Sarah Taylor had a lil shindig this past Friday for the premiere of her documentary of her trip to Ethiopia during the drought crisis.

She held it at this cool lil spot called Chasse Gardee (1084 Queen Street West). I have no idea what this place is during the day, but it sure made for a fun and intimate event.

There were framed photographs that were up for silent auctions and donations being made to fund efforts.

To be honest with you, even before watching the film, Ive been wanting to visit Africa for quite some time now. And the more I hear about it, the more I see and learn about it, the more I want to go.

As a kid I always used to imagine how epic a trip to Africa would be. Not only to see the land and the animals, but to give myself a chance escape from my own world. Escape from all the headaches of our daily realities and learn to see life through someone else’s eyes and mind. Also to come back with some kick ass pictures and memories.

And plus, I spent so many afternoons at the library reading National Geographic magazines as a kid how could I not be fascinated?

Here’s a little blurb that Sarah wrote on her MuchMusic blog:

“This past September I was invited to bring a very small crew to Ethiopia to create a documentary on the East African Drought Crisis happening in the Horn of Africa, specifically in Ethiopia.

For months prior I had been hearing about the UN’s Famine declaration in Somalia and it had been weighing heavy on my mind and in my heart. Nearby Ethiopia, while not at that state, had it’s own state of emergency to worry about with the drought and the refugees entering from the neighboring countries.

My own confusion and frustration of the situation however, was obviously nothing compared to the people who deal with those harsh realities everyday. We accepted our invitation to travel to Africa with Plan Canada’s CEO Rosemary McCarney and document our experience. I was both excited and nervous. My trips to Africa are always life changing. Experiences that seem to put my life carefully back into perspective.

I was most of all looking forward to visiting a country I had heard so much about. I’d been told Ethiopia was the home of some of the most beautiful countryside and people on the planet, and also the birthplace of coffee, oh and basically the cradle of civilization.

I anticipated an unforgettable trip filled with eye opening experiences, long days, and a new dose of reality. I was looking for a new sense of hope.”

- SARAH TAYLOR

So without taking up too much more of your Monday afternoon (assuming you’re reading this today), I would like to say cheers to Sarah Taylor for taking a trip out to Ethiopia and creating awareness and consciousness to an issue that Im sure most of us had no idea about until we saw the film. I hope your actions fuel and motivate others to aid and assist in the crisis in someway.

*Will tips his hat

And of course, shout outs to Ashley MacIntyre, Lissa Monet for absolutely killing it on the turntables that night, Tag Vodka, Christian, Ashley Mackenzie and Natalie, Rachel, Adam for making sure I had my fair share of drinks, Fresh, Rahmul, Lucho, Sheldon, Daniella and Jessica of Broken Heel Diaries, Jay of Fashionably Yours, Tika and everyone else who was there to support the cause and event.