RED LIST 2012

It is the day of reckoning. 
Was it a good year? Did we learn anything? 
After the December blitz, we at Wit's End are not quite snowed in but almost.
I am set for my New Years Eve tradition of making sour cherry strudel with possible help from other family baking enthusiasts.
Champagne is on ice. The other half is cooking up a storm of sauce and garlic and the scent is sure to wake up the teen sleep monsters.
No one has made coffee but I will forge ahead with my Red List anyway. Caffeine is overrated. Scratch that. It is everything.

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Holiday Countdown # 4: The cult of Santa

Kids are smarter than we think. They know Santa isn't real.
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Holiday Countdown #3:Fa la la la la

 Christmas would be a health hazard without music.

There is no way around it. This is a holiday with a heap of stress.
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I need brave thoughts.

I called my children's school on Friday afternoon to speak to the security guys working the front desk. I didn't think much about doing it before I acted. It was purely an emotional response to the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut that morning.

"I want..to thank you guys..for all that you do, I mean..to keep our kids safe." I sputtered.

They thanked me and told me they would"take anyone down" if they tried to enter the place.

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Holiday Countdown #2: Get real. Cut a tree down.

Last week, I told you to get busy and send out a real card.
This week, in Holiday Countdown #2, you now need a real tree.

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Zeitgeist 2012

Bacon. Poutine. Maple Syrup.Yorkshire Pudding. Bannock.
In that order.
Those were the top five Canadian foods searched for by Canadians surfing the net in 2012.
Google released its Zeitgeist 2012 results this week and Canadian queries were revealed in a series of top search results.
( For the full list of top search items, check here.)

If you believe that Google is indeed making us stupid, then these results won't make you sleep better at night.


As for the rest of the world, here is what we went looking for in 2012 :

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The most heroic thing you can do is tell someone you love them.

Love is messy and often, more than a little painful, maybe even a punch in the face. At least that's the idea behind the title of Rust and Bone, winner of the London Film Festival, darling of TIFF and the Cannes Film Festival, now opening this Friday in Toronto.
Raw and brutal yet poetic-critics around the world have raved about the steamy film.
 I saw a great many films at TIFF earlier this year. Rust and Bone has not been easy to shake off. There is a touching complexity to this bruised romance between a orca trainer, who loses her legs in an accident at a marine park, and a nightclub bouncer. 
The film stars Oscar-winning French star Marion Cotillard and Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts. 

Courtesy:Rex Features

They are both beautiful to look at-at TIFF, both drew crowds and whistles. But in this film, they are stripped down ( literally, in some very intimate scenes) with a sullen looking Cotillard trying to adjust to stumps rather than legs and Schoenaerts with a paunch ready to brawl for the next buck. The actor relied on junk food to gain a belly but trained for months to be convincing on screen as a fighter.
 I will never again think of a frozen lake without recalling a horrific scene, just one element in the often shocking collection of images. This is not a film for timid moviegoers. There are scenes of brutal violence and steamy sex but don't mistake the unflinching view: the film is as ambiguous as it is profound. 

 Expect big things at the Academy awards on Feb. 24th for Rust and Bone. Cotillard just picked up a Screen Actor's Guild nomination today for best actress. The SAG nominations kick off awards season with the follow up act tomorrow morning when the Golden Globe nominations are announced.
( See who was snubbed here in complete list of SAG nominees)

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A warning to a certain Kate: You're in for a bumpy ride.

There is only one Kate in my life and she arrived in 1995 with fanfare from my circles alone. 

My Kate. Royal in our minds.

That other one gets a little more ink.
That other one will soon discover what she is in for as a pregnant royal.
That little topless sunbathing episode was just a teaser. Being a parent today has its own queasy pressures.
I admire much about British culture but the tabloid wolves are not on my list.
That other Kate may be due in 7 months or so with a future royal but she is also due for a wallop of invasive press that could drown even the most stalwart.
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Happy Birthday Dad!

My dad is 81 today. We will gather tonight to blow out candles, not 81 but enough, and celebrate as we like to do.

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Feast your eyes on this beautiful man!

