It’s been a fun few days! I have had the privilege to see in person and on film great performances by  powerful, beautiful  black women. I danced like no one was watching, heard the voice of an outspoken angel and had a grim reminder of the hardships of the women upon who’s shoulders I stand.

An image from one of Mama's first recording sessions

It began with the Pan African Film Fest and a stunning documentary on the life of Miriam Makeba. It struck me that most of what I know and learned about Mama Africa I did so after leaving SA during apartheid. Mama’s records were banned  and along with her decades long exile  made it so that  unless you had an underground copy stashed somewhere and were careful to  listen to it so that  her voice , often political and always penetrating  fell only on sympathetic ears -you would not know the beauty and power that was Mama Makeba. I learned about the early years of her career in the US her life in Europe, her close friendships with artists, activists and leaders of nations and  her courageously  calling for boycotts against the South African government, a move that earned her a second ban from her beloved homeland. There is tragedy in the tale but isn’t there always? Regardless, I left the theatre inspired by this force of a woman – and thinking of how I can follow in her footsteps, taking the love I have for my home and spreading it around the world.

"The Hottentot Venus"

Black Venus,  a period film set in 1800′s Europe centered around the life of Saartjie Baartman – commonly known as The Hottentot Venus. To clarify, she was a woman of indigenous San descent -people of the Kalahari desert. Lineage that I myself share. The word Hottentot is derogatory and means to stutter – how the language of the San people, with it’s distinct “clicks”, sounded to the Europeans. Saartjie’s life was indeed full of tragedy – she met a undignified death. Hers was one of the first real tales of the tragedy of celebrity ever told and what is known is that the deep longing for her home ultimately broke her heart. I recall watching on the news the return of the remains of Saartjie to SA. The speech by our then President Mr. Thabo Mbeki and the tears of mourning shed for the return of a much loved icon. The video clips at the end of the movie depicting her journey home were the most moving part of the film, unfortunately.  The actress  who played Saartjie, Yahmina Torres, while giving a brave and committed performance was unsupported by the writing. Also, Saartjie was made out to be a prostitute, diseased and immodest. I found no historical evidence that supported that claim. It disturbed me greatly, as if the real story of her life was inadequately sensational. She was oppressed, lied to, used and then to  add insult to injury by taking away the one thing she chose over and over again to fight for – her dignity was absolutely infuriating to me. I look forward to the real telling of Saartjie’s story. It would certainly be, for me, the role of a lifetime.

Last, but most certainly not least I heard live in concert  the sorely missed  voice of Ms Lauryn Hill. There was some doubt as to whether she would deliver – her last stage appearance  being more of an emotional catharsis than a performance. Lauryn heard her fans and came out with blazing remixes  all the much loved cuts from the MisEducation album, a few classic Fugees tracks as well a few hits from Bob. In a high energy show that mixed rock and rap stylings, she sent that rich complex vocal power out over a crowd sending nothing but Love back. It was the perfect Valentines day. We love you Lauryn. You continue to inspire a generation of women -empowering us to step into our own, to be strong, to love fiercly and speak our truth. We miss you. If you don’t do it, who will?

These peak moments served to remind me that  all voices are necessary and every story is the story of us all.

Blissings

x

Red Carpet at NYGH Human Race Celebrity Draft Party

Spent last weekend running around the city participating in one of the best charity events ever.  My dear friend Aaron Douglas brought me along, this was my first year at the NYGH Human Race, and I definitely hope to do it again next year.  Alongside an eclectic  group of familiar faces from TV, film and sports we had a whole day of competitive and varied fun all in support of new technology  and resources for the early diagnosis and compassionate treatment of breast cancer and other diseases of the breast. NYGH is one of the leading academic hospitals in the country and we were all proud to support the increasing health and wellness of our mothers,grandmothers, sisters and daughters.

Friday night kicked off with the celebrity draft and mingling with sponsors and opposing teams. The food was delicious thanks to many foodie sponsors and I’m sure celebrity participant Corbin Tomaszeski had a little something to do with it. (Yes, I totally had a fan moment when I saw him. I heart you Corbin!)

I love me some Aaron Douglas.

Saturday was race day and I couldn’t have asked for a better team. The guys and gals from Slavens and Associates were on the ball and definitely had their eye on the prize. We were geared up to win. After a hearty breakfast, a reminder of the rules and collection of our race day packs – full of snacks, maps and our first clue – we were off.

The race had us travelling from one end of North York to the next and back again. We sang at a recording studio, wrestled an MMA fighter ( yup, they sent lil ol me into the ring…), shot paintballs, raced mini toy BMW’s, made sushi and answered riddles along the way. We were the dream team – being realtors, Richard, Darren, Liz and Irena knew their way around the city like the backs of their hands. And between Blackberries and iPhones  - those brain teasers were no match for Google, I mean, for us. ( Wait – was that cheating?)

