From the Canon's Mouth

SO here is the first ( well not quite the first..that was of my foot amid some Hobnob crumbs on the rug) picture taken on the new baby. I have no idea what I am doing and I haven't even looked at the CD instruction book so I may well blow it up. I feel a bit sad for the little Sanyo. But that will be good to keep to sneak into Broadway shows and take photos of the standing ovations.

I GOT a Little Christmas!

Here she is! The new camera!  Thanks Mum and Sheldon! Now I have to learn how to ride it.

KEN SAYS

Hi  Ken here.  I urge you all not to miss this movie. If I was as articulated as the stars of the movie I would be a major acting phenomenon by now.

This documentary is about Mark Hogancamp's life after a brutal beating. He is working through the trauma of that attack by creating a cast of super-real  characters which he places in a world he built in his home and garden. It is a  Belgian village in WW2.  He creates wondrous scenarios of brutal beauty, sadness and humour. He is an inspiration and now a successful photographic artist and story teller.

 Check out marwencal.com

Stree Tart

Sheldon accompanied me to select my new camera which I collect tomorrow. It does everything but the laundry and I have to go to camera class to learn how to open the bag. We got wonderfully lost in the warm catacombs which run out a few blocks before our apartment.  So here I am resting with a fellow shopper who sadly didn't make it home

Tower at night

At lunchtime today the top of the tower was lost in the fog. I looked out of the apartment tonight and the nightly  light show was happening. With that, the blue Rogers Centre dome and the puffs of building steam
it all looked quite impressive. I am definitely getting my new camera on Saturday ( Canon, Ally! ) so hopefully this aspect will be even better next time. tt

Fiona Reid

We were entertained by new friends in Toronto last night. Fiona and her husband Mac invited us to their splendid loft apartment after last night's performance and served us a feast of garlic soup, vegetable curry and poached pears. They are longtime friends of director Richard Cottrell and actor John Turnbull, and they became mates with Simon Burke when he was here recently in THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Mac is a set builder and Fiona has a list of credits as long as your arm. Here's a sample!

Theatre: The Glass Menagerie, The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead,  The Importance of Being Earnest, The Philadelphia Story, Fallen Angels,  Three Tall Women, and A Delicate Balance for the Citadel Theatre; The Clean House, Habeas Corpus, Sweeney Todd, The Beauty Queen of Leenane,  A Delicate Balance, Arcadia, Fallen Angels (Dora Mavor Moore Award), Hay Fever, Six Degrees of Separation (Dora Mavor Moore Award), for Canadian Stage; Blithe Spirit and A Streetcar Named Desire for Soulpepper Theatre; The Music Man and A Delicate Balance for Stratford, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Doubt for Neptune Theatre; Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest for the Huntington Theatre in Boston; In her 10 seasons at the Shaw Festival her credits include The Seagull, Hedda Gabler, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Heartbreak House, Cavalcade and Private Lives.

Marben Great Nosh

Any Torontonians or visitors to: head for this lovely restaurant on Wellington St West.  There were only two other diners in the whole room at lunch so we had lots of space to cavort. Our hostess was so charming, the prices are very reasonable and the food was deliciously simple and fresh. They do an all day Monday brunch which comes highly recommended.