Archive for November, 2010

The reviews are in for Christina Agulera's big-screen debut alongside Cher in the splashy, trashy, over-the-top new musical Burlesque.

By all accounts, the plot - which follows a small-town, naive American girl's quest for Hollywood stardom - is thin. The story is overshadowed by two straight hours of razzle-dazzle costumes, saucy lyrics, dance club mayhem, boas, bustiers, feathers, rhinestones, bumping and grinding.

It sounds like a cheeseball,  quintessentially American coming-of-age romp with all the gaudy pomp of a 4th of July fireworks display. (I'm for sure going to see it.)

What would the toned-down, reserved, essentially Canadian equivalent of this film be?

A mellow, self-effacing Winnipeg teen dreams of making the local ladies' curling league. It's two straight hours of Tim Hortons runs, plaid flannel, scrapping ice from the windshield, pockets full of Kleenex and the inevitable broom blisters.

Or.

A determined young fiddler from Halifax dreams of the chance to appear on Don Messer's Jubilee. It's an uproarious two hours of church recitals, denim overalls, square dancing, euchre, hymns and handholding. And Tim Hortons.

Or?

What do you think  the quintessentially Canadian coming-of-age story would be?

Congrats to Jordon! You've won a copy of David Suzuki's One Ocean. Here's what Jordon had to say about Canadian icon David Suzuki:

"David Suzuki has always been an inspiration. A man with simple thoughts to help us understand that it's not that hard to all do our part in helping the world be a better place."

Yay Jordon!

I have a secret to tell you: There will be some NEW and EXCITING changes happening on Canadian Living's blog. Come back next week to check it out and let us know what you think.

The other day I posted a few ideas for makeshift dog toys. But it’s not just dogs, of course, that love it when household items become their personal playthings. I'm not a cat owner, but a quick survey around the office confirmed that our feline friends are very easy to please with a whole bunch of stuff most of us have around the house. Here's a few favourite ways to keep your cat occupied on a lazy afternoon – and they won't cost a thing.

The plastic straw
Just fold a plastic drinking straw (and be eco-friendly and grab a used one: the cat won’t mind) into a small clump, squeeze it tight and drop it onto the floor in front of Mittens. When the straw begins to unfold itself, your cat will be hooked. (Just make sure your cat confines himself to swatting and chewing, and doesn’t start eating.)

Photo: jinterwas

The paper bag
A kitty classic, and just about the easiest “toy” around. Just drop a used paper bag (preferably one that’s bigger than your cat) on the floor, and he’ll instantly know what to do (which, for some reason, is nearly always “climb into bag. Peep out suspiciously"). Job done. Just, y'know, check if the cat's still in there if you go to recycle the bag later on.

The cardboard box
The same idea as the paper bag, really, playing on your cat’s instinct to climb into things. Bonus: Having a new box around might keep your kitty out of your clean laundry hamper. Maybe. Wondering how fun it can be when cat meets cardboard? Check out this video of Maru, a Japanese cat whose antics have made him a YouTube sensation.

The flashlight or laser pointer
This is a bit more involved for you (i.e., you're more involved that just putting a bag on the floor), but if you want in on the playing, you can lead your cat on an hours-long chase of that oh-so-enticing circle of light as it dances across the floor, couch and wall. Since you control this little game, keep a keen mind on how willing your cat is to plow through lamps/picture frames/small children in pursuit of his prey. And beware kitty's wrath if he ever figures out you've been behind this endless chase.

Watching my dog chase a balloon around the house, or chew happily on a stick for hours on end, I’ve come to question the wisdom of spending money on pet toys. Part of me understands: you love the little guy and want to spoil him, and besides – it’s a toy for you, too. But another part of me knows full well that dogs don’t really distinguish between, well, “toys” and “garbage,” and would be just as happy playing with something you had lying around the house.

Photo: ginnerobot

With that in mind, I’ve cobbled together a list of tried-and-true DIY dog toys. No assembly required.

The empty plastic bottle

Dogs lose their minds for these. Just screw the cap on an empty 660 mL or 2 L (depending on the size of dog) bottle, and watch the fur fly. Cheap water bottles make a crunching noise when chewed, so they’ll be munched on happily for hours. Sturdier soda bottles tend to

escape grasping mouths and skitter away erratically – meaning they’re that wonderful kind of toy that the dog can play with by himself – and they’re great for a playful-yet-harmless bop on the backside.

