There is no doubt that Canada is a northern country and that our winters here in Toronto can sometimes be a little harsh. But that’s no reason to hold anyone back from getting out there and enjoying the city to the fullest.

To ease the winter blues, the City of Toronto has developed a series of special events dedicated to bringing the city to life in the middle of winter. The WinterCity Festival is a city-wide celebration of Toronto’s culinary offerings (the popular Winterlicious restaurant promotion), a wide variety of free entertainment events and a showcase of Toronto’s vibrant arts scene, featuring live music, dance, theatre, spectacle shows, rink-side concerts and even aerial acrobatic performances. Throw in a number of child-friendly events, and WinterCity has something for everyone in the family.

I had a chance to talk to Grant Ramsey from the City of Toronto who is one of the key people behind WinterCity and he is providing a much more detailed overview of all the special events, artistic and culinary treats on offer.

1. Please give us an overview of Toronto’s WinterCity Festival. When did it come into being? When and where is it held?

This year will be the fourth WinterCity held. Prior to the name change, it was called WinterFest, which took place on one weekend. Since expanding the festival, it now runs for two-weeks and is held primarily at Nathan Phillips Square from, Jan. 27 to Feb. 9

2. Please tell us more about the “Wild on Winter Series”.

The Wild on Winter Series (WOW!) combines some of the best performances in Toronto. Two large outdoor spectacle shows, “Walk the Plank” and “Il Corso”, which take place on Saturday and Sundays of both weekends, feature some of the best pyrotechnic, special effects and sound displays in North America. Other WOW! Series performers include, stellar Canadian talent presenting the best in dance and live music all at Nathan Phillips Square.

3. Please tell us more about the “Warm-up Series”? Where does it take place, what events does it include?

The Warm up series offers great discounted events at some of Toronto’s hottest destinations. For those who just can’t brave the cold, The Warm Up Series offer excellent interactive entertainment at The Toronto Eaton Centre and other venues around the city.

Toronto Eaton Centre Schedule:
– Spin Cycle
Monday, January 30: 12:30 & 5:30 pm
The international vaudevillian duo of Greg Tarlin and Kristi Heath combine their talents as award-winning circus performers, Second City comedy veterans and skilled writers to engage, amaze and entertain with skills that include juggling, unicycling, stilt dancing and more.

- The Silk Road Acrobats
Three Man Acrobats & Hula Hoop Act
Tuesday, January 31: 12:30 & 5:30 pm
This performance combines the grace, delicacy and poise of the Chinese acrobatic tradition with the power and athleticism of Russian acrobatics. Three professional acrobats perform multiple towers, falls and strength poses along with an up-beat performance using a multiple hoop apparatus.

- The Silk Road Acrobats
Seven Man Acrobats & The Female Contortion Duo
Wednesday, February 1: 12:30 & 5:30 pm
Professional acrobats perform an amazing group demonstration of strength, coordination, group dynamic and impeccable timing. While balancing delicate vases on their hands and feet, the acrobatic female duo perform graceful contortions and remarkable poses, creating an effect that is truly enchanting.

- High Strung Aerial Acrobats “Dy-no-mite”
Thursday, February 2 & Saturday, February 4, 12:30 & 5:30 pm
A two-woman high energy aerial show with a sassy disco flair. Performed to hits from the 70s, like Disco Inferno, Ring My Bell and Macho Man, the show features aerial straps, a swinging ladder and trapeze. Throw in some audience participation, acrobatics and a kick-ball change or two, and you have a spectacle like no other.

- High Strung Aerial Acrobats “Impressed”
Friday, February 3 & Sunday, February 5:
12:30 & 5:30 pm
Witness aerial dance artistry, superior and surprising manipulations, and skills that seem to defy gravity. Wonder and marvel as these two breathtaking airborne lovelies perform startling acrobatic feats.
Events & Shows hosted by some of Toronto’s top attractions

Don’t miss this series of special WinterCity events at Toronto’s top urban destinations. For more details, contact each attraction directly.

