The End of the Decade

2010 is going to be upon us in a few days. And before we consider the year before us, let us consider the past decade. seen was out a few months ago, asking people two questions:

1/ What was the most important pop culture moment of the past decade

2/ Who was their favourite Canadian performer of the past decade.

Lucius Whelan:

Kirsten Joy:

Gabriel Pillar:

Making Truffles

Paula Gale making chocolate truffles with St. John's food writer Andreae Callanan. For more information... and more yummy recipes, go to her blog:

withthecrickets.blogspot.com/

Happy Holidays

from the crowd at cbc.ca/nl December 2009 ...

Kathryn King and Rod Etheridge taking their own picture.

Peter Gosse

And Mark Quinn

Turkey Drive-Thru

A brief scene from the Turkey Drive-Thru held by the St. John's Morning Show Wednesday morning.

Corner Brook Cocktails

seen is helping out the Corner Brook Morning Show today ... which means we're doing a little drinking

Andrew Flynn owns and operates the Bay of Islands Bistro on West Street in Corner Brook.... and somehow he manages to find the time to tend bar. But "tending" doesn't begin to describe what Andrew does behind a bar. Armed with a finely tuned sense of smell and taste, he's a true creative adventurer when it comes to mixing and matching fresh fruits and herbs with your favourite alcoholic beverages.

This past summer Andrew organized the province's first bartending competition in St. John's... and luckily for the competitors, he was too busy organizing to actually take part. These days, the Bistro and a new baby keep Andrew and his wife Cheryl hopping.... but he took some time to share a few holiday cocktails with us.

The Recipes

Chocolate Orange

1 oz chocolate vodka
1 oz. Kahlua
Splash of Grand Marnier

Add ingredients to shaker with ice, shake and strain into martini glass.

Sweet Georgetown

2 oz. cinnamon bourbon
1 oz. fresh squeezed pear juice
1 oz. simple syrup
3 oz. homogenized milk
1 oz. Acadian maple syrup

In a shaker with ice add bourbon, pear juice and simple syrup, shake and strain over fresh ice in rocks glass.

Meanwhile, add milk and syrup to steamer jug, steam until foam is thick. Using a spoon, layer foam on top of previously made mixture already in glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder.

Garnder's Cider

4 oz. hot clove infused apple cider
2 oz. spiced rum
brown sugar
sprig of thyme
fresh squeezed lemon juice

Rim top of glass with brown and white sugar
Add cider and rum into glass
Squeeze juice from half a lemon

Garnish with a sprig of thyme

Light Show

A house at the corner of Fowler's Road and South Shore Drive in Conception Bay South.

He knew we wanted one ...

Years and years ago ... too many for seen to remember, Radio Noon did an interview with the Amazing Kreskin. For those of you of a certain age, this was a very big deal. When we were kids, the Amazing Kreskin was huge. When he came across the newsroom and gave us a big hug it was a moment we will never forget.

Ever since, the Amazing Kreskin has sent Radio Noon a Christmas card every year. Who else would do that? Who else could remember that comprehensive a card list?

The Amazing Kreskin. That's who.

More Mummers

These photos are courtesy Brianna Mercer.

The Mummers Parade

The crowds braved the rain for the 1st annual Mummers Parade in St. John's.

RCMP wins bragging rights

and seen will help them brag....

a few entries back, we told you about RCMP Sgt. Boyd Merrill's gauntlet throw-down to organizations in the Placentia area. The mission: to raise food for the local food bank.

Well the gauntlet was picked up by a number of organizations.

we'll let Merrill pick up the story from here. Here's an excerpt from his news release:

"The RCMP have bragging rights this year in Placentia/ Whitbourne District as they managed to collect more food for the local food bank than their arch rivals from DFO. Recently a weigh in was held to determine who collected the most food per pound divided by the number of persons working at their respective offices. The amount of poundage collected per person determined the winner. When the smoke cleared from the scales set up in the middle of the Placentia Dalphen Mall the difference between what the Mounties collected vs the Fisheries was about the same as a bag of flour! In total the Mounties had 161 pounds of food for each of their 8 employees in the area.
 
