Rotten & Frozen Fruit Makes Good Drinkin!

So the Canadian Ice Wine Festival was this past weekend in Niagra On The Lake. You pay $30.00 for six tickets that you can use at 6 different wineries. For each ticket you get a gulp (literally a tiny lining to your glass) of ice wine and a food pairing. Most wineries took the 'savory route' and paired food like a spring roll, cheese fondue, pulled pork. But some decided to pair cupcakes and short bread. By the end of the tour, you are buzzing, broke and sugar rushing. You also develop a taste for the sickly sweet nectar of over ripe and winter kissed grapes. They treat this stuff like liquid gold. They charge anywhere between $30-200 per bottle. I did buy one of the cheaper bottles. It was cheap because the sweetness is SO intense it is almost undrinkable ha ha. Ice wines range from a level 10 sweetness level (which is rare and more common in 'late harvest' wines, which taste a lot like ice wine, but doesn't go through the rigorous treatment of other ice wines. And they go up to a 29 sweetness level. Think Ambrosia. In the days of watching Zena and Hercules I remember that the description of the food of the gods as being a pinkish-red sweet nectar-food that was more desirable than sex. A level 29 Sweetness would make your head explode. Most of the ice wines I tried were a 22. That was enough. The one I bought because it was so reasonably priced is a 28. I am worried it might kill me.

I also bought a necklace with a tiny cluster of crystal grapes. It was so pretty, I couldn't resist. Stuart says women are like fish and that they are attracted to things that are dangly and sparkly. It might be true.

I am still trying to work through all the issues that my bad luck has brought lately. My car is still being a little finicky- deciding it won't start certain days and that it will run fine on others. I am also trying to get the credit card fraud off my statement. $70.00 in crap charges because I am a moron and entered my credit card info thinking I would get a great deal. Joke's on me.

I am really trying to get back into shape for Jordana's wedding. I work out almost every day and have been eating better. But it is always slow to start. I read while working out so I will include a little review of what I have been reading lately:

The Night World Books by L.J. Smith have kept my interest somewhat. They are a reminiscent of Sherrilyn Kenyon's 'Dark Hunter Series'. The similarities stem from the idea that there is a world existing underneath conscious human realm. That there are things going on that humans will never see or become aware of. The Night world also focuses on the concept that for every dark and supposed evil creature, there is a soul mate for them that has the ability to tame their dark side. Each Night World book has 3 stories with 3 different characters that are somehow connected to one another, either by blood or association. Almost as if each book is its' own trilogy. So far I have read 3 of these '3 in 1' books and the interesting thing is that the more you read, the more the Night world is painted before you. You get a deeper understanding of the characters you have already read about by meeting new characters.

Thirst No.1 & 2 by Christopher Pike was originally released in the 1990's but was a series of 6 small books. It has recently (this year) been re-released into

two larger books due to the Twilight-made demand for more vampire fiction. These are definitely more adult fiction then most of what I have read so far.

There is no shortage of descriptive blood and gore and these books are less like teenage romance and more like the historical and nostalgic teachings of a 5000 year old vampire. It has elements of history, religion, violence and sadness. There is no Edward Cullen to bewitch you, but you WILL be bewitched the by Sita, our ancient vampire with memories of heartache and inspiration. As a reader, you follow her through her wins and losses and experience the danger she faces as she tried to protect the world from the evil her blood could bring.

Anyway, that is all I have for now. Stay posted for more reviews and gab.

AVATAR- "Don't play with that, you'll go blind"

So I finally convinced Stuart to go and see AVATAR with me in theatres. It wasn't real hard considering we had free movie passes from Christmas and so it's not exactly like it was out of pocket.

When they first handed me the big dorky brown 3D glasses, I was like "uh, no thanks" but it turns out you need them, less you watch the movie feeling like you are incredibly near sited. I am near sited naturally, and so I had to navigate the 3D glasses over top of my other glasses. Yup, talk about seeing in double or I guess it would be tripple..3D....get it? HA!

In any case, I felt like a Dweeb, but once the movie starts, it is totally forgotten. I have never seen a movie in 3D and it takes a bit of time for your eyes to figure out what they are supposed to be seeing. Like it will be a nano second before you actually see the image pop and sometimes your eyes won't catch it in time and the picture will change.

Apart from that, 3D movie watching is an utterly new and enthralling experience. It takes movie watching to a whole new level. Instead of 2D moving picture book, you feel like you are actually IN the movie, experiencing things along with the characters. You feel the depth of the room and you really see the turn of a head. That could be partially attributing to why I am so blown away by this movie.

I think it was perfect. I wouldn't change a thing. Great character development, a fair share of action and romance and complexity of plot. Add in a pop of colour and some AMAZING computer animation that must have cost a fortune and taken FOREVER to perfect- and you have and you have an unprecedented film experience.
There were parts in the movie that were so overwhelmingly beautiful I felt my eyes well with tears. I never wanted the movie to end. I wanted to stay a part of the mystical world of Pandora forever and bear my own little Na'Vi children. I honestly think I will go see it in theatres again. I need another dose of the mind blowing colour and new age animation. This movie makes you look back at films like Independence day and laugh at the juvenile 'alien' effects.

Now I have read my fair share of 'nay saying' reviews...People that say the movie is an old plot line with unimaginative alien characteristics. A new age Pocahontas with a predictable outcome. And there is plenty of criticism saying the Na'Vi display many racial queues of modern day humanity and that it is unlikely that a fully natural alien race would no how to kiss or practice monogamy. They say the movie is too left wing (casting negative light on human military and money hungry business men and putting nature loving Scientists on a pedestal).

I say, that despite the above critiques, the movie is a beautiful representation of what James Cameron probably thought was a 'pure race'. Honouring nature, taking one lover, living from the land in an unobtrusive way and being open to new knowledge (as we know they opened a school in Pandora to teach the natives English).

There is only one question I still have after seeing this PG 13 film. How do they have Sex? There is only one suggestion in the movie about how this takes place. Jake is playing with his magic braid/tail in the beginning of movie and Sigourney Weaver (Dr. Grace) walks by and says "Don't play with that or you'll go blind". And it is commonly known that human little boys are told that to discourage them from playing with their.......tails....

I am going to buy the movie because there is a rumour circulating that the sex scene, cut from the theatrical release- will be on there....in a nice PG13 fashion of course! Anyway, I loved it. So I had to do a quick review. GO SEE IT! You WON'T be disappointed. Even my skeptical, Sci-Fi hating boyfriend enjoyed it!