08 Jan 2023

Famous Art Dogs

Q. Many of us try our hands at drawing our beloved pups in pencil, pastel, paint. Some of us have little to no success. Which lucky dogs have been captured by artists of renown? . A. We’ll start with the Brussels Griffon featured below. Viewers continue to marvel at the

06 Jan 2023

Big On Brunch

Q. Canadian Pride! We have been enjoying watching Dan Levy’s ‘The Big Brunch’, with co-judges Sohla El-Waylly and Will Guidara, and a talented roster of socially-minded contestant chefs. In doing so, we came to wonder: what’s the history of this most delicious late morning meal? . A. The origins of

03 Jan 2023

Goat No More

Q. For more than 40 years, Lake Superior State University has gathered nominations from around the world – a list that now includes the US, Canada, India, England, Malaysia, Namibia, Norway, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago… Their focus? English words so annoying or overused that they should be banished. What words

31 Dec 2022

Smashing Pomegranates

Q. It’s New Year’s Eve! What is a particularly exciting tradition to mark the transition to a New Year? . A. The Greeks have a serious contender. Over the Christmas season, families will hang a prize pomegranate on their front doors. As the clocks nears twelve, these Greek families will

29 Dec 2022

Powdered Wigs

Q. We’ve all seen the bewigged portraits – from Bach to Mozart, Louis IV to Marie Antoinette. The wigs make for some seriously fabulous head drama, but why did those who could afford perukes wear them? And what was in that powder? . A. After 17th Century aristocrats popularized mountainous

27 Dec 2022

Love It Or Hate It Foods

Q. We’ve seen the great divide around certain candies. Candy corn, holiday peeps, nougat – were you a ‘love’ or a ‘hate’ on those? What are some other foods that tend to divide us? . A. Be it the texture, the smell, the childhood memories, or the quality of the taste

25 Dec 2022

The Art Of Christmas

Q. Merry Christmas! What are some striking paintings associated with Christmas? . A. Jean Hey. The Annunciation. 1490-05 . Leonardo da Vinci. Annunciation. 1472 . Philippe de Champaigne. The Dream of St. Joseph. 1642-43 . José Campeche y Jordán. La Natividad. 1799 . Ridolfo Ghirlandaio. The Nativity with Saints. 1514

20 Dec 2022

Snow On Snow On Snow

Q. As Google will tell many across North America: today is ‘Go Carolling’ (or if you’re in the U.S.: ‘Go Caroling’) Day. For those who a) celebrate Christmas, and b) feel a song coming on –  will you carol in or outside? If you’re like many of us in Canada

16 Dec 2022

Canada’s Whats, Whys + Hows. 2022

Q. As ever, Google offers a fascinating peek into our national preoccupations. To what questions were Canadians seeking answers in 2022? . A. According to the latest Google Trends research, Canadians in 2022 were asking.. What Is.. i. Monkeypox ii. NATO iii. RSV iv. Wordle v. NFT vi. Aphasia vii.

01 Dec 2022

A Whiff Of Nostalgia

Q. Are there any scents which quickly plunk you back in your childhood? . A. One Poll asked this question of 2,000 adults in the UK. Do any of their answers line up with yours? Top 20 Smells That Remind Us Of Our Childhoods i. Fresh-cut grass ii. Specific home-cooked