SHORT STORY : IN ONE MOMENT [Page 8] by Tobin Cheung
Since the invention of cell phones everyone is always in contact but no one is actually together.
Realizing that I am alone, I plop myself down by creating space between strangers set aside for personal comfort. The girl to my right is expecting. She’s indifferent to my presence, used to having her space infringed. She’s a mommy and about to give birth to her third baby, I can tell. Mommies can be distinguished from Mothers. Mommies have a certain appearance that set them apart. They are open, easygoing and can express the joys and laughter that only a child is thought able to show. A Mother, on the other hand, usually has one child. This particular evening, the Mommy seated next to me, is having a girl’s night out, a break from the duties of motherhood and wife. Her single friends, having missed her, are happy to be in her company.
The girl seated to my left is in her prime. She has a mid-twenties prettiness, a post-graduate education and an ego to match. With a drive that worships capitalism and a claim to serve humanity, she is complicated. I made the mistake of giving her a smile before I sat down, forgetting that I was alone. I got no response. She automatically assumes that I purposely squeezed beside her and am about to make an absolute nuisance of myself. Her body language is immediately on the defensive, the clutch of the purse, the crossing of the legs, and the not-so-slight tilt of the shoulder as she sways towards her girlfriends. Her voice becomes noticeably louder. She begins laughing more frequently, displaying her sassiness with witty anecdotes. I’m way too much for you to handle is what she’s saying. I agree completely. Her good looks are easily achieved at her age and require very little refinement. And so, she believes herself to be a low maintenance carefree gal. Don’t get me wrong, it is fabulous to be in the company of such women, so long as you don’t expect them to stick around for very long. There are simply too many men promising them everything under the sun.
“Do you know when the band comes on?” I ask, attempting to strike up a conversation with the Mommy to alleviate the tension building between the girl and me.
“They should start in five minutes but don’t hold your breath, they never set up on time. It’s all part of the master plan,” she taunts. “The longer you wait the better they sound.”
I watch her make a comical smile and raise an eyebrow as if to say that it’s all in good fun. Attitude free, she is open to some friendly banter.
“Isn’t this the perfect night for an open air concert? With the city as a backdrop and the lake behind us, it’s like we’re at a Gatsby’s party.”
She laughs.
“Oh definitely, it is the most perfect warm summer evening for live jazz. I just wish I could toast it with a glass of wine,” she says patting her little protruding belly.
“…..and we would like to thank everyone for coming out to enjoy an evening of music. Jazz is an evolutionary style of composing, incorporating blues, rock, flamenco and many other genres into its compositions. It is music for everyone. Please welcome tonight’s first band, Azzuries.”
As if on cue, the sun dips below the horizon and the sky glows a final red and orange. If we are lucky, the moon will shine through and become a spotlight for the stage. City lights begin to come on, little sparkles here and there acting as man-made stars. Behind us, the rumble of a cigarette boat idles by bringing with it a sample of the snappy lake air.
[To be continued...]
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Product Feature : Tube Amp
The work week turned out alright, having accomplished more than expected. It feels good to finish off on Friday without unresolved issues waiting for Monday morning to come around. Feeling good, I return home to my condo to celebrate. A good work week may be a small feat, but to quote Harvey Pekar, “Ordinary life is pretty complicated stuff.” It’s time to put on some good tunes, bask in the groove and break out a few dance moves from the private collection.
The expensive computer speakers and sub hooked up to my Mac Book doesn’t quite do the trick when you are in the mood to listen to some serious music. For Youtube and movies they are awesome, but there is only so much 2.5” speakers can do. The range is very limited.
What kind of sound system suits the condo living lifestyle?
Perhaps, a bookshelf stereo. It is compact, great for space saving and some actually sound decent. Unfortunately, most bookshelf stereos have a gawdy plastic look that will quickly cheapen the decor, especially when the room is not very big. Making the best use of space is vital when living in a condo, so a full component sound system with floor standing speakers may not be a great idea. No doubt it will get your feet hopping but the neighbors will also be pounding from above, below, and both sides.
Nowadays, most music is stored on a hard drive as mp3 or lossless flac format. LP’s are for nostalgia, cassette tapes are forgotten and a CD collection takes up too much space. Considering that the average condo size is 650sq ft and a 2TB of hard drive space is less than $100.00, why take up valuable space, when you are paying over $400.00 per sq ft.
With everything digitally recorded, digitally stored and digitally played, the musical experience can become somewhat harsh, thin and metallic sounding, rather than a full-bodied tone. Instead of plugging in the iPod into a solid state transistor amplifier, try a "Tube Amp".
