Chronicle - Spring 2004

Volume 19 Spring 2004

On Display

Picture This New gallery featuring internationally acclaimed artists set to open in May

Malcolm Rains, Mantinea, 2003 (oil on canvas)

Malcolm Rains was born 1947 in Bristol, England, and currently lives and works in Toronto. He is active both as a sculptor and painter, and his work is steeped in the Minimalist tradition. His work is included in a variety of public and corporate collections.

Mara Korkola, No Place 73, 2003 (oil on board)

Mara Korkola lives in Toronto. Her ongoing series of oil paintings, “No Place”, are sequences of two or more panels of night views. Her work has been recently exhibited at the McLaren Art Centre and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art.

Photo by Michael Cullen

By Yvan Marston

district along Queen Street West.

In February, the first structural concrete slab at the isolation level was formed in the southwest corner of the site for the Four Season's Centre, the city's upcoming Opera house.

In late March, the ROM received another $20 million in donations to its Renaissance ROM BLANK CANVAS: BRICK AND BEAM CHARM MEET THE MUTED WHITE WALLS OF Campaign. Add to all this THE METIVIER GALLERY. the AGO's planning of a Frank Ghery-designed glass hen Nicholas Metivier was and titanium landmark building and looking for a space for his OCAD's progress with its prominew art gallery, King West nent new Sharp Centre for Central featured prominently. The Design, and you can begin to Nicholas Metivier Gallery opens in a envision a city in transition. Not 4,000-square-foot space at 451 King just physically, but culturally.

Street West in mid-May and will feature "These very profound builds," a dynamic mix of celebrated and up-and- explains Metivier, "will affect the coming artists from Canada, the United profile of this city in a big way.

States and abroad. Metivier will make Continued on page 2. photography a strong component in a diverse program of painting, prints, drawings and sculpture. He has been in LAW FIRMS the art business for 22 years, and his comprehensive knowledge of artists and CALPHALON his international ties will make this gallery one to watch.

NEIGHBOURHOOD As a member of the Toronto International WATCH: THE BODY SHOP Art Fair's advisory committee, Metivier has seen the public's appetite for art increase over SPACE FOR RANT the last five years of the fair's history. Indeed, things are picking up.

In January, Toronto City Council voted 37 to 1 to move the Museum of Canadian Contemporary Art from the back of the Toronto Centre for the Arts in North York to the blossoming gallery

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Inside...

David Shapiro, Origin & Return 35, 2000 (acrylic on canvas) Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1944, David Shapiro’s paintings and works on paper juxtapose random, abstract shapes and textures to create meditative spaces. The result is a visual mantra that is a unique hybrid of calligraphy, Asian motifs, Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism.

New Chronicle Expanding with Tales from the EastSide!

Next Issue: Stories from our Tenants East of Yonge.

Front & Central

Street Legal King West Central home to two more law firms

By Yvan Marston

W

ith the recent inbound move of Bickford Forget Matthews LLP and the imminent arrival of Ryder Wright Blair & Doyle, King West Central is showing itself as a viable alternative to Bay Street when it comes to housing young law 333 ADELAIDE STREET WEST firms. Late in 2002, Shiller Layton Arbuck LLP made 445 King Street West its new home and has been operstuffy. And the neighbourhood is ating the litigation boutique law firm great,” he says. from there ever since.

Specializing in insurance defense, Bickford Forget Matthews LLP partBickford Forget Matthews LLP works for ner Martin Forget says the vibrancy of insurers in the areas of motor vehicle, the space and the neighbourhood conproperty, casualty, liability and fraud veys the energy his firm brings to its clients. “And the clients definitely enjoy claims. Founded in February of this year, the firm’s three partners bring a combined the space.”

25 years of experience to their work.

Drawing Young Talent Labour Lawyers The firm took 4,200 square feet on More legal minds are converging on King the fourth floor of 333 Adelaide West Central with the arrival of Ryder Street West in February and Forget says the character and location of the Wright Blair & Doyle also at 333 Adelaide Street West in May. The nineoffice allows the firm to attract person law firm practices in the area of young talent. employment and labour law for unions “The space helps the business. It’s and employees. laid back but in a good way – not

The team does work in human rights, employment standards, pension benefits disputes and administrative law. Moving from the University and Dundas area, managing partner David Wright says the Allied Properties space emanates a much warmer feel than the 21-storey building from which they currently work.

A Better Reflection “The space is also going to better reflect who we are,” says Wright explaining that the “corporate” feel of the old space didn’t tell the story of the firm’s 15-year history of championing the employees and unions.

Taking up a full floor at 333 Adelaide West, Wright says the environment will be mostly enclosed offices (12) each with windows looking into the space to allow light to filter through.

