...but good different .

David Miller, Transit Mayor

2012-01-21T12:29:00.000-05:00

I came across these short interviews with David Miller on My City Lives. In light of recent victories at City Hall, it seemed like an ideal time to reflect on some of the things that Toronto has done right, particularly under the leadership of great Mayors of our past. Watch this series for Miller's inspiring thoughts on rapid transit, priority neighbourhoods, civic engagement, public services, the Creative economy, etc. He rides the TTC and wanders through neighbourhoods like St. Jamestown and even has drink at the Communist's Daughter. It's a heart-warming series.

Oh and for those of you who are unfamiliar with My City Lives, you should check it out. It's a great platform to share ideas, events and happenings in Toronto, all through video. Anyone can post!

S.

Toronto, when the light hits.

2011-12-28T10:35:00.001-05:00

Untitled from butgooddifferent on Vimeo.

I took all these shots with my iPhone. I wasn't sure what to do with them, so now they're in a slideshow on this blog. This collection was created by wandering around and meandering through various neighbourhoods in Toronto's West end, but you'll find some East end shots in there, interspersed with pics from the CNE and waterfront. Somehow the iPhone camera captures light really well.

I definitely want an upgrade though.

The Spontaneous Prose Store

2011-10-20T21:27:00.000-04:00

You might have caught the tail end of her interview on CBC one morning, like I did. She takes her typewriter to the streets of Toronto, setting up shop in different neighbourhoods. The products she sells are type-written poetry and prose, inspired by passerbys like you and I.

You can give her a theme, first line or title and she will rapidly do the rest, producing a piece of written work for you on sticker paper. We came by her in Kensington Market and were quite delighted. We gave her the title "The Methodology of Baking" (long story). Check out the poem she wrote for us:

Makes for pretty neat collaborative work between strangers. You can follow Kaile's wordpress for more!

- S.

butgooddifferent visits Red Hook, Brooklyn

2011-09-19T19:45:00.000-04:00

This is what Toronto's Port Lands could be like if the Fords weren't in charge. Feels small- town-in-the-big-city like Leslieville (but much less developed). Looks like parts of the Distillery District if it extended further South East. Is being redeveloped in a similar vein to Montreal's St. Henri. Oh and Torontonians would have to make do with our scenic view of Leslie Spitt instead of the Statue of Liberty across the water...

(And throw in a couple of these guys for fun and we'd be set.)

Sold.
S.

PS. Did you read the letter?

Toronto Portlands Letter

Name that patio

2011-09-02T23:46:00.001-04:00

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

S.

Location:Roncesvalles

Anser's back

2011-09-02T19:21:00.001-04:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Grab your coat and get your hat

2011-08-26T20:58:00.000-04:00

It's CNE time again!

As you may have heard, this year's features include:

the donut cheeseburger
patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato sandwiched between 2 Krispy Kreme Donuts! and we thought deep fried butter was a bad slash good idea

deep fried coke
funnel cake batter made with coke, deep fried, then drizzled with concentrated coke syrup and then hit with whipped cream. Apparently the fried bits themselves aren't bad, but the syrup is nauseatingly sweet.

And if that isn't enough to get you barrelling for the gates, check out blogTO's photos of the CNE from days gone by. People went in droves and apparently they were fancy back then - boater hats and long skirts were de rigueur for a day at the fair.

On until Sept 5, $16 admission ($12 if you're over 60 or under 13, but then you're not really our reader demographic).

e

PS. blogTO's been posting a series on old photos of Toronto, including the aforementioned CNE photos, the building of the Gardiner, and Yonge St in the 70s. Looks like fashion's come back around. Now if only the mullet could make an unironic resurgence.

bon homme

2011-08-26T20:11:00.000-04:00

Dear Jack,

You inspired us, you fought for us, you gave us a reason to hope.

We will miss you and your mustache

Love,
S&e

For urban enthusiasts and documentary lovers everywhere

2011-05-08T22:31:00.000-04:00

By the banks of the LaChine canal, against a backdrop of industrial red brick and iron, 12 film-makers document a 'day in the life' of 12 residents of St. Henri, Montreal. And it literally is a day, one day of filming; the 26th of August. That's quite the feat right? Beautiful, desaturated images of St. Henri and heart-warming characters flicker across the screen to an original score by Patrick Watson-- a perfect way to end a weekend of Hot Docs.

(And an easy post after a 3-month hiatus! Did e & I run out of content, inspiration or time? Or all of the above?)

S.

Official trailer: St-Henri, the 26th of August from Parabola Films on Vimeo.

PS. Blackpower Mixtape 1967-1975

...

Kids skating at Dufferin Grove Park...

2011-02-12T16:27:00.000-05:00

...on my way home from work (in December...). I couldn't resist. How pretty is the sky? The rink is so full! Walking through the park is the best part of my day.

Publish Post

Egon Schiele meets Modigliani on stage?

2011-02-02T22:03:00.002-05:00

I decided to treat myself to the theatre the other night at Harbourfront's Fleck Dance Theatre. While taking advantage of art and culture in Toronto might be a New Year's resolution, this last minute decision was inspired by the following image in the Toronto Star:

Taken from the Toronto Star- article 929182

Stylistically and emotionally, it resonated with me - Egon Schiele meets Modigliani on stage? I had to see it.

Questo buio Feroce, The Wild Darkness, is a contemporary performance by an Italian theatre company that draws inspiration from the lives of the socially excluded, to the extent that "non professional" actors are included in the company. "Non professional" actors meaning street-involved persons and political prisoners with no formal training. The theatre piece was adapted from essays and memoirs of American writer, Harold Brodkey, capturing his journey towards death while fighting a long battle with AIDS.

I had an idea that it might be dark and artsy, but wasn't quite prepared. Questo buio Feroce was an hour and a half of very disjointed dream-like sequences, interspersed with comedic acts, dances, a karaoke performance and eerie theatrics. It was minimalistic in that it was just a white box, with few props, but way out there with costumes and make-up. Think Venician carnival meets 80's drag show. Despite not being able to understand the entire performance, themes somehow came across and were beautifully illustrated, from lust and longing, the war on mens' bodies by the medical world, to death and dying. Although the more carnival-esque aspects were out of my comfort zone, and the drawn out scenes made me squirm in my seat, the play inspired me enough to want to share the trailer with you. (And the music was great, especially the use of the theme music from In the Mood for Love! I'm a big fan.)

Plus you never know what you're going to find at Harbourfront...we stumbled across a few vernissages to top of our night. More art we didn't quite "get". Who knew that Harbourfront in the winter could be this much fun?

S.

Did the Raptors score another goal?

2010-12-29T11:12:00.000-05:00

The Raptors beat the Wizards!

But more importantly, we got to eat really fancy and expensive french fries.

Have you heard about them? Famous Toronto chef Jamie Kennedy (not the comedian, I made the same mistake) decided the ACC needed something a bit more gourmet, so he opened up a fancy fry shop. There was a big sign at the ACC entrance, but for some reason, no one working on the 3rd floor knew anything about a fry stand. So I guess the $8 cone of fried potato sticks is still not the working person's food.

It literally is almost $8, and you get either chili or cider mayo squirted on top (the chili looks like cheez whiz). Were they delicious? YES, they were. Slightly herby, perfectly fried, and really tasty. And that chili mayo was scrumptious. I'd like to say that I wouldn't spend that much money on fries again, but to be honest, if I found myself at the ACC, I just might splurge again.

mmm. I want some now.

Oh ya, and the Raptors won! And Drake was sitting court side.

e

"Sorry for the inconvenience"

2010-12-09T22:24:00.000-05:00

You know what happened to me the other day? My car got towed by the Chief of Police, he didn't tell me where he put it, and then he apologized for moving it!

I had stayed over at R's new place last Saturday and you can park for free on Bloor from 9pm Saturday night until 1pm on Sunday. Noon the next day, we walk down to fetch the car and it's DISAPPEARED! Then we see a sign on a lamp post saying "NO PARKING SPECIAL EVENT". The Santa Claus parade! We didn't remember seeing the sign the night before but we figure the car must have gotten towed, and I'd have to pay the $200-300 fee to get it back from Etobicoke.

Then R recalled a friend's car got towed by the police to a nearby side street. So we walk further west, look around, and see a Corolla up on the next street. And it's her, jutting out slightly, but stuffed elephant and rubber snake firmly sitting on the dash.

On the windshield is this charming note.

Dear Chief of Police,
Thanks for not impounding my car. But please, next time, leave the note where the car was originally parked, with an indication of where it can be found, rather than towing it in the cloak of night to an undisclosed location with the note on the car that has already been found.
Love,
e

You're not a Cotton-headed Ninny-Muggins!

2010-12-06T17:37:00.003-05:00

Happy Holiday Season!

I think I like the holiday season almost more than I like actual Christmas. Christmas Day often disappoints cuz you expect it to be so much more than it can deliver. But the season, with the cookies, lights, spicy hot drinks, and cheesy music, always make me smile. I hope it is making you smile too!

There was an optional but mandatory in-house gingerbread house competition at the bakery, and this is my submission. Houses will be silent auctioned until Dec 23, with all proceeds going to Sick Kids. If you're in Oakville, come by and bid on mine!!!

you know, if you want to...

thanks!
e

Classic Horror Flicks on Sundays

2010-11-29T19:20:00.003-05:00

...What more could you ask for?

We thought we were just taking ourselves to a matinee viewing of The Shining at one of Toronto’s repertory cinemas on Roncesvalles, which in and of itself is a real treat (cute and cozy theatre meets suspense masterpiece).

But we got a whole lot more. After two hours of witnessing Jack Nicholson’s descent into madness on scratchy red-toned 35mm film print, we were treated to a Skype-facilitated Q & A with retired steadicam inventor and operator, Garrett Brown. Incredibly personable and humble, Garrett took the time to speak at length, to these lucky audience members in this small Toronto theatre, about camera work during the making of The Shining, Kubrick, and thoughts on what you need to do in order get ahead in life.

According to Garrett...
If you want to go into film, you need no formal education. Everything that Garrett learned about film was by spending countless hours at the Public library in Philadelphia.

The steadicam shot that took the longest to complete in The Shining was Jack chasing Danny in the maze. Apparently the crew were in the maze shooting this for months. The snow- not real. The maze- actually indoors.

The use of the steadicam in the following well-known shot involved Garrett kneeling over a wheelchair with a microphone attached to the end of the camera.The crewman pushing the wheelchair, according to Garrett, wasn't too fit, but had to run really fast to keep up with Danny on the big-wheel bike:

Keep an eye on The Revue's schedule. Movies are only $10 and $8 with a membership. Last month we attended their Silent Sundays' screening of Buster Keaton’s The General, accompanied by live piano, which was a total delight. It’s perfect Sunday activity...Especially since the Drive-in in Oakville is closed for the winter.

why i decided to love yonge & dundas square.

2010-11-21T16:40:00.000-05:00

I remember being skeptical when Yonge and Dundas square was being built. Why was Toronto trying so hard to compete with New York? And why did I need to be subjected to so many advertisements and flashing lights- enough to give someone an aneurysm? But with free wifi, outdoor concerts, street artists, musicians and breakdancers...how could you not learn to love this intersection? It was really these three kids that did it for me; blasting their beats through their iPod speakers in front of H&M:

They're so little!

my favourite i phone apps.

2010-11-14T12:44:00.005-05:00

Ok, the love affair between myself and my iPhone 3G is about to reach its sixth month and it's still going strong (thanks to T.H. who assisted me in my decision to commit to this smart-phone when my heart was weaker and wavering-BB? I don't think so). Best part yet, there's still so much to discover! In my 6 month relationship, I've only acquired 64 apps. I probably use 1/3 of them regularly and I refuse to pay more than $1.99 per app (with one exception below). But I thought that perhaps it was time to share the love! Here is a run-down of my top favourite apps these days.

Most useful news: CBC radio. (free!) After my alarm goes off I spend the first hour of my day with Matt Galloway's Metro Morning.

Best game: You know it- Angry Birds. (free!) I met this guy at a party recently who tried to convince me that there was no iPhone game better than Bejeweled. Yeah. right.

Best Yoga App: Yoga Hour. I'm pretty sure I was one of the first to purchase it in August when it came out and used it everyday while I was on vacation and continued to use it in September in the park. Mind you, I'm a bit of a yoga geek. It's $2.99 but totally worth it especially if you can't afford to go to a yoga studio. Now that winter's upon us, do it at home. I like it better than both Yoga Stretch ($0.99) and Pocket Yoga ($2.99). For one, you follow actual pictures of Darren Rhodes in the most advanced version of the posture as opposed to illustrated pictorials. It's a one hour, simple, vinyasa- flow sequence that can be tailored to any level. The music is great. While Pocket Yoga offers varied sequences for (30, 45 to 60 minute intervals) to me it feels a lot like pilates. And Yoga Stretch is unique in that you can pick from a bunch of poses to guide your own practice session, but folks who are advanced would benefit the most from this.

