FNLROM: Tacos and Laughs, Dinosaurs and Gin, These Are A Few of My Favourite Things

Jurassic Park IV: The Search for Cupcakes

The third season of the FNLROM museum parties are in full swing, so I dropped by one of my favourite Toronto cultural events for some food and fossils. I'm happy to say the events are lively and thriving, and still continuing to evolve with each season.

I wrote about FNLROM in the past season and talked about how much I love exploring the museum after hours. Right from the start, I was happy to see changes made to make the experience better. For one thing, the currency system has been streamlined. You used to buy individual ROM Bucks to pay for food and drinks. Now, you buy a ROM Buck for $6 and that ROM Buck buys you what you want - basically you buy 1 ROM Buck and that's what each dish costs. Some dishes, like tacos, are 2 for $6, while drinks and other dishes $6 each, but it's far simpler than past seasons.

And don't worry about what you'll spend your bucks on, as the variety of food vendors on site has grown, with expansion beyond the main lobby. Bronfman Hall on the 2nd level has been transformed into sort of a pop-up food court and bar, making excellent use of the space. There's every imaginable variation on street food available, from tacos and cupcakes to Filipino sisig fries and samosas - there should be a few things to appeal to those with vegan and gluten dietary needs.

Follow some of the #FNLROM food vendors on Twitter: @curbsidebliss @GourmetGringos @HotBunzzTO @tiffinday @TitaFlips @LittleTomatoTO

Marlin tacos from Gourmet Gringos, giant buns from Hot Bunzz, and incredible duck egg and peameal sandwiches from Little Tomato

Food is only part of the indulgence of FNLROM, so after a quick bite, it was off to explore. Keep in mind, while FNLROM runs until 11pm, the galleries are only open until 9:30pm (Dinosaur and Gem galleries are open later), so make the most of your time.

Only slightly dramatic looking prairie dog.

Doctor What?

Tryptich

I have to take a moment to praise the staff and volunteers who keep FNLROM running. We had some wonderful interactions with ROM Volunteers among the galleries. There's a sarcophagus in the Egyptian gallery that I've passed a dozen times, but until a ROM Volunteer chatted with us, I'd never realized it wasn't wood but an ancient form of papier-mâché that was used to seal the body. Who expected to go to the museum and learn something?

This is the coffin of Djed-maat-es-ankh, an Egyptian woman who died of a massive dental cyst that burst.

One of the things you really need to make an effort to see is a stunning photo exhibition "Sebastião Salgado GENESIS". It's an amazing array with 275 of Sebastião Salgado's photographs from all points of the earth, capturing how utterly jaw-dropping the majesty of the world can be, and why we need to preserve it. The exhibit runs until September 2nd, 2013.

The Brooks Range, Alaska. Sebastião Salgado

Iceberg between Paulet Island and the South Shetland Islands on the Weddell Sea. Antarctic Peninsula. Sebastião Salgado.

Once the galleries close, there are still some spaces to explore. The Dinosaur gallery plays hosts to a bar, cupcakes from Curbside Bliss, and the charming and talented folks at Manual Labour Coffee, who introduced me to "Coffee Pop" - fresh brewed ice coffee mixed with soda water. It was remarkable the way my brain kept expecting "sweet" but I tasted "bitter' and shut up brain and enjoy the deliciousness (tip: don't add milk, it doesn't mix well)

A wander through the Teck Gallery of gems, minerals, and rocks was accompanied by the live music form students of the U of T jazz program, while you marvel at what the shiny wonders time and geology create.

A rare Cerussite gem, 896 carats, shining with fiery intensity.  Shiny.

Acicular mineral, bristles with crystal.

Rock stars

This goethite mineral, like stretched taffy.

Museum adventures are always best enjoyed with friends, and my companion was sure to contribute her thoughts on FNLROM as a first-timer

We're sitting in the ROM, munching food and drinking out beer, while the sounds of the band Wildlife echo throughout and it all feels rather epic, and good. I'd like to see more things epic and good in this city.

FNLROM runs until June 21st. Make plans, buy your tickets online, and enjoy your night at the museum.


Tickets for all remaining FNLROM events are available for online purchase now.

Friday May 24: ROMic-con

Dust off your cape, channel your inner super hero and come dressed in your crime fighting best! Check out a retrospective of super heroes, take a lesson in designing your own comic, and laugh away your end of week stress with improv from The Second City, the world’s premiere improv and sketch comedy theatre.

