Think men and women have trouble communicating?
This Funny or Die video 'nails' it (yes, that pun is intended!).
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
RATE IT! Panda-monium
THEY'RE HERE! Finally!
After a lengthy wait, and enough red tape to encircle the globe several times, the Toronto Zoo is now home to two gorgeous Giant Pandas from China!
Da Mao (a 4-year-old male), and Er Shun (an older woman at 5 years of age) are settling in nicely for their 5 year stay. On the day that we visited, Da Mao was holding court in the outside enclosure. Sitting in the shade, climbing on rocks and picking just the right piece of bamboo to chomp, he seemed completely oblivious to the crowds of children and adults who were clamouring to see him. Er Shun was more playful in the inside enclosure, doing her gymnastic routine of front rolls much to the delight and appreciative squeals of her audience.
If you're in Toronto in the near future, go see these wonderful bears! And check out the other animals that call the Toronto Zoo home. Well worth the visit.
(photos: mine)
After a lengthy wait, and enough red tape to encircle the globe several times, the Toronto Zoo is now home to two gorgeous Giant Pandas from China!
Da Mao (a 4-year-old male), and Er Shun (an older woman at 5 years of age) are settling in nicely for their 5 year stay. On the day that we visited, Da Mao was holding court in the outside enclosure. Sitting in the shade, climbing on rocks and picking just the right piece of bamboo to chomp, he seemed completely oblivious to the crowds of children and adults who were clamouring to see him. Er Shun was more playful in the inside enclosure, doing her gymnastic routine of front rolls much to the delight and appreciative squeals of her audience.
(photos: mine)
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
RATE IT! The Perfect Workout Playlist
I'm the last person who would call working out "fun", but I do know that a wicked playlist of tunes can make breaking a sweat somewhat bearable.
If you're looking for inspiration or tips on how to create the perfect exercise playlist, my new article on the website of Canadian Living magazine, might be just the thing to put a bounce in your step.
Get moving and grooving!
Get moving and grooving!
Monday, June 10, 2013
RATE IT! Radley "Teatime"
My love of all things British gets me into financial trouble sometimes. I often find something unique from abroad that I just have to have even if a frightening credit card bill, and import duty charge loom in my future.
During one of my regular visits to the website of Radley, one of the UK's foremost retailers of gorgeously grown up leather bags, I discovered their "Teatime" line - a cute selection of items characterized by Radley's trademark Scotty dog sitting cozily in a tea cup.
Well, I'm a big fan of Radley (and the Scotty), as well as the TV series, 'New Girl' and the first thing that popped into my head when I spotted this product was the 'Menzies' episode from season 2. Jess (played by the exquisite Zooey Deschanel) hilariously breaks into tears during a job interview over a framed photograph of a deceased Yorkshire Terrier sat in a tea cup.
"Pup-py....in a..... CUP!"
I can't help myself. I LOVE this change purse, and this episode ALWAYS makes me laugh out loud. And just like that, my credit card took a direct hit. But really, can you blame me?
During one of my regular visits to the website of Radley, one of the UK's foremost retailers of gorgeously grown up leather bags, I discovered their "Teatime" line - a cute selection of items characterized by Radley's trademark Scotty dog sitting cozily in a tea cup.
"Pup-py....in a..... CUP!"
I can't help myself. I LOVE this change purse, and this episode ALWAYS makes me laugh out loud. And just like that, my credit card took a direct hit. But really, can you blame me?
Friday, June 7, 2013
RATE IT! Sprinkle A Little Fun!
Bring some cuteness to your dinner table.
Whimsical salt and pepper shakers certainly aren't new, but this set from ModCloth are guaranteed to start your day sunny side up!
Table cloth: Anthropologie
(photo: mine)
I'm back!
Hello. Remember me? After a few years where family concerns had to take precedence, I am BACK and I have a lot to share in regards to pop culture and all the fun products out there that put a smile on my face (and hopefully, yours!).
I hope you'll come along for the ride!
I hope you'll come along for the ride!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
RATE IT! Glittering Christmas Cities
I love a good Christmas city. I like snow, the decorations...I recently wrote an article for Reader's Digest.ca about several gorgeous Christmas destinations perfect for people full of holiday spirit.
10 Festive Christmas Destinations
Hope you enjoy this enchanted holiday travelogue!
(photo: mine!)
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
RATE IT! Christmas CAN Be Sunny
I've been quite busy this holiday season with a bunch of articles toasting the Christmas season. Here's one of my most heart-warming - so to speak!
The 10 Sunniest Christmas Vacations ~ My latest article for Reader's Digest.ca.
