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A R T S & CU LT U RE
Avant Garde volume 3: Annie Chu
MARIE PARK
Layout Editor
By now a good majority of the Osgoode community has taken a virtual culinary journey across
the world, thanks to our own culinary critic and
food-blogger extraordinaire, Annie Chu. Through
her blog, Chu on This, Annie’s creativity and
inner-foodie has really taken off. Chu on This
(www.chuonthis.ca) offers an epicurean voyage,
as she documents the sights, smells, and tastes of
famous eateries and hidden treasures in Toronto
and abroad. When Annie began this project, it was
initially no more than your regular personal blog.
But Chu on This is special because she shapes her
imaginative intuition with her humorous narrative
and captures her love of life throughout her posts.
In undergrad, Annie did a Bachelors degree
in Social Sciences with a specialization in International Studies and Modern Languages with
French Immersion at the University of Ottawa.
Indeed, it is a mouthful to say, much like how it
gave her the chance to study a wide variety of
subjects with flexibility in more than just the
political and social science disciplines.
Annie comments, “I also did an exchange in
France where I took courses such as equestrian,
contemporary dance, and art history. I have
always considered myself a creative person but
annie enj o y s p h o t o g r a p h y, an d has a p p ea r e d o n
te l e v isi o n t o sh o w c ase he r c o o k in g p r o wess .
that year really unleashed my thirst for art and
food appreciation.”
Annie’s undergraduate degree was not only
helpful in developing her creativity, but was
also instrumental in giving her the tools to be a
better writer and critical thinker. Being substantially cultivated both creatively and academically
has helped her find balance in law school. She
comments that her creative side keeps her calm
during times of stress, but at the same time, she
notes that her lax approach to classes causes difficulty keeping focused for long hours.
Annie’s artistic presence is well known by
many at Osgoode through her blog. However, she
is a noted artist in her own right, having explored
many forms of media and projects. For instance,
Annie was a major contender in last year’s JCR
Art Battle. Recently, as her blog has taken off
considerably, she has begun new endeavors in traditional media such as calligraphy. As fellow law
students, we may ask how she can find the time to
do all this; Annie says that it is important to have
creative outlets, no matter how busy you may be,
to maintain a happy and balanced life.
“Regarding Chu on This (the name of my
blog, and my just-about-registered trademark):
it started as a blog about my exchange year in
France, but I soon realized most people were
most interested in what I had to say about food,”
she says. “So, the blog evolved, along with my
writing and photography, to become a food blog
that seeks to take people on journeys through restaurants in the city where I happen to be living,
and also on my culinary adventures around the
world. I’m really excited that it is growing and
expanding and will soon have a new design and a
new collaboration (stay tuned, friends).”
Her ability to find fresh inspiration every
time is, in itself, inspiring. In fact, Annie seems
to be inspired by just about everything. When it
strikes, she is ready, camera in hand,to capture
the sights and experiences around her. Whatever
material she gathers may lead to a new blog post
or other art project, and every time she goes on
a trip to a new place she returns with a brain full
of ideas. Currently, Annie is participating in the
Aboriginal Intensive in Taiwan, and will hopefully find a bit of time to squeeze in some blog
posts as well about this amazing experience.
On a less existential level, she also adds, “You
know what else inspires me? Pinterest. I know it’s
not very deep, but it’s the truth.”
Looking forward, Annie says she will continue to work intensely on her blogging and has a
new collaboration and design in the works. Rest
» continued on page 18
The Obiter Dicta