A Good Time with No Strings Attached

I went to a screener of For a Good Time, Call.... last night and I loved it. It was fresh, it was funny, it was bubble gum pink mixed with zombie strippers (minus the zombies). It was Bridesmaid's reduced. It was a dirty talking girlfriends and sex toy parties. It was a movie that was filmed in 16 days and you can't tell one bit. Simply perfect like confetti cupcakes and butter cream icing with sugar skull candies.

 

It's spanks as a date rape preventive.

 

It's 1-800-mmmHmmm

 

It's Snow White meets Barbarella and they become besties.

 

It's Justin Long, Kevin Smith and Seth Rogan all smashed in one.

 

It's sweet but with edge. This is a movie to bring your girlfriends too, maybe your guy friends (they'll enjoy the vulgar, sexy conversations) and perhaps your progressive, independent mom if you have that kind of an adult friendship with her. Don't bring your kids though (side note, I'm sick of people bringing babies and kids to movies that aren't meant for kids)- that's a no-no for sure.

 

Check you what Calgay's FFWD had to say about it.

 

It's girls being real, girls being funny and girls being awesome. If you have no qualms about sexy talk and sass then I think you might like it. It made my night but then I went into thinking it was going to be an awful movie that was filmed in 16 days that might make me roll my eyes out of pure classlessness.

 

I was wrong. It's fab. Its a good time with no strings attached.

 

and that's my cheese review of the day. xxoo

 

2012 Perseid Meteor Shower

 

 

Every year around this time, the Earth is pelted with fiery stones from the frigid depths of outer space. Instead of as being as terrifying as that concept has every right to be, it is beautiful and awe-inspiring. For skywatchers, this year’s Perseid meteor shower should be a particular treat, with Jupiter and Venus getting in on the action as well.

ProTips on how to view the coolest light show of the year and a video from the smart folks at NASA, who when they are not sending robots to perfect 10 landings on another planet, are apparently getting other people to do their more menial tasks — like counting meteors — for them. Nice work if you can get it, right?

Get Out of Dodge: If you can afford to take a little late-night trip and, yes, lose a little sleep, getting away from city lights is going to make the Perseids a much more enjoyable show. Escaping light pollution will make for a lot more visible meteors. I didn't see anything particular set up at the observatory SW of the city but it might be worth while checking it out anyway.

Sunday Funday: This Sunday, August 12th will mark the height of the show, which goes on every year when the Earth passes near the comet Swift-Tuttle.

Coffee. Also, More Coffee: Though you can catch a glimpse of the meteors pretty much anytime after 10 or 11 pm, the best viewing is going to be in the early morning hours, just before dawn. So be prepared to either get up real early, or stay up real late. Hot coco is also nice or some kind of tea. Just something warm to put in your tummy and don't forget some comfy blankets to lay out on. This is one thing that is best enjoyed on your back.

Look to the East. Also, A Little North: The majority of the evening’s shooting stars will seem to radiate from the constellation Perseus. For those of you who (like me) have no idea where to begin looking for that cluster of stars, it is to the northeast. For those of you who (again, like me) have no idea what direction northeast is, your phone probably has a compass that will come in handy.

For more tips, we turn you over to the capable hands and dulcet tones of the professionals at NASA. While you’re watching, the space agency would appreciate if you could count meteors for them to help determine the trajectory of Swift-Tuttle. They’ve even cooked up a smartphone app to make it easy for you — at that point, it’s kind of rude not to lend a hand, right? Right.

 

 

and for a special treat, watch this video!

and then check out this month's Star Chart from the TELUS Spark Science Centre.

(via Space.com, pic via Logan Brumm)

Bon Jovi Friday

URBAN DICTIONARY:

Bon Jovi Friday, originally, is a concept taken from "The Xtacles", where on the Thursday before a Friday you have off - you party and screw off at work like it is Friday.

However this concept has come to pertain to any such day that precedes a day or days off.

Although such days are still referred to as "Bon Jovi Friday" no matter the actual day of the week.

“When you have Friday off from work, and you just F*ck around all day Thursday … you know what that is? That is a Bon Jovi Friday!”

-from The Xtacles.

Yesterday I treated my night like it was Bon Jovi Friday. But it wasn't... I definatly have to be at work today and I am, with a smile on my face.

But I'm tired.

How to Survive the Running of the Bulls

When you want advice on being famous for no reason, you ask a Kardashian. When you want advice on surviving the running of the bulls, you ask a Hemingway. Here is John (Ernest’s grandson, author of the family memoir Strange Tribe, two-time runner of the bulls) for a few pointers in advance of next month’s run.

