Testing my "skills"

July 6/14

It's been SOOOOOO long since I posted an entry on my blog, that I'm not sure I even remember how to DO it! Life passes by so quickly, I gave up writing here exactly ten months ago to pursue other things, but I'm going to try to get back to it and see what happens! For my next trick, I will attempt to "pull a rabbit out of a hat" by putting up a photo! (Drum roll please)!

Photo by Mairlyn Smith

 

Hey, I think I actually DID it! It's a friggin' miracle! - Maybe I'll do some MORE!

 

This past week, my daughter, Kate and I attended a Wednesday matinee performance of Stephen Sondheim's musical, COMPANY at the Berkeley Street Theatre. We had spectacular front row centre seats - (as Drake would say, "Best I've Ever Had"), and the show was more than two hours of gut-wrenching laughter and tears. Thank goodness I tossed a bunch of Kleenex in my bag before leaving home. Afterwards we met up with my old Global Television pal Dina Pugliese, co-host of CITY TV's Breakfast Television and Canada's Got Talent, along with actress/singer Nora McLellan who plays "Sarah" in the show. (Dina's "date", Mairlyn Smith was a delight, and I thank her for offering to take the above shot for us).

 

 



 

Nora's stage partner is the great Brent Carver - one of the country's best musical theatre stars. It's a small role, but he does it so well, as he does everything. Such a stunning voice.

 

Star of the show as Bobby "Baby" is Dan Chameroy who is called upon to do everything imaginable including pratfalls, and of course, belting out the amazing song, - Being Alive.

Gifted performer Louise Pitre (original "Fantine" in the Toronto version of Les Miserables) gives it all she's got in the role of the sarcastic "Joanne", blowing the audience away with her hard-hitting rendition of The Ladies Who Lunch.

Another featured actress in the show is Nia Vardalos (writer/star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding). She is extremely funny in the role of "Jenny".

COMPANY originally opened on Broadway way back in April of 1970, ran for over 700 performances, netting 14 Tony nominations. If you're a Sondheim fan, grab a ticket to the Toronto production which runs only a few more days.

It was so much fun catching up with Dina after many years. She is such a beautiful person, both inside and out. Back in the Global days, she worked in the video library and helped me countless times to find footage of celebrities for my entertainment stories. It was her dream to ditch library duties and become a television reporter or anchor. She changed her image, went for auditions and the next thing I knew, poof! - she'd taken off for bigger and better things at CITY, becoming one of their most popular personalities. I'm proud of her accomplishments.

When I quit my TV job in 2002, (to help take care of my ailing Mum, who passed away in 2010), Dina and Melanie Zettler put together a farewell video featuring the sweetest, funniest comments from all my longtime newsroom friends. It was screened at my goodbye party and I cried all through it. I left Global (after 18 years) shortly before Dina took off. I still have an email she sent shortly after my departure. Here's a portion of what it said, which still touches my heart.

"HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!....I'm going through serious Elaine withdrawal.

If I walk over to look at your vacant desk one more time I'll be
borderline pathetic!

All the wonderful people who came back to your party reinforced the huge loss Global now suffers from losing real talent. I'm aiming for February to find something new....time will tell. Let me know if you seriously hear of anything.....Lord knows I'd absolutely LOVE to work with you in any capacity again"!
luv ya
di
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She's a truly unforgettable lovely lady and deserves all of her success. Keep it up Dina!
Luv ya too.

 





Real life

October 6/12.

Has been kind of a quiet time since the madness of TIFF wrapped up. I've been busy, but not pulling my hair out the way reporters tend to do when covering the festival! The round-the-clock work kinda tired me out after many years away from the business, so have tried to take it a little easier the last couple of weeks.

During TIFF, caught up with an old Global  TV acquaintance of mine, Roz Weston (of ET Canada), at one of the many screenings. He admitted he was so exhausted he was wearing a hoodie that he only sports during screenings so he can pull the hood over his eyes to catch a few zzzzzzzzzzzzs till the movie starts! (Tips from the top)! He's also the KISS morning show host from 5 to 9 a.m. and has a two-year-old daughter. I told him, "You must have no life!" He responded, "You're right. I have no life."

Trying to treat myself to a few nice things. Went back to Urban Nails,

for a new coat of Rosebud shellac! Katie did them for me, and perfectly! After biting my nails my whole life, this manicure thing is new to me and I love it! For some reason, after breast cancer, I suddenly stopped biting and it's sure fun to have nails. I never knew!

On the way home that day, the sky was pretty awesome!

