FutuRéale Magazine September 2010 by OMAR MURJI

a r t s .2010 c u l tvol. u r 2e issue . l i v i19 ng September

www.futuréale.com

arts . culture . living

From Clippings to Cyberspace Whose Bagel is it? Movie vs. Film Raptors TV Preview Hooping Hula Top 10 Shows Charlie St. Cloud Topshop Takes Toronto ‘Mind Warp’ and The Art of Inception

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Note From the Editor

FUTURÉALE

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 19

Editor in Chief Shawn Shapiro

Associate Editors Russ Martin Karen Lam Melissa Doyle

Junior Editors

Dear FutuRéale Readers,

Dany Pen

Welcome to the Fall season and our September issue of FutuRéale Magazine. We have a ton of great material to offer you this month. First off we have amazing cover art from a talented new artist Stacey Grabowski. Her cover which has a TIFF theme is breathtaking and symbolizes everything the magazine stands for. In this edition you will also see some new writers. These fresh talents worked very hard and we are glad to invite them into the FutuReale family. Also you will see some new columns like Flittering Pages. Enjoy these new treats and look forward to more. Enjoy the edition and we have more coming your way! By Shawn Shapiro Contact FutuRéale at: info@futureale.com www.futureale.com ISSN 1916-3215 FUTURÉALE

Senior Editorial Designer Ravish Rawat

Junior Editorial Designers Jenn Reid Adam Gilles

Cover Artist

Stacey Grabowski

Interns

Anastasia Rokina Kevin Hamilton Olga Shugurova Kirsten Parucha Lindsay Romeo Olivia Dorazio Terra Ciolfe Jess Silver Dan Ball

Contributing Writers Abby Plener Olena Prostiv Kendell Cummings Anastasia Rokina Shayne Kocsis Craig Wilkins Jess Silver Laura Plant Sean Tepper J. Tyler Smith Lindsay Romeo Elena Robitaille Tristan Coolman Christina Dun Alyssa Garrison Stephanie Deline

Website

ONAMAP Marketing Web Team

Online Content Editor Shawn Shapiro

E xecutive D irector Omar Murji

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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04 Fall Movie Preview: Rush to your theatres this Fall Abby Plener

08 Top 10 Shows: A look at fall television Kendell Cummings

10 Insecurities women have in relationships, but don’t need to: A woman’s view of relationships Anastasia Rokina

12 Whose Bagel is it: Montreal Style Bagels versus Toronto Style Bagels Shayne Kocsis

13 Raptors: A look at Toronto’s basketball hopes Sean Tepper

15 Flirty Girl Fitness: A new gym experience Olena Prostiv

18 Fall is Here with Romatic Dates that will Save You Money: How to show the love and save your wallet? Lindsay Romeo

20 Charlie St. Cloud: Book to movie translation J. Tyler Smith

22 Movie vs. Film: The eternal debate in the art world Tristan Coolman

23 From Clippings to Cyberspace—The Coupon Comeback: Old school meets high tech Christina Dun

25 Hooping Hula: Fun and easy way to maintain your body Elena Robitaille

27 ‘Mind Warp’ And the Art of Inception: The year’s hottest film Jess Silver

28 TV Preview: Some of the finest TV shows to be showcased this fall Kendell Cummings

30 Topshop Takes Toronto: A look at fashion Alyssa Garrison

32 Flittering Pages: A new column where reading is cool Jess Silver

34 Do you attend the Toronto International Film Festival: Don’t miss the one-time opportunity to visit TIFF Craig Wilkins

36 Strangely Beautiful: an interview with Mother Mother’s Ryan Guldemond Stephanie Deline

39 RECIPE: CHEWY BANANA/CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Cover (page) Art by Stacey Grabowski

BY ABBY PLENER

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FALl MO VIE P R EV I EW SUMMER IS BEHIND US. No more perfect tan, or weekends at the cottage, or drop-in barbecues that go well into the night. But alas, the best is yet to come. You can still look forward to Joaquin Phoenix starring in “I’m Still Here”, the documentary that follows the respected actor as he jumpstarts his career as a hip hop star, all the while sporting a look that rivals most of the “Fiddler on the Roof ” cast. I can feel the Oscar buzz already. In all seriousness, for a season that is traditionally jam-packed with heavyweight award contenders, the 2010 Fall movie season offers a welcomed range. With quirky comedies, action-packed dramas, touching true stories and the ever-so terrifying “Facebook” movie, the class of 2010 is shaping up to be quite a promising group.

“Machete”, follows a Mexican ex-federal agent drawing upon his skills once again to battle a corruption scandal in Texas involving Senator McLaughlin (Robert DeNiro), an immigration officer with a heart ( Jessica Alba), and his past enemy, Mexican drug kingpin Torrez played by Steven Segal. Co-written and co-directed by Robert Rodriguez, “Machete” promises all the gore and grand battles of his past films which include “Desperados”, “From Dusk Till Dawn”, “Sin City”, and most recently “Grindhouse”. The concept of “Machete” actually began as just another movie trailer that was made for the “Grindhouse” double feature. Agent Machete (played by Danny Trejo) teams up with sexy trucker Luz (Michelle Rodriguez) and Padre

(Cheech Marin), a priest whose pretty good with guns. The film will debut at the Venice Film Festival and then reach wide release two days later on September 3rd. Though Machete might not leave you with much of an appetite, with stars like George Clooney, Ben Affleck, James Franco, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, and Penn Badgley all gracing movie screens this month, September’s looking pretty yummy. This fresh mix of stars will be served with a side a big name actor/directors like Ben Affleck who stars in and directs the “The Town” (September 10th), Philip Seymour Hoffman making his directorial debut with “Jack Goes Boating” (September 17th), and Woody Allen’s “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger” starring Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Freida

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Pinto, and Antonio Banderas (September 22nd). Both Affleck’s and Allen’s films are official TIFF selections along with “Cracks” which will come to theatres September 10th. If you’re looking for a meatier meal, try “Never Let Me Go” starring Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan which is already getting some Oscar buzz (September 15th). Alternatively, try George Clooney in “The American” (September 1st), “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” with Michael Douglas and Shia LeBoeuf or “Waiting for ‘Superman’”, and important documentary about the American education system from the same teams who brought us “An Inconvenient Truth” both of which open on September 24th. Also, be sure to check out “Howl” on September 24th starring James Franco as legendary American poet Allen Ginsberg. And for dessert, some romcoms like “Easy A” starring that girl from “Superbad” (Emma Stone) and that guy from “Gossip Girl” (Penn Badgley) which comes out September 17th, and “You Again” with Kristin Bell and Jamie FUTURÉALE

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Lee Curtis on September 24th. Finally, for those who like a balanced diet, a comedy about patients in a psychiatric ward - “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” comes out September 24th featuring funnyman Zach Galifianakis. Oh, and that Joaquin Phoenix documentary comes out September 10th. Get your tickets now kids.

In anticipation of the release of the “The Social Network” on October 1st, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is not one to buy into the hype. He confessed to Diane Sawyer that, “I mean, the real story is probably actually pretty boring, right?” and that he himself is not planning on seeing the movie. Whatever that “real story” is, the trailer for the new movie is creating a lot of buzz, exciting audiences and critics alike. The movie is based on Ben Mezrich’s 2009 novel, “The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A

Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal” - a mouthful of a book title outlining a whole season of “Grey’s Anatomy” worth of drama. The movie portrays Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg, as a computer genius desperate to get attention from his fellow students at Harvard by coming up with a new idea: Facebook. But as the social networking site becomes wildly popular, the originality of Zuckerberg’s invention is challenged and friends soon become enemies. For a film about a website, it has great potential with David Fincher taking the helm as director, and a script penned by “West Wing” writer Aaron Sorkin. Tell your Facebook friends about it. If the Facebook film doesn’t make you want to buy a new fall petticoat, there are plenty of other October releases that are sure to give you the chills. The terror strikes first with “Chain Letter” on October 8th, “Paranormal Activity 2” on October 22nd, Clint Eastwood’s supernatural thriller “Hereafter” starring Matt Damon opening the same weekend, and a whole slew of horror

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films on October 29th just in time for Halloween - “Saw 3D”, “Monsters” and Wes Craven’s “My Soul to Take”. In other horrifying news Katherine Heigel will star in another substandard romcom, “Life As We Know It” coming out October 8th, and the Jackass trilogy will finally be completed with “Jackass 3D” premiering October 15th. In the hopes of some warmer weather, try action comedies “Red” on October 15th starring Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich and Morgan Freeman or “The Wild Target” starring

Bill Night, Emily Blunt, Rupert Grint, and Rupert Everett on October 29th. And for a bit of nostalgia to soften the autumn winds, “Nowhere Boy” reveals the many layers of John Lennon’s childhood and how the Beatles first got started (October 8th) And of course, it wouldn’t feel like fall without a little Oscar buzz in that autumn breeze. Kevin Spacey and Kelly Preston revisit the Jack Abramoff scandal on October 1st with “Bagman” while Hilary Swank stars in “Coviction” coming out October 15th. The film is based on the inspiring true story of Betty

Anne Waters, played by Swank, who fought an eighteen-year battle to free her brother Kenny from jail after he was wrongfully accused of murder. Finally, the poignant drama “The Company Men” illustrates how three men (Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, and Tommy Lee Jones), are affected by corporate downsizing in the same company (October 22nd)

For “127 Hours” Aron Ralston was trapped under a fallen boulder while hiking in an

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isolated Utah canyon. Directed by Danny Boyle of “Slumdog Millionaire” fame and starring James Franco, the film retells the true story of how Ralston saved himself, as he contemplated his life and relationships along the way. With a November 5th release, it sounds like a younger, less decrepit version of “Cast Away”, but with Boyle as director its sure to garner critics’ attention. In fact, “127 Hours” may premiere at TIFF where two years ago, “Slumdog Millionaire” received the People’s Choice Award before going on to win Oscar gold. Some things to do before it gets too cold and you never want to leave your house: take your kids to see the animated comedy “Megamind” featuring the voices of Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, Will Ferrel, and Jonah Hill (November 5th), and send your teenagers to see “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1” (November 19th). Who am I kidding? Take yourself too, you know you’ll love it. Next, brighten your day with comedy “Morning Glory” starring Rachel McAdams, FUTURÉALE

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Harrison Ford, Diance Keaton, and Jeff Goldblum (November 12th). Rachel’s a Canadian cutie and she’s supported by a super talented cast – what could be bad? While you’re at it, take a peek at “Due Date” on November 5th from the team that brought us “The Hangover”, starring Robert Downey Jr. And Zach Galifianakis. One may also want to check out the musical drama “Burlesque” with Cher and Christina Aguilera. Cher plays Christina’s mentor as she becomes a rising star at Cher’s Burlesque theatre that’s struggling to keep up with a more modern entertainment business. It could be totally ridiculous or it could be awesome – might as well suspend your cynicism for the day and enjoy Christina’s killer vocals on November 24th. Finally, get yourself cultured with the indie flick “Welcome to the Rileys” starring James Gandolfini, Melissa Leo, and Kristin Stewart (November 5th). After grieving the death of their daughter, the Rileys played by Galdolfini and Leo begin to care for a troubled teenage

stripper played by Stewart. No more summer? No problem. The Fall 2010 movie season is dressed to impress. I hear Joaquin Phoenix might ever wear a suit! --rr

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BY LAURA PLANT IT’S BEEN A BLISSFUL SUMMER SO FAR HASN’T IT? Countless outdoor festivals, 9) Bettie Serveert September 28 at the

beautiful weather, and Iggy Pop. But what do we do when it’s time to pack away the sunscreen and margarita mix? Well, I’ve compiled a little list of must see concerts throughout the fall for your viewing pleasure. Consider it somewhat of an itinerary of musical greatness. So what goes into the making of a great live concert? Why do we spend out hard earned money to go to them? It’s all about energy, atmosphere, and cheap booze. I’ve taken into consideration all of the above, so let’s get started with.

