Punk Smurf pens a bilingual blog

Currently listening to Tonic (album: Sugar)

The Russian couple who got married in Toronto, Canada, last week by Justice Harvey Brownstone (an out gay Judge) returned to Russia this week to try and force the authorities to recognize their union.

Justice Brownstone penned a wonderful book, drawing from his experiences in Toronto Family Court, called Tug of War: A Judge’s Verdict on Separation, Custody Battles and the Bitter Realities of Family Court (ECW Press, 2009) and was released earlier this year. I still intend on picking it up and reading it.

Trans people who legally change their names will no longer need to provide courts with a doctor’s note after a ruling from New York’s Supreme Court.

Joan Jett rocks in more ways than one: read her interview for Inked Magazine (Inked for a cause).

The ‘net is buzzing with more Lilith Fair news. I, for one, hope to attend one date (I couldn’t the last time due to financial reasons). A guy friend of mine recounts his time at Lilith Fair - read it here. Its tone differs greatly from the one on Popnography. AfterEllen also asks her readers who they would love to see - here. (Easy guess who tops my list, eh?)

SFGate ran an interesting article on chocolate farms on Hawaii.

Hottie Rena Sofer has joined CBS’ “NCIS” as a potential recurring. She will play a no-nonsense attorney with mysterious motives.

CBC is broadcasting my friend Lara’s short, called Sunfish. It’s not geo blocked, so anyone can watch it *HERE*

eurOut published my latest article on straight allies (yay! Thank you, Stacey) and a heart warming tale posted on Dorothy Snarker’s blog. Sounds like a Hollywood movie, eh?

Currently listening to KINKFM.com (Kink 1400)

My friend Menachem Luchins aka Nuke got a new writing gig at eGO.com - a blog that provides daily questions and comments for discussion and debate. All the discussion, articles and quotes will be centered around eGO.com’s seven principles. Read about it here.

A post on 8asians.com about noodles caught my attention:

On Wednesday Mafalda drove me to the gigantic Christ statue, after lunch at Siesta (a Mexican restaurant). I’ve been told it’s similar to the one in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (maybe a bit smaller than that one) and that there are three spread over the world all facing eachother - forming a triangle. Having seen it I can say it is an impressive statue, and it is on my list with the Great Wall in China and the pyramids in Egypt.

Across the statue is a huge bridge that looks like the Golden Gate’s twin, the 25th of April Bridge; it’s manufactured by the same company that made Golden Gate bridge:

Nice view, eh? Again, the weather was nice: warm and sunny. And up there: very windy.
Hey Krista! I know it’s not a Cape Islander, but when I saw the boat I just wanted to shoot that one for you:

We also strolled downtown a bit, where I shot more pictures. We had dinner at a Wok Palace. The food wasn’t not bad, but I’ve had better. Mafalda agreed with me.
After freshening up a bit we went out later that night, and Mafalda shows me Lisbon’s nightlife. It’s interesting to see that much of it happens outside in the streets (like in Spain). We ended up in a little queer friendly bar, where a drink helped lessen the pain in my lower back. Woo-hoo!
Before we knew it it was closing time and bars were closing its doors to not let new people in and to signify they’re about to close.

Thursday lunch was divine: the vegetarian/macrobiotic buffet at “Jardim das Cerejas” (translated it means Cherry Garden) is one of the best I’ve had in a while - I haven’t forgotten about Le Commensal in Quebec City and Montréal (hey Jane!). For less than 18 Euros the two of us gorged on delicious and fresh dishes and salads.

I was appalled when I young teenaged girl didn’t eat anything, because it wasn’t the McDonald’s type of food she so prefers. I told Mafalda how my parents took my brother and I to a McD’s when we were little - it was a hot ‘n happening thing back then - and how my brother and I did not like the stuff. Even today, if I can choose between a McD burger and a meal at a veggie restaurant I will pick the latter. There’s no doubt in my mind about that - even though I do eat meat. Anyhoo, I digress.

