City Life Magazine Nov/Dec 2020

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ESCAPOLOGY: COLIN AND JUSTIN’S GREAT ESCAPE

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MT MEIKLE’S TIPS ON PERSONAL STYLE AND CONFIDENCE

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BALZAC’S COFFEE ROASTERS’S SUCCESS STORY

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HOW EIGHT MINUTES AND 46 SECONDS CHANGED BRANDS

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VOLUME 18 ISSUE 4 | NOV/DEC 2020

CONTENTS

14

46

COVER STORY

58

20 34

SOPHIA FOREVER: The world gasped when she burst upon the movie scene, and the legendary Loren continues to amaze

14 ALWAYS STYLING: Design and creativity are achieving new heights this year, and we offer some stylish samples

20 ESCAPOLOGY: Scottish couple Colin

McAllister and Justin Ryan’s new book takes us on a great outdoors adventure

34 COFFEE CULTURE: Coffee cafés are the

new village square, and few cafés provide the comfort of Balzac’s Coffee Roasters

56 LOOK OUT WORLD: Vaughan’s Stefano

Gallelli’s appearance on Jennifer Lopez’s World of Dance is the start of something big

56 38 8:46: The focus on social

48 SOULFUL SIBLINGS: Musical

44 SOCIAL LITE: Three

54 COUNTRY COMFORT: Actor

justice issues has reached corporate brands, which are silent no more

52

EDITOR’S PICKS

Canadians’ new vodka seltzer concoction brings all the taste and fun — without the sugar

duet Sarah Jordan and Matt Von use life’s raw experiences to create powerful music

and country artist Rob Mayes scores again with his new Western movie and acclaimed podcast

More stories inside …

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE PUBLISHER’S NOTE

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. Love your family. Share your plenty. Lean when you need. Live out loud.

Love heartily. Grow your humanity.

Infect the worldZerillo with your faith.

Fernando

Co-Founder/Creative Director — from The Wife by Iris Imeneo

“‘History’ … is mostly made up of the word ‘story’”

natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, one could ask the same question now. In De Lio’s case, where was God when deadly bacteria infected his body, nearly taking his life and resulting in the amputation of both of his legs?

In that article years ago, one of the questioned religious leaders replied that God was in the firemen going up the stairs to rescue the people in the towers. It’s a response that to this date gives me — Ken Burns Michelle Zerillo-Sosa, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief comfort. Likewise, now, God is in the rescue workers bringing relief to Puerto Rico, Mexico and Florida. And God was in the hat stories will we tell the next generations about that give you the courage and belief in yourself to go out and achieve doctors who fought to save Paul De Lio. He was with the family 2020? Will they focus on the virus that, to date, things in life,” says Loren. She returns to the screen after 11 years to and friends who prayed for De Lio’s life and later, for his recovery. has claimed the lives of nearly 1.2 million people play Madame Rosa, a Holocaust survivor who comes to look after a Today, just a few months after his ordeal, De Lio is filled with around the world? Or on the many brave front-line Senegalese orphan boy inHe The isLife Ahead (pageothers 58). find ways to positivity and gratitude. ready to help workers who keep doing their jobs, knowing they are at high risk We also have stories of others who, like Loren, are following live with motivation. Dare I say, then, God also resides in De of contracting the virus? Or will we focus on the 30 million who, their dreams and inspiring others to do the same.

Hope Agbolosoo Lio’s heart. See his story on page 32. mercifully, have recovered from the illness? Will we tell stories about is aOf 21-year-old who making a diffmy erence globally course, it’simmigrant possible you do isnot agree with thoughts the crowds demonstrating for the Black Lives Matter movement, (page 32).

Interior designers Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan ell, in the case of Yolanda Gampp, this could be on the whereabouts of God. We all know that one should not which has gained so much support that corporate brands have fi nally share their vision of Canada’s cottage country and the joys of being a real possibility. If you’re not yet familiar with speak casually of politics or religion, for these are sensitive by nature their book 20). Diana Olsen, started to listen (storyher onwork, page 38)? she is a multi-millionaire YouTube surrounded topics (although theinweather isn’tEscapology exactly a (page safe topic anymore, founder Balzac’s Coff Roasters, reflin ectsour onstory her dream No one can deny the effect thismillion year has had on all of us mentally, baker (3.3 subscribers, that is) … all the either).

But of perhaps you willeebe interested about of emotionally nancially.imagination.

But there is an upside to the story: creating a place where everyone feels thanks toand her fi incredible the Bahá’Í Faith, a relatively new welcome religion and withon5the to challenges 7 million of This ishave a woman who dreams up cakes a living not starting adherents practising If in youa volatile believe year, in the betterment communities come together like never before.for Where once,— some a new business,globally. especially like 1996 (pageof34). traditional shapes and flavours, butown cakes that look like theWe world, unity, you might find place as might have beentiered too busy and engrossed in their routines to notice hopeinthat you,love too, and holdservice, on to determination andyour positivity dogs, candy in their flavours like the we here.

Bahá’Í’sthebelieve in equality of all races and howhot others arehuge doing, nowapples, people watermelons, are checking on neighbours approach new year.

Meanwhile, wesexes, will continue to creeds, bring you velvet chocolate cakehave … You get food the idea. and inthat the inspire, harmony of science religion. onyour pagelife 74.the andultimate friends tored make sure and they’re healthy and enough and stories empower andand motivate you Story to make In this daybe, and we what couldchallenges all use more SweetEven mother of God,bythis ladyhello has isthe power to tempt even best supplies. just driving to say meaningful. it can noage, matter we unity, face. love and faith, regardless what takes.aMay youholiday enjoy this edition the strongest-willed person with her Her is that Fighting this pandemic has united us. cakes!

Still, we arebelief longing for We wishofyou andform your itfamily healthy season.

Mayofyou anything is possible, and with the love and support of family City Life Magazine.

It, like life, is yours to experience and do connection, for the ability to express affection. It’s not Amazon be reminded of all your blessings, first and foremost. and friends, the highest levels of success are attainable.

Read with what you will. purchases that enrich our lives, but shared experiences — vacations, her story on page 38. weddings, gatherings with friends, sports games, dining out, etc. We Speaking of belief, we all pray that our faith need never be miss even errands and tasks that were at times tiresome, because these tested the way Paul De Lio’s is. Many of us go through life little interactions are the fabric of our human connection. without ever having to question why tragedies strike our lives or The narrative of 2020 is one of hardship and obstacles. But the Michelle Zerillo-Sosa Zerillo-Sosa Fernando Zerillo the lives of others in the world. A few years back, we published Michelle attitude we decide embrace going into 2021 will determine its Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Co-Founder/Creative Director an article abouttothe definition of God. I remember asking the outcome, just as fi lm icon Sophia Loren held on to her dreams through writer to pose this question to various religious leaders: “Where @citylifemag / @amorebagstoronto / @fernandozerillo @dolcetweets @amorebagstoronto the was adversity of moments postwar Italy. are Given the kinds experiences God in such“Th as ose 9/11?” the of recent state of

W W

CAN YOU HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO?

12

CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

Nov/Dec 2020

www.mycitylife.ca

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michelle Zerillo-Sosa • michelle@dolce.ca DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Angela Palmieri-Zerillo • angela@dolce.ca ART D E PARTM E NT CO-FOUNDER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR Fernando Zerillo • fernando@dolce.ca 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 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 Rick Muller, Donna Paris, Cece M. Scott, Myles Shane, Josh Walker COPY EDITORS & PROOFREADERS Samantha Acker, Catharine Chen, Jennifer D. Foster, Nina Hoeschele CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Carlos A. Pinto, Payton Ruddock, Tony Vaccaro SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER & CONTENT CREATOR Jessica Spera PR & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Cassandra Giammarco VI D E O D E PARTM E NT VIDEOGRAPHERS Daniel Cooper, Carlos A. Pinto Creative & Production Services, 100 Yonge St., 5th Floor, Toronto ON, M5C 2W1

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ADVERTISING T: 905-264-6789 info@mycitylife.ca DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Angela Palmieri-Zerillo • angela@dolce.ca SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Mario Balaceanu OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Katrina Murray FRONT COVER Sophia Loren | Photo by Tony Vaccaro

City Life Magazine • Volume 18 • Issue 4 • Nov/Dec 2020 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 $24.

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.

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: Mar/Apr 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 25 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. ©2020 Dolce Media Group • www.dolcemedia.ca • Printed in Canada @citylifetoronto

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DESIGN NEWS

There has been a new appreciation for design and creativity this year that stimulates the senses and enhances our surroundings WRITTEN BY RICK MULLER

RACK OF AGES The Evans fir wood and metal wine cabinet with its beautiful stained mirror gives a sense of occasion to whatever you are pouring. www.structube.com

VISUALLY APPEALING These striking black-and-white ink or charcoal prints by Dutch visual artist LouLou Avenue are guaranteed conversation starters.

COOL COMFORT Brenda Danso’s BD Interior Design specializes in home staging and residential design to uncover and reflect your personal style.

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THE LOVE OF LUXURY Spaces by Jacflash, Jaclyn Genovese’s luxury design and décor firm, is your guide for fabulous taste in furniture and accessories. www.spacesbyjacflash.com

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Nov/Dec 2020

ART DECADENCE This gorgeous art deco– styled credenza comes in a mirrored finish with attractive accents to make the strongest style statement. www.zillihome.com

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A DV E R TO R I A L

The thousands of colour choices at Steeles Paint & Décor have been enhanced by the new Benjamin Moore 2021 Colour Trends Palette, offering 12 soothing natural hues, which will add comfort and style to any home this winter

STEELES PAINT & DÉCOR

I

f we are going to be spending the majority of this winter indoors, we might as well surround ourselves with beauty and comfort, and the design experts at Steeles Paint & Décor have the recently released Benjamin Moore colours for 2021 now in stock for do-it-yourself homeowners and professional decorators to make the most out of these cold-weather months.

Steeles Paint & Décor is the largest 16

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independent paint store in North America, and its 20,000-square-foot supercentre at 4190 Steeles Ave. W. is bursting with a vast selection of colours and full-time designers to assist with any project, large or small. Projects that, during these challenging times, may be just the tonic needed to provide relaxation and enjoyment when we need it most.

