The Best
May/June 2016
Chocolate Created Passions in Toronto’s East End
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Benjamin Sports Best Value Bike Shop in Toronto’s East End
Service & Sales, Repairs, Tuneups, Parts & Accessories
Summer Bicycle Tune Up 2
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Special $
40
• Bike Cleaning • Tube replacement (if needed) • Tire change (if needed) • Additional prices may apply
Over 17 years service!
Benjamin
I’ve been several times for obscure parts that I need to repair my old road bike. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. They have a range of mountain bikes and road bikes, some apparel and accessories. Prices are good too. Google review
Benjamin Sports 389 Donlands Ave, East York, ON M4J 3S3 (416) 429-0493 www.benjaminsports.com
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We believe everyone can dance. No matter what your age or ability. Dance is our soul expressing feelings and emotions as a pathway to true joy. 95 Danforth Ave @ Broadview Toronto, ON M5A 4K3 416-406-3262 www.joyofdance.ca
Join our family. All are welcome!
KIDS, TEEN & ADULTS Ballet Ballet on Pointe Ballroom Bollywood Burlesque Cha Cha Contemporary Ginga Hip Hop Jazz Latin Lyrical Modern Nia Salsa Tango Tap Zumba and so much more...
PAN Mediterranean Cuisine
Sun –Thur: 12-11:00pm • Fri-Sat: 12-12:00 pm
Thurs: Enjoy $20 bottle of Wine Promo. We have live music. Fri-Sat: Live Band & Belly Dancing
516 Danforth Ave. • 647 977 6371 • www.panonthedanforth.com • FREE DELIVERY 4
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T h e B e s t o f To r o n t o’s E a s t E n d
The Best Chocolate Created Passions in Toronto’s East End 8
Cacao vs Cocoa
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The Nutty Chocolatier
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Chocolate by Wickerhead
12 Jawny Baker 12 Mole Pablano 13 El Sol 14 North Pole Bakery 16 Leonidis Chocolate 17 Strictly Bulk 18 Gorgeous Chocolate Cake Recipe 20 Daniel et Daniel 22 Bobbette & Belle Chocolate cupcakes from Bobbette & Belle
23 MThompson Chocolate 24 Bonjour Brioche 24 Mary Macleod’s Shortbread 26 Soma
Next Issue July / August 2016 Serving the East End of Toronto. Patron Supporter: Medfit Rehab Writers and Photographers: Sophia Borshevsky, Greg Barsoski, Susan Hirst, Tracey Coveart Graphic Designer: Pam Hickey Publisher: Greg Barsoski Insiders.tips is the evolution of Neighbourhood Living Magazine into full digital expression after seven years celebrating the people of the East End through print. All rights reserved info. No article or ad may be duplicated without the consent of the publisher. Neighbourhood Living makes no representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to the qualification or accreditation of those whose opinions are expressed herein, or with the respect to the accuracy of completeness of information (medical or otherwise) provided to, or published in, this magazine. The views and opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the publisher.
www.neighbourhoodliving.com insiders.tips
28 Melangeur
Insiders.tips will focus on the Best of Toronto’s East End. There are incredible products and services being created by local artists and artisans that we support. Buy Local!!
30 Jawny Baker
Studies have shown that for every dollar spent supporting a local independent, 48 cents stay in the community versus 13 cents of every dollar spent at chains. Shopping local builds community.
37 Healing from the Root
32 Mary Macleod 34 Yuri’s Village 35 Susan Hirst Yoga 36 Dr. Fung
Best Photographers and Art in Toronto’s East End 38 Grethe Jensen 39 David Brandy 40 Copy Cat 41 Luc Sculpture 42 Stephen Cassie 44 Yellow house Gallery
Honey Butter Cloud Square from Soma
45 The Accidental Photographer: Mike Maclaverty 46 The Fox Theatre 48 Seth Godin 49 David Suzuki 50 Supply & Demand www.insiders.tips
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Best
Chocolate Created Passions in Toronto’s East End
Chocolate has a 4,000 year history of generating passion and Toronto’s East End neighbourhoods have a share. Exploring these neighbourhoods on bike allowed me to discover the smells of good chocolate brewing. Chocolate is one of my favourite foods: a life long passion. I can remember my mother in the kitchen baking a dark chocolate birthday cake with mint green double boiled icing, as well as my first chocolate mint ice cream cone purchased with money I earned from delivering newspapers. A well-made chocolate dish has smoothed over many awkward moments in my life- and what is Valentines without chocolate? In its best, truest form, chocolate can have a unique taste indicating its terroir; similar to coffee and wine. For most of us, chocolate is about having fun with friends, sharing an indulgent dessert and letting the dark, complex passion carry us away. Chocolate traditions are alive and growing in the East End. There are skilled shopkeepers and artisans plying their trade in your neighbourhood. Here are some of the best places I know; why not get on your bike and check them out.
