Sacrilegious Content Advisory

Wow, haven't blogged in quite some time now. I really gotta stop starting every other post like that. Not a lot new going on, so I guess that is why it's been so long. I'm just enjoying the summer too much I guess.

Anyway, the point to this post. Yesterday, after work, Rae and I were flipping through the channels when we stopped on Bravo. This weird film was on called Circa, that was a story about some strange circus magician, his abused assistant Lisa, and the sad clown she falls in love with. It had absolutely no dialogue and was told though short scenes with the actors, an couple performing interpretive dance sequences, and the music by a three piece band comprised of a stand up bass, a jazz drum kit and the sad clown singing and playing the accordion. As you may know, I have an appreciation for depraved and dirty clowns and the baroque carnival style, So we ended up watching the rest of the film. The three piece band struck me so much that I did some internet sleuthing to find out as much as I could about them and it turns out that they are a band from the UK called "The Tiger Lillies"that have been around for quite some time and classify themselves as "The world's foremost Death Oompah band". Some notable songs featured in the film, Circa, were a haunting rendition of "Send in the Clowns", "Souvenirs" which is a great story telling song of a man who traveled the world collecting STD souvenirs, and the song that dropped my jaw and brought Circa to a climactic end, "Banging in the Nails" featured in the embedded video below. This must be a fan video because… well it just doesn't make sense. Regardless, I may have a new favorite band, enjoy.

My First Video Uploaded to Flickr

Last week Rae and I went to my friends cabin at Winnipeg Beach for the third consecutive year. What began as coincidence, by the third visit, has become an annual tradition. We arrived on Thursday night and were welcomed by high winds. After a dinner with Jamie and his Mom at an Italian restaurant (can't remember the name of it but their Penne al Diavlo with Italian sausage was incredible), we took a walk down to the beach front to find that the beach was gone. It's quite dark, but the video shows just how ferocious Lake Winnipeg was that evening.

Canaday Day at the Downs

Last week I spent Canada Day with Rae and a few friends at the Assiniboine Downs. Lost more than I won but it was a beautiful day spent with good friends and I had the opportunity to see Canada's rarest race horse (pictured above and below). This horse is rare due to it's amazing, steel blue, coloured eyes and that it is the only one of it's kind that is also a registered race horse. These picture don't do justice to just how striking this animals eyes look.

Leo Mol 1915 – 2009

Manitoba's finest sculptor passed away last Saturday. Leo Mol died at age 94 leaving behind an impressive collection of sculpture on display at the Assiniboine Park, Leo Mol Sculpture Garden.

I have enjoyed photographing his sculptures that can be seen on my Flickr account here.

Fathers day weekend

The reason I haven't been posting is that since returning from holidays I've been busy catching up on things. This past weekend being no exception. After doing some freelance photography I did manage to get out and take some photos that were blogworthy. The weekend began with attending the UCW (Ultimate Cage Wars). I won five seats at a table through 92.1 citi Fm. The main event on the card was canceled and it was mostly submissions but a good time was had by all… except maybe for the guys who lost their fight. Then after an early photo shoot the next morning, Rae and I went to the new Pixar movie, "Up", which is a definite must see for any Pixar fan.


After the movie, we took in a Goldeyes game with our friends Carol and Don. The Goldeyes managed a bottom of the eighth, come back from behind win (9-4) over the Joliet Jackhammers to end a multiple game loosing streak. Lets hope it's a sign of a good, long winning streak to come. I've only been to a few Goldeye games and even though I am not a huge baseball fan, for great seats at $12 a pop, I think that these games are the best value for your buck for any sport in Winnipeg. Pictured above is the game winning hit by Big Dee Brown of the fish.

I'll try to posts more regularly.

Fotune Teller of Old Havana

I really have to get over being shy about asking strangers for their picture, because I saw many interesting portraits on our trip to Cuba. With the lady above, I couldn't resist asking. When I did she held up her index finger and said "One peso". I dug into my pocket to get one and realized that I gave my last peso to a museum attendant that let us into off limit areas. I replied "Desculpe, no peso" to which she smiled and posed for this picture.

More on my Flickr

Tropicana Havana

On our second full day in Cuba we decided to take a tour of Havana plus Tropicana Show. We were picked up at our resort at about 8:30 am, did the tour of modern and old Havana, stopped in nearly every bar that Ernest Hemingway drank (incredible lush), had dinner and went to the Tropicana show. On arrival the women were given carnations and the men were given cigars. Then we were sat at a table with a liter of rum for each group of four and a can of pop each. Whatever we didn't drink went onto the bus to take us back to our resorts at nearly 4:00 am.
Good times.