Coffee Time

Just a quick update...

Do you remember in December when my friend Laura and I went to be a part of the Arkells music video? No? Well we did that. The video is finally OUT!

Laura and I both made the cut and are in it which is very exciting. If you want to see me you can watch it below. Even if you don't want to see me you should probably check it out anyways since Arkells are an amazing band!

This video is great! I love how they incorporated their fathers into it and how they always stay true to the Hammer! Wicked stuff! My dream of being in a music video has come true. I can scratch it off my bucket list and move on with life :P

Enjoy! Arkells- Coffee.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful...Or Whatever

As some of you may or may not know I can be a bit of a grinch about the holidays. Maybe it's because my birth was unlucky enough to fall on the same day as the sweet baby Jesus or maybe I just hate how commercialized Christmas has become OR maybe I'm just an angry person underneath and crowded malls and the sappy, stupid look people get this time of year just really get my blood boiling. Either way I can at least admit that I am a tad irrational about my holiday hatred and you know...they say the first step is admitting you have a problem.

No spirit eh well...here I am dressed as Santa for charity. I was also the victim of a random mistletoe attack.

Now don't get me wrong, some things do still give me that warm, goofy feeling of sugar plum fairies and candy canes. Very few. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, the way my mom won't let anybody in the living room in the morning so we can't see what "Santa" left us, and in the past couple of years the Holiday Makers' Market on James Street North are what get me in the Christmas spirit.

Market Poster

James Street North has become so popular in Hamilton thanks to art crawls and supercrawls and yes many of the vendors at the holiday market are regulars at those crawls but something about going to this particular market just screams Christmas to me.

I have been a regular attendee to this market for the past few years and I have found amazing, beautiful, handmade gifts every year. Something about giving somebody something they can't buy in a store and that nobody else in the world has but them is so special. Plus getting my shopping done there and avoiding the chaos of the mall doesn't hurt either. 

Make it one of your traditions!!

Plenty of great, original gift ideas all under one big beautiful roof. Christ's Church Cathedral, located at 252 James St. North really reminds me of Europe. The cathedrals I've seen over there are just awe-inspiring. Even if you're not religious the beauty can still really move you. I've had those experiences. I cried in Notre Dame in Paris because I was so moved. Christ's Church doesn't bring me to tears but for a church in Hamilton it is really very beautiful. I think it's funny that I love churches so much but am not religious, funny really.

Anyways the whole point of this was not to go on a tangent about religion, or churches or hating Christmas but it was to tell you that the Holiday Makers' Market is taking place THIS Saturday at Christ's Church Cathedral!! If, like me, you are not finished (or started) your holiday shopping you should definitely come check it out. I can almost guarantee you will find something wonderful. In fact it may be so wonderful that you decide to keep it for yourself instead of giving it as a gift.

Happy shopping.

Oh and PS. If none of this is enough to draw you down to the holiday market I must tell you that many of Hamilton's food trucks will also be attending. There. Now you have to come. See you there!! I'll be the slightly green one who's heart grew 3 sizes.

It's A Bird, It's A Plane. No! It's Supercrawl!

How should I start this weeks blog? I think there is one word that will do it. SUPERCRAWL! Yes friends, it happened. It came, it was awesome, and it left us with hopes and dreams for next year.

Hamilton has somehow become this mecca for the arts and it's definitely strange since we are known for being a steel city, not really for being artsy fartsy. I think we are starting to make a real name for ourselves in that area as well though. Over 50,000 folks came out for a weekend full of music, art, food and friends. A huge increase since the first Supercrawl held four years ago.

There is definitely a hunger from the youngsters in the Hammer to showcase their creativity and James St N. Art Crawl and Supercrawl is an amazing way to get their art out there as well as an opportunity to network and to really just embrace the community. I love the idea of 50,000 people all coming together for the same reason and it's great to see people really grabbing hold of some hometown pride. I saw a multitude of Hamilton love ranging from T-shirts to tattoos with Hamilton logos. It was...super!

Hamilton is blessed with some insane musical talent and there was definitely no limit of that at Supercrawl. There were lots of great Hamilton acts like Terra Lightfoot (Terra's Site! GO!) who is just incredible, as well as Wax Mannequin who is always an interesting act to watch. There were also lots of out of towners who came to entertain the masses. Great Lake Swimmers, Said the Whale and K'Naan were just a few and people were NOT disappointed. Click to see an awesome Great Lake Swimmers music video! Do it!