In total the effort raised over 2400 pounds of food for the local food bank."

ooooo, archrivals DFO. That sounds like a challenge for next year.

Holiday Lights Pt. 3

and more form seen's elves with cameras:

adventures in news releases ...

This came in from Ketchum Media. Their list of Canada's best/worst communicators 2009

"The professionals at Ketchum Public Relations have again spent the year studying media reporting on the remarks of Canadians to come up with their Sixth Annual Best and Worst Canadian Communicators list. The list is used to identify important lessons and trends in public communication. One trend identified this year is the increasing role of the citizen journalist.

For your consideration below, please see Ketchum's Best and Worst of 2009."

We won't go through the whole list, but post one entry instead:

**4. Genuine tragedy places extraordinary strain on those who must face the microphones. All of Canada was saddened when a helicopter ferrying oil rig workers from St. John's to platforms on the Grand Banks crashed, killing 17 of the 18 people onboard. We could all feel the deep sense of loss in that community, at least in part because of the way Cougar Helicopters responded and because of the authentically heartfelt words of its base operations manager, Hank Williams. The company grounded all its helicopters, not because they were dangerous but because Cougar staff needed time to grieve the loss of coworkers, passengers and friends.

"We see this accident as something that we're all in together. We're hurting," said Mr. Williams. Providing regular briefings on the recovery operations, he always kept his focus on what was important. "Every family member that I've spoken to, that is the ultimate goal right now, that's what they want," he said. "[It's] very important from our perspective that the next step is to bring their people home."

The lesson sadly reinforced: Stay focused on what really matters.**

The Scope's best of St. John's 2009 list

from our local indie newspaper

...is on a news stand near you

some highlights:

Best Local TV Personality:
Ryan Snoddon

Best Local Radio Program
Deep Roots on CBC Radio Two

More lessons in giving ...

Later in the afternoon, the second Larkhall Academy Kindergarten class appeared with more turkeys for our freezer.

Holiday Lights Pt. 2

Here are some more photos seen took around St. John's. Send us in your picture of your holiday lights. We're running a contest on the front page of cbc.ca/nl

A lesson in giving ...

Well what a nice surprise this morning when the kindergarten class from Larkhall Academy dropped by, dragging a sled loaded with turkeys for the CBC turkey drive.

Here are some pictures:

Robin Hood First Trailer ...

Just like the title says, the first trailer has been released for the upcoming Russell Crowe/Ridley Scott on the Robin Hood tale - something that's been told and retold and many movie versions over the years.

Why does seen care? seen cares deeply. Because one of the movie's characters is played by Great Big Sea's Alan Doyle. The character is called Allan A'Dayle and the release date (though these things change) is 14 May 2010

Here's  a story about the movie and the trailer:

'Robin Hood': first trailer released for new Russell Crowe, Ridley Scott pairing

Holiday Lights Pt. One

seen's photographers have been out around St. John's taking pictures of some of the incredible light displays. Too many pictures for one posting so we'll spin them out over the next few days.

adventures in news releases

Here's one from the Buchans RCMP:

"The Buchans RCMP would like to advise motorists who frequent Route 370, the Buchans Highway, that the Caribou herd has moved back into the area for the winter. With the onset of the winter snowfalls highway crews have been busy keeping the roadways clear which includes utilizing road salt. Besides using the roadways as an easy means of travel to avoid deep snow, Caribou and other animals such as Moose and Coyotes are often attracted to the salt and therefore create a new risk to drivers at this time of year beyond slippery roads. Sightings of large numbers of Caribou have been seen on the highway over the past number of days as the animals enjoy a feed of road salt and/or the vegetation which grows along the sides of our roads in the ditches. It should also be noted that increased sightings of Moose have also been observed on the Buchans Highway in recent days. 

There are hundreds of collisions with Moose and Caribou each year in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador which often result in injuries, which are sometimes fatal, to the occupants of the vehicles involved. The RCMP is once again asking the traveling public to use extreme caution and reduced speeds when traveling on our roadways at this time of year." 

