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Showing posts with label parties and those who attend them. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parties and those who attend them. Show all posts

Friday, 10 June 2011

Fundraiser Loft Party - June 24


I'm hosting a fundraiser loft party for my magazine, Kalimat. The goal is to raise funds in order to print the magazine and make it available worldwide. J
oin us for hors d'oeuvres, Arab specialty drinks, dancing and surprises at a special fundraiser loft party where we'll be releasing our Summer issue. Sounds by DJ Karim Sultan. I hope to see you there!

Date: Friday, June 24, 7pm

Location: 52 St. Lawrence Street (St. Lawrence and King Street East), Unit 315, Buzzer 0217

Tickets: $10 in advance/$15 at the door, available at kalimatloftparty.eventbrite.com


Thursday, 28 April 2011

Creative Type No. 3

Last week, I attended the opening night of Creative Type 3 at the Palmerston Café and Gallery. Creative Type No. 3 is an annual exhibit of experimental typography, featuring the works of more than 60 artists and designers from across Toronto.

If you're interested in checking it out, the exhibit is running until May 1 at the Palmerston Café and Gallery. Drop-in gallery hours:
12PM – 5PM Tuesday – Friday; Saturday & Sunday 10AM – 5PM.

iPod touch snaps:






Wednesday, 30 March 2011

What you're likely to hear

I meant to post this earlier in time for fashion week, but it completely slipped my mind. I've compiled a list of songs you're likely to hear at this season's LG Fashion Week in Toronto. Although LGFW started on Monday, there's still time to hear some of these jams on the runway. My predictions are usually accurate, but if I'm wrong then, sorry.

Sunday, 25 April 2010

A Runway of Nostalgia


I have a lot of articles due to be submitted which I must get to ASAP. I also have a few that, once live, I'll be sharing with you. Today, I give you my review (with anecdote) of the Ryerson School of Fashion's graduate show Mass Exodus. It's over at This is World Town, so click here to check it out.

And speaking of fashion, I make a brief cameo on Fashion Television's coverage of WomenXWomen. I do some pointing and talking in like three clips, but I think it's rad, so click here to see if you can spot the yuppie.

Sunday, 18 April 2010

[FAT] April 21-25


Fashion.Art.Toronto=[FAT]
Toronto Alternative Arts and Fashion Week, 2010

Shows I'm going to see/Shows I was suggested to see:
- Romandin
- Diepo
- youth.inasia
- Heidi Ackerman
- Jasper Garvida (winner of Project Catwalk)
- Worth by David C Wrigley
- Aimee Tobolka
- Refined by Evan Biddell

Details:
April 21-25, 2010
Studio City, 1 Pardee Avenue, (Liberty Village)
Tickets: $25 at select locations, $30 at the door (per night), $70 (week pass)
Full schedule and more information here

Thursday, 15 April 2010

Double Exposure

I covered the WomenXWomen show and wrote about it. Photographer Sarah Blais of Thirty9Steps took photos. It was a show about female photographers after all so it's only natural I opted for one, right? Read the article here, my second for This is World Town.

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Free

Today, more than any other day, I realized how much people love free stuff. At the "take" table in the garbage area of my condo, I put a few books on the shelf for people to take. Sorry, I mean a few first year university books. Already the sex appeal has diminished with the use of the words "first year" and "university". But wait, the titles have used book stores throwing money at you they want to get their hands on these titles badly:
  • JAVA programming (blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-lgorithm)
  • Linear Algebra (oh oh what a thriller)
  • Macroeconomics (the sequel to micro)
  • Either the macroeconomics workbook or another programming one, can't remember
So an hour later, I go back in order to throw out a garbage bag and...bam! All the books have been snatched. And that my friends is the power of FREE.

Sunday, 21 February 2010

Happy birthday, happy birthday

2010 means I turn one year older. Usually, every year, a week before my birthday, I start listening The Cranberries. I have no idea why. Maybe because everybody else is doing it, so why can't we? Ha. Any way, in celebration of this (accomplishment?), some friends got me presents. Awesome ones. Every year on my birthday, someone ends up getting me a book I already have. This is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it means they are thinking exactly like I think. Note: if you're thinking of getting me a book (which is a wonderful idea), you've been warned that there's a huge chance I already have it, because I have lots and lots of books. So many, in fact, that I cannot house all of them in my condo.
These came from very far away.

