Dear Twitter Followers…

Aloha! In a recent attempt to get more blog traffic, I set up a Twitter account solely for the purpose of promoting my page – the handle is @gazallablogs (original, I know). If you’re here because I followed or tweeted you, thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you enjoy what you read. Feel free to send me a Twitter message or leave a comment down below if you’d like to ask questions or dish out blogging advice.

To my regular readers…you’re troopers for sticking around this long. Now that the school year is over (hello, summer), I’ll use my abundant free time to write as many posts as I can. In the next week or two, I’ll tell you why I’m excited about spending the summer in Toronto, share my favourite superfoods, review a few movies and reflect on an upcoming trip to Cuba. So don’t give up on me yet; I have lots to say and can’t wait for your feedback!

Sunday Movie Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Hermione who? Emma Watson is almost unrecognizable as she flaunts her recently shorn hair in coming-of-age film ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’. Source: onsecrethunt.com

Okay, I’ll admit it: I’m a Harry Potter nerd. I’ve read each book about ten times and seen each movie at least fifteen times. So when Emma Watson – one of the franchise’s biggest stars – gives a heartfelt performance in a much-anticipated indie flick, it’s practically my duty to report on it. Which brings me to today’s movie: The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I won’t include any spoilers in case you haven’t seen it, but I’ll give you the gist of what the movie’s about. The flick came out in September 2012 and stars Watson alongside Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller. Lerman’s character, a shy and lonely ninth-grader named Charlie, befriends two confident oddballs named Sam (Watson) and Patrick (Miller). Being older and more learned in the confusing and judgemental world of high school, the two take Charlie on a wild and exciting ride that results in first loves, fistfights, and explosive family drama. The film largely revolves around Charlie’s understanding of himself and of the world around him as he learns what it means to be a good friend, brother, and boyfriend. When he becomes depressed after being forced to deal with traumatic issues from his past, he leans on Sam and Patrick for support and they remind him to take pleasure in the small things in life.

In Perks, Watson leaves behind her Harry Potter character, Hermione Granger, and completely embodies the role of Sam, even adopting a cropped new hairstyle and an (albeit mediocre) American accent. We see little sign of the brainy, bushy-haired witch Watson portrayed for over a decade. Instead, we have a self-assured young woman who heals through music and always trusts her heart. Hardcore Potter fans will miss Hermione’s Hogwarts robes and trademark encyclopaedic knowledge, but I’m willing bet that even J.K. Rowling herself would be impressed with the 22-year-old, who managed to steal the spotlight amongst brilliant co-stars Paul Rudd, Mae Whitman, Nina Dobrev, and Dylan McDermott.

Speaking of music, I almost forgot to mention the movie’s soundtrack. There have been numerous movies, including Almost Famous and Pump Up the Volume, that have had amazing soundtracks consisting of songs you won’t soon forget. Perks is one of these movies. Music was one of the film’s central themes, with Sam and Charlie often fervently discussing their favourite bands and exploring new ones. The song list features some great tunes by David Bowie, The Smiths, and Sonic Youth; you can check it out here. The tracks are the perfect mix of angsty, upbeat, and punk rock – in other words, each song made me want to simultaneously dance, cry, and scream into my pillow. (I resisted this urge, but only for the sake of my roommates.) Give them a listen – you won’t be disappointed.

If you haven’t seen this heartwarming flick, I highly recommend you go watch it. I haven’t decided which movie to review for next Sunday, so requests are welcome. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!

Food for Thought

There’s something to be said about the power of the human mind. At the risk of sounding like a pompous old geezer, I truly believe the brain is a wondrous tool that can be used to cultivate our curiosities and explore exciting avenues. For example, I like to take a few minutes out of each day to consider something new and thought-provoking. Lately I’ve been thinking about what my name will be attached to in future years. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, consider the following. We automatically associate the Dalai Lama with Buddhism, Sidney Crosby with hockey, and JK Rowling with Harry Potter. Each of these individuals has something so uniquely them that if I reversed the situation and asked which famous person you would associate with these three topics, you would probably come up with the same people. I don’t necessarily want to reach the same degree of celebrity, but you can’t blame me for wondering. I could brand myself as an up-and-coming fashion designer, follow through with the dream of becoming a renowned travel writer, or blossom into a powerful sports agent. I could dedicate my time to charity work, find wild success as a juggler, or put all my effort into becoming the best daughter my parents could ask for. The possibilities are endless!

