First Weekend Club pre-screens the Year of the Carnivore

I recently was asked by the First Weekend Club to sing for the pre-screening of the Year of the Carnivore, a film by Canadian writer/director/actress Sook Yin Lee.  Always happy to  support Canadian films as well as the First Weekend Club, I quickly agreed. The First Weekend Club puts on an event that is unlike any other movie experience. First of all the theatre, District 319,  is simply stunning in decor, style and comfort and is the antithesis of  a big movie house, feeling more like an exclusive club where you get to enjoy wine, appy's, live music and  time mingling with the actors, producers and key players in the film before it rolls.  For this event I asked a naturally gifted singer/songwriter Stephanie Lee Rhodes to join me and if I do say so myself it was a beautiful and effortless blending of voices and music. 

After  the wine reception, everyone headed to the theatre to claim one of the big comfy red leather arm chairs and settled in to watch the film. This romantic-comedy-drama follows Sammy, a 21 year old girl with an unrequited crush on a boy who thinks she's bad in bed. She hatches a plan to get more 'experience,’ catapulting her on a quest that takes her through her neighbors’ bedroom, the public swimming pool,

and finally to blackmailing shoplifters into giving her sex lessons. 

I am not a film reviewer by nature so I won't offer much in the way of a review but I do have some personal feelings about the story to share. While I found the lead actress to be very adorable to watch as she navigated her way through her uncertainties, the story was a little  uncomfortable for me to be honest. In fact at first I thought it was oddly appropriate that they had asked me to open for this particular film as I can relate to the some of the characters feelings of  inadequacy.  But the actions she took in the face of rejection had me squirming in my seat as she took the exact opposite route I would be inclined to walk, that is, I would be inclined to choose a path that is far less.... crowded.  Personally if I experience unrequited feelings for another rather than becoming determined to release my inner sexuality, I tend to just go deep inside myself to hide (right in front of everyone yes, but I hide nonetheless) and like a turtle and I will stay in my shell until I am sure it is safe to come out, if ever. 

But this character Sammy was the polar opposite, she went way outside herself and put herself in situations that I could never imagine putting myself in and I found myself covering my mouth in a bit of shock as Sook Yin opened up the window to her vulnerabilities and resulting actions.  As the mother of a daughter who will grow up in todays world I feared this story alot in fact, but by the same token it is good to be aware of things that I don't get and a story such as this which is exploring someones journey out of innocence, can deliver insights not otherwise seen so I admire Sook Yin's ability to write so boldly yet still deliver a character that is both charming and amusing. (see trailer)

After the film finished the director Sook Yin Lee was dialed in on Skype and the actors were brought up front to do a question and answer session with the audience. This is always interesting to see their personal take on a film as often times these pre-screenings are the actors own first chance to see the film themselves. We the audience are often let in on some unique insights from their memories of the shooting.

By the way I can't carry on without saying a big thank you to Murielle Fréoa for the photographs, and also to the stellar folks at Long and McQuade for letting me use the slick Bose speaker tower you see behind me in the pictures. If you need a small portable PA system with crystal clear sound that disperses beautifully around a room with no feedback, I highly recommend you give this system some serious consideration because it is a dream to use.

Thanks to the folks from the First Weekend Club for all that you do for Canadian filmakers, and thank you for asking me time and again to be a part of your pre-screening events. Also thanks to Stephanie for making the trip over from the island and for singing so beautifully with me, that was a truly fun and artistic day and it was a real pleasure to work with you. And to you dear reader, go see the Year of the Carnivore,  and take some time to support more Canadian films. To find them, please go to the First Weekend Club website and watch for all the wonderful events they put on.

best, Rach  xo

please forward this to your favorite artist... xo

Art, by Andrea Dorfman
I do believe this is my new favorite song.
Watch it
watch it
watch it.
Rach xo

go ahead, be bad.....