The lists are endless, deadlines loom, and I am getting two hours less of sleep daily thanks to my youngest's new early morning rowing team regimen. (If you see a hooded, uncombed creature squinting at you on the road, it's me, the 5am chauffeur and yes, I am contemplating Red Bull.)
Collapse is not possible. But a good prescription for escape is an outing to the ballet. A quick check on casting for the National Ballet's Giselle, on this week through Sunday in Toronto, and it was  done. Two of Canada's finest artists, Guillaume Côté and Greta Hodgkinson, were starring opening night and Christmas lists can wait another day.
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Two old pals sharing a coffee

Michael Richards is getting another chance.

The actor, best known as Kramer on the hit TV series Seinfeld, will return to his first TV series in a decade in a new comedy starring Kristie Ally and Rhea Perlman called Giant Baby.

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Holiday Countdown: Send me a card, will ya?

Are you sending me a Christmas card this year? Pretty please, make it a real one.

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Red Letter Day: let this week be over!

It has been a tough week for Toronto residents. Our mayor was ousted and I allowed myself a brief moment of jubilation.  But what followed was a playpen of childish ranting, raving and legal punditry that had me turning off all media. I love my city. But I'm way past fed up with our municipal leaders.

Distractions, mercifully, are plentiful. Here are some good ones for the weekend:
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Besmirched, lacklustre and dauntless: Hurrah for words!

 If you ever have the chance to study with a master of your chosen craft, run headlong with no delay.
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Your Tuesday groove

   The Purple Master may be a recluse but when he emerges from his musical vault, he appears ageless.  Prince is back with a new hairdo and performance video, quietly released on YouTube over the weekend.

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Red Letter Day: Epic time

It is closing weekend for The Clock at the Power Plant Exhibit in Toronto.
Long line ups are expected for this sensational exhibit, a collage of sound and film that has been called a masterpiece by critics around the world.
Swiss-American artist Christian Marclay spent years compiling a 24 hour montage featuring thousands of classic film clips of time related scenes synchronised to real time. In doing so, he went from respectable artist to international celebrity. In an excellent essay explaining how it was done, The New Yorker says seeing The Clock on its global tour has become its own competitive sport. Only 50 are allowed in to see it at one time but visitors can stay as long as they like. Repeat visits are common ( and necessary if you ask our family art critic, Kate) but this is your last chance to see it in Toronto: it closes Sunday. 

If seeing The Clock makes you think about time while you waste your time in the most clever fashion then resist the urge to shop. Yes, I know about Black Friday but do we really have to import every American tradition? 
Winter is at the doorstep but can we all just pause?
The last days of November are, for me, one last sip of my coffee before the rush.
( See final days of Autumn 2012)
I can linger on the season's riches as we have settled into our pace.  First term report cards are in and everyone is on course. The first mark of 100 reached in this household's history has been noted with cheers and awe from this life long student. To use my children's parlance: WTF????
 The only 100 I've seen was on a credit card bill.  

My kids achievements are their own. But I will allow for a jolt of inspiration. It is better than caffeine.



Have a great weekend!

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Dark Controversy

Director Cynthia Mort has stepped in it.

 In casting Zoe Saldana, an Afro-Latina actor, to play singer Nina Simone, the filmmaker has caused a storm of fury from Simone's many fans. 

Courtesy Getty Images

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We were all children once.

An excerpt from my poetry collection"Holding Glass" in honour of today, Universal Children's Day.

Poetry, Alburnum Press, 2001

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Pink steals the show...again.

"There are no rules for artists. None that I can't break at least."

Could that be the mantra musician Pink intones every time she considers her next performance?

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Rave: Acadia

I am not a picky eater but time has allowed me some prudence as a patron. I am a city girl at heart and the abundant riches of culture in Toronto have pressured my pocketbook enough that a night out with my favourite date comes with careful selection.
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Red Letter Day: a big WOW for a Rookie and more

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Marilyn is dead but can she still influence?

He may have been their latest face but Brad Pitt ( as reported here) 
can hardly help Chanel in their latest battle. 
But maybe Marilyn can.

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Turning tricks

The last I checked, food poisoning does not affect cognitive functioning. But how else to explain my slip up in my last post, dear readers?
Yes, I have been ill in the past 48 hours and no, you don't need details. Suffice it to say I am better.
Or so I thought.
But as I wrote about the charming new production, Alligator Pie, I wrote this:

"I owe a great deal to this kind of poetry as a mom almost out of tricks at sunrise..."

What I meant to say was "at sundown"to indicate my fatigued state at end of day.

