A remedy for writer's block?

My roommate's mom came over this weekend to help her with organizing her room and seeing them re-arrange her bedroom inspired me to rework what I had into something more suitable and fit for creative writing. An inspiring setting is really important to get the imagination going.

So lo and behold, here is my new writing station:

 

 

I love the space so much! It sucks I didn't take a before pic but just imagine a 27 inch 90's tube tv sitting on the corner of the table. Not much room left to write. Clutter-free-imagination-station!

Candles are out,

Eleven's Ink

W/E: Summer Songs

Oh yay! It's that time of year where mega-produced songs come out to fill our ears with happy, joyful, and most importantly, festive music!! It's at that same time where we all suddenly forget what quality music sounds like and jump on the POP-SYNTH train that comes rolling in every week. 


Come for the ride, enjoy the music!

Flo Rida - Whistle

Nelly Furtado - Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)

The Wanted - Glad You Came

Simple Plan - Summer Paradise

Rihanna feat. Chris Brown - Birthday Cake

These are just the songs that I can list off the top of my head, I'm sure there will be plenty more to come this summer! Rihanna and Flo Rida alone have twenty songs/ week.

Candles are out,

Eleven's Ink

I ♥ Food - A Top Ten Post

Oh joys of this world. There is laughter, there is fun, there is seasons in the sun. But above all that, there is fucking food. Healthy food, junk food, spicy food, rare food, yucky food. Food is everywhere but really, it should all be in my tummy.


It is my pleasure to list off my top ten favourite food items. It can be a condiment, a meal, a restaurant. Basically, just writing down everything I can't get enough of. And for the simple fact that even Obama knows I like Subway, the great sandwich maker will have to be excluded from the list. I mean, it's Subway - who doesn't love that shit?

This is listed in no particular order because that would just be mean on the food and wayyyy too hard for me to sort out and choose which one I like best.

10. Popcorn

9. Garlic

8. McDonald's cheeseburger

7. Onions

6. Homemade Mac 'n Cheese

5. Pickled Jalapeños

4. Fajitas

3. Pasta Salad

2. Oysters

1. Everything but Cooked Mushrooms

Now I suddenly want popcorn-oyster fajitas... damn it.

Candles are out,

Eleven's Ink

Maple Leaf ♥ Part III: Words of Wisdom from a Mad Cow in Alberta

Movies from the land up there? Check!
Music artists that represent the great white north? Check!
Homegrown litterature to make us proud? Coming right up!

Words of Wisdom From a Mad Cow in Alberta

Life of Pi

I could not possibly assemble a list of Canadian books without mentionning this awesome classic by Yann Martel. This story is very much one of hope in times of desperation. Don't be fooled by the critics you have heard, Life of Pi is of course endearing and a great novel but at the core, it's a human story and could happen to anyone. Piscine "Pi" Patel is an Indian boy on a journey with his parents across the ocean. They are joined with some of their zoo animals. Tragedy strikes and the ship goes down. But not all is lost, and Pi is determined to survive. You will cry reading this book. You being everyone.

Maïna

This is a french canadian novel by famed author Dominique Demers, a franco ontarian who devoted her entire litterary career to french novels. I could have chosen any of her other titles and I wouldn't even hesitate. But let's focus on this gem. It tells the tale of a young native american girl residing on the banks of the great river (The fleuve saint-laurent) where adventure and danger comes more naturally to her then picking berries and weaving baskets. On the eve of her "change" (her periods), Maïna decides to flee her tribe and the man her father chose to marry her. But not all will be good for the no-longer-a-child-not-yet-a-woman protagonist. Adventure and danger is what she beckoned so that is what she will get. Here is an excerpt in french:

«Maïna voulait tuer. Planter sa lance et voir mourir avant qu'il fasse brun. Tuer, puis éventrer, éviscérer, écorcher et porter la bête encore chaude jusqu'au camp. Elle avançait à grands pas souples, mue par ce désir immense qui l'habitait tout entière. La veille, des hommes avaient ramené un caribou que l'hiver n'avait pas trop amaigri. Malgré sa grande faim, Maïna avait détourné son regard des entrailles fumantes. Le chef, Mishtenapeu, avait compris que sa fille renonçait à la nourriture afin d'amadouer les esprits avant d'accomplir un geste sacré. Maïna espérait qu'en échange le Manitou lui livrerait une bête.

