Thornhill Post February 2021

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THORNHILL RESIDENTS ARE SET TO BATTLE 40-STOREY CONDO DEVELOPMENT PLAN

MEET 12 LOCAL COUPLES WHO ARE KEEPING ROMANCE ALIVE DESPITE THE PANDEMIC

LOCKDOWN LOVE STORIES

FEBRUARY 2021 · VOLUME 26 · ISSUE 7

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CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2021

STYLE STOREYS Four dream homes in the GTA, each with a unique sense of chic

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DANCING WITH AN ET CANADA STAR Carlos Bustamante on meeting the woman of his dreams on the dance floor

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LUNAR NEW YEAR TREATS Chefs Mark McEwan and Craig Wong pick the best baked bites for Feb. 12

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VALENTINE’S ROBES Jeanne Beker picks the perfect swanky robes for that special someone

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FEBRUARY 2021

LOCKDOWN LOVE STORIES Meet 12 local couples who are keeping romance alive despite the pandemic

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24 Weybourne Crescent Just Listed Home is calling with this custom-built, forever family home in prestigious Lawrence Park. Designed by Peter Higgins and built by Moore Park Homes, every detail was considered from the timeless architecture to the warm, inviting ambiance and luxurious finishes.

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Unity Health and city staff are vaccinating clients and staff in Toronto shelters

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no secret that Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restaurant scene has suffered heavy

financial blows due to COVID-19. The service fees charged by thirdparty delivery apps havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t improved the outlook for restaurants forced to rely on revenue from takeout only. Just before the holidays, a new non-profit platform that connects Torontonians to their favourite eats was launched by two locals who wanted to do their part to help the restaurant industry stay afloat during these tough times. NotUberEats.com (no affiliation to Uber Eats) showcases restaurants across Toronto that do their own delivery in-house. Restaurant owners simply enter their data and submit their business, and, once approved, they can host their menu and restaurant details on the site free of charge. More than 80 restaurants have signed up.

The City of Toronto has partnered with Unity Health Toronto, University Health Network and Inner City Health Associates to provide the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homeless population and front line shelter workers with vaccination pilot clinics. Unity Health Toronto recently ran a pilot clinic on Jan. 15, offering the Pfizer vaccine to more than 70 seniors and staff at a homeless residence. The new vaccination program is aimed at shelters with the largest senior populations and shelter residents at high risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. The clinic is part of a larger model to help the city create a vaccine plan to protect the vulnerable homeless population.

A foiled robbery at Trecce Restaurant (1792 Danforth Ave.) had

Toronto buzzing. The family that owns Trecce lives above the restaurant and heard the robbers break into the building last month.

The heroic three sisters and their father acted swiftly to foil the two robbers by calling the police and then taking matters into their own hands by holding one of the suspects. Restaurants have had it hard during the pandemic, and this family had enough. Before the police arrived, there were some injuries sustained but they managed to hold the would-be robber down until police were on the scene and arrested the man. A 52-year-old man was arrested and charged.

CITYSCAPE

THE POST INTERVIEW

Raptors Superfan just wants a hug Nav Bhatia has never missed a home game in Toronto but that all changed with COVID-19. We talk to him about his love of the Raptors, his 38-year marriage and how he is looking forward to hugging everybody as soon as he can by Ron Johnson

Who is your all-time fave Raptor?

Vince Carter is my favourite. And the reason is not because he's the best dunker and all that. One is that he brought Canada into the world, the world map of basketball.

And secondly, what he did with the kids.

Do you have a routine at home on game nights?

You also had an anniversary recently.

How many years has it been?

I prepare myself before the game, you know, so that I’m ready to watch. I wear a particular shirt, and then I watch the game on a nice big television. And I have a cup of tea, and that’s what I do.

Well, I’ve been stuck for 38 years.

Is the team starting to take steps in the right direction?

When players like [Serge] Ibaka and Marc [Gasol] go away, you know, it’s going to happen. They haven’t jelled yet. I think it’s still going to take them another five, six games in order to figure it out. But I think they’re moving in the right direction right now.

Has the emergence of Chris Boucher been the best story so far this year?

I always knew that he’s very athletic. And I always used to tell him to gain some weight and all that. He used to be very frustrated sitting on the bench, you know, and I used to say, “Your time is going to come to shine, your time is going to come to prove yourself.” So here’s his time right now to prove he deserves to be on the floor.

How did you make it to every home game since the beginning?

I came to this country in 1984. For the first 10 or 11 years, you know, that time was to settle down, get acclimatized and become comfortable. And when I was comfortable — I had a nice job and all that — I had no hobby. I’m a boring guy with nothing other than work, work, work seven days a week.

So when the Raptors came, I decided to try it with two tickets. I could only afford two at the time. And I said, “I'm going to try it for a season.” And on the very first day, I fell in love.

2017 The year George Springer, the new star signing of the Toronto Blue Jays, was named World Series MVP.

53,000 The number of speeders caught by the new Toronto photo radar cameras in the first month of operation.

Is your wife a big Raptors fan, or is that your time?

It’s just me. You know, she enjoys basketball but is not as crazy as I am. You know, more than 30 years ago, I had an arranged marriage kind of a thing. And, you know, we were given 15 minutes each to sort of meet and talk to each other. And then we decided, and it has worked out really well. She’s an amazing woman. I say that I’m stuck with her. But I’m glad that she’s the one I’m stuck with.

What is the secret to your success as a couple?

I stay away from her.

No, we’re both understanding, we both have the same passion.

We want to help out this country that has been amazing to us.

What are you most looking forward to when this pandemic is behind us?

I just want to be back in that arena, talk to the fans.

Talk to the players. And, you know, talk to the referees, talk to everybody and inspire the fans.

You know, I always take my championship ring there. I can’t wait for that to happen again.

And to be cheering and getting back to normal. I’m a hugger by nature. And I’m just waiting, waiting for when I can hug everybody at that time.

2006 The year Wattpad, an app for writers, was established.

The Toronto-based company sold last month for a whopping $754 million.

2,000 The number of complaints received by the city since August regarding mask violations in condo buildings.

$123K A parking space at the Ritz Carlton Residences sold for a whopping $122,900 in 2020, the most expensive of the year.

FEBRUARY 2021

To not cheer on the players and pick on the opposing players and pick on the opposing coaches and argue with the referees, and, you know, talking to my coaches in person and talking to my players and encouraging them is difficult. But what we are going through right now in this world, you have to bear it, you have to, you know. You have to play with the cards you are dealt. I understand the situation. I was asked to go to Tampa Bay, but I don’t want to take any chances for the players or my sake. I’m going to just watch and cheer for my team on the television just like every other fan.

When did you become the Superfan?

Isaiah Thomas. Isaiah was the guy who was in charge and who is guilty of making me the Superfan in the 1999 season. When we were playing at Skydome, he one day called me in the middle of the court and said, “Look,” and he gave me a jersey saying Superfan, one with a dinosaur on it. He gave me the jersey and said, “Look Superfan, you are going to be the face of the Raptors’ fans.”

BY THE NUMBERS

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You’ve attended every home game of the team.

How hard has it been?

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Now is the time for acts of kindness In a month of caring, it’s the simple things that matter the most

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close-minded people can find a forum to express their ideas and opinions. So maybe that has something to do with it.

But putting kindness out in the world, especially when it is the most difficult to do so, is powerful. It can turn things around.

This is the month where love is front and centre, and what better time to commit oneself to be kind. Who doesn’t love a good story about random acts of kindness.

And speaking of Valentine’s Day and all things from the heart, for this month’s cover story we connected with a dozen of our favourite couples who participated in our popular How They Met column in the past.

We know how hard the pandemic has been on relationships. It’s been tough. So we thought a few words from the wise might help. And it does.

Because the ideas are simple. Be kind, listen, make time for each other.

What we are going through is complex, but some of the best things to do to make it through to the other side are not. We hope you like it, and we hope you take a few simple lessons from it to help in your own life or to pass it along to others.

Take care of each other.

Lisa London Lynne London

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I was listening to an interview with former Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell the other day. He was reflecting on the occasion of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, on how we, as a society, can begin to mend the rifts that have developed or been highlighted over the past few years.

Trump was leaving, vaccines were arriving, and maybe things were starting to head in the right direction for the first time in a long time.

Sam didn’t say anything profound. He didn’t offer any wise quotes. But what he did say struck a chord. He said that, beyond anything else that we can attempt as a society, we can start by just being kind to each other.

That’s it, start from that point and see what happens.

It sounds so simple, but a little self-examination and checking the closest Facebook post on a controversial topic will indicate that it is perhaps easier said than done.

We are facing many disasters as a society. The most immediate and obvious being the COVID19 global pandemic. But there are others, from the climate crisis to the widening gap between rich and poor to systematic racism.

Kindness might not solve these complex problems, but what it might do is open us up to hearing the answers when they are presented.

Like never before, we are quick to judge, dismiss and cancel.

And, yes, we live in a world where the most repugnant and

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Metrolinx hit a major milestone in the construction of the Crosstown LRT recently when it finished installing the tracks between Laird and Leaside stations. The stations are two of the 25 planned stations and stops along the 19-kilometre line that will stretch from Kennedy in the east to Mount Dennis in the west, which should allow commuters to travel across town 60 per cent

faster. The agency announced that work on the entire line is 75 per cent complete, but it will not be opening until 2022. Recently, construction at one of the stations halted after a worker tested positive for COVID-19. When it does open, it will be called Line 5. Ontarioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $5.3 billion Crosstown project to expand transit in Toronto is the largest transit expansion in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history.

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On track

FEBRUARY 2021

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NEIGHBOURHOOD

A series of two-storey storefronts in Uptown Yonge will make way for new condo development

Midtown project would take up city block Local residents battle developer over plan for 12-storey tower

by Eric Stober Residents of Bedford Park had their first chance to meet with the developer behind a huge new proposal in their neighbourhood, but many say they are still “miles apart” on reaching middle ground.

The proposal is for 3180–3202 Yonge St., just north of Lawrence Avenue. It calls for a rezoning of the area to allow for a nine- to 12-storey mixed-use condo with up to 109 residential units.

“Finding a

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middle ground is going to be a challenge.”

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The development would take up almost the entire city block between Bedford Park and Woburn Avenue, except for a TD bank that is on the south end.

Residents represented by the Bedford Park Residents Organization (BPRO) were up in arms against the development due to concerns over shadows, traffic, overlook and density in the neighbourhood. The height of the proposal also goes against the current mid-rise character of the area.

To add to the tension, BPRO president Ted Butler said that

the developer, NYX Capital, had not reached out to residents.

Now the two parties have formally met for the first time.

“We had a healthy discussion,” Butler said. “[NYX Capital] stands by their proposal, which, of course, is unacceptable to us.”

NYX Capital’s CEO Yashar Fatehi said in a statement that the meeting with residents was an “introductory” one and the “first of many.”

Although Butler said NYX Capital admitted there could be some changes to the proposal, he said the developer stands by its “trump card” that is the development’s proximity to Lawrence subway station.

“They feel they have a right to start converting Yonge and Lawrence to Yonge and Eglinton,” he said, describing the rapid scaled up development in the latter area.

However, Butler asserts there’s a “massive difference” between Yonge and Lawrence Avenue and Yonge and Eglinton Avenue, most notably issues with traffic and pedestrian safety.

Another community meeting is planned in co-ordination with the city, with no set date yet.

“There’s no more secrets anymore,” Butler said. “We’re starting from polar opposites, and finding a middle ground is going to be a challenge.”

NEWS

Taking action to save Little Jamaica New report shines a light on city planning practices When Ms. Faith walks along Eglinton Avenue West in the Little Jamaica neighbourhood, she can’t help but think how the neighbourhood has changed in the last 15 years she’s lived there.

A Black working poet, she sees gentrification encroaching and Black businesses and residents leaving one after another after facing mounting challenges. First, there was (and still is) the LRT construction that has been going on for nearly a decade. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic has created another financial stress on the area.

“It’s a scary time,” she said.

Rather than watch the neighbourhood disappear, some are taking action. Black Futures on Eglinton is a newly released report made by consulting firm CP Planning that lays out a vision for how the area colloquially called Little Jamaica may survive.

Cheryll Case, the founder and principal urban planner for CP Planning, said the report came about due to an oversight in city planning regarding how Black residents and businesses might be affected by the LRT — one she says amounts to “systemic antiBlack racism.”

Case said community consultation for the project did not engage enough with Black residents and businesses, and she pointed out that those typically consulted in the City of Toronto planning processes are white, male and over the age of 55. “[Black residents] feel they are being displaced at a rate higher than other ethnic groups,” she said.

“Race is a part of it.”

She said that the city’s LRT reports did not discuss the specific ways that the Black community would be impacted by the development and did not create specific strategies to allow them to continue to live in the neighbourhood, such as creating affordable housing.

Indeed, Case found that between 2006 and 2016, the Black population along Eglinton West has declined 13 per cent, compared to an overall population decrease of five per cent. Meanwhile, the average house value in the same time period has gone up 66 per cent.

“We didn’t want to replicate the same error and mistakes that the City of Toronto did.”

She also found that from 2009 to 2019, between Keele and Allen on Eglinton, Black businesses decreased 10 per cent.

To counter the exclusion of Black voices in city planning, Black Futures’ mission includes close communication with the area’s residents to find solutions.

Anyika Mark, who worked on the Black Futures on Eglinton report’s creative components, said that extensive community consultation was held at libraries and community art centres to make sure that everything in the report is “coming from the

by Eric Stober

community.”

“We didn’t want to replicate the same error and mistakes that the City of Toronto did,” she said.

The report surveyed more than 100 residents and found that they desired better representation within city planning processes and also for the culture to be preserved through more Black ownership and affordability.

Taking direction from these community voices, Black Futures lays out a specific plan that calls for a residents working group with the city in which at least one member of seven is Black.

To avoid Black displacement from higher rents, the report also calls for affordable housing, a Little Jamaica Commercial Land Trust funded by a portion of local BIAs’ yearly levy and a one to three per cent levy on new development construction costs. The land trust would then invest in Black-owned real estate.

City councillor Josh Matlow, whose jurisdiction includes Eglinton West, said that he “welcomes” the Black Futures report, but he declined from commenting on whether he is in support of the recommendations.

Matlow said he does recognize that some city planning procedures could be improved and put through an “anti-Black racism prism” and that the area needs help to preserve its culture. “[We want] to ensure that Little Jamaica and the Black character and identity of Little Jamaica is both celebrated and protected for future generations,” he said.

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FEBRUARY 2021

Some of the Black Futures on Eglinton team in front of a mural in Little Jamaica

Can’t wait to make you smile again!

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Councillor Alan Shefman and some local residents are questioning the scale of new Thornhill development proposal

New condo tower plan sees pushback 40-storey height greater than neighbourhood guidelines in place

by David Olsen

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L U X U RY M O V E M A N A GE ME N T. C O M

Several citizens and the local city councillor voiced their concerns with a development application deemed overly ambitious and not aligned with the city’s official plan at a City of Vaughan Committee of the Whole meeting on Jan. 19.

Chestnut Hill Developments has submitted an official plan and zoning by-law amendment to facilitate the construction of two residential towers of 40 and 20 storeys at 7080 Yonge St., the current site of a car dealership parking lot just north of Steeles Ave. The towers would be connected via a two-storey podium and would include 652 residential units as well as 450 parking spaces spread over four underground levels.

Michael Vani, planner with Weston Consulting, noted that the city’s Yonge Steeles Corridor Secondary Plan has the site zoned for commercial use, necessitating the official plan amendment.

Jordan Max, president of the Springfarm Ratepayers Association, said the application felt like deja vu, noting it shares several issues that the group had with neighbouring development proposals at 100 and 180 Steeles Ave., which together would see the construction of 10 towers ranging from 16 to 54 storeys.

Max said the application mirrored those other developments with regards to excessive height and density, and

that the Yonge Steeles Corridor Secondary Plan approved by council allows heights of a maximum of 30 storeys.

“Apparently, 30 storeys isn’t enough,” said Max. “Either the secondary plan applies in its entirety or it does not apply at all.

The developer cannot pick and choose which parts of the plan to use and which to ignore.”

Max urged council to avoid approving the development.

“We urge council to tell Chestnut Hill to come back with a proposal that actually respects and works within the current secondary plan.”

Councillor Alan Shefman said his concerns were virtually the same as the ratepayers associations.

“The density is extraordinary and way too much for that particular piece of property,” said Shefman. “This application is not respectful of the secondary plan.”

Shefman acknowledged that he thinks the secondary plan may need to be updated to reflect the heights and densities currently being considered in the neighbourhood. He added an upcoming meeting of the Vaughan Yonge Centre Working group will focus on building a human scale neighbourhood as opposed to a series of towers that have no connection to each other or the community.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

NEWS

No. 211 Coffee House on Avenue Road is set to open when lockdown is lifted

Residents against tiny coffee shop shop was minor in terms of importance and neighbourhood impact and that a coffee shop selling hot and cold beverages as well as foodstuffs not made or cooked on site is not a restaurant as defined by city zoning bylaws.

Kogan said she was finally able to obtain a licence and opened the coffee shop on Dec.18, 2020.

“We did get our licence to open right before Christmas. We did have a very soft opening. We just wanted to meet people in the neighbourhood. We were open for a couple of weeks, but

“There’s a big thing hanging over our head on top of COVID. It’s a lot of headaches.” coffee shop, which was approved by the Committee of Adjustment in November 2019, despite the objections of the ABC Residents Association as well as councillor Mike Layton, who wrote to the committee stating that the application is not minor in nature and should require a rezoning application.

The variance was granted with several conditions such as the prohibition of cooking facilities.

In December 2019, ABC Residents Association appealed the decision to the Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB).

On Oct. 20, 2020, TLAB rendered a decision allowing the variance, with TLAB panel chair Ian James Lord writing that the variance to permit the coffee

then the lockdowns started up again, and we just couldn’t afford to stay open and make money to pay staff,” said Kogan. “We’re waiting for things to get back to normal a little bit so we can open.”

But Kogan said the legal fight is far from over, as ABC Residents Association is appealing the decision to divisional court.

“They have to apply with a motion to go before a judge and say, ‘We believe that TLAB was so wrong that you should unilaterally let us overturn it and let us start a new court process,’ ” said Kogan. “And that means if it’s granted to them they would throw out everything the committee of adjustment said,

everything TLAB said and start a whole new process of a court hearing, in a regular court.”

ABC Residents Association has also submitted a review request to TLAB. “They wrote to TLAB and said our expert witness made a mistake,” said Kogan. “That’s what’s happening now, the process of reviewing it.”

In the review request to TLAB, ABC Residents Association noted that evidence presented by registered professional planner T. J. Cieciura, who was a witness at the hearing on behalf of ABC, had presented a definition of restaurant at the hearing that is no longer in force, as a bylaw outlining a definition based on the cooking of meals had been amended to “the preparation and sale of food and beverages,” and thus TLAB’s decision was based on faulty information.

Kogan estimates she has thus far lost about a quarter of a million dollars but still hopes to reopen when the COVID-19 situation allows for it, provided she is able to do so legally.

“If they overturn it, then we have to have a whole day hearing at TLAB again, and that just won’t be possible because we can’t afford to hire a lawyer to repeat everything again. So there’s a big thing hanging over our head on top of COVID,” she said. “It’s a lot of headaches.”

ABC Residents Association did not respond to a request to comment.

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Celebrating 40 years

FEBRUARY 2021

A local coffee shop that opened after over a year of legal wrangling is still facing legal challenges from a neighbourhood residents association that opposes it.

Sula Kogan had hoped to open No. 211 Coffee House, located at 211 Avenue Rd., in May 2019, when her business licence was rejected just before opening day due to a 1949 bylaw prohibiting restaurants in the area.

In July of 2019 Kogan applied to the City of Toronto for a minor variance to allow the

by David Olsen

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Owner spent thousands to defend small business

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NEWS

STINTZ ON MIDTOWN

From Champs-Élysées to Yonge Street, public space on the rise

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Although change is the only constant in life, so the saying goes, it doesn’t make it any easier for people to adjust. It is also the reason that change in governments generally moves slowly. Although we understand how things are, it can be very difficult to imagine how things could be. Uncertainty also brings out the naysayers.