Friday May 31: Indo Pop

Experience the best of Bollywood style and colour. Presented by international hip/hop dancer/choreographer Chase Constantino, performance by Bollywood dance troupe Broken Dance Company and YouTube superstar Superwoman. Digital art by London-based Inkquisitive, South Asian fashion, and mehndi (henna) demonstrations. 

Friday June 7: Indigenous Arts

Celebrate Aboriginal History Month with DJ Bear Witness from A Tribe Called Red, Craig James Laur and Duke Redbird. See fashion by designers Charm Logan and Sage Paul, experience visual/installation art by Amanda Strong and learn how to make a canoe (by hand). In partnership with the Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts (ANDPVA).

Friday June 14: Fashion

Be prepared to strut your style - we’re bringing big fashion direct from the runway win the ROM’s BIG exhibition. Canadian fashion on display, as well as music by Joseph and the Mercurials.

Friday June 21: Mesopotamia

Be the first to see the ROM’s blockbuster exhibition, Mesopotamia presented by RSA Insurance before it opens to the public. This night celebrates Middle Eastern culture with a yoga rave with Linda Malone from Iam Yoga, live performance by west coast composer/DJ Adham Shaikh and JUNO-nominee Jaffa Road.

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My Favourite Toronto - Cherry Blossom days in High Park

Every spring, there's this narrow window of opportunity when the sakura cherry trees in High Park bloom in a burst of colour. Swarms of people teem through the park, gawking and clicking photos as they take in the seasonal spectacle. And as short as the blossoms last, and as crazy as the park can get, it's still well worth stealing a bit of time to seek out some beauty.

Crowds stream through High Park every year, captivated by the cherry blossoms.

The weekends, of course, are a bit of a madhouse when the trees are in bloom, so I found some time during the week to head in. The sakuras bloom usually during that first run of consistently warm weather, and last a week and a bit, pending any strong wind or rain storms. You have to seize your moment before their gone. Too many people drive, especially considering how transit friendly the park is. The Carlton/College streetcar terminates in High Park, and High Park subway is right across the street from the park. If you were to drive, I'd recommend parking in the nearby neighborhoods and walk the 10-15 minutes into the park. Cycling is also a pretty popular option.

Impromptu picnic - grabbed some roast chicken, cheese, salad
 and assorted nibbling bits from  the nearby Loblaws and shops on Roncesvalles Avenue.

I grabbed some food from local grocery stores (and a cider or two from the LCBO) and walked in from High Park subway on Tuesday late-afternoon. I find the area down towards Grenadier Pond tend to be a little less hectic than the sakuras at the top of the hill near Grenadier Cafe, so I strolled down and found plenty of space. Groups were picnicking, some doing sunset yoga, and a group of adults playing hide & seek tag. There was plenty of space to spread out take in the scenery. Twilight in High Park makes for a very pretty sight. Once I'd eaten, it was time to stroll the trails and snap a few photos.

Cherry Blossom canopy

Sky full of sakura

In bloom.

People take advantage of the blooms to stage some inventive portraits.

Cosplayer photoshoot - original version of Psylocke from "X-Men", the perfect costume colour scheme for cherry blossoms

Picnic in the park

Cherry glow.

A little peace from the crowds.

Tips for enjoying blossom season:
- if you want to enjoy yourself, number one tip is to go during off-peak hours.
- plan ahead: there aren't enough washrooms to keep up with the demand. 
- there's food onsite at the Grenadier cafe, but I find it's better to bring some food with you. If cooking isn't your thing, nearby Roncesvalles Avenue and Bloor West have plenty of shops to help you improvise an excellent picnic.

- remember to clean up after yourself and pick up your trash: you'd think it's common sense, but yet...

- that being said, if you're picnicking, bring a garbage bag just in case the park garbage is swamped. 

- leave the car at home and take transit or bike. Seriously.
- don't be a dick and shake blossoms loose just to make it rain and DON'T BREAK OFF BRANCHES AS A SOUVENIR. You're damaging the park and shortening how long the blossoms will be around to enjoy.
- consider leaving screaming toddlers or your skittish dogs at home. The park is going to busy enough to cause a headache in this case, so why contribute to the stress.

