Strategize this

So it turns out I have a day job. I appreciate this may come as a shock for the 2% of you reading this that aren’t either my friend, colleague or family member. Yes, sadly I do not attract enough readers to sustain my lifestyle while I publish one single blog per week. Go figure. Good news is I have a gig that covers my cowgirl lifestyle whilst I blog it up.

Now, we all have those weeks where we feel like we’re faking an orgasm 8 hours a day, Monday through Friday. It doesn’t matter what industry you work in, the redundant corporate buzz words and coffee comparable to a mild form of jet fuel can really wear on a gal. How many times do we have to hear the phrase ‘moving forward’ or ‘let’s uncover the nuances’ before we pull an Office Space and smash the shit out of the fax machine? Not too many, I suspect.

I work in PR and aside from badgering the media, I strategize. That’s right possums, one of my many functions is to strategize the badgering of media. So, during a recent strategy session I was pleased to discover an unexpected, and unlikely, visitor. While my boss and I sit in our massive, freezing-like-the-artic, board room one of our counterparts joined us via video conference. We were about to wrap things up when my coworker’s projection turned puzzled, as he muttered a quiet ‘well I’ll be damned.’ There stood Pamela Anderson, in our parking lot, about to climb into an SUV and drive off. I quickly sprang to action and asked that my coworker remove the video cam from it’s perch and point the thing out the window so I could take a peek. Within seconds the Playmate turned Peta activist was part of my PR strategy session. This certainly perked up my work week. What’s next, the Hoff? Germans love him and frankly, so do I.

So next time you have the urge to staple things to your boss’ forehead, remember you never know when a center fold will find their way into your board room.

Be cool possums
x

My Cusack Encounter

As luck would have it - or I simply have a celebrity magnet attached to my person - I had the pleasure of enjoying yet another splendid celebrity encounter. This time, with a certain Mr. John Cusack. In. The. Flesh. This is one celeb that not only impressed, but pleasantly surprised me with his genuine demeanor and understated attire. Cool as a cucumber.

One of my BFF’s and I were en route for some goss and grub at one of Gastown’s finest. A jewel one might say. When we arrived, there wasn’t a single seat free in the house, so we scooted up the block a few doors to another Gastown institution. A bottle of vino later, we rang up some friends to join us for some late night debauchery. While discussing my subtle obsession over celebs, in walks in Cusack....decked out in denim, kicks, a track suit jacket, and his black baseball cap turned backwards. Not an ideal look pour moi, but damn the boy is hot. Unlike other celebs I’ve happened upon, Cusack is tall....really tall. And fit! *Sigh*. I felt like a girl of 29 again.

Having little to no shame, I immediately approached our subject, introduced myself and inquired about his business in our fair city. He explained he was in town to shoot a new film and continued to introduce his director and several cast mates (who had accompanied him) in an endeavor to shift the attention away from himself. How very modest. It didn’t change the fact that I wanted to throw my arms around him and profess my love in manner of Kate Beckinsale a la Serendipity - one of my favorite Cusack flicks. But I digress...

I’ve been a fan for years. John Cusack is the quintessential leading man of romantic comedy, most notably in the hit film High Fidelity. And so possums, I’ll leave you with this....

Urban Cowgirl Does the Junos

As you may or may not know possums, I am a smidge obsessed with celebs and have been known to migrate towards events that anticipate a star-studded attendance. So when I heard the Junos were coming to town, I knew I had to get involved. For my fabulous foreign readership, the Junos are Canada’s answer to the Brit Awards in the UK, the AMA’s in the States or the ARIA’s in Australia; an annual event showcasing and honoring Canadian music.

Following the announcement that Vancouver would indeed host the event – a mere 3 blocks from my pad – I quickly signed up to volunteer. Ofcourse, with volunteering there is never a guarantee that you’ll be involved in anything glamorous. There’s always a chance you’ll end up selling t-shirts or directing traffic. Luckily I made the cut to be an official ‘seat filler’, meaning when stars and their people go to the loo or hit the bar, you are to scooch yourself into their seat until they return so the seats seem full during the live broadcast. For example, “Oh hello Feist, I’d be happy to keep your seat warm whilst you powder your nose”, and such. This seemed to be my best shot at getting some face time with the glitterati, so I decided to get glam and hope for the best.