Note that the source of the music needs to be good, meaning flac or 320kb/s files. Tube amps are known to produce a warmer fuller tone. The reason for this is because of harmonic distortion. All amplifiers whether solid state or tube add distortion to the signal fed to them. Distortion from a tube amp is mostly low order, even second, forth, sixth and eighth harmonics. In other words, they represent octaves that are musically related thereby blending in the harmonic distortion with the music being played. Solid state amplifiers, however, have high order odd harmonics in addition to the low order even harmonics. High order odd harmonics are seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenths, which are not musically toned and does not blend well with music. The higher the frequency of harmonic distortion the easier it is heard, which is why solid state amps can sound harsh and metallic.
A small amount of low order even harmonic distortion in a tube amp may go completely unnoticed, whereas the same amount of harmonic distortion, but in high order odd harmonics can make the listener cringe his eyebrows. This is why many claim tube amps to have a warmer, fuller sound, the even harmonic distortion blends in with music.
If you are looking for something that sounds good and looks cool in your condo, have a listen to a tube amp and see if the sound suits you.
Photo + Words : Tobin C
The expensive computer speakers and sub hooked up to my Mac Book doesn’t quite do the trick when you are in the mood to listen to some serious music. For Youtube and movies they are awesome, but there is only so much 2.5” speakers can do. The range is very limited.
What kind of sound system suits the condo living lifestyle?
Perhaps, a bookshelf stereo. It is compact, great for space saving and some actually sound decent. Unfortunately, most bookshelf stereos have a gawdy plastic look that will quickly cheapen the decor, especially when the room is not very big. Making the best use of space is vital when living in a condo, so a full component sound system with floor standing speakers may not be a great idea. No doubt it will get your feet hopping but the neighbors will also be pounding from above, below, and both sides.
Nowadays, most music is stored on a hard drive as mp3 or lossless flac format. LP’s are for nostalgia, cassette tapes are forgotten and a CD collection takes up too much space. Considering that the average condo size is 650sq ft and a 2TB of hard drive space is less than $100.00, why take up valuable space, when you are paying over $400.00 per sq ft.
With everything digitally recorded, digitally stored and digitally played, the musical experience can become somewhat harsh, thin and metallic sounding, rather than a full-bodied tone. Instead of plugging in the iPod into a solid state transistor amplifier, try a "Tube Amp".
Note that the source of the music needs to be good, meaning flac or 320kb/s files. Tube amps are known to produce a warmer fuller tone. The reason for this is because of harmonic distortion. All amplifiers whether solid state or tube add distortion to the signal fed to them. Distortion from a tube amp is mostly low order, even second, forth, sixth and eighth harmonics. In other words, they represent octaves that are musically related thereby blending in the harmonic distortion with the music being played. Solid state amplifiers, however, have high order odd harmonics in addition to the low order even harmonics. High order odd harmonics are seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenths, which are not musically toned and does not blend well with music. The higher the frequency of harmonic distortion the easier it is heard, which is why solid state amps can sound harsh and metallic.
A small amount of low order even harmonic distortion in a tube amp may go completely unnoticed, whereas the same amount of harmonic distortion, but in high order odd harmonics can make the listener cringe his eyebrows. This is why many claim tube amps to have a warmer, fuller sound, the even harmonic distortion blends in with music.
If you are looking for something that sounds good and looks cool in your condo, have a listen to a tube amp and see if the sound suits you.
Photo + Words : Tobin C
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Beauty News : Smashbox Friends & Family Sale
Valid only online @ www.smashbox.com from 11/23/2011 through 11/28/2011. Enjoy!
From your beauty expert,
Short Story : In One Moment [Page 7]
IN ONE MOMENT [Page 7] by Tobin Cheung
My waving arm goes unnoticed. She has her blinders on again.
I stand off the main path, curious to see what will proceed, wanting to learn how a man’s man makes his opening moves. I’m rather shy when it comes to picking up women. In fact, Liz was the one who picked me up one autumn night in an underground jazz club. In my zone, oblivious to the dingy surroundings, I was grooving, swaying and jiving to a “lady” down from New Orleans. He was blowing funk so smelly that my body parts were jerking and jolting without consent. He had flair, the kind that told you that jazz was his birth right and not a learned skill.
That autumn night under the red and gold lights, alone and unencumbered, I drowned myself in the music. Perhaps, that is what captured Liz’s attention, my uninhibited dancing, my movement of pure freedom; my lapse from reality. That night, I was feeling euphoric, even dazed. She took me by surprise, when she grabbed my arm and asked my name. I was in a trance. My state of consciousness was engulfed in the music, leaving no one in charge of reality. Needless to say, I don’t remember much.