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The difference between cocoa and cacao: • C acao is the purest form of chocolate you can consume, which means it is raw and much less processed than cocoa powder or chocolate bars. Cacao is thought to have the highest source of antioxidants of all foods and the highest source of magnesium of all foods. It has been used throughout many cultures for years for health purposes and even used as a high trade commodity. • C ocoa is the term used to refer to the heated form of cacao that you probably grew up buying at the store in the form of cocoa powder. • T hough cocoa may seem inferior to raw cacao, it’s actually very good for you (and less expensive) if you choose a variety without added sugars and milk fats or oils. • C ocoa powder is produced similarly to cacao except cocoa undergoes a higher temperature of heat during processing. Surprisingly, it still retains a large amount of antioxidants in the process and is still excellent for your heart, skin, blood pressure, and even your stress levels. • I f you buy cocoa powder, be sure you buy plain cocoa powder, not cocoa mixes which often contain sugar. Look for either regular cocoa powder or Dutch-processed (a.k.a. dark) cocoa powder. You can use cocoa powder and cacao powder interchangeably in baking recipes, smoothies, oatmeal, cookies, homemade raw treats, or even stir them into your coffee for a homemade mocha. Both cacao and cocoa are highly nutritious and are sure to satisfy chocolate cravings around the clock. If you want more nutrients, I suggest you choose cacao, but if you want less calories and and decent source of antioxidants, then definitely go with cocoa powder.
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The Nutty Chocolatier The Beaches
Since its start in1988, The Nutty Chocolatier has grown into six shops around the GTA. They use only the finest imported Callebaut chocolate from Belgium. Their products are made the old-fashioned way without any preservatives. They offer Gluten-free, Gelatin-free and their pure Dark chocolate items are milk-free (vegan). Their locations are the old fashioned candy store style brimming with a huge assortment to suit every taste.
2179 Queen Street East, 416-698-5548 www.thenuttychocolatier.com www.insiders.tips
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Chocolate by Wickerhead Co. The Beaches
Walking into “Chocolate� is walking into a world of chocolate fumes enticing you to stop and smell deeply. The store was founded by Sharon Shoot in 1988 and known as Wickerhead. Shoot was trained at the Callebaut Chocolate Academy, and is a small batch artisan chocolatier using chocolate from different sources, France, Belgium, and Tanzania to name a few. As you savour her creations, life has a way of expanding yet slowing down to allow a rich flavour experience to engage your taste buds. A welcoming place indeed!!
2375 Queen Street East, 647-344-9060 www.wickerhead.com www.insiders.tips
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Jawny Baker - East York East York’s Favourite Meeting Place 804 O’Connor Drive • 416-285-1165 • jawnybakers.com
East York’s favourite meeting place has an informal tradition. As a grande finale to a great meal, the Mud Pie Dessert is ordered with extra spoons to share. Owner Olga Kiriakou describes her Mud Pie Dessert as a Brownie square with sweet chocolate caramel, oreo crumble and Ben & Jerry French Vanilla Ice Cream. Couple that with a chocolate shake and you have a decadent chocolate treat to be shared.
Mole Poblano Different stories speak of the origin of Mole Poblano. They center around the Dominican convent of Santa Rosa in Mexico in the 1600s. Mole Poblano is a blend of indigenous pepper sauce accidently combined with cacao to create a spectacular dish. There are many versions and colours of mole: green, red, browndepending on the ingredients. Secret recipes are passed from generation to generation. Mole Pablano was the first international dish created in the Americas with a mix of ingredients from North America, Europe and Africa.
Cacao and Chocolate: a brief history Over 4,000 years ago, the inhabitants of a small village in the Ulúa valley in Honduras used drinking cups and plates exclusively for the consumption of Xocoatl, the original chocolate drink. Scientists consider this small village as the true birthplace of chocolate. Between 250 and 900 AD, cocoa became a major part of the Mayan culture and religion. It also played an essential role as currency. “Cacau” originally meant “carrying over from those who walk, work or cultivate,” which should be interpreted as exchanging or paying. After the Mayans, the Toltecs and later, around 12
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1300, the Aztecs established their communities in Mexico. The Aztecs adopted a lot of the Toltec cultural and religious practices, such as worshipping the feathered god of cocoa Quetzalcoatl. According to the legends, Quetzalcoatl received cocoa as a gift from the gods. He and his people lived in great wealth in a paradise called Tula. But jealous intruders poisoned Quetzalcoatl who went insane and disappeared on a raft in the open sea. The Aztecs always believed that Quetzalcoatl, their king and the god of cocoa, would once again return to Mexico.
El Sol Mexican Food Danforth Village
Yolande is a purist honouring the best of her Yaqui food traditions and loves to share them with her lucky customers. She prepares her brown mole poblano with vegetarian, beef or chicken stock. She imports a special family made mole paste from her village in the Yaqui area of Mexico. Her moles are a cacaoian delight and my favourite meal when I visit. At her restaurant you can enjoy a wide range of Mexican dishes in the traditional Yacquis way. Some of her recipes date back to days before Columbus.
