The Bay Street Bull 5.4 by Robert Meloche

VOL.5 NO 4 | $4.95

DESERT SPA Soothe Body and Soul With Baja Beauty

HOT SPOTS THEBAYSTREETBULL.CA

Five Great Toronto Restaurants

HAUTE GOLF High Fashion Hits The Green

IN THE ISSUE:

feat u res

DINING 8 Five Toronto hot spots for sumptuous food and fun.

departments

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UP FRONT 6 The Jules Audemars collection, Christieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coup and the One-77.

BORN TO BE WILD Motorcycles that make you want to head out on the highway.

TECH TOYS Performance enhancing gadgets for home, work and on the road.

CAR REVIEW 2008 Range Rover Sport.

GETAWAYS Escape your stress at Las Ventanas desert spa in Mexico.

WINE Northern Italyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Piedmont region delights connoisseurs.

ON THE SHELF Five books to make you laugh, cry or sing.

FASHION 32 The runway comes to the fairway.

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THE ARTS 36 Stratfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern take on The Music Man.

COVER PHOTO: Ray Kachatorian/GettyImages

THE BAY STREET BULL | 3

IN THE ISSUE:

feat u res

DINING 8 Five Toronto hot spots for sumptuous food and fun.

departments

UP FRONT 6 The Jules Audemars collection, Christieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coup and the One-77.

BORN TO BE WILD Motorcycles that make you want to head out on the highway.

TECH TOYS Performance enhancing gadgets for home, work and on the road.

CAR REVIEW 2008 Range Rover Sport.

GETAWAYS Escape your stress at Las Ventanas desert spa in Mexico.

WINE Northern Italyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Piedmont region delights connoisseurs.

ON THE SHELF Five books to make you laugh, cry or sing.

FASHION 32 The runway comes to the fairway.

Â&#x2030; .FSDFEFT #FO[ $BOBEB *OD

.BQMF +BOF 4U %PXOUPXO %VOEBT 4U & .JEUPXO &HMJOUPO "WF & 5IPSOIJMM 4UFFMFT "WF 8 .BSLIBN ,FOOFEZ 3E /FXNBSLFU .VMPDL %S .JTTJTTBVHB .BWJT 3E

THE ARTS 36 Stratfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern take on The Music Man.

COVER PHOTO: Ray Kachatorian/GettyImages

THE BAY STREET BULL | 3

s t o L t on r f r e t a W e t a v i Pr

PUBLISHERĘźS NOTE

BAY STREET PUBLISHING Vol. 5, No. 4

Photo: Ruslan Sarkisian

VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER Fred Sanders EDITOR Catherine Roberts CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Leigh Anne Williams ART DIRECTOR Mark Tzerelshtein CONTRIBUTORS Moira Daly Laura DeCarufel Darren Dobson Mike Dojc Dianne Fowlie Sarah Scott PHOTOGRAPHER Ruslan Sarkisian ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, TRAVEL Vanessa Lee DIRECTOR, ADVERTISING SALES Bill Percy advertising@thebaystreetbull.ca COMMUNICATIONS FACILITATOR David Rees The Bay Street Bull is published six times yearly and distributed in Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial and business districts. Distribution method: hand-delivered, inserted, mailed and retail. Editorial + subscription + retail advertising enquiries 305 Evans Ave., Suite 305, Etobicoke, Ontario M8Z 1K2.

oronto hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always been a great restaurant town. There was a time when people would bemoan how bland the menus were or how difficult it was to get foods and spices from other parts of the world. Now, of course, your local grocery store has foods from every continent. And thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a restaurant to satisfy almost every palate. No one knows this better that writer Sarah Scott, our resident â&#x20AC;&#x153;foodie.â&#x20AC;? So, when we offered her an assignment to write about five restaurants in the city that are a â&#x20AC;&#x153;must try,â&#x20AC;? she couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have been happier. But her happiness was fleeting. How would she narrow it down to just five? By price? Originality of the menu? Or perhaps by the chefsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reputations? This was no easy assignment, but Sarah, trooper that she is, has indeed come up with five hot spots to visit. Further from home, writer Laura DeCarufel describes the delights for all your senses that await at the Las Ventanas al Paraiso resort in Baja, Mexico. Fans of the resort include Tiger Woods and Jennifer Lopez, and once you see the photos and read how the resortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spa uses the natural beauty and elements of the desert to revitalize its clients, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll know what draws the stars. Mike Dojc, who writes about sports and tech topics for us, takes an adventurous step in this issue into the role of fashionisto. The result is a highly entertaining critique of fashion faux pas on the fairways over the years and a look at whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wearing who among the stylish. In our continuing efforts to bring lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest experiences to your attention, this issue also includes Dianne Fowlieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advice on what wines to taste and foods to enjoy when visiting the Piedmont region of northern Italy and Darren Dobsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to some of the best motorcycles on the road. And our arts writer Moira Daly tells you why the Stratford Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production of The Music Man is such a hit. We are always interested to hear how you think we are doing. If you want to write in about this issue, or have an idea that you think we should feature in the magazine, please address your letter to The Publisher, The Bay Street Bull, 305 Evans Avenue, Suite 305, Etobicoke, Ontario M8Z 1K2 or email me at publisher@thebaystreetbull.ca.

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s GREAT REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT

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W W W E A G L E R I D G E D E V E L O P M E N T S C O M

s t o L t on r f r e t a W e t a v i Pr

PUBLISHERĘźS NOTE

BAY STREET PUBLISHING Vol. 5, No. 4

Photo: Ruslan Sarkisian

s ACRES IN AREA s OVER SOLD OUT

s SPECTACULAR WOODED BUILDING SITES

s PRIME WATERFRONT LOTS ON 'EORGIAN "AY

s GREAT REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT

s FEET OF FULL OWNERSHIP WATER FRONTAGE

s NO BUILDER OR TIME RESTRICTIONS

info@thebaystreetbull.ca WWW.THEBAYSTREETBULL.CA Printed by Signature Printing Inc.

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s GOLl NG SKIING AND BOATING PARADISE s CLOSE TO SEVERAL WORLD CLASS GOLF COURSES

Fred Sanders, Publisher

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BROKERS PROTECTED

To ďŹ nd out more visit

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U P

F R O N T

Christie’s Coup

The One-77

The famed New York auction house, Christie’s, has had banner year: first, racking up high sales numbers at its spring auctions, and now for organizing the auction of Yves Saint Laurent’s private art collection. The French fashion designer and his longtime partner, Pierre Bergé, had been collecting for almost 40 years when Laurent passed away in June. Their collection includes several hundred pieces of Renaissance jewelry, paintings by masters such as Picasso and Matisse, and manuscripts of the works of French authors Gustave Flaubert and André Gide. While Christie’s is keeping mum about what it expects to fetch in February, experts have put the figure between $472 million and $787 million. Items to be sold will be announced at the end of September, so start saving those millions. christies.com

The next Aston Martin flagship automobile is due for release later this year. (Rumour has it that Paris will be the venue). And while there are few details circulating, what we know for sure is that the new One-77 model will feature a handcrafted 7.0-litre V12 engine, a carbon fibre chassis with an aluminum body, a top speed of 200 mph, and it will go from 0 to 60 in about 3.5 seconds. There will be only 77 One-77s made. Each can be customized and will carry a price tag of about £1 million. astonmartin.com

