Horse Riding Lessons in Toronto

I am looking for a place in Toronto that gives horse riding lessons.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Five Guys Burgers and Fries is a new fast food restaurant on Yonge Street in Downtown Toronto, not far from the Eaton's Centre.

Today I tried their burgers (and their fries)... But I am sadly disappointed. Their burgers are really only par. And while the fries were excellent they really were not worth the price.

My conclusion is that if you want a good burger go to a pub or to Hero burger. Hero has really good burgers. But I must admit I still prefer pub burgers much more. True, it takes longer to get your burger, but the quality is way better.

The whole thing about Five Guys Burgers and Fries is that it is supposed to be authentic California style burgers - or at least it is as close to that as they can possibly get without being in California... However all this proves to me is that California burgers really aren't that good and don't deserve this reputation of quality.

It simply was not that good of a burger. Not when compared to Hero burger or to a typical pub burger.

It was certainly better than McDonalds or Burger King or any other, you know, - cheap - fast food place, but really not as good as some people like to say it is. Its reputation is overblown.

Final review? 3 stars out of 5. Nothing special.

Oscar party: The Life of Pi

I just came home from up really late night Oscar Party - and I think it's time for me to watch the movie The Life of Pi. I saw the trailer previously and I did wanna see it sometime but I just haven't got around to it yet. I am now watching it right now. Literally right now. Details to come later on how much I liked it or whether I hated it.

New Blue Hoodie from American Apparel

I just purchased a new blue hoodie from American Apparel for $62.15 CDN.

It is basically identical to the green hoodie I bought awhile back. Proof that if you love a product you go back for more.

Reasons why I love this particular hoodie?

#1. No logo. I am a huge believer in NOT advertising brand names on my clothing. (Unless of course I am being paid to do so, then it would actually make sense. The people out there wearing GAP on their shirts and paying extra to buy such a shirt probably has a gap in between their ears where their brain should be.)

#2. Comfort. These hoodies really are super comfy.

#3. Handy zipper and pockets. It annoys me when I have to pull a hoodie over my head. (Or off my head during coitus - I think people should use the word coitus more often. Its a fun word.)

#4. Plain colours. I prefer primary colours. Weird . bizarre colours are just not for me. Plus primary colours are easier to match with.

#5. I wear these hoodies regularly. My green hoodie I typically wear once per week.

The only problem I have with American Apparel is that their sizes are all incorrectly labelled... they undersize their clothing.

Extra Large is really just a large.
Large is really a medium.
Medium is really a small.
Small is really an extra small.
And extra small is really XXS.

Basically its because they want to sell only to fit / skinny people. They don't sell XXL in their stores (they might claim to do so on their website, but if you go to a store in person you won't find anything that big). The biggest size is XL and its really just a large with the wrong label.

So if you're either a really big muscular Arnold type person... or a rather obese person... either way you can't buy clothing at American Apparel. Their clothes are just too small.

The Harry Potter film franchise

If you haven't seen the Harry Potter films yet you'd better hurry up and go to watch them before someone ruins the ending for you.

The films are very good and there's 8 of them. So you really have no excuse for not watching a piece of film history. And a piece of literary history too.

If you are 1 of those people who have been living in a cave recently and haven't seen the Harry Potter films then evidently there is something wrong with you. It's past time you've seen them. If you don't someone's grandmother is going to ruin it for you because their grandmother will have already seen it and you haven't.

If you're 1 of those people who think that there is nothing that Harry Potter has to offer for you, I'm sorry, pull your ignorant head out of the sand and go watch it already.

The Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita is a book central to the Hare Krishna religion. There is various versions of the book which include different interpretations / translations of the Hindu text. The version I own is known as "As It Is".

I must admit the book is very interesting (it has to be, there is a whole religion based off of it) but at the same time I must point out my own general disbelief in this book - its logic is full of gaping holes.

And to be fair, so is the Christian Bible and many other religious texts. Religious books in general no doubt win over converts who are ignorant of science, theology and logic. But to someone like myself ( who is best described as over-educated ) it all amounts to rubbish due to gaping holes in the logic.

I am not writing this to cause any arguments with any religious folks out there. You are free to believe on whatever hogwash you want to believe in. Speaking for myself however, it is not for me.

And I have quite a few books on the subject. See the photo below. So its not for lack of reading and research on my part. It is simply that I have read enough of all the various religious texts to be able to recognize when I am being lied to.

