Skip Goes to Canada

This past weekend, RTT and I spent a cloudy three days (love it, no, really, I love depressing weather) in Vancouver, BC. I have a few observations and then I will let my Annie Leibovitz photography speak for itself;

(1) Canadians are extremely friendly and bizarrely fascinated by San Franciscans, as demonstrated by our movie-star treatment at Parkside.

(2) Vancouver is brand new, completely dominated by high-rise glass condominiums, though the city is built on a fault-line. Apparently this does not concern the people of Vancouver as they are building even more!

(3) West is the best restaurant in Canada. No doubt about it.

(4) Sometimes, it is better to ask other people to take a picture for you. This is difficult in Vancouver though because the city appears mostly empty.

(5) RTT and I are moving there because it's beautiful and cloudy, practically devoid of other people, and all the new buildings certainly have big kitchens.

More pictures at Ofoto.

Skip's Eureka!

I knew I read tawdry, gossip rags for a reason! In the latest 'US Weekly' I noticed a compelling advertisement for 80's t-shirts which, accompanied by pictures of Jem, Zelda and Jake Ryan, was far too fabulous to overlook.

Dear readers, I have been rewarded with discovering the greatest site on the internet (despite the random and unneccesary costume section). I am so not exaggerating! You will not be disappointed.

Check it out. 80stees.com.

Narcoleptic Cat

At YouTube. Obviously.

Skip is Magic

Three years of dedicated support for the Steelers (hi, Ben) resulted in a Super Bowl win for them in 2005. It was an almost divine moment. But, like Mary Poppins, my work was complete and I felt moved to support a new team. Ok, so not really a new team, my home team, but still. Whatever. It was time for another semi-struggling organization to feel the warmth of my encouragement, the sound of my screams at Direct Ticket every Sunday, the apparently magic Skip touch.

Since my decision to promote Bears' victories, they have gone 6-0 this season. And, last night was the ultimate proof of my witchcraft. For those of you who missed it, it should have been an easy Monday Night win for the Bears against the Arizona Cardinals. But (in retrospect, because I was tivo-ing the game and not watching it live), Rex struggled to complete a pass and had only thrown for 140-yards by the middle of the 4th quarter, there were almost 4 interceptions, and not one offensive touchdown. The score was 23-10 Cardinals (um, Edgerrin James is kind of good).

This was the point I caught up to the live feed.

And, what do you know? Charles Tillman scores on a fumble, Devin Hester returns for a 83-yards with 2:53 left and then super-kicker (not) Neil Rackers misses the field goal that would have given Arizona the win.

Seriously. I'm scared of my powers.

Skip Loves Bags; Part I

As if a girl really needs an excuse to want another bag. I'm not even going to bother trying to justify this one...I just love it and it's my birthday soon so I'm allowed.

Rebecca Minkoff 'Morning After' bag.

Skip Killed the Radio Star?

I don't listen to the radio. I have an iPod and a life so there really is no need to ever tune to the tuner. However, on a recent white-knuckled cab ride, I had the pleasure of listening to Star 101.3 and John Tesh's somewhat sanctimonious radio show telling my cabby and I about going for 30 minutes walks once a day to reduce our risk of heart disease in the middle of the Top 40 Hits. Um, what? Back-up. John Tesh?

Clearly, I've missed something. It's like I fell asleep for 20 years and have woken up and the world has gone mad.

Skip Loves Soundflavor

The advent of the world wide web (and Zach Braff's shameless need to promote his own musical taste through soundtracks) has created exponential growth in available information around otherwise unknown, obscure musical band talents as well as access to existing uber-bands via downloads, websites, tours, email newletters, etc. With this industry explosion has come the creation of various web-based musican/song/album customized search and listening services; think Yahoo!Launchcast and Pandora.

The newest iteration of this trend aims to introduce you back to your own collection of music (which, if you're anything like me, has probably exploded with tantamount zeal) rather than bombard you with more unfulfilling, consumption-driven musical suggestions that you will never, never, stay on top of. Instead, Soundflavor, downloads onto your desktop and creates a vertiable personalized DJ using your own iTunes assortment. Though this tool is still in its infancy and is likely to change several times during its development, Soundflavor is nonetheless a very cool invention and well worth a look.

My Mummy is a Star

What does $50 really buy you these days? Honestly? If you're me, it buys you the heel of a Loeffler Randall boot, lunch at Neiman's Rotunda restaurant, and a happy visit to the iTunes Music Store. If you're my miraculous Mummy, it buys her voice.

That's right, folks, you heard me correctly. American Express UK paid my talented Momma $50 to record the voice directions on their customer service hotline...you know, the 'press 9 for technical assitance' voice. Apparently my rantings about locating a human voice within corporate 800-number hell no longer hold water since my very own mother is clearly human and clearly speaking to you when you ring American Express customer support.

So exciting! Call now! 011 44 1273 576 576.

Mini Dancing Machine

Um, what? I don't, uh...I can't explain...I'm confused. I don't get it, I don't...I can't...what? What is this? Where is this from and WHO is this?!?!

At YouTube, naturally.