arts.culture.living
August 2010 volume 2 issue 18
www.futuréale.com
arts . culture . living
Dog Trends The Luminato Story We really are what we eat Top 10 Summer Songs Remember Me Pride Week DJ Elan Myles
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Note From the Editor
FUTURÉALE
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 18
Acting Editor in Chief Russ Martin
Editor in Chief Shawn Shapiro
Associate Editors Russ Martin Karen Lam Melissa Doyle
Dear FutuRéale Readers,
Junior Editors
Well, August is here and we are well into the summer months. hopefully the summer is treating you well and relaxation as well as hard work is on your menu. I am proud to present to you the August edition which is a nice mix of everything one could hope to read in an edition of FutuReale! The FutuReale team has worked hard to bring you this great edition and we hope through the hot weather you can cool off inside. Enjoy the read and get excited for our Fall editions which will be spectacular. By Shawn Shapiro
Dany Pen
Senior Editorial Designer Ravish Rawat
Junior Editorial Designers Jenn Reid
Interns
Kevin Hamilton Olga Shugurova Kirsten Parucha Terra Ciolfe Dan Ball
Contributing Writers Tejinder Sidhu Olena Prostiv Lubna Bhaghani Terra Ciolfe Kelly Kocsis Craig Wilkins Melissa Doyle Arta Ghanbari Lindsay Romeo Anastasia Rok Christina Dun
Webmaster
ONAMAP Marketing Web Team
Online Content Editor Shawn Shapiro
E xecutive D irector Omar Murji
Contact FutuRéale at: info@futureale.com www.futureale.com ISSN 1916-3215 FUTURÉALE
Russ Martin
Acting Editor in Chief
FutuRéale Magazine is published by The Organic Press www.organicpress.ca FutuRéale Magazine is a proud member of the ONAMAP Network www.onamap.ca ©2010 ONAMAP Enterprises FUTURÉALE | CULTURE | LIVING FUTURÉALE ARTS ARTS | CULTURE | LIVING
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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04 Dog Trends: Pampering for your dogs is looking good Lindsay Romeo
06 Pretty Little Liars: Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret Tejinder Sidhu
08 We really are what we eat: A Look at the Farmers Market World Terra Ciolfe
12 The Luminato Story: culture on Stage Melissa Doyle
14 Buy our Excuses and then Buy our Products: Unwanted ads on the poles in Toronto’s streets Lubna Bhaghani
16 DJ Elan Myles: When it comes to DJ’s in Toronto, Elan Myles is the best Anastasia Rok
18 My Carlton: Will the new subplant the old? Craig Wilkins
21 Pride Week: Celebrating Three Decades of Pride Arta Ghanbari
23 Remember Me: A deep look at a deep film Kelly Kocsis
25 Top 10 Summer Songs: Music to keep you jumping this summer Christina Dun
27 Casa Loma Renaissance Festival: A festival worthy of Casa Loma Olena Prostiv
Cover image: Photograph of Elan Myles taken by Anastasia Rok
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Dog Trends Q arts.culture.living
FRESH, HOMEMADE, natural food isn’t just for people anymore–it’s for dogs too. With this new market opening up, barkeries that cater for dogs are the next big things. Lea Lauzon, owner of Poochini’s Barkery, has a range of homemade treats for any dog you can imagine.
Why make the effort of going
The barkery is always filled with warm smells like the scent of baking muffins.
Find your dog barkery's specialty: Know the barkery’s specialty, which is usually healthy and great tasting. Poochini’s
to Poochini’s Barkery for a
dog treat rather than your
local supermarket? One word: health. Every treat in the barkery is handmade and fresh. Lauzon’s dog treats have no preservatives, a common flaw in supermarket brands. She has even enforced the 100 km rule, only getting her products from local farms that are no further than 100 km from her barkery. This ensures that Poochini’s Barkery offers the freshest food for your dog. Lauzon emphasizes that it is the owner’s responsibility to keep their dog healthy, meaning less trips to the vet. Another bonus: the treats at Poochini’s Barkery aren’t just healthy, but also taste great.
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Barkery’s specialty is cookies, the best of which is the Walk and Roll Chicken Wrap. It’s Lauzon’s own creation, and she gets all the chicken from a local farm. The trend is raw: The raw diet, also known as the BARF diet (Bones And Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), has become more popular over the years. Humans are also looking to eat more raw food—staying raw is as natural as you can get, which is why it is
so healthy for you. Not to mention, freshness always goes hand in hand with raw. Lauzon ensures that all her food is holistic and always rotated so that owners are buying the freshest food for their dogs. Poochini’s Barkery’s start: Two and a half years ago, Lauzon’s dog Cali developed a condition called mega esophagus and could no longer eat many of her normal foods. In order to feed Cali, Lauzon turned to making her own food at home. She started giving samples to her neighbours, and eventually the operation grew into the business it is today. Lauzon now has her own barkery in New market, soon to hold even more healthy food for your dog.
What can Lea do for your troubled dog? Miracles happen at Poochini’s Barkery. Lauzon never fails to produce high end, holistic food, and if your dog cannot eat certain foods, she’ll make it custom. Many dogs come there with health conditions and are cured because of Lauzon’s diet advice. The role of the dog has
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arts.culture.living evolved: no longer considered just a pet, now dogs are part of the family. Some
of
the
new
popular
of which are custom-made. They also offer free delivery, so if you are too busy to pick up your dog’s Christmas dinner, Poochini’s Barkery
foods that are soon to come: With the new renovations, Lauzon has some fresh lines of food coming in to Poochini’s Barkery. These new lines reflect what people are asking for more and more for their dog, including Canadian holistic kibble, dehydrated and raw food and grain-free food.
As part of her focus on locally grown products, she is making the effort to go purely Canadian. Smoked foods are also becoming increasingly popular, because dogs go crazy for the taste. Celebrating the holidays with
Get into the season: Summer is here, and Poochini’s Barkery has got you and you’re dog covered. Poochini’s Barkery offers frozen yogurt for your dog! The delicious cool treat that is always a healthy favourite for people can now be a favourite for your dog. Poochini’s Barkery also offers their seasonal iced treats with a summer theme, such as treats that look like hot dogs and hamburgers
will make sure it gets to your doorstep on time. Last Christmas Poochini’s Barkery also made 4,000 holiday specialty treats, which you can have placed in gift bags. Spoiling your dog over the holidays has become a modern phenomenon. --rr
your dog? Poochini’s Barkery will actually make a holiday meal for your dog! For Christmas and Thanksgiving Poochini’s Barkery can set up
a turkey dinner for you to take home, a trend that became popular last Christmas season. Now that dogs have become more than just pets in the urban world, they are treated to specialty holiday meals just like their human friends. And of course, Poochini’s Barkery will take care of your pet’s birthday cake as well, all FUTURÉALE
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arts.culture.living
TV review of Pretty Little Liars SUMMER’S FINALLY HERE but unfortunately, not everybody has the luxury to whisk themselves off to a far away exotic destination. Instead many of us are left wondering, what to do with our summer and extra leisure time. If you are looking for a place to escape to as well, try the world of “Pretty Little Liars”. ABC’s new TV series based on the original book series, “Pretty Little Liars” by
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Sara Sheppard has garnered mixed reviews from critics. New York Times described this show as, “What the show lacks in this kind of irreverence it makes up for in plain old addictive soapiness.” The tagline “Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret,” hints already at the plot of this series. Four former best friends reunite at the death anniversary of their ex-ringleader,
Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse). Once a tight knit group of best friends, these girls grew apart after Ali (as she is referred to in the show) disappeared on a dark, sleep over night. These four girls- Aria, Hanna, Emily and Spencer- each shared a secret with Alison, respectively. Although Ali is dead, much is still the same in Rosewood, Pennsylvania with minor exceptions. Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) is still the pretty, fair brunette, who has just returned from a trip to Iceland with her family. Upon returning home from Iceland, Aria hits it off with a slightly older male at a bar who turns out to be her English teacher. This realization however does not stop the two from being together. Unlike Aria, Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson) has gone from a total transformation from the past to the present. Hanna who once used to deal with weight issues is now high schools “it” girl, decked in the latest fashions with a passion for shoplifting. Hanna may be popular and have a boyfriend now, but a few years back, she used to be a chubby girl who wasn’t noticed by her crush. Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario) also struggles for attention, but it’s from her family. In the Hastings family, the only achievements that count are the ones of Melissa (Torrey DeVitto). The only person that does notice Spencer is Melissa’s fiancé, Wren ( Julian Morris) who Spencer accidentally kisses. Also entangled up in problems raised from kissing is Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell). Emily is still an athlete and loves swimming. However, after becoming friends with her neighbour, Maya (Bianca Lawson) she realizes FUTURÉALE
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that there may be more than friendly feelings involved. This was confirmed when the two kissed each other together in a photo booth. Mysteriously and very reminiscent of “Gossip Girl”, the girls start to receive texts from this person named “A”. “A” is an unknown person who knows about the girls latest
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conquests and brings up memories of the past. Also on “A”’s radar for dirty little secrets, are Hanna’s mother, Ashley Marin, and Aria’s father, Byron Montgomery. Ashley Marin (Laura Leighton) in order to deal with Hanna’s latest charges for shoplifting resolves to having a fling with the cop in hopes of persuading him to drop charges. Byron Montgomery (Chad Lowe) had an affair with one of his students behind Aria’s moms in the past. Aria is the only one who knew about the affair but never said anything to her mother because she wants the whole family to stay together. Eerily enough, the only other person who would know about the contents of these sent text messages is Ali. However, it can’t be Ali because her dead body was found a few days before this texting drama ensued. Regardless, this “A” person, whoever it may be, is a danger to the girl’s secrets and must be found. “A” is starting to infiltrate their houses by leaving physical notes in addition to text messages, such as writing on the mirror, and notes on their counter. With each proceeding
episode, the tension increases, and the absolute suspense of what’s going to happen next will keep you biting your nails. Needless to say, “Pretty Little Liars” is a highly addicting show despite a few shortcomings. The theme song of the show, Secret by The Pierces, sounds out of place compared to the theme songs of other shows. Furthermore, the doll seen during the theme song, makes the viewer feel as if they are about to watch a horror movie rather than a drama for young adults. The season premier of the show also lacked character development and tried to include too much information for the viewer to take in. However, those issues aside, which are all subjective to personal opinion, this show has a marvellous plot that is complimented with the great acting done by the actors. This show includes a cast that has some familiar faces such as Laura Leighton from “Melrose Place”, Lucy Hale from “Privileged”, and even includes a fellow Canadian, Shay Mitchell. Targeted towards young adults, teens, and parents, this show gives viewers a break from heat wave alerts, and plain boredom. More importantly, this show offers a welcome culture change from vampires (“True Blood, “The Vampire Diaries”) and the scandalous lives of obscenely rich people (“Gossip Girl”, “90210”) that have infested our TV guides lately. Five episodes of the series have already premiered, and secrets of the girls are starting to come out. However, the question of who is “A” still needs to be found. To catch up, visit http://www. muchmusic.com/tv/prettylittleliars/. New episodes premier on Much Music, Tuesday nights, at 8PM. --rr
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arts.culture.living
Having the most donut shops per capita is quite the anomaly considering everything else the Niagara Region has to offer. OVER THE MANY GENERATIONS OF ITS USAGE, the meaning of the old adage— you are what you eat—had effectively been lost. However, with the recent push towards local produce and the explosion of the 100 mile diet, the true significance of this saying been resurrected and is quite possibly gaining a whole new meaning. With what seems to be an influx of farmers markets popping up all over the city in the past couple of years, attempting to go local is getting much easier than it has been previously. Struggling farmers jump at the chance to find another portal to be able to sell their produce and make some extra pocket cash while simultaneously getting to interact with the people purchasing their products. In principle, farmers markets are the best place to shop; you can find the freshest, locally grown, in-season produce as you enjoy strolling through the aisles at your leisure and maybe even stopping for a friendly chat or two. However, as history proves to us, what is great in principle is not always how it plays out in practice—and sometimes farmers markets are no exception. Finding the perfect farmers market nowadays can be a rather difficult and daunting task.
