Toronto Magazine 2014

C o m p l i m e n ta r y • INSIDE  Neighbourhood tours • Retail therapy • City visionaries • Sports scene

2014

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best of the City

YOUR front row to top festivals, theatre, music, sports & more

From Aquarium to Zoo & everything in between Cheers! to the city’s best food & drink Plus Secret city hikes

More to explore Mississauga, Brampton & Niagara

YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN TORONTO • Located in the hear t of downtown Toronto within walking distance of prime retail districts and colorful local neighbourhoods • A variety of guest rooms ranging from comfor table Deluxe rooms to spacious Kitchenettes and Suites • Four restaurants/bars, featuring the newly renovated T|Bar and the marché-style Market Garden including express|o Coffee Bar • Access to exclusive attractions, theatre and spa discounts.

• Separate adult and family recreation areas including 2 indoor pools and the 130-foot “Corkscrew” waterslide • Complimentar y basic Wi-Fi • Underground hotel parking available

33 Gerrard Street West. Toronto, ON M5G IZ4 eatonchelsea.com / 1-800-CHELSEA

(243-5732)

A member of Langham Hospitality Group

welcome

To Own The Town, you’ve got to own the app.

Download the Tourism Toronto app to get the inside scoop on Toronto events, restaurants, attractions and more!

To download our free See Toronto app, visit seetorontonow.com

We’ve been expecting you!

W

e’re proud to present Toronto magazine for 2014, featuring inspiration from across our great region, and all the practical information you’ll need to craft your own unique adventure.

You’ll find a cosmopolitan city with a style that is authentically Toronto and distinctly Canadian. Walk the streets by day and by night. Savour the sights, sounds and diverse tastes of every café, restaurant, market and festival. Throughout the seasons, our streets are alive with entertainment and the excitement of major-league sporting events, premier shopping and renowned hotels.

An intimate yet vibrant downtown core is also the gateway to extraordinary neighbourhood experiences found around every corner. Beyond the downtown core, endless opportunities await you in Brampton and Mississauga. These centres boast some of the finest golf courses, parks, trails, racetracks and shopping centres for you to explore.

Venture outside the Greater Toronto Area to see the breathtaking wilderness of Ontario’s famed cottage country, or head around Lake Ontario to the Niagara region for some of the world’s finest wineries.

You’ll quickly discover why Ontario is not just a place to see but also a place to experience.

Visit seetorontonow.com to get up-to-the-minute event listings. While here, be sure to pick up your copy of the 2014 Toronto Visitor Guide. In it, you’ll find all the information you’ll need to explore one of the most exciting and unique cities you’ve ever visited.

More than 315,000 dedicated individuals are working in tourism and hospitality in Toronto, and we’re all here to welcome you and make your visit one you’ll remember for a long time.

On behalf of all of us, welcome to Toronto!

Michael Chan

David Whitaker

Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport

President and CEO, Tourism Toronto

Follow us online for Toronto travel info on the go. @SeeTorontoNow

VisitToronto

@SeeTorontoNow l

VisitToronto

Toronto 2014 • 3

Toronto Magazine 2014, Volume 7, Issue 1

CONTENTS “It’s a city of subtleties, so visitors should walk around and slowly absorb the details.”

Shawn Micallef p. 31

Departments

Upfront

3 Welcome

City Confidential

11 Arts, culture, etc.

From insider-secret shopping to the hottest gallery scenes, where to get your culture on in Toronto. Plus: where to find the city’s most prototypically Toronto coffee.

8 Contributors 12 News What’s generating buzz in our city right now.

90 Finding your feet How to get around town.

26 Architecture for the arts

41 Music mashup

Where to catch our teams on home turf, ice and hardwood (plus where to chow down and fuel up like a fan).

How the cultural renaissance fed Toronto’s starbuilding boom.

By Jamie Bradburn

By Stephen Knight

31 City lights

92 2014 Events 94 Vox populi

Max out your auditory enjoyment with our genre-blending pairings.

By Jesse Ship & Porter Creanza

46 Child’s play Explore the region’s top family-friendly draws.

Innovation, diversity, culture: how they define our city, from three urban luminaries who would know.

Toronto’s must-sees and must-dos, as crowd sourced by our Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

34 Fan fare

By Yuki Hayashi

48 Winter magic Embrace the festive season with these 25 top sites and attractions.

By Jasmine Milller

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By Kat Tancock

36 Fashion finds From professional to glam, indie-eclectic to urban casual: here’s where to shop today’s hottest looks.

40 City soundscape

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26

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By Loretta Chin

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Matt Galloway picks a handful of quintessentially Toronto tunes.

By Elio Iannacci

41

A SPECTACULAR OCEAN EXPERIENCE IN THE HEART OF THE CITY.

Step into another world ripleysaquariumofcanada.com

CONTENTS 80

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Food & Drink

Compass

54 Meat the city Dress comfortably: you’re going to want to make room for dinner.

Should you bring spare change or your gold card? Raise a cheer to the city’s choicest libations, high and low.

64 About town

“Tweetversations” with top tastemakers on where to drink up or chow down.

By Amy Rosen

58 Cocktail barometer

60 Where can I get a good…

Go local and take it to the streets, up close and on foot.

74 Brampton blossoms Museums, music, theatre and shopping in the other downtown.

By Jane L. Thompson

By Bill Brioux

By Natalie DiScala

77 Mississauga life

61 Well crafted

This dynamic city, a stone’s throw from Toronto, beguiles visitors with its many attractions.

Toronto’s thirst for artisanal beer nourishes a vibrant small-brewery scene.

By Dick Snyder

By Dick Snyder

By Janelle Reed

80 Wonder falls Niagara’s famous main attraction is just one of its many charms.

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By Anita Draycott

84 Great drives Rev up to explore southern Ontario’s hidden treasures.

On the Cover Shot on location at the Frank Gehry-designed Art Gallery of Ontario, part of a massive architectural infusion in Toronto’s arts scene (see page 26).

Photography: Sian Richards Stylist: Ingrie Williams Hair and makeup: Jackie Shawn Model: Jade Whitney, Da Costa Talent Management Clothing: French Connection, frenchconnection.com

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By Aliyah Shamsher

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The most non-stop flights to Toronto.

600 hours of complimentary on-demand in-flight entertainment. Perfect.

Fly the difference More ways to experience the difference • Complimentary on-demand full feature movies at every seat • Power outlets within easy reach • Best network: most flight options to Toronto • Only airline to offer Aeroplan® Miles

Touch-screen TVs are available on all Air Canada-operated aircraft and on certain Air Canada Express™ carriers. ™ Air Canada Express is a trademark of Air Canada. ®Aeroplan is a registered trademark of Aimia Canada Inc.

CONTRIBUTORS Jamie Bradburn “Architecture for the arts” (page 26) Toronto history nut Bradburn has been published by Torontoist, the Grid, Spacing and the Toronto Star.

Where he brings visitors: “Croft Street, a laneway near Bathurst and College. There’s a great Monty Python-esque mural depicting the story of the man the street was named after, John Croft, who was the lone victim of the Great Fire of 1904. It’s a great example of the creativity people have used to spruce up Toronto’s alleys.”

Elio Iannacci “City soundscape” (page 40) Currently the features editor at Canada’s leading style magazine, Fashion, award-winning writer and editor Iannacci has been published in Maclean’s, The Hollywood Reporter, MORE UK, Chatelaine and the National Post.

Top Toronto brunch: “Brunch is a toss-up between Dynasty Chinese Cuisine for dim sum (love their steamed sweet egg buns) or Bonjour Brioche for a plate of scrambled eggs served with caviar and a potato rosti.”

Jacqui Oakley “Child’s play” (page 46) Oakley’s paintings have been exhibited in Toronto, California, Philadelphia and Shanghai, and her illustration clients include the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Penguin Books, National Geographic, the Financial Times U.K. and more. Oakley also teaches at OCAD (Ontario College of Art & Design) University in Toronto.

Where she brings visitors: “To enjoy a great exhibit at the AGO, and then we’ll walk over to Mother’s Dumplings for hot, freshly made dumplings and buns.”

Tourism Toronto Chair of the Board Johanne Bélanger President & CEO David Whitaker Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Joel Peters Editorial Director: Vice President, Communications Andrew Weir Managing Editor: Corporate Communications Manager Cathy Riches Director, Creative Services Bridget LeGrow Director, Industry Relations Pamela Laite Member Care Director Denise Belgrove Editorial Executive Editor Amanda Eaton Deputy Editor Yuki Hayashi

Spafax Canada Inc. spafax.com Operations Production Director Joelle Irvine Project Leader Celyn Harding-Jones Ad Production Manager Mary Shaw Ad Production Coordinator Stephen Geraghty Proofreaders Jennifer Krissilas Chashmeen Rekhi President, Content Marketing Raymond Girard Executive Vice President, Content Marketing Nino DiCara Vice President, Finance & Operations Paula Pergantis Content Director Arjun Basu Senior Strategist Courtney MacNeil

Copy Editor Sarah B. Hood Art Art Director Gordon Alexander Designer Rob Norton

National & Regional Account Manager Nadia Piccinin Chief Executive Officer, Spafax Niall McBain

Sian Richards Cover A staff photographer at Chatelaine magazine, Richards also shoots for performing arts clients, including The National Ballet of Canada, Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Tafelmusik.

Top Toronto brunch and dinner: “Om Restaurant on Queen West for amazing Tibetan fried bread, curry and eggs at brunch.

Hopgood’s Foodliner on Roncesvalles for Thursday dinner.”

Amy Rosen “Meat the city” (page 54) One of the country’s leading tastemakers, award-winning journalist Rosen is Chatelaine magazine’s food editor and a frequent contributor to enRoute, Maclean’s, Food & Wine, and the National Post and Globe and Mail newspapers.

Where she brings visitors: “Foxley on Ossington. I’ve followed chef and owner Tom Thai from restaurant to restaurant for over a decade. You just can’t get flavours like his. I’m hooked!”

Paula Wilson “Meat the city” (page 54) A food photography specialist, Wilson shoots for top magazines, advertising campaigns and cookbooks. Her editorial credits include Art Culinaire, GQ, Toronto Life and Where.

Favourite Toronto weekend: “Saturdays are for my family. I love playing with my son in Dufferin Grove Park, and shopping in Roncesvalles Village, then going for a leisurely dinner at This End Up on Dundas Street West. They have a great kids’ menu and awesome martinis: best of both worlds!”

8 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Membership enquiries: 647-202-3042 Ad sales (Spafax Canada): 416-350-2425 Circulation: 250,000 Published by Tourism Toronto Queen’s Quay Terminal, Suite 405, 207 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON Canada M5J 1A7 Tel: 416-203-2600 Fax: 416-203-6753 Printed in Canada Toronto Magazine © 2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. All information is current as of press time. The publisher cannot and does not guarantee the accuracy of all information and will not be responsible for errors, changes or omissions.

This publication is printed on stock FSC certified and is 100% recyclable. ®

UPFRONT WorldPride 2014: Celebrate the diversity

Bring your proudest and brightest colours to the WorldPride festival, June 20 to 29, 2014. Join Toronto’s LGBTTIQQ2SA* community in honouring its activism, education and history. This is the first WorldPride to be held in North America, and just the fourth edition of the global festival.

Toronto has long been at the vanguard of equality rights, as the first jurisdiction in North America to permit same-sex marriages. We’re also home to one of the world’s biggest and loudest annual Pride parades!

*Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer/Questioning, Two-Spirited, Allies

Photography: Lucas Oleniuk

World 14!

Pride 2ad0th e

Downlo free See Toronto mobile app for the top Pride events!

News

Hot & New

What’s generating buzz in our city right now.

by Celyn Harding-Jones

Mirvish Productions’ 50th anniversary lineup Mirvish Productions is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a blockbuster lineup, boasting the “biggest ever” season of shows. Hits include the Book of Mormon, starting September 16, Disney’s The Lion King from April to June, Green Day’s American Idiot and The Beatles tribute Rain in March, and Chicago, featuring Olympic figure skater Elvis Stojko’s debut performance. mirvish.com

Royal Ontario museum celebrates its 100th, with you!

This year is the Royal Ontario Museum’s 100th anniversary, and in the spirit of connecting people to their world and each other, the Museum’s program is packed with social and interactive exhibitions and events.

Events include black-tie galas, hipster Friday Night Live, and cake and ice cream for all.

And from March 8 through to September 1, 2014, The Forbidden City: Inside the Court of China’s Emperors offers an exclusive look into the Ming and Qing dynasties with artifacts and perspectives of this society that has held us captive for centuries. After your visit, be sure to participate in ROM ReCollects: help document the history of the museum by logging into their website and submitting memories, photos and spoken words. rom.on.ca Art Gallery of Ontario: Modern masterpieces Two striking exhibitions are featured this year at the Art Gallery of Ontario. The Great Upheaval: Modern Masterpieces from the Guggenheim Collection features modern art from Europe, with notable experimental

Yellow Cow, 1911, Franz Marc

The cast of Broadway’s Tony Award-winning hit musical Chicago

Toronto Zoo celebrates 40 years!

Take part in the Zoo’s 40th anniversary, celebrating four decades of bringing the wild to the city. Open all year round, the Zoo kicks off its celebration in the new year with many special events, including the reopening of the Eurasia Wilds in May and the introduction of the Soaring Eagles Zip-line running through the Tundra Trek. And who can resist Da Mao and Er Shun, the two new giant pandas—who are so pandorable! torontozoo.com

Walk to Billy Bishop Airport!

Visitors and locals alike rave about the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport for its breathtaking landing views of the Toronto skyline and port, as well as for its ultra-convenient location in downtown Toronto. But soon you’ll be able to walk to the airport in minutes, with a new tunnel

that connects the island airport to downtown. Travellers will now be able to stroll from city street to runway in about six minutes on moving sidewalks, commuting under Lake Ontario!

Construction is set to be complete in summer 2014.

12 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

paintings by Cézanne, Duchamp, Matisse and Picasso, among others, until March 2, 2014. Then, bringing paintings and sculptures from two influential British artists, Francis Bacon and Henry Moore, the next exhibit pairs the artists’ personal (and horrific) experiences from the Second World War to offer new, and often hopeful, perspectives on the postwar era, open from April 5 to July 6, 2014. ago.net Aga Khan Museum and Ismaili Centre Toronto is known for its myriad of cultural institutions and people, and the Aga Khan Museum, opening this year, contributes to the city’s artistic breadth. Dedicated to the acquisition, preservation and display of artifacts from Islamic communities worldwide, the museum will display 200 pieces of its more than 1,000-item collection and will also offer an educational program. Visit for the glass, rock crystal, textile, ivory, ceramics and parchments, or for the peaceful, reflective courtyard; you’ll be surprised, delighted and inspired.

Ontario Science Centre: Science spotlight There’s always something surprising at the Ontario Science Centre: make yourself heard at the Amateur Radio Station, gaze at the stars in the planetarium, explore The AstraZeneca Human Edge exhibition hall to test the limits of your body and mind at the Wall of Pain, or find out what the future could look like at the 21st Century Bionic Person exhibit. ontariosciencecentre.ca

UPFRONT Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada: Making waves Thousands of highly anticipated guests have arrived in Toronto—in over five million litres of water— and are making a splash!

Take an exhilarating walk through the Dangerous Lagoon, an underwater viewing tunnel, and see all sides of the sand tiger, sandbar and reef sharks.

Watch an octopus vanish before your eyes, a diver feeding the colourful fish in the Rainbow Reef, and touch—yes, touch!—the silky smooth skin of an Atlantic stingray. ripleyaquariums. com/canada

The Design Exchange:

This is not a toy

Photography: City of Toronto (Fort York)

New Fort York Visitor Centre The juxtapositions of old and new are artfully defined at Fort York National Historic Site in Toronto, with the addition of the new Visitor Centre in 2014. Commemorate and celebrate the site of the Battle of York during the War of 1812, where Canadian militia and First Nations fought side by side with British troops against the invading Americans. Stop by the stunning modern complex to find out more about tours, musket, drill and music demonstrations—and stay for the interactive exhibitions and the Battle of York immersive experience. toronto.ca/ culture/museums/fort-york.htm

Guest curated by superstar Pharrell Williams, This Is Not a Toy is the world’s first-ever large-scale exhibition on urban vinyl as contemporary art (or more simply put, art toys for all ages). Highlighting the intersection between commercial culture, marketing, graffiti art and contemporary art, the Kickstarter-funded exhibit features bigger than life-sized and child-sized vinyl toys by international artists KAW and Takashi Murakami, among others. dx.org

Treetop Trekking in Brampton Zip, balance and swing through Ontario’s leafy, lofty treetops: Treetop Trekking in Brampton is just a short drive from Toronto.

Children and adults nine years old and up can participate in aerial game courses, zipline and Tarzan swing adventures—just watch out for that tree! Night treks are also offered for those seeking adrenaline-inducing escapades. treetoptrekking.com

VisitToronto

Toronto 2014 • 13

Gallery hops Where to view our city’s most exciting art. By Jane L. Thompson



Yorkville is the heart of the city’s blue-chip art world, where investors vie for Canadian blockbusters and Aboriginal pieces. Mira Godard Gallery (22 Hazelton Ave.) shows work by international names like painter Alex Colville and photographer Edward Burtynsky; nearby are the notable Loch Gallery (16 Hazelton Ave.) and Gallery Gevik (12 Hazelton Ave.).

The Arts Scene

Ossington (which intersects with Queen Street West), known for fabulous restaurants (and lineups), independent boutiques and hip dive bars, is home to important galleries like Cooper Cole (1161 Dundas St. W.); Angell Gallery (12 Ossington Ave.), which handles digital artist Alex McLeod (blogged about by Kanye West); Stephen Bulger Gallery (1026 Queen St. W.); and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (952 Queen St. W.), where video artists Public Studio exhibit.

Twist Gallery in the Queen Street West gallery district

Movie marathon

With over 75 film festivals—more than any other city—Toronto is a movie production hub and a cinephile’s delight. Looking for Armenian films? Brazilian?

Gay and lesbian? Environmental? Silent classics? Toronto’s got all that, and Breast Fest, too.

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) tiff.net September 5 to 14, 2014 When film fan Janice Flisfeder fainted in a TIFF lineup, Matthew McConaughey revived her. A-listers flock to Toronto’s red-carpet extravaganza, hoping a premiere here will give them Oscar buzz.

(Well, it worked for Argo and The King’s Speech! The last six Best Picture winners have all screened or premiered at TIFF.)

Natalie Portman graces TIFF

 DID YOU EXPECT?

Hot Docs hotdocs.ca April 24 to May 4, 2014 North America’s largest documentary

festival, featuring some 200 Canadian and international entries, has become so popular that in 2012 it took over and renamed the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema to show year-round programming.

Inside Out: Toronto LGBT Film Festival insideout.ca May 22 to June 1, 2014 Since its modest start in 1991, this 11-day celebration has grown to become one of the world’s top-five LGBTTIQQ2SA film fests, attracting 35,000 viewers to a lineup of 200 film and video screenings, panels, artist talks and parties.

TIFF Kids International Film Festival tiff.net/tiffkids/festival April 8 to 20, 2014 TIFF’s festival for kids presents short docs, animation and features that are far beyond multiplex fare. Parents and children (three and up) can often meet the movie creators, who may hail from Canada or anywhere from Australia to Azerbaijan.

Toronto After Dark: Horror, Sci-Fi, Action & Cult Film Festival torontoafterdark.com October 16 to 24, 2014 Halloween comes early for cult film fans with this international showcase, where thrill-seeking enthusiasts receive discounts on Zombie Appreciation Night if dressed appropriately. —JLT

The Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival (May, scotiabankcontactphoto.com) mounts exhibits everywhere, including on public billboards and subway station posters … the Ryerson Image Centre (ryerson.ca/ric) holds the Black Star Collection of a quarter million iconic images that define the history of photojournalism … the Bata Shoe Museum (batashoemuseum.ca) has a permanent collection of 12,500 artifacts, including a pair of socks worn by Napoleon while in exile … the Gardiner Museum (gardinermuseum.on.ca) has an amazing Mayan collection … the Art Gallery of Ontario (ago.net) houses 1,000 Australian Aboriginal artifacts, including 327 boomerangs. —SBH Elton John’s boots at the Bata Shoe Museum

14 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Photography: Doug Brown (TIFF)

Toronto artists to know include Michael Snow (his installations grace the Toronto Eaton Centre and Rogers Centre), along with Vanessa Maltese, winner of the RBC Painting Competition, and Shary Boyle, who represented Canada at the Venice Biennale.

In contrast, Queen West is a neighbourhood in transition, with cheap rents, lively bars, emerging artists and tucked-away galleries. Neubacher Shor Contemporary (5 Brock Ave.) is in an alley, Twist Gallery (1100 Queen St. W.) is above a restaurant and vintage store, Goodfellas Gallery (1266 Queen St. W.) is at the back of a large commercial building, and Gallery 1313 (1313 Queen St. W.) is in a former police station.

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Toronto 2014 • 15

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Photography: Doug Brown (TIFF). Illustration: Dave Murray (Kensington map)

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What has made TIFF such a huge success?

What’s happened is we’ve grown up beside an audience that has become increasingly sophisticated about cinema. As we’ve grown, they have too. There’s at least one festival [for] every weekend. Maybe only Paris has more. Every kind of community [has a film festival]; some have more than one. This is a flowering of diversity in the city. (See facing page for a portuguese look at Toronto’s film festivals.)

—JLT design brake protected

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What are the city’s best neighbourhoods for culture?

Kensington Market. It’s in the downtown of the city. It’s bohemian. It’s not gentrified and not too upscale. And it still produces bands and food and fountains of new culture.

Some of the unsung areas that are a wellspring of Toronto culture are the suburbs. Whether it’s K’naan, who is from Rexdale, or a lot of DJs, emcees or bands that come out of all sorts of basements, those kinds of things are remarkable. A lot filters downtown eventually.

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Describe Toronto’s creative class.

Cultural leaders here feed onprints what’s happening in other capitals and bring it office restaurant back here and give it a Toronto spin, turn it local utility into their own experience. Artists like Drake and Russell Peters have plugged into a no dumping world less confined by cultural borders.

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You invite international artists to Toronto.

What are they most surprised to discover?

When they land at the airport, they see who’s greeting them here. They take a look at thered people on the street—what they wear, how they look. How we live together, go together. There are mixed-race couples, fusion food. The mix is the most surprising. In most other cities, you don’t find the mix.

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How has the cultural scene changed since you arrived in 1971?

It’s entirely transformed now. When I came, from a child’s video perspective, it was very buttoned down and WASPy. The people surveillance have made the big change. It’s a young city. It t-shirts doesn’tsale have theknit feet old buildings of Europe, and waves warning of immigration have printing transformed the institutions, the culture, the media. lettuce

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How has Toronto shaped you?

I would say I am an immigrant, like many Torontonians. The way it shaped me was by educating me in cultures from around the world. You become fluent in different cultures from walking around the city: Koreatown, Chinatown, Little India.

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As artistic director of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Cameron Bailey is responsible for helping pull off the city’s most prestigious cultural event. Between an early childhood in England and Barbados, his four-decade residency in Toronto, and extensive workrelated travel, Bailey is an astute observer of what makes this city just a little bit different from the rest.

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TIFF’s artistic director riffs on whatfamous makes Toronto tick.

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Top Bloggers’ Picks

Hot hoods

T.O. bloggers share secrets about the neighbourhoods they love! Photography by Paula Wilson

Up The Junction

By Natalie Taylor of the “hyperlocal” travel blog Nearafar (@nearafar)

The Junction’s main strip, on Dundas Street West between Keele and Runnymede, is off the downtown map, but its jumble of independent cafés, eateries and shops are worth the commute to one of Toronto’s most dynamic neighbourhoods.

Here’s my ideal itinerary.

Morning munching Eggs Benedict and French toast are worth the brunch splurge at Littlefish (3080 Dundas St. W.). Caffeinate at Locomotive (3070 Dundas St. W.) or Full Stop (2948 Dundas St. W.). The latter’s patio is located behind the Junction Train Platform, a faux train station built as a nod to the area’s railway history. The site serves as a farmers’ market on Saturdays.