Allow me to set the scene: I am seated with Maestro Fresh Wes and his manager who offer me the ticket to my seat, in other words, I’m set for the entire show. Excellent. Not only do I have the best seats in the house, I am surrounded by Canada’s music elite. K.D. Lang and her partner in front of me, Loverboy in front of them. To my immediate right we have Bryan Adams, Michael Buble, Diana Krall, Elvis Costello, Dallas Green, etc. Buble’s Mumsy and Dad were right behind me. Celebrity vantage point – check. I quickly realized, however, that my new BFF Maestro was getting a little fresh with me (pun intended) as he creepishly caressed my hand when I introduced myself and invited me to hit the after parties with him. Sorry Maestro, this cowgirl is spoken for…however I’m happy to play the part of ‘giddy groupie’ to get my ass into an after party.

The Highlights

Nickelback rocked the house, kicking off the show with stripper anthem Something In Your Mouth amidst impressive pyrotechnics.

Russell Peters owned the show as second time emcee, opening with a Bollywood-inspired dance number backed by the Punjabawakis. Loved it. Some of his most notable jabs throughout the night were his references to Anne Murray’s ‘snowbird’, incessant comments about BC weed (which seemingly inspired the set) and a stab at Steven Page’s coke habit.

Sarah McLachlan performed an elegant and moving rendition of her latest single You Want Me 2, undoubtedly inspired by her estranged husband and former drummer Ashwin Sood. Sorrow inspires some of the best songs sadly.

Divine Brown was simply divine. This woman is sex on a stick with a voice to match! Sam Roberts, The Stills, and Simple Plan pulled off a few toe-tappers, despite performing three of the most over-played songs of the past year.

City & Color (insert school girl sigh here) didn’t disappoint and was joined by surprise guest Gord Downie to perform their hit collab Sleeping Sickness. Given I have a mild crush on Dallas Green, I did feel an inkling to trip his pretty VJ wifey as she scooted by me, but luckily I refrained.

Bryan Adams performed his new single (didn’t he retire to become a photographer?) Walk on By with singer/songwriter Kathleen Edwards. Her endearing stage antics and sparkly personality made Mr. Adams himself blush several times throughout their performance.

Hawksley Workman – who has a serious set of pipes - closed the show accompanied by Great Big Sea and Eccodek.

Although Nickelback scored the most statues, Best New Artist and indie darling Lights delivered one hell of an acceptance speech for her big win, making this one of my favorite moments of the night.

The After Party

Thanks to my new BFF Maestro, I managed to secure my spot on the guest list and note which names to drop at the Junos After Party, hosted by do-gooder David Suzuki and the one and only George Strombopolous, ahem, my idol.

I arrived to a discouraging line-up but was delighted when I was easily whisked into the party as I explained I was ‘with Wes’. Ha. Apparently the theme of the event was weirdoes, wannabes and waifs as BC Fashion Week was also hosting a wrap-up event. I was surrounded by hungry glamazons people.

I meandered about the party for a few hours sipping on vodka and spotting celebs and the groupies that hovered around them. Ed Robertson from the Bare Naked Ladies was working the room while Sam Roberts and his band b-lined for the bar. K-OS, true to form, was present but shy and hid under a hoodie most of the night. The foxy brunette from Corner Gas was there (what’s her name again?). Then finally I set my sights on George. Strombo himself, looking rather rock-esque dressed in black adorned with his usual chains and black leather accessories. I love this man. We had a brief chat and snapped a few pics. By this time I was well on my way to crashing.

I never did run into Maestro again, but was satisfied with my ample celebrity consumption. Following one final lap of the buzzing room, I jumped in a cab and made my way home. Mission accomplished.

