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Urban Planner: November 30, 2008
HOLIDAYS: This year the Gardiner Museum chose the theme “Children of the World” for its Twelve Trees of Christmas exhibit, making today’s Family Day a true immersion in childhood fantasy. The twelve trees have been professionally decorated by top Toronto interior designers and are to be auctioned off after Dec. 12. Family Day activities include making cookie decorations and tree ornaments, a clay workshop, music, and refreshments. Gardiner Museum (111 Queen’s Park), 1–4 p.m., FREE with admission ($12).
FILM: The First Weekend Club has set itself the challenging mandate of coaxing out as many viewers as possible to movie theatres for the opening weekend of any Canadian film. The group kicks off Canada Screens—its new (for Toronto, at least) monthly series celebrating the best of Canadian cinema—with the film C.R.A.Z.Y. The 2005 Québécois film, a beautiful, tragic, hilarious, dysfunctional-family drama, cleaned up at the Genie Awards with good reason. Director Jean-Marc Vallée will be in attendance for a moderated discussion following the screening. The Drake Hotel Underground (1150 Queen Street West) 2 p.m., $12. Rush tickets ONLY.
SHOPPING: Wondering what gift to get the pop culture junkie in your life? The Merch Guy, Trash Palace, and I’m With Stupid combined annual Studio Sale (now in its fifth year) has everything from limited-edition screen-printed rock posters to Pillow Fight League swag to Mexican wrestling masks to a pinball machine! Also, there’ll be the staple refreshments of any self-respecting studio sale of this caliber: hot dogs, popcorn, and cold drinks. Merch Guy Screenprinting/Trash Palace/I’m With Stupid Studio (89-B Niagara Street), 12–6 p.m., FREE.
EXPO: Hobby Star Marketing isn’t announcing much detail about today’s Toronto ComiCON, but if you’re into comics, you probably don’t need to hear more anyway. The hero guest is Vancouver’s Stephen Sadowski, currently pencilling for Marvel Comics’ Avengers/Invaders series. Other special guests include Kalman Andrasofszky, Andy Belanger, Ray Fawkes, Scott Hepburn, Alvin Lee, and Dave Ross. Metro Convention Centre, North Building (255 Front Street West), 11 a.m.–5 p.m., $5.
EXHIBITS: It’s Ukranian Heritage Day at the ROM! And if that doesn’t get you excited, surely the thought of live Ukranian music, plasticine replicas, Ukranian-Canadian art, Ukranian dancing, and a lecture about the new Trypilian exhibit will click your clack. The festivities coincide with the new “Mysteries of Ancient Ukraine: The Remarkable Trypilian Culture 5400-2700 BC” exhibit, the first such large-scale presentation of the long-vanished neolithic society. Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queen’s Park), 11 a.m.–4 p.m., FREE with admission ($12).
Photo courtesy of The Gardiner Museum.