Loud and proud in Church-Wellesley Village

By Doug O’Neill of Canadian Living magazine’s travel blog (@DougONeill)

The range of window displays on Church Street says it all: from the latest in leather paraphernalia on parade at Stag Shop (239 Church St.) to the lemony tarts featured across the street at All The Best Fine Foods (483 Church St.).

The Church-Wellesley neighbourhood is where the LGBTTIQQ2SA community has lived, played, shopped, partied and people watched for decades. It’s no surprise Toronto is the first North American city to host WorldPride during June 2014. There’s something for everyone under the rainbow.

Weeknight wanderlust Start out at FABARNAK restaurant at The 519 Church Street Community Centre (519 Church St.); through its unique social-enterprise initiative, the resto’s professional chefs and front-of-house team provide valuable training for people who face barriers to the job market.

After dinner, make a beeline to Woody’s (465–467 Church St.), the gay man’s Cheers.

Best Chest Night is Thursday.

Just sayin’.

Friday nights for boys and girls Fine dining at iconic Byzantium—or Byz

(499 Church St.)—attracts a mixed crowd and could precede a fine, well-priced martini at Boutique Bar (506 Church St.). Then sashay next door to Crews & Tangos (508 Church St.) for a night of lesbigay dancing at Night of Mayhem.

Lazy Sunday morning Hair of the Dog (425 Church St.) is your best spot for brunch. Once you’ve fuelled up on carbs, burn them off clothes shopping at Out on the Street (551 Church St.).

You can always round off your day with a pint at O’Grady’s (518 Church St.).

16 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Afternoon browsing Design enthusiasts will garner inspiration from industrial salvage boutiques, including the eclectic Metropolis Living (2989 Dundas St. W.) and SMASH (2880 Dundas St. W.). Find local talents in contemporary art, media, photography, textiles and expanded exhibitions at the many art galleries in the area. Dapper gents can shop for Canadian designers at Gerhard (2949 Dundas St. W.). Enjoy organic chocolates and ice cream at Delight (3040 Dundas St. W.).

Evening excitement Playa Cabana Cantina (2883 Dundas St. W.) plies delish tacos, guac and margaritas. Across the street, imbibe craft brew at Indie Ale House (2876 Dundas St. W.) or nibble on tapas and dance the night away at 3030 (3030 Dundas St. W.).

UPFRONT

Sunday morning in Roncesvalles Village

By Mariellen Ward of the India-focused travel blog Breathedreamgo, who lives in Roncy (@breathedreamgo)

Sunday morning is a leisurely affair in Roncesvalles (RON-sess-vale) Village, where more dogs than cars traverse the main thoroughfare.

Reading and feeding Enjoy huevos rancheros at The Westerly (413 Roncesvalles Ave.), then head south to browse one of the many bookstores and see what’s new at fashion boutique Fresh Collective (401 Roncesvalles Ave.). I rarely pass

The Chocolateria (361 Roncesvalles Ave.) without picking up a Sea Turtle (dark chocolate filled with caramel and sprinkled with fleur de sel).

Karma and caffeine Yoga is the perfect start to Sunday in Roncy: try Lila Yoga Studio (9 Neepawa Ave.), followed by chai at Alternative Grounds (333 Roncesvalles Ave.). In warm weather,

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the back patio is a serene hideaway, shaded by leafy trees fluttering with Tibetan prayer flags.

Herbology lessons Stroll the one-of-a-kind shops and specialties of this hood, including The Herbal Clinic & Dispensary (theherbalclinicanddispensary. com), which dispenses handmade products with a 19th-century apothecary vibe.

Toronto 2014 • 17

A hop and a shop Away from downtown toronto!

EGLINTON AVENUE E.

DON VALLEY PKWY.

THE DONWAY W.

DON MILLS RD.

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FREE PARKING

DON VALLEY PKWY.

THE DONWAY W.

DON MILLS RD.

DONW AY W .

THE

YONGE ST.

LAWRENCE AVENUE E.

Just minutes from downtown, experience Toronto’s finest outdoor lifestyle destination. designer shopping, gourmet dining and exciting nightlife in a unique european-inspired village setting.

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RUTHERFORD RD

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BAYVIEW AVE

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Discover city ravines

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Riverdale Park East

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Book: Fugitive Pieces

by Anne Michaels Check it out: Work up a sweat at this Humber River park: it boasts a skateboard area, basketball and tennis BLOOR ST W courts and two baseball diamonds.

LAWRENCE AVE E

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Film: Chloe

by Atom Egoyan Check it out: Stretch your legs at Cedarvale Park, then stroll St. Clair Avenue West near Bathurst LAWRENCE AVE Avenue W for its cafés and bakeries.

Book: Minus Time by Catherine Bush SHEPPARD AVE E Check it out: Bring your binoculars when visiting this 44-hectare woodland park. You may spot pileated woodpeckers, finches, waxwings and screech owls.

ELLESMERE RD

Book: Midnights on the Bloor Viaduct

by Leah Bobet Check it out: Rent a bike and ride across the scenic Prince Edward Viaduct (commonly known as the Bloor Viaduct), which symbolically links Toronto’s east and west sides.

BAYV

Cedarvale

Weston Lions Park

Wilket Creek Park

Don Valley

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Book: RE Safe as Houses by Eric Walters CheckXit DAout: Put on your walking shoes E Humber River as it flows and follow Lthe BL VD through the park.

AVENUE RD

Cruickshank Park

KEELE ST

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Photography: Nikbrovnik (Cruickshank Park), Geoffrey Gilmour-Taylor/flickr.com (Rosedale)

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Larry Richards, University of Toronto’s noted professor of architecture, has described the city’s topography as San Francisco turned upside down. With its network of deep CENTRE ST CENTRE ST 14TH AVE ravines bordered by the Don River to the east and the Humber River to the west, cyclists, runners and dog walkers take pleasure in meandering our city, high and low. Toronto’s Get a new perspective on Toronto by ravines often play a supporting role in notable works set putting yourAVE earW to the ground.

STEELES STEELES within the city. Whether you’re a culture vulture AVE or a Ehiking

By Ernie Ourique hound, here are some worth exploring.

HWY 7

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NHugh Garner, and Book: Cabbagetown by ON Callaghan It’s Never Over by Morley OC Check it out: In winter, the park’s long eastern slope makes it perfect for tobogganing; there’s also an ice rink.

DUPONT ST

ST W

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Spring Creek

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The Vale of Avoca

Book: Noman’s Land

by Gwendolyn MacEwen LAKE W walking tour Check it out:SHORE Go on aBLVD guided of High Park, one of the city’s most popular urban escapes. Visit highparknature.org for dates and times.

Book: The Blind Assassin

by Margaret Atwood, and Reservoir Ravine by Hugh Hood Check it out: Get off at St. Clair subway station and stroll to David A. Balfour Park, which has trails that lead up the forested ravine and connect to the Kay Gardiner Beltline Trail.

Rosedale Valley 

Book: In the Skin of a Lion

by Michael Ondaatje Check it out: Enter the ravine trail via Mount Pleasant Cemetery. With a collection of rare heritage and exotic trees, it’s one of the city’s significant arboretums.

Athletes’ Village

Lake Ontario



Breaking ground on the Pan Am Games

Summer 2015 brings the 17th Pan Am and Parapan Am Games to Toronto and locations throughout the southern Ontario region. Next year, 7,000 athletes from 41 countries will compete in 36 sports. In the meantime, builders are working hard to get the Games facilities up and ready for competition. Construction continues on multiple fronts, including a soccer stadium in Hamilton, the new CIBC Pan Am and Parapan Am Athletics Stadium at York University, and an indoor velodrome in Milton. The UTSC Aquatics Centre at the University of Toronto Scarborough campus will contain two 10-lane

Olympic-sized pools, among other facilities built specifically for the competing athletes. The City of Mississauga will host wrestling, judo, karate and other sports at the Hershey Centre, called Mississauga Sports Centre during the Games period.

Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto will host the opening and closing ceremonies, while Exhibition Place will be transformed into Pan Am Park to accommodate sporting events, including the marathon, road cycling and triathlon.

The Athletes’ Village continues to rise in the West Don Lands area, just east of the

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downtown core, near The Distillery Historic District. The Village will be a home away from home for 10,000 athletes and officials during the Games.

After the Games, the Village will become a mixed-use neighbourhood, with affordable housing, condos, a YMCA and a residence for George Brown College students. —Stephen Knight

Toronto 2014 • 19

Drink it all in

These bar patios showcase spectacular views of Toronto in all its glory.

By Dick Snyder & Porter Creanza

The Black Bull Tavern This edgy pub sits at a busy hub on the Queen West strip, affording stellar views of the sidewalk fashion parade and interaction with everyone on this hopping boulevard, from preening scenesters to bikers, frat boys, princesses and parents. Beer is king, but you can get a good Caesar or Long Island iced tea for just $7, tax included. blackbulltavern.ca The Chase In the heart of the Financial District at Yonge Street and Temperance, this fine-dining restaurant welcomes loungers to a spectacular indoor-outdoor patio with views of downtown architecture from its fifth-floor vantage. A thoughtful wine and cocktail program is led

by Anton Potvin, one of the city’s top sommeliers. thechasetoronto.com

Two takes on Toronto coffee culture.

By Isabelle Boucher

The Coffee Mill

Martha von Heczey

Ezra Braves

 why visit?

Ezra’s Pound

1963

Year established

2007

Old-world charm meets old-school Yorkville.

Vibe

Cozy and eclectic.

Martha von Heczey: Hungarian émigré and Yorkville coffee-house pioneer.

The brain behind the beans

Ezra Braves: Sustainability advocate and relentless seeker of the perfect pour.

Espresso. The Coffee Mill was one of the first to serve espresso in Toronto.

The owner recommends

Espresso or cappuccino, pulled from freshly ground beans roasted just hours beforehand.

$3.95

Cost of a single espresso

$2.85

Imported Italian espresso blend.

Beans of choice

A custom blend: organic, Fair Trade, bird friendly.

Classic Hungarian desserts like crêpes and apple strudel from Martha’s mother’s recipes.

Pair your coffee with…

Croissants, scones and other sweet pastries. If you’re hungry, there’s also a sandwich of the day.

Former beatniks, Yorkville literati and homesick Hungarians.

Popular with…

Young professionals, indie coffee aficionados.

Margaret Atwood

Famous fans

Owen Wilson

Snug Harbour Seafood Bar and Grill Port Credit, Mississauga’s charming Credit Village marina district, is home to this casual-upscale seafood restaurant and oyster bar. A well-executed martini and international wine list meet the expectations created by the breathtaking waterfront views from the wraparound patio. snugharbourrestaurant.com Aria Aria means “air” in Italian, and it’s in abundance here in the light-filled dining room with dramatic 35-foot ceiling, or on the patio where you can enjoy authentic Italian cuisine al fresco on bustling Maple Leaf Square.

Right next to The Air Canada Centre and Union Station, this is the spot for pre-game or pre-train cocktails and dining. ariaristorante.ca

Balzac’s Coffee Roasters Café (1 Trinity St.): The Distillery Historic District location and atmosphere! … Snakes and Lattes Board Game Café (454 Spadina Ave.): the name explains it all! … Jimmy’s Coffee (107 Portland St., 191 Baldwin St.): Nutella croissants & homemade Pop-tarts! … White Squirrel Coffee Shop (907 Queen St. W.): Breakfast Banh Mi! … Clafouti (915 Queen St. W.): cronuts! … Dark Horse Espresso Bar (682 Queen St. E., 215 Spadina Ave., 684 Queen St. W., 125 John St.): award-winning baristas! … Café Diplomatico (594 College St.): the people-watching patio! …

Tim’s, anyone?

Tim Hortons (numerous locations): the quintessential Canadian wakeup: double-double! —SBH

20 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Photography: Gizelle Lau (Coffee), Julia Pelish (Patio)

Café counterpoints

Amsterdam Brewhouse on the Lake The esteemed craft brewery offers Toronto’s can’t-bebeat water’s-edge patio, with seating for 300 on Lake Ontario’s inner harbour. (An additional 500 seats are on offer within the historic Harbourfront building’s interior.)

Artisan beer is the main focus, but a fine contemporary local menu makes it a great place to dine as well as drink. amsterdambeer.com

UPFRONT

Design wise Canada’s design sweetheart, Sarah Richardson, has a new show on the go (Real Potential, which airs on HGTV), runs her own design business, launched a fabric collection for Kravet and writes columns for the Globe and Mail and Chatelaine. It’s fair to say she’s one busy woman. But not too busy to chat with us about her love affair with the city. By Natalie Discala What do you love most about Toronto’s design scene?

Toronto’s scene is both established and emerging.

Whether your taste runs to conservative traditionalism or experimental modernism, you can find whatever you’re in the market for.

It’s great to see a variety of different offerings throughout the neighbourhoods. I love that there are sleek showrooms and functioning studios that cater to a wide variety of tastes and styles, and that’s just what a big city needs!

What are your go-to design resources?

The best resources are the artisans and craftspeople and the talented trades that make creative ideas come to life. It doesn’t matter how good your idea is if you can’t find someone to bring it to life. I thrive on developing relationships and collaborating with talented people, so custom elements are always a fun experiment.

What are Toronto’s don’t- miss design events?

I never miss the Art With Heart auction for Casey House (artwithheart.ca), as it’s a super way to buy great art from emerging and established artists in a fun environment.

Photography: Sarah Richardson Design

Sarah’s Shopping Hot Spots Uptown: The Door Store (thedoorstore.ca), Ribbehege & Azevedo (ribbehegeandazevedo. com), Kantelberg + Co (kantelbergco.com), Decorum (decorum.1stdibs.com), Ridgely Studio Works (ridgelystudioworks. com) and L’Atelier.

Downtown: Vintage Fine Objects (vintagefineobjects.com), The Queen West Antique

Ridgely Studio Works

The Interior Design Show (interiordesignshow.com) brings the design community every year and draws a variety of global talent and speakers.

Where do you find design inspiration in Toronto?

In my office, or out sourcing vintage elements! I am surrounded by a great team, and being in the office gets my brain buzzing.

Where do you like to unwind in Toronto?

Scaramouche (scaramoucherestaurant.com) or Bar Centrale Terroni (terronicentrale.com) with friends for good food, wine and fun. Or at home in front of the fire with my husband and kids, to be able to totally unplug from the urban buzz. —ND

Centre (qwac.ca), Guff (guffonline. com), Bronze Home Decor, Phil’z, Ethel 20th Century Living (ethel20thcenturyliving.com), Zig Zag (modfurnishings.com) and Eclectisaurus (eclectisaurus.com).

Showrooms: Designers Walk (designerswalk.com), Kravet (kravetcanada.com) and Threadcount Textile & Design (threadcountinc.com).

Eclectisaurus

Vintage Fine Objects

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Zig Zag

Toronto 2014 • 21

Tale of two markets Chart a course through two must-visit attactions. By Doug O’Neill

(Front St. E. at Jarvis St.)

What to expect

Over 100 fresh produce, meat and seafood vendors ply their trade in the historic South building.

(The North Market hosts a Saturday farmers’ market and Sunday antiques market.)

Fresh produce and ethnic groceries meet bohemian boutiques and affordable eats in this patchwork of shops just west of Chinatown.

History

A market has been on (or near) this site in one form or another since 1803.

European Jews settled here in the early 1900s, followed by Asian, Portuguese, Caribbean, Latin and other communities.

Folksy, down-to-earth, organic growers, boisterous butchers, urban foodies, Mennonite farmers and hungry tourists.

Artists, musicians, students and bike messengers crowd the produce stands and vintage clothing stores.

Best time to go

Saturday morning.

Opens Saturdays at 5 a.m.

Weekends, afternoons and evenings.

Souvenirs

Iconic Canadian maple syrup, Kozlik’s mustard, and moose-emblazoned T-shirts (lower level).

Funky hats, clothes or jewellery from Courage My Love and The Fairies Pyjamas, both on Kensington Ave.

Quick ’n’ easy nosh

Knish from St. Urbain Bagel; BBQ chicken sandwiches from Churrasco St. Lawrence. And, most famously, peameal bacon on a kaiser from Paddington’s or Carousel Bakery, all on the main floor.

Tacos rule at Seven Lives (69 Kensington) and El Trompo (277 Augusta). Jamaican patties kick at Patty King (187 Baldwin). Try chorizo on a bun at Segovia Foods (218 Augusta).

Coffee time

Try Everyday Gourmet Coffee Roasters, brewing coffee and selling beans since 1979 (lower level).

Get caffeinated at Moonbean Coffee Company (30 St. Andrew) or Jimmy’s Coffee (191A Baldwin).

Street entertainment

Latin mariachi outside on Front Street, folksy crooner Jim Reid inside.

A haven for street buskers.

Expect echoes of Bob Marley.

Surprise finds

Caviar at Caviar Direct, lower level.

Italian-Jamaican fusion at Rasta Pasta (61 Kensington). Also Hungarian-Thai at Hungary Thai Bar and Eatery (196 Augusta).

Nearby hoods to explore

The Distillery Historic District is a 10-minute walk east.

Just steps to bustling Chinatown.

Walking tour

Hilarious historian Bruce Bell leads 90-minute market tours. brucebelltours.ca

Indulge in the two-hour Kensington Market Sweets Tour. tastytourstoronto.com

Vibe

Heritage & History

Kensington Market

(West of Spadina Ave. between College St. and Dundas St. W.)

 IF YOU LOVE...

Downton Abbey, picture yourself upstairs or down at Casa Loma, Spadina House or Benares House …

Victorian Farm, revisit bygone technology at Evergreen Brick Works, chat with a butcher at St. Lawrence Market or explore Bovaird House, a Georgian farmhouse … Steampunk, geek out at The Distillery Historic District or the Railway Museum … Jane Austen, visit Bradley Museum’s Regency cottage or ogle the British officers at Fort York … Murdoch Mysteries, court’s in session at Old City Hall … Doctor Who, time travel to Black Creek Pioneer Village or encounter the Guild Inn’s surreal sculpture garden (but don’t blink!). —SBH

22 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Photography: Speed (Fort York)

St. Lawrence Market

UPFRONT

South Core (SoCo) Southwest of Union Station, over seven million square feet of real estate is rising in a cluster of glittering towers for banks, tech firms, hotels and condo dwellers, all connected to the PATH walkway network and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Recreation abounds, as the new Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada (ripleyaquariums.com/canada) joins The Air Canada Centre (theaircanadacentre.com), Rogers Centre (rogerscentre.com), CN Tower (cntower.ca), Toronto Railway Museum (trha.ca/museum.html), Harbourfront, and a range of restaurants and craft breweries.

Core strength

Photography: Clifton LI (Queens Quay), National Post/Matthew Sherwood (South Core)

Business and pleasure converge in and around the city’s newest neighbourhood. By Sarah B. Hood

Union Station

Queens Quay

The venerable transportation temple is in the midst of a massive $640-million metamorphosis, adding glass-covered walkways, new transit concourses and retail levels, a brand new TTC subway platform, expanded GO train and bus facilities, and a redeveloped VIA railway station. Expect a fresh new look for Front Street.

The central waterfront is being reshaped for leisurely exploration on bike or foot.

A sweeping scenic pedestrian promenade will connect the all-season beauty of the Toronto Music Garden to the new Ontario Square, Canada Square and Exhibition Common at Harbourfront Centre (harbourfrontcentre.com), the quirky, photogenic WaveDecks and HTO Park (waterfronttoronto.ca), and the pet-centred fun of PawsWay (pawsway.ca).

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Toronto’s south central core is in the midst of an historic rebirth. Expect today’s construction cranes and detours to be replaced by the hustle-bustle of a dazzling new waterfront district designed for living, working and relaxing.

VisitToronto

Toronto 2014 • 23

eleGAnt Accents &

StUnninG Views

the newly renovated Feature rooms and Suites at the interContinental® toronto Centre integrate classic design and textures with elegant accents and stunning views. Azure restaurant & Bar offers cuisine with authentic local touches to create something that is truly unique, and more importantly, absolutely delicious. Discover a relaxing oasis in the heart of toronto at the Spa interContinental®, with it’s sunlit lounge, patio, saltwater indoor pool and calming treatment rooms, it is truly a dynamic urban retreat. Steps from downtown attractions and connected to the Metro toronto Convention Centre overlooking scenic lake ontario, the interContinental toronto Centre will ensure that you have an authentic experience so you can bring back memories that will last a lifetime.

225 Front Street WeSt, toronto, on CAnADA M5V 2X3 416 597 1400 • WWW.torontoCentre.interContinentAl.CoM

City Confidential Making headlines

Photography: Antonio Tan

Jun Kaneko’s six-foot-tall cranium is turning heads outside the Gardiner Museum, Canada’s only museum dedicated to the ceramic arts. The newly installed sculpture is one of a series by the Japanese-born American artist and was chosen for its striking zebra stripes. The trophy head was acquired after museum patrons fell in love with a similar piece from the Gardiner’s 2011 exhibit of Kaneko’s work, and started fundraising for a permanent installation. Eighteen months later, the head is the perfect spot to meet friends or just sit and think.

How the cultural renaissance fed Toronto’s star-building boom. By Jamie Bradburn 26 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Photography: OCAD

Architecture for the arts

City confidential

I

Ontario College of Art and Design University’s Sharp Centre for Design

f you were a visiting architecture buff two decades ago, chances were your tour concentrated on the city’s commercial and financial landmarks.

While structures like Mies van der Rohe’s Toronto-Dominion Centre were studied around the world, many of our cultural institutions lacked panache. Buildings like the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Royal Ontario Museum were fine places to exhibit art and artifacts, but few would have gone out of their way solely to appreciate their built form.

That changed with the arrival of the new century. Funding from the provincial government’s SuperBuild Corporation and from private donors created a cultural building renaissance, lifting Toronto’s international architectural profile. According to Toronto International Film Festival CEO and director Piers Handling, these groups “realized the city needed a facelift. It needed some excitement; it needed to be regenerated.

Toronto was a vibrant, alive city, but the cultural institutions that existed were a bit long in the tooth in terms of their physical clout. [Yet] there were new cultural institutions, like [TIFF], the Canadian Opera Company, the National Ballet of Canada, the Gardiner Museum, who were just bursting at the seams and wanted to do some new things and to create an impact on the city.”

These structures combine works from established local firms like Diamond Schmitt and KPMB Architects with globally renowned starchitects Will Alsop, Frank Gehry and Daniel Libeskind. Most important, these projects were actually built, rather than being condemned to the archives in sketch form, a fate that befell previous grand schemes like Metro Centre in the 1970s.

The harbingers had been around since the early 1990s. Commercial projects like the Allen Lambert Galleria at Brookfield Place reintroduced, according to architects Margaret and Phil Goodfellow, “the inspirational qualities of design excellence to Toronto.” New institutions like the Bata Shoe Museum foreshadowed increased philanthropic investment in the city’s cultural institutions. Extensive renovations to Roy Thomson Hall in 2002 upgraded the rounded landmark’s acoustics and noise controls to produce a richer listening experience for patrons of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Overseen by KPMB and Artec Consultants, the remodelling utilized wood to bring warmth to its original concrete design.

For Toronto Star architecture critic Christopher Hume, the ball really got rolling with the Ontario College of Art and Design

Toronto 2014 • 27

University’s Sharp Centre for Design, which opened in September 2004. “It’s so outlandish and yet so practical,” says Hume. Rising 26 metres above the ground on colourful stilts, Will Alsop’s tabletop in the sky allowed the school to expand vertically while maintaining neighbouring residents’ view of Grange Park. Its unusual design reflects the creativity stirring in the students working within its classrooms and studios. By night, the multi-hued building is bathed in a blue light that Alsop devised to create a completely different impression of the structure.

Nearby, the Art Gallery of Ontario transformation was spurred by media tycoon Ken Thomson, who donated his extensive collections of Canadian and European art and his model ships. The gallery hired Toronto native Frank Bold and beautiful Gehry, architect of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, to produce additions and renovations that, according to Hume, show him “at his most masterful and most restrained.”

