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June 27/05
That's me and John at a recent function. It was my cousin's wedding and Brynn was the flower girl. It was also our wedding anniversary which was great timing as it's not often that we get dressed up and go out on our anniversary these days!!!
June 26/05
This is our best furry friend, Yukon aka Yuk Yuk. He's a Bernese Mountain Dog who loves his Po teletubby!
June 20/05
A picture says a thousand words.
from the Ottawa Citizen newspaper
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Favourite web search strings for this month at laureleanderson.com are:
laurel anderson (that one makes sense)
krispy kreme (yum)
amanda's adventure (everyone loves an adventure)
brochures san francisco hotel (hmmm-I am many things but not a travel agent)
cheese grater battery Canada (hmmm)
covering mouth etiquette yawn (hhhh, oops, sorry)
catholics skinny dipping (I always wondered what they were doing at those Catholic Women's League meetings) June 18, 2005
The headline reads, "I was a teenage talent strangler."
But the story is really about me (not a teenager anymore) and my friend Paul Anka-hey, that's Mr. Anka to you (and me). I'm fresh back from an unbelievable 4 days in Canada's entertainment capital of Toronto. So much to whisper and tell that I can't even remember it all! I was in Toronto to work on the 2005 Canadian Walk of Fame (okay, before anyone else asks me what this is, including fellow Canadians (shame on you for not knowing and more shame for asking and just not pretending to know more about your own country and its entertainment culture) it is the equivalent of a Hollywood star but in Canada with a cooler temperature and usually, not as much smog). I am officially bracket-happy!
Okay, so I had the very important job of taking care of one of Canada's biggest stars ever-Paul Anka. Officially, my title was Talent Wrangler for Mr. Anka and I took the role seriously. I prepared for this job by researching Mr. Anka and all he has done as well as watching lots of 'bucky, bucky' rodeo. Apparently somewhere there is an entire t.v. channel devoted to rodeo! Yee haw! I cannot lie and say that I wasn't a bit nervous to meet Mr. Anka but my fears were unfounded as he was a class act and very gracious. He let me boss him around a little bit concerning when we had to be on the elevator etc and when we had to be to stage etc but more fun was me bossing others around like this -"I need to clear the elevator for Mr. Anka" (tiny elevator and the only one at the theatre) aka get off now, "I'm truly sorry but you cannot get on the elevator right now but feel free to take the stairs." One puzzled theatre employee seemed utterly confused when I asked her to get off the elevator-that I had to clear it. She said something like "umm, okay so what do you want me to do?" clear the elevator I told her again "so what should I do?" get off and take the stairs I said "oh, so after or now?" NOW!!! Then on show day I actually had the elevator 'man' hold the elevator for several minutes so it would be there when Mr. Anka was ready to go to the show. So much power. Such a tiny elevator
Just as exciting as meeting MR. Anka was spending some time with his hugely talented son-in-law Jason Bateman (did you know that a Bateman married an Anka?). To say that he was my major crush during Hogan's Family would not be a lie and I love Arrested Development and told him so. We chatted about being renewed and about what shows he follows here in Canada and what shows his competes with here. VERY down to earth guy. Looks the same in person as on t.v. (not nearly always the case with many stars).
Walking the red carpet before the show with paparazzi, fans and tons of cameras everywhere was both surreal and exciting. It was just like you see on Entertainment Tonight and the Pre-Emmy shows etc. AND yes, I was caught on camera on the news and the televised red carpet and yes, it thrilled me for no apparent reason. All silliness aside though, it was a great gig and made me want to run away and join the Hollywood circus if even only for a few moments.
Others that I met or lent my pen to or told where the washroom was or brought both cold and room temperature water to or just walked past and smiled included: Mr. Anka of course, his record guy Tyson, Kiefer Sutherland, Michael Buble (funny), Tom Green (he was the MC and presented our former Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien, with a live kitten at the end of the show:), Shirley Douglas (Kief's mom and what an amazing lady), Faye Wray's spirit, Alanis Morissette and more......
Oh, and I must say that Mr. Anka rocked the house. After being inducted into the Hall of Fame, he closed the show with a tune from his new CD 'Swing Rock' and you had to be there to here it and believe it-Paul Anka singing It's My Life by Jon Bon Jovi with a big band and all! It was very cool (enough to buy the cd cool).
I also attended the CTV Fall Launch Event and Party. That was impressive-seeing all the shows that would be on in the fall (I'm very excited that Mandy Patinkin is coming back to network t.) and after each excerpt from the show a few of the stars would come on stage and speak. But the best was the party after for customers, press and other big whigs and big wigs (lots of those). Phil from the Amazing Race was there and very charming, Joyce and Uchenya-the winners of the race, Lynn and Alex who are everywhere right now, Mr. Canadian Idol Kalan Porter and Miss Canadian Idol runner up Theresa Sykorka and Canadian Idol misfit who is going places in the rock scene, Jacob Hoggard, Kyle McLaughlin (from Twin Peaks) was there and looking yummy! That list goes forever too. Some 'Lost' characters were there including the boy so I don't know how he got away from the scary men on the other boat to get there?!??!?!?!?!
The party was amazing-aesthetically tremendous with 'stations' set up as themes from shows. For example the CSI area had the wait staff wearing lab coats and serving test tube drinks, the Corner Gas area was set up with tires and gas tanks and 1950's inspired mini burgers and cones of fries. The Desperate Housewives area was tops-grass brought in, a model lying on a chaise lounge eating tons of bon bons (I want that job) while the 'lawn boy' mowed the lawn without a shirt...........Great food, lots to drink and tons to look at. An amazing night and my curly hair even stayed straight in the hot weather!!!!! June 16, 2005
Expect Slowdowns on the Don Valley Parkway as Long Awaited Summer Maintenance Begins
Those of you who know me and/or have been to my home know that I am always reorganzing, redecorating and revamping and so it should come as little surprise to you all that I am going to give this website a fresh coat of paint, maybe some floating shelves, calming candles, new throw pillows etc. It may take a bit, time and money are always important factors to take into consideration when doing any type of home reno so bare or bear (your choice) with me through the process and when it's done I hope you like it or will at least be polite and lie! June 15, 2005