All good things eventually come to an end, and for one of the last true drive-in fast food restaurants in Vancouver, it’s time. As of March 2008, the one and only Wally’s Burgers will be closing its doors permanently.

I know that a great many of you who grew up ’round these parts have fond memories of the countless family trips to Wally’s for its famous Chuck Wagons and shakes that defied gravity. Some of you Johnny Depp fans made up the crowds that gathered outside of it when 21 Jump Street filmed an episode inside. Ah…good times…so for one last stroll down memory lane, make sure to visit the joint within the next week before it’s gone for good!

For those of you who haven’t a clue what this is all about, Wally’s Burgers is a iconic remnant of the 60′s . It has changed over the decades, the restaurant’s giant neon sign being only part of a once more elaborate display that also included neon on the exterior of the building as well. The food is very affordable, made to order and there’s a well-known secret sauce that keeps customers coming back for more. Newcomers are sometimes put off by its appearance, mistaking age for dirtiness, but I think the place is as clean as any other fast food joint out there (you can see the entire kitchen through glass windows). Those that were around in its heyday may think that the burgers are not as good as they used to be but I like ‘em, especially the Deluxe Combo Burger, which is a burger with a wiener as well! Their buns are also better (think Italian style buns). Yummm…

See you at Wally’s!

Wally’s Burgers
2703 Kingsway, Vancouver
t: 604.434.2930

Hours of Operation
Mon – Sat: 10:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Sun: 11:00 AM – 6:30 PM

Considering the amount of time that I spend on my ass in front of a computer, you’d think that I’d make some effort, however minute, to do something to avoid permanent spinal fusion, right? Sure, and George Dubyah isn’t a moron.

As the fillings that poke out of my well worn couch will attest, the only healthy thing about my incorrigibly bad habits is probably the literal meaning of the first word that describes my favourite pastime…vegging out.

The Hollywood writers strike (which thankfully ended a week ago) has definitely contributed to the dangerously brain rotting effects of most recent TV fodder, BUT I feel a change comin’ on! Morten and I actually sat through an evening of programming last night without so much as one lament at the current state of tube entertainment. The first reason doesn’t deviate too much from what’s already ubiquitous on TV, but read on for more examples.

Very much by chance, we stumbled on NBC’s newest family competition series, My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad (Mondays at 9/8c), as a father hurled his harnessed son over an elevated platform into a giant inflatable target, where Junior attempted to velcro stick a giant dart as close to the bullseye as he could. The object being to score as many points as possible within the alloted time to avoid elimination, it was hilarious watching the different approaches the dads had during the pep talk before the trial. You had the encouraging dad: “You can do it kiddo! I know you can!” – The adrenaline dad: “YEAH! WE GOT THIS ONE! THEY’VE GOT NO CHANCE! *GROWL*” – and the one that laid on the pressure: “This is it! We can’t lose this one so it’s important to concentrate and win!” (consequently, also the Asian dad). The atmosphere is electric and the kids are literally (and figuratively) bouncing off the walls.

Despite having missed the introduction to the show and the first challenge, the format of MDIBTYD is so easy your first grader will be able to deduce it. Four father & 8 to 12-year old son/daughter pairs start off the show as they come out of four garages in a studio set designed to emulate an ordinary suburban neighbourhood. One team is eliminated (the one scoring the lowest) in each round of games but no one leaves empty-handed. As each eliminated team exits the stage via the same garage door they entered from, the host announces that they’re going home with an Xbox 360. The champion team then moves on to a final how-well-do-you-know-your-kid Q&A “Money Round” where $50,000 are up for grabs, the object being for the dad to correctly guess the answers his kid gave to questions asked before the show. We’re talking about $10,000 for each correct answer here, so a team can really rake in the dough, especially when they’re allowed one mistake. Last night’s team won a respectable $20,000.

For a one-hour show, I found that it passed very quickly and was pleasantly surprised how entertaining it was. The production value is high, as is the energy level (especially from the kids), and it definitely passes the host test, which is a crucial factor in a successful game show (or any show really). Led by Dan Cortese (you may remember him from Melrose Place or Veronica’s Closet with Kirstie Alley), the pilot episode was fluid and a lot of fun. If you’ve got young kids, you’ll definitely have a blast watching this show together (how often does a TV show come along where both parents and kids can enjoy it equally?!). Even if you don’t have kids (like myself), it’s a great way to chill out before bed.