Then we headed over to the Museu do Oriente, that has an exhibition of Portugal in Asia throughout the centuries and deities. An interesting afternoon.
From there on it’s only a short drive to the beach. Even though it was way too cold to dip into the water (I tried!) I was glad to have at least two different beaches in less than a week; it rains very often in my country, so when there’s one hot and sunny day people trek to the beaches (many even take a day off work). Yes, that’s when what little beach we have get over crowded by worshippers of the sun, and the roads to it get clogged up.

Around dinner time we drive up to Mafalda’s place so she can walk Inari. The German Shepard seems to taken a liking to me as he tries to greet me again.
We grab a pizza before we drive back to Lisbon and hit the bars; my friend wants to take me to a drag dive just outside Lisbon. It soon becomes apparent that the place where the drags shows are is closed down for renovations, and so we soon find ourselves driving back to downtown Lisbon. We start at a little jazz bar, where we watch soccer recaps (how sad is that?) and consult my Lonely Planet guide for addresses. We then walk to three different addresses and find they were CLOSED. I kid you not. Despite my sprained back and walking a nice distance in total I found it funny. (The Caipirinha certainly helped loosen me the muscles in my back.) Tired we decided to call it a day.

Friday was my last full day in Portugal. We grabbed lunch to go (veggie pasta for me) and even though we initially set out to drive out to a place to do a safari, I remembered we hadn’t had the chance to check out the dolphins. We quickly changed plans, the drive to the dolphin watch is a shorter one.
To make a long story short, Mafalda found a way to get us out on the water - with 100 elderly people, who were obviously having a grand day out. We go out for a little tour of the bay, and on the way back we actually see one (maybe there were two, but I couldn’t tell) dolphin. One of the Mates approaches us and tells us that they had expected not to see any, and the dolphin had in fact signified (by whipping its tail a certain way) it didn’t want to be disturbed anymore. Oh well, however briefly, it looked beautiful.
Mafalda intended to drive back using the scenic route, but I figured to save time (Mafalda’s mom had cooked us her killer vegetarian quiche, and we were meeting up with two of Mafalda’s friends later) to just take the shortest one.

I regret not having made a picture of Mafalda’s mom delicious (dairy free) quiche; it was really good. When Mafalda’s mom appologized for not having made desserts I assured her I’m not much of a dessert person anyway, and it enabled me to actually have two slices. I told her she could always start as a cook at the Cherry Garden. I’m sure her quiche will be a big hit!
Mafalda’s mom’s sweet, and gives good hugs, and told me to have a good journey home. And to come back soon. (Mafalda told me previously her mom thinks I look so cute and sweet. Well, that’s me!)

Mafalda’s friends are really nice; one’s outgoing, the other one’s more introverted. Again, I reminded myself the introverted friend may not be as comfortable speaking English - even though I try to engage her in conversation. After some catching up I told them how we had walked to different clubs the night before. Only to find them closed. Mafalda’s outgoing friend joked that’s what Mafalda got for keeping her foreign friend all to herself, and shared some suggestions with Mafalda.
When they went home, Mafalda followed up on one of the suggestions and we go to a queer club called Maria Lisboa, a club that remains open way after the 2am curfew most bars are subjected to.
I can tell by the prices of their drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) that this place is a hip and happening one. The music is an ok mix of 80s and 90s mainstream pop and today’s dance and pop. We have a good time people watching.

Saturday. My last day in the city.
I have some postcards to mail, and we ride the subway (clean and efficient, from what I can tell) to the nearest post office. Then we have lunch at “Lotus by Oriente“, another vegetarian with a buffet. This restaurant and “Jardim das Cerejas” are definitely my two favorite ones in the city. I was warned by a Judge at work that Lisbon is a good place to be a vegetarian, and she was very right. Mafalda told me it’s something of the past several years, and that it started as something hip. Hip or not, I don’t get this in my town. That’s for sure.

