City Life Magazine — June/July 2017

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13 REASONS WHY PARENTS SHOULD TUNE IN TO THE SERIES

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VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3 | JUNE/JULY 2017

ON THE COVER

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MODERN MAMAS: Social media personalities and best friends Cat & Nat navigate life with entrepreneurship and seven children

CONTENTS 70

## 24 CULTURED CUISINE: Chef

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54 KEYS TO MY RIDES: Putting you in the driver’s seat of our favourite rides

70 HOME SWEET HOLLYWOOD: The Novogratz have an eye for fine design

18 TOP 10: Bringing you

47 SPIRITUAL HEALERS:

20 13 REASONS WHY:

56 THE BULLY BATTLES:

the hottest in food, fashion and fun

Why you should care if your kids are watching

34 PERFECT PAIRING:

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Chef Romain Avril talks Michelin-star training and how Toronto’s food scene compares

Everything you’ve ever wanted to ask a psychic

How an incident abroad sparked local outrage, and what’s being done to stop it

65 BEAUTY & HEALTH: Local professionals share their secrets for the season

More stories inside … www.mycitylife.ca

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

A Mother’s Love

By Marc Culmone

A mother’s love is bright and pure A mother’s love is there for sure A mother’s love for her son will be there until her life is done She raised him up as best she could Praying daily that he would become the man she knew he could

Michelle Zerillo-Sosa,

To her dismay he went astray But the mother still made time to pray She loved him with her heart and soul And the awareness in the son’s heart did grow So he looked for help to find his way And he knew he would return one day With intentions of putting his past away Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

I GOT THIS! (MOST DAYS)

A

s I began to write my letter, I tried to think of what I could share with other moms (and dads) about motherhood. I wanted to identify an important message to share with all the mothers (and fathers) out there, but I realized I risked becoming another voice, like those of your friends, family, pop culture, the government and the media, telling you what to do with your child. Implying that what you are doing is wrong and telling you what you should be doing instead to be a better parent.

And that’s when I realized it: the one truth I want to share is that every mother’s journey is different. Yes, mothers can share and relate to the highs and lows of this job. But at the same time, the parent’s role is unique and rewarding.

And we are all in this together for the sake of raising children who are happy, grateful, respectful … (the list goes on).

No matter what stage of motherhood a mother is in, she never gives up. You stay up. You worry. Some days you are on top of the world and you feel like, “I got 12

City Life Magazine

June/July 2017

The son begin to pray each day He asked God for a place to go Where he could learn where he could grow Into the man he didn’t know And the love for his mother began to show He respected his mother’s love so much He began to stop using her as a crutch He made a life and found a home His life had purpose He wrote this poem

this!” Much like your child the first time they mastered riding their bike: “Look Mom, no hands!” Other times, in the midst of the darkest days, you can feel like your heart is broken by words from your kid, words that sting with the same intensity as a punch delivered in a boxing match. Those are the days when you feel alone, lost, even a failure as a mom. And it’s on those days that as moms or dads or caregivers we need to unite and resist the guilt trip, the anxiety, the blame game, the blackness that threatens to engulf our sanity.

It helps to have a real life pal to talk to, or to be part of a community like the one built by Cat & Nat, our two vloggers who have been shaking things with their mom truths, truths we often find ourselves thinking, even though a critical voice in our head says “What’s wrong with you? Why are you thinking such horrible things?” I want to tell those other celebrity and pop culture moms : Give me a break. I am trying my best here. I don’t envy you. I love my life and being a mom. Let’s talk and compare notes instead of going to war — the imaginary

war between stay-at-home moms and working moms. Yes, the struggle is real.

And as women (and men), we need to unite and support one another. This is the most important role in our lives, and we do not want to mess it up!

I want to share a poem with you written by a young man whom I feel will go on to do great things, thanks to his courageous mom. The title of the poem is “A Mother’s Love.” For most days that’s all we have to fall back on. His words are powerful and will resonate with any mom who has had her heart broken at least once, and who still understands, forgives, prays and continues her courageous journey of being a mom.

With gratitude and respect, I hope you enjoy this edition of City Life Magazine.

Michelle Zerillo-Sosa Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

@dolcetweets

@amorebagstoronto

www.mycitylife.ca

PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michelle Zerillo-Sosa • michelle@dolce.ca DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Angela Palmieri-Zerillo • angela@dolce.ca ART D E PARTM E NT CO-FOUNDER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR Fernando Zerillo • fernando@dolce.ca WEB PROJECT MANAGER Steve Bruno SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christina Ban JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Axl Valdez WEB DESIGNER Yena Yoo WEB DEVELOPER Jordan Carter E D ITO R IAL D E PARTM E NT FASHION & HOME DÉCOR EDITOR Michelle Zerillo-Sosa BEAUTY & TRAVEL EDITOR Angela Palmieri-Zerillo COPY EDITORS AND PROOFREADERS Catharine Chen, Francetoast Editing, Nina Hoeschele SENIOR WRITER Rebecca Alberico WRITER Daniel Calabretta CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DLux, Dave Gordon, Dr. Angelique Jenney, Amandalina Letterio, Rick Muller, Donna Paris CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Robin Gartner, Costas Picadas, Carlos A. Pinto SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Sarah Kanbar VI D E O D E PARTM E NT VIDEOGRAPHER Carlos A. Pinto CONTRIBUTING VIDEOGRAPHER Sal Pasqua PUBLISHER

ADVERTISING T: 905-264-6789 info@mycitylife.ca DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Angela Palmieri-Zerillo • angela@dolce.ca DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Susan Bhatia SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Mario Balaceanu ACCOUNT MANAGER Christina Bono OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Maria Rigazzi FRONT COVER Cat & Nat / Photo By Robin Gartner Hair and Makeup By Aitous Paris/House of Aitous Photo shot on location at Treasure Hill’s Aurora Views Model Home City Life Magazine • Volume 15 • Issue 3 • June/July 2017 City Life Magazine is published bimonthly by Dolce Media Group, 111 Zenway Blvd., Suite 30, Vaughan, Ont. L4H 3H9 T: 905-264-6789 • F: 905-264-3787 info@mycitylife.ca • www.dolcemedia.ca Subscribe online at www.mycitylife.ca or by calling 905-264-6789. City Life Magazine’s yearly subscription fee is $24.00.

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DISTRIBUTION AND CIRCULATION City Life Magazine reaches 294,810 readers per issue through household distribution and event partnerships across Canada. City Life is also available to over 100 million digital consumers of Magzter Inc. and Issuu.

Inquiries about where City Life Magazine is available for sale should be directed to Dolce Media Group: info@dolce.ca or 905-264-6789.

ISSN 1206-1778 Next Issue: Aug/Sept 2017 The opinions expressed in City Life Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or advertisers. Dolce Media Group does not assume liability for content.

The material in this magazine is intended for information purposes only and is in no way intended to supersede professional advice. We are proud to be a Canadian company that has successfully published magazines for the past 20 years without any government funding or financial assistance of programs to cover editorial costs. It has all been possible thanks to the wonderful support of our readers and advertisers. ©2017 Dolce Media Group • www.dolcemedia.ca • Printed in Canada @citylifetoronto

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Wellness

13 REASONS WHY

Why parents whose kids are watching the show should be tuning in too Written By Dr. Angelique Jenney

13

Reasons Why is a Netflix Original series based on the 2007 novel Thirteen Reasons Why, written by Jay Asher. The plot revolves around Hannah, a young high school student who chooses to end her life after battling through several issues with her best friends and peers. She leaves behind cassette tapes outlining the 13 reasons for her decision and the key players she deems responsible for her death. Each person named in the tapes must listen to the recorded message to learn from their mistakes.

Recently the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) has voiced concern about the show to parents. “The conversation among students about the series and suicide is happening, and parents should be aware,” says YRDSB chief of social work Heather Carter.

“Sharing about the topic isn’t bad, but we have to be careful about how we do it.”

If you’re a parent, you probably already know that you’re a few moments behind your trend-savvy teen. Mention 13 20

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June/July 2017

Reasons and you might find out that your kid has already watched it through to the end. If that’s the case, ask if they would introduce it to you; perhaps they would be willing to show you the first and last episodes. If they feel strongly about a particular episode in between, they might also choose to share it with you — and that in itself could be telling.

The most graphically disturbing episodes come with a viewer warning, which should prompt a parent to gently state: “Hmm, do you think we’re ready to see this part? We can skip it entirely or stop it if it gets too upsetting.”

Please be aware that the show might be difficult to watch if you have experienced similar hurt in your life, as it could trigger memories or other painful feelings. Children under 14 years of age probably should not view many of these episodes at all.

One good option is to simply watch the 30-minute Netfl ix addition called 13 Reasons Why: Beyond the Reasons, in which the TV creators, novelist and

actors talk about what they hope viewers will take away from the show. It provides an excellent opportunity to educate yourself and to have a great conversation with your kids about all of the timely and important topics introduced.

Here are 13 reasons why parents and caregivers should watch, along with tips for starting discussions:

1

It never hurts to display an interest in what interests your children.

Th is needs to be done with an air of openness, curiosity and sharing — not in a way that says, “See? I told you this show was awful!” Try: “What is it about this show that you like so much? What do you take from it?”

Suicide is every parent’s nightmare and a very unfortunate cause of death in adolescents. 13 Reasons Why offers a window of opportunity to discuss this difficult subject and to talk about the issue of mental health — how to recognize that you need help and how to get it. Try:

2

continued on page 22

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“I wish Hannah had talked to more people about how she was feeling. How might that have changed things? Why do you think that was hard for her?”

It deals with bullying and the number of ways that this takes place among young people today — in person and online, with photographs, texts, eye rolls and social isolation. It provides an opportunity to address the use of technology and the power of social media, as well as to start discussions about how teens might keep themselves safer online. Try: “Wow, things really got out of hand there. Could any of that have been prevented? How could [character name] have handled that differently?”

It portrays power, privilege and issues of diversity, such as the fact that everyone does not have the same choices open to them. Try: “Why does Bryce seem to have so much power over everyone else?

What do you think Tony means when he says that going to the police in his community is not an option?”

It portrays a lot of different families.

There are imperfect marriages and imperfect parenting. It reminds us that we don’t always know what is going on in the lives of our children’s closest friends and reminds us why we should. Try: “Who do you think has the best family in this show? What makes them better than other families? Who has the hardest family life?”

It deals with growing up, separating from your parents and the resulting loneliness. More importantly, it talks about the value of fi nding and making good friends and how to tell the difference between healthy and unhealthy friendships. Try: “That friendship seemed to be a good one — what do you think went wrong?

That friendship seems really bad for [character name] — why do you think he/she stays in it?”

Because high school can be hard.

That time in life is about figuring out the way the world works — how to navigate peer pressure and how to embrace being weird. It’s also about preparing for those giant life transitions like choosing what to do next (college/ university, job, etc.). Try: “These kids are really dealing with a

3

If you know someone who needs to talk, there is always help out there: Victim Services of York Region (VSY) Telephone: 905-953-5363 VSY is a not-for-profit, charitable organization that provides 24-hour crisis intervention support to persons victimized by crime and tragic circumstances.

310-COPE Telephone: 1-855-310-2673 For individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis, and for their family and friends, York Support Services Network offers the Community Crisis Response Service.

Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and serving residents of York Region and South Simcoe, This service is part of the York Region Crisis Support Network and the Integrated Child and Youth Mental Health Crisis Response Service for York Region and South Simcoe.

Kids Help Phone Crisis Line: 1-800-668-6868

Good2Talk Post-Secondary Student Helpline Telephone: 1-866-925-5454

Mental Health Helpline Telephone: 1-866-531-2600

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lot of changes. They want to grow up fast, but they also realize how hard it is — what could help them with all of this?”

It realistically illustrates underage drinking, drug use and impaired driving and how teens are using drugs and alcohol to help navigate stressful social situations, to fit in and sometimes to self-medicate. These are all opportunities for good discussion using the characters themselves. Try: “Why do you think Justin keeps smoking pot and skipping school?

How is this going to help him solve the problem he is facing? Clay clearly does not want a drink, but he has trouble saying no; what is that about?”

It deals with sexuality and gender stereotypes like what it means to be gay or straight and the pressure that comes from these expectations, particularly around masculinity. It specifically deals with how sexualizing girls harms them. Try: “Do you know anyone to whom this has happened? How do girls/boys at your school handle the issues that these kids are facing?”

It talks about sexual assault and consent. The show makes these issues painfully real (the rape scenes in episodes 9 and 12 are nothing short of disturbing) and hopefully, creates a strong sense of what consent does and does not look like. Try: “There seems to be lots of confusion in this series around whether or not it is safe to have sex with someone. How are these kids learning to communicate aabout intimacy? For which couples does it go right, and for which does it go wrong?”

It evokes feelings of empathy.

Every character in the show is depicted as struggling with something, and recognize that in others, it makes us all better people. Your teens can tell you why they feel particular things about particular characters. Th e storyline reminds us all that we never know what another person is struggling with.

