BT Edmonton Blogs

I hope this blog isn’t turning into a shopping blog, but I guess if shopping becomes news then it’s fair game.

Have you heard of Groupon?  I hadn’t until last week when one of our reporters told me about it.  It’s a website that provides discounts at local businesses.  It launched last week with a deal at the downtown restaurant Sabor Divino.  You spend 20 dollars and you get a 50 dollar gift certificate.  It’s a different deal everyday.  There’s been deals on haircuts, climbing companies and at Greenwood’s books.  Each morning, you get an email detailing the deal.

How does it work?  Here’s how it works according to Groupon’s website, “by promising businesses a minimum number of customers, we get discounts you won’t find anywhere else. We call it “collective buying power!”  But, there’s a catch.  If not enough people sign on to buy the deal, the deal is cancelled.

Thursday's Deal at Groupon

On Thursday, Groupon’s website was overwhelmed with Edmontians trying to get the latest deal.  Spend 25 dollars and get a 50 dollar credit at the GAP.   Thousands bought, so many did in fact that the website is overwhelmed.  The site admitted so many people wanted to cash in on the deal that there were delays in processing requests.  Keep trying and eventually you will get through.

As long as I’m talking about shopping…parents, have you heard about these new boots called Bogs? I hadn’t, but apparently there are huge waiting lists for them.

Bogs are in high demand in Edmonton

They are definitely different looking.  The bottom is rubber and the top looks like neoprene.  They look like fancy rubber boots but they are rated to -30 degrees.  They actually can be used as rubber  boots so buy big for your kids if you want them to last into the spring and summer.

According to Cynthia at Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes (a kid’s store in Glenora) there were so many pages of people on a waiting list, she had to hire someone to alert people that a shipment was coming in.  At the store yesterday it was a bit chaotic as mothers were picking over the boots and kids were tearing apart the store.  Bogs are expensive so be prepared to pay $100 dollars for kids sizes. They also are available for women. You can get more information on how to get them at the company’s website.

It’s a busy weekend in the City of Champions.

It starts Saturday with a wild ride head-first down one of the fastest sections of Edmonton’s trail system on a longboard for “The High Level Downhill”.

Sunday, if you have nerves of steel, hit up the R.O.G.U.E. 20 km race for an “exhilirating and exhausting ride”.

Visit http://roguerace.com/site/ for all the details.

It’s the final days of the Fringe! Shows are selling out so snag a festival guide, pick a show or two or three, and buy your tickets to reserve a seat before it all wraps up Sunday night.

Log onto http://www.fringetheatreadventures.ca/ for all the deets.

For the 14th season, the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival is back.

It showcases Asian culture and promotes the sport in our river valley. Catch the action from the “Edmonton Queen” starting Friday night.

Visit www.edbfa.ca for more information.

Hilary and Mike.

Hilary Duff signed a pre-nup before saying I do this weekend in Santa Barbara, California.

Mike Comrie’s dad is the founder of The Brick worth an estimated $500M. Knowing this, I checked out Duff’s worth which is somewhere between $15M and $25M. Big difference between somewhere in there and $500M.

Apparently it was “a totally amicable agreement”.

Duff, 22, and Comrie, 29, who met at an Idaho resort, have dated since 2007 before he popped the question in February.

A shot from Erykah Badu's latest music video.

It seemed like everyone was up in arms over Erykah Badu’s naked stroll for the “Window Seat” music video last March.

Now, she must pay a $500 fine and serve six months probation after reaching a plea deal to settle a misdemeanor disorderly conduct citation issued after she released the video.

The singer shed her clothes as she walked through Dealey Plaza until she was nude and then fell near where U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

After filming the video, Badu posted a message on her Twitter account acknowledging that there were children there.  She said she prayed they wouldn’t be traumatized by seeing her naked.

It’ll all be erased from her criminal record if she successfully completes the 180 days probation.

The Biebs.

Don’t tick off Justin Bieber.

A Detroit teen told The Detroit Free Press he “meddled into Bieber’s life”. What? Okay apparently this teen, Kevin Kristopiak, got the Biebs phone number from a “friend” and sent him a text message.

Harmless really. This is where it gets ugly, according to Kristopiak. On Saturday night, Bieber sent out a phone number that he claimed was his and invited his 4.58 million followers to contact him.

BUT, the Biebs actually posted Kristopiak’s phone number.