Snow haters, rejoice! You do have options!
Snow haters, rejoice! You do have options!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
HATE IT! Like Crazy
Anyone who follows me on Twitter will have seen a flurry of tweets in anticipation of the movie, 'Like Crazy'. It's been feted at Sundance and has had plenty of critic-worthy buzz, but for me none of those shiny accolades really matter. I'll like a movie if it speaks to me, or touches my soul in some way. It doesn't have to be a cinematic masterpiece, or winner of a truck load of glittering gold statuettes. If I like it, that's enough for me.
I took a weekday afternoon off work to catch this movie. I was so looking forward to it! The reason? The long distance relationship theme. I love movies that deal with this sort of relationship conundrum. You see, I've been there, done that and now have the husband to prove it. We endured an 18-month long distance relationship - me in Canada, he in England - and we found a way to make it work until we both had our feet firmly planted on the same soil.
Back in the throes of our long distance drama, we weren't fortunate to have all the bells and whistles available for the distance challenged today. We had email, and the phone - THAT'S IT. Back in the late '90s, Skype didn't exist. I didn't own a cell phone, so texts were out of the question, nor did I have a computer at home. I could only send emails from work. Somehow, someway without instant messaging, texting, Twitter or Facebook, we made it work. It was a tough slog. I won't lie and say it was easy, because it wasn't.
So... along comes this little movie 'Like Crazy', about two California college kids besotted with one another. She's a Brit. He's American. She overstays her time in the US and falls foul with her visa. Whoopsie. She's not allowed back into the US until they get this easily avoidable mess done and dusted. And so begins their long distance affair.
Cut to the chase... I really despised this movie. For all the critics who are foaming at the mouth over this cinematic "gem", saying it's "so lifelike", and "real" -- have YOU ever been in the midst of a long distance relationship? I sincerely doubt it. Having walked in the shoes of these two characters, I found their behaviour to be completely unrealistic. Here are my main beefs:
They were lazy -- constantly playing phone tag, leaving sad sack messages and texts for one another: "I missed you." "Please call me!" C'MON! You might have a day or two of phone tag, but if you're truly committed to the other person, this situ just does not happen! You set a time to talk and stick to it. They both had cell phones - more than me and my future husband had. Cry me a river. Through the time of their on-screen relationship, technology began to sprout all sorts of new communication toys - gee, wish I had that luxury during my tenure an ocean away from my guy.
They whine way too much -- yes, long distance love is heartbreaking, sad, exciting and extremely difficult. The situation is constantly having its way with your emotions. I get it. But whining and complaining about it all the bloody time - enough! If you don't like how it feels, get out of the relationship - or, better yet, MOVE. Yes, up sticks and live on the same continent, in the same city. Cancel out the "long distance" part of the relationship. Okay, she couldn't return to the USA because of her Visa snafu, but he could of flitted over to London. Dude ran his own business. Surely, the boss wouldn't mind too much if you took a short leave of absence. Ultimately, as a long distance relationship participant, YOU have a choice in the matter. Either get with the program and ride the wave, or shut up and move on. But I guess if they did that, we wouldn't have a movie, would we? So cue all the stupid drama, longing looks through glass doors, and unrealistic nuances and fill those cinema seats with hipsters who think this movie is art.
The dude -- sorry, but I don't see how this fella is such a lady killer. Let's look at the evidence: first, he nets Felicity Jones. She's gorgeous, British, quirky and even more adorable than Zooey Deschanel. But while he's separated from her by the miles, his heart wanders and a new girl strolls into his orbit. It's Jennifer Lawrence, people! Another total fox (sorry, for sounding like Wayne's World here). This guy makes furniture in the movie - good job, resourceful... nothing wrong with that profession, but he doesn't seem to have an outstanding sense of humour, a magnetic personality, or a great intellect. He's no Aidan Shaw. He's not the best conversationalist (as seen in his lack of communication with his Brit honey back in the UK). What's to like here? Why does he have all the babes falling at his feet? I didn't buy his attractiveness to all these beautiful women. Not for one second. The guy was just so...oatmeal... all beige and blah.
What did I like about this movie?
I really, really loved Felicity Jones. She's a scene stealer, and all HER buzz is warranted. She's captivating on the screen and the camera loves her. No doubt she'll grab plenty of interesting roles after this star turn - and she deserves each and every one of them.
But beyond this cute Brit actress, I didn't find much to rave about in 'Like Crazy.' It was flat, a tad boring and very unrealistic. I never once felt sorry for these characters. There was nothing really redeeming about either one of them. If you really want to be with someone who lives half a world away, you do ANYTHING to make it work. No expense is too much. Time is just a minor diversion. You make it work. These two didn't try hard enough. I know, I've been there.
