Hop - Movie Review

Hop is a Easter-themed movie that combines live action and CGI together, staring James Marsden and Russell Brand. E.B. (voiced by Russell Brand) is a rabbit that is supposed to take over as the Easter Bunny from his father, but all he really wants is to be a drummer. He runs away from his home on Easter Island and heads to Hollywood to pursue his dreams, when he is hit by Fred O'Hare (James Marsden), a slacker who is going to house sit for his sister's friend. E.B. brings all sorts of trouble to Fred, from creating a mess of the house to ruining Fred's job interview.

Back on Easter Island, the head Easter Chick, Carlos, is leading a revolt and taking over as the next Easter Chick. E.B. and Fred team up and save the day, both growing up and learning to take responsibility in their lives.

Hop was cute and the animation very well done, merged with the live action. Russell Brand was perfect as a slacker Easter Bunny (even though he only does the voice, all you can do is think about Russell Brand)! The movie was funny, though the ending was a bit cheesy. It's definitely a great movie to take for your family to this Easter.
Hop comes into theatres tomorrow, April 1st.

Source Code - Movie Review

Source Code stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Captain Colter Stevens, who wakes up in the body of another man. He finds out he is part of a government experiment called the Source Code, which enables him to enter another body and take that person's identity in the last 8 minutes of his life. Stevens is part of a mission to find the bomber of the train that he is on. The bomber had already killed everyone on the train and has threatened to kill millions of other people by bombing downtown Chicago. It is up to Stevens to figure out who the bomber is and prevent another attack by reliving the same last 8 minutes over and over again, gathering more clues each time until the mystery is solved.

I thought Source Code was a great movie! It's fast-paced and you get so involved in the movie and can really feel the confusion and urgency of what Colter Stevens is going through. Great acting by Gyllenhaal. I'm not so sure about the character falling in love so quickly though, but I guess everyone loves a little romance. The concept of the Source Code is very interesting (it boggles my mind when I think about it) and the twists were unbelievable! I'm not going to spoil it for you, but it's definitely a must-see flick!! Highly recommend!

Source Code comes out this Friday, April 1st. For more information, check out the website here.

Hall Pass - Movie Review

Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis star as Rick and Fred in this comedy about marriage and family responsibility, as 40-somethings who romanticize their days in college when they were young and had the freedom to have any woman they wanted. Their wives Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate) give them a hall pass - one week to do whatever they want without any consequences. Fred is excited to rustle up the women and egg his best friend on. Of course, things don't go as planned and before they know it, the week is almost up and what do you know - no women. When the two finally manage to find someone to sleep with, their love for their wives is put to the test.

Hall Pass has a lot of crude jokes and really gross gags, some parts funny but cringe worthy at the same time. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone who doesn't like potty humour. Fans of directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly's movie may enjoy this mindless movie for a few good laughs, but don't waste your time if you're looking to watch something more meaningful.

For more information on Hall Pass, go here.

Nintendo 3DS Out Tomorrow!

Nintendo is launching their latest version of the DS tomorrow, March 27th! The 3DS will be retailed at $249.99 everywhere and comes in aqua blue or cosmo black. Games are a bit more pricey, at $39.99. I've taken a look at one last week and I'm not that impressed. I know Nintendo is trying to be innovative, by producing the first hand held gaming device where you don't need 3D glasses to see the images in 3D, but I think I will wait for the second generation to come out before considering getting it. It's just the newest novelty and a money grabber. Didn't they just come out with the Nintendo DS XL just a while ago? Anyway, make sure to watch for sales this coming week, since there are often specials the launch week. Best Buy is offering 1600 Reward Zone Points, which is equivalent to $20 toward a future purchase. Are any of you planning to buy the Nintendo 3DS tomorrow?

FREE Amazon Gift Cards - Swagbucks & Irazoo!

Swagbucks is an awesome search and win site where you can earn rewards FAST. It's easy to do and you get 30 swagbucks right away if you use the link below. So far I have cashed out for $315 Amazon.ca gift cards. There are tons of prizes to choose from, like other gift cards, cards, comics, Wii and PS3 consoles, Nintendo DS, you name it! So many prizes to choose from!