Old Fairuz vinyl with a wonderful message on the back, prayer beads (masbaha) from very far away, Joe Sacco's latest, and a Nino Simone collection.

One of the biggest gifts I received this year was having my party hosted by a dear friend in her apartment. To you, and everyone else who attended or was there in spirit, thank you times one million.

Monday, 21 December 2009

Guide to being really Arab: The Table Dance

There comes a moment in every Arab's life when they don't want to dance so one engages in the act of the infamous "table dance." Both men and women partake in this. Here's how you can join in too. This post is dedicated to all the Waterloo boys, you know who you are.
Name: The Snap
Action: Snap your fingers. Make sure to close your eyes and wave your head.
Performed when: Arabic pop songs come on and you should be crossing the dancefloor.
Name: The Khaliji Wave
Action: Shake your hand like you're having convulsions, mostly placed near your head.
Performed when: Khaliji songs come on. Substitutes you having to wave your hair from side to side. Also when there's a lot of drumming and some dabkeh songs.

Name: The Shamee Dabkeh Finger
Action: Wave your index finger. Again, near your head.
Performed when: Dabkeh songs come on. Instead of stomping your feet, you're showing solidarity by waving the index finger.
Name: The Clap
Action: This move is versatile. If you're a girl and you really like the song that's playing but no one wants to dance, stick to the table and do the clap. You'll be called a bad name if you get up and start dancing by yourself. For dudes, if you can't dance and really like the song, again, table. Merely clapping is evidence enough you want to be on the dance floor. The clap is also used when a woman is dancing and a group of men surround her by going down on their knees and clapping by placing their hands towards her. This can be performed at the table also, just make sure there's a girl doing "The Snap" across from you.
Performed when: Arabic pop songs, the really belly dance worthy ones. Shik. Shak. Shok.

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

Chez nous

"Excusez moi madame, votre carte étudiante SVP?"
I take it out from my wallet. The classic white student card with the old crest. None of the kids around here remember how things used to look, and I've only been out 1.5 years.
"Merci, mademoiselle."
"De rien."
I'm in. It's 12:15am, I'm coming back from the Guerilla Magazine party where I was mistaken for my sister a few times and asked if someone's ever told me I resembled Demi Moore. Yes actually, my mother. And thank you for the kindest of compliments.
I'm wearing lipstick and heels, but I'm going to see a friend at the library who is now in law school. I stare at the sign that reads "pas de nourriture chaude." I smile. It was my actions that got that sign up there to begin with. The infamous pizza order on the third floor during my fourth year, and maybe a variety of ethnic foods courtesy of U of O's ethnic population. Van Wilder? No. I graduated in four.
I take the elevator up. The jogging pants, UGG boots and girls that drink too much and take birth control stare at me. Once upstairs I get the looks from "studying" students, i.e. students awaiting the slightest distraction to look up. This is where I made most of my friends, looking for distractions in the library and not studying. I don't recognize one person. I used to be able to tell you who everyone was.
Near staircase B, we discuss his visit to Lebanon.
"Where'd you stay, Beirut?"
"No my family is in Saïda," he responds.
"Saïda, there's a hospital named after my uncle there. Where else did you go?" I ask.
"Everywhere. I even went to Baalbek. Man the meat pies there are amazing!"
"Oh man I want a meat pie so bad right now."
We chat about how everyone is so young and then we take out our ancient student cards. The first, second, third or fourth year students behind us are staring. The photos are fading. And it's not the unrecognizable faces that surround us that make us feel old, or how our faces have changed, but how the picture is fading, and how the cards are discoloured and how I feel I've been away for so long. Oh my, it feels good to be back, even if it's brief, because this is the place where most people will answer your text messages that contain sentences like "for a limited time only I'm in town. Meet me now!" And most of the time, they will meet you, wherever you may be and for however long you are staying.