- MOST IMPORTANTLY take a few moments, put down the camera, and just look around you and take in this unique, beautiful landscape we have in our city. Go on, I'll wait.


For some more info on the park and trees, check out High Park's website.

Torontoist has an interesting post on the origin of the sakura trees in High Park as well.

All photos here are mine, and can be found in my Flickr album: Cherry Blossoms in High Park (2013). If you want to use any of them, just drop me a line.

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Raconteurs Storytelling Nights In Toronto - A Well Told Story Is A Thing To Behold

There’s something I love about a well told story: it unfolds in a way that you can’t predict. It could be entertaining and inspired. It could be deeply shattering. It can make you think “I’m not the only one that’s happened to”. It can stop you in your tracks as you wonder what you would do in the same situation. The unexpected is a reason why the monthly Raconteurs storytelling night is a mainstay in my events calendar.

Raconteurs is held on the second Wednesday of every month at No One Writes To The Colonel, a cozy bar on College St. Ten storytellers are selected in advance, based on story pitches, and make up the night’s entertainment. The rules are simple: the stories must be true and have happened to the storyteller, must be told without the use of notes or cards, and usually in the 5-10 minute range. You get a variety of people participating, from writers and professional storytellers, to first-timers who just have an interesting story to tell. The stories can be funny, but don’t confuse it with an open-mic  night at the Chuckle Hut – this isn’t the place to practice your stand-up act. No one wants to sit and hear your disjointed rant or pitch for your business. You’re relating a narrative.

Each event is based around a theme, which is announced in advance, and prospective storytellers submit their pitches to the event organizers. The themes are open-ended enough to create a variety of angles and approaches: “Games” led to stories about survival games, Monopoly, and the dynamics of family game night. “Born Again” had a range of stories from being literally a Born Again Christian who falls out of faith, being born again poor, surviving a bear attack,  and surviving ourselves.

I find the audience reaction to be an interesting phenomenon: we’re an audience reacting to sometimes funny anecdotes, sometimes heart breaking confessions. There are sometimes blips of nervous laughter at awkward moments. My favourite times when there’s a moment in the story, and we all nod in silent recognition of familiarity, of sympathy or shared pain. It could be subtitled "A Night of Truths, Both Awkward and Familiar".

The stories are all recorded, with a number of them available on the Raconteurs YouTube channel. If you’re considering telling a story, take a look here to see some examples of what works. Some recent highlights include:

Based on the theme “MONEY” - Jeremy Greenberg - "The 64-bit Friendship"

Based on the theme “MONEY” - Chris Graham - "Carbon Footprint"

Based on the theme "FIRE & ICE" - Alex Nursall - "The Sober Brit"

There are still tickets for this Wednesday's show, on February 13th. This month’s theme “Fish Out Of Water” should produce some interesting results: "ten true tales about being out of your element. Our theme this month is FISH OUT OF WATER and we’re bringing you stories of being out of place, out of sync, and out of touch."

Doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7:30.
$7 in advance
$10 at the door

Tickets on sale here.

I recommend subscribing to the Raconteurs page on Facebook to keep up to date on themes and event details. There’s also the main Raconteurs webpage with submission and event information.

Raconteurs - a live storytelling event
Every 2nd Wednesday of the month @ No One Writes to the Colonel (460 College St.)

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Brunch at Farmhouse Tavern

Farmhouse Tavern is the type of restaurant you want to tell people about, but want to keep to yourself too.  It’s been open for a few months in the Junction and has been gaining positive word of mouth through friends in the neighborhood. he Farmhouse does a brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays from 11a-3p, and it’s a great concept: like their dinner service, there’s no set menu, with the days menu of “farm driven food” scrawled on a chalkboard. A Sunday brunch with friends provided the perfect excuse to visit.

We settled into the front tavern space – there’s a main dining room “farmhouse” and the private room “Hunt Club” in the back as well. As soon as we settled in, we took a moment to take in the charm of the room. It’s a flea market of knick knacks, with a comfortable indie soundtrack playing underneath the chatter. It’s sunny and bright, with a clear view of a well-stocked bar. There's a noticeable focus on VQA wines, craft beers like Beaus, and cocktails.