All you have to do is search and you might be rewarded with points. The fastest way to earn is through swagcodes, that are released several times a day. You can find it through their blog, searchbar, facebook, twitter, etc. Also there are points for daily polls, checking out the survey link and the daily special offers link! Now they have also added SwagTV, where you watch videos and earn 3 swagbucks for every 10 videos you watch. As well, they have partnered up with all of those Groupon type deals, and if you buy a coupon, you are rewarded with swagbucks!



Irazoo is another great search and win site that I've been using for even longer than Swagbucks. They recently changed it so that it's just like Swagbucks - you win points for searching, and there are also treasure codes. As a summer special, they brought back the rate and earn portion of points - when you do a search, you can comment and rate a site for 50 points. They limited it to 100 points a day though (used to be 300!).

Canadians are only allowed to redeem for Amazon.com gift cards, but if you live in the states, you have access to the other prizes as well, like gaming consoles, cameras, computers and other gift cards. I have already cashed out for $150 Amazon.com gift cards!

2 Free Bottles of Aquafina Plus

It's Facebook Freebie Friday! Today's freebie is two bottles of Aquafina Plus+ Vitamins 10 Cal! Head on over to Aquafina's Facebook page, give them a "like" and then fill in your information!

$5 off Disney's Tangled 4-Disc Combo Pack

Disney's newest release, Tangled is coming out on DVD and Blu-Ray on March 29th and Disney is offering a coupon once again. I loved this movie! Sooo funny. This time it's a relatively low value coupon, for only $5 off, valid on the 4-disc Blu-Ray and DVD Combo Pack. Stores are selling them for $34.99 each, so with the $5 off, it would be $29.99. The coupon is only valid until April 3rd. Print out your coupon here.

It's Friday!

Hahaha, I just felt like I had to post this. It's so ridiculous but getting so much attention since this song came out last week. But like they say, no publicity is bad publicity! I mean, look at William Hung from American Idol, he's had a record deal and made movies and starred in television shows. What have you done? Rebecca Black better milk this for all it's worth while she has her fifteen minutes of fame!

Free Sumi Plushies (Mar 26-27) - Lower Mainland Only

This week's Olympic freebie is the adorable Paralympics mascot, Sumi. It's a smaller 7.5 inch size, being offered free while quantities last this Saturday and Sunday. There is a limit of one per person.

The two locations of the Olympic Merchandise Warehouses are at 8410 Ontario St in Vancouver and 6741 Cariboo Rd in Burnaby.

For more information on the warehouse locations and hours, check out their website.

West Is West - Movie Review

West is West is a sequel to 1999's East is East (which I haven't seen, but think I should!) that follows George Khan (Om Puri) encouraging his teenage son Sajid (Aqib Khan) to follow the Muslim way of life while living in England. Sajid hates it and thinks of himself more English than anything. This leads George to take Sajid to Pakistan for a month to learn about his heritage, but he finds out he has changed since he has last been there.

I didn't really know what this movie was going to be about when I went in, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was funny, with cultures clashes and a great homecoming story. There is some great acting by Puri and Khan and I am definitely going to find East is East and watch that, though this movie is good as a stand-alone as well. West is West comes out in theatres this Friday, March 25th.

Sucker Punch - Movie Review

Sucker Punch is an action-fantasy directed by Zack Snyder (also known for directing 300) featuring Emily Browning, Jena Malone, Abbie Cornish, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung. Babydoll (Emily Browning) is sent to a mental institution by her step-father to get lobotomized but she is determined to fight for her freedom. She uses her imagination to escape reality, and urges some of the other girls to join her. They have to retrieve four key items that they will need to use to escape: a map, fire, a knife and a key. The fifth item is a mystery and BabyDoll has to discover this herself. Using their imagination, the girls have to work together to battle giant samurai warriors, dragons, Nazis and robots.

