CultureFeast

Avoiding the Big-Box Shopping this Christmas

By Rachel Hines on

As someone who loves shopping and going to the mall, you would never take me as the person to say that I would much rather do my Christmas shopping in small-town Ontario.

Every year for Christmas, my best friend and I make the trek to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario to do the bulk of our Christmas shopping. What is so special about NOTL is that it is a very small and quaint area, filled with Canadian history and tradition. The shops in the downtown core are unique and filled with things you would never find at a mall or outlet store.

I have found some of the nicest presents for my family and items for myself while shopping in NOTL. Stores like Ten Thousands Villages that only carries pieces made from people in third world countries, and where the majority of the proceeds go directly to those who made the items. The people who staff the store are working on a volunteer basis, so it’s nice to know that charity and kindness is still alive and well.

There are also specialty stores, like the store that sells products from and influenced by Japan and Japanese culture, hat, candy, and even tea shops. One of my favourite stores is tucked away off the main strip, and sells classic movies and film memorabilia. Last year, I was able to find a film that I had been searching for online for years, but I found it there.

It is an experience that I always look forward to. It is never busy in the shops or on the streets, I never have to hunt for parking spots, or even get annoyed with the over abundance of people trying to get their shopping done as well.

I’m not a big fan of small towns, but there is something so special about Niagara-on-the-Lake and the picturesque shops, bed and breakfasts, and horse and buggy rides that rings Romantic.

Every town or city has their own Niagara-on-the-Lake, and hopefully people can get the experience of avoiding line-ups, chatting with genuine people who love their jobs and purchasing gifts you know the person receiving will love.

Online Dating Versus Twitter

By Rachel Hines on

We’ve all been there – that REALLY lonely stage in life. You just broke up with your significant other, and now what? It’s too early to start serious dating again, but not too soon to mingle.

Okay, I admit it: I found myself lost amid the myriad faces of online dating, but often times I stopped myself from doing anything else but looking. There  were countless moments where I would be searching for hours only to step outside of my body, slap the back of my head, and say, “What the hell are you doing?!”

Not having been in a relationship for almost two years has been a bit of a mixed bag, pros and cons if you will.

For some reason, my family is fixated on me not having, and getting a boyfriend.  It seems as though every time I see certain family members, they always ask where my boyfriend is. “I don’t have one,” I always reply, as the knife that is already lodged into my heart travels a little deeper. “Why not?” OK, here we go. “I don’t really need one.” “But don’t you want a boyfriend?” they always follow up with. Ah, there’s the rub; the separation of needs and wants. Sure, I want a boyfriend, but I definitely don’t need one.

The ever growing pressure from my family to find a guy and settle down with, and the equally growing pressure watching my friends and the people I went to high school and university with their significant others, getting married, and having children, puts a lot of pressure on me to find Mr. Right, right now.

The whole online dating thing got me thinking recently. Dating is made up of awkward small talk of getting to know one another, so why not to that from the comfort of your own home. I think that Twitter is a really interesting social tool, and is the perfect device for making small talk since users are only allowed 140 characters of text; perfect for small talk, chatting, and of course, flirting.

It is a networking tool, but it’s not that Twitter was intended to be used as an online dating site, but I think it would be interesting to see just how many people meet, go on dates and even continue into long term relationships because of the Twitter website and service.

I have been making many connections, and have made a lot of new friends through Twitter, so who knows what the future will bring for me, or anyone else using the site. Life is full of surprises, so we may as well embrace them.

One Canadian’s Perspective on the US Presidential Election

By Rachel Hines on

Since I had the right to vote, I have viewed politics from afar. Politics have never really interested me in the least, mainly because I observed it as run-around and empty promises. I have found it hard to follow, or keep interested in laws and bills, campaigns or slam ads. Politics is just not my forte.

However, with the recent presidential election going on right now in the United States, (yes, I am completely disregarding the upcoming Canadian election) I cannot help but stick my nose in this business, and here is why. It is pop culture if it’s anything.

Coming from a pop culture background, I am feeding upon all the spoofs and satires that are appearing in the media. I may not know much about US politics, but I certainly know that not many people are taking the election seriously.

Take for example the song that Wil.i.am put out using Barack Obama’s speech. This instantly sent Obama into the pop culture stratosphere, and he had nothing to do with the making or distribution of the song.

I was surprised as you were that Jo Biden was selected as the VP running mate over Hilary Clinton, because quite frankly, I assumed she was a shoe-in.

John McCain claimed that Obama was only a celebrity, compared him to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. What was the rebuttal? Paris Hilton creating her own mock campaign message that, like Obama, kicked up his pop culture credibility another notch.

