fourONEsixSTYLE

Patria o muerte, gorgeous.
Originally uploaded by waving my penis at traffic.

As a high school student and later an English Literature graduate, I had always taken a personal interest in art that discussed or represented studies on utopian ideology, Brave New World, The Blithedale Romance or Walden Two for example, the Ukiyo-e of Edo is some of my favorite. Along those lines I was driven to see the documentary The Sugar Curtain, screening at TIFF’s overly heated ROM theatre tonight, which discussed Che’s impact on 70s Cuba. I was intrigued listening to other adults my age discuss what it was like to be a “Child Pioneer” in those days and how everything – cookies, cakes, soap, dreams – flowed easily and often.

I’ve never been to Cuba, and in fact have been told by some close friends - supporters of the American political system - that I shouldn’t ever go and support a system of Communism. Instead my head is filled with stereotypes of the place and stories from travelers which tell of the decay of beautiful historic sites, the lack of really decent food, the lack of pencils for schools and of the schism between tourists and citizens. Until now, I had now idea of what may have been felt in the heart and mind of those growing up, and for the most part, trying to leave the island of Cuba.

People here tend to think it’s the US embargo that has caused all Cuba’s problems, but it appears that was a choice they followed with their hearts. The fall of the Iron Curtain in the 1980’s after 70 strong and long years was what has led to their demise they’ll claim. As students and pioneers striving to be the “new man” Che envisioned, they had been told anything was possible and those in their thirties now still appear to believe it. However, they won’t necessarily tell you, but the majority don’t seem to think its possible within Cuba and have eventually moved away. They lament that students growing up now will never know the glory days when everything came easily and yet there was no materialism, there was passion but no religion – now a whole generation faces an uncertain future and little hope. Their only hopes now, appear to oddly enough tie into ideas of Western materialism, as unrealistic as it is unattainable.

The Sugar Curtain screens again on Friday at 7PM at the Varsity.

spring light
Originally uploaded by 416style.

SPRING’s HERE! Beautiful weather, outtings at the beach and patio season have been a long time coming for us Torontonians. Enjoy it everyone. Thanks for checking out fourONEsixSTYLE. Lots more goodies to come!

The Ryerson Theatre was a bad venue for last night’s (Toronto International Film Festival) picture The Notorious Bettie Page though, ultimately, I did leave the theatre feeling like I’d seen and done something worthwhile. The well constructed movie depicted the historical icon and pin-up girl Bettie Page (played by Gretchen Mol) as an innocent and somewhat naive woman. I’d been unaware until reading the movie synopsis that Bettie’s modelling career had led her to do some bondage photos with other female models, and that the issue had arose in the US supreme court in 1955, ultimately leading to a ban on the photos and their subsequent burning. Suppose in a way that Bettie was the original Madonna. 50 years later there’s not much difference in how Western, and especially American, culture reacts to fetish and bondage images. Some of Madonna’s videos won’t see any airplay in this country either, understandably, since TV is seen by the masses, but there was still quite a coup over her “scandalous” images in the pictorial book SEX. Admitly, I thought her overly staged shots just made her look like a sad celebrity overindulging in her rauncyiness; with all respect, however, to a woman who knows how to push and play with society’s morays.

Gretchen, who ran by me 3 times wearing fantastic heels the girls I was with were dying for, did a beautiful job as Bettie Page, the icon who loved her body and enjoyed showing it. At the end of the day however I felt the film didn’t leave anything for me to take away, to ponder, except perhaps where a sense of shame comes from. Once people told Bettie what she was doing was wrong she began to feel ashamed of her “sins”. She turned to God and dropped out of sight. Perhaps she just needed Madonna’s “cojones”, a better group of friends, and should have moved to Paris to live the good life with her shameless peers Anais Nin, Henry Miller and Josephine Baker in a place where nobody gave a damn about a naked nipple or some leather boots. *(Added note as at September 22) - Bettie Page wasn’t coerced into dressing up in “special costumes” and reportedly admitted having fun playing dress-up. This blog in no way condones harm to others in any way or form. It does condone loosening up a little.)

