July Events

July Movies

WALL*E - love blossoms between a hapless, earth-bound trash compactor and a sleek, air-borne entity probe. Who would've guessed? Not me! I won't spoil the ending, but bring a hanky!

Mama Mia! - two hours of exuberant, musical fun based on the songs of ABBA. Cringe if you must, but your toes will be tapping all the same. I enjoyed three handsome, if vocally challenged, actors each taking turns being confused, surprised, charming and ultimately rising to chivalry. I love a man who can take the micky out of his own persona. Amanda Seyfried as bride-to-be, Sophie is lovely - both visually and vocally.

Brideshead Revisited - Move over Jeremy Irons, Matthew Goode is the new face of bewildered emotional sensitivity in this 135 minute re-telling of Evelyn Waugh's book-cum-mini-series-cum-film. But it's Ben Wishaw's Sebastian who serves up a tour-de-force portrayal of life-long inner turmoil with heartbreaking intensity.

Just For Laughs - July 26
Headliner Jimmy Fallon brought stand up to Toronto. It was a treat to see this young comedic talent on the threshold of stardom. Intellectually, you know he’s put a lot of effort into his perfectly timed routines, but his delivery is so effortless you are easily carried away on his giddy magic carpet. First, it was the imitations with the images of his characterizations (Seinfeld, Cosby, Carson, Pryor) up on a screen behind him. Then, he serenaded us on acoustic guitar with a home-spun diddy about a friend who spits when he talks. Yes, the Just For Laughs format includes a line-up of performers, but they were mere filler in between the comic goofiness that is Jimmy.

The Eagles at ACC - July 22
In a word: harmonies – it was all about the wonderful blending of true vocal and guitar talent. Henley, Walsh, Schmit and Frey were also tight, professional and determined to rise above individual differences and deliver a fun show on Don’s 61st birthday. They were in town to promote The Long Road Out of Eden but served up all the old favourites. I couldn’t believe my ears: five songs in and with a slow start, they delivered Hotel California. Pinch me. The wave of recognition that shot through the crowd was electric. It was one enormous sing-along after another, notably Lyin’ Eyes and Peaceful Easy Feelin'. Joe Walsh is still crazy after all these years, even with a suit on (right). The new music was catchy and the set that opened the second act (there was an intermission- for them or us?) was intimate with voices, guitars and the gents sitting on a row of bar stools.

Archery Intensive at Casa Loma
July 19th
The three hour lesson and practice session thrilled me and left me warn out. It was a great afternoon with master Shawn Adams and the small group.

I'll be watching for the Intermediate class that he is putting together. And, will keep looking for local clubs.

The Music Man - Stratford, July 12
"he's a what? he's a what?" He's a music man and I sang along with him and the rest of the cast to all the old favourites. I was introduced to the musical as a child backstage and have seen the movie version many times. So, I was quite excited to finally see a stage production. It was terrific! Lovely costumes, clever sets and vocal talent worth driving out of town for.

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

July 11, Nathan Philips Square had hundreds of wonderful sights, some old favourites from years past and many new artists. I especially love the glass work. The sunshine bakes, bring a hat and sunglasses!

Beyond Toronto – (aka Summer Vacation) Canada Day - July 1st - Halifax
Spent a glorious day in the Halifax sunshine starting with a city tour. Cruised through the historic Citadel before running down to the hill to watch the parade - all pipes and drums and salutes. Headed down to the waterfront for lunch at Murphy's on the water then visited the Maritime Museum. Terrific! Rested up before lobster Subway sandwich (really!) Later, a harbour cruise to watch the Canada Day fireworks.

Wed, July 2, 2008
Nova Scotia - Cape Breton
We left Halifax and headed north through the mist (above), stopping at the quaint old fisherman’s house (right) where we were treated to fresh baked cookies. We carried on past fields of multi-coloured luppins and stopped for a while at Sherbrooke Village – a local history lesson comes alive. We visited homes, including the doctor’s and businesses like the post office and general store. Right around the corner we made a quick stop to watch as the water-powered saw created planks the old fashioned way. Canso causeway, the biggest deal we couldn’t see, welcomed us to Cape Breton Island and our two-day destination, Baddock. View from the window was beautiful. A quick sail before dinner provided a glimpse of a golden eagle.

