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VOLUME 19 ISSUE 2 | MAY/JUNE 2021
CONTENTS 20 46
COVER STORY
60
THE LEGACY OF SCHITT’S CREEK: Daniel Levy on sweeping the Emmy Awards, working with his family, and what he hopes the series’ impact has on his fans
37
20 LIVING OUTSIDE THE BOX: How Hannah
and Ian Hernandez converted a bus into an abode, living off the grid on their school bus tiny home with their two toddlers
34 DESTINED TO DESIGN: Interior designer, Marla Nazzicone, on the art of creating a beautifully composed space through her signature luxury design
37 CANADIAN TALENT: Tyler Shaw discusses
his new single, “North Star,” becoming a father during the pandemic, and his upcoming album set to release this summer
50 ANNA LOLOMARI: Lifestyle refiner,
redesigner and refresher shares her passion on spicing up your home and closet through colour and self-love
48
EDITOR’S PICKS
50 34 26 VILLA CHARITIES: The Italian community hub celebrates its 50th anniversary milestone amidst the pandemic
45 PANDEMIC DRINKING: How women are disproportionately affected by increased alcohol consumption — especially during the pandemic
52 MATTHEW GALATI: From a
terrifying car accident that left him in a coma to becoming a doctor and leading others on the road to recovery
56 OAK RIDGES LIBRARY: Taking
a closer look at Richmond Hill’s community library-building awarded for its sustainable design, materials and energy efficiency
More stories inside … 12
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A BACKYARD TO ESCAPE TO
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE PUBLISHER’S NOTE PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Michelle Zerillo-Sosa Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Michelle Zerillo-Sosa Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
Believe In a world that is fast becoming soulless Be challenged to find your own soul Then make it selfless. When the television portrays only tragedy Be challenged to turn it off Spend your time working on your own humility. If you’re surrounded by people who are envious Be challenged to cull the herd around you Fill your life with those who bring joyousness. During the times you feel utterly hopeless Be challenged to claw your way out Understand that genuine happiness is timeless. Find your soul. Believe in yourself. Trust in your God. Zerillo LoveFernando your family. Share your plenty. Lean when you Co-Founder/Creative Director Fernando Zerillo need. Live out loud. Co-Founder/Creative Love heartily. GrowDirector your humanity. Infect the world with your faith.
that areas “I“Neuroscience can’t change has the proven direction of similar the wind, butofI the can natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, one could brain both inaskreach the person who suffers adjustare myactivated sails to always my destination” the same question now. In De Lio’s case, where was God when deadly bacteria infected his body, nearly taking his life and and in the one who feels empathy. Thus, empathic — Jimmy Dean resulting in the amputation of both of his legs? In that articleof yearssuffering” ago, one of the questioned religious leaders suffering is a true experience — from The Wife by Iris Imeneo
E CAN YOU HAVE CYOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO? W
replied that God was in the firemen going up the stairs to rescue very challenge we face shapes character; the way monk, contains seeds; it can be planted in a potthat of to soil. How — our Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist humanitarian, author the people in the towers. It’s a response this datemetaphorical: gives me Publisher/Editor-in-Chief weMichelle respond Zerillo-Sosa, to adversity informs our confidence as we acomfort. book that grows your self-worth and aspirations, thenbringing grows trees, Likewise, now, God is in the rescue workers move forward. plants and flowers. Read the full story on page relief to Puerto Rico, Mexico and Florida. And43. God was in the OVID-19 has been unlike any other disease in terms disappointment in the uneven mandates that have forced them to close In 2013, serioustocar crash Dr. Matthew Galati with lifeTake our cover man, Dan Levy, actor, writer, director doctors whoafought save Paulleft De Lio. He was with the family of its devastating impact on the world’s physical, social, their retail spaces, while allowing big-box stores to remain open, despite and friends injuries. who prayed for De Lio’s life later, for walk his recovery. and producer of the hit TV show Schitt’s Creek. In 2020, the show, threatening When he woke up,and he couldn’t or talk and the fact that these companies often fail to comply with customer mental and financial health. Today, just a few afterbrain his ordeal, De LioInitially is filleddepressed with about a formerly wealthy family forced to relocate in a small town, was diagnosed withmonths traumatic injury (TBI). First and foremost is the loss of life. You need only restrictions. As gratitude. consumers,He weisbear some of theothers burden of supporting positivity and ready to help find ways was nominated for 15 Emmy Awards — the most nominations given about his prognosis, Dr. Galati eventually found hope in thetoform speak to someone who has lost a family member to COVID-19 to small businesses with our dollars. If we God don’t also “Buyresides Local, it’sDe Bye, live with motivation. Dare I say, then, to get a comedy show in its final season — and won nine, becoming the of two books: My Stroke offiInsight, about a brain scientist’sin recovery a sense of the devastation caused by this illness. In Ontario, 3,648 Local.” One controversial gure in this debate is Vladislav Sobolev, Lio’sstroke, heart. See his story page 32. only series ever tohome sweep all fourinacting categories. doubt many from andAre Spark: TheonRevolutionary New Science of Exercise long-term-care residents 630 facilities haveNo died, prompting founder of We All Essential, a network of with businesses fighting and to Of course, it’s possible you do not agree my thoughts of Diamond us, while at&home in lockdown with what seemed like nothing but the Brain, which tells the story of an experimental gym program in Diamond Lawyers to fi le a $500-million class-action put an end to lockdown casualties and the loss of related jobs. ell, in the case of Yolanda Gampp, this could be on the whereabouts of God. We all know that one should not badlawsuit news on keeping enjoyed watching Schitt’s Creek for a a school district near Chicago. determine whether exercise behalfusofcompany, who diedIf due to avoidable negligence. COVID-19 usor of To our abilityfor to connect with others.could We avictims real possibility. you’re not yet familiar with speak casuallyhas of robbed politics religion, these are sensitive temporary escape from reality. Not only for the excellent comedy, but improve academic performance, they had the kids go for a run every The suit names majorher long-term-care across the province, as have a human needthe to express feelings, to afeel supported and heard, work, she isproviders a multi-millionaire YouTube topics (although weatherour isn’t exactly safe topic anymore, At and the aff end of year, on standardized testing for math also to as seethe the characters’ evolution toward sincerity kindness. well Ontario government severalsubscribers, municipaland bodies (story to share love ection. Th esebethings are all in a part empathy, and baker (3.3and million that is) …on all morning. either). But perhaps youthe will interested ourof story about Another standout of the show was its portrayal of Levy’s character, and science, the district, scored, respectively third and fi rst in the pagethanks 52). Thtois her tragedy raises the question of whether we, as a society, when we loseFaith, the ability to fulfinew l these needs, with we lose our7 empathy. incredible imagination. the Bahá’Í a relatively religion 5 to million David. other seriesHave make characters Dr. Galati began to happened research theinbrain heals bywecreating Th is of is empathy a many woman dreams up cakes for complicit a living — not world. adherents practising globally. If you how believe the betterment of Despite everything that in 2020 and beyond must have aWhereas lack forwho theTV elderly. weLGBTQ been in the tragic fi gures or the butt of jokes, or just sideline them, Schitt’s Creek new cells and making new connections. With his ndings, created traditional tiered shapes and fl avours, but cakes that look like the world, in unity, love and service, you might fi nd yourhe place remain inquisitive and optimistic as we demand accountability from shocking inadequacy of care in our nursing homes? hot dogs, candy apples, watermelons, in fland avours like the aour here. Bahá’Í’s believe inatequality of sexes, and normalized David and his relationship with his ects boyfriend, rehabilitation plan including physical led creeds, toare marked Besides thehuge death toll, the long-term side-eff thePatrick. mental leaders. There is light the end of all theexercise tunnel,races asthat vaccines now ultimate red velvet and … You get the idea. and in the harmony of Dr. science andwent religion. pageChanges 74. Levy, who is openly that David made feel cognitive Galati onforward toStory foundason Brain stress of adapting togay, thissays newchocolate way playing of life,cake COVID-19 hashim affected starting toimprovement. be administered. We must move a society that In thisout day age, we could use more unity, love and faith, mother of skin, God, thisbusinesses. lady has the power to tempt even Initiative, comfortable in his own something he had struggled with since which research in TBI and supports survivors of our TBI. the Sweet financial stability of local Government-mandated looks forand onefunds another, not all letting any disease compromise regardless of form it takes. youtoday enjoyshape this edition of the strongest-willed herWriting cakes! Her beliefaispoint that How’s being bullied by schoolmates in hiswith youth. a Is character who that forwhat adjusting sails?May shutdowns have hit smallperson businesses hardest of all. there empathy. Remember, the the struggles we face our future. anything possible, and with the loveofand support ofand family City Life Magazine. It, like life, is yours experience and do haswhen full acceptance alsoand allowed Levysurvival to promote inclusivity to We hope you enjoy this latest ofto City Life Magazine. Until the civilisrights economic these business owners Until the next edition, we edition hope you remain healthy, safe and friends, the highest levels of success are attainable. Read with what you will. supersede the recommendations of health cials? In an on ideal world, and optimistic. engage in important social commentary. Readoffi the full story page 60. next time, keep adjusting your sails to reach your destination. her story on page 38. there would beisnoa contradiction between cinematographer the health and safety the Jordan Oram Grammy-nominated whoofhas Speaking of belief, we all pray that our faith need never be population as a whole the well-being small businesses. worked with some of theand biggest names in of entertainment, including tested the way Paul De Lio’s is. Many of us go through life features local owners explores standing DrakeOur andMarch/April Coldplay. Incover histodebut book, Thtragedies ebusiness Journeyman, without ever having question why strikeheour lives or a of mural ofvulnerability. Mr. Monopoly covering his mouth. Much like thebefore theme male He shares his own journey of loss, Michelle Zerillo-Sosa Zerillo-Sosa Michelle Zerillo-Sosa Fernando the lives of others in the world. A few years back, we published Michelle FernandoZerillo Zerillo in the game of Monopoly, some business owners feel they have Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Co-Founder/Creative grief, depression, success and self-love, as well as his favourite selfCo-Founder/CreativeDirector Director an article about the definition of God. I remember asking the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief dealttips, a losing hand when itrmations. comes dealing with surprising shutdown refibeen nement life lessons and affito But the most writer to pose this question varioustoreligious leaders: “Where @citylifemag // @amorebagstoronto //@fernandozerillo @dolcetweets @amorebagstoronto @citylifemag @amorebagstoronto @fernandozerillo regulations during this is pandemic. In9/11?” our cover story, share their feature of Th e Journeyman that it isasprinted on compostable paper thatof was God in moments such Given thethey recent state 14
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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 SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christina Ban SENIOR UI/UX DESIGNER Yena Yoo WEB DEVELOPER Jordan Carter JUNIOR UI/UX DESIGNER Maria Korolenko DIGITAL CONTENT DESIGNER Marco Schirripa
LIVE WELL. A HEALTHIER LIFE STARTS HERE. NatCan is a dynamic medical centre that is driven by a team of 15+ practitioners passionate about health promotion and illness prevention. We strive to provide a place where people come to gain an empowered perspective on health, and a proactive approach to living the best life. We welcome the opportunity to work with you. Naturopathic Medicine • Weight Loss • Osteopathy • Orthotics • Chiropractic Massage Therapy • Supplements • Vitamin Drip • Physiotherapy • Homeopathy Natural Fertility Support • Natural Skincare & Oxygeneo Facial and More!
E D ITO R IAL D E PARTM E NT FASHION & HOME DÉCOR EDITOR Michelle Zerillo-Sosa BEAUTY & WELLNESS EDITOR Angela Palmieri-Zerillo CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jan Jassen, Rick Muller, Donna Paris, Cece M. Scott, Myles Shane, Josh Walker, Estelle Zentil COPY EDITORS & PROOFREADERS Samantha Acker, Catharine Chen, Jennifer D. Foster, Nina Hoeschele, Rob Tilley
Dr. Sylvia Santos MBS, ND Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Clinic Director & Owner
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrew Eccles, Danielle Levitt, Jesse Milns, Aubrie Pick, Carlos A. Pinto, Robert Trachtenberg SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER & CONTENT CREATOR Reut Malca PR & EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Estelle Zentil VI D E O D E PARTM E NT VIDEOGRAPHERS Daniel Cooper, Carlos A. Pinto PUBLISHER
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City Life Magazine • Volume 19 • Issue 2 • May/June 2021 City Life Magazine is published 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 $60. We accept Visa, MC & AMEX. Send cheque or money order to Dolce Media Group, 111 Zenway Blvd., Suite 30, Vaughan, Ont., L4H 3H9 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40026675 All rights reserved. Any reproduction is strictly prohibited without written consent from the publishers.
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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: July/Aug 2021 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 26 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. ©2021 Dolce Media Group • www.dolcemedia.ca • Printed in Canada
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DESIGN NEWS
This summer’s agenda includes a lot of lounging, mixing up fresh cocktails, possibly starting new home renovations — and we’ve got everything here to get you started WRITTEN BY ESTELLE ZENTIL
LOUNGER LOVE Sleek, simple and with a boxy silhouette, this lounger’s frame and modern design makes it easy to follow the sun on a hot summer day by the pool. www.article.com
COOL COCKTAILS With cocktail mixer names, such as casa colada, hibiscus strawberry smash and grapefruit orange paloma, nothing screams summer like Casamigos’s craft cocktails. www.williams-sonoma.ca
BRAZILIAN BLOOMS Created by Josef Frank, a well-known Austrian architect of the 20th century, this vibrant upholstery fabric print showcases the diversity of the Brazilian rainforest, featuring a large liana among exotic fantasy flowers, breadfruit and cherimoya.
