A Request for Help for the Victims of Typhoon Ondoy

Photo: Francis R. Malasig

Today's post is a little more on the solemn side of things... Please take a moment to read about the recent floods in Southeast Asia that have severely affected the Philippines. This natural disaster is without a doubt directly related to how we treat Mother Earth. Please remember that Everyday is Earth Day.

As you have likely heard...

On Sept. 26, the Philippine capital Manila and its neighboring provinces suffered one of nature's worst beating. Typhoon Ondoy, international code name Ketsana, poured more than a month's worth of rain in six hours, submerging most parts of the bustling metropolis, drowning at least a hundred people as of press time. My prayers to the victims, and may we emerge victorious and live by the lessons of this tragedy. (Photos by Reuters. Music by Ennio Morricone, "Love Theme" from "Cinema Paradiso."

I happen to be originally from the Philippines so this hits very close to home. In fact my parents and one of my brothers live in Manila, as do my grandmothers, many aunts, uncles and cousins and friends. Thankfully with the exception of some being stranded for a few hours, all my friends and relatives are safe and sound, however many others are not...

I didn't post this yesterday, as I was waiting for Red Cross Canada to include this recent calamity to their list of online donations. This morning I made a personal donation to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy (listed as "Philippines Typhoon"). Please consider making a donation too. The minimum online donation is only $5, and even that much will go a long way.

RedCross.ca will accept donations from Canada and the US, but if you're American and would prefer you may make a donation at RedCross.org, or wherever you may call home at the Red Cross near you.

If you make any sort of donation large or small (no need to tell me how much), please let me know as I would like to personally thank you via snail mail :)

Thank you for taking the time to read this appeal for donations. Every bit helps, even just hopeful thoughts and prayers :)

xo,

ej

A typophile?

Happy Yom Kippur to all those observing today :)

Quick post before I head to my night class at UofT...

Second to photographs of food, when it comes to art, I am a huge fan of typography... I guess that makes me a "typophile?" Check out this awesome video of the "Typophile Film Festival 5 Opening Titles..." As my friend Caroline who posted on her wall, its "AH-MAZING!"

Typophile Film Festival 5 Opening Titles from Brent Barson on Vimeo.

Happy Monday!

xo,

ej

Random Friday Blog Find: "The 4417 Mile Diet"

I love food. And ever since moving to my new apartment in April which is furnished with a cute little white gas stove... I find myself more inclined to cook.

While I prefer eating food, I very much appreciate food photography... Plus, as previously mentioned I am a sucker for a good love story. It's the hopeless romantic side of my perpetually singledom =p So imagine my delight when I came across this adorable blog...

"She can never find enough dishes to cook tomatoes in, and he can never have brunch without bacon. They love cooking together, eating, exploring the great diverse city of Toronto; and of course, they are in love.

In September, she moved to Rome for 4 months for school, leaving him behind in Toronto. And although 4417 miles apart, they decided to share their meals with each other like they always have."

Introducing The 4417 Mile Diet. The food looks so tasty. I can't think of a better way to keep in touch!

I happen to know one of the bloggers, Gabe. We worked together at an architectural firm back in the day... Check out his photography too. Great stuff. You two, are adorable Gabe and May!

Happy Friday ! Bon Weekend !

Tonight I'm going to attempt my aunt's simple shrimp scampi linguni recipe for dinner... If I remember to take a photo before devouring it, I'll post a pic up!

xo,

ej

too many m&ms tonight + love happens review

Originally uploaded by Brandy Shaul

I got to see "Love Happens" tonight with Kate. It was fun spotting the ecojot logo twice, and Jennifer Aniston character's Eloise jotting in an ecojot journal.

There was other product placement, yet it was nice knowing that ecojot was asked to be there!

I'd love to see ecojot on the the big screen more often... Heck, I'd love to see ecojot on the small screen too!

So what's with the title of my entry tonight? Well, I have a tendency to indulge when watching movies... Tonight was no exception... Kate and I stopped at the nearby grocert store in the bulk section where I picked us up some peanut m&ms... I think I had too many. My tummy started to hurt.

It made me think of this month's issue of Fast Company magazine's numerlogy piece about candy... I couldn't find the cool infographic that was attached to the article online, but here are some crazy candy numerlogy facts, just in time for Halloween...

The U.S. candy manufacturing industry includes about 1,600 companies, but just 2 (the Hersheys Co. and Mars Snackfoods U.S.) make 15 of the top-20 selling chocolate candy bars.