Best interactive game: Words with Friends! It's Scrabble against other iPhone users- they have to get the app as well, sign on with a user name and presto...let the games begin. Waiting for the sweet notification that one of my opponents has played their move might just be one of the high lights of my days. Plus it's free. I have 6 games going on right now!

Photo-editing: I take A LOT of photos with my iPhone. I think I have 600. I upload a lot of them onto this blog. The following two apps used in tandem greatly enhance your i phone photography experience. First off is PS Express which does basic edits like cropping, contract, brightness etc. but in two seconds you can fix the exposure on all your underexposed photos (and you know that the iPhone is bad for that) and send them off via email, post to fb, save them in your library etc. We also know that there's no flash on the iPhone (what was APPLE thinking??)...so for dimly lit scenes, you should try Night Camera and you likely won't even have to edit the exposure afterwords.

Next App Purchase: I just learned (thanks to birthday boy F.M.) that my weekly Friday highlight, Settlers of Catan (thanks R.), is available on the I phone! ($ 4.99) You play against other players and if they're not available you play against the computer. I better start practicing so I can beat those kids next week.

Final note, be a smart smart-phone user. If you go abroad turn off your data roaming. Or keep your phone on airplane mode. Whatever you do, do not access data. You could rack up an ginormous phone bill...and few of us are lucky enough to have friends pretend to be us and use their mad acting skills to get FIDO to erase all charges...(thanks e).

Myanmar Cuisine in Bloordale Village

2010-11-06T17:09:00.001-04:00

Ever wondered what Burmese food tastes like?? Check out Motherhome Myanmar Cuisine in Bloordale village, 1194 Bloor Street West. I was a newbie and can only describe the food are a hybrid of Indian meets East Asian, (makes sense given its geographical region!) The menu includes: Teryaki fish, tofu and vegetables, lamb curry, jasmine rice, fried rice, mutton rolls, etc...and it's good! It tastes like home cooking. It's not heavy nor greasy and the veggies are super green and fresh. They do catering as well, but you should stop by for their lunch special- a large plate with rice or noodles for only $5!!! That's a steal in Toronto for a healthy, fresh meal. Plus if you work in a basement office with fluorescent lights, this brightly lit place with yellow and fuschia walls and courteous service will add a sparkle to your otherwise mundane 9 to 5 day. The owner is a sweet man who calls everyone his friend.

Post a Letter Social Activity......Mondays 7-11

2010-10-30T19:58:00.000-04:00

The art of pen and paper is certainly making a comeback... and it is sure is widely supported on this blog! My latest letter writing venture was on Monday, October 25th. After casting my vote for the mayoral candidate of my choice, I went to NACO Gallery Cafe (Map: 1665 Dundas W.) to write some letters in the company of friends. Pretty stationary and stamps provided at no cost!

You know what a treat it is to receive letters in the mail, so why not make someone's day??

Join for the following Mondays, 7-11pm:

Nov 8.
Nov 22.
Nov 29.
Dec 13.

Plus NACO cafe in Brockton Village is adorable!

S.

I'm not one to sensationalize news..

2010-10-20T16:27:00.000-04:00

nor am I the Twitterati...but this just in: Shooting outside Banjara! Not good for business- poor guys! I was just really surprised to find Bloor Street between Christie and Shaw taped up all yellow with police cars and news crews when I was walking home just now. Bloor and Ossington is the quietest I've ever seen it. What gives?

Love Letters in Bellwoods

2010-10-10T22:31:00.002-04:00

On August 24th, some pretty kids got together in Bellwoods and by candle light, pink and purple streamers, they wrote love letters. Unabashed, grandiose gestures of love, lust and longing swept the colourful pages of card stock, one by one. The letters are now posted on community notice board in Dufferin Grove Park for all passers-by to witness and marvel in. Next time you're at the Dufferin Grove Farmer's market, stop to take a peek!

Best birthday ever.
- S.

Pantalone in the Annex

2010-10-06T12:56:00.000-04:00

...sans smart car, walking the streets with entourage, encouraging this younger crowd to vote for the "progressive choice".

Who's your guy? Who's not your guy...?

S.

CNE love letters

2010-10-03T12:15:00.001-04:00

Balloons, Brides, and Butter

2010-09-27T00:33:00.002-04:00

Apparently attendance at the CNE is lower and lower each year, but there were still lots of people there, even with the rainy weather. And even though I wasn't able to get a large size monkey in a banana this year, it was still fun to ride the ferris wheel and wander through the food building to end off the summer.

There were a lot of exhibits as well, including giant sand sculptures, a vegetable competition (with tables of potatoes and carrots on display with ribbons on most of them. They all looked the same), and an exhibit called "Love Lust and Longing at the CNE" featuring photos and relics (with a wall for people to share their stories) of couples at the Ex since the late 1800s (people really dressed up back then for the Ex, big hats and dresses and everything!).

So, did we try the butter?? Well, we weren't sure if we were up to the challenge, but apparently we think we have iron stomachs and aren't phased by even the unhealthiest of gastronomical experiments.

Deep fried butter! $5 for 4, deep fried in batter and drizzled with sugary sauces. We were too curious not to at least try. The line up was too long and we were short on time, but a nice man donated one to us, and we split it four ways.

The salted butter was melted and created a hollow pocket with a bit of custardy-ness inside the fried dough. I can't say it wasn't tasty, the saltiness of the butter was good. However, maybe because I knew it was butter, I could not have eaten more than 1/4 of one. Already I felt like I had eaten a whole tray of cookies.

Worth it at least once though!

In other news, did anyone know the CNE was such a wedding hotspot?

Who knew?

e

The gosh darn perfect date!

2010-09-15T16:04:00.001-04:00

If you're looking to jump back in time, listen to some classic oldies, and make out in the back seat, find your way to the 5 Drive In movie theatre on Ninth Line, just south of Dundas Street, Oakville - surrounded by grassy fields and jam packed with good clean fun!

And if you actually want to watch the movie, you can bring some lounge chairs and a blanket. Or if you have a van, you can park backwards, open your trunk, and lie down while you watch.

Catch a double bill for $11 a person (or get a deal on Tuesdays and Thursdays). I suggest you bring your own snacks (popcorn is $6!) and go to the bathroom first!

And if no one will make out with you, bringing a friend is just as fun, or you can just spend some quality time with your car.

G20 Stories-- Alive in Kensington

2010-09-10T19:25:00.000-04:00

Dear Toronto- September 7, 2010

2010-09-08T00:31:00.000-04:00

Dear Toronto,

With your exposed red brick, merciless wit and irony, metal walkways and wooden planks, tasting of succulent braised beef, air aromatic of medium bodied wines...how could I not fall prey to your charms?

S.

- Walking home through Brockton Village after dinner at the Local Kitchen at Queen & Roncesvalles

Publish Post

No Heart Feelings.

2010-08-30T22:29:00.000-04:00

I seem to be obsessed with movies that showcase Toronto and then find some way of ensuring that their name makes an appearance on this blog (Chloe, Toronto Stories). Makes sense, given that I love film and happen to love Toronto (Toronto blog and all...).

Go and see the film No Heart Feelings at Royal Cinema for a bit of modern romance, Toronto streetscapes and wit. (Go if not for the Royal Cinema itself.) You'll get late twenties Toronto meanderings, handy camera work, cringe-worthy awkward moments that wrote themselves into the script due to actors' skilled improv. It's both charming and annoying only because of its realism, and a great job for low-budget ($7500) indie film. Playing for a week longer than originally scheduled!

S.

Cake. Cake? Cake!

2010-08-29T23:46:00.000-04:00

Oh gosh, sorry for the whole month of silence! We're still here!

I just got a job working at a cupcake bakery in Oakville with 5am shifts 5 days a week! It's pretty tiring work. Heavy lifting, repetitive movements, hot ovens...but all in the name of adorable sparkly cake, so I guess it's for a good cause.

Pros: I get to eat a lot of cupcakes. I'm learning a lot about commercial baking. I get paid to do something I like to do.
Cons: I eat too many cupcakes. I have to go to bed by 9pm. I work weekends!

So as a result I haven't been able to get into the city as much as I'd like. What have you all been doing? Did anyone check out Buskerfest? Tried some deep fried butter at the CNE? Picnic in Trinity Bellwoods Park? (wait, I did do that. For S's birthday! It was lovely!! Happy birthday S!)

For the time being, I've turned my kitchen into a cake lab, and I take orders, so please let me know if you'd like a cake for an event. I make custom cakes in whatever flavour and style you want. That includes animals!

xo
e

How do you spend your Thursdays?

2010-07-28T23:25:00.002-04:00

One of the highlights of my week these days is spending my Thursday afternoons at the Dufferin Grove Farmer's Market. It's great because my flex schedule allows me to make it there early and spend a good hour perusing all the stalls and getting my groceries for the week, and then having dinner on the grass and doing the girl talk with my friend D. She makes a great market-going partner, because she's able to tell me what herbs grow well indoors, and provide me with the names of vegetables I've never seen and gives me tips on how to cook the veggies Inever known how to cook or eat...like Japanese Turnips (deliciously fresh)!

I'm also feeling pretty good about my market meat purchases given my inner struggles around being such a carnivore (ie: ethical meat practices), and like that I can get gluten free treats that are both savoury and sweet!

And...I even enjoy all the hippie babies and kids running around. Family friendly can be pretty alright once in a while.

In a city as big and anonymous as this one, this is a nice way to see the same faces once a week, support the small and local, and ensure that you get your weekly dose of organic freshness.

Plus, go now and you're in time for tomato season!

Best Bite to Grab: Veggie Roti (or Fish sandwich if you like fish)

Best Drink: Sorrel Juice

Neat & Unique Finds: Fresh Lavender

Yet to try: The Clay and Paper Theatre's Circus Performances that start at 6pm

Meat Meat Meat Meat Meat

2010-07-18T15:18:00.001-04:00

Who's in the mood for nonstandard animal parts hitting their breakfast plates? Anyone?

The Hoof Cafe is the new cafe from the owners of the Blackhoof charcuterie across the street, both on Dundas W.

Don't even bother, Vegetarians, this is not for you (you could order the french toast. But you should really order the jam and bone marrow donuts). But for you omnivores out there, you really ought to eat here for brunch!

Included on the menu: pig tails and grits. Yes, literally, tails of pigs. But slow cooked, tender, and then formed into a rectangular brick and fried to form a crispy shell. Served atop a creamy, flavourful sea of grits, on which sit poached eggs, braised green onion, and a crispy chip-like flourish.

And baked beans and links. Sounds simple enough. But how often do you find tender tongue in your baked beans? And actually like it? The sausage was full of flavour too, and complimented the fried eggs and crispy fried kale.

Have a hankering for something sweet? How bout brioche french toast? How bout instead of a pat of butter, you have that with seared foie gras. What? Topped with fresh berries, mint leaves, creme fresh, and nuts. Bonkers!

For the lover of the unconventional, you will appreciate the Hoof Cafe, especially since they do everything so well. If you are too squeamish to eat tongue, the suckling pig benny was a popular item when we looked around (suckling pig being under a year old, so it's extra tender).

5 pig giblits out of 6.

e

¡Viva España!

2010-07-12T21:33:00.002-04:00

Ole Ole Ole Ole!

La Furia Roja brought home the cup on Sunday, and we took to the streets to celebrate!

What I love about Toronto during the World Cup? Little Italy temporarily turned into Little Spain, and Holland fans threw on some red and joined in the fun.

In Toronto, everyone wins!

e

Why go to Little India for street food when......

2010-07-10T13:46:00.000-04:00

...you can get barbecued corn with masala to your heart's content in Bloorcourt Village all summer long?

Where: Global Supermarket (Bloor Street, corner of Concord, 1 block West of Ossington)
What:   Corn on the Cob
Cost:    $2
Why :   Because bbq'd corn on the cob is delicious, nutritious, and extra special when rubbed with salt, lime   and Indian spices.

Another point for this hood!
S.

Toronto 500- History in the Making

2010-06-29T02:17:00.009-04:00

Toronto- June 28, 2010: 500 detainees? Police brutality?

I saw the videos last night on youtube and facebook, did you? Better yet, were you there? The footage left me totally dumbfounded and incensed. This police like state, with its new G20 law, was reason enough to march from Bay and College in front of the Police headquarters to Queen’s Park in peaceful protest of how rights were infringed upon this past weekend, how peaceful activists were unjustly arrested, detained and held.

The rally kicked off with Toronto’s very own poster girl for the anti-globalization movement, Naomi Klein, who was “pissed off” with her city (left). An hour later, thousands of us marched along Dundas to University, accompanied by a talented samba band and chanting “Our streets, our city”, and made our way to City Hall. Police followed the march hastily on their bikes, on the sidewalk, might I add, breaking by-laws in front of our eyes! Some role models! The protesters on the other hand, were peaceful, dancing, chatting and taking lots of photos and video footage. By 9 pm we ended up at Queen’s Park to pause, before people made their way to the detention centre for the remainder of the evening (I didn't make it. I was tired!!)

