Lexi

Alisson

Alisson is an artist and just graduated from OCAD. Check out her website to see her work. "It's multi-media. It's like trans-media performance," she says. "There's photography and a little bit of drawing, but it's more conceptual than anything. It's about what it feels like to be an immigrant Colombian here in Canada."

Maria

Maria: The Man Repeller inspires me. She dresses for herself. She doesn't care about what anybody thinks. That's what fashion should be all about.

TorontoVerve: What's the best advice you've received in life?

Maria: My dad told me to always take my time if I want to do something right. That helps me focus on what I'm doing.

Follow Maria on Instagram.

TorontoVerve made #9 on Street Style News' Daily Most Popular Chart!  

Sherlon

TorontoVerve: What's the best advice you've received in life?

Sherlon:My mom told me to always be me. She raised two children by herself and she never changed for anybody. Her words helped me to grow as a person. I'm 23 now and I've taken a lot of responsibility at a young age -- especially being the man of the house.

Follow Sherlon on Instagram.

Phantasma

"I think it's important to be yourself -- march to your own drum. I don't care what other people think of me. Yeah, receiving constructive criticism is fine, but you should have the confidence to be your own person and move forward independently."

Follow Phantasma on Instagram.

Alina

Follow Alina on Instagram.

Tatjana

"There are many dark things that speak to me. But for the most part, I think the most twisted, sinister and yet sublime thing that both repulses and yet seduces us and of course myself is human nature itself. This is a very broad thing but, to sum it up, we are capable of great things. Both terrible and beautiful. It never ceases to amaze me how cruel and destructive humans are for a variety of reasons. The passion of any human being, whether it may be for an act of kindness or an act of hatred, is a stunning thing. You can never fully predict the length at which we will go to get what we want. This is a rather debatable thing seeing as people can be more enchanted by our nature or put off by it."

"Why I see it as dark is because my fascination lies in the twisted and at times perverse minds of some individuals. Of course, what they do is horrendous. But the intricate web that is their mind and the nuances within them can sometimes hold the mirror up to you. Not only that, but one gets such and adrenaline rush just to see the horrors we concoct.

Whether we find it beautiful or not really depends on each individual. I can only take on the role of a distanced spectator and watch in awe at the sublimity that is humanity."

"Who knows? Perhaps my views may change when I experience such events. You never know and that's both a scary and wonderful thing all at once."

Follow Tatjana on Instagram and Facebook.

TIFF Talk 2015: Kwame, "The Man Who Knew Infinity"

Name: Kwame, Toronto

The Film: The Man Who Knew Infinity (UK)

What's it about?

A man from India finds his way to Cambridge where he works with a professor to publish material. It goes into all of the challenges like racism and World War II. He grinds himself to the bone to get published and make it back to his wife in India.

Did you like it?

I thought it was an extremely moving, touching and exciting movie. I like the universal story about race and class. People who like stories about human growth and love and loss will definitely enjoy it. It's a bit of a tear-jerker too.

Next screenings:

Thursday, September 17th at 6:30pm, Roy Thompson Hall
Friday, September 18th at 11am, Elgin Wintergarden
Saturday, September 19th at 9:30am, The Bloor Hot docs Cinema

Follow Kwame on Twitter and check out the Ryerson website where Kwame and others "explore the future of storytelling."

The Man Who Knew Infinity Clip

Melinda

Before street style in 2014 officially comes to an end, actress Melinda Michael gives us a few looks to close this spectacular year.

"I love styles that are classic, colourful, vibrant, edgy and ethereal. Fashion helps me bring out different elements of my confidence. I also love getting inspiration from my different ethnicities (Italian, Lebanese, British, Welsh, Irish and Antiguan)."

TorontoVerve: "What is your favourite memory of 2014?"

