Local stage performer threatens non-profit community group

In 2006, myself and my friend, Tyler Blanchett, formed an artist collective to be known as Rockalily burlesque. I have been the leader and and creative director of this burlesque troupe ever since. I have never called myself an "owner" and find the term offensive for what is a collective of human beings.


As of December 2011, Chris Seabrook and Shadi Ehsani (known by her stage name, Shade Nyx) have been claiming ownership of Rockalily Burlesque. Up until this point, when Seabrook and Ehsani instigated a dispute, Shade Nyx (Ehsani) was a valued and equal member of Rockalily Burlesque. We were aware that Seabrook (her partner) had applied for trademark and, in an effort to maintain my relationship with Ehsani, Seabrook and I had been discussing the appropriate avenues to transfer his trademark applications to me as early as January 2012.  

According to an unnamed collaborator with Rockalily, Ehsani called them with vague, looming threats because of our upcoming event. Rockalily is headlining this event, and all proceeds are being donated to a non-profit community resource. According to my source, the implication from Ms. Ehsani was that our partner in this event could be facing a lawsuit if they chose not to cancel the event. Our collaborator is a community resource that depends on our support and donations. 

Seabrook and Ehsani illegally applied for Trademark of the Rockalily wordmark and logo. These graphics remain the intellectual property of their creator, Luc Bergeron. I (Veronica M Roy, known by the stage name Helvetica Bold) am the sole licensee of these images.


Furthermore, Seabrook copyrighted my intellecual property. The name Rockalily was created in a brainstorm between myself and Tyler Blanchett. Blanchett respectfully resigned from working with Rockalily, and has agreeably left me as the "owner" of our mutual intellectual property. Copyrights are inherent, and so Rockalily remains my property. Seabrook's copyright, although 
currently recognized by the government, is fraudulent and should I choose to contest it, he would lose his claim to the copyright.

Any third party who contracts Rockalily through me, or one of our other authorized performers, can not be held liable in the case of a lawsuit. Threats from Seabrook and/or Ehsani are merely bully tactics, used to interfere with Rockalily, me, and those we work with. Should they choose to file a lawsuit, I am solely responsible for defending Rockalily. 

The only email Rockalily uses is rockalily.booking@gmail.com. Our only official website is www.rockalilyburlesque.com.

I am being represented by Paul Donovan of Perley-Robertson, Hill and McDougal. http://www.perlaw.ca/en/people/paul-w-donovan


I have disabled and removed existing comments due to harassment.  I do not take unsolicited calls and do not answer emails sent from spam accounts or accounts using fake names. If you have something to say to me, say it like you mean it, and attach your name and character to it.  

Spanakopita

This evening I made spanakopita. A healthy and delicious dinner! I used phyllo dough, chopped spinach, low fat feta, and Leftover garlic sauce from my boyfriend's last shawarma feast.

Yum yum yum!

Mardi Gras

It's pancake day! So I'm having a crepe with butter, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon. Yum!

Je Me Souviens

Happy Flag Day, Canada!

Today would be my father's 64th birthday. He passed away 6 and a half years ago, to cancer.

My dad and I never got along all too well, but, I was 18 when he died. We never had a chance to get along or have a relationship like (I imagine) most people develop with their parents in their post-teenage years.

I like to think that my passion for food was inspired by my dad. When we got together with his side of the family, who all lived in Montreal or Quebec City, it was always over copious amounts of food, and the stale lingering stench of cigarette smoke that permeated the whole province.

It wasn't just the maple candy and squeaky cheese curds of Quebec that trigger my memories and my salivary glands. When we went out for dinner without my mom, we got to savour contraband items like extra cheese pizza, chocolate sweets, and french fries. Whenever we eat out, my poor boyfriend has to hear stories of some of the ridiculous things my dad used to eat. I sometimes even push him to order certain things that I used to eat, with my dad, in my pre-veg days. I've now got him hooked on Halifax-style donairs and Shwartz' smoked meat.

Everything my dad made had extra butter and lots of love. My dad loved to eat. He also loved to cook. My Mom's family always looked forward to his short ribs, and we all went crazy for his crepes. I miss Christmas morning crepes more than I can articulate. They were heavenly.

Believe it or not, my dad is the reason I am a vegetarian. When I was 9 years old, I went a week without eating any meat. When I announced it to my family, my dad scoffed at me, challenging me to keep it up. I seemed to have inherited his stubborn genes, because I sure did keep it up.

I think of him often when I'm cooking, and I know he'd be proud every time a smiling face and full belly leave the Gypsy Cafe, praising my vegan and vegetarian cooking, that, to me, is so heavily inspired by my dad's love of food.

The Bombshell- one of the vegan sandwiches available at Gypsy & Co