The onset of the pandemic and the restrictions that followed didn’t allow much time to contemplate the rate of change that we collectively experienced.

Governments moved at lightning speed to introduce changes to people’s lives, the way that we worked and the public realm.

Since more people were working from home, roadways became walkways and parks became the most important civic asset for many residents in Toronto. That phenomenon didn’t just occur in Toronto, it happened in cities around the world, and the results are that many cities are

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© Jacques Paquier/Flickr Commons

The mayors of Paris and Toronto are putting people first in planning decisions during the pandemic

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has put people first in her planning decisions

reimagining the public realm for people.

The mayor of Paris announced a remake of the famous ChampsÉlysées, the Paris landmark that attracts more tourists than those who live in the city. During the pandemic, tourism plummeted, and Parisians returned to the boulevard and began to dream of a new Champs-Élysée that

included reduced lanes of traffic, trees, pedestrian walkways and open space.

The City of Toronto is also seizing the moment. Over the summer, roads were closed for pedestrians and city council approved several kilometres of new bike lanes throughout the city.

The bike lanes that had been fought over for years became a

reality.

After years of dilly-dallying around proposed improvements to the Yonge and Sheppard area, council also approved a redesign that reduces traffic and adds bike lanes, trees and space for pedestrians. The clamour over the impact on traffic has subsided because people are starting to realize the importance of public space to local residents.

The same can be said for the Rail Deck Park project. For most, the Rail Deck seemed to be a pet project of Mayor John Tory and a good news announcement that people really didn’t think would happen.

In light of the new reliance on parks and open space, the project will receive new energy and momentum. It will become an infrastructure project that all will get behind, particularly because people who live downtown have the least access to green space.

There is a reason that these projects moved ahead and

introduced a pace of change that was previously unthinkable. It is because people have experienced the immense benefits of reduced traffic and more parks and bike lanes in their communities. The fears of what could happen when roads are no longer just for cars didn’t materialize.

Although the pandemic will end, our lives are forever changed.

As we embrace the “new” normal, some things will be lost to us, while others will take on even greater importance.

Once people have a chance to enjoy the new public space, there was and will continue to be a demand for more.

KAREN STINTZ

Karen Stintz is a former city councillor, elected in 2003, and was a chair of the TTC. She lives in Ward 16 with her family.

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Yonge and Eglinton mega-development raises questions

“Pull down that old cinema, that bus terminal that reminds one of a 1960s airline terminal in the USSR.” Yes, those towers could fit onto the existing land without demolishing the old buildings but not in such an attractive fashion as is possible once the site is cleared of that awful old stuff.

Some might say there is enough construction at this intersection, but they would be mistaken.

There is no intersection in the city where more construction is not needed if we are to become a real world-class city, where

sidewalks can be skewed by construction hoardings to ensure everyone gets a good physical and mental workout making their way around.

Dear reader, I was contemplating the future city as Yonge and Eglinton writ large.

Would that not be the closest to the most desirable thing you could imagine? The views from those towers would be magnificent, looking out to see other towers in the near and far distance, a literal plethora of towers all around.

And the Princes’ mantra is very pleasing: location, location, not “proverification.”

It captures the intensity of the moment while producing a healthy return; although, its meaning is unclear.

It’s what the city needs at this time, n’est-pas?

The Princess of Land Use Planning is, I agree, looking a bit tawdry nowadays as she makes her way throughout the city, somewhat like Mr. Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone woman, but it is always good to see her dressed up for the dance she’s been called to at Yonge and Eglinton.

As you can hear her saying under her breath as she cavorts with the Princes, “Save the last dance for me.” And one can only hope it is indeed the last dance.

JOHN SEWELL Post City Magazines’ columnist John Sewell is a former mayor of Toronto and the author of a number of urban planning books, including The Shape of the Suburbs.

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the corner of two main subway lines, why not more office space?

Because the Princes and Princess think this is enough.

It produces exactly the kind of financial return modern times dictates, and what could be more important than that?

And yes, there will be apartment towers, four of them with 2,700 units, since the Princes and Princess believe in more new towers with small apartments.

| POST |

Cavorting nakedly, the Princes of Big Money and the Princess of Land Use Planning dance wildly together, here at the southwest corner of Yonge and Eglinton.

Prepare the marriage hymns, oh mighty mayor and beloved councillors. Prepare the wedding ceremony you beasts of the OMB, and oh foremost minister of municipal affairs prepare the excess zoning order they will desire as a wedding gift.

This is no provincial wetland of 50 acres longing for a flat factory roof in far-off Pickering. This is the centre of a city where buildings should reach the very ceiling of the sky, not those squibbles of the past, built by those minor forefathers of misty time from the 1960s built things to be forgotten, tiny eight- or 10storey structures for offices and so forth.

Clear them away, that 600,000 square feet of cement and wiring and carpets and windows, all that detritus no longer needed.

Pull down that old cinema, that bus terminal that reminds one of a 1960s airline terminal in the USSR. Push them all away to some landfill in the distance so we can get on with the future. What is the past but a mirage when the future is at hand with its limitless opportunities? Huh??

And the future will bring some 600,000 square feet of office space, yes, the same as we have just put in landfill, but this will have the smell of the new.

And you might ask, since this is

13

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Councillor Josh Matlow recommends diplomacy first when dealing with neighbours

Pandemic-inspired rinks unite and divide

| POST | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

Hundreds of new ice sheets popping up around town by Clare Shrybman

14

Forget the breadmaker, the once novel backyard ice rink has become the new pandemic home staple for Torontonians trying to fight boredom and stay active.

Backyard rinks have been an under-the-radar trend in Toronto for years, but this winter, pandemic-motivated sales have catapulted the industry into the mainstream.

Toronto local Noah Roelofsen runs RinkBuild, a backyard rinkbuilding business that his father started in 2012. The 22-year-old, who took over the company this past year, said he started off the season thinking he would build rinks for “a couple of friends,” and now he has a team of 10 working almost every day.

Although the trend has gained popularity this year, some have been backyard skating for years.

David and Elise Weiss built their backyard rink in 2013, which looks more like a miniature outdoor Maple Leafs stadium.

David said that for years it was “a family rink” — aside from a quick visit from Justin Trudeau in 2015 — but in November 2020 a

rink picture Elise posted on her Instagram went viral.

The post was shared by the NHL and garnered more than 231,000 views.

Elise said, after that, the messages started rolling into her Instagram message inbox.

David said people began reaching out to the couple with “very compelling stories requesting the use of our rink” and “some were very heartful. So we decided to offer our rink to complete strangers.”

Elise began vetting some of the responses, and they set up a schedule allocating four to five hour-and-a-half- to two-hourlong slots throughout the day to different groups.

“The satisfaction we got was seeing them on the rink going nuts,” David said.

He said rink use wasn’t just for hockey. There was figure skating, a romantic date and even a proposal. In response, the couple received an outpouring of gratitude from their rink visitors, and David said their neighbours responded warmly.

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“We didn’t really abuse it,” he said.

David said there weren’t lineups outside or big crowds and that their 85-foot-long home rink, located on their lot at Avenue Road and Highway 401, is set back from the surrounding neighbours.

Roelofsen said this year the trend took off and by midJanuary he had already built more than 100 new backyard rinks in the city. He said the number doesn’t account for their returning clients.

“We have tons of people who we do rebuilds for every year,” he said.

Roelofsen said the majority of the rinks he builds are off Eglinton Avenue and Lawrence Avenue, but he also built a few rinks in smaller lots in the Annex.

“The smallest rink we’ve done is a 12 by 12,” he said, adding that the company’s rinks are entirely customizable.

Not everyone in Toronto has had as positive an experience with backyard rinks. Post City Magazine staff spoke to a couple who live next door to a backyard rink (not the Weisses’ rink) in an urban neighbourhood with smaller lots who asked to remain anonymous over conflict concerns with neighbours.

The couple said that living and working next to a hockey rink has

been trying and interferes with their ability to work and for their children to study from home, which is a pandemic necessity for many.

“It’s a nightmare; it’s like living in a hockey rink,” the man said.

The man said he has heard of similar complaints, and in response, his company has created custom mesh fencing for hockey rinks to minimize the sound of slapshots.

But the noise isn’t the couple’s only issue.

“There are lots of kids coming into the backyard,” the woman said. “No masks, no social distancing. This is not the correct interpretation of a stay-at-home order.”

She said there seem to be no time limits on the play, that it happens morning, afternoon and evenings, at times until 9 p.m.

“As a homeowner I chose not to live right near a park, but the park kind of came to me,” the man said, adding he’s sympathetic to the need for outdoor time: “I understand the need for kids to play. I was one a few years ago.”

But he wants some kind of time constraints or restrictions on noise levels. He said he contacted the city looking for guidance but received little help.

“I feel like the city is playing no productive role in this,” he said.

“It seems like there are no rules of

the road or template people can follow.”

Josh Matlow, councillor for Ward 12, where the above and many other backyard rinks are located, said bylaws make sure people aren’t making noise in the middle of the night.

Aside from that, Matlow said, “What you do for recreational purposes in your backyard is the business of the people who have the backyard. Currently the city’s bylaws don’t prohibit people from playing sports of any kind in their backyard.”

However, he said these bylaws were written for “normal times,” not for a pandemic, and he thinks it is clear people should not be having friends over to skate in their backyard.

Regarding noisy neighbours, Matlow recommends a diplomatic approach.

“If your relationship with your neighbour allows for this, speak with them and express to them how it’s impacting your quality of life,” he said.

But the couple said this approach does not always work.

“I don’t think the city can assume that all neighbours will be considerate of each other,” the man said. “I think guidelines need to be clear and strong because, if you are leaving it to neighbours to resolve things among themselves, then it is fraught with peril.”

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NEIGHBOURHOOD BUSINESS

Pop-up to pamper cold toes opens in Summerhill Plus a chic children’s store finds a new home in Yorkville and an artisanal coffee shop comes to the 905 The Kushie pop-up has opened its doors in the spot

that used to be home to a Summerhill treasure: My Favourite Ice Cream Shop at 3 Macpherson Ave. Known for premium cushions, the Kushie is all about pampering your feet without that dreadful foot sweat. Common to Japan’s Kutsurogi lifestyle, the cushion is cosy, warm and feels like a hug for the feet on those cold winter nights. This pop-up is open for curbside pickup by texting 1-888-4KUSHIE or by placing an online order at www.thekushie.com.

As the building on 8 Price St., which formerly housed Advice from a Caterpillar for many years, gets torn down, the good news is that the charming boutique will be relocating and opening soon at 41 Hazelton Ave. in Yorkville. Advice from a Caterpillar caters to the design-loving parent and child and offers a thoughtful collection of unique, new and vintage children and baby’s clothing, furniture, toys, books and home decor as well as clothing for men and women.

The popular boutique coffee-chain, Balzac’s Coffee Roasters — known for its beautiful café

The Kushie is a cushion for your feet, common to Japan's Kutsurogi lifestyle

design and attention to detail — is opening two new locations in the 905. The first location is in the former Kleinburg Starbucks situated at the Arthur McNeil House at 10499 Islington Ave. and will have

a historic vintage feel. The other location is in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Balzac’s Coffee Roasters will be adding new menu items, including a limited edition beverage.

The upscale health and wellness boutique Kinective Health & Performance (439 Spadina Rd., Unit 300-301), located in Forest Hill village, continues to offer chiropractic, physiotherapy, registered massage therapy and naturopathic medicine. The boutique is taking COVID-19 safety measures and offering virtual appointments in addition to in-person appointments. Make an appointment by phone 416-792-4455, or email the boutique at info@kinectivehealth.com or on the website.

Pet Valu is opening in Wychwood Heights, at 557

St. Clair Ave. W. Orders can be placed on the website or by emailing orderpvstclair@gmail.com or by phone at 416-519-1599. The store carries a wide range of leading pet food and supply brands, many of which are Canadian owned and produced. The location’s owners are longtime residents of the Humewood, Cedarvale and Forest Hill communities and look forward to serving their neighbourhoods’ pets and pet families. The store is open for curbside pickup during the lockdown.

Kinective Health & Performance is a boutique health and wellness clinic located in the heart of the Forest Hill Village. We offer Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, Registered Massage Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine and Exercise Based Rehabilitation (including | POST | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

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CRIME

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AREA BREAK-INS JANUARY 2021 - TORONTO TIME OFOF DAY TIME DAY

BLOOR ST. W. AND HURON ST.

JAN. 1

1 A.M.

YONGE ST. AND ROEHAMPTON AVE.

JAN. 3

3 P.M.

HARPER AVE. AND ROSEDALE HEIGHTS DR.

JAN. 3

7 P.M.

EGLINTON AVE. E. AND BROWNLOW AVE.

JAN. 3

7 P.M.

LOWTHER AVE. AND ST. GEORGE ST.

JAN. 4

7 P.M.

DELISLE AVE. AND DEER PARK CRES.

JAN. 4

11 P.M.

MAXOME AVE. AND PEMBERTON AVE.

JAN. 5

9 A.M.

LOWTHER AVE. AND HURON ST.

JAN. 5

10 A.M.

ST. GERMAIN AVE. AND JEDBURGH RD.

JAN. 5

6 P.M.

DAWLISH AVE. AND DANESWOOD RD.

JAN. 5

7 P.M.

BLOOR ST. E. AND ROSEDALE VALLEY RD.

JAN. 6

12 A.M.

GLEN EDYTH DR. AND GLEN EDYTH PL.

JAN. 6

3 P.M.

BYNG AVE. AND WILLOWDALE AVE.

JAN. 6

7 P.M.

CASTLEFIELD AVE. AND AVENUE RD.

JAN. 7

12 A.M.

ST. ANDREWS GDNS. AND DOUGLAS DR.

JAN. 7

8 P.M.

YORK DOWNS DR. AND ELDERBERRY CRT.

JAN. 10

11 A.M.

EGLINTON AVE. E. AND COWBELL LN.

JAN. 12

5 P.M.

CRIME BRIEFS suspect from Toronto has been arrested after four people were assaulted with a hammer at Bloor-Yonge subway station. On Jan. 9, at 9 p.m., officers responded to a call at the station, where it is alleged the suspect attacked the four people inside of a subway car. He was located and arrested in the station. All four victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The alleged assailant faces two counts of aggravated assault, four counts of assault with a weapon and two counts of failing to comply with probation.

A 49-year-old male

suspect from Toronto has been arrested as part of an ongoing sexual assault investigation. It is alleged that on Jan. 3, the suspect, who was working as a massage therapist, sexually assaulted a female victim in her home in the area of Spadina Road and Dupont Street while she was receiving a massage. The suspect was arrested and charged with sexual assault on Jan. 7. Police believe there may be more victims.

A 61-year-old male

Toronto Police Service is requesting the public’s assis-

tance in identifying three male suspects as part of a robbery investigation after an incident at St. Clair subway station. On Jan. 5, at approximately 6:45 p.m., it is reported that three male suspects got on the St.

Clair Avenue streetcar at Spadina Road. A 79-yearold male victim got on the streetcar a few stops later.

When the streetcar was at St. Clair station, the victim, who was using a walker, began to get off the streetcar when one of the three suspects pushed him onto the pavement and then robbed him of jewelry and personal items. Police have released security camera images of the three suspects.

Toronto Police Service, at

a news conference held on Jan. 9, appealed for the public’s help in identifying and locating a vehicle and a suspect wanted as part of a homicide investigation. On Oct. 7, 2020, at approximately 11:38 p.m., police responded to a call of gunshots in the area of Bathurst Street and Ranee Avenue. Officers arrived to find a 33-year-old male victim suffering from a gunshot wound in a vehicle.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 27-year-old male suspect from Toronto was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder after two search warrants executed in the area of Jane Street and Wilson Avenue and one in Welland, Ont. A 17-year-old female suspect from Toronto was also charged with accessory after the fact to murder. Police describe the third suspect as a male in his mid 20s.

The vehicle is described as a white 2005-2006 Nissan Infiniti G35.

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| POST | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

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Reno haters will love this 2,826-square-foot, move-in-ready home at 38 Alberta Ave. in the Wychwood neighbourhood. It has five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a modern and classic feel. It is listed for $1.679 million with Zolo Realty.

CUSTOM CREATION

This four-bedroom, five-bathroom custom home at 370 Woburn Ave. is full of luxury and contemporary finishes. The three-storey property is on offer for $2.485 million with Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd.

HOMES WITH STYLE STOREYS

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This 8,000-square-foot home at 51 Wigston Pl. in Thornhill screams luxury. It has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a three-car garage and an elevator and is listed for $4.888 million with TFN Realty Inc.

This completely renovated property at 21 New St. can be used as a residence or commercial office space. The two-bedroom, three-bathroom home has a coach house in the yard and is on offer for $3.3 million with Forest Hill Real Estate Inc.

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A Yorkville condo is the second to sport a modern flatiron design

Yorkville to get a new 29-storey flatiron tower

| POST | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

Historic design making a comeback in Toronto with two planned by David Olsen

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The area around Yonge Street and Church Street may soon be home to an architecturally unique flatiron building.

Toronto is getting a new flatiron building proposed to be developed at the edge of Yorkville near the corner of Park Road and Church Street northeast of Yonge and Bloor.

Capital Developments, the team behind the proposal, filed an application with the city on Nov. 27.

The development, with 200,000 square feet of gross floor space, would include 300 residential units and a small amount of retail space. The site does not include any parking spaces.

“The building seeks to maximize green transportation and encourage wellness,” said Carlo Timpano, senior vicepresident of development at Capital Developments.

“Given the site’s exceptional walkability, bike-ability and proximity to the most prominent subway station in the city, the proposal includes the provision for zero vehicular parking and instead provides three at-grade car share spaces located within the building footprint.”

Diamond + Schmitt Architects Inc. is behind the unique design of the 29-storey tower that is reminiscent of a flatiron building, such as Toronto’s historic Gooderham Building in the St.

Lawrence Market area, except this one is curved.

It could be that Toronto is seeing something of a flatiron revival in the city, as another condo tower with a nod to this historic style is slated for the Galleria mall redevelopment project.

The development’s planning rationale submitted alongside the application notes that it capitalizes on the unique shape of the almost triangular lot and the layout and massing of the building allow for a transition in height from the super tall buildings to the west and south to the mid-rise and low-rise buildings to the east.

“All four facades of the building respond in different ways to the surrounding streets and adjacent buildings,” notes the planning rationale.

“The development and provision of a wide range of units will lead to greater density in an area that is walkable and wellserved by existing office and retail spaces as well as public amenities.”

The application is currently circulating to various city divisions for feedback, after which a preliminary report will come before Toronto and East York Community Council prior to eventually making its way to city council for a decision.

REAL ESTATE

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Odeen Eccleston makes a point at the Post City Real Estate Roundtable with Brad Lamb (left) and Brian Gluckstein

The flight to the suburbs A Q&A with realtor and HGTV star Odeen Eccleston by Ron Johnson

So you see more people looking over yonder in other areas outside the city?

I think that a lot of these suburbs were undervalued for a long time, just because of the lack of attention that was on them. But I think with people just sort of considering other options. They realize, wait a minute, these are great cities, a lot of these suburbs, these are great places to raise families, great places to reside. And really, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re OK with taking the commute to Toronto when they need to, but they no longer need to on a daily basis for work, right.

Will that impact affordability in those areas that were once at a lower price point?

In terms of affordability, it is a little concerning, just because a lot of

a long-term implication when things do get back to normal and people are re-evaluating again.

Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Darn it, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m paying this much extra in property tax?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m paying this much extra in gas to commute?â&#x20AC;? They'll have to weigh the pros and cons and ask if it is worth it. For some, I imagine that it will be. But maybe for others, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what will then drive them back.

What about property taxes?

Do you think there will be a correction?

Usually a lot of the suburbs, they typically already do have higher property taxes than Toronto. So that was one of a laundry list of reasons why people were staying put where they were. But I guess now, when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re weighing the pros and cons, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just, like, OK with the lower price point just to get in. But I think what could happen is that in the coming years as they re-evaluate their situations again, after COVID is over and they realize, my goodness, I'm paying this much?