The whole week’s a nonstop party. “You meet friends, you make friends, if they don’t show up, you meet someone else,” he says. “People always ask, ‘How many hours of sleep did you get last night?’ ‘Oh, three. That’s not bad.’”

Well, except the running itself. “If you partied all night, you better be able to wake up and be in some sort of condition to run.”

There are a few simple rules: “You have to be 18. Don’t touch the bull. You can’t be drunk. And if you get knocked down, stay down.”

Leave the running shoes at home. “I just wear Converse.”

It’s over before you know it. “It’s two and a half, three minutes at the max.”

“Whether you’re a good runner or a bad runner, you could have bad luck. But that’s like crossing the street in NYC—you [could] get hit by a car.”

The people are more dangerous than the bulls. “You’ll get knocked down. You’re gonna get scraped, you may break a bone. It gets kind of crazy, with everyone pushing and everything.”

Beware of a bull separated from the herd. “If a bull becomes separated from the herd, it immediately stakes out a territory—anything within striking distance of its horns, he goes for. If he’s got you there, he will keep coming until he kills you.”

His grandfather ran. Or maybe he didn’t. “I see no proof that he did run, but there’s no proof that he didn’t. People have said forever that he used to run—that he ran like mad.”

The Intouchables

Last night I saw the movies The Intouchables.

You have to see it. I haven't felt this way about a movie in a long time.

The story is beautiful and funny. I have never laughed with a movie as much as I did with this one.

I went straight home and bought the soundtrack.

Watch the movie. It's a movie based on a true story and that's about all it is, a movie based on a true story. And a good story at that.

**

before the movie, was of course the previews for up and coming films. Two more films I am interested in watching

The Words with Bradly Cooper:






and then this:

Hyde Park on Hudson Official with Bill Murray

Urban Bocci with Gopher Hazard

Sometimes I read peoples posts and they have these witty code names for the people in their lives. I do that in real life but in my blog life, I lack. I either use their real names or their initials. BORING! Now I have a story about someone new but... I don't know what to call him. I sometimes call him Special K because he calls me Little B or Bossy B (truth)... I just suck at nicknames, lets be honest.

WHATEVER! I haven't been writing very much so lets just get on with it...

Last weekend I played Bocci with my old, new friend Kelly (we'll just use his real name). Kelly is fun because he's like me but in man form. We went to Jr High School together and I think we were boyfriend and girlfriend back then. I also think I was an immature bitch (as an 8th grader should be) and I broke up with him because he wore ugly sweaters.

I'm not like that anymore. I date people who don't have jobs so I'd be lucky if they even owned a sweater. Kidding, the jobless boys have money coming in, they just don't have the 9-5 Monday - Friday jobs that I'm use too. Kelly does and he no longer wears ugly sweaters and if he did, I wouldn't care anyway.

On a side note, Kelly gave me an engraved locket for Valentines Day when we were a hand holding couple. I think I still have it... I should go find it. Just for old times sake.

Anyways, we've been hanging out for the last few months and just having fun.  Last weekend we took a set of bocci balls to the local park and just started playing it in the rough, in the parking lot... it was a walking version of bocci and damn it was fun. There were all kind of hazards like gopher holes and dogs and children and gophers themselves that though the balls were food.

It was awesome and fun.

I drew a picture in Paint on my computer this morning just because. Just because...

Adult Night 3

SL and I at Adult Night 4 (my third one). Looking a little more
confident and playing with robots.

Adult Night

The first adult night at the new Science Centre. SL and I look lost
and amazed-- and I a little worried too.

Squrriel

Friday night I went to Kananaskis with my BFF and the wedding party. We stayed at the lodge and basically played the day away well into the night. There was food, drinks and laughs. I laid on the floor for a good 3 hours in total with a belly so full I thought I was going to bust.

And then we needed candy. So we went to the store in the lobby of the lodge. A delicious tourist trap of sorts I was delighted by the tacky collection of... well... crap.

Wine glass in one hand and over priced crap in the other I enjoyed my saunter through the aisles. I bought $40 worth of candy and a Dino coin holder for SL with his name on the front. Drunk shopping at its finest.

a few hours later, my BFF and I decided to go to the games room and play ping pong. While there we came across $4.25 worth of change in the machines. Delighted we giggled in our new found riches and ran up to the tacky little shop in the lobby. I had seen the little fur animals the last time I was there but I was too distracted by "sam-a-sorus" to even consider buying one. I mean, I wasn't going to use my own money on that.

