Israel turned 70 this year and I’m going to celebrate by attending a few events this week!

Here’s the three experiences that are on my radar:

1 . The Toronto Jewish Film Festival is taking place from May 3 to 12 and of course I’ve spent time studying the festival guide to make my selections and trust me this takes a bit of time! However due to the bad weather last weekend, I watched plenty of video clips and made my selections! Cool fact: one of the films being shown at this years festival (Doubtful) is currently in theatres in Israel.

Also, don’t delay to buy your tickets. I tried to get into one film and it’s sold out. Lesson learned! Either order online or call 416 324-9191 (phone lines  are open from 12 pm to 6 pm) or head to the Festival Box Office at 19 Madison from 12 pm to 6 pm.

For more information:

Website: www.tjff.com

Twitter: @TJFF

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TorontoJewishFilmFestival/

(ps I love their Facebook page and follow it closely)

Instagram: @TJFF

2. I’ve also been following Spotlight on Israeli Culture which has a variety of events taking place throughout the city from March to June 2018.  There’s something for everyone – theatre, cuisine, film, literature,  dance, music , visual arts

Click here to view the entire schedule.

Naturally I’m going to the Cuisine event and I’m heading to the Music event too (just to mix things up a bit!!).

I’m excited to hear some Israeli Jazz featuring renowned jazz innovator, Israeli trumpeter Itamar Borochov. Award-winning local singer Aviva Chernick, will open the evening with her unique sound. #soexcited

This event is being held on Sunday May 6th at 730 pm at the Rex Jazz and Blues Bar (194 Queen St West). $20 Cash at the door on the night of the event.

For more information:

Website: http://www.spotlightonisraeliculture.ca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelSpotlight/

3. I’m also determined to head to Parallel to eat some hummus and pita. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Israels’ birthday. This restaurant has been on my radar since they opened and its about time I get there!!

I also following them closely on Facebook and I’m hungry each time I see their posts.

Website: https://parallelbrothers.com

Address: 217 Geary Avenue

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parallelbrothersGE/

Disclosure: I’ve been provided with complimentary tickets however all opinions are my own

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No shortage of events in November! Here’s a list of a few of my favourites to keep you busy as the days get shorter and the temperatures take a dip (sad but true).

Whole  Life Expo

To be honest, I’ve never been been to this show but I’m on my way this weekend to check it out. Something tells me I’m not going to be disappointed. P.S. This consumer show takes place Nov 3-5 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Click here for more info.

Royal Winter Fair. 

I’ve only started to go to this event in the last few yeas but I’m a fan!! I love the food vendors, the animals, the displays, and more. Just give yourself enough time – its’ bigger than you think!!

My Favourite Sample Sale : I take this sample sale seriously and will be there on Monday Nov 13th as soon as the doors open. I can’t wait to buy my Spring/Summer wardrobe for 2018!!

Toronto Jewish Film Festival – Theres a screening of an Israeli TV series called “Your Honour”  over two separate Sundays and I will be there!! I can’t wait as I’m somewhat in love with Israeli TV series (thanks to Netflix and TJFF). Click here for dates/times/location.

One of a Kind Christmas Show:  Over 800 artisans and 122 exhibitors will be showcasing their creations of handcrafted ceramics, jewellery, furniture, food, clothing and accessories. This show is always great. True Story: I bought a sculpture in the early 1990’s from this show, and its’ still hanging on my walls and receiving compliments from guests!

Wishing everyone a wonderful November! I know I’m not going to be bored. LOL

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The month of May is going to wiz by. Here’s why.

May 4 to 14 – I will be seeing as many films as I can throughout the Toronto Jewish Film Festival. I’ve been been busy studying the guide and putting together a schedule! Can’t wait to help them celebrate their 25th anniversary.

On May 4th – I will be walking thru the aisles of SIAL looking for new products to share with you. For example – Sugar Cubes that are available in three flavours : cardamom, cinnamon and saffron. Stay tuned for an entire blog post dedicated to this incredible trade show.

On May 6th – I’m heading to Oxford County to go on their Cheese Trail.  Every Saturday in May, you can head to Canada’s Dairy Capital in Oxford County and enjoy the day celebrating all things cheese. How can I NOT go? LOL

On May 8th at exactly 9:30 am you will find me and my cheque book at this fabulous Sample Sale. I will happily be shopping for my FALL wardrobe at wholesale prices. Love. Love. Love This Sample Sale.

On May 10-11th – I will have the opportunity to drive the the 2018 Equinox on a beautiful drive through some of Niagara Region’s most charming towns. The route promises to include great food, activities and accommodations too.

I’ve been told that the 2018 Equinox is a fresh and modern SUV that’s sized and designed to meet the needs of the compact SUV customer. It will be the perfect balance of design and technology to keep me safe, comfortable and connected.

May 14th – Mother’s Day! Planning on meeting my mom in Kingston to celebrate this special day with her, and planning on spending the evening with my daughter.

May 16 to 19 – I’m heading to Philadelphia and I’m too excited for words as I’ve never been to this city and the food scene sounds amazing. (a priority – clearly).

May 23rd – more good news to follow!!

My biggest challenge is how to get to Ottawa to see the Tulip Festival. ARGHHH.

Hopefully I will get a chance to rest in June.

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Toronto has no shortage of fabulous events. Here’s a few that are on my radar for the month of May!

1 Massey Centre invites the community to attend its first “Cook for New Lives” gala fundraiser. This event is taking place at George Brown College Hospitality and Culinary Arts Centre on Wednesday May 4th from 6 to 9 pm.  Tickets are available for $99 which includes a cocktail reception, gourmet cuisine, no-host bar and silent auction.

2. Toronto Jewish Film Festival. (May 5th to May 15th).  I’ve been attending this festival for a few years now and every year I attend a few films that leave a huge impression on me. Can’t wait.

3. My favourite Sample Sale is coming up. This sale will feature Fall/Winter clothes for the upcoming season and it should NOT be missed. TRUST ME.

4. Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival.(May 1- 31, 2016) Did you know that CONTACT is the largest photography event in the world and features over 1500 artists in 200 exhibitions? I’ve never gone (believe it or not) but I’m really going to try this year and attend one of the many exhibits across the city.

5. Appleseed Cider Festival. Need I say more?

6.  The Canadian Tulip Festival. I know it’s not in Toronto but I just had to include this festival. It’s well worth the drive to see this spectacular event which features over a million tulips in 50 varieties blooming in public spaces across the National Capital Region.

Like I said, there’s no shortage of things to do in May.

ENJOY.

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It’s that time of year when I get super busy going to as many events as possible so I can embrace Spring and Summer as much as I can.

Here we go:

1. Currently I’m busy watching as many films as I can at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, which is taking place till May 10th. I’ve watched the first three episodes of the Israeli hit TV Series “Hostages” and will be back for more!! Seeing as I’ve just returned from Israel…this is the perfect festival for me.

2. I’m off to Ottawa on Sunday May 10th to see the Canadian Tulip Festival. I think this Festival which is taking place May 8 to 18th, is nothing short of spectacular… so I try not to miss it. Check out http://tulipfestival.ca/ for more details.

2. On Saturday May 9th it’s the Mount Pleasant Village 3rd Annual Kids’ Fun Day. Nothing beats a community festival. Not to mention, I’m a huge fan of the restaurants/bakeries along this street!! Check out www.mountpleasantvillage.ca for more info about all the fun events that will be taking place.

3. Recently I was introduced to U-Feast. Their tag line is:  Exclusive Food and Wine Experiences for people with a passion for life. UM…Hello…That’s ME!!  Lucky me, I will be attending their upcoming event on May 19th called: Campagnolo’s Greatest Hits 2010 and 2015.  Believe it or not, I’ve never been to this restaurant so I’m super excited. Check out their website for more details  about all their upcoming events. www.ufeast.com

4. The Stop’s Night Market will be taking place on June 17 and 18th at a new location!(181 Sterling). This event will SELL OUT fast. This is what you need to know: Mark down – May 13th at noon and PRE REGISTER your account. Important details are here:  http://nightmarket.thestop.org/#details. Seriously this event is NOT to be missed.

5. The Social Good Conference, on May 25th and May 26th at the Telus Centre, has caught my interest too. I especially like the “pay it forward” registration fee. Not to mention there’s a wide variety of speakers.

Have I missed any other events. LOL. I’m sure there’s lots more!!

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Fact: I haven’t been eating in too many restaurants these days as I’ve morphed into a film junkie!! Thanks to the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, I’ve seen 5 movies in 4 days!

Here’s what I’ve seen.

SHTISEL:  This is an award winning Israeli TV series that follows four generations of an Ultra Orthodox family and their tight knit community in Jerusalem. I liked episodes 1-3 so much that I returned to watch episodes 4-6 a few days later.

This TV series will be showing again this weekend.

Friday May 9th Episodes 1-4 will be playing at 1:00 pm at Empress Walk Theatres

Friday May 11th Episodes 3-6 will be playing at 1 pm at Empress Walk Theatres.

Trust me. You will be drawn into this series!!

RUSSIAN DISCO: This is the Canadian Premiere for this film . What’s it about? Basically it’s a story about three friends who move from Russia to Berlin. I was entertained and enjoyed the dynamics of these three friends.

This film will be playing again on:

Wednesday May 7th at 845 pm at the Bloor Cinema

24 DAYS: This powerful film is based on a true story about the kidnapping of Ilan Halimi in a Paris suburb. It was an intense movie that has left an impact on me…even days later.

IN HIDING: A thriller that is set during the Nazi occupation of Poland. The acting was superb and the story line definitely captured my attention.

There’s plenty more films that will be showing over the next few days!!

Please take a peek at the their website for a complete list.

PS …in the event you can’t make it to the festival, please visit Videoflicks  (1701 Avenue Road) as they have a wide selection of  Israeli films and TV shows.

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SO much is going on in April, that I don’t know where to start!! I guess at the beginning…LOL. Here’s a few April events that are on my radar and of course I wanted to share them with you.