New York kind of feeling ...

seen is a collective, but one its members was in New York recently - wandering around, as seen will - and came across an outdoor Christmas craft fair in Union Square. Lot's of booths, lots of crafts, but in among them all was a booth called Nicola and the Newfoundlander. seen asked what the name of the company referred to: and was told that the Newfoundlander was, in fact, Newfoundlander Brendan Smith. From Petty Harbour. Imagine!

seen didn't have a camera (?), but was able to get a web address. The products are word-based and presented in several ecologically-minded forms.

Nicola and the Newfoundlander

and you can also read more on in this New York Times blog

And it just goes to prove that wherever you go, there is always a Newfoundlander and Labradorian about.

music into water

Dan Bursey sent a Twitter message to us about an interview he was doing with the Morning Show in central on his new Christmas project.

Bursey is a youth pastor and singer-songwriter from Lewisporte, and he's putting his talents to helping others this holiday season:

"Between December 1st and December 24th, "Hallelujah Carol" will be available for purchase on Dan's website, www.danbursey.com. ALL proceeds from the sale of the single will go towards purchasing a water purification system for a community in Thailand."

The interview will air on Tuesday or Wednesday.

You can check out more about dan at danbursey.com

the turkeys are a-rolling ,,,

Yesterday was the first time this year seen saw the turkeymobile roll up to the front door of the CBC building. Eg Walters from the Community Food Sharing Asociation and a helper came and took away the first freezer-load.

Sign of the times

A message from ... someone.

And while we're at it ...

The Toronto International Film Festival also named Vive la Rose as one of its top ten Canadian short films for 2009. Vive la Rose, according to the NFB production's website, is a tragic love story set in Newfoundland based on the famous song of the same name by local musician Emile Benoit.

The film is directed by Bruce Alcock who is from Corner Brook and now lives in Vancouver. The film was shot in Bay Bulls, and features the work of many of the stalwarts of this province's film community.

Here's what the TIFF panel says about Vive la Rose

"Panel Statement This multi-layered, beautiful short was a treat for the eyes. With its rich colour, beautiful animation and the poignant story underneath, I found it to be an exceptional film. - Sherry White"

You can read more about it here.

Vive la Rose will also be screened at the Sundance film festival. Alcock has shown there before with his At the Quinte Hotel.

More honours for Crackie

The Toronto International Film Festival has named its top ten list of Canadian feature and short films for 2009.

Number 3 in the features list - it's in alphabetical order - is Sherry White's Crackie, a film made in this province and starring many well-known local actors.

Here's what the TIFF panel said about choosing Crackie for the list:

"Panel Statement
This astute, affecting and impressive debut feature is as idiosyncratic and intelligent as its protagonist, a young woman in Newfoundland searching for both her past and her future. With its equal measures of grit and poetry, toughness and compassion, Crackie announces the auspicious arrival not only of a compelling new Canadian cinematic heroine, but also that of her talented creator, Sherry White.
- Tom McSorley"

You can read more about Crackie and TIFF.

Catching up ...

When it comes to winter, now the entire province is just about equal. Here are shots seen took this morning of all the lovely snow that fell over the weekend in St. John's.

A star is born

Loyal CBC listener Joe Tulk (and seen knows he's loyal) was the winner of the St. John's Morning Show contest where the prize was to be an extra on the set of the Republic of Doyle over the weekend.

Tulk played one of the guests at a wedding that might never happen. Here he is in character:

Bill Cosby

The world-famous comedian was in St. John's on Friday night for a one-off performance. He has been talking about this province recently because of his interest in the Lanier Phillips story. He had a meet and greet with people before the show, including the mayor of St. Lawrence, Wade Rowsell.

Here's one reason why you write a will ...

From the inbox:

"An Ontario Genealogist, Susan Snelgrove, has discovered a will written in Cupids, Newfoundland in 1674 that sheds new light on the early history of the oldest English settlement in Canada. A write-up and an image of the will have been posted on our website."

Here's a link to an image of the will.

