Thursday, November 29, 2017 - A not-for-profit non-advertorial webpage
Welcome to my not-for-profit website highlighting some local (and not-so-local) upcoming events - from
theatre & arts to wine & food. It's a compilation of things that are worth doing.
As a long-time weekly columnist at the National Post (8 years of weekly columns), Globe & Mail, etc.
I am pleased to share with you my views on some of these happenings.
I appreciate your feedback - you can email me at mbv@uniserve.com
PLEASE NOTE
Time-out Toronto Updates will now appear as a linked header on our VA HOMEPAGE.
They wil be updated weekly and will no longer be archived.
This means that they will not apprear in our traditional scroll format.
Your feedback to this change is greatly
appreciated. click here to go to our current ToT update
November 23 to December 3
check it out here One of a Kind provides a juried marketplace to bring buyers handmade excellence. This holiday season, get a head start on your shopping list from November 23 to December 3 at the Enercare Centre in downtown Toronto. Weekdays and Saturdays the show is open from 10 AM to 9 PM - Sundays unti 6pm.Plus late night shopping on Thursday, Novmber 30 until 11 PM. * * * * *
At Soulpepper in the Toronto Distillery District Check out the $25 tickets at the box office one hour before the performance begins see the seating plan on website first & take a copy with you before heading off to the box office
check out what's being auctioned Tasted & Recommended 95-points on September 14 at Waddingtons' Magnum Tasting CHÂTEAU BEAU-SÉJOUR BÉCOT 2005 (magnum) St.-Émilion. Premier Grand Cru Classe * * * don't miss this once-a-year tour of 64 artists YOU MUST VISIT the amazing Tinkls' Outdoor Gallery just north of Uxbridge The Passionate Cook’s Essentials $5 Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich to Goin Uxbridge
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At Soulpepper in the Toronto Distillery District Unfortunately, I am no longer reviewing these productions It was $12+
to park BUT I was able to get $25 tickets at the box office one hour before the performance begins, which made it all worthwhile as ticket prices can soar to $60 each! I saw Part 2 - Scandal & Rebellion (rated ** out of ***) and prefered the first act focusing on Scandal. It was an entertaining, energetic, albeit somewhat clownish evening. Having seen many of the Small Huts performances in the past, this was just enough for me. I suggest that you check out the Soupepper website to see how many seats for the performance you wish to attend (as soon as possible before before heading to the box office). I brought a seating print-out with me and when I checked, many of the seats that were designated as unavailable were empty! In fact, the house was more than half empty (although the afternoon matinee was sold out). Seating is limited in the smaller Michael Young Theatre VideoCabaret & Soulpepper present
Confederation & Riel and Scandal & Rebellion VideoCabaret conjures the era of Confederation in four tragicomic one-act plays, presented in two parts. CONFEDERATION PART I: CONFEDERATION & RIEL VideoCabaret spectacularly conjures the era of Confederation in four tragicomic one-act plays, presented in two parts. Confederation – John A. Macdonald masterminds the deal-making that leads to the fireworks on July 1, 1867. In a Montreal hotbed of anti-confederationists, Wilfrid Laurier meets Louis Riel. Riel – Macdonald plans to turn the west into one big Ontario. Riel and Métis leaders collide with surveyors, and religious radicals plot terror; Laurier is spurred to act on his multi-cultural and secular ideals. CONFEDERATION PART II: SCANDAL & REBELLION: Scandal – Business barons compete to own the hottest technology – the railway lines – and Macdonald is caught trading contracts for donations. Member of Parliament Riel is prevented by fanatics from taking his seat; MP Laurier falls for his best friend’s wife. Rebellion – Riel joins with Gabriel Dumont and Big Bear whose fight for land claims is met with military action and mass starvation. With Laurier protesting, Macdonald allows the execution of Riel, and the Last Spike is hammered. * * *
August 10-12 Portland Oregon
41st Society of Wine Educators Annual Conference For information, including the list of seminars and speakers
click here: http://www.cvent.com/d/cvq64b
The Chardonnays are coming July 21st
Tony and I will be attending the Friday School of Cool
sessions and will provide you with an update. I am also doing three productions at the SHAW Festival
- click here to see reviews check it out here Click here to see the list of 59 Cool Climate Chardonnay producers
25 from Ontario & 34 from around the world also make sure you see our reviews of i4C Chardonnays in the July 8 Vintages Release
* * * * * 56th Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition Taking place at City Hall's Nathan Phillips Square
The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition is open to the public and free of charge. Experience and purchase original artworks from some 320 artists!
I am a FAN & here is my brief Friday July 14 Bastille Day UPDATE:
Sadly this year's turnout is perhaps the lightest in memory but it's still worth a detour. Parked a
P lot under City Hall ($3 per half hour)
Here is one of my favouriteToronto-based artists - Peter Barelkowski
I love his eclectic paintings For a bite - actually a few bites, I had a Lobster Roll for $15+ with taxes
It had a small Miss Vickies, 2 slices of dill pickle and a wedge of lemon.
When I asked for a tad more mayo none was available as the fiiling was pre-mixed.
I pointed out that even the $3 hot dog stand has mayo. the Buster's Sea Cove food truck is not a detour
Wednesday June 21st Celebrate Ontario Wine Week by sipping gold, silver and bronze medal winners
of the 2017 Ontario Wine Awards in a beautiful art gallery in the Distillery District - Arta Gallery.