Team SOLD Firm

After the days events and a quick refresher, it was time to glam up and head to the Jeans and Jewels Rewards Reception – extra points for being there on time meant my team and I were there with bells on. Anticipation was high, we were pretty positive that we had made excellent time and could well be in the running for the top prize. Alas it was not so but a fantastic night was had by all. There were so many great items in the live auction and with the help of Billy Baldwin’s mad auctioneering skills the event was able to really make a significant contribution to the needs of NYGH and it’s staff. Awesome!

Jully Black's New Album. Coming out October 16th.GO GET IT!

The absolute highlight of the evening for me was the finale performance by Canadian super woman Jully Black. It had been years since I’d seen Ms. Black and as usual she did not disappoint. Besides being known as a remarkable conversationalist and a formidable triple threat, she puts on one of the most energetic ,  dance- till- your -feet- burn shows I’ve seen in a while. I danced so hard I arrived  with straight hair and left with a head full of curls. Big up Jully. You’re amazing!

And THANK YOU to all those who came out to support the Second Annual NYGH Celebrity Human Race.

See you next year!

So…. I’ve been out and about – attending parties like I actually HAVE a film at the Festival – which I don’t!

Yes, it is true, the films are the reason we all come but the parties are just as groovy. Plus, you get to dress up. All that vintage I’ve been collecting over the year gets a fresh dry cleaning (the environmentally friendly kind, of course) and jazzed up with my old faithful pair of platform heels . A girl’s gotta look good but she also has to make sure she can gracefully descend staircases and not fidget due to foot pain all night. Besides the stellar outfits – And I’m oh so sorry I don’t have any pics for ya yet – there are the signature cocktails, the swag bags ( what can I say, I LOVE me some swag) and let’s not forget the celebrity hobnobbing. This past week took me to the kick off of Nicky Beach – an ultra sexy party perfectly situated on the gorgeous rooftop deck of the TIFF Bell Light Box and with K’NAAN and U2 in attendance.  Grey goose and Guerlain abounded. Next was the usual stop offs at Maison, Century and Amber. More work (read play) at the Toro After Dark Party at Ame – love that place – the decor is much to my own sensibilities….elemental, rich hued and luxurious. I wore my vintage Missoni and got a wicked cute pair of lime green frames from EYENIGMA. The cast from “Sisters and Brothers” was there and I’m happy to report that Mr. Montieth remembered the post audition afternoon we spent watching 4 hours of the Bad Girls Club Marathon onVH1. Don’t judge.

Of course I’ve also managed to squeeze in a few flicks. Most notably Carl Bessai’s lastest film “Sisters and Brothers”. With a full cast of well known and incredibly talented Canadian faces from Cory Montieth of Glee fame, Ben Ratner of Fathers and Sons, Camille Sullivan (who I enjoyed so much in this pic and had worked with years ago on Davinci’s Inquest), Michael Eklund, Ali Liebert, Tyler Labine and Amanda Crew to name just a few. With a much bigger production budget and his distinct style – this improvised look at the ups and downs of sibling relationships had me smiling all the way through and had Mr. Bessai’s signature style all over it. Go and see it if you can – it has another run TIFF this week and hopefully we’ll be seeing some home grown Canadian super talent coming soon to a theatre near you.

Also, on a completely different tonal  note – I went to see Steve McQueen’s “SHAME” with Michael Fassbender ( swoon) and Carey Mulligan ( fantastic as ever). I had a decided interest in it as I has auditioned for a small role and wanted to see it brought to full life up on the big screen.  The actress who got the part, Nicole Beharie, it should be said, was lovely – quirky , grounded deeply sympathetic. The movie delivered as expected  - beautifully shot, quiet in it’s glaring illumination of shadowy and uncomfortable subject matter and building to a taut and at times painful crescendo.

So that’s that! Till next time….

Big Love

xK

When I was little, I learned from my mom that food was more than just food: it could be  medicine too.  I still have a visceral memory of the shock of tasting a whole garlic clove hidden in a tablespoon of honey, a cure for my sore throat.  Our pantry didn’t have things like PopTarts  and my mom never bought white bread which was why it was such a treat when I had white bread with syrup or PopTarts at friends’ homes!  In our home in South Africa we only ever had whole wheat bread but when we immigrated to Canada, the options for local, organic, international and alternative food stuffs multiplied exponentially.  I was introduced to all sorts of new flavours, textures and ways of eating well. I learned about the power of green smoothies from her and I also learned that dairy and sugar were my enemies when I was fighting a  flu bug.  My mom has continued learning about the connections between food and health and a few years ago cut gluten out of her diet.  This meant that when I visited her, there was no bread for toast.

