Cuba Libre

It has been a tough couple of months. Heck, it's been one hell of a year. Securing a new career position has been my full-time job this year and finally it was done. So when The Boyfriend said that going to Cuba was a good plan, I couldn't really disagree. And so the odessey of moving from one career to the next has come full circle to the Caribbean. I got the news in January about the initial contract. We went to Cuba to celebrate. Sometimes life really is grand!


The first evening walking along the beach.


Kayaking fun on the ocean. Drink in hand.


Ahhhhhh ... Sunshine!


Visiting the old town of Havana. An amazing and beautiful place.


See, happy and refreshed now.

Ninety Days ... Almost ...

The apparel diet continues to the end of month three. That is 90 days of NO new clothes! Well, almost.

The truth of the matter is that, by the strictest definition of the rules, I cheated.

But in my defense I feel that I have two good reasons for my transgression.

One - I had just been notified that I was about to get a full-time job. This situation is normally a valid reason to treat oneself to something new.

Two - I was going on a vacation to Cuba. This situation, of course, begs to have something new.

So I cheated. Sort of ...

What I got is the bikini in the picture on the right. Something new, special and vacation appropriate. It covered all the bases with on targeted purchase. And really, when you think about it, isn't a bikini more of an accessory than apparel? OK, it totally isn't but it is not like I went out and bought a new dress.

So this is my confession. At the end of month three, I have a tarnished record in my apparel diet. I cracked under the pressure of my context and I shopped. And you know what? I'm so glad I did. I love this bikini and I worked the hell out of it on vacation.

I also bought the sunglasses this month, but they really ARE an accessory so I'm in the clear on them!

Garden Gone

"I love the fall. I love it because of the smells that you speak of; and also because things are dying, things that you don't have to take care of anymore, and the grass stops growing."
- Mark Van Doren

As the fall moved into its dreary days I let the gardens go. I didn't feel up to spending a wet day in the mulchy backyard. And as the days got shorter I found myself with little daylight to work in the garden after work. The weekends were busy and I stopped paying attention to my green labours. I had cut the herbs weeks before. The cucumber had stopped growing. The day lillies were turning into limp yellow strands slumbering on the earth. Only the tomatoes soldiered on. Now crawling across the neighbouring trees to support their 9-foot height, the tomatoes grew. Until the morning when the temperature was more than they could bear.

"The third day comes a frost, a killing frost.
- William Shakespeare

Finally, I found some time to deal with the garden. In a gift of unseasonable warmth and sunshine I spent the day cutting and clearing. I dug out the wilted annuals that my mom and I had planted in the spring. I clawed out the weeds that had enroached into the dirt due to my negligence. I raked the away the leaves and scraped the dirt back into protective piles over the sleeping bulbs waiting for newxt year.


In the backyard the task was long. I had to say goodbye to the gigantic green hosta that had sprung up as a surprise only to dominate the right side of the yard. I had to remove the dead hibiscus that I somehow killed over the season. I emptied the mint pot to find the soil had become a bundle of mint roots wrapped around each other in a circle. And I had to remove the tomatoes. The great green giants were toppled! But one little plant did not want to say good bye. Somehow a purple annual that my mom had bought was still in full bloom and clinging to the edge of the flowerbed with an incredible will. I thought about keeping it there, letting it live out its last few weeks ...


... but I hated the idea of the snow taking it in a slow tortuous death through frost bite. Instead I ripped it free and sent it to its composty grave with the friends it had summered with all year.

In the end, the yard looked much like it did when I moved in last April. A barren space just waiting for some love. I reset all the stones along the border and cleaned out the debris. I raked the dirt to make sure all the day lillies were covered for their winter rest.


Now I can leave it with peace of mind. I have done my work. Now I can turn my attention to planning for the spring ahead and the new projects that may unfold in my garden space.

"If I'm ever reborn, I want to be a gardener — there's too much to do for one lifetime!"
- Karl Foerster

And the Universe Smiled

Today could have been a horrible day. It could have been a sad, depressing, scary, anxious kind of day. It could have been the end of something great and the start of a big, black hole of "OMG! what now?!" Today could have been the last day of my work contract and the end of my paycheque.

