A while ago I wrote a blog post in Portuguese about my commute in Vancouver. Since I walked from Yaletown to Robson Square, the scenery changed a bit throughout the photo essay. Here in T.O., my commute happens underground, starting from our Younge and Eglinton neighbourhood  and ending in the middle of the Dundas Square craziness. Here is what I see underground on my way home. Enjoy!

What about you? What do you see when going to work or school?

Read more about the Toronto Transit Commission here.

Day #37: A TTC Inspired Photo Essay is a post from: MadameHeringer.com

                          

Mr. Ames has been talking about The Burger’s Priest new location for days now. The plan was to check out the new spot yesterday, but the plan was postponed after a friend invited us for feijoada. I even asked him if he was sure that the restaurant was open today. He was so sure that my only choice was to head north with him. I can’t complain, it’s close to home and we’ve done this walk on sunny days; however, I confess that I had an I told you so attitude when I saw that the joint is closed on Sundays because it’s church day.

Luckily, we noticed that right beside The Bruger’s Priest is this very posh restaurant called The Burger Cellar. I haven’t been to The Burger’s Priest yet, but I wonder what the rational was competing with an already established burger place. The service was great and our waiter gave us a very nice explanation of the menu and some encouragement to change things around. I have never been to a burger place where service is efficient without rushing before The Burger Cellar. That alone is definitely a reason to come back soon.

The food was superb. My Salmon BLT burger was exactly what I expected and Mr. Ames couldn’t hide his excitement with his BCB burger. The poutine was perfect and had actual cheese curds in it (and I do regret eating it all!!!). I found The Burger Cellar well priced. We paid around $60 (tax + tips) for the feast that you see in the pictures, which also included a pop and a $5 Stella pint (Super Bowl special).

After a 30-minute walk towards home, we were ready for desert (I know my trainer will kill me tomorrow, but today was a really good day!) Jedd’s Frozen Custard is always the best place in our neighbourhood for a quick desert stop. We adopted the place as our favourite summer spot because of its sidewalk tables and their pet friendly approach. Coffee is always fresh as well as the deserts and frozen custard. I love the milk chocolate mousse and lemon tart! Our friend Pam found the London Fog and the cezanne magical

The Burger Cellar
3391 Yonge Street Toronto, ON M4N 2L8
Sun-Wed 11:30am-10:30pm
Thu 11:30-12am
Fri-Sat 11:30-12:30am
T 647.345.0084

Jedd’s Frozen Custard
2470 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario M4P 2H5
Monday to Saturday 8am – 10pm
Sunday 9am – 10pm
T 647.349.2121

Day #36 – Sunday Feast: The Burger Cellar and Jedd’s Frozen Custard is a post from: MadameHeringer.com

                          

Canadian advertising legend Terry O’Reilly came to RTA tonight to talk about his passion and work in the industry. As a big fan of his radio show, Age of Persuasion, I confess that the event has been on my calendar since the beginning of the month and I was counting the minutes to see Terry talking about his new CBC radio show Under the Influence. The wait paid off, and the two-hour talk followed by a panel discussion with RTA students Lama Balagh and Erica Shaw, Dr. Charles Davis and John Girardo really inspired me to not only think creatively but also strategically.

I live tweeted the whole session and you can check out the discussion here.

Terry didn’t agree with me when I commented on the lack of diversity inside ad agencies and in the creative produced in Canada. However, I’d love to see him saying yes to this question:

What do you think? Will Terry accept it?

To be continued… (I’m hoping!)

Day #31: Terry O’Reilly at RTA School of Media is a post from: MadameHeringer.com

                          

Earlier this semester, I came across a very interesting article entitled Learning from the Trickster: Classroom as Contested Terrain by UNBC Professor Fyre Jean Graveline. The idea of the Trickster has been haunting me for weeks now. For those who are not familiar with the figure of the Trickster, in aboriginal culture he is the spirit that motivates change. It’s still unclear if the Trickster has a defined code of conduct, however, I believe that this First Nations’ figure has a lot to do with the role of writers in our society.