1448 Danforth Avenue, 416-405-8074 elsol.ca • Since 1991 www.insiders.tips
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North Pole Bakery Danforth Village Lucy has run North Pole Bakery since 1974 using traditional family recipes from Italy. Her son-in-law Gaby, has a special touch with chocolate pastries, having competed in the World Chocolate Masters competition in Montreal. North Pole uses the freshest ingredients in all their baking and Callebaut chocolate with a rating of 70% coca butter for a deep, smooth chocolate taste. As Lucy says, “People come from miles around to get their special cakes and pastries.� Their chocolate cannoli, rum balls and chocolate almond cookies are definitely worth the trip.
1210 Danforth & Greenwood 416-466-6435
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Leonidis Chocolates Greektown Leonidis Chocolate, established in 1911 is known the world over for the best Belgian Chocolate - with over 1500 locations across the globe. Mary, who runs the Danforth location, knows her chocolate. She has patiently built her business through attention to detail and product presentation. Ask for a taste, and its smooth melting caress will convince you that amore is inevitable.
484 Danforth Avenue 416-462-0008 leonidas-chocolates.ca
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Strictly Bulk Riverdale 638 Danforth Avenue, 416-466-6849 A great store for baking supplies, bulk food and my favourite source for Callebaut Chocolate.
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Gorgeous Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting Adapted from Bonnie Stern’s “Friday Night Dinners”, page 254
This is a favourite cake I make for special occasions to wow my guests. The cake is easy to make and full of dark rich chocolate flavour. I use Callebaut chocolate which I purchase from Strictly Bulk in the Danforth neighbourhood.
Cake: 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar (the actual recipe calls for twice what I showed above - I found cutting it in half allowed for a stronger chocolate taste) ¾ cup cocoa 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp kosher salt 2 eggs 1 cup strong coffee, cooled 1 cup buttermilk, sour soy, sour cream, or unflavoured yogurt ½ cup vegetable oil 1 tbsp vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract Sift your dry together, mix your wet and then pour wet over dry. Place in two cake pans greased and with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 350˚ F oven for 25-30 minutes-until ready. Cool, then run butter knife around edge to loosen.
Ganache Frosting: 1 ½ cups whipping cream 12 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (I use Callebaut from Strictly Bulk) 1 tsp vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract Heat whipping cream (medium heat) till it starts to bubble and be quite hot. (Be careful as it can boil over easily). Pour over chocolate in a heatproof bowl-shake bowl so chocolate is covered in cream. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Chocolate should melt and then stir in vanilla. Let cool , stirring occasionally till consistency allows spreading over cake. For contrast I spread apricot or raspberry jam between the layers or try a liqueur. 18
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Daniel et Daniel Cabbagetown 248 Carleton St, 416-968-9275 www.danieletdaniel.ca Daniel et Daniel was founded by the two Daniels in 1981, both originally from Paris France: Daniel Megly and Daniel Clairet. Their experience shaped their retail as I have fun shopping there. The two chocolate cakes featured today are the Devils Food Cake and their Chocolate Mouse Cake; the original recipe was saved from his grandmothers house fire by Daniel Clairet. 20
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Bobbette & Belle Leslieville
Bobbette & Belle is located in the heart of Leslieville. The open and airy shop features a wide selection of fresh baked, home-style, and high end pastries. Using only the finest ingredients including Lindt chocolate, Boiron fruit purees imported from France, and Nielsen-Massey’s pure Madagascar vanilla.
1121 Queen Street E. 416-466-8800 bobbetteandbelle.com
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My favourite chocolate experiences are the chocolate cupcakes and the to be savoured Triple Chocolate Marshmallows shown here: slowly chewing marshmallow with chocolate chip bursts.
MThompson Chocolates Leslieville For Marni Thompson, chocolate passion is a way of life. Ever since she was a little girl Marni was surrounded by the craft and culture of chocolate: and chocolatiers. With her husband and partner Alvin Bolkovic, their gourmet chocolates are made by hand with traditional techniques like copper kettle cooking. They use fresh, natural ingredients and the highest quality couverture chocolate. I love their dark chocolate blueberry, their dark chocolate mint, their dark chocolate salted caramel: I could go on and on. They know chocolate and I love their knowledge.
Couverture chocolate contains a higher percentage of cocoa butter; therefore requires proper tempering to give it more sheen and a creamy flavour. There are different ways of tempering chocolate. MThompson uses a technique of seeding the chocolate which takes quite a bit of time: similar to tempering by hand. You cannot rush good chocolate. They also use copper kettle cooking techniques to disburse heat evenly through out the batch. Constant mixing is required to not grain off the sugars: along with hand pouring and cutting makes their chocolate a traditional decadence.