The main entrance was shifted back to its 1970s location to provide a straight view from the front doors through to the historic Grange building in the back. More natural light flows through the building, Rose Theatre providing fresh perspectives on works in Standout cultural architecture isn’t galleries such as the Thomson Collection restricted to the city of Toronto’s of Canadian Paintings and First Nations borders. In downtown Brampton, the Objects. A curving staircase stands as both Rose Theatre (brampton.ca) a sculpture and a structure that energetic transformed a parking lot into a two-hall venue whose main horseshoechildren love. Above the sidewalk, the shaped auditorium offers patrons an Galleria Italia offers space to rest, enjoy a intimate space to enjoy summer stock drink or snack and watch the vibrant theatre and a variety of other parade of street life pass by. performances. Opened in 1997, Eberhard Zeidler’s design for Though the additions opened five Mississauga’s Living Arts Centre years ago, staff like curatorial assistant (livingartscentre.ca) fits into the Greg Humeniuk are still making renaissance with its use of concrete, discoveries. “We’re learning new ways to glass and steel, and its multidisciplinary programming. take the greatest advantage of this

Left to right: Royal Conservatory of Music’s Koerner Hall, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

28 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

building we have,” he says. “And there are new opportunities for exhibiting that we never would have been able to entertain when the spaces were configured differently. There are all sorts of things down the road we haven’t imagined yet.”

We imagine similar discoveries lurk within Daniel Libeskind’s controversial design for the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal at the Royal Ontario Museum (rom.on.ca). If you want to argue with a Torontonian, mention “the Crystal.”

Legend has it Libeskind conceived the design on a cocktail napkin, though he was also reputedly inspired by the museum’s gem and mineral collection.

The Crystal’s original glass design was adjusted to meet artifact-preservation requirements, resulting in a structure that uses over 3,000 pieces of steel. The Crystal welcomes visitors off Bloor Street to catch the latest exhibits and standbys at the ROM, like the Bat Cave, dinosaurs, Ming Tomb, and a good luck rub of Timothy Eaton’s foot.

Luck was finally on the Canadian Opera Company’s side when the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts opened in 2006. Decades of frustration accompanied the quest for an opera house, including a Moshe Safdiedesigned building cancelled by the provincial government in 1990. The current building is a tribute to the persistence of the late COC general director Richard Bradshaw’s pursuit of an appropriate home (Bradshaw is honoured with an amphitheatre used for free lunchtime performances).

The glass box structure, designed by Diamond Schmitt, has been described by the firm’s principals as “a building within a building,” where materials like rubber isolation pads block out all outside noise. The curved shape of the main auditorium, R. Fraser Elliott Hall, is designed so that most seats are within 30 metres of centre stage.

The flexibility of the venue has allowed the COC to perform challenging operas like Richard Wagner’s complete Ring cycle. The block-length glass building on University Avenue creates a sense of transparency for people on either side of the panes to watch one another, and is a good space to contemplate the performance during intermission. At night, the lobby glows like a jewel box.

Photography: Ben Flock (Rose Theatre, TIFF), Danielle Petti (Royal Ontario Museum)

City confidential Those aspiring to perform ballet in the Four Seasons Centre may train in Canada’s National Ballet School on Jarvis Street. KPMB’s design incorporates two heritage buildings into a modern glass structure filled with dance studios, performance spaces and offices. The site includes The Shoe Room, where you can fulfill your ballerina dreams by being fitted for pointe shoes. The complex complements the neighbouring RadioCITY condo/townhouse community, which was developed concurrently with the school’s expansion.

Condos also rise above the TIFF Bell Lightbox on King Street, the heart of the annual Toronto International Film Festival. Opened in 2010, the structure integrates numerous activities—residential living, cinemas, galleries and dining—and is surrounded by plenty of bars and restaurants. Hume sees these activities as an important factor in making the cultural renaissance buildings work, especially in the Lightbox’s case: “Everything is connected, and there’s enough density down there that you can support all these activities all at once.” Beyond the film fest, the Lightbox offers a full slate of movies, and attractions like the free exhibitions in the CIBC Canadian Film Gallery on the fourth floor.

The Lightbox’s architects, KPMB, also worked on Koerner Hall as part of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s revitalization. Mervon Mehta, the RCM’s executive director of performing arts, found patrons’ appreciation of performances changed after the mid-sized venue opened in 2009. “What I find most remarkable is audiences listen to music differently than before,” he says. “When we first opened, there were people who thought there was something wrong with the sound. They were hearing sound purely, and they’d always heard sound impurely before.” Beyond the sound, visitors will be impressed by the curving wood interior.

Opening on the former site of Bata Shoes’ modernist headquarters in Don Mills, the Aga Khan Museum will present artifacts, artwork and other objects reflecting the history of Islamic civilization. A permanent gallery will display items donated by the institution’s namesake, the family of philanthropist and Ismaili spiritual leader the Aga Khan. Designed by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, the museum will be connected, via extensive landscaping, with the Ismaili Centre designed by Charles Correa Associates and Moriyama & Teshima. Hume notes this project will not only add a new dimension to Toronto’s cultural life but also represent “an unprecedented vote of confidence” from the international community.

The Toronto cultural-architecture boom is far from over. Projects like the upcoming Massey Hall renovations and proposed condos, galleries and theatres along King Street demonstrate that the architectural creativity of the cultural renaissance will continue to flow.

Legend has it Daniel Libeskind conceived the design on a cocktail napkin, though he was also reputedly inspired by the museum’s gem and mineral collection.

Above: Royal Ontario Museum Left: TIFF Bell Lightbox

Toronto 2014 • 29

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City Confidential

City lights “What makes Toronto a success? Go to York University, U of T, Ryerson: who do you see there? The children of immigrants. That is an outstanding success factor in Toronto— something is working really well here.”

Innovation, diversity, culture: how they define our city, from three urban luminaries who would know.

By Jasmine Milller Photography by Finn O’Hara

DIVERSITY

Ratna Omidvar President of Maytree

M

aytree promotes diversity in the public and private sectors and helps new immigrants make the transition to Toronto life: no small tasks for the city that welcomes more immigrants than any other in the country. For her work in policy recommendations and program development, Omidvar is considered one of the city’s most influential voices. Here, she explains what makes Toronto the international star of diversity.

Omidvar: Toronto feels like home to so many from all over the world because they see their faces reflected in our residents. When I came to Toronto in 1981, even then there were many, many people who looked like me. Now, of course, even more so, and that’s the magic of Toronto: the population from many parts of the world has exploded here.

I love that I can walk everywhere and that at the snap of my fingers I can get food from anywhere in the world.

String hoppers in Scarborough, or Szechuan in Markham, or Brampton for really good Indian food … naturally our culinary culture is from all over the world. There’s something for everyone: you can go to Momofuku, of course, but there’s also Little Korea.

But more broadly, Toronto is a success story. Maytree has spread the message that Canada will not succeed unless immigrants succeed along with it.

What makes Toronto a success? Go to York University, U of T, Ryerson: who do you see there? The children of immigrants. That is an outstanding success factor in Toronto—something is working really well here. The other factor is intermarriage. Ah … love and sex—always the proof! More young kids are choosing their partners, and quite naturally, someone from another culture. And the third factor is the number of immigrants buying homes in the city, because when you buy a home, you make a commitment. Those factors are part of our national construct.

We’ve always had significant commitment to multiculturalism, and Canada, more than any other country, is saying immigrants will help us navigate the future, build the country, fix our economy. We will argue about how we can make multiculturalism work better, but we will no longer argue about the fact that we need it.

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Toronto 2014 • 31

City Confidential

“Innovation means getting value out of ideas by converting them into usable products and services.

Entrepreneurship is the driver of that process.”

INNOVATION

Dr. Ilse Treurnicht CEO of MaRS Centre in the Discovery District

A

n incubator, innovation hub, business laboratory: all are accurate descriptors of the MaRS Centre, a 750,000square-foot medical and biotech entrepreneurship facility located in the core of Toronto’s downtown medical-universitybusiness corridor. About 2,300 people work at the facility, which opened in 2005 and will double in size this year.

As a matching service between aspiring entrepreneurs and advisors, purveyor of free market research, and liaison between start-ups and venture capitalists, MaRS is helping academics and researchers commercialize their groundbreaking discoveries. It could have no better location than Toronto. Here’s why, according to CEO Dr. Ilse Treurnicht.

Treurnicht: Innovation is people powered. This city is diverse, educated and creative, and that means there’s a richness that’s renewed by an influx of people who bring their skills, experiences and aspirations.

Toronto also has one of the world’s top universities located in the heart of it, as well as many significant campuses and affiliated hospitals. That’s a huge asset, and MaRS is a creature of this city, started through civic entrepreneurship.

The MaRS site was originally the Toronto General Hospital, but it was deemed redundant in 2000 when the hospital merged with others and was going to be sold for condo development. Business leaders worked with civic leaders and said, “We can’t let this happen. It’s an asset so strategically located that we have to do something more meaningful with it.”

MaRS was created by business leaders, with academe and government, as a non-profit charity led by a business board of directors. That civic intervention tells you something about the city. That’s the core of its values and goals.

Innovation means getting value out of ideas by converting them into usable products and services. Entrepreneurship is the driver of that process. Start-ups get the idea to market; entrepreneurship is the instrument to see it through.

I grew up in South Africa, studied in the U.K., and lived in Toronto for 25 years. I’m extraordinarily optimistic about Toronto. It has grassroots creativity, a strong financial services sector, significant IT sectors and an ability to accommodate its own diversity—all of the ingredients necessary for unleashing entrepreneurship.

It’s also an extremely livable city. Global talent not only want to work here but also want to raise their kids here. That’s the magic. It allows people to have the lifestyle and the jobs they want—that’s what we have to leverage. It’s also what we need to protect.

32 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

City Confidential

URBANISM

“It’s a city of subtleties, so visitors should walk around and slowly absorb the details.”

Shawn Micallef Writer

A

s co-founder of the influential Spacing magazine, which covers all things urban, from design and architecture to green space and history, Micallef is an expert at reading the pulse of his adopted city. When he’s not writing his weekly Toronto Star newspaper column, the author of Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto is often biking through Toronto’s ravine system or noshing on ethnic food at a lesser known strip mall.

Micallef: I grew up across the river from Detroit, in Windsor. I was always obsessed with Toronto, just four hours down the [Highway] 401, and I thought, as a kid growing up in the ’80s, it seemed futuristic—with streetcars and the CN Tower and the Toronto Eaton Centre and Ontario Place and all these architecturally futuristic places.

So my affection for the place started early and, as I got older, that didn’t stop. There are still layers to uncover; the infiniteness of Toronto was apparent before I got here, and the layers are why I got hooked.

I still get moments of awe when I see a Victorian house next to a glass skyscraper—the different styles that make the Toronto jumble. It’s a city of subtleties, so visitors should walk around and slowly absorb the details.

In the last decade, people have started to think of streets as public living rooms. This happens even in suburbs, despite their being designed for the cars, where huge clans will go to Morningside Park and public spaces with their own sound systems and dance and eat. It’s gorgeous and wonderful.

In northern Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough, rents are lower, so mom-and-pop shops are opening up, and the ethnic and cultural mix of Toronto is all there. All the food from all the places around the world can be found there. It’s hard to market that: “Come see our strip malls!” It’s hard to put that on a picture, but I’ve been around the world and haven’t found anything as dense and bubbling with energy as our strip malls.

In the city, we have extended streetscapes, like Queen Street or Dundas or Bloor. These are east-west streets you can walk for kilometres and kilometres.

Sometimes it’s ungentrified and sometimes it’s fancy, but there are not many cities where you can walk down one street that’s full for that long.

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Toronto 2014 • 33

Fan fare

Where to catch our teams on home turf, ice and hardwood (plus where to chow down and fuel up like a fan). By Stephen Knight

Toronto Raptors CATCH THE GAME: The Air Canada Centre (theaircanadacentre.com) is where Toronto’s NBA team reaches for the rim.

CHOW DOWN AND CHEER ON: A three-pointer away from The Air Canada Centre is Hoops (hoopssportsbarandgrill.com). With a multitude of televisions on the walls and in private booths, you won’t miss a thing.

Or for healthy, marketplace fare, hit Marché (marche-restaurants.com) at Brookfield Place.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: High-energy guard DeMar DeRozan and emerging centre Jonas Valanciunas lead the way with athletic scoring and tough defense.

Argonauts play Rogers Centre

Toronto FC at BMO Field

Toronto FC CATCH THE GAME: Get your kicks with T.O.’s footy team at BMO Field (bmofield.com).

CHOW DOWN AND CHEER ON: BMO Field is just a free kick away from Liberty Village, one of Toronto’s hottest neighbourhoods, so look for fellow soccer lovers at Brazen Head Irish Pub (brazenhead.ca) or across the street at Williams Landing (williamslanding.ca). Togs in TFC red-and-white strongly recommended.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: International stars Robert Earnshaw (forward) and Gilberto (striker) came to Toronto FC from Wales and Brazil respectively to bolster the FC attack.

Joe Theismann

Toronto Argonauts CATCH THE GAME: The Double Blue pass the pigskin at Rogers Centre (rogerscentre.com).

CHOW DOWN AND CHEER ON: After the Boatmen have played, head on over to Shoeless Joe’s on King Street West for post-game noshing (shoelessjoes.ca), or The Wheat Sheaf, one of the city’s oldest taverns (wheatsheaf.ca).

PLAYER TO WATCH: Slotback Chad Owens, The Flyin’ Hawaiian, was the CFL’s 2012 Most Outstanding Player and a big reason the Argos won the 100th edition of the Grey Cup in November 2012.

34 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Toronto Maple Leafs CATCH THE GAME: The Leafs always pack The Air Canada Centre.

CHOW DOWN AND CHEER ON: Located just outside The Air Canada Centre, Real Sports Bar & Grill (realsports.ca/bar) is the place to be if you believe bigger is better; it includes a two-storey big-screen TV. Get there early on game night. Or try the coconut shrimp at Canyon Creek on Front Street West (canyoncreekrestaurant.ca).

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The dynamic scoring-punch duo of right winger Phil Kessel and centre Nazem Kadri backed by outstanding goaltending from both James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier.

Outside The ACC on game night

Rogers Centre

Photography: Doug Brown (Toronto FC), Lucas Oleniuk (Toronto Argonauts) Rich Eglinton (Toronto Rock)

Jays win the 1993 World Series

Toronto Blue Jays Toronto Rock CATCH THE GAME: Toronto’s lacrosse team regularly rocks The Air Canada Centre.

CHOW DOWN AND CHEER ON: If you like your music and conversation loud, try boisterous Jack Astor’s (jackastors.com) at Front Street West and University Avenue. For an urbane take on the traditional pub, there’s The Fox (foxonbay.ca), tucked just under the Gardiner Expressway at Bay Street and Lakeshore.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Toronto’s beloved lacrosse team put all their rocks in one (very capable) basket, signing team captain Colin Doyle to a three-year contract. The NLL team re-signed the franchise-leading scorer for his incredible history with the team, having led The Rock to six NLL Champion’s Cup victories in his 16-year career.

CATCH THE GAME: Rogers Centre is a hit with Toronto’s boys of summer.

CHOW DOWN AND CHEER ON: On home game days, O&B Canteen (oliverbonacini.com) offers its locally famous pulled-pork/apple mustard/housemade sauerkraut Knuckle Sandwich. Wayne Gretzky’s (gretzkys.com) on Blue Jays Way is popular with fans streaming out of Rogers Centre on a summer day.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Jays combine the speed of electric infielders Jose Reyes and Brett Lawrie with the power of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, while R.A. Dickey delivers his famous knuckleball.

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Toronto 2014 • 35

City Confidential

From professional to glam, indie-eclectic to urban casual: here’s where to shop today’s hottest looks. By Loretta Chin Photography by Jenna Marie Wakani

GUYS: Dress for success at Harry Rosen (harryrosen.com). Canada’s über-alpha-male emporium carries the best in designer menswear, including Zegna, Brioni, Tom Ford and Canali.

GALS: Channel a boss-lady look with this Tanya Taylor ensemble, exclusive to luxury department chain Holt Renfrew (holtrenfrew.com).

SHOP THE LOOK:

❯ Yorkdale Shopping Centre and the Toronto Eaton Centre are home to career-oriented brands like Banana Republic (bananarepublic.ca), Club Monaco (clubmonaco.ca) and Zara (zara.com). ❯ Head to Holt Renfrew (holtrenfrew. com) for designer fashion, accessories and shoes from the likes of Paul Smith, Theory, Thomas Pink, Etro, Brunello Cucinelli, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Rag & Bone and more. ❯ Canadian designer Kimberley Newport-Mimran’s Pink Tartan (pinktartan.com) collection can be found at Holt Renfrew, Hudson’s Bay (thebay.com), and its namesake boutique in Yorkville. ❯ Garrison Bespoke (garrisonbespoke. com) in the Financial District offers a full range of custom-made suits, shirts and formalwear. ❯ Leatherfoot (leatherfoot.com) in Yorkville purveys handcrafted men’s shoes, including heritage brands like Saint Crispin’s, Alfred Sargent, Gaziano & Girling, Carmina Shoemaker, and a made-to-order shoe service. ❯ Bloor-Yorkville (bloor-yorkville.com) boasts premium boutiques, including Kate Spade (katespade.com), ça va de soi (cavadesoi.com), and chic eyewear specialists Cutler and Gross (cutlerandgross.com).

GUYS: Synonymous with Canadian fashion, Roots (canada.roots.com) has been rocking a sporty urban style for over four decades. Its quintessentially Canadian look straddles the city and the great outdoors.

GALS: You’ll find plenty of polished essentials at J.Crew (jcrew.com), but the fun comes from reinterpreting classics. Look for urban-chic colours and embellishment styled to celebrate print and texture mixes.

SHOP THE LOOK:

❯ Destination shopping malls offer Canadian content. Check out the Toronto Eaton Centre, Yorkdale (the expansion will include over 250 stores), Bayview Village (bayviewvillageshops. com), Vaughan Mills Premium Outlets (vaughanmills.com) and Sherway Gardens (sherwaygardens.ca), as well as Mississauga’s Square One (shopsquareone.com) and Brampton’s Bramalea City Centre (bramaleacitycentre.ca). ❯ Canadian shoe stores like Browns (brownsshoes.com), Aldo (aldoshoes. com) and Town Shoes (townshoes.com) offer the latest in designer and private label shoes and accessories. ❯ Founded in Toronto, Club Monaco has a modern-classic fashion aesthetic with broad appeal. ❯ J.Crew travelled north to open its first Canadian location in Toronto at Yorkdale, followed by a second store in the Eaton Centre—a third is planned for Bloor Street. ❯ Swedish fast fashion giant H&M (hm.com) is a popular choice, as is Spain’s Zara and sister store Massimo Dutti (massimodutti.com). ❯ Topshop (topshop.com), with its shop-in-shop locations for men and women in Hudson’s Bay and Yorkdale, provides affordably priced fast fashion for the trendy and budget conscious.

36 • TORONTO 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Z Zegna shirt and suit; Robert Talbott tie; Allen Edmonds brogues; all from Harry Rosen

City Confidential

Shirt, sweater, necklace, all from J.Crew.

Silver metallic brogues from Browns

Tanya Taylor print top and skirt; Kenneth Jay Lane gold cuff; Marc

by Marc Jacobs handbag; Manolo Blahnik suede pumps; Burberry sunglasses; all from Holt Renfrew

Varsity jacket, plaid shirt, messenger bag, jeans and Chukka boots, all from Roots

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TORONTO 2014 • 37

City Confidential

Engineered Garments floral tab shirt; Wings + Horns chinos; French Trotters shoes; all from Jonathan + Olivia

38 • TORONTO 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

FWK Engineered Garments tartan shirt-dress; 3.1 Phillip Lim motorcycle peplum vest; Alexander Wang oxfords; Pamela Love ring; all from Jonathan + Olivia. Jenny Bird tribal necklace; Markus Lupfer knit beanie; both from RAC Boutique Frankie Morello shirt; John Varvatos vest, metallic-coated jeans, fedora; Y3 trainers; all from Anti-Hero

City Confidential

GUYS: Men are never left out of the designer shopping experience at Jonathan + Olivia (jonathanandolivia. com). This well-curated shop offers coveted fashion and footwear from directional labels like Saturdays Surf NYC, Acne, Our Legacy and Band of Outsiders.

GUYS: Step up for a night out by hitting Anti-Hero (antihero.ca) in Yorkville for a global range of brands like J. Lindeberg, John Varvatos, McQ and Wooyoungmi.

GALS: Also from Jonathan + Olivia, the boho styles of Isabel Marant mix readily with international collections by Surface to Air, Helmut Lang and Toronto’s own Jeremy Laing. The shop also showcases designer footwear and accessories.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Mara Hoffman print dress; Fallon fringe necklace; both from RAC Boutique.

Sophia Webster sandals from The Room. House of Harlow 1960 clutch from Hudson’s Bay

❯ Fans of sustainable shopping should head to Kensington Market for an array of vintage shops, including Courage My Love (couragemylove.ca), Exile (exilevintage.com) and stylist fave Modelcitizen (modelcitizen.com). ❯ Queen Street West is home to a variety of shops specializing in heritage labels and independent brands.

Sydney’s (shopsydneys.com) champions European labels like M.A+ and Jil Sander, and is the place to order bespoke jeans. Nearby you’ll find Ben Sherman (bensherman.com), Oliver Spencer (oliverspencer.co.uk.) and Fred Perry (fredperry.com). ❯ Gaspard (gaspardshop.com) stocks coveted European fashion and accessories from Les Prairies de Paris, Carré Royal, Jamin Puech and Iosselliani. ❯ Peruse street-style faves Gravitypope (gravitypope.com), Tiger of Sweden (tigerofsweden.com) and Agency One (agencyone.ca) at trendy Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue. ❯ Shop local at Philip Sparks Tailored Goods (philipsparks.com) for Toronto-made, heritage-inspired fashion, shoes and accessories for the dapper gentleman and woman. ❯ On Queen West, check out vintage vendor Philistine (philistinetoronto.com) and The Future of Frances Watson (tfofw.com), which carries Cheap Monday denim and the locally made, retro-styled Fortnight Lingerie.

GALS: Head into RAC Boutique (racboutique.com). The Yorkville shop offers uptown girls a downtown vibe—perfect for a night on the town.

SHOP THE LOOK:

❯ Hazelton Lanes (hazeltonlanes.com), Yorkville’s indoor mall, is home to TNT (tntfashion.ca), which carries top-tier designers like A.L.C., Haute Hippie, Kelly Wearstler, L’Agence and Comme des Garçons. ❯ Bloor-Yorkville is also home to Diesel (diesel.com) and Anthropologie (anthropologie.com) locations. ❯ 119 Corbo (119corbo.com) offers women’s designer fashion, shoes and accessories from the likes of Stella McCartney, Céline, Ann Demeulemeester and Dries Van Noten. ❯ Uncle Otis (uncleotis.com) features menswear with a downtown cool sensibility. ❯ Toronto’s Mink Mile—the stretch of Bloor Street West from Yonge Street to Avenue Road—showcases the flagships of Louis Vuitton (louisvuitton.com), Hermès (hermes.com), Prada (prada. com), Dolce & Gabbana (dolcegabbana.com), Cartier (cartier. com), Chanel (chanel.com), Burberry (ca.burberry.com) et al. ❯ Hudson’s Bay’s flagship location on Queen Street carries contemporary labels for men (Sandro, A.P.C., 3.1 Phillip Lim) and women (Alice + Olivia, Maje, Sandro, Elizabeth and James, and Carven) in its White Space. For the crème de la crème, visit Hudson’s Bay’s fabled The Room for Balmain, Lanvin, Erdem, Proenza Schouler and more, plus a shoe studio boasting the likes of Nicholas Kirkwood, Sophia Webster and Brian Atwood. ❯ Over in The Distillery Historic District, find night-out looks at lifestyle store Lileo (lileo.ca) or GOTSTYLE (gotstylemenswear.com).

Hair & Makeup: Jackie Shawn and Elena Pacienza.

Assistant Stylist: Claire Oleson.

Sutherland Models: Courtney Brewster, Juliet Caswell, Ben Clark, Glenn Galleghan, Jonathan Niziol, Saori, Ty States and Ryan Williams.

Shot on Location at Liberty Village Galleria, (libertymarket.ca).

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TORONTO 2014 • 39

City Confidential

City soundscape Matt Galloway picks a handful of quintessentially Toronto tunes.

