The 2012 Toronto International Film Festival is around the corner.   I wrote about it a couple of weeks ago when the line-up was announced.  Click here if you missed it.   And Durex wants you to see it up close and personal. Ryan Gosling is coming home! Rachel McAdams too. And Gwyneth, Gwyneth has never GOOPed Toronto before. Also… Bill Murray! And Joseph Gordon-Levitt on opening night…? JGL’s Looper is the opening night film. JGL’s dimples are kicking off this TIFF. Full Story

A few months ago Philips approached me to help them with the upcoming launch of their new Sonicare DiamondClean electric toothbrush.  No.  Toothbrush seems inadequate.  Their DiamondClean electric mouth pleaser.  I hosted their media launch event back in May, and in advance of the event they sent me the DiamondClean to try. One problem:  I was away when it arrived and Jacek got his hands on it first. This is what we fight about: a toothbrush. If you have a lover, may I suggest getting two? It’s like when people argue about the television, only the television doesn’t contribute to your overall hygiene. The comparison is apt though because the DiamondClean Full Story

First it was Tom and Katie.  And if you haven’t already heard, the gossip world was rocked again recently with the split of one of the most well-known, iconic pairings of our generation.   Mike and Ike have gone their separate ways, and more details are slowly leaking out.  The news first broke on their Facebook and Tumblr pages.  “I know it’s hard to believe, but yes – Mike and I are over.” said Ike in a recent blog post.  “It is what it is. Full Story

If I could shove things in my pockets without looking like I have things shoved into my pockets I would. That’s one advantage men have over women. Our clothes just aren’t designed to accommodate all the crap we carry around. When was the last time you put your keys in the side pocket of a pair of skinny jeans? Or anything in the side pocket of a pair of skinny jeans? Dentyne Ice has a solution with their new Split2Fit packs. The new Split2fit pack is designed for maximum portability. Simply split the pack into two sleeker, separate packs and drop one in your pocket, bag or wherever else you want. It fits almost anywhere, so you can take it everywhere. See all the ways Dentyne helps you Practice Safe Breath here Full Story

A few weeks ago I told you about Tetley’s effort to save you from your ‘regular’ flavoured water this summer.   No artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavours or colours.  Click here to learn more about the full line-up of liquid iced tea mixes. Part of that rescue effort was to have you help the folks at Tetley Infusions choose the Tetley Infusions Rescue Squad.   In the process, $10,000 was raised for UNICEF Canada.  Thank you and congratulations to everyone who participated. Full Story

Father’s Day is this weekend.  What does your dad want for Father’s Day? There was a time when my dad might have wanted my ma, the Chinese Squawking Chicken, not to squawk for an hour, just to give us all a break. But then she got sick. And we’ve never wanted her to keep squawking so bad. My dad has been a hero through it all. The nurses kept saying they’d never seen a husband so devoted. Even she has to admit it now. And she can rarely bring herself to say something kind about anyone. It’s time to thank Dad for being Dad.  If you’ve read the blog for any length of time, you’ll know that through my early teens my dad raised me on his own in Toronto. Tough work, especially since I was not easy. Here he was saving his ass off to send me to private school and I’m ditching class, panhandling for fun at the subway station. Full Story

eLUXE is celebrating a birthday and they want you to celebrate with them.  And often.   Because a new name and a birthday is cause for celebration.  Enter the contest and you could WIN* a $12,000 shopping spree.  That’s a $1000 gift card every single month for an entire year! Um, free clothes FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR! Dude! What can you do with a grand per month?  So many options.   If you don’t already know, eLUXE features a massive catalogue of designer brands.  Any look you want is yours.  Especially with that kind of budget.  My picks are: - This Full Story

