Dreams DO come true.

I can't help but admit that it's been a dream of mine to live in Disney World.  Ever since I was a little kiddo, I have been visiting the theme park, and each time I go, there is something new and exciting... the magic is always there.  I love Florida, and have a sentimental attachment to the climate and atmosphere, since my grandparents had a house in St. Pete's where I spent the winters of my childhood.  Disney World is the culmination of all things fantastic, and now you can have your very own home in Disney World.

Although it was my dream to live in Cinderella's castle... it's kind of impossible to live there (since the hotel in the top is booked solid for honeymoons/wedding nights)... but you can live in Golden Oaks...

Golden Oak Luxury Homes is a luxury (gated) residential resort, slated for completion in 2011, that lets you purchase a home within the Walt Disney World compound.  Located south east of the Magic Kingdom and north of Epcot (which I have cleverly acronymed: Every Person Comes Out Tired...) you are in the centre of all the action. 

"Golden Oak will initially consist of three different types of single-family homes. Village Homes will feature Mediterranean style homes on sites up to one-quarter acre, Estate Homes will include architectural styles like Tuscan, Spanish Revival, Venetian, Italianate, Dutch Colonial and Island Colonial on approximately one-half-acre home sites and Grand Estate Homes, on home sites up to three-quarters-acre in size, will feature architectural styles consistent with Estate Homes." (Ricky Brigante) (read the rest here)

The homes cost between $1.5 million to upwards of $8 million, (with a $25,000 deposit to secure your spot) which is pretty steep for the volatile Floridian real estate market. (But the Italian home - the last photograph looks gorgeous!)

So what do you get for all that money?  Apparently, Golden Oak residents will receive VIP park entrance and access to special events, private VIP transport, and access to the golf courses and other ammenities within the WDW complex (including access to the new Four Seasons spa)... so no guarantee on free admission to the park... Which is a shame, because I think it would be amazing to dine in fake Morocco or Italy every night, or see the fireworks over Cinderella's castle. 

There is speculation whether investors will snatch up these luxury homes and rent them out to hardcore Disney fans (like my family...) but short-term leases won't be allowed, the minimum is a 6 month rental (which I can guarantee will cost thousandsssss.)

My childhood fantasy of living in the Disney World resort has become a reality.  With a little Disney "magic" dreams do come true... but with a price.

Save the Sharks

Two years ago, I saw the film Sharkwater, which was written and produced by Rob Stewart, an alumnus of my highschool, Lawrence Park.  There was a free screening of his film at the ROM last night, and Stewart was there for a Q & A session afterwards.

The film completely revolutionized the way I felt about sharks.  I've spent many winters on the beaches of Florida, and have always been afraid of the monsters of the deep.  The film bashes those stereotypes and shows us the kind nature of these remarkable creatures.

Soda pop machines kill more humans than sharks annually.  So do toasters.

The film was intended to be a "pretty underwater movie about sharks".  While filming in Costa Rica, Stewart witnessed first-hand the slaughter of sharks.  His creative direction changed, and he became inclined to save the sharks.  We follow his journey, along with Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson in their attempt to end the atrocious mass-killing of sharks in protected sanctuaries.

The sharks are being slaughtered for their fins.  The film documents Central American fishermen killing sharks and cutting of their fins.  What makes this even more atrocious is that 90% of the animal is wasted, since fishermen literally throw the shark (often still alive and in serious pain) back into the water, where it will struggle and bleed without its fins until it dies.

There is a huge "shark fin mafia" based in Costa Rica.  They fish in their waters and dry the find on top of roofs.  When Stewart broke house arrest (he was arrested for "attempted murder" after the Sea Shepherd boat tried to stop a Costa Rican boat that was long-line fishing illegally), he broke into operations where they had millions of dollars worth in fins drying out on roofs.  When the workers realized Stewart was filming them, they desperately tried to hide the evidence from view.

In Costa Rica, the value of shark fin is about 80 cents per pound, but it is then resold in China for upwards of $200 a pound.  This is big business for Asian corporations, and the Costa Rican government (and other countries worldwide) turn a blind eye to this, as this corrupt industry helps build their infrastructure.

But why the obsession with shark fins?  In China, shark fin soup is a "food of the emperors".  A symbol of wealth, health and prosperity, the soup has grown in popularity in the past 20 years, and is a customary dish during wedding receptions.

Chinese people that eat this soup are deluded into the notion that by eating the shark fin (which is completely flavourless), you can cure arthritis and cancer.  They believe sharks have no disease, when in reality, sharks suffer from cancer and can have high levels of mercury due to pollution.

Stewart is working on getting the film into China, in hopes of persuading the public to change their culture and views on finning.  In Chinese, "shark-fin soup" is translated into "fish-fin soup", so it is likely that people do not comprehend the origins of what they are consuming.  The film was set to be released in China, and would air on a large TV network, but they had to pull the plug, since they found a picture of Paul Watson shaking hands with the Dalai Lama.

The film exposes the ugly truth of the industry and makes you reflect on the impact humans have on animals and our ecosystems.  Shark populations have gone down 90%, and some are close to extinction, thanks to the lucrative finning business.  Over 80 countries have banned finning, but there are no laws that prohibit the importation of finning.

We likely know of places that serve or sell shark fin soups in Toronto.    Even Loblaws came out with a President's Choice brand of shark fin soup, and thanks to Stewart and organizations, the product was removed from their lineup.  It is up to us to take action, and pressure the government into banning those products. Take the pledge to help save the sharks.