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arts.culture.living On one side of the spectrum, some something that should be held on to and organic and farm-raised meat industry, ranging markets are large enough to accommodate cherished. from poultry and beef to bison, elk and the growing influx of food-savvy consumers While some are too big and others are too venison. with more than enough produce to go around, small, it is the Niagara Region that is just right It is also all of this produce that is used to but it is at the expense of the personal, create the many local jams and jellies, intimate relationships that can be built artisan bread, cheeses, apple ciders between the farmer and the shopper. etc. That can be found throughout the While some days, Toronto’s centuryregion. old St. Lawrence Market can provide a You name it and chances are the picturesque venue for a fairly peaceful Niagara Region has it somewhere in one and relaxing shopping experience form or another and it is for precisely this with all the variety that one could only –Yvette Plentai, founder and of the Niagara reason that Niagara farmers markets fits dream of. Other days it is reduced to an Local Food Co-operative perfectly between the apparent paradox invariable zoo of people all vying for of diversity and intimacy, guarantee and the same bunch of exquisite asparagus, in and is home to an agricultural Mecca that is chance. which case, it may be wiser to opt for a visit able to provide such a happy medium. The Historically, it has boasted some of the to the Superstore just under the highway. region is mostly known as the hub of Canada’s most affluent and oldest markets of Ontario, On the other side of the spectrum are the wine industry, but it is much more than just with the St. Catharines farmers market having smaller, more community based markets that. The same conditions and geographic been established in the early 1800s. While which tend to allow for a greater personal location that allows grapes to flourish in the there are not many farmers markets in the area, connection to the farmers themselves and the region also provides lush agricultural grounds the ones that are there offer all of the selection produce they wield. But, this too has its costs for a variety of other produce. that one could need, while still remaining and is at the expense of product diversity and Whether it is the luscious cherries, small enough to be personable. volume. blueberries, strawberries or famous peaches Joe Hozjan, for example, is one of those What one ends up choosing is the result of that come from the lands near Lake Ontario, people that you can’t help but adore and is either preference, or a cost-benefit analysis - the fiddleheads and variety of melons that one of the many friendly faces that you can see diversity versus intimacy; guarantee versus come from the Port Colborne Bog, or the everything Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, chance. copious amounts of other fruits and vegetables rain, shine or snow, at the Market Square in This is not to say, however, that one must that are grow throughout the entirety of the downtown St. Catharines. necessarily choose one over the other, or that region, there are not many products that can He started off his life in Montreal working a happy medium does not exist, nor is it to be grown in Canada that can’t also be grown in in the sewing industry, to eventually making suggest that farmers markets are not all that the Niagara region—all of which are within a the move to become a mechanic. Now they are cracked up to be. Rather, it is short drive from one another. however, since living in the Niagara region, simply illustrative of the fact that when Amid the multitude of farmlands, orchards Hozjan has been growing and selling his own you do find that happy medium, that it is and vineyards there is also a burgeoning produce at the market for 17 years.
“The Niagara Region really could become a locavore paradise simply because of what we have to offer.”
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arts.culture.living As it seems for Hozjan and any of the locals that he encounters, the farmers market is about more than just a monetary exchange. It is also a personal exchange; an exchange of a story, a conversation, or maybe just a smile. However, in Hozjan’s case, chances are, you will also walk away with a slice of apple, a handfuls of cherries, or whatever other fruit might be in season. Not only can you get to know the farmers and understand where your food is coming from because of the quaintness of these markets, but they also present consumers with a variations of products all at one place – artisan crafts, made-to-order foods, breads, jams, free-range meats, cheeses, flowers, and even popcorn – all locally grown and transformed in the surrounding area. Niagara is home to many traditional farmers markets, but is also one of only three regions in Canada which is keeping up to date with the technological changes and transforming the way we view the concept of farmers markets and buying local. The Niagara Local Food Co-operative is a unique and innovative local food distribution system. Essentially, it acts as a virtual farmers market for local farmers and consumers alike. Consumers can order their fresh local food online, which then goes directly to the farmers themselves and every second week there is a communal pick-up/drop-off location. For Yvette Plentai, founder of the Niagara Local Food Co-operative, supporting local food systems has always been something that she deeply values and had been engrained into her throughout her upbringing. “I used to go to [our family restaurant] as a child with my mother and I would talk to the farmers and we used to buy local way back then,” she said. “Back then you didn’t have [corporation that prepared everything] in those days so you had to source locally a lot.” Plentai eventually ended up running the restaurant that her parents had started, but
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arts.culture.living it wasn’t until she got out of the restaurant industry that she realized the lack of distribution system in the region. “I wanted to start a grassroots project to keep it solid. Start it small and grow it from there, so I looked for a cost-effective model and this is what we came up with,” said Plentai. The organization now includes close to 30 different local vendors from around the region ranging from fruits and vegetables, cheese, and meats, to different types of breads, honey, maple syrup and flours. To join the Co-op it costs $50 for consumers and $100 for vendors. However, there are also certain standards that vendors have to live up to ensure that the products are as close to the region as they can possibly be. “Basically, it has to be grown here in the Niagara region. It has to be transformed here too. You can’t go and buy spaghetti sauce, for example, and then try to make it your own by adding basil to it and selling it off. We check the farm and check the standards of it for safety,
etc. We like to keep everything local. It has to be something that is grown and cultivated in our own backyard,” said Plentai. “Except for, let’s say, the baker, if he can’t find the flour that he needs here in the region, he’ll get the closest to it. That was something that we set out right from the beginning.” Plentai is a strong advocate or supporting local farmers and the local community, and she says that the importance of buying local, for her, is three pronged; cultural, social, and economic. “I think that it is so important to have a story. I think that we have lost the story. We are an agricultural society and I think that getting back to our story is a very important thing, and especially here in the Niagara Region because of the soil and our climate and what we are capable of producing, which can’t be found anywhere else. I think that is really important. Socially, I think it is a beautiful social event to go to a farmers market or to have eaten something local where you have core values that are instilled. Economically, it is keeping your dollars here, spending your dollars here, putting them back into the economy here, in your own backyard,” she said. While Plentai realizes that a lot of the consumption patterns of the typical consumers nowadays is currently based on the need for convenience, she believes that by building a more coherent network system, going local can be made much easier, especially in the Niagara Region. “[I want people] to feel that they are supporting their local community, that they are part of their local community [...] You are purchasing from your farmer, who has grown it and laboured it, and you are bringing it home; you are bringing the story of the Niagara region in your home,” said Plentai. “The Niagara Region could become a Locavore paradise simply because of what we have to offer.” --rr
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Luminato
arts.culture.living
LUMINATO IS ONE OF CANADA’S LARGEST THEATRE AND MUSIC FESTIVALS, including venues across the
city of Toronto. West Side Story Suite is the piece that the National Balley of Canada introduced with the Festival. The story, having existed on Broadway since 1957, it is no wonder that it would eventually be a Suite. This is that the production would include song, dance and a beautiful story to go along with it. This story, which can be understood best, as a combination of Grease and Romeo & Juliet, is a story about love and death in the big apple, New York City. Piotr Stanczyk, one of the National Ballet of Canada’s principal dancers, is the lead male role in Luminato’s “West Side Story Suite”.
