Gigantick Laughs and Heart at Zuppa Theatre

Pictured: Susan Leblanc-Crawford and Stewart Legere

Friday night was my first Zuppa Theatre experience, and I have to be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. Even for an arts aficionado such as myself, "theatre" can be a bit intimidating, especially going to see a "play" rather than, say, a popular musical. There is an implication that the experience is going to be very intellectual, maybe even so deep that you will walk out of the theatre unable to process what you just saw. 

This was not the case for me after seeing "The Attaining Gigantick Dimensions". I walked out with a smile on my face and a comfort that none of us are alone in our experiences.

The title of this play is appropriate because it deals with a lot of big subjects - death, grief, trauma, separation, isolation, love. But it is also an oxymoron because the play deals with tiny things, too; i.e. the little moments that make up the majority of most of our lives - the conversations with friends, the house parties, the spontaneous day trips. The characters in the play deal with all of these things - big and small - all at once, separately and together. And like all of us, they deal with them as best they can - on their own and together.

Each of the actors held my attention for different reasons - Stewart Legere (Martin) for his endearing awkward immaturity; Susan Leblanc-Crawford (Alice) for her protective yet snarky big sister vibe; Ben Stone (Frances) for his unassuming air punctuated with inner sadness; and Katie Dorian (Robin) for her vivacious energy. I enjoyed watching each and every one of them and was glad to see that they each got their moment to shine. Surprisingly, the dialogue of the play was really funny - the characters had me laughing out loud at their various one-liners.

My favourite part of the show, however, was how the story was told. The miniature buildings and their interchangeable roles created an amazing dynamic and made the props almost like cast members in their own right. It was so creative to use them not only as set pieces, but as containers and hiding places for the cast, as well as a backdrop for the various projections, including moving people, photos and video of the cast members own faces. There was always something to look at it, always something happening but it didn't take away from the story or the dialogue - it all moved together seamlessly. I was amazed at the energy and fitness of the actors in that they were on the stage for the entire two hours, always participating, and that they could scrunch themselves up into various positions!

The sounds were as incredible as the sets - the scenes where the 'gang' visits Peggy's Cove and the soundtrack of waves crashing and wind screeching made me feel like I was actually standing out there myself. The sounds were a bit TOO loud at times, making it hard to follow the words of the cast, but I love how they completely filled up the entire room and enveloped me.

As someone who has lost loved ones to sudden death, I could relate to the feelings of grief and sadness that Frances and Alice felt about their father. At one point, Alice says something about the silver lining being that they have time to say goodbye and process his death, and this really spoke to me because agree completely. And I agree because I know what it's like to lose someone and not have that chance. To be left with questions and loose ends untied. That made the play all the more profound for me.

We all go through things - gigantic and miniscule - but that's the point - that we ALL go through them. The good thing is that when we do, we have laughter and the support of friends and family to help us get through another day. We are not alone in the world.

*Added note-Apr16th: Wondering where the 'unique' name of the play came from? Well, according to the Zuppa Facebook page, "...the title The Attaining Gigantick Dimensions comes from a list by scientist/alchemist Robert Boyle, in the 1660s, of the most pressing problems for scientists to tackle." Hmm, neat! As my boyfriend would say, "the more you know"*

The Glace Bay Miners' Museum

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of the Neptune play, "The Glace Bay Miners' Museum" (missed my review of "Bingo!"? Check it out here).

I went into this play a tad 'blind' - I knew it was the story of a woman living in Cape Breton who falls in love with a man named Neil Currie. I knew that the story was also covered in the mid-90's movie, Margaret's Museum, but have never actually gotten around to seeing the movie or reading much about it. That is basically ALL I knew when I sat in my theatre seat to enjoy the production. In the end, I was actually glad that I went in with few expectations and no knowledge of what was to come - it certainly made the last part of the 2nd act a shocker for me!

(I don't want to give away too much of the plot, in case there are others out there like (past) me who are not aware of it, but suffice to say there is a dark twist that makes the title of the play all make sense!)