4. Please tell us about the WinterCity Weekend SeeSaw at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People.

WinterCity Weekend SeeSaw at Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
Meet four ordinary kids coping with the ups and downs of their lives. Paige, the popular yet insecure girl. Adam the tough bully who is also a budding artist, shy Josh who learns magic tricks in order to become invisible and Charla the new girl who wants to be everybody’s friend. (recommended for ages 9-12)

Saturday, January 28 & Sunday, January 29, 2 pm
Kids and adults WinterCity price just $12 each.
Regular price $15-20 each
165 Front Street East
416-862-2222
www.lktyp.ca

6. You also have an event planned that involves “Franklin the Turtle”, “Elliot Moose” and the CN Tower. Please tell us more about that.

Franklin the Turtle, Elliot Moose & friends visit the CN Tower
Join Franklin the Turtle, Elliot Moose and their author friends, Elizabeth MacLeod, Irene Luxbacher and Aubrey Davis, at the CN Tower. Enjoy winter crafts, no-bake chocolate recipes, storytelling and more.

This fun filled event is included with your special CN Tower coupon admission of 3 people for $30

Saturday, January 28 & Sunday, January 29
11 am – 4 pm
3 people for $30
301 Front Street West
416-868-6937
For full details on this event please visit, www.cntower.ca

6. You also offer special free skating events, beer tastings, a big band event, discounted opera events and theatre performances, please provide an overview of those.

DJ Skating Night @ Harbourfront
Slide down to Harbourfront’s beautiful rink and skate to music including house, progressive and breaks with DJs Phantasm, Simon Jain and Tommy Gunners!

Free hot chocolate! Skate rentals, sharpening, lockers, snacks and drinks all available.

Friday, February 3, 2006
8-11 pm
FREE
235 Queens Quay West, South of York Quay Centre
416-973-4000
www.harbourfrontcentre.com

A Bite before Twilight
Under 30? Join the Canadian Opera Company for a feast of traditional Bavarian fare at the exciting Bier Markt Esplanade and a quick update of “the story so far” before gorging on the dramatic final installment of Wagner’s epic Ring Cycle – The Twilight of the Gods (G

He was born 17 March 1951 in Springfield, Massachusetts. His parents are Louise Crain and Bing Russell. The senior Mr. Russell was a character actor who had a recurring role as a deputy on the long – running Western television series “Bonanza”. He (Bing) had been a professional baseball player but changed his career to acting, which took the family to California.

Kurt grew up in Thousand Oaks, California, not necessarily your typical Hollywood kid. He had a keen interest in baseball and wanted to play professionally as his father had before him. But in 1961, his dad heard about a part in a film called “It Happened at the World’s Fair”. The lead male star in the movie was Elvis Presley. Kurt’s part was that of a young boy who kicked him in the shin. He did not get billing for that part. It wasn’t much more than a glorified extra role. However, this was the beginning of his acting career.

He went on to do some bit parts on television. In 1963, he was cast as the lead in a short – lived television series called “The Travels of Jamie McPheeters”. This was followed by more character parts on numerous other TV shows. This, in turn, led to a contract with Walt Disney. The ten-year contract encompassed such films as “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes” (1969), “The Barefoot Executive” (1971) and “The Strongest Man in the World” (1975). Once his contract with Disney expired, he went back to appearing in character roles on television. In 1975, he did a made-for-TV movie called “The Deadly Tower”. The story was based on a true event which occurred at the University of Texas in 1966. Then in 1979 he starred in another TV movie titled “Elvis”. He was nominated for an Emmy for his quasi-biographical role in that film.

Although he took time out from his acting career to make a serious attempt to become a pro baseball player with the California Angels, that was cut short by a rotator cuff injury in 1973. So he returned to acting full-time.

In 1981, he teamed up with producer/writer/director John Carpenter for the classic cult film “Escape From New York”. The film became a big hit with fans of the genre and continues to be favored by the same. He reprised his role of “Snake Plissken” in 1996 with the sequel, “Escape From L.A”. He and Mr. Carpenter have collaborated on a total of five movies to date. Mr. Russell co-produced, co-wrote and/or starred in all five.

