RATE IT! Hallowe'en Hamm

Tomorrow night's episode of 'Saturday Night Live' has all the ingredients to make it a season stand-out.


Third-timer, Jon Hamm -- Don Draper of 'Mad Men -- will be stepping up to host. Unlike the ad man he portrays in his day job, Jon has instinctual comic timing, and is game for pretty much any embarrassing situation the SNL cast dare to concoct. Sergio, anyone?


And it's Hallowe'en!!! Well, Hallowe'en eve. I'm guessing that Bill Hader's Vincent Price will make an appearance... and the last time SNL's Hallowe'en show had Hamm as host, the VP skit was a scream. More, please!


Who needs trick or treating when SNL is gonna be so ghoulish to watch?

RATE IT! Shannen Doherty

Before Lindsay, Britney or Paris were falling over in Hollywood behaving badly, we had 90210's Shannen Doherty.  


Boring Brenda on our TV screens, but wild child in real life, Shannen has done a Tori Spelling and is releasing a book next week titled 'Badass: A Hard-Earned Guide to Living Life with Style and (the Right) Attitude.' 


As an old school 902010 fan - don't even talk to me about that new CW crap - I'm hoping that Shan dishes the dirt about her days hanging out at the Peach Pit, and snogging Luke Perry. We need some early '90s gossipy nostalgia, like now please! 

HATE IT! Port-a-Pug

Remember the cardboard baby gifted to Charlotte on 'Sex in the City'? Remember her reaction? 


Well, for us dog lovers... here's our canine equivalent. Port-a-Pug.


Anyone who would find this oh-so-hilarious should never own a pet in the first place. 


File under "just plain dumb" - or better yet, chuck it in the circular file where this waste of money belongs. 

RATE IT! Stefon

Have you met Stefon? He's been a semi-regular guest star on SNL's Weekend Update, offering tourist advice for NYC. Freaky tourist advice! Check out his appearance last Spring -- unfortunately his visit this past weekend hasn't landed on YouTube as of yet, and NBC's website is geo-blocked outside of the US -> BOO!

RATE IT! Back to the Future

Happy Anniversary to the 'Back to the Future' movie franchise! Twenty-five years young today. 


The trilogy plus a bunch of special edition goodies - including a 6-part documentary - make up this restored box set released today.

RATE IT! Gab & Dad.... er, Guest!

Gabby's back with her latest movie review, "Paranormal Activity 2".

But...where's Dad? Too scary for him? 

HATE IT! Taylor, How Could You?

If the most recent People magazine is to be believed, America's singing sweetheart Taylor Swift had a dalliance with serial shagger, John Mayer. 


Am I the only one put off by this news? Taylor seems so young and naive, while John Mayer with a list of conquests to make any guy blush, is just a horrible womanizing creep. Opposites attract, I guess.


Oh, and if you're easily bored by Taylor's 'Untold Story' you could always lose a few brain cells while you persue Kim Kardashian's multiple birthday bashes. 


Kill me now.

RATE IT! United Turkish Delight

Turkish Airlines have taken flight as one of the latest sponsors of Manchester United. Here's their new commercial featuring the team in some in-flight hi-jinx.


With the latest news about Wayne Rooney wanting to leave the team, was it a bit of foreshadowing that he's the player who kicks the ball in the unwise direction of United legend, Sir Bobby Charlton? Whoops!

RATE IT! Cut the Rope

Attention iPhone and iPad app game addicts -- a new challenge is awaiting! If you're searching for a game to sever your affections for the hugely popular 'Angry Birds', 'Cut the Rope' just may be IT!


Chances are, you may already have this adorable yet addictive game lurking on your device - it's currently sitting pretty atop the iTunes game charts with other a million users - but in case you missed its quiet debut, here's the scoop.


Cut the Rope stars a little green monster called Om Nom. He's tiny and cute, but is in possession of a huge appetite for candy. Your quest, should you accept it, is to satisfy little Om Nom's sweet tooth, and keep him happy. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Well, not so fast... the premise is easy but the execution is a tad tricky.