Sharks are never thought of as "endangered".  I have never seen a WWF advertisement promoting "save the sharks".  It's always save the tigers, polar bears or pandas.  People want to help animals that are cute and relatable, no one wants to help a man-killing monster.  Tigers and elephants killed 100 people last year, yet sharks only killed 5.  Who's the monster now?

Let the Rain Fall Down.

Rain is trickling down against my windows.  The clouds are dense and a solemn shade of grey.  My feet are damp from choosing to wear shoes instead of boots.  Crocuses and tulips are peaking out of the earth...

I agree, rain can be depressing, especially when it occurs for three days in succession.  But rain shows us some promise, that good things are near.  The rain nourishes the earth, and I can already see sparse blades of grass begin to grow.  Rain is also good at washing away the millions of cigarette butts on our sidewalks that are revealed once the snowbanks melt.  I watched a pigeon attempt to eat a butt today, the dumb bird must have thought "Score!  A spring roll!" ... only to succumb to an avian version of cancer.

Most people find the rain depressing, but I find it a bit romantic.  Kissing on the street is kissing on the street.  Add rain, and you have cinematic magic. 

In that culminating scene where Holly loses Cat, Fred and Holly finally kiss, and the intensity (rain included) has been recreated in so many films since (The Notebook, Spiderman...)  I guess when rain is present, that potential for a romantic scene like this kind of excites me.  I'm also kind of addicted to the smell of rain... it just smells fresh. 

Fashion has been forgiving when it comes to rain.  Everyone is sporting Hunter rainboots, and trenchcoats are as hot as ever.  

Rain also gives us a perfect excuse to just stay at home.  You can easily decline any plans by blaming the rain.  Why not take advantage and spend the day in your sweats sipping tea and watching classics like BAT? 

The best part about rain is that it makes us truly appreciative of good weather, and hey, it's better than snow! 

Yorkville en Printemps

It may not be April in Paris, but it certainly is March in Yorkville. With pleasant temperatures and hardly any class today, I met up with my lovely friend Dasha (who's also redesigning my blog!) and hit the streets of the trendy neighbourhood.

I love her outfit today.  It's a perfect mix of girly florals and earthy texture with the suede boots and jacket.

Out on the sidewalk, we came across a dozen, if not two dozen little dogs... the man was a bit crazy, toting around all his pups from his breeding business... but he let me snap some pics of the sweet puppies.  I hope they find homes that will love them.

My aunt spent many years working at William Ashley, and every time I'm in the neighbourhood, I love looking at their displays.  Even though they sell housewares, we spend so much time with these pieces day to day, and they deserve the recognition of having a fun display.  This Alice in Wonderland themed "Tea Party" was cute and captured the spirit of the Spring trends ahead.  We just can't seem to escape those "Easter" pastel colours.

At Canada's mecca of fashion, Holt Renfrew, the windows were filled with mannequins with platinum fingerwave hair, showcasing the spring designer collections.  This setup clearly illustrates the whole "lingerie as outerwear" trend we've been seeing at Dior's Spring 2010 RTW show.

I don't know if I could pull off a look like this in real life, but I like the idea of letting your slip show beneath a dress, and if I had the money, I would certainly invest in a corset or two in delicate shades of nude and blush.

Yorkville always seems to do the trick for me.  It lets me fall into a fantasy mode.  I like to call this window shopping mode.  I draw inspiration from the windows and people out on the street -for example this one woman, in her 50's had a lavender coat and black chanel bag... she was fabulous!  I can't wait for more sunny afternoons to spend in the district, Starbucks in hand, and a best friend in tow.

How to Survive a Cold...

Wiarton Willy told us there was going to be six more weeks of winter. This means six more weeks of bone-chilling temperatures, and the potential to succumb to germs all around us. Last week, I became a victim of some evil bacterium... For four days and counting, I've been trying to get rid of it (it's reading week after all).

Item #1 - Breathe Right Strips

Although these things might make you look like Heidi Montag, they are a life saver. They don't contain any drugs (some are coated with menthol, if you need it) but merely open up your nasal passages so you can breathe better. Wear them to bed, or all day to help you breathe and save your throat from getting sore.

Item #2 - Vick's Vapour Rub

mmmm... the scent of menthol. Apply a thin layer before going to bed on your throat and back, magically, you won't be awakened by the urge to cough in the middle of the night. The smell is a bit strong, but it grows on you, even though you kind of turn into a greasy Christmas tree.

Item #3 - Day Time TV

Now whether this involves transvetites on the Tyra Show or titties on Springer, letting your brain turn to mush is an essential part to getting on the road to recovery. You're sick, screw concentrating. (Discovery channel is only allowed if it's Mythbusters or something with as many explosions)

Item #4 - Chicken Soup

People have claimed this to be "Jewish Penicillin"... I don't really know about that claim, or why chicken soup would be considered jewish (considering the stuff we eat out of Campbell's is matzo-ball free...sadly) but it works. The warm broth instantly clears sinuses, while administering a healthy dose of fluids. Too bad I can't taste it.

Item #5 - Complaining

You're sick after all... why not take advantage of this time and make everyone feel as useless as your physical strength. Give yourself complete license to throw a diva fit and demand for discontinued lozenge lollipops. Bitch about being sick to your friends, bitch about being sick to your followers, bitch about being sick on your blog (sorry guys...) or bitch about the humidity level until your family members turn your living room into a 16x20 area with the climate of a Brazillian jungle. I know it's bad to take out your misery on loved ones, but you can get away with it.

Get better, until then, I will be tweeting about who's (or who isn't...) the daddy on the Maury show.