Monday, May 31, 2010

Celine Dion and Renee Angelil expecting twins!


Celine Dion is expecting twins and is already 14 weeks along, her rep Kim Jakwerth confirms.

The 42-year-old Canadian chanteuse became pregnant after attempting her sixth in-vitro fertilization and turning to acupuncture to improve her chances of a pregnancy.

“We’re ecstatic,” her husband/manager Rene Angelil tells People. “Celine is just hoping for a healthy pregnancy. She was hoping for one baby and the news that we are having two is a double blessing.”

The twins will be joining big brother Rene-Charles, 9.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

R.I.P. Dennis Hopper

Legendary actor Dennis Hopper passed away today at the age of 74, after a long battle with prostate cancer.

I have always been a big fan of this man and his work. He will be sorely missed. R.I.P. Dennis :(.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Roger Federer Mercedes-Benz Ambassador


Do you like tennis? If you’re driving a three-star badge, then you’ve got to like tennis. Well then, this piece of news should interest you. Roger Federer (yes, the 16-time Grand Slam Champion) has just entered a contract that’ll make him a global marketing partner of Mercedes-Benz. This move should really bring about closer ties between the brand and the sport.

As with any celebrity endorser, Federer’s image, celebrity attendance and product placements are now part of Mercedes-Benz property. The contract covers several years and is sort of a premium extension to his Mercedes-Benz ambassadorship in China from 2008. And, of course, as with any athlete endorsements, you can now expect Mercedes-Benz to be heavily involved in the sport dominated by Federer. Let’s just say this is all part of a bigger plan รข€“ one that’s likely to put Mercedes-Benz on the sponsorship list of the up and coming U.S. Tennis Open Championship in July.

You saw that one coming, didn’t you? Mercedes-Benz is no stranger to the sport, actually. For more than 16 years, the three-star badge has been a common sight in tennis tournaments. Hiring Federer is the next logical step. Who else dominates the sport as well as the millions of tennis fans? That’s a lot of eyes for Mercedes-Benz ads. And it’s one sure way to associate the brand with the sport.

benzinsider.com

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Alias reboot?

One of the greatest TV series of all time, J.J. Abrams’ Alias, is reportedly being rebooted.

Although an insider tells E! that “nothing is even close to being anything official yet.”

The new version of Alias would “borrow some elements of the original series that starred Jennifer Garner (and Michael Vartan, Victor Garber and Bradley Cooper). But the series would most likely not include any sort of complex mythological throughline such as the Rambaldi prophecy (a storyline that lost some of the fans).”

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Kim Clijsters returns to training

BRUSSELS: Belgian Kim Clijsters, who was forced out of the French Open because of a foot injury, confirmed on Wednesday that she has been given the green light to return to training by her doctors.

"Just left the hospital! I can slowly start practicing again but still need to pay attention to any reaction after practice," Clijsters posted on her internet social website Twitter.

The former world number one picked up the left foot injury playing in the Fed Cup last April, and tests revealed a slight tear which forced her out of the second Grand Slam of the season.

The world number ten hopes to compete in the pre-Wimbledon warm-up event in Eastbourne on June 14 and at Wimbledon on June 21.

indiatimes.com

Nice to know Kim is doing better :). So far the French Open has been really boring.

And my Canadian tennis channel TSN is doing zero coverage of Justine Henin so I'm focusing on men only at the moment. Hoping that will get better in the second week.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Roger Federer French Open post-match interview 1st round



Nothing new, or earth shattering in the interview. In fact the only thing going through my head while I was watching was "Roger should wear more blue". LOL

Seriously it really suits him. And also is it me, or does the man get better and better looking with every passing day?. Just sayin' ;).

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

20 years later.....



This is quite a few days late, but this past Sunday May 16th marked the 20th Anniversary of Jim Henson's death. Hard to believe it's been that long doesn't it?.

For those who don't know he was the man behind 2 of the most influential children's programs of our time. Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.

The above clip is perhaps my all time favourite Muppet Show moment, no matter what mood I'm in, or how old I get this never fails to make me laugh.

These shows were pretty much responsible for creating some of the best memories of my childhood.

The lovable timeless characters were also in large part responsible for teaching me to speak English.

R.I.P Jim. You may be gone, but your genius and art will never be forgotten.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Sweet doggie.... cake that is













oddee.com

Ok, how f*ing cool are these cakes?!. Seriously.

Forget about eating them I wanna put them all in a fridge and preserve them forever *lol*.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Kim Clijsters out of French Open

THE CANADIAN PRESS

PARIS - The French Tennis Federation says Kim Clijsters has pulled out of the French Open because of a foot injury that has failed to heal, and Nikolay Davydenko has been ruled out by a wrist injury.

