Michelle My Belle

Pride and Prejudice and Death

2012-02-03T12:12:00.001-05:00

My reading list seems to be growing faster than I did after I gave up my 2012 resolution to stop eating carbs. Have you heard of the New York Times Bestseller Death Comes to Pemberley? No, there are no zombies in it, but the usual lot from Pride and Prejudice are there. Maybe it's because I just finished The Marriage Plot, where Eugenides extolls the love of Jane Austen, but I really want to read this. In any case, it's scribbled down in my agenda.

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

2012-01-30T11:35:00.000-05:00

The Globe and Mail posted a review of Jeanette Winterson 's new book, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? I've been a fan of Winterson since first reading Written on the Body, and have gone on to relish in her magic realism. This memoir of hers details her abusive childhood and the strain it takes on her as an adult. I didn't know prior to this review that Winterson attemped suicide in 2008, which lends a dark context to this book.

Winterson has been criticized in the past for claiming that she is the next Virginia Woolf, but I think she is forging a unique path that has some parallel themes. Her use and deliberate exclusion of gender in her writing is direct and impactful. I can't wait to read this next installment.

2011-10-13T14:12:00.000-04:00

We'll miss you forever, Matt. You were always a member of the Melski family, dishing out insults and eating chicken wings with the best of us.

Caffeine Reading

2011-09-29T12:17:00.000-04:00

Margaret Atwood has a blend of coffee out now. Is it sad that I don't think I can resist buying some?

A-Bay Girls

2011-09-09T11:02:00.002-04:00

I recently went to my friend Kaitlyn's cotage in Alexandria Bay, New York. It's always a good time there and always very American. We visited the bar Top of the Bay a few times, and have apparently become the new A-Bay girls. Watch the video to see us dance, me jump around way too much, oh, and to see the band too.

At Top of The Bay - It's All Right Now ! from Johnny Truesdell on Vimeo.

US Poet Laureate: Philip Levine

2011-08-12T10:47:00.000-04:00

Philip Levine has been chosen the 2011 poet laureate in our bordering country. Since I'm a sucker for American fiction, I thought I would go over the working class imagery that has won him this esteem at the age of 83. One of my favourite poems so far is "The Simple Truth," which starts with the line "I bought a dollar and a half's worth of small red potatoes." It's like he is me. No, but seriuosly, the poem is beautiful.

"Some things

you know all your life. They are so simple and true

they must be said without elegance, meter and rhyme,

they must be laid on the table beside the salt shaker,

the glass of water, the absence of light gathering

in the shadows of picture frames."

Summer Reading List

2011-07-22T13:20:00.001-04:00

Nothing makes me sweet for summer like a list of books. My favourite thing to do is blend up a smoothie or an iced coffee, sit in the sun (usually move to the shade shortly thereafter), and make my way through a summer read. Since this is my first summer with a full-time job I've been reading a lot slower than usual, but it is wonderful nonetheless.

I'm currently on the last bit of "The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton. What a beautiful novel. I read it every night before bed and get caught in the walls of the title's garden maze in my heat-induced dreams. It is filled with a secret that spans generations of women in one family. Much like the garden maze in the novel, you know pretty well what lies at the end of the maze of secrets, but the windy road it takes to get there is lovely.

My list is all fiction this year. I was contemplating going through the major works of the Frankfurt School, but I think it is best to save that for a time when I can give it more attention. So summer, I now state my intentions for you:

"An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dreiser
"The Adventure of Augie March" by Saul Bellow
"The Waves" by Virginia Woolf
"An Object of Beauty" by Steve Martin

Congrats Amanda and Jeff!

2011-07-18T10:08:00.001-04:00

My cousin Amanada got married this weekend. It was a beautiful wedding and a great party. My family is rarely all in the same place at the same time, let alone while dressed up, so we used this joyous occassion as a photo-op. The most special picture is, of course, the one with my Grandma and (almost) all her grandchildren.

Tattlyzing

2011-07-13T13:06:00.001-04:00

Through my camp councilor days years ago, I have grown an affinity for temporary tattoos. I'm not one for pain or permanency, so these rub-ons really rub me the right way. This has meant that I've had many hearts, flowers and pirate skulls adorning my body over the years. It was pretty lame.

Tattly is a new online shop where you can buy some design-inspired temporary tattoos. (This means I can enjoy my temporary body art and not look twelve years old).I found out about the site through the blog of Marc Johns. I've been obssessed with his work for a while now, and his rabbit smoking a pipe made it as one of the tattoos. Then next step for me, I guess, is to get a credit card so I can make these a reality.

Harbourfront's "Six in the City"

2011-07-05T10:52:00.001-04:00

We came in bunches or pairs. At the edge of the city it was almost an escape, the lull of the water behind us holding us in. Projected onto the screen in front is summer itself, a free taste of relaxation in the open air. It didn't matter what was up there, our youth found beauty in the details. The breeze hitting our bags of cold popcorn, the sunnied freckles of our friends, our partners. The next morning could wait.

Let us try it again.

Steve Pyke's Philosophers

2011-06-30T15:22:00.000-04:00

Richard Rorty: “Just as poetry in English is a conversation between Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, Yeats, and the rest, so philosophy in the West is a conversation between Parmenides, Plato, Augustine, Hume, Hegel, Heidegger, Wittgenstein, and the rest. To be a philosopher in our part of the world is to get in on that conversation.”

It is apt what John Gray says: "other animals do not neeed a purpose in life. A contradiction to itself, the human animal cannot do without one. Can we not think of the aim of life as being simply to see?"

Steve Pyke has been seeing and photographing philosphers since 1991, adding up to over two hundred portraits. I love the privileged look we get, when usually philosphers are thought of without a face, just as ideas. The series presents each person with a quotation about why they became a philosopher. When I read some of these I felt a connection to these people, they were relatable.