I stopped by a parking lot on The Danforth to leave my car and do some shopping and saw this guy had parked his car sideways across several spaces!  There were plenty of upset would-be shoppers who couldn't get a spot because of him. (When I returned, discovered his car had actually died right on this piece of asphalt and he'd gone off to seek assistance).

Meanwhile, hit up No Frills (where else?) in a new top I bought at The Bay with a gift card I was given by Sam. Fell in love with the rich fall colour.

Later, went to the local florist on Broadview Avenue to get some flowers. There's been some sadness in my family life lately and I felt I needed a colour pick-me-up.  Auntie Ray would have been proud. Speaking of Auntie Ray, her Celebration of Life is coming up next weekend.

My cousin, Kevan (her son) and fam are busy planning things. (this shot was taken only a few months before her passing).

It's sure to be a day of both laughter and tears.

Carrie has been caught up with working out the music plus another special project for the big event. I can't wait to be in a room filled with people, all of whom adored Ray.

Oh, the memories and stories we will all share. I sure miss visiting with her at her beautiful condo.

Everything in the place has gone on to live in other people's homes (including mine), and someone else lives here now.

Meanwhile, my beautiful daughter, Kate has been working hard in the Journalism program at Ryerson, doing well in tests and projects. I'm proud of her. She's an excellent writer. Always has been, even as a little kid. She already writes for blogs and makes money. I often wonder where her talents will take her!

I've continued to try to go out running on the Riverdale track whenever I have the time. Made it to 8 laps one day (just shy of two miles). Still hoping to beat that record soon. The Beatles keep me going on my iPhone. Note to self: A Hard Day's Night is GREAT to run to. Eleanor Rigby is NOT.

One day, on the way to a doctor's appointment, I went walking through Forest Hill to see the mansions. This garden was particularly lush and pretty. The house next door was for sale. Wonder how much??

After that ritzy walk, headed back to my own neighbourhood, The Danforth, for some sweet deals!

I parked in a lot behind the Broadview subway station (great Green P prices), and saw this familiar sight! A Global remote van. Checked, as I always do, to see if the cameraman was anyone I knew from the good old days, and lo and behold, it was!

It's been ten years since I departed the station, but Gord Edick is still supervising cameraman. He's not only great at his job, but one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. 

He was covering a story about the TTC outsourcing maintenance. He introduced me to his reporter,

and I was surprised to find out it was Mark Carcasole, whose voice I knew from NewsTalk 1010! He told me he's only been at Global for about six weeks and is just loving it. Have to say I envied him and remember very clearly what it was like to start working there! I told him there wouldn't be many people left (at Global), who knew me, since there have been so many changes. He thought I meant at CFRB and he said, "Well Dave Agar and Evelyn Macko would remember you." Had to laugh. Yes, they would.

Gord's assistant on the remote was his young son, Todd. I met him and his younger brother Cole years ago when they were wee little guys at the Santa Claus Parade! Now Todd is a man in the working world. He told me he had been in the radio/TV program at Ryerson but left to take this job.

Gord stuck me in front of the camera so the folks back in the control room could see me for fun. Made me miss the job. I was there for 18 years!

Thanks Gord. Keep up the excellent work. And Mark, good luck and all the best to you at Global!

The rest of the week was made up of running hither and thither, shopping for groceries and cat litter, (not to mention cleaning up after our aging kitty who seems to forget where the litter box is),

and picking up a few things for Thanksgiving. Can't see making a big fancy dinner this year.

The family has been busy watching out over my Mum-in-law, Jean, (here with my Dad-in-law, Ben, and my son, Max a few months back). 

She's in hospital and the whole family is helping out with her care. 

I stopped to buy her a pretty card at the gorgeous gift shop. I've been to many hospital gift stores and this one is my favourite. Whoever their buyer is, makes some beautiful selections. I used to visit this shop a lot when my Mum was in Sunnybrook. It brings back many heartfelt memories to see it.

I've been trying hard to remain upbeat, but it's tough when someone you love isn't able to be at home. At the same time, we're also planning (finally) to scatter our Mum's ashes, two years after her death. We just couldn't make up our minds what we wanted to do with them, but Carrie and I have decided to scatter them in the rose garden at Mount Pleasant Cemetary in just a few weeks. She loved gardens and roses and this will give us a place to go if we want to sit and remember her. (even though we can do that ANYWHERE!)

