Tamara Taggart and Olympian Veronica Brenner do the weather. Is it JUST me or does it Looks like Quatchi has his hand somewhere? So naughty. Don't let that sly grin fool you, he's like a furry Polanski.
Could. Not. Care Less. That. The Hills. Is. Fake. Just ended episode one of new season with Propellerheads featuring Shirley Bassey doing "History Repeating" while Kristin Cavallari was mesmorizingly bitchy. She made the show. And is very fun. And I'm on team LC.
I totally missed the whole Peace Conference thing in town yesterday. But I did not miss how the Dalai Lama, His Holiness, the 14th son of the Lama, can still charm the ladies. Peace, it would seem, is a mere afterthought of getting some. Okay that's gross, but you have to admit, he is like a depends wearing pepaw. He likes the ladies, and hates technology. Although I'm sure he enjoyed his jet flight over here and stuff. So he's got that going for him. Side note: a hilarious Tumblr meme blog would be "Shit The Dalai Lama Says."
Douglas Todd report-blogs, "The Dalai Lama, a Buddhist monk, was flirting with women at a private lunch today at the University of B.C. I swear it. He had merrily been having lunch sitting beside Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson (right), eating and talking with gusto. Then the Dalai Lama mentioned how he was having lunch at a table with six women. They happened to be the speakers at the afternoon event at the Chan Centre, called Nobel Laureates in Dialogue: Connecting for Peace."
Exit Question: So, did this event achieve peace? Sadly only for the 8,000 paying ticket holders. Ahhhhh....peace.....mmmmmmmm.
(Photo Credit: Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun)
Vancouver Billionaire David Ho, whose last name will be ironically hilarious in this story, was arrested for allegedly confining and assaulting a prostitute, "unlawfully causing bodily harm, storage of a firearm contrary to regulations, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition, possession of a prohibited weapon without a licence and possession of a controlled substance."
Ho, in more ways than one apparently, was the man who founded Harmony Airways in 2002, and which folded in 2007. And now, he is Vancouver's ultimate ho, appropriately. (Via Globe and Mail)
The Prince of Pot, Marc Emery, finally turned himself in so he can go the US and face 5-years jail time. Ever defiant Emery told the crowd at the Supreme Court, "Plant the seeds of freedom. Over grow the government everyone."
God he is such a drama queen. He's a rinky-dink pot head and doesn't think the laws as they stand apply to him. Too bad, so sad. I for one am looking forward to 5-years without Emery on the political or news scene. He was a terrible advocate for freedom, a blight on the political scene, and generally kind of a douche bag. He was like watching a bad episode of Weeds, except there was no Mary Louise Parker to make it all cute and fun. So long buddy.
You know if I was this much into the red, I doubt the banks would see it as a "shortfall". Especially a $61 million one. But that's where Vancouver's budget is at right now. (CKNW)
Somehow, while we were busy this summer getting that awesome bike lane on Burrard Street, bailing out the Olympic Village (as a side note I amusingly saw some deadbeats taking the Canada from Olympic Village to City Hall. I'll bet they walked as far underground to get there.), and jamming with Dal Richards we went into budget deficit.
At least, on Sunday our esteemed Mayor twittered for the 262nd time, "got to celebrate our greenstreets volunteer gardeners at vandusen shindig. 20% more this year-big boost of street gardens!"
Previously on The Vancouverite:
Mayor Robertson to Olympic Village: Bummer (February 17, 2009)
Love that the newspaper that broke Watergate is also doing Twits, a new web series of dramatic readings of celebrity twitter posts. Genius. See: Episode 2 No wonder Woodward had to kick it into gear with the release of the McChrystal Report he published.
Vancouver girl Jessica Lowndes, the other Jessica from the new 90210 is looking more and more like Megan Fox. If that is a bad thing, I don't want to live in that world.
And it would seem that many people agree, a recent poll ranked her #1 for hottest bikini body. Bravo Vancouver! The Vancouverite actress even recently filmed Altitude, a feature shot in town.
Previously on The Vancouverite:
I want the next candidate to take on Hedy Fry to be more like this please. Linda McMahon for Senate 2010. 100% Genius.
Note to Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff do not to try the Obama girl with big boobs kind of thing to win the election. Clearly Germany wanted nothing to do with her as the Social Democrats got "23.1 percent, a drop of 11 percentage points from 2005, the biggest decline for any party in postwar history" (Via The Awl)
I might actually buy more BCLC scratch and win lottery tickets if it was promoted more like this. I mean, not sure if Ric Flair would be the answer, but this is totally amazing, Woooooo!
Sassy little piece of bread. I would spread that by radiomode.
