HBO

The Home Box Office (HBO) has some of the best programming on TV today.  Many of its programs are fantastic, high quality (and often high budget) character driven shows.  They can compete with most movies being produced these days, and they are beginning to attract A-list movie star talent.  So long as you are prepared to watch an R-rated show with a fair amount of language, violence and sexual content, I would highly recommend watching any of the series listed below.

Rome - This may be my favourite TV show of all time, it is just that good.  2 seasons of somewhat accurate historical fiction based on the events leading up to and following the assassination of Julius Caesar.  Let's just say that every single person to whom we have lent this series has finished both seasons within one week (often the first season within 1-2 days).  My favourite characters are some of the less known, and likely more fictional, characters who add a very interesting dimension to a well-known story.  It is a close contest between the common soldier Titus Pullo and Octavia/Octavian's mother Attia as to who I enjoy most on the show.

Game of Thrones - We started reading this fantasy series written by George R. R. Martin many years ago and had been eagerly awaiting the most recent book (A Dance with Dragons) and the HBO series.  (Think British middle ages meets Tolkien's Middle Earth, but the characters are all human and there is (almost) no magic.) We were very impressed with the first season, which aired this past spring/summer.  Not only are the storyline and characters true to the books, which has helped to ensure a loyal following from fans of the book series, but the show has also managed to attract a large number of viewers who have not read the books.  We are looking forward to the second season, which should air next spring.

Deadwood - I have to admit I was initially resistant to watch this series.  But within an episode or two I was completely hooked, and I devoured all 3 seasons within a short amount of time.  The show is loosely based on the historical events immediately following the founding of the Wild West town of Deadwood, South Dakota.  The most disappointing part of the series is that it was suddenly canceled before the final 4th season was produced, so the ending feels unsatisfactory and unfinished.  Why oh why are excellent shows like Deadwood canceled while terrible, repetitive shows like Survivor and Two and a Half Men continue year after year?

Band of Brothers - 10-part mini-series telling the story of Easy Company and their mission in WWII Europe from Operation Overlord through V-J Day.  Hands down, the best WWII show of all time (even if it is based on the American experience in the war).  I know Saving Private Ryan is often cited as the most authentic war movie ever created, but I vastly prefer Band of Brothers.  I think this may have been the first HBO series I ever watched.  One of my good friends in undergrad lived in a house with a bunch of guys who were all big history buffs.  When this first aired on TV in the early 2000's, I used to go over to their house every week to watch the show and join in the debate over how much of each episode was historically accurate.  Although I can no longer remember all the precise historical facts, I do remember that this show largely met with the group's approval.  I especially like how many of the actual members of Easy Company are interviewed at the end of each episode to give their account of the events portrayed in that episode.

The Wire - Best and most realistic police show ever (also the most depressing HBO show I have ever seen).  Could compete with Deadwood for the worst language of any HBO show.  Definitely worth watching once all the way through, but I don't know if I could handle a second go around.  This is the story of every level of the drug trade in Baltimore, Maryland - from the politicians to the police to the high level distributors, to the street level traffickers to the users and everyone in between.  I love how every level has its heroes and its villains, and how nothing is ever as straightforward and black and white (excuse the pun) as it seems at first glance.  And although it was incredibly depressing, I appreciated the symmetry of the beginning of the first season and the end of the sixth season - everything changes, everything stays the same.

Sex & the City - 4 single, successful women in their 30's trying to navigate the dating world and find love in NYC.  This is fun show to watch when you feel like vicariously living in the (very expensive) shoes of Carrie Bradshaw.  I enjoyed watching the entire series, although it was often difficult to relate to the characters considering that I am: (a) not single; (b) not (yet) in my 30's; (c) not obsessed with shopping; and (d) not living in NYC.  The first movie wasn't great, but it was still fun to watch.  The second movie was terrible, absolutely atrocious.

Big Love - Just to be clear, this is not a show about the Mormon church.  This is a show about a closeted polygamist family living in Sandy, Utah and their relationship with each other and the members of their extended families, some of which are upstanding members of the Mormon church in Utah, some of which are quasi-criminal members of a fundamentalist polygamist compound in rural Utah and some of which have no religious leanings whatsoever.  Like most HBO shows, it offers a unique perspective on a lifestyle you may not be comfortable with or fully understand, and forces you to reconsider your deeply rooted prejudices and beliefs.

