The Weekender: Come Up To My Room, The Stop’s Beer Garden and four other events on our to-do list
Toronto Life online editor talks about the weekend’s top events on The Morning Show
1. COME UP TO MY ROOM (FREE!)
Each year, the Gladstone Hotel opens up its rooms and public spaces to artists and designers who dutifully transform them into site-specific art projects. For this tenth anniversary edition of the alt-design event, 40 artists will create 25 installations ranging from a collection of 15,000 hand-made rosaries to a full-scale playground covered in fur. January 24–27. Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W., 416-531-4635, comeuptomyroom.com
2. BUIKA
Named by NPR as one of the world’s 50 great voices, this Spanish singer pays no heed to traditional musical boundaries, unleashing that wrap-around mantilla of a sound on flamenco, blues, jazz, Afro-Cuban and gypsy traditions. She made a memorable singing appearance in Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In, and her 2010 Canadian debut at Koerner Hall was a sell-out. January 25. $35–$65. Koerner Hall, The Royal Conservatory of Music, 273 Bloor St. W., 416-408-2824, rcmusic.ca
3. JULIA DAULT (FREE!)
One of the first exhibitions at Jessica Bradley’s new Junction location features work by Toronto-born (but Brooklyn-based) artist Julia Dault. Full of fanciful flights of colour and texture, Dault’s paintings sometimes eschew canvas for pleather, silk or spandex, while the sculptures undulate with a nervous energy. Made of Plexiglas and Formica and built on-site by the artist, they’re held together by string and look about ready to burst. January 25–March 9. Jessica Bradley Annex, 74 Miller St., 416-537-3125, jessicabradleyinc.com
4. INTERIOR DESIGN SHOW
The fifteenth annual Interior Design Show takes over the Metro Toronto Convention Centre this weekend, with some 300 exhibitors rolling out their latest in the way of home decor porn. Home-grown luminaries (Douglas Coupland, Bonnie Brooks and Christiane Lemieux) join big-name imports (Jürgen Mayer H., Karim Rashid) on the bill of speakers. Interior designers will also provide free 15-minute consultations to participants who bring along photos or floor plans of their space. January 24–27. $22–$60. Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Bldg., 255 Front St. W., 416-778-8289, interiordesignshow.com
5. THE STOP’S BEER GARDEN
Last year, the first edition of The Stop’s popular craft brew series took place in May. This year, they’re starting in a particularly frigid stretch of January, pairing beers from Amsterdam (Wee Heavy, Big Wheel and a special cask) and Korean tacos from K-Song Taco with an open fire, roasted marshmallows and skating. Proceeds go to support the Stop’s endeavours to increase access to healthy food for all Torontonians. January 27. Pay what you can. Wychwood Barn # 4, 601 Christie St., 416.651.7867, thestop.org.
6. THE THREE FACES OF JERUSALEM
Soundstreams has made its name putting on unusual and compelling performances that often blend world music traditions with contemporary classical compositions. This afternoon concert brings together music and poetry inspired by the Jewish, Muslim and Christian facets of Jerusalem, including “Five and a Half Bridges,” a new vocal work by Toronto composer James Rolfe. January 27. $20–$65. Koerner Hall,The Royal Conservatory of Music, 273 Bloor St. W., 416-408-2824, soundstreams.ca
Each year, the Gladstone Hotel opens up its rooms and public spaces to artists and designers who dutifully transform them into site-specific art projects. For this tenth anniversary edition of the alt-design event, 40 artists will create 25 installations ranging from a collection of 15,000 hand-made rosaries to a full-scale playground covered in fur. January 24–27. Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W., 416-531-4635, comeuptomyroom.com
2. BUIKA
Named by NPR as one of the world’s 50 great voices, this Spanish singer pays no heed to traditional musical boundaries, unleashing that wrap-around mantilla of a sound on flamenco, blues, jazz, Afro-Cuban and gypsy traditions. She made a memorable singing appearance in Pedro Almodóvar's The Skin I Live In, and her 2010 Canadian debut at Koerner Hall was a sell-out. January 25. $35–$65. Koerner Hall, The Royal Conservatory of Music, 273 Bloor St. W., 416-408-2824, rcmusic.ca
3. JULIA DAULT (FREE!)
One of the first exhibitions at Jessica Bradley’s new Junction location features work by Toronto-born (but Brooklyn-based) artist Julia Dault. Full of fanciful flights of colour and texture, Dault’s paintings sometimes eschew canvas for pleather, silk or spandex, while the sculptures undulate with a nervous energy. Made of Plexiglas and Formica and built on-site by the artist, they're held together by string and look about ready to burst. January 25–March 9. Jessica Bradley Annex, 74 Miller St., 416-537-3125, jessicabradleyinc.com
4. INTERIOR DESIGN SHOW
The fifteenth annual Interior Design Show takes over the Metro Toronto Convention Centre this weekend, with some 300 exhibitors rolling out their latest in the way of home decor porn. Home-grown luminaries (Douglas Coupland, Bonnie Brooks and Christiane Lemieux) join big-name imports (Jürgen Mayer H., Karim Rashid) on the bill of speakers. Interior designers will also provide free 15-minute consultations to participants who bring along photos or floor plans of their space. January 24–27. $22–$60. Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Bldg., 255 Front St. W., 416-778-8289, interiordesignshow.com
5. THE STOP’S BEER GARDEN
Last year, the first edition of The Stop’s popular craft brew series took place in May. This year, they’re starting in a particularly frigid stretch of January, pairing beers from Amsterdam (Wee Heavy, Big Wheel and a special cask) and Korean tacos from K-Song Taco with an open fire, roasted marshmallows and skating. Proceeds go to support the Stop’s endeavours to increase access to healthy food for all Torontonians. January 27. Pay what you can. Wychwood Barn # 4, 601 Christie St., 416.651.7867, thestop.org.
6. THE THREE FACES OF JERUSALEM
Soundstreams has made its name putting on unusual and compelling performances that often blend world music traditions with contemporary classical compositions. This afternoon concert brings together music and poetry inspired by the Jewish, Muslim and Christian facets of Jerusalem, including “Five and a Half Bridges,” a new vocal work by Toronto composer James Rolfe. January 27. $20–$65. Koerner Hall,The Royal Conservatory of Music, 273 Bloor St. W., 416-408-2824, soundstreams.ca){kind=link}