Swank Home

Mike’s Home

The Ramones (Broke my Headphones)

The iPod nano.

Yes.

Finally, an MP3 player that fits in my mouth.

I've been waiting for something like this for ages.

I remember being a young lad and wondering "if they can make 60 minute tapes and 90 minute tapes, why can't they just make 7200 minute tapes, so I don't have to carry around all my tapes all the time, because they won't all fit in my Chip N' Pepper fanny pack anymore and this tape-filled grocery bag is getting heavier and clunky and it's really hard to balance it on the handlebars of my bike? What are they sellin' me? And when am I gonna get my pubes?"

Well friends, time and technology can bring great things.

Like the aforementioned iPod nano.

This sleek little bugger can hold days worth of tuneage.

And it fits in the front pocket of my jeans. my tight jeans.

And you can still barely see it.

I like that I can run up and down stairs and climb fences and practice Karate in the park during a windstorm and it will never skip.

Is it a great invention?

Definitely.

It's like an ‘All Hits All the Time’ radio station programmed specifically for me that I can take practically anywhere.

But is it a perfect invention? No. It is not. Because the headphones suck. They suck hog's balls. Sure they look good, these "earbuds"; their minimalistic white cord being the most visible signal that someone is a Pod-user. and don't get me wrong, I enjoy the way they snugly fit into my discerning sound holes.

But they just can't deliver the rock. Mine lasted a little over a month, that's when lefty started making this really annoying rattling sound that made my ear itchy.

And this isn't an isolated incident either; I've talked to half a dozen other people with a similar headphone related beef.

I've since tossed and replaced them with a pair of those new inner-ear outside-noise-reduction type earbuds. They aren't as comfy in my ear cradle, but comfort always takes a backseat to rock in my book, and the rock sounds pretty sweet these days. But c'mon.

Only lasted a month? On one hand: what are they sellin' me?! On the other: meh. This is a relatively small complaint, considering how convienient the technology is.

Now, my pubes... No complaints there.

Sashi's Home

Do not mess with a squirrel’s nuts

Picture received via forwarded e-mail - photographer/photoshopper unknown.

Swank Home

Sashi's Home

Read Part Onefirst.

Then readPart Two

Then follow up with Part Three.

And if you’ve read this far, you might as well read Part Four.

So where were we? Right.

We’d just done the river cruise, and we then decided to take a more scenic route round the riverfront and check out some of the sites we saw on the cruise up close.

Just as we were about to head off down the first of many bridges along the way, we came across a guy riding in his bicycle followed by a dog. I don’t know much about canine breeds, but this one was familiar - thanks to Eddie, the dog on Frasier.

This Jack Russell terrier turned out to be real friendly. The man on the bicycle encouraged my friend to pick up the dog, and she didn’t even flinch. The bike man called her a river dog, cos she’s been roaming here for ages.

Canine capers on the Singapore waterfront

And boy, did she turn out to be a babe magnet. I have got to get myself a cute pet one of these days….

The bitch and her groupies (photogs)

Eventually, we parted company with the mysterious biker and his bitch, and left to explore the river. First thing we noticed, of course, were all the beautifully maintained bridges. They even kept the old signposts warning people not to exceed the allowed weight limit by bringing in cattle and horses.

You can’t take cows and horses over this bridge, nosireee

When I was researching hotels to book before I arrived, I learned that the Fullerton, along with Raffles, were among the most expensive hotels in the city-state. Seeing their location, it’s easy to see why. Btw, didja know the Fullerton used to be a post-office?

The Fullerton Hotel

There are also lots (and I mean, LOTS) of statues and sculptures dotted around here. Shows how much this little country values its arts and culture. I’d like to see more such statues in KL, actually….

Just before the kids tried to escape into the river, the evil witch cursed them to forever be bronze and pigeon-poop-target.

The Washington monument?? In Singapore?? WTF??

Ah. Ok then. So the Americans must have copied the Singaporeans, then…

Of course, the most famous statue in Singapore (besides the Merlion) would have to be of this guy. If you watched the Discovery channel documentary on the History of Singapore recently, you would have known that this man was a real visionary, a man ahead of his time, whose detailed planning led to the creation of the modern Singapore.

And yes, I’m aware that the documentary was http://www.singaporedemocrat....sponsored by the Singapore government. I’m just going to go out on a limb and trust the Discovery channel people.

Sir Stamford Raffles. The guy after whom they named the hotel, you noobs…

Victoria Theatre loading bay. I don’t know why I took this pic - it just reminded me of prison gates.

I don’t know about you, but surely that’s one lame name, dude…

“What shall we name this place?”

“I don’t know, how about That White Building Near The River?”

“Nah, not enough pizzazz… how about The Place Where Boredom Goes To Die?”

“Nope, too existential… besides, that’ll just drive away the people...”

“You don’t even know what existential means, twit...”

“Sahadeo, big boss Raffles will have our heads if we don’t name this place… how about The Arts House At The Old Parliament?”

“Whatever, I’m hungry, let’s just go….”

The evil witch gets around, doesn’t she? Imagine being stuck in eternity with a bowl of soup only inches away from your mouth… that’s hell.

The commercial centre of Singapore, to me, is like the very definition of this nation. Glitzy skyscrapers overlooking the calm river swarming with tourists.

Behold the man and his legacy

Couple taking a picture of themselves

Walk towards the light… behold the warm…. fire and brimstone… uh-oh..

Actually, the pedestrian bridge going through the river

One of my targets when visiting Singapore was to check out the G-Max bungy.. But wouldn’t you know it - it was closed. I know it was Christmas day, but still… you’d think there’d be more people around to pay good money to get on this bungy thing on a public holiday, right? Damn. Double damn. Hell, TRIPLE damn!

The G-Max bungy. Unfortunately, no one was around. Just. Perfect. Closed on a public holiday… idiots.,

I guess that’s about as close as I was gonna get to this…. crap…

This is what we call ‘a failure to communicate’. You just can’t talk to these statues anymore… not like the old days, when we had plenty of weed…

See what happens when you don’t get rid of your navel lint?

