I was a chef, I am an artist who has become a weaver and I write about textiles. in many ways I eat sleep and dream textiles and they had lead me to want to travel, need to travel and so I travel. due to health issues i go to develop countries with moderate temperatures rather then small villages in hot countries where I could meet weavers and dyers. Instead i go to museums and do studio visits with other contemporary textile artist,and go to conferences. If it is at all possible and there is a kitchen handy I will cook for small groups of fellow conference goers who are away from home and eat en mass in hotel breakfast rooms and near by restaurants, A home cook meal is a gift I enjoy giving. That is a basic image of me.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

First I guess i should say why I am not accepting guest. Basically my apartment is small but in a good place for accessing public transit but the neighbourhood has been being torn down around me and replaced with dozens of condo towers its is formerly a notorious downtown public housing project full of poor people who have almost all been relocated never to return. the sound of construction often drive me out of the house by 8 in the morning and daily shovelling, i mean sweeping keeps the construction debris that floats in under control. its been going on for 8 years with another 10 to come but I have here 30 years and am use to it. I might not me that pleasant for a traveller. why i am on here i am hoping Couchsurfing get me out of hotels I really can't afford to stay in even with Conference discount packages. As a teenager I hick hiked stayed where i could or on the street and met a large variety of people. Travelling is about meeting people at conferences you meet the same people with specif agendas I have the same one but i have others couchsurfing lets me leave the crowd to explore outside with more flexibility and less demand on my pocket book. If there is a concert, a dance performance happening a few days after a conference ends i don't want to lose that chance. On the other hand it would be nice to go explore another city close to home (like Montreal, Boston or New York) to see an art exhibition spend the night and come home.

Interests

I am interest in chamber and symphonic music and jazz, I am interested in modern dance and Museums, I like live living culture, Like gardening and garden design but have to visit friend's and dig in their yards since I only have a balcony in a polluted intersection of major traffic routes in downtown Toronto and can't grow food. I read and watch t.v. and like trivia games.

• arts
• culture
• books
• performing arts
• design
• concerts
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• breakfast
• gardening
• trivia
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• jazz

Music, Movies, and Books

books I am reading right now; Alfred Jarry a Patphysical Life by Alastair Brotchie 2011, The Portable Sherwood Anderson , the essential genius of an American Phenomenon introduced by Horace Gregory, second printing 1952 and Lelia: the life of George Sand by Andre Maurouis copyright 1953. I have been streaming British television Mystery series saw two Hollywood movies last year a classic on a big screen An affair to Remember and Into the Woods, I went to 3 Toronto Symphony concerts last week their New Creations Festival to hear Barbara Hannigan sing . I don't have favourite anything I enjoy and appreciate what I am experiencing at the moment

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

gotten out of bed every day of my life, after that its all been interesting. annoying, amazing. boring, gotten through, I wasn't killed by it, I was thrilled I was contented, frustrated

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach :How to sew a button back on to your shirt, tapestry weaving, potato block printing, wood block, mono print,

learn more about many things I do go to lectures and slide shows because I am interested.

share, my lunch my time, time is my only real currency and i value it highly.

What I Can Share with Hosts

stories and cooking and i can teach you how to back strap weave

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, France, Lithuania, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada