Dr. Joan Gilmour Where were you born, and when did you move to Toronto? I was born in St. John, New Brunswick, and we moved to Toronto when I was very young. We were part of the maritime exodus to look for work. My dad moved my family here for a job. How does the Toronto of today differ from the Toronto you arrived to? I grew up in the suburbs, so it felt very quiet. And downtown, where I live...
While Green Day may not have particularly enjoyed September, this wonderful month offers so many exciting opportunities to get out of the library and enjoy various parts of Toronto’s art and entertainment scene. Whether you like comedy, music or visual art, this month is filled with events to keep you busy! For those of you who want your funny bone tickled, “Just for Laughs 42” is coming back to...
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Capping Off Year 1 for Gimeno, 10 for New Orford Summer is usually dry season for classical music in Toronto. The performance calendar ends in June, and musicians disperse to various summer festivals. Audiences follow. Some, like Verbier, have become tourist attractions in their own right. These festivals — with the notable exception of the Proms in London — are nice for those audience members...
All the must-see films from this year’s festival It’s a pity that most of us are already in the throes of readings and thus chained to desks for the foreseeable future, because TIFF 2019 promises to be a belter. While you most likely won’t be able to attend any of the screenings, do take note of these gems and make a point of catching them upon their wider release. Pain and Glory (dir. Pedro...
The festival is going full speed ahead, and I must hurry so I don’t fall behind in telling you about the awesome documentaries to be found here. As a note, I am enjoying the improvements to accessibility in this year’s iteration of Hot Docs. Many issues I noticed last year have been improved upon. For example, some films that were compatible with Captiview did not really need it last year...
Hello, anyone there? I’m Michael McNeely, a 1L at Osgoode waiting to be Remediated, and trying to stave off boredom and other ills by acting as Obiter Dicta’s resident film critic. To this end, I am covering Toronto’s premiere documentary film festival, Hot Docs, which started today (April 26th) and concludes on May 6th. Please read on to see if any of the films I have watched pique your interest...
It’s the last few official days of class. In a few weeks from now, most of us will be free from text-books and dense readings and able to watch a little more Netflix. For those of you who love to curl in and watch some good TV, here is my recommended line up for a post-exam binge: The Fall (TV_series) This TV show features (Gillian Anderson as) Stella Gibson, a Detective Superintendent...
Whether you’re on campus during the strike, or reading this online, I can guarantee that this month will have its share of challenges, and it will be the last column that I write as your Ostrologist. Aries, The month will be filled with turmoil and strife. The disruptions around you will cause things to stir deep within your core. It will be important to hold steady ground over...
They look delicious, [but don’t] eat them. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are going to talk about Tide Pod memes. You’ve seen the images with Gordon Ramsay gazing upon a plate of Tide Laundry Pods exclaiming “Delicious. Finally some good F*cking Food!”, or the popular Tide Pod hot pockets as shown above. Google search “Tide Pod Memes” and you will have the lion’s share of detergent obsessed...
Some of us eat for pleasure while most eat because we have to (unless you are able to subsist on air and light like the real-life Barbie). Alas, amidst the Olympic Games hype, potential university strike and playing too many indie horror games, I am left thinking about what to eat. You see, during the tenure of law school, I have seen the advent of my eating habits go whacko. In 1L, I embraced...
Aries Now is the winter of your discontent, but that will soon melt into the spring of indifference, which will turn slowly into the summer of apathy. This roller coaster ride seems more than ¾ done by now, yet you can’t help but wonder when the next maelstrom will happen. Looking ahead seems very bleak, most likely because it is. I wish I could tell you to remain hopeful, but honestly I don’t...
To everyone in the new year, we will be bringing more predictions for 2018. Stay tuned. Aries You are rejuvenated and refreshed. Ready for another term of enduring torture. Get ready for winter sports, chilling reports, and assignments to make you shiver; but don’t worry about that too much yet. You’ve got a ton of fun lined up. I suggest you enjoy it before the oppression of work...
For anyone who heard about this last year and was desperately missing sage advice this year… Welcome to another Ostrology Column. Look for more in the coming weeks. Aries Indecision and indiscretion abounds. You find yourself wondering “why”, and then, “why not?” It is a ramshackle time of year for you. Make sure to temper your indiscretion with moderate amounts of humility...
The Law Student Filter There is a constant refrain among law students: “But I’m in law school!” You become the priority, the exception to every rule, the excuse to not go out when you’d rather stay in, to your mediocre GPA, to binge-watching Narcos because you’re “so stressed” and just “need a break.” Because law school. It’s a different world down this rabbit hole. There are things you can’t do...
The craziest fan theory you’ve heard yet: Westeros is not that different from our world. If you are a big Game of Thrones fan like I am, then you probably agree that no matter how much you love the show, you are not planning a trip to Westeros anytime soon. Firstly, because it is obviously fictional, but secondly because it is ruthless as hell and I would definitely not last a week there. The...
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...