We finally walked all the way to another definitive Singapore landmark - the Merlion. By the time we got there, we were tired, hungry and thirsty. A quick drink and some snapshots later, we were ready to trudge on….

The Sir Stamford Raffles.Merlion. He’s been spitting into the Singapore river since 1972, although he only recently moved to his present location in 2002.

… until we reached the Esplanade, where we ducked into the cool air-conditioned surroundings to take a break and figure out where to go next. A look at some maps and brochures, and we decided to head towards Suntec City .and check out the world’s largest fountain, then maybe if we had time to go to Sentosa Island and finally finish off the evening with a trip to Orchard Road.

Taking an air-con break inside the Esplanade. Man, were we tired after all the walking…

So, they ran out of pillars or something?

Yup, just as I thought. MPH has followed me here. They’re evil.

This is where Jesus was born - under an Xmas tree wrapped in some gaudy wrapping paper. What was that? A manger? Is that like a supervisor?

A shopping mall. A giant Xmas tree. Bored tourists. Repeated everywhere around the world…. For once, I’d like to see something original - how about a desert? Sand everywhere, a freaking big star hanging overhead, three Wise Guys strutting in with frankincense and Tommy guns, a baby crying out lying in the middle of some hay, a man and a woman sitting beside him, a donkey and some Lancastrian sheep eating tinsel nearby, and lo! A loud voice is heard, bringing shivers to all who were gathered, a voice so mighty and powerful that there could be no doubt of the greatness behind it, a voice that said everything that needed to be said with just one sentence: “Welcome, holiday shoppers, to our annual Fleece-The-People sale!“

After an exhausting combination of MRT-and-legwork, we found our way into Suntec City shopping mall - which looked like pretty much every other shopping mall I’ve ever seen. We asked the information desk on how to go to the fountain, and she gave us some rapid-fire instructions which basically boiled down to: “Turn here. See the sign. Follow”.

And among the signs located round the area, we did find the one marked ‘Fountain of Wealth’.

Wealth eh? Well, if I don’t get rich of that fountain, someone’s gonna pay for false advertising……….

Next: Checkin’ out Sentosa Island (the cheap version), a fountain, and Orchard Road…

Benny's Little Brother, The Roxy, Vancouver - Feb. 8/06

Tim Huston, drummer for Benny's Little Brother, tells me that their Wednesday show at the Roxy played to a packed house.

The band did an 11 song set and attracted a lot of industry attention.  Show photos will soon be posted on the band's website (www.bennyslittlebrother.com); Tim tell's me they really do justice to the "sheer madness that is a Benny's Little Brother show".  Another show is in the works; keep checking their website for more information.

Tim also has a few recommendations for those of us out

Wedding Trends By: Lezah

Ah, it's that time of year again:  the flurry of Christmas engagements has passed and the frenzy of planning the perfect spring wedding has begun.  Wedding Fair season is well under way all over the continent, because weddings are big, big business.  

I've been in a bit of a tizzy lately, as you know, trying to find the perfect outfit for a wedding I am attending later this spring, but it's not really your typical wedding:  in fact, I'm not going to even be at the wedding, as the happy couple is winging off to Hawaii for the nuptuals, but they will be returning shortly thereafter to host a big 1940s-themed shindig at Heritage Hall (which we will be attending).

 Another couple we know are also flying off to Vegas to say their vows, so that appears to be one trend on the rise - weddings away from your home turf.

The next noticeable trend is a movement away from the simple, streamlined dresses that have been so popular over the last few years and towards a more flouncy, flowing, romantic look.  I'm not talking hoop skirts and parasols, but rather a slightly more softened silhouette than we've been seeing.

The next big trend is in the food department, where cupcakes are still reigning supreme.  However, a movement back toward cakes with a more rounded, stylized outline is picking up popularity.  For the main course, 'old style' classic European cuisine is hot - but then so is introducing a touch of your ethnic roots, with fuision fare being very popular, too.

Finally, flowers are an area where, over the last ten years or so, people have started reining back the spending.  In fact, one report I read recently showed that on average, the amount people are willing to spend on wedding flowers has dropped about 70%.  Gone are the days when brides carried huge trailing bouquets, or when the members of the bridal party all wore coursages and boutonieres.

Today, smaller, simpler bouquets of in-season flowers all in one colour are what you will see.

Finally, budgets:  budgets are smaller, because goodness knows, there's a lot of things that one could spend that $30,000 (previously the average cost of hosting a wedding) on.  Smaller, more intimate weddings seem to be the trend these days.  

Rob’s Home

International Male

Does anyone out there speak Dutch? I've just found out that a brand new story of mine (called "Bothered, Bewildered") has been accepted for a literary magazine published in the Netherlands calledVersal. And, NO, I was kidding-- it's not being published in Dutch, but English--the magazine is edited and put together by a bunch of wonderfully smart ex-pats from all over: London, Russia, America, Amsterdam, etc.

It will be coming out in May.

Yes, I'm going to be an International Male writer! Or, rather, I'm a male writer whose writing is going to be international? In any case, I'm thrilled as can be.

This new publication is hot on the heels of my recent rejection from a residency at Deep Springs. I've since applied for two more residencies elsewhere. And, it's coming just a couple of months after my other publication, from Pindeldyboz--which is out now. Read my autobiographical story, "Son of Kong," in V. 6.

I found out about Versal from this really cool list serv that I'm on that sends me emails every day about magazines, journals, anthologies that are looking for submissions. They also notify me of various contests, which I don't usually apply to, and residencies. But hey, it really pays to send your work out if there's no entry fee!

Versal looks a little bit like Bomb magazine-- I mean it's glossy and big and packed with writing and art. And the editor (of my piece, at least), Robert Glick, was really, really friendly and helpful-- he had just one editing suggestion--which I agreed with (it was about the ending! Of course! Always have trouble with my endings-- I told you). I've been so fortunate with editors of my work the last few years.

