Festival fever!

September 14/12.

I spent the past four and a half weeks covering the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for Tribute Entertainment.

The job involved attending screenings, taking notes, reading press kits, writing questions and interviewing actors, actresses, screenwriters and directors - and getting very little sleep. It's the first time I've covered the fest in a decade (although I did it for 18 years at Global TV).

My old friend, Bonnie Laufer Krebs (former producer at Global TV) is now producer of Star Interviews at Tribute.ca and was convinced I could do the job and be part of the Tribute team

at the InterContinental Hotel (TIFF headquarters for media) on Front Street West. Thanks for the chance and the vote of confidence Bon!

In prep for the gig, I drove around the Yorkville area, scouting out Green P parking lots so I'd know where to leave the car during Manulife Bay/Bloor screenings,

visited the InterContinental to get my bearings,

and talked to the poor doorman who tried his best to explain to me how to get into the non-valet underground hotel lot, as I am directionally-challenged.

Also trekked to the Hyatt Regency to pick up my media pass and an official TIFF bag which contained packets of info, a bottle of Coca Cola, a bag of microwave popcorn and a couple of condoms. (guess ya just never know when you might need those necessities in a screening room).

By the time all the scouting was done, it was time for Max's first day of grade 12 and off he went. I didn't even have time to make his lunch!

(Meanwhile, Kate started her first day in Journalism at Ryerson, but I couldn't get a pic of her).

While they were at school, I was trying to get stuff done before the start of the Festival - a bit of last minute grocery shopping,

checking in with The Biebs again while stocking up at Shoppers Drug Mart - (where he still likes to hang out),

and working at the kitchen table,

which quickly became my makeshift TIFF desk! Press notes covered practically every OTHER table top and floor in the house as well. What a mess.

I spent hours in the dark at the Varsity Theatre, (never DID make use of the Coke, popcorn or condoms),

noticed a lot of film displays at the hotel,

found the ET Canada floor just off the main lobby - (the public washroom just behind the big black camera board had the most space and best lighting for makeup),

visited with camera folks and journalists looking for celebrity action out front,

and studied my notes behind closed doors at the Tribute suite, where there was a steady stream of interview guests in and out all day, every day (thanks to Bonnie's expert booking skills).

My personal fave guests were the directors of the animated flick A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman. Left to right, they are: Bill Jones (son of Monty Python star Terry Jones), Jeff Simpson, and Ben Timlett. They all brought pipes in tribute to the late Graham Chapman who was well known for his pipe smoking. I'm holding their Sigmund Freud doll. Freud plays a role in the film. And best of all, the movie is narrated by the late Graham Chapman himself from audio recorded back in 1986, three years before his death.

I also got the chance to interview Terry Jones who provides a particularly funny voice in the film...(NOT Freud!)

Also got the chance to talk with Dennis Quaid, who has a very challenging role in the upcoming theatrical drama At Any Price. Zac Efron plays his son, Dean. Quaid spoke to me about his role in the new TV western drama Vegas. He portrays badass Sheriff Ralph Lamb opposite Michael Chiklis as Chicago mob boss Vincent Savino. The show is set in the 1960s. Quaid says he hasn't appeared in a television series since my old fave crime drama Baretta with Robert Blake back in 1977. Vegas debuts September 25th on CBS/Global at 10 p.m.

Another of my interviews included horror filmmaker Rob Zombie, director of The Lords of Salem, which stars his beautiful wife, Sheri Moon Zombie. They were great together, and as a lifelong horror fanatic, it was wild to meet them!

It was fun to chat with CCH Pounder "Carolyn Maddox" of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Tatyana Ali ("Tyana Jones": Love That Girl! and "Ashley Banks": The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). They both star in the new Sudz Sutherland drama Home Again.

In between screenings, interviews and prep work, I was caught up in the midst of Toronto cinema mania. Everywhere I went, crowds of people

clicking away, tweeting,

 and star seeking.

I couldn't hang around looking for celebs though. I was too busy waiting in Press & Industry screening lineups at the Scotiabank Theatre,

and trying to keep my eyes closed during that long, scary, dizzying escalator ride down to the ground floor!

The best times for me? - Reuniting and working again with my old Global team - Bonnie and Ola Sturik (who filled in for me years ago at Global during my maternity leaves!) Nicer women you could never meet! Watching them do their stuff was eye-opening. Our cameraman, Colin Grant, told me, "Bonnie's my girl!" He travels the world shooting everything you can imagine, but says he CAN'T miss TIFF because he HAS to work with Bonnie every year! I practically begged him to appear in a photo, but he's shy and said no, however, in the end, at the last second, he reluctantly agreed to pose with the Tribute team, as you'll see below.

Tribute TIFF team in our camera studio suite.
Back row (left to right): Aaron Marcovitch (editor), Colin Grant (shy cameraman extraordinaire), Devin Garabedian, Ola Sturik.
Front row (left to right): Riya Bawa, me, Sheena Kamal.
Sadly missing in action in this shot are Bonnie Laufer Krebs, Shelby Bronstine, Ali Malik, Morgan Bates, Alexandra Heilbron, Marni Standen and photog Joanne Chu-Fook who snapped this pic!) Thanks everybody!

Tribute team photos by Joanne Chu-Fook of JCF Photography.

When all my interviews were finally over, I headed for my favourite Danforth restaurant, The Friendly Greek for the first beer I've had in a couple of years! (a Carlsberg!) -

served by the best waiter, Kotsaftis "Bill" Vasilis. (He asked me to put his pic in the blog since he's on his way home to Greece for a month-long vacation and wants his family to see him at work)! Have a blast in Athens!

