A Day of One's Own

You know how some people, on the day that commemorates their birth, pretend that that particular day is not surrounding them, and instead quietly hold their breath until it's over, until they can tear away their page-a-day reminder that they have become a year older? I wonder if these are the same people who impatiently count down five days of every week, merely existing and plodding through the motions until they have gleefully arrived at the two that makes them want to devour life, only to dread starting the agonising process all over again on Monday?

Well I am neither of these people! While I ardently, intentionally or unintentionally, derive some form of pleasure from each and every one of my days, I thoroughly enjoy my birthday, the day of me. I have been thinking about it all week, deciding that just because it is my birthday, I am just going to do whatever makes me happiest: savour some decadently dark chocolate in the afternoon, spend a lunchhour meandering around Winners in pursuit of something stimulating, share the happiness that I feel for life with a fellow Aries.... but then I realised that I pretty much do things like this all the time! 

So, just because, I thought it would be fun to share a few of my thoughts on how to enjoy life.... Christine style:

Seek out the little details and revel in them.

Perched in a doorway of the Anglican Church of the Redeemer on Bloor Street, Toronto       

Unabashedly indulge in that which causes you to smile from the inside out.

Holt Renfrew window display, Bloor Street, Toronto

Marvel in your body as it exists.

 

Regularly and unapologetically surrender
to the whims of your passions.

 




Seize any opportunity

to revisit your childhood home.



Labrador City, Newfoundland. May 1992



Frequently contemplate your surroundings.



    

Behave like an enthralled tourist,

whether vacationing or not.

But vacation often.



Whitehall Subway Station, Manhattan

 

Relish each and every occurence of your birthday!

My Grandmother, August 2000



Air Canada  Flight 452

Boeing 767 en route to Ottawa

June 2010

Okay, this was so worth the extra ten thousand Aeroplan miles! Of course I DID use them out of necessity to secure the flight times that facilitated my making this trip at all.... but I figured hey, if that meant flying executive class.. surely I could muster up the strength to get myself through the ordeal somehow ...!!

Earlier today, I got to nestle into one of the Maple Leaf lounge's leather armchairs and sip a gratis cappucino with the June issue of the Walrus draped brazenly across my lap thinking 'This is who I should be all the time,'. But who was I kidding.. I was much too enthusiastic to pull off first class lounge habituation. Most of the guests don't even realise there are windows up here let alone gaze wide-eyed out of them at the sight of all the planes taxiing around their ashphalt playground before disappearing into the vast celestial highway. I further exposed my naivety by proceeding to carry my empty mug to the dirty dishes bin and disposing of my shortbread wrapper in the wastebucket before returning my borrowed magazine to its home amongst the rows of wooden racks. I grinned as I imagined how the other travellers must have been chuckling at me from behind their illuminated BlackBerry screens as they left their own leavings for the wait staff's disposal. Okay, they probably didn't notice me at all! But I'm delighted that I made the effort to come check this place out upon learning that I had a half an hour before departure. (As it turned out, my flight was grossly delayed much longer than that due to the G20 summit that was in full rage that same weekend!! But I didn't allow that to put a damper on my experience. After all, it did provide the opportunity for me to see Air Force One, among other international aviation representatives, from my jet window, which was pretty darn cool!)

So upon finally boarding and encountering a much shorter aisle walk than I'm used to, I find myself sinking into one of these tidy little pods. My own little corner of avionic heaven! I smile at my inherited ability to stretch out far enough to place my feet against the footrest across from me. During the flight, I partake in every little perk that is cheerfully offered to me.. a selection of wines shortly after takeoff, a steamed hand towel draped over my fingers with tongs, oh my... is that a chocolate croissant she is bringing to me? ummm yes I'll have that! I can't believe some people get to fly like this all the time!! And they are so accustomed to it!! Indifferent even! Well, I sure am content to have created the opportunity to experience it once and I fully intend to squeeze from it every last drop of opulence that I can!