In a You Tube video, Kevin Kristopiak’s phone can be seen getting a steady stream of text (approximately 26,000). So NOW, Kevin’s dad is concerned his son will have a $20,000 phone bill. I take it this prank might come back to bite Bieber.

11 month old baby with bong posted on Facebook

This is even more disturbing that the smoking baby in Indonesia.  Recently, a Florida mom posted a picture of her 11 month old baby boy appearing to smoke out of a bong.   

Nineteen year old Rachel Stieringer was arrested on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia.  She told investigators she was cleaning her room one day and her young son crawled in and put the pipe up to his mouth, according to court documents. Stieringer said she thought it was funny and snapped a picture. The Department of Children and Families is still investigating.

Smoking Toddler

Speaking of the smoking toddler… months after he made international news Aldi Suganda is still smoking.  The 2 year old started smoking when he was 11 months old during daily trips to the market with his parents.  His parents, Rizal and Diana would let him play by himself and they say he went off and discovered smoking.  He is now smoking 2 packs a day.  His parents claim they are trying to make him quit.  But so far, it’s not working.  Actually acting his age…he’s throwing tantrums when they take the cigarettes away.

Nadya Suleman and not even half of her children.

Nadya Suleman, better known as Octo-Mom, has completed her autobiography as the mother-of-14, including octuplets born in 2009. BUT no one wants to publish it!

Nadya has written the entire book by herself, but for those wanting to know, she doesn’t reveal the identity of the man she says was the sperm donor for all 14 of her kids.

Publishers are curious about the exclusive details Nadya can provide about her lifestyle and issues with raising 14 children without a steady stream of income that haven’t been public knowledge.

Rumour is Nadya’s father Ed Doud is writing his own book, chronicling her childhood.

Oh boy. What a read those books will be.

Angelina and Brad are soon-to-be fashion designers. According to Elle UK, the couple is designing a line of children’s clothes. And in Brangelina fashion- the profits will be donated to their charity, the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

Word on the street is the fashion line will be based on the styles of their four oldest kids – Maddox, Pax, Zahara and Shiloh. How cute!

Michael Douglas.

Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas is being treated for a tumor in his throat.

Douglas will undergo eight weeks of radiation and chemotherapy and is expected to make a full recovery.

In a statement, the 65-year-old says he is “very optimistic”.

It may only be week two of Bachelor Pad here on Citytv but we’re already privy to the cattiness and conniving that comes when you put two dozen reality TV stars together in a “grown-up” frat/sorority house.

Forget the $250,000 grand prize. I’m more interested in the dozen or so subplots we’ve already seen develop. The “sealed with a kiss” partnerships. The flexible alliances. The (could it be?) reconciliations from past seasons.

Our BT Bachelor Pad panel joined us Tuesday morning to break down Monday’s episode. As you’ll see in the video below, Jennifer, Charity and Trevor came armed with opinions and one-liners!

If you missed our interview with (now former) Bachelor Pad contestant Jessie S on Monday morning, click here for a few insights from inside the house.

rpj.

The story of a 3 year old boy falling from the second storey of West Edmonton Mall puts fear in every parent with a toddler who doesn’t know the definition of danger.

As a mom of a one and a half year old, I certainly am not a perfect parent.  Olive gets into trouble all the time and thankfully I have always been there to bail her out.  A few times, I didn’t know what she is capable of until she did it.  Recently, she grabbed a knife off the counter.  I didn’t know she was tall enough to reach and I had never seen her do that before.  Luckily the knife wasn’t sharp and I was there to pull it out of her hand.  But, things could have turned out differently.  I know that.

I have heard some Twitter comments and even some remarks by kid-less people in our own studio wondering why the parents didn’t prevent this.  Parents aren’t robots.  They are human and we all make mistakes.

I am forever haunted by the story of a mom in the Toronto Airport.  She was holding her 15 month old son in her arms…she took her attention away for just a moment when little Lucca went over the ledge, plunged 2 storeys and died.  She is not a bad mother.  But a mother who will punish herself for the rest of her life.

Lucca Romano died after falling 2 stories at the Toronto Airport

Since hearing that story, I keep Olive far away from railings even if I have her in my arms.  I predict a lot of parents, after hearing this WEM story will do the same.

It’s great that the West Edmonton Mall story turned out well.  The boy didn’t suffer major injuries, but it must have been terrifying for his parents and for anyone watching.  Witnesses talk about the scream.  I can’t imagine what that would have sounded like.  Lately there have been a number of kids who have fallen and it was caught on tape.  All the events turned out well, but man the video is frightening.  Take a look.