HEART OF THE HOME With clean lines, an all-white palette and conveniently hidden stools, this kitchen’s classic design will never go out of style, serving as the ideal gathering spot for guests. jacquelinerizekdesign.com
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PHOTO BY MARIA GALINATO
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MIDAS TOUCH With the touch of a button, Nespresso’s Vertuo coffee machine reads each capsule’s bar code, turning your coffee into liquid gold, unleashing the aromas, flavours and, most importantly, the crema. www.nespresso.com/ca
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DESIGN NEWS
SLUMBER IN STYLE Combining rustic character and industrial style with a dark metal framework, this bed from Pottery Barn’s Warren Collection pairs beautifully with other accessories in your bedroom that feature wood or metal elements. www.potterybarn.ca
SETTING YOURSELF APART As we find ourselves in the confines of our garden this summer, why not take advantage of the art of tablescaping? It will not only make any meal a special occasion, but will also cheer up your Instagram followers.
ACCENTS FOR EVERYONE With a plethora of swoonworthy décor options to jazz up your space, Black Rooster Decor won’t disappoint when it comes to elevating your space with fresh and exciting accent pieces.
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LEARNING TO GROW UP Get started on a planting project that will satisfy both you and your child’s creativity by placing scraps from cooking vegetables, like leeks, onions and Jerusalem artichokes, into KORKEN jars filled with water. www.ikea.ca
EASY SWATCH Benjamin Moore Colour trends for 2021 feature a range of relaxed nudes and Mediterranean hues that will easily complement an existing space in your home with minimal compromise. www.steelespaint.com
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FLEXIBLE LIVING
It takes courage to ditch a townhouse and convert a bus into an abode, but the reward is that every day can be an awesome adventure
LIVING OUTSIDE THE BOX 20
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Hannah and Ian Hernandez never wanted a big house. Instead, they’re living large — practically living off the grid in their schoolbus tiny home with their two kids, documenting their adventures on social media and inspiring others to get on board WRITTEN BY DONNA PARIS
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BUS LIFE
O
ne thing Hannah and Ian Hernandez figured out early on in their relationship is that they both like to travel. They started doing road trips whenever they got a chance, and even when they moved in together, they were always planning their next adventure, pitching their tent at campgrounds from the east coast to the west coast. “We always had a love for travel,” says Hannah. But pretty much everything they earned went into paying rent on their townhouse in Florida, and they weren’t as free as they wanted to be. They wanted more. So, the couple, who were married three years ago, started looking into alternatives, which led them to tiny living, which led them to converting a school bus into a tiny home. “When we first bought the bus, it wasn’t as common as it is now, so people were kind of thinking, ‘Oh, hippies living in a van’ kind of thing,” says Hannah. “But once it was done, people were like, ‘Yeah, I could live like this.’” Actually seeing the tiny home opened up people’s minds, she adds. Hannah and Ian have had some incredible adventures over the past few years, like going up to Niagara Falls, Ont. “It’s so much prettier on the Canadian side — the whole Niagara experience is one of my top five travel adventures,” she exclaims. And they can’t stop talking about Magnolia Beach in Texas, where they were able to pull the bus right up to the water and www.mycitylife.ca
camp for free. They’ve travelled on the bus for two years with their daughter, Nora, and they’ve welcomed a boy, Atlas, recently. Now they’re selling this tiny house, and they’ve bought a new one to convert.
We get a lot of messages from parents who are wanting to do something similar
“It was a really great travel vehicle . . . there are just certain things that we can’t go back and fix on the first bus,” says Ian. Things like extra room for more bunks when they grow their family, bigger water tanks and better insulation for travel in the cold or extreme desert heat. “Our whole thing is trying to reduce the amount of power and water that we use.” One thing this year has taught them is that they’ve learned to not take anything for granted. With the pandemic, it’s still a weird time, says
Hannah, and they’re living with family right now while they are converting the bus into a home. “It’s a good year to do our thing, because then, by the time we start having more babies, we’re not going to want to renovate again,” she says. “A lot of things fell into place, so we felt that if we were going to do it, we had to do it now.” When they started converting the first bus into a home, they really didn’t know what they were doing, says Hannah. But now, they’re more confident, helping and inspiring others by documenting life in a tiny house on social media, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, posting beautiful images, showing the conversion, exercise routines and sharing lots of good how-to info, too. “We get a lot of messages from parents who are wanting to do something similar, but they just don’t know where to start,” says Hannah. Both of them are happy to share tips that they’ve picked up, too, from how to use the picture method for downsizing by taking photos of sentimental items they don’t really need to hold onto anymore to scheduling regular cleanups to keep things organized. Another thing they’ve changed recently is to invest in fewer items of quality clothing that last longer, instead of buying multiple inexpensive items that have to be replaced more often. It’s a different kind of life, but one that suits this family perfectly. They love nothing more than attending May/June 2021
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Top: The couple are upgrading to a bigger bus, which means more room for the family. Top right: The refurbished bus has everything they need to go wherever they want. Bottom right: A full-size bed fits into a cosy space. Bottom: The couple love decorating with items they pick up on their travels
tiny house shows (well, not this year because of the pandemic, but hopefully those will get going again soon), where everyone meets up and they get to tour each other’s tiny homes. “We’ve made friendships and connected with so many people,” says Hannah. Right now, they have a spot where their bus is parked, about 20 minutes away, that they call home base. “It’s our own little place where we can feel like we’re on our own, but we’re close to family,” says Hannah. “It’s cool to 22
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have that opportunity to travel, or to be stationary if we need to, like during the beginning of the pandemic and while I was pregnant.” What’s coming down the pipeline? They have an Etsy shop, where they sell Bus Life T-shirts, and they’re hoping to expand. “We’re learning as we go, about being able to reduce debt and be debtfree and not have to stress so much about money,” says Ian. Hannah and Ian are both on the same page. Their goal has always been
to spend more time together as a family, even before they had kids, and that’s why they wanted to create this lifestyle, to make that possible. And they feel they can give their kids so much more because they’re able to provide them with so many adventures from their tiny house that they couldn’t have otherwise. “Happiness is just having your loved ones in a place that you love, too,” says Hannah. “So, for us, being able to have our family and our bus is happiness.” @hanzian_bus www.mycitylife.ca
All you need is Love and Paint
For all your paint and decorating needs, visit our 20,000-square-foot superstore. Consultations available. Call for details. www.mycitylife.ca
May/June 2021
CITY LIFE MAGAZINE
4190 Steeles Ave. W., Woodbridge, Ont. | 905-850-4040 | www.steelespaint.com
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With his 35 years of real estate experience, Tony Bova possesses the skill and knowledge to stand at the top of his industry
TEAM 2000 REALTY INC. BROKERAGE BRINGING WHITE-GLOVE SERVICE AND EXPERTISE TO NEW RESIDENTIAL HOMES Offering the industry’s most sophisticated sales and marketing strategies to new home and condo clients has made Team 2000 a success throughout the GTA and the Golden Horseshoe
E
xpertise seems to have become a word thrown about somewhat easily these days – especially in our nanosecond world where “tradition” passes for anything extending beyond a best-before date. But real expertise is much more and much 24
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deeper, and acquiring it does not come easily. It takes time, effort, hard work, passion, dedication, skill and knowledge to develop expertise in any chosen field. These are all attributes Tony Bova and his team at the Team 2000 Realty Inc. Brokerage in Vaughan, Ont., have in
abundance when it comes to the selling and marketing of new homes and condos in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and throughout the Golden Horseshoe. It helps that real estate is in Tony Bova’s DNA. His father, Domenic Bova Sr., was a top Realtor® for more than 40 years, a multiple award-winner. Tony followed in his father’s footsteps and, while he started in resales 35 years ago, he was soon given the opportunity to transfer to new homes, where he started as a new home real estate brokerage. He was able to identify a need in the marketplace for what he had to offer as an individual. “I really felt I knew what I was talking about, and builder/developers were comfortable with my abilities to take things to the next level,” says Tony, in recalling his early years in the business. “That’s where I found my niche to build my own brokerage based upon the newhome expertise I had developed. I started to train my staff on how to sell and market new homes. From that, I developed what I am today — a specialist in the selling and marketing of new homes and condos across the GTA and the Golden Horseshoe.” The mission of Team 2000 is to provide its clients with a comprehensive approach to the sales and marketing of residential properties, and this comes from a team of motivated specialists who are committed and focused to consistently deliver superior results. The company’s slogan is “Together, everyone achieves more, (TEAM).” “As a new-home sales and marketing specialist, the more confident you are with your product and what you’re selling, the more confident you’ll be in explaining it to your client,” says Tony. “And the only way you can properly and accurately answer all of your client’s questions is to understand the process and understand your product.” Rising to become one of the leading independent sales reps and marketers of new homes in southern Ontario is the result of Team 2000’s focus on building relationships and keeping them, thinking long term and also delivering on the superior results their clients demand through some of the most sophisticated and innovative sales and marketing strategies in the industry. www.mycitylife.ca
PHOTOS BY CARLOS A. PINTO
A DV E R TO R I A L
And the results show this strategy has worked. Over its decades in business, Team 2000 Realty Inc. Brokerage has sold more than 25,000 homes and worked with more than 30 builders/developers at more than 250 different projects across southern Ontario. That is reach, that is reputation, and those are results. As a group of expedient and professional experts, Team 2000 has a reputation of getting top dollar for its clients and outperforming the marketplace, not only through its knowledge, hard work and dedication, but also because of the suite of services it offers its clients across the full range of the real estate industry. With its knowledge of lands inside and outside the GTA, coupled with its networks across Ontario, Team 2000 does the required research, due diligence and legwork to assemble a list of prime properties available for the consideration of builders and developers. And once the purchaser has selected the best for its needs, Team 2000 can help them broker the best deal to make it a reality. Understanding the marketplace for a new home development and designing it to fit the target market is another skill Team 2000 brings to its clients. By working alongside architectural teams, Team 2000 lends its expertise and taste in interior design, providing the research and recommendations in selecting the right style, features and finishes to appeal to today’s buyers. This has become especially necessary today with the new emphasis on home offices, smart-home technologies and the new emphasis on transitional space required for the emerging work-at-home realities. We may be working at home, but at certain points in our 24-hour day, we don’t want to live where we work. Beyond just the crucial behindthe-scenes necessities, such as land acquisition and product design, Team 2000 is also front and centre when it comes to assisting clients with strategic marketing and, ultimately, the end game of turning land, product design and marketing into sales. Team 2000 can set up a builder’s/ developer’s sales office by staffing it with the ideal, customer-driven and results-oriented sales team schooled in www.mycitylife.ca
From left: Carla Monteiro, office manager; Tony Bova, broker of record; Monica Gisone, sales assisstant; Stefanie Cooper, sales and marketing director; Lino Liberatore, vice-president of sales; Cynthia Gisone, sales administrator
customer service. They also work with inhouse marketing teams or ad agencies to develop the correctly targeted themes, advertising and promotional campaigns for any project. As always, and for every project, the goal is to achieve the client’s sales goals as quickly and as efficiently as possible. “We help developers and builders develop a marketing theme, community presence and branding, and then we bring in our sales team to get the sales,” says Tony. “We put the builders and developers of new homes and condos together with the end-users — the buyers. And we deal with first-time buyers, moveup buyers, empty-nesters and investors.” Dealing with both builders/developers and the end-users can sometimes be a delicate balance; however, Team 2000 has that necessary expertise to make results happen for both parties. While some in real estate have lamented the move to the new reality of structured, appointment-only business because of the pandemic, here, once again, Team 2000 was already ahead of the curve. “Even prior to COVID-19, Team 2000 was the leaders in private appointments,” says Tony. “Something I developed a few
years ago where we started promoting projects by appointment only. It made us very exclusive, and we were able to spend more one-on-one time with each client. We created white-glove service, and so when the COVID pandemic came, we were already prepared. And we not only offer that white-glove service to our builder clients, but also to all of our end-user clients.” Tony’s No. 1 recommendation regarding real estate is simple. “Buy now and buy new. Real estate always goes up.” Thirty-five years in real estate is a long time. But it’s the only way to acquire the skills, knowledge, insight and acumen needed to succeed for your clients, as this is an industry where shortcuts cannot be taken. And those years are the only way Tony Bova and Team 2000 Realty Inc. have developed that irreplaceable expertise needed to reach and thrive at top of the industry.
