Santa Santa Santa!

Ahh the countless memories of freezing my butt off while waiting for the big cheese himself, Santa. A great man indeed, always with his wondrous toys that light up the eyes of children. While the typical rule of thumb with Saint Nick is that you're technically not supposed to see him when he's doing his whole Christmas thing, he does make those special guest appearances to help encourage good behaviour, and Christmas cheer.

Because you, as a dutiful blog reader, have taken my advise and avoided the mall as much as possible this holiday season, you might find yourself asking, "How else shall I see Santa this year?" Well my friends I've got just the ticket!

Thats right, this Saturday, December 1st, the 39th Annual Windsor Santa Claus Parade will be taking place at 6pm. Excited much?

The parade will start at Atkinson Park and continue West to Brock Street down
riverside dr.W.

While waiting for, Mr. Claus you might enjoy checking out all the cool festive floats making their way down the street. Get excited listening to the marching bands as they play down the streets, and the dancers who are sure to follow.

Another great way to pump up your Christmas joy!

Caution: Slippery when Ice

Nothing says cold better than walking to class from my ever so distant parking space, against the forceful wind. I'm going to be blunt here...I don't like the cold. I don't like being cold, having a cold, or even cold drinks. I'm the type of person who can wear a sweater in 90˚ weather and not even break a sweat. But in order to appeal to the masses I feel that I must provide some cold, wintry fun for those who enjoy such things.

I must admit that even though I recently spent the summer working in a hockey arena, ice does not appeal to me. However, for those of you brave souls who dare to test the fates of the cold, might I suggest ice skating on the outdoor rink in Charles Clark Square, located in downtown Windsor.

Each year this irregularly shaped ice rink is set up for the pure amusement of city dwellers. Free of charge, this ice rink is available all Winter long. While there, enjoy the convenient bleacher seating set up around the perimeter as well as the concession stand and near by washrooms. The rink is lit up with perimeter lighting making it not only useful for night time skating but also more attractive.

Somewhat of a city secret, it is nestled between Chatham St. and University E. , between Goyeau and McDougall.

A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon relaxing, completing figure 8, after figure 8.

The rink is tenatively scheduled to open Dec. 1st of this year but it is weather dependent.

NOTE: This rink is not available for playing hockey.

Love to Laugh?

After spending last night laughing hysterically at the amazingly funny Dane Cook live at the Palace of Auburn Hills, I felt like it needed to be mentioned that Windsor-ites can see local comedy right here in our very own city.

Leo's Komedy Korner (located on Ottawa street above Tops of Windsor) is a great place to spend a Friday or Saturday night if you're 19 years of age or older. A friendly and fun place to hang with friends, drink, and laugh all night long, the Komedy Korner has played host to a variety of comics who have become well known to the comedy community. Stand-ups such as J.R. Remick have opened up for note-worth comedians such as Tim Allen, Jeff Foxworthy, and American rock band Reo Speedwagon.

Leo Dufour, owner of the Komedy Korner, is also a well known stand-up. He has been seen on A&E's Evening at the Improv, and Comedy Central. Full of hilarious antics, Leo's shows are a non-stop barrel of laughs. You can check him out for yourself this weekend November 30th-December 1st.

Also be sure to check out Dave Landau (seen in the clip below) December 21st through the 22nd.


For a complete schedule of upcoming comedians at the Komedy Korner check out the website here.

WARNING: These acts are likely to contain crude humour and are not recommended for overly sensitive people. Also if you do not like to be picked on as part of a running-joke, please do yourself a favour and refrain from sitting in the front row.

Festival of Films

As I made my way down the steps and through the theater doorways out into the brisk night air I said to myself...what happened to great movies? Why is it that the preview either gives all the funny stuff away and leaves us no hope for the time in between, or sets us up for a great suspense with an ending that kills (and by that I mean you recall the last time you said "if I have to watch another movie with a crappy ending I'll kill myself *cough Children of Men *cough). Anyway, as I did some web surfing in my so-called "free time" I ran into a secret of Windsor...The Windsor International Film Festival *gasp!

Okay so its not a huge secret but there are plenty of people out there who have never even heard of such a thing taking place in Windsor. Once a year for the past 2 years Windsor brings together some of the best movies never to hit the big screen. If you're looking for a movie you've seen a preview for on television...this is not where you want to go. Most of the movies showcased in this 6 day event are independent films that include both fiction and non-fiction. Now don't underestimate this films, these are done by some of the best directors in the country and include actors that YOU know for example : Susan Sarrandon, Colin Firth, Tommy Chong, Christopher Plummer, Woody Harrelson, Willem Dafoe, and Lily Tomlin, to name a few.