Time Well Spent

Homes Away From Home Lusso, a company that manages a portfolio of multimillion-dollar residences in some of the world’s most desirable vacation spots, has just announced an exclusive new membership club. The 30 properties in the Lusso Collection, each worth an average of $4 million, are located in getaway spots such as Cabo San Lucas, Aspen, Hawaii and the Bahamas (Naples,Fla. property is pictured above.) Each features an on-site concierge, pre-arrival grocery shopping and a chauffer service from the nearest airport. Members pay a $425,000 deposit for unlimited use and $325,000 for an annual 21-day per year plan. Annual dues are $28,000 and $21,000, respectively. By the end of the year, the company plans to expand its portfolio to 39 properties in 21 destinations. lussocollection.com

The Grand Dame

Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet has introduced the new Ladies’ Jules Audemars collection, an elegant collection of white or pink gold timepieces with 29 mm cases, silver-colored or white mother-of-pearl dials and moiré satin straps. Hours are punctuated with Roman numerals, and the centre features either a spiral flinqué or diamond-pavé motif with the small seconds at 6 o’clock. Two other styles are encrusted with diamonds. The pink gold watches have chocolate brown straps, and the white gold watches have satin straps in black or midnight blue. All styles come with a sapphire crystal caseback. audemarspiguet.com 6 | THE BAY STREET BULL

CONTINENTAL GTC Cunard’s famed Queen Elizabeth 2 will make her final voyage in November to her new home at the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai World, which paid $100 million to acquire the ship for a floating hotel, retail and entertainment annex. In anticipation of the ocean liner’s new life, Carol Thatcher, daughter of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, has compiled a stunning book about the legendary ship’s colourful past, entitled QE2: Forty Years Famous (Simon & Schuster). The QE2 was launched by (and named for) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September 1967, and since then, the ship has undertaken 25 world cruises, crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times and carried more than 2.5 million passengers, creating a reputation as one of the world’s greatest and most beloved ocean liners. simonsays.com

ELEGANCE IS BACK THIS SEASON. Whatever this season’s look, the appeal of the Continental GTC is timeless. Ask Bentley Toronto for a fitting. BENTLEY TORONTO 740 Dupont Street, Toronto, ON M6G 1Z6 For information call 866 475 8112 www.toronto.bentleymotors.com ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B in wings’ device are registered trademarks. © 2008 Bentley Motors Canada, Ltd.

BENTLEY TORONTO

U P

F R O N T

Christie’s Coup

The One-77

Time Well Spent

The Grand Dame

BENTLEY TORONTO

Tastes of TORONTO FIVE HOT SPOT RESTAURANTS BY SARAH SCOTT

n a city like Toronto with a wide choice of fine restaurants, some places launch in the blaze of PR glory, while others are culinary wonders delighting their guests out of the limelight. Many people like both, for entirely different reasons. In some restaurants, you dress down and savour the tastes, sometimes novel ones, created by an innovative chef. Word gets around quickly; soon itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to book a table. In others, the buzz creates expectations. You dress up and spend more time chatting and looking at fellow patrons than considering the food before you. Here are five places in the city where one finds sumptuous food and fun. >>

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Tastes of TORONTO FIVE HOT SPOT RESTAURANTS BY SARAH SCOTT

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AMAYA

When Hemant Bhagwani was running his first Indian restaurant on Bayview Avenue, people used to come in and say he should check out a remarkable Indian restaurant in Vancouver called Vij’s, which has won rave reviews from the New York Times and many other sources. So Bhagwani visited Vikram Vij, the congenial chef who founded Vij’s, tasted his spectacular food and decided to bring Vikram’s style of Indian cooking to Toronto. “I call it neo-Indian,” says Bhagwani. “I use Western techniques to make Indian food. It’s not just stew any more,” he says. For example, he’ll grill grouper in Tandoori spices and lay it on a coconut-base sauce or grill a lamb chop and pair it with a pear chutney. “We use lots of fruit based sauces,” he says, mentioning his Amaya prawns with green mango and a curry sauce.

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Bhagwani has tried opening Indian restaurants in downtown Toronto and in Burlington, and they haven’t worked out. But on Bayview, a street that’s turning into a gourmet’s delight, he’s a big hit. There’s just one part of Vikram’s winning formula that Bhagwani didn’t import to Toronto—Vij’s policy of no reservations. At Vij’s, you usually have to find something to do for an hour or two before you sit down. “I thought Toronto was not ready for no reservations,” Bhagwani says.

CÉLESTIN

Restauranteur Pascal Ribreau has won spectacular reviews for the French cooking he dishes out in a former bank on Mount Pleasant, just north of the cemetery. “It’s French contemporary with a twist,” he says. No heavy cream sauces in other words. This is the kind of cooking that Ribreau loves in Provence–rich flavours without the heavy butter. There’s a lot of seafood on the menu. One of the favorites on the appetizer list is a seafood platter, with seven types to try. Seafood might also make a surprise appearance in the main dishes, such as the Berkshire pork stuffed with a saffron shrimp mousse and covered with a clam and shrimp sauce– “my interpretation of paella,” says Ribreau. Or he’ll put together a summery concoction of sea bass with a mint sauce and yoghurt. For dessert, Célestin’s chocolate torte will make you weak at the knees. It also has one of the city’s best bakeries next door. It has recently been taken over by Marc Thobors and renamed Thobors Boulangerie Pâtisserie and Café. One of the amazing things about Célestin is the Ribreau’s own story. In the

fall of 1999, the French chef broke his spine in a car accident. A paraplegic at age 30, he took two years to come to terms with the loss of his legs. Then he launched Célestin as a comeback project, one that would allow him to work in a wheelchair. Six years later, the restaurant is expanding onto the street with a new patio that Ribreau promises will be the greatest outdoor dining experience in North Toronto.

AMUSE-BOUCHE

Downtown has a contagious, fast-paced rhythm. The crowds of people on King and Queen streets may encourage you to hurry along, too, but if you turn down Tecumseth, a small street connecting the

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AMAYA

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CÉLESTIN

AMUSE-BOUCHE

Downtown has a contagious, fast-paced rhythm. The crowds of people on King and Queen streets may encourage you to hurry along, too, but if you turn down Tecumseth, a small street connecting the

$394 billion in global volume* for Visa® Commercial products means we’ve got the expertise to make sure ™

your payments are handled efﬁciently and accurately, allowing you to focus more on your bottom line. Visa Commercial. Because numbers matter.

*During 12 months ending June 2007.

visa.ca/info

two great ones, you will find a reason to slow down again—a three-year-old restaurant aptly called Amuse-Bouche. It is the creation of two young chefs, Jason Innis and his best friend Bertrand Alépée. They worked together at the award-winning Fifth Restaurant, where Innis was a sous chef while the Parisianborn Alépée created the pastries. Ever since they launched Amuse-Bouche in June 2005, they’ve been surprising diners with innovative culinary ideas. You might start with a tartar of rooibus, a lightly smoked, tea marinated Ontario arctic char

Photos: (Page 10) — Amaya (left top and bottom), Célestin (middle), Amuse-Bouche (right top and bottom). (Page 12) — Amuse-Bouche (left top), Perigee (left bottom and midlle), One (right).

Everyone in the kitchen, from the Korean saucier to the dishwasher, a former pro soccer player in Africa, contributes ideas too. “It’s a kitchen’s menu,” he says.

ONE

Location, location, location. One Restaurant probably has the best location in town to see and be seen–a prime piece of real estate on Yorkville Avenue. If you can grab one of the 90 seats in the outdoor

with green tomato and apple, black olive salt and crispy basil mayonnaise. While you’re still wondering how they made the mayo crispy, you might dive into maple and cocoa rubbed Deer Valley venison and finish with a crème brûlée, or perhaps a plate of red beet clafouti, butternut squash mousse, white chocolate and avocado soft cake, and parsnip ice cream. “This is fine dining with no pretentions,” says Alépée. They buy from localfarms as much as possible. Then they invent. Take the crispy mayo. “It’s alittle bit molecular,” says Alépée. Translation: “We use natural chemicals, like starch, to play with food.” The result: You expect one thing and taste another–like what happens when your tongue detects a trace of mint in the rhubarb and strawberry soup. “We’re giving a modern twist to food.”

