Zoomer magazine

Arctic Adventure

2010-03-11T18:47:56Z

Canada's last frontier enchants Jayne MacAulay with its immensity and wildlife; take a look at her photos from Ungava Bay. Icebergs, polar bears, and Orca's - oh my!

Just Call Me Bill, Son

2010-03-11T15:16:00Z

By Bonnie Baker Cowan

Many Zoomers cringe at the prospect of being called grandma or grandpa. That's a name for old people with thinning white hair, canes and rocking chairs.

We want our grand-kids to know we're awesome, fun and forward-thinking. So we spend considerable time deciding what we want to be called. Just as naming a child is a thoughtful process, we have to consider we may live with the names our grandchildren call us for many years, not to mention through a few of their (and our)personality changes.

While the most common monikers for grandparents in North America still include classics such as Nana, Bubbe, Grandma, Granny, Gran, Gram, Grammy, Papa, Zeidy (or Zayde),Grandpa, Grand-Dad and Gramps,some of us want a name that has less to do with our legal status and more to do with our youthfulness and the special bond we share with our grand-kids.

Around the world, grandparent names range from Oma and Opa in Germany and the Netherlands, Nonna and Nonno in Italy to Oba-chan and Oji-chan in Japan and babic'ka and de'd in The Czech Republic. Spellings differ and,to make it even more complicated, names change in some languages for paternal and maternal grandparents.

Sometimes, a name originates in the admiration of others. My choice for the name my grandchildren would call me was grammie, because my husband's mother was called grammie and she was the best ever. I aspire to that. My mother called herself Nanny because the children of a friend she admired called their grandmother Nanny.

Since we are all living longer, a child may have a great-grandparent as well as a grandparent. My friend's name is "little bubbe" and her mother's name is "big bubbe" even though, in terms of size, the opposite is actually true.

Often names evolve according to what a young child can pronounce. Bethany of Prince Edward Island is "buzzy" to her grandkids. Years ago,they asked her what her "real" name was and because it was too difficult to pronounce, the name Buzzy became their favored nickname for their grandmother.

As the progeny of divorce along with remarriage, my grandchildren have several sets of grandparents. While I am grammie or sometimes affectionately"gra'm cracker,"I have also been referred to as "grammie with the orange hair, a name that quickly convinced me to change my hair colour. Their other grandmother is "robotic grandma" because she had hip surgery. They also have a "skinny grandpa" and a "big tummy grandpa." Their honesty can be less than endearing.

But what do grandkids call the spouses of their grandparents? Bill, from Saskatoon, is already gramps to his own grandkids, so with his step-grandchildren, he prefers to be called simply "Bill." Lynda's husband Don, of Oakville,spends a lot of time with her grandchildren and they call him "daddoo," which may actually have some Gaelic roots.

Let's face it. Whatever we're called,the relationship is special and the name isn't as important as the admiration and affection it denotes.

Mapping Out Diabetes

2010-03-09T18:49:03Z

Understanding how to manage diabetes with the recently updated Conversation Maps™ tool.

25 and Counting

2010-03-08T17:40:22Z

Travis Persaud: Were there any big surprises on the album for you?

Jim Cuddy: I think the song "All the Things We Left Behind" is a song that surprised me -- we [knew we could] get a song out of it, but you're not sure that it's going to typify the whole record. Those are the enjoyable days in the studio when you're just trying things out. "Oh, let's try the timpani. Oh, and let's put in the bass pedals and another piano part." The floodgates just open up.

TP: Is the end result what you expected going in to the studio?

Greg Keelor: Not really. There are a few songs that seem more obvious. But a lot of the songs weren't completely formed. A record presents itself when you get in there -- you meet it halfway. We didn't have an idea of what it would be like. For example, a song like "Gossip" started off as a guitar-picking song. The band ended up doing this beautiful arrangement for it, so it ended up being nothing I imagined. That's one of the pleasing things about making a record -- at the end, you can just go, "Oh, that's nice."

Feeling Blue

2010-03-08T16:04:42Z

After 25 years, Blue Rodeo is still all revved up.

Infidelity has been the secret to Blue Rodeo's longevity. "We were in an exclusive relationship for 10 years and then we decided to go for an open relationship so everyone can have other girlfriends," Jim Cuddy says, talking about his partnership with the band's co-founder, Greg Keelor.

"I don't think I could have said it any better," Keelor, 55, says, laughing at the apt analogy that describes the subtle but pronounced changes in the band over the last decade.

