Bayview Post December 2025

B-DEC-2025-OFC.qxp_Layout 1 2025-11-20 2:05 PM Page 1

JINGLE BITES CHEFS NUIT REGULAR & ANTHONY ROSE UNLOCK THE CITY’S HOLIDAY DESSERT SCENE

B A Y V I E W

Pictured — Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

DECEMBER 2025 • VOLUME 37 • ISSUE 5

T.O.’S ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

B-DEC-2025-IFC.qxp_Layout 1 2025-11-19 7:54 PM Page 1

3

39

Contents

30

Welcome to the December 2025 issue of The Post. Sit back and enjoy!

27

27 TSO’s best-dressed musicians strike a pose for the season We invited a few members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to put the city's coolest (and cosiest) winter accessories to the test — carolling style Before the T.O. crooner performs at History on his Back to Life tour, he gives us the scoop on meeting his wife on the dance floor 31 years ago

30 Toronto’s 2025 People of the Year From actors and athletes to doctors performing lifesaving transplants, these are Toronto’s most inspirational people

39 Holiday desserts world tour The holidays have landed, and Toronto’s dessert table is going global; chefs Nuit Regular and Anthony Rose crown the treat that truly sleighed them

| DECEMBER 2025

29 Shawn Desman on love at first sight with his childhood sweetheart

3

4

T.O

The

This Holl in ex

I wa of ho idea the f he’s stran thin gets love we g back

How shap

I thi your ence to d perie it’s n ence you’ We

You with

Wel bad. it an weir wou than

5

POST INTERVIEW

STREETS OF TORONTO SECTION

FAST FACTS NAME:

Will Arnett SCHOOL:

Graduated from Leaside High School BREAKOUT ROLE:

As George Oscar ‘Gob’ Bluth II in the Fox series ‘Arrested Development’ THE POD:

Hosts popular podcast ‘Smartless’ alongside Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes

L-R: Will Arnett, a scene from ‘Is This Thing On?’ with Arnett opposite Laura Dern

T.O.’s Will Arnett like you’ve never seen him before The comic actor goes all in, co-writing and starring in the dramatic new film ‘Is This Thing On?’ that gear of what it would be like for someone who’s never done it before. It’s a narrow target. We wanted it to feel authentic and reflect what it would be like for a guy with no connection I was inspired by John’s story [British comedian John Bishop] to standup. of how he became a standup. But really what got to me was this idea that this person, this guy, who we find at the beginning of Sounds terrifying. the film kind of catatonic and not knowing how to express what It was very scary. I didn’t know if I could deliver from one day he’s going through, is able, through addressing rooms full of to the next, one scene to the next, one take to the next. Bradley strangers, to start to zero in on what’s going on with himself. I [Cooper, the director] always said, “We start at zero every day. think we live in a world where communication between people We can’t rest on our laurels.” There are no wasted moments. I gets lost, and we lose track of the people in our lives that we had to really learn a lot of things for the first love and how we express ourselves. Sometimes time as an actor. we get so far away we don’t know how to get back. That felt important to me.

It sounds like he really pushed you.

He did, in the best way. He pushed me to trust How much of your own perspective myself. He said, “There are no tricks here.” The shaped the story you wanted to tell? camera’s right there — he’s operating it a foot I think it’s really difficult not to bring some of away from me. There’s nowhere to hide. your own stuff. We’re all made up of our experiences, right? No matter what anyone asks you What did you want to say here about redisto do, how you do it will be based on your excovering yourself after a number of years? perience. As we wrote this, it’s not a biopic and I didn’t fully appreciate the idea of reinvention it’s not autobiographical of me and my experiuntil we were doing it. I wasn’t looking to redeence, but there are things I can identify with and relate to. If fine how people look at me, but I found through this process you’ve ever been in a relationship, you can relate to it — I hope. that I was much closer to the kid who left Toronto 35 years ago.

We hope it feels authentic.

This film captures something new for Hollywood romances. What interested you in exploring this kind of emotional realism?

“I HAD TO REALLY LEARN A LOT OF THINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME AS AN ACTOR.”

Well, I’m not a standup, so I did give myself some grace to be bad. But it was scary. It was daunting — getting onstage, doing it and trying to understand what it was like for that guy. It was weirdly my first time onstage, trying to understand what that would be like. I come from more of a performing background than [his character] Alex does, so for me it was about finding

The winter sport of the moment is curling.

Here’s where to rock your rocks in T.O. Rooftop rocks This winter, curling in Toronto just got a serious glow up: Ace Hotel Toronto is hosting free curling on its rooftop as part of its Winter Chalet program, where you can slide stones under the skyline and then warm up with complimentary fondue.

Close to downtown The Royal Canadian Curling Club, located on Broadview Avenue, balances historic charm with inclusive leagues that draw players from all walks of life.

Beginners ready to roll Leaside Curling Club offers eight bright sheets and a welcoming atmosphere for beginners and seasoned curlers alike.

Old school charm High Park Club, one of Toronto’s oldest curling clubs, offers all kinds of elegance and community spirit, making every game feel like a walk back in time.

Can you tell me about your upbringing in Toronto — your old stomping grounds?

I used to spend a lot of time at the Pilot, the bar that used to be down the street [in Yorkville]. I went to the Morrissey a lot in the late ’80s and early ’90s — that was our pub. I broke my kneecap playing shinny at Ramsden Park. I went to Subway Academy on Bloor at Brunswick, and I rode my bike through here. I took theatre classes at Maggie Bassett Studio at Tarragon Theatre. So yes — this is my spot.

| DECEMBER 2025

You actually performed live standup in character, with mixed results. What was that experience like?

CITY HACKS

Royal Canadian Curling Club 5

6

CITY

A time for random acts of kindness

/ ///

" '

# %

")/#& ,-(0/%),/.")/$),%(,0(/% .#%(,0/%- /.+(,-/),#.!!,- /1- .-/(./( , )/+) ,- 0/%- /),&%( ,0 .0(/.+/.")/-, / ). ,#(0/#.!,/+).!/ .) .+ !."( / ,/-, ,)/#"(/#.)-,)0 /%- /.")/#.!! (!,-(/(. #)%+(0!%-0 /0,) #, /%- / "%& ( / %0/,%)-, /"0/%/), "(%( .-/( %(/0,(0/"0/+%)/% %)(/+).!/.( ,)0

'&%$#

10/.-,/.+/*.).-(.'0/&%)$,0(/#"0(.!/ .!,/ " & ,)0/%- /),-. %( .-/0 ,# %& 0(0 /1- .-/ %0/0().-$ /&.-$ 0(%- -$/),&%( .-0 0/ ( /0" & ,)0/%- /()% ,0 / ")/ " -$/ . ,)/!,%-0/&. ,)/!%(,) %&/%- /&% .") #.0(0 /%- / ,/ %00/( .0,/0% -$0/ ),#(& /.-/(./ ."

"!

).!/( ,/ % / ,/+ )0(/!,,(/(./( ,/+ -%&/ %& ( )."$ / ,/ ,& ,)/.-/, ,) / ).! 0,/ ( / .-,0( /%- #%), / ). -$/( )."$ /),+,))%&0 /1- .-/ 0/.-,/.+/*.).-(.'0/!.0(/),0 ,#(, /#"0(.!/ .!,/ " & ,)0 -. -/+.)/ -(,$) ( / " & -$/.-/ " $,(/%- /+%)/, #,, -$/, ,#(%( .-0

#! # &#

We had this ritual, my daughter and I. Whenever we drove to her lessons, we would pass an intersection where an unhoused person would ask for money. There are many such intersections in the city of Toronto. But this guy was someone we would see quite often, and he became the person we would look for to offer up our donation. He would always come to the window, tell us God bless, and we would check in on how he was doing. It seemed like he got much more out of us giving him a smile and asking about his day, than he did the few dollars.

Around this time of year, we would take a few small presents in the car with us to pass out, and he would be at the top of our list.

I call it the time of random acts of kindness, and it could be anything. This is but one small example.

Last month, our team at Streets of Toronto passed out 600 burgers and made a donation to the Daily Bread Food Bank, to celebrate our 600,000th follower on Instagram.

Random acts of kindness don’t have to be big, they don’t have to be costly. They can be as simple as offering a seat to a stranger, smiling and saying hello to a neighbour or giving a gift card to Tim Hortons to someone on the street that could really use a hot coffee and a sandwich right about now.

The thing about random acts of kindness is that they are contagious. That person on the receiving end might want to pay it forward one day. And it feels amazing in this divisive time in which we live to just be a good person. It’s so simple.

From all of us at Post City and Streets of Toronto, have a safe and happy holiday season.

RON JOHNSON is the editorial director of Post City Magazines.

/%- ( /. ,)/ / ,%)0/ -/%&&/%0 ,#(0/.+/),0 ,-( %&/),%&/,0(%(,/%- / "- ), 0/.+/#"0(.!/ .!,0/ " & (

),-. %(, /%#).00/( ,/ *1 /1- .-/ ) -$0/"-!%(# , / -. &, $,/(./, ,) / ). ,#( / ,/"- ,)0(%- / . (./-% $%(,/# %&&,-$,0 /% . /#.0(& /,)).)0/ / ,&% 0 /%- / ,& ,)/ .!,0/( %(/, #,, /, ,#(%( .-0 ,#%"0,/ ,' ,/ .-,/ (/%&&/ ,+.),

"!% %!# & ,+.),/ ,/ " & / .")/ ),%!/ .!, / ."'&&/$,(/%/#&,%)) / (,! , / " $,( / #. ,/.+/ .) /%- / % !,-( # , "&, / ."'&&/ -. /, %#(& / %(/ ."'),/$,(( -$/%- / . /!"# / (/ &&/#.0( /, ,) /0(, /.+/( ,/ % / . $",00 .) /-./0") ) 0,0

# ,/ &%-/#%),+"&& /%- / ) #,/ .-,0(& / ")/(,%!/ 0/#.!! ((, /(./ ,& ,) -$/ .")/ .!,/%(/.)/"- ,)/ " $,( ( /, ,) /#.0(/%##."-(, /+.)/+).!/0(%)(/(./#.! &,( .- / ,/ ) ,/.")0,& ,0/.-/#.! -$/ -/"- ,)/ " $,(

! "#% ")/ - ."0,/(,%!/0 ,# %& ,0/, #&"0 ,& / -/#"0(.!/ .!,/ " & -$ /&, / /.")/ ),0 ,-( /1&%-/ , (.- %- /.")/ /.+/ .-0()"#( .- / ./. ,)0,,/%&&/ ). ,#(0/ ( / ),# 0 .- / ).!/, ,) ,-#, / ). ,#(/!%-%$,)0 %- /0 (,/0" ,) 0.)0/(./( ,/!.0(/0 &&, / %- / # , /()% ,0 ,. &,/ -/( ,/ - "0() / ,/,-0"),/0,%!&,00 #.!!"- #%( .- / "%& ( /#.-().&/%- /0!..( / ).$),00/+).!/0(%)(/(./+ - 0

#

| DECEMBER 2025

6

# % $ ! ! # % # % & # # % # % ! #

+ T.O.’S ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE PUBLISHER Lorne London EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Ron Johnson ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER-IT Jarrod Daley MANAGING EDITOR Julia Mastroianni GENERAL MANAGER Laurie McGillivray FOOD EDITOR Jennifer Schembri CONTROLLER Tina Trevellin ART DIRECTOR Dorothy Chudzinski OFFICE/CLASSIFIEDS Lance Garvey MANAGING ART Lindsay Low MANAGER DIRECTOR VP OF SALES Lisa London SENIOR GRAPHIC Erin Neilly DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Lynne London DESIGNER MEDIA ADVISORS Jo-Anne Craine GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kristine Hughes Clara Strebel SENIOR SOCIAL EDITOR Lucy Hagerup-Labrosse CONTENT CREATOR Kaitlin Narciso Emily Matesic SENIOR SALES LEAD Carly Roebuck PROOFREADER Sarah Ives ACCOUNT CO-ORDINATOR George Redak NORTH TORONTO POST VOL. 32 • ISSUE 5 VILLAGE POST VOL. 35 • ISSUE 5 BAYVIEW POST VOL. 37 • ISSUE 5 NORTH YORK POST VOL. 27 • ISSUE 4

THORNHILL POST VOL. 31 • ISSUE 5 YORKVILLE POST VOL. 7 • ISSUE 11 ANNEX POST VOL. 8 • ISSUE 10 QUEEN WEST POST VOL. 2 • ISSUE 7

COVER IMAGE: DANIEL SHIREY/MLB PHOTOS VIA GETTY IMAGES

1256 YONGE ST., TORONTO, ON M4T 1W5 TEL 416.250.7979 WEB POSTCITY.COM The Fine Print: The contents of Post City Magazines Inc. are copyright 2025, all rights reserved, and may not be reproduced in part or in whole without the written permission of the Publisher. The contents of all ads are subject to the discretion of the Publisher.

7

STREETS OF TORONTO SECTION

ROBOT HEADS

HIDDEN GEMS Yes, animals do make everything better at these creative new spots

Iconic Toronto electronic music producer and DJ Deadmau5 is back in town, but so is Cat, Catherine Belnap of Cat & Nat fame. But who wins this game of cat and mouse?

Joel Zimmerman, a.k.a. Deadmau5

NaME

Catherine Belknap, a.k.a. Cat (left) of Cat & Nat fame

Niagara Falls, Ont.

borN

Toronto, Ont.

DJ

GIG

Part of mom comedy duo and content creator

Zimmerman lived in a downtown Toronto penthouse before buying a farm near Campbellville just outside town.

ToroNTo

She worked as a social worker in Toronto before moving into the mommy business full-time.

In 1999, while learning to use 3-D modelling software, Zimmerman created the “mau5head.”

rooTS

They’re known for their viral #MOMTRUTHS videos, offering honest and humorous takes on motherhood.

Zimmerman first broke through with Random Album Title (2008), which went gold in Canada.

CLaIM To FaME

Cat & Nat have two bestsellers, including Mom Secrets: Coffee-Fueled Confessions from the Mom Trenches.

Deadmau5 returns to perform at Toronto club Rebel on Boxing Day, Dec. 26.

NExT bIG THING

Cat & Nat appear at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Dec. 5, as part of their Unfiltered tour.

Lizard love Sure, we all know about the cat cafés, but what about lizard cafés? In Kensington Market, Mystik Café, 56C Kensington Ave., offers the usual coffeehouse favourites with terrariums and a reptile jungle experience.

Forever furries At Wonder Pet Cafe, 333 Queen St. W., visitors can enjoy coffee and desserts while spending time with adoptable cats and dogs, helping furry friends find forever homes.

Downward doggies Pups & Poses Yoga, 1560 Yonge St., combines yoga and puppy play, offering classes and events where participants of all ages can enjoy a joyful atmosphere while supporting local animal shelters.

8

POST CITY X UHN FOUNDATION

Grand Cru dinner experience connects people and purpose “I remember that first evening vividly,” recalls Marisa. “It was more than a dinner. It felt like a celebration of community and purpose. Seeing how meaningful it was to each guest and for the cause itself made it impossible not to want to continue. Every year brings new faces, new wines, new culinary masterpieces and new conversations, but there is always the same warmth and generosity of spirit that made us fall in love with the event in the first place.”