*After party photo credits - Urban Cowgirl

Big no no for NASA

Just a quick one possums...

Perhaps Nasa should be mindful of their navigation skills.  Whilst launching a satellite to monitor global warming, it might make sense to AVOID crashing into the ocean near Antarctica, further harming the earth, no?  

Come on folks! I hear there's a few brainy people in the NASA camp.  Obama might want to put some of his astronauts on probation here, or better yet, fly the rockets himself.  

In other news, this has been nagging at me for weeks and I just had to share.  Is it me, or is Duffy Dolly Parton's long lost daughter?  Or granddaughter rather?

Academy Awards post-game review

Possums! Did you watch? The 81st Annual Academy Awards certainly did not disappoint, with it’s fair share of surprises, upsets and just plain upsetting choices in attire. Where do some of these stars find their stylists, on craigslist? I digress, let’s discuss some of the most notable moments of the night.

• Two thumbs up on Hugh Jackman’s stellar performance as host of the biggest gig in Hollywood. Complete with an opening musical montage and mid-show musical medley with Miss Sasha Fierce herself, is there anything this man can’t do? Wolverine shmolverine...the boy can sing.
• Ben Stiller’s Joaquin Pheonix parody...sadly accurate, but hilarious nonetheless.
• Tina Fey co-presenting with Steve Martin, taking a dig at Scientology with a sea of Scientologists in the audience - Will and Jada have zero street cred since adopting this bizarre-o religion.
• The heart felt presentations delivered by past winners for each of the acting awards, where they share touching stories about each of the nominees. Loved it. I even loved Whoopi in all her leopard print glory.
• Heath Ledger’s parents and sister accepting the award for best supporting actor on behalf of Ledger’s daughter Matilda. Not a dry eye in the house folks.
• Jen Aniston co-presenting with Jack Black while Brangelina was seated just a few feet away. She even shot the power couple a big grin, seemingly 50% genuine and 50% ‘look at me with my loyal boy toy at my side, canoodling me nonstop’. John Mayer was on his best behavior, cuz clearly Jen’s bod is a wonderland.
• Robert Pattinson who plays Edward Cullen in the popular vamp film Twilight. I’m mildly obsessed with this actor who also happens to be a minor. Pervy? Maybe.

And now possums, let’s talk frocks with the...

Urban Cowgirl’s Fashion Flop or Fashion Fabulous - Oscar Edition

The Flops - I'm tempted to try and pluck all of the sparkly petals from Miley's disastrous dress; Jessica Biel looks like she's about to dive into a lobster dinner; Viola Davis looks like a Ferrera Roche, i just want to unwrap her chocolaty goodness; John Legend's lady friend looks like her ta-tas are about to break free from that dress, two words - wardrobe malfunction.













The Fabulous - Taraji P. Henson has got me straight trippin' boo with her beautiful gown, and although a tad bridal-esque, she rocks the look well; SJP was fairytale fabulous in her Dior dream, minus the strange man on her arm...oh wait, that's her hubbie; Natalie Portman was a knock out in this pretty-in-pink number; Kate is simply elegant in YSL.













The most memorable, and perhaps tear jerking moment of the night was during Kate Winslet’s acceptance speech for Best Actress where she asked her dad to whistle so she could see where her parents were sitting in the audience. We heart Kate. Let’s relive this one, shall we?

From Penalty Killing to Oscar Predictions

Ok possums, before I start going off about my excitement over the upcoming Academy Awards and begin spilling my predications, allow me to take a moment to talk about our beloved (for the most part) Vancouver Canucks.

With the risk of jinxing our rather stellar improvement as of late, I have to express my complete and utter gratitude towards our team and apologize for, again, rolling off the bandwagon. But you see possums, this is what we do, isn’t it? As Canucks fans, it’s not uncommon for us to be in love with the Sedin sisters one day, and absolutely despise them the next. That’s just how we roll in this city, we’re fickle fans. However, the moment things start looking up - as they are at the mo - I’d bet you a case of Wildcat that we are some of the most passionate fans on the planet.