I was driving, so I skipped the smoked caesar (and regretted it - LOOK AT THIS THING) and went straight for the coffee, again and again – mornings, amirightfolks? What? Oh, right, brunch. Here’s what was on the board that Sunday:

Typical brunch menu at the Farmhouse Tavern

My immediate question – what the heck is the Mother and Child Reunion? Some sort of chicken and egg creation? When the waitress told me it was duck eggs, soft boiled and then rolled in panko and fried, with some duck prosciutto, I muttered a silent apology to Daffy Duck and ordered it. With gusto.

Once the waitress answered our questions and took the orders, she spun around and headed to the back.

“Our waitress is skipping,” I think to myself. This is a good sign. She returned with drinks and a delicious welcome basket of chocolate chip and cornbread muffins that restore your faith in breakfast pastry and makes regret every mealy franchise café muffin you ever forced down. And that's a thing I notice and start to love about Farmhouse Tavern - that extra effort on fresh ingredients, or a combination that elevates standard brunch fare: the mimosas were made with sparking wine from Hinterland Wine, the coffee was a satisfying Reunion Island roast. You feel spoiled, but it's really just how things should be at their best.

Our table full of, oh, let’s say Twitter-heavy users, almost collectively dropped their phones when the food showed up and we dug in: everything was incredibly delicious. My eggs had a crunchy outer layer, but a soft yolk that I mopped up with a hunk of toasted, buttery bread. The other table favourite was the smoked chicken crepe, with chicken smoked on site and a slice of brie melted on top. The gluten-free/vegetarian friendly mushroom frittata was also well received. The side salads served with our meals were also bright and fresh, as we tried to identify a couple of the delicious veggies – it was watermelon radish that baffled us. The whole meal was outstanding.

The Mother n' Child Reunion - duck eggs, soft boiled and deep fried, with streaks of duck prosciutto, hunk of tasted bread and a salad. That might be a chuck of foie gras on the side.

We lingered for a while, coffees refreshed and mimosas poured down.  We didn’t feel rushed or crowded. It was how brunch is supposed to be: restorative, social, engaging.

Farmhouse Tavern has been around a short while, but it’s made a deep impression. I will return.

Sample dinner menu at Farmhouse Tavern

Farmhouse Tavern is open for dinner service Thurs – Sunday – follow them on Twitter and Facebook for menus and special culinary events. One of the highlights is the F*ck Monday events on Sundays – a schedule of hourly evening specials that culminates in a half-priced menu kicking in at 9pm.

Farmhouse Tavern
1627 Dupont St. (between Dufferin Ave and Symington Ave).
Serving Dinner Thursday through Sunday @ 6pm.
Brunch on Saturday & Sunday @ 11am-3pm.

Reservations can be sent via text to: 416-561-9114

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LIFE IS SWEET, EVEN IN FEBRUARY – Ashley Gibson honours her mother's memory, and shines a light on mental health with her solo show

The prospect of February always seems daunting – the coldest, greyest of months, it seems predisposed to being an emotional minefield. For Ashley Gibson, you add in the anniversary of your mother’s death and it seems like the bleakest of months. But out of something bleak, Ashley has created something inspiring and beautiful, with her first solo cabaret show, LIFE IS SWEET, EVEN IN FEBRUARY, both honouring her mother’s memory, and benefiting the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

LIFE IS SWEET, EVEN IN FEBRUARY is a solo cabaret show on February 22^nd at 9:30pm, with Ashley singing a number of songs that her mom enjoyed, and sharing stories from her own life, about the impact of mental illness and her journey back after her mom’s suicide.  Ashley’s been open about her mother’s suicide, and how it’s affected her. It’s inspiring that someone has made an effort to share that part of themselves, fighting the stigma of mental illness and letting everyone dealing with mental illness, loss, depression, anxiety, to let all of them know:  “You are not alone”.

Mental health is something which affects us all – when 1 in 5 Canadians will experience mental illness in their lifetime, the odds are you or someone in your life is dealing with mental illness. We don’t always talk about it, we don’t necessarily know how to recognize, or know how to help. But, through the work of people like Ashley, we can have these conversations and end the stigma of mental health. We can move forward, together.

In addition to the show, Gibson will be featuring a number of guest writers on her blog who will write about their experiences with mental illness, depression, and loss – www.dancingthroughlifeblog.com. 

