Team Chinada competes in the Amazing Race in Banff. I wake up at 7am and jog over to Starbucks. It's raining outside and I get soaked. I return and Buck's
out of the shower and I quickly jump in. We begin the second day of competition in 23rd position at 7:50am. We get our 2nd clue and we run for a block
before we throw out our lattes. Buck's dressed up in all his rain gear, whereas I'm just wearing our Chinada uniform. Our first challenge is to run to the
Blue Canoe and we do a 1km canoe to get our next clue and canoe back. I suck canoeing. Though it was much more smooth sailing on the way back. Luckily
we didn't tip like one team did. The next clue is to make our way to the Banff Gondola located at Sulphur Mountain. We phone for a taxi and we move up
to 21st position. We take the Gondola up with two visitors from Australia who kept on asking if we were college students. We get to the top of the mountain,
but we have to run along the boardwalk up and down to we reach the Top of the World -- Sanson's Peak, a historical weather observatory. We had to take a
picture with four other people. Luckily two race teams were kind enough to wait for us, though we passed them on the way down. In the Gondola we change out
of our leggings and raingear and put on swim trunks. We have to go to Sulphur Mountains Upper Hot Springs located at the base of the gondola. I'm
already taking my clothes off as we get to the entrance of the Springs. Once in the change room I just take a 20 second shower and go into the pool where
I had to find our number on buoy -- I make up a lot of time by finding it on the third try. There's a quiz about Banff in the buoy and I don't even
dry off as I put my clothes back on. We race to the parking lot where there are pamphlets and information about Banff and its history. We make up some
ground and then we take a taxi to the stables where we work like they did back during the Wild West days. There are 5 tasks to be completed, the first
is hauling hay and stacking them in a pile of 6, which is easy, though I scratch up my legs quite badly. Second we had to transfer water from a bathtub
into a bucket using these tiny milk pourers. Third we had to pile horseshit into a wheelbarrow. We're such media whores as photographers keep on taking
pics of the only team with their own uniform. We use the blue Race t-shirt as a cape, and everybody calls us Superman. Fourth we had to lasso a hay bale
and knock it over. Fifth I had to get two ringers with horseshoe. We finish all 5 tasks very fast. Then we had to run to this station to pick up lunch and
build a wooden car and paint it. First we had to find all our pieces.
Then we had to go to Sundance Canyon. There one of us had to run, while the other one did a quiz. I run...but didn't know that it was 3.5 km each way. Once at the Canyon I had to run along the trail and find our poker chip number in one of the rubbermaid containers. Luckily I find it so fast, I was probably at the Canyon for all of 1 minute. Then I had to run back. Thankfully Buck was waiting for me. He had a quiz to do, and he had to find answers running up and down the boardwalk. We walk back down the mountain and pass where we got lunch to receive our next clue. We race through town to Banff High School to the DaVinci Code Cryptic Quest. We receive a sheet and have to go to 6 places around Banff - a tree, the cemetery, the fort, the gazebo in Cascade Gardens, cabin across from Brewster's Lodge, and a guy by the Bow River trail, and then 206 Banff street which was Luxton's house. Which was also the 6 letter word to open the Crypt. Inside the Crypt is a key which we take to the next challenge at Banff Elementary School. I had to run through the playground and open all these boxes with my key. There's a two letter code in the box, where I have to find in four kiddie pools. Each of the pools contained a nasty substance. The first was pasta which was soothing to my feet. This one took the longest, where I had to flip over rubby duckys to find our code. Next is a pool with mud and dirt which I find within the first 10 ducks, then it was the jello pool which is freaking cold cause it was made with ice. I jump out and let Buck jump in and within 5 seconds we find our duck. We run over to the last pool and it's ice water. I'm just about to jump out but I grab another duck and it's our duck. We finish this task very fast, the fastest so far of the day. We get our clue and it's the last challenge of the day. We begin at 7:50am and finish at 1:50pm. We start the last day of competition in 6th place and at 7:55am.