Let’s put the spotlight on you now. I’d like to ask you to perform a mental exercise with me. Take thirty seconds to reflect on your life and your accomplishments. Consider your school life, your job, your hobbies, and your family. Think about one overarching topic people would associate you with. Got it? Good. Now ask yourself this question: “Am I happy with being thought of as this type of person?” If the answer is yes, congratulations – you’re way ahead of the curve. If the answer is no, this is where my point comes into play: if you’re not satisfied with the light in which you’re portrayed, change it. There’s no time like the present (or so I’ve heard).

Wasn’t that fun? Just thought I’d throw in a bit of motivational advice. Hope you learned something about yourself from it.

As I lie in bed at 12:30am typing this post and snacking on a brownie from Starbucks (hey, we all have to indulge sometimes), it occurs to me that I’m not the coolest 20-year-old. While most of my roommates and classmates are out drinking and engaging in general debauchery, I’m doing what I do best: sitting in my bedroom, writing, with Maroon 5 playing in the background and a tall glass of water on my nightstand. I have a lot on my mind tonight, dear reader, but mostly I’m thinking about you. I wonder where in the world you are. Are you curled up on your couch after a long day at work, reading this on your laptop or smartphone and wondering if perhaps my brownie is laced with somethin’ special? (FYI, Mom, it isn’t.) Did you sleepily stumble across this page while nursing your morning cup of joe, only to realize it’s too early to try and make sense of my nonsensical ramblings? Or maybe you’re a friend or family member who I’ve harassed time and time again to glance over my blog. Whatever the case may be, I’d like to sincerely thank you for stopping by. It means a lot. At the very least, I hope I’ve given you a few minutes of pleasurable reading. If not…well, that’s what the comments section is for. Please be honest – I can take it!

Until next time.

Meet & Greet With Brett Lawrie And Sport Chek

So, big news: I met Brett Lawrie today (see above. And just ignore my out-of-it expression!) There are a few things I’d like to tell you about this eventful day, but let me start by saying that today was way up there along with my high school graduation and my 19th birthday. Both of which, by the way, were more than I could have asked for.

For those of you who don’t know who Brett is, check out a mini bio here: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1011249/sport-chek-hits-a-home-run-partners-with-canadian-baseball-star-brett-lawrie. In short, he’s the third baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays and is widely recognized as one of Canada’s best baseball players. At just 22, Brett has taken the city by storm, completely changing the momentum of the game and remaining a constant source of energy and power for his teammates. He makes nearly impossible catches look easy, though I don’t think the word “easy” can be found in Brett’s vocabulary. He throws all of his effort into the simplest of plays, and this has paid off for Toronto as he’s become one of the Jays’ greatest assets.

Today was essentially an opportunity for Brett and Sport Chek to announce their joint commitment to inspire Canadians to get fit and become more active. An outstanding athlete, I doubt there are many people better suited to this task than Brett. This afternoon, the third baseman proved that he’s not just talented and devoted but appreciative of his fans as well. He took the time to meet with everyone who had lined up in anticipation of getting their picture taken with him and was open to chatting with all of the media sources that were present at the store. When I walked up to Brett to say hello and get a picture, I was completely starstruck. I don’t know if he could tell that my knees were (quite literally) knocking together, but Brett’s huge smile immediately put me at ease. His spot-on pronunciation of my name was quite impressive – it’s a hard one to master on the first try – and he was a complete gentleman throughout the entire afternoon, accommodating whoever he could while maintaining a professional yet friendly demeanor. He obviously took both his fans and his new partnership with Sport Chek seriously. All in all, getting to the store 6 hours early was one hundred percent worth it, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. It was great to meet you, Brett!

How I Spent My Reading Week

Leafs defenceman Jake Gardiner scored in the 3rd period against the Sharks on Feb. 23, 2012, causing the crowd at Toronto's Air Canada Centre to erupt in cheers.

