F `Horsing' around and settling back for a half-hour of cumulative bliss That's Life Andy Juniper Guest Contributor 25 | Thursday, May 7, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com or the past few weeks, my wife and I have been horsing around. Two weekends ago, we headed into The Big Smoke for a matinee performance of Cavalia -- our third time seeing this Canadian production company's unique equine extravaganza (a sort of Cirque du Soleil on horseback). Seriously, if you love horses, horseback riding, inspired acrobatics, superb live music and stateof-the-art theatrical effects, you should see this big, bold production. The entire 2.5-hour event boggles the mind. All multi-media magic aside, at the heart of the production are the masterful trainers/riders and the majestic horses. As self-professed `horse people', we love watching the horses performing with disciplined precision. But we also love seeing them horsing around -- often in the middle of routines -- goo ng on each other, nipping at each other's backsides; horses, you see, are basically four-year-old kids absolutely intent on mischief. Post-performance, we wandered through the historic Distillery District, one of our favorite areas of Toronto, spending money we don't have in cute, quirky shops, and treating ourselves to dinner at Cluny Bistro. Well, that was an awesome day. Last Saturday was another: the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby. Around our house, Derby Day is always a big deal. The week prior to the race we peruse assorted race reports and on race day we sit glued to the pre-race coverage. As the race approaches, we prep a batch of drinks arrived. Two shots of whiskey on ice. No bourbon. Nary a sprig of mint to be found. The guy who delivered the drink asked: "Who won the race?" I'll Have Another. "Ah, another mint julep, sir?" No, I'll Have Another won the race. "What? Who?" Ah, never mind.... This year, the Derby was convincingly won by American Pharoah. Setting up talk of a potential Triple Crown Winner. Possibly ending a brutal, 37-year Triple Crown drought. Closer to home: today, our horses return from their winter retreat at a nearby ranch, which means that for the next six months, my wife and I will be busy in the backyard. Horsing around. -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@ gmail.com, and found on Facebook and Twitter . mint juleps, the of cial Derby cocktail, and then, following the cue of the late writer Walker Percy, we settle back in our chairs for a half-hour of cumulative (bourbon-y) bliss. Over the years, we've spent many Derby Days on the road, speeding home from Hilton Head, S.C., desperately seeking a comfortable place to stop, watch the race, and track down some mint juleps. While race coverage tended to be easy to nd even in backwoods areas, the bourbon-y bliss proved elusive. Three years ago, we were on a road trip and had just checked into a downtown Chicago hotel in time for all the Derby preamble. As we unpacked, I phoned room service and asked if they could kindly deliver two mint juleps. "Mint tulips?" Juleps. The drink. For the Kentucky Derby. "Ah, I'm not sure what you are talking about, sir, but I'll ask if anyone else here knows." Long silence. "You're in luck. Someone here knows about mint juleps. I'll send them right up." Two hours later. After the race ended, our Same Reliable Owners Clean Each Visit Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Colour-Coded Cloths Reduce Cross Contamination Enviroshield® Whole Home Disinfecting Strongest Guarantee In The Industry (XXX) XXX-XXXX 289.809.9823 localurladdressgoeshere.com Oakville.MaidRight.com SOILYOuRSELf 4th Line QEW Dorval 905.338.5721 ce Auto Servi Auto Body ruS A uSed 0c d 0 An p From $2,0 www.jnbautocenter.com · Scheduled Maintenance · Fuel Injection · Computer Diagnostics · Transmission & Clutches Accredited Test · Front & Rear End Work & Repair Facility · Electrical · Windshield Repair/Replacement · Shocks & Struts QEW · Air-Conditioning · Brakes Wyecroft · Tune-Ups JNB · Engines · Tires · Wheel Alignments · Oil & Fluid Changes Weller Ct. Insurance Claims Collision Repair Auto Body & Paint 450 Wyecroft Rd. unit 4 TOP SOIL · AGGREGATES ARMOR STONE · TOOLS INTERLOCK · MULCH · SEED landscapeelements.ca WE ARE OPEN AND WE DELIVER 905-337-7625 Dorval Dr. 294 Wyecroft Rd., Oakville Monday-Friday 8-5 Saturday 8-1