Anthony Ricciardi is a well-known artist who hosted an exhibit called Dream Space at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto. I had a chance to meet him at a charity dinner and hear his hot take on all the Instagram museums and immersive exhibits that have been popping up.
Browsing Tag
Yorkdale
Name: Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue)
Best Known For: Nobody Cares (2018)
Favourite Twitter account: An impossible question! I’m obsessed with all 2000+ accounts I follow.
Entertainment
It’s no secret how much you love Leonardo DiCaprio and many other stars from pop culture. Do you identify as a fangirl? I think “fangirl” is such an unnecessary pejorative. What does gender have to do with loving something, you know? And why do we dismiss loving something as a feeling or act reserved for youth? Fans fuel industry. They’re important. But while I’ll always be a fan of Leo, my love and affinity has cooled a bit. I mean, I think it had to! You can’t keep Titanic momentum up for over 20 years. At some point, you have to remember that he was in Woody Allen’s Celebrity.
You’ve watched Titanic over and over again, so what was it like to see Kate Winslet in person? Oh man, I’m surprised you remember that! Probably unsurprisingly, it was very . . . normal? Ordinary? TIFF is strange because you see people you’ve watched in film and TV for years, and they all-of-a-sudden are right there and look like anyone you’d see in a restaurant. But it was obviously cool to see Kate Winslet, albeit very briefly!
Today wasn’t any ordinary #MusicMonday. Today was the first time I woke up early to be one of the first people at Yorkdale. Today I met Carly Rae Jepsen, the woman behind the hit single Call Me Maybe!
I arrived ten minutes before the tea shop opened and was the first fan to receive a wristband. Once I talked to the staff about what to expect when Carly arrived, it was time to shop. It’s interesting to walk around a mall on a weekday morning. There’s no crowds, noise or garbage. I picked up my friend’s birthday gift at the newly renovated Hudson’s Bay, did some window shopping and then went to the food court for lunch. I love ordering salads from Chipotle Mexican Grill, even though they’re a bit too spicy.
After a quick visit to Indigo, I joined the line of about 30 fans. I was surprised that DAVIDsTEA didn’t play any of Carly’s music while we waited. In fact, I deliberately didn’t listen to her music before the event because I expected to hear it on repeat during the meet and greet. Nevertheless, fans seemed to be entertained by Microsoft retail employees dancing and playing Xbox. When was the last time you saw employees have a mini dance party during store hours?
I think this was the most laidback celebrity autograph signing I’ve ever attended. Nobody made a big deal when Carly entered the store, except for a few moms who told their daughters to go up to the store window for a closer look. No applause, no ruckus, just smiles all around.
What’s a Toronto visit without an Indigo event? This time, I went to Indigo Yorkdale (thankfully much closer than alternative locations) to see author Nicholas Sparks promote The Lucky One. The film adaptation of The Lucky One will be in theatres April 20, starring heartthrob Zac Efron.
Arriving early to wait in line ensures you’re close to the pre-event excitement and hype, which included a dance off between three fans to Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” right outside Starbucks. Once the line moved closer to the stage, a group of young girls enthusiastically took to the stage to jump up and down singing One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful,” which possibly delighted them more than meeting Sparks himself.
Sparks briefly said a few words to fans thanking everyone for coming before signing 500+ copies of The Lucky One, including none other than former Maple Leafs player Curtis Joseph! He was as charming in person as expected.