Anyway, I'm so excited about it. Happy to be associated with such a great publication, and also so excited because this is a completely brand new story (Ted hasn't even read it!). The magazine is sold through their website, and in various stores in the U.S., but I'm also going to try to get more bookstores here in Calif to carry it. I don't think you can order the issue I'm going to be in just yet, but I'll let you know when it's available. you can order past issues if you're interested.

Beck’s Home

Cut Backs at Becks & Posh

The Cheese Sandwich is Going to have to Wait!

Ok, ok, I already ate the sandwich, I am sorry I didn't save any for you. And with even more apologies to my audience, I am going to take a little break here at Becks & Posh. (Please don't be jealous, we are not jetting off anywhere exotic!) It could be several weeks until I start posting regularly again, but I'll try and stop by and say hello every once in a while. In fact, I'll probably get severe withdrawal symptoms within a few hours, so I'll just see how it goes.

Ant’s Home

The Independent: The Subtle Art of Juxtaposition

'Truth only reveals itself when one gives up all preconceived ideas.'

- Shoseki

Full credit must go to those brave souls at The Independent who were responsible for a very important lesson in journalism and the subtle art of juxtaposition.

The Independent's front page of 15th February was emblazoned with the words The Great Deception followed by The politics of fear (or how Tony Blair misled us over the war on terror) across pages 2 and 3, which featured an edited extract taken from The Use and Abuse of Terror - The Construction of a False Narrative on the Domestic Terror Threat, published Wednesday by the Centre for Policy Studies. The paper dedicated its first three pages to the lying liars and their incessant lies in recent history including fake terror ricin, fake terror in Manchester and the ongoing politicization of terror on the basis of lies.

Three whole pages about the politics of fear, fake terror and lies, with only fleeting reference to the devastating events in London on July 7th and yet the largest photo in the article - the one taking up half of page three in an article about fake terror - is a full-colour photograph of the back of the number 30 bus that exploded in Tavistock Square on July 7th 2005.

Subtle, but very clever indeed.

More on the Alex Cox forum and Peter Osborne presents 'Spinning Terror' on Channel 4, Monday 20th February.

New York Fashion Week Trends Alert

Here are some more trends coming out of New York Fashion Week:

        - tartans and plaids are big, bold and mixed. They range in colour from greens and blues to browns and blacks

        - skinny pants and higher waists are definitely on the comeback trail

        - last season's brocades and baroque looks are still holding on

        - metallics are big for evening

        - red is the accent colour of the season

        - 'greige', a mix of grey and beige, is the new neutral

http://www.kbswasteland.blogspot.com/" title="http://www.kbswasteland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"http://www.kbswasteland.blogs...

King Kong

Of the big three blockbusters leading up to Christmas (Potter, Narnia & Kong) I was perhaps least excited by this one. Don't ask me why - it was clearly going to be aimed at a more adult audience, had the best director by a monster margin and a cast to die screaming in the jungle for!

Maybe I was worried it just wouldn't work and we'd have another Godzilla on our hands? Maybe I sensed the casting of Jack Black as the lead and Adrien Brody as the male love interest just wouldn't work, despite their fine work in other genres? Maybe the thought of a 30 foot CGI monkey just left me cold? I don't know - but I really needn't have fretted. So my initial reaction was that it was much too long, indulgent even, but it had been a long day and a misjudged double bill with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe had left me a little drained.

Put it this way, what worked really worked, and there was plenty to admire. Filmed in three distinct sections, the journey to the island, full of build and anticipation, Kong's discovery and capture, full of thrills, shocks and scares, and back in New York, the pay-off leading to the extraordinary Empire state recreation - it is an immediately unsettling movie that manipulates the audience well. The superior middle section out-climaxes the climax however, leaving you a little numb by the closing credits that have seemed a long way off for the last hour.

Black and Brody were better than expected, especially Jack, who I imagine will get a lot more offers of serious roles after this. Equally, Naomi Watts lived up to the part with adequate flair and was on the whole an enjoyable and sympathetic heroine. But top honours have to go, yet again, to a largely uncredited Andy Sirkis, who not only broke more new ground with his CG enhanced performance as Kong, but offered a marvelously comic turn as the ships cook - a character that suffers one of the best deaths in cinematic history (not a person in the house that wasn't cringing!) and is gifted with the movie’s best line too (the one about the footprint and the Abominable Snowman).

More to like than not then, and I look forward to seeing it again when a bit less jaded. It's great that new epics can still be created and embraced with the positive reactions that this got across the board generally. Just a shame it couldn't have been a bit tighter and brave enough to ditch the dead end subplots. Oscar deemed it worthy of only four technical nominations recently and I have to say that that's about right. 8/10

http://becksposhnosh.blogspot... On Expanding My Palate

With thanks to my teacher, Jen Knapp at Tante Marie

Sadly, the Slow Mediterranean cooking course I was taking at Tante Marie has come to an end. I am almost heartbroken. It was so much delicious fun, with such a great bunch of people, I wonder what will I do without it?

Knowing of my love affair with food and cooking it, people often ask me "why on earth do you need to take a cooking class, you can already cook?" Before I went to cooking school I would simply have answered that there are always some new techniques to learn. Although this is true and indeed I have learnt so much over the last 6 weeks, like how to bake fish in salt, how to prepare artichokes, how to make mayonnaise successfully every time, how to cook paella and how to make Zuni's famous chicken with bread salad, if someone were to ask me that question again, my answer would now contain another level.

I go to Cooking School, these days in order to broaden my palate as well as to learn new techniques. Every week we prepared about a dozen recipes which we communally feasted on at the end of the class. I have been introduced to so many foods that I simply thought I didn't care for as much as others and would never have experienced left to my own devices. There is no choosing from this menu, we get to try everything.

Even foods I thought I hated have come up trumps in this unique environment where the choice about what I eat for my dinner was made by our teacher, not by me. I have retired many of my own prejudices thanks to Jen. Mum - listen to this - I ate raisins, I ate currants, I enjoyed brussel sprouts in my pasta, I greedily devoured not one, but two chicken liver crostini and from this year forth I absolutely love anchovies!