It's always a bit of a whirlwind when Erica Ehm rolls into town and last week it was no different. Erica was here to promote the Mischievious Mom at the Art Gallery, a delightful book about a naughty Mother and her spirited adventures with her kids (co-written with her friend Rebecca Eckler).  I love the book because it not only gives us Mom's permission to be bad, it celebrates us for it~

Erica's visit to Van was also another perfect opportunity to tweet up with her west coast friends and fans so we made a plan or two and what follows is a photo blog of the adventures of a village of  dynamic west coast Mom's  which  has grown under the umbrella of Erica Ehm and her Yummy Mummy Club.

 
First stop for Vancouver was at Kidsbooks in Kits where Erica did a book signing. A bunch of us girls showed up and we all wound up having a good old fashioned gab fest about parenting, Mommyhood and blogging. In the photo above was Danielle @justdworld meeting Erica for the first time, it was emotional meeting to say the least, she was excited, we were excited for her and there were a few itty bitty tears of joy shed. Erica as always, was gracious and welcoming and herself as she quickly put everyone at ease.

We found it funny how when we all met up we called each other by our twitter names (which is most often how we commmunicate to each other)!  So in order of appearance by our twitter names.......

@rachaelpachel  @yoyomamadotca @yummymummyclub @Savvymomvan  @ymc_bc

(thank you for the photo goes to Eileen, @ymc_bc)

Next on the progam a scrumptious dinner at the Sandbar. It started out with a couple of notably non-Mummy types joining us for a bevvie.  Raul @hummingbird604 and Jason @jasonsanders who are social media kings in their own right  really wanted to meet up with Erica to say hi in person after months of tweeting cross country so they were allowed a first hand peek into our world,  for a short while at least!   

You might notice a fair amount of handheld devices in this post,  I'm confessing on behalf of each and every one of us right now, Total Twitterholics..... and when a brand new iPad made an appearance, it held our attention for quite some time....

Yes, that's me singing with the piano player.... if there is a musician around, I will usually find a way to get in there and jam a tune or two. :)











Twitter handles from our cast of Mischevious Moms   @YummyMummyClub, @alexishinde, @crunchycarpets, @raspberrykids, @YMC_BC, @tjrossiGnol (thank you for the photos),  @justdworld, @mummyjanie, @theTsunamiMommy

So my gosh what a night, we just had a blast talking everything woman with no apologies and more importantly in the absence of kids, with no interruptions.... 

Of course we couldn't just leave it at that, we can't forget the way this started on the west coast, with a
full-on social media, networking/gathering coffee tweet up. And it also had to be complete with kids, because really, any day that includes a few moments of  awwwwwwww how cute factor  is a good day indeed.  This time our tweetup was at Cafe Artigiano on Broadway and we virtually took over the back half of the cafe because there were so many of  us.......I don't even have all the twitter handles of everyone so I invite you to help me along by reminding me and leaving your  name in the comments section so I can link you up! :)  

Saffron and Camille Henderson authors of the Motherboard as well as Sarah Bancroft (who runs Vitamin Daily, an online lifestyle mag that should be part of your daily reading if you are devoted to finding the best of the best in fashion, art and culture in your city ) all arrived a little early to chat with  Erica pre-tweet and it was nice to finally meet Sarah in person. I've enjoyed watching her fantastic career and business take flight ever since I was first aware of her as an editor at Fashion magazine. I admire how she has built a presence that embodies class and good taste and exactly the right amount of zest.


                                      Saffron and Camille with Erica (and with me in pic below)

Artigiano's was nice and calm and peaceful as we chatted and talked shop and slowly but surely Mom's and babies wandered in and introduced themselves to each other (often by twitter handle such as @earnestgirl @kstennant @TheraWise  all pictured).  And more Mom's and babies showed up, and more, and more, and more....... until there was noise, commotion, squeals of laughter and excitement flying throughout the room and as I looked around I thought once again, this is the perfect  village because kids are watching their Mom's socializing, getting along, sharing, doing and connecting........and  how better to teach your children how to socialize than to teach them by example. 