7611 Pine Valley Dr. Suite #38, Vaughan, Ont. 416-746-2999 www.team2000realty.com
May/June 2021
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Community
ITALIAN COMMUNITY HUB VILLA CHARITIES CELEBRATES ITS 50TH
ANNIVERSARY
Acting president and CEO of Villa Charities Marco DeVuono shares his connection to the community hub with a vision of inspiring people to explore the Italian in all of us
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lluminated with green, white and red lights on April 15, 2021, the CN Tower, a building that defines Toronto’s skyline, was lit in commemoration of Villa Charities’s 50th anniversary, signifying the organization’s importance as a pillar for the Greater Toronto Area’s ItalianCanadian community. For many, the symbolism behind the colours that mark the Italian flag represents more than just exceptional food staples, such as spaghetti bolognese, exotic cars, high-fashion ateliers or its boot-shaped geography. Rather, it symbolizes a deep-rooted appreciation for history, family and tradition. For Marco DeVuono, acting president and CEO of Villa Charities Inc., the light show commemoration was not lost on him, nor was the impact it had on the Italian-Canadian community. “This Toronto beacon, when it was lit up in the Italian colours, it honoured all Italian immigrants and was a moment of great pride for Italian-Canadians. That iconic landmark recognizes the contributions that Italian immigrants did for the city and, most likely, for the tower itself — a lot of them built that tower. They saw those colours, saw that symbol, [and] it reminded them of the
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work that they did to help build the city and the country.” In fact, the City of Toronto was built by many Europeans who immigrated to the city with an abundance of hope in search of a new life. As more and more Italians emigrated from Italy to Toronto between the 1950s and 1970s, the first-generation Italian-Canadian community grew its culture and roots across the city, significantly contributing to the building of the nation. Founded in 1971, the Italian Canadian Benevolent Corporation (changed to Villa Charities in 1995) was originally founded by Italian men and women with the dream to provide elderly Italians in their community with affordable, high-quality, culturally sensitive long-term care. “They wanted to build something where they were familiar — where the culture was the same, the food was the same, everybody spoke the same language — so they came together to do that. Since then, Villa Charities has grown significantly, and we’ve grown to become a leading provider of cultural, educational, health and wellness programs, child care and event-planning services, and we’re also a property manager with housing for independent seniors in our three apartment buildings. Nevertheless,
to this day, we remain true to our mission, and we want to enrich lives through experiences and services that honour Italian culture and heritage,” says DeVuono. Growing up in the community himself, DeVuono says Villa Charities played a big role in who he is today. “I grew up and went to high school in the community, I worked out at the Columbus Centre Athletic Club. My grandmother was a resident at the senior apartment building here. I would come to visit her, and we would come outside and have a coffee and a sandwich, and when she went into Villa Colombo and then, well, she passed away. My wife has a similar story. As I got older, we got married, my kids came to camp here, and we had their baptism and communion parties here. I volunteered to do tax returns at Villa Colombo Vaughan, so I’ve just grown up with the place. I have a lot of personal connection to the organization.” For 50 years, Villa Charities has provided cultural and educational programs that offer a broad range of activities, services and facilities managed by its affiliate organizations, like the Columbus Centre, Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, Villa Colombo Toronto, Villa Colombo Vaughan, as www.mycitylife.ca
PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO
WRITTEN BY ESTELLE ZENTIL
DeVuono pictured at the Columbus Centre, a centre that played an integral role in his life growing up
www.mycitylife.ca
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well as apartments for independent seniors: Caboto Terrace, Casa Del Zotto and Casa Abruzzo. Partnering with both Italian and non-Italian organizations, Villa Charities continues to expand its vision of “inspiring people to explore the Italian in all of us.” Says DeVuono: “Our role is to keep those traditions and heritage alive by bringing to life our mission of enriching lives through experiences and services that honour Italian culture and heritage. We continue to expand our partnerships with affiliations and organizations that align with our vision, mission and values. For example, we partnered with Eataly, The Food Dudes. We’ve broadened tenants into the Columbus Centre, such as TLN Media Group, the Leonardo Da Vinci Academy of Arts & Sciences, and the Academy of Realist Art. Partnering with these affiliates and these organizations with like-minded values and heritage and culture, we continue to promote our culture and heritage as well. I think we’re the heart and soul of Italian-Canadian culture, and it’s reinforced by our vision and mission.” Since its fruition, Villa Charities has been hosting a number of cultural events, including its annual cycling fundraiser Giro, an ode to the Giro d’Italia threeweek-long Grand Tour, the Italian equivalent of the Tour de France. In addition to its annual fundraiser, Villa Charities has hosted Cultural Tuesdays, a series of illustrative talks designed to engage the community every Tuesday on a wide range of topics, from culture, lifestyle, history, cuisine and art, and has featured renowned Italian personalities to host events, including Lidia Bastianich, David Rocco and current Alfa Romeo Formula 1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi. For second- and thirdgeneration Italian-Canadians looking to learn or improve their linguistic skills, Villa Charities offers workshops where they can learn and practise Italian in a relaxed atmosphere outside of a traditional classroom. As we approach the summer, June is of particular importance for the Italian community hub because it marks Italian heritage month. Pre-COVID-19, Villa Charities would host a number of events 28
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I have an opendoor policy. I want to connect with the community and hear what they have to say and just reestablish those connections with the community showcasing the best of Italian culture, heritage and cuisine at the Columbus Centre. Although these events can’t be celebrated to their full potential due to the current obstacles presented by the pandemic, Villa Charities’s focus has been committed to the safety and well-being of the seniors living in the apartment buildings. It has been offering many support programs and services, including free pre-packaged meals, personal safety items, weekly outdoor musical performances by local Italian-Canadian musicians, outdoor prayer services and weekly fitness classes. “It was quite a sight when they did the fitness class, and you’d see the seniors come out on their balconies, moving their arms and doing jumping jacks with the instructors. Honestly, it was really moving and something that we were really proud to be a part of,” says DeVuono. In response to COVID-19, Villa Charities also brought back some staff who were laid off due to the pandemic and created a dedicated senior support team that would call the residents in the apartment building to ask about their health, provide emotional support and assist them with essential needs.
With a deep appreciation for his vibrant community and his personal connection to his work, DeVuono is there for his community. “I want to establish a close connection with the community. I want them to know that they can come to me and share whatever they want to and discuss with me. I have an open-door policy. I want to connect with the community and hear what they have to say and just re-establish those connections with the community.” Growing up with a community DeVuono could lean on and learn from is just one of many beautiful representations of the impact that Villa Charities has had on the lives of Italian-Canadians. This influence is a testament to how culture can live on through people who engage and express curiosity and interest in their heritage or outside of their own culture. “You don’t have to be Italian to appreciate a lot of the Italian things. If we can keep our traditions and heritage alive, which is what we’re trying to do, we think we will engage second, third and other ethnic groups to enjoy some of these things as well,” he says. Based on the vision Italian men and women had a half-century ago, the Italian community hub is continuing its legacy on the idea that looking after our elders and honouring our culture are lifelong commitments that undoubtedly add beauty, pride and fulfilment into our lives. While the modern world of globalization makes preserving culture seem like an intangible feat, Villa Charities is creating an intellectual infrastructure that, in a way, will outlive any physical building or structure and be passed down to future generations. “We will continue to serve as a destination not only for the multi-generational Italian community, but also the vibrant, broader multicultural community seeking to explore and experience the Italian culture and heritage. We can’t just stand still; we have to adapt and evolve because the world is changing, and we have to change with it,” says DeVuono. www.villacharities.com @villa_charities www.mycitylife.ca
A DV E R TO R I A L
KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY B.J.S. Meats is more than a butcher. It’s a business founded on family values, attention to detail and exceptional product
PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO
F
or years, B.J.S. Meats provided high-quality cuts to top-tier restaurants, banquet halls, hotels and golf courses. With the pandemic, that all changed. But rather than let the closing of their clients’ businesses overwhelm them, B.J.S. Meats innovated and started offering home delivery. “We started cutting high-quality steaks, chicken, lamb, pork and individually vacuum-packed everything, so it’s easy and convenient to use at home,” says Stefano Parisi, owner of B.J.S. Meats. “We put out restaurant-quality products, but delivered them to homes.” The response? Overwhelming. “We get endless emails of compliments and
www.mycitylife.ca
positive feedback,” he continues. “The true test for me is word of mouth, and we’ve had droves of families get in touch. One family member gives us a chance, and within a couple of weeks we had cousins, uncles, grandparents contacting us.” As a business, B.J.S. Meats isn’t just steeped in pride, but also family history. Founded by his father after he immigrated to Canada in 1984, B.J.S. represents the names of Stefano’s father and brothers. It’s a history so important that, when Stefano took sole ownership of the company in 2014, he kept the name but redesigned the logo to feature his father’s face. That attention to detail underpins everything B.J.S. Meats stands for, from the meat quality to the employees to the packaging and customer service. Even now, as well as using local meat and being Foodland Ontario-certified, Stefano is constantly looking at how he
can improve the business and become more sustainable. It’s not just the home-delivery aspect that’s new, either. Inspired by a running family joke with his father that one day they’ll have their own burger line, the pandemic saw B.J.S. Meats launch the Bengus Burger, a play on the words Ben, his father’s name, and Angus beef. A mixture of chuck and brisket, the burgers contain no preservatives, are gluten-free and have, alongside their handmade sausages, become bestsellers. “At the end of the day, it’s all in that logo,” Stefano continues. “It’s my father’s face there and the names of my siblings who were involved. Canada’s given us an opportunity to build this business, and I want to be able to share what I put on my table with every one of my customers.” 133 Milvan Dr., North York, Ont. | 416-763-4703 sales@bjsmeats.com | Check us out on Instagram @b.j.s_meats
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STALLION FINANCIAL MERGES WITH NICOLA WEALTH:
A customer-first approach to wealth management will ensure clients thrive in the merger of Nicola Wealth and Stallion Financial
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he acquisition and preservation of wealth is a personal undertaking. During quiet moments in the car or sipping coffee on a Sunday morning, financial security seems to raise its tentacles, looking for assurance, clarity, comfort and the confidence that you are doing the right thing for you and your family. The acquisition, preservation and growth of wealth can be a lifelong quest for the right partner. Two top financial advisory firms, Nicola Wealth and Stallion Financial, recently joined forces to become an even stronger partner in achieving their clients’ financial goals and to secure that most important asset — financial peace of mind. “Many would describe wealth as a 30
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dollar figure, but that is just the table stakes,” says Rob Valenzano, who founded Stallion Financial and is a key architect of the merger with Nicola Wealth going forward. “I would describe wealth as the ability to choose how you spend your time and money. It is freedom and the ability to live a life based upon what is meaningful to you. Our mission goes beyond just wealth and is more than just money. We make sure our clients’ money has purpose and is in sync with what happiness means to them.” In its history of serving the Vaughan, Ont., community, business owners and families across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Stallion Financial has earned a reputation for the highest standards of personalized service, unparalleled
Stallion’s Rob Valenzano sees the merger with Nicola Wealth providing great value for his clients
business acumen and best-in-class advice. In joining Nicola Wealth, Stallion knew it was joining a company that shared its values and whose passion for client service in delivering a planning-first approach matched its own. “Both Stallion and Nicola Wealth are very entrepreneurial, and our talks started in May 2019,” says Valenzano. “They are headquartered in Vancouver and enjoying great growth and were looking for a strategic partner in the GTA with exceptionally strong roots. We both offer a great client experience because we’re both client-centric. We’re now fortunate enough to merge with Nicola Wealth, which is at the pinnacle of that client experience, and this will elevate the experience.” “We are delighted to welcome Stallion Financial to the Nicola Wealth family and have a second office in the Greater Toronto Area. Rob and the Stallion team have a remarkable reputation with their clients who, we feel, will be pleased with our financial planning and diversified investment platform,” explains David Sung, president of Nicola Wealth. “Together, we can offer highnet-worth families and business owners the comprehensive plans they need to navigate their complex needs.” For clients of Stallion, the merger with Nicola Wealth means they are now part of one of Canada’s premier independent wealth management companies recognized for its remarkable consistency and stability regarding portfolio performance. They have earned the Gold Standing as one of Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies in Canada. With this comes an impressive suite of services and depth of expertise that opens additional tools and opportunities in supporting Stallion’s long-term goal of building and preserving family wealth. “There are a number of unique benefits this partnership brings to Stallion’s clients,” says Valenzano. “One of them is Nicola Wealth’s hard-asset real estate portfolio, led by in-house experts who seek out cash-flowing investments across North America. As a Nicola Wealth client, you get the benefit of owning real www.mycitylife.ca
PHOTOS BY CARLOS A. PINTO
A DV E R TO R I A L
In its history of serving the Vaughan community, the Stallion Financial team has earned a reputation for outstanding customer service From left: Angelo Pierro, Josie Cantatore, Robert Valenzano, Andrea Vincenzi, Nadia Valenzano, Michael Viola, Linda Iacucci
estate, in a diversified portfolio, which is expensive and difficult to do as an individual investor. Another key benefit is that Nicola Wealth has developed a team of talented asset managers who focus exclusively on acquiring private assets. By sourcing institutional-grade investments that are not correlated to the stock markets, Nicola is able to mitigate volatility while giving our clients access to often inaccessible opportunities.” Before the merger, Stallion Financial had a bench strength of 10 team members, but now it has more than 250 advisors and support staff to better serve its clients. “We both take a comprehensive and integrated approach to planning with investment choices beyond just stocks and bonds,” says Valenzano. “We have a minimum of two advisors and one associate on every client file, and, by doing this, no planning opportunity or idea gets past us. It’s the collaboration of all of the advisors from coast to coast which is the magical ingredient, allowing a pure sharing of knowledge or ideas relating to products or strategies in the industry.” In its customer-first approach, Stallion has had a special knack for extracting both the hard and soft data from their clients, www.mycitylife.ca
SUCCESS IS HAVING A COMFORTABLE, CONFIDENT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CLIENT TO GIVE THEM PEACE OF MIND AND KNOW WE HAVE MITIGATED THE RISK, SO THEIR FAMILIES ARE LOOKED AFTER which it will bring to Nicola Wealth. The hard data is all the information about businesses and probing to ensure its accurate, while the soft data is the understanding of the intricacies of the business and personal lives, hopes and dreams. This is the way Stallion has always measured success. “Success is having a comfortable, confident relationship with the client to give them peace of mind and know we have mitigated the risk, so their families are looked after,” says Valenzano. “In
creating a plan, it’s important to help them think bigger and dream bigger, and we embrace that challenge, so they know we are the real deal and have their backs in every aspect of their business and personal life.” The community-focused approach of Stallion will continue in Vaughan, as it has been an active fundraiser for more than 10 years. This year, Nicola Wealth has stepped up to sponsor a cycling team with Stallion in the seventh annual Ride for Mackenzie Health on Sunday, June 6th. Nicola Wealth, now enhanced by the additional expertise of Stallion Financial, provides the clarity, insight, guidance and advice necessary to be partners in their clients’ performance in achieving financial goals, while providing the wise disciplines required to supply clients with the assurance and confidence in the management of their wealth for today and tomorrow. STALLION FINANCIAL INC. 240 Chrislea Rd., Suite 125, Woodbridge, Ont. 416-823-9223 stallionfinancial.ca NICOLA WEALTH Suite 1610 North Tower, 175 Bloor St. E., Toronto, Ont. 416-519-7222 nicolawealth.com
May/June 2021
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THE VINCENT
• ADVERTORIAL
Vaughan’s Renaissance begins with The Vincent Growth is coming to Vaughan at an ambitious pace, launching the city into the future as a vibrant urban community. At the heart of it all is the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre - a fast-growing business district transforming Highway 7 & Jane into a dynamic downtown core. One of the key enhancements is an inspiring high rise condominium with artfully-designed lifestyle amenities. The name is Vincent. The Vincent. Joining the region’s invigorated city centre, The Vincent reflects the ambitious vision that is shaking the VMC.