The last minute turn out for this rally was phenomenal. This afternoon I got two emails from pretty big list-serves (No One is Illegal) and one facebook message. And when I got there, the crowd somewhat surprised me. A lot of young, 20 to 30-year-old-hip-somethings who hadn’t necessarily been demonstrating this past weekend at G20 events. There were some folk out today whom I would normally consider apathetic when it comes to politics…(ie: since when did rallies become so trendy…or is that just Toronto as my friend who was visiting from DC last weekend pointed out? Her observation being that "people in Toronto look really well put together"). Is something shifting? Maybe this was a good wake up call. Maybe it has raised people’s consciousness around the concepts of, even just democracy, or what it means to be entitled to civil liberties. Or maybe it’s easier to take action on and speak out against injustices that are, at the heart of it, very local. Or maybe today happened because people realize that Apathy really is boring! Social commentary aside (I can't help it really), the support for the detained today was monumental. The rally was intimate, and the solidarity in this one event created, for those 4 hours, a sense of community that Toronto -big city and all- lacks. Today's event really was an inspiring act of collective consciousness.

My only question is, how do we ensure that this level of heightened awareness continues to permeate our everyday lives? Being able to participate in today's rally was a privilege, when brutality, harassment and systemic violence is a lived daily experience for people who are racialized, Indigenous, transgendered, living in poverty, underhoused, affected by mental health issues, and so on and so forth. When vulnerable women whose lives are linked with the justice system face this sort of harrassment and abuse within jails and from law enforcement officers every day. It’s too easy to keep walking by people on the street, to not think twice because it’s happening in 'Jane & Finch' because you live downtown, to refer people to the right social services and think you’ve done your part.

For more thoughts on what happened at the G20 being a microcosm of larger scale, systemic injustice that's been playing out on Canadian soil for years, click here.

If you happened to watch the mainstream media that focused on the black block, and were immediately turned off by the idea of demonstrating and protesting, read this for some perspective.

I took lots of video on my i phone...but can't get it uploaded it yet...(you are letting me down 3G network). Still photos, however, are awesome and courteous of photographer friend D.L. (great work!!)

Update

2010-06-27T23:43:00.001-04:00

11pm Sunday: things seem to be calming down. Police have spent the day indiscriminately arresting and then freeing anyone who appears to be getting in their way - people singing O Canada, Irish tourists trying to cross the street, peace studies students meeting friends.

What did we miss while we were blinded by burning cars and mass arrests?

Toronto the Riotous

2010-06-27T22:52:00.006-04:00

I had plans this weekend!

I had tickets to see Thao and Mirah at the Horseshoe Tavern Saturday night. I wasn't sure how I'd get to the city from the 'burbs, but by golly I was gonna try.

Saturday morning, I was monitoring the traffic situation. Then, by afternoon, traffic was no longer the issue.

Seriously Toronto? You throw a rock at a local Starbucks and the world is supposed to sit up and realize corporate industry isn't the answer? No one even heard any of the other protests - peaceful people who had planned important things to say.

By 7pm, I still had a little hope. Thao's Twitter feed said:

Thaogetstaydown: TORONTO! we know there are riots and fires and very serious looking police but we are still playing the show. G-21 summit. COME ON DOWN.

Then CP24 showed the 4th burning police cruiser, flames visible in front of Steven's Music Store, across the street from the Horseshoe Tavern. So I checked Thao's twitter again:

Thaogetstaydown: ACTUALLY they just set another car on fire outside the venue so stay tuned.

Thaogetstaydown: Toronto Show cancelled. thanks to all who might have come but we don't want you to be set on fire.

Thaogetstaydown: see you another time when wealth is more equally distributed.

So Saturday was a write-off.

Still monitoring Sunday. Police seem to be asserting their expensive presence today. Since they let violent black-clads rampage the city yesterday untouched, they decided to make up for it by arresting peaceful protesters having sit-ins today.

I know I am far from being seriously affected by the riots and protests. But I had plans for Saturday night.

e

What Intersection is this?

2010-06-22T13:47:00.001-04:00

Great way to test out the camera on my new i phone - pics of Toronto on a day where the sky seemed endless. Fully noted that i phone camera kind of sucks. Photos come out under-exposed and there is no zoom! Should have waited for the 4G....

Email me if you can figure out where I'm standing: but.good.different@gmail.com . Hint: West...

Starving for Waffles

2010-06-14T23:25:00.003-04:00

I have a new best friend.

Her name is Waffles.

Don't get my wrong, Benny and I are still pals. But Waffles are so crispy and fluffy, and they can do anything! Including Benny!

Starving Artist, over at 584 Lansdowne, has brought Brunch to new levels by highlighting waffles on pretty much their entire menu. They have a sweet waffle section with fresh fruit and chocolate and ice cream - already known to be delicious. But they dare to dance with the benedict!? and the sandwich!?

Who wants toast when you can drench an adorable mini waffle in maple syrup?

Plus you can simultaneously shove waffles in your mouth and appreciate hip local art. Check out their website for info on live music and DJ nights too!

5.75 out of 6.1

e

Reason #51

2010-06-13T18:46:00.002-04:00

...Because the most pimped out cab ride drives around our very own East End soliciting passengers keen for a little something else....

If you're East of Broadview and you're lucky enough to snag a cab with a neon blue sign that flashes "East End", you'll be greeted by:

A shrine-like ensemble of hundreds of figurines and collectibles acting as keepers of cab ride paradise
Mini disco balls and flashing lights on the ceiling
Two TVs with music videos of Michael Jackson's Thriller for your viewing pleasure
Surround sound audio system to add to the "coolness" factor
10 magazines hanging off the back of the front seats for your reading pleasure
An assortment of toys to entertain your kids, as if the collectibles aren't enough
Neon-flashing "Welcome" sign to make you feel really at home
And the great company of a cabbie who's been striving for 10 years to make his ride the pimpest ride ever.

One more reason to love Toronto now.

S.

Gotta love the TTC

2010-06-02T00:23:00.002-04:00

Hot, sticky air, sidewalks full of people walking home, strangers talking to one another, multiple buses hogging the roads, back to back, moving metres per minute, spilling over with bodies...Clogged up traffic, exhaust fumes mixed with street meat smoke...bikes, skateboards, cars and motorcyles all sharing lanes, cars honking, people yelling.....It really could be anywhere but Toronto- Bangkok? Dehli? Nairobi?

This was the tone, temperature and temperament when I biked home tonight from the Danforth. What caused this ruckus? The TTC broke down. This is one of my favourite Toronto phenomena. When the TTC breaks down. When masses of people are forced to exit subway stations and take slow moving shuttle buses to their destinations. Strangers suddenly start talking to one another about how inefficient the TTC is, how inconvenient this rupture in their journey is, how long it's taking for TTC officials to get shuttle buses along. People start talking about where they live, where they're headed, where they're coming from. Dialogue ensues. You learn a little bit more about your potential neighbour. Those who are closer to their final destination actually take it upon themselves to walk home; streets become busier, noisier, more energetic. Granted a lot of the energy is negative- misery does love company. But all the better, right?

I love it.

Lucky for me I was on bike tonight and got to watch it from afar.

Here's to Torontonians bonding...

S.

Dovercourt Village Jane's Walk

2010-05-07T14:53:00.005-04:00

Last weekend I participated in one of Toronto's 123 neighrbourhood strolls, in memory of legendary Jane Jacobs. Since one of my themes of the year is staying local, I didn't want to take the TTC or go far to discover something new about the City. On Sunday afternoon I debated between supporting Sistering, which is across the street from me, or attending a tour of Dovercourt Village, hosted by a resident who happens to be big into architecture, history and planning. This Village is essentially the neighbourhood that I live in, except that I'm on Bloor Street. This time I went with the latter.

Having been an organizer in a Jane's Walk for two years in a row that happened to be in one of Toronto's inner suburbs, I was excited to attend one in my own downtown neighbourhood. We met at Dovercourt Park at 2pm. There were about 30 people there; couples, seniors, a few toddlers, and a fair amount of 20-30 something stragglers like myself. Most of the crowd seemed to be residents, with the exception of a few folks who who traveled from Scarborough and Ajax just to come to this Jane's Walk! Dovercourt Park was a perfect central meeting point to commence our tour. I'm looking for close green spaces to hang out in and this park actually might do the trick. It's got a baseball diamond, playground and tennis court, but still enough grassy green space and 100-year old trees.

The walk was well-paced, twisty and curvy, full of interesting historical tidbits. We walked up to Hallam street, a main artery of Dovercourt Village and learned about the street's namesake, John Hallam. A literacy advocate, he was responsible for starting Public libraries in Ontario in the late 1800s! We paused in front of Dovercourt Public School, which established in 1911. We reviewed the unique architecture of a Gothic-inspired church, and learned that Dovercourt House, which is now a space shared by various artists and fashion designers, used to be an old Synagogue.

We walked through a distinct Toronto alley and learned that alleys were originally created for the purpose of heating houses with coal (I stopped by the bakery to get a snack when we were at this point in the tour- so I don't understand the logistics in this). It was also neat to note that street cars in Toronto were planned around neighbourhoods and not vice versa. And unlike the Annex, Dovercourt Village's houses are far from Victorian. Instead, you'll even find rows of some small, understated, cottage-like worker homes (near what used to be a coal-mining factory). Bonus tidbit of history: Dovercourt Village's claim to fame happens to be Marilyn Bell, who was the first person to swim across Lake Ontario (and she was only a teenager)!

It was a curious way to spend a Sunday afternoon, in the company of people who at first appear to be no more than strangers, but really, we were all just neighbours...and we bumped into the Sistering Jane's Walk as we were pouring off the sidewalk mid-tour, up on Hallam. They waved to us in walking tour solidarity, and I noticed that they had a fair following...so I didn't feel so bad about my walking tour choice in the end.

S.

Brunch on Trial

2010-04-27T20:44:00.003-04:00

So I've been brunch hopping recently, and have ended up with a small pile of unreviewed restaurants that I've been meaning to share with you all. So I figured, why not all at once? You've all seen Video on Trial. You know it's often not very funny. Well it's ok, because I'm going to review a bunch of Toronto brunch places, and pictures of delectable foods can counteract any bad jokes made. And nothing elicits public interest like pitting stuff against other stuff. I can't include flashy sounds and colours like on muchmusic, because I don't know how.

Featured Judge:
e - self proclaimed food consumer

Brunches on Trial:
Lola's Commissary   634 Church St.
Mitzi's College   890 College St.
Bonjour Brioche   812 Queen Street East
Irish Embassy   49 Yonge St.

First up: Lola's Commissary
Lola's is charged with being so pretty that I just assumed the food was delicious, no matter what it tasted like.

Pros: decor was nice. Lola's looks like it's someone's house. But like a rich someone. You walk in the front door, and you see stairs going up to more seating on the second floor in what I assume are supposed to be bedrooms. Then you walk into the living room and there are all the host's guests, seated at dainty tables, surrounded by exposed brick walls and industrial ceilings. Natural light floods in from the large windows, and there is a faint smell of cinnamon. Actually I don't remember what it smelled like, but I'm guessing something like cinnamon.

Speaking of which, food was good. In fact, food was pretty delicious. We ordered mimosas to start, because it was just one of those mornings, and then ordered one of the daily specials and a sugary indulgence and shared.

The special was poached eggs in a soupy tomato and bean sauce, with chunks of avocado and cilantro, and some sort of white sour cream-like sauce drizzled on top. It was like fancy eggs with salsa. We had to order bread on the side, because it didn't come with any, but it was tastey and unique and seemingly healthy.

We had read rave reviews of their cheesecake french toast, so we ordered one to share. They were fluffy and sweet and covered with syrupy berries and sauce. The cheesecake part was goopy cheesey goo on the inside of each piece, sandwiched between the

bread. It was sort of like that cheesey goo you get in your Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins. Kind of fake tasting, but I guess kind of good. The whole thing was a bit too sweet, but that didn't stop us from eating it all.

Lola's was good. Lola's was not so good that I fainted from delight. But I would willingly come to Lola's again. So I guess it gets a solid PRETTY GOOD. I would even say it was quite good, but the word quite doesn't look good in caps.

b) Mitzi's College

Mitzi's is charged with allowing children onto the premises. No one wants to see chubby babies standing on tables. Babies be dirty and they let their fluids drip all over the place.

So the College St. Mitzi's was pretty full last weekend, and we had to wait for a table because everyone brought their babies to Sunday brunch and let them run wild inside the restaurant, taking up precious grown up space. But whatever, free country.

The brunch menu is very small, all specials, and we were told they don't allow substitutions or ordering off the menu. They didn't even have the standard eggs and bacon and toast breakfast, but apparently that is the only thing they will make special if requested. So two of us ordered eggs and bacon, but substituted fruit instead of bacon. And more fruit instead of toast. The other two ordered the poached egg special, which included poached eggs and white fish with dill sauce, fresh fruit, and home fries and sourdough toast.

The food was....ok. Satisfactorily tastey, but not jump out at you delicious. And it wasn't cheap. I would rather try another place rather than go there again. 3 out of 5. Lower your prices, Mitzi.