He met his lifemate, Goldie Hawn, while filming “Swing Shift” in 1984. They also co-starred in the movie “Overboard” in 1987. They have been together since, having one child together, one child from Kurt’s first marriage to Season Hubley and the two children from Ms. Hawn’s marriage to Bill Hudson. Ms. Hawn’s daughter, Kate Hudson, considers Mr. Russell to be her dad. Their extended family seems to work quite well.

Among his film credits is that of a supporting role in the critically acclaimed movie “Silkwood”, which he did in 1983. Meryl Streep and Cher were the co-stars in the film. Mr. Russell was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film and won a Golden Globe Award for his role.

In 1986, he again teamed up with John Carpenter to do “Big Trouble in Little China”. This was a spoof on martial arts movies of the times and reminded Hollywood and his fans, of his ability to do comedic roles.

Other notable movies which he did include:

1988 – Tequila Sunrise, co-starring Mel Gibson 1989 – Tango and Cash, co-starring Sylvester Stallone 1993 – Tombstone, in which he played Wyatt Earp 1994 – Stargate, co-starring James Spader 1996 – Executive Decision, also starring Sylvester Stallone 2001 – 3000 Miles to Graceland, with Kevin Costner 2002 – Dark Blue, he plays a dirty cop 2004 – Miracle, based on the true story of Olympic coach Herb Brooks 2006 – Poseidon, a remake of 1972’s “Poseidon Adventure”

While probably not one of the most acclaimed actors of our times, Kurt Russell has the distinction of being one of the few who successfully segued from being a child actor to continuing an acting career which spans a little over four decades. His credits range from bit parts to doing stunts, directing, producing, writing and starring in a very diverse cross of roles. He’s a versatile person who has contributed to both the film and television industries.

While not receiving screen credit for it, Russell did the voice of Elvis Presley in the 1994 blockbuster, “Forrest Gump”. He’s also been responsible for helping to launch the film industry careers of several budding actors, writers, producers and directors.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Entertainment

Sometimes after watching so many movies over a period of time certain parallels stand out and call attention to themselves.

Here are the parallels I’ve found in two of my most favorite film classics, TO CATCH A THIEF (TCT) (1955) and NORTH BY NORTHWEST (NBN) (1959).

1) Both are directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

2) Cary Grant stars in both movies.

3) Jessie Royce Landis stars in both films – as Grant’s mother (although she was a year younger than him) in NBN and as the mother of his girlfriend-to-be in TCT.

4) TCT is written by John Michael Hayes who wrote another Hitchcock classic, the unforgettable REAR WINDOW (1954). NBN is written by the legendary Ernest Lehman, the only screenwriter who was honored by an honorary Oscar in 2001. Lehman also wrote Hitchcock’s last film, FAMILY PLOT (1976).

5) An airplane pursues Cary Grant in both films. It attacks openly in the famous dust cropper scene in NBN. But there is a similar scene in TCT in which a similar propeller airplane pursues the boat in which Grant is running away from the Nice harbor. It buzzes the boat a couple of times before breaking the chase and drifting away.

6) Both films have that famous scene where a female character dangles from a high structure and Cary Grant grabs her by the wrist at the last moment and grabs her to safety. In NBN she is the leading lady dangling from a colossal presidential face on Mount Rushmore. In TCT she is the villain dangling from the roof of Silva’s Villa.

7) In NBN, Hitchcock makes his trademark appearance by trying to board a public bus at a New York bus station. In TCT, Hitchcock makes his trademark appearance by sitting right next to Grant as an anonymous passenger in the back row of a passenger bus traveling on the dusty back roads of French Riviera.

Sometimes not only life but fiction repeats itself as well.

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Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative Copywriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases, movie reviews and hi-tech documentation.

He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 companies for the last 7 years.

In addition to being an Ezine Articles Expert Author, he is also a Senior Member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), and a Member of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI).

You can reach him at writer111@gmail.com for a FREE consultation on all your copywriting needs.

You are most welcomed to visit his official web site http://www.writer111.com for more information on his multidisciplinary background, writing career, and client testimonials.

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