Vaughan has put a growth plan in place that displays the vision
connecting Vaughan with Toronto for the most efficient
and energy of a world-class city. In the next several years, the
commuting for work, study, or leisure. A direct subway line
VMC is expected to see 750,000 sq.ft. of new retail to bring
whisks students off to York University in just 10 minutes, and
some of the hottest brands into the city. Over 1.5 million sq.ft. of
continues on to downtown Toronto. TTC, VIVA, Zum, YRT,
brand new Class A office space will introduce 11,500 new jobs
and GO all convene at the VMC, creating the most convenient
to the neighbourhood. The city is planning 28 acres of brand
travel around.
new parkland to promote wellness and sustainability. Each of these investments will open doors to new opportunities every
The urban energy is growing by the day. Trendy shopping
single day.
and high-class eats are everywhere. Transit access has never been easier. Arts. Culture. Education. Health. Every element of
How does the city support such rapid growth? Easy. It starts
urban living is flocking to the city, creating the perfect urban
with transit. The VMC is home to a high-velocity transit hub,
playground for every vibrant lifestyle.
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www.mycitylife.ca
Rising above the VMC is The Vincent - a stunning new residence that will stop you in your tracks. A towering monument to contemporary design and unforgettable style, The Vincent Condos features striking architecture that defines the Vaughan skyline. Luxury, style, and wellbeing are all at the forefront of The Vincent’s design. From top to bottom, it is designed to inspire the mind, body, and soul with a variety of hotel-style amenities to enhance your way of living.
Luxury living takes on new meaning when you live at The Vincent. A stunning collection of quality suites with fashion-forward designs brings a high level of individuality into your home. Open concept floor plans embrace modern living with spacious balconies to maximize the impeccable use of space and offer panoramic views of the Vaughan skyline. Contemporary finishes of the highest quality ensures that every home has a high degree of polish and perfection. This is a home you’ll be proud to call your own.
As Vaughan changes the focus of the GTA, this growing centre of culture, finance, and energy is positioned to become the fastest-growing city in the region. Each aspect of this extraordinary urban centre is reflected and refined by The Vincent, which will kick off the growth of Vaughan’s downtown core with its invigorating The moment you set foot inside the lobby, you escape the buzz of city living to an urban oasis where your welcoming,
launch this summer. It’s almost here, and it’s changing the VMC.
professional Concierge is always prepared to offer assistance. A chic bar and lounge area offers all the benefits of getting drinks with friends without needing to leave home. To stay active, simply take the elevator up to the state-of-the-art Fitness Centre where you’ll find a wide variety of equipment waiting for you, or visit the Yoga Studio to find balance in the bright sunlight. A Party Room, a Pet Spa, a Children’s Playground, Golf Simulator; the list goes on. Every day at The Vincent brings endless opportunities.
At the peak of The Vincent’s unforgettable amenities is the expansive third floor outdoor patio. Stunning vistas of Vaughan’s skyline are the perfect backdrop to any sunny afternoon, complemented by lush landscaping to create a relaxing haven in the sky. Swim or lounge by the sparkling 60’ long outdoor pool, lined with shady gazebos for privacy. Host the best BBQ of the season and enjoy your meal al fresco before retiring to the fire pits for a cozy evening under the stars. All the benefits of outdoor living with none of the maintenance. That is the essence of the Vincent lifestyle.
D E V E LO P M E N T T E A M
Register now for insider information.
T H E V I NC E N T.C A *Prices and specifications are subject to change without notice. Illustrations are artist’s concept only. E.&O.E.
www.mycitylife.ca
May/June 2021
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Destined to design
THROUGH NAZZICONE’S
LENS
Marla Nazzicone has always known she was destined to become an interior designer. After receiving her degree from Ryerson University, Nazzicone started her own design business, which, to this day, continues to thrive artistically and financially, even in the face of COVID-19
S
he’s known since elementary school that her life was all about interior design. Marla Nazzicone had it all figured out before most us could tell time. “I went to an arts elementary school. It was called St. Michael’s Academy, in Thornhill, Ont., and I think that’s kind of where I fell in love with visual art.” The girl destined to be an interior designer grew up in Richmond Hill, Ont., and has always been fascinated with luxury 34
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real estate. In fact, Nazzicone used to check out open houses on the weekends with her mother for fun. “I remember critiquing the houses secretly, and this is where my love for residential design was sparked. I think completing a space is more satisfying than finishing a painting because it’s really a piece of art that you interact with, and it impacts the way people live.” After high school, Nazzicone continued her design journey, attending Ryerson
University. “I think my background at Ryerson gave me really strong technical skills. It gave me all the tools necessary to execute my design visions properly.” Nazzicone is of the firm belief that attending design school was integral for helping her stand out as a young designer in such a competitive industry.
Fashion and Style
When describing her own personal style, Nazzicone’s the type of person who www.mycitylife.ca
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARLA NAZZICONE
INTERVIEW BY ESTELLE ZENTIL | WRITTEN BY MYLES SHANE
PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO
Nazzicone becomes the focal point of a recent design she’s created
wants others to see her as glamorous, sometimes over-the-top, but essentially always comfortable. “I love to make a statement, whether it’s through jewelry or a pair of shoes or hair.” In terms of her designs, she always likes to have a focal point and a wow factor. “I like something that’s close to being over the top, but in a very elegant way.” Perhaps the biggest influence on Nazzicone’s designs is fashion. “I try to think of interior spaces as being tailored like a custom outfit would be. I think fashion influences how you feel inside and out. I think fashion really impacts how you feel internally, and it can give a strong and immediate sense www.mycitylife.ca
I think completing a space is more satisfying than finishing a painting because it’s really a piece of art that you interact with, and it impacts the way people live
of personality.” For Nazzicone, it’s important to feel a sense of someone’s personality throughout their home.
Skills versus Talent
Marla believes interior design is 90 per cent talent and 10 per cent technical skills. “The technical design and construction knowledge can be taught in school; however, the way each person interprets a space through their own visual lens is completely different.” She is of the opinion that, in order to be a good interior designer, you need a great imagination. “I think you need to be an artist to an extent to create beautiful compositions in a home.” May/June 2021
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Nazzicone’s designs are the ideal combination of elegance and functionality
For every interior designer, the process of creating varies. Nazzicone has broken it down into three stages. “First, I sit down with my clients anywhere from an hour to five hours and I try to dissect their needs and wishes for their home, as well as their esthetic needs.” During step two, Nazzicone works behind the scenes by herself and develops the design. In step three, she shares with the clients the vision that she has conjured and then together they work to tweak it. Next, once the package has been fully designed, Nazzicone calls in the contractors.
Mom
Throughout Nazzicone’s life, she’s had various mentors and role models. One of the most influential people has been her mother, who has, according to Nazzicone, an incredible design style. As well, Nazzicone got many internships while studying at Ryerson and named Lois Macaulay in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood as one of her mentors. “She was like a future me, in a way.” One of Nazzicone’s favourite projects was a custom home in Oakville, Ont. 36
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“I had to create a new design style. The husband was modern and minimalist, while the wife was traditional, so I had to think outside the box.” She achieved the couple’s goal by taking the extremely modern house with floor-to-ceiling windows and creating a ceiling plastermoulding profile that would still look modern, but dressed up the space in a traditional way. One of the most frustrating aspects of the profession for Nazzicone is when people want to simply play it safe. Conversely, the most rewarding part of the job is “a space coming together, and a client truly being happy about it. Capturing someone’s personality and style through my lens is very rewarding.”
COVID-19
COVID-19 has been an exceedingly challenging time for interior designers. “I’ve learned that human interaction is extremely important. It doesn’t matter what platform you use. There’s nothing like being hands-on. You need to touch materials and be together.” Interestingly, Nazzicone says people are investing more money into their homes during
COVID-19 because they are spending more time in their houses. Subsequently, interior designers have been busier than ever. “I’m grateful this has been one of the outcomes of this horrible virus. People are really realizing how important their homes are.” In fact, Nazzicone indicated renovations have gone through the roof — no pun intended. Construction is booming, and investing money in your home has become more important than ever. For people looking to become interior designers, Nazzicone says that “you need to have an open mind, an unbiased vision, love working with people and have excellent interpersonal skills.” You need to be open to listening and understanding what people need. Communication is everything in this industry. Where does Nazzicone see her company in five years? “Expanded. I have a strong vision. I hope to be able to take on more and even larger-scale projects. I see a focused expansion.” mndesign.ca @marlanazzicone www.mycitylife.ca
Music Shaw is currently working on a new album set to release this summer
TYLER SHAW:
The Canadian artist discusses his new single, “North Star,” growing up on Rage Against The Machine and becoming a father during the pandemic
PHOTO BY YOUNG ASTRONAUTS
‘IT’S ABOUT HAVING THAT ONE THING YOU CAN DEPEND ON’ INTERVIEW BY ESTELLE ZENTIL WRITTEN BY JOSH WALKER
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F
rom the small town of Coquitlam in British Columbia, Tyler Shaw had a childhood filled with soccer and music. With a mother who plays piano and a brother who joined the school band, musical instruments were always close by. Inspired, he dived into drums and taught himself guitar, bass and piano. Fast-forward to today, and Shaw is set to release his third LP and has collaborated with the likes of Avril Lavigne, Justin Bieber, toured with Selena Gomez and opened events for Shawn Mendes. While the music he creates now could be called infectious pop, Shaw’s teenage years were spent listening to Metallica, Rage Against The Machine and Tool. “That music really resonated with me at the time. That’s when I created a band and started to write songs like that,” he says. “Then I guess I fell in love or what I thought was love at the time, picked up the acoustic guitar and started writing love songs.” It’s something he calls a “whole shift in my songwriting process,” and kick-started a period of experimentation with different melodies, both vocally and instrumentally. Today, his music taste is a little different. When asked what his top three songs are, he says Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” and Michael Bublé’s “Everything.” It’s a fusion of all of these past and present inspirations that come together in his latest single, “North Star.” Described as up-tempo pop-rock, Shaw says it’s accompanied by the favourite music video he’s filmed to date and stands a little closer to the music he grew up with. “This is more rock and roll, which I’ve always loved,” he continues. “I’m really happy with the song and video.” Written in Toronto with Nate Ferrero, Mike Sonier and produced by longtime collaborator Alex ‘Pilz’ Vujic, “North Star” started on piano before being “flipped upside down” in the studio. “It’s about having that one thing you can depend on,” he shares. “You
To date, Shaw has collaborated with artists including Avril Lavigne and toured with Selena Gomez
living and spend every waking minute thinking about it, you start to dissect songs,” he continues. “You start to listen to the beat, the groove, what sounds they’re using. It’s fascinating, but something that can get in the way of purely listening to music. That’s why I tend to not listen to pop, but rather low-fi, classical or jazz. Something that’s completely different that I’m not doing every day.” When the pandemic hit, Shaw had just returned from a writing trip in the U.K. and was about to set off to Los Angeles. COVID-19 completely reworked his sense of normality and introduced a period of selfreflection, but it also brought some defining moments. This summer, he’s due to release a new album he’s been working on. In December, he also became a father. “You don’t know until you’re a parent what kind of love it is, but when [my wife] Alex told me we were expecting, I had a realization or epiphany that I have to be the best version of myself and make the world the best version I can for this human. I’ve got to be on my A-game, and that had a big shift in the way I thought about different things, including music.” By nature, Shaw is a person invested in making the world a better place. With a father from Hong Kong, he’s passionate about doing his part to stop Asian hate. “I don’t want my daughter growing up being embarrassed of who she is, so that’s a big inspiration and factor. You should be proud of who you are and you should not be hating on other cultures because they’re different.” After so much time at home, Shaw’s itching to travel and start playing his music in other countries. Above all, he wants his music to be “timeless,” something someone continues to love over the years. “It’s an ongoing highlight reel,” he says, after being asked about his most career-defining moments to date. “If I could snapshot the growth over nine years, that would be the highlight.”