Bobbing with Bartlett

The Centre for Marine Simulation at the Marine Institute recreated Brigus-born and bred, world famous explorer Bob Bartlett's (and Peary's) voyage on the Roosevelt in 1909.

The recreation was featured on the Discovery Channel's Daily Planet, and you can see it
on their Nov. 26. show by going in about six minutes.

The spirit of giving ...

The turkeys are coming in, and so is the money. This photo came in from Corner Brook this morning.

"Donation of $500 to CBC Food Bank Turkey Drive from The Shoppers Drug Mart Millbrook Mall Charity BBQ Fund from Corner Brook. In Photo L to R Warrick Hunt ,assistant Front Store Mgr., Brian McHugh, local CBC personality, & Trevor Hinks, pharmacist."

Photo sent in by Walter Fleming.

Getting into the spirit ...

It's that time of the year when the decorations go up.

International Appalachian Trail

seen has always been intrigued by the idea that the west coast of the province is part of the Appalachian mountain system.

Here's a youtube video recently released by the Newfoundland and Labrador chapter of the International Appalachian Trail

Congratulations ...

... to everyone involved in the Newfoundland film Grown Up Movie Star.

It's been accepted to compete in the 2010 Sundance Film festival - a rare, rare honour and opportunity.

CBC's On the Go broke the news a few minutes ago.

"Some big news this afternoon in the world of local fim making, and a real feather in the cap
for a writer and director Adriana Maggs's drama Grown Up Movie Star,  shot up the shore and in St. John's," they said on the radio.

Grown Up Movie Star was shot on location in Flat Rock and St. John's, Newfoundland, by Jason Tan,  the film is produced by Jill Knox-Gosse, veteran Paul Pope (Rare Birds),  Shawn Doyle and Adriana Maggs.  Production design is by Shelley Cornick.

The film stars acclaimed actor Shawn Doyle (HBO's Big Love) alongside rising star Tatiana Maslany.

And the nominees are ...

ECMA 2010 MUSIC & INDUSTRY AWARD NOMINEES**

Entertainer of the Year**

Classified (NS) Dave Carroll (NS) David Myles (NB) Gypsophilia (NS) In-Flight Safety (NS) Joel Plaskett (NS) The Divorcees (NB)

Female Solo Recording of the Year

Amelia Curran (NL) - Hunter, Hunter Catherine MacLellan (PE) - Water In The Ground Coco Love Alcorn (NS) - Joyful Erin Costelo (NS) - Fire and Fuss Jenn Grant (NS) - Echoes Jessica Rhaye (NB) - Good Things Kim Wempe (NS) - Where I Need to Be

Group Recording of the Year

Caledonia (NS) - We Are America In-Flight Safety (NS) - we are an empire, my dear Madison Violet (CB) - No Fool for Trying The Motorleague (NB) - Black Noise The Novaks (NL) - Things Fall Apart Two Hours Traffic (PE) - Territory

Konica Minolta Male Solo Recording of the Year

Chris Kirby (NL) - Vampire Hotel Classified (NS) - Self-Explanatory Dave Gunning (NS) - We're All Leaving Dave Marsh (NS) - The True Love Rules Joel Plaskett (NS) - Three Lennie Gallant (PE) - If We Had A Fire Pascal Lejeune (NB) - Adélaïde

FACTOR Recording of the Year

Amelia Curran (NL) - Hunter, Hunter Classified (NS) - Self-Explanatory Chris Kirby (NL) - Vampire Hotel Dave Gunning (NS) - We're All Leaving Duane Andrews (NL) - Raindrops Jenn Grant (NS) - Echoes Joel Plaskett (NS) - Three

Rising Star Recording of the Year

Caledonia (NS) - We Are America Haunted Hearts (PE) - Thank You, Goodnight Kim Wempe (NS) - Where I Need To Be Share (NS) - Slumping in Your Murals Sleepy Driver (NB) - Steady Now The Danks (PE) - Are You Afraid Of The Danks

Vibe Creative Group Single of the Year

Alert the Medic (NS) - Atlas Caledonia (NS) - Scott's House Classified (NS) - Anybody Listening In-Flight Safety (NS) - Model Homes Joel Plaskett (NS) - Through & Through & Through Joel Plaskett (NS) - You Let Me Down

