Diana Vreeland & Funny Face

Just cleaning out my purse and found my stub from TIFF Bell Lightbox for Diana Vreeland:  The Eye Has to Travel.  Well worth a look see for all fashionistas and if you are a pop culture junkie, she hung with them all.  Photos of nights out and galas and parties are a treat.  I  left the film admiring her chutzpa and accomplishments and would have loved to have had a cocktail (or two) with her!  It's not the connection you make with Bill Cunningham, New York but a deserving story to be told.

Plus, my favourite scene from Funny Face was fashioned after her, so more love by association.





 My only comment about the Vreeland film is that the thought behind "the eye has to travel" is great for a still photo but for moving images???  I was constantly saying, "wait, I wasn't done looking at that".  Good ploy, makes me want to own it so I can spend more time with content.


Separate post for Vreeland and Cunningham trailers!!

Gema Caballero

Flamencoland

I came to TO to be taken over by flamenco and I can say it's almost 100%!! Three dance classes, 1 singing class for sure each week and another 2 opportunities to sing depending on work and then, as much as possible, I am practicing lyrics and choreography and listening to FlamencoBeat Radio out of Vancouver!!!  I added two dance classes since September (thanks, Loblaws!) and they are kicking me in the butt, literally, forgot how much dancing for two hours makes your hamstrings scream and burn.

I am concentrating in dance on bulerias and tangos.  For examples, google either of those palos (styles) on you tube either for baile or cante and you will see a gazilliono (that's Spanish, just add o, right Grant???) Not so specialized por cante, learning all kinds of palos.

In October, I studied cante for a week with Gema Caballero during the Toronto Flamenco Festival.  Ooops, I posted a you tube clip of Gema singing, gorgeous voice, that posted separately!!  We were learning siguriyas (one of the many possible spellings).  It is one of the hardest styles to understand the rhythm and how the words flow in and out of the rhythm.  It has taken me years to comprehend the palmas (clapping) for this palo.  I learned a lot and feel way more comfortable supporting a dancer or singer with palmas now.  Not sure I am ready to take on singing for a dancer!!  Baby steps....

Enjoy Gema!!

Wychwood Barns

I had often heard about the Barns but had not made the trek up to St. Clair and Bathurst until last spring. Shelley and I attended a Vintage Sale at the Barns and my eyes were opened to a truly fabulous retrofit of an old TTC facility.

Here's the link:  http://torontoartscape.org/artscape-wychwood-barns (damn, once again I am reminded that I have not figured out how to get the links to hyperlink for you!!!)  The info and photos and videos of the history and development of this once industrial space into a community centre for the arts makes me smile.  This is what people can do!!!  Check it out for sure.

Here's the link for the vintage sale too.  http://antiqueshowscanada.com/gadsdens-toronto-vintage-clothing-show-fall/.  The next sale is in April , 2013 I believe.

You aren't exhausted just thinking about going (like how I feel about going to the One of a Kind sale!!!) You can have a good snoop in a few hours and still have time to chat with the friendly vendors and customers. The quality is high and is priced accordingly but there is always a treasure or two to be found at your price point!!  Last year I found an extraordinary linen tea towel with each month represented by a dance from around the world.  Of course, you can imagine the squeeee I emitted when one of the months was flamenco.  This year I found two adorable brooches that I could not leave behind.  I must admit though, the reason I was so looking forward to going this year, was just to be back in the space...it is energizing inside and out.  Cool neighbourhood as well.

front entrance of Barns, forgot to take pictures of back entrance which is totally amazing as well

just to right of main entrance

 lovely lighting, great goods

much busier last year, easy to get around, hope vendors did OK

my friend Sandra, we needed some serious non-flamenco shopping!

please, can I find a new winter coat that is not black!!!

loved grey/creme sweater

old transit signs=big love

no idea if he was waiting for owner to stop shopping or if he just saw a great spot for a sunny snooze!

Temple Grandin (Trailer)

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:)))