Raising Autism Awareness Together

Travelling Tikko is a delightful Autistic pet polar bear, the brain-child of 9 year old Dorian Poe who was diagnosed with autism and has learned that he can give a gift of sending Travelling Tikko, as a mascot on trips with other individuals, thus raising Autism awareness. Dorian Poe believes he can make a difference.

When Travelling Tikko is given to someone going on a trip, Tikko takes with him a letter from Dorian and a wish list of places to see. Tikko alerts Autism Associations in the places where he is visiting, that he is on his way! What began as a child’s idea to make the world a better place, is now an International Support Network for families throughout the world who are living with Autism.

Iron Man 3 Movie Review

As the first Marvel movie released after The Avengers, expectations have been high for Iron Man 3. Luckily, it's a good sequel to both that film and its own franchise, but for a few alterations to the storyline that will undoubtedly upset comic book fans.

Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) bristling personality always masks some inner conflict, and this time it's nightmares and anxiety attacks following his battle against the invading aliens in New York City some months before. To cope, he spends many hours in his basement, tinkering with his Iron Man armour and developing new prototypes.

Pain and Gain Movie Review

By now, everyone knows what a Michael Bay movie looks like - chaotic, loud, and usually empty. These characteristics are sometimes welcome, sometimes not, often depending on the quality of the story they're attached to. The story in Pain and Gain, based on an actual criminal case, is wild and crazy enough to fit Bay's style - as such, the movie is better than you have any right to expect.

It's the mid-90s, and personal trainer Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is on a mission. A well-muscled specimen, he spends his days trying to make wealthy clients look more like him, all the while dreaming up ways to make the rest of his life more like theirs. Unfortunately, Lugo isn't above criminal activity to achieve the American dream - he's already done time for fraud, and is moving up to kidnapping and extortion, with a streak of poor man's revenge. He doesn't want to merely steal the money of wealthy deli owner Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), he wants Kershaw's life, and to see the distasteful little man brought low.

Fundraising and Fun at Second Annual Perogie Night

St. Gabriel School hosted their second annual Perogie Night: Back by Popular Demand! It was a scene of enthusiasm and activity as guests arrived for this community building and fundraising event.

The organizers and their full contingent of student and parent volunteers hosted over four hundred dinners, served more than 2600 perogies and 500 sausages!

With over $5000 raised for the students of St. Gabriel, the evening was a tremendous success and enjoyed by all!

Jurassic Park 3D Movie Review

As Jurassic Park returns to theatres in a 20th Anniversary 3D edition, it's a good time to reflect on how movie making has changed. There can be no doubt it's still a great film, but will today's young audiences, raised on a steady diet of CGI effects, view it with the same wonder as those in 1993?

Despite the outdated computer hardware on display throughout, the story (from the late Michael Crichton's novel) is still fresh, given the debates about DNA research and cloning we're still wrapped up in. Billionaire entrepreneur John Hammond (Sir Richard Attenborough) has sunk his fortune into building a game preserve for dinosaurs, recreated from DNA found in fossilized mosquitoes. Hammond claims to have spared no expense, but there have been problems, and when a worker is killed by one of the particularly nasty velociraptors, his investors raise concerns.

Celebrating Volunteer Week

In their role as tutor, mentor, special friend, board member, driver and more, volunteers make a significant difference to the lives of the children, youth and families in communities across the province. The Halton Children’s Aid Society (Halton CAS) supports National Volunteer Week—April 21-27, 2013—as a time to recognize the important role of volunteers in our society and the great work they do!

Across the province, over 4,000 people give of their time to volunteer with their local children’s aid society. Last year at the Halton CAS, our volunteers contributed over 14,000 hours of service and drove more than 484,000 kilometers to assist our children, youth and families.

42 Movie Review

This past week, Major League Baseball held its annual tribute to Jackie Robinson, the league's first African American player in the modern era, who joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1947 season and changed not only the sport, but the world. 42, released to coincide with the anniversary, tells the story of the events leading up to and during that legendary year. It isn't a world-changing film, but it is entertaining, and a fitting tribute to the man.

Dodgers owner Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) has decided it's time to change baseball's "tradition" of excluding non-white players, and begins searching the Negro Leagues for someone he can invite to tryouts. A religious man, Rickey chooses Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) as much for his youth and talent as for the fact they're both Methodists, though Robinson doesn't seem to be much for prayer or bible study.

Paradiso Restaurant in the Heart of Downtown Burlington

Paradiso Restaurant is nestled close to Lake Ontario in the heart of downtown Burlington. Its varied and eclectic menu offers delicious food choices that are inspired by the European Mediterranean cuisine. The menu also caters to today’s healthy lifestyle offering both Gluten Free and Vegetarian dishes, Paradiso-style.

The open concept kitchen adds to the excitement of the evening as one is able to watch the chefs prepare the outstanding, mouth-watering items on Paradiso’s menu.

Royal Botanical Gardens – A walk in the “Jurassic” park

Did you know there was no such thing as a Brontosaurus? That the Tyrannosaurus Rex was closely so related to birds that they were born full of feathers? That some dinosaurs have been mummified? Or that some of the best dinosaur bones were found in Canada!?

These are just a few of the interesting facts I learned at the Royal Botanical Gardens recently. The “Battle of the Titans” has currently taken over the world (of the RBG) and runs until April 7.