Melinda: "I have two great memories. My ultimate favourite is I led a musical meditation for the very first time. This past year, I've been teaching myself to play the harmonium and then one day, the leader of our meditation group asked me to sing in front of everyone. I've only ever played the instrument alone, but that amazing experience really helped me get over my feelings of self-doubt. Another cool moment happened at TIFF when I attended a dinner party with British actor Alan Rickman. I still can't believe that happened."

Next year, Melinda will be shooting a feature film in South Africa where she'll be playing one of five original super heroes. "It speaks to that whole plot of good versus evil and has a real spiritual element to it. The script is still in development so I don't know what my super-powers are just yet, but I'm really excited to find out."

Check out Melinda's website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Jason & Alex

Jason: "My style is modern rock n' roll."

TorontoVerve: "What's your biggest regret in life?"

Jason: "Not listening to my parents. I should have listened to my parents."

TorontoVerve: "What was one thing that you should have listened to them about?"

Jason: "Choose your friends wisely."

Alex: "My style is laid back -- whatever's comfortable. I'm not picky. I'm not a freak who lays out her clothes in the morning. I just pick it up and go. I'm usually in a rush."


Follow Jason on Instagram.

& Alex on Instagram & Twitter.

Asia

Asia: "My style is geometrical and fancy. On the bloggersphere, there's this girl named Oroma Elewa. She's from Nigeria and is the coolest. She puts out this magazine called Pop’Africana. She's like my style icon right now. She's so honest about her style and so cool without even trying. And so original without even forcing it."

TorontoVerve: "What's your biggest regret in life?"

Asia: "Not learning French in school. If I knew French, I'd probably find a better paying job. Jewelry is my number one and my day job is number two. I have a lot of goals in life and learning French is one of them."

Asia Clarke is a jewelry designer and you can check out her cool designs on her website Wild Moon Jewelry.

Blogger Spotlight: What Would Kanye Wear's Christina Mirabelli

For nearly 2 years, media planner Christina Mirabelli has been showcasing her cool urban street style on her personal blog What Would Kanye Wear and we recently caught up with her to talk about it and all things fashion.

TorontoVerve: Tell us about your blog.

Christina Mirabelli: What Would Kanye Wear is my street style -- my day to day fashion. It's an expression of who I am. It's the way that I show the world my creativity.

TV: How did you come up with the name?

CM: My friend Johari came up with the name from mocking my hot fashions at work. For instance, I have this fake fur winter scarf and she would jokingly pose with it and say, "oh, girl -- what would Kanye wear?" and it kinda became a thing. She finally convinced me to start the blog and I knew that had to be the name.

TV: What does Kanye West represent for you?

CM: He's a creative genius. He's bold, inspirational and he doesn't give a f@%k about what anybody thinks and I like that about him.

TV: What is it about his style that inspires you?

CM: It's not so much Kanye's style that I'm attracted to as it is his attitude. He could be wearing jeans and a t-shirt or wear a leather kilt with a diamond-encrusted mask on stage, and in both scenarios, he still exudes the same confidence and charm.

TV: How would you describe your style?

CM: My style is definitely a reflection of my feelings on a given day. One day I can totally be dressed down -- boyish and casual, and the next day I can be wearing my skin-tight leathers with the highest heels. To me, clothes are costumes. When I go to an event, I'll wear something perfectly suited for it. I just get these visions in my head about what I want to wear and I just put it together.

TV: What has the response been for your blog?

CM: People love it. After just 6 months of running the blog, I was featured in Toronto Life, which was awesome. The blog was just something fun to do and it felt like a real accomplishment to be recognized.

TV: What is your most prized possession in your wardrobe?

CM: Definitely my shoes. I love my shoes. I have a pair of army green McQueen little booties with these rocking gold skull zippers, and I also bought a pair of Miu Miu boots in New York, which I've wormed down and resoled so many times. I absolutely love them.

TV: What are some of the hottest trends this summer?

CM: This summer is all about the cropped top. I find that a lot of festival styles are showing up in street style and since the cropped top is big on the runway, it's made a huge comeback in street style.

TV: What do you see trending this Fall?

