Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all our friends in the Argyle Empire!
We wish you every happiness and blessing this holiday season and always. We're very grateful for your friendship, and for all the support you've given to SR and his writing.
(And if you don't observe the holidays, please accept our gratitude and good wishes anyway.)
The adorable bunny pic was made by Gel, our wonderful GIFansPhilippines moderator.
"Lobby was an upscale martini bar and lounge on Bloor Street. Gabriel, in true Dantean fashion, always referred to the club as The Vestibule, because he deluded himself that its inhabitants resembled the virtuous pagans who spent eternity in Dante's vision of Limbo. In reality, however, Lobby and its patrons had far more in common with the various circles of Hell."
Gabriel's Inferno, Ch. 9
~~~~~~~~~
If there was one place I was absolutely dying to see in Toronto after reading Gabriel's Inferno, I have to admit it was Lobby.
It was not to be, however.
By the time I visited the city in 2011, Lobby was gone. Although the building is still there and is now operating as a new business, it is still easily recognizable from a distance. Sadly, it appears that once The Professor found his Beloved and stopped making his regular visits there, the place just couldn't sustain itself without his patronage.
*sigh*
Even finding pictures online has proven to be a challenge for me this go round, but I did find this one and it made me smile.
Any hope that this was taken with a certain iPhone?
I'm afraid we'll just have to look back fondly on the one or two evenings when we were swept away to Lobby with the Snarky Narrator.
"A double shot of Laphroaig twenty-five-year-old, neat, please. And ask the bartender for a small shot glass of spring water, non-sparkling," Gabriel instructed without making eye contact with the waitress.
The waitress left, and Rachel began to laugh. "Big brother, only you could make ordering a drink sound pretentious."
Julia giggled, if only because she like the sight of Gabriel's irritation at his sister's characterization.
"What's Laphroaig?" she asked.
"A single malt Scotch whisky."
"And the spring water?"
"Just a drop or two to open up the taste. I'll let you try it when it arrives." He hazarded a small smile in her direction, and she turned away, looking down at her lovely shoes.
He followed her gaze and found himself entranced by her beautiful high heels. Rachel had no idea how fine a purchase they'd been. It was worth every penny just to see Miss Mitchell's lovely legs, arched and lengthened by those exquisite shoes. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, hoping the movement would successfully dislodge his advancing arousal from its current trap.
It didn't."
Oh my. I need a distraction after that.
How about a fashion show filmed at Lobby?
It gives us an idea of what the place was really like back in the day. And I bet if you watch it, you'll spot a few of The Professor's favorite fashion accessories. (I saw at least three, just sayin.)
Hmmm...
It looks like Gabriel and Julia have made their way over to the dance floor while we were distracted by fashion.
"Relax," he whispered, his lips brushing against the skin of her cheek accidentally.
He brought their bodies close together, making sure that she could feel his chest against hers. Strong and hard met gentle and soft, as they brushed against one another through their clothing. Gabriel was now on his best behavior.
Julia didn't recognize the song he'd requested. The vocalist was singing in Spanish, and the words were unfamiliar, although she recognized the phrase besame mucho and knew that it translated as kiss me a lot. The arrangement itself was slow Latin jazz, and they swayed to it gently, Gabriel moving her across the dance floor like an expert. The fact that he'd chosen such an overtly romantic song made her blush.
I kissed you a lot, Gabriel, for one glorious evening. But you don't remember. I wonder if you'd remember me if I kissed you...
She felt his pinky graze the top of her barely there panties through her dress, and she wondered if he knew what lay beneath his finger. The thought that perhaps he did made her skin explode in heat. She hid her eyes by keeping them determinedly fixed on the buttons of his shirt.
"It would be better if you looked me in the eye. It will be easier for you to follow my lead."
She found him smiling down at her, a wide and genuine smile that she hadn't seen in years. Her heart fluttered, and she beamed back at him, dropping her guard (but not her panties) for only an instant."
I think this is a good place for us to return to our banquette, listen to the music and let these two have their quiet moment.
This concludes my month long look at evenings out in Toronto. I haven't quite decided what my Destination posts will be for April, so next week's post will be a surprise for us all.
In the meantime, I hope you have an enjoyable week.