When it comes to culinary masterpieces, Marisa more than knows what she is talking about. As the founding owner of Ristorante Sotto Sotto, one of Toronto’s most celebrated dining establishments, she understands the pairing of fine dining and good wines. A native of Rome, she immigrated to Canada in 1989 with very little money, limited English-language skills and almost no experience. Determined to build a business in an industry she loved, Marisa opened the restaurant in 1993. Today, Sotto Sotto is one of Toronto’s premier Italian restaurants.

She channels her expertise and passion to create a celebratory dining experience that feels intimate, elegant, and

inviting. Her innate hospitality and warmth make guests instantly feel at home. “We put care into every detail; the lighting, the table setting, the pacing of each course,” she explains. “We want to create a feeling that guests are attending something special, and to carry that spirit throughout the entire evening.”

Now celebrating 21 years, the UHN Grand Cru Culinary Wine Festival has now raised nearly $175 million in support of UHN, under the leadership of event founder Todd Halpern, President of Halpern Enterprises and a UHN Trustee.

“Todd’s vision for combining hospitality with philanthropy resonated deeply with us, and we wanted to be part of that from the moment he first asked us to partner with him and UHN,” says Lou. “Over the years, we have personally seen how medicine has evolved and how important medical innovation is. And we have learned how deeply this innovation relies on philanthropy.” This understanding has inspired Lou and Marisa’s generous support of several vital UHN programs, in addition to serving as hosts for Grand Cru dinners.

“Every year is special in its own way

and it’s very difficult to highlight any one moment, but the common thread connecting each year is our Chefs who always create a one-of-a-kind menu,” notes Marisa.

This year featured a carefully crafted menu executed by Sotto Sotto Chef Massimo Renzi. The multi-course meal included ahi tuna crudos, seared sea scallops, agnolotti, risotto and braised beef cheeks, finished with a chocolate amaretti custard. The menu was paired with a wine selection representing the pinnacle of Italian and French wine producers, notably Amarone and Valpolicella from Venice-based Dal Forno Romano, complemented by a Loire Valley blanc fumé from Pascal Jolivet. The meal was bookended by exquisite aperitivi and grappas from northern Italy’s Nonino distillery, hand-picked by Eliazabeth Nonino herself, who was also in attendance.

A crucial element of the Grand Cru dinner experience is the opportunity for guests to converse with world-leading medical experts from UHN. This year’s Rocca dinner featured leaders from UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre – Dr. Barry Rubin, Medical Director, and Dr.

Slava Epelman, Research Institute Director - who shared updates on the latest breakthroughs in cardiovascular care. All within the cultured, casual environment and warm hospitality of an ‘intimate’ dinner party.

“Hospitality, at its heart, is about care,” Marisa explains. “It’s about making people feel welcome and appreciated.

That’s not so different from philanthropy.

Food is the great connector; it has a way of breaking down barriers and putting people at ease. Guests who arrive as strangers leave as friends. This is what makes every dinner memorable for us.”

While running Sotto Sotto is an all-encompassing venture, Marisa never tires of the excitement of hosting a Grand Cru dinner during her personal time. “Lou and I get such joy in seeing everyone come together, in watching the cause come to life around the table. That feeling of connection and contribution is what keeps us doing it year after year.”

Learn more at grandcru.ca Brought to you by

© All photos by Olivia Talarico

On Saturday, October 25, 2025, Toronto philanthropists opened their homes in the name of medical research for the 21st Annual UHN Grand Cru Culinary Wine Festival.

One of Canada’s premier fundraising events, Grand Cru has been lauded by attendees and event planners since its inception in 2005. Each year, an exceptional group of philanthropists, business leaders, prominent wine estates, esteemed chefs and world-renowned University Health Network (UHN) scientists come together for an unforgettable evening that challenges guests’ way of thinking about science and medicine, while enjoying a truly memorable one-of-a-kind culinary experience.

One of the participant couples is Marisa and Lou Rocca from Toronto, well known for their entrepreneurial success, legacy in the city’s hospitality industry and deep involvement in philanthropy.

Nowhere do these elements come together more pointedly than in their longstanding support of the UHN Grand Cru Culinary Wine Festival. The couple has hosted private dinners as part of the Festival since 2006.

9

OPINION

Lights, camera, we need action

NEWS

By Claude Watson Film Arts parents and students

SECTION

Green roof at 39 Niagara St. in Toronto

Why is Doug Ford destroying city’s world-leading green roof bylaw?

JOHN SEWELL is a former mayor of Toronto.

Toronto had a marvellous green roof program. Starting in 2009, as the first city in North America with such an initiative, it required developers of large commercial structures to include a green roof. Since then, Toronto has seen 1,200 green roofs, totalling over a million square feet, absorbing 550 million litres of rainwater a year.

The green roof increased construction costs marginally, but it created significant savings in energy costs. Some developers found the program so attractive that they created a green roof even though it was not required.

And then, just as the World Series got underway last month, Premier Ford and his cabinet approved an order in council arbitrarily killing the program. No notice, no chance for the city to discuss the matter.

City council has asked the province to phase out the Portlands gas-fired electricity-generating power plant, the city’s leading source of air-polluting emissions and greenhouse gases. Portlands electricity could be replaced by solar and wind power. The province refuses, stating it is waiting until the expansion of the nuclear plant in Port Hope is com-

pleted in 2035. That plant will use uranium from the United States to provide electricity which costs six or seven times solar and wind energy. And just to emphasize that addressing climate change is not part of the Ford agenda, the recent fall economic statement by the province cancelled any targets for climate change.

You may be aware of the province’s legislation to get rid of speed cameras, during which no public hearings were permitted, presumably because hearings would have given publicity to the studies that show that speed cameras reduce the speed of vehicles and save people being injured or killed. (There appear to be no studies showing that getting rid of cameras makes streets safer.)

And you are probably aware of the province’s attempt to get rid of Toronto’s bike lanes, now tied up in a court decision that prevents that legislation from coming into effect.

But what’s new is Schedule 5 to Bill 60, rushed through without public hearings. Schedule 5 states: “a municipality shall not, by by-law or otherwise, reduce or permit a reduction in the number of marked lanes available for travel by motor vehicles on a highway or a portion of a highway under the municipality’s jurisdiction and control for any of the following purposes: A bicycle lane.”

Which means that no municipality in

Ontario, not just Toronto, is in a position to create a bike lane on any two-lane roadway.

Bill 60, an omnibus bill, also denies tenants the ability to challenge “voluntary evictions” when they have been pressured or misled into signing. It cuts in half the time available for tenants to appeal unfair decisions to just 15 days. It eliminates the requirement for landlords to provide one month’s rent as compensation to tenants being evicted for socalled “personal use,” one of the main tricks used to get a vacant unit to escape rent controls. It cuts eviction notice periods in half and the options for requesting that an eviction be postponed.

It authorizes hiring more enforcement officers to forcibly remove tenants from their homes.

Half of Toronto residents are tenants, so this legislation has an enormous impact on the city. The Toronto executive committee unanimously asked for changes in the bill, but the province passed it without holding any hearing.

Toronto is being pummelled by Premier Ford and his gang through bad legislation and by refusing to hold public hearings. The Ford government is acting in a dictatorial and authoritarian manner. At Queen’s Park we’ve lost any sense of democracy.

| DECEMBER 2025

This past October, the Claude Watson Film Arts program at Earl Haig Secondary School, one of two high school film programs in Toronto, was quietly cut for incoming students. The program provided two decades’ worth of youth with opportunities to express their creativity and pursue their dreams in the film, TV and digital media industries.

No notification was ever sent to parents of the Film Arts majors. No explanation for the cut was ever provided to either students or parents.

This news was baffling, devastating.

Disbelief reigned. Who cut it? What was the reason behind the cut? These are the questions that a dedicated core of parents have been trying to get answered since this past May, when they first learned of the impending cut, to no avail.

The flawed TDSB [Toronto District School Board] lottery system, run without integrity, produced an inaccurate representation of applicants to Film Arts. Previous years prove that enrollment was high. (See savefilmarts.com for details).

Recently, the assigned TDSB supervisor dismissed the lottery system in favour of the previous merit admission system for specialized programming. It was the fair and logical expectation that the Film Arts program would return as well. Now, however, the story being told is different.

Parents have been reaching out to all levels of the school system and receiving almost radio silence.

The TDSB claims to support student voice, technological literacy and critical thinking. These are all core values of the Film Arts program, yet the TDSB has no problem cutting the program at the drop of a hat, for seemingly no reason.

The TDSB needs to be fair, transparent and provide answers. What is the rationale for this program to be cut in a city with a multi-billion dollar film and media industry, the largest in Canada and only continuing to grow? Now just one high school film program remains, to support the city’s thousands of emerging filmmakers. The TDSB needs to stand up for the values they claim to support and reinstate the Claude Watson Film Arts program.

9

10

NEWS

Happy Holidays from all of us at

& CENTRE STREET DELI EXPRESS

Catering for all occasions!

1136 Centre Street, Thornhill + 995 Bay St., Toronto www.centrestreetdeli.com

Development site at Tudor Gate and Bayview Avenue

| DECEMBER 2025

Build up of low-rise Bayview continues

10

A quiet stretch of Bayview Avenue in Toronto’s Bridle Path–Sunnybrook–York Mills neighbourhood could be on the verge of a transformation.

Four single-detached homes at 1 Tudor Gate and 39, 41 and 43 Wilket Rd. — longstanding fixtures of the tree-lined enclave — are being replaced by two sixstorey mid-rise residential buildings. Together, the buildings would house 55 units, supported by 67 parking spaces, marking a scale of development that is not the norm in this neighbourhood.

Weston Consulting, acting on behalf of 2588302 Ontario Inc., submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment application on Nov. 4, seeking permission to rezone the properties to allow site-specific development standards.

The lands are currently zoned Residential Detached and Residential Townhouse. The proposed amendment would authorize the new building heights, setbacks, parking arrangements and amenity space requirements, while allowing elements such as mechanical equipment, roof structures and balconies to project beyond certain limits.

The development comes after a pre-application consultation with City of Toronto staff in March 2025 and represents a re-

duction from an original eightstorey concept to align with Toronto’s official plan. The project will include indoor and outdoor amenity space for residents and a combination of surface and tandem parking, with visitor spaces concentrated on the Wilket block.

Although the proposal reflects broader city planning goals for denser, transit-oriented housing along major roads, it could raise questions among local residents accustomed to the neighbourhood’s low-rise character. Traffic impacts, shadowing on adjacent properties and the change to the streetscape are among the issues neighbours could be expected to raise in consultations.

City planners and residents will now follow the zoning amendment process closely, including public meetings required under the Planning Act. For a neighbourhood where change has often been measured in modest increments, this proposal signals a new chapter. But it isn’t alone, as the rapid redevelopment of this section of Bayview Avenue proceeds at pace, including another six-storey new application down at Bayview and The Bridle Path, which resulted in similar concerns from local residents.

—Ron Johnson

11

NEWS

We welcome you to book a private tour.

Kindly call the school.

L-R: Councillor Mike Colle, rendering of the Lawrence Plaza redevelopment proposal

A Toronto neighbourhood is in- and scope. It’s way beyond what tensifying its fight against a the location can absorb.” major redevelopment proposal Colle argued that the plaza is that would replace the long- not only a retail centre, but a standing Lawrence Plaza with a vital neighbourhood anchor that large multi-tower residential is already functioning at its complex, a plan critics say limits. threatens the area’s stability, traf“It’s a very popular plaza. The fic flow and essential com- parking lot is always packed,” he munity hub. said. “Right now the access and The redevelopment, by Rio- egress are very challenged beCan and the Milestone Group, cause of the number of cars trycalls for tearing down the 72- ing to get in and out on year-old plaza at Bathurst Street Bathurst.” and Lawrence Avenue West and replacing it with as many as “The children eight residential buildings containing up to 2,700 units. The right now feel first concepts came to light ear- threatened by lier this year, followed by a more the traffic.” detailed submission in June.

The proposal maintains some He noted that the immediate retail on the site but adds a dramatic amount of density that area is already strained by traffic would introduce several thou- heading to Highway 401 to the sand new residents. The plaza is north and the Allen Expressway home to some iconic restaurants to the west, leaving the surand shops, such as United rounding intersections “at caBakers Dairy Restaurant, which pacity beyond capacity.”

Adding thousands of residendates back to 1912.

Local councillor Mike Colle tial units would dramatically insaid the community was pre- crease pressure, he said. “You pared for change — but not this can’t put in basically 2,700 units, which means five or six thouscale of transformation.

“We expected there’s a time sand people living there,” he for improvements and modern- said. “They’ll have their cars, izing the plaza,” he said. “That’s they’ll have their deliveries. what we expected. The thing Today’s dynamics have changed. that’s surprising is just the scale You have non-stop deliveries,

the online shopping, the Ubers.

We get constant pressure on any development site beyond the people who live there.”

Traffic safety is another major issue. The surrounding neighbourhood is home to one of the highest concentrations of children in Canada, largely due to nearby Orthodox Jewish communities and a cluster of up to 20 Jewish day schools.

“Children generally walk to school, scooter to school, bike to school,” Colle said. “The children right now feel threatened by the traffic, and the parents are very upset about the safety issues.”

The councillor said part of the challenge stems from provincial planning rules that allow high-density development near major transit stations.

“The provincial government has basically said there’s unlimited development allowed in Toronto,” he said. “If you’re within 500 to 800 metres of a major transit station, you can build whatever you want. The nearest station here is Lawrence West.”

Colle was organizing a rally scheduled for Nov. 30 to demonstrate the neighbourhood’s opposition and push for a scaled-down alternative.

—Ron Johnson

Celebrating 44 years

Celebrating our 31st Anniversary

Lunch Special Sandwich & Fries + Soup or Salad $17.95+HST

Try our famous Chicken Souvlaki & Greek Salads!

Prime Rib • Rack of Lamb • NY Steaks • BBQ Ribs • Halibut Fish & Chips • Fresh Turkey Clubhouse • Seafood • Pasta Fajitas • Sandwiches • Homemade Pies & Rice Pudding Lunch & Dinner Specials • Kids Menu • All Day Breakfast

Wishing our Customers a Happy & Healthy Holiday Season!

Newly expanded and heated patio

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Reservations Available

www.windfieldsrestaurant.com Reserved Parking in Front • Curbside Pick-up

801 York Mills Road (at Leslie) 416.445.1630

| DECEMBER 2025

Community opposition to Lawrence Plaza development grows

11

12

250 Davisville D A Avvenue, Suite 2000 Torontto, Ontario M4S 1H2 To Phone:: 416.545.1020

t

t

NEWS

school com

Toronto Prep extends warm m wishes for f a Joyfu yfull Holiday Season to all studen nts and ttheir families!

The Toronto Prep Schoo ol is an independent, co-educatio onal, u uniiversity preparatory school for discerning studenttss and parents. Open House: Sat.., Feb. 7 7, 2026 - 10am to 12noon n

Visit our website ew www.torontoprepschool.com for o morre information and be sure to clicck k on the links to our FaceBook and a Instagram a pages.