CM: I see a lot of colour blocking for Fall and I don't think plaid has gone away yet.

TV: What can we expect next from your blog?

CM: When I first started the blog, I posted photos that I took during my lunch hour using my iPhone. Since then, my shoots have been more thought-out and we're using an actual camera to produce higher quality pictures. Also, I'm now shooting my various outfits on weekends so you can expect to see some of my fun and flirty styles.

Check out Christina's blog What Would Kanye Wear.

Follow WWKW on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

* * *

Daria

"My style is simple basics and interchangeable -- nothing fancy."

Daria is the manager of GotStyle Menswear Store.

Follow Daria on Instagram at @MsDariaT.

Talking Dirty With Actress Krista Madison, Star of the New Controversial Film "The Dirties"

Presented by filmmaker Kevin Smith, The Dirties is making huge waves on the festival circuit for its dark portrayal of school bullying. The movie centres on two teenage boys (Matt Johnson & Owen Williams) whose film about killing their high school bullies (AKA the dirties) takes a real deadly turn. Newcomer Krista Madison plays the love interest of one of the film leads.

The London, Ontario-born actress has modeled for the last 10 years for various print ads and has previously appeared in High Valley’s country music video, A Father’s Love, playing the lead singer’s wife.

Madison (25) studied acting at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and is finally getting her big break with The Dirties. Shortly after the film’s debut at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, TorontoVerve sat down with the rising star to get all the dirty details about her new film and more.

TorontoVerve: Congratulations on your first feature film! How did you get involved with the production? 

Krista Madison: Thank you. Like any other actor, I was called in for an audition and I read for [director Matt Johnson and his team]. They’re the easiest-going guys and they’re really really funny, so I knew from the beginning that I could have fun with them. I did two improv scenes and they said, ‘thanks -- see ya! We’ll call you if we’re interested.’ A few days later, I got a call-back and we did a few more scenes. Now, I had no idea that these guys were obsessed with The OC television series when I said that [my character] really reads like Summer Roberts from The OC, and they had this big freak out. We kinda hit it off after that. I finally got the role after my second call-back. 

TV: I was very impressed with the film. I think it's going to resonate with a lot of high school kids -- especially those who don't feel a part of the in-crowd. What are some high school movies that really impacted you?  

KM: That’s a good question. I don’t know about movies, but I’m in love with the television series Glee. As for movies, I’m a 90’s girl so I was obsessed with Clueless with Alicia Silverstone. I can’t tell you how many times I watched it -- of course, it's girly-girl. I have a sister, so between the two of us, that movie was playing constantly every week.

TV: You shot some scenes in an actual high school while classes were in session. What was that experience like for you?

KM: A lot of kids just had no idea we were shooting. Cameras were always rolling. It’s funny -- some of the scenes that made it into the movie weren’t intended to be shot at all, but they were still used to advance the plot. It was cool. It was like being back in high school: kids everywhere, bells ringing and teachers shooing you out of the hallway. We’d literally have 5 or 10 minutes to shoot when they were doing the class turnovers, but most of our scenes were staged and shot on weekends.

TV: Actor and Director Matt Johnson gets a lot of laughs in the film and judging from the Q&A I’ve seen, he's quite hilarious in person. What was it like being directed by him on set?

KM: Matt had an idea how the film would turn out. The last line in the film was the only line that was scripted. When I first auditioned, they had a script for me, but when we began production, Matt would just say, ‘forget it...forget it -- try it this way.’ He would throw us random scenarios and we’d go with it. The majority of the film is actually improv. Matt is absolutely brilliant. The way that man’s brain works is unbelievable.

TV: So how much improv did you do?

KM: Most of my lines that actually made it in the film -- I would say 90% -- was improv, which is crazy [laughs].

TV: It’s great that a director would trust his cast that much to do improv. 

KM: He’s quite a trusting guy. He just wanted it to seem real. He thought that if he threw us curveballs every now and then he could probably get genuine reactions, which happened often.

