Canadian Pancakes and Various Flavours of Coffee

As we head into November here, the weather, as my flatmate and I have noted, is getting quite cool…By that we mean we’re having a problem adjusting to the 30+ (Celsius) weather that we’re now experiencing (Mik, you’re a pathetic wimp!). Yes, I think it’s safe to say we’ve now acclimated to Kuwait’s weather. It’s quite cool at night and I’ve accepted that I’ll likely have to do some clothes shopping after our next pay day. Ugh. Yes, I’m not looking forward to shopping for clothes here. I don’t like the fashion; the loud colours are too much for the girl who’d rather blend in than stand out. The good thing about this next jaunt out to the malls? I’m going to invest in a nice pair of boots…No, not winter boots, you know the kind that actually keep your feet warm, are snow and water proof and have treads! Why would I buy those?!? Hahaha! Since it doesn’t snow here and I won’t be returning to Canada for Christmas (I won’t be home until July or August 2013 actually), I won’t need boots that serve any purpose except to make my hideous feet and calves more attractive ;)

I admit that I can’t stand November. Being in Kuwait during November is no exception. The sooner this month is finished the better, in my opinion…Except for ONE thing: an old and very dear friend will be in Kuwait on the 20^th of the month and I’ll be spending time with her!!! I CAN’T wait!!! This lovely lady knows me very well and seems to meet up with me in various locations all over the globe even though we’re both from little ol’ London, Ontario. I know we’re going to have a blast! The last time we met was at Christmas last year when we saw each other for the first time after my mother passed away. It was a bittersweet time, but there was a new addition to our get together: my friend’s new partner. The two are now engaged and I love seeing how happy my friend is!

Last weekend was a bit busy (as has this week, actually). After my Polish flatmate made Polish pancakes, everyone wanted me to make traditional Canadian pancakes, so I did. I found apple cinnamon batter at Dean & DeLuca and a pumpkin walnut mix in Al-Koot. Add my homemade applesauce, pure Canadian maple syrup and, of course, butter and it was a feast! I made everything at the Irish chef and the Serbian gentleman’s apartment since their kitchen is HUGE! My flatmate invited a girl she met from Tanzania. So the five of us hungrily digged in and ate a whole whackload of pancakes! I couldn’t help but think of my ex-fiancé who loves pancakes. I’d make him pancakes on the weekend. I don’t think he ever got sick of them!

I'm not going to mention names, but let's just say the girls were NOT in charge of peeling apples. LOOK at the cleaver! Awesome.

 I didn't burn the pancakes, I swear!!! This is a picture of the table just before eating. Although the pancakes look burnt, they weren’t! I think I really need to invest in a new camera!

This week has been incredibly busy because I have been writing FOUR different versions of the kids’ next exam and marking oral presentations, blaaaaaaaah! However, this week also marked the height of my frustration with, well, everything. I usually hit a point when I’m living away from home when absolutely EVERYTHING aggravates me. This was the week, which is the only reason I haven’t blogged or rather had anything to blog about. I won’t go into details, but what set it all off was seeing a horrible car accident that could have easily been avoided. A car smashed INTO a coffee shop. The car completely destroyed the outside patio and broke through the front of the coffee shop; the car was literally IN the coffee shop. The car had been hit by a huge SUV and the damage done to both cars was shocking! They were in a bloody PARKING LOT! I couldn’t figure out exactly what had happened, but speed was definitely a factor. I was both annoyed and scared because I had been sitting not three feet from where the car was only a week earlier AND, even worse, the EMPLOYEES OF THE COFFEE SHOP WERE CLEANING UP THE MESS THE CARS HAD CAUSED. No, I’m not trying to complain, but it’s extremely difficult to stomach the treatment of non-Kuwaiti and non-Arabs, especially Indians, Pakistani and Asians. I regret to say that I now know why Habibi used to joke that I’m a Filipino boy, and it makes me nauseous.  Everyone: "Don't ruin everyone’s day, Mik!" I'm sorry :(  

I did begin the weekend right! My Lebanese co-worker and I visited The Breakfast Club and this time I took pictures. However, I somehow managed to forget to take pictures of the food! I was really hungry-I’m sorry!!!

The view from the patio at The Breakfast Club #1

The view from the Patio at The Breakfast Club #2

Today I checked out Caribou Coffee. Friends in the U.S-is this an American chain?? The coffee is quite good AND they offered Christmas specialty coffees and desserts!!! I was a pretty happy camper! I spent my time there doing research about my business venture and then trekked home. I bought some food, made homemade soup and read some of the new book I’ve started: Kiran Desai’s Hullabaloo. I like it so far, but I’m only about fifteen pages in, hahaha!

This is one of my favourite quotes from Anthony Capella’s The Various Flavours of Coffee: A Novel ©2008:  “…all ideals are linked. That is what she sees now—that the world is divided into those who want to exploit it for their own ends and those who want to change it for the benefit of all. If you are on the side of change, you make common cause with other idealists. Whether your particular interest is suffrage, prison reform, the Poor Law or pensions, you are all on the same side, working together for power” (Capella 308-9).

This is a great book! Go check it out if you haven’t already. I’ll keep you posted about Desai’s novel!