1. The Good Food Festival – April 5th to April 7th at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place. I’ve always loved this show and infact I use to sell booth space for this show- that’s how much I loved it. Grab some cash (to take advantage of the “Show Specials”), put on your flat shoes and take advantage of the many samples and live cooking demonstrations.

2. The Cookbook Store  (850 Yonge St) is celebrating 30 years in business with an Anniversary Open House on Saturday, April 6th from 11am to 4 pm. This is truly one unique store. (that also happens to have a great newsletter too).

2. The Green Living Show – April 12-14th at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place. I’ve only gone for the last two years but it’s a show I won’t miss. You will find me most likely hanging around the “Farm Fresh Share” or the Farmers Market!!

  Please note: the Green Living Show, proud sponsor Samsung Canada, and RBC challenge GTA residents to round up old and unwanted electronic waste (e-waste) gathering dust and bring them in for recycling. For each piece of e-waste recycled at the Green Living Show, or at six participating RBC branches, participants will receive a free ticket ($16 value) to the Green Living Show (April 12-14). The Passion for E-Recycling School Challenge offers up $20,000 in Samsung Hope for Children Smart School grants to GTA schools that collect the most e-waste.

Besides eating “farm fresh” food at the show, you will find me staring at Electric Cars.

3. The Toronto Jewish Film Festival – April 11 -21. I went last year for my first time (can you believe?) and saw four films. I plan on seeing at least that many this year!! I’ve already started to “study” the guide but it’s taking longer than I would like to actually make decisions. So many choices…so little time.  Tickets on sale now! 416-324-2121.

So many choices!!

4. Slurpfest – April 2oth. I didn’t make it to the first Slurpfest but maybe I will make it to round #2!! Clearly it was a successful event.

What:  SLURP Noodlefest v2
Where:  Glass Factory, 99 Sudbury (Map)
When:  Saturday April 20th, 12 pm – 4 pm
Tickets are $10 and are now available online at http://bit.ly/XXzmVe.

5. The Ontario Brewing Awards Ceremony . I’ve never gone before but April 30th is marked down in my calendar!! This event is open to brewers, consumers and the media.
This year random brewers will have their product paired with food at stations throughout the event space for consumers and media to sample during the event. (YUM).

The event will take place on Tuesday,  April 30 from 5-8pm at The Gladstone Hotel 1214 Queen Street West  Toronto, ON
Book your tickets early at https://secure1.gettickets.ca/Redeem/Regular/Default.aspx?id=93fac481-c9c5-4d4e-b701-05788fd0d2b5&locale=en-CA

I’m such a beer fan. Promise I wont be wearing these glasses at the event. Promise.

Pretty good month – don’t you think?

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The last time I went to the Toronto Jewish Film Festival was to see a documentary called “The Shvitz”. I loved the film but for some reason never went back to the Jewish Film Festival. Tonite, I googled to find out when that movie was made and it was 1993. That’s right…1993.  So you could say, it was about time I returned to the Festival.

Well I certainly made up for lost time as I saw 5 movies in 48 hours. All of a sudden I became one of those “festival goers” – who studies the guide, circles the films that I wanted to see and becomes obsessed reading reviews.

See What I Mean?

Here’s what I saw. (funny…usually I write, Here’s What I Ate). LOL.

I saw 5 movies in 2 days..which meant I was pretty busy running to the Bloor Cinema (which is stunning by the way) and the Sheppard Centre.

4 out of 5 tickets. Proof that I kept busy.

Salsa in Tel Aviv, Israel 2011, Spanish, Hebrew, Director: Jorge Weller.

I really enjoyed this movie. It had great characters, beautiful scenes of Israel and a funny story.  Not to mention I had a slight crush on the main actor who was beyond handsome. It was a great way for me to get introduced to the Israeli Film Festival. Total Score.

How To Re-Establish a Vodka Empire, UK 2011, Director: Dan Edelstyn

A well executed documentary that revealed a humorous and fascinating journey. The audience has a chance to witness this young filmmaker as he tries to revive a village in Ukraine by rebranding and distributing vodka back in London.

Off White Lies, Israel, France, Hebrew Director: Maya Kenig

A drama that focuses on the relationship between a young 13 year old girl who has come to live with her estranged father in Israel. It was probably my least favorite movie out of the 5 movies I saw but I still enjoyed it.

Deaf Jam, USA 2011, Director Judy Lieff

This was the best movie I saw. I left this movie inspired, moved and in total awe of the cast and the vision of the director. I would see this movie again in a heart beat. I really hope that this film becomes available on DVD one day soon. What was it about? It was about ASL (American Sign Language) poetry and some amazing students and teachers.

Polish Bar, USA 2010, Director Ben Berkowitz

A fantastic drama about a young adult struggling to make it big as a DJ. Great acting and a strong story which made for a very entertaining film.

Sadly I wont be able to see any more movies on Sunday as I won’t be in the city. Otherwise I would be going to more!! If you get a chance, take a peek at the schedule and catch a film There’s still plenty of films to see. You won’t be disappointed.

Guess who will be going to the Toronto Jewish Film Festival next year? ME!!

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