IN Toronto Magazine: August 2010

STEAMY LOOKS Hot summer fashion from Toronto’s Lizares Dive in the dating pool

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GOOD SPORTS

athletes & their inspiring stories

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TH E MINT MEDIA GROUP PRESIDENT

Patricia Salib

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

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DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Nelson Tomé PROJECT COORDINATOR

Jara Solis

THIS ISSU E CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Paul Gallant, Krishna Rau

CONTRIBUTORS David Bateman , Nicola Betts, Chris Jai

LaRiviere, Alice Lawlor, Keith Loukes, Michael Pihach, Michael Prokopow, Adam Segal, Pam Shime, Richard Silver, Abi Slone, Chris Tyrell, Jenna Marie Wakani, John Webster, Lulu Wei

ON THE COVER

Bryan Lockyer Photography

CONTENTS Bryan Lockyer Photography

Swimwear by Lizares HOT TIMES IN THE CITY

Nicola Betts

by Chris Jai Centeno

THE lof T

T H E AT R I U M 571 Adelaide St. E, Toronto 416.601.1454 ardevents.com Open House DIY IN RIVERDALE Jenna Marie Wakani

by Abi Slone

Play hard SPECIAL SPORTS SERIES

by Paul Gallant

STYLIN’ with Chris Tyrell ......................................................................................................................................................

CHRISTIAN CHARITIES & LEGAL DISCRIMINATION by Krishna Rau ............................................

DISPLAY CASE: DECK FURNITURE by Michael Prokopow ........................................................................

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY GETAWAYS by Gordon Bowness ..............................................................

AUGUST CALENDAR & LISTINGS .......................................................................................................................

IN SPOT: GUU RESTAURANT by Pam Shime ....................................................................................................

IN SPOT: SANAGAN’S MEAT LOCKER

....................................................................

RELATIONSHIP ADVICE with Adam Segal ..........................................................................................................

ED PIEN & SAMONIE TOONOO art review by Sholem Krishtalka ............................................................

LEGALLY BLONDE theatre review by David Bateman ......................................................................................

DREAM IN HIGH PARK theatre review by David Bateman ..............................................................................

NOVELIST CAMILLA GIBB by Alice Lawlor .........................................................................................................

SEX & HEALTH ADVICE with Dr Keith ....................................................................................................................

INSIGHT

TalkExchange

Toronto-based photographer Alex Kisilevich has a seriously ironic take on reality. His work is part of the Summer Group Show currently running at Angell Gallery (12 Ossington Ave) until Sat, Aug 21, along with Bonnie Baxter, Jessica Eaton and Derek Evans.

With BFAs from York University and OCAD, Kisilevich Student Competition in 2009 and is currently completing an MFA at York. alexkisilevich.com.

Stylin’ with Chris Tyrell Revamped classics, attention to detail and the charms of simplicity

Photographer and gallerist GEORGE WHITESIDE is a good example of elegance achieved through understateexecution.

Despite the heat PERRY HALL remains dapper and cool in icy tones; so simple, so elegant.

AMANDA COVETTA on Dundas St W proves the perfection of a simply detailed white coat with skinny leggings.

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What a great way to look this summer.

MAURICE VELLEKOOP , at his recent art opening at One 800 Gallery, has rearranged the classics and put a new spin on

I really love the overall feel and attitude of ROZ GRIFFITHS ’ look, but the elements that caught my eye were the silver cloventoe shoe and the gorgeous silver jewellery.

INSIGHT

In their own words Eighteen-year-old Dan Hamilton was one of more than 1,000 people caught up in mass arrests during the G20.

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once you leave you can act the way you choose…. Actually I’m going to put you and your boyfriend in a segregated room.’

“And it was just a little stall; it

two separate lesbians that were put there just because they were gay. But they didn’t admit that; they were put there just for their own safety.

-

a whole line of just gay people in

who were homophobic in that building were the police. Everybody else was so peaceful and kind and loving toward everything.

a lesbian couple, there was me and my boyfriend and then there were

nd o . iate sp e d op r nd Spee p p r nia a a e er e ifor rag blu mm Cal eve urite g su o n g “ b n i r n s o a tei we in her fav pro my !” out y l ab y Perr on top o ld r i n g l c a y s t i a s c i l a i e n K i oo an ew S g c quote es, bik A i n k u t si d yi n Dr OJ Sta es. To sy Duk N o R e i th RI t i m M AN “ Da cl o GH R rls,” R LOU NO Gu O EV TR

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all they said, ‘Sometimes your rights just don’t apply here.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m pretty sure they apply everywhere but if that’s what you want to think….’

“So after I was released they were describing how we’d have to go into a holding cell. And then I mentioned my boyfriend, and he said, ‘Oh, you are part of the gay community, are you not?’ I’m like, ‘Yes.’ He’s like, ‘Well, the people in here don’t really take too kindly to your type. So I recommend that you act straight during your visit here. And

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I was inside for about 26 hours.

At the 24th hour, I demanded to be released because that was my right.

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Sound How do you stay cool in the summer heat?

by Michael Pihach

intorontomag.com

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INSIGHT

  

Is legal discrimination on the horizon?

A recent court decision may allow Christian charities to hire only other Christians, though opinions differ on how much leeway charities will have by Krishna Rau John Webster

G

ay men and lesbians hoping to work for charities in Ontario received mixed news from a recent provincial court decision.

A May ruling of the Ontario Superior Court provided some protection for gay employees of faithbased charities. But those charities — a rapidly expanding part of the charitable sector — are also claiming the ruling may provide a legal excuse to discriminate against gay workers in their hiring policies. least for the present, the threat of faith-based charities refusing to serve anyone who didn’t share their beliefs, especially towards homosexuality. of a 2008 decision of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) against Christian Horizons, a Kitchener-based evangelical organization providing care for developmentally disabled people in

Christian Horizons, as a charity, could not fire an employee for being a lesbian and could not force employees to sign a lifestyle and morality contract that banned homosexualual orientation was irrelevant to the stated job description of helping the disabled and thus could not be considered as grounds for termination or discrimination. that any such discrimination had to be justified by the nature of the specific job. At the same time, however, the court also ruled that Christian Horizons is a Christian organization, not just a charity, and does its work out of a shared belief that it’s a religious calling, regardless of whether it receives public funding. As a result, 1

august 2010

Until the latest appeal decision, a ruling by the Ontario Human Rights Commission had faith-based charities, a fast-growing sector receiving large amounts of government monies, threatening to refuse anyone who didn’t share their beliefs.

UNDER THE CHURCH BANNER

Christian Horizons and other faithbased charities are entitled under the Ontario Human Rights Code to discriminate in their hiring practices against those who do not share their beliefs, although they cannot include homosexuality in any lifestyle and morality contracts. But such discrimination will have to be based on the realities of a job description.

Egale Canada — the national gay and lesbian rights group, which was an intervenor in the case — claimed victory.

“It’s about time that religious

groups operating in the public sphere are held to account for their discriminatory employment policies which fly in the face of Canadian values, human rights legislation and the Charter,” Egale executive director Helen Kennedy stated in a press release.

Cynthia Petersen, the lawyer representing Egale in the case, says the ruling opens up a large part of the charitable job market to gay men and lesbians. Christian Horizons alone runs more than 180 residential homes in Ontario and has

2,500 employees. ment services being downloaded to the private sector, faith-based charities have become a huge part of providing social services,” says Petersen.

She also points to the fact that even in allowing possible hiring exemptions, the court ruled faithbased charities could not create a “poisoned work environment” for any gay employees, and requires employees to undergo antidiscrimination training on gay issues.

SEX. LIES. BETRAYAL. ALL IN A DAY’S PLAY.

INSIGHT

concern that they would either have to restrict their clientele to those who share their beliefs or restructure their organizations.”

Hutchinson says the new court ruling will allow religious charities to continue serving everybody.

John Pellowe, the chief executive officer of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities — another intervenor — stated that the court ruling could now allow faith-based charities to discriminate in their hiring practices.

“Christian Horizons was primarily serving the interests of persons identified by creed, which allows Christian Horizons and other faith-based charities to use the special employment provision in the Ontario Human Rights Code,” he writes in an e-mail.

“Faith-based organizations may continue to restrict hiring and employment to those of similar creed (for example, to Christians), provided they meet the bona fide occupational requirement test; and it is irrelevant for purposes of relying on [the Code] whether an Ontario faith-based organization serves members of its own creed or the public at large.”

Petersen admits that the court ruling does hand Christian charities a small opening to discriminate in hiring.

a victory for them. It does provide them with some limited opportunity to favour Christians in hiring.”

But Petersen says it would be hard for a charity to discriminate against gay men or lesbians, given the ruling on job requirements.

Any such attempts would probably mean the charities would lose massive amounts of public funding, she says, as would restricting clientele to those who share the charity’s beliefs.

“You have to base job descriptions on what people actually do.

And if Christian Horizons said they were going to make it part of their duties to proselytize, they would lose all their funding from the Ontario government.”

But both Hutchinson and Pellowe say the court ruling may ultimately provide a legally justifiable reason for faith-based charities to discriminate in hiring against homosexuals. a way to incorporate such discrimination into their job descriptions.

“I do think the court missed it on that second point,” says Hutchinson. “I think they got it wrong. But they also left the opportunity for ministries to review their job descriptions. I think the court has indicated the management of a charity should be reviewing each job description to see how does that position integrate into the entire ministry. We’ve started having discussions around this.”

Petersen says she thinks any future rulings will interpret job descriptions fairly tightly.

“You can’t just rewrite a job description. It has to reflect what people do — in the Christian Horizons case, changing bedpans, feeding people.

Any tribunal in the future wouldn’t just look at the paper description.