“The Trickster is evident in some form in every Aboriginal culture and is responsible for the changes that took and are taking place in  the world,” says Professor Graveline. In western culture, journalists are required to perform exactly the function of the Trickster. As a society, we often expect that news reporters act on our behalf bringing to light accurate information that will move us in the right direction. That’s the reason why the term “investigative journalism” is one of my pet peeves. In this day and age, it’s hard to understand a “lazy” journalist who is satisfied with revamping a Reuters or AP article. Journalism in its essence is investigative and there is no need for rebranding. It’s impossible to keep Tricksters on track when they are more interested in promoting themselves or forget their role in our world. Some will blame the industry, some will blame the Trickster, but at the end, it’s a chicken and the egg discussion.

However, journalism school allowed me to meet some great Tricksters. Even though I didn’t pursue a career in journalism, Arthur Dapieve’s comment on his own role as a columnist at O Globo stayed with me. It was a end of the semester corridor type of conversation, I was about to graduate and was asking Dapieve about his weekly column. He interrupted me when I was about to complement him on his work and said:

You know, Veronica, I actually write for people who don’t like my work. I learn more from them!

After eight years of blogging, I agree with his statement. I’ve learned much more from readers who disagree with me and step on my toes. I feel like a real Trickster, hoping that my ideas will generate change sometime, somewhere…

Day #30: Writers Should Be The Contemporary Tricksters is a post from: MadameHeringer.com

                          

I had more than three reasons to go back to university. However, half way through the masters program, I realized that there are three defined reasons why I would go back to school if I were you. Reasons that deal with being inspired and entrepreneurial. The job market if great to actually do things, but academia can be very addicting to dreamers. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now and if I had to give myself three good reasons to go back to school one year ago, the list would be more or less like this:

1 – Be There To Be Free

The main difference between an undergrad and a master program is that you are in charge of your academic production. I mean, really in charge of it! Every single paper, every single idea that I have is meant to fit into the scope of my research. It’s great to have time to invest in my ideas and actually develop them. It’s a bitter sweet experience since failure is just around the corner and getting lost is part of the process. However, overall, it’s a very rewarding experience.

2 – Constant Feedback

Remember the time when your grade was all that mattered? Well, it’s quite different in grad school. I am getting used to receiving solid feedback for my intelectual production. Grad school is great to understand how your work is perceived and test your ideas. There is always space for improvement although it’s great to know that you have the support to get there!

3 – Poetry

Maybe this one only applies to me, but I love the fact that I can stop and observe people on my breaks. Poetry is everywhere on campus (and I know it sounds super cheesy!). I enjoy sitting around and observing stories unfolding. You have no idea how many love stories happen before my eyes every single day I am on campus. And yes, I see love triangles, and platonic relationships that wouldn’t be platonic at all if boy or girl would make the first move.

Don’t get me wrong, I am really looking forward getting back to work in August. I am enjoying by break though, and capturing as many stories as I can along the way…

Read more: An Introvert’s Guide to Networking (in case you’re back in the job market)

Day #25: 3 Reasons to Go Back to University is a post from: MadameHeringer.com

                          

I don’t want to make this a shameless self-promotion type of blog post, but I just realized that I will be very busy in the next few months. I started saying yes to things and suddenly I am fully booked until May. If I was ever worried about the move to Toronto negatively affecting my social and professional life, the concern just vanished.

February will be a busy month. I signed up for a few Social Media Week (February 13th – 17th) sessions and I am really looking forward to meeting local social media and digital strategists. So far, I will be attending Pulse Check: SMWTO Official Launch Event, Digital Legacy: Raising a Social Generation and Project Butterfly: Escaping The Net. I am also excited to attend my first Podcamp Toronto on February 25th and 26th at Ryerson University. Admission to Podcamp Toronto is free and you can register here.

On March 1st, myself and fellow Ryerson University students Rob Heydari, Wil Noack, and Britney Elise Darmanin will discuss the future of media and content creation at CMPA’s Primetime Conference in Ottawa. Our panel is entitled “Are We There Yet? Media Consumers Today, Content Creators of Tomorrow” and Professor Charles Falzon will be the moderator of the session. If school permitted, I might go to SXSW as well, but that’s really up in the air right now…

However, I am heading to Las Vegas for the NABShow on April 15th. I confess that I am really looking forward to relaxing a little bit before the end of the semester. I am really looking forward to enjoying four days of conference and checking out the newest trends in North American content production and broadcast industries.