What I do want to impart, however, is how much I enjoyed this production. Although the story of Margaret and her family is rather grim overall, I found myself smiling and laughing a lot throughout. Not to mention the actors were all fabulous in their roles.

Francine Deschepper was a lovely mix of sweet and sassy as Margaret. I found her slight quirkiness, social awkwardness, big heart and sharp tongue to be very endearing. She was an interesting mix of childlike innocence and cynical adult, and she really portrayed the sense that she loved her home but at the same time wanted to break out of it and see and do more.

I could hardly take my eyes off Gil Garratt, who played Neil Currie, throughout the production. There was a ton of chemistry between him and Deschepper and their love story warmed my heart. And how many talents can one person have?! As Neil, he plays bagpipes and violin and sings beautifully (in gaelic, no less). He is somebody who is completely himself and doesn't care what anyone has to say about it. I would challenge anyone to not listen and be inspired by his passion when the fire of injustice ignites within him and he espouses his opinions.

Martha Irving infuses Margaret's mother with a great booming voice and a cantankerousness that belies the hardship she has endured in life. You get the sense that she carries a lot of anger, yes, but a lot of pain and regret behind it. And I think Grandpa made the audience laugh the most out of any character, and he did so without saying any words!

I loved the set - and I mean "set", singular (there is only one). I thought the use of a single set made sure that you focused directly on the characters and their nuances, no distractions. The space was used very creatively as well, with the haphazard wooden steps and platforms serving as the family's home, the wharf, a cliffside field and a diner.

The giant looming house silhouetted against the sky was gorgeous - the light coming through the windows, shining through sparkly fabric, gave the structure a dreamlike and slightly ominous feel at the same time. Considering the titular museum is housed inside this house, it makes sense that the set would impart this mix of feelings!

I am always impressed with Neptune's productions and I always leave with a feeling of warmth and a racing mind and this play was no exception! Visit the Glace Bay Miner's Museum today if you can!

Neptune Scores With "Bingo!"

I don't think I have ever had a bad experience at Neptune Theatre. Seriously. Even so, I don't recall ever laughing quite as much as I did a couple of weeks ago, when I attended a performance of their new play "Bingo!".

I know what you are thinking, and no, this is not a play about a dog with a cool "name-o", nor does it involve anything glow-in-the-dark. It is actually "The Big Chill" transferred to a Cape Breton town - a group of middle-agers gather together to attend their 30-year high school reunion, re-hash old memories, stereotypes and neuroses and discuss new ones. Some of them have stayed put, some have moved on (to Halifax, and Western Canada), both literally and figuratively. All have regrets and "what-if's?" and they have all changed, yet haven't changed a bit at the same time.

First we are introduced to the male's of the group (left-to-right) - Dookie, Nurk and Heifer (in traditional guy fashion, they have given each other silly and slightly derogatory nicknames - silly boys) - in their hometown hotel room, drinking (duh) and talking about their lives. Heifer is a chubby, laid-back jokester; Nurk is a neurotic and slightly uptight engineer; Dookie is an arrogant real estate agent.

Next, we see the girls - Boots and Bitsy - chatting in a local bar about...well, everything (y'all, Bitsy talks A LOT). "Boots" is a tough-talking, leather-jacket-wearing sarcasm machine who clearly covers up her own insecurities with biting comments. "Bitsy" is a slightly ditzy and simultaneously a chatterbox and a shy introvert.

Later, the fivesome comes together and sparks fly, secrets are revealed and new connections are made. (I don't want to reveal too much of the plot because you should go see it for yourself). Leave it to a play set in Cape Breton to be named after a drinking game!