Elle n'avait pas attendu que le soleil se lève en cherchant sa route dans le brouillard. Elle avait amorcé sa longue marche sous une lune blafarde. Les corbeaux volaient bas et les geais gris n'avaient pas crié. C'était bon signe.

Elle aurait pu chasser avec les hommes. Un passage de caribous avait été découvert dans la neige, des chasseurs épieraient la harde pour tendre une embuscade. Elle aurait pu poser des collets de racines ou attirer des porcs-épics en sifflant, mais Maïna avait laissé les esprits guider ses pas et ils l'avaient conduite ailleurs. La fille de Mishtenapeu avait atteint l'âge des grandes bêtes; toute la tribu savait qu'elle pouvait ramener des lièvres et des lagopèdes, il était temps de revenir avec une prise d'homme. Mais ce ne serait pas un castor, ni un caribou. Maïna suivait un loup.»

Flashforward

This is pure geeenius. Flashforward, by Ottawa's own Robert J. Sawyer, is a science-fiction mystery thriller novel set in the future. Note the book was written in 1999. Scientists (Those evil fuckers!) are doing experiments (there goes the neighbourhood!) and one of the side effects causes the entire human race to lose consciousness for roughly two minutes. Within that state, most of the people have a vision of their life in the future. It is pretty sad. I'm not even gonna deny it, this book has a lot of depth to it and makes you truly appreciate what you have. But then it has that very cheesy sci-fi feel to it which makes it a winner. And hey, NBC used the premise of the book for their own show FLASHFORWARD.

Barney's Version

I'm not usually a fan of autobiographys and memoirs and such. I like my fiction. But there was so much hype around this book when the movie came out that I succombed to pressure and bought the darn thing. I was quite surprised by how nutsy and fluid the writing was. And the ending explains soooo much about why the the story seems loopy and contrived. Barney is really funny in a dark, depressing way. He's just breezing through life. I still refuse to watch the movie even though I pictured Paul Giamatti when reading the book because he really does fit the description lol. And it's such a tribute to Canadian cities, you will recognize a lot of places in Montreal!

Oryx and Crake

Dystopian novels are my favourites. I love a story about a similar (or post-apocalyptic) Earth. This one, by famous author Margaret Atwood. It is an odd story about a young man named Snowman who befriends a group of odd creatures in a world that has been destroyed. The story is very dark and the flashbacks to Snowman's childhood is pretty disturbing. But that is what make dystopian novels so good; they don't shy away from the true nature of humans. We are animals.

No other books i've read that are from Canada spring to mind. But I did a quick search of Canadian authors and here are a few novels that seem awesome:

Room - Emma Donoghue

Through Black Spruce - Joseph Boyden

No Time for Goodbye - Linwood Barclay

Any great Canadian books to suggest?

Candles are out,

Eleven's Ink

Maple Leaf ♥ Part II: The Views of the Great Lakes from the CN Tower

Canadian films have been come a long way since Porky's. Let's take a look at what Canucks have done in the world of movies!

Views of the Great Lakes from the CN Tower

Chloe (2009)

Although the main cast is mainly composed of Americans, this movie by Canadian director Atom Egoyan is simply outstanding. He brought back his fetish actress Julianne Moore as a desperate housewife hell bent on pushing the boundaries of her marriage to test her husband. If you like movies like Unfaithful, you will love this movie!

C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)

A gay youth in 1960's Quebec must deal with homophobia within his household and the challenges that come from being different amongst four very traditional brothers and a strict father. There also jabs at the Catholic Church and how involved it was in the running of a Quebec household. The cast is flawless and this movie was praised around the world and launched Marc-André Grondin's international career. The soundtrack is killer! You can currently find this movie with English Subtitles on Netflix!