After returning to our hotel, we both just crash on our beds and turn on the TV. Luckily I am able to watch Roger Federer play and win in this third round match at the US Open. It's his 187 week as the No. 1 player, which surpassses the record held by Steffi Graf at 186. Lany and Derill come over and bring me a Starbucks. They leave and Buck takes a nap. A bit later I join Lany and Derill at Chili's for nachos and a Caesar. Then we make our ways to the Grotto which was nice and relaxing, though it stung in so many places were I have flesh cuts (from the hay) and blisters from my new running shoes.
The Chinadians and their supporter family make our way to the Buffalo Mountain Lodge for a fine dinner and fine wine. Unfortunately it's hard to ask for fine service.
The final race day begins with shuttles taking the teams to Two Jack lake. The first challenge is to solve the 27-year mystery in the Rubix's Cube. Unfortunatly I don't have that Asian brain to solve it, whereas other teams solve it in a minute or less. We take a one-hour time penalty before we're allowed to shuttle back to our hotel. Our cheerleaders in their outfits and pom-poms come along and cheer us on.
The next task is to pick up a Trak kayak at the elementary school and go construct it at Central Park. Once put together, Bucky's on the water. Chelsea and I are cheering him on, however once Buck gets the clue and rock, he turns around successfully, yet his kayak then tips. According to one race competitor, who kayaked on the Canadian National team, he says these kayaks are by far the tippiest ones he's ever encountered. The photographers and videographers are having a field day with Chinada in the water. Buck recovers and makes it back to shore and we disassemble the kayak quickly and a taxi's waiting for us.
Back at the elementary school, there are 7 team tasks: cross-country grass skiing, golf ball maze, roping a can, picture puzzle, compass creation, blindfolded snowshoe maze, and basketball hoops. We do all these tasks fairly quickly and catch up some time. We make our way to Ken Madsen's Trail and the Sally Borden Centre where we encounter a detour. Buck does Brave, which is rock climbing, whereas I do Brain, which is watching a video and answering a tedious quiz of 25 questions. The problem with this is that 8 of the questions are about color and we all know that I'm colorblind. On the final question I write down every color I can think of until Bucky writes down the one color I forget - red, the color of our uniform all weekend.
We receive the final clue and race back to the Protection Centre to the final pitstop. We finish 12th unofficially, though there should have been a couple teams who should have been disqaulified. I'm happy with our placing, even though we did lose 6 positions. I'm happy the winners, Wes & Angela, are nice people and they deserve the title of the first winners of the inaugural Race in Amazing Banff.
Team Chinada cleans up nicely for the awards dinner at Norquay Mountain. Though we didn't win the race, we had an incredibly fun and competitive weekend. We both very impressed with the organization of such a competition, and to do it in Banff is truly amazing. We're already planning on how to make our Team Chinada uniforms better for next year.
Don't you hate it when you have one of those days where you're so hungry and just want to have a decent meal, yet you can't get it? We make reservations for brunch at the Buffalo Mountain Lodge. Once we arrive, we wait for half an hour before we're seated. Then we sit there for 15 minutes without being served and then finally the waiter tells us that the kitchen is closed and they can only offer us the buffet. We get up and leave and go to Phil's. But we wait there for half an hour before we're seated. What was supposed to be brunch almost turns into drunch.
Traffic becomes worse, school zones come into effect. The day after Labor Day, the kids return to school. It makes me feel old when I think that Allana begins grade 2. She's so happy to be back in school because she loves her friends.
"No one could inhabit those acrobatic melodies and words like him. He lived the songs, his opera was a great mash of joy and sadness; surreal and earthy
at the same time; a great volcano of a man who sang fire but spilled over with a love of life in all its complexity, a great and generous friend.
Great, great fun, The Pavlova we used to call him. An emotional arm twister if he wanted you to do something for him he was impossible to turn down. A great
flatterer.