True Blood - The premise is that vampires came "out of the closet" 2 years ago when synthetic "True Blood" came on the market, allowing vampires to live in the open without feeding on humans.  The show follows the life of Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress in the fictional small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, who can hear other people's thoughts and ends up falling in love with a vampire.  Just a warning, this show probably has the most graphic violence and sexual content of any HBO show.  I really enjoyed the first 3 seasons - every episode ended with a cliff- hanger and the storyline was incredibly seductive and intriguing.  (By the way, this is also one of the rare exceptions where the TV show is MUCH better than the book.)  However, I was very disappointed with season 4.  No cliff-hanger endings, no compelling storylines, no bad-ass characters, no steamy romance .... nothing that made me care.  That said, I enjoyed the previous seasons so much that I am willing to give the next season a chance, at least for a few episodes.  But I am not holding my breath.

Entourage - I recently finished watching the 8th and last season.  I found this show to be very similar to Sex & the City in that it revolves around 4 single, carefree men in their 30's trying to successfully navigate "the business" in Hollywood, California.  It is loosely based on the early years of Mark Wahlberg's rise to fame.  Like Sex & the City, this is a fun show to watch when you feel like vicariously living the over the top luxurious, ridiculously spontaneous and unbelievably dramatic life of Vincent Chase and his entourage of best friends (and agent!).

The Sopranos - Solid mafia show set in New Jersey, but not my favourite HBO show.  I enjoyed the novelty of the first few seasons, but I eventually found that it began to drag and by the sixth season I had stopped caring about Tony Soprano and his self-created problems.  Although it's not HBO, last year we discovered the show Sons of Anarchy, which follows the lives of various members of a motor cycle club in Charming, California, and which I consider to be a vastly superior gangster show when compared with the Sopranos.

Mildred Pierce - This 5-part mini-series portrays a divorced single mother struggling to raise her 2 daughters in Glendale, California in the 1930s.  Although not as fast-paced as many other HBO shows, it is an interesting story punctuated by outstanding performances by Kate Winslet and Evan Rachel Wood.

There are many other HBO shows out there, and I would be willing to give most of them a chance just by virtue of their HBO connection.  In my experience, HBO rarely goes wrong in choosing its line-up of shows.  Here is a list of some HBO shows that I have heard good things about and have been meaning to watch:

• Flight of the Conchords - New Zealand comedic duo trying to make it as a folk-rock band in NYC.  Chris loves this show and has been trying to get me to watch it for years.  I will get to it eventually ...
• Boardwalk Empire - I have heard very good things about this show.  According to IMDb, the show "chronicles the life and times of Nucky Thompson, the undisputed ruler of Atlantic City, who was equal parts politician and gangster." I enjoy Steve Buscemi, so I think I would be willing to give it a shot.
• The Pacific - Same idea as Band of Brothers, but telling the intertwined stories of three Marines during the US battle with the Japanese in the Pacific during WWII.  I am not nearly as interested in the Pacific events of WWII (probably because they are mostly American), which is why I have not yet watched this show.
• Six Feet Under - Story of a dysfunctional family that runs an independent funeral home in Los Angelos, California.  I watched the first season, but never really got hooked the way I did with other HBO shows.  However, I know a number of people who love the entire series.
• Curb Your Enthusiasm - Self-depreciating depiction of the life of Seinfeld co-creator Larry David (who stars as himself).  I was never a huge Seinfeld fan (I cannot get over my extreme dislike of Jason Alexander who plays George Castanza), but I watched a few of the more recent episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm and could not stop laughing.  Probably a good sign!

Non-Fiction Reading List

So the fact is that I usually deplore non-fiction books.  No matter how interesting the subject matter, it usually cannot hold my attention for very long and the book ultimately ends up collecting dust on the bottom of the shelf.  That said, I recently discovered a few non-fiction books that I enjoyed reading cover to cover.