3nd: Bonjour Brioche
Bonjour Brioche is charged with squishing their tables so close together that I could hear everyone's inane conversations around me, and I felt the need to pretend to talk about something really interesting.

Ok but seriously, Bonjour Brioche's food was delicious. We didn't have to wait too long, and the servers were no nonsense and got people what they wanted in time.

This place is a serious bakery. They make all sorts of breads and quiches and tarts and cakes. And brioche, which is this fancy bread that is delicious! yum! It was hard to decide what to get!

We ended up ordering the croque madame and the broccoli and cheese quiche, and then we took some fresh baked croissants and brioches home for later.

The croque madame was made with what was perhaps the most crazy good toast ever. The ham and cheese was all good and fine, but the crust of the bread had this heavenly crunch that was so satisfying. It was meaty, this crunch. Like on a different dimension from other bread. It was bread if it were made out of steak, and you aren't a vegetarian.

All the plates are served with a piece of their house made baguette and a giant triangular brick of butter. People really don't need that much butter. But the bread itself was chewy and dense and flavourful.

The quiche was light and fluffy, not at all like the crap you get at the cafeteria. It was as if it was steamed, but with the flavour of being baked. And the crust was flaky. And it came with salad. But who cares about salad.

Afterwards, they bring a plate over to your table so you can drool over their tarts, and then dare you not to get one. We dared. And then regret it after, because then we didn't have any tart, and that was sad.

4.75 out of 5. Because eventually the food was gone, and none magically appeared to replace it.

Last: Irish Embassy
The Irish Embassy is charged with being so uninspiring that I didn't bother taking my camera out to photograph anything.

I considered ordering the Irish breakfast special, but I noticed it came with black pudding, and I suspected it was blood sausage, and I didn't like the sound of that. So instead I ordered the eggs benedict with back bacon. My companion ordered the daily soup - corn chowder - and the green salad with fried shrimp.

Blah, the food was mediocre. To be fair, the corn chowder was pretty tastey. She ate all the shrimp on the salad, but left half of the greens because the dressing had no flavour. The eggs benedict were...blah. The hollandaise was goopy and looked like it had been sitting on the plate for a while. The Irish soda bread it was served on was too thick and overpowering. The homefries were bland and were probably similar to those eaten by Frank McCourt as a child.

2 out of 5 on account that I didn't get food poisoning and I liked that my poached eggs didn't run too much. Irish Embassy is sentenced to play something - anything - besides Enya on their webpage intro. Made me lose my appetite.

Brunch! Stop being disappointing!
e

Apparently I look like Owen Wilson and Sophie Marceau's baby

2010-04-12T21:19:00.003-04:00

hm wait...I also look like Stephen Chow.

Though often bizarrely way off depending on the photo you input, like telling you you look like Melania Knauss (Mrs. Trump) and Roseanne Barr in the same breath, this site is pretty fun. Then later, from another photo, they'll say you look like Elle Macpherson, and you can't stay mad.

e

Meat on the Ossington

2010-03-26T00:52:00.007-04:00

I just spent $$ on food and wine at what could possibly be the most mouth-watering gastronomical delight I’ve encountered in a very long time. Union opened up in July on the Ossington strip, adding to the growing number of fine-dining restaurants. It looks like the rest; long, narrow, with exposed brick, but the food is something else. When you’ve been eating mediocre meals for a while, suddenly slow cooked, locally raised and braised fresh food leaves your taste buds heightened and your appetite satiated in a way you didn't really know existed. Okay, well, maybe you eat much better than I do.

(Pics courtesy of their website.)

My party and I split the venue's sliders and Haddock cakes to start with. What made their sliders different? Elk meat! Elk bite-sized burgers, cooked medium-rare, peppery in flavour, sitting atop challah toast which was doused in some sort of sweet dressing. Trust me, I’ve had my fair share of sliders (in descending order of goodness; Milestones, Pauper’s Pub, Burger Shoppe...), and I think I can never go back. As for the Haddock cake, I don't even really like fish, and this was scrumptious, served to us on a bed of greens, with a really zesty dijon mustard (yay mustard!) sitting on the side.

For the main course, which we shared, we chose the pasta special of the day: home-made gnocchi (I’ve never tasted any gnocchi like this, even in Italy), with braised beef short rib (so tender it melted into the sauce) amd baby bok choy, sitting in an almost-sweet beef broth. Have you ever thought to mix the two (gnocchi and braised beef!!?? Or bok choy??) It was with my first bite of gnocchi and braised beef combined when I realized that the meat in this restaurant must be all around spectacular, not only because of what was going on in my mouth at the time, but also because the couple next to us was salivating over their rare prime ribs for two. It’s sooo great to find great meat. I also had two different glasses of red off their different, but good, wine list. They were $$, but worth it. I'm afraid I don't remember what I ordered... and I didn't chat with the sommelier.

It didn't end with the good meat and wine. I chose the flourless chocolate cake for dessert, debating between that and their apple crumble, and folks, it was near organismic (I'm pretty sure I have intolerance to white flour/wheat/gluten or all of the above so this was quality). Seriously. I've never had such good cake before. And I love chocolate cake. And this wasn’t just my opinion; my date, a self-proclaimed foodie, was in earnest agreement.

So, before you go and check it out, appetizers were in the $10+ range, wine list $10+ range, entrees started from about $20 up. But it is worth the money. Treat yourself! It was a Tuesday night and it was pretty full all evening. Here's an added bonus - their food is all locally purchased (at least within the 100 mile diet range), and organic.

Next on the meat agenda - the Black Hoof. Charcuterie and cheeses?? Sadly I can’t really digest the latter, so I’ll stay away but I’ll let you know how it goes either way. Tried to go there once, but it was closed for renos. It reopened though. Want to join??

S.

PS. For a more inexpensive variety of meats -burgers to be exact -,good beer, a decent and eclectic wine list, within a non-pretentious setting (a rareity in the Ossington strip these days!), try the Burger Shoppe. Yum, Yum.

It's Canadian Music Week! Here's something American.

2010-03-09T04:58:00.001-05:00

Hi! It's me, e! Did you have a good winter?

I'm back in Toronto (well, the suburbs anyway) and loving the crisp weather and wide open spaces. Hong Kong was great, but there's something about Toronto that puts a spring in my step and a twinkle in my eye (not unlike what show tunes do for NPH). Or maybe that's just the reflection off the snow. It didn't help that during the descent into YYZ the flight attendant announced that Canada had just won hockey gold. It was like a Molson Canadian commercial, but in the air. And without the beer. Eh?

So, real quick, I just wanted to share some tunes with you. I apologize that it's not Canadian. However, Ontarian Timber Timbre and Vancouverite Dan Mangan are playing this Thursday March 11 at the Great Hall. Check them out if you can, cuz they're great.

You might remember the morning benders from our previous posts. The boys' newest album, Big Echo, is out today, and they are all over the internet promoting it, from blogging to tweeting to appearances on major music blogs. Still relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, the band (more specifically, their new label Plus One) has embarked on an ambitious media blitz trying to promote their album release (like making it easy for people like me to embed their album on my blog, even though I don't really know how I even did that).

Here it is for you to stream. You can catch the guys at the Drake Hotel on April 14th (tickets available at Soundscapes and elsewhere). I'll be the one in the front, starry eyed, notepad in hand.

I'm partial to Excuses. What do you think?

e

this west-ender walks.

2010-02-20T15:22:00.005-05:00

There sure are less blog posts these days. I spend less time these days on the internet and more time meandering around the neighbourhood with lots and nothing going on at the same time.

I watch Toronto Stories, which fills my heart with more love for the city. So touched by the first story that this West-inclined Torontonian makes it a point to leave her neighbourhood to explore the city's Cabbagetown (having already found what could possibly be the best coffee in the city at Jet Fuel).

I listen to Ohbijou’s Beacons and decide that Friends of Bellwoods is worth buying on I Tunes (this purchasing local music through Itunes is new for me!). I also consider spending the $20 dollars to participate in my yoga studio's rumours of spring workshop, where we'll celebrate the Spring Equinox to live music by Ohbijou members Ryan & James. How fun?

I savour injira and wot at Naz’s and decide that while it’s super popular and often packed, it’s worth the wait. It is as good as they say. And it's the cheapest home-cooking you'll find. The space was recently renovated to include what was once a roti shop, but the liquor lisence only covers Naz's portion of the restaurant...so if you order wine you have to sit at the left side of the bar or the left side of restaurant. Funny.

I spend my nickels and dimes at Saving Gigi and Bloorcourt café, and decide that coffee is worth not scrimping on (I can never make it taste as good!). Plus the floor to ceiling windows allow me to take in the Vitamin D that my East-facing apartment won't.

I see a flyer for a community visioning meeting organized by the Bloorcourt BIA and decide I gotta get in there. Why practice all this community development way out in the suburbs without doing it where I live??

Whenever I have a free moment I walk west on Bloor past Dufferin and stroll through Captain’s Treasures to scope out their antique mirrors collection, envisioning my apartment full of mirrors.

Mirrors open up the space.

What I ate today

2010-01-28T12:58:00.004-05:00

Hi Friends! So I'm still here in Hong Kong, getting used to the way things work. I'm doing lots of walking and eating and exploring (I've also been to pretty much every museum here, and last week I went to Disneyland!). There are lots and lots and lots of people here, so personal space is largely nonexistent (except at the museums, no one else seems to want to go to those).

I've found that most people eat out every meal, and all everyone eats here is meat. Street food is grilled meats, fancy food is roasted meats. I tried to be a vegetarian for 2 weeks, but when I tried to order a vegetable sandwich, I was asked if I wanted chicken or beef. Another time I ordered steamed vegetables and was served a large plate of boiled lettuce. Eventually I just gave up.

Today I went to Tai O, a fishing village on Lantau Island, the largest island in Hong Kong. Many people still live in wooden stilt houses on the water and work on fishing boats. We stopped at a street stall in the market and ate some local food. Our lunch for 3 people cost $35 HKD (roughly $5 CDN).

We had tofu dessert with powdered rock sugar, served in a wooden well.

Boiled quail eggs in a paper bag that you can eat on the go.

Spicy curry fish balls and squid bits.

Rice noodle rolls with sesame sauce, hoisin sauce, and hot sauce. You don't get a fork or chopsticks, they just give you long pointy skewers.

It tasted better than it sounds!

e

Catch her before she gets big and before she leaves the Cameron House!

2009-12-23T13:08:00.001-05:00

Alejandra Ribera has been playing at the Cameron House on Tuesday evenings for over a year now. I was meeting my date in the Queen and Spadina area on a Tuesday night and I had also heard Alejandra on CBC one morning, so we met at this Queen West relic (booze, art, music and theatre all in one space!) for a drink in anticipation of some decent live music.

(pic courtesy of her website!)

Around 9:30 pm, the place started to get packed but luckily we got there early had scored some decent seats. From 10 pm onwards we were somewhat mesmerized by this young woman who performs with a vocal range that runs so deep and is filled with such maturity that you'd expect her to be in her fifties at least, not her late twenties! She performed with a talented group of jazz musicians whose repertoire included jazzy ballads, smoky Spanish love songs and even a French number or two.

It's not only a cheap (pay-what-you-can) date night, but also a great show to bring relatives or your parents over Christmas. It attracted a diverse age range. Sadly I didn't take a any pics, nor could I find any pics on the internet of the inside of the Cameron House, but we watched Ribera and co play against a backdrop of red velvet curtains, frescos on the ceiling and walls adorned with both ants and x-mas lights. Curious yet? Yes it was both kitchy, surreal and romantic; a bar worth checking out if just to have the owner sell you beer in his shorts. And...might it be rumour? I was getting my haircut at Grateful Head and the guy beside me was chatting about it closing down to be replaced by a Crate and Barrel???? Even more reason to see it.

Her final show at the Cameron House is on Tuesday the 29th! Get there early!

Otherwise...her 2010 schedule is as follows:
Hugh's Room- January 17th
Moonshine Cafe- Oakville, February 27
Czehoski Restaurant, March 11th

S.

A Jolly Good Fellow

2009-12-05T23:05:00.002-05:00

Hello friends!

e has left the T-dot. I am currently miles away, in an entirely different time zone, illiterate in a foreign language. Here's a hint

What am I doing here? I don't really know. But when i figure it out, I'll be sure to tell you.

In the meantime, on behalf of both S and myself, I would like to bid butgooddifferent a Happy Anniversary! Our first post was 1 year ago, on November 29, 2008.

Thank you, all y'all, for your support, and for your comments, for letting us take your pictures, and jumping in with your thoughts too. A blog with no readers is just a diary, so thanks for listening to what we've had to say over the year, and I hope we can continue to inform and mildly amuse you for many more years to come!

XOXO
S & e

Remember summer e?

2009-12-03T19:04:00.001-05:00

Margaritas, mojitos, nachos and guacamole? Patios, sandals and Cuban food?

That's not all Julie's has to offer. This cute Cuban restaurant on darling Dovercourt, north of Dundas is also seafood lover's delight! All their camarones, calamaris & cerviche tapas dishes are to die for; affordable, fresh, salsa-spicy, garlic-y and delicious.