Drake $13.50 at R.T. God they’ve been around forever haven’t they? Supporting their latest album ‘Pharmacy of Love’, the Dutch indie band is still as entertaining and fun as they used to be (formed in ’92). There’s nothing fancy here, plain old catchy pop/rock tunes. They’ve toured with the likes of Dinosaur Jr. and Jeff Buckley. Fun, fast, and simple. A great way to spend an evening. But it’s not about the rock, all the time…

10) The XX with Warpaint at Massey Hall September 29 (price not listed) This fresh, young trio out of the U.K. is signed to the Young Turks label and is influenced mainly by the likes of David Bowie, Massive Attack, and Elvis. They’re sample driven and have been described as ‘brooding’, I personally thought of Joy division when I viewed them. Their debut is called ‘XX’ and the biggest single off of that is ‘Crystalised’ What drew me to them was their intensity, and they’ve got a bit of that, romantic dark aspect to them. Definitely something worth seeing, but if darkness isn’t your bag, let’s move onto…

8) Vitalic September 22 at the Mod Club 19+ $20.00 This French DJ has done remixes for Moby and Bjork among others. His sound is somewhere between finding yourself lost, and really not caring, at a rave, and Daft Punk. An amazing light shows to boot. He is currently supporting his 2009 album ‘Flashmob’, absolutely a beautiful spectacle. Lots of dancing kids, so where something comfy. 7) The Walkmen with Warpaint and AA Bondies October 9, at the Phoenix (price not listed)

Ahhh the Walkmen, New York’s shining new stars with their big hit ‘The Rat’ from their latest album Lisbon (Fat Possum Records). Singer Hamilton Leithauser has some intense vocals; you can really tell he is singing to the audience. This is pure rock ‘n roll, but the band shares Leithauser’s intensity and passion as well. Preferring the sound of vintage instruments mainly, they’ve created a unique, raw, rock n roll vibe that can’t be missed live. And the openers aren’t half bad either… 6) Killing Joke December 7 at the Phoenix (price not listed) Oh my God it’s the legendary Killing Joke!! A large influence on Goth, Industrial and Electronic music, this is certainly an event you will not want to miss. Apparently, most of the band members are more than a little nuts, but the music is oddly sane. A spectacle to behold, but isn’t that what a live show is all about? Wear some heavy, black eye makeup for this one. 5) Four Tet October 20, Mod Club $18.50 adv. $20.00 at the door 19+ This is one man you will not find much information on; he’s as mysterious as the music he creates. His name is Kieran Hebden and the music is overwhelmingly rambling at times,

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arts.culture.living jazzy, dreamlike, and beautiful. Music to get lost in. He is associated with Soul Jazz Records, and most popular song is the enchanting ‘Hands’. This type of music I don’t normally go for, but I had to include him because his live performances are even more touching than his sound itself. Simple music that is simply wonderful. 4) The Gorrillaz October 14 at the ACC (price not listed) Oh my! You see this is not typically a band I would listen to album wise, but live? Well that’s something to see. They’ve been described as a ‘monster live band’ and I can definitely believe it. Blur’s Damon Albarn and Blurt cartoonist Jamie Hewlett have somehow managed to create a sound, and vision similar to that of a comic strip. Humorous, energetic, and colorful live performances. Often times there are more than 15 people onstage all adding to their extremely unique and poppy sound. They are currently touring for their 2010 album ‘Plastic Beach’. Even though it’s the ACC, and well, I won’t dance around it, maybe a little on the pricier side, what the hell, they are too much fun live to miss. 3) Florence and the Machine November 3 at the Sound Academy AA $30.00 I absolutely love, love, love this band. Singer Florence Welch somehow takes you back to a time of peace and love while adding a new millennium edge to the bands sound. Her overpowering vocals and over the top sense of

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style are guaranteed to leave butterflies in your belly for a week! Their album ‘Lungs’ which came out in 2009 quickly raised to the top of the UK charts and it’s easy to see way. The music is rich and Florence’s presence demands attention, immediately. The Sound Academy has to be one of my favorite venues as well. I think it’s that beautiful view of the city outside. If you’ve got the ‘winter is looming’ blues, this band, and venue, will certainly inspire you otherwise. 2) The Dandy Warhols November 11, The Phoenix (price not listed) Oh my, and how the ladies will swoon over Courtney Taylor-Taylor, this 5 pieces lanky, guitarist and singer. But that is the very last reason to catch them live. Mainly inspired by My Bloody Valentine, The Velvet Underground, and the Rolling Stones, they’ve managed to sort of meld these bands together to create a fresh, fun sound complete with a dancing, ‘look at me wrong and I’ll kick your ass’ looking female keyboardist. They will be releasing a greatest hits album on August 24, but if you are looking for their most popular album to date, it is 2000’s ’13 Tales from Urban Bohemia’. Live, they are explosive and so tight you couldn’t push a penny through their ‘wall of sound’. A must see for the fall! And drum roll please, we’re at our number 1 live show for the fall and this is one really worth waiting for, this is one for the books right here, this one is epic, this one is

1. The Black Crowes October 27 at Massey Hall Oh I’m almost shaking just thinking about it. The southern fried rock of the Black Crowes, and the tightness of this band is what has turned them into the, dare I say it, legends that they are. And they’ve been doing it for years! Normally, when a band barely changes it’s almost disappointing, but the sound of the Black Crowes is so far from that. The fact that they are still the same guys, (well a couple of them anyhow) with the same sound and the same love for it is endearing because you realize the genuine heart of the band. There’s no tricks here, these guys are doing it simply because they love it. Barefoot and longhaired rock n roll. Come on, who doesn’t love the Black Crowes? With spot on vocal harmonies, and an intimacy at live shows that no other band today can hold a candle to, it’s that vibe you realize you’ve been missing at live events all this time. Thank goodness for bands that just stick it out through the hard times and play for the fun and love of it. Black Crowes, I salute you.   Ok, well there you have it. Your complete guide to the best Toronto shows for this fall. Have fun! Be safe! But most of all….have fun! That’s what it’s all about and when it’s done right, a great concert is something you remember your whole life through. And I’ll see you down in the pit, up on the dance floor, or at the bar. Cheers for now! --rr

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Insecurities women have in relationships, but don’t need to. OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS NAGGING, clingy, needy and jealous

behaviours, women don’t realize that there are things they do, and are insecure about, that are ridiculously unnecessary. Let’s get right to the point. Number one: Stop pointing out little flaws. I’m sure he hasn’t noticed that microscopic scar on your chin, or the nearly invisible stretch marks on your thighs, and if he has he probably forgot about it by now. If you keep pointing them out, he will begin to notice, so stop pointing them out! That will make you even more self -conscious. Even if he notices a scar on your leg that you never even knew existed, why would he care much if you don’t? Put yourself in the reverse situation, a guy has a nasty gash-like scar on his arm, but he never mentions it and doesn’t care much for it, would you? And ladies please stop complaining about your breasts. If it was really that big of an issue for your man, he wouldn’t be dating you to begin with. They can big, small, enormous, saggy, lopsided, uneven or you can even have an extra. He hasn’t noticed how much bigger one is than the other, and even if the remote possibility that they are has crossed his mind, they’re still boobs, and that’s all a man needs to know. Besides, the more you complain about them, the more flawed they will seem, even if they’re perfect. Number two: We all know as emotional creatures it is very important to share every single emotion (even if irrelevant) when we are arguing with our man. Rule to always remember: give him his space. Men aren’t the best with emotions and need time

to think things through and figure out what’s actually going on. And come to think of it, we need to appreciate that they don’t just blurt things out, that they actually take the time. That’s why they are better at not saying things they later regret. Confronting him to talk will only make things worse because a) he doesn’t know what the heck to say and whatever he says is off the top of his head because you are forcing him and b) he will be angry and the only conversation you can get out of him will be the “leave me alone I don’t want to talk about it”. So really, what are you fighting for? Let him cool off. It’s funny because we always complain about how childish and immature they are, yet we don’t give them the time to think things through to have a calm, adult conversation.

Number three: The fact that men don’t care how you dress is a myth. Of course they don’t expect you to dress for a catwalk all the time, and they don’t expect you to wear only brand names, but a man needs to feel confident about his woman. We don’t feel feminine or sexy when we go to a restaurant wearing sweats or running shoes. We feel sexy when we wear nice lingerie, or nice heels, and men can sense that. Put yourself in his position with an attractive man who presents himself as a sophisticated, classy man and after a year of dating you realize he no longer dresses the way he used to when you go out. Of course you still love him, but your eyes begin to notice other men who do dress that way and actually try when they go out. Same goes for us (and we complain when they look elsewhere). We FUTURÉALE

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arts.culture.living often hear men say that women “let go” but we mistake this for weight gain or several missed manicures. No, no, no, “letting go” means not trying anymore, and that all starts with dress. If you gain a couple pounds, haven’t cut your hair in a while, and don’t get pedicures anymore, how on earth would he notice if you’re wearing sexy lingerie, a classy dress, with an up-do and killer heels? Number four: It’s not about being good in bed, but enjoying being in bed with your man. You can be the lousiest lover, but if your man sees that you are enjoying yourself and him, he will feel good, not to mention confident. After all, who doesn’t want to feel wanted? (It’s the #1 thing women complain

about!) A woman can be amazing in bed but the moment she treats it like a chore, not only will a man’s confidence take a big blow, but he will feel bad because you’re supposed to want to be with him, not roll your eyes every time things get sexual. After all, it is the male species we are talking about. If his woman isn’t enjoying herself, chances are he won’t either, even if she can do tricks with her mouth that no one else can. Number five: He is who he is. Sure his style might have changed a bit to accompany one like yours, or maybe he became more tolerant about watching the discovery channel from time to time, but women need to remember that men don’t change. You may love your man, but you cannot change him. If he has a quality that bothers you that much, save him the trouble of feeling like he isn’t good enough and leave him. Yes it will hurt, but do you really want him to feel like crap every time you bring up that you hate something about him? “If he loves me he will change”. No, he won’t. If he loves you, he will be good to you, he will be faithful and he will treat you with respect. But he won’t change, even if he tries. How would you feel if a guy kept telling you that he hates that you wake up early in the mornings, and would like to wake up next to you for once? Can you help it? You’re a morning person and he isn’t, do you really want to get grief every time you get up to make a coffee? Would you really want to be reminded that he hates that quality about you every single time it happens? Don’t try to change him. If you can’t accept him with the qualities you don’t like, then move on, because someone else can and won’t give him grief for it. --jr and rr WOMEN NEED TO REMEMBER THAT MEN DON’T CHANGE.

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By Shayne Kocsis

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Whose Bagel is it?