TV: I remember a scene when you’re dancing with Owen in the high school hallway...

KM: That was one of the moments when we didn’t think Matt was rolling. We were just killing time in-between shots. I look like a crazy person [laughs]. But it was probably what I really looked like in high school. I’ve been silly my whole life like that.

TV: What was life like for you in high school?

KM: Life was interesting. I didn’t really have a lot of friends in my own high school. My friends went to different schools. I just showed up to class, stayed for class and left after class. I wasn’t really social. I grew up riding horse as a hobby so I was doing that 7 days a week. And on the weekends I was competing and showing with my horse.

TV: The film has many funny moments, but it also has some dark themes - specifically school bullying and gun violence.  What were your feelings about those subjects when reading the script?

KM: When I initially read the script they didn’t include the ending, so I didn’t really know how they were going to conclude the movie. The whole bullying thing is such a sensitive subject right now, but I think it’s an important one to acknowledge. We were accepted to the Slamdance Film Festival just days before the Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut and we weren’t sure if they were going to let us screen because of the [school shooting] in our film. So we were really lucky to have been able to show our film. The great thing about the movie is that it shows a different side to a character who you might think is a monster. It’s easy to fall in love with the lead character, Matt. He is funny and lovable. He has a great relationship with his mom and you can see the love that she has for him is real. And, by the way, that’s his real mom in the film. She didn’t know that they were filming her. So that’s her genuine response to his question, ‘Am I crazy?’

TV: Did you guys get any criticism about the sensitive subject matter while on the festival circuit?

KM: None that I actually heard of myself. It’s all been pretty much positive, which is nice. The frequent comments we hear are: ‘I lived that’, ‘I felt that’ and ‘I’ve been there.’ Bullying is a topic that everyone can relate to.

TV: What was your reaction when you first saw the film?

KM: I was shocked. I was absolutely shocked by the ending of the film. We shot the ending in so many different ways. Because of the way the story unfolds and because of the real personal and professional relationships developed between the lead actors, the characters and story [evolved]. The ultimate ending kinda leaves you at the edge of your seat thinking, ‘What?!’

TV: Bullying has become a widespread problem globally. One that doesn't have any easy solutions. What are your own personal experiences with bullying in school?

KM: Because I wasn’t incredibly social in high school I wasn’t bullied, but I was kinda seen as an outcast. Realistically, I probably had only 2 friends in high school. But I saw bullying happen a lot. It’s funny -- I was thinking about this the other day. Somebody asked me a similar question at one of the Q&As and it kinda sat with me when I went home. I realized that I was like my character Chrissy in high school. I watched bullying happen. I didn’t stand up for anybody. I was just the bystander that maybe a lot of kids are.

TV: I think that’s the case in every high school.

KM: Exactly. Plus I wasn’t really cool so I didn’t have much of a voice in high school [laughs]. But in light of The Dirties, I think that people should stand up for each other. Even if you’re not friends with the person who you see being bullied or if you are bullying -- you just have to remember at the end of the day it’s not fun and it can lead to really dramatic things. It’s so unfortunate and it’s preventable. Bullying is not cool and it takes away from the whole fun experience of high school. It’s supposed to be the best time of your life.

TV: The film got the attention of Director Kevin Smith and is presented through his Kevin Smith Movie Club banner. Did you get a chance to meet him?

KM: I didn’t get a chance to meet him. He’s involved in so many other projects right now, too. But I’m looking forward to meeting him one day.

TV: How excited were you when you heard that he was supporting the film?

KM: It was really exciting. Kevin Smith is an icon. He introduced us to his fans, who may not have found our movie otherwise. It’s great that he can give us that extra exposure. He genuinely loves our film. He saw it in January and immediately wanted to be involved in the project however he could.

TV: You've been busy doing the film festival circuit with The Dirties since January. First Sundance, Chicago, Dallas and recently the Toronto After Dark Special Presentation. What was that like for you?