Om Nom is stuck in a box... special delivery sat on your doorstep. You must get inside his cubic surroundings to feed him the candy that he so desperately craves. Dinner time wouldn't be so difficult if the treats weren't attached to a multitude of ropes - a ha! Get it? Cut the Rope? Now you know what you must do! 


Race against meddling spiders, avoid razor-sharp barbs, and make friends with balloons and bubbles -- and if you can catch a clutch of glowing stars along the way, you'll be Om Nom's best buddy. But remember, your main task is to feed those sweet candy morsels to Om Nom - or else!


Cut the Rope is incredibly addictive. I rarely play games on my iPhone but this one will convert even the most fair-weather of players. The animation is top notch and the soundtrack is worthy of a Pixar release. You would be hard pressed to find better value for $0.99!

RATE IT! Photobooth Dogs

I'm in love with this new book, 'Photobooth Dogs' by Cameron Woo. 


Over 100 pages of doggies in old school photo strip glory - none of that fake Mac photo booth junk. 


It's inspired me to find a local booth in order to capture Zoey in such a unique and cool way.

HATE IT! Bedbugs 'n Things

Are you bugged? I am!


I'm certainly not the first person - nor the last - to get grossed out by all the bed bug hysteria swirling in the news as of late.


I tweeted about the excellent but gruesome Bed Bug Registry a year ago, and have made a conscious effort to be extra diligent on my travels so that I don't bring any of these hitchhikers home. Every day a new victim shamefully steps forward, and even the big boys aren't immune (Niketown, Victoria Secret, the Wall Street Journal, Howard Stern and the latest -- the Lincoln Centre -- all in NYC -- have been invaded by these suckers.) Equal opportunity life destroyers, these bugs.


And now... there's an app for that. Seriously. New this week in the iTunes app store: Bedbugs 'n Things. The first social media app to bug out in a major fashion. For $0.99, you can become familiar with their ugly little mugs, their hangouts and their damage (ouchies .... those bites look NASTY! Definitely gonna leave a mark...).

Any tool that can help wage the war on bed bugs, I'm all for, but an iPhone app - seriously? Even I, with my obsessive need to know where the latest infestation has exploded, will not purchase this app. I don't want a reminder of their carnage on my iPhone alongside my Twitter, Tetris and Shazam apps. My iPhone app territory is a happy place - and bed bugs aren't invited.


Besides... the monicker "Bedbugs 'n Things" reminds me too much of the now defunct retailer "Linens 'n Things" -- somewhat fitting, don't you think? Strange bedfellows, indeed!

RATE IT! Cassette iPhone Cover

Give your iPhone some retro flavoured personality with this kooky cassette iPhone skin. Genius!


Looks like a real cassette -- and the cover is housed in a proper clear cassette case.


Keep hold of the old days (and your iPhone/iPod) thanks to I Want One of Those.

RATE IT! Gobble Gobble

Today, Canadians will down untold numbers of juicy turkey drumsticks, and slices of spicy pumpkin pie (with whipped cream!) in celebration of our annual Thanksgiving. 


My advice? Be sure to wear your comfy trousers with the elastic waistband to enable all this consumption. And if you REALLY want to get in on the holiday action... this accessory, an oldie but goodie is BACK! It must be as crowd pleasing as your aunt's homemade cranberry sauce because it's available for sale for the 2nd year running - at least! 


The turkey hat -- always a winner (apparently!). 


Happy Thanksgiving, my fellow Canucks!

RATE IT! Gab & Dad

Fresh from last month's Toronto International Film Festival or as us locals call it "TIFF", Gab is back - sans Dad - to review "It's Kind of a Funny Story", in theatres this week. 


See The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis play crazy -- is it really a stretch? Watch and find out!


And for more Gab & Dad, subscribe to their YouTube channel. You know you want to!