Sucker Punch is visually spectacular with great effects, and has a style that is uniquely Zack Snyder's. Always in different fantasy worlds, it's interesting to see where Babydoll's imagination takes her. There are plenty of guns and sword fights that make it a pretty hardcore action movie (reminiscent of 300). Some parts of the movie were confusing - like what is happening, is this reality? I found the movie very interesting and entertaining to watch, and the twist at the end is shocking. I definitely recommend seeing it on the big screen!

Sucker Punch comes out in theatres this Friday, March 25th.

Free Wings @ Original Joe's

It's another Facebook freebie! Today's freebie is free wing's at Original Joe's! Just mosey on over to their Facebook page here, like their page and sign up for your coupon! Hurry, this offer ends this week!

Vancouver International Auto Show (Mar 29 - Apr 3)

The International Auto Show is coming to Vancouver once again, from March 29 to April 3 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Check out the newest cars, enter some contests and have fun!


The show hours are as following:

Tuesday - Friday: 12pm - 10pm
Saturday - 10am - 10pm
Sunday - 10am - 6pm

Tickets are $15 for adults, with discounts for students/seniors and children. For more information, check out their website here.

I went last year and had fun, even though I am no car buff, and will be going again with my family this year, so maybe I'll see you there!

Elise Estrada Concert @ Metrotown (Mar 20)

The Beat 94.5 will be on location at Metropolis at Metrotown today at Times Telecom from 12-3. There will be a free concert by Elise Estrada at 2pm! You can enter to win 1 of 2 Blackberries as well as a $10,000 shopping spree in LA! 20 lucky people will also win dinner with Elise Estrada, where she will pick up the tab! Check it out today!

Free MukMuk Plushies (Mar 19-20) - Lower Mainland Only

This weekend's giveaway is the cute MukMuk plushie! It's a 7.5 inch mascot sidekick plush with the iconic Red Mittens, free when you visit the store! The offer is limited to one per person, while supplies last.

The two locations of the Olympic Merchandise Warehouses are at 8410 Ontario St in Vancouver and 6741 Cariboo Rd in Burnaby.

For more information on the warehouse locations and hours, check out their website.

Save 30% @ The Gap, Old Navy & Banana Republic (Mar 17-20)

From March 17 to 20, you can use this coupon here to save 30% off your purchase at The Gap, Old Navy or Banana Republic! This coupon is valid for four days only. As an added bonus, the store will donate 5% of what you spend to one of their non-profit partners.

The Lincoln Lawyer - Movie Review

The Lincoln Lawyer is a mystery suspense film that was adapted from the book by Michael Connelly. The movie stars Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller, a criminal defense lawyer who represents all sorts of criminals, usually guilty. When the rich Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe) is arrested for rape and attempted murder, he requests Haller as his lawyer. Roulet seems innocent, until Haller realizes that there were too many similarities to a past case where he put client Jesus Martinez in jail for life on the charges of murder.

While I am not a McConaughey fan, I have to say that he suited the role of the scumbag lawyer in this movie, with no scruples about making money and taking on cases where he knows his client did the crime. Ryan Phillippe did a great job playing out his innocence that you believe him in the beginning. I really enjoyed the movie - I like films where little pieces of clues and information come together in the end! After watching the movie, I think I will go and borrow the book to read!

The Lincoln Lawyer is playing in theatres this Friday, March 18th.

Contest: Chronicles of Narnia Vogage of Dawn Treader

Here is another blog giveaway, hosted on No Time Mommy's blog. If you're a fan of the Narnia series, then you'd probably like this movie as well! Good luck!

Contest: Win a Tokidoki USB!

Here's another contest for an adorable USB! Jaebumfangirl is hosting this giveaway again, for a Tokidoki 8GB Meletta Mimobot from Clooci! I LOVE Tokidoki!! So cute. Anyway, head on over to the blog to enter yourself!

Contest: Win a Slouchy Cap!

Jaebumfangirl is hosting another giveaway on her blog, for a Slouchy Cap made by Swak Shop. So Pretty! Check out the blog and enter, it's really easy! Good luck everyone!

