National Post du lieu suivant : Toronto, Ontario, Canada • 49

FINANCIAL POST, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2004 MONEY IN3 COMPARISON SHOPPING: MOVIE GUIDES CHEAP TRICK SNACK'N'RIDE TWO THUMBS UP FOR ROGER EBERT'S FILM DIGEST; DVD VIDEO GUIDE PROVES QUANTITY NEVER TRUMPS QUALITY Get a lift with delivery guy: If you ever MOLE YEAR MOLE YEAR Get it: Oscar night is arguably the longest Sunday night of in handicapping this year's Academy Awards. $30.95. the year, but you can dazzle friends and impress relatives by Forget it: An argument can be made for quantity over qualirhyming off facts about casts of winners past. The best source ty. This view was clearly guiding the publishers of DVD for this info is Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2004 (Andrews Video Guide 2004 (Ballantine).

If you're looking for facts and McMeel), not just because it's full of film arcana but because figures, you'll find lots of them among the movie it's an entertaining read. Aside from film reviews, the emi- reviews. Films are categorized by title, cast member and dinent critic has included interviews with directors and actors, rector, and the authors have included a list of alternate titles essays on films and awards, and notes from various film festi- for hard-to-find movies. However, the reviews are largely dry vals he's attended. The reviews are categorized by title; an in- synopses of plot lines, with none of Roger Ebert's wit.

And dex by cast member i is also included. However, reviews ex- while there is plenty of these digests, the book offers little else. tend only to 2002 releases, so the book won't be of much help both available at most bookstores. Maryam Siddiqi 'Grooms know names of cheeses they want' MCMURDY Continued from Page IN1 "The older couples are so accustomed to being discreet and low-key about their relationships, they aren't looking for a big to-do, they just want to make their union legal," Mr. Tremaine observes.

"The younger generation was raised with different rules, they're more in your face about it." Marti Milks, who organized Toronto's Gay and Lesbian Wedding Show, says that at this point there is more interest in learning more about same-sex wedding options than outright demand for the services. "We're seeing a lot of people who just want to get married and are anxious to make sure they don't lose that opportunity. But the next wave will be couples who are less pressed and want to emphasize the celebratory aspects." She adds that "because they often don't have children, and because their parents aren't the ones paying for it, it's all about them and their upscale tastes." Those who want to make a splashy statement can turn to former national roller skating champion, Jaime Crouch, at Thunderstar in Toronto. He used to plan straight weddings but now caters to same- couples prepared to spend $50,000 to $100,000. He admits that this high-end part of his business is only slowly starting to emerge.

To date, he has organized 10 gay wedding celebrations, including a "forest fantasy" at a Georgian Bay estate, where he lit the entire property with amber lights to create "a paradise-on-Earth effect." Both Mr. Tremaine and Ms. Darnel says that gay couples have a strong preference for dealing with gay suppliers and others who are in tune with the gay community. "At a big hotel you don't want the staff fidgeting and rolling their eyes waiting for the fags to kiss," Mr. Tremaine says.

"You want to deal with people who know how to make you comfortable, people who really get it." Reg Dennis of Weddings by Design in Ottawa explains that "getting it" means offering such items as tuxedos custom-designed for women ($1,500 to men's vests and cummerbunds that incorporate the Once they start, scrapbookers are 'hooked for life' SCRAPBOOK Continued from Page IN1 Jeanne Wines-Reed, editor of Scrapbook Retailer, sees no signs of the market plateauing. "I don't see interest ever declining," she says, because once a person starts scrapbooking, "we're talking hooked for life." Indeed, because scrapbooks document significant moments in their lives, people seem to take them more seriously than other hobbies. "Scrapbooks give you an important sense of self," says Lorell Rogers, a preschool teacher in Meridian, Idaho, who spends three to four hours a week working on her books. "They tell you who you are, where you've been and what you've done." About of those who make scrapbooks are women, according to Creating Keepsakes, a monthly magazine with a circulation of 250,000. But Brian Olmstead, a founder and senior vicepresident of Archiver's, a U.S.

DVD DO 2004 30109 Mick Martin Marsha Porter find yourself a good distance from home, especially after a night out on the town, and you're feeling a bit peckish, you can get a snack and a lift home for the price of one. Just look around for the closest 1 food outlet that both delivers and tickles your fancy, place your order and then ask if you can accompany your food home in the car. There's no reason why they'd say not. You've just saved yourself the price of a cab. Got money-saving tip? Share it with us: rainbow motif ($64) and rainbow gowns ($500 to Web sites such as Gayweddings.com also offer an array of wedding accessories for samesex couples, including porcelain cake ornaments that feature two grooms or two brides (including the option of one butch and one femme), which sell for Although many same-sex couples are wary of the "gay for pay" syndrome, where conventional suppliers attempt to jump on the bandwagon and capitalize on the trend, they certainly have no shortage of choice.

At the Gay and Lesbian show, 70 exhibitors will be vying for their attention. Even though Ms. Milks has run two annual national wedding shows for the past 15 years, she admits she greatly miscalculated the size of the same-sex wedding market when she began planning the event last August. "We've already doubled the size of the show from our initial plans and we've been turning exhibitors away steadily," she says. "There's no question that this is going to become an annual event and that it will continue to grow." She notes that gay male couples in particular tend to be very sophisticated and highly focused on the design component of a celebration.

