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 In days gone by, when all of us where
young and beautiful, I worked every summer at the CNE in the
Queen Elizabeth Theatre in the elaborate fashion show
productions. It was the only reliable summer job in the fashion
industry if you were a model, at the end of which I could either
get a really good buy on a fur coat that was otherwise
unattainable or, as we did once, I got a fabulous Pioneer stereo
system, which only recently, with the advent of CD technology
became obsolete.
Becoming very well known to Toronto’s citizens
was one more benefit from working there and we were often
greeted by name and a reminder that we were seen at the CNE,
which made us participants very marketable.
The shows went on
from 12 noon to 4 and from 6 pm to 10 pm, very tiring indeed if
you consider that each half hour was a different production with
dancing and singing and lots of clothes changes that had to take
place in the basement, which sometimes was flooded from August
rains when we arrived in the morning. Just think how often we
might have run up and down those stairs. We had 2 weeks prior to
learn all the routines, and believe me: we were exhausted at the
end of the run.
None of the models ever put on one ounce of weight even if we
ate huge amounts of unhealthy CNE food, while nowadays all we
have to do is look at a waffle and it goes straight to the
waistline, forget deep fright butter.
 I have never been a Midway fan other than loving the Riesenrad
or the huge Kettenkarussel, but that too is a long time ago.
Therefore we hardly ever go into that direction of the
fairgrounds. Ever since we did the German shows at the family
stage right by the Food Building and the big shows at the Band
Shell, our activities concentrate around that area, which give
plenty of choices.
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| Rides for
children and all |
 My most important thing to do is to find
treasure in the form of jewelry or art. I got lucky again this
year. First I met up with Lou Lacroix, a painter from up north
who offered lovely decorative art that carried a message of
serenity, reminiscent of the northern landscape. She also comes
to the One of a Kind Show to Toronto, which will be on the CNE
Grounds from November 24 to December 4, just in time for
Christmas! I did not buy anything, since I paint along similar
lines as she does.
 However, I did end up with a lovely piece of
fossilized stone art created by Christine Roper Aiken. Her
husband David collects the materials on the shores of Lake Erie
and she created the most amazing and spiritually enlightening
stone stories that transcend time, over 350 million years to be
exact. I was happy to have found my treasure. (www.stonesoftime.com)
We also visited the Better Living Centre and admired the huge
carousel sculpture made of sand. In the same building were all
sorts of farm animals, sows with 10 piglets, horses and foals,
cows and their calves and Lamas and their offspring.
| Farm animals and
their offspring |
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A few hours of that and I was happy to have visited the CNE
again, especially when I can see my favorite planes overhead.
There is nothing like a big and powerful fighter roaring
overhead or the intricate flying patterns of the snow birds to
get me excited.
 However, I was interested in finding out how the current
generation is reacting to the CNE. We invited a father Peter
with his 3 children to go to the CNE for us. The children were
Alexander 4, Brittany almost 12 and Richard over 13 years old.
They are Wonderland veterans and thus not too interested in the
rides, because they get their fill on the family pass up north.
They did like the air show and the many things offered and to
look at in the International
 Building, as did their dad.
Brittany also enjoyed the Human Cannon Ball Show. Little Alex
was just thrilled to be there with his family. All of them found
the car ride to the Ex way too long, an hour from my house to
the CNE Grounds. The TTC is definitely the better way to go to
the Ex. And they also found the lineups too long and just too
many people altogether. It was just too crowded for them, which
tells me that the fair is still very
 important to the people of
Toronto.
Every year something new is offered. I wonder what it will be
next year when we go to the EX!
Until next time
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
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