Timothy's the Glebe is Timothy's the Leb. Only in Ottawa.

Speaking of Ottawa, my friend Lamb-Ice told me about this video below and asked me if I knew the guy that made it. I said no, but it turns out I do, he was in my program at Uni. Good job Abbas, it's quite the accurate portrayal of [almost] every Leb in Ottawa!

Monday, 7 December 2009

House of Vintage opening

A vintage shop called House of Vintage opened in Parkdale (vous êtes surpris?) and I attended the opening party last Thursday. My photographer friend Christine Lim took some killer shots while I ate sushi (courtesy of Toshi Sushi), pineapples (courtesy of the earth) and browsed the collection (courtesy of my girl Esther who invited me and the owner who stocked the place).

The space is about 1700 square feet, so the smell of old stuff doesn't fill your nostrils, and if you're quick on your feet, you can get to those items the other hipster person has been eyeing faster without tripping on a rack. The pieces are carefully chosen by famed vintage dealer Dennis, so you're left with great looking clothes, unlike many other vintage stores who pile on the racks with items no one wore then and still wouldn't wear today. I also just realized that I was supposed to go back to the store on Saturday and pick up the rad leather jacket the owner left on hold for me and now it's probably gone. It's okay, I have an array of leather jackets to start my revolution.
House of Vintage is located at 1239 Queen Street West.
Disco, disco
Dennis, looking bad ass.

Monday, 16 November 2009

R4 Fashion

Waterloo University and fashion don't usually mix, but R4 Fashion, an upcoming fashion event in Toronto, is organized by Sustainable Technology Education Project (STEP) at the University of Waterloo. The event is looking to bring together students, young entrepreneurs, industry leaders and fashion community members for a celebration of Canadian designers who are eco-conscious. The show will feature garments that are composed of organic and sustainable materials from some great designers. There's also a couple of awesome people on the jury (The Style Box) and guests like Evan Biddell. Get your tickets here.

Wednesday, 28 October 2009

Conversations of the week

Leaving the Holts Media cocktail:
"Next season, I'm going full out Arab at fashion week. What do you think people would say if I wore my revolutionary scarf like a chador?"
"Anything you do just looks cool, why is that?" she asks.
"It's because I'm Arab," I respond.
"That makes sense."
Moral: although no evidence proves this lately, Arabs do it better.

At whose house again?
"You boys want to put your pee pee everywhere, then when it comes to marriage, you want a girl who hasn't seen the light of day."
"Yes, one with low mileage," the tall one answers.
"But how do you count the mileage, like if she was with someone for two years or just with a lot of people?" he jumps in.
"Air Miles doesn't count how long you stay on your trip, they reward you with miles based on how many trips you take," I respond.
"Makes sense."
Moral: no matter what boys tell you, they still want low mileage.

At the store:
Coffee shop guy comes in and asks store owner,
"what are you doing?"
Store owner points at me and says,
"talking to my future wife!"
Coffee shop guy: "Keep dreaming."
Moral: Listen to coffee shop guy, he's got it right.

What Arty said:
I finally bought a pair of glasses, they're okay. Kind of look like a hipster asshole, I dunno, they're pretty standard and classic but like would actually wear them in public? I also got my sunglasses back. They're nice...I guess. They have like this real British look to them. Not so much the boppin' twiggy era London look to them, more like the teenager walking down a street in Newcastle look. They're pretty big...not sure how comfortable I am in them.
Moral: Arty is hilarious.

Sunday, 25 October 2009

il s'agit d'un Adieu mais je la prends comme un au revoir

11 hours of sleep total all weekend.
My lips are hurt from wearing too much red lipstick, my feet are begging me to stop wearing shoes, my Rhodia's pages are filled, my favourite pen is lost, and I'm angry at the weather for not allowing me to wear the dress I wanted. That marks the end of Fashion Week.
Friday was spent debating tears of happiness or relief, realizing that there's not even a thought of turning back, writing articles, and engaging in hilarious conversations with new people, followed by an unexpected and [very] late set of conversations. Saturday came too soon and I indulged myself in family, good food, a happy neighbour, a wonderful visitor, a housewarming, more food, and a movie slash conversation. Sunday started with a hilarious text message and proceeded to be spent on my feet. My familiar footsteps explored the city as they tapped alongside new ones, and brief goodbyes make for quick returns. Tomorrow marks my new journey, one I await eagerly. Nervous, excited, and scared, I plunge into the unknown and I feel great.