“Maybe at the higher echelon of the organization, the CEO or the president, they could persuade a tribunal that teaching the Bible as they understand it or modelling a Christian life was an essential part of the job description.” ■

DANGEROUS LIAISONS

by CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON Directed by ETHAN McSWEENY With

Martha Henry, Sara Topham, Tom McCamus, Seana McKenna. Photo by Andrew Eccles.

But groups representing Christian charities also claim victory. Don Hutchinson, the general legal counsel for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada — also an intervenor in the case — says the designation of Christian Horizons as a religious calling, rather than a charity, is significant in hiring employees, even with the ruling on homosexuality.

“I think it’s a positive decision for faith-based ministries in that they are able to continue with faith requirements and lifestyle and morality statements that line up with faith beliefs.”

Hutchinson says that after the OHRC ruling, Christian charities in Ontario were seriously considering only accepting clients who shared

MARTHA HENRY TOM McCAMUS SEANA McKENNA SARA TOPHAM BETHANY JILLARD YANNA McINTOSH

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INSIGHT

 

Hot time in the city

Canadian designs aren’t all toques and lumberjacks by Chris Jai Centeno Bryan Lockyer Photography

A

t the last minute Lizares cofounder and creative director Brian Maristela added a signature line of swimtion during LG Fashion Week last fall. Lucky for us.

In a country known for its arctic temperatures and backyard hockey rinks, Maristela decided to tap into an industry largely ignored

by Canadian designers. Given that summers in Toronto these days seem consistently 30-plus (not counting the humidex), lounge pool wear is very topical.

“Everywhere has beautiful weather,” says Maristela from his home in Toronto. “Los Angeles, Miami… but in Canada we still have that, so why not give people what they want?

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“Men’s fashion taste is moving forward and a bit more trendy.

We’ll see more things that aren’t the norm yet for guys.”

Before graduating from fashion design at London, Ontario’s Fanshawe College, Maristela had already shown in LG Fashion was included as part of the academic program. Fanshawe is the only Canadian college to team up with the Fashion Design Council of Canada to give its young students professional experience before they hit the ground running.

After graduating in 2008, he took a few months to travel then settled in Toronto to start on his collection with Lizares cofounder and managing director Lisa Harun.

To his credit, the label’s menswear collection showed restraint not typical of newcomers, a maturity beyond his years, and was warmly received by industry folks “barong,” a white, lightweight embroidered overshirt, considered to be the Philippines’ national dress for men, is traditional, conformist and boxy, but Maristela weaved its embroidery into someish and more wearable. It modernized the drab into luxurious lounge wear that screamed Hamptons or Muskoka.

I wanted it to have something extra to lounge by the pool or the beach.

It’s not your basic board shorts.”

to-earth designer is happily based in Toronto but misses the comforts of family in Sudbury, where he was born and raised (the company name is in honour of his mother’s maiden name).

“From the beginning [my parents] really helped me out in more ways than one. And I felt that it’s a good way to [acknowledge] them both and appreciate what they’ve done for me.”

Currently Maristela is working on a capsule collection to debut in a few months and, soon after, the brand’s 2011 fall/winter line. ■

LIZARES is only available online at lizares.net.

INSIGHT

Arkan Zakharov Photography

Lizares creative director Brian Maristela (below left) launched a sexy line of lounge pool wear, drawing upon his Filipino heritage with an updated, tailored “barong” overshirt.

NORTHERN TROPICAL .

Local skivvies Gay men are certainly not shy when it comes to all things intimate and those include swimwear, skivvies and undies (they are practically interchangeable these days).

While for the risqué, bright popping colours and neon accents are a head turner, most of us usually opt for something more subtle, that way our own curves do most of the talking. Below are two local brands that will leave a lot to be desired.

Arkan Zakharov Photography

SKMPEEZ Launched by friends Mark Barerra and Vil Sihamanotham in 2008 after an unsatisfy-

Almost Naked, Out on the Street, Seychelles Swimwear, GotStyle and Priape.

GOOD BOY GONE BAD A collaboration with retailer Priape has put this brand on the map. While they specialize

wear such as their low-cut T-shirt necklines that put American Apparel to shame.

intorontomag.com

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DisplayCase Nice Deck by Michael Prokopow

national obligation. And whether one’s tastes run to Versailles boxes, the comfortable handme-down patina of the family cottage or the billowing white curtain aesthetic of Miami Beach, shopping for summer in Canada can be a great exercise in self-expression.

FOR LIVING MUSKOKA CHAIR

ADIRONDACK CHAIR

Canadian Tire is an obvious and logical destination for the summer. One product worth considering is a version of the happily familiar Muskoka Chair ($69.99; canadiantire.ca), a north of 45 version of the Adirondack lounger. Made of fir, requiring minimal assembly, foldable, this chair is at once affordable and classic and evocative of long summers ing version is also in stock just adds to the appeal.

Although representing a near 10fold increase in price from its Canadian Tire cousin, Design within Reach’s updated version is not only stylish but ecologically sensitive ($578; dwr.com).

Made from 100 percent recycled plastic — the polyethylene of milk jugs — this chair is weatherproof, ships flat, comes in seven colours and can be accompanied by a matching footstool.

Made by Loll Designs of Duluth, Minnesota, and designed by Greg Benson and Jeff Taly, the Adirondack Chair, like every product in the company’s line, is recyclable and made in North America — a material statement about the capacity to marry good design with social responsibility and environmental stewardship. Visit DWR at 435 King St W, (416) 977-4003. Once there, check out Philip Starck’s now iconic Bubble Club collection and the Bordato Illuminated plant pot.

MUSH! LOUNGE CHAIR

Ministry of the Interior (80 Ossington Ave, 416-5336684; ministryoftheinterior.net) is a high-design emporium. Furniture designed and produced by the Montreal firm of Samare is both smartly ironic and affectingly stylish. Modernist at heart, minimal in profile with its use of welded steel, the line includes dining chairs, lounges and bar stools, breathing new life into the use of babiche, the rawhide or sinew cord used by First Nations and named by the settlers of New France. a cross between a sled from the Iditarod and one of your grandmother’s folding lawn chairs.

Sharp-looking, comfortable and photo-spread worthy, MUSH! is a game-changer.

OLD SCHOOL TABLE

Summer life often requires eating indoors (downpours, bugs and so on) so the cottage dining table needs to be an altar worthy of the bounty of July and August.

Designed by Lubo Brezina, the Old School Table manages to evoke roof beams and trusses of barns Clearly hand made, the table references the traditional practices of the furniture maker while also participating in a larger design conversation about sustainability (custom at Made for $2,850, 867 table may well mean that when the cottage is closed up, the table gets taken back to the city.

L I V I N G & H E A LT H

OpenHouse

In six months PhD candidate Jennifer Crawford and web designer Michelle Walker have taken their Riverdale home from fair to fabulous with their own bare hands... and a power tool or two by Abi Slone • photos by Nicola Betts

Why did you decide to buy your first house rather than continue to rent?

MW: We realized that a mortgage would be about the same as what of not having to deal with a landlord is pretty great, plus we get to do whatever we want to the house without permission.

JC: It was really exciting to think that we could have this huge, amazing project to work on together.

And once I realized that our mortgage was less than our rent, I was totally in. If you can buy, buy!

What do you love about your neighbourhood?

JC: It’s pretty chill, really friendly, lots of dogs around and an amazing dog park — we just keep finding more and more things to love out east. It often seems like the general consensus in Toronto is that if you’re queer, you want to live in the west — but there’s just as many of us out in the east realize.

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What does it mean to “make a home” rather than just have somewhere to live?

MW: To me, the idea of “making a home” seems more traditional, or maybe more conventional, than our way of thinking. We like this place, and we live here, so we’re going to make it the best possible environment for us.

JC: Yeah, we want this to be an awesome space that we can share with our dogs and our friends, but we’re not “home is where the heart is” sort of people. Our heart is everywhere, all the time.

What has been most challenging about the renovations?

JC: Staying motivated is pretty challenging. You finish one big project and just want to sit, chill out and have a beer and enjoy your work — but while you’re sitting there, then you notice about six other things that you have to get at.

MW: I know what we thought would be easy but was hard — getting the old piece-of-garbage tub

out of our bathroom. We still have no idea how they got it in there in the first place. Just logistically, it was too big to get out of the bathroom. We had it stuck diagonally across the room at one point. It was pretty hot to watch Jen power saw it in half.

In terms of design style, how similar are your aesthetics?

JC: Our style is pretty similar.

But even where it’s not, I think Michelle’s style is pretty sexy so I don’t mind parts of the house having more her stamp than mine.

We also each have our “own” rooms to work with where we have complete style and function command, which is really fun.

MW: Some of the compromises happened sort of organically — our styles are complementary. images and sending links back and forth for inspiration.

What’s your favourite room in the house? a large, main living space, but the

way we’ve used colours in here just translates the style well throughout the whole floor. Regardless of time of day, we get really nice light in here. It’s unrecognizable from what we started with.

JC: I love looking around this floor and seeing the evidence of our work. We built our dining room table out of a panelled wooden door, we bought $10 chairs from Craigslist that we refinished, the antique frames on the wall, remembering the day I installed the dining room light (and how much I swore that day). It’s a nice feeling to see it all finally come together.

What does an average day look like for you both?

MW: I work in an office during the day, and am kept pretty busy with sports throughout the summer. When I’m away from our space long enough I miss it. I think it’s safe to say we value having a nice space to live in and it’s even better that we’re the ones doing the improvements. It’s nice to return to something that has your mark all over it.

JC: I work from home, so I’m [here] tons. I have a lot of flexibility with my time, so I’ve been able to focus a lot of attention towards

our renos, which was nice. It was exciting to power through and paint a room, or the trim, or install a light, and surprise Michelle when she got home. We recently painted our back deck and put up some amazing lighting, and there’s a plum tree that hangs over our patio table — it’s so beautiful back there, sometimes I forget I’m in a city. Sitting with Michelle, having a beer on the patio and talking at the end of a day is absolutely my favourite thing right now. ■

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We are committed to improving our services, and we believe each passenger should be treated to memorable moments on board our trains. VIA is the only carrier to offer the space that makes the trip as enjoyable as the destination. That’s why we call it “A more human way to travel.”