Do you think there will be some questioning their decision in the near future?

When people have to go back to driving into work on a more regular basis, maybe theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re realizing now, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I've got to pay this much for gas. Now I have to pay this much for property taxes,â&#x20AC;? because, as I said, typically, I know in Durham Region, taxes, property taxes are, you know, fairly substantially higher than the City of Toronto. That could be more of

I think it'll be a mix. And you know what, looking ahead, I think that this could actually have healthy implications on the overall real estate market. Because, in terms of affordability, if a certain amount of people are now open to the suburbs that otherwise werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, well, then that leaves a little bit more inventory for people downtown. And then with more inventory comes, you know, increased affordability. So last year, we were talking about this as an affordability crisis. And listen, I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still that the numbers are almost at crisis level, right. But there was a cooling, which, to a certain extent, maybe that was a part of the solution to the crisis.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s increased inventory, and, you know, prices will inevitably come down a bit.

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Yes, yes, it has. The trend seems to be continuing. The good news for Toronto condos is that, whereas there was a lull for the past, I'd say, you know, 10 months, I do notice things picking up in the past two months, where things are selling and not just like sitting on the market for too long. So I think that speaks to optimism, and I think speculators and investors are jumping back into the market. But a lot of end users, they're still deciding that they want more space. They want more land and are deciding to test out other markets.

these suburbs used to be a safe haven for first-time homebuyers.

That was sort of where people went if they couldn't afford Toronto. But now, I'm honestly getting a little concerned: people who can only afford a certain amount, they're getting priced out of the market, priced out of the GTA market altogether. So that is definitely like a negative consequence.

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Has the flight to the suburbs continued in recent months now that we have a vaccine?

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NEWS

HOMES

Mike Holmes is teaming up with his kids to help local heroes They also work with comedian Russell Peters to renovate part of his old high school Canada’s favourite contractor who always does it right, Mike Holmes, is back with a new feel-good renovation series this month.

Holmes Family Effect premieres on Feb. 7 right after the Super Bowl and shows Holmes working on renovation projects for local heroes in their communities alongside his son Michael and his daughter Sherry. We caught up with the Holmes siblings to find out about the new series, what it’s like working with Dad and how meaningful it was to transform spaces like a youth centre and a school building.

What was it like working with your dad on these projects?

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Sherry: Being able to share this experience with both my father and brother was actually really fun, especially during such uncertain times. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t always get along and we don’t always agree on everything, but I do think it’s important to challenge each other so we can grow personally and professionally.

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In his latest series, Mike Holmes works with his kids Sherry and Michael

Michael: We are used to helping one homeowner at a time, and with Holmes Family Effect we made a much larger impact on communities, which affected so many different people in a positive way. Being able to share and participate in an experience like this was extremely special.

by Nikki Gill

priceless. Watching him inspire the students was my favourite part.

been delayed and our ability to help out was therefore delayed.

What was it like surprising these local heroes?

What is the family dynamic like on the job set?

Sherry: It was so fun! I got so nervous and excited every single time. No one had any idea if we were taking on their project or what we were going to do. My favourite part was always surprising our heroes and seeing the looks on their faces but also getting to show them the finished project. We might have done the work, but they’re the real heroes for caring for their communities and doing an amazing job spreading good vibes and positivity.

Sherry: My dad thinks that some of my ideas can be a little out there, because they’re not always what he would pick for himself, but it’s important to let people be creative and try something new. Timelines can come into play too. If Michael is better at a project than I am, we’d naturally want him to complete it if the timeline is tight. At the end of the day, there are three of us and two votes versus one always wins.

Michael: Mixing family and work can always be interesting. Saying we don’t butt heads would be a lie.

My dad and I share the same goal, but we have a different way of getting there sometimes. My dad would like to call himself the captain of the ship. He steers the ship, and we help make sure that, no matter what happens, the job gets done and we inject our individual styles and personalities into it.

In one episode, you work with Russell Peters at his old school, what was that like?

What obstacles did COVID present in getting these projects done?

Michael: As someone who has been a fan of his comedy for a long time, I was looking forward to working together. Seeing the reaction of the students at Judith Nyman Secondary School when he came in to talk to them was

Michael: We had to shut down production for a few months and were very happy when we were able to resume in accordance with government and industry COVID-19 protocols in place, since it meant our deadlines had

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Initial real estate activity in 2021 could be titled: A Tale of Two Markets.

The first being the detached and semi-detached market having low inventory with continued rising values. The second being the condo market with a huge surplus of inventory and little to no appreciation in value.

Detached and semi-detached homes are currently experiencing impressive growth, but there’s a silver lining in the condo market. Condo sales may have stumbled over the past 12 months, however, as the year progresses and vaccines roll out, there is great potential for a steady recovery.

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CURRENTS

Toronto’s own Abel Tesfaye, better known as musician The Weeknd, has been announced as the headliner for the Super Bowl halftime show. The big game goes down on Sunday, Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay, Florida, and whether you’re a football fan or not, most do tune in for the musical entertainment at halftime around 8 p.m. So far no hints have been dropped of any other acts that The Weeknd may

ask to join him onstage. The singer-songwriter, who has three Grammy Awards, grew up in Scarborough and donated $500,000 to the Scarborough Health Network last year to support its frontline health-care workers. His latest album After Hours was released in March 2020 and features the hit songs “Heartless,” “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears.”

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The Weeknd makes Super Bowl starting lineup

FEBRUARY 2021

SECTION

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FASHION

CURRENTS

JEANNE BEKER ON ROBES FIT FOR A VALENTINE Our resident fashion columnist picks the cosiest yet romantic gift for couples during lockdown — a swanky robe. Whether it's a gift for you or your partner, these high-fashion housecoats offer everything from artsy elegance to sporty warmth.

SILKY SMOOTH

QUILTED COMFORT

HoltRenfrew.com, $835, “This one is dramatic, fun and spirited. It's a luxurious 100 per cent silk robe. I love the mix of the prints, animal meets floral.”

StoleMyHeart.ca, $329, “Talk about a great housecoat. The next best thing to being under a duvet is to be wearing a duvet robe. I've never seen a quilted housecoat of this nature.”

SPORTY STYLE GET IN THE RING

LLBean.ca, $135, “This rugby robe has a sporty motif with the banded cuffs. It looks cosy and warm and perfect for a young guy or one that's young at heart.”

SULTRY SATIN

Nordstrom.ca, $155, “UGG really knows how to produce great comfort wear. I like that this cuddly robe is shorter, and I love the stars on this soft dove grey.”

ChristineLingerie.com, $159, “Christine is such a great Canadian label. This satin robe has a very delicate, hand-painted feel with the black and white design.”

CHECK IT OUT

TheBay.com, $62.99, “I like this plush check one. It's the kind of robe I could see my guy hanging out in.

It's a great no-nonsense robe.”

JEANNE BEKER | One of Canada’s most trusted authorities on fashion, Jeanne has covered the industry for more than 30 years. Now watch her on TSC’s Style Matters with Jeanne Beker or tune into her new podcast Beyond Style Matters.

FEBRUARY 2021

LLBean.ca, $115, “This Scotch plaid flannel robe is a real classic, with an almost retro feel to it. I always love this plaid. It speaks to the Scottish girl in me.”

SEEING STARS

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PERFECTLY PLAID

Gravitypope.com, $255, “This Muhammad Ali-inspired robe with his Truth poem embroidered will make you feel empowered.”

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INDEPENDENT & ASSISTED LIVING | JEWISH CUISINE

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FASHION NEWS

CURRENTS

Designer launches world’s first antiviral scrubs on Physicians Day

Sandy Gill (left) and her dad wearing pieces from the Tuff Bandit collection

From a suit for the Oscars to a new streetwear line Designer Sandy Gill is donating all proceeds to the farmers’ protests in India Sandy Gill, who you might know as TheSandyLion, burst onto Toronto’s fashion scene through a robust online following. She then built a career as a stylist before dabbling in the design world. First she created the Sandy Suit, which was worn on the Oscar stage last year by actor Utkarsh Ambudkar, and now she has launched her first streetwear line, Tuff Bandit.

Gill has a keen eye for fashion — from putting together outfits that pop to sharing tips for using clothing and accessories to boost confidence. Her foray into fashion started early, using style as a form of self-expression as well as a way to feel better about herself.

“I have always been interested in fashion.

It helped me feel confident and comfortable in school. It was my comfort blanket and how I expressed myself,” she says.

Prior to focusing on fashion, she pursued teaching and continues to do so, currently teaching grades 2 and 3 online. Eventually,

she started exploring fashion as a side hustle.

“I used Instagram to share fashion ideas, and the following grew over the years. I found new ways to share my work and my story and began to dress notable people,” she explains. “Nothing was preplanned I just wanted to help people.”

Gill adds that fashion is a great way to express who you are.

“It works like a business card — people get a vibe about who you are based on how you dress.”

In addition to her work as a stylist and educator, Gill has created Tuff Bandit, a fashion line inspired by growing up as a child of immigrants.

“I’m a first generation Canadian, and that’s the story that so many people can relate to. Knowing that my parents literally gave up everything to come to Canada and seeing their daily hustle to give us that opportunity, I wanted to honour that with this collection,” says Gill.

The streetwear collection is very fitting for the times as well.

“Athleisure is the wave right now, especially because of the pandemic, and I wanted to fill that space in a way to give back to the community,” she explains.

In terms of the giving back part, Gill adds that all of the proceeds from the collection are being donated to the farmers’ protests that have been ongoing in India.

“My parents were farmers in India, and at the end of the day the situation there affects everyone because without farmers we don’t have food. Basically, with this line I wanted to be able to physically give back,” says Gill.

She says reception to Tuff Bandit has been positive so far.

“I had no exceptions but it’s going great.

As a designer, once you put something out, it’s out there. Getting it out there was the emotional part, but now it’s out, and I’m happy that people are believing in it.”

— Jessica Padykula

Designer Nina Kharey, of fashion brand Nonie, has launched a line of medical scrubs called Folds. The fashion-forward scrubs are made from sustainable materials while also being antiviral, antibacterial and antimicrobial.

Kharey has an engineering background and worked with a lab in Europe to create the nanotechnology material for the scrubs. After crowdsourcing from several health-care professionals, Kharey made three tops for women, two for men and various bottoms, including joggers. Kharey decided to launch this line of scrubs as part of a passion project and to do her part in the fight against COVID-19.

“It is my belief we should be supporting medical practitioners who save lives and put their health at risk every single day with the same care and attention we have for our superior athletes. These scrubs have forward-thinking design and are also the world’s first fully recyclable, sustainable scrubs,” Kharey says.

Folds scrubs are more durable (the company claims that the scrubs last twice as long as regular scrubs) and can be returned to the company for recycling. Folds will turn old scrubs into new scrubs through its recycling program, resulting in a highly sustainable and eco-friendly manufacturing model.

“We are making a distinct effort to help protect people while saving the planet,” says Kharey.

Folds officially launches on Feb. 3, which is National Women Physicians Day, but items are currently available for pre-order through the brand’s website.

Shortly after the launch, the women's items sold out, demonstrating the need for comfortable scrubs that are also protective.

— Harriette Halepis

Ellie Mae is opening a boutique in Rosedale "We source most of our fabrics from Europe — about 50 per cent come from the U.K. and the rest from Italy, France and Spain.

To not go to the fabric shows is a huge loss. It’s all done through Zoom now,” he explains.

Ellie Mae had built relationships with mills in Europe before the current pandemic, which has helped. Still, things get a lot trickier when purchasing certain items for the collection. Despite being forced to cut its collection to a third of what it was supposed to be, due to production slowdown, the brand is pushing forward with the new space.

The new 650-square-foot space will have a vintage feel, including rustic walls and vintage carpets. The new boutique will open this spring.

— HH

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© Lindsay Rosset

Local designer Ellie Mae is expanding her retail presence with a second location — this one focusing on what the brand is calling “luxury hippie.”

The new Ellie Mae boutique will be located at 1096 Yonge St., whereas the company’s corporate office and fashion house will remain at 100 Niagara St. The Niagara Street location will include a workspace that’s open to the public and a VW bus café.

According to Ashton Ramcharan, head of sales operations, the company along with the rest of the fashion industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. He says sourcing material from overseas vendors now relies heavily on technology to be the eyes, ears and hands of a fashion buyer.

FEBRUARY 2021

Yonge Street shop will focus on what they are calling luxury hippie wear

The Folds top and joggers

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MEET 12 LOCAL COUPLES WHO ARE KEEPING ROMANCE ALIVE DESPITE THE PANDEMIC

SANGITA PATEL AND SAM PATEL Sangita Patel has been gracing television screens across the city as an entertainment reporter for Entertainment Tonight Canada for more than seven years. Known for her envious BFF relationship with Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. the Rock), she is also crazy about CrossFit — a fitness obsession she shares with her husband Samir (Sam) Patel who is chief of radiology at Guelph General Hospital. But can those who CrossFit together stay together even during a pandemic?

What has been the hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?

Sangita: Where to start (laughs)! It’s been hard to find one-on-one time, with the kids always at home. It’s important to make time for date nights. Sometimes it’s just the little things, like when Sam takes my spot on the sofa!

What did you learn about your partner that you didn't know before the pandemic?

Samir: That she is a very slow walker (laughs)! We have been going for frequent walks and we definitely have a different pace.

HAL JOHNSON AND JOANNE MCLEOD Not surprisingly, Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod, of BodyBreak fame, met at the gym when Johnson walked up to McLeod, who was on the pec deck, and asked, “Can I work out with you?” We asked Hal to talk about their love-in-lockdown experience.

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What would you suggest in terms of advice for other people who are going through this for the first time during a pandemic?

I guess a simple statement is ‘know your lane?’ Know what you do, like I do plumbing and electrical, and Joanne does the finishing and the woodwork. So let them have their space in their lane and their expertise and trust them. That's one of the things, we don't offer our opinion until we're asked for advice on things.

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What has been your favourite kind of pandemic date night idea?

Hal: Skating on the lake. I built a lake two weeks ago, a very large lake, very large rink. And so she said, “Oh, yeah, we'll have date night on the lake.” And so we did that. We skated around the lake the other night. It was so nice.

What's the first thing you plan on doing as a couple once the pandemic is behind us?

Travel. I think that’s what most people will do. And we want to go to New Zealand, Iceland. And the first thing we're going to do is go to the East Coast Trail in St. John's and hike it.

How have you kept the romance alive during this time?

Samir: Taking time to talk and eat meals together, even with a full house.

Sangita: Romance? What is that (laughs)? There isn’t really the normal romantic gesture during a pandemic, but it’s about rediscovering our relationship on a different level. Seeing him more often and realizing I still check him out!

MARILYN DENIS AND JIM HELMAN Local star Marilyn Denis, host of The Marilyn Denis Show and 104.5 FM morning show co-host, first met Jim Helman in the Grade 8 homeroom at Ingomar Junior High School. Their first date was at their high school junior prom. She eloped in the summer of 2018 with her high school prom date. Here, they talk about navigating the pandemic together.

What is your favourite activity to do at home together?

We love to hang out in our basement and watch college and NFL football and catch up on our favourite Crave and HBO Canada series. GO STEELERS — well, maybe next year.

What has been hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?

Not being able to travel. We can’t wait to get on a plane and go somewhere, anywhere!

And what have you learned about your relationship?

Jim: How much I love and appreciate the joy and passion Marilyn brings to our relationship. She is a voice of reason moderating my occasional naive optimism.

Marilyn: I agree with Jim. I am the voice of reason!

What has been your favourite pandemic date night idea?

Ordering burritos and watching a movie together. We like to keep it simple.

How have you kept the romance alive during this time?

None of your business. ;)

NAOMI SNIECKUS AND MATT BARAM Comedians Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus met at Second City in Toronto. “Love at first laugh,” as Snieckus says. The epic proposal involved Chinese food takeout, pyjamas and a surprise trip to the Soho Hotel. Now, how is this comedic power couple handling life in a pandemic? Let’s find out.

Are you both at home, and if so, how has that impacted your relationship both positively and negatively?

Naomi: We are both at home, positively, we talk more openly about what’s really going on in our relationship.

Matt: Negatively, we talk more openly about what’s really going on in our relationship.

How have you managed to keep the romance alive?

I think it has to be through staying present with each other. Communicating in long sentences, rather than just like blurting out short phrases to each other. And we actually started meditating as well.

SAMARA SHUTER AND EMILY KROUSE Samara Shuter is best known for her larger-than-life paintings of headless men wearing everything from tailored suits to motorcycle jackets. She met and had the first date with her partner Emily Krouse, a lawyer, on the same day when Sam flew to Washington, D.C., to meet in person. The rest is history. They married in 2015.

Sam talked to us about the creative ways they are dealing with the impact of the pandemic on their relationship.

What has been your favourite pandemic date night idea?

Emily and I LOVE a project. We feel great when we've tackled something we've been meaning to do or experience together. Unless it's a show we truly love, we don't typically binge television or enjoy sitting in front of the TV nightly. I'd say it's a toss up between a great bottle of wine and sifting through memory boxes or old photos (having been together for 13.5 years), or the same — always have to have a great bottle of wine — and a dedicated movie night to watch something we've been looking forward to.

And what have you learned about your relationship?

Emily and I work on our relationship quite a bit, so we were already hyper-aware of each other's habits, but what this has done is really bring our traits to the surface. I am a very social/extroverted person, and so I recognized that I had been compensating for that by reaching out and connecting with family and friends often to maintain a sense of normalcy (to the point of it getting in the way of other priorities), whereas Emily has actually thrived: not having to formally dress and commute to work and has been able to make time for many projects she's never been able to schedule, etc. To put it lightly … it helped us discover a lack of balance in our universe, and going forward we'd like to try and map out more time for just each other.

What's your advice to others during this time?

Keep in mind that your spouse is your teammate. You know, there's a lot of bad situations in the world, many of which aren't in our control. So, I remind myself a lot that Ivy is not against me.

Andrew Chang met his wife Caro at a chemistry party in Montreal — she was studying for her master’s degree. He proposed alongside a lake in Mont Tremblant.

The couple and their two kids moved to Toronto when Chang became the co-host of CBC’s The National, and they eventually settled in the Yonge and Eglinton neighbourhood. Chang, now at home with his family in a condo, talked to us about navigating the cramped quarters amidst a global pandemic.

What has been hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?

I wouldn't say this has been hard per se, but I think we have really tried focusing on being respectful of each other's workloads. Having both our young kids at home all day (one in virtual school) has really amplified how busy we both are. So we’ve each been keeping in mind that we both feel like we're the busiest people in the world, and that's OK. We just have to remember the other person feels the same way!

And what have you learned?

That we've truly got each other's backs, that we're both susceptible to all those pesky human things like getting frustrated or exhausted but that we're both ready, willing and able to cover for each other. And you'd better believe we count on that every day!

What has been your favourite pandemic date night idea?

Ironically, despite being big board game fans, we haven't yet sat down to an actual game of Pandemic.

Maybe it's too soon! Haha. But we're huge gamers, and for us, date night isn't a glass of wine and a movie. It's teaming up and fighting virtual zombies or flying giant pterodactyls over a swampy wasteland.

How have you kept the romance alive during this time?

Well, we've actually spent far more time together this past year than we would otherwise — thank you, coronavirus — so this pandemic has actually helped remove one of the big work-life-balance hurdles that my job has a tendency to repeatedly lay in front of us. But that being said, I think "romance" and pandemic "romance" are two slightly different things … and a family of four packed into a small condo doesn't give any of us all that much alone time! Haha.

CONTINUED ON NEXT SPREAD

FEBRUARY 2021

What has been hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?

Naomi: Well, when you’re isolated, you have to be everything for each other.

Matt: I have discovered I am not the strongest dentist.

ANDREW AND CARO CHANG

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What is your advice to others in terms of navigating the ups and downs of relationships during the pandemic?

Naomi: Sometimes you have to find your own space in the same room.

Matt: If after two years of living in a pandemic bubble with your partner, you can still find something to talk about, you’re in good shape.

Naomi: It’s only been 10 months Matt: ....Really?