Love Letters

2011-06-21T17:08:00.000-04:00

This is one of the most beautiful love letters I've ever read. Young love is the best kind. Also, young photography. Check out We Live Young to feel your heart melt a little.

Scared Rotten

2011-05-16T21:59:00.000-04:00

I think this is the scariest picture of myself I've ever seen. And I once had braces. I also had a love of blue slushies whilst wearing those braces. That is why these Easter pictures are just coming to the surface now. The little ones in my family tried to match my egg colouring and face making skills, but like my height compared to my now fourteen-year old brother, they fell short.

First Year Fever

2011-05-16T21:49:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday once again to two very special people. Kristen, Tim and I made these bundles of butter and sugar to make you smile. Also to try to make Kaitlyn cry.

More Than This Provincial Life

2011-05-10T09:16:00.001-04:00

Thank you to The Selby for reminding me of my Beauty and the Beast dreams.

Devil May Dance

2011-05-10T09:12:00.000-04:00

I fell in love with this song when I watched the most recent episode of United States of Tara twice in one day. It's nice to remember the magic of music. Sometimes it can get you out of your head, even if just for a few minutes. Maybe that's why my morning routine has now become this song on repeat.

Happy Friday!

2011-04-15T09:04:00.001-04:00

Can't wait for the weekend to start. Happy Birthday Kavi and Jess! There are just too many celebrations in one weekend...which seat at which party will I take?

A Video is Worth a Thousand Lies

2011-04-01T11:06:00.000-04:00

It has taken me the entire week to read this, fitting in a paragraph or two between paperwork, but it was well worth the effort. This New York Times article on the infamous Rodrigo Rosenberg case read like mystery novel, with the added suspense of it actually being true.

Rosenberg became famous posthumously, with a video claiming that President Colom of Guatemala and his wife had murdered him. What follows is a series of Inception-like stories within stories within deceptions of reality within a grim reality of criminal life in Guatemala. It's all very meta.

Privileged Troubles

2011-03-25T09:22:00.000-04:00

I was asked recently if I'm a writer. Obviously that catapulted me into another existential crisis. I know I cannot say that I'm a writer, I'm not really anything that ends in 'er.' Somehow I've managed to accrue the artsiest group of friends possible, full of painters and sketchers, florists and musicians, yet I still spend my time working and reading. I can format a financial statement, brew a strong pot of coffee and answer a phone with rad professionalism, but how much does that really add up to?

I guess what this leads up to - because every great crisis should have some sort of solution, right? - is that I need to spend some time actually figuring out what I want for my life. Not just telling my parents that that's what I'm doing here in Toronto.

Later days.

RIP Mel Gussow

2011-03-24T16:45:00.001-04:00

The man who wrote Elizabeth Taylor's obit died six years ago. I love the magazine industry. They say it's a dying business, but I didn't realize the extent of it.

Prostitution Island

2011-03-22T16:54:00.001-04:00

Having read a lot of depressing and scary articles today in the Globe and Mail, I came across this gem of an article. Entitled "Mammoliti Wants Prostitution on the Island, Away from the City," it pretty much is just that - he wants a red light district on the Toronto Island. Not to be confused with a certain other Mammoliti, this one is the recreation chair in Toronto. Can you imagine going to the island in the summer for a picnic of cheese, crackers, and a little something-something on the side? Me either.

Sibling Rivalry

2011-03-22T15:54:00.000-04:00

My old roommate Jason gave me his copy of Jane Eyre as we were moving out almost a year ago and I've still yet to read it. The Bronte sisters seem to be these figures that I love simply based on their biography. Collaborative writing and breaking of gender stereotypes really get me. The movie is being heavily promoted right now - I have my Jane Eyre book mark from Indigo to prove it - which makes me nervous that I've yet to get around to reading it.

The blogging world has informed me of a Wuthering Heights movie coming out soon, which is the only Bronte novel I've ever read. My siblings and I can be competitive with each other (because we're all that awesome), but never to the point of publishing Canonical books in the same year, yet...

The painting above is done by the Bronte brother, and is rightly titled "Sibling Rivalry."

Literary Power Couples

2011-03-07T09:41:00.004-05:00

First on my to-do list is to write something myself, and then maybe I can make this list someday. The ultimate celebrity couples, the literary couples, are just that much cooler than the rest of us. The list includes Allen Ginsberg & Peter Orlovsky, Anaïs Nin & Henry Miller, and Zadie Smith & Nick Laird.

The Fox

2011-03-02T14:11:00.001-05:00

Despite my protests against virtual books, and my love of my second-hand book collection, I have begun reading books online. While I still cramp books into any size bag to keep with me at all times, I also spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen and need to inject a little prose into my life every now and then.

I just finished D.H. Lawrence's The Fox. To keep my place I wrote down the last line I read.The quotations sound quite pretty together and pretty much summarize the plot:

"Meanwhile he was talking softly and smoothly to Banford, who loved nothing so much as gossip"
"Yes, thank God. And when he's gone he'll never come to this house again."
"The boy outside could hear the stifled sounds of the woman's sobbing."
"'Oh, I don't think so,' said March, straightening herself and wiping her arm over her hot brow."
"Something was missing. Instead of her soul swaying with life, it seemed to drop, to bleed, as if it were wounded"

Next, I'm moving on to H.G. Wells' The Time Machine. It's the first work considered science fiction (and apparently I like authors who have two initials in their names).

Community

2011-02-21T15:19:00.000-05:00

There's a Gap across from my office, and every day seeing Troy's face up in the window makes me smile. Troy and Abed in the moooorning.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T09:18:00.000-05:00

I baked for 6 hours to prepare for today, so in celebration of the best kind of love, literary love, here are some quotations from some of my favourite authors. Read more here. Enjoy!