In Canada, most universities give their students midterm exams in February, followed by a full week off. This week is called Reading Week, and we’re supposed to use it to work on essays and projects that are due when we come back from the break. I went back to Toronto on Friday, Feb. 16th and didn’t finish nearly as much work as I’d hoped I would, but I did get to try several new things and spend time with my family. I thought I’d write up a mini itinerary of my trip here as I’m really pleased about all the things that I got to do!

Saturday, Feb. 18: I went skiing to Snow Valley Resort in Barrie (about 2 hours outside of Toronto) with my parents. I hadn’t gone skiing in about 3 years so at first I was a little rusty, but managed to get my groove back after a couple of runs. My dad and I skied for 2 hours while my mum finished up some work inside the lodge. It was about 6 degrees that day, so with our ski gear on we managed to stay warm on the slopes.

Monday, Feb. 20: I spent the afternoon catching up with one of my favourite cousins. It’s her 16th birthday today (March 14th) - happy birthday, A! The only thing I dislike about going to school on the East Coast is that I’m so far away from my family and friends in Toronto, so it was fantastic to spend some alone time with my cousin.

Thursday, Feb. 23: My dad took me to my first Toronto Maple Leafs game! Unfortunately the outcome wasn’t what Leafs fans were hoping for as we lost 2-1 to the San Jose Sharks, but there were some spectacular plays by defenceman Jake Gardiner and winger Joffrey Lupul. Goaltender James Reimer did his best, saving 23/25 of the Sharks’ shots on goal by the end of the 3rd period. One of the best moments of the night was when the final moments of Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” played on the big screen – the loudest, most enthusiastic cheers of the night were during the scene in which the main character kills the shark.

Sunday, Feb. 26: I had brunch with my parents, grandma, aunt and two cousins at Pearl, a Chinese restaurant in the heart of Toronto’s Harbourfront. We’ve gone to Pearl at least twice each year for about 10 years, so bi-annual Sunday morning dim sum has become somewhat of a tradition. The food was just as good as I remembered it, and our table for 7 was tucked away in a cozy little corner that had amazing views of Lake Ontario. If you haven’t been to Pearl, I would definitely recommend going. The shrimp is always fresh and the vegetable chow mein is our favourite dish. You can check out the menu at http://www.pearlharbourfront.ca.

Happy International Women’s Day!

Ladies: it’s International Women’s Day! That means you can do one of two things today: put your feet up and enjoy being appreciated or work your butt off at work to further enforce the fact that women have become unstoppable powerhouses in the workplace. Either way, it’s YOUR day, so make it a great one!

Gentlemen: it’s International Women’s Day! That means you can do one thing today: call, text, tweet, or email every woman in your life who is important to you. Whether it’s your daughter, your mother, your grandmother, your significant other, or your best (female) friend, she will appreciate you even more if  you take time out of your day to appreciate her. Go ahead and take 30 minutes to make those calls and write those emails; you’ll thank me later.

In honour of International Women’s Day, I’d like to list 5 of my female idols (I should note that these women do not include my mother, grandmother, aunts, cousins, and friends who I also look up to). These 5 women are international successes and have worked incredibly hard for everything they’ve accomplished and everything they’ve earned.

1. Stephanie Nolen, The Globe and Mail‘s South Asia correspondent, three-time recipient of the Amnesty International Award for Human Rights Reporting and journalism graduate from the University of King’s College

2. Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil

3. Ellen DeGeneres, talk-show host and comedian

4. The late Miriam Makeba, Grammy Award-winning South African singer and civil rights activist

5. Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post.

I would love to hear feedback from all of you – who are your female idols and why? Feel free to drop me an email or leave me a comment. Have a wonderful International Women’s Day!

A Soundtrack to Write Home About

One of my favourite television shows is One Tree Hill, which is now in its ninth and final season. It’s no surprise that its fanbase has continued to grow over the years – the show features unique plotlines, has some great acting, and explores some of the most pressing issues that the average young adult deals with on a daily basis. Many of us are hoping for the return of Lucas and Peyton, who were once an integral part of the show, as well as the long-awaited demise of Dan Scott.

