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)

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!)

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!

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!

RATE IT! Tagged Retro-Style

I'm a sucker for travel-related accessories, so I was thrilled to find a Flight 001 store in Chicago. Just like the NYC shop, the Chi-town version did not disappoint. 


The usual suspects of travel paraphernalia were present and accounted for (nifty toiletry bags, gadgets for packing, passport covers, laptop bags -- so many fab items to choose from!) but they also had the coolest luggage tags. Yes, I do love a fun baggage tag. We ended up purchasing several - not only for ourselves but also as gifts for family. The favourite? This cassette tape tag. If the old school muso look isn't for you, how about a retro Scooter, or Rubik's Cube (another one we gifted). 


So cute and functional at the same time. The only problem? Every time we travel, I'll be worried that someone else will fall in love with our funky tags and steal them!


Flight 001 has a terrific online shop, so there's no need to feel left out if you can't visit their stores in person. 


(images: Flight 001)

RATE IT! Sprinkles

Last month when I wasn't following in Ferris Bueller's footsteps in Chicago, I was swooning over a new crush. 


Sprinkles. Where have you been all my life?


Sprinkles is an American cupcake powerhouse. Who knew that such delights awaited me in Chicagoland? I feel like I'm the last person on earth to discover this yummy indulgence. So much time wasted. So many cupcakes not eaten...


Candace Nelson created Sprinkles a few years ago in California and now her delicious enterprise has shops in several U.S. cities including New York City, Beverly Hills, Washington D.C., Dallas and of course, Chicago. Their cupcakes are moist, mouthwatering bundles of joy made fresh on the premises. I kid you not. Sprinkles take cupcakes seriously - and their dedication is palatable (literally!). 


Here's just a sampling of their flavours: dark chocolate, peanut butter chocolate, red velvet, lemon coconut, black and white, cinnamon sugar, carrot...to name but a few. And if you want to attempt to recreate the Sprinkles experience at home, you can purchase cupcake mixes in store. Genius!


The Sprinkles shops are all immaculate, uncluttered and simple in design - IT WORKS! The focus is on the cupcakes and let me tell you, it is love at first sight! Each cake is perfectly formed, not sloppy -- so unlike my first (and only!) visit to the famous Magnolia Bakery (yes, the very cupcake place featured in Sex and the City) in Manhattan. Sprinkles easily trumps Magnolia. There, I said it. 


For now, my crush will have to be an unrequited one. My memories - so vivid that I could almost taste them - will have to carry me through until I can be reunited with my love. Sprinkles has yet to open shop in Canada. They hope to bring their sweet offerings here soon and possibly to other cities... Boston, London! When they do arrive in Toronto, I will be first in line waiting to place my order for a vanilla milk chocolate, peanut butter chip and chocolate marshmallow!


(photos by: Jackie Middleton - cupcakes shown: chocolate marshmallow, vanilla milk chocolate)

RATE IT! Ferris Bueller's Chicago

A week ago today, I was in Chicago. It was my first time in the windy city and to be honest, most of what I knew of this metropolis I had gleamed from Ferris Bueller.

That's right -- Ferris Bueller of John Hughes' '80s teen movie fame. The flick owes many of its most memorable moments to the wonderful city of Chicago where it was shot. See the beautiful painting to the left - it served as the centre piece to one of the most gorgeous scenes of the film. Remember Cameron, Ferris' best friend falling under its dotty spell?

When I travel, I want to feel like I really know a place before I get there. Who wants to waste time bumbling around lost and confused? While I was knee-deep in Chicago facts and info for my trip, I pitched an article idea to The Toronto Star newspaper and the result is my Ferris Bueller's Chicago - 25th Anniversary Edition story.

It appeared in print on the front page of the Toronto Star's weekend travel section back on July 23 - as luck would have it, I was actually *in* Chicago at the time. Seems quite fitting actually. It may not include all of the delights Chicago has to offer but my story will help you find many of the places that Ferris conquered. Enjoy the online version here!

(Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte at the Art Institute of Chicago ~ photo by: Jackie Middleton)

RATE IT! United Turkish Delight

Turkish Airlines have taken flight as one of the latest sponsors of Manchester United. Here's their new commercial featuring the team in some in-flight hi-jinx.


With the latest news about Wayne Rooney wanting to leave the team, was it a bit of foreshadowing that he's the player who kicks the ball in the unwise direction of United legend, Sir Bobby Charlton? Whoops!

RATE IT! Yep, It's Pretty...

Steve Nash, Kim Cattrall, Michael J. Fox, Ryan Reynolds, Sarah McLachlan and Eric McCormick all have one thing in common...

Sure, a green screen was used, but so what? It's still gorgeous scenery.

RATE IT! Olympic Appetite

If you're one of the lucky ducks heading to next month's Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the perfect respite is on the menu for you!