Thurs, July 3, 2008 – Cabot Trail
Brief early morning hike along the resort's wooded path. A hearty breakfast set us up for the long day ahead. We started out at the Alexander Graham Bell museum where his inventive genius is celebrated. It was then we set out round the Cabot Trail. Breathtaking vistas unfolded as we proceeded north along the coastal road. We stopped at the top – who knew an upland bog could be so diverting? (right) Back home to beautiful Baddock for scallop supper.

Friday, July 4 & 5, 2008
– Prince Edward Island
We boarded the ferry, bus 'n all, to cross the Northumberland Sound. PEI is beautiful and despite the tourism has managed to retain its small-town cleanliness and charm. Dig the red sand beaches! Couldn't miss Anne of Green Gables (left) and the musical was delightful! And the little house in the woods is quaint.

Sunday, July 6 - Monton, NB
Crossed the 12.9 km Confederation Bridge to reach our lobster lunch cruise at Shediack, home of the hundred year old lobster. I helped to haul up a couple of lobster traps and proudly show off one of the catches. We received a lesson on cooking and dismantling a lobster, which we were told, is best eaten cold and unadorned.

Monday, July 7 - New Brunswick - Halifax
Started the foggy day at Hopewell Rocks on the floor of the Bay of Fundy at low tide. (right) It was amazing to visit the world famous location that I've heard stories about as a child in school. As a result of a train derailment, we were shuttled back to Halifax by bus and made it just in time for the famous Military Tattoo, (below) with a cast of thousands (well, almost) and Peter McKay in attendance.

June Events

Saturday, June 28
Ran into the Pride festivities while running errands downtown. Every colour of the rainbow is welcome here. Then went for Mexican lunch at Yonge & Dundas Square.

Friday, June 27
Wanted - is a fantastically stylish film with my flavour of the month, James McAvoy. The concepts and visuals are both cartoonish and semi-plausible at the same time. When our hero admonishes someone as not being a top assassin in the Fraternity but just a "thug who can bend bullets" it actually sounds reasonable. The audience on opening night was howling, squealing and clapping along with the newly-contrived action. It felt like a bunch of friends sitting around in a huge living room. NOW Magazine nailed Jolie's contribution, "..she let's her eyeshadow do the acting." An early highlight (and since the entire first half is a breathtakingly screeching, crashing delight - it was hard to pick) involved a keyboard being smashed against some jerk's head and as the keys fly off they assemble in mid-air in slow motion, Scrabble-like to form a message that the audience loudly agreed with. I could have done without some of the extreme violence, but it wouldn't have been the same comic book movie. With the many references made to other films, none has been made to Tim Burton but with the evocative music of Danny Elfman and the automated machinery of the industrial loom, I was reminded of the scenes describing the origins of Edward Scissorhands. But, it's the leaping and spinning cars, speeding trucks and derailing train chase sequences that will linger with me.

Darwin Symposium - Royal Ontario Museum

Michael Ruse asked himself Has Darwin Expired? and talked to us about his answer. It's hard to imagine that Darwin made mistakes along the way but he did, and he learned from them. Ironically, his legacy has evolved and he never used the word "evolution" in The Origin of Species. The scientific results presented during Plant Sexual Diversity were elegant and straightforward and far more interesting than the research that uncoverd them. The changeable nature of Darwin's Finches was less surprising than the speed with which the changes occurred, usually just one or two generations.

Saturday, June 21
Pow Wow - I made my way to a local park to enjoy a little First Nations' hospitality, culture and cuisine. There were plenty of booths selling hand-made crafts and a dancing circle that never stopped. Children loved the do-it-yourself craft table where their creative talents were encouraged. The sun was baking and the atmosphere was warm and friendly. Love that fancy dancing!

Bluenose II
It was a thrill to step aboard a piece of Canada's nautical history down at Toronto's harbourfront on the weekend. After walking through the Nova Scotia tourism tent to pick up material for my trip "out east" next week, I stepped back into the sunshine and onto the deck. She is bright and able and so famous the original is featured on our ten cent coin. And, any young man would be honoured to be chosen as crew. Below decks were off limits but a peek (photo, right) revealed comfortable quarters. As it should be.

