u The Main Dish: May 2007

The Main Dish

Looking for the Spoon...

Friday, May 25, 2007

Words of Wisdom

Q: I am craving something, but I'm not sure what that something is.

A: It's a pina colada.
Trust me.

posted by Dish @ 11:38 AM 2 comments

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Degrassi Junior High - Season 3

Most of you are well aware that I am a big fan of Degrassi. So much drama and teen angst! Lets you relive your teenage years (and the fashion) without actually having to relive any of it.

I recently watched Season 3 (courtesy of our friendly neighbourhood Ottawa Public Library) and it did not disappoint.

Just one small complaint - why did they have to Americanize it? For example, in one scene Melanie steals money from her mother's wallet so that she can go to a concert with Snake. The bills in the wallet - American money! Also, when Snake, Joey and Wheels go to the liquor store with fake i.d. they keep reassuring Snake that he definitely looks 21 - the legal drinking age in the good old US of A.


Now, I realize that Degrassi has a strong following in the States, but why do we have to cater our content to them. Would the show be less successful if the wallet contained Canadian money or if Snake was worried about not looking 19? Maybe it would help our neighbours to the south learn a little something about our country!

Anyway, a brighter note, which somewhat dampened my annoyance, was that in the season finale, they use the Gowan song "Cosmetics". I am talking Gowan before he became "You can call me Larry" Gowan (I still insist that was a really bad album title).

Apparently, in the ever depressing and hard to come by Degrassi movie, Gowan even makes a guest appearance. :o)

Yes, I still love him despite that Larry situation. What can I say, he's "a strange animal". :o)

posted by Dish @ 10:53 PM 1 comments

Police Escort

So Saturday was a big win for the Senators. Surprisingly, Ottawa actually rose to the occasion and got out there and celebrated, which resulted in the creation of the "Sens Mile". Now, I am all about fun and partying in the street, but I have to say I was slightly less than impressed when I returned home with hot food in my car only to discover that Elgin was blocked at Laurier.

No problem, I thought. I’ll just go down to O’Connor and hook up one of the side streets since the only way to get to my place is off Elgin. I attempt to get around the block. The traffic is insane. Each side street I try to go up is blocked. Each time I have to circle it takes forever. My dinner is getting colder and colder.

Now, this would have been fine if there had been someone around to ask about how to get home, but, although there were plenty of cop cars and motorcycles used to block the streets, none of the owners of said vehicles were anywhere in sight. Finally, after many, many laps I encounter a couple of police officers.

I tell one of them my predicament. He just keeps looking at me and then finally says, incredulously, "You LIVE around here." Is it so hard to believe that people actually live downtown? What do you think all these apartment buildings are for? Or, did he think i was just trying to sneak my way into a better parking spot?

Anyway, he then summons his fellow officer, who kindly agrees to escort me home since this will involve going the wrong way down a one way street. What I didn’t realize is that my police escort is travelling by bicycle. He jumps on his bike and starts pedalling away. I am following him in my car. He keeps turning around and motioning for me to follow. I am trying not to laugh. Meanwhile he is yelling questions to me in through my car window.

The whole thing was just hilarious (except for my food getting colder an colder by the minute) and extremely bizarre.

Verdict: Ottawa - Have your Senator’s Mile -- frankly, I'm impressed that the city actually got excited about something -- just make sure it is better organized next time and come up with alternate arrangements for those of us who live in these parts. Disorganization is understandable the first time round, but I will be much less good-humoured if I am once again cut off from my home with no help in sight. And, as much as you love the horn honking, please keep it to a minimum when it starts getting late, especially if it’s a week night.

posted by Dish @ 10:49 PM 2 comments

Funny Because It's True

This video is awesome. Proof that the screamy sing can win people over no matter what the lyrics.

posted by Dish @ 9:54 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Dear Dish'ola:
I went out and bought shampoo and conditioner the other day. Have you bought this stuff lately? It's expensive and confusing. So I'm sitting there, long after I finished washing my hair and wondering these things: Why am I having weird nostalgic childhood flashbacks? and why does it smell like I threw an open bottle of perfume on the floor of my room? This was some potent hair-washing product. And it just happened to be the very same one I used as a small child. I confirmed this with parental unit #2.

I strive for normalcy Dish, but this just doesn't seem to be it. Now I'm lamenting.... Oh, Dish'ola, apple of my eye, I had it all - the 2.5 children, the white picket fence, the artistic liberties taken with various punctuation marks.....but then this came up. So my questions to you are: 1. Is this healthy? 2. Can you recommend a good shampoo and conditioner and/or would you like my old ones? (perhaps I can sell them at the Great Glebe Garage Sale?)

Sincerely,
A Begrudging Hair-washer

Dear Begrudging:

Unless this shampoo is the "Not jojoba! It’s hohoba" shampoo, I suggest you start fresh. Either pawn this shampoo/conditioner off on a willing recipient (there’s no accounting for taste) or, if you are the "waste not want not" type and can’t find anyone to take it, you can always try watering it down to slightly decrease the potency.

If you’re looking for a new shampoo, I highly recommend Herbal Essences. Now, for awhile there I was very bitter against Clairol for discontinuing my beloved shampoo and conditioner, but after complaining to them and receiving a coupon for a free product, I tried their new line. These new fangled shampoos still have a lovely smell, which isn’t too strong and overpowering. Plus, boys tend to like it.

I have tried the "None of Your Frizzness", which is quite effective when I am leaving my hair straight, as well as "Totally Twisted", which is much less sticky than the last brand of curl enhancing shampoo that I had.

Give it a try. I recommend "Drama Clean". I haven't tried it, but the name alone suggests a fabulous product. I guarantee that within a few weeks you will be tossing your hair and doing glamour shots in front of the nearest fan à la Drew Barrymore on the cover of the Firestarter movie. Trust me.

Dish

posted by Dish @ 10:39 PM 2 comments

Merci beaucoup

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the birthday greetings and presents, as well as to Palmer for the flattering b-day blog write up.

All in all, it was a great birthday. I even got to dance with THE LEGEND (as per the photo). And, thanks to Facebook, billions of people received a notice that it was my birthday and my inbox was filled to overflowing when I got home from work yesterday.

Ottawa tends to be a bit on the stuffy side, but I’ll leave you with some random sightings that may indicate that things here are about to get crazy for summer:
  • A guy in a suit, tie and all, walking around downtown on bare feet (and this was when it was the freezing, rainy weather)

  • A woman carrying her dog around in a baby snuggly

  • A man with a suit on top, skirt and heels on the bottom (is this a philosophy similar to the mullet (business in the front, party in the back) that I missed out on?

Anyway, thanks again guys!

posted by Dish @ 10:28 PM 1 comments