For 2021, the Benjamin Moore team

focused on grounded and rooted colours for its selection of its muchanticipated colours for the next year, with its celebrated Benjamin Moore Colour of the Year 2021 being Aegean Teal 2136-40, a rich blend of blue-green and grey mid-tones, with a natural hue that’s deep and comforting.

“I think the direction Benjamin Moore has taken is quite appropriate for this year and strikes the perfect balance,” www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BENJAMIN MOORE

Benjamin Moore’s 2021 Colour Trends Palette reflects balance and natural harmony

PHOTOS BY CARLOS A. PINTO

says Patel Douglas, one of many fulltime professional career designers on staff at Steeles Paint & Décor. “People have been anxious for this entire pandemic because of the uncertain future, and this very purposeful tone creates balance and a natural harmony, which people will find deeply soothing and comforting.”

The 12 hues of the Benjamin Moore 2021 Colour Trends Palette radiate warmth and well-being, sure to nourish the spirit and soul to envelop any surroundings with style and comfort.

Among other hues for 2021 are GrayCashmere 2138-60, Atrium-White OC-145, Foggy-Morning 2106-70 and Amazon-Soil 2115-30.

Since 1988, Steeles Paint & Décor has been the most knowledgeable and trusted paint resource in Ontario because of its wide selection and the considerable expertise of its in-house designers. They take a one-on-one, personalized approach to being able to customize every assignment and are well-versed in translating the oftenconfusing colour choice options into simple designing solutions that make the process of any project enjoyable.

“That’s the Steeles Paint & Décor difference,” says owner and founder Claudio Grisolia. “Unlike other paint stores, our in-house experts have made designing and colours their career and are full-time professionals. They take great pride in creating design and colour solutions for their clients, no matter what the challenge.”

It may be a long winter in many ways, but it also affords opportunity to beautify and celebrate your home with the Benjamin Moore 2021 Colour Trends Palette and to have the experts at Steeles Paint & Décor guide you every step of the way.

4190 Steeles Ave. W., Woodbridge, Ont. 905-850-4040 www.steelespaint.com www.mycitylife.ca

Owner and founder Claudio Grisolia (top left) has been joined in the family business by son Devon (right). Together, they lead a team of experienced full-time professionals who have made a career out of design, and they pride themselves on taking a personalized, one-on-one approach to every project to ensure complete satisfaction

Nov/Dec 2020

CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

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A DV E R TO R I A L

With just five realtors, Salerno Realty offers a personalized customer experience by recognizing each client’s individual needs

SALERNO REALTY INC.

Vaughan’s No. 1 Realtor Mark Salerno and his team continue their industry-leading presence on social media with innovative market strategies

O

ne of the most surprising business aspects of 2020 has been the continued strength and resiliency of residential real estate. According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, sales in the city increased 42 per cent in September year over year. Much of this is due to the dogged determination of Ontario realtors, with independent boutique brokerage Salerno Realty Inc. of Kleinburg, Ont., emerging as a leading innovator.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2020, the company’s president and Broker of Record, Mark Salerno, has been a worldwide trend-setter in the use of social media for many years, changing how real estate is transacted.

“For me, social media has been a big part of the business for quite some time,” says Mark.

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PEOPLE REALIZE “ THE VALUE AND

FIVE-STAR LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE, AND WE WON’T DO ANYTHING LESS

”

Mark’s passion for real estate came from his father, Mario, who founded the company in 1970. “He passed down to me that you’ve always got to be truthful and respectful with people, putting their needs as a priority. And if you do those things and work hard, it will work out for you,” recalls Mark.

Real estate has always been a people business, and Mark’s social media content clearly shows he is knowledgeable, authentic, passionate and engaging. He works without a net and a script during his live videos, not afraid to jump into a pool to keep viewers entertained and informed.

Mark has started a podcast series on how to do everything in real estate and to continue to provide value to his clients and brokers who follow him worldwide.

“People realize the value and five-star level of service that we provide, and we won’t do anything less,” says Mark. “My team takes care of all types of residential properties, whether it is a detached home, townhouse or a condo lease and commercial properties, whereas I focus on the luxury properties.”

Through dedication and diligence, Mark and his team are now No. 1 in Real Estate Individual and Team in Vaughan, as per Multiple Listing Service. With professionalism and integrity, Salerno Realty has become a leader known for its honest, trustworthy and always innovative approach to real estate.

“I could never do this without my supportive wife and kids,” says Mark.

“Having a job that demands long hours, their support is everything to my success.”

10472 Islington Ave., Unit 1, Kleinburg, Ont. 416-460-2118, Ext. 201 www.salernorealestate.ca @salernorealestate www.mycitylife.ca

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design

Escapology showcases escapologists from all over the world, including Canada and the U.S., Norway and Sweden

THE GREAT ESCAPE WRITTEN BY JOSH WALKER

W

ith a career that spans interior design, hosting TV shows, interviewing celebrities and style journalism, Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan are a Scottish couple with an eye for detail. Their newest project, Escapology: Modern Cabins, Cottages and Retreats, is a book that continues that vision, celebrating both their 20

CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

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connection with Canada’s cottage country since moving here 14 years ago and the idea of losing yourself in a moment of escape.

“The book explores people across the world in Canada, the U.S., Britain, South Africa, Norway, Sweden whom we like to term ‘escapologists,’” says Colin. “They’re people who have escaped the city and want to be closer

to nature, and it’s about how their architecture and design provides for that.”

Rather than realize Escapology as a coffee table publication, full of stunning pictures with few descriptions, or a handbook, packed with descriptions but lacking visuals, Colin and Justin wanted to create something that met in the middle and was accessible to www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BACKCOUNTRY HUT COMPANY

Colin and Justin discuss falling in love with Canada’s cottage country, and why their new book, Escapology, offers the escape we all need

PHOTO BY JEREMY KOHM, GREAT CANADIAN COTTAGES/COTTAGE LIFE

Colin and Justin’s love for cabins began when they moved from Scotland to Canada

www.mycitylife.ca

Nov/Dec 2020

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PHOTO BY NIGEL RIGDEN

PHOTO BY GREG COX/BUREAUX

PHOTO BY THE RAWS

The duo believe you don’t have to own a cottage in order to bring aspects of the great outdoors into your home

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www.mycitylife.ca

everyone. As Justin says, “Cottaging isn’t the preserve of the wealthy. In fact, going back to the very early times of cottages, they were done by craftsmen and artisans, and it was a very humbling thing.” The book is a reflection of that notion, showcasing properties from Scotland to Vancouver and discussing everything from how to design a cabin on a budget to creating an outdoor kitchen.

“We wanted to try and split the difference by telling the story of people who live in these [properties], how they developed them, but then give you an idea of what you’re looking at, so, even if you’re not in a rural environment, you can make your home more escapist and more personal.”

This love for cabins and cottage country began when the pair first moved to Canada and they rented a cottage in Ontario’s Muskoka region. Soon after that, they bought their first cottage and worked hard to renovate it, picking up tips and tricks along the way of how to make an inexpensive purchase look great.

“We’ve recommended [to] so many of our clients who want to buy in the city, but can’t bring together the deposit required to jump into the cottage country area, [that they] buy something that’s a low price point, renovate it, sell it for profit and bring that profit back to the city. We’ve seen a lot of people doing that,” Justin explains. “We’ve also seen people selling their big city home or condo and downsizing to a smaller space in the city or suburbs and using their extra capital to buy a place in the country, and I love that.”

It was during this process that the pair noticed the impact being surrounded by nature can have on us as humans. “When we got back from the cottage [to the city], we felt completely renewed. And it’s not just the countryside and the energy and the lake, it’s the whole package,” says Justin. “The harder we worked in cottage country, the more refreshed we felt. The harder we worked in the city, the more tired we felt […] We really hope Escapology will show people, even if they don’t have a cottage or an ambition to have a cottage, that having a home that’s influenced by aspects of www.mycitylife.ca

There’s a move toward people looking for a quality of life and for spaces and homes to deliver something for us.

They’re not just walls that we’re looking at — Colin McAllister

The book sits in between a coffee table publication and a handbook and is packed with useful descriptions and stunning visuals

the great outdoors — whether it’s the textures, colours, mood — can give you the same thing. There’s no reason you can’t have that magic in your home in the city.”

There’s also something to say about the timing of the book. Though work on it began two years ago, the stress of a pandemic has seen us all eager

for escape. “Because of the pandemic, there’s a new wave of pioneer spirit for people who do want to leave the city,” Colin says. “This was happening before the pandemic as well, but there’s a move toward people looking for a quality of life and for spaces and homes to deliver something for us. They’re not just walls that we’re looking at. They’re looking for their homes to be personal, practical and beautiful, so we feel totally refreshed.”

Even the format of the book, a different approach to the usual speed and immediacy the pair are used to with working in television, was an important part of creating that feeling of escape. “We all look at Pinterest, Instagram and things online, but there’s something different about seeing a photograph in print,” Colin continues.

“There’s a permanence, solidity and realness about it that you don’t get from a screen, and that adds to the escape. It made sense to us to take this notion of escapology and put it down on paper and to make sure the pages, print and design of the book are beautiful. It’s all about the experience.”

With the book’s recent release on October 13, 2020, the pair have garnered another success story to add to their resumé. But, for both, true success is about being happy, healthy and with each other. “Success is about finding someone in your life that you don’t compete with. Someone who’s always got your back, always supports you and tries to bring the best out of you,” Colin says.

Having been together for 32 years, they’re described by their family as “the sum of two parts.” “You’ve got to feel good when you get up in the morning and when you go to bed at night,” Justin says, continuing where Colin left off. “We only have the window of opportunity between those two events to make the best of each day. We’ve had such a busy career, done so many things and are still doing them. We love that, and it’s nice to look back on those successes and enjoy them as we have them, but our biggest achievement is that we’ve been a couple since we met 32 years ago.” @colinandjustin Nov/Dec 2020

CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

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A DV E R TO R I A L

Pamela Ventresca and her P2 Realty team have seen the pandemic have an immense shift on priorities, with a return back to grassroots family values for homeowners

P2 REALTY INC. Providing trusted and knowledgeable real estate services during turbulent times

I

t seems we’ve been seeking trust and knowledge more than ever this year — for guidance, information and explanation – both for the little daily things and life’s big decisions. It somehow feels that directions chosen today will have a greater impact on our tomorrow.