Well, if there is such a thing as a Kardashian Economic Boomlet, this is it. They have made over a million dollars just being, well, Kardashians and being on magazine covers and stuff. Gawker exploits this for Sunday fun:
"The entire Kardashian family—who we've somehow let become famous for having a sister with a big ass—is making a shitload of money. Read this sentence: "Kim split with her boyfriend of two years, Reggie Bush, in July. Kourtney announced she's pregnant with on-off boyfriend Scott Disick's baby in August. And last week, Khloe announced she'll marry LA Lakers forward Lamar Odom after a whirlwind romance of just a month." And Page Six explains how this is somehow a hugely moneymaking enterprise. If you thought the banking crisis was bad, the fact that the Kardashian sisters somehow made a cool mil out of those events speaks volumes about where money's going these days: into the liposucked asses and cheeks of the Kardashian family."
God, I both fear this and love at the same time.
Previously on the Vancouverite:
Enjoy. (via Dana and Good.is)
Movies
The choices of new movies this week completely suck. Between a completely awful looking Dennis Quaid movie, Pandorum, a ridiculous looking Bruce WIllis movie, Surrogates, and Fame. At least Fame has Kherington from SYTYCD. Jesus, what an awful weekend of new movies. Willis' movie goes down like this "Set in a futuristic world where humans live in isolation and interact through surrogate robots, a cop (Willis) is forced to leave his home for the first time in years in order to investigate cases of surrogate murder" just to give you an indication.
Do yourself a huge favor and screw all those movies and catch the
ski vacation from hell movie that features Nazi zombies in Dead Snow at Tinsletown. Nazis. I hate those guys. Oh, and you can check out Fifth Avenue's 10am movie of the week on Saturday morning which is jack Lemon in 1960's The Apartment.
Music
GM Place will rock out with Pearl Jam and Ben Harper on Friday September 25. Or you can kick it way old school and see Vancouver founders of hardcore, D.O.A., SNFU and The Jolts. For some reason I'm seeing pop-folk-singer Mason Jennings on Saturday. Both this last acts are at the Commodore Friday and Saturday respectively.
Random or Geekdom
Appy Hour. The Social Agency is doing the Mad Men of Apps kinda thing Friday at 4:00PM at The Diamond (6 Powell Street) Apps + Appies = Appy Hour. $20. I'm going so Draper on these geeks. On Sunday, Vancouver's Annual book & magazine dead tree festival, Word on the Street is happening at Library Square.
What do you do with the website URL Vancouver.com? Well you start by making the most amazing video EVER just as a thought starter. The possibilities are freaking endless. My favourite comment: "That video is douchier than Kanye West. Give the domain to the city of Vancouver and let people take a vote on what they want it to be." (via Techvibes)
Is he being ironic? Just having a laugh? Taking the piss? Here's hunkpire Robert Pattinson taunting Kristen Stewart on the Vancouver set of the Twilight sequel with his quirky Canadiana Tim Hortons coffee. She looks like she is not amused but another photo shows her downing it or rolling up the rim or whatever too. Sickos. (via Pop Sugar)
Matt Gross loves Vancouver's diverse Asian Cuisine in today's New York Times.
"It’s an admirable attitude, and one that is producing some delicious and affordable cuisines. Over four days, I pursued this accidental (incidental?) fusion style around Vancouver, and the quest led me down some strange and tasty paths.Frequently, these paths involved hot dogs. Salty, spicy, filling and cheap, hot dogs call out for toppings. They are the perfect guinea pig, so to speak, for gastronomic experimentation."
It got a little awkward in the comments when some dirtbag said, "Vancouver, as a city, is the armpit of the northwest. HOWEVER it has the best Thai Food ever. I nearly passed out from the amazing food we had — it was at an upstairs place with a very generic name, something like “Thai Palace” or “Thai House.” What a douche.
And yet, and yet, we still don't have any dumpling trucks.
Okay. I want one. I'm in the pro-pet bald eagle camp now. If Colbert gets one, I can't wait to walk mine down Commercial Drive. Who's with me? I can't WAIT to get the first angry email about this post. (via Rolling Stone)
I had no idea that Gordon Campbell is working on his next campaign already. He is looking old, lets get him a vest or a nuke plant for Christmas. So loveable. (Via You Might Find Yourself)
The Sun reports and jumps on the bandwagon of sensational stories about imported bulk wine is being labeled and sold as B.C. wine in "Wine consumers 'dumbfounded' over faux B.C. wines" Really? BC wine consumes are concerned about whether or not awful, cheap $9 plonk wines like Peller Estates Proprietor's Reserve, Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Selection, or $13 Wild Horse Canyon aren't giving them the BC wine experience. Are they nuts? They didn't know this wine was awful crap before?
If you can't bloody well use them? Discuss.
PS: The inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski has cost us $3.7 million so far. Which is "excellent value." Can't we just go back to like real guns? (Can West News Service)
This is Missy Peregrym. You might remember her from such teen movies as 2006's gymnastics movie Stick it and stints in Heroes. But we don't watch that anymore. She was born in Quebec actually, but is a Surrey girl after growing up here. She's a Vancouver girl now, and happens to be dating NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
She was in the locally shot now gone Reaper. But a new show is about to come to ABC called Copper. Wow, a Cop show. Finally! According to Hollywood North Report, "Copper' is a workplace drama about five young rookie cops just out of the police academy. They have bonded together, fought together, drank together, worked together and slept together. Now they're on the job together."
