HORSING AROUND: The 8th Annual Black & White Polo Ball, a fund raiser for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario, took place at SkyDome last week, raising in excess of $100,000 for a darn good cause. The evening included two live polo matches, dinner and dancing under the stars. Actually, under a really big roof, since the evening was deemed too cold to leave the lid open. Lounging in the outfield were [025-001, l-r] jetsetter Natalie Kovacs and photographer Michael Parker. Coming out to support the cause and check out the real game was [025-002, l-r] mountain bike polo team, the Algonquin Rangers. Other faces in the crowd were [025-003, l-r] committee member Karen Richmond with P.P.P. (professional polo player) F. D. Walton and the chairman (not “chairperson,” she insists) for Polo for Heart, Vanna Bitove. Found among the polo players was [025-004, l-r] retired hockey star Larry Robinson (a seven-year polo veteran) getting a grab from singer Holly Cole, who sang the national anthem and counts Larry as one of her heroes. A section of never-before published images follow.
LITERARY BITE: Penguin Books held a reception to honour the publication of The Night Inside, the “vampire thriller” debut novel by author Nancy Baker. Described as an erotic, passionate and mysterious tale set on our own fair city’s Queen St. W., it was only fitting that the party be held at that bastion of attitude (& hair & leather) The Bovine Sex Club. Hanging out in the crowd were [025-021, l-r] self described “Dbzz-poet-at-large” Clifton Joseph and writer Tess Fragoulis. Scooping up the free libations were [025-023, l-r] the producer of Prisoners of Gravity Mark Askwith and his wife, editor Catherine Marjoribanks. Showing up and adding a little family support was [025-022, l-r] the author’s sister-in-law Christine Shalchorn with Baker, who was clutching a copy of her “dream made real.” Flip through the outtakes for a trip down memory lane.
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL CIRCUS: Local band Twilight Rituals had a CD release party at Lee’s last week for their debut on digital, Nazca Runway. At the centre of the swirling, swinging show was [025-028, l-r] the band itself, Howie Beck, Thomas Payne, Grant (“Just Grant”) and Dennis Mohammed. Getting down in the aisles were [025-029, l-r] back-up singers Dawn Cumberbatch and Andrea Viola. Among the art part were [025-028, centre] artist / anthropologist Jody Spearing, and two of his subjects, [025-029, centre] Thea and Nathaniel Stroud, Thea being the coordinator for the evening’s art. Never published previously outtakes follow.
HANDOUT HANDSHAKE: The 1993 Chalmers Awards, honouring artists in dance, music, theatre, crafts and visual arts were given out this week at the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre on Front. The awards, now in their 20th year, are handed out annually, and are notable for the cash endowment – usually in the neighbourhood of $20,000 – attached to winning. Among those celebrating in the courtyard afterwards were [025-046, l-r] winner of the National Music Award Lawrence Cherney, choreographer Danny Grossman and Grant Strate, winner for Creativity in Dance. Also raising a glass to good fortune was [025-047, l-r] theatrical designer Julia Tribe, seen her with her husband, playwright Michael Miller, who took home the award for Best New Play for a Young Adult Audience for his work Birds of a Feather. Never before published games follow.
Steven Lungley(https://eyespytoronto.com)