Main Tabs

26.8.13

Salicornia & Elderberry

In movie making mode at the moment, so throwing down another food post.  Been jonesing to share my deep deep thoughts on Spring Breakers, but that'll have to be for another time.

I first crunched into a salicornia back when Sardine still had its dinner service.**  The sourced ingredients were local and my eyes practically popped out of my head when the salty watery plant (not dissimilar to purslane) hit my palate. Yum!  A recent meal featured this succulent delicacy and sent me on a mission to Jean-Talon market on the hunt to give it a home in my fridge.  Success!

 This little beauties are again courtesy of Les Jardins d'Ambroise.  These itty-bitty elderberries are making their first time appearance in my belly.  Please come again.

**UPDATE 17.09.13: Sardine has reinstated dinner today! With chef Hachiro Fujise of Guu Church at the helm**

20.8.13

Carrots in Love


Year one was awesome.
Year two with Les Jardins d'Ambroisie has been equally fruitful. Pun totally intended.  This week's veggie basket has given us a bunch of insanely delicious carrots (not your blah grocery store kind), in which two have intertwined in a love embrace.  And then they sloshed around together in my belly.

16.8.13

La Maison du Pêcheur

The September issue of Elle Québec's culture section features four actors (styled by yours truly, lensed by Julie Artacho) who star in the soon to be released La Maison du pêcheur, a film chronicling the encounter of the young revolutionaries in Percé that would culminate in the October Crisis of 1970.

For those not from La belle province, let me just say that politics and language are at the heart of this culture despite being made out to be all about a cool artist/music scene by the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Spin etc, which I would argue stems indirectly from our politics.  While Québec politics is too dense of a subject to be covered in this post, whether one considers the FLQ terrorists or freedom fighters, what was imminent in this province was change for a distinct society in an anglicized/Canadian mold.  While I don't condone any acts of violence, what I keep in mind is: it is never that simple.  My brain first started processing these complicated ideas when it was twelve years old, upon meeting the grandson of Pierre Laporte in high school, where the history I had learned in class was staring at me in the face.

9.8.13

tiff.festival'13

Super stoked to learn that two projects that I did the costumes for will be playing at the juggernaut of a festival: the Toronto International Film Festival (tiff is alot easier no?)

First up, Daybreak or Éclat du jour directed by Ian Lagarde about a group of kids on bikes, rebellion and pack mentality.  Some behind the scenes images here.

Film number two is The Sparkling River directed by Felix&Paul.  This 3D short has undergone various incarnations and had received the Guillaume Corbeil touch in its final stages.  We shot this many many moons ago, and I have yet to see the end result!

Here I will take a moment to say that a dear friend, Daniel Allen Cox has co-written Gerontophilia with THE Bruce LaBruce, Canadian queer filmmaker/artist extraordinaire.  I don't know how many more excuses I need to go to tiff now.

8.8.13

Shoes on a Line - Part Two

I wanted to call this post "shoes on a line-the return!" but that would imply that they have returned to the same spot as last year's apparition.  These are in the same neighbourhood though, I saw them as I was biking and u-turned to take a snap.  What is it about these that are so captivating?

5.8.13

Le 63

Once upon a time I used to perform burlesque.
It was in this world that I met Amélie, we clicked, we performed duos on stage (dual strip!), our most memorable number was a duo of bandaged mummies unraveling to the Bangles' Walk like an Egyptian.  It was through my new friend and her partner Richard that I was introduced to the world of kitsch and motorcycles.  Meticulously groomed in vintage styles, they had a home decor to match and a crew of biker friends. The couple also taught me that showing up for my first bike ride in flip flops and short shorts were a no-no.
Fast forward many years later: I have since hung up my pasties, and Amélie and Richard have opened two vintage shops (Kitsch'n'Swell & Rokokonut) and their latest baby Le 63, which focuses on a lifestyle on two wheels.
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I pulled up a stool and had a coffee at their counter as Amélie introduced me to some of the styling products that they sell at the shop for your (mostly male) grooming needs.  In the above picture it's kind of hard to tell, but that is one giant tub of Layrite pomade of the Hawleywoods barbershop fame. It apparently styles like wax but washes out like it's no big deal.  If you hold the big jar in one hand and give it a light tap you can feel the product jiggle! Yeah, I tried it out myself, and you can too!

This lovely set of products comes from Brooklyn Grooming, they take care of your beard follicles, mustache whiskers and your freshly inked tattoo.  All made with natural and organic ingredients, invoking your favourite BK hoods: Williamsburg, Fort Greene and my personal soft spot Red Hook.  All of their products are available online at BK Grooming's efficient site but Le 63 is the only brick and mortar retailer where you can pick up their wares in Montreal.  So pull up a chair and introduce yourself to Amélie and Richard, allez: beautify!