Last Night (1998)

This movies boasts an outstanding cast including Sarah Polley, David Cronenberg, and Sandra Oh! I feel I must always put an exlamation mark (!) after her name. Sandrah Oh! Distracted. This movie tells the story of several characters as they live out the last night before the end of the world. Something about Canadian movies make them feel more genuine. Maybe it's the lack-of-budget, but cinematographers really have to be innovative with the material. This one is beautifully shot and ladies and emotional guys, keep a box of kleenex by your side.



It's not the end of the world...there's still six hours left.

Shivers (1975)

So I love myself a good horror movie. When I was younger there was daily specials at Videotron based on the genre. On "Horror" day I could rent an older movie for $0.77. That's how I stumbled upon David Cronenberg's terrifying Shivers. The movie takes place in a resort hotel in Montreal where little leeches are slowly taking over the complex. It is very much a satire about sexual exploration as the leeches cause their hosts to have an extremely high sexdrive. I have since watched every Cronenberg film and I highly suggest you do the same.


Jesus of Montreal (1989)

I only watched this movie a few years ago when Denys Arcand came out with his latest film at Cannes. The interviewer had mentioned how impressive Jesus of Montreal was and how it had opened his eyes to religion. I had to watch it. The stunning reality of the Church and the somewhat retelling of Jesus' life through Daniel is simply breathtaking. This movie can be seen dubbed since it came out before people realised that subtitles are much better then awful voice-over work.


Ararat (2002)

Atom Egoyan at his best (he can't really go wrong, he's a genius). I watched this movie earlier this year during the Armenian Week at Uottawa. I had no idea that Armenia had been subject to genocide and it is still being denied by the Turkish government. With most of Egoyan's work, you HAVE to keep a box of kleenex close by. Christopher Plummer is outstanding in the role of a Canadian customs agent who struggled with liberal views from all sides. A true depiction of the older generation unable to break free from the conservative reign.

Ginger Snaps (2000)

You haven't watched this film? Do it.



Cube (1997)

Thank God for Showcase. This movie was a regular fixture on the cable channel and I will stop anything I am doing if this movie plays. What makes it so good is that you know what the characters know. There is some foreshadowing and hints as to what is to come and who or what is behind the Cube but most is left to our imagination (unless you watch Cube 2: Hypercube and Cube: Zero). This little gem of a movie proves that talent goes a long way since it has spawned two sequels and one hell of a cult following. You like conspiracies, you will love Cube.

Other Great Movies from Canada (but not all)

Bon Cop, Bad Cop - It's a good comedy. Is it as good as critics say? Mehh...
Porky's - I don't get the raunchy humour and the gratuitous nudity. In a porno, ok. A "best-of" list? Not so much.
Black Christmas - The original with Margot Kidder. Really creepy. In the weird way, though.
Elles Étaient Cinq - OMG, if you love Quebec movies, you will cringe and cry and laugh and scream while watching this touching story of five girls who head for camp. But only four come back. :( :(
Lucky Girl - Ok so this is a made-for-TV movie but it is really good and it stars Elisha Cuthbert.


Any other movies that should have been listed??


Candles are out,
Eleven's Ink



Maple Leaf ♥ Part 1: The Sounds of Maple Syrup drizzling over Back Bacon

So I just finished watching Ginger Snaps, a raw and edgy Canadian drama/horror film and it always makes me proud to be from the land of natural air conditioning. We Canadians have been pumping out talent for ages and it's time for us to celebrate those who have marked our great country. 

Sounds of Maple Syrup drizzling over Back Bacon

Alanis Morissette

Jagged Little Pill was the first tape I ever owned and it was a birthday gift from my god-parents. It came with a sony sport cassette player, another first. I was young, I believe 10, and hearing the word 'bitch' in a song was simply fascinating. There isn't one song on this album that sucks and I have been a fan since. To all the haters, watch this:



The Guess Who

No, no you don't have to guess who's next, that's the bands name! The Guess Who songs were often played or sung in my house and I still listen to No Time with the same enthusiasm as 20 odd years ago! Have no fear, and search this band out on youtube (if you don't already know who they are!)

