PowerBlogs: Jasmine Doobay

Another amazing Savour the Local Flavours on Friday with Chef Michael Lyons from the Hotel Eldorado.

Chef Michael prepared spicy calamari and then a gourmet steak sandwich.

Here’s what they look like…

…this just came in to my email…

The Essler, Coyston and Klassen families would like to express their sincere appreciation for the outpouring of sympathy and support that they have received following the tragic loss of Bryce Essler.

Special thanks are offered to the U.S. Coast Guard, Maui Search and Rescue, Fire Department, Police Department, rescue divers, lifeguards and all of the other individuals who took part in the search for Bryce. The family would also like to recognize the staff of the Aston Ka’anapali Shores Resort who were so thoughtful and supportive during this very difficult time. Their assistance in planning a very touching memorial service on the beach last Sunday was especially appreciated.

A celebration of Bryce’s incredible 20 years of life will be held on Sunday, February 28th at 2:30 pm at Trinity Baptist Church, 1905 Springfield Road, Kelowna. Reception to follow.

The Essler family is now spending time with their closest family and friends and appreciate having their privacy respected.

Tim Allen was on location yesterday at the West Kelowna London Drugs…and had a few friends along from the Westside Warriors.

The team came out to raise awareness and money for the Heart and Stoke Foundation and they were selling tickets at great prices for this first round of the playoffs.

Go to www.westsidewarriors.ca to get your tix.

Here’s some pics of the guys…LOVE THE HAIR!!!

What an amazing night for more medals.  The Canadian women rocked the ice, getting Gold with a 2 nothing shut out win over the U-S.  Wouldn’t it be fab to see the same on Sunday with the men?

And hard not to cry when seeing Joannie Rochette winning the bronze…less than a week after her Mom died of a heart attack.  Crazy sad!

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According to sports psychologists, athletes who win a Bronze medal in the Olympics are actually happier than those who take home Silver.

“On average, bronze medalists are happier than silver medalists,” said Victoria Medvec, a psychologist and professor at NorthwesternUniversity’s in Illinois.

It comes down to thoughts of “what might have been,” she explained. Third-place winners have a more positive outlook (”at least I won”) while those who come in second have “if only” thoughts that decrease happiness.

Vancouver-based psychologist and author Dr. Saul Miller says the attitude can be summed up in a controversial 1996 Nike ad, which said, “You don’t win silver — you lose gold.”

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Beware, guys. Women are taking over at the workplace.

Recent surveys have shown that increasing numbers of women are working their way into previously male-dominated careers.

Big numbers of women are joining the ranks of architects, urban planners, builders and engineers.

The surveys also showed that this trend will continue as more and more women are getting into these programs in college.

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According to a new study from Israel, single men or those leading an unhappy married life have a greater risk of deadly stroke.

Among the single men studied, 8.4 percent died of stroke, compared to 7.1 percent of the married men.
In the study, the married men who said they were dissatisfied with their marriage also had an increased risk of a fatal stroke.

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Maybe it’s the crappy economy — or maybe people are just bored — but moonshine is becoming a popular (and illegal) project for do-it-yourself hobbyists eager to make their own hard liquor.

Max Watman, author of the moonshine book Chasing the White Dog, found that more and more people are moonshining, even in the cities, despite the fact that the penalties for getting caught by the feds are very severe, with fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment of up to 10 years.

If you’re interested in getting into it, you’ll have no trouble. There’s a ton of information on the Internet (of course) and you can even buy the gear and ingredients online.

One Russian player said Team Canada’s players attacked like they were “gorillas coming out of a cage.”

And (m) millions of fans who enjoyed watching last night’s big game would agree.

Our men’s hockey team crushed Russia 7-3 in a must-win, quarter-final game to advance a step closer to a medal.

Next up for Canada is tomorrow night’s semi-final game against Slovakia, which advanced by shocking Sweden 4-3.

Tonight, it’s the women’s turn to shine at the hockey rink.

The Canadians will try to make it three gold medals in a row when they take on the U-S in the Olympic final.

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Canada picked up four more medals yesterday — including a gold and a silver in women’s bobsled.

Clara Hughes ended her illustrious Olympic career by winning a bronze in the women’s five-thousand metre speedskating final.

Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse raced to the gold in Canada-One, while Helen Upperton and Shelley-Ann Brown picked up the silver in the Canada-Two sled.

The Canadian women’s short-track speedskating team - Jessica Gregg, Marianne St-Gelais, Kalyna Roberge and Tania Vicent were upgraded from bronze to silver when the South Koreans were disqualified in the three-thousand-metre relay.

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Canada is fourth in the medal standings with 15, while tied for the lead with seven gold.

The United States leads the overall standings with 28 medals, followed by Germany with 24, and Norway 18.

The U-S and Germany also have seven golds.

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The Summer Olympics just got sexier — well, they will be if a pole-dancing advocacy group that’s trying to get their “sport” added to the summer games is successful.

One prominent pole dancer in England is leading the push, arguing that pole fitness has become widely popular and is more deserving of becoming an Olympic event than curling.

The first hurdle facing them is convincing the International Olympic Committee that pole dancing is a sport. Then, they hope to introduce the sport as a “test” event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

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The NFL Combine is currently underway in Indianapolis, which means hundreds of college football players are being judged and graded by hundreds of NFL team scouts and personnel men.

For those players, it’s got to be a pressure cooker. If they do well, their draft stock can rise — and earn them a ton of money. On the other hand, if they choke and perform poorly, they could lose a ton of money.

According to draft preparation experts, here are some ways for them (and anyone else) to perform under pressure:

1. Prepare, Then Relax — Being a champion means being able to deliver big-time performances again and again. They do this by being fully prepared and allowing themselves to be relaxed during crunch time, knowing that they’re ready.

2. Remember You’ve Been There Before — When the spotlight is on you, remember that it’s nothing new. Even if the pressure’s greater or you’re in a new environment, you just have to deliver what you’ve always been delivering.

3. Lead with Your Strengths — When all eyes are on you, stick with your strengths. Just do what you are most comfortable and confident doing — and that confidence will help you excel.

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According to a survey conducted by William Cane, author of the book The Art of Kissing, 96 percent of women enjoy it when their man kisses their neck.

This is surprising because only 10 percent of guys say the neck is important to them.

Cane also recommends the ears as an area to target.

A few more statistics from Cane’s survey include:

67 percent of men don’t mind a woman wearing lipstick when kissing.
53 percent of women prefer a clean-shaven man.
33 percent of people open their eyes while kissing.

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When asked, guys will tell you what they consider to be the “ideal” woman. She’s hot, funny and has a great body.

But then, there are those women that are out there on the fringe and not considered ideal. These are women that plenty of guys secretly lust after — whether they admit it or not.

According to Asylum.com, here are some types of women that some guys secretly fantasize about:

1. Ladies with Slight Dental Imperfections — A noticeable gap or a tooth that’s out of line is strangely hot.

2. Freckled Gals — These women probably remind us all of the girls we had a crush on — and never did anything about - in fifth grade.

3. Goth Chicks — Dark plus dangerous equals fun.

4. Chubby Girls — Whether they admit it or not, most guys think those extra 10 pounds make a woman look approachable, real and … cuddly.

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We’re all guilty of letting food go bad in the fridge. Whether it’s the left-over sesame chicken that’s sprouting green hair or the milk that’s turned into cottage cheese, the refrigerator needs to be cleaned out once in a while.

Most people clean their fridge only once or twice a year, and that’s usually because they smell a horrible odor of something has spilled.

In Whirlpool’s refrigerator habits survey, 33 percent said they don’t spend any time cleaning the refrigerator before grocery shopping. 27 percent reported shoving everything in and not worrying about organization.

Experts say refrigerators need to be cleaned out regularly to reduce bacteria such as E. coli.

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Getting a woman to your apartment is a great accomplishment. Don’t blow it by freaking her out with something in that apartment.

According to Guyism.com, here are some things in your apartment that will scare women away:

Broken Furniture — Now is the time to replace that college couch with duct-tape patches and springs poking out. While you’re at it, get rid of the beanbag chair and your empty beer can collection.

Exotic Pets — Unless she’s seriously freaky, the woman you’re bringing home is not going to want to watch your boa constrictor eat a mouse.