Like any toy, of course, keep in mind your pet’s propensity to eat, rather than enjoy.

The old towel

It’s a time-tested standby, and no dog can resist a tug-of-war with an old towel. Just remember that once that towel hits the floor, it’s not yours anymore: dogs of all sizes tend to adopt their towel as a security blanket, and will carry it around the house until it's in shreds.

Photo: jaybergesen

Balloons

This might best kept to small dogs with small mouths, lest the balloon to become a very quick snack (and, trust me, you don’t want that). There’s a drawer in every kitchen that has a few forgotten birthday balloons in it, so find yours and Fido’s got a new toy. The balloons float teasingly and are hard to trap, bouncing off swiping paws and poking noses. And, of course, there’s the darkly hilarious moment when your startled pup’s toy bursts. Good fun for everyone – but be extra careful your dog doesn’t eat the pieces of burst balloon.

Say what you will about movie violence, but there’s one thing that I’ve come to think of as hard truth: most people can handle an almost infinite number of human deaths on-screen, but if the dog dies, they’ll damn near walk out of the theatre. I call it “The Independence Day Effect,” after the scene were pretty much all of Los Angeles explodes, but the audience (and I witnessed this in the theatre) held its collective breath until the return of Will Smith’s golden lab. I distinctly remember applause and cheering (and not just from me) when the dog finally leaps to his master and safety, oh-so-dramatically close ahead of the giant alien fireball.

But not all movies give us that happy let off when the dog comes bounding to safety. In some movies the dog doesn’t make the improbable escape from the exploding skyscraper. In some movies the dog isn’t around at the end when the world is saved from the robots/aliens/international terrorist stereotypes. In some movies the dog dies.

Those movies suck.

Here’s a quick list of a few movies that, if you're like me and your enjoyment of the flick hinges on the safety of the dog, you'll want to be wary of.

• Old Yeller (1957) – I hate you, Disney, for making this movie. It’s a classic, of course, despite the fact that everyone knows what’s coming. Famous for bringing tears to the most hardened of moviegoers’ eyes, the scene where Old Yeller dies has traumatized generations of dog-lovers.

• I Am Legend (2007) – Will Smith, who passed the test in dog-friendly Independence Day, lost his canine cred with audiences when his character’s beloved German shepherd didn’t live happily ever in I Am Legend. Sure he cried, but I’d rather he saved the dog.

• Marley & Me (2008) – At least this is a true story of a retriever that lived a long and happy life. And, I know, this is mostly about the dog’s happy life and well-natured antics. But still, the dog-lover in me still wishes they departed from the book, and Marley ends up living on a farm in the country where he has lots of space to run and is really happy forever.

• The Fly II (1989) – The worst of the lot. The innocent golden retriever (why is it always goldens?) suffers horribly from cruel bad guys and twisted science before being relieved of his misery by Eric Stoltz. (Good man, Eric.) No wonder this film got such poor reviews.

If you know of any other movies dog-lovers should avoid, please do leave a comment below. As for me, I’m off to re-watch something with Benji, Hollywood’s safest pooch since 1974.

Prince William and his long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton announced in London on Tuesday that they will marry in 2011.

I'm of two minds over the news. The practical, sensible part of me thinks, "Who cares what this pair does? The monarchy should be abolished! The ensuing three-ring circus of a wedding will be a huge waste of public money."

And yet my sentimental side thinks, "How lovely that this poor boy, who lost his precious mother when he was so young, has now found happiness. God bless them. I can't wait to see her wedding dress. And the flowers! Oh the romance of it all makes me swoon."

Likewise, I can go either way on Will's choice of ring. Like, really? You chose to give your bride-to-be your mother's wedding ring? Remember how your parents went through the most public and humiliating divorce of recent times? You want to present your ladyfriend with a token of their love?

But then I read this in an article, Prince William engaged to Kate Middleton, on the CBC news site:

"The couple showed off the engagement ring that belonged to William's mother — Diana, the late Princess of Wales — amid the bright flash from cameras during a crowded news conference on Tuesday. The ring is an oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds.

"It is very special to me. It was my way to make sure my mother did not miss out on today and the excitement that we are going to spend the rest of our lives together," William said."