Contact: Fouli Tsimikalis, Director of Admissions at ftsimik kalis@torontop to repschool.com

TORONTO’S BEST

DENTISTS

2025

Congratulations to Dr. Ted Margel for being recognized as one of Toronto's Top Dentists!

Comprehensive, preventive and restorative dentistry for the entire family.

| DECEMBER 2025

Dental Emergencies seen ASAP. After hours cell Dr. Margel - 416 844 2305

12

New patients always welcome.

Book your appointment today!

1795 Avenue Road, Toronto Located at Avenue & Lawrence 416.783.3999 | upperavenuedentistry.com

Dynasty Chinese Cuisine at 69 Yorkville Ave.

Yorkville’s inner sanctum is saved A proposed 39-storey condominium in Yorkville has been rejected by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), marking a victory for local residents and Toronto City Council.

The development, planned for 69 Yorkville Ave., home to Dynasty Chinese Cuisine amongst others, would have included 169 housing units and a museum. The project faced opposition from the ABC Residents Association and city officials, who argued the building was too tall and would disrupt Yorkville’s low-rise character.

The developer, Cheong Family Holdings Ltd., initially proposed a 29-storey building in 2021, which was rejected.

Surprisingly, the company returned with a taller, 39-storey plan in 2024.

John Caliendo, co-chair of the residents association, said the decision is a “game changer,” preserving the interior streets of Yorkville, where city policy limits buildings to four storeys.

“A Doug Ford governmentappointed tribunal adjudicator defended a city zoning bylaw, SASP 211, that city planning themselves didn’t want to defend because they were afraid of Doug Ford–appointed adju-

dicators,” he said. “That’s a fact.”

The OLT ruling concluded that the proposal “does not conform to the City’s OP, does not represent good land use planning, and is not in the public interest.”

The tribunal emphasized that while tall buildings are allowed at the edges of Yorkville, the interior streets are protected as low-rise, and the developer’s plan ignored that framework.

Condos in Yorkville are generally among Toronto’s most expensive, and the planned units would mostly have been one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The OLT’s decision highlights the ongoing tension between preserving neighbourhood character and expanding housing in Toronto’s most exclusive areas. For Caliendo, it’s a recognition that Yorkville is unique.

“There’s recognition that all neighbourhoods are unique, but this is a big retail area, a big tourist neighbourhood,” he explained. “It goes beyond just regular arguments. Once you highrise all of Yorkville, you have no real reason to spend money there."

—Ron Johnson

13

NEWS

Famous hospitality in your home or ours.

The Rosedale garden wall case heading to court after refusal A Toronto homeowner is taking homeowner constructed the the city to court over a garden wall along the Glen Road and wall in the Rosedale neighbour- Whitney Avenue edges of the hood. corner lot in late 2024 but didn’t Earlier this year, Toronto have the required heritage perCity Council denied a home- mit. Work stopped when city owner’s bid to keep and com- staff intervened. A retroactive plete a large masonry wall that application was later submitted went up without heritage per- in July 2025. missions in the North Rosedale Heritage staff said the new Heritage Conservation District, wall — rising more than two one of the city’s oldest planned metres at points with tall brick suburbs and a neighbourhood pillars — undermines the definlong defined by its open, park- ing characteristics of Northlike character.

The dispute centred on 2 Whitney Ave., formerly 135 “There have Glen Rd., a 1909 home perched been at least 33 above Whitney Park.

According to city records, the communications saga began in July 2023, when submitted to the the McGraths applied to Toronto’s transportation depart- TPB in support.” ment for an easement to add a brick wall and other security features, like gates. In May Rosedale. The district’s original 2024, Toronto and East York plan emphasized continuity beCommunity Council greenlit tween private yards and the surravine-edged the project. The permit came rounding that fall, and construction began parkland, with low, visually perin October 2024, according to meable boundaries that preserved sightlines and the documents.

The property falls within contributed to the neighbourNorth Rosedale’s heritage dis- hood’s distinctive sense of opentrict, designated in 2004 to safe- ness. The solid barrier now guard the area’s facing the public realm is said to early-20th-century Garden interrupt those views.

Lawyer Rodney Gill, of Suburb design.

According to city reports, the Goodmans LLP, representing

the homeowner, said in a letter to the Toronto Preservation Board (TPB) that the wall should be allowed based on the Ontario Heritage Act and that his client has gone to great lengths to ensure the wall is in keeping with the area.

“There have been at least 33 communications submitted to the TPB in support of the Application,” Gill stated. “The comments are glowing and remark on the great lengths our clients have gone to in ensuring their landscape wall project is carried out in the style and character of their home and the broader neighbourhood.”

The North Rosedale Residents’ Association disagrees.

“In consultations with Heritage Planning, we have been advised that the proposed structure, which was erected on public lands subject to an encroachment agreement and without a heritage permit, does not comply with the North Rosedale Heritage Conservation District Plan,” the association wrote, in a letter to TPB. The statement of claim argues that the Ontario Heritage Act shouldn’t apply to what the homeowners characterize as landscaping work, like walls, within a heritage district.

—Ron Johnson

Paese is open for lunch Monday to Friday and dinner 7 days a week.

Join us for lunch in December and enjoy any of our 10 wines by the glass at half price.

L-eat any occasion, any time. leatcatering.com paeseristorante.com

| DECEMBER 2025

Detailed view of wall structure from City of Toronto report

13

14

MAIN STREET NEWS

Linens for royals, a hot yoga haven hits Bayview & more Frette is opening its first Canadian store in Toronto, on none other than Yorkville’s Hazelton Avenue. Considered one of Italy’s oldest and most prestigious luxury linen houses, the brand has been used by more than 500 European royal families and combines cotton, silk and cashmere for a soft, high-quality finish. You can shop the linens at the new store at 12 Hazelton Ave. Levelup Hot Yoga recently opened at Bayview Village. This wellness studio at 2901 Bayview Ave. offers it all: hot yoga, inferno-Pilates, vinyasa, HIIT yoga, Zumba, yoga sculpt and more. The studio also acts as a onestop wellness shop — visitors can enjoy a massage or chiropractic services on top of their regular classes.

Casette, a retro-inspired restaurant

Frette, a luxury Italian linen house, is opening in Yorkville

and venue, just opened inside the historic Gladstone House, reviving one of Toronto’s most beloved performance spaces with a fresh, soulful edge. Regular events include a

monthly Dinner & Drag residency with Toronto’s Tynomi Banks, alongside live shows spotlighting up-and-coming local performers.

Check out the new space at 1214 Queen St. W.

coffee. The new fast food spot is at 505 Hwy. 7, Unit A3.

Creed has opened its first standalone Canadian boutique in Yorkdale. The iconic London fragrance brand has transformed the 650square-foot space into an elegant boutique, featuring a lounge area, gifting bar and fragrance bottle displays lit up in a golden glow. The new location at 3401 Dufferin St. joins Yorkdale’s growing luxury presence.

Not Forgotten Vintage just took over the Annex space at 721 Palmerston Ave., which used to be the popular Emily Rose Cafe. But fans of the café can expect a very similar vibe. Not Forgotten, which has popped up in the café for years, will be keeping the same baristas and still serving great coffee and treats, Chon Modern Thai just opened its alongside a beautiful collection of doors at 1677 Bayview Ave. The new sister restaurant to Pii Nong vintage.

Thai is getting rave reviews from Banh Mi Nana is new to Thornhill, diners in the neighbourhood (this offering a short and sweet menu that restaurant, previously also a Pii specializes in one thing: banh mi. Nong location, has been rebranded The popular Vietnamese sandwich, and reopened as Chon Modern featuring a soft baguette piled with Thai). With a menu filled with meat, pickled vegetables and fresh dishes that put a modern twist on herbs, is the only dish on offer, along ancient Thai classics, expect to see with a selection of drinks that in- offerings you don’t often see on Thai cludes Vietnamese-style iced drip menus, like the Rawang curry.

POST CITY X THE STOP COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRE

More Than a Food Bank: How The Stop Builds Community with Dignity For more than 40 years, The Stop Community Food Centre has been a cornerstone in Toronto’s west end, a place where good food and community come together. What began as a small neighbourhood initiative has grown into a vital hub supporting thousands of households facing food insecurity.

Last year, The Stop’s food bank reached 27,165 community members, including seniors, newcomers, and families working hard to make ends meet. Behind each of those numbers is a story of resilience and the support of a caring community.

“I regularly access the food bank at The Stop — and I have to say, the service is excellent. Everything is well organized, the food is nutritious and delicious, and the staff are incredibly polite and accommodating,” shares one community member.

At The Stop, dignity is at the heart of everything we do.

Our choice-based food bank enables people to select the groceries that best meet their household, dietary, and cultural needs. This approach restores a sense of agency and respect at a time when life can feel uncertain.

“People really value the choice model,” says Shaynara Katwaroo, Food Bank Service Coordinator. “It’s the

shares another community member.

“From the moment I arrived, I was deeply impressed by the care and support provided. The staff have been incredibly kind and respectful, and the food and services have truly been life-changing for me.”

With your help, The Stop can continue to ensure that anyone who comes through our doors receives healthy food with dignity. Visit thestop.org/donate to give today and support a neighbour this holiday season. All donations will be matched through the month of December.

reason community members line up hours before we open, because they know they’ll be able to choose what their family needs most.”

Food insecurity continues to rise across Toronto.

According to the Daily Bread Food Bank’s Who’s Hungry Report (2025), more than one in 10 Torontonians rely on food banks, with visits up 340 per cent since 2019. In this challenging landscape, The Stop provides more than food, it offers stability and connection.

“I am currently experiencing homelessness and was directed to The Stop by the Toronto Public Library,”

The Stop Community Food Centre Thestop.org general@thestop.org, 416-652-7867 P.O. Box 69, Stn. E, Toronto, ON M6H 4E1 Charitable Registration Number: 119-192-763-RR0001

ue es od to our will of

e

er:

BREAK-INS BY NEIGHBOURHOOD

CRIME NEWS

This month the highest percentage of break-ins were from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (55%); the day of the week with the most break-ins was Friday (24%) and the majority of incidents occurred on weekdays (70%).

NORTH YORK & BAYVIEW NOV. 7

FINCH AVE. E. AND GARVIN MEWS

11 P.M.

NOV. 10

EVERSON DR. AND HUMBERSTONE DR.

4 P.M.

NOV. 12

LONGMORE ST. AND NORTON AVE.

2 P.M.

NOV. 12

RYKERT CRES. AND RICHLEA CIR.

10 P.M.

NOV. 13

BURNETT AVE. AND WENTWORTH AVE.

8 P.M.

NOV. 15

GORDON RD. AND OWEN BLVD.

6 P.M.

ANNEX & QUEEN WEST

NOV. 2

BEVERLEY ST. AND GRANGE PL.

1 P.M.

NOV. 5

DUNDAS ST. W. AND LAKEVIEW AVE.

12 A.M.

NOV. 5

KENDAL AVE. AND SPADINA RD.

9 A.M.

NOV. 8

SULLIVAN ST. AND GRANGE PL.

5 P.M.

NOV. 10

DUNDAS ST. W. AND ST. MATHIAS PL.

1 A.M.

NOV. 10

MCCAUL ST. AND D’ARCY ST.

6 A.M.

NOV. 10

BLOOR ST. W. AND CRAWFORD ST.

6 A.M.

NOV. 10

ELGIN AVE. AND AVENUE RD.

12 P.M.

NOV. 12

BLOOR ST. W. AND BRUNSWICK AVE.

12 A.M.

NOV. 12

BERNARD AVE. AND WALMER RD.

9 A.M.

NOV. 7

WINDING LN. AND ROCKFORD CRT.

10 A.M.

NOV. 7

NEWTON DR. AND LLOYDMINSTER CRES.

6 P.M.

NOV. 10

DOVE LN. AND JOHNSON ST.

2 P.M.

THORNHILL

NOV. 12

HUNTINGTON PARK DR. AND GREEN LN.

1 P.M.

NOV. 12

ABERFELDY CRES. AND WAGGONERS WELLS LN.

1 P.M.

NOV. 13

BUCKS GREEN RD. AND THURGATE CRES.

4 A.M.

NOV. 14

YONGE ST. AND NIPIGON AVE.

8 A.M.

NOV. 15

ELGIN ST. AND ALBION CLOSE

10 A.M.

NOV. 16

PHEASANT VALLEY CRT. AND LILLIAN AVE.

11 A.M.

NOV. 7

YONGE ST. AND ALCORN AVE.

6 P.M.

NOV. 7

DAVENPORT RD. AND MCMURRICH ST.

7 P.M.

NOV. 7

DAVENPORT RD. AND AVENUE RD.

10 P.M.

MIDTOWN & YORKVILLE

NOV. 7

BLOOR ST. W. AND BALMUTO ST.

11 P.M.

NOV. 8

YORKVILLE AVE. AND BELLAIR ST.

4 A.M.

NOV. 12

YONGE ST. AND FRICHOT AVE.

4 A.M.

NOV. 12

YONGE ST. AND BAXTER AVE.

4 A.M.

NOV. 15

BATHURST ST. AND FRONTENAC AVE.

3 A.M.

NOV. 15

DUNVEGAN RD. AND LARRATT ST.

7 P.M.

| DECEMBER 2025

er. as nd en he en

15

15

16

W

Toro head clear dow bour othe able buye they To h men City pane iden Wilt

Wha

Nati ple rates ditio taint som play slow wave hitti Deta pock cred key l som areas

Aw

Bob

This e shor back

17

REAL ESTATE NEWS

What to watch for and where to buy in this wild market Toronto’s real estate market is heading into winter showing clear signs of a continued cooldown. Although some neighbourhoods are holding steady, others are experiencing noticeable price adjustments, giving buyers more leverage than they’ve had in nearly a decade.

To help make sense of the moment, we sat down with Post City Real Estate Roundtable panellist Odeen Eccleston, president of WE Realty Inc. and Wiltshire Homes.

land sits stagnant for years.

What should buyers watch for to spot a market shift?

Interest rate announcements, inventory levels, days on market in your target neighbourhood and the number of conditional deals turning firm. When you see more showings, quicker sales and fewer price reductions — the shift has already begun.

What are a few areas of the city where you’re seeing interesting momentum or unexpected value right now?

What’s driving the slowdown?

Nationally, we’re seeing the ripple effects of higher interest rates, tighter borrowing conditions and consumer uncertainty. But Toronto also has some very local dynamics at play: a chronic supply shortage, slower approval timelines and a wave of investor-owned condos hitting the market all at once.

Detached homes in desirable pockets of Toronto remained incredibly resilient, especially turnkey luxury homes. We have seen some of our high-end listings in areas like Parkwoods–Donalda

L–R: Odeen Eccleston; homes in midtown Toronto are holding value well in a challenging market

and Willowdale still attract wellqualified buyers.

What’s your advice for buyers and sellers in this unique market?

fewer bidding wars and sellers open to reasonable terms.

Other cities seem more stable. Why?

This is a market that rewards information, preparation and patience. For homeowners: pricing realistically and presenting your home beautifully still yields strong results.

For buyers: this is a window of opportunity that we haven’t seen in years — more choice,

What is the biggest change Toronto needs right now?