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LOCKDOWN LOVE STORIES CRAIG WONG AND IVY LAM Craig Wong and Ivy Lam grew up together in Scarborough, fell in love and got married back in 2011. Now, the couple helm Patois, one of the city’s popular Dundas West bistros. It hasn’t been easy for restaurants during the past year, but has that added more stress than the couple can handle? We asked Craig to talk about how he’s kept love alive during the pandemic.

What has been most challenging for you guys as a couple during this past year?

The hardest thing must be just the whole uncertainty of COVID and the situation that we're in, I guess, because we work together.

It's also like a double whammy. We see each other at work. And we're constantly thinking about work even at home. And restaurants are definitely on the higher end of being impacted by COVID. So constantly working while trying to spend time at home together has probably been the biggest impact on our relationship.

LISA BERRY AND DION JOHNSTONE Actors Lisa Berry and Dion Johnstone met on the first day of rehearsals for a Stratford Festival production of To Kill A Mockingbird, but the timing wasn’t right for the two of them. Fast-forward a year when Berry walked into that rehearsal hall determined to meet the man standing across the room only to find out it was Johnstone. Full circle. The two share a love of Shakespeare, acting and comic books.

But what did they learn from each other during the pandemic?

How have you kept the romance alive during this time?

Lisa: Well, we have a six-month-old, so we’re in the “reinventing our romance” phase.

Dion: Yes, our son pretty much dominates that part of our brains right now. However, we still recognize the things each of us continue to do to take care of ourselves, and a supportive comment here and there helps us feel recognized and loved. We’ve started having family group hugs, and there’s a kind of romance in discovering each other in our new roles of mom and dad.

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What is your advice to others in terms of navigating the ups and downs of relationships during the pandemic?

Lisa: Take care of yourself and what you need first. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Dion: Also, really listen to your partner. Listen not only to what they’re expressing through words, but also what they’re expressing through feeling.

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What is your favourite guilty pleasure TV show you've discovered together and why?

Lisa: Lovecraft Country. This show spoke right to my spirit and let me see myself and the social justice situations clearer all while elevating my opinion of what is possible.

Really empowering show!

Dion: Yeah. Lovecraft Country really rocked our world.

Shout out to Karen LeBlanc, (a brilliant Toronto-based actor) who plays a pivotal role in probably the most groundbreaking episode of the entire season. You have to see it to believe it!

What's your advice to others in terms of navigating the ups and downs of relationships during this time?

I guess I have to say keep in mind that your spouse is your teammate. You know, there's a lot of bad situations in the world, many of which aren't in our control. So I remind myself a lot that Ivy is not against me. And if we do end up arguing, then it's because of external factors. You know, it's never because it's her versus me.

© Ian Brown

How have you managed to keep the romance alive?

I think it has to be through staying present with each other. Communicating in long sentences, rather than just like blurting out short phrases to each other. And we actually started meditating as well. And we connect first thing in the morning before our sons wake up and before we get started with the day.

GILL DEACON AND GRANT GORDON CBC Radio One’s Gill Deacon first met her spouse, Liberal politician Grant Gordon, when they were kids at her family cottage on the Ottawa River. They met again as adults at a cousin’s wedding and hit it off. Years later, they returned to that Ottawa River cottage to get married. Now, we talk to Deacon about relationship stress during a pandemic. Here’s what she said.

What has been hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?

Just the general stress of these uncertain times.

And what have you learned about your relationship?

My husband and I have gone through some pretty tough stuff together. I’ve had breast cancer twice, and as much as I’d never wish that on anyone, I will say that it prepared us for living with scary and uncomfortable realities. We had to learn how to stay in the moment, to stay focused on the good stuff and to be gentle and kind with one another. All of which has been key to getting through this pandemic.

What is your favourite activity to do at home together?

We’ve been playing a lot of the board game Splendor. I almost never win. Lost Cities is my A-game.

What is your advice to others in terms of navigating the ups and downs of relationships during the pandemic?

I don’t know if I have any advice except to say hold hands ’cause it’s a wild and scary ride.

What is the first thing you plan on doing as a couple once the pandemic is behind us?

A weekend of theatre in New York City sure would be nice!

LOCKDOWN LOVE STORIES POOJA HANDA AND PAUL PATHAK CP24 Breakfast co-host Pooja Handa met her now spouse, Paul Pathak, at Toronto’s Spoke Club while attending a mutual friend’s birthday party. They had their first date at Terroni a few days later.

The Lytton Park couple is squirrelled away at home like the rest of us. So how is the relationship doing now? Pooja tells their story.

How have you kept the romance alive during this time?

Romance? What is that? Kidding. Romance looks different for everyone. For us, we’ve tried to create rituals so we have something to look forward to. During the pandemic we started doing a wine and cheese night on Fridays to celebrate the end of the week and to kick off the weekend. We also take turns making breakfast for one another on weekends, so it’s always exciting to see what the other comes up with. Plus our air fryer and Instant Pot are finally getting used instead of taking up counter space.

That’s romance!

What has been your favourite pandemic date night idea?

We have tried games night, but it got too competitive and doing puzzles caused a lot of back and neck pain! Wow we sound so old.

But our favourite date night so far has been taking turns playing DJ on our streaming service. We give one another a theme like “one hit wonder” or “best movie soundtrack” and go back and forth listening to music and sharing stories related to that song, in some cases even uncovering some obscure titles. I still don’t know how “Boris the Spider,” by the Who, is a real song!

ROZ WESTON AND KATHERINE HOLLAND

Erica Ehm met future partner Terry Moshenberg while she was still at MuchMusic, and he worked in computers. They met thanks to a Jewish matchmaker who neither of them hired. But it worked out just fine. Now, Ehm has a thriving media business that includes her new podcast Reinvention of the VJ, and Moshenberg has moved on to real estate. They are always adapting and trying new things, but how are they dealing with the biggest change of all — COVID-19? Let’s find out.

What has been hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?

Both of us being cut off by our social networks has put a lot of pressure on each other to fill that gap. And as we all know, no one person can be your everything. So it’s been tough on us.

What have you learned about your relationship?

We know to give each other space without taking it personally.

Are you both at home, and if so, how has that impacted your relationship both positively and negatively?

We’ve always both worked from home. Sometimes we step on each other’s toes, but we make it work. The harder part is having the kids home all the time.

What did you learn about your partner that you didn't know before the pandemic?

His fortitude to pivot. He became a licensed realtor in less than a year while in lockdown.

What is the first thing you plan on doing as a couple once the pandemic is behind us?

Throwing a party for our friends at my cottage.

What have you learned about your relationship during the pandemic?

Katherine: That we’ve got each other’s backs no matter what. I was pretty down all of the time during the first lockdown. I wasn’t working. I was crying all of the time while trying to do online schooling and felt like I was living Groundhog Day. Roz was working like crazy — even more than usual. But somehow we still found time for each other.

We always loved hanging out together. Just having him nearby is so levelling for me. We listened to each other talk about the parts of our lives that were different and hard and did what we could to make things easier for the other.

What did you learn about your partner?

Roz: Katherine is very loud when she types, like hammer fingers. It’s incredible. I’ve never heard such a noise coming from someone’s keyboard before.

Katherine: His drive is unlike anything I’ve seen before. He can really take the worst situation and make gold from it.

It’s so inspiring and so motivating and more than a little intimidating. He’s absolutely one in a million.

What is your favourite guilty pleasure TV show you’ve discovered together and why?

Roz: We watched it all. Everything. But just when we thought we had got to the end, we discovered Ted Lasso on AppleTV+ and it was the perfect show for quarantine. It was just so nice to watch a show based around optimism and positivity. Ted Lasso is by far the best show I’ve seen all year.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR LOVE STORY COUPLES FOR CARING SO MUCH AND SHARING SO MUCH

FEBRUARY 2021

ERICA EHM AND TERRY MOSHENBERG

Roz Weston, co-host of The Roz & Mocha Show on KiSS 92.5 and senior reporter on Entertainment Tonight Canada, and photographer Katherine Holland met in a crowded nightclub in Toronto at an event hosted by Paris Hilton 15 years ago, and they’ve been together ever since. If they can make it through a night of Paris Hilton, they can make it through anything. Or can they? We check in with the couple to see how they are navigating the pandemic.

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What is your favourite activity to do at home together?

Our favourite activity is getting out of the house and going for walks in our neighbourhood. It’s been fun discovering new trails, parks and taking in nature, something we only started doing during the pandemic.

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VALENTINE’S SHOPPING GUIDE JEWELLERY

Van Rijk Jewellers

Diamond studs are a timeless expression of love and beauty, and are the perfect gift to show that special someone that you care. Available in many sizes and price ranges, diamond stud earrings are the perfect accessory that will go with everything.

Diamond Stud Earrings. Price available on request.

90 Eglinton Ave. E. 416 440 0123 vanrijk.com

HEALTH FOOD & DRINK

Stay Balanced with Betty

Online Yoga Videos Get grounded and stay uplifted How about a little Self-Love this Valentine’s Day!

Balzac's Coffee Roasters

Start your Valentine’s Day with breakfast in bed thanks to the Balzac’s Breakfast Bundle. The bundle offers elevated examples of breakfast staples including your choice of Balzac’s coffee, protein-packed pancake mix from Flourish Pancakes and pure and flavourful Canadian maple syrup. Price: $29.99

Valentine’s special: 50% off first month of a membership Use code: valentinesday2021 throughout February and March video.staybalanced.ca

Balzacs.com

JEWELLERY

Cynthia Findlay Fine Jewellery & Antiques

When there is an engagement ring in your future Cynthia Findlay offers the unique, the unusual and the very special, such as this pink tourmaline Toi et Moi double gem which was made popular when Napoleon gifted Josephine their birthstones in one ring. Call for details or shop online.

284 King Street West 416 260 9057 Shop online at www.cynthiafindlay.com

HOME DECOR

Izibele

This beautiful bowl is available at Izibele, a cute little shop on College St. (just west of Dufferin St.), that fairtrades with small makers in South Africa and locally. They specialize in slow-crafted precious objects including decor, kids toys, baby shoes and housewares: perfect for special gifts.

Check out their online store for something special. Curbside pickup available as well as free hand delivery, mailing and private virtual shopping available. Zulu bowl: $130

An ideal, relaxing treatment before a special event. Oxygenating 3 in 1 facial combines exfoliation of the outer layer of the skin, infusion of revitalizing nutrients, and oxygenation of the skin from within. There is an immediate improvement in skin tone, texture and radiance. Price upon request.

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BEAUTY

SPECIALTY

Gidon Aesthetics & Medispa

William Ashley

For the perfect gift, William Ashley carries the finest selection of world renowned brands, and are Canada’s exclusive destination for Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland. These handmade chocolates are made from the finest natural ingredients and use absolutely no chemicals, additives or preservatives. For those who deserve the best! Assorted Truffles, starting at $3.95

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131 Bloor Street West - 416 964 8200 www.WilliamAshley.com

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JEWELLERY FASHION

Rock ‘N Karma

Designed in Toronto by creative sister duo, Rock ‘N Karma is a favourite among Canadian fashionistas! Net proceeds from limitededition unisex women that rock sweatshirts, will be donated to Gilda’s Club, greater Toronto. Receive a free gift with this purchase.

789 Queen St. W. - 416 345 8389 www.rocknkarma.com - Instagram @rocknkarma

Lafia Jewellery

Lafia Jewellery is a Canadian designed and manufactured fine jewellery brand. Beautiful collections from classic to modern are all crafted in 14k gold. Our floating charms are the perfect gift for your Valentine. Explore our full Charm’d Collection online, charms and chains sold separately.

Charms starting at retail $630. All pieces are made to order just for you.

647 274 8885 concierge@lafiajewellery.com www.lafiajewellery.ca

VALENTINE’S SHOPPING GUIDE

Cynthia Findlay

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Fine Jewellery & Antiques

Shop early... there is only one!

SHOP OUR ONLINE STORE

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CURB SIDE SERVICE AVAILABLE 416-260-9057 • 284 KING STREET WEST

FEBRUARY 2021

Toronto, Canada

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- 416 820 1587

37

VALENTINE’S SHOPPING GUIDE

Visit our Online Store at www.VanRijk.com We offer FREE Shipping in Canada Rolex • Patek • Cartier • Omega • Breitling • Audemars Piguet • IWC

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VALENTINE’S SHOPPING GUIDE

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Guided Yoga Short & Quick to Full Length Videos Designed to fit your life

FEBRUARY 2021

• Yoga Sessions • Individual Poses • Yoga Tips • Meditation

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CURRENTS

FEATURE

Legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson (right) and his sister Daisy

Learning on T.O. streets

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Six spots to celebrate Black History

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February 2021 marks the 25th year since Black History Month was first celebrated nationally; however, Toronto’s celebrations go back further than that. Toronto became the first municipality in Canada to proclaim Black History Month in 1979.

As with everything else in the age of COVID-19, celebrations will look and feel different this year, but there are still many ways to learn about Toronto’s Black community and the history that is right on our streets.

As you head out for your daily walks this month, we encourage you to visit these six sites to learn more about the history and remarkable achievements of the Black community in Toronto.

Start in Yorkville at 21 Park Rd., home to the building where Oscar Peterson and his colleagues established the Advanced School of Contemporary Music in 1960.

Peterson, known as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, mentored emerging jazz musicians here.

In Riverdale, there is a plaque dedicated to Toronto’s first Black elected official, William Peyton Hubbard near his former home at 660 Broadview Ave. From 1894 to 1913, Hubbard served as alderman, controller and as acting mayor periodically.

In the King and Spadina neighbourhood is Draper Street where Lincoln Alexander was born in 1922. Alexander, who has a day named after him in the city ( Jan. 21) was Canada’s first Black

member of Parliament. Alexander also became Canada’s first Black cabinet minister in 1968 and served as the first Black lieutenant governor of Ontario from 1985 to 1991, among many other roles he held in his political career.

In the east end of the city is the site of the home of Lucie and Thornton Blackburn at 54 Eastern Ave. The Blackburns were slaves from Kentucky who fled using the Underground Railroad. Thornton became a self-emancipated former slave whose case established that Canada would not return slaves to the United States, making it a safe terminus for the Underground Railroad. In Toronto, he went on to found the first taxicab company.

Over at 143 King St. E. is a plaque about Mary Ann Shadd Cary, an anti-slavery activist and the first Black woman in North America to publish a newspaper called the Provincial Freeman.

From 1854 to 1855, Shadd published the paper from a former building on this site.

Finally, make your last stop in Kensington Market at 355 College St. From 1925 to 1982, this building was home to the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) Hall, an organization based on the principles of Marcus Garvey. He founded UNIA in Jamaica in 1914 and then opened divisions across North America. He visited the Toronto hall several times in the 1920s and 1930s, and the building became a hub for the city’s Black community.

— Nikki Gill

I believe the reasons to be hopeful are many Jane Fonda & Neil Young join my podcast Throughout Canada and around the world, the second wave of COVID-19 is hitting hard. Over the next few months, governments will remain focused on addressing the largest public health emergency in recent memory.

But to avoid past mistakes and seize this unique opportunity to build a more resilient, sustainable world, it’s also time to lay the groundwork for a green and just post-pandemic recovery.

I’m almost 85 years old. I cofounded the David Suzuki Foundation 30 years ago, after a CBC Radio series I hosted, It’s a Matter of Survival, generated 17,000 letters (in pre-email times!) from people concerned about the state of the planet and the future their children would inherit.

Decades later, as we grapple with many of the same environmental crises — the climate emergency, mass species extinction and an economic model that fuels it all — and now a global pandemic, we have many reasons to despair.

But after spending most of lockdown with three of my grandkids and seeing the world through their curious, caring eyes, I’m reinvigorated and newly committed to doing all I can to help humankind find a better path.

I spent the first seven months of lockdown at a family cabin in B.C. There I rediscovered some

fundamental truths. Without the basic elements — fire, air, water, earth — there is no life. We also need to renew our understanding of the interconnections between all life and existence, something I refer to as “spirit.” When our relationship with these elements is out of whack, and when we lose our “spiritual” connection, we risk our very being.

The privilege of spending lockdown safe and healthy with family wasn’t lost on me. I wanted to make the most of the time.

One way I did this was by producing my first podcast, The David Suzuki Podcast. I reached out to old friends like Jane Fonda and Neil Young. I got to speak with celebrated thinkers like Kwame McKenzie, CEO of the Wellesley Institute in Toronto and Jennifer Keesmaat, former chief city planner, Indigenous leaders like Winona LaDuke and Jeannette Armstrong, youth activists and more. We recorded five episodes that explore how the pandemic can help us refocus on what’s most important and how a green and just recovery from COVID-19 could look.

It will be a challenge. The fossil fuel industry is working harder than ever to convince people to let it continue its destructive ways.

Important climate lawsuits are getting thrown out of court. More than a million species worldwide

are at risk of extinction. The list goes on. But I believe the reasons to be hopeful are many.

Recently, the federal government revealed details of a climate accountability plan to help us achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. It’s a real strategy, with real legislative power. For an environmentalist of nearly 40 years, it’s good news.

On Nov. 30, 2020, the government also gave its first full economic statement since the pandemic hit. It was an opportunity to take stock of the massive, necessary recent public spending to address the pandemic.

Perhaps more importantly, it was also an opportunity to begin charting our path to recovery, including commitment to a “green recovery.” It all needs to be paired with a strong climate plan and accountability law, but overall, it’s good news.

This next decade will be critical if we’re to rediscover balance with the natural world. By 2030, we’ll have a good sense of whether we’re on track.

In my podcast, I ask, “If this really is the transformation decade as we emerge from COVID-19, how will it look?”

We’re already seeing unprecedented public spending to re-energize economies and rebuild communities. We must make sure these efforts aren’t designed to take us back to “normal,” because that wasn’t working.

From nature-based climate solutions, like tree planting and wetland restoration, to more localized and resilient city design to community-led renewable energy generation, we can resolve our problems. All that’s needed is the political will.

For the courageous young people whose Friday strikes have brought unparalleled attention to the climate crisis, for the Indigenous leaders who generously share wisdom on how to live in harmony with Earth, for nature, upon which so many of us have relied to get through lockdown, let’s shift gears and change direction. Let’s rediscover our place on this beautiful living planet.

DAVID SUZUKI

David Suzuki is the host of the CBC’s The Nature of Things and author of more than 30 books on ecology (with files from Brendan Glauser).

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FEBRUARY 2021

Suzuki reached out to old friend Jane Fonda for his first podcast

CURRENTS

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© Victoria Pickering/Flickr Commons

DAILY PLANET

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CURRENTS

LOCAL GRADUATES

Celebrating pandemic art The Solutions, Flexibility and Empathy You need to Navigate Trying Times

Taelor Lewis-Joseph on creating a great web series during COVID by Julia Mastroianni REPORT CARD STUDENT:

Taelor Lewis-Joseph

Katherine MacDonald Midtown Toronto Family, Separation & Divorce Lawyer

GRADUATED:

Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts BEST SUBJECTS:

10 Alcorn Avenue, Suite 201

Photography, Drama and English

647 694 9001

www.kmacdonaldlaw.com

CURRENT JOB:

Actor and Co-creator of How T.O. Art

Lewis-Joseph attended Cardinal Carter Academy for drama

Back in August 2019, before the pandemic was a reality for Canada, Taelor Lewis-Joseph was putting together a team for a series she wanted to direct and produce called Greater.

“I’m an actress. I’ve been acting for years and went to Cardinal Carter for drama, and I was like, let me just write something that I can act in,” Lewis-Joseph says.

She had put together a great team and was preparing to apply for funding to start filming Greater the following June.

However COVID-19 shut everything down in March 2020.

“We wanted to

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focus on women and non-binary folks of colour.”

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While the project was on hold during quarantine, a fellow creator, Amanda Ann-Min Wong, reached out to her to check in during this difficult time.

During their chat, LewisJoseph brought up a docu-series idea she was thinking about that would feature local artists.

“I told her that there’s this idea I have way in the back of my head, and it was just a bunch of words floating around,” Lewis-Joseph says. “It was STEM and women and queer and people of colour, women of colour, art, Toronto creativity, just these random hashtag-y type words.”