When he wanted U2 to write him a song he rang our housekeeper, Theresa, continually so we talked about little else in our house.
When he wanted U2 to play his festival in Modena, he turned up in Dublin unannounced with a film crew, and door-stopped the band. His life and talent was
large but his sense of service to the weak and vulnerable was larger.
We wrote Miss Sarajevo for him. He had worked on the humanitarian crisis that was the war in Bosnia. We travelled together on a UN air force flight to
Mostar... all of us earnest in hard hats, just about strapped into this industrial aircraft with the big man handing out parmigiano from Reggio Emilia,
"the best cheese in the world" he kept sayin...deadpan...to make us laugh.
In Pesaro, in his summer house, he lived an almost bohemian life with a recording studio set up in an out house - but did all his vocals in his bedroom...
there was a hammock hung between two marine pines for a siesta. He liked to eat, sleep and then warm up his vocals though I remember more eating than warming
up. When we first recorded with him I left a stone heavier than I arrived.
Intellectually curious, couldn't stick to his own generation - loved new ideas, new people, new song forms.
A sexy man whose life lit up again when he fell in love with Nicoletta and as he watched Alice play in the yard. He loved all his daughters so much.
The sadness of losing his only boy his only silence.
I spoke to him last week... the voice that was louder than any rock band was a whisper. Still he communicated his love. Full of love.
That's what people don't understand about Luciano Pavarotti. Even when the voice was dimmed in power, his interpretive skills left him a giant among a few
tall men." - BONO
Seven months after hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy, the Super Bowl Champions Indianapolis Colts take on the New Orleans Saints. The champions prove that they will be in contention this year, while the Saints march off the field. Drew Brees has a brutal game, though the Colts defense stands tall.
After the hottest summer on record, the weather has been somewhat peculiar. But I guess living in Alberta, the weather has always been quick to change.
Seven months after losing to the Colts, my New England Patriots return to the football field taking on the New York Jets. In Randy Moss' debut as a
Patriot, he receives 183 of the 297 yards Tom Brady throws. Ellis Hobbs also breaks an NFL record by starting the second half with a 108 yard kickoff
return touchdown. My Patriots are definitely looking good this year.
In his record 10th consecutive Grand Slam final, Roger Federer rewrites history as he wins his fourth consecutive US Open title. He is the second man to do so, and in doing such also wins his 12th major title, only two behind Pete Sampras' record of 14.
Britney Spears opens up the MTV Video Music Awards. In one of the most hyped up performances, she barely dances, lypsynchs badly to "Gimme More" and has
no WOW factor. There were rumours about a collaboration with Criss Angel and some magic, but all the magic quickly vanished as the television cameras began
rolling. The dancing by far is flat. Brit musters some very forced smiles on stage...she no longer has that commanding presence. Chris Brown, however, gives
an incredible performance dancing on tables. Though he lypsynchs, his performance is visually stunning, helped with Rihanna signing her Monster Hit
"Umbrella" & with a Michael Jackson "Billie Jean" interlude in his set. Justin Timberlake wins Quadruple Threat, Male Artist Moon Men.
The guantlet has been thrown. And 50 Cent has put his foot in his mouth. He says if his CD doesn't outsell Kanye West's, then
he'll stop performing. He better get happy in retirement. I only buy Kanye West's "Graduation" CD. But the spoiler of this feud actually might
be honky tonk Kenny Chesney as his CD comes out the same day. 9/11 - the 6th year anniversary of the worst act of terrorism...let's us not
forget and remember all the heroes that live among men everyday. After the first day sales, Kanye's in a huge lead.