PERIGEE

Down in the Distillery District, you have a few options for dinner before taking in a Soulpepper play, but the best one is Perigee. It’s in the Cannery Building,

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where you sit in a room with huge beams and old redbrick walls with an open kitchen in the middle. The main focus, for executive chef Christopher Brown, is finding fresh ingredients in local farms. “We develop the menu based on what’s around and in season,” he said. “We definitely get inspiration from that. We literally go out to the farms and see what’s available,” he says. Not everything can be bought locally. The oils come from Italy. The salts come from France, England and other countries, but the meats and vegetables are purchased from local farms in southern Ontario. “My main passion is really supporting these guys,” says Brown. In the first week of July, the menu included radishes cucumbers salad herbs, duck, venison from King City and chicken from a local organic farm. “It has to be sustainable too,” he says. There’s no sea bass on the menu. Instead, you could find Ontario venison with a crispy phyllo and a leek and fennel pollen sauce, a fennel and venison sausage, and a fois gras and rhubarb trio. “I’ve got a good team. I can’t take credit for the menu,” Brown continues. “I bring the cooks out of the cooks. I push them to explore.” He works closely with sous chef Anthony Davis to experiment with food.

cafe, you are sure to spot a star during the Toronto International Film Festival. And there’s always the possibility that a star, or some other VIP, might be sitting right next to you as you empty your pitcher of red sangria and savour a $24 spoonful of lobster. This restaurant, launched by Mark McEwan, the restaurateur who gave Toronto the acclaimed North 44, is beautifully designed, inside and out. It’s the perfect place to lounge with a drink and enjoy a view of the beautiful people swishing by your table. You may even want to stay long enough to order one of executive chef Andrew Ellerby’s delicious pastas or his succulent striped bass. Or you may, as plenty of people do, just stay for another round of sangria. Ah, summer in the city.

Photos: (Page 10) — Amaya (left top and bottom), Célestin (middle), Amuse-Bouche (right top and bottom). (Page 12) — Amuse-Bouche (left top), Perigee (left bottom and midlle), One (right).

Everyone in the kitchen, from the Korean saucier to the dishwasher, a former pro soccer player in Africa, contributes ideas too. “It’s a kitchen’s menu,” he says.

ONE

PERIGEE

Down in the Distillery District, you have a few options for dinner before taking in a Soulpepper play, but the best one is Perigee. It’s in the Cannery Building,

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2008 SUZUKI BOULEVARD C90T The Boulevard C90T, like the C90, boasts a fuel-injected 45-degree V-twin engine. It has a spacious riding position and smooth suspension for comfortable cruising. There’s an aerodynamic windshield and a custom-designed backrest, encouraging you to take to the open road. The C90T also has a range of custom features, from whitewall tires to studded seats, creating its own bold look. Or turn heads with the new white and gold colour combination. This is a classic cruiser that is as comfortable as it is stylish. Price: $14,599 suzuki.ca

2009 YAMAHA VMAX Yamaha spent more than a decade developing the new 2009 VMAX that has been engineered to look and perform like the original 1985 VMAX but provide even more raw torque. And it has been well worth the wait. The new VMAX is truly a superb machine with incredible acceleration and muscular proportions, combined with Yamaha’s latest electronic engine management technologies, such as the chip controlled variable intake stacks, a new high-tech fuel injection system and fly-by-wire throttle. The new VMAX offers sporty handling, in part due to its new lightweight aluminum chassis and fully adjustable suspension for improved rider comfort. Price: $21,999 yamaha-motor.ca

2008 DUCATI 1098 S

BORN TO BE WILD Finding the bike of your dreams

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2008 HONDA CBR1000RR Honda has made some significant changes to the CBR1000RR from its predecessor. They include a narrower body with turn signals integrated into the side mirrors and twin ram-air intakes underneath the headlights. There’s a smaller, lighter seat and cowl. Yet, in order to make the CBR1000RR competitive, Honda knew it had to increase the bike’s power. Mission accomplished. And the designers did it without increasing the weight. This Honda has actually lost more than 7 kg (wet weight is now 196 kg), while gaining more power. Price: $15, 849 honda.ca

2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC ELECTRA GLIDE

BY DARREN DOBSON otorcycles are not just a means of transportation, they are a passion. True, some drivers have switched to motorcycles to save on fuel costs; many more end up falling in love with the freedom, camaraderie and lifestyle that riding brings. Who can forget those pictures of publisher Malcolm Forbes riding on open stretch with Liz Taylor snuggled behind him. Or his collection of 68 motorcycles—mostly Harleys. Forbes, who became a rider in his 40s, was always ahead of his time. According to the Canadian Safety Council (CSC), motorcycle sales have nearly quadrupled in the last

The 1098 S sets a new standard for lightweight performance. For any sport or racing bike, the most effective area to reduce weight is its ‘unsprung weight’– components such as tires, brakes and wheels. By mounting Marchesini-forged and -machined wheels, designers of the S model were able reduce its overall weight by 1.9 kg. The S model encompasses both performance and innovation. And the numbers speak for themselves: 160 hp; torque: 12.5 kg-m; and weight: 117 kg Price: $24,995 ducati.com

decade—from 24,000 in 1996 to more than 82,000 in 2006. And as sales continue to climb in Canada, so does the average age of the rider. While the myth of the young, James Dean-type, thrill-seeking motorcyclist continues to persist, today’s average rider has much more in common with Forbes. He is 46 years old, college-educated and a family man. Now that the Canadian dollar is at par with the US greenback, our purchasing power has made it that much more appealing for the curious to try motorcycling and for established riders to move up to the more popular and powerful brands. Here are a few bikes to consider if you are getting a little wild at heart. >>

The FLHTCU (Touring Classic Ultra) Electra Glide is one of Harley’s premium touring models. This luxurious motorcycle comes fully equipped with multiple touring amenities that include cruise control, lower leg protectors, upper wind deflectors and a plug in the front console. There are independent radios and volume controls for both riders with an added feature allowing talk between the driver and passenger. The 2008 models have a new Brembo triple-disc brake system with ABS, a 22.7-litre fuel tank, and a new Electronic Throttle Control. Price: $ 22,939 harley-davidson.com

2008 BMW K1200LT The BMW K1200LT is the luxury bike for long, relaxed journeys to the cottage or a Trans-Canada trip. The BMW high-performance engine delivers 116 hp and 120 Nm of torque for swift acceleration when overtaking or carrying extra weight. The WAD spring strut with travel-dependent damping increases ride comfort, especially on journeys when you have a passenger with luggage. The seat has been narrowed to be more ergonomic and to help make handling easier. Lights illuminate the ground to make it easier to get on and off the bike during reduced visibility. Price: $24,750 bmw-motorrad.ca THE BAY STREET BULL | 15

2008 DUCATI 1098 S

BORN TO BE WILD Finding the bike of your dreams

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2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC ELECTRA GLIDE

T E C H

T O Y S

Photos: Shadow Caddy (left), Neorest 600 (above) and Steelcase Workstation (right). Sony OLED XEL TV and Mio Knight Rider GPS (opposite page)

SHADOW CADDY

Gold Medal Gadgets ENHANCING YOUR PERFORMANCE BY MIKE DOJC f the world record shattering Speedo LZR racer suit taught us anything, it’s that the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius (swifter, higher, stronger) is sorely in need of an upgrade. May we suggest throwing in “Techno Savvius.” To rise above the pool of contenders and make it to the top of the podium, competitors must be attuned to the latest technology. Since dropping a grand on a swimsuit to reduce your hydrodynamic drag may not be on your to-do list, we shine a spotlight on several less esoteric quality of life enhancers.