388 Carlaw Ave, Suite W 11, 647-922-6991 mthompsonchocolate.com www.insiders.tips
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Bonjour Brioche
- Riverside
812 Queen Street E., 416-406-1250 Master Baker Henri Feasson arrives at 1:00 am every morning to start that days baking. Lori Feasson arrives at 7:00 am to prepare the front, so that when you arrive at 8:00 am, you have fresh baguettes and brioche for your meal.
So it has been since they opened in 1996. And their passion for their customers and food has not abated. Their best chocolate specialty is their Flourless Chocolate Cake: smooth, rich and one bite is never enough.
Mary Macleod’s Shortbread Riverside
Mary Macleod’s Dutch chocolate shortbread is a chocolate version of the original shortbread created by her Grandmother in Glasgow Scotland. Mary learned to bake from her mother and French grandmother. Perhaps it’s this French connection that gives her iconic Scottish cookie its unique flavour. The recipe is a secret, passed from Grandmother to Mother, to Mary, and now, from Mary to her daughter-in-law, Sharon. Sharon describes this cookie as “velvety, smooth, decadent, not overly sweet - very adult, great with red wine”. It is a staff and customer favourite.
639 Queen St E, Toronto 416-461-4576 marymacleod.com 24
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Terroir (French pronunciation: from terre, “land”) “) is the set of all environmental factors that affect a crop’s epigenetic qualities, when the crop is grown in a specific habitat. Collectively, these environmental characteristics are said to have a character; terroir also refers to this character. Some artisanal crops for which terroir is studied include wine, coffee, tobacco, chocolate, chili peppers, hops, agave (for making tequila and mezcal), tomatoes, heritage wheat, maple syrup, tea, and cannabis. Terroir is the basis of the French wine appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) system, which is a model for wine appellation and regulation in France and around the world. The AOC system presumes that the land from which the grapes are grown imparts a unique quality that is specific to that growing site (the plants’ habitat). The extent of terroir’s significance is deliberated in the wine industry. from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terroir
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Soma Chocolatemaker The Distillery District
Soma has taken the idea of terroir and made it their brand for creating unique chocolate, especially their chocolate bars where you can taste the world’s chocolate in one store. Soma started in 2003 with the idea of creating a small, funky chocolate factory. David Castellan and Cynthia Leung’s goal was to find new ways to create and enjoy chocolate. On making their first batches of chocolate, it was immediately apparent that they had stumbled upon something magical and that their future would be tied to it. In cacao beans, nature has made the perfect “Soma”, a mystical substance mentioned in the Rig Veda and later by Aldous Huxley in the novel Brave New World. It was time to start exploring this new frontier. Their first space was in a tiny corner of a former whisky distillery. They started roasting and winnowing cacao beans, refining and conching their own chocolate, spinning gelato, baking cookies, making hot chocolates, and producing a line of truffles. It was here they started creating a community of folks with a healthy appetite for great chocolate.
Soma (Sanskrit: sóma) or Haoma (Avestan), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a Vedic ritual drink[1] of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Greater Indian and Greater Iranian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities. In the Avesta, Haoma has the entire Yasht 20 and Yasna 9-11 dedicated to it.
32 Tank House Lane, 416.815.7662 somachocolate.com www.insiders.tips
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Melangeur 28
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This machine is called a melangeur. Cacao nibs and sugar are crushed to a thick paste by the heavy granite rollers. The slow grinding releases the cacao’s mind blowing aroma. This one, owned by Soma, is 80 years old and has been lovingly restored.
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Welcome to Jawny Bakers – East York’s favourite place to meet We trust that you will enjoy whatever occasion has brought you here, whether it’s spending valued time with family or meeting friends, we want to extend some warm hospitality to you and your guests. Our menu is eclectic and offers global fare prepared with pride and passion. The selection is diverse and aims to satisfy all tastes. Our food is classic and prepared with a signature twist. Wherever possible, we strive to source fresh, local ingredients to prepare our addictive and tasty dishes, and partner with the most reputable suppliers. Whether you choose a fresh market salad, a perfectly grilled prime steak or a handmade burger, there’s a lot of homemade goodness in everything we prepare. We know you will like what you see and love what you taste!