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” D.H. Lawrence

"Time that withers you will wither me. We will fall like ripe fruit and roll down the grass together. Dear friend, let me lie beside you watching the clouds until the earth covers us and we are gone." Jeannette Winterson, Written on the Body

"The only obsession everyone wants: 'love.' People think that in falling in love they make themselves whole? The Platonic union of souls? I think otherwise. I think you're whole before you begin. And the love fractures you. You're whole, and then you're cracked open. " Philip Roth, The Dying Animal.

"For love...has two faces; one white, the other black; two bodies; one smooth, the other hairy. It has two hands, two feet, two tails, two, indeed, of every member and each one is the exact opposite of the other. Yet, so strictly are they joined together that you cannot separate them." Virginia Woolf.

BHLDN

2011-02-10T14:43:00.000-05:00

After a quick weekend at my friend Siobhan's cottage last weekend, I got to thinking about weddings (we played the imaginary bridesmaid game). I have always been fond of the idea of vintage bridesmaid dresses, but the dresses at BHLDN make me want a vintage feel for the bride too. If anything, it is just nice to look at pretty dresses, no matter what occasion they might be for.

Post Grad

2011-02-08T09:28:00.000-05:00

I've started a new job, one that I never thought I would have. I have vivid memories of watching movies set in the 1950s as a girl, looking at the receptionists in their pencil skirts and curled hair, thinking "I never want to be like them." To be fair, I wasn't one of those prodigy feminists - I wanted to be more like the housewives - I just didn't like the feeling of the women dressing up to work under men.

For the past few weeks I've been working as a receptionist at a boutique accounting firm in Yorkville. If you add the Yorkville-enforced dress code with the fact that I'm actually doing math at a job after my degree in Arts and Contemporary Studies, it comes to a surprisingly exciting endeavor. The people are great, and I'm so busy that the days really do go by quickly.

What I miss, though, are the days when I only have a few hours of class and I can go to a coffee shop early, spend my time reading before I have leisurely coffee dates with friends. But I get free coffee here. So there.

I Don't Need a Parachute

2011-01-17T21:18:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow marks my first day into the world of nine to five work. I've been hired as a receptionist and have spent the evening trying to create business outfits out of my floral wardrobe. Accompanying me on this romantic comedy segue is a lovely song called 'Parachute.' It was a hit for Cheryl Cole - who I've been secretly obsessed with lately - and has now been released by an all-time favourite of mine, Ingrid Michaelson. I learned this evening that it was written by Michaelson, but she thought it was too mainstream to originally record herself. I'm not sure which version I like more. Well, that's a bit of a lie, I'll always like an Ingrid Michaelson version of a song better, but Cheryl Cole's video is pretty epic.

You Again...

2011-01-14T01:33:00.002-05:00

Considering my mammoth blogging hiatus - yes, I just used the word mammoth - I figure an update may be needed. Since you heard from me last...

1. I've graduated university. My thesis class nearly did me in, but ended up being extremely rewarding, even if it didn't teach me to stop using superfluous words like 'extremely.'

2. I went out a lot. I let loose my library shackles and headed straight to the nearest bar. And then to the few bars in Woodstock.

3. I rang in 2011 at Baby Hueys. Although, no one really rang it in there because we forgot to do a countdown. My only indication that the year had changed was first a sea of people kissing, and then an empty room when the party went on the biggest smoke break ever.

4. I stopped going out as much when I realized that I'm unemployed and turned to the job hunting world. Not as cool as trend hunting, or bear hunting either, but is a much needed step in my life.

That's actually the gist of my life since the beginning of December. Four numbered points. My list of resolutions is a little bit longer, but that's life.

Bag of Tricks

2011-01-13T17:57:00.000-05:00

I just finished cleaning out my purse, which was basically just a bag full of receipts and change, when I came across this blog post about the insides of purses at English Muse. I haven't received the new Anthropologie catalogue yet, but apparently it's all about what ladies carry around in their purses. The most interesting thing in my bag is a miniature screwdriver kit that I got in a Christmas cracker this holiday season. It's great. If someone walks up to me and needs a screw tightened I can now help.

"I Have Dark Brown Hair, Gint"

2010-12-04T13:39:00.000-05:00

Since the library has been housing Kaitlyn, Gint and I for a while, it has also witnessed a few oddities in our friendship. First came our epic story about the new 21st Century family that comes with the motto "less kids, more parents." Then we decided to make this video. It's a tribute to our wonderful friends that fill our lives with happiness.

Stir Crazy

2010-12-02T19:56:00.000-05:00

I've decided to take a quick blogging break in my day of homework - the Facebook breaks were getting tedious. Kaitlyn, Gint and I have literally been living at the library for the past week. It's been intense. Let's hope all this work pays off!

Ikea Sundays

2010-11-24T11:33:00.001-05:00

Ikea Sundays are much better than homework Sundays. Last weekend I went there - after travelling what seemed like forever around the Santa Clause parade - with my brother and the Gibson girls. Obviously, the first thing we did when we got there was eat some meatballs, which were not as good as I was picturing. I really got pulled in by the ads.

It was a successful trip, two couches were bought and two sets of bedding. Ikea Sundays - the poor agnostic's holy day.

Featuring

2010-11-16T22:41:00.000-05:00

I can't wait to buy this album. I think this is going to be one of the rare ones that I go to the store and purchase.

Dry Blood

2010-11-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

Parallels' newest video has made its way onto Youtube and once again it's pretty awesome. If you look closely - and pause the video at 29 seconds - I'm in there. Also, check for the cameo of Holly and Cam, it's quite spooky.

Drink, Dress-Up and Study

2010-11-04T17:27:00.001-04:00

My moment of responsibility while in Vegas.

Vegas Baby!

2010-11-04T17:19:00.004-04:00

My trip to Vegas has seriously tired me out. We were trying to count the hours of sleep we had on the way home, and it got too dismal to finish. Or too awesome. We went for my cousin Trisha's 21st birthday and seriously had a cousin party for five days straight.