Then, there is Sarah Palin, who is almost like a parody of herself; unintentionally funny and often times tragic. Her public speaking ability is laughable; her debating skills even worse. It was McCain who accused Obama of being a celebrity, but that has come back to bite him on the ass, as Palin is the celebrity.

The selection of Palin as his running mate was intentionally sensational. Palin was literally plucked from obscurity and thrown into real world politics by McCain who (in a vain attempt) is trying to appeal to the female voter.

Palin has instantly become a pop culture icon, which has taken away any credibility she may have had. She is on the cover of gossip magazines as a result of her 17 year-old daughter’s pregnancy. She is being mocked on Pundit Kitchen. Most notably, Tina Fey’s offers herhilarious (and dead on) impression of the VP candidate on Saturday Night Live.

Being popular (or infamous) with the mainstream media does not qualify someone to be in charge of something very important, like say, co-running a country.  I am finding it a mixture of hilarious and tragic that people are in awe of this woman. She has displayed in her Katie Couric interview  that she cannot answer a simple question like “what magazines did you read?”.

Or in the VP debate, where she selected the questions she wanted to answer by backtracking and speaking about things she was more comfortable debating. For me, warning bells are going off, and flags are going up. I do not know whether to laugh at the US population or be embarrassed for it.

I didn’t write this to attempt to sway voters, because my say means nothing. I can’t vote in your election. I would just suggest really listening to what each candidate is saying, asking, or promising. Listen to how they speak. Is it inspiring?

Can you see that person in office for the next four years? Vote with an educated mind, not because a celebrity does a pretty good impression or because another is more popular amongst your age demographic. This time around, it really does matter.

Musical Cues in Film Aren’t Necessary

By Rachel Hines on

Music is a very important and evident aspect of film.

Musical cues in films help the audience to feel a certain way, whether it is happy or sad with sappy violins or pianos, alerts of upcoming danger with sharp and eerie notes, or signals the end of a film by playing upbeat Top 40 songs.

I just finished watching Jurassic Park, and the musical cues in this film are very evident. The main theme for the film plays throughout the film and becomes very familiar and very comforting. The composer for the film created wonderful scores; most that made me feel for the characters, but more importantly, the dinosaurs.

The music within the film is definitely one of a kind and still to this day, is easily recognized, much among the ranks of the music from Jaws.

However, here is a question for everyone reading, have you ever seen a film that had absolutely no soundtrack or musical cues?

I had never really thought about musical cues before because I had become so accustomed to them, and they literally just melted into and became part of the films I watched.

Two years ago, I watched the film, Caché (Hidden) staring Juliette Binoche, a story about a family who receives strange videotapes of someone filming the outside of their house, and later, receive clues to the husband’s mysterious past and childhood.

To be quite honest, the film was so intense, and I was so engrossed with the plot and the characters, that I didn’t even notice that there was no soundtrack or any musical cues. Not a single note, even for the opening or closing credits.

When I watched the film again, I took note of the missing music, and it became much more eerie and haunting. It was far more terrifying than a film that includes music to tell its viewers how to think or react.

Soundtracks and musical cues have become a staple in blockbuster films; there is no doubt about that. Trusty and reliable pop culture songs and artists litter the film almost to the point of distraction, and after watching Caché, there is definitely something that about the lack of music that adds so much more to a film.

I can honestly say that I have never been so attentive, and terrified at the same time while watching any film, horror movie, thriller or other wise.

For all those reading, I would highly recommend renting Caché. It is a great film with some great twists and is composed of an extremely mysterious plot. And to think that all of this is heightened with the absence of music.

Style A to Zoe: A Fashion Book Review

By Rachel Hines on
book cover of Style A to Zoe by Rachel Zoe

I have never thought of myself, by any means, as a fashionista. However, I do like to keep up with what the latest styles, trends and “it” whatevers are. I never identified with one style icon, but rather took aspects from different women in the fashion and entertainment world that stood out to me.

As I have matured, so have my fashion and style sense. I know how to coordinate outfits, add accessories, match shoes and even offer my opinion to whoever will listen; but I am not a professional.

Rachel Zoe, the famous celebrity stylist is. I made a recent trip to my local library and stumbled across her book, Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty & Everything Glamour, purely by accident. The colour of the cover did not jump out at me, but the words “Style A to Zoe” did. I inquisitively picked up the book, leafed though the pages, and saw that it was more than just your regular picture book of celebrities.

