want some fun things to do next year in TO?

 I was introduced to Summerworks 2012 by a friend who was set designer for the play Violent be Violet.  Summerworks is Fringe like, various locations around the downtown area etc. but  differs from Fringe in that selections are juried.

The lead actor was also the playwright and she had a phenomenal supporting cast.  Tanisha barely left the stage for the entire hour and you could not take your eyes off her.  Here's a review that won't give away anything and although the play is truly an intense look at mental illness, it was brilliant.  I can see some people in LO theatre world being interested in this play if it is available???


http://www.mooneyontheatre.com/2012/08/13/violent-be-violet-fine-wine-theatre-2012-summerworks-review/

Big thumbs up for Summerworks,  spend a few days in TO, enjoy the August weather, fine plays plus music events (Hawksley Workman, Buck 65), put it on your list.

Now I want to rave about Global Cabaret 2012.  I once again only heard about it at the last minute and saw only one event.  Put this on your calendar if you are looking for a weekend in the city in October.  Held at the Yonge Centre for the Performing Arts in the Distillery District, this alone makes it worth checking out.   Any theatre built with a bar at the back?  Well, you know it's gotta be good. Awesome lobby with bar and food service, and tables if you arrive early and a fireplace!  Lovely.

I would have gone to about 6 shows easily, no problem.  If you want to spend a weekend listening to jazz, folk, showtunes, pop, gospel, classical in a fantastic setting for a great price, this is the ticket....$20 per or $108 for full festival pass.....(2 dozen events).  Big bang for the buck.  Check out some of the performers and you will understand why.

http://www.globalcabaret.ca/.

favourite quotes...

In an earlier post,  I introduced you to a quote from e.e. cummings that had been a part of my life since I first discovered it in 1968.  At the time, I mentioned I would post a more recent quote that I had kept in one of my "five boxes of life" and here it is.

I came across this quote in a Victoria magazine sometime in the 90's.  That magazine was one of the several I had to wean myself off of....bit of a magazine addiction back in the day.  Probably the least offensive of others I can think of...another post perhaps!!!

This particular quote is from Cross Creek by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and parallelled the sentiment of my previous quote with the message of living the life you love.  Marjorie was a pretty spectacular woman and you should check out her bio here.  Sorry, you'll have to cut and paste.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/492340/Marjorie-Kinnan-Rawlings




"It is more important to live the life one wishes to live, and to go down with it if necessary, quite contentedly, than to live more profitably but less happily."



This certainly reflects major life decisions that she made for herself and I like it too:)))

Farewell popcorn land

 Been off the blog because of 1) way too many shifts in popcorn land 2) training for a new job at Loblaws that suddenly came up 3) a popcorn land wrist injury that made typing painful (almost 100% better) and 4) a hellacious bug that laid me flat for about 5 days and two weeks later I am still coughing!!

What do I do on my first day of no longer being a Cineplex employee??  Went to a movie!!  (Cast pass=free). For my last shift, I was assigned to "floor" which means I kept washrooms and theatres clean for 6 hours plus I did theatre checks.  Have you ever noticed staff come in during a movie and look like they want to be anywhere else but in that theatre and then, they go to a piece of paper on the side wall and write something?  That is a theatre check.  You are checking that sound and picture quality are OK, too hot, too cold, no noisy audience members....and you are to do so every 30 minutes.    I don't have to go see Possession now(if I had ever wanted to).  I did not, however, mind going in to check on Dark Knight (Imax and non Imax versions). I wasn't supposed to stand and watch but it's my last night, what are they going to do?  Fire me???

So, Cineplex, cheers to you and my brief employee stint from May 5, 2012 until September 8, 2012.  Best perk?  Free movie passes once a week.  Did I have time to go to a movie once a week?  Absolutely not!  What did I see?  Dark Shadows, Avengers, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Hunger Games, Step Up Revolution, Moonrise Kingdom and Robot & Frank.

Least liked?  Sadly Dark Shadows. Favourite? Dark Knight followed closely by Avengers.  Most delightful?  Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Fav quirky and clever?  Moonrise Kingdom hands down with kudos to Robot & Frank.  Not exactly a Siskel & Ebert quality review but short and sweet, just like my length of employment with Cineplex!

dancin, dancin, she's a dancin machine!

First workshop in two years and I'm alive and it's day three!!!  Seriously, Monday night my left knee and ball of left foot hurt so much I was having panic attacks that I might not be able to make it through the rest of the week.  But, after ice and stretching the following day (and some alcohol the night of), I managed to feel pretty darn good for the next two days.

I am working on a tangos (nothing at all like ballroom/Argentine).  It's a dance for a party atmosphere so it's a cute/sexy/fun/tongue-in-cheek kind of dance.  We are learning a choreography but you can pull it apart to use and make it your own.   The best thing ever is that when I get home I can actually remember the choreography instead of everything being a-huge-blank-as-it-was-so-fast-and-so-beyond -my-skill-set-that-I-shouldn't-have-spent-the-$$$-to-be-in-that-class-kind-of-black-hole!!!  Wow, after 8 years I am sort of starting to get this madness called flamenco!

My day is coming to an early end and my bed is calling to me.  Night all!

and it's July part 2

hmmmm, for some reason video did not link to my first posting. Just tried it again, and no.

So, I give up, and I need to eat so, google Adela Campallo on you tube and check out the videos!!!

Fringe-ing and Bloor Cinema

I sadly must admit I only got to one Fringe show but I visited the Fringe alley several times which was most entertaining.  Beer, people watching, a small performance stage, a Punch and Judy type show and food and art vendors.  The show I saw was entitled Numbers...the artist doing live painting during the performances is a friend of mine from flamenco and the director Lukas, also has connections to flamenco.  A brief description of the show makes you wonder how it can work but work it did!!

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=330213402641515570#editor/target=post;postID=5111804979779994353

Fringe Toronto has 155 shows to see over the week.  You need serious time to choose your venues and travel time and decide what shows you want to see.  I had a selection but something else always came up....like sitting on a patio with a friend you ran in to.

I did get to see Coast Modern at the Bloor Cinema this week which was brilliant.  Thanks to Sandra in LO for letting me know what's going on in TO!!!  You are 2 for 2 in recommendations for fabulous films.

http://www.straight.com/article-674036/vancouver/doxa-2012-coast-modern-explores-west-coast-modernist-homes

Couldn't find a link with film footage but this is the best, if somewhat lengthy, article about the film and the history of this architectural style.  It's the landscaping and view of garden/forest that I really love....and, I'm becoming a minimalist about stuff.  I still like me a couch with comfy cushions and an arm to lean your back up against while snuggled up reading a book or watching a movie.  Mostly I love the open concept of these homes.  I could live in one big room (with a private bath!!!) and be quite happy.

oops, you might have to cut and paste these links

and it's July!!

Yes, I was in popcorn land for the Long Weekend, that's all I have to say about that!

I am going to get to some Toronto Fringe shows over the next week which makes me very happy and my birthday is coming up and I booked the day off to do something entertaining.  Will let you know what I come up with!!!

What I am really excited about is a week-long dance workshop coming up July 23-28!  Yeah, it's been a while since I have danced every day so it's excitement combined with checking my Advil supply.  I am going to be studying a palo (style) called tangos (not to be confused with what you see on DWTS!!)  I am excited as it is a palo I am fairly comfortable with dancing and singing(not at the same time)  so I may actually finish off the week being able to remember and use choreography in the future.  That is major, usually you are so overwhelmed at the pace of the classes, you can't remember a thing!!!

From Spain, Adela....enjoy!