The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan were both excellent introductions to the world of non-fiction literature.  Both books discuss different aspect of food.  The Omnivore's Dillema is an anthropological study of three food chains from source to final meal: industrial (from Iowa corn fields to McDonald's meals everywhere), organic (from local organic farm to local farmer's market or food cooperative), and hunter gatherer (from food he hunted, gathered or grew himself to his plate).  Although I must admit that I started to get bored and scan pages in the last section when the author began to wax poetic about the joys of searching for wild mushrooms and hunting for wild pigs, overall (and particularly in the first two sections) I found that this book offered a fascinating perspective on the environmental, agricultural and economical impact of how and what we eat.   In Defense of Food focuses on the more personal decisions of what and how to eat.  The book explores the relationship between nutritionism and the Western diet and suggests that the answer to healthy eating is simply to:  Eat Food (local organic food instead of processed imitation food).  Not too much (healthy portion sizes).  Mostly plants (don't skimp on the fruits and veges!)  Although both books are worth reading, if you are new to non-fiction, have limited time or only want to read one book, I would recommend reading In Defence of Food.  It is shorter, easier to read, and the subject matter is more captivating by virtue of the fact that it has more personal implications for your lifestyle.

Next up I read the entire tome What to Eat by Marion Nestle.  This is a brilliant book in which the nutritionist author explores a typical supermarket on a food-by-food basis, comparing for each category what nutritional benefits are claimed with what nutritional advantages and dangers are actually offered, thereby teaching you how to make informed choices about what to eat.  The book summarizes the basic principles of a good diet as: Eat less, move more, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and, for additional clarification, go easy on junk foods.  The writing is straightforward, nonjudgmental and relatively unbiased (certainly less biased than Michael Pollan's works).  Considering the massive size of this text (624 pages!), I was amazed when I found her writing so compelling that I could not put her book down!  More than anything else, this book changed what we eat in my home.  We now buy mostly whole foods from local markets.  We pay attention to nutrition labels on the few processed foods we continue to buy (yogurt, bread).  And we definitely stay away from farmed fish!

Most recently I finished reading The Original Beauty Bible by Paula Begoun.  Until I read this book, I did not realize how much of my (sadly misinformed) beauty routine came from magazines, advertisements and TV.  In this book, the self-proclaimed "cosmetics cop" Paula Begoun offers a wealth of information about the many, many products we put on our bodies every day, including cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, makeup, shaving cream and everything in between.  Aware that the author has her own line of beauty products (Paula's Choice), I was wary of any bias or subjective bent to her writing.  I was pleased to find her writing clear, concise and once again relatively unbiased.  She attempts to provide objective, scientifically based information to help you care for your skin.  She does not push expensive, high-end products, but instead encourages you to find quality products at a reasonable cost.  She explains how to identify and care for your skin type, and offers suggestions on how to combat many common skin care problems, such as acne and dryness.  For detailed product reviews, check out her website Beautypedia.

Joss Whedon

I love Joss Whedon, which is one of the many reasons I am looking forward to The Avengers movie slated to hit theatres sometime in 2012.  He is a fantastic writer/director who has a special talent for creating character driven movies and TV shows with upbeat witty dialogue.  One day, if I ever make it to Comic-Con, I will go in the hopes of meeting him.

Two of my favourite TV shows of all time?  Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.  I have watched both shows many times, and I will likely watch them many more, they are just that good.  (Of course watching all 7 seasons of Buffy is slightly more epic than watching the 1 season of Firefly and the concluding movie Serenity - why oh why did they have to cancel Firefly?!)

Here are some of my favourite quotes, although there are many, many more where these came from:

Xander: Then go! I'm not stopping you!
Cordelia: I bet you wouldn't. I bet you'd let a girl go off to her doom all by herself!
Xander: Not just any girl. You're special.

Snyder: "Some things I can just smell, it's like a sixth sense"
Giles: "Actually that would be one of the five"

Xander: Are we over-reacting? He's in a computer, what can he do?
Buffy: You mean besides convince a perfectly nice kid to try and kill me? I don't know. How about mess up all the medical equipment in the world?
Giles: Randomize traffic signals.
Buffy: Access launch codes for our nuclear missiles.
Giles: Destroy the world's economy.
Buffy: I think I pretty much capped it with that nuclear missile thing.
Giles: Right, yours was best.

Wash: "Psychic, though? That sounds like something out of science fiction."
Zoe: "We live in a spaceship, dear."

River: Jayne is a girl's name
Jayne: Well I ain't a girl! I'll show you for good and all I got MAN parts!
Simon: I'm trying to think how you could be more crass...no, nothing's coming to mind.

