Acid City interviews Erik from the Book Shop, an online website dedicated to the book lovers in this technology persistent world. Book Shop features rare, classic and personal sentimental books for all walks of interests. Not only does it profile books but also exposes artfully crafted bookshelves (if one loves books then one must understand the obsessive search for a “perfect” bookshelf) and now even an online store selling book paraphernalia!

1) Who came up with the concept of Book Shop?

The concept came from my books-related blogs, where I feature a mix of books & the things that go with them, like bookshelves, bookstores, libraries, etc. The idea for a shop version of that mix came about in a discussion with Jeff Maser, a rare book dealer in Berkeley, CA.  Maser doesn’t keep a retail space, but sells to an international clientele of collectors from his inventory of over 250,000 very, very good books. My background is in design, and I’d been working on a few bookcase-related projects.  BOOK/SHOP is a way to put those things together in a careful, small-scale way.

2) What is your favourite bookshelf to date?

I like thin-walled built in bookcases like the Eggcrate Shelves that Hugh Newell Jacobsen plans into his architecture, or the shelves that Gio Ponti designed for his own home. And of course, I like the CSB 1 & SSB 1…

3) Who picks and chooses the books that are to be featured?

We start by discussing a direction for a given month’s selection. Once we’ve done that, we pull a large pile of titles from Maser’s inventory, and I edit that selection for the web.

4) If you could pick a favourite book and author who would they be?

I couldn’t really pick a favorite. Currently I’m reading a beautifully produced biography of the American artist Robert Ryman, the poems of Andrew Young (illustrated by Joan Hassal), and a pocket-sized collection of writings from the Swiss designer Max Bill.

5) Do you think the importance of reading and literature is diminishing due to a prominent technology based world?

Not for us. Or our clients, I’m pleased to say. I do think people give up their time too easily to distractions that don’t give much back. They don’t value the hours they have very well.

6) Ebook/Kobo etc or paper book?

The books I want don’t often get made into ebooks. I’m fortunate that the kinds of books I want to read are usually published by people who care enough to make thoughtful editions worth owning. I like buying & reading those kinds of books, and I think there are enough people who feel the same way to keep us busy.

People want different things of course. While I get a lot of enjoyment from the physical presence of books, other people may not care that much about them; they may just want to blow through the text or they may think that physical books are somehow a nuisance. I think these people are served well by e-readers. For myself, I desire a little more from my experiences with books. I want more from them than just the text. Not all books are keepers, but we’re after the books that are keepers, and we’re here to serve people who also seek more from their experience with books.

7) Are there any future plans for Book Shop?

We just launched in December, so all our plans are ahead of us.  New book selections every month, new book furniture and small goods a little at a time, some exciting collaborative projects…. Keep checking back!

The Book Shop

Toronto never fails to deliver fresh talent and that’s exactly what The Midnite is! With impassioned lyrics, a robust raw rock sound, and a solid self-titled EP, it’s readily apparent that this group of young artists has the ambition and the skill to dominate the music scene. These guys are definitely a must-have for your iPod playlists.

1) How did The Midnite come together?

The Midnite came together back in March 2010. Marco and Dan have known each other through high school and Gabe become part of the family through mutual friends.

2) What is the message you are trying to send with your music?

The messages in our songs reflects the real life experiences that one goes through which connects with our audience on an emotional level. Some themes invoke issues of love, loss, self-awareness, anger and the drive to move forward.

3) Describe your favourite gig or band experience

A memorable moment has been the recording process experience here in our hometown of Toronto with talented music producer Anthony Calabretta (The Artist Life/Stereos) and Joao Carvalho who is a well acclaimed mastering engineer. After writing and producing our own demo songs, it was quite an experience to work with such industry leaders who understood our vision and sound and took it to the next level.

4) Who are some of your musical idols?

Coldplay, Linkin Park, U2

5) It’s readily apparent that you guys have put a great amount of thought into every aspect of the band. From the promo videos, to the EP. You guys are dedicated!

Thank you so much for the kind words. There is no doubt that we love what we do and we put all of our efforts in giving our audience the best we can deliver.

6) Which song of yours is your favourite to perform?

“Home”, is a definite favourite as it carries within the song, raw, explosive emotion which gives us an unexplainable energy. Also, it so happens to be the very first song that we created together, so it holds a special place in our hearts.

7) Do you think Toronto has influenced your music in anyway?

