rock.paper.sistahz festival: May 24 to 31 at Artscape Wychwood Barns

b.current has been hosting the annual rock.paper.sistahz festival since 2002.The event concentrates on presenting performance work by black female artists and artists of colour. “Taking its name and form from the well-known hand game, the festival is always dynamic, fast-paced, and surprising as we strive to develop and present fresh material, performance styles, and ideas seldom seen in professional contemporary spaces; while also focusing on themes, forms, and styles which have grown out of the black diasporic culture.”

InspiraTO 10 Minute Play Festival: May 30 to June 8 at Alumnae Theatre

Canada’s largest 10-minute play festival, the InspiraTO Theatre Festival, offers an innovative approach to the 10-minute play format. The festival is made up of four distinct shows, with six 10-minute plays in each show—and each show addresses a creative challenge. This year, for the first time in its history, the InspiraTO Festival will also feature the White Show: a “safari” approach where audiences will be led to four site-specific venues and see a 10-minute play at each one.

Toronto Fringe Festival: July 3 to 14 at various venues in the Annex

This year marks the Toronto Fringe Festival’s 25th anniversary! The festival features 148 shows in 35 venues, in every genre featuring artists from all over the world. It promises “new plays and old favourites, experimental works and fresh hits… eight dance productions and FringeKids! Shows… a Site-Specific Art Category, with 20 shows in venues such as a pawn shop, a laundromat, a storage unit, and the Campbell House Museum.”They also have a slew of free activities and, of course, everyone’s post-show favourite: beer tents!

SummerWorks: August 8 to 18 at various venues on Queen West

Founded by five friends with an idea to form a fringe-style festival, SummerWorks Festival has been active on the Toronto scene since 1991. Summerworks is now the largest juried festival in all of Canada and it aims to present new Canadian plays, reflecting Toronto and Canadian culture. In addition to theatre, SummerWorks also hosts music and performance art pieces,.

Guild Festival Theatre: July 18 to August 11 at Guild Gardens (okay, a bit out-of-the-way but it sounds beautiful!)

Having began in 2009 the Guild Festival Theatre is one of Toronto’s newer festivals, but its content is rich with history. The Guild Festival Theatre presents pieces from the past, presenting an annual festival of classics on a Greek open air stage in the Guild gardens, above Lake Ontario. Its philosophy is that theatre “educates the soul, not only the intellect.” This year the Festival is presenting Moliere’s The Misanthrope.

Shakespeare in the Park: July 2 to September 1 at High Park Amphitheatre

This summer, Shakespeare in the Park is showcasing Macbeth and Taming of the Shrew. The performances are produced by Canadian Stage production in collaboration with the Department of Theatre in the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University. You can get your fix of both tragedy and comedy as the shows alternate nightly, and are both pay-what-you-can!

The post Your guide to Toronto’s Summer Theatre Festivals appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival bike tour, May 19 around the city

Such a cool way to see what this month-long festival has to offer! This Sunday CONTACT’s Artistic Projects Manager, Sabrina Maltese, is leading a bike tour through the streets of Toronto and stopping at the festival’s public installations along the way. You’ll cycle through the Dundas and Ossington area as well as the downtown core to see exhibits like Broomberg and Chanarin’s Shirley’s and Chris Marker’s La Jetée. The tour starts at 1pm at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (952 Queen St. W.). Oh, and it’s BYOB (that’s bring your own bike, y’all).

Amanda Mabro and Chris Assaad, May 22 at the Drake Underground

Named one of the city’s most promising singer-songwriters by The Montreal Gazette, Montreal’s Amanda Mabro is a jazz/pop singer that is sure to grab your attention. Check out a preview of her latest effort, The Lost EP (it features a duet with Ron Sexsmith!), at this show at the Drake Underground (1150 Queen St. W.). Accompanying her on the bill is pop/folk singer Chris Assaad, who will make your heart melt. Tickets are $10 advance and $15 at the door; show starts at 8pm.

Picture Day, opening May 24 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox

This film as a Canadian female director. Woo! It’s the debut feature by Kate Melville and stars TIFF 2012 Rising Star Tatiana Maslany. Picture Day tells the story of Claire Paxton, a teenager who is forced to repeat her last year of high school after a slew of bad grades and missed classes. Despite this, Claire still chooses to cut class whenever she can and spends her nights going out clubbing. Not a girl, not yet a woman, you know? 

