Thanks to my friend, Gosia, I was treated to an unexpected treat this evening. She sent a link to the following video out to some of us on her email list. I clicked to YouTube and within 10 seconds I was hooked.
Many of you may have already seen this video from Kseniya Simonova. She was on Ukraine's Got Talent and does she ever. She's 24 and created a series of sand pictures which depicted German's invasion during World War II.
I think it is amazing and in this day of short attention spans; I managed to watch for the whole 8 minutes. I would encourage you to do the same.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
A Barbie-licious Birthday
On Sunday night, I attended one of the best birthday parties I've ever attended. And, the best bit was it was a SURPRISE birthday party for me. I was caught off guard because like all surprise parties, there was a lot of secrecy involved. Also, my birthday was the last thing on my mind as I approached my Aunt's home. Remember,
My first thought was I wouldn't get to dress up as Barbie as I hadn't brought a change of clothes. Boohoo! I'd miss out on the dress up component of this soiree. Oh no! Thanks to my Aunt and her many visits to Value Village I had a wardrobe of clothes & accessories to choose from and felt right at home in my Barbie-wear. [I'll post all the outfits of the evening on my other blog.] However, I wanted to share some of the decor and silliness here that my Aunt Kathy had planned so perfectly.
Here's a few shots of the evening's antics.
All of my remaining Barbie stuff made an appearance at the festivities
(including the United Airlines airplane, bungalow and bathtub)
Here are a few of the presents & cards I received:
Did you notice the 41 year old princess card?
I received a new carry-on suitcase (I think it's my colour).
It's ideal for all my work travel
Turns out it's better built for Barbies than a laptop.
I also received a new matching handbag (backpack) and wallet.
My cousin embellished the wallet with small hearts
My family thought this sleeping bag would be perfect to keep me warm on all those Trans-Atlantic flights.
I'm tempted to pull it out on flight back to London on Virgin-Atlantic.
Given my reputation of being late for events, they felt an alarm clock was in order:
And even more Barbie themed gifts:
Other gifts included a foot-care & massage set (for the days out in heels),
a fun desk emoticon calendar and a Barbie Video.
Here is the dinner table with guests from the soiree:
This was a special glass for the Princess Barbie (moi).
In fact it was a glass from my grandparent's
50th anniversary over 30 years ago.
My Barbie Pink Cake
Now for the thank yous. I want to thank everyone for coming to my birthday party and playing along (i.e. dressing up, bringing their Barbie and sharing their Barbie stories). In particular, special thanks to Aunt Kathy for the idea and the organization of the party. Plus a call out to my very own Aunt Barbie (who also happens to have the same last name as Barbie and is married to her very own Ken-- how cool was I growing up?) for hosting the festivities at her home.
Finally, an artsy shot of me in my Barbie attire
PS if you loved Barbie's too, you might enjoy E's post about her Barbie collection.
PSS More photos from the evening can be found on flickr.
*sadly, Julie was sick; Al & Maggie were across the country. Yet, my other sister was there (E)
- I was visiting my Aunt's for dinner (natural event as I had not yet seen her since I had come back to Canada)
- my birthday was over 15 days away
- this year is NOT a big birthday
- it wasn't my birthday
My first thought was I wouldn't get to dress up as Barbie as I hadn't brought a change of clothes. Boohoo! I'd miss out on the dress up component of this soiree. Oh no! Thanks to my Aunt and her many visits to Value Village I had a wardrobe of clothes & accessories to choose from and felt right at home in my Barbie-wear. [I'll post all the outfits of the evening on my other blog.] However, I wanted to share some of the decor and silliness here that my Aunt Kathy had planned so perfectly.
Here's a few shots of the evening's antics.
Here's the amazing woman behind the craziness
dressed in her Barbie outfit:
yellow polyester pant-suit with wig (which no-one realized it was one)
dressed in her Barbie outfit:
yellow polyester pant-suit with wig (which no-one realized it was one)
All of my remaining Barbie stuff made an appearance at the festivities
(including the United Airlines airplane, bungalow and bathtub)
Here are a few of the presents & cards I received:
Did you notice the 41 year old princess card?
I received a new carry-on suitcase (I think it's my colour).It's ideal for all my work travel
Turns out it's better built for Barbies than a laptop.I also received a new matching handbag (backpack) and wallet.
My cousin embellished the wallet with small heartsMy family thought this sleeping bag would be perfect to keep me warm on all those Trans-Atlantic flights.
I'm tempted to pull it out on flight back to London on Virgin-Atlantic.
Given my reputation of being late for events, they felt an alarm clock was in order:
And even more Barbie themed gifts:
Other gifts included a foot-care & massage set (for the days out in heels),
a fun desk emoticon calendar and a Barbie Video.
Here is the dinner table with guests from the soiree:
This was a special glass for the Princess Barbie (moi).In fact it was a glass from my grandparent's
50th anniversary over 30 years ago.
