Social networking has given the beauty pageant a new purpose - to be the event that connects so many young minds and prepares participants for the pageant event itself, which, is probably the biggest night of their lives thus far.

The beauty queen blog is a game changer. Now the administration actually depends upon the reigning champion to be able to manage her share of the social net. Suddenly its a two way street where the pageant director and the new pageant winner are partners who work together promoting the events and sponsors connected to next years extravaganza.

In the 2009 pageant, Katie Starke keeps a blog right on the Miss Teen Canada World website. Its very popular and has been visited over 10,000x even though the site just launched in May.

The real innovation here is that all the contestants are now blogging on the Sugar blog network.

Here are some of the contestant blogs,
http://kylawills.onsugar.com/
http://wendyhuang.onsugar.com
http://karmenguillas.onsugar.com
http://oliviawolter.onsugar.com
http://cassandratracy.onsugar.com/
http://taylorstronski.onsugar.com/
http://genevievejones.onsugar.com
http://annissacheyne.onsugar.com/
http://chelsaedurocher.onsugar.com/
http://sarahstriga.onsugar.com/
http://azlynnyablonski.onsugar.com/
http://alexandrahanasz.onsugar.com/
http://jessicacatorc.onsugar.com/
http://genevievetucker.onsugar.com
http://taralynwolfe.onsugar.com/

The four MTC-W judges, Elmer Olsen, Lorraine Zander, John Eltom and Clarence Ford are mandated to award the highest scores to the smartest girls with the best personalities. So believe it or not, a girl’s physical appearance is really not that important anymore. Now the successful candidate must indeed be a leader, and be able take command of a powerful blog army.

The story of Shakuntala is perhaps the most famous Sanskrit play in existence. Written by the great poet Kalidasa in 5th century BC, the mythical love story Shakuntala is being performed at the Toronto Harbourfront Center, Feb 4th to Feb 15th, 2009. Tickets are $30 each and every seat in the Fleck Dance Centre is perfect.

A timeless love story, Canada’s own Anita Majumdar plays Shakuntala at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre. This culturally rich production is part of their World Stage 2009 program.

The story of Shakuntala, as recounted by Kalidasa, the great Indian poet of the 1st century CE, is perhaps the most famous Sanskrit play in existence. On a hunting expedition in the forest King Dushyant meets, in the hermitage of Rishi Kanva, the beautiful Shakuntala, daughter of the apsara (heavenly nymph) Menaka who had left her in Kanva’s care. The king falls in love with Shakuntala as he watches her playing in the grove with her friends Anusuya and Priyamvada. His love is returned and they marry according to the Gandharva tradition. Soon after the consummation of the marriage, the king returns to the palace to assume his kingly duties. As he leaves, he gives Shakuntala a ring engraved with his name.

While the king is away Shakuntala spends her time day-dreaming about her future with him. She does not

notice the arrival of Rishi Durvasas, known for his short temper. Enraged that he is being ignored, he curses her: “He of whom you are thinking and for whose sake you have forgotten the most elementary laws of hospitality, he will forget you!” Anusuya and Priyamvada convince the sage that Shakuntala is blameless. Durvasas then modifies the curse: when the king sees the ring he had given her, the curse will end.

When Shakuntala realizes that she is pregnant, she travels to the court to be united with her husband, the king. But he does not recognize her and to her dismay she discovers that she has lost his signet ring. Distressed, she leaves but is lifted up into the heavens by her apsara mother.

Later, palace guards bring in a fisherman who, they assume, has stolen one of the king’s rings. Protesting his innocence, the fisherman explains how he had found the ring in the belly of a fish. Seeing the ring, the king recollects his past with Shakuntala. He rewards the fisherman. But Shakuntala has gone.

Many years pass. The valiant but grieving king fights a war on behalf of the gods. Returning victorious from battle in the chariot of Indra, the King of the Gods, his attention is drawn by a mountain, shimmering from afar with a golden, honey-like light. It is the retreat of the great sage Maricha, an ascetic known for his formidable powers. The king visits the ashram and meets a young child playing fearlessly with a lion cub.

Asking who the boy is, he suddenly realizes the child is his own son. He is then reunited with Shakuntala. Maricha and his wife Aditi bless the couple and reveal that their son Bharat will become a great emperor, and will give his name to India : Bharat.

<img class=”alignright” style=”border: 1px solid black; margin: 10px;” title=”Basil in herb garden pot” src=”http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/Dumpdiggers/Basilpot.jpg” alt=”" width=”245″ height=”249″ />Yields: 2 cocktails.

Ingredients

4 ounces quality dark chocolate: either hot chocolate pistoles (this is often sold as “drinking chocolate”), chopped chocolate bar, disks or wafers

8 ounces water, boiling

12-16 fresh sweet basil leaves

3 ounces top shelf vodka

Ice cubes

Sprigs of fresh basil leaves for garnish     <img class=”alignright” title=”Chocolate” src=”http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/Dumpdiggers/chocolate.jpg” alt=”" width=”419″ height=”335″ />

This recipe also works well with fresh mint.

Directions:

Muddle the basil in a cocktail shaker or pint glass.

Add the hot chocolate pistoles and boiling water. Stir until the chocolate pistoles have melted and let cool to room temperature.

Add the vodka and ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glasses.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.

You can double, triple or quadruple this recipe and make it in advance if you’re entertaining a large group. Simply make the hot chocolate-basil base in a pitcher or blender and refrigerate until ready to use. Make sure you strain out the basil before serving!

She’s semi-famous for helping rich pack rats with huge antique collectors integrate their pieces into modern design schemes. Profiled in prosper-magazine in the article Antiques Diva Decorates with Collectibles, Colleen is a regular shopper on Queen St. West.

The above mentioned article clearly states, ‘Colleen finds bargains in Toronto’s antiques ghetto on Queen St West and Roncesvalles (Jack Daw and Pickwicks) and also Ebrahams at Queen and Bathurst.’ and although this author wouldn’t call any part of Toronto a ghetto, Queen St does still contain some of the very best (cheapest) shops in all of Toronto to find beautiful amenities for your home design schemes.

Decorating condos with antiques is challenging; how can anyone keep a collection of anything in such a small space? Colleen consults her clients on what stuff they should put in storage, and what pieces should or shouldn’t be displayed in certain rooms. Having storage allows inhabitants to rotate collections seasonally - different piece to compliment or contrast the view.

In modern homes and condominiums space is at a premium. Be creative about possible new uses for antiques - make them functional. Old telephones and radios that actually work are amazing and attractive at the same time. Same with tableware and old film projectors and record players, posters all this is available cheap on Queen St W and it looks great!

Insert a picture rail two feet below the ceiling all across the wall and even over the windows. The shelves in front of the window will display coloured glass perfectly, even and I might add especially on cloudy days, while the shelves against the wall are great for framed pictures or pottery or collectible tins etc.

Dean, the blogger at My Little Apartment lent visuals to Colleen’s text describing the act of displaying dresses on walls. This is a great way to get more out of the party dress and it seems to lend a doll house mystique to any room.

For more of Colleen’s wisdom you should read her decorating tips blog and prepare to fall in love with her interactive design challenges and cool photos.