Since my son, Max and his girlfriend, Robyn, were out seeing KISS at the Molson Amphitheatre (in full makeup!) and Sam was out at a business dinner,

I took Kate out for Greek food and a cranberry cooler to celebrate surviving TIFF - and toasting her first radio interview for her Journalism course. It was fun and felt GREAT to relax after four kinda stressful weeks. Cheers!

September Daze

September 1/12

It's alarming how tough it is to write a blog when you have a job! I've been screening TIFF films for Tribute Entertainment in advance of the festival, opening September 6th. Between the movies and real life, (I seem to be stuck in REEL life), just haven't had time or energy to post entries.

Went out at 8:15 this morning to run and try to relieve stress. Hit my record of six laps again (just shy of 1.5 miles).

When I first started this blog back in February of 2011 at the time of my breast cancer diagnosis, I vowed to "tell it like it is, with no candy coating". That's how it played out for a long while, but lately, I haven't been writing that way. I think I've been covering up the truth because I don't like admitting how I really feel.

The above pic was taken in June of 2011, just six weeks after my cancer surgery. It's in front of Hugh's Room for a Marc Jordan concert.

Posing with singer/songwriter Marc Jordan

I was feeling great, my "Intensity Entity" level was off the charts. Energy was up up up and the feeling of well-being was fab! It lasted for months. But I guess what goes up, must come down. A revving engine can't rev forever! At some point, the super-charged excitement (which I chalked up to renewed vitality due to a second chance at life), came crashing down and morphed into a form of severe anxiety and sudden fear. It resulted in weight loss (at one point, down to 90 pounds), heart palpitations and over the top unease. I try to manage it, but nothing seems to control it. Not running, not a shrink, not drugs.

I decided to accept a short-term job with Tribute, helping to cover the Festival, thinking work might help, but I've only succeeded in making things worse. Though I try to hide it with makeup, humour and an easy-going attitude, it's all a sham. Can't explain it. Only know the deaths I've faced over the past year and a half or so haven't helped. I feel lost, filled with fear and unable to cope. So there it is. Back to no candy coating.

What have I been doing? Travelling to screenings, sometimes by TTC, mostly by car,

looking after a big house, grocery shopping, keeping kids (Max and Kate) fed, visiting people,

looking after the many growing needs of our elderly cat Tru (a Devon Rex),

keeping up with the garbage and recycling patrol, (constantly having to jump inside the bin to compact all the cartons and cans),

more stress-reducing running on the track whenever I get the chance,

spending hours at The Varsity Theatre inside the Manulife Centre,

getting there early to sign in,

talk to publicists, chat with other journalists and think about the interviews I'll be doing all throughout the 10-day festival. (The last Toronto International Film Festival I covered was a decade ago. A lot has changed. The reporters I meet seem to be speaking a whole different language, so my former nerves of steel are all bent out of shape),

killing time between screenings by visiting Indigo,

checking out the latest displays, like this tribute to Marilyn Monroe,

watching various rallies and/or protests in the Bay & Bloor area,

heading to the TIFF Bell Lightbox Theatre for more screenings,

and cleaning out my clothing closet, trying to find something - (anything),

that looks professional enough to go to work in!

And of course, going back to work also involves "upkeep"! Made another trek to hair master extraordinaire Paul Taylor at I 'N I salon. When I arrived, he had fingers crossed that he could pull off his magic again!

As my Dad always says, "It's ALL maintenance!" - Hey, it takes guts to show a picture like this. Colour, foil highlights, lowlights, colour, you name it! Above is about what I would have looked like had I needed chemo and lost all my hair. (now you know why I wear bangs! Gag me!) And in MORE infamous words, (to quote Paul), when it comes to me and my hair, "It's all about the fringe"! You better believe it!

In the end, we were BOTH happy with the results!

Ta da!

To be crude, Paul can't COUNT the number of times he's been told by clients that he does a great blowjob!

(he's much more genteel-like and prefers to say, "It's all in the blow-out!") Thanks Paul! See you again on September 20th and we'll do it all again. It's a date! ha ha!

Next, off to Urban Nails to get a shellac manicure. Trying to hold it together here. (if only I could shellac my nerves, I'd be all set!)

I've been back numerous times to the TIFF Lightbox - LOVE the red sky-high upstairs office on the way into the theatres. Would really like to see what's inside sometime!

They have some great, light-filled areas to explore - like this bar,

with terrific views of the many restaurants

on King Street West. (so far, the only one I've had time to frequent was Tim Horton's!)

Although I DID have time for a short tea break at the TIFF cafe the other day with my old pal, Ola Sturik! SO good to see her. Ola used to fill in for me in the entertainment department during my maternity leaves at Global TV, so we've known each other 20 years, but this was the first time I've seen her in as long as I can remember. I asked a million questions and she gave me a crash course on interviewing celebs to calm my anxieties after a decade out of the TV biz! She's a sweetheart and as lovely as ever. I can't believe the way the business has evolved since I left.

As much as I WANT to do a good job at the Festival (starting Thursday), my confidence is out the window and my fear of the unknown has kicked in just as much as it used to back on the first day of school. I always cried my eyes out as a kid and even as a teen, every Labour Day night because I was so petrified. My poor Mum had to deal with it. When I'd get up in the morning I would tell her, "It SMELLS nervous outside." Now, without her, I've been relying on some good friends to hold me together. You know who you are! Thank you for the advice, kindness, encouragement, love and laughs.