My Barbie Pink CakeNow for the thank yous. I want to thank everyone for coming to my birthday party and playing along (i.e. dressing up, bringing their Barbie and sharing their Barbie stories). In particular, special thanks to Aunt Kathy for the idea and the organization of the party. Plus a call out to my very own Aunt Barbie (who also happens to have the same last name as Barbie and is married to her very own Ken-- how cool was I growing up?) for hosting the festivities at her home.
Finally, an artsy shot of me in my Barbie attirePSS More photos from the evening can be found on flickr.
*sadly, Julie was sick; Al & Maggie were across the country. Yet, my other sister was there (E)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Dancing Words Coming to a Screen Near Me
I often find myself peering over J's shoulder to see what's happening on his computer screen. Sometimes, I find it filled with designs for anything from chocolate to pitas to dog treats. Other times, I might get a glimpse of a travel company's brochure, signage for a gala event or even a dubstep video.
The last few days have been filled with dancing words for the Bach Festival in Montreal. I maybe biased but I love the idea and the execution. (Watch it full scren and turn up your sound to enjoy)
The last few days have been filled with dancing words for the Bach Festival in Montreal. I maybe biased but I love the idea and the execution. (Watch it full scren and turn up your sound to enjoy)
Montreal Bach Festival 09, English version from Jonathan Howells on Vimeo.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Stella Artois Ad Rips off Retro CBC Logo
Last weekend we spotted this poster in the Tube for Stella Artois. As an aside, I never drink Stella Artois as I was once told that it was rated the worst in blind taste tests. However, the purpose of this post is not to discuss its virtues rather this poster.
The ad as you can see is eye-catchingly retro. It even features a suave French gentleman who definitely pleases my eyes. However, that is not what grabbed our attention. Surprisingly, it wasn't even the classic car for J.
No, it was the old CBC logo that was included in the poster that got our tongues wagging. We just couldn't figure it out. Why would they take an old logo and cut it in to pieces and include it here.
It is the CBC logo isn't it? (here's the 70's logo). Am I missing the idea of the ad? Is it supposed to be recycling old logos? I doubt it. Who in the UK even knows what the CBC is. Any ideas about this ad? Anyone?
The ad as you can see is eye-catchingly retro. It even features a suave French gentleman who definitely pleases my eyes. However, that is not what grabbed our attention. Surprisingly, it wasn't even the classic car for J.
No, it was the old CBC logo that was included in the poster that got our tongues wagging. We just couldn't figure it out. Why would they take an old logo and cut it in to pieces and include it here.
It is the CBC logo isn't it? (here's the 70's logo). Am I missing the idea of the ad? Is it supposed to be recycling old logos? I doubt it. Who in the UK even knows what the CBC is. Any ideas about this ad? Anyone?
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Be A Maestro in B Flat
I think the moment this is posted, I'll realize I am about 6 months behind its discovery, but I don't care. I LOVE it.
A bit of background. I work in an office that loves to share. We share commentary (on anything and everything), jokes, websites, technology, DVDs, books, advice, opinions and everything else you can think of. Most days I ignore what is being passed from in-box to in-box. However, tonight I happened to click on what one of my colleagues (who rarely shares) sent around. There was no commentary associated with this link but I clicked anyway.
The link led to a page filled with YouTube video screens. There was a line of text which read "play these together, some or all, start them at any time, in any order"
So, I did. And, I loved what happened. I started with 3 screens and then quickly added another and another and another. Wow, I'm a conductor, DJ, producer all in one. So, not only did I get that good feeling of creating, it also gave me something to write about here which I haven't done in a LOOONG time (YYZ-LHR and the MOO Cryptic Quiz have been keeping me busy)
By the way this brilliant idea was conceived by Darren Solomen.
Could someone now break it to me and tell me how out of touch I am with this find.
A bit of background. I work in an office that loves to share. We share commentary (on anything and everything), jokes, websites, technology, DVDs, books, advice, opinions and everything else you can think of. Most days I ignore what is being passed from in-box to in-box. However, tonight I happened to click on what one of my colleagues (who rarely shares) sent around. There was no commentary associated with this link but I clicked anyway.
The link led to a page filled with YouTube video screens. There was a line of text which read "play these together, some or all, start them at any time, in any order"
So, I did. And, I loved what happened. I started with 3 screens and then quickly added another and another and another. Wow, I'm a conductor, DJ, producer all in one. So, not only did I get that good feeling of creating, it also gave me something to write about here which I haven't done in a LOOONG time (YYZ-LHR and the MOO Cryptic Quiz have been keeping me busy)By the way this brilliant idea was conceived by Darren Solomen.