Finally M by Mariah Carey reaches the shelves of Canadian Bay stores. After weeks of calling the department store, they finally receive the shipment and the perfume bottles are on the shelves. However they have yet to put up a launch counter, which the saleslady, will be done in the very near future. The saleslady also gives me a handful of sampler sprays of the perfume. The M by Mariah Carey scent, which the singer created with perfumer Carlos Benaim of International Flavors & Fragrances, is a floriental. It has top notes of marshmallow and sea breeze accord, a heart of Living Tahitian Tiare and gardenia and a drydown of sheer amber, patchouli and Moroccan incense. The cap is topped by Carey's signature butterfly. The outer carton features fluttering butterflies, with a front panel that opens to reveal the fragrance.
Beyonce returns to town solo for the first time. Originally the show was scheduled to be in Calgary, but their Saddledome couldn't accomodate her stage, so
Edmonton lucks out. I sang tickets in the 13th row for me, Anna & Marita. Being that it was my 20th concert of the year, I wasn't all that excited at the
beginning. And the crowd didn't seem that enthused...yet. But when Beyonce came up and the fountain of fireworks lights came crashing down, she made us all
"Crazy in Love" (pun intended). It definitely was a vanity show as is expected with divas. She looked great, sang great and danced great. I was surprised
she devoted a whole section to Destiny's Child songs, but I guess that's where the girl got her beginnings. I think the crowd was so little because it's
been a record concert year in Edmonton, and after Justin Timberlake, all the teenage girls must have spent their summer cash. I was happy to hear that we
got Beyonce instead of Calgary, but it's disappointing to me that Edmontonians weren't out in droves to experience Beyonce.
It's hard to believe that I've known Bev since she was 14. Now a decade later she's about to pursue her dream and attending fashion school in London. All the best to her. And design something interesting and fabulous for me.
The annual Joey Moss Cup gives Oilers fans a chance to see the team play a scrimmage during training camp. Tickets are $5 and all go to Joey's charities. This year, the game also unveils the newly designed RBK Edge jerseys. The introduction of the re-designed Oilers sweater comes in conjunction with the launch of the new Rbk EDGE Uniform System, adopted League-wide for the 2007-08 NHL season. Following more than two years of research and development, new uniforms are being brought in to enhance player performance and increase player protection and safety. The NHL and Reebok worked together to develop a new uniform system that uses improved materials that are more breathable, more resistant to water absorption and offer a greater range of motion. The Rbk EDGE Uniform System will be worn by all 30 NHL teams in their respective colors and designs. The introduction of this system for the 2007-08 season marks the first time in the history of North American professional sports that a uniform innovation has been implemented League-wide. Team Blue faces off with Team White. In the end Ales Hemsky scores a hattrick for Team Blue and his team wins 9-4 in a lopsided game. During the game, the Oilers' wives sell Joey Moss Cup pucks. Some of them are even autographed by Joey himself. Unfortunately I don't get an autographed puck. I actually give my puck to the toddler sitting in front of me...it's his first hockey game in person. The parents are appreciative but they are forced to buy a puck for their other son. I tell him to pick the autographed one...and he does.
During a week where the New England Patriot's coach Bill Belichick is fined $500,000 for filming an opponent's signals, the Patriots come out in force and prove what a formidable team they are. In a rematch of last year's AFC Divisional Semi-Finals, the San Diego Chargers could not avenge their loss. Tom Brady throws another three touchdowns, two of them to Randy Moss. On newstands now is V-Man magazine, with Tom Brady posing in a wet t-shirt and out of it. Yum.
Stewie and his pet dog from the Family Guy, open up the 59th Annual Emmy Awards with a musical tribute and roast to some of the big television shows. Terry O'Quinn wins Best Supporting Actor for "Lost," while "Amazing Race" continues it's lock on the Best Reality Competition Emmy to four years. 30 Rock wins Best Comedy Series and in its final swan song, The Sopranos capture Best Drama Series.