Smart Shoppers Event @ Metrotown (Mar 12)

Metrotown will be hosting the Smart Shoppers event once again, tomorrow March 12 from 11am to 2pm. Mark Madryga of Global TV will be there along with business experts. Learn how to be a smart shopper! There will be a free magic show, loads of prizes and expert panels with the Better Business Bureau, BCSC InvestRight and more.

You can register now at www.smartshoppersbc.org to be entered in the early bird draw!

Bonus Redemption @ Shoppers Drug Mart (Mar 12-13)

It's another bonus redemption event at Shoppers Drug Mart this weekend! I always save up my points and wait for bonus redemptions to maximize my Optimum points! Once again, there are two levels with bonus:

Redeem 50,000 points for $100 off (extra $15)
Redeem 95,000 points for $200 off (extra $30)

You can get quite a lot of groceries or free electronics with that much free money! Love doing redemptions. I'm sitting this one out though because I don't have enough points. Let me know if you go and tell me what you bought!

Free 6" Sub & 16oz Drink @ Subway (Mar 12) - Lower Mainland Only

The Subway on Marine Drive in North Vancouve (next to Future Shop) is celebrating their grand re-opening this Saturday, March 12 by offering a free regular 6" sub and a free 16oz drink from 11am to 7pm! So if you live in North Vancouver, check it out! Who says there isn't such thing as a free lunch?

Free McSweeney's Pepperoni Stick

McSweeney's Beef Jerky is giving out a complimentary Sweet Chili Lime Pepperoni Stick for filling in a quick 5 question survey! Mmm, garbage meat. Head on over to their Facebook page and get your free pepperoni stick, while quantities last!

50% off everything wub a bag for $5 @ The Body Shop (Mar 12-13)

This weekend only, The Body Shop is offering one of their better promotions once again: Buy a bag for $5 and save 50% off on everything you can put inside! This is a pretty amazing deal, considering some of the products of their skin care line can be quite pricey. If you still have the groupon for $20 off $40 purchase, I believe it is expiring at the end of March, so this is the perfect time to use it, in conjunction with this promotion!

Win Win - Movie Review

Win Win is a sweet and touching indie drama that stars Paul Giamatti as Mike Flaherty, a lawyer who's practice is suffering and is struggling financially. He also helps out as a highschool wrestling coach. Mike becomes the caretaker of one of his clients so that he would receive the monthly stipend to support his family. When the client's teenage grandson, Kyle (Alex Shaffer), shows up suddenly, he has to take him in, as his mother is recovering in a clinic. Mike discovers Kyle is a great wrestler and enrolls him in the high school so that he can join the team. Kyle is happy living with Mike's family and visiting his grandpa, but things get complicated when his mother shows up to bring him back home.

I really enjoyed the movie - it was really heartwarming and the characters were endearing. It's easy to warm up to all the characters and Shaffer did a great job with his first role (he is actually a champion wrestler at his high school) playing the troubled teen. Amy Ryan is hilarious as the protective mother whose instincts kick in when Kyle stays with her family. Bobby Cannavale also had some great lines as Terry, Mike's best friend. Win Win is not to be missed! The movie comes out in theatres March 18th.

Free Quatchi Plushies (Mar 12-13) - Lower Mainland Only

Yes, once again the Olympic warehouses are giving away a freebie this weekend for showing up at the store. This time it is a medium sized 13.5 inch Quatchi mascot plush toy. There is a limit of one per person, while quantities last.

The two locations of the Olympic Merchandise Warehouses are at 8410 Ontario St in Vancouver and 6741 Cariboo Rd in Burnaby.

For more information on the warehouse locations and hours, check out their website.

Red Riding Hood - Movie Review

There seems to be a lot of remakes of fairy tales right now (see Beastly) and the latest one is Red Riding Hood.