— SINCE 1992 —
804 O’CONNOR DRIVE TORONTO ON M4B 2S9
416.285.1165 JAWNYBAKERS.COM 30
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A tale of two shortbreads by
As a young girl growing up in Glasgow, Scotland, Mary Macleod learned to bake a patois shortbread with her Scottish mother and French grandmother. When she emigrated to Canada at the age of 22, she brought her family’s secret shortbread recipe with her, opening Mary Macleod’s Shortbread in a tiny shop under the marquee of the Capitol Theatre in Toronto in 1981. Hers was the first business in Canada devoted exclusively to baking hand-made shortbread, and her cookies were an instant hit. But it was her signature Chocolate 32
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Tracey Coveart
Crunch shorbread that made her famous. “Mary had a friend who was a chocolatier,” explains daughter-in-law Sharon Macleod. Mary, a lifelong chocolate lover, wanted to marry the two flavours. It was something that had never been done before, and something that was considered a bit of a sacrilege in the cloistered world of shortbread, where ‘variety’ refers to shape, not flavour. “The Scottish Society of Canada sent Mary a strongly worded letter stating that she could not put chocolate
in a cookie and call it shortbread,” laughs Sharon. But Mary was undeterred. “She mailed them a sample and they sent a followup letter apologizing, telling her of course she could call her Chocolate Crunch cookie a shortbread. It was delicious!” In those early, experimental days of the Chocolate Crunch, Mary used her neighbours as guinea pigs: customers, shopkeepers and the police officers who worked at the station around the corner. “The men and women in blue would
the business. I had to bear two grandchildren and celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary before I could be trusted with the family formula!” Sharon started working weekends at Mary Macleod’s, then came on board full time in 2010, heading straight into the test kitchen. After more than two years of research, experimentation and taste testing, she launched her Maple Crunch cookie this September. It may be Sharon’s flavour, but it’s a Mary Macleod’s Shortbread cookie through and through. “I used the same principles Mary does. I started with a clean ingredient deck. All our ingredients are 100 per cent natural and preservative-free, and we source the best products in the world—like the maple—which comes from Quebec. Then I balanced the dough, removing some of the sugar from the traditional recipe as I added the maple sugar.” The result is a melt-in-your mouth butter cookie that is not overly sweet, riddled with crunchy explosions of delicate maple flavour and finished off with a crown of pure maple on top. For Sharon, the choice for her first cookie was an easy one. “Maple is the quintessential Canadian flavour and it ties in perfectly with our company goal: to be the top quality Canadian shortbread.” Right now, the test kitchen at the shop on Queen Street East sits empty. With Christmas just a few weeks away, there is no time for experimentation. All hands are on deck filling festive boxes and tins with Mary Macleod’s Shortbread that will be tucked away under Christmas trees across the city and around the world. But after the holiday rush, Mary and Sharon will put on their aprons and start work on their newest shortbread cookie. It should be ready for release by September of next year. Until then, the mother/daughter-inlaw baking duo will be looking for guinea pigs...
come by to check on her when she was baking at three in the morning and sample her latest trial batch,” says Sharon. There were plenty of disasters as Mary tried to figure out how to keep the chocolate solid. “It melted. It marbled. The shortbread turned brown. The officers were well fed!” The cookie took 18 months to perfect, but when Mary finally released it to the general public, there were lineups outside the store. “Within two hours she’d be sold out and had to close.” Never content to rest on her laurels, Mary has been experimenting and perfecting in the test kitchen ever since, bringing on new flavours like Dutch Cocoa, Hazelnut Chocolate Crunch, Orange Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Espresso Chocolate, Rolled Coconut, Cranberry Almond, Butterscotch Bars and Wholewheat Walnut, in addition to the always popular Traditional. “She
starts with her traditional shortbread recipe, then looks for ingredients that will complement it in a variety of textures and shapes and sizes. Then she goes into the kitchen and “plays,” paying close attention not just to taste but also to smell, texture, visual appeal and shelf life. “We taste test the raw dough for flavour and consistency, then get our friends, family and customers to try the baked product. It’s more a creative process than a scientific one,” says Sharon. “We’re looking for the yum factor. If people like it–if we like it–then we know we’re on the right track.” The newest flavour on offer at Mary Macleod’s Shortbread is Maple Crunch–except the credit for this cookie goes to Mary’s daughter-in-law. “This is the first flavour I’ve ever developed–with Mary’s approval, of course!” says Sharon. Married into the family in 1997, “I’ve been slowly easing into
Mary Macleod’s Shortbread 639 Queen Street E 416-461-4576 www.marymacleod.ca Open 7 days a week www.insiders.tips
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YOGA WITH SUSAN
Find your inner strength and make friends with your body
We always encourage people to go gently when beginning a yoga practice, or for that matter, any type of physical movement practice. Give your body time to adjust to the new activity you are embarking on and with consistent practice and patience it will respond favourably. Often when people start a new physical practice they can be a little harsh with themselves if they can’t quite do some things! As you keep working patiently, people often find that thing we call ‘self esteem’ is being gently strengthened, confidence improves, we start to have more energy, walk and stand taller and with more ‘presence’ and ‘poise’. This is just the very tip of the iceberg in the many benefits of a good yoga practice. It can be all the more powerful when combined with a few hours of weight training and fitness per week.