By Elio Iannacci

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Released in: 2000 “This song gave swagger to us as a city. The lyrics speak to the people in Toronto’s West Indies communities, the Jamaicans, the Trinidadians and the Guyanese; the list goes on and on, and it shows everyone how many different cultures live under our one roof.”

a

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Released in: 1980 “For a guy who grew up outside of the city [in Kimberley, Ont.], this song described what Toronto could be to someone like me. It’s fantastic that Echo Beach—where so many performers now sing on stage—was named after this song. It was incredibly cool then and it still is. My kids love dancing to this song, and radio stations still play it like crazy.”

Beverley Street Blue Rodeo Released in: 2005 “They’re one of the great Queen Street bands. This track captures the energy of the city when they were starting out...it was when [concert venues] like The Beverley Tavern opened. Other, similar clubs nearby started to spring up around that time. It really changed the city for the better.”

Parkdale Elizabeth Shepherd Released in: 2008 “I interviewed Elizabeth on Metro Morning, and she told me she wanted to give listeners a glimpse of Parkdale in a time of change. It’s in transformation, and that could be a good and bad thing; she captures it all in this tune. I’ve heard this song in Japan, France and the U.K., and although she’s talking about something specific about our city, it resonates with the rest of the world.”

40 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

When the Lights Went Out in Hogtown Whitehorse Released in: 2012 “This is about the city-wide blackout of 2003, and what it was like to be in the city without power. It changed the way neighbours interacted, and so many of us went out onto the street and hung out with each other in cafés that had lights or some electricity, like Diplomatico on College Street in Little Italy. People still remember this night.”

Started from the Bottom Drake Released in: 2013 “The video is hilarious and very Toronto.

He’s such an ambassador for the city, as he talks explicitly about how he loves his town. He’ll go out of his way to put references about the city into his music. He’s fantastic, and Toronto is proudly part of his mythology.”

Wayward and Parliament Amy Millan Released in: 2006 “She’s a helluva singer and represents part of that great explosion of music that happened through Toronto’s celebrated music label Arts & Crafts, who put together the Broken Social Scene collective. Amy can grab a song and wrestle with what is at the heart of it. Her work with [indie-pop group] Stars really changed things in the city.”

The Spirit of Radio Rush Released in: 1980 “They are a band that operates on their own terms. Their hit ‘YYZ’ [a track named after Pearson International Airport’s IATA airport code] is a cult favourite, but ‘The Spirit of Radio’ is more of an iconic song for me. It was about CFNY, a station that was, at that period of time, ground zero for the interesting alternative music scene.”

Photography: Andrew-MacNaughtan (Rush), Norman Wong (Amy Millan), Jeff Kirk (Matt Galloway)

W

te

Throughout his decade-plus career with CBC Radio, host Matt Galloway has introduced listeners to Toronto’s top homegrown chart toppers and groundbreakers. We tasked him with creating the ultimate city playlist.

Here’s his top eight, drawn from a cross-section of genres and eras.

city confidential

Max out your auditory enjoyment with our genre-blending pairings.

By Jesse Ship & Porter Creanza

O

ne music lover’s advice to another? Listen outside the box. Expand your listening enjoyment—and city exploration—with a more-ismore approach to our live music scene. Cover more auditory ground with a music mash-up approach: start the evening at a Canadian Opera Company performance, for instance, then party into the wee hours at a sci-fi-inspired EDM club. Here are five pairings worth checking out. 

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Toronto 2014 • 41

Photography: Sam Jananrouh (Lee’s Palace), Bowman/flickr.com (NXNE)

From left: Billy Talent plays NXNE, learning to salsa

Catch up-and-comers on the Queen West strip, long-time bastion of indie-rock cool, with venues like The Cameron House (thecameron.com) and “The Legendary” Horseshoe Tavern (horseshoetavern.com).

Check out Queen West’s western renaissance at The Drake Hotel (thedrakehotel.ca) or The Gladstone Hotel (gladstonehotel.com), both of which host emerging local artists.

from nearly 2,000 bands (!) during Canadian Music Week (May 6 to 10, 2014, cmw.net) and North

by Northeast (June 13 to 22, 2014, nxne.com) combined.

Afterwards, shake off that indie cool for muy caliente spice. Head to Babaluu Supperclub (babaluu.com) in upscale Yorkville, or Grooving at El Rancho (elrancho.ca) or El Rancho Lula Lounge (lula.ca) in the west end. If your timing’s right, you can enjoy food and dance demos alongside the Latin music at the annual Serious indie buffs should make the most of street festival Salsa on St. Clair (July 19 to their time by cramming in multiple shows 20, 2014, tlntv.com/salsa/st-clair).

WANT MORE?  Groove to alternative rock in the concert space at Lee’s Palace (leespalace.com).

DID YOU KNOW… Music Meets World: 4479, named after Toronto’s latitude and longitude, is a grassroots campaign to celebrate and promote Toronto’s diverse sounds and eclectic venues. On any given night, you can see amazing bands featuring top talent from residents of this city. Visit 4479toronto.ca to join the social media campaign, buy merchandise, check concert listings and enter for a chance to win free concert tickets.

42 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com

city confidential Eccentric scheduling is par for the course when it comes to bluegrass. Kick off the weekend at The Dakota Tavern’s Bluegrass Brunch (thedakotatavern.com), or dedicate Wednesday night to the world’s longestrunning traditional bluegrass night at the Silver Dollar Room (silverdollarroom.com), featuring house band Crazy Strings.

The west end’s Lula Lounge (lula.ca) is a hot spot for world music, as is Harbourfront Centre (harbourfrontcentre.ca) for its summer-long program of international music.

Caribbean music takes centre stage at numerous popular festivals and special events.

The big daddy of all is the annual Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto (August, 2014, torontocaribbeancarnival.com), which attracts hundreds of thousands of revellers to admire the glitter- and feather-festooned masqueraders and soak in the calypso, soca, steel pan and reggae sounds at the annual parade down Lakeshore Boulevard.

 WANT MORE?

Photography: Cariibanafever.com (caribbean), Tom Cochrane (Horseshoe) Ian Muttoo (Mosaic Festival), flickr.com

From left: Bluegrass at The Dakota Tavern, revellers enjoy the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto

Strut your masala dance moves at the Mosaic South Asian Heritage Festival (August 15 to 16, 2014, facebook.com/mosaic.mississauga), featuring top bhangra and Bollywood performers.

World beat is on the agenda in the scenic Beaches, where Muhtadi International Drum Festival (June 7 to 8, 2014, muhtadidrumfest.com) and Afrofest (July 5 to 6, 2014, afrofest.ca) present musicians from Africa and around the world at verdant Woodbine Park.

Jazz options abound in the city. If a summer festival is what you seek, the free Beaches International Jazz Fest (July 18 to 24, 2014, beachesjazz.com) sprawls across the Beaches boardwalk, Woodbine Park, Kew Gardens and parts of Queen Street East each year. The 10-day TD Toronto Jazz Festival (June 20 to 29, 2014, torontojazz.com) stays downtown, making use of City Hall’s Nathan Phillips Square (among other venues) to host jazz greats and the rising stars of tomorrow.

Year-round, visit the historic Rex Hotel (therex.ca) for live jazz seven days and nights a week. The Monarchs Pub (monarchspub.ca) or Jazz Bistro (jazzbistro.ca) are two central venues with solid menus. Hit Grossman’s Tavern (grossmanstavern.com) to sing the blues and jive to New Orleans jazz. For a change of pace, cab down to the Reservoir Lounge (reservoirlounge.com), one of the classiest swing and boogie-woogie joints in town. For complete live jazz listings, visit Toronto Jazz Central (torontojazzcentral.com).

Slow the pace down with folk: if you want prime seats for a folk performance at Hugh’s Room (hughsroom.com) in Roncesvalles Village, be sure to book for dinner and the show. In February, warm up at the free Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival (February 14 to 17, 2014, winterfolk.com).

From left: Molly Johnston, Dan Mangan at the Horseshoe Tavern

WANT MORE?  Built in 1894, Massey Hall (masseyhall.com) lends sublime acoustics to live concerts, including jazz and folk.

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Photography: Rick Ma donik

venue menus

Here are 10 venues where you can chow down on tasty eats while enjoying great beats.

The Dakota Tavern Highlights: All-you-can-eat breakfast with all the fixings ($14), accompanied by local bluegrass bands.

Breakfast served: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sat-Sun) thedakotatavern.com

From left: Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Drake at OVO Fest

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (tso.ca) has planned special concerts throughout the year to celebrate musical director Peter Oundjian’s 10th anniversary with the TSO. Stimulate your spirit by catching TSO at landmark Roy Thomson Hall. And Tafelmusik (tafelmusik.org) performs the best in baroque year-round.

CBC headquarters is home to the Glenn Gould Studio (cbc.ca), which hosts a variety of classical (and other) events in its intimate performance space.

But the night is young. So catch the remix at a late-night DJ set at Crawford (crawfordbar.com) or The Everleigh (theeverleigh.ca).

Or plan a visit around Drake’s rap-royaltystudded OVO Fest at Rogers Centre (August 2 to 3, 2014, octobersveryown.com), or The Manifesto Festival of Community and Culture (themanifesto.ca), known for empowering youth and bringing voices from the streets of Brooklyn to Yonge-Dundas Square.

The Rivoli Highlights: Asian fusion to enjoy with your indie music. Top finger food?

Siam Wookie Balls ($7.95).

Kitchen serves until: 12:30 a.m.

(Sun-Thu) & 1:30 a.m. (Fri-Sat) rivoli.ca

The Emmet Ray Bar

The scene at Crawford

Highlights: Try this jazz spot’s Veggie Melt with roasted sweet potatoes, kale and melted provolone cheese ($8.50).

Kitchen serves until: 1:30 a.m. theemmetray.com

Habits Gastropub Highlights: Sate your hunger with the smoked brie-stuffed Black Angus Habits Burger ($16) while enjoying live jazz.

Kitchen serves until: 11 p.m. (Sun-Thu) & midnight (Fri-Sat) habitsgastropub.com

 WANT MORE? The newly renovated Jeanne Lamon Hall in Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre (trinitystpauls.ca) is now home to the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir.

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 Lou Dawgs Highlights: Lick your chops to Southern barbecue and Mighty Bean Poutine ($8.99) while enjoying blues and karaoke.

Kitchen serves until: 11 p.m.

(Mon-Wed), 3 a.m. (Thu), 4 a.m. (Fri-Sat) & 2 a.m. (Sun) loudawgs.com

city confidential

Hugh’s Room Highlights: A traditional dinner-theatre menu is served at this folk, jazz and blues concert venue. Cover all the bases with the prix-fixe Concert Special ($35).

Kitchen serves: Dinner at 6 p.m. for 8:30 p.m. show; snacks after 9 p.m. hughsroom.com

From left: Canadian Opera Company’s La Bohème, UNIUN Factory Fridays

The Garrison Highlights: Give your fingers a break from playing indie rock air guitar by sampling on tapas. Try the Taco de Frituras de Maiz ($3.50).

Kitchen serves until: 11 p.m. garrisontoronto.com

Castros Lounge  Highlights: Folk and country heroes rock out while you dine on vegetarian pub twists like Aloo Gobi Quesadilla ($12.50).

Kitchen serves until: Midnight (weekdays) & 1 a.m. (weekends) castroslounge.com

Indulge your auditory sense with the Canadian Opera Company’s Don Quichotte (May 9 to 24, 2014, coc.ca) at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Or revel in Opera Atelier’s lush Perseé by Lully (April 26 to May 3, 2014, operaatelier.com); the mythological tale of the Greek hero Perseus was first performed at the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Cadillac Lounge Highlights: Live honky-tonk blares at Parkdale’s largest backyard patio. Chow down on a loaded “Folsom Blues” Hawt ‘Dawg ($12.95) with a side of Maker’s Mark Baked Beans ($6).

Kitchen serves until: 12:30 a.m. cadillaclounge.com

You’re dressed to the nines and high drama is in the air, so why not party in style at one of the city’s premier EDM super-clubs? Try the electric-blue UNIUN Party at (uniun.com), or The The Guvernment Guvernment Entertainment Complex (theguvernment.com), which features international DJs, eight distinct rooms like the sci-fi-themed CHROMA, plus the outdoor SkyBar.

 WANT MORE? See why Toronto has become summer’s EDM hot spot, with Digital Dreams Music Festival (June 28 to 29, 2014, digitaldreamsfest.ca) and the Deadmau5-endorsed Veld (August 2 to 3, 2014, veldmusicfestival.com).

Free Times Café Highlights: Kosher style is king at the Yiddish, folk and klezmer cabaret with its famous brisket sandwiches and fries ($12.95).

Kitchen serves until: 1 a.m. (Fri), midnight (Sat) & 11 p.m. (Sun-Thu) freetimescafe.com

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Child’s play Explore these top family-friendly draws.

By Yuki Hayashi Illustration by Jaqui Oakley

Explore a fairy-tale castle.

Casa Loma (casaloma.org), built between 1911 and 1914, once served as a private residence. It’s now a 98-room museum with outdoor gardens.

Look for the secret underground passageway leading to the stables.

Make a trip to Legoland Discovery Centre.

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Find Canada’s largest collection of original War of 1812 buildings and the site of an epic 1813 battle at historic Fort York (fortyork.ca), originally built in 1793.

Hop, skip or jump along the downtown waterfront’s curving WaveDecks.

These wooden installations undulate along the pedestrian walkway next to downtown docks.

Touch a tornado or have a hair-raising electrical experience at the Ontario Science Centre (ontariosciencecentre.ca). Kids under age eight will love KidSpark, a hands-on zone just for them.

Try a hockey sim at the Hockey Hall of Fame (hhof.com), where you can get up close to the Stanley Cup, which Toronto has won 13 times—second only to the Montreal Canadiens.

Count the neon signs at YongeDundas Square.

Meet giant pandas Er Shun and Da Mao at the Toronto Zoo (torontozoo.com). Learn about their lifestyle, habitat and conservation issues at the state-of-the-art Panda Interpretive Centre.

Lie on your belly and peer through the CN Tower’s glass floor.

Catch a Blue Jays or Argos home game, or just tour the Rogers Centre (rogerscentre.com).

Fact: if you lined up all of the hot dogs sold at the stadium in one year, it would cover the distance of 3,241 stolen bases!

Ride all 16 of the spine-tingling roller coasters at Canada’s Wonderland (canadaswonderland.com), including Leviathan, the biggest and fastest in the country, reaching speeds of up to 148 km (92 miles) per hour.

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Be astonished by an electrifying music, dance and puppetry performance at Famous People Players Theatre (fpp.org), one of the city’s top dinner theatre experiences.

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Browse event listings, venues, restaurants and attractions by smartphone. Download the free See Toronto app for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows phones.

City Confidential

Enjoy Mississauga’s gaming central, Playdium (playdium. com). The 40,000-square-foot funhouse has over 200 games, rides and simulators. During warm weather, an outdoor park offers water balloon catapults, go-karts and batting cages.

Take in the magnificent Canadian Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario (ago.net). From the world’s most important Inuit art to iconic works by the Group of Seven, it’s a must-see for art lovers of all ages.

Fly to the Bat Cave, but don’t forget to check out the dinosaurs, mummies and hands-on discovery galleries at the Royal Ontario Museum (rom.on.ca).

Eco-explore at The Schad Gallery of Biodiversity.

Spot Marilyn Monroe’s famous red leather stilettos at the Bata Shoe Museum (batashoemuseum.ca).

Then explore a world of shoes, sandals, boots, moccasins, kamiks and paduka.

In summer, take a dip at Blue Flagcertified beaches. Local faves include Ward’s Island, Kew Beach, and Bluffer’s Park beach for its spectacular cliffs.

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Save money on top attractions with the Toronto CityPASS (citypass.com).

Bonus: you’ll bypass long ticket lines.

Scramble your way through eight aerial ropes courses and 10 ziplines at Brampton’s Treetop Trekking (treetoptrekking.com).

Stroll the pumpkin patch or get lost in a corn maze during the annual fall Pumpkinfest at Downey’s Farm Market (downeysfarm.ca) Ride an near Brampton. antique carousel or play the midway games at Fantasy Fair (fantasyfair.ca), the province’s biggest indoor amusement park.

Hang out at the MuchMusic studio.

Cheer your knight to victory at Medieval Times (medievaltimes.com). The all-new show features jousting, horsemanship, falconry and a four-course meal.

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Meet rare heritage-breed farm animals at Riverdale Farm (riverdalefarm.ca). Shorthorn cattle, Cotswold sheep, Irish Tamworth pigs and a big Clydesdale horse are the stars at this small east-end gem.

Go face to face with sharks at the new Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada.

Photography: Doug Brown (WaveDecks), Toronto Zoo (panda)

Visit the locally focused, sustainability-minded Evergreen Brick Works (ebw.evergreen.ca) for their Saturday Farmers’ Market or artisan/craft Sunday Marché.

ripleyaquariums.com/canada

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Catch a great new film or documentary at TIFF Kids International Film Festival (tiff.net), April 8 to 20, 2014.

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Toronto 2014 • 47

City confidential

Photography: Doug Brown (Christmas Market, Santa, Mississauga Rebels), Bruce Zinger (The National Ballet)

Embrace the festive season with these 25 top sites and attractions.

By Kat Tancock

Lowe’s Toronto Christmas Market in The Distillery Historic District

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Pack your red nose and join in welcoming Saint Nick at the 110th annual Santa Claus Parade (thesantaclausparade.ca), whose route weaves through several downtown neighbourhoods every November.

Brush up on your hockey hero trivia, practise your slap shot or test your play-by-play skills behind the mic with a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame (hhof.com). Follow it up with the real thing: tickets to see local teams Toronto Marlies (marlies.

Mississauga Rebels ca), Mississauga Rebels (mississaugarebels.com) and, of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs (mapleleafs.nhl.com). ’Tis the season for Christmas cheer, and where better to find it than in the European-style Lowe’s Toronto Christmas Market (torontochristmasmarket.com) in The Distillery Historic District?

Enjoy the décor; hear musicians, carollers and choirs perform; sample mulled wine and shop the stands for locally handcrafted products.

The National Ballet of Canada’s The Nutcracker

Take your own turn on the ice at Mississauga Celebration Square (mississauga.ca), one of the biggest rinks in the GTA. Skate rentals are available if you didn’t pack your own.

Watch some of Canada’s premier dancers in The National Ballet of Canada’s (national. ballet.ca) mesmerizing and perennially popular interpretation of the classic Christmas tale The Nutcracker, often featuring top Toronto personalities in the role of the Cannon Doll who begins the battle scene; past participants have included comedian Rick Mercer and former Leafs star Mats Sundin. Come early to enjoy a pre-show glass of Ontario bubbly in the stylish Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

Celebrate Ontario’s heritage at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (royalfair.org), which takes place every November.

Top attractions include equestrian shows, Jack Russell terrier racing, a petting farm complete with baby goats and mini donkeys, even a buttersculpting competition featuring work by local art students.

Brighten dark evenings and practise your nighttime photography skills with a tour of Toronto’s most lit-up neighbourhoods, including Bloor-Yorkville, YongeDundas Square, Chinatown or Bloor West Village.

Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

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Toronto 2014 • 49

Dance up a storm.

Take a free beginners’ salsa lesson at Lula Lounge (lula.ca) on Friday and Saturday nights; all week long, get your groove on with live performances in multiple genres, including Latin, African, jazz, blues, reggae and flamenco.

Salsa at Lula Lounge

Sip some of the tastiest hot chocolate in town. At Soma (somachocolate. com), with locations on King West and in The Distillery Historic District, the rich, creamy options include spicy Mayan hot chocolate with chili, vanilla and orange peel. In Yorkville, grab a table at cozy MoRoCo Chocolat (morocochocolat. com) for their Valrhona sipping chocolate in three flavours. And at restaurant The Beet (thebeet.ca), in the trendy Junction neighbourhood, warm up while boutique hopping with a cup of organic, direct-trade Mexican drinking chocolate from ChocoSol (chocosoltraders.com).

Skating at Nathan Phillips Square

Join local residents at Nathan Phillips Square in front of City Hall for the Cavalcade of Lights (toronto.ca), the lighting of Toronto’s official Christmas tree, accompanied by a dance party, live musical performances and a fireworks display.

Slurp up a bowl of hearty noodle soup. Budgetfriendly local favourites include pho at Rua Vang Golden Turtle Restaurant (a.k.a. The Golden Turtle) on Ossington and Pho Hung (phohung.ca) in Chinatown. For trendier eats, Kinton Ramen (kintonramen.com) in Baldwin Village or Momofuku Noodle Bar (momofuku.com/Toronto/noodle-bartoronto) near the Financial District.

Cavalcade of Lights

Book a table during Winterlicious (toronto.ca/ winterlicious) to fill your belly for less with prix-fixe lunches and dinners at some of Toronto’s top restaurants.

Then burn off the calories— some of them, at least—with a yoga session at Urban Nirvana (urban-nirvana.ca), not far from the tony restaurants and retail scene of midtown’s Summerhill neighbourhood.

Embrace your inner Joannie Rochette or Elvis Stojko with a tour around Toronto’s many outdoor skating rinks. Two of the most popular spots, both offering rentals and lockers, are Nathan Phillips Square (toronto.ca) and the Natrel Rink at Harbourfront Centre (harbourfrontcentre.com).

Prefer to deny the existence of winter?

Pack your bathing suit and head to the Fallsview Indoor Water Park (fallsviewwaterpark. com) in Niagara Falls.

Get your thrills on its 16 waterslides and indoor wave pool or chill out on the year-round sun deck (yes, it’s heated) or in the relaxing, adults-only Horseshoe Hot Springs.

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Fallsview Indoor Water Park

Photography: Sam Jananrouh (Cavalcade of Lights)

Check a few items off your gift list and support local artisans with a pre-holiday shopping trip to the One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale (oneofakindshow. com), which hosts stalls from more than 800 North American craftspeople, artists and designers.

City confidential

After a snowfall, don your warmest boots and take the subway to High Park (highparktoronto.com) for a winter wonderland walk through the trees. If there’s enough of the white stuff, pick up some rental snowshoes from MEC (mec.ca), formally Mountain Equipment Co-op, before heading out on the trails. Snowball fights are optional.

Ross Petty pantomime

Photography: Daniel Tran (Icefest), Ross Petty (Ross Petty)

Ross Petty pantomime

Get lost on purpose without risk of frostbite in the PATH (toronto.ca/path), the world’s largest underground shopping complex, with 1,200 shops and services spread across more than 28 km (17.5 miles) of sometimes maze-like walkways throughout much of the downtown core.

Laugh until it hurts at a Ross Petty pantomime performance (rosspetty.com) at the Elgin Theatre, a local holiday tradition that sees celebrity guests and local actors ham it up with hilarious renditions of beloved fairytales.

Marvel at the artists’ skills at Icefest (bloor-yorkville.com/icefest), Yorkville’s ice sculpture festival. Watch ice carving demonstrations and an on-street ice skating performance and vote for your favourite sculpture.

Icefest

Get in the holiday spirit by admiring the creativity of window-display designers at the Queen and Yonge flagship store of classic Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay (thebay.com), where seasonal vignettes are unveiled every year.

Gong Hey Fat Choy! Celebrate the Year of the Horse with New Year festivities in Chinatown. Get an insider’s view of the festivities and food with a Chinatown walking tour from fascinating guide Shirley Lum of A Taste of the World (torontowalksbikes.com).

Escape the snow: It’s downright tropical in the Rainbow Reef at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada (ripleyaquariums.com), Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada the Galleries of Africa: Egypt at the Royal Ontario Museum (rom.on. ca), and Casa Loma’s conservatory (casaloma.org). Get inspired by the Africa and Oceana collections at the Art Gallery of Ontario (ago.net). Explore the rainforest at the Ontario Science Centre’s Living Earth exhibit (ontariosciencecentre.ca), or dream of sandal weather at the Bata Shoe Museum (batashoemuseum.ca).

Have your camera ready to snap symbols of holiday icons of many of the city’s cultural groups. In late October, Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated for five days by Toronto’s Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities. Later in the season, watch for Hanukkah menorahs and Christmas Nativity scenes at City Hall and elsewhere.