We ate on their patio way back when in September for e's birthday, and took all these photos. I decided to post them now, because 1) I miss summer and 2) I miss e! The traffic on this blog has way-slowed down because e left the Tdot to go gallivanting in the land of down under! (This does leave openings in the butgooddifferent blogsphere; anyone have some pics and stories to share?)

Check out Julie's Cuban Snack bar if you are looking for a unique dinner experience; a cozy neighbourhood vibe, great cocktails and Cuban tapas.....

......Hey Senorita e, any good Cuban food in the land down under? Send us some news!

blogging solo,

Best Shawarma in TO

2009-11-23T17:57:00.001-05:00

Meat lovers, you're in for a treat! I found the most delicious chicken and beef shawarma restaurant in Toronto's west end; The Empire (not to be confused with Shawarma Empire) at 1018 Bloor Street West. If you're like me in that you usually choose falafel sandwiches over shawarma because the meat is looking sub-par (ie: dry...fatty...overcooked as though it's been roasting on the skewer for days...) then you'll be happy to hear that the chicken and beef shawarma at Empire is succulent, juicy, fresh and melt-in-your month tender. Not sure what makes this place so different, but they're one of the only Sudanese restaurants in Toronto. I was so excited, I got a mixed beef and shawarma plate, for only $7! Added bonus: there's always free tables to eat at, unlike other falafel joints and you get a true taste for the middle east by watching Al Jazeera on the TV. Finally, if you are into falafels, theirs is pretty delicious and offers more toppings, spreads and spices than your average falafel place...but the quality runs neck and neck with the falafel at Ghazale and Sara's in the Annex.

Where do you go for wifi?

2009-11-10T17:47:00.002-05:00

So, I moved neighbourhoods, and I'm a little bit in love. I have no internet at the moment, so as someone who has three part-time jobs, and works a lot from home, I'm dependent upon venues with free wifi. The best workspace I've come across in Toronto yet -if you haven't already checked it out- is the recently renovated Bloor-Gladstone public library (formerly known as the Dovercourt branch). The outside of the building still retains the old 1920's architecture, but the inside has been renovated to include huge glass windows, a learning centre, and a glass balcony from which you can peer down onto the central foyer on the first floor. It is the most laptop friendly building I've ever been too, with plugs galore at large desks, comfy arm-chairs and bars at the windows. You can even book study rooms, and watch the news (without sound). It's super open concept, with really high ceilings, white-washed walls, and lots and lots of light. Like all libraries, there is a community feel to it. (pics courtesy of ERA architects- consultants on the redesign). Click here for more pics, and click here for some social commentary...seems like the online community has lots to say about this haven of a space.

See you there for our next study date,
S.

but good different arts collective?

2009-10-28T18:32:00.002-04:00

whe

The Breakfast Hot Dog at Discraceland

2009-10-15T09:20:00.005-04:00

What could be more good different than this – a new spin on a classic breakfast ... the Breakfast Hot Dog from Discraceland (also available in veggie)! It's one part 2 eggs and toast, one part benedict, and two parts legen-dairy (sic). Not so good different, the price, which is a little more than your average breakfast. But if you’re in the mood for something other than the usual, want to play some board games while you eat, or want to eat a breakfast that’s fit for The King, head over to Bloor and Dovercourt. Also good different at Discraceland: the Everyone’s a DJ night every 2^nd Saturday of the month.

- R

More than just Supersonic Shocks

2009-09-26T18:30:00.010-04:00

Hey Hipster Music Snobs! Get over your-

selves!

I like spending my Gs at Sonic Boom. It's that huge new/used CD/vinyl store on Bloor, just east of Bathurst. It always has elaborate window displays recreating new album covers with amazing prop work, apparently maintained by an artistic employee. All you hear when you walk in, besides your headphones, is the click click click of people shuffling through rows of used CDs. Organized by the day they were brought in, you can really score some great and cheap music, and downstairs they have lots of used records too!

I'm often torn. While I love new music and want to support independent artists, I also love saving money, so I wait until albums appear in the used section so I can spend a fraction of the price. But then the artist doesn't benefit financially from my support. But I suppose I can then tell people about them and increase their fan base. So in the end they should be sending me free music for all the work I do for them.

Anyways, I got some good stuff there last Thursday, all from the used bins:

The Bicycles - The Good the Bad and the Cuddly - $6.95

The Toronto band's 2006 album is happy, adorable, and up beat. Rumour has it they live in the Annex too. Most songs are under 2.5 minutes, and make you want to squish someone's cheeks while running through a sprinkler eating superkid ice cream.

Akron/Family - Meek Warrior - $4.95

I wasn't sure what to expect with this album. I really like their more recently released song River, which is tribal, lyrical, and catchy all at once. This album is older and it starts off a little intense and thumpy, the first track being 9 1/2 min of noise. But then the rest of the album calms down and you can actually listen to the unique instrumentation.

Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People - $4.95

The quintessential darling Toronto Indie band; if you like BSS, you have to have this album. It's rich, well written, well played, and sometimes makes you sad. But in a way that feels like it's good for you.

Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy - $4.95

Who am I to review Led Zeppelin? The lyrics for D'yer Mak'er are printed in the album book in case you wanted to know how many times Plant says "oh" each line. It's 6. He says oh 6 times. It may sound like 5, but when you think he's stretching it out on the 5th time, he's actually saying it twice more.

The Beatles - Abbey Road - $4.95

They are selling them new at Soundscapes for $16.99. I paid $4.95!! Now I can gaze at the iconic cover whenever I want. And listen to the music, I guess. They're a good band, those Beatles. You should check them out. Tell your friends.

Wine Tasting in Prince Edward County

2009-09-24T20:23:00.011-04:00

Wine Tasting in Prince Edward County

Last Sunday, this cute couple that I know picked me up and drove me two hours to Prince Edward County to do some serious wine tasting. I had never been to this part of Ontario (near the Sandbanks). It is apparently up and coming in terms of viticulture, so we decided to go there instead of the Niagara region.
It was so much fun. Driving on the Loyalist Parkway along Lake Ontario was so pretty. We had lunch in Picton, Ontario at a very wholesome restaurant and tasted wine from four different vineyards including The Grange, Norman Hardie, The Sandbanks Estate, and the Rosenthal winery. The guy who was working at the Norman Hardie winery was super nice- he let us pick tomatoes, fresh basil and hot peppers from the farm! Normany Hardie's vines are from France and their soil boasts limestone. The Sandbanks' Estate impressed us with its customer-service friendly nature. Their wine tasting bar was outdoors and they were really knowledgeable about their wines. They also invite people out to events on the weekends where community members can pick grapes, eat a big lunch and listen to live music. Perfect day trips for autumn.

I learned how to aerate the wine, which enhances the flavours (wine gets really strong when you do this) and was able to discern woody flavours from citrus on my newly enhanced palate. I also finally learned the difference between oaked and unoaked wines, and I have decided that oaked wines taste much better.
We didn't get drunk which we expected, but it's because we spaced out our trips, and used the spit bowl too. So, next time you need to get out of the city to do something fun, drive eastwards my friends and pay the $1-2 for sipping delicious pinot noirs and cabernets sauvignons.

S.

TIFF, Chloe & the A-list

2009-09-14T17:53:00.021-04:00

I've lived here for three years and haven't been to a TIFF film until this year. The reason why I've strayed from Toronto's most famous festival is because I find it difficult to navigate (tickets, screenings, pricing etc.). This year I got lucky when a friend of mine, who was offered two special tickets the world premiere of Atom Egoyan's Chloe and the after-party, asked me to be her date!

(Picture right courtesy of http://amanda-seyfried.us/photos/thumbnails.php?album=144)

I spent 24 hours in distress as to what to wear, paraded 4 different dresses for some very patient friends, and ended up literally last minute -on the day of- buying an entire new outfit. Not on purpose; I went looking for a nice dress shirt and came out with nice black linen pants too. My outfit worked; understated, chic and unique (I really do hate looking like everyone else- I could have bought those 80's inspired umpire waist sleeveless dresses...but I decided against it). Cocktail dresses- so not my thing.

(Atom Egoyan, Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried, Erin Cressida Wilson, Ivan Rietman, David Miller introducing the film)

The movie screened at Roy Thompson Hall, which was all aglow in its grandeur. The entrance to the movie quite a distance from the screaming fans and flashing lights of the "red carpet" so I'm afraid I missed it. But I flashed my ticket, by-passed the line, and headed up to the Mezzanine level which ended up being right next to where the director, producer and actors were sitting! How bizarre to come out of gazing intently at a haunting and often nude Amanda Seyfried to seeing her sitting a few seats away from you in the flesh, smiling in a pretty black sequined dress (see below!). The movie itself is moving, sexy, haunting and kept me at the edge of my seat. Julianne Moore and Seyfried's onscreen chemistry was very believable, and the heart ache experienced by Moore's character was palpable. I had a new-found respect for the young Seyfried as I'd only seen her lighter, comedic roles like Mean Girls and Mamma Mia. Atom Egoyan showcases Toronto landmarks from Cafe Diplomatico in Little Italy to one of Toronto's oldest parks, Allan Gardens. The scenes were unique in texture, colour and lighting. Toronto looked amazing; it's so exciting to see Toronto high-lighted in a movie and this appreciation was shared by both Mayor David Miller and producer Ivan Reitman , who happens to be a Toronto native.

The after-party took place on the roof of a four-story parking lot in Yorkville (see above). The entrance was pretty hard to find. An Entertainment Tonight staff member took us up to the roof in a golf cart, where we were greeted by a red carpet, Entertainment Tonight interviews with the cast and director, white tents and delicious drinks. The view of Toronto and Yorkville was fabulous and it all felt pretty glamorous. I kind of love it when this casual city gets dressed. I took some basic pictures, but couldn't bring myself to take pictures when we passed the rope to the VIP section and stood feet away from the cast after meeting the director. Might I say Julianne Moore is even more beautiful in real life. Amanda Seyfried embodied much the demeanor of a young star at her age- looking distracted, text messaging, and tended to by an entourage that ran 10 people deep. And she even left early! It was Sunday evening after all, and the party didn't last all night long, plus I'm sure she had more important places to be.

People were awesome- it was great to be able to discuss the film firsthand with strangers. Everyone was incredibly friendly and sociable, and very little pomp and circumstance presented itself. Yay TIFF! And might I add, the number of volunteers at TIFF is outstanding. It felt like the entire festival logistics when we were at Roy Thompson Hall were coordinated by volunteers....a great way to see the films and see the stars up close and personal...

Overall supah good movie, supah fun party.

Carnies and rides and games, oh my

2009-09-06T12:32:00.006-04:00

The CNE

We made it to the CNE on its closing weekend. I hadn't been since I was like 15. Between delicious German sausages and fries, and awesome, stomach-churning, tear-inducing rides, my party even won some prizes! A monkey in a stuffed banana? How can you resist spending the 3-5 bucks on darts, ball tosses or water-pistol games?

The CNE has serious charm. It's a great first date place, and it's one of those places which brings Torontonians from all walks of life together. Toronto bonds, and I love it when Toronto bonds. Here are some more pics, mostly courtesy of guest blogger and photo afficianado L (Thanks L!)

-S

He's-a cookin-a somethin up

2009-08-31T23:31:00.015-04:00

Sorriso Restaurant
588 College St.

We went searching high and low for the perfect restaurant to celebrate S's birthday last week. When you live in a city with thousands of delicious restaurants serving every manner of eclectic food from around the globe, deciding on just one is not an easy feat. First you have to think of cuisine, then neighbourhood, ambiance, price, menu, availability. It's enough to make you want to run to Milestones. But Don't. They might have good artichoke dip, but there's no reason to set foot in a chain when you have so so many other options to choose from (unless of course it's Hooters).

So for this very special occasion, the location of choice was Little Italy. Then we went for the mid-range prices ($15-25 a plate), a little fancier ambiance (scratch out the pubs and pizzerias), then we eliminated all of the ones closed on Mondays (lots of places irritatingly take Monday off), and then we started scouring the internet for websites with menus. We looked at over 20 when we saw this one. The old photos, the adorable music, the history! We couldn't resist - Sorriso's website won us over. Well played, Sorriso.

So, decision made, we got gussied up and headed on over with our party hats on. First things I noticed were the giant racy Italian movie posters on the walls, and stern-faced Sophia Lorens looking disapprovingly at us. "How will you look-a like-a me if you eat so much-a pasta?" she said.

Our waitor pointed out the Prix-fixe menu and told us the specials, and then brought us some crusty bread. He was a bit of an odd duck. He started out strong, but then this strange attitude poked its head out every so often. For example: "Would you like some pepper?" "Sure. Could you also please take a picture for us?" "Ok, I'm a WAITOR first". Uncomfortable silence.

And then we saw him ignore a little boy who was trying to tell him a story. But then later, he brought out S's birthday tiramisu and helped us distract her while the candles were lit. Bizarre!