What has happened to the pinickerty, fussy eating daughter you once knew? I am now more food brave than the rest of the family put together. This is progress on my part, to put it mildly.

It is also why, when Fred treated me to dinner at Zuni on Saturday night, after I got home late from work, I chose to have Cured anchovies with olives celery and cheese, followed by Oxtail where the old Sam would undoubtedly have picked Ricotta cheese and then Duck breast. It's an adventure and I can't wait for the next chapter!

PS. And as for missing cooking class? If truth be told - since I signed up for the next class, starting this Thursday, Flavours of Latin America with Penelope Alzamora chef, I guess my palate is going to continue expanding at an alarming rate!

Merritt-based Kookshow and North Vancouver Locals, A Single Few performed high powered music of the punk varieties while they dominated the stage at the Blarney Stone and kept the audience engaged all night long. Both bands combined entertaining on-stage antics with upbeat and enjoyable music.

Kookshow, while only a three piece band, started the night off well by pumping out harder-hitting punk rock songs and balancing them off with more upbeat punk pop melodies. Their songs featured lyrics ranging from those concerning their experiences in life and as a band, to clever rhymes about “headcase girls”. No strangers to the bar scene, these young guys played a solid set and their dynamic stage presence had the interested crowd watching attentively from their seats.

Pop-punkers A Single Few played such a spirited set it was hard not to get up and dance. Indeed, despite the abundance of available seating on this slow Wednesday night, they succeeded in getting a few crazy Vancouverites up and about on the dance floor. With a sound that resembles a more upbeat and energetic rendering of Third Eye Blind, A Single Few played a selection of original songs, and some amusing covers, that are well suited for a night of partying.

While the crowd was slim the two acts performed solid sets that were enjoyable for their music and their entertainment value. These guys don’t just stand around and play; they get into the music, and whether they’re jumping around on stage or mingling with the audience, their unyielding level of energy makes you want to grab a drink and sing along.

http://kbswasteland.blogspot.com/" title="http://kbswasteland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"http://kbswasteland.blogspot....

With an album as good as this it is only a matter of time whether you own it or not! It starts with the first song you hear - for me it was Hard To Beat, performed at the Mercury Music Awards. I thought, yeah that's OK, but never heard of them, that's probably their only decent song and now they've had their fifteen minutes of fame they'll disappear into obscurity.

Wrong! A few weeks after that and you couldn't move without hearing or seeing them - Cash Machine was everywhere as a single and a lot of other tracks were getting radio attention, it was time to listen to the full album.

To say I was blown away is a bit strong; there are a few weaker tracks in the running order that after a few plays you just want to skip to get to the main course. But there are also six or seven outstanding tunes that belt out at you relentlessly, demanding repeat play.

OK, so at heart these boys are a bit aggressive, there's a lot of urban angst coming through, but a lot of intelligence too. Maybe I just needed to bang my head and work out a bit of anger, but for some reason I took hold of it for a few weeks and rarely wanted to listen to anything else.

Imagine my delight then upon finding out they were to play Edinburgh on Hogmanay...! It certainly added excitement to the build up and my first street party in 3 years. Supported by new Scottish band Brothers and Sisters (who weren't half bad, watch this space) the lads made it onto the Waverley stage by 11 pm and totally rocked the 100,000 or so revelers within earshot, kicking off with Cash Machine, reaching a peak with a superb cover of Seven Nation Army (White Stripes) and going into orgasmic frenzy for Living For the Weekend - "not only is it New Year's Eve, it's Saturday!" cried charismatic frontman Richard Archer (not the greatest live singer in the world, but masses of energy and youthful swagger). Timed to perfection their set ended just before the fireworks, and who cared that it took 25 minutes to squeeze back onto Princes St? It kicked off one hell of a party and that's all that mattered.

Maybe they will drop off the radar as quickly as they have appeared on it, maybe their energy will burn itself out and the zeitgeist will move on, but there is certainly a potent songwriting talent here and I hope it sticks around for more than a quick flash in the pan. 9/10

http://sneakinout.blogspot.co...

Image from http://www.explodingdog.com/

Is this Wuv?

It's that time of year again.

That week before Valentine's Day when wuv is in the air.

Little cardboard hearts and cupids pasted everywhere.

Couples in wuv, holding hands, singing silly wuv songs.

The lonely single people, at home, naked, in the middle of the day, crying ingnorant tear after ignorant tear into their yellow, sweat stained, pillow-like excuse for a wuver.

Yes, it's an enchanting time for all.

Just the other day I sang the words "I believe in a thing called wuv".

But do I?

Do I really believe in true wuv?

That depends on how you define wuv.

The Good Book says that Christians should wuv everyone.

This is a lie.

I once was chatting with a wuvley young lady in a local tavern, and after spotting a cross hanging around her silky, body-wash scented neck, asked her if she wuved me.

She did not.

Moving on.

What other kinds of wuv are there?

There's the natural wuv between friends and family members.

It's a wuv that's always there. The people you wuv because you know you can trust them with anything, and because they're so wuvable.

But what about serious wuv?

That "man/woman, let's get married" wuv? [or man/man or woman/woman or man/woman/woman/woman, depending on your region.]

People talk of unconditional wuv.

"I'll wuv her forever...no matter what!"

Bullshit, my friend. Bullshit.

Because wuv is a battlefield.

What happens when she starts smoking crack and smokes too much crack and thinks it's a good idea to nail your scrotum to that big oak dresser you bought her so she can go sell your golf clubs and your iPod and your HDtv for more crack because now she wuvs smoking crack more than she wuvs you?

Will you still wuv her then?

Probably not.

After that you'll probably never wuv again.

And I wouldn't blame you.

But I'm slightly more optimistic than our neutered friend here.

I may not believe in unconditional wuv, but I do believe that there's someone out there for everyone to find wuv with. (I also believe there's someone out there for ANYone to find "wuv" with, and she's probably a prostitute of some kind.)

