but you have control over me
passive agression
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Style in Progress
Check out these local graffiti artists getting down and dirty in the summertime heat, to make our city walls more decorative. Such was the scene during the annual Style in Progress event a few Sundays ago in the alleyways around Queen & Portland Streets in downtown Toronto.
Although many of the designs looked quite similar and tended to blend into one another, these two realistic images of men's faces caught my eye for their simplicity and lifelike nature.
Most passerby's don't recognize graffiti tags as they all seem to get lost in the business and commercialization of the downtown core. However, a calm face that appears to be watching you with wisdom is a great way to humanize the streets.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The Rogers Cup
This past weekend in Toronto, marked the end of a surprising tennis tournament, where stars like Federer (in the drawing below on the left) and Djokovic, were ousted in the early rounds. Conveniently situated inbetween Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, The Rogers Cup allows Canadians to cheer on their favourite tennis players with tournaments happening in both Toronto and Montreal.
This year I was privileged to attend both the semi-finals and final matches of the men's tournament in Toronto.
The semi-finals match was definitely the most interesting. In previous years, Federer or Nadal were always in the semi's and the finals was the match worth catching. This year, however, the first semi-finals match was between Gilles Simon, a young Frenchman and Nicolas Kiefer, who at the age of 31 has been playing some incredible tennis. The two were well paired to play against each other and the 3.5 hour match couldn't have been any closer. After countless deuce points and tie-breakers, Kiefer ended up victorious, only to lose quickly to Nadal in the finals. No surprise there. Below are some pictures I took of Nadal serving. Check out his form; no wonder he has so much power!
Nadal also beat Murray in two sets in the second semi-final match on Saturday evening. Murray, was the young Brit who beat Djokovic earlier on in the tournament. He is definitely a star on the rise, as the calibre of play between Nadal and Murray was on a much higher level than that of Kiefer and Simon. It was highly entertaining to watch Kiefer and Simon battle it out as they resemble normal athletes. Watching Nadal play, on the other hand, is like watching a superhero trained in tennis. A superhero, however, would not be caught picking his ass before every serve, which Nadal tends to do as the Nike shpants he is paid to wear are pretty tight in the butt.
Nike - please make pants for Nadal that are looser in the butt and more condusive to playing tennis in front of millions of spectators.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
DJ Spotlight - Chromeo
As my loyal blog readers are well aware, I have a "thing" for the Montreal bred DJ, David Macklovitch, a.k.a., Dave1 from the well loved duo, Chromeo. It's definitely not a crush; as I"m not into the tall & skinny Waldo look. Rather, it's an appreciation for an incredible DJ who knows exactly what kind of music I want to hear. It's like we have some kind of telepathic communication system going on where he can read my thoughts which are controlled by my running shoes (red & black DC's with red laces) as my feet won't stop dancing or jumping, which tends to happen from too much excitement.
Part of the reason why I get so excited during Chromeo DJ sets, is due to the constant upbeat energy that emanates from the crowd. This enthusiasm is controlled by Dave1, who radiates happiness through countless smiles, fist pumps and the occasional joyous jump. I've never seen such an acclaimed DJ get so excited by performing for his fans and it's truly a remarkable experience.
I was fortunate to see Chromeo DJ twice on Sunday!! Once, during a "surprise" set in the Nokia tent at The Rogers Picnic. And then again at the after party held at The Social, where Aaron LaCrate and The Cool Kids shared the DJ duties.
Unfortunately the same energetic-love for life-contagious feeling that was experienced during these DJ sets was not felt when Chromeo performed live on stage at the rained out Rogers Picnic. Rain and bad food are the worst things to have at a picnic. Luckily for concert goers, the food selection was adventurous and delicious. I must commend Rogers on using local Toronto restaurants, including personal favourites, Big Fat Burrito and Shanghai Cowgirl as vendors. The rain, however, was not a lovely sight and fans were too busy holding umbrellas to bust a move.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Crawling Nyood
If you live in Toronto and appreciate art, parties, good music and sangria, then buy your ticket now for Crawling Nyood, an after hours art gallery crawl along Queen Street West. The galleries involved in this night of sensual pleasure include:
This event is going to be HOT so get your ticket now before it's sold out.
Friday, July 18, 2008
The 2008 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibit
Ceramic art from Julie Moon
Cleverly reconstructed purses made out of old books by Noelle Hamlyn
Mixed media and custom art by Danielle Hession
A recent grad from Ontario's College of Art & Design, the juxtaposition between her vintage images and modern choice of mixed media, results in beautiful and fascinating pieces. If you would like a custom picture, Danielle can incorporate personal photographs into her work.