Those cities benefit from two key things: balanced supply pipelines and more predictable affordability. Toronto can take a page from their playbook by ensuring approvals move faster and encouraging gentle density.

Speed is everything. We need faster approvals, predictable timelines and incentives for shovel-ready projects. Pair that with clearer communication between builders and the city, and you avoid the scenario where

We’re seeing great action in midtown (Lawrence Park, Leaside, Don Mills), North York (Parkwoods-Donalda, Newtonbrook) and east-end infill pockets near transit. These areas offer both value and long-term upside. Some high-end neighbourhoods have softened just enough to create rare buying opportunities.

Like this? Find more reAL estAte At

streetsoFtoronto.Com

Awaken your inner innkeeper with these ski country gems

OLD SCHOOL SKI CHALET

EPIC NATURE RETREAT

This eight-bedroom, two-bath chalet in Blue Mountains is licensed for short-term rentals, featuring a sauna, hot tub and parking for 10, all backing onto a private ravine just a 10-minute walk from Blue Mountain. $1,100,000, Dave Bemmann, Sotheby’s Realty

This 5.4-acre Blue Mountains property features a renovated main building with 18 bedrooms, a café, commercial kitchen and communal spaces, ideal for retreats. It also includes a Quonset hut and barn. $4,700,000, Austin Keitner, Keller Williams Preferred

MOUNTAINSIDE GLAM MOTEL

| DECEMBER 2025

Bob Newhart would love these three picture-perfect mountainside income properties

This newly renovated eight-room boutique motel along the Beaver River in Grey Highlands combines indoor and outdoor amenities, perfect for retreats, events or leisure stays, just minutes from the Bruce Trail. $2,999,999, Sylvia Occhiuzzi, Beechwood R.E. 17

18

DECEMBER HOME DESIGN

19

DECEMBER HOME DESIGN

BASEMENTS MADE PERMANENTLY DRY

BASEMENT WET? BASEMENT WATERPROOFING BASEMENT LOWERING SPECIALISTS WITH OLDER HOMES

ROYAL WATERPROOFING COMPANY SPECIALTY: BASEMENT WATERPROOFING, BASEMENT LOWERING YEARS IN BUSINESS: 40 FREE ESTIMATES: YES REFERENCES AVAILABLE: YES There are many potential health risks that lurk in a wet basement. For example, mold can trigger asthma and serious respiratory problems. The goals of Royal Waterproofing are to stop the water-flow into your home, eliminate mold, mildew and possible allergy triggers and repair and prevent further damage to your home's foundation, resulting in a dry basement. Whether the water seepage is due to deterioration of existing materials, blockage of foundation drains, breakage, clogging or lack of weeping tiles, we tackle the problem where it begins - outside your home. Lifetime guarantee! Since 1985.

Since 1985

416 .922.9661

FREE Estimate • Lifetime Guarantee www.royalwaterproofing.com

20

21

STREETS OF TORONTO

ARTS PROFILE ‘Degrassi’ star takes on the holiday movie

I love that it's about two competing youth choir directors [one working at a temple, the other at a church], which is really specific and really, really funny. Also, I love the message of combining Jewish tradition and Christian or Christmas tradition into something more meaningful. My wife is not Jewish, and I am, so I related to that.

To depict that in such a joyous way was a real pleasure.

What appeals to you about the holiday movie genre?

I love comedy and I grew up watching romcoms. These movies are really funny but are also trying to show us something about love and hu-

daytrpr

You took part in the Degrassi: Whatever It Takes doc that premiered at TIFF. How did that come about?

Degrassi was a huge part of my life, but it can be a little bit scary when you're being interviewed Jake Epstein stars in ‘Oy to the World' to be part of a story, and you don't know what they're going to use of what you're saying. So I manity. I felt like I really fit in that world. And asked what the angle was. And I decided I then a casting director called me the Jewish wanted to be a part of it and tell a little bit of my Jimmy Stewart and cast me in a Christmas story. movie, and since then, every year, while I've been doing other projects in the U.S. or around To- What’s your relationship like with your Degrassi co-stars today? ronto, I've tried to do a few movies like this.

It sort of feels like my second high school. I have friends who are very much still in my life, and You’ve had a prolific theatre career, alongside your TV and film acting. How different there are some that I just don't get to see as much as I would like. And definitely when we are these mediums?

Acting for stage is how I started, and it’s a huge were asked about this documentary, there was a love of mine, and it's so much about connecting conversation about it and who wanted to do it with the audience. And it’s thrilling because and just sort of protecting ourselves.

—Julia Mastroianni once you start a play there's no one that's going

Chill seeker’s guide to Ontario Brrring it on with the province’s top cold plunge adventures, from spas to frozen lakes

Embark on a solo journey

Quiet the mind without leaving the city on a Solo Journey at Trove. This urban sanctuary provides the perfect spot for intentional contrast therapy, allowing guests to disconnect from the noise and drop into their own rhythm. Enjoy the perfect escape without having to hit the road. 426 Adelaide St. W.

Experience a frozen lake cold plunge

Set against the quiet beauty of Maple Lake, Unbounded Dimensions invites guests to embrace discomfort — luxuriously. Take the plunge in a frozen lake at this five-day wellness retreat that blends thermal contrast therapy with somatic practices to regulate the nervous system. Maple Lake, Haliburton, unboundeddimensions.com

SECTION

KAITLIN NARCISO our Great Escapes Guide, hasn’t been everywhere, but it’s on her list.

Embrace the extremes on a spa day

The thermal journey at Scandinave Spa balances high-end hot, cold and relaxation installations with the natural elements of this spa’s iconic location. Providing a Nordic-inspired experience, you’ll be transported from the Ontario countryside and into a Scandinavian paradise.

152 Grey County Road 21, Blue Mountains 21 | DECEMBER 2025

What drew you to this movie?

to call cut. Someone told me that theatre is an actor's medium, TV is a writer's medium and film is a director's medium. I always think that's really true. But I love all of them. You learn something from each one. And everything impacts everything. I'm a new dad, and that changes the kinds of roles I'm playing and roles I want to do.

CURRENTS

Canadian TV watchers everywhere will recognize Toronto’s Jake Epstein from his sevenseason run as Craig Manning on Degrassi: The Next Generation, starring opposite Drake. But the actor’s career extends far beyond the Canadian classic, and includes multiple stage roles on and off-Broadway as well as starring in numerous TV shows including The Umbrella Academy to Suits. Recently, he’s taken on a new acting genre: the holiday movie. Ahead of his lead role in Oy to the World, premiering on Dec. 14, he chatted with us about all things festive films, Degrassi and acting.

22

Are you thinking of having a baby?

The Sunnybrook Academic Family Health Team (SAFHT), are happy to share we are accepting pregnant patients and newborns for prenatal and family medicine care.

Access to primary care is one of the most important health issues facing Ontarians today, including here in North Toronto. At SAFHT, we are committed to meeting the needs of our community.

Why a primary care provider?

• Your first point of contact for health concerns • Preventative care and early detection of illness • Ongoing, coordinated care for you and your family We provide care across the lifespan — including prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care through our Family Medicine Obstetrics team.

Pregnancy is an important opportunity to improve the health of not one but two generations, and our team is here to support you every step of the way.

You can contact us at family4birth@sunnybrook.ca or scan the QR code for more information.

A MONTESSORI START, AN IB FINISH Now accepting applications for 2026–2027

Register now

Go to lauremontschool.ca to register for one of our upcoming open houses or apply online.

23

CURRENTS 2

3

© Karolina Kuras

1

4

5

Like this? Find more eVents At

streetsoFtoronto.Com

DECEMBER’S HIP AND HAPPY HOLIDAY HITS The biggest and best concerts, events and shows this month include Jason Collett’s Basement Revue, Loreena McKennitt, Champions of Magic, Robin Hood and much more. By Ron Johnson

2

3

4

5

6

EARL SWEATSHIRT

THE NUTCRACKER

SHONDI FESTOON

JESSIE REYEZ

ROBIN HOOD

Earl Sweatshirt brings his introspective lyrics and genre-defying style to History on Dec. 8 for a live show as part of his North American 3LWorldTour, supporting the new album Live Laugh Love.

The National Ballet of Canada celebrates 30 years of sugar plum fairies with The Nutcracker, running Dec. 5 to 31 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in a production choreographed by James Kudelka with Tchaikovsky’s iconic score.

Toronto indie rock mainstay Born Ruffians returns to the stage for the 8th Annual Shondi Festoon, a fictional holiday celebration, at the Concert Hall on Dec. 5, showcasing the band’s new album, Beauty’s Pride, alongside hits from their catalog.

Toronto’s Jessie Reyez returns to her hometown’s Massey Hall for two nights, Dec. 5 and 6, delivering her signature powerful vocals and emotional performances on the Paid In Memories Tour.

Robin Hood: A Very Merry Family Musical runs at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre until Jan. 4, featuring a spirited Robin Hood heroine, pop hits and plenty of laughs in a family-friendly panto full of mischief and adventure.

The international hit musical & Juliet comes to the Royal Alexandra Theatre from Dec. 3 to May 17, reimagining Shakespeare’s classic with a fresh, empowering twist. Featuring a poppacked soundtrack, this production is sure to please.

7

8

9

10

11

12

BEND

ATWOOD & CLARKSON

ROGERS V. ROGERS

CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC

A genre-blurring fusion of dance and music from choreographer Aszure Barton and composer Ambrose Akinmusire, BEND, running Dec. 4 to 6 at the Bluma Appel Theatre creates a visually electric, emotionally charged theatrical experience.

Margaret Atwood and Adrienne Clarkson will be onstage for a rare, intimate conversation on Dec. 17 at the Jane Mallett Theatre. They’ll reflect on women’s histories, memoir, literature and biography, with insights shaped by decades of friendship and engagement.

Rogers v. Rogers is a Crow’s Theatre world premiere from playwright Michael Healey, running Dec. 2 to Jan. 4, at Guloien Theatre, charting the power struggle between telecom heir Edward Rogers and those blocking a bid for control of the family empire.

The holiday spectacular Champions of Magic brings its high-energy illusions, incredible escapes and festival family good times back to the Bluma Appel Theatre on Dec. 27 and 28, making it one of the season’s most magical holiday outings.

LOREENA MCKENNITT

Juno Award–winning artist Loreena McKennitt presents Under a Winter’s Moon at Koerner Hall, Dec. 13 and 14, a magical holiday concert blending Celtic, Indigenous and Welsh music with storytelling and a stellar ensemble of musicians.

& JULIET

BASEMENT REVUE

Jason Collett’s Basement Revue returns for its 17th season at Paradise Theatre, Dec. 4, 11, 18, 23 and 30, offering a unique mix of music and literary performances with surprise guest artists, including Cadence Weapon on Dec. 11.

23 | DECEMBER 2025

1

24

FOR SALE 14 SULGRAVE CRES.

50 LAWRENCE CRES.

$6,645,000. 50’ X 151’ LOT, 4+2 BEDS AND 6 BATHS, APPROX. 6,139 SQ. FT. TOTAL LIVING AREA.

$5,999,000. 90’ X 125’ LOT, 4+1 BEDS AND 8 BATHS, APPROX. 5,000 SQ. FT. + BSMT.

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

265 ST CLEMENTS AVE.

204 BROOKE AVE.

$1,949,000, 25’ X 134’ LOT, 3 BEDS & 3 BATHS, APPROX. 2,760 SQ. FT. TOTAL LIVING AREA.

$1,849,000. 30’ X 130’ LOT, 3+1 BEDS AND 4 BATHS, APPROX. 2,790 SQ.FT. TOTAL LIVING AREA.

FOR SALE

SOLD

72 CRAIGMORE CRES.

508 ST GERMAIN AVE.

$1,549,000. 75’ X 140’ LOT, 4+1 BEDS AND 3 BATHS, APPROX. 1,705 SQ. FT. + BSMT APT.

SOLD FOR THE HIGHEST PRICE EVER!*

™

andre@andrekutyan.com

SINCE 2005

*C04 DISTRICT DETACHED HOME ON A 44’ LOT OR LESS ON MLS.

COMPLIMENTARY MARKET EVALUATION CALL TODAY FOR A CONFIDENTIAL AND NO-OBLIGATION MARKET EVALUATION OF YOUR HOME. LET ME SHOW YOU HOW MY PROVEN TRACK RECORD WILL SELL YOUR HOME QUICKLY AND FOR TOP DOLLAR.

25

FASHION CURRENTS

A D

E I

C B

G

H J

F

Catch these would-be carollers live at Roy Thomson Hall for Home Alone in Concert, Dec. 4–7; TSO Holiday Pops, Dec. 10–11; and Messiah, Dec. 16–21

TSO’S BEST-DRESSED MUSICIANS STRIKE A POSE FOR THE SEASON

We invited a few members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to put the city's coolest (and cosiest) coats and winter accessories to the test — carolling style. 'Tis the season for warm layers, festive traditions and non-stop holiday music.

Kayla Burggraf Flute

Joe Kelly Percussion

Ah Young Kim Violin

Matthew Hakkarainen Concertmaster

A. POMPOM TOQUE, $80 B. WOOL-MOHAIR COAT, $1,145 C. CASHMERE SWEATER, $675 D. FELTED SCARF, $95

E. OVERSIZED WOOD COAT, $789

G. MAXI HOODED WRAP COAT, $3,450

F. HERITAGE SCARF, $78

Sentaler, 55 Avenue Rd.

H. TEXTURED SCARF, $195 I. MERINO WOOL SWEATER, $305 J. HOUNDSTOOTH COAT, $770

As the TSO's assistant timpani and percussionist, Joe Kelly needs all the flexibility he can get to play the cymbals and keep the beat, even while carolling — so this roomy, oversized coat is the perfect fit. With a fun, vintage-inspired patterned scarf on top, this double-wool look is both in tune with the weather and with this season's top trends.

For a super seasonal look, violinist Ah Young Kim sported a head-to-toe red outfit from local alpaca wool–focused brand Sentaler. The maxi wrap coat is floorlength to stay insulated from those Toronto winds, and it features an oversized hood — to keep out the snow from her eyes while she's focusing on striking the right chords on her violin.

The relaxed fit of this houndstooth wool coat on TSO concertmaster and violinist Matthew Hakkarainen is perfect for a carolling adventure — there's plenty of space for layering (such as this icy blue merino crewneck) to battle subzero temperatures. Paired with a subtly festive light green scarf, he's ready to play "O Christmas Tree" and "Jingle Bells" all night long.

25

Flutist Kayla Burggraf wore a textured teal coat that's a cosy blend of wool, mohair and alpaca, paired with an equally cosy, super soft brushed cashmere sweater. And if those two layers weren't already warm enough for a Toronto winter, she donned a cable knit toque and matching scarf for a carolling-ready outfit.

Roots, 1 Bass Pro Mills Dr.

Good Neighbour, 1212 Yonge St.

| DECEMBER 2025

Andrews, 2901 Bayview Ave.

Good Neighbour, 1212 Yonge St.