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MIO KNIGHT RIDER GPS “Michael, where would you like to go today?” is the question that greets me when I power on the device. The familiar voice is William Daniels, who made K.I.T.T. so endearing in the classic ’80s series. Whether K.I.T.T. is helping you track down your son’s little league diamond or giving you the dish on alternative routes as you fight your way through rush hour traffic, the Knight Rider experience stays authentic with cool red LED lights on either side of the 4.3-inch touchscreen that flicker in synch with Daniels’ voice just like they did on the TV show. If you find yourself falling too

much into character and get a little heavy-footed on the gas, the device can be programmed to keep you abreast of speed limit infractions. Also, with 300 built in names, when you tire of moonlighting as Michael Knight you can personalize your drive with your real name. This retro road-tripper ($270) comes preloaded with maps for adventures anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. (knightridergps.com) For fanboys only: knightreplicas.com will tell you everything you need to know to convert an ’82 Pontiac Trans Am into either K.I.T.T. or the talking car’s archnemesis K.A.R.R.

This all terrain three-wheeled wonder may not improve your handicap, but it sure beats a pull cart and makes the decision to walk the course a breeze. Just clip a transmitter on your belt and the robotic buggy will follow you around. Infrared collision detectors and a “park” setting prevent the gizmo from taking a bath in the lake, getting beached in a sand trap or ramming into your backside. This nifty Australian creation is currently only available for rental at a number of courses Down Under but is expected to launch globally later this year. (shadowcaddy.com)

NEOREST 600 The most neglected piece of bathroom furniture when it comes to a dream renovation project is often the appliance that gets the most use. The Neorest 600 is the crème de la crème in lavatory technology. No ordinary john, the Neorest, which costs $5,000 to $6,000, comes equipped with a remote control and has bidet features, including not only a gently cleansing aerated stream of warm water but also a warm air dryer providing the ultimate in hygienic luxury.

An automatic lid opens and closes, so you never have to lay a hand on it. Throw in an environmentally friendly cyclonic flusher that can determine exactly how much H20 is needed to get the job done, and what you have is something that really does deserve to be called a throne. (totoneorest.com)

SONY OLED XEL Liquid crystal, plasma, pshaw! The next slim thing to covet for that empty wall space above your fireplace is an organic light emitting diode TV. The electrluminescent coolness translates into a breathtaking contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. The $2,499 set’s soul stirring picture is truly worthy of a million words. The only drawback: it’s currently only 11-inches, so you’ll have to hold off on making this the centerpiece of the living room. Still, it would sure make a dynamite kitchen set. (sonystyle.ca)

WALKSTATION Busy office life leaves no time to squeeze a workout in at the gym? No sweat, trade your desk chair in for a treadmill. Steel-

case’s cardio-friendly workstation allows you to burn calories without having to leave your computer. With a maximum speed of 3.2 km/h, no incline and shock absorbers to reduce bounce, your body will barely notice that you’re multitasking. The concept was based on Mayo Clinic obesity research that recommends the health benefits of low-impact aerobic movement or N.E.A.T.— Employers looking for an innovative way to pump up their sedentary, deskbound workforce’s metabolism are springing for the machines. (steelcase.com) THE BAY STREET BULL | 17

T E C H

T O Y S

Photos: Shadow Caddy (left), Neorest 600 (above) and Steelcase Workstation (right). Sony OLED XEL TV and Mio Knight Rider GPS (opposite page)

SHADOW CADDY

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WALKSTATION Busy office life leaves no time to squeeze a workout in at the gym? No sweat, trade your desk chair in for a treadmill. Steel-

E U Q I T BOU

This ad sponsored by the friends of Toronto East General Hospital.

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HASTËNS TORONTO Makers of the $60,000 handmade bed. You are going to spend 1/3 of your life in bed. It is well worth “springing” for a good night’s sleep. The Vividus is a super high-end bed that justifies its price tag on more than looks alone. The Swedishdesigned bed from Hastëns is made with only the very best all natural materials! No synthetic materials of any kind are used in their beds. Only natural materials, like hand-tufted horse hair, are used specifically to enhance comfort and the sleep experience. Visit the showroom to discover the art of bed making. Hastëns Toronto, Distillery District, 55 Mill Street, Building 8, Toronto 1-866-624-7818 or visit hastenstoronto.com.

WHITE NOISE Official artist for the 49th Grammy Awards, Todd White captures the social scene with paintings revealing the humour and joy of being out on the town. It was standing room only at his one-man show on May 29, 2008. He’s Got Her Keys, a 30” x 40” oil on canvas, $115,000 (left) and other paintings, drawings and giclée canvases ranging from $1,500 to $150,000 are available at Liss Gallery, 140 Yorkville Avenue, Toronto. 416-787-9872 or visit lissgallery.com.

ARCTIC ART Why not give a gift that will increase in value? The Kipling Gallery offers a large collection of original handcrafted sculptures that reflect the history and culture of Arctic Canada. Working exclusively with Inuit and Dene artists through Canadian Arctic Producers—the Aboriginal-owned and controlled co-operative— Kipling Gallery is able to promote and highlight artwork of these distinct First Nation cultures. Each unique piece is certified by the Government of Canada. For consultations and presentations: Contact Kipling Gallery, 7938 Kipling Ave., Vaughan, ON, 905-265-2160 or visit kiplinggallery.com.

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B U L L

R E V I E W

2008 RANGE ROVER Sport

he 2008 Range Rover Sport is a slick SUV. A wide, muscular design blends with classic Range Rover style, including the clamshell hood and floating roof. A powerful 4.4-litre, 300-hp naturally aspirated V8 engine provides exceptional torque and performance. The Dynamic Response system keeps it flat and stable. And it is the first Range Rover

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to use Adaptive Cruise Control with Forward Alert, which matches your speed with the vehicle directly ahead of you, maintaining a safe distance that you choose. The interior is outfitted and equipped as expected in a top-line luxury vehicle, with first-class comfort and plenty of room. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seating for three passengers at the rear that can fold flat to enlarge the

storage space. The standard cold climate package includes features such as two-stage heated front seats, heated rear seats, heated front windshield and washer jets. The Harmon/Kardon stereo system is enhanced by the good sound insulation and tight body structure that create a quiet environment while 550 watts of power and 14 speakers deliver

bright and clear sound. You can load six CDs or plug in an MP3 player. A touch-screen navigation system is standard on all models, as is a Bluetooth connection. The Range Rover Sport comes in a new colour: Lucerne Green Metallic. And its fuel consumption means it only costs $32.70 to drive from Bay Street to Bala, Muskoka.

