my first tweetup

So, yesterday, as we were sitting at the dentist, word started spreading on Twitter that LeVar Burton was hosting a tweetup at a bar in Yorkville.

Since Liam had the afternoon off due to dentistry, we started talking about it – how it might be interesting to go.

Liam was a huge Trekkie as a kid, as were most of his friends growing up in Thunder Bay, so he was all for going. I on the other hand waffled for little while. While I was certainly familiar with Star Trek (though never self identified as a fan) I was definitely a Reading Rainbow fangirl:

If you knew me as a child you know one thing for certain: My nose was in a a book 90 percent of the time. Watching Reading Rainbow made me feel a little more normal about my love of literature.

Suddenly, I realized that the little kindergartner inside of me would pretty much black out at the opportunity to meet one of her heroes. I had to do it.

So we went.

And it was amazing.

LeVar is pretty much one of the kindest, most genuine, most attentive celebrities I’ve ever met. He made time for everyone in the room. I was able to tell him how much I appreciated what he’d created in Reading Rainbow, and he really seemed pleased to hear it.

This all probably sounds silly to most of you, but he pretty much fulfilled a childhood fantasy for me, and I’m still floating around today, on a little bit of a high.

So here’s my advice to you: if you ever get the opportunity to do something you wanted to do as a child, but may have thought you outgrown: don’t think twice, do it! Your inner child will be eternally grateful.

five fun (pie themed) things #07

After that earlier pie post, you knew this was coming, right? And you were excited, right?

There’s been some discussion in the blog-o-sphere that macarons might be the new cupcakes. This is wrong headed. Macarons are simply not nostalgic, comfy, heartwarming treats. Macarons are light and indulgent and fancy. Macarons are maybe the new truffles – but pies are totally the new cupcakes.

1. The Kitchn’s Best Pie Bakeoff

   Just like it sounds, a pie bake-off, but internet based. I like the sounds of the prize winner for “Best Looking Pie”: Candy Apple Pie. Yum.

2. The Piehole

   Did you know Olive, Chuck and Ned had their own little recipe site? Well, They do. Or they, er, rather… did. You too can learn how to make cute little tiny cup pies, or bake with cheese. And then you can sob into your home baked slice about our dearly departed (canceled) friends…
   Fingers crossed for a movie or comic book, people.

3. Pie crafts!

   If you’re handy with felt (or a paypal account, as the case may be), my cats would really appreciate one of these Organic Catnip Pies. Cats should not get left out of the fun of pies.

   Or if you’re handy with knitting needles, I would really appreciate one of these Pie Berets. I would look silly, sure, but I would totally wear it if you made it for me.

4. Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

   This cookbook has been getting raves from all the foodie types on the net, and well deserved ones, it seems. They actually have a recipe for a Root Beer Chocolate cake. Yeah, I know, right?

   But… Pies? You say. Of course. How does a Pumpkin whoopie pie sound? Warm and cosy, just like a pie should? Well then, this book has you covered. It’s fresh, but nostalgic, take on flavours and easy to follow recipes will win you over.

   And the pictures are really, really, really pretty. Which doesn’t hurt either.

5. Apple Pie

   No really.

   Apple. Pie.

   Ummmm… You should probably click on that link and see for yourself.

five fun (food related) things #05

1. Pumpkin Tortilla Soup @ the Kitchn

   If you’ve still got pumpkin kicking around, (and I’m betting you do – it’s a proving to be a pretty ubiquitous/trendy ingredient this fall) this is a great recipe to try out – especially if you’re not in the mood for something sweet. The pumpkin makes the soup super velvety, and combined with avocados it just drove me crazy with it’s deliciousness.

2. What’s Cooking? with Jamie Oliver

   Umm, so Jamie Oliver put out a video game for the Nintendo DS. Weird, right? As much as cooking and video games are two of my greatest loves, I’m not sure they mix all that well, even if Jamie does put his rather awesome stamp on it. As a very good friend once put it (although I think he was talking about Nu Metal at the time) it’s like mixing soup with ice cream. I love both, but that doesn’t mean I want to eat them together.

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Pie

   Now this is an odd combination I can totally get behind: an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind themed pie, inspired by the movie Waitress. Yes, it’s tangerine flavoured. What’s not to love about that?

4. milk eggs chocolate

   Just a new little blog that I stumbled on that combines adorable illustrations with a strong design sense and vegan comfort foods. Sounds pretty nice and cosy right? BTW The girl who writes it is from Portland. You know how I feel about Portland.

