Flohaus Fan Month Countdown! DAY 1

Look for the window vinyl at these stores and say you’re a FLOHAUS FAN to get 10% off!*

Tartooful is located at 3183 Edgemont Blvd., North Vancouver. 604-924-0122 .  Click here for more details.

INabstracto is located at: 1160 Queen St. West, phone 416-533-6362.  Click here for more details.

*on selected merchandise

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The Disobedient Dollhouse

It’s so exciting to be in Toronto these days.  There’s a real explosion of art culture with tons of galleries, shows and installations every week.  I can hardly keep up.  I might just have to start a blog totally devoted to the art world in TO.  Hmmm! Naah.

I try to follow my favourite artists and Jennifer Linton is one of them.  Her work is consistent, intriguing and a bit disturbing.  Maybe that’s what I like about it.  And last night I attended her MFA thesis exhibition at the Board of Directors Gallery on Queen West.

It’s a dollhouse as you could’ve guessed.  But not any old dollhouse.  It’s run by a large matriarchal pigeon, where snakes run wild, bird children wreak havoc and vines mysteriously appear from every corner.  And there’s a very creepy snake eye creature in the attic.  My favourite part is the screaming mouth print wallpaper in the nursery. Very gothic with a smidge of Alice in Wonderland meets Naked Lunch kinda uncomfortable.  And don’t forget the giant insects outside!

I asked her if her nightmares fuel her art.  She said “I don’t have nightmares. I think my work is funny”.  Yah… Ok then.

Jennifer’s exhibit just started, so go down there and see it up close.

Board of Directors Gallery, 1086 Queen St. West., Toronto. Gallery hours are Wednesday – Sunday, 12 – 6 p.m.

For more information check out her FACEBOOK page.

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Flohaus Fan Month Countdown! DAY 2

Look for the window vinyl at these stores and say you’re a FLOHAUS FAN to get 10% off!*

Frontier Furniture Sales are at  3313 Danforth Avenue, just east of Victoria Park. Click here for more details.

Kimberley Jackson is located at 700 Queen St. W. Beside Jilly’s!  Click here for more details.

Quince is located at: 660 Queen St. East, 416-594-1414, 2638 Yonge St., 416-486-4343,and at the McEwan Gourmet Grocery Store, Shops at Don Mills.  Click here for more details.

*on selected merchandise

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Flohaus Fan Month Countdown! DAY 3

Look for the window vinyl at these stores and say you’re a FLOHAUS FAN to get 10% off!*

They are at, yes, 1212 Yonge. St. between Bloor and St. Clair. Check out the website 12/12 Decor. Click here for more details.

Love of Mine Boutique is located at 781 Queen Street West, 416-368-4999. Click here for more details.

Carpet Mill is located at 469 Carlaw Ave. just north of Gerrard St.  Check out their website for further information- www.carpetmill.ca. Click here for more details.

*on selected merchandise.

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Ode to the Recliner

The television show GLEE has become by far my most favourite show of all time.  Yes, aside from “Twin Peaks”, this is the show that I stop my world for every Tuesday night. Did anyone see last night’s episode where the theme revolved around creating home?  That show beautifully portrayed the feelings and family situations that are au courant.  And how they used the recliner (Finn’s father’s) to symbolize comfort, familiarity and foundation of a family.  Brilliant!

My father has, to this day, his recliner strategically positioned closest to the television.  I remember years ago visiting distant family members in West Virginia, where the highest honour was bestowed my husband when he was allowed to sit in the “Grand Recliner” and control the remote.  My father-in-law even bought a sectional with flanking recliners on each end!  My sons (of which there are 3 of) would fight over who would get to sit in them.  Who can forget one of the earlier Fraser episodes where Fraser tries to get rid of his father’s only familiar possession; his beat-up recliner.  And Joey and Chandler’s matching black leather recliners became the topic of many Friends episodes.  This fascinates me.

Although Wikipedia says that cousins Edward Knabusch and Edwin Shoemaker created the first recliner in 1928 as a novelty in Monroe Michigan and later patented it in 1931 (then they renamed their company “La–Z-boy”), there is information that it was invented years before.  In 1780 there is evidence of a recliner existing in the court of Louis XV!  And apparently Napoleon had a version.  I’m not surprised.

So, if you want to buy a recliner where do you go?  Well there is La-Z-boy of course. I find them most unattractive, but I guess they wouldn’t be recliners if they weren’t.

If you take your recliner shopping seriously, you must  check out this checklist How to Buy a Recliner.  They rate the difficulty of this process as EASY. Too funny!

Ok, ok. If I really had to pick I think I would go with the Riley!

Cheers!

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Flohaus Fan Month Countdown! DAY 4

Look for the window vinyl at these stores and say you’re a FLOHAUS FAN to get 10% off!*

East of Eliza is located at 1960 Gerrard St. E. (at Woodbine Ave) •416-691-8038. Click here for more details.

Continuum Modern Vintage is located at 707 Pape Ave on the Southeast corner of Pape and Danforth. 416-778-1200. Click here for more details.

Designer Sewing Inc. is located at 1384 ½ Queen St. W.  Check out the site www.torontods.com. Click here for more details.

*on selected merchandise.

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The Magnificent Magnolia Tree

Driving around my neighborhood recently I noticed more than ever an abundance of magnolia trees. Living in the upper beach I have coveted my neighbor’s magnolia tree for over twenty years. Its gorgeous pink and white flowering buds are heavenly in scent and come out at just the right time of year when we need some color in our local surroundings. It seems to me that this tree has become more popular over the years as they seem to be popping up all over.

