Join the Family Business – 7:30pm TONIGHT!
London Music Club, 470 Colborne Street
Email Bizz by 4pm to reserve your $10 advance ticket….
Only one more sleep til you, too, can jo
Only one more sleep til you, too, can join the Family. Need tickets? A few left, so get at me! Here’s a peek at the last one to get you…
TBT: The first time Dad and I shared a s
TBT: The first time Dad and I shared a stage was on “Take your kid to work (day) night” in grade 9. After that I could be found at Old Chicago’s blues jam most Tuesday nights. http://ow.ly/GTk35
This Saturday we’ll be joined by specia
This Saturday we’ll be joined by special guest Deborah Zuskan on vocals and harmonica. Plus me, my dad, Ryan Spong on bass, Ted Peacock on drums, and Teddy Leonard on guitar. ROCK! http://ow.ly/GTlc5 http://ow.ly/i/8auaQ…
Cool = Mad + Sure
Preparing for a life of performing, around age 6 I told my Dad that if you wanted to look cool, you had to make a face like you were “mad, but sure”…. like this! (Our bass master Ryan Spong seems to have mastered it, too).
See it live this Saturday at the London Music Club, 7:30pm. Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1565315903705411/
Check out Joseph Pilates, the man, the m
Check out Joseph Pilates, the man, the myth and the legend in this talk (with a vintage video clip of him teaching)
[youtube http://youtu.be/rWLoc_N6Bpo]
The Quick Fix
This is probably the video I do most often, cause it fixes what hurts! [youtube http://youtu.be/v_xzKILNHnQ]
Warm yourself with this easy, yummy wint
Warm yourself with this easy, yummy winter soup https://www.facebook.com/notes/shas-yoga-pilates-studio/warming-carrot-ginger-soup/253465659350
DIY Christmas Gift Guide
DIY Christmas Gift Guide
When you’re a starving artist, you must rely on your craftiness to play Santa. Here are some DIY gift ideas from my personal ballin’ on a budget repertoire.
Coconut Sugar Scrub
This was a hit last year! All you have to do is mix coconut oil (I prefer the refined stuff, as it smells less coconutty) with white or brown sugar. Add some flavour in the form of spices or citrus. Gift to anyone who complains of dry skin or hippies who eschew traditional bath products. (Please note, when used in the shower, it will make the bathtub slippery. Definitely warn people about this or you might inadvertently give the gift of bruises).
Needle Crafts
If you can’t knit or crochet, don’t worry – there are still lots of crafty options available to you. A friend once gave me a pair of magic gloves (the cheap-o, stretchy kind) embellished with some felt shapes and buttons. She sewed the shapes on with a basic running stitch. The gloves are not only unique and pretty, they felt bits add some extra warmth. There’s also cross-stitch, the easiest of all embroidery (especially on plastic grids), and there are some amazing and hilariously irreverent patterns out there. Here’s a couple I made last year.
Baked Goods
Everyone loves cookies and muffins, and making them is way cheaper than buying (not to mention way healthier if you keep the sugar in check). Check out allrecipes.com or
canadianliving.com for excellent recipes. And if you’re really pressed for time, just throw the dry ingredients in a nice-looking jar and add recipe and ribbons – violà, a DIY kit! Kids, inexperienced bakers and lazy people love it when you do the measuring for them.
Spice Selection
The perfect gift for 20-somethings who just moved out of their parents’ house, or friends who want to learn to cook. Grab a selection of spices from the bulk store (where you can get a dozen of the most-used ones for under 5 bucks) and then hit the dollar store for some shaker jars. Label and put in a container of some kind. Get bonus points by including recipes. Here’s a few I put together for a young vegan a few years back, including basic info on a variety of ways to cook vegetables.
Mix CDs
Yes, a blast from the past, but this one never gets old. Choose a theme (Party Time, Rockin’ Christmas Tunes, You Know You’re Old When) and make a list of songs. Check out the Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, or head over to Songza.com for inspiration. Take the time to put them in order, and cut & paste a fun cover with a handwritten track list. Even if the music fan in your life just rips it straight to their iTunes, they’ll think of you whenever that playlist comes on.
Sewing Projects
Have a sewing machine a some basic skill? Try these easy sewing projects.
HAPPY CRAFTING!
The Family Business 2 Concert
Sat. January 10th at 7:30pm
at the London Music Club
470 Colborne Street
$10 before or $12 at the door.
Dance the night away to rockin’ blues and funk music that’ll cure your winter blahs in no time. See me (or my Dad) for advance tickets!
More info on the Facebook event page.
Featuring Doug Varty, Bizz Varty, Ryan Spong, Ted Peacock and Ted Leonard, with special guest Deborah Zuskan. The LMC serves dinner and drinks all night.
Check out these videos from the first Family Business concert in April 2013:
Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine
[youtube http://youtu.be/zMSzGDk-M1U]
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
[youtube http://youtu.be/Pxj12CFY6lU]
Tell Mama
[youtube http://youtu.be/keY1vMnCXMU]