Doors Open Toronto, May 24 to 25 around the city

The 14th annual Doors Open Toronto offers the chance to take a peek inside some of the city’s most architecturally, culturally, socially, and historically significant buildings. This year’s theme is Creators, Makers and Innovators, and features over 150 Toronto buildings. There’s an awesome walking tour program, as well as a new informative speaker series featuring experts like architect Will Aslop and Toronto community leaders Wayne Swanton and Sheldon Levy.

Yard Sale for the Cure, May 25 at Trinity Bellwoods Park

Head to one of the city’s best parks for a day of shopping in the sun—that benefits the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation! Pretty sweet deal, methinks. It’s happening from 10am to 7pm, so give yourself a good amount of time because there will surely be a plethora of goodies to buy! These Yard Sales are happening in communities all over the country; find others here.

Lore, opening May 31 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox

The much-anticipated follow-up to Australian director Cate Shortland’s debut feature Somersault (2004), Lore is set in 1945 in the aftermath of WWII. In it, a 14-year-old German girl named Lore has to lead her four siblings on an intense journey across the country to reach their grandma who lives in the north. It’s sure to be an inspiring story, plus it has a strong female lead!

The post Six cheap cultural and community Toronto activities to mark on your calendars appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

We’re talking sneakers, skimmers, espadrilles, and just your every day flat in bright colours with metallic detailing and literal animal prints. This summer, flat shoes are ready for anything you can throw at them and it’s even more helpful that many of them can be found at a low price point. WIN. We are flat out ready for flats. Bring it on summer.

Superga sneaker: Supergas are the best change-up from classic sneakers like Vans and Converse. They have a bit of a platform, which is kind of fun, yet are sporty and classic. If you’re looking for a pair of running shoes that aren’t only for the gym but rather for every day outings, look no further than Superga. Gravity Pope, $70

Opening Ceremony Ballerina Flat: These are like your grandma’s floral couch for your feet—what a treat. Opening Ceremony makes the ultimate cool girl staples and these shoes are no exception. The combination of silver detailing with the light springy florals makes splurging on these flats soooo worth it. Gravity Pope, $345

Zara Flat Sandal with Buckle: Talk about a funky take on the 90s sandal trend/Birkenstock. We will acknowledge that these are definitely not for everyone but if you’re feeling so totally 90s for summer, these will be your best friends on the weekends. Zara, $90

H&M Ballet Pumps: The most basic pair of the bunch, these H&M flats are still key for summertime. They will let your foot breathe with the little perforations and when fall comes and they are no longer white, you won’t feel guilty about chucking them away (that is, if you have destroyed them) because they are cheap. H&M, $30

Cooperative Applique Kitty Skimmer: Let the records show that I am a dog person but I am also a big fan of the literal animal print. We will never turn down a good piece in leopard print but for now, we’re taking a break and wearing actual animal faces on our clothing. Just do it. Urban Outfitters, $34

Kiko Black Strap Shoes: Not going to lie, but these are my number one pick for flat shoes. The combination of all-black plus cut-outs plus buckles makes these shoes not only interesting but also practical—which is the reason we started searching for flats in the first place. They aren’t a basic ballet flat but more of a shoe-boot (shobootie?) and would look nice at work but also on the weekends. These shoes are definite winners. Topshop, $124

Gap Printed Espadrilles: Striped espadrilles for only $30—do we need to say more? No, no we do not. Gap, $30

The post Our Favourite Flat Shoes For Summer, From $30 appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

Durcak’s resume includes the names of some of Montreal’s best-loved coffee shops, and now that she’s a business-owner she’s committed to sustainable  practices and local, organic ingredients. In addition to catering events and serving up espresso on the streets, Dispatch provides a Cold Brew coffee delivery service subscription (Yes, you heard that right, every home office in Montreal), a variety of baked goods from local chefs, and barista training. We talked to Durcak about how she got her dream on the road.

SDTC: How did you get the idea for Dispatch Coffee?

Chrissy Durcak: I had been planning to open my own café for quite some time, had the business plan worked out, was location scouting, etc. Last summer, my friends started a guerilla sandwich delivery service out of their homes called Coq Asian. They specialized in Bahn Mi’s and asked if I could do a Vietnamese style iced coffee for their menu. I started bike delivering iced coffee in mason jars.

Volume increased and people started asking wher they could find us or order more. I came up with the name “Dispatch Coffee”. 

Around the same time, my friends at the Nouveau Palais were building their Winneburger truck, and I felt a need for mobile coffee. One thing lead to another and I re-visited my café business plan, modified it to a more mobile business, bought a truck, converted it over the summer and developed the Dispatch Coffee brand identity.