U2 offers up the first DVD release of the 1998 home video "PopMart Live From Mexico City," which was taped at the city's Foro Sol
Autodromo on Dec. 3, 1997. It was originally filmed on analog video but has been transferred to digital and optically enhanced for the new version. The
audio has also been remastered and mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound. In addition to a single-DVD set, "PopMart" will be available in a special limited edition
with a second disc featuring unreleased material. Among them are three live audio tracks recorded in in Edmonton, Alberta during my very first U2 concert
June 14, 1997 at Commonwealth Stadium. The songs are "Hold Me, Thrill Miss, Kiss Me, Kill Me," "Mysterious Ways" & "One."
The figures are in and Kanye West outsells 50 Cent by more than a quarter of a million CD's. Now if only Fiddy will announce his retirement. But he'll
be flaky and make another album. Kanye West's "Graduation" sells 957,000 copies, the most in a single week in over two weeks.
Since Angela has moved to town, this year we become subscribers to the Alberta Ballet. The first ballet of the season is Giselle. The National Ballet of Canada presents this haunting tale of love, betrayal and forgiveness captures the sensibility of Romanticism. Giselle is the story of a young peasant girl who is overcome with grief and madness by her lover's deception and, upon her death, is transported into the ghostly world of the Wilis, the spirits of betrayed young women. First danced in Paris 1841, it still remains a jewel in the crown.
I new a new hair style. Sophie says it's going to take three haircuts to perfect my new look. Am I getting a mullet? Hope not.
Can you believe Survivor is in its 15th season? Though the reality show has lost lots of its audience over the years, it finally comes up with a location that hopefully will draw back more viewers.
Mariah Carey said it only made sense to work for the Save the Music Foundation because music saved her. "Music has always been my saving grace," said Carey, accepting her award at the foundation's 10th anniversary gala at the Lincoln Center. "Like everyone growing up, my life wasn't easy," said the Greenlawn native. "I don't always like to talk about it in great detail, but music saved my life literally. Writing songs and singing is so therapeutic for me." The Save the Music Foundation, which donates instruments to public schools and helps fund music education programs, honored Carey, President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, former VH1 president John Sykes, who launched the foundation in 1997. Before the ceremony, Carey said she was very excited about her new album, which she says will be very "modern-sounding." She said she hasn't decided on a title yet for the follow-up to her multi-platinum comeback album "The Emancipation of Mimi," though Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid said he hoped to announce the title and a release date next week. In her acceptance speech, Carey said she was always thrilled when fans tell her that her song "Hero" saved their lives or that her hit "We Belong Together" helped saved a marriage. "I was often discouraged," she said. "Thank god, I never gave up." - NEWSDAY.
Since 1998, Mariah Carey has been instrumental in helping the VH1 Save The Music Foundation achieve their goals by volunteering her time and efforts in various ways. Mariah has performed at several benefit shows including the very first "VH1 Divas" in 1998 and has been active in raising public awareness about the benefits of music education during events such as NBC's "VH1 Save The Music Today! Week." In 2006, Mariah donated the Escada dress she wore in her Intel Centrino Duo commercial, which later sold at auction to benefit The Foundation.
In the opening sequence, Bart writes on the chalkboard, "I will not wait another 20 years to make a movie." Hurray! Simpsons fans will rejoice. Also in the opening credits, the family goes to the couch and Spider Pig is there, another reference to the blockbuster Simpsons Movie. In the premiere, Stephen Colbert guest voices a life coach coaching Homer.
The Buffalo Bills didn't stand a chance against Tom Brady & his New England Patriots. In week 3 of the NFL, the Patriots once again score 38 points, with 4 touchdown passes from Brady and 2 caught by Randy Moss. The Patriots defense becomes even better, allowing just a mere touchdown.
