5 Insider Secrets from TIFF 2019

September 15, 2019 No Comments

Angela McLean on the red carpet at TIFF 2019

After 11 days of star-studded action featuring over 300 feature film, short and series debuts, another installation of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is over — and boy, was it ever a good one! TIFF is always one of my favourite times of the year because it means meeting incredible actors and film talent, seeing amazing movies before the rest of the world, reuniting with tons of festival friends and getting my exercise in for the year. 😉

This year’s festival essentials included tons of water and caffeine, under-eye concealer, lip balm, my light-up phone case (best investment!) and, if we’re being real here, prior experience. To a first-year fest-goer, TIFF can be a stressful one. Luckily, I’ve been in your shoes — and am almost ready to consider myself a seasoned veteran after eight years!

Read on for five insider secrets on experiencing TIFF like a pro!

**Look out for celebs everywhere in the city…**

From Little Portugal, to Yorkville and of course the Entertainment District, celebrity hangouts and press spots were all over the city this year. Working next to The Hollywood Reporter’s pop-up interview suite in the Financial District definitely had its perks, bringing numerous famous faces (and free popcorn) to my locale. See the photo evidence below — hello, Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones! Even movie lovers in Leslieville could enjoy a celeb run-in, as Tom Hanks, at TIFF for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, made headlines for his surprise appearance at Grinder Coffee. The coffee shop caught the attention of Ryan Gosling last year in a similar viral campaign. Too good!

Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones at TIFF 2019 — Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones were in town for the premiere of The Aeronauts at TIFF 2019.

Events, Travel

5 Tips to Survive Your Summer Music Festival

April 21, 2019 No Comments

Very few things in life match the excitement of summer festival season! There are so many music festivals all over the world, each catering to a specific genre or musical aesthetic. They truly provide the best value to see some of your favourite artists and discover so many new ones. Plus, from the multiple stages, to the bold fashion, to the delicious food, you’re busy from the moment you step onto the festival grounds.

I, like everyone else, have been living vicariously through every influencer’s Instagram posts from Coachella and, honestly, the FOMO is real. I’m doing everything in my power to make it out to Osheaga in Montreal this August (RIP WayHome).

As a seasoned live music attendee, I wanted to pass along some tips to make your first (or second, or third, or fourth!) music festival experience the best it can be!

1. STAY HYDRATED!

This tip above everything else – drink tons of water. Spending hours in the sun takes a toll on your body without you realizing it. Most festivals let you bring in an empty water bottle that you can re-fill once you’re inside. You can also purchase a hydration pack for under $20 to insert into your backpack – this lets you maintain style and cut down on treks to the water stations.

Events, Travel

The Ultimate Music Experience in Toronto

December 7, 2018 53 Comments

As a music aficionado, I definitely picked the right city to live in! Toronto has it all – amazing homegrown and visiting talent, iconic concert halls and plenty to see and do between shows. So, when Google Canada reached out last month and invited me to embark on the ultimate music experience in my home city, I knew I was in for a treat!

Follow my guide below to enjoy your very own ultimate music experience in Toronto!

Morning

First, book a hotel!! (or commute in early)

I’m not a morning person by any means, so Google Canada was kind enough to hook me up with a stay at the gorgeous Four Seasons Hotel in Yorkville. Staying here has been on my bucket list for years. The property and rooms are simply stunning and you’re just minutes away from great shopping, attractions and music venues (crucial for this kind of experience!).

Next stop, food for fuel!

The beautiful interior of Kost at Bisha Hotel.

My girls Afra (left), Rebecca (right) and I LOVED our delicious brunch!

After lounging around and getting ready while blasting tunes on YouTube Music, my friends and I trekked over to Kōst for brunch. This delightful hidden gem is located on the 44th floor of the new Bisha Hotel in Toronto on Blue Jays Way. The atmosphere is really bright and the dishes are fresh and unique. We all ordered sandwiches; I got the California burger with fries, which was delicious. (If you’re not a spicy/tangy kind of person, I’d recommend getting it without the tomato relish.) I can’t wait to come back in the summer when the outdoor seating is open!

Events

My Experience at TIFF 2018 – How to Meet Your Fave Actors!

September 26, 2018 No Comments

The first two weeks of September in Toronto are amazing – you can squeeze in the perfect end-of-summer moments, enjoy the breezy weather and best of all, take in the glitz and glam of the Toronto International Film Festival! The 43rd edition, which just wrapped Sept. 16, once again hosted world premieres and screenings of hundreds of locally- and internationally-made films. With the movies also comes the actors, directors and industry greats who come to the city to do promotion, walk the red carpet and meet fans.