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Book a detoxifying Hammam, Gommage & Rhassoul treatment at Miraj Hammam Spa (mirajcaudaliespa. com), where you’ll open pores in the luxe steam room before being scrubbed with eucalyptus-infused black Moroccan soap and slathered in a mineral-rich clay mask designed to nourish and invigorate the skin. Then retreat to the lounge, sip spa water and start planning your next visit to Toronto.

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food+drink Noodling around Some may consider carbs verboten, but that hasn’t prevented ramen from igniting foodie fanaticism. The humble wheat noodle is served in a variety of authentic and inventive ways across the city. Whether you prefer a classic tonkotsu or shoyu ramen or you’re open to new vistas like tom yum or dan dan mein is up to you. Pack your appetite and Yelp these local faves: A-OK Foods, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Sansotei Ramen, Kinton Ramen, Santouka Ramen and Ajisen Ramen.

Meat the city Dress comfortably: you’re going to want to make room for dinner. By Amy Rosen

Photography by Paula Wilson Food Styling by Chantal Payette

I

am lounging at one of a dozen picnic tables on a bustling Parkdale patio, friends in tow. There are pretty umbrellas and twinkling string lights and, in front of us, plates piled sky high with food. The guys at the neighbouring table want to know what we’re eating, so we offer them a couple of unctuous, sticky ribs and crispy fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese by way of explanation. They pour us beer, and suddenly there’s laughter and messy faces, fried chicken and collard greens, and we’re all having a grand old time enjoying great food and good cheer.

Just a few years ago, this scenario wouldn’t have happened: remember when fine dining used to mean starched tablecloths and sitting straight? Yet Electric Mud BBQ (electricmudbbq.com) is just one in a lineup of new Toronto restaurants enlivening the city’s dining scene by pumping up the food—and the fun. Mostly casual, ever eclectic, helmed by young chefs and serviced by waiters in plaid and bartenders with interesting facial hair, Toronto’s restaurant scene has changed so much so fast that one can barely remember what it tasted like before. And from BBQ joints to power steaks, burger bars to nose-to-tail eateries, meat is the heart of the matter.

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food & drink

Savoury reigns supreme Clockwise from top left: Fried chicken from The Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder, porchetta from Porchetta & Co., wings from Barque, steak from St. Lawrence Market and ribs from Electric Mud BBQ

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Toronto 2014 • 55

Steak cut by David Lee at Note Bene

The locavore movement has been a driving force behind both kitchen creativity and the ingredients on the plate.

Many chefs are personal friends with their farmers and butchers,which leads to more faith in the products and, in turn, using every last bit of the animal.

Clockwise from top left: The Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder, steak at Nota Bene, ribs from Electric Mud BBQ, Bacon sandwichthe from Carousel Bakery at St. Lawrence peameal bacon sandwich from CarouselMarket Bakery The Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder’s

Porking out

“Why not pork? It’s delicious. It’s magical. It’s amazing!” says Porchetta & Co.’s (porchettaco.com) owner, Nick auf der Mauer. His Dundas Street West restaurant specializes in one thing only: marinated pork shoulder wrapped in prosciutto and pork belly before being slow roasted to a cracklin’ finish and sliced into hefty sandwiches.

“I wanted to do something with pork that nobody else was doing, and I feel Porchetta & Co. resonates with a lot of people.” It certainly did with culinary crown prince Anthony Bourdain, who featured it on his show The Layover.

“I don’t know if the concept would have worked five years ago, but Toronto now has some of the best food in the country, and in my own little way I like to think Porchetta & Co. has contributed to our city’s nickname,” says auf der Mauer. He’s referring to Hogtown, so named for the smell that once wafted down Front Street from Old Toronto’s 19th-century abattoirs (the city was once a major pork processing centre). Today, his shop is filled with an aroma so heavenly it’s sure to give the nickname even more longevity. But he’s not the only one dishing out pork for the masses.

Pig is also big at the aforementioned Electric Mud BBQ via everything from pork rinds to so-called crack rolls, which are white buns smothered in pork drippings. Momofuku Noodle Bar (momofuku.com) steams up soft pork belly buns, while the venerable

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Carousel Bakery in St. Lawrence Market keeps turning out their peameal bacon sandwiches. Meanwhile, Queen Street West’s Banh Mi Boys (banhmiboys.com) serves one of the most crave-worthy dishes in town: a winning mashup of French loaves, grilled pork belly, kimchi and optional Kewpie Japanese mayo.

Locavore tastes

But you’d be wrong to think that Toronto is all about bacon on a bun. The locavore movement has been a driving force behind both kitchen creativity and the ingredients on the plate. Many chefs are personal friends with their farmers and butchers, which leads to more faith in the products and, in turn, using every last bit of the animal. One of my favourite dishes of the year embraces both the nose-to-tail and the locavore movements through the unexpected (and surprisingly luxurious) seasonal combo of scallop and beef heart tartare at Hopgood’s Foodliner (hopgoodsfoodliner. com) in Roncesvalles Village.

Chef Geoff Hopgood says, “As chefs, we’re obsessed with the best-tasting, most interesting ingredients we can find.

We don’t like to get bored, so exploration is key to our creativity.” And so he sources sustainable seafood from Canada’s East Coast, heritage-raised meats and organic produce, leading to thoughtful cooking that’s also playful— donair topped with shaved fois gras, anyone?

Thoughtful ingredients and creativity are also top of mind—and menu—at locavore favourites like Edulis (edulisrestaurant.com), which serves braised coskcomb.

Photography: Paula Wilson (Stockyards, Note Bene, Carousel), Electric Mudd BBQ (ribs), Gordon Alexander (Bunners, Leslieville Pumps)

Food & Drink Parts & Labour (partsandlabour.ca) and Beast (thebeastrestaurant.com) offer whole-animal cookery, which includes pig head tasso, pickled tongues, pork hocks and venison.

“First and foremost,” says Hopgood, “we’re able to do what we do because of our dedicated farmers, who bring us the most amazing ingredients. Without these new pioneers, we would have no choice but to use factory mass-produced, loveless crap!”

Another passionate Toronto chef who thinks that local food “cooks better, looks better and tastes better,” especially when it comes to meat, is David Lee of Queen Street West’s Nota Bene (notabenerestaurant.com).

“Cumbrae’s côte de boeuf is the mother of all steaks,” says Lee of Stephen Alexander’s celebrated butcher shop mini-chain, a go-to for some of the city’s top toques. “I’ve visited the Cumbrae farms, and the animals there are very happy and well fed. And the meat is dry aged on the bone, which makes all the difference,” he adds. Though Nota Bene is known for its big-ticket dry-aged steaks, onion rings and creative “in-betweens” (smoked chicken soup with goji berries, tuna tartare, etc.), the emphasis is always on local and seasonal.

It’s one of a number of next-wave steak houses, among them Richmond Station (richmondstation.ca), Marben (marbenrestaurant.com), Jacobs & Co. (jacobssteakhouse.com) and Bymark (bymark.mcewangroup.ca). At Bestellen (bestellen.ca), where the dry-aging meats can be seen through a refrigerator window in the middle of the buzzy College Street restaurant, the menu includes steak tartare, the Bestellen burger and house steaks. The menu isn’t light, but it’s thoughtful enough to include some veggie options (local cheese and pasta). Another favourite is chef Teo Paul’s Union (union72.ca) on Ossington, which looks like a Parisian bistro in small-town Ontario: beautiful and endearing.

Same goes for the Ontario-raised juicy, fatty, honest, earthy côte de boeuf, with amazing frites and local vegetables.

Burgerland

But if I’m really being honest—and of course I am!—when I’ve got a craving for meat, my go-to gotta-have-it is a big fat burger. Luckily for me, Toronto’s in the midst of an all-out burger war, with no end in sight. Thankfully, in this war we’re all the victors, as most of the burger joints specialize in fresh beef, great fries … and extra napkins.

The Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder’s (thestockyards.ca) burgers hit the spot with griddle-smashed flair, while BQM’s (bqmburger. com) enviable patties feature locally sourced and hormone-free beef, and you can even choose

your cut, be it chuck, brisket or sirloin. Yet it’s The Burger’s Priest (theburgerspriest.com) that gets the Holy Trinity of freshly ground, griddled patties, cheese and bun down to perfection, making believers of even the biggest skeptics.

Brisket sandwich from Leslieville Pumps

BBQ fever

With Wetnaps in hand and barbecue sauce on face, we end this culinary romp where we began, with low-and-slow-cooked meat on our plates and a song in our hearts. Because the biggest thing happening in Toronto right now is down-home, rib-sticking BBQ. Be it my favourite brisket from Phil’s Original BBQ (philsoriginalbbq.com) or Leslieville Pumps’ (leslievillepumps.com) saucy pulled pork, Barque’s (barque.ca) sampler platters of smoky goodness, or the mobile BBQ that is Hogtown Smoke (twitter. com/hogtownsmoke), the city’s first food truck with on-board smoker, most diners agree BBQ is key to the city’s meat renaissance. Locals engage in heated debates about who’s got the best BBQ in town, but there’s one thing we can all agree on: Toronto’s not a city you’ll leave hungry.

vegan city

Woody Harrelson likes Toronto’s food. And there’s a reason for that: the yoga-loving thespian is a vegan, and there’s no city with more creative vegan food than Toronto.

“Creamies” from Bunner’s

Vegan comfort food spot The Hogtown Vegan (hogtownvegan.com) is the type of place where you can trick your carnivore friends into eating crispy soy “wings,” chili “cheese” fries and shiitake fried “clams” (you’ll find there are a lot of air quotes in vegan cuisine).

Live Foodbar (livefoodbar.com) and Rawlicious (rawlicious.ca) take things one step further by dishing up mostly raw cuisine (meaning no ingredients have been cooked above 48˚C/118˚F).

Then there’s Hot Beans (hotbeansvegan.net) for amazing tacos. And for baked all-vegan treats, there’s Bunner’s (bunners.ca) and Kensington Natural Bakery (kensingtonnaturalbakery.com).

The stalwart Urban Herbivore (herbivore. to) has super-tasty BLTs, in this case

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smoked coconut “bacon,” crispy tempeh wedges, lettuce, tomato and cashew mayo, while at Grasslands (grasslands.to) you can’t go wrong with the crispy corn fritter.

But let’s say you’re a vegetarian and not a vegan. Then, my friend, the city is your oyster (mushroom). Toronto is so veggie friendly that most restaurants offer at least a few vegetarian dishes. If you’re a strict vegetarian, your first stop should be Fresh (freshrestaurants.ca), but then do stop by Hawker Bar (hawkerbar.com) and Ursa (ursa-restaurant.com), both of which serve vegetarian dishes. Hawker Bar boasts Singaporean street food, like vegetarian laksa with homemade red bean ice cream for dessert, while URSA is more upmarket, with plates like winter roots with housemade tofu. URSA is also the place to indulge in a nutraceutical sorbet!

Toronto 2014 • 57

$45

Cocktail barometer

Should you bring spare change or your gold card?

Raise a cheer to the city’s choicest libations, high and low.

By Dick Snyder Photography by Paula Wilson

$19

BarChef’s Vanilla Hickory Smoked Manhattan, $45 Co-owner Frankie Solarik deploys (bon)fire and ice on premium whisky, brandy and bitters. A pricey yet irresistible creation. barcheftoronto.com Weslodge’s Smoking Poncho, $19 Toronto’s own Tromba Tequila is mixed with Enmascarado Mezcal, charred maple wood syrup and vanilla walnut bitters. A sophisticated campfire in a glass. weslodge.com

$15

$14

The Harbord Room’s The Ronald Clayton, $15 An homage to the owner’s grandfather, this sweet-and-smoky blend of vanilla-infused Crown Royal and organic maple bitters is patriotic, too. theharbordroom.com Churchill’s The Departed, $14 Cocktail empress Sandy De Almeida packs this drink with a punch of rum, a sting of mezcal and a slap of Campari.

Formidable and drinkable. facebook.com/ChurchillToronto Cafe Bar Pasta’s Sale Rosso, $9 A touch of soda spritz and Maldon sea salt gives this Campari-based refresher a summery air, while a hint of top-end Citadelle gin and a touch of Coster’s burnt citrus bitters deliver delightful aromatics. cafe-bar-pasta.com

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The Drake Lounge’s Old Fashioned, $8 (happy hour, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.)

A proper two-ouncer, this classic cocktail receives appropriate respect even at this deep-discount price. Easy on the wallet and the palate. thedrakehotel.ca Pravda’s Russo-Canada Martini, $6.15 (happy hour, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.)

For happy hour, international style.

Two nations and their favourite spirits—vodka and rye—fused together with maple syrup.

How sweet! pravdavodkabar.com

NEWLY RENOVATED FAIRMONT LUXURY ROOM

EPIC RESTAURANT

STAying And dining in The heArT of The ciTy

Award winning cuisine awaits in downtown Toronto’s landmark hotel.

Located in the heart of the city, The Fairmont Royal York has everything you need for a memorable stay in Toronto– opulent surroundings, a knowledgeable Concierge team, state-of-the-art exercise facilities, exceptional service, and an array of dining options right in the hotel.

Prepare your palate for a sensory treat – whether you choose to join us in EPIC Restaurant & Lounge, Piper’s Gastropub, Benihana Japanese Steakhouse or our classic Library Bar for some of Toronto’s nightlife.

At the iconic Fairmont Royal York, Toronto’s fine dining scene features local, organic ingredients, wild-caught fish and seafood, award winning cocktails and our very own Mill Street Royal Stinger beer on tap, available only at The Fairmont Royal York, medal-winner at the 2011 Canadian Brewery Awards.

For information visit www.fairmont.com/royal-york-toronto or call 1 866 540 4489

Food & Drink Tori Vaccher @torisbakeshop

Where can I get a good… “ Tweetversations”* with top tastemakers on where to drink up or chow down.

Owner & pastry chef Tori’s Bakeshop, 2188 Queen St. E. Gord Alexander @GordandMaggie @torisbakeshop Where can I sip and sample the city’s best Ontario wine list?

Tori Vaccher @torisbakeshop @GordandMaggie My fave local wine bar @skinandbonesTO is ever-changing. Love their staff suggestions for local wines 2 pair by food or mood!

By Natalie DiScala Lisa Ray @Lisaraniray Lynn Crawford @Chef_lynn Executive chef & proprietor Ruby Watchco, 730 Queen St. E. (@RubyWatchco) Celyn Harding @Myfanwy09 @Chef_lynn Looking for delicious empanadas in Toronto…

Where are they? #empanadas #toronto Lynn Crawford @Chef_lynn @Myfanwy09 Kensington Market has incredible empanada options! Walk around & sample from each vendor; guarantee you’ll leave satisfied!

Actress & host Top Chef Canada courtneymac @courtneymac @Lisaraniray Important date night coming up: Where’s romantic table à deux?

Lisa Ray @Lisaraniray @courtneymac Cafe Belong at Brick Works. @chefbradlong’s food is fab & ambience is postmodern barn cozy. No better venue for resto motto: Food is Love.

Daniel Boulud @DanielBoulud Cory Vitiello @ChefCoryV Chef The Harbord Room, 89 Harbord St. Rob Norton @hisnameisboxcar Hey, @ChefCoryV, what’s Toronto’s must-try food truck? #streeteatsTO Cory Vitiello @ChefCoryV @hisnameisboxcar I’m a huge fan of Caplansky Deli Truck @CaplanskyTruck. Handmade authentic #deligoodness.

It’s my top pick!

Chef Café Boulud at the Four Seasons Toronto, 60 Yorkville Ave. (@CafeBouludTO) Eve Thomas @EveLovesLuxury @DanielBoulud Where can I find the yummiest dim sum in TO? #toronto Daniel Boulud @DanielBoulud @EveLovesLuxury Lai Wah Heen in Metropolitan Hotel very popular for good reason. High end but very authentic. For people who know their dim sum!

Ken Samuel @inyourmouthTO David Lee @NotaBeneToronto Executive chef & co-proprietor Nota Bene Restaurant, 180 Queen St. W. natashamekhail @natashamekhail @NotaBeneToronto Where is the best wood-fired #pizza in Toronto?

David Lee @NotaBeneToronto @natashamekhail The most authentic wood-fired pizza in Toronto is at Queen Margarita!

* Some answers have been adapted from email to a Twitter-style format.

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Food blogger inyourmouthtoronto.com Jennifer Krissilas @jenkrissilas @inyourmouthTO Where are the most scrumptious fish tacos in Toronto?

Ken Samuel @inyourmouthTO @jenkrissilas @Alfa_bites @la_carnita some of the best.

Each bite is a balanced blend of salt, sweet, spicy, tart with crunchy & soft textures.

food & drink

Well crafted

Photography: Gizelle Lau

Toronto’s thirst for artisanal beer nourishes a vibrant small-brewery scene. By Dick Snyder

With several microbreweries popping up all over the city, it’s safe to say Torontonians are a thirsty lot when it comes to local beer. Focusing on traditional methods and seasonal offerings, here are our top picks for savouring the results.

Bellwoods Brewery go for: Brewery, food, patio, collaborations, bottle shop, flights The place is usually packed and there can be long lineups in the evening (70 seats inside, 44 on the streetside patio). Located on the hopping Ossington Avenue strip, Bellwoods is known for its specialty brews and collaborations with other brewers.

Flavoured beers and ciders often get thrown into the mix. In summer, the patio grill comes out.

TipS: There’s no wine. And no reservations, so plan accordingly.

124 Ossington Ave., bellwoodsbrewery.com

Steam Whistle Brewing Go for: Brewery tour, tasting, retail store, historical site Arguably the best-known craft beer in Ontario, Steam Whistle is also the most centrally located brewery in Toronto, positioned right next to the CN Tower, in an old railway roundhouse. They do one thing and one thing only: super-clean and refreshing pilsner. Tours are 30 minutes and run every half an hour in the afternoons.

Tip: In August, Steam Whistle hosts the weekend-long Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival, with more than a dozen Ontario craft brewers and food trucks.

The Roundhouse, 255 Bremner Blvd., steamwhistle.ca

Junction Craft Brewing Go for: Tastings, Tap Room, retail store A recent addition to the scene and located in the up-and-coming Junction neighbourhood, this brewery may be the only one in Ontario that was designed, built and installed by its brew master.

While there are no tours, the Tap Room is open Thursday to Saturday, with 11 craft brews on tap available in five- and 10-ounce servings. Every beer can be purchased in two-litre (4.2 pint) growlers; some 500 mL (just over a pint) bottles are also available.

Tip: Check the website to see what’s brewing.

90 Cawthra Ave., Unit 101, junctioncraftbrewing.com

Amsterdam Brewhouse go for: Brewery tour, lakefront patio, retail store, food Toronto’s newest craft beer destination is a massive, 850-guest-capacity emporium located on prime Lake Ontario frontage south of the CN Tower and Rogers Centre (about 10 minutes awayon foot, depending on your level of thirst). But Amsterdam’s roots go back to 1986, when it was Toronto’s first brew pub. Experimental and seasonal beers hold sway with local favourites like Amsterdam Natural Blonde, Big Wheel, 416 and the award-winning Framboise.

An extensive menu infuses beer or items related to beer into many of the dishes.

Tours run twice daily and three times on weekends; groups of eight or more can book privately.

Tip: The retail store is open until 11 p.m., even on holidays.

245 Queens Quay W., amsterdambrewhouse.com

Mill St. Brew pub GO FOR: Brewery tour, tastings, food, historical site, store Housed in the original Gooderham and Worts tankhouse in the heart of The Distillery Historic District, Mill St. Brewery’s brew pub serves up locally inspired dishes to complement the craft brewery’s award-winning beers, including Ontario’s first certified-organic lager, a light and crisp German pilsner. Catch one of the daily brewery tours, and then grab a seat at the massive high-top bar, which is surrounded by brewery vats. Slake your thirst and your appetite by ordering from 12 beers and ales on tap.

Tip: On Mondays enjoy half-price apps after 8:00 p.m.

21 Tank House Ln., millstreetbrewery.com

barVolo Go for: Brewery, food, collaborations, events A tiny gem hidden in the Yonge Street bustle, barVolo has been operated by the Morana family since 1985. The annual Cask Days festival in the fall, now in its ninth year, attracts thousands of craft beer fans. Food is also a strength at barVolo, with cheese, charcuterie, burgers and related bites.

Tip: Try to snag Table 7, then check its drawer.

587 Yonge St., barvolo.com

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Toronto 2014 • 61

CHEERS!•

Ontario Craft Beer Week (ocbweek.ca) takes over breweries, pubs, restaurants and other venues for more than a week every June.

Toronto Beer Week (torontobeerweek.com) makes the scene in mid-September.

Toronto’s Festival of Beer (beerfestival.ca) features over 200 brands on site in July.

GREAT HOTEL RATES AND DOZENS OF ATTRACTIONS

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Photo: EdgeWalk at the CN Tower

From check-in to checking out the sights, plan your trip at SeeTorontoNow.com. Your official Toronto visitor site makes it easy to book your getaway. The hard part is deciding what to do.

On the waterfront In a city where outdoor cinema is as much a summer staple as ice cream trucks, cinephiles flock to the downtown lakefront’s breezy shores.

The Toronto Port Authority’s Sail-In Cinema screens crowd-pleasing flicks on both sides of a floating barge, so landlubbers and boaters alike can enjoy. Meanwhile, Harbourfront Centre’s Free Flicks curates movies with a summer-long theme, giving a filmfest feel to this populist celebration.

Photograph courtesy of the Toronto Port Authority

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Go local and take it to the streets, up close and on foot. By Jane L. Thompson With additional research by Sarah B. Hood

A

s any seasoned traveller knows, great cities demand more from their visitors than a handful of standard-issue skyline snaps. To delve deeply, you need to tour micro: sussing out the neighbourhoods that form the whole, by eating, drinking, shopping, relaxing and taking in the city one streetscape at a time. Here’s our essential neighbourhood guide (along with photo tips to nail those Instagram moments).

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Photography: Clifton LI

About town

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EAT Rosewood Chinese Cuisine Above Chinatown’s bustle, the hearty dim sum dumplings circulated on trolleys please big groups on a budget. 463 Dundas St. W., 416-593-9988, rosewoodchinesecuisine.com

Big Fat Burrito Get a burrito with all the fillings at one of the most popular spots in the Market. 285 Augusta Ave., 416-913-7487, bigfatburrito.ca

FRANK Enjoy sophisticated Canadian cuisine at the AGO restaurant named after architect Frank Gehry.

317 Dundas St. W., 416-979-6688, ago.net/frank

SHOP Good Egg  Stay longer than expected to peruse the cookbooks and kitchen tchotchkes (Opinel knives, Bauer pottery).

267 Augusta Ave., 416-593-4663, goodegg.ca

Chinatown + Kensington Market + AGO District

Shop AGO Take home a piece of the Art Gallery of Ontario: stationery, clothing, innovative design, and even original artwork to rent or buy.

317 Dundas St. W., 416-979-6610, ago.net

Blue Banana Market Crafts, fashion and food at an indoor bazaar infused with Kensington Market’s quirky homegrown creativity and zesty cultural diversity.

250 Augusta Ave., 416-594-6600, bluebananamarket.com

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

Best routes: This vital commercial district is where you’ll find artsy university students, plus expats stocking up on foods from home, as well as townhouse, loft and apartment dwellers. For inexpensive shopping, head to Dundas and Spadina, and Kensington Market; for funky boutiques, check out Queen Street West at McCaul.

Baldwin St.

Dundas St. W. Sullivan St.

McCaul St.

Chinatown

Beverley St.

Kensington Ave.

Baldwin St.

Huron St.

College St.

Kensington Market

Spadina Ave.

Over the decades, culturally dynamic Chinatown has been home to generations of Chinese, Eastern European Jewish, Caribbean and Vietnamese immigrants—essentially the people who transformed Toronto into the diverse city it is today. Encompassing Kensington Market, Chinatown and Queen West, this area is known for everything from exotic produce and discount goods to cutting-edge clothes and blue-chip art. A bounty of restaurants and multiple streetcar lines add undeniable flavour.

Augusta Ave.

Photography: Clifton LI (Kensington), Andrew Louis/flickr.com (Kensington)

Kensington Market for funky vintage

AGO

Phoebe St.

