For most of my life (all of it, let's be honest), Canada has been that quiet, polite neighbor to the north. We acknowledged its existence, maybe made a joke about the accents or the love of hockey, but honestly, it rarely occupied more than a fleeting thought. We were the world superpower, busy flexing our muscles, and Canada? Well, Canada was… Canada. Nice enough, probably.
There's a lot to see at Manitoba Museum which, I'll be honest, is surprising because the building in downtown Winnipeg almost looks like an office space. From the outside, you'd have no idea inside is an amazing collection of history from the Canadian prairies.
Canada Day was never something that I celebrated (or even heard of, actually) until I became a Buff Boy and worked for a Canadian. He's not super patriotic but I definitely know more about our neighbors to the north than I ever had -- and that includes the interesting foods they eat.
My partner is too emotional... but not in the way most people would think. We've been together through one sports season. Let me explain why that matters. We started dating at the beginning of the hockey season last year. I don't care much for sports but he's into it so I went along because I had nothing better to do. He's that fan who's decked out in team gear and standing up throughout the game and screaming at the players and high-fiving people when there's a goal. That's not the embarrassing part. (Maybe it kind of is but everyone else is doing it so it's acceptable.) I saw a new side of him when his favorite team was in the playoffs. When they lost a game, he was genuinely pissed on the way home. Like, pissed to the point of grumbling and barely talking to me. I almost felt like saying, "Are you mad at me? What did I do?" and make him get out of the car and walk to his house since I was driving. When his team got into the finals he was thrilled. He was maybe too happy. And when…
I was recently passing one of our TVs that was showing a racecar event, the kind where the roar of the engines is a familiar soundtrack. As the spectacle ramped up, the announcers prepared viewers for the opening ceremony, of sorts.
Before we dive into my visit to the Winnipeg zoo, let me say the weather was horrible the entire time I was in the city, save for a few hours when I was downtown. Otherwise, absolutely horrible. And the bad thing about this travel content is our schedule is locked in so if it's something outdoors and the weather is terrible, there's little wiggle room to move things around at the last minute. That's why booking excursions in Winnipeg for a brief two-day visit was tough -- because it rained most of the time.
Collin is known as a diva for his nighttime routine. (Remember, we're in a unique situation at Buff Loft that we live with our co-workers so we know more about each other than the average colleagues.)
My partner is an organized person and I appreciate that. But he's trying to push his ways onto me. (Do you remember that Seinfeld episode where Elaine confronts Jerry and says, "Everything has to be just so with you"? Well that's the story of my life.) When we travel, we have to be at the airport well in advance and he insists on holding our documents, and he's forever watching the clock. I prefer taking it easy and getting there shortly before boarding time. When we get to the hotel room, the bags have to be put in a certain area and shoes have to be the same. I keep my bathroom stuff (toothbrush, comb, etc.) in a travel bag on the counter but he unpacks and displays everything as if it's our bathroom and home and not a temporary stay. I keep my shirts and other clothes in my suitcase but he unpacks it and hangs them up in the hotel closet. He means well and I appreciate his attention to detail but I'm tempted to say, "Just do your thing and leave my stuff alone" but the last thing I…
I'm starting to feel like I've stumbled into a parallel universe where the language is vaguely familiar, but the meaning is completely and utterly lost on me.
The internet is ablaze with opinions following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Texas law requiring ID verification for accessing pornographic websites. Many are up in arms, citing privacy concerns and potential misuse of data. While I understand these anxieties, I believe this reaction is, to a degree, an overblown response to a practice that isn't entirely new. After all, haven't we been showing ID to access adult content in the physical world for years?
Forget your standard burger. I'm about to introduce you to a flavor explosion that will redefine your grilling season: coffee-rubbed smoky burgers, featuring the amazing -- and coincidentally, well-stocked in this building -- Buff Boy Brewing Co. coffee.
I'll admit I'm not the biggest techie. In fact, if I could just keep all of the current technology I have now and never upgrade, I'd be just fine with that. Alas, that's not the world we live in.
It cost him $20 and he's never showing his face there again!
I recently hired a house cleaner. I saw her ad online and she's from my neighborhood so I gave her a shot. The first time she cleaned, it was amazing. It took a long time because I hadn't done a thorough clean for a while. She left the place amazing (even folded the toilet paper into a triangle point like in hotels). The second time, not so great. The third time, even more not so great. I haven't reached out for a while and she's been contacting me asking about re-booking. I've been making excuses like I'm out of town or just have too much on the go. (She only cleans when I'm home because I don't allow someone in my place when I'm not there.) I figured she'd just take the hint after not hearing from me but I think I'm faced with the awkwardness of having to say she's fired. Do I do it in a text? Call her? Or just keep making excuses and hope she gives up?
As I stepped out of my car and onto the parking lot of Thermea Spa in Winnipeg, I couldn't help but feel a pang of doubt. The sky was a deep, foreboding grey, and the warm air was thick with the promise of rain.
Leo just spent his fourth birthday with us (not turning four years old, his fourth year with us -- although...) He doesn't have many friends here in West Hollywood as an import from Brazil, but he certainly has plenty of fans in the Buff community!
In the world of babysitting, there are heroes and there are, well, Tanners.
As a Los Angeles-area resident, I've grown to dread driving in the city. The congested roads, endless traffic jams and parking nightmares have made me a reluctant driver. And, public transit: not a chance.
My neighbors keep parking and blocking my driveway. When they do it I have to squeeze through with my car and almost scrape theirs just to fit onto my property. One time I was having company over and it was embarrassing as hell when I was showing my co-worker my new house and we couldn't use my driveway because someone was in it who doesn't belong on my property. I'm tempted to have them towed. Should I do it to make a point? I actually think that would be less awkward than having a conversation with them since I don't know them.
For a long time, I felt like I was failing at… well, everything, if I wasn't constantly plugged into the 24-7 news cycle.
Winnipeg is the homeland of our boss. It's also where our parent company is based. So, after four years of being a Buff Boy with a loose connection to the city, I decided it was time to visit.
For as long as I can remember, I've been obsessed with two things: exceptional coffee and the creamy, comforting embrace of ice cream. And when the two collide? Pure, unadulterated bliss.
Because Drew started that whole "he's packing" gossip about himself earlier this month after a beach pic on Instagram, the competition has been stiff.
Here at Buff Loft (official home of Club Buff), we love a good romance. We love hearing the story about how our bosses met, how their romance blossomed and how they've become an old married couple in the most charming ways.
