Deep Dish: Issue #781

*Check out the slideshow above for all the cute photos.

FML
Mon, Sept 29 @ O’Grady’s

FML can stand for many things. For most, these letters stand for the lovely sentiment “fuck my life,” but it’s also the name of a very positive weekly at O’Grady’s. Quanah Style, who is making her presence known at tonight’s party, is definitely feeling the positive vibes. As DJ Recklezz slips on some Nicki Minaj, Miss Quanah sneaks drags off drag queens’ cigarettes and lets it be known that since her arrival in Toronto from Vancouver, she’s been a very busy body. The singer, songwriter and social climber is currently performing across her new hometown, writing her own music, working on a music video — with local Toronto music aficionado Melleefresh, of Fresh Records — and working on immoral drag queen Scarlett Bobo’s first album (I expect it will be about messiness and mascara). But for some, FML stays true to its non-O’Grady’s definition. For example, after Devine Darlin performs an eclectic medley of her favourite songs in front of the wall of windows, a well-known, out-of-drag queen loudly goes off on the state of drag culture in Toronto today. This, perhaps, is the effect of cheap $5 bar rails and inexpensive Lee Press-On Nails. A good night’s sleep and some glue remover is, hopefully, all that’s needed to correct that negative business. Taking everything in and handling it well are organizers Monty T, Joey V and host Brett M. Milling about are Jeff Rustia and Jeffrey Nichols, who is bouncing about in one of the five onesies he scored from Urban Behavior. If only our behaviour, urban or otherwise, was dependent on our lives being fucked.

Fashion Showz
Fri, Sept 12 @ Byzantium

TIFF stands for Toronto International Film Festival (I know, it happened ages ago), but if you reverse these letters (and watch movies backward, like I sometimes do), then you might be having a ffit. A fit can be an angry, expressive outburst, or it can be a word that relates to fashion — and fashion is what’s happening at Byzantium tonight. It’s an unofficial TIFF party, and Daniel McBride, of Showz Productions, has teamed up with designer James Serino to bring us a club-style fashion show that introduces us to his line, Serino. A packed house (bravo) has come out to dance to the beats of DJ Geoff Kelleway, be entertained by the signature dance moves of Gia and watch models do their thing on the dancefloor/catwalk. Making surprise appearances and lending their support are many fashion industry types, including big-time designers Stephen Wong and Kirk Pickersgill, of Greta Constantine, and modelling agent Alan Thomas. As the show begins, McBride is busily trying to coordinate with bar security to clear out space for the models to walk. This sight is almost as good as the show. But the show eventually begins, and the male and female models, including dancer Gerry King, walk from back to front, pose at the dancefloor and then make their way back. Serino’s tight, stretchy men’s tops with their flowery prints are cute enough, but the pants — a combination of leather, pleather and stretch fabric — make me wilt. It makes sense that this line is showing in a club: it’s very much club-wear. If only it wasn’t so dated.