So, this coming Valentine's Day, show the one you wuv just how much you wuv them.

And you single folk, go out, get drunk, and make wuv with whomever will allow you to make wuv to them.

Be crazy. Be crazy in wuv.

Thank you, I wuv you all.

I would do anything for wuv. Anything to be wuved. Wuv in an elevator. Tainted wuv. blahblahblah.

Note: I purposely tried my hardest not to use the L word at any point during the typing of this post.

But I can't resist any longer.

....Lando!

There.

I said it.

The first is Lee's Candies, in the Point Grey area of Vancouver:  4361 West 10th (604-224-5450).  Lee's is a 1920's style chocolatier, located in a tiny little store with an even smaller storefront.  From the storefront you can look through to the actual factory behind, where vintage machines churn away to produce luscious, fresh and preservative-free chocolates and candies.  Kind of at odds with the pure-vintage feel of the shop and its equipment is the owner, Valeria, a goth who is as well known for her association with Vancouver's music scene as Lee's is for fine chocolates.  Valeria has, in various incarnations, been manager of the group 'No Fun', drummer for the legendary girl-group 'Cub', and member of various other Vancouver bands.

Chocolate Arts is on West Fourth, and its name is literally true:  the goods are chocolate, and they are, indeed, art.  For instance, they have chocolates that a poured from a mold created by the legendary aboriginal artist Robert Davidson. Each year, their Christmas display is wonderfully creative.  Oh, and it all tastes great, too!

This season's hot bag is big, dark and studded.  Try a Louis Vuitton studded leather and canvas one, or, if you'd rather, a Chloe bag (if you want to be just like the Simpson sisters).  ne by Michael Kors ($395).

Too pricey for such a trendy item?  Then Roots has a more reasonably priced on at $168, or good ol' Le Chateau - $49.95.

Not into studs?  Well, how about brass knuckles? The Peacekeeper handbag (www.jamesplatt.com) is up for grabs at $75 - but you'd better be polite when dealing with the shop-keeper...

CedarStone:  1451 Fell Avenue, Vancouver (604-929-1451).  For everything for the outdoors - patio furniture, fences, bird feeders and the like.

Chez la Fille - Atelier Parisienne:  33063 1st Avenue, Mission (604-826-5502).  For the coolest spot in the Valley, you can get everything from heirloom quality Portuguese quilts to handmade soaps and candles; or try their luncheonette upstairs, and stay later for a class in painting. Honey B's Vintage Home Decor:  12th Street NW, Calgary (403-283-0272). An ultra-feminine spot to get those impossible to find, one of a kind accessories and home decor items.

Dirty Laundry:  Vancouver (www.dirtylaundrytees.com) - hand stitched T shirts go for $150-$300.  Halle Berry ordered 400 for the crew of Catwoman.

Inkdivision:  found at Dadabase, 183 East Broadway, Vancouver (604-709-9934), this Warhol and Westwood inspired line is designed by a transplanted New Yorker.

The Rocket:  10th Street NW, Calgary (403-283-3230).  For custom print T-shirts with a really groovy feel.

Accessories

Vancouver:  Luv (3071 W. Broadway; 604-733-0466) - for everything you ever wanted, from bejewelled cigar tubes to Jackie O-style shades.

        Or try House of Jewels (953 Nicola St.; 604-662-7360) for hip handbags.  

Vintage

  Go to Decades on Melrose in LA for high-end vintage clothing; you're invited to relax and flip through vintage fashion mags between trying on outfits.

Hungry?  Then maybe you should just bake your own... or try Bake-Your-Own from City Bakery in New York City.  Cult favourite and pastry chef to the stars Maury Robin has created a line of individual sized containers that contain your choice of frozen cake batter - just pop it in the oven and in twenty minutes or so you have yummy brownies, spice cake, or what-have-you.  At $2.50 each, this definitely won't break the bank.  Call 212-366-1414 or go to www.maurybakes.com.

Thirsty?

Try the Infuze Tea House in Vancouver (1114 Denman St.; 604-688-3170), an ultra chic tea house famous for its Nubian Summer and Matcha Lattes, and sweet Rooibos Latte.  www.infuzeteahouse.com

In Vancouver, coffee provides the buzz:  go to either Calhoun's in Kitsilano, or Soma on Main Street.

New York's Kai by Ito En (212-988-7277) offers pairings of artisinal teas with sweet and savoury treats that look too good to eat.

Feeling that you need something a little more substantial?  

How 'bout that all-American classic, the hot dog?  But the classic hot dog ain't the only thing on the menu these days:  take a look at this...

At Dawg's on Park in NYC's East Village (178 E. 7th St.; 212-598-0667), you can have your choice of deep fried all beef, tofu or turkey dogs, topped with salsa.

How about a Hollywood icon?  Tail o' the Pup (San Vincente Boulevard, Hollywood) is a roadside stand that dates back to 1945, and comes complete with a movie star hall of fame on its walls.

At Rosamunde Sausage Grill (545 Haight Street; 415-437-6851) you can order up a topping of beef chili or grilled onions for your smoked lamb dog.

Finally, at Hot Doug's (2314 W. Roscoe; 773-348-0326) venison sausages or chorizo with garlic and chiles are roasting on the grill.

Need Something with some substance?

In NYC, try Artisinal (212-725-8585), a brasserie that features over 250 of the world's most exclusive cheeses.

Montreal:  La Fromagerie Hamel (514-272-1161) has four locations and over 500 different types of cheese.  

Just down the road from where I live, the Hilltop Diner is experiencing a huge resurgence in popularity.  It has been struggling off and on for the past ten years or so, but is a charming looking little spot - so much so, in fact, that it is frequently used for movie and TV shoots.  But with yet another change of ownership this last year, things are looking up:  the place is packed every time I drive by.  At 240th and Fraser Highway, Langley.

Calgary:  The Belmont Diner (403-242-6782) is a kitschy place to get some down home cookin'.  