Loosely based on the Little Red Riding Hood tale, this movie follows a young woman named Valerie (Amanda Seyfried), who lives in the little village of Daggerhorn, surrounded by a forest. Valerie is planning to run away with her lover Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), a woodcutter, to escape an arranged marriage to Henry, an iron smith. When the werewolf that has been terrorizing the village kills her older sister, Valerie and Peter's plans are halted while the towns people decide to hunt for the werewolf themselves. When they are unsuccessful, they call in Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), a famous werewolf hunter. When Valerie discovers that she can hear the werewolf talking to her, she begins to suspect it is someone she is closely linked to, and she is used as bait to capture the werewolf.

Red Riding Hood had a very macabre setting, with dark shadows and abrupt flashes of things and sudden appearances of people that kept you jumpy in your seat. The music is eerie and the fear is at times palpable through Seyfried's acting. The movie ends with such a surprising twist, and a huge deviation from the original fairytale. Given that Red Riding Hood was directed by the same person who did Twilight (Catherine Hardwicke), it is quite reminiscent of Twilight at times. The movie was good enough that it keep you guessing at who the werewolf was, but it was nothing special. Twilight fans will love it though.

Red Riding Hood comes out in theaters this Friday, March 11th.

FREE Amazon Gift Cards - Swagbucks & Irazoo!

Swagbucks is an awesome search and win site where you can earn rewards FAST. It's easy to do and you get 30 swagbucks right away if you use the link below. So far I have cashed out for $310 Amazon.ca gift cards. There are tons of prizes to choose from, like other gift cards, cards, comics, Wii and PS3 consoles, Nintendo DS, you name it! So many prizes to choose from!

All you have to do is search and you might be rewarded with points. The fastest way to earn is through swagcodes, that are released several times a day. You can find it through their blog, searchbar, facebook, twitter, etc. Also there are points for daily polls, checking out the survey link and the daily special offers link! Now they have also added SwagTV, where you watch videos and earn 3 swagbucks for every 10 videos you watch. As well, they have partnered up with all of those Groupon type deals, and if you buy a coupon, you are rewarded with swagbucks!



Irazoo is another great search and win site that I've been using for even longer than Swagbucks. They recently changed it so that it's just like Swagbucks - you win points for searching, and there are also treasure codes. As a summer special, they brought back the rate and earn portion of points - when you do a search, you can comment and rate a site for 50 points. They limited it to 100 points a day though (used to be 300!).

Canadians are only allowed to redeem for Amazon.com gift cards, but if you live in the states, you have access to the other prizes as well, like gaming consoles, cameras, computers and other gift cards. I have already cashed out for $145 Amazon.com gift cards!

Latest Contest Wins

I've been so busy that I haven't really been entering contests, but here are my latest wins over the last few months, it's mostly books!

The Frugalista Files (Book)

Why Marry a Millionaire, Just Be One! (Book)

Love, Honor and Betray (Book)

Wishbone pendant necklace from Pink Expresso

Have you won anything lately? Share below!

Vancouver Canucks Superskills 2011

I went to the Canucks Superskills last week. The Vancouver Canucks hold this event every year to raise funds for the Canucks for Kids Fund, which I've supported by volunteering for the 50/50 Program while I was in school. The money goes towards a hospice that provides child-focused care for children with life-threatening illnesses, so the next time you're at a game, make sure you buy a 50/50 raffle ticket!

The Superskills had different skill categories:

- 3 on 3 warmup game (Green team wins)
- Fastest Skater (Mason Raymond)
- Shooting Accuracy (Alex Burrows)
- Puck Control (Both teams tied)
- Hardest Slap Shot (Sami Salo)
- Power Play (Blue team wins)
- Breakaway Relay (Green team wins)

I had a lot of fun and really enjoyed watching the Vancouver Canucks in a more relaxed setting! The team members brought out their own wives and children along too, and the kids were adorable! Here are some pictures from the event:

Mascots playing musical chairs

The Blue Team!

The Green Team!

3-on-3! Love the Sedins!

Watching their teammates play

Sami Salo gets wins for hardest shot!

Luuuuu!

The Blue Team wins!

Contest: Win a Mimobot USB - Another Chance!