So anyway, we all decided to order the Prix Fixe. Between the 5 of us, we ate:

Crostini with Grilled Shrimp
Potato Leek Soup
Mixed Green Salad
Capellini with Shrimp and Arugula
Pan Seared Turbot with Roasted Potatoes and Sauteed Vegetables
Tiramisu
Fig Port Ice Cream

When we ordered the Shrimp Crostini to share between the five of us, he neglected to inform us that it came with 1 crostini. The half a bite I had was very tasty though, with delicious garlicky sauce. The soup, though not much to look at, was very flavourful. The salad was standard.

The Capellini pasta was tossed in olive oil and parmesan cheese, and had lots of tomatoes and shrimp. It started out nice and light, but the bottom of the bowl was difficult to eat because of the pool of oil that had gathered.

The turbot fish was a little bland, and the beans and kale weren't sauteed with much flavour either. The whole dish sat in a pool of olive oil, and every bite was drenched in the stuff. Despite the oil, however, the fish was flaky and tender and the potatoes were nice and crunchy.

The Tiramisu was also not very pretty, but it was really tasty and, I was told, quite boozy. The fig port ice cream, on the other hand, was not very boozy. It tasted a little like fig newtons, with a grown-up sweetness that I wasn't sure I was old enough for. It was different, though, which I guess is good.

In general, I'd say the food at Sorriso was pretty good. Solid effort. If they just lay off the oil a bit, it would have been much better. I'd be willing to come back to try some of their saucier pastas (the kids behind us had some tomato sauce that looked really good).

Sorriso gets 3-ish Sophia Lorens swimming in a pool of olive oil out of 5.

Caribbean Veg food in the heart of the Annex

2009-08-23T12:59:00.001-04:00

One-Love Vegetarian restaurant, 854 Bathurst Street

This summer on Bathurst Street, we've seen a number of new spots open up, walls have been repainted and store-fronts redone. Here is a handy review of One Love Vegetarian (I don't care if BLOG TO already got there first, it's my street)

I'm sure you've seen it, because of the gorgeous mural that envelopes the wall around this restaurant on the corner of Bathurst and London, across from Bathurst Subway Station.

Seriously delicious Jamaican food. Their rotis are super fresh, everything is cooked in front of you. Their caillou is hearty and out of this world. Their portions are generous, fresh and appropriately priced. It's a family-run restaurant, and it's a beautiful family. We were served by the two daughters.

They used to have a stall at Harbourfront. The produce they use is organic, and they buy stuff from local farmers. With the vegetarian-friendly, organic produce, you see a lot of 'hip', 20-something, typical Annexers, but because it's right beside a strip of West-Indian hair salons and barber shops, you see a lot of West Indian families and their children. Makes for a unique mix of clientele.
Only drawback to this delicious joint was that they ran out of food, and because they cook everything right their in front of you and have a small family (when I arrived, the two daughters were running the kitchen and handling cash, with about 20 customers in front of them), be prepared to wait a long time for it.

Totally worth trying out though!
Yum Yum and Triple Yum.

S.

"Poutine is for hipsters!"

2009-08-15T10:24:00.013-04:00

Poutini's House of Poutine
1112 Queen Street West
Yes, that is what a disgruntled customer shouted out at the staff of Poutini's House of Poutine Friday night at 3 am, when he was told there was no more poutine left.

It seems that the aftermath of the Ossington Blackout party brought this joint way more after- the-bar clientele than they had accounted for. Did you catch the blackout? I arrived post 11pm, only to see that people were spilling out of every bar on Ossington onto the sidewalks and streets. Nice to see so many people milling the streets, but we couldn't get into a bar edge-wise.

Just like the poutine place. I heard one person say that they had been waiting there for an hour. A friend of ours got so fed up, he retracted his order after 20 minutes, demanding his money back. Drunk kids in the line -up started a chorus of "we want poutine!" Another guy was adamant that the line-up is totally contrived- since when does it take a lot of time to dish out fries, gravy and cheese curds? Only would Toronto take a Quebec staple like poutine and turn it into a hip, trendy, in-demand commodity for the 'supa-cool'.

The dish on the dish itself:

$7 for a bowl of fries- rip off
the vegetarian boasts real veggie gravy, which is rare
the fries are hand-cut and pretty tasty, the cheese is decent
the gravy itself is so salty that when you arrive at the bottom of your bowl it's difficult to finish it

All that to say, while it's no Banquise, it's tasty enough. Just don't go there after the bar or make a habit out of this Francophone dish in the T. dot cause' you'll go broke.

S.

Takin it easy

2009-08-11T01:17:00.004-04:00

Can you believe the summer's going by so fast?? It's August already, and what do we have to show for it? I guess some tan lines, photos, a few hundred kilometres on a couple cars, and some fond memories...but still, I feel like I've hardly done any of the things I set out to accomplish. You know, the "there's so much I want to do, I'm gonna do it ALL this summer!" type of expectations you put on yourself. It's been mountains of good times, but I had high hopes for a productive summer, though that doesn't mean I can't accomplish just as much in the fall. But pretty soon we'll be in sweaters again, and even though September doesn't mean back to school anymore, the summer's end still feels like a bittersweet conclusion to something fun and fleeting and full of potential.

So you know what that means. August. This is it, kids. EVERYTHING must happen in August.

How about you? Y'all been having a good summer so far? There are so many fun things to do in Toronto and vicinity in the summer, from sitting on your patio at home to going away for the weekend up north. People have been complaining about the lack of scorching temperatures this year, but they are mistaken. It's totally been hot, and anyway, it's way nicer to spend the days outside when it's 20-something degrees and not a smoggy 40. Like in early July, we went busking and it was blistering!

Toting some shakers, a ukulele, guitar, and a kalimba, we headed down to Bloor and Avenue and played some tunes. You should try it. You don't even have to be able to play, people stopped to chat and threw us some change just because we looked like we were having fun. We had some significant competition on the opposite street corner in the form of Mr. Joe Jangles' one man band, so we relocated down the street towards Queen's Park and set up shop in front of the Avenue entrance of the ROM, where S snapped a photo. But that entrance is not very popular, so we relied on hot dog buyers and subway riders. But as it turns out, those people are not big supporters of the arts. We made $6 in 2 1/2 hours, so that payed for half of the ice cream and coffee that we bought on the way home. But we had fun.

We also headed up to our friend K's cottage on Lake Huron. Seriously guys, if you haven't already, you must befriend someone with a cottage, it's totally awesome.

The awesomeness is enhanced if the friend is also awesome, which she is. And it helps if everyone who goes loves to eat and makes amazing breakfast burritos, sandwiches, and bbq'd burgers and vegetables, and it helps if you play baseball by the water, and then everyone plays truth or dare all night, and it also helps if you bring pastels and draw pictures while sitting in the sand and getting wickedly sun burnt on the beach.

Then, in mid July, S and I drove up to Ottawa to visit our friend L and catch a couple shows during the Ottawa Bluesfest. Were any of you there? There were a lot of great bands, many of whom are not overly bluesy at all (seriously, what was KISS doing there?).

Ben Harper was there, and so were Busta Rhymes, Femi Kuti, Girl Talk, Joe Cocker, Okkervil River, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, The Black Keys, and SO MANY MORE! We were there on the weekend of July the 11th and we saw King Khan and BBQ, Estelle, Mother Mother, Neko Case, and Ani Difranco. We got rained on a bit, but it's always fun to go to music festivals because you get to see like, 8 shows in one day, and you get to eat (overpriced) burgers and beers, and you get to chat with fun people who like bands that you like!

So you see, the summer's been fun. I'm not complaining in the least. I'm just going to try to make the most out of August. You'll see. It'll be legendary.

How to be a documentary film-maker in T.O. part II:

2009-07-28T01:00:00.013-04:00

Teach yourself how to make a movie.

So, like I said before, I want to get into documentary media. Last summer I borrowed a couple of camcorders and started to make a movie about the Annex. It was really fun, and most of it was on the fly (no real storyboard, thesis question, plan of any sort). Thus the movie made itself with the footage that I took- and came together in the editing process....
I spent about 50 hours editing it with IMOVIE at a media lab. I only just finished it and in haste (It could have used a bit more editing!) and screened it for some special folk on our patio on Friday. In the process, I learned a lot about what not to do in movie-making. First off, heads up about the audio (it's definitely not always clear). But, with my new knowledge and new skills I'm now looking to learn how to use a professional camera and final cut pro software for a reasonable fee. If you have any leads let me know.

This summer, e & I are going to make a movie; purely fiction. We've started writing a screen-play, so stay tuned. Email us at but.good.different@gmail.com if you want to get involved in anyway (fundraising, extras, plot feedback, promotion). We're also on the lookout for a couple of male actors.

Anyways, I hope that you enjoy it. Thanks again to everyone who agreed to be interviewed! To view the private video below through vimeo, click on the link below and enter the password: Annex

Thanks for the support kids.

S.

Bathurst- from Bloor to Dupont from butgooddifferent on Vimeo.

On the Hunt

2009-07-27T23:11:00.007-04:00

Hi everyone, we asked our friend L to make a cameo on the blog, so here she is and she is AWESOME.

Hi! Currently, I am living a similar lifestyle to some of you out there who have been hit by the economic crisis...unemployment. For the last 4 months or so, since I got back from being overseas, I have been searching far and wide for a job and an apartment in the city. Some tips I have to offer to keep yourself occupied while on the hunt:

Space out your errands: do one or two errands per day, and fill your time in with coffee breaks and stops at the local second hand book stores. Also, walk rather than taking public transportation
Enjoy your time off: take up a new hobby, start a new book, write a letter to someone
Upload CD’s onto your computer from your friend’s music collections
Play scrabble on Facebook - it’s fun and it stimulates your mind.
Read the newspaper from a different city/country
Visit your friends at work (if appropriate). Bring them something sweet.
Start a vegetable garden: it’s fun to watch things grow and it’ll save you money on groceries.
Walk around a neighbourhood you’ve never been to.
Volunteer at a yoga studio - some studios have energy exchange programs where you do things such as clean or reception and you get unlimited yoga classes in exchange

Something else I am confronted with is the search for a great apartment. Here is some advice based on situations I have encountered along this journey:

Trust your instincts: if something seems off, it probably is
If the first thing the current tenants say to you is “We have 3 basic rules, the first one is that we need 2-3 advance notice if you are having people over...” run fast! It doesn’t matter what the 2 other rules are, if they are that strict and uptight it’s not worth it.
Don’t settle until you find something you really like: if you are time constrained, and you don’t find a place by the time you have to move out of your old place, then sublet somewhere for a month and continue your search for a more long term place that feels right.
If the apartment smells, don’t expect that smell to go away (even with a variety of incense, candles, or air fresheners)

Different websites you may want to try if you too are looking for a place to call home:

http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/

I have found this to be the most useful website thus far and have visited quite a few places based on its postings. Downfall is there is no way to track which places you’ve e-mail and which you haven’t.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/

Very limited postings, averages 3-10 per day

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/

I am not a big fan of the layout of the website, it’s a bit unclear. On the plus side, it has a nice feature of starring a place you like, which goes to your “watchlist” for easy retrieval later.

http://www.viewit.ca/

Good for people who are wanting to rent out an entire apartment, rather than finding a place to move into that currently has tenants.

http://www.housing.utoronto.ca/offcampus/offCampus.html

This site is only good for students. There is a “non student” option, which costs $22 for 8 weeks but the landlords who advertise on the site are only interested in students so unless you are a student at U of T or another university, it is useless.

Happy hunting and good luck!

Until we meet again...

Thanks for the space e & S!

Look I made a cake!

2009-07-23T18:25:00.004-04:00

For my friends' old Hollywood themed wedding. It survived the drive over to the banquet hall because we drove 40 km/h the whole way there!

The Don Valley Brickworks Factory

2009-07-21T21:46:00.020-04:00

Toronto's Brickworks Factory

Early this month, J and I decided to bike down to the Brickworks Factory- a 125 year old industrial site in the Don Valley where they once actually made bricks.. It was featured during Doors Open Toronto (did anyone get a chance to check that out?) and I can see why.

Recently redeveloped by Evergreen, a non-profit environmental organization, the space is amazing, and the reconstituted land around it is full of boardwalks, marshlands, water lilies and walking paths. You would never guess that you're just east of the DVP or a hop, skip and a jump away from downtown Toronto.

I'm not really sure how to get there via TTC or car, but if you bike to Rosedale's Chorley Park -another historic site at that!- and walk under a bridge that looks like the picture above, you'll make your way there through the woods of the Don Valley. Plus it's fun to walk/bike through one of Toronto's most affluent neighbourhoods and look at the big fancy houses.

The space now offers community gardens, a Farmer's market on Saturdays, and they're in the process of making a documentary on the history of the site and the people who have had a connection to it over the last 100 years.

The 80s are making a comeback...at Harbourfront

2009-07-09T12:18:00.010-04:00

Toronto's Harbourfront-
It could be so much more I know. Right now it's lined with condos, and cut off from the rest of the city by the Gardiner Expressway. Its inaccessibility, lack of aesthetically pleasing and meandering boardwalks/bike paths have contributed to my not really bothering step down to the water- which is hard because who doesn't love waterfronts?