Taylor Pyatt, if you are for some reason reading this blog (and I'm sure there’s a chance that you are), please know that I’m the one screaming outlandishly in your favor at every game I attend. I’M the one defending you in the stands and fighting for your honor. I’M the one that thinks, should you decide to hang up your skates one day, that underwear modeling is certainly a possibility. I’d even provide my services as your publicist.

In other news, it’s that time of year again possums! The Academy Awards are a mere 6 days away, and like many of you (I affectionately assume), I’ve been in the midst of a moviegoing frenzy. Without further aduie, may I present...

The Urban Cowgirl’s 2009 Academy Award Predictions

Best Picture - Slumdog Millionaire. Not because they’ve cleaned up at all the award shows, but because the film takes a popular western show and uses it to creatively tell the story of the awful conditions that orphans are faced with in India. It also demonstrates what a magical place India is, so I suspect there will be bhungara in the streets to the tune of 1 billion + people come Oscar night.

Best Actor in a Leading Role - Mickey Rourke. My heart says Sean Penn, but my gut tells me that Rouke has it in the bag this year. The Academy likes a comeback (as does Hollywood, ahem, Britney) and tends to shy away from controversy. Given the awards take place in a state that has recently banned gay marriage, something tells me Milk may be overlooked.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Heath Ledger. I truly believe this is not just a memorium of Heath’s life, but rather a celebration of his short yet impactful body of work. There won’t be a dry eye in the house possums...it’s sure to be a pivotal point of the evening.

Best Actress in a Leading Role - Kate Winslet. This saucy minx manages to drop her drawers for the big screen once again, but always in the right context. There is nothing this British bird can’t do cinematically. However, as much as I enjoyed her in The Reader, I’m surprised she wasn’t nominated for her heart wrenching role in Revolutionary Road. Either way Kate, we love you.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Taraji P. Henson. This one appears to be a wild card, as we have five fantastic performances on our hands, all for different reasons. However, from my perspective, Henson’s performance really stood out.

Cast your own votes possums with the NY Times and check back to see how your movie critic skills measured up!

And now, let’s bhungara...

The Urban Cowgirl's - Make it a Double

Grammys Double Take

As I kick back to indulge in the 51st annual Grammy awards, something donned on me while watching the celebs rock the red carpet. Is Chad Kroeger Robert Plant's long lost son?

Ponder it possums...













PS Paula Abdul seems high...just a touch.

Double Standards for Female Celebs

While we linger in line at our local grocery store, it’s not uncommon to open an issue of US Weekly to an article detailing the growth of some female celebrity's derriere. The madness that is the media continuously contributes to this type of sensationalism and somehow we always buy in. Does it make us ‘regular’ folk feel better to know that we’re not the only ones that struggle with our weight? Perhaps demonstrating that celebrities sometimes battle the bulge too makes us feel a bit better about our own bods? Well ofcourse it does. I for one am not going to pretend like I didn’t enjoy those pics of Jennifer Love Hewitt’s butt bulging out of her a bikini a while back, but that’s besides the point.

What really gets my nickers knotty is the fact that male celebs are exempt from this kind of ridicule. When it comes to packing on a few pounds, why must the media overlook the men? As you may have imagined possums, I found myself rather fired up on the subject so i felt it only appropriate to feature a few male celebs who have tacked on a little tubb as of late.

Exhibit A - Val Kilmer

Remember the days when Val was known for his chiseled features and bangin’ bod? Two words - Ice Man. Not to mention his role as the late great Jim Morrison. The thought of those leather pants still lingers ladies...seriously. However, let’s take a peek at the once Batman now fatman, formally God-like Kilmer:

Exhibit B - Alec Baldwin

Alec has gone from a Baldwin to a Barney over the past decade or so, and although he’s still handsome and hilarious in his role on 30 rock...it’s time to hit the ol’ treadmill AB:

