The Arts Corridor is waiting for you – all of it within walking distance
By Meribeth Deen
No need for the lull between the excitement of Halloween and the festive lights of the darkest month to get you down. The Bloor Street Arts Corridor has plenty of story, spectacle, and audio enjoyment to keep your spirits up as the days grow shorter.
First stop has got to be the Gardiner Museum (111 Queen’s Park) for Savor: Food Culture in the Age of Enlightenment. This exhibition will take you into the steamy and transformative kitchens of 17th century France, the gardens of Versailles, and an exploration of newly invented kitchen wares. The story these tell show the roots of contemporary western food trends and philosophies. If you just can’t get enough, you can take home the accompanying cookbook, The King’s Peas: Delectable Recipes and their Stories from the Age of Enlightenment by Meredith Chilton (curator), with contributions by Markus Bestig, executive chef, the York Club, Toronto.
Next, head to Testra and Chambafelmusik Baroque Orcher Choir November 14 – 16 to recover the legacy of Antonio Lotti. While Lotti, a Venetian, is not well known today, the libraries of both Bach and Handel hint at the fact that he was a significant feature in his day – both famous composers wrote out his Mass by hand. Tafelmusik Orchestra and Chamber Choir help to recover Lotti’s place in the world of baroque music by pairing his work with Bach, Handel, and Lotti’s famous student – Johann Zelenka.
For a different form of audio stimulation, plan to make your way to Ted Rogers Cinema November 6 – 11 to see your favourite storytellers on stage as part of the HotDocs Podcast festival. More than 12 chart-topping podcasts will be performed live, including The Splendid Table, Still Processing, and The Allusionist. Stick around for a Creators-Forum conference for podcast makers and industry pros.
The Bata Shoe Museum has declared November Wizard of Oz month, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the original film’s release. On November 5, you can hear about the challenges of preserving the iconic ruby slippers and other stories about working with some of the most famous footwear of all time in the Founder’s Lecture. The movie will be screened every weekend at the museum, and kids can dress up in Wizard of Oz inspired costumes and make Oz-inspired crafts. Be sure to bring along a new pair of socks to donate to the Warm the Sole Sock drive taking place at the museum all month long.
If you’re into movies, there will be plenty shown in the Corridor including a weekend of Horror-Rama at 918 Bathurst (November 30), and a screening of Persepolis at Alliance Française (November 14). Music, photography, dance, books, and lectures are all on the agenda at various venues throughout the month. With so much to do, there is no excuse not to get out. The Arts Corridor is waiting for you, and all of it is in walking distance from your doorstep.