Rock stars read it

That’s our buddy, San Francisco-based musician Josh Lippi on the road with singer-songwriter K. Flay from Los Angeles, just after their gig in Saskatoon. In town opening for Mother Mother last week, we got to have a visit with Josh, a friend and bandmate of our musician son Ben. They were halfway through a cross-Canada tour and now are on an international whirlwind. We sent them on their way with a ‘road trip care package’ of homemade goodies and the most recent copy of Saskatoon HOME magazine. Rock stars gotta read, too!

 

a sweet spot

City Perks may be my favourite coffee shop. It seems to be where my pal Amanda and I always have editorial meetings as we work out assignments for upcoming Saskatoon HOME issues. Summer’s will be great! Just last week, as I waited for her, I treated myself to a late lunch piece of sundried tomatoes and artichoke quiche. Yum. Large wedge, only six bucks. And the coffee is always great. I’m only sorry I didn’t bring home any baking this time! Look at this place, what’s not to like? And there’s Amanda, just as full of light and energy as the place itself.

#notspecialneeds

What a great campaign. “Special” is a word that’s always made our family gak just a little bit when people use it to describe Jim and what he needs to live a good life. This wonderful campaign by CoorDown, Italy’s national advocacy organization, was premiered at the United Nations on March 21. Have a look! It’s brilliant. That’s Lauren Potter as the narrator; Jim met her at a Best Buddies conference in Bloomington, Indiana, when she starred on Glee. Nice woman. This article is by Alexandra Jardine:

CoorDown, Italy’s national organization for people with Down syndrome, examines the euphemistic term “special needs” in its latest PSA, using humor to highlight how their needs might not be so different from those of anyone else.

A film by Publicis New York, directed by Wayne McClammy of Hungry Man, imagines various humorous scenarios where Down syndrome people have “special needs” with a twist. They’re massaged by a cat, they eat dinosaur eggs, are woken up by a celebrity or have to walk around in a giant suit of armour. It ends with the message that what people with Down Syndrome really needs is “education, jobs, opportunities, friends and some love.”

The film stars Lauren Potter, the actress with Down syndrome who played the role of Becky Jackson in “Glee,” and John McGinley, best known for his role as Dr. Perry Cox on “Scrubs,” and whose 18-year old son Max has Down syndrome. Also in the cast are Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt, two friends with Down syndrome who created the movie “Spring Break Zombie Massacre,” and Jared Kozak, an actor with Down syndrome known for “Orson’s Last Dance,” “Leader of the Pack” and “Teens Wanna Know.”

The campaign, running on YouTube, directs viewers online to www.NotSpecialNeeds.com, where they can find out more about the real needs of people with Down Syndrome.

It will be presented to the Conference of the World Down Syndrome Day, which takes place March 21 in New York, at the headquarters of the United Nations.

 

HOME is ready for you

The Spring issue of Saskatoon HOME magazine is out and will hit the streets next week. If you just can’t wait to see what we’re offering you in this issue, you can have an online look here. Each issue is my new favourite; this time around I had a lot of fun on two pieces in particular. My cover story, The Urban Farmhouse, and the courageous team of Rhonda, Crystal and Brielle (not to mention their menagerie) and a feature on the loving restoration of the Pettit House, University Drive, by the brilliant Karen and Steve duo. I love my job; I get to meet great people and their dragons and turtles, and a great excuse to visit my neighbours in their grand mansion just three doors down.

And there’s other fun stuff, too! Pick up your copy at the various rack locations throughout the city. Do tell us what you think!