Ask Maggie - Golden Globe Awards

Ugly Betty, Beautiful Brad !!!


Poured myself a little sparkling wine, cooked up a big bowl of low-fat, unsalted popcorn - and propped myself up on the couch to watch last night's Golden Globe Awards. http://www.hfpa.org/


Of course "Babel" won Best Movie - no doubt solely because of that scrumptious little Brad Pitt - right ladies? I mean, he's just so darn CUTE !!! That bright smile of his is to DIE FOR !!!

Tojo's

Opening night at Tojo's

And what a night it was!

Several hundred of Chef Hidekazu Tojo's closest friends joined him in celebrating the opening of his beautiful new restaurant - located at 1133 West Broadway.

The Pet Psychic

This 3 foot high "Lion with Ball" is in our living room.


One day, my wife brought this heavy duty 'sculpture' home - and here's why.


It seems our little pug "Tex" is truly an old soul.


Many times Mika and I have said Tex acts like a big lion in a little pug's body - always walking through tall grass, sleeping and stretching in the warm sunshine, protecting his family from crows, barking at clouds, chasing anything that moved, and pouncing on unsuspecting stuffed animals.

One day, Mika and Tex went shopping for treats, where she noticed a long line-up at the pet store's entrance. It seems there was a well known "Pet Psychic" who was holding a book signing at the store. Dozens of little old Kerrisdale ladies had brought their cats, dogs, budgies, snakes and goldfish in the hopes that this famous Pet Psychic could communicate with their pets - and tell each proud owner what their little Fifi or Fido was thinking, feeling, wishing......you get the idea.

Mika was politely making her way past this line-up, when the Pet Psychic lady shouted out at her "You....you with the little dog....come over here, I must speak with him!"

Pissing off all of the little old ladies who had been patiently waiting in line - Mika and Tex strode to the front of the queue. The Pet Psychic grabbed Tex from Mika's arms and gazed intently into his little brown eyes. Tex stared back just as intently. And then she held up Tex for all the crowd to see, and proudly proclaimed "This little Pug has a very, very large spirit - surely he was a great Lion in a previous life."

The Pet Psychic lady went on to exclaim "In this pug's past life he was a brave and noble leader, who endured great hardship while dutifully protecting his pride of lions. Coming back into this world as a little pug - one who is well loved and living a comfortable life - is his just reward!"

Tex and all the little old ladies nodded their heads in full agreement.

Years later, Mika walks through our front door with this 3 foot high lion "sculpture"- and it has held it's place of honour in our living room ever since. Tex is scared shitless of it.

And that's the rest of the story.

Dragons in the Garden

Here's today's Project 364 shot

Our home and back yard has a plethora of Buddhas, busts, folk art, pug figurines, faux sculptures, "original" paintings, vases, aroma dispersers, decorative candles, and many other strange and wonderful things that my wife brings home from her travels.

This is our dragon - who lives in our backyard garden, and protects our home from stray cats, raccoons and other nasty critters.

Ask Maggie - Sassy Scarves!

Accessorize - Accessorize - Accessorize

Hello my dear "Ask Maggie" readers - well, I'm all rested up from a wild and crazy 'hump Wednesday' - and have finally found some time to open up my mailbag.

A young lady from Canada (let's call her 'Janice') writes:

Maggie, clearly you are a woman of impeccable style" (I love this girl already). "Please tell me if you have any fashion secrets to share..."

Well "Janice", I can best sum it up in one word -"Accessorize - Accessorize - Accessorize".

To quote my good friend Olympia Dukakis in 'Steel Magnolias' - "The only thing that distinguishes us ladies from the animal kingdom is our ability to accessorize."

And what better way to jazz up your little black dress? - why, with a sassy little scarf of course!

Grace, Jackie, and Audrey all accessorized with fashionable scarves, such as those shown in the photos of this attractive young model (name withheld).

Whether you are enjoying a St. Moritz cocktail in the Suisse Alps....

.....or hiking high in the Chilean Andes (in your cutest summer skirt) ....

By adding a colourful scarf to even the most basic wardrobe you can make quite an impression on the locals.

But darlings - pleeeeeze remember this important tip: "Less is More". An excellent example of "accessory overkill" is also shown by our model (name withheld) in the photo below

Note how our model is wearing: 1) sunglasses 2) earrings 3) imitation camera 4) inexpensive camera bag 5) watch 6) two rings 7) a book? 8) and not one, but two scarves.

Lordy lordy, you would think that with all that stuff hanging off her, she would have remembered to wear a belt!