1. A four year old is fooling around on the outside of an escalator.  Things get out of hand and he falls into the arms of someone who was watching.

2. This one is disturbing. Another Turkish boy falls onto a pile of pipes.  The 3 year old fell 35 feet.  He survived.  His fall cushioned by the pipes.

Sublime sunset

There are so many varieties of a sunset.    Ian and Linda are the lucky ones to have seen and experienced this one.    Something tells me with their deck, they see a lot of rises and sets.    As “this” day was saying goodbye, I get the feeling that the pastel pink is telling us:  today was good – tomorrow, an even better day.    What’s that phrase?    Chillax!

DID YOU KNOW?   Below are 5 steps that you can “ROUGHLY” estimate how much time is left before sunset, WITHOUT using a clock – by just using your arm.

#1 = Find the location of the sun, without looking directly at it.

#2 = Raise your arm and then place your hand out as far as you can with your fingers parallel to the ground. (SEE IMAGE )  

Try this!

 

#3 = Start with your hand positioned underneath the horizon.
#4 = Count the number of times you have to flip your hand upwards before you see that your hand is sitting just beneath the sun.   Each hand width (e.g. 4 fingers lined up) represents about one hour until the sun sets.
#5 = Swap and use your fingers if there is less than one hour until sunset.   Each finger typically represents around 15 minutes.

OUT YOUR BACK DOOR – DOWN THE STREET – OR A DAY TRIP TO THE COUNTRY.    MOTHER NATURE IS WAITING, AND SO ARE WE.    UPLOAD YOUR PHOTO TODAY, SEE IT ON BT TOMORROW!

They reportedly cozied up to each other at a table at Palms Casino Resort’s N9NE and toward the end of the meal, the duo were spotted holding hands.

Hey, he’s entitled to date whoever he wants now. His divorce from Sandra Bullock was finalized in June.

A sky high shot of Mike Comrie and Hilary Duff saying I do.

The rumours were swirling on Friday and they turned out to be true: Mike Comrie, 29, and Hilary Duff, 22, did indeed tie the knot this weekend.

About 100 friends and family were invited to the wedding in Santa Barbara, California Saturday night.

Hilary wore aVera Wang gown. Her sister Haylie was the maid of honour.

Neil Patrick Harris and his partner David Burtka.

Actor Neil Patrick Harris and partner David Burtka will soon have their hands full.

The two are expecting twins with the help of a surrogate. He announced it on Twitter over the weekend writing: “So, get this: David and I are expecting twins this fall. We’re super excited/nervous/thrilled. Hoping the press can respect our privacy.”

The 37-year-old stars in the comedy “How I Met Your Mother” and is nominated for three awards at this month’s Emmy’s.

I heard it was a busy weekend at Victoria’s Secret at West Edmonton Mall.  There were huge line ups just to get into the store.  On Friday there was at least a half an hour wait.  Savvy shoppers say at least a half an hour in line up for a cashier and big cues for a dressing room. 

A lot of the sizes are sold out…the most common ones anyway.  32 C and DD’s are hard to find. However, size 36 AA should be around.  Rumours have it that they get new stock on Wednesday.

Not sure how long they will be doing this…but buyers were given bright pink treat tote bags. They were filled with perfume, lotion, lip gloss and black thong  for those who buy at least 75 dollars in Victoria’s Secret.

Victoria's Secret

My shopping sources add…La Senza and La Vie en Rose  were dead.  I’m sure the hype and novelty will wear off at some point.

Let me know on twitter how the lines are during the week. @staceybrotzel

Forget bras…Calamine lotion is in high demand this summer.  Mosquitoes are bad.  Last month, city pest crews found 18-hundred bugs in their traps, now there are about 300.  That is apparently normal.

Mosquito trap

To try to keep the population under control, they are spraying ravines, industrial areas and farmland.

I learned a lot about mosquitoes this year.  I discovered there are two types of mosquitoes…the ’spring’ mosquitoes are blood thirsty.  The ’summer’ mosquitoes are less aggressive but no less hungry.  It was a buggy ‘perfect storm’. Both types were out earlier this month, the rainy weather unleashed the latecomers who were waiting for the right conditions just as the summer bugs were hatching.  Now, the spring ones are dying off and the numbers are back to normal.  I can go outside again.