WHILE THE QUESTION OF WHETHER MONTREAL STYLE BAGELS OR IT’S COMPETITION, the “Toronto” style bagels, are better is not on the top of Canadian debate lists, it leads to a valid question for those who enjoy a nice addition to their eggs first thing in the morning, or spreading some cream cheese on it while relaxing at home on the weekend. It’s important to iron out some details right off the bat. The Toronto bagel is non-existent. It is actually a duplicate of the New York style bagel, so does that mean there is no such thing as a Toronto bagel? Debates would be appreciated. The Montreal style bagels, are in fact being purchased from Toronto based establishments, so they will be similar to the Montreal style, however I cannot say that they are exactly as they would be if you were to purchase them from such places in Montreal as St. Vitter Bagel Shop, Fairmount Bagel, or Mount Royal Bagel Bakery, the latter of which according to the website “Wikipedia” has the finest Montreal style bagel. I would like to say that I am not a professional food critic by any means. I am definitely a man who enjoys food though, but then again who really can’t say that they enjoy food? I decided to pick up some sesame seeded Montreal style bagels from St. Urbain Bagel, as well as sesame seeded New York style bagels from What A Bagel. Being a regular customer at the latter for quite a while now, bagels have

become a Sunday tradition in my household, but surprisingly this was the first time I had tried St. Urbain Bagel. We all know how important first impressions are, and I was very happy with my findings. Those who haven’t tried bagels from both cities might not be aware of the differences between them, but when you bite into one and then compare it with the other, your

taste palate will definitely be able to decipher what differs between the two styles. Some of the key differences for the Montreal styled bagels are as one would probably suspect, in the preparation stages before any baking takes place. It is boiled in honey-sweetened water before being baked exclusively in woodfired ovens. It contains no malt, egg, or salt, which could explain why it is sweeter as well when compared. To add, it is also smaller and denser. Another key difference observed was because of the sweetness of the Montreal bagels, I felt like I was capable of eating it alone without any garnishing, and actually tried to do just that. It’s always helpful to know that when the cupboard is bare, or you are just simply in a rush, that you can grab a bagel and it will be just as fulfilling and tasty as it could be when you slice it in two and add your favourite accompaniment. I decided to check into whether I was the only one who found the distinct differences between the two kinds of bagels. I came across

quite a few stories of head to head comparisons between the two kinds, but one of them really stuck out to me. The reason it stuck out for me was that it was a blind taste-off, which leaves little room for any bias to impact any decision making possibilities. This taste-off took places in 2006 with its members of the Montreal Gazette and the National Post in Toronto. The Montreal side won the competition easily, with the headline of the article confirming what the body states: “No shocker that Montreal bagels won...” The article was found in the Montreal Gazette from December 9, 2006. So now I know that I am not the only person who shares the preference of the Montreal style bagels, although when I add my favourite topping both are quite enjoyable. While the notion of traveling north of five

hours from Toronto to Montreal to grab an authentic version of the famed Montreal styled bagels sounds appetizing, one must realize that you can get the next best thing in your neighborhood. For those interested in experiencing those listed above for their first time, or better yet giving it a try as a veteran, be sure to find your local store that offers them. As I have said previously, you really cannot go wrong with giving St. Urbain Bagel a try and judging for yourself as to whether all of the hype is justifiable. Decide for yourself. --rr FUTURÉALE

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THE TORONTO RAPTORS’ NIGHTMARISH OFFSEASON kicked off when all-star forward

Chris Bosh announced that he would be leaving the franchise that made him the fourth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Entry Draft to join Dwayne Wade, and later LeBron James, in South Beach. Bosh’s departure not only left the Raptors without their leading scorer and most consistent rebounder over the past five seasons, but it also left them without any clear direction of their future. Without a franchise player to build a competitive team around, it is looking more and more likely that the Raptors will quickly become the joke of the Atlantic Division, if not the entire Eastern conference. Other then the lowly Raptors, every team in the Atlantic Division has made some move, whether it be signing a high-profile free-agent or drafting a highly touted rookie that will make them more competitive next season. Both Boston and New York have bolstered their front court by signing big men like Amar’e Stoudamire and Shaquille O’Neal, while teams like Philadelphia and New Jersey will be looking at high-drafted rookies to provide them with that competitive edge that they have been desperately searching for. It was apparent at the beginning of the 2008-2009 NBA season that once the all-star FUTURÉALE

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forward became a free agent that he would leave the great white north to sign with a competitive big-market team south of the border. In a last ditch effort to convince Bosh that the Raptors were a competitive team that was serious about winning an NBA title, general Manager Brian Colangelo acquired 6 time all-star Jermaine O’Neal before the 2008-2009 season and signed Turkish forward Hedo Turkoglu just before the beginning of last season. Unfortunately for the Raptors, both O’Neal and Turkoglu had trouble adapting to their new surroundings and posted some of their worst career numbers as members of the Raptors. As a result of this, both of Bosh’s “sidekicks” were quickly traded away as neither one made it past their first season in Toronto. When Colangelo signed Turkoglu to a five year 53 million dollar deal last offseason, he hoped that the athletic Turkish forward would provide him with a player that he could build around after Bosh’s impending departure. But once Turkoglu voiced his displeasure with the organization and was traded to the Phoenix Suns, Colangelo was left without any real direction to go in. Life after Bosh will be difficult for the Raptors organization and their fans, as the 2010-2011 season already appears to be the lost cause. Despite acquiring shooting guard Leandro Barbosa from the Phoenix Suns, drafting forward Ed Davis out of the University of North Carolina and signing restricted free agent Linas Kleiza, the Raptors have not done

anything to improve a team that finished two games below five hundred last season. The lack of activity in the front office means that the Raptors have essentially given up on being a competitive team and instead would like to use the 2010-2011 season to evaluate their talent and decide which one of the players on their current roster is worth building an entire franchise around. As of right now, the Raptors starting lineup consists mostly of unproven big men and glorified bench players as Jarrett Jack, DeMar DeRozan, Amir Johnson, Andrea Bargnani and Leandro Barbosa are set to start for Canada’s only NBA franchise. While this starting lineup

has competent NBA players on it, not having a stud in the frontcourt who averaged 24 points and close to 11 rebounds per game last season will be a huge blow. The Raptors will need career years from centre Andrea Bargnani and forward Amir Johnson if they hope to finish anywhere close to five hundred this year. As the best player on the Raptors’ current roster, Bargnani, who was the number one overall pick in the 2006 NBA Entry Draft, is coming off of his best season as he averaged 17 points per game last season. It will be interesting to see whether or not his numbers continue to grow as he becomes the Raptors’ number one offensive threat. Unlike the seven foot Italian centre, forward Amir Johnson has a lot to prove to the Raptors’ front office after Colangelo signed the twenty three year old forward to a five year thirty four million dollar contract despite the fact that he only averaged

seventeen minutes a game last season. Johnson is a young and unproven forward who has the potential to be a valuable offensive weapon for head coach Jay Triano in spite of the fact that he has only averaged 4.7 points per game throughout his five year career. Other than Bragnani and Johnson, the Raptors will be looking at second year guard/forward DeMar DeRozan and speedy shooting guard Leandro Barbosa to provide help at both ends of the court. While Toronto’s depleted roster and lack of a competitive basketball team is something to be worried about, the executives in the front office should be more concerned about the reaction of its fan base as well as its lack of ticket sales. With no big stars to lure fans to the game, the Raptors should get used to seeing a lot of empty seats at the Air Canada Centre unless a star studded team like the Los Angeles Lakers or the Miami Heat comes to town. The Raptors, who were fourteenth in attendance last year after averaging close to 17,900 people per game, should not be surprised to see their attendance drop to the bottom of league, seeing as how they cannot provide fans with a viable excuse to justify buying an $80 ticket. There is no doubt that Raptors’ fans will

be concerned and suffer through the 20102011 season, but the real thing that these fans should worry about is their franchise’s future, because with no clear direction in which to go in, it could be a long time before an NBA championship comes anywhere close to Canada. --rr FUTURÉALE

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What does one call a fitness facility that offers both a workout and makes you feel sexy and confident at the same time? A place, which makes you want to come back and workout without dragging yourself there? AT FLIRTY GIRL FITNESS, you are more a part of a social club rather than a member of a fitness facility. Flirty Girl Fitness Gym is definitely a women’s gym. Even before one enters, the pink that showcases the entrance as well as the sign tells one that it’s very feminine right off the bat. Located near Spadina Ave. and Wellington St. West, it is right in the core of downtown Toronto. However, it is not like the rest of the gyms out there. It is unique in that it offers an interesting mix of traditional classes such as a variation of cardio classes, abs, yoga, kickboxing and Pilates. On the other side it has sexy classes such as pole dancing, strip teasing, FUTURÉALE

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chair strip teasing, lap dancing, Coyote Ugly and many more. These classes boost women’s confident, makes them feel sexy and helps them achieve their fitness goals. Since opening its doors in Dec 2005, Flirty Girl Fitness has grown and opened a branch in Chicago. Kerry and Krista, also known as the ‘Flirty Girls’, have come far since watching an episode on Opera and getting inspired to open their own fitness facility to give women the change to try out something more than the traditional workouts. “The first month they taught all the classes, registered and signed-in members and other tasks without any other help since there were

no receptionists at the time,” says Michelle regarding the opening of Flirty Girl Fitness; there are 22 staff members in the Toronto location. Every time one comes in they have to signin and are given either a blue, red or white chip, which represents a different room. Signing-in helps keep track of who is coming for a drop-in class, who has a full membership, punch card or a free week pass. Despite the studio having only three rooms, a reception area, and an area where members can change and shower, the members get the most out of the space. It transforms the fitness facility into a small community where members come to get a

arts.culture.living bench press machines, and any of the bulky machines that other gyms have. All the work is done through medicine balls, weights, pole dancing, and your entire body. You condition your body by doing your best, by pushing yourself.

Pole Dancing

great workout as well as meet new people and make new friends and boost their confidence. The gym offers new members a chance to try as many classes as they want in a week for free to see whether they like it. By taking these classes, one can experience the fun of the classes, gain confidence, and get inspired. “They come once and the next time they bring more people with them because they had so much fun. The word really gets around,” says Kaitlyn chair striptease instructor. As soon as you enter the facility, you hear the upbeat music, hear the excited chatter among the women either waiting for the next class, or just coming out of a class. The buzz gets you pumped and ready to exercise. “A lot of it is about the atmosphere. It’s a really fun atmosphere that celebrates women and really anyone can do it,” says Krista one of the owners of Flirty Girl Fitness, and pole dance instructor. There isn’t the same kind of buzz when one goes to a co-ed gym, where women often feel awkward or uncomfortable when they are working out. As well, there are no treadmills,

One of the classes that are offered is pole dancing. It is more than just twirling on a pole. It requires one to use their whole body, whether it is doing the ‘fireman spin’ or the ‘sailor spin.’ Even holding onto the pole with your arms and trying to lift first one leg then the next as you spin, is a lot harder than it looks as you have to use your body weight. The beginning of the class helps those that are new to learn the basics and begin a routine to a song, whether the genre is pop or r&b, or something else entirely. Depending on the week and the instructor, the routine will be different as well as the music. It helps members learn something new each week and try out different moves.

“A lot of it is about the atmosphere. It’s a really fun atmosphere that celebrates women and really anyone can do it.” “I didn’t expect this class to be this hard, but I am definitely going to come back and do it again,” said Rachel after trying the Introduction to Pole Dancing She, among many of the members in the class, felt ecstatic when they perfected a spin and were able to do a routine by the end of the one-hour class.

Body Blast

Imagine a class where your entire body gets tortured, in a good way, by using weights and your body, that you want to give up and stop but don’t because the instructors motivate

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arts.culture.living you so much that you don’t want to disappoint them or yourself. The instructors push and push at you so you have no choice but to do your best and not give up, which you are tempted to do. In Eneli’s Body Blast class, your strength will be tested for she keeps pushing you to go beyond your limits. Even as your arms are burning, your body aches; you keep holding the 10-pound weights in your hands and keep squatting up and down. “If you are cheating I will know, so don’t cheat,” says Eneli, one of the instructors that teaches both fitness and sexy oriented classes, during a Body Blast group class. Despite being pregnant, she continues to teach. If a pregnant woman can do these torturous workouts, a normal person can as well, which motivate members. Unlike with other gyms, skipping classes or not calling in and cancelling in advance, will be noticed and penalized. If you can’t come in, call and cancel so that another member can be reached and can come in. Punch card members will get one of their classes removed, and monthly members won’t be able to preregister for classes for a month. “There are very few no-shows. The girls are really good at calling to cancel. In life things happen, even if it is a last minute cancellation, you should still give us notice,” says Michelle, managing director of the gym. “Last week, a lady came in and ran up to

“I want to see you use your spear fingers. Every time you touch your body, make it sexy, desirable, so that whoever you are doing the dance for wants to be your hands.” FUTURÉALE

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me and said, ‘I was so sorry that I missed your class, but I am here this week,’” said Kaitlyn, a lap dance and chair strip tease instructor when talking about how devoted women are to their classes. For them it is enjoyable, they want to come back week after week, a lot of the women take more than one class in a single day.