The play has a very simple set-up - there are only two sets, and all scenes consist of the characters basically sitting around and talking. Characters only wear one outfit throughout the entire play, there is no music except during the changes in scene, and few props (except an ever-present bottle of Jagermeister). But the dialogue is rapid-fire and absolutely hilarious. The audience the night I went was practically rolling in the aisles. The cast not only delivered the lines perfectly, but they each had a knack for conveying things through a simple facial expression. I probably enjoyed Heather Rankin's performance the most (she clearly has great comic timing), as I felt she had some of the funniest expressions and body language, plus I felt I could relate the most to her character. However, all the cast were perfect in their roles and pulled me into their individual character, making me laugh at them, feel sorry for them and admire them in sequence.

At the beginning of each scene, one of the main characters would stand at the front of the stage, in a spotlight and deliver a monologue that usually either revealed something about their character or about the next part of the play. They shared an anecdote, a thought or two and sometimes a great piece of advice or a profound insight about life in general. I loved these "intros" -  parts that particularly stuck with me were Boots' comments about happiness and what it means ("How can you know what happiness is, until you know what it isn't?") and Bitsy's story about an old man in her community who is her "hero" and who makes her feel less invisible and insignificant.

So, in a nutshell, the funny dialogue alone is enough reason to go see Bingo! (imho) but in addition you may end up coming away with an insight or two into life in general and your place in it, and isn't that what theatre is all about?

Liberal Arts

The Atlantic Film Festival just wrapped up my fair city, and alas I only had the time and money to make it out to one film. Luckily it turned out to be a good choice.

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Liberal Arts attracted me because it stars and is written/directed by Josh Radnor, aka. Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother (one of the most original and funny sitcoms on tv, imho). I have also been hearing a lot about Elizabeth Olsen but had yet to see any of her movies, and I was attracted to the romanticized University setting since I work at a University and cherish my own time as a student. There is just something about University campuses and the mood and energy they impart - it's hard to explain but it's almost like there is a pulse of people learning and doing cool, innovative things that reverberates throughout everything. Although I am merely a secretary in one small department in one large institution, I feel this energy every day when I walk onto the campus to my office.

In any case, it seemed like a fun, quirky movie with some subject matter that would speak to me so off we went! This movie has been compared to Garden State a lot and I can see why - it has the same sort of twenty-something, "trying to figure out my life" kind of vibe but I found it was more intellectual than GS and had a lighter mood.

First of all, Elizabeth Olsen?? She is like freakin' ADORABLE! She's just so darn pretty and has such a great, grainy voice, plus she just seems really 'cool' and smart - like someone you would want to be friends with. I mean, look how cute:

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The film definitely had a slow pace (this isn't the Expendables, people) so some parts felt a little long, but for the most part I liked the pace. The quirkiness was actually verging on overkill at some points too, but again this is a small complaint. The random Zac Efron 'fairy-like' hippy dude character was sort of strange - like there were times where I questioned whether or not Jesse (Josh's character) was actually seeing him or not - but he was also pretty hilarious. I like to see actors who are somewhat typecast playing characters that are completely against their usual role.

I liked the conversations between Jesse and Zibby - one especially great bit was an ongoing argument about a series of "vampire books" (which are clearly meant to be representative of the Twilight series) and how they "empty your mind"...and whether or not that is a good thing. I also liked a part at the end where Zibby tells Jesse she figured she was using him as a kind of "shortcut" to adulthood. In fact, all the dialogue surrounding the strengths, weaknesses and fears about college and "growing up" all rang true with me - I think we have all been in that place where we are simultaneously excited about the next stage in our lives and terrified.

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Another actor who is awesome? Richard Jenkins. He has a relatively small part in this film but his feelings resonate across the screen so well. You really feel his retiring professor's depression, fear and loneliness at entering a new stage he was looking forward to for so long, but did not love as much once he got there. (If you haven't seen The Visitor, you really should. Like now. Now's good). AND as if that wasn't enough, Alison Janney has a bit part as another professor. She is another one of my favourite actors and she does NOT disappoint in this role. She's hilariously cold, snobby, boozy and insightful all rolled into one.

What about you??? Seen any good movies lately? What did you like/dislike about them? Do you yearn to go back to college or did you loathe your college experience?

