The Royal Wedding in Engla……. uhhh.. Toronto?
With the Royal Wedding about a week away, our friends over at PosterJack decided to take it to the next level and put on a mock Royal Wedding in downtown Toronto. Sure it was aimed at marketing their company, but when somebody does something as fun and creative as this, it definitely deserves the attention and huge kudos for the effort.
Unless these Torontonians are willing to wake up at 3:00am on April 29th 2011 to catch the wedding live on television, this is about as close as they will come to it.
Make sure to check out their site here: http://www.posterjack.ca/
Check out all the media from the mock wedding below. Can you spot which celebrities showed up???
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WePLDo9YhJw
Monsters vs Me Invades Motown Wednesdays At Club Absinthe | 04/27/11
When: Wednesday, April 27th 2011
Where: Club Absinthe — 233 King Street East — Hamilton, Ontario
Time: 10:00pm — 2:30am
Written by Billy Pozeg
So there you are, sitting around after work on the last Wednesday of the month. Only a few days into the work week and you’ve got the i-want-it-to-be-the-weekend-already-itch. “But what is there to do tonight?” you ask. Welp, the first thing you should do is look up and realize that you have been living under a rock since you haven’t heard of the infamous monthly party invasion known as ‘Monsters vs Me Invades Motown’.
For years we’re sure you’ve heard of the city-staple known as Motown Wednesdays, the insane mid-week party that just won’t stop. Well downstairs the regular weekly Motown party will continue triumphantly as usual with Jeremy Miller on the decks spinning the hits of yesteryear but once a month we more than willingly let ourselves be invaded by MONSTERESvsME.com to give you an over the top, out of control night that you WON’T remember. Be sure that you’re going to wake up with a glorious hangover and your ears ringing since DJ Uncle Buck turned up the party tunes to 11 the night before and outpartied you. After you’ve cleaned yourself up head over to your computer to get that famous “your photo has been taken” link on your Facebook wall. While being dumbfounded head over to the website to see some photos taken by MvM photog Jay Perry (www.jayperry.ca) and you’ll ask “Who is THAT party monster!?”, well look a bit closer and you’ll realize it’s YOU. You can consider that a goal, and a mission statement.
We HIGHLY recommend you get there early as our parties tend to hit capacity around the 11pm mark. There’s nothing lamer than being stuck outside in a line and watching people having fun. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better all MvM parties are FREE. That’s right, NO COVER. Trust us, you aren’t going to want to be anywhere else in the world on April 27th.
LIVING YOGICALLY: Hit the road Jack
Ruts happen to the best of us. You know that feeling you get when you feel stuck, trapped or when you have been on the same road forever and are waiting for it to change. I am ready to start driving down a new road. How exactly was I going to go about making this change? I did not know for sure. Did I need to pick up a hitch hiker or put a new passenger in shot gun? I don’t know but something needed to happen right away. So I sent out a silent prayer and asked the universe for some help.
Be the change you want to see in the world. –Ghandi
You know that cliché saying- if you ask you shall receive. Well clichés are cliché for a reason. They have stood the test of time and they work. I asked and I received. I got the change that I prayed for and it hit me quick and hard. It slapped me across the face like a spicy Latina who discovered her man was cheating on her with her best friend. Oh ya and that Latina rocked me hard to the core. That Latina was Power Yoga Canada (PYC).
I have been practicing yoga at PYC all month. It is a beautiful space in Oakville that teaches Baptiste inspired hot power vinyasa yoga. This style of yoga puts the cha cha in chatarunga (low pushup) and the Rrrraaa in nataraja (dancer’s pose). It is empowering and took me to my edge. It was the spice I needed not only in my yoga practice but in my life. Don’t get me wrong my original yoga studio still has my heart but I had a passionate love affair with PYC, a love affair I am going to continue to pursue.
How could I not want to continue this passionate relationship? The entire studio welcomed me with open arms. All the teachers there are amazing. They all gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling- as if we have known each other forever. Every class was like a party for the body, mind and soul. I highly recommend you head to PYC.
Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. –Harold Whitman
Change in routine is great. It is the spark we all need to get out of our heads and open ourselves up to new experiences. It is like going on vacation and letting go of your inhibitions. You make out with the pool boy or water aerobics instructor- that you probably would have NEVER approached at home. You taste new food for the first time and you take shots of tequila again- even though you swore you would NEVER touch the stuff after that one time in college. You tan topless and you may even go skinny dipping.
Change is also good because it allows us to tap into our beginner’s mind fully and completely. Beginner’s mind refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner in that subject would. It is a yogi concept but even if you are not a yogi you know what a beginner’s mind is. It is that excitement kids bring to everything they do. Have you ever watched a baby discover their belly button for the first time? That is beginners mind. Or the excitement when a youngster says their first word, takes their first step or even farts. We should all tap into our beginner’s mind more often and celebrate our lives- every word, step and fart.
Even the grumpiest of grandfathers can’t help but get excited when they are around their grandchildren. They applaud everything they do and have the video camera ready so they don’t miss a beat. My entire experience at PYC was video camera worthy. The inspiration I received there is spilling over.
It has even started to spill over into my life. This change I discovered on my mat has transferred off my mat- yes folks I am living yogically! If we are open to change, change will be contagious to all parts of ourselves. I have noticed a change in many aspects of my life. It is a wonderful feeling. I hope this feeling lasts for a long time but if it doesn’t I know that I can just jump into my car and head down the road to PYC.
Fire is not seen until one firestick rubs against another, though the fire remains hidden in the firestick. Let you body be the lower firestick; let the heart be the upper. Rub them against each other in yoga and meditation. –ancient writing
Peace, peace, peace
NAT
NEXT WEEK! I continue along this new road and vow to say yes to everything. So if you want your dog walked, your paper route covered or your kids babysat I am your girl…this could get a little crazy.
TOE JAM MONDAYS: Young Rival Make Hamilton Proud at The Dakota Tavern
Prior to seeing Young Rival play at The Dakota Tavern on Thursday night, I read Ben Rayner’s article about the band and its success – or lack thereof. It may seem odd at first to write an article about the success that a band hasn’t had, but what the trio had to say about their music, where its been and where its headed made me even more excited than I already was to see the show on Thursday night.
The articles main theme was that while there is no denying that this trio from Hamilton, ON are amazing at what they do, it’s not “out there†enough to get picked up as “the next big thingâ€. The band knows that their sound may not be what’s “in†right now – but is that always the best route? I’ve talked before about bands that get too much buzz too early and they fade before the fire is ignited. Sure, it must be exciting as a band to be on blogs all over the world, but what happens when that dies and you’re left with a band that hadn’t grown enough or wasn’t wise enough to stand against the back-lash of the same people who once wanted to be the first ones to be their biggest fan.
Young Rival is a band that has a classic recipe – a guitarist, a bassist and a drummer – something that some new music fans may be baffled by since they don’t have a synthesizer or an auto-tuner. The band is well aware that they don’t have a sound that is breaking any musical barriers, but as the saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix itâ€. They may have tweaked it to make it better, but they haven’t strayed too far from the bands that started it all like The YardBirds and Beatles. This is a band that prides itself on it’s musicianship, and with all the Rebecca Blacks bombarding the blogsphere, I would say choosing honing a craft over hype was the right decision.
Jay and I took an eventful bus ride into Toronto and after a 45 minute walk, we finally found the legendary Dakota Tavern. It was my first time at the venue and it was something that cowboy dreams are made of. Vintage decorations and a small intimate stage, decorated with simple white lights were the perfect setting for a show that I had been looking forward to. Local Toronto band Wildlife opened the show and I can easily say that they did their hometown proud. These 5 dudes did not hold back in their performance. It was loud and sweaty. They played catchy songs with instrumental interludes and build ups that had me wondering if it was my heart beating in my chest or the song. I’ll let the video show you what my words wouldn’t do justice, but make sure you click here and grab Wildlife’s album Strike Hard, Young Diamond
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fbJ8njbFqk
Young Rival was up next and the small bar was at capacity. There is something to be said about a band who has fellow musicians singing their praises and waiting in line to catch their shows. Young Rival had bands like Hollerado, Born Ruffians, The SheepDogs and Cuff The Duke front row and centre for their show.
