Now Playing: Safe House

Who can resist these guys??

Playing at: Sunridge Spectrum Cineplex
2555-32nd Street NE
Calgary
AB, T1Y 7J6

Driving Time: 25 - 30 minutes from the Strathmore border

Costs:

General (14-64) $12.99

Child (3-13) $8.99

Senior (65+) $8.99

I've been waiting to see Safe House since the first trailers started to appear.  I'm a huge Denzel fan, and pretty fond of Ryan Reynolds as well.  My husband was happy that the must-see movie on my radar was something it looked like he'd enjoy as well, and when I had a rotten Monday, it seemed like the right cure for my mood, prompting us to head into the city for a bit of distraction and action-movie mayhem.  There's very little better for crankiness, in my opinion, than some mindless entertainment that doesn't make you think too much.  Explosions, car chases, adrenaline-pumping, and cute guys.  Sounds perfect, right?

The movie starts with a nice build-up and a bit of character development before jumping right into the action.  I like that in a movie.  While I think some people (read: some guys!) like the shooting and fighting from the get-go, I need to get emotionally invested in a character to care who wins in the end.  It's easy to get behind Ryan Reynolds' character.  He has the typical nice-guy face, and it suits him well in this role of a lower-rung CIA operative, charged with maintaining a safe house; an apartment, in this case, in South Africa, where detainees can be brought for interrogation and/or torture.

Denzel, on the other hand, is a likeable bad guy; a rogue former agent who now sells secrets to foreign powers, but who seems to have a great inner compass for right and wrong and a strong sense of who to trust.  He was in a bad spot; forced into an embassy by a series of heart-pounding events, and subsequently escorted to the safe house where the team of CIA agents hoped to peel his secrets out of him via a bit of waterboarding and intimidation.  When the safe house is breached, and a narrow escape is made, the real ride begins.

There's plenty of excitement in this film, with car chases and shootouts and chases along rooftops and some seriously anxiety-producing fight scenes.  Just when you think you're going to get a moment of calm, something else utterly shocking and terrifying seems to pop up.  The plot line is a little thin, but only because they had to make room for all of those action scenes.  You can't expect Shakespeare in this kind of a movie.  However, the depth of the character development is really nice, including the way the relationships between characters is developed, exploited, and showcased through to the very end.  You won't go away feeling like you just saw a lot of crash-bang and nothing of substance with this one.  It has enough to it that it will satisfy those action-seeking guys as well as the plot-loving women out there.

I'm rating this with a strong four stars, because the effects and acting are both very very good, but there could have been a bit more done in terms of developing some of the subplots that were interesting, but not fully explored.  Definitely a good night out!

Local Professionals: La Shaun Andrews, Realtor

I've read that moving is one of the top five stressful events that happens in your life.  I've moved at least ten times since I met my husband and I pretty much agree.  If there is one thing in this world that can make moving a little less anxiety-producing, it's having a good realtor.

Richard and I stumbled upon La Shaun accidentally the first go-round.  She was the realtor representing Abe Fehr construction, and was therefore the person selling the condo we were interested in buying. Two years ago, she toted us around town to show off other Abe Fehr buildings and convince us to buy his condo.

Clearly, it worked, and we love the place.

At that time, we were a little gun-shy about buying a place, because the last place we bought burned to the ground.  (We got to live in it a while first, at least).  That can scare anyone off!  Renting seemed easier, less committed.  But she lured us in with talk of paint chips and counter top options.  No, no, actually, she was honest and upright about why buying a condo would make good sense for us at that time, why the market was right, and even guided us toward finding good financing.  And she was there for us while we picked finishes and the like as well, even though I took about an hour to make up my mind on the lino.  I can be picky.  She never complained, and I never even caught her looking at her watch, even as I examined all of the little chips of counter top on the giant metal ring, and held every one that seemed promising up against the paint choice, the counter choice, and the laminate choice.  And then the other lino choice.  I took a long time.

At that point, because our situation was relatively simple, so was buying a house.  We had a down payment in the bank, no hindrances to hold us back, and easy peasy, we were done.

I gave her a call the other day.  "Surprise!"  I said, "We need a bigger house.  Much sooner than expected."  I then proceeded to give her a long laundry list of what we were looking for.  I had everything from square footage requirements to bathroom and bedroom requirements to projects-to-be-done and condition requirements all on a tiny tight budget.  I also had a long list of questions about listing our condo, changing financing, and how this whole shebang would work.

Throughout the process, La Shaun has remained upbeat, positive, and charming.  She helped us figure out why certain places could be awesome for us, and opened our eyes to things we might not have considered on our own.  And let me tell you, this woman is patient with unfailing optimism.  Even in odd circumstances, she tells you it's her job to figure out the details, and that she'll take care of you.  It's the sort of kindness you need in a situation where you feel kind of like a kid again; just enough to make you understand what's going on and not even close to a smidgen of condescension.