But it wasn't!

Oh no! Instead, today was the LAST day of worry, fear, and anxiety. Today was the turning point of a long 10-month road to achieving stability. Today my job moved from the precarious contract stage into the precious permanent stage. Today, the gamble I took when I quit my previous job and moved to Toronto paid off. Whew!

The sigh of relief may have been heard around the world. I signed my offer letter and I felt every muscle in my body relax. The stone necklace of stress that I had been carrying all year melted away from around my neck. The release was instant and in a flash my joy was back.

The world now has a light within it that seemed to have faded away over the fall. It is the light of promise. With stable employment, The Boyfriend and I can plan for some of the bigger things in life. My financial security makes it easier for him to work on his own career transition and we know the rent will still get paid. The position comes with benefits and a pension and lots of other great "grown-up" things that I suddenly find myself wanting. I don't think I can say YAY! enough.

On top of it all, I really like the job. I get to use my skills and work with interesting stakeholders and provide interesting experiences to youth. It is a dream sort of position to be able to do non-profit style work but get a decent paycheque for it. So YAY! again.

YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY!

What a Great Guy!

I was at a conference dinner last night and the discussion turned to how my table mates were getting home. I explained that The Boyfriend was coming to pick me up.

"What a great guy" the man next to me exclaimed.

When he found out that The Boyfriend was driving from our east end neighbourhood to the northern corner of Mississauga to get me he was more impressed: "What a great guy!"

And when it was revealed that The Boyfriend had done the same trek that morning to drop me off leaving him to face rush hour traffic on the way home the deal was sealed: "What a great guy!"

The truth is, The Boyfriend chauffered me because he needed the car that day. Why? Because he had a shift delivering meals to the infirm and elderly that day. That really does make him a great guy. On top of that, he booked us on a tropical vacation for a week. And even more gravy is that he has been looking after our home for the last month while I have been stressing myself silly trying to turn my contract job into a permanent one.

I cannot express how wonderful it is to come home and have dinner - with candles and wine - served to you day after day. It is the most amazing kind of support to have a partner who will hold you while you meltdown in anxiety and fear and remind you how awesome you are. It is a gift that I cherish when he illuminates my darkest corners with optimism.

Truly, What a Great Guy!

Starry Saturday

Sometimes living in a city like Toronto can surprise you. When you are not even expecting it you can stumble upon a red carpet event. Such was the case last night when my walk home turned into star watching outside the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre.

Yonge street was barricaded and a crowd had gathered. My mind was elsewhere so I was not really thinking of the date. But it did not take long to realize that the event was the Geminis. Yes, the event that rewards the best in Canadian television was going down and I was able to sneak into the second line of observers right at the entrance point.

My first catch was Mark Taylor. He is currently staring in "Flashpoint", a show that do actually enjoy. It is a cop procedural and is really well done. I must say that Mark is quite handsome in person. Truthfully, it was cool to be close to a homegrown star from one of my favourite Canadian guilty pleasures: "Instant Star". Squeeee!!


Next up was Enrico Colantoni. In spite of his roles on "Flashpoint" and "Just Shoot Me", he will always be Keith Mars to me. Does this mean I am officially only one degree of separation from Logan Echolls?


Sadly, I only had my blackberry with me so the picture quality was none-to-great. And while my location was perfect, the bright lights at the entrance did not help me get decent photos of the other Canadian stars going by including: the current cast of Degrassi (yay Snake!), the Dragons from CBC's Dragon's Den and Shaun Majumder.

Then the crowd along the street went crazy! Excited screams for tween throats echoed into the air and Cory Monteith arrived. Yes, the lovable singing jock from mega-hit "Glee" - who was hosting the night's event - arrived right in front of me.


He is obviously cute. And a total trooper when it came to giving the fans his time. He signed and took pictures. He hung out by the gals waving "Glee" foam fingers in the air. It was a treat to see him being accessible and funny and kind. Go Canadian talent. For me, it was just interesting to see someone in the flesh who I had last seen on the (controversial) cover of GQ Magazine! And that lopsided grin? In full force.