Workshops

On the weekends, two-hour workshops are held in the afternoon on lap dance, chair strip tease, and pole dancing for those wanting to learn something new. “I want to see you use your spear fingers. Every time you touch your body, make it sexy, desirable, so that whoever you are doing the dance for wants to be your hands,” says Kaitlyn during a chair striptease class. As well, bachelorette parties are held in the evenings where the bride and her bridesmaids can come in and learn how to pole dance, lap dance, striptease, coyote ugly, and much more. The bride can also acquire a liquor license from the nearby LCBO and the party can begin right at the studio.

“Every three to four months members get the royal treatment. The instructors perform for them, hair and makeup is provided and gift bags are given out. If someone is not a monthly member, it is $30, otherwise it is free. After the performances, the instructors as well as the members walk to a nearby club, as the facility is near the club district, and have a great night. They get a chance to show off all their hard work.” Michelle says regarding their appreciation to their members. Flirty Girl Fitness is a unique, inspiring, and a safe environment for women to try things they’ve never thought they’d get a chance to do. Two-hour workshops are fun and time flies by so fast it feels like it has been only half an hour. Women get a chance to boost their confidence, feel sexy and become more fit. Contact Info: Michelle Epstein 416 920 9110 michelle@flirtygirlfitness.com Krista and Kaitlyn, instructors at the gym (contact Michelle) --rr

arts.culture.living

Fall is Here with Romantic Dates

that Will

ave You Money

FALL IS THE MOST ROMANTIC TIME OF THE YEAR. The weather cools

down, and people settle down. The leaves become warm colours, and the brisk chill in the air makes you want to the one you love. This is a prime time for dates. Here are some romantic date ideas that will save you money for the fall.

Pumpkin Picking

The harvest is finally here. Take a trip to your local harvest farm. Bring back the happy memories from your childhood by picking the perfect pumpkin for Halloween. Relive the happy times with your date, and before you know it, you and your date will be creating your own happy memory.

Spooky Adventure

Go to a haunted house or a ghost walk in the cool autumn air. This will give you and your date an excuse to hold on to one another. You and your date will not be able to let go of one another when you are frightened, and suddenly you will find yourself looking for protection from your date. This will bring the two of you closer.

Apple Harvest

Cuddle up with your date on a cool day, and take a hayride to your local apple orchard. Have fun picking the perfect apples as you walk among the apple trees together. Have a plan to bake an apple pie together after This will give you and your date an opportunity to make something special. Together you can enjoy the homemade pie that created lasting memories.

Colourful Hikes

Fall is a beautiful season. Take a walk through a warm coloured forest. Cling onto each other to keep warm as you and your date explore natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beauty. The warm coloured leaves scattered among the ground make it a romantic setting. You and your date will be sharing the beauty together.

Wine Tasting

Get to know your date more by seeing what they like. Taste different wines together as you see what your date enjoys. This will come in handy in the future as you will already know what tastes make your date happy. This is a great way to learn more about each other as you find out why your date likes certain things. This romantic drink can bring out the best.

Flea Market

Going to your local flea market can be romantic. Anything you can imagine can be found at a flea market. You and your date would never be bored at a flea market because there is so much to see. Explore all of the different obscure objects together. This

is a great way to get to know your date while having some light fun.

Roller-skate Rink

A popular date for the winter is ice-skating, so why not try out roller-skating with your date in the fall. Going on a date to a roller-skating rink is an old time classic. Bring it back into style with your date, as you hold hands rollerskating around the rink. If you have never been roller-skating before, use this as an excuse to cling onto your date for help. This will bring you and your date closer together.

Rock Climbing

Get competitive with your date. Race your date to the top of the wall, and the loser has to do FUTURĂ&#x2030;ALE

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arts.culture.living something for the winner. This physical date is sure to get both people’s blood pumping. Try out some trust, and have your date hold your rope while you climb up the wall. This will build a stronger bond between the two of you.

Take a Class

Classes tend to always start in the fall. Take a class with your date. You can take a class anywhere from karate, to salsa dance. As long as you are doing it together that is all that matters. Dance will allow you and your date to be in sync with one another’s body, and be able to flow with one another. This will create a physical connection that is sure to spark emotion.

Drive-in Movie

Try something different. Bring some sweet snacks like chocolate, popcorn, and liquorice. Grab furry blankets, and plump pillows to make the car extra comfy. Cuddle up with your date, and watch a movie at a drive-in. It is romantic, and gives you more privacy than a movie theatre would.

Bed and Breakfast

Carnival Craze

There are many carnivals that take place during the fall time. Take your date to a carnival, and go crazy over the corniness. Eat mounds of pink cotton candy together, hold hands on the Ferris wheel, and let your date win you a stuffed animal at a game, grasp onto your date on scary rides, and enjoy each other’s company. This is a fun way to spend an evening out.

Chocolate Factory

Everyone loves chocolate. Fortunately, chocolate is a romantic food. Find out where the nearest chocolate factory is, and bring your date there. You and your date can get to know each other through feeding one another chocolate, and seeing how the chocolate is actually made. This interactive date is sweet, and playful.

Petting Zoo

Rather than going to a regular zoo, try out a petting zoo. Going to a petting zoo requires the sense of touch. Touch is what allows us to feel closer to others. Soon you will find yourself grabbing onto your date more than FUTURÉALE

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the animals. This is great for people who have just started dating.

Try something more romantic than a hotel. Take your date to a country bed and breakfast. On a fall evening make sure you pick a bed and breakfast that feels warm, and smells of freshly baked pie. Cozy up in a quaint bedroom, and wake up with a delicious breakfast already made for you. This is a great way for you and your date to start off your day together.

Local Theatre

Save some money and go to a local theatre rather than a big production. Theatre is a great way to share an evening of entertainment with someone else. Local theatres tend to have an intimate setting, and the play really does reach out to the audience. This creates a warmer atmosphere for you and your date, and at the same time it saves you money.

Star Searching

Sometimes the simplest things in life are the most appreciated. On a cool fall night, make some hot chocolate, grab some blankets, and just lie down on the crisp grass with your date. Hold each other to keep warm, and watch the stars move across the sky like paint on a canvas. Watch the stars sparkle in the sky, as the calm night brings you and your date together. --jr and rr

arts.culture.living

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS THE DEATH AND LIFE OF CHARLIE ST. CLOUD, Ben Sherwood’s story of a young man given a second chance at life develops over a period of thirteen years. Charlie St. Cloud is miraculously revived through the help of firefighter Florio Ferrente. However, Florio was unable to save Charlie’s younger brother Sam, the victim of a drunk driving accident. The story, narrated by Florio, continues to follow not just Charlie but also Tess Carroll. As a native of the story’s setting of Marblehead, Tess is a renowned local sailor planning to sail around the world. With Charlie living day by day with the gift of seeing the recently deceased in the transitional plane between Earth and the afterlife – Tess encounters a wicked storm that leads to her disappearance. Soon thereafter, Tess wakes in Charlie’s graveyard and the real story begins as

they grow closer and Charlie must then make the decision to let go of his past and move onto the future. Portraying the title character in the movie adaptation simply entitled ‘Charlie St. Cloud’ is High School Musical’s alumni, Zac Efron. One of the hottest new actors to break into the Hollywood scene, Efron has chosen to make the necessary step from teen icon to A-list actor, displaying his array of talent as a performer. Efron is certainly younger than the Charlie St. Cloud of the book so the writers have lowered the transition time to five years. Still, he brings to the screen Charlie’s insecurity and lack of confidence in facing the new world that now exists outside of his past and the graveyard that he has seemingly forever chained himself too. As a promise to Sam, they meet daily at sunset to play catch and sometimes swim in the nearby

river. Sam (portrayed in a perfect serious and youthful exuberance by Charlie Tahan) struggles with the same dilemma as his older brother, in that he cannot face moving onto the afterlife. Another narrative line appearing in the screenplay is the book’s narrator, Florio Ferrente (Ray Liotta) who is losing the battle to cancer but not before becoming a driving force in guiding Charlie to his own salvation. In the book, Florio stands as the ultimate addition in exploring the roots and depths of the principle characters. It is unfortunate that screenwriters Craig Pearce and Lewis Colick did not incorporate this aspect to the film. Instead, the audience is presented with the story in real time following Charlie. Tess (Amanda Crew) loses her appeal within the film and simply seems to be played more as the love interest or damsel in distress with a FUTURÉALE

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bit of insight to her inner feelings. In contrast, the book further develops Tess by delving into her own personal grief: the death of her father, and her inner exploration of realizing that she is a transitional spirit seeing the effects of her disappearance on her family and friends. It is noteworthy to mention that the one hour and forty minute running time should have had a couple more minutes of exposition for Tess that could have helped her character stand out more in the film. A further comparison between the text and motion picture world involves the entire prelude to the vehicle accident and subsequent death of Charlie and Sam. The book brings the reader up to speed with Charlie’s back story including his Mother Louise (lovingly played by veteran Kim Basinger) as a single Mom having the unwanted pregnancy from her then lover, and the second pregnancy from another man resulting in Sam. The film finds Charlie and Sam as true brothers sharing the same absentee father. We get to see Charlie graduate from High School with Sam at his side. The most important difference is

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that the film opens with a grand sailing race with Charlie and Sam racing their boat in a competition against Tess herself. These two characters would not formally meet in the book until spiritual Tess confronts Charlie over his geese-chasing noise in the graveyard.

Charlie wins the race establishing himself as an accomplished student of sailing. Whether on paper or on screen, it is an undeniable adventure into the questions of accepting death and in conjunction, life itself. The reader can take a vested interest into Charlie as an older brother, one who argues, swears, and sometimes disciplines his younger

sibling but still feels a true bond. Charlie is not a perfect character despite his academic achievements. It is his choice to borrow the neighbor’s car and take Sam to a Red Sox game, to have a few drinks given to him by other older fans, and to lose his concentration on the road for a split second resulting in the accident. His salvation and redemption through Florio’s point of view is an engaging and heartfelt experience. The movie adaptation takes the main aspects of the book but swerves them into a more modern story that focuses on Charlie but lacks the substance that contributed Charlie’s story – the greater life struggles and realizations of Florio, Tess and Sam. The book provides the thorough ride that fleshes out the relationship between Charlie and Tess, the coming of age story of Sam and the entire guardian angel embrace of Florio himself. Still, it is Efron’s presence that will attract viewers and he certainly delivers given the material he had thankfully making Charlie St. Cloud an enjoyable and emotional adventure.   --rr

arts.culture.living

Movie Vs. Film FILM: a thin transparent strip covered in

a photographic emulsion intended for the recording and reproduction of images and sound.

breakfast Saturday morning, you’ll refer to it as “movie”.

MOVIE: a projection of photographic images, which maybe accompanied by sound, usually viewed for recreational purposes.

“I usually attribute film to some sort of documentary and movie to like mainstream storytelling. I prefer movie because opinions in movie are usually more interpretative than in films.”

The ultimate semantic debate amongst filmies: “Film Vs. Movie”. At first thought, the distinction may seem obvious to you. To me it did. If you want to sound smart, if you write for a living, if you’ve studied it for years, you come to refer to everything as “film”. If you’re the casual Joe or Jill, off to the theatre like you do every Friday night and talk about it with your friends over

Simple enough? Not for some. At the core of the “Film Vs. Movie” debate, we all know what the other word truly means. However, the lines have been blurred, the colour schemed changed from black & white to a massive grey scale – ultimately for our own personal preference. We all know what we’re all talking about...sometimes. One Facebook friend writes: “I usually attribute film to some sort of documentary and movie to like mainstream storytelling. I prefer movie because opinions in movie are usually more interpretative than in films.” This comment has been “liked” by another friend. If I may interpret, this distinction is like the one above. Where Film makes me think of “book smarts” and Movie “street smarts”. But whose to say documentaries aren’t mainstream and therefore cannot be referred to as “Movies”?