THE BAY STREET BULL | 21

B U L L

R E V I E W

2008 RANGE ROVER Sport

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THE BAY STREET BULL | 21

THE

DESERTSPA

BY LAURA DECARUFEL

WHERE NATIVE FLORA AND HEALING RITUALS CREATE A RELAXING BALM

THE SCOOP Las Ventanas opened in 1997 under the astute direction of Ty Warner. It has since established a reputation for unrivalled service and privacy, which in turn has attracted an A-list clientele who require the full-time services of personal butlers provided by the resort. Famous fans include Tiger Woods, Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Lopez, who gushed to Harper’s Bazaar that her favourite indulgence is “the Spa at Las Ventanas” where she loves to receive massages. Other highlights? The suites themselves, which feature hand-carved Mexican furniture and private Jacuzzi plunge pools; and the restaurant, housed in a thatched roof pavilion, which offers gourmet MexicanMediterranean cuisine such as fresh scallops with mint, arugula and Mexican chocolate, along with aquamarine ocean views.

winter-dulled skin for Baja’s sun and surf. The therapist begins by using sugar and salt to exfoliate skin then applies a fragrant paste of organic honey and aloe vera to nourish and hydrate. After a few days of lounging on a yacht or the shore, the “Desert Sun Aloe Wrap” is a soothing remedy. A body mist of lavender and sea algae extracts adds much-needed moisture, while an invigorating gel made from aloe and tea tree quenches tender, parched skin. Guests can also tour the spas of the world without ever leaving the garden hideaway, as Las Ventanas’s specialists offer a range of special treatments, techniques

ay the word “desert” and the first images that come to mind probably aren’t moonlit facials by the sea, aloe body wraps and hot stone massages. But Lea Cordon, spa director at the Las Ventanas al Paraiso resort, says the natural bounty of Mexico’s Baja peninsula inspires the spa’s unique treatments and cozy chic aesthetic. Las Ventanas focuses on the healing, hydrating qualities of the region’s clay and flora—sage, saguaro cactus and algae from the Sea of Cortez—which, coupled with the dry air and desert stillness, create a relaxing balm for its stressed, over-stimulated clientele. “Our ingredients reinforce our philosophy and our sense of place,” explains Cordon. “In the spa, immersed in the magic of a desert destination and Mexican healing treatments, it’s possible to transcend everyday concerns and gain a sense of balance and confidence that you can carry away.”

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The magic begins at the guest rooms, many of which overlook the crystalline sea. Umbrella-bearing valets escort guests to the spa, a complex of private, ivorystuccoed cabanas nestled in an oasis of cacti and desert blooms. The floors are Mexican-tiled, massage tables are draped with vibrant Mexican blankets, and spa therapists—some of the most experienced in the country—are dressed in beautiful muslin uniforms that recall the quiet glamour of regal senoritas. Newly arrived guests are encouraged to start with the “Welcome to the Sun” session, a full-body treatment that prepares

Top to bottom: A panoramic view of the Las Ventanas al Paraiso resort, beach dining, drop-edge pool and a guest suite terrace. Opposite page: (Top) Resort entrance. (Below) Beachside cabana. Photos: Las Ventanas.

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THE

DESERTSPA

BY LAURA DECARUFEL

WHERE NATIVE FLORA AND HEALING RITUALS CREATE A RELAXING BALM

24 | THE BAY STREET BULL

THE BAY STREET BULL | 25

(Top to bottom) Evening at Las Ventanas. A lounge with fireplace. Resort accommodations with ocean views. Photos: Las Ventanas.

and materials imported from Japan, India and Austria’s Vorarlberg region, famed for its nutrient-rich “Moor Mud,” which contains more than 1,000 herbs and trace elements. Try the “Austrian Moor Mud Remedy”: a rejuvenating mud wrap, mud facial and massage with rich Moor Body Lotion. Unique to the spa is the Holistic Twilight Ceremony, which begins every day at dusk. Crystal bowls emit lovely harmonies, and hundreds of candles flicker, while guests immerse themselves in an energy cleansing ritual. The otherwordly music of the crystal bowls is combined with sage smoke and shaman prayers to encourage relaxation and thoughtful meditation. Next, you select one of five personalized “spa journeys”: Balance Desert Stone, Spiritual Chilam Ritual, Ground Equilibrium, Herbal Healers Massage or Four Hands Energy

26 | THE BAY STREET BULL

Restoration. The Four Hands Energy Restoration, for example, features an express facial, reflexology treatments and two therapists working in tandem to massage away accumulated stress. The most welcome facet of Las Ventanas’s charm is the thoughtful anticipation of guests’ desires: Evian mists by the main pool area, an in-room tequila welcome and three dedicated spa suites, which allow for a “continuous spa journey.” After a thorough consultation, a dedicated spa butler creates a customized treatment program of facials, wraps, massages, revitalizing tonics and more, along with yoga and meditation classes. All treatments take place in your own treatment room, located within an almost 4,000-square-foot suite that also features a sauna and a king-size bed with a mattress that boasts magnetic fields to soothe tired muscles. “Our goal is to delight our guests,” says Cordon. As you recline on a massage table while the scent of fresh lavender fills the desert air and the rhythms of the sea beat against the shore, you might allow one lazy thought to flit across your mind: mission accomplished.

Action doesn’t wait for you to focus. Unlike other digital SLRs with live preview, the Sony and have no focus lag time, so you always capture the action the moment it happens. Quick AF Live View gives you full SLR functionality and image quality, but with a Live View screen so you can shoot easily and comfortably from angles and positions that were previously impossible.

For more product information, visit the Sony Style retail location nearest you or visit www.sonystyle.ca/dslr or call 1-888-289-7669 ®™Sony and Sony Style are registered trademarks and

is a trademark of Sony Corporation. Features and speciﬁcations subject to change without notice. LCD screen is simulated. A.E. & O.E.

(Top to bottom) Evening at Las Ventanas. A lounge with fireplace. Resort accommodations with ocean views. Photos: Las Ventanas.

26 | THE BAY STREET BULL

For more product information, visit the Sony Style retail location nearest you or visit www.sonystyle.ca/dslr or call 1-888-289-7669 ®™Sony and Sony Style are registered trademarks and

is a trademark of Sony Corporation. Features and speciﬁcations subject to change without notice. LCD screen is simulated. A.E. & O.E.

W I N E

Second and third in importance are the Barbera, which turns out medium- to full-bodied wines, and the Dolcetto, responsible for a distinctly dry and light-bodied product that is easy drinking, similar to a French Beaujolais but with more tannin. If you’ve ever sipped a sweet, frothy or sparkling white, then you’ve encountered the Moscato grape. If a drier white is more to your liking, you’d do well to sample a Gavi, bringing you face to face with the Cortese grape.

The Piedmont region, with Turin as its capital city, was one of the first in Italy to embrace the industrial revolution and modernization. Yet, surprisingly, winemaking is still conducted mostly at very small, neatly kept vineyards, a good number of which are family-owned. Entire villages are dedicated to wine production, and these charming spots are an absolute must for lovers of not just fabulous wine but also incredible food. One such locale is picturesque Alba, a town of 30,000 residents, right in the heart of Piedmont. >>

Piedmont Pleasures Northern Italy’s spectacular wines BY DIANNE FOWLIE itting at the base of the Alps and Apennines and bordering France and Switzerland, the Piedmont region has been called the “Burgundy of Italy” because of its boutique wines, including renowned aperitifs, sparkling spumantes and rugged grappas. Piedmont’s outstanding gastronomic offerings are limited almost exclusively to local produce. In fact, it’s no surprise that the Slow Food movement, which has become an international phenomenon, began here. The region’s most famous grape is the prized Nebbiolo. Its name derives from the Italian nebbia, or fog, a reference both to the velvety, whitish coating on the grapes themselves and the typical autumn morning fog that provides ideal conditions for ripening on warm, southfacing slopes. The Nebbiolo produces the highly valued rich, red Barolo and Barbaresco wines. These are characteristically high in tannins and alcohol, as well as price, and many can stand a decade or more of cellaring.

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Photos: Ruslan Sarkisian and Dreamstime.com

Cabutto Barolo Tenuta La Volta 2003 ($55.95) Offers exciting aromas of crushed raspberry and honeysuckle. Full, velvety and very, very long with round tannins. Tantalizing and seductive, it is best cellared until 2010.

Marchesi Di Barolo Barbaresco 2004 ($43.95) Full-bodied and dry with silky tannins and ripe fruit aromas of blackberry and strawberry. Terrific with chicken, pork, or assorted hard Italian cheeses.