On May 30th, Professor Jeremy Shtern and I will be presenting at the Canadian Communication Association (CCA) Annual Conference in Waterloo. Our paper entitled “Mad Men in a Mad World: How Social Media Advertising Professionals Value Users” will discuss the initial findings of the commerce pillar of the “The Interactor Commodity: Social Media, UGC, Audiences and Advertising” research project.

That’s what I have programmed for the next few months so far. Did I miss anything? Should I add any local events to the list?

Day #24: Toronto + Ottawa + Las Vegas + Waterloo (Conferences and Speaking Engagements) is a post from: MadameHeringer.com

                          

We all knew that season four would be our last chance to revisit Erica’s regrets and do some time travelling through the Canadian TV series. We knew it, but we decided to ignore the fact. Now we are campaigning online for the return of a TV series that started courting its fans through social media. If you’re a fan of the series like me, you probably know that the CBC team did a wonderful job in building a loyal community around the Being Erica brand. From the first videolog on Youtube to the twitter accounts for Erica, Julianne and Dr. Tom, Being Erica was the first Canadian franchise to actually maintain a consistent online voice that gave life to the characters and engaged fans between episodes. No wonder we are using the internet to bring the TV series back

I still remember the first time that I heard about Erica Strange. There was a videolog flowing around and some buzz on twitter with links to YouTube videos. The series of weblog had actress Erin Karpluk as Erica recording bits of the story from her cubicle at fictitious WTP Insurance company. The first log, published on December 8th, 2008, had Erica celebrating the newly acquired webcam through a personal video intended to be watched by Ethan, Erica’s best friend at the time. The web exclusive series continued until January 2nd, 2009, three days before the show debuted on CBC.

Leading to the first season, the Being Erica team also developed an exclusive blog that could be easily mistaken for a “real” person diary. I first became a Facebook fan of the show through the blog by clicking on the button in the header. The following season kept a similar approach with Erica’s videologs from RiverRock Publishing. The show’s cast and CBC’s news team also recorded testimonials to support the season two campaign, which you can watch here.

On season three, entrepreneur Erica went on Twitter to tell her stories. Through the micro blogging platform, the fans got several clues into the episodes and had a chance to converse with the character. Twitter accounts were also created for Julianne and Dr. Tom, which allowed Erica to make her conversations with both characters public and RT their best lines.

As I mentioned before, being a Being Erica fan means falling in love with Toronto. I have yet to see a show that complies with the real CMF spirit of promoting Canadian cities and lifestyle like Being Erica. In my opinion, the TV series was able to attract so many loyal fans because it brought the urban Toronto vibe to Canadian households. Erica was a strong character who was constantly overcoming her biggest fears close to us, rushing through Dundas Square on a rainy day and kissing Adam in the summer at Queen’s Quay. It’s sad to see a show led by a female character cancelled, it’s even more discouraging to see a strong Canadian female character silenced.

 

 

 

If you want to join the Bring Back ‘Being Erica’ movement, you can start by liking the Facebook page and writing to the CBC Drama department.

 

 

 

 

Day #22: “Bring Back Being Erica Movement” and Cross-Platform Promotion on Canadian Television is a post from: MadameHeringer.com

                          

I often hear from my fellow Brazilian friends that I won’t survive the winter in Toronto. No matter if they’re living in Rio or Vancouver, my peeps believe that I will pack up and leave town as soon as the “real” Toronto winter arrives. Uhu… Let’s see…

We have a great park close to home that Ipanema looooooves. In the summer, Sherwood Park is our favourite spot for hikes. They have a great off-leash trail that is challenging to both humans and dogs with stairs and creeks all the way. After two days of snow, going back to Sherwood Park seemed like the perfect idea for a sunny day.

Sure thing! The park turned out to be a winter wonderland. There were families everywhere enjoying the day sliding downhill right at the entrance and dogs were having a great time at the off leash areas. I collected some shots for your amusement during our walk, hope it proves that Toronto is a lot of fun in the winter.

Occupy the slopes!!!

Dogs everywhere…

Ipanema had a great time running after her toys and chasing us.

More families enjoying the sunny day and fresh snow…

… and that is what a very tired dog looks like!

Read more about Toronto Parks here.