I've previously written about long distance relationships for Best Health and Slice. Click on the links to explore more.
Back in the throes of our long distance drama, we weren't fortunate to have all the bells and whistles available for the distance challenged today. We had email, and the phone - THAT'S IT. Back in the late '90s, Skype didn't exist. I didn't own a cell phone, so texts were out of the question, nor did I have a computer at home. I could only send emails from work. Somehow, someway without instant messaging, texting, Twitter or Facebook, we made it work. It was a tough slog. I won't lie and say it was easy, because it wasn't.
So... along comes this little movie 'Like Crazy', about two California college kids besotted with one another. She's a Brit. He's American. She overstays her time in the US and falls foul with her visa. Whoopsie. She's not allowed back into the US until they get this easily avoidable mess done and dusted. And so begins their long distance affair.
Cut to the chase... I really despised this movie. For all the critics who are foaming at the mouth over this cinematic "gem", saying it's "so lifelike", and "real" -- have YOU ever been in the midst of a long distance relationship? I sincerely doubt it. Having walked in the shoes of these two characters, I found their behaviour to be completely unrealistic. Here are my main beefs:
They were lazy -- constantly playing phone tag, leaving sad sack messages and texts for one another: "I missed you." "Please call me!" C'MON! You might have a day or two of phone tag, but if you're truly committed to the other person, this situ just does not happen! You set a time to talk and stick to it. They both had cell phones - more than me and my future husband had. Cry me a river. Through the time of their on-screen relationship, technology began to sprout all sorts of new communication toys - gee, wish I had that luxury during my tenure an ocean away from my guy.
They whine way too much -- yes, long distance love is heartbreaking, sad, exciting and extremely difficult. The situation is constantly having its way with your emotions. I get it. But whining and complaining about it all the bloody time - enough! If you don't like how it feels, get out of the relationship - or, better yet, MOVE. Yes, up sticks and live on the same continent, in the same city. Cancel out the "long distance" part of the relationship. Okay, she couldn't return to the USA because of her Visa snafu, but he could of flitted over to London. Dude ran his own business. Surely, the boss wouldn't mind too much if you took a short leave of absence. Ultimately, as a long distance relationship participant, YOU have a choice in the matter. Either get with the program and ride the wave, or shut up and move on. But I guess if they did that, we wouldn't have a movie, would we? So cue all the stupid drama, longing looks through glass doors, and unrealistic nuances and fill those cinema seats with hipsters who think this movie is art.
The dude -- sorry, but I don't see how this fella is such a lady killer. Let's look at the evidence: first, he nets Felicity Jones. She's gorgeous, British, quirky and even more adorable than Zooey Deschanel. But while he's separated from her by the miles, his heart wanders and a new girl strolls into his orbit. It's Jennifer Lawrence, people! Another total fox (sorry, for sounding like Wayne's World here). This guy makes furniture in the movie - good job, resourceful... nothing wrong with that profession, but he doesn't seem to have an outstanding sense of humour, a magnetic personality, or a great intellect. He's no Aidan Shaw. He's not the best conversationalist (as seen in his lack of communication with his Brit honey back in the UK). What's to like here? Why does he have all the babes falling at his feet? I didn't buy his attractiveness to all these beautiful women. Not for one second. The guy was just so...oatmeal... all beige and blah.
What did I like about this movie?
I really, really loved Felicity Jones. She's a scene stealer, and all HER buzz is warranted. She's captivating on the screen and the camera loves her. No doubt she'll grab plenty of interesting roles after this star turn - and she deserves each and every one of them.
But beyond this cute Brit actress, I didn't find much to rave about in 'Like Crazy.' It was flat, a tad boring and very unrealistic. I never once felt sorry for these characters. There was nothing really redeeming about either one of them. If you really want to be with someone who lives half a world away, you do ANYTHING to make it work. No expense is too much. Time is just a minor diversion. You make it work. These two didn't try hard enough. I know, I've been there.
I've previously written about long distance relationships for Best Health and Slice. Click on the links to explore more.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
RATE IT! Cosmic Christmas
Love, love, LOVE this Christmas cartoon special from back in the late '70s. This Canadian gem called 'Cosmic Christmas' was a staple on TV screens in the Great White North for several years and then suddenly, like the aliens in the story, it disappeared. I'm guessing that there must have been a rights issue because we haven't seen this special on TV for years. I really wish someone would sort out their library or talk to their lawyers and get this program back on TV during the build-up to Christmas where it belongs!