Batasiolo Bosc dla Rei Moscato d’Asti 2007 ($19.95) A floral, slightly fizzy, gently sweet, low-alcohol wonder, perfect for summer. Chill for about three hours and enjoy with fresh fruit or light desserts.

Marco Bonfante Gavi Rasön 2007 ($15.95) The Cortese grape used to make Gavi wines creates a clean, fresh and delicious complement to shellfish or pan-fried freshwater fish.

THE BAY STREET BULL | 29

W I N E

28 | THE BAY STREET BULL

Photos: Ruslan Sarkisian and Dreamstime.com

Marchesi Di Barolo Barbaresco 2004 ($43.95) Full-bodied and dry with silky tannins and ripe fruit aromas of blackberry and strawberry. Terrific with chicken, pork, or assorted hard Italian cheeses.

Marco Bonfante Gavi Rasön 2007 ($15.95) The Cortese grape used to make Gavi wines creates a clean, fresh and delicious complement to shellfish or pan-fried freshwater fish.

THE BAY STREET BULL | 29

When in

Alba

Be sure to take in these architectural and artistic highlights:

Palazzo Comunale: This 13th century palace houses artwork, including Macrino d’Alba’s Nativity.

Alba is rich in history dating back to pre-Roman times. Within the town itself you will find castles, medieval palaces, towers and many churches. Stroll the cobblestone streets, and follow your nose to a proliferation of restaurants that tantalize with offerings of gallo al Barolo (rooster with Barolo wine), brasato al Barolo (braised beef with Barolo wine), and tortino di marroni con pera Madernassa al Roero (Roero-style chestnut pastry with Madernassa pear). French presentation and Italian substance lead the renaissance of old regional recipes to make dining a real treat, with a wide variety of antipasti, bagna cauda (a condiment for vegetables), polenta and rice recipes, and bolliti (mixed boiled meat platters). Alba’s chief claim to fame is the succulent white truffle, which you will see listed on all the local menus in the form of truffle oil, grated truffle and sliced truffle. This fleshy underground fungus is gathered on the local hillsides during the fall, and the annual truffle fair in October draws famous chefs, TV personalities and truffle aficionados from all over the world. Of course, located as it is in the sub-region of Langhe, Alba is surrounded by many of Piedmont’s best vineyards, making it a wonderful base from which to enjoy first-rate reds. Want to learn more about the process? You can arrange to have a closer look at some of the nearby wineries. Not to be missed are the hamlets of Barolo, Barbaresco, Verduno and La Morra. A few commercial wineries are open to the general public, but the majority of the smaller ones can be visited only by special appointment. It’s been said that a common complaint about Alba, and indeed about the entire Piedmont region, is that there is so much food and wine but too little time to sample it all.

Duomo: The Cathedral of San Lorenzo (the Duomo) was built on top of an earlier chapel and consecrated in the 12th century. What is there today dates mostly from a restoration project in the 1800s.

Towers: Alba was dubbed “the city of 100 towers” because of the many defence towers that stood watch over the town. A handful are still in evidence, dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries.

30 | THE BAY STREET BULL

When in

Alba

Be sure to take in these architectural and artistic highlights:

Palazzo Comunale: This 13th century palace houses artwork, including Macrino d’Alba’s Nativity.

Duomo: The Cathedral of San Lorenzo (the Duomo) was built on top of an earlier chapel and consecrated in the 12th century. What is there today dates mostly from a restoration project in the 1800s.

Towers: Alba was dubbed “the city of 100 towers” because of the many defence towers that stood watch over the town. A handful are still in evidence, dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries.

30 | THE BAY STREET BULL

F A S H I O N

WALKING

the Green Carpet PGA PEACOCKS STEP UP THEIR STYLE GAME BY MIKE

DOJC

hanks to dozens of PGA players stepping up their style game, North America’s most exclusive fairways are starting to resemble Milan runways. The fashion-forward trend steadily crept onto the Tour over the past decade and is a dramatic change from golf’s checkered fashion past. Of course, a transformation that rivals caterpillar metamorphosis doesn’t just happen overnight. Ardent golfers have lugged their clubs across undulating expansive Edens and rugged dune-ridden paradises for centuries. If the eldest whistling trees, shimmering ponds and buzz-cut Bermuda grass could talk, they’d tell you about the eyesores they’ve peeped over the years and laugh up a lung or two if they had any—for Tiger Woods on the 4th the history of golf is fraught with more hole during the playoff fashion bogeys than the number of round of the US Open at dimples on a Titleist Pro V1. Torrey Pine Golf Course. Photo: Tomasso DeRosa BTWE (Before the Tiger Woods Era), golf was teed high atop every chic Madison Avenue fashionista’s hit list alongside blue-plate fashion crime accomplices—bowling, bass fishing, and buck hunting. To understand why golf was such a late bloomer, we have to go back some 500 years to the Scottish highlands. Long before claret jugs and green jackets were given out and golfers got smoochy with the Wanamaker trophy, golf was a game played by humble shepherds on the links lands. While their prowess at whacking stones toward faraway holes in the ground grew to be quite formidable over time, the same could not be said for their skills when it came to matching their belts with their shoes. Put it this way, there aren’t too many Gaelic folk songs about beautiful country lassies going crazy for a sharp-dressed shepherd. When golf came to the New World in the 19th century, the blokes who brought it across the Atlantic also brought dumpy uniforms, namely thick wooly rain gear designed to shield wearers against inclement weather and tam-o’-shanters (a Scottish take on the beret). 32 | THE BAY STREET BULL

F A S H I O N

WALKING

the Green Carpet PGA PEACOCKS STEP UP THEIR STYLE GAME BY MIKE

DOJC

The Age of Elegance In the roaring ’20s and Dirty ’30s golfers dressed like ladykillers. The leading swingers of the time–Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, and Gene Sarazen–were straight out of The Great Gatsby, all kitted out in the finest cashmere, dressy neckties, and argyle back when the diagonal checkerboard arrangement was at its most dashing. Even

Adam Scott of Australia waves to the crowd after making birdie on the fourth hole during the first round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California. Photo: Doug Pensinger

the plus-fours (loosely tailored caprilength knickers cut four inches below the knee), par for the course in the trouser department, were downright dapper. Golf’s age of elegance ended following the Second World War. Ties were out, T-shirts came in, and golfers adopted a Casual Fridays look. Ben Hogan, another one the game’s alltime greats, carried it off well. He was cool and nonchalant in cardigans and collared T-shirts. “I really love Ben Hogan. I think his style was so right on. It was very simple, understated, and classic,” explains John Ashworth whose own sophisticated designs are worn by Freddy Couples and Chris DiMarco among others. But not everybody was Ben Hogan, and the subdued palate of white, grey, and black that soon blanketed courses turned golf attire into a staid uniform. 34 | THE BAY STREET BULL

Bucking the boredom was Texan Jimmy Demaret. Nicknamed “The Wardrobe,” Demaret was a golf fashion trailblazer, one of the first players to break away from convention and express his individuality with outlandishly loud getups. He often looked like a chameleon who had just walked through a rainbow. Over the course of a tournament he’d sport a vivacious spectrum that would rival Joseph’s Technicolor Dreamcoat—aqua, emerald, flaming scarlet, gold, lavender, name a color and he wore it. Decked out from head-to-toe, Demaret would go so far as to have his saddle shoes custom-made so that they matched his slacks. More than a fashion plate, Demaret was one of the top golfers of his era winning the Masters on three occasions (1940, 1947 and 1950), and he stayed involved in the game long after his playing career as a television commentator. His garish penchant for plaid, polka-dotted and checked sports jackets would persist well into the ’80s inspiring the Geriatric Quarterly-country-club-

IS IT ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE REPORTERS START GRABBING GOLFERS BETWEEN HOLES TO ASK THEM “WHO ARE YOU WEARING?”