In the end I took so many pics in such succession that I burnt out the screen of my blackberry. No long term damage, just a momentary glitch in the operations, but the problem caused me to leave my spot in the crowd and head home. I packed in my star watching and it wasn't until today that I realized who I had missed. After my departure, Nina Dobrev arrived. Yes, the Canadian ex-Degrassi star who is now kicking ass on my favourite show "The Vampire Diaries". She was there and I missed her. Oh well, I guess sometimes in a city like Toronto you really never know what will happen.

60 Days and Counting...

When I began my apparel diet two months ago I wasn't sure what to expect. I had been shopping so consistently and for so long that I could not fathom my time without that pursuit. As it turns out, I am doing rather well.

Luckily, the diet allows for the occassional sweets (accessories!) and vitamins (underwear, socks, bras). Still, in 61 days all I have purchased is a new hat for the winter (pictured right). In fact, I was getting very discouraged trying to find a new hat this season and lamented the loss of all thress of my winter hats from last year. I get cold ears inthe winter and I need something warm to stave off the ear-ache-chill but not mess up my hair in the process. Oh joy! when I found this stretchy ball of comfort and was sold. And, the purchase wasn't even breaking the rules!

To be honest, I do miss my mall time. This month I took my shopping to a vicarious level while searching for The Boyfriend's birthday gifts. If I'm not getting new clothes he darn well is! I over-shopped completely and had to return a few items. I still ended up giving him more than necessary but it was my only shot at buying a whole new outfit! Also, he looked really good in it all so really it was like a double-gift for me and I didn't have to go off the diet.

It has been difficult to see all the lovely fall sweaters show up inthe stores. I'm a sucker for cheap cashmere! I know I haven't kicked the shopping spree out of me yet but at the end of this month I'm feeling pretty chuffed about my restraint. Who would of bought that?

Autumn Blossoms

My mom bought me a GIANT fall mum for our yard. It took me forever to find a place where it would fit - which was the empty corner next to the back steps. But it is a perfect seasonal auburn and pretty darn lovely in the morning sunshine. Behold!

Oh So Not Zen

Nothing paralyzes me more than really wanting something. The pure desire of a specific outcome is enough to turn my brain into a cement block and my body into insolent jelly. The outward manifestation is pure freak-out procrastination.

These days the challenge is resume writing. My current job is only a contract. A contract that is ending in 30 days. Ouch! With only a month of guaranteed employment ahead of me I have begun to panic. Internally at first. Then in a stream of word-vomit confessionals to anyone silly enough to ask about work. Now I am trapped inside a mind-f*ck merry-go-round that is equal parts smug and scared stupid.

From a rational point of view I can see myself. I am easily qualified and successfully contributing to my job. I have a lot to offer. I am the living embodiment of the job descriptions I am reading. But staring at those sentences I can feel my insides shrinking. The feeling that I can do the job makes the application feel questionalbe. The fact that I need a job makes the doors of opportunity turn into walls. The sense that I really want a specific job sling-shots the position into the stratosphere of doubt.

And then the paralysis arrives. My brain gets stuck. My eyes swim. My body recoils from the tasks of writing and typing and editing. The more I think I can the less I move. The more I want to get there the farther away it feels. If only I could accept my fate. Be a little bit zen about the whole thing. A meditative state. That sounds nice.

An Autumn Weekend

Since moving to Toronto I am often confronted with comments abut the horrors of living in the city. And while I am not immune to the frustrations that come with life in an urban centre I know that The Boyfriend and I have picked the absolutely best place to live. Anyone who spent the Thanksgiving weekend with me would have learned how its not so bad.

Friday Night - October 8th
Dining al fresco on our backyard deck. Fresh BBQ steak, salad featuring garden grown tomatoes and Niagara red wine.

Saturday - October 9th
We took our bikes to the Don Valley and crusied along the path in the late afternoon sun.

Sunday - October 10th
Before the day was in full swing, The Boyfriend was off to the airport to travel home for his family's Thanksgiving. This was the view across the street from our place in the morning.

Monday - October 11th
I had a full day to myself and the warm weather continued. I took the trek down Lake Ontario's eastern shore towards the Scarborough bluffs. Almost had me believing I was back at the ocean.Ahhhhh....