London:  Lucky Seven (020 7727 6771) in the Notting Hill area is a New York style burger bar famous for its onion rings.

Bistros

Vancouver:  Pastis (2153 West 4th; 604-731-5020) is fabulous - and famous for its pommes frites (that's French fries to you and me...).

Toronto:  Bistro 990  is a hot spot for celebs.

Portland:  Westmoreland Bistro is owned and operated by star chef Caprial Pence and her husband John - worth the drive, where ever you're coming from. Montreal:  Rosalie (www.rosalierestaurant.com) is a '70s style glam bistro popular with celebs.

Seattle:  Wasabi Bistro (2311 2nd Avenue) offers Pan-Asian dishes as well as over 20 premium sakes.

A list Cuisine

Tokyo:  Beige is where superstar chef Alain Ducasse serves up sea urchin and other amazing foods.  www.beige-tokyo.com.

London:  The Wolseley on Piccadilly offers comfort food in an old world setting.

Milan:  Just Cavalli Cafe is where one can find combinations such as octopus and potato salad.  www.justcavallicafe.com.

Dublin:  Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud in The Merrion (www.merrionhotel.com) promises fabulous French food.

Vancouver:  Try Feenie's (2563 W. Broadway; 604-739-7115) owned by Vancouver's own 'Iron Chef' Rob Feenie, for the best French food in town.  Or Wanting something a bit more ethnic?  Go to Vij's (www.vijs.com), for what The New York Times referred to as "Easily among the finest Indian restaurants in the world."

Edinburgh:  Restaurant Martin Wishart is home to one of the city's two Michelin-starred chefs.  French fare.

Seattle:  Dahlia Lounge (2001 4th Avenue) is the home of chef Tom Douglas, originator of Pacific Northwest cuisine.

Desserts

Crave Cookies and Cupcakes:  Kensington Road NW, Calgary (403-270-2728); www.cravecookies.com.  For a little bit of heaven...

Paris:  Berthillon (www.berthillon-glacier.fr) is France's most famous ice cream shop, and has long line ups - even in winter!

Vancouver:  Cupcakes (1116 Denman St.; 604-974-1300) for - you guessed it - great cupcakes.  www.cupcakesonline.com.

By: Lezah

Canada Wins the Gold

The 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy starts on February 12 and runs through February 28. You can rest assured that Canada will once again bring home the gold - at the very least, Canada will once again be winners in the fashion competition.

That's right: at Salt Lake City, where Canada also brought home back-to-back Golds (for its men's and women's hockey teams), the international buzz was all about the funky Canadian fashion sense. Britain's Guardian newspaper declared that, "for the first time in Olympic history (and perhaps ever) it was cool to be a Canadian, or at least look like a Canadian." There were newspaper reports about fights over the Canadian clothing in stores, and about line ups to acquire the Canadian Roots wear being longer than the line-ups for some sporting events.

But the Guardian didn't get it completely right: the trend started well before Salt Lake City. In fact, both the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics featured the Canadian team in the Roots-designed Canadian team wear, which created a sensation back then. So much so that the Americans crossed over and had the Canadian fashion house Roots create its own Olympic team wear for both the 2002 and 2004 Olympics, which it then followed up with a contract for both the 2006 and 2008 Games; Britain followed suit and had Roots design its team and casual wear for the 2002 Games as well.

With the retro '50s inspired uniforms and the poor-boy caps, the teams were lookin' sharp.

So it came as a surprise to some that, in light of this success, the Canadians have 'switched teams' and awarded the contract for their uniforms and casual wear to the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) for the 2006 Games. The uniforms and replica wear were unveiled back in November, and replica wear is available across Canada at The Bay, Zellers, and Home Outfitters. HBC designers Suzanne Timmins Cheri Louie, Erin Leslie, Amanda McAlpine, Manjit Takhar and external designers Tu Ly and Crystal Siemens have produced a line of gender specific clothing (for example, the women's T-shirts feature cinched waists and shorter sleeves than the men's) in Canada's official colours, as well as one's bearing the Olympic Rings. The fuzzy trappers hat in faux sheepskin will surely be a big hit, as will a number of other items. I have already seen a number of items from this line on the street, and as the buzz for the Games heats up, there will be more and more out there - and more and more people wanting it.

Once the Olympics start, be careful: you might just get involved in a wrestling match over Olympic clothing at an HBC store near you.

By: Lezah

In Memorium

January seems to be a bad month. Last year, a comparatively high number of notable musicians and industry professionals died, and this year, we seem to be following the same trend.

Lou Rawls: died at age 72 of lung and brain cancer, this Grammy-award winner produced an incredible 50 albums over a 40 year span, ranging from doo wap to soul, jazz to gospel.

Barry Cowsill: died at age 51 as a result of mishap in the shape of Hurricane Katrina; his body was found and identified around New Years, although he had not been heard from since September. Cowsill was bass player in the '60s band The Cowsills, which itself served as inspiration for the TV show 'The Partridge Family'. Through 1967-'69, The Cowsills had 8 songs that charted, including a #2 (from Hair).  

http://www.marktsinfoblog.blo...

By: Mark Thristan

The year in cities

Following the lead of lots of other people, here's my 2005 in cities, and then 2006 so far.

2005

* Geneva, Switzerland * Glasgow, Scotland * Edinburgh, Scotland * Dundee, Scotland * London, England * Budapest, Hungary * Dubrovnik, Croatia * Savannah, US * Washington D.C., US * Charleston, U.S.

(Probably a number of others I can't remember)

2006

* Geneva, Switzerland * Glasgow, Scotland * London, England

http://www.marktsinfoblog.blo...

By: Mark Thristan

Bloghorrea

The rash of "isn't blogging cool?" stories is really beyond the pale now. Please, get over yourselves, people can be journalists too, you know. My annoyance was stimulated by "Unhappy? Then it's time to begin a blog" in the Evening Standard this evening. Frankly I've had enough.