The highlights of the trip would probably be our free limo ride at five in the morning on our first night in, and my awesome poker skills. It's easy to be daring at cards when you don't really know what you're doing.

Many of the pictures are not for sharing on the internet - as well as most of the stories - but I made this family-friendly video for you all!

Art Stuff

2010-10-27T18:54:00.000-04:00

I've been slacking on the blogging lately, and will continue to slack until I come back from my Halloween in Vegas (and possibly until my thesis paper is finished). Until then, here's a picture of the set of Soul Pepper Theatre's production of Death of a Salesman (which was amazing) and the portrait of me done by my dear friend Lindsay over at Portrait A Day.

The Tone of a Tuesday

2010-10-21T14:35:00.001-04:00

As I was walking to school Tuesday morning through Allen Gardens I saw an elephant roaming around. At first I thought nothing of it, but then realized that usually I just see squirrels. Someone was filming some sort of movie there, I guess, and made the Botanical Gardens look like an Indian temple. This set the tone for a very fun day for me.

After a meeting at school, Gint and I went to the Distillery District to buy tickets for Death of a Salesman and stayed for the atmosphere. It had been a while since I've been to that area of town - even though it is really just a walk from my apartment - and there were some new sculptures in front of which we could eat lunch. Overly expensive lunch, by the way.

Eventually our day trip turned into a heated discussion about whether or not there is any real difference between Modernism and it's Post-friend, and if the study of humanities overall is of value. (Of course, we are humanities students, so in general our answer was yes to both). This made us feel better about our usual gossip sessions.

I did have class that day, too, but I can't really remember anything about it.

Why Not?

2010-10-18T21:51:00.006-04:00

Amazing. Will Smith, you have some good seeds.

Tarragon Theatre

2010-10-16T11:27:00.003-04:00

I've just discovered Tarragon Theatre. I'm not sure if it is this endearing video or their Joan Didion play that pulled me in, but I have this desire to see everything.

I was always in theatre when I was younger, as some of my siblings are now. The difference between us Melskis is that I wasn't very good. It was always fun, though. There is this great theatre company in Woodstock called CAST that gives children and teenagers a chance to sing and act (or, like I did, do a little blacklight and stomp dancing). There's something really special about growing up in the theatre, or even just going to see a show, and I feel like now I need to get back into the groove of things.

I love that Tarragon Theatre puts on Canadian plays and also offers an artist and student discount. This kind of community building always pulls at my heart strings (tuned to the melancholic A minor). I can't wait for an hour or two of magical thinking.

The American Narrator

2010-10-16T11:02:00.000-04:00

The Globe and Mail put up this photo gallery of Philip Roth "through the years" last week with their article on his move to the city. I'm assuming he would hate that anyone is interested in pictures of himself, but like he said himself, the screens have changed this generation - I want to see a face.

What I always find interesting in Roth's work - one of the many things - is his complex narration. His novels are never told from one person, about his own life. Instead, when Roth isn't using Nathan Zuckerman, he's using some sort of filter - a man telling a story about a man, who tells a story about a nation. Roth talks of his use of narrators:

You have a kind of intelligence between the readers and the events which puts them in moral perspective. My ‘Marlows,’ as Conrad’s Marlows did, drop away during the course of the telling. Sometimes they come back and sometimes they don’t. But they set the scene, so you don’t have to go through all that explanation and exposition. They’re good, these characters. They’re fun to have.

That is precisely what happens when someone writes about Roth. It never matters what they write, I usually forget what they write. It's Roth's quotations, his incredible insight into the world and his laissez-faire attitude about meanings, that stands out.

Les Grandes Baigneuses

2010-10-14T12:04:00.001-04:00

I just found a framed print of this Cezanne painting at the Goodwill by my apartment. My walls have been pretty bare since I moved here, so I'm excited to put this up. The Bathers is going to make a good edition to my feminine decor.

Sufjan Stevens

2010-10-14T10:01:00.002-04:00

When I was in high school I was really into The OC soundtracks, probably because my friend Sara - who looked like Mischa Barton - listened to them. Back then the soundtracks were the equivalent of the Twilight soundtracks - bad acting, awesome songs. It was on one of these soundtracks that I first heard Sufjan Stevens.

Since then, I've grown quite an affinity for his music and was lucky enough to go see his concert last night with my friend Carly. He played mostly his new music, which is all about love, the apocalypse (same thing, right?) and outer space. It was an uplifting show, a weird show, and a good time all around.

Cannot.Stop.Listening

2010-10-08T11:32:00.003-04:00

I have become obsessed with this song and video. Miley has been coming out with such great pop music lately. This video makes we want to go out dancing, which is pretty contrary to the way I usually feel.

Franco Candy

2010-10-06T11:51:00.002-04:00

I don't think I'm the only one who is just a little bit obsessed with James Franco lately. And I do mean just a little bit obsessed, he's no Justin Bieber. He either doesn't take himself too seriously and is up for anything, or he takes his avant-garde lifestyle very seriously.

Franco is on the cover of the magazine Candy - not to be confused with the Filipino teen magazine - dressed in drag. This is obviously a risky time to be doing this, with the recent LGBT suicides, and I applaud him for his courage. I also applaud him for going on a soap opera. Seriously, the house mom inside me loved it.

Never Let Me Go

2010-10-04T13:59:00.003-04:00

It had been a while since I had been so engrossed with a novel that I read it in one night. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro had that effect on me. I've had this book sitting on my book shelf for at least a year when I saw a trailer for it when I was walking through the AMC theatre at Dundas Square. I usually don't like film adaptations of books that are dear to me, but this one pulls you in with its serene colouring and lovely choice of actors.

I think I've bored everyone I know by now with my incessant chatter about this novel - and I have succeeded in converting a few - but I felt like the internet needed to know of my obsession. I would definitely recommend reading this distopic beauty before viewing the film, but that's just me.