“Over the month of February I will be hosting blog posts from friends, family and bloggers who will be sharing their personal accounts of experience with mental illness, depression, anxiety and loss. I am so proud of all of these people for sharing their stories, and believe that in the act of sharing we will truly confirm that no one is alone. I've utilized my network to also include posts from practitioners on strategies for dealing with mental illness, as well as posts on working through challenges in life and finding the light and love in all of it. “

I’ve been lucky enough to meet Ashley through my Loser Karaoke group, and she always lights up the room when she sings. Her outlook is infectious, moving, and I’m proud to know her. Buy a ticket, take part in something special, and you’ll be lucky too.

In the greyest of days, Ashley shares an outlook I admire: life can be sweet. Yes, even in February.

~

Learn more about Ashley's #lifeissweet month on her blog - dancingthroughlifeblog.com or by following her on Twitter -@ashleydtl

Life is Sweet, Even in February

Produced and performed by Ashley Gibson, Music Direction by Tara Litvack

February 22, 2013 – 9:30PM

The Flying Beaver Pubaret

488 Parliament Street – Toronto, ON

Tickets: $15 in advance / $20 at the door

Tickets are available at the Flying Beaver Pubaret or online at

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/325738

 Facebook event page - Life Is Sweet, Even in February

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Day Drinking & Daubing with The Colonel: Beer Barrel Bingo at the Dakota Tavern

You ever have that moment where you realize playing bingo on a Saturday afternoon in honky tonk basement bar, with old country vinyl playing, drinking caesars and eating chicken & waffles with your friends was a highlight of your week? And you smile, like you're getting away with something? Wouldn’t you want to keep going back as often as you can?

The Dakota Tavern started Beer Barrel Bingo, hosted by Colonel Tom, on Saturday afternoons a few months ago. It’s a weekly event, running from 2pm – 5pm every Saturday, no cover charge. 

On a typical afternoon, we pile in with a gang of friends, claim a large table and kick things off with a round of drinks. Day drinking adds to the feeling your playing hooky from everything else and the drink specials are perfect for the afternoon with $6 caesars, $5 pints of Molson Stock Ale, and $5 Wiarton Weddings (rye & ginger ale, the country champagne).  The menu is a Saturday afternoon mainstay of chicken and waffles with fruit topping.  The chicken is fantastic, and there are options for pulled pork or baked beans (for vegetarians) with your waffles.

Bingo is the reason we show up, and the Dakota gives it a country flavour, in no small part to our charming bingo caller and host, Colonel Tom Parker. With his extensive collection of country vinyl playing, his easy going manner and occasional drop of trivia, many a bingo hall would be the better for such a host. Cards are typically 1 for $1 for 12 cards for $5, and you can play as many or as few as you’d like during each game. It is bizarre how quickly you get invested in trying to complete a line on a Bingo card, mentally trying to influence which number gets called next, keeping an eye on your neighbour's card. The winning is sometimes more important than the prize, but the prizes are sweet for those luck few to shout “BINGO!” – records, t-shirts, all sorts of beer paraphernalia. There is a grand prize game towards the end of every Beer Barrel Bingo session – the grand prize in past weeks have included tickets to see Aerosmith, the Dakota New Year’s Eve, and to Elliott Brood concert at the Dakota on January 30^th.

You occasionally look over at your friends, laughing while we wait for the next number to be called out, and figure “this is a pretty good thing we got going on here”. We go week after week, and we think we'd get tired of it, but it's really the best thing Saturday afternoon ever.

Try to get there between 2pm and 3pm to get a table or you may end up riding the bar rail. If you have a large group, the earlier, the better of course, and the afternoon, like the Dakota’s brilliant Sunday Bluegrass Brunch, is kid friendly. 

Bookmark The Dakota Tavern website 

Follow them on Twitter at @thedakotatavern and on Facebook

The Dakota Tavern

249 Ossington Avenue,
Toronto, ON M6J 3A1

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My Favourite Toronto - Riverdale Park

Riverdale Park, at the magic hour during a rare warm winter day.

An ongoing series of my favourite people, places and things about Toronto.

Whenever I can find the time, I love to go to Riverdale Park to sit and take in how beautiful this city is. On Broadview Avenue, the upper part of the park offers some spectacular views of the Don Valley and the city spread behind it. In snowy winter, it's one of the most popular sledding spots in Toronto. In spring, you see people walking their dogs, as they bound and tear along, making you want to have a dog of your own. In summer, you look down at the athletic track and sports fields, watching everyone at play. In autumn, you just watch the trees in the Don Valley burst with colour. The park draws an array of photographers, kite flyers, soccer games, and picnics - even in a flurry of activity, it's a pretty, joyful place, this gateway to the East End.