Thank You

A year ago I was moving - in a mad, last-minute rush - into The Boyfriend's apartment. Two days later I was on stress-leave from my job and scampering back to Ontario for a refill of familial and friendly love. It was a tipping point in my universe. Like a rock finally overcoming its inertia and toppling down a hill a new momentum began.

Looking back it is easy to see that my universe is a beautiful place. My world is stuffed with an abundance of gifts in the people I know, the places I explore and the activities I enjoy. While I often whine about the changes I have faced this year I must acknowledge the growth that has taken place in my life and the people around me who have given so much to make it happen.

Thank you to Jodi for listening to my needs and always believing that I have more to offer the world. Thank you for setting me up in a job that forced me make a change and bring me closer to the life I always wanted. Thank you for still being an ear to my frustrations and fears even as you are embedded in the depths of your own. Your friendship is boundless and I am grateful be on the receiving end of it.

Thank you to my brother and his family for opening your home to me last winter. Thank you for feeding me so much tasty goodness. Thank you for letting me become a part of your daily lives and for sharing so much time with my niece and nephew. I have been so joyed to rebuild my connection to you and I appreciate your generosity more than I can say.

Thank you to my Toronto friends for welcoming me back to the area and filling me social calendar. Thank you for accepting The Boyfriend with warmth and support. Thank you for keeping the challenges of change at bay with solid doses of nostalgia.

In particular thank you to the Kat and Scott for inspiring me with your honesty and strength. Your verve for life in the face of struggle is a power that I wish we could bottle and sell to the masses. You make the world a better place. Fight on!

Thank you to my parents who continue to be the featherbed of support in my existence. Your generosity has always known no bounds but being able to see you more often makes it easier to be on the receiving end of your gifts.

Thank you to The Boyfriend. All of it is easier and more enjoyable because of you. Thank you for your positivity in tackling obstacles. Thank you for knowing that sometimes I just need to freak out/worry/over-analyze and for giving me the space to do that. Thank you for doing the dishes SO often and for tackling a road trip just to get us a dishwasher! Thank you for diving into a whole new life to be with me. I am in awe of that gift everyday. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Overall, thank you to the forces of luck and serendipity who have always worked within my life. Last-minute job opportunity. Cheapest flight to Mexico ever! House rental in the Beach. This year the gifts were particularly well-played.

Thank you.

Cleaving Clavicles

If there is one thing that drives me crazy about the "thin-ification" of movie stars it is the bony clavicle. All those fancy dress straps that rest on those protuding lines. Those deep hollows between the neck and the shoulders. This look is so foreign to my physcial reality. To the reality I have seen in the healthy women around me. I just wanted to point it out.

365 Days of Nothing New

Do you remember the last piece of clothing you bought? For me it ws this blue H&M dress on the left. I bought it during the last week of August and it was the final new clothing taste I have had since then. It has been 30 days.

On September 1st I went on a clothing diet. The goal is to go 365 days and buy any new clothes. The inspiration for the challenge is the "The Great American Apparel Diet" - a shopping sabbatical initiative that began in the U.S. in 2009. The "diet" kicked off its second year this September and I decided to follow along with my own attempt.

The rules of the apparel diet are as follows:

The things you can guzzle without guilt:

1. Clothes currently in your closet, on hooks, in your drawers or on your floor as long as they are not new.

2. Footwear

3. Accessories

4. Underwear—every girl should have a great pair of clean underwear on at all times.

Those items that are not allowed:

1. New clothes

“New” is anything that you pay for. An item is “not new,” if it something a person gives you (you cannot write a check to your husband or best friend and give them instructions or a wish list for your “must haves".)

A review of the Apparel Diet website reveals that women have as many reasons for quitting clothes shopping as they do for purchasing in the first place. Indulgence is like that I guess. For me the reason was twofold:

1. Financial. In the first half of 2010 I had spent over $1000 on clothes. When I lived in Australia - the purpose of which was to travel and explore - I still managed to flip my entrie wardrobe multiple times! For the last 10 years, my monthly average has been hovering around $200. Sometimes it is due to a couple of pricier purchases but most often it is the tally of WAY too many $30 grabs. Like snacking, my shopping can have an incremental effect and I was losing dollars the way one packs on calories from a series of poor choices.