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L I V I N G & H E A LT H

   

Prince Edward County getaways by Gordon Bowness Pretty drives Most of the wineries are located on the west side of the County, near the town of Wellington.

Closson Rd is a lovely county lane that winds its of good wine and pretty wineries, hit NORMAN HARDIE (normanhardie.com), OLD THIRD (oldthird.com), HINTERLAND for sparkling (hinterlandwine.com), GRANGE (grangeofprinceedward. com), and CLOSSON CHASE (clossonchase. com). If you don’t want to drive to Sandbanks to swim, head to nearby North Beach. The road through the provincial park runs right along the narrow beach, so it feels a little scrappy.

But the water and convenience can’t be beat.

A fave of locals.

From Picton, head east on Hwy 33 past Lake on the Mountain all the way around the point near famous FIFTH TOWN ARTISAN CHEESE (lavsample hard apple or peach cider at COUNTY CIDER CO (countycider.com) and pizza from the clay oven located on top of a hill overlooking the lake, or keep going to WAUPOOS ESTATES (waupooswinery.com) with its restaurant gorgeously situated by the lake — a must for lunch.

Keep along the coast to County Rd 13 until you hit LITTLE BLUFF CONSERVATION AREA . a pretty little cove with a pebble beach and great swimming. More wine? LONG DOG WINERY is out this way (longdog.ca).

Or just drive. The County is really just a small island. You can’t get too lost. Take any county road or lane and see where it takes you. Head for any of the points (except in the northwest and northeast corners) to discover hidden gems.

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T

he

Norman

Hardie

2008

County

Creek 2008 Estate Chardonnay is astringent as an old lady’s well-powdered panties on a hot summer day. Oh, dear. Too much wine tasting. Better call me a cab… a Sandbanks Estates Cabernet Franc!

Prince Edward County is a foodie paradise — top chefs passionate to showcase that local produce at its best. Mix in gorgeous scenery, twisting country lanes, gabled century-homes and one of the best beaches in North America, and you have an irresistible holiday destination, all just two hours away from Toronto. Whether a day trip, an overnight getaway or a longer vaca-

wine brought foodies in its wake, chefs inspired by the slow food movement — the challenge and reward of cooking mainly with locally grown produce.

Harvest restaurant in Picton is the epitome of the County food experience. Chef Michael Potters (whose TO credits include the Rosewater Supperclub and Auberge Gavroche) moved to the County in 2003 where he operated the Milford Bistro for two years. He opened erel straight from the lake to your table, mains named after the farmers who reared the animals and veggies kissed with just enough heat

and professionalism that you expect from a fancy downtown restaurant but without the

something for everyone and every budget.

When Ed Neuser and Rita Kaimins planted

My boyfriend and I were recent guests of

1993 they could not have foreseen the trans-

grilled baby octopus, warm olives, tuna tartar and soft poached quail’s egg, each winning our rapt attention. We followed that with rich and complex pâ lops with corn succotash; delicious, and I never liked scallops before. For mains: rich and spicy county lamb with merguez sausage refreshed by

2001. Since then 32 wineries have started up; the region received its own VQA appellation in 2007 and County wines are winning praise and

L I V I N G & H E A LT H

The Beach

bloom. These dunes move, burying everything in their path. So you’ll stumble upon the surreal sight of tree trunks bleached

succulent sweetness balanced by the swampy green of Swiss chard. Our waiter deftly helped pair wines with everything. Luckily, we were also guests of the very grand Claramount Inn, a beautiful Victorian mansion overlooking Picton harbour. It has huge rooms luxuriously located across the street from Harvest, so we Everywhere we went, the County was overwhelmingly populated by women of a certain age. Tilley hats, artisanal silk and close-cropped white hair were de rigueur. A feminine, somwine and sunny vistas are reminiscent of the Mediterranean, the C are sleepy country towns and — outside of tastes and discerning palates who can enter-

worth the risk of sage green and taupe overload.

Our trip was midweek; apparently the weekend crowds are much hipper. undergoing a real estate boom. Hundreds of Torontonians have left the city behind for the -

Sandbanks

SANDBANKS PROVINCIAL PARK unending spit of white sand; the shallow waters are a beacon to families with small kids and sun-worshippers of all ages. But

ty’s live-and-let-live attitude has made ample space for a surprisingly large contingent of gay of the country. But it’s still very rural. Case in County, we spotted a pair of silver-plated bulls’ balls dangling from the back end of a pickup and newbies — “citiots” was one term we heard.

But every newcomer we met expressed a commitment and intelligence about zoning issues, energy plans and a host of other political hot potatoes, trying to balance their own concerns with those of working farmers. In some profound ways, it felt like the future writ small, a future with green energy, food supplied locally, and white-collar workers connected to metropolitan centres via the phone and internet living side by side with agricultural producers.

Whether that future becomes reality is a huge question mark — but County folk are at the forefront of shaping the question.

Like all questions about the future of civilization, a glass of wine or three and a tasty meal help lubricate the conversation. ■

Fancy dining HARVEST in Picton (harvestrestaurant.ca) BLUMEN in Picton (blumengardenbistro.com) MERRILL INN in Picton (merrillinn.com) CLARA’S in Picton (claramountinn.com) CARRIAGE HOUSE EAST AND MAIN in Wellington, also good for lunch (eastandmain.ca)

Cafés & lunch spots Burger joints and highway greasy spoons abound, so midCHESTERFIELDS in Picton. Thank God, someone in dreadMISS LILY’S in Picton. An alternative oasis in a sea of overSAYLOR CAFÉ (saylorhouseandcafe.com) TALL POPPY in Wellington (tallpoppycafe.ca) DEVONSHIRE INN in Wellington, overlooking the lake (devonshire-inn.com) Note: Some restaurants and wineries close Tuesdays; check ahead

HAGERMAN FARMS in Picton (13644 Loyalist Pkwy) LAUNDRY FARMS in Picton (530 County Rd 1) VICKI’S VEGGIES in Milford (vickisveggies.com) FIFTH TOWN CHEESE SCHROEDTER’S MARKET Meat, baking and prepared foods (Hwy 62 and County Rd 1) SLICKERS ICE CREAM cream.com) MARSHMALLOW ROOM

Any of the roadside produce stalls

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19

L I V I N G & H E A LT H

Prince Edward County cottages start at $164,000 Welcome to Easy.

*

Welcome to Sandbanks Summer Village, a new seasonal waterfront cottage resort surrounded by wineries, restaurants and a thriving artisan community in the heart of Prince Edward County. With a private beach, our own restaurant, fitness centre, adult focused and family areas, you’ll own a bit of magic without a bit of hassle.

Maintenance-free living means we’ll take yard work out of your vocabulary. We’ll also close your cottage for the winter and open it for you in the spring. With our cottage rental program and on-site administration, we’ll take care of all the details should you wish to rent it out. To schedule an appointment at our Picton showroom, just give us a call or visit our website.

613. 399. 5789 www.summervillage.ca

Own Easy * Pre-construction phase pricing starting at $164,000. Prices and specifications are subject to change.

E. & O.E. Brokers protected.

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august 2010

Accommodation There are scores of B&Bs, campgrounds, resorts and inns; spend some time searching Nothing is more than 20 minutes away by car in the County.

CLARAMOUNT INN in Picton. Grand, opulent suites ($200-$225 a night; claramountinn.com) DEVONSHIRE INN , lakeside in Wellington ($150-$280 a night; devonshire-inn.com) HUFF ESTATES on County Rd 1, near Hwy 62. If you are starved for modern design and prefer being in the middle of WARING HOUSE outside of Picton. Huge

Claramount Inn

complex is located on a highway and faces a big parking lot. The new buildings resemble an old folks’ home from the front. Only book rooms in the back with their pleasant views of a neighbouring conservation area, or the cottage ($150-$300 a night; waringhouse.com)

Other destinations BOOKS AND COMPANY second-hand books mixed in with new titles. Perfect rainy-day destination, but worth a trip anytime (and connected to Miss Lily’s café; pictonbookstore.com) GLENWOOD CEMETERY in Picton is gorgeous (and part of the Gallows and Graveyard tours; theregenttheatre.org) OENO GALLERY on County Rd 1, near Hwy 62. The County is sick with hand-thrown pottery and blown glass. If that isn’t your cup of tea, then head to Oeno, owned by Carlyn Moulton and Barbara Basille, for art with some curatorial heft (oenogallery.com) Antique shops abound, but locals say all the good deals are long gone. Still, you can’t beat this DEAD PEOPLE’S STUFF

Fifth Town Cheese

Picton harbour

No car?

Take the train to Belleville and book a taxi. It will cost you between $30 to $40 to get to Picton or Wellington. Then hire bikes or a boat. You can easily do a winery tour from Wellington on bike.

There are also van tours available from Picton.

Two of the local tour companies, Sandbanks Vacations (sandbanksvacations.com) and PEC Wine and Culinary Tours (pecwinetours.com) will pick you up and return you to the train station if you book one of their same-day excursions. They’ll House, and back if you book a longer stay. prince-edward-county.com tastethecounty.ca

LISTINGS & EVENTS

August in BLISS Summerworks grabs the North American premiere by Olivier Choiniere.

THE HIDDEN CAMERAS Two gigs at Lower Ossington Theatre (see Pop & Rock).

HUGH HEFNER New documentary opens (see Film & Video).

SOUTH PACIFIC The Tony-winning revival previews.

THE EX Opening day.

NINA ARSENAULT I Was Barbie closes at Summerworks.

JERSEY BOYS Closing night of the long-running musical.

mbs

r Coo

Pete

D’BI.YOUNG Last day for word! sound! powah! at Summerworks.