Take a break from an overdose of sporting action & refuel with 'Edible British Columbia' -- an adventure embracing food, shopping & cooking. Sample the delights of the BC foodie scene with two-hour chef guided market tours, whiskey dinners (really!) and more.

With so much on offer to satisfy every appetite, who could blame you for skipping the ski jump and figure skating? Not me!

Not taking in the Games? Fear not.... 'Edible British Columbia' is a year-round celebration that will continue even when the Olympic Games have moved on.

(photo courtesy: Edible British Columbia)

RATE IT! Vegas Serendipity

Serendipity is not just for New Yorkers anymore.

Now visitors to the Las Vegas strip can indulge in the Forbidden Broadway Sundae and Frrrozen Hot Chocolate deep in the sandy desert. Serendipity 3 is now part of the Caesar's Palace complex with a casual dining menu that offers treats for all tastes.

The new digs look to be more spacious and comfy than the cramped, fire trap of a closet where Serendipity thrives in Manhattan. The move westward also brought along themed Vegas munchies -- but let's face it, the real attraction here, just like in the Big Apple, is the desserts. Take my word for it, skip the entrees and jump right into the course that counts. The desserts are out of this world while the hot dogs, sandwiches and the like are disappointingly average.

A trip to Vegas would be ideal if only a Forbidden Broadway Sundae was on the cards for me....

RATE IT! The Bed Bug Registry

Time to face facts -- there's a new persistent gang of bullies in town, not afraid to hide in the most uncomfortable of tight squeezes in order to plot their global take over.

No, I'm not talking about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's President & his wacko cronies -- but good guess! No, I'm pointing the blame at a plague even more horrid, more creepy (if that's possible!) -- dreaded bed bugs! It's a comeback of epidemic proportions all over the world. I know vampires are really popular right now but heck, we could all do without these grotesque blood suckers.

I feel itchy just writing about it.

Knock on wood, I haven't had the displeasure of making their acquaintance and I sincerely hope I never do but many people haven't been so lucky. The key is not running across these nasties to begin with. Cue Maciej Ceglowski from Romania and his website, The Bed Bug Registry.

Ceglowski set out to create a site where people who have encountered bed bugs first hand can post a quick hit as to where/when the bugs bit. Hotels, apartments even offices are listed and already he's got handy sections featuring New York City, Toronto, San Francisco, Boston and others, with more to be added as people take to the web to warn others. With so much international travel and the waning use of pesticides to kill unwanted creepy crawlies, bed bugs are hitching rides in suitcases and seeing the world more than ever before -- at our expense.

I can't stop looking up addresses in my city but at the same time, it's such a shame that such a site is necessary! Be sure to check out Maciej's website before your next hotel booking, or apartment move. Let's hope the scratching is soon no longer catching!

(I couldn't stomach the thought of posting a photo of *real* blood-sucking bed bugs so the featured colourful cootie will just have to do).

RATE IT! Musical Tube Map

Some people prefer Paris, others Rome...but in the beautiful lyrics of Saint Etienne, London belongs to me. I *love* London... more than any other place on the planet. The history, pop culture references, I just can't get enough.

I've always been a fan of the London Underground - the Tube - which probably does make me a silly tourist in some people's books. Perhaps if I lived there, I wouldn't hold the transportation network in such high esteem. Regardless of how you feel about the rounded subway trains and the Cadbury vending machines on station platforms, you can't really argue about the iconic status of the Tube's map, originally crafted back in 1933 by Harry Beck. It's cool. Cool enough to adorn mugs, t-shirts and posters. In my search for my own poster, I came across this different take on the Undergound grid. In 2006, Dorian Lynskey of the Guardian newspaper devised the map with musical artists appearing in the place of the traditional station names (for example, Pimlico station --- one of my fave areas of London -- is rendered as disco stalwarts, Chic).

Blending music and the Tube map = pure genius in my books! Two of my loves together! Is it any surprise that I ordered my copy minutes after my discovery? Yeah, the poster has been around for a few years, but it's new to me and I adore it. Shame there's no Duran Duran on here, and there's far too much rap included for my liking but Saint Etienne, Depeche Mode, and Blur did get a look in, so it's still a winner in my eyes.

You can order a copy of this poster from the London Transport Museum here.

RATE IT! Pet Airways

Dog-gone it! Looks like my Schipperke puppy might get to fly the friendly skies after all!

The first all-pet airline took flight today in New York state. Yep, you read correctly: ALL PET airline! Alysa Binder & Dan Wiesel -- the founders of Pet Airways, were fed up with pet unfriendly airlines that would cram man's best friend deep into the dark, hot underbelly of their planes. In a bold and totally unique move, Binder & Wiesel's new company removed all the typical 'human' seats to equip their Pet Airways cabins with roomy pet crates. Pets receive pre-boarding walks & bathroom breaks & human attention every 15 minutes while in flight. Gee, that's better treatment than us humans get while traveling!

With five planes in their fleet and New York, Denver, L.A., Chicago, Washington D.C. & Chicago as their ports of call, Pet Airways already has its first two months of flights all booked up. 