You had me at drinking and sleeping together. Sort of.
Help them. Hide them. Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto. Come on people can't it just be both? We all win. Forcing homeless in Vancouver into shelters so they don't freeze to death seems smart and looks better. And if it gets them off the street how can't this be legal? (Globe and Mail)
I'm gonna give Vancouverite Cobie Smulders a pass, like a D- for tonight's season premiere of How I Met Your Mother. Enough with the hockey references already and her wearing the Vancouver Canucks jerseys. I get it, she's Canadian, but putting a fine woman like Smulders in a hockey jersey is just bad TV. Get with the program CBS. Please also see above. At least shes from here.
The episode was still good. Loved the use of Gremlins as in why girlfriends are like Gremlins tonight. Never get them wet.
1. Never get them wet — don’t let her take a shower at your place
2. Keep them away from sunlight — never see them during the day
3. Never feed them after midnght — she doesn’t sleep over and you don’t have breakfast with her — ever
New A-Team van, But still a GMC. actually totally the same. What? Well at least they didn't change that. But seriously they are fugitives, should't they go more incognito? (via Coming Soon)
Previously on the Vancouverite:
Bacon fat rules. And ever since Vancouver Magazine's Bartender of the Year, David Wolowidnyk of West.
Previously on the Vancouverite:
Vancouver Magazine has one great new feature. Tales from the City is a nicely typeset, spread of why magazines still offer something in the world. Because it looks awful on the web. End of story. Take this example from John Burns in what they are calling Volume 3:
A few years back, I spent a day touring the city with TV chef Anthony Bourdain. He is as acerbic in person as he is on the tube, and the hours passed in a happy blur of cab rides and comped shooters. In the early evening, we found ourselves drinking champagne at the Opus Hotel. Jim Byrnes was playing the blues as leggy PR types and U.K. travel scribes mingled. Suddenly, the smell of smoke. All eyes turn to Bourdain. "Hey," he said, "for once it's not me!" A CBC cameraman who'd been hounding Bourdain has leaned into a candle and set his jacket ablaze. An immaculate blond raised an eyebrow. "Is that young man on fire?" Her companion sipped her campers and shook her head. "Some people."
Previously on the Vancouverite:
Sunday Night Five: Bourdain, Wine Labels, French Election, Mao, Kristi Gordon.
And if that last post didn't seal the deal for you, here is the current opposition. Here's the reason why Gordon Campbell can do whatever he wants. there is no real opposition. No, it's not Carole James, although she is pure glamor, it's the one-two sexy punch of former Premier Bill Zander Zalm and Bill Tieleman who are the anti-HST organizers/poster sex bombs.
I mean really these two make the American Tea Baggers look credible. Don't get me wrong. I hate taxes. I hate all of them. But it doesn't mean I become Bill Vander Zalm and jump into bed with the Carole James and Bill Tieleman. (Via CTV)
Doesn't this remind you of the slow mo walking opening credits of 1992's Reservoir Dogs? For realz. So awesome. HST recall? Come on? Apparently a real poll found in an BC Federation of Labour news release (no bias there at all) says that 42% of Vancouver Point Grey voters would recall Premier Gordon Campbell. It's not happening okay, can we move on?
Starbucks is out and about promoting a new instant coffee product, VIA, and are doing a video road trip with a couple of fun hosts. Including Erin Foley, who was on Last Comic Standing. Not sure instant coffee is the business they need to get into, but whatever. They stopped in Vancouver this week to hand it out and brew some on the Suspension Bridge. Who knew.
Related Starbucks stories:
Seriously wishing I'd bought some Starbucks stock when it was in the total toilet last fall, at $7.06, it's now at $20.76 and climbing. Typical. Never doubt Starbucks friends. Never.
And Robson street must be super jealous of this. A corner in Houston Texas now boasts, three Starbucks stores. Get it together Vancouver.
Previously on The Vancouverite:
Nice to see that Robert Pattinson could really give a good blue steel look. I can totally see what all the fuss is about now. Here is the young hunk waling home this weekend in Vancouver. (Gossip Center)
You know, for $1250 the Kidrobot model hottie better come with it. But you can still get this amazing 30-inch Smorkin' Labbit Stool for your pad. Also available in 'Stache Labbit version. If it was half that I'd fire up two of 'em right now. Plus some other fun. Picked up a few of the Smorkin' Mongers Menthols Series 2 for someone earlier this week. need that Bacon smoking guy. Now.
Previously on The Vancouverite:
Mitchell and Webb on the best kind of feedback you can ever get in advertising. So amazing.