BY TRISTAN COOLMAN I think we can all point to the biggest documentary maker of the last few years, Michael More, with an argument to be made that his works fall into the “Movie” end of things rather than “Film”. Some could argue his documentaries were very contrived without ever really proving anything (see: Fahrenheit 9/11) thus making then “Movies”. Others support his work and say the facts presented are groundbreaking, the interviews real and series of events uncontrived. These people would point to his works and refer to them as “Films”. Though, I doubt the plot of Fahrenheit 9/11 left many leaving the theatre with differing interpretations of what Moore thought. Everyone who left knew he was not a fan of The Bush. There is more to the debate than semantics. For some see the debate as one between generations rather than semantics. FutuRéale EIC Shawn Shapiro reminisced recently about the debate with his father, saying his dad would refer to them as “films”, questioning the younger generation’s use of “movie”. Personally, I find I use “film” more often when formally writing about them. Let’s be honest, it does sound more formal. However, when out with my best buddy, do I call them “film nights”? Hell no! They are called movie nights and they are going 5 years strong! I feel like this is the general consensus. Whatever you may call them, just make sure to turn your cell phones off. People on both sides of the “debate” would most certainly agree that the sound of a cell phone going off in a filovie is the most annoying thing ever. --rr FUTURÉALE

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From

Clippings to

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The Coupon Comeback SAVING MONEY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE IN THE BACK OF EVERYONE’S MINDS. But now in particular, with the

rise of prices along with the brutal HST tax, people are forced to come to a realization that the price of living is not cheap. Society has always been on a constant search for tips and tricks that will help them save money and a popular result has been the discovery of the coupon...but now with a new twist. Do you remember your mother clipping coupons from the daily newspapers and flyers that came in the mail? Well, although many people still carry out that tradition, there is a newer trend that is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. Commonly known as e-coupons, these online vouchers are an easy solution to those money saving troubles. Rather than trying to scrounge up every possible coupon by flipping through the never-ending pile of newspapers and flyers, online companies have made the sport of coupon hunting as easy as 1-2-3. Within a few simple steps, you could have coupons emailed straight to you. But, this once again leads to the beginning of the never-ending “pile” of websites that are thrown at you, offering deals that sound like they are the best deals out there, but might not necessarily be the greatest choice. So just be aware that since there are so many

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sites that it’s hard to keep track of which to trust. But once you’ve found a trustworthy website, you’ll be all set to start saving. With websites such as www.save.ca or www.groupon.com/toronto/, saving money has never been this easy. By simply printing out various versions of the coupons or

even using online codes, the amount of money you spend each day has the potential be cut down immensely! If you have the right tools and know where to look, there is money that can easily be saved. Some websites provide coupons at no cost or free online codes, while other websites offer a service where certain deals can be bought at a fraction of the regular v. This sense of frugality has even gathered many followers and in the process has

produced many websites that provide a forum for these “frugalities” to share their costcutting tricks. One of these helpful websites is www.frugalshopper.ca, which has a lot of members offering their own findings. People

all over the world can have access to dates of a sale or certain giveaways, while also gaining insight into the world of bargain hunting. Many threads have popped up, allowing an outlet for everyday people to save money that could have been spent unnoticeably. You can find updates about in-store sales, links to printable e-coupons and online codes, all provided by fellow shoppers who make the most out of their dollar. The vast amount of deals that can be found on the internet can ultimately appeal to anyone. From leisure activities such as golf, amusement parks to the guilty pleasures of shoes and designer clothes. There’s something for everyone and it just takes a visit to one of these websites to find them. These coupons are perfect for families and for savvy shoppers.

arts.culture.living

It’s not cheap to want to save money...it’s smart! Without a doubt, the World Wide Web has hit society by storm and shows no sign of slowing down. With technology on the rise and the ability to Google anything imaginable, computers have become a necessity. Since the internet has become a major resource for information, it is great to be able to have a service where you can save money with a few simple clicks of a mouse. In addition to the free coupons that you can find floating throughout cyberspace, there are also websites that provide a service in which you are able to purchase the special deals. One of these sites, www.groupon.com/ toronto/, does just that. You simply register with your email account and will automatically be sent daily coupon deals around your area that you can buy. But, what differentiates this website from others is that it is based on how many people collectively choose to buy the deal that is featured that day, which they call “collective buying power.” As described on the introduction video featured on the website, the Groupon that you want to buy will only be activated by the amount of other people who also register to purchase that deal, which is why they encourage their customers to tell their friends and family through other forms

of online media, via Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, or even carrier pigeon. The company claims to “offer a “too good to be true” experience from the moment you buy your Groupon to the day you use it” and there has been a lot of positive customer feedback. Another similar site is called Dealfind (www.dealfind.com/toronto/), which is a site that offers products and services for up to 90% off throughout your chosen city. A new deal is featured each day, from Monday to Thursday, and they are offered for 24 hours from the time they are activated, while deals published on Friday are offered all weekend. And like Groupon, you get benefits by sharing the deals with other people. With Dealfind,

when you get others to purchase the deals, then the company will “pay you a part of the money [they] take from the Deal.” It’s a great way to let your friends and family know about the great deals that you are finding, while also getting yourself an even better deal! From new restaurant promotions to special events happening around your city, the sky’s the limit with these online coupons and you can’t pass up some of these fantastic finds. They are not only a great way to save money, but also a more affordable way to explore what is offered around your own backyard. Many people never try new places around their city because of the mere burden of costs. Therefore, these coupons are a great chance to find new favourite spots! You never know what you

could stumble upon if you never give it a try. As addicting as other internet phenomenon such as Facebook or Twitter, the online world of coupons keeps people constantly on the lookout for daily deals. And since most of the websites are updated daily or numerous times throughout the day, their followers are always checking back for more. Although coupons have now become intertwined with technology, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the traditional tangible clippings are of any lesser value. The email coupons merely seem more convenient because of the time period that we are in at the moment. But you’ve got to admit; finding deals online is much easier than flipping through papers, and it’s less of a hassle. Ultimately, with the help of technology, coupons have evolved from being found in newspapers to websites, and instead of snipping and scrounging, you are printing from your own computer. With so many deals out there, why not give it a try and let your frugal side run wild. Get out there and start saving with e-coupons and online codes galore! --rr

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Hooping Hula SADIE YANCEY MADE THE DECISION to devote her life to hooping two years ago and since them she has loved every minute of it. The vibrant 28-year-old lives and breathes for hooping. She makes and sells hoops, teaches classes and organizes “jams” around Toronto, making hooping arguably one of the most accessible forms of fun fitness in the city. Yancey runs Hoop Toronto. She offers hooping classes and “jams” in a few locations around the city. Jams are an informal gathering of hoopers who want s to get together, practice and/or teach each other new things. “You have to be brave to come to jams and throw a hoop and laugh at yourself,” she says, “There’s lots of people around who like a really structured environment, who on the first day,

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you’re a beginner, everyone else is a beginner, no one knows anything and you flail and you learn and you hit yourself in the face all together. There are people who wanted more of that atmosphere, also people who wanted classes for fitness.” Sadie picked up hooping about four years ago at a festival and it quickly became her passion. After completing her masters in Medical Biophysics, she quickly became frustrated with sitting behind a desk. “Hooping is the opposite of sitting at desk, there’s a lot of mobility and it felt really good”, she tells. She never consciously made the choice to make a career out of hoping. “I could have applied for research jobs but no one

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in Toronto was really doing anything with hooping. No one was making hoops and no one was teaching classes and people kept asking me for it…so I could apply for research jobs or I could do this hooping thing professionally”, says Yancey. She quit her part-time job last May and has been hooping “more than fulltime” all summer. “I get one day off a month. I’m learning a lot. This is part of the small business thing. There’s no one telling you what to do so there’s no telling you when to take a break,” she says, “When you really care about a project, it’s hard to stop working on it. You want to keep going and going.” Catriona Wright, 28, has been hooping for about 10 months. She wanted a fun way to lose weight and get in shape. “Hooping sounded really unique and different and I’ve always been drawn to the unique and different. So, I did more research and watched a bunch of videos on the Internet. I just decided to sign up for the class and see how it went”, Wright tells.

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Hooping is fun and easy with the right hoop. Maybe you haven’t touched a hoop since you were 10 years old or maybe you’re terminally awkward and fear that your hoop will hit the ground after one sad wiggle. This is not the case. Catriona came right over and showed me the correct motion for my hips. It turns out hooping is not about rotating your hips in a circle with your hoop. It’s a simply moving your hips from side to side or front to back (think pelvic thrusting). The huge diameter and weight of a proper adult hoop makes the hoop go slower and gives you more control. Hooping is also something that you can do with any part of your body. “What’s great about hooping is that there are tons of classes that are structured around people learning tricks,” says Yancey,” They want to learn this trick, work on it for an hour and at the end of an hour you have it, and it’s something you’ll always have. We do tricks that are on the body, or arms or the legs. So even if someone is in a wheelchair there’s still plenty of things they can do with their hands. I had a student who had her arm in a cast and she could hoop fine because she had another arm.” Physically, hooping really is a fantastic form of exercise. It exercises your abs without you having to do endless crunches. It also really gets your heart pumping so it’s possible to tone and burn calories at the same time, not to mention the fact that you really loosen up. It’s hard to take yourself too seriously

when you have a colourful piece of plastic spinning around your hips. Wright says, “everyone can hoop”, “I got my boyfriend doing it. It took about four months, but he’s having a great time. Anyone can do it. It just takes practice and not caring that much. Everyone looks like an idiot when they start but everyone claps and cheers you on when you do something for the first time.” If you’re bashful, you can go it alone. “You don’t need people to tell you how to use it,” Yancey says, “you just need to put on some music and go at it for an hour and you’ll get it by the end. There are also lots of online tutorials that you can spend endless hours watching.” Laura Kidd is a hooper from London, U.K. She’s making a video about hooping while she’s taking a holiday in North America. She’s been hooping for seven months. Her favourite part of hooping is the community. “Everything’s very open”, she says, “It’s not cliquey.”

She also loves the way hooping makes her feel. “I’m not a dancer, I’m not graceful, I’m not an athlete, and I’m just a person who’s a bit awkward in real life. So, for me, hooping means I can start to be graceful.” Also, for you lonely boys out there, going to a hoop jam is also a great way to meet girls. “Guys are great at hooping because it’s a front-back motion. It’s just like humping so they’re great at it. If guys were smart they would come because hot girls moving their hips having a good time and laughing surround you. The guys who come tend to be more into the juggling side of it, like learning the tricks or going faster,” says Yancey, At this point in the interview, some very ominous looking clouds open up and Sadie leaps up, not to cower under a tree like some of us, but to hoop in the pouring rain. Others join her and it’s nothing but smiles. You can check out Sadie’s website, www. hooptoronto.com for more information on classes, jams and hooping. --rr

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The Art of INCEPTION

BY JESS SILVER WHAT’S A MOVIE EXPERIENCE Nolan’s latest blockbuster hit “Inception”, WITHOUT A LITTLE ROMANCE, released on the 16th of July, 2010 racked of the subconscious. Throughout the film the

action and accidental bloodshed? Nowadays, you cannot go to the movies and miss out on those three so-called signature ingredients to an enjoyable film. It has become all about seeing into the future and getting away from what is known as the here and now. Think of a movie ticket as an entry into a wonderful time machine with all of those anxious faces doing the ‘time warp’ and you won’t be too far off in your criticism of the latest blockbusters of the 21st century. Award winning director, Christopher Nolan was aiming for a different sort of movie thrill after his 2009 hit, The Dark Knight, which had audiences raving of the late Heath Ledger’s astounding performance that transformed him into The Joker. It was not about making one question his or her opinion of a subject this time around or wondering which futuristic gadget will see its way into the fabrics of reality; “Inception” opened up new frontiers and had one doing ‘The Mind Warp. Contemporary Western society has been stuck on this idea of delving into the ways of what is recognized as the future in order to make sense of the moment. It is fun for directors to set artistic wheels in motion and breathe life into preconceived notions. The saying that has been used countless times to describe the genius of filmmakers and actors is ‘”the art of deception”. Deception is a noun in the English language, which means to lie to, or to present an idea in a different way than that which one sees it. This is precisely where the craft is applied to most movies and works of art because they have the ability to deceive and thus skew one’s perception of an idea, object or concept. FUTURÉALE

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in a whopping 60.4 million dollars opening weekend, beating all other movies in their profits and made directors take a step back. The premise of the film is unique and makes one second guess his stance in reality, why? Because it poses the question what is reality and how does one delve into the levels of the subconscious to understand what an idea is, and how that idea is malleable like the wax of a candle. Cobb, the protagonist (Leonardo Dicaprio) assumes the role of a well-recognized, talented The art of Inception will have you doing the ‘mind warp’ that extends far beyond the creativity of a motion picture and into the way you interpret things on a daily basis.