GALLERIES & MUSEUMS PAUL PETRO CONTEMPORARY

Toronto Mon Amour, a new installation of photography, painting and sculpture

by Eli Langer and Amend, new drawings by veteran printmaker and sculptor Jane Buyers. 11am-5pm. Wed-Sat. Until Aug 7. 980 Queen St W. (416) 979-7874. paulpetro.com.

GALLERY SPIN TOUR Queer West Fest bicycle tour of west-end galleries.

Meeting point is Trinity Bellwoods Park, Queen and Strachan gate, between 6:30pm and 7pm. Ends around 9:30pm.

Thu, Aug 12. Free. queerwest.org.

MOCCA Empire of Dreams. New works exploring our built environment, featuring Dan Bergeron, Joda Clément and Nigel Craig, Alberto Guedea Zamora, Janet Jones, An Te Liu, Samina Mansuri, Jade Rude and Bruno Billio, Lisa Steele and

22

august 2010

Kim Tomczak and more. PWYC. 11am6pm. Tue-Sun. Until Sun, Aug 15. 952 Queen St W. (416) 395-0067. mocca.ca.

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM From the Soul, The Caribana art exhibit, the largest juried display of African art ever at the ROM, continues until Sun, Aug 15. $29; half price Friday evenings. Regular admission. 100 Queen’s Park. (416) 586-8000. rom.on.ca.

JUSTINA M BARNICKE Scream with Samonie Toonoo and Ed Pien. Until Sat, Aug 21. See review page 36.

ANGELL GALLERY Summer Group Show with photographers Bonnie Baxter, Jessica Eaton, Derek Evans, and Alex Kisilevich (see page 8). Plus Memorandum, postrealist paintings by Allison Freeman and Architectural Digestions, semi-abstract paintings by Gertrude Kearns. Noon5pm. Wed–Sat. Until Sat, Aug 21.

12 Ossington Ave. (416) 530-0444.

POWER PLANT Adaptation, species

mix it up with Allora and Calzadilla, Francis Alÿs, Cory Arcangel, John Bock, Olaf Breuning, Marcus Coates, Robyn Cumming, Mark Dion, FASTWÜRMS, Shaun Gladwell, Lucy Gunning, Nina Katchadourian, Louise Lawler, Hanna Liden, Hew Locke, Sandra Meigs, Rivane

Téllez and Michelle Williams Gamaker. $6.

Noon-6pm (-8pm Wed). Tue-Sun. Until Sun, Sep 12. 231 Queens Quay W. (416) 973-4949. thepowerplant.org.

BOOKS & READINGS SEXY WORDS An evening of spoken

word poetry with Duncan Armstrong, David Bateman, Philip Cairns, Parul Pandya, Cathy Petch, Jay Stewart, Nicola Ward and The Storm. Part of Queer West Fest. $5. 7pm. Sun, Aug 8. Lula Lounge.

1585 Dundas St W. (416) 588-0307.

LISTINGS & EVENTS

the City

AFTERSHOCK Evan Tsitsias’s play opens at Summerworks.

John Narvali

TASTE OF THE DANFORTH Greek food and fun.

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW Opens at Soulpepper.

Joan Marcos

FILM & VIDEO HUGH HEFNER: PLAYBOY, ACTIVIST AND REBEL

Brigitte Berman’s new documentary on how Hefner changed North America’s attitudes towards sex and freedom of expression. With George Lucas, Mike Wallace, Joan Baez, Dr Ruth, Pat Boone and more. Opens Fri, Aug 6.

JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s feature doc on the acerbic comic and plastic surgery addict. Opens Fri, Aug 13.

THEATRE & DANCE LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL Until

Sun, Aug 8. See review page 37.

JERSEY BOYS The story of Frankie

Valli and the Four Seasons. Dancap’s long-running production starring Michael

TEGAN SARA At the Molson

Amphitheatre.

Sullivan and Quinn VanAntwerp closes Sun, Aug 22. $25-$125. 7:30pm. Tue-Thu (and Aug 22). 8pm. Fri & Sat. 2pm. Wed, Sat, & Sun. Toronto Centre for the Arts.

5040 Yonge St. (416) 644-365.

DREAM IN HIGH PARK Romeo and Juliet.

Until Sun, Sep 5. See review page 38.

ROCK OF AGES A small-town girl falls in love with a big-city rocker set to a soundtrack of ’80s hits. Apparently scores of people of a certain age want to relive their high school graduation. The Mirvish production stars Yvan Pedneault and Elicia MacKenzie. $28 to $99. 8pm.

Tue-Sat. 2pm. Sat & Sun. 7pm. Sun. Extended to Oct 31. Royal Alexandra Theatre. 260 King St W. (416) 872-1212. mirvish.com.

SUMMERWORKS Among the scores of plays featured at this year’s festival (running Aug 5 to 15), check out Evan

Tsitsias’s Aftershock, directed by Rod Ceballos. Anna upends her eccentric family after returning from an Extreme Makeover show on television. Starring

kin, David Mackett, Catherine Rainville, Amy Rutherford. Sat, Aug 7-14. Factory Studio. 125 Bathurst St. Olivier Choiniere is one of Quebec’s most infamous young playwrights. In his play Bliss, a girl is kept prisoner in her room where she is visited by visions of heaven and hell, Walmart and Celine Dion. The North American premiere is translated by Caryl Churchill.

Starring Delphine Bienvenu, Jean-Robert Bourdage, France Rolland and Steven McCarthy; McCarthy directs. Fri, Aug 6-14. Lower Ossington Theatre. 100A Ossington Ave. The Emotionalists by Sky Gilbert explores the limits of rational

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23

LISTINGS & EVENTS

In Spot Guu

A

fter copious cocktails generously spiked with sake and plum wine, Guu feels like Cheers — Tokyo tapas style.

Each new patron is greeted with an enthusiastic shout, “irasyaimase,” welcome. Chefs, patrons and serv-

by Pam Shime

who fill the patio and communal picnic-style tables, munching on yummy takoyai (deep fried puffed octopus balls; $5) and karubi (grilled beef short ribs; $6.80).

Nicola Betts

Mickey Mouse baseball caps, head scarves, berets and toques, seem more like new millennium hippies than formal sushi chefs (sushi only makes brief appearances on the menu).

Start the evening with the

ers all chime in. Don’t be surprised if you join the choir between kakimayo (grilled oysters with spinach, garlic mayo and cheese; $5.80) and tontor (grilled pork cheek with yuzu pepper; $6.30), with the aid of highly recommended sake mojitos ($5.80). masu,” thank you, to those leaving are greeted with cheers by those in the seemingly limitless line snaking around the parking lot garden (there’s no reservations; open daily, 5pm to midnight). Customers spill into the high-ceilinged restaurant through a door in a striking slate wall pockmarked by cubed windows.

Via Vancouver, Guu brings a wider assortment of Japanese food than Toronto has tasted before. Perhaps that explains the lines and fidelity of the customers

24

august 2010

sake shooters ($6.80) or go straight to the junma gingo genshun sake (6 oz at $13, 12 oz at $25, or a a wide assortment of unbeatably priced small dishes — deep fried, grilled, stewed, as well as oden soups, salads and noodles.

My friends kvelled about the creamy gindara (grilled black cod with miso and white wine sauce; $9.80) and if the daily specials feature okra and natto on cold tofu ($4.20), do it!

It’s tempting to order the Big Boy almond tofu ($3.50) for dessert, just for the name, but instead choose the banana tempura with coconut ice cream, chocolate and mango sauce ($5.80). It’s the perfect final touch to an evening of silly fun and boozey goodness.

Irasyaimase! ■

398 Church St. (416) 977-0999. guu-izakaya.com.

thought by tackling philosopher and writer Ayn Rand, founder of the Objectivist movement. Featuring Soo Garay, Aiden DeSalaiz, Tim Maclean, Krystal Meadows, Dan LeBerg and James Downing; Eli Ham directs.

Fri, Aug 6-15. The Theatre Centre. 1087 Queen St W. Brendan Healy directs a remount of I Was Barbie by Nina Arsenault. It’s the true story of Arsenault representing Mattel’s best-loved birthday party and the opening night of L’Oreal Fashion Week. Thu, Aug 5-15. Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace.

16 Ryerson Ave. Rick Roberts directs Melody A Johnson’s one-woman show Miss Alison Porter. Inspired by the life of Peggy Ann Douglas, a ’50s farm girl who dreams of escaping to the big city to become an actress after taking elocution lessons. Thu, Aug 5-15. Factory Theatre Studio.

In word! sound! powah! by d’bi.young, a young dub poet named benu is swept up in the political spirit of revolution in Jamaica in the 1970s.

Sat, Aug 7-14. Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace. $10 most shows; $75 fest pass. (416) 504-7529. summerworks.ca.

DUSK DANCES Featuring opening band The Goodtimes (7pm) and new works performed in a gorgeous park from choreographers Karen Kaeja, Meredith Thompson and Kate Franklin, and Sashar Zarif; plus park adaptations from Santee Smith and Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, and Montreal’s Louis-Martin Charest. PWYC. 7:30pm.

Thu, Aug 12-17. Withrow Park. South of the Danforth between Logan and Carlaw. duskdances.ca.

SOUTH PACIFIC “I’m going to wash that man right out of my hair.” The National Tour of the 2008 Tony Award-winning revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. It’s the story of love in a time of war, based on James Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-wining book Starring Jason Howard and Carmen Cusack. Directed by Bartlett Sher. $28-$200.

7:30pm. Tue-Sat. 2pm. Wed, Sat & Sun. Thu, Aug 12-Sep 5.

Opening. 7:30pm. Aug 15. Four Season Centre. 145 Queen St W. (416) 644-3665. dancaptickets.com.

ROCK ON

Big hair rules in Rock of Ages at the Royal

Alex.