Technically both of these actor's new films are total losers. Megan Fox, who's been everywhere and on everything proved that unadulterated hotness plus Oscar winning writer Diablo Cody might not be enough to make people see movies. Who knew? According to Box Office Mojo, Jennifer's Body finished in 5th place with a stinking $6.8 million this weekend.
This was narrowly beaten out by the Jennifer Aniston film Love Happens which brought in $8.4 million. Both movies were shot or partially shot in Vancouver. And both were destroyed by Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Informant, and inexplicably Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself, already in its second week (thankfully Tyler Perry doesn't know Canada exists and his movies don't come here).
Either way, Vancouver got owned at the box office. You'd think the world's Sexiest Woman Megan Fox kissing another girl on film could at least make over $10 million. Guess kids have figure out the whole internet thing. Maybe they should have released more images of Megan Fox in cheer leading outfits or cooking bacon like Rolling Stone did.
Previously on The Vancouverite:
Megan Fox in Vancouver, Whaaaaaaat?
Movies:
Jennifer's Body. It was filmed her. It stars Megan Fox. She kisses Amanda Seyfried. Can I make it any clearer than that? Oh, Diablo Cody wrote it. Good times. Or you could see fat Matt Damon in The Informant! Which will probably be better mostly since it features the amazing Scott Bakula.
Music:
Arctic Monkeys Brit pop band performs songs from new album, Humbug. The Like opens. (Malkin Bowl, Stanley Park, Sept. 20, 6 pm)
Weird or just Random:
Yarn Bombing? Launch of a new book about covert textile street art. Say what? (Three Bags Full, 4458 Main, Sept. 17, 5:30 pm, free.) Really? Free? OMG. 1.2.3...Yarn fight!
Drink:
Go check out the new front of house management and wine babes at Opus Bar. This will be different than the usual tarts at Cactus Club. Different is good. And it's still in Yaletown if you are a real douchebag. (322 Davie Street)
Food:
Gastown Blues and Chili Fest
Could this be like the time Homer Simpson ate that really spicy chili and hallucinated? Good old time beer tent and chili-cook off competition between Gastowns top 20 joints. Wait there is a top 20? Featuring: Jim Byrnes, Steve Kozak’s West Coast Blues Review, Mud Bay Blues Band, The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer, Ronnie Hayward, David Gates and Stompin Hot Jazz Band. (Sept 20. 12 – 7pm.)
Send us your wicked weekend ideas. Maybe we'll post 'em. vancouverite@thevancouverite.com
Have no idea why, but the theme to The Man with the Golden Gun has been in my head all morning. Hope it is now in yours.
Must be a totally slow news day. Miss 604 is doing video reviews and un-boxings of printers. Groundbreaking. She uses printers, so she is now, like, the Gizmodo of printer reviews. Hearing about her printing needs is awesome, where is Kanye when you need him? PS: Pretty sure Newspapers have nothing to worry about if this is what the internet brings us. Next up: Paint drying review.
And no it hasn't escaped me that I'm blogging about her blogging about a printer. At all. Shoot me now.
9/15/2008 - 9/15/2008
Well that was fun, wasn't it? So is the recession over? Or is it just taking a nap? I guess we'll find out.
Credit 1’s Coincident Economic Index (CEI), released Wednesday, shows the province’s economy recorded a 0.5-per-cent month-over-month rise in June, and a 7.1-per-cent second-quarter (April-June) increase at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR). The SAAR takes the quarter-to-quarter change in the economy and multiplies it by four to reach an annual rate.“Our index is indicating the recession is over,” said David Hobden, economist for Central 1. “No one knows what the future holds for certain, but we’re not expecting a double-dip recession.”(Vancouver Sun)
(Video via NY Mag)
You see, even Batman has bad days. Joker must have totally owned him today. (By bockus)
The Vancouver Sun continues to fuel the flames of Twilight mania. Now it seems Vancouver has come unhinged. We are crazy for Twilight:
"Hollywood North is on the verge of losing its reputation for cool.History will record that 2009 was the year that everything changed. When filming started last spring on New Moon, the second story in the Twilight saga by author Stephenie Meyer, fans flocked to filming locations in the hundreds, creating unprecedented security headaches for the producers.
Twilight stars Rob Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart are back in Vancouver making the third film, Eclipse, until the end of October and the hysteria shows no sign of letting up. The young stars are tracked by fans to their hotel and favourite restaurants and any bars and clubs where they might try to sneak a drink or see a band."
So let me great this straight. We are like everyone, everywhere else? It's not like they haven't they been doing this in New York forever. They have Sex and the City tours, we have a $139 Twilight tour. Look, if they were filming True Blood here, even I'd be black eyed crazy. Maybe this is not a bad thing, but coupled with our drug wars, gang-land shootings, and Olympics next year we are growing up.