Céline Dion

This international award-winning singer couldn't go unnoticed in this celebration to Canadians. She litterally put Quebec on the map when she was introduced to an American audience in the early 1990's. Since then she has become a musical emblem of sorts and has established herself in Las Vegas, where she reigns over the Sunset Strip. To me, THIS is how I will forever remember her:

Ya heard? TAKE A KAYAK!

Justin Bieber

Ugh, I cringed when I wrote this. Go Canada...Go...

The Tragically Hip

What is really sad about the relationship between me and this band was that it only develloped five or six years ago when I actually broaden my musical horizons. That's when I discovered 38 years old, The Hundredth meridian, and Blow at high dough!

Neil Young

Oh another late discovery for me. Thanks to my friend Yasmina, I was blessed with the sounds of a very talented singer. He's comparable to and, if I can say so myself, slightly better than Johnny Cash. I'm sure you heard his songs in the early morning of your childhood when Ma and Pa we're crooning out his tunes!

Shania Twain

As much as Céline Dion defined the Pop genre in the 90's, Shania shook things up herself in the western world of Country. After dominating the charts in Nashville, she succesfully crossed over to Pop for a few years at which point she decided to focus on her family and move to Europe. And we all know how THAT ended up.



Drake

Yes I know, he just started his career, but so did Bieber. And Drake outperforms Bieber tenfolds. And who can't admire his rise to fame story. Check out his songs "Over" and "Best I Ever Had". Hopefully his sophomore album will be just as good as his first.

Jully Black

I first heard Jully's chill-inducing voice in second year of high school. My friend (caro) was really into the rap/hip-hop scene and she loved herself some babyblue soundcrew. Their hit song that played on the radio featured Jully Black. She has gone on to release several solo albums and her hits include "Sweat of your brow", "Between me and you" (feat. saukrates), and "Seven Day Fool". Here's a tune from back in the days!



Bryan Adams

Is it just me or is Bryan Adams kinda like the black sheep in the family? Yeah, we like a couple of songs, but we wouldn't buy the album. Right? Or is that really just me?

Joni Mitchell

The Canadian Janis Joplin. For realz, I used to mix those two up all the time! Yes, she is the one who originated Big Yellow Taxi. In the trend of remaking, Robert Downey Jr. covered River, another amazing Mitchell Song. But the one that really stands out is Carey, inspired by a trip to Greece. That woman can sing!

Other Notable Canadian Singers (but not all)

Sarah McLachlan - Re-hashed her first album over and over again until it became annoying. Also created Lilith Fair.

Paul Anka - Teen idol from the 50's who managed to steady out an okay career.

k.d. lang - Yes, that's all in small caps. *rolls eyes*

Anne Murray - I don't know, I hear her name every two to three Canada Day Celebrations.

Leonard Cohen - When I was younger, I always mixed him up with Leonard Nemoy. By younger, I mean up until 4 years ago.

Avril Lavigne - She wore ties and was a rebel...

Anyone I left out?

Candles are out,

Eleven's Ink



I ♥ Australia

I've been intrigued with an island for as long as I can remember. I don't know if it was the history of the aboriginals, the stories of prisoners being sent there in the old'n days, or the sheer awesomness of said island that drew me in, but my passion for Australia as never decreased. Australia encompasses the mainland, the island of Tasmania and some smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Here are some awesome Australian subjects:

Kylie Minogue (Famous singer/actress)

Kylie has been in the spotlight since her early teen years. She starred in Australia's most famous television program Neighbours for two years, from 1986 to 1988. She later gained world-wide fame when she interpreted the LocoMotion song but garnered critical and commercial praise (and landed straight in my vision) when she released her 2001 album Fever. Her first single "Can't get You out of My Head" shot straight up the charts and solidified her position as a pop princess. Can I also note that she was GaGa before there even was a GaGa.