Queen St. W.

SEE Kensington Market  This historic neighbourhood is still an eclectic shopping and dining zone, but it’s also a vibrant bohemian culture magnet, especially during its weekly summertime Pedestrian Sundays (pskensington.ca) and the December Winter Solstice Festival (redpepperspectacle. wordpress.com). West of Spadina between College and Dundas Street West.

Grange Park Located in Toronto’s first elite neighbourhood in the early 1800s, the park and its manor are now part of the AGO, following the Gallery’s dramatic expansion designed by Frank Gehry. Beverley Street south of Dundas Street West, grangeparktoronto.ca

Snap This 

Gateway Sculptures

Architect Will Alsop’s exuberantly in-your-face Sharp Centre is OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design) University’s unmistakable extension. Straddling the older art-school buildings atop angled, candy-coloured pillars, the black-andwhite box is a bracing hit of contemporary architecture. For the best effect, pick a vantage point—from the sidewalk, a few paces north or south to catch it in full context—and snap a set of shots over the course of your trip. Its mien changes against white clouds or bluebird skies and at night.

Artist Millie Chen created towering red poles with a qilin (which resembles a unicorn), dragon, phoenix and Monkey King to represent the Chinese character for gateway. Spadina Avenue just north of Dundas Street West

George Brown House A great example of Ontario’s Second Empire-style architecture and home to a father of Canadian Confederation and a newspaper editor.

186 Beverley St., heritagetrust.on.ca

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Snap This 

Yorkville + The Annex MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

Hazelton Ave.

Avenue Rd.

St. George St.

Spadina Ave.

Bathurst St.

Brunswick Ave.

Yorkville Yorkville Ave. Cumberland St.

Bloor St. W.

Bloor St. E.

U of T

Yonge St.

College St.

Bay St.

Harbord St.

Charles St. Queen's Park

This is where you’ll find not only power shoppers, flashy cars and visiting celebs, but also PR types, public sector workers, academics and writers (author Margaret Atwood lives in The Annex). For luxury shopping, visit Bay and Bloor, Holt Renfrew, Hazelton Lanes and the boutiques of Yorkville; Mirvish Village on Markham is known for one-of-a-kind specialty stores, art galleries, jewellery, DVDs and comics.

Davenport Rd.

The Annex Markham St.

Home to the elite of the 1870s and the hippies of the 1960s, this area encompasses The Annex, Yorkville, the University of Toronto and the Mink Mile. It’s known for its museums and Victorian homes, as well as commercial office towers, luxury hotels and condos.

denotes subway station

Dupont Ave.

Best routes: Start strolling at Bloor and Bay’s Mink Mile; turn north, heading toward Cumberland and Yorkville for shopping. To visit The Annex and the University of Toronto, head back to Bloor, walking west toward St. George and beyond to Spadina. Continue to Bathurst and Bloor for Mirvish Village.

EAT ONE This buzziest of spots is where celebrities like Brad, Angelina and George hang out when they’re in town. 116 Yorkville Ave., 416-961-9600, onehazelton.com Bloor Street Diner The casual café patio is a mainstay for brunch, while the chic dining room is the place to be for cocktails or steak. 55 Bloor St. W., in the Manulife Centre, 416-928-3105, bloorstreetdiner.com Sassafraz Restaurant This cornerstone of ritzy Yorkville is a top celeb-spotting venue, but the Canadian cheese selection is also swoon-worthy.

100 Cumberland St., 416-964-2222, sassafraz.ca Southern Accent Cajun, Creole and Soul Restaurant Andouille sausage and jambalaya rule at this

DID YOU KNOW…

New Orleans-style restaurant that’s so authentic it has its own in-house psychics.

595 Markham St., 416-536-3211, southernaccent.com Mistura Chef Massimo Capra, of television’s Restaurant Makeover, oversees this fine Italian kitchen (Mistura) with an event space (Sopra) upstairs.

265 Davenport Rd., 416-515-0009, mistura.ca

SHOP Mayberry Fine Art For over 40 years, this has become the place to view and shop for important historical and contemporary Canadian art.

110 Yorkville Ave., 416-923-9275, mayberryfineart.com

The stretch of Bloor Street West between University Avenue and Yonge Street is known as the Mink Mile for its high-end luxury shopping. Boutiques calling Mink Mile home include Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton, and the strip encompasses some of the most expensive commercial real estate in the world.

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Jeanne Lottie Fashion Inc.  The pink Victorian house showcases designer Jane Ip’s colourful, affordable original handbags.

32 Scollard St., 416-975-5115, jeannelottie.com Shops at Hazelton Lanes Stroll and shop this tranquil, airy and light-filled upscale mall for high-end clothing and housewares.

87 Avenue Rd., 416-968-8680, hazeltonlanes.com La Casa Del Habano Cigar lovers will appreciate the walk-in humidors and the sensational selection of fine smokes.

111 Yorkville Ave., 416-926-9066, lacasadelhabano.ca Hudson’s Bay, Bloor Street Pick up some souvenirs at this outpost of the iconic Canadian department store chain that dates back to the fur-trade days. 44 Bloor St. E., 416-972-3333, thebay.com

SEE Village of Yorkville Park Different ecosystems are represented here, all dominated by “The Rock,” a billion-year-old, 650-tonne monolith that was transported in pieces from the Canadian Shield. 115 Cumberland St. Queen’s Park The parkland and grounds surrounding Ontario’s Legislative Building house more than a dozen historical statues and monuments. Avenue Road at Queen’s Park Circle north Bata Shoe Museum This well-heeled museum features special exhibitions, plus a permanent collection with 13,000 artifacts detailing the history of footwear.

327 Bloor St. W., 416-979-7799, batashoemuseum.ca Honest Ed’s  The late, beloved Toronto businessman “Honest Ed” Mirvish opened this iconic bargain warehouse, festooned with lights and humorous sayings, in 1948. “Honest Ed attracts squirrels! At these prices they think he's nuts!” 581 Bloor St. W., 416-537-1574, honesteds.sites.toronto.com

Photography: Clifton LI (Yorkville)

Art shopping in Yorkville

Royal Ontario Museum Stand on Bloor Street West to capture the natural history museum’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal façade, designed by Daniel Libeskind. The deconstructivist beauty juts dramatically above the street-level action on Bloor.

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Yonge-Dundas Square

Downtown Core MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

High finance and overtime may drive this area, but many think of it as the heart of Toronto. City Hall, Financial District, the Yonge Street strip, Yonge-Dundas Square and Union Station are all anchors to the downtown core. Brokers, bankers, lawyers, students and thousands of office workers keep this district hopping during daylight, while singles and couples are active at night, taking in movies, theatre and shopping.

Photography: Sam Javanrouh (Elgin)

The Toronto Eaton Centre is the country’s best-known mall, but equally impressive is the PATH system, the world’s largest underground shopping complex connecting most of the downtown towers with more than 1,200 shops and services.

EAT Bardi’s Steak House Close to the major sports palaces; only Certified Angus Beef makes the cut here.

56 York St., 416-366-9211, bardis.com Richmond Station Chef Carl Heinrich has been a local favourite since he invested his winnings from television’s Top Chef Canada (second season) into his own restaurant, where he creates simple, straightforward dishes inspired by excellent ingredients rather than any particular school of cuisine.

1 Richmond St. W., 647-748-1444, richmondstation.ca  Hard Rock Cafe Chow down on burgers and smokehouse favourites in a room festooned with classic rock memorabilia.

279 Yonge St., 416-362-3636, hardrock.com/toronto Bangkok Garden Come here for an authentic Thai restaurant with a lunchtime buffet in a spacious, light-filled room. 18 Elm St., 416-977-6748, bangkokgarden.ca

DID YOU KNOW… The Canada Life building’s illuminated tower is actually a weather vane? It’s green when fair weather is forecast, white for snow and red for rain. The lights flash in sequence to show a slowly rising, fast-rising, slowly dropping or rapidly dropping temperature.

330 University Ave.

Best routes: Begin at Yonge-Dundas Square and head south on Yonge Street, then walk west on Queen to University Avenue.

Walk south on University to King Street West and finish at Yonge.

SEE Yonge-Dundas Square This public square is busy all day thanks to its free Wi-Fi, tables and umbrellas. It’s also home to free concerts, films and special events. Yonge and Dundas streets, southeast corner

SHOP Toronto Eaton Centre Shopaholics, unite! Here, you’ll find more than 210 stores and services, including Williams-Sonoma, Michael Kors, Stuart Weitzman and J.Crew.

220 Yonge St., 416-598-8560, torontoeatoncentre.com Urban Outfitters Casual trendy clothes for the social media generation, plus unique home accessories for first apartments. 235 Yonge St., 416-214-1466, urbanoutfitters.com Commerce Court On the retail concourse level below I. M. Pei’s notable creation, find over 65 shops and services linked to the PATH system.

199 Bay St., 416-364-2281, commerce-court.com

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Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Architect Jack Diamond’s visually and acoustically magnificent arts centre is home to the Canadian Opera Company and The National Ballet of Canada. The glass-andbrick stunner changes hues depending on the light and is Canada’s first purpose-built opera house. 145 Queen St. W., 416-363-6671, coc.ca, national.ballet.ca Hockey Hall of Fame At this shrine to Canada’s true national sport, interactive exhibits let users experience being both a player and a broadcaster. 30 Yonge St., 416-360-7765, hhof.com  The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Built in 1913, this architectural gem is the only remaining stacked theatre in the world: a double-decker complex with the spectacular Winter Garden Theatre constructed seven storeys above the Loew’s Yonge Street Theatre (now The Elgin). 189 Yonge St., 416-314-2901, heritagetrust.on.ca

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EAT Blowfish Restaurant & Sake Bar The club crowd congregates for luxe sushi and cocktails at this tony resto-lounge.

668 King St. W., 416-860-0606, blowfishrestaurant.com Lone Star Texas Grill Chow down on Tex-Mex comfort food in a cheerfully casual family eatery.

200 Front St. W., 416-408-4064, lonestartexasgrill.com Crush Wine Bar Sample world wines or Ontario’s local VQA designation here. 455 King St. W., 416-977-1234, crushwinebar.com 309 Dhaba Indian Excellence Enjoy gently upscale Indian cuisine featuring local ingredients, in a recently redesigned room. 309 King St. W., 416-740-6622, dhaba.ca Big Daddy’s Bourbon Street Bistro & Oyster Bar This lively New Orleans-themed restaurant features Creole cuisine like jambalaya and crab cakes. 212 King St. W., 416-599-5200, bigdaddys.ca

SHOP MEC Anything you could possibly need for (stylish) outdoor adventures, including (upmarket) dried food, is sold here.

400 King St. W., 416-340-2667, mec.ca Riant Boutique This is a trendy store in an increasingly trendy locale. Cynthia Vincent, Rebecca Taylor and Joie are just a few of the popular brands. 35 Bathurst St., 416-367-4567, riantboutique.com

Fine dining in the heart of the Entertainment District

Entertainment District MEET THE NEIGHBOURS Nightclubs, theatres, sports venues and cinemas make this area jump. Now loft and condo dwellers are interspersed with people who frequent the CN Tower, Steam Whistle Brewing, Rogers Centre, The Air Canada Centre, Roy Thomson Hall and Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada. Adrenaline junkies, sports fans, concert-goers and film aficionados set the pulse of the Entertainment District.

Front St. W.

Best routes: King Street West between University Avenue and Spadina Avenue for theatres and restaurants; Richmond Street West between Spadina Avenue and Simcoe Street for nightclubs.

Church St.

King St. W. Bay St.

Entertainment District

Richmond St. W. University Ave.

Simcoe St.

John St.

Peter St.

Spadina Ave.

Queen St. W.

Toronto Antiques on King Find everything from Victoriana to mid-century modern at this 6,000square-foot temple of vintage charm.

284 King St. W., 416-260-9057, torontoantiquesonking.com Real Sports Apparel This 10,000-square-foot shrine to sports offers jerseys, caps, jackets and more.

15 York St., 416-815-5746, realsports.ca

Snap This  Roy Thomson Hall The iconic building is an expected stop on any photographer’s list. Its glass dome is the mood ring of photo ops, so try shooting it under blue skies or clouds or at dusk during your trip for different effects.

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SEE TIFF Bell Lightbox  Home to the Toronto International Film Festival, it also has five cinemas and two restaurants for regular people.

350 King St. W., 416-968-3456, tiff.net Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada The new aquarium houses a 660,000-gallon shark tank in the Dangerous Lagoon, bringing you nose to gill with incredible 12-foot-long sand tiger sharks.

288 Bremner Blvd., 647-351-FISH (3474), ripleyaquariums.com/canada The Second City If you’re looking for sketch comedy, improv and lots of drinks to help keep the laughs coming, you’re in the right place.

51 Mercer St., 416-343-0011, secondcity.com CN Tower Go straight to the top for one of the best views of the city; hang over it in a harness on EdgeWalk or dine at the rotating 360 Restaurant. 301 Front St. W., 416-868-6937, cntower.ca Canada’s Walk of Fame  Stroll Canada’s Walk of Fame and snap photos of tiles dedicated to Canadian pioneers from all walks of life, from heroes like Terry Fox to music legends like Oscar Peterson to pop culture stars like Pamela Anderson and Sandra Oh. Along King between John and Simcoe Steam Whistle Brewing and Roundhouse Park A former railway roundhouse houses the Toronto Railway Museum, with full-sized rail cars, a mini-railway and a preserved CPR station, as well as Steam Whistle Brewing, where you can sample organic beer and tour the brewery. 255 Bremner Blvd., 416-214-9229, 416-362-2337, trha.ca

compass Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill Sample a fine oyster selection in lovingly preserved historic surroundings. 17 Tank House Ln., in The Distillery Historic District at 55 Mill St., 416-361-5859, purespirits.ca Mill Street Brew Pub Dine, tour the microbrewery or shop for your favourite quaff. 21 Tank House Ln., in The Distillery Historic District at 55 Mill St., 416-681-0338, toronto.millstreetbrewpub.ca The Chefs’ House Check out meals prepared by future chefs from a respected culinary school. 215 King St. E., 416-415-2260, thechefshouse.com

SHOP soma Chocolate These exquisite handmade chocolates make great gifts or necessary indulgences. 32 Tank House Ln., in The Distillery Historic District at 55 Mill St., 416-815-7662, somachocolate.com GOTSTYLE The Menswear Store These hip men’s clothiers are casual downstairs; upstairs, there’s suiting, a pool table and select women’s items; you can also book an in-house wedding co-ordinator. 21 Trinity St., in The Distillery Historic District at 55 Mill St., 416-260-9696, gotstylemenswear.com The Distillery Historic District

Old Town + The Distillery Historic District MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

King St.

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EAT Biagio Ristorante Savour exemplary formal Italian dining in a charming room with an attractive back patio.

155 King St. E., 416-366-4040, biagioristorante.ca BerBer SOCIAL Light filters through ornate screens and lampshades to illuminate the Moroccan-style décor in a space where friends share North African-inspired dishes.

49 Front St. E., 416-860-9000, berberlounge.ca

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Best routes: Begin at St. Lawrence Market (Front Street East at Jarvis Street), then stroll eastward to Parliament before turning south toward Mill Street and The Distillery Historic District.

Flatiron Building Stand on the traffic island at the intersection of Front Street East and Church Street to catch the building’s narrow end dead centre and to include the two skyscrapers directly behind it.

Then walk behind the building to Berczy Park, and shoot the building’s wider end, with its multi-storey trompe l’oeil mural.

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Young People’s Theatre Enjoy award-winning children’s productions in a converted historic streetcar stable.165 Front St. E., 416-862-2222, youngpeoplestheatre.ca St. Lawrence Market Named the world’s best food market by National Geographic, it has more than 100 food vendors, a Saturday farmers’ market, and a Sunday antique market in the north building. 92–95 Front St. E., 416-392-7219, stlawrencemarket.com

Snap This 

Berkley St. Parliament St.

Sherbourne St.

Jarvis St.

Church St.

Bay St.

Yonge St.

Many of Toronto’s historic buildings remain, but they now accommodate the needs of urban sophisticates. Union Station, St. Lawrence Market, The Esplanade and The Distillery Historic District cater to lovers of food and culture. For condo-sized furniture or more elaborate, ornate furnishings, King and Sherbourne is the centre for décor. The Distillery has art galleries, restaurants, chocolate, clothes and more.

SEE Allan Lambert Galleria  Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava included the 1845 Bank of Montreal building in this fivestorey steel-and-glass atrium. 181 Bay St., Brookfield Place Atrium

Soulpepper Theatre Founded by well-known Canadian stage actors, who have created a popular repertory theatre performing classic and modern works. 50 Tank House La., in The Distillery Historic District at 55 Mill St., 416-866-8666, soulpepper.ca

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Toronto 2014 • 69

EAT Globe Bistro Feast on upscale Canadian food in a formal back room, or casual wine bar and rooftop patio. 124 Danforth Ave., 416-466-2000, globebistro.com Allen’s Savour exceptional whisky at this ageless classic.

143 Danforth Ave., 416-463-3086, allens.to Tabülè Middle Eastern Cuisine Opulent décor—and occasional belly dancing shows—set off much-praised Middle Eastern dishes like mezzes, falafel and kefta.

A good choice for vegetarians. 810 Queen St. E., 416-465-2500, tabule.ca Astoria Shish Kebob House Filling pork and chicken souvlaki dinners stream from the kitchen in this bustling Greek restaurant; every once in a while there’s a cheerful cry of “Opa!” when someone orders the flaming saganaki.

390 Danforth Ave., 416-463-2838, astoriashishkebabhouse.com

Antiques in Leslieville

East Side + The Beaches

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

film-industry types and professionals clamouring to live close to work.

As former rooming houses and even a local jail disappear, teardowns and renovated homes are creating communities that make Cabbagetown, GreekTown, Riverdale, Riverside, Leslieville and The Beaches family-nesting destinations.

Beaches, parks and ravines attract runners, cyclists, and yoga and tai chi practitioners. And the proximity to movie studios and downtown has

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Queen St. E.

Broadview Ave.

River St.

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Danforth Ave.

Jones Ave.

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Bloor St. E.

Shopping is central to each enclave. Carrot Common on The Danforth (a.k.a. GreekTown) anchors boutiques and restaurants. Queen Street East at Pape has collectibles and retro clothes, while Queen Street East at Kew Gardens has cozy, kitschy storefronts.

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Best routes: From Broadview and Danforth east to Carlaw, then south to Withrow Park for Riverdale.

Broadview and Queen East to Jones for Leslieville. The Beaches boardwalk beginning at Kew Gardens shouldn’t be missed.

The Ceili Cottage Authentic Irish food, a righteous oyster selection and the smell of burning peat make you swear you’re in Galway. 1301 Queen St. E., 416-406-1301, ceilicottage.com Tori’s Bakeshop This retro-themed café offers a variety of housemade organic, vegan and gluten-free sandwiches and sweets to eat in or take out. 2188 Queen St. E., 647-350-6500, torisbakeshop.ca

SHOP Negash Beautiful, colourful leather handbags and accessories handcrafted by a third-generation artisan are top sellers at this unique shop.

905 Danforth Ave., 416-516-4545, negashdesign.com Olive & Olives Foodies should visit this culinary boutique specializing in olive oils, aged vinegars, spices and pantry goods. 779 Queen St. E., 416-551-8181, oliveolives.com Arts Market Browse the wares of over 50 local, indie artists, artisans and craftspeople Wednesday to Sunday, all under one roof. 1114 Queen St. E., 416-546-8464, artsmarket.ca

King St.

Snap This  Beach Boardwalk The boardwalk provides many photo ops, but one of our favourites is the white clapboard lifeguard station and tower at Kew-Balmy Beach. Beautiful captured on a sunny summer day, with the city skyline in the distance, it’s even more so with the nostalgia-infused longing of a winter shot, against wind-carved drifts of icy sand and snow.

De Grassi Street Sign Although there isn’t really a Degrassi high school, fans of the television franchise enjoy the chance to Instagram a sign from the street that inspired the series name on Gerrard Street East, just east of Broadview, next to a real school, Eastdale Collegiate Institute.

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SEE Danforth Music Hall Established in 1919, this beautifully restored GreekTown concert hall is an entertainment staple.

147 Danforth Ave., 416-778-8163, thedanforth.com Alexander the Great Fountain The tiny square is a social focal point in the middle of GreekTown. Danforth and Logan avenues, northeast corner Bloor Street Viaduct Built in 1918. Michael Ondaatje portrayed its immigrant workers’ experiences in his novel In the Skin of a Lion.

Bloor Street East near Broadview Avenue

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Waterfront + Islands MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

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Best routes: Walk or bike the Martin Goodman Trail and start at the Humber Bridge in the west to the Rouge River in the east. Or head to Centre Island, with its grassy parkland, marinas and rental kayaks. To get away from it all, hit sleepy Ward’s Island.

Bathurst St.

Once a bustling industrial Great Lakes port, Toronto’s waterfront has evolved into a vibrant mixed-use community with condos, recreational attractions and dining. Young singles, couples and empty-nesters are snapping up addresses along here. Queen’s Quay Terminal is the central shopping destination in this area, along with Canadian handicrafts at the Centre Shop in The Harbourfront Centre.

People also head to the Toronto Islands and Sugar Beach to escape the confines of the city. Pursuing a different lifestyle altogether, the Toronto Islands’ 650 residents include independent-minded families who forgo a car for a ferry and live a cottage-like existence.

Waterfront + Islands

Toronto’s waterfront from the Islands

EAT

Photography: Sam Javanrouh (Islands)

Aria Ristorante Exceptional wines and fine Italian fare abound in an elegant contemporary urban setting. 25 York St., 416-363-2742, ariaristorante.ca Carousel Café/Shopsy’s Island Deli Bar & Grill Try classic deli fare from a famous family-food empire. Centre Island, 416-203-0405, 416-234-2345, centreisland.ca Pearl Harbourfront Restaurant Find great Chinese food here, especially the Peking duck, and enjoy the large round tables for groups.

207 Queens Quay W., second floor of Queen's Quay Terminal, 416-203-1233, pearlharbourfront.ca The Rectory Café Open all year (check for seasonal hours), the quaint island café is known for its fantastic tea menu, plus sandwiches, daily soups and salads.

102 Lakeshore Ave., Ward’s Island, 416-203-2152, therectorycafe.com  Amsterdam Brewhouse In the '80s, Amsterdam helped pioneer Ontario’s craftbrewing industry. Its newest outlet serves tried-and-true favourites and seasonal novelties to complement a beer-themed menu. And yes, you can buy beer to take away. 245 Queens Quay W., 416-504-1020, amsterdambrewhouse.com

SHOP Wheel Excitement Inc. This is the spot for bicycle and in-line skate rentals, sales and service on the waterfront. 249 Queens Quay W., Unit 110, 416-260-9000, wheelexcitement.com Tilley The world-renowned travel outfitters are much loved by intrepid globetrotters for their crush-proof hats and easy-care, fast-drying clothing. Almost everything is made in Canada. 207 Queens Quay W., main floor of Queen’s Quay Terminal, 416-203-0463, tilley.com The Centre Shop Harbourfront Centre’s shop for fresh, surprising contemporary craft and design, including items for creative kids. 235 Queens Quay W., 416-973-4993, thecentreshop.com

PawsWay  This unique free-admission recreation space for people and their pets offers classes, contests, a pet park, and animal-friendly exhibits like the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, which honours hero pets and service animals. Closed on Tuesdays.

245 Queens Quay W., North Building, 416-360-PAWS (7297), pawsway.ca Museum of Inuit Art Discover contemporary Inuit sculpture in stone, bone, antler, ivory and ceramic, plus prints, drawings and textiles. 207 Queens Quay W., 416-640-1571, miamuseum.ca Hanlan’s Point Beach One of eight Blue Flag beaches in the city; there’s a clothing-optional area. Access to Hanlan’s Point, Toronto Islands, via ferry docks at 9 Queens Quay W., 416-397-2628.

Joe Fresh Stylish men’s and women’s clothes that are on trend and really affordable—and Canadian—from the founder of Club Monaco, Joseph Mimran.