But, when I heard from my cousin that you can revisit old friends like Molly Ringwald, James Spader and Jon Cryer on the big screen, watch Blane confess his love for Andy, outside, by the water and for free, I thought: Harbourfront is on to something. Yup, every Wednesday this summer you can see 80's classics at the Sirius Stage (see first pic!). It's fun, it's loud, there's plenty of seating space, people are a-hootin' and a-hollerin', you can feel the summer breeze and smell the water as you eat your popcorn (which they sell, but we brought our own). Even the CN Tower looked pretty and summery from our seats. I tried to take pics, but clearly have not mastered the art of night-time photography with a point-and-shoot, so the blurriness it is.

Next week: Breaking (80's break-dancing! Now how can you say no to that?)
July 22nd: Desperately Seeking Susan
July 29th: Stop Making Sense
August 5th: Say Anything
August 12th: Labyrinth

We're gonna try and see all of them. Come join!

Toronto + Summer + Garbage Strike = Yuck

2009-07-06T17:05:00.007-04:00

Toronto Garbage Strike 2009

We got out of the city this weekend to pristine cottage country; the air was fresh, the water was turquoise....only to return to a smoggy, humid, smelly, and dirty Toronto. The garbage strike continues into its third week; our local park, Christie Pitts has become a garbage dump. And while the City of Toronto has moved swiftly in terms of multi-lingual contingency planning, and establishing temporary dumping sites, no actual progress has been made.

Our friend L, a quasi visitor to the city, walked over to Christie Pitts last week to take pics.
Pretty Crazy eh?

And just so you know, maggots are multiplying and rats are reproducing as I type this. What will happen when and if the garbage is removed? Are we inviting a new bout of the plague? AND, last time this happened in 2002, the City gave in on day 16, and according to City News "we're one day short of breaking that record"...

Yikes! and Yuck!

S.

Toronto + Gay = BFF

2009-06-28T21:50:00.008-04:00

HAPPY PRIDE!!!

love S & E

The Psychics are Out and About

2009-06-27T10:15:00.010-04:00

With temperatures close to the thirties and the fact that our house is a sauna, one has little choice but to spend all evenings out and about with friends, taking in the summer and cooling down; ice-cream in Yorkville, sangria in Little Italy. The patios are full, the sidewalks are congested, and while garbage has not yet totally taken over the asphalt, psychics have! With tables and chairs set up and undercover cops surveying the readings from afar, the psychics are taking advantage of summer's pulse to step up their livelihood.

And, they all know each other! The business-savvy psychic in Little Italy (corner of Shaw and College) knew about the psychic on Cumberland and referred to him as kind of a newbie to the business- ie; not that great. How do I know this, you ask? Well, I went to them both. I've always wanted to go to a psychic. There was a psychic on Bathurst near Bloor, Natasha's psychic, who I passed by every single day for over a year now, but she closed down recently so I've been left to my own devices to seek other psychics down. Thus when it costs $10 to have my tarot cards read on the streets in Yorkville, $12.50 to have my palm read in Little Italy, I give in. Double each of those prices for a full "life reading". You might be curious to know about the content of Mr. $10's readings:

The same stuff he told the customer beforehand. I know this because I asked her.
The number of children I'm going to have. (I'm actually going to have kids?)
That he had holy water from the Vatican and by putting it on the back of my palm and forehead I was going to be protected.
The age I'm going to live until. Yes, he read my life-line on my palm, and I said that I wanted to know.

My friends have gasped and given distraught looks when I revealed that I knew the age that I was going to die. But remember I don't fully believe these guys, and wanted to know if it rang true amongst other clairvoyant individuals. So that's how my friend S & I got our palms read in Little Italy...and guess what? She read the same number. And no, it's not a multiple of 10, nor a multiple of 5, so it's pretty specific. Isn't that quite the coincidence? Conclusively, there is a science to palm reading, and whether it's your actual fate written on your palm is a different story.

The Little Italy psychic told me other interesting tid-bits as well, including the colour of my aura. She told my friend much more information, including the initial and zodiac sign of the love of her life- all from the lines on her palm. Whether or not these psychics can see what is written in the stars for me or not, these incidents have sparked an interest in learning how to read tarot cards, and people's auras, which apparently just take a bit of practice and are not an innate 6th sense. By the end of the summer I'll have both down-pat, so come by Bathurst for a reading.

S.

Is this art?

2009-06-24T00:48:00.005-04:00

It's a little (ok a lot) overexposed but hopefully you can still make it out. I've seen a few telephone poles on Bathurst Street with buckets of paint spilled around them. Nothing else nearby seems to be painted. The buckets are sometimes still there, and sometimes not. If you look closely, the paint is blue and purple swirled.

What do you all think? Is this art? Or is College Pro hiring just anyone these days?

e

Eat Eat! You're skin and bones

2009-06-07T14:11:00.014-04:00

Brunch at Aunties and Uncles

Sorry kids, I forgot my camera when I went out to brunch last week (Sorry...but you try snapping pictures of everything you do. It's not easy). So I will make this review short, because I know while words are sweet and all, a picture requires way less effort for the reader. ;)

Brunch place Aunties and Uncles, on Lippincott St. near College and Bathurst, was voted best brunch in the city by readers of blogTO, so I thought I'd give it a try. (And apparently Sook Yin Lee is a big fan, and you know me and brunch-time celebrity sightings) Everyone said I'd have to wait forever for a table because A&U only opens from 9am-3pm, the space is relatively small, they don't take reservations, and it was a lovely day last Saturday, but it actually wasn't that bad. I got there at 1 or so, and we only waited about 20 min, which really isn't that long.

Again, this place was quite the scene. I saw lots of pretty young hip kids, including several blasé girls in short cutoff jean shorts (apparently that's the new in thing??). We were given a table inside beside the kitchen where we were surrounded by kitchy art and books about the Beatles. It was cute, lots of stuff to look at. The outside patio looked really nice too, but alas there were too many people!

The menu was one page long, with lots of really delicious looking options including breakfast sandwiches, waffles, eggs, and french toast. My friend J and I decided to share two items: the breakfast tacos with meat, cheddar, and cilantro sour cream served with hash browns, and the daily special cubano sandwich with spiced pork, avocado, and swiss cheese and dill potato salad. I got some black coffee and she got apple cider.

We had to wait a bit for the food to come, but it was well worth the wait (and the kitchen was pretty small, so I can see why). The food was really delicious and the portions were large. The tacos were messy to eat but tasty, served on soft corn tortillas. The cubana sandwich was served on a focaccia bun and had lots of chunky avocado and thick slabs of pork and the right amount of sauce. You could choose between hash browns, mixed greens, and potato salad, so we went for the two potato options. The hash browns were rustic chunks of white and sweet potatoes nicely charred in places, and the potato salad was tossed in a dill and mustard dressing that wasn't too heavy. The food had just enough grease to feel like a tasty brunch, but not so much that it was overly decadent.

The bill came out to only $23 for the two of us!

Aunties and Uncles gets three and a half cheek pinches out of four.

e

To market to market, to buy a fat pig....

2009-06-07T11:32:00.017-04:00

The St. Lawrence Market

I have these two cute friends, M & J. They spend their Saturday mornings at the St. Lawrence Market. Yesterday in the warm sunshine under the blue sky, I tagged along with M to check out their wholesome routine.

The St. Lawrence Market is really neat; a hustling, bustling, hub of deliciousness and constant activity in one of Toronto's historic districts located close to the waterfront. Sigh, que romantica! Did you know that the main building was Toronto's first City Hall?

Now it's home to over 100 vendors, and you can find everything from fresh produce to handmade soap, and over 1o different kinds of home-made hummus! I'm so hooked on the latter that I never want to purchase store bought hummus again!

You can even throw in lunch while you're at the market. M's lunch included a peameal bacon sandwich, for which there was a big line-up! She said that it was really good and that "it had a lot of peameal bacon, but the bread could have been better." She's one of those "people who prefers European fresh bread to Canadian bread". Agreed...who would not choose baguette over Wonderbread?

Other highlights included:

Browsing the fresh produce section of the farmer's market where I indulged in Ontario-grown bunches of asparagus. It opens at 5 am and closes early so if you're a late riser, like myself, you might want to make an effort and get out early.

Scanning the artisan crafts for birthday gifts for our friend J. We both picked up handmade cards with Ontario & Toronto-inspired photographs from one artist's stall. (J appreciated our cards).

The Sausage King! If you know my habits well, you know that I love meat. I struggle daily with my love for meat, often wanting to adopt the more socially conscious, responsible, and healthier lifestyle of the vegetarian. I eat veggie food all the time. Sometimes I buy 'green' meat products and feel better about not injecting my body with antibiotics, and being spiritually affected by poor farming practices. But, bottom line is I love meat, and even more so, I love sausages. Yum Yum and Yum. The Sausage King boasts fresh, all natural sausage meat from local small farms, so I had to take the plunge. I bought lamb sausages spiced with coriander and turkey sausages and am really excited to cook them up today!

T'was a fun, delicious and wholesome way to spend a sunny day with friends. I encourage you to bring visitors to the city there. I guarantee that you'll be dancing your way home again home again, jiggidy-jig.

How to be a documentary film-maker in T.O. Part I

2009-05-31T20:45:00.008-04:00

So I've decided to take my career into a new direction: documentary non fiction. I also hear that in this day and age having 5 careers ain't no thang. And, what better city to start this career in than Toronto? Home to not only the Toronto International Film Festival but smaller identity-based festivals, which include a plethora of non-fiction and run the gamut from Palestinian, Latin American, Jewish, Italian, and Asian to queer and feminist festivals. Of course we cannot forget the godfather of non-fiction documentary film festivities in Toronto: Hot Docs (which I attended and I have to say that you should stay tuned for Over the Hills and Far Away when it comes out on DVD). And as an FYI, if you have the time and have a love for film, you can volunteer for any of these festivals and watch the films for free and sometimes schmooze with directors!

So how does someone like myself with no prior experience in film kick-start my career?

Pick up a camera (don't buy a second-hand video camera off of Craig's list though- big mistake), start shooting and practice editing. I did this last summer. I'm teaching myself to shoot, interview and edit with a movie about the Annex. If you're a U of T student, you can use the media labs at OISE to edit your movie with final cut pro or iMovie software for free, which is what I do...even though I'm not a student anymore (work the system!)
Take affordable informal workshops! I'm kind of fond of the Hart House Film Board. For a $80 fee (for non-members of Hart House) you can take a 4 week course and learn how to be a documentary film-maker. They also have editing labs there. The workshop I'm currently attending is taught by a real film-maker, who is experienced and clued-in to the industry. He is not only teaching us about different genres of doc. films, but how to actually make and pitch documentaries to funders and broadcasters. We have also been given the low down on where to find funding for films, small and wide in scope. The ideas people have pitched are really interesting and it's fun to sit around and change them into movie ideas. The Hart House Film Board also offers follow-up courses on editing, and tons more on movie-making, including one-offs which give you waaaayyy more technical tips on movie-making in 3 hours than you paid for.

Key things I've learned so far:

Good sound is key. You can have mediocre visuals but without perfect audio, your movie basically sucks. (Which sucks for me, because when shooting my Annex movie this past summer, I filmed everyone without a microphones, outdoors, in really noisy places...and the final result is that it sounds pretty bad).
Documentaries have to be really well-planned and organized before you start filming.
You don't need to be skilled in the art of camera and video to be a film-maker. You just have to posses knowledge of the industry, and have a well-researched and unique idea.

Stay tuned for more movie talk. I might need feedback and a team of researchers, camera-people and editors to help me carry out my next movie idea...

Munch Brunch

2009-05-23T15:41:00.031-04:00

What did you all do May 2-4 weekend? It wasn't the most amazing weather in Toronto on the Monday. It was a bit sunny, but kinda windy and chilly. Still, we wanted to spend the day at the park, so we made plans to have some brunch deliciousness and then throw a softball around.

Torontonians love brunch. It's like the city's collective Saturday afternoon hobby. We wake up late, hungover or not, stretch, throw on some comfortable clothes, and then walk/bike/TTC to our favourite spot or trek out to discover new and exciting ones. Toronto has a lot of great brunch places, from pubs and coffee shops to joints that do nothing but eggs benedict and pancakes. We planned to spend the afternoon at Trinity Bellwoods Park, so we tried to find a place within walking distance with a good reputation. We had heard of Saving Grace, and although it's located in Dundas West, we thought we'd brave the throngs of hungry hipsters and see if we could score a table.

We picked up some tastey coffee at the Linux Caffe, and then slowly strolled through the Annex into Dundas West, dressed in sweatshirts and sunglasses and carrying softball mitts and beach mats. The streets were pretty empty, but when we arrived at Saving Grace, there was a clump of scenesters standing out front in skinny jeans and plastic sunglasses, waiting for a table in the tiny restaurant. We stepped inside, where the no nonsense waitress directed us to a list near the door where you're supposed to write your name for a table. As I casually scanned the room, I locked eyes with this guy who looked up when we came in, and what do you know it was Michael Cera! I think he was there with his Scott Pilgrim film crew, and their party took up half the place. We hurried out of there so we wouldn't embarrass ourselves, and stood around outside and did not stare through the window.

