The Toronto Symphony Orchestra's Messiah

George Frideric Handel's Messiah is one of the most recognizable musical works ever written. TheToronto Symphony Orchestra's beloved concert returns this holiday season at the Roy Thomson Hall. 

Conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, the music is sublime, the singing divine. Davis's production is not your average Baroque Messiah. His grandiose production is a feast for the ears with soaring melodies and a brilliant, new orchestral arrangement. 

Having seen the TSO's stunning production of Cirque de la Symphonie last week and being in utter awe of the orchestra, choir and performers, I know that I am in for an extraordinary musical experience when I see Messiah on the upcoming weekend. 

The holiday season brings forth many traditions that I share with my family and friends; going caroling, baking cookies and having fun at Christmas parties. As an ardent supporter of the arts, I intend on making the TSO a part of my annual holiday tradition. The TSO's Messiah makes the festive season that much more special!

Messiah plays at the Roy Thomson Hall on:

Tue Dec 15, 2015 at 8:00 PM
Wed Dec 16, 2015 at 8:00 PM
Fri Dec 18, 2015 at 8:00 PM
Sat Dec 19, 2015 at 8:00 PM
Sun Dec 20, 2015 at 3:00 PM

To learn more, visit: http://www.tso.ca/en-ca/concerts-and-tickets/2015-2016-Season/EventDetails/Messiah.aspx

Photo by Malcolm Cook. 

70 Down - Tasty Mediterranean Tapas in the Heart of Yorkville

By: Saema Nasir

Peering into the dark and dusky Middle Eastern resto lounge, 70 Down, one would not expect it to hold the culinary treasures it does. Masculine décor accented by low lighting, dark walls and leather chairs prompt expectations of cigars and whisky. 

I arrive at 70 Down in Yorkville hungry and skeptical. I have enjoyed excellent Middle Eastern fare at a wide variety of restaurants in my hometown of Ottawa and during my travels in Dubai, where I sampled fresh, authentic dishes. I wasn’t sure that this swanky restaurant with its posh location could provide the tasty ‘modern Mediterranean tapas’ its event invite promised. 

Boy was I wrong. 

As the roomed buzzed with other bloggers and eager foodies, the first course arrived. The montu, beef filled dumplings, were expertly presented in their own spoons topped with a creamy garlic yogurt sauce. It was an Afghani dish I instantly recognized from having tasted it at a local Ottawa mom and pop shop. These little meaty morsels were delicious! Spicy and savoury, but not too salty, the dumplings were mouthfuls of heaven. 

Next came the most succulent lamb chops I have ever had. They were moist, garlicky, tender and buttery. The melt-in-your mouth chops were perfectly cooked and delicately spiced with rosemary and thyme; a must have for anyone visiting 70 Down.

To accompany these dishes, 70 Down offers several specialty cocktails. I highly recommend the 70 South Side. Infused with cucumber syrup and accented with lime juice, the gin based cocktail is topped with pepper and provides a nice contrast to the rich, meaty dishes. Its light, fresh taste is exactly what the menu calls for.

The mini joojeh, or chicken skewers, were refreshing with a zing of lemon flavour that accompanies the first bite. Exotic saffron only added to the zingy, tangy taste and I could not get enough. 

The Moroccan fish tacos had a crunchy shell and were served with fresh tomatoes and savoury, crispy fish. While not as exciting as the other menu items, it was still above average and tasty. 

The menu also had a vegetarian offering in the form of seared halloumi cheese with micro shirazi. These spoonfuls of cheese and veggies tasted like fresh spring. The creaminess of the cheese contrasts nicely with tomato, parsley, cucumber and watercress. 

The head chef came to speak with us and as explained his menu choices, it became obvious that he was passionate about his food and mission.

"I wanted to provided a modernized and revolutionized take on the classics. That's my take on everything. I traveled extensively to create these recipes and I think I brought a lot of new flavours,” he said with conviction and passion.

70 Down’s re-launch was a pleasant surprise and if the food remains as excellent as it was when I visited, I would definitely recommend this unexpected gem to all foodies. 

To find out more, visit 70Down.ca. 

Bombay Black - Theatre Review

By: Saema Nasir

Bombay Black is a theatrical play that can be best described as a dark dance of tragedy. One of the first things that may strike theatre goers who see, Bombay Black, written by Anosh Irani and directed by Peter Hinton are the unique casting choices. I’ll be honest, it took me quite a while to understand why a grown man was playing a teenage girl and why a young woman was playing a middle-aged mother. Perhaps the casting choices are meant to get audience to see each character’s asexual soul, their physical being stripped of labels such as gender and age.  

What also stands out in the play is its sensitive, graphic and gut-wrenching treatment of difficult subject matter. From lack of parental love, to child marriage to incest and a love story at the center of the play, Irani did not shy away from explicit language and direct dialogue to describe painful incidents and difficult and complicated feelings between mother and child and admirer and lover. Each word is important, strung together to create sentences which bejewel the dialogue with plentiful descriptions and introspections.