Day #21: A Winter Day @ The Park is a post from: MadameHeringer.com

                          

I got really close to putting in an application for a PhD program this year. I mostly gave up on embarking on a long journey for a Doctorate degree based on the lack of opportunities available to recent graduates and my curiosity of what’s to come in the industry. Unfortunately, I believe that a PhD would actually limit my career prospects now. After thinking about the barriers that immigrants and women need to overcome in the job market, I realized that adding the “over qualified” label to my resume would just make things more difficult for me. However, I do believe that the research skills that a student develops during a doctorate program would be of great use in the communications industry. However, that wasn’t the main reason to consider the PhD title in the first place.

As I said before, I have been thinking a lot about my legacy. So far, pursuing a Masters program has proved two things: I love creating and managing content, and I know a lot about what I love. Seven years working in three different industries has taught me a lot about audiences and the mechanics of the business. However, the most interesting part of not being a rookie anymore is that you actually have some something to share with the rookies And I love that! Undergrad students are the most interesting people in the world, it’s inspiring to see how eager and open they are to learn more about the industry and the trade. They are also bright. Gosh, they are bright! They always bring up new solutions with such passion. Industry veterans don’t need just career coaches to advance in their careers, they need to mentor undergrads and young professionals!

Like any person that has considered pursuing a PhD, developing research in the industry sounds like the best idea ever. It’s not easy, funding is scarce, but imagine a world where you can answer your question through a methodology that you developed yourself. Imagine being paid to write books and publish them. Doesn’t the life of a professor sound amazing?

Personally, I feel that the recent innovations in the industry and changes in the funding structure with incentives to new media development make going back to the job market very exciting. But, what would happen if I have decided to stay?

Read more:

The Disposable Academic

10 Myths About Immigration (see question 7)

Day #20: Why Would I Want to Be a Professor? is a post from: MadameHeringer.com

                          

One of the greatest things about living between two cultures is that you get to laugh in two languages every single day. However, jokes and memes in my mother tongue tend to have a special flavour, especially now that the Brazilian youth is connected and  heavily using online platforms like their North American counterparts. I remember that my first computer, which in fact was the family computer, had very restricted access to the internet. We were still in the dial-up ages and the phone bill charges were not inexpensive. I was expected to connect to the internet with very specific goals and tasks in mind like checking my email, reading an article or researching something that my Mom asked about. “Fast Internet” arrived after I finished high school, only then I was able to spend hours chatting on ICQ, join Yahoo! groups and have my first Geocities page (dude, I feel old saying that!). So now, when I see the Brazilian Gen Zs creating all sorts of trending topics on Twitter, I get excited about being part of it even from far away.

What about Luiza?, you might ask. Well… Luiza Rabello is a 17 year old Brazilian exchange student living in Canada who became an online celebrity after her father Gerardo Rabello mentioned her during an informercial. According to Mr. Rabello he followed the original script produced by the real estate development team. The commercial for the development in the city of João Pessoa, in the Brazilian state of Paraíba looks like any other of its kind until Mr. Rabello mentions Luiza. The TV spot is 30 seconds long and  Mr. Rabello spends only three seconds disclosing that he “brought his whole family, except Luiza who is living in Canada,” to show his support to the local venture, but that was enough. The TV spot has received thousands of hits on YouTube and if you search for “Luiza Está no Canadá” you’ll find numerous articles and videos about this new Brazilian online celebrity. The #LuizaEstaNoCanada hashtag reached over 1.7 million people in the last 24 hours.

If you want to get involved in this meme, the official hashtag is #LuizaEstaNoCanada. If you want to help Luiza and/or kill some time, Fuse and Imaginaria have also developed a game called “Luiza is Living in Canada – Glamour at the Ski Hill Edition” that will do the trick. In the game, our heroine skies downhill trying to avoid rocks, pine trees, snow men and the Sasquatch. The real life Luiza was supposed to stay in Canada until the end of this month, but after over 9,000 people confirmed their presence at a fictitious party at the Castro Pinto International Airport, her family decided to speed her return to Brazil for the end of this week.

Safe travels, Luiza! (And too bad we won’t be able to use one of the best lines provided by the Brazilian advertising industry after the end of this week…)

Day #17: Luiza is Living in Canada (but only until the end of this week!) is a post from: MadameHeringer.com