Birds of Paradise

On Friday night, I took my sister to see one of the last performances of La Cage Aux Folles at Neptune Theatre. I had been hearing rave reviews, plus The Birdcage is one of my favourite movies (seriously, Nathan Lane is like my hero in this movie), so I was really looking forward to it.

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It can be dangerous to go into something with high expectations like that but in this case we were safe because the show was wonderful! I can't say enough about the talent of the main actor, who played Albin, Steven Gallagher. He is a great singer and has great comic timing - I just about bawled with laughter during the scene where Georges (played by Ian Simpson) tried to teach Albin how to 'act like a man' (also one of my fav scenes from The Birdcage, funnily enough).

I also couldn't get enough of David Lopez as "the maid" Jacob - his facial expressions and body language were just hilarious. I was quite amused by one tiny detail - that the Spanish 'chorus girl' was from Cadiz (my boyfriend's grandmother was from there - AND to my delight, Georges pronounced it the Spanish way, i.e. "Cad-eeth" - silly, I know but my boyfriend and his Spanish-fluency have trained me to pick up on such things).

Plus, these queens looked 10 times better in a dress and heels than I do (not that it takes much)! Speaking of dresses, the costumes were gorgeous - the six main dancers kept coming out in the most beautiful gowns covered in fun prints, sequins and sparkles. The makeup and hair were also great, as well as the sets - the entire styling of the show was very impressive, in fact.

This number was awesome. Source.

I honestly don't get out to the theatre much, but anytime I make it a point to take in a Neptune show, I never leave disappointed. I have said it a million times and I'll say it again - one of the things I love most about living in Halifax is the vibrant arts scene. You can literally be out every night of the week enjoying a concert, play, dance performance or art exhibit - it lends such an exciting and mind-expanding pulse to the city (and gives me things to do, which is an absolute necessity)!

Next season is Neptune's 50th and they have some really fun, surprisingly commercial offerings - I am looking forward to Elf: The Musical and Sweeney Todd. Eighteen sounds intriguing as well - sort of a cross between Big, Groundhog Day and Tin Cup? - although I'm not a golf fan (I mean who can resist the tagline "What if you had a mulligan for your whole life?").

The only downside to this play is that ever since I have had the opening song "We Are What We Are" running through my head non-stop...ok so that's not really a complaint (although any song gets annoying after a dozen repeats). 

Aren't musicals just the best?

Honking on Bobo

Last night at choir rehearsal we had a special treat - Mike Stevens, a musician visiting Dal (Dalhousie University*, for the unititated) from northern Ontario, gave a short performance and sat in on our rehearsal for a bit. Mike is considered to be a master in his field, and has provided music for various film scores, among other accomplishments. The thing is, Mike doesn't play any ordinary instrument - not piano or violin or saxophone or cello.

Mike is a professional harmonica musician.

Now before you roll your eyes and think "seriously?", let me tell you I have a ton more respect for people who play the harmonica after he talked to us last night! I've always loved the sound of a harmonica (I love bluesy music) but didn't think it looked too hard to play - they just blow into the holes right? (get your mind out of the gutter). Well, yes, they do but it's actually a lot more complicated than that.

Mike explained to us how he makes different sounds on the harmonica, but there is no way I can remember what he said. I know he used a lot of big, musician-y words. So, instead of me explaining what he said, here's a little blurb about how harmonica's work:

A harmonica has a chambered body with each chamber containing 2 small metal reeds. The reeds are flipped in alignment from each other. As you blow into one of the chambers air passes over the first reed and causes it to vibrate and this vibration causes the sound you hear. As you draw air in through a chamber ("suck on a harmonica") the air passes through the chamber in reverse and causes the second reed to vibrate. because the reeds are aligned oppisately - the air direction will determine which reed vibrates. Harmonicas use a series of reeds lined up from longer to shorter. The shorter the reed - the higher the pitch of the note sounded.

So, basically, to make a harmonica even make SOUNDS that don't resemble a dying cat you have to blow the right amount of air into the right place in a certain way. It takes much more than this to actually sound GOOD and make a career out of it.