SDTC: So far, what has been the most important element of success for you?

CD: I would say a combo of hard work, incredible support and generous advice from friends and local business owners, commitment to quality and detail, and trusting my instincts.

SDTC: What are some tips you wish you’d known before you started out?

CD: Maybe to always have a Plan C?

SDTC: Your truck is beautiful. What’s the story behind it?

CD: Thank you. I shipped it from Vancouver as it was cheap and seemed to be in great condition. I later learned that I needed to throw in about as much as it cost in repair! 

As for its design, I wanted to keep it simple. My brilliant friend David Dworkind and my brother Mike Durcak helped with my branding (website and design of truck). 

I wanted our service to be out of the back of the truck, as the truck came with this beautiful white roll-up door in the back. The idea behind this was to create the ambiance of a café on the city streets, give people a real, intimate coffee break from their busy day, rather than the quick in and out service of a window on the sidewalk. However, we might have to re-configure this as the city is standardizing that all food-trucks do service out the side. Regardless, we’ll still keep our back stair system for private or open -air events.

SDTC: What’s the best place in Montreal to sip a take-out coffee?

CD: Dispatch Coffee? Hah. Um…I think we have have witnessed an amazing independent, quality focused coffee-shop growth spurt in Montreal over the past few years.  I personally go to the few cafés that are a stones throw from where I live: Sardine, Arts Café, Café Plume, Pikolo, Myriade 2 on St-Viateur, Neve, etc. but there are so many others that I should mention. Each café seems to shine in its own unique way, which is the beauty of independent coffee shops – you can sample coffee from different roasters, prepared on different machines and handled by many different baristas.

SDTC:  What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs?

CD: I mean, what works for me might not work for the next person. I’m not the best at hashing out business models and doing market research, etc. as most of my instinct stems from years of experience working in service/coffee. But I would advise to anyone, once you have hatched an idea that you are passionate about, to commit to it, do extensive research, make sure you have a security blanket and a plan B for everything. Be malleable and adaptable; expect life and things to throw a stick in too concrete of plans. Don’t be too hard on yourself, undertaking self-employment and entrepreneurship is always a risk, so try to frame it as a project rather than a necessity!

The post An Interview with Chrissy Durcak, the Founder of Dispatch Coffee, Montreal’s Mobile Coffee Truck appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

Sabrina explains her love of her seemingly nerve-racking art form by focusing on its autonomous nature. “Stand-up is a great showcase of you. You showcase yourself as a writer, performer, and a person that wasn’t huggedenough by your parents.”

Jalees is casual and self-deprecating, and her demeanor makes me feel immediately as ease. And she is funny. The kind of natural funny that flows comfortably through a conversation and it’s only afterwards, while trying to transcribe the interview, that you realize how hard you were laughing.

Much of that natural funniness and day to day conversation influences her writing process. “Maybe I’ll say something funny to you and you’ll laugh,” she says.“Maybe? At one point? I’m trying real hard…”

“I say something to you and it’s fine then I’m like ‘Oh that’s an idea’ and I’ll write it down, and look at it later and then either I’ll be like, ‘Woah, you were stoned’ or ‘Woah, you were a prodigy… a genius!’ and then I’ll say it on stage… and I’ll be like, ‘Oh no, you were definitely stoned.’ Or maybe something about it will work and I’ll build it from there.”

Much of Sabrina’s routine is autobiographical: she came out to her Muslim family and married her partner in the last year (she wrote an awesome article about it for Huffington Post). The process was difficult and many of her conservative family members disowned her (hence her upcoming tour’s name). But, discussing it now, she says that things have gotten better, and that some of her family has come back into her life. She says that even before her marriage, family and culture were fodder for much of her routine.

“When I was younger it was about being brown after 9/11 and now it’s more about getting married to a chick and living in the States. Even in New York, telling people I got married, their first reaction is, ‘Oh yeah! It’s legal now!’ Which is a shitty first reaction to ‘I just got married!’ It means if I would have told them a year ago their first reaction would have been ‘Hmm… That sounds illegal…’”

In terms of the content in her Brownlisted tour, Sabrina says ”You can expect a lot of me, a little bit of TMI, talk about race, some jokes about Kesha, and then just in general ‘A-HA’ moments, as Oprah would say. Oprah has said that about my act, but don’t ask her about it. She doesn’t like to acknowledge it. They can expect to laugh ’til they shit… wrong answer? The guarantee is that you will laugh until you… at least… fart.”

