Super Bowl snack turned up to 11

For all your Super Bowl needs.... the greatest Super Bowl snack of all time. I give this to you a day in advance as you'll need plenty of prep time. The house that clogged arteries and indigestion built. Hmmm... that is sort of like saying 'Ruth' when you think about it.



Enjoy the game.

San Dimas High School football rocks!

It takes a village idiot

Sweet American sports tradition.... Super Bowl, you are officially on notice.

On Saturday (today) the Idiotarod, a take on the famous Alaskan dog-sled race (note that extra ‘o’) hits New York. Brace yourself: instead of dogs and sleds, this one features humans and shopping carts. Expect to see hordes of outlandishly costumed meta-mushers running, drinking and sweating as they make their way to the finish line whatever way they can. The first team to cross wins bragging rights, but points are also awarded for dirty tricks, and cheating — say, liquoring up the judges — is encouraged. To watch the race, check the Web site for details. The after-party can smell like wet dog, but it’s still a really good time.

To read the rest of the article, click here: Olympics for Hipsters.

Source: The New York Times

N.B. - Be sure to check out the videos on the main Idiotarod site (linked above).

Photos so awesome that you will feel inadequate

Obviously, I'm not referring to my own photos. Check out 45 supercool motion blur photos at the always great Smashing Magazine. I think my favourites are the kid be swung, the dog running, and the train rolling off into the distance on the pier. Enjoy.

Best TV Shows of the 2000s

I recently finished watching season 2 of Rome on DVD (the series finished at the end of season 2, although there are some rumblings about a Rome movie) and it got me to thinking about my favourite TV shows of this century. I watched most of these shows on DVD, which is really a great way to watch TV shows. You can get really wrapped up in the show and, essentially, watch an episode (or more) every night until you've seen entire series.

[Note: I'm nearing the end of season 1 of The Wire and it will likely figure highly on this list once I've finished watching it. I think there are five seasons? Anyway, it isn't on the list at this point because it is still in progress. BTW, if you are like me you probably heard the description of The Wire and said, 'why would I ever want to watch that? It sounds unbearably bleak.' Well, if so, get past it and start watching. You will not be disappointed.]

On to my rules / guidelines:
1. The show had to be on since Y2K, and not just in syndication (i.e. Seinfeld is excluded even though you can still watch it every night on one channel or another)
2. A show that started before the year 2000 could be included, but its post-2000 episodes only would be considered. E.g. The Simpsons - arguably the #1 TV of all time, didn't make the cut because while it is still consistently good, it is no longer must-see TV. Some of its episodes this century have been sublime, but it doesn't consistently hit the high notes of the early to mid-90s (think: The Goodfellas episode).
3. Specific seasons of shows could be cited, if warranted (e.g. great season 1; poor subsequent seasons)

Here's my Top 10 Best TV Shows of this Century (so far):

1. The Sopranos
2. Arrested Development
3. The Office (UK)
4. Dexter
5. Six Feet Under
6. Rome
7. Friday Night Lights (season 1)
8. The Family Guy
9. Mad Men (season 1)
10. Entourage (seasons 1 and 2)

Other notables: Rescue Me, The Office (US), 24 (season 1)

I also asked my resident wine expert to provide a woman's perspective since her 2008 Valentine's Day Wine submission is still overdue, as is her '2008 Spring Wines' and 'Wines of Summer 08' offerings.... Here's her top 5:

1. Six Feet Under
2. The Sopranos
3. Dexter
4. Sex and the City
5. Arrested Development

There you go. A similar list for the most part, although we disagreed over a show that certainly appealed much more to women than men.

I recommend you get watching these shows if you have not seen any of them as they are all high quality. Will The Wire make the cut? Will it bump Entourage or will my perspective change and something else will fall out of the top 10? I'll provide an update later this year.

How to beat winter

Well, you probably can't sit in front of the fire all day-every day.... so, beating winter is really more of a case of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em". The key is to embrace and enjoy the winter. Kids love the snow, so be like a kid. Build a snow man (or a snow man army). Or be like a dog. Not as easy in the city, unfortunately. (click on pictures for full size)

Headphone culture meets advertising in head-on collision

Sony attempts to steal some of Apple's cool with this clever (although vaguely familiar) ad: New York by Walkman.

And NSW Australia preaches teen, iPod safety with these ads.

The Year of the Ox

Source: AP Photo/Vincent Yu

Happy Chinese New Year! Time for some Dim Sum.

Robbie Burns Day

Today is the 250th anniversary of Scottish poet Robbie Burns' birthday. It is a big deal in Scotland and around the world. For those of you who have never tasted haggis, I suggest you rectify that this weekend. It sounds disgusting but is quite tasty.

Burns is best known for his love songs/poems and, I would imagine, for Auld Lang Syne. His poems take on new life when read aloud. Here are a few links. Take some time to read a few of his poems aloud to a loved one. Add scotch, if necessary or if so desired.

• Robert Burns Country: the official Robbert Burns site
• The Life and Times of Robert Burns
• Ode to Robbie Burns - how to host a Robbie Burns party

Once again, my apologies to the ever game person who had to read 'A Red, Red Rose' at my wedding. You did great and it was wonderful.

A Red, Red, Rose

O my Luve's like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June:
O my Luve's like the melodie,
That's sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!
And fare-thee-weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile!

Time gentlemen, please

The Dundas Street West day in the sun seems to have passed, save for the area around Ossington (which is really more of an Ossington-thing than Dundas). From Martiniboys:

For a few seconds a couple of years ago, Dundas West had a would-be air. Bars like the Communist Daughter, the Chelsea Room, and Cocktail Molotov sprung up in quick succession, attracting tight t-shirters and vinyl enthusiasts. Well, it didn't quite work out. Cocktail Molotov is closed.

Your next favourite TV show?

One to watch: Fox's Sit Down, Shut Up, set to debut later this month.

Based on a popular Australian concept, the animated series was adapted by the creative team behind Arrested Development and boasts that show's principal cast regulars, including Jason Bateman and Canadian Will Arnett. The storyline follows a handful of terrible teachers at a rundown high school.

“Each character in the show is more or less modeled after the actor doing the voice,” said executive producer Mitch Hurwitz. “These people are known quantities.”
Even in rough-cut form, the version shown to critics here was hilarious.

Source: The Globe and Mail