As we all know, spotlighting charities and worthwhile causes is important to SR.
As a group, Elli, Coco, Sere and I are also dedicated to promoting these endeavors. Therefore, we are happy to launch a new weekly series of posts in order to take a more in-depth look at the various charitable organizations highlighted by SR. You can find a complete list of these charities on our blog by clicking on the "About the Charities" header.
We hope you will find the information in these posts informative and educational. If you have a particular cause that is close to your heart or you have personal experiences with any of the charities we spotlight, please feel free to contact us about it.
Take Care,
Jenn
~~~~~~~~~
Modest Needs Mission Statement: At Modest Needs, we work to promote the self-sufficiency of the 'working poor' - the hard-working but low-income individuals and families that conventional philanthropy has otherwise forgotten.
This cause is quite unique in that a potential donor can literally read through pages of individual grant requests. Many times as donors, we are not necessarily aware of how our contributions are being allocated once we've given to a particular organization. But with Modest Needs a donor can select specific projects to fund. This provides a very personal touch for the donor, and as a result, transforms the mundane online donation experience into a something a bit more special.
Many individuals and families find themselves in a daily struggle for survival. Modest Needs provides a place for people to seek assistance for any number of emergencies. Whether it involves seeking funds for car repair or assistance with rent or help with unexpected medical bills, Modest Needs can offer help to those who are in desperate need of resources. Whether you need help or whether you have the ability to help others in need, you should take a few moments to familiarize yourself with this website and bookmark it for future reference.
You can visit the website to browse applications, enroll as a donor, read testimonials from those who have benefited from the charity, refer candidates to the site and also to seek answers to any questions you may have about how the charity operates.
You can follow Modest Needs on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. You may also sign up for email newsletter updates (something I did when I was researching this post).
"Harbour Sixty Steakhouse was a landmark in Toronto, a famous and very expensive restaurant popular with CEOs, politicians, and various other impressive personages. Professor Emerson ate there because their steak was superior to any other he had tried, and he was impatient with mediocrity. So it never occurred to him to take Miss Mitchell anywhere else."
Gabriel's Inferno, Ch. 5
~~~~~~~~~
When I first discovered "Gabriel's Inferno," this scene was the moment I realized just how desirable The Professor was. Up until this point, he hadn't shown us his better side and even though I found him a fascinating character, I wasn't sure if he would ultimately appeal to me (famous last words).
"Miss Mitchell had a lovely voice, it was true, but Miss Mitchell speaking Italian was something celestial. Her ruby mouth opening and closing, the delicate way she almost sang the words, her tongue peeking out to wet her lips from time to time...Professor Emerson had to remind himself to close his mouth after it had dropped open. Antonio was so surprised and pleased at her response that he kissed her cheeks not just once but twice and quickly led them to the back of the restaurant where he provided them with his best and most romantic table for two."
"He looked across the small and intimate table and saw that she actively avoided his eyes. She was studying the menu as if it were an exam, worrying her lovely lower lip between her teeth. "You are invited, Miss Mitchell." Her eyes darted to his with a questioning look. "You are my guest. Order whatever you like, but please order some meat." He felt the need to add that qualification since the express purpose of their dinner was to provide her with something more fortifying than couscous."
(Parenthetically, if you would like to peruse the menu, you can do so here.)
When The Professor took Julia to dinner at Harbour Sixty Steakhouse, I began to look at him in entirely different light. And it wasn't just because Emerson had decided to make sure Julia ate a decent meal, although it was a touching gesture.
Oh no.
It was this moment right here...
"Mr. Emerson watched, almost breathless, as she swirled the wine in her glass expertly, then lifted it so that she could examine it more closely in the candlelight. She brought the glass to her nose, closed her eyes, and sniffed. Then she placed the glass to her plump lips and tasted the wine, holding it in her mouth for a while before swallowing. She opened her eyes, even more widely, and thanked Antonio for his precious gift. Antonio beamed, complimented Mr. Emerson on his choice of dining companion a little too enthusiastically, and filled both of their glasses with his favorite wine. Meanwhile, Mr. Emerson had been adjusting himself under the table because the sight of Miss Mitchell tasting wine was the most erotic thing he'd ever witnessed. She was not merely attractive; she was beautiful, like an angel or a muse. And she wasn't merely beautiful; she was sensual and hypnotic, but also innocent. Her pretty eyes reflected a depth of feeling and radiant purity that he had never noticed before."