Extractor- someone whose job is to plant an idea that is different and considered unreal into the mind of his subject. The team who is commissioned by Tom and his accomplice, Mr. Saito who is interested in monetary benefit and value, target the young protégé by the name of Mr. Fischer. Their task is to make the empire of Fischer’s father dissolve once he has succumbed to his death so that he can walk away with the riches. How can such a grandiose task be made possible in such a short span of time? One might say it’s easy with the help of such directors as Chris Nolan, but this film shows you that it is not interested in those three signature ingredients mentioned earlier. Rather, it targets a whole other level of audience, those that are willing to question dream sequences for being real and who are able to see deeper into the bounds of themselves through the convoluted nature

audience sees the team of extractors struggle with their task and at times even doubt the possibilities of constructing this world that allows one to see through their subconscious by falling into their dreams. Both Cobb and Ariadne (Ellen Page) who is the architect of the world in which inception is the goal, are trapped between these two realities and getting their subject to believe in the constructed reality that they have planted in his mind. It is usually the protagonist who is either superhero or villain with every answer at his disposal but here that is not the case. Cobb is quite literally caught in limbo and is taken aback by the past, unsure of where he himself is living, reality or in his dream world with his wife Mal (Marion Cotillard). This movie has you sitting on the edge of your seat even after the screen goes dark. It makes everyone wonder whether or not we know what is real and how to control projections of our mind. Nolan and his talented supporting cast of people behind the words of the screenplay leave everyone awestruck, trying to separate themselves from what is farfetched and what is the cruel essence of reality. Dicaprio delivers a powerful and captivating performance that will leave you puzzled and begging for more long after the film has ended. It deserves to be put in its own class because it throws virtually every element of a good movie into question and shows the audience that nothing in life should ever be taken at face value. The art of Inception will have you doing the ‘mind warp’ that extends far beyond the creativity of a motion picture and into the way you interpret things on a daily basis. **** for a fantastic, adrenaline rush of a film that has an important statement to make. --rr

OUR SUMMERTIME has been filled with wonderful, mindless shows including The Bachelorette, Hell’s Kitchen, and, my alltime favourite, the ever so popular Big Brother, into its 12th series this year (Go Matt!). The simplicity of reality television sucks us in over the heat wave months and makes us forget about all those thought-provoking shows we’ve been missing since their season finales so very long ago. While Ugly Betty has become beautiful and traveled across the world to pursue new dreams, Heroes has ended abruptly (leaving the questions of what happened to my love interest Samuel unanswered), and LOST has provided us with all the answers to life, there are still many great programs returning this fall, and enough new shows to keep us busy for a few months. While the success of new shows is often very hit-or-miss, here are a few coming out that might make us laugh, cry or at least continue watching for a few episodes: Outsourced stars Ben Rappaport as Todd Dempsy, the new manager of the Mid America Novelties Company that sells great American classics such as whoopee cushions and those endlessly annoying singing fish on a plaque. After completing his management training, Todd quickly learns he’s being transferred to India to run the recently outsourced call centre,

where none of the employees know anything about being an American. Todd works fast and decides to put the new employees through a crash course of all things American to help them understand the product lines and boost sales from the other side of the world. Outsourced premiers on Sept. 23 at 9:30 p.m. on Global. One new show that has seriously piqued my interest is Shattered. Filmed in beautiful Vancouver, Shattered is the tale of Ben Sullivan, a tough, intelligent homicide detective silently suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder, more widely known as Multiple Personality Disorder. Ben and his wife Amy Lynch (Camille Sullivan) work together to solve murder cases while Ben deals with the complexities of his disorder that he will not reveal to anyone, except for a psychologist. Any of Ben’s three personalities come out to play during times of great crisis (a frequent occurrence for a homicide detective), forcing Ben and his psychologist to sit together after the dust has settled and attempt to put all the pieces back together. Shattered premiers on Sept. 1 on Showcase, and on Sept. 15 on Global at 10 p.m. Besides Shattered, there is a long list of new and returning police/detective/law/homicide shows. A “reboot” of the American classic

Hawaii Five-0 will be premiering on CBS this September. The producers are stressing up and down that this is not simply a remake of the original show that went off the air more than 35 years ago, but a reimagining that keeps true to the shows original spirit while updating it to something modern audiences enjoy and recognize. But, even with all the modernization, the show will still have the same legendary theme song and the classic line, “Book him Danno!” Chase is another fast paced police drama brought to us by Jerry Bruckheimer of CSI. Chase follows a female deputy U.S. marshal and her fugitive apprehension team that track down and capture the most dangerous criminals in South Texas. At first glance the show looks like a carbon copy of all the police dramas out there, but the pilot preview grabbed me with references to kidnapping, facial recognition and other fancy police words. This is how the police dramas suck us in: fancy words, humour and sexy, pretty people. Chase is coming to NBC Monday

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nights at 10 p.m., the same time Hawaii Five-0 is on, so sadly you’re going to have to pick and choose your police dramas. This year The Event appears to be the big hopeful for NBC. You can tell how great the network believes a show is going to be based on the previews they’ve provided us with over the summer months. The Event has shown us three distinct plot lines each outlining events – simply events. The disappearance of Jason Ritter’s girlfriend from their fancy beach resort is an event. The newly elected US President Martinez discovering a secret facility covered up by the CIA is simply an event. And even the plan to assassinate that same president (the classic prank!) is just another event. The Event itself is allegedly something that will change the course of the entire human race for the rest of its existence. The Event is something that will bring these three happenings together and change history. The Event is huge. It is,

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http://www.thefutoncritic.com/images/ shows/2010event3.jpg THE Event, after all. The Event is believed to be the show that will fill the hole in our hearts from the loss of 24 and LOST. It is a fast paced conspiracy thriller that claims, unlike LOST, the answers to our questions will come quickly and not leave us all frustrated week after week, asking why we put ourselves through this torture (Don’t worry LOST, I still love you). The Event premiers Sept. 20 at 9 p.m. on NBC. With all the excitement new shows bring, remember to restrain your enthusiasm. You can never be sure if any are really that promising or if they are even going to make it through the first season. I’ve given my emotional support to many shows and characters (see:

McDreamy) only to have them become boring, disappointing or simply cancelled. There are a few gems returning this year though, and I am legitimately excited to see how their stories continue. Dexter will be returning to Showcase on Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. Everyone’s favourite serial killer is back to fight another round and it looks like he’ll be trying to save himself from another conviction. How long can he really run around killing people and keep getting away with it?

Grey’s Anatomy will be returning to ABC on Sept. 23 at 9 p.m., introducing us to at least one new character to help our favourite doctors recover from the gruesome season finale so many months ago. It is also rumoured that there will be a wedding this season, and possibly even a new baby. Private Practice will begin right after Grey’s, with the group putting themselves back together after the death in the office and celebrating a wedding of their own this season. Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice will also have a crossover to look forward to this season. Every year we leave our deep, dramatic and involved story lines for a few months, and almost forget about them while we find new television shows, or even (*gasp*) something to do outside! The summer is a nice break, but once I’m reminded by commercials and previews that my favourite characters are coming back to hang out with me again at 8 p.m. every Thursday, while my friends are all old and having children and won’t party with me anymore, I get very excited. I can’t wait to see how my favourite Dr. House is doing with his new budding relationship. I’m anticipating the new girls on Americas Next Top Model, and can’t wait for them to scream and call one another names. I can’t wait to see what antics Sheldon and Leonard are going to get themselves into with their comical brilliance. Every year is a new adventure, and as I set up my PVR for just about every night this September, my hopes are up high for some great TV. --rr

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Topshop Takes Toronto TAILORED BOYFRIEND BLAZERS WITH PINK SILK CUFFS, heart emblazoned crop

tops and ruffled silk rompers have finally found a Canadian home in Toronto’s trendy West end boutique “Jonathan + Olivia”. Topshop, a British fast-fashion sensation, has officially taken over Toronto’s fashion scene, and the wallets of local fashionistas. “Jonathan + Olivia” owner Jackie O’Brien welcomes this invasion. “ Jonathan + Olivia” presents Topshop offers with an affordable line of clothing and accessories for customers who want to stand out, and want something special… there’s something for everyone!” said O’Brien. The 800 square foot mini Topshop opened its doors to Torontonians June 19 of this year. It was met by a swarm of eager shoppers desperate to get their hands on the affordably priced trend-based pieces, once only attainable to the truly Topshop devoted and who previously had to trek to the New York City flagship.

By Alyssa Garrison

The store didn’t open as an independent mega-boutique but as a mini test boutique within “Jonathan + Olivia”, in Toronto’s Uber Chic Queen West neighborhood. This marketing technique mirrored the opening of the first store-within-a-store Topshop in North America five years ago, when the British chain took over a portion of “Opening Ceremony’s” loft space in New York’s Soho district. After four years in this small location, Topshop opened its first full size North American flagship in the same district in 2009. Although, to local shopper’s disappointment, nothing of this nature has yet been announced in Toronto. Plans for Topshop’s expansion to Canada have been in the works since 2004 when Topshop owner and British billionaire Sir. Phillip Green announced he planned to expand with around 15 stores in the U.S.,

telling The Star that “Topshop would launch within nine months in Canada”. After select highly priced pieces of Kate Moss for Topshop collection were carried at Holt Renfrew for a single holiday season, there had been much speculation about whether the main Topshop line would be carried at Holt Renfrew permanently. Rumor has it that Topshop would be debuting on Bay St., but in the end Jackie O’Brien scored the exclusive line for Toronto. “[Arcadia Group] contacted us about four to five months ago. They liked what we were doing and it felt like a good fit for both of us.” O’Brien told The Star. “It is an honour to be the first to present the Topshop brand to Canada,” O’Brien added. “Jonathan + Olivia” has been a mustsee fashion destination since its opening on

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Queen West in 2008. The gallery-like décor and covetable brands such as Alexander Wang, Rag and Bone, and Acne have made “Jonathan + Olivia” one of the top designer shopping stops in the city. O’Brien feels Topshop adds a perfect twist to the high priced mix. “That’s the way women shop now, mixing a $20 t-shirt with a designer handbag or shoes,” O’Brien told The Star, “It’s a one-stop shop for women.” Ryerson fashion student and local blogger Brianne Burnell could not agree more with O’Brien, explaining, “Topshop fills the void in the Toronto shopping scene for unique, fashion forward pieces at an affordable price”. “Topshop brings clothing that is upscale and extremely on trend, to the point that most pieces remind me of a specific runway collection of the season, at an affordable price

point. And of course it just offers more variety, especially when a lot of clothing stores are starting to carry extremely similar looking products,” said Burnell. Topshop itself opened as a mini boutique within in a larger store in 1964, where the brand debuted in its own small section in the Peter Robinson store in Sheffield, UK. Since its small beginnings Topshop has become the high street shopping destination across the UK, and boasts over 400 stores worldwide.

