In Print: The Stories, People and Issues That Defined 2023 in Zoomer Magazine

As the year draws to a close, we look back at the top stories that appeared in Zoomer magazine, from insightful reads on Canadian icons like Joni Mitchell, Eugene Levy and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee to thoughtful explorations on issues like longevity, menopause and ethical investing. We suggest you get a drink, sit back and enjoy some of the best long-form journalism of 2023.

Live to 100? (December 2022/January 2023)

By Carolyn Abraham

Nowhere is the longevity revolution more evident than in the number of 100-year-olds living in Canada. There are currently almost 10,000 and this elite group of supercentenarians just keeps growing. The feature includes interviews and discusses the pros and cons of a long life.

Quote: “Policy makers, economists and city planners are prepping for a demographic revolution that could revamp everything from workplaces to urban spaces. Psychologists and sociologists are pondering the various ways people might reorganize the traditional life stages of education, career and recreation if they have 10 decades to play with. Financial advisers, meanwhile, are trying to design savings plans that will stretch 40 years past retirement.”

The Change (February/March 2023)

By Anne O’Hagan

The very idea of discussing a personal health issue like menopause used to be considered taboo. This feature looks at how the rebranding of menopause has catapulted the subject into regular conversation and how celebrities are turning it into a multibillion-dollar business. 

Quote: “Leading the way are gen-X women who, unlike their mothers and older sisters, aren’t willing to suffer in silence – or ignorance. ‘There’s a lot of anger among women my age. We feel let down by the medical community,’ says Christina Valentine, 53, a mother of three who lives in downtown Toronto. ‘Women aren’t accepting the lack of guidance and treatment for perimenopausal symptoms anymore and they’re acting on it.’” 

 

Eugene Levy Packs his Bags (April/May 2023)

By Johanna Schneller 

Best known for his hilarious turns in SCTV and Schitt’s Creek, legendary Canadian funnyman Eugene Levy discusses his latest TV project, The Reluctant Traveler, and how the major role his family and friends have played in his life. 

Quote: “For most of his 50-year career, Levy hid behind his characters’ moustaches, buck teeth, oversized glasses, and, in Best in Show, two left feet (literally). He perfected cringe humour before cringe was a thing.”

Pet Cause (April/May 2023)

By Rona Maynard

After rescuing her first dog in her 60s, Rona Maynard discovered the joy, companionship and peace of mind that an animal companion brings to everyone, especially seniors. Unfortunately, as she explains in this feature, there are barriers that keep pets and seniors apart.

Quote: “Some animal lovers give up hope of ever sharing their lives with a pet. Walking my downtown neighbourhood, I sometimes chat with a dignified septuagenarian who melts at the sight of my dog and wishes he could love one of his own. But with a disabled partner, and his only relative more than 3,000 kilometres away, he has no backup if he falls ill or dies.”

The Force is With Him (June/July 2023)

By Radheyan Simonpillai 

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, star of Kim’s Convenience, turned up for our cover shoot with some of his beloved Star Wars gear in tow. At first, this may seem odd, but when you read his interview you’ll learn why this beloved actor is the perfect fit for his new project, The Mandalorian, and why his career is about to launch into hyperspace.

Quote: “I meet Lee, who turned 50 last August, at a coffee shop near his Danforth Avenue home. He has staked out a small table, but when the leather couches near an artificial fireplace are freed up, we hustle over with his blueberry lemon muffin and Americano and my scone. We’re feeling giddily victorious, because Lee has never been able to plant a flag on those perpetually occupied couches. In the years that I’ve known him, Lee has always been a warm and welcoming presence, but he’s also not one to hold back.”

 

Clean Money (June/July 2023)

By Nick Rockel

Sustainable investors choose to back companies that agree with their social consciences. Nick Rockel breaks down the fundamentals behind ethical investing and points us to where this developing sector might be going.

Quote: “Sustainable investing, which aims to make a financial return while weighing an investment’s environmental and social impact or benefits, could mean buying stocks in companies specializing in renewable energy, eco-friendly fashion or plant-based foods. The strategy also favours businesses in any industry that operate responsibly, along with projects that tackle challenges such as poverty and climate change.”

The Ballad of Joni and Malka (August/September 2023)

By Malka Marom

As she approached her 80th birthday, Joni Mitchell dropped a new album and headlined her first concert in 20 years. In this feature, Malka Marom, a journalist who has shared a long friendship with the legendary singer, remembers meeting her for the first time, close to six decades ago. 

Quote: “Girlfriends for more than 50 years, though we’ve lived in different countries. Our every visit is a special occasion. We still love to dress up, even for just one another. Once Joni came to my place wearing an Issey Miyake coat so intricate she asked Marv, my late husband, to help her put it on as she was leaving. Marv tried and tried, then stopped and said, ‘Joni, does this coat come with instructions or a map?’ She laughed her head off.”

Walking Canada’s Camino (August/September 2023)

By Jennifer Bain

A cancer survivor, Jennifer Bain explains why she tackled the Island Walk, a 70-kilometre P.E.I. trail inspired by the pilgrim’s route in Europe. She battles against bugs, heat and fatigue and experiences stunning vistas on her path to physical and spiritual health.  

Quote: “I did the Island Walk alone, partly because my husband had to stay home with the kids, but also because I love my own company. Having cancer during the pandemic was also a solitary experience, because the hospital banned most visitors, forcing me to go to my lumpectomy, three chemo treatments and 19 radiation sessions alone.”

Harry’s Style (August/September 2023)

By Suzanne Boyd

What is it about Harry Styles that inspires fervent fans like Reina Lafantasise, a 78-year-old grandmother from Sudbury, Ont., to lose their minds over the world’s biggest pop star? Our editor-in-chief, Suzanne Boyd, explores.

Quote: “Objectively dishy, even by pop-star standards, with his show a potent mix of vocal mastery, powerful physicality and audacious costuming, Styles nonetheless reaches for higher, more inclusive ground. Between songs on his Love On Tour concerts, Styles conducts a medley of coming-outs, baby-gender reveals and marriage proposals – all blessedly free of ageism. At another show, a woman with white hair held up a sign that read, ‘I’m Too Old To Be a Harry Styles Fan.’ ‘Never,’ he mouthed back.”

 

Rear View Mirror (October/November 2023)

By Brian D. Johnson

As American Graffiti approaches its 50th anniversary, Brian D. Johnson explores the far-reaching impact of George Lucas’ classic film and how it marked a turning point in Hollywood moviemaking.

Quote: “As a teen growing up in Modesto, Lucas was a gearhead who loved cars and dreamed of working as a mechanic or race car driver. At 16, he was tearing around town in a tiny yellow Fiat Bianchina, which he’d customized by cutting off the roof, souping up the two-cylinder engine and lowering the windshield.”

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