In so many ways, real estate has become elevated as part of those discussions this year — not only in how we use our homes for life, work and play, but also where we live. It may explain the incredible strength of the residential real estate market during the pandemic, and providing that trust, guidance and knowledge is Pamela Ventresca, founder and CEO of P2 Realty, and her team, a full-service brokerage with hands-on and personalized service when we need it the most.

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“People are increasingly interested in making sure their lives are co-ordinated ‘now’ because the pandemic happened so quickly,” says Pamela. “There is a sense of urgency rising out of anxiety, as people find themselves realizing that time is more precious than ever. And that’s where our team has been focusing, helping guide clients through the storm of confusion when it comes to the most important decision of finding the perfect home and finding their sense of security.”

P2 Realty’s roots grew from PACE Developments, a family-owned builder of award-winning homes and condos in the GTA, when they decided to bring the buying-and-selling side of new homes in-house three years ago, in 2017. As a boutique agency with just over 20 brokers,

P2 Realty has impressively managed over $525 million in sales transactions of more than 1,200 properties. Given its background in the building/development industry, P2 has the inside scoop on pre-construction sales of new projects, another added benefit for its clients.

As COO of PACE and as a busy mother of four under the age of 10, Pamela understands the value of the family home, especially in this turbulent time, right from the beginning of the home-building process to the point of sale. “The family home is the most important purchase families will make in their lifetime, and the emotional aspect of it plays a huge factor, and the pandemic has accentuated that,” she observes. “Today, it’s outside space that is valued, a home where families can walk outside their door, take a breath and clear their minds. A backyard for their children to enjoy and just be kids. The shift in priorities has been immense and the grassroots family values have had a resurgence that everyone is still learning to adapt to.”

P2 prides itself on making clients feel like family. “We provide a one-on-one experience, and clients appreciate that,” says Pamela. “They become part of our P2 family. When selecting agents to join our team, they have to fit into our company culture, it’s non-negotiable, so we can continue to provide the service and shape our brand as we grow and move forward for years to come.”

Big decisions have taken on greater importance these days, and may have even more impact and consequences in the uncertain years ahead. Pamela Ventresca and her team at P2 Realty are committed to giving you confidence that a real estate decision at this opportune time is made with informed experts with your best interest at heart — now and for the future.

30 Wertheim Crt., Unit 4, Bldg A, Richmond Hill, Ont. 905-597-1480 www.p2realty.com @p2realty www.mycitylife.ca

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8099 Weston Road, Unit 10, Woodbridge | 905.264.9341

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A DV E R TO R I A L

SLEEK AND CONTEMPORARY STYLE

With intelligent planning, quality craftsmanship and the finest materials, Thornhill’s RZ Interiors creates custom-built, beautiful and functional interior spaces

RZ Interiors proposed open riser steps on the central staircase to maintain the open concept, while the kitchen’s large island, breakfast table and integrated appliances provide a seamless look

S

ince March 2020, not only have we been paying closer attention to where we live, but also perhaps, more importantly, how we live, and this may be raising some questions: “Did we really choose that colour many years ago? Given our daily life flow, why did we put the kitchen island there?”

These are questions that Bahar Zaeem and Shima Radfar, founders and partners of RZ Interiors, a respected interior design studio in Thornhill, Ont., have heard many times — though, this year it seems

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the self-examination by homeowners has certainly been increasing.

“Clients are looking for budgetfriendly and efficient solutions, and the pandemic has caused that,” says Radfar.

“We have lots of clients in Toronto, across Canada, even the United Kingdom, and this is a very common goal.”

Global clients approached RZ Interiors because of an innovative approach by the team to provide an online design service at the start of the pandemic due to inperson meeting restrictions. “This allows

clients fast space planning solutions for their existing living environment, as most of the communication is done on virtual platforms,” says Zaeem. “Regardless of the times, clients still want new looks or to touch up their existing homes. We are seeing a lot of renovations going on during this time.”

Founded in 2017, RZ Interiors has become a respected leader in the interior design field within the Greater Toronto Area by adhering to a simple yet fundamental core value to design

www.mycitylife.ca

Before

The reimagining of the 1970s-era home on Colton Crescent in north Woodbridge was done in RZ Interiors’s signature style of sleek, cool and contemporary design

interiors that are functional, esthetically beautiful and wholly personalized. To that end, in any of their designs, it is of paramount importance that Zaeem and Radfar first understand how their client lives, not only day to day, but also in their entertaining style.

“We ask clients to send us pictures about how they actually live, and don’t tidy up first,” says Zaeem. “We ask them about their lifestyles: ‘Do you work at home? Do you want kids? Do you host big parties? Do you order in or love cooking?’ It’s all about how to make their space work for them, to refine their current home to fit their lifestyles.”

These client questionnaires are important in uncovering such small but key elements to everyday living, such as asking what they store in cabinets, how much countertop space or storage space is needed or, if they are art lovers, planning appropriate space to showcase and celebrate their art.

RZ Interiors’s designer team begins each project with a client’s brief and concept for their space. They then work alongside architects and engineers involved in any project to prepare interior layouts and construction drawing sets, which result in homes that are harmonious, artful and authentic. RZ Interiors’s reputation in the industry is that it embraces fine finishes, quality craftsmanship and intelligent planning, which improve the lives of its clients with beautiful yet functional design.

A perfect example of RZ Interiors’s work is a recent collaboration with a developer on a 4,400-square-foot home north of Woodbridge, Ont., which was built on-spec and is currently on the

www.mycitylife.ca

market. They took an existing 1970s-era home and completely reimagined it for contemporary living. Given its 1970s bones, this home needed to be opened up, and given that no one is living there, Zaeem and Radfar created a “fictional family,” based on the neighbourhood.

“We gave ourselves our client questionnaire, as we had to imagine how the family would live [in order] to create the concept and overall theme,” recalls Zaeem. “The central staircase was the biggest challenge, as we needed a design solution to fit in with our open floor plan. We proposed open riser steps to create transparency and allow plenty of natural light to flood the main floor.”

The home has the sleek, cool and contemporary look RZ Interiors specializes in. “The materials selected and details involved make it that way, along with the lighting solutions and large windows, which invite nature inside,” says Radfar. “We used wide width white oak engineered hardwood flooring, and a richly veined stone to create a stylish yet durable floor in the kitchen. And the whole space is so bright and very welcoming.”

Each client is distinctive, and RZ Interiors develops each living environment with personalized, one-onone service to customize every home. As Zaeem says, “Every home is a different story that we want to tell in a different and unique way.”

Before

7368 Yonge St., Suite 302, Thornhill, Ont. 647-834-6547/647-298-9031 www.r-zinteriors.com @rzinteriors_ Nov/Dec 2020

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A DV E R TO R I A L

GC & CO. SALON AND MED SPA

Perhaps never before has it been more important to treat and indulge yourself with beauty therapy by the experts at GC & Co. in Woodbridge

Nov/Dec 2020

“

Gianna has given me the true confidence that I’ve been searching for in regards to my skin. If I could give her more than 10 stars, I would! When working with Gianna, you can expect amazing results from the best master facialist in the GTA. Thank you, Gianna, for changing my skin!

— Vic Brocca, owner @velvebeauty

“

The facial I received from Gianna was not only soothing and relaxing, but also my skin felt so smooth and radiant afterwards, which gives me the confidence I need before I step in front of the camera every morning.

“

CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

— Helen Brandao, owner @brandosclothing

“

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“

The best facial EVER! Gianna has magic hands. I leave feeling rejuvenated, skin tighter, brighter and wrinkles smoothed out. Her technique and combination of procedures are like no other. I highly recommend Gianna and her wonderful unique facials. Love her!

“

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wo of the most common denominators of this challenging year are stress and anxiety — feelings that can impact your exterior self as much as your interior one. And no one understands this better than Gianna Ugolini, owner of GC & Co. Salon and Med Spa, located on Highway 7 in Woodbridge, Ont. Specializing in laser hair removal, customized facials, lash and brows, Ugolini and her team of technicians at GC & Co. bring out your natural beauty through their passionate hands.

Ugolini carries 17 years of laser hair removal experience and offers her clients the gold standard in technology with Cynosure’s VECTUS laser hair removal system. “Our laser tech team of experienced technicians here at GC & Co. strive to help people feel their best despite everything that is going on,” says Ugolini.

The team of talented, strong and confident women at GC & Co. never stops investigating new and innovative techniques in the beauty process on behalf of their clients, and Ugolini is especially passionate about the new addition to her product selection, Environ Skin Care. This line’s core ingredient is vitamin A. Vitamin A supports the skin’s immune system and promotes natural moisturizing and hydration, adhering to Environ’s philosophy that healthy skin will be beautiful skin by “feeding” the skin the necessary vitamins.

“I’ve been researching this line for

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over a year, tried it on myself and was blown away by the results,” says Ugolini.

“The brightening effect is just incredible, and specifically their revival mask — it’s actually nicknamed the facelift in a jar.”

GC & Co. also features Environ’s DF

Machine, enhancing the penetration of the active vitamins and age-defying peptides of Environ’s products, providing faster and more effective results.

Ugolini recommends the Environ Skin Care line to brighten pigment, and tighten and plump the skin. “People with pigmentation issues and sun damage need a really good home care routine morning and night in order to see results, [and] this along with regular facials is the secret to beautiful skin,” says Ugolini.

Clients usually begin with the Signature Facial, where Ugolini analyzes the client’s skin and recommends the best add-on options, such as the oxygen system, gold leaf mask or skin tightening around the eyes, which is proving to be quite popular.

To enhance that, GC & Co. features a new eye treatment add-on, a Pressotherapy device, which is similar to goggles that are placed over the eyes that vibrate, warm and massage the eye area.

“The expertise I developed over the last 25 years allows me to analyze my clients’ skin and customize a program for them,” says Ugolini. “I want to give clients exactly what they need in order to get excellent results — that is my top priority.”

Peace and serenity have been in short supply during 2020, so indulging with the experts at GC & Co. can provide a calming, healthy and natural sanctuary — just when we need it the most.