So, read my lips - blogs are to websites as journals are to books: regular, direct, unmediated communication by individuals or organizations to a relatively unmediated audience. Stop worrying about the concept of "blog", this is just the technical framework that makes this stuff happen, and that helps to tie the communicative and social aspects of "the blog" together. Think about the explosion of newsletters that happened when DTP software hit the desktop - they were still just newsletters (and of very variable quality): blogs are just websites.

This I think is what is bothering journalists, and why there are so many blog-related stories. They aren't grasping that as a whole (and I'm going to use an uncool word from dot.com times here) the =http://en.wikipedia.org/w/ind...' target='_blank'disintermediationaspect is what is important - people becoming regular, read writers (or should I say authors and journalists?). Instead, they are writing articles based on Big Brother psychologists (Honey Langcaster-James) saying:

"Keeping an online diary could prove to be highly rewarding and have psychological and emotional benefits"

Take out the word "online" here, and what changes? The only real difference between being online and offline here is that it is likely that your innermost thoughts may be read by someone. The whole benefit of online diary writing is the construction of a persona, which can remain relatively anonymous if one so chooses - this is the liberating perspective.

As the latest AOL ad campaign in the UK puts it, DISCUSS...

Music I’ve Been listening to

By: Andrew Hoshkiw

http://www.hoshq.com/

Music I’ve Been Listening to

Seeing as how I'm in a bit of a blogging lull right now, I've been thinking I'll do a monthly post of new music I've listened to. There's no telling how long this will last, but here goes, in order of first hearing:

1. "First Impressions of Earth" by The Strokes.

I actually heard this one in December, though officially it's a January release. Very similar to their previous album, though still quite good.

2. "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" by the Arctic Monkeys.

Contrary to popular belief, I've never been to the Arctic. i doubt these boys have either. Loud rock with hiphop influences and British accents.

3. "Brenda Berezan" by Brenda Berezan.

Country folk music from Haines Junction, Yukon. Her debut album, recorded locally in a friend's studio. There really is a lot of talent in the territory, and this is just one example proving it.

4. "Sinaa" by Tanya Tagaq.

The Inuit throat-singing sensation's debut album. It's good, I think, though very strange. Don't know of I really agree with the term "throat singing" though - I mean, aren't the vocal cords in the throat? Isn't that where all singing comes from, It deserves a more descriptive name. But then, there's a lot of unimaginative names in music, like calling hiphop "urban music," when really most music has its roots in the cities. Anyhow, Björk sings on one of the tracks as well.

5. "Inside In / Inside Out" by The Kooks.

Young indie rock band from Britain. Loud and fast, and deserving more attention. 6. "Amber" by Clearlake. Another indie rock band. What can I say? They're all worth listening to. This one reminds me a bit of The Killers; very melodramatic.

http://www.hoshq.com/

By: Andrew Hoshkiw

What was that?

It's been noted, by several people, that I don't respond to comments posted on my websites. So to rectify this I've posted insightful responses to comments on the photoblog concerning Pegasus Wing,an 80s rock tribute band, and Friend Called Five, a Nirvana-style heavy metal band.

And while we're on the subject of me remembering to do stuff, tomorrow I'll upload a dozen or so new pics to the photoblog, answer the dozen or so unanswered emails in my inbox and send photos and articles to all the people I've recently interviewed who have asked for them (most notably, the Tanya pics, the article on the Alaskan artists and the comedy pics).

By Lezah

New York Fashion Week 2006/07 Fall/Winter Ready to Wear

It's that time of year again, the time all North American fashionistas love:  New York Fashion Week.  Now we can plan what to wear in the fall because, as you know, people:  these decisions are not made lightly!  It will take me months to plan!  

Early trends spotted so far have been: 

          1.  skinny pants (hmmm, seems I was predicting this one last year, if I recall correctly...)         2.  metallics         3.  distressed leathers         4.  buttoned up looks

Fashion Week has been running since Feb. 3 at various locations in and around Bryant Park, and will continue until Feb. 10.  Some upcoming shows include:

Feb. 7        Tuesday:  11 a.m. in the tent - Bill Blass             � �         9 p.m. in the tent - Heatherette

Feb 8        Wednesda y:  11 a.m. in the tent - Michael Kors             � �         noon in the Hammerstein Ballroom - Diesel             � �         3 p.m. in the tent - Carmen Marc Valvo             � �         7 p.m. in the tent - Anna Sui

Feb 9        Thursday :  2 p.m. in the tent - Vera Wang             � �         5 p.m., location TBA - Calvin Klein             � �         8 p.m. in the tent - Zac Posen

Feb 10       Friday:  9 a.m. on the promenade - Project Runway (TV Show finale)             � �         9 to noon, location TBA - Ralph Lauren             � �         3 p.m., location TBA - Donna Karan

For a complete listing of shows, times and locations, go to Dashion Week Daily

Other websites with good Fashion Week information are:

        7thonsixth

        nowpublic

        in store fall fashion

        Style Mag

Swank Home

http://becksposhnosh.blogspot...

I find writing original content for any blog other than my own difficult to say the least. (Every time I agree to do it, I struggle with it, and then regret having agreed to do it in the first place.) But giving props to other peoples' blogs and helping to foster community is absolutely my bag, which is why I almost didn't hesitate when Elise invited me to be part of the BlogHer Food & Drink Editing team.

The BlogHer Network is a guide to women bloggers, organized into 20 popular topics, where you'll find lists of blogs by women and constantly updating guides to what's hot. Contributions come from women all over the globe, but Blogher has its roots here in Northern California which is my excuse for including it, today, as my Bay Area Blog of the week.

Some of the editors will be creating original content, but no, not me. I promise my posts will give you no more than a brief sentence or two that points you in the direction of women who write reviews of restaurants and guides to eating outside of the home. I am trying to make my picks as diverse as possible - from high-end dining to street food, in all corners of the world.