Join Susan at her Woodbine Yoga classes and Summer classes at Phin Park. She is also available for small group sessions or 1 on 1 sessions. Contact her at 647-927-9074 or suescape@hotmail.com 34
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Yuri’s Village provides naturopathic and holistic medicine from the newborn to the elders. For this issue we asked the owner, Dr. Yuri Murakami, ND about naturopathic medicine.
Can you tell us how Naturopathic Medicine differs from Western Medicine? Dr. Yuri: “We know that the body has an amazing ability to heal and restore health itself, so we work to encourage and facilitate this healing mechanism in the most efficient way using natural medicine. We use the scientifically proven knowledge like Western Medicine, but also we use the wisdom that has helped people for a few thousand years!” What do you mean by “holistic” medicine? Dr.Yuri: “Holistic medicine means that we treat the ‘whole’ aspect of individual. We consider a person is a dynamic combination of the body, emotion, mind, spirit, genetic, and environment. The ‘dis-ease’ can start by having an imbalance in any of these. For instance, the symptom of “headache” can be due to hormonal change, food sensitivity, or simply a stress. By finding the cause of an illness from whole aspect, we treat the root of illness and also prevent developing further illness in long run.”
Yuri’s Village naturopathic clinic
Danforth avenue & greenwood www.yurisvillage.com 416-466-5773 appointment@yurisvillage.com Clinic Opens Monday to Saturday (Office Hour: Wed to Sat, 10-5pm)
At last, tell us your goals: Dr. Yuri: “We are here to help people to achieve their optimal health, but also to educate them to be confident in taking care of their health. Through getting our services, patients start to learn about health and eventually about themselves, and this becomes the tools for them to live well and joyfully in health.” Naturopathic Doctors are regulated in Ontario and many work health benefits can cover their services. Start taking care of yourself and achieve optimal health at Yuri’s Village this summer! www.insiders.tips
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If you have been diagnosed with scoliosis (curvature of the spine)
wE CaN hElp you. Introducing ScoliBrace®
Super Corrective • Non-Surgical • Effective ScoliBrace® is a unique scoliosis bracing method used in conjuction with 3D imaging software to create a customized brace. By positioning the body and the spine in their overcorrected or mirror image position, curve reductions are achieved as well as improvements to rib humping, shoulder level and the overall appearance of the body. You will experience a tremendous alleviation of lower back pain.
Relieves lower back pain and improves appearance Etobicoke Reader’s Choice Award Winning Clinic 2011 to 2015
Call now for your ScoliBrace® Consultation highly Effective for: • adult Degenerative Scoliosis, • Juvenile Idiopathic Scoliosis and • adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
2896 Bloor Street West, Toronto 416-769-1163 info@completebalancehealth.com www.completebalancehealth.com 36
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Part of the medical team for the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games
FIGHT INFLAMMATION
WITH AcupuNcTure reduce inflammation in your body and boost your natural healing potential to combat illness from within.
Healing from the Root (since 1998) Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Private Practice
Julian Jones, r.Ac., r.TcMp 348 Danforth Avenue, Suite 215, carrot common call to arrange a consultation: 416-995-2526 www.insiders.tips
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“The Well-Dressed Stranger”
I find that the photos I’ve taken in the subway are a fascinating study in humanity. They evoke for me a series of imaginary and mysterious stories about the human spirit. Look for my subway images on my website at http://www.lhicreative.com/-/galleries/subway
David Brandy Creative Eye 647-222-7718 www.lhicreative.com 38
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TWTR: @lhi_creative
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IG: dtbrandy |
FB: lhicreativephotography
“Sound of Silence” is part of a series of paintings that I am currently working on. My goal is to explore the feelings, thoughts and sounds that accompany silence… Peace vs intensity. Up close vs distant. Internal vs distributed. Unique vs complex.
Grethe Jensen is a contemporary artist/instructor living in the Beach. She paints in acrylics, working with various materials and sizes. Her “Just Do It!” experimental painting classes and workshops are offered at various locations in Toronto and elsewhere.