Exhibit C - Russell Crowe

A memorable scene from Sex and the City comes to mind where the gals are gabbing about the many men they fantasize about while Carry cites Crowe as her spank bank member of choice. I highly doubt many gals are getting off to the thought of Russell wrangling tigers a la Gladiator these days:

Exhibit D - Tom Cruise

Once again, I find myself reminiscent of another Top Gun alumni, because let’s face it...nothing beats a strapping young lad in a flight suit. Damn. Tommy had a brief turn with turtlenecks last year...to hide what undoubtably looked like some extra pounds, and dare i say...a double chin:

I don’t mean to hate on some of our favorite male celebs, but something had to give. Besides, hasn’t Jessica heard enough about those high wasted jeans? I certainly have.

Night night possums
xx

En route to the Oscars

Happy New Year possums! I hope we’re all keeping up with our new years resolutions. I for one have broken each and every one of mine...well, really only one which is drink less wine. Dammit. So many yummy varietals. Kudos to those of you that are on track, however.

Let’s talk film, shall we? This time of year sends me into a rather psychotic tail spin as I become desperate to see every film ‘predicted’ to earn an Academy Award nomination. I find the Golden Globes are a useful tool for planning my film viewing game plan as their nominee list is a fantastic guideline. It is absolutely imperative that I am one step ahead of the Oscar nominee announcements. Obsessed you say? Perhaps. Just roll with it possums, my intention is to ensure you enjoy the best cinematic experience possible...ahem...let’s get started...

The Urban Cowgirl’s Holiday Film Review

Milk - inspiring, eye-opening and devastating all in one. Sean Penn delivers one of his best performances in this historical flick based on the true life story of Harvey Milk; gay rights activist and the first openly gay man to be elected into public office in the U.S. Also starring Josh Brolin and Emile Hirsch, it's a very important film and a triumphant story!

5 Cowboys out of 5 - giddy up!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - a heart warming escape into the life of a boy with a condition that sees him born with the physical condition of an 80 year old, yet he improves with age, seemingly aging backwards. The historical references, elements of sincere human kindness and the love story between Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett’s characters are simply stunning.

4 Cowboys out of 5

Slumdog Millionaire - based in India, it’s the story of two orphaned brothers (Salim and Jamal) struggle to survive on their own while hustling their way around India until they separate because of their differing values. Jamal’s kind heart and love for a childhood friend leads him to becoming a contestant on the Indian version of ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’, which is how the film is cleverly narrated. Great storytelling; a must see!

4 Cowboys out of 5

Seven Pounds - I balled my bloody eyes out possums. Will Smith hits it out of the park with this selfless tale of a man tormented by a fatal mistake that leaves him yearning to end his life, but not before he changes the lives of 7 others in a dramatically positive way. Rosario Dawson was incredible in this film and deserves a nom for Best Supporting Actress (if it were up to me that is).

5 Cowboys out of 5 - yeehaw!

Burn After Reading - the Cohen brothers are true to form in this quirky yet hilarious tale surrounding a secret file that is found by ‘Hardbodies’ staff members (Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt) which unfolds several intertwining story lines resulting in a ridiculous yet fitting conclusion. Cohen brothers sweetheart McDormand manages to deliver her usual awkward yet endearing performance while George Clooney, Tilda Swinton and John Malkovich hold their own in this film.

3 Cowboys out of 5

The Urban Cowgirl’s Must See List

The Reader - starring Kate Winslet, David Cross and Ralph Fiennes, it’s the story of an affair between a teenage boy (Cross) and a Nazi German (Winslet) who is later on trial for war crimes only to have her teenage fling participating as a member of the jury trying her 10 years later. Winslet sure likes to get naked and get busy in her films. We likey.

Revolutionary Road - Kate Winslet reunites with Leo DiCaprio while Winslet’s husband Sam Mendes directs in this emotional drama. They say it’s an American classic...already. I just want to check out those steamy love scenes between Winslet and DiCaprio...they’ve come a long way from a censored shag on a boat.