KM: Honestly, it’s so cool. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. The people you meet at these film festivals are the most creative, endearing and enthusiastic people that you can imagine. They genuinely have a love for film and it’s given me a new appreciation for it -- especially with Indie film. I think that it’s really important to support young filmmakers. They’re the next generation and they’re so creative. Some of the films that we’ve seen on the festival circuit would really blow your mind.

TV: The Dirties is getting international acclaim and you're obviously getting a lot attention on your Twitter and Facebook Page -- what are some of your most memorable fan interactions on social media or in person?

KM: The first experience that excited me the most was our screening at Slamdance in Utah. Two cute little boys approached me for an autograph and photos. First of all, I was so humbled that people even came to see our film, but to have people ask for my autograph and tell me that they liked my performance was really cool. Also, having the opportunity to meet different directors, producers, creative-directors and directors of photography gave me a greater appreciation for what goes on behind the camera too.

TV: Do you have aspirations of being behind the camera yourself?

KM: I think eventually, yeah. I would like to. I don’t know if it would be in producing or directing -- maybe creative directing. I've always kinda had an artistic eye. My mother’s a painter. I grew up drawing and painting myself. I’m very interested in photography too. I need to figure out where I would be placed behind the camera.

TV: Now that you have had your first big taste of show business, what is the biggest lesson you've learned from it so far?

KM: Honestly, I think just staying humble is so important. Taking the time to talk to people who want to talk about your projects. Those are the people who are going to support you throughout your career so that’s the best place to start.

TV: TorontoVerve is a street style blog so I’m obligated to ask: how would you describe your style? 

KM: I’m such a sucker for classics. Audrey Hepburn is my fashion god. I also like the modern edge that’s coming out: leather detailing and fun things like prints and bold colours. I try to stick to basic colours, but I also like a little punch of fun every now and then. 

TV: Where do you like to shop?

KM: I love Scoop in New York and the many vintage stores there. I also like the vintage stores in Paris where you’ll find the cheapest things, but they’re the gold pieces that will last you a lifetime. What I’m wearing today is from Riant Boutique. They pick up a lot of the American lines that you’ll find in California and New York. Their style is spot on.

TV: Who are some of your favourite designers?

KM: Oh my God! Where to begin? Because my inspirations are very chic and classic, I love Diane von Fürstenberg, and since I like that punch of fun, I adore Marc Jacobs. I also admire Alexander McQueen, Dior and Prada. And the Burburry collections that came out last Spring and Summer were incredible too. I love designers that give femininity back to women.

TV: Can you tell us the significance of your tattoos? You have a Roman numeral 28 on your forearm and an anchor on your underarm. 

KM: I was born on the 28th and it seems to be my lucky number. It’s funny -- because the day I got the role for The Dirties was the 28th of the month. After that, something really special has happened to me personally or professionally on the 28th -- such as call-backs or booking modeling jobs.

TV: And why the anchor on your underarm? 

KM: I can’t see any of my tattoos unless I look for them and I prefer that, just in case I decide 5 years down the road that I’m not crazy about them.

TV: What does the anchor represent? 

KM: I used to work in marketing and I remember having a really bad week. I was working 15-hour days and I was just exhausted. Around Christmastime, I literally just walked out. My mother reminded me that I needed to stay grounded and that it was just a job. So the only thing that I could think of to symbolize ‘staying grounded’ was an anchor. I remember the first time I got [my tattoos], I had to hide them from my dad [laughs].

TV: So what's next for Krista Madison? 

KM: Well, a few projects are on the horizon. I’m going to shoot a short film at the end of the month. I’m going to play a fantasy dream girl to an 11-year old boy so that will be funny. And there’s a feature film that I’m in the talks for that will be shooting sometime in the Spring.


The Dirties is currently playing in select theatres and is available on iTunes.

***

Krista Madison's wardrobe furnished by Riant Boutique
Leather Jacket: Blank Denim Moto Jacket
Jeans: JBrand Nikola Jean
Top: Equipment Riley Tee

Anny: "Girly & Sophisticated"

"My style is girly and sophisticated."