Mal: "Mercy is the mark of a great man." [stabs Atherton Wing]
Mal: "Guess I'm just a good man." [stabs Atherton Wing]
Mal: "Well, I'm all right."

Radium Hot Springs

(The Chalet Europe is the hotel on the far left!)

We took a mini-vacation at the end of July and spent 5 days in and around Radium Hot Springs.  What a beautiful area!  As always, I relied heavily on the reviews posted on TripAdvisor in booking our accommodations.  We were somewhat limited in our choices because we were traveling with Odin and it was the August long weekend.  We stayed at The Chalet Europe all 4 nights.  It was a mediocre stay, at best, and I doubt that I would stay there again.

Pros: spectacular views of the Columbia Valley, continental breakfast in the lobby each morning, clean rooms, all of which have a queen-size bed, kitchenette, sofa, TV and DVD player.


Cons:  very hard, uncomfortable mattress, at the top of a steep hill so not convenient to walk to the restaurants in town, owners are pleasant but extremely disorganized.  They lost our reservation (not surprising considering that their reservation system is all handwritten notes in a 3-ring binder?!), had to scramble to find us a room, and then we had to change rooms after the 2nd night.  They offered us free passes to the Hot Springs as compensation, although when I learned that admission to the Hot Springs  costs only $6/person it somewhat cheapened the gesture.  Also, on more than one occasion we returned to the hotel to find the owner perched on the side of the hill, shirtless, holding a rifle and teaching his 5-year-old daughter how to shoot vermin.  Maybe he should change occupations and move to Alberta?  Next time, I think I will try camping at Redstreak Campground.

Emerald Lake

Best eatery in Radium was definitely Back Country Jacks.  How do you choose between All You Can Eat Steak Fridays and All You Can Eat Ribs Saturdays? You choose both, of course!

Best coffee in Invermere was Kicking Horse Coffee.  (Of course I don't drink coffee, so I'm relying on Chris' raving reviews!)

Best mountain scenery was found in Yoho National Park.  We took a day to drive through Golden to Field and then back to Radium.  The hike to Wapta Falls was lovely, and Takakkaw Falls, Emerald Lake and the Kicking Horse Natural Bridge were all great spots to visit.  If we had more time, we would have liked to canoe around Emerald Lake.  So pristine (and green)!

Lussier Hot Springs

Best Columbia Valley location was Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park, especially the Lussier Hot Springs.  I had never been to an all-natural hot springs, and it was amazing!  I enjoyed Radium Hot Springs as well, but there's something extra special about watching the hot water trickle out of the rocks and relaxing in such a gorgeous, noncommercial setting.  We discovered the Lussier Hot Springs on our drive down the Columbia Valley in search of a beach that allowed dogs (as it turns out, such a thing does not exist).  We settled for the very isolated and virtually uninhabited beach at Home Basin Campground at the far end of Whiteswan Lake, where we were fairly confident there was no one around to enforce the no dogs sign.  Just a little word of warning - the 3 km canyon portion of Whiteswan Lake Road is one lane, with pullouts at regular intervals, a mountain on one side of the road, a 3,000 foot cliff on the other side and no guard rails whatsoever! Absolutely terrifying if you allow yourself to peer over the edge of the cliff, but definitely worth the adrenaline rush.

Frank Slide

Best road back home was Highway 93/95 south to Cranbrook, Highway 3 east through Fernie and Frank Slide, the Cowboy Trial (Highway 22) north to Black Diamond and then jump over to Highway 2 back to Edmonton.  The Cowboy Trail was a very picturesque landscape of rolling foothills and quiet country roads.  I wish I had a reason to drive through that area of Alberta more often.  Frank Slide is still impressive, although the Interpretative Centre may be a little over the top (yes, my Drumheller roots have made me a museum snob!)  My favourite display was an interactive audiovisual time line that compared Frank Slide (basically a natural disaster caused by the over-mining of Turtle Mountain that occurred over 100 years ago and killed approximately 70 people) with the Big Bang, the extinction of dinosaurs and the rise of mankind.  I know the display was intended to highlight the tragic circumstances of the slide, but I could not stop laughing at the blatant conceit of the comparison!  Nevertheless, I still think the Interpretative Centre is worth visiting, if only to pay homage to one of Alberta's few historic sites.