26

Co

In la front West an ev The love: that 2018 spen sourc resto once for th “W ish co picki ourse foun devel hous cifica mere throu at a t resto 3,000 Th up fil all c many touch tions hand

Gi

Last popCent per c partm ronto Petti Indig the c popTh open Cent brow squa owne inclu Chee signe sorie and ideas Scru

27

NEWS

Cosy Queen West pop-up draws major lineups

Noble Cashmere Co. restores and updates each piece for sale

pieces are upcycled entirely into adult & baby hats, cowls and eye pillows. Also in store is an “asis” rack, with items the team couldn’t restore to like-new quality that customers can snap up for a discounted rate.

The brand has built up a devoted following; Noble notes their customer base ranges from

repeat buyers who look for the pop-up every year to visitors from out of town who have been drawn in by the colourful interior.

Pieces range from $70 on the low end to a few rare designer cashmere items that sell for around $700. The shop features everything from Italian and

Scottish cashmere to North American designer pieces, with sizes from extra small to 3X large for all genders.

Noble notes that the team hand washes every item: “They are meticulously clean and back to great shape.”

Noble previously ran a children’s clothing line made out of discarded cashmere sweaters before pivoting to full-time teaching and focusing instead on repairing sweaters. Eventually, her hobby turned into an athome pop-up, which has evolved into what it is today.

Sustainability is a priority for the brand. Noble Cashmere promotes the longevity of items with a mending and restoration service for customers as well as in-person mending classes.

“Cashmere is such a beautiful fabric that is not easy to gather — it takes six cashmere goats to make one sweater, so it’s quite a process, and we want to respect that process,” Noble explains.

The pop-up at 706 Queen St. W. will run until Dec. 21 every day except Monday.

— Julia Mastroianni

Gifts galore at new Indigenous department store Last year, a groundbreaking pop-up launched at the Eaton Centre: Canada’s first ever 100 per cent Indigenous-owned department store. Founded by Toronto’s own Chelsee-Marie Pettit, aaniin featured over 40 Indigenous brands from across the country — and now, the pop-up has made a return.

The department store opened its doors at the Eaton Centre, where shoppers browsed more than 6,000 square feet of Indigenousowned brands. Featured vendors include Sephora favourite Cheekbone Beauty, Toronto designer Lesley Hampton, accessories brand Assinewe Jewelry and plenty of stocking stuffer ideas, like pieces by Kokum Scrunchies. The pop-up will

Chelsee-Marie Pettit, founder of aaniin

run through January 2026.

New this year is the Bimaaadiziwin Marketplace: an online marketplace with its own dedicated section at the store, allowing Indigenous entrepreneurs to scale their business digitally and

reach customers beyond the Eaton Centre. The marketplace was developed through aaniin’s Business Growth Cohort, an initiative by Pettit to help other Indigenous entrepreneurs launch their own businesses.

Pettit is from Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Ontario, and she began aaniin (which means “hello” in Ojibwe) in 2021 as a streetwear brand, featuring Tshirts, athleisure and accessories adorned with Anishinaabemowin phrases.

“It became clear to me at a young age that the strongest . . . path to reconciliation is reclamation, and this starts and ends with the Indigenous economy,” she said in a statement.

Last year’s debut resulted in the brand exceeding its onemonth sales goal in just 10 days, so it’s no surprise that the pop-up is expanding from its one-month stint to two months this year. You can visit the shop on the second floor of the Eaton Centre.

— JM

A magazine at Issues

This is secretly T.O.’s coolest shopping spot Queen West, Yorkville and Ossington have all had their time — but there’s a hidden gem of a neighbourhood that we’re calling Toronto’s latest, coolest shopping district. On a stretch of Dundas West between Lansdowne and Dovercourt is Brockton village, a tiny neighbourhood filled with so many interesting shops that you could easily spend the day here.

Start off at Issues Magazine Shop (1489A Dundas St. W.).

This unique little spot is a bit of a cultural hub in the neighbourhood, playing host to collage nights and other crafty events.

Filled with indie, hard-to-find magazines and zines from around the world, Issues is a reminder that print isn’t dead at all.

Then, stop in at Blue Button Shop (1499 Dundas St. W.), an unassuming shop that’s a treasure trove of Japanese fashion. Although many T.O. shops carry international designers, this one is known for its selection of hardto-find, exclusive Japanese brands.

Vintage lovers will have plenty to choose from in this neighbourhood. Sometimes the fun of vintage shopping is visiting a curated space that feels like an art gallery.

That’s the vibe of Black Diamond Vintage (1446 Dundas St. W.), with its primary-coloured geometric shelving, funky posters and pristine vintage collection.

For more vintage and locally made finds, finish off the day at Good Habits (1363 Dundas St. W.). With checkerboard flooring, shelves of bright homewares and a mix of high-end vintage and pieces by local artists, you can trust the staff here to handpick — JM 27 you a new outfit. | DECEMBER 2025

In late October, a cosy storefront appeared on Queen Street West, filled top to bottom with an even cosier fabric: cashmere.

The pop-up is a true labour of love: a family-owned business that began out of their home in 2018, Noble Cashmere Co. spends 10 months of the year sourcing cashmere garments to restore and upcycle for their once-a-year sale, perfectly timed for the holiday season.

“We are sort of a start-to-finish company, where we go from picking to processing each item ourselves,” says Liz Noble, founder of the brand. “We’ve developed relationships with rag houses over the years who specifically bring us blocks of cashmere to go through — we’ll go through thousands of sweaters at a time to choose what we can restore, and we process around 3,000 sweaters a year.”

The result is a seasonal popup filled with cashmere pieces of all colours, sizes and brands, many with a distinct Noble touch — some small imperfections are covered up with artful handmade patches while other

28

CURRENTS ADVICE

LEARN DEVELOP GROW powersoccer.ca

416-425-6062 Sangita also weighs in on a micro-managing mother-in-law

My boyfriend made a big promise — and broke it Dear Sangita: Last New Year’s Eve, my boyfriend made a promise to me. It’s almost the end of the year and he hasn’t fulfilled it. He told me by the end of this year, we would be engaged. He said he just needed to get his finances together. I waited all year, and we even went on a nice trip together, and now, nothing. Should I confront him?

Give up on him? — Countdown to the ring

TD Wealth Private Investment Advice A disciplined approach to reaching your goals Devote your time to what is important to you and delegate the day-to-day management of your investments to a professional you trust.

TD Privately Managed Portfolios.

Start a conversation today with Zoe. Zoe Joyce Kiousis, CIM®, FCSI® Senior Portfolio Manager, Senior Investment Advisor

| DECEMBER 2025

66 Wellington St.W., 36th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5K 1A2 Tel: 416-982-2126 | zoe.kiousis@td.com | zoejoycekiousis.com

28

The Q-ssis Wealth Management Group is a part of TD Wealth Private Investment Advice, a division of TD Waterhouse

The Q-ssis Wealth Management Group is a part of TD Wealth Private Investment Advice, a division of TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. which is a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. All trademarks are the property of their respective Canada Inc. which is a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ® The TD logo and other TD trademarks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or its subsidiaries. owners. ® The TD logo and other TD trademarks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or its subsidiaries.

DF23-37

DF23-37

Dear Countdown: I hate this idea of the obligation around engagement; that’s not what life is about! If he’s telling you, “I really want to make sure we’re stable financially and I can give you a good life before we make that choice,” you should understand and support that. This engagement deadline shouldn’t be what you’re focusing on. His finances are obviously a major worry for him, and as his partner you should support him.

If it’s something else — maybe you feel he’s on the fence, maybe he’s cheating — then that’s a different conversation you need to be having with him.

But if you’re just there for the ring, then I would say: leave him.

Dear Sangita: My mother-inlaw said I could host Christmas this year, but now she's micro-

managing everything. She’s been texting me all day, every day, showing up unannounced to assess whether our space is big enough to host the whole family and asking for me to tell her every little thing that I plan on cooking. I thought I was doing her a favour because she used to complain about hosting every year. How do I get her off my back? — Micro-managing MIL Dear MM: I’m sorry to tell you this but: she was complaining because that’s what parents do, but inside, they love hosting! You can try offering it back to your mother-in-law. Then the ball is back in her court, and she has two options: she can say, “No, no, I think you can handle it. I gave it to you.” Or she’ll say, “Yes, I’d like to do it.” Hopefully by making this her decision she’ll back off a little bit — but probably not. We all know what’s going to happen at the end of the day if you host: if your mother-in-law is nitpicking now, even if you make everything perfect, she’s going to have things to complain about. That’s just what they do!

Email advice@postcity.com with your questions for Sangita.

SANGITA PATEL is our advice columnist and was previously a host on ET Canada.

29

CURRENTS HOW THEY MET

T.O. crooner Shawn Desman on finding love at first dance Shawn Desman is on the road for his Back to Life tour, including a stop at History in Toronto on Dec. 12. But first the singer, whose music has been the soundtrack to many Canadians’ first dances, first dates and first loves, gives us the scoop on his love at first sight moment, 31 years ago with his wife Chantelle Leonardo.

How they met

We met at our dance studio in 1994. I was 12 and Chantelle was 13. It was love at first sight for both of us … I hope!

The first date

We went to the movies to see Titanic, which I believe came out in 1997, so before that it was all puppy love stuff. I remember being so nervous and then finally having the courage to hold her hand, and then she leaned over and gave me a kiss.

The relationship

One of the most memorable mo-

place called West River. We had an outdoor ceremony and it was pouring rain! But it ended up being the most beautiful day — once the festivities moved inside.

We had 400 people at our wedding! It was a party! We went to Aruba for our honeymoon.

The kids (and pets)

We have three amazing kids: Cayden, Owen and our daughter Sienna. We also have two French bulldogs, Lola and Louis. It’s a L–R: Shawn Desman and Chantelle Leonardo, the pair as teenagers crazy house! ments of our early relationship years is when I asked her to be my girlfriend. I walked up to her, handed her my Grade 6 school picture and said, “Wanna be my girlfriend?” She said “yes” and then we both turned around and walked away from each other!

As we got older and I became more popular, I was told that I couldn’t tell anyone that I had a girlfriend, and I know that, at times, that was hard for Chan-

telle. But here we are, all those Shared hobbies and interests We both love dancing obviously, years later. and we both love the spa! We would get massages every day if The proposal Chantelle: Shawn proposed to we could! me on my birthday with all of our friends and family present. It The secret to success was the cutest, he was so nervous. I’d say communication, respect I had no idea! It was the best sur- and always making time for each other. We’re both on the go so prise ever! much with the kids and our caThe wedding and honeymoon reers that sometimes it’s easy to We got married in Vaughan at a forget to make time to enjoy each

other. We try to do at least one date night a month.

Balancing careers and a relationship

Our calendar is the only way to do it! That is our holy grail; without it we would be lost. Everything is scheduled! We both know what we’re doing on any given day.

We’re also good at saying to each other “Hey, can you get off your phone for a bit so we can talk or watch a show?” It’s gotten so crazy with social media that we’re both constantly just working.

The future together

I tell Chantelle all the time that in 15 to 20 years or when our kids are all out of the house and on their own, I still want us to enjoy each other’s company. I want to sleep in the same bed, (a lot of people we know don’t once they get older). I want to vacation. We want to enjoy our grandkids, and I still want us to make sweet sweet love (sorry, not sorry)!

POST CITY X WELLSPRING CANCER SUPPORT

Facing Cancer, Finding Community at Wellspring Before his diagnosis, Matt Van Engelen’s life was typical — days working, and time spent cooking hanging out with his wife and son. But after several sleepless nights from intense back pain, his wife, Syd, insisted he go to the hospital.

Following a series of tests, doctors delivered lifealtering news: Matt had lymphoma.

Treatment began quickly, but the physical toll was soon matched by emotional isolation. “I had been feeling so dejected. I just wanted to speak to someone who had gone through what I was going through,” Matt said. On his social worker’s recommendation, he looked into Wellspring and registered for their lymphoma support group.

“Once I got into the group, everyone was so welcoming and warm. It was easy to be vulnerable, which was exactly what I needed.”

After a brief remission, Matt’s lymphoma returned, hitting harder than before. The second round of treatment was gruelling, both physically and emotionally. “I had to stay downstairs most of the time because I was immunocompromised and had a young son who was always playing and collecting germs,” he explained. Being a social person, this was a drastic change for Matt.

Fortunately, he still had the Wellspring lymphoma group to lean on. The toll also began

to weigh on his wife, who was now the primary caregiver to Matt and their young son, Davey.

Recalling that time, Syd shared, “There wasn’t a lot of room to breathe. My own feelings and health were secondary; my boys came first.” Syd shared that she was thankful that Wellspring was able to provide additional support for Matt in a way that she didn’t always know how.

As his eight-month long-term disability leave neared its end, Matt realized he needed help preparing for post-treatment life. He enrolled in Wellspring’s Return to Work program, which helped him make a plan and establish a routine.

“The program taught me how to talk to my insurer, and even how to sit at a desk again for eight hours a day — something you wouldn’t think you’d forget,” he said. “It really helped to practice, and to speak with others who were going through the same thing.”

Matt describes his outlook now as cautiously optimistic. He occasionally still pops into the lymphoma support group to offer assistance to newly diagnosed individuals. Reflecting on the support he received at Wellspring, Matt has a simple message for those thinking of donating: “I say do it. You have no idea how many people you’re going to help.”

105 Wellness Way, Toronto 416-480-4440

wellspring.ca/gta

Registered Canadian Charitable Organization #89272 8940 RR0001

2025 PEOPLE 30

The champion

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR. led the Blue Jays to the World Series and showed the world he was born ready

My first impression of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was that he was clearly a different level of talent — it was a different sound off his bat. He’s so young. In baseball age, he hasn’t even reached the prime of his career, and yet he’s always had to perform under this spotlight. He has had so many expectations heaped upon him because of his dad, because of his status as a prospect and the expectations of the franchise in the city and the country. But what we saw this season, and especially this post-season, was

By Mark Shapiro him embracing this role of PRESIDENT AND CEO, leadership and the pressure of TORONTO BLUE JAYS performing on the biggest stage. What he brings to the team has always been consistent, as far as his joy for playing the game and his love for his teammates. But this year, the ability to match that with his performance with the most at stake really was telling. In the most intense moments, he still shows the most carefree joy, and that has an impact on everyone around him: the team, the clubhouse, the organization and probably our fan base too. In what was arguably the most special baseball moment for this city and this country since 1993, he led this team on and off the field to provide lifelong memories for all Canadians.

The actor

30

I remember meeting Malin for the very first time, on set to star as Margo Banks in the Netflix TV adaptation of my novel The Hunting Wives. I was in the hair and makeup trailer getting ready for my cameo. She came in and gave me the biggest hug and told me she’d been waiting for a juicy, complicated, complex role like Margo for a long time. She was so effusive and kind. I can’t imagine anyone else playing the edgy, messy, force of nature that is Margo other than her. She fully transforms into Margo: one minute, she’s pouring on the charm, and

By May Cobb the next, that AUTHOR OF ‘THE HUNTING WIVES’ wicked, knowing smile comes out, and it’s just riveting to watch. So brilliant. I remember watching takes one day on set during pilot week — so very early on in filming — alongside our wonderful producer, Erwin Stoff, and Malin was in a scene with Dermot Mulroney, and I believe she was ad libbing a line and the two of them were just clicking so well.

Erwin, grinning, takes his headset off and says, “This is terrific!