Frost/Nixon - a Ron Howard directed film, starring Frank Langella as Richard Nixon and Michael Sheen as David Frost, a British journalist famous for his persistent interview tactics surrounding Nixon’s Watergate scandal. Sheen gave an excellent performance as Tony Blair in The Queen so I’m curious to catch him in this flick.

The Wrestler - Mickey Rourke makes a critically acclaimed comeback in this drama documenting the life of a professional wrestler. Also starring Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. I’m not a Rourke fan, but the reviews are off the hook.

Doubt - based on the popular Broadway play and starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams, this film depicts a controversial scandal which takes place in a Catholic school in the Bronx, New York. The onscreen dynamic between Streep and Hoffman seems intense!

Grab some popcorn and your plus 1 and catch a few flicks this month. I’ll have more next week on the outcome of the Globes and who was wearing the most garish get up.

Until then my fellow movie revelers, I'll leave you with the trailer for Milk...
UC xx



The Urban Cowgirl's Make it a Double

Related? Kate Hudson/Chris Robinson offspring Ryder...and Beck?

Pandemonium prevails at Pemberton Festival

After months of anticipation, a pile of planning and a whole lotta’ hype, Pemberton Festival (affectionately known as Pembie Fest), is now a moment in music history. However, before the memories fade like Pharrell Williams hair-do, let’s cover off some highlights shall we?

Due to the inevitable (and demoralizing) traffic congestion that nearly pushed me to the brink of suicide – sounds dramatic I know – I unfortunately missed out on a few acts. I did manage to catch all of the heavy hitters which are, after all, the reason I and 39,999 others spent 3 days intoxicated and covered in dirt…just to catch a glimpse of some rock legends lighting it up in our very own backyard.

Serj Tankian, lead singer of political metal band System of a Down and now a soloist, was my first taste of the events that would continue to rock my world throughout the weekend. What a set of pipes on this man! Sporting a linen suit and top hat to match, one might not have expected Tankian to get the crowd chanting ‘Praise the lord, pass the ammunition’…but he surely did. This fella is clever and a far cry from your status quo artists shouting ‘Bush sucks’ just to get the crowd going. Nothing makes me hotter than a rock star who can authentically and accurately speak about politics.

Interpol…shall we call them Inter-snore? What a bunch of suit-clad zombies. I quite like their music, but as far as stage presence goes, they should enroll in Jack Black’s school of rock ‘cuz these boys just don’t have it in them. Or they absolutely despise one another? Either way, you have one member resembling Lyle Lovett, another who could pass for a Boy George look-a-like. And when they finally spoke, I was shocked to discover that these lads are actually American? I got a Brit vibe for sure, given their outfits. Perfect time for a trip to the beer garden I suppose.

Nine Inch Nails did not disappoint, which was no surprise - Trent Reznor is a force to be reckoned with. The man is intense…and hot. I was perhaps guilty of a few groupie-esque ‘woo-hoos’ during his set, but rightly so. The multi-talented/multi-instrumentalist closed the first day of the festival with a bang, sporting a massive light board behind him and his band, creating quite the spectacle. Now that’s a rock show.

The Tragically Hip brought out the biggest, and definitely the rowdiest, crowd of all the acts during the festival. I guess you have to be Canadian to truly get it (as an aussie friend of mine put it) but no matter where these boys play, the crowds will follow. Gord Downie threw down his usual bizarre stage antics pretending his mic stand was a car at one point whilst he thrust himself upon it. Right. Whatever floats your boat Gordie. At one point, Downie glimpsed over to the lead guitarist (you know, the one that looks like Alanis with a beard?), and flashed this smile that quite obviously meant ‘woe man, we’re still pulling this off after all these years…life is good’. This completed the patriotic portion of the show.

Bring on Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- all American boys and rock legends. This was perhaps one of the most diverse sing-a-long sessions I’ve seen in terms of ages, which ranged from 18 to a brave 60+ year old man surfing the crowd. Petty played all the hits while swaggering about the stage having most certainly enjoyed a dance with Mary Jane moments before the show. Atta boy. He couldn’t have played in BC without sampling some of our…ahem, local produce. I called my dad and sang when Petty belted out Free Fallin’. It was a fine moment.