According to their website, the Windsor International Film Festival has " a mandate to showcase critically acclaimed cinematic arts by distinguished directors; to present international film worthy of a Canadian audience; and to debut independent film in Windsor, the Windsor International Film Festival is committed to providing accessibility to Canadian and international audiences."

Though some movies are border-line bizarre, such as Weirdsville, others remain intriguing documentaries that bring a new view to life, which includes Kurt Cobain: About A Son which is more like a biography of Cobain's life, using never-before-heard interviews as the direction of the film.(Seen below)

The festival runs from November 6th to the 11th this year. Tickets for each film cost $10 (which is pretty much what you pay to see another boring movie at the theatre) and can be purchased online at the festival website located below.

Schedules and locations for films can be found at the Windsor International Film Festival website located here.

Choose your film by viewing some trailers here.

This is a great alternative to seeing some of the typical story lines we seen in big blockbuster movies at the local theatre. Why not try something new?

Its Hypnotic!

Fighting my way through mid-term season I find myself feeling a little dazed. Its kind of like I'm watching everything go on around me and I'm barely absorbing any of it. By the time I lay down at night I feel like I've spent the day running in circles. So I have decided that in order to relieve myself of such stresses I will spend this Wednesday night amoung my peers (just like last year...and the year before) laughing hysterically at the antics of individuals under hypnosis in The Basement.

Damien the Hypnotist is returning to the University of Windsor this year for another great night of good ol' fashioned
hypnosis. Damien has performed all throughout Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean and is known for the crazy acts he gets his willing victims to perform. This show is guaranteed to make you laugh for hours and help to relieve some of that pent-up stress. Check out the fun Damien brings to these students at Concordia University last January...

This night of laughs starts Wednesday November 7th at 9pm...be there early to get good seats. Also, this event is FREE! ( even more appealing now isn't it?). The Basement is located in the lower level of the CAW student center building on the University of Windsor campus.

Haven't exercised your funny bone in awhile? Come check out Damien and watch your classmates make fools of themselves on stage!

This event is rated PG-13:Parents Strongly Cautioned

Border City Rocks!

After flipping through CD after CD in my collection I realized that I am currently lacking quality CD in the Canadian music genre. Complaining, as usual, to some friends of mine I was informed of the Border City Rocks! conference that is making its way to Windsor this weekend. I'll be heading downtown this weekend to pick up some new Cd's for my collection and to party all night long to these great Canadian bands!

This weekend the University of Windsor Student Alliance is hosting a conference that will also include nightly entertainment open to everyone and anyone. If you dig the local music scene or perhaps weren't even aware that there was one this is a good opportunity to expose yourself to all things musical in Windsor. Tonight The Roxy in downtown Windsor (the old Club O for those of us who haven't been to the Roxy yet), will play host to a variety of bands including: Hello Beautiful, I.AN.EYE, Zaki Ibrahim, The Mission District, and The Saint Alvia Cartel (all of whose myspace pages you can check out by clicking on their names).
Some of these bands are well renowned Canadian bands such as The Saint Alvia Cartel who have been added to the playlists of Canadian celebs like George Stroumboulopoulos.
Doors open at 8pm.

Saturday night the music relocates to The Chubby Pickle (also in downtown Windsor) to release 10 more bands music into our local air. Well known for hosting the CD releases of a variety of bands this local bar is teaming of with the Border City Rocks conference to bring the following bands to our local area for one great night of music:

–Cort Delano
-– The Fugitives
--Kobo Town
–Letters to Elora
– Casey Baker & The Buffalo Sinners
– Inoke Errati
– The Guys

The musical stylings for both these nights range from punk alternative to folk reggae. This weekend is sure to be a blast! I know I'll be there shakin' my groove thang to some of the best music Canada has to offer.

These shows are all ages. Tickets are $10 each night and are available for purchase at the UWSA office (located upstairs in the CAW building of the University of Windsor) and on the UWSA website

Pat Robitaille at The Whiskey!

No one says great Canadian folk rock like Pat Robitaille...at least in my opinion. First introduced to his acoustic driven melodies while cruisin' in the car with a friend in search of the nearest bulk barn, I have to say I wasn't hooked right away. It took at least another ten minutes on the way home to think to myself, I should burn that for myself (nothing says honour to a musician like a burned copy of their disk). In any case it was later on that week while cruising the web that I fell upon his myspace site and found a tour date for this Thursday at the Whiskey in downtown Windsor. Sweet!