From Poland to Canada, Stanczyk has taken on lead roles in shows, such as Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Carmen. Now with the West Side Story Suite, Stanczyk is truly leaving a name for himself, with ballet history. In a recent phone interview, I spoke with
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Stanczyk about his work with the National Ballet of Canada and more specifically, his role as Bernardo with the West Side Story Suite. Stanczyk said that in being with the Ballet for nearly 13 years, what are some of your greatest personal accomplishments aside from the awards that you have won. FUTURÉALE
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arts.culture.living “The principal dancer is my most amazing achievement, and besides that, the opera in October and Carmen.” Having worked with other shows, such as Carmen or Romeo and Juliet, now having been Bernardo in West Side Story Suite, Stanczyk said that he found the roles did not necessarily help him for the others, as they were different. What he found to be one of the challenges he faced with have faced with the role of Bernardo in West Side Story Suite, was in the other. He says that while “The principal dancer is my the he does not have a favourite either contemporary or most amazing achievement, oftraditional ballet, he does find that either could vouch to be and besides that, the opera in better in one sense, because October and Carmen.” of the choreography that goes Latin dancing. I asked Stanczyk which part of the Suite that he liked, in watching it as an audience member. “My favourite part is the fight,” says Stanczyk. He explained that it is through the choreography of the dance in making it look like an actual fight that he enjoys. When I asked Stanczyk why he decided to take the role of Bernardo in the Suite, he said that it wasn’t necessarily something he chose, but an honour that was given to him. A lot of these roles are based on looks, and once I put some make up on, I look Puerto Rican. Also with the fact that I am one of the principal dancers. If they give me a role like this, I am going to do it.” Stanczyk says that while he did not have any previous dancing experience aside from ballet, he did have some help from his cousin, who has experience in Latin dancing. When I asked Stanczyk whether he preferred contemporary or ballet dance, he said that neither is better to him than FUTURÉALE
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along with it. “I don’t really have a favourite it depends on the choreography. If you can take beautiful moves and a great choreographer whether contemporary or not, it will be a good piece.” --rr
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arts.culture.living
Buy our Excuses and then Buy our Products By Lubna Bhaghani
IN THIS DAY AND AGE, it is nearly impossible to walk down any major street in Toronto without being bombarded by
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advertising. Countless images are in your face, drawing you to do this, buy that, come here, fly there, use these or support those. How can
one not feel manipulated when presented with hundreds of sales pitches on a daily basis? Nonetheless, we’ve come to terms with the reality of it and survive. Superabundant advertising is now accepted as the norm, especially in thriving metropolitan areas like Toronto, and we as consumers respect the advertisers’ right to make a living. This however is beginning to feel one-sided; the respect is not being reciprocated. A significant number of billboards and signs in Toronto are either illegally placed or are in violation of the stipulations on their permits. It’s as though advertisers no longer know where to draw the line. In these days of little time and shorter attention spans, the need for marketing campaigns that surprise or shock the consumer is understandable. However, the need for compelling advertising must still be weighed against social responsibility and should be mindful of public space. They cannot simply think of the most outrageous idea they can, or find the most visible spot in the city and throw up a billboard. Well, law dictates that they cannot do this, but the trend seems to be posting an ad, crossing one’s fingers and hoping not to get caught. At least, so I thought at first. I looked at some of the recent offenders of signing laws and realized that many are large corporations: Rogers, Ikea, Astral Media, Pattison Outdoor, Titan Outdoor and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, to name just a few. These are sizeable companies that have been around the block a time or two. They employ people whose primary responsibility is to keep them out of legal trouble. Are we to believe that no one looked into whether advertising on public sidewalks was legal? That the question wasn’t even posed? I don’t buy it. They don’t care that I don’t buy FUTURÉALE
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arts.culture.living it. Whatever fine they may be charged by the city for their violation is likely significantly cheaper than launching a full ad campaign. They receive the benefit of publicity – and generous publicity at that – by doing something controversial. It’s reminiscent of Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and the ilk. The behaviour mimics that of popular young pop stars that crave attention and are willing to do anything to get it. They launch publicity stunts just to be on people’s minds, with no concern for whether that attention is going to be negative or positive or what effect it will have on their reputation. It’s self-aggrandizing; they seem to believe they are invincible and will not be affected by the consequences of their actions. The deterrent in this case is a fine, which does little to discourage companies from venturing out to do this backdoor advertising. Fed up with this visual assault, the residents of the city are taking matters into their own hands, resulting in the emergence of activist websites. Most notably, www.illegalsigns.ca is calling the city out on their lenience in regards to sign permits. They are fighting the advertisers and billboard companies by digging up permits and making them comply with what is permissible according to city records. Rami Tabello, the man behind the website, says, “Our goal is to fight illegal billboards with the rule of law; doing this, we can reduce the number of billboards in the city.” One would think that the city would appreciate the additional pressure against offenders. However, Illegal Signs has been met with hefty opposition. They also deal with some unpleasant outdoor advertisers that would rather not have their work called into question. Nevertheless, the team at Illegal Signs continues to forge ahead. The responsibility does not lie in the hands of the offenders alone. Some blame must be placed on the city. Their inaction is quite possibly a result of insufficient funding
or lack of time, but the question must still be asked: why bother coming up with these laws if no one is going to administer them? “The City has offered numerous explanations over the years,” Tabello says. “The important thing is that City officials have come to realize there is a serious problem.” Through pure diligence, Illegal Signs and others succeeded in late 2009 in getting city council to pass a new sign by-law and a billboard tax to pay for enforcement and art initiatives. It’s a giant stride forward in the fight for a balanced public space. Unfortunately, even with these advances and heightened awareness, too many advertisers are still getting away with non-
them to the site. The pictures are posted with the companies’ contact information and people are encouraged to call and complain. Is this extreme? Perhaps. I can see how some would see this as a nuisance, but what are residents to do? According to the law, these signs are illegally mounted, but with no enforcement people are left to their own devices. How do these companies respond to public outrage regarding their conduct? Sure, they issue apologies and promise to rectify the damage. But really, everything after the fact is just a charade to appease the public. Through their actions, they declare that they don’t care whether we buy their excuses or not, so long as we buy their products. This despicable attitude toward the buying public is what gives all advertising a bad name. People are not nameless, faceless wallets and it is irresponsible for advertisers to conduct their behaviour based on that impression. --rr
“Our goal is to fight illegal billboards with the rule of law; doing this, we can reduce the number of billboards in the city.”