Riverdale Park, early summer.

There's a perfect little coffeehouse right there, Rooster Coffee House. The espressos and lattes are sublime, the pastries fresh and savoury. You get an Americano crafted perfectly and a chocolate croissant, and sit along the front window or out on the patio facing the park, and do what you need: chat, write, sit and regain your peace.
How do I find it? It's on Broadview Avenue, south of Danforth Avenue, north of Gerard Avenue. The 504 Dundas streetcar passes by on the way to Broadview Station. Take the subway to Broadview Station and it's just a short walk down. There's some street parking along Broadview and there's a Green P lot up by Broadview Station.

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A meal at La Carnita, also known as "I will require all the avocado and chips."

Margarita and a tostada with swordfish ceviche. Bliss.

It’s hard to think of a better follow-up to a day exploring the art of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera at the Art Gallery of Ontario than a meal at La Carnita. What started as an intention to have some chips and guacamole quickly escalated into full-fledged food bliss.

I’ve followed the story of La Carnita since they started as a pop-up restaurant, serving their tacos at events like Toronto Underground Market. As buzz and business grew, it was a welcome sight when they opened up a permanent restaurant on College St. last summer. It had been a few months since my last visit to – a sampling of every taco on the menu was time well spent – and the occasion of foodie friend @laurendorphin’s birthday guaranteed the choice of an excellent restaurant with great dining companions. Our group of 8 managed to grab a large table at 6:30pm on a Saturday, and the large and lively space filled up quickly by 7:30pm. With long tables and many booths, the place seems meant to invite groups of diners to share a meal.

The menu gets refreshed regularly, but offers a reliable array of appetizers sharing plates and tacos, reasonably priced, which gives you the perfect excuse to try a little bit of everything.  A tempting array of cocktails, beers, and wine are available, but I went with the classic margarita. Or two.

Corn and rice frituras, perfect for sharing.

We ordered housemade tortilla chips & guacamole – dusted with ancho chili powder, making an excellent complement to the sweetness of my cocktail. The corn & rice frituras, 4 to an order and each about the size of a pool ball, and an avocado mango salad were perfect for sharing, ranging from $6.50-$8. Every taco on the menu made an appearance at our table ($5 each). Saturday’s menu offered up their iconic cod fish taco, braised beef cheek, fried chicken, fried avocado, and chorizo, all with fresh flavour and pleasant but not overwhelming taste of heat. The tostada was a swordfish ceviche ($7) which perfectly, indulgently good. Sheer bliss.

Key-lime paletas - pie on stick? What is this sorcery?

The capper was dessert. The churros are popular, but I went with the “paletas” ($4 each). Different flavours every day, but I didn’t quite know what a paleta was. I assumed it was a tart of some sort when I heard that chocolate-peanut butter and key lime were being offered. I was delighted and surprised to be presented with a paleta – basically an ice pop. The key lime was like a tart creamsicle, rolled in graham crackers. Outstanding.

I’d recommend going with a group of 6-8 friends to get a nice cross-section of the menu. While they don’t take reservations, you may need to just get the timing right to get a table, with 7p – 9p being prime time. I’ve had two successful visits and intend to make more. Make sure to browse some of their fantastic Mexican street art for sale as well.

Check their website for their current menu, and follow them on Twitter at @la_carnita for updates on daily specials.

La Carnita

501 College St., west of Bathurst St. on the south side

Sun - Mon 5 - 10pm

Tues - Sat 5 - 11pm

Reservations: None, first come, first serve.

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The “Don’t Be That Guy” Campaign

Edmonton Police launched the “Don’t Be That Guy” campaign in 2010,targeting potential offenders rather than victims of sexual assault - letting perpetrators know it’s not “okay” to take advantage of someone who had too much to drink. It’s not “taking advantage” - it’s sexual assault. If you don’t have ongoing consent, it’s sexual assault. These posters communicate and educate this point clearly. It’s “a rape prevention campaign targeted at potential rapists rather than potential victims”. 

The campaign was relaunched at the end of 2012 in Edmonton, and has proven so effective that other Canadian cities have adopted it, including Vancouver (which saw a 10% drop in assaults), Ottawa, and Regina. Nothing in Toronto yet, but maybe that can change. These should be on every campus and in every bar.

