We’ve all heard of the locavore food movement, and Frugal Fashion Week is Toronto’s fashion equivalent, billing itself as “a charitable, community-based initiative created to support Canada’s retail/design communities.” This year’s festivities are centered on boutiques in Summerhill and Rosedale — marking the organization’s fourth successful year.
As a former die-hard X-Phile, I wanted to believe in Hello, the extra-terrestrial electronic extravaganza playing in Kensington Market. Its story, about an alien enthusiast who has to deal with a real alien invasion, seemed like it had Mulder and Scully written all over it. Heck, even its digs — the newly-minted The Electric Theatre — has a gigantic alien airbrushed across it. The truth (of a good show) had to be out in there. Somewhere. But, it wasn’t.
As much as I live for acquiring designer clothing, there really is something to be said for the thrill of a thrifty find. I mean, selecting your size from a neatly arranged rack of Helmut Lang at The Room really can’t compare to digging something amazing out of a pile of crap at the The Salvation Army.
It’s sad when a woman doesn’t have children and is forced to dress up and pamper her tiny dog like a little surrogate baby. It’s even sadder when a woman has lots of children at home, but prefers the company of her obnoxious dog, Tito, over them.
Well, it’s that time of year again: TIFF time. Well, almost. This morning TIFF announced its 2012 galas and special presentations (basically, all the films everyone wants to see). Before our city is overtaken by schmoozing and celebrities, we have to remember that it’s all about the movies. Here are five we’re most looking forward to seeing.
More than the backstory of how The Beatles became The Beatles, Backbeat is a musical that focuses on the triangular relationship between the band’s original bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe, the German photographer with whom he fell in love and his friendship with John Lennon. (Sorry, Ringo fans, but he’s not in this production.)
Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. W., 416-872-1212. Now – Sept 2.
Every week, we round up the best events from the city’s fashion scene. In this edition: vintage sales on Dundas West, LED bike lights that won’t get stolen, drinking in LA (lower Augusta) and an Africana-inspired pop-up shop.
Here stand the women sharpshooters of 1914. Sure, they look docile, but in just one instant they’d totally put you in a half nelson while aiming a rifle at you.
For those of you who have not had a chance to take in the often-hysterical, usually profane, but always interesting plays of Chicago’s David Mamet, I would urge you to see a production of Glengarry Glen Ross (whether on stage or on film). Soulpepper, this country’s finest theatre company, knew enough to put on a superb Glengarry several seasons ago.
Italian-based womenswear chain Brandy Melville, beloved by crop-top sporting urbanites and boho-chic hipsters from Europe to the U.S, is finally bringing its line of highly-styled, affordable womenswear to Toronto.
Toronto’s most buzz-worthy burger joint is at it again with the announcement that a new west-end location of The Burger’s Priest could possibly be open by the end of this year. Owner Shant Mardirosian tells us that he has signed a deal on a new location in the King and Spadina area, but still has to look into permit issues to make sure that the city will allow him to build a restaurant in that spot.
The Weaker Vessels are a new “transatlantic sketch troupe” featuring graduates from The Second City training centre. With the group set to perform its first-ever show next week, member Charlie Booth says the show is bound to be unpredictable: “We’ve got an hour’s worth of sketches and none of them have ever been performed in front of an audience. Maybe we just get off on risk; maybe we’re just idiots.”