The creative freedom they've had to record solo projects and produce (Keelor most recently produced Cuff The Duke's latest album Way Down Here) has given the founding duo the needed vitality to sustain Blue Rodeo with integrity. Cuddy, 54, remembers when their keyboard player left the band and they switched drummers while promoting Lost Together in 1992, describing it as one of the weirdest times. "We were fried on that tour," he says. "The reviews were just horrible. But there's something about this band, we have this core belief in ourselves, that we just plowed ahead."

Well, their plowing now spans a quarter century. This past year marked the alt-country band's 25th anniversary, and they celebrated their musical marriage with The Things We Left Behind, an ambitious double album showcasing 16 new songs. "I like the statement of the double record [for our 25th year]," Keelor says. "It's sort of a nice little footnote in our career."

Their experience has bred wisdom that naturally dictates their path. They've all but given up on trying to "break" in the States, content to play a few scattered shows on their terms -- when they want and in the cities they enjoy. "There are too many dates and too many gigs," Keelor says, speaking about working the circuit down south. "We thought that if we stuck with what we know, it would be easier on us."

And they've also made a resolute decision to work with friends as much as possible. "The more we work with friends, the more fun we have," Cuddy says. "Toronto is an incredible world music city. We said about eight years ago that when we needed anything we'd look in our own community." With a full Canadian tour already underway, it seems like their open relationship will sustain them well into their 60s and beyond.

"I think it saved the marriage," Cuddy says.

For more information, go to www.bluerodeo.com.

--Travis Persaud

Review: Alice in Wonderland

2010-03-05T15:54:36Z

Directed by Tim Burton
Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover and Mia Wasikowska

Ah, to fall down the rabbit hole, not once, but twice. Such is Alice's fate, first when she was a child, a fantasy adventure that her adventurer father attributed to bad dreams. This time round, Alice is a grown-up 19, put on the spot when Lord Ascot asks for her hand in marriage. She's distracted by none other than the White Rabbit and, along with her growing skepticism of the company she's keeping, runs away after her lucky-footed friend. Down she goes, in a tumbling scene that nearly rivals Gandalf's descent into the mountain while battling the Balrog that opens The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, but here Alice must battle biting pianos, flying household objects, snaking tree roots and more.

The tale starts out in a familiar way, with Alice's size and shape changing as she eats this and drinks that and then, here's Johnny. Depp is mesmerizing as the Mad Hatter. He leaves no doubt that this Hatter is indeed mad, suffering from a dual personality that swings between English milliner dandy and Scottish braveheart warrior. The Red Queen (Carter) has damaged the Hatter's mind, you see, with her cruelty and the ruin of her sister, the White Queen (Hathaway) and her idyllic kingdom. Alice must face her destiny, to defeat the evil Queen -- and her own demons: marriage to man she doesn't love, the loss of her beloved father at a young age, and taking to the world on her own. Crispin Glover is wickedly wonderful and his twisted turn as henchman plays well off the spoiled Red Queen (Carter), and Burton has combined the traditional 3-D trick of things jumping off screen with the more modern, immersive technology to full effect. He's also given a wink to the Wizard of Oz, with characters in the real and the "under" world a reflection of themselves. Through the looking glass, indeed.
-- Vivian Vassos

Review: A Prophet

2010-03-05T15:54:28Z

Written/Directed by Jacques Audiard
Starring Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup and Adel Bencherif

Sentenced to six years for a vague act of violence, 19-year-old Malik El Djebena (Rahim) arrives in prison illiterate, orphaned and absent of all connection to the outside world. After attracting the attention of César Luciani (Arestrup), the leader of the prison's reigning Corsican Mafia contingent, Malik is gradually initiated into Luciani's gang through menial tasks and coerced acts of violence.

A Prophet is the newest film from award-winning French writer-director Jacques Audiard (The Beat That My Heart Skipped). Winner of the Grand Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and a nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards this Sunday, the film has attracted a lot of attention in the lead up to today's Canadian release - all of it well deserved.

As a crime (or prison) movie A Prophet manages to perform an impressive feat, finding a place all its own somewhere between "isn't prison horrible?" and the complete disregard for filth and moral crises that turns so many films' criminals into lovable eccentrics. Though Malik is undoubtedly the film's hero, his moments of shame and uncertainty aren't hidden away. Neither is the fallout from his decisions, represented in beautiful hallucinations and premonitions that haunt the viewer as much as Malik.