UWO Homecoming

2010-10-03T16:29:00.001-04:00

Saturday night I went to London for Western's day of homecoming. I'm not really sure what that means, but I do know it involved a lot of purple and was supposed to involve school spirit. Kristina and I went with our Western friend Carly in the guise of locals, deceptively wearing the purple and flat ironed hair that blended us with the peppy crowd.

The football game would have been great if it wasn't raining and if my butt wasn't bigger than the Gap bag I was sitting on. The free McDonald's coffee helped. (With the game, not the size of my butt). We left during halftime - with assurances that we would win - and made some guys' day by giving them our tickets.

London is crazy on this day. Seriously, crazy as in girls wearing booty shorts and tank tops in the cold. And bar line-ups that would last all night unless you know someone to get you into the bar (we did, don't worry). The night was a lot of fun and was a much needed vacation from the Toronto scene and the sketchy Woodstock shenanigans that went down the night before.

Wait Another Hundred Years

2010-10-02T10:12:00.001-04:00

My friend Sara's parents were on the front page of the Woodstock paper yesterday, her Mom demurely leaning against her tree with her Dad looking concerned beside her. Their tree was tagged to be cut down against their wishes. Check out the story here.

Blogtober

2010-10-01T11:54:00.002-04:00

My friend Gint is telling everyone that October is blog month - one post a day required. It started out innocently enough, he just wanted to get into the groove of typing his thoughts, a natural activity I'm sure. Then Facebook got a hold of it and misconceptions ensued.

I'm willfully accepting blog month. I'm not sure everyone is ready for the daily chatter from my fingers, but it's coming. Today I'm easing in with Beiber's new video.

Fall Preview at Eleven Boutique

2010-09-30T14:09:00.000-04:00

Elena and I went to the boutique Eleven to check out their new Fall 2010 looks this week. We were greeted with glasses of wine and cupcakes, and as many people to talk to as we desired. And we desired. We brought out our inner journalists and learned a bit about the place.

Eleven only carries Canadian designers, which is great because that also means that all of their clothing is made in Canada. Designer and Project Runway Canada contestant Brandon Dwyer is the newest designer to make it on Eleven's racks, bringing a much younger look with him.

I really want the USB-inspired bookmark, but will defiintely settle for the less expensive scrap paper. They also had some unique tights, some with buttons or studs and some - as Elena loved - with a stripe down the middle.

With free wine coursing our veins, we strolled over to Hemingways to continue our afternoon turned evening. But that is a story in itself.

It's a Show About Nothing...and Vampires

2010-09-28T11:31:00.001-04:00

I just finished the entire series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I feel like I just lost a friend. The show is actually pretty amazing, I can see where all that "Buffy Studies" comes from. Joss Whedon should really cash in on today's vampire obsession and make a Buffy movie.

Here's a video of Sarah Michelle Gellar on SNL that I really enjoy. It's a mash-up of two of the greats.

SNL - Buffy and Seinfeld Crossover - MyVideo

Cabbagetown Festival

2010-09-24T10:55:00.000-04:00

Here's some awesome lawn art from the Cabbagetown festival. Oh, to have money (and a lawn).

Recurring Birthdays

2010-09-24T10:24:00.001-04:00

My Mom is in Nova Scotia right now, visiting family and friends and such, reliving her birthday goodness. She always like to have a birthday eve and boxing day, but this year she's seriously getting a whole month. Alas, that is not the only thing that makes this year different. Remember the candle incident?

I've heard through the grapevine that my Mom received a cake with dentures on it. All the better to eat the candles with, dear Mom.

Help If You Can

2010-09-21T11:46:00.000-04:00

My friend from high school, Olivia, and her family need a little help right now and I'm here to pass on the word. Check out this website, Mitch's Journey, and if you can donate any time or money please do so.

Queen of Anything

2010-09-16T12:23:00.000-04:00

Have you heard Sara Bareilles new album Kaleidoscope Heart yet? I've been using any excuse to listen to it, which means that my room is clean, my floors are swept and I have nice looking nails. Her first video is kitschy and uplifting, with a beautiful reinvention of the piano.

Seriously, listen to this album. You will feel contentment, which is a hard thing to come by.

(There is also a song reminiscent of a popular Death Cab song. See if you can figure out which one it is)

Autumn Times

2010-09-15T13:39:00.000-04:00

Life's been a sequence of time slots lately. When summer quivers and shuts down, all the responsibilities start up again and I see myself hiding away and reading. Or working. Or socializing way too often in order to quell the seeping idea that the end of summer means the end of fun.

What I need to do is embrace the need for a jacket, throw away the weight of petty grievances and enjoy my favourite season. All is well in the world of Michelle.

Gould Street

2010-08-30T14:20:00.000-04:00

It's frosh week again. I've been working on campus this summer, so I get to see all the prep work. I love walking to work through a closed, cafe-inspired Gould Street.

Pa-Pa-Power

2010-08-30T14:13:00.000-04:00

This video is breathtaking. I love the interplay between the young and the old, and all of the mutual joy they bring to each other. Dead Man's Bones seem to be truly about making peoples' lives a bit better, and this really did make my day.

In the Sun

2010-08-30T12:36:00.001-04:00

Goodbyes and Grown Ups

2010-08-28T11:54:00.002-04:00

Adulthood comes at you at such slow a pace that it's startling when it appears. I always thought that I would wake up one morning in my twenties and realize that I'm not a child anymore. Yet, I feel perpetually like a teenager. It takes the influence of those around me to convince me otherwise.

This weekend marks the end of summer and the end of our carefree living. Two friends are moving away and moving up in the world. Audra is going to be a fancy-pants cool lawyer and is off to Victoria for law school. Sara is a postgrad moving to Kingston to build a life. Seriously, how did we get this old?

I've learned that the true test of friendship is time and distance. If you can stay friends without talking for months, you've made it. Good luck ladies, you'll do great!