6175 Hwy 7, Unit 7, Woodbridge, Ont. 416-527-1023 www.gcandco.ca @gianna_gcandco www.mycitylife.ca

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Nov/Dec 2020

CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

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PERSONAL STYLE

As specialists in personal styling, partners MT Meikle (left) and Irene Kim are experts in shopping for style to maximize versatile pieces for client wardrobes

La Closette’s MT Meikle says that, for many reasons, now is the ideal time to focus on fashion, your wardrobe and personal style WRITTEN BY RICK MULLER

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www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO BY MELISSA SUNG

THE POWER AND PASSION OF STYLE

W

e may be challenged to find any positives about 2020, but “awareness” may be one of them. A greater awareness of our priorities, our family and friends, our essentials, our homes and our personal selves. While our personal physical interactions may be limited, through video calls, we may actually be seeing and speaking to more people this year than ever before — and reconnecting with family, friends and associates for the first time in years.

And through these interactions, we are subtly communicating not only our personalities, but also our personal styles, which we all possess. No one understands this more than MT Meikle, founder and co-owner of La Closette, a premier fashion consultancy specializing in personal styling and online style consulting for work and play.

“Style encompasses everything: how you talk, mannerisms, posture and first impressions, and the first thing people judge is what the other person is wearing, and details can make or break it, so it’s important to take the time to focus on the details,” says Meikle. “Even while at home during these days. If you want to feel better at home, you present yourself better and you are then more productive. Even on a screen, people are analyzing what you’re wearing and how you’re put together, even before you speak, as it’s the same as seeing someone in person.”

Meikle has a degree in science from McMaster University and was introduced to fashion by making extra money as a model. And, after going to school at the Academy of Fashion Design and having two daughters, she started her own business to allow her some additional freedom. She met her business partner, Irene Kim, while making a presentation at a law firm, and their sympatico and mutually supportive partnership has flourished these past nine years.

“La Closette helps our clients uncover their own style and gives them confidence,” says Meikle, on their business success. “If you have confidence in what you’re wearing, you www.mycitylife.ca

Style encompasses everything: how you talk, mannerisms, posture and first impressions, and the first thing people judge is what the other person is wearing, and details can make or break it, so it’s important to take the time to focus on the details

end up looking great and feeling great, and it impacts everything in your life.

You need to own your style. Don’t let a label own you. You create your own style and need to be the owner of it, to be feeling good about what you are wearing and feeling confident about yourself.”

La Closette believes that everyone has their own style, even if they don’t realize it. And there is a huge difference between shopping for clothes and shopping for “style.” “Shopping for clothes is just throwing it into your closet by accumulating clothes,” observes Meikle. “Shopping for style means you are buying pieces which are meant to be versatile for your wardrobe and your body. [It’s] your vision for the pieces for who you are and who you want to be, and you don’t have to spend a lot. Here, we can be of real value, as clients come to us to create a wardrobe, and we do a style audit first on what they might need before they buy.”

La Closette has recently become part of a partnership in a new initiative called Operation 03, which puts on specially curated fashion events once per month with different themes to benefit both the retailers that are providing the fashions, with additional exposure, and the shoppers, with special

discounts. With strict safety protocols in place, it keeps alive the retailing experience with new thinking during the pandemic.

“We wanted to do luxury sample sales in luxury venues,” says Meikle. “We are providing retailers and designers an opportunity to showcase their products as art pieces in distinctive venues. These are all highly curated events and will provide the shoppers with exclusive retail and multi-sensory experiences like no other to make them feel special and indulgent.”

It is another example of how well La Closette understands its customers.

“They trust us with their personal lives, as we look into their homes, closets and budgets, and we do it with kindness,” says Meikle.

“We may have felt we’ve lost some control this year, so little wins can mean so much to us and put a smile on our faces, like a reimagining of our personal style and an investment now for the brighter days that may hopefully lie ahead.” www.laclosette.com @laclosette www.mycitylife.ca SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR THE INTERVIEW WITH MT MEIKLE

Nov/Dec 2020

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Force of Inspiration

THE

GIFT OF

HOPE

A 21-year-old immigrant from Ghana has created an environment that is making a global difference WRITTEN BY RICK MULLER

Using a shared passion and interest in basketball, Hope Fitness extends beyond the court to teach kids to maximize their potential in all aspects of life

www.mycitylife.ca

S

ometimes, there are physical characteristics of people that say so much about them before you even know them — a certain stature, twinkling eyes, an easy smile or a quick laugh. Or sometimes it’s just the name alone.

Hope Agbolosoo is just such a person.

The 21-year-old immigrated to Canada from Ghana 10 years ago. And today, this inspirational person runs Hope Fitness, teaching kids how to be grateful, achieve their potential, stay positive and learn certain life skills, as well as a little hoops — a steady focus on basketball skills — using this common

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interest in the sport as a guidepost to the bigger picture.

“My grandfather named me after him to give other people hope,” says Agbolosoo in a recent interview with City Life. “My father had already left for Canada, where he worked two jobs and went to school full time, and after 10 years, he brought the family here.”

As an 11-year-old landing in a foreign country, Agbolosoo had both a difficult transition and some interesting observations about this new place called Canada. “I did not want to be here; it was snowy and cold, and I hated it,” he recalls. “But then I discovered Wi-Fi and a refrigerator and fast

food and food delivery — luxuries whenever you wanted them. But in Ghana, we were very resourceful and did everything for ourselves,” he says.

“I noticed Canadian kids were having their parents tie their shoes for them and were completely dependent upon them for everything. There seemed to be a lot of unnecessary drama.”

Fairly mature observations from someone so young. In Grade 12, he broke his leg, forcing Agbolosoo to slow down and take stock of his life’s plans.

His recovery included many workouts, and a parent observing him asked if he could train their child, and others joined in via social media. Soon, he had eight www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTOS BY NAVEEN RAMKHELAWAN

SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR THE INTERVIEW WITH HOPE AGBOLOSOO

kids he was training, and the idea for Hope Fitness was born.

“This whole time I was trying to inspire people using sports, fitness and basketball as the service to motivate others,” he says. “You have to give people the opportunity to put them in the position to improve themselves. My services provided opportunity to see how powerful they can become and to push them past what they think they can be.”

Today, Hope Fitness operates in Georgetown, Milton and Mississauga, Ont., for kids aged five to 18-plus years.

Starting with just four kids, the business grew to where, before the pandemic, Agbolosoo had eight difference classes with 20 kids each taking his eight-week programs. And every single kid who started with him is still enrolled. He is considering a switch to virtual classes, where Agbolosoo’s energy, passion and enthusiasm will shine through to keep motivating his kids.

“To inspire as many people as possible and to teach kids to be positive and more than capable of what they can do right now,” says Agbolosoo in speaking about

You have to give people the opportunity to put them in the position to improve themselves. My services provided opportunity to see how powerful they can become and to push them past what they think they can be

his program goals. “It’s important to use physical and mental strengths, and I push them to show growth. And they are always very happy after my classes.”

Never forgetting his roots, Agbolosoo is also raising funds to build basketball courts back in Ghana, explaining that hard courts replacing the current dirt courts will allow kids to play much longer and much harder. It’s a simple but impactful action that will mean so much back home, continuing his message to kids of all ages, especially during this pandemic.

“Don’t let this hit the pause button on your dreams — keep moving forward,” he says. “When I was little, I used to look up to people. If little Hope was looking up at me right now, he’d say, ‘That’s the type of person I want to be when I’m grown up.’ I’m never satisfied and I keep driving.”

Hope Agbolosoo is an inspirational force of nature, giving kids in Canada and Africa the promise that life can be better and the future a little brighter — just like his name implies. @hope__fitness

Your one-stop bakery for all your special occasions

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10040 Keele St., Maple, Ont. www.maplebakery.ca www.mycitylife.ca

Nov/Dec 2020

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success

BALZAC’S COFFEE ROASTERS:

PREMIUM ROASTED COFFEE IN FRENCHINSPIRED CAFÉS COMES TO VAUGHAN AND KLEINBURG Owner and founder Diana Olsen’s Balzac’s cafés are a place where everyone feels welcome

B

esides technology, perhaps one of the biggest changes in our culture over the last 30 years has been the rise of, and ubiquitous presence of, “coffee culture” as part of the daily fabric of our urban lives. Could anyone have imagined in 1990 the popularity and transformation of traditional coffee shops into the high-end cafés and meeting places of choice they are today?

Or how the once-simple phrase of “A cup of coffee, please” has morphed into a 15-second descriptive of exacting science, temperatures and personalized ingredients? In many ways, the coffee café has become the modern equivalent of the village square, where people gather to connect, gossip and discuss issues of the day.

One of those who actually did imagine this social sea change, and acted upon it, is Diana Olsen, founder and president of Balzac’s Coffee Roasters, now with 16 popular cafés with a distinctively French-inspired

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thematic located throughout Ontario, with two new cafés recently opened in York Region.

While she loves many cultures, Olsen’s imagination for Balzac’s cafés was sparked by her observations of the grand cafés of Paris, while immersing herself in French culture, with time spent as an au pair at age 19 and 1.5 years in France after earning a degree in French literature.

“I was a tall, gangly blond woman in Paris, but I wasn’t a fish out of water when I hung out and read in cafés; I felt as if I had a place,” says Olsen in a recent interview with City Life. “I could observe the world and the city, and all of my spare time was spent in cafés, where everybody feels welcome. That was the goal with my cafés: to make everyone feel welcome, and where anybody and everybody feels part of something.”

Starting any business can be a risky venture, especially in the economic volatility of the mid-1990s, so before Olsen opened her first café in Stratford,

Ont., in 1996, she did some market research, but she mostly relied on her vision and gut instincts that she could bring something different to market which could flourish.

“Most of the cafés in Ontario were generic in nature, and I wanted to be inspired by European cafés, with café chairs, marble tables and iron-table bases. And I didn’t see that in Ontario,” says Olsen. “And no one was roasting their own beans, so I bought a roaster and took a bean-roasting course in San Francisco. And part of the Balzac difference has always been that we roast our own beans.”

From that modest beginning in Stratford, Balzac’s is now a staple in some of downtown Toronto’s trendiest neighbourhoods, which Olsen knows well from her home base in Mimico, by Toronto’s lakeshore. Balzac’s Toronto locations include the Distillery District, Liberty Village, on Market Street and Powerhouse Street, within the Image Arts Lab at Ryerson University, the www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTOS BY CARLOS A. PINTO

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Like its varied products, each Balzac’s location reflects its surroundings, such as its restored and charming heritage building in Kleinburg

Toronto Reference Library, at Billy Bishop Airport and the UP Express, near Union Station.

