The Great Canadian Game Show and 2009 Hobby Show

Posted by Roger Cullman
Filed in Sports & Play
November 11, 2009
Great Canadian Game Show in TorontoThe Great Canadian Game Show offered something fun for everyone.

For those into games or hobbies like me, it was well worth the trip up to the International Centre, by Pearson International Airport this weekend. There were contests for Scrabble, chess, pinball, table hockey, Halo and rock-paper-scissors, as well as Star Trek and Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame trivia.

The 2009 Hobby Show, which was held over the same weekend in the same space, provided a multitude of vendors, from model airplanes to radio-controlled helicopters to comic books, Magic cards, jigsaw puzzles and collectors of stamps, coins and even reptiles. Is collecting reptiles even a hobby?

Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival 2009 Preview

Posted by Roger Cullman
Filed in City
November 9, 2009
Frankenmatt SketchFestThe Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival will feature Hot Thespian Action, Statutory Jape and other witty double entendres in this, its fifth annual celebration of sketch comedy.

The LOLs start Tuesday night at 9 p.m. with a big show and party at Theatre Passe Muraille. Over six nights and with 48 troupes from all over North America -- including five Canadian provinces -- it's hard to know just where to start. If last year's festival is any indication, you're in for a great variety of shows.

I've chosen some personal picks from the SketchFest this year that will likely make you ROTFL....

Lighting Up History Around St. Lawrence Market

Posted by Roger Cullman
Filed in City
November 7, 2009
Heritage Lights in St. Lawrence Market neighbourhoodThe city of Toronto launched a new night lighting initiative, highlighting heritage and historic buildings in and around the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood Friday night.

Perhaps a little overshadowed by Toronto winning the bid for the 2015 Pan American Games, this celebration was somewhat subdued. That didn't stop about 100 of us from getting a small tour of these buildings by local historian Bruce Bell.

St. Lawrence Market, St. Lawrence Hall, the Flatiron building, St. James Cathedral and the south façades along Front Street (south of Berczy Park) now look much more majestic at night now, highlighted with theatrical LED lighting.

Toxic Avenger Descends Upon Toronto

Posted by Roger Cullman
Filed in Theatre
October 31, 2009
Toxic Avenger TorontoWhat better night to kick off the Canadian premiere of The Toxic Avenger than on Halloween?

The eco-monster musical comedy, based on the 1984 Lloyd Kaufman classic cult film, plays at The Danforth Music Hall with a homegrown cast. I had a chance to attend one of the preview shows this week.

The Toxic Avenger storyline is pretty simple to follow: Geek Boy (Melvin Ferd the Third) gets taunted by high school thugs, who dump him into a vat of radioactive toxic waste, after which he emerges as an uber-strong mutant freak (Toxie), bent on winning the heart of the high school hottie and ridding the town of the eco-unfriendly New Jersey mayor.

A Devil's Haircut on Devil's Night

Posted by Roger Cullman
Filed in City
October 30, 2009
Greatful Head Devil's HaircutPassing by Dundas St. W. this evening, I came upon Grateful Head, a salon that's offering a "Devil's Haircut" special tonight, on Devil's Night.

Grateful Head is staying open until 4 a.m. tonight, on October 30, giving 30 minute haircuts for just $30. Normally, you can get one of the best haircuts in Toronto at The Grateful Head starting at $45.

A glass of wine awaits you while you relax in the waiting room, where Coraline plays on the big screen. Five senior hairstylists from Grateful Head are dressed up for the occasion. Tonight's special includes Rosemary's Baby short.

Toronto Zombie Walk 2009

Posted by Roger Cullman
Filed in City
October 26, 2009
Toronto Zombie Walk 2009The Toronto Zombie Walk was pretty dead this year. The annual pre-Halloween zombie walk, which began in 2003, continues to draw large crowds. Well over 1,000 undead took to the streets on Saturday afternoon, starting at Trinity Bellwoods Park and swaggering east along Dundas St. W. to Kensington Market, up to College St. and then towards Bloor and Bathurst (where zombie films were being screened at the Bloor Cinema).

Compared to last year's zombie walk, there were more beautiful zombie brides, grooms, hockey players, Siamese twins, aerobics instructors, army officers, schoolgirls, nurses, nuns, beauty pageants, bakers, peaceniks, and Trekkies. And there were appearances by Batman and Robin, Santa Claus, Harry Potter, Beetlejuice and even a zombie Sarah Palin.

Continue reading for all the gruesome photos and an interview with Toronto Zombie Walk founder Thea Munster.