Star Trek, The Music - stardate 06.20.2008
What a terrific evening with conductor Erich Kunzel and guest hosts John de Lancie (Q) and Robert Picardo (holographic Doctor) plus the full TSO. Add some lighting tricks accompanying special sound effects and it was a crowd-pleaser. They ran through a history of the Star Trek franchise and offered up the themes to most of the movies and some of the battle scenes. I saw fewer uniforms in the audience than I expected. And, the orchestra, tuning up in earnest, approached with evening as a challenging one. The music certainly was magnificant!

L u m i n a t o
Black Watch - June 15 - Closing Night

Second time around I wasn’t as overwhelmed by emotion so I had the opportunity to listen to the words and follow the connected story lines more closely. The sound quality had improved and my ear was more attuned to the accents. Ran into Paul Rattray, “Cammy” at the ROM prior to show time and he reported enjoying Toronto’s patio bars as well as a visit to Niagara. It was a pleasure to meet this respectful and unassuming lead of the show. (second from left)

Once again Varsity Arena was hot enough and the bleacher seats uncomfortable enough to put us in an Iraqi state of mind. Once again the lads gave it their all. And once again I loved every, single moment. This time however, I let the tears flow as the lone piper lead the regiment in the final, deadly battle dance. Yes, dance,... and singing, and explosions with special effects. There was also a quiet sequence (Bluies) as one by one each man in the unit opened a letter from home. After dropping it to the floor, they entered into a repetition of haunting gestures reflecting their state of mind. The "cheese on toast" argument that arose in the boredom of the stifling armoured vehicle during the food game was priceless and the (10 seconds) fight that ensued was pure ballet. Incredible, through and through. I'd see it again, if they stayed in town for a longer run. In fact, the show was already sold out in London before opening night. But wait, they're returning to NYC this fall!

Distillery District / Harbourfront - Sat, June 14
We started out at the Mill Street Brewery for a taste of some organic beer. How about a picture? Don't touch that tap handle! (above left) Smile for the camera (below left) Stopped for lunch at the One Table display (right) and filled up on oysters and a mini-bison burger. Met with friends, had a caricature made and cruised through the fabulous Sandra Ainsley Gallery full of glorious glass work. Caught the Luminato Link boat to Harbourfront for a cup of fresh brewed. Swam through a terrific exhibit of Great Lake fish, hung from the ceiling (below)
A Midsummer Night's Dream - June 13
Canon Theatre-I just needed to give over to the theatricality of this show. Con-
sidering that half of Shakespeare's dialogue was spoken in various Indian dialects, and the other half~English~was almost impossible to hear, what else could I do? It was colourful and bawdy and the story was easy to follow after reading it in the program. The three musicians on stage throughout also added character.

Scottish Music Day at Dundas Square - June 7
Cruised up to Dundas Square on Saturday afternoon and stumbled on the Barra MacNeils in concert. Fantastic luck! Six siblings from Cape Breton Island delivering lively Celtic jigs with enthusiasm. I tapped my toes for an hour before heading off to another commitment. Wandered through the Square again later in the evening and enjoyed the spontaneous Scottish square dancing in the crowd. It was a perfect hot summer night with the red canopy overhead. Black Watch - June 6, Varsity Arena, Opening Night
It's always such a pleasure when the performance surpasses the hype, as is the case with the boys of the famous Scottish regiment, Black Watch. Not surprisingly, the theatrical dreamland originated in Scotland's off-beat Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This experiential theatre isn't mainstream material -- the "f" and "c" words are tossed out with unconscious abandon, and help the audience enter the psyche of these troubled characters. Their shattered hopes unfold in a series of true stories culled from workshops and research sessions held with soldiers returning from Iraq. A most powerful, visceral cultural commentary for our time. And, I could still weep thinking about all the "shite" I saw, heard and felt. - L- U - M- I -N - A-T -O -

Twelve Angry Men - June 15
Princess of Wales Theatre
Give these men 90 minutes and you, too, may change your mind...about one act theatre. The scene: 1954, late summer, a jury room of a New York City court of law. What unfolds behind the locked door is nothing short of a miracle, especially for the young man who's being tried for murder. Thoroughly engaging. The rain storm was refreshingly realistic. It's understandable why this compelling story has returned to Toronto for the third time.

Craig Ferguson - Massey Hall, June 14
If you like him on Late, Late Night you'd love him live on stage.