American sign language dictionaries

For the past several years all I have been privately studying American Sign Language (ASL).

Below is a photo of 2 books that I recommend for learning American Sign Language.

Aloe Juice + Apple Berry Juice

I am a fan of mixing different juices together in an attempt to make something even more tasty.

Today I tried mixing aloe juice with a cocktail of apple juice and Saskatoon berry / raspberry juice. It was extremely good!

So good I felt like blogging about it. Here is a photo of the 2 juices I used.

Safety Vests and Hard Hats

Ooo I should also do a review of kevlar flak vests / bulletproof vests... That would be fun!

Although to be fair I have no idea where to buy bullet proof vests... Online I guess. Anywho, that is off topic.

But I do know where to buy safety vests and hard hats... Both good when working around heavy machinery or operating industrial tools where visibility and head protection are a factor. (I once hit my head on an industrial sheer when I was digging pieces of metal out of the back - ogawd I wish I had been wearing a hard hat at the time.)

For those that don't know a safety vest (aka, a high visibility vest or jacket) is typically orange and sometimes has yellow reflective strips on them to make them more easy to spot. Like the image below.

 There really is nothing special about such vests. They have pockets... ooo... pocketses! My precious!

And they're designed to go over top of your other clothing.

The same thing goes with hard hats - if they are SA Approved that is all you really need to know.

All of my steel-toed boots that I've been buying since the age of 18 have been SA Approved (although to be fair I have yet to find a pair of safety boots that are NOT SA Approved - possibly because the places I shop at make sure that all the safety boots they sell are approved).

The real issue with hard hats is finding one that fits you properly.

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR HARD HAT FITS PROPERLY

Suspensions

The inside of a hard hat has a harness of suspensions into which your head fits (OR should fit, if its the correct size). The suspensions create a gap between the head and the top of the hat where an impact can occur. Hard hats utilize either a four-or six-point suspension system and are usually adjustable. To adjust a hard hat so it properly fits you, adjust the suspensions. Pull on the suspensions to make them tighter if you have a smaller head, or loosen the suspensions to make more room if you need it. You want the hat to fit snugly so it doesn't fall off, but you also don't want to make it so tight that it causes discomfort and headaches.

Chin Straps

Some hard hats also come with chinstraps connected to the inner sides of the hat. You can adjust the chin straps so they are the proper length to fit snugly around your chin. This type of additional support provides extra security for your head when you are working in unusual conditions, such as windy environments, extreme heights or underground tunnels.

Wish - 3 Charles Street Toronto Restaurant

Wish is a restaurant at 3 Charles Street East in Toronto. Its food is okay - the prices standard for a better than average restaurant in the GTA - but its the decor that is fantastic.

And the HEAT. If you want to go somewhere for a HOT date then go to Wish. That place is so hot you will want remove your clothing... Especially in the winter.

Thus Wish makes a great date spot during the Winter. Not sure what they do in the Summer...

My only complaint is the sheer amount of seafood on the menu.

A Good Day to Die Hard sucks

I have just watched the new Bruce Willis movie "a good day to die hard". It sucks. Worst. Die. Hard. Movie. Ever.

I think I know why they released the movie in February instead of in the Summer or during Christmas. It's because they knew this movie sucks. And all the other movies during February suck too.

I am guessing that this fifth installment of the Die Hard series might be the 1 that kills the franchise.

UPDATE

I am not the only person who says this movie sucks either. Check out the review from Rotten Tomatoes.

" A Good Day to Die Hard is the weakest entry in a storied franchise, and not even Bruce Willis' smirking demeanor can enliven a cliched, uninspired script. "

RT gave the film 16% freshness. That is pretty awful.

I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!

Into The White

"Into The White" is a 2012 film about two British Airmen and three German Luftwaffe who become trapped into the same Norwegian cabin and have to learn to cooperate in order to survive.

It is actually a very good drama film - complete with guns, survival skills and political commentary.

Nuru Massage Oil

Nuru is a massage oil typically used for erotic massages. Typically with both parties completely nude and covered in nuru oil. The word Nuru originates from Japan and means "slippery / smooth" because the oil was first popularized by Japanese massage parlours.