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved



The Chateau Laurier in Ottawa

                                                                                                                                     © Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

So it would really be fine with me if my living room were to exude the character and class of the lobby of the Chateau Laurier.. I love that there is so much space but yet the furniture is arranged to instigate intimate conversation or perhaps a spirited exchange of opinions or even some provocative banter. How could any interaction be mundane while surrounded by rich, stately mahogany walls adorned with exquisite evidence of Karsh's photographic wisdom and artistry.. nary a lego brick or beheaded Nintendo figure or diminished crayon in sight. I love elementary creative play, but this.. this is a place for elegance and sophistication.. at least it is in my mind:

I step onto the lush carpet, breathtakingly adorned in a crimson floor-length Vera Wang gown and sky high Christian Louboutin pumps. The plunging neckline is gracefully bare, providing a silky backdrop for the sparkling chandeliers that are dancing suggestively from my earlobes. I am promptly greeted by the one smiling face that I intensely wanted to see and soon find myself the recipient of some proficiently delivered compliments that coat my ears like warm literary chocolate.  My expression ameliorates into a unavoidable smile as I accept the warm, outstretched hand that hovers before me and drift through the door in a swirl of satin leaving nothing behind but invisible streams of air delicately infused with Chanel No. 5.

Ottawa's Rideau Canal in February of 2009

                                                                                                                                                    © Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

I decide against renting a pair of skates and instead give myself permission to enjoy the frozen Rideau Canal flatfooted. I am just content to be present in this invigorating city during their celebration of winter, drinking in the wondrous expanse of crystal clear blue and white, inhaling air so strikingly fresh that it speared at the inside of my nose upon greeting me this morning, a feeling that used to be routinely aggravating but that now makes me smile as I remember my Northern childhood. I close my eyes for a few moments, discerning the sound of refined steel blades slicing happily into the ice, gliding smoothly over its surface while leaving behind etchings of swirls and signatures.

In the summer, this is a fluid trail for canoes and ducks, as joggers and cyclists trace its banks in great numbers on welcoming manicured trails. But now, it has become the trail, providing an alternate route for those who wish to literally venture off the beaten path. Why not take advantage of something different, something that is accessible for only a few months of the year?

Ottawa's inhabitants vigorously embrace their outdoors, not only enjoying physical activity outdoors, but resting there as well, setting up huts and creating edible wares that waft their delectable smells to the masses, beckoning skaters to come take a break! After a long satisfying stroll, I succumb to the temptation and I buy myself a cup filled to the brim with one of the greatest concoctions known to winter: a steaming marriage of molten chocolate and earthy coffee. I scan the borderless cafe in search of an available chair, which is not immediately evident amidst so many enthusiastic Canadians. Finally, I locate a place to sit and be. I wrap my fingers around the piping hot receptacle and savour the rich flavours it is holding for me. I breathe deeply and revel in the feeling of spending my afternoon among so many like-minded beings, outdoors in the winter sunshine, my soft blue gloves waiting patiently for me on the carved wooden cafe table.

National War Memorial

Confederation Square, Ottawa, Ontario

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

On the one day that allowed time for exploration during a fabulous weekend reunion in Ottawa, it poured! Now understand that I have no aversion to rain, and welcome any occurance of its presence.. as sustenance, as refreshment, as seasoning for landscapes that would eventually grow terribly boring if always viewed in clear, unfiltered sunshine. So, undaunted, I set out with my friends to drink a few of the sights of our charming capital city.

And even though my particular camera is vulnerable to the seeping damage that would inevitably occur upon exposure to condensation, I managed to take a few pictures! This one of a frequently captured image of the passion and grittiness of war, rendered even grittier with the addition of a little seasoning, served as just reward for my saturated efforts.

Parliament Building Reflection

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

I have heard people declare that simply designed, smooth, mirrored glass buildings lack character, and have no place in a typical downtown environment amidst the more majestic, intricate structures that have been there for decades. I disagree! The Bank of Canada in downtown Ottawa effortlessly depicts a rippled, dreamy rendition of a very familiar historical building, but more dramatically than the typical postcard image. Check out the mosaic sky, look at all the different shades of blue! How about the molten patina roofing and the whimsical windows? Like a massive painting, the image is there for anyone to view, anytime, albeit dynamic.. you may never see the exact same thing twice! And that's just while looking from just one of its angles! What's not to like?