these are a few of my favourite things

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Vintage Ad #2,244: 21 of my favourite things (3)

While processing a pile of backlogged vintage ads awhile back, I encountered a set of spots from a batch of mid-1980s issues of Maclean's promoting a period creamy liqueur. Each ad listed 21 favourite items of models straight from Eighties central casting. Which made me think: what would a list of 21 of my favourite things look like?

I loathe making "favourite" lists of any sort. Compiling "top ten" lists makes me shudder. Yet I love reading them. Go figure.

Vintage Ad #2,242: 21 of my favourite things (1)


Figuring I should rock the boat a little during this website's anniversary week, here are 21 random faves off the top of my head, in no particular order:


  • The current weather
  • Oven-baked asparagus
  • Seeing friends succeed
  • Stumbling upon wonderful books by accident at the library
  • Mango-banana smoothies
  • People who support and improve my work
  • Watching Mom discover new likes
  • Roadtripping
  • Roasted peameal bacon recipe from Gourmet magazine's Montreal issue (though note it should be roasted at least 40 minutes)
  • Reading my nuclear stockpile of ancient magazines
  • Zingerman's Delicatessen
  • Citizen Kane
  • Watching old game shows on YouTube
  • Driving or walking through Rouge Valley 
  • Sampling new beverages
  • Showing friends parts of the city they've never seen before/know little about
  • Researching topics like the origins of the whoopee cushion
  • An afternoon or evening running errands downtown while hopping on and off Bixi bicycles
  • Filling my daytimer
  • Testing Indian recipes
  • Wondering what surprises tomorrow will bring


Vintage Ad #2,243: 21 of my favourite things (2)

Advertisements taken from the following editions of Maclean's (top to bottom): June 16, 1986; July 7, 1986; July 21, 1986.

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