Pundits are betting that the film is a little too violent to take the foreign language Oscar, but that doesn't mean it lacks any of the components to make it a serious contender.

--Evan Rosser

Barbara Walters Says Goodbye to Her Oscar Special

2010-03-04T20:46:53Z

For many the Oscars and Barbara Walters go together like Tom Selleck and moustaches. The Barbara Walters Oscar Specials are as much a part of the big night as the office pool and poking fun at bad fashion choices on the red carpet. "When we first started this special, I don't think any of us knew exactly how much of an Oscar Night staple it would become," said Walters.

Since March 31, 1981 Baba has interrogated bold face names in a highly rated hour leading up to the ceremony. A master of personality journalism, her questions can be blunt ("Do you think you deserve to win the Academy Award?") or inappropriate (asking Barbra Streisand why she never got a nose job) or downright silly ("If you were a tree, what kind of a tree would you be?") but no matter what, it's a glitzy warm-up to the main event. But now, after almost three decades Walters has decided to put an end to this Oscar tradition.

"I think I'm sick of them," she said. "I felt... I had interviewed the greatest stars and [it] wasn't so special anymore."

The final Barbara Walters Oscar Special will include interviews with Sandra Bullock and Mo'Nique (who talks about her open marriage and why she never shaves her legs) and a retrospective of favorite moments from past specials.

While that highlight reel likely won't include her Teenage Mutant Turtle interview (must have been a slow year) or her chat with Warren Beatty, which she called her worst ever, you might expect to see:

• A couple of dance numbers. That's right. Last year Hugh Jackman gave Baba Wawa a lap dance (that ended, happily, in a hug) and in 1992 Al Pacino taught her how to do the tango on camera. • Her "priceless" interview with Bette Davis. Among the many legends she sat down with--including Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren--she cites her chat with Bette Davis as one of the most poignant. Shot just weeks after Davis suffered a stroke, their wide ranging conversation made headlines when Walters asked, "Bette Davis, do you like sex?"

• Her "if you were a tree" interview with Katharine Hepburn, which, despite the mockery that followed, is cited as her best interview.

• And of course, no Barbara Walters retrospective would be complete without the Montage of Tears ©, a tribute to her ability to get interviewees to cry on cue. Entertainment Weekly called her specials "an hour of screaming, crying, and pain" because of her uncanny gift of turning stars like Patrick Swayze into human sprinklers. She became so well known for it that Brad Paisley had a hit with a song that included the line, "I'll get to cry to Barbara Walters when things don't go my way."

Walters is done with the Oscars, but will continue to do her other annual special, The 10 Most Fascinating People and The View. "You're not going to get rid of me," she says.

Richard Crouse In Toronto listen to Moore in the Morning on NewsTalk 1010 every Tuesday and Friday morning at 8:40 for the latest DVD and movie reviews and... Tune in again on Saturdays at noon Richard Crouse At the Movies!

Zoomer Oscar Nominees

2010-03-04T20:45:51Z

Of the twenty stars nominated in the acting categories at this year's Academy Awards many are seasoned Oscar goers, but one surprising nominee will be making their first trip to the fabled Kodak Theatre. Morgan Freeman, (who, when asked if there is a movie he should have won an Oscar for, replied, "All of them!"), Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren and Jeff Bridges have been down this road before, but for Canadian born acting legend Christopher Plummer, it is, unbelievably, his first invite to the ceremony.

At age 38 Meryl Streep thought her career was dead. She assumed the juicy parts she had played in movies like Sophie's Choice would dry up and go to younger actresses. That was 22 years and 10 Oscar nominations ago, including her Best Actress nod this year for her portrayal of Julia Child in Julie and Julia. "She broke the glass ceiling of an older woman being a big star," said Mike Nicols, "it has never, never happened before." She's just as surprised as anyone at her late career success. "It's incredible," she says. "I'm 60, and I'm playing the romantic lead in romantic comedies!"

Jeff Bridges earned his first Oscar nod in 1972 when he was just 23 years old. He didn't win then, or in 1975 or 1985 or 2001 but his Best Actor nomination this year for Crazy Heart looks to be the charm. If he wins (and he is the odds on favorite) he'll be in good company. Only three other actors have waited longer between their first nomination and win-Henry Fonda (41 years), Alan Arkin (40 years) and Jack Palance (39 years).