Clijsters, the U.S. Open champion and world No. 10, joins Urszula Radwanska, Sania Mirza, Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Sabine Lisicki on the list of absentees. She will be replaced by Stephanie Dubois of Canada, the federation said Friday.

tsn.ca

Well this was very much expected.

I'm sad she won't be there because she would have provided some much needed competition, but it's better that she allows her foot to heal properly for Wimbledon.

Guess I'm rooting for Justine and Roger again.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Kim Clijsters to play this year's Roger Cup

When Montreal tennis fans last saw Kim Clijsters, she was leaving Uniprix Stadium in tears.

The Belgian was the defending Rogers Cup champion as she faced Laval's Stรฉphanie Dubois on the stadium court in 2006. She took the first set 6-1 and was on her way to victory when, in trying to break a fall, she landed on an already injured left wrist.

Devastated, Clijsters had to retire from the match, and couldn't defend her title at the U.S. Open in New York two weeks later. Nine months after that, she was retired.

Clijsters, whose comeback began last summer and already includes another U.S. Open title and a return to the WTA Tour's top 10, returns to Montreal this summer to an event she absolutely raved about in a conference call yesterday.

This time, she'll arrive with an entourage: husband Brian Lynch, daughter Jada and - hopefully - better luck this time around.

There's no guarantee. The women's Tour has again been plagued by injuries this season. Yesterday alone, three players retired during matches at the big tournament in Madrid and many of the other top players, not 100 per cent, lost early (including Clijsters's compatriot, Justine Henin).

Clijsters has been out several weeks with a torn ligament on the bottom of her foot, a freak injury suffered during a Fed Cup match against Estonia the last weekend of April.

"I hit an open-stance backhand - not even a wide shot - and pushed off back to the middle. As I pushed off, I felt this crack in my foot. It really scared me, a sharp pain really shooting down from my big toe to my heel," she said. "In the beginning, you think maybe a bone went to the wrong place and it'll get adjusted. But the pain slowly got worse. The first three or four days afterward I couldn't walk properly, and had a lot of edema in there, and inflammation. ... Really weird." She took yesterday's conference call from her physiotherapist's office after undergoing treatment. She has yet to hit a tennis ball since the injury; her participation in her first French Open since her 18-month retirement ended is in jeopardy.

"If I had to decide today, I would say, 'No, I can't play.' I still have two weeks, but I'm not going to wait until the day before," Clijsters said. "I will give it another week, but a lot will depend on a (scan and ultrasound) on Friday, to see how it's reacted.

"If I'm still in pain. I'm not going," she added. "I don't want to risk re-doing the injury and then being out another six or seven weeks." Clijsters said she hopes the injury won't keep her out too long, and that her preparation for the North American summer hard-court season that includes the Rogers Cup, and culminates with the U.S. Open (where she will again be defending her title), won't be compromised.

She played the Rogers Cup in Toronto last summer in only her second tournament back from retirement, and beat No. 9 Victoria Azarenka before losing 7-5 in the third set to No. 4 Jelena Jankovic. That came on the heels of a highly successful return in Cincinnati the previous week, when she upset three top-20 players before losing to then-No. 1 Dinara Safina of Russia.

Clijsters's luck hasn't been nearly as good in Montreal. Beyond the injury in 2006, her only other appearance here came in 2002, when she was the No. 4 seed but was upset by the now-retired Barbara Schett of Austria, then ranked No. 35.

Hopefully, her stay will be a little longer this time around.

"Going back to a tournament where you've had such good results and feel really comfortable is always a pleasure, especially in my situation now travelling with our daughter," Clijsters said. "We get to travel to places in big cities, but a lot of times big tournaments can become impersonal and cold. In Montreal, even when I didn't have my family, you really feel very warm and welcome, and that's something I really liked.

"Everything is very personal, even though it's such a big event. It makes it very easy, and I just really look forward to going." smyles@thegazette.canwest.com

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

8 Weirdest hotels

When we travel, we often want to stay in the best hotels money can buy, but really, what is the fun in that? Isn’t it more of an adventure to stay in a unique place that adds more charm than stars? Sure you can stay in a five-star hotel, but have you ever slept in a wine barrel, a jail, or magic mountain? Here are just some of the weird hotels found all across the globe.

1. Hotel De Vrouwe van Stavoren Friesland, Netherlands

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All of us have had too much to drink and ended up sleeping off the booze, but how many of us have actually slept in something that once contained booze? This 21-room hotel is made out of a series of 14,500 liter wine casks that have been converted into hotel rooms. The epitome of recycling, these rooms are actually quite nice and cozy and come at a bargain of only $150 per night. Each room contains two beds, a sitting room and a bathroom.