On the Red Carpet with OMG! Insider's Mary Kitchen

When it comes to fashion and entertainment, Canada's own Mary Kitchen has always had her finger on the pulse. She was a correspondent on shows such as Red Carpet Diary, FTV's In Fashion and City's Breakfast Television before packing her bags and moving to LA to join the OMG! Insider (formally The Insider) team. 

While in the city covering the Toronto International Film Festival, Mary sat down with us to talk about family, fashion and her much-deserved success.

TorontoVerve: Tell us about your childhood. Who was Mary Kitchen before all the success? 

Mary Kitchen: That is a good question. I think I was just like any other kid growing up in New Brunswick. I spent a lot of time with my little sister and I was the eldest so I took care of everybody. My aunt tells a story about when I was 2 years old and I supposedly brought her into my bedroom and then proceeded to explain every outfit that worked together in my entire wardrobe. So maybe I always had [that flare for style]. When I was in high school, there wasn’t a lot of coverage of fashion or the entertainment business so my joy came from magazines. I was obsessed with supermodels and cutting out pictures of clothes, hair, make-up and jewelry. But I was also a sporty kid. I was really into horses, cross-country running, soccer and playing lots of sports.

TV: Where did your love for show business come from in New Brunswick? 

MK: I think it all came naturally together with my love for fashion and doing theatre. When I was 6 years old, I remember telling my dad that I really want to be one of those kids in a toothpaste commercial and he kinda looked at me like I was crazy because that just wasn’t a thing. I also learned a lot of jingles. There was this Shell jingle and it went like this [sings lyrics]. I remember all of that.

TV: So you had aspirations of being in commercials as a kid? 

MK: Not really. I just was interested in what people said on television and learning their lines. I was really as interested in pop culture as I was theatre.

TV: Can you share a little about your family? 

MK: I’m extremely close with my brother and sister. I grew up with my cousins, aunts and uncles up at my family’s cottage. Those are probably my best memories: being in the water all day, lots of waterskiing, windsurfing, canoeing and going to family regattas. There was a tub race and winning the trophy basically defined your entire year. Those are probably some of my fondest childhood memories. My mom and dad are just so not show business-type people and it’s interesting because people always tell me: “your parents must love watching you on the show...” And I respond, “they think it’s fine.” [laughs] But it’s not something that anybody in my family has ever done.

TV: What advice from your mother do you still hold dear? 

MK: Well, she always says that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all, and I kinda try to do that. My mom is the sweetest lady that you can possibly imagine. She is honestly an angel from another planet so I’d be proud to have any of her qualities. And my mom is definitely not into beauty and fashion. She could care less about how she looks and I never understood that. The first thing I say whenever I see my mother is “mom, what’s with your hair? Do you want a little eye-liner? How about some lip-gloss? What’s going on with this look?” [laughs] And she just giggles and laughs. Sometimes the critic in her comes out and she comments on my hair on the show. And it’s funny because she never applies her feedback to herself.

TV: I’m a dog lover so I have to ask: do you still have Celery, your black lab? 

MK: Noooo, I don’t have Celery. She passed away 2 years ago and she is one of the most special things to ever happen to me. This year was the first time that I actually took her up to my cottage and sprinkled her ashes up there. That’s kind of weird and morbid, but I honestly have to say that it was so painful for so long because she really was my best friend. My friends and I always joke that she had a British accent because she was kinda a bit uptight and highly intelligent.

TV: Did she really save your life in a fire? 

MK: Yes, my house burnt down when I was in university and she woke me up. I can still remember her licking me and barking. At the time, I thought I was dreaming, but when I finally opened my eyes I was literally surrounded by flames and smoke. Had I waited another minute, I probably wouldn’t have gotten out.

TV: Is there anyone special in your life right now? 