So girls, Maggie wants you to run, not walk, to your favourite boutique - and add a touch of femininity to your outfits. Just tell them that Maggie sent you.

Next week, Maggie gives "Josie" some advice on mixing and matching gold and silver jewellery.

Kisses.....

Maggie

Ask Maggie

Fashion is my Passion!

Hello darlings, there has been such an absolutely marvelous response to my column, that I'm just dog-tired and need to take a little cat nap before answering all of your wonderful questions.

Sweet dreams......

Maggie

Vancouver Windstorm

Breezy Day in Vancouver

So, I'm running out the door to get a haircut, and was thinking about leaving my camera behind - already breaking my Project 365 rule. I mean, who needs to take a picture of a haircut?

But, I went back inside the house - and grabbed the camera. The haircut was quite uneventful, but the trip home wasn't.

In the late afternoon, yet another blast of wind had levelled several trees in the Kitsilano area -plus a lamp post / banner on the Burrard Bridge blew down, obstructing rush hour traffic. Stanley Park got hit again as well.

Go Gators !!!

Florida Gators - BCS National Champions !!!

Didn't get out of the house Monday afternoon - 'cause the Florida Gators were playing Ohio State for the NCAA National Championship. Soooo...this is my 'shot of the day' taken from my couch.

Mika, Tyler and I lived in Gainesville FL. for a couple of years - and of course we became avid Gator fans (especially as this was the time when Emmit Smith was playing ball for U of F) - Tom even made it to the 'Swamp' to see Emmit and his fellow Gators play.

Ain't nothing better than watching an SEC game - no doubt the toughest conference in NCAA Div. I football.

Now, after kicking Ohio State's collective butt - the University of Florida Gators simultaneously hold the NCAA Basketball and Football Championships......GO ORANGE and BLUE.......GO GATORS !!!

Stanley Park

Today, Mika, the pugs and I decided to take a drive around Stanley Park, and see for ourselves the damage incurred during the recent high winds and heavy rains.

Although the east side of the park had many trees blown down in the wind, by far the most damage was on the west side, and in particular the Prospect Point area.

As a native Vancouverite - who for many years has walked, cycled, jogged and driven through the park on a regular basis - it was amazing to see just how many trees had been blown down!

Driving past Prospect Point, you can now easily see English Bay and West Vancouver from the road, and there is definitely a different 'feel' to the west side of the park. I think it will be even more noticable once the days get a little bit longer, and we see an increased amount of afternoon sunlight on the roadway, at Prospect Point etc.

This week, I'm going to visit our beloved Stanley Park, and take a few photos to share with my friends.

Ask Maggie - wine review

White Truck California White Wine 2005

In one word - Absolutely deliche, darlings!

I lapped it up!

A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and Pinot Grigio - and as the folks at Red Truck Wine (Sonoma) describe this little gem: "A crisp and refreshing wine, with lively grapefruit, gooseberry and orange flavours."

I also think the vintage 1958 Chevy Cameo on the label is very, very sexy! It reminds me of a time back in the early '70's, when I ran away from home and hopped a ride down to San Francisco - with this wild guy who was a dead ringer for Jim Morrison - but that's another story, right ladies?

Retails in Vancouver for about 16 little loonies....check out their website http://www.redtruckwine.com/

Go ahead girls, buy a bottle for yourself - and please let Maggie know how you and your honey liked it. And remember, if you have any other wine suggestions (under $20 please) I'd love to hear from you.

Kisses.....

Maggie

Ask Maggie

Introducing Maggie the Diva

From time to time, Maggie the Pug will provide the many readers of TommyWorld (especially you girls out there) sound and practical advice on shopping, dining, wine, fashion, health tips, travel, dieting, men and other 'naughty' subjects.

Maggie welcomes your questions - and promises to help guide her growing number of fans towards the path of good health, enlightenment and true happiness.

Go ahead, don't be shy....."Ask Maggie".

Those Damn Crows !!!

Every day of the year - just before dusk - our little pug Tex waits impatiently by his window for their arrival. And, like clockwork, they soon fly overhead.

Crows, lots of black crows, hundreds of them, maybe thousands - a veritable murder of crows - and all playfully cawing at little Tex below, who (in his loudest Pug voice) barks back "Damn you! Damn you to hell, crows!" But the crows just laugh his protests off, and continue on their eastbound journey to their evening roost.

Come springtime however, Tex the Pug plays an entirely different role - that of "Tex, the Great Protector".