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look up to the sky and see the North Star. It’s always there.” Shaw’s creative process is one led by feeling and intuition. “I let the music dictate what I’ll be talking about and what the melodies are,” he explains. “I start by just jamming on the piano or playing something on guitar and almost subconsciously zone out until something stands out in my consciousness.” After that, he’ll start jamming on that more and singing different melodies. “A random word will come out of my mouth and that will become the title of the song. That’s not always the case, but it’s usually how it goes.” Being so involved in the production and intricacies of music means Shaw hears songs as a musician. It’s something that comes as a blessing, but also, at times, calls for something different. “When you do this for a
www.tylershawmusic.com @tylershawmusic www.mycitylife.ca
PHOTO COURTESY OF SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT CANADA
If I could snapshot the growth over nine years, that would be the highlight
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art
MIMMO BARONELLO: ‘WITHOUT EMPATHY,
WE’VE LOST HUMANITY’ Meet the Sicilian artist using iconography of the past to provide a commentary about our present and possible futures INTERVIEW BY ESTELLE ZENTIL | WRITTEN BY JOSH WALKER
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he longer you look at a piece of Mimmo Baronello’s work, the more you’ll discover. Where a first glance might offer a heron, painted in stunning detail, a closer look will reveal the pile of empty tins it’s standing on, the lid gripped in its mouth or the egg levitating above its head, embraced in a branching crown. Conversations with the artist are much the same. The more you speak with Baronello, the more you uncover and the more connected to the art you feel. His work is a style he describes as “mannerism with a pop-baroque injection,” and takes inspiration from the approach of the Renaissance period. Growing up in a small town in southwestern Sicily, Italy, Baronello saw the world through the lens of the beautiful architecture and culture that surrounded him. It’s here that his affinity with the art world began. “You assume that every child grew up with 2,500 years of history around them,” he says. “You don’t know until you travel that you grew up in one of the most cultural islands in the world. You know it’s beautiful, but you assume everybody grew up with the Greek theatre, Roman villa and baroque churches.” From Sicily, Baronello moved
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across the country and even the world, working in Milan, Rome and New York, creating pieces that spanned film, fashion and art direction. In 1998, he settled in Canada. He’s the youngest of three, says he can’t live
You know it’s beautiful, but you assume everybody grew up with the Greek theatre, Roman villa and baroque churches without art, books and nature, and has huge admiration for empathy. As he says, “Without empathy, we’ve lost humanity.” While most of his work has been centred on design, six years ago, he switched to focus more on painting. It was a decision he made after his mother sadly passed away. “She always
said, ‘Why do you always please other people with your talent? You know you want to be a painter. You have to be what you want to be,’” he shares. “So, I made a promise to her that I would try, and for the last six years, I’ve dedicated myself to painting. I was a designer who could do art, but now I’m an artist who can do design.” Take a look at his portfolio and you’ll see how much work Baronello has created. Each is individual, laden with inspirations from his upbringing and symbolism that speaks of deeper meaning. “Coming from a town with more than 10 churches, my love for decoration and symbols came from when I was a child,” he explains. “You are in these palaces, and every painting looks beautiful, but when you take a second look, you discover the symbolism. When you study the Renaissance style up until the 1800s, you realize nothing is casual. If there’s a flower in hand, the flower means something. The colour means something. It becomes a language.” Armed with this insight alone, you’ll start to look differently at Baronello’s work. You’ll see the egg making an appearance over and over, symbolic of life reborn. You’ll see acorns that speak of knowledge. You might also see bay www.mycitylife.ca
PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO
Baronello grew up in a small town in southwestern Sicily and describes his art style as “mannerism with a pop-baroque injection”
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A DV E R TO R I A L
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JP CASTILLO’S MAJESTIC STRENGTH PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO
leaves, a symbol associated with the Roman god, Apollo. For all the symbolism and meaning that drape these paintings, there is one thing that ties everything together and an overarching theme Baronello is exploring. “The underlying message is our relationship with the environment, from our food to the air we breathe and the lifestyle we lead,” he says. For this reason, animals are a particular focus, with owls, polar bears, moose or the previously mentioned heron all making an appearance. You’ll see they’re portrayed as grand — a centrepiece to the art. “The animal is painted as a noble would ask to be painted in the 1700s or 1600s,” he explains. “That’s why you see this drapery around them. People respond to that. They like this idea of nature being glorious. Still fighting.” It’s a focus that’s become even more important for Baronello in the pandemic. Over the last year, he has realized, more than ever, the responsibility of leaders when it comes to making change. “COVID-19 made me realize our responsibility as individuals comes after the responsibility of leaders, big manufacturers and billionaires to change things.” As well as being a commentary on our relationship with nature, the paintings speak to the artist’s life and experience living in different parts of the world. Having spent time in Europe and North America and having created art in both, he’s acutely aware of how different symbols carry different meanings, depending on where he is and how that has an impact on his work. “I’m trying to bridge two worlds, where I bring American iconography to Europe and vice versa,” he continues. Moving forward, Baronello has big plans. In particular, he wants to focus on installations and collaborations. “I see myself working more with institutions, not only with my art and painting, but also trying to make the audience a part of it. I like the idea of expanding my art, but, most of all, to collaborate with other artists and institutions.”
Castillo, the owner of Majestic Strength
My grandfather used to smoke like a chimney and drink like a fish,” according to JP Castillo, the owner of the personal training gym Majestic Strength. Castillo says it was his grandfather who inspired him to live a life dedicated to fitness and ultimately start his own personal training company. When he was born, his grandfather had an epiphany that would change his and baby Castillo’s life forever: Grandpa wanted to see his grandson grow up. “He was 52 at the time and he changed his life. He gave up drinking, smoking and started working out. He took charge of his health.” Not only did Grandpa inspire Castillo, but he also taught him self-defence. “I was picked on every year in school. I moved around a lot. I was always the new kid.” Through building strength and gaining confidence, Castillo has been able to navigate his life and develop a thriving business, which recently won a Vaughan Citizen Readers’ Choice Award for best personal training. Majestic Strength is located in old Woodbridge, Ont. It’s a specialty firstclass personal training studio providing one-on-one, partner and small group personal training. Training regimes are based on tailored prescriptions to fulfill a client’s long- and short-term goals. Due to COVID-19, Majestic is also offering online training sessions. Castillo has been in the fitness business for more than 25 years, and during that time, he’s had the opportunity to learn a wide variety of different types of training, including martial arts, body shaping techniques and fat loss.
JP Castillo owns Majestic Strength, a specialty firstclass personal training studio providing training for people from all walks of life. Whether you’re elderly, a teenager, pregnant or an elite athlete, Castillo’s individual training methods will change your life For a while, Castillo worked at GoodLife Fitness and concurrently trained elite athletes. During this time, he was developing his own training philosophies for clients. “I started to blend my approach of what I’d use with my athletes and my average, everyday person.” He began to notice a lot of similarities between the two populations. According to Castillo, people want to see results in an efficient manner, without any increased risk of injury. Athletes share the same goal. However, the foundation of Castillo’s training is based on the mind, body and soul. He believes it’s imperative clients train consistently, regardless of how they feel before a workout. “Even if you only feel 50 per cent and get the workout in, that’s what counts.” Castillo feels training at the highest intensity every day isn’t good for any of his clients, even the elite athletes. It’s the consistency which matters most. Castillo’s positive attitude toward training is infectious. “Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, a business executive, weekend warrior or a seasoned athlete, I bring the tools and motivational needs to help take your results to the next level.” Visit the Majestic Strength website, www.majesticstrength.com, to book personal training with JP Castillo.
29-281 Woodbridge Ave., Woodbridge, Ont. @majesticstrength
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Storytelling
GROWTH OF KNOWLEDGE: Cinematographer Jordan Oram’s The Journeyman is the first-ever plantable book, sure to inspire for years to come This innovative 100-page offering is a revealing portrait of discovery by a remarkable young artist INTERVIEW BY ESTELLE ZENTIL | WRITTEN BY RICK MULLER
PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARRIS
Oram has written his personal journey of loss, grief, depression, success and self-love with life lessons and affirmations
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ou may think being a Grammy-nominated cinematographer who has worked with Drake, Coldplay, Usher, Post Malone and others tells a pretty good life story. But for some rare individuals, it’s not even half the story. Allow us to introduce you to Jordan Oram, storyteller extraordinaire. Oram is one of the most creative young directors of photography in the entertainment world, having created multiple award-winning music videos for some of the biggest names on the planet. He has worked on movies such as Cinema of Sleep and Spiral, and he is currently shooting the first season of the CBC/BET+ series The Porter. Of Jamaican descent and raised in Pickering, Ont., Oram has recently turned his creative eye for storytelling through a lens to pen and paper as an author with the release of his debut book, The Journeyman, in which he explores the themes of male vulnerability, selfworth and strength as a young BIPOC man in the entertainment industry. It is a captivating and revealing portrait of a young man inspired by his own journey of loss, grief, depression, success and self-love, while expressing some of Oram’s favourite self-refinement tips, life lessons and affirmations. “For me, The Journeyman is a recollection of my thoughts, selfrefinement and overcoming fears and male vulnerability,” says Oram. “To understand where you are and to understand where you need to go takes a level of self-identifying without selfdoubt. For me, I needed to find a way that I could give back to myself, the gift of giving to others that I’ve never given back to myself. I’ve never said words to myself in the way that I had when I wrote this book, so, for me, it was fairly therapeutic to not use Twitter and to put my thoughts on paper through writing. I could take my book and plant it and pray that my own words can grow into what I wish they would. It was a self-sacrifice in that I was going to do something for myself in hopes that others could find use for it.” When Oram refers to planting his book, he again is demonstrating his eclectic eye for creativity in that The
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Words reveal themselves on handmade, biodegradable, translucent ivory paper to allow messages to be read in their entirety
This is not a book for a bookshelf; this is a book meant to return back to Earth
Journeyman is published on handmade paper, so it is not only biodegradable, but also the first-ever “plantable” book. Upon completion, readers can actually plant the book in a pot of soil and water, and as the paper composts away, the book grows into flowers and trees, leaving behind a legacy of knowledge and no waste. The book includes an 85-lbs front and back cover, which can grow a paper birch tree as tall as 40 feet, and the paper in the book is acid-free. Each purchase benefits the economic enterprise of rural craftspeople in Nepal. The physical creativity of the book is as imaginative as the thoughts it contains, as the book was designed to highlight significant page reminders in a biodegradable translucent ivory paper whereby some words are missing, and only by turning the page can you read the message in its entirety. “When I started this book, I thought how cool it would be if the book was able to grow flowers and trees, and I found a manufacturer in Nepal,” says Oram. “I wanted to find a way to have conversations with people without having them, and so they could have those conversations with themselves, as I always noticed how well people took good care of their plants. I thought that I could give them a book that they could water, that would grow and manifest like the dreams, goals and aspirations they have themselves. This is not a book
for a bookshelf; this is a book meant to return back to Earth.” Oram’s passion for life jumps off the ivory paper as he mirrors his own journey in the past 10 years with an intimate account of his life and his experiences. His intense observations and contemplations about life provide readers with fundamental lessons about fear, male vulnerability, curiosity and self-ownership. “In my community, we don’t speak about male vulnerability a lot,” says Oram. “I think that at times it’s OK for men not to be OK all the time. It’s not something that is spoken about in the mainstream media or the entertainment industry. I think it is important that creatives who are young, especially people listening from the millennial generation, know that it’s OK not to have your stuff figured out all the time; you just have to show up. I’m just trying to give a little bit of hope, as it’s extremely important to note that I once came from the bottom, so I can say it’s OK not to be OK all the time.” With intuition, insight and wisdom far beyond his years, in The Journeyman Jordan Oram shares his story of knowledge and personal growth, and in a book that you can plant after reading, it is knowledge you can grow and enjoy for many years to come. www.jordanoramdp.com thejourneymanbook.com @jordanoramdp www.mycitylife.ca
Health
PANDEMIC DRINKING
AND ITS DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT ON WOMEN Dr. Jennifer Wyman, an addiction specialist from Women’s College Hospital, speaks on the relationship between women and their increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic and their potential risk of developing breast cancer WRITTEN BY ESTELLE ZENTIL
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hink of a time when you had a moment to breathe. For many of us, those moments have been few and far between since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a prepandemic world, we may have taken for granted the little moments of time to reflect on our day and mindlessly revel in a quiet setting. Something as seemingly insignificant as commuting from work to home was a time where we would mentally prepare ourselves for the next part of the day. As mundane as time alone like this may seem, the lack www.mycitylife.ca