MK: There is. There is a new relationship in my life. He’s amazing. We’ll see. I mean it’s very new so we’ll see.

TV: He’s from LA? 

MK: He’s from the East Coast, which I like. There are a lot of girls who [are new] to LA and the guys there can sense it. So you learn very quickly to seek out guys from the East Coast. I mean I’m from New Brunswick. If a guy does his hair more than me, that’s just not going to fly back home.

TV: You once dressed the stars for the Oscars and Grammy’s.  Can you tell us about that experience?

MK: When my girlfriend Diana was 21, she opened a store called San Remo and it became a really famous little boutique on St. Thomas Street right off of Bloor Street West. The celebrities would walk in and say, “Oh I’d love to wear something like this to the People’s Choice Awards or the Oscars.” And we’d say, “let us style you.” And for some reason they trusted us.

TV: Who were some of the celebrities you helped style? 

MK: We styled Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Heather Locklear was a great customer. She came in all the time and we’d send her things and put outfits together for her. That was when I was at grad school. To have the background in fashion, journalism and acting really prepared me for what I’m doing right now. My girlfriend Diana in particular who started the store -- she’s a huge inspiration. She really taught me everything I know about fashion.

TV: What is your greatest heartbreak that you would attribute to motivating you to reach your success today? 

MK: That is a good question. I guess all the things that I haven’t gotten ended up helping me do what I’m doing now. I was on a CBC reality show called Fashion File Host Hunt (10 contestants competing to be the show's new host) and it came down to me and the other guy and he got it. I remember thinking that maybe I wasn’t meant to do this, but then I was offered a job on the Fashion Television channel. I’ve gone to a million auditions and many times I didn’t get the part that I had my heart set on. Last year, there was a role I wanted, but I couldn’t do it due to scheduling conflicts and that broke my heart, but then another movie opportunity came up this year. It’s just the way it goes. What amazes me about the heartbreaks is when you do get your heart broken, you really know that you want to be in this business when you go at it again. That almost assures you that you’re doing the right thing because you’re like, 'Wow! That really sucks, but I still want to do this! How crazy am I about this business?' That’s great!

TV: You’re currently a correspondent for OMG! Insider. How did that great opportunity come about? 

MK: A friend of mine had my tape and somebody there ended up seeing it and they asked me to come in. I worked in LA off and on and I kept getting calls. I always thought it was a fun thing to do, but I felt that it was never going to actually be a permanent thing. And when it happened, I was ecstatic. I got to meet the people who I was working with and I learned the concept behind this new show. They really wanted it to be conversational not presentational and to me that was very exciting.

TV: You covered Rihanna’s 7-7-7 tour. It’s been widely reported that Rihanna virtually ignored the journalists on the plane and instead of Rihanna being the story, the journalists’ frustration for her ended up being the story. What was that experience like for you personally? 

MK: That was one of the craziest things I’ve ever done. You’re right -- the journalists did become the story. They really had a collective meltdown. You have to understand there were over a 150 entertainment journalists who were missing from their newsrooms back home and they didn’t have a story. Tensions definitely ran high. I’ll tell you a story about when I was really annoyed. We were sitting on the airplane for 4 hours in Paris [waiting for Rihanna] and it ended up that she was photographed that day shopping. I thought to myself: 'I wish that I was shopping. Why didn’t Rihanna just tell us that she was going shopping so we all could have a shopping day?' But having said that, on that last night in New York, I watched every second of her show because she is magnetic. I love her fashion. I think she’s really unique and she really has that IT factor. That to me is infinitely watchable. When she got up on that stage, I was dancing and loving every minute of it. It showed me that I had some serious endurance because I still wanted the story. At the end, I was there with my microphone thinking, 'I know she’s going to talk to me.' She didn’t, but I still believed that I could get the story. I think it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

TV: It’s interesting that you went through all of that and your personal feelings about Rihanna hadn't changed. 