Birthday Candles

2010-08-17T18:58:00.001-04:00

It was my Mom's birthday this weekend and my family and I went to the Keg. We had a great time, with only one glass of wine each. When dinner was over the waitress came to our table with a piece of cake for the woman of the hour. For her, but we all helped her eat it after she blew out the candle.

The cake was mocha ice cream with almonds on top. When we were just about done my Mom looked a little uncomfortable.

"I don't know what I just ate," she said. "It wasn't sweet or salty, it tasted like wood."

My mother has a history of enduring things out of politeness. I knew she doesn't really like almonds, so I told her it must have been the topping. Our family friend Andrea did some detective work with the piece of cake and came up with a case of a missing candle.

My mother demurely pulled out the piece of wax from her mouth. She ate the entire candle.

Summer Studying

2010-08-11T14:44:00.002-04:00

I'm attempting to study and write my final essay simultaneously, but the sun is pulling me to it. Today is my last day of my summer class, The Hero's Journey, and I find myself locked up in the library (at least it's air conditioned). I've been working on my essay since nine this morning, yet it's still not finished. Blogging seemed to be a better option.

Love the Way You Lie - Not

2010-08-09T23:46:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure how to start talking about this video. When I first watched it I just stared at the screen for a while, trying to form an opinion. The violence and situation seem real, yet I have this feeling that this might be the pregnancy pact all over again.

If an artist is going to tackle a topic like domestic violence - especially if that artist is Eminem and has been a perpetrator in the past - I think they have a responsibility to depict it a light that discourages it. I can understand the idea of communicating the wavering between passion and violence, but young people are watching this and wanting to have that passion. The danger is that someone is going to think that violence and passion go hand in hand.

It may be the influence of Role Models, but I feel like this video could have shown a much stronger woman. Why couldn't Megan Fox walk away so that this video could do some good? Or they could have pulled a Billy Talent and added the number of a helpline at the end of the video. I'm sorry Rihanna, but you disappoint me here.

Fuck, Kill, or Marry?

2010-08-09T16:07:00.000-04:00

Three hours on a bus can make you resort to weird ways of passing the time. This past weekend some friends and I crossed the border and spent the weekend in Alexandria Bay. We played a long game of Fuck, Kill or Marry and found out some creepy things about our taste in men and women. Here's a tattoo Lindsay drew for me on the way home, which is not indicative of my actual taste, but turned into a joke that lasted all weekend.

Welcome to the Tree Market

2010-08-04T16:39:00.000-04:00

On the Saturday of the long weekend, Kaitlyn, Kitty and I brought some stuff together and had our first downtown garage sale. Our official reason for the sale was for a good cause. We're money-challenged students who really just want new Essie nail polish.

A lot of people came out to support the cause. We had a few book dealers and deal-chasers from the St. Lawrence Market. The early morning shoppers were mostly drive-bys who decided to stop and try on some of our clothes and eat some of my cookies. Later in the day we had some friends come by to visit and we even made a new friend.

We met Ryan Kerr as he was walking by to do his laundry and we soon found that he was on the cover of the Fab Magazine we had out. Truly, Toronto is a small town. He ended up hanging out with us for an hour and even signed our magazine. He recently published a book, On Growin' Up. Props.

Mustard on Poutine?

2010-08-04T16:27:00.000-04:00

While staying with my brother Kyle and his girlfriend Jess I experienced Smoke's Poutinerie for the first time. Sure, I could only eat a quarter of it, but it was great.

Kyle has told me about this place many a time. What got me interested is the Montreal smoked meat version. It's like the sandwich, but instead it's all mixed together with the poutine. When we went - which was very late or very early - they were out of the meat, so we just got poutine with mustard. Yep, you read right. It was surprisingly good, but really didn't settle well in the stomach.

In the picture is Margarita, an awesome friend of Jess' that I met that night. The poutine experience was bonding.

Flat Out Fun

2010-08-04T16:21:00.001-04:00

The other week I ran into my friend Kaitlyn on campus and a wonderful day and back-of-the-mind blog post ensued. Kaitlyn was shopping for a baby shower gift, and I love babies, so it was a great match. After exhausting the mall - did we really expect to find something there? - we decided to head to Queen West.

We went to Kolkid and I was glad to be able to break the heat in there for almost an hour. Seriously, if you need a gift for a child, go there. There were so many unique and adorable toys and child accessories that it makes it really hard to choose one thing. So we didn't. Kaitlyn got two adorable things that I cannot disclose yet (the baby shower has not happened yet).

If I had tons of money I would have bought this bear for myself. It is flat and incredibly soft. Touching it is like melting into a bag of non-stick cotton candy.

After we sadly parted with that store, we decided to be big spenders and go out for lunch. We found the cutest little backyard cafe and ate our fill of hearty foods. I can't remember what it's called, but Kaitlyn does, so maybe I'll come back and let you know later. Or maybe I should just go back and have some more quiche.

Bieber or Die

2010-07-27T19:58:00.003-04:00

Bieber Takes Over from Justin Bieber

Bieber After the Dentist from Justin Bieber

Great Editions, Great Cause

2010-07-27T19:01:00.000-04:00

After just reading on The English Muse about Penguin's new (Red) editions of classics, I thought I would share the news. 50% of the profits that come from these editions go to the Global Fund to battle AIDS in Africa. And they are incredibly sleek and sexy covers.

Vintage Robyn

2010-07-27T18:50:00.001-04:00

I love Robyn from the 90s. She is one of the artists that I used to obsess over in my childhood, and I just re-discovered this song. I'm glad that Robyn has since branched out and created music that better reflects who she is, but, man, she used to be pure 90s.

Beach Wear, Please

2010-07-20T11:51:00.001-04:00

I haven't bought a new bathing suit for years now, and am beginning to feel the shopping itch. This is what I would purchase for a day at the beach if I could.