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compliance. “It’s been very slow and we are not impressed with the by-law enforcement efforts so far,” reflects Tabello. “It needs to drastically improve.” Clearly, the city does not consider this visual pollution to be a big enough problem. Looking at things on a smaller scale, it is virtually impossible to find a naked hydro pole, traffic light or mailbox anymore. Small signs (usually belonging to small businesses) litter our neighbourhoods. Displeasing to the eye, they infiltrate our minds with ideas of kitchen and bath renovations, windows and doors, landscaping, duct cleaning and various other things we can’t live without. Take a minute to peruse www.torontoadvertisinghallofshame. ca, a website for people to air their grievances regarding the deteriorating beauty of their neighbourhoods. Contributors take photographs of the illegal signs and submit
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arts.culture.living
IN A CITY WHERE THOUSANDS OF CLUB-GOERS SPEND THEIR WEEKENDS ON THEIR FEET, dancing away to top hits, many aspiring DJs are struggling to land gigs and make music that people will recognize as theirs. Among so many DJs and nightclubs that offer only very few people the opportunity to host events, one particular disc jockey stands out. DJ Elan Myles’s music has been described as bringing a fresh, coming-of-age sound. “His music is bringing lots to the table,” expresses a fan. “He works with sound in a way that many musicians are afraid to. He doesn’t stick with the standard; he deviates from it, and that’s what grabs people’s attention.” His approach demonstrates an ability to incorporate various patterns of music, giving him a quality that has been lost in today’s digital mixing. His creations have a modern touch, but are so original that no one has yet been able to label him with a genre. “I like a big variety of music,” says Myles. “I think every DJ needs to be open-minded and work with more than just one genre.” His music has been classified as including techno, funk, electro and trance. “When I DJ, I like to play around with every technique from all sorts of styles, and with my harmonic mixing, I can put all these styles into one.” As one of the top up-and-coming DJ artists in Toronto, Elan Myles has a growing fan base and is quickly making a name for himself. What started three years ago as a hobby has instantly created a talent that is now being recognized all over the GTA. His collaborations and creative ideas have landed him numerous gigs and he continues
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to amaze audiences with never-before-heard increasingly known as the fearless DJ. “You music. What makes Myles’s music unique is just can’t compare” a friend says. “He isn’t his distance from typical mixing. Through like anyone out there”. What makes Myles so experimentation unique is the fact and a willingness “When I DJ, I like to play around that he doesn’t stick to alienate himself with every technique from all with any particular from expectations trend. “Sometimes of what a DJ sorts of styles, and with my he will come out should do, Myles harmonic mixing, I can put all with a great mix has learned that of a popular song, these styles into one.” sound is more next thing you than just beats and melodies. His ear for the know he goes old-school and takes you back “unimportant” elements of music are what to the ‘90s…in a modern, cool type of way.” makes him stand out from most that don’t pay He is not afraid to mix in ways that no one attention to little details – but a little change else wants to, or to play with sound in ways makes a big difference. Myles is becoming that many people write off as unfitting a DJ. FUTURÉALE
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arts.culture.living Myles has gone from exploring instruments as a child to music producer and one of the busiest DJs in Toronto. “When I was a kid, I would play around on people’s pianos while other kids were outside playing hide and seek,” he explains. “I would play around with different sounds and make my own melodies.” His aptitude for music grew and by the age of 12 he was already creating his own loops on digital mixing programs. In his late teens, fellow DJs noticed his unique ability to create never-before-heard sounds, and began playing his tracks at their events. By the age of 20, Myles had already moved from producing his own music to DJing it. “Within two years of starting I was already playing at the biggest clubs in Toronto,” he says. These clubs include The Government, Circa, Sound Academy, Six Degrees and more. Myles proved himself when his podcast “Beats in Motion” went from unknown to one of the top 60 downloaded electronic podcasts in the world – in less than a year. “It feels great!” he says. “I am amazed by its progress.” His success landed him a gig on U.K. radio, where Myles was invited to play
on Danny Nightingales show “Ibiza House Party” on 107.2 FM. “I always had this dream to play in Europe, and I feel this is the first step.” Myles is currently working on an album, but didn’t offer any details. “Once it’s released, I’ll make sure everyone hears about it.” Myles’s inspiration has come from numerous artists who also possess varying styles. “Ever since I was a kid I listened to trance and house music,” he says, his favourites including Tiesto, Armin Van Buren, Astral Projection and Infected Mushroom. “As time passed, I started slowing down the beats per minute in the music I liked, and I began listening to artists like Jerome Isma-Ae, Chris Lake, Pryda and Deadmau5.” His openmindedness and variety of tastes are the key elements that allow him to make the music he does, and as his name becomes more and more globally recognized, his music will continue to fascinate. He is currently working on the 14th episode of “Beats in Motion,” and his music will soon travel the world through huge speakers at the most popular clubs that own the nightlife.
“Never give up,” he says. “The harder you push the more you accomplish. This is what the industry is all about: pushing yourself and being hungry.” But for Myles, music is even more than that. “It’s an addiction.” For further information, stop by his website www.elanmyles.com where you can find a brief bio and a schedule of events where DJ Elan Myles will be performing. His podcasts can be found on his website, ITunes or http://elanmyles.podomatic.com. --rr FUTURÉALE
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arts.culture.living
IN AUGUST OF 2003 I spent three wonderful Sunday afternoons at the Carlton Cinema watching “Dirty Pretty Things”, “The Magdalene Sister” and one of my favourite Charlotte Rampling movies, “Swimming Pool”. Shot respectively, in London, Scotland and, France, each afternoon I not only slipped into the world of the cinema, but the cinema of the world. That was what the Carlton meant to me and why I loved it so much. As the number one Indie movie fan here at Futuréale I spend a lot of time (probably too much) educating myself about Independent 18
cinema. It’s an education I hope to continue till the day I die, and even on my deathbed I will be checking the papers to see if that new Danish-Canadian coproduction has finally been released. The Carlton Cinema has been a big part of that education. I imagine a lot of my fellow Indie movie lovers in Toronto can make the same claim. Will this new reincarnation of the Carlton be more like the one that closed just over six months ago, a multiplex that showed mostly second run Independent features in a space that was so far inferior to the first run theatre it just came from that most of us
chose to pay the extra few dollars to see it earlier and in more comfort? Or will it be more like the Carlton of my youth, a place for the smaller movies of the world to play? A continuation of our education in the joy and love of Independent film. Because as I write this on the second weekend of the Carlton’s grand reopening, I am concerned. I was an every weekend Carlton Cinema patron for years and then one weekend I just stopped going. I think there must have been a lot of people like me or the Carlton wouldn’t have gone from being a packed and FUTURÉALE
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beloved movie house to a nearly empty most nights last resort as it did in its final days. So what went wrong and what must Magic Lantern Theatres do this time round to keep us coming back week after week? FUTURÉALE
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I’ve read several articles on the internet claiming Cineplex Odeon allowed the building to fall apart and then closed it, not because it wasn’t making money, but because it didn’t represent the high quality of entertainment
their brand promised. This just isn’t true. No business shuts down a money making venture simply because it doesn’t fit their corporate image. They might sell it, but to walk away from a golden goose for no reason just isn’t good business. That said, walking into the newly reconditioned Carlton is a lot more pleasurable then walking into the old paint fading, carpet threadbare, uncomfortably seated cinema we had become accustomed to. And knowing I wouldn’t have to sit through the movie with one hand raised to my eyes blocking the breeze from the huge fans blowing into my face because the air conditioning wasn’t working again, that was nice. But there is only so much you can do with the Carlton’s space outside of a very costly total gutting and rebuild. The nine tiny theatres are still deep and narrow and combined with old fashioned slanted seating means that shorter people have to choose between sitting in the front rows or worrying always that as the movie begins someone taller will sit right in front of them and they’ll spend the whole evening bobbing back and forth in an attempt to see as much of the screen as they can. This is particularly problematic when the movie is foreign and subtitled as so many at the Carton are. But that wasn’t why I stopped going. Now that the theatres have been refurbished my theatre going experience over the first two weekends has been entirely positive. So if it’s not the space, what was the real problem? And why am I so concerned about Magic Lantern Theatres four pronged plan to attract us back to the Carlton? Besides pointing out the newly refurbished theatres, which draw as much attention to their limitations as to their facelift, Magic Lantern points to a much lower price for their movies, their neighbourhood feel, and the movies they are playing, movies you won’t see everywhere else.