I assume there will be a lot of poo jokes.

“No. No poo jokes” she responds, “You’ll be laughing, you’ll be so loose, you’ll just, you know, poo.”

When I inquire about her future career aspirations, Jalees jokes that she’ll be an old lady in a scooter, peddling jokes for money. I press her a bit further, and she explains, ”I really love producing and writing… I just shot a web series called Baby Trinkets that I produced that will be on Youtube soon. In the TV jobs that I’ve had, I’ve always sort of written for myself and had some producing insights. So in the future I’d like to have my own show, produce it and maybe direct it and take over the world. I like making things, and the thing that I love about stand-up is that it open doors to other places.”

It certainly has, in addition to Sabrina’s stand-up work her resume is overflowing with TV credits. She has written for Canada’s Got Talent, performed in MuchMusic’s Video on Trial, YTV’s In Real Life and worked with NBC, MTV, CBC, Just for Laughs, and ABC. In New York she has been doing stand up nightly honing her set, and has worked with NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Logo’s Year End Revew, Animal Planet’s The A-List, and MTV’sFailosophy.

As we close the interview Sabrina adjusts her body towards the microphone and parodies a radio announcer’s voice: “The tour kicks off June 14 and then rolls around through the country like a dice in a mug! No! Like a marble shaking around a… bowl…!”

She tries again, with her deliberately corny enthusiasm. “Kicks off June 14 then rolls around the country like a… steam engine on a track!” She looks up grinning, “Okay?”

The Brownlisted steam engine rolls across Canada and stops in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax, Newfoundland, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg in June and July. It is sure entertain! For more information check out her website.

And for a chance to win free tickets to Sabrina’s show watch this video:

The post We Talk to Very, Very Funny Comedian Sabrina Jalees About Her New Brownlisted Tour appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

I was 17-years-old when Hot Fuss came out and it changed everything for me. Up until that point, I was either listening to classic rock that my dad had introduced me to (the good) or emo (the bad). Then the Killers and their cohorts came along in a sort of indie revolution and I had all this new music to call my own. I can still remember driving with friends to the mall to buy Hot Fuss on CD and then blasting “All These Things That I’ve Done” as we drove home.

On Wednesday, the Killers played the Air Canada Centre in what was both a nod to their new album, Battle Born, and the songs that got them there – which meant that I got to relive 2004 in all its glory. The band opened the show (which had been rescheduled from a December date due to Brandon Flowers’ laryngitis) with “Mr. Brightside” and the house lights still on, bringing every person in the ACC to their feet. (Which meant it was nothing like their performance on The O.C. Remember this?) The rest of their hour-and-a-half show was played with the lights down (save for a few fireworks) and included songs from across all four of their albums plus covers of “Shadowplay” by Joy Division (one of the best I’ve heard), “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tommy James & the Shondells, and “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” by Bruce Cockburn.

The crowd favourites were the ones you would expect – “Smile Like You Mean It”, “Somebody Told Me”, “All These Things That I’ve Done”, and the encore of “When You Were Young” – but people were on their feet and singing along for every song. The band was obviously enjoying themselves and does arena rock well; Flowers as the charismatic frontman working the crowd while the rest of the band rocks out. Lines that resonated with me some eight years ago (“I got soul, but I’m not a soldier”) still do and when they’re accompanied by falling glitter, well, it’s a good night.

The post The Killers take us back in time at the ACC appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

The beauty of these cheeky little pantry jars is two-fold: they are beyond easy to make, and they are beyond adorable when personalized for yourself, a friend, your mom or a host(ess). The key is to track down some little toys that perfectly fit the recipient. Have a dog lover in your life? You could create the dog jar shown here and fill it with gourmet kibble. For the athlete or overachiever, this mini trophy jar would be the perfect fit filled with their favourite candies. The truth is, they are actually way too cute to stash away in your pantry, so leave them out; on the kitchen counter, your desk at work, they would even be perfect in a bathroom filled with all your vanity essentials. Read on to see just how easy these little suckers are to make!