It also reminds us that we can’t know unless we ask and are willing to hear about it. Hannah does reach out reach out, but the opportunities for help are lost because they are not recognized in the moment. The message you want to deliver here is:

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www.mycitylife.ca

“If something is bothering you, keep talking about it until you get help with it. You might have to tell several people before you fi nd the right person who knows what to do. If you don’t want to tell me, that is okay. I just hope you will talk to someone if you are hurting.

Don’t give up — there is always someone out there.”

Conversations about hard things are important. One of the things that struck me most as an adult viewer is that none of the kids tell their parents anything about what is going on, which leaves the parents guessing and, unknowingly, making some things worse. If there is anything you should be asking your child while watching this show, it’s this: “Why do you think [character name] isn’t going to their parents for help?

Why do you think Clay doesn’t want his parents to know he cared about Hannah? What could the parents in this show have done differently?”

Finally, you should watch this show because it demonstrates that there is always room for hope and healing. It allows for an important conversation about what justice really looks like and how hurting others to get back at them for the hurt they have caused does not make it all better. There is no healing in that. As Clay states at the end, “It has to get better, the way we treat each other and look out for each other. It has to get better somehow.”

At the end of the day, the show is popular because it is dramatic and romantic and it makes kids feel something while they watch it. A second season has been announced and will air in 2018, which I interpret as another important message that no matter what happens, life can and does go on — just as long as we keep talking about it.

12

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Angelique Jenney, PhD, RSW, is the Wood’s Homes Research Chair in Children’s Mental Health at the University of Calgary. She has over 20 years of experience working in the children’s mental health and violence against women sectors.

Dr. Jenney’s research and program development have been devoted to understanding and responding to the impact of relational violence on children and families.

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food

Graham Elliot is a celebrity chef, restaurateur, co-host of Top Chef and past host of MasterChef

Cultured

Cuisine Renowned chef Graham Elliot has an eye (and a taste) for the ďŹ ner foods in life

C

hef Graham Elliot likes to get crazy in the kitchen.

Best recognized by his iconic white eyeglasses, he says it all in his Twitter bio: Top Chef judge. MLB food analyst. Lollapalooza culinary director. Restaurant partner.

Cookbook author. Husband and father.

World traveller.

In fact, Chicago-based Elliot has picked up international recognition as a chef and restaurateur, competing on Iron Chef and Top Chef Masters, but perhaps he’s best known as a judge 24

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June/July 2017

www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRAHAM ELLIOT

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on the MasterChef series and now, on Top Chef. Elliot was always interested in food, but his is not a fairy-tale story of a kid cooking from scratch in the kitchen. “My mom knew how to make three dishes and one was edible,” he laughs. “It’s not a great chef story of how we had a garden and my grandmother made sauce — it was more like macaroni in a box and microwave burritos.”

Elliot credits his dad, who was in the navy, as inspiration. “He’d come home and bring back curries and spices and talk about all the different foods he tried in other places and, when we lived in Hawaii, we would do spearfishing and pull something out of the water and cook it,” he says.

Because his dad was in the navy, they moved a lot when he was a kid, which also fed his interest. “I think a lot of it had to do with being exposed to different types of food, and I loved the idea of eating snails and frogs’ legs and octopus; things like that were always super cool to me,” he says. And so, at 17 years old, he started as a dishwasher at a restaurant. “I fell in love with the feeling and the energy of a kitchen and started the journey,” he adds.

Elliot moved to Chicago to work in Chef Charlie Trotter’s restaurant, where Trotter gave him some good advice: if it’s not broken, then break it. Look to change things and reinvent stuff. It’s this approach to food — creative dishes prepared simply with quality, in-season ingredients — that Elliot brings to the table now. Take Walmart, for example, which is now making Canada AAA Certified Angus Beef readily available so dinner — grilled steak, corn relish and arugula salad, for instance — is easy to prepare.

Four years ago, Elliot had a sleeve gastrectomy, a major weight-loss

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“

I LIKE BOLD FLAVOURS, LOTS OF SPICES AND HERBS THAT DELIVER A TON OF FLAVOUR

”

surgery. “I was up to 400 pounds, I had a sore back all the time and I wasn’t able to tie my shoes,” he says. “I have three kids and it was no fun sitting on the sidelines and watching them play in the park because I couldn’t do it.”

Now Elliot’s healthier than he’s ever been. And his cooking reflects that. “I love working with seafood since I grew up around the ocean. I like light and simple grilling; I’m not big on braises or heavy foods, smoking or barbecues — I’ll eat it, but I wasn’t born and raised around that,” he says. “I like bold fl avours, lots of spices and herbs that deliver a ton of flavour. Instead of a giant coffee, I’d rather have an espresso.”

He encourages everyone to get cooking and get creative in the kitchen.

He suggests making a gazpacho soup with cantaloupe or peaches instead of tomatoes, for instance. And he doesn’t dismiss conveniences, like frozen foods, that make life easier. “I use frozen foods at home with my family; they’re a very good thing to have on hand,” he says.

“The way they package vegetables like corn and peas, picked fresh from the farm when they are at their best, then frozen individually, means they’re tasty and quick to throw in a pan for a healthy stir-fry.”

What’s cooking in the kitchen now?

His Chicago bistro will be reopening this year under a new name and a new concept. He’s opening up a new restaurant, Coast, in the upcoming MGM Cotai resort in Macau. And most exciting for Elliot, a big baseball fan, is Sheffield Counter, a pop-up restaurant that will operate this season at Wrigley Field with an all-star lineup of top Chicago chefs. www.grahamelliot.com www.walmart.ca

www.mycitylife.ca

MEDITERRANEAN STYLE GRILLED RIB STEAK Serves 4 | Prep Time: 5 min | Total Time: 15 min Ingredients: • 4 6-oz (170 g) 100% Canadian AAA Angus beef rib steaks • Salt and pepper, to taste • 4 cups canned garbanzo beans • 3 tomatoes cut into quarters • 1 red onion, shaved • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar • 1 bunch fresh basil

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRAHAM ELLIOT

Directions: • Preheat grill on high.

• Season steaks with salt and pepper, place on grill and cook for roughly 5 min on each side (or to your liking).

• Rinse garbanzos and mix with tomatoes, red onions, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

• Place garbanzo salad mixture on plate. Slice cooked steak into strips and layer atop.

• Garnish with fresh basil.

www.mycitylife.ca

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A DV E R TO R I A L

Gold Park Group is a family-owned development company that was founded by Peter Cipriano

PETER CIPRIANO AND GOLD PARK GROUP: Commi�ed to Making a Difference

Gold Park Group founder Peter Cipriano proves that success is not only measured by wealth, but also by the time one dedicates to bettering the lives of those around him 28

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www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

H

ow would you define a man who has created homes for families for close to 50 years and simultaneously gives the majority of his time and effort back to philanthropic causes that help communities? You would define him as noble and admirable. And you would identify him as Peter Cipriano, founder of Gold Park Group, one of the most respected land developers in Ontario, and a man much admired by those who know him best.

“Peter is a very charming and thoughtful man who I don’t think has really been properly acknowledged for everything he has done for so many people and causes in the community,” says builder Joe Tiano, co-owner of Cassavia Estate Homes along with Pat Fontana, who has known Cipriano for 20 years and done business with him for more than 15 years. “Peter is always out there in the community looking to help others, and he has helped so many small businesses grow into big businesses.

In collaboration with Cipriano, Cassavia Estate Homes is transforming the land just east of Hwy. 400 and developing Noble Square, an enclave of luxury freehold towns

For what he has done for us, there is no question my partner Pat Fontana and I realize Cassavia simply would not be where it is today without the support and faith of Peter.”

Born in Italy, Cipriano arrived in Canada in 1968 as a 21-year-old carpenter, invested his earnings and eventually transferred into homebuilding and land development by age 30. He built Gold Park’s success through hard work, dedication, perseverance and a unique vision regarding land development.

His business acumen had him buying lots of land 25 years ago; now Gold Park is now among the largest owners of serviced lots in Ontario, with an admired reputation of carefully crafted homebuilding.

Through it all, Cipriano has remained true to his guiding principle of creating quality liveable communities for his homebuyers. “What I learned in cabinetry permeates everything I do — quality, cohesiveness, beauty, functionality. That has been my commitment to my projects from the beginning, and that continues today,” says Cipriano. “I want people to want to live and work in the developments I build. I love driving through my projects and seeing the pride the owners have for

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“

We are social beings and want the connection with others, so when a group is feeling good and pulling together and you know you have made that happen, that has to be the best feeling in the world

”

their homes — it shows in the meticulous lawns and landscaping.”

Cipriano’s faith in others and his support of his business associates are two personal traits that friends like Joe Tiano admire so much.

“He has been more like a mentor to me and Pat, and has taught me a lot about the business,” says Tiano. “He is like the older brother I never had and I have always turned to him and listened to his advice about business and other aspects of life. He has always said that as you become more successful, [you should] become more humble, and I have seen that first-hand on some of our development collaborations over the years.”

- Peter Cipriano An example of that collaboration is Cassavia’s Noble Square Towns, an enclave community of luxury executive towns to be built in the heart of Maple.

Gold Park developed the land east of Highway 400 and turned to Cassavia to develop the luxury townhomes.

Cipriano’s appreciation for his success in Canada is demonstrated through his philanthropic endeavours, a testament that the true measure of a man is what he does should his hard work provide him with good fortune.

In addition to donating to many charities and special causes, Cipriano volunteers his time on committees and boards, organizes fundraising events and solicits his business associates to support

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“

I have been very fortunate in life so my philanthropy is one way of thanking my adopted country, Canada, for the opportunities I got

”

- Peter Cipriano

his worthy endeavours. A major initiative for him is improving health care for seniors through funding of geriatric care at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

His major donations and gifts to the Sunnybrook Foundation (one of at least 20 organizations he contributes to) just since 2012 approach nearly $700,000 and his fundraising achievements for Sunnybrook in the same period exceed an impressive $1.6 million. Cipriano’s volunteer work and fundraising activities are equally impressive, including serving as this year’s chair and organizer of the Gala Evening for Parkinson’s in support of Parkinson Canada. Cipriano was also a 2017 winner at the Spirit of Ontario Awards, presented to Canadians of Italian descent who have

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made contributions of excellence to the province by the National Congress of Italian Canadians.

“I have been very fortunate in life, so my philanthropy is one way of thanking my adopted country, Canada, for the opportunities I got,” says Cipriano humbly. “I am rewarded when I see the positive impact my contributions make for everyone. We are social beings and want connection with others, so when a group is feeling good and pulling together and you know you have made that happen, that has to be the best feeling in the world.”

Cipriano’s passion extends lovingly to his family: his wife, his children, Michael and Nina, his three grandchildren, his

mother and his late father. “You have to know Peter to understand him,” says Joe Tiano. “He is a very heartwarming and caring human being. You’ve got to be tough to succeed in the development business, and while he may have a gruff exterior, I can tell you first-hand that inside, his softer side is much bigger than his business side.”

While many families have benefited from the expertise of Gold Park Group and Cipriano over the years, in the bigger picture it appears that many more in the larger community have benefited from his generous soul. And for that, we should all be thankful.

www.noblesquare.ca www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

Peter Cipriano and wife, Dureen Tseu

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A DV E R TO R I A L

Our Passion. Their Stories.

Our Community SABRINA

COMEBACK CLIENTS

SUSIE

I

ntegrity Fitness in Vaughan has The goal isn’t a number on a scale but to MONIQUE: “I joined Integrity back in become one of the GTA’s top fitness take care of yourself, do your best and 2012 to get in shape and do something positive for myself. I had lost my mother facilities by offering love the reflection staring back customized world-class at you, no matter your size or that year and the Boot Camp sessions training programs specifically battle scars. Integrity classes became an outlet for me to heal. I took a and exclusively designed for are an amazing way to get an break but returned eight weeks after my women. Integrity’s mission is hour to myself and to recharge third child was born and began intensive to provide group training in mentally and physically, and training. I went through back-to-back Integrity Fitness Nutrition Challenges a circuit training format that they have played a major role MONIQUE in my road to recovery.” can be personalized to meet and five months postpartum, I had lost 50 STAR CLIENT each client’s needs and match pounds. Now follow a clean eating meal their abilities, all at a quarter of the cost plan. I would say to anyone SUPERSTARS AMONG US! of other fitness programs. that you can achieve your Integrity Fitness is also proud to have many Star Clients, goals once you have a routine those amongst its regular in place that works for you.”

POWERFUL COMEBACKS! Every client at Integrity has her own membership who have gone TERESA: “I turned 43 and was personal reason for adhering to a fitness above and beyond in their feeling a little down. One day TERESA program, but perhaps the most powerful I was driving through Zenway personal training and whose STAR CLIENT are the personal stories of clients who have stories are truly inspirational and saw all these slim and trim returned to fitness or continued fitness for anyone looking to begin women exercising in the sun after experiencing a medical setback. her own personal training regime. outside Integrity Fitness. That got me all SUSIE: “I was diagnosed in 2015 with CATHY: “After the birth of my third child fired up, and I joined a week later. Today, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma I discovered the METCON30 I feel younger, in much better shape and and it required a different program online, having heard great about myself. My biggest challenge approach to my training. about it from friends. I began is to always try to find that balance between my job, my family demands Paul put together a personal to take the difficult steps t r a i ni n g p ro g r a m t ha t required to regain my shape and my workouts.” kept me active during my and began to implement BOOK YOUR FREE chemotherapy, helped my clean eating habits.

