Zoomer Magazine January/February 2021

“1992 IS NOT A YEAR ON which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an annus horribilis,” said Her Majesty the Queen in a speech she gave in November at Guildhall of that year (below). “I suspect that I am not alone in thinking it so. Indeed, I suspect that there are very few people or institutions unaffected by these last months of worldwide turmoil and uncertainty.” Insert 2020 instead, and the words ring even truer than they did 28 years ago. For much of the year, the world held its breath as a divisive presidential election in the United States played out with democracy, decency and competence on the ballot. Worse yet,…

IN OCTOBER, BARACK Obama hit the campaign trail with his former vice-president, Joe Biden. But now that the election is over, the 59-year-old can focus on another thing, besides politics, that he’s great at: selling books. In mid-November, Obama released A Promised Land, the first of his two-volume presidential memoirs, which covers his start in politics through to his historic 2008 election as the 44th president of the United States through to the 2011 killing of Osama Bin Laden. Expectations for the book are high – the reported initial print run is three million copies – because aside from his enduring popularity, Obama is known for his mastery of the written word. Not only did he write many of his most iconic political speeches, but his first two memoirs –…

Forget the catwalk — these fashionistas strut the sidewalk (while also grabbing some groceries) A new book, Chinatown Pretty, documents the sartorial style of seniors in Chinatowns across North America. They’re one Whoopi Goldberg short of a Sister Act reboot Nuns with the Poor Clares of Arundel – whose ages extend into their 90s – top U.K. classical album charts with Light for the World, their first album, meant to inspire inner peace during the pandemic. That’s the Christmas spirit A Kamloops-based organization called the Centre for Seniors Information partners with London Drugs to arrange Secret Santa donations for seniors isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic. American scientists working with Uganda’s Kibale Chimpanzee Project discover that aging male humans and aging male chimps exhibit similar social behaviour For example, one older…

IN 2020, MANY of us were forced to cancel birthday parties due to COVID-19, which feels especially frustrating when you’d planned to celebrate a milestone. I mean, you only turn 250 once. So while Dec. 17 birthday celebrations for composer Ludwig van Beethoven were shuttered – including Beethovenfest, an annual tribute that dates back to 1845 in his birthplace of Bonn, Germany – online streaming and radio events will allow fans to mark the occasion at home. The Windsor Symphony Orchestra, for example, will stream various new Beethoven performances through November as part of their Re-Imagine 2020 digital concert series on Vimeo. And don’t worry if you’ve missed any – subscribers to the series can access the performances online anytime through the end of the year. Meanwhile, Sinfonia Toronto…

FOREST WHITAKER has made a career of delivering celebrated performances, from his breakout in Bird (1988) to The Crying Game (1992), The Butler (2013) and The Last King of Scotland (2006), which earned him his Best Actor Oscar. But this time out, Whitaker, 59, is singing a new tune – literally. In the Netflix holiday musical, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (streaming now), Whitaker plays Jeronicus Jangle, a despondent inventor and toy maker who, with the help of his granddaughter (Madalen Mills, 11), attempts to rekindle his creative spirit. The film features original music from John Legend and, as Whitaker recently told Zoomer, “It’s a story about finding joy again and believing and having hope that it can come.” MIKE CRISOLAGO: You trained as a singer in your youth…

LIGHT THERAPY PUT ON the red light. And we don’t mean the Police and their call to Roxanne. We’re talking red light therapy. Rouge, out of Montreal, has created pro-level LED red light treatment devices for use at home. Registered with the FDA as a Class II medical device, the Rouge combines red light therapy, which concentrates its power on the skin’s surface, and infrared light. According to Rouge, red light stimulates the skin’s cellular process, allowing it to regenerate, build collagen, reduce wrinkles and add firmness. Infrared light penetrates the skin to help break down fats and toxins, which can increase circulation, relieve joint pain, reduce inflammation and even boost metabolism. Rouge Tabletop, rouge.care GRILL SEEKERS FOR DOWNSIZERS and condo dwellers who have given up the yard or snowbirds…