Not to mention, there are three main types of harmonicas (arguably more) and thousands of different models. Mike took out the plastic container he keeps his harmonicas in, unrolled the bundles and informed us that he currently had about 40 different ones on hand! He takes about 80 when he's on the road, to allow for different styles, fresh reeds, etc! I don't even take 60 pairs of underwear when I go on the road (mostly because when I do, it's only for a week tops).

He then proceeded to hook himself up to a substantial speaker and foot tools (sorry musicians, don't know the technical terms, so sue me) and play us a set for a few minutes. Well, I was amazed - it sounded at times like an entire rock band, a celtic violin, and a dj spinning while still giving off that unique, raw sound that a harmonica makes. His incessant jerking and moving illustrated just how much physical power goes into playing this instrument.

That's not all, Mike is also the founder of ArtsCanCircle a non-profit organization "bringing Artists and Indigenous Canadian Youth (in Northern Canadian communities) together in Creative Expression". They basically connect youth in rural Northern Canadian communities with the arts, cool huh?

I found this all very fascinating and therefore wanted to share it. I had no idea harmonicas and harmonica-playing were so complex. I have a newfound appreciation for those that play them!

For your harmonica enjoyment, this song has one of my favourite harmonica parts (and videos) ever (FYI, the title of this post comes from an Aerosmith album - I believe Bobo was/is Steve Tyler's name for his harmonica -?).

And here's a video of Mike playing (with Matt Anderson, a blues musician from New Brunswick - repping the East Coast 4 life up in this bish! Word!).

*I should mention that the Medical School at Dal is quite unique, in that it features a Medical Humanities program that exists to "balance the science and fact-base that physicians use as the “tools of their trade” with the human weave that can make the lives of humans rich, rewarding, and at times mysterious." The program consists of "consists of five core initiatives: History of Medicine; Narrative Medicine (oral story-telling film, mass media, and literature); Music; Spirituality; and Visual Arts". The program has various classes, workshops, events, and opportunities within each of these components, including my choir (Dalhousie Medical School Choir). This program (as far as I know) is one-of-a-kind and many people from the Medical community around the world come to investigate it. Just a fun bit of trivia for your Thursday!*

The Awakening

I've been singing in choirs since I was 14 years old, and I can honestly say I've never sang a song as profound as one my current choir is doing.

It's called "The Awakening" by Joseph Martin. It's a profound song because the melody and words are beautifully haunting, but so is the story behind it.

Our choir director explained the story to us one night as such: There was a Jr High school in North Carolina (don't quote me on the location, I honestly can't remember exactly what he said) that had basically no arts program. That is until a new teacher came along and resurrected it - every kid was a part of the choir and everyone in the school became engaged in the arts thanks to her and the entire dynamic of the kids and the school changed.

One night the teacher returned to the school after hours to pick up something she had forgotten and....was murdered in the school.

Ummmmm....yeah I know.

Those are all the details he gave us but they were enough to make everyone in the room gasp with surprise and horror. You can imagine what this tragedy would have done to the students and the school as a whole; from what I know, the progress made in the arts program basically vaporized in the wake of the death of this beloved teacher. However, (and I'm not sure exactly how - again, only got so many details and it is hard to find more online for some reason) everyone slowly got their confidence and passion back and the arts program prevailed.

That's where the inspiration and spirit of "The Awakening" come from. The song starts off very mournful, reflecting the pain, despair and disbelief those directly affected by this incident must have felt immediately following. Their "broken dreams". However, as the song goes on it becomes faster, louder and happier, reflecting the rising of the school out of the ashes of death and deciding to celebrate a life rather than mourn. "Awake! Awake!".

Needless to say, it's very moving to feel like a part of this - even though it's in a very small, indirect way. I feel like our joy and honour performing this piece will somehow float through the air down down down to the school and to the students and remind them how amazing their experience and their strength are. Maybe it sounds cheesy, but sometimes the cheesy thing is the true thing. Besides, it is an amazing example of a subject I feel very passionate about and that I feel is ESSENTIAL and that's arts education and arts programs in schools. I was lucky enough to have access to great arts programs growing up and I'm so grateful for that.