I refused WORKOUT TODAY! CATHY body stay strong and helped to allow my duties as a mom STAR CLIENT me through my healing to become an excuse for not process.” achieving the shape that I wanted. It was SABRINA: “I joined Integrity three years an incredible feeling of deep satisfaction Integrity Fitness ago after being diagnosed with cervical to not only attain my pre-pregnancy 51 Jevlan Dr., Woodbridge, Ont. cancer in 2011 and an ovarian tumour in weight, but also look better, and it was 8000 Hwy. 27, Woodbridge, Ont. 2015, as I knew I had to take control of not the simple secret of having a plan and 905-851-7722 www.integrityfitness.ca only my body, but how I fuelled it as well. sticking to it!”

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FOOD

Romain Avril appeared as a guest judge on the first episode of Top Chef Canada All-Stars

PERFECT PAIRING The king of King Street West, Romain Avril, executive chef of popular rooftop hotspot Lavelle, reveals the secret to good plating, makes a case for DIY sous vide and dishes on an exciting new partnership 34

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www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO BY GEOFF FITZGERALD

Interview By Rebecca Alberico

CITY LIFE: What sparked your passion for the kitchen?

ROMAIN AVRIL: There’s no start when

you wake up and you’re like, “You know what, I’m tired of this. I’m going to be a chef.” It was always part of me; I never had to think about it. So when you finish the intermediary classes in France, you get to pick a job for a week to see if you like it so that you have an idea of what you would do in the future. I decided to try the kitchen. I was 13. I was like, “Yep,” and at 14 years old I started cooking school.

CL: So you started with traditional French cuisine?

RA: Absolutely. Obviously in France they

teach you all the classics of real French cooking, which I did pretty much in my career working in a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Relais & Châteaux hotel Domaine de la Bretesche. Then, when I was 21 years old, I passed my degree in Chinese and French culinary.

So I moved to London in a Michelin two-star restaurant, and I think that was really where I found my craft — and that was a mix of French and Asian culinary.

CL: What is it that you love about the fusion of French and Asian cuisine?

RA: These are the two oldest cuisines, and to me the highest when it comes to the care, the passion and the meticulous details. French people always think French cuisine is the best, but to me adding the flavours from Asian cooking really boosts it. French cuisine is very good, but it’s really heavy. It’s really like one tone, and adding other flavours from another continent is just more life, more love in the food.

CL: You have now partnered with Monogram Canada as its new executive chef. What prompted this partnership?

RA: My brand, my restaurant and

Monogram are one of a kind. They are people that are passionate about what they do and care about quality — just like me. I mean, the Monogram Canada appliances are just amazing and they’re almost better than what I have at work.

This is a brand that is driven to give you the best home-cooking experience. I think Monogram is really a brand that www.mycitylife.ca

represents not only luxury, because it is a luxurious brand, but more so the care given to details, the art.

CL: What role do good appliances play in the kitchen? Do you have a favourite?

RA: Modern cooking really involves a lot

of slow cooking and preserving, so when Monogram showed me that you could have this kind of sous vide technology at home, I was just like, “This is it!” They

“

THERE ARE RESTAURANTS YOU GO TO BECAUSE YOU’RE HUNGRY, AND THERE ARE RESTAURANTS YOU COME TO AS PART OF AN ADVENTURE

” literally complete the panel of what a modern chef needs. Monogram has the widest range of appliances, and it’s incredible that you could have all this technology at home.

CL: You’re known for your spectacular plating. Why is this detail so important to you?

RA: It has to taste good, it’s got to smell

good and it especially has to look good.

Because when you get the plate, the first thing you’re going to experience is how it looks. So before you even think about eating it I want you to already be excited.

You’re going to look at it and think, “Oh

wow … that looks fantastic, I want to eat it.” So now when you’re actually going to eat it you already are advanced to the taste, because you already have emotions starting. When you have it then, it tastes better because you have two of your senses already working. There are restaurants you go to because you’re hungry, and there are restaurants you come to as part of an adventure.

CL: Do you ever go online and check reviews?

RA: Unfortunately I do. Well, I think

everyone has their own opinion, and some are fair, some are not. I have no problem with opinions, because we do what we do and we know we’re exposing ourselves. I’m a lot better than I used to be. I used to get really, really hurt by anything that would be said, right or wrong. [Now] if someone says, “You know what? Service was a little slow,” or, “That was good, but, you know what, I would have liked it that way,” I’m like, “Okay.” I can actually look at it, pick the critique out of it and then be like, “I’m going to take that and then use it to be better.” If people are really just attacking me, saying, “It’s horrible, it’s mediocre, this guy is this, this guy is that,” then I’m just looking at it and I’m laughing. It’s like every job. As soon as you’re exposed, people love to knock you down.

CL: Where do you see Toronto’s food scene heading?

RA: Actually, it was one of my fears

when I moved here. A lot of people were asking me what the heck I was doing. I really just wanted a change. I was worried until the last few years. I was like, “I don’t think it’s going anywhere.” Casual food was really strong. But in the last two years I’ve noticed a complete turnover, with a lot of chefs moving from Europe, and a lot of chefs from Canada really coming together as a team. I think it’s the new generation, a generation that is focused on good food and great cooking, like molecular and modern. A really big food critic from France even came to Quebec last year, which made me go, “Okay, they’re starting to open an eye.” I really do believe Canada has some really talented chefs. www.chezlavelle.com www.monogram.ca June/July 2017

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News

Youths Learn Poetry’s

Leave Out Violence’s “Louder Than a Bomb,” the largest poetry festival in the world, debuted in Toronto on June 3

Power to Heal Spoken word festival promotes expression and anti-violence message

I

t’s a bit odd that an anti-violence group would produce an event with the word “bomb” in the title. But that’s probably the point: when kids raise up their voices, they can have an impact Louder Than a Bomb.

The poetry festival of that very name debuted in Toronto on June 3, courtesy of Leave Out Violence (LOVE), an organization that assists youth in community building.

Organizers say the event’s aim was to provide a platform for young people to express themselves, to channel their energies in a positive way and to bond better with others.

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“Louder Than a Bomb (LTAB) is giving young people in Toronto a way to connect deeply with their lived experience and invite people into their stories,” notes Lishai Peel, LTAB program manager and national poetry slam champion. “It’s really a bridge that connects disparate communities to each other through oral storytelling.”

The top four finalist teams were selected from 16 schools and community groups across Toronto and performed in front of an audience at the Royal in downtown Toronto. Judges included Organik, founder of the rap battle league King of the Dot (KOTD), and rapper Bishop Briganté of KOTD.

Toronto’s event is sponsored by DUCA Credit Union and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Toronto is the latest of 17 cities in North America to produce this type of festival. Chicago’s 2010 event was made into a documentary that aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

For Peel, her involvement stemmed from the idea that it was important for students to educate each other about their peers’ lives.

“I was interested in creating a platform for young people to connect through spoken word, so they can hear each others’ stories, and so they can hear stories from different parts of the city,” says Peel. www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO BY SARA FARAJ

Written By Dave Gordon

sion is ce’s mis f t Violen in the lives o u O e v e s c ie Lea n it le n u io il v mm to curta nd various co aders youth a m of youth le ssages a e via a te municate m m who co iolence of non-v

“

LOVE CREATES A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE HEARD, RESPECTED AND VALUED

”

PHOTOS BY CHELA PAULINO

— Lana Feinstein

Classes in To ro slam poetry pr nto schools have assigne d have their vo ojects, inspiring students ices heard wh to communicatio ile improving n skills

She’s also a poetry instructor at the Toronto Public Library and has helped develop a 12-week program to expose students to poetry, poets and performance. Through these, students benefit greatly in various ways.

“I think there is a lot of capacity for community building.

And, ultimately, with spoken word, it’s really a medium for young people to have a voice.”

All proceeds of festival tickets were put towards LOVE, to assist youth challenged by the many forms of violence by helping promote the skills necessary to impact their lives and communities.

“Many of the youth who take a chance on LOVE’s programs have faced daunting challenges that could easily have pushed them off track,” explains Brenda Proulx, co-founder of LOVE. “Still, they choose to seek positive change within themselves and in their communities.”

Her experience with LOVE has proved that kids who have been exposed to violence can, in fact, turn their lives around.

Proulx adds that participants are “galvanized by the opportunity to develop skills in writing, spoken word, photography and videography” and critical thinking.

LOVE exhibits the contributors’ work “so that they are recognized by the community as having something unique to offer.”

Through the organization’s training, students build bridges with other youth using their newly found creative skills. “They also explore the causes of violence in their community and the impact it is having on their lives. In discussion groups they work together to find solutions.”

Educators have lauded the programs held in schools throughout the GTA. “Teachers have shared that students, many of them for the first time, are able to express themselves and believe in their capacity to achieve,” notes Ontario executive director Lana Feinstein.

“LOVE creates a safe and inclusive space for young people to be heard, respected and valued. Teachers have commented on the remarkable positive changes they have seen in their students who have found their voices and learned how to share what matters to them.”

Hannah Glennie, student at West End Alternative School and finalist at the festival, became inspired by a slam poetry project in English class and a subsequent class screening of the Louder Than a Bomb documentary. She was later encouraged by her teacher to join the competition. “I wanted to join bad,” she recalls.

Glennie’s first poem, “Lunch Money,” about sexual assault.

The festival, she notes, is “just a really good way to express myself … It feels good to be able to get it out there and move people in a way. You just write down how you feel, and you realize that people like it,” Glennie explains.

“Hopefully, we make some more friends and meet new people. I think that’s the best part about it. We all get to share our stories with each other, and that creates new relationships.”

In this generation’s parlance, it would seem apparent that the positive effects of spoken word on youngsters really are the bomb. www.ontario.leaveoutviolence.org

www.mycitylife.ca

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modern

Cat & Nat use their platform to debate and discuss the hardships (and successes) of motherhood, dismantling the often unrealistic portrayal by mainstream media

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www.mycitylife.ca

CATHERINE BELKNAP AND NATALIE TELFER ARE BEST FRIENDS AND THE HILARIOUS DUO BEHIND SOCIAL MEDIA SENSATION CAT & NAT. TWO COMEDIC MOMS, SEVEN KIDS AND A DAILY DOSE OF THE TRUE REALITY OF RAISING A FAMILY AMID THE CHAOS OF EVERYDAY LIFE Written By Rebecca Alberico Photography By Robin Gartner

www.mycitylife.ca

mamas June/July 2017

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It’s always a full house when Cat & Nat are together.

Cat’s children, Olivia, Max and Chloe, Nat’s children, Taylor, Teddy, Tucker and TJ, consider each other family

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www.mycitylife.ca

G

one are the traditional conventions of what it means to be a family; you now have nuclear families, adoptive, blended — the list goes on. But we’d classify Toronto moms Catherine Belknap and Natalie Telfer as the mama bears of one massive, supportive clan. These two besties turned business partners share their entire lives with one another, and the world, through their show Cat & Nat. Every week the pair broadcasts a number of episodes, including a daily “Chit Chat with Cat & Nat” from Monday to Friday, which airs live at noon on Facebook, and a “#momtruth” every Friday. The duo tackles a number of topics that range from PG-rated to adult talk, like why moms hate playdates and what the heck sex becomes after babies.

In between their scheduled content, Cat & Nat are constantly updating their Instagram story and chatting with other moms in the digital community they’ve formed — essentially an extended, extended family. Collectively, their platforms have garnered more than 500,000 followers and boast thousands of views and endless interactions.

Recently, Cat & Nat followed Real Housewives of Toronto star Roxy Earle to snag a glimpse of “a day in the life” and documented the experience for fans to follow along. The two were completely in character, ditching diapers and naptime for designer dresses — totally embodying their comedic alter egos Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. www.mycitylife.ca

“We’re just so happy that people feel like we’ve created a community that they belong to,” says Nat. “Bringing the audience into the show is what sets us apart from things like a television show. We have favourite people that we love to watch on TV, but we can’t access them. Even if you were to go to their Instagram and you were to leave a message, they may never see it.”

It was about four years ago that Cat & Nat birthed the idea for their brand.

The pair first began hosting events and then vlogging for their YouTube channel, sharing the trials and tribulations of motherhood. After all, becoming moms is what reconnected these high school pals after life and marriage naturally distanced them.

“When we first had babies we wished that there was a place like this,” says Nat. “There were so many things that we would just ask ourselves in our minds that we’d go over and over and over again.”

It’s easy to envy the kind of bond that Cat & Nat share, especially when you feel the void of a similar relationship in your own life or are raising your children as a single mother. Who doesn’t want someone to show up at their house with coffee on a weekday morning, or someone to calm them down when days with the kids get overwhelming? Bottom line: we all wish we had a Cat or Nat in our lives.

