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<br />,;W^Sltl~,GlOH ftVl'R,,5:..l ':',;;,,4J"tlUMY I FEBRUARY 1.0[1
<br />
<br />the Gladstone employs a director of eX-
<br />hibitions,Britt Welter-Nolan. During my
<br />, visit, lIhewalks me through some of the
<br />galleries. where' see film director Jona-
<br />,than Demme's collection of Haitian and
<br />Jamaican art. (The Demme exhibit ended
<br />.last fall. This winter, the Gladstone Gal.
<br />lery celebrates its filth anniversary with a
<br />,retrospective Jan. 2(-;!'3: a party wUl be held
<br />, Jan. 21.) ,
<br />In January. as an alternative to the mam~
<br />moth Interior Design Show at the Metro
<br />Toronlo COnvention Centre (Jan. 27-:30), the
<br />Gladstone bosls .Come Up to My Room." For
<br />." four days. n of the Gladslone's rooms and
<br />'14 public areas arL" blank canvases for local
<br />designers'to create wijdly inventive, livable
<br />spaces. "The competition is pretty intense,"
<br />sa)lS Nolan, "and the results will absolutely
<br />blow you away." )l's like HG1V on steroids
<br />unfolding in front of you.
<br />
<br />. It!,~;~::S~~ '~~;;fj~1~~~'
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />" 'Wh~n visitihgthe'GiadStone, dori;t'~ver'
<br />"lookthe wo*ofresidentartistBnu1o BiI'
<br />'lio, whose sctllphlres repurpose everyday
<br />, items (books,furnlture) and transform
<br />, them into lilting art One look at the prec;ar'
<br />iously leaning skyscraper of stacked tomes
<br />in the Gladstone reveals a genius woo tests
<br />the boundaries of proportion and, indeed,
<br />gravity, "
<br />On any given night. the 19.room, fabu-
<br />lously res\oredDiake' ,Hotel (the4rake
<br />hotel.ca; frrim $189)migl~1. host a fashi<m
<br />show, bo~ launch;btirlesque revival. in.
<br />die concert ora spoken-word poetry slam
<br />in the Drake Underground. Much like the
<br />Gladstone, this is an artistic epicenter that
<br />also happens to have rooms where you can
<br />crash for the night.
<br />The Drake's central obsession is film,
<br />and when 1 walk into the lobby, a vintage
<br />flick pIa)'S on a TV lIear a fully functioning
<br />photo booth. It.s also a place to hold fast to
<br />
<br />the notion of stardom, real or imagined.
<br />as a series of XI> mark the floors for. you
<br />know, your dose.up. But when I enter Love
<br />Interest, the Drake's lounge restaurant, I
<br />know I'm home. With' cushy green ban.
<br />quetles, red faul( alligator-skin barstools
<br />and a movie acre ell above the fireplace that
<br />rolla classic and independent films, it's
<br />easy to see how th~ lounge has bccolue a
<br />must for anyone me'lsuring the richness of
<br />Toronto's art scene.
<br />Next door is the Drake's General Slore.
<br />a trove ofkitsdl and urban warmth. where
<br />manager Carlo Colacel says everything
<br />comes from cOIl~mporary art shows. local
<br />fashion lines, vintage shops and the bot-
<br />tom oflong-f'orgotten attic trunks. It's fun.
<br />'Alongside a new Hudson Bay wool blanket
<br />[St50). you might find DIY Russian nesting
<br />dolls ($20), sterling sliver dagger earrings
<br />[$80) or Popeye candy slicks ($,50). Mud]
<br />" ...'
<br />
<br />"like the sights and sotnds ottlle Drake, the
<br />store's collection cbanges continually. giv.
<br />ing visitors the constant buzz of discovety.
<br />
<br />Shop Around"
<br />The thrill of walking along Queen Street
<br />West is roughly tbe same as getting lost'
<br />and stumbling upon the finest bar on the
<br />planet, or even those times when you feel
<br />as though you've discovered a band no one
<br />else knows about. lbey're yours for the mo-
<br />ment. Originals. Such is the ViDe on Queen, '
<br />And such are my thoughts when I stand in
<br />front ofThe Paper Place (thepaperplace.ca),
<br />In a digital age, why would it be so appeal-
<br />ing? WeU, for starters, you'U find a ridicu.
<br />lous collcctiori of joumals, albums, cards
<br />311d invitations, Or you can take a quick
<br />workshop on origami or winter printmak-
<br />ing and fecllikc au artistic rock star,
<br />Two dogs. oblivious to passersby, stlpoze
<br />at! the floor ,of the Katharine Mulherin
<br />
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<br />washi ngtonl!yer,coll1
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