Wednesday, 21 October 2009

Fashion Week diaries, Spring/Summer 2010

With LG Fashion Week in full swing right now, my agenda is filled with shows to cover, events to attend, and housekeeping items to tend to. Like any "fashion person", I have pieces I hold dear in my closet and will wear them until they no longer have shape of their former glory. My oxfords (of which two more identical pairs grace my closet) are on their death bed, the buttons on my Napoleon coat are getting stuck between bodies on the TTC and popping out (ugh rush hour), and my tights are waiting for a run to come through them. Luckily, there aren’t many off site events to attend. On day one, I attended the Holts Media Cocktail and “how to walk in heels” at Chasse Gardée. There was a memorable moment at the Holts cocktail, courtesy of Robin Kay. No, she was not drunk, or trying to sell us a dime that’s top of the line, it was this quote: “And now we have our own group of seven.” Robin, baby, the group of seven is Canadian.

Holts media cocktail

I encountered various problems so far this season. In the media room, the computers that are the size of bunnies are DEATH, almost like the one I type from right now, the internet is slow, and the room is crammed. Missing this time is the kit-kat, coffee and champagne from last season. New this year are the benches in the Fashion Environment, which are better than the seats from previous seasons, except the no coat check thing makes sitting on benches more difficult because I can’t put my coat anywhere and since the weather is unpredictable, I can’t even dress for these things anymore.

Hometown girl Jasmine walks the runway for Travis Taddeo

Travis Taddeo finale

Yesterday was my crazy busy day with tons of things to cross off the agenda. I had to run from Liberty Village to pick up an essential package for a designer showing tomorrow in the St-Lawrence market, run back home, change, get to the tents for a few shows, run out to the Annex for a meeting (which ran late), run back to the tents, got to the show that actually started on time that I had to cover but missed due to incredible amount of people, hung around for the rest of the shows to cover, ran home, gave the designer her package, wrote my articles, and went to bed. Phew. Today is all about the Mimrans and so I’ll jump into my Lungta de Fancy and head over to the tents and end the night at ShadowplayCarte Blanche always throws a good party. Keep up with my fashion week coverage on blogTO.
photos: blogTO

Tuesday, 29 September 2009

Smells like secrets

But it's out! Having recently moved to Toronto from Ottawa, The Balconies had a CD release party at Lee's Palace this past Friday. The cover glows in the dark, the songs make your feet tap and the members are absolutely adorable, so check it out.

Arnaud Fleurent-Didier's "France Culture" is a nice look into his own family history. Video with English translation below. Keep looping, it's that good.

If you've ever had the luxury of attending an Arab wedding, there's one thing that stands out about the wedding singers: for 15 minutes, they will fidget with the same few notes on their keyboard-synthesizer and thank the crowd in the mic. Then, they proceed by playing a song that has nothing to do with any of the notes they played on the keyboard just seconds prior. Does it make sense? No. Why do they do it? I don't know, but it sure as hell entertains me and if requested, I'll imitate them for you [gladly]. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard Siriusmo's "Last Dear" because the keyboard-synthesizer sound in the song is so similar to the one played by Arab wedding singers it's ridiculous! Have a listen or watch the video below. It comes on at around 1:47. Honourable mention: Intro to Phoenix's "If it's not with you"