I encourage you to listen to the piece for yourself - really listen to the words and the music - so you can fully understand why I'm so moved.

Curious Tuesday: My Favourite Outfit

In need of a writing "prompt", I thought I might participate in Gala Darling's Curious Tuesday, as I've done in the past, but I wanted to explore the idea in a bit more detail...

Gala's question today is "what is your favourite outfit? The outfit which makes you feel most beautiful, powerful, confident & capable… & when you think (or look) back on it, what does that tell you about clothing & your personal style?".

When I first read this question, I was immediately intrigued - anyone who knows me knows that I love clothes and I always take the time to put a thoughtful outfit together. I just don't feel good if I don't do this. I mean everyone has off days where you're either late or just don't care or both, but for the most part, if I throw clothes on to cover my body with no thought to mood, colour, weather, expectations for the day, etc, I don't feel as attractive and confident as I could. It really does affect my mood for the whole day.

However, choosing a "favourite" outfit is extremely hard for me because I don't really have one. My style is sort of like my personality - eclectic, moody and experimental. My style is hard to define because it is constantly changing. I really like to try out new trends, shapes and styles and my clothing choices are based in large part upon my mood that day and how I want to convey it.

I suppose if I had to TRY and define my favourite outfit, I would say it must incorporate the following ideas: a balance between dressy and casual (I never like to look too much of either), comfort and versatility (I'm on-the-go a lot and I DO NOT have time or patience for high maintainence), and colourful/fun (I hate being monochromatic - if I do wear a printed or bright piece I tend to temper it with neutrals/plains, but I have to have some kind of colour or print in my outfit or I just feel like a snooze). I also like to have a balance in shapes - e.g. if I wear a loose top I prefer to pair it with a streamlined/fitted bottom, or vice versa. Overall, I always like to look a little different from everyone else, while still blending in.

In my 20's I have become a lot more confident in my style and trying new things. I've also become a lot more polished and creative. One thing I've gotten really into is accessories - I always wear at least some kind of accessory (usually more than one) actually and I feel naked without them. I LOVE scarves and jewelry and I tend to be attracted to colourful, "ethnic" pieces that look like you could have picked them up on a mediterranean vacation or that were handed down from a grandmother.

I'm only 5 feet tall and I have a curvy body so I do have to be careful how MANY accessories and how much print I wear - too much can overwhelm me or accentuate parts I don't need help accentuating further (like my ass, for one). However, I also don't believe in living by strict style "rules", per se. There are things that magazines (and tall, skinny girls) would say I shouldn't wear (like leggings, flats, fuller tops, etc) but I still do. As long as you feel comfortable in it and you wear it in a way that's flattering to your body type and situation (e.g. I love leggings but ALWAYS wear them with a shirt that covers the butt and hips; also, some ensembles are just never appropriate for the office), who cares?

That is what is so great about fashion! There are SO many possibilities and when it comes right down to it there are no rules. You can reflect your personality and mindset without saying a word. For someone like me, who can be shy in some situations, this is an especially great thing.

At my "goodbye party" the other night, my boss and another co-worker were raving to me about my style. My boss said my fashion sense "amazes her" and they both mentioned how much they look forward to seeing what I wear everyday. This meant a lot, partially because I didn't realize they felt this way, but also because I take great pride in what I wear. This may seem shallow to some people, but to me it's just a form of creative expression. I have a lot of fun with what I wear, and my clothes (as well as my ability to put them together in pleasing ways) make me feel really good about myself; ultimately it's something I do for my own pleasure and would do whether it were recognized by others or not, but it still felt special for them to notice the pride and effort I put into it.