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arts.culture.living But it is this attempt to be all things to all people that has me scratching my head. When they point to price, $5 on Tuesday and $7 matinees, very favourable at first glance, all I see is my $6 Tuesday nights at the Varsity. The week, for example I have the option of seeing “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” at the Carlton for $5 or seeing the brand new sequel, “The Girl Who Played With Fire” at the Varsity for a dollar more. And the comparison to the AMC’s before noon $6 movies is even worse. For a dollar less you can see a brand new movie in a bigger more luxurious setting. I imagine it’s because of their desire to be the neighbourhood cinema that “The Last Air bender” played the first two weeks the Carlton was open. Given the choice between seeing it in 2D on one of the Carlton’s tiny screens for $7 and seeing it in 3D on one of AMC’s ginormous screens for $9 just steps south on Bloor, I choose to spend another toonie. I really think that the neighbourhood feel and price points will be sellers to some people, but if the Carlton is going to return to its former glory it is going to be the mix of movies that make the difference. There are thousands of Independent and foreign feature films produced every year. Even some of the larger ones that play the big festivals like Toronto’s International Film Festival don’t get another showing in this city. And most that do get only a day or two at a rep cinema or a week at one of the big chain theatres. Magic Lantern Theatres say they are going to show Independent and foreign films that don’t get shown anywhere else in the city or have runs too limited for theatre patrons to have a chance to appreciate them. This is the Carlton I remember from my early years in Toronto. But with all the thousands of movies to choose from, why are they currently playing Indie movies like “The Girl With the Dragon
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Tattoo”, “Please Give”, “The Secret in Their Eyes”, and “Mao’s Last Dancer” movies which enjoyed extended runs at one or more of Toronto’s premium cinemas? Will the cheaper regular prices attract price conscious viewers to movies like “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”? Will the neighbourhood aspect coax some into foregoing the plusher upscale theatres to see a movie like “The Last Air bender”? Will a combination of the two convince enough Indie fans into waiting and hoping that a movie like “Please Give” moves into the Carlton after its run at another theatre nearby? For now I am still undecided. Because with four of its nine theatres showing movies I watched at other cinemas months ago and one showing a big Hollywood release that can be seen just about everywhere, that only leaves four screens playing Independent and foreign fare that truly can only be seen at the Carlton. For now I’m just so happy to see the
Carlton back that going to any movie there is a joy. But when that joy wears off it’ll take a movie to get me through the door. And not a movie I can see elsewhere, and not a movie I’ve already seen. Price and comfort and neighbourhood feeling are all incentives, but it will take movies like “Dirty Pretty Things”, “The Magdalene Sisters”, and, “Swimming Pool” to keep me coming back week after week for my Indie fix. --rr
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PRIDE WEEK THIRTY YEARS AGO, being gay didn’t involve a week dedicated to celebrating your rights and sexuality every year, or having a parade with about 1.2 million attendees supporting you despite dangerously hot temperatures. But for many, Pride means much more than just sexuality. This year Pride Week returned to Toronto marking three decades of community, sexuality, equality and fighting for a voice. “Pride means the way things are supposed to be,” says Moe Asem, a proud, gay attendee. “It reminds people that despite our differences, Torontonians can come together for different purposes.” As Pride Week reached its 30th anniversary this July, the past was still in the hearts of a few politically charged participants. It was in the early 1970s that a group of gays and drag queens came together to march, riot and eventually create an annual celebration called Gay Day picnics. In 1981, Toronto’s first major gay demonstration was held at the Yonge and Wellesley intersection,
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in an area still famously known as the gay village. Frequent demonstrations, although generally peaceful, continued to grow and
eventually closed down streets where gay supporters danced and sparked the gay liberation movement. The 519 Church Street Community Centre located right at the Wellesley and Church intersection is a famous location to the gay community as a headquarters for protests, support and gay-related events since the 1970s. Toronto’s first Pride Committee was formed in 1986, which helped place sexual orientation in the Human Rights Code the following year. However, it was in 1991 that the city’s government got involved and proclaimed an official Pride Day, which about 80,000 people commemorated. The next milestone came to battling gay activists in 2005 when the Canadian government legalized same-sex marriage in all provinces under the Civil Marriage Act. Today, organizing one of Toronto’s largest festivals is only a small piece of the pie for the Pride Toronto committee. The non-profit organization exists to support the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer/Questioning, Two-Spirit and
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Allies communities in Toronto. Other than the parade, the organization is also behind the annual Dyke March and Trans March, and has support groups divided into categories for youth, families, people over the age of 40, the disabled and human rights awareness. Pride Toronto galas, sport tournaments, museum exhibitions (such as Pride at the AGO this year), marches, receptions and concerts events take place all year round. Once again this year, the parade is far from being dominated by a gay-only crowd. People of all genders, sexualities and countries make their way to downtown Toronto to watch, participate, support and celebrate the changes that have taken place in a relatively short period of time. Although it would be naïve to think that homophobia no longer exists, the energy at the parade makes it momentarily
believable. The media and ordinary Torontonians came together to watch and document with thousands of camera lenses pointed at the red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple-covered participants. Spraying the sweaty, red-cheeked audience with water guns and throwing candy and colourful beaded necklaces (known as pride beads), participants marched the streets of downtown Toronto with enough energy to keep their dehydrated supporters transfixed. Marilyn Monroe impersonators, nearly naked participants dancing onstage and even completely naked bodies were seen marching in the parade. Many tourists were part of the millionplus audience members observing the way Torontonians celebrate diversity – as were many youth, seniors and families. But why do
so many people attend the parade, standing on their tippy-toes, peering over an infinite sea of heads, just to catch a glimpse of the one-of-akind costumes and expensively decorated cars? “To me, pride means family,” says Robert Blake, who watches the parade yearly with his daughters. “It’s a big day because the city is so diverse. New people that move here need to see that this is a part of our culture.” This year’s parade brought with it political tension. The debate over the participation of the group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) in the Pride parade reached the media quickly, as the committee struggled with what should and should not be included. However it’s not unusual for entrants to reflect the social and cultural anxieties of the time. After much dispute over the QuAIA, the group was given permission to participate. After the parade, the week ended cheerfully as an energetic crowd of thousands danced and walked around the Church and Wellesley area as people showed off their costumes and enjoyed street concerts. “Everyone needs to feel accepted,” says Amye Parker, enjoying her first Pride experience since her move to Toronto last year. “And everyone is accepted here.” --rr
