'bout time for an update, methinks...

Well, it's been ages, but here I am. Before I jump into what I've been doing, here are two quick forays into music:

First, here's a great interview I found with the late, great Desmond Dekker. RIP, self-titled King of Ska (who was a bit more of a Rocksteady guy, really). Ohhhh, Ohhhh, the Israelites! I had a chat about Desmond with the cable guy, a Jamaican native, last week.



Second, big news out of the Charlatans camp. With help from their new manager (creator of Creation Records and discoverer of Oasis) Alan McGee, they've partnered with XFM to release their new album... for free! The first single "You Cross My Path" is available for download here, with the full album coming early next year. Yeah, yeah, Radiohead, whatever. They still have a physical product coming out at some point. The Charlies' record will be MP3-only, and free of charge...

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Now, some news. I'm in love. I know, I know, I've been here for just a few months. But, it's true. The object of my affection is none other than La Hacienda, on Queen Street West. Now, good Mexican food is hard enough to find in Toronto anyway--we are rather far away from Guadalajara, no? But this place?
- suitably low-key decor in a cool neighbourhood? Check.
- great chicken quesadillas with black beans? Check.
- a fantastic range of music played, thanks to the former musician owners? Check.
- whiskey sours (even available by the pitcher) made with lemon juice and sugar instead of bar mix? Big check. The best I've had.
Needless to say, I'm happy it's a 10-minute walk away!

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So, what have I been up to? Well, my good friend Mr. Ta-Dow paid a visit not too long ago, which was great. We walked all over the city, made the obligatory trip up the CN Tower (my first since moving here), and went to some great spots new to me, including Fort York and Casa Loma. Ta-Dow also lent his mechanical expertise for some furniture construction, which was greatly appreciated. We also hung out in Little Italy, which is a fantastic area (and home to a great record store, Soundscapes).

Shows have been coming fast and furious, and in the last week I've seen Shout Out Louds from my favourite city on earth and also Figurines from the Kingdom of Denmark. Both good shows, especially the latter...

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On Friday night the building next to mine was the site for a movie shoot. The location manager put fliers in my building just to notify everyone (it lasted until 2 in the morning). It's called The Love Guru, and if I'd looked it up before Friday instead of after I might have done some prowling around. It's the new Mike Myers film!

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Also went to see the Raptors this week, courtesy of JM. They beat the Cavs easily, but it was cool to see LeBron James (and of course the Raptors too!). Hung out with JM for a few hours last weekend, and everything's going well for him with the team.

Think that's it for now...