Dame Helen Mirren is no stranger to the Oscars but her Best Actress nomination for playing Leo Tolstoy's wife in The Last Station, coming just four years after her win for The Queen, was exciting. "I think Tolstoy himself would have been perplexed by all this," she said, "but Sofya, his wife, would have been over the moon. So, in that spirit, I am too." The granddaughter of a Tsarist aristocrat, however, isn't letting the honor go to her head. The Academy Awards, she says are "the creme-de-la-creme of bulls**t." She does, nevertheless, admit to getting emotional after her first win. "I cried [when baggage handlers at Heathrow airport applauded her]. I had my Oscar in my bag, so I got it out. I was shameless, but they loved it."

Mirren's The Last Station co-star Christopher Plummer is someone you would assume has an Oscar, but look it up; not only is his house an Oscar free zone, but, until this year, he's never even been nominated! Not that he has any hard feelings about the delayed Academy acknowledgement. "Charlie Chaplin had to wait until he was in his 80s to get it," he says. "Can you believe that? I'm in good company." Not that he thinks he'll win Best Supporting Actor. His money is on Inglourious Basterds star Christoph Waltz. "He'll get it," says the actor who turned 80 last year.

Richard Crouse In Toronto listen to Moore in the Morning on NewsTalk 1010 every Tuesday and Friday morning at 8:40 for the latest DVD and movie reviews and... Tune in again on Saturdays at noon Richard Crouse At the Movies!

Oscar Worthy

2010-03-04T19:29:51Z

Best Animated Feature:
The animators at Pixar got it right -- again -- this year: one of the most endearing characters in film was the septuagenarian widower of Up who just wanted to fly. With his walking stick stabilized with tennis balls, his crowning glory of rich silver tresses and oversized eyeglasses à la Michael Caine circa Alfie, 78-year-old Carl Fredericksen stormed Cannes and the cinemas this past summer. We love it in Zoomerland, of course, as we nominate Fredericksen for our Hall of Famous 45+ Action Heroes. He joins the likes of Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellan, at 70, wields a mean staff), Indiana Jones (sixty-something Harrison Ford still cracks that whip) and just about anyone Samuel L. Jackson plays ('nuff said!).
-Vivian Vassos

Best Picture:
Building on the momentum of Thank you for Not Smoking and last year's sleeper hit, Juno, Canadian director Jason Reitman's third feature, Up in the Air, is a profound statement on life and could slip in as the dark horse, canceling out the dead heat that Avatar (directed by another Canadian, James Cameron) and The Hurt Locker (directed by Cameron's ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow) seem to be in. All three deserve the nod, for their own reasons, and we especially like them because they're either star Oscar-nominated Zoomers or are helmed by veteran directors and producers. Their innovative ideas, use of technology and emotional depth prove that auteurs of a certain age still have something to say to our current youth-obsessed culture.
-VV

Best Picture:
It's the film that almost didn't happen, and it's the one most worthy of taking the top Oscar. With a movie adaptation of the videogame Halo dead from a bloated budget, Peter Jackson and Neill Blomkamp - both slated to work on the gaming film - allowed creativity to lead, rather than a fat wallet. District 9 was born. Set in South Africa, the film beautifully interchanges "interview footage" with live shots as the city of Johannesburg tries to diplomatically deal with an alien shantytown. It's a chilling commentary on apartheid and humans' treatment of those who are considered "outsiders." Films like Avatar (perhaps too slick for Oscar) and The Hurt Locker (definitely praiseworthy) seem to have all the momentum leading up to the Awards, and don't count out Inglourious Basterds (the first scene is perhaps the best piece of film last year), but District 9, in a perfect world, would take home the statue.
--Travis Persaud

Actor in a Supporting Role:
Is this even a contest? The Academy would have been better off crowning Christoph Waltz when they announced the nominees. It could have saved them 10 minutes in a broadcast already an hour or two too long, and they would have gained the public's trust - letting them know they can make the right choice. Heck, they could have skyrocketed their number of viewers with a stunt like that. But Waltz must wait to receive the award for his memorable performance in Inglourious Basterds. To the other nominees: Matt Damon, Woody Harrelson, Christopher Plummer and Stanley Tucci, we enjoy your work but better luck next year.
-TP

photo credit: Keystone Press (Christoph Waltz, Jason Reitman)

Setting Grand-Sitting Rules

2010-03-03T21:36:54Z

By Bonnie Baker Cowan

Not today, dear. I have a headache

Jane of Edmonton is over the moon about her new grand-daughter and is happy to help with caring for the baby to give her daughter and husband a break. But she's perplexed when the 'breaks' are several unexpected hours long. " They drop the baby off while they do a quick grocery shopping and four hours later, they haven't returned," she says. "Then I learn they have gone home and had a two-hour nap!"