“Thank-you and welcome to the 25th Annual Jazz festival. Tonight’s lineup will feature the legends of tomorrow. You will hear the influences of the greats: Duke, Dizzy, and Davis, all playing their part in tonight’s repertoire of performances. And I must say; these are the most precocious kennel of cats I’ve seen gathered in one place. First a few words from our sponsors.”
A mob of colours begin shuffling towards the main stage. It is a fashion show, the "artsy" and "sexy" have arrived. These types of events always seem to attract the very hip. One of the things I like to admire among the crowd of people is all the designer eyewear everyone is sporting. It is a trend that has been flourishing more and more over the past few years. I must have counted at least twenty pairs go by.
Tiptoeing on the curb, I peer over the jumble of heads towards the direction I last saw Liz. She’s gone. Without thinking, I drop my heels, and step into a blur, instantly causing a bang. My hand goes down and I manage to keep from crashing into the ground. After regaining my orientation, I search around in a daze, trying to determine how I ended up on the tracks of an incoming express train. Several meters away among the marching crowd is the person who literally ran over me.
“Hey, why are you running like an idiot for!!” I scream in his direction. Raising my hand to curse him out, I suddenly take notice of the ponytail looped high through the official jazz festival cap.
It’s a girl, yep, that’s a girl, didn’t feel like a girl. “Sorry, didn’t see you there, you know, with the crowd of people and all.” I mumble waving at her. She didn’t appear to be damaged at all. Why would she be, traveling at warp speed? I, however, was beginning to feel a pain in my shoulder.
After a moments’ hesitation, she turns and quickly vanishes.
“And we would like to remind you that for the next week, these talented bands will be grooving in one of the many great bars this city has to offer. So, get yourselves a festival schedule and find out where you need to be.”
Straightening out, I fall in with the one way traffic and bump my way to the stage. All the benches beneath the canopy are already taken by sporadically placed individuals.
[To be continued...]
My waving arm goes unnoticed. She has her blinders on again.
I stand off the main path, curious to see what will proceed, wanting to learn how a man’s man makes his opening moves. I’m rather shy when it comes to picking up women. In fact, Liz was the one who picked me up one autumn night in an underground jazz club. In my zone, oblivious to the dingy surroundings, I was grooving, swaying and jiving to a “lady” down from New Orleans. He was blowing funk so smelly that my body parts were jerking and jolting without consent. He had flair, the kind that told you that jazz was his birth right and not a learned skill.
That autumn night under the red and gold lights, alone and unencumbered, I drowned myself in the music. Perhaps, that is what captured Liz’s attention, my uninhibited dancing, my movement of pure freedom; my lapse from reality. That night, I was feeling euphoric, even dazed. She took me by surprise, when she grabbed my arm and asked my name. I was in a trance. My state of consciousness was engulfed in the music, leaving no one in charge of reality. Needless to say, I don’t remember much.
“Thank-you and welcome to the 25th Annual Jazz festival. Tonight’s lineup will feature the legends of tomorrow. You will hear the influences of the greats: Duke, Dizzy, and Davis, all playing their part in tonight’s repertoire of performances. And I must say; these are the most precocious kennel of cats I’ve seen gathered in one place. First a few words from our sponsors.”
A mob of colours begin shuffling towards the main stage. It is a fashion show, the "artsy" and "sexy" have arrived. These types of events always seem to attract the very hip. One of the things I like to admire among the crowd of people is all the designer eyewear everyone is sporting. It is a trend that has been flourishing more and more over the past few years. I must have counted at least twenty pairs go by.
Tiptoeing on the curb, I peer over the jumble of heads towards the direction I last saw Liz. She’s gone. Without thinking, I drop my heels, and step into a blur, instantly causing a bang. My hand goes down and I manage to keep from crashing into the ground. After regaining my orientation, I search around in a daze, trying to determine how I ended up on the tracks of an incoming express train. Several meters away among the marching crowd is the person who literally ran over me.
“Hey, why are you running like an idiot for!!” I scream in his direction. Raising my hand to curse him out, I suddenly take notice of the ponytail looped high through the official jazz festival cap.
It’s a girl, yep, that’s a girl, didn’t feel like a girl. “Sorry, didn’t see you there, you know, with the crowd of people and all.” I mumble waving at her. She didn’t appear to be damaged at all. Why would she be, traveling at warp speed? I, however, was beginning to feel a pain in my shoulder.
After a moments’ hesitation, she turns and quickly vanishes.
“And we would like to remind you that for the next week, these talented bands will be grooving in one of the many great bars this city has to offer. So, get yourselves a festival schedule and find out where you need to be.”
Straightening out, I fall in with the one way traffic and bump my way to the stage. All the benches beneath the canopy are already taken by sporadically placed individuals.
[To be continued...]
Friday, November 18, 2011
Hair Product Review : Origins Ginger Up Shampoo
Beauty Stars : 4.2 / 5
Review : The Origins Ginger Up Aromatic Shampoo was referred to me by my friend Shelly. She kept saying how amazing it was, so I decided to give it a try. I found it at a cosmetic warehouse sale for $10 CAD. The bottle isn't that big, so I ended up using it up quite quickly because I have to wash my hair everyday. But it didn't dry my hair even though I used it everyday.
It is definitely aromatic and I love the scent. The savoury scent of ginger is quite strong, invigorating and totally wakes you up. This shampoo is great because it is free of many bad chemicals such as parabens, petroleum, parrafin, synthetic colour, synthetic fragrance and the list goes on. Wheat protein and pathenol ingredients help to keep your hair nice, smooth and protected.
The only negative I found is that the aroma doesn't linger in your hair that long after your hair is dry, but other than that, it does a great job cleaning my hair. This shampoo is made for all hair types. If I ever get another invite to one of those warehouse sales, I'll definitely try to stock up on this product.
Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Monday, November 14, 2011
Beauty Product Review : Shu Uemura Mini Eyelash Curler
Beauty Stars : 4.5 / 5
Review : The Shu Uemura Mini Eyelash Curler works great! It is able to get right to the corners of most eyes regardless of the shape. Unfortunately I think the mini curler might be discontinued (at least that’s what I heard). I had the regular sized SU curler in my kit for a while but always wanted the mini one too. When I finally went to look for it at the stores, it was gone. Then one random day, I walked past Holt Renfrew’s cosmetic section and they had this “Paramount Beauty Pouch” for $25 CAD that included the Shu Uemura Mini Eyelash Curler and a few other neat products. I asked the cosmetic rep if they were carrying it again and she said “No, just happened to be included in this limited time beauty pouch.” I was like OMG! THANK YOU!!! So I bought one with no hesitation.
Tip : For the curler to work well, you should replace the silicone pads every 3 months with regular use. Sometimes you can use a blow dryer on the curler for a few seconds to heat it up before using it to get a better curl. Make sure it’s not too hot and doesn’t burn your skin though! And lastly, curling your lashes from the base, center and tips of the lashes will give it a more natural curl, as opposed to just curling it in one spot and getting one very sharp angle.
Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Hair Product Review : Joico Ice Hair Finisher Shaping Hair Spray
Joico : Ice Hair Finisher Shaping Hair Spray [300 ml / 9 oz]
Beauty Stars : 3.7 / 5
Review : The Joico Ice Hair Finisher Shaping Hair Spray was being sold at a local hair supply store. I got a 2 for 1 deal for it, so thought I'd try it out. When I first used it, it came out kind of like a foamy mousse-like texture. I thought it was kind of odd because it did say "hair spray" on the bottle. But after you use it a few more times, the spray becomes finer and then it was ok. I don't really use it for styling or updos, as it makes the hair too hard once it dries. I just save it for the end and use it as a finisher "hence the name"! It holds well and smells nice -- sort of like a coconut smell. Yum! A lot of my clients compliment it on the fragrance.
My only beef that I didn't like about this was that the nozzle gets clogged easily, so you have to clean it every so often, otherwise if you try to use it, it could spray the product in all different directions. I think it almost hit a photographer's uber expensive lense once when I used it at a wedding gig. Eek. Luckily it didn't. So before I use it, sometimes I spray it a few times aimed at the floor first, just in case to make sure the nozzle is working properly.
Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Beauty News : Lise Watier Age Control Supreme
Here's the inside scoop :
Lise Watier will be launching a new line of skincare called Age Control Supreme in January 2012. Known as the supreme ritual of youth, the secret ingredient within the formula is Labrador Tea Extract. This anti-ageing ingredient is found within Canada's Boreal forest. For more info, stay tuned to www.lisewatier.com.
From your beauty expert,
Maggie Ng
Lise Watier will be launching a new line of skincare called Age Control Supreme in January 2012. Known as the supreme ritual of youth, the secret ingredient within the formula is Labrador Tea Extract. This anti-ageing ingredient is found within Canada's Boreal forest. For more info, stay tuned to www.lisewatier.com.
From your beauty expert,
Maggie Ng
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Giving Back : SickKids Foundation
RAZ Magazine decided to make a small donation to SickKids Foundation to help give back to the community.
To also make a donation, please visit : www.sickkids.ca
Cheers,
RAZ Magazine
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Beauty Product Review : MAKE UP FOR EVER Mist & Fix
MAKE UP FOR EVER : Mist & Fix [125 ml / 4.22 fl oz]
Beauty Stars : 4.0 / 5
Review : The MAKE UP FOR EVER Mist & Fix spray is a light setting spray for makeup. Spray this 12-16" from the face (eyes closed) over foundation or a completed makeup application. I generally use this after all makeup applications, especially for weddings. It's like hairspray for your face, which helps to prolong the wear of your makeup without stiffness or shellac-ing your face. If you've applied too much powder on your face and don't want to remove it, then spraying a bit of this on top will help to de-matte it. You can spray some of this product onto a tissue or Q-Tip to help clean up the edges of your eye makeup as well.
Tip: For busy women who don't have time for touch ups, spray mist and fix on a thick tissue and pat gently on the face to refresh your makeup. Then apply a veil of compact powder to give your complexion a velvety texture for later in the day.
Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Monday, September 26, 2011
Giving Back : Look Good Feel Better
Look Good Feel Better is a program that holds free makeup workshops for cancer patients. Women with cancer tend to lose their hair, eyebrows, eyelashes due to chemotherapy -- so local volunteers would help teach them how to apply makeup which empowers them and helps to regain confidence in their appearance. RAZ Magazine just made a donation.
To also donate, please visit : https://www.lgfb.ca
To also donate, please visit : https://www.lgfb.ca
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Beauty News : Lise Watier Equinoxe Collection
The Lise Watier
Equinoxe Collection is now currently available online : www.lisewatier.com. This collection is a limited edition...so hurry and get yours now!
Equinoxe Collection is now currently available online : www.lisewatier.com. This collection is a limited edition...so hurry and get yours now!Monday, September 5, 2011
Beauty Product Review : Lise Watier Bora Bora Fragrance
Lise Watier : Bora Bora Fragrance [50ml / 1.7 fl oz]
Beauty Stars : 4.5 / 5
Review : The Lise Watier Bora Bora Fragrance
is a blend of sensual, feminine notes of passion flower, jasmine and rose, with the warmth of an exotic fruit cocktail and sweet, hot traces of amber, vanilla and wood-scented musk.I guess I have a bias towards any scent that has a bit of a sweet fruit smell. I definitely like the exotic scent of the Bora Bora fragrance. Only one small spritz and the smell will linger most of the day. The sweet fruit scent is most evident at the beginning of the spritz. As the fragrance has a chance to mix with the oils on your skin, you'll smell the linger of vanilla for the rest of the day. Love the nice elegant bottle design too. The tint of green visually sets the bottle of fragrance apart from the others.
Tip: Applying fragrance to what are known as the pulse points is recommended: the nape of the neck, behind the ears, back of the knees and inside the elbows and wrists (without rubbing). To leave a scented wake, mist your hair with fragrance.
Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Beauty Product Review : MAC Paints
MAC : Paints
Beauty Stars : 4.6 / 5
Review : The MAC Paints
are highly pigmented eyeshadow that goes on creamy and dries to a powdery finish. They used to come in a variety of colours but I believe MAC replaced them with Paint Pots. They've kept the neutral tones such as Bare Canvas, Sublime Nature, Untitled, etc since many makeup artists use them as a eyeshadow base. It helps to prevent creasing and really brings out the true colour of most eyeshadows with a punch. Great product and a little goes a long way.Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Beauty Product Review : Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel
Boscia : Purifying Cleansing Gel
Beauty Stars : 4.5 / 5
Review : The Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel
is a soap-free makeup remover and cleanser for the face. This product contains key ingredients that include : botanical amino acids, hydrangea leaf, green tea and geranium, which are all very high in anti-oxidants!I love this product because it does not contain : parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, phthalates, GMOs, and Triclosan. It is also 100% preservative free. Very good for your skin, especially for people with sensitive skin.
I think it does a great job cleansing the skin and getting dirt/grime out of pores, but doesn't leave it feeling tight at the end. A little squirt goes a long way. You just massage it gently on damp skin and it lathers up nicely. It is a gel-based cleanser, so even though it says it's fine for all skin types, it's probably more suited for people with oily or oily to combination skin.
Scent is not overwhelming. Very refreshing actually. I would definitely buy this again.
Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Beauty Product Review : Burt's Bees Lip Balm w/ Pomegranate Oil
Burt's Bees : Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil [4.25g/0.15 oz]
Beauty Stars : 4.5
Review : The Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil
is 100% natural and not tested on animals. I love using this lip balm daily because it contains no petroleum or parabens like some other lip balms do. We ingest a lot of lip product over years of application (as some of us use some form of lip product everyday) so it's best not to use anything with harmful chemicals in them. I like the scent and it gives a slight tint of colour to your lips too. Pomegranate oil is also a great anti-oxidant. This lip balm helps to keep your lips moisturized for most of the day. I even use it in my makeup kit sometimes. Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Beauty Product Review : MAC Blot Powder
MAC : Blot Powder [12g/0.42 oz]
Beauty Stars : 4.5
Review : The MAC Blot Powder
is one of my makeup kit must-haves. It’s a pressed powder that’s great for absorbing oil and mattifying the face without really adding extra layers or cakey-ness to the skin. It typically does not add any noticeable texture or colour to the skin, even though it does currently come in 5 different shades. I probably use “Medium” the most. It’s great for touchups, especially in the summer and during bridal season. It’s also great for setting foundation. It can be applied with a makeup brush or powder puff (which comes with it already). I’d suggest to use a blot paper
first to absorb the majority of the oil on your skin, then gently apply the blot powder for a beautiful finish.Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Music Review : Soulive
The TD Toronto Jazz Festival is one of the big events that start in the summer. As great as it is, the city can be more experimental, after all this is Toronto. We are one of the most multicultural cities in the world, so when it comes to music, we have listeners for all types of musical styles. Torontonians value cultural diversity. This city has the most mixed couples in all of Canada. Walk down the street and you will see a petite Asian girl with a tall Caucasian boy, there will also be a tall Caucasian girl with a short Asian boy. We are not constrained by arbitrary boundaries; instead we embrace all that different cultures have to offer. So when it comes to music and the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, let’s bring it on.
Soulive funked up Toronto this year at the Horseshoe Tavern. As a venue for musical talent, the Horseshoe has some pretty choice bands but as a bar, everything is sticky, everything is black for a reason and the bathrooms floors are wet. But that’s the magic of it, funky music in a funky place, a great band playing in one of the oldest bars in the city.
Soulive brought in a Saturday night crowd with a Monday night 9:30pm start time. All types of people showed up for the show, from Humber music students to jazz aficionados. The place was a mob of bouncing heads and waving arms. By the end of the first song there was a heat wave in the bar. By the end of the second song, everyone was soaked through in sweat and not just your own. When the air conditioning came on for the second set, it made no difference; the devil himself would have claimed it to be a touch warm and returned home.
Alan Evans is lightning fast on the drums, Eric Krasno grooves at his own pace and Neal Evans is a sorcerer on keys. Combine the three and spells are cast, people are captured, while time becomes forgotten. Imagine what would happen if Soulive shared the stage with Karl Denson and the Tiny Universe? Throw in the Dirty Dozen Brass Band from New Orleans or the Parliament Funkedelics crew for jokes and the mystery to extraterrestrial beings will be solved as a ring of UFOs will circle the earth to catch the show. The TD Toronto Jazz Festival needs to amalgamate talent. That is what’s missing and is what will put the Toronto Jazz Festival on the map. With such a great diversity and mixture of culture in our city we need the jazz festival to reflect what Toronto is all about by having all different artists showcase their talent on the same stage with each other.
Here's an example from Youtube if Soulive collaborated with Karl Denson:
Words : Tobin Cheung
Soulive
funked up Toronto this year at the Horseshoe Tavern. As a venue for musical talent, the Horseshoe has some pretty choice bands but as a bar, everything is sticky, everything is black for a reason and the bathrooms floors are wet. But that’s the magic of it, funky music in a funky place, a great band playing in one of the oldest bars in the city. |
| Photo Credit : Chad Smith |
brought in a Saturday night crowd with a Monday night 9:30pm start time. All types of people showed up for the show, from Humber music students to jazz aficionados. The place was a mob of bouncing heads and waving arms. By the end of the first song there was a heat wave in the bar. By the end of the second song, everyone was soaked through in sweat and not just your own. When the air conditioning came on for the second set, it made no difference; the devil himself would have claimed it to be a touch warm and returned home. |
| Photo Credit : Allison Murphy |
and the Tiny Universe? Throw in the Dirty Dozen Brass Band from New Orleans or the Parliament Funkedelics crew for jokes and the mystery to extraterrestrial beings will be solved as a ring of UFOs will circle the earth to catch the show. The TD Toronto Jazz Festival needs to amalgamate talent. That is what’s missing and is what will put the Toronto Jazz Festival on the map. With such a great diversity and mixture of culture in our city we need the jazz festival to reflect what Toronto is all about by having all different artists showcase their talent on the same stage with each other.Here's an example from Youtube if Soulive collaborated with Karl Denson:
Words : Tobin Cheung
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Beauty Product Review : Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara
Maybelline : Lash Stiletto Mascara [6.5 ml]
Beauty Stars : 3.7
Review : The Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara
will lengthen slightly, but you’ll need a couple of layers for it to look nice. (FYI, don't let it dry between coats.) It’s supposed to give a glossy sheen, but I find with the Brownish Black, you don’t notice the glossiness as much. You'll see the patented shine more so on Very Black. It has a bit of a strong smell, I thought it had gone bad but I read some other reviews on the same mascara and others have agreed with the strong scent. I think the packaging is very clever and sleek though. Not sure if I’d buy it again mostly because of the scent, but it’s still a decent mascara.I love the commercial though :
Beauty Review : Maggie Ng
Note : For any beauty questions or product submissions, please email : maggie@maggieng.com
Short Story : In One Moment [Page 6]
IN ONE MOMENT [Page 6] by Tobin Cheung
I’m not saying that this woman is the "One". I’m not saying that she isn’t either. It’s just that I feel a strange, perhaps lustful desire for her. Her charm is that she appears both strong and personable. At first glance, she looks like management material in her designer eyewear
and pulled back hair. By the way she continually twirls a ring around her finger, idling is not one of her strong points. She gives off a take charge, no fuss image with a self assured poise.
After a more in depth look, one can easily see that the hard lines is a mirage for a girl in a pair of jogging pants
lounging around on a lazy Sunday morning enjoying the softness of her pillow and the warmth of the sun while listening to her favorite tunes.
A sudden feeling of discouragement rushes through me, causing me to check for a wedding band
. This is of vital importance and utmost necessary if the fantasy is to continue and remain plausible. Unable to see past the two siblings feuding not long ago, now dancing about, I raise my attention to find management looking right at me. It was one of those situations when a stare becomes a form of telepathic communication, where the victim feels the invasion and turns to find the cause. In this case, I am the cause. Caught off guard, my face defaults to a child’s "Oops, I’ve been a bad boy" expression. She does not look away and I fear that I may be in trouble. Gathering my senses I wield a poker face, then a look of innocence, followed by an "I didn’t do it" to complete the sequence.
She remains expressionless. The only other thing left for me to do is to give her my best smile. To my surprise, she smiles back. And I am put on the spot to interpret the gesture. I wanted it to be suggestive to something more promising, but if I believed that, I would be lying to myself. Realistically, it could be nothing more than a courtesy smile, just meaningless niceness. No, not from her, I couldn’t see her bothering with pointless pleasantries, so I waited. Just as she turns away, she gives me one last look. And I catch the smirk behind those lips. She approves or at least finds me amusing. Regardless, I escape with my ego intact.
“Check, one two, can we have the brass section run through sound check.”
The heat is at last becoming bearable as the evening's breeze slowly begins to infiltrate the grounds. Tonight’s talents are preparing to go on stage. These are the artists of twilight. Performing only under diffused lights
, they play homage to the minor tones underlying the voice of jazz. Eyes closed to the audience, concentrating only on the music so that every note is as vital as every breath, the magic they stew is something worth treasuring.
I absentmindedly flip the empty pop can into the garbage. My attention is in the direction of the vendors. I am curious to see if I can spot Liz. It turns out she is in plain view standing on recently manicured grass trying on a pink cowboy hat with an unlit cigarette jetting out between her fingers. The center of attention until she needs to be found, then she is as inconspicuous as an ant.
Posing in front of her is a victim of modern day advertising, a muscular man in full body athletic attire with matching runners. He is holding a light, a flame out for her. She tilts her head and sucks back on the cigarette, blowing smoke out the corner of her mouth. He is not her type, especially with his bald head and ample facial hair. Hair on his face does not offset the lack of hair on his scalp. Jocks never manage to keep her entertained. They pay too much attention to their own bodies and not enough on hers. I try waving my arm to get her attention.
[To be continued...]
I’m not saying that this woman is the "One". I’m not saying that she isn’t either. It’s just that I feel a strange, perhaps lustful desire for her. Her charm is that she appears both strong and personable. At first glance, she looks like management material in her designer eyewear
and pulled back hair. By the way she continually twirls a ring around her finger, idling is not one of her strong points. She gives off a take charge, no fuss image with a self assured poise. After a more in depth look, one can easily see that the hard lines is a mirage for a girl in a pair of jogging pants
lounging around on a lazy Sunday morning enjoying the softness of her pillow and the warmth of the sun while listening to her favorite tunes. A sudden feeling of discouragement rushes through me, causing me to check for a wedding band
. This is of vital importance and utmost necessary if the fantasy is to continue and remain plausible. Unable to see past the two siblings feuding not long ago, now dancing about, I raise my attention to find management looking right at me. It was one of those situations when a stare becomes a form of telepathic communication, where the victim feels the invasion and turns to find the cause. In this case, I am the cause. Caught off guard, my face defaults to a child’s "Oops, I’ve been a bad boy" expression. She does not look away and I fear that I may be in trouble. Gathering my senses I wield a poker face, then a look of innocence, followed by an "I didn’t do it" to complete the sequence.She remains expressionless. The only other thing left for me to do is to give her my best smile. To my surprise, she smiles back. And I am put on the spot to interpret the gesture. I wanted it to be suggestive to something more promising, but if I believed that, I would be lying to myself. Realistically, it could be nothing more than a courtesy smile, just meaningless niceness. No, not from her, I couldn’t see her bothering with pointless pleasantries, so I waited. Just as she turns away, she gives me one last look. And I catch the smirk behind those lips. She approves or at least finds me amusing. Regardless, I escape with my ego intact.