Ended the week with another hospital visit - this time for me, at Princess Margaret. I get regular checkups there, seeing everyone from the medical oncologist, to radiation oncologist, to MRI technicians, even to a shrink. (as I've said before, no candy coating - cancer also fucks with the mind, big time). I've become pals with one security guard here who always offers to take my picture out front! He's cool, but prefers to remain anonymous.

Hey, and since starting this blog entry, (which was getting caught up from way back on September 21st!) - it's time for another touch-up! I keep the Urban Nails gang in business! Cheers everyone!

Going "home" again

August 17/12.

The highlight of the week was taking a road trip with my sister, Carrie, to our old childhood stompin' grounds in Lindsay, Ontario. Carrie drove the two of us there from Toronto, while cousin Kevan vacated a family party in Bala to meet us there on his own.

We passed the good old Lindsay water tower on the way, (an object that somehow has the ability to make me both laugh AND cry, depending on whether I'm coming or going from town)!

Got stuck behind a couple of horse's asses on the way there, (and I don't mean victims of road rage, but the real deal!)

And we saw something really unusual at a gas station - an actual phone booth!

The reason for the trip was to see our beloved Aunt Leslie, who was about to turn 96 the next day! She lives in a seniors residence in town, but it's been years since we've had the chance to visit. We were very surprised to see her walk out to the parking lot to greet us!

How many 96-year-olds could do that?? She looks just beautiful, still has a trim figure, lovely hair, wears nice makeup, dresses well

and maintains that wicked sense of humour!

We brought her lilies and photos to look at, while she provided delicious shortbread cookies,

cold French white wine and cranberry juice,

 and gave us a great walking tour of her spacious apartment!

Very pretty!

Before the visit with Leslie, we went to Pleasant Point Road to see some of our favourite old sites including the Pleasant Point Union Church,

where our grandfather used to play the hymns on the piano every Sunday morning.

That beautiful glimpse of Lake Sturgeon in the distance,

and finally, the familiar old boathouse and dock where we used to hang out every summer.

New owners have been there for years, but we were allowed the fun of getting reacquainted with the place!

Such a familiar curve of boathouses lining the lake. This is where we learned to swim!

Auntie Leslie paid us each a quarter if we would swim from one side of the dock to the other and back. And we DID it! (Money talks)!

It was great fun when Kevio joined us. Being on this dock together again brought back so many funny old thoughts and laughs. We worked on our tans down here, used the diving board to do cannonballs, (and the occasional lousy dive), and once, as a kid, I jumped in with my glasses on. They sunk to the bottom of the lake, but our cousin, Ellie dived in and under, spotted the specs and brought them back up to the surface.

43 years after her death, (of lymphoma at the age of 19), her initials, E.C. (Ellie Carter) are still visible in the cement dock. The spirit of the beautiful Ellie, (Aunt Leslie's daughter) remains at Pleasant Point always.

Just a few metres below the initials, we also spotted the old Pirate's Cove, a hidden, cave-like area where we used to play and pretend we were pirates!

The whole point area is just so darn nice,

Kevan didn't even want to leave!

But no visit would be complete without a look at Burridge's Century House, (or what's left of it). This is what our grandparents' antique shop/home looked like in its heyday. Stunning! We had so many great times here, especially at Christmas every year.

But then, years after Mabel and Arthur Burridge passed away, the place, tragically, burned down.

This is all that remains of Century House now. A tiny portion of the house. The rest went down in flames.

We didn't DARE get to close to the house, due to this scary sign!!

But no fire can EVER take away our super-powered memories of Century House. They will live on in our hearts forever. For Carrie and I as kids, Kev was a HUGE part of our fun here. Strangely, the same is true today. Where EVER you are with Kevio, is fun!

Before leaving the point, we caught up with four old friends - The Nurses. (left to right, Bill, Mary, Mae and Anne). They were our neighbours at Pleasant Point for years and they still have cottages there. It was SO great to see them again!

See ya in my dreams Century House!

Later in the week, I started a new short-term job! I'm working at the Toronto International Film Festival, screening TIFF films and later, doing interviews with some of the visiting celebs for Tribute Entertainment. It's been ten years since I've covered any part of TIFF. (At Global TV, I covered it for 18 years)! Sure feels weird to be doing it again.

It's all thanks to my old pal Bonnie Laufer Krebs, Executive Producer at Tribute. She was our Entertainment Producer for years at Global and she asked if I'd help her out this year, along with Ola Sturik, another former Globalite. Above, we attended a screening of A Liar's Autobiography - The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman

at the Manulife Centre.

Thursday, went back to Urban Nails to get a manicure/shellac. (gotta look professional to go back to work!) More screenings next week!