10 Lower Jarvis St., 416-703-4865, joefresh.com

DID YOU KNOW…

SEE The Power Plant Devoted exclusively to contemporary visual art, this gallery commissions major new works by leading-edge Canadian and international artists.

231 Queens Quay W., at Harbourfront Centre, 416-973-4949, thepowerplant.org

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The Toronto Music Garden was designed by internationally acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and landscape designer Julie Moir Messerv to be a “landscape reflection” of Bach’s Suite No.1 in G Major, BWV 1007. 245 Queens Quay W., harbourfrontcentre.com

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Toronto 2014 • 71

SHOP Lilliput Hats Find stylish hand-blocked hats for women and men at this favourite haunt of Toronto actor Rachel McAdams. 462 College St., 416-536-5933, lilliputhats.com

EAT Queen West chic

Queen West + King West + Liberty Village

Buonanotte House-made pastas and wood-fired pizza, with a lively nighttime club scene. 19 Mercer St., 416-599-7246, buonanottetoronto.com CHEESEWERKS All about cheese, the menu includes everything from fondue, mac and cheese, and other cheesy comfort foods. Enjoy with wine or small-batch aritsan brew. 56 Bathurst St., 416-243-332, cheesewerks.com

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS Change is a constant in this area. Part of the Fort York military garrison in the late 1700s and the centre of manufacturing in the 1800s, this is where people have always embraced living and working. From Little Italy and Trinity Bellwoods to Ossington, Little Portugal and Liberty Village, quirky commercial districts satisfy local desires.

Trend alert! Young urban professionals, many in the media, design and high-tech sectors, come here to enjoy hip hotels, brunch queues, art galleries and industrial-chic décor stores. For home furnishings and indie boutiques, wander Queen Street West between Bathurst Street and Ossington Avenue. Or head south to The Shops at Liberty Market in Liberty Village on Hanna Avenue, south of King Street West.

Best routes: Start at College and Bathurst in Little Italy, then head south down Grace Street, which will enter Trinity Bellwoods Park. Stroll through the park to exit onto Queen Street West. Two options: walk east toward Spadina, or head southwest to Liberty Village (King Street West and Atlantic Avenue).

Patria A busy, buzzy spot to be seen, serving impressive takes on Spanish cuisine. The cross-stitch installation is worth the visit.

480 King St. W., 416-367-0505, patriatoronto.com UNION restaurant Chef Teo Paul presides at this Parisianinspired bistro that serves classics like onion soup and steak tartare alongside unusual meat offerings like local farm-raised elk or water buffalo sliders; on Sundays there’s a prix fixe menu. 72 Ossington Ave., 416-850-0093, union@union72.ca Mildred’s Temple Kitchen Upscale comfort food and a commitment to local producers draw families for brunch, and friends and colleagues for dinner and lunch.

85 Hanna Ave., Unit 104, 416-588-5695, templekitchen.com

Liberty St.

Spadina Ave.

Bathurst St. Queen St. W.

King West

Portland St.

Manning Ave.

Dundas St. W.

Niagara St.

Strachan Ave.

Liberty Village

Atlantic Ave.

King St. W.

Grace St.

Crawford Ave.

Trinity Bellwooods Park

Dovercourt Rd.

Gladstone Ave.

Ossington Ave.

Queen West

Queen St. W.

Drake General Store The hotel’s shop carries all sorts of oddities, including Brooklyn Brine pickles and the P’tite Poutine bowl by Henri Hubert.

1144 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042, ext. 101, drakegeneralstore.ca West Elm  Soft furnishings and table settings by local and international designers make you want to move right in.

109 Atlantic Ave., 416-537-0110, westelm.com Proper Reserve Find skate apparel and other men’s urban lifestyle gear, an on-site barber and an upstairs gallery-cum-event space.

498 Queen St. W., 877-547-6801, ext. 701, properreserve.com

SEE MuchMusic  A cultural hub for Toronto, the broadcasting centre attracts crowds waiting to see mega-stars like Madonna and Justin Bieber. Peek inside to see who’s being interviewed on Much, or look up at the building’s east wall, where a CP24 Breaking News van can be seen “crashing” through the edifice a few storeys up.

299 Queen St. W., muchmusic.com War of 1812 Memorial This 1906 sculpture of a veteran missing an arm shows the horrors of war. It was made by Canadian sculptor Walter Seymour Allward.

Victoria Memorial Park, Portland and Niagara streets, northwest corner

College St.

Argyle St.

Getoutside The source for boots and classic kicks: Converse, Hunter, Frye and more.

437 Queen St. W., 416-593-5598, getoutsideshoes.com

Niagara St.

Snap This  Graffiti Alley Treat your eyes to the visual splendour of Graffiti Alley, where colourful street-art murals flourish in this back lane behind Queen West.

Rush Lane, known as Graffiti Alley, is the backdrop to Rick Mercer’s street-side rants on The Mercer Report.

East Liberty St.

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MOCCA This not-for-profit contemporary art gallery focuses on art that addresses challenging issues and themes. 952 Queen St. W., 416-395-0067, mocca.ca Perpetual Motion sculpture This giant corkscrew-like sculpture by Chilean artist Francisco Gazitua was inspired by machines that reflect Liberty Village’s industrial heritage. Liberty Park at 70 East Liberty St.

compass EAT Black Camel This little place with big pulled chicken and pork sandwiches is always busy.

4 Crescent Rd., 416-929-7518, blackcamel.ca Patachou Patisserie Ladies and gentlemen who lunch and drink café au lait patronize this Rosedale institution.

1120 Yonge St., 416-927-1105 Cava This intimate haven for foodies features cuisine from the Iberian Peninsula.

1560 Yonge St., 416-979-9918, cavarestaurant.ca Duke of Kent A comfortable, traditional-style English pub populated by locals, rugby players and English expats, with a modest but interesting selection of local draught beers.

2315 Yonge St., 416-485-9507, kent.thedukepubs.ca Il Gelatiere Artisan gelato is made on site; flavours include watermelon and traditional zabaglione with beaten egg yolks and Marsala wine. 647 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-488-2663, ilgelatiere.ca

Mini Grid Here, you’ll find automotive amusements, including die-cast models, slot cars and related books and clothing for obsessed kids of all ages. 608 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-488-7663, minigrid.com

Snap This  Mount Pleasant Cemetery There’s nothing morbid about strolling this historic cemetery’s leafy, winding trails, a favourite among in-the-know dog lovers, cyclists and runners. In fact, one of the city’s popular Discovery Trails wends right through it. It’s perfect for autumn leaf photos as well as local colour: headstones are a multi-ethnic mix of motifs—crosses, Stars of David, dragons, modern art and so on.

A must for exquisite food is the Markets at Summerhill, which locals call The Five Thieves. Yonge Street from the Rosedale subway north to Woodlawn Avenue is filled with home décor and clothing boutiques. Cozy Mount Pleasant at Belsize has collectibles (antique strip) and home décor, plus costumes, chocolates and children’s books.

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Mabel’s Fables Pick up a classic or a best-seller from this beloved uptown children’s bookshop.

662 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-322-0438, mabelsfables.com

Casa Loma  Secret passages, an 800-foot-long tunnel, towers, stables and sumptuous suites and ballrooms fill the majestic castle built by financier and philanthropist Sir Henry Pellatt in the early 1900s. The five-acre public estate is home to gardens and terraces designed in the French and English styles.

1 Austin Ter., 416-923-1171, casaloma.org

Downtown financial titans and successful professionals retreat to these comfortable neighbourhoods. Home to the elite since the 1800s, today Rosedale, Summerhill, Deer Park and Davisville Village are aspirational addresses.

Yonge St.

L’Atelier If you need a bronze water fountain, large elephant sculptures or candles, this is your place. 1224 Yonge St., 416-966-0200

Summer Hill Coach House In the mid-1800s, Summerhill had only one house and coach house. Now pricey homes, including film director Atom Egoyan’s, dominate. The original coach house still stands. 36 Summerhill Gardens (rear)

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

Avenue Rd.

The Narwhal Come here to snap up Helmut Lang, A.L.C., and lingerie from Fortnight. 8 Price St., 416-647-351-5011, narwhalboutique.com

Midtown

Spadina Ave.

SHOPNYLA The small all-white boutique carries hot brands, including Current/Elliott and Amanda Uprichard. 1062 Yonge St., 416-924-3562, shopnyla.ca

SEE LCBO Summerhill A former train station built in the 1920s as a replica of St. Mark’s in Venice, complete with clock tower, it’s now one of the city’s best-stocked liquor stores, ornamented by a new fountain. 10 Scrivener Sq., 416-922-0403, lcbo.com

Bathurst St.

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LCBO at Summerhill

Bloor St.

Best routes: Yonge Street at Crescent Road, walking north to St. Clair. Also wander along Mount Pleasant from Davisville to Eglinton. To view majestic homes, stroll Crescent Road and Cluny.

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Toronto 2014 • 73

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Brampton blossoms

Theatre and shopping alongside lakes and gardens.

By Bill Brioux With additional research by Jill W. Williams

Explore

More 3 great regions next door

74 • Toronto 2014 l www.SeeTorontoNow.com @SeeTorontoNow l VisitToronto

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Brampton

PAMA: Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives

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Brampton

Photography: John A Ryan (downtown Brampton), Sean Marshall (PAMA), flickr.com

42 km (26 miles), approximately 30 minutes from downtown Toronto.

Visit tourismbrampton.ca for more information and attractions.

A

cozy Ontario town just northwest of Toronto has expanded to become a multicultural municipality of over half a million people and Canada’s ninth-largest city. Today, its historical downtown core is nestled among contemporary urban amenities.

HISTORY and CULTURE

Start your explorations at the recently expanded Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (pama.peelregion.ca), known locally as PAMA. Partially housed in one of the oldest local public buildings, the Peel County Jail (built in Canada’s Confederation year of

The Heart Lake Conservation Area

1867), the gallery is a place where past and future are linked in a variety of displays. Local and national artists are featured in its newer spaces, one of which features a sketchbook by world-renowned artist Tom Thomson, who found so much of his inspiration in the Ontario wilderness.

Stroll the large downtown concourse known as Garden Square, which is well used throughout the year.

During the summer, Shakespeare in the Square brings the Bard to Brampton with live performances, and the area comes alive on New Year’s Eve, when a stage is set up and such musical acts as rocker Sam Roberts and the band 54•40 perform for the crowd.

The backdrop of the Square, and the pride of Brampton’s revitalized downtown, is the Rose Theatre (brampton.ca/sites/rose-theatre). Now in its eighth season, the 870-seat, multimillion-dollar facility has welcomed such performers as The Pointer Sisters, Joan Rivers and Diana Krall to its stage, as well as touring Broadway productions of shows such as The Wizard of Oz, A Chorus Line and the Mel Brooks musical Young Frankenstein. Such homegrown performing arts groups as the Peel Panto Players (peelplayers.com) and the Brampton Festival Singers

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VisitToronto

(bramptonfestivalsingersinc.org) frequently put on shows for local fans.

Downtown is also where the Brampton Global Jazz and Blues Festival (artofjazz.org) gets toes tapping. Although not an annual event, the third venture is scheduled for August 2014, with performances at Garden Square and the Rose Theatre, as well as a number of restaurants and Bramalea City Centre mall. The festival has quickly gained A-list attention with headliners in its first two years, including Bobby McFerrin, Dr. John and Branford Marsalis, with McFerrin contributing to jazz workshops. World cuisine and jazz film screenings round out the festivities.

Since its recent multi-year expansion, Bramalea City Centre (bramaleacitycentre.ca) has become one of Canada’s largest malls. The renovation updates the mall with the addition of new mall space and underground parking; the mall now houses more than 300 stores in one million square feet of retail space that has attracted major new retailers like Target, which opened its outlet in 2013, the mall’s 40th anniversary.

From public skating in the winter to wading pools and concerts in the summer, Gage Park is a hub of activity in the downtown core. If BBQ is your thing, don’t miss the sizzling food and

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Brampton’s green spaces include golf courses galore.

With roughly two dozen private, semi-private and public courses within city limits or a short drive away, it’s easy to hit the links when you’re in town. Here are five topflight options that are open to the public and offer equipment rentals.

Castlemore Golf & Country Club Castlemore’s nine holes have a reputation for putting a premium on the shotmanship of the players, with tight fairways, small greens and plenty of water to get caught in. castlemore.com Parkshore Golf Club Ontario’s longest nine-hole course stretches over a scenic 3,600 yards.

Six large ponds, a winding creek and 44 bunkers keep things challenging for all levels of play. parkshoregolf.ca Peel Village Golf Course Constructed on the flood plain surrounding Etobicoke Creek, this formidable nine-hole course sits in the heart of a natural wildlife sanctuary and has been recognized for its environmental stewardship by the National Audubon Society. It’s characterized by a mix of tree-lined doglegs and water hazards. brampton.ca Turnberry Golf Club “Short but mighty” sums up this 18-hole, 3,408-yard course, which was painstakingly sculpted and landscaped out of a former gravel quarry. The dune-heavy course offers 16 par-3 and two par-4 holes. turnberrygolf.ca Above: Lionhead Golf and Country Club

entertainment at the Rotary Club of Brampton’s annual Rib ’n’ Roll ribfest (ribnroll.com).

Brampton’s core continues to make history: its annual Santa Claus Parade (bramptonsantaclausparade. com) was one of the first in Ontario to be held in the evening and is believed to have inspired other municipalities to do their ho-ho-ho-ing after dark, too.

Meanwhile, Carabram (carabram.org), the annual multicultural festival, is now in its 32nd year. The more recent Flower City Parade (brampton.ca) is an opportunity for Brampton to show off its roots.

A river runs through it

The Heart Lake Conservation Area (trca.on.ca), named for the shape of the lake, is spring fed and part of the Etobicoke Creek watershed. It’s blissfully removed from the hustle and bustle, a natural oasis that offers walking trails, canoeing and a paradise for fishermen, who will find the lake stocked with rainbow trout. In 2013, Treetop Trekking (treetoptrekking. com) opened its newest park here, featuring ziplines that cross right over the lake, plus treetop climbing courses, and even nighttime tree climbing adventures.

Similar back-to-nature experiences are available in Brampton’s west end at Eldorado Park (brampton.ca), where an amusement park once flourished and the area’s last outdoor public

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swimming pool is found. The Credit River snakes its way through the park, attracting local bird and animal life, plus picnickers.

The true “insider’s secret,” however, is Professor’s Lake (brampton.ca), tucked within a residential community just east of the Brampton Civic Hospital. The lake may be ringed with houses, but it offers public access as well as a beach and boat-rental area.

It’s a favourite stop for ducks and geese, not to mention families with kids toting fishing rods.

Pucks and recreation

For those seeking higher-octane thrills, Brampton has other charms. For example, there’s Wild Water Kingdom (wildwaterkingdom.com), Canada’s largest saltwater park, with 100 acres of waterslides, pools and lazy rivers, plus a saltwater tidal-wave pool.

There’s even an indoor sports complex, minigolf and a state-of-the-art drive-in movie theatre.

See future NHL stars in action from the 5,000-seat Powerade Centre arena (poweradecentre.com), home of the Brampton Beast, a Central Hockey League team.

As mayor (and chief booster) Susan Fennell says, “From natural retreats to a cultural and historic downtown, popular sporting events and top-notch entertainment, Brampton has everything a visitor needs.” It’s a whole new city to explore, just up the road.

Above: Brampton Soccer Centre Opposite page: “Marilyn Monroe” towers

Photography: Lionhead Golf and Country Club (golf) John A Ryan (Soccer Centre), wyliepoon (Monroe Towers), flickr.com

Lionhead Golf & Country Club Try your hand at the Florida-style Masters course or kick up your game with the über-demanding Legends course, which wends its way through steep rolling terrain and wooded ravines.

Both championship courses offer stellar views and lots of water. golflionhead.com

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Mississauga 20 km (12 miles), approximately 20 minutes from downtown Toronto.

Visit mississauga.ca for more information and attractions.

Mississauga life This dynamic city, a stone’s throw from Toronto, beguiles visitors with its many attractions.

By Janelle Reed With additional research

by Sarah B. Hood & Hilary Marchildon

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o longer known as a Toronto suburb, Mississauga has matured into a city in its own right, with its own distinct culture and urban centre.

Residential enclaves include a mix of mature family homes and glittering new condos geared to the young professional set. A lively restaurant and retail scene has flourished, and visitors from far and near throng to the city for its unique arts and multicultural festivals. Here’s a taste of what you can expect to find on a day trip to the area.

STOP FOR THE SHOPS Topping any shopaholic’s must-see list is Square One Shopping Centre (shopsquareone.com): with over 360 retailers, it’s Ontario’s biggest mall. Square One has recently undergone an $84-million renovation, making it even more of a shopping mecca. Download the Square One Shopping Centre app to your smartphone, and soon you’ll be mapping routes between Target, Michael Kors and Lacoste just like a local.

Another busy mall, Erin Mills Town Centre (erinmills.ca), is in the midst of a $100-million nip and tuck. Don’t worry, though: all 180 stores and food court restaurants remain open to cover your retail therapy needs! So pick up shoes at Aldo or Walking on a Cloud, collect souvenirs at Rainbow Jade, and perk yourself up with a froyo sundae at Menchies.

For an old-fashioned Ontario main-street experience, stroll through historic Streetsville, known as the “Village in the City of Mississauga,” where you can relax in a tea room or browse in charming boutiques.

Toronto 2014 • 77

FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS Just three years old, Celebration Square (mississauga.ca/celebrationsquare) is adjacent to Mississauga City Hall and spans 6.6 acres. The beautifully revitalized civic square doubles as a state-of-the-art multimedia destination complete with an amphitheatre and an interactive water feature that becomes the city’s largest skating rink each winter. The community hub hosts a wide variety of free public events, performances and activities annually.

One of these is Culture Days (September 26 to 28, 2014, culturedays.ca).

With 70-plus events over three days, it represents Mississauga’s participation in a national series of local arts festivals. Past celebrations have included performances by the Mississauga Symphony, Mississauga Festival Choir and The National Ballet of Canada.

The multidisciplinary Mosaic South Asian Heritage Festival (August 15 to 16, 2014, cre8iv80studio.com) brings a glittering roster of arts and entertainment superstars to Celebration Square and the city centre; past headliners have included Bollywood heavyweight Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan and Britain’s Stereo Nation. Dance, visual arts, film and music—plus food stands and a vendor’s bazaar—pepper this all-ages celebration of Canada’s cultural diversity, with representation from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and beyond.

Port Credit Memorial Park, on Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Credit River, is a popular picnic and recreation area that hosts the annual Mississauga Waterfront Festival (June 13 to 15, 2014, themwf.com), which draws more than 65,000 people to the shores of Lake

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Photography: Doug Brown (lighthouse) Ian Muttoo (masks, pool of knowledge), Amir Syed (celebration square), flickr.com

Clockwise from top left: Port Credit waterfront, many masks at Carassauga, Canada Day at Celebration Square, detail of the “Pool of Knowledge” fountain at Living Arts Park

Ontario to enjoy live performances by such well-known Canadian musicians as Sam Roberts, Jann Arden and Chantal Kreviazuk.

In September, the park is the site of Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle (September 5 to 7, 2014, southsideshuffle.com), Port Credit’s weekend jazz and blues festival, which unites the likes of Dr. Hook, Elvin Bishop and Mavis Staples on multiple stages. Don’t miss the artisan village, food trucks and beer gardens or the Saturday street party on Lakeshore Road.

On May 14, 2014, the Mississauga Marathon (mississaugamarathon.com) welcomes runners who’ll test their mettle on a course that runs from Square One to Lakefront Promenade Park.

LAKES AND RIVERS Despite its growing urban sophistication, Mississauga’s lakefront and parkland retreats present diverting possibilities for cyclists, birdwatchers and other outdoor aficionados. Lakefront Promenade Park presents access to an extended stretch of Lake Ontario shoreland that blends protected natural areas and space for outdoor recreation, including boating at the Mississauga Sailing Club, the Port Credit Yacht Club and the Lakefront Promenade Marina.

The lakefront village of Port Credit (portcredit.com) is a relaxing retreat within the city, a pedestrian-friendly enclave of restaurants, boutiques and a scenic boardwalk. Cool off with a scoop of green-apple sorbetto or a taste of dark chocolate gelato, some of the over three-dozen flavours on offer at Amici Cafe & Gelateria on Hurontario.

The Credit River is known for its excellent catch-and-release ops, for Chinook salmon, plus rainbow (steelhead), brook and brown trout, thanks to the conservation work of local anglers. The stretch of river between Norval and Streetsville is legendary for non-stop steelie strikes during the month of May. Check online for current fishing regulations (craa.on.ca).

THE GREENS SCENE The 30-year-old BraeBen Golf Course is designed in the style of a traditional Scottish Highlands course. Home to a rich variety of wildlife and located on the city’s highest point of land, it boasts a green energy system capable of generating enough renewable energy to power over 5,000 Mississauga homes.

Putt 18 holes at Lakeview Golf Course (mississauga.ca), the two-time home of the Canadian Open golf tourney. Featuring rolling fairways and mature trees in a parkland-style layout, this 100-year-old public course is an official Ontario Heritage Site. If you work up an appetite on the links, you can choose fare from the full-menu clubhouse lounge or the grab-and-go halfway house.

ART BEAT Where can you catch a performance by the likes of singer Jully Black or the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra and

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improve your flame-working skills at a one-day glass-making workshop? The Living Arts Centre (livingartscentre.ca) is a 225,000-square-foot performance venue/ gallery/art education centre and a hub for all things creative.

The Art Gallery of Mississauga (artgalleryofmississauga.com) is a public, not-for-profit art gallery located across from Celebration Square in the heart of Mississauga. Exhibitions range from historic to contemporary art, photography, design and crafts, along with tours, discussions and workshops. Admission is free, as are tours every Saturday afternoon.

LOCAL DIVERSIONS Streetsville is a quaint historic village amalgamated within Mississauga proper.

For the last 41 years, the Streetsville Founders’ Bread & Honey Festival (June 6 to 8, 2014, breadandhoney.ca), named in honour of the local mills and apiaries, has been the community’s benchmark family outing, well-loved for its petting zoo, musical performances, carnival rides and popular Bread & Honey Parade.

Enjoy the sounds, spectacles and perennial-favourite food booths from more than 72 different countries at the popular Carassauga (May 23 to 25, 2014, carassauga.com), a festival that tips its hat to the Greater Toronto Area’s ethnic diversity. For those 12 and under, the Kids’ Zone offers fun games, crafts and entertainers.

Doors Open Mississauga (September, 2014, doorsopenontario.on.ca) is a free event that gives the general public access to the area’s heritage treasures, many of which are unsung. Tour historic houses, museums, art galleries, churches, cultural centres, gardens and more.

Toronto 2014 • 79

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Wonder falls Niagara’s famous main attraction is just one of its many charms. By Anita Draycott With additional research by Jill W. Williams & Hilary Marchildon

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130 km (80 miles), approximately 2 hours from downtown Toronto.

Visit tourismniagara.com for more information and attractions.

I

f there’s time for just one trip out of Toronto, Niagara is a sure bet. For hundreds of years, the Falls have been aweing visitors—after all, they were considered a Wonder of the World.

More recently, the region’s wineries have risen to international prominence, and, along with the wines, an exciting culinary movement based on local produce has sprung up.

Sites of historical importance from War of 1812 times are dotted among the fields of peach trees and grapevines that lie between the rugged Niagara Escarpment, the riverfront parkland and the Lake Ontario shoreline— inviting terrain to explore by car or bicycle, where you’re never more than minutes away from a winery tour, engaging entertainment or a remarkable meal.

Fall for the Falls

You have a choice of ways to experience Niagara Falls. In 2014, Hornblower Niagara Cruises (niagaracruises.com) takes over from the Maid of the Mist boats on the Canadian side with three new luxury catamarans that offer on-board dining.

Another option is to book a seat on a Whirlpool jet boat for a white-knuckle tour of the Niagara River’s Class 5 rapids. Operating between late June

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and early September, Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours (whirlpooljet.com) offers a choice of Wet Jet and Jet Dome rides, depending whether or not you packed a change of clothes.

