"Nearly a quarter of us don't use the holidays to which we're entitled," according to an article in a July edition of the Globe and Mail. However, by not taking a vacation from our everyday routine, we run the risk of burning out.

Some of us who work in smaller team environments dread taking time off as the work piles up while we are away. The stress of getting it all done when we get back seems to be too much.

Here's an innovative summer vacation idea for all those who want to take a short voyage without leaving the city. Since 1999, Laura Shiffer – mother and neurologist – has been using her time off by taking summer courses at the Avenue Road Arts School. There is nothing she would rather do. "It is wonderful to have a creative outlet in any line of work that is very stressful and factually oriented," she says. "Having that concentrated time period where you get a lot accomplished is the best vacation."

Booking time off to take a one-week workshop is a great way to study with instructors whose classes often fill during the regular school year. For a person with a busy schedule, like Laura's, making a five-day commitment is often easier than setting aside an evening a week for 10-14 weeks. "During my week-long art classes I often come home and continue painting until one in the morning. Otherwise it is hard to schedule studio time for myself," Dr. Schiffer explains.

Having these short focused stints to do art work has given Laura the chance to produce enough still life, landscape and portrait oil paintings to frame and put up around her house, give away to friends or auction off at fundraisers for her children's school. "My dream," she says, "would be to get good enough to have a show."

Laura has found a way to stay close to her city responsibilities, while at the same time travelling to a place that gives her great pleasure. Maybe it's time to start planning for next summer now.

If you had attended Can Stage's Shakespeare in the Park at High Park this summer,you would have enjoyed the performance of Patrick Rose playing Antonio in Much Ado About Nothing. A veteran of both classical stage and musical theatre, this was Patrick's second summer participating in that venue.

Patrick has been leading the Singing Broadway Showtunes class at ARAS since it opened its doors in 1993. The Let's Sing Out! class was added in 2000. His showtunes class developed such an extraordinary following that several years ago it had to move to the First Unitarian Church at St. Clair and Avenue Road, just to accommodate the number of enthusiasts who wanted to be there. "It's like a three-day week-end," says Patti Goodman who, like others, has been a regular since 1993.

Students describe Patrick's classes as "therapy" – there is so much laughing and raw expressing of emotion through the singing that many people say his Monday night class sets them up for the week. Patrick, who spends much of his time doing corporate "gigs," looks forward to his class as well. "I think I learn as much about music from teaching other people as I do as a performer." Both classes have enjoyed recording CDs. Patrick has inspired great creativity among some of his students. Herb Samuels, for example, writes and performs a new song for the class every single week – many of them about the joys of the Showtunes experience.

Patrick and his collaborator, composer/conductor David Warrack, teach Broadway Showtunes on Monday evenings. At Tuesday evening's Let's Sing Out! class, Patrick plays guitar, while students harmonize to the folk and pop classics from the
50's, 60's and 70's.