2. Jules’ Undersea Lodge

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Have you ever wanted to spend a night 20,000 leagues under the sea? Well, you can’t do that yet but you can sleep 21 feet under the sea in the Jules’ Undersea Lodge. This hotel offers exactly what it says, lodging underneath the sea. Originally an underwater laboratory that was located off the coast of Puerto Rico, it was moved to Key Largo, Florida in 1986 and made into the hotel that it is today. In this lodge, you enter the facility through a swimming pool entrance into a wet room, which is filled with compressed air. Within the lodge there are two rooms to stay in and a large common room that comes with a telephone, stereo, TV and intercom. You can also look out the 42-inch window that gives you an idea of what is happening under the sea around you. This doesn’t come cheap though. The base rate is $350 per person and this includes a gourmet dinner and diving opportunities. However, for $1,050 a night you get the entire facility to yourself.

3. 727 Fuselage Home, Costa Rica

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Located at the Hotel Costa Verde, the 727 Fuselage Home Suite is truly unique. Made from an outfitted Boeing 727 fuselage, you can enjoy staying in this two bedroom suite, which in its former life transported people from South Africa to Colombia. Perched up on a 50-foot pedestal, this suite is truly a unique place to stay, coupled with an amazing view. The rate? Just $500 per month to stay in an airplane hanging in the canopy of a jungle.

4. Dog Bark Park Inn Cottonwood, Idaho

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Do you love dogs? Does your dog sleep on the bed? Have you ever slept inside a giant dog? You probably have not, but with a trip to Idaho and the Dog Bark Park Inn, you can. The world’s largest beagle offers a very strange type of accommodation that has become very popular. Everything is dog-related here and even the bathroom is shaped like a fire hydrant. Standing 30-feet tall, the giant dog contains guest rooms in the belly, and stairs leading up to the main bedroom near the head of the dog. This place comes cheap too, at only $92 per night.

5. Das Park Hotel Linz, Austria

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You wouldn’t sleep in a sewer, but would sleep in a pipe that was once in the sewer? If you would, then this unique Linz, Austria hotel offers you the chance to sleep in re-designed and standardized sewer pipes. With a double bed, it is a cozy stay within a pipe. The hotel complex nearby offers you food, toilets and more. Open between May and October, this is truly a unique place to stay, as long as you are not too claustrophobic

6. The Old Jail, Mount Gambier South Australia

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None of us want to go to jail, but if you ever wondered what it was like to sleep in a jail for a night or two, you can visit The Old Jail Hotel. This hotel is exactly what it says it is a stay in a jail for a night. You get the bare bones and many backpackers use this hotel as a place to stay when money is tight. That being said, it features some good food and there are plenty of places to hike in the area.

7. Propeller Island City Lodge Berlin, Germany

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There are few hotels like the Propeller Island City Lodge. In fact, there is no other hotel like this because every room is a work of art. Created by German artist Lars Stroschen, the hotel contains 30 rooms that are all unique in their own way. Everything from the walls to the furniture is made in a certain theme. Want to sleep in a coffin with a labyrinth under you? You can here. Want to sleep in a brightly painted medieval town or a mini golf course? You can do it here. Want to sleep in a room where all the furniture is attached to the ceiling, or a room with lion cages on stilts? It’s all here! A very strange hotel indeed that offers nearly everything that you could possible want out of a hotel room. You can stay in a room full of mirrors if you like, or choose a room that resembles a jail cell. Ironically, this room is called the Freedom Room.

8. Magic Mountain Hotel Chile

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If you like the sound of a waterfall, why not sleep behind one? You can do this at the Magic Mountain Hotel in Chile, where the water cascades over your room and down to the ground below. Sitting in the heart of the Huilo Huilo Reserve, the interior of this four star hotel is one of the most popular hotels in Southern Chile. With this cute and luxurious hotel you not only get a magical mountain behind a waterfall, but you also get great views of the rainforest, as well as kayaking and hiking opportunities. A total of 12 rooms are offered in this hotel, as well as a dining room that serves gourmet meals. What is better is that these rooms do not cost much at all, only $170 per night!

Traveling is a fun experience, but why stay in a typical hotel or motel when you can enjoy a hotel that is a bit different than the rest. When you can sleep in a sewer pipe, behind a waterfall, under the sea, in a room full of mirrors, or inside a giant dog, you are helping to make your vacation experience that much more interesting. These hotels are weird, wild and strange, and they give you more than just a hotel stay, they give you an experience that you will remember for years to come.

There are plenty more weird hotels you can stay at throughout the world, from sleeping in capsules, rooms that only contain room for a bed and hotels located within caves. A hotel for any type of taste you have, anywhere you happen to go in this wild and weird world.

roadtickle.com via neatorama