Koala (Most beloved animal)

Who can resist such a cute creature? Although most of us associate our four-legged furry friend to bears, they are not part of the bear's genus family at all. Also, Koala's are on the few species of mammals that have fingerprints. It is said that even when looked at close enough (most likely with CSI-type tools), the difference between the fingerprints from Koalas and humans can be difficult to distinguish. And they have opposable thumbs. Seriously, can this littlefuzz ball get any cuter? You tell me.

In case you want more info, check out wikipedia!

Great Barrier Reef (World's largest reef system)

The reason this attracts me so much is because the reef system can be seen from outer space. Yeah, astronauts can look down and spot this naturally made infrastructure. It is created by living organisms called coral polyps. What is sad though is that climate change and mass pollution is threatening this World Wonder and the many species that call it home. Let's not forget the nasty crowns-of-thorns starfish that likes to prey on coral polyps. The Great Barrier Reef has always fascinated me and will continue to do so until I am fortunate enough to visit the land down under.

Cate, Naomi, and Nicole (Blonde Bombshells)

If we weren't lucky enough to be introduced to Kidman in the late 80's, she tested our love for Australia by introducing us to her two friends Cate Blanchett and Naomi Watts. These three actresses have made nothing but exceptional movies throughout their careers. Nicole Kidman wowed us time and time again most notably in To Die For, Practical Magic, and The Others. I first noticed Cate Blanchett while watching The Talented Mr. Ripley in which she has a bit role that speaks volume. Ever since, she has become a favourite of mine in movies like The Gift, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Notes on a Scandal, a brilliant movie starring Dame Judi Dench. If we didn't have enough of two, there came a third. Naomi Watts blew up the screen in The Ring and continued to amaze audiences with Funny Games, Mulholland Drive, and the CGI-heavy King Kong. A big hand of applause for these three beauties.

                                         

What do you find most intriguing about Australia?

Candles are out,

Eleven's Ink

I ♥ Québec

I had been having a really bad time since switching job and became almost an entirely different person. The new job was just not challenging enough and it really took a tole on my mood, which is something that doesn't usually happen. I believe that when something goes wrong you have to try to fix the problem and find a solution. Mine was a roadtrip.

Everything was planned, we were headed to GTA to visit my cousin and an old friend of ours from high school. I haven't been driving for long (a month) so my mom was hesitant to lend me her car for the trip so we decided on renting it. I did the mistake of booking through Enterprises' online registration form which has zero information as to procedures and such.

When we arrived friday morning, my friend and I, we were shocked to learn that the one who rents the car (AKA the one with the credit) also has to present a driver's license even though he isn't the one driving. You can imagine what happened? He has a credit card but no permits. I have a permit but no credit card. Yeah.

Walk out of Enterprise, call my mom, ask to borrow the car. She is relunctant but finally says yes with one exception. I cannot take the 401 to go to Toronto because she would worry all weekend. Who wants to give anxiety to their mother? Exactly.

So last minute we decided to roadtrip through Quebec, see all of the small towns that border the highway, and slowly make our way up to Quebec City to visit a friend of ours.

What an awesome decision!

We started off by visiting Mont Tremblant, a quaint ski-resort town surrounded by a picturesque landscape. Mountains on either side and believe it or not, still had snow on them!!!All of the shops and businesses kept the theme of a ski resort town. Everything looked like chalets and it added that extra coziness that the town really didn't need but is so appreciated by tourists. Like me!

It's hard to keep the eyes on the road when you have titans beside you. My gaze kept drifting towards the side and I was amazed at just how beautiful the area was. The air was so fresh and pure and although it was cold, I don't believe we closed the windows once when passing through Tremblant.

We passed through the Laurentides, one of many regions in Quebec. I spotted a cross on the hill across the river and it started our mission of taking pictures of all the crosses we seen. And there a LOT of churches in Quebec lmao. Here are just a few examples of nice crosses:

We kept heading up north and saw some amazing bridges, some higher - hence scarier - then others.



