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I had five dollars on “Restless Lady” to WIN Race Seven and I won big…..$15 dollars big! We hit the Hastings Race Course for the first time on the weekend and it only took minutes before our crew’s competitive juices started flowing as we all tried to master the art of choosing the winning horse.

WIN = Your horse wins, PLACE = your horse finishes either 1^st or 2^nd and SHOW = your horse places in the top 3. Then came the permutations and combinations behind other payouts of choices you can make.

By far the best part of the entire day on the patio was spending it with a great group of friends that were all dressed up, paying homage to the ‘60s era and really getting into the experience.

If you’re looking for a great way to spend an afternoon, head down to the Race Course and be prepared to get into the action!

RM

I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am about this one…

Joan Rivers – A Piece of Work opens in Vancouver later this week.  And tonight, I’m going to check it out at a special screening with Thor and Riaz.

I am a HUGE Joan Rivers fan.  I ran into her on Rodeo Drive when I was in Los Angeles — and was blown away by the amount of paparazzi following her around, as you can see by the incredibly geeky photo my friend took of me.

Michel and I went to see her last October when she performed at River Rock.  And she is by far, the funniest comedian I have ever seen in my entire life.  For being in her late 70’s, this woman is a true professional.  She was running around the stage keeping the crowd entertained with some of the most inappropriate and hilarious humour, I’ve ever heard.

If you EVER get a chance to see her in person — DO IT!

Check out the trailer for her movie here.  It’s getting really good reviews.  And watch BT for the full review on Friday morning!

This is going to be GOLD…!

K

OK people, it comes down to Man vs. Woman this weekend at the box office.

Who will reign supreme?

Find out when Riaz and I review “The Expendables” and “Eat Pray Love”

-Thor

Hey Peeps,

Hope you had a great weekend.

First off, I must tell you about the Fairmont Pacific Rim downtown (near the new convention centre).  They have all you can eat BBQ every Sunday until 4pm for $19!  I went yesterday and it was fantastic.  They take reservations and if you’re lucky you can catch Rockin’ Ronnie Shewchuk cooking up some delicious meats.

In other news…It’s no Double Rainbow but check out the Reading Rainbow intro sloooooowed down- hilarity will ensure!

On the music front, if you haven’t picked up the latest album (The Suburbs) from Canada’s greatest band, Arcade Fire, then what are you waiting for?  Click here for my favourite song on the album.

Finally, for all the Star Wars geeks (including me) out there- a deleted scene from the original “Return of the Jedi”!

Have fun…

-Thor

Hi All,

It was SPCA Monday here on Breakfast Television, so as usual we had some ADORABLE dogs to show off, in hopes that they may find a new home.  In light of the recent heat wave we decided to talk about dogs in cars. I just wanted to bring it up here on my blog.

I know the weather is super nice; we want to take out pets out to enjoy the weather too. GREAT idea, if you are going to the beach or to a park…somewhere where your dog will be out WITH you…not stuck in the car. I can’t believe how many people still do this. I have seen 3 dogs this year, stuck in a car in direct sunlight with the windows open an inch while the owners enjoy lunch on a patio. This is unacceptable and SO dangerous for your pet. Did you know that it only takes 10 minutes for a dog to become seriously dehydrated and possibly die when left in a car in the heat?? PLEASE just leave your dog at home where its cool and they can get food and water at will. If you are out at the beach with your dog and want to go out for lunch, take him/her HOME first…the car is NOT an option. Even if you park your car in the shade with the windows open, it’s STILL too hot for an animal.

What happens if you are walking through a parking lot and you see a dog locked in a car with the windows done up or just opened a little bit? What do you do? Well, you should all the SPCA or the Police immediately. Especially if you see the dog panting excessively, or in the worst case, lying down flat and vomiting.  Again it only takes 10 minutes for an animal to be seriously harmed by being locked up in a car. Don’t just walk by and assume that everything will be okay.  Most times its NOT okay, and by the time the owner comes back to the car its too late. 

I know I would rather be at home, than stuck in some car in the summer with the windows only open an inch. Wouldn’t you? Leave the dog at home….unless you plan to hang out together outside in the open.

Talk to you all later!