Tetley wants to save you, the flavoured water-drinking gossip, from your ‘regular’ flavoured water this summer.  Tetley uses real-brewed, naturally sweetened Tetley tea to make liquid Tetley Infusions. No preservatives, artificial sweeteners, flavours or colours. And it blends perfectly in water for natural refreshment anytime. How are they going to save you?  Firefighters, naturally.  Hot firefighters.  Hot muscular firefighters.  Saving you and your water from your other water.  Don’t believe me?  Between now and September 3rd, the Tetley Infusions rescue squad and their crew of "trainees" will be driving their truck around all summer, protecting you and your water.  You’ll be able to follow where they’ll be, invite them to your events, and even help Tetley pick the crew. Full Story

Luminato is back for its sixth season. I wrote about it last year but if you weren’t around or haven’t been, Luminato is Toronto’s premiere 10 day festival of creativity and again features an amazing line-up of talent.  I’m home for it every time. The stage shows, live music, readings, amazing art exhibits, and much more light up the city with culture and diversity and reflect the richness of the arts in Toronto.  The Festival runs from June 8-17.  Click here to see the full event schedule and ticket information.  There are ticketed and free events and everyone is welcome. Luminato has put together an amazing prize pack for us again to celebrate the opening of the Festival. Full Story

Gross confession: I have nose blackheads. Like every morning I wake up and run my fingers along my nose and I can feel them, the little tips having elevated through my pores overnight like volcanoes. Which is why I exfoliate every day. Because I always wonder whether or not anyone can see the nasty white buds, a field of dandelions coming out of my face. So, yeah, blackhead eradication is kind of a lifelong obsession. Bioré® Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, with selective bonding ingredients, work like a magnet by instantly locking onto and removing deep-down dirt that can cause blackheads so you get the deepest clean. When used weekly, you will have fewer clogged pores and the appearance of pores in general will actually diminish. Have you tried a pore strip before?  I find it fascinating!  And disgusting. Full Story

Jacek has been on me over the last year to upsize our sedan into something that can handle a little more cargo.  Last week our nephew and niece were over and we took them to the dog beach with our dogs.  Actually it was our two Beagles, our friends’ Duck Toller Kona, and Kuba, the 7 month old energy freak Standard Schnauzer belonging to Jacek’s parents. Needless to say it was tight.  And our car is FILTHY. And it stinks of dog breath and stank paws. We managed but later that night he opportunistically pitched me again. And the new Escape happened to be the car he proposed but I’m not sure I’m ready to give up our current ride. Ford USA is calling on you to be a part of NBC's new reality show, Escape Routes. Collaborate live with the teams as they drive in the all-new 2013 Ford Escape from city to city, competing for cash and prizes around every turn. Full Story

I didn’t worry enough about skin moisture loss until much later. That's what they keep trying to re-create, isn't it? The 50+ pop icons who look so jacked on the tv in their music videos - elasticity, suppleness, the bounce-back skin of a 20 year old Jennifer Lawrence; it's right there on her cheeks - the natural full glow plumpness that accompanies youth. When you're young though, you take that skin for granted. You worry more about the pimples. At least I did. And that can lead to the wrong cleanser. Even now I'm tempted to go with cleansers that are too harsh when I'm dealing with the adult acne, and while we're at it - what is UP with the adult acne anyway? When does it end?!???In the long run, better a few spots than drying your skin out too quickly. If you’re like most women (70%, in fact), you too are often faced with the choice between treating oily parts or dry parts of your skin, worsening the imbalance. Full Story

So…I wasn’t totally not serious about wanting Rihanna’s Grammys hair for real. I’m no fan of the blonde Asian but at the same time, I’d consider doing it for a month. We go on hiatus at etalk for August. It’s kind of the perfect time to play with something crazy. After all, it’s not for broadcast. Sasha has been goading me about it so she can get her kicks. It would be like my gift to her. Like we mentioned last time, John Frieda® has just launched their Precision Foam Colour line this March.  In-home colouring that can make you feel like you stepped out of a salon within minutes of applying it.  At first glance you might think this is nothing new.  Home colouring products have, after all, been around for years.  However, they’re typically messy and come out horribly uneven. Full Story