"I've got a thousand answers/One's gotta be right"

On Monday, MR, JC and I were the guests of Universal for a preview screening of RZA's "The Man With The Iron Fists"...which we're not allowed to discuss publicly until early Nov. Following that, we settled in for the evening at the Lord Nelson, where we tucked into pies, mash, mushy peas and gravy at only $7 a plate, downed pints of the seasonal brew 2IC (an American brown ale) and talk'd shoppe 'til closing.

Yesterday, I rendezvoused with CM and birthday boy AM at the Hoyts EQ Bavarian Bier Cafe. Our poison of choice was the "Oktoberfest draught" (which turned out to be Hofbrau), while I risked meat overload with the delicious Munich Brewer's Platter. Full as ticks, we made our way to the nearby grand chapiteau for the Cirque Du Soleil spectacular "OVO". Its insect-themed plot ultimately didn't go anywhere and there was a tedious bit where a clownish beetle embarrassed members of the audience at length, but the rest of the show was absolutely fantastic. To jaunty live music in a mixture of styles, we were treated to dancing, slapstick, all sorts of gymnastics, foot juggling, diabolo, trapeze artistry, tightrope walking, and an inspired combo of trampolining and indoor rock climbing. In their colourful bug costumes, the performers' incredible strength, balance, timing and skills that spoke of thousands of hours of practice transformed them into creatures that were more than human. Bottom line: catch "OVO" if you can - just don't sit in the front row or you may be the butt of an unfunny, overlong joke. Afterwards, the lads and I grabbed dessert at an ice-creamery and discovered the wonder of blood-orange gelato.