M

M

Had the pleasure of spending the morning in Chinatown to promote the upcoming  Chinatown Festival this weekend and to celebrate Chinatown’s 125th Anniversary.  We made Steamed buns and ate a traditional Hong Kong breakfast…yummy! If you can, head to Chinatown this weekend – it’s a FREE family friendly event with food tastings, lion dancing, and kid-friendly activities!

One of my favourite Culinary Experts is Stephanie Yuen shared some of her favourite spots to go in Chinatown (below) and don’t forget to check out her Blog for more of her thoughts and restaurant picks , Beyond Chopsticks

awwww...the Panda doesn't have a name!

“I’ve been in this business 28 years and I’ve had it.” Cue the screenplay….. Steven Slater uttered these words before he grabbed some beer, pulled the emergency chute and escaped a Jetblue plane that had just arrived in NYC. It was the ultimate bird flip to his employers and now he’s being hailed as a working class icon.

Kudos to him for the courage because he made a choice. We all have that power. I have wake up every morning and make a choice to do what I do because it’s my passion. Steven went out in a blaze of glory in a fashion that has captured the headlines and made me think it’s only time before a movie is made about the trials and tribulations of showing restraint and patience working in customer service. I worked retail back in the day and remember the days of having to bite my lip when customers sounded off.

Heck, Next Media Animation has already jumped on Slater’s slide to stardom as you’ll see below:

Steven Slater has a Bad Day

RM

Of everything that happened today in the wide world of news, there are two stories that stand out in my mind far more than any others.

First up, the angry flight attendant from JetBlue — who went on a rampage after a passenger stood up to get her luggage before the plane came to a complete stop at JFK Airport in New York City.  After confronting her, he grabbed the intercom and yelled several swear words into it before taking a beer from the beverage cart, and jumping off the plane using an emergency chute.

How many of us who have worked in the service industry have wanted to do something like this before!?  Dealing with customers can be a VERY frustrating and stressful job and clearly this employee just couldn’t take it anymore!

My other favourite story of the day comes from a McDonald’s restaurant in Ohio.  Where a woman came through the Drive Thru and was very upset the store didn’t have any Chicken McNuggets at six o’clock in the morning.  She then goes on a rampage and starts punching the server — and even the manager, before pounding on the glass window and eventually smashing it with a bottle.  You can watch the entire security video here.

I worked at McDonald’s for five years during my high school and college days.  And while I never dealt with anything this extreme — I certainly have some stories about customers “losing their cool” over a burger and fries.

I have nothing but respect for people who work in the service industry.  It is NOT an easy job dealing with customers every single day.

Control your tempers, people!  There are many more important things in life to worry about!

K

Check out this week’s new titles on DVD & Blu-ray.  Click here for my review of “Date Night”, “Death at a Funeral” & “The Joneses”.

Enjoy!

-Thor

Hello All!

UGH!! What a morning! As we all know, there is heavy construction going on from Langley to Vancouver on our precious Highway One. In recent entries I have discussed the importance of SLOWING down in construction zones and etc. It is also important to expect sizeable delays in your commute through these construction areas.

Here’s the thing…traffic flow could be GREAT one day, then HORRIBLE the next depending on the different stages of construction. Last week, the Port Mann Bridge moved pretty much as usual. We all saw the construction equipment, we noticed some slow downs around Brunette, but really that was about it. This week was the complete opposite. We lost a west bound lane, and traffic was grid locked up and over the bridge into Surrey, and sometimes into Langley.

We are going to be dealing with these conditions of “Hot and Cold” traffic for months and years to come along the number one, so planning ahead and expecting the unexpected is very important. Alternate routes like the Golden Ears and Pattullo Bridges are going to feel the pinch as well. Especially on mornings such as earlier this week.

There are going to be lane closures, some lasting longer than predicted and some shorter. You will want to reroute some mornings and afternoons absolutely. When you are rerouting and stuck in heavier traffic, watch your fuel gauge.  So many times we see vehicles run out of gas in unexpected traffic jams which just locks things up further.

I know it’s frustrating out there at times, especially when you are running behind. It really does pay to be patient and courteous and think ahead.

Another reminder to all, to PLEASE pay attention to the posted speed limit in construction zones.

See you tomorrow!

M