This is where the community comes in and technology proves, once again, that the world is a small place and we’re never truly alone. Cat & Nat is a safe space for moms to be honest about the struggles they face, but also to celebrate the joys of motherhood.

“Not everybody loves every phase and we always try to tell people that just because you’re having hard days doesn’t mean you don’t love your kids,” says Cat. “I still love them, I would do anything for them, but I found the

phase of mothering hard when I had a baby.”

This is the kind of real dialogue between the women that encourages moms to share, post and interact on a global level. Whether you’re a working or stay-at-home mom, you’re bound to feel helpless and alone at one point or another, and having a community of women to turn to for reassurance at your most vulnerable is priceless.

Vulnerability and anxiety have become the standard of motherhood.

As author Judith Warner puts it in Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety, modern moms are gasping for air as they choke on “that caught-by-the-throat feeling that so many mothers have today of always doing something wrong.” Moms are inundated with mainstream media and celebrity culture telling them how they’re failing. Our feeds are flooded

“NOT EVERYBODY LOVES EVERY PHASE AND WE ALWAYS TRY TO TELL PEOPLE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE HAVING HARD DAYS DOESN’T MEAN YOU DON’T LOVE YOUR KIDS” — Cat with “experts” telling us why we should stop coddling our children, or why not hugging our children every five minutes will lead to them becoming serial killers in their late 30s — there’s always a new study.

In Perfect Madness Warner recalls a conversation she had with her daughter’s pediatrician at five months.

Sobbing, Warner admitted feeling terrible about going back to work. Her pediatrician responded, “Listen, you don’t just have this child for a couple June/July 2017

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“I know that sometimes people think that we’re negative about men, but it’s not about that. People have to remember, it’s a broad stroke of a conversation and it’s often a parody on that topic,” says Nat

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www.mycitylife.ca

As a mom, your biggest fear is that you’ve failed if your child is different, that the difficult phases won’t ever pass and that other moms must have it so much easier.

“When you talk to other moms, you realize we’re all in the same boat.

All of these crazy kids, they’re all the same.”

— Nat www.mycitylife.ca

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of months. You’ll have her for the rest of your life. You have to have a life of your own. Because if you’re happy, she’ll be happy. If you’re fine, she’ll be fine.”

“I think what’s been the most amazing thing about this community is realizing that everybody’s insecurities are the same,” says Cat. “We always remind each other that [any problem] is normal and it’s going to pass.”

Cat has three children and Nat has four (all eight and under), so the saying has definitely proven true: sometimes it really does “take a village.” Between running their brand

“WE TEACH [OUR CHILDREN] TO BE GRATEFUL AND WE TEACH THEM TO RESPECT EACH OTHER’S OPINIONS EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE DIFFERENT” — Nat

and their respective households, Cat admits it’s hard to get out for a date night, but that’s okay. “There’s no such thing as balance.”

“I think that the important thing is, Nat and I and our husbands are like a team. We see each other as partners in everything we do,” shares Cat. “So I think that it’s not necessarily about taking time out to go for dinner.

We do that. It’s finding moments throughout the day to reconnect without making big, grand plans.”

According to several studies, modern families spend an average of 30 minutes or less of quality time together during a regular workweek.

And whether you’re a working or stayat-home mom, even 30 minutes may seem impossible to you.

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“I think there’s so much pressure on parents with little kids to find this time that doesn’t exist,” says Cat. She says she is happy sitting in the backyard with her husband and catching up over coffee while the kids play.

Although they don’t often appear in their wives’ videos, husbands Marc (Cat) and Mark (Nat) are just as integral to the family dynamic. “Their job is to bring home the bacon, got that?” jokes Nat. Would they consider starting their own show? “Definitely not,” they shout, practically in sync.

“They’re out there running companies, then there’s us two fools running around in lingerie, dancing to music,” adds Nat. But they don’t seem to mind.

If you’ve ever caught a live stream or “#momtruth,” you’d know that Cat & Nat will sing and dance their hearts out, regardless of who is watching. One of the most important values in their homes is having fun; “Number one is always laughing and having fun. We want our kids to be happy,” says Cat. “The biggest lesson we’ve learned is just being 100 per cent who you are and not apologizing for it.”

When you’re raising a tiny small army, it’s important to remember that it’s often a game of “monkey see, monkey do,” which is exactly why Cat & Nat often make the conscious choice to not sweat the small stuff. Crumbs on the couch? Clothes that don’t match? Uneaten dinner? Don’t sweat it. “Even if we’re kind of freaking out on the inside, we just try to show an example of calm so that they won’t get overwhelmed or so crazy about things that are not important,” says Cat. Cat’s motto is, the problem is solvable. “So there’s no problem that we can’t solve and that’s kind of how we tackle everything,” says Nat. With 14 ears and eyes on them at once, the moms use gatherings like

group dinners to enforce positive habits and instill the values of gratitude and kindness. Nat shares that one ritual is to go around the table at the end of the day and each talk about one rose and one thorn. “We teach them to be grateful and we teach them to respect each other’s opinions even though they may be different.” (See “From Zero to Happy” featuring Neil Pasricha in our February/March issue.)

And we know what you’re thinking: “There’s no way to keep my kids focused for something like that. I must be doing something wrong.” Cat & Nat are the first to admit it’s not always rainbows and butterflies, but it’s the effort that counts. “It sounds beautiful, but there’s usually someone lying on the ground or standing on the table while that happens.”

At the end of the day, Cat & Nat, along with all the other hard-working moms (and dads) out there, have one thing in common: the desire to raise happy, healthy children who grow up to be valuable members of society.

Each child’s journey is going to be different, and rest assured, parents will have to surrender to the natural ebb and flow of motherhood — but they have to remember to trust themselves along the way.

“You have to believe in yourself 10 times more than your biggest doubter,” says Cat. www.catandnat.ca @catandnat Creative Director - Michelle Zerillo-Sosa Photographer - Robin Gartner | www.robingartner.com Contributing Videographer - Sal Pasqua Fashion - Zara | www.zara.com/ca Accessories - Rita Tesolin | www.ritatesolin.com Stylist - Jo Jin, Judy Inc. | www.judyinc.com Hair and Makeup - Aitous Paris, House of Aitous @houseofaitous Decor - HomeSense | www.homesense.ca Backdrop - Forever in Bloom | @_forever.in.bloom_ Location - Treasure Hill Homes, Aurora Views | www.treasurehill.com Breakfast Catering - Pusateri’s | www.pusateris.com Florist - Fortinos | www.fortinos.ca

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10 MOM TRUTHS

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2 3 4 5 6 8 7 9 10 BALANCE DOESN’T EXIST

You are not going to love being a mom at every phase

A little appreciation goes a long way; we want to hear we’re doing a great job

Bad moms are good moms

The best parenting education is experience

We are too unnecessarily worried — stop worrying!

You shouldn’t feel guilty for taking time for yourself

Cat & Nat love going on walks or letting the kids play out in the backyard; they seldom venture out as a group. “Imagine 11 people rolling into a restaurant just unannounced — it does not go over well,” jokes Cat.

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I WANT YOUR JOB:

Spiritual Healers

We could easily dismiss the things we cannot see or physically touch as non-existent, but the real emotions these energies bring about can be negative and crippling or joyful and progressive. This is where faith steps in. And as many spiritual healers will tell you, a personal reading is much more than stereotypical, carnivalesque “fortune-telling” — it’s chicken soup for the soul. “We’re made up of body, mind and soul,” says Crystal Stokes of Crystal Visions. “If we eat and exercise for our bodies, read and go to school for our minds, what do we do for our souls?”

Healers, psychics, mediums and empaths — or whatever you prefer to call them — provide a number of services that aim to restore your chakras, cleanse your energy and provide clarity for whatever obstacle you may be facing. “We don’t read minds,” says Michelle Armstrong, psychic medium. She notes that most apprehension comes from clients being worried their healer can see their dirty laundry. “I won’t read your mind and I’d have no interest in doing so even if I could.”

So what does it take to be a modern psychic? “You really have to love people, discard judgment and be willing to help them,” says Ilina Ivana, intuitive channeler. “When people have some sort of breakthrough, epiphany, awakening, for me this is the most important thing.” City Life Magazine sat down with five of the city’s most sought-after spiritual healers and asked them what you’ve always wanted to know about the gift.

Written By Rebecca Alberico

Crystal Stokes

www.mycitylife.ca

Michelle Armstrong

Andrew McGregor

Tara Greene

June/July 2017

Ilina Ivana

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I WA N T YOU R JOB :

Spiritual Healers

HUMBLE HEALER

“IF YOU FEEL SOMETHING TELLING YOU IN YOUR TUMMY THAT SOMETHING ISN’T RIGHT, LISTEN TO IT” 48

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PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

C

rystal Stokes, owner of Crystal Visions, comes from a long line of proud Romani women who have the same gift — the gift of healing. Seven generations deep: reading, listening and helping. Stokes proudly shares that her daughter was born with the gift and is currently honing her craft and helping with clients at the age of 14. “I look at my practice like I’m a dentist, I’m a dentist for your soul. If you don’t go in for a cleanup every once in a while, you’re going to have a lot of work to do,” says Stokes.

Q. What is your clientele like? What are some of their common concerns?

A. You get people calling wanting to know about their boyfriends or wanting to know about their careers — that’s fine, that’s the easy stuff. Then you have people calling up saying they want to end their lives. I’ve had a few over the years. You have to take yourself out of the equation and realize it’s not about you — they’re not coming to you, they’re coming to the light that you possess. As long as you connect to that light and realize that their creator is sending them to you because they feel that there’s something in you that can help them. I talk to them, I pray with them, I meditate with them and tell them all the reasons why they shouldn’t take their own life.

Q. How do you deal with emotionally heavy readings?

A. I have to do all the things I tell my clients to do. I fast, meditate, cleanse my chakras, sage my house, light my candles and wear my own crystals. I’ll get sick otherwise. I have to connect to that higher source — our spirit guides — and the creator himself who can heal me.

Q. What has kept you in the practice?

A. To be honest, there were times in my life when I didn’t want to do it anymore. I was tired of the stigma, I was tired of the negativity that comes along with it. I was tired of proving myself, and I still am. That’s why I’ve been trying to evolve my practice too, and only read for people on a referral basis.

Q. I imagine it wasn’t always easy.

A. No, absolutely not. I started out doing readings for $5 at a flea market booth. I would go out to psychic fairs, I would go out to festivals to promote what I do — you get heckled. “I don’t believe in you,” “You’re from the devil,” “This is evil, I’m going to pray for you.” I said, please do, I will accept anyone who prays for me — but before you pray for me, please don’t judge me, because the same creator who put you here put me here too.

Q. Can people sense the presence of a bad energy on their own?

A. This is what I like to tell people: “Your guts belong to God.” It might not sound logical in your head, but if you feel it in your gut, your stomach chakra is connected to your emotions so your emotions and guts are connected to God/Spirit. So if you feel something telling you in your tummy that something isn’t right, listen to it. www.crystalvisionsreader.com

Spiritual Healers THE HAPPY MEDIUM I WA N T YOU R JOB :

PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

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ustralian-born medium Michelle Armstrong has always had a sixth sense about things.

“As a child I was aware of how people felt and knew things about people that were certainly well above my age level.” In her teens, Armstrong went through some challenging times with chronic depression and anxiety.

As part of that experience she went to counselling and, having found it tremendously helpful, she was inspired to help people herself. Fast-forward to November 2014: Armstrong received a specific channelled message telling her that she would start to deliver messages that were being given to her and she was to pass them on without judgment or hesitation in a space of love. “I started to realize that perhaps this was my calling, and it was something I didn’t want to ignore. When you’re following your soul’s path, everything aligns.”

Q. What is the most important part of your readings?

A. One is that I think it strengthens people’s faith and the belief that there is something more to life than this. If we choose to connect to that in some way, our lives are enhanced.

The second part I guess also ties into the first part, for people who feel that when they’ve lost a loved one, that loved one’s gone or the soul doesn’t continue. I let them know that the soul does continue on, only our physical body dies, and that love and the relationships we share are eternal. I think the ability to have another conversation with their loved ones is profoundly healing for them.

Q. How does your career mesh with your family life?

A. My son has grown up around it, so he’s probably more accepting than anybody. He’s used to me saying I’m talking to God or talking to loved ones. Probably about a year ago he came home from school and said, “You know, Mom, I told the teachers and the kids at school that my mom speaks to dead people, God and the angels, and they said people can’t do that.” But he looked at me like, “Why would they say something like that?” That’s when I realized that it’s not a “normal” thing that Mommy does, so I had to have a bit more of an in-depth discussion with him.

Q. How do you hear spirit?

A. I have four ways of receiving information — clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience and claircognizance — and I use all four to be able to put together messages. I feel primarily, so the information comes in and I feel the feelings that would be associated with the thought. If it’s directly related to someone’s passing I might feel something physically. So if someone passed from a neck injury, I might feel something in my throat, other times I might feel emotion. From that emotion I’ve learned to get more information. I can also hear direct phrases, instructions, a word or two. How do I hear it?

