On May 12, Israeli Netta Barzilai won the annual Eurovision Song Contest with her catchy pop/dance song called "Toy."[1] Wrapped in a "colorful, happy vibe," the song makes an allusion to female awakening and a call for social justice. Immediately, the streets of Tel Aviv became filled with happy people dancing and jumping into fountains. … Continue reading A Few Thoughts On 2018 Eurovision Winner
Publication date: May 31st, 2017 Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Synopsis Hilary has one goal for her first year in junior high: to become popular. But her plans are turned upside down when her best friend leaves for the summer and a quirky girl named Kallie moves in next door. Kallie paints constellations on her ceiling, sleeps in … Continue reading Book Blitz & Giveaway: The History of Hilary Hambrushina by Marnie Lamb
On January 22, 2018, the world lost one of the greatest voices in science fiction/fantasy. Ursula Le Guin (née Kroeber) was born in 1929, in Berkley, California. She was a daughter of anthropologist Alfred Louis Krober and writer Theodora Kracaw, and had three older brothers. She spent parts of her childhood in Napa Valley, where … Continue reading Remembering Ursula Le Guin (1929–2018)
I’m excited to announce that one of my friends, a Toronto-based photographer Masha Cavallier, will be hosting an art exhibition from December 14 to December 28, 2017. The exhibition will take place at Berenson Fine Art Gallery located at 212 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON. Titled “Pierrot: the Broken Girl,” this project represents “an attempt to find … Continue reading “Pierrot: the Broken Girl” by Masha Cavallier
Sin City. Gambling Capital of the World. The city that never sleeps. These are some of the nicknames that are often used when referring to Las Vegas. And not without a reason. With its seemingly endless chain of casinos and options for adult entertainment, there seems to be no better way to describe this place. … Continue reading A Few Words About Las Vegas
The Limestone Genre Expo, which brought together Canadian authors of genre fiction, took place in Kingston Ontario, from June 3 to 4, 2017. The event involved panel discussions, workshops, readings, pitch sessions, and a large sales event on books written by both indie and traditionally published authors. Among guests and presenters were Alyssa Cooper, Nancy … Continue reading Limestone Genre Expo, 2017
The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is the oldest organization in North America devoted to the studying and disseminating knowledge about archaeology. In many ways, it’s similar to the Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) and American School of Oriental Research (ASOR). All three pursue relatively similar goals, release beautiful magazines, and organize annual meetings that include … Continue reading The AIA Annual Meeting in Toronto
Last Sunday, which happened to be October 16, the next day after the International Archaeology Day, I was honored to meet an extraordinary man, Dr. Maamoun Abdulkarim, the chief of the Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) of Syria. It was also the same day when a new exhibition, "Syria: a Living History," opened at … Continue reading An Afternoon with Dr. Maamoun Abdulkarim
If you live in Toronto and are passionate about Middle Eastern culture, you should definitely visit the Aga Khan Museum. Located in the city’s east end, it houses some of the finest artifacts representing Islamic art. Such include manuscripts, architectural pieces, metalwork, glass work, and pottery from various regions, including North African and Middle Eastern … Continue reading The Aga Khan Museum of Art, Toronto’s Gem
Lately, I’ve been feeling very nostalgic. As it’s now summer time, most archaeological digs in Israel and elsewhere in the world are underway. It seems that every time I log into Facebook or Twitter, I learn about yet another fascinating discovery that had occurred either spontaneously or thanks to an organized dig. For anyone interested … Continue reading Archaeology Digs as a Form of Travel