The actors do a stellar job of portraying their characters. Anusree Roy, as the sharp tongued mother of sorrows, Padma, steals the show with her excellent delivery of comedic lines that provide much needed levity in this otherwise sombre play. Her comedic efforts were applauded with generous laughter at each zinger. Kawa Ada plays the victimized young girl, Apsara and does a respectable job of depicting the body language of a 17 year old female well. His traditional Indian choreographed dancing is electrifying and his femininity blossoms throughout the play. Howard J. Davis provides a very enthusiastic performance as the blinded, mysterious Kamal. The characters have a long, sordid history that binds them together and their stories are full of mystery, horror and intrigue.  

Set in Mumbai, India, Irani's play conjures rich, vivid imagery with his poetic lyricism. The entire production of the play is threadbare, with lighting, music and body language used to replace sets or any form of visual cues. This only serves to highlight the dialogue and acting and in turn reinforces the message of the play. And what is the message? That love conquers revenge? Perhaps it might have been, if the ending was not as ambiguous as it was. However that ambiguity may have been the point – to force us to think about what we want the young lovers’ fates to be.  

In the end, the play leaves much for the audience member to decide. Bombay Black is certainly worth seeing for a thought-provoking theatrical experience that forces you to think outside the box. 

Bombay Black plays at the Factory Theatre until December 6, 2015. 

Photos: Joseph Michael Photography

1uv Luxury Bags: Art on Your Arm

By: Saema Nasir

As the rain pounded down on the blustery, slippery streets of Toronto, some of its more fashionable inhabitants gathered at the Spoke Club to celebrate the launch of a new handbag line. Called 1uv the assortment of leather purses and clutches all feature original art from the talented Canadian artist, Kent Thomson. “It’s a way to get my art to a new audience. It’s an amazing new way to experience art,” said Thomson humbly, as he discreetly and quietly surveyed the crowd gathered to fete the handbag line and his art.

The trendy and the artsy mingled with each other as soothing live music played in the background. Warm golden lighting served to accentuate the mossy, rose and purple hues of some of the artwork featured on the bags. “We really thought about what we could do together to bring art to the street,” said Sofia Thomson, vice-president of sales and marketing.

I couldn’t help but notice that this finely crafted handbag line, created in the old world tradition, each unique, was serving another very important purpose: that of promoting and supporting Canadian art. The luxury handbags are made from the finest leather and original acrylic paintings, which are one-of-a-kind wearable accessories. These handbags will turn their owners’ arms into mobile art galleries, showcasing the impressive art displayed on them to crowds who may not have the time or inclination to go to a Canadian art gallery. Not only are prospective customers buying a handbag, they are getting a piece of art – one that is uniquely Canadian. And that is worth having!

To find out more about 1uv, visit 1uv.ca, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

Sony Brings Superior Sound Technology to the Ford Explorer Platinum

The Ford Explorer is celebrating its 25th anniversary in style. To mark the auspicious occasion, Ford partnered with Sony to create an audio experience unlike any other in its 2016 Explorer Platinum. The same technology of superior high-end home theatre audio systems has been replicated by Sony and is now available in the iconic Ford SUV, which is an industry first. 

A group of automotive enthusiasts and lifestyle bloggers, including myself, were among the first to hear the 500-watt, 12-speaker Sony premium audio system with Clear Phase and Live Acousticstechnologies at the Sony Centre. The Clear Phase technology gives a crystal-clear sound the way that the artist intended. It's perfect for listening to your favourite rock bands and popular music. 

If you want to listen to Mozart's heavenly melodies, the Live Acoustics technology brings about an unparalleled concert-hall sound quality. It is as if you were sitting in Roy Thomson Hall and listening to a beautiful symphony. The audio experience was nicely complemented by the massaging seat, which was perfect for relaxing, as I had just finished work. I loved the hands-on experience, as we had the chance to listen to Bruno Mars, Vivaldi and everything in between! 

If your commute is quite cumbersome, imagine how serene it could be with an audio system that blocks out all outside noise to deliver a pleasant listening experience, all while relaxing your body in the massaging driver's seat. It's the details and everyday pleasures that can make your ordinary routine that much better and even extraordinary. 

The interactive presentation was followed by an exclusive concert from one of Sony Canada's best-selling recording artists, MAGIC! The band is known for the smash hit songs, Rude and Don't Kill the Magic. 

My friends and I enjoyed ourselves as we danced and sang along in the front row. The intimate show was fun and, forgive the pun, quite magical! 

I had a wonderful time learning about the harmonious partnership of Ford and Sony. Both companies are highly reputable and are leaders in the automotive and audio industries, respectively. The 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum is offered for sale starting at $50,305. To find out more about this versatile vehicle, visit: http://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/trim/platinum/

Photos courtesy of Ford Canada.