AGE OF AROUSAL The Shaw

Festival mounts Linda

smart play about love and era. An older lesbian opens a typing school to help give women independence.

Starring Donna Belleville, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Sharry Flett, Kelli Fox, Gray Powell and Jenny Young; Jackie Maxwell directs. Fri, Aug 13-Oct 10. Courthouse Theatre. Also opening this month: Serious Money by Caryl Churchill, no-holds barred look at corporate greed set in a 1980s stock exchange. Opens Aug 14.

Studio Theatre. Niagara-onthe-Lake. 1 (800) 511-SHAW. shawfest.com.

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW

After a disappointing production of Loot last year, Soulpepper essays another Joe Orton farce that eviscerates sexual indiscretions and bureaucratic incompetence.

Directed by Jim Warren and featuring Oliver Dennis, Graham Harley, Brandon McGibbon, Brenda Robins, Nicole Underhay and Blair Williams. $31-$75. Previews Thu, Aug 19. Wed, Aug 25-Sep 18. Young Centre.

55 Mill St. (416) 866.8666. youngcentre.ca.

DOC Soulpepper also pres-

ents Sharron Pollock’s awardwinning play from 1984.

A daughter examines her relationship with her parents.

Directed by Diana Leblanc and featuring Derek Boyes, Carmen Grant, Jane Spidell, and RH Thomson. $31-$75.

Previews Thu, Aug 19.

Thu, Aug 26-Sep 18. Young Centre. 55 Mill St. (416) 866.8666. youngcentre.ca.

ROCK & POP THE HIDDEN CAMERAS

Some of the most beautiful, quixotic pop music going.

Joel Gibb’s concerts always turn into a fun collective dance party. Part of the Summerworks festival’s Music Series. $10. 10pm. Thu, Aug 5 & 6. Lower Ossington Theatre.

100A Ossington Ave. (416) 504-7529. summerworks.ca.

EAST COAST MUSIC FES TIVAL Three Cape Breton

Ashley MacIsaac, the Barra MacNeils and singer/songwriter Jimmy Rankin, promise a rousing, toe-tapping evening of Celtic music. Free with CNE admission: $16.

7:30pm. Sun, Aug 29. CNE Bandshell. Exhibition Place. theex.com.

TEGAN AND SARA The twin sisters of righteous indie music are in the midst of their City and Colour North

LISTINGS & EVENTS

Joan Marcos

You’ve got to love a 5k walk and 10k run by folks in their underwear. And all for a good cause: North York General Hospital’s Cancer Care Pro-

In Spot Sanagan’s

by Serafin LaRiviere

Nicola Betts

and education around underfunded below-the-waist cancers like prostate, ovarian and colorectal. The 10k run starts at 6pm with the 5k walk starting immediately after. Sat, Aug 28. Starts at Woodbine Park. Coxwell and Lake Shore Blvd E. (416) 777-CURE (2873). to10.uncoverthecure.org.

ASHKENAZ FESTIVAL The 15th festival of Yiddish and Jewish culture (Tue, Aug 31 to Sep 6 at Harbourfront) Avram Sutzkever, an evening of poetry and music with Mitch Smolkin, Theresa ers. $10. 7pm. Tue, Aug 31.

Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue. 100 Elder St, North York. (416) 633-3838. ashkenazfestival.com.

NIGHTLIFE & PARTIES American tour. Wintersleep and Ra Ra Riot open. $37$64. 6:30pm. Sat, Aug 28.

Molson Amphitheatre. 909 Lake Shore Blvd W. ticketmaster.com.

PLEASURE & PLAY TASTE OF THE DANFORTH

Get your Greek grill on with miles of souvlaki, pop and traditional Greek music, wine and food tasting and more. It’s Canada's largest street festival. Fri, Aug 6-8.

Danforth Ave, from Broadview to Jones. tasteofthedanforth.com.

CHURCH STREET FETISH FAIR A gay and lesbian

celebration of all things kinky, fantasy and leather. Vendors, entertainment and demos.

Noon-9pm. Sun, Aug 15.

Church St, from Gloucester to Alexander. (416) 393-6363. churchstreetfetishfair.com.

PRIDE RIDE Gay West Bicycle Club's annual ride to Port Credit. About a 54k 3-hour trip, departing from 220 Cowan Ave in front of the Masaryk-Cowan Community Centre. Noon. Sun, Aug 15. queerwest.org/bikeclub.

TRIADVENTURE A fundraiser for Nikibasika, a home for orphaned and vulnerable civil war in Uganda. Participants swim 3km or run 15km, then canoe 15km and cycle 140km from Lake Simcoe to Toronto. Fri, Aug 20-22. triforafrica.org.

OUT AND OUT JAMBOREE

Cabins, camping, food and fun in a campground near Haliburton. Celebrate the social group’s 3oth anniversary.

Three to eight-day packages available. Sun, Aug 22-29.

Outandout.ca.

PYO RETREAT A free weekend retreat for HIV-positive youth. Presented by the AIDS Committee of Toronto and Positive Youth Outreach.

Mon, Aug 23-25. (416) 340-8484 ext 265. pyo@ actoronto.org.

THE CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBITION (aka The CNE, aka The Ex) runs Fri, Aug 20 to Sep 6, 10am to midnight (entry gates close at 10pm).

Animals, rides, entertainers, mullets. Concerts include Gloria Gaynor (Sep 4) and Down with Webster (Aug 28). SuperDogs!

Daily at 12:30pm, 3:30pm and 6:30pm. Direct Energy Centre. And to avoid charges of prejudice, there’s the 39th annual Cat Show. 10am-5pm.

Sat, Aug 28 & 29. Exhibition Place. theex.com.

BUSKERFEST Just in case you can’t get enough mime…. Okay, it’s only a little bit mime. Juggling, clowning, acrobatics, comedics… you name it.

A fundraiser for Epilepsy Toronto. Noon-midnight.

Thu, Aug 26-29. Front St E, near St Lawrence Market. torontobuskerfest.com.

THE UNDERWEAR AFFAIR

DJ Blackcat’s annual Caribana street party with Recklezz, Unruly Twin, JJ Rock and Nik Red. With performances by House of Monroe, Michelle Ross, Nicolette Brown, T-Bone and more. 2pm-10pm. Sun, Aug 1.

The Yard, outside at Zipperz.

72 Carlton St. TRIBAL COUNCIL BALL/ URBAN JUNGLE A vogue

competition in categories like

soca warrior and male sex siren. With commentators from the House of Monroe and DJ Vjuan Allure. Allure the afterparty; Blackcat, Unruly Twin and Hot Knife on the second; Yes Yes Y’all crew and Recklezz on the Jungle Weekend. $10. 9pm doors; 10:30pm start. Sun, Aug 1. The Barn. 418 Church St. (416) 593-9696.

QUEER WEST FESTIVAL LAUNCH PARTY Juried youth art show (6pm), dancing with DJs Andrew Awesome, Countess Christsmasher and more (9pm).

Around $10 cover. Sat, Aug 7.

Adodebar. 128 Peter St. queerwest.org.

WHITE PARTY Chic presents A VIP women-only cruise aboard the Empress of Canada with performances

by Elvira Kurt and music by the V Girls. $100. 1pm-5pm.

Sun, Aug 15. Boarding at 11 Polson St. ticketweb.ca.

S

anagan’s Meat Locker in Kensington Market is the hot new destination for great hunks of flesh.

Owner Peter Sanagan, a chef by trade, is determined to introduce Torontonians to the excellent meat and poultry grown within our province’s borders.

“Food is a big part of the neighbourhood’s culture here,” says Sanagan, who took over the shop from its previous owners seven months ago. “And there’s a bit of a renaissance happening in

stores opening with a little nicer aesthetic.”

Having visited the butcher shop in its previous incarnation, I can attest to its updated appeal: walls are painted a fresh, crisp white, counters are spotless and the retro fridge counter gleams like

with great care, drawing from his culinary experience as a student, and later instructor, at George Brown College, plus eight years cooking at Toronto’s Mistura restaurant. A stint cooking at a small inn in Owen Sound put him in touch with many of the local suppliers whose wares he now sells.

“I come at this from a cooking point of view,” Sanagan says.

“I like to cut things like frenched pork chops so that when a customer takes them home and cooks them, it’s like replicating what you would find in a restaurant.”

After our interview, I take home a couple of smoked pork chops and some of Sanagan’s freshly made fennel sausages (different sausages with unusual flavour combinations like cheeseporch chops are well over an inch thick, and meltingly delicious.

the walk-in fridge to the sawdust front window remains a highlight, proudly displaying some truly beautiful cuts of meat.

Sanagan chooses his products

best piece of meat I’ve had in my mouth all summer. ■ 206 Baldwin St. (416) 593-9747. sanagansmeatlocker.com.

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25

SPECIAL SPORTS SERIES

Coleman showed up to play with the Toronto Spartan Volleyball League back in 2005, the other players in the gay, lesbian and homo-friendly organization thought he was straight. It was all a bit awkward, considering that during his time as a professional beach volleyball player, Coleman had been plagued by gay rumours — rumours which helped drive him away from the sport.

At his peak, Toronto-born Coleman ranked in the top 100 beach volleyball teams in the world, with kids asking him for autographs and fans

ball might seem like a laidback sport where it would be easy to be out, but the dude mentality also means that hooking up with female players and fans is a major part of the international touring lifestyle. Tight budgets mean that as many as six guys share a hotel room. Under constant scrutiny, Coleman says he had to work hard to stay in the closet. Mentioning his boyfriend back home was verboten, even to his volleyball partner.

“Girls would come up to me but I wasn’t engaging them the way the other guys were,” says Coleman, now 34. “I once shared a room with my [volleyball] partner in Berlin, turned on the TV and saw that it was gay Pride there. I remember thinking, ‘How do I sneak out? What if I run into somebody on the tour?’ I didn’t go.”