His rants included: Did we lose the rainbow symbol to the gay movement while we were all watching the Super Bowl? In LA, as your star power grows, so does your quirky entourage - then gave us some recent examples. Rehab was a lot of fun, especially because his issue, alcoholism, was actually high on the pecking order. The entire section devoted to his enormous body part was hysterical. I knooow!
What have we learned tonight? (far left) A final goodbye (near left) Walked out of Massey Hall and north to the warmth of Dundas Square to hear Bran Van 3000 just starting a set with Drinkin in LA. What great timing!

Toronto Symphony Orchestra- June 7, Roy Thomson Hall - Final performance of the Casual Concert Series It was all "dueling strings" with Bach's Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins. Jacques Israelievitch and March Skazinestsky were terrific. This was followed by the world premier of Dallaire, commissioned by the TSO and containing two parts: I) Sorrow, and II) Redemption. Kelly-Marie Murphy composed a moving piece of music about Romeo D. and designed for Israelievitch and his percussionist son, Michael. Fabulous! The final section belonged to Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major. Jaw-dropping talent by Israelievitch again. I've never heard such high notes on violin. The audience leapt to their feet in appreciation, understandably.

WoofStock
- June 7, Front & Church Streets
There was a lot of this,
and a bunch of that,
and plenty of...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Hour, June 5
with George Strombolopolous
Joined the live-to-tape session again. The guest interview was with Lewis Lapham, "journalist, author and one of America's important thinkers." George was personable, as always and the pre-taped segment with Bob Newhart was terrrific. New this time were the prize give-aways. Nothing for me but my memories. Thanks George!

6th Annual Global Health Research Conference - June 2 & 3
Hart House Theatre, University of Toronto
Inspired by a quote from Albert Einstein, this conference was thought-provoking indeed. "Where the world ceases to be the scene of our personal hopes and wishes, where we face it as free beings admiring, asking, and observing, there we enter the realm of Art and Science."

Main topics included: --Vision & Leadership --Technology, Place & Art --Imagination and Research --Music Without Borders --Vulnerability & Community

Keynote conference opener, "Why Art Matters To Health" was delivered by humanitarian/doctor, James Orbinski. He suggested that our existance is defined by the stories we create. And, added that art can help us ask the right questions. Speaking of questions, I was able to ask if he wrote his incredible Noble Peace Prize acceptance lecture himself. Yes, he did and seemed pleased with the compliment. We closed the first day with a screening of his film Triage, pared down to 47 minutes for Newsworld TV. Still powerful but some of my favourite stories are missing - I recommend the full-length 88 minute version.

Most amusing and stimulating speaker was Alex Jadad, Director, Centre for eHealth Innovation at UHN. He shocked us with statistics on technical penetration in the developing world. He claimed you are an "old fart" if you have a land line and mere email accounts. Mobile phones and Facebook allow interconnectedness that transcends space and distance. Introduce yourself to Freakonomics, or Freeconomics, as he called it.

May Events

Doors Open 2008 - May 24 & 25
2008's theme: Sacred Spaces and Sacred Circles. Opening ceremonies on May 23 at the ROM wasn't as "tasty" as last year's evening at the Design Exchange but music by Tafelmusik and the lively Pecha Kucha (8 architects, 20 slides each, 20 seconds for each slide) more than made up for JK's sandwiches. On the weekend, I took part in the First Nations' Sweet Grass ceremony at the Don Valley Brick Works (below). Relaxed to Mozart Quartets at Church of the Redeemer (above right) and chamber music at Toronto's public labyrinth. I also stepped into Toronto's rail history at the Roundhouse, home of Steamwhistle Brewing and a future rail museum.
Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre - May 17, Sony Centre
Simply splendid. The opening number Love Stories set to the dreamy music of Stevie Wonder's You and I established just the right tone. The ubber-modern Groove to Nobody's Business, set in and around public transit was inspired and amusing. Anyone who's ever been on a metro will understand the "joys" of rush hour.

My Fair Lady - May 11
This production brings to Toronto all that is good about London theatre: sets, costumes, voices and staging. All are in fine form at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. While it’s hard to go wrong with Lerner and Loewe’s magical score, the addition of a dance number straight from the stage of STOMP! brought the house down.
“Why can’t a woman be more like a man?”