Wong loved the idea and with her previous documentary work with local artists, she joined

Lewis-Joseph in developing it into what eventually became How T.O. Art, a docu-web series following different Toronto artists during the pandemic.

“We wanted to focus on women and non-binary folks of colour being creative and hardworking and persevering, and we also wanted to show that everyone’s path looks different,” she says.

The webseries shows how many artists don’t have the privilege to pursue their art full-time. LewisJoseph felt a personal connection to this.

“I come from a first generation household, and I don't have the privilege to be able to say, ‘Oh yeah, my parents can definitely support me if I drop out or things will be fine for me or I could make it if I just don't get a degree.’

Getting a degree was important for me as an actress,” she says.

Lewis-Joseph says the experience of creating How T.O. Art has opened her up to different possibilities in the future.

“By the time I got to the end of high school, I realized that I love acting, but I also need to eat, I want health care at the end of the day. When I dug into, well, why do I love acting? I think I just love storytelling and helping people emphasize and feel something,” she says. “So I don't think it would ever just be acting for me going forward. I love acting but a very close second or even maybe tied for first would be production.”

The team kicked off the release of How T.O. Art with a prerelease event on Jan. 22, and the entire series was made available to stream on YouTube and Vimeo on Jan. 29.

HOW THEY MET

CURRENTS

ET Canada reporter met his future wife when he was only 10 Carlos Bustamante and partner Rachel grew up dancing together and began dating as teens Entertainment reporter Carlos Bustamante graces our television screens as part of the ET Canada team, but his life in showbiz started on the dance floor.

Bustamante grew up dancing in a competitive group along with his wife Rachel. Though they were just kids when they first met, their love story blossomed into one for the books. Now with a decade of marriage under their belts, the pair has two children together. This is the story of how it all came to be.

but once I had the ring for a few weeks, I just couldn’t wait anymore. One morning a few days out from the trip I just decided to propose to her right there in our apartment, in our pajamas, with our chocolate Lab as our witness. I think Rachel was half awake for the “Will you marry me?” Clearly, I still owe her a seaside proposal in Spain.

The wedding

How they met

Rachel and I have known each other since we were kids, as far back as eight and 10 years old.

We grew up dancing at the same dance studio, as teammates in the same competitive group. One season we were paired together as duet partners and just grew closer as we spent more time with each other. She was always such an amazing dancer. I could barely keep up with her. She made us

Rachel and Carlos with their kids Elijah and Naomi

both look good, which continues to this day.

coffee and seeing a movie.

The first date

We had been living together for a while by the time I worked up the courage to propose. We loved travelling together, and I had planned to propose on a backpacking trip through Spain,

The proposal

We still celebrate the anniversary of our very first date back in 1998. Two nervous teenagers excited to be together, strolling through a bookstore, grabbing a

We were married at LaSalle Park in Burlington on Aug. 15, 2010, in front of our closest friends and family. It felt amazing to share the day with people that had known us our entire journey together. Rachel was absolutely stunning, and I cried like a baby when she walked down the aisle.

Our reception is still my favourite party of all time. Our honeymoon was in Maui and we’re eager to get back there sometime soon.

The kids

We have two kids who make us

laugh every day. Elijah is nine and Naomi is seven.

Balancing careers and marriage

Lots of experience. I can’t say we’ve perfected that balance, but we’ve both learned over the years that we have to create opportunities for us to just be together and that time we have with one another shouldn’t be taken for granted. Above all, we have one another’s back.

Secret of success

We laugh together a lot. That’s a big part of it. We value honesty, we respect one another as individuals, and we don’t miss an opportunity to tell the other person how much we love them.

Life after retirement

Rachel will tell you that we’re going to retire in Hawaii where we’ll spend our days by the ocean.

Honestly though, I don’t know if I’ll ever retire.

POST CITY X DIAMOND & DIAMOND

7 tips for safely staying active this winter season Tips from Jeremy Diamond and Sandra Zisckind of Diamond & Diamond Lawyers

2. Pack snacks and food Always pack enough to keep your

3. Exercise with best practices in mind Pay close attention to any instructions and suggested best practices for your at-home workout equipment. Jeremy Diamond suggests "over the winter months, when working out and keeping fit indoors, always make sure your equipment is set up and stored properly." Doing so will ensure you stay safe around home and avoid any unnecessary trips to the emergency room.

4. Use appropriate safety gear when working out Always make sure to use proper safety gear to avoid injury. For example, use wrist protectors and back support when lifting weights as well

as knee pads and sunscreen for outdoor activities like hiking or skiing.

Whether you're inside or out, make sure to keep yourself protected. The cold weather can make you more susceptible to injuries so you should always do your best to stay protected.

5. Always rest in-between workouts Be sure to stretch and rest your muscles between your home workouts, just like you would if you were in the gym or at the track. Isaac Zisckind recommends to "reference certified sources for workout tips when possible as this will help you to prevent injury from self-guided workout regimes".

6. Stay safe when you're on the ice Recreational sports on ponds, such as ice skating and family hockey games should always be accompanied by relevant safety checks. For example, to check if the ice is frozen

enough for you to tread on it safely, you should aim to verify its thickness. A layer of three inches or less is unsafe and should be avoided. If you're planning on heading out on the ice, you should aim for a minimum of six to eight inches at least.

7. Always supervise children when they're outdoors Proper adult supervision for children when they are getting fresh air and taking part in outdoor activities is essential. For example, when building igloos or structures, make sure there's always an adult present.

Pond safety is important. Teach children how to stay safe on the ice and recognize signs of danger. Always supervise them when they're on or around the ice.

1-800-567-4878

FEBRUARY 2021

1. Dress appropriately for the weather Sandra Zisckind advises people to wear the right clothing when spending prolonged periods of time outdoors on the colder days of winter.

She says, "always be prepared for cold weather, you never know when the temperature may drop. Wear layers, proper footwear, appropriate shoes, and always have a thick pair of gloves".

energy up and to stay hydrated. A hot chocolate can help with your temperature and water is key for hydration. Fruit and other healthy snacks will help ensure your sugar levels stay topped up and keep hunger at bay.

| POST |

JEREMY DIAMOND Jeremy Diamond is a lawyer and member of both Ontario and Florida Bars. Jeremy practices in the area of Plaintiff personal injury litigation.

Staying active throughout the winter can be difficult. With the weather being unpredictable and offering many colder days and evenings, the importance of making sure you are being safe, both indoors and outside is of paramount importance.

Diamond's dynamic leaders, Jeremy Diamond, Sandra Zisckind, and her brother Isaac share their tips for making this a safe and active winter season.

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NEWS | REAL ESTATE | RESTAURANTS | SHOP + DESIGN | CULTURE | KIDS | BEST OF

FIND THE BEST GOURMET RESTAURANTS FOR TAKEOUT & DELIVERY

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Built for the residents of Toronto’s most established neighbourhoods, TRNTO covers the people, food, culture, fashion, lifestyle, news, arts and entertainment that define our city.

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Passionately created and powered by the team at Post City, TRNTO offers a new array of tech and social features that no city site has delivered before.

Welcome to TRNTO.COM

ARTS

CURRENTS

February culture fix 21 Black Futures and four more fantastic shows this month

by Clare Shrybman and Ron Johnson

Clockwise from left: Amanda Parris will be participating in 21 BLACK FUTURES, legendary Indigenous singer-songwriter and social activist Buffy Sainte-Marie and musician Hannah Georgas

many had lost work as a result of the pandemic. The majority of Toronto theatres have been shuttered since the beginning of the pandemic last March.

21 BLACK FUTURES will premiere Feb. 12 on CBC Gem. — Clare Shrybman Get on the right Wavelength

The Wavelength Winter Festival returns for 2021 and will take the form of four weekly digital shows held on Saturday nights — all free and all ages. Audience members are encouraged to take part in the live chat alongside the live streamed shows on Wavelength’s YouTube channel.

The 100 per cent Canadian lineup features 10 artists, including renowned indie-pop artist Hannah Georgas, and 2020 Polaris Music Prize winner Backxwash and others.

For full concert information go to Wavelengthmusic.ca.

Daring digital theatre

Tarragon Theatre will be hosting the digital world premiere of Orestes on Feb. 3 and running until Feb. 14. The work, originally slated as the opening production for the theatre’s 2020-2021 season, has been fully reworked as a live online mythic adventure complete with interactive and multi-level storytelling.

“This is uncharted territory for

Tarragon,” says Richard Rose, artistic director at the Tarragon.

“The scale of the production mirrors what has become the epic scale of the online event. With green screens, multiple cameras, arm’s-length sound and lighting design, each of the 10 cast members will inhabit what is essentially a mini studio, performing Orestes from the safety of their own spaces and homes.”

Tarragon describes the play: “Orestes, played by Cliff Cardinal, has been deplatformed! His unimaginable crime of matricide is stuck on autoplay and his banishment has driven ‘the poet laureate of the internet’ offline. Disconnected and stranded in the silence of the real world, can Orestes survive?

What happens when the media is turned against us? And in a world defined by online identity who are we when that’s ripped away?”

Orestes runs live online from Feb. 2 to 14, 202. For more info, go to Tarragontheatre.com.

Winterfolk lives on

The Winterfolk festival tradition will continue on with a live virtual edition scheduled for Feb. 19 and 20. Winterfolk’s renowned lineup of musicians includes Julian Taylor, Jack deKeyzer, Ken Whiteley, and more.

Register online for free access

at Winterfolk.com.

Buffy’s book club

Canadian Stage has announced a new edition of The Elements of Story virtual community reading series. First introduced this past fall, the production delves into the work and ideas of internationally celebrated authors and cultural thinkers.

The Elements of Story program is curated by the legendary Indigenous singersongwriter, musician and social activist Buffy Sainte-Marie.

“Buffy Sainte-Marie is one of the great artists and activists of the last century — she has a profound and wide-reaching insight into the foundations of our country, and she has been a multi-disciplinary storyteller her entire life,” says Brendan Healey, Canadian Stage artistic director.

“I can’t think of a better person to guide us through some reading and discussion about how stories shape our lives and provide guidance in times of questioning.”

According to Canadian Stage, Sainte-Marie has chosen three dynamic and distinct texts that speak to the current moment, which will be discussed with Sainte-Marie on Feb. 18 at a virtual In Conversation event.

For more information go to canadianstage.com.

FEBRUARY 2021

gives viewers “a chance to connect to the rich humanity of blackness that exists” and, further, “to think about how Black people move in this world and see themselves in the future.”

She adds that, to her, “The future of Blackness is full of possibilities, there’s not one future. This is about embracing how diverse the Black community is. It is shaped by so many different visions and points of view.”

She says the project brought together people from different disciplines to engage the question through short theatrical films.

In creating the project, Tindyebwa Otu says she was interested in “futures that were putting Black voices at the centre” and says in response, the project was created with a Black gaze at the centre and the effort was “hugely communal.”

But the project wasn’t without the usual pandemic hurdles and considerations.

Tindyebwa Otu says it was conceived with the pandemic in mind, one of the reasons that the pieces are monodramas. All of the pieces had one actor, one director who only met on the day of filming, and all rehearsals took place online.

She says the initiative was also an opportunity to give work to so many Black artists at a time when

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Toronto’s Obsidian Theatre in partnership with the CBC recently unveiled the full lineup of directors and performers for the theatre’s newest project 21 BLACK FUTURES. The project will be streamed as part of the Black History Month programming on the free online streaming service CBC Gem. According to the press release, the endeavour is “an anthology of 21 filmed monodramas, commissioned from 21 multigenerational Black playwrights across the country, directed by 21 Black directors and performed by 21 Black actors.”

CBC is releasing the project in three 70-minute parts on the last three Fridays of February. The release states the project is also to celebrate Obsidian's 21st birthday.

Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, who took over the position as artistic director at the Obsidian in July of 2020, came up with the project and has been working with the numerous directors, actors and playwrights to bring the 10minute monodramas to life.

The project is especially important this year Tindyebwa Otu says.

“We’re at a moment when stories are needed more than ever before. We’ve been in isolation and we’re craving connection,” she says, adding she hopes the project

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CAMPS & PROGRAMS The Ivy Welcome to The Ivy - a new co-ed day camp for children ages 4 - 14, located in Central Toronto, at Havergal College. The Ivy reimagines the traditional day camp while setting a new standard in health and safety, camper care, staff development, daily programs and facilities. With more than 50 activities, including daily instructional swimming lessons, campers of all ages will explore their passions, discover new interests and develop valuable skills. Our programs are designed to ignite imagination and creativity, foster teamwork, friendships and inspire confidence. Situated on a beautiful 22-acre property, our program makes use of 6 outdoor tennis courts, 3 grassy playing fields, nature/discovery trails, gazebos, and outdoor amphitheatre. Campers also make use of newly renovated spacious indoor spaces including a 25-metre swimming pool, air-conditioned gymnasiums, art and stem studios and a brand new dining hall - with daily lunches and snacks included!

The Jack and Pat Kay Centre Camp

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Welcome home! The Jack and Pat Kay Centre Camp, now available at two close-tohome campsites, has been creating memories that last a lifetime for over 30 years. Offering programs for campers ages 3 to 15 years, there is something for everyone. As the largest Jewish community day camp in Toronto and Vaughan, we provide adventure and fun for our campers every day. Through our caring and inspiring staff, creative and exciting programming and our state-of-the-art facilities, we provide your children with life-changing experiences and a strong connection to the Jewish community. Through our exceptional programs and opportunities, campers celebrate and explore their Judaism and develop a love for Israel. We offer a variety of different programs for campers with all interests including our specialty camps: Basketball, General Sports, Hebrew Immersion, Leadership Development (LIT/CIT) and much more. For more information visit centrecamp.ca, email us at info@centrecamp.ca, or give us a call at 416-636-2267.

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The way summer camp was meant to be. theivy.ca

CAMP TYPE: Day Camp AGE RANGE: 4-14 TOTAL ENROLMENT: 500 campers CAMPER/STAFF RATIO: 3:1 SESSION LENGTH: 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks SESSION COST: Varies

DIRECTORS: Benji Roy & Dara Kahane ASST DIRECTOR: Ali Nagthall CONTACT: 416-923-7200 theivy.ca

CAMP TYPE: Day Camp AGE RANGE: 3yrs-15yrs TOTAL ENROLMENT: 400 CAMPER/STAFF RATIO: 6:1 SESSION LENGTH: 2 weeks SESSION COST: $915 based on 8 wks

CAMP DIRECTOR: Evan Roth

CONTACT: 416-636-2267 centrecamp.ca

KIDS

CURRENTS

Will there be camp this summer?

Planning and hoping for the 2021 season By the time camp starts in late June, kids will have spent more than a year mostly at home with their parents. They’re suffering isolation, loneliness and lack of independent time away from their parents. School is harder than usual. Where is the fun in their life, the connection? Kids need camp.

Now more than ever.

COVID is going to make sleepover camp different this summer. Camps are confident that we’ll run in 2021, and we don’t know yet what COVID precautions Public Health will require.

Under-statement: Kids need camp for their mental health.

Stereotype: This is only about rich kids.

False! Almost half of the 117,000 kids who go to sleepover camps in Ontario get (and need) financial assistance to go to camp.

How will sleepaway camps have to be different this summer? We can make educated guesses, but the moving targets make it impossible to know. First is the case count. If it gets better in late spring, camps will be more normal. Second is what Public Health requires of camps.

Last fall, the Ontario Camps Association was invited by Ontario Public Health to prepare a draft guidance document for how summer camps will operate in ‘21.

That guidance was reviewed by a panel of experts at SickKids in January and is now in the hands of Public Health. Camps impatiently await their ruling — because summer camp doesn’t spring full grown from the forehead of Zeus in June. It usually takes 10 months of planning. Public Health knows that.

The draft guidance is all about cohorting, testing and the camp bubble. Unlike

schools, overnight camps can be a bubble, insulated from outsiders. Keeping COVID out of the bubble will likely require campers and staff to be tested and then isolate a few days before travelling to camp. Probably everyone at camp will have to be tested again … and again.

How much testing will camps have to do? It depends on two factors — COVID in the general community and COVID within the camp. The greater the safety, the more likely Public Health reduces precautions. If camp-age people get vaccinated before camp, it’s a whole new ball game. Don’t count on that.

The testing will cost big bucks. Well off camps will pay for it and likely have to surcharge parents. Community camps will hope for test funding. Speaking of parents, visiting days are likely off the table.

Then there’s cohorting. Cohorts at camp will probably have to be based on living arrangements, like one cabin or two functioning as a family and using Public Health precautions when interacting with others. Why? To control spread and for contact tracing in case there’s a COVID positive test at camp. Cabins live together, so it’s workable to isolate a cabin cohort if there’s a case.

Imagine summer starts with one or two cabins in each cohort. They and their counsellors do everything together including activities, and when they get within two metres of somebody outside their co-

hort, everybody masks. Let’s say the climbing instructor has to do up a camper’s harness. They both mask for that. The rest of the time instructors will stay two metres away from kids.

Then there’s the dining hall. No matter the camp, camps are noisy. Singing, cheering, yelling for the joy of it — these are the hallmarks of summer camp dining halls. Not this summer, ’cause spit goes walkabout when we cheer.

It looks like cohorts will sit two metres apart in dining halls and mask when they leave the table. No classic camp dining hall with everybody packed in like sardines. Instead there will be distancing. For most camps that means half the camp eats elsewhere or two sittings.

Big programs like Colour War and campfires will only be OK outside. Plays will be outside. Everything possible will happen outside. And all of it distanced by cohort.

We can do this! And we will. And we will love it, because camp people, from the youngest new camper to the oldest staff, are flexible and resilient, because for those lucky enough to experience it, camp will be the great healing from COVID isolation. It will look and feel like camp. And if camps get it right and get lucky, Public Health precautions will relax, and a week or two into camp, cohorts will open up, we’ll be singing and cheering, and camp shenanigans will rule again.

JOANNE KATES Parenting columnist Joanne Kates is an expert educator in the areas of conflict mediation, self-esteem and anti-bullying, and she is the director of Camp Arowhon in Algonquin Park.

CAT & NAT Through their viral #MomTruths videos, local moms Cat & Nat tackle motherhood with wit and wisdom. Find them at catandnat.ca.

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The Ontario Camps Association has prepared a document for how summer camps will operate in 2021

We have come to realize that there is a new diagnosis that a lot of moms are having and it’s called OOSTC. What does it stand for?

Out of sh*#% to care. Here are the symptoms.

You wake up and you look at your clothes — real clothes — and you think to yourself, “I remember you, but I am out of sh*#% to care. I’m putting on the same clothes I’ve been wearing for months that are lying on my floor.”

The sound of your children’s voices literally make your brain rattle so much that you want to pull your bed sheets over your head and wait until the pandemic is over — it’s OK, this is just another symptom of being out of sh*#% to care.

You start your day thinking, “I’m going to make a home cooked meal today,” and then by the time 4 p.m. rolls around your mindset changes to, “I am just going to order another meal in.” You know your children are going to complain about the meal because you’ve ordered in so much lately, but you’re just out of sh*#% to care.

Before COVID hit, I used to think to myself, “I want my kids to really have a great relationship and respect each other.” Now I’m out of sh*#% to care. I don’t care that she hit you, and I definitely don’t care that you hate each other. Now I tell them, “Go make friends, you don’t need family!” Why? Because I’m out of sh*#% to care.

When they were first virtual learning back in the spring, I would encourage them to go outside. “You need to get fresh air,” I would tell them. “You need to spend hours outside.”

Now they just complain about how there’s nothing to do and they don’t want to go outside, and my response? “Alright, that’s fine.”

Because I’m out of sh*#% to care.

There was a time when I would say, “You can’t have chocolate for breakfast,” or “Crackers are not a meal.” Now they are.

Did we used to care? Of course we used to care, we definitely cared before. This is a new thing. Now we have OOSTC. There will be a cure. We will come out of this. It won’t need heavy medication, but it will need heavy fun, and that fun will be had.

That is a guarantee.

If you also have OOSTC, this is your prescription: Do not feel bad and do not feel guilty for not giving a sh*# about much anymore. This is a natural side effect of a global pandemic.