So we've been readying ourselves for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games for like 74 years or whatever, and we have Quatchi, Miga, Sumi, and some other animal promoting us. And for the 2016 Games, Chicago gets President Obama to reenact the Star Wars Kid on the White House Lawn? What went wrong? (Best Week Ever)
The A-Team, currently filming in town is set to add the final cast members. "According to Variety*, Sharlto Copley (better known as Wikus Van De Merwe in District 9) and Jessica Biel have been enlisted into the cast, which already includes Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson." (Cinematical)
Copley will play Howling Mad Murdock and Biel, "She's actually a general in the U.S. Army bent on capturing our heart-of-gold mercenaries." Of course she is. Hannibal: I love it when a plan comes together!
Been listening to this story all morning on BT. A fresh resident right off the plane from Toronto was "hiking" on Mount Seymour causing North Shore Rescue to search overnight. He was found, praise Jesus, and it's noted that he wasn't "prepared" for his first hike in Vancouver. Look dude it's not the Nepal, okay.
Turns out he was wearing GOD DAMN FLIP FLOPS. Who wears flip flops for a hike? They should have left this idiot up there. I'm sure this guy debated on whether to wear flip flops or crocs.
(Photo credit: GrahamKing)
Oh great, rejoice Vancouver! Our housing sales are back. That means outrageous prices can't be too far behind them.
"Vancouver led the nation with a whopping 117 per cent increase in home resales in August compared to August a year ago. According to statistics released Tuesday by The Canadian Real Estate Association, Canada's resale housing market continues to rally, with 42,483 homes trading hands in August, an 18.5 per cent gain from year-ago levels." (Vancouver Sun)
Oh, and if that 117 per cent increase in sales weren't the writing on the wall, The Ritz Carlton building is back from the dead maybe. Bigger in fact. Of course it will be bigger. If at first you don't succeed, make it bigger. Guess they better put that website back up. Awkward.
(Photo: Fiona Forbes Fan Page)
This could be our favourite thing from today. Lets see the five things about this image that make us smile:
5. Look at the goofy smile and how tiny Michael Eckford is. TINY. He's like a jockey. It's amazing.
4. Look at the tentative uncomfortable right hand of Trevor Linden. Such a gentleman.
3. Look at the look on Trevor Linden. ("Is this happening. I'm in a Future Shop. I'm wearing an EA jacket. I just played video games. Now I'm posing with who now? FML."
2. At least it's only a click away from this image.
1. Wait, Fiona Forbes has a fan page? So awesome.
Puma! Seriously, where was this app a year ago? When the market was going down like girls on the Rock of Love Bus. Now that the recession is maybe, kinda, over (although probably not here where the Olympics maybe, kind of, has artificially propped up Vancouver's economy) they release an app that is better when things are down. At least they will wash your car, on your app. (Via Brandflakesforbreakfast)
Previously on The Vancouverite:
I think they should let bears chase people up and down the Grouse Grind for sport. Too harsh? I'd probably watch that. (Via Ad Freak) God I hate nature.
Shortly before 5pm, a double shooting occurred in West Vancouver at a condo complex reportedly in Spuraway Gardens at 235 Keith Road. Police have closed the Lion's Gate Bridge bringing Vancouver traffic to the North Shore to a standstill. (Vancouver Sun) And according to News 1130, "West Vancouver police say the two victims have serious injuries but are expected to survive. They believe the shooting was targeted."
UPDATE: So the two "shooties" are alive and well in the hospital. (Canadian Press) Police are now calling this a "targeted hit" (That's what she said). Am I the only one that is noticing if this was targeted, it must not have been targeted enough. Was it a targeted "wounding?" (Too soon?)
As the world mourns our philosopher icon, we grieve with ironic Patrick Swayze t-shirts from Busted Tees.
The Swayze cannon is very rich. Like Shakespeare, it has many different aspects. My favourite aspect of The Swayze is the Philosopher Hero characters evidenced in the mid-1980's to early 1990's. Before he got carried away with dancing and To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. Honorable mention go to Steel Dawn, Uncommon Valor, and Next of Kin, but here are the Top Five Swayze Philosopher Hero films.
In a movie with Rob Lowe and Keanu Reeves, The Swayze, playing Derek Sutton, stands out as the only real man of the bunch. A hard drinking, wise cracking, hockey playing-philosopher.
Darrell Curtis. "Listen, Soda. You and Ponyboy, if the fuzz show, you beat it out of there. Hey, we'll get jailed, but you two will get the boys home, you know what I'm sayin'?" Stay golden Swayze.
He played Bodhi, the leader of "gang of surfers." Again, The Swayze is part-surfer, part-criminal, and part-philospher. This is just another of his zen master roles.