Ms. Darnel confirms that perception. "You typically have two grooms who know the precise names of the cheeses and the flowers they want. It's the reverse of a straight wedding two brides are often far more laid back." For businesses that enter this market early and strike the right note, the potential rewards are significant. "Gay consumers have a record of tremendous loyalty," notes Angus Praught of GayVan.com, a Vancouver-based Web site and publisher.

"Businesses that make the effort to extend a specific welcome usually find that they build a solid following in the gay community, and it's a connection that lasts." Financial Post Money Wise Deirdre McMurdy is co-host of Global TV's Money Wise. chain of scrapbook supply stores, says more men are taking up the hobby. Take Ralph Burin, a New Jersey art history professor: he has elaborate books recording his travels abroad, embellished with exotic textiles and pen-and-ink drawings. "It gets your photos out of a shoebox," Mr. Burin says.

Indeed, the organizational aspect of scrapbooking is a strong selling point. Leslie Stevenson, a librarian and self-described "pack rat," has a scrapbook in which she has neatly arrayed all the photographs, theater tickets and cocktail napkins from her frequent trips to New York City. "I've dabbled in other hobbies but this feels productive while you're being creative," she says. "Who needs another potholder?" The New York Times sport TRAIN A scrapbook idea from magazine Creating Keepsakes: of the hobby's aficionados are women. The work of controversial homoerotic photographer Robert Mapplethorpe has become an accepted art icon, and other erotic art may soon follow suit.

Photorealistic paintings of pin-up fantasy women by Hajime Sorayama, top right, sell for as much as a Tom of Finland sketch, centre right, can fetch while works by Olivia De Berardinis, bottom right, go for up to 'Forbidden art' is poised to break into the mainstream over the next five to 10 years as prices for works by artists like Tom of Finland and Hajime Sorayama soar Sex on a wall has become an accepted art icon. Photo- Orange. Miss Naomi, who paid BY RICHARD CHANG realistic paintings of pin-up fantasy for it in 2000, has it insured by Hajime Sorayama sell for as for She estimates that women rotic art is stepping out of much as while those of many works have tripled or quadrupled the closet and into muse- Olivia De Berardinis go for up to in value since she bought them. ums and galleries as a Paintings and sketches 1 by Etienne, growing mass of collectors Tom of Finland's fantasy sketches, fea- who was strongly influenced by Tom of is openly enjoying its aes- turing incredibly well-endowed men, Finland, now sell for 10 times what they thetic and sensual thrills and willing are now on permanent display in muse- were worth in the 1970s, says Pet Sylvia, to pay top dollar for it. ums in Los Angeles, San Francisco and who runs Art(at)Large, an erotic art "There's a realization that art can be Helsinki, among others.

Thanks to this gallery in New York. Among contemposexy and erotic and you can show it in change in status, a Tom of Finland rary works, those of John John Jesse, your home" says Allena Gabosch, direc- sketch that cost in 1978 now whose Catholic-themed paintings cross tor of The Wet Spot, a not-for-profit sells for Mr. Dehner says. over into the "lowbrow" category, have group that organizes the annual Seattle Still, a 21-inch-wide 1989 poster by the nearly tripled in value over the last 18 Erotic Arts Festival. "It's becoming more artist is available at the foundation's months, says Mr.

Sylvia, a self-described permissible." Web site for as little as "heterosexual drag queen." "It's through More and more people seem to agree, "We're on the edge of where value word of mouth. We're dealing with an judging by the festival's attendance, erotic works will probably start in- inventory of his that we can't keep in the which doubled to 4,000 at its second an- creasing at faster rates," Mr. Dehner house long enough." nual show that took place the first week- says. "If people can feel that something Nude paintings on wood of less-thanend of this month. On display were 500 held in high regard, they're more com- perfect human subjects by Frances works priced from to fortable with it." Turner have also escalated in value since by 187 artists from 10 countries.

Where does the difference lie between the British artist died of a brain tumor "We're moving into a renaissance in art and pornography? The answer is last July at age 38, Mr. Sylvia says. "She that the number of artists producing clear to "Miss Naomi," who has acquired found beauty in everyone, whether they erotica is growing," says Durk Dehner, 4,000 museum-quality works worth were heavily tattooed, obese, an amdirector of the Tom of Finland Founda- millions of dollars over 12 years. putee." tion in Los Angeles. The nonprofit "Pornography gives you one message: "We're becoming more comfortable group was founded in 1984 to preserve 'Let's get it on," says the author of For- with human sexuality, so those artists and promote the work of homoerotic bidden Art: The World of Erotica.

"Erot- creating will have a lot more Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen, who ic art engages you in a thoughtful vehicles to showcase their work," says signed his drawings "Tom of Finland" process. It's an interpretation about it, Mr. Dehner of the Tom of Finland Founwhen he started submitting them to the unusual or beautiful way the art is dation. For that reason, "now is a very American muscle magazines in 1956. displayed." good time to purchase erotic art," he "Forbidden art" has come a long way Among her notable artifacts is a 31- says.

"In the next five to 10 years, it's gofrom the days when it was published on- inch-long white fiberglass phallic sculp- ing to rake much deeper inroads into ly in the underground press. Controversial photographer Robert Map plethorpe ture that was featured as a murder the mainstream." weapon in the movie Clockwork Reuters.