A mating pair of crows return to nest in the tree directly outside of Tex's picture window - and by June one or two little baby crows are pushed out of their home, and helplessly flap around on the grass below. Now it is Tex's duty to bark at all of the neighbourhood cats that stalk the baby birds, barking as loud as he can "Damn you! Damn you to hell, cats!"

Tex's loud barking is also his signal for Mika and Tom to drop whatever they are doing and run outside to shoo away the cats - risking severe head injury from the dive-bombing Mom and Dad crows.

And soon, it is dusk again. Tex the Pug looks up into the twilight sky, and the Drama of the Black Crows begins anew. Damn!

Chicken Parmesan

Day 4 of Project 365

Okay, it's 9.00 pm and I still haven't taken my 'shot of the day'.....so I've decided to show a photo of my dinner - in honour of my close friend, Martha Stewart.

Several years ago I had the priviledge of escorting Martha and her film crew around our fair city - stopping at various Vancouver hot spots such as Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, La Casa Gelato and Tojo's Restaurant.

Martha and her crew were absolutely wonderful to work with, and we all look forward to her return to British Columbia, hopefully sometime in the near future!

So, back to the photo: This is a rather 'artsy' shot of tonight's dinner - Chicken Parmesan a la Martha Stewart. As you can see from the photo, this dinner is very simple to prepare, and tastes even better than it looks!

Here is the link to Martha's recipe for Light Chicken Parmesan - as featured in her January, 2007 issue of Everyday FOOD. http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe5420129&layout=edf&edfParentCat=cat17924&subStyleType=recipes&catid=cat17924

Also, a very special thanks to my wife for providing the following props in the photo: 1) Mika's original painting "Aurora Borealis" 2) Mika's high quality cement bust of some famous lady 3) Mika's arm.

Vancouver

January 3

Day three of my Project 365 - and I had to dash out the door at last light to grab this quick shot of the Vancouver skyline, from the south side of False Creek.

Mika, the pugs and I are very lucky to live in such a beautiful city as Vancouver, and having this view, literally steps away from our home is an added bonus!

Whatever happened to the 25 cent beer?

January 2nd

Day two of my Project 365 - so I took a stroll along memory lane (Main & Terminal) and dropped by my early 1970's haunt - The American Hotel.

Ahhhh...the good old days.

Quarter beers, cigarette smoke, beer soaked terry-cloth table covers, Doobie Brothers on the juke box, and who could forget the great 11.00pm fights? - and those were just the girls!

Unfortunately, I was also busted there for underage drinking - and now, sadly, the doors to the American Hotel are closed.

The ironic part of this photo is, back then we would have never imagined forking over $2.00 for a glass of beer.

Times change....

Black-eyed Peas

A New Year Tradition

Here's my first shot of 2007 - a 'lucky' Black-eyed pea (or bean).

Did you know that Cowpea is another name for the black-eyed pea? Do you care?

The Smithsonian Centre for Education and Museum Studies says (and I quote)...

"Black-eyed Pea (Vigna unguiculata unguiculata)"

"Black-eyed peas are an ancient African crop that spread from central Africa. Around 1700, slaves brought it to America. By 1903 George Washington Carver, the famous African-American agricultural chemist, was promoting black-eyed peas as excellent food for man or beast..."

www.smithsonianeducation.org/migrations/zoofood/kipea.html

So there you have it. Happy New Year !!!

Yeah, ...but we don't have to shovel it

As quoted from the Vancouver Weather Page, evening of January 1st - 2007 http://vancouver.weatherpage.ca/

Heavy Rainfall Warning for Greater Vancouver.....

Rainfall amounts 120 to 180 mm through Tuesday morning for West Vancouver Island. Rainfall amounts 50 to 100 mm through Tuesday afternoon for Greater Vancouver Fraser Valley and Howe Sound. A moist frontal system moving through the central coast will stall across northern Vancouver Island near noon. Heavy precipitation and strong winds are associated with this front. Southeast winds of up to 90 km/h have developed over the central coastal regions in advance of the front and will ease to southerly 30 to 50 km/h near noon behind the front. Southeast winds of 50 to 70 km/h have developed over the East Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast and will persist through this afternoon. Over the West Vancouver Island southeast winds 50 to 70 km/h this morning will ease this afternoon. Strong southwest winds of 50 to 70 km/h will pick up again this evening. Heavy rainfall is developing over the south coast as the front stalls. On the west coast of Vancouver Island 120 to 180 mm of rainfall amounts are forecast today through Tuesday morning. Heavy rainfall amounts of 50 to 100 mm are also expected for Greater Vancouver Fraser Valley and Howe Sound with the heaviest rain falling this afternoon through Tuesday afternoon.