5. Cooks County Cookbook

   I love the home-spun graphic design of Cooks Country Magazine, and of course recipes don’t get any better than those of the editors, (also of America’s Test Kitchen, and Cook’s Illustrated). Even more than all that though, I looooooooove regional and traditional American food. It’s one of my little obsessions. So, fingers crossed that Santa sends me this one for Christmas.

this I love

Whenever people ask me what I thought of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, usually I say I didn’t like it.

Which isn’t directly true – I did like it, in fact.

I just didn’t love it – which I think is the expected reaction to the book (I have similar feelings about Ironman). It was good, but it didn’t capture me. I think it has a compelling narrative, but the unreality of certain elements pulled me away from the whole. I just couldn’t get personally involved with the story, because it was too fantastic.

And I actually think the shock of getting personally involved with the fantastic is what draws people in to this story, and makes them laud it so.

Maybe I’ve just read too much magic realism to be surprised by such conceits.

Something that is fantastic, but wholly real is Yann Martels What is Stephen Harper reading? project/blog. It’s an oldie but a goodie. An entry Of note, is his letter about sending Jenna and Laura Bush’s recent childrens book to our Prime Minister. No mention is made of the identity of the authors.

This I love.

Another good blog find is Jezebel’s Fine Lines column. If you were a teenage girl in the last 30 years, you will love it too. Unless you were illiterate as a girl. Which I admit, is a total possibility.

Next week they will review The Girl with the Silver Eyes which was one of my favourite YA novels as a fifth grader. It reassured me that I felt like such an awkward, bespectacled, weirdo because I had magical superpowers. Duh.

So I am terribly excited about that upcoming one, in particular.

Past review of note include The Crazy Mixed Up Files of Miss Basil E. Frankweiler, the Little House on the Prarie books, and some of the more obscure Madeline L’Engle titles (not “A Wrinkle in Time,” in other words). Ummm…? Did these people find my diaries from when I was 13?

Since the damn column seems to be effectively spelunking my pre-teen-hood here’s hoping The Mysterious Disapearance of Leon (I mean Noel) makes it on the list someday soon. And maybe some Diana Wynne Jones too.

Another thing I love right now is Okami.

If you have a Wii you should RUN out and get it immediately. It’s definitely one of those games that makes having the platform worthwhile – between this and Super Mario Galaxy we’re pretty happy with our investment.

It has very similar game mechanics to the Zelda games, but takes place in a breathtakingly beautiful world, coated in floating cherry blossoms and pastoral settings.

It is rendered like a brightly coloured japanese print, coated in swashes of calligraphy – which is where one of the more innovative aspects of it’s gameplay comes from – you are given a brush loaded with black ink and must draw on your environment to enact changes. This (as you could imagine) is a lot more fun given the Wii’s controller than on the original Playstation 2 release.

The aspects of Japanese culture and folklore that are woven into the plot are also a welcome and fascinating addition. The game doesn’t spend much time explaining these elements (which will probably be quite foreign to most western audiences) and I actually quite like that about it – you are left to discern, and interpret things for yourself, which leaves the world you inhabit rich, exotic and mysterious.

Most of all I am left hungary for sushi, sake, and miso when I play this game (Katamari has a similar effect on me, but it is more direct since you are left to actually pick up japanese food with your growing Katamari ball).

And finally, you probably missed Reaper this fall. Or you might have caught the first (Kevin Smith directed) episode and moved on – understandably so. The show seemed to drag under it’s premise (a young man must complete tasks for the devil because his parents sold his soul out from under him). It became repetitive and task oriented. Not bad, just not surprising or new, like the pilot held the promise of being.

Well you should have stuck with it like we did, because as soon as it came back from the strike it came back (to quote the show) with a vengeance. Oh, and you know the fat kid from Breaker High who’s in this? Yeah, turns out he’s really, really funny. As is Micheal Ian Black, who guest stars towards the end (but you probably already knew that). As is Veronica Mar’s Ken Marino (you may remember him as Vinnie Van Lowe), also a recurring star. Actually, this show has perfect casting, right down to their chosen devil.

I think the show can now officially pick up the crown Buffy left in it’s wake for pop-culture saturated, supernatural, youthfully angsty show. Although I have to say, with it’s cadre of slacker boys as its core characters it feels more like Buffy as written by Judd Apatow.

Totally one to download, or rent when the 1st season DVD comes out.

more gardening dreams

I found this image when surfing around, I believe it is an entry at last years Canada Blooms. I am totally taking it as my inspiration for my garden to be (and am I the only one who is very much reminded of Fred Penner’s Place and his awesome forest garden shed? Am I the only one who remembers Fred Penner?).