Olsen’s selective growth strategy has taken Balzac’s to some of southern Ontario’s most notable small cities, including Niagara-on-the-Lake, Port Dalhousie, Kitchener, Guelph and Kingston.

Today, the impact of coffee cafés is used by sociologists, economists and city planners as a measurement of the health and vitality of some neighbourhoods and regions. If a town or neighbourhood attracts an upper-market café, chances are that it has a dynamic, mobile and well-paid population living within it.

That is certainly the case in York Region, with Balzac’s two new cafés: one at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, located at 200 Apple Mill Rd., and the other in a charming white heritage clapboard cottage, located at 10499 Islington Ave., in the Village of Kleinburg.

“As is the case in most of our locations, landlords approach us, and that means it’s a good location, and the landlord feels it can work,” says Olsen about the expansion into York Region. “It’s an extension of some of the smaller towns that really embrace us, and Kleinburg is quintessential Balzac’s, which resonates with our brand, and [the] Vaughan [location] is a modern, unique space with high ceilings — and we delivered on both counts, as it all ties together.”

Located at the heart of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, this Balzac’s is bright, spacious and contemporary in tone, yet still containing such French café touches as tiled flooring and traditional café tables and chairs. In the 36

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quaint Village of Kleinburg, Balzac’s completely restored the Arthur McNeil House, turning it into a sanctuary café snuggled amid tall trees between two streams of the Humber River.

There is a palpable feel to a Balzac’s café that is different from other coffee cafés: warm, comfortable and communal, and that has always been a part of its approach to the business. Every café is specifically designed to reflect the cultural nuances and historical significance of each location. That and a reputation for outstanding quality coffee and products are what make Balzac’s stand apart in the café category.

Balzac’s sources its beans from trusted growers in the equatorial zones of Central and South America, Africa and Indonesia. When asked what comes first, the bean or the ambience, Olsen says it’s probably a little of both.

“We’re focused on both aspects and do a lot of research and source our beans very carefully and also do a lot of tastings to ensure quality control,” says Olsen. “We then try to let the location inform the look and feel of each café, so it’s a mix of French café with the neighbourhood feel. I do all the design and love learning about the area or building we’re going into. It’s the fun, creative part of my job.”

Balzac’s coffee is sold across Canada and available at Loblaws, Metro, Sobeys and Whole Foods, and it is delivered through Grocery Gateway and Well.ca.

Customers can also download the Balzac’s App on the App Store and order ahead for quick pickup. It’s all part of North America’s continuing fascination with coffee culture, which,

to an informed observer and active participant, such as Olsen, shows no sign of going away.

“Cafés are that third-place phenomenon, as it’s not work and it’s not home and it’s not expensive,” observes Olsen. “It’s an affordable luxury open to everyone, and you get a sense of belonging in taking a break from the stress of the day. There’s something about a busy café that has a certain energy, and you can get those 10-minute breaks in your day, or sit for one to two hours, and it can be spontaneous.”

Operating a “people-gathering” business during a pandemic has certainly been challenging, but Balzac’s has continued to serve its faithful customer base with enhanced safety protocols and innovative ideas. It roasts its own beans, so people can enjoy them at home, and the wholesale and e-commerce side of its business has experienced tremendous growth during the pandemic.

Named to the 2019 Globe and Mail’s listing of Canada’s Top Growing Companies, Olsen sees a promising future for Balzac’s due to the quality of its products, its locations and the strength of her team of approximately 160 employees.

“COVID-19 changed any rapid expansion plans for the time being, and it’s tough to ensure anything,” says Olsen. “But the key to our success is the employees. Our people just went above and beyond during the pandemic, and it was amazing to see them step up.

Pivoting in business is a lot of hard work, but I have an amazing team.” www.balzacs.com @balzacscoffee www.mycitylife.ca

From left: Kris Romano, Ida Massarella and Clara Russiello

A DV E R TO R I A L

BETTER HEARING, BETTER HEALTH At Great to Hear, clients are getting all the help they need to integrate mind, body and spirit for a better future using breakthrough technological advances

PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

H

earing loss isn’t just about losing your hearing — it affects all aspects of our lives.

Studies show that adults with untreated hearing loss experience a 30 per cent to 40 per cent faster decline in cognitive abilities, and they have a significantly higher incidence of feelings of isolation and depression.

That’s why Great to Hear offers more than just hearing devices, it offers hope for a better life. “New technology was released in early 2020, including a special hearing device, a ‘Healthable,’ which does so much more than just help people with their hearing,” says Kris Romano, a Hearing Instrument Specialist. In fact, it

www.mycitylife.ca

enables users to take a proactive approach to their hearing and their wellness, too.

How can a hearing device do this?

“Today’s devices have come a long way; they’re high-tech and sophisticated with AI features that are really futuristic,” says Ida Massarella, co-owner of Great to Hear. Myriad features, including language translation and TV streaming, make lives easier, as does a feature that enhances sound quality for users around people who are wearing face masks.

A “Reminders” feature allows a family member to send a reminder to take medication, for instance, that will sound within the user’s hearing aid anywhere in the world. Similarly, a family member can

connect easily with a parent, for instance, reminding them of their tee time on the golf course. “That motivates us. It’s like having your own personal life coach talking to you,” says Romano.

These new devices offer remote programming and diagnostics, and with body and brain tracking, the hours of social engagement and time spent actively listening can be tracked, along with activity and movement. These features can give the user a snapshot of their overall health. And clients are onboard. “Many of our clients are hesitant in the beginning, then they love it,” says Clara Russiello, co-owner of Great to Hear.

Technology is really pushing the envelope and helping everyone in a family help one another, she adds. “Millennials are assisting, and grandchildren are bringing their grandparents along.”

But it’s not just older people who suffer with hearing loss. “It’s rising among younger people, too,” says Romano, and that’s why he’s working hard to reach out to elementary and high-school kids by trying to get high-profile musicians and recording artists to spread the message about how important it is to protect their hearing.

All this effort is paying off for Great to Hear. It is the seven-time winner of the Top Hearing Clinic in Vaughan; the company has won the Small Business Award from the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce; and Great to Hear is a finalist in the Health and Wellness category for 2020. Receiving this validation means a lot to the business.

“Everyone is so diligent about taking care of their physical health, but we want to put more of a focus on our brain health,” says Massarella. “It’s important to keep our brain stimulated by the sounds we hear around us and to exercise the brain with conversations and interactions with our environment for more robust everyday living and to help us thrive in the future.”

8787 Weston Rd., Unit 7A, Woodbridge, Ont. 905-850-7997 www.GreatToHear.ca Nov/Dec 2020

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Social Economics

Eight minutes and 46 seconds was all it took for George Floyd to be murdered. Those eight minutes and 46 seconds changed the world WRITTEN BY MYLES SHANE

O

n May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old AfricanAmerican man, was murdered in Minneapolis. A few minutes prior to his death, Floyd was arrested for allegedly using counterfeit money. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, forcefully leaned his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, after Floyd had been handcuffed and was face-down on the ground. Two other police officers, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, helped Chauvin in restraining Floyd, and another police officer, Tou Thao, prohibited eyewitnesses from becoming involved. Floyd cried out,

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In June 2020, PepsiCo publicized it was dumping the 130-year-old Aunt Jemima breakfast brand, which featured Aunt Jemima, who was originally dressed as a minstrel character. “We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, said in a statement, as reported by NPR

“I can’t breathe.” Pleading for his life, he asked to call his mother. It was like a scene from an ultra-realistic horror film, which doesn’t leave anything for the viewer’s imagination. After several minutes passed, Floyd stopped speaking. For the next two minutes, he lay motionless. When urged to check him, Kueng found no pulse. Chauvin refused pleas to lift his knee until medics told him to stop.

Floyd’s death elicited worldwide protests against police brutality, police racism and lack of police accountability.

Who knew that those eight minutes and 46 seconds would change the world? Even during the worst pandemic

the globe has seen in a hundred years, thousands protested every night, knowing full well COVID-19 was easily transmittable.

Companies with brands that had been created as a product of systemic racism for close to a hundred years now recognized a new dawn was on the horizon. The world would never be the same. Either those corporate giants would jump on the Black Lives Matter bandwagon and acknowledge their part in the perpetuation of systemic racism, or they would watch their customers disappear. A revolution was beginning.

Even sports teams were being condemned for their racist names: the www.mycitylife.ca

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While work has been done over the years to update the brand in a manner intended to be appropriate and respectful, we realize those changes are not enough

Colgate announced on June 18, 2020, that it would “review and evolve” its bestselling Chinese toothpaste brand Darlie, which, at one time, highlighted a smiling man in blackface, whose name (originally, “Darkie”) translates to “Black person toothpaste”

Chicago Blackhawks, the Washington Redskins, the Edmonton Eskimos, the Atlanta Braves and many others.

Brands, which often remained silent when it came to social justice issues, began speaking out, along with ad agencies and media professionals.

In response to the protests, Old Navy filmed a new spot, which digressed from its usual singsong-type commercials.

The company, which is owned by GAP Inc., chose five activists, including Marley Dias, a 15-year-old feminist and founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks; Sara Mora, an immigrant rights activist and co-founder of Women’s March Youth Empower; Dawn Bozeman, a community activist for racial equality in Dunlap, Ill.; Sharene Wood, born and raised in Harlem, N.Y., and involved in the local community as a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem advisory board; and Ja’Mal Green, a civil rights advocate in Chicago. The activists appeared in a new 30-second spot called “We Are We.” During the commercial, Dias narrates a poem: “Here we are, a nation divided, red, blue, 16 per cent undecided 40

CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

Nov/Dec 2020

But 2020 had us shook so we gave the world another look, and a future of differences celebrated.

Every voice heard and advocated, where everyone can show their pride because love should never have to hide.

There’s a world of possibility that can’t exist with you versus me.

It will take work, that’s indisputable, but, oh man, it could be beautiful — this world where we are we.”

