Torv takes lead role in Abrams’ drama

Thursday, January 31 2008, 16:35 GMT (11:35 ET)

By Beth Hilton, Entertainment Reporter

Australian actress Anna Torv is to take the lead role in JJ Abrams’ new sci-fi drama Fringe.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Torv is the filmmaker’s latest female discovery, following in the footsteps of Keri Russell (Felicity), Jennifer Garner (Alias) and Evangeline Lilly (Lost).

The Fox show, written by Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, will also star Blair Brown and Jasika Nicole.

Torv will play Olivia Warren, a young FBI agent working with institutionalised scientist Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) to tackle paranormal phenomena.

Filming for the two-hour pilot will begin in Toronto next month. Fox has not yet announced when it will air.

http://tinyurl.com/2msuvz

********************************************

I found a very interesting website that offers real life paranormal accounts. They can be found at About.com. I’m going to add it to the Link section on this site.

http://paranormal.about.com/

Some stories featured are from people and places that are right here in Toronto. I found a recent story and link that I posted below…

http://paranormal.about.com/library/blstory_january08_15.htm

Your True Tales January 2008

Little Ghost’s Footsteps

My experience took place at the end of October of 2007. I’ve always been a believer of ghosts and the paranormal, but had never experienced anything outright. But that changed one night this past October. I was house-sitting for my brother, his wife, and their two kids for one week in a suburb of Toronto. I believe it was the first, if not second night of my stay. It was around 1 a.m. and I was upstairs in bed reading when I suddenly heard someone walking around downstairs. I sat up in bed and listened, and it stopped. I brushed it off, thinking that the heat in the pipes was causing them to expand and contract, making weird noises. I went back to reading, and a few moments later I heard the footsteps again. At this point a few things went through my head: 1) My brother must have come home early (although they had just left for Europe a couple of days earlier); 2) It could be the neighbors next door (but soon realized that they live in a completely detached house, so they couldn’t have heard anyone through the walls); 3) How am I going to get out of here, since I’m on the second floor and there’s a burglar downstairs? I was totally and utterly convinced that there was someone walking around in their kitchen. It was kind of like a shuffling sound, as if the person was moving around the room — it wasn’t evenly paced like they were walking down a hallway. They also sounded quite heavy and sturdy, as if it were a male and not a female. I got out of bed and walked down the stairs to look over the banister into the kitchen, but it was pitch-black and I could see nothing. So I ran upstairs, put my head phones on, and went to sleep. I never heard the footsteps again. And truthfully I didn’t think much of it after that. Until my brother and his family came home…. On their way home from the airport, they stopped by my house where I live with my parents. I suddenly remembered what had happened and I said to my sister-in-law, “I thought I heard footsteps in your kitchen one night!” and laughed. She looked at me and said, “Oh, I see you’ve met our little ghost.” I couldn’t believe it. I asked her to explain. She said that about a year ago (soon after they moved in), she and my brother were sleeping in their room when suddenly my sister-in-law woke up when she heard someone walking in their room. She waited for what she thought was one of her children to jump into her bed. Nothing happened, so she asked my brother if one of the kids was in the room (she wears glasses and can’t see well without them, especially since it was dark). He said no, but that he too had heard someone come into the room. They both sat up in bed and listened, and sure enough they heard footsteps start on one side of the room, and walk all the way around the bed to the other side. She has told me also that her children (who share a room) have woken up a couple of times in the middle of the night to see two glowing red eyes in their room, but that since my brother has started renovating, the sightings have stopped. I’m never house-sitting for them again.

** UPDATE – January 2012 Urbanspoon.com stated that the Bright Pearl was closed and my husband and I were downtown Chinatown and noticed that the side steps had cardboard covering them and the inside lights were off.  The outside lights were still on though?  Not sure if this is a permanent thing.   I hope not.  The ambiance was great but they could work on a few things like not take so long with the food next time.  Plus I would like more dinner specials.  Anyways, just thought I would let you all know.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————

December 2007

About two weeks ago I received a flier from the Bright Pearl Chinese restaurant, located on Spadina Avenue, in Chinatown. Big deal, right? Well instantly I recognized the picture of it from the book Haunted Toronto, by John Robert Columbo. I was so thrilled to find out that they were still in business. I thought that they were closed because the main entrance, right on Spadina, was sealed. Later I learned that the door was moved in an attempt to better a somewhat troubling spirit situation. My husband and I planned to go for dinner that coming Friday night. The minute we got there I felt unusually afraid and very cold. When I sat down it seemed the cold was swirling around me. My heart was racing and I felt so much energy I needed to take extra time ordering. Knowing what it may have been before was a little unsettling, but I felt that there was more than that. I was sensing so much activity there and I even went around after our meal looking for something. I guess after my own experiences I sometimes feel that I am seeking more paranormal puzzle pieces to help make a clearer picture for myself to see what else is out there. I never saw anything or heard anything out of the ordinary… just a lot more confusing vibes. The food was good, but the portions were a bit small. I felt that there could have been a lot more meat to be honest. The dim sum and drinks were reasonable at around $3.00 – $6.00 each, but I found the dinner combos a bit pricey. We ordered the dinner for two A ($36.95+tax), 2 drinks and 3 dim sum platters and it was over $70 dollars with tax & tip. They are a rather upscale restaurant and we frequent more economical establishments where dinner for two starts at $19.99 and with much larger portions too. I will most likely go there again, but most likely for a brunch or lunch and not dinner. I still think that it’s a must visit because the ambiance is rather something any true paranormal lover should experience. For further details please check out the following link of the restaurants website,

http://www.brightpearlseafood.com/

A bit of history about this location can be found at GHRS at the link below,

http://www.torontoghosts.org/hsing.htm