Alright, I’ll admit it: I’m a Hamilton rookie.I’d heard of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s masterwork – knew of the hype, the logo, and had seen a low-res YouTube clip of My Shot (I don’t live under a rock). But that was it. I hadn’t listened religiously to the soundtrack since it came out, as one of my friends in attendance did. I hadn’t watched bootleg tapings of the show like some (the shame! Support artists!). I went into it with few preconceived notions of what to expect. I get it now, guys. It was that good.I was lucky enough to score tickets for

With everything going on regarding COVID-19, the food and hospitality industry in Toronto along with many other industries has taken a big hit. Many Asian businesses in particular have suffered greatly the last few months because of various societal opinions regarding the virus. It’s hard enough for small restaurants to survive in big cities like Toronto that boast hundreds of chain restaurants, but to lose valuable business due to race just isn’t right.Obviously, right now going out isn’t recommended, but when we won’t have to social isolate again, I’ll probably be visiting one of these Asian restaurants first and maybe

5 Feel-Good Movies To Escape Into During QuarantineThe time we live in is a wild and confusing one. There is so much worry in the world, and rightfully so. It’s not easy for us to be thrown into an entirely new schedule and trapped in the same place for days at a time when trying to combat the pandemic around us. So in an effort to find something normal in all of this chaos, I’ve compiled a list of movies that I always have on hand to escape into, and I hope it does the same for all of you.

As North American movie theatres have continued to close indefinitely over the past three weeks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film industry has been forced to adapt their strategies to better suit the self-isolating population. Traditionally, the Spring season is a period of blockbuster releases, and this year was supposed to be no different. Mulan, Marvel’s Black Widow, and the new James Bond film, No Time to Die are just a few of the flicks that have been postponed because of the current situation. As well, current movie and TV productions have been forced to shut down,

Waterfront Neighborhood Centre Located at Queens Quay and Bathurst, this is without a doubt the best spot in the city for basketball. The courts are well kept, and there’s overhead lights after dark. The competition here is always fierce, so I wouldn’t recommend getting on the main court without some skills. That being said, there’s plenty of adjacent hoops if you’re just looking to shoot around or take it easy. If not in the basketball mood, you’re right on the waterfront, with bike paths, walkways, and park lands to fulfill any outdoors fix. Christie Pits Park Christie pits park lies at Christie

With the city on lockdown, there’s no better way to battle cabin fever and stave off the boredom than by connecting with your family or roommates over some quality board games. If you’re wondering what you should play, here’s a list of some of my favourites. CatanNumber of players: 3-4   This game of trading resources and building settlements is a true classic. There’s a reason why it’s so well known; it’s an excellent game, relying on equal parts strategy and chance. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but you learn new things every time you play, and once you get

It’s been a rough start to 2020, and everyone knows it. It’s easy to feel hopeless right now, you know, with that nasty germ that’s going around and everything. But there are things to look forward to. There is some fantastic music on the menu for this year.Here’s a short list of the releases that I’m most excited about. Some are confirmed (although no dates yet) and some are speculative, but all are a reason to get excited.Spillage VillageIt’s been confirmed, Spill Vill’s 4th album is coming in 2020. Spillage Village is a music collective made up of Earthgang, JID,

When in doubt, pedal it out! Biking season is just around the corner. Spring has sprung and what better way to enjoy it than to get outside on a bicycle. Toronto has an impressive bike scene with several diverse trails spread all around the city. Throughout the downtown core there are a number of great roads with wide, safe bike lanes for your daily commute. Biking is a great way to add some more activity into your lifestyle. Who needs to go to the gym when you can bike to where you need to go! Not to mention that it gets

IMDb.comDo you like Hot Priest from Fleabag or Jude Law in The Young Pope? Well, this film isn’t exactly that, but it is about a priest. Kind of.  Corpus Christi, while the title of the film is a city in Texas, is a Polish film. The film was Poland’s entry for the 92nd Academy Awards, which did end up being nominated for Best International Film Feature. Directed by Jan Komasa, the film follows the story of a young man named Daniel, played by Bartosz Bielenia, in a juvenile detention centre. After spending time in the detention centre, he experiences a spiritual

During the stressful time of worrying about major assignments and finals, it can be really easy to fall off track with your diet.  Normally, we seek comfort in food and tend to eat more than usual and more junk than usual – there’s no shame in this, it’s only human nature!  But given the circumstances that we are currently in, it’s even more tempting to reach for our favourite sugary snacks. Since most of us aren’t being very active (we don’t have much of a choice), these actions can really take a toll on our bodies.Since we have more time

(Image credit: Konami) As you’ll recall from my last article, horror fans all across Twitter have been channeling their Sherlock Holmes’ deduction skills to decipher the cryptic clues Hideo Kojima has been leaving about a potential reboot of the infamous Silent Hills series. While Kojima Productions has yet to make any official announcements regarding these claims, a reputable gaming publication has leaked information stating that a revival is in the works by Sony. Rely On Horror is a horror gaming coverage site, dedicated to covering the best major and indie horror games of our time. On March 12th, they published the

Here are the steps to create your own filters on Instagram Step 1: Download Spark AR StudioSpark AR Studio is a free software that anyone can download onto their laptops, and then simply log in with your Facebook account to start creating filters. A great thing about Spark AR is that it has a partnership with both Facebook and Instagram, so you can decide which social media platform you want to launch your filters on. Step 2: Brainstorm Filter Ideas Spark AR is a simple software that simplifies most of the steps of creating a camera filter, but what I found

This isn’t the usual article you get to read from me. Typically, I would be going out to concerts, interviewing local bands, reviewing new albums, but right now is not the time. Like many others, I’ve been staying in the comfort of my home, social distancing and not leaving the house unless it’s to go to the grocery store or for a solo walk by the waterfront. It’s an unprecedented time that we’re living in. Though the dread that is the COVID-19 pandemic is constantly hanging over our heads, the Canadian music community has never rallied stronger to bring some hope

 Credit: Christian San Jose, rollingstone.comFive years ago, Kendrick Lamar released what would eventually become the most impactful creative work that I have ever experienced – To Pimp a Butterfly. To Pimp a Butterfly is an empowering project about race, fame, social economics, and as I have gone on to truly understand and empathize with most recently, reflection of self. The album’s sound is a combination of hip-hop, old school west-coast funk, and jazz, which was a departure from his modern-sounding previous work. I have casually listened to this album countless times since its release, but before yesterday, I hadn’t given

The Neon Skyline album cover: Andy Shauf’s BandcampI’ve been following Andy Shauf for quite some time now and I’m always fascinated and surprised by how much I’m sucked into the worlds he creates. Starting with his previous albums The Party and The Bearer of Bad News, I was captured not only by his music, but by the characters he makes that inhabit some very real places and perspectives. A Canadian coming from small-town Saskatchewan and now living in Toronto, Andy always writes his songs from the places he has lived and people he has known. And with his new album,