We haven’t confined ourselves to Toronto when it comes to our music. We like to get inspired on a global platform to really explore other influences and venture outside of our comfort zone. Toronto offers already a great variety of music as it is a well recognized multicultural city. We’d love to one day be recognized as yet another musical pioneer from this great city.

8 ) What can we expect from The Midnite in the future?

You can expect a full length album that we are currently working on and excited about, and a North American tour.

The Midnite Official Website

1) You say that you are unsatisfied with contemporary music, how does this result in the music you create?

We’re not dissatisfied with all of it, just most of it. As musicians, you can try to make music that you think people want to hear, or you can make music that speaks to you and that you’re proud of. Personally, we make music that people don’t really want to hear and that we’re not particularly proud of. Win Win!

2) Its rare for a hip hop group to say their influences are The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, however listening to your stuff it’s definitely prominent. Do you find it difficult to blend such opposite genres?

Do people find it difficult to put on their pants on in the morning? Yes, of course we find it difficult. Some mornings it’s damn near impossible. Like when you wake up after a night of drinking. You can wrestle with the denim devil all you like, but in the end you know you’re going pant-less.

3) My favourite track is Beat Fly. The track itself sounds like it grabbed influences from Motown to 70s Rock to 80s raw hip hop. Does the sound you produce come from every member individually? Or do all of the members contribute all aspects of sound?

Each member has their own unique style. The overall sound comes from the synergy of all those styles. We are often referred to as a fusion band which makes it sound like we are going out of our way to bring different genres together. Really, we just try to make our personal tastes come together naturally. When it works it’s like waking up from a long restful sleep and those pants just slide right on

4) So many contemporary artists are a dime a dozen, how do you separate yourselves from the crowd?

We don’t really intentionally try to separate ourselves from the crowd. We just try to make music and have a good time with it. That people think we stand out, and at the same time are not repulsed by it, is a nice bonus. Like when you put on a nice pair of pants and find a crumpled up 20 dollar bill in the pocket.

5) Do you find it hard to be placed in an industry standard with such an eclectic style of music?

We don’t find it hard at all. The industry itself is finding it pretty hard to place us in any one box though. They can’t seem to make up their minds as to what kind of band we are. This works for us because we also don’t know.

6) Are there any pre-show rituals? What do you consider a successful show?

A general preshow ritual is spending the whole time before we go on worrying that no one will show up. Whether or not a show is a success to us usually depends on how the crowd reacts. How big the after party gets is a good indicator.

7) On your down time what do you find yourself doing most?

Most of our downtime is spent practicing and making music. Apparently writing one song a year isn’t enough these days.

8 ) Do you think Toronto has influenced your sound at all?

There are so many great bands and talented musicians in Toronto it would be hard not to be influenced by them. One night you are playing with a jazz band, the next night you are playing with a hip-hop group, the night after that you become a jazz hip-hop fusion group. We are pretty fortunate to have grown up here.

9) What can we expect from Tiny Danza in the future?

The near future is looking pretty busy for us. We’re heading down to Austin, Texas for SXSW then back up to Toronto for Canadian Music Week. Shortly after that we head to Dublin, Ireland to play a bunch of shows for Indie Week 2012 before possibly heading to England to top it off. That’s just the first half of the year. Hopefully by the end of it all we’ll be able to finish the next album.

10) Tiny Danza is : to Music as Nest is to Mare

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” (Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee)

* Walt Disney
* Bill Gates
* Henry Ford
* Oprah Winfrey
* Steve Jobs

Do you recognize what all of these names have in common? They all started
with just a a simple idea and look where they are today. This past Saturday November
26th, over 1,000 of todays young professionals gathered at the Metro Toronto
Convention Centre (MTCC) for the 2011 SociaLight Conference for a day of inspiration
and innovation. Great international acclaimed speakers including the very beautiful and
talented comedian Nicole Arbour gathered in the John W.H. Bassett Theatre to inspire
and educate the very enthusiastic audience.

This years event was hosted by the very comical Arbour, who opened the
conference and introduced every guest speaker through out the day. These specially
acclaimed individuals captivated the audience through there unique experiences,
downfalls, and successes. In the company of these curated and world class speakers
was Rob Sharma who’s personal leadership and immaculate speech granted him a
standing ovation. If there is one thing that Sharma left with the audience, it was that
there is no correct formula for success, but how your bring your ideas or dreams to life.

These young entrepreneurs were not only able to learn about real world
scenarios but become apart of a community that are striving for similar goals. Through
out the day guests were encouraged to network amongst their colleagues and
exchange concepts with one another. The conference also adopted a new way of
allowing audience members to interchange thoughts and questions with the guest
speakers via electronic social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. This let the
speakers gear their discussions in additional detail towards the topics on the minds of
the spectators.