I’d been excited to see DAVE CHAPPELLE’S BLOCK PARTY at the Toronto International Film Festival and was bummed when I couldn’t get tickets. So last night I took my chances and tried “rushing” the film. This means you must get in line quite early and hope there are free seats available when the flick starts. Best laid plans fell apart and I showed up with only 35 minutes to showtime and discovered about 100 people in line ahead of me at the Elgin Theatre. At least I could “star watch” I thought…but the elusive Chappelle and his entourage were a no show. I did snap this pic of genius director Michel Gondry on the way up the red carpet and eventually made my way in to the flick with my friends.

The synopsis on the TIFF site raised the question: “What do you do when your net worth tops 50 million dollars?” “Start with a party.” Chappelle had just signed a 50 mil contract with Comedy Central so his idea, in this verite documentary, was to throw the kind of concert he always wanted to see. With hip hop connections like his the line up was guarateed ghettofabulous: Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, The Roots, Dead Prez, Jill Scott. As if that weren’t enough to get your heart pumping, he adds THE FUGEES to the mix, reuniting after 8 long years, to the surprise to everyone at the Brooklyn Block Party. It was the most fun I’ve ever had at a movie, and probably the only time I cried while I was dancing (standing at the back) when Lauryn Hill busted into a sweet and sultry version of Killing Me Softly. Wow.

Beyond the prep for the concert Dave made his usual jokes and pointed out some funny things about the hood in Brooklyn, where one school director welcomed him to the ‘mixed school’ where Black and Mexican kids played. Chappelle laughs, “this is what they call a mixed school?” The element of race was always present and I found it kind of sad that Chappelle always sees the world in black and white. I did however think it was inspiring when Wyclef spoke to the (almost all black) University marching band that were invited by Chappelle to open the party. “Don’t ever blame anything on the white man…I came from Haiti and didn’t speak a word of English; English was my third language and I’ve made a good life for myself.” Take out the element of race and we can all relate to his thoughts…don’t let anyone hold you back, and as one black marching band student agreed…”Yeah, like Eminem said: You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. Opportunity comes once in a lifetime.”

Chappelle’s getting his opportunity, let’s see what he does with it.

Walking by a recently boarded up Palais Royale made my heart sink. The building had gone through several exterior changes, mostly to paint colour and the lakeside deck, since I had started partying there 15 years ago. Lifeguard parties were always amazing. Pack 700 beautiful and bronzed athletes into a roaring dance hall and sparks fly. Great memories. It still continued up until a few years ago, when RNB and milk threw some New Years parties at the Palais. I remember one December 31st eve, standing on the back deck with friends as a warm chinook-like wind softly passed through, while glorious house rhythms rounded out the atmosphere.

I’m not the only one who’s been entertained there. The Palais has had a long and fabulous history. My boyfriend’s grandmother, June, recalls the days her and her honey used to dance the night away to the sounds of the big bands. It was a classic ballroom then. Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman and others used to jam the house for an admission price of 10 cents. The Rolling Stones, too, had rocked the Palais one night, after announcing a special concert to treat the people of Toronto to their album debut.

By this point though the Palais Royale has long since said good-bye to her glory days, though she had once been an integral part of the beachfront amusement on Lake Ontario, then known as the Poor Man’s Riviera. Constructed in 1922 by the same architects that designed the Sunnyside Pavilion, the Palais Royale has now fallen into disrepair. With the trend in Toronto toward destruction as opposed to restoration it’s wonderful she survived at all. Only the Palais and Sunnyside remain from this era. Many of the other buildings on the strip were damaged by suspicious fires in the early fifties, making it easier for the city to plow the Gardiner Expressway through Parkdale in 1956, cutting off the western beaches from the city and setting Parkdale on a downward economic spiral. In 1963, an arsonist burned down the Palace Pier, a mile long pier complete with ballroom that sat out on the lake. Another piece of Toronto’s history devastated and long forgotten.

There is, however, a happy ending. I hope. The historic Palais Royale is set for a 2 million dollar renovation. The Pegasus Group, which owns and operates the recently restored Jolly Miller Tavern, the Brunnie and the Wheat Sheaf (Toronto’s first hotel), will likely restore it all to its former beauty. The plan includes restoring all windows and doors, as well as several of the interior elements including the fireplace, the barrel vault and wooden paneling. A new exterior deck, similar to the original, and overlooking Lake Ontario, will be installed, as will new stairs and a wheelchair ramp. The famous spring-board floor will need to be replaced as well. Fingers crossed. The $2 million project must still be approved by Toronto City Council.