In Italy, a player he didn’t know came up to him on the court to suggest that he was gay. Coleman ingly worried about being found out. ing away from the sport… for a while.

Tempted back onto the beach and then the court by a friend, he found his way to the Spartan league, where being out is as natural as spiking and bumping. Coleman didn’t have to lie

Serving up truths by Paul Gallant

Jenna Marie Wakani

T

Eddie Coleman

anymore. At the 2006 Outgames, he and his partner won a bronze — beating a top Italian team in the process. Now he can play across Canada and internationally as a whole person

“Looking back, I totally regret not being out,” says Coleman. “I was so worried about how people would respond to me. I was super insecure.”

Never one for bars or clubs, Coleman met a boyfriend through the league.

“I’m very competitive,” says Coleman. about the relationship later.’”

As league president, Coleman tries to balance his competitive background with the easygoing spirit the league Experienced players are encouraged to help the junior players, showing up at their games to cheer them on. He also likes to bring in straight players to help break down barriers on the both sides of the orientation net.

Missing the feeling of sand under his feet, Coleman has also started to coach the national practice beach volleyball team for under 18-yearolds — Olympic hopefuls who have no problem being mentored by an openly gay man.

Coleman never met any openly gay volleyball players while on tour; it ation. ■

Toronto Spartan Volleyball League ESTABLISHED 1979 TEAMS 32 recreational, 36 competitive.

PLAYERS 500 (men and women) SEASON September to December and January to April (recreational), September to May (competitive) UPCOMING Registration in August WEBSITE tsvl.org

At his peak, Eddie Coleman ranked in the top 100 beach volleyball teams in the world.

STAR POWER

L I V I N G & H E A LT H

S   

Charles Pavia

by Paul Gallant

C

Jenna Marie Wakani

harles Pavia is one of those guys you see at the hippest parties and arts events, part of the defunct Epic Fitness’s “Get Along Gang” who spent more time talking than working out.

team as a way to teach himself how to be happy as a single person. He learned how — but he also found a boyfriend.

“As teammates we had shared a bed, but he had a boyfriend when

practices frequently lead to Friday night partying. And then there are the Speedos. New players will often show up in jammer shorts but as they grow more comfortable with their bodies and their teammates, they usually opt for something more streamlined.

“Is it sexy? We like to think so,” says Pavia. “We do shower naked, but it’s more about the camaraderie than anything. It gets past the point of being romantic and sexual.” ■

until much later,” says Pavia, who books creative services at Judy Inc

Water Polo

years ago, Pavia realized that he had almost always had a boyfriend.

He wanted to feel part of something bigger than a relationship, to invest in something larger than the party scene. He decided to sign

inter-team romance.”

ESTABLISHED 2001 PLAYERS About 50 (men and women) POOL UofT Athletic Centre UPCOMING The Gay Games in Cologne early August; Open House for prospective players in September WEBSITE

ended after the boyfriend moved to England, but water polo had other things to teach Pavia. While his original motives might have been social, he soon learned that his skills were valued as much as his capacity to get the party

Downtown Swim Club

tion. As a goaltender, Pavia has a stop balls.

IN THE MOMENT

focus and discipline required of water polo.

exposure to team sports,” says Pavia. “We’re only as strong as our weakest player. And if I stay out late or sleep in, if I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing, His newfound discipline got him invited to the competitive branch

28

moment in time, you have to be there, have that moment, swallow it and move on to the next one.”

Certainly Pavia did not give up his socializing tendencies when he

august 2010

Outgames in Copenhagen in 2009 and so did his vision of what sport could do. Pavia had travelled abroad before to Mardi Gras and various Pride celebrations, but he realized that sporting events had -

pose, the buzz — not of partying but of athletic achievement — took the energy to another level. a bronze, their winning points coming in the last eight seconds of double overtime.

“It comes down to that one

ESTABLISHED 1986 MEMBERS 110 (men and women) PRACTICES Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays POOLS UofT Athletic Centre (year round), Rosedale Heights School (September to June) and Summerville (July and August) WEBSITE dsctoronto.ca

Breathless Synchro ESTABLISHED 2007 MEMBERS 10 (men) SEASON September to June POOL UofT Athletic Centre UPCOMING Open House in September WEBSITE breathlesssynchro.com

L I V I N G & H E A LT H

S   

Nathalie Bourque

Health and happiness on the diamond by Paul Gallant Bourque

didn’t

Lulu Wei

N

athalie

until three years ago, when she was already 27. It’s not that Bourque disliked sports growing up. She just never had any time for them, working full-time by

the only one to notice the sparks between her and a teammate who some teasing by their peers, the two found themselves alone in conversation at a party. Phone rule was broken. Bourque now has problems talking about her girlfriend without using words like “fantastic,” “amazing,” “adorable” and “the greatest person in the world.”

she was always “the fat kid” didn’t friend Cher Horslin, a woman beloved by the people who knew let their mutual friends on the Notso Amazon Softball League convince her to pick up a bat, ball and glove.

“When Cher died, it was like a memorial to her, just so I could see what she loved about softball,” says Bourque, now 30. “I only anticipated joining for the year because I didn’t think I’d enjoy it.”

Bourque feels like she’s discovered talents she never knew she had and, keener that she is, intends to develop them. Her next goal is to hit the ball far enough to make it to second base. She also wants to equally challenged and socialized.

Memorial Award for the player who

the Breast or, as they liked to call themselves, “Boobies,” changed gest team but they had chemistry which transformed them into unlikely contenders. After winning

the force that brought Bourque to softball will continue to preside West home turf. ■

Notso Amazon Softball League

season, they surprised even themselves by taking home the championship trophy.

ESTABLISHED 1984 TEAMS 12

the unstoppable team — and we stopped them,” says Bourque, who is currently back at school

PLAYERS More than 200 (women and trans) GAMES Sundays, Riverdale Park West

Nathalie Bourque picked up a bat and ball to honour her friend, the late Cher Horslin.

TEAM SPIRIT

in thinking they were going to win. Our mentor told us to have fun. If someone dropped the ball, okay, someone dropped the ball.

We watched them and they were so hard on each other when they could rout skillful aggression was a personal revelation.

brings prizes to encourage her felished in the bonhomie of the 200woman league, getting herself elected vice-president of the organizing collective. More unexpected was the weight loss. Her newfound desire to constantly improve her

game has made her the most active she’s been in her life.

Also unexpected was the girlfriend of three months.

“I had a rule. I wasn’t going to date anybody,” says Bourque. “When you get a big group together, it’s best not to get your personal life involved in it.” Bourque wasn’t

WEBSITE notsoamazon.com

Cabbagetown Group Softball League ESTABLISHED 1975 TEAMS 18 PLAYERS More than 300 (men and women) SEASON May to September GAMES Fridays and Saturdays, McCleary and Coronation parks WEBSITE cgslsoftball.com

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29

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L I V I N G & H E A LT H

S   

Keph Senett

by Paul Gallant

H

Lulu Wei

aving lived most of her life on what she calls the “cerebral and creative” side of things, Keph Senett was delighted with her initial late-life successes at soccer. Joining the Downtown Soccer Toronto league in 2005, she was buzzed that she could learn new skills, be a team player and make new friends. Her father, well into his 60s, started coming to her games, eventually bringing his partner and Senett’s two young step-sisters to cheer her

seys, shin guards, cleats and other

the South African team, known as the Mdantsane Mountain Birds.

Packages to South Africa are frequently delayed or end up disappearing when they arrive at customs. Fortunately, her friend Carty was making a trip back and agreed ing his suitcases with the kits.

“Now there’s a team in Africa wearing ‘O’Grady’s on Church’ uniforms. I loved how it wasn’t just talking about things, but doing them,” says Senett, who blogged about the kit drive at personalsa.wordpress.com — originally the “sa” stood for “South Africa,” now it stands for “soccer activism.” ■

established women-only Pink Turf league, she preferred to play with the younger, mixed-gender players of the DST, a league made up of gay men, lesbians, trans people and friendly straights. But her real revelation arrived when she became friends with a player from Philadelphia during a 2008 soccer tournament. Her nascent sporting life suddenly took on a completely

Downtown Soccer Toronto ESTABLISHED 2001 TEAMS 10 (men and women)

game could deliver more than just goals.

PLAYERS 230 SEASON May to September GAMES Sundays, Withrow Park

an HIV/AIDS researcher and director of the school of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

WEBSITE downtownsoccertoronto.org

to come visit him while he worked on a project in South Africa. She Senett, who works in communications, helped Carty do HIV/AIDS research in rural villages. But her love of soccer reared its head soon after she arrived. Her Toronto team had won the coveted Pride Cup that year and her fellow players had asked her to give the trophy ball to a girl’s team in the soccer-mad country. She found one and made a presentation. She also bonded with a men’s team in the

Keph Senett enjoys playing soccer but loves how it connects her to a much wider world.

SOCCER ACTIVISM

village of Mdantsane, full of talented and spirited players lacking the most basic of equipment.

Withrow [Park in Toronto], but many of them didn’t have cleats.

says Senett, 40. “I thought of how much waste our league produced [with our] new jerseys every year.”

Senett came up with an idea for a league-wide kit drive. DST members were eager to chip in, going out of their way to bring socks, jer-

The Mdantsane Mountain Birds in South Africa.

CONNECTIONS

Pink Turf ESTABLISHED 1987 TEAMS 10 PLAYERS (women) SEASON May to September GAMES Saturdays, Withrow Park WEBSITE pinkturfsoccer.com

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31

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L I V I N G & H E A LT H

S   

Lino DiNallo

Bruising badges of honour by Paul Gallant

A

Lulu Wei

s the pimply fat kid who never got picked for teams, the closest Lino DiNallo got to sports when he was growing up was watching wrestling on TV with his father. “In gym class, I was the worst. I was terrible. Just terrible,” says DiNallo. “In high school, I was one of the most abused kids.” gym about 12 years ago, his early gay life was focussed on the bars,

into the breach. “I love how it pulls you out of your comfort zone. You can’t just stand there or you’ll get hurt. You’re either in there playing or you’re out.” ■

a week.