What the show has in store:

Alphabet Soup: Dads (in regular clothes and barefoot) climb into their own big bowl of messy soup, retrieve 12” letters one-at-a-time, run out and place each onto a board with their kid until they spell out an item commonly found in the produce department

Velcro Wall: Dad stands on a platform and pushes his harnessed kid into a giant inflatable target in order to score points with giant velcro darts

Empty Nest: Dad climbs up a tree and has to successfully throw one egg from each nest down to his kid without breaking any

Robo Paperboy: Using a newspaper cannon, dad must score as many newspapers as possible through windows while the other dad tries to block them from going in

Spinning Discs: Dad, dressed in yellow fisherman gear, jumps across four slippery spinning turntables and on each turntable has to grab overhead fish and throw them into a receptacle operated by his kid

Tarantula Hat: Dad puts his head in a clear box with tons of creepy tarantulas and with his free hands below, has to lace and tie his kid’s shoe

Desk Smash: Dad has three minutes to smash a desk using a 10 lb sledgehammer and shove as much of it as possible through a 9-inch hole into a box

Does everything Mark Burnett touch turn to gold?

For more reviews on other shows that Morten and I dig, read on! Read the rest of this entry »

Every year, Videomatica (Vancouver’s much needed alternative to giant video rental chains) presents the Alternative Oscars Contest, and like clockwork, it’s back!

Not only are their in-store and online selections better (cause that’s where all those movies you want to see but can’t find at Rogers Video or Blockbusters are hiding), but their Oscar picks are better too. Granted, it doesn’t take much to do the latter (cough*asgoodasitgets*), but with categories like “Best Non-Human Actor,” “Best Villain,” and “Worst Movie,” it’s far more entertaining than sitting through the drone of any acceptance speech this Sunday.

There is no “right answer,” so don’t wrack your brains over the choices. All you have to do is vote (one entry per person) and through a random selection process, you have the chance to win great stuff like free DVD mail rentals (for Canadian residents) and dinner-and-a-movie packs from local restaurants and theatres (for lower mainland BC residents). How often do you get a win-win situation eh?

All the nominations after the jump! Read the rest of this entry »

Ok folks! This is The Bachelor Makeover Contest follow-up you’ve been waiting for!

Women are all about the details fellas. We notice the small tear that you’re trying to hide by rolling up your sleeves, whether you’ve starched that shirt or bothered to iron it, a bad shave or haircut, even when you’ve let your fingernails grow out past that acceptable length! We’re not saying that you need to get regular mani/pedi’s, but a little extra effort goes a long way, especially if you’re in search of that perfect someone.

Needless to say, most men could use a tip or two in the wooing department, which is why My Girlfriend and It’s Just Lunch teamed up for The Bachelor Makeover Contest, offering Vancouver bachelors the chance to win a potentially life-changing grand prize worth over $4,000 that includes a ‘home run’ makeover and a dream date for Valentine’s Day.

Well, West Vancouver’s Peter Weddigen was that deserving bachelor, seen here after the surprise announcement.

Unbeknownst to Peter, he was nominated by friend Len Chasten, along with his entire swim team! It’s Just Lunch’s Jacquie Brownridge and My Girlfriend’s Jill Hannan received no less than nine testimonials which attested to Peter’s rightful place as the bachelor of the year.

Peter is a total Tom Hanks,” said Len, “a solid citizen, nice guy, decent looking, totally responsible…[but] while every woman would love to marry Tom Hanks, they really want to date George Clooney, or Brad Pitt.”

Fellow swimmer Carole McClean wrote, “Peter is always ready to go out while the rest of the swim team are busy with family obligations. He needs obligations of his own!”

To see Peter’s full transformation, read on! Read the rest of this entry »

According to the Washington Post, Polaroid is closing its factories in Massachusetts, Mexico and the Netherlands, shutting down production of the instant photo film that made them a cultural phenomenon in the 1970s and 80s. This is sad news for anyone who has felt the excitement of taking instant photos of random objects and tagging them with a sharpie immediately after.

In addition to the obvious loss felt by drunk party revellers who will no longer be able to instantly document their antics, a lesser known consequence of the death of the instant film is the demise of the long held tradition of using Polaroids to document set decorations, makeup and costumes in film and TV productions.

“We’re trying to reinvent Polaroid so it lives on for the next 30 to 40 years,” explains Tom Beaudoin, Polaroid’s president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

According to the Washington Post, Polaroid has spent the last two years winding down the manufacture of instant cameras, which are still being sold both in stores and through Polaroid’s own website.

It’s pretty obvious that the digital camera and the MySpace pose are the direct causes of Polaroid’s extinction, but I’m still sad to see it go, not to mention annoyed with the fact that I now have four different types of Polaroid cameras that I’ll never be able to use again. Hello eBay!

Many of you have asked what we do when we’re not blogging (and why there are times when we seem to drop off the face of the virtual earth). So here’s the answer:

Apart from writing this Vancouver blog, a gadget and technology blog, a web-video and TV blog and a design blog, we also run a digital media design company called Pink & Yellow Media. Under this name we do pretty much whatever can be done through a computer; from video production and photography to DVD creation, print design and web & blog design.