I love the juxtaposition of very vibrant saturated colours (the purple birdhouses, the yellow wellies, the electric blue stakes) popped against a rough, rustic, natural background with splashes of verdant and chartreuse gardens.

Although I’m gonna probably rock saturated oranges and pinks, rather than purples and blues because I have a couple big orange berried rowan trees (also known as Mountain ash) to work with. Totally using the “bright lights” swiss chard I want to grow as a colour inspiration.

I have also bought You Grow Girl, and am reading my way through – it’s pretty awesome. It’s got neat crafts, simple instructions, beautiful photography and a youthful/urban/girly attitude that is super easy for a youthful/urban/girl to relate to. The author actually lives down the street somewhere here in Parkdale, so I know all her advice is workable for me here in Toronto’s micro-climate. Perfect!

new victorian

Hmmm. I guess I’m a new victorian then. Kinda sucks to be pigeon-holed at such a young age.

Also, if you have Facebook, I have pictures of England up at there at the moment. They will find their way here (with full commentary) eventually though.

me really want

I would like this please.

Thank you.

turquoise and red

I just finished Micheal Chabon’s Yiddish Policemen’s Union and the cover reminded me of my favourite, prettiest typewriter (which I had yet to mention exists).

The book itself was also pretty, though solely stylistically speaking. I think the fact that I tend to be fascinated by the same things Chabon is fascinated by seems to help, to be honest (Jewish culture, world’s fairs, superheros, detectives, writers, artists, architecture, antiques, modern American mythology, history).

I don’t think you necessarily need any knowledge of Yiddish to get through it, but you do at least need… well… A brain that works, to put it politely, to figure out what’s going on.

One might compare Chabon’s writing to Shakespeare’s – all the clues to figuring out what the heck he’s talking about are in there, you just have to be paying attention – but that’s the kind of literature I like.

A mystery to be solved not just in the plot, but in the understanding of the words.

An intricate knot to be pulled at.

A Yid with a slug in his head and a dead chess player for an alias, to borrow a vernacular…

not so confuzzled

I spent an afternoon at the book store (with a nummy gingerbread latte), and solved some of my confuzlement issues – as per usual, I was on the right track all along.

Since I liked his first book so much, I flipped through, and actually ended up purchasing Making Comics by Scott McCloud.

Yes, it’s a book about making comics – not illustration – of course. But I happen to be very interested in comics, and illustration is really just a single panel comic most of the time. I think there’s a lot they can lend to each other. Illustration is non-sequential-sequential art to comics sequential art, if you will. Ok, that was confusing… point is they have a lot in common.

This book talks about everything I could have hoped for, AND it’s got contemporary examples that I actually recognize this time around (O’Malley, Larson, Ware etc) AND it’s got exercises for me to play around with AND it’s got a meaty bibliography at the back AND it’s exactly as pragmatic and irreverent and practical as I’d like it to be.

I especially like how helpful it is when it comes to talking about depicting the things that readers/viewers/the audience picks up on, and needs to be drawn in to an image, or story. It seems to be based on some solid psychology/evidence of what has worked throughout comics history. That’s going to be really helpful, whether I’m illustrating or comicing (And I plan to do both, actually).

I think the only reason I don’t see it recommended everywhere, is that it’s really new – 2006 publishing date, to be specific.

However, I also really appreciated the pointing in the direction of Ed Emberly. His stuff is adorable, and awesome and soooo much fun – I’m probably gonna order some real soon (they only had one book, and it’s cheaper online). He’s gonna be a good distraction and reminder that I don’t always need to complicate things unnecessarily. Simple is definitely best a lot of the time. So thanks for that, Travis.

make fun of me, please

The following is a list of the most awful things I have ever owned:

1. “Northern Star” (By Melanie C)
2. “Happiness is Not a Fish You Can Catch” (by Our Lady Peace)
3. “Jesus Freak” (by DC Talk)
4. An completely unread copy of “The Two Towers” (by JRR Tolkien)
5. A completely read copy of “Fall on Your Knees”, an Oprah Book club book (by Ann Marie McDonald)
6. A VHS copy of “Ever After”
7. A VHS copy of “Steven Curtis Chapman: LIVE”
8. At least 3 clown themed music boxes (one of which played “Send in the Clowns”, another which played “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head”)
9. A year long subscription to Focus on the Family’s magazine for teen girls: “Brio”
10. Two pleather skirts. One pair of pleather pants. One pleather jacket.
11. Psychadelic Daffy Duck Keds
12. Fake Doc Martens
13. Navy blue, yellow, lime green, pearly blue, black and at least 4 varieties of sparkly (multi, silver, purple, red, etc) nail polish. Often worn all at once.
14. A logo t-shirt from American Eagle
15. A fuzzy Elmo shaped backback.