And when we get our vaccine and our lives back, we will get all our sh*#% to care back too.

FEBRUARY 2021

Cat and Nat on why they are OOSTC and why it’s OK

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T.O.’S TOP PROFESSIONALS

2021

Realizing Your Family’s Financial Dreams

MILLENNIAL’S GUIDE TO HOME OWNERSHIP Discover the best ways to prepare for your next home move Is it time for you to make your move? Young people across the GTA are being asked this question as the draw of urban life becomes less appealing amongst the reality of lockdowns due to COVID-19. While buying and selling a house present challenges at the best of times, this past year has brought along with it a whole new set of hurdles. So, how can you still come out ahead? When faced with the decision to start your next life chapter, consider these key guiding points to make your next home purchase a success.

First, it’s important to understand that while the

condominium market in many areas of Toronto has slowed down, in communities outside of the city, growth is taking place at an alarming rate. Many listings are selling over the asking price with multiple, unconditional offers. Knowing this can help your family see the value in being fully prepared. You’re not just entering a buyer’s market — you’re entering a race to get further away from COVID-19 hotspot areas.

So, how does one prepare for an uncertain real estate market? To start, it is imperative that you get pre-qualified to have a clear picture of your financial

health prior to the purchasing process. This is the time to gather all your current assets and liabilities, gauge your net worth and factor in all current financial monthly commitments. Credit score will play a major part in how you obtain financing, so be sure to source out your current status. This will allow you to identify any red flags and address them before you seek out a mortgage.

Next, it will be beneficial to connect with an experienced mortgage broker. This is all the more relevant if this will be your first home purchase. An experienced broker can act as your guide to finding the best mortgage for your unique situation. Many mortgage professionals have gone through other trying periods in Canadian financial history, giving them a more balanced perspective on current events following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Knowledgeable mortgage brokers are there to keep you informed as you embark on arguably the largest purchase of your life. They have access to important updates and financial regulations, aiding buyers when it comes to understanding the red tape of each individual circumstance. Further to that, they will be able to educate you in matters you may not already be aware of -- such as the process of building a home using finances from a construction mortgage. Even if you consider yourself well-versed in the world of personal finance, having a dedicated mortgage broker acting as your second pair of eyes can only protect and prepare you for the future to a deeper degree.

Finally, a savvy mortgage broker will be able to see the full picture of your transaction. This means not only will you clearly understand the terms and conditions you are agreeing to, but you will also be aware of certain fees associated with your home

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRY purchase – hidden costs and penalties that may affect the agreement above and beyond the interest rate that has been presented. In a world where rate shopping has become the norm, many have failed to recognize how each fee plays a role in the total cost of borrowing on a home purchase. Years down the road, this can cost you thousands of dollars, so be sure to ask for this information during the process.

In a constantly changing market, the importance of proper preparation can make or break a buyer’s offer. Times are stressful, so any steps that ease pressure off of the process should be welcomed. It’s true — you may not be able to control how competitive the market has become, but you can situate yourself to have the best possible chance of getting a house that you really want. Act now so you can feel confident that your next move is the right move.

Gerard Buckley, Mortgage Broker

Gerard Buckley, Owner and Mortgage Broker at Buckley Mortgage Team powered by Verico The Mortgage Wellness Group has been assisting individuals and companies obtain mortgage financing for over 35 years.

Buckley Mortgage Team powered by Mortgage Wellness - Broker # 11970 25 Sheppard Ave West, Ste. 300 866-496-4028 www.BuckleyMortgageTeam.ca

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ALIGNING WITH THE TIMES, WHY YOU SHOULD HIRE A LIFE COACH

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The examination of our foundational make up has been a process of force, rather than a choice due to the events of Covid-19. While many of us try to process this new way of living, many are simply having a difficult time navigating the transition.

Part of the source of difficulty is often feeling a lack of control over one’s life and also focusing heavily on future events rather than choosing to remain in the present.

Working with a life coach can help shift focus to the present, helping to identify some of the glass ceilings that keep us feeling stuck. Working through various exercises with a life coach can help you build a realistic road map towards that which you seek.

Selecting the right coach to work with is crucial.

Just like hiring a contractor to do work, it’s a good idea to have a list of questions for the introductory call. More importantly, be prepared to use your own sense of intuition to get a true gauge of the coach’s professionalism, personality and compatibility. Ask

yourself if the coach is drawing you in to deeper personal inquiry through authentic interest, or do you feel as if you are being forced into a corner?

Beware of the pushy coach who doesn’t allow you to get in a word during a session. By contrast, a coach’s role is to ask questions and then provide the space you need to discover your blocks, fears and whatever else it is that may be keeping you from thriving. It’s a process that should never feel rushed. Steer clear of aggressive coaches that give you the impression that they’re far too busy for you.

This approach of relaying a sense of urgency is a classic sales tactic designed to close a deal. Don’t sell yourself short by falling for this. At the same time, try not to focus on price-shopping. Remaining within your self-care budget is important, however developing greater personal vision and creating a balanced, healthy wellbeing with a coach who you feel is very compatible and supportive is arguably priceless.

Marigold Kingrey

BIO Marigold Kingrey is a Certified Life Coach, Intuition Coach and End of Life Doula at Marigold Wellness, located in Midtown Toronto. She acts as a compassionate bridge who helps individuals navigate transitions in a healthy, balanced way. Call today for a free consultation.

CONTACT Marigold Wellness 250 Merton St., Suite 205

647-632-4768 www.marigoldwellness.com

T.O.’S TOP PROFESSIONALS

2021

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRY

MEDIATION OF MARRIAGE CONTRACTS FOR COUPLES HAVING COVID CLAUSTROPHOBIA

Learning to support and care for your loved one with effective communication strategies

FIVE METHODS TO HELP SUPPORT YOUR LOVED ONE BATTLING DEMENTIA Improving quality of life and cognitive health at home Caring for a loved one with dementia can feel like a daily battle. You are dealing with the loss of the person you once knew, but at the same time you still love them. Some of the best things you can learn are effective communication strategies and how to handle the difficult behaviour. These five methods to calm agitation and aggression give you a way to focus on your bond and love.

Stay Calm Agitation and aggression are contagious. Often

when you are talking to somebody who is getting agitated you start to feel upset yourself. Take a deep breath and pause – you’ll be amazed at how the agitated person tends to mirror your behaviour.

Feelings Not Facts Trying to reason and argue quickly becomes frustrating for everyone. Dementia can impact a person’s ability to reason and speak but feelings still remain strong. You need to respond to your loved one’s feelings instead of their words. Listen

CONTACT Anne Freed, Family Law Lawyer & Mediator 2 St. Clair Ave. W. , 18th Fl., Toronto

to the expression of frustration even if the actual words don’t make sense. Always make sure to keep their dignity front of mind. Respect, empathy and a dignified response go a long way.

Limit Distractions Dementia causes damage to the brain that makes it difficult to express thoughts and perform tasks. Background noises, clutter, crowds and even lights can overstimulate the brain and bring on feelings of restlessness. As much as possible choose smaller gatherings over crowds. Turn off the TV when talking to your loved one. Always aim to simplify your surroundings when you notice signs of agitation. A calm environment will often calm your loved one.

Check for Discomfort Difficulty communicating means that your loved one may not be able to tell you they’re uncomfortable. Fidgeting, moving around a lot and an inability to sit in one place can be signs of discomfort. Make sure you check in on the following to ensure personal comfort: When did your loved one last eat? Could your loved one have an infection? What has your loved one had to drink in the last day? Do you know when your loved one last had a bowel movement? Also, make sure that clothing isn’t itchy, tight, rubbing somewhere or even too loose and falling down. Each one may seem minor, but they contribute to discomfort which can lead to agitation and aggression.

Connect Dementia can be a frightening and stressful time for both you and your loved one. The most important thing you need to keep in mind is to stay connected. Dementia cannot steal the love from your relationship. Look for ways that you can share

(416) 368-0700 www.annefreed.com | anne@annefreed.com

your love instead of focusing on the challenging details of the immediate situation. Be proactive in redirecting conversations and activities to happier times. Be positive and try to say yes more. Enjoy the moments you have, knowing that you can only really count on today. As the disease progresses the ability to connect with your loved through senses rather than words becomes ever more important. Familiar sounds, sights, smells, tastes and touch are comforting and calming.

Remember you are not alone; resources and help for family caregivers are a phone call away.

Professional trained caregivers can offer short-term respite as well as longer term help for families dealing with the challenges of Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

Cheryl Cartwright

Cheryl Cartwright is the Managing Partner & Director of Case Management for Home Care Assistance. Cheryl is a certified gerontologist with a specialized diploma in Alzheimer’s and dementia, and a diploma in emergency communications/crisis management.

Home Care Assistance 355 Eglinton Ave W. (416) 488-8777 www.torontohomecareassistance.ca

FEBRUARY 2021

BIO Anne is a family law lawyer and mediator who has over 35 years of experience and expertise in her chosen field. In addition to her law degree, Anne has attained her master’s degree in ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution). Anne brings her legal experience and expertise, and as well, her vast life experience, to her work.

ical abuse. This is an explosive, dangerous, and unsafe situation, now much worsened by COVID. There are community resources for the abused spouse. It is not in the realm of this article to discuss this extremely important topic.

A remedy for marriages 1 and 2 is the negotiation of a marriage contract/cohabitation agreement.

Spouses can agree on terms going forward, including regarding the children, financial issues, who gets the home if the parties separate, and even division of household duties.

Most people think marriage contracts (also called “pre-nups”) can be negotiated only before marriage.

In fact, marriage contracts/cohabitation agreements can be made at any time during the marriage/cohabitation. In this time of COVID, they can provide the parties great comfort and security. Marriage contracts can be negotiated in many ways, one positive way – if viable for the parties – being Mediation. For further information, visit www.annefreed.com.

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Anne Freed – Family Law Lawyer and Mediator

The COVID crisis has forced us to live inside our homes almost 24/7. Normal routines where spouses spend the workday in separate places, have been shattered. The ability to ‘get away’ from one’s spouse has been sorely reduced. Can marriages survive all this forced togetherness, and if so, how?

1. In ‘normal life,’ there are good, okay, and bad marriages (common law relationships included). In a ‘good marriage’, spouses enjoy each other’s company, finding space even in their home’s confines. They face conflicts when arising, having the difficult conversations necessary to sustain a healthy relationship. Even these marriages are tested in these challenging times; and parties must put in extra energy to keep it thriving.

2. In ‘okay’ marriages, before COVID, spouses were mostly apart, separated by work and activities. Their marriages worked because they could physically be away from each other most of the time. These parties cannot deal with conflict, sweeping it under the rug until it becomes an insurmountable pit. They stay together for convenience, habit, common friends, etc.

This relationship is being sorely tested, now being in close quarters almost 24/7. As COVID’s shutdowns continue, tensions increase without resolution.

3. In bad marriages, there is mental and likely phys-

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T.O.’S TOP WEALTH MANAGERS “Balance your portfolio with options that offer low correlations to stocks and bonds, and provide income.”

What challenges/opportunities has the impact of COVID-19 brought about in the financial sector? Do you see them continuing for 2021?

The U.S. private lending industry remains very attractive as traditional lenders, such as banks, continue to practice restrictive lending policies for various reasons, including COVID-19. The restrictions have created an excellent lending opportunity in 2021 for private U.S. lenders to step in and fill the void.

Should clients reassess their risk tolerance because of COVID-19's effects on the financial sector? In today’s environment of low-interest rates, high stock market valuations and the uncertainty of COVID-19, clients should reassess their risk tolerance and time horizon working with their trusted financial advisor.

What is your investment philosophy?

Our investment philosophy is to diversify portfolios using alternative investments covering a broad range of investments that can help lower volatility and protect invested capital.

What components should a balanced portfolio include?

We believe a balanced portfolio should include alternative investments that offer low correlations to stocks and bonds and provide income.

Michael Steepe President & CCO

Steepe & Co. Ltd. - Investment Fund Manager 401 Bay Street, Suite 2100, Toronto, ON (416) 315-4466 • www.steepeco.com

“In clouds of uncertainty, we reiterate that being able to quickly adapt to the unexpected has never been more important.”

What is the first piece of advice you give to new clients?

We strive to educate new clients on the risks associated with investing in U.S. Bridge Loan Fund, including explaining what can go wrong so that investors can make an informed decision.

What challenges/opportunities has the impact of COVID-19 brought about in the financial sector? Do you see them continuing for 2021?

With interest rates at historic lows, many retirement investors will look to shift their savings from low-yielding accounts to higheryielding investments. This means they may be taking on more risk as they invest in equities to provide them with the returns required to finance their retirement.

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Should clients reassess their risk tolerance because of COVID-19's effects on the financial sector? Clients will need to reassess their risk tolerance to ensure they are not taking on more risk while seeking returns. Shifting part of client portfolios to alternative credit strategies could be a solution for tackling this particular investment landscape. The purpose of many of these strategies is to replicate fixed income characteristics, reduce overall portfolio volatility, increase diversification, while also generating more income than traditional fixed income sources.

Diana Dowhaluk

Senior Vice President, Investment Advisor

Richardson Wealth 675 Cochrane Drive, Ste 700, Markham 50 416.512.3656 • www.DianaDowhaluk.com

In your opinion, what is the economical outlook for 2021? I believe we are going to see a Global economic recovery back to "normal".

The set-up for 2021 appears especially challenging given the mismatch between the severity of the pandemic and historically high valuations. With global markets and economies enveloped in clouds of uncertainty, we reiterate that being able to quickly adapt to the unexpected has never been more important.

What is the first piece of advice you give to new clients? To do an asset allocation analysis of your portfolio.

Our clients trust that we’re focused on protecting and enhancing their wealth, so they are able to focus on living life on their terms.

Diana Dowhaluk Senior Vice President, Investment Advisor Tel.: 416.512.3656 Diana.Dowhaluk@RichardsonWealth.com www.DianaDowhaluk.com

the author’s judgment as of the date of this material and are subject to change without notice. We do not warrant the completeness or accuracy of this material, and it should not be relied upon as such. Before acting on any recommendation, you should consider whether it is suitable for your particular circumstances and, if necessary, seek professional advice.

Past performance is not indicative of future results. Richardson Wealth Limited, Member Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Richardson Wealth is a trademark of James Richardson & Sons, Limited used under license.

FOOD SECTION

Opened in 1944, Avenue Diner is a neighbourhood landmark known for its allday breakfast and its warm owner Louis Klasios. Over the years, it has been a favourite of celebrities like Robert DeNiro, Mike Myers and Eugene Levy — many of whom have contributed autographed photos that are displayed on the walls. The diner now faces an uncertain future thanks to a proposed condo development at the

prominent Davenport/Avenue corner that’s in early planning stages. The parcel of land at the northwest corner of Avenue and Davenport appears to include the Avenue Diner, raising concerns it could become part of the development. Klasios says the development plans are still in the early stages, so no decisions about the diner’s future have been made yet. We hope it stays. Let’s hope they make it for 75 more.

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Condo development puts 75-year-old diner at risk

FEBRUARY 2021

Clockwise from left: Avenue Diner exterior, a young Mike Myers and Will Arnett (left) with owner Louis Klasios

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DANIEL PUSTIL

TOP 1% REALTOR IN TORONTO Dollar Sales

Salesperson, Vice-President, Partner

Direct: 416.565.4001 | Office: 416.944.1818 | 192 Davenport Road | danielpustil@gmail.com

Stay. At. Home.

And when this is all over, you will be so sick of your house you will want to...

USE ME. TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP TOWARDS GREATER CLARITY AND LIFE BALANCE CERTIFIED LIFE COACH INTUITION COACH END OF LIFE DOULA Compassionately assisting you with personal, business or spiritual transitions. ◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

When you work with me, I can help you: Boost confidence and shift into a more positive outlook.

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Discover your intuitive gifts, move towards greater clarity, and improve relationships.

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Arrive at a deeper understanding of the end of life process.

CALL FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION info@marigoldwellness.com

647-632-4768

Breathe life into your vision and gain empowerment to reach your goals.

www.marigoldwellness.com

250 Merton Street, Suite 205, Toronto

TASTE TEST

FOOD

EGG-CELLENT Chinese or Hong Kong egg tarts were influenced

by British custard tarts and Portuguese pastel de nata.

RING IN THE NEW YEAR Just in time for Lunar New Year on February 12, chefs Mark McEwan and Craig Wong pick the best sweet treats from Toronto’s top Chinese, Hongkongese and Taiwanese bakeries.

RUNNER-UP

nal taste o i t i rad

IBAKE

HONG KONG ISLAND

BAKE CODE

PATISSERIE GATEAU

MASHION

McEwan praised the “fresh and soft” texture of the coconut roll and subtle flavour of the red bean snow ball. Wong said the egg tart had a “perfect puff pastry crust” that was “nice and flaky” as well as “perfectly set custard.”

5459 Yonge St., $1.50–$5.99

Wong noted that the croissant was pleasantly moist, and although the pastry was untraditional, he appreciated the creativity. McEwan also praised the croissant as “sweet and fresh” and said the sesame ball had a nice, crispy exterior.

248 Spadina Ave., $0.80–$1.00

Wong enjoyed the rich black sesame flavour of the roll, adding that the ground black sesame topping was a nice touch. He also said the raisin twist had a nice texture. Both judges loved the pineapple bun’s salted egg yolk centre.

4910 Yonge St., $3.20–$3.90

Both judges appreciated the texture of the sesame ball’s red bean paste, and Wong liked the egg tart’s golden brown colour.

McEwan said the coconut roll had “really good flavour,” and he enjoyed the “sweet, buttery coconut” found throughout.

6464 Yonge St., $1.50–$2.00

Wong loved the “traditional and nostalgic” feel of the treats from this bakery, noting the sweet and savoury taste of the pineapple bun and the flaky egg tart crust. McEwan enjoyed the “perfect crumbly, buttery topping” of the pineapple bun.

345 Spadina Ave., $0.70–$2.00

FEBRUARY 2021

T

sh nd fre et a

Swe

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WINNER

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OUR 2020 STATS FOR ALL OF OUR LISTINGS: AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET - 9 DAYS (TRREB AVERAGE 28 DAYS) SALE TO LIST RATIO - 102% - (TRREB AVERAGE 100%)

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NEWS

FOOD

Prairie Boy Bread to open a new midtown location this spring

A rendering of Orangeville's soon-to-open Greystones restaurant

Scaramouche chef to open new resto Greystones is located in a historic 19th-century building Keith Froggett, the chef-owner behind long-running Toronto restaurant Scaramouche, is set to open a beautiful new restaurant and event space in Orangeville next month.

Greystones is located in a historic building dating back to 1852. It was one of the first permanent structures constructed in what would later become Orangeville.

Benn Froggett (Keith Froggett’s son and co-owner of Halton Hills’ restaurant the Glen Tavern) and Jennifer Dattels, who first purchased the property several years ago, join Keith as co-owners of the new restaurant.

Dattels oversaw a redesign of the space

by Toronto-based agency Solid Design.

“This was a special building to her [Dattels] that she just wanted to bring back to life,” says Benn. “It’s always been a hospitality building over the years, ever since it was built in the 1850s. It was originally called Graham’s Tavern,” he adds.

The space has been given a contemporary makeover that also maintains some of its original details, such as exposed stone walls.

It now includes a lounge, main dining room, an event space for up to 50 guests and a private 10-seat dining room, as well as a separate neighbouring café.

Greystones’ website says that diners can expect “seasonal, contemporary cuisine,” teasing a sample menu featuring small plates, pizza, house-made pasta and meat and fish mains, such as hand-cut Ontario black Angus beef burgers and herb-andmustard crusted halibut.

“We have a pasta extruder for making all our own pasta in-house, and we’re using the same suppliers as the Glen Tavern and Scaramouche, so really high-quality ingredients,” says Benn.

Keith will act as a culinary consultant for the restaurant and work on menu development, and Scaramouche sous chef Shigetaka Wakai will take the helm as

by Jessica Huras

Greystones’ head chef.

Scaramouche temporarily closed when dine-in was first shut down last March.