Overall, I'd give La Shaun a strong five out of five stars and would recommend her highly to anyone buying and/or selling in the Strathmore area.  Find La Shaun at Aztec realty in downtown Strathmore, or visit her website here: http://www.lashaunandrews.com/

Local Professionals: Dr. Mala Gupta

I hate the dentist's office.

I know I'm not alone here.  There are others out there who dread it for various reasons.  Me?  I get claustrophobic to the point of hyperventilating.  Just thinking about the dentist makes me anxious.  Just writing about the dentist has made my heart speed up.

I'm a very nervous dental patient, and at times, in the past, that has made me stretch the time between dental visits to untenable lengths.  It wasn't pretty.  I didn't neglect my teeth per se; matter of fact I made a ritual out of brush-floss-listerine to try to avoid the dentist at all costs.  But eventually, when you're a grown-up, you realize that you have to put on your big girl panties and do the right thing.

So, after relocating to Strathmore, I needed to find a new dentist.

Valley Dental Offices - Strathmore

There weren't many reviews online, so I just picked someone blind. And then I made my husband go first.  See, he's tougher than me.  Plus he has worse teeth, so I figured a) if it's tragic, it's less tragic, especially because I'm a girl, and b) if he came home a bloody mess, I would know to stay far, far away.

But he didn't.  He came home happy.  That was weird.  I asked him, while he was there, to ask them about nervous patients and what they needed to do.  He had, and they were remarkably nice about the whole process.

Dr. Gupta made an appointment for me to come in and meet her face-to-face - not in a dental chair.  Whew.  That was a relief.  We chatted for a while about what made me nervous and she watched my anxiety rise.  She was pretty good about calming me down even then, and talking me through it.  She then walked me through the office on a small tour, so I could see where everything happened.

One thing I really like about Valley Dental, where Dr. Gupta practices, is the open nature.  You aren't in a tiny little closed-off room where it feels like someone can torture you in private.  Because, let's face it, the dentist is kind of like a weird bdsm session.  You're in this bizarre piece of furniture, tilted at a funny angle with your legs up, people are giving you orders and shining bright lights in your face and wielding sharp instruments that they poke you with.  And sometimes there's blood.  It's got a lot of potential to go off in a "Turistas" type direction.  But at Valley Dental, while there are privacy walls between the exam areas, they are open at the tops and sides, with wide, non-closing doorways.  You have escape routes.  Trust me, I checked.

Dr. Gupta introduced me to her staff, including the hygienists, the other dentist, and her assistant, all of whom were very sweet and friendly.  They work with a lot of kids, so a scaredy-cat like me probably wasn't so shocking.  And that first day, I didn't even have to get into the chair, but as I hyperventilated again, she did take me back to her office to write me a script for Ativan.

The first time I returned, it was in sedated form, and I only had to signal for a quick time out once or twice during the exam.  My big goal was a bit of cosmetic dentistry - I had a poorly done cap on a front tooth that desperately needed replacing - and that would require a lot of time in the scary chair.  But it wasn't so bad.  Dr. Gupta pulled back when I started getting anxious (she's actually very adept at reading body language and could tell before I signaled when I was getting a bit overdue for breathing space).  In the end, I wound up getting a beautiful new cap and didn't even need the Ativan for the last appointments.  Now, I go to Valley Dental for regular cleanings with their hygienist Tanis - also very adept with the nervous - unsedated and with a much calmer outlook.

If this nervous patient can actually say she likes her dentist, then it's kind of a miracle.  Do I still hate the dentist's office?  Sure.  Do I still wish I never had to go?  Absofrickinloutely.  But since this is the real world and going isn't optional, I'm really glad there are dental offices around like Valley Dental.  Four and a half of five stars, and a big "thank you" from someone who hasn't felt this great about her smile in years and years.

You can find Valley Dental right downtown in Strathmore at 231 Second Ave.  They're right across the street from the Legion!  Or give them a call at (403) 934-2882.

Welcome to the Strathmore Review

Many years ago, one of my first jobs in journalism was writing reviews of activities and attractions in Appalacia for a travel magazine.  I did many other things writing-wise over the years, but that job remains a golden time for me, and one of my very favourite things that I've done when putting words on paper.  Probably because I have a lot of opinions and, as my husband lovingly told me earlier tonight, I'm always right.

Well. I have often thought that one day I'd get back to creating those kinds of reviews, and that is what this website is all about.  I moved to Strathmore in late 2008 and have found it to be a lovely little town - just the right mixture of small town appeal with a big enough city nearby that I don't get too bored.  I'm still discovering little hidden gems in the neighborhoods and enclaves about the area, and everything here is either going to be about Strathmore or places within a decent driving distance of the town.  I'll note mileage/travel time when appropriate to help you calculate your own adventures.

If you have something you think I should review, don't be shy!  I'm always happy to receive comments with suggestions and ideas.  Drop me a line in the comments section.  If you'd like to guest blog for us sometime, do the same.  I'll be looking forward to seeing you out and about in Strathmore!