Monday, 28 September 2009

vendredi

You wake up, a bit later than you should have, exhausted. Jump in the shower, finish, choose an outfit. Drink water, leave the house. Grab your bike and ride it to work. You stop at a café, pay $1.60 for coffee you know is worth $0.88. You get to work, turn your computer on, wait for it to load, stare at your colleagues, and begin working. You read the news and other websites that keep you updated. You think. Your phone rings, you speak, you resolve an issue because no one else wants to and you get back to work. You eat a sandwich, make a snarky comment to the owners. Your hands are dirty. You deposit a cheque, stare at your assets. You get another coffee. $1.95. This one is not worth more than $1.00. This place is overpriced. You drink, you walk back to the office, you salute your passing colleages. You sit and stare, you think, you can't wait to go home. Once the time arrives, you leave. You ride your bike back through the familiar road up to your house. You park it outside, check the mailbox. You missed a call. Your parents. You don't call back. You clean, you get dressed, you chat, you eat quickly, you bike to go volunteer. A pedestrian jumps in your way. You remind her you could've been a truck, laugh, and ride away. You see people, you chat, they laugh, you poster, you drop paste on yourself, you clean up at the library, you observe the people, you laugh, you leave. You get told by a taxi driver its illegal, you ignore him. You finish your volunteering. You think of a day in July, you go to a coffee shop. You write, you write and write. You hear ridiculous conversations taking place near you, you write and write. Your phone rings, you set up a meeting time. You fill your Rhodia with more words, you listen to songs, you write. A bald man stares at you, you stare back then away and leave. You meet a friend, you hug because its been awhile. He checks your id at the door, you pay for the ticket, you talk, she's been through a rough time. You keep your jackets on. You get closer to the stage, you watch the hipsters sway. You close your eyes and listen to the band play. You're both enjoying yourselves. You take photos. You look around for others you may know. You dance a bit, you go sit. You go talk to band members, you discuss mutual friends. You find out she's happy doing something you predicted and she said "never" to. But she's happy so you smile. You have a conversation with someone you met once a year ago. You sit. The next band comes on. Lead singer's pants and shirt are too tight for him. His hair reminds you of someone you don't want to think about but you do. You close your eyes, you laugh, you make jokes, hipsters dance. "Footloose" comes on. You dance like they do. You move closer to the stage, you listen to the other band. You're more nostalgic for home even though you're not sure where that is. You think of her, you understand why she did what she did and you smile. You leave, you hug goodbye, you ride your bike, you shiver, you think of June, you want to be home. A taxi driver yells at you, you tell him to keep driving, he's irritated. You're starving, you're home, you brush your teeth, change your clothes, realize you sound like a Bret Easton Ellis novel and go to bed.

Thursday, 17 September 2009

Elia, Hiam et Dima


I've stated it before and I'll state it again, I don't care for celebrities. Frankly, the line ups in front of theatres and hotels amuse me. This week at TIFF however I got to be in the presence of people in film I admire, and are a different kind of celebrity (if even to be called celebrity since they are not known at all).

At the Toronto Declaration discussion Monday night, I bumped into and got stared at by my country's own, more charming version of Buster Keaton (read: Elia Suleiman whose new film The Time that Remains is being screened at TIFF) AND, AND...wait for it...at the screening of Chaque jour est une fête (Every Day is a Holiday), I met one of my girl
crushes. Although I could not tell her that I find her ravissante in front of the crowd, I did, when given the chance to come face to face, tell her how much I've been wanting to meet her. I also took a few minutes to admire her beauty up close. I'm talking about Hiam Abbass - the woman who makes wrinkles so elegant. I also got to share a laugh with Chaque jour est une fête (Every Day is a Holiday) director Dima El-Horr, an absolutely adorable and brilliant woman who directed an excellent and highly recommend film too! But before I end this post, I have one comment for TIFF movie goers who are about to go see a non-Hollywood film discussing Middle-Eastern issues: please, do yourself a favour, read the synopsis and research the situation before you ask unnecessary questions that are a complete waste of time (read: "How did the women survive without water?") Such silly questions can be answered by a) reading the synopsis and realizing that it mixes realities of life with absurdities, and b) realizing the film took place throughout an afternoon, not even a full day. Therefore, humans are able to survive approximately three days without water. Furthermore, when addressing the director with your questions, keep in mind her first language is not English - she was clearly fluent in Arabic and French and tried her best to answer you with her English, if you don't understand her explanation, be nicer about it. Oh and don't forget, TPFF starts on September 26.