The tenacious use of the word “Entrepreneur” seemed to be on every speaker
and guests mind as they all had something to say about their prosperities through out
each discussed topic. They defined an entrepreneur as, “a modern individual who is not
subjected by change, but is inspired by it.” This in itself is one of the basic foundations
and compounds that helped choose the conventions “Light” name. The term “light” is an
acronym that stands for its L-eader, I-mpacting, G-lobal, H-umanity, T-oday.

Along with the SociaLight guests, many successful international organizations
were invited to join this years convention to provide help and assistance to individuals
interested in starting their own business. Amongst the many information booths
were the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, and Aiesec who supplied guests with
information about traveling abroad while getting your education and the proper steps
to starting your own global business. As this years SociaLIGHT conference came to
a close members of the board along with the host thanked all those in attendance for
becoming a part of bigger and brighter future and as a parting gift every guest received
a special gift bag. All guests were then welcomed to wind down at the official after party,
held at the Courthouse, which ran until 2:00am.

Over all I believe that SociaLIGHT brought together some of todays young
leaders and entrepreneurs that was beneficial on a social, educational, and inspirational
platform. This event not only allowed individuals from all different markets to come
together and exchange great ideas, but it embraced young empowerment from
a whole redefined level. The conference allowed you to be a part of a local and
international movement that empowers new entrepreneurs to leave an impact on
the world. If you missed this years conference, you don’t have to worry. You can
contact any of this years speakers, sponsors, or affiliates via email from their website.

Social Light Conference

By: Gianluca Malatesta

A week ago I was put to the challenge of attempting a detox cleanse…not a food cleanse, a juice cleanse. This cleanse included 6 juices per day consisting of different flavours including: 3 green juices (not as bad as you think), a delicous pinapple mint juice that tasted like a fresh mojito, a spicy refreshing lemonade and a frothy almond cinnamon milk for night. Now I know you’re all thinking how ridiculous this may sound and how hard it may be, but it’s all in our heads! I did not do the cleanse for weight loss so I did not even bother checking the scale while on it (you’ll gain that weight back anyway).  You’ll find yourself turned off by greasy, processed foods. My experience of eating a slice of pizza post cleanse made me feel terribly sick. I found myself wanting the juices back! Read further for a breakdown of my experience below and why everyone should put themselves up for the Blue Print Cleanse:

Day 1:

Hunger Level: Not hungry at all yet! There are so many juices that you feel satisfied. Just had the almond milk which filled me up even more!

Craving Level: Not craving chocolate yet= great sign!

Weakness Level: feeling quite weak, it was hard walking around doing daily activities. I’m thankful I didn’t attend my usual 6 AM yoga class this morning. Bed time tonight is 9:00 PM, a couple hours earlier than I would normally sleep.

Other: Head is killing!! (lack of coffee most likely), feeling surprised at how easy day 1 was.

Day 2:

Hunger Level: A little hungrier than yesterday, I have started drinking herbal tea between juices to help my appetite, it seems to be working!

Craving Level: Still am not craving anything remotely bad! (Even as my boyfriend chows down on a beautiful plate of pasta)

Weakness Level: Much weaker than yesterday, thankfully it’s the weekend and I can sit on the couch all day. I recommend trying something like this on the weekend where you are not needed under the physical and emotional stresses of the work day.

Other: Headache is gone which is nice, my skin looks phenomenal, bags under my eyes are gone and the thought of conquering another day makes me super happy!

Day 3:

Hunger Level: Today is definitely the worst, but by “worst” I’m not starving or anything, just as not satisfied as prior days.

Craving Level: Craving cheese with bread and butter! I know how odd I hardly have the combination but the thought of warm bakery bread with Swiss cheese is making my mouth (and heart) melt!

Weakness Level: Plastered myself to the couch today. I only moved when I went to the washroom, other than that I couldn’t find the strength. I kept myself occupied with reading, television and work.

Other: Sleepy but glad that I did the cleanse. I realized that drinking for 3 days straight isn’t a big deal at all and that I did some good to my body!

If you’re interested in doing the cleanse pre or post Christmas which can prepare you or fix you from holiday eating and drinking check out the Blue Print Cleanse website and order yours now! It also makes a great gift for the fitness gurus in your life! Why not give someone the gift of health? Check out the website below for more information on this invigorating cleanse.