Nuru massage oil is an essential and integral part of all nuru massages. The liquid isn't even a real oil - it is water based, and is mostly odorless and tasteless massage gel, which is derived from seaweed leaves. The gel is applied to a large area of the body and then spread around using the hands to create a very slippery surface. During the massage participants often try to get the widest possible physical contact in terms of skin-on-skin, so that participants can enjoy the feeling of slippery skin going back and forth...

Lovers using Nuru / Nuru masseuses often use their entire body to take advantage of the strong tactile sensations, which are very useful for relieving stress.

Nuru massage is best performed in specially heated rooms as the gel works best when warmed to an appropriate temperature.

Because Nuru gel is water-based, colorless, odorless, and tasteless its very safe for people to use. In contrast some people develop allergic reactions to oil-based massage oils - including baby oil / mineral oil, which has a distinctive smell. The main component in Nuru gel is the sulfated polysaccharide fucoidan, which is obtained from the leaves of the brown seaweed plant (Sphaerotrichia divaricata). Other ingredients include Chamomile (Azulene) and minerals. Nuru gel is similar in composition and application to medical gels such as those used for ultrasound examinations.

Around 2010, Nuru massage has become popular around the world. Many massage parlors and independent massage providers in Canada, the USA and Europe have started offering nuru massage services.

Golf wedges and golf equipment

Golf wedges are used for getting your golf ball out of a sand trap. That's really all they are good for except maybe attacking a burglar in the middle of the night. Personally if I have a burglar in the middle of the night I reach for my katana...

But today we're supposed to be talking about golf. I don't play golf. Except miniature golf, I have played that. So I am definitely not an expert on the topic of golf. I think golf is a sport for people with no physical talent or prowess.

And Tiger Woods, well, he's just a douche-bag who cheated on his wife... And his parents were apparently hippies for calling in Tiger Woods.

What else can I say about golf wedges and golf equipment? Well, I do use golf tees in archery to pin up the targets. They're very handy that way. Golf bags, golf clubs, golf balls... I don't use them for anything nor do I have any interest in getting them for anything.

To me golfers are doing it all wrong when they are practicing... Instead of practicing long drives they should actually be practicing "difficult shots".

Such as dropping 20 golf balls deliberately into a sand trap and practicing getting the balls out of the sand trip.

Or dumping 20 golf balls in rough terrain (with obstacles) and practicing making quality shots despite the rougher and tougher circumstances.

I also think they should be using targets when doing long drives, so that they have something to aim at. If they're just whacking the balls as far as they can hit them then they're just as likely to knock the ball into the rough or the trees because of their shoddy aim.

Another thing I don't like about golfers is that they don't cross-train... any regular athlete uses cardio, yoga, stretching, weightlifting and other exercises to build up their strength, muscle control, etc. Golfers are comparatively lazy when compared to real athletes.

Rogers Internet goes down again and again and again

Rogers internet service has gone down 3 times in the last week.

That is really pathetic.

I am tempted to switch service companies.

Iron Sky Trailer

"Iron Sky" is a 2012 comedy about Nazis from the Moon who have been waiting 70 years to come back to Earth for their revenge.

The plot is based on the concept of a group of Nazis building a colony on the moon in 1945 and then remaining there with their outdated technology, waiting for the right time to strike.

And like I said, its a comedy.

In the same vein that Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" was a comedy.

Having seen the film I give it 3 and half stars out of 5. The trailer is below. You can stream the full film on http://www.movie2k.to/index.php and doing a search for "Iron Sky".

Aloe Juice + Vodka

Earlier tonight I decided to make a nightcap drink to help me sleep.

But alas I was low on juice in my fridge. The only thing I had was Aloe Juice...

Upon which I thought hmm... Aloe juice and vodka? Does that work well together?

Turns out they work REALLY well together!

And now I am falling asleep. Mission accomplished!

John Carter of Mars

I just finished watching John Carter (the film) a 2nd time. It was actually BETTER the 2nd time.

The first time I saw it in the theatre so I guess that says a bit.

Anyway. Fairly good film. 4 stars out of 5.

It was not a financial success in the USA but it did do well overseas. I think part of the problem was that many people in the USA have never heard or read the series of books by American fantasy writer Edgar Rice Burroughs.

In my opinion Disney should have filmed the whole trilogy at once (Lord of the Rings style) and saved themselves some production costs.

Plus apparently they went ridiculously over budget on it. $250 million. They could have made 5 smaller budget films for that kind of money. That isn't the film's fault. That is the result of idiot producers overspending on things. Proof that Disney needs to fire their producers.