Monday, 22 June 2009

Yuppie adventures

At the other side of the universe, a.k.a. Yonge and Eglington,

I watched "The Hangover". Yeah, not funny. I laughed only a few times, so why is everyone saying it's hold your ribs type of funny? Get it together people, that movie was so predictable and un-inspiring. Why doesn't talent ever get celebrated?

On my way to a Saturday morning meeting, I cheat on my Ella's Uncle routine and go to Manic Coffee cause it's on my way but then I realize,

their large coffee is $2.40! Now I'm more than willing to pay for your "fair trade" coffee beans, however, don't buy the low quality stuff. This coffee was not good. At all. Their lattes are good though. Is someone attempting a Starbucks by serving bad coffee in order to increase sale of milk drinks? Je pense que oui.

At Wrongbar for NXNE,

I met a persistent male who claimed he was a porn star for a living. He also claimed to be the man of my dreams after he asked me if I remembered his name, which I didn't. He then asked me if I had ever met one before. A porn star, not the man of my dreams. Now where would I find them? Tip for this guy, claiming to be a porn star doesn't help your game. If anything I'm washing my hands right now. He then asked me if me or my friend were driving home. I told him, I'm from the city. He was shocked since it's impossible someone from Toronto would go out in the city right? That's another 100 points off homie. Don't ever call a girl who has never lived in the suburbs a suburbanite.

Outside, attempting to escape the humidity that may cause my hair to explode,

we overhear a conversation: One male 905 and his clan of three female 905ers, one of which was wearing a prom-ish dress from Le Chateau, another a pair of four inch, pink pointy shoes, were upset about not being able to get in. Their words were: "I'm a guy with three hot chicks and ready to pay the cover and he won't let us in. What gives?" Take your money and use it at Century Room, you're at the wrong bar.

After Wrongbar,

I tried out Poutini's. They even have vegetarian gravy. It's good, and definitely not as heavy as Smoke's. The owners are from Ottawa (according to the cashier). Represent. But word of advice to the girl with the fake Balenciaga* dressed like a semi-prosti hanging out with the dude in the True Religion jeans outside the resto...stop staring, it's rude. I can see you. Next time, I'll ask how much, yeah I'll do it, watch me!

*I'd like to point out that I purchased a fake Balenciaga back in 2005. This girl had a brand spanking new fake. The Aldo one.

Thursday, 11 June 2009

Textstyles


“Can I take a photo?” she asks as she takes two steps back to get a full body shot “Sure! What is it for?” I ask as I position myself for her to get the entire outfit. “Toronto Textstyles.” “Oh that’s great, what an honour! I used to do the photo taking, I started Ottawa Street Style!” “Really?” she asks. “Yeah! So should I keep the banana in the photo?” I ask, laughing. This was my first interaction with Stefania, the brains behind Toronto street style and fashion blog, Textstyles. She handed me a card, and that’s when she had me. This card was awesome: square, thick and simple, it made a statement. She knew what she was doing. Stefania’s blog has gained popularity in the past year. It helps that she maintains it frequently and is quite possibly one of the only blogs out there that still features recent street style photos that interacts with the subject. With an SLR slinging from her neck, Stefania shoots various fashion events and parties, fashion week (both runway and backstage), contributes to Toronto based Cheek Magazine and most recently, had a piece published in Brooklyn based Dossier Journal which has contributors like Kate Lanphear and Zac Posen. Not bad huh? She also knows how to pamper her baby, Textstyles. Back in May, Stefania threw a party at Rolly’s Garage celebrating the one year anniversary of the website. Over 300 people showed up. This number isn’t exaggerated, I was there. Rolly’s was dripping with people like a wet sponge drips water*. Guests included designer Philip Sparks, NOW Fashion editor Andrew Sardone, fashion illustrator Danielle Meder and many others.

With all this going on you’d think Stefania would be one of those people constantly typing away on her phone, checking her email, and other social networks. But like me, we share the same belief, “I hate it when someone does it to me so why would I do it to you?”, and that mantra is what will make you successful.

If you haven’t already done so, do it, visit her blog. And if her blog doesn’t convince you of how cool she really is, wait till you see her dance to old R&B at the local dive. She’ll make you sweat, guaranteed.
*Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories