aka La Métropole, La Belle Ville
Converse has been around since before I can remember. Synonymous with the sneaker itself, Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars are ever-popular. So, how can a brand remain at the top of its game in the fashion scene for so many years? It all comes down to solid branding, clever marketing, and classic timeless appeal. Read More
In Buenos Aires, the streets are hot with the scent of Black Mamba, a new fashion line featuring street-friendly styles in leather, knit, denim, silk, and fierce heavy metal accessories. Black Mamba is sexy, futuristic, and avant-garde with subtly seductive silhouettes. Showcasing a broad palette of colors and textures for spring/summer 2013 from red, striped, pale blue, white, tan, and army green to black. The brand is playful, spontaneous and edgy in their approach to fashion. Officially launched in March 2012, Black Mamba has an interesting strategy for attracting the right kind of customers. Promotion by way of exclusive runway shows and alluring mini-booklets, distributed in trendy hotels and boutiques in Palermo Soho, with a web link and address for the non-commercial cozy Palermo-Soho loft-atelier that serves as their store. Upon entering the loft, in an unmarked building by way of a buzzer and personal escort up a tiny elevator, customers are treated to a friendly sales vibe and one-on-one service. Here you can sip a cappuccino while rifling through linen and leather. There is only one change room, but there may be three other customers at most. Read More
Buenos Aires – Solar Flower
Who would have thought that Buenos Aires would have anything in common with Montreal? Not me. After travelling around Brazil for a month and being thoroughly convinced that South American cities have their own distinctive flavour so different than the ones I know, I was pleasantly surprised when, in Buenos Aires, despite the fact that everybody speaks in Spanish, somehow the city had a very friendly familiar feel to it, just like home. Read More
In the frequencies hovering above the deep rumble of the bass, one hears a distinctively clear clap, and some metallic percussion. The music swings and grooves, causing a funk to be stirred from deep within my nether regions. Is it minimal? Techno? House? Or break beat? Maybe a mix of all four, with a minimal crunch, a techno aesthetic with house-inspired emotionally-charged melodies creeping in at just the right moments. And the drums, so funky, reminiscent of break beats occasionally smashed together with a little 4/4. Deep clean kicks and skittering hi-hats, interrupted every once in a while by a random, weird wash of sound and quirky vocal sample. This is the sound of Alicia Hush. Read More
As of Feb 4, 2013, pockets in Canada are getting a little lighter. Why? Because the penny has been declared officially out-of-circulation. Though radio shows and talk show hosts dedicated a full day on Sunday Feb 3 to mourning the loss of such a longstanding national icon, many in the younger generations are responding with joy, because our pockets will be lighter forevermore. Read More
After living in Vancouver for 3 years–arguably the best place outside Japan for sushi and sashimi–the quest for that perfect slice of raw fish has never been easy. But when my good friend and fellow foodie suggested we go to Sata, despite the howling winds and subzero temperatures, I said yes. It is very rare, if ever, that I venture so far east out of the comfortable bubble of Montreal’s inner core into the Easterly reaches of Hochelaga Maisonneuve, or HoMa, as its called to locals. But good things are brewing there–an entire subculture of shops, restaurants, and cafes. And one of them is Sata sushi. Read More
Since moving to Montreal a little over 4 years ago in 2008, Jenny Carmichael aka Vilify has been ripping up decks and dancefloors with her own unique brand of dirty dubstep, hip-hop, d’n'b and trap (hip hop’s bass-heavy offspring). Her sound: raunchy ripping sub-bass, hip hop vocals, nasty percussion, huuuuge drops, and aggressive yet pop-sample-heavy sounds. Top this off with a pair of steel-blue eyes, a mane of fire-engine red uberlong hair and badass street style incorporating lots of studs, leather, lace, and tattoos, and there you have it. Vilify is Montreal’s undeniable Bass Queen. Wednesday is the new Friday–at least since Vilify started Bassdrive Wednesdays–and bass is the new religion for the masses. Read More
Ray Ban Wayfarer: perma-classic
Ray Ban is a name that is practically synonymous with sunglasses, and its no surprise given the company’s rich long history in eyewear production. In 1936, American test pilot John A. Macready returned from a hot-air balloon complaining that the sun had damaged his eyes, and commissioned Bausch + Lomb to make him a pair of sunglasses that would protect his eyes from the sun and also look good. With this, the aviator was born. Read More
The Life of Pi is definitely far from your standard boy-meets-girl flick, and also rather different from your standard man-fights-battle film. But in a way it is a convoluted combination of both. Read More
Deepa Mehta is a filmmaker who takes risks. An Indo-Canadian (born in India, now living in Toronto, Canada) who has deep ties to her past country’s history, she has been pegged as one of the most promising new directors, dedicating herself to strong storytelling in hopes of provoking dialogue about the issues she explores in her films. Most renowned for her Elements trilogy of Fire (1996), Earth (1998), and Water (2005) which explore issues such as homosexuality, war, rebellion, revolution, chance, betrayal, and India’s treatment of widows, Mehta’s films blur the lines between fiction and nonfiction Read More
Mount Kimbie. An unassuming moniker for the musical heavyweights they are. Since the release of their 2010 home-recorded album Crooks & Lovers on Hotflush recordings, British duo Dominic Maker and Kai Campos have been on a nearly perpetual world tour, spreading the love for their own brand of Post-Dubstep sounds: deep throbbing bass, intricate percussion and delicate melodies. Their music makes you feel like you are lying in a field on a beautiful summer’s day, listening to the clouds drift by. Or in a small boat out on a little lake listening to the waves and the birds and distant whispers of insects and animals. Read More
Isabelle Marant has taken things to the next level with the platform wedge trend. She has crossed it with the sneaker, to create a high-top platform wedge sneaker. Not only will these kicks give you a little height, but they promise comfort and stability as well–at least in comparison to their wobbly high-heeled cousin. But hold onto your wallet before you run to the store and buy a pair, because the price tag for these kicks runs steep. Read More
Richie Hawtin DJing with his array of MIDI controllers and external FX
As a DJ in the digital era, one has three choices.
1) Play vinyl, real vinyl , and nothing else.
2) Play CDs and mix with CDJs.
3) Go digital and mix using computer software and MIDI Controllers.
Though governments have been quietly phasing out the production and purchase of incandescent light bulbs worldwide, it did not occur to me until a recent visit to South America, where hotels, stores, and restaurants are often illuminated by an eerie glow that we are facing a potential crisis of epic proportions. Brazil has been phasing out incandescents since 2005, and Argentina forbids their sale since 2011. In North America, things are rolling along nicely, though it is still at this time both legal and possible to buy incandescent bulbs here.
What could be more clever than inventing your own recipe for microbrewed beer, thinking up a clever name that’s a play on words denoting liberty, sexuality, and immorality, and then opening up specialized microbrewery/pubs at strategic locations in Rio de Janiero by the beach? Read More