RATE IT! Record Collection

If you're a music fan  -- especially a connoisseur of current British releases (Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Robbie Williams) -- you will be very familiar with Mark Ronson. Producer, DJ, jaunty man about town... Ronson wears many hats and it's his multitasking work ethic that comes into play with his latest album, 'Record Collection.' His new release features a treasure trove of artists from across the globe and the end result is ear candy to suit many tastes!


While the album as a whole is very unique and cleverly assembled, I find that one tune in particular is hogging airtime on my iPod. The title track, 'Record Collection' won't leave me alone. I'm addicted - badly. 


A song with many a pop culture reference: Charlie Sheen, the movie Trading Places, and Bono - 'Record Collection' is one of only a handful of songs on his album where Ronson actually sings. To me, Mark's voice sounds eerie similar to Stephen Duffy - yep, the original lead singer of Duran Duran - a funny coincidence as this track is accompanied by Nick Rhodes-inspired keyboards and a chorus sung by Simon Le Bon. Obviously, Mark was a bit of a Durannie growing up - just like the rest of us. It's all making sense now... as he's currently slaving away producing Duran's next album, natch!


'Record Collection' is infectiously refreshing and urges you to get up and have a boogie. I dare you not to be swayed by its invitation to let loose. This track is awesome and I hope it gets the single treatment. Yes, it's that good! Do yourself a favour and buy it so I'm not the only one addicted to this gem!

A Year Ago on Lose That Girl

Invisible Dogs

Is it just me, or does this sort of hi-jinx never get old? 


Originally posted a year ago on Lose That Girl. Enjoy! 

RATE IT! Like & Dislike Stamp

Or should I stamp, "Like"?


If you spend far too many hours trolling through status updates and poking your friends, these Facebook inspired ink stamps were made for you.


The Like & Dislike Stamp set will let you voice your opinion wherever, whenever you please. And unlike Facebook, you have the option to 'dislike' something. 


Shop the Tate Online Shop (yes, the famous Tate Gallery in London) and stamp to your heart's content!

RATE IT! iPad Pee Wee

Pee Wee Herman and friends jump on the iPad bandwagon... 

Pee-wee Gets An iPad! from Pee-wee Herman

RATE IT! Dick and Jane and Vampires

Literary mash-ups seem to be all the rage as of late with 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' and  'Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters'. Now, kid lit gets a makeover with 'Dick and Jane and Vampires.' 


Old school Dick and Jane with their retro storytelling and animation stylings, gets an update with the trendiest of co-stars -- the ubiquitous vampire! Bella would be so proud!


Dick and Jane and Vampires is available now from the ghoulish folks at Fred Flare. 

RATE IT! Return of the Great Pumpkin

When the calendar sheds another page and takes yet another step away from the glory of Summer, it's imperative that we have something to comfort us through this most cruel of season changes. Ah, the melancholy pain of rummaging through your closet to unearth that cozy parka you last set eyes upon months ago! It feels too soon! Bye, bye Summer.... hello Autumn. A time of departures (falling leaves! kiddies to school! hazy warm days!), the Fall certainly lives up to its name. Bummer.

But wait! All is not lost! Yes, the Fall can be a time of reflection, but there's no better occasion to celebrate the bounty of this chilly, yet colourful season. To coincide with the Autumn harvest and one of the best holidays of the year -- Thanksgiving! -- Dairy Queen steps up to comfort us with its traditional Pumpkin Pie Blizzard. Thank goodness some things never change! While we say goodbye to many things in the Fall, we get to say a big, gooey heartfelt HELLO to this seasonal treat! All pumpkin-y happiness mixed with vanilla soft serve, and crowned with whipped topping and a dash of nutmeg -- even the pumpkin patch-dwelling Linus would approve!

Like the beautiful changing leaves, this Blizzard is only here for our adoration for a limited time! Quick! Get to your local DQ ASAP to partake in one of the most flavourful joys of this brief season - definitely something to be thankful for! Enjoy!