of it may actually be the source of a concerning phenomenon when it comes to the relationship between women and increased alcohol consumption. Over the past year, there has been a steady increase in both the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption for men and women; however, the risks associated with cancer for women are far more concerning than for men. Dr. Jennifer Wyman, an addiction specialist from Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, explains. “For women, that’s particularly concerning because the additional risk of alcohol
on top of the risk of breast cancer really is a target for women. There’s a study from Journal of the American Medical Association from 2011, and that’s the reference point. They followed over 100,000 women for close to 30 years, and this goes back to 1980. That’s where the numbers really come from when we say that women who drink two drinks a day or more have an increased risk of 50 per cent for breast cancer, and even those who are drinking an average of a drink a day, or three to six glasses a week, still have an increased risk of between 10 per cent and 15 per cent, May/June 2021
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PHOTO COURTESY OF WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL
compared to those who don’t drink at all.” With women taking on many of the responsibilities associated with working at home, they’ve been juggling more than ever before, with many taking on the role as teacher, schooling their kids at home, all while managing housework, making dinner and trying to spend quality time with their significant other. “The pressure to keep it all together is really getting to people — that, combined with the lack of personal space, and even that small amount of personal time transitioning from a workspace to coming home. Alcohol is being that sort of space to differentiate work life from the second part of the day — or even the third part of the day,” says Dr. Wyman. Without this clear transition and mental shift, Dr. Wyman further explains her concern: “For some women, drinking has been moved from being in a social setting to then having a glass of wine on their own after the kids have gone to sleep at night. I think it’s the everincreasing pressure on women to have careers, be great involved parents, look great, manage their household, which, for some, created these stresses and the feeling that there really isn’t anywhere that they can be vocal or honest about the pressures that they’re feeling or let off some of that steam.” In an April 15, 2020, report commissioned by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) during the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of a Nanos poll saw that 25 per cent of Canadians (aged 35–54 years) and 21 per cent of Canadians (aged 18–34 years) say they have increased the amount of alcohol they drink while spending more time at home during the pandemic. Dr. Wyman highlights that both men and women are affected by increased alcohol consumption; however, there a few material differences in the anatomy and psychology when it comes to
Dr. Wyman, an addiction specialist at Women’s College Hospital, shares her insight on pandemic alcohol consumption and its concerning effect on women
norms, and that drinking, drinking alone, further contributes to a sense of isolation and shame, and potentially depression, which make it harder to reach out for help.” The covert ways in which women have been hiding their drinking habits are provoked by both mainstream media and social media, perpetuating false narratives and sensationalizing alcohol consumption. Emerging over the last decade, thanks to social media, “mommy juice” culture, which uses catchy phrases like “I wine because they whine,” has normalized alcoholic behaviour. This is of particular concern to Dr. Wyman. “I think that equating alcohol and self-care is so problematic, I hardly know where to start. The idea that a drink is a way to manage your anxiety, manage your depression or manage your insecurity diverts people from looking at where those experiences are really emanating from and the healthier ways of approaching them. So, that’s not to say that alcohol is bad and always bad. But alcohol doesn’t treat depression, it actually aggravates depression. And actually, alcohol doesn’t help sleep, it aggravates sleep disorders. The notion that alcohol equals self-care should really be that self-care is about making time and space to do things that really are helpful for you.” A Feb. 17, 2021, Leger poll commissioned by the Mental Health Commission of Canada and CCSA found that among the general population, there has also been a sharp rise in those experiencing symptoms of depression. That number has risen from two per cent before the pandemic (according to the Canadian Community Health Survey) to 14 per cent. The poll showed that the respondents’ top stressors were their financial situation (14 per cent), social isolation (12 per cent) and the health of family members (11 per cent). With an increased amount of stress, Dr. Wyman suggests being honest with
The pressure to keep it all together is really getting to people — that, combined with the lack of personal space, and even that small amount of personal time transitioning from a workspace to coming home. Alcohol is being that sort of space to differentiate work life from the second part of the day
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women. “Women’s livers are more susceptible to the impact of alcohol in terms of the risk of fatty liver and cirrhosis, and women already have an additional cancer risk because of the risk of breast cancer. I think part of what is different now for women is the focus on the ways in which unhealthy drinking has been going on behind the scenes, in a sort of a secret and covert way,” she says. “I think that women are more prone to hiding their drinking because of societal expectations and
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your health-care provider. “If you’re a woman who’s now looking at your drinking and wondering whether it’s gotten out of hand, think about talking to your doctor. Your family doctor or your nurse practitioner are great resources to help assess what’s going on, what type of options there might be and to really look at your other issues, like mood or anxiety — and there are treatments. I think it’s really important for people to know that for people who have developed problematic drinking, there are supports and that there are medications that can help.” An unexpected positive consequence that has come out of the pandemic has been using virtual care to help people treat whatever health concerns they are experiencing. “For people who don’t live in a big metropolitan area where accessing care is easy, people in small centres or who might need specialized care because of their cultural or linguistic issues, it’s really opening opportunities to connect,” she says. “The same is true for people who might have been nervous about
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going to a 12-step meeting and did not want to have to walk in and identify and share themselves. There are so many great resources online. In fact, there’s never been more access to online support for substance use and mental health.” With increased access to health technology, it will hopefully allow people to understand that there are evidence-based treatments that are both medical and non-medical therapies. “I think that all too often there is a judgment that people have somehow chosen substance use, and that it’s just a failure of will or of their moral strength to be able to tackle it. What I’ve learned over time is that so many people with addiction have a history of trauma that they’ve been managing, or trying to manage, by damping down those feelings using substances of one kind or another,” says Dr. Wyman. “So, I’m really passionate about helping people understand that addiction is a chronic health condition that we have treatments for if we can apply them. There isn’t a cure per se,
but like with other conditions, we can help people manage and live better and healthier lives.” While the realities of alcohol consumption trends have been affecting women in a negative way, it is important to understand that there are resources and communities that can help. Simply starting a conversation and destigmatizing the struggles that women (and men) are experiencing, especially during the pandemic, is a good place to start. “I’ll be optimistic and say that the discussions of substance use and mental health that are happening in the media may be opening a door to greater awareness and to a greater likelihood of people actually talking about their experiences and reaching out for help,” Dr. Wyman says. A hopeful prospect that has emerged from the pandemic has been the opportunity for more people to overcome their fears, face their vulnerabilities and recognize that it is impossible to pour out of an empty cup. www.womenscollegehospital.ca @wchospital
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WRITTEN BY ESTELLE ZENTIL
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1. UP-AND-COMING DESIGNER Made sustainably in Toronto with locally sourced fabrics, designer Elisa Gentile brings us her new couture collection influenced by art compositions and light studies. www.elisagentile.com 2. RIVETING REPOSADO This slow-cooked blue agave tequila has notes of hazelnut, vanilla and cinnamon, and is poured into a beautiful ceramic decanter entirely made by Mexican artisans. claseazul.com 3. FUSILLI FANATIC These sauce-catching spirals are a typical pasta shape originating in southern Italy. With its extremely versatile form, fusilli works well with any sauce, soup or salad. www.tuttogourmet.com 4. BLOOMING BUTTER If you’re looking to improve your frosting skills, look no further than a Bangkok baker’s online workshops, where you will learn how to turn butter into whimsical flowers. @butterblossoms 5. SUPPLE SKIN Rich in a blend of antioxidants that detoxify the skin from environmental stress, this natural, organic and cruelty-free facial oil is ideal for regenerating your skin this spring. www.simons.ca 6. PRETTY POUCH Made in Finland, this baguette-style clutch from the Finnish design company Marimekko Kioski features its emblematic Mini Unikko pattern. www.simons.ca
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From a coffee machine engineered in northeastern Italy to a reposado curated in Mexico to a Canadian-designed water dispenser — these picks are sourced just for you
EDITOR’S PICKS
PHOTO BY GERALDINA GALICA
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7. NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE Designed, engineered and manufactured in northeastern Italy, Fulgor Milano’s coffee machine will take your espresso to the next level, making it barista-worthy. www.fulgor-milano.com 8. SMART WRIST CANDY Keep your wellness goals on track with Apple’s Watch SE, which uses three simple metrics to measure your activity — Move, Exercise and Stand. www.apple.com 9. MILANESE MAXIMALISM Made in Italy by Milanese fashion house La DoubleJ, known for its maximalist approach to design, these bright ceramics will bring joy and happiness to your next curated tablescape. www.simons.ca 10. HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE Sourcing spring water since 1871, Mountain Valley makes staying hydrated both sustainable and stylish with its latest innovation — a 100 per cent recyclable aluminum bottle. www.mountainvalleyspring.com 11. A TALL DRINK OF WATER This Canadian-designed OVOPUR water dispenser is made with high-quality materials and is designed for better circulation of water, preventing stagnation and reducing the risk of bacterial growth. www.simons.ca 12. CONDO CATCH Hamilton might be the place for you after setting eyes on its newest residential build — a modern, 36-storey tower bringing the city to new heights. modernecondos.com
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Lifestyle
AN UNMATCHED ZEST FOR LIFE
Anna Lolomari is a lifestyle refiner, redesigner and refresher WRITTEN BY ESTELLE ZENTIL
Lolomari’s love for vibrant colours, style, diversity and travel shine through every space and closet she works on
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hat does colour mean to you? To Anna Lolomari, it’s everything her brand Zesty Lifestyle stands for. “Colour brings so much beauty into a space, colour brings happiness, colour is uplifting, colour is motivating, colour just gives you this happy feeling inside just wearing it, and that is how Zesty Lifestyle came about.” If you scroll through Lolomari’s Instagram feed, her exuberance and positivity are contagious. Her welcoming smile, bold fashion looks and passion for design shine through her photos, emanating her positive aura and joie de vivre. As an interior refiner, redecorator and stylist, Lolomari works with women to repurpose their lifestyle and mix the old with the new. “I come into your space and I refine it with the things you have and then I incorporate the things you need. Instead of throwing out the old and saying it doesn’t work, I find a way to make it work in the space or in the closet.” The key to Lolomari’s success, she believes, comes from the way she
presents herself to the world. “My success story today has been my image and my presentation when I step out of my home. I have met clients just going grocery shopping or just walking to a restaurant. So, I think image, our selfimage, is so key to everything we do. You never know who you’re going to meet: it could be your partner you’re going to meet that day, it could be someone who needs that happy moment just by seeing you all dressed up. It will give that person you know that zest for life.” On the Power of Fashion Coming from a Nigerian background, it was ingrained in Lolomari from an early age that beauty is important as a woman. “Fashion has been a big part of a woman’s life in Nigeria. I find that fashion gives you that grace to exude who you are, your beauty. I find when I dress up — the beauty of fashion, the colour, the texture — it just reminds me of my gracious beauty I was created to be, my feminine side. It just makes me exude my beauty and exude who I am as a woman,” says Lolomari. For the style guru, the clothes she wears go deeper than physical appearance and have helped her tune into self-love: “Fashion made me realize that it’s all about self-love. It’s about taking care of myself. It’s about looking good for me. When I wear a dress, I feel and look so beautiful, I don’t need someone to tell me I look so beautiful. I feel like the dress is telling me I look so beautiful, and it’s empowering me.” With many women working at home, Lolomari believes wholeheartedly that dressing up can be a motivating and uplifting tool. “If you’re working from home, once you don’t try to dress up, it takes your energy away. But when you wear a nice blouse, put on a light lipstick, spray some nice perfume, wear some nice heels, it gives that confidence to talk on the Zoom call, or the confidence to go about the day. I find that when you just give yourself that little touchup every morning working from home, it does help your productivity. It gives you that energy, it gives you that positive feeling to keep going.” Inspired by Travel Having lived on six continents, including Africa, Europe, North America, Southeast Asia and the www.mycitylife.ca
Caribbean, Lolomari has been able to experience each foreign country’s culture, sparking her expressiveness and creativity. “All my inspiration from style comes from travel. When you travel, it opens up your mind, it broadens your mind of other people’s culture. You learn a lot, you learn texture, you learn colour.” With a joyfulness walking through life, Lolomari sees every opportunity to appreciate and learn from each culture and apply it to her style and work. “You know, when I go to Turkey, when I go to Brazil, when I go to Trinidad and Tobago, China, Thailand, it’s my observation as I go about my day, either in a marketplace or walking the streets,
comes to refining your space: “I always say a paint touch-up, updating your hardware and fixtures, bringing in accessories with pops of colour like art, plants, pillows, rugs — those are the little ways you can dress a space up.” Through her interior decorating services, including home decorating, staging refinements for resale and décor colour consultation, she harmoniously redefines a client’s home, bringing all the elements together for a welldesigned space. On Refining PERSONAl Style The fashionista recommends buying less, but investing in staple pieces. “It’s more about buying timeless pieces.
