Browsing Tag

London

Treat Yourself And Fly Solo

How many concerts have you missed because your friends have different music taste? Don’t let that be an excuse anymore. When I was at Western, I flew solo to a Barenaked Ladies concert, which I was reviewing for the Gazette. My intention was to listen, enjoy and take notes. It didn’t matter who sat next to me.

Likewise, when award show season was at its peak in the winter and I needed to watch nominees, I waited for no one. I spent an afternoon at Cineplex Odeon Varsity theatre, treated myself to a Yogen Fruz smoothie (I’m addicted!) and never looked back. Still Alice is an introspective film about aging that I was content to watch alone and I didn’t feel an urgent desire to discuss it with anyone afterwards.

A new study from the University of Maryland found that many individuals don’t spend time alone in public because they fear what observers will think. It’s sad to imagine how people are missing out on opportunities to enjoy themselves simply because they value opinions of strangers.

May 1, 2015 by Sarah Prince

St. Patrick’s Day Fashion Ideas

Shoes: Dr. Martens, Converse, Manitobah Mukluks

I never celebrated St. Patrick’s Day until I went to Western. For university students, it’s such a major event that it might as well be a statutory holiday. After I clued in during first year, I started planning my outfits in advance by keeping an eye out for discounts on green clothes, shoes and accessories.

It’s nice to support local boutiques when you’re buying seasonal items. Archies Surf Shop is a convenient shopping destination for Western students who want to buy green gear in downtown London without schlepping to a dollar store. Last year, I bought a clover leaf necklace at Archies and I also have an emerald green statement ring from Want in Toronto.

St. Patrick’s Day is a fun time to be creative and everyone’s in such a good mood that it seems like the fashion police take the day off. I used to wrap a skinny green United Colours of Benetton belt around my wrist and wear it as a DIY bracelet.

March 16, 2014 by Sarah Prince

OHM Fashion Show

The annual OHM Fashion Show on Friday raised money for the Canadian Cancer Society and focused on street style this year.

The show’s passionate executive team created a sophisticated atmosphere, which made Centennial Hall look much nicer than the bingo hall it resembled when I saw Chantal Kreviazuk and the Barenaked Ladies play there.

Well-known youthful brands seen onstage included French Connection, American Apparel and Danier Leather. This men’s graphic tee by American Apparel caught my eye and reminded me that I’d like to make a similar shirt at the Bang-On store in Toronto.

A show inspired by Pinterest would be incomplete without some nice DIY designs. For the ‘Salvage’ segment, Leah Brown transformed thrift shop purchases, such as these denim shorts, into runway-ready outfits.

OHM not only highlighted some upcoming trends for spring, but also entertained the crowd through phenomenal choreography. As you can see, it’s never too late to learn how to make a ballerina-style hair bun!

March 16, 2013 by Sarah Prince

Behind the Band: Two Hours Traffic

Some Western students may have missed Two Hours Traffic’s last local concert to attend Homecoming festivities instead. Thankfully, the Canadian band is returning to Call the Office on Tuesday to promote their new album Foolish Blood.

Their latest tour began at the end of February and recently included a stop in Texas for the SXSW festival. No matter where they perform, Liam Corcoran, lead vocalist for Two Hours Traffic, emphasizes he values his eastern Canadian heritage.

“The sound we have is kind of reminiscent of the Halifax pop sound,” Corcoran remarks. “I think between the way we write songs and the way we sound, I think we belong to a kind of family of bands that started out in Halifax. Also, [it seems] we must have an accent, although I don’t really notice it.”

Two Hours Traffic is content living in Prince Edward Island, but Corcoran has his eye on Toronto as his future home. Corcoran admits America’s song-writing capital Nashville, Tennessee is a particularly appealing alternative too.

“We have a lot of friends [in Toronto] and family as well. We know the city really well,” Corcoran says. “I’ve never seriously thought about anywhere other than Toronto, [but] I daydream about a few places.”

Recognizing concerts with major headliners are relatively rare in Canada’s remote areas like the Northwest Territories, Corcoran likes playing there because everyone truly appreciates the opportunity to see them play live.

The band’s catchy hit song “Jezebel” has been featured on many film and television soundtracks, including in episodes of popular teen shows like One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl. Eager to interact with fans that discovered them on such TV shows, Corcoran and his fellow band mates tend to hang around the merchandise table after concerts.

March 15, 2013 by Sarah Prince

Amber Mac in London

Twitter is one of the best websites around. Without it, I never would’ve connected with Amber Mac.

Why is Amber Mac so special? Well, Tony Robbins explains it best:

For all things social media and technology, Amber Mac’s got you covered. So when I was reading tweets on Wednesday afternoon and Amber posted about a keynote in London the next day, I froze. “London, ON” might as well have been written in bold neon font in caps lock because that’s how much those key words stood out. A few Google searches, emails and direct messages later, I arranged to attend her presentation at London’s annual EDCO conference.

February 10, 2013 by Sarah Prince

Older Posts