Because I Haven’t Caused Enough Trouble Last year, I made a significant mistake in my “5 Insane Drinks” article. I failed to realize that two of the beverages contained ingredients that can no longer be found in the LCBO. Apparently, Andre’s Almond Cream tasted too good for a wine that should never leave a paper bag, and Bacardi 151 (the key ingredient in Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Liquid...
Billy Bragg is a British songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist whose unusual style includes the use of solo electric guitar and reverb-drenched vocals. Born in 1957 in Barking, Essex, Bragg’s musical career took some time to develop. There are many inspirational stories about his dogged persistence in pursuing contracts and opportunities that reveal a great deal about his indomitable character...
A Breezy Take on a Wild Zelda Game You turn the game on, and you just start playing. You have no idea why you are playing. You are some naked dude coming out of what looks like a tanning bed-induced coma. Your first thought is, “Where are my clothes?” You find some special-looking treasure chests, you stick your head inside, and find a dirt-stained shirt and some well-worn trousers. The thought...
The Best New Restaurants in Toronto for 2016 Otto’s Bierhalle (ranked #1) Location: 1089 Queen Street West Atmosphere: Industrial neon disco Well, it has finally arrived: my last ever article for the Obiter Dicta. I’m feeling rather wistful about it—though there is no love lost between me and law school—because I am really grateful for the opportunity I had to write for this paper and for...
Vaporwave: a wtf moment The A E S T H E T I C is a type of sound, not a type of music. It is the essential element of vaporwave. The music in vaporwave is not governed by melody, rhythm, or even good taste. None of this is to speak negatively of the genre, only to describe. The philosophy behind vaporwave is that it conveys an experience. It can be like sitting in a shopping mall listening to the...
Goodbye Monkey, Hello Rooster Aries Everything is fun and exciting. There are many distractions to your regularly scheduled business. Just remember not to get too carried away with the festivities. Taurus Is it really time to get back to work already? It doesn’t seem like it yet, but I assure you that the longer you procrastinate the worse your March will be. Do what you can now...
At times, law school can get stressful, boring, monotonous, and overwhelming. So what to do to get away? How can I find a mini-vacation from my life of obligatory reading and studying? Aside from pub night, which suits some but not all, perhaps a movie? There are other outlets of course, but a good movie asks the viewer to suspend their routine beliefs. For example, in Miss Peregrine’s Home for...
The Best Tapas and Snack Bar in Toronto Bar Raval (ranked #1) Location: 505 College Street Atmosphere: Intimate, warm, woody I’ve wanted to eat at Bar Raval for years. Not only because of the great things I’ve heard about the food, but also because on BlogTO it’s ranked first on both the best tapas and best snack bar list, and second for best Spanish. Not to mention the nerd and former art...
When Toronto’s Nightwood Theatre selected the Broadway musical Legally Blonde to be its 2017 Lawyer Show production, several veterans of the cast expressed doubt—if not outright alarm—over the choice. After all, Nightwood is Canada’s premiere women’s theatre company, highly respected for its focus on women in theatre, and the annual Lawyer Show (now in its eighth year) has...
“The Independent divided Canadian Prime ministers into two broad categories: ‘the first comprises those whom the rest of the world has largely forgotten, if ever knew about them; the second comprises Pierre Trudeau,’” is the opening line of Max and Monique Nemni’s Young Trudeau: 1919-1944. There is a considerable degree of truth to this statement. Pierre Elliot Trudeau managed to capture the...
Horoscopes for Osgoode Hall Aries By now you should be feeling rejuvenated, ready for action, and maybe some winter sports. Enjoy the time you have right now, it will soon evaporate into a cloud of fog and confusion, but you should have a few weeks respite before things get uncomfortable again. Taurus Returning to friends and colleagues leaves you feeling as though you have just awoken...
A Hopeful and Fascinating Close to 2016 A new ‘first contact’ film titled “Arrival” premiered this fall. Directed by Denis Villeneuve (“Sicaro,” “Prisoners,” and “Incendies”) and based on an award-winning short story by Ted Chiang, it focuses on linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) whose task is to overcome the language gap with the aliens. The timing of the film’s release could not have been...
The Best Pho in Toronto Pho Tien Thanh (ranked #2) Location: 57 Ossington Avenue Atmosphere: Small, busy and very pink According to blogTO, the two best places for pho—the quintessential Vietnamese soup—are about a block and a half away from each other on a strip of Ossington between Dundas and Queen. Nowadays, this location seems like an odd setting for the two best...
Horoscopes for Osgoode Hall Aries The next month will be filled with challenges. Big horrible uncomfortable challenges. You will find yourself sweating in a classroom for hours as the sands of the hourglass slowly slip away leaving you with a feeling that somehow you could have done more. Don’t worry about that. The truth is that you could always do more, and you most likely never...
When I arrived at Osgoode, I must say I had some difficulties when it came to describing myself. Obviously, I was a new one in the place, but not a 1L. In fact, I was beginning the last year of my law degree, while knowing I would not complete it here—so not a transfer. “Technically, I am an exchange student,” I had to say. The thing is, the term “exchange” sort of underlies exoticism. People get...
An Education in Intolerance On 2 November, I had the privilege of hearing Elly Gotz, a retired engineer, businessman, and a Holocaust survivor, speak at one of his many talks on intolerance he does at various schools, universities, and public functions. I met Elly in May earlier this year at the March of Remembrance and Hope (MRH), an educational leadership program that teaches the dangers of...
Horoscopes for Osgoode Hall Aries By now slowly sinking feelings of frustration, confusion and despair are looming over you like a giant monster ready to swallow you whole. Remember to battle forth courageously, and no matter how bleak and horrible the looming dread of future commitments may appear, have faith that you will get through the next few months relatively unscathed. ...
The Best Mexican Restaurant in Toronto La Carnita (ranked #1) Location: 130 Eglinton Avenue East, with three other locations at 106 John Street, 501 College Street, and 780 Queen Street East Atmosphere: Eclectic urban industrial I love tacos. One of the best trends to happen in recent food history—as far as I’m concerned—was the surge in popularity of Mexican food. I’m...
The Best Pizza in Toronto I’m breaking one of my own “rules” here by reviewing a place I’ve been to before, but the last time I went to Libretto it was at the University location and was right after a Jays game, so I may have not be at my most…discerning. Also, pizza is important, and I can easily see myself revisiting this list throughout the year, so might as well start from the top...
The lady with the dog was crying today. I saw her lift the lower reaches of her skirt hem to wipe her sunburned face and wrinkled cheekbones. I watched her cut across the street, almost hurried, almost desperate, two other women hot at her heels. Slowly, surely, a crowd was gathering. I walked on, more quickly now, heading back from Campo dei Fiori, from where the church had immolated the...
Top 10 Recommended Fragrances for Fall 2016 Fall has arrived and choosing new fragrances for the changing temperature should not be a daunting task. It should be a fun experience! Here are my top ten favourite fragrances this season in alphabetical order: Female Black Opium (Eau de Parfum)by Yves Saint Laurent Head Notes: pink pepper, orange blssom, and pear Heart Notes: coffee, jasmine...
And what I said to them both Simile: “Oh Metaphor, how dare you flaunt your arrogance? How dare you press two things together until they flatten into one?” Metaphor: “What irony! That you would use me in an insult against me! And is it I who presses too hard? Or you who shies away from intimacy? You who are afraid the two won’t get along so well after all? I take pride in my...
The Best of blogTO’s Best of Toronto Hello Ozzies, and welcome to the first installment of this year’s Jurisfoodence! I am most humbled to be your host for this journey, where we will be diving into blogTO’s “Best of Toronto” feature and hopefully uncovering some culinary gems that may prove useful to the three people whose procrastination has led them to venture this many pages back in...
Horoscopes for Osgoode Hall Aries Recent events will cause you to consider the nature and quality of agreements, most notably, what is a contract, how can people rely on expectations, and what exactly is consideration? You may find your own expectations challenged. Allow yourself time to adjust. Taurus You will find yourself surrounded by comrades and allies. Remember that everyone around...
…that nearly went forgotten Something horrible almost happened, Mock Trial was almost forgotten in the Obiter Dicta. Mock Trial is one of, if not the biggest events every year at Osgoode. A simple Google search proves it: “Mock Trial Osgoode Hall” brings up Obiter Dicta recap articles that go back to 2011, with one as recently as last year. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been looking forward...