Find me on Polyvore

Sad Keanu

2010-07-16T16:09:00.000-04:00

I love all the sad Keanu images going around the internet these days. I always laugh when I see them on Audra's blog, and Cheap Thrill just posted one today. I wonder if Keanu is amused by all this, or if he hates himself for sitting meekly on that park bench. Here's one that I like:

I Write Like...

2010-07-16T11:48:00.002-04:00

I write like
Raymond Chandler

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Mad Men - Season Four

2010-07-11T16:24:00.000-04:00

I cannot wait for Season four of Mad Men to start! As much as True Blood has kept me occupied these last few weeks, nothing captures as much of my heart as this stylized, glamorized and scandalized show. I want to know how Betty Draper will cope with a new man and if Peggy will finally be a mother to her child. How will the new ad agency pan out and will Don Draper ever look less than flawless?

Burrito

2010-07-09T12:51:00.002-04:00

THE HEAT!

2010-07-06T13:48:00.001-04:00

It is incredibly hot right now. Or, as the random man in the elevator yesterday put it, "this heat is insufferably inhumane." Lucky for me, though, I have a tall fan and a long reading list.

This is the first summer that I have decided to take both Spring and Summer classes in an attempt to actually graduate from Ryerson. I would be fine with it, seeing as though I only work once or twice a week, if it wasn't for this gosh darn heat. I originally pictured myself writing my essays in a field of flowers, orange popsicle in hand, while working on my freckle tan. Now I find myself sitting indoors watching too many reruns of Wizards of Waverly Place.

What is great are the moments when I forget the heat, forget that I am indoors, and find myself immersed in the book I'm reading. I'm trying to locate Roth's America, you know, West America. West, Jewish, sex-obsessed, Zuckerman America. I'll find it yet.

Until then, I will write my essay that is due on Monday, read some more epic poems and maybe buy a smoothie.

Sad, But Pretty

2010-07-06T13:33:00.000-04:00

This is what happens when my family has a photoshoot.

MMVA Love

2010-07-03T15:00:00.000-04:00

I found a Tiger Beat mention in the Toronto Star website today, and a Michelle Melski mention too! I met Debbie Yeo this year at the MMVAs and we shared some laughs and red carpet space. She graciously mentioned me in her article. See it here.

Family Time

2010-07-01T13:30:00.000-04:00

I came home this week for my brother Curtis' high school graduation and have found myself stranded in Woodstock after I slept through my train. It's been fun hanging out with my family. We took a family bike ride to a maple syrup farm, we listened to oldies music and played many different card games. Oh, and Nathan and I saw Toy Story 3, no big deal.

MTV Casting Call

2010-06-27T23:48:00.003-04:00

Some of my friends and I made a video for MTV Canada's "Casting Call." Just in case we were sick of our sense of privacy, we are asking MTV to make a reality show following our lives. I know that it is a long shot, but it's been really fun filming over the past two weeks.

We wanted our short video to have some sort of plot, and last minute a real plot unfolded. The G20 summit has made Toronto and its news stations a little crazy, and Liberty and I's housewarming party seemed like it was going to be as barren as my cat after she was spade. Luckily, we filmed the drama and created a cute video that documents how great are my friends.

UPDATE: Here's our profile on the MTV website.

iLove iCarly

2010-06-21T21:40:00.001-04:00

It's no secret that I'm a huge iCarly fan (hence my iCarly birthday banner). So when I got to interview Miranda Cosgrove on Sunday I was a little nervous. Luckily, though, she was really sweet and I got to ask her all the questions I had planned. Take a look at the latest Cosgrove scoop here.

Tiger Beat Video

2010-06-21T21:34:00.003-04:00

So, I took a lot of video footage with my digital camera on Sunday. I sent it over to BOP and Tiger Beat and they made an awesome video out of it! Check it out here. Check out my Tiger Beat-voice write up too!

UPDATE: Here's another post from Sunday. It has some Twilight and some Canadian lovin'.

2010 MMVAs

2010-06-21T17:27:00.001-04:00

Sunday night I went to the 2010 MMVAs, and I think I found another type of Bieberite: the pubescent Bieber. During his time in the press room, Bieber told us reporters that "I'm no exception, my voice is changing. Everyone hits puberty." It's great to hear a celebrity embracing reality instead of trying to be perfect (even if Bieber is pretty perfect).

The red carpet was crazy this year, with Katy Perry showing up in an ice cream truck and a live performance by Stereos. The band was situated directly in front of me, which was pretty awesome, and the more I talked to Stereos and heard people talk to them, the more I liked them. They were very self-deprecating, while being upbeat at the same time. Weird combination, yes, but it worked for me. The one guy even told us how he married his love-that-got-away this year in Vegas.

A guy from AndPop beside me made Justin Bieber a fake ID, which was pretty funny. He sent it into the MuchMusic abyss, hoping that it made it's way to Bieber.

Once again, MTV provided the nicest celebrities. Whitney Port was stunning in person and just as nice as she is on her show. When asked to give advice to interns on how to 'make it,' she honestly answered "I'm not going to lie and say that I didn't have a whole team behind me pushing my career. I can't really give advice." She eventually did give advice, telling interns that they will have to sacrifice some personal life in order to make it, but it's worth it if it's your dream. I love her. She also totally dissed Spencer and Heidi, calling them liars, and then saying "What? I'm only stating a fact. They lie."

Here are some pictures from the night, I'll post later with my BOP and Tiger Beat coverage.

Today's the Day

2010-06-20T09:49:00.001-04:00

I've been going over my questions and my nails this morning before the MMVAs. Here's the BOP and Tiger Beat article prepping their fans for the day. Watch tonight at 8 to see the fun!

Oh Soookie

2010-06-18T12:40:00.000-04:00

I know I've been posting a lot of videos lately, but I couldn't resist this one. After the third season of HBO's True Blood has started, Snoop Dogg has decided to be relevant and made this gem of a video. I love the mental picture of Snoop and Sookie together.