Fashion made me realize that it’s all about self-love. It’s about taking care of myself. It’s about looking good for me it’s paying attention to how people are living. Take the spice market in Turkey. I walked into the market and saw those different spices and was just saying to myself, ‘Imagine those spices in your wardrobe in terms of colour, how that just brings beauty to everything.’” A Mother’s Influence As little girls, we often observe and follow what our mothers do. Once we get older, and as we reflect on the past and look back at the subtle memories with nostalgia, it is only then that we can appreciate the impact they left on us. For Lolomari, her mother affected her in a subtle but meaningful way. “We came from a very difficult home: my parents were separated at a young age, and the only way my mother could find beauty through herself and give herself strength was to dress up, fashion, and take care of herself. I picked that up from her because I used to always say to myself, ‘Why is it that she wakes up and takes such good care of herself ?’ She taught me that, no matter what you do in life, take good care of yourself, dress up and put on some lipstick.” On Redecorating a Space Lolomari lends her advice when it
The easiest way to elevate your look is through accessories. But when I say accessories, I don’t mean trendy accessories. I mean costume jewelry, scarves with colour, something that has colour, something that has print.” While Lolomari offers closet makeovers, styling and special-occasion shopping, an easy way to add zest to any wardrobe is by incorporating colour. “I try to tell women if they’re looking for ways to try and find happiness and joy, mood-lifting colour brings that, and they shouldn’t be afraid to express themselves through colour. It’s so important.” On Confidence Lolomari hopes to make people feel happiness in their spaces and in their closet. However, in the end, she believes confidence is what really makes a woman feel and look her best. “You really need to let go, you really need to appreciate who you are, your beauty, believing in you. It doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter the experiences you’ve gone through. Once you can do that, then you know the confidence is the limit.” zestylifestyle.ca @zestylifestyle May/June 2021
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Inspiration A med school student at the time of a terrifying car accident, Galati couldn’t even talk when he woke up from a coma. But he kept his eye on the prize, and it’s Dr. Galati now
THE POWER OF THE BRAIN:
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Everyone has their journey, but sometimes what happens in a split second means we have to carve out a new path through unknown territory. That is exactly what happened to Dr. Matthew Galati, the founder of Brain Changes Initiative. A life-threatening accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury forced him to help himself, and now he’s leading others on the road to recovery WRITTEN BY DONNA PARIS
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s a young medical student, Matthew Galati did what thousands of other students do during the school year: He went home to Toronto to visit his friends and family for the weekend and was going to drive back to campus on Sunday night. But a huge snowstorm stopped him, and he decided to leave the next morning, hoping the weather would be better. It wasn’t. In the early morning of Jan. 28, 2013, he headed back to the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry satellite campus in Windsor, Ont., driving westbound on Highway 401 with a friend as a passenger in his car. The police were detouring cars off the highway in Woodstock, Ont., and that is where Galati hit black ice. His car spun out of control and hit a tree. Galati was knocked unconscious with brain trauma, multiple skull fractures, broken ribs, collapsed lungs and a severed nerve in his face. Because Galati’s side of the car absorbed the impact, his passenger was able to get out and call an ambulance. He was rushed to the nearest hospital in Woodstock where he lay in a coma for three days. When he awoke, he was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI). He couldn’t walk, and he couldn’t talk. The ironic thing is that Galati always wanted to be a doctor when he was growing up. “I didn’t know the reason why I wanted to be a doctor, I just wanted to help people,” he says. When he was in elementary school, a good friend of his collapsed and died suddenly from a ruptured brain aneurysm. The put a lot into perspective for Galati — things like we’re not
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invincible, even at a young age, and medical problems can impact anybody. The road to recovery wasn’t easy. “I didn’t know how severe my injury was,” he says. Actually, the area where Galati suffered a bleed was between the understanding and speech centres of his brain. He could understand everything people were saying to him, and he knew what he wanted to speak to them, but he just couldn’t put it into words for many months after the accident. So, when he did start to speak, he wasn’t really making sense. “I literally had to spell everything out in my brain before articulating it. I couldn’t speak spontaneously in long sentences,” he says. After acute care, he was transferred to a neurological step-down unit at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Demoralized and depressed, he didn’t want to see anybody. “I was looked at by my friends as an intelligent person, then suddenly I couldn’t even string two sentences together.” Galati credits his family for helping him move forward. “We’re a very closeknit family, and I think that was one of the most important things that helped with my recovery,” he says. Almost from the moment of the accident, Galati’s older sister started looking for ways to improve his nutrition for brain health. The rest of his family were trying to stimulate him in other ways. “I remember my mom at my bedside, practising flash cards with me, basic math and reading,” he adds. Then, a friend of his sister brought him hope in the form of a book, My Stroke of Insight, about the journey of a neuroscientist who suffered a stroke
and eventually made a full recovery. “That is where I first learned that a recovery from something like this was possible, because somebody had done it before,” he says. Perhaps the greatest gift for Galati is this: When he was moved to the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute after Sunnybrook, he was enrolled in a study conducted by the Canada Research Chair (II) for TBI led by Dr. Robin Green, focusing on the effects of intense rehab on recovery. This meant that Galati received double the amount of therapies of other patients, helping to accelerate his recovery. In his final evaluation before leaving Toronto Rehab, he had already started making amazing gains, and although nothing was severely impaired, it was clear that it would still take a lot of hard work to return to his medical studies. Galati stresses that his injury occurred eight years ago, at a time when there was little understanding of the brain’s ability to heal. “The thinking used to go like this: The brain cells you’re born with are what you die with, that there’s no real potential to create new brain cells or for the brain to reroute itself,” he says. There was little talk of the ability to create neurons and for the brain to reroute and heal, a notion that has emerged in recent years. He went home with the determination to try his absolute hardest to give himself the best possible chance of returning to his dreams and aspirations. “There’s no guide that tells you what the next steps are,” says Galati. But there is a book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain that practically became May/June 2021
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his bible. The book references a school district located in the outskirts of Chicago that revolutionized their gym program, by having students perform aerobic exercise each morning before their studies. At the end of the year, in its standardized testing, this school district scored No. 1 in the world in science and No. 3 in the world in math — in the world. “The book goes into the physiology behind what exercise actually does for the brain — it’s literally the best thing you could do to support your brain health,” Galati says. That got him thinking. Galati didn’t sit around waiting for his brain to catch up. He researched ways to help himself, learning the importance of creating new brain cells and then imprinting them with meaningful information. “Neuroplasticity is the ability of neural networks in the brain to adapt, heal and change,” says Galati. “The more you do things over and over, the stronger those relevant connections become in your brain, and the better you become at the task.” He developed his own vigorous protocol based on five lifestyle pillars. First, aerobic exercise, as it has an enormous positive effect on the brain, including the ability to create new brain cells. So, he hit the ground running, literally, covering five kilometres every morning. Following the run, he would fill newly created brain cells with meaningful information by stimulating his brain in different ways. He read books, he reviewed his med school notes and he picked up a guitar. “I just tried to cover every area of my brain,” he says. He used other pillars to promote healing, too, including practising good sleep hygiene, limiting harmful exposures, mindfulness and meditation, and eating a brain-healthy diet filled with nutrient-dense foods, focusing on organic produce, which isn’t full of pesticides. After six months, he had another evaluation at Toronto Rehab. “Everything was through the roof. I was above both the brain-injured and standardized population for that age and education level,” he exclaims. It was surprising to Galati, who knew he was better than before, but didn’t realize that he was going to be above 54
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the brain injured and the standardized population — in the top one per cent, in fact. In September 2013, he returned to school to complete his medical degree and, subsequently, his medical residency program. Yep, he did that. Yes, it’s Dr. Galati now. Now he has his own family practice and works at a rehab hospital in Toronto.
I WANT IT TO BE COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CAN MAKE A GREAT RECOVERY FROM SOMETHING LIKE THIS
Here’s the thing: Approximately 1.5 million Canadians are living with a brain injury. Statistics indicate that 150,000 people in Ontario will experience a brain injury each year — more than multiple sclerosis, HIV/ AIDS, spinal cord injuries and breast cancer combined. Dr. Galati’s own recovery identified gaps in TBI patient navigation/rehabilitation protocol, including the lack of education and resources. Now, he is on a mission to change the stigma around brain injury. And, that is why in 2019 with the help of his family, Dr. Galati founded Brain Changes Initiative, a non-profit organization that helps raise funds for traumatic brain injury research at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and provides education and support for survivors, their families, health-care workers and people who are interested in living a brain-healthy lifestyle. “I want it to be common knowledge that you can make a great recovery from something like this,” he says. The
website (www.brainchanges.org) offers educational resources, blogs and links to events. That’s not all. He wants to walk the talk, showing people how to live a brain-healthy lifestyle through his community outreach programs, such as Brain Changes’ Sunday runs through Toronto’s High Park. The runs also incorporate plyometric exercises, which further elevate the heart rate in addition to building strength. The run is designed to create brain cells and then show how to integrate mindfulness into the day, with sponsors providing brain-healthy meals. “The idea is that we’re showing people how to live a brain-healthy lifestyle — we’re not just talking about it,” he adds. Dr. Galati had to be pried out of his car with the Jaws of Life after the accident. It’s hard to even look at the photos. “It really makes you appreciate, well, just about everything,” he says. “Even the little things, like the ability to talk that we take for granted.” His TBI gave him a tremendous amount of empathy for people going through the same thing. He encourages survivors to do their best after being diagnosed with TBI. “No one should dictate what your goals and dreams are.” Luckily, Dr. Galati had a background in medicine, so he knew where to look for information, but not everyone has a science background. “Once I made this great recovery and was able to complete my medical education, I took it as a calling and a responsibility to go back and say, ‘I want to change the standard of care, so others can have the best chance of recovery,’” he says. As humans, we were designed to create, to push boundaries, to evolve — and that’s the reason why we’ve come as far as we have in society, emphasizes Dr. Galati. Nobody thought that electricity was possible, nobody thought that we’d be able to make it to the moon, nobody thought that we’d be able to connect with anyone all over the world using something called “the Internet,” he adds. “But, somebody stood up in the face of the status quo and said, ‘I believe this is possible, and I’m going to prove it.’” www.brainchanges.org @brainchanges www.mycitylife.ca
The best memories are made over shared meals
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Your one-stop bakery for all your special occasions
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10040 Keele St., Maple, Ont. www.maplebakery.ca
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SUSTAINABILITY
LIVING AND LEARNING:
OAK RIDGES LIBRARY IS AWARDED SILVER LEED CERTIFICATION FOR ITS SUSTAINABLE DESIGN, MATERIALS AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Designed by Perkins & Will architects, the library features a large wood frame to emphasize how libraries play a role as important gathering places in communities
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The designation recognizes the building’s sustainable design features, materials selection, water and energy efficiency and reduction in energy consumption. It also further demonstrates Richmond Hill’s commitment to balancing growth and green in the fast-growing city to meet its new requirements of incorporating environmentally responsible design in the construction of all new city facilities. Opened in November 2019, Oak Ridges Library is the newest Richmond Hill Public Library location and has become a civic landmark with its linear design, modern appearance and generous use of wood, which reflects the natural elements of the Oak Ridges Moraine. It was meant to complement the well-received Oak Ridges Community Centre, which also received LEED certification, as well as PHOTOS BY SCOTT NORSWORTHY
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s further evidence of the City of Richmond Hill, Ont.’s commitment to building a sustainable community through conserving natural resources and thoughtfully planning the build and design of its spaces, the city has earned a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for Richmond Hill Public Library’s Oak Ridges branch. 56
Library board chair Beros says libraries are becoming important places to gain knowledge and develop skill sets, much of it hands-on
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reflect the new role libraries are playing in the community. “The library is changing and should be thought of as a place to gain knowledge,” says long-serving city council member Greg Beros, who also serves as the board chair at the Richmond Hill Public Library. “To address that, we need the newest technologies in our libraries, such as our MakerSpace area, which features green walls and can be used as a recording studio. In gaining knowledge and developing new skill sets, a lot of that is hands-on, not just reading about it. That in turn, brings in different people to the library.” Designed by the architect firm Perkins & Will, which also designed the Oak Ridges Community Centre, Oak Ridges Library features key sustainable elements that contribute to the Silver LEED certification, including: • a 26 per cent reduction in energy consumption; www.mycitylife.ca
PHOTO COURTESY OF OAK RIDGES LIBRARY
INTERVIEWS BY ESTELLE ZENTIL WRITTEN BY RICK MULLER
• a total of 82 per cent of construction waste that was diverted by landfill (on average, 35 per cent of landfill waste comes from construction); • a total of 30 per cent of recycled content that was used in the construction of the building; • a 37 per cent reduction in the use of potable (drinkable) water, thanks to low-flow fixtures; and • a total of 80 per cent of all wood used in the library construction is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)– certified to encourage environmentally responsible forest management. The two-storey, 19,000-square-foot library also contains a Teen Zone with video games, a green roof to accent sustainability and reduce heat effects, children’s play structures and more. For the firm of Perkins & Will, its long history has been well versed in how important design can be in communities. “We have a belief that design can improve the well-being of our communities,” says Phil Fenech, principal at Perkins & Will. “Our firm has believed that since our founding in the 1940s, when we began to look at what could be made to make the experience of education better with the belief that design can improve every sector of our society, and that’s part of our DNA. We always put purpose and value as our priorities.” The location at 34 Regatta Ave., just west of Yonge Street, meant that the building would be surrounded on all sides, which presented its own set of challenges for the architects to make this important community structure stand out. While you can now receive a virtual library card and download e-books, digital offerings, databases and you can also read magazines online, the physical library remains an integral part of any community. “This is a very tight site, so we had to tell a big story on a small piece of land,” says Michael Blois, associate at Perkins & Will. “The concept was to draw inspiration from the Oak Ridges Moraine and think about the landforms and materials like limestone and the wood found in the moraine. The large wood frame is an identifiable feature of this project and the design, which we knew people would understand as a gathering place in the community.” The Oak Ridges Library design was a completely collaborative process for the City of Richmond Hill, and Perkins & Will in order to deliver the facility on budget. “City and library staff collaborated with Perkins & Will to determine the sustainable design elements,” says Nick Kalyvas, director of Facility Management, Planning & Infrastructure Department for the City of Richmond Hill. “As with all progressive construction projects, each one is unique in its design. We strive to deliver architecturally significant buildings that are sustainable and highly functional, and we are very proud to have attained a Silver LEED certification.” Learning is a lifelong endeavour, and with the technology included in the Oak Ridges Library, along with its sustainable design and efficiency, it can also be a living experience.