For the last time, Rufus Wainwright does the complete Judy Garland concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
Rufus Wainwright's full Hollywood Bowl setlist is as follows:
ACT 1: Garland Overture - When You're Smiling - Almost Like Being in Love - Do It Again -
You Go To My Head - Alone Together - Who Cares? - Puttin On The Ritz - How Long Has This Been Going On? -
Just You, Just Me - The Man That Got Away - San Francisco
ACT 2: That's Entertainment - I Can't Give You Anything But Love - Come Rain Or Come Shine -
You're Nearer - A Foggy Day - If Love Were All - Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart -
Stormy Weather (vocals by Martha Wainwright) You Made Me Love You / For Me And My Gal / Trolley Song (Medley)
Rock-A-Bye Your Baby - Somewhere Over The Rainbow (with Kate McGarrigle) - Swanee - After You've Gone (with Lorna Luft) - Chicago
ENCORE: Get Happy - Carolina In The Morning (vocals by Lorna Luft) - Someone To Watch Over Me (vocals by Martha Wainwright) -
Every Time We Say Goodbye - San Francisco (Reprise)
Tegan & Sara return to town to promote "The Con" and play The Winspear Centre for the first time. I have a third row ticket. Northern State opens. They're awesome girls from New York City.
Set List: Call It Off / Dark Come Soon / Like O, Like H / Floorplan / Nineteen / Burn Your Life Down / Speak Slow /
Walking With A Ghost / So Jealous / Monday Monday Monday / Divided / When I Get Up / Where Does The Good Go / Hop A Plane /
Back In Your Head / The Con / Relief Next To Me / I Was Married / Take Me Anywhere
Encore: You Wouldn't Like Me / Umbrella / Living Room
Tegan & Sara return to town to promote "The Con" and play The Winspear Centre for the first time. I have a third row ticket. 2nd show is added to the Myer Horowitz Centre and it's an all ages night. This second night I'm front row centre.
My age is showing and the wear and tear of work has been adding up. I'm suffering a bout of tendonitis these days. I will be wearing wrist guards indefinitely.
If Green Day bought back the rock opera to CD, then Julie Taymor brings back the rock opera to the screen. With 31 Beatles songs in "Across the Universe,"
the well-known musical classics make for an endearing movie of love. All you need is love. Bono even makes a cameo in the film as Dr. Robert singing "I Am
Walrus."
September 29th. To commence the 90th anniversary of the National Hockey League, the 2006/07 Stanley Cup Champions open a 2-game series vs. the Los Angeles Kings in London, England. The teams split the series, each winning 4-1.
Doors slam. Egos flare. Romance sizzles. Sardines vanish.
NOISES OFF follows an hysterically funny troupe of well-meaning actors and their stressed-to-the-max director as they bumble their way from the chaotic
dress rehearsal through to the disastrous closing night of their low-budget production of "Nothing On." Even the cast has some troubles. The lead actor
suffers a heart attack (he's recovering now), so an actor had to be called from Toronto. Plus another actor had to leave the show because of an illness in
his family. So with two new cast members and three rehearsals, the show must go on.
It's already the fourth season of Desperate Housewives. This year, a gay couple moves onto Wysteria Lane. But on the premiere, the audience learns of Edie's suicide. Yes she faked it. Lynette has the best reveal when she takes off her wig and she's bald. Susan is pregnant. And a new family moves back to to Wysteria Lane, and this family is where the big mystery will lie this year.
The M by Mariah Carey scent, which the singer created with perfumer Carlos Benaim of International Flavors & Fragrances, is a floriental. It has top notes of marshmallow and sea breeze accord, a heart of Living Tahitian Tiare and gardenia and a drydown of sheer amber, patchouli and Moroccan incense. An eau de parfum spray, M by Mariah Carey will be available in three sizes: 1 oz. for $38USD, 1.7 oz. for $48 and 3.3 oz. for $58. A 0.5-oz. parfum, $175, and a 6.7-oz. body lotion, $28, also will be sold. The bottle, created by Arden's Jean Antretter, is a lavender glass orb with a subtle wave design and a silver rope-patterned neck. The cap is topped by Carey's signature butterfly. The outer carton features fluttering butterflies, with a front panel that opens to reveal the fragrance.
