Archive for February, 2008

Feb 17th 2008 Ladies in Lavender

According to Google Trends, ladies in lavender is one of the top 100 searched for things on the ‘net over the last day. I have absolutely no idea why because the film is from 2004 and I don’t think there is any current news about it. I doubt it was even nominated for any recent film awards because it’s now comparatively old.

Anyway, if you’re doing a search for Ladies in Lavender, here are a couple of videos from YouTube I managed to locate.

No Comments » Posted by April / Entertainment

Feb 17th 2008 How to Buy Wine Gift Basket

Whenever it comes to buying gifts for friends, family or work colleagues, it can be so difficult. Especially when we now live in an age where everyone has everything they could possibly want or need. One of the best gifts in this situation would be to buy a gift basket. But what sort of gift basket would be appropriate? There are so many to choose from such as beer gift baskets, bath, candles, chocolate and even wine.

If the person you are buying a gift basket for loves wine then this will certainly be one gift they’ll have pleasure in receiving. Wine is also a great gift for many occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, Mother and Father Days, Christmas or even a new job. A wine gift basket makes a wonderful choice whatever the occasion.  It will certainly help you get in the party mood, how much energy it will give you so that you party ’til you drop I can’t say.  LOL.

Wine Gift Basket Ideas

A wine gift basket can be as simple or ornate as you would like it to be. The type you choose will obviously depend on the reason for your purchase. If you are buying for someone you don’t know that well or it’s just a token gift, keeping it simple is probably best.

However if it’s a very special occasion such as wedding and you know the couple very well, you can really splash out and get something extra special. An excellent combination is a bottle of Champagne and a pair of crystal champagne glasses.

If you want to include a variety of other gifts with your wine then you can include wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Chardonnay along with Chardonnay Cheese, Chocolate Mocha Truffles, Biscotti Assortment, Kalamata Olives, Cheese Straws, Mixed Nuts, wine information guide and even a bottle opener.  Imagine the gifts all sitting under your slim Xmas tree.

You don’t have to just select the standard 750ml bottles either. Remember that wine bottles come in deferent sizes from the mini ones you get in hotels in aeroplanes to the huge magnum of champagnes you see racing drivers plash all over each other. You could fill your wine gift basket with an assortment of small bottles to give the recipient the opportunity to taste wines which they may never have tried before. If you really want to create a gasp of delight, you could arange the mini bottles around one very large bottle from Italy or France.

For someone who really loves the finer things in life, a bottle of Brut champagne surrounded by quality cheeses and fine Belgium chocolates will go down a treat. You might even want to include truffles or caviar for that extra special touch.

When we think of gift baskets people tend to think of the traditional wicker type. However if you are buying for someone who is more stylish and contemporary, there are a huge variety of basket alternatives to try out. There are ones made from metal, leather and even some modern plastics. There are so many opportunities to create something spectacular.

Although you can easily buy wine gift baskets in various combinations, sizes and prices from the internet or a local delicatessen, you should also remember that wine gift baskets can also be assembled by yourself for a more personal touch. This way you can add in particular wines and nibbles that you know the recipient would love.

All you have to do is ask around if anyone knows what wines and other treats they like or you could always try and remember what you have seen them eat and drink in the past. You then combine all these items in a basket which you and buy from a craft store, wrap it in cellophane and then tie a ribbon around it. You can also throw in personal items such as photos to really show you care.

If you want to buy a wine gift basket already prepared by a professional you should expect to pay at least $50 and you could easily pay several times more than that depending on the quality of the wine and other treats that are included. Although you may save some money making your own you could be surprised that there isn’t much of a difference at all.

So if you have been really stuck for a gift idea and have turned to the internet for inspiration, you can’t really go wring with a wine gift basket. Just make sure the person you are buying for can drink alcohol as some people don’t drink for health or religious reasons. It would be very embarrassing to buy a wine gift basket for a recovering alcoholic.

No Comments » Posted by April / Food and Drink

Feb 12th 2008 Ellen Page in Drag Me to Hell

For horror movie lovers, you’ll be interested to know that Ellen Page has just been cast to appear in horror movie “Drag Me to Hell.”  This film is a follow-up to Sam Raimi’s “Spider Man 3.”  Not much is known yet about the plot but what we do know is that Page will be playing a character that has been given a supernatural curse.

“Hell” was written by Raimi and his brother Ivan and filming is set to begin on 17 March 2008.  It’s said that this film will go back to the style that characterizes his earlier productions such as “The Evil Dead” and “Army of Darkness.”

A Brief Biography of Ellen Philpotts-Page

Ellen Philpotts-Page was born on 21 February 19987 and despite her young age she has already been nominated for a Golden Globe, an Academy Award and has appeared in Juno, Hard Candy plus X-men:  The Last Stand.

Page’s career began when she was only 10 years old where she appeared in a TV film Pit Pony.  This success opened many parts in small Canadian films and TV shows.

In 2005 she played a starring role in Hard Candy which was described as “one of the most complex, disturbing and haunting performances of the year”.  Not only was she playing the title character but the role even gained her an Oscar nomination.

If you are impressed by Ellen Page’s acting talent you will be delighted to know that there are a number of films that are still to be released over the next year including An American Crime, The Tracey Fragments, The Stone Angel; and Smart People.  Wow, hasn’t she been busy?

In addition to this Page will also be appearing in Whip It! which is Drew Barrymore’s first attempt at directing.  Then she’ll also be starring in Jack and Diane along side Olivia Thirlby who also co-starred Juno.

Ellen Page was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia to parent’s Martha Philpotts and Dennis Page, she went to Halifax Grammar School and then graduated from Shambhala School in 2005.  Page then moved to Toronto on her own when she was only 16 so that she could play her role in a Canadian TV show, Trailer Park Boys.  However when she’s not all over the world acting, she resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

No Comments » Posted by April / Entertainment

Next »