For me, this scene was critical in allowing me to see The Professor beyond his harsh exterior. As their evening together progresses, we see Emerson unexpectedly drop his guard with Julia, allowing an honest admission to slip past his defenses.
"Antonio is very taken with you." Julia looked up and smiled prettily. "He's very kind." "You blossom under kindness, don't you? Like a rose." The words escaped his lips before he had time to consider them, and by the time they were pronounced and Julia had looked at him with no little warmth, it was far too late to retract them."
And swoon went this girl.
Next week, I'll be back to wrap up our tour of evenings out in Toronto, and you can expect a hell of a finale...
Until then, take care,
Jenn
Sunday, March 17, 2013
COMPILATION OF INTERVIEWS WITH AUTHOR SYLVAIN REYNARD Hello, everyone! We have compiled all the links to interviews for Gabriel's Inferno and Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard. We hope that you'd enjoy the interviews as much as we all did, and we would like to thank Elli (@Iris_Elli) for putting all the links together on her Pinterest. I only copied and pasted them to this blog. Happy Reading!
If you are part of a book blog and would like to sign up to participate in the upcoming cover reveal for Gabriel's Redemption, please feel free to sign up here.
SR is hoping for a big reveal with as many blog review sites as possible joining in. Blogs worldwide are welcome to sign up.
If you have any further questions regarding the upcoming cover reveal, please contact SR's publicist, Enn via SR's website.
Welcome to the third book in the Gabriel Series trilogy, "Gabriel's Redemption"!
A picture teaser was also posted. Do you recognize the picture? What do you think it means? Why are they going there? ;-)
Post your thoughts on his blog in the comments to the link above.
And then today, Friday, March 15, 2013, we repeated the drill in anticipation of the Release Date
I know what I want for Christmas ;-)
See SR's two blog posts linked above for more news regarding teasers and events coming up this year!
There are countless wonderful pleasures awaiting readers of “Gabriel’s Inferno” and “Gabriel’s Rapture:” the characters, the story, the music, the trips to exotic locations....
And then there’s the artwork. Some of my favorite scenes in the books showcase classic pieces of art with fascinating histories.
“Dante’s Inferno” is one of the greatest literary works of all time, of course, but I also love how SR references many outstanding paintings. He often uses them to help us visualize or understand a scene. When Richard scolds Scott in “Gabriel’s Inferno” for being cruel to Gabriel, he points to Rembrandt’s “The Return of the Prodigal Son.” It’s easy to see the connection between Richard’s love for his troubled older son and the painting which movingly depicts the Biblical parable.
In one of the most touching scenes in “Gabriel’s Rapture,” Julia shows Gabriel a picture of “The Vision of St. Francesca Romana,” which portrays St. Frances gazing with love at a baby held on Mary’s lap. Julia tells Gabriel it reminds her of his daughter Maia in heaven, being cared for and loved by Grace. “Vision” was painted by Orazio Gentileschi, an Italian Baroque artist who was strongly influenced by Caravaggio for most of his career.
The scene inspired me to find out more about Orazio Gentileschi. (Parenthetically, it should be noted that this is probably also SR’s intent: to inspire us to explore and learn more about world masterpieces.) Orazio had several sons, but his daughter, Artemisia, was his most prominent offspring. An important painter in her own right, Artemisia also painted in Caravaggio’s style of stark realism. The more I read about her, the more fascinated I became with her life and accomplishments.
Among her earliest and most proficient paintings is “Susanna and the Elders” (1610), a depiction of the Biblical wife Susanna (Shoshanna), a virtuous woman who was sexually harassed by male elders. She was only 17 years old when she completed it, and the color, composition, and technique seem so beyond a teenager’s capability that for years many thought it had been done by her father.
In 1612-13, Artemisia painted “Judith Beheading Holofernes,” another Biblical scene which depicts the Jewish widow Judith beheading the Assyrian general Holofernes with the assistance of her servant. Holofernes and his army had taken siege of Judith’s village of Bethulia. He passed out drunk after ordering a feast in celebration of her great beauty. Judith took advantage of the situation to murder the general, and the people of her village triumphantly turned back the Assyrians after Holofernes’ death.
