hot docs - vinyl

http://www.hotdocs.ca/film/title/vinyl

part of the reason i was wanted to live in toronto was to have access to the entertainment it has to offer.  more recently was the hot docs film festival.  there were many films and i had no idea how to choose.  i'm not saying i don't know how to sit at a computer and read names of documentaries with the corresponding descriptions, i didn't know how to pick.  spoiled for choice.  which may be the reason i've missed out on many events in toronto.  i don't know what to see, when to go or who to go with and before i know it, the whatever it is has come and gone.

i was getting ready for work in the morning, listening to the radio as i often do and that's when i heard about vinyl.  vinyl is a documentary that came out in 2000 about record collectors.  i was delighted to find out it was playing at the royal as a part of the hot docs festival.    for someone as indecisive as myself it was like winning the lottery.  i bought the tickets and that was it.  sometimes you have to bite the bullet.  (also, the tickets were $14 dollars and that isn't too hard of a bullet to bite)

the night started off with dinner at utopia which isn't too far from the theatre.  dinner was delicious and the film was fantastic.. [alliteration intended]... it was introduced by the director (and star) alan zweig.   i don't know how to describe the film and do it justice.  but i'll try.  alan himself is an obsessive record collector.  the film includes a series of interviews with record collectors, friends of alan's and strangers alike [including harvey pekar].  the interviews are seperated by some fairly dark, and also humourous confessions about his own collection and his life.  the confessions are filmed by pointing the video camera at a mirror.  the mirror is surrounded with items related to whatever he is talking about.  the other characters are varied, and so are his questions.  he has a way of getting people to show vulnerability on camera which i don't think is easy.

after the film he answered questions and left a box of records at the front of the stage for the audience to pick at.  i picked up an unfamiliar bruce cockburn album that i have yet to listen to.  on the way out i wanted to meet him.  i shook his hand and said i wanted to tell you that i really enjoyed the film. he took a look at the record in my hand and said let me see what you've got there, i showed him the album and his response was, meh.  at which point i laughed and felt a bit embarrased and mike and i left and walked home.

also of note: anytime i told someone i was seeing a hot doc they thought i was saying hot dog.  no confusion here though, right?

the gypsy rebels

last night mike and i went to a little place in the junction called aquila.  i've been meaning to check out and we were pleasantly surprised.  they have live music from wednesday through sunday... and never any cover charge.  the food and drinks were reasonably priced and it had an eclectic, jazzy kind of feel.

the musicians of the night were the gypsy rebels and consisted of a bass, accordian, piccolo or trumpet, and a spanish guitar player who is also the vocalist.  they were exceptional musicians, but most exceptional was the bass player.  i think we could have observed his talents for hours on end.  it was also the first time we'd seen anyone play a piccolo.  i knew the opening song from the movie gypsy caravan, a documentary about gypsy music.  it features one macedonian gypsy singer: esma redzepova to whom i feel a connection to.  after first seeing that film i tried to convince my family that i was part gypsy.  my dad still calls me gypsy.  it's all in good fun, i'm not really a gypsy.... here is a video of esma, please be prepared for her intense singing style:

below is a clip of the gypsy rebels playing it at an outdoor show in toronto.  last night they were full of life, energy and ... a bit of  audacity.  most of the audience appeared to be regulars, or friends and family of the band.  during one song he walked into the floor of the restaurant and played a song while staring intensely at one of the patrons.  we couldn't stop laughing.  after a few traditional gypsy songs they went into covers.  near the end of the first set people were up and dancing.  it was quite entertaining to say the least.

goings on

this morning i shared a laugh with a stranger.  we watched a man pry open the subway doors and squeeze his way on.  i had been standing there hoping the doors would re-open due to his ninja like door stint, but they didn't.  i think she had been hoping the same.  as the train started to pull away we made eye contact and laughed together.  it was nice.

on another interesting note - as i was riding the st. clair streetcar today i came across a store called: st john fish sandwiches and antiques.  i had to look it up, and it turns out that it is... an antique store that also offers sandwiches and pop.  so - how about that?

i still can't get over how amazing my niece and alison are.

auto show

dear friends,

my father and i went to the canadian international auto show.  he had been there all day and i met up with him after work. in addition to looking at cars, we entered contests and i played the driving games that the kids seemed to be most interested in.  we grabbed as many freebies (re-usable bags and a couple of ford metal water bottles) as we could.  i noticed there were a lot of white cars this year.  when i'm at this event i become torn between looking at the cars i love and want, and the practical cars that i could potentially afford.  ultimately the pretty cars win.  and the fast ones.

afterward we went for dinner at the salad king which has been shut down for ten months.  you can read the full story here.  i heard about salad king through my friend rob when he was visiting in '09.  the food is really good and reasonably priced.  my dad said it reminded him of new york style places that are built for maximum capacity.  i wouldn't know, i've never been to new york... but it made me laugh because natalie was just in new york and complained about having absolutely zero personal space.

in other news... i went to the beaver on queen with a friend i haven't seen in 7 years or so.  i really enjoyed seeing her.  it's amazing when you can pick up right where you left off with someone.  i guess it's because some things never change.  i will also be seeing another friend from years ago, dan lidbury, and in a later post i will tell you more about what he is up to.  the city is starting to feel like a really big humberview... filled exclusively with the people i really like... and absent of some of the friends i was/am closest to.  i am fortunate to have so many familiar faces in my life right now.  especially really sweet, kind and awesome ones.

maybe i just shouldn't drink

at least not at an open bar party.  when something is free i like to get my money's worth...

maybe i should wear a sign that says: don't believe anything i say, i've had 2 drinks. or i don't know why i'm talking so much or i always dance like this

we had our holiday party for work last night at kultura on king st. e. i thought i liked it until i visited their website and they had the most obnoxious music playing.  it should be against the law.  especially when hangovers are involved.