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Movember Challenge Karaoke Toronto

Some of our MoChaKaTO friends

For the 3rd year running, the Loser Karaoke family got together to raise funds for Movember Canada with an event we've dubbed MoChaKaTO - Movember Challenge Karaoke Toronto. Spearheaded by our team, The Mustache Farmers of Canada, we made every effort to make this event a success. Movember is a cause that means a great deal to us - we were determined to raise as much as we could to fund men's health initiatives not only for prostate cancer, but men's mental health programs. We spread the word via social media, generated prize donations, and built the excitement up all throughout November until our main event, Thursday, November 29th.

Loser Karaoke is a weekly Toronto karaoke night (currently at Lou Dawg's Southern BBQ on King St.), that originated from a hashtag on Twitter #LoserKaraoke - it's proven to be a great place to sing and mingle in real life (IRL) with friends I interact with on Twitter. At our best, we can come together on something like #MoChaKaTO and make something special happen.

Money was raised one of two ways:

1) Challenge Karaoke - singers and patrons donations drive the entertainment.

• For $5, you get your name in the rotation to be able to sing
• For $20, you can challenge someone else when they get up to sing, and make them sing whatever you want
• For $30, you can buy yourself out if you get challenged (just in case the challenge is too horrific for you, or you're a big chicken!)
• For $50, you can sing a song off the host's list of banned songs
• For $100, you can sing a song by Celine Dion, the most banned of our artists

2) Prize Raffle - we had an outstanding collection of prizes, from gift certificates to restaurants like Lou Dawg's, to box seats to a  Toronto Marlies hockey game, and a number of certificates for services at Mazz Salon.

If you checked in on the #MoChaKaTO hashtag that night, you'd see pictures of us all singing, dancing, and having an outstanding night. I'm happy to report everyone was game for the challenges and we had a laugh with some of them - that was the only way I would've sang "Gangnam Style", and my apology again to the people of South Korea - and some we just wanted to hear songs we love performed by our friends. 


By the end of the night, we raised $1680 for Movember Canada in one night - a new record, surpassing our goal of $1500. At $564 more than was raised in 2011, we're geared up to make it bigger and better next year.

Facebook Page for MoChaKaTO

More photos from the night: MoChaKaTO photos on Instagram (via statigram)

Thanks again to our Loser Karaoke host, Jason Rolland, and our Movember team:

The Mustache Farmers of Canada

Andrew Boyle, Jay Chan, Joshua Murray, Sean Bolton, Jessica Law

Our team: (L to R) Sean, Me, Jay, Jessica, Joshua (not pictured: Andrew) with our Loser Karaoke host, Jason Rolland

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November 11th, Lest We Forget

This is something I originally wrote in 2006, but I like to repost it on Remembrance Day

On the 11th day of the 11th month, at the 11th hour, take a moment, just one moment out of your day, and remember the thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives fighting for freedom and democracy during the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, the Afghanistan conflict and during peacekeeping missions. Think of those who have come before us and those right this minute, who are sacrificing more than anyone should ever ask. Think of their family, think of the lives that were lost, the time that was lost. Think of the lives that were saved, and of the people that are here because of those men and women.

I choose to remember all this, and I choose to remember my Uncle Lou. He's my dad's uncle, and he was a member of the Canadian Artillery in World War 2. He was from Canada, and he met my dad's Aunt Liz while he was stationed overseas. I think he was on leave in Scotland. Liz and Lou married and Liz came to Canada as a war bride. One summer my grandmother (Liz's sister), and my father came to visit from Scotland. And my dad came to like Canada, and thought this would be a good place for a young man looking for a future. And that's how my dad, and my family, came to Canada, and it's why I was born a Canadian.

Uncle Lou passed away in 2005, and I always remember that, because of him, I was given the honour and privilege of being Canadian, and in the grand scheme of things just being here.

It's not a war story, but a life story. A young man joins the army to fight in the Second World War; a young man visits Canada and thinks it would be a good place make a life; and a young man looks at the poppy on his lapel and thinks how lucky he is to be here.

In Flanders Fields 
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- John McCrae, 1915

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YOU GUYS! I KNOW WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO!

YOU GUYS! I KNOW WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO!, a photo by the2scoops on Flickr.