As a pet owner, I think this idea is such a refreshing take on air travel for our nearest & dearest! It's very very cool but the one thing that rubs me the wrong way... we can't travel *with* our pets on Pet Airways. I'm all for safety for traveling pets and no doubt they'll feel less stressed going this route, but it would be even *better* if the airline was open for pets AND their owners within the cabin. Can't say that I would ship off my Schip all on her own.

RATE IT! Beach Thingy Chair Thingy

Just in time for Summer...

Meet... the beach thingy chair back thingy!

Looks like your days of toting an uncomfortable folding chair to the beach are numbered.

Conventional chairs are always hard to open, squish you in unfortunate places and often fold up *while* you're sitting on it. With the 'beach thingy' by Larry Laske, all your beach seat problems melt away with the Summer heat.

Basically, these colourful inventions are just plain ol' seat backs. You push the seat's prongs into the sand and presto!! Instant seat back on the beach! Available in a happy array of colours, collect them all!

To be frank, I haven't actually tried one of these babies, but I'm intrigued & think they're definitely worth a try or two!

RATE IT! Viktor & Rolf Luggage

I love me a funky piece of luggage! Yep, I'm a big travel accessory geek and am always on the look out for some cool gadgets and cases to tote about my wares on holiday.

My latest fave: the Viktor and Rolf Black Label line for Samsonite.

Retro-esque airplanes adorn their fancy pants line for the famous travel retailer. Sure to put a smile on your face at the luggage pick-up point!

RATE IT! Point It

This baby has been around for a few years - gosh, I got mine at least a decade ago so it's presence today shows just how popular this little booklet is. 

"Point It" is meant to be a traveler's picture dictionary, used to communicate between people without the benefit of a shared language. It has over 1,000 images of everyday items... food, clothes, medical supplies, toilets -- you name it, "Point It" has a photograph of it! The booklet is tiny, would fit easily in a pocket and let's you converse regardless of language. I've never actually used mine on a trip to foreign climes -- it's just kinda fun to have and the photographs in some cases are quite comical. 

Whether you use this picture dictionary for its intended use or just have it kicking around for a giggle, it's a big 'rate it' in my books.

RATE IT! Google Street View

Google's Street View application is proving to be a huge internet hit! Now when you search Google Maps, you have the choice to see an actual 360 degree street view in some areas with several major cities in the UK just posted on the web. 

I've just taken a stroll down my favourite Pimlico street in London despite the fact that I haven't been back physically in four years. It's really cool and so addictive. I've traveled all over London today (with a side trip to NYC) but haven't gotten any work done. Whoops.

The venture is not all fun & games though. According to the Daily Mail, many Brits are unhappy that they have been caught by Google's cameras. Countless images have been removed from the site due to privacy concerns of those captured. Arrests, public vomiting and other funny/embarrassing acts have been up in full view until requests were made to take them down.

When was a walk down a *public* street seen as private? It's beyond me! If you're silly enough to be doing something illegal or cringe-worthy in public, you deserve what you get even if it is internet notoriety! 

(Google street view how-to from the Daily Mail)

RATE IT! Scoop on Dirty Hotels

Traveling soon? Along with your pre-trip planning, you must visit the Trip Advisor website for a ranking of the dirtiest hotels. Trip Advisor is an invaluable site for all kinds of travel information. Real folk leave honest ratings and detailed descriptions of their stays at hotels worldwide. If their room was filthy, you'll know about it! Since I discovered this gem, I haven't booked a trip *without* first checking out the reviews here first. 

Save yourself days & nights of anguish, bed bug attacks and hidden charges. Click here to visit their listings of the grossest hotels around the globe. You'll be thankful you did!

RATE IT! Snowbound London

London, England -- home of damp, often rainy winters? Think again! The nation's capital ~ and many other areas in the UK ~ have been getting more than their fare share of the white stuff over the past 24-48 hours. England often gets a dusting here & there of snow, but the 5-10cm that has prettily decorated the country is virtually unheard of nowadays. People were stuck at home, kids got to experience a rare snow day, and London shut down all of its buses and most of the Underground.

As a Canadian, it's easy to sit back and have a hearty laugh at how the Brits are handling this minimal amount of precip, but one only has to think for a moment: they are not equipped to deal with *any* snow! Plows and salters -- virtually non-existent in Blighty. And where do they pile that snow, when and IF they can get to shovel/plow it? Britain is home to many a crazy narrow street especially in older towns and cities. Sure, we can scoff at how everything has been shut down as a result but spare a thought for how tricky a situation it is when you're hit with weather that you just never get. Kinda like if Toronto had a hurricane - or a mud slide.

I hope the Brits aren't just slipping & sliding about, but also enjoying how pretty this snowfall is! Just gorgeous! Check out these photos - picture postcards of a snowy London town.

(photos: Reuters from the Telegraph.co.uk website)