“Check, one two, can we have the brass section run through sound check.”
The heat is at last becoming bearable as the evening's breeze slowly begins to infiltrate the grounds. Tonight’s talents are preparing to go on stage. These are the artists of twilight. Performing only under diffused lights
, they play homage to the minor tones underlying the voice of jazz. Eyes closed to the audience, concentrating only on the music so that every note is as vital as every breath, the magic they stew is something worth treasuring.I absentmindedly flip the empty pop can into the garbage. My attention is in the direction of the vendors. I am curious to see if I can spot Liz. It turns out she is in plain view standing on recently manicured grass trying on a pink cowboy hat
with an unlit cigarette jetting out between her fingers. The center of attention until she needs to be found, then she is as inconspicuous as an ant.Posing in front of her is a victim of modern day advertising, a muscular man in full body athletic attire with matching runners. He is holding a light, a flame out for her. She tilts her head and sucks back on the cigarette, blowing smoke out the corner of her mouth. He is not her type, especially with his bald head and ample facial hair. Hair on his face does not offset the lack of hair on his scalp. Jocks never manage to keep her entertained. They pay too much attention to their own bodies and not enough on hers. I try waving my arm to get her attention.
[To be continued...]
Monday, July 11, 2011
Travels : Holguin, Cuba
Has it gotten from busy to overload at work, where one days mess rolls into another and new projects compete for the priority position. Staying late is no longer some random occurrence. Extended hours have become the new lifestyle, as with popping into work on a Saturday morning for a couple hours. A good day versus a bad day depends on the email count. One can only dream about being worry-free and having time for absolute nothingness. It does exist, about four hours from YYZ is a land called Cuba
.
After a busy season of being trapped in a pressure cooker, some serious lounging is necessary to recuperate. The town of Holguin is perfect for leaving all the nonsense of city life behind. It is one of the more beautiful parts of Cuba
. Vacationing in a resort leaves you with the luxury of not having to think for yourself (at all), with everything provided for you. Cuba is one of the least expensive vacationing spots available, so pick a resort that suits you. If you can afford to splurge, than do it. Don’t pick a resort just because it is a bargain. Choose one that is huge and read the reviews. Larger resorts usually have more restaurants, bigger entertainment shows, as well as more activities.
Sol Rio Luna y Mares is located on the Playa Esmeralda beach in Holguin. It is a beautiful fine white sand beach with turquoise clear water. The view is breathtaking. Be sure to take time to wander through the hotel, as there are all these interesting nooks that capture the incredible scenery.
The number of activities available at this resort exceeds the expected. Combine them with excursions and it will be fun overload and exhaustion by the end of the day. Included on the resort is horseback riding that wanders along the countryside. The horses are friendly and basically know where they are going without any help. Along the beach are hobby cats, baby Catamerangs that sail along the water. If you are up for a bit of an adventure, wait for a windy day, give a good tip and go flying off the waves and balancing on one platoon.
A must do excursion is the jeep safari that includes jet skiing. It is not all about motor sport but you will also visit the countryside to meet farmers and coffee-makers, as well as have an authentic Cuban lunch.
Every night of the week there is a different show. Luna y Mares has a fairly large theater and their shows are quite elaborate with acrobatics and dance. Definitely worth staying up to see no matter how tired from a day of excursions and hobby cats.
There is a flea market not far from the resort: where there are paintings, clothing and wooden crafts available for souvenirs. Some of their toys are particularly interesting. There is also a mini zoo just outside of the resort that is fun to visit. Bring a camera
and a bathing suit
because there is a cozy private beach.
After all this fun, let’s not forget about the food. The buffets are excellent, with huge variety. You pick what you want and they grill it fresh for you. Don’t be all fussy and enjoy the food, just remember that back home you eat processed fast food, which can't be compared. There is even a 24hr restaurant that will make sandwiches and pizza if by some miracle someone is still hungry. The a la carte dinners are, at the very least, good if not amazing. Having a three course meal with friends or your partner in a fancy restaurant is not all about the food. Enjoy the moment.
Holguin is a great place to escape and indulge. The trick is to capture it all to memory. If only we could make our memories a virtual experience, so that we could re-live a particular moment, anytime we wish.
Words + Photos : Tobin Cheung
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