The painting is graphic and gruesome, with Judith determinedly holding his head as she uses the knife. The painting is often seen as an allegory of the triumph of Judaism over its enemies.
The subject matter of victimized women has unfortunate parallels to Artemisia’s own life. While still a teenager, she was raped by Agostino Tassi, her art instructor. Tassi was a contemporary of her father’s; in fact, Orazio had appointed Tassi as his daughter’s teacher. When Tassi did not marry Artemisia as promised, Orazio brought the case to court. It was the first recorded rape trial in history; transcripts of the proceedings are still in existence. Artemisia was forced to give evidence and was reportedly tortured for it. Although Tassi was found guilty and was exiled from Rome for five years, he was back in the city within months, apparently after bribing officials to let him return.
Artemisia married Pierantonio Stattesi, a Florentine painter. At the age of 23, she became the first woman to join Florence’s esteemed Academy of Design. Her painting style became more individualized, and rather than paint the portraits or still life that were common for painters of her time, she continued to draw upon historical subjects. She was associated with the Medici court, and painted frescoes celebrating Michelangelo in the Casa Buonarroti.
Brilliant, determined, astute and extraordinarily talented, Artemisia Gentileschi is a woman for the ages. If you are interested in reading more about her, I recommend “Artemisia” by Alexandra Lapierre. It is a fictionalized biography of her life, and very well written. You can find out more about it here:
"I'm not dressed for dinner, thank you very much." Her voice was satin over steel, and she arched an eyebrow at him. She had gotten over her initial shock at being surprised in his carrel and was now fully awake and fully annoyed at his tone. His eyes passed over her slowly, pausing to regard her lovely figure and then resting for a long time on her sneakers. He despised sneakers on women, for they were a waste of a perfectly good podiatric opportunity. He cleared his throat. "You look fine. I think the color of your blouse brings out the blush in your skin and the butterscotch flecks in your eyes. You look nice, actually." He smiled at her a little too warmly and looked away. I have butterscotch in my eyes? Since when? And since when has he looked at them long enough to notice? "There is a little place near my building that I frequent during the week, especially on late nights. I'll buy you dinner, and we can talk about your thesis proposal, informally, of course. How's that?" "Thank you, Professor." Their eyes did not meet for long, but they met, and warm and somewhat hesitant smiles were exchanged on both sides."
Gabriel's Inferno, Ch. 12
~~~~~~~~~
This was one of my favorite chapters in Gabriel's Inferno and so when I visited Toronto, I knew my trip would not be complete without checking out Caffé Volo.
The place is easy to pass by on the street, blending in with its surroundings quite well. In fact, when my friends and I first approached it, we weren't even convinced we were at the right location. Once we stepped inside, however, we quickly recognized the setting we had read about.
"The Caffé was a quiet but friendly establishment that boasted perhaps the longest and best beer list in Toronto. It also had a very fine Italian chef, and so their food was some of the finest simple Italian fare on offer in the neighborhood. The restaurant itself was small, only ten tables, which were supplemented in the summer by a patio. The decor was rustic and included antiques, such as reclaimed church pews and old harvest tables."
I enjoyed a lovely evening there with good friends, good alcohol and good food. And yes, we requested a particular section...
"Gabriel liked it because they sold a particular kind of Trappist Ale that he preferred, Chimay Premiere, and it pleased him to have pizza in the Neapolitan style to pair with that beer. (As ever, he was impatient with mediocrity.) Since Gabriel was a frequent patron of Caffé Volo and more than somewhat persnickety, he was offered the best seating, which was a quiet table for two tucked into a corner near the large picture window that looked out on the madness that was Yonge Street at night. Transvestites, university students, frat boys, policemen, happy gay couples, happy straight couples, celebrities slumming, yuppies walking their pretentious pets, eco-friendly activists, street persons, buskers, possible gang members, Russian mafia, a wayward professor or Member of Provincial Parliament or two or four, etc. It was a myriad of fascinating human behavior, it was live, and it was free."
