According to the Weather Network, it’s going to feel like 48C in Toronto today. Probably even hotter if you’re stuffed like sardines, in the subway, and someone’s literally breathing down your neck!

(For everyone else not located in Southern-Ontario, count your blessings. 🙂 )

To cope with this heatwave, here are some ways to beat the heat!:
1. Stay Hydrated. If you’re into bottled water, load up that fridge! If you’re heading out, don’t forget the water;

2. Stay in the Shade. I just saw a news story about how the beach was going to get busier this week with the heatwave. I don’t know about you, but lying exposed, on sand, which feels as hot as asphalt, doesn’t cool me off!

Ideally, stay indoors where there is air-conditioning. Think mall, library, recreation centre, grocery store…near the freezers, etc.;

3. Avoid Strenuous Activity. Not only will it be hot, but it will also be humid. And many people, in this kind of humidity, often find it difficult to breathe. So overexertion is not recommended;

4. Draw The Blinds. Sun adds heat, so even with the AC on, it’ll feel hot;

5. Don’t Turn On The Lights…if it’s not necessary. If you need the lights, use a light source with an energy efficient bulb that doesn’t produce as much heat;

6. Unplug That Digital Cable Box. Also make sure that there isn’t anything on top of it. Last week, it literally felt as though someone turned up the heat in my room. As I was trying to go to sleep, there was a loud humming coming from my cable box, so I got up, and unplugged it et voila! The room instantly felt cooler;

7. Use A Ceiling Fan. If, like me the AC doesn’t seem to quite reach the room you’re in, which has a ceiling fan, turn it on to help circulate the air! Just make sure you turn it off when you leave the room to save electricity;

8. Wear Light-weight, Looser Clothing. This is no time for spandex or polyester, people! I’m talking about natural fibres like linen and thin cottons that drift away from the body.

Gosh, do I feel sorry for people who have to wear uniforms or suits;

9. Take A Cold Shower! After you step out, skip the blow dryer. Semi-wet hair will keep you cooler for longer;

10. Go Easy On The Makeup. Ladies, when it’s this hot out, you’ll want to adjust your makeup routine. Instead of full coverage foundation, try a tinted moisturiser.

I’m a big fan of Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15. You may lightly dust some sheer powder over your moisturiser to avoid getting shiny, and;

11. Head To The Basement. If you’re fortunate enough to live in a house with a decent basement, sans creepy crawlies, consider camping out with the family ’til the heatwave’s over. Remember, heat rises, so it’ll be folds cooler down in the “dungeon”.

Now the part that I’m bad with is planning activities to do when it’s hot out.

What kinds of things do you like to do to beat the heat?

If you haven’t heard of Montreal’s Zombie Boy (Rick Genest) he was recently discovered via Facebook.  He opened the Thierry Mugler Fall 2011 show during Paris Fashion Week. and was also featured in Lady Gaga’s Born this Way music video. Genest is the  star in the Mugler Fall 2011 ad campaign.

When I saw the Born this Way video I just figured they both were painted to be zombies. I never for a second thought he was heavily tatted.  I can’t even begin to fathom how much a nose tattoo would hurt.

Currently he is working on his legs to finish the “project.”

Want to follow his career? Click here to like him on Facebook.

What do you think art or just plain creepy? I think hes made himself a work of art, but by the time he’s 80 he might be downright (more) scary looking.

(Or rather Limited-Speed Motorcycles, LSM, according to the Ministry of Transportation.)

With gas on the rise, mopeds have become increasingly popular. This popularity is especially noticeable while driving within the city. It’s literally Cars Vs. Bikes, Scooters, Jaywalkers, and sometimes, even electric wheelchairs!

To add to the tension, currently in Toronto, cyclists’ space is shrinking, with bike lanes are being axed, resulting in even less space for these greener, alternatives methods of transportation. Thanks, Rob Ford!

With the increased use of LSMs, there doesn’t seem to be any clear-cut rules as I’ve seen them both in the bike lanes as well as the road with vehicles.

(In the suburbs, one scooter whizzed right by me, helmets on and everything, while I was walking…on the sidewalk!!!)

According to the Ministry of Transportation, LSMs, should be driven as a vehicle and not on the bike lanes. Cyclists, I’m sure that this is welcomed news as it’s one less thing for you to deal with! And Motorists, if only these LSMs weren’t as limited in their speed!

One last group that I wanted to address, anyone operating Electric Wheelchairs. For the most part, you follow the rules, travelling on the sidewalks. However, for that one gentleman in my area who likes to tempt fate, please stay off the bike lane!

This photo is quite provocative, but I think it sends a clear message that a car, during the Summer, is no place for your pet!

According to my local Animal Services, the police is the proper agency to report pets that are left unattended in hot cars. Animal Services don’t have the authority to gain access into vehicles. Animal Services will only show up if the pet is in distress.

Would you leave your baby, alone in your car while you shopped? So this Summer, especially since it’s going to be a particularly hot one, please leave your pets at home!