Posters — Posters that were cliche in your dorm room are now just embarrassing. Time to tear down that John Belushi Animal House poster and the Bob Marley smoking weed poster. They’re absolutely unacceptable.

Stains — Women are always on high alert for drink stains, rust stains and blood stains. They see a stain, they have you pegged as a slob.

The Canadian Men’s Hockey Team ROCKS!

Canada vs Russia at 4:30 this afternoon!!

GO CANADA GO!!!

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Looking for some fun ways to shake the winter blahs off your date night? Try these cold-weather activities to be active, social, romantic — and give you an excuse to snuggle and drink cocoa.

Hit the Slopes — Whether it’s a day pass or weekend getaway, skiing and snowboarding are great sports and inspire a romantic evening by the fire.

Sledding — Grab a sled at the department store and get ready to scream, laugh, and hug each other down the hill.

Ice Skating — Find a local rink (you can even find them indoors in warmer climates) rent a pair of skates and hit the ice! Be sure to don the cutest spandex-inspired outfit for some major points of flirting.

Ice Hockey — Buddies to the rescue! If you two have been cooped up together all winter, you might be ready to ring each other’s necks — hit the ice ring instead, and gather some buds for ice hockey. Need equipment? No you don’t! Grab a broom for broom-hockey!

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According to a new study, looking at a woman with a great body affects a man’s brain the same way booze and drugs do.

Guys’ brains especially light up when they see shapely hips, which are linked with fertility and overall health. So, it makes sense that studies all around the world have shown men typically find hourglass figures sexy.

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People are always telling you why you shouldn’t get married. They all give the same reasons: you lose your independence, the sex goes away, etc. Then they tell you how 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Well, that may be true, but if 50 percent end in divorce, that means 50 percent don’t.

So, courtesy of AskMen.com, here are 10 reasons why you should get married.

10. Marriage makes you live longer. Studies suggest that the rate of mortality is 250 percent higher among single men.

9. Marriage increases your earning power. You share expenses and split costs.

8. Marriage gives you a platform to build your family on.

7. Marriage prevents you from dying alone.

6. Marriage makes you more attractive. It seems single women have a thing for married men.

5. Marriage brings financial benefits, like tax breaks.

4. Marriage means more sex. Despite what people tell you, studies show that 19 percent of single guys have sex two to three times a week compared to 36 percent of married men who have sex that often.

3. Marriage means better sex because of the comfort level.

2. Research shows that married people are happier.

1. Marriage makes you a better man. (Whatever that means …)

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Bald may be beautiful … but bald men don’t get as many dates. That’s the “unscientific” finding of hair restoration expert, Andreas Adamides, who did a little home-made experiment.

He created duplicate profiles on a popular online dating site. All the details were exactly the same: The man lived in London, was in his 30s, and described himself as successful, professional and interested in sports, music, and travel. The only difference was the profile photo, with one showing him with a full head of hair and the other photo-shopped to make him appear to have thinning and receding hair.

The “bald” man got 22 responses from single women. His twin with hair got 108 interested women replying to his profile.

“This social experiment illustrates that in the world of online dating a person’s photo is far more important than their personality profile,” Adamides concluded.

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Iceland has a very large penis-shaped mall called Smaralind, which is now up for sale.

The shopping center is the country’s largest mall with over 80 shops and businesses including a live theater.

Of course, the mall’s architects claim that its design was not inspired by a penis, but aerial photographs of the building tell the tale. It’s obviously a giant wang.

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Britain’s National Health Service has launched an ad campaign with the goal of getting people to back off the booze — and they’re doing it by trying link alcohol consumption with STDs.

Billboards are popping up that show what initially looks like Jack Daniels and Stella Artois bottles. But, a closer look shows that the labels are actually warnings about STDs.

What an amazing morning of food!  Chef Edison and Chef Darren came in to cook up a storm…and with the amount of food they brought in…you’d think Bob and I are an army.

I’m still full…but it’s a good yummy full.

The menu:

Kelowna Land and Orchard fresh apple juice

Fresh berry yoghurt parfait

Chorizo hash w/scrambled eggs

Crab cake benny

Pastries (muffins, danish, croissants)

Dessert tray (my FAV)

And this is what it all looked like…

It was a huge feast from Andre at Memphis Blues BBQ House.

Below is the Memphis Feast for $39.95.