It sounds like my own thoughts, but they’re more direct and they have a slightly different feeling to them. Spirit is using my body to get messages across. www.spiritualmediummichelle.com www.mycitylife.ca

“I LET THEM KNOW THAT THE SOUL DOES CONTINUE ON, ONLY OUR PHYSICAL BODY DIES, AND THAT LOVE AND THE RELATIONSHIPS WE SHARE ARE ETERNAL” June/July 2017

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Spiritual Healers MODERN MAGICK

“THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST EXCITING TO ME ARE WHEN I SAY SOMETHING TO SOMEBODY AND THEY GET TO ACKNOWLEDGE A TRUTH THAT THEY’VE BEEN AVOIDING OR UNABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN THEIR LIVES” 50

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PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

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hen he was 14 years old, Andrew McGregor almost died in a car accident. This neardeath experience prompted in him a desire to understand everything. McGregor spent the last 30 years reading entire libraries, asking questions, looking for answers. It was 13 years ago when McGregor quit the advertising industry to pursue spiritual healing full-time, something he’d already practised since he was a teen. “I felt like I wasn’t helping anybody and I didn’t like the competition.” So he channelled his energy into readings and opened his Toronto shop, The Hermit’s Lamp.

Q. Tell me about the relationship between reading and religion.

A. When I almost died I needed to know everything about the world, and so I read every book in my high school and town library on psychology, religion, politics, spirituality.

I’ve also travelled a fair amount, so I know quite a lot about all the major religions of the world. And when someone comes and sits with me, I’m going to speak to them (if they’re from a specific tradition that they practise) within the structure of their tradition when possible. If someone who is Catholic walks in, I’ll suggest they speak to a saint known for guiding people through a specific problem.

Q. What can you recall as your most memorable reading?

A. I mean, there are many readings where I’ve had really miraculous stuff come through. But the things that are most exciting to me are when I say something to somebody and they get to acknowledge a truth that they’ve been avoiding or unable to acknowledge anywhere in their lives — “I really do want to leave my husband,” or “I really actually have a different orientation.” Those things, I think, in some ways are the most profound and interesting to me.

The other stuff is intriguing, but I’m not sure how much it matters in the longer arc of a person’s life.

Q. What do you think is the most common misconception about what it is that you do?

A. I think people worry that coming for a reading will take away their free will somehow, and I don’t think that it ever happens. You always have as much free will as you have, which is rarely as much people would think they do, because culture, condition, history, circumstance limits them a lot — more than people are willing to admit. Also, people are often afraid that I’m going to see their deepest, darkest secrets, but I generally only answer what people ask and I don’t read everybody for the whole of their life.

Even if I were able to, that’s pretty invasive and it would take forever. www.thehermitslamp.com

I WA N T YOU R JOB :

PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

I

TRUST THE TAROT

t’s been 26 years since Tara Greene chose to pursue psychic tarot reading professionally. Greene is a well-known Toronto-based psychic for corporate events, private parties and other special events.

“What I like to do is to help empower you, so you actually have all the answers to whatever it is you need to know about and I’m just being the interpreter.” Greene uses tarot cards or astrology throughout her readings.

“You’re a counsellor really, when you do this kind of work. I’ve seen people make huge changes and have big advancements in their lives.”

Q. What was it like having this gift as a young child?

Did you inherit the ability?

A. I think all children are really open, so it’s natural for everyone to be psychic. But the world tells you that “a chair is a chair” and it can’t be anything else. I don’t believe that the gift has to run in a family, because we reincarnate from different races, religions and sexes all the time. My aunt used to talk to her dead mother all the time, so to me, she was the only one I could really relate to. But I realized I was seeing too much and I just had to shut down, because I didn’t really have anyone at 12 years old. My big fear was that I was “crazy” or that people thought I was. My parents were always threatening to take me to a mental institution because they thought I was nuts. Society just doesn’t have an openness for people who are naturally psychic.

Q. How do you cleanse yourself of the energies you take on?

A. I always use lavender oil. I never go to sleep at night without having lavender oil on my third eye, which protects you from negative energies. We’re very sensitive.

My husband’s also very psychic; we feel energies come in the house. Smudging is important, I sprinkle water, I do banishings in the house. If I do this regularly I feel like the house is protected. I do take on a lot — it is pretty exhausting, honestly.

Q. Predictions for 2017?

A. It’s a number one year numerologically 2=0=1=7 =10=1. That is the symbol of the 1st card in the Tarot called The Magician. Yes, Harry Potter fans, our minds are everyone’s magical wands or tools to use with focussed intention. The Magician symbolizes our minds, our abilities to be conscious and to communicate and it is also the Planet Mercury. It is literally a new ten year cycle. The hallmark of this year is to stay focused and not get polarized as we see in the news and in the world, as Mercury and our brains have a dualistic nature. www.taratarot.com www.mycitylife.ca

Spiritual Healers

“YOU’RE A COUNSELLOR REALLY, WHEN YOU DO THIS KIND OF WORK. I’VE SEEN PEOPLE MAKE HUGE CHANGES AND HAVE BIG ADVANCEMENTS IN THEIR LIVES” June/July 2017

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“ONCE I SURRENDERED MYSELF TO THE DIVINE GUIDANCE, THIS IS WHAT OPENED EVERYTHING FOR ME” 52

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LET GO AND LET GOD

lina Ivana is an intuitive channeler, spiritual healer and mentor. She says she was summoned to do this work and it was never the plan even in her wildest dreams. Thankful she didn’t ignore her calling, the spiritual advisor says that her practice is constantly evolving and she is now also focusing on ThetaHealing, a method used to connect one to their higher self for divine healing.

Q. What tools do you use in your practice?

A. I use my own intuition channels, connecting to a higher self and divine consciousness. One of my main tools is my tarot cards. I have special tarot cards that I use. It’s not like old-fashioned tarot. Mine are called Thoth. Another of my favourite tools is a Turkish coffee cup reading, and I’m also a professional astrologer.

Q. How did this journey begin for you?

A. You see, I always had a lot of faith. I always believed in God from day one, I was never really taught to believe in God. I always considered myself very spiritual, putting faith and gratitude in everything I do. I truly believe that my gifts came from God and my desire to help people and make a difference. One day I was touched by a very prophetic dream, telling me I was following the right path and that I needed to do that for people. Once I surrendered myself to the divine guidance, this is what opened everything for me. This is how I found myself being truly surprised.

Q. What are some negative instances you’ve experienced?

A. Very seldomly someone will ask me if I believe in God, or if this is devil’s work. I’m very lucky this is rare, and I think it’s all in how I approach people. I go with an open heart and I guess right away people notice my pure intentions, so there are never any misconceptions. And I have to say that the biggest non-believers are my greatest clients. Like anything in life we can use our gift for good and evil. If you go in with the intention to help people it can be channelled for the good.

Q. What is the most rewarding thing about what you do?

A. I’m sure every psychic wants to hear that their prediction panned out, and this is great, but let’s remove the ego for a moment because it’s not about that. At the end of the day we also have control over our future, so it’s not what I say, it’s what you choose to do. But the most rewarding thing is when a person comes stuck at a crossroads — I truly believe that I have this ability, through the grace of God; I actually truly see their path. It’s also rewarding to see that moment of revelation when a client realizes their true path (which they already knew) and affirming they are heading in the right direction and continue following it. www.ilinaivana.com www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

I WA N T YOU R JOB :

A DV E R TO R I A L

Keith Toppazzini and brother Kelly Toppazzini, Topper’s Pizza Owners

TOP THAT: TOPPER’S PIZZA CANADA STAYS TRUE TO ITALIAN ROOTS The successful franchise that believes quality and value should describe more than just its product

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an Daniele, Italy, may ring a bell as the namesake of the most delicious imported mortadella in the West, but you likely didn’t know it also happens to be the birthplace of the Topper’s Pizza legacy. Like many Italians who left home for North America in the early 1900s, Giuseppe Toppazzini immigrated to Canada in 1904 with the vision of providing a better life for his family. Uncertain of what would be waiting for him on the other side of the Atlantic, he packed his bags, along with a treasured family bread recipe, and ventured west.

Toppazzini took that secret Italian bread recipe and opened up shop in a small Italian neighborhood of Sudbury called Copper Cliff — Toppazzini Bakery was born. The family business has since seen four generations of Toppazzinis.

In 1982, Ron Toppazzini, grandson of the Toppazzini patriarch, founded Mr. Topper’s Pizza. The concept was explosive and one location soon turned into nine, and Ron soon enlisted the help of his sons, Keith and Kelly Toppazzini, to help manage the stores.

Soon after Keith and Kelly took over as president/chief operating officer and chairman/chief operating officer, respectively, the franchise boomed to where it currently sits at 40 locations.

Topper’s Pizza may have shortened its name, but the franchise has never compromised on quality. One bite into the signature homemade Authentic ItalianBread Crust™, and it’s clear what has remained the same: Topper’s Pizza’s unwavering commitment to serving traditional, quality recipes with the freshest ingredients.

Today, Topper’s Pizza has focused its brand on more than just mouth-watering pizzas. Philanthropy is vital to its recipe for success, so for the past five years Topper’s Pizza Canada has proudly partnered with the SickKids Foundation for its annual, 10-week Feel Good Meal campaign.

SU MISURA THE KEY TO MEN’S FASHION

7600 Weston Road (at HWY 7), Woodbridge, Ont. T 905-851-6500 www.perlui.ca

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auto

KEYS TO MY RIDES Find out what separates the latest SUVs and how those features could be perfect for you Written By Amandalina Letterio

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2017 NISSAN ROGUE SL CL Young family approval rating

ithout a doubt, I know the 2017 Nissan Rogue’s bold new look has definitely caught your eye on the road. From safety, to comfort, to looks, this vehicle is a top contender for anyone who is in the market for a new vehicle. It confidently stands out in the compact SUV crowd not only because of its fresh face, but also because of affordability. However, do not let the affordable price bracket (starts at $25,248) deter you; these new updates put the Rogue at the top of its class. The safety alone is quite impressive; when equipped with Forward Emergency Braking and LED low-beam headlights, it got the 2017 IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) Top Safety Pick award, and adding those features to your package will not break the bank. Obvious changes have been made to the exterior, but the interior’s basic package now has a very upscale feel — from the sportier steering wheel to the small details in the stitching on the seats. The backseat passengers have the option to move their seats back and forth, allowing for more comfort and customized trunk space, if needed. One drawback that the Nissan Rogue does have is its lack of compatibility with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. However, this probably isn’t a deal-breaker, as mobile phones are still compatible with the vehicle’s system in other ways. Overall, the bold new Rogue is a great choice for young families, or anyone who enjoys style and great pricing. www.nissan.ca

GENERAL SPECS

4 doors | 5-7 passengers | all-wheel drive 9.6/7.4-Litre/100 kilometres city/hwy | 2.5-Litre DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine | 170 horsepower 175 lb-ft torque 54

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INFINITI QX60

LINCOLN MKC

CL Active family approval rating

CL Business executive approval rating

T

T

GENERAL SPECS

GENERAL SPECS

he 2017 QX60 aims to please parents who drive he best way to describe the new Lincoln MKC is to quote Matthew McConaughey himself from its in various weather conditions with their kids in commercial: “Sometimes you gotta go back to actually the backseat — i.e., the Canadian Parent. For the move forward.” Lincoln did just that with the 2017 second consecutive year, Infiniti decided to make model of the MKC — they kept a lot of the same features substantial changes to its midsize luxury crossover, and a from its predecessor, but moved forward with new upgrades. lot of those changes revolve around making the driving Since the MKC came on the market back in 2014 it has experience as comfortable and safe as possible. Stealing maintained its sumptuous demeanour, and the newest version the limelight on the list of the QX60’s alterations is the upholds that reputation with a base model starting at around newly offered 3.5-L V-6 engine. This engine rejuvenation $41,000, to the fully loaded model costing over $60,000. That comes with 295 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque driving the lavish price does come with some luxuries: front wheels, giving the QX60 a dominant standard features include heated seats, those yet velvety ride. In addition, the dial on the STEALING THE distinct xenon headlights and a notably dapper centre console offers four driving modes: LIMELIGHT ON interior. The MKC is what you would consider Standard, Eco, Sport and Snow (important THE LIST OF your deluxe ride up to the cottage as it offers an for Canadian winters). Eco mode engages THE QX60’S optional trailering package. Carry the kayaks the Eco Pedal, which works by giving ALTERATIONS up to your home away from home while still resistance to the throttle — this should help IS THE NEWLY enjoying the easy-to-use Sync 3 infotainment you save on gas when you are driving your OFFERED 3.5 system that last year’s model donned. The kids around. Not a bad idea with gas prices LITRE V6 ENGINE most prominent move forward Lincoln made these days. Inside, the comfortable sevenwas strengthening the vehicle’s steering and seater comes with an easy-access third row handling. It now offers the option to control your driving for your kids’ friends to hitch a ride to soccer practice. They experience — you can switch to a more responsive drive or to will get a kick out of the eight-inch standard touchscreen, a softer experience for when the kids fall asleep in the back. rear-seat entertainment and onboard Wi-Fi option. What Also forward-thinking, the MKC does not have a V-6 engine mom and dad will love is the adaptive cruise control and option. The new 2.3-L, 4-cylinder ecoboost turbocharged automated emergency braking, which is beneficial for all engine is so powerful it compares to the average V-6. So just driving conditions, further affirming a safe and comfortable like McConaughey said, Lincoln preserved what worked for drive in the QX60. the past MKC model but made changes to accelerate it forward. www.infiniti.ca www.lincolncanada.com

4 doors | 7 passengers | front-wheel drive 12.5/9.1-L/100 km city/hwy | 3.5-L V-6 engine 295 hp | 270 lb-ft torque

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4 doors | 5 passengers | front-wheel drive 12.1/9.3-L/100 km city/hwy | 2-L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine | 240 hp | 270 lb-ft torque

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community

THE BULLY BATTLES

Bullying can take on many forms, including verbal, social, physical and cyber

Bullying remains a pervasive issue in Canada. Whether or not the recent video involving the Vaughan Soccer Club is an act of “bullying,” one thing is for certain — compassion and kindness need to be reinforced at the adolescent stage Written By Daniel Calabretta

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here’s a classic and frequently used English idiom that states, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” But what about a video?