I’ve eaten about 5 times at Moxies over the years.  Apparently it’s always been too dark to see because until last night I never realized how revealing the waitresses dresses were.  This particular location was in London Ontario.  I ate my dinner watching the waitresses saunter  back and forth. They were all barbiesque looking women, long hair,very skinny, some had breast implants, the dresses were very low cut, and their panties were just about to show as they were cut so short. 

Ok I get it, sex sells. But I was pretty sure I hadn’t stepped into Hooters, that would be a given.

While of course I thought about what if someone didn’t have a perfect body wanted to apply? I was also curious why the men weren’t being objectified.  Why didn’t they have to have hot bodies and muscle tees on? In fact the men working were just average skinny guys.  I realize this must be Moxies thing, but why not the men too?  Also I didn’t see a single girl in there with more then an ounce (give or take) of fat on her.  Have they been charged with discrimination before?  

I’d love to read your thoughts on this.  Of course I’m not saying I hate it there, I would of gotten up and walked out if that was the case.  It simply raised  some questions. Am I not their target diner? If so then why was the majority of diners 25-60 year old women.

After I wrote this piece I did some more digging and found this quote from a Sun article.

*To be sure no ‘uglies’ even got an interview, Hawker said he and other front of house staff were directed to screen applicants coming through the door at Moxie’s, and mark resumes with a “110″ (one-ten) if they were unattractive. It’s an internal code for “do not call,” he said. (Put a diagonal line between the pair of ones and it forms ‘NO’).  Toronto Sun

Hmmn… maybe this chain won’t be my next choice..

Recently, I freaked out on my bf after he cracked open a plastic water bottle…at my house. Yes, I did purchase the case, but it was solely meant for a road trip AND other “emergencies”.

Suffice to say, I hate the idea of bottled water. When did drinking tap water become uncool or unsafe for that matter? I grew up drinking tap water and the last I checked, I didn’t sprout an extra limb! So how did bottled water become the latest rage??

(If this post was about exploring how bottled water became popularised, the quick answers would be FEAR and CONVENIENCE. Instead, I want to talk about the alternatives.)

To steer away from bottled water, I try to drink water that has been previously boiled from a kettle. On the go, I’ll use a stainless steel canteen, filled with boiled water OR cooler water at work. <– I hope that’s filtered!

Lately though, I’ve gotten lazy to wash/air-dry the canteen. In addition, I’ve dropped it a few times, so it’s all dented, and doesn’t stand up properly. Furthermore, the plastic around the lid has cracked, so it’s not going to last much longer.

Recently, I discovered a relatively inexpensive solution, the water bobble! Designed by a Canadian, and probably one of the most famous industrial designers, Karim Rashid, the water bobble looks like a plastic water bottle, but it comes with a colourful spout that doubles as a carbon filter.

I’ve been using the bobble for about 2 weeks now and here’s my pro/con list:

PRO
– Unlike boiling water, the bobble can be used instantly…just fill it with water straight from the tap. Yeah, I can finally drink cold water without hours of refrigeration!
– Makes me drink more water
– Cheaper, more green than bottled water
– 1 filter = 300 water bottles
– BPA-free
– Lightweight
– Doesn’t leak
– Great for travelling, especially at the airport. Arrive with it empty, fill at the water fountain after customs

CON
– Probably not a good idea to use hot water or water enhancers such as slices of fruit, green tea with this product
– 3 sucks = 1 gulp for me. The suction system doesn’t dispense enough water…without a lot of effort!
– The packaging states, “Do not use where water is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality”, so it’s no miracle worker!
– Uncertainty of when to replace filter. Do I just guestimate how many times it’s been used before buying a new one?
– Bottle and filter (~$7) do eventually have to be replaced at a cost

The pros definitely outweigh the cons, so the bobble is a good addition to any lifestyle!

How do you drink your water?

I remember my mom making this for me as a child.  I’ve posted the cook and no cook method.  Generally the cooking method yields better results.  Cream of tartar is optional but makes the playdoh more elastic like.

Cook Method
3 cups flour
1.5 cups salt
6 tsp. cream of tarter
3 tbsp. oil
3 cups water

Put all ingredients into a large pot. Stir constantly over medium heat until a dough ball forms when pulling away from the sides. Knead dough 1-2 minutes until the texture matches playdoh. Store in a reusable plastic container. Will last about 3 months.

Non Cook method

1/4 cup salt
1 cup flour
1/4 cup water

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl then add water. Knead and squeeze the dough to make a clay like texture. You may need to add more water. Note, this playdoh will not last long.

For both recipes above you can add food colouring, and even scented oil if you wish. I would make sure your child does NOT put the playdoh in his/her mouth if you decide to use scented oils.

Happy Canada day everyone! I hope your weekend is filled with fun and relaxation. Please do not drink and drive.

O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all thy sons command. With glowing hearts we see thee rise, The True North strong and free! From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Ô Canada! Terre de nos aïeux, Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux! Car ton bras sait porter l’épée, Il sait porter la croix! Ton histoire est une épopée Des plus brillants exploits. Et ta valeur, de foi trempée, Protégera nos foyers et nos droits. Protégera nos foyers et nos droits

O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all thy sons command. With glowing hearts we see thee rise, The True North strong and free! From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Ô Canada! Terre de nos aïeux, Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux! Car ton bras sait porter l’épée, Il sait porter la croix! Ton histoire est une épopée Des plus brillants exploits. Et ta valeur, de foi trempée, Protégera nos foyers et nos droits. Protégera nos foyers et nos droits

credit for lyrics.