Only 26% of homes gives out full-sized candy bars. Fun-sized Snickers bars are the most popular Halloween candy.

Treat: Austin, Charlotte, and San Antonio lead U.S. Halloween spending on candy and decorations, with $53 per household.
Trick: Cincinnati spends the least, $35.

93% of kids go trick-or-treating.

There are 22 M&M colors.
Mar's M&Ms are the most popular chocolate candies in the United States, with annual sales of almost $425 million.

Halloween is responsible for three-fourths of candy corn's annual sales.

October 30th is national Candy Corn Day. Nearly 9 billion pieces of candy corn are produced annually.

Prohibition was a sweet age of revenge: Baby Ruths, Oh Henry!, Charleston Chew, Mounds, Milky Way, Reese's peanut butter cups, Bit-O-Honey, Mr Goodbar, Milk Duds, Butterfinger, and Snickers all debuted between 1920 and 1930.

America will spend $9 billion on Halloween. The average person will spend $20.39 of that on candy.

Every day, Tootsie Roll Industries produces 16 million Tootsie Pops. According to Purdue University study, it takes an average of 252 licks to get to the center.

Twizzlers, Good & Plenty, a Milky Way, and a Vosges Mo's Bar were consumed during the production of this story.

Anyway, I enjoyed "Love Happens"... Aaron Eckhart is dreamy in it, even if he was dealing with his own stuff ;) As I told DesignerJots, "it was a cute feel-good-movie, a little bit of drama, a bit comedy and just the right amount of gushy romance." Check it out and let me know what you think!

xo,
ej

PS - No, I did not just have m&ms for dinner tonight! Promise... I had two small salads too before the m&ms =D

Ecojot's Feature Film Debut

As you may recall a few months ago, I mentioned that a movie titled "Love Happens," originally called "Traveling" when being filmed was coming out this month, and was not only starring Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston, but Ecojot too. Okay, not starring, but making a cameo appearance.

Well I haven't seen the film yet, I will be seeing tomorrow with my girlfriend Kate, who happens to have been crushing on Aaron Eckhart played a "sensitive motorcycle type" named George in Erin Brockovich.

Meanwhile, Lori of Universal Pictures was kind enough to send me a couple stills of the hunky Mr. Eckhart standing in front of a whole bunch of Ecojot journals!

Thank you again, Lori for permission to share this photo with my readers and fellow Ecojot fans. I can't wait to see the film... I am so a sucker for chick-flicks. Remember my review of the "The Time Traveler's Wife" last month? Needless to say, I'm a fan of this genre 0;)

Check out the trailer for "Love Happens..." If you check it out, please be sure to let me know what you think! I love hearing others reviews!

More exciting Ecojot and film news soon... In the meantime, Happy Tuesday!

xo,

ej

PS - According to Apple Trailers and BoxOfficeMojo... "Love Happens" came in 4th this past weekend for Box Office Results ($8M)... Not bad, eh? ;D

Born to Dance?

Made me smile as much as this super cute rendition of "Hey Jude..." While I am busy blogging some more about movies... Check out this young dancer...



Be back later with more fun tidbits...

xo,

ej

one more tiff thought

Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Director: Lee Daniels, Principal Cast: Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Gabourey Sidibe

So thanks to my friend Heather, I managed to see the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Winner "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire." This time around since I'd heard bits and pieces, I couldn't help but take a glimpse of the trailer before tonight. It still did not completely prepare me for the intensity of this film.

Yet a more appropriate adjective is powerful. This movie most definitely let me thinking. At times difficult to watch, especially with its strong realism. The first paragraph of the tiff description sums it up perfectly...

"Raw, vibrant and resoundingly hopeful, Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire will stand in years to come as one of the strongest American films of 2009. Although the details of its plot may shock, it is at heart the story of a young woman determined to better herself despite overwhelming obstacles set against her."

Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe's performance absolutely awing. There is no doubt as to why Oprah backed this film as a co-executive producer to Tyler Perry.

I look forward to seeing the response to this film as it opens to a mainstream audience in the near future. Apparently Director Lee Daniels is already in Spain showcasing it at the San Sebastian Film Festival.

Daniels' technique of juxtaposing certain elements of Precious' story, such as her dreams and "rich inner world full of colourful fantasies of celebrity and adoration" made the way the story was told that much more impressive. I now most definitely want to read the book!

I am honoured to have had a chance to see this film tonight at tiff. Totally made me excited for tiff 2010.

More thoughts on films soon... Especially with one with Ecojot having a cameo in one that just opened yesterday!

xo,

ej