So rugby was the furthest thing from his mind when he signed up for the Out and Out Club’s annual LGBTQ Jamboree two summers ago. He was thinking more of the arts and crafts — and the nude sundeck. When he tried the Rugby 101 session, though, he realized his short, stocky and solid build was made for the game. He’d taken courses before in stand-up comedy, cake-decorating and synchronized swimming. Rugby just felt right.

“It was important to see that they

Muddy York Rugby Football Club ESTABLISHED 2003 MEMBERS 40 SEASON May to October PRACTICES Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jarvis Collegiate UPCOMING Pride Game versus the Ottawa Wolves on Parliament Hill, Sat, Aug 28 WEBSITE muddyyork.ca

Toronto Gay Football League

pain. I thought it would be really violent,” says DiNallo, a 33-yearold writer for an advertising agency. “But I have a niece who it, then so could I.” For DiNallo, rugby has been might have been the worst player more. He can take out a guy twice his size. He’s been bruised to the point of looking like he’s been mugged — badges of honour for the life lessons rugby’s taught him.

“It isn’t reclaiming my masculinity, it’s discovering it,” says DiNallo. “I was precious growing up, a mamma’s boy. For me,

like a heckler, watching from the outside. But by the end of it, I was playing drinking games and caught up in it all.”

Rugby can be punishing; fear does raise its head. DiNallo recalls hearing the thud of bodies crashing at a tournament in Minneapolis last

ESTABLISHED 2009 TEAMS 5 PLAYERS Around 65 (men and women) FORMAT SEASON May to September BROTHERHOOD

Through rugby, Lino DiNallo discovered a new-found sense

dence, not worrying about what other people think. It’s something I didn’t have before but now I do.

DiNallo can’t deny the sexual charge of sweaty men huddled together. At one away game, there was a running joke about how many players had logged onto the iPhone app Grindr to cruise each

other. But DiNallo didn’t sign up to brotherhood. And that includes the straight players on the teams Muddy York plays against.

“We were at a tourney in Barrie with all these straight guys and they started asking really personal sex questions, not because they were giving us a hard time but because they were intrigued,” says

GAMES Tuesday evenings, Withrow Park UPCOMING Tailgate Party prior to the Toronto Argos/Montreal Alouettes game on Sat, Aug 14 WEBSITE gayfootballtoronto.com

Out and Out Club ESTABLISHED 1980 MEMBERS 1,000

Walks and rock climbing to potluck dinners UPCOMING Jamboree 2010 at a camp in Haliburton, from Sun, Aug 22 to 29 WEBSITE outandout.on.ca

intorontomag.com

33

L I V I N G & H E A LT H

Neighbourhood in focus

by Richard Silver

B

Beach?

To locals in the Queen and

Beaches. And that is only a part of the east-end snobbery that other Torontonians can only dream of.

Relationship Advice WITH ADAM SEGAL

Positives: No need to travel to beach destinations, you will be living there.

Imperatives: Dogs are a must, especially ones that can read signs — leash, no leash, leash, no leash.

If you are not exhausted or intimidated by all this posturing and

“

One year ago, I separated from my partner of nine years. After waiting a while, I’ve recently begun dating. I hope to find myself a new committed relationship. I’ve had little luck meeting new people and when dates do happen I get stressed — I worry about everything I say and have no idea what dating etiquette really looks like. I’m beginning to despair and my self-esteem is plunging. Help!”

Miguel, Toronto

S

Among locals, one MUST live west of Woodbine. And God forbid if you live north of Gerrard.

Shorts and T-shirts on fabulous bodies abound but so do beer belholes and pubs are being replaced by chic bakeries, Starbucks, all-day breakfasts and Laura Ashley-like gift stores.

Negatives: During the hot summer weather, your space will be taken over by throngs of tourists; Ontario are merciless.

want to live in a great area that feels like another country, one that has access to loads of parks, ing, swimming, canoeing, a thriving outdoor lifestyle at a casual However, be prepared to pay top dollar to be able to enjoy this carefree but simultaneously somewhat structured lifestyle. ■ RICHARD SILVER is a salesperson with Bosley Real Estate and blogs at torontoism.com

wanting to be liked by people in whom we don’t have that much interest. (I want to write a book called It Doesn’t Matter If He’s Not into You If You’re Not Remotely into Him!) It seems you are way too focussed on how others are perceiving you.

Wake-up call: You don’t want to be with every guy and every guy won’t want to be with you. Stay focussed on your experience of ing about whether he’s so smitten that he’s writing about it nightly in his diary.

See yourself as a detective working to gather information about the quality of connection you have have found someone you want to keep seeing, it helps to shake up the way you spend time together so you can see him in action: How taurants? How does he behave around mutual friends? Do you feel a strong sexual chemistry only when you’re naked together or when you’re riding the overcrowded streetcar together?

A common dating mistake is striving to only show aspects of yourself that you think your date just leaves us in the dark and wastes precious time. Remember the message of countless monotonous mid-’80s after-school specials: If someone judges or rejects you for something completely harmless, you probably won’t want them as a partner.

But still be mindful — on the

that your cheques have been bouncing or that this humid weather has We all hope to meet our match while reaching for the same DVD at the rental place but the truth is it’s hard to meet new people in the midst of daily routines and familiar faces. Internet dating can be a great way to maximize the number of connections we make.

Warning: Someone might say they are looking for an LTR on one site (accompanied by a photo of the guy petting a baby lamb at the zoo) while posting nied by a close-up shot of his bits). You really only learn someone’s intentions

Sometimes, being anxious can make us talk more and suck up a lot of oxygen. Make sure you’re actually breathing and remember to invite your date to take up some space. Ask questions about his life: Curiosity is attractive and makes people feel seen.

Finding a prospective partner probably means you are going to go on a lot of bad, or at least disappointing, dates. It takes a certain emotional fortitude to keep at it and taking breaks from dating is essential to remember that your life exists beyond your search.

out there for me.” that’s just rude. ■ Writer and therapist ADAM SEGAL works in private parctice in downtown Toronto • Ask him your relationship or mental health question at relationship@intorontomag.com.

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ART & DESIGN

    

In the summer heat

Hellish anxiety stalks both ends of the country by Sholem Krishtalka From far away, an abstract shape seems to conglomerate in one corner of the picture plane, and spreads out in looping tentacles towards a mass of myriad tiny figures, repeated over and over, each stamped atop another, jostling in packed proximity. trophobic, made all the more unnerving by the unerring grace of Pien’s drawing methods.

Toonoo’s soapstone figurines are likewise haunted, sometimes literally.

Numerous sculptures depict the souls of dead bodies rising out of their mouths. vast forked tongues, writhing, spiky and knife-edged.

M

HAUNTINGS

Scream, curated by Nancy Campbell, features disturbing work by Ed Pien and Samonie Toonoo.

ost galleries use the summer as an excuse for lighter exhibitions.

University of Toronto’s Justina M Barnicke gallery, on the other hand, lunged into the season with Scream, sharply curated by Nancy Campbell, pairing drawings by Toronto’s Ed Pien with the soapstone sculptures of Cape Dorset-based Inuit artist Samonie Toonoo.

this kind of matching — she did the same thing with last year’s brilliant Shary Boyle/Shuvinai Asoona show — and the outcome is no less rigorous and no less dazzling. territory: Pien covers the walls with drawings; Toonoo populates the rooms with an assem36

august 2010

blage of figurines. Despite the disparity of medium, the two artists’ work achieves a powerful and haunting harmony.

Pien’s drawings are a mass of perverse anxiety. In the smaller, individuated works, figures Drawing on Hell, Cannibals and Other Beings — only give the merest hint of the psychological devastation that Pien’s ink line portrays.

People eat their own limbs, weep anxiously over their disemboweled viscera, contort their misshapen bodies into strange and cruel shapes.

Genitalia is a recurring motif, but never teasing or erotic; it is always there as an object of shame, anxiety or torment.

Toonoo’s world: the priests are blockish and intimidating, wielding their crucifixes like clubs, with garish yellow hair that underscores their invasive otherness. One of the most disturbing images in the show is Toonoo’s sculpture of the grim reaper, not as a hushed figure of awe, but as a dolt: a vacant grinning skull with googly eyes and a dunce cap. ubiquitous image of anguished interiority.

Pien and Toonoo ably carry that torch, delivering a show of staggering depth and resonance.

Moreover, with her pairings, Campbell continues to unite the northern and southern edges of this country’s art practice in a deeply meaningful way, creating seemingly new relationships and unearthing rich veins of artistic continuity. Not too shabby for a summer show. ■ SCREAM continues at Justina M Barnicke (7 Hart House Circle) until Sat, Aug 21.

(416) 978-8398.

ART & DESIGN

       

Feminine stereotypes interrogated, made whimsical, wise, and utterly hilarious by David Bateman

G

loria Steinem’s 1963 essay, “I Was a Playboy Bunny,” showed the world that you can be a feminist and still be feminine. When Elle Woods, the heroine in the current production

s

Marcu

Becky Gulsvig as Elle and Megan Lewis as Vivienne create superb renditions of opposing brands of femininity as they struggle to accept each other’s different approaches to womanhood. Music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin run the gamut from hilarious

to touching. From the opening choral strains of “Ohmigod You Guys” to “Ireland,” sung with finesse and comic agility by Natalie Joy Johnson as Paulette, the hapless hairdresser, the show is a fabulous tour de force.

Director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell has crafted this Tony-winning hit from a variety of eclectic styles ranging from hip-hop inspired movement to Lord of the Dance Joan

cites Steinem’s article early on in this fabulous two and a half-hour extravaganza, she establishes herself as a dumb blonde who is highly intelligent. Effeminate stereotypes continue to oppress men and women alike; in this touring production, these stereotypes are interrogated, made whimsical, wise, and utterly hilarious.