One Tree Hill definitely has the best soundtrack I’ve ever heard on TV. Numerous great artists have performed on the show, including Sheryl Crow, Fall Out Boy, Jack’s Mannequin, Gavin DeGraw, Tyler Hilton, and One Tree Hill’s own Bethany Joy Galeotti, who has played Haley James Scott since season 1. One Tree Hill had a huge impact on my taste for – and appreciation of – music, so I thought I’d tell you about some of the artists that the show introduced me to in the hopes that you too might gain a new favourite band or singer.

1. Kate Voegele

This Ohio native made her acting debut as struggling singer Mia Catalano in One Tree Hill’s fifth season. As the years went by, Voegele became a series regular and was asked to perform time and time again. Her gut-wrenching cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is perfection in itself (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqObhqmJnvs) – her voice is a stunning combination of deep, lilting, and syrupy.

Other tracks to check out: “I Won’t Disagree”, “Angel”, “99 Times”.

2. Jimmy Eat World

This four-man band has been described as a mix of alternative rock, pop punk, power pop, and punk rock (try saying that five times fast.) Truthfully, I don’t even know if there is a genre that could fit this band. They gained many followers (including myself!) after  performing on One Tree Hill, mostly due to their ability to write lyrics full of angst, love and heartache with big, catchy hooks. If you’re looking to sing your feelings out, look no further than this amazing band from Arizona.

Tracks to check out: “23″, “Work”, “Hear You Me”, “Kill”, “Last Christmas”.

3. Jack’s Mannequin

Fronted by leukemia survivor Andrew McMahon, Jack’s Mannequin is a piano rock band frequently heard on One Tree Hill. The band performed several tracks from their first album, Everything in Transit, in season 3, episode 15. Dedicated fans will argue that Jack’s Mannequin is severely underrated, and I have to agree! McMahon’s voice hits you deep in your gut and has a unique tone you won’t soon forget. “Dark Blue” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQOIJDE3RhA&ob=av2e), also from Everything in Transit, is one of the band’s most popular songs and there’s no guessing why. Have a quick listen and see what you think. But you have to be careful with Jack’s Mannequin – each of their songs is so drastically different that you can’t get a real sense of their sound from just one song.

Tracks to check out: “Kill the Messenger”, “The Mixed Tape”, “Bruised”, “Swim”, “Holiday From Real”.

4. Tyler Hilton

Despite playing Chris Keller (the egocentric, overly confident singer who wears eyeliner and refers to himself in the third person) on One Tree Hill, Tyler Hilton is a really good musician. He performed on the show a number of times, sometimes alongside Galeotti, and constantly had his guitar handy. “When it Comes” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KjYgmnomP8&ob=av2e) is absolutely amazing – it’s a laid-back yet upbeat song that you could easily find yourself blasting on a road trip with your friends. Hilton comes back this season to reprise his role as Keller, so I’m hoping for a couple more performances before the show comes to an end!

Tracks to check out: “When The Stars Go Blue”, “Missing You”.

5. Dashboard Confessional

I’ve come to like this band more than I ever thought I would. “Hands Down”, which was played several times during the earlier seasons, is one of those cute songs that gets stuck in your head every time you hear it. Although not featured on One Tree Hill, “Stolen”, from the band’s fourth album entitled Dusk and Summer, is…well, there’s really no way to describe it. Beautiful…catchy…breathtaking? The band’s most successful single to date? Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j82FBbgpUy4&ob=av2e.

Track to check out: “Vindicated.”

 

Here are some other songs from One Tree Hill which I felt deserved to be mentioned!

“I Don’t Want to Be” (the show’s theme song) – Gavin DeGraw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gFCW3PHBws

“Son’s Gonna Rise” – Citizen Cope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFrzkfUv23E

“Naive” – The Kooks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkaMiaRLgvY&ob=av2e

“Sidewalks” – Story of the Year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OdfeVUAglM

“Dare You to Move” – Switchfoot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4ba3v2FV74

“Empty Apartment” – Yellowcard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZE6kPVW-tY

Enjoy!