You’ll need:

• a plain glass jar (or jars) with flat lid(s)
• small rubber or plastic toys
• a glue gun or super glue
• tin foil/newspaper/drop cloth to use for spray painting
• spray paint in your favourite colour

What now?:

• remove and clean dust or dirt off jar lids
• glue your chosen toys down in the middle of each lid using a glue gun or super glue
• take lids outside or make sure to thoroughly cover a work surface
• spray paint lids with attached toys until you have evenly covered the entire surfaces
• allow to dry for 24 hrs
• fill jars with your or your recipient’s favourite goodies

The post Weekly DIY: Cheeky Pantry Jars appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

She wants to put her tongue in your mouth

As far as I can tell, getting her tongue into your mouth is Sadie’s number one goal in life. Aside from the occasional walk or treat, it seems to be, Backstreet Boys-style, her fiiiiiiiiire… her one… desire, believe, when I say… you do not want this dog’s tongue in your mouth because it is super fucking gross. When you are least expecting it, but happen to have your mouth open—in conversation, say, reaching down to pet her while talking to someone about something else—she will leap into the air, tongue first, and just headbutt you with her mouth. I’d venture that her success rate is probably 30%, but she is a tenacious pup and this does not get her down. A real can-do attitude on this dog. She LUVS2FRENCH. I like to think this is my influence, because tbh my own make-out style is pretty similar. “Thanks for asking, friendly stranger! I just finished grad school and now I— WOAHHHH we’re makin’ out!” – how I met my boyfriend of four years. JK, consent is very important, we are not dogs, and also JK because I just pictured my boyfriend at grad school and he looked so sad and bored I had to apologize to the fantasy version of him.

Do not hug my mom in front of her

Sadie is a happy canine. She loves many things: Doug, the man who takes her on a two hour long walk every day; eating; sleeping; desecrating the meaningful and important stuffed animals of my youth by ripping them open and eating their eyes (RIP Penny); stealth-barfing in places you rarely visit so that you don’t find it until days later when it has hardened into a kind of carpet crust that she then rediscovers and tries to eat; etc. etc. etc. But the main thing she loves is my mom. Her and my mom have the kind of animal-human friendship that Disney films are made of. If my mom was stuck in a well, Sadie would not run for help, she would like, grow hands and weave a ladder out of the surrounding grasses and haul my mother carefully out. Whatever, Lassie. This love is returned by my mother, who refers to the dog as her “fur child.” Fur… child. 100% of moms-with-pets I have told this too have adopted the practice. Tell your pet-obsessed mom today! Anyway, if you try to hug my mom hello or goodbye Sadie will run at you and try to pry your face away from her beloved mother’s using her sharp little claws while barking at a very high volume. It’s not great.

She has been diagnosed (by me) with various dog mental health disorders

Sadie also <3s shoes. Specifically, she loves to put a shoe in her mouth and run around the house crying frantically while just holding it there. Eventually she takes it with her and hides under the dining room table, licking the sole and whimpering. We don’t know what it means. I suspect she has some kind of PTSD, or OCD, or AAIJMU (Another Acronym I Just Made Up). Something is wrong in there. She has turned her own hair gray from stress. 

She has a more refined palate than most humans

Her diet consists almost exclusively of whatever we are having for dinner, and bits of the envelopes and important documents she rips from the mail slot before it has even hit the ground. My driver’s license has a puncture-hole in it from when it was delivered to our home. I think this paper and steak-based diet has also led to a more sensitive digestive system than most dogs. Basically, girl LOVES to pee. When she’s excited, when she’s scared, when she hears a male voice, when she’s outside, when she hasn’t been outside in a while, when she’s stressed out (which is always), when she’s feelin’ chill. Bitches be peein’.

She can speak English

“She CAN.” – my mother. Sadie is basically a small, sheddy human, at this point. She sleeps lengthwise in my bed, on her back, with her head on a pillow, like some kind of dog boyfriend (aka A BOYFRIEND, am I right ladies?!!!!!!!!!!!!!). It is very jarring, not least because her fur seems to carry a bunch of small pebbles and other crunchy particles that end up giving you some kind of weird in-bed exfoliating massage you did not ask for, and also because her favourite way to wake you up is to open her eyes and start licking your face like you are made of the most delicious dog treats ever. If this fails, she will jump dramatically off the bed and bark at random. She likes to do this in the nighttime, too. Just a casual bark like “A MURDERER IS OUTSIDE! Or maybe a tree moved. It’s hard to tell but I’m definitely gonna keep doing this at 20 minute intervals until you don’t feel safe and need to go hide because you are 85% certain you’re about to get I Know What You Did Last Summer-ed.”

Sadie is the sweetest, most loyal, loudest, weirdest dog I have ever met, but it’s becoming increasingly apparent that we are not good co-workers. Will report back next week when I have found a good cafe or something to work from. Until then, this has happened to you because my legs and feet are currently being licked like a well-moisturized ice cream cone, so who is suffering more? 

