Super Seven #1

Here are a few things that have been making my week.

(Will-half-assedly try to make this a weekly feature, but I know you're not harboring much hope. You're thinking, "Where the fark is Scarborough Sunday promise-breaker?")

1. This article on Mother's Day by Karen Von Haan. She totally nails it sometimes.

2. Bliss Notes in my inbox. Because I love her writing so much that I'll do anything to get inside her head. You should totally sign-up for inspiring and lovely messages to make your day.

3. Seeing my old friend/cult leader being all successful and stuff at his new restaurant -- sorry, "supper lounge" -- last weekend. If you're, ahem, older and still like to get out for a nice meal and some house music, I recommend you check it out. (On a Sat night though -- Fridays are a younger crowd I'm told.)

4. I got enough free sunblock to cover the whole family all summer. But I also got a bunch of things I don't need. So I may as well share them. Next Friday, I will start giving away some freebies, so stay tuned.

5. ANTM -- wow, what a finale. I think we all kind of knew it, judging by the comments people were leaving here. It wasn't a stellar finale (like where the heck was Donatella?) but I think it's great that someone who is a normal size won. Though how a size 10 is "plus-size" or "full-figured" is beyond me.

I will say that the episode before last (when Dominique got the boot) was the best ever on any season of Model to date. There was PLENTY to laugh at. Plenty. Tyrant was on fire and she even called herself out for being tranny sometimes. Hello Tyrone! What up?

Also, is it me, or is Paulina just a bit of a bitch?

As I have mentioned, I watch Model with my bestie, my sis and her BFF. Someone should really make a show about how we watch TV together. It's really entertaining. This week, Big J got the runs and decided to run to the bathroom, leave the door open so she could still see the TV, then -- as if the sound effects were telling enough -- she decided to give us a play-by-play of her bowel consistency. THEN, when she could no longer hear us (we were laughing so hard it was silent) she kept asking, "Are you guys laughing at me?" THEN she refused to light a candle in the bathroom because she was worried she would burn her fingers. Oh man -- I am still laughing about that.

6. Post-Model we have a new show we PVR and watch. Naked Fashion on E! provides non-stop banter. They take celeb fashion mistakes and then re-clothe them in more appropriate attire and you get to decide which is best. It is AWESOME! (Though we can't stand the host and judges, the Fug girls, are getting just a tad annoying. We love Irish Paula though. We wish she could replace TV's other Paula.)

7. Pitted nicoise olives from Alex Farm. (Some Loblaws carry them too. Queen's Quay fo sho.) They make an excellent salad that won't break your teeth. Plus your kids can eat them without choking.

I'm an eyeballer, but here's the pasta salad I make that's always a hit. My friend Lynne created it for FoodTV.ca years ago, but I can no longer figure out how that site works, so I just guesstimate.

* Sun-dried tomato pesto/dressing: sun-dried tomatoes, a small clove of garlic, the oil from the sdt jar, a teeny bit of oregano, a lot of red wine vinegar.

* Farfalle/bowtie pasta
* Feta cheese
* Pitted black olives (kalamata or nicoise are best, though I've used the crappier sliced black ones in a can in a pinch)

Once you make the pesto and boil the pasta, you just mix everything else up. It's super savoury and is great for picnics. Also scores you points at potlucks.

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Enjoy your weekend! (It's a long one for us Canucks, thanks to good ol' Queen Vic. Who says good things don't come out of monarchies and colonization?)