On April 15, at a two-storey hotel outside of Pordenone, Italy, four members of Vaughan Soccer Club’s under-15 team emphatically enter a fellow teammate’s suite. Upon entrance to the room, three of the boys charge their teammate and tackle him to the bed. As this begins, the boy working the camera shuts the door and darts to the other side of the room to get another angle of the situation. Phrases such as “watch out” and “stop” are uttered www.mycitylife.ca

meeting with the players and parents to talk about what happened on the trip and “to do some fact-finding,” as Bartolomeo describes. “Everyone was very forthcoming. Nobody was trying to hide anything,” he says. The club also hired a sports psychologist to assist the team through the process.

As a result of what transpired, the club suspended the under-15 team from

PHOTO BY SUSIE MCLEAN

“

intermittently. The three boys pile on top of their teammate, with one of them throwing fists at the pinned individual.

As two of the boys get off the pile, the victim gains momentum and shrugs off the main aggressor. The victim tries to go after the main aggressor, but is almost immediately thwarted and pinned back down. “Don’t touch me, all right? Don’t try it,” the main aggressor says in an imposing tone, as he remains on the victim’s back, pressing his face against the bed. After the aggressor gets up, the victim is left on the bed groaning in pain while holding his stomach.

It’s unclear what prompted this incident. It’s also ambiguous as to whether or not this is an act of “bullying,” or simply aggression. The American Psychological Association defines bullying as a “form of aggressive behaviour in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort.”

Whether this incident was a “one-off ” or a recurring ordeal among the main parties involved is uncertain. What is www.mycitylife.ca

Anthony McLean, founder and director of iEngage, a student wellness organization

apparent is the ubiquity of violence and hostility among the boys in the video, who were in Italy for 10 days as part of a soccer tournament.

“We were shocked,” the president of the Vaughan Soccer Club, Tony Bartolomeo, tells City Life. “It was something that we didn’t expect.”

Bartolomeo says that he was made aware of the video a week after the incident occurred, via email. “There was of course a concern right off the bat to ensure the safety of the kids,” he says. “That’s what our club is always about — the safety of the kids fi rst.” The executive vicepresident of Vaughan Soccer Club, Pat Di Rauso, told CityNews back in April that in the club’s 35-year history they “never experienced anything like this.”

Bartolomeo says that upon finding out about the video on Saturday, April 22, the club started contacting team officials and other executives to organize. The following morning, the club met with the parents of players on the team to discuss the matter. Similarly, on the Monday night, the club held a

BULLYING IS ABOUT POWER. THEY [BULLIES] KNOW THAT THEY HAVE MORE POWER THAN ANOTHER PERSON AND THEY PURPOSELY USE THAT POWER TO HURT THEM. TO ME, THAT’S THE MOST REPREHENSIBLE AND VILE [THING]

”

— Anthony McLean

April 23 to May 3. The main players involved in the hotel incident were not only suspended, but also disciplined by an independent disciplinary committee.

Bartolomeo would not elaborate on the ruling by the disciplinary committee, saying it’s “confidential” and “not fair to the players.” The under-15 team is currently playing, but the status of those involved in the incident is unclear.

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PHOTO BY MANNING AVENUE PHOTOGRAPHY

The hotel incident prompted Vaughan Soccer Club to hold a mandatory antibullying and social media awareness workshop on May 18 — from the U8 to U18 levels — to discuss the concept of social media and cyberbullying, the risks and consequences of such practices and how to deal with them. “Our biggest takeaway from this is education, education, education. It’s not [a] cliché,” Bartolomeo says. He notes that Vaughan Soccer Club will be implementing social media awareness and anti-bullying workshops of its own. “We’re concerned about the mental health of all our players. Th is really helped it.”

Bullying has been an issue nationwide.

According to a past Canadian Council on Learning report, among 35 countries, Canada had the ninth-highest rate of bullying in the 13-year-old demographic.

Moreover, according to a 2014 General Social Survey on Canadians’ Safety, approximately one in five Internet users aged 15 to 29 reported being “cyberbullied” or “cyberstalked.”

Anthony McLean, founder and director of iEngage, has delivered fun and interactive presentations to over 400 schools in the GTA, mainly on diversity, wellness and bullying. Since 2005, he has studied all forms of bullying — physical, verbal, social and cyber. “Bullying is about power,” he says. “They [bullies]

AMY FRIEDMAN Amy Friedman, registered children’s psychotherapist at FLEX Psychology

know that they have more power than another person and they purposely use that power to hurt them. To me, that’s the most reprehensible and vile [thing].”

All forms of bullying can have a detrimental effect on children and adolescents. For Richmond Hill native Daniel Sebben, being the victim of bullying from Grades 8 to 10 took a toll on him. “I have scars all over my arms because of it. I was cutting myself,”

A 2014 General Social Survey on Canadians’ Safety shows that nearly one in five Internet users aged 15 to 29 reported being cyberbullied or cyberstalked

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the 26-year-old says now, looking back. During that time, Sebben says he resorted to self-medicating with a variety of drugs to cope with the verbal, psychological and emotional abuse he was receiving on a regular basis from a group of hockey players at school. “It was the only way to cope. It was the only time I was happy with myself.”

Sebben and his family sought assistance externally.

It wasn’t until Grade 10 that Sebben’s family took his case to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, stating that the York Region District School Board “failed to protect Daniel,” according to a 2009 canoe.com article. In the end, the bullying halted after a mediation was conducted through Sebben’s high school between him and his main aggressor, which consisted of a written agreement between both parties.

“It took almost seven years for me to hear that goofy laugh that he used to laugh. It took me seven years to get my son back,” Karen Sebben, Daniel’s mother, says now. “He’s now 26 and he’s flourishing.” Karen is also the president of the York Region Anti-Bullying Coalition, an anti-bullying education and advocacy organization prompted by her son.

A registered psychotherapist at FLEX Psychology, Amy Friedman, outlines some of the other psychological ramifications of bullying. “Typically [it’s] overall low self-esteem, distorted selfimage and self -worth. Just the thought of being called a name or going to that area where they have been bullied before can increase their anxiety; increased feelings of sadness, loneliness, which can lead to depression,” she says.

Despite the tumultuous three years he endured, Daniel Sebben says that his experience as a victim of bullying has shaped him as a person. “I’ve become the person I am now because of all of it,” he says. “I’m happy with myself. I love my job. I have a great life, a roof over my head, a car, a girlfriend. There’s nothing I could be happier about. It’s in my past — it can stay in my past.” www.bullyingcanada.ca www.healthycanadians.gc.ca www.iengage.ca www.club.vaughansoccer.com www.mycitylife.ca

N VE E CI SIAMO RIUNIT I COM

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FOR THE LOVE OF SHOES Calling all shoe lovers! Vaughan’s newest boutique is stepping into spring with its best foot forward and hosting a grand opening sale. Visit A Perfect Pair for the best in international designer footwear, accessories and formal wear.

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A DV E R TO R I A L

Beauty Tips for The Season

La Couture Hair Lounge offers up the hottest hair and aesthetics tips of the season to keep your looks salon-fresh long after you leave LA COUTURE HAIR LOUNGE TEAM

SOFIE ANANIA hairstylist

Smooth it out It’s one of the hairstylists’ favourite hair treatments: Kashmir Hair Mask Botox smooths out frizzy hair, repairs damage and helps fight breakage. The treatment takes only a few hours and it lasts for months. “It’s actual Botox for your hair,” says Sophie, a hairstylist at the salon. “It’s perfect for the summer or when you’re on vacation. I have clients who get it done all the time!”

LUCA TEDESCO & CAESAR BUDAKH barber & hairstylist

For guys only “For summer, a lot of guys want a simple buzz; they like to get up and go,” says Caesar, a hairstylist. “But guys come in and they say their hair never looks the same at home.” Why? “You have to wash it, style it, then blow-dry it; you can’t just wake up, wet your hair and style it.” As for Luca, a barber, he likes straight blading. “It’s the best way to get a clean look. We do beard outlines and fades, too, guys like that a lot.”

Summer is short — it’s really only a few months — so we all want to make sure we look good for our favourite season.

The best place to go? La Couture Hair Lounge in Concord, Ont. Visiting a hair salon should be fun — like spending time with your friends, who all have your back because they want to see you shine. That’s what it’s like at La Couture. It’s an intimate, friendly place where easygoing staff welcomes you with a smile and a cappuccino. The best part? Extras like a hair treatment and a 15-minute scalp massage that everyone loves.

It’s a place where you’re treated like family. “We see people here more than we see our family and friends. On Saturdays, we work instead of going out, and we’re here on long weekends, too,” says Diana De Cristofaro, the owner of the salon. “You have to get along with everyone or it just doesn’t work.”

Diana’s motto? If you do good work, then it comes back to you. That’s exactly what happened at La Couture, which opened with three people — now there’s a staff of 12 and they’ve moved to a bigger location. The best part?

This year, they’re celebrating their fiveyear anniversary!

OLIVIA DE LUCA hairstylist

PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

Wedding trends This year, brides will be rocking the beach wave, the Hollywood wave, the glam soft wave. And buns are a perennial classic — low ones, high ones, messy ones. “It’s easier to come in to get the complicated looks you can’t do at home,” says Olivia. “And don’t forget about hair extensions: they can easily give you long, luxurious hair and the look and colour you want for the wedding without damaging your own hair.” www.mycitylife.ca

SANDRA ALMEIDA aesthetician

It’s all about the brows Whether you’re young or older, eyebrows are a big deal.

“People tweeze, then they wax their brows, then they’re too thin — but eventually they don’t grow back and they’re gone!” says Sandra of Sandra’s Esthetics at the salon. How to get them back? Microblading, a form of tattooing, places pigment underneath the skin. Using a special tool, hair-like strokes are drawn, filling in bare spots and looking natural.

La Couture Hair Lounge 130 Bass Pro Mills Dr. Unit 60, Concord, Ont. 905-532-0235 @lacouturehairlounge June/July 2017

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SMOKY ROADS AT DUSK

*with MUD Makeup

The eyes are the windows to the soul, and a look is worth a thousand words — hold on to the mystery a little longer. A sultry smoky eye can be the perfect finish to your evening glam, complementing the most sophisticated ensembles TEXT BY REBECCA ALBERICO

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www.mycitylife.ca

Drama when you want it, sophistication for when you don’t. A true smoky eye is as versatile a little black dress (or suit)

BLACK EYE PENCIL The perfectt base to a fabulous smoky eye

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SMUDGER BRUSH BRU #810 The round shape is ideal for blending eye colour c or liner

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CHEEK COLOR IN GINGERBREAD A sheer, warm brown cheek color with a subtle shimmer

MAPLE LIP PENCIL Pigment-rich Lip Pencils define with precision

MUDSLIDE SHEER LIPSTICK A versatile shade that pops on all skin tones

POWDER BLUSH BRUSH, #710 Dense, dome-shaped brush bristles are soft to the touch Products available at WWW.MUDSHOP.COM WWW.SEARS.CA

Creative Director: Maja Kešelj Photography: Peter Giodani Photography Assistant: Andrew Glover Photography Coordinators: Michelle Pavacic @ MUD LA, Kailyn Sciberras @ MUD LA, Tom Ostergard Makeup Artist: Shanna Cistulli @ MUD LA Makeup used: MUD LA Hair: Allia Arite Makeup Supervisor: Francine Reich @ MUD LA Styling: Sarah Kinsumba Stylist Assistant: Eugenia Gamero Model: Sadie @ LA Models Shooting Location: Club Ed Movie Set, Lancaster, California

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With so many ways to rock a neutral lip, an accentuated pout doesn’t have to take away from a bold eye

www.mycitylife.ca

A DV E R TO R I A L

Gianna Ugolini, master facialist and co-owner of G.C. & Co. Salon & Med Spa

G.C. & CO. SALON & MED SPA

oasting the latest in microcurrent facial technology, Gianna Ugolini of G.C. & Co. Salon & Med Spa has mastered this exclusive treatment and added it to her list of renowned facials. What makes her facials so special?