Funny Toronto t-shirts by Yasmine Louis
"there was smog in my head"
"I spent the day getting on and off the Spadina car, hoping for something to happen"
Toronto images painted by artist, Rob Crawford
Fine art photography of intricate Ontario landscapes, by Janusz Wrobel
Unique photography that makes you smile by Quebec's, Jerome Bourque
Don't fret if you missed this year's art exhibit, the Queen West art crawl is just around the corner and features many of the same artists who were at Nathan Phillips Square. It's happening at Trinity Bellwoods from September 12th-14th.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Customized Kicks
How much are people willing to pay to feel unique?
Or, is it right to charge extra for art? Even if the art looks like it was done by an 11 year old?
Don't get me wrong. I think that the designs by Paul Otvos & Markus Ahab Vurrgh are tons of fun and I love their use of bright colours. They are very Keith Haring-esque, one of my favourite artists who did very well with his simplistic child-like designs. If I had a high paying job and no free time I would totally buy a pair.
But for $179 you could buy enough paint to decorate 2 pairs of Chuck Taylors and still have money leftover for some argyle socks to clash with your kick-ass new shoes. Then you'd really feel like a work of art.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Chocolatea
Cocoa Camino products are fair trade and this bar was brought to us by La Siembra, a Canadian worker co-operative whose members envision communities empowered through democratic co-operation and high quality chocolate.
I've always been a firm believer that Matcha Green Tea tastes better with chocolate. Whenever I get green tea ice cream after a meal of sushi, I tend to crave chocolate sauce on top or another scoop of chocolate ice cream in my bowl. Don't feel the same way? Check out Timothy's Chocolatey Matcha Green Tea Latte or order the Matcha Monsoon smoothie from Booster Juice but have them make it with chocolate soy milk instead of vanilla soy milk. Your taste buds will thank you.
Back to the bar. Every bite releases the perfect balance between sweet & bitter, sharp & smooth. The hint of Matcha Green Tea is definitely refreshing but also provides a little kick which can be great for an afternoon pick me up.
Caveat: This bar is addictive and its small size makes it easy to finish in one sitting. I recommend opening the bar when others are around so that you are forced to share its superb taste. Even though the antioxidants found in the bar make this a healthy treat, it's still chocolate and should be enjoyed in moderation.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
DJ Spotlight - Bonjay
I recently had the pleasure of seeing Toronto's own Bonjay perform live at the Drake Underground during the NXNE music festival. Though they are not as well known in the Toronto music scene as the increasingly popular girl-guy duo, Thunderheist, Bonjay's style and kick-ass attitude share a striking resemblance.
While Thunderheist focuses more on the hip-hop electro genre, Bonjay's tunes lean towards dancehall and reggae. Although the latter is not quite as popular as electro-hip hop these days, Bonjay's powerful stage presence and natural ability to get the crowd dancing will be hard to keep a secret for much longer.
Click on the DJ Spotlight title above to catch a glimpse of Bonjay in action. If you like what you see and live in the Toronto area, head over to Teranga every third Friday of the month for a hot and sweaty dance party.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Artist Spotlight - Audrey Kawasaki
The wall across from my bed continues to stare at me blankly. It is patiently waiting to be decorated by an Audrey Kawasaki painting. It is incredibly difficult to purchase an Audrey Kawasaki painting as they fly off her website faster than a Roger Federer serve. Those who make a large income can always buy one off of e-bay for ten times more than the original price. Others, can get a taste of her artwork buy purchasing laptop covers with her images on them for a reasonable $30. However, a laptop cover does not offer the same provocative sensation that is felt when staring at her artwork.
The compelling nature of her art is due in part to the vulnerability and power of her often sexualized subjects. Yet her success also stems from the medium used to create these often chilling images. By using wood panels to paint on, the erotic images in Kawasaki's paintings exhibit a sense intimacy and warmth even when their manner might be disturbing. Check out some of my favourite paintings below for a glimpse of the beauty and power that resonate from her work.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Happy Canada Day!
Check out this adorably appropriate house for Canada Day! There are a ton of cute houses in my neighbourhood but this one wins the award for the most patriotic. How does one celebrate Canada Day?
1) picnic in the park with a red and white tablecloth
2) tennis/golf
3) BBQ dinner
4) dancing by the water to awesome DJ's
5) fireworks
Good Times!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)