Not only was there great musical acts but there was an insane acrobatic fire show put on by the Fire Jammers. It was crazy. For crazy pyro action...click here!

The fact that this is all free is just mind blowing. Of course I bought a supercrawl button and apparently proceeds from that go to fund next years event so I really hope everybody bought buttons or donated so that we can continue to have this amazing gathering for lots of years to come!

I'm sad that it's over. It was such a great weekend. I want to do it all over again...and again, and again.

Here's a few pics from the crawl! Oh and go check out this story CBC Hamilton did on Supercrawl. I'm only directing you here because they used one of my tweets/pics in the storify section of the story and I was kind of intrigued by it. CBC Supercrawl Story.

My friend Kristen enjoying some delicious Sweet Ice at Supercrawl 2012.

Terra Lightfoot being awesome as usual at Supercrawl 2012.

One of the more disturbing pieces I saw at Supercrawl. That face is made of baby chicks. Straaaange.

Did you know that Mexican Coca-Cola is different from ours? Neither did I until we ate at Mex-I-Can during Supercrawl.

Fire Acrobats at Supercrawl 2012! Whaaat!!

Great Lake Swimmers. Super awesome Canadian music at Supercrawl 2012.

If you missed it this year and are really jealous don't worry...there's only another 360-ish days left until Supercrawl 2013!

My first fashion foray

If you are living in the Hamilton area I thought you should know about some of the cool shops you may find in the nooks and crannies of our fair city...or at least my top 5! This was realllllllly hard to narrow down. I did not include any stores you would find in a mall. I tried to keep it to those little hole in the walls where you can get a lot for not a lot. 

First up (and I may be a little biased because I work here) is Talize:
Talize is re-inventing thrift shopping. Great names, brands and trendy couture for less. Who could ask for anything more? Somebodies trash is someone else's treasure. Located on the bustling street of Upper James.

Talize was just recently involved in a fashion show at the Ultimate Women's Show. Here's a link to a video of some of the outfits you could put together by shopping at Talize. There's something for everybody!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZcGnIG4hrI

Rows and rows of fashion opportunities!

Second on the list is located in the extremely trendy neighbourhood of James Street North. Pretty much every shop on this street is amazing and artsy and definitely worth a look, but my favourite, the one that speaks to my soul is White Elephant. They specialize in vintage fashions and housewares. Pretty much everything looks like it came out of The Virgin Suicides and I just LOVE it!!
Check out their website...or better yet just swing on down to James St. N and take a gander yourself!
http://www.whiteelephantshop.ca/

Where the romance of the past meets the rush of the present!

Third on the docket is the enemy...I mean..urrr...the competition. Value Village. Also a thrift store, also good deals, also somewhere you want to shop if you like looking through racks. It's like a shopping adventure. I had to include them because well...it's undeniable that combined with a trip to Talize (shameless promotion) you will go home with many treasures (and lots of laundry).
http://www.valuevillage.com/

Where else could you find pieces like this? (oh ya...Talize :P)

The fourth store is young, is thrift-ish and is also owned by a friend of mine! Bodega! BODEGA!! Say it. It's fun! Bodega! (Once more with feeling!) Located at 220 King Street West is a shop where you will not only find some of the most hip fashions, but while you are there why not hit up their Beauty Bar? Yes that's right they offer waxing... from brows to Brazilians (oh my), eyelash and eyebrow tinting, nail art & polish changes, ear candling, weave buns and braids.WHAT? Is this place real? Yes it is. Now GO.
http://www.thebodega.bigcartel.com/

Oh you fancy, huh!

The fifth store...last but not least is Harmony. Okay yes it is located in Jackson Square which to some may be considered a "mall" but let's not get too technical. I literally think I could spend entire pay checks in this store! The whole atmosphere is just... SO ME! That's not to say that it couldn't also be SO YOU! So go breathe in the incense and try on the jewellery and tell them I sent you...and I'm still waiting to hear about any job openings :P

Harmony does not have a website and that makes me sad. Oh well. Just go there. That's easier.

Go here to find Harmony (the store, not the state of mind...you won't find that here)

I hope you have enjoyed my top 5 favourite shops in Hammertown! Now go into the world and shop! Oh and if you have any favourite shops that you think I should check out or add to the list just let me know.