The GATE celebrated our 15th anniversary last year, and I’m pretty proud of the fact that I’ve not only made it this far, but also had some pretty great experiences. Since it’s early in 2016, that got me feeling a bit nostalgic about the incredible year that was 2015, so I thought it was time for a bit of a recap of some of the awesome stuff that came my way.
Last year was easily my busiest and biggest ever, and it’s actually a bit hard to trim this list down to just a few things, but I did my best. There were movies and interviews, festivals, dinners, cocktails, gadgets, and more cocktails. At times it was almost too busy, but it’s really hard to complain about that.
So, here are some of my favorites moments and things from 2015. It’s a fairly big list, so strap in and grab some snacks.
TIFF 2015
Year after year, it’s pretty hard to top the Toronto International Film Festival. Last year there were some incredible moments and events every month, but once again TIFF was tops thanks to interviews, films, and The GATE’s first ever Interview Lounge at the Omni King Edward Hotel. The King Edward offered a truly fantastic space (the suite where John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed in 1969), and then during the festival I interviewed Rob Reiner and Cary Elwes for Being Charlie; Bruce McDonald and Chloe Rose for Hellions; the great Terence Davies, Agyness Deyn, and Kevin Guthrie for Sunset Song; Lenny Abrahamson and Jacob Tremblay for Room; and most of the cast of Heroes Reborn. Not to mention previews of the Tastemakers and Bask-It-Style gift lounges, which were both really posh.
All of that on top of seeing great films like Land of Mine, Sicario, Into The Forest, Room, and February, to name a few.
WayHome Festival
Over the years I’ve been to some great festivals, but WayHome felt like nothing I had been to before. It was like a big European festival had finally come to Ontario, and it was glorious. Neil Young, Hozier, St. Vincent, The Decemberists, The Sheepdogs, Walk The Moon, Hey Rosetta!, and so many more. The lineup was incredible, and I wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for Samsung Canada, who sent me to check out the festival with the Galaxy S6 edge.
Now I just can’t wait until WayHome 2016, which is already firmly in my calendar.
Canada Goose premieres Out There in New York City
For the premiere of Canada’s Goose’s short film Out There by director Paul Haggis, I flew down to New York City to interview the filmmaker and meet with their CMO, plus Canadian climber Laurie Skreslet. Best of all, the event was at the stunning Explorers Club, which is a venerable institution for exactly the kind of people featured in the film. So, not only did I get to chat with Haggis and the Canada Goose team, but I had a day to enjoy New York City, and peek inside one of the most fascinating buildings in New York.
Interviews
Was last year my best ever? Yeah, I think that’s a pretty safe bet, and that’s solidified with my list of interviews. I’ve had some good years in the past, but in 2015 I interviewed John Boorman for Queen & Country, Hayley Atwell, Anthony Daniels, the casts of Killjoys and Dark Matter, Brad Bird, John Hodgman, The Wiggles (one of my most viewed video interviews of 2015), Fred Penner, Laura Vandervoort and Greyston Holt, Alan Doyle, Mike Vogel and Daisy Betts for Childhood’s End, Mahershala Ali for House of Cards, Zach Levi for Heroes Reborn, and dozens more.
Plus I was on set for Saving Hope, 12 Monkeys season 2, and a few others.
Toronto events
Last year was another great one for Toronto’s annual lineup of events. CMW, NXNE, Fan Expo, the Canadian Screen Awards, and the Canadian National Exhibition were all great, but it was hard to top the extravaganza that was the Pan Am Games. From the opening and closing events, concerts, sports, and everything in between, the Pan Am Games were exceptional, and I really enjoyed what I was able to take in.
The Canadian International AutoShow also gets a nod for their epic media day event last February, and touring the entire show floor to see all of the cars, plus getting a preview of the concept behind the upcoming Canadian-made Ford GT. I’m not exactly a car nerd, but I have a pretty deep love for cars, so this event is quickly becoming a new favorite each year.
Ciroc launches in Canada
Ciroc launched in Canada with one of the biggest parties, and one of the best-branded events I’ve ever seen. The VIP space at Cabana Pool Bar was well stocked with high-end cocktails, the pools were filled with party-goers, and the iconic Ciroc blue was everywhere, including on the very sharp Sully Wong x Ciroc sneakers that marked the launch of the exclusive liquor brand in Canada. And the party went right into the night.
Other previews and food highlights
There were some great previews and special opportunities last year too. I drove an Audi SQ5 for a weekend, and the Ford Explorer Platinum as well. Samsung had me drop in to check out their SUHD TV offerings in a eye-popping house, and Hamilton Watch showed off their latest watches which included one of Elvis’ originals.
And then there was food and spirits. Grand Marnier gave me a stunning tasting of their entire line of cognacs, while Diageo Canada had me visit their new office to sample cocktails by their Reserve Brand Ambassador Simon Hooper. In the summer, Veuve Clicquot launched Rich with a stunning event on the Toronto Islands, while Hennessy celebrated 250 Years with a mouth-watering meal at La Société and featuring their Time Barrel.
I also sampled a great meal–featuring meat in every course–thanks to Carnivor wine, had haggis for Robbie Burns Day at Casa Loma with Johnny Walker, sampled Canadian Club at their #IHeartRye party, and had dinner at Montecito with winemaker Scott McWilliam for his family’s McWilliam’s Wines.
All of that, but I still have one top-of-the-list moment that actually beat them all because it featured the best meal I had all year. Highland Park held their Freya Revealed sampling at Brassaii in Toronto and it was spectacular. Easily one of the top ten meals I’ve ever had, and it included sampling of Highland Park’s wonderful Valhalla Collection; Freya, Loki, and Thor.
All of that, and I didn’t even get into gadgets, films, or some of the other highlights, but it was an incredible year, and as always, thanks to everyone who made it possible. Thanks first and foremost to the publicists who continue to work with me, and the new friends who have started sending opportunities my way. Thanks as well, obviously, to all the talent who took the time to chat.
Now, let’s get on with 2016.
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