Feminism has had a rough time lately. Some producers of recent musicals have leapt onto the “feminism is dead” bandwagon. When the suffragette song was discarded in the stage version of Mary

Poppins I wanted to fly out of my seat. Elle Woods is a hybrid admixture of Poppins and Steinem — with healthy dashes of Madonna and Marilyn — as she uses her formidable girlpower to empathize with clients caught in the legal system.

SMART DUMB

jaw-dropping “Gay or European?” interlude presents stereotypes that are packed and unpacked in a truly side-splitting take on the pros and cons of global gaydar.

Legally Blonde the Musical is high-powered light summer fare with a proactive message that empowers girls, women and feminine men with a delightful mélange of music, dance, gay and feminist politics, and the right to be flamboyant — and proud of it.

Go girls! ■ LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL

continues at the Princess of Wales theatre (300 King St W) until Sun, Aug 8.

(416) 872-1212. mirvish.com.

Becky Gulsvig as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical.

ART & DESIGN

Chris Gallow

         

“The children of an idle brain” Romeo and Juliet limps out of the station by David Bateman

S

et in a Verona train station, CanStage’s updated Romeo and Juliet is in dire need of some sex appeal and a far more visceral mise en scène (that’s French for “direct the sucker with more pizzazz”). An evening in the coyote-inflected wilds of High Park with two classic young lovers who die for lust requires a great deal more steam heat than this frail production has to offer.

An impressive cast in drab costumes falters from the start. One exception is Clinton Walker. His passionate Lord Capulet and agile, powerful Mercutio stand out among otherwise lackluster performances.

Jackie Chau’s set décor, although built with wonderful levels, is burdened by low-budget posters

fit for the window of a discount travel agency.

With the exception of a few brief scenes with Jani Lauzon as Lady Capulet and Peter, and Ron Kennell as the nurse, the cast is a classic example of good actors trapped in, and exhausted by, a very unfortunate effort from director Vikki Anderson. Jeff Irving as Romeo delivers a rather disinterested performance, lacking in sexual vim and vigour. Christine Horne’s Juliet is kisses between them seem passionate enough, but the poetry comes from the exhausted mouths of babes waiting for a caboose that never and the tragic responses that follow verge on the comic.

“IT SEEMS SHE HANGS”

Dream in High Park.

Finely choreographed by Dayna Tekatch, with loads of uplifting music by Claudio Vena that should have informed the entire production, the actors appear thrilled to be doing something theatrical for the first time in an hour and a half.

During the dimly lit walk out of High Park among wildlife warnings,

the pinpoint of blue light in distant trees silhouettes two anonymous dancers moving to the boombox strains of Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me.” Now that’s what I call Romeo and Juliet. continues in High Park until Sun, Sep 5. (416) 367-1652. canadianstage.com/dream.

ART & DESIGN

   

Are we all tourists?

Camilla Gibb’s stunning rumination on home and family set in Hanoi George Whiteside

against the Party. Your grandfather. My father. Millions of people. And if people aren’t being cen-

“Every one of my books, if you distill it, comes down to that,” says Toronto writer Camilla Gibb.

T

he best ideas come from the most unexpected places.

Just ask Camilla Gibb, award-winning author of Canadian bestseller Sweetness in the Belly.

“I went on holiday to Vietnam for two weeks and I got blown away by it,” says the Toronto-based writer.

“I was working on another book and I kept thinking, when is this going to be over so I can start writing about Vietnam?” Gibb jettisoned the other book in favour of a Vietnam-inspired piece, and thank

Humanity Movement, a moving tale of love, loss and redemption set in contemporary Hanoi.

At the centre of the story is Old Man Hung, who makes the best beef-noodle soup (“pho”) in the city. Gibb based Hung on a real person and his story was the starting point for the whole novel. “I asked [my tour guide] where’s the

very best pho in Hanoi?” says Gibb.

“And he said, ‘Well it’s not actually in a shop, there’s this guy… he wanders round the street pushing this cart and he’s been making pho for decades. He doesn’t have a licence so he’s always getting arrested, and people have to bring their bowls from home.’ And I just thought, this is fantastic!” we see both Hanoi’s turbulent past young friend Tu, we get a glimpse of the city’s future. Tu works as a tour guide for Westerners who want to see the Vietnam they know from war movies. He’s frustrated by the tourists’ indifference to anything beyond stereotypes, but new arrival Maggie — born in Vietnam, raised in the US — challenges his attitude. “But what’s the real Vietnam, Tu?” she says. own history. Anything that goes

Desperately trying to save face.”

Although the book is describing a repressive culture it’s refreshing that it never feels judgmental.

Gibb is making a more general point about the relationship between politics and self-expression. “Because [Vietnamese] artists were forced to be propagandists for so long, the whole notion of having an independent voice was anathema,” she says.

“It made me think more broadly about the fact that we all live in oppressive political systems… and in some ways [ours] is more insidious because it’s not explicit.”

In the book, some of these ideas are articulated by Maggie, who returns “home” from the American culture that shaped her adult identity only to feel displaced in the country of her one that runs throughout Gibb’s work. “I can’t escape it,” she says.

“Every one of my books, if you distill it, comes down to that.” It’s a reflection, perhaps, of Gibb’s early experiUK-born writer grew up in Toronto without any extended family. She says she didn’t feel “any sense of roots or resonance to the geography or history of the place.”

by Alice Lawlor

calling her name. Pregnant with her first child, Gibb is experiencing “profound moments” of connection with her adopted homeland.

“I was kayaking at a friend’s cottage and I just had this overwhelmyour country!’” she says, stroking her belly. It’s not surprising, then, that the idea of chosen family is Beauty of Humanity Movement, the main characters share strong familial bonds that are born of circumstance and necessity rather than blood. “It’s in part because of belonging to a gay community,” she says. “And because I’m in the process of making some more family.”

Like many of Gibb’s themes, it’s a subject that’s sure to resonate with the gay and lesbian community — just don’t call her a “lesbian writer.” “I write books that broadly have questions about identity and sexuality within them, but I don’t think of them as lesbian or gay books,” she says. “I just want to be known as a writer whose perspective is informed by my experience.

“And I hate the word lesbian. It’s just so… labial.” ■ THE BEAUTY OF HUMANITY MOVEMENT.

Camilla Gibb. Random House Canada. $21.

Best pho in TO While researching her new novel, Camilla Gibb ate her way around Toronto’s Vietnamese restaurants in search of the best pho. Here are her top three.

RUA VANG GOLDEN TURTLE (125 Ossington Ave) An authentic noodle house on the Ossington strip, famously frequented by Susur Lee. MI MI VIETNAMESE (688 Gerrard St E) A petite family-run place at Gerrard and Degrassi.

Avoid peak times if you want a table.

(588 Gerrard St E & 1135 Queen St E) This North Vietnamese resto is so popular it spawned a second, swankier location in Leslieville.

intorontomag.com

39

S P O N S O R E D B Y S PA E X C E S S

SEX

Sex & Health

“

WITH DR KEITH

Help! I’ve got bloody jizz!”

O

ne of the scariest things is bleeding. It’s alarming, especially when unexpected. Now ramp up the scary factor by making it come out of the part of us we hold most dear — our penises.

A friend of mine had it happen.

Understandably upset, he went and saw his doctor. He was examined and reassured that this common complaint is not cause for alarm most of the time. And since it’s possible (even likely) to recur over time, which it did for my friend, he affectionately began to call it his “man-period.”

Described by Hippocrates himself, hematospermia is a medical condition where blood is present in the ejaculate, or in layman’s terms, blood in your cum. Colour can range from pink to red to brown.

It is mostly harmless and rarely a sign of something serious like cancer. Often, it goes unnoticed (perhaps gay men notice more because of, errr, what they do with it?) and so it’s probably even more common than anyone thinks.

Urologist Dr Cory Hartsburg says this: “While it is rarely due to any real significant process (like prostate cancer, in less than 1 percent of cases) it is most disconcerting to the patient. Most commonly it may be related to prostatitis [inflammation or infection of the prostate gland], trauma, urethritis or urethral strictures, and occurs quite commonly after a prostate biopsy or a TURP.” (A TURP is surgery done to remove the prostate through the urethra.)

Like a nosebleed, it happens due to small, ruptured blood vessels. Instead of occurring in your nose, it happens somewhere in your urinary tract (collectively, this includes your bladder, prostate, testicles, seminal vesicles ruptures usually happen either on

their own for no reason at all, or due to trauma (accidents or even aggressive sex) and usually heal over time without any treatment. Some people have narrowing of their urethra called strictures which can bleed if irritated. Infections causing inflammation, including sexually transmitted infections, should be treated with antibiotics. Common ordinary infections usually affect the bladder and testicles, while STIs often affect the urethra.

Cancer is only a small cause of hematospermia but should not be ignored. careful testicular, prostate and genital exam. MRI, ultrasound urine and blood testing are also sometimes used but are a lot less useful than a good exam and history. Age, family history and associated symptoms make this diagnosis more or less likely. If it occurs less than 10 times or for less than two months it’s also less likely to be of concern. Men under the age of 40 very rarely have any underlying cause for concern. (Dr Hartsburg states he usually treats most men younger than 45 for presumptive inflammation or infection of the prostate with at least a month of an antibiotic since cancer

is exceedingly rare in these men. If it doesn’t clear up, then he becomes more suspicious.)

So if (or when) this seemingly terrifying thing happens to you, do not panic! Chances are very, very good that there is nothing wrong lutely should consult a doctor the first time. If for no other reason than to give yourself peace of mind.

Your “man-period” need not be your enemy. ■ DR KEITH LOUKES works in emergency in a Toronto hospital • Send him your sexual health question at sexhealth@intorontomag.com.

This column should not be viewed as medical advice; always consult your physician.

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