Wow, here's another chance to win another adorable Mimobot USB drive, from Jaebumfangirl's blog again! This time it's for a Blotz Wish Com True 2gb Mimobot blind-box USB drive, from Tenacious Toys! Check out the blog and enter, it's really easy! Good luck everyone!

Contest: Win a Sanrio USB

Jaebumfangirl is hosting a giveaway for an adorable Mimobot X Sanrio Badtz-Maru USB 4gb flash drive, courtesy of Flymode. I've always wanted one of these cute USB drives, so would love to win! Head on over to Jaebumfangirl's blog and enter now for your chance to win!

Extra 30% off Clearance Items @ Old Navy (Mar 4-6)

Old Navy is having another sale on their clearance items! This weekend, take an additional 30% off all clearance items! There are some great items sometimes, you just need to have the patience to look through the clearance section. Good luck!

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream - Music Review

I was finally able to get the copy of Teenage Dream by Katy Perry from Virgin Radio's Popscicle Meltdown last summer! Katy Perry's number one hit, California Gurls is on the radio all the time and the rest of the songs on Teenage Dream is very similar. They are all poppy and fun to listen to. A lot of sexual references though. One of my favorite songs on this album aside from California Gurls is Last Friday Night [T.G.I.F.]. It's super fun to listen to and boogey around the room with! Have you listened to the album? What do you think?

Free Quatchi Plushies (Mar 5-6) - Lower Mainland Only

This weekend, Olympic Warehouses are giving away 7.5 inch Quatchi Olympic mascot plushies. There is a limit of one plushie per person, while supplies last (no family limit). Make sure to go early to get yours! A really good deal this week is the boxed set of 4 Olympic plushies for only $4.99!!! During the Olympics, this sold for $59.99, so it's quite the saving! The warehouse has been selling it for $7.99 for the last few months, so this is a great deal. There are only a few hundred left, so make sure to pick one up this weekend if you've been waiting for "sale".

The two locations of the Olympic Merchandise Warehouses are at 8410 Ontario St in Vancouver and 6741 Cariboo Rd in Burnaby.

More information on the warehouse locations and hours, go here.

Beastly - Movie Review

Alex Pettyfer (also starring in I Am Number Four) plays Kyle Kingson in Beastly, a contemporary remake of Beauty and the Beast. Kyle is arrogant, rich and good looking and he uses that to be popular, while mocking unattractive classmates. When he invites Goth classmate Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen) to a party, he humiliates her. She then casts a spell that physically transforms him into everything he hates, an ugly monster. He has until next spring to get someone to truly love him.

Kyle's father banishes him to Brooklyn, where he lives with his housekeeper and a blind tutor (Neil Patrick Harris). One night he bumps into old classmate Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens), where he sees her drug addict father killing a dealer. He then blackmails him into letting her daughter live with him in Brooklyn where he promises to keep her safe. Kyle must then get Lindy to fall in love with him before he is stuck as a grotesque monster forever.

I thought Beastly was fairly good, staying true to the original story of Beauty and the Beast. The way Kyle got Lindy to stay at his place is very weak and highly implausible, but once you get over that bump in the movie, it flows a bit better. Vanessa Hudgens seems to play very similar characters with dry humor (like her character in Band Slam) and is borderline monotone when she speaks. Neil Patrick Harris is funny as usual; he probably has the best lines in the movie! While not the greatest movie, it does it job for its target audience, who will lap it up.

Beastly comes out in theatres tomorrow, March 4th.

Rango - Movie Review

Jonny Depp voices a chameleon in this animated movie, who lives in a terranium and enjoys acting out scenarios in his surroundings. He is thrown out into the middle of the dessert when the terranium flies out of the car after it swerves. He finds himself in an Old West town call Dirt with an assortment of characters straight out of a Western flick. He realizes he can now be anyone he wants and declares himself Rango, a hero who isn't afraid of anything, when he is the complete opposite. When the town falls for his stories, he becomes the town's sheriff. The town is running out of water and when the town's last supply of water is stolen, it's up to Rango to search for it. At the same time, the town's mayor is secretly withholding water from the town to maintain power. Rango is found out to be a sham and is ousted. While out in the desert, he finds himself and realizes he really can be a hero and goes back to Dirt to save the town.