Over the last week, Angela has been busy creating a DVD demo reel for local TV talent Justin Singh and Morten has been hard at work designing new sites for several different companies (not to mention his other job as a technical producer for Rogers Sportsnet). Needless to say, we are a tad overworked. That said, we do our best to keep you satisfied with new and interesting content as Vancouver bloggers.

The Dabbler crew is on a short trip to the United States of America (more specifically Seattle, Washington) to see the sights and take in some of the famous museums and culture events. On Thursday we went to the Museum of Flight at the Boeing factory and over the next few days we’ll take the Underground Walking Tour, go to Pike Market and experience the Music Experience Project.

Stay tuned for the whole story + a breakdown of what you should do and what you should stay away from when we get back. And for now, just enjoy are silly photos.

Feeling a little gloomy today? Well, fear not! It can only get better from here.

According to Psychologist Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University, the Monday of the last full week of January (or “Blue Monday” as it is called) is the most depressing day of the year.

There’s a simple reason for it too: The festive season is over and everyone has to return to their regular mundane existence, the bills from overzealous spending over the holidays are in, the weather is crappy, and most New Year Resolutions have failed.

But here’s the good news. There are easy ways of getting out of the gloom and start looking for that silver lining:

Turn that frown upside down: Simply trying to be happy usually works, especially if you spread the joy around. So greet people with a smile and strike up a positive conversation. Interaction with other people always lightens the mood.

Quit your fad diet and start eating healthy instead: Most fad diets are low in sugar and barely give you enough energy to get on with your day. Low blood sugar is also what puts you in a foul mood. Research shows eating healthy meals at regular intervals is far more effective than dieting anyway.

Take a hike: Any physical activity will lighten your mood, whether it be a brisk walk, a trip to the gym, a dance class or a tumble in the sheets.

Plan an escape: You don’t have to be unhappy. If you are, it probably has to do with your surroundings so rather than settling for a life of misery, figure out what is bringing you down and start looking for ways of getting away from it.

Remember that Blue Monday only strikes once a year: That means things can only get better from here. So whatever today feels like, tomorrow will be brighter!

[Original Source: Daily Express]

Is it still taboo to talk about sex toys and lubes? Well, if we still have to give vibrators cutesy names like “The Rabbit” or ambiguous one like “The Magic Bullet,” then yeah, I’d say it’s still not quite the social norm. Wildly popular shows like Sex and The City however, have certainly made it quite clear that society is more than ready for a dramatic change in the way we view sensuality and pleasure. And as we tried to maneuver our way through the crowd of people down the aisles of the Taboo Naughty But Nice Sex Show in Vancouver this past weekend, the general public is obviously not only able to admit that they are curious, but also willing to explore new things in the realm of sex.

For anyone who’s ever wanted to, but have been embarrassed to attend one of these trade shows, you can rest assured that it’s neither intimidating, nor obscene or dirty. Like the operation of any other business out there, all the exhibitors are nothing but friendly and professional. You won’t feel pressured to buy anything and if you do make a purchase, you won’t feel like you have to hide it. The atmosphere is fun and relaxed, and the stage shows are always a draw. There are open seminars and workshops that teach you anything from how to to avoid dating disasters to how to find that elusive G-spot. It’s definitely not just about sex toys – There are booths for energy drinks, protein shakes, “clothing optional holidays,” skin care products, tattooes on the spot, anti-snoring solutions, aromatherapy, bed sheets, and even cancan dancers…and that’s just naming a few. There are contests and giveaways galore and raffle ticket sales for worthy causes like Aids Vancouver.

But let’s be frank here. What we all want to know about is what the latest sex toys are, right? Well, if that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get! Click on the link below for the pleasure trove of goodies that we found at the Sex Show and keep an eye out for the fantastic giveaway that we’ve got for one lucky viewer, courtesy of our friends at the Little Shop of Pleasures!

Read the rest of this entry »

Heads up people! One of our readers has just alerted me about a not-to-be-missed WestJet deal!

Dabbler reader Anya writes:
Peeved at the world today, I decided to get away. And as I was searching through a multitude of websites offering “the cheapest flights around,” my WestJet page suddenly read “50% off. Today Only.” The prices literally changed within half a second!

Having just gone through the grueling process of trying to find half decent ticket prices to Russia, I’d just learned the lesson that it’s better to book earlier than later because every day that you wait, the prices increase. Well, there goes that theory! Is there nothing in the travelling world that’s constant?!

Here’s the link to the WestJet deal. You can get in on the deal today for travel on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays until March 19, 2008 but hurry! They say the sale is “for today only!“