Aside from her magical healing hands, Gianna has mastered the Classic European Facial and incorporated stateof-the-art technology to provide optimal results. The galvanic mask, LED light therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, microdermabrasion and, of course, the microcurrent treatment, along with her “Signature Resculpting Lymphatic Drainage” massage technique, naturally lift cheekbones and brows, de-puff and brighten the face and soften fine lines and wrinkles so people can avoid the need for botox and fillers. “Aside from tightening the [facial] muscles, which weaken over time, microcurrent increases ATP (the energy cells need to function properly) by 500 per cent — this is what gives the skin a beautiful glow,” says master facialist, Gianna Ugolini. She says that G.C. & Co. has had clients as young as 20 and clients as old as 70 opt for this treatment. “Our customers love it, they see instant results — the skin looks extra healthy, especially when they incorporate our Eminence Organic facial products into their home routine,” says Ugolini. Every year, the team travels to California, New York and Europe to upgrade their facial, laser hair removal, hair colouring and cutting skills — constantly improving their services. Another special feature is G.C. & Co.’s “double facial room,” where they are able to accommodate two people — couples, siblings or friends — at the same time.

Cutting-edge technology paired with high-quality service makes for truly ‘glowing’ reviews.

B

BEAUTY & HEALTH

PROFESSIONALS

PHOTOS BY CARLOS A. PINTO

Vaughan’s glam gurus share the season’s hottest tips and their most popular treatments

R

id yourself of the remaining bits of winter blues and reintroduce some colour into your lips and locks! Our local experts pair high-quality products and skin treatments with world-class service for the ultimate revitalizing experience.

www.mycitylife.ca

G.C. & Co. Salon & Med Spa 6175 Hwy. 7 Unit 7, Woodbridge, Ont. 416-527-1023 www.giannacathy.com @gianna_gcandco June/July 2017

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BEAUTY & HEALTH

PROFESSIONALS

WHITE ORCHID MEDICAL SPA ome to one of the best luxurious facial and glow chemical peel treatments, Woodbridge’s White Orchid Medical Spa is the go-to place to achieve optimal healthy skin and rejuvenation. Headed by ever-passionate medical esthetician Jacqueline Sas, White Orchid’s objective is about customers reaching all their goals when it comes to skin care and treatment. “My vision was always to open something up [a medical spa] and give people that satisfaction, with something that I love to do every day,” Sas says.

Two of White Orchid’s most prominent and effective skin treatment proced ure s are the aforementioned luxurious facial and glow chemical peel skin treatments.

The lu xurious facial consists of a facial and pressure point massages, as well as lymphatic drainage. White Orchid combines this treatment with high per forming active ingredients. But one treatment that Sas is excited to offer her customers is the glow chemical peel. “The glow chemical peel is a wonderful treatment and Owner Jacqueline Sas says aftercare it’s a clinical exfoliation. is just as important. The spa carries a specialized line of AlumierMD products It’ll improve skin texture available for purchase and firmness and at the same time, decrease the finalized end wrinkles.” Sas says that both treatments are “always loved” by her clients. She also offers laser hair removal and photofacials with a sharplight machine. Sas carries a medical grade skin-care line and also has a wide range of cleansers, moisturizers and specialized serums. At White Orchid, they’ve got you covered — literally.

Ashley Perri, owner of Skinprovement, has been in the aesthetics industry for more than 10 years

SKINPROVEMENT onsidered to be the best microblading and skin-care specialists in Vaughan, Skinprovement Medi Spa & Laser Clinic is taking its stellar treatments and services to a new location. On June 17, Skinprovement will have the grand opening of its brand new clinic at 3590 Rutherford Rd., Unit #6. Focused on constant improvement and betterment, Skinprovement is always seeking out the latest and greatest skin-care treatments to offer its clients.

Ashley Perri, owner of Skinprovement, has been in the medical aesthetics business for over a decade, and has gained much knowledge and expertise in her field. “Our team actively looks for the most cutting-edge treatments and services offered around the world to provide innovative and high-end technologies to our clients,” says Perri. Her clinic offers everything from carbon laser peels, to laser and IPL treatments, to tattoo removal and InstaLift treatments, among others. In 2016, Perri created a USDA Certified Organic skin-care line named Skinprovement Organics, with anti-aging properties and high vitamin C content to help prevent breakouts. “In addition to the many services and products we offer, we try to give back to the community that has supported the growth of our business over the past four years. Our new initiative, ‘Brows for the Brave,’ is aimed at building [the] confidence of women and men who have suffered from trauma or illness by giving them eyebrows through our microblading treatments.” Skinprovement aims to donate $10,000 worth of microblading treatments yearly. “What separates us from other spas in Vaughan is our customer service and knowledge. We strive to satisfy our clients’ needs, build relationships and make them feel like family, rather than just another customer.”

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Skinprovement 3590 Rutherford Rd. Unit 6, Vaughan 647-668-5494 www.skinprovement.ca www.skinprovementorganics.com 66

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White Orchid Medical Spa 7765 Kipling Ave., Woodbridge, Ont. 647-292-3150 @whiteorchidmedicalspa www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

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BEAUTY & HEALTH

PROFESSIONALS

NASRIN SALON elebrating 25 years of bringing beaut y and style to the GTA, Wo o d b r id g e - b a s e d Nasrin Hair Salon offers full salon services, including hair and makeup, threading, waxing and much more. Nasrin Indravis, owner of Nasrin, credits both her clients and staff as the reason for her business being where it is today. “I’m blessed to have very good clients. They’re very loyal.” Nasrin, known for providing spectacular bridal

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Makeup Addict: all products made and manufactured in Canada and cruelty-free

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MAKEUP ADDICT s there anything better than the per fec t velvety matte lipstick?

What about finding one that is perfectly pigmented and is made locally? Check and check. Laura Clerici, the founder of Makeup Addict, is going viral with her collection of high-quality, Canadianmade lipsticks. With two decades of industry experience as a professional makeup artist, Laura was inspired to create a product that is not only longlasting (4-6 hours to be exact), but also smells great, is chemical-free and is safe around children. “I really wanted to produce something that wasn’t just another brand in a store, and create awareness for small businesses and Canadian manufacturing,” says Laura.

Makeup Addict receives feedback from makeup lovers and bloggers across the globe raving about the qualityy of its collections — Dainty, in the Liquid quid Velvet line, is the most popular.

www.mycitylife.ca

hen Angela Martino was 15, a hormone imbalance caused what she describes as “an excessive amount of hair on my face,” which led to embarrassment and low self-esteem. But Martino found a solution that helped her through it. “I started electrolysis treatments, which raised my self-confidence and put me on a journey to help others going through the same difficulty,” she says.

Today, Martino, the founder of Neece Electrolysis, has become a certified laser technician and electrologist. Electrolysis is the only FDA-approved permanent hair removal system that has the ability to target all skin and hair types, delivering effective results for both men and women.

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PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

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Makeup Addict 416-854-0048 www.makeupaddict.ca

Angela Martino, founder of Neece Electrolysis

Nasrin’s is Vaughan’s go-to salon for bridal and special event hair styling

hairstyling services, has done hundreds of weddings over the years. The salon’s reputation, as evidenced by its loyal clients, would not have been established without the hard work and dedication of its staff. According to Indravis, this is what distinguishes Nasrin from other salons. “It’s more our work and what we do. I have a very good staff,” she says.

“When clients walk into my salon, they feel like they’re home.”

N Nasrin SSalon l 200 Marycroft Ave. Unit 4, Woodbridge, Ont. 905-856-6226 @nasrinhairsalon

N Neece Electrolysis 9B-80 Carlauren Rd., Woodbridge, Ont 905-856-8808 www.neecelectrolysis.ca June/July 2017

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Arts & Culture

National Ballet School Hosts Third Assemblée Internationale Dance Program

PHOTO BY CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN

Since its first showcase in 2009, Assemblée Internationale has invited dancers from all around the world to come together to collaborate and perform

Canada’s National Ballet School welcomes 100 dancers from 21 schools across 11 countries, in the spirit of Canada 150 Written By Rick Muller

I

n just 58 years, Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) has become one of the world’s most respected and decorated dance schools, and in keeping with that reputation, it recently hosted 100 dancers from 21 schools across 11 countries at Assemblée Internationale 2017 (AI 17), a weeklong creative collaboration in the spirit of Canada’s 150th anniversary.

Th is was the third such Assemblée Internationale, begun in 2009 to mark 68

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the school’s 50th anniversary through an initiative envisioned by Mavis Staines, the National Ballet School’s Artistic Director and CEO, to bring together its network of partner schools from around the world. Participants joined in an intensive week of classes, performances, forums and professional development activities that provided a rich educational experience and further built relationships within the international dance community. It has

SHAUN AMYOT

Shaun Amyot, teacher and choreographer at Canada’s National Ballet School

been an ambitious project to bring together so many internationally blended casts to perform such varied works of dance, and it is a project that has only improved over time.

“It’s been just so incredible and amazing to see so many different approaches to the same art form,” says Shaun Amyot, who teaches Contemporary Repertoire and Improvisation Technique and co-manages the Post-Secondary and Career Planning Program at NBS. www.mycitylife.ca

www.mycitylife.ca

Some of the performances at AI 2017 included motion sensors, graphics and other digital elements

PHOTO BY CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN

He also served as the AI 17 co-artistic director and choreographer. “You really see the quality of the training of these international schools and the priorities of the individual institutions, how traditional or modern they are. We had one school from Barcelona bring pieces from all of their dance programs, classical, contemporary and flamenco, which is just one example of how varied the week was.”

Assemblée Internationale 2017 was made up of international dancers as well as 70 Grade 10, 11 and 12 and postsecondary dancers from the National Ballet School, all collaborating on four different performance pieces choreographed by Canadian artists, either graduates or current NBS students.

“The way the students really pull together and do such an incredible job in performance was really wonderful and a highlight of AI 17 for me,” says Amyot.

“And how our dancers performed has been just incredible. After some of the performances, the audience has been in tears. It’s just been really moving and touching and a very magical moment.”

Bringing together these students has many other benefits that Amyot is quick to point out. “The friendships and bonds that are created at an event like this are magnified throughout the week,” says Amyot. “Many of the NBS students dream of dancing in Europe and they make so many contacts they can stay connected with through social media. AI 17 brings the dance community together but also strengthens that community.”

One of the most original pieces of performance was created and choreographed by Amyot himself.

Entitled Origin8, it included every student attending AI and featured a unique partnership with York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design. With the support of Th almic Labs’ Myo armbands, Origin8 involved motion sensors, graphics and music generated from the movement of the dancers. It measured the motion and speed of the dancers’ bodies while simultaneously projecting images on a backdrop from the data collected.

“It’s trying to find new ways to approach the art form by asking questions such as, ‘in this technological

“

IT’S BEEN JUST SO INCREDIBLE AND AMAZING TO SEE SO MANY DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THE SAME ART FORM

The school offers classes for those Grade 6-12, as well as those at the post-secondary level

age, does it mix with ballet and should it?’ And it gives the audience examples of what that can look like,” says Amyot.

Origin8 is just one more example of the innovation the National Ballet School is known for around the world.

NBS alumni work in 80 companies in Canada and abroad, and the school has always integrated elements from the best in classical ballet training methods, contemporary dance and the latest advances in science and movement.

“The training for ballet is much more intensive than people think as it is incredibly physical work,” says Amyot.

”

“Marrying the athleticism and muscle control to accomplish the movements and positions with the humanity, artistry and emotion needed is very challenging.

As a dancer, you need to bring every part of your being into the mix.”

At Assemblée Internationale 2017, every aspect of that unique physical and emotional collaboration was on display, created and celebrated like only the National Ballet School can do.

More information about the Assemblée Internationale or Canada’s National Ballet School can be found at www.nbs-enb.ca/Assemblee-Internationale June/July 2017

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home decor

From left, standing: Wolfgang, 18; twins Bellamy and Tallulah, 16. Sitting: Bob; Major, 6; Cortney; Breaker, 14. On floor: twins Holleder and Five, 10

Bob and Cortney Novogratz couldn’t resist renovating this old Hollywood home and infusing it with a unique modernistic charm Written By DLux

S

eeing the potential in an old home is at the heart of what any good design team does, even in Hollywood, a town where starting from scratch is the norm. If you happen to be a dynamic design duo renovating a house you plan to call home, the concept of “the norm” is in the eye of the beholder.

Bob and Cortney Novogratz, who previously spent 20 years working in Manhattan, definitely saw the potential 70

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in a Hollywood Hills home they stumbled upon while driving around the neighbourhood.

When that home is a 1920s white stucco house with a slate roof and turrets that resembles a castle, it’s easy to see why they decided to keep the basics and personalize the rest. The move did present some challenges, but the out-of-the-ordinary house is a perfect fit for a family that admittedly welcomes anything beyond the norm.

