Michelle Villagracia | Digital Producer

Tag: article

  • How to tell a ghost story and scare your friends

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    Michelle V
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    Every Halloween, I get into the spirit by watching horror movies, reading up on haunted locations, listening to eerie film scores and mixing up creepy cocktails. But this year, I’m looking to level up! My goal? To perfect the art of telling a spine-tingling ghost story. I want to get together with friends to enjoy snacks and drinks and wear silly…

  • Finding queer-friendly spaces in the world of TTRPGs

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    Michelle V
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    Safe spaces are vital for LGBTQIA+ folks. In the realm of tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs), this pertains not only to the fictional worlds being crafted but also to the people with whom these worlds are co-created. Queer-friendly TTRPGs aren’t just about who your character might fall in love with — though that can be part…

  • Boredom can be bad for your cat’s health — here’s how you can help

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    Michelle V
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    Between the hours of seven and eight in the morning, my cat wakes me up with head bonks, purrs and tummy cuddles. Around nine, I spot him staring out of the large windows of my downtown condo, eyeing pigeons and passersby. By 10 o’clock, he’s got a case of the zoomies, darting across the living…

  • A beginners’ guide to walking your cat

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    Michelle V
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    Have you wondered if your cat feels trapped or bored inside? Have you considered taking your cat for a walk? Though we’re more accustomed to seeing dogs on leashes, it isn’t unheard of for domestic cats to get some fresh air and exercise outside the confines of their homes — and there are plenty of…

  • 11 memorable food scenes from holiday films and specials — and what to eat while you watch them

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    Michelle V
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    I remember the first time I watched Mickey’s Christmas Carol on television as a kid. It was actually my introduction to the classic Charles Dickens tale. Of all the scenes, one stood out to me the most: Ebenezer is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present, and they’re surrounded by an abundance of delectable food, including piles…

  • 9 Canadian horror films that belong on every Halloween watch-list

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    Michelle V
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    Movies have the incredible power to tap into our emotions. No genre of film does this on such a visceral and cerebral level as horror, targeting the audiences’ deepest, darkest fears. Some people veer toward the gruesome and graphic, while others gravitate toward the more psychologically frightening. Some horror fans enjoy monsters and ghouls that…

  • An Ode To The Thunder Bay Persian Roll: The Sweetest Taste Of Home

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    Michelle V
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    When I went to school as a young girl in Thunder Bay, I remember clutching a loonie in my hand every Wednesday as I made my way down to the gymnateria for Persian Day, hoping to beat the rush for this sweet treat, a sweet cinnamon-bun/donut-like confection with pastel pink icing. Then as I climbed…

  • Rage Against “Geek Chic”

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    Michelle V
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    When you put [blank] in front of the word “chic,” suddenly that [blank] is a novelty. “Geek chic” is the same. Thick-framed glasses, short-sleeved plaid shirts, suspenders, high-waist pants and a bowtie—congratulations, you just pulled together the aesthetic 1950s stereotypical geek. Now make it sexy and socially acceptable! “Geek chic” is a trend or style…