remains Hell's Kitchen.  So much so that it inspired her attempt one of the Hell's Kitchen menu mainstays.  Nope, not the risotto or something as simple as scallops.  She tried her hand at the far more challenging Beef Wellington.  How'd she do?  Well…

Hmmmm. Looks okay...

It's raaaaw!  RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!

C'mere, you.  Get out.  GET OUT!  OUUUT!

Take off your jacket.

No, wait.  Keep the jacket.  Stay.  Pop it in the oven and let it cook for another ten minutes.  I'm hungry.

September 1, 1011: My history with Toronto! Maximus's radioactive road trip #4! It's raaaaaaaw!

I'm sure it'll come as no surprise to you all, but I never really grew to love Toronto over the course of my short stay here.  Part of it was due to the fact that we moved here in the dead of winter, the overcast bleakness that welcomed us a perfect complement to the city's leaden architecture.  Part of it was the endless traffic exacerbated by the equally endless road closures for construction that never quite seemed get underway.  And, admittedly, part of it was my own bias, a personal distaste for Toronto that I acquired at a very early age.  I'm fond of telling the story of how, growing up in Montreal, I used to suffer the six hour car ride from my hometown to T.O. every summer in order to visit my grandmother.  My sister and I would dread the annual family road trip, but my father always tried to put things in perspective.  "This is your grandmother's one hundredth birthday,"he say.  "It'll probably be the last time you see her."  And so, duly guilted, my sister and I would hop into the car, resolved to make the best of an exhausting, occasionally nausea-inducing, situation .  Then, the following year, it would be: "This is your grandmother's hundred and first birthday.  It'll probably be the last time you see her."  And then: "This is your grandmother's hundred and second birthday.  It'll probably be her last."  My grandmother lived to the ripe old age of 112.  Them's a lot of road trips – and a lot of time to develop an intense dislike for hogtown.

Having said all that, I have to admit that the city is not without its charm: great restaurants, fun things to do in the summer, and some genuinely nice people.  It also offered convenient proximity to the University of Guelph, the best animal oncology hospital in Canada.  And, for my pug Maximus, the timing of this extended visit couldn't have been better.

Today, we were there for his fourth (of five) radiation treatments.  According to the oncologist, the size of the tumor remains unchanged but, on the bright side, his swollen lymph node  is considerably smaller.  Hopefully, the anti-cancer vaccine he's taking will kick start his immune system soon.  We should know in a few weeks.

So, Akemi and I watch a lot of the cooking shows – Top Chef, Iron Chef, Chopped – but her favorite remains Hell's Kitchen.  So much so that it inspired her attempt one of the Hell's Kitchen menu mainstays.  Nope, not the risotto or something as simple as scallops.  She tried her hand at the far more challenging Beef Wellington.  How'd she do?  Well…

Hmmmm. Looks okay...

It's raaaaw!  RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!

C'mere, you.  Get out.  GET OUT!  OUUUT!

Take off your jacket.

No, wait.  Keep the jacket.  Stay.  Pop it in the oven and let it cook for another ten minutes.  I'm hungry.

August 31, 2011: And a huge thank you to all of you! The faces behind the scenes! Time for another chocolate run!

I've been averaging between 65-70 emails a day since joining the production.  Yesterday, I doubled that with over 165 emails and counting.  Since posting my last blog entry, I've received a slew of supportive missives from friends in the industry, former co-workers, my mom (!), and even a (Trevor-style) card from Akemi hastily assembled last night while I was showering -

Thanks to everyone who took the time to write, either through email, text, or in the comment section of this blog.

Well, now I can finally set t.v. aside for far more important matters like Maximus's radiation therapy, Akemi's immigration issues and, perhaps most important of all, the upcoming fantasy football draft.  I guarantee that, following what turned out to be a disappointing freshman season, my Snow Monkeys WILL make the playoffs this year!

Wanted to take a moment to offer pics of some of the super, talented folks behind the scenes of The Transporter.  My work may be done for now but their hard work continues…

Director Bruce McDonald and my writing partner Paul. Bruce is a legend in Canada, but it clearly hasn't gone to his head. He's the kindest, most collaborative guy I've ever had the good fortune to work with. Once he's finished up directing this latest block, I'm going to convince him to come by for a blog Q&A in support of his latest film, Hard Core Logo 2, premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival this month!

Location Scout Craig Jackson. A guy with a wicked sense of humor that I wish I'd gotten to know a little better.

Anna Beben, Production Manager. My fellow foodie and I will finally get around to doing that dinner. Anna, call me! I've got tons of free time now!

Visual Effects Supervisor Brendan Taylor. My sounding board, confidante, and number one commiserator. I remember watching his demo real for Hanna and being blown away. You should check it out. Ask him!

Production Designer, Tim Bider. I have never met a more photogenic member of an Art Department. A soft-spoken, sweetheart of a guy.

Tim Owen, Location Manager. His easy-going nature and understated humor make him a welcome addition to any tech survey. Or frenzied four hour location meeting.

Publicist Beverly Warren. If I was a woman working on this show, I'd be Bev. True.

Art Director Daran Fulham. I miss running into him two or three times a day while he was living in the same building Him, outside for a smoke. Me, walking one of any number of dogs. I suspect he just got fed up and moved.

Patrick Arias, 2nd AD. Master planner and expert manager, during prep week Patrick shuffles schedules and meetings like a circus performer juggles flaming chainsaws and bowling balls. Dangerous, yes, but truly a sight to behold.

Finally, a link sent my way from not one, not two, not three, but four different sources.  Appropriate given that, earlier today, I stopped by the production office to drop off my office keys – and a huge goodbye chocolate assortment for the gang…

Heavy Chocolate Consumption May Be Linked to Heart Health: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110829070555.htm