At the watercooler: our Q+A with Elaine Lui of LaineyGossip

May 17th, 2013 by Vicki No comments »

Here at divine.ca, we know you love gossip. You flock to our news+gossip section daily, and we notice the comments you make towards Hollywood’s hottest–both good and bad. We recently had a chance to chat with Elaine Lui while on her Montreal stop of her cross-Canada Faculty of Celebrity Studies gossip tour with vitaminwater. The eTalk personality and “smuthound” behind the popular Lainey Gossip blog answered a few of our questions, and gave us an insight on why some of you give celebrities a hard time, and why you defend some of their actions.

But should a love of gossip be your dirty little secret? Absolutely not! “I want people to defend talking shit about a celebrity!” Lui tells us. “I crusade for the value of gossip. It isn’t bad when it’s done right. It isn’t more or less important than sports or politics; it has a benefit in society.” And that’s what that night’s lecture on celebrity gossip was all about, that talking about Hollywood gossip is “an activity that is more insightful and cerebral that people give it credit for.”

While Lui certainly gave us some insight on some of Hollywood’s hottest, she took the time to sit down with us and answer a few of our pressing questions. Her answers definitely gave us pause and allowed us to look at gossip a little bit differently.

Why do you think are people are drawn to Hollywood gossip?
“There are two answers to this. First, celebrities are people who exist for us to talk about. They’re to be observed and analysed, mocked, cared about, and so on. Celebrities are not celebritiess without an audience. We’re as essential to their careers as is their real work. They want us to talk about them. For all the complaining they do, their very existence depends on our existence; it’s a symbiotic relationship.

“Second, gossip and entertainment news—as I’ve been arguing throughout this tour—is a reflection of who we are as a culture. You can’t say gossip exists in a vacuum; any time you discuss a gossip story, what you’re saying is, “Reese got arrested and this is what I think about it.” It’s communicating our value system, our morality, our opinion… Whenever you exchange that kind of personality belief, that’s anthropology; it’s a discussion of who we are as a culture.

» Read more: At the watercooler: our Q+A with Elaine Lui of LaineyGossip

Movie Friday: This Weekend at the Box Office (May 17-18-19)

May 17th, 2013 by Vicki No comments »

Friday’s here! It’s the perfect long weekend to hit the movie theatre; check out what’s at the box office as of today:

J.J. Abrams’ sequel to 2009’s Star Trek, Into Darkness stars Chris Pine as Cpt. James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock.

Julianne Moore stars in The English Teacher as the titular character who encourages a former student to produce a play at the high school.

Horror movie Black Rock stars Kate Bosworth, Katie Aselton and Lake Bell as three friends who are being hunted by two men after one of the young women accidentally kills their friend.

What’s New on DVD (May 14)

May 14th, 2013 by Vicki No comments »

Tuesday’s here, and if your evening will be spent indoors, curl up with one of these new releases:

Tom Hanks and Halle Berry star in Cloud Atlas, a science-fiction movie based on the novel of the same name.

Frankie Go Boom is about a man who goes into hiding after an embarrassing video of him goes viral. It stars Chris O’Dowd, Chris Noth, and Lizzie Caplan.

Lindsay Lohan stars as the iconic Elizabeth Taylor in the made-for-TV movie, Liz & Dick.

With season 8 of Dexter right around the corner, catch up on season 7, now on DVD.

divine.ca’s Gastronomic Adventure in Toronto

May 14th, 2013 by Vicki No comments »

A few weeks, I had the lovely privilege to fly over to Toronto for an evening and treat my tastebuds to something special. I’ve heard tell of the city’s popular Parisian bistro, La Société, before, but hadn’t the pleasure of trying its food for myself. And with a second location about to open its doors in Montreal this summer, I knew saying “yes” to an invite to dine at La Société was the smart thing to do.

Along with Charles Khabouth and Tony Longo, president and director of operations, respectively, of INK Entertainment, our little group got a tour of the restaurant, observing its lush bar and dining spaces, from the gorgeous marble tile floors, to the stunning stain glass ceiling. While visually-pleasing and with a dose of luxury, the space still gives off a unpretentious vibe, perfect for a post-work drink, or a Sunday brunch with the girls.

Our dinner did not start on a low-note; on the contrary, we had a three-tier stand boasting shrimp, crab legs, and oysters! What followed up was a taste of a little bit of everything, from the creamy mac and cheese, to La Société’s famous French fries.

But our food adventure at La Société didn’t end there; we would return the next morning for one final, tasty goodbye. What followed that night was a visit to a few of INK’s other properties–from Spanish tapas and sangria at Patria, to an Ol’ Fashion and dessert at saloon-style Weslodge, and some drinking at dancing at Uniun.

After such a night, a cup of coffee the next morning was needed. Alongside our mug of java, some fresh juice mixed with Moet definitely added some extra lavishness to our morning meal. The steak and eggs with potato hash was particularly filling, and table opted to share the blueberry and ricotta pancakes. Melt-in-your-mouth pancakes with creamy ricotta at the centre, as well the sweetness and tang of the blueberries… It truly was one of brunch’s highlights!

And now, back in Montreal, all one can do is await the opening of La Société’s newest location. It will reside within the city’s Loews Hotel Vogue hotel, a perfect fit for Montreal’s newest food destination. While staying true to the original’s food and style, we can’t wait to see the incorporation of local ingredients, and perhaps a few Quebec-inspired options on the menu? We truly cannot wait to find out!

Movie Friday: This Weekend at the Box Office (May 10-11-12)

May 10th, 2013 by Vicki No comments »

Friday’s here, and if you’re hankering to hit a dark theatre with a bag of popcorn in-hand, we’ve got a couple of movies for you!

Baz Luhrmann’s re-imagining of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic The Great Gatsby stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the film’s titular character.

Tyler Perry’s latest effort, Peeples, stars Craig Robinson as a man looking to impress his fiancé’s family.

 
 

community

all our...

divine.ca

stay connected

friends+partners