The idea of clothes as armour and artistic tool is the centre idea in a play currently showing in New York, LA and Toronto called "Love, Loss & What I Wore". The play is by Nora and Delia Ephron (whose movies I LOVE btw!) and based on the book by Ilene Beckerman. According to the website, this play "uses clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell funny and often poignant stories that all women can relate to." The play has a rotating cast who perform in 4 week cycles; some of the cast has included the following women I LOVE: Kristin Chenoweth, Fran Drescher, Janeane Garofalo, Jane Lynch, and Wendy Crewson (Toronto). A portion of each ticket for the Toronto show are going to Dress for Success.

I recently read a review of this play and have been dying to go to Toronto to see it ever since. The idea behind the stories perfectly encapsulates the point I'm trying to make with this post - that clothes are not just about covering our bodies; they are tools for making us feel "beautiful, powerful, confident & capable", and for expressing who we are. Any outfit that does that is a favourite in my book.

I think I've pretty much answered your question, haven't I, Gala?? :)

Fashion, put it all on me

One thing I haven't discussed much on this blog is fashion - which is funny, because fashion is something I really enjoy and, well, this is a blog where I discuss things I enjoy (generally speaking)! I really love putting outfits together and have a lot of fun with clothes, I devour fashion magazines every month and follow several fashion blogs, any fashion-related tv show or movie I will also devour in most cases.

Something you might not have known about me!

Now, I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which isn't exactly a fashion capital of the world (um, hello, yoga clothes are only to be worn in yoga class! Or at home lounging on the couch!) and I even contemplated a career in the fashion industry (fashion pr or journalism perhaps) for a little while. However, I actually felt I was held back by living somewhere where there wasn't much of a scene. Our fashion scene is still relatively "underground" but it's grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years thanks to some awesome locals.

We now have a bi-annual Atlantic Fashion Week ("Atlantic" referring to the Atlantic region of Canada, aka the Atlantic provinces, which includes NS, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland - for the uninitiated), several local fashion bloggers and journalists bringing attention to the talent we have here in our region, and of course the local talent themselves.

Though most of the rest of the country is completely ignorant to it, we have a huge pool of amazingly creative people at this end of the country. It can be a tough slog for an artist living in our region, since the big cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver tend to steal the spotlight 99% of the time, however, they are starting to take notice and we are starting to step up and demand we be heard, and it's great to finally see this recognition being paid where it's (over)due.

I actually attended a fashion show on Saturday night, which prompted me to write this post. It was put on by a local boutique Pretty Things, specializing in retro, 50's style fashions, and also served as a fundraiser for Adsum House, which is a local women's/children's shelter here. It was full of sass, humour, style, and highlighted gorgeous models at every size, from 6 to 26 - with all of it doused in a healthy helping of pink and glitter. It was a lot of fun, and that experience (along with a quick "boo" in what I feel is one of our best local stores on Sunday afternoon) prompted this post. I was reminded of what a great scene we have here, and felt compelled to highlight it. Here are just a few of the great designers working out of Halifax nowadays:

* KATRINA TUTTLE: http://www.katrinatuttle.com/
I'm personally eyeing this little green number for my next party ensemble (New Year's?). I believe she actually participated in the last Toronto Fashion Week, which is pretty big deal in these parts.

* AKSHAY TYAGI: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Akshay-Tyagi-Conceptual-Fashion-and-Textile-Designer/178952457375?v=wall&ref=mf
His clothes aren't just fashion pieces - they are art; it's clear he's about the art and creativity behind the fashion rather than just clothing people.

*LISA DRADER-MURPHY: http://www.turbine.ca/
This lady has been in the biz for a LONG time, and her clothes are so versatile, they can be dressed up or down however you like and worn for any occasion.

*LOUANNA MURPHY: http://www.fashionmagazine.com/blogs/tag/louanna-murphy/
She's a rising star on the scene, having won a Project-Runway-style competition held here last Fall. I actually interviewed her a few months back for a local fashion magazine that was just starting up and she's lovely - she's going places too! Check out the amazing outfits above inspired by exotic birds!