Nike was quick to release a 60-second spot encouraging Americans not to turn their backs on racism, with a twist on its long-used tagline: “For Once, Don’t Do It.” Other companies and brands, including YouTube, the NFL, Disney, Amazon and Netflix, followed suit.

Mars Food proclaimed that Uncle Ben’s will become Ben’s Original and that the logo of a senior AfricanAmerican man in a bow tie will be eliminated, following condemnation of the term “Uncle” as disparaging and the brand’s imagery as being reminiscent of servitude. Mars Food became dedicated to re-evaluating

its branding in June 2020, after PepsiCo publicized it was dumping the 130-year-old Aunt Jemima breakfast brand, which featured Aunt Jemima, who was originally dressed as a minstrel character. “We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, said in a statement, as reported by NPR. “While work has been done over the years to update the brand in a manner intended to be appropriate and respectful, we realize those changes are not enough.”

Colgate announced on June 18, 2020, that it would “review and evolve” its bestselling Chinese toothpaste brand Darlie, which, at one time, highlighted a smiling man in blackface, whose name (originally, “Darkie”) translates to “Black person toothpaste.”

Mondelēz International has laid out diversity and inclusion goals, including plans to double the representation of Black people in its U.S. management roles by 2024. The snack maker also plans to spend $1 billion annually with minority-owned and women-owned businesses by 2024. Mondēlez is also planning to appoint someone to the new role of global chief diversity and inclusion officer.

Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream declared it would modify its advertising and change the name of its Eskimo Pie brand after almost a century, since the term “Eskimo” was deemed offensive by the native people of the Arctic.

New Orleans’s oldest brewery, Dixie Beer, announced on June 26, 2020, that it would change its name to shed any connotations of slavery, and it has since asked for the public’s help in picking a new name.

The question is: “Why did it take 75–100 years for these companies to wake up and smell the systemic racism they were continuing to perpetuate?”

If George Floyd had lived, would society have remained complacent and continued to ignore the way Black people are treated? Had cellphones not captured his barbaric death, would there have been such an awakening among the people, causing them to protest in the streets? The answer is an unequivocal “Yes.” www.mycitylife.ca

www.mycitylife.ca

Nov/Dec 2020

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43

Homegrown Business

CHEERS TO A BETTER DRINK

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOCIAL LITE

Started by co-founders Kevin Folk (left), Neetu Godara and Dan Beach, Social Lite hit the market with the first-ever unsweetened vodka sodas

When three Canadians started up Social Lite, they were pioneers in the field, aiming for a clean vodka seltzer without all the sugar, additives and empty calories of all the others already out there. The result? They nailed it INTERVIEW BY CASSANDRA GIAMMARCO WRITTEN BY DONNA PARIS

Y

ou know how it is. It’s the weekend. And it’s fun to sit around a kitchen table, sipping drinks with a few friends. That’s exactly what three buddies were doing one day about seven years ago, in Whitby, Ont. They started to throw around some ideas. “The whole

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thing started because we all wanted to be social and have drinks,” says Neetu Godara, one of Social Lite’s founders.

When they went out with friends, they drank vodka sodas, because they liked the way they felt OK the next day.

But when they looked for a convenient option when they were camping or

hanging out at a pool, for instance, they just couldn’t find a drink they liked.

“Everything was neon colours and full of sugar,” she adds. “Wait a minute,” they said. “We can’t be the only Canadians who want a better drink.”

So, they started stirring up concoctions at home. The three cowww.mycitylife.ca

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Nov/Dec 2020

CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

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founders did have some experience to begin with, says Godara, who had worked in the beverage industry. When she met Dan Beach through her brother, and Beach’s best friend, Kevin Folk, “they had this idea of making premium vodka sodas with nice flavours … and when we found out nobody was doing it, we decided to go for it, and try and make some waves in the industry,” says Godara. And that is exactly what happened.

It actually led to the start of a new category of unsweetened bevvies that’s huge right now. In fact, this past year, Social Lite had a 77 per cent increase in sales. And the company has just launched its product in the United States. That’s big for a small Ontario company that just keeps growing.

What’s so great about Social Lite?

Well, for starters, think back to the original coolers, which had a negative connection because of the high sugar content and artificial flavours. “Our drinks have really clean ingredients — no sugar or artificial flavours, and they’re 80 calories each,” says Godara.

“People don’t want to feel like they’re sacrificing taste.”

“People are so appreciative that they can get a good ready-to-drink beverage with no carbs in a wide assortment of flavours,” she adds. And as a bonus, they’re easy to drink. “You don’t want something heavy, like a beer, or something that can put you to sleep, like wine,” says Godara. “This whole category of unsweetened ready-todrink beverages is on fire now across the country and even in the States.”

What’s the secret to the company’s success? Well, it’s not just one; it’s more like a coming together of a few things. They encourage people on the team with industry knowledge and background. “But it’s also good to have people who don’t have that. Dan 46

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This year, Social Lite has enjoyed a sales increase of more than 75 per cent

People are appreciative that they can get a good ready-todrink beverage in an assortment of flavours

PROUD CANUCKS It’s easy to mistake Social Lite for a big global company, because it’s an amazing success story for a small and growing Ontario company. “People see Social Lite everywhere, and we sometimes get comments like, ‘I didn’t even know this was a local brand,’ and we’re like, ‘Yes, yes, it is — we’re from Whitby, right around the corner,’” says Godara. Watching Social Lite grow from its humble beginnings to where it is now is very rewarding, she adds. “It’s really cool.”

and Kevin had this completely fresh perspective, because they come from outside of the industry,” she says.

And this trio hustled. When they were working their day jobs, they were also making calls in the evenings and handing out samples at gyms and beer festivals, asking people what they liked and didn’t like. “It’s not always sexy, but no one gets their business off the ground without all the hard work,” she says.

This has been a year like no other, and Social Lite gets it. “One thing we’ve realized through this whole pandemic is how important it is to support local Canadian businesses,” says Godara. The company did its part and stepped up when bars and restaurants were forced to close by redirecting marketing dollars to a campaign called “Dinner and Drinks on Us.” Says Godara: “We gave $25,000 to consumers in Ontario to go and buy takeout, dinner and drinks from their favourite local restaurant to help support them.”

Social Lite has big plans coming down the pipeline, like growing the business across Canada and the U.S. This year, the trio are hiring a national sales team, increasing to more than 20 employees from seven. “We’re bringing new ideas and talent from all over Canada into our small business,” says Godara. Social Lite is offering a new berry flavour; it has just introduced a bolder product with 6 per cent alcohol and a splash of juice to market; and LCBO stores will be carrying a fun, limited-edition 12-pack mixer again for the holidays: each one comes with an ugly sweater cosy to keep drinks cold.

“I’ll never forget the first time I went and bought Social Lite at the LCBO,” says Godara. “And I’m very grateful for where we are right now.” www.sociallitevodka.com @sociallitevodka www.mycitylife.ca

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music

RAW, SOULFUL & FIRMLY AUTHENTIC: SARAH JORDAN & MATT VON

Not only are Sarah and Matt best friends, but they’re also a dynamic musical duet. However, before the siblings began collaborating, they were the music in each other’s lives when they had reached their lowest points, only to climb back up together and take on the world one note at a time INTERVIEW BY CASSANDRA GIAMMARCO

S

arah Jordan and Matt Von aren’t your usual siblings. Not only are they best friends, but they’ve also been playing music together as far back as they can remember, and it was the music that provided them hope during their darkest times. Sarah recalls her tumultuous childhood: “Personally, as a brother and sister, we have been through a lot. Our upbringing and childhood wasn’t the easiest, as family drama and turmoil truly became a focal point of our youth. The ups and downs in our lives have forced us to be the independent, headstrong, optimistic individuals we are today.”

Sarah’s sound is more pop/dance/ soul. Her vocals are powerful and have a soulful, edgy, sensual punch to them.

Matt’s sound is more vulnerable, raw, emotional and firmly authentic.

WRITTEN BY MYLES SHANE

Recently, the brother and sister team have released three singles, including a remix of their first single, “Great Escape”

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www.mycitylife.ca

We love typical, classic Italian food, so we are glad that we live in Vaughan, Ont., for this specific reason

Recently, the duo released their first three songs. Matt articulates: “We have released three singles together as a duo since March 2019, worked with producers from the United States on a dance/EDM track and released one remix of our first single, ‘Great Escape,’ which came out earlier in 2020.

The luscious harmonies and brother-sister connection is what draws people to us.”

Sarah is of the belief that much of their success has been a product of how they dealt with growing up in a dysfunctional family. “Our family broke apart when we were young. Our parents divorced about five years ago. This change, for both of us, was very difficult and overwhelming for us, emotionally and personally. However, we were able to stick together and help each other through the toughest and darkest of times.

We were able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. with a lot of laughter, cherished times spent together and, of course, our music.”

Music has always been a constant in their lives. Sarah was playing piano at age six and taking singing lessons at age 10.

While attending York University, Sarah studied jazz. Today, she’s an elementary school music teacher. Matt was enrolled in guitar lessons by the tender age of eight. After learning the guitar, he developed a passion for singing. Upon graduating from high school, Matt studied music at York University, focusing on vocals and guitar.

When Matt and Sarah aren’t immersed in their music, they turn to their second passion, food. “We love typical, classic Italian food, so we are glad that we live in Vaughan, Ont., for this specific reason. We often perform in Vaughan at many bars, restaurants and corporate events. Some of these venues include Fionn MacCool’s, The Burg [Village Pub] and many more.”

For Sarah and Matt, music has been the guiding focus of their lives. But perhaps what’s more important is that, not only do they play music to spread infectious hope and positivity, but also the music has stayed with them since the beginning and continues to make their relationship deeper and stronger. www.sarahandmattmusic.com @sarahandmattmusic www.mycitylife.ca

TREAT YOURSELF OR YOUR LOVE TO BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED & ELEGANT DESIGNS

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www.valentejewellers.com @valentejewellers

Nov/Dec 2020

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MIXOLOGY SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR THE INTERVIEW WITH MARK LOURENCO

www.mycitylife.ca

SOCIALLY SHAKEN AND STIRRED PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

Mark Lourenco and Brandtender are the new wave of entertaining bartenders WRITTEN BY RICK MULLER

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www.mycitylife.ca

Lourenco’s Brandtender is a freelance bartender company catering to home events, where his special style and energy always attract a happy crowd

L

et’s face it: socially, 2020 has been a complete bust, and no one has seen this more closely than that concierge of society, the bartender. There was a time when the word “bartender” conjured up an image of a middle-aged male wearing a white shirt, vest and bow tie, wiping down a bar and saying, “What’ll it be, pal?” while lending an ear to a poor soul pouring his heart out. They were www.mycitylife.ca

I love the compliments, the atmosphere and the energy.