Now clearly, you are all too polite or just waiting for the perfect time to make discreet queries about my new occupation.

But it is only a matter of time before an observant reader finds me out. I could let it go unnoticed. We're not meant to point out our own mistakes. 

Subliminal slip?

You give me far too much credit.

Although it does make a good story....

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Don't give away my alligator soup!

It now seems to be settled science that the original notion of play, unfettered with schedules and structure, is disappearing. I choke a little on that dismal thought. How would I have survived without it?


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Red Letter Day: Black Bond and new Les Mis

Yesterday I used the work word a few too many times. But maybe I have to do it again after seeing this incredible video of what may be the best boss in the world. I never had one like this. Many of mine were uninspiring and certainly did their best to squash any creative instincts I had. But when Obama thanked his campaign workers this week, he began to cry. The man is exhausted and sincere as he tells a room full of devoted staffers that he is proud of them. For all you haters out there, I challenge you to watch this and tell me exactly what can you truly hate about this man?

And just in case that didn't inspire you, here's another uplifting video.

But a brief preface:

I detest Christmas creep and refuse to go all glitter and pine until the real gold on my trees has fallen to the ground. My garden is hanging on to the glory of fall and who needs Christmas music this early?

But there is one kind of music I will listen to but I have to wait along with everyone else.  As I wrote in September, the musical adaptation of Les Miz is opening Christmas Day and is expected to be epic.

This week Universal released a spectacular new international trailer. Have fun. But you will still have to wait until Christmas!
New 'Les Miserables' Trailer: One More Day For Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway & Russell Crowe (VIDEO)

You don't have to wait for the new Bond film. It is out in theatres in selected cities across North America today. But you might have to wait to see the first black Bond.  But it is coming.  Rumours are swirling about London actor Idris Elba to take over after Daniel Craig finishes out his contract for two more Bond films. I'm in no rush to see Craig go ( swim trunk scene, thank you!) but Elba can fill out 007's tux to be sure. Fans of The Wire will know this talented actor's work well.  Elba is also a hip hop artist so maybe his version of Bond will feature some crooning.

Have a great weekend!

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Take your kid to work and see what exactly?

 My daughter asked me to help her choose an outfit the other day. It was an important request because she was about to shadow her dad in the workplace for Take your Kid to Work Day.
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I LOVE LUCY..most of the time.

Four years ago today we were among friends toasting Obamaʼs election with some divine bubbly brought by our dear pal, Rocco.
Also on November 4th that year, our pup Lucy was born on a farm near Warkworth, Ontario. Six weeks later, we brought her home. Her breeder assured us that sharing a birthday with a presidential election meant this tiny creature was destined for greatness.

Destined for dysfunction is closer to the truth.

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Red Letter Day: Denzel, Will and Frozen Chocolate

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Trashy costume? Yawn.

Halloween 1980: I was headed out the door with a face of fake freckles and a neon orange fringe. My date matched me freckle for freckle. There were over sized red felt hearts glued to our chest. We were Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy, ready for the teen party circuit. I was aiming for ironic and cute but dorky was more like it.

Halloween 2012: Google that iconic doll and this pops up. Dorky has left the building. No sign of a revival here.

 

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Epic Battles and other Monday blues

Put up your hand if your alarm clock provoked a shudder and huddle early this morning.
Peek outside. Gloom.
Our autumn palette clings to the trees and one hopes the coming storm will not sweep it all away.  Will we city dwellers face power failures and flooding as some have predicted? Thousands of flights are grounded and traffic is already a nightmare or so the radio chirps.
In other alarming news, Justin Bieber will perform at halftime during the Grey Cup next month.

Can you blame our household for hiding under the duvet?

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Red Letter Day: Zombie alert!

Another Red Letter Day List: weekend browsing is my gift to you so click pink for fun links!

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In the beginning I was a TV intern

If advising your younger self were an option, what would you say? 

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What does it take to be a good man?

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Red Letter Day: The List

Life grim? Perk up. Find a reason to sneak in a little joy.
It's FRIDAY!
Red Letter Day!
Browse awhile. Sneak in a smile. Some links for you:

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Love me, love what I love? Not always.

Ragtime has been playing to record crowds at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the -Lake since it opened in April earlier this year. Critical response has been generous but I know of at least two holdouts.