I just thought you should know what you’re getting yourself into.

P.S. I also watch Grey’s Anatomy religiously.

confuzzled

I am researching books right now. Books of the instructional, non-fictional variety, to be specific. Books in lieu of art school (as previously discussed).

I recall reading Brian Lee O’Malley at some point say how awesome Understanding Comics is (which is a very well respected compendium of basic comic knowledge – done up, rather inspiredly, in comic book format), so I grabbed a copy at the Beguiling this weekend.

It came highly reccomended, and it remains highly reccomended. Good stuff there indeed. Some of the references are getting a little old, but for the most part Mr. Scott McCloud sticks to the classics (Herge, Spiegelman, Tezuka, Marvel) and they hold up excellently.

But now that I understand “sequential art” I feel the urge to sharpen my drawing skills, drastically. So I look to yet more books of the non-fiction variety. Unfortunately, it seems most instructional art books are not terribly advanced, not terribly sexy, and worst of all: pretty hippy-dippy-new-agey at times. Ick.

Here are some of the one’s I’ve seen most recommended, and the reasons I haven’t brought myself to purchase them yet:

1. Drawing on the Right Side
   From what I’ve heard this book steals most of what’s good about it from another, better book, and the rest is bad science – right brain/left brain drivel that was largely disproved years ago. I hate faux-science. I hate it when laymen, without following any actual scientific method or process come up with lame, simplistic theories and expound them for undiscerning housewives. This is why I don’t care for carb-free diets, or self help books.

2. The Natural Way to Draw
   This is apparently the much better and much more thorough workbook that the “Right Side” one took most of it’s exercises from. It’s apparently a classic, and and largely outlines the traditional method of learning to draw – the one most of us who’ve ever taken an art class have already been taught. The problem here, of course, is that in the 9 plus years of art training my little brain has experienced, I’ve likely worked my way through most of the stuff multiple times already. Grids? Blind contour drawings? No thanks. I had my fill in the ninth grade.

3. The Artist’s Way to Spiritual Creativity
   This book is definitely one of the ‘hippy-dippy-new-agey’ ones. It’s even got the word “spiritual” in the title. I’m far too pragmatic for that sort of thing, I’m afraid. I just end up mocking it whenever I skim it at the bookstore.

   Besides, it’s really a writing guide. And I write fine, and quite prolifically. I even have a pretty strong and definite literary voice.

   And of course, I am an illustrator (who sometimes writes) not a writer. I understand that it might help me ‘embrace my creative side’ and every-time I decide “no way, not for me,” internally, I find myself looking at it again just to see why so many people highly recommend it… But the same people who recommend it also like Sark a whole lot. And I’m not a fan. She’s like a middle age women’s answer to R. Crumb (who I’m not a fan of either. But I respect Crumb more. At least he’s a bit more irreverent).

   Basically, I just wish there was something along the lines of this book that would allow me to keep my street cred (“The Indie Way to Being Cool,” maybe…? Yes…? No…?).

   But above all else, this book DOES NOT teach you how to draw good. It doesn’t teach you to draw, at all. It’s not, actually a drawing manual. So all this is moot. Nope. No good.

4. Creative License
   Again, this one is a bit too self-helpy for my liking… and a bit unfounded… and too inspirational: You can do it! Hang in there!. With some (as in very limited) drawing advice thrown in.

   I like Danny Gregory, I really do, he’s a nice guy and a good illustrator, and a great blogger – but I’ve read a good chunk of his blog, and I’m not sure there’s much in this book I couldn’t glean from the blog itself. Or that there’s much left for me to learn from him in general.

   From reading his blog, I’ve found that he doesn’t seem terribly open to change or advancement in style or technique. I’ve often read him railing against those who would dare to tell him that he could improve himself in one way or another. And I just don’t think that’s the attitude I want right now.

   I’m a highly critical person. I beleive in constructive criticism. I thrive on lots of in depth discussion and nit-picking. I mean, my boyfriend reviews Sorkin on Ain’t it cool, for goodness sake. Besides, there seems to be far too much discussion of WHY to draw, and not nearly enough on HOW to draw, and that’s what I’m really aiming for. More instructional, less inspirational.