Catherine, me, Erica

This is what is missing from many families today, the community.

Some people complain that the internet isolates people. I don't buy it. This story is proof that it doesn't have to. I know all of these people through the internet alone. Some people like Erica have the ability to pull a group together and facilitate a community.  Other people, know how to find that community.  Erica seems to attract busy and dynamic women so she has all around her a powerful community who support one another and it reaches across the country. It is the village time a thousand.

I love that  about the internet, that I can sit here and do PR in my pyjamas yet still find different collectives to gain something from or give something to out there in the real and concrete world.  The internet can be a tool of inclusion, it all depends on the way you use it.

If you are a Mom who tweets or who has an online business and would love to connect and network with this amazing group of ladies, do make sure to join the Yummy Mummy Club and watch for updates, this is your village, it is a place where we as women and Mother's don['t apologize for being bright, creative go-getters and most of all, are not at all afraid to be mischevious!


Rach xo

swearing and naughty and out there, oh my!!

I was reading Jen's awesome blog,  which directed me to another blog that I had not been to before and ....well..... I have visited this new blog a few times now because this girls writing makes me laugh out loud.  Its just hilarious and brave, which I enjoy and admire, because I am not the same kind of brave. I just can't seem to swear or dirty joke very well at all.


Yeah I do live in cartoon land, flowers grow everywhere and birds chirp as they fly by carrying dew drops on rainbows.  That is what I choose to put out there, it's what I choose to see, how I reflect.  If  I am going to leave a footprint or a feeling lying around the place,  then (for me) it just feels right for it to be glowing. 
I actually blush and cover my mouth and apologize if I swear by accident, and yes I feel a little silly about doing that. Swearing and off colour jokes just don't  feel right on me so I choose not to say them out loud, it looks pretty ridiculous when I try........I'm  like the nerd trying to be cool. Which isn't so cool.  Having said that,  while I can't deliver certain brands of humour.......  I can absolutely appreciate it.

 Some of my favorite bloggers for instance seem to be girls with attitude, women  who write really well but often swear like truckers and say things that make me gasp a little..... the point of view they offer is often so funny and ironic and I LOVE reading them.  I sit and laugh out loud at the computer wishing I had the guts and ability to write like that myself, but I can't, I can't even think that funny.  At least I can be grateful there are people in this world to entertain me so, and I would be remiss if I didn't pass the share on that Jen started. 

And this is your fair swear warning for all you Mommy types with kids hanging around..... there are dashes colour in the very relateable writing.....and it's  awesome funny.



So.....did you read it?  She had me wishing again that I could be that cool actually, but then I started thinking about something,  I do have music to pull into and I am grateful for that .  I am  learning to be more comfortable all the time, it really does hit something for me. Esp with the help of this internet world where I can peek into the thoughts of others and be inspired by those who are willing to put themselves out there.

 
 The below video is a rough draft I wrote a year ago last Jan  at a turning point which set me on a journey of pushing myself musically and letting crap out creatively. I  love looking at this video  and seeing this girl, knowing  how cheeky she was, how far she has come, how many times she has fallen, where she led herself, what she gained, what she lost, what she saw, what she knew, what she hid, what she revealed, where she was brave, and where she got stuck.  I just look back at it all and see all of this and I love that girl, she hit it head on. Sometimes we don't even see ourselves until we can look backwards.






So anyway, I was reading Raeleigh Jane's blog being all inspired to reach even further inward and it got me thinking that's all..........and...that's all I got for you, except perhaps this.......

You know what  touches me deeply?  When I open an email and see someone has taken the time to share their story and tell me that they felt something because of something that I wrote or sang.  That's really a cool feeling, and I appreciate the window into another humans journey for it is an honour.  Today someone asked me where they could buy one of my songs and I responded as I usually do, I  emailed her the MP3 and said its a gift. Because it is a gift.



With Hearts....Rachael xo