It's fitting that he should like Sookie, though. Snoop + Sookie = Snookie. Suggestive, no?

Somebody to Love

2010-06-16T14:25:00.002-04:00

I'm crazy excited for this video to come out. You know, sometimes I wonder why people mistake me for being in high school all the time. Then I post something like this and it all makes sense.

Update: It came out!

"Hence My Self-Loathing"

2010-06-15T11:44:00.003-04:00

My teacher showed this clip from the show Californication in class last night. It really speaks to today's disintegration of language and to blogging culture. "Hence my self-loathing."

I definitely do not loath myself for blogging, but I do loath that this and essays are the only forms of writing that I've been producing lately. I think there's something to be said about the internet changing the way we think and communicate. Marshal McLuhan, why must you always be right?

In Case You Were Wondering...

2010-06-14T14:42:00.000-04:00

It's official. I am covering the MMVAs once again for Tiger Beat magazine. This year the show is co-hosted by Miley Cyrus, so expect lots of raunch and feathers. I'm very grateful and lucky for this opportunity, and cannot wait to see Biebs in person. It's going to be a great night!

Man Time

2010-06-09T13:00:00.001-04:00

I barbecued for the first time this past weekend. It was just like cooking indoors. Only I got to drink beer while doing it.

That night actually turned out to be very manly. I watched the Flyers beat Chicago with some family. My brother Nathan and my Dad were at the game. After that, we all played poker. That's right. I drank beer, barbecued, watched hockey and played poker. I'm a grown man now.

Michelle Jonas

2010-05-31T20:45:00.001-04:00

I discovered a new designer today. Her name is Michelle Jonas. It's like I married a Jonas Brother. Nick, please!

Anti-Canada?

2010-05-28T12:14:00.002-04:00

I love Chloe Sevigny, even despite these videos. It's great to hear Sevigny's take on fashion, and who doesn't love to dissect strangers' outfits, but she hates Canada. That's a little weird. Take a look at her other videos, they're less offensive.

Summer Book Club 2010

2010-05-28T11:18:00.001-04:00

This summer Gint and I have revived the book club, but paired it down and created a theme. "Book we should have read by now" is our new mantra. Our first book is Woman in Bronze by Gint's Dad Antanas Sileika. Yes, he really should have read this by now. Then we are to move onto Great Expetations, Pride and Prejudice and Maurice by E. M. Forster.

Since we are both in summer school and working we capped the list at four books. Sometimes you just have to be realistic. The problem so far, though, is that I'm still reading Anna Karenina, making it hard to start anything else. Tolstoy really knows how to write almond butter fiction. It's good stuff.

Turtle Island

2010-05-25T13:55:00.000-04:00

My Monday of the long weekend was spent at the beach, and in honing my architectural skills. My friends and I worked long and hard on our town called Turtle Island. It is complete with a golf course, a swimming pool, agriculture, a lonely forest, and - of course - a castle.

First BBQ of the Summer

2010-05-25T13:45:00.001-04:00

Now that the sun is out - and I'm living in a place with windows - it's time for some summer fun. With my group of friends we have this nostalgic love attached to the summer of 2008 and I'm sure we talk about those memories a little too much. This year we've decided to make summer 2010 even better.

My long weekend was kicked off with a BBQ that was later followed by insane dancing at Yes Yes Ya'll in the Annex. Margaret is just the cutest thing ever and invited her sister Liberty and a few of us friends over to celebrate our graduation from undergrad (I'm celebrating a little early) and made the best salads that have ever graced my tongue. Seriously, lemon infused pancetta, goat cheese, strawberries and blackberries, over dark greens with homemade dressing.

Girl Trouble

2010-05-17T10:33:00.000-04:00

My Mom and Rosemary came to visit me this weekend. It's always nice to have family in Toronto, especially when I've been spending this month living alone. We spent the weekend shopping, singing, decorating my apartment and laughing. The female portion of the Melski family are rarely together as a unit, but when it happens it gets a little crazy.

My sister is just the most stylish 11 year old you could meet, and she bought some items to top off her wardrobe. As soon as she bought her new fedora she did not take it off. Lucky for her, she didn't inherit my Dad's big head like I did.

Sunday afternoon we went to St. Lawrence Market for the antique fair. I purchased a huge collection of Jack London stories, some Don Delillo and adorable blue wine glasses. It was great to be outside all day in the sun, even if I'm a little sunburned and overly freckled at the moment.

Motown Birthday

2010-05-16T20:09:00.002-04:00

It was my friend Sara's birthday this week and we all headed down to Hamilton to celebrate it with her. Sara has been one of my best friends since I was 11 years old, and what I love about her is how she is always herself. For her big 22nd day she had a vintage dress shortened and took us to a Motown night.

The night started off great with Mojitos and cupcakes, and a little visit from the fire department. It turned out to be a faulty detector, but it was fun. I always say that every birthday party has drama, and lucky for us this was the drama of the night. Yep, that means no cat fights, no boy drama and no one drank too much.

Dancing to the old school music in a dimly lit, overly heated bar made me nostalgic for Clinton's Shake-a-Tail night. This Hamilton version was just as good, maybe even better because I was with my best friends.

I made everyone give peace signs in my pictures, I thought it would represent Sara being 22. I now feel we just look overly happy.

I love you Sara, have a great 22nd year!

It's a Jungle Out There

2010-05-15T10:57:00.000-04:00

These photos were coloured for Kaitlyn's birthday, it's jungle themed.

Mother's Day Was Good For All

2010-05-12T12:05:00.000-04:00

I made it home for Mother's Day this year, and man was it worth it. I love my Mom, so that was the main reason I was there. But there was also lobster. And a great visit to my grandmother's house. A church brunch with free coffee and an aunt and uncle who said they can give me a microwave. Such a good day.