So, anyone out there got any better ideas?

Or am I just being a stubborn, snobby, stick-in-the-mud?

(All in all, I think for now it seems like lots more life drawing is the way to go.)

tagged by a book meme

I was tagged (quite a while ago) by Travis:

1) Find the nearest book
2) Open to page 123
3) Type lines 6-8 of said book
4) Tag three others

Nearest book:
Don Quixote by that Cervantes guy

(The very long sentance that overwhelms)Lines 6-8:

True it is, at the second application Sancho fell to the earth: a misfortune that also happened to his master; who, in spite of all his own address, together with the assistance of his good friend, soon found himself stretched at the feet of Rozinante, who had not as yet been able to rise: from whence we may learn, what furious execution is often done by pack staves when managed by the hands of such enraged clowns.

I was actually hoping something less pretentious that I actually had intention of reading was sitting by me. But no such luck.
I’m just tagging Liam for this one. He needs to blog more. This will encourage him to do so.

i know someone who was published in mcsweeney’s

Or at least, on McSweeney’s website, anyway.
Super-cool Travis!

sweaty but surprising

Today I got invited into a dark, dank basement by a strange boy on the street to “see something cool.”
So I followed him down.
There I met a sweet painter girl named Constance (how awesome is that name?) who was painting a mural on the walls (and floor) of a small room.
Just goes to show that you should always do what random strange boys on the street tell you to do.
Then I bought a used copy of a Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius because I’ve been meaning to read it for pretty much ever.
Later I saw Martha Burns (and her adorable son – who looks just like her husband). She is awesome, but Liam wouldn’t say hello.
Then we had yummy sushi.
It is 44 degrees (that’s Celsius) with the humidity here in Toronto, but I have had a good (and surprising) day anyway.

let’s all move to Portland!

(originally published in the January 17, 2006 issue of the Brock Press )

Today I was contacted about filling some space with a column. My job around here used to be to take pictures of people in cute outfits, dispense fashion advice and colour in pictures in Photoshop. It was a pretty sweet gig, but I’ve moved on, and fresh young people have taken my place.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t have anything left to say to the students of this university.
I am here to talk to you about the merits of a little place called Portland, Oregon, and why we should be so lucky as to live there someday.
At first glance Portland doesn’t seem like it has a lot to offer.
But that’s like saying Alice’s rabbit hole looks like just a hole in the ground.
Then you fall into it.
(more…)

wellander

Can-zine was officially, awesome. There’s a pretty good sum-up, run-down here. Too many beautiful things, too many indie kid’s crammed into some tight spaces and not enough deodorant (which was very, very unfortunate). I sold a few zines, traded a bunch more and gave out a few for free too (yep, because I liked their face, honest). Mostly I wandered around dumfounded and overwhelmed.
I rocked the Welland table. Welland has some hard-core, serious and famous ‘zinesters…
Who are apparently some of my good friends. Who knew?
I guess I’m a Wellander by association. I think having friends and family there give’s you a bit of cred when it comes to the Rose City. Not as much as growing up there, but enough to associate with the people without getting beat up.
Oooh, by the way I found out one of my Welland friends (Mr. Mike Pisiak, my predecessor as illustrator and comics god at the Brock Press) has a blog I was unaware of. It is called house of irony and it is everything you could hope for and more…
If you were hoping for irony, sarcasm and boy-related pop-culture that is.

canzine

I think I kinda need to go to the broken pencil – canzine. It’s at a hip Toronto boutique hotel on the 30th of the month.
I’ve always had an unfufilled fascination with zines. It would be nice to fufill it.
I’m even thinking of seeing if I can throw together a cute, little zine to hand out there, in the next few days. It would be a million times better than a buisness card.
And it’s a challenge. I think I’ll take it.

a fortunate event

Guess who got her hands on the new series of unfortunate events novel, a few days before it hits stores!
It rocks to have a boyfriend in publishing.
I also know the title, and have seen the cover art (both of which are being hidden from the public until the very last minute). I unfortunately cannot share them with you, as there are certain legalities concerning these things (just like with the Harry Potter novels). I can’t even give you a review when I’m finished reading, but I can tell you whether or not I liked it.
But I will like it. So there’s not really going to be any mysteries spilled there.
Perhaps if you’re truly desperate to know, you can e-mail me for the details.

go-go super employment!

My boyfriend is an intern at the Walrus and yours isn’t. Nah-nah.
It’s, like, totally Canada’s hip, young version of Harpers. It’s all sophisticated and literary and political and stuff. Nah.