Grethe Jensen grethe.je@gmail.com
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grethejensen.com
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Best Copy Place for Special Projects Hello I’m Stephanie Axford proud owner of Copy Cat Reproductions, a small business on the Danforth that specializes in print, copy and design. Our services range from every day copy needs to corporate requirements; always delivered with quality, care and a smile. After graduating from Durham College with a diploma in graphic design, I began my career in the print industry and soon realized I wanted to take my passion one step further. With the Danforth’s strong sense of community, it was an easy decision to establish my business in this neighbourhood and in 1999 my doors opened. We have seen remarkable growth over the years and this is attributed to not only repeat business from our loyal client base but also to Caitlin Legere, my lovely assistant. Caitlin’s 40
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skills, knowledge and easy going personality, have made her a huge asset to Copy Cat Reproductions. Our goal at Copy Cat is being able to deliver quality products with care as well as helping the many wonderful people who live in this great community. We would love to take care of all your print shop needs. Please drop in to say hi! Steph & Caitlin
Copy Cat RepRoduCtions 746 danforth avenue 416-405-8484 www.copycatreproductions.com
LucSculpture School & Studios
Summer is here. It is a wonderful time for children to enjoy and explore things school may not offer. As a diverse cultural center, Toronto offers a variety of summer camps; so sometimes it is hard to choose. We want to highlight LucSculpture School & Studios, in our East End neighbourhood. They help children age 6 to 13 to enjoy a rich experience in wide range of creative activities all summer long. It is the 10th year of Creative Summer Camp at LucSculpture. The wonderful part of LucSculpture philosophy is nurturing the creative spirit through art activities;designed to tickle a child’s curious heart. This year, the activities vary from drawing, clay sculpture, pottery, to exploring world music, theatre, creative movements, and story telling; all of which are facilitated by professional local artists. LucSculpture is also big on environment. This year they are collaborating with Friends of Beach Parks; doing art activities at the Beaches; visiting their edible garden; learning about the indigenous plants and bee-loving plants, and tasting freshly harvested vegetables. For more information about the Summer Creative Camp at LucSculpture, check their website, lucsculpture.com, and register quickly before it is full!
LucscuLpture 663 Greenwood 416-461-7936 info@lucsculpture.com www.lucsculpture.com www.insiders.tips
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East End Neighbours by Stephen Caissie
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Stephen Caissie, Photographer info@stephencaissiephoto.com 416-579-2235 • @stephen_caissie www.stephencaissiephoto.com
This is Keith, a neighbour of mine who lives at the corner of Iona and Keystone. Everyone tells him he reminds them of David Suzuki. I think it’s the garden as much as anything.
This is Joanna and her dog (whose name escapes me at the moment). I photographed them in East Lynn Park one cold December evening as the first in a series of “people and pooch in the park” portraits.
This is Savannah and her father at the Sleepout for Syrians fundraiser last December. I photographed participants the night before they went to sleep, aand the morning after they woke up in a church yard.
This is Justin, one of the mechanics at Sunny’s Auto Clinic on Danforth a little west of Main Street.
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Yellow House June exhibit:
TIMELESS COLLISION works by Andre Kan and Carmela Casuccio JUNE 2ND- JULY 2ND 2016 Image Flux Andre Kan Enlivened by his interest in spacial structures and interconnectivity, Andre Kan’s paintings serve as excitable blueprints for a possible reality. Each work depicts the artists’ signature imaginative building blocks that converge and begin to build upon each other and strengthening each other towards an ever transforming space. Kan’s structures are substantial and complex but not yet anchored - they float suspended in his psychological space. In this way Kan’s buildings remain a playful proposition for the viewer not yet tied to a specific place or function. With his dynamic formations, Kan propels us towards an ever optimistic future where new connections and constructions have yet to materialize.
Timeless City Carmela Casuccio “Painting is an act of discovery for me and when moving from one series of works to another, my process is to go inward. I shut out external distractions and try to access the accumulated observations and thoughts that exist within me that can only be expressed visually because they are at a level that has no words to describe them. I choose the colours that seem to be calling out to me. Colour is an important part of the language I use to communicate and it influences both the composition and structure of the piece. I then begin to paint with a sense of freedom in search of something honest that needs to emerge. I feel there is an inherent truth in each painting and it is my role as an artist to discover it and translate it visually for the viewers. They will find their own truth in it.”
Christina Kostoff Owner and Operator
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Yellow House GallerY and FraminG 921 Kingston road Toronto, ontario 416.792.8460 www.insiders.tips yellowhousegallery.ca
The Accidental Photographer I call myself The Accidental Photographer because I never know what I have until I get it home and in the computer. My wife and I are fortunate to be able to travel quite a bit, so I’m rarely without my camera. I’ll shoot anything whether it moves or not, I don’t specialize in landscapes or people or architecture, I’m an equal opportunity photographer. I’ve lived in the Beach for nearly 40 years and have been photographing it for over 10. I love shooting along the beach, the boardwalk, summer or winter, it’s never the same. Some days the lake can be dead calm and looks as blue as the Caribbean, others it can be as rough, cold and grey as the mid Atlantic. But never the same. My favourite shot is of the Leuty Lifeguard Station called “Morning Has Broken” taken early one day on my morning walk with my wife and friends, we walk for one hour every day. The shot was taken March 12th 2008 at 8.48 a.m. People often think it’s a panting as they do with a lot of my work. I would often correct people, now I just say “Thank you.” Perhaps I should have been a painter. When I work on a picture on the computer I’m not sure that I consciously try to make it look like a painting but rather I just try to make it look the way I thought I saw it at the time I shot it. I’m currently working on developing a line of coffee mugs with images of the Beach much like my line of greeting cards that are sold at a number of locations in the Beach. Pippins Tea Shop is test marketing them at the moment. As not every one has room for a large picture, this spring I will be experimenting with some smaller versions of some of my more popular photographs. As of the 1st of May, The Outrigger and Starbucks at Hammersmith have poster copies of two series of abstract images I’ve been working on for some time. Another thing I have been very active with for the past five years has been the F8 Group of Photographers. We all come from the Beach area and have two shows a year at the Dignam Gallery on Prince Arthur Ave. For our tenth show we are doing a retrospective and are moving to a much larger space at the Columbus Centre at the corner of Dufferin and Lawrence. We will each have a much larger space to hang big and small images without feeling crowded, plus we will be on display for the whole month of September. I know it’s not exactly in the Beach, but it’s very hard to find large gallery space in this area.
