Take The Cinematic Route
Q. It’s one thing to gawp at the stunning beauty of some real-life show sets: the meringue-crowned mountain peaks, the ice-rimmed fjords, the stubborn ruins, the beckoning blue of a dead-calm sea. Which shows are inspiring us to actually heave off the couch and start dreaming up travel plans? .
Run Away, Run Away
Q. What are your pet peeves? That is the little, niggling things that bother you far more than they do others? What are some common peeves? . A. In 2025, Talker Research surveyed 2,000 adults about the little aggravations that send them right around the edge. Survey said… Things that
As Merry As A Cricket
Q. In his 1653 Complete Herbal, botanist Nicholas Culpeper wrote: ‘the decoction of the thistle in wine being drank, expels superfluous melancholy out of the body, and makes a man as merry as a cricket.’ ‘As merry as a cricket.’ That’s not something one hears much in 2026. What are
Cheezies and Butter Tarts
Q. Happy Canada Day! Parades, concerts, barbecues, AC-powered hideouts, red-shirted soccer parties… Canadians are celebrating in force. What kinds of snacks will we be eating? . A. A survey of over 33,000 Canadians offers some clues. In a broad-ranging, ‘unofficial’ Canadian census, Tod Maffin found… The Best Canadian snack i.
Painting The Beautiful Game
Q. World Cup fever is gripping soccer/football fans across the world. How have painters captured ‘The Beautiful Game’ on canvas? . A. Some examples… . This is wow upon wow… From the ‘Sports Girls’ series. American Cigarette Company. Montreal. 1889 . Umberto Boccioni. Dynamism of a Soccer Player. 1913 .
The Sweet Smell Of Vacation
Q. Night-blooming jasmine in Harbour Island, machete-cracked coconut in Jamaica, sea-air in Lanai, Scots pine and spruce in the forests of Norway, early morning pastries in Paris, steaming hot espresso in Milan, freshly squeezed lemon in Sorrento … Certain glorious fragrances stay with you long after you return home from
Stop And Smell The Snark
Q. In poring through Victorian flower meanings, one can’t help but notice some remarkably specific and quirky attributions. Examples? . A. Here are some beauties from Kate Greenaway’s 1884 ‘Language of Flowers’. How and when does one go about sending these bouquets? . . Wild Tansy – I declare war
Please Please Please Stop
Q. Why can’t I get that song out of my head?! . A. What do Doja Cat, Sabrina Carpenter, and 300 audio-animatronic dolls have in common? They all take starring roles in songs which, once they get in your head, are not so willing to get out. Even the songs
A Cozy Corner And A Good Book
Q. With a funhouse of high-flash, high-boom entertainment options, what is it that draws us to the quiet immersion of a good book? . A. Written Word Media polled 3,589 of their readers on the lure of the page… Why Do Readers Read? 2026. Written Word Media i. To
The Canadian Plate
Q. Bannock, Nanaimo bars, smoked salmon, poutine, maple syrup, Montreal bagels, butter tarts, Nova Scotia lobster roll, Saskatoon Berry Pie… These are but some of the foods that you’ll find highlighted across Canada. What about the bigger picture for Canadian dining? What types of diets are most common? . A.