2. Emotional. As much as I am an emotional eater, I am doubly an emotional shopper. Boredom. Happiness. Stress. Congratulatory. Lonely. Excited. Every emotion could be used as valid fuel for an apparel binge. Every event in life could be rationalized as a reason to buy something new. Through this process I have amassed piles of clothing over the years. I know that I have given more clothes away in the last year than many of my friends have purchased. And alot of what I have bought I did not need. Some of it I never wore. But the pure act of clothes shopping itself was enjoyable. This behaviour is, of course, the very essence of the shopaholic. I admit it. I need to find different outlets - not outlet malls! - for my feelings. So the best thing to do was remove the drug.

Which brings me to now. Thirty-days later. I have not cheated. The experience has made me re-evaluate the wardrobe I already possess. The stockpile of clothes crammed into my tiny closet has become its own department store. Yesterday I wore a jacket for the first time. A jacket I had bought in the spring of 2009! So onwards I go. Eleven months to go. I feel lighter already.

One Wedding

This past weekend I went to the wedding of my friend Cathy. We have been friends with each other for over 15 years. When we met the topic of conversation was "when to have sex with a boy" rather than when to marry one.

Yes, we are of the generation when the notion of matrimony was on a horizon far separate (and potentially distant) from the one of intercourse. At that time I don't think either of us was confident that marriage was going to be a part of the future at all. At 19, the institution of marriage; the idea of being married; the implications of matrimony all seemed like a iffy endeavour indeed. The binding construct of forever was practically unfathomable in those days of the now.

The years rolled by. I watched Cathy live through relationships and jobs, houses andd travels. She had her hands on all the LEGOS of life but nothing ever clicked into an aisle to walk down.

And then she met Gordon.

I think, if memory serves, that Gordon declared he was going to marry Cathy within the first three months they were dating. When I was home for Christmas last December it was the engagement that was the topic of much discussion. A wedding was on. The future was now. Forever had a start date. Click. Click. Click.

Then there they were. On a September autumn afternoon. The weather gods had kindly halted their spitball competition to allow for the ceremony to be held outdoors. The traditional silhouette of a man in black and a woman in white imprinted itself on a deck overlooking one of the Kawartha region's lakes. Pine needles whispered against painted leaves and silver water lapped against mottled stone. And Cathy, my dear friend, joined herself to the man she loves.


There are lots (too many?) romantic tales about finding "the one". But when you see a friend discover the truth of it you cannot deny the impact. Infinte congratulations to the newlywed couple.

Harvest Season

"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy." - William Blake

So it was for me this summer. I spent the early days of spring pushing small sprouts into the bare ground just hoping they would survive the month. For my first season as a "gardener" I think I was rewarded a hundred-fold. I cannot say for sure what made the difference but I know that the early care I took to turn the soil, water consistently and prune the plants has helped to keep our backyard garden in production all summer. Even though the days are getting noticeably shorter, we still find robust cucumbers kissed by the morning sun.


Our collection of ripe tomatoes grows each day. All thanks to my mother for giving us the plants and the cages so that we could grow the tallest tomato plants EVER! We are blessed each day with a handful of red cherry tomatoes and plump yellow balls. I have to start thinking of new recipes so we can put all the tomatoes to use. Last week I concocted homemade tomato sauce for our pasta dinner. And we are still addicted to freshly chopped basil and tomato together - or on a cracker with a small spread of goat's cheese. Yummy!


I finally got around to cutting the herbs and have strung them up to dry for the winter. I missed out on our dill and corriander by letting them grow too long. but we still have a nice collection of thyme, rosemary and sage to use in the months ahead. I learned that those herbs that smell like spring need to be cut in summer but those with the hearty perfume of the fall will grow until that season. Next year I will remember and we will be able to add to the haul of herbs!


Lastly, I had to replant the front garden to get some colour for the fall. Not knowing what was going to sprout there in the spring I overloaded the bed with spring annuals. They had withered by August and the garden was filled with sad, brown stalks. Luckily, the fall mums were ready and I got the saturn coleus (a new favourite of mine) on sale! So the blue spring garden becomes a burgundy beauty for the rest of the season. It adds a touch of warmth to front of the house and will work well next month when we get the fall wreath and halloween pumpkin on display.