"Bodhi: [getting ready for their next robbery] 90 seconds Johnny. That's all I ask for, just 90 seconds of your life Johnny, that's it. This is our tatic, is we strike fear. Once you get them peeing down ther leg, they submit. Also about fear, fear causes hasitation, and hesitation, causes your worst fears to come true." [hands Johnny a shot gun]
2 - Red Dawn (1984)
Wolverines! Who else could credibly play Charlie Sheens older brother and fight communists who invade the USA? Only the Swayze, who sports a very amazing feathered hairdo and often a headband. He also matches wits with a very crusty Powers Boothe.
The Swayze's greatest legacy has to be Dalton. The tight shirt, or no shirt, wearing bouncer/philosopher. He spent half the movie sans shirt and ripped out a guys larynx, all while getting the girl. "All you have to do is follow three simple rules. One, never underestimate your opponent. Expect the unexpected. Two, take it outside. Never start anything inside the bar unless it's absolutely necessary. And three, be nice." Words to live by.
Saturday, in between Starbucks and Home Depot was a sad looking table and girl soliciting money for something. I hate when it gets awkward. Rule #1, don't say things like, "It's for the kids." It sounds desperate and it turns people off. Rule #2, never say, "It's not like i'm asking for a Million." That's good honey, because I didn't want to give a loony. What I needed was these cards to hand these street sales people of do-goodery. (via W+K Studio Blog)
"I know you're just doing your job, but the methods you've been asked to use are manipulative and make me less trustful of friendliness in general and that, not indifference towards your cause, is why I'm not going to talk to you."
Nothing better than a Ramsay rant. Nothing.
(Photo via Radar)
Bradley Cooper, in town for The A-Team works out with his new gal pal, Renee Zelleweger. Or at least he keeps her from collapsing from her brittle bones and poor coordination. Whatever. I still don't get how Bradley Cooper bailed on Jennifer Aniston to start hanging out with Renee Zellewger. It doesn't make any sense does it? (Via Hello Magazine)
(Photo: Graham MacInnes)
Vancouver's Belgian institution, Chambar is 5-years young. They celebrated this past weekend with a pig roast the likes of which Beatty St. has probably never seen. (More Photos at Rusty Duncan's Flickr)
What's best about Chambar is that they haven't opened up 5 versions of it. They've expanded as an empire in one building. Adding Cafe Medina, the Dirty Apron Cooking School, and their own brand of beer too. (Read more at the Globe & Mail)
I want some Belgian Ale, moules, and frites right now.
(Photo: The Sartorialist)
Instead of those Friday crackpots clogging up the streets with whatever protest they are doing, we need more girls on bikes. Girls on bikes in high heels. That is a fact. Vancouver would be better with more of the latter, less of the former. I'm just saying.
(Photo: Darryl Humphrey, Toro Magazine)
Opening up the Thursday premiere of Vancouver shot The Vampire Diaries was Vancouver born bombshell Cindy Busby. Think of Vampire Diaries as Twilight with more blood and sex, and crossed with a bite-y Dawson's Creek which is a pretty good thing. She's also in the CBC show Heartland, and obviously the next direct to DVD and also shot here American Pie movie.
In her own words, "I got to realize a life long dream of being in a Vampire project. This week I shot some scenes in the new CW pilot called “Vampire Diaries” produced by the legendary Kevin Willaimson! I was SOOO excited to meet and work with him. Mr. Williamson also gave me the best compliment… after hearing my famous scream, he said that I reminded him of a young Jamie Lee Curtis…. holy smokes, my jaw dropped! Everyone on the set was amazing and friendly and extremely professional, which is always such an enjoyable experience!"
Sure TV is back this week. But there won't be a new Lost episode until the new year. Torture. Saw this poster for what a Locke-centric show/film would look like. (via FFFFound)
Sabering a bottle of champagne is something everyone should know how to do. It goes without saying that sabering expensive wine is kind of dumb. Cooking Issues, which provides the more step by step instructions adds, "While we are clearing the air, many people feel that sabering sparkling wine is useless and wasteful. I disagree. Sabering expensive champagne is wasteful (if you make a mistake). Sabering a $7 cava is an exhilarating and awesome party trick. Whether or not a bottle will saber depends only on the bottle, not the price of the wine – so stick with the inexpensive."
When they aren't fooling around with each other in Vancouver, Twilight star Kristen Stewart likes to laugh at everything little thing Robert Pattinson says. He's so funny. (via Just Jared)
I'm especially pleased to report that my esteemed representative in Ottawa, Hedy Fry, has a charming little postcard she's sending around suggesting that we can't be backpacking around the globe with our Canada flag like we used to. Which was news to me. "This postcard represents what Liberals are hearing from everyday Canadians from coast, to coast, to coast," says Fry. "That, under Stephen Harper, Canada is becoming a diminished light and force on the world stage. Mr. Harper has tarnished our international reputation when it comes to climate change, the United Nations, respect for human rights, peacekeeping, and the list goes on."