Keith says the success of Benn’s takeout rollout at the Glen Tavern inspired the Scaramouche team to attempt something similar. Scaramouche’s takeout menu combines the menus of its main restaurant and its more casual pasta bar and grill.

“We’re very careful with how we craft the menu and how well things will travel,” says Keith. “The challenge is trying to stay true to the quality of cooking that we’ve always offered.”

Greystones is slated to open sometime in February if the lockdown restrictions that currently prohibit indoor dining are lifted.

“We need to be back in the red zone to at least have a few people inside,” says Benn.

“Even if we can only open to 10 people, it’s a great way to get to know the community and for them to get to know us.”

Beloved bakery Prairie Boy Bread, known for its organic sourdough and delicious homemade baked goods made from scratch, is set to open a second location. Construction on a new storefront is currently in the works, and owner Grant MacPherson hopes to bring the Prairie Boy brand to the eclectic Yonge and St. Clair neighbourhood by April 2021.

“We have been looking for a chance to grow our business for some time,” MacPherson says. “We had a seasonal location in Muskoka for the summers of 2018 and 2019, and we really enjoyed the challenge but decided we wanted something closer to home. We’re really excited about the changes going on in the Yonge and St. Clair neighbourhood and hope we can contribute something unique to the neighbourhood.”

The new Prairie Boy Bread will offer a similar selection of products that are currently available at the College Street location.

MacPherson says that the bakery will also stock an assortment of carefully curated products made by local makers who share the company’s ethos about food and community of procuring locally.

As an essential service, Prairie Boy’s College Street location is currently open for in-store shopping, but strict health and safety protocols remain in place.

Curbside pickup is also available.

“The support from the neighbourhood has been really great over the last 10 months. This has allowed us to keep our doors open and the staff employed,” MacPherson says. “While we will be opening into a different reality than we had previously envisioned, we feel reasonably confident that there will be sufficient business to make the new space a success.”

- Christine Hogg

Legendary Leaside bar goes on hiatus

FEBRUARY 2021

McSorley’s statement indicates the inability to sell alcohol on a regular basis for its dine-in customers or sell it at wholesale prices similar to the LCBO means it does not have the “right business model to operate during these times.”

“We pay our employees properly, we pay our taxes and bills, we put our 2019 profits right back into the business in 2020 with a full exterior and interior renovation. We feel we have done everything right to the best of our abilities during these times, but it just wasn’t working well enough,” the statement continues.

The McSorley’s team took the opportunity to ask its own customers to support local businesses in the Leaside area, especially the tiny shops on Bayview Avenue that have “fought really hard over the past 10 months to stay afloat.”

© Lindsay Rosset

Popular Leaside bar and restaurant McSorley’s is going on a hiatus after 10 months of trying to cope with running a food and beverage operation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a note sent to the restaurant’s mailing list via email and then posted on social media, the longtime Bayview Avenue bar notes that it deserved a “little vacation from all this mess,” before thanking the community for their support.

“We appreciate all the support you have shown during this time, and rest assured we will open again soon when the time is right,” the post reads, in part.

The hospitality industry, in particular restaurants and bars, has been amongst the hardest hit during the pandemic with some suggesting one in 10 have already closed across the country.

by Ron Johnson

| POST |

McSorley’s plans on reopening in the near future

Owner Grant MacPherson

55

FOOD

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Mel’s launches Canadian-style pizza Ghost kitchen offers secret password ordering by Jessica Huras

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Mel’s Pizza is bringing a mushrooms and chopped distinctive new style of pizza to pepperoni.

Toronto. Pre-pandemic, Toronto “A lot of Windsor expats are chef Matt Sullivan went on a getting it and love it,” says pizza research journey that took Sullivan. him from Windsor to Chicago, Mel’s also regularly offers Brooklyn, Detroit and beyond. special secret pizzas by sharing a When COVID-19 hit, Sullivan password via Instagram stories. focused on using his newfound Diners who order a standard pizza knowledge to create “a cheese pizza and enter the Canadian-style, nostalgic pizza” password in the comments that would be well-suited to section of their form will receive takeout and delivery. the secret pizza instead. Recent “A lot of different styles secret pies have included a of pizza don’t really taco pizza topped with work for delivery. You beef short rib braised ON THE MENU have to have it when in chipotle peppers, The No Big Dill it comes fresh out of peperoncini, red features vodka the oven,” explains pepper and shaved sauce, pepperoni Sullivan. cotija cheese; and a and dill pickles.

The pies at Mel’s clam pizza topped Pizza feature a thin with clams in garlic crust that’s crispy yet butter and clam liquor, fluffy, made from dough that’s spicy vodka sauce, mozzarella fermented for four days. The and bacon. pizzas, all of which come in 16Mel’s Pizza is currently inch sizes, are topped with available for delivery via Uber organic mozzarella and sauce Eats, DoorDash and made from Bianco DiNapoli SkipTheDishes. organic tomatoes.

Sullivan says he hopes to “We use really quality eventually transition from a ghost ingredients,” says Sullivan. “It’s kitchen to a brick and mortar crafted, thoughtful pizza.” restaurant when lockdown Some toppings pay homage to restrictions are lifted.

Canadian-made pizzas. For “We have a pretty good example, the Windsor pizza, following with a lot of repeat which is inspired by the city’s customers, and we’re getting iconic hometown pizza, is topped busier every day,” he says. with tomato, mozzarella,

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FOOD

Takeout, Deliveries & Curbside

We can make Custom packages for easy drop offs!

Remember our number

1136 Centre Street, Thornhill www.centrestreetdeli.com

Time for Preschool?

The Food Dudes’ Adrian Niman launches edibles Adrian Niman knows his way around the food industry.

Prior to founding the Food Dudes 14 years ago, a catering and restaurant company, from the kitchen of his condo, Niman trained in Michelin-starred restaurants. He has spent the last decade and a half looking for new ways to explore his culinary passion while injecting youthful energy into the Toronto food industry.

Although the last year presented many challenges, it also provided Niman with a rare opportunity to make forays into uncharted culinary territory.

The Food Dudes already helm five Toronto restaurants, including Rasa in Harbord village and Pantry at Yonge and Roxborough in Rosedale. Three years ago, the opportunity came for Niman to partner with John B. Aird and Sarah Gillin of Olli on a line of cannabis-infused food products.

Niman took the chance to venture into yet another facet of the food industry.

The trio struck a deal and Niman joined the venture as executive chef. Working out of Olli’s 11,200-square-foot facility in Etobicoke, he set to work. The result is a range of cannabis chews, teas and brownies created with high-quality ingredients.

“We can guarantee that our products are much more nutritious and more beneficial for you than anything else on the market,” Niman says.

He notes the natural benefits of

cannabis as a treatment for anxiety, physical pain and more.

Niman, Aird and Gillin hired a team of industry professionals to help them develop their line — the soft chews in both strawberry and dragon fruit flavours are available now (priced at $7.90 per pack).

The two gummies are available for sale through the Ontario Cannabis Store and other licensed retailers.

Cannabis-infused teas, which have been hand selected by an in-house tea sommelier, are poised to drop soon as well.

“Our products are much more nutritious and more beneficial for you than anything else on the market.”

A food scientist ensured that the goodies have a shelf life of up to six months but without sacrificing flavour profile.

“I’ve been able to work with them on a bunch of ideas,” Niman says. “Now we have such a great team. They come to us with ideas, and it makes my job really fun. I just get to come in and see what they’ve been working on and try their amazing products.”

The partnership with Olli wasn’t the only new venture for Niman in 2020. This recent launch comes on

by Erica Commisso

the heels of Niman’s experience with Hotel X, catering for the hotel’s NHL playoff bubble. He was given the task a mere 10 days after signing a deal to cater for Hotel X. As a former competitive hockey player and an equally avid fan, it was an experience that Niman says brought endless positivity to 2020.

“We took over our first hotel deal, and then 10 days later we’re told they won the bid to be able to be one of the hotels to cater to the players and teams. I ended up having to live in the hotel for 40 days and 40 nights,” he says. “We had to launch three different restaurants and run a breakfast, lunch and dinner banquet for all the teams every single day.”

The players recognized his efforts, and Sidney Crosby even signed a stick for him.

“It was definitely the highlight of 2020 for me, in a year that was full of so much despair,” he says.

For 2021, Niman and the Food Dudes are working to open more locations of their pizza restaurant, Blondie’s. They’re also continuing to make their mark on the Toronto food scene with Fare by the Food Dudes, a grocery and gift experience that provides curated boxes and experiences for six different themes.

“Really, it’s just trying to stay patient and wait for everyone to get vaccinated so that we can get back to doing what we love,” he says.

“And that’s cooking for people.”

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FEBRUARY 2021

Rosedale chef cooks up cannabis

Ages 1 - 5

| POST |

The Food Dudes' Adrian Niman partnered with cannabis brand Olli

57

FOOD

NEWS

Through individualized special education instruction, we enable each student with a learning disability to succeed.

Because at Dunblaine, we understand.

21 Deloraine Avenue Toronto Ontario Telephone 416 483 9215 www.dunblaineschool.com

The Matt's Smokehouse team

Forest Hill rookie chef opens BBQ joint Matt’s Smokehouse offers ribs and brisket

| POST | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

by Jessica Huras

58

Matt’s Smokehouse is the The simple menu at Matt’s Junction’s latest source for Smokehouse includes brisket and Southern-style barbecue. pulled chicken sandwiches, ribs, Originally a home-based wings and rotating weekly business, Matt’s Smokehouse specials like jerk chicken started when owner Matthew sandwiches and sausages.

Horowitz bought a backyard Meats are smoked over a blend smoker a few years ago. of apple, pecan and hickory Gradually, his personal barbecue woods. experiments led to him serving “I do a mix of the three, so it’s his smoked creations to friends light but you still get that outer and neighbours. Soon, he was smoke,” Horowitz says. taking orders almost daily via For sides, there’s homemade Instagram. candy jalapeno cornbread “I did a trial run from and a Memphis-style about February to slaw.

ON THE MENU June [2020], and Horowitz says that The pulled chicken during that time I his wings have sandwich features was selling five to already become a fan fried onions and seven days a week, favourite because, secret sauce. and I would unlike most barbecue essentially sell out joints, he smokes the every day to my friends wings rather than frying and family and whoever knew them. me,” says Horowitz.

They’re seasoned with a dry After purchasing a second rub and then coated lightly with a smoker, bringing on a restaurant signature sauce on the smoker, industry friend to help him keep which Horowitz says gives them a up with the orders and crunching slightly caramelized exterior. the numbers, Horowitz decided Pickup orders can be placed via to turn his hobby into a full-time the Matt’s Smokehouse website. career, quitting his day job and Currently, the restaurant offers signing a lease to a commercial same-day ordering for kitchen. sandwiches and sides. Other He plans to operate Matt’s orders need to be placed 24 hours Smokehouse mainly as a takeout in advance, although Horowitz restaurant but adds that the space says he hopes to soon roll out has a few patio tables for outdoor same-day ordering for the whole dining in the warmer months. menu.

NEWS

FOOD

A platter of chicken paired with sides

California hot chicken comes to T.O. Dave's Hot Chicken debuts soon at Yonge & Eg Dave’s Hot Chicken has officially arrived in Toronto to warm up our winter with its spicy Nashville chicken.

The new Parkdale outpost, which takes over the former home of Pete’s Corner Grill, is the L.A. fast-casual concept’s first location outside of California.

Blair Bitove, director of business development, first discovered Dave’s Hot Chicken while studying in Los Angeles.

She worked with her father, John Bitove, founder of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, to bring the popular franchise to Canada.

Founded by four childhood friends, Dave's Hot Chicken was started in 2017 as a pop-up concept operating out of a parking lot in East Hollywood.

The foursome opened their first brick and mortar store in 2018,

and Dave's Hot Chicken has since expanded to seven locations across L.A. “I think what sets us apart is we use the tender meat from the chicken, which is the best part of the chicken,” says Blair. “Our flavouring is very different from what people are used to. It’s a mix between a dry rub and a sauce.”

Dave’s Hot Chicken’s simple menu features just three combos of chicken tenders or sliders.

The chicken is prepared in a signature brine, deep-fried and seasoned with a choice of seven spice blends that come in heat levels ranging from “no spice” to “reaper.” Combos are served with crinkle fries, pickles and spicy Dave’s sauce. Other sides include cheese fries, kale slaw and mac ’n’ cheese, which can be ordered separately or added to a combo.

Blair says the restaurant will

by Jessica Huras

soon also launch a secret menu with only-in-Canada items, such as chicken poutine. A craft beer lineup focused on neighbourhood brewers is also in the works.

The Bitoves have plans to open more than 30 Canadian Dave’s Hot Chicken outposts over the next year. Blair says the next two locations, found just south of Yonge and Eglinton and in the Leslieville area, will hopefully open their doors before the summer. Each location will also feature a mural by a Toronto artist that pays homage to its unique surrounding neighbourhood.

Dave’s Hot Chicken’s Parkdale location is currently open for takeout and delivery. A dine-in area will launch when lockdown restrictions are lifted.

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FEBRUARY 2021

weeks and the Summerhill Market team is currently aiming for a March opening. However as with almost everything amidst the pandemic, McMullen says the lockdown could delay the projected timeline.

The first Summerhill Market was founded by Frank McMullen in Rosedale in 1954. The market now has additional locations in the Sherwood Park area and the Annex, as well as a floral boutique on Mount Pleasant Road. The three market locations are currently open for in-store shopping and online ordering. Delivery is offered for online orders, with curbside pickup also available at the Rosedale location.

Keep an eye on Summerhill Market’s website and Instagram for further updates on the opening date for the Forest Hill location.

- JH

| POST |

Beloved Toronto grocer Summerhill Market is set to soon open its fourth location at 484 Eglinton Ave. W., in the Forest Hill neighbourhood.

Company president Brad McMullen says the new outpost, which takes over the former home of Edo restaurant, has been in the works for over a year and the building has been given a top-to-bottom makeover.

Once completed, the new grocery store will span two storeys. Full details about the new location are still under wraps, but like Summerhill Market’s other locations across Toronto, McMullen says the Forest Hill store will feature a full selection of house-made prepared foods and grocery essentials, as well as a meat counter for prime cuts.

McMullen adds that construction on the new store should be wrapping up within the next two

59

SUPPORT LOCAL RESTAURANTS DELIVERY GUIDE

www.cestbonrestaurant.com

www.chefonthego.ca

www.karbouzi.com

www.phokingfabulous.com

2685 YONGE STREET • 416 932 2811

647 281 7090

2048 AVENUE ROAD • 416 483 3846

2411 YONGE ST. • 647 352 5288

OPEN FOR TAKE-OUT & DELIVERY

WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY DELIVERIES

OPEN FOR TAKE-OUT & DELIVERY

OPEN FOR TAKE-OUT & DELIVERY

Pictured: Black Bean Basil Chinese Eggplant

MENU HIGHLIGHTS

Pictured: Lockdown meal survival kits

LOCKDOWN MEAL SURVIVAL KITS FAMILY OF 4 - $119.95: chef curated meals, change weekly.

House Pan Fried Dumplings

A FEW MENU HIGHLIGHTS

BBQ Pork Spare Ribs Crispy Ginger Beef Spicy Peanut Chicken

Mediterranean Bowl: served with quinoa, vegetables, roasted chickpeas, sprinkle of za’atar pita crisps, crumbled feta, lemon tahini drizzle, and either chicken, falafel or lamb kabobs.

Appetizers: Pork, Chicken, Lamb or Beef Souvlaki Stick Spanokopita, Shrimp, Pita Bread Fried Calamari, Dolmades, Greek Salad Tzatziki, Hummus, Taramosalata

MENU HIGHLIGHTS Traditional Vietnamese: Rare and well-done beef served with rice noodles in beef broth.

Chicken Pho: White meat chicken served with rice noodles in chicken broth Seafood Pho: Tiger shrimps, fish balls, and crab sticks served with vegetables and rice noodles in chicken broth.

Skillet Beef Tenderloin 16 oz: melt in your mouth and served with red wine jus and a blistered tomato medley.

Moussaka - potato, eggplant, zucchini, ground beef topped with béchamel sauce and served with rice and vegetables

Crab Noodle Soup: Crab sticks and crab meat, egg, tomatoes, and fried tofu served with thin vermicelli in crab-based soup.

Seafood Cantonese Chow Mein

Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups: served with lettuce cups and crispy rice noodles.

Gyros on a Pita topped with marinated tomatoes, onions and tzatziki

Also Wide Selection of Vegetarian and Tofu Dishes

Crispy Beef Stirfry: served with scallions and sesame seeds.

Check out our full menu on-line!

Fabulous Rice: Grilled marinated pork chop, shredded pork and pork skin, steamed egg custard with minced pork served with fish sauce on fragrant ice.

Basil Chicken House Mix Vegetable House Chili Prawn Special Fried Rice

Forest Mushroom Pasta: rich creamy sauce with a mushroom medley and chicken breast add on.

Steakhouse Rustic Garlic Smashed Potatoes: tossed in EVOO and sprinkled with fresh parsley.

| POST | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

TRADITIONAL GREEK DELICACIES

Pictured: Crab Noodle Soup

Entrees: Pork, Chicken, Lamb or Beef Souvlaki Dinnerserved with rice, roast potatoes and tzatziki

General Tsao's Chicken

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Pictured: Pork Souvlaki

C’est Bon would like to thank all of our customers for their continued support during this period. All our staff are taking additional safety measures to ensure the safety of both staff and all of our customers.

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Order from our pre-packaged meats, poultry, fish, seafood, spice rubs, marinades, and dressings.

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There is no need to travel to Greece for the authentic cuisine, simply go online to www.karbouzi.com. A Toronto restaurant tradition for over 50 years, Karbouzi Greek Taverna has become a staple on Avenue Road known for the warm atmosphere, the friendly service, and of course, the delicious home cooking!

Karbouzi boasts a menu filled with traditional Greek delicacies from Souvlaki to Moussaka to flaming Saganaki. And don’t forget to try our much loved Tzaziki!

Ha Noi Grilled Pork Vermicelli: Ha Noi style grilled pork and pork patties served with rice vermicelli, spring roll, herbs, and fish sauce.

Pho King Fabulous is home to the city's most authentic Vietnamese dishes. We are especially proud of our Pho broth which is prepared through a traditional 10-hour process using only the very best ingredients.

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Call direct or order online at www.karbouzi.com

RECIPES

FOOD

Bombay prawns and a Tiger bowl Keep your at-home cooking routine varied with this mix of indulgent and light recipes from T.O.’s top chefs

"This recipe was inspired by a trip I took to Bombay in 2019 when I travelled around to Irani cafés,” says Bhagwani. “It influenced the dishes at Bom-Bay Snack Bar and made me want to honour this Indian cultural practice that I am very fond of by giving Toronto a taste."

INGREDIENTS 12 2 1⁄2 tbsp 2 1⁄2 tbsp 1 ⁄2 tsp 2 tsp 2 tsp 2 sprigs ⁄4 cup

1

2 1 3 tbsp

6-8 inch peeled tiger prawns corn flour rice flour garam masala ginger-garlic paste red cayenne pepper curry leaves salt, to taste water oil, for deep frying green chillies, finely chopped lime HB Magic Masala

the prawns and drain them completely. Marinate the prawns with chopped curry leaves, half of cayenne powder, a dash of lime juice and set aside. Combine rice flour, corn flour, garam masala, salt, green chilies, remaining cayenne powder and ginger garlic paste to make a batter. Add water to the batter. Dredge the prawns in the batter and deep fry in hot oil until golden. Set aside to drain on paper towel. Serve hot, sprinkled with HB Magic Masala and lime wedge.

369 DRESSING 1 tsp 2 cups 2 cloves 1 tbsp 1 ⁄4 cup 1 ⁄4 cup 3 tbsp 1 ⁄3 cup 1 ⁄4 cup 1 tbsp 2 tbsp

MARINATED TOFU CUBES 1 block

Fresh’s Tiger Bowl “The Tiger bowl has been a favourite on the Fresh menu for years and is a perfect combination of savoury and spicy,” says chef Jennifer Houston. “The crispness of the red peppers complements the grilled greens perfectly, and the crispy tofu cubes are a wonderful pairing with the cashews.”