So what do you get when you listen to his music? Not only a relaxing melody to wind down your day but also a sultry voice that sweeps you away...not to mention he ain't that bad lookin.

So what makes him Canadian?

Well it helps that he was born and raised here in Windsor, which is pretty cool. Also there are a bunch of Canadian names and places that create that nostalgic feeling of Canadian summers up north. In his song "Leonard Cohen (Northern Lights)" he talks about famous Canadian poet Leonard Cohen,andGeorgian Bay...which you can check out the music video for here-->


You can also listen to more of his music at his myspace page here

Looking for some relaxing acoustic music to wind down your week? Check out Pat Robitaille this Thursday at The Whiskey Bar and Grill in downtown Windsor. Cost is $5 or free if you call ahead to reserve seating.

The Whiskey Bar & Grill
300 Ouellette Ave
Windsor
519-977-7875

What not to do!

Here is a quick post on what I feel was the biggest mistake of my weekend as well as the biggest mistake of any future bored persons in desperate need of something to do. Last Friday a friend told me that they were putting the family dog down and she was kind of upset. A cute little dog but he's old and has spent the last year really being a trooper and sticking life out. Anyway, out of the sheer goodness of my heart I ventured to the mall after work (about 8:oopm) to find her something to commemorate the great life she's had with her pet...BIG MISTAKE! I had taken no less than 10 steps out of the Zellers into the "mall" itself, ( I put this in quotations because very few people would recognize Devonshire as a real mall) and nearly gave up my conquest all together at the sight of 15 pre-pubescent teens headed my way!
The mall, once a location of pure joy and entertainment for the local shop-a-holic has turned into the local hang spot for ever teenager in the county...and they come dressed to impress...or atleast they wear revealing clothing or are dressed from head to toe in black, with chains dangling hazardously from their pants. This is no longer a destination to satisfy one's issue of boredom. I highly recommend choosing an alternate means of entertainment such as the ones below. Any other time of the week the mall is a great place to go to peruse the shelves of stores or to pick up that cd you've long been awaiting the release of, but a Friday night at the mall spells disaster for anyone over the age or 14.

Ready, Set, Climb!

So with mid-terms and papers all starting to fall into our laps, we need to keep motivated and going strong. Believe it or not working out gives you an extra boost of energy throughout your day. But the gym just isn't appealing...and it can be especially not fun! Time for an activity that you can do for fun on the weekend or to help stimulate your brain as a workout.

With that said, its TIME TO CLIMB!!

Gibraltar Climbing Company is over 6000 square feet of state of the art indoor climbing facility. AND its Southern Ontario's most popular Rock climbing gym! Located just off of Huron Line in the Sandcastle Recreation Center.

Established in 1997 it is home to some of the greatest pathways for climbing. With staff to help train you on how to belay your partner (a pulley like system used to keep climbers from falling), and to teach you how to climb. The pathways are designed to be accessible for all climbing abilities and are ever changing.

Some of the walls range from 32 to 44 feet tall!



The facility also includes 3 large bouldering areas with over 2000 square feet of "prime terrain with roofs, 20-55 degree overhangs, corners"(Gibraltar Climbing Company) etc.

Open Monday - Friday from 3pm - 10pm
Saturday-Sunday from 11am- 6pm

Nothing says quality time with friends like putting your safety in their "capable" hands!

So get up off the couch and tie up those sneakers 'cuz its time for you to get climbin'

Too much fun is not enough!

Uh-oh its almost Friday and you've still got no plans for the weekend. What to do...what to do?

Laser tag, go karts, batting cages, arcade games...sound appealing enough? Its time to check out the Windsor Family Fun Center!

I can't possibly stress enough how refreshing it is after writing an essay to go and shoot some of your friends...er..well not literally. Maybe it'd feel better to invite the people you don't like...talk about de-stressing. Despite being specifically told not to, enjoy running around the 3 level complex chasing after your friends or your enemies attempting to shoot them with a pretty cool looking laser gun. Get lost in the largest laser tag maze around!

Okay, so your no James Bond and firing a gun just doesn't appeal to you. Why not put the pedal to the metal and go cruising out around the Go Kart track located just outside. I mean who doesn't love whipping around corners and "accidently" bumping into the people around you. You can feel the wind in your hair...or at least your face as you go zoomin' around this awesome track.

So you don't like shooting people or driving fast? Really, what do you enjoy? Fluffy teddy bears? If so then you're still at the right place! Why not check out the Bear Making Factory, where you can choose a furry friend, fill 'em with fluff, dress 'em up and take 'em home!!