Once again I am reminded of the joy of having some outdoor space to call your own. I am reenergized by the project of keeping the gardens healthy and growing. I am happy to see its face change with the seasons. The Boyfriend is already making suggestions for next year. I guess that is another gift of gardening: the pleasure of perpetuity.

In the Paparazzi

Since the first two posts showed off the images I was able to snag while at a couple of TIFF red carpet events I thought it would be fun to show where I was during the entire affair. Afterall, I did spend A LOT of time securing my front row position against the fence and across from the red carpet tent.

So I took some time to find the press photos of the actors at the event where you could see ME! It was harder than I thought since I tended to be positioned exactly behind the celebrities for most of the images. Guess that means my view as pretty good afterall.

At the afternoon premiere for "The Conspirator" behind Robin Wright.


In frame for a Blake Lively moment.


Taking a shot of Ben Affleck. This one makes me sad since it would have been the only pic of me and Ben TOGETHER but instead I am blurred out by my flash. Darn it!


In the background of Jeremy Renner. I'm looking out of frame because Jon Hamm is arriving.

Ben ... Sigh

My last post was all about my odessey of a day waiting by the red carpet to catch glimpses of famous people at TIFF. The reall driving force behind select THAT particular day was, of course, the opportunity to see Ben Affleck - in person. My decision to wait outside for 8 hours on the cold concrete was a direct result of my Benji love. That I could be in close proximity to the man I have been crushing on for 15 years was the only rationale I needed. I also felt the experience required its own special post. The story goes like this...

I didn't know when he would arrive. Would he, as the film's director, be first? Would he arrive before ALL the daylight had been sapped from the sky? As it was he was in the second talent car to arrive. The black Cadillac SUV pulled up and I could see through the windshield. "It's Ben" I stated to my red carpet fan friends. And then I saw her and realized that Jennifer Garner was with him. The car came to a stop and the interior light went on. Ben leaned over and gave Jennifer a light kiss - one of those simple kisses that married people do - and got out of the car.

The fandemonium exploded upon his arrival. He moved in front of the press photographers first and my view exploded with flashbulbs. From behind he carried himself as you would expect from a star but also with a casualness that is true to form. A slight slump in his posture that is almost "aw shucks" about the entire affair. If you see the press photos of him you see an uneasy smile. But from my view, it was perfect. I got nervous while he dallied at the far end of the photo line. I wondered if he would make it over to the fan line at all. Earlier, Redford hand ignored the screaming masses completely and I was concerned that Ben's directorial duties would mean the same for him.

But then he was there. With only a couple of long strides he was against the fenceline and facing flashes and screams and pens thrust foward. It happened to fast. I was standing on my tippy-toes trying not to be pushed over the barricade by the crush of adoration behind me. He was SO close to me. RIGHT in front of me I could have kissed his chest! I didn't. I couldn't breathe. My head was surrounded by demanding arms and I tried to get my camera in position for a clean head shot. It was not to be. With a blinding flash I was able to snap a blurred close-up of his ... CHIN. And then he was gone. Moving to my left down the line and signing all the way. He looked shocked the entire time. Overwhelmed by the demanding crowd he never cracked a smile. My heart went out to him knowing that he would never be able to appease the number of requests thrown his way in the time that he had.

And then, almost before I fully grasped that he was there, he was gone. It could not have been longer than a couple of minutes. He moved back to the swarm of handlers at the red carpet and disappeared into the white glow of the press tent. Stepping on the red carpet before the TV cameras for the rest of the world to see.

It wasn't until the entire evening was over and I was waiting for the subway that I caught my breathe completely. My heart went back to its regular rhythm. My mind cleared from the haze of adrenaline. It was in that moment that I cursed myself for not filming the entire thing. How I did not think to video the experience escapes me. So I must be happy with the images - the one above was sent to me by a gal standing next to me who got a great shot while I got the CHIN! But if I close my eyes I am able to capture the moment again hold onto that feeling in memory of what it really was.