Reading this book, I was extremely surprised at how talented and knowledgeable Zoe is. The tabloids and gossip blogs have obviously done her no justice. For the past few years, all the information I was getting about Rachel Zoe was from online tabloids that only associated her with Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton and their “not so great” fashion selections.

author Rachel Zoe

This is far from the truth. Zoe offers personal photographs of how she works and whom she works with. Included are personal entries from top designers, including Valentino and Frank Zambrelli who praise Zoe’s talent and eye for all things style related.

Zoe’s book is made up of eight chapters, including a detailed introduction of her life and the reasons why she became interested in the fashion industry and why she became a stylist. Included in her stylebook is a glossary of terms (A to Zoe), something that I thought was a cheeky way to finalize her work.

Throughout the pages, Zoe dishes about how to properly accessorize (or as she puts it, “excessorizing”), how to pair chunky jewelery with smaller pieces, selecting the right shoes for the right outfit, selecting a classic bag over the “It” bag, how to correctly apply makeup, and even offers tips on how to design and style your home by incorporating art, fabrics and functional furniture.  

What I enjoyed the most about reading Rachel Zoe’s book was the fact that she related to every female in every age demographic and every salary bracket. Zoe insisted throughout to explore vintage and thrift stores in search of jewellery and signature pieces that make you the fabulous woman that you are.

She encourages everyone reading to host their own red carpet event and not to be afraid of getting dressed up and looking (and feeling) great.

Rachel Zoe’s expertise with style and fashion was a great and easy read. Her tone was set as if she was sitting across from me as we chatted over lunch or coffee. Her tips were fabulous and any woman who thinks of herself as being fashion forward (or not), should pick up this book because they will find at least one piece of advice to take home with them to use over and over again.

Blogging and Social Media Reshaped My Work

By Rachel Hines on
social media icons on a phone

If you were to have told me, about a year ago, that I would be using social media on a regular basis, I would have thought you were insane. To me, social media was nothing more than Facebook and MySpace, nothing more, nothing less.

I thought that blogging was just for nerds and people with just too much time on their hands. However, after one of my PR courses (Strategies and Issues), I found myself slowly getting used to using, and understanding exactly what social media and blogging were.

The course was very social media heavy; understanding the use of blogs and social media sites, how to effectively use social media today, and about half way through the course, each student had to create his and her own blog.

At first, I could not be bothered, and my friend Dara and I would just roll our eyes with sheer boredom. As she became less and less interested in the class, I became more fixated on blogging and the Internet. I was one of the very few students who updated their blogs more than once a week because I was genuinely interested in what I was writing about (Public Relations and Popular Culture).

As my program was winding down, past graduates and PR professionals were invited to the college for a Professional Development Day, that included seminars on compiling a portfolio, resume writing, a mock job interview and a an open Q&A. the woman leading the Q&A group was Zoe Siskos who works for Social Media Group in Dundas, Ontario.

She is like a social media guru, and her company works alongside many very well known companies, establishing them in the realm of the Internet and becoming more social media savvy. Zoe began talking about how awesome and important social media was in today’s world, and she name-dropped a site called Twitter.

“That’s an interesting name for a social media site,” I thought to myself. Zoe explained the concept of it to us and described it as micro-blogging. I took down the website address, and forgot about it for about a month.

When the class ended, so did everyone else’s blogs (with the exception of a few). I decided that since I had grown to love blogging and social media so much, that I was going to continue updating. I also remembered that Zoe mentioned Twitter, so I signed up for an account and was on my way.

Fast forward a few months, I am working full time now. Many of the projects I have been working on, and have been assigned have had a very youth oriented and social media feel. It is now my job and responsibility to create fan pages on Facebook and MySpace, establish a YouTube account, and the biggest, and most important task I am responsible for (and it really is my baby), is the photo blog created to help promote an upcoming event at my work. 

I definitely do not mean this in a harsh way, but many of the people I work with and around, have no idea what is going on in the world of social media, or what it really means. During my job interview, I mentioned my online activity and the Special Events Manager and HR Associate looked at me bewildered and asked me to explain further, what exactly a “Twitter” was.

The pair were amazed that I was blogging for a website thousands of kilometres away in Texas, while I sit and write from my home in Ontario. While my co-workers are busy planning the events, I am busy promoting them online.

Sure, I would have been able to do the majority of the things I complete at work without the help of that social media class, but just knowing how to create and maintain projects has really helped. Because of that one small step I made, I find myself more and more interested in learning about social media and dipping my toes into the waters of Web 2.0. There is more to life than Facebook and MySpace, and I kind of like it.

Not only that, but because of Zoe and her passing along of information about Twitter, I would not have met so many great and amazing people from around the world, been able to share and exchange ideas with my new friends, and the most important part, I would not be contributing to Culture Feast.

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