It easily feeds a family of 4 and I’m sure there’d be leftovers and it’s absolutely delicious!

www.memphisbluesbbq.com

All eyes and ears will be focused on the Canada Germany game at 4:30 this afternoon.  We really need to win 4 in a row to get the gold…I’ve got my lucky t-shirt on today…so Go Canada Go!

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The Delta Grand Bay Cafe is in this morning between 8 and 9 for Savour the Local Flavours…dinner for two is up for grabs for you!!!

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According to some scientists, elite athletes may have peaked in their abilities.

Geoffroy Berthelot, a researcher at the French National Institute of Sport and Physical Education, conducted a study of world records set over the last century and concluded that the peak of athletic achievement was in 1988, when 11 new world records were established in Olympic events.

Seven of those records still stand. More specifically, Berthelot found that 64 percent of the top performances in track and field events haven’t been improved on since 1993.

There is a belief that elite athletes are getting close to their physiological limits and the way they’ll get better would be to use more effective equipment, take performance-enhancing drugs and, in the future, undergo gene therapy.

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According to a new British survey, women like guys with glasses and facial scruff.

That’s right … all that painful and annoying shaving might be hurting your chances of scoring.

The survey found that 41 percent of women say their biggest turn-on in men is facial stubble. And, nearly as many women reported guys with glasses were also likely to rock their world.

Other surprising traits that women said they liked included hairy chests and being unafraid to cry during sad movies.

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The cliche rings true … You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s why it’s important to bring your A-game when you’re on a first date — and not make any stupid mistakes.

According to TheBachelorGuy.com, here are some of the mistakes you need to avoid if you want to have a shot at seeing a woman again:

1. Choosing the Wrong Type of Date — There’s more to life than just dinner and a movie. The problem is that dinner is way too formal and there’s no talking during movies. Instead, consider Happy Hour or playing pool or mini-golf.

2. Treating a Date Like a Job Interview — Don’t rehearse. Don’t allow yourself to be pressured. Nothing about a first date needs to be perfect. Everything about a first date needs to fun and relaxed.

3. Not Getting Physical — A lot of guys are so scared of offending a woman that they will not initiate any physical contact. From now on, make it a habit to begin lightly and innocently touching a woman the moment the date begins.

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Beer brewing giant MillerCoors is suing a maker of equipment for the barroom game Beer Pong, claiming infringement of the brewer’s Lite Beer trademarks.

MillerCoors says that the Bridgeport, Connecticut-based PB&J Design Inc. is selling tables, kegs full of beer pong balls, pitchers and cups featuring a logo similar to the brewer’s Lite beer marks.

The Beer Pong stuff MillerCoors doesn’t like is up for sale at GetBombed.com.

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Everybody knows beans give you gas. And, everybody knows greasy fast food is also to be avoided on those critical first dates.

According to 11Points.com, beyond the usual suspects, there are some surprising things that can give you serious gas. Beware of the following:

Airplanes — The gas inside your body expands (and then needs to escape) when you fly in an airplane because of the low cabin pressure.

Yoga — Yoga poses contort your body in such unusual ways that it can’t help but let gas out.

Gum — Chewing gum makes you open your mouth and swallow more often than you normally would. That leads to you swallowing more air … and that leads to flatulence.

Marijuana — When you smoke a joint, you’re also taking in a lot of air. It’s got to find some way to exit.

Chugging Beer — You take in lots of excess air because of the carbonation. Sure, you’ll belch some of it out, but some of those tiny little bubbles make their way out the other end.

Had a great week off!

Just hung around home and the valley…enjoying what the Okanagan has to offer.

And yeah…I hit the spa…pedi and facial Monday, lunch with a pal Tuesday, skiing at Big White Wednesday, hair on Thursday, massage on Friday, dinner out with hubby at Quail’s Gate winery Friday night, movie with mini-me Saturday, skiing at Big White Sunday…and there goes a week of holidaze.  It’s amazing how quickly the time flies!!!

So I’m back and ready to roll.

We’re about a week away from the launch of MotorcyGalz on the air and in the Kelowna Daily Courier…and fingers crossed the website will be up and running by then too! 

Stay tooned!!!

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Some stuff to make you go hmmmm?