This is working!” It was like watching a magic trick unfold. On top of being an incredible, phenomenally gifted actor, she’s also such a dedicated mom, and that’s very inspiring to witness.

Alamy Images

| DECEMBER 2025

MALIN ÅKERMAN staged a comeback by starring in one of the most bingeable and hilarious shows of the year

maggiehelwig.com

Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images

From actors and athletes to doctors performing lifesaving transplants, these are Toronto’s most inspirational people

The advocate

MAGGIE HELWIG fought to protect the encampment in her church’s backyard

Mother Maggie Helwig is the coolest person in Toronto. I told her myself, years ago, and she found it amusing.

Mother Maggie advocates for human rights, most recently assisting unhoused individuals in an encampment at St. Stephen’s in the Field Church, which the city demolished. Despite obstacles, her care is boundless. When I was going through difficulty, her church welcomed me, despite my not being Christian. During a By service, I witnessed an Sook-Yin Lee astonishing de-escalation of violence, as a MUSICIAN, DIRECTOR, man, plagued by mental ACTOR AND anguish, burst in and KENSINGTON spat on the altar while MARKET shouting obscenities. InRESIDENT stead of backing away, Mother Maggie asked how she might help, while Leroy Niles, an outstanding church member, listened with compassion, and I observed the rage fade from the man’s expression. Mother Maggie dares to reimagine the church as a space for provocative engagement. Poet, writer and disruptor, she sheds light on our shortcomings and motivates us to unite to improve our shared experience.

E of the year 31

ple

The Canadian

The filmmaker

CELINE SONG created a culture-defining movie with ‘Materialists’ and revived the rom-com

Professors can’t take credit for our students’ success, although in Celine’s case I wish I could. During her student years at Queen’s, it was clear that she would go far in pretty much anything she went on to do, but Celine has gone much farther and much faster than even I expected. I remember her energy and enthusiasm in discussing ideas

By Paul Fairfield and the PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR, combinaQUEEN’S UNIVERSITY; tion of CELINE’S EXISTENTIALISM & intelliPOSTMODERNISM PROFESSOR gence and imagination that professors like myself love to see in our students, when we do. That combination is not something any educator can instill. It seems to come from some mysterious place within, and in Celine’s case she seems to be visiting that place quite often. Every culture needs storytellers, maybe now more than ever, and in Celine Song we see a storyteller who may only just be getting started.

UHN Foundation

The doctor

DR. SEYED ALIREZA RABI performed Canada’s first transplant with a heart that had stopped beating

Dr. Seyed Alireza Rabi represents the type of talent that signals something bigger than a single medical achievement — he represents what it means for Toronto to be a global magnet for worldclass innovators. Dr. Rabi immigrated to Canada from Iran with his family at a young age, eventually leaving to pursue elite surgical training in the United States, including advanced fellowship work at Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the earliest adopters of donationBy after-circulatory-death Dr.Thomas (DCD) heart transplantaForbes tion. He could have built SURGEONhis career anywhere. The IN-CHIEF, fact that he chose to come UHN to Toronto says everything about what this city, and this country, are becoming. At UHN, he led the team that completed Canada’s first DCD heart transplant — a breakthrough that could increase our national heart-donor pool by as much as 30 per cent and dramatically reduce wait-list deaths for patients with end-stage heart failure. This procedure was not simply a technical feat; it fundamentally redefines what is possible in Canadian transplant care. Dr. Rabi brought more than a skill set to Canada. He brought hope — hope for the patients waiting and hope for a country that is ready to lead.

31 | DECEMBER 2025

I remember once The Kids in the Hall were doing a show in a tiny comedy club in Toronto, and I looked up and there was Mike: standing at the side of the stage and grining at us. I asked him, “What are you doing here?” He said, “I just wanted to watch you guys work.” And then he said, so genuinely, “Congratulations on all your success,” which was hilarious because I think I made $200 that night. This was the

By Bruce McCulloch same month THE KIDS IN THE HALL MEMBER, that Wayne's FRIEND World was m a k i n g $100 million. We all loved how humble he was with his great success and how it felt like he only did things that he wanted to do, which of course is every comedian's dream. I think absolutely everyone loves him because his characters are kind and vulnerable and mischievous, just like he is. His work has taught me something: that comedy can be both strange and popular, which gives hope for all us freaks who love him.

Instagram@helloellephanta

olest yself, sing. man unment urch, e obis was ulty, med eing g a d an calaas a ental and while . Inway, sked Niles, lisrved presmagfor riter our unite

Alamy Images

maggiehelwig.com

MIKE MYERS stood up to our southern frenemies and created a catchphrase heard around the world: Elbows up!

32

2025 PEOPLE OF THE YEAR The Broadway star

KEANU REEVES brought a ‘Bill & Ted’ reunion to Broadway with a hugely successful ‘Waiting for Godot’ revival

Alamy Images

I first met Keanu when he was about 16 or 17, auditioning for Mercutio in a Romeo & Juliet I was directing. He walked in and said, “I need to play Mercutio,” not “I want to,” and his eyes told me he meant it. He had a kind of fierce gentleness, if those two words can belong together. Years later we reunited to plan a production of Hamlet

By Lewis Baumander at Manitoba TheFOUNDER OF LB ACTING SCHOOL, atre Centre in DIRECTOR Winnipeg, working on the soliloquies on and off for a year before rehearsals with the full cast. While in L.A., and later in Winnipeg, I saw first-hand how generous his spirit was — open, giving, completely unassuming. Early in his career the media was not always kind, but he rose above it, refused to play into it and went about his work in an honourable way. Even after Speed opened, he stayed committed to being not only the best actor, but the best human being he could be. Our time exploring our shared love of Shakespeare and witnessing his grace will always be one of my most cherished memories.

The athlete

VICTORIA MBOKO made history as the youngest Canadian to win the National Bank Open in the Open Era

Instagram @vickymboko

I’ve known Vicky Mboko since we were six, when we used to chase our older siblings around the courts at tournaments. Soon after, it was our turn, competing together around the world. It’s surreal looking back on it. From playing U14 World Juniors to representing Canada at the Billie Jean King Cup in Japan six years later, we’ve come full circle

By Kayla Cross with countless TEAM CANADA DOUBLES PARTNER, FRIEND memories and sweet treats! “Destined to succeed” perfectly describes Vicky. From day one, she has been incredibly hardworking and laser-focused, training at 5 a.m. as if it were totally normal. Her determination is matched only by her character: a big heart, endless humour that lights up any room and genuine humility. She had already achieved so much before the National Bank Open, but watching her reach and win the final in person was unforgettable. Vicky deserves this recognition not only for her incredible results, but also for the remarkable person she is, both on and off the court.

The lifesaver

DR. ANDREW BOOZARY showed housing is health care with supportive housing initiative Dunn House

I believe I met Andrew through the process of coming into Dunn House, but with my addictions history, there’s a good chance I actually met him before, in the hospital, and I just didn’t retain it. He has really changed my life. It’s not just about having a roof over my head, but having someone that I know is on my support team who wants me to be successful. I feel like I actually have a future now, and he’s been a big part of By that. It’s one thing to be faJason miliar with the problem of Miles homelessness and know DUNN what’s wrong with the sysHOUSE tem, but to be a person who RESIDENT puts forward ideas on how to fix things and gets buy-in from the community is amazing. It takes a special person to bring everyone together like that and frame the issue so other people understand it. He really does have the power to affect change. It's a difficult thing being homeless and suffering from severe addiction, and to have somebody like him come into my life and be such a positive role model and friend — that's something I'm going to feel in my heart forever.

More of Toronto’s 2025 people of the year Maggie Kang

| DECEMBER 2025

Animator Maggie Kang tapped into a real cultural moment this year. She’s the creator and director behind KPop Demon Hunters, the Netflix film that became the streaming platform’s most-watched movie ever. That’s not all — the extremely catchy soundtrack became the first to have four simultaneous top 10 songs on the Billboard 32 Hot 100 chart.

Kyle Edwards

In his debut novel, Small Ceremonies, Anishinaabe author Kyle Edwards tells a story that uses the hierarchies in hockey to mirror the ones that exist in our world. His words clearly resonated — in November, the Toronto-based writer won the 2025 Governor General's Literary Award for fiction. The book was one of 14 to be named the best of the year.

R. Scott Gemmill

Perhaps unexpectedly, medical drama The Pitt became one of the most talked-about TV shows of the entire year — and everyone has Ontario’s R. Scott Gemmill to thank for that. As the creator, showrunner and executive producer of the series, when Gemmill took to the stage to receive the 2025 Emmy for best drama series, he dedicated the win to health-care workers everywhere.

Asia Hogan-Rochester

Canada absolutely dominated at the Women’s Rugby World Cup this year, reflecting the team’s unbeaten run all year. They fell just short of winning in the finals to England, but there’s one name that stood out: Asia Hogan-Rochester. The silver medal–winning Olympian was the unquestionable star on the field, and continues to be a glittering beacon of representation for gender fluid athletes.

33

2025 PEOPLE OF THE YEAR The comedian

VERONIKA SLOWIKOWSKA is the newest Canadian cast member on ‘SNL’ — and the first since Norm Macdonald

The chef

I met Eric Chong back in 2015 in the kitchen of his newly opened restaurant R&D in Toronto’s Chinatown. Only two years prior, he had won the exact competition I was competing in and became Canada’s first MasterChef. As with anyone who steps into the MasterChef Canada kitchen, he originally planned on a different career, but that experience blew him beautifully off course, allowing

By Mary Berg him to realize his TV HOST & ‘MASTERCHEF CANADA’ dreams and beJUDGE come the acclaimed chef he is today. Over the past decade, his calm, level-headed pursuit of creating delicious and beautiful food that highlights his heritage and travels has been amazing to witness (and taste!). As anyone who has dined at either of his Michelinrecognized restaurants can attest, Eric’s passion for showcasing Asian cuisine in new and innovative ways is clear on every plate.

He is a true inspiration for those looking to take a left turn in life, and it is just so wonderful to see his hard work and dedication to his culinary craft continue to pay off.

Mae Martin

When Mae Martin’s eerie-buthilarious psychological thriller Wayward hit Netflix in September, it quickly topped the English TV list. And Martin’s been busy: their queer podcast Handsome received a 2025 Just For Laughs Best Podcast Award; they dabbled in music with debut album I’m A TV; and they’re touring a new standup show next year. No one deserves the multi-hyphenate title more.

Getty Images

ERIC CHONG received Toronto’s only new Michelin star this year, for aKin, and won the Young Chef Award

Michael Longfield

Cycle Toronto’s executive director Michael Longfield helped take the Ontario government all the way to court to challenge Bill 212, enabling the province to remove any and all municipal bike lanes. However, Longfield wasn’t in court for the Charter challenge — he was doored in a bike lane just days before. But he was there to celebrate when the Ontario Superior Court sided with cyclists!

Stephanie Willsey

Working for Toronto-based firm McCarthy Tétrault, lawyer Stephanie Willsey has made a career out of advocating for First Nations people — including helping to win an $8 billion class action lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of reserves without access to clean drinking water. This year, she took a $5 billion class action to court on behalf of First Nations over inadequate housing.

The tech entrepreneur RAQUEL URTASUN is reimagining driverless trucks through Waabi, backed by Uber, Nvidia & Porsche

I first met Raquel when I was taking Dr. Sanja Fidler's course at the University of Toronto. We then reconnected at founder events in Toronto. She's brilliant and, in addition to her expertise, whenever she talks about her students you can tell she goes above and beyond to ensure their visibility and success. It's inspiring to see her focus and resolve in solving hard problems at scale while not forgetting to bring others up with her. She is an inspiraBy Patricia tion to entrepreneurs in CaThaine nada generally, not just in the COAI industry, showing big FOUNDER problems can be tackled AND CEO, from a commercial lens, at PRIVATE AI scale, in Canada – without having to move to make that dream happen. She's also affected numerous lives by sharing her expertise with students and the research community.

Canada wouldn't be the same without Raquel. She has a focus and resolve that's rare. It's not luck. It's extremely diligent, focused, hard work and intelligence.

Ayami Sato

The Toronto Maple Leafs — no, not those ones — made headlines this year when they signed pitcher Ayami Sato to the team, marking the first woman to play in a pro men’s league in Canadian history. Considered one of the best female baseball players to have ever lived, her debut game at Christie Pits drew quite the crowd, with young fans asking her to sign their baseballs.

33 | DECEMBER 2025

Instagram @veronika_iscool

There’s no one more deserving to be Toronto’s person of the year than Veronika. I’ve been saying it for years. My band, crew and I have been sending TikToks by her back and forth to each other, catching any local show of hers we can and cheering her on as she

By Leandra Earl takes SatTHE BEACHES urday Night GUITARIST, FRIEND Live’s global stage by storm. She has been working hard at her craft for years, and this city could not be prouder of where it has taken her. I’ll be telling my grandkids about the time we shared a Coachella stage with her.

No one makes us laugh harder — we love you, Veronika!

34

THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Est. 1978

Fine Jewellery & Antiques Toronto, Canada Just In Time For The Holidays, Whether You're Gifting Or Collecting, Find Something Truly Special OPEN BY APPOINTMENT • Shop Online Anytime

www.cynthiafindlay.com · 416.260.9057

35

THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Unforgettable to receive.

GETGIFTING tonicblooms.com

2624 Yonge Street • BeestungLingerie.com

“Eberjey PJ’s are one of the best things I own. They’re cozy and soft—and look put together.”

–VOGUE

36

THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

M Mabel’ s F Fables Books for the

H Holidays illustration by Peter H. Reynolds The Gift of Worrds - Scholastic Books

shop our per rfectly t Books curated Adult Our middle grade & Teen Book Clubs! sig s n up now!

M Mabel’s Bestseller::

O Our Customer Faves: Bo ook-of-the-Month h Fre ee Holiday Gift Wrap Su ubscriptions s a present to open Holiday Baskets & Bundles every month !

*)('&%$#"# )(&'$#"# )*!& #( # $ '#### #### #* # # # &')$) # # ) ##### # # #### #####

######### ( $# # ) '#&! # '$

Jewel Salon

RETIREMENT SALE ON NOW • Closing January 24th, 2026 162 Cumberland Street | 416.967.7500 secrettjewellers@gmail.com | www.secrett.ca

37

STREETS OF TORONTO

Bite-Sized Q&A

Greeking out: Thanos Tripi is bringing iconic Ossington restaurant to Summerhill Thanos Tripi, the mastermind behind Mamakas Food Group, is bringing his Greek flair to Summerhill with a new location next year.

Fresh off launching his own olive oil, he’s spilling the secrets behind his favourite neighbourhood spots, family holiday dishes and the flavours that define Toronto — plus what makes this next chapter the tastiest yet.

It’s something I always wanted to do. We took the time to educate ourselves — spending the time travelling through the Peloponnesos searching out the best quality and taste profile.

This is just part of our journey of uncompromising commitment to quality and excellence that we constantly strive for.

Why Summerhill? And what will be different from Mamakas Ossington?

Which holiday dish transports you back to your family kitchen?

At its core, Summerhill will have Mamakas’s DNA, but this location has its own personality.

