MURALS IN FRAMES: Murad, the mural advertising people behind those building-sized ads seen around town, put together a photographic retrospective of their first five years at the Senator Restaurant. An intimate little soiree attended by the company’s close friends and associates saw the walls of the restaurant decked out with large color photos of the campaigns over the years – impressive indeed. DJ “Sir Spinner Fine Vinyl” kept away cool groove happening in the background as we took in the work. Seen were [006-001, L-R] Barry “I Control The Money” Alper, business manager; Gary McNally, snowboard shredhead and original partner in the firm; Michael Chezney, founder and still the boss, and Mary Margaret O’Hara, musician.
Outtakes [006-002 to 006-011] in the carousel.
SNEAKING A SMOKE AT THE SNEAKS: Deviant journalists “J & R” [006-012] take a break from the Alliance Releasing Post-Holiday Blues-Brunch, a chance for the company to trot out the promos for their upcoming “product” (their word). The assembled scribes chow down and drink up to their appetites’ content, butt not all cravings are fulfilled – man cannot live by cinema alone. So – just like high school – it’s back to the can.
One of the Alliance Releasing staff [006-014] poses withe the 3-D poster they made. If anyone knows their name, send it my way.
ART MOB FLOODS AGO REOPENING WITH BOOZE AND SCHMOOZE: The reopened, redesigned Art Gallery of Ontario threw open its doors for a party on Thursday, and oy!, did the masses ever turn out. Complete chaos. Dumbest bureaucratic statement of the evening – closing the bar at 11 p.m. Why? “There are too many drunk people.” Gee, sorry, and here we thought it was a party. Well, beyond that, some of us managed to have a good time, including [006-015] internationally acclaimed artist Michael Snow and guest programmer Amy Hersenhoren. Gathered around some weird cake decoration are [006-016] artist/musician Kurt Swinghammer, artist Su Rynard and – you guessed it – artist Kit McAllister.
NON-REBELS SPEAK OF REBELLION: The Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto, a group that helps women in the criminal justice system, held a fundraiser at Hart House Theatre with an evening of storytelling. The women who told their tales of rebellion, [006-055, L -R] fashion mogul Marci Lipman, lawyer Marilou McPhedran, performer Salome Bey and storyteller (and host) Helen Porter, agreed on only one thing: no one considered herself a rebel. Public opinion managed to sway those thought patterns a bit.
OPERA DOUBLE-HEADER: The Canadian Opera Company opened a production of the operas “Bluebeard’s Castle” and “Erwartung” last week. The evening was très chic – and black tie requested. What? I don’t even own a tie. Maybe that’s why I got questioned everywhere I went. Enjoying the reception afterwards were [006-057] Robin Payne, producer of the upcoming Brady Bunch Live and Robert Lepage, the artistic director behind both brilliantly staged pieces.
Never before published (006-058 to 006-060]. Send me the names if you have them.
Steven Lungley(https://eyespytoronto.com)