Yesterday, Piers Handling and the new guard revealed the programme for the 30th annual Toronto International Film Festival. It’s the beginning of an exciting time for many of us in the city, racing around trying to get into this party or that screening. Now that the programme is known, seats quickly fill up. Many screenings sell out by way of lottery to those who buy packages well in advance.

While most of the 335 films in the programme will get a chance to enjoy the limelight, it’s the 6 Gala presentations that create the most buzz here and abroad. Often these spectacular Gala films resonate with Oscar quality, so I was surprised after reading the press release yesterday, that the following main event line-up is chock fill of crazy char”actors” like action-flick superstars, a country music musician and several hip-hop artists.

The Gala’s are: David J. Burke’s EDISON, starring Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Justin Timberlake and LL Cool J; Stephen Frears’ MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS, a world premiere starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins; the world premiere of Guy Ritchie’s REVOLVER, starring Ray Liotta and André Benjamin (Andre 3000); Stanley Tong’s THE MYTH, a world premiere, starring Jackie Chan, Kim Hee Seon, Tony Leung Ka Fai and Mallika Sherawat; and Tommy Lee Jones’ directorial debut, THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA, starring Jones, Dwight Yoakam, January Jones, and Julio César Cedillo; and Richard Shepard’s THE MATADOR, starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear.

I think, given these bizarre choices, that I might give the main event a miss and go for what I know will be a sure thing: DAVE CHAPPELLE’S BLOCK PARTY by Michel Gondry. Gondry’s direction in music video (for artists such as Bjork and The White Stripes) is true genius. Mixed with writer/producer/comedian Chappelle and the first reunion of The Fugees since 1997, I know this one might not be Oscar material but it’s got the kind of star-power that impresses me.

Originally uploaded by colourblind.

Through flickr and gtabloggers I heard about this guy doing something called Portraits In The Park. For a nominal donation the photographer (screen name Photojunkie, real name Rannie) will take your shot and print a picture for you. Last week he was down at one of my favorite little spots, Cherry Beach, and since I was “babysitting” Chachi I figured I’d check it out and take him for a walk at the same time. Chachi loves the beach too, he runs around in big circles, as fast as he can, for about 10 minutes or until he gets tired. That’s his way of showing he’s excited.

We saw Rannie’s set up as soon as we arrived. I was going to stop in quick and then take Chachi down to where the Rochester ferry, The Breeze, splits from, but Rannie wanted to chill for a bit first and invited me to join the flickr meet-up group hanging out at the other end of the beach. It was kinda cool, a group of people, most of whom only knew each other from the screen alias’ used to identify one’s photos uploaded on flickr. We hung out a bit, listening to some cool tunes, supplied by Duchamp. I met a few people and learned a couple cool things about my camera that I hadn’t known, as well as some general photography tips. Since everyone had their cameras out and weren’t totally comfortable taking shots of each other at first, Chachi became the natural subject. Colourblind took this one of a smiling Chachi down at the beach. A bunch of other great shots came out of the meet-up, but I have yet to pick up the “pro” shots taken by Rannie of Chachi and I down the the Cherry Beach lifeguard stand. Looking forward to seeing the shots and to the next spontaneous photoblogger beach party, Chachi is too.

liqoursign
Originally uploaded by lilylord.

Asked my bf to stock up on booze today. A couple 40oz bottles of vodka should do the trick. Tomorrow we find out if the staff at the LCBO (Liqour Control Board of Ontario) are going to strike. If so, it might have worse ramifications on Toronto’s tourism and entertainment industries than Sars did. Depending if the strike lasts longer than a couple 40 oz at our house.

LCBO workers are fighting against a clause in their contracts that wasn’t going to be renewed, a clause which once protected all employees jobs if the door to privatization of liqour stores were to open.

What strikes me as ridiculous about this is that the LCBO staff, by showing the power they wield over the people of this province, are in fact demonstrating that we should be working toward privatization. I don’t need anyone having that much control. The LCBO has come a long way, renovating stores and stocking them with a great variety of liqour, but I’d still rather buy my booze on my terms. Vive le depaneur Quebecois and bring privatization to Ontario.