We’ll be introducing a private dining room and subtle design touches unique to Summerhill.

Like any restaurant, without its guests, all you have are four walls and an empty room. SumMamakas founder Thanos Tripi merhill has a different rhythm: a close-knit community of families. Every neighbourhood brings its own character — and that’s what before, with excellent operators and chefs behind them. Dining habits have shifted and makes opening in Summerhill so exciting. have created a more compeitive environment, and the demands on us as operators mean we How has Toronto’s culinary scene changed since launching Mamakas? have to keep striving to be better in all aspects There are more seats in the city now than ever of hospitality.

My Thea Barbara’s spanakopita and tiropita — there was nothing quite like them. Our family would treasure these beautiful dishes, often filling up on this delicious meze before the feasts truly began.

FOOD SECTION

December in hospitality is a madhouse. How do you find calm?

Every morning after I walk my dogs and drop the kids off at school (moments I share with my wife), I do my rounds and go to each restaurant while they are starting the day, simply enjoying the calm before the day’s events and organized chaos begins. —Jennifer Schembri

Royal Rewind: Queen West’s appetizers go retro Forget the basic canapés of yesteryear. Classic party staples are claiming the crown

Icy Legend

Move over cocktail wieners — the shrimp cocktail is official back on the party scene. At Prime Seafood Palace, Matty Matheson serves plump Argentine NK shrimp on a skewer with a cocktail sauce that bites back with real complexity.

Pair it with Prime’s ultimate Dirty Martini for a truly extra-filthy finish. 944 Queen St. W.

Eggs with attitude

Devilled eggs were once the reliable, paprikadusted star of the 1960s cocktail circuit — the quintessential appetizer for a Betty Draper soiree.

At Queen West’s And/Ore, the classic is reimagined with soy, chili, cilantro, scallion and crispy wonton, turning each bite into a layered, unexpected treat. 1040 Queen St. W.

Shell shock

Escargots de Bourgogne, a dish Julia Child would have celebrated with a wink and a flourish of her wooden spoon, gets a masterful update at Bar Prequel. Instead of the classic shells, these snails are decadently wrapped in flaky puff pastry alongside a smear of rouille for pure, buttery sophistication. 1036 Queen St. W.

| DECEMBER 2025

FORKCAST

Why launch your own olive oil now?

37

38

POST CITY X DR. CORY TORGERSON

The Designer Facelift: Confidence crafted in Yorkville In the world of aesthetic refinement, the “six-figure facelift” has become a cultural benchmark — a symbol of discreet luxury, surgical artistry, and timeless rejuvenation. While headlines often focus on celebrity transformations, few realize that this level of craftsmanship has long been perfected right here in Toronto.

At the heart of Yorkville’s luxury corridor, Dr. Cory Torgerson’s private surgical centre has become synonymous with the precision, discretion, and elegance that define the Designer Facelift. Globally recognized in facial plastic surgery, Dr. Torgerson brings two decades of experience as an advanced aesthetic head and neck reconstructive surgeon, supported by a team dedicated to seamless, concierge-level care within a fully accredited out-of-hospital facility.

Unlike traditional facelifts that focus on tightening the

skin, Dr. Torgerson’s approach centres on the deepplane technique — a sophisticated method that repositions the underlying facial musculature and soft tissue

Often described as a designer process rather than a procedure, each treatment plan is meticulously tailored to the individual’s anatomy, aging pattern, and personal aesthetic goals. From the first private consultation to the final reveal, patients experience an atmosphere of calm luxury and surgical excellence that rivals the world’s most exclusive clinics.

For discerning clients seeking the artistry associated with the most elite transformations, Dr. Cory Torgerson’s Designer Facelift offers that same calibre of surgical mastery — perfected in Toronto, delivered with compassion, and inspired by the belief that confidence is timeless.

Private consultations available at Dr. Cory Torgerson Facial Cosmetic Surgery, Yorkville, Toronto.

647-343 -0207 www.drtorgerson.com

to restore natural contours. The result is not a different face, but the most authentic version of the patient — refined, lifted, and radiant without visible tension or obvious tell-tale signs of surgery.

drtorgerson.com • info@drtorgerson.com (647) 343-0207 59 Hayden St Suite 700, Toronto, ON M4Y 0E7

39

FOOD TASTE TEST

HOLIDAY DESSERTS 2025 WORLD TOUR The holidays have landed, and Toronto’s dessert table is going global. In a city where every neighbourhood feels like its own country, Christmas sweets are travelling far and wide. After a whirlwind of sugar, chefs Nuit Regular and Anthony Rose have crowned the treat that truly sleighed them both.

RUNNER-UP EGG-CITING NOEL Babingka Platter, the Purple Bakeshop, 14 Clock Tower Rd., $20 This Filipino rice cake brought back memories for Nuit: “It’s cooked over charcoal with banana leaves — you can smell it on the street at 4 a.m.” Anthony, too, was impressed: “I’ve never had this before, but I really like it.”

STICKY SITUATION Sticky Toffee Pudding, Bobbette & Belle, 3347 Yonge St., $42.95 Both chefs were excited about this British classic.

“I love sticky toffee,” said Anthony, who even makes his own version at his restaurant Fat Pasha. Nuit called it “beautiful” praising the glaze.

STOLLEN MOMENTS Stollen, Stubbe Chocolates, 653 St. Clair Ave. W., $34 A dense German holiday loaf that divided the judges. Anthony felt that it just didn’t quite come together, whereas Nuit found it “underseasoned but interesting.” Both wanted “a lot of cream or something” to lift it up.

SNOWED IN Strawberry Pavlova, Le Jasmin Bakery, 1845A Avenue Rd., $35.99 Light and airy, the pavlova looked as good as it tasted. Nuit adored “the colour and the crunch,” and Anthony admired how well it was executed: “Crispy outside, soft inside — really well done.”

YULE LOVE THIS Winter Woodland Rollet Log Cake, BB Cafe, 39 Glen Cameron Rd., Thornhill, $65 “Pretty,” said both chefs immediately.

The cake impressed visually — but not everything hit the mark.

“Everything’s great except the egg,” said Nuit about a questionable garnish. Still, both agreed it was “totally a kid-pleaser.”

RUM ALL YEE FAITHFUL Trinidadian Black Cake, Caribbean Classics, $50 caribbeanclassics.ca Rich and boozy, this Trinidad-Jamaican classic surprised both chefs. “I love it,” said Nuit. Anthony reminisced about his nanny’s version: “It’s delicious — all spice and fruit.” Both agreed the flavour was “beautifully seasoned.”

39 | DECEMBER 2025

WINNER MINT TO BE MERRY Peppermint Nanaimo Bars, Bunner’s, 244 Augusta Ave., $4.85 “Winner!” was the first word out of both chefs’ mouths.

Nuit loved that it wasn’t too sweet — “just perfect, right amount of crunch,” The peppermint aroma, the coconut, the balance — all that, and it’s glutenfree and vegan.

40

As your friends in fertility, we go the extra mile. We see the people behind the charts and your future family.

Fertility Assessments Egg Freezing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Ovulation Induction Oncofertility 2SLGBTQI+ Family Building Integrated Healthcare Anova. Your friends in fertility.

World-class, inclusive fertility centres: North York | Toronto | Guelph | Waterloo

(416) 225-4440 AnovaFertility.com

41

FOOD

Toronto’s best Turkish breakfasts Turkish breakfast is being considered for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List, highlighting kahvaltı — literally “before coffee” — as a cultural and culinary cornerstone. Here are some of our favourite spots to try traditional kahvaltı in Toronto.

Pera Cafe

This Kensington Market spot honours the traditions of Turkish breakfast while offering vegan options as well as super sweet homemade desserts. 62 Nassau St. L-R: The pop-up is serving up spiked hot chocolate and wagyu hot dogs; the event is 19+ from Thursday to Saturday

King Street holiday pop-up is naughty & nice King West usually isn’t associated with holiday cheer. On any given weekend, the neighbourhood is a blur of espresso martinis, sparkly tops and people debating whether or not to order fries “for the table.” But this year, something unusual is happening: King Street is going full Christmas mode.

Christmas on King, a brand-new holiday pop-up and market from Ink Entertainment, is taking over Portland Square (600 King St. W.) until New Year’s Eve, turning the neighbourhood best known for its nightlife into a twinkly, boozy, candy cane– lit holiday hangout.

The market runs Thursday through Saturday as a 19+ experience, leaning fully into the neighbourhood’s nightlife identity with seasonal cocktails from Baileys, Guinness holiday pours, spiked hot chocolate and a whole menu of comfort-food-but-make-it-

holiday dishes.

If you’re a parent in full-on family mode, don’t think your time on King West is done because here’s the twist — on Sundays, King West switches to its “nice list.”The space becomes fully all ages, offering Santa photos, gift-wrapping stations, family programming and holiday activities. It’s the only time you’ll see toddlers and nightlife sharing the same real estate on King Street, and honestly, that alone might be worth the trip.

The pop-up brings in a lineup of major holiday brands and local favourites: Nestlé Turtles with chocolate-pecan pie and a caramel-drizzled spiked hot chocolate; Baileys serving a menu of hot and chilled holiday cocktails; Guinness pouring classic pints and limited-edition festive serves; and a photo booth station with holiday photo installations.

And then there’s the food — exactly what you want after your third seasonal cocktail: wagyu hot dogs, buttermilk fried chicken parm sandwiches, grilled cheese stacked with pickled jalapenos and truffled chips, Swedish meatballs with mash and cranberry chutney, massive slices of pepperoni or fourcheese pizza and churros dusted in cinnamon. If you’re here for vibes alone, the glowing market stalls, seasonal lights and soundtrack of holiday-adjacent remixes will handle the rest.

And of course, Christmas on King is designed to be as photogenic as it is chaotic.

Throughout Portland Square, you’ll find holiday-themed installations, multiple photo ops, vendor pop-ups, a central bar slinging winter cocktails and seasonal activations that shift throughout the month.

—Lauren DiBenedetto

Meryem Hanim’s Turkish Breakfast Café

Traditional dishes take centre stage at this North York eatery.

The halal café serves up dishes like ayvalık tostu, a Turkish grilled cheese stacked with meat and tomatoes. 3200 Dufferin St. Lokum Eats

The breakfast at this west end restaurant is served with fresh Turkish coffee. Choose between a family-style meal or à la carte options like Turkish eggs and simit (a circular bread). 23 St Johns Rd. Sibel

Mouth-watering dishes like Lamb Ghorme Sunrise meet menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs) and eggs with sujuk, a beef sausage, at this popular spot. There’s also a rustic breakfast experience for two. 1997 Avenue Rd. —EC

Byblos Uptown quietly closed its doors on Oct. 20, and just a month later, the space on Yonge Street, has been reborn as Melani. After seven years serving Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare, the restaurant has been reimagined as a Greek-inspired spot, combining traditional culinary methods with a modern twist and Instagramworthy presentation.

Expect fresh herbs, premium olive oils, sun-ripened vegetables and specially sourced seafood, all elevating classic Greek favourites.

Highlights include wood-fired grilled chicken, slow-roasted lamb shank, premium seafood and an array of mezze, paired with a curated wine list of Greek and international selections.

The transformation extends beyond the menu. Where Byblos Uptown leaned boho chic, Melani features a modern interior with

natural textures, greenery, coastal accents, hand-painted plates and artisan vases. Live DJs will keep the energy up every weekend night, recreating the vibrant Aegean atmosphere of the Greek islands.

“We want Melani to capture the soul of Greek dining — rich in culture, full of connection and alive with energy,” says Melani coowner Charles Khabouth, CEO of Ink Entertainment. “From the dishes and wines to the space itself, every element is designed to be simple, elegant and fun, creating a dining experience that is effortless, vibrant and memorable.”

The name Melani, which means “ink” in Greek, marks the latest transformation for Khabouth’s restaurant group, following recent rebrands like Margo to Primadonna and Pink Sky to Vinny.

Melani is located at 2537 Yonge St. —Erica Commisso

| DECEMBER 2025

Yonge & Eg gets a Greek glow up

A delicious spread from Sibel 41

42

FO R

SA LE

FOOD

WE ARE YOUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS & TRUSTED REAL ESTATE ADVISORS Katie & Julie Rennie SALES REPRESENTATIVES

Contact us for your real estate inquiries at

416.925.9191

www.rennieteam.com info@rennieteam.com

35 Bales Suite #1901 Offered at $535,000 Chestnut Park's #1 Team* for over 16 years

YOUR DREAM TEAM CHESTNUT PARK REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BROKERAGE This is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with a broker. *2014-2019

Is this the best butter tart in the city?

What one of T.O.’s top foodies is eating now Toronto’s dining scene never rests and neither does food influencer Rick Silver (@dicksworld). He dives into five restaurants, calling out the hits and the misses with his trademark unfiltered honesty. When Rick talks, the city listens.

— because they were awesome.

Great staff, cool retro decor and an attention to detail you don’t see at most restaurants.

539 College St. The Rating: 9.6/10 Last Bite: Make a reservation.

1. Atomic Burger

I’ve never arrived early enough to try anything but the butter tarts — and they’re so good I’d recommend the whole bakery sight unseen. After judging Ontario’s biggest butter tart competition and tasting dozens, I can say Bà Nội’s rival the best. 806 Bloor St. W. The Rating: 9.5/10 Last Bite: Let me know what else they have.

With so many burger spots in this city, how did this tiny takeout joint, just a few months old, serve the best burger I’ve had all year? Simple: a fat, juicy 45day dry-aged patty paired with incredible onion rings and fresh-cut fries. 245 Greenwood Ave. The Rating: 9.4/10 Last Bite: There’s nowhere to sit.

| DECEMBER 2025

2. McVeigh’s Irish Pub

42

If I’m recommending an Irish pub, it has to be a good one — and this place delivered, even without me having a Guinness.

A great spot for good food and good old Irish fun in the heart of the city! 124 Church St. The Rating: 9/10 Last Bite: Order a Guiness.

Or two.

3. Susie’s Rise & Dine

Those were some exceptional pancakes! I guess deep-frying them in clarified butter helps

4. Bà Nội

5. Rasa Burger

Born out of one of the city’s best restaurants, a Rasa Burger outpost has joined the food stalls at Chefs Hall. It seems we’re entering a new era of fat, juicy gourmet burgers, ground in-house and served medium or even medium-rare. 111 Richmond St. W. The Rating: 9.1/10 Last Bite: Skip the fries and salads.

RICK SILVER is a Toronto food influencer.

43

FOOD

Italian favourites plated beautifully

Thornhill gets award-winning resto A new Italian restaurant has opened just north of Steeles, giving York Region diners a fresh spot for comforting, classic dishes.

Designed as both a neighbourhood trattoria and a full event venue, the Thornhill space features an elegant, modern look with a spacious bar and private rooms that can host anywhere from 20 to 100 guests.

It’s the latest addition to the La Vecchia family — now three locations in total — but this one brings its own personality to the mix.

La Vecchia earned the prestigious Ospitalità Italiana seal of

excellence in 2018, and the new outpost carries forward that commitment to classic Italian cooking. The dinner menu focuses on fresh, high-quality ingredients — from bright salads like the Mista or the pear-andgorgonzola Pera to indulgent starters like beef carpaccio, with truffle and shaved Parmigiano, or a creamy burrata plate with prosciutto and pistachio crumble.