Check out part one here... and if you like what you see, you can view the remaining parts on YouTube.
Check out part one here... and if you like what you see, you can view the remaining parts on YouTube.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
RATE IT! New Holiday Tunes
It's now officially December - let the holiday tunes ring out!
Now, I know that many retailers have already jumped the gun, and have been playing Christmas music for weeks now. But if you can still stomach a seasonal song or two, take a look at one of my latest articles for Slice.ca. This piece is giving all the latest (and most noteworthy) Christmas albums the once over. Some albums are new this year, while others are from last year or the year before.
A little bit of holiday flavour for everyone! Read and enjoy!
(photo © Jackie Middleton)
Now, I know that many retailers have already jumped the gun, and have been playing Christmas music for weeks now. But if you can still stomach a seasonal song or two, take a look at one of my latest articles for Slice.ca. This piece is giving all the latest (and most noteworthy) Christmas albums the once over. Some albums are new this year, while others are from last year or the year before. A little bit of holiday flavour for everyone! Read and enjoy!
(photo © Jackie Middleton)
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
RATE IT! Paperchase London Collection
Choose from notebooks, magnets, mugs... there's a little bit of London for all tastes. I'm partial to the laptop case. And the bunting. Oh, and the pencil cases are cute too. I currently use a Paperchase pencil case to hold all my iPhone accessories - the charger, earphones, etc. Hmm.. maybe it's time for an update.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
RATE IT! Travel Destinations for a Sugar Rush
Travel and eating go hand-in-hand ... well, in MY world they do...so it seemed only natural for my latest article to be about 10 Destinations to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth.
Dig in to my latest piece for Reader's Digest.ca. Best of all? No calories!
Friday, November 4, 2011
RATE IT! Gingerdead Men Cookie Cutters
Monday, October 31, 2011
RATE IT! Hipster Puppies
While I don't have time for their hipster owners, I DO have plenty of time for the four-legged hipster variety. 'Hipster Puppies' by Christopher R. Weingarten is so dog-gone cute, you can easily forgive these cool canines for their overt trendy tendencies. Bicycles, bandanas and retro glasses are all in fashion with this dog gang. I must admit, I do love the cat's eye look as worn by the black and white fuzzball.
Friday, September 9, 2011
RATE IT! Back FOR the Future
When pop culture and a good cause come together, everybody wins.
Nike has introduced 'Back to the Future' style kicks for a special one-time only event. They're auctioning off 1,500 pairs of the Nike Mag shoes -- all in aid of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
Want to bid? Visit Nikemag.ebay.com and get a pair before they're all gone. PC Mag is reporting that some pairs are going for as high as $3,500 today. Here's the fun video promoting the auction... featuring Saturday Night Live's Bill Hader as the shoe salesman, and Christopher Lloyd in his old the 'Back to the Future' role.
Nike has introduced 'Back to the Future' style kicks for a special one-time only event. They're auctioning off 1,500 pairs of the Nike Mag shoes -- all in aid of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
Want to bid? Visit Nikemag.ebay.com and get a pair before they're all gone. PC Mag is reporting that some pairs are going for as high as $3,500 today. Here's the fun video promoting the auction... featuring Saturday Night Live's Bill Hader as the shoe salesman, and Christopher Lloyd in his old the 'Back to the Future' role.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
RATE IT! Back to School with Snoopy
When I was a kid, most of the school children (me included) would walk home for lunch each and every day. Only a few kids who were bused to our school from the outer corners of our town, would stay and tuck into a packed lunch. I never had the opportunity to cart around a funky lunch box -- and yeah, I was actually envious of the kids who did. I'll always remember the NHL lunch boxes the boys had. If I didn't live so close to the school, I would have definitely had a Toronto Maple Leafs one.
Or... perhaps a Snoopy inspired lunch box like this gem available from Perpetual Kid. Snoopy never goes out of fashion in my books. Unfortunately I work from home now so the need for a case to tote my lunch is unnecessary. I'll just have to admire this cute lunch box from afar.
Monday, August 22, 2011
RATE IT! Paul Rudd Pitches Harvey Weinstein
As a freelance writer, I have to pitch ideas for articles all the time. Emailing queries is a tough task.
Here's a funny look at Paul Rudd's silly attempt at pitching -- in person -- his creative vision to Hollywood bigwig, Harvey Weinstein. From the folk at Funny or Die.
Here's a funny look at Paul Rudd's silly attempt at pitching -- in person -- his creative vision to Hollywood bigwig, Harvey Weinstein. From the folk at Funny or Die.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
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