At 7,500 square feet, the four-floor home certainly has plenty of space for the savvy designers and their seven children, Wolfgang, Holleder, Tallulah, Breaker, Five, Bellamy and Major.

Built in 1926, the castle-style home originally had six bedrooms. “These old houses have a lot of rooms,” Bob adds. “Coming from New York, we wanted big rooms, big open spaces. We raised the ceilings where we could [to get] kind of a New York loft feeling, www.mycitylife.ca

COSTAS PICADAS/INTERIOR DESIGNER BOB AND CORTNEY NOVOGRATZ

HOME SWEET HOLLYWOOD

The vintage theme in the house is further enhanced by pieces like an antique coffee table from Tini (This Is Not Ikea) and 1960s lights that were originally in a Monte Carlo casino

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Bob and Cortney Novogratz.

The Hollywood sign was discovered in an antique store in Palm Springs. The lighting is by Pluma

especially on the main floor.” An open space on the main floor turned into a combination living and dining room from four original rooms. “The living room has the best views and the best light,” Bob says. “We spend a lot of family time there watching Netflix.”

A lot of landscaping work was done to breathe new life into a home that once belonged to a Hollywood star of yesteryear. “We did it all ourselves,” Bob explains, “which we had never done before. We took out all the dead stuff and then, through the Internet, kind of figured out what we liked and didn’t like. We got very lucky. We found a local guy that was affordable that worked with us on it.”

For a couple with an appreciation for all things vintage, the Hollywood Hills is an appealing location. Bob observes: “[There’s] a lot of historical significance. The house directly in front of us is the Frank Lloyd Wright Storer House, which is one of his most famous residences. The house next door to that is Katy Perry’s old house. She just sold that recently. Three houses down is Diane Keaton, the actress. The house directly next door to us was Marlon Brando’s house for 40 years. There’s a lot of fun history in the Hollywood Hills.”

“We gutted the whole house,” Bob says when discussing the process of renovating the home. “We kept the whole outside look of the house but we had to redo all the stucco.” While the couple wanted to keep as much 72

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The vintage 1940s table in the dining room is from England. The artwork in the background is an image of Queen Elizabeth by Ann Carrington that is made from buttons. The other piece is

by David Kramer

The Levi’s sign behind the bed is among the pieces Bob and Cortney discovered at various flea markets in Los Angeles

The vintage 1940s table in the dining room is from England. The artwork in the background is an image of Queen Elizabeth by Ann Carrington that is made from buttons. The other piece is

by David Kramer

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1. Reupholstered by Frayed Knot, the beds are from Serena & Lily.

Paintings add character here and the other girl has wallpaper by Astek Wallcoverings in her part of the room 2. Everything in the kitchen is new. The overhead lights are Swarovski and the oven is La Cornue. The yellow painting is by Enoc Perez 3. The girl with the bear head is a piece by Anne Siems that’s in Bob and Cortney’s bedroom 4. The tile in the powder room is Commune and the artwork is by Richard Prince. Tubs and sinks are by Toto 5. The retro 1970s shape of the pool was retained and blue stone was added. The grass around the pool was also kept the same as it was originally

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as possible, there was also a need to make some carefully selected additions, including vintage-looking steel windows. “In Hollywood they knock houses down all the time and we didn’t want to do that,” Bob adds. “We wanted to preserve the history.”

Artwork plays an important role in the home’s décor, effectively tying together various vintage and modern design elements. As for a favourite place in the home, it’s a choice between two spots. “I love the backyard,” Bob says before adding, “and I like the living area. It’s very comfortable there, and it has great views.”

Bob and Cortney Novogratz are self-admitted fans of Old Hollywood.

Or, according to Bob, “what it once represented. It was fun and there’s still the most entertaining places to visit.”

As New Yorkers they differ from the norm by walking as much as possible to get a feel of the city they have called home for the past two years.

Although the transition from New York to Los Angeles wasn’t without challenges, the Novogratz family feels that they have found their dream home in their redesigned castle-style house that is dripping with vintage charm. www.thenovogratz.com www.mycitylife.ca

June/July 2017

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People & Places

Villa Charities raised approximately $100,000 at its 11th annual Giro on Sunday May 28.

Considered to be Vaughan’s premium cycling event, Giro takes riders on a captivating journey throughout the city and beyond. The event both commenced and concluded at Eagles Nest Golf Club in Maple, while going through the undulating hills of Vaughan and the picturesque countryside of Caledon. It was a beautiful, sunny spring day, providing the more than 200 riders who participated a dry path to traverse down.

Participants enjoyed Italian-themed food and beverages before, during and after the ride. One of the rider-favourite and traditional stops on the Giro is Pinecrest Farms, just north of Weston and Kirby Rds. This year, riders indulged in some savoury zabaglione and delicious espressos at the farm rest stop. The Giro offers two particular routes that vary in terms of distances — the 100-kilometre GranFondo route, or the 60-kilometre MediaFondo route. Daniel Tiberini was presented with the 2017 Maglia Rosa, as the top fundraiser at the event. Giro 2017 was hosted by TLN’s Antonio Giorgio. www.villacharities.com

www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTOS BY CARLOS A. PINTO

GIRO 2017

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People & Places 1

For over 10 years, Villaggio Ristorante’s award-winning Mediterranean-Italian dishes have exceeded guests’ expectations.

Featuring only the freshest ingredients, and coupled with a contemporary fine-dining atmosphere, Villaggio has quickly become one of the top restaurants of Vaughan’s competitive dining scene. Come for the food, stay for the memories. Villaggio Ristorante.

SYLVIA MANTELLA

On May 27, philanthropist and chief marketing officer of the Mantella Corporation Sylvia Mantella was presented with the UforChange Champion Award, for her involvement with and dedication to UforChange’s non-profit youth arts initiatives throughout the year. Mantella was presented the award at UforChange’s annual Vivacity event, a celebration devoted to honouring the organization’s graduating students — their talents, skills and creativity. UforChange is an arts organization committed to providing youth with an opportunity to pursue their creative endeavours, ranging from fashion to DJing to film. www.mantellacorporation.com

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905-893-4888 110 Nashville Rd. Unit 11, Kleinburg, Ont. www.villaggio-ristorante.ca

4 1. Chalo Hancock (UforChange Executive Director), Sylvia Mantella (Mantella Corporation CEO), Gina Gentili (UforChange Chair), Christopher Paunil (UforChange Fashion Arts Mentor) 2. Cailli and Sam Beckerman 3. Annie Briggs and Natasha Negovanlis (actors from the cult hit Carmilla) 4. Sylvia Mantella greeting guests

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PHOTOS BY RYAN EMBERLEY

DELICIOUS FOOD, PICTURESQUE SCENERY VILLAGGIO RISTORANTE IN THE HEART OF KLEINBURG

People & Places 1

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WESTIN TORONTO AIRPORT

Get ready to have your hotel-staying experience take flight.

Westin Hotels & Resorts recently announced the completion of a multimillion-dollar renovation and renaming of its airport property from Westin Bristol Place Hotel to The Westin Toronto Airport. Updates were conducted on all guestrooms and suites, the property’s on-site restaurants, meeting spaces and lobby area. www.eastonsgroup.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EASTON’S GROUP OF HOTELS

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5 1. Reetu Gupta, COO, Easton’s Group of Hotels, Dr. Steve Gupta, Chairman & CEO, Easton’s Group of Hotels, Mayor of Markham, Frank Scarpitti 2. Dr. Steve Gupta, Chairman & CEO, Easton’s Group of Hotels 3. Reetu Gupta, COO, Easton’s Group of Hotels 4. One of 5 themed food stations – College Street, Italian themed 5. Reetu Gupta, COO, Easton’s Group of Hotels, Carm Caruso, CFO, Easton’s Group of Hotels, Candida Azevedo, General Manager of Westin Toronto Airport Hotel, Mrs. Rashmi Gupta, Senior Vice President, Easton’s Group of Hotels, Dr. Steve Gupta, Chairman & CEO, Easton’s Group of Hotels, Mike Jackson, Senior Vice President of Operations, Easton’s Group of Hotels, Councillor Michael Thompson, Toronto City Councillor, Ward 37, Don Cleary, President of Marriott Hotels of Canada, Dan Jacobs, Chief of Staff to Toronto City Councillor Michael Ford

www.mycitylife.ca

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People & Places

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ST. MARGARET MARY’S SPRING FASHION SHOW AND LUNCHEON

Around 400 guests were in attendance at St. Margaret Mary Church’s spring 2017 fashion show at Château Le Jardin Event Venue in Woodbridge. Patrons enjoyed a delectable meal and spectacular outfits provided by local boutiques, along with shopping at various vendor tables as well as door and raffle prizes. www.stmargaretmaryparish.com

1. Tony Van Bynen Newmarket Mayor, Raffi Tokmakjian President of Tok Transit, Ajay Mehra COO of Tok Transit, Lynn Conforti Manager, Philanthropy & Engagement Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation Medical Arts Building (MAB) 2. Sabrina Tokmakjian and Raffi Tokmakjian

Left to right: Olga Bressan, Rocco Grossi, Fr. Rony Grayda (Pastor), Tina Bellissimo, Anna Brancatella, Mary Grossi, Mary Duca

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Transportation magnate Raffi Tokmakjian, president of Tok Transit located in Concord Ontario, and Ajay Mehra, COO of Tok Transit, are coming together to make a joint personal donation of $250,000 to the Newmarket residential hospice, in memory of Raffi’s late sister Ani Tokmakjian D’Amato, who passed away on March 6. Tokmakjian and Mehra’s donation will add 10 beds to the centre. The hospice centre is currently under construction. An official groundbreaking ceremony was held last November. The centre will be named the Margaret Bahen Hospice for York Region, with completion of this development set for late this year. www.tokmakjian.com

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People & Places CANADA 150 TOUR

1. Antonio Piretti TOZ, Canadian- Italian musician 2. On his tour TOZ will travel from Vancouver to Halifax

PHOTOS BY MAYBRITT ASSMUS

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PREMIER PAINT EXPERIENCE WITH COLIN AND JUSTIN

Renowned interior designers Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan helped launch Canadian Tire’s “Premier” paint range back in April — which included McAllister and Ryan getting to view “the world’s largest paint swatch” from the sky in a helicopter. Canadian Tire’s new paint line features over a thousand colours, manufactured and tested here in Canada. Given that it’s the country’s 150th birthday this year, McAllister and Ryan selected colours that best reflect all things Canada. Some of the colours include “Nunavut White,” “Fredericton Autumn,” and “Stanley Park” — tapping into the natural and cultural veins of this country. www.colinandjustin.tv

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City Life Magazine

June/July 2017

Nancy Postiglione and committee members of The Vitanova Foundation

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1. Interior decorators, Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan 2. Aerial view of a Canadian Tire store parking lot, with colours that reflect Canada.

BIRNIE ELECTRIC 50th ANNIVERSARY

Celebrating 50 years of success and innovation, Mississauga-based electrical contractor Birnie Electric Ltd. raised $20,400 for the SickKids Burn Program at a gala back in April. The gala took place at the Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Mississauga. The funds for the SickKids Burn Program — which treats children with various degrees of burns — were raised through silent auctions. www.birnie.com 1. Debbie Birnie, Tim Birnie, Peter Birnie, Dixie Lee Birnie 2. Patrick Birnie, Cameron Birnie, Mayor Bonnie Crombie, Tim Birnie, Peter Birnie

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On April 20, the Vitanova Foundation hosted Heart to Heart, a fundraising event dedicated to building a women and children’s shelter at the foundation’s Woodbridge site. The night consisted of cocktails, a sit-down dinner and take-home gifts such as confections, skin cream and hairstyling treatment at a local salon. Former Breakfast Television personality Jennifer Valentyne was the master of ceremonies at the event, which was held at The Vue by Peter and Paul’s. Special guests included The Young and the Restless star Daniel Goddard and Cityline style expert Lynn Spence. www.vitanova.ca

PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

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HEART TO HEART

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VITANOVA FOUNDATION

It’s amazing the journey that music can take you on — literally.

From April 28 to July 5, Canadian-Italian musician Antonio Piretti TOZ will be travelling 6,600 kilometres as part of his music-cycling charity tour for Canada 150, entitled “From the Roots in the Right Direction.” TOZ is biking from coast to coast, Vancouver to Halifax, taking in all that this beautiful country has to offer, while at the same time leaving his own mark.

TOZ is biking an average of 120 km daily — playing concerts as he goes, and raising funds for Art Takes Action for Charity.

The charity’s goal is to further the public’s appreciation for expressive and compelling art. These art-charity events raise money for Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children and Amnesty International, with funds going toward children’s health, rights and education. www.arttakesactionforcharity.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BIRNIE ELECTRIC

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SETTING THE GOLD STANDARD FOR BESPOKE KITCHENS AND CUSTOM CABINETRY

“Our mission is to provide high quality custom millwork to our clients through the use of superior materials and accessories, as well as industry leading customer service to provide added value to all our clients.”

— Joseph Primucci, President of NIICO

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www.niico.com www.mycitylife.ca

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