⁄2 cup ⁄4 cup 1 ⁄4 cup 1

3

100 ml 40 g 30 g 10 g 4g

vegetable oil garlic, finely chopped desiccated coconut deggi mirch chilli powder salt

METHOD To make HB Magic Masala, heat oil in a frying pan and brown the garlic until crispy. Set aside on paper towel. Heat a clean frying pan, add coconut and toast slowly until light golden. Combine garlic, coconut, salt and chili powder and grind using a mortar and pestle. Store in kitchen paper in an airtight container for later use.

To make Bombay Prawns, wash

3 cups 4 oz 20 1 batch 1 ⁄4 cup 4 cups

2 tsp ⁄2 cup

1

20 2 tsp 1 tsp 2 tbsp

cooked brown rice or soba noodles 369 dressing marinated tofu cubes magic tofu coating sunflower oil mixed shredded greens of your choice (napa cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, radicchio, etc.) gluten-free tamari fresh red bell pepper, chopped whole roasted cashews Chili Oil sesame seeds green onions, thinly sliced

extra firm tofu, cut into cubes apple cider vinegar tamari water

MAGIC TOFU COATING 1 cup ⁄2 cup 1 tbsp 1 ⁄4 tsp 1 ⁄4 tsp

1

INGREDIENTS HB MAGIC MASALA

sunflower oil onions, chopped garlic, minced sesame oil olive oil 369 oil tamari tahini fresh lemon juice maple syrup veggie stock or water

flaked nutritional yeast cornstarch garlic powder sea salt freshly ground black pepper

CHILI OIL 1 cup ⁄3 cup

1

sunflower oil dry chili flakes

METHOD TIGER BOWL: Heat sunflower oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Remove marinated tofu cubes from marinade and toss with magic tofu coating until fully coated. Cook cubes in oil, turning so all sides get browned. Remove from pan and let sit on paper towels while you prepare the rest of the bowl. Using same frying pan, turn heat up to high and add greens and tamari.

Quickly sauté until wilted and slightly browned in places. Put the cooked rice or soba noodles into

INGREDIENTS two large bowls. Top with 369 Dressing and sauteed greens.

1 769 ml can whole plum tomatoes 1 Drizzle with chili oil and then add ⁄2 white onion, thinly remaining ingredients, including sliced 1 crispy tofu cubes. Serve with extra ⁄2 cup olive oil 369 dressing and chili oil on the 1 bunch basil side if desired.

1 kg mixed ground beef, 369 DRESSING: Heat sunflower oil pork and veal 4 slices Wonder Bread in frying pan over medium heat. (or any white bread) Add onions and garlic, cook until 1 cup whole milk softened and starting to brown.

1 ⁄2 cup grated parmesan Remove from heat and let cool. Put 2 eggs remaining ingredients in a blender, garlic, microplaned 3 cloves add cooked onions and garlic, or finely chopped blend until smooth. Use 1 chopped parsley ⁄ 3 cup immediately or transfer to container 1 1⁄2 tsp salt (Diamond Kosher and refrigerate for 5-7 days. is best) MARINATED TOFU CUBES: Mix 1 ⁄2 tsp dried oregano vinegar, tamari and water and then 1 ⁄2 tsp dried chili flakes add the tofu cubes. Marinate at least 15 minutes or up to 5 days.

METHOD MAGIC TOFU COATING: Mix Heat a medium saucepan on low. everything together in a bowl.

Add olive oil and simmer sliced CHILI OIL: Heat oil in a small onion and garlic in oil for 25 saucepan over medium heat until a minutes or right before the onions wooden spoon stuck into the oil start to turn brown. Add tomatoes releases lots of bubbles (that’s just and bring to a boil. Drop down to a a little trick to use so you’ll know it’s simmer and add basil and salt. hot enough). Put chili flakes into Cook on medium-low for an hour, another pot or heat proof container stirring frequently to break up the that will be big enough to hold all tomatoes. the oil as well. Pour hot oil over chili While the sauce is bubbling flakes and stir. Let cool. gently, pulse bread in a food Let sit for 3 hours and then strain processor until the slices have to remove the chilies. Put strained broken down to a fine crumb. Soak oil into a clean container and bread crumbs in milk for 10 refrigerate. Keeps for a few minutes. Once milk is absorbed, months. add remaining ingredients and mix by hand. Shape into balls.

Lambo’s Deli’s meatballs Place balls in the oven on a sheet pan lined with parchment and roast “This dish is inspired by my father’s at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, famous meatballs,” says Lambo’s rotating halfway. Place balls into Justin Leon. “Pre-COVID-19, my sauce and simmer for at least 30 dad would host Sunday dinner at minutes (preferably up to 3 hours), his house, and his meatballs were partially covered on medium-low. always the talk of the table.”

| POST |

Hemant Bhagwani’s Bombay Prawns

FEBRUARY 2021

L-R: Fresh's Tiger Bowl and Hemant Bhagwani's Bombay Prawns

61

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD’S TRIED AND TRUSTED

CLASSIFIEDS To book an ad call 416-250-7979 x270 or email classifieds@postcity.com

John Bell Painting, painting homes for over 25 years

Tom Day Plumbing, advertising since 1999

Grandma’s Garden, beautifying area gardens since 2010

Teachers on Call, personalized tutoring since 1990

Michael Hennaoui, fixing neighbourhood homes since 2007

Winter Featured Classifieds

PROFESSIONAL DUCT CLEANING Toronto's most respected cleaning service!

• CARPETS • DRAPERY • AREA RUGS • FURNITURE

Professional Duct Cleaning since 1966

info@reliablecarpet.ca www.reliablecarpet.ca

WWW. POWERVAC . CA

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FOR THE BEST PRICING & A 5 year Guarantee call ALEX. insured & licensed

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PAVING Insured & Bonded • 15 years’ experience

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info@epicpaving.ca www.e p i c p a v i n g . c a

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62

Renovations Renovations Additions Additions Project Project Management Masonry Masonry W Work ork New New Home Construction Construction

Design Design & Permit Services Bonded Bonded & Insured WSIB WSIB Registered All

All W Work ork Guaranteed

416.564.0149 pawconstruction.ca Providing Professional & Quality Construction Services for over 20 years

• Casement • Steel door • • Single & double sliders • • Tilt in single & double hung • • Fibreglass door • Patio door • Best Quality. Great Price Energy Star Window Free Estimates

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TERRAFORM

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POWER VAC OFFERS A VARIETY OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY SERVICES

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RM

Call us today for a free estimate

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• NADCA Certified Air Systems Cleaning Specialists on staff • Indoor Air Quality Testing by Professional Engineer • Certified Mold Remediators and Ventilation Inspectors • State of the art Air Filtration Systems

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TOWNLEY MASONRY

We are proud members of BILD & a registered & licensed builder with Tarion Warranty Corp. %#$

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â&#x20AC;˘ No Permit Required â&#x20AC;˘ No Tax Reassessment â&#x20AC;˘ No Set Back Issues Just a nice garage at a fraction of the cost of replacement

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â&#x20AC;˘ Plumbing

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COSGROVE PLASTERWORKS Interior Plaster Specialist. We specialize in plastering old walls, ceilings, and new drywall. No sanding required. Repair plaster mouldings done in-situ. Please call Mike at 416-388-1814.

416-819-8888

WATERPROOFING Interior and Exterior Foundation Repairs Backflow Preventer & Sump Pumps

416-807-9733 Shower Restoration of Toronto U Â&#x153;Â?` ,iÂ&#x201C;Â&#x153;Ă&#x203A;>Â?

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ECONOMY FENCE & REPAIR EXPERT â&#x20AC;˘ Chain Link â&#x20AC;˘ Dog Runs â&#x20AC;˘ Gates â&#x20AC;˘ Removal â&#x20AC;˘ Etc. â&#x20AC;˘ No job too small

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Architectural Designs Custom Homes & Major Renovations Zoning Reviews & Committee of Adjustment Construction Drawings Building Permit Applications Accredited Architectural Technologists BCIN # 20550 & 27003 OAA Licence # 8368 Liability E&O Insurance Coverage 50 + Years in Architecture

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â&#x20AC;˘ Roof Repairs â&#x20AC;˘ Roof Maintenance â&#x20AC;˘ Missing Shingles â&#x20AC;˘ Major/Minor Leaks â&#x20AC;˘ Eaves and Downspout Repair â&#x20AC;˘ Raccoon Problems â&#x20AC;˘ Squirrel and Bird Problems

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Homes

By Design

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Interiors Additions Renovations New Homes Landscape

Please Call David

Perfect

Fences & Decks Adam (416) 889-6449 avsold@aol.com 20 years experience Licence # B10111

References Available Call For a Free Estimate

416 821 0448

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JOHN BELL PAINTING

WILDLIFE EXPERTS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank you for what most painters promise but few deliver.â&#x20AC;? R.L.

Squirrels Raccoons s 0AINTING s 0APERING s $RYWALL s 3TUCCO s &AUX

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Clean & efficient work done on time.

Free Estimates s Licensed Seniors Discount

416-491-1010

416-248-0211 ELECTRICAL 3

FREE ESTIMATES

IRAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HANDYMAN SERVICES â&#x20AC;˘ Picture Hanging

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irathehandyman@gmail.com

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Quick Turnaround

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Interiors & Exteriors

416 893 8762 Housestudio7.ca

showerrestorationtoronto.com info@showerrestorationtoronto.com

â&#x20AC;˘ Residential â&#x20AC;˘ Condos â&#x20AC;˘ Office â&#x20AC;˘ Retail Stores

The Most Professional Paint Job At The Most Affordable Price!

John Cole B Arch

416-787-8084

High quality home renovations & improvements

MILEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PAINTING Over 20 Years Experience

Call Peter:

ADTEK BUILDING CONSULTANTS

â&#x20AC;˘Top quality workmanship â&#x20AC;˘ Proven unbeatable prices â&#x20AC;˘ Res & Com

PAINTING 2

Ready to fall over?

With Dump Truck

HOME IMPROVEMENTS 1

BASEMENT

GARAGE LEANING?

â&#x20AC;˘ Fixture Installations

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â&#x20AC;˘ Shingle & Flat Roof Repair

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Small Job Specialistâ&#x20AC;?

647-767-0164

irathehandyman@hotmail.com

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416-274-6942

BRIANJPARKER

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Service Upgrades Troubleshooting Ceiling Fans Pot Lights Lighting Designs LED Retrofits Nest Thermostats Pools / Hot Tubs Generators

CONSTRUCTION INC. Flagstone & Stone Work Brick Restoration & Masonry Retaining Walls Concrete Work & Steps Rebuild Walk Out Basement Excavating & Addition

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Call John: 416-827-8397 bwmconstr@hotmail.com www.bwmmasonry.ca

CALL ANTHONY

416-704-4990

FEBRUARY 2021

1. Home Improvements 2. Painting 3. Electrical 4. Plumbing 5. Landscaping 6. Interiors & Upholstery

Handy man

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HOME

alcelectricinc@gmail.com 63

Lucomm Electric Inc. is a fully licensed and insured electrical company.

As an Electrical Safety Authority Licensed Master Electrician, Przemek Podruczny is ready and able to take care of all your Commercial and Residential electrical needs.

647-894-1673 Toronto’s Trusted Plumbers Since 1979

INTERIORS & UPHOLSTERY 6 1

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WaterWorks

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Tom Day

$50.00

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647.490.9710 WaterWorksCanada.com

Faucets, toilets, sinks, etc. installed. Blocked toilets, backed up drains, basement back ups.

External & internal drain excavating. Complete washroom renovations. "

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TONY O’DONNELL & SONS

PLUMBING, HEATING GAS & HVAC Over 35 Years Experience

Master Plumber License No: PH25858

Residential & Commercial

No Job Too Small For a FREE Estimate Please Call Tony:

647-379-0661

thehouseplumber.ca

416-876-6679 LANDSCAPING 5

| POST | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

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Consultation Consultation

Restoration & Repair

Specialist in Hazardous Tree Removal & Ornamental Pruning

SENIORS’ SENIORS’ D DISCOUNT ISCOUNT

416-745-TREE 416-745-TR RE EE

www.kellytree.com

ashleystreecare.ca a shleystreecare.ca

Fences & Decks Adam (416) 889-6449 avsold@aol.com 20 years experience Licence # B10111

Quick Turnaround

(8733) (8733)

Hendrik Tree Service

STUMP REMOVAL

647-238-2661

GARDEN DESIGN Design & Installation Planting & Pruning Garden Maintenance Complete Garden Makeovers

416-522-7288 Free Consultations shastagardens@hotmail.com

A Wo man’s TTouch ouch La ndscaping Woman’s Landscaping Overgrown...out control garden?

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Restoration of antique & modern furniture. In-home touch-ups of dining room sets, bedroom sets & kitchen cupboards.

Gluing & general repairs.

COMPUTER AND IT SUPPORT Set-up, Tutoring, virus removal, troubleshooting, networks.

House calls or remote support.

Patient, references available.

Your questions? My answers!

David Block: 416-830-6160; Email: dblock@sympatico.ca.

35 years’ experience

416-654-0518

SERVICES 7. Cleaning 8. Computer Services 9. Health & Fitness 10. Appliances 11. Senior Services 12. Art & Design

CITY TROPICALS INC.

HEALTH & FITNESS 9

Personal Trainer Online Train with me on: FaceTime Whatsapp Zoom

CLEANING 7 416-884-1882 Living Plants for Public and Private Spaces Tropical Tropical Plant Maintenance/Sales Consultation, Design & Installation Pruning & Synthetic Plants

SHASTA

24 hr. service

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Removal R emoval

416-462-0007

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FULLY LICENSED & INSURED 24HR. SERVICE MET. LIC. # PH23521

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Repair & Replacement Faucet Sink Toilet Shower Laundry Main Valve Leaking Pipe Backup Drain

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Michael Yuīa Master Plumber

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We are a full service tree care company that promotes tree preservation with an ethical approach to caring for trees.

MARCANTONIO FURNITURE

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COMPUTER SERVICES 8

FREE ESTIMA AT TES ESTIMATES Bus: 416-422-4707 Fax: 416-422-4701 cti@citytropicals.com 593 Mortimer Ave. Ave. Toronto Toronto M4C 2J6

Customizing in Small Projects: Landscape P rojects: Perennial Perennial Gar Gardens dens Fences Fences & Decks Decks Lawn Care Care & Garden Garden Rejuventation Rejuventation

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CLEANING LADY AVAILABLE Experienced, insured, honest and hard-working. Attention to detail. maidforyoutorontoltd.com.

Call Tanya at 416-897-6782.

SHINY CLEAN HOUSE An Experienced European cleaning lady will keep your house clean. Our company is fully Insured & Bonded. Call Inna or Inga, 416-929-5777. www.shinycleanhouse.ca.

mollymaid.ca

Dependable Cleaning from the Professionals you can Trust!

personaltrainerlaurie.com

Yoga oga Classes LIVE on ZOOM A $20 membership gives es you y oga classes access to 7 LIVE yoga week ly, y,, plus taped classes weekly, Yo it on YouTube.

Be partt of it.

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Health Programs for Tranformational Breakthroughs

416-427-3367 • www.awtl.ca

855.223.5851

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DRY EXTRACTION CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING SINCE 1997

(416) 889-6449

GREEN, CLEAN & DRY without the use of water FOR AN ESTIMATE CALL HENRY CUESTA

416-882-2942

APPLIANCES 10

- Garden Makeovers

Visiualize Design Build

Area Rugs C l e a n e d i n Yo u r Home/Condo R e p a i r s Av a i l a b l e

647-274-2048 grandmasgarden.ca

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APPLIANCE REPAIRS Professional repairs of all brands of refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, dishwashers, dryers, washers, heating & air conditioning. Warranty.

Credit cards accepted. Seniors’ discount. Call Fred 416-266-6122.

Select Your Your Caregiver Careeggiiver Up to 24 hour care care Meal Preparation Preparation Errands/Shopping Hygiene Assistance Light Housekeeping Respite Care Care for Families Palliative & Chronic Chronic Care Care Joyful Companionship Alzheimer/Dementia/Parkinson/Diabetes and Cancer Care Care Provider Provider for Veteran Veteran Independent Program Program Weekends/Holidays Weekends/Holidays TTemporary/Long-term eemporary/Long-term re Day/Night, Live-in Live-in,, Live-out Ca Care FREE in-Home Consultation

416-398-4663 www.seniorhomecarebyangels.com/toronto1 www.seniorhomecarebyangels.com/toronto1

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Call: 519-853-2157 1-800-947-0393

416-488-4908

& ASSOCIATES

Fine Art - Antiques Estate Sales - Appraisals Family Division

LEARNING 14. Tutoring 15. Music Lessons

www.marcdavis.ca

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS FOR 44 YEARS

MARKETPLACE

Professional Care For Seniors

Quality antiques Sterling, Silver Plate Chinese, Japanese,

& Asian wares Bronze Paintings Old jewellery, watches, coins & medals Military items Teak Furniture Fancy cups & saucers

ART & DESIGN 12

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WANTED! FINE ART & Chinese Japanese Asian Porcelain Jade Bronze etc.

Canadian art & fine paintings Inuit sculpture Sterling & jewellery China & porcelain Moorcroft Doulton Art glass

NEW HORIZONS MUSIC NORTH NOR RTH YORK

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EVE MARIE, M.Ed., B.A., OCT

WANTED

Highly qualified teacher with 30+ years teaching/performing experience which includes solo work with leading Canadian Opera Companies, Symphonies, Television Networks and Musicals is now accepting Fall Students.

CALL: 416-761-7520

TUTORING 14 MATHEMATICAL TUTORIALS Private tutoring in mathematical subjects from refresher courses to advanced levels for all ages.

Call George Giordano, B.Sc., M.A. bbgeorgebb@gmail.com or 416-545-1937.

13. For Sale/Wanted

MUSICAL THEATRE. POP. JAZZ. CLASSICAL

Auditions, RCM Exams, Competitions, 0ERFORMING !RT 3CHOOLS University Entrance ALL AGES/LEVELS WELCOME!

416 781 8800

FOR SALE/WANTED 13

Companions/Homemakers Personal Support Workers Caregivers Full Time Long Term Your Employee Highly Personalized Service

Qualified Experienced Teacher

For more information, please call

SINGING LESSONS!

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Â&#x2021; Celebrating 15 years in Toronto Tooronto 5Hferred by schools & Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021; 5Hferred professionals pr ofessionals Math English Science French Chemistry Study Skills Biology Primary Physics Exam Prep tutorship.ca

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Private Clarinet Lessons

www.teachersoncall.ca

All Levels Welcome Qualified, Professional & Experienced Teacher

Contact Omar (U of T Bmus)

647-809-5055

omar.ho@gmail.com

POST CITY MAGAZINES NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE

February 18 416-250-7979 x270 classifieds@postcity.com

FEBRUARY 2021

Old Tube Hi Fi Components and Speakers. 40 Years or Older.

IMPROVE YOUR FRENCH!

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COLLECTOR LOOKING FOR

SENIOR SERVICES 11

65

LOOKING BACK BEFORE YOU GO, TAKE A GANDER AT THESE FIVE HISTORIC EVENTS FROM FEBRUARYS OF YEARS PAST FEBRUARY 2021 EDITION

| POST | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

On Feb. 14, 1890, much of University College was destroyed by a fire caused by a tray of lit kerosene lamps being dropped in a stairwell. Fortunately, there were no casualties but 33,000 books were destroyed.

66

The Feb. 1916 issue of Photoplay described Toronto Oscar winner Mary Pickford’s acting as ‘luminous tenderness in a steel band of gutter ferocity.’

The very first Groundhog Day took place on Feb. 2, 1956 but Wiarton Willie and his predictive powers didn’t appear on the scene until the 1980s.

In Feb. 1979, Toronto became the first municipality to declare Black History Month. Pictured: Canada’s first Black senator, Anne Cools, with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau who nominated her.

The Toronto Meteorological Office launched Canada’s first weather balloon to measure upper-air atmospheric conditions on Feb. 3, 1911.

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