THANK YOU
to our generous sponsors for their ongoing support! Presenting Sponsor
Inspiration Sponsors
Learning Sponsors
Community Sponsors
Media and Multimedia Sponsors
wavesofchanges.ca @wavesofchangesforautism
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ARIANA SCARCELLO: ‘YOU ARE WELCOME IN OUR STUDIO’ Scarcello’s studio, Flesh Tattoos, has won a number of awards since it opened
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Tattoos
After 20 years in the tattoo industry, Ariana Scarcello discusses setting up a studio, overcoming adversity and the power in doing something for nothing WRITTEN BY JOSH WALKER
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hough she’s spent two decades working in the tattoo industry, Ariana Scarcello’s education and background are in law. It was a profession she was good at, graduating in the top five per cent of her class. Despite that, it’s tattoos that made their mark. “I love the passion, the art, the flexibility of being my own boss,” she shares. “I’m also an extrovert, so I love to interact with people and learn about them. What greater gift and compliment than someone who wants to wear my artwork on their body for the rest of their lives.” Scarcello’s unafraid to share how her time working in the tattoo industry has sent her through both highs and lows. She talks about how she started in an era when women tattoo artists were a rarity, experiencing sexism, harassment and lack of representation. Over time, she moved from studio to studio until, in 2012, she purchased the one at which she was working and officially rebranded it to what it’s known as today: Flesh Tattoos. Because of these experiences, she’s committed to ensuring Flesh Tattoos is nothing but welcoming. As well as the quality of the finished pieces, it’s the common denominator when it comes to client feedback and reviews. “That’s really the climate we’ve tried to create,” she says. “I don’t care about your race, creed, religion. I don’t care where you come from in life. You are welcome in our studio.” It’s a feeling that’s resonated so much that the studio has won a number of awards. As well as winning the Top Choice Award for two years running, Scarcello was the only woman finalist in last year’s Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Young Entrepreneur Under 40 category, and Flesh Tattoos just won the Readers’ Choice Award in Vaughan www.mycitylife.ca
Citizen’s Best Tattoo/Piercing Studio category. Today, the studio is home to two senior tattoo artists, two junior tattoo artists and a piercer. All have a distinct style, which Scarcello likes to celebrate. “Everybody has their own technique and type of artwork they prefer,” she says. “If someone messages me and says,
What does it cost me? A bit of my time and some materials, but that could change someone’s life
‘I want this rad Japanese piece with you,’ I’ll send them to another artist because I don’t do that well. I’ll send you to the person who will offer the best possible result.” Head to the homepage of Flesh Tattoos and you’ll see the tagline “Tattoos tell your story. They build us up, capture memories, encompass loss and love.” It’s a tagline that speaks to an important part of being a tattoo artist and highlights some of the personal stories Scarcello has had to deal with. “We get messages from clients who will literally give me a piece of their life. They’ll say, ‘I want this design to represent this’ and it becomes the artist’s job to decipher what this means to the person,” she continues. “So, you’re really getting to know the human being
and almost having to empathize and experience some of the struggle, love, triumph or whatever those feelings entail to be able to breathe that into the artwork. That might be the way it’s placed on the body, the actual physical elements or the meaning it has to the person.” It’s this understanding and empathy that are key drivers for Scarcello. Though she’s been providing this service for many years, she gave it the Do Something for Nothing name publicly in 2017. It’s a movement originally created and inspired by U.K. hair stylist Joshua Coombes and was born from the idea that each of us is able to do something for someone for nothing. “Sometimes life is complicated, and situations arise that can cause immense human suffering,” Scarcello continues. “I love the story and the initiative. What does it cost me? A bit of my time and some materials, but that could change someone’s life. We’re talking about doing areola tattoos for someone who’s had both breasts removed after surviving cancer. We’re talking about someone who has self-harm scars, but they’re leading a healthier lifestyle and don’t want their body to reflect who they were as a person anymore.” Though Flesh Tattoos is currently closed because of COVID-19, the studio has taken impressive care and consideration when it comes to safety and isn’t just ready and prepared to reopen, but also is actively fighting to show that tattooing is more than a luxury. “We’re fighting to let the public know that it isn’t about vanity,” Scarcello says. “There’s so much more about tattooing from a mental health perspective. It’s about continual advocacy for our industry.” www.fleshtattoos.com @fleshtattoos905 May/June 2021
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THE LEGACY OF SCHITT’S CREEK I
Daniel Levy, co-creator of Schitt’s Creek, decided to end the series at the peak of its popularity, leaving the show’s cult following with a bittersweet feeling and walking away with a recordsetting nine Emmys WRITTEN BY JAN JANSSEN
t was not until the acclaimed Canadian TV series Schitt’s Creek had already wrapped its sixth and final season last year that it truly achieved proper recognition. That moment came in September, when series co-creator and showrunner Daniel Levy earned a massive haul of four 60
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Emmy Awards as producer, director, writer and supporting actor in the Outstanding Comedy Series category. It was also a family celebration of sorts, as his beloved father, Eugene, also collected two Emmys (producer and best actor), as did Schitt’s Creek co-stars Catherine O’Hara and Annie Murphy. Not only was it the first time that a Canadian TV series had won the
best series award in either the drama or comedy category, but it was also the first series in the 72-year history of the awards to win every single award in the comedy category. But Daniel wants to acknowledge the support of Canadian audiences who loved Creek from the beginning. “Recognition in the States is a wonderful thing, but oftentimes www.mycitylife.ca
PHOTO BY ROBERT TRACHTENBERG / TRUNK ARCHIVE
Daniel co-created Schitt’s Creek with his father, Eugene. It was an experience he’ll always cherish: “My dad gave me so much support and made this project a very safe and comforting space for me to be able to work”
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Although the series has come to an end, Daniel says he would love to work with the cast to make a movie if it enhanced or added to the legacy of a show
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‘‘
I would love to work with these people again. But I would make a movie if it enhanced or added to the legacy of a show ... I would never do anything to tarnish our legacy in any way
’’
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‘‘
In the end, Schitt’s Creek became a fun exploration about how much better we all are without hatred and bigotry and intolerance, and how much stronger and enjoyable our lives are when we’re able to tell stories where our characters are surrounded by empathy and love
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it’s compared to or contrasted with recognition in Canada,” Daniel says. “For me it’s important to note that our Canadian fans have been there from the beginning, and that we are by no means quantifying our success by way of American recognition.” Another important element to the series was how Daniel, who is openly gay, was able to promote inclusivity with his character David’s pansexual identity and subsequent long-term relationship with Patrick (Noah Reid). Not only did playing a character like David make him more comfortable in his skin and give him “a sense of confidence that I never had before,” but the series also provided an opportunity to engage in important social commentary. “I think when the political climate shifted in America, and you saw some of those ripple effects in Canada, that’s when I think people really found the show and were watching it for more than just its comedy. They watched it for the philosophy that we should 64
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be kinder to one another and cheer for each other in ways that we hadn’t necessarily been doing.” Daniel was born and raised in Toronto, where his father, Eugene, and mother, Deborah Divine, returned home to from Los Angeles, and where his dad had found regular work as a supporting player in Hollywood movies and series. His parents thought that Toronto would allow him to grow up in a more normal environment and choose a career outside the entertainment industry. That plan fell apart almost immediately when as a child, Dan, together with his sister, Sarah (who also acted in Schitt’s Creek), would put on stage shows in the family living room for the benefit of another famous Canadian comic star, Martin Short, with whom the Levys would frequently take family vacations. As a teenager, however, Dan began struggling with issues of identity. He first came out to his parents at age 18, when his mother broached the subject
of his sexuality over lunch. Shortly after attending film school, Daniel landed his first big break in the industry when he was chosen to co-host MTV Canada’s flagship show, MTV Live, an experience he “hated” despite its success. He would later gain fame as a writer, host and producer of The After Show and its later spinoff, The Hills: The After Show. Daniel cites the latter show as the inspiration for Schitt’s Creek, which he developed together with his father. The 37-year-old Daniel is currently single and divides his time between homes in Los Angeles and Toronto. Unsurprisingly, his father is “extremely proud” of his son’s achievements and believes that the success of Schitt’s Creek is all the more remarkable given that the series “was the first time he ever had this kind of responsibility.”
Q&A WITH DANIEL LEVY Q: How do you feel about bringing Schitt’s Creek to an end and then sweeping the Emmy Awards? LEVY: To be honest, this is the best way we could have ever ended the show. If there is an idea that pops into my head, it has to be really freaking good because this is a nice way to say goodbye. [And winning the Emmys] has been an unbelievable way to end our series. I don’t think you could ever ask for a better conclusion than that. We are absolutely thrilled. Q: Is there any thought of bringing back the cast for a movie? LEVY: Fingers crossed we get a nice idea popping into our head soon … I would love to work with these people again. But I would make a movie if it enhanced or added to the legacy of a show, which has meant so much to everyone involved and also the fans who have followed it. I would never do anything to tarnish our legacy in any way. Q: How did the original idea for Schitt’s Creek pop into your head? LEVY: I brought sort of the first germ of an idea to my dad very early on: the premise of playing on this sort of cultural awareness we now have of how wealthy people live. I brought the www.mycitylife.ca
idea to my dad, thinking his comedic sensibility is something that is very specific and grounded in something real. And I thought it could really lend itself to this concept, which I think has the potential, or had the potential, to go quite broad and cartoony. It needed the opposite, it needed ... an infusion of real, genuine comedy. I think through reality television, we’ve been able to get an incredibly dimensional — whether we want it or not — idea of how wealthy people live their lives. I had also read about how Kim Basinger filed for bankruptcy a few years after she bought a town [in Braselton, Ga.]. And I thought it could be an interesting premise to examine as a comedy what would happen if all the money was taken away, and these people were forced to confront what really matters in their lives. Q: What has it meant to you to have been able to work with your father, Eugene Levy, on the series? LEVY: My dad has been an extraordinary model for me ... I will never forget and always cherish that both my dad and my sister and I have had this opportunity to work together, enjoy our time together and be able to feel so good about the experience. My dad also gave me so much support and made this project a very safe and comforting space for me to be able to work. How many families ever get the chance to come back together in such a way and where we’ve been able to relate to each other in such a beautiful and life-affirming way? My father is also someone who has enjoyed a very successful career in Hollywood and is not only respected, but really loved by people who have come to work with him and get to know him. And it was also wonderful to be able to reunite him with Catherine O’Hara, who have such a great rapport together. Q: The series is also unexampled as a comedy in that much of the underlying drama is serious or not intentionally supposed to be funny. LEVY: We always approached the show from day 1 as if it were a drama, and it is — I mean inherently. It’s quite tragic what happens to this family, www.mycitylife.ca
and the comedy really comes from the characters interacting with each other and interacting with their circumstance. I think because it’s rooted in something real, and we’re not necessarily playing huge gags, you’re able to tightrope walk that fine balance between comedy and also exploring slightly more emotional moments and revelations as well. Q: It must have been an extraordinary experience for you to have been able to work not merely with your father, Eugene, a Canadian icon, but also with another Canadian legend, Catherine O’Hara. LEVY: It was such a great joy for me to work with my dad and Catherine, and watch them do their scenes. They had worked together for so many years and had started in Second City and come from this background where character is front and centre. You could take them in any kind of direction and it would still feel grounded and real. They’re living legends. Catherine never did a single take that was the same. Every take was a different, unexpected choice, and every take was an unexpected laugh, because you had no idea where she was going. Q: Did you feel that you were able to really harness the best of your dad’s and Catherine’s comic talents? LEVY: Yes, and I’m really proud of that ... because I don’t think they necessarily got a ton of opportunities to just do what they did best, which is great character work. For me, it was really about letting them play and then kind of writing around it or listening to things that they would say and try to incorporate it into our world. I wanted to give them that kind of freedom. Sitting back and having a master class in character comedy was probably one of the greatest takeaways I’ll have from the show. Q: Although the series deals with many social issues, Schitt’s Creek depicted a different kind of world when it came to the way LGBTQ issues and characters were presented. LEVY: It was about trying to tell stories about love and interrelationships that
respected my own experiences and those of my friends in the [LGBTQ] community. It was also about reflecting a level of nonchalance that didn’t necessarily pertain to my story. The big thing that seems to have connected with audiences is the fact that there is an ease to the relationship [between the characters David and Patrick], and that we write the relationship in a casual way, and that was very deliberate. Q: You also made a deliberate choice to avoid depicting homophobia. LEVY: I think because we’re so accustomed to seeing queer love stories that are put in jeopardy by outside forces — it’s the sort of Brokeback Mountain effect of, any time you see two queer people in love, there has to be some kind of consequence. So, to propose a world where there is no consequence, and two people can love each other sort of wholly ... in smalltown America, and ultimately show that what comes from that is freedom and love and joy. It’s a form, I guess, of sort of quiet protest, saying that this is how things should be. I’m a firm believer that we learn through what we see, and when we feel like we are being taught a lesson, we have our guards up, because we don’t want to be schooled on something. But to present something as it should be, I think has a much more powerful effect in people’s homes, and the letters that we’ve received from families who have watched the show together and it’s changed their own relationships ... I guess it’s a testament to the fact that it does seem to be working, even if it’s just one family at a time. Q: What is your ultimate takeaway from how the series changed the narrative about the way the LGBTQ community is perceived? LEVY: In the end, Schitt’s Creek became a fun exploration about how much better we all are without hatred and bigotry and intolerance, and how much stronger and enjoyable our lives are when we’re able to tell stories where our characters are surrounded by empathy and love. @instadanjlevy May/June 2021
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VARIETY OF LIFE
LaSt WoRd
Here are a few fun pieces that will leave you inspired to celebrate everything from your pet to your next big trip
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WRITTEN BY ESTELLE ZENTIL
1. PAMPERED POOCH: Extend your love for fashion into your dog’s wardrobe by incorporating the cutest cable-knit sweaters made with 100 per cent natural fibres to ensure that your precious pooch isn’t exposed to harmful chemicals and materials. www.rubyrufus.com 2. PINATA PARTY: If you can imagine it, Big Ass Piñata can make a pinata out of it. Whether you’re looking to celebrate a birthday, wedding or company milestone, there’s a pinata waiting for you. www.wantapinata.com @bigasspinata 3. A WANDERLUST TREASURE: Take a journey around the world, without setting foot on a plane, by looking through images of more than 100 locations in 60 countries. From exotic destinations to global cities, Travel by Design will be sure to satisfy your wanderlust, as well as inspire your next big adventure. www.assouline.com 4. CHEEKY CANDLE: Infused with top notes of lavender and thyme, and made in the U.K. with a hand-poured vegetable-wax blend, this Star-Lina Fornasetti candle will bring a playful vibe to any traditional setting in your home. kandl-artistique.com 5. DOLCE STYLE: Made for those whom living la dolce vita resonates consider making DOLCE’s black-and-gold T-shirt a staple in your wardrobe. Our hope is that when you wear this shirt, it inspires you to chase after your dreams — whatever they may be. Please email info@dolce.ca to order. 6. PUCKER-UP ART: Add a touch of femininity, colour and pizzazz to your space with these bespoke paper-lip wall décor pieces that are the ideal mix of chic and girly. @puckerup_paperlips 7. DARE TO DIFFUSE : Enhance your air in a stylish way with the Aroma Om white diffuser by Saje. Designed with a clean matte finish, the modern design purifies and humidifies your space using 100 per cent natural essential oil blends. www.saje.com
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