SOCAN Songwriter of the Year * Amelia Curran (NL) - "The Mistress" (Performed by: Amelia Curran)* Brenley MacEachern & Lisa MacIsaac (CB) - "Small of My Heart" (Performed by: Madison Violet) Catherine MacLellan (PE) - "Take A Break" (Performed by: Catherine MacLellan) Coco Love Alcorn/Chris Hockey (NS) - "Revolution" (Performed by: Coco Love Alcorn) Dave Gunning/Jamie Robinson (NS) - "Made On A Monday" (Performed by: Dave Gunning) Joel Plaskett (NS) - "Through & Through & Through" (Performed by: Joel Plaskett) Mullane, Goodsell, Nicholson, Ledwell (NS) -"Model Homes" (Performed by: In-Flight Safety)

Video of the Year

Classified (NS) - Anybody Listening (Directed by: Harv) Down with the Butterfly (NS) - Tanks (Directed by: Aram Kouyoumdjian) George Canyon (NS) - Just Like You (Directed by: Colin Minihan) In-Flight Safety (NS) - Model Homes (Directed by: Drew Lightfoot) Joel Plaskett (NS) - Through & Through & Through (Directed by: RT!) The Motorleague (NB) - Hymn For the Newly Departed (Directed by: Marc Savoie) The Tom Fun Orchestra (CB) - Throw Me to the Rats (Directed by: Alasdair Brotherston & Jock Mooney)

Alternative Recording of the Year

Caledonia (NS) - We Are America In-Flight Safety (NS) - we are an empire, my dear Sleepy Driver (NB) - Steady Now The Danks (PE) - Are You Afraid Of The Danks The Easy Bleeders (CB) - The Easy Bleeders The Slate Pacific (NB) - Safe Passage

Bluegrass Recording of the Year

Catherine Lawrence (NS) - Sweet Memories Cousin Cletus and the Six-Fingered Stringband (PE) - DISCOGRASS Ryan Roberts (NS) - Ryan Roberts Smokin' Contra Band (NS) - Slim Pickins The Grass Mountain Hobos (PE) - ZOOT! The Spinney Brothers (NS) - When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall

Blues Recording of the Year

Chris Kirby (NL) - Vampire Hotel Easley Stevenson Arsenault (NS) - Nine Steps Rick Jeffery (NS) - 13 Vultures The Hupman Brothers (NS) - Countin'Quarters The Terry Whalen Band (NB) - A Wicked Driving Rain

Country Recording of the Year

George Canyon (NS) - What I Do JD Clarke (NS) - Satisfied Karla Pilgrim (NL) - I'll Think of You Melanie Morgan (NB) - Goodbye Birmingham Rik Reese & Neon Highway (NB) - Mama Raised a Good Boy The Divorcees (NB) - Last of the Free Men The Keats (NL) - Good to be Home

Folk Recording of the Year

Amelia Curran (NL) - Hunter, Hunter Andrew White (NS) - Walk in Light Catherine MacLellan (PE) - Water In The Ground Jessica Rhaye (NB) - Good Things Joey Kitson (PE) - STAN JP Cormier (CB) - The Messenger

Instrumental Recording of the Year

Andrea Beaton (CB) - Branches Curtis Andrews (NL) - The Offering of Curtis Andrews Darren McMullen (NS) - Decade Ian Foster (NL) - Found: Music from the Unmade Film Spanner (NL) - Dark Boat The Dardanelles (NL) - The Dardanelles

Jazz Recording of the Year

Bill Brennan (NL) - After Hours Gypsophilia (NS) - Sa-ba-da-OW! Jeff Torbert (NS) - This Weather Honest Les Paiens (NB) - PYRAMYD Paul Tynan (NS) - BiCoastal Collective: Chapter One Swingology (NS) - Swingology