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Research shows that people’s attitudes are better in the days before a vacation than following one. Seems it’s the anticipation of getting away that makes us happy. The moment we get back the unhappiness settles in again — and fast.

Researchers in the Netherlands surveyed more than 1500 people and found that the majority got a big boost in happiness simply by planning a vacation.

However, following a trip, there was no difference in happiness between those who had taken a vacation and those who hadn’t.

Basically, as soon as they returned to work, it was like they had never left.

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A British survey found that one in four women said she’d rather be a man.

Something to keep in mind … The poll of more than 2,000 women was done by a health supplement company, and focused particularly on pregnancy and menstrual issues (which might explain why they said they’d rather be guys!)

Survey results …

15 percent said when they battle mood swings they want to be male.

9 percent said they think men have it easier physically.

55 percent admitted they were not at their happiest stage of life.

87 percent said never felt at ease with the physical changes to their body during puberty.

12 percent said they were unprepared for pregnancy

But overall, the survey found that women still love being women. 36 percent said it’s because they can express their emotions.

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Think counseling is only for people with serious problems? Think again. Nowadays, with divorce is so common, many couples don’t have role models to follow. But counselors can step in and be your relationship experts, according to TheKnot.com.

Getting pre-marital counseling has one major advantage: Learning how to communicate and work through problems is a lot easier before the wedding.

Once you’re married, you both already have expectations for each other and for what married life should be like. But before you tie the knot, you’re still in a building stage — the expectations are there, but it’s easier to be open about issues and talk through your differences.

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As long as video games have been around, they’ve gotten a bad rap. But, like all vices, there are some very good reasons guys can’t stop playing.

Despite the fact that most women hate games, there are some very good and specific reasons video games are more popular than ever.

According to Guyism.com, here are a few reasons men love playing video games so much:

1. Buddies — Video gamers aren’t just lonely guys in their basement anymore. These days, games bring friends together. They’re either playing Rock Band together while drinking beers — or hanging out together online. Amazingly, video games have become one of the more socially active hobbies you can have.

2. Competition — Men are competitive, which makes video games the ultimate arena to man up. There’s an even playing field and a final scoreboard.

3. Escape — The only thing that keeps most guys sane is getting away from women on occasion. You can’t put a price on the value of escaping the tedium of everyday life. And, nagging women.

4. Fantasy — Most guys have crappy jobs that they don’t love. Video games are the closest they’re ever going to get to winning a Super Bowl trophy or saving a princess.

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So get this … an Italian company has designed a new mattress made especially for getting it on.

The “Love Sex mattress,” created by Magniflex, was designed for people who want to do more in their bed than just sleep.

The mattress features edge-to-edge support, a layer of memory foam and a shape-conforming foam that adds flexibility and cradling support.

Not only that, the Love Sex mattress also has a built-in temperature and perspiration control for added comfort. And it comes with a 10-year warranty.

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Are you looking for an extra competitive edge during your workouts and races? Are you interested in getting a serious runner’s high?

There’s a website out there that’s selling an oxygen backpack that supposedly increases your oxygen intake by 150 percent.

The good news is the backpack weighs in at only three-and-a-half pounds. The bad news is the battery only lasts just over an hour, which means you’ll have to do your serious long-distance runs without it.

The really bad news? It costs $2,600, so you might want to just learn how to hyperventilate.

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Guys want sex all the time right? Well, maybe just not tonight, or even tomorrow. It’s long been a stereotype that all guys think about is sex, but according to a new study, men are becoming more likely to use the “not tonight, I have a headache” line.

The study, conducted by a British counseling organization, found a 40-percent increase in the number of men who had no desire to have sex with their partners, compared to a similar study conducted 10 years ago.

Some experts blame the waning male libido on things like increased stress and anxiety over work and a rise in Internet porn.

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According to a new British study, underage drinking is most common among middle-class families and liberal parenting attitudes are to blame.

Researchers blamed affluent parents who adopt a European attitude and allow children to try alcohol at home.

Also, the parents of these families are heavier drinkers and underestimated the amount they drank, saying they were “light” or “occasional” drinkers when they were actually getting pretty lit up on a regular basis.

There are plenty of studies out there that show the younger someone starts drinking, the more they consume throughout their lives.