Besides the fact that she feels she's being taken advantage of, Jane also knows she doesn't have the stamina she had taking care of her own children. And that adds stress to her situation. " I don't want to admit I can't babysit for long periods of time," she admits. "Still, I would like time limits so I know I can plan my own day."

Cynthia of Fredericton lives next door to three of her seven grandchildren and they often arrive on her doorstep before breakfast on weekend mornings, because their parents aren't up. " My son wants his kids to have the same 'great relationship' with me that he remembers he had as a child," she says, wryly. "I'm flattered, of course and start out with gusto each morning, but as prepared as I am, I'm exhausted by noon."

Okay, we have to admit that while we want to help out our kids who have busy, stressful lives, we need to set boundaries for babysitting. Grand-zoomers who are disabled with age-related conditions such as arthritis, can find chasing and carrying around a wriggling, 30-pound toddler somewhat challenging.

How can we be helpful, valued grand-zoomers without relinquishing the pleasures of our lifestyle and without physical stress?

Experienced grand-zoomers have this advice:

Acknowledge your limitations. Caroline of Kelowna has poor night vision. She feels a sense of relief after working out a system with her daughter that means babysitting has to be during daylight hours. Grandparenting requires stamina, but there's no reason to be a martyr.

Make it clear that certain times are off-limits. For Jane and her husband, the cocktail hour at the end of the day and a quiet dinner are an important time for them to reconnect. Cynthia has a nap every afternoon. It's okay to ask our children to respect that down-time. We've earned the right to have a life of our own.

Make grand-sitting work for both parties. "Gear yourself to the interests of the age group," advises Cynthia. " Your time with a grandchild can be enjoyable for both of you if the child is doing something she enjoys." Reading a story and doing crafts may be suitable for a four-year-old, but a 10-year-old is more likely to prefer a walk to the community pool or rink or even the video store. My grandsons loved building forts and collecting bugs at the cottage when they were little. Now that they're 10 and 12, mini golf and go-kart racing are activities that endear me to them.

And I can sit on a bench and watch!

Café Melies

2010-03-03T16:17:30Z

A cultural treat for the film buff at heart, dining at Café Melies is not to be missed. This jazzy, art deco, chilled-out wine bar attracts a heavy art and design crowd. Named after Georges Melies, a pioneering French filmmaker, this hot spot is located in the Plateau area, sitting in the middle of the bustling section of St. Laurent Blvd. in the newly renovated Ex-Centris building. Its home since 1999, this Franco art-house was an independent film production, screening centre and cinema before Daniel Langlois redesigned the space. The ambiance is unique with its art-deco industrial chic décor and jewel-toned colours. Co-owner Paolo Olivira keeps his customers on their toes by changing the menu three times a year. Describing his fare as market fresh, Olivira uses a combination of different styles with inventive flavour pairings. Taste, for example, one of the best burgers we've ever had -- the Kobe beef with truffle mayonnaise and fois gras. This, along with the risotto with tiger shrimp, green asparagus and saffron, are must-trys.

Zoomer's Oscar Updates

2010-03-03T15:52:48Z

Frankly Mirabelli

2010-03-02T21:05:18Z

Cool, contemporary and classic best describe Franco Mirabelli, the dark horse of Canadian fashion, who, since 1984, has helped women embrace understated elegance. His design philosophy has worked for Mirabelli's budding empire -- three Toronto stores and a booming wholesale business that spans the continent. Not bad for a guy who started out in his parents' basement before studying in New York and cutting his teeth -- and cloth -- for such iconic American labels as Anne Klein and Donna Karan.

His low-key approach to fashion makes him accessible, but it's also how the man himself likes to dress. "I don't wear anything that's over-designed or screams designer," he says. "When it comes to suiting, it's skinny and it's either black or charcoal grey with a dark shirt. I take a laissez-faire approach. I like feeling casual even when I'm dressed up." Cool, indeed.

--Kim Izzo

photography: George Whiteside

Slip Between the Covers with 5 Oscar-Worthy Books

2010-03-01T16:37:46Z

By Beth Attwood

These amazing books are the inspiration behind some of 2010's Oscar-nominated films. Sure, you've seen the movies and you're going to watch the awards, but don't you want to know how it
was supposed to end?