Iron Man – May 4 & 10, Fantastic! I contributed to the opening weekend statistics plus the ongoing second weekend stats. This much-ballyhooed flick deserves every complementary phrase uttered about it, including the fact that much of the credit lands squarely on the capable talents of Robert Downey, Jr. Iron Man is wholly satisfying on so many levels, including the pleasure of watching him return to the starring spotlight where he belongs. Welcome back, Robert!

Wonderful Town - May 3, Shaw Festival
Fun musical about sisters and their career aspirations, mistaken identities, kind hearted blokes and happy endings. Music by Leonard Bernstein and movie version titled My Sister Eileen, with Bob Fosse kicking up his heels.

An Imperfect Offering book launch with Dr. James Orbinski
May 1, Church of the Holy Trinity
Dr. Orbinski offered many stories from his book (and film, Triage) including chosing the lesser of two evils and trying to explain why medication wasn't flowing to the area of greatest need. Remarks were followed by on-stage conversation with Gillian Findlay from CBC's Fifth Estate. Just enough time for a few questions, including "What can I do?" from an eager young lady.

April Events

The Green Living Show - April 26, National Trade Centre
Speakers Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Ed Begley, Jr., Jean-Michele Cousteau were thought-provoking, amusing and inspiring, in that order. They all "walk the talk" with Kennedy offering anti-Bush facts to back up his many legal cases and Begley setting an example of "how to" live with a minimal footprint. It's ironic that, as a result of the TTC walk-out, many of us needed to car pool to reach the show at the CNE grounds. It was worth the effort for a full day of lectures, learning and loads of food samples. Mmm, chocolate with chili - don't snigger until you've tried it!

HotDocs 2008
It was another great year for documentary films at this specialized film festival, with the real magic lying in the insightful Q&A sessions.
Song Sung Blue, about the ups and down of a life-long Neil Diamond impersonator was a strong opening note. Filmed over an eight year period, with a back story that stretched out 20 years, it was a very personal tale indeed.
Couldn’t miss All Together Now, the “making of” story about the Las Vegas show LOVE featuring remixed Beatles tunes and staring Cirque du Soleil. I’ve seen LOVE twice and was pleased to say hi to Giles Martin.
And, how about At the Death House Door? The story of a minister who agreed to comfort the first prison inmate to receive a lethal injection in Texas. He eventually stayed on for the next 95 deaths, secretly tape recording his private thoughts and impressions each time.
Flow: for the Love of Water was a preachy and formulaic call to action. But the after party was terrific with the director and several talking-head stars from the film, including my personal hero, Maude Barlow. Meeting and chatting with her was the true highlight of HotDocs 2008. That didn’t diminish the power of two additional stories about big, Nobel Peace Prize-style heroism. First, Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai followed Wangari’s initial mission to organize women to plant trees in Kenya as it grew to a plan to reforest the country and inevitably to the development of her political power. Second was Triage: Dr. James Orbinski’s Humanitarian Dilemma. More than Romeo Dallaire’s account of the Rwandan genocide, Orbinski witnessed and served in many other horrific and war-torn locales. He embodies dignity as he negotiates the payment of $500 for armed rebels not to kill his colleague, who sits strapped to a chair in a communal courtyard. Heroism is often simple and straightforward - “I can’t hide behind a door,” he said plainly.
Regretted missing? Flicker, Monterey Pop, Standard Operating Procedure, Virtual JFK.

LifeFest - April 4 A fun few hours, compliments of Shoppers Optimum points. With plenty of free food samples no one goes away hungry: pro-biotic bread, drinkable yogurt, organic apple sauce, turkey and a multitude of fruity drinks to wash it all down. The number of free samples has gone down, but the fire fighters were still handing out razers. The key note speakers Margaret Trudeau and daughter-in-law Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau delivered powerful messages about overcoming physical challenges: seek the professional help that is available, accept support from family and friends, give back more than you get and spend time with nature.

St. Lawrence Market Customer Appreciation Night, Apr 3
With tasty and plentiful food samples (don't forget about the sprouts in the basement!) and continuous entertainment I say Thank You to our historic Market and the generous vendors. Performers included traditional Greek music, Saxophone Quartet, Irish jigs and reels, and eye-popping samba dancers. Missed piper Ian MacIntosh. Darn.
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