For a multi-sensory thrill, try Niagara’s Fury: The Creation of the Falls (niagarasfury.com). Feel the full wrath of Mother Nature as you stand on a platform that tilts and shakes while the temperature dips. You’ll experience 10,000 years in about 15 minutes of sensory overload! Or stand in the mist, right at the brink of Horseshoe Falls, with Journey Behind the Falls (niagaraparks.com).

If you prefer to stay dry, take a scenic flight via Niagara Helicopters (niagarahelicopters.com). Or try out the Niagara SkyWheel (cliftonhill. com); on this gigantic Ferris wheel in the Clifton Hill area, the glass pods are air conditioned in summer and heated in winter.

Toronto 2014 • 81

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The Niagara wine region is home to more than 50 wineries, most offering tours and many with ambitious restaurants.

2. Situated in a renovated 1845 farmhouse, The Restaurant @Vineland Estates Winery offers picturesque views of the Niagara Escarpment forests, with Lake Ontario and Toronto in the distance. Enjoy a cornucopia of multi-course lunches and dinners made from locally sourced seasonal ingredients. vineland.com 3. Chef Frank Dodd at Trius Winery at Hillebrand uses ingredients grown in the same soil as the grapes.

Such seasonal festivities as farmers’ market brunches, harvest table lunches and a four-course pig dinner keep it interesting if and when the wine talk lags. triuswines.com 4. 13th Street Winery has a small but sweet bakery and marketplace, just the place to enjoy a glass of the vineyard’s 13 Below Zero Riesling with a slice of Niagaragrown fruit pie made by Joanne Lenz of nearby Whitty Farms.

13thstreetwinery.com 5. At Strewn Winery, foodies can take a hands-on approach in a cooking class, or let the chef do the work at its Terroir La Cachette. strewnwinery.com

Scenic flight via Niagara Helicopters

Local bounty

Finish with a bang

Fuel up on gastropub fare at Niagara Falls’ Syndicate Restaurant & Brewery (syndicatebrewery.ca). The lunch menu offers locally sourced Niagara Greenbelt produce and features culinary highlights such as duck-confit poutine and a lagerspiked burger on brioche. Get in and out fast, or book a brewery tour and tasting if you can spare an extra hour or two.

Head to scenic Niagara-on-the-Lake and join Zoom Leisure Bikes (zoomleisure.com) for a pedalpowered winery tour. The bike-tour company provides the wheels and traverses wine country at a leisurely pace, covering 15 to 20 kilometres over the course of three-and-a-half hours.

Along the way, you’ll stop at local wineries to sample characteristic Niagara wines. If you can limit yourself to what fits in your bike basket, buy a bottled souvenir or two. If cycling isn’t your thing, try Niagara Vintage Wine Tours (niagaravintagewinetours.com), a driving tour offering daily scheduled excursions or customized private tours.

Après-tour, reward your exertions at the spa. For more vino immersion, book a Divine Red Wine Wrap at the Shaw Club Hotel & Spa (niagarasfinest.com) in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Your indulgence begins with a grape exfoliating scrub followed by a warmed-wine hydrating mask. For the finishing touch, your therapist will apply a hydrating body balm.

If white is more to your liking, opt instead for the White Muscat Grape Body Wrap.

Return to Niagara Falls for dinner.

Sterling Inn & Spa’s AG Inspired Cuisine (agcuisine.com) highlights local ingredients such as Lake Erie pickerel, Quiet Acres Farm cherries and Wellington County beef. The daily changing three-course Field to Fork menu is offered with or without a Niagara region wine pairing.

End your day as you began it: taking in the mighty Falls. After dark, the Falls are illuminated with powerful mood lighting, and there’s a seasonal razzle-dazzle fireworks extravaganza. The best place to enjoy the view is from the R5 lounge in the Fallsview Casino Resort (fallsviewcasinoresort.com), with cocktail in hand.

From top: Goat’s Cheese Tart at The Restaurant @Vineland Estates Winery, 2010 Chardonnay Sandstone Reserve from 13th Street Winery

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Photography: 13thstreetwinery.com (wine bottle), Taku Kumabe/flickr.com (Goat’s Cheese Tart), Canadian Tourism Commission (helicopter tour)

1. The setting of a Top Chef Canada season finale cook-off, the Peller Estates dining room is renowned for chef Jason Parsons’ creativity with local ingredients, including trout, duck and rabbit. From July to October, join the celebrity chef and TV personality’s interactive Art of Wine & Food tutorials. peller.com

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1. Manitoulin Island

By Aliyah Shamsher

The drive: 558 km (346 miles); approximately seven hours from Toronto What we love: With its status as the largest freshwater island in the world, Manitoulin Island attracts adventure enthusiasts year-round for such outdoor fun as hiking and biking in summer and ice fishing and snowmobiling in winter.

Eat local: A flowerbedecked farmhouse turned local eatery, The Garden’s Gate (manitoulinisland.com/ gardensgate) is known for its creative use of local ingredients.

With additional research by Sarah B. Hood

2. Tobermory

Great drives Rev up to explore southern Ontario’s hidden treasures.

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The drive: 297 km (184 miles); approximately four hours from Toronto What we love: Calling all divers, hikers, kayakers, golfers and art lovers: hike the majestic cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment or scuba dive in Fathom Five National Marine Park.

Eat local: Try the Georgian Bay whitefish prepared three ways at the Grandview Dining Room (grandview-tobermory.com) overlooking the bay. For a more casual atmosphere, follow the locals to The Fish & Chip Place (thefishandchipplace.com).

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3. Blue Mountain The drive: 160 km (99 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto What we love: Nestled between Georgian Bay and the Niagara Escarpment, Blue Mountain (bluemountain.ca) is a ski and snowboard mega-resort destination. But it also has plenty of green-season sports to keep fitness freaks happy: a mountain-bike park, an indoor-outdoor aquatic park and an adventure park with a Timber Challenge high-ropes course.

Eat local: Blue Mountain Village’s Canada-themed Kaytoo (kaytoo.ca) offers representative dishes from across Canada: B.C. salmon, Alberta beef, Saskatoonberry pie, Manitoba bison, Ontario pork, Montreal smoked meats and East Coast lobster. Canadian campfirecooked s’mores end winter meals on a sweet note.

4. Wasaga Beach The drive: 133 km (83 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto What we love: With its 14 kilometres of white sand, Wasaga Beach has drawn summer visitors to the shores of Nottawasaga Bay for more than a century.

Nearby golf courses, bike paths, hiking trails and cross-country skiing and snowmobile routes keep people busy year-round.

Eat local: Catch 22 Fresh Market Grill (catch22grill.com) is a TripAdvisor favourite.

Locally farmed ingredients pepper a menu heavy on populist hits: steak, pasta, seafood, and a different burger featured every day.

Photography: Jason Fowler (kayak), Gunther Eysenbach (kiteboarding), Andrea_44 (Point Pelee), flickr.com

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4 On the road Opposite: Kayaking around Tobermory.

This page, clockwise from top: Kiteboarding at Wasaga Beach, Rideau Canal National Historic Site in Ottawa, The Festival Theatre in Stratford, watch the migrating birds travel through Point Pelee as they cross Lake Erie

The drive: 165 km (102 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto What we love: National Geographic Traveler editors recently chose Muskoka as the No. 1 summer destination in the world for its 1,600 lakes, granite cliffs carved out of the Canadian Shield, and artistically gnarled pine trees.

Eat local: Rub shoulders with such high-profile guests as Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson at The Rosseau Grill at Windermere House (windermerehouse.com).

6. Ottawa The drive: 450 km (280 miles); approximately four hours from Toronto What we love: As Canada’s capital, this dynamic city with more than one million residents is always buzzing. Visit Parliament Hill or one of the many national museums, galleries and theatre companies, or take in the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Eat local: The finest French culinary techniques marry with Canadian ingredients at Le Cordon Bleu Bistro @ Signatures (bistroatsignatures.com), the North American HQ for the famous cooking academy. Or head to Chinatown for locally grown fruits and vegetables in the endlessly creative dishes of ZenKitchen (zenkitchen. ca). Or explore the Ottawa region’s impressive craft beer scene at a brewpub or café.

7. Prince Edward County The drive: 216 km (134 miles); approximately three hours from Toronto What we love: Ontario’s newest wine region makes a great excursion, with award-winning wineries and Chowhoundpleasing eateries and artisan food producers. The Globe and Mail newspaper recently named the region the Gastronomic Capital of Canada.

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Eat local: East & Main Bistro (eastandmain.ca), a top choice among Toronto chefs, had the smart idea to combine luxury comfort food with fresh, local ingredients, paired with an outstanding selection of County wines.

8. Niagara-on-the-Lake The drive: 133 km (83 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto What we love: Take a carriage ride through the Old Town or a boat up the Niagara River. Then golf, sip and shop your way through what is often referred to as the loveliest town in Ontario.

Eat local: Executive chef Jason Parsons, who works with winemaker Katie Dickieson to showcase wines in his seasonal menus, leads Zagat winner Peller Estates Winery Restaurant (peller.com).

9. Niagara Falls The drive: 129 km (80 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto What we love: In 2014, the new ship Hornblower takes over the Maid of the Mist’s Canadian Falls tours; dining on board is now an option! Ride the jet boat, tour at the whirlpool or stroll through Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens.

Eat local: Casually upscale, newly opened Weinkeller (weinkeller.ca) is Niagara Falls’ first winery-restaurant. Sip your way through the offerings and enjoy with great nibbles from the antipasto bar. For best value, it’s tough to beat the $20 Grand Buffet at Fallsview Casino (fallsviewcasinoresort.com).

10. Stratford The drive: 149 km (92 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto

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What we love: The town’s architecture reflects its Victorian past, but many come for the Justin Bieber hometown tour (visitstratford.ca). The Stratford Shakespeare Festival (stratfordfestival.ca) enjoys international acclaim.

Eat local: At Rundles (rundlesrestaurant. com), a favourite pre-theatre spot among locals, choose the River Room for formal dining or the Garden Room to try chef Neil Baxter’s take on casual French haute cuisine. The Chocolate Trail (visitstratford. ca/chocolatetrail)—20 shops offering everything chocolate, from biscotti to chocolate mint tea—provides the ultimate sweet finish.

11. Point Pelee The drive: 360 km (224 miles); approximately four hours from Toronto What we love: As Canada’s southernmost tip, Point Pelee is celebrated for its world renowned bird sanctuary and has captivated visitors who marvel at the migration of birds and butterflies.

Eat local: First sip, then dine, at Pelee Island Winery (peleeisland.com), known for its Pinot Noir, where an in-depth look at the winemaking process is followed by a how-to session on wine and food pairing.

Toronto 2014 • 85

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Finding your feet How to get around town.

AIRPORT 411 Toronto Pearson International Airport (code YYZ) is the main point of landing for most domestic and international flights. Toronto Pearson is 27 km (17 miles) west of the city and about a half-hour drive from downtown. To get from the airport to downtown, you can: 1. Hire a taxi or airport limo: Look for the lineup signs for limos. The average cost into the city is about $50.

2. Catch a shuttle bus: Many hotels offer airport shuttles, so check whether yours does.

3. Ride the Airport Express, a luxury bus service connecting Toronto Pearson to downtown Toronto. Each bus boasts leather seats and Wi-Fi capability, with service to nine downtown hotels as well as the University of Toronto campus, for $27.95 one way or $42 round trip. Visit torontoairportexpress.com.

4. Rent a car: You’ll find major car rental outfits at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, open daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.  Alamo, 1-800-GO-ALAMO  Avis, 1-800-TRY-AVIS  Budget, 1-800-268-8900  Hertz, 1-800-263-0600  National, 1-800-CAR-RENT  Thrifty, 1-800-THRIFTY Find detailed directions to the city at torontopearson.com.

5. Take public transit: You’ll save money if you take the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). Catch the 192 Airport Rocket bus to Kipling subway station or the 58A Malton bus to Lawrence West subway station. Both stations are on subway lines servicing the downtown core. Visit ttc.ca.

important fyis 

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (code YTZ), located on the Toronto Islands, services domestic, chartered and select U.S. flights. Billy Bishop is a short ferry ride from Toronto’s Harbourfront district, then mere minutes from downtown’s taxis and public transit. A ferry-replacing tunnel is being built in 2014 and will make the connection even faster.

TRAVELLING BY BUS Toronto Coach Terminal is the main inter-city bus depot, located downtown at 610 Bay St. GO Transit buses service inter-region travel in and around the Greater Toronto Area. The GO Transit bus hub is located at 140 Bay St. (at Front Street, just east of Union Subway Station).

Call 416-869-3200 for more information or visit gotransit.com.

TRAVELLING BY TRAIN All trains arrive and depart from Union Station (65 Front St. W.).

VIA Rail handles most of Canada’s inter-city routes and connects to the U.S. via Amtrak. The Amtrak/VIA Maple Leaf route runs between New York City and Toronto daily and takes around 12 hours, depending on the border wait. For more information: 1-888-VIA-RAIL and viarail.ca; 1-800-USA-RAIL and amtrak.com.

GO Transit trains service inter-region travel in and around the Greater Toronto Area. The green-and-white trains operate from Union Station. Call 416-869-3200 for more information or visit gotransit.com. For general station information, call the Travellers’ Aid Society of Toronto at 416-366-7788.

 The legal drinking age is 19. Licensed establishments serve alcohol between 11 a.m. and 2 a.m.  To get married in Ontario, consenting partners age 18 and older must first obtain a marriage license.



If you submit the application (available online) with two pieces of valid ID, along with the $140 fee, the license can generally be processed within a day, after which it’s valid for 90 days. Same-sex marriage has been legal here since 2003. Find more info (plus the application form) at settlement.org.

General retail hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with some malls offering extended hours and some smaller boutiques closing earlier. Most shops and malls close earlier on Sundays.

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Above: King Street West restaurants are always buzzing in the Entertainment District.

Opposite: Intersection of Yonge and Dundas

visitor resources

EXPLORING THE CITY

Photography: Canadian Tourism Commission (King West), Doug Brown (Downtown Toronto)

 By Toronto Transit Commission (TTC): With four lines and 69

stops, Toronto’s subway system is easy to navigate. Maps are displayed on all subway cars and are available at station ticket booths. Subway stops connect to streetcar or bus routes that weave throughout the city and extend to the GTA (hold on to your paper transfer for free connections). Single fare is $3 for adults, $2 for students/seniors and 75 cents for children; keep in mind that drivers don’t provide change.

You can save money by buying multiple tokens or tickets or a one-day or one-week transit pass. Single-day passes cost $10.75 and allow unlimited rides from the start of service until 5:30 the following morning. On weekends and statutory holidays, the $10.75 day pass provides unlimited travel for a group of up to six people with a maximum of two adults. Weekly passes, valid from Monday to Sunday, cost $38.50 for adults and $30.50 for students/seniors. Visit ttc.ca or call 416-393-INFO for more information.  By GO Transit: For routes out of Toronto into neighbouring suburbs, check GO Transit bus and train schedules at gotransit.com.  By regional transit: Visiting Mississauga? Go to the Click n’ Ride route planner on mississauga.ca, type in your origin and destination, and the website will map out your best route. For route information in Brampton, visit Brampton Transit at brampton.ca.  By taxi: Toronto has numerous cab companies, and all charge the same base rate of $4.25, plus $1.75 per kilometer ($1.05 per mile) or 53 cents a minute. The easiest cab number to remember is 416-TAXICAB, which connects you to all taxi and airport-limo companies.  By bike: Renting a bike is easy. Keep an eye peeled for automated bike stands throughout the city. Bike rentals are ideal for shorter rides and are a great alternative to taxi jaunts. Grab a bike at one stand, then return it to another. Visit toronto.ca for a Toronto cycling map.  By foot: Toronto is a safe and walkable city. Look for trails throughout the parks, gardens and beaches; routes are outlined at toronto.ca.

Explore the PATH, an easy-to-navigate system of underground walkways and shopping arcades that runs beneath the downtown core.

The 28 km (17.5 mile) PATH connects five subway stations, six major hotels and several attractions, including Union Station, Roy Thomson Hall, The Air Canada Centre, CN Tower, Toronto Eaton Centre and City Hall. Maps are available at toronto.ca.

TOURIST INFO + SERVICES Find info: Visit the Ontario Travel Information Centre at Atrium on Bay (20 Dundas St. W.), immediately north of the Toronto Eaton Centre.

Visit the Toronto desk in the Centre for information to help you get the most out of your visit to Toronto.

GET INSIDER ADVICE: The Toronto Greeter Program (TAP into TO!) will send a volunteer to welcome visitors. By pairing guests and greeters with similar interests, the program offers newcomers a chance to connect with Toronto—and Torontonians—on a personal level and tap into the pulse of the city. Call 416-33-TAPTO for more info.

MORE QUESTIONS? Call Access Toronto at 416-392-CITY (2489), or dial 311 within city limits, from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Download the see toronto app Get the inside scoop on all the exciting things Available now now on on the the to see and do all year round. Available TheStore app includes App Store App easy-to-search listings for events, dining, Available on on the the attractions and shopping. Available Android Market Market Android

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travel aid 

Confused? Need assistance?  Travellers’ Aid Society of Toronto (TAS) at Union Station provides information on local transportation, attractions, current and future events and accommodations, as well as emergency assistance in travel-crisis situations. You can also call 416-366-7788 or visit travellersaid.ca.  Travellers Assistance Services of Toronto is a non-profit volunteer organization providing free tourist and referral information and assistance to Toronto visitors. Booths are run by volunteers at Toronto Coach Terminal and Toronto Pearson International Airport. Call 647-808-0098 (info) or 905-676-2868 (Airport Terminal 1), or visit travellersassistance.ca.

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VisitToronto

Toronto 2014 • 91

2014 EVENTS

January

April

June continued

Toronto International Boat Show January 11 – 19 torontoboatshow.com

TIFF Kids International Film Festival April 8 – 20 tiff.net

Mississauga Waterfront Festival June 13 – 15 themwf.com

Interior Design Show January 23 – 26 interiordesignshow.com

Hot Docs Film Festival April 24 – May 4 hotdocs.ca

Winterlicious January 31 – February 13 toronto.ca

Creativ Festival April 25 – 26 csnf.ca

February Toronto Sportsmen’s Show February 6 – 9 torontosportshow.ca

May Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival May 1 – 31 scotiabank contactphoto.com Toronto Jewish Film Festival May 1 – 11 tjff.com

Canadian International Autoshow February 14 – 23 autoshow.ca

Mississauga Marathon May 3 – 4 mississaugamarathon.com

Beaches BIA Family Day Festival February 16 thebeachvillage.com Bloor-Yorkville Icefest February 22 – 23 bloor-yorkville.com

March Canada Blooms: The Flower and Garden Festival March 14 – 23 canadablooms.com National Home Show March 14 – 23 nationalhomeshow.com St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 16 topatrick.com

North America Cup Horse Race June woodbineentertainment.com CeleBRAMPTON and the Flower City Parade June brampton.ca ideacity June 18 – 20 ideacityonline.com

Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon May 4 torontomarathon.com Canadian Music Week May 6 – 10 cmw.net

TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival June 19 – 28 torontojazz.com Redpath Toronto Waterfront Festival June 20 – 22 towaterfrontfest.com

Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival May 22 – June 1 insideout.ca Carassauga: Mississauga’s Festival of Cultures May 23 – 25 carassauga.com Doors Open Toronto May 24 – 25 toronto.ca

June 42nd Anniversary Streetsville Founders’ Bread and Honey Festival June 6 – 8 breadandhoney.com One of a Kind Spring Show & Sale March 26 – 30 oneofakindshow.com

Taste of Little Italy June 13 – 15 tasteoflittleitaly.ca

Woofstock June woofstock.ca North by Northeast Music and Film Festival June 13 – 22 nxne.com

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WorldPride Toronto + Pride Toronto June 20 – 29 pridetoronto.com Digital Dreams Music Festival June 28 – 29 digitaldreamsfest.ca

Please note: Dates are subject to change without notice.

Please consult websites.

For a complete calendar, visit Follow us online for Toronto travel info on the go.

calendar July

August

October

Canada Day July 1 toronto.ca

Scotiabank Nuit Blanche October 4 scotiabanknuitblanche.ca Buffer Festival October 17 – 19 bufferfestival.com Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Parade August 2 torontocaribbean carnival.com

Canada Day in Mississauga July 1 mississauga.ca Corso Italia Toronto Fiesta July torontofiesta.com Toronto Fringe Festival July 2 – 13 fringetoronto.com Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition July 4 – 6 torontooutdoorart.org TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival July 4 – 6 torontourbanrootsfest.com Summerlicious July 4 – 20 toronto.ca Queen’s Plate July woodbineentertainment.com Waterfront Blues July 11 – 13 waterfrontblues.ca Honda Indy Toronto July 18 – 20 hondaindytoronto.com Beaches International Jazz Festival July 18 – 27 beachesjazz.com

Rogers Cup presented

by National Bank August 2 – 10 rogerscup.com VELD Music Festival August 2 – 3 veldmusicfestival.com FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014 August 5 – 24 fifa.com/u20womensworldcup Pilaros Taste of the Danforth August 8 – 10 tasteofthedanforth.com

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 19 torontowaterfrontmarathon.com Toronto International Art Fair October 24 – 27 tiafair.com International Festival of Authors October 23 to November 2 ifoa.org Halloweek October 24 – 31 churchwellesleyvillage.ca

November

Canadian National Exhibition August 15 – September 1 theex.com

Royal Agricultural Winter Fair November 7 – 16 royalfair.org

Mosaic South Asia Heritage Festival of Mississauga August 15 – 16 cre8iv80studio.com

Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival November 5 – 9 planetinfocus.org

Scotiabank BuskerFest August 21 – 24 torontobuskerfest.com

Inspire Toronto International Book Fair November 13 – 16 torontobookfair.ca

Cirque du Soleil August 28 – September 28 cirquedusoleil.com

The Santa Claus Parade November 16 thesantaclausparade.ca

September

Cavalcade of Lights November 29 toronto.ca One of a Kind Christmas Show & Sale November 28 – December 14 oneofakindshow.com

Toronto International Film Festival September 4 – 14 tiff.net Photography: Xiaohiu (Caribbean Carnival)

Toronto International Flamenco Festival October 18 – 25 torontoflamencofestival.com

Salsa on St. Clair July 19 – 20 tlntv.com

Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle Blues & Jazz Festival September 12 – 14 southsideshuffle.com

Taste of Toronto July 24 – 27 torontotaste.ca

JFL42 Toronto September 19 – 27 jfl42.com

Toronto Festival of Beer July 25 – 27 beerfestival.ca

The Word on the Street September 21 thewordonthestreet.ca

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December Lowe’s Toronto Christmas Market at the Distillery District November 27 – December 7 torontochristmasmarket.com 2015 World Junior Hockey Championships December 26 – January 5, 2015 worldjuniors2015.com New Year’s Eve at Nathan Phillips Square December 31 toronto.ca

VisitToronto

Toronto 2014 • 93

last word

Vox populi

Toronto’s must-sees and must-dos, as crowd sourced by our Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

Visiting Casa Loma cheers me to no end.

— Ajay Chandar

I’m a big fan of the shops in the Annex on Bloor.

— Liam Lahey

Wow! Love the beautiful gardens at The Guild, in Scarborough. Architectural salvage becomes epic landscaping art.

— Moesha Kline

Amazing [Royal Ontario] Museum and loved the dinosaur and Mesopotamia exhibits!!

— Dominique Pauyo I went to St Lawrence Market, LOVED!!! wanna go again!!!!!

— Jean Cooper Garrett

Cafe Crepe Toronto — Food so good it will stop you in your tracks.

— Dani Blanchette

The Distillery District, baby!

Local beers and local art. Can’t beat it.

— Stéphane Lapointe

Shopping at Eaton Centre, then dinner at the CN Tower.

— George Gryak

Queen West for vintage stuff.

— Cindy Samson I like taking pics from Centre Island in the summer months!

Indeed a beautiful city no matter where you are taking pics from!

— Rich Ruszkowski

I love Pearl in Queen’s Quay Terminal on the waterfront.

— Paul Jacinto

Follow us & share your favourites.

@SeeTorontoNow

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follow Tourism Toronto

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Polson Pier’s view is spectacular at night to see the Toronto skyline in lights ... and easy and free to get to.

— Carlos Alfaro

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