Whaaaaaaaat? I'm pretty sure that the world has no clue who Mr. Harper is, and even if they did, I'd be shocked if they had a clue what our position on climate change, UN, or human rights is. I'm not sure they would know what our position on Canadian bacon or hockey would be. (via Damian Penny)
What an embarrassment. If there are Canadians, who in the midst of a recession are traipsing around the world and still think having the Canadian flag on their bag is not something to be proud of they are probably people that told their friends they bought carbon offsets while taking, yet another flight. It's called being a hypocrite, you hippies. The only thing about another election here in Vancouver anyway, is another great opportunity to not elect Hedy Fry to parliament again.
Okay. Can we all agree that Michael Ignatieff in some random wooded area talking about Canada and the economy of tomorrow is a little weird? He looks completely out of place. Like he is somehow going to be talking to small woodland creatures. He seems about as comfortable in the woods as Michael Scott did in The Office episode, "Survivor Man." His smile at the end of the spot, the close up, is frighteningly not sincere. Which I guess makes sense since his vagueries is exactly the kind of politics that gets statesmen into trouble. Do anything, say anything, politics to get into office.
Is this what we can hope for from our next election? But instead we will spend $300 million to find out by how much Stephen Harper will beat Ignatieff. Maybe that is harsh, but there isn't any ideas being discussed, or even hinted at. This is all about power. "Dragging us kicking and screaming into an expensive election during rough economic times because the stimulus package should have been $12 billion instead of $10 billion doesn't sound like a winning idea," writes Kevin Engstrom.
It's just proof how ridiculous Canadian politics has become.
Heaven is where...
The police are British
The cooks are Italian
The lovers are French
The mechanics are German
And it's all organized by the Swiss
Hell is where...
The cooks are British
The mechanics are French
The lovers are Swiss
The police are German
And it's all organized by the Italians
The only thing missing from this image is the copy of the dead tree New York Times Sunday Edition. Well, that and proof that there is a flat screen TV on the wall. Possibly the smell of fresh cooked bacon or other breakfast yum. Other than that, it looks like the best bedroom scene in the world. If this exists in Vancouver and is for sale, please contact me immediately. (Via Home Sweet Home)
This isn't a new story, but something I've had in my link pile since July. But I for one, welcome our next coffee overlords. I mean, I'll take a cool looking but stealth Starbucks over pretty much everything else. I'm not running out for a Tim Hortons or McDonald's. These look cool if you ask me, and anything to be a respite from the hipsters at places like JJ Bean. So inspired by Starbucks looks decent and they clearly serve beer. And we could certainly use them in areas like at Cambie and Broadway where there are four Starbucks in the area and could use a local cafe that didn't have neon signs in it.
They are expanded in Seattle from the original 15th Ave Coffee & Tea store this fall with another Location called Roy Street Coffee & Tea. I say bring them on hippies. (Via Bitter Wallet and BrandRepublic)
(Photo by: fritz_da_kat)
I'm not an economist. Well, not really anyway. I might just be one of the last idiot economists. I take that back, over the years I've been one of a few amateur economists who have put forth the theory loosely termed, "The Unified Hot Girl Theory of the Economy." In short, it goes something like this. When the economy is really good, there are less good looking girls in bars and restaurants. When the economy gets worse, the good looking girls come out of woodwork. This is particularly true of Vancouver, home of the pseudo high-end dinning chains with generous sides of good looking servers. Not really rocket science sports fans.
Or as Hugo Lindgren recently codified in New York Magazine:
"...the Hot Waitress Index: The hotter the waitresses, the weaker the economy. In flush times, there is a robust market for hotness. Selling everything from condos to premium vodka is enhanced by proximity to pretty young people (of both sexes) who get paid for providing this service. That leaves more-punishing work, like waiting tables, to those with less striking genetic gifts."
Judging by a recent trip to the new Keg in Yaletown the theory seems to holding true. Hotness was in no short supply. Which like seeing the groundhog's shadow probably means more recession for Vancouver. Well, I told you I wasn't much of an economist.
Say what you will about Giada De Laurentiis, but the woman can cook. The other night I made her Crostini with Sun- Dried Tomatoes and Chickpeas. Then I made her pesto and stuffed it in some nice fat chickens and then served it with a side of her wicked Lemon Spaghetti. Give me a book deal or movie. Especially when I accidentally blended the blade to the food processor in the Blender. Whoops.
Boy there are going to be a lot of people happy about Ed Hardy brand Hand Sanitizer. I'm looking right at you Jon Gosselin.
On the one hand. Mayor Gregor plays the tuba. On the other hand. Mayor Gregor plays the tuba. And PS: playing 70-straight years at the PNE sounds like pure hell. Being the Mayor does sound like fun though. I hate when jobs are hard and stuff.
Amazon is practically giving away pure entertainment gold this week. For 73 cents an episode! SEVENTY THREE CENTS! You could own a small house with all 192 episodes of Full House in it.