We ended up waiting almost 1 1/2 hours for a table, but what with the celebrity sighting and bumping into some cool people, the time flew right by. We ran into Dundas West-ers N and K who agreed to pose for some pics with their delicious looking take out - baked banana walnut pancakes and a brie and pear sandwich, which K described as "so f-ing good!". Then, as George Michael stepped out to get something from his car (which we innocently caught on camera), K casually said "Hey, do you mind if we get a picture?", to which he replied "Oh, uh yeah, uh I'm just gonna go inside to buy a cookie first". The picture didn't happen, but too bad they ran out of cookies, though, because he could really use the extra calories. That boy was skin-ny.

So we were finally seated and scanned the menus to decide what to eat. The brunch menu was pretty small, and they had run out of many of the daily specials that were written on the chalkboard, including the broccoli scrambled eggs and the banana strawberry waffles. Two of us decided on the black bean quesadillas from the specials board, while S got the scrambled eggs with roasted potatoes and a turkey sausage. While we waited, L got some rooibos tea and I got a skim "lattino", which is their version of a mini latte. I wasn't sure what that was, but I felt weird ordering a latino and just pointed to the menu instead. When it arrived, it was not very small, but it definitely tasted kind of weak. It was ok though. Just not very strong.

The quesadilla plate was pretty big, with mixed greens and a homemade salsa of roughly chopped tomato chunks and red onions. The plate was sprinkled with chipotle seasoning and was pretty tastey, though I could have used a little more cheese. S's scrambled eggs were yummy, but she wasn't a huge fan of the turkey sausage, and there could have been way more roasted potatoes.

While definitely delicious, for almost $20 a person I would have wanted a little more...something. The food did taste really healthy, and I didn't walk away from brunch wanting a nap and a gym membership. I also didn't walk away wanting to go back there right away. Apparently, though, Canadian celebrities seem to dig it (they say Feist is also a fan), so maybe celebrity fixtures are its saving grace (oh come on, it's been begging for a pun. Just be happy I didn't use it in the title). I wouldn't mind going back to try some of their brunchier options, like waffles and eggs, but I'll maybe have to get there a little earlier in case they run out again. And keep in mind we had to wait over an hour, and The Bluth family won't be there every time to make time pass faster.

Overall, I give Saving Grace three awkward teenagers out of four.

(P.S. does anyone else remember the Munch Bunch? It popped into my head after typing the word brunch a hundred times, and I'm wondering if other peoples' parents tried to promote a healthy love of vegetables at an early age too)

TTC Tall Man

2009-05-18T21:16:00.003-04:00

So there's a man that I see every morning on the bus to work (This is not the same boy who I wrote a soulful missed connection entry about which I also posted on the actual Craig's list Missed Connections - to which I never got a response...alas). And to this statement you may think "big deal, I see the same people at my bus stop, every day, on the way to work." Sure, but these are people in your neighbourhood, who live within proximity to you. I live at Bloor and Bathurst, yet I board the same bus with this man on most mornings all the way in Scarborough at Victoria Park Station! Then I have seen the same man all over downtown Toronto for over a year now. And why do I recognize him each time? The Tall Man is a really really tall man. That's all that stands out about him. Apart from his height he is quite generic looking.

He wears glasses, has blue eyes and light brown hair, borderline dirty blonde. He is usually quite neat, wearing blue or grey collared shirts to work. He often reads on the bus, wears a black coat in the winter, and leather 'office' shoes. He is stiff in demeanor and I have never seen him smile. He looks like he could be pretty boring, and I often wonder why I'm so intrigued by him. He has an amiable enough face but nothing to write home about. Maybe it's because I believe in signs and think that the universe is encouraging us to meet or even to be friends? Well, I'm just starting to feel like a stalker and want to show you a list of all the locations that I have seen Tall Man and share all that I have conjured about his life and personality:

1. The first time was on the 24 bus platform at Victoria Park station, waiting for the 24 bus North. This has been happening for about a year now, since about May 2008. I usually see him when I'm actually on time for work, or even a little bit early. Most days I'm late. Okay, no big deal; I have started to see my fair share of other Victoria Park 24 bus passengers over the year:

The South Asian woman with thinning hair who I'm sure is Bengali.
The blond woman with the her bratty blond kid in a stroller who gets off at Eglinton Square Mall just for fun because shops don't open until 10 am.

The really attractive but clueless dark haired boy with a lunch box who gets off at the O'Connor Community Centre, to which I always wonder: Is he is a construction worker remodeling the centre or a youth worker at the daycare?

There are plenty more regulars, but the Tall Man and I have been encountering one another beyond the Victoria Park bus. Each time this happens, in and around the city of 6 million people, I just find it a little uncanny.

2. September, 2008: I'm for the first time on the South-bound Victoria Park bus going from Don Mills station to work, which is at Victoria Park and Lawrence. The bus takes a short cut through Consumer's Road. I see tall man walking way up on Consumer's Road. My sleuthing tells me that he takes the Victoria Park Avenue bus at the station and takes it all the way up North to Consumers Road and this is where the tall man works. What is on Consumer's Road? It's a little industrial area where head offices to numerous companies lie. This made me think that the tall, potentially boring man has a potentially boring job.
3. However, then I see him on October 29th at the Guvernment at a Sharon Jones concert. It's a big venue and he was only about 10 people away from me. He was wearing jeans this time, and had loosened up a bit with beer. And I mean it's Sharon Jones. I don't think you go to a Sharon Jones concert if you're boring or stiff. At this point the tall man became much less boring.

4. Tuesday, November 25th: I'm eating dinner with my cousins at the Red Tomato on King Street West before catching a showing of the Sound of Music and guess who sits down on the table right beside us? You guessed it: tall man with a date. I'll admit he and his date weren't having the wildest time. She seemed chattier than him. I remember wondering whether it was a first date or a full blown relationship. At this point I had leaned over to my table and quickly told them in double pig latin so that he wouldn't understand "Oh my god, you see this guy sitting to my left - Well I see him every morning on my way to work, and I saw him at the Guvernment and on Consumer's Road. Don't you think it's some sort of sign!? Isn't that weird?" (although in double pig-latin it sounded like this: "Ogoh mogy gogod, yogou sogee thigis goguy sigitigitiging togo mogy legeft- Wegell IgI segee hegim egevegeregy mogorniging ogon mogy wagay tego wogork, agand IgI sagaw hegim agat aga cogoncegert agat thege Govegernmegent, agand Cogonsegumeger's Rogoad! Dogo'nt yogou thegink igit's sogome sogort ogof sagign!? Igisn't thagat wegeiird?"). I had then tried that evening to smile at him. I mean come on, I was sitting diagonal from him, but he looked at me blankly so I guess he either didn't recognize me or purposefully showed a lack of enthusiasm in my direction, thereby choosing to not be friends. I then started to hold a grudge against tall man.

5. After a couple months of not taking our regular Vic Park North-bound bus together from the station, I got on the South-bound bus after work in April and he was already sitting on the bus. This was the first time we were riding the Victoria Park bus south-bound together. He definitely gave me a look of recognition. He didn't smile though. He was reading a newspaper. His shoes were kind of fancy. We got off the bus together and walked side by side to the Westbound Subway platform, to which I conclude that the Tall Man is not native to Scarborough and could even be my neighbour. He glanced over at me on the Subway platform, curious I'm sure about where I was headed.

6. What propelled me to go through with this blog entry was that last Saturday night I saw the Tall man out and about at Andy Pool hall. This time he stared at me for about 15 seconds. He still didn't even smile. I really wanted to talk to him this time. Enough was enough; we see each other everywhere. I knew so much about him at this point. So encouraged by a number of Gin & Tonics and some advice from a few strange fellows we met, I purposefully walked on to the dance floor ready to go up to him and say "Hi, my name is S. I see you EVERYWHERE!" but when I approached him he was involved in some grinding action with his girlfriend (who happened to be the same girl he was on a date with November at the Red Tomato - they are in fact a couple), and I turned right around, pretty embarrassed and thankful that I did not say anything in the end.......

All this to say: I'm not a stalker, I promise. I'm just now really intrigued. And, in a city as big as Toronto, when you start to see the same person across the breadth of the city, it's a sign that the city is becoming smaller. You consider for a minute that there is a Toronto community. When you ride the bus with the same people every day you feel akin to your fellow passengers... So, Tall Man if you're reading this (because you googled yourself...?), we're kind of like neighbours now so at least crack a smile at me next time. Or just fully shed the cold exterior and say hi. I think there's a 50% chance we might have something interesting to say to one another, even if it's just about the 24 Victoria Park bus.

S.

Quiet on Set

2009-05-11T16:42:00.018-04:00

I was right! They totally were filming Scott Pilgrim at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor.

And I guessed it'd be the scene where Scott is in a phone booth in front of Insomnia cafe. I headed down Bathurst at about 1pm today and there were film crew trucks and gear everywhere and signs saying "SP film shoot". When I got to Pizza Pizza, the police weren't letting people cross the street until they finished filming their shot and I could hear loud shouts of "ACTION!" every so often.

I squinted through the sun across the street and saw Michael Cera (in the title role) in a fake phone booth in front of Insomnia. I took a couple photos and contemplated what my next move should be.

I figured I'd be in the way and look like a giant loser if I tried to loiter near the set, so I decided to take a seat at Lettieri, as planned, and stare from there. Armed with a book (to make myself look like I had something better to do), camera, iPod, and Americano (which, by the way, tasted like gross freeze dried Nescafe. I need to find a new cafe), I sat at a booth and stared out the window hoping to catch a better glimpse of Michael.

So before I continue rambling, who is this Scott Pilgrim?

I was introduced to this Canadian graphic novel when I visited my friend J in Calgary in the summer of '07. J is a big comic book nerd, and even dragged us along to various comic book stores while we were on a time-limited vacation so he could find the latest issue of whatever it was he was into at the time. I'd never read a graphic novel and the only comics I read were Archie and Calvin and Hobbes. He told me I would really dig this one because it's cute and witty, and he was right! The series is about Scott Pilgrim, a 23 year old boy who lives in Toronto and plays in a band called Sex Bob-Omb, has a 17 year old Chinese girlfriend named Knives Chau, shares a bed with a cool gay roommate, and falls in love with a roller blading Amazon.com courier named Ramona Flowers, who takes a shortcut through his dreams. However, in order to get with Ramona, he must defeat her 7 evil ex-boyfriends in epic battles. How could you not love a story like that? Plus, the artist, Bryan Lee O'Malley, includes detailed sketches of lots of spots all around Toronto including Casa Loma, Sonic Boom, Lee's Palace, and the Bathurst/Bloor intersection.

So when I first came across the character Knives Chau, I said, "That's the perfect part for me! I can do whiny high school Asian kid! I want this part when it gets made into a movie! I must have it!" I really did say that. But dammit they cast the movie without doing a proper casting call that made sure girls like me knew about it. [edit: the girl in the photo is so not Knives, this is Knives]

There are 5 books, and I think they are planning to make 6. I have only actually read 2 of them because they are not available at my usual book stores. I know they're available at Pages on Queen Street, so every time I go there I try to pick one up (I guess I've only been there twice since '07)(I just received word that they are also available at Suspect Video on Markham St., so I'm gonna check that out). The problem with graphic novels is that there is so little text, it takes about 10 minutes to finish a book. Then you can read it again to look at the images more closely, but that's pretty much it. 20 min and you have to find yourself a new book.

I didn't stay long at Lettieri before getting antsy, so I got up and walked across the street, being careful not to step in the fake snow (made of actual ice and spun cotton), and tried to go to Sonic Boom. Sonic Boom prides itself on being open 365 days a year, but it was CLOSED! A film crew guy outside said they would be closed until Wednesday, so I deduced that they must be filming the interior for the scene when Scott breaks up with Knives. I'm quite the detective.

I stared longingly across the street for a moment more before deciding that it was futile, director Edgar Wright would never notice me, so I went on my way to buy groceries to make samosas (I'll tell you about those later!). On my way back, I walked through the main set and tried to spot some of the actors, but they were all gone. Just film crew people. Bo-oring!

I guess trying to be an actor by hoping directors of already cast movies will notice me when I casually walk by isn't the best of plans.

Won't someone please notice me?

2009-05-11T01:14:00.006-04:00

I think they are shooting Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World tomorrow at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor. There is fake snow along the Green Beanery, Honest Ed’s, and Pizza Pizza, and there are pylons all up Bloor and Bathurst with big wires on the sidewalks. I am going to bring a book and my camera and park myself at Lettieri for a while, in hopes that someone will notice me and ask me to please take over Ellen Wong’s role and reshoot all of her scenes.

And for the record, I knew about Scott Pilgrim way before the movie started filming, and when I first saw Knives Chau I said I would be the perfect choice for the movie adaptation. (Same thing happened when I read Memoirs of a Geisha. Hollywood has no idea what they’re missing.)

I’ll update after my attempt at discovery tomorrow! Wish me luck!