The second photo is that of the bridge that leads to Quebec City and let me tell you it is one hell of a scary ride when traffic takes over. Every man for himself! ahhh

Our first pit stop on friday night was Montreal. We finally settled for the Hilton Garden Inn. I illegally went into the underground parking without even knowing. Someone was leaving, they activated the door just as I was there. So i went in. :)

I was a little stunned to be greeted in English at a major hotel in downtown Montreal but apparently the big city is bustling with anglophones. No hate, just very shocked!

The hotel clearly is ready for any form of intruders as your room card gives you access to the elevators and the front door (past 23h00). Don't try and visit the upper floors, the elevator won't budge. It took us a few minutes to comprehend the procedure lol. Here are some pics of our hotel in MTL:

YES! I was lucky enough to have Starbucks coffee in the morning without paying for it. I figured it's the least they could do when they charge you $22.00 for parking PLUS TAXES. rip-off.

Once settled we decided to take a tour of Montreal and saw this really cool new art project in Montreal but I don't have photos of it unfortunately. I found a link though on the internet which you can view here. It's what makes the metropolitan so attractive to tourists, really.

Of course, with sigh-seeing comes hunger and we found a little restaurant that was very outdated with wood, stained glass and yes, the traditional flags hanging over the dining room. We didn't catch the name because what attracted us to the inside was the "family-style" feel. Nothing better then eating in a restaurant that has that "traditional" charm to it.

We decided earlier that we would surprise our friend who lives in Quebec City. As we wanted to visit as many cities as possible we decided to take a detour by Sherbrooke and drove along Galte Ouest, a very curvy and peculiar stretch of road that shames Gatineau. They use curves and not friggin' speed bumps to control traffic. ARGH speedbumps!

We stumbled upon a random muddy parking (by parking I mean a spot where I could park my car lol) that bordered a river. Which river? I don't know but we took amazing shots!

We continued exploring the city and found a really nice art project by one of the school boards. It was brick towers with each brick painted differently by - i figure - staff and school children. It was so beautiful to see and touching to know that children have sometimes broader views then many adults I know. These are some of the paintings I couldn't resist capturing on - digital - film.



When we left Sherbrooke it was very very foggy, windy, and rainy. But that usually adds up to some beautiful mountain pictures. Let's see:

I don't know if you guys can see, but that is a major friggin fog bank sweeping in from the right. Was so nice to see in person. Was going to put up more pics but quality has been lost from view, to camera, to website. :(

It was kind of terrible to drive in this weather as visibility was not very good but it was good experience for next time, right?

We finally arrived in Quebec City around 21h00, I believe and decided to surprise our friend through Facebook. It was quite fun!! We chatted when we got there and then we headed for the hotel as we wanted to visit around the next day. We finally found our hotel even though the GPS made us do an odd turn around past the location of the hotel. The place was freakin amazing!!!!

There were birds in cages and palm trees. The Ambassador Hotel is a must stay place in the capital!!

After a good night's rest we joined our friend and her super cute baby for a stroll through Quebec City to enjoy the sights. There was a festival going on and we met this strange character:



LMFAO!!!

I was entirely convinced that it was a man underneath the "cinnamon stick". Those knees are way too manly and he walked like a thug, quite litterally. And let's face it, it's piece of poop with pigtails.

Ohhh I love that pic!

Another super cool find was this "art" display near the river. It was an outdoor classroom of sorts and we had quite a few laughs while we re-enacted our high school years.



I'm clearly too tall for this classroom!!

Oh what a blast! I cannot wait for the next road trip!! I will have gathered experience on the open road and will feel way more comfortable. Just hoping it won't rain next time so we can enjoy a bit more of the scenary.

Here are a few more pictures of the roadtrip.



our hotel room from outside



McFail



Almost all photos were taken by my friend Dan, including the awesome shot of the walking dung with ponytails lmao.