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By Kelly Kocsis A ROMANTIC TRAGEDY starring Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Chris Cooper, Lena Olin and Pierce Brosnan just to name a few. The movie has a slow methodical pace, an almost melancholy feeling in the air. The film opens to 1991, a woman and young child waiting for a subway, the woman gets shot. We then fade to black and come back to New York circa 2001. The opening scene while sad does give us a quick introduction to our leading lady (the young girl) Ally. When we come back to 2001 we get introduced to Tyler, our leading man. Like most love stories this one has the basic formula, our two good looking young lovers Ally and Tyler (played by Emilie de Ravin and Robert Pattinson) meet and fall in love, get torn apart only to find each other again. But don’t expect a happy ending. The official synopsis is “In the romantic drama Remember Me, Robert Pattinson plays Tyler, a rebellious young man in New York City who has a strained relationship with his father (Pierce Brosnan) from the time tragedy separated their family. Tyler didn’t think anyone could possibly understand what he was going through until the day he met Ally (Emilie de Ravin) through an unusual twist of fate. Love was the last thing on his mind, but as her spirit unexpectedly heals and inspires him, he begins to fall for her. Through their love, he begins to find happiness and meaning in his life. Soon, hidden secrets are revealed, tragedy lingers in the air, as the circumstances that brought them together threaten to tear them apart. Set in the summer of 2001, Remember Me is a story about the power of love, the strength of family, and the importance of living passionately and treasuring every day of one’s life.” From http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt1403981/synopsis FUTURÉALE
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a cu u ll tt u u rr e e .. ll ii v v ii n ng g a rr tt ss .. c Sadly this film is not as strong as the cast list would make it out to be, Emilie de Ravin and Robert Pattinson both take up the screen time much more than their more experienced co-stars. Though it should be noted that I really did like every actor’s performance, they each carried depth and in the cases of the younger stars showed potential to do better. That being said there were times certain actors just didn’t seem
“This is a sad film; even the happy moments are somehow tainted by past tragedies.” able to convince me to think anything beyond the acting is mediocre. At the end of the day it was the actors and not the script that made the film the way it was. On the bright side many of the actors had potentially good chemistry, with Robert Pattinson actually being capable of a decent attempt at acting. A great actor he is not, but even I admit he has shown the potential to grow as an actor. The movie takes place in the year 2001, New York, New York (so darn nice they had to name it twice). The twist at the end of this tradagy soaked filmed is pretty obvious and yet somehow still stuns you. It’s very effective, though I should point out that those hoping for an ending that is happy….look elsewhere. This is a sad film; even the happy moments are somehow tainted by past tragedies. The film was shot well, the editing was clean and the overall feel was good. It seems that Robert Pattinson’s fans and the paparazzi made the filming process difficult, to the point of having to shoot a scene covertly, under the cover of night. Apparently Robert Pattinson’s fans (the rabid ones) had the tendency to become overly eager and causing the actor to get into a mild incident (he was running from
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the fans and hit a parked car. He was fine; though I’m sure he was a bit spooked). Now back to the movie itself. It was an okay film. It wasn’t great; but not horrific. It was a sad movie that had very little appeal for me. I found myself not particularly enamoured by all the characters, the end seemed forced somehow and the overall effect was an angst ridden movie. There was one hopeful message that I got out of it. To live like it’s your last day on earth, make everything you do count for something. Overall all I give it a 2 out of 5, maybe that’s too harsh I don’t think it quite lived up to a 3. This was a hard film to review, because I didn’t feel any real emotions while watching this film and even the solid acting by a few of the more experienced cast and the beautifully shot scenes couldn’t save “Remember Me”. --rr
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Top 10 Summer Songs WITH THE SUMMER WELL ON ITS WAY, with flip flops and ice cream galore, everyone has a set of songs that puts them in that carefree summer mood. Whether you prefer pump up party tunes or laid back acoustic jams, this summer is full of artists who know how to get the summer going. Here is a list of hits that will forever remind you of the summer of 2010. 1. California Girls - Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg Driving down alongside the beach with the top down and this catchy song blasting...that would be the perfect setting for this ultra
popular Katy Perry track. This hit tune will keep your hands up and will keep you singing along! From bikinis to beaches, Katy Perry incorporates the perfect mixture of summer elements, not to mention throwing in some Snoop Dogg rhymes as well. This song is lighthearted and cheerful; ideal for that day out in the sun. 2. Billionaire - Travie McCoy ft. Bruno Mars Summertime is definitely the best time for dreaming out loud and with “Billionaire,” everyone is sure to relate. From luxury cars to travelling to new cities every night, who wouldn’t want to spend their summer with a limitless bank account? This optimistic song FUTURÉALE
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brings out the raw aspirations of living the ultimate dream life. Travie McCoy and Bruno Mars are a fantastic duo of style, vocals and personality, which contribute to the overall summer feel-good vibe of the song itself. 3. Dynamite - Taio Cruz With the countless summer beach parties every week, this energetic song is sure to bring everyone to their feet. Everyone can dance
extremely catchy. With “Alejandro,” Lady Gaga combines strong vocals with an upbeat tempo that will keep playing in your head long after it’s over. This summer, Lady Gaga’s hot hits are heard everywhere you go and “Alejandro” seems be a perfect match for this summer heat. 5. OMG - Usher ft. Will.I Am With the help of Will.I.Am from The Black Eyed Peas, Usher’s latest track has become a
along and put their hands in the air until the sun goes down. Whether you’re celebrating the end of high school or just out on a night on the town, this song will have everyone singing all night long. 4. Alejandro - Lady Gaga Despite her outrageous outfits and crazy antics, you must admit, Lady Gaga’s songs are
huge summer hit. As a twist on the typical love song, Usher uses modern terminology to relate to a younger audience. All the girls were sure
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arts.culture.living to have texted OMG to their friends as soon as this song came out. 6. Young Forever - Jay-Z This remix of Alphaville’s “Forever Young” is sure to have become an anthem for many
people out there who simply want to live life to the fullest and who believe that they can truly stay young forever. Summer is the time when people can relax and for the most part, be free from stress, so Jay-Z came out with a great track to reminisce and go back to those youthful days. 7. Somebody to Love - Justin Bieber Youtube sensation Justin Bieber released this