A bartender can also set the mood of the evening an omnipresent yet quiet background piece set amid life’s tableau.

Today, bartenders are no longer reactive but proactive. They have become front and centre, and part of the “show,” as important to any venue or event as the DJ and more scientist than anything else. They are now known as “mixologists” in whipping up their creative concoctions.

Among the leaders of this new band of young social Pied Pipers is Mark Lourenco, owner of Brandtender, a freelance bartending company catering to home events, such as pool parties, summer gatherings, Christmas parties and other special events. As Lourenco tells it, moving from the background shadows into the spotlight came quite naturally for this new evolution of bartenders.

“It happened because bartenders realized they can make more in tips by giving customers the ‘wow’ factor,” says Lourenco. “Especially when customers aren’t expecting it. When you can flip a bottle or a glass and do something different, it pushes people, and I’m pushed to do even more. And of course, social media just emphasized all of this.”

Bartenders also had to up their game when it came to the trend of ‘mixology,’ becoming part scientist for the ingredients of special cocktails and part mathematician for the measurements involved.

“You’re like a scientist, because you’ve got to create a masterpiece out of mixing things together,” says Lourenco, explaining the delicate balance bartenders need to achieve. “Or, you’re like a mathematician, as you’ve got to measure everything together using a jigger, or free pouring, which

is a counting system in your head to pace the pour and count ounces in your head without a jigger.”

Lourenco’s Brandtender company is usually hired by people hosting private events, usually in the Vaughan, Woodbridge, Kleinburg or Nobleton, Ont., areas, so he hasn’t been as severely affected by bars being either closed or reduced in capacity. But the pandemic is felt at private events, as well. With government regulations usually announced on a Friday, Lourenco has arrived at Saturday events only to be told the guest list has been reduced by half, and he needs to adjust on the fly. And all of these gatherings are extremely compliant with the new safety protocols.

But it doesn’t take away from the joy he takes from his craft and the fun he wants to create for his customers.

“I like to make sure people are having a great, fun time,” says Lourenco about his own personal style behind the bar. “I love the compliments, the atmosphere and the energy. A bartender can also set the mood of the evening. My definition of happiness is seeing the smiles, joy and pleasure, and that my guests are having a great evening. I give them me, and what I’ve got to offer, and am always thinking of how I can improve my game and make people have an even better time at these events, while still staying safe.”

Like all of us, Mark Lourenco hopes we’ll soon be returning to the way things used to be. But, in the meantime, Lourenco and Brandtender will continue to embrace the leading role bartenders have assumed at our valuable social gatherings. @brvndtender Nov/Dec 2020

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www.mycitylife.ca

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’Tis the season for celebrating, and here are a few suggestions to help put 2020 behind us WRITTEN BY RICK MULLER

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please every lover of fine cheese on your list.

www.nespresso.com 6. Saputo cheese Canadian boxes offer a wide selection to

accoutrement to get you out the door satisfied.

www.2.hm.com 5. Nespresso’s Vertuo Next in light grey is the ideal counter

this winter in soft, padded velour slippers.

www.chapters.indigo.ca 4. Elmo and the Cookie Monster will provide extra comfort

and glow to cold winter nights.

www.fitbit.com 3. The ILLUME boxed Winter White candle will add warmth

on-device sensor to help manage your stress.

www.29eleven.com 2. Fitbit Sense is the world’s first health smartwatch with an

women and men are available at 29:Eleven in King City, Ont.

1. Smartly tailored and always trendy Italian fashions for

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7. Add some style to your seasonal countdown with the wood house Advent Calendar with LED lighting. www.chapters.indigo.ca 8. French beauty company L’OCCITANE en Provence’s first immersive digital flagship store is a delightful seasonal wonderment. www.yorkdale.com 9. For cuddly winter nights, your special pal will love Hatley X Indigo Buffalo Plaid Dog PJs. www.chapters.indigo.ca 10. Perfect Eau de Parfum from Marc Jacobs Fragrances will inspire all the senses this winter season. www.sephora.com 11. Anyone can own a black handbag. Show your independent style with this adorable and eye-catching panda pouch. www.katespade.com 12. Saying “goodbye” to 2020 will be especially gratifying. Banish it forever with Veuve Clicquot Champagne. www.wine.com 13. Wake with a smile on your face, with warm and comfortable printed Mickey Mouse pyjamas. www.2.hm.com

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Chasing Dreams

ROB MAYES: BIG RISKS, BIGGER REWARDS

This actor and country artistsongwriter has grabbed for the brass ring his entire career, and with an acclaimed new Western movie and iHeart-scripted podcast about Nashville songwriting, he has yet to fall short

PHOTOS BY PAYTON RUDDOCK

INTERVIEW BY JESSICA SPERA WRITTEN BY RICK MULLER

Mayes’s latest project is the critically heralded A Soldier’s Revenge, a Western released in June 2020 in which he stars alongside Val Kilmer and Neal Bledsoe

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known certainty in life is that it is not without its risks.

We all deal with these daily, and in the bigger picture, we have considered risk versus reward in our professional careers. American actor and country artist-songwriter Rob Mayes is one of those people who has embraced the risk-versus-reward equation throughout his life, and today, he is reaping those rewards as one of the most talented multi-dimensional artists in entertainment.

Mayes is best known as the title character in the 2012 horror comedy John Dies at the End, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and has become a cult classic, and for his role on the ABC hit series Mistresses. His latest project is the critically acclaimed A Soldier’s Revenge, a Western released in June 2020, in which he stars alongside Val Kilmer, Neal Bledsoe, AnnaLynne McCord and Jake Busey.

The other half of Mayes is his impressive career as a country artist and songwriter, where he currently stars in iHeart’s forthcoming “Make It Up As We Go” scripted podcast, directed

by Dennis Quaid and also featuring Billy Bob Thornton, Jingle Jared, Ryan Bingham and Miranda Lambert. The podcast is a look inside the writer’s room at how songs are made in Nashville, Tenn., and the songs interwoven into the storyline of the series will eventually be released to the public.

At age five, when most of us were struggling to tie our shoes or learning to sleep without a night light, Mayes was playing piano and beginning a modelling career. At age 21, he decided to leave a career in the United States Naval Academy and try his hand at acting, departing from his hometown of Cleveland and moving to New York City. “I thought I’d fail, move back to Cleveland and just say at least I tried,” says Mayes in a recent interview with City Life. “I’d watch TV shows and think to myself that I could probably do that, or at least try, so why not give it a go?”

That “why-not-give-it-a-go” attitude has become somewhat of a mantra for Mayes’s life. Upon arriving in New York, he purchased a book with the names and addresses of every talent

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If you’re contributing something good to the world — big or small — you’re living a successful life

A prodigious creator of music, Mayes will be releasing a song per month, which began in September with “The Way That It Was”

agent in the city, then took the risk of spending the money to send every agent in that book his talent material.

His reward was his first acting booking, with a guest spot on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit just two weeks after arriving.

“I never went to acting school, but love what I do,” says Mayes. “I feel that if we can acknowledge what we enjoy, what gives us purpose, everything else falls into place.”

He took similar risks when discovering his love for singing and songwriting at an early age by performing at the beginning of school classes, encouraged by his supportive teachers. Mayes is a prodigious creator of music and will be releasing a song per month beginning with September’s “The Way That It Was,” which was actually written before the pandemic changed the world.

“I’ve got a year-and-a-half worth of music stored up, and some people say this isn’t the time to release music,” says Mayes. “But we also have to take into consideration our mental health. We still need to take care of ourselves, while being conscious of what’s happening in the world. And music and art should be a big part of our diet, our routine.”

The risks Mayes has taken have been rewarded, and going forward, he is a believer in creating your own success, however that is measured.

“If you can be proud of what you’re doing in contributing to, or investing in or helping to cultivate, that’s good,” he says. “We need purpose and to be valued. If you’re contributing something good to the world — big or small — you’re living a successful life.” www.rob-mayes.com @hogcity Nov/Dec 2020

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dance

DANCING INTO USC

Stefano Gallelli isn’t your average 19-year-old.

Not only is he attending the prestigious USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, but he’s also appeared on Jennifer Lopez’s hit show World of Dance where his group came close to winning a million dollars

Gallelli poses for a series of still shots for the City Life cameras

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tefano Gallelli is only 19, and he’s studying to become a professional dancer at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. USC’s dance program is one of the most prestigious in the world and difficult to be selected to attend, but Gallelli always knew since he was a kid that dancing was his destiny. He fondly remembers his childhood. “I have always had a very supportive family and friends. I’ve competed in local competitions and some in the United 56

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PHOTO BY CARLOS A. PINTO

WRITTEN BY MYLES SHANE

States. There was never a time where my family was not there or missed a moment of me performing. Those are memories that I will cherish forever.”

He recalls performing gymnastics all over the house as a kid and his parents always being highly supportive of his dreams. “My parents remember me singing in the shower, doing cartwheels in the living room and dancing in my bedroom.”

“Growing up in Vaughan, Ont., some of my greatest memories were

dancing in the studio with my best friends and planning group sleepovers with my team. These were times when we wanted to feel like ‘normal’ people and develop our friendships beyond connecting in the studio. As well, interacting with other dancers who were part of other studios in York Region was a great experience.

Whether we would be taking a class together, hanging out outside of dance or competing with each other, the Vaughan dance community really www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTOS BY @KGPHOTOS_

The most nervewracking part was we were performing in front of millions of people

helped me grow into the person I am today.” When asking Gallelli to describe himself, he comes across somewhat shy. However his best friend of 15 years knows him like the back of her hand: “He’s passionate, incredibly hard-working and ambitious.”

As well, Gallelli is passionate about the people who have guided him through his dancing journey. “In my life, I have been surrounded by many mentors [who] have shaped me [into] the dancer and young man I am today.