One of the best times my mom and I  have is when we share are our version of “toast” with tea. Whenever I’m in Vancouver, we have a simple yet delicious meal of a toasted Extra Cheese or  Black Olive Quejo with a perfectly  soft boiled egg (my mom is the egg master) and a cup of tea.  We have this whether it is breakfast time or not – just whenever I visit!

I woke up yesterday  missing my  Mama and wishing for a visit at her  kitchen table – sharing our little meal together as we read the paper and get caught up on the week’s goings on. I’ve not been able to locate any Quejos on the East Coast yet – if you know a place PLEASE let me know – so I decided to try and make them myself. I happened upon an out of the way little grocer who stocks Cassava flour, although you can use Tapioca Starch instead.

I made a couple of batches, one using unsweetened nut milk and olive oil and another using full cream milk and butter. As you can imagine, butter is better! But the olive oil version is super tasty as well and certainly less of a guilty pleasure.

Check out  this recipe on the Chef in You site for a more orderly version of the mess I made trying to figure the measurements out.  I also recommend reading up on how to boil an egg ( don’t judge me) if, like me, you are particular about how you like it cooked.

This is how my  Mama does it:

Bring water to just below boiling
Add salt
Place egg gently into simmering pot. You can do this by putting the egg in a big spoon and then lowering it into the water so that it doesn’t drop to the bottom.
Set timer to 3 – 4 mins for fast boiling.
Let sit for 2 or 3 more minutes
Enjoy a perfect soft-boiled consistency…. whited just cooked and yolk still runny.

Yummy!

Now call your mother.

It’s been a year since my last journey  home. A year of living out of a suitcase  – flying between Los Angeles and Toronto with the occasional stint in Vancouver. I must enjoy it. As my fifth grade teacher Mrs. Andrews  once said to me:  “ A rolling stone gathers no moss”.  My first thought was,  “ Who needs moss?!”

Without all the excitement of the World Cup  I had a lot more time to spend with family  and to reconnect with friends.  First stop was Joburg and it’s all too familiar icy winter weather. I know, I’ve lived in Canada, I shouldn’t complain – but without indoor heating, -5 C is a different experience entirely. I was glad of the fuzzy slippers tucked in my carry on – a last minute thought that proved indispensable.  While in Joburg I attended a birthday dinner for a friends Mom and was privy to the most enthusiastic,melodious  and cacaphonous rendition of Happy Birthday -  in multiple languages, joined by an entire family dancing and  a bullhorn – that I had ever seen.  All that and we hadn’t even gotten to the cake. It was heart warming; my cheeks hurt from smiling. Many thanks to the Lerole family for having me join in  such a close and personal celebration.

The next day a dear friend let me tag along while she did some community outreach work at the Thusong Youth Centre in Alexander. There was a brilliant young Pantsula dance group of 6 boys performing, to Beyonce’,  for a completely enraptured audience of adorable, face painted kids  -  3 to 13. The choreo skit was akin to a passion play. A young man knowing truth tries to convince his friends, they turn against him and he falls. He is resurrected and the rest is all triumphant joy. I was taken aback at how much energy these young men had for their performance – going full out for their young audience. I imagined the hours spent practicing in a back yard or living room, carefully working out every move. It was inspirational and reminded me that there are no circumstances under  which it is not possible to make art.

Later that evening, now joined by new friend we were invited to a traditional Zulu wedding. Although we had missed all the traditioanl ceremonies and service  – we arrived just in time for the best part of any celebration –the food. Music blared from the tent, especially brought in  for the occasion and keeping the most honored guests warm and fed. The house overflowed with relatives and friends, woman bringing food from the kitchen and empty plates back. The whole neighbourhood had been invited and the revellers spilled from the tent and the house out into the streets of Soweto. No one complained about the noise, because they were out enjoying it themselves. Or  too busy eating and toasting the happy couple. We met our hostess,  were introduced to the  makoti (bride)  and then found some chairs and handed plates and once. I had already made a turn around the buffet table with  all the lovely bean and beetroot salads, beef stew, and samp, hot pickles and sweet pumpkin, when our hostess looked at me  with mock disapprovement and announced,   “ Is that all you are going to eat? You insult my house”!  I needed little more persuasion and went back for a second helping. After dessert and beer and cookies, phew! No wonder the guests lingered. They most likely couldn’t get up for the great hospitality they had enjoyed.

I  been back  for less than a week and already I felt like I had never left.  Then again, it seems to always feel that way. Those first few days back summed up  my hopes and dreams for every trip home. Family love, innovation and creativity, community, music, food and celebration. Yes there are dark things all around us, tough choices and difficult situations but it doesn’t take much to create a bit of happiness, to rise above, even for a moment.