MK: No because she kinda does whatever she wants and to see it firsthand like that for a superstar that big was interesting. In Germany, she was 2 hours late for her show and the audience was booing her, but as soon as she got up on stage, everyone forgave her instantly. I think it takes huge star charisma to pull that off and she does.

TV: You’re currently covering TIFF.  Which celebrity interview stands out the most for you? 

MK: Julia Louis-Dreyfus was really cool. She has the most Emmy nominations--more than any other female in television history. She’s a real star. And I love James Galdolfini so much. [When he was alive], he was one of the stars that I didn’t want to meet because I didn’t want to be disappointed with him. So to sit there and talk to her about this really sweet film that they made together [called Enough Said] was really special. You know, it’s very strange because I never wanted to interview him before and now I’ll never get the chance. I also met Julia Roberts for the first time. She’s another one who has that crazy star charisma. This is my favourite time of year. I love the Toronto International Film Festival and it’s my 7th year covering it in a row and I hope I get to cover it for as long as possible. It’s so nice to see so many friends. You go to the red carpet and it’s great catching up with all the reporters, stars, directors, agents, producers, publicists and the camera guys. It’s a lot of fun.

TV: How would you rate the fashion you’ve seen at this year’s TIFF? 

MK: Alicia Vikander who stars in The Fifth Estate was wearing a strapless Erdem the other day and it was absolutely beautiful. I love that she was wearing a Canadian designer, but just a different shape -- something modern and fresh on the red carpet. Oh my God, Olivia Wilde had some crazy make-up going on and it was really fresh. Gone was that typical smoky eye and the bronze skin. Instead, she had this really defined black line with cobalt-like electric blue on top. It was simple and cool. I love seeing things like that. Something that’s different. When people take chances, it’s always fun.

TV: How would you describe Toronto street style? 

MK: Very urban obviously. You can tell that the girls here follow fashion blogs. I think that’s exciting. I do too, and not because of work, but because I want to. Fashion in Toronto is very eclectic. Different parts in Toronto have different styles. It’s like New York. You can define New York style from its different boroughs. Toronto is the same. You can pick out the Queen West girl versus the Yorkville girl....

TV: And the Kensington Market girl. 

MK: Yes, the Kensington Market girl. You’ve got many different vibes going on here and we need to see more of it. For a while, we’ve seen that same long blown out hair, same make-up and the same black dress with studs. I love it when someone wears a weird plaid coat with fluorescent nails, no make-up and maybe just lip-gloss or a ponytail. That just shakes the whole fashion world up a bit and I think that’s when you see the best street style.

TV: You had a part in the Kick-Ass 2 as a news reporter. Are we going to see more acting credits for Mary Kitchen on IMDB in the near future? 

MK: I think so. I have just signed with the Amanda Rosenthal Talent Agency here. I hadn’t really done a lot of acting in the last few years because I just haven’t had time. Agents get so frustrated with me because I can never go [to auditions]. I’m always at an interview or voicing something. So I hope I can do a little bit more acting in the future.

Stephanie: Vintage Floral

"I wear all vintage. I love the hunt of finding cool items...it's eco-friendly, and cheaper. I bought this vintage floral outfit at Kind Exchange on Queen Street West."

Shahrokh Moshkin-Ghalam

Iranian actor and dancer Shahrokh Moshkin-Ghalam was the star attraction at Toronto's recent Tirgan festival. The multi-talented artist impressively sold out all 3 performances of the festival's presentation of Love Stories of the Shahnameh. 

Just before his debut show, I was fortunate to meet and capture Mr. Moshkin-Ghalam's brilliant style on King Street West. I just loved the boldness of his colourful paisley jacket and dazzling purple vest -- not to mention, his bright blue pants. North American men should dare to wear Mr. Moshkin-Ghalam's flashy colour palette.

Mark: "Urban Meets Professional"

Mark jet passed me on his longboard while I was biking through rush hour traffic on King Street West. It was quite a challenge catching up to him.

"I'm fast and free when I'm on my longboard. This is my urban meets professional look."