Day 3 = still standing and stoked to see N.E.R.D. No sooner did my crew and I situate our selves for the show, when I was whisked away with a media pass in my hot little hand, to ogle the band from backstage. Yes! This is the stuff of dreams for an Urban Cowgirl such as moi. I’ve been a fan for years and couldn’t help but bust a move and scream like a teenager to hits such as ‘Lap dance’ and Everyone Nose’ until someone gave me the heads up to ‘tone it down’ as I was media…not a super fan. Right. I’ll have to work on that.

Next up are Bellingham boys Death Cab for Cutie, which was just what I needed to mellow myself after my star struck encounter with Pharrell Williams. The perfect band to snuggle up on a blanket to, whilst sipping some vino from your ultra-classy wine tetra pack which you smuggled in hours earlier. When lead singer Ben Gibbard belted out his romantical gem ‘Soul Meets Body’ my heart melted…a little.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get better, Jigga man himself hopped on stage, smokin’ a stogie, and brought down the house. I knew Jay Z was talented, but his street cred has been somewhat buried underneath the likes of Beyonce and Rihanna so I nearly fell to my knees when he started free styling. I was blown away and continued to shake my cracker ass (excuse the expression) throughout his entire set. Nigga what? Nigga please.

At this point I’ve reached a level of musical stimulation unmatched by any other concert I’ve attended, when Chris Martin and the boys hit the stage to close the festival. Having seen Coldplay live twice before, I knew what to expect but am always pleasantly surprised by the bands sense of humor, energy and downright talent. At one point, the 4 English lads jumped off the stage and booked it through the crowd, perching themselves on a platform approximately 20 feet away from my crew and I. Magic. The entire crowd joined in for ‘Yellow’ and ‘Fix You’…and then just like that, the festival was over. It’s like the feeling you get after Christmas. I wonder what bands Santa will bring for Pemberton Festival next year?

Photo credits - Urban Cowgirl

The Urban Cowgirl's Make it a Double

Same person? Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump; Bare Naked Ladies Steven Page...?

American Idol contestant cries his way to the final

‘Don’t cry for me Archuletaaaaaa’. Whilst laid up on my couch suffering from a pesky cold, I found myself tuning in for the sub-par performances of American Idol finalists - cry baby David Archuleta and rocker wannabe David Cook. Is this seriously the best the states have to offer? I’m not denying either one of these fellas have talent, but I find myself feeling thankful that my cold medication is about to send me into an 8 hour coma.

Archuleta, the 17 year old crooner who should stick strictly to show tunes and Josh Groban renditions, cries at every given opportunity. I don’t get it? Why so sad shooky? Is it because of Paula’s inspiring, prescription-drug-induced critiques? Side note, can we please check the contents of that woman’s coke glass prior to each taping? Is it appropriate that she sluuuuuuuuuuuuur her way through each show? That is some kinda contract she’s rockin – not too shabby for the washed up former Laker girl (didn’t she have a song or 2 in the 80’s as well?).

David Cook on the other had seems more marketable to me. Perhaps it’s my taste in music that causes me to support team Cook, however his mediocre Bon Jovi ballads are not rockin my world either. It’s interesting to me what appeals to the American public. Will it be the town crier, or the rocker without a reason to rock? Who cares really.

In other news, I thought I might share with you an interesting little gizmo that may catch on in N America over the coming months. A friend of mine described these as the next Tickle Me Elmo with an iPhone thrust up his backside. It’s called the Nabaztag. A robotic rabbit - not the one made famous by Samantha Jones, but a cute little guy that connects to your Wi-Fi router to keep you up to date on your email, news, weather, or essentially anything you program him to keep tabs on. In other words, he listens to your commands, talks back…he even smells?? Your own little personal assistant in the form of a hello kitty inspired bunny. Think they’ll catch on?

Countdown to Sex and the City: The Movie – 10 days…tick tick tick…