As a self-proclaimed “professional fangirl,” TIFF is right up my alley. This year’s talent guest list did not disappoint; Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Viola Davis and Canadian heartthrob Ryan Gosling were just a few of the A-list names attached to films premiering at the fest. With a mix of hard work and good luck, I had the incredible opportunity to meet all of them!

In the end, I came out of this year’s TIFF with almost 100 “photos with.” I feel the need to emphasize how truly awesome so many of these actors are on- and off-screen, so scroll down for my fave celeb selfies and the stories behind them! I also have a few tips on how you can meet your fave actors and directors at future fests.

Chloë Grace Moretz

My first celeb selfie of TIFF 2018!! Chloë has been one of my favourite young actors for years – it’s so weird knowing that we’re the same age! (You go, girl.) She starred in TIFF 2016 selection Brain on Fire, a gripping based-on-a-true-story medical drama. I highly recommend watching it or at least reading into the story of Chloë’s character, Savannah Cahalan – it drives home the importance of believing in yourself and fighting for your rights. Chloë returned to TIFF this year for another thriller/drama, Greta, and I was stoked to see its premiere would be at my university, Ryerson. Chloë was so gracious meeting fans outside the theatre after fulfilling her press obligations. I actually need to give her brother Trevor a special shoutout as he was the one who pulled her away from some demanding autograph seekers to come meet me. So happy with how this turned out!

Timothée Chalamet

This actually wasn’t my first year attending TIFF – I’ve done red carpets for the past three or four years. Ask anyone else who regularly does celeb hunting during the fest and we all have that one “d’oh!” moment when the festival comes and goes and you say, UGH! That actor was right there! Why didn’t I say anything?! Here’s mine: I met Armie Hammer, Timothée’s Call Me By Your Name co-star, by chance while walking from work to the subway two years ago. If I had waited another 10 minutes, I would have met Timothée as well – but nope, silly me WALKED AWAY! Of course, it was only after that encounter that I had a chance to see CMBYN and fall in love with Timothée’s talent. The second day of the fest this year was my redemption as Timothée came into town to premiere the highly-anticipated Beautiful Boy. Not only was he indeed a beautiful boy in person, but Timothée was also a beautiful soul! He promised me a photo as soon as he left a press spot, walked over to sign autographs and as he was being pulled away called out, “Where is she?!” 🙂

Events, Photography, Reviews

A Revival Tour Diary: Selena Gomez leaves her mark on Canada

May 26, 2016 1 Comment

If anyone knows how to have a revival, it’s 23-year-old pop singer/songwriter/performer Selena Gomez. Currently on her worldwide Revival Tour in support of the album of the same name, she’s proving to be a force to be reckoned with. Leaving the Biebs behind – seemingly for good this time – and adopting a much more confident swagger, Gomez rocked the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on May 22 and Toronto’s Air Canada Centre on May 25 – two of the tour’s Canadian stops – reminding everyone in the room why it’s cool to be a Selenator.

Ottawa fans were treated to opening sets from X Factor alum Bea Miller and Canadian singer/songwriter Tyler Shaw. Miller delivered a killer four-song set, smashing out fan favourites including “Young Blood” and her new single “Yes Girl.” Shaw, who you may recognize as the winner of the 2012 MuchMusic Coca-Cola Covers Contest, also performed a selection of songs from his album ‘Yesterday,’ like the hit single “Wicked,” and an awesome cover of Twenty One Pilots’ “Stressed Out.” The Ottawa show was Shaw’s last night on the Revival Tour and the Ottawa crowd definitely gave him a great farewell!

A few days later, Toronto welcomed Bea Miller and the Jonas Brother-fronted DNCE for a triple-decker night of amazing music. Miller added a cover of MNEK and Zara Larsson’s collab “Never Forget You” and gave it a pop/rock edge that Larsson has already taken to Twitter to commend. Afterwards, DNCE played a 40-minute set that quickly turned into an epic party with over 13,500 people. The crowd sang and danced along to the kazoo-driven “Jinx,” the unreleased self-titled track “DNCE” and the new single “Toothbrush.” DNCE saved the best for last, coming out for their encore with a high-energy, jump-around-the-room performance of “Cake by the Ocean” that had Snapchat’s servers running a lap.

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