* KIMBERLEY MUNSON: http://www.orphanageclothing.com/
KM makes all of her clothing by cutting up and re-imagining existing shirts and pants. Her shirts are really fun and edgy, with a bit of a retro sensibility to them.

There are many more local designers than the ones I've mentioned above, but these are just a few highlights. Even though I didn't pursue a career in fashion, it's still a hobby that I very much enjoy, and these amazing locals make it that much more fun for me.

Olympi-add me to your suitcase?! Yes, please!!

Unfortunately I am one of those annoying patriotic people that could go on and on all day about how much I love my country and how grateful I am to live here. It all sounds like a bunch of self-righteous fooey, I know. But it really is true (no, seriously)! And I'm not some green hick who lives in a tiny hick town and has never been anywhere - I've travelled quite extensively (England, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, St Lucia, USA, etc) and I can honestly say I've returned home from all of those trips with a renewed perspective on where I come from and the great things about it.

I mean it's certainly not Utopia (I could also go on and on about things that are crappy about living here, although I'd have more trouble coming up with as many examples) but it's pretty darn sweet. If nothing else, I'm grateful for the fact that I have the freedom to come and go and do and see whom I please when I please without reproach (except maybe from my mommy). As a young woman in particular I think that's pretty much the definition of darn sweet.

Anyway, I'm going on again (do you sense a pattern here?) but more to the point, national pride is at a zenith at the moment with the 2010 Vancouver Olympics approaching (which I'm sure you know about, unless you've been living under a rock...or anywhere OUTSIDE of Canada), and I must admit I myself have been caught up in it all. It was pretty thrilling to stand in the middle of the crowd in Halifax's Grand Parade and watch the Olympic torch as it was sprinted in and lit. And, I wasn't really into jumping on the whole "red mitten" bandwagon but when my friend picked me up a pair I was kind of excited and I wore them all day Sunday and felt all warm and fuzzy inside with a glow of Proud Canadian-ness (and my hands were pretty darn warm too!).

The Olympic preparations (as extravagant as they seem at times), particularly the Torch Relay, have really brought out a sense of community pride across the entire country that's rather heartwarming to see. Oh how I wish I were in Vancouver to see all of the festivities up-close (though I'm certainly glad I don't live there and have to contend with the traffic and crowds).

What I really mean to get at (yes, I'm still blabbing on) is that I'm particularly envious that I'm not able to experience the events that make up the Cultural Olympiad. Anything culture-related I am SO there for, and this is the ultimate of all culture-fest - 60 days of dance, visual art, performance art, music (ALL types), theatre, comedy, and every other cultural category you could possibly think of.

Being a big Joni Mitchell fan, I would love to see The Fiddle and the Drum, featuring dancers from the Alberta ballet and political music/video installations from JM herself. Also high on my wish-list is the Neil Young Project, a fantastic live music tribute to one of the greatest musicians our country has ever exported, featuring some of Canada's other (though less gray and crusty) greatest-musicians-our-country-has-ever-exported (Lou Reed! Ron Sexsmith!).

CODE, aka Cultural Olympiad Digital Edition, offers some artistic innovation in the form of unique collaborative digital art and electronic music performances; the highlight for me (or at least it would be if I could actually see it) being CODE Live, taking place from Feb 4th to 21st, and which the website describes as "an 18-day landmark event with visual art exhibitions, music and performances fuelled by digital technology and audience involvement...is easy to take in and get into {translation: close to public transit}...and daytime events and exhibits are free of charge". LOOOOOOOVE!!

So, in other words (I told you I could go on and on; don't say you weren't warned!) I would give my right arm to be in Vancouver right now, or at least for the month of February. And I'm right-handed, so that's saying something. I mean, I would severely maim and or commit minor atrocities to be in Vancouver at any time but if there was ever any time to be there, this is it.

Guess I'll have to settle for watching it all unfold on the much-more-boring and one-dimensional boob tube. Woo-freakin-hoo (can you sense the eye-roll??)