Last night was date night, so B and I went to see a movie. We resisted the temptation to see The Marine (starring WWE champ John Cena in his big-screen debut) and opted for The Departed. I think it was a wise choice.

This is an event movie – big director, large cast of famous actors, interesting plot, and a good balance of drama and action. It’s a bit like a Mahler symphony – fairly long, mostly entertaining, with lots of moments when you think you’ve finally reached the climax only to find out there’s lots more to come. The final 15 minutes are total edge-of-your-seat stuff.

I’ve always liked Matt Damon (in a totally masculine heterosexual way), and he’s great in this movie. I’m not a Leonardo diCaprio fan (did anyone buy him as a tough guy in Gangs of New York?), but he seems more mature, both physically and emotionally, here. Nicholson is completely over the top as the scuzzy crime boss, while Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and Mark Wahlberg all have memorable supporting roles. Men outnumber women in this movie 126 to 1, with testosterone practically oozing from the screen.

Apparently the movie is an adaptation of Internal Affairs, a highly-acclaimed Hong Kong crime drama. I’ll have to search that one out.

With nothing much to watch on TV last night, I flipped over to Long Way Round on OLN. I had been meaning to watch this for some time but just hadn’t gotten around to it.

For those who haven’t heard of the program, the series follows Ewan McGregor (the young Obi Wan Kenobi) and his buddy Charley as they ride their BMW motorcycles from London to New York. Over about 120 days and 30,000 km, they traveled on highways and dirt roads (sometimes no roads) in Europe, Ukraine, Russia, Mongolia, the U.S. and Canada.

Last night’s episode was all about their travels in Kazakhstan. It’s part road movie, part travelogue, part social commentary. I found it really fascinating, especially since my only previous exposure to Kazakhstan has been through Borat.

Speaking of which, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan opens on November 3rd. I predict this will be the funniest movie ever made.

Le Nordik is a Scandinavian spa that opened up in Chelsea a year ago. I got Bronwen a gift certificate for Christmas last year, and after months of talking about it, we finally made a date to go on Friday night. We were both in need of a little R and R, and this definitely did the trick.

The basic concept of the spa is hot, cold, rest. One chalet has a steam bath, another has a sauna. After 15 minutes of sweating, you head outside to cool off in a cold pool or under a 25 foot waterfall to “wash away toxins”. You can then head to another chalet to relax, hang out by the outdoor fire pit, or join the crowd in the hot tub. Repeat 2 or 3 times, and you’re done.

The steam bath was great. We walked in, and you couldn’t see a thing. I had no idea how many people were in there, where people were sitting, nothing. You’re not supposed to talk, so it was eerily quiet, too. We stumbled around until we found a bench, then sat down and began to sweat. And sweat. And sweat.

When we headed outside several minutes later, we were literally steaming (it was about 4 degrees). We tried the waterfall, and I was surprised how punishing it was. I expected refreshing – it was actually pretty painful. Suddenly it didn’t seem so cool to be outside in just a bathing suit.

The hot tub chased the chill away pretty quickly. We also sat by the fire for a while. It’s a spectacular setting – you’re completely surrounded by trees and rocky outcroppings. We couldn’t believe how much better we felt after just half an hour.

Bronwen and I grew to love the waterfall on subsequent rotations. Once you get past the initial shock, it’s amazing to have all this cold water pounding you all over. We were wide-eyed and giddy as we ran to grab our towels afterwards.

They also have a bar and small restaurant in the main chalet. On the way out, we saw a couple enjoying a chocolate fondue and wine by the fireplace. I think we’ll have to make time for a nightcap on our next visit.

If you’re thinking about going (and we highly recommend it), here are a couple of suggestions:

1. Go at night – it’s a really romantic setting, and everyone looks better by moonlight.

2. Bring a bathrobe if it’s a chilly evening. They give you towels, but they get soaked in the first 10 minutes.

I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to the Hudson’s Bay Company for erecting its Christmas merchandise displays on October 1st. I had totally forgotten that the Virgin Mary had entered her third trimester until I wandered through the Bay’s stunning array of fake Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments.

I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to shop for my Christmas decorations for the next 75 days. How did we do it in the past when we were only given a month to get psyched up for Christmas?

So, get out there and spend, spend, spend. Isn’t that what the baby Jesus would want us to do?