If dining out isn't your bag, then check out one of the other Food and drink contributing editors:

Vegetarian |Alanna Kellog |A Veggie Venture

Desserts | Jennifer Hamilton | The Domestic Goddess

Food Industry | Jennifer Maiser |Life Begins at 30

Weight-Loss |Kalyn Denny | Kalyn's Kitchen

Cooking Methods and Tips | Swank Home Elise Bauer |Simply Recipes

Gluten free | Shauna James | Gluten free Girl

Epicurean, High Cuisine | Toby Bloomberg | Diva Marketing

And don't forget - Blogher isn't just about food and drink, it's a great place to discover all sorts of blogs on a wide range of subjects, all written by women.

Check it out!

http://antagonise.blogspot.co...

A Lawless World of Lawless Terrorist Lawmakers

By The Antagonist

We know Primate George Bush was ready to follow father George's footsteps into Iraq before the 2000 U.S. election was rigged for Primate Jr to win it. We also know that Primate Bush absolved himself of responsibility for any of his actions because, as well as his black-gold oil addiction, he's also got a serious Gerin Oil addiction meaning he has not one but two monkeys on his back and at least as many masters to serve.

In a meeting which took place in the White House on 31 January 2003, Number 1 Terrorist in Chief, Primate Bush, and Number 2 Terrorist in Chief, UK President Tony Blair, discussed how to invade Iraq irrespective of whether or not there was a valid reason for so doing and how to make it look good from a PR point of view.

How were they going to do this? Using just a hint of good ol' Operation Northwoods style tactics to spin reasons from out of nowhere:

President Bush said: "The US was thinking of flying U2 reconnaissance aircraft with fighter cover over Iraq, painted in UN colours. If Saddam fired on them, he would be in breach."

Source: Channel 4 News

Details of the conversation are contained in a new version of the book 'Lawless World' written by British human rights lawyer, Philippe Sands QC. The book also contains Blair's sycophantic propitiative assurances to the world's number one terrorist:

Prime Minister Blair responded that he was: "solidly with the President and ready to do whatever it took to disarm Saddam", but that "a second Security Council resolution would provide an insurance policy against the unexpected, and international cover, including with the Arabs."

Source: Channel 4 News

That was in relation to Iraq and that was three years ago. No qualms, no justifications and no case at all for waging their illegal war other than the serving the masters of the monkeys on the Primate's back.

The guns and compasses are now set for Iran and we have it confirmed once again that the planet's two Terrorists in Chief were going to send British and American families to their deaths in a mission to kill between 30,000 to 100,000 Iraqi people, whether or not there was any legitimate reason for so doing.

For those that have been following the deliberate confusion by Western powers of the terms 'nuclear power' and 'nukiller weapons', Energy Bulletin explains in no uncertain terms why Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and anyone else who dares to abandon the might of the invented worth of the dollar, is always going to be next on the list for a bit of fundamentalist Christian terrorism 'freedom and democracy' until something changes very dramatically:

The Proposed Iranian Oil Bourse by Krassimir Petrov

The Iranian government has finally developed the ultimate “nuclear” weapon that can swiftly destroy the financial system underpinning the American Empire. That weapon is the Iranian Oil Bourse slated to open in March 2006. It will be based on a euro-oil-trading mechanism that naturally implies payment for oil in Euro. In economic terms, this represents a much greater threat to the hegemony of the dollar than Saddam’s, because it will allow anyone willing either to buy or to sell oil for Euro to transact on the exchange, thus circumventing the U.S. dollar altogether.

If so, then it is likely that almost everyone will eagerly adopt this euro oil system:

· The Europeans will not have to buy and hold dollars in order to secure their payment for oil, but would instead pay with their own currencies. The adoption of the euro for oil transactions will provide the European currency with a reserve status that will benefit the European at the expense of the Americans.

· The Chinese and the Japanese will be especially eager to adopt the new exchange, because it will allow them to drastically lower their enormous dollar reserves and diversify with Euros, thus protecting themselves against the depreciation of the dollar. One portion of their dollars they will still want to hold onto; a second portion of their dollar holdings they may decide to dump outright; a third portion of their dollars they will decide to use up for future payments without replenishing those dollar holdings, but building up instead their euro reserves.

· The Russians have inherent economic interest in adopting the Euro – the bulk of their trade is with European countries, with oil-exporting countries, with China, and with Japan. Adoption of the Euro will immediately take care of the first two blocs, and will over time facilitate trade with China and Japan. Also, the Russians seemingly detest holding depreciating dollars, for they have recently found a new religion with gold. Russians have also revived their nationalism, and if embracing the Euro will stab the Americans, they will gladly do it and smugly watch the Americans bleed.

· The Arab oil-exporting countries will eagerly adopt the Euro as a means of diversifying against rising mountains of depreciating dollars. Just like the Russians, their trade is mostly with European countries, and therefore will prefer the European currency both for its stability and for avoiding currency risk, not to mention their jihad against the Infidel Enemy.

Source: Energy Bulletin

Three years on from the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq and all that's changed is the last letter in the name of the target.

Will we ever learn?

http://antagonise.blogspot.co...

Blairwatch Interviewed on Democracy Now!

By The Antagonist

Remember how Primate Bush told UK President Blair he wanted to Bomb Al Jazeera in Qatar? Well, that particular office of Al Jazeera didn't /get bombed like the office in Baghdad did and now Daniel Mason, one of the Blairwatch coordinators of the Blogger campaign to publish the Al Jazeera Memo, should it ever materialize, is out in Doha, Qatar for a conference on Media and Power, Freedom of Expression and Political Manipulation.

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now caught up with Daniel at the conference and asked him to explain the intricacies of the story so far. From the Democracy Now web site:

"We broadcast from the headquarters of Arabic TV network Al Jazeera in Doha, Qatar - the place President Bush allegedly told Tony Blair he wanted to bomb. The report came out last November in Britain’s Daily Mirror, citing a secret British memo revealing that Bush told Blair in April 2004 of his desire to bomb the news outlet. Bloggers have pledged to publish the memo if it is leaked.

We speak with British blogger Daniel Mason, who has been tracking the story of the Downing Street Memo. [includes rush transcript]