Tyson Beckford Swinging Golf Club, 1995 Photo: Michael Walls/Corbis

Walter Hagen playing golf at Skookie, 1922.

centerfold-look that Rodney Dangerfield caricatured in Caddyshack. A comic in his own right, Demaret should really get more respect for coming up with one of the most astute observations about the game he played: “Golf and sex are about the only things you can enjoy without being good at them.” As colour television exerted its influence in the ’60s and ’70s, golfers were forced to become more aware of the way they looked, and personalities emerged. Tony Jacklin, famous for ending almost two decades of British players’ frustration at the Open championship with a drought-ending victory at Royal Lytham in 1969, was a bigger haze of purple than Jimi Hendrix. Gary Player gallantly strode the green in fierce black-on-black ensembles. And Irish duffer John O’Leary may have inspired the White Stripes fashion sense, rocking out on the links with one pant leg colored red and the other one white. Golf fashion also took plenty of cues from the disco era with broad collars, flared pants, tight crotches, with plaid and polyester pervading. Taking a Style Mulligan The ’80s were golf’s tackiest fashion years. A lot of it had to do with the sport’s retirement community image in general. Compounding its unathletic, ‘shuffleboard is my BFF’ image were baggy unflattering clothes and clubs full of elderly gentlemen playing the game while wearing shorts with long black socks pulled up to their knees. Pros sporting expanding waistlines didn’t help either. “Blobby is a really good word without being too insulting if you can’t see your belt buckle, and there was a blobby nature to golf in the 1980s. It just wasn’t deemed to be a physically fit sport. It wasn’t

the cool place to be in your early 30s,” weighs in Nike Golf’s global creative director Rebecca Kaufman, who has been managing the attire of pros like Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard and Tiger Woods since 2002. From a fashion perspective, the decade didn’t really offer any helpful cues for golf. “The 1980s had acid-wash and parachute pants, and all these things that were so flash in the pan. Golf didn’t have anywhere to go; there wasn’t a lot of flexibility. Were we going to see MC Hammer pants on a golf course?” explains Tiss Dahan, Adidas Golf’s global director of apparel, who makes sure pros like Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Jim Furyk are looking snappy. The sting of the fashion police’s ceaseless baton beatings finally abated about the time a skinny young golfer named Eldrick ‘Tiger’ Woods started hitting the weights and wearing Chianti Red on Sunday. The grandpa image of the game shattered and designers rushed in. At the 55th annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando this past January, more than 200 apparel companies showed off their styles.

Camilo Villegas 2006 US Open Championship First Round Winged Foot Golf Club West Course Mamaroneck, NY Photo: Darren Carroll

In today’s younger, slimmer and increasingly buffer game, many golfers vying to be the next Tiger Woods are turning viewers heads for more than their 125 mph club head speed. When strapping Aussie-American heartthrob Aaron Baddeley, 27, who counts “fashion” among his hobbies, strolls down the

fairway during a tournament you might be inclined to hit the info button on your remote to make sure you haven’t accidentally flipped the channel over to a chickflick on Lifetime. Last year, Badd’s signed on as the poster boy for Original Penguin, whose polos were first worn by legends of the game Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, not too mention Frank Sinatra. Perry Ellis resuscitated Penguin from the fashion graveyard in 2003 with a hypodermic shot of 21st century Californiacool. The O.C.’s Seth Cohen, who made being a comic book geek cool by hooking up with Summer, frequently donned the cute penguin logo on his adorkable chest. At 6-1 and 182 pounds, Baddeley should broaden the brand’s appeal. Meanwhile, cool cat Colombian Camilo Villegas, 26, steams up tee boxes in snug J. Lindeberg, and young gun Adam Scott, 28, saves par in blue-blooded Burberry duds. Is it only a matter of time before reporters start grabbing golfers between holes to ask them, “Who are you wearing?” Golf apparel certainly has come a long way from the days of tam o’shanters and baggy knickers.

Bay Street to Bala, $34.95... Non-Stop Range Rover Sport - 11L |100km hwy

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THE BAY STREET BULL | 35

IS IT ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE REPORTERS START GRABBING GOLFERS BETWEEN HOLES TO ASK THEM “WHO ARE YOU WEARING?”

Tyson Beckford Swinging Golf Club, 1995 Photo: Michael Walls/Corbis

Walter Hagen playing golf at Skookie, 1922.

Camilo Villegas 2006 US Open Championship First Round Winged Foot Golf Club West Course Mamaroneck, NY Photo: Darren Carroll

Bay Street to Bala, $34.95... Non-Stop Range Rover Sport - 11L |100km hwy

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THE BAY STREET BULL | 35

T H E

A R T S

The

MUSIC MAN STRATFORD’S MODERN TWIST ON AN AMERICAN CLASSIC BY MOIRA DALY he play had its Broadway debut more than 50 years ago, and the story itself is set nearly a century ago. So, the surprising thing about the Stratford Festival’s current production of The Music Man, which runs until Nov. 1 at the Avon Theatre, is how airy and modern it seems. Sure, the women wear bloomers, the men sport straw boaters and the town spinster is only 26 years old. But thanks to the light and inventive touch of director Susan H. Schulman, aided by Michael Lichtefeld’s jaunty choreography and designer Patrick Clark’s frothy costumes, it all feels as sweet and refreshing as a colourful, cool drink on a hot summer day. The storyline is a familiar one: a smooth-talking huckster arrives in fictional River City, Iowa (population: 2,212) and convinces the skeptical but gullible townsfolk that the only way to protect themselves from trouble—with a capital “T” –is to purchase expensive band instruments, uniforms and instruction booklets for their children. The con man, who goes by the name of Professor Harold Hill, says he will teach the wayward youth how to play in a marching band using a newfangled methodology he has invented called the “Think System.” His real plan, of course, is to hitch the next boxcar out of town as soon as he collects his money. Hill’s arrival in River City comes at a time when national advertising in the form of billboards and mail-order catalogues has just started to emerge. While townsfolk delight in their newfound ability to purchase products such as pomades, corsets, tonics and toupees, they are also accustomed to their insular way of life. Outsiders, especially travelling salesmen and their suitcases, are viewed with deep suspicion. Schulman sets the tone with the opening number. In contrast to playwright Meredith Willson’s libretto, which calls for a “red-plushed, kerosene-lamped, enameldrinking-cupped railway coach,” Schulman’s salesmen

emerge in a cloud of dry ice meant to simulate train smoke, dressed in pale, sherbet-coloured suits. Their boxy briefcases are both props and part of the set, unfolding into benches as the salesmen pop up and down rhythmically like steam pistons. The actors’ athleticism and fast-talking, syncopated delivery hint at Schulman’s belief that this classic work is “America’s first rap musical.” Creative staging is evident throughout the show. Another highlight comes late in Act 1 when Hill goes to court the aforementioned spinster, town librarian Marian Paroo, at her workplace. Harold pursues Marian while leading the teenagers in the library in a dance; the sequence includes a delightful mimed version of Romeo and Juliet by two young teenagers when Harold and Marian have their backs turned. Even the ever-reluctant Marian gets swept up in the moment, finally dropping her guard and dancing with Harold. The casting of Stratford stalwart Jonathan Goad as Harold Hill is something of a surprise, given his previous turns in serious, dramatic roles such as Iago, Edmund, Pericles and Hotspur in Shakespearean plays and Valentine