LB and I spent about 20 minutes going over each animal, looking at the price and doing simple math in our heads. We split the $4.25 so we each basically had $2.00 each to spend. LB picked Duck and Cow (both of which were $0.98) and I picked squirrel, who was $1.98

Meet Squirrel:

awwww.. it's so FLUFFY!!!

with in seconds of taking the picture above, something horrible happened. I patted Squirrel on the head and...

his nose fell off! :(

I was so sad.

So I tried to mend poor squirrel...

 Squirrel didn't like that because he could no longer see his nuts.

Cup of Jo's: NYC Guide

I will not be driving in New York City

When I think of going to New York I think of needing to ask someone I trust about what is best. There are FAR too many options so a few years ago when I talked to Joanna about going there (I was intending to rent her apartment for a few weeks) I knew that this was the place I needed to come to get information.

She doesn't disappoint, here are some good articles that I think I'll keep bookmarked:

Where to Eat

Where to Drink

Some of What to Do

Where to Sleep

I'm sure there will be more but I thought I would add these for now. Good places to start.

Ideally, I think I am leaning to renting an apartment for the majority of the time. How much time do we plan to be in the room anyway? Just to sleep... and maybe to eat a little...

Floating Lantern Festival

Loy Kratong Floating Lantern in Chiang Mai - Thailand

I would love to see this. Or create it myself.

beautiful... and a little scary. But mostly beautiful.

November 28th,  2012

Adventure

Last night over spaghetti and meat balls, I talked about travel . I can talk about life, love, travel and food till the cows come how and dinner is ready to be cleared. I feel rather sad for Mr.SL who just had to listen. I decided yesterday that I need to take a trip on my own. I have decided this a few times and I kind of toy with the idea in my mind but really.. it feels like my life if just waiting for me to do this.

I need this.

I am looking for my sign, on where to go. My heart keeps saying Italy and my mum keeps saying no. It's not safe. I think it is. It is, isn't it? For a solo woman to travel...? It's safe? Right?

I want a place where there are no safety nets. I want a place that is going to challenge me but not completely freak me out. I just want to go. I want to go, experience and come back. This has to be done. I just need to buy a ticket and go.

There is far to much in this world to see, I need to start chipping away at it now. I can't wait for people... I can't wait for anyone. I have the means now to do it. I need to do something.

Then I saw this post on my favorite blog:

Italy Tips and I wonder if this is my sign?

I'm not sure what kind of questions I need to ask myself. Maybe I have to ask myself "what it is that I want to see?" "What is it that I want to experience?"...

Where do you think a good place would be for a solo female traveler to go?

Australia

I entered a contest and could only write a short little thing about why I deserved to go to Australia. I wrote from my heart, I wrote with passion. I only had 250 characters to use (not sure if that included spaces)

so I wrote this:

Take me away to Australia! Adventure is pulsing through my veins. I want to smell the rainforest, I want to taste the food, I want to see the Great Barrier Reef, I want to learn-- I want to experience it all!

I want to feel Australia in my heart.

It's my best and it came from my heart. Wish me luck, I'd love to go to OZ!!

New Addition on my Bucket List

I need to see the penthouse suite at the Fairmont in San Francisco. I must. I need. I have too. HAVE TOO. It's stunning, completly stunning.

Just look at the ceiling in one of the pictures I found in my blog list:

borrowed from An Experiment in Poverty

I want to get married there. Have my reception and funeral there. Basically... I want to live there. I'm sure it's a million dollars and I'm OK with that as long as I get to spend 48 hours in the room and have it been mine for the time.

I have officially added it to my bucket list along with Bali, Antartica, Cambodia and India.

Museum of Broken Hearts

Let’s face it, breakups suck. Uncoupling yourself from that special relationship can take weeks, sometimes months of tears, eating straight from the carton of Peppermint Candy ice cream and recounting the tales of couple-doom to friend after friend. Then, there’s the collection of your ex-partner’s stuff, souvenirs and mementos of much happier times, lurking around to pierce your heart when least expected. I know. I've heard about being dumped from friends plenty of times (ahem... haha). Thankfully, the Museum of Broken Relationships, an international traveling museum currently in London, offers to unburden “heartbreakers and the heartbroken” of the personal belongings of lovers’ past by collecting the remnants of failed relationships. The exhibition’s website also houses a “virtual collection,” where ex-lovers can immortalize their emails, pictures and texts anonymously as a form of self-help and closure to the loss.

Being a girl with lots of love to give... I often end up with at least one broken heart a year. So far, I'm up to 3... woooweeeee!

Donate your old love notes, sexts, photos or check the site for your stuff here.