Or as Best Week Ever put it: "On one hand, [$139.99] seems like a lot to pay for anything, even if it is a solid 74 hours of wholesome lesson-teaching and babies saying darned things, but on the other hand…
You can’t put a price tag on this":
Couple of months ago I was in New York and had a dumpling that changed my life. It was an Asian style dumpling filled with Chicken and Thai basil with a spicy peanut sauce served out of a truck on the street. I'm not following that company, Rickshaw Dumpling Bar, on Twitter and when they announce where the truck is, I want to get on the plane to go get some. How did we eat before trucks and the internet?
So why don't we have great street foods in Vancouver served out of cool trucks? It's an outrage. We're hosting the Olympic Games for god's sake. And I want a truck to drive near my house or office to get me delicious food. In Washington DC, the Fojol Bros deliver Indian cuisine via truck in turbans and fake mustaches. GQ just did a best of list of food trucks list that would make your mouth water.
It's not fair. And quite frankly, my belly is sick and tired of it. Our street foods suck here. Do something about THAT Mayor Gregor Robertson!
Saw Tarantino's WWII revenge flick, Inglourious Basterds (trailer here), last week. I know, totally late to the party. I liked it, but it could have been better. That said, there are some classic scenes in this movie that will live on forever. The build up was probably too much, as even my description of it as a revenge film, doesn't really do it justice, and the marketing didn't really tell the whole story either. It's good, but will it end up on one of those best of lists someday? I'm not sure.
Here are a few thoughts, 11 of them actually:
1. Yes, Mr. Tarantino still has a foot fetish. He totally has key shots of Diane Kruger's feet and toes. Putting Kruger in a cast was a nice touch.
2. Film has one of the best eating scenes since Gary Oldman ate the steak in The Contender. This time it is eating pie. Actually it's the most uncomfortable scenes of eating ever put on film.
3. The marketing could have been much better. Imagine if they had used James Goodridge's poster from above? That Indiana Jones look never gets old (er, unless it is in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). This version by Tyler Stout would have also worked.
4. Best thing Mike Myers has done in 10 years. Maybe longer. Notice he is ONLY barely worth watching as Wayne or playing some British dandy. Weird.
5. The German guy, Christoph Waltz, is most disgusting Nazi on film since Schindler's List. The actor is mesmorizing, terrifying, creepy and you can't keep your eyes off him.
6. There is one scene that does kind of a modern take on the March of Time in Citizen Kane. Orsen Wells-ian kind of things seem out of place.
7. The credit design was just awful. I think it's related to the marketing. But it seemed like they just lifted the credits from Jackie Brown and then changed to worse and worse type faces as they went along. Enough with the credit experience QT.
8. Mélanie Laurent is awesome. (Her character trailer)
9. I think this is the first time I think Tarantino didn't get the soundtrack right. I get it, Ennio Morricone is wicked cool. But I don't think it really worked in a WWII period. Maybe 20% of music worked. Could have been way better.
10. I think this movie would have been 100% better without Brad Pitt. Could have been tonnes of other people who would have rocked this role.
Bonus: Never organize a meeting in a basement bar. NEVER. EVER.
Pie chart and clear scientific proof of GI Joe's long standing mantra of knowing being 1/2 the battle. (Via Robot 6)
Was reminded by an image of a lunchbox no less about the Hardy Boys. The opening sequence of the show used to creep me out, but I watched anyway. And Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson were rad as jet setting teen detectives. I love detectives! And the show clearly had the best voice over narrator ever. Just watch the first bit of "The Mystery of King Tut's Tomb". This episode premiered September 25, 1977. I'm sure I saw it on repeats, all I remember is the opening. They used to really make TV shows like this. incredible. No wonder Ben Stiller is trying to remake this as The Hardy Men with Tom Cruise.
This is my new favorite thing."Et Tu, Crouton? (The Assassination of Caesar Dressing)" by Ben Douglass. Just love that the crouton is the Brutus in this reenactment. And that Romaine lettuce is downright angry. I would be too, Caesar looks like store bought, and not the good kind. (Via SuperPunch)
Joan. Playing the accordion. And singing in French. Of course she does. Mad Men continues to rock.
Coke tastes better in bottles. And not plastic ones either. The glass ones. They are smaller, and taste ten times better. That's why cafes in Paris still serve 'em that way. Had my first aluminum can of Coke. It's pretty wicked. You can get them at Urban Fare. Awesome.
Will the new A-Team movie be the next GI Joe? Whatevs, it is apparently filming here in Vancouver until November complete with Rampage Jackson as BA Baracus. Side question: why are big movies that film here usually kind of not so great? (Via Vancouver Sun)
As a side note, IMDB currently lists Liam Neeson as playing Col. John 'Hannibal' Smith and Bradley Cooper as 'Face'. Neither of these sounds like a very good idea, particularly the Bradley Cooper part, as his latest movie is getting the worst reviews of the decade. Can anyone make a proper remake anymore?
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