and shows no signs of slowing down. His youthful voice exhibits innocence and passion, capturing the hearts of many young girls. This summer, everyone can relate to this song, since there is always that longing to find that summer love. 8. Your Man - Down With Webster The home grown guys from this Toronto band have struck gold with their second single since the release of “Rich Girl.” Their second smash
Blah Blah,” Ke$ha’s carefree attitude has helped her to launch her instant rise to stardom. Her upbeat songs blare from cars everywhere and “Your Love is My Drug” in particular seems to be heard a lot this summer. Her laidback style yet energetic songs seem to suit anyone who loves to have a good time, which is perfect for this time of the year. 10. Airplanes - B.o.B. ft. Hayley Williams B.o.B and Paramore’s Hayley Williams worked
hit, “Your Man” is a fun, energetic track that is great to listen to while cruising along the beach or at a summer get together. 9. Your Love is My Drug - Ke$ha Following her hit tracks “Tik Tok” and “Blah
together to create a perfect combination of lyrics and strong vocals. Just imagine sitting under the stars on a cool summer night, listening to this song. Everyone has those days when they just wish a shooting star would grant them their wishes, but sometimes airplanes are the last resort. Summer is the time for those wishes and dreams to come true. --rr
pop love song and it has become a summer track that is hard to avoid. Despite Bieber’s young age, he has taken the world by storm
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ON A SCORCHING JULY DAY, dressed up in long sleeved dresses and men and a Viking encampment which had dueling
when the majority of the population were inside their air conditioned homes, a large group of people braved it out to go to a festival. However, it was not just any kind of festival, it was a Renaissance Festival, where one could dress up in what people used to wear in the Renaissance days. Despite the temperatures rising to 30 degrees Celsius, festival enthusiasts FUTURĂ&#x2030;ALE
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wore pants and long sleeved shirts. Casa Loma held its sixth annual Renaissance Festival on Canada Day long weekend and it was bigger and better. Thanks to a Celebrate Ontario Grant, Casa Loma was able to make the festival even better than in previous years. Gypsies roamed the village, Warhorses stomped their feet in the Stables,
warriors were only some of the features of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s festival. As soon as one entered the gates of the castle, one could hear music playing and a belly dancer performing and entertaining guests as they waited to buy their tickets to go inside. Upon entering, there were people dressed completely in both costume and
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arts.culture.living language of the times. King Henry VIII and the Queen were sitting in the middle and either being knighted by the King as well as receiving a certificate stating you have been knighted or favored by the Queen. “I dub thee knight,” King Henry VIII said to a young boy kneeling before him. Both children and adults kneeled before either the King or Queen with enthusiasm and were in the spirit of the festival. Walking outside the castle, there are many that are wearing Renaissance wardrobes. One woman is wearing a gold colored dress while fanning herself. The wardrobe back then was known to have many layers, making it stifling in the heat. In the village, there were a bunch of stands that were set up which sold things ranging from food, jewelry to knives and swords. Chokers and necklaces had moons, stars and a variety of other symbols. Eric Jensen, Ravens Hoard Studio, has been part of the festival four out of the six
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years. Due to the studios close proximity to the castle, it was simple to be featured in the festival, which enabled him and others in the studio to showcase their creative jewelry and be involved with the festival. “We half asked and half were asked to be featured in the Renaissance Festival. “ Some of the pieces that were on display were rings, necklaces, among other jewelry. “The pieces themselves originally start with wax and go from there. There are some reproductions of spoons as well.” Jensen said regarding the making of the jewelry pieces. A few booths down, two women admire different types of chokers. “If I had a million dollars, I would buy a horse and wear Renaissance dresses,” Lydia from Toronto said. She attends many different types of Renaissance festivals each year. She was wearing a choker and looking over a jewelry case to buy more jewelry. She, among many that attend each year, is a true enthusiast.
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arts.culture.living Taking a closer look around the village, one can see gypsies walking around. One of the gypsies balances a curved sword on her head and dances. “We’re out here dancing for money,” the gypsy says, while holding out a silver pitcher to collect money for her skills. A festival wouldn’t be a festival without the weird and bizarre and this is where Zoltan the Adequate a.k.a Andy Blau comes in. He isn’t a magician, but a performer that showcases different acts which were known as sideshow acts back in the Renaissance days. He has been performing at Casa Loma five of the six years. “I chose ‘Zoltan’ as a bit of a nod to my Hungarian heritage. As for ‘the Adequate’... there’s a tradition of magicians calling themselves ‘So-and-so the Astounding’ or ‘the Astonishing’ and similar names - I thought it would be memorable and funny to be ‘the Adequate.” Blau revealed when asked about his show name. Some of the crazy acts that were done, blowing up an animal balloon and swallowing it whole, fire-eating, chewing five or six razor blades along with a piece of string and then taking it all out and having all the razors hanging on that one string, as well as placing a block of cement on his abdomen and having
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one of the gypsies break it with a hammer without saying a word. “I will injure myself for your love,” said Zoltan the Adequate. “My acts, my jokes and lines, props,
of the castle. The knights hail from the Barrie Swordplay Association and recall a story of how it was for knights back in the Renaissance days. Also, dressed in armor from that time period they told the story of
everything, really, are primarily from my own slightly defective brain. However, many of the effects (such as fire-eating) are classic performance pieces, so I can’t claim to have invented them. However, I do believe I present them in my own unique, signature way.” Blau said regarding where he gets his eye covering, bloody, squeamish tricks that always captivate the audiences. By paying an extra dollar when purchasing tickets, one could see a sword fighting battle between knights in the library
what a knight had to go through in battle, how heavy the weapons and armor was as well as reenacting different battle moves. Volunteers were chosen and dressed in armor and given weapons that ranged from swords to axes which were either real or plastic. With a battle cry, the fight began and swords clashed and echoed in the library as spectators watched in fascination. Whether one comes to a festival for fun, entertainment, meeting up with friends, or just to get out of the house, one thing is for sure with Casa Loma’s Renaissance Festival and that is that one can learn a lot in a day’s time. If one goes to the stables, one can learn to become an archer, or learn how to properly fight in a battle. At the very least, buy a Renaissance piece of clothing and wear it among others in the Village and discover a time when things were different and people had to work long hours, illnesses were prevalent and life was a fragile thing that couldn’t be taken for granted. --rr
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