You’ve read the news stories about people being misguided by their GPS system, ending up in the middle of nowhere, fending for their lives by eating melted snow and berries off trees. Well, that sort of happened to me, not in the Survivor-sense, but more of the frustrating-whadda-waste-of-time way!

This weekend, during a day-trip to Buffalo, I came prepared with the addresses of all the malls, grocery stores, and restaurants that I wanted to stop at. Furthermore, to save time, I pre-programmed all these addies into my Garmin. So everything should be easy-breezy, right? WRONG!

On the way to Walden Galleria, the exit to the mall was closed, due to construction. So there was a detour which was clearly marked, unlike some of its Canadian counterparts. Anyway, I followed the GPS’ instructions and after various highways/residential streets we were finally at the mall. The trip seemed roundabout, taking longer than it should’ve taken!

In between stops, I had the same feeling: Is this really the quickest route possible? Why is this thing taking me on/off the highway, through a neighbourhood, and then back onto the highway? Either Buffalo has the worst city planning or Garmin was testing my patience…big-time!

On the way back home, even after several restarts, the GPS was stating that it would take us 12 hours to get home! Sheer panic set in and the driver, pulled over at the nearest gas station, in which I jumped out of the car and asked for the directions to the border. Sure enough, it was in the complete opposite direction than what Garmin was telling us.

After seeing the price tag of $49.99, I hadn’t updated the maps in my GPS. (Has anyone updated their GPS, yielding better results?) So was this the reason why I was being mislead? Or should I just buy a new system, for just over $100?

Yay! Mail will be back in full force Tuesday.

Canada Post to Resume Operations Monday
2011/06/26

Canada Post has initiated the process to resume operations following the passage of back to work legislation (Bill C-6, An Act to provide for the resumption and continuation of postal services). In accordance with the Act, employees will begin to report to work for their regularly scheduled shifts on Monday June 27 and on Tuesday June 28.

Canadian consumers and businesses can expect to start receiving mail on Tuesday, June 28.

Post offices that were closed will start to reopen on Tuesday and resume regular operations.

All mailboxes will be unsealed starting on Monday and ready to receive mail as soon as possible.

We regret the impact of the work disruption on our customers. We will move as quickly as possible to process and deliver the mail.

With unprocessed mail in the system and accumulated mail received from other countries that has not yet entered our system, it will take some time to stabilize our operations and to return to our normal delivery standards. Any mail in the system at the time of the work disruption has been secured for processing and delivery.

Canada Post will be working with large volume mailers within 24 hours after the passage of legislation to support an orderly and effective induction process. Mail pickup from commercial customers will resume on Tuesday June 28.

We thank Canadians for the patience they have shown throughout this labour disruption and are asking for continued patience as we restore our network to normal delivery standards.

Canada Post consumer update

Well, now that summer is underway the countdown to Christmas can start.  Only 6 months ’til Christmas.  I know at least half of you have already started shopping!

Have a great weekend everyone.

(And please don’t say, “crisp”! 😉 )

I am at a “coffee crossroads”. After a terrible cup of Joe this morning, using a stovetop espresso maker, some changes have got to be made. I’ll admit that I chintzed out on the coffee, pre-ground by President’s Choice. So I’m sure that a bulk of my issue stems from the grinds themselves!

Despite the sub-par grinds, the espresso maker itself leaves some kind of an aftertaste, so I need a new brewing method. I am the core coffee drinker in my house, and lately, I find that it is even difficult for me to go through 0.5lb bag within the 2 weeks that it remains “fresh”, after opening. <– This is according to a friend who is a manager at Starbucks.

So keeping this all in mind, what’s the best way for me to brew fresh coffee? In addition to better beans, should I switch to a Bodum, brewing 1 cup at a time? (Cleaning all those soaked grounds is sorta gross!) Are Keurig/Tassimo machines cost-efficient in the long run, factoring in the cost of those discs? (I am also skeptical that fresh coffee can come out of those sealed, preserved pods.) As the lone drinker in my house, it’s safe to say that an industrial size, expensive, Italian-made coffee machine that grinds/brews is out of the question!

So to all the coffee drinkers, how do you ensure a perfect cup for yourself?

Happy Fathers Day to all our great Canadian Dads out there!

All over the internet an interesting picture is circulating that was taken at the riot last night ( that obviously wasn’t because of hockey 😉 ) Apparently the couple were heavily kissing during the riot.  There is lots of  speculation that the photo was photoshopped  or staged. Some say that the tear gas made them randy.  What do you think?

The first thing that popped into my head was “who wears short shorts?”

CBC is on the hunt for the couple, click here for the full article.

Out of all the things we could have legitimately rioted about over the past year, from metered Internet Caps to introduction of HST to G20 Police brutality, losing a hockey game is what got the riots going?

[image from cbc]