Follow Monica on twitter: @monicaheisey

The post The Grown-Ass Woman’s Guide to: My Mom’s Dog, Sadie appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

And he gave Canada a C minus overall for customer service.

C minus? That shouldn’t be possible. We are a country that is universally known for being polite and kind and wearing excellent toques. We should be acing this customer service thing, not getting a barely passing grade.

Which is why I’ve taken it upon myself to improve customer service in our country. I only go to establishments that give me good customer service. Is one coffee place friendlier than another? Then I’m going there…even if I like the coffee at the other place better. Did that sales person remember my name? I’m going back.

I’ve decided to take the same track with my car insurance. In Ontario, we’re lucky in that we have the option to shop around for auto insurance…go privatized or government run.

Wait…don’t leave me!

I know there are many people hear the word "insurance" and it makes them squirm and run. It’s something we need, but how, why, who should I choose? What is the difference between private and government run? Will they both be there if I have an accident or my car gets stolen? What do I do?

Insurance talk can be a bit dry and scary, but luckily the Insurance Bureau of Canada has some handy dandy tips that are informative and easy to understand about buying insurance…and about the difference between privatized and government run provincial auto insurance. They even have a cute little insurance bunny to keep you engaged.

Phew.

I took a tour around the site (that bunny is really cute) and learned that ALL insurers provide car insurance within a strict framework of provincial laws and that they are supervised by a number of government agencies, including rate review boards and both federal and provincial regulators. Car insurers deliver a product that is defined by these laws and regulations. So when you choose a privatized auto insurer, you get all the coverage that you need, plus the added benefits that privatized auto insurance can provide. Like better prices and more money going into your local economy through jobs, investments and taxes.

Sweet!

So while I head out on my customer service crusade, I can go with my gut when choosing my auto insurance and go with the people who give me the best service. And because one of the benefits of privatized insurance is competition, I can go with the company that gives me the best rates or the company that makes me feel most valued as a customer. Ideally, that company does both. And the chances are good that it will be the private auto insurance provider on the corner.

There are some mysteries in life that are fascinating, like outer space. We will always ask questions and never really understand. That is part of the magic and the beauty. Insurance should not be like this.

Get in the know.

The post Fighting the war over bad customer service appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

So, like when tall, bald, bespectacled Mr. Sparry called everyone to the carpet to teach us some sort of witchery like “maths” but I was so engrossed in the book I was reading I just stayed at my desk, I recently had a moment of “Is there somewhere I’m supposed to be” regarding my eyebrows.

Brows, in case you haven’t noticed, are A Thing right now, mostly thanks to ladies like Cara Delevingne and Grimes, very beautiful women with very pronounced eyeball-framers. Strong brows are gaining prominence, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when a bunch of my friends started excitedly bonding over their use of eyebrow-darkening pencils and powders. Brow grooming, it seems, has transcended my usual appointment of tweezing in the bathroom once I’ve watched so much Netflix my feet are asleep and I’m getting on a train tomorrow to see my boyfriend. Then, SDTC Boss Jen McNeely posted a foxy-as-usual picture on Twitter of herself with “new brows.” New brows? Waxed? Threaded? Nope, dyed. WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

According to different schools of thought, eyebrows mean a lot. Chinese face reading says that the shape and size of your brows can predict everything from the number of siblings you have to how detail oriented you are. Sometimes, a brow can indicate status. Pre-modern Japanese aristocrats would remove their natural eyebrows and draw in new ones using soot (some guess this was done to ease the application of white face makeup). According to How Stuff Works, it makes sense that we worry about our eyebrows so much: They’re one of the most expressive of our facial features. As the Clone High episode tells us, they’re so important to our emoting abilities that celebrities don’t even have them. They’re added in post-.

In evolutionary terms, brows do more than indicate emotion:  we have them to keep sweat and rain out of our eyes (those aristocratic ladies probably weren’t sweating too much). While we obviously spend a lot of time thinking about our own (and unwittingly expressing those thoughts by how we move them), how much do they matter to the people around us? I asked some friends, and it was suggested that a man’s brows matters a lot less to his overall attractiveness than a woman’s, although the grooming industry hardly ignores men’s desire to tame dem tings. But perhaps my friend Rudy put it best. When I asked him how much eyebrows meant to a person’s overall appearance, he responded, “Not nearly as much as a person’s high brow.”

Cue one, skeptically raised.

The post Something Is Happening With Eyebrows appeared first on Shedoesthecity.