Still not your type of fun? Maybe you've got a lot of pent up anger...why not unleash your fury at the batting cages! Nothing says relaxation like protecting yourself from the unrelenting force of a softball traveling at top speeds. Choose from slow softball pitch or fastball hardball pitch.

Maybe a nice relaxing game of Glo Golf is your cup of tea. Head over to the Lauzon Rd. location to play 18 holes of your choice of themed room. Choose from Jurassic, Jungle, Egypt, or Underwater themed rooms to putt your way to victory.

With so many choices there's bound to be something for everyone!!

Located at:
1930 Ambassador Drive, 1665 Lauzon Rd
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
(519)972-6748
*right behind the Holiday Inn*

1665 Lauzon Rd
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
(519)974-5768
*right next to the Tecumseh Mall*

Check out the website for more details

Food, Fun, and a Gator?

Looking for a great way to spend time with the family? Or a better date idea than dinner and a movie? Why not head out to Colasanti's Tropical Gardens!!

Located in Ruthven Ontario, (between Leamington and Kingsville) this place has got it all. With 15 greenhouses there is plenty of plant life to pick up for your home.

Not interested in plants and beautiful flowers? Head on over to the petting zoo for only $1.25 per person! Talk about affordable. Colasanti's Tropical Gardens is home to an extraordinary range of animals, including alligators, bats, lemurs, donkeys, deer, tropical birds, snakes, turtles and fish. You can even feed many of the animals including goats, deer, and llamas.

When you're done checking out the furry and the not-so furry, give your hands a good wash then grab something to eat at the restaurant. With tons of choices on the menu theres sure to be something for everyone.

Ready for dessert? Stop by one of the small shops within and pick yourself up some fresh homemade fudge, grab an ice cream, or get your fill of candy.

Now that you've got your sugar rush head on over to the arcade and mini-golf area. Get goofy on the goofy golf course for less than $4 per person!

Kids getting cranky? Take 'em for a kiddie ride on the Busy Bees or the Caterpillar Express!


Be sure to stop by the sports store and the gift shop on your way out!! Be sure to water those plants..if you want them to last!!

For more information call 'em at (519)326-3287.

Bump, Set, SPIKE!!

Inspired by today's gorgeous weather I have decided that this shall be about one particularly fun sport...VOLLEYBALL. After spending much time this past year playing both indoor and beach volleyball, I feel that it is time for me to share this great sport with others.

Not big on sports or exhausting physical activity? Fortunately for you, volleyball is not a very physically demanding sport. If it was people wouldn't play drunk.

Got your attention but you don't know where to play around here?


Some of the best beach volleyball courts include the outdoor courts at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club, as well as both the indoor and outdoor courts at Sandcastle Recreation Complex.

Raining on your parade? Sandcastle has indoor sand courts!! So its like being outside without actually being outside! There are also hard floor courts to be played on as well.

What's better than getting a bunch of friends together for a couple of hours to play some v-ball? Plus with Sandcastle's low rates ($40 per hour) it works out to be incredibly feasibile on the low-income of a bunch of students.

And hey, if you're playing with a bunch of your friends you don't have to worry about being good or looking cool because its all in good fun!

Stephen Gibb comes to A'burg!

So its not exactly Windsor per say, but the fact that a well-renowned artist has made his way to little old Amherstburg is something that needs to be noted. As a proud Amherstburg-ian I am delighted to inform you that artist Stephen Gibb is currently hosting an exhibit of his works at the Gibson Gallery in downtown Amherstburg. His exhibit entitled "There Goes the Neighbourhood" is likely to incorporate pieces that comment on life's frequent emotions and complexities. He makes good use of attractive and bright colours to draw in admirers.



His pieces, like the one on the left entitled "The King's Breakfast", maintain ideas of irony and tend to be quite humourous. I myself have been fortunate to see his works displayed in local bars in Windsor such as Milk Coffee Bar, and Phog Lounge, during "The (not so) Premature Evacuation" exhibit last June.

Stuck in Amherstburg? An admirer of art? Fan of Gibb? Visit this exhibit to re-gain a sense of humour in our whttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.giforld. Too exhausted from hard work to drive out to "The Burg"? Check out his works online at http://www.stephengibb.com.

This exhibit runs until September 30th at the Gibson Gallery located at 140 Richmond St. Amherstburg. Call for directions at 519-736-2826.


(photo courtesy: http://www.stephengibb.com)