Blue Print Cleanse

The Eco Goddess event held at the Verity Club in Toronto this past Saturday was both inspiring and exciting. The room was filled with fantastic women eager to embrace the beauty of themselves and their world.  Topics about how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle were discussed, ranging from awareness of natural beauty products, to solutions on how to dress ecologically.  The event was hosted by Laura Furtado, of Diva Girl Fitness and encompassed the same fun loving, positive energy she carries with her.

The Eco Goddess event had special guest speakers, including Rochelle Holt; Owner of Wonderworks- a store and wellness centre in Downtown Toronto, as well as owner of Fleishman Gallery; who will be exhibiting this year at Nuit Blanche!

Another wonderful guest speaker was the author of “Finding your Inner Goddess”, Jennifer Ettinger, who gave an uplifting speech touching on topics of health and self acceptance. The aim was to help women love themselves and get the most out of life.

There were six vendors promoting Eco friendly snacks, skin care products as well as cleaning supplies. One of the most interesting products at the event was a roll on fragrance containing natural Pheromones which is said to help boost confidence as well as increase sexual attraction. The product was introduced by two fabulous Richmond Hill sisters, Susan and Sandra.  Check out their unique product at www.mindbodyconnection.ca .

A light lunch was provided and the women were given a chance to mingle and get to know each other.  The day ended on a high note with an inspiring presentation by Laura Furtado, who is probably one of the most enthusiastic, inspiring women I have ever encountered.  The event was filled with love, acceptance and excitement for a new opportunity to live a “diva-licious” lifestyle!

-Natalie Schiabel

Art by Winston Chmielinski

The dynamic of relationships that change over time is an awfully sad thing. How bizarre it is to go from using pet names to – for the first time – calling them but their actual given name. How weird it is to waver one another’s time, when you were once the person they gave every minute to, no matter what. It’s sad to see a demise to a relationship, especially when you know just how well you meshed and worked together, once upon a time. The contrast of interaction from the then to the now so evident, so felt in your heart and that pit in your stomach.

When it comes to break ups, there are no rights or wrongs. There is only following what you feel down to your core is the appropriate way to go about things. Some couples end things cold turkey, never looking back, no option for closure. Other couples break up, but remain cordial and over time develop a new found friendship, often which leads back to a more enriched relationship and them getting back together when they least expect it. It’s often quite the confusing of times as you try to go about dealing with the aftermath. Confusion arises as you’re unsure whether to trust your instincts, not sure if your words or messages will get read into, unsure whether backing off for a bit will be better off for the one broken up with, or whether you should continue to be a part of their lives so they know a part of you still cares. As we try to navigate through this time, the best piece of advice is do what you think is best and make sure that you act in a graceful way, which you won’t regret down the road, as you remember this was once a person you shared a deep love and bond with. Friends can advise, but as we all know, each friend has something different to say and we might subconsciously go to certain friends in hopes to get certain advice. But in order to have no regrets with how you choose to deal with the aftermath of a split, it’s important to trust your own intuition and act accordingly.

No matter which side of the breakup spectrum you have found yourself, one thing is for certain: the dynamic is no longer what once was. Coordinating getting your things back turns into formal, business-like emails, texts and bbm’s become sparse, your D’s going R’d without that immediate message back that you have come to know. Instead of being accommodating and sincere, it becomes each man for himself, both of you trying to gain a sense of control over the situation neither of you wished you were in in the first place. You set time lines (ie: we can meet for a 15-20 minute coffee, or, you can come get your stuff on this specific hour on this specific day and that’s that), you set boundaries, you un-do promises and your word which you once gave. We spend so much time post heartbreak trying to analyze the why’s, when we should spend more time looking at how our former partner handles themselves and our own actions and word’s during this time as well. For it is how people handle these stressful, uncomfortable, and challenging situations where they really show their true colours. Everything is all well and rosy when together, but how you both shade you handle and deal of and with each other after the fact is what really speaks words for what was and for what might be down the road. Use this time to be the best you you can be.

- 4 interior slip pockets
- Ivanka Trump Signature Lining
- Ivanka Trump Signature removable key fob

Such a fantastic and trendy satchel for all occasions. This is a really good size to keep all your essentials. The shoulder strap effortlessly hangs at a nice length, and I love how the chain is wrapped around the body of the bag. The interior has gold lining, and there are two open pockets for a cell phone or item of that size. There are also two other compartments on the opposite side, one with a zipper and one without. This is a well designed and chic item to have. It can accessorize your outfit night or day and it is extremely versatile. Great for so many occasions.