Magnolia is a native to eastern Asia and eastern North America. They are ornamental through four seasons; in summer it has green foliage, dangling orange-red seeds in autumn and fury silver buds through winter. The magnolia petal itself is referred to as a tepal and its thick substance is made up of a compound containing citrus scented linalool, which creates the scent. Because the magnolia evolved before bees existed they developed very tough flowers to avoid damage from the beetle that pollinated them, and scientists themselves named the flower part of the magnolia a tepal.

The scent from the magnolia tepals is influenced by the time of day or night, the air temperature and the humidity, magnolias can smell like sweet candy, spicy verbena, tart lemon or violets.

There are many different varieties  and sizes of the magnolia trees to choose from. And of course there is a right one for your zone. The colorful shrub form “little girl” is good for front lawns, and if you are lucky enough to have a large garden you can purchase one that could grow up to sixty feet tall, so be careful when choosing one that you check out the height and width expectations.

If you are thinking of planting one for next spring now is the time to plant it. They are easy to grow in full sun or part shade. Plant them in well draining soil with lots of organic material, compost and peat moss. Magnolias don’t like to be planted too deep, so make the hole just big enough for the root bulb without burying the trunk.

When first planted they require consistent moisture especially at the heat of the summer months. The nice thing about this tree is it seldom requires pruning and feeding.

Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at some of the different varieties, and take in the wonderful aromas it gives off. You can also pick up a branch from a tree at your local florist to put in a vase.  A few blooms in water perfume a room beautifully.

Nicola Bishop

bishop4086@rogers.com

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EVENT ALERT – Flohaus Fan Month!

Happy Monday everyone!

I’ve finally installed all window vinyls on my favourite retail stores! That’s what I was doing all day today.  Thanks to Tal at VinylXpress for producing fantastic cling vinyl signs.

To show my appreciation for you, my loyal readers, I’ve arranged for you to get 10% off of selected merchandise at all of my favourite stores!

Starting this Saturday May 1st until May 31st, whenever you see one of my window vinyls, go in and say your a “FLOHAUS FAN” and voila you’ll get 10% off.

See the side bar “Flohaus Fan Club” for the list of participating realtors.  And stay tuned for a mini highlight of each of the shops throughout the week!

Cheers!

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Picture Hanging 101

European Gallery AGO

It still surprises me to this day when I see pictures that are hung incorrectly, whether too low or too high.  Most common is the too high version.  We’ve read in magazines that there are certain recommended measureable heights for artwork and prints.  But you know me… I’m lazy and do everything (well most things) by eye or instinct.

So, I want to encourage you to throw caution to the wind, and not get too bogged down with “The Rules” of hanging a picture.  But follow these simple rules of thumb:

1. Make sure your picture is the correct proportion for the wall you want to display it on.  i.e. don’t hang a small picture on a huge wall and conversely don’t hang a large picture on a small wall space.
2. Don’t feel the need to fill every space on your wall.  Leaving empty wall space (especially thinner areas between doors) is very important when done in a strategic way.
3. Establish the use of the room first.  For example, in a living room where you will be sitting most of the time, hang your pictures accordingly low or high enough so that you can view them without straining your neck.  This same rule applies for every room.
4. If you are hanging in a large hallway where there is traffic only and no place to sit and rest, simply hang pictures so that a child of say 3 feet can view and also for an adult of about 5 feet can view it without strain.
5. Remember to hang your pictures for an average adult which is anywhere from 4’10” to 5’8” (in North America).  Your 6’ 4” husband is above average!
6. If you don’t have a large picture to fill a large space, create a cluster or salon-style grouping of pictures.

Is this clear as mud?  Here are some pictures to help clarify.

Not Good                                                    Good

Not Good                                                      Good

Salon style grouping

And most importantly change up your pictures as often as you like or seasonally to refresh the look of your space!

Cheers!

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EVENT ALERT – EXPOSED : Pervasive Influence

Calling all art photography enthusiasts.  May 6^th – May 19th, The Gladstone Hotel will present new works by emerging and established photographers as part of Toronto’s CONTACT photography festival.  The fourth annual EXPOSED: Pervasive Influence photography exhibition and fair responds to the CONTACT festival theme Pervasive Influence. How does an image colonize perception? How are false realities created through different photo genres? The artists in this group exhibition illuminate layers of perception by unmasking and revealing new possibilities for reading the image.

Exposed is presented as part of the Gladstone Hotel’s Art and Design Incubator Project.

WHAT: EXPOSED: Pervasive Influence.

TheGladstone Hotel’s annual                                       PHOTOGRAPHY exhibition and fair

WHO: 35 emerging and established photographers from across Canada

WHEN: Thursday May 6^th, 2010

7pm-10pm – Opening night and Reception

Friday May 7^th-Wed. May 19^th, 2010

12pm-5pm – Exhibition Hours

COST:              Free

WHERE: The Gladstone Hotel

Gladstone Gallery, 2^nd floor

1214 Queen Street West, Toronto

(416) 531-4635

Participating Artists:

Ben Ng, Aaron Vincent Elkaim & Brett Gundlock, Colin Carney, Daniela Tersigni & Lindsay Lauckner, Esmond Lee, Genevieve Blais, Geneviève Caron, Natalia Sokolovska, Ferdinand Herrera, Sophie Hogan, Barry Stoch, Courtney Kelsey, Derek Flack, Genevieve Thauvette, Gil Reynolds, Joe Fleming, Katia Houde, Miklos Legrady, Nicole Koster, Ruth Gillson, Sarah Febbraro, Shelley Wildeman, Sheryl Dudley, Steven Beckly, Tifffany Doldron, Walter Segers, William Suarez

Curated by: David Brown and Christina Zeidler

Presented by: The Gladstone Hotel, Speakeasy and CONTACT photography Festival

For further information, please contact:

Christina Zeidler, Co-curator of Exposed

President, The Gladstone Hotel

416-531-4635 ex. 7105

416-346-6747 (cell)

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