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!

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!