Could someone now break it to me and tell me how out of touch I am with this find.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Better than I remembered
The summer before I started university, I worked at Lincoln Motor Inn in Niagara Falls, Ontario. This was 22 years ago (eek!), so I was rather excited to see that 1) Lincoln Motor Inn still existed and 2) it has a website. They've come a long way!
Having grown up close by and then working in Niagara Falls one summer, I've visited Niagara Falls probably 100s of times and I know I took them for granted. They are pretty impressive when you get up real close.
It's just that when people especially from the UK find out that I lived 15 minutes from Niagara Falls, they always seem in awe. Little do they know that after you spend 20 minutes looking at the Falls you then have to spend the next few hours in amusement hell on Clifton Hill surrounded by thousands of toursits. That's probably why I don't always think so kindly on The Falls.
So, when I saw this post today on Fubiz, my first thought was why would a cool site like Fubiz feature Niagara Falls on their site. Well I think the video shows that even amusement hell can be beautiful.
Having grown up close by and then working in Niagara Falls one summer, I've visited Niagara Falls probably 100s of times and I know I took them for granted. They are pretty impressive when you get up real close.
It's just that when people especially from the UK find out that I lived 15 minutes from Niagara Falls, they always seem in awe. Little do they know that after you spend 20 minutes looking at the Falls you then have to spend the next few hours in amusement hell on Clifton Hill surrounded by thousands of toursits. That's probably why I don't always think so kindly on The Falls.
So, when I saw this post today on Fubiz, my first thought was why would a cool site like Fubiz feature Niagara Falls on their site. Well I think the video shows that even amusement hell can be beautiful.
Niagara Falls in Motion from Matthew Wartman on Vimeo.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
A Day Out at the Seaside
A few weeks back J and I decided to do something we had been talking about for ages. We decided to be spontaneous and take a day trip down to the seaside. We've lived here 4 years and have never gone for a day on the beach. We felt it was high time we found out what the fuss was all about. We jumped on a train to Brighton and spent the day down relaxing on the stoney beach and checking out the fun and games of the pier. And of course a lot of great people watching. Here's a few shots that capture our day:
A great shot of the deck chairs we didn't rent. We went for the slightly cheaper option of our portable beach blanket which we purchased in the post Xmas sales and have been waiting to use.
Merry Go Rounds and Pier Shot (oh, and some woman in the foreground)
We had a few hour rest on the beach. Ahhh bliss.
Brighton Boogie on the Boardwalk. Seeing these dancers made me a bit depressed that we have failed with our Swing Dancing lessons. We'll have to get back on that horse again.
We helped another couple take their requisite postcard Brighton shot so they volunteered to help us. We had to oblige.
We tried our luck at the penny arcade. Of course I lost more than I won, but did cut myself off at £2. As always J was attracted to the Star Wars connection.
We took a short break after our try at gambling sitting in the *free* deck chairs (introduced in '84) on the Pier overlooking the big blue sea. The Pier was built in 1899 and is the second most visited leisure facility (hmmm interesting term) in the UK according to the Pier's website. If you want to get a real sense of tacky fun the Pier has to offer, visit their website and make sure you have your speakers on.
We checked out all the crazy rides on the Pier. However, we didn't partake.
We found a cute little oyster bar along one of *the Lanes* for a glass of champagne and early dinner. We loved the communal marble tables, dripping candle wax and of course the fish. What a perfect end to the perfect Brighton Day!
Fish decor inside Riddle & Finns.
And finally, the sunglass pose to prove it is sunny in England (sometimes - not as I type this post)
A great shot of the deck chairs we didn't rent. We went for the slightly cheaper option of our portable beach blanket which we purchased in the post Xmas sales and have been waiting to use.
Merry Go Rounds and Pier Shot (oh, and some woman in the foreground)
We had a few hour rest on the beach. Ahhh bliss.
Brighton Boogie on the Boardwalk. Seeing these dancers made me a bit depressed that we have failed with our Swing Dancing lessons. We'll have to get back on that horse again.
We helped another couple take their requisite postcard Brighton shot so they volunteered to help us. We had to oblige.
We tried our luck at the penny arcade. Of course I lost more than I won, but did cut myself off at £2. As always J was attracted to the Star Wars connection.
We took a short break after our try at gambling sitting in the *free* deck chairs (introduced in '84) on the Pier overlooking the big blue sea. The Pier was built in 1899 and is the second most visited leisure facility (hmmm interesting term) in the UK according to the Pier's website. If you want to get a real sense of tacky fun the Pier has to offer, visit their website and make sure you have your speakers on.
We checked out all the crazy rides on the Pier. However, we didn't partake.
We found a cute little oyster bar along one of *the Lanes* for a glass of champagne and early dinner. We loved the communal marble tables, dripping candle wax and of course the fish. What a perfect end to the perfect Brighton Day!
Fish decor inside Riddle & Finns.
And finally, the sunglass pose to prove it is sunny in England (sometimes - not as I type this post)
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