A Full Day at the TIFF Red Carpet

It is the third day of the Toronto International Film Festival. It's a Saturday and I am going to spend the day trying to get a good red carpet view of some very famous stars. I have never done anything like this before. I admit to being a bit of a star struck movie gal but being a crazy, screaming fan girl has never really been my style. I have no idea how long in advance I have to arrive but I am going to make a full day out it just to be sure. I'm going to head to Roy Thomson Hall - site for three gala presentations on Saturday.

1:30pm
I arrive at the west side of Roy Thomson Hall, late for the afternoon carpet of Pretty White Lies. It is a French film staring Marion Cotillard (Inception Oscar winner for La Vie en Rose) and even though I missed the action it appears she was kind to the early birds.


The earliest fans showed up at 9am! The group congregates across from the red carpet tent. A digital clock in the background counts down to 5pm. It is for a Bell promo but also a reminder of how long before the 6pm arrival of the next set of movie stars.


5:15pm
The photographers arrive for the first round of "talent". The early gala is for The Conspirator. A civil-war period film that chronicles the Lincoln assassination. It is directed by Robert Redford and arrived at TIFF without a confirmed distribution deal.



6pm
The first to arrive is actress Alexis Bledel ("Gilmore Girls", Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants)


What a lovely young lady.


The director - and movie icon - arrives next. What an amazing opportunity to see a Hollywood legend in real life. He shies away from the fan lines and heads straight to the red carpet.


The best crags in the business. Robert Redford! (If you don't know any of his credits you should be ashamed - all hail the Sundance Kid!)


Justin Long shows up to fandemonium. Screaming girls echo in the evening air for his lank-hairness. He is energetic and engaging. He tries to sign as many autographs as he can but is ultimately pulled away by "his people".


Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda, In & Out) arrives and dislays some quirky greetings and silly expressions.


James McAvoy (Atonement, Wanted) makes many fans happy.


And oh those blue eyes up close.


Robin Wright (Forrest Gump, State of Play) is amazing.



How can you not love her. She truly radiates. I cannot believe that I get to be this close to the Princess Bride herself!


8pm
The evening arrives. The lights come on for the red carpet. The pictures will not be so clear now. Too much light interference. I don't know how my little point-and-shoot is going to handle the motion in the increasing dark. The gala for The Town is on for 9:30pm. Ben Affleck's second kick at the director can and one of the most buzzed about flicks of the season. I've been out on the concrete for 8 hours. But I am just stoked to be here and I know that the big boys are coming out to play next!


Some Twilight flavour in the twilight of Saturday. The beautiful red-headed Rachelle Lefevre flashes a smile. I was disappointed that she was nixed as Victoria in the teen vampire flicks but nice to see the Canadian gal at a big event.


Chris Cooper (American Beauty, The Bourne Identity) is the first to arrive. He is kind to all and give warmth to the crowd. As an established character actor it is nice to see such a distinquished performer in a relaxed real state.


8:55pm
Ben is here. I forget to breathe.


He brings his wife this time and she gives the crowd lots of attention. While I am not loving Jennifer Garner's dress, there is no denying her winning smile and bright eyes.


The only actor to completely skip my section of the fan area. Jeremy Renner (Oscar nominee for The Hurt Locker) does a quick session down the line and then scoots over the press gang.


Jon Hamm ("Mad Men") has arrived.



Oh my god, Jon Hamm. He is so devastatingly handsome in person. It is unbelievable.


9:10pm
Blake Lively ("Gossip Girl", Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants is the last of the Town talent to arrive. To think I was commenting about her being "one to watch" in 2005.


I cannot believe how close I got to all of these actors/actresses. There isn't any zoom in this shot. Just pure Blake face right up in mine.


I love this shot of her outlined against the wall of photographers. I imagine this is most of her life these days. The dress is amazing. Kind of bizarre but amazing.


Rushing back to the red carpet after spending almost a full 10 minutes with fans and press. She is getting this game down good.


9:40pm
It is time to head home. The stars are inside enjoying the gala reception. Ben will be introducing the film to the those who actually scored tickets to the show. Here they are filing into the theatre.


I think I picked the better thing to do. I can see movies in the theatre at another time but seeing the stars? You need a perfect night for that and I got it!