All too soon it’s time to head for the airport and say goodbye…
Despite my sprained back, I had a wonderful time. It does fly when you’re having a great time. Thank you, Mafalda

Let’s get this straight: I’m not a vegetarian (I do eat some meat) nor am I vegan (I have eggs, some cheese and honey - for example). But ever since I’ve found out my body doesn’t stomach cow milk well, I have rigorously cut back on cheese, opting to eat small amounts of goat’s cheese or cheese made from buffalo milk (I have yet to find soy cheese I really like).

Earlier today I came across a small article on Daiya Vegan Cheese; the writer was simply raving about it, and it immediately caught my attention. Check out the website. Don’t those pictures look mouth watering? I can’t wait to get my hand on some of it, and have an old fashioned grilled cheese sandwich - or something.

This is a story I just read on CNN’s website; an interesting deathbed confession.

(The two women who were killed…)

Two months before dying, a Virginia woman confessed to killing two women nearly 42 years ago telling police she shot the women because they had taunted her for being a lesbian.

Sharron Diane Crawford Smith, 60, confessed in a November 28 interview to shooting the women at a Staunton ice cream store in 1967.

“I was just pushed so far,” Smith said, according to a transcript of a police interview.

Smith was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Constance Smootz Hevener, 19, and Hevener’s 20-year-old sister-in-law, Carolyn Hevener Perry, according to CNN affiliate WVIR. Health problems forced a postponement of a December court date, WVIR said, and Smith, who had heart and kidney problems, died January 19.

Authorities on Friday said they consider Smith the guilty party and are working toward closing the case.
Click here to read the rest of the story.

… And I guess it was only a matter of time, but homophobic Christian groups in America have discovered the new President’s support for gay rights as posted on the White House website. How dare they call themselves Christians? I keep wondering about that.

In the meantime, a study claims that 16% of Iranian men, and 24% of Iranian women have had same sex relationships. Makes you wonder, eh?

The team who made Milk is celebrating, as the film, which was pretty much snubbed by the Hollywood Foreign Press, just received eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor for Sean Penn, Best Supporting Actor for Josh Brolin, Best Screenplay and Best Director. It also received nods for Best Editing, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. I’m planning on seeing it some time next week.

An article called “Sleeping with the locals” in the Globe and Mail earlier this week caught my eye… Before I realized the title would have my friend Sacha snicker. Yea, someone needs to get his head out of the gutter… Anyhoo, it is true: lately, there seems to be a trend of funky, designer hotels opening in grittier neighborhoods - so visitors can taste the “real” local flavors.

I’m looking forward to Chinese New Year tomorrow (I’ll be having Peking duck, wild rice and chocolate soy dessert for dinner tomorrow.) Tomorrow the year of the Ox will commence - the year 4706 for the Chinese. All kinds of celebrations have started all around the world, and here’s another Globe and Mail article (including some recipes - don’t know if they’re good, tho) on food for the festivities.

Currently listening to Within Temptation (Black Symphony)

I took the train to Maastricht earlier today to run some additional errands for my Indonesia trip. At the end of it I noticed I was hungry (I had a late breakfast 5 hours earlier) so I went to Simply Bread - which is on the way to the train station. I hadn’t been there in over a year, and hadn’t noticed their change in opening hours; Simply Bread is now exclusively a breakfast and lunch place, and they close at 1600 hours. But opening hours now include Sundays. I didn’t know that.

Anyhoo, when I walked in it was a quarter to four, clueless about the opening hours. The girl on shift was already cleaning the place and asked if I wanted to order (yes, please) then proceeded to tell me the kitchen had already closed for the day but I was free to get any of the remaining prepackaged sandwiches (prepared this morning) with a 50% discount. Oh, ok… I then asked her about the opening hours. After she rang the cash register and was looking for a paper bag to put the sandwich in the girl asked me if I wanted some croissants. (Huh? Did she just ask me that?) She must have seen the clueless look on my face because she repeated the question, and added they would be free. It took a moment for it to sink in before I graciously accepted the offer. They were left over and it would be a shame to throw them out.

So, I am going to enjoy a tasty brunch tomorrow, consisting of croissants, pains au chocolat, and fresh OJ.