The band’s music has an amazing 60s sound. Listening to them it’s hard to believe we were born in the same year. Actually its not just the listening, it’s watching them play their instruments on the same level as men who have decades on them that is pretty amazing too. I think keeping the band with just the basics of guitar, bass and drums, helps keep the nostalgia of the music as well – I almost felt like when I left this underground bar, I would walk out into a world where kids were protesting Vietnam and The Beatles “Paperback Writer” would be debuting on the charts.
[audio:http://www.monstersvsme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/01-Got-What-You-Need.mp3|titles=Young Rival – Got What You Need]Being at a show as a spectator is kind of weird of sometimes. It’s like when someone is talking to you, you automatically look them in the eye. So, when someone is singing at you, you feel like you should do the same. That being said, singer Aron D’Alesio’s guitar skills were able to take my eyes to his hands. I don’t play the guitar, so I don’t know much about technical skill, but I know that something is difficult when I see it. His fingers were sliding and jumping all over the tiny strings – i swear I saw a sixth finger in there.
Even though one might worry about stare downs at a small show, one of the great things about watching a 3 piece band is that you’re not too overwhelmed with where to look – they’re all there in your periferal vision. And with Young Rival, each member commanded the stage in their own way, without ever overshadowing the others – even drummer Noah Fralick took vocal duties on their cover of Teenage Head’s “Let’s Shake”.
The band played songs off of their self-titled EP and LP (that you can grab here) that had the crowd singing along, but were able to sprinkle their performance with new songs they’ve been working on. Check out the video below for a sample of what we were treated to on Thursday night.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5VN4ht9x1U
Wildlife and Young Rival were great bands to juxtapose each other in a live venue. Both offering music that my ears were dying to hear, but one bombarded my senses with 5 bodies slamming, screaming and sweating , while the other stepped back and let the music take centre stage.
Big Thanks to Wildlife and Young Rival for an amazing show and make sure to check out the night in photos by Jay Perry.
Happy Listening!
GO FORK YOURSELF: An Apple a Day…
Gwyneth Paltrow named her baby after it. It inspired Beatles album art. It made Steve Jobs billions of dollars. We should eat one a day. Teachers love to eat them apparently. And if you get one in your eye, it’s a good thing.
The Apple. It tempted Eve. It’ll tempt you. Too much? I agree, but it’s late and I’ve got to get this post up.
We’ve been told all our lives that an apple a day will keep the doctor away. There is truth to that old adage. Apples are full of fibre, so they’ll help keep your system running smooth, like getting a regular oil change for your car. Apples also give you vitamin C, although almost half of the vitamin C in apples is located just under the skin, so skin on is better; remember that, children, skin on is better.
RECIPE #1
Both of the recipes today are from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet Cookbook, but I had to pass them on because they are two of my favourite recipes. This first one is a perfect snack if you are getting tired of biting into an apple everyday.
No Cook Applesauce
4-6 medium apples, unpeeled, cored and quartered
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Place all ingredients in a large ziploc bag. Make sure all ingredients are evenly distributed. Place in freezer overnight (or at least for four hours). Remove from freezer and allow to thaw for an hour. Gently rub skin from apples and place apple pulp into a serving bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher. Serve cold.
RECIPE #2
I make this recipe almost once a month. The mayo substitute is creamy, especially after it mingles with the rest of the ingredients after a day or two. I promise you’ll love this one! You can also add cubed chicken for a true waldorf salad flavour.
Healthy Waldorf Salad
1 cup dices celery
1 cup diced crisp apples
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup of cooked cubed chicken breasts (optional)
1/2 cup low-fat, plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
DRESSING:
Replace the standard mayonnaise with yogurt mixed with lemon juice.
Place all salad ingredients in a large serving bowl. Toss with dressing and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. It’s actually best the day after.
Apples are having to work hard to remain synonymous with fruits and not with electronics. Guys like this are not helping to curb the popularity of the latter.