“Topshop brings clothing that is upscale and extremely on trend, to the point that most pieces remind me of a specific runway collection of the season, at an affordable price point. And of course it just offers more variety, especially when a lot of clothing stores are starting to carry extremely similar looking products.” The collection at “Jonathan + Olivia” will be limited to specific pieces from the line’s main collection, unique boutique line, select footwear and makeup, and Topman at a later date. The selection will be restocked biweekly with shipments straight from London’s enormous Oxford Circus Topshop location to ensure the racks always stay fresh and full. Top trends throughout the line were studs, lace, and leather, giving the collection an overall rock and roll flare. Teemed with traditionally inspired heeled clogs and the occasional floral or animal print accent, as well as military jackets and a dash of simple nude. Almost every fall must have appears to be covered by “Jonathan + Olivia’s” small taste of Topshop. Picks for this fall include apple wooden clog boots for $149, the stone army cape jacket for

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$115, the three button fold blouse for $65, and Burnell’s personal favorite, the stud fringe trim waistcoat (pictured) for $125. Topshop’s featured designer lines are also something to look forward to someday seeing in Canada. With a permanent collection from supermodel Kate Moss, past limited edition designs from Christopher Kane and Jonathan Saunders, and most recently launched, a reasonably priced knitwear collection by Canada’s own Mark Fast, one can only hope the collection will continue to expand to include all the wonders Topshop has to offer. “We have lots of exciting things in store with Topshop, including the Kate Moss collection in the fall. Keep watching us to see what we are offering next!” said O’Brien. Topshop now joins the ranks of other international chains that have debuted in Toronto over the past decade, including H&M, Forever 21, Sephora, and coming soon, a Victoria’s Secret flagship. The question is, does bringing these sacred shopping destinations home to Canada take away from the allure they had in the first place? Burnell thinks not. “I have never had the joy of going into a Topshop, because I’m a sheltered Northern Ontario hermit, but I was planning a trip to New York to go in the future. If Topshop would rather come to me I would be more than happy to buy everything. The clothing is extremely unique and beautiful from what I have seen online,” said Burnell. --rr

arts.culture.living

Flittering Pages

By Jess Silver

Stepping into an acrobatic world with Colum McCann’s latest novel Let The Great World Spin that has readers questioning life’s arbitrariness A SECRET TRAPDOOR INTO THE PAST, a telescoping image of the future, a testament of love; these are all aspects of a novel that readers gravitate towards. A book is like a ticket into all of these worlds that lets its passenger distance away from his or her reality, or find closure in its complexity. Contemporary Literature is becoming more and more popular for this reason because it finds a way to articulate those difficult questions about the past that still trouble us as a society through a layering of different perspectives. Irish born author Colum McCann in his latest novel, Let The Great World Spin cleverly amalgamates different aspects of Contemporary fiction to show readers just how complex the nature of life is for anyone living anywhere. The novel is a step into our acrobatic world where nothing can remain stagnant or be extrapolated as a single event that stands alone. It can be said that for an author who writes works of Contemporary Fiction there is really no set structure to follow because each work will implement different narrative styles and structure in its attempt to articulate the past and liven it uniquely. Such is especially true in the case of Let The Great World Spin where the audience is presented with a text in which there is a transitory tone that is elicited through the many characters that interject their story into the master narrative taking place in 1974 New York. In an interview conducted by Mr. Bret Anthony Johnson from 32

The National Book Foundation, McCann recalls, “The book follows the intricate lives of a number of different people who live on the ground, or, rather people who walk the ground’s tightrope…the lives braid in and out of each other. It’s a collision really, a web in this big sprawling complex web that we call New York (www.colummccan.org/). What is most fascinating about this 2009 Winner of the National Book Award is the way that the contrasting narratives are interwoven with each other to represent the notion of constancy or desire for constancy in a broken world. Reading the novel, one sees the protagonist,

John A. Corrigan, struggle with the way that his microcosm of Upstate New York is faltering. There is clash that is ever-present between ideas of faith and its presence in Corrigan’s life as it is up against the notion of social status, and family values. Corrigan’s story and struggle as one might call it, is narrated by his brother Ciarian who embodies a figure that is starkly different from his own, as he is someone more interested in artistic expression and women. The underlying theme within the novel is this idea that humanity often finds itself walking on a very thin and faltering tightrope but is forced and must continue to let the world

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arts.culture.living keep spinning even though corruption exists. The allegorical narrative line that remains important while Corrigan’s story, Jazzlyn’s story, and Tillie Henderson’s plea for justice as a 38-year hooker from the Bronx is the focal point of the narrative, is the story of the tightrope walker who pulls an acrobatic sort of stunt from The Twin Towers which were and are in existence within the novel prior to when it tackles the events of September 11th, 2001. This plotline is significant and will have readers raving about McCann’s bravery as he undercuts the idealist image that people may have of New York as the city in lights. Instead, he shows that nothing should ever be accepted as it is and that the world and its people- us, are in essence acrobats who must be willing to, like the man on the tightrope, bend in all directions. It is through the voices of characters like Claire and her husband Soloman Soderberg, who is a longtime court judge that readers will see that the world we live in is an acrobatic act where justice is pitted against corruption and evil. The author who previously wrote many novels including Zoli (2006) ; notes that this one was very different and has an important message that will seem enthralling to all when he says in the interview, “And maybe it’s just a novel about a polyphonic city…my love letter to old New York in all her clothes, shabby and dignified both”. This is an amazing text and a piece of literary art because it has a way of commenting on the past that makes it seem so alive and important to what is now and what will be the future. Parts such as Centavos and Roaring Seaward and Here I Go, show that the world does a have a way of creeping up on us at times crueler than others, but it will never stop spinning so we must learn to master the acrobatic challenge called life! A commendable effort by an author who is a master in his own class. --jr and rr FUTURÉALE

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If you do, why? And if you don’t, you’d choose to stay home and watch the why not? festival news on television when you could From Sept. 9 through 19, Toronto becomes the movie capital of the world as film fanatics from all over the globe converge on our city to sit in the dark, eat popcorn and watch movies till their eyeballs ache. For some this is a yearly trek; for others a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As a TIFF enthusiast, I converse with so many amazing film fans from all over the world that I can’t understand not being excited about the festival. This is our city and the festival comes to us. There are no trips to the airport, no hotel rooms to book and pay for. For $20 we can sit next to someone who has saved all year just for the opportunity to sit next to us. If you’re a film fan then I don’t understand why

be there in person. Then again, I know firsthand that there is a world of difference between going to a festival movie and going after you’ve worked an eight-hour day. Every festival I find myself envying the people who take the week off, max out their experience with the 25 or 50 movie packages. I tell myself every year that next time I am going to be one of them. Maybe in 2011. So what I do, with my little 10-ticket package and three extra, is try to build a festival experience into my weekends. I’m thrilled about the extra Sunday this year. Two full weekends to overdose on films, three or four each day! But what is the difference, you might ask, between seeing a Danish art house

film on a Tuesday night after work and seeing it in the middle of a three-movie Saturday? In most Canadian cities the chance to see a foreign film after work would be a real treat, something out of the ordinary. But pick up any newspaper and you’ll see that in Toronto every night is an opportunity to see indie and foreign film. You don’t even need to go to the repertory cinemas or the nightly showings at the Cinematheque Ontario to find something outside the mainstream. The very same theatres – AMC Yonge and Dundas, Scotiabank, Cumberland and Varsity – that show festival movies for 11 days in September do so on a smaller scale all year long, and for half the price. Unlike the out-of-towner who sits in the Varsity for the very first time after lunch at the Bloor Street Diner, this is a FUTURÉALE

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cinema you go to on a more or less regular basis. It’s familiar. And if you can’t “do the festival,” then simply watching a movie isn’t going to be much different than seeing one on any other night. Perhaps the movie is a little less mainstream, maybe it’s the only time that particular film will play in the city. But in Toronto there are more independent and foreign films playing on the big screen than we’ll ever have time to enjoy. And between www.zip. ca and fabulous independent video stores like Bay Street and Suspect, there are very few movies unavailable to rent. That brings me back to the why. Why attend TIFF if you can’t go all out and get the full festival experience? If you’re not going to stand in lines all day talking film, grabbing coffee where you can, scarfing down muffins and plastic-wrapped sandwiches because you only have 35 minutes to get from the Scotiabank Theatre to the Cumberland since you stayed for the Q&A to hear that first time Korean director explain how the symbolism in his film was used to show the lead character’s inner turmoil – then why attend at all? Well, obviously if you’re interested in hearing that first time director, then this is something you won’t get on a regular night at the movies, even in Toronto. And all you need to have a great time in line is a few sentences: “This is my first film of the festival. I’m really excited. Have you seen anything you liked?” I’ve used this more than once, and you’ll be amazed at how animated some of your fellow lineFUTURÉALE

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mates will become. You’ll likely get a short list of really great movies to check out later and you’ll probably hear at least one “visiting your city from…” story. As the resident indie guy, I’d like to nudge you towards a good foreign or independent film. If you’re only going to see one movie then why not see something that won’t be playing two weeks later? I know a lot of people who saw Jennifer’s Body last year at the festival. I decided to

The one warning I will give you before you decide to sample the festival is to be true to yourself. see the Australian horror film The Loved Ones. Not only was it a far superior film – if campy horror is your thing – it didn’t end up playing in Scarborough during the second weekend of the festival like Jennifer’s Body did. I’ll tell you a secret: foreign films, the writers, directors, and stars will often be at the non-gala showings, and they’re even willing to chat after the official Q&As. Even the ethereal Tilda Swinton stood in the middle of the Scotiabank public area last year after the showing of her Italian film I Am Love, having her picture taken and chatting with fans who had just seen the movie. How cool is that? The one warning I will give you before you decide to sample the festival is to be true to yourself. The festival programmers spend a lot of time scouring the world

for interesting films. They’re not going to choose bad films; that wouldn’t be good for the festival. But because they’re choosing so many different styles and cultures of film, and not simply stocking the Hollywood style we see all the time in this country, there are going to be as many movies you won’t enjoy as those you will. So if your friend says, “Hey, wanna go see this midnight madness karate flick? It’s supposed to be good,” but you don’t like that sort of thing, then don’t expect that you will enjoy the movie. I know it sounds basic, but in my early years at the festival I’d go to the occasional art film or Korean drama when, honestly, those aren’t my favourites. So whether it’s for the stars, the experience or the films themselves, please consider TIFF. You’ll never know what might surprise you. I was in line for Head in the Clouds back in 2004, part of the Visa Screening Room package I bought. I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but it was the first year I did the festival big and I loved lining up every night after work. I was talking to the person behind me as the line started to move. Still chatting, I tried to be careful but ended up bumping into someone to my side. I turned to apologize, and found myself inches away from Penelope Cruz standing primly during an interview. She was dressed to the nines for the red carpet and I was still wearing my steel-toed work boots. For just a second I felt like I was in my very own movie, The Princess and the Dockworker. --ag and rr

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IT WAS A SCORCHING JULY AFTERNOON Seemingly genre-less, only because of IN 2007. My roommate Heather and I were the countless genres it encompassed, the

having a gloriously lethargic day in her parents’ pool, swimming lazily, nursing beer so cold it made our teeth hurt and keeping as close as possible to the boom box that churned out indie gem after indie gem. We were in the middle of a half-assed water fight when I froze mid-splash. Heather wondered aloud what was wrong. I’m sure I looked like a deer in headlights. I waved a hand to shush her and indicate I was fine, but something very special was going down. A strange, beautiful song – with lyrics about running mascara, Avon ladies singing and general confusion regarding who to be and who to be it for – wrapped itself around me. It hasn’t let go since.

lush, climactic instrumental collided with almost androgynous, dizzying vocals. Laced with dreamy harmonies provided by what sounded like at least three people, the song rendered me speechless. My jaw quite literally dropped. “Who is this?” I managed to sputter out. With a knowing grin and sly eyes, Heather answered me matter-of-factly. “It’s Mother Mother.” Nothing has been the same in my crazy little musical heart since that summer day. Three years, a sophomore record and a couple of member changes later, Mother Mother (Ryan Guldemond, Molly Guldemond, Jasmin Parkin, Jeremy Page and