Wednesday June 7 WINES OF PORTUGAL GRAND TASTING
TRADE-ONLY TORONTO 2017
From 2 pm to 5 pm at the Airship37 Event Venue
37 Parliament Street - Toronto
June 3 & 4 'Graze the Bench' Saturday & Sunday 12-5 pm
Sunday June 4 Featuring 60 of Toronto chefs with beverages from 30 purveyors
May 31 - Discover the wines of Chianti Classico
At the Shangri-La Hotel on Wednesday May 31st.
Seminar (11-am-1pm) Walk-around Tasting (2-5pm) ? TRADE ONLY - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
* * * * * * * * * * Something special for your cellar Waddington's Fine Wine 2017 Season Fine Wine Online Auction May 8-16 This auction will start closing at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 Fine Spirits Online Auction May 8-16 This auction will start closing at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, May 16, 2017
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Trade Only - May 2 - 4 SIAL 2017
ENERCARE CENTRE, TORONTO 930 national and international exhibitors from 60 countries - register here
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Continuing to Friday, April 21 Highly Recommended & wonderfully entertaining!
Spoon River is still one of my favourite SoulPepper productions
* * * * * Tuesday - April 11 - Distillery District
Fermenting Cellar Over 40 wineries attending from the Willamette Valley, Rogue Valley, &
Columbia Gorge AVA's + a unique opportunity to taste wine produced
from the Urban Wineries Association of Portland Trade-Only Tasting - 12 to 4 p.m Evening Consumer 7 to 9 pm
* * * * * California Wine Fair Toronto, Monday, April 3, 2017 TRADE TASTING - 2:30 - 5:00 p.m The Trade Tasting is for invited guests of the hotel, restaurant and wine retail trade only.
Verification of trade identification is necessary to gain admittance.
RSVP for Toronto Trade Tasting Only - Password: cwftoronto * * * This 2017 show features 150+ new exhibitors (over 450 artisans in total) from across Canada.
There is something for everyone - Click Here to See * * * Waddingtons "Off the Wall" Art Online Auction - March 25 - 30
Public Preview: Sunday, March 26 - 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Monday, March 27 - 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm * * * March 24-26 Friday March 24 Grand Tasting Celebrate the 29th annual Cuvée Grand Tasting taking place Friday, March 24 at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls. It features winemakers' favourite wines and signature dishes at live cooking stations. See the great activities during the March 24-26 Cuvee Weekend * * * Wednesday March 22
Stratford Festival - One Day Only Sale An Incredible Season is Coming - Don't Miss these Great Deals - Save up to 70% Check it out today - make your plans for April, May and June - sales start at noon on Wednesday
* * * Don't miss this very entertaining *** production of 7 Stories by Morris Panych - March 3 - 11 Updated & well directed by Rebecca Ballarin - Hart House Theatre A man stands on a seventh-storey building ledge and contemplates suicide.
Before he can get too far, he is confronted by the self-absorbed (and oftentimes absurd) people
who live inside the building. In 7 Stories, multi-award winning Canadian playwright,
Morris Panych, creates a meta-theatrical gem of a black comedy;
full of fanciful characters with a wistfully existential conclusion. Adults: $28 / Seniors: $17 / Students: $15 (front reserve seating recommended) Click here for information
* * * February 26-28, 2017
Canada's #1 Food & Beverage Trade Show This huge trade show is a must-see all foodservice profesionals from owners, chefs & sommeliers to students.
Only three days - Sunday & Monday from 10 am to 5 pm and Tuesday until 4 pm.
The show will be featuring celebrity chefs, live cooking competitions and hundreds of displays of foodservice
food and beverage products. Visitor Registrations are $50+ HST prior to February 25, 2015.
February 23-26, 2017
From collectors and curators, to gallerists and designers, to gallery dealers and
interior designers, visitors can explore and discover works of art from over 250 top contemporary artists from Canada and abroad. This is a unique opportunity to meet and buy art directly from artists at Toronto's favourite contemporary art fair. Artist Project celebrates its 10th year with another exciting show at the Better Living Centre. book your tickets today
THE AUDIENCE Here is my review of The Audience posted opening night Monday, January 17 Rated *+ out of ***
The opening night first act seemed somewhat stiff and modestly entertaining. The second act more relaxed, more personable and certainly much better - the highlight being a 5-second sequence of two of the Queen's corgis scampering across the stage. Unfortunately, 8 people in orchestra row A (five rows from the front at $107 net per seat) left after Act 1. Fiona Reid is a splendid wonderfully expressive actress blessed with buckets of personality - I always enjoy her performances. Having said that, it's hard to compare last year's live simul-broadcast of Helen Mirren's stellar rendition of Elizabeth from London (very well deserving of the Tony award she won for Best Performance by an Actress in 2015 in New York). Overall, the play itself is very good, the parade of Prime Ministers engaging (especially Kate Hennig as Margaret Thatcher) and overall production quite good. If only I knew more about the Prime Ministers portrayed - it certainly would have made the play more engaging. However, factoring in the cost of a pair of orchestra seats $232.50. combined with high expectations, this 2 hour production was not as fulfilling as hoped for. Meanwhile, I am dismayed by the Mirvish ads that oversell this production, along with the bland uncritical review in the Toronto Star (where the Mirvish ads appear). If you must see this production, National Post readers can take advantage of a25% discount for seats for any performance -click here
For a truly insightful review see: J. Kelly Nestruck in The Globe & Mail
Adjacent to the Reif Winery We actually slept in the same bed that was occupied by Peter O'Toole and there wasn't a grain of sand. Quiet with a great breakfast.