Well, only the hardest of hearts don't soften after reading that.

I have to say, the sentimental, swoony part of me is winning out. I can see myself abandoning my senses and being swept up in royal wedding fever. What about you? How do you feel about the news? Are you unabashedly excited, do you have reservations, or are you downright disinterested? Post a comment and let me know.

Suzuki's takes an in-depth look at our oceans in his documentary series One Ocean.

If you're a David Suzuki fan, you already know how much he loves the ocean. And if you've seen his documentary series from The Nature of Things called One Ocean, you probably have taken The Pledge to do everything in your power to protect the ocean, because you love it too!

One Ocean is an eye-opening four-part documentary that looks at our complex ocean and the devastating impacts humans have had on it. The documentary addresses such harrowing issues as: acidification, coral depletion, deadzones, overfishing and pollution. Suzuki also looks at the success of some sustainable practices implemented to protect oceans and the life within.

Guess what? I'm giving away one copy of One Ocean. All you have to do is leave a comment here telling me if you are a David Suzuki fan. I will announce a winner Thursday November 18. You have to be a subscriber to be eligible to win. Good luck!

Today's guest post is by our web food editor Colleen Tully. Photography by Victoria O'Meara.

Food Network Canada turns 10 this year!
And this Wednesday they're throwing a splashy fête featuring 12 dishes by some of your favourite celebrity chefs - appetizers by David Adjey, Chuck Hughes, Bob Blumer & Corbin Tomaszeski; mains by Lynn Crawford, Laura Calder, Roger Mooking & Mark McEwan, and tempting desserts by Anna Olson!

And who caters for Food Network Canada? Presidential Gourmet has been given the tall task to cook for the above celeb chefs plus 400 esteemed guests (including Canadian Living editor-in-chief Susan Antonacci & food director Annabelle Waugh), while throwing the splashiest, foodiest, and - YES! - ecologically responsible party they could muster.

President Peter Carruthers and business partner Rick Rowe take sustainability seriously.

They wrote a "Green Manifesto" for the business to make it happen, which includes sourcing local ingredients whenever possible, sustainable seafood choices, fair trade teas and coffees, and reducing waste year after year - Rowe laughs about being scolded by their executive chef Ben Lewis about returning reusable containers, just like his mother would with her Tupperware. Presidential Gourmet are also in partnership with Evergreen, Canada's national non-profit helping our cities balance with the environment.

"When you eat something, does it smell like it came from the earth?" asks Carruthers. He is adamant that enjoyable food is as natural as possible. See for yourself how fresh the eco-conscious fare will be at the biggest foodie event of the year!

Fresh snap peas being trimmed and washed.

Nothing goes to waste. Beef trimmings above are used for stock and to flavour other recipes.

Beef tenderloin is cut to exact measurements for Lynn Crawford's Lobster Mashed and Beef Tenderloin.

A bird's eye view of Presidential Gourmet's assembly line, prepping 12 celebrity chef dishes serving 400 guests.

Would you rather dine with your favourite celebrity chef and face the small-talk, or cook for your favourite celebrity chef and have them judge your skills?

My daughter is Cinderella. She is very much royalty, you know. She parades about our house in a gown, princess shoes and a tiara. She rides her bike in the courtyard outfitted as if she should be attending a ball. She holds tea parties during her many playdates with friends. She is indeed a princess.

So, when I was presented with an invitation to attend "A Royal Tea Party at Casa Loma" sponsored by Toys R Us, JAKKS Pacific and Disney to launch the Princess and Me line, my initial response was "OMG, this invitation has Hailey written all over it."

We entered the grand castle and were greeted by knights in shining armour. Hailey was treated to a princess makeover and gown. She enjoyed a horse-drawn carriage ride around historic Casa Loma. She received princess lessons from Cinderella herself. A Royal Tea Party with 50 other aspiring princesses capped off the day. It truly was a day fit for royalty.

Hailey talked all the way home about the fabulous time she had and how she was going to ask Santa for a Princess & Me doll. Then - silence. I glance in the rearview mirror and I see a beautiful little girl, dozing off in the back seat, fully clothed in princess attire with the sweetest little smile on her face. Moments like these are the ones that take my breath away.

Mental picture taken.