Category: Ottawa

Milestones

Shekhar posted this on Facebook:

!!! Happy First Anniversary !!!

I’m sure all share my sentiments when I say it was a fantabulous evening. I know this bubbly couple goes all out, but the plan yesterday (September 15, 2007) was way beyond my imagination. Although I’m quite sure that HeaSik will provide a detailed description of the day and their planning process on sikander.org, I’d like to recap it anyway.

Sikander tells us to arrive at 6:45 sharp. Being proactive, I arrived at 6:50 while everyone was waiting. I see papers in hands of everyone, and yes I did guess it was going to be a scavenger hunt. My better half for the evening, Mr. Shirwa, and I were paired up (at Sikander’s behest and my inability to obtain a date). Nonetheless, Ali and I proved to the perfect match as we beat all other couples and pieced together the words scattered around the buildings encircling (or ensquaring) the Quad. We got the task accomplished in 15 mins, and waited at least 10 minutes for the next couple to arrive.

When we arrived back, a very classy suprise was coming up and took the evening to a whole new level. A limo arrived to pick us all up (except Tony and Zainab who couldn’t keep up with the rest… then again this wasn’t their university). Thoroughly impressed, we all went downtown in this Lincoln 8-seater Limousine to Milestones. The dinner was great, with lots of exciting conversation, plus giving me the chance to get to know Jimmy and Song Woo better.

Dinner wasn’t just dinner though. The games didn’t stop there. We were provided a list of items and whoever had the most items won prizes. Since a lot of items did involve girly stuff (lipstick, comb, hairpin etc), and my partner being another male (and going against Jimmy’s collection of photos and mileage cards), it didn’t help us win any prizes here. Regardless, a fun exercise and the only thing missing was TV cameras.

Evening wasn’t over yet. The limo took us back to Mooney’s Bay (Ali and I decide to drive this time giving Zainab and Tony the opportunity to bond with the rest in the comfort of a family room on wheels). What do HeaSik surprise us with there? It was dark, slightly cold, we were right next to the shore. What a perfect place to light up some fireworks, celebrate our freedom and of course Heajoo and Sikander’s anniversary. Some fireworks were really cool, while some were just duds (especially Sikander’s). That was a cool thought, lot of fun, we took some (like 50) photos after that. After all those attempts, I hope Zainab got one good group shot!

We all headed to Tim Hortons after this and after some caffine we split up, and five of us decided not to end the celebrations just yet. Sikander, Heajoo, Ali, Song Woo, and I went down to Eighteen Lounge for some drinks and relaxation. Good music and ambience. After a couple of hours we headed over to Casino, more to cool off…

We dropped Song Woo home, and rest of us spent the night at Ali’s house, where Sikander asked me “if there’s anything else he can do for me”. Ali refrained from making any moves as it’s Ramadan. Night passed, we woke up to a wonderful morning, had breakfast, made flattering (and honest) comments on Ali’s hospitality, and split off… HeaSik are likely on their way to Toronto at this point. It was good to meet up with all of you after so long.

Towards a lifetime of happiness to Heajoo and Sikander… Kudos for pulling off the plan with such excellence.

2007 Hull Ottawa Restaurants

Lunato’s friend Jessie called yesterday to tell her that she is leaving Canada and going back home to China tomorrow night. They were close friends when both of them were studying at Algonquin College in 2003 and had kept in touch ever since. With lunato living in Korea and then in Toronto and jessie’s love of travel, they hadn’t had a chance to meet ever since our mutual departure from Ottawa. Saturday, today, would be the last chance for both lunato and I to meet Jessie before we visit Beijing or Shanghai later in our lifetime. So, an impromptu Ottawa trip was in order.

We left in the afternoon with an appointment with Jessie at 5 PM. She had finished all her packing and was just meeting her friends all over town and so we decided to meet her in China town at a Bubble Tea shop. The long drive had famished both of us and Jessie was at a lunch date with her friends when we arrived in Ottawa, so we decided to visit our favourite Vietnamese restaurant. We’ve been there numerous times but I’m still unable to memorize the name of the restaurant. It’s excellent food, take my word for it.

After meeting Jessie and spending some quality time with her, lunato and I met shekhar and dooh and headed to Casino-du-Lac-Leamy in Hull for the Intenrational Fireworks competition. It was quite impressive and the fireworks were probably the biggest and most astonishing that I’ve seen.

Back in Ottawa and after a late shawarma-dinner we arrived at Carleton university at half past midnight and spent the next hour and a half talking about whatever and ever while sitting in the Quad in front of the library.

It was a dark and windy night and the atmosphere was just brilliant. Lunato and I spent the time mischieviously while shekhar and dooh debated about the meaning of life and so on and so forth. Good times.

2007 Ottawa

A Parting Shot

Dooh had to wake up early for work. Even though both Harry and Dooh are in Ottawa, they would mostly likely not meet again before Harry leaves for Indonesia. So, this was sort of a good-bye moment for them. Dooh expressed his friendship for Harry a bit too physically.

Perhaps Dooh was warming up to my excellent idea to keep Harry in Canada. Harry can claim refugee status in Canada because he would be persecuted in Indonesia if he declared his love for his fellow man, Dooh. Homogay marriage is legal in Canada and Dooh and Harry have known each other for a decade.. longer than I’ve known either of them. They should get married so that Harry can stay in Canada. Such a perfect plan.

We went to Denny’s for breakfast and Harry treated Lunato and I to a big breakfast. Afterwards, at Renny’s house, we had another big lunch. Excellent food at both venues although the hospitality at the later was a thousandfold better. Renny is awesome.

Over the past few years, it has become my policy to simply say, “See you soon” when saying goodbye to someone indefinitely. “See you soon” as a parting phrase matches Harry’s personality perfectly as well.

So, see you soon Harry. I don’t know when or where, but see you soon. Also, you suck.