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Waiting for the parody. Brad does Chanel.

My first perfume was Love's Baby Soft. It didn't last long on my adolescent vanity.

For around the time I discovered mascara, I took my first heavenly whiff of Chanel #5 perfume. I was immediately smitten. Wearing it was better than the sexy black dresses deemed too adult for my teen image.

These days I have graduated to other equally potent Chanel scents but my daughter has inherited my beloved #5. But will the classic scent endure this abysmal new ad featuring Brad Pitt?
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Girl power lesson #1: book the funny lady

We heard lots of chatter about "girl power" this week thanks to the efforts of Plan Canada and their campaign to get girls to recognise, and be recognised for their own power to change communities.

It is a mission shared by writer and comedian Amy Poehler, former Saturday Night Live cast member and now star of Parks and Recreation. Poehler has launched a new Web series, Smart Girls at the Party, showcasing"girls who are changing the world by being themselves".

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Missing the point

Today is the first International Day of the Girl, declared by the United Nations as a movement to speak out against gender bias and advocate for girls rights everywhere.

In our corner of the world, advocacy has gone a long way for us girls  (in our house, we outnumber 3 to 1). Women are taking over, building a sparkling new matriarchy that spells The End Of Men. That's the title, and thesis, from author Hanna Rosin, whose bestseller is on my book club's reading list to digest later this year.

Her thesis is part myth, however fanciful the notion.
This morning, as I sat at an awards assembly at my kids all girls high school, I listened to the short address that saluted this new declaration and waited for the news blast that surely would have startled them awake from their morning slumps:

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Thanksgiving pulse

When I was a kid, sharing Thanksgiving meant a squished seat between relatives and a truck sized turkey. Around the table we went, as requested, sharing something we were thankful for and nothing was off limits. Your answer, for example, might be the four helpings of mashed potatoes I am about to eat.  Not soon enough, late as I am to most things if you ask my friends, I figured out that it was those excess of relatives and very existence of a bird at the table that might give me pause. But I digress.
Today, as the annual gobble season looms, family rituals stick. Here's what I'll say this year:
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J. K Rowling's first book since the Harry Potter series comes out today and it is most certainly NOT for children.
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Quick, tell me what comes to mind when you think Alec Baldwin.
An A list talent who has made a splash here and there for some less than savoury elements of his private life?
The titan of a clan of thespian brothers?
What about political sage?
Baldwin has a keen interest in the political world. It is an affinity shared by many peers in his profession who, like politicians, rely on name recognition to keep them in the pubic imagination. The list of actor turned politicians is long, familiar ( Reagan, Schwarzenegger) and mostly unremarkable but for the latest buzz putting Matt Damon in a future bid for the White House.

Baldwin provides an alternative stance, that of the wishful liberal pundit, who opines in a recent column about a lost America.

Whatever you think of the guy, he's not flippant.
Judge for yourself.
Alec Baldwin: Can America Be Great Again?

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First look but can it soar at Christmas?

I know you hate me already for bringing up Christmas.
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My faves of TIFF 2012

There were 24 films on my agenda.
I skipped out on two due to exhaustion and sold another to a friend.
The result: 21 films seen in 9 days. 21 out of 289 feature films is a mere slip of an experience, you may think.
But you would be wrong.

I won't bore you with the lesser efforts.
What follows in no particular order are my superlatives. 

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the course of true love

It is Day 8 of TIFF madness.

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The unwashed masses

There are all kinds of ways to experience TIFF.
When I was a journalist, I spent the festival inside a hotel suite doing interviews or at a intimate press screening, away from the crowds, away from public reactions.

Without a press pass these days, I sit in line ups. If I am alone or holding seats for a willing accomplice, I usually do the time honoured thing. Turn to the person, in front or behind, and ask if they've seen anything good.

This demands a certain extroverted gene, I admit. But it hasn't failed me yet. Everyone wants to share.
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Why TIFF?

I have been called a little crazy more than once.
Packing 10 days of multiple screenings, sometimes 3 a day, is something I've had to explain to puzzled friends.
Even more so as seeing films at TIFF involves a tacit agreement that you will have to endure a little pain with your pleasure.
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Spring, finally.

Japan has a cherry blossom festival, Ottawa the famous tulip festival. I have my own backyard bloom bonanza.

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Beach babe

I bought a sexy swimsuit today.

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