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Matt Fraction on writing female characters in comics

From Comic Book Resources: FRACTION BIDS FAREWELL TO THE "INVINCIBLE IRON MAN"

I started to realize that if I had a daughter, there would come a day when I would have to apologize to her for my profession. I would have to apologize for the way it treats and speaks to women readers, and the way it treats its female characters.

“I knew that if we had a daughter, because I know my wife and I know the kind of girl she wants to raise and I know the kind of girl I want to raise, she was going to look at what I did for a living and want to know how the fuck I could stomach it. How could I sell her out like that?” Fraction continued. “That conversation is still coming, and I’m bracing for it in the way that some dads brace for their daughter’s first date or boyfriend. I became acutely aware that I had sort of done that thing that lots of privileged hetero cisgendered white dudes do. ‘I’m cool with women, and that’s enough.’ It’s not enough. It’s embarrassing to say, because we somehow have attached shame to learning and evolving our opinions, culturally, but I became aware that there was a deficiency of and to women in my work, and all I could do at that moment was take care of my side of the street.

I've always been a fan of Matt Fraction’s writing before, but now, I’m especially a fan of Matt Fraction as a human being. More of people like him please. 

Do yourself a favour and pick up some of the comics written by Matt, like "The Immortal Iron Fist", "The Invincible Iron Man", and his current series, "Hawkeye".

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Friday Night Live at ROM returns. Also, dinosaurs love gin.

I love museums. I love exploring the exhibits, the fascinating stuff and artifacts of history and civilization. It’s like living out some hoarder fantasy. So what’s not to love about a late night museum party, with some great food, drink, and music? How could I resist the return of Friday Night Live at the Royal Ontario Museum (#FNLROM)?

FNLROM made a welcome return last Friday after a successful run in the early summer. For 8 weeks from October 12, 2012 until November 30, 2012, the ROM opens its doors Friday nights (7pm – midnight) to adults only (19+), letting you roam the galleries and sample some food and drink from some of Toronto’s favourite pop-up vendors. The museum is alive and teeming with a little something for everyone: curator talks, music and dance performances, DJ sets and, oh yeah, food and drink.

Last Friday kicked off with the theme Harvest, and offered up more treats than I can count. Food vendors Fidel Gastro, JK Fries, Waffle Bar and c5 have returned, offering up some fantastic food starting in the $5/$6 range.

Some of the offerings from the crew at Fidel Gastro.

I had a chance to slurp a few oysters from Neptuno Oysters while browsing the Dinosaur Gallery. A number of local craft beers were available to sample at $2 each, including autumnal offerings from Mill Street, Great Lakes Brewery, and Black Oak breweries. Little cheese plates were also available and provided a nice accompaniment to the beers. Additional bars are spread out through the museum, serving up beer, wine, and cocktails, while additional food vendors will be appearing each week.

Little known fact: T-Rex was a sloppy drunk. What do you expect with such tiny arms?

There’s a lot in favour of checking out FNLROM: admission is only $10, letting you browse the galleries (open from 7pm until 9:30pm) without tripping over field trips and families. Even when the galleries close, the party still continues in the various lounges, and in the main hall with DJs playing courtesy of ElectriCITY Events. A welcome addition this season is the use of even more galleries as event spaces, including bars in the ever popular Dinosaur Gallery and Glass Room, and coffee and cupcakes in the Teck Gallery Jazz Lounge. These spaces stay open until 11:30pm.

Pre-historic duckface.

The next 7 weeks of FNLROM look to continue the party in fresh new ways. The theme for tomorrow night is War and Peace, which will include performances form the Orpheus Choir, the U of T Jazz program, DJ sets from DJ KTWC and DJ Jay Sea, and curator talks on war and peace in the natural and human world.

If you’re looking for a unique night out, either solo, with friends, or a date night, FNLROM is the place for you. Get there before season 2 ends, and here’s hoping for a season 3.

Other upcoming themes include:

• A Festival of Spirits (Oct 26)
• Africa (Nov 2)
• BIG Fashion (Nov 9)
• Canadian Classics (Nov 16)
• God Save the Queen, a celebration of all things British (Nov 23)
• Light (Nov 30)

Tickets are available at the door, but buy online to avoid disappointment.

For additional details and tickets, visit www.rom.on.ca/fridays

Follow and share the event on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #FNLROM

WHAT THE HELL? ANCIENT WHALES COULD FLY?!

A night at the museum.

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