Ever since my visit, I've wondered how many other fans of The Professor have wandered into the place requesting the same seat. I'm guessing at least a few and I'm guessing enough of us may have popped in by now to be easily identified upon sight. *giggles*
"Julia settled cautiously into her seat, which was a converted church pew, and pulled the lambskin rug that the waiter had draped over the back of the pew tightly around her.
"Are you cold? I'll ask Christopher to seat us near the fireplace." Gabriel moved to signal to the waiter, but Julia stopped him. "I like to people watch," she said shyly. "Me too," he admitted. "But you look like a Yeti." Julia reddened. "Forgive me," he hastened to add. "But surely we can do better than a lambskin rug that has been God knows where. It probably used to grace the floor of Christopher's apartment. And who knows what kind of shananigans went down on it."
Now, in the true spirit of shananigans, I'm breaking my self-imposed rule a bit and a sharing a portion of a personal picture taken from my night at Caffé Volo. I think it's important to see that the essential details of this scene are factual (parenthetically it should be noted that the attractive arm you see there is my friend's, not mine. I wanted the window seat.) Please note one lambskin rug and one bottle of Chimay resting on the shelf above said rug. :)
Now, no evening out at the bar is complete without a little music...
"That's a beautiful song. Who is it by?" "It's called You and Me by Matthew Barber, a local musician. Did you catch that line - the one about virtue and vice? I guess we know which term applies to each of us."
Seriously, if you haven't followed through and listened to this wonderful song, do yourself a huge favor right now. I listen to this tune a lot and probably never would have known about it without reading about it in Gabriel's Inferno.
Many thanks to SR for two wonderful discoveries in one chapter.
Next week, we'll continue our series of evenings out on the town in Toronto. You should probably pick out your best pair of shoes for a very nice dinner.
"That meeting was a confederacy of dunces," announced Soraya, leaning against the banquette in the bar of the Windsor Arms Hotel. Julia nodded, wondering if she was Ignatius Reilly, the protagonist of that book, or whether Gabriel was Ignatius and she was Myrna Minkoff. The bartender delivered their martinis with a smile and a few dishes of tapas, "on the house." He winked at Soraya, who was a regular, and returned to the bar."
Gabriel's Rapture, Ch. 21
~~~~~~~~~
To be fair to those who may not have read "Gabriel's Rapture" yet, I'm afraid I can't reveal more from this scene than I already have. However, one of the things I've really enjoyed about the series is how real locations are constantly highlighted throughout the story. No matter how small the opportunity, SR manages to take us all on quite the virtual travel experience.
I don't know about you but if I can't be lounging on the beaches of Belize I can definitely think of worse places to visit than Toronto, and this time I'm speaking from experience. I had the opportunity to visit the city in 2011, and when I wasn't enjoying the company of great friends, I was out and about visiting various locations mentioned in the Gabriel series. I didn't get to see everything I wanted to, but that's OK because I definitely plan on making a return visit one of these days.
One of the places I didn't venture to was the Windsor Arms Hotel, but I can see after studying the map, that I must have walked by it on more than occasion.
The Windsor Arms Hotel is located in the Yorkville neighbourhood and was built in 1927.
Although run down by the 1980's, it was listed as a historic property by the City of Toronto in 1983. It was purchased and rebuilt during the 1990's and reopened in 1999. The Toronto International Film Festival was founded in the hotel in the late 1970's and the hotel's involvement in the Festival continues to this day.
The Windsor Arms Hotel is only mentioned one other time in "Gabriel's Rapture," revealing to us yet another special quality about the fabulous place.
"Underneath the jewel case she found a series of gift certificates for various spa treatments at the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto, some of which had various exotic sounding names such asVichy showerand seaweed and salt body wrap."
Gabriel's Rapture, Ch. 10
Doesn't that sound heavenly? As I contemplate such luxury, I can't help but be reminded about somewhere else we may have recently visited. *taps chin*
A trip to the spa seemed like a perfect transitioning post from Belize to Toronto and I hope you will sit back, relax and enjoy the experience.
As March is a month centered around one particular Irish holiday (accompanied by a tad of alcohol consumption), I have planned several evenings outside of our Hobbit Holes.
This week we enjoyed martinis. Next week, I'll be treating us to a round of beer.
