New York Fries Poutine

Boy oh boy do I love poutine. It’s one of those foods that comfort’s you when you think about it or eat it. It was originally created by French-Canadians, and as such they believe the best poutine comes from Quebec. I don’t care where it comes from as long as it tastes good. One of my favorites is from New York Fries, a fast food restaurant here in Canada. To begin with NYF already makes the best fries, better than McDonalds… or better yet they’re both good in their own special ways. NYF likes to keep the skin on the potato which I think makes it taste even better. Now add to that the gravy and cheese curb and you have poutine. I also like to add some ketchup and make it a real mess. Once you dig your fork into the fries drowned in gravy, and as you lift the cheese gets all stringy, and you put it in your mouth and eat it; you are hooked for life my friend. Yum-O!

New York Fries website:

http://www.newyorkfries.com/

YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QgsDXvJDwI

McMini

I’m on a mission now that I thought of the other day; I want to try every new food item that McDonalds releases. I came up with the idea one day when I was remembering how good McDonalds Pizza was back in the mid 90’s. As far as I know McDonalds Pizza was only released here in Canada, and it only lasted about a couple of months. Needless to say it wasn’t very successful, but from what I can remember it tasted really good. Other tasteful memories that I recall were the Arch Deluxe and the McRib. So now that I have a blog I have decided to write an entry for all the new food creations that McDonalds releases. It’s sort of a diary page devoted to foods that probably will only be around for a short while before they’re gone for good. Case in point, the S’mores pie; it was only around for the Vancouver Olympics before it went away so I never got a chance to try it. With my new mission I now hope to try all this food that McDonalds releases. The first food item that I want to review is the McMini. It was first released on March 30th 2010 and sold for $1.99 Canadian. It comes in a toasted white baguette with mayo, you can choose between grilled or crispy chicken, and you can also choose between a Spicy Thai or Pesto dressing. I really enjoyed the texture of the baguette and the flavor of the sauces. My only complaint about this sandwich was how small it was for the price you paid. I would definitely recommend these McMini’s to anyone that wants to try a delicious chicken snack; warning them that it takes about 5 sandwiches to get full.


YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR_Y3wgaDZ4

Dragon Ball begins for me

What a glorious day it is today, for today I start my journey on an epic quest to view all the Dragon Ball series. I like to consider myself a fan of the series; however I never had the chance to watch every episode. Unlike other animated TV shows, Dragon Ball is a series that follows a continuity storyline from one episode to the next. What made it difficult for me to watch it many years ago was that it was only shown on TV and you had to watch it everyday to follow along. Even when you did watch it everyday, the channel that they would show it on (YTV in Canada) would not show every episode, and would constantly show repeats. Thankfully the internet has solved this problem by having websites that show every episode. This is convenient because you can follow along from story to story, watch it whenever you want, and can repeat any scene that you would like to watch again. While there are many links to the episodes online, the one that I am going to use is dbzremastered.com. I like it because the episodes are organized neatly, and when you view them they are nice and clear and don’t take much to load. So once again.. I am super psyched about starting this journey and I can’t wait to see them all.

Links to every episode:
http://www.dbzremastered.com/
another link:
http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/dragon-ball-videos-episodes-online-free
3rd link:
http://www.watch-dragonball.com/

i'm a barbie girl, in a barbie world

I am an E! addict, I love to spend the day keeping up with the Kardashians and Chelsea Handler on the network. My former favorite show was The Girls Next Door. When it was on the air, I loved watching the three very different girls - Holly, Bridget, and Kendra - navigating their lives in the Playboy Mansion. Always amusing to me was the conflict between Hef's (then) main squeeze Holly and his former paramour Barbi Benton. Holly seemed threatened every time she was in the presence of Barbi, which I think Barbi relished and expected. She knew that she was a part of the Playboy dynasty during a very crucial period for the magazine and the Hefner brand.

Barbi was the girlfriend of Hugh Hefner during the early 1970s, when Playboy was the ultimate embodiment of the swingin' sophisticated bachelor. It was during this time that Hefner had expanded the Playboy brand to clubs, merchandise, and essentially a whole lifestyle. He hosted the Playboy After Dark program and hobnobbed with celebrities like Ringo Starr and Roman Polanski. Barbi was only 20 years old when she met the 44-year-old magazine owner. When Barbi declined a date with Hefner because she had never been out with someone over 25, Hefner infamously replied, "Neither have I."

Though never a Playmate, Barbi appeared on several covers and in pictorials throughout her years with Hef. After their breakup, they remained good friends, cementing her role as a Playboy princess through and through.