Ali Siadat) have won over the hearts of critics and fans. From Guelph, Ontario to Brighton, England; from their native British Columbia, to Brooklyn, New York, Mother Mother seem to resonate everywhere they go. With their quirky mash-up of boy/girl crooning, manic synths, shimmery yet angular guitars and other elements too numerous to mention, it’s refreshing to see such an original sounding band garner the success they deserve. O My Heart is the follow-up to 2007’s Touch Up, Mother Mother’s stunning debut LP on Last Gang records. It’s chockfull of catchy, sing-along choruses (“Body of years,” “Burning pile,” and of course, the title track), well-crafted, almost disturbing lyrics (“Take my teeth, tear through my cheeks,” pleads Ryan in the orchestral “Body,” while Molly FUTURÉALE

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arts.culture.living drawls, “I throw the evidence into the trunk and dump it in the sea” in the eerie “Sleep Awake”), danceable, guitar-driven romps (“Hayloft”), and even ‘50s-inspired dream pop (“Arms Tonite”). It’s a record that has earned the band glowing reviews and plenty of buzz, not to mention the title of Third Best Canadian Album and Third Best Indie Album from ITunes Canada’s end-of-year listing of noteworthy records. Each track stands confidently on its own, each one an entity in itself. And above all, even though every track is a totally different experience, it all seems to blend together like a melodic smoothie. It’s a remarkable achievement, one that has seen Mother Mother tour relentlessly over the past 24 months, bringing their adrenalinefueled shows to avid fans who just can’t seem to get enough. On the verge of their much-anticipated third full-length release (also on Last Gang records, to be released in early 2011), I had the opportunity to talk to the casually mysterious, always witty frontman Ryan Guldemond. SD: Everything I’ve ever seen in print in regards to the name Mother Mother indicates only that it came from the name Mother, which you couldn’t use due to legal implications. What I want to know is, where did Mother come from? Why the decision to use that word in a band name, and what does it represent? RG: This guy in college would always say “Mother” would make the best band name. I liked how much he believed it and I started to believe it myself. .. oOur first de facto “gig” was at an open mic and we were nameless... After the show a man asked, “What’s the name of the group?” and I said it was “Mother,”... just like that... It felt good to have a name all of a sudden... Not sure what it represents but having had time to think about it, I see the FUTURÉALE

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word as gigantic but also discreet, as mothers are... They are righteous, vengeful creatures, but most forgiving and selfless... The band’s musical message is light-hearted and playful in many respects but I like to believe there is an underlying thread of scary, sobering truth, much like the kind only a mother beholds. SD: Many artists do not like to define their lyrics because they fear it may mess with the listener’s personal journey with the song and how they relate to it. As a listener and a songwriter myself, I personally love talking about where my lyrics come from, as well as hearing from the artists I love what was going on in their head and heart when they wrote their lyrics. I feel that the way I listen to a song and the way I feel about the lyrics doesn’t have to change just because I know where the songwriter was coming from. I can know what is meant lyrically, and still apply my own meaning to it. I find it doesn’t interfere. How do you feel about that? RG: I’m not crazy about paraphrasing my own lyrics, but I do enjoy hearing artists articulate the deeper meanings of their lyrics well... Always very impressive. It’s just that whenever I start explaining things, the words don’t sound as good or as clear as the lyrics themselves... It’s not that I don’t want to spoil the listener’s own interpretation, I just feel like it’s demeaning to the lyrics, telling their meaning with far less thought than the work that went into creating them in the first place... I imagine the words in a posh house looking through a window at the scene where I’m poorly representing them. They scoff and start to dislike me. It doesn’t feel right. Feels disrespectful or something; isolates me from the song. Besides, my lyrics are very straight forward. They are what they are. Not a lot of wish n’ wash or vagueness... it always surprises me when people ask what the songs are about.

SD: What (if anything) can you tell us about the new record? How have you and the band changed since O My Heart? RG: It’s like O My Heart and Touch Up put together with really slick production... What I mean is that it rocks hard like the rockers from O My Heart but there are also some quirky-ass songs on the new record, songs that would fornicate well with some of the bastard children of Touch Up. We just wanted to do something huge and modern-sounding while getting back in touch with our cheeky side. I think the true Mother Mother fans will really like it, but I also think the dumbasses will like it too, so maybe we’ll make some cash. SD: Gone are the days when mystery was wrapped around our favourite bands, and we had to wait in line at the record store to get the first listen. Hell, I remember being obsessed with bands and having no idea what they looked like until I went to see a live show. Now you’re just one mouse click away from all the info, photos, and music you could ever need. Do you feel that’s a positive or a negative for a band at your level? How has it worked for you and has it worked against you in any way? RG: I dunno. I’m not crazy about the bareall age in which we live. Nothing seems very protected or sacred and everything that’s revealed seems kinda meaningless, ‘cause to discover it is so easy it stops becoming discovery. It’s just information on top of information on top of information. And instead of digging for it, it buries you in its vapid abundance. SD: It seems that everyone and their mother (no pun intended) is in a band these days. With so much to choose from, bands have got to be more creative to catch the attention of listeners. It’s simply not enough to release a great record anymore; you have to be accessible, interactive,

arts.culture.living and almost give incentives out… such as the personal diaries on your site, and the way that you truly do build friendships with your fans. Why do you think it’s important to connect with your fans on a deeper level than the bare minimum? It seems to be genuinely imperative to Mother Mother. RG: Some of that is strategic for sure, like keeping the online presence up to date, etc. But mostly it’s a matter of continuing what we’ve instigated. If we’re jumping up and down, yelling “World, look at us, listen to us” and some of it does, than it’s only respectful that we look and listen back. SD: Are your parents artistic and/or musical? What music were you and (sister and band mate) Molly raised on, and how did it come about that you two ended up in a band together? RG: Mine and Molly’s parents have good taste in music. They introduced us to The Beatles, Pixies, Violent Femmes, Joan Jett, jazz, the Wild at Heart soundtrack. We owe them much in terms of how we express ourselves musically. They don’t however do music professionally or recreationally... but the Ma could be a great musician and that’s probably where the knack comes from. The Pa has a cool voice and him yelling his face off in that quirky falsetto, singing along to stuff when we were young probably influenced some of our own inflections. Molly and I... Well we were living together in Vancouver, I was 22, she was 25 and I wanted to start a band with girl harmonies... Badda bing. SD: Do you have any advice for struggling and/or frustrated independent artists? RG: Struggling and frustration is usually a choice, so I guess I’d advise to walk through some different doors than those. --ag and rr

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Volume 1: Issue 2

freschly pressed WHY EAT LOCALLY : supporting local farmers better your health and local economy

récipe of the month

chewy banana/chocolate chip cookies

frésch facts

A CHIP THAT DOESN’T MAKE YOU REGRET CHEATING ON YOUR DIET

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recipe of the month CHEWY BANANA/CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES - Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. INGREDIENTS - Whisk together the flour, wheat germ, baking - 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour soda, baking powder, and salt. - 1/2 cup (toasted) wheat germ - In a large bowl beat the butter until light and fluffy. - 1/2 tsp. baking soda - Beat in the sugar until it is the consistency of a thick frosting. - 1/2 tsp. baking powder - Beat the eggs into the batter one at a time and scrape down the sides - 1/2 tsp. fine grain sea salt of the bowl and incorporate each egg fully before adding the next. - 1/2 cup unsalted butter (this step is very important!) - 1 cup natural cane sugar (or brown sugar) - Stir in the vanilla. - 2 large eggs - Add the reserved flour mix in two increments, stirring/mixing between - 2 tsp. vanilla extract each addition. - 2/3 cup banana chips, loosely chopped - Kneed in the banana chips, chocolate chips and walnuts - mix until - 1 cup chocolate chips everything is evenly distributed. - 2/3 cup chopped walnuts - Roll each cookie onto the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart and - Preheat oven to 375 degrees. - Place racks in middle or upper middle of the oven. bake for about 7 - 8 mins until tops and bottoms are lightly golden. (Resist over baking as they will come out dry.)

frésch facts

A TRULY HISTORIC SNACK

When referring to chips two tasty options generally come to mind... potato chips and chocolate chips. However, the banana chip is a low sodium snack that is an excellent source of magnesium and unlike the other two guilty pleasures, won’t leave you feeling regret about cheating on your diet. While some banan chips are fried in ils, virgin coconut oil is sometimes used and in most cases is considered much healthier than the alternatives.

The banana itself, next to the apple, is believed to be one of the earliest fruits cultivated by man. Bananas have the highest amount of digestible carbohydrates of any fruit and are also a great source of vitamin C and potassium and are said to help reduce high blood pressure and prevent strokes. As a result, bananas are considered to be the closest thing to an entire meal in one conveniant yellow package. That being said, banana chips are not a substitute for a meal however they are considered a great snack on the go when givin the option.

The banana has been an important part of diets for many years but was not introduced into North America until 1876 when they were sold in foil wrapping that because of its novelty included instructions on how to properly navigate the peel and eat the fruit. Next time you reach for the bag of chips or try to search for the hidden jar of baking chocolate consider the fact that the banana chips are a safe alternative to the guilty pleasures taunting you from the pantry.

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arts.culture.living Making a trip to the grocers a scavenge hunt to find what are not-necessarily the healthiest items but the ones less likely to kill you, it is very easy to identify with the majority of grocery-getters, who nowadays are concerned with what they consume and less about where it comes from. People will go out of their way to search for the lowest fat content, calories per serving and sodium per mouthful before making a decision about what goes into the cart and eventually their mouths, however, how many people actually care about where or even how their food items were raised or produced? The truth is, we should care because, not only does it matter for freshness and health reasons, but it matters for the well being of our Canadian economy. While commercially produced foods are often considered cheaper and are available when out-of season product are not available, they are not always the best choice. Buying from local farmers markets gives you the ability to negotiate mark-up free prices and may lead to a wealth of knowledge that can educate you to become more self sustainable in the long run, saving both time and money.

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In 2005 Jessica Prentince, professional chef and author, introduced the term “Locavore” to define people who were more conscientious about their local food consumption and ecosustainability. The idea behind the fast spreading movement, was that what people eat food grown and produced within 100 miles of their plates, promoting healthier options as well as local farmers. In Canada the movement grew in popularity after Canadian’s Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon wrote, The one hundred mile diet: a year of local eating, a book that became the source of the benefits of eating locally. If buying locally doesn’t entice you consider the facts: • Buying locally, and in some cases picking directly from the trees, can lead to fun activities for the whole family. As Freschly Pressed will cover in our next issue, including your children in the shopping process, making it an activity, can peak their interest when it comes to foods they normally refuse to eat. • Imported food travels longer distances and as a result needs more preservatives to stay fresh. Preservatives are an unnecessary addition to already dwindling

North American diets. Locally grown food travels shorter distances and therefore is delivered fresh relying on less or no preservatives to keep it that way. • By buying locally you are helping contribute to the local economy. In cycling money through local industries (without turning this article into a financial review) it encourages money back into the local circulation which in the long run is better than paying for imports. • Finally, having the freedom to discuss negotiate price is not something you have at your local grocery store and interactions are different when you deal with someone who grows the food as opposed to someone who stocks it. So, while not everyone has the time to pick fruit directly from the tree or search for local markets, keep in mind next time you pick up an item go ahead and look at the nutrition facts but remember you will spend less time in the car to get fresh produce than it takes imported produced food to hit the shelves. At the end of the day the decision to buy locally is yours but take the time to check out your local farmers market for local produce... You may be surprised, you’re not only helping yourself.

a rr tt ss .. c cu u ll tt u u rr e e .. ll ii v v ii n ng g a We value your input and would love to share it with the rest of our Frésch Foods community. Send us your recipes, articles and expert advice on all ranges of health, nutrition and food subjects and we will publish it here and online.

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Artist of the month

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Stacey Grabowski My name is Stacey Grabowski. Growing up in a small town, it was hard to imagine I would once live in a city as wonderful as Toronto, a city that welcomes all people, and provides a wealth of opportunities to fulfill your dreams. I feel like I am living my dreams. My paintings are very personal to me, each one capturing my mood at that particular moment in time. I believe that is what makes art so special, it allows you to live in the moment. You examine a piece and it takes you somewhere else for just a smidgen of time, and sometimes you need that. Please feel free to explore my work at www.wix.com/stacey321/staceygrabowski.

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