Loud Recording of the Year

Big Game Hunt (NS) - Goliath Black Moor (NS) - The Conquering Shelter with Thieves (NS) - Confessions of a Toxic Generation The Motorleague (NB) - Black Noise Uncooperative Death (NS) - Uncooperative Death We, the Undersigned (NB) - Bleed the Constants

Pop Recording of the Year

Jenn Grant (NS) - Echoes Joel Plaskett (NS) - Three Mel Keith & The Strombachs (NB) - Mel Keith & The Strombachs Stephanie Mainville (NB) - Out of Nowhere Tim Chaisson and Morning Fold (PE) - Broken Hearted Beat Two Hours Traffic (PE) - Territory

Sirius Satellite Radio Rock Recording of the Year

Alert the Medic (NS) - We, The Weapon Andrew Hunter & The Gatherers (NS) - Andrew Hunter & The Gatherers Carleton Stone Drives The Big Wheel (CB) - Carleton Stone Drives The Big Wheel Dave Marsh (NS) - The True Loves Rules Smothered in Hugs (PE) - The Healing Power Of Injury The Novaks (NL) - Things Fall Apart

Roots / Traditional Solo Recording of the Year

Allan Ricketts (NL) - Rivers Anna Ludlow (NS) - Reel To Reel Colette Cheverie (PE) - Hours Before Dawn Gillian Boucher (CB) - Elemental Lennie Gallant (PE) - If We Had a Fire Samantha Robichaud (NB) - Collected

Roots / Traditional Group Recording of the Year

Dawn and Margie Beaton (CB) -Taste of Gaelic Lazy Jacks (PE) - East Coast Live Shanneyganock (NL) - Volume VII The Navigators (NL) - Sea Miner The Once (NL) - The Once

Aboriginal Recording of the Year

Forever (CB) - Reborn Gary Sappier Experience (NB) - Project III Lone Cloud (NS) - Live at North Street Church Richard Poulette (CB) - Let Go, Let God

Francophone Recording of the Year

BLOU (NS) - Noël Blou George Belliveau (NB) - Prise 2 Joseph Edgar (NS) - Y'a un train qui s'en vient... Nathalie Renault (NB) - La chance Pascal Lejeune (NB) - Adélaïde Soleil (NS) - Soleil

Gospel Recording of the Year

David John Hensman (NL) - Find Me Elizabeth and Scott Rhyno (NS) - Something Beautiful Evangeline Inman & Women Who Worship (NB) - Evangeline Inman and Women Who Worship Matt Brouwer (NS) - Where's Our Revolution The Ascensions (NB) - No Greater Love Tim Milner (NS) - Kiss the Son

Rap / Hip-Hop Single Track Recording of the Year

Classified (NS) - Anybody Listening Hotbox (NB) - Knowledge is Wealth feat. Radar Mischif (CB) - C.B. Summer Mista Mack (CB) - Gone with the Breeze feat. Mischif Shiest (NL) - Nuttin New Three Sheet (NS) - How it Goes

R&B/Soul Single Track Recoding of the Year

Chris Kirby (NL) - Come Clean Gary Beals (NS) - Jump Off feat. Blessed Jamie Sparks (NS) - All I Need - Remix Mark Duggan (NS) - Sambaiosis

Sit up straight, mind your manners ...

John Doyle, the T.V. columnist for the Globe and Mail, said at the end of his column yesterday that he was off to our fair province for a few days.

"Finally, I'm off for a couple of days. As you read this, I'm in Newfoundland, to look into this Republic of Doyle thing. A natural assignment, you'll agree. Mr. Ryan of this parish will be your guide for a few days."

So everybody pay attention, and depending on how you feel about Mr. Doyle, be polite. Or not.

Streetview

Google Streetview for St. John's and area is up and running. seen tried out other parts of the province without any luck, but then we had to go back to work anyway. 

If you look closely, you might see seen waving from the window. Or not.



Tell us what you think

And the winner is ...

... of this year's Fresh Fish award for emerging writers:

David Andrews for his short story collection West Orange.

St. John's Santa Claus Parade

seen took some time off, but we're back today with a vengeance.

Here are pictures from Sunday's Santa Claus parade including students who were allowed to march in the parade after all.