Barbi is obviously quite pretty, with Jane Birkin bangs and her charmingly sweet smile. Her style evokes the innocence of the late 60s and early 70s that is seen with Britt Ekland, Birkin, and others.

Knorr Sidekicks Shakers

While at the supermarket one day I noticed that Knorr had a special offer. If you were to buy 3 Knorr Sidekicks side dish packages you could get a free pair of salt and pepper shakers. All you had to pay for was shipping and handling, which came out to $7.29. The shakers are the same ones that are featured in Knorr commercials. The commercial is about a salt shaker that is sad and walks in the rain because Sidekicks side dish packages now use less salt, so he is no longer needed. While it does seem like a sad commercial, it is also funny because Michael Bolton’s “how can I live without you” song is played in the background. The shakers took about a month to finally reach me, but they were worth the wait. They are nicely painted and are made in China. The salt shaker has the letter S and the pepper shaker has the letter P, while both carry the Sidekicks logo on the back of their green shirt. I also really liked the packaging box they came in, which features a drawing of each shaker in white on wood paneling. Although they are salt and pepper shakers I don’t plan to use them as such because I would much rather have them displayed.

Here is the link to the original commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYTkn1w8HUI

YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAI0enWC57M

Transformers Chevrolet Camaro: Bumble Bee

So I’m at the Auto Show this year because I got free tickets to go, and all I could think of was getting inside the new high-end models from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz. I love the smell of new cars, and of the attractive women the car companies hire to sell their cars. I made an effort to dress really nice so they’ll give me more attention, which they do. Despite being broke, I know how to clean myself up and look like I’m interesting. But being among so many luxury cars, the woman would have to take second place. Once you get inside one car, you have to try out another and another. I was taking pictures left and right of cars that I have always dreamed of owning. Then suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I noticed this bright yellow car that I just had to look at. To my surprise it was the new Transformers car that I had once read about in a magazine. I first looked at the wheels, and the rims had the Autobots logo in the center. I then stepped back and took pictures of the whole car, and of where the Transformers logos had been placed.

All I could think of was how freaking cool this was, and how I would love to own one. (I still don’t know if I would buy it to collect it as a toy and never drive it, or would it become utilitarian and use it for everyday use.) I then got up and brushed off a sales man and got inside this beauty. Inside of the car, there was more than meets the eye of Transformers logos everywhere. I think Chevrolet did an amazing job with this car, and I am very glad that they also decided to sell them to the public. The Camaro comes in either a V6, or V8 engine and can lay down an impressive 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds. As for me I’ll stay put and will have to settle for a Bumble Bee Camaro made by Hasbro for now.

YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmdPl7M7B74

look at me, who am i supposed to be? who am i supposed to be?

I return to the blogosphere well-rested and well-shopped after a spontaneous road trip to visit some of America's greatest vintage shops I've always wanted to go to. The excursion freshest in my mind is New Orleans, as it was the last place we visited.

First we went to Lili Vintage Boutique, an adorable store full of pastel prom dresses, silk nightgowns, and feather pillbox hats. I scored a great Armani poet's blouse with puffy sleeves and a high collar for $43, as well as a paisley mu-mu style dress that was probably stolen from Mrs. Roper's closet.

Next we ventured over to Retroactive, probably one of the most overwhelming store I've ever visited. Every inch of the store is covered with clothes, sculptures, and gadgets that you never knew you always wanted. If you ever desired a rhinestone and marabou feather headdress and four watchman devices, but you never knew where to look, I invite you to visit this store. I bought an autographed Debbie Harry-Pat Benatar poster that mashes up their faces, and a gold leopard print sweater.

The morning after I shopped 'till I dropped, we went to Brennan's, a very well-known restaurant famed for its delicious breakfast desserts. While visiting the washroom, I made friends with the attendant, a kind 82-year-old woman who told the restaurant patrons how to ward off negative spirits. As I spoke to her, she turned to another woman in the restroom lounge, and said, "She looks just like Hayley Mills, don't she?"

I've never been likened to this former Disney princess before, but I was intrigued. I've been told I looked like everyone from Jessica Simpson, Katherine Heigl, Linda McCartney, Quinn from Glee, Christie Brinkley ... basically any gal with blonde hair and a toothy smile. The Brennan's lady got me thinking about Ms. Mills and her four-decade career. From her start as Walt Disney's go-to girl during the early 1960's to her iconic portrayal of Miss Bliss (forever changing Saturday morning television), Hayley Mills was one of the first child actors to successfully transform herself into a legitimate grown-up actress. Her inclusion in John E. Green's legendary book Birds of Britain solidified Hayley's role in the Dolly Rocker Girl universe.

Image sources for Lili and Retroactive