From watching the trailer, you would think this was a kid's movie, however it's anything but. The story gets a little dark and serious, with references and jokes that only adults would understand. The animation is great, quite different from Disney-esqe animations I'm used to. It's enjoyable for kids and adults and has an interesting story line. Great movie!

Rango comes out in theatres this Friday, March 4th.

Free Dove Conditioner Sample

Here is another Facebook freebie for you! Dove is offering a sample of their Daily Treatment Conditioner! Just "like" their page here and fill in the form. The sample will be sent to you in 6-8 weeks! I love samples!

The Departed - Movie Review

I dug through my movie collection during the weekend and watched some older movies. The Departed boasts a large cast of big stars, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, and Alec Baldwin.

The Departed is a crime movie that follows Irish mob boss Frank Costello (Nicholson), and a mole he plants within the Massachusetts State Police, Colin Sullivan (Damon). Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) is recruited to go undercover to work for Costello. The mob and the police eventually figure out they both have a mole in their organizations and Sullivan and Costigan has to try and discover each other's true identity before they are found out.

It was very interesting to see how all the character's stories intertwined and I was always at the edge of my seat, afraid of the person being found out! I really enjoyed the movie, and I was expecting to, as The Departed won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director (Martin Scorsese) back in 2007.

The BC Home and Garden Show (Mar 2-6) - Lower Mainland Only

The BC Home and Garden Show is coming March 2 to 6 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. I've never been to it but I love going to convention type stuff, it's always a lot of fun to check things out. There will be a lot of shows with tips and tricks to gardening and home renovations. I'll be going this weekend and post about it after. You can buy tickets online to save $3. Check out their website for more information!

Room by Emma Donoghue - Book Review

I heard from my coworker that Room was a book she couldn't put down, so when my sister got a copy, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it!

Room is told through the perspective of five-year-old Jack, and to him, Room is the entire world. He was born there and he lives with his Ma, eats, plays and learns there and sleeps in the wardrobe at night, in case Old Nick shows up. To Jack's Ma, Room is a small shed where Old Nick has kept her for seven years after kidnapping her, ever since she was nineteen. She has created a life for her son but knows they can't go on like this forever. She has to figure out a way to escape her prison.

I couldn't put the book down once I started. Emma Donoghue does an excellent job of drawing you into Jack's world, seeing things through his eyes, a child born and raised in captivity who doesn't know anything about the outside world. You feel the danger that Jack's Ma feels and the urgency of which she wants to escape. I highly recommend this book (try not to read it during a weeknight, you won't be able to put it down!) and I'm looking forward to reading more of Donoghue's books.

Tim Horton's Roll Up The Rim Contest

Tim Horton's popular Roll Up The Rim contest is back! Buy any medium or larger drink and get a contest cup where you roll up the rim to find out if you've won a prize! With the increase of social media, everyone was able to find out who won and who didn't and people realized not too many cups were winners...So Tim Hortons put out more prizes this year to ensure more winners (increased food prizes).

This year's prizes are:
40 Toyota Matrix
100 Panasonic 3D TV Packages
5,000 Raleigh Mountain Bikes
1,000 Napoleon Grills
25,000 $100 Tim Cards
47,000,000 Food Prizes

Don't buy Timmie's coffee? You can still play their online contest; While the prizes aren't as exciting as a new car or TV, you do get a chance to win a $25 Tim Horton's gift card or the daily grand prize of free coffee for a year! That's a lot of coffee! There is no purchase necessary to play, just log in here once daily and play!

Good luck to everyone who participates in this contest! Let me know if you've won!

Free Chocolate Bar from Mars Canada

It's back again! Mars Canada is bringing back their Random Acts of Chocolate, offering a coupon for a FREE single serving chocolate bar for you to give away (or give to yourself, heehee!). There are coupons on displays in stores (though please don't be greedy and take the whole pad) or you can order a coupon to be mailed to you house from Save.ca. Yum, nothing beats free chocolate!