**

This reminds me of the Death Bear post I did a few years ago (actually.. it looks like I posted it last year).

Sailing

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." (Mark Twain)

[photo borrowed]

Some of Canada's Most Haunted Houses (OK, not really)

 

I've never been the type to shy away from a good ghost story. OR even the type to really believe in ghosts... but I like a good story and I also like to get my freak on so... here is a list of some of the interesting buildings across Canada that you can eat, sleep and shop at.

Calgary's Rouge Restaurant

Think your kitchen’s a nightmare? The staff members at this creepy resto have had to deal with frying pans moving by themselves, doors opening and closing on their own, and multiple ghost sightings, including the figures of former house residents Helen and Nellie Cross.

Rouge; 1240 8 Ave. S.E.; 403-531-2767; www.rougecalgary.com

A post about my LOVE for Rouge

 

Montreal's Notre-Dame-Des-Neiges Cemetery

Send a tingle down your spine exploring the biggest cemetery in Canada. Boasting over one million resting six feet under, this national historic site is crammed with enough mausoleums and headstones to spook you senseless.

Notre-Dame-Des-Neiges Cemetery; www.cimetierenotredamedesneiges.ca  

 

Ottawa's Jail Hostel

Before checking in to this hostel, you better muster up the courage to spend the night in a former cell. Originally the Carleton County Jail, the gruesome inmate mistreatment in this old stone building has resulted in frightful hauntings.

Ottawa Jail Hostel; 75 Nicholas St.; 613-235-2595; www.hihostels.ca.

 

Toronto's Keg Restaurant

Spot one of several resident ghosts lingering around this beautiful steakhouse. Listen for children’s footsteps running around on the creaky second floor or look above the main stairs for a popular ghostly hideout.

The Keg Manson; 515 Jarvis St.; http://www.kegsteakhouse.com/.

 

Vancouver's Gastown

Check out the city’s oldest ‘burb for some paranormal activity. Home to Blood Alley, named after the buckets of blood that landed on these ancient cobblestones by butchers who held business here in the 20th century, this pathway maintains a ghostly energy even today.

Gastown, www.gastown.org.

**

I know that there are spookier places in this young country of ours, but this was a pre-built list and I was feeling a little lazy today. PLUS, I was impressed with the Ottawa's Jailhouse Hostel. Looks fun! I'm not a big believer in ghosts (I'm too skeptical for that, I'm sorry. I do believe in Santa though. OK, not really) but, like I said above... I love a good story, I adore history and everyone once in a while I try and let my mind go blank and believe in things like spooky stories and magic.

Is there a spooky place in your area that gives you goose bumps every time you walk past?

Affordable Adventure

Hotel Penang, in Malaysia

Here is a list of the worlds best new affordable hotels and here is the enticing slide show.

Who wants to go on an adventure with me?

(and you think I'm kidding... I'm not)

**


A slice of my Adventure Bucket List... it keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger

My Summer Bucket List almost completed, next step... fall/winter

How to Order Italian without Sounding Sciocco

Here is the average Joe's go-to guide for ordering Italian and not sounding like a snob or a jerk.

Spring Flowers in Australia

As the days get shorter, the nights get cooler and the leaves on the trees go from green to amber to dead; we in Canada get ready for winter (did I use the semi-colon right? I read this and think I understood it but I'm not 100% sure. Dino's party gorillas and other such wonderful things distract me). That's a different story on the other side of the world, in Australia, where my blogging friend Rolley lives, it's the (pun intended) polar opposite. He just posted this wonderful little diddy about the flowers in spring. Being a nature geek (or really, just a big ol' geek), I love it. Two years ago, we had an exceptionally rainy summer in Calgary which in turn, created lush, flora rich forests. I have never seen so many flowers as I did that year; I have also never seen so many mushrooms. I had the wonderful ambition to write about every species of plant I found but I never got around to writing the posts about them. It was time consuming and the last thing this girl wants to do in the summer is spend copious amounts of time in front of the glitter box computer.

One of my favorite parts of visiting Maui was learning about all the nature I had never in my life EVER experienced. It was an exceptional experience for me, it inspired me to want to move there, pretend I was 23 and study it all at the university. Looking at Rolley's post does a similar thing to me. Australia is so unique from the rest of the world that I am dying to explore, though I'm scared of the spiders. I would have commented on his post but for some reason my blogger profile won't let me. It keeps signing me out, so I thought I'd give him a little shout out and post openly about my feeling for his post.

Good post Rolley, I want to see more! I want to smell the sarsaparilla bottle brush flower too!

[picture credit]