Wright came across the Allied portfolio on his daily commute to work from the west end. Admiring the noticeable improvement in the area, he asked his agent to check into the westside portfolio when his firm began searching for space earlier last year.

Metivier Gallery continued from page 1.

(acrylic on canvas)

Geoffrey James, Rue Charlemagne, Paris, 2000 (gelatin silver print)

Montreal based artist Michael Smith’s tumultuous abstractions border on representational, evoking landscape. His works have recently been exhibited in cities across Canada and in Brussels, Prague, Taiwan and Berlin and are found in numerous public and private collections.

Award-winning Toronto-based artist Geoffrey James has been active as a photographer since 1970. With subjects as diverse as the Mexican-American border at Tijuana and the changing face of Paris, his work has been exhibited in major international shows and is in public collections in North America and Europe.

Michael Smith, the Copernican, 2004

People are excited and they want to participate."

Despite a burgeoning gallery district on Queen Street West and in the Distillery district, Metivier didn't feel that these locations or the spaces offered were quite what he wanted. 451 King Street West, however, held a quality he felt would make it work.

Since King West Central's trademark sandblasted brick walls don't provide the best background for art (plain white drywall is ideal as it reflects the light and offers a neutral backdrop), Metivier's space will feature "floating" walls. The brick and beam charm of the space will remain intact while the muted white of the walls will work to set off what is displayed.

For more information, visit www.metiviergallery.com.

The King West Central Community Chronicle

Calphalon Culinary continued from 4.

Couples Cooking: Mexican Magic Friday, May 21st 6-9pm Invite your “amor” to share an international adventure in cooking! Work side-by-side and discover the secrets of the classic Mexican kitchen. Fresh and alive with flavour and textures, Mexican cuisine is steeped in so much tradition and heritage. Together you’ll learn how to prepare this lively and fragrant cuisine. * Traditional Margaritas * Guacamole and Roasted Tomato Chipotle Salsa * Chorizo Con Queso * Grilled Chili Rubbed Strip Steak * Kahlua Flan.

Cuban Cuisine, Thursday, June 3rd, 6-8pm Discover how Spanish, African, Portuguese, Arabic and even Chinese influences are blended together to form the unique cuisine of Cuba. You’ll learn to use techniques and ingredients like slow roasting, citrus marinades, rice, beans, root vegetables and other authentic items found in countless Cuban dishes. * Mojitos * Classic Cuban Pork Sandwich *

Tostones (fried green plantains) * Ropa Vieja (shredded steak with tomato olive sauce) Chinatown Tour, Saturday, June 26, 10am – 2pm This special class meets at the Calphalon Culinary Centre. From there, our Chef will lead the group on a culinary adventure through Chinatown. You’ll explore this bustling, thriving community at Spadina and Dundas in search of the freshest Chinese herbs and other ingredients. The food markets are teeming with the tempting aromas of fish, fowl and spices, and you will learn how to select the best of each. Then it’s back to the hands-on kitchen where you will prepare an authentic Chinese meal using the items from Chinatown. Wear your walking shoes and bring your appetite for a very special experience. * Spring Rolls with Soy-Ginger Dipping Sauce * Fiery Beef Skewers with Tamarind Sauce and Asian Slaw * Pineapple-Ginger Marinated Fish with Asian Vegetables * Asian Pears with Chinese Five-Spice Maple Syrup.

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Celebrate July 14th’s Bastille Day In Continental Style.

Try this classic French Recipe For Grilled Leg of Lamb with Lavender-Rosemary Rub. Ingredients 5 to 6 #'s boneless leg of lamb, fat trimmed and butterflied, 3-4 cloves of garlic thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh or dry Lavender flowers 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 3 tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper to taste several sprigs fresh lavender for garnish

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Directions Make 20 small incisions in the lamb in various places and tuck a slice of garlic into each incision.

In a bowl combine the lavender, rosemary, mint, and olive oil. Rub the mixture over the lamb and refrigerate for several hours -- a minimum of 2 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill or the broiler unit of your range. If you are using the outdoor grill, place the lamb on the grill 4" from coals. If you are using the broiler, place the lamb in a 7 qt. sauteuse and place the pan 4" from the broiler element. Broil or grill until

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Course Type: Entrée Serving Size: Serves 6 - 8

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the first side has reached a rich, caramelized color about 15 minutes. Turn the lamb and continue to cook until a meat thermometer reads 130-135 degrees or medium rare. Cover w/ foil and let rest for 15 minutes.

Slice the lamb across the grain, place on a warm platter, garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and serve.

Food Tips:

This recipe would work well with beef flank steak as well. Serve with a full bodied, dry red wine like a Syrah or Shiraz.

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New Hair Treatment Line from Body Shop The Body Shop’s head office at 469A King Street West, recently announced the company’s new range of high-performance haircare products which are said to be brimming with effective natural ingredients.

The new line encompasses shampoos, conditioners, special intensive treatments and styling products for every hair type.

For normal to dry hair, there’s Olive Glossing.

For normal to oily con-

ditions there’s Nettle Oil Balance. And for dry/damaged and chemically-treated, the company has designed Honey Moisturizing as well as Manuka Scalp Care for sensitive types. There's also a whole line of conditioning Intensive Treatments and Styling products.

The Body Shop sources many of its ingredients through the Community Trade program from developing communities around the Globe which then get a fair market price directly for their products.

Visit the Web site at www.thebodyshop.ca for more details and to locate a shop near you or to shop online.

The King West Central Community Chronicle

Space for Rant Think Inside the Box

It’s time to make brainstorming meetings more productive Ever since business wear came to include Puma sneakers and fishnet belly coolers (you know who you are), I feel as though my brainstorming meetings have taken an increasingly more casual tone. What we need is some structure. I know. I can hear it already.

“We can’t be creative with all these rules,” comes the first complaint. “We’re just blue sky-ing,” says another. But the one that gets me is, “we’ve got to think outside the box.”

First of all, let’s lay off the box. If all of us are outside the box, doesn’t that make the last person in the box the vanguard of the next movement? Well, regardless of where you stand, adding a little structure to brainstorming meetings can be good.

If you think that a creative act has no boundaries and that if you apply structure, you’ll destroy creativity, you’re wrong.

To have a successful brainstorming session, according to a lot of people (not just me), you have to first define the challenge, then gather some information – market intelligence or the competition’s info, whatever. Then you brainstorm with the team. And don’t tell Bob from Purchasing that you’ll crush his puny spine if he utters another word – that’s just negative. Keep the ideas flowing by not judging anything (that comes later).

Try bringing in someone from another department or a supplier who can add a different perspective to the mix. And if you get stuck, try using creative thinking exercises – you can find some on the web, in a book or hire a creative coach to teach you.

OK. Now once you’ve got a lot of scribbles and the dessert tray is empty, start measuring the ideas against implementation parameters such as budget, time and people. The key is to measure your results because for a creative idea to work, it has to make sense in a business context. And once you’ve got a few solid ideas, you can move forward with your ultimate plan.

Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Chairman & CEO, SP.E.C.T.R.E. LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! SEND US YOUR VIEWS, NEWS, BLUES AND OPINIONS ON JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. IF WE PRINT YOUR PIECE YOU’LL RECEIVE AN UTTERLY SPECIAL, TOO-COOL-FOR-WORDS PRIZE DESIGNED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE BREATHING SPACE!

Please send your ‘Rant’ to Allied Properties, 469 King Street West, Toronto ON, M5V 3M4 or by email: memory@alliedproperties.ca

Calphalon Culinary Center Makes Cooking a Community Affair

By Yvan Marston

M

aggie Murphy isn’t worried about carb consumption and fad diets.

As Director of the Calphalon Culinary Center at the corner of King Street West and Spadina, she’s concerned with taste and the grand culinary tradition of making cooking a community affair.

“Our classes are designed to give people great cooking skills and inspire them to be adventurous in the kitchen,” says Murphy, describing the center’s new curriculum as one that addresses the needs of the novice as much as those of the “gourmand.”

With topics ranging from essential skills that inspire creativity in the kitchen to exotic themes that take students on a culinary journey, each class at the center provides a unique experience in a comfortable and social atmosphere.

The classes are extremely interactive and students are encouraged to ask questions and share their own stories in order to enrich the entire culinary experience.

Classes are offered individually as well as some special series classes. All classes are geared towards any skill level, from the novice to the gourmand.

The King West Central Community Chronicle

In addition to scheduled classes, the Calphalon Culinary Center also hosts corporate and private events. Private cooking classes, team-building events and corporate meetings are just some of the types of affairs the centre has hosted.

With the rich textures of a brick and beam environment, the center serves as the culinary setting for a wide variety of cooking classes and resources for the home chef.

The center’s two floors include a Calphalon retail store as well as three separate kitchens each designed to accommodate different styles of classes. A demonstration kitchen (likened to a cooking show set) holds up to 40 students.

There’s also a hands-on classroom equipped with 12 individual cooking stations and designed to allow each person to work in his own kitchen following the instructions of a chef up front. A more

intimate space – the back-of-house chef ’s kitchen – rounds off the choice of environments. This last one is where classes of up to ten students can participate in hands-on cooking or enjoy a private cooking demonstration.

“We are quickly building an exciting community of home chefs who continually share their culinary interests and ideas,” says Murphy. At the heart of the communal spirit are the varied course offerings.

Here are a few popular choices from the current catalogue.

Calphalon Culinary Catalogue Excerpt on page 3.

www.alliedproperties.ca