Hoto Cleans Up

Friday, May 24, 2013

Sssh

There's an entire drumkit in that car...

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Walking in a winter wonderland

Hiking in the snowy trails above Storm Mountain on Christmas Day.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Yes, it is Christmas

At least it is in the Rockies, in a cabin deep in the snow at Storm
Mountain lodge.

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Waiting for catfish and alligator burgers

Met a Priest, Father Chris, fresh from a funeral ("running late today,
funeral ran long,... Had him in the ground but folks just kept on
talkin'...")

He videotaped me on his phone when I was playing washboard and offered
to email me the video. Now I am on a priest's mailing list...

After Sunday gospel mass

In Jackson Square with Don and Greg.

Everywhere

Slave cabins at Laura Plantation

By law cabins had to be built 16' x 16' and housed up to four per
cabin. This plantation had 70 cabins stretching over two miles down
the plantation.

These cabins were occupied until the 70's with plantation workers who
were descendants of slave labourers.

Laura Plantation

Restored Creole plantation home on the Mississippi near Vacherie,
Louisiana. The white antebellum style plantation homes you often
picture were owned by whites (defined as those with no more than
1/64th African heritage). Creoles of mixed European, West African and
Indian blood would paint their plantations in bright colours to
distinguish them.

Playing the washboard

With Waylon Thibodeaux at B&C Seafood roadhouse, near the Laura
Plantation on the Mississippi.

Amazing delicacies

A perfectly worded first sentence. B&C Seafood in St. James parish.
Mississippi levee in the background.

Had a spicy alligator burger and a bit of zydeco music with fiddler
Waylon Thibodeaux.

Thankfully, felines were not on the menu...

Jazz Brunch at Arnaud's

They played How High The Moon for me as a birthday present at an
amazing brunch in the Quarter. Banjo, standup and sax.

Everywhere,,,

Street musicians everywhere in the Quarter

Satchmo's childhood cornet

In the US Mint exhibit on the history of jazz in New Orleans,

Cajun And Creole Cuisine

Amazing gumbo and drinks at the infamous Jacques-Imo's in Riverbend
neighbourhood, New Orleans...

Marie Laveau

Tomb of famed voodoo priestess Marie Laveau in the St. Louis cemetary.

Ovens

Famous above-ground family tombs in the historic St. Louis cemetery
off Basin Street. Multiple family members are added as they pass
away, with the minimum "year and a day" rule, after which the tomb can
be opened for the next member to add. The entombed will be reduced to
dust in about a year in the intense heat. You have to be Catholic to
be buried in a cemetary in New Orleans...

Conversion

Converted slave quarters in the back of most house's courtyards
increase the selling price of homes in the French Quarter.

French Quarter

Great Creole architecture in the View Carre.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

BBQ!

An excellent early birthday gift from Mum and Dad. Three Rib Eyes for dinner with friends. Still a little tweaking to do, but: result!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Well, I'm doing it again. That's right. Today is the cut off to register for the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer from Vancouver to Seattle in June 2013.

The picture above is of me and my friends who did it together back in 2010.

Please help me raise money for cancer research by donating at the link below. I, and so many others, appreciate it.

Donate here: http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/hoto-p

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Decisions, decisions

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Perhaps it's time

...To get a bigger cufflink box.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Kids

Kids:

Whatever you grow up to be, don't be a meter maid.

You will be hated by everyone on the planet. It is a vile and parasitic vocation.

Even your Grandma will hate you. And so will Jesus, Elmo and Thomas the Tank Engine.

You will grow to hate yourself. You will live out your existence lonely, fat, loveless and in despair.

You will eventually take your own sad pathetic little life, probably by eating your fat sorry-assed self to death.
.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

OK team, it's time again for me to run the CIBC Run for the Cure to benefit Breast Cancer research.

I'm running on September 30, 2012, and would like to raise a lot of money. I'm doing well, but need your support. All I ask is for $20-$50 of your hard-earned cash. You'll get a tax receipt and feel good doing it.

Click here to part with your money and help out a great cause:

http://www.runforthecure.com/goto/hotop

Favourites

On Andy and Nina's sailboat in False Creek, and a lovely picture of two of my favourite people: Don and Diane.

Sailboat

A lovely way to spend a sunset in Vancouver.

Monday, September 10, 2012

The Missing Links

"An American monkey, after getting drunk on Brandy, would never touch it again, and thus is much wiser than most men."

Charles Darwin