Michael Maclaverty TheAccidentalPhotographer.ca mike@theaccidentalphotographer.ca 416-529-6405 Home gallery visits by appointment. www.insiders.tips
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BLOWOUT SALE OF MEXICAN HANDMADE GLASS AND CURIOS El Sol needs to clear space for a dance floor! Stop by their location at 1448 Danforth to get great deals on artisan crafts, handmade glass and much more.
Call Yolande at 416-405-8074, 1:00 to 10:00 pm.
Get your free copy of www.insiders.tips Go to www.insiders.tips and click on the black square labeled Download PDF Or leave your email address and get the next issue sent to you.
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More powerful than you know www.sethgodin.com sethgodin.typepad.com
I think that’s always been a little true, but now it’s a lot true. Everyone reading this has an enormous amount of power. Cultural power, mostly. The ability to speak up, to paint a picture of a different way, to share words and images with those that care to hear them. But also the power of connection. The power to find people who need to know each other and help make magic happen. When we combine leadership (the leadership of ideas) with organization (the organization of people) we create the fabric of our culture, and our culture determines our future. It’s far easier to worry and gripe about insufficient authority, about those that would seek to slow us down, disrespect us or silence us. But we live in a moment where each of us has the power of influence. What will you do with it?
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The benefits of getting outside For the most part, our brains didn’t evolve in cities. But in a few decades, almost 70 per cent of the world’s people will live in urban environments. Despite the prosperity we associate with cities, urbanization presents a major health challenge. Cities, with their accelerated pace of life, can be stressful. The results are seen in the brains and behaviour of those raised in cities or currently living in one. On the upside, city dwellers are on average wealthier and receive better health care, nutrition and sanitation than rural residents. On the downside, they experience an increased risk of chronic disease, a more demanding and stressful social environment and greater levels of inequity. In fact, city dwellers have a 21 per cent greater risk for anxiety disorders and a 39 per cent increased likelihood of mood disorders. A study published in Nature links city living with sensitivity to social stress. MRI scans show greater exposure to urban environments can increase activity in the amygdala, a brain structure involved in emotions such as fear and the release of stress-related hormones. According to the study, the amygdala “has been strongly implicated in anxiety disorders, depression, and other behaviours that are increased in cities, such as violence.” The researchers also found people who lived in cities for their first 15 years experienced increased activity in an area of the brain that helps regulate the amygdala. So if you grew up in the city, you’re more likely than those who moved there later in life to have permanently raised sensitivity to stress. Author and professor David Gessner says we’re turning into “fast twitch” animals. It’s like we have an alarm clock going off in our brains every 30 seconds, sapping our ability to concentrate for longer periods of time. The demands of urban life include a constant need to filter information, dodge distractions and make decisions. We give our brains little time to recover.
How do we slow things down? Nature seems to be the answer. Cognitive psychologist David Strayer’s hypothesis is that “being in nature allows the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s command centre, to dial down and rest, like an overused muscle.” Research shows even brief interactions with nature can soothe our brains. Stanford’s Gregory Bratman designed an experiment in which participants took a 50-minute walk in either a natural or an urban environment. People who took the nature walk experienced decreased anxiety, brooding and negative emotion and increased memory performance. Bratman’s team found walking in natural environments can decrease rumination, the unhealthy but familiar habit of thinking over and over about causes and consequences of negative experiences. Their study also showed neural activity in an area of the brain linked to risk for mental illness was reduced in participants who walked through nature compared with those who walked through an urban environment. Korean researchers investigated the differences in brain activity when volunteers just looked at urban versus natural scenery. For those viewing urban images, MRI scans showed increased blood flow to the amygdala region. In contrast, areas of the brain associated with empathy and altruism lit up for those who viewed natural scenes. In Japan, scientists found people spending time in nature — shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing” — inhale “beneficial bacteria, plant-derived essential oils and negativelycharged ions” which interact with gut bacteria to strengthen the body’s immune system and improve both mental and physical health. Spending time in nature regularly is not a panacea for mental health but it’s an essential component of health and psychological resilience. Nature helps us withstand and recover from life’s challenges. Even city dwellers can find nearby nature — a garden, local park or trail — to give their overworked brains a break. Let’s show our brains — and bodies — some love. Get outside!
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