Groups can dig into a chef ’s board piled with Italian salumi, cheeses, marinated olives and house-made focaccia, and seafood lovers can choose from grilled calamari, P.E.I. mussels or braised Mediterranean octopus

over roasted eggplant purée.

The Thornhill spot also introduces a few exclusives, including polpette meatballs made with beef, veal and pork braised in tomato sauce and topped with ricotta salata and focaccia crostini.

Pasta, pizza and mains, like lobster risotto and lamb shank, round out the menu, with many dishes available as gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free or vegetarian.

La Vecchia’s Toronto spots — one in midtown and one by the lake — have earned a loyal following over the years, and the new Thornhill restaurant follows in that lineage.

—Nisean Lorde

The city’s noodle scene just got a Michelin-worthy upgrade. Kajiken, the Japanese spot famous for abura soba, has opened its first Canadian location.

Abura soba isn’t your typical ramen. Unlike its soupy cousin, it has no broth — all the flavour comes from a secret blend of oils and sauces that coat the noodles, topped with everything from spicy minced pork to fresh seasonal greens. Popular in Japan, especially in Tokyo, it became a favourite because it’s quick to prepare, customizable, and packed with umami. Diners can mix in condiments to their taste, creating a dish that’s both hearty and versatile.

Signature options include the homura abura soba, a brothless noodle dish with spicy pork, bamboo shoots, seaweed and a custardy onsen egg; the roast beef abura soba; and a vegan abura soba with tofu and seasonal vegetables. You can also custom-

ize your noodles with toppings like cheese, nori or fried onion.

Along with noodles, Kajiken serves hearty donburi rice bowls such as homura don and unagi don, as well as light bites like chicken karaage and takoyaki — octopus-filled fried batter balls.

Founded in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010, by Kaji Kenichi, Kajiken has since expanded globally and even earned a spot in the Michelin Guide for its San Mateo, California, location.

Now the city’s food lovers can experience the same delicious flavours and inventive toppings right here at home — and it’s safe to say this spot is about to become a go to for anyone craving nextlevel noodles.

Kajiken is located at 4850 Yonge St., North York.

—Nisean Lorde

| DECEMBER 2025

Michelin noodles land in North York

43

44

FOOD

Happy Holidays from the Jamie Dempster Team!

From our family to yours, we wish you a joyful holiday season.

JUST LISTED

JUST LISTED

344 SPRING GARDEN AVE

JUST SOLD

55 SANDRINGHAM DR

135 MONA DR

Contact me today for your free, no obligation market analysis at 416.494.7653 or jamie@jamiedempster.ca!

JAMIE DEMPSTER / BROKER

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd., Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated *Acted as Co-op Agent

Banksy’s ‘Monkey Queen’, a selection of martinis

| DECEMBER 2025

Yorkville gets Banksystudded supper club

44

Some spots are all about the luxury and sophistication rarely food, while others are about the seen after hours. moment. In Yorkville, the city’s The Caviar Service is non-nestyle district, Powder Room — a gotiable, offering everything new supper club with a hint of from imperial Kaluga to the butNew York attitude — looks like tery complexity of beluga, served with handmade, gluten-free bliit could have it all.

Inside, the decor feels straight nis and all the classic accompaout of a magazine: Dolce & niments.

But where Powder Room Gabbana wall coverings meeting custom Kelly Wearstler uphol- truly shines is in its inventive stery, creating an exclusive yet Little Luxuries section. Mini wagyu hot dogs, or Wagyu Pups, comfortable glamour. arrive in toasted milk buns Perhaps the most buzzwith a flourish of caviar, worthy detail of the and the tempura new space is tucked Nova Scotia lobinside one of the REGAL JEST ster is crisp, delipowder rooms, Banksy’s 2003 cate and where an authen‘Monkey Queen’ hangs brightened with a tic Banksy Monin a powder room, citrus emulsion. key Queen hangs adding a cheeky, Even the potato in all her irreverent playful vibe. gets a makeover: the glory. This 2003 Potato Poppers are limited edition print — stuffed with mozzarella di one of just 750 — still turns heads on the auction circuit, bufala, smoked guanciale and fetching CA$20,000 to $35,000. topped with a glint of caviar.

If you want to splurge, the taThe Banksy is displayed safely between two panels of quarter- gliolini (a silky 100-egg-yolk inch shatterproof glass, mounted pasta) and the Kobe tenderloin securely on the wall, making it as with mustard seed jus are mustmuch a statement piece as the tries. The atmosphere is electric, but don't let the party distract restaurant itself.

Powder Room's kitchen, led you. The food is genuinely by executive chef Karina Gilver- world-class.

Powder Room is located at son and overseen by Liberty's Michelin-recognized chefs, is re- 129 Yorkville Ave., 2nd Floor.

—Jennifer Schembri writing the rules for late-night dining. They deliver a level of

45

FOOD

Annex brunch spot is your grandma’s kitchen, but cooler

tinis

y-

arely

-nehing butrved blimpa-

oom ntive Mini ups, buns viar, pura lobdeliand ith a sion. tato : the are a di and . e tayolk loin ustctric, tract nely

d at or. mbri

Diner staples get a polished twist in a homey setting

When you walk into Daisy May’s, the new all-day The restaurant’s name honours Laan’s grandbreakfast spot in the Annex, it feels less like a restau- mother, the original Daisy May, whose taste inspired rant and more like a collection of keepsakes. The the menu — diner staples with just enough polish bar’s wood countertop came from a beloved family to make her tease, “Oh, that’s fancy.” For now, the tree, the church pews were pulled from co-owner focus is brunch and lunch, with dinner on the way.

The food balances humble and elevated. The Theo Laan’s home, and even the hand-painted signs and Prince Edward County wine bottles have stories. breakfast sandwich — eggs, bacon, cheese, English Laan, originally from upstate New York, grew up muffin — is lifted by soft scrambled eggs, thick-cut smoky bacon, cheddar and house-made pickles in a family of blue-collar handymen. When the and jalapenos. Tater tots come crisp with former Grapefruit Moon space became garlicky aïoli, and challah French toast available, it felt like the right moment DAISY’S PICKS arrives with a burnished crust, for him and co-owner Charlie Gabriel Tater tots, French whipped crème fraîche, maple syrup, — longtime friends with a shared toast — Daisy May’s candied hazelnuts and berry compote. hospitality past — to team up. favourites, elevated Classic smoked eggs Benny with dill “It just felt meant to be,” Laan says. just enough for her to and capers is full of flavour, compleTheir history stretches back to the call them “fancy.” mented perfectly by the rich, houseUniversity of Guelph, where both made hollandaise. worked restaurant jobs to cover tuition.

The dining room reads like a neighbourLaan had been cooking since he was a kid — “My dad couldn’t cook, so someone had to,” he jokes hood scrapbook: bird paintings from friends, cur— teaching himself with cookbooks and cooking tains sewn by McDowell, even pieces from the old shows before working in Toronto kitchens, including Honest Ed’s.

At one point, Laan ducks next door to MayJune El Pocho, next door to Daisy May, where Gabriel Flowers to shout out their work. “Our friends and worked front of house.

Gabriel now runs the kitchen at Daisy May’s neighbours are incredible,” he says. “We just want to while Laan oversees the front of house with his fi- make sure everyone knows it.”

Daisy May’s is located at 968 Bathurst St. ancée, Julia McDowell, alongside Gabriel’s partner Dubravka Zivkovic.

—Lauren DiBenedetto

| DECEMBER 2025

46

46

| DECEMBER 2025

47

47

| DECEMBER 2025

48

48

| DECEMBER 2025

49

49

50

OUR NAUGHTY AND NICE LIST SERENA WILLIAMS Already a tennis icon and fan of our city, Williams took it another step by joining the ownership of the Toronto Tempo, our new WNBA team.

Holiday cheers and sneers for the city’s leading lights and dim bulbs from 2025

FREDDIE FREEMAN Although born in Ontario, this Dodgers star did Canada dirty belting a soul-crushing home run in the 18th inning of Game 3 of the World Series.

| DECEMBER 2025

2025

50

Nice

Naughty

MITCH MARNER

Serena

Freddie

The popular Maple Leafs star is living his best life in Vegas. Although we might be bitter, hopefully there won’t be too many boos upon his return.

Geddy

M i t ch

Pe t e r

R i ch a r d

Summer

Phil

Pixl Girl/ Sophie

Prabmeet

PETER GILGAN This Toronto philanthropist had a mic dropping moment when he signed off on a stunning $60 million donation to St. Joseph's Health Centre.

GEDDY LEE

PRABMEET SARKARIA

This Toronto rock legend made many a dream come true when he announced a reunion of iconic band Rush with a tour on the way.

The conservative MPP has been trying to ban Toronto bike lanes and successfully killed speed cameras while ignoring studies and actual data.

RICHARD BAKER

PIXL GIRL/SOPHIE POWERS

PHIL VERSTER

SUMMER MCINTOSH

The founder of American private equity firm NRDC Equity Partners took Canada’s most historic company, the Hudson’s Bay, into bankruptcy.

This Toronto powerhouse is making a push to become Canada’s next big thing after blowing up American Idol and owning social media.

This outgoing Metrolinx head honcho was bid a fond farewell after overseeing the disaster that is the still-notopen-after-15-years Crosstown LRT.

She just keeps winning gold and setting records on her way to becoming perhaps the greatest competitive swimmer in history.

Photo credits: Serena Williams: Toronto Tempo; Mitch Marner: Nick Barden/Wikipedia; Geddy Lee: Richard Sibbald; Richard Baker: Alamy; Sophie Powers: @pixl__girl Instagram; Phil Verster: LinkedIn; Summer McIntosh: @summerrmcintosh Instagram; Prabmeet Sarkaria: ola.org; Peter Gilgan: St. Joseph’s Health Centre; Freddie Freeman: All-Pro Reels/Wikipedia.

B-DEC-2025-IBC.qxp_Layout 1 2025-11-19 7:54 PM Page 1

COHEN HOMES & ESTATES

#1For In Homes York Mills 1996, Year After Year * Since 2010* #1 In Toronto SoldSince $3,000,000 - 35,000,000,

RENOVATED IN ST.PARK ANDREWS PRIME MOORE HOME Off Offered ered at at $1,998,000 $1,980,000

Spacious, home w/ Spacious well-maintained 3+2 bedroom residence high-quality finishes on a quiet street. renovated w/contemporary updates.

6 STUBBS DRIVE 676 GLENCAIRN AVENUE Offered at $4,995,000 Represented the buyer

YORK404 MILLS CONTEMPORARY GLENCAIRN AVENUE Off ered at $4,280,000 Represented the buyer

NOW SELLING 2 POST HOME ROAD LAWRENCE PARK FAMILY Call our office Off to arrange private tour ered ata$1,985,000

HIGHLAND CRES OPPORTUNITY MODERN ELEGANCE IN ALLENBY Off Offered ered at at $3,799,000 $2,235,000

Designed

by Richard Wengle, built Open & bright w/high-end finishes, by Northdrive.

Hotel-like amenities. functional design & cozy appeal.

Build new onreno’d this private 60’ x 545’ Impeccably w/contemporary deep ravineOpen lot. Southern exposure. upgrades. concept main floor.

Builders own. Approx 5,300 sq.ft.

Classic centre hall home situated plus 3,10050’ sq.ft. lwr lvl. in Pool & terrace. on large x 174’lot Lytton Park.

3600 YONGE STREET PENTHOUSE LAWRENCE PARK CUSTOM Represented the buyer Offered at $5,895,000

NEWLY RENOVATED IN WINDFIELDS 128 ROCHESTER AVENUE Off Offered ered at at $6,499,000 $5,995,000

Architecturally significant, surrounded Exquisite custom built residence by by lush, natural sanctuary J.T.F builder & Arch.

Richard w/pool.

Wengle.

35 FOURSOME CRESCENT LUXURIOUS LEASIDE CUSTOM Off Offered ered at at $4,999,000 $5,000,000

7,100 sq.ft. home offering 5 levels of 4,700+ sq.ft. of elegance, comfort superior space ininWindfields. & modernliving convenience Glen Park.

Entertainer’s dream home w/approx Newly built 4,600 sq.ft. home.

Elevator.

6,774 sq.ft. oflwr luxurious living space.

Entertainer’s lvl. Saltwater pool.

5,377 sq.ft. boasts 5-star Updated 6,180condo sq.ft. luxury home w/ luxury amenities & stunning terrace. high-end craftsmanship & finishes.

8,500 SF YORK MILLS RESIDENCE NEWLY BUILT IN LYTTON PARK Off Offered eredat at$6,698,000 $7,295,000

BUILDER’S60 OWN IN ST. ANDREWS ALEXANDRA WOOD Off Offered ered at at $6,995,000 $8,500,000

PALATIAL OLD COLONY ESTATE UPDATED ROSEDALE RESIDENCE Off Offered eredat at$17,500,000 $8,695,000

Reimagined by arch.

Wengle.

Designer’s own.

6,454Richard sq.ft. blending Fabulous grand with foyermodern & staircase. historical charm allure.

Exceptional soaring ceilings 6,200+ sq.ft.luxury, designer home.

Open & high-quality throughout. layout.

Elevator. finishes Soaring ceilings.

Pool.

15,000 sq.ft. preserved of luxury &Victorian impeccable Meticulously set craftsmanship.

Resort -like rear oasis. on a double lot w/ forested backyard.

FRENCH PROVINCIAL CHATEAU PRESTIGIOUS RIVERVIEW DRIVE Off Offered eredat at$28,880,000 $11,900,000

Over sq.ft.estate of luxury set on 2 Gated20,000 ravine-side overlooking manicured acresGolf. in the Bridle Path. river & Rosedale Saltwater pool.

Complimentary Home Evaluation If you you would would like like to to have have a a confi confidential dential discussion discussion about about the the current current market market and and learn learn how how our our unmatched unmatched exposure, exposure, If technology and strategies will get the maximum value for your home, call us at 416-223-1818 technology and strategies will get the maximum value for your home, call us at 416-223-1818

Realtron Barry Cohen Homes Inc., Brokerage barrycohenhomes.com Each offi office ce independently independently owned owned and and operated. operated. Based Based on on TRREB TRREB data data for for years years combined. combined. Not Not intended intended to to solicit solicit buyers buyers or or sellers sellers currently currently under under contract contract with with another another brokerage. brokerage.

Each

B-DEC-2025-OBC.qxp_Layout 1 2025-11-19 7:55 PM Page 1

BROKE BR KER

ID L O H Y APP

AY S

BOUR H G I E , N

!

BOUT A G N I THINK R A E Y PA R E E E R H P T U P YO E T. G U K P N L R I E A P P H M A WR E 2026 ? I CAN H E T V O N I M SURE T A S R E A R T P S EE, NO TRONG R S F A A R R FO D AT E .

UT FO P O U H E C U A L RE VA HOME

H

DIRECT

416.820.1020

EMAI

INFO O@M MARKALIASSA.CO OM

PLEASE CALL FOR A COMPLIMENTAR A Y MARKET EVA ALUATION OF YOUR HOME