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T H E

A R T S

The

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BEGINNER’S LUCK

The Music Man was the first Broadway show written by playwright Meredith Willson. It made its Broadway debut at New York’s Majestic Theatre on December 19, 1957, starring Robert Preston as Harold Hill and Barbara Cook as Marian Paroo. It went on to run for 1,375 performances and won 10 Tony Awards, even beating West Side Story for Best Musical. But that brief history makes Willson’s achievement sound too easy. In fact, Willson spent eight years writing more than 30 drafts of the script, and he penned more than 40 songs—22 were cut. And he had some pretty impressive help: the idea for The Music Man was suggested to him by Frank Loesser, the composer and lyricist of Guys and Dolls, after Loesser heard stories of Willson’s upbringing in Mason City, Iowa. Willson may have been a novice in the musical theatre world, but he brought an impressive array of skills to the task. He learned to play the flute as a young child and joined the New York City Philharmonic Orchestra (then conducted by Arturo Toscanini) in 1924, when he was only 22 years old. In the 1930s and 1940s, he worked as a musical director for radio programs and composed film scores, receiving two Academy Award nominations. That curriculum vitae might explain why The Music Man continues to resonate so powerfully in pop culture today. It has been successfully revived several times, including twice on Broadway. The play has also been accorded the ultimate pop-culture honour, a Simpsons’ parody entitled “Marge vs. the Monorail,” written by Conan O’Brien. O’Brien was later approached to play the role of Harold Hill for a short stint during the second Broadway revival in 2000 but was unable to fit it into his schedule. He said it was the hardest choice he has ever had to make professionally.

River City ladies performing “Eulalie’s Ballet.” Professor Harold Hill sweeps librarian Marian Paroo off her feet in a dance (bottom). Meredith Willson who wrote both the music and lyrics of The Music Man (side bar). Stratford’s Jonathan Goad is an energetic and charming Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man (page 36). One of the many crowdpleasers choreographed by Michael Lichtefeld (page 37). Leah Oster and Jonathan Goad strike the right chord together as Marian Paroo and Harold Hill (page 40). Slick salesman Harold Hill gets the River City townsfolk jumping (page 41).

Xavier in Orpheus Descending. However, Goad is more than up to the challenge, infusing his Hill with a buoyant, infectious energy. A dash more roguishness might have set female pulses racing more quickly, but there is little to fault in Goad’s first crack at musical theatre. Leah Oster makes her Stratford debut as Marian. Her clear, strong voice and effortless musicality stand out in a performance that is both sweet and determined, like Marian herself. The supporting cast is uniformly terrific, especially Lee MacDougall as Mayor Shinn, Fiona Reid as his scenestealing wife Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn, and Christopher Van Hagen as Marian’s shy, lisping younger brother, Winthrop Paroo. Ultimately, The Music Man is about the power of music to transform lives. Even if Hill is a fraud, he still manages to turn the squabbling school board council into a harmonious barbershop quartet; lisping, downcast Winthrop into a happy and talkative young man; and lovelorn Marian into a vibrant woman who has allowed herself to fall in love for the first time. The audience is more than happy to come along for the ride, applauding wildly after each musical number.

When you’re not on the course every chance you can get, you know you’ll be found glued to the flat-screen on Sunday afternoons. And sometimes, just sometimes, you might think you could have made a better shot than the pros, at fabled courses like Pinehurst No. 2, The Blue Monster at Doral, Turnberry’s Ailsa Course, TPC Sawgrass, or the South Course at Torrey Pines. And, many, many more. If you’re ready to play where the pros play, it’s time to call the golf travel pros at Ultimate Golf Vacations. Tell us your golf dreams and we’ll bring them to life – you and your pals can create your own golf history on legendary tracks in the footsteps of the pros.

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BEGINNER’S LUCK

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‘ULTIMATELY, THE MUSIC MAN IS ABOUT THE POWER OF MUSIC TO TRANSFORM LIVES.’

Stratford organizers are also thrilled, no doubt, to have such a crowd-pleasing and critical hit on their hands. Things didn’t look so promising this past March when the festival’s experimental decision to have three artistic directors share the reins proved to be a mistake, barely a month before the 2008 season was set to open. After a last-ditch,

frenzied attempt to hold things together, two of the directors, Marti Maraden and Don Shipley, resigned, leaving Des McAnuff alone in the job. The major problem with the triumvirate was that the three directors had divergent interests and styles but were required to reach decisions by consensus. Not surprisingly, dis-

agreements soon bubbled to the surface. “One day it could be about programming, the next day it could be about something much less important,” said Antoni Cimolino, Stratford’s general director, at the time of the split. McAnuff, it is said, is the flashy one, the expat who made his name south of the border as the artistic director of the internationally renowned La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, and as the Tony Award-winning director of Jersey Boys on Broadway, among other hits. He is said to bring a blockbuster mentality to Stratford, which some critics have found rather staid in recent years. Perhaps fittingly for someone who owns a Lamborghini, McAnuff used a motoring metaphor to explain the breakdown of the relationship: There were just “too many hands on the wheel,” he said. It’s still early days, and the festival could still career out of control in future years under McAnuff’s guidance. But if The Music Man is a preview of what lies ahead, festival organizers will, no doubt, be happy to have McAnuff in the driver’s seat for many seasons to come.

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‘ULTIMATELY, THE MUSIC MAN IS ABOUT THE POWER OF MUSIC TO TRANSFORM LIVES.’

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Photo: Ruslan Sarkisian

ON THE SHELF

Mischief, Music and Mayhem Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Vintage Canada) draws you into a seminal moment in African history: Biafra’s struggle to build an independent nation in the southeastern region of Nigeria in the late 1960s. Through five unforgettable characters—Ugwu, 13-year-old houseboy; Odenigbo, a university professor; his young mistress, Olanna; and Richard, a shy English man infatuated by Olanna’s strong-willed twin sister Kainene— we experience the tumult of the war and the way it shaped the lives of individuals and a people. The Downhill Lie by Carl Hiaasen (Alfred A. Knopf) is a hilarious confessional about returning to the fairways after a 32-year absence. 42 | THE BAY STREET BULL

Hiaasen, best known for his column in The Miami Herald and his “environmental thrillers” such as Sick Puppy and Nature Girl, delves into titanium technology, high-priced golf gurus and infomercial gimmicks as he prepares for a 45-hole country-club tournament. A gem for both novice and skilled golfers. Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller (Atria Books) is an epic biography of three of pop culture’s most important female singer-songwriters— Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon—as they came of age in the now mythic ’60s. Weller, an award-winning journalist and author of five previous books, provides a fresh look at these women

who dared to break tradition, and in doing so, became “confessors in song, rock superstars and adventurers.”

since the 17th century. Highly original and engaging, this is one novel you’ll read from cover to cover in one sitting.

Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips (Random House Canada) lets you in on a little secret: “Being immortal isn’t all its cracked up to be.” At least not for Artemis (goddess of hunting, professional dog walker); Aphrodite (goddess of beauty, telephone sex operator) and Apollo (god of the sun, TV psychic). You see, life is hard for these Greek gods in the 21st century. Nobody believes in them anymore, not even their families. And to add insult to injury, they have been stuck living in a dilapidated North London hovel in near obscurity

The Gathering by Anne Enright (Black Cat) opens in Dublin with nine surviving children of the Hegarty clan at the wake of their wayward brother, Liam, who drowned at sea. As Enright traces the history of betrayal and redemption through three generations of the Hegartys, she delivers a moving portrait of a dysfunctional family, shows the vagaries of memories and the ways that secrets fester—all popular Irish themes from one of Ireland’s great contemporary writers. Rightly chosen for the 2007 Man Booker Prize.

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