At USC Kaufman, one mentor I would like to bring up is Professor Bruce McCormick. He is a professor who I can talk to about dance, but also life in general. Another mentor at USC Kaufman would be William Forsythe.

I consider him a dance legend, and I’m so grateful I get to learn from him.”

Rewind a few years earlier …

Gallelli and his troupe Moving 4ward are on the World of Dance stage wowing millions of viewers. “The most nervewracking part was we were performing in front of millions of people.” Jennifer Lopez, one of the judges, fell in love www.mycitylife.ca

Top: Gallelli adroitly turns his body while performing. Right: Gallelli’s in deep concentration, while his body manoeuvres through a dance

with Gallelli’s group and picked them to mentor. “Jennifer is so amazing.

She’s truly a triple threat. She is really well rounded. Being in her presence was so inspiring. My aunt used to joke with me that, one day, I’d marry her. She provided us with incredible feedback.” Moving 4ward made it to the third round of the challenge and were truly an inspiration for everyone who wants to dance. The troupe is made up of Gallelli, Findlay McConnell, Joey Gertin and Daniel Paula. As for up-and-coming dancers who dream of turning pro, Gallelli has some advice: “Follow your dreams. Be yourself and do whatever makes you happy.”

Gallelli’s energy is contagious. He speaks like he’s run by a super-charged

motor of positivity and an attitude filled with determination. He loves talking about his favourite places to eat in Vaughan, especially Italian restaurants, such as Locale.

When Gallelli thinks of his future after graduation, he ponders dancing for various ballets. “I want to dance for the European companies, the National Ballet, the Ballet BC in British Columbia and the Boston Ballet in the U.S.” I’m sure all his dreams will come true. @stefanogallelli www.mycitylife.ca SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR THE INTERVIEW WITH STEFANO GALLELLI

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RETURN OF THE Actress, icon, legend, mother — as Sophia Loren returns to cinema in a project that is, for so many reasons, close to her heart, she talks beauty, life, love and the absence of regrets WRITTEN BY PETER WALLACE

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eldom does one find oneself in the presence of royalty, but in the case of Sophia Loren, that’s precisely the aura she casts. Film royalty, that is — a screen icon, whose breathtaking beauty and charisma have left a lasting mark on Italian, European and American cinema.

Having just turned 86, Loren still projects the glamour and grace that have made her a living legend. Tall and elegant, she is not just a national treasure in her native Italy, but also an enduring symbol of eternal feminine beauty around the world.

“I never saw it as anything but a gift,” she says. “It was a blessing for me, and I appreciated how it opened up so many opportunities for me. It was never something I worried about or really thought too much about.

You only tend to become annoyed if that is all people think you are. That is difficult ...

“So, you have to always make sure that you are pushing yourself to be so much more than just your appearance.

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never have been able to accomplish anything, or at least not anything close to what I did.”

For Loren, who was crowned “Miss Elegance 1950” as one of the three finalists in her first Miss Italia pageant, this growing reputation was at times a problem when she was first making her way into moviedom, first as Sofia Scicolone and then as Sofia Lazzaro.

“What’s difficult is, when you’re young and trying to prove yourself,” she nods. “There are so many beautiful young girls trying to become actresses, and there are many people trying to take advantage of them. I was lucky in that I always had good people there to look after me and protect me, when I began to work in the cinema.

“I was also fortunate in becoming successful in the ’50s, when beauty had a different meaning than it has today.

There was a wonderful sense of glamour about being an actress, and it wasn’t so commercialized and cheapened the way it often is today. Today, every young actress and even models are becoming famous so soon that they have no time to develop their own personalities and character. They have no life any more, other than their fame, and that’s very dangerous.”

Did this idea spur her on, making her more determined than ever to prove herself ?

“I would have done the same thing, anyway,” she says. “Even if the world tells you that you’re beautiful, you don’t really think about it. Yes, you appreciate it, and it’s flattering, of course, but it’s not something you’re carrying in your head. When I was making movies at the beginning of my career, I only thought about doing good work and learning as much about acting and improving with every picture I was making.”

It was not until 1953 that “Sophia Loren” was born — an idea developed by legendary Italian film producer Carlo Ponti in an effort to broaden the young star’s international appeal.

The move was a resounding success, as Loren went on to star that year in Aida to widespread critical acclaim.

By 1958, Loren had made her breakthrough in The Gold of Naples, appeared in classics such as Scandal in Sorrento and The Pride and the Passion, and she signed a five-picture deal with Paramount Pictures that would cement her place in Hollywood.

“I was always fascinated with the movies and I was constantly acting out scenes by myself or in front of www.mycitylife.ca

PHOTO BY MARIO DE BIASI/MONDADORI PORTFOLIO/GETTY IMAGES)

Italian actress Sophia Loren playing Catherine Hubscher on the set of the film Madame (Madame Sans-Gêne), directed by ChristianJaque, 1961

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“I was always fascinated with the movies and I was constantly acting out scenes by myself or in front of friends” “My greatest accomplishment to this day is my family,” she smiles. “I credit my wonderful and beloved late husband, Carlo, for having given me my two sons, Carlo and Edoardo, respectively. The most challenging achievement, in my opinion, is to build a balanced, happy family unit. It is more difficult than any career achievement, for it demands endless love, altruism and patience.”

This year, that thread between the personal and professional sides of Loren’s well-publicized, almost-mythical existence intertwine once more.

Her upcoming project, The Life Ahead (“La vita davanti a sé”), is not

just a poignant film which marks her first screen appearance in a decade. The drama sees Loren play Madame Rosa, a Holocaust survivor who comes to look after a 12-year-old immigrant boy from Senegal, and it is a family affair off-screen, as well, being directed by her youngest son, Edoardo Ponti.

“He’s the director, and I’m the actor,” she says. “I do what I am told. But because we are so close, I can almost read his mind. He doesn’t have to direct me too much. It is so nice to be on set with my son. When he proposed the role to me, it was a dream come true. I jumped at the opportunity to make it.

PHOTO BY BOB OLSEN/TORONTO STAR VIA GETTY IMAGES

friends,” she recalls. “I give a lot of credit to my aunt, who would take me to the movies. She was always encouraging me, as was my mother. My mother believed in me, and she gave me such confidence when she kept telling me that she thought I would be a big star one day.

“Those are the kinds of experiences that give you the courage and belief in yourself to go out and achieve things in life.

I knew that I wanted to lead an interesting life and I saw that the cinema offered me that chance.

Acting, for me, is a way to think about what I am doing and what I am able to do, which I could not do before. I have learned so many things in my profession that it is a pleasure to show feelings, to show suffering and feeling joyful. It is a wonderful thing.”

Her burgeoning role as Ponti’s protégé was not just a path to professional success for Loren. In 1957, the pair married, when she was 23 and he 44. They remained husband and wife until Ponti’s death in 2007, but it is clear that his memory continues to have an impact on the worldly Loren to this day.

Toronto — April 14: This was the scene when actress Sophia Loren visited Toronto’s Little Italy during a three-day promotional book tour in 1979. Hundreds of fans jammed the street hoping to catch a glimpse of the Italian star, as she unveiled a plaque announcing the temporary (just for the day) renaming of College Street to La Via Sophia

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PHOTO BY JEFF VESPA/WIREIMAGE

2002 Toronto International Film Festival Between Strangers portrait of Sophia Loren at Toronto’s Windsor Arms Hotel

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PHOTO BY GRETA DE LAZZARIS / NETFLIX

THE LIFE AHEAD (2020) Based on the French novel “La vie devant soi” by Romain Gary, the drama sees Loren play Madame Rosa, a Holocaust survivor who comes to look after a 12-year-old immigrant boy from Senegal. Previously adapted for the big screen by Israeli filmmaker Moshe Mizrahi as “Madame Rosa,” a 1978 film which starred Simone Signoret and won the Oscar as best foreign-language film, the film is also notable for the fact that it is directed by Loren’s son, Edoardo Ponti, who also wrote the screenplay and was responsible for luring his legendary mother out of retirement.

Working on the set of The Life Ahead with her director son Edoardo Ponti marks the 99th film in her 70th year of making movies for the legendary Loren

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF NETFLIX

I loved portraying Madame Rosa. She is tough, she is fragile, she is a survivor.

In many ways, she reminds me of my own mother.

“When I was little, the impact of the war made life difficult for me and my mother and so many of our friends. It’s impossible to imagine how you survived so many of the things you suffer through, when you look back. You don’t see how you did it, but that was the same for my mother and other people who had the responsibility of trying to look after their children and families. It was a terrible time for everyone, but the world is what it is, and you have to cope with it ... You don’t have a choice.”

Considering the things Loren has seen in the past 8.5 decades, from the www.mycitylife.ca

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“Everything turned out so well for me.

Even if my mother and I had a troubled life at the beginning and then we really needed me to succeed as an actress, you understand that those obstacles that life put in front of you were what pushed you to make something of your life”

start of the postwar rebuild through the golden age of Hollywood and beyond, how does she view the recent sea change that has swept cinema with the Time’s Up and #MeToo movements?

“I am happy that women are taking themselves more seriously,” she nods.

“No one should be taken advantage of. I never let that happen to me. I have never found myself in a similar situation to what other actresses have been revealing. Never. Perhaps, because I had my mother next to me, who taught me so many things. I could never have allowed myself to be in such a situation, and if it had happened, I would have fled. I understand it, but the solution is there: go away — run.”

That’s not to say, of course, that Loren was not the focus of intense media frenzies for much of her life.

Not only was her marriage to Ponti overshadowed by bigamy allegations relating to his first wife, but also the relationship between Loren and her The Pride and the Passion and Houseboat co-star, screen legend Cary Grant, 30 years her senior, nearly sent her down a different, most Americanized path.

“At the time, it was a very traumatic situation for me. I won’t deny that Cary’s courtship sent me into a state of confusion, but I intended to have a family with Carlo,” she explains.

“You have to make your choices in life and go on from there. I don’t like to look back. It would drive you crazy, and what’s the point, because you can’t www.mycitylife.ca

change the past. It doesn’t exist anymore.

Once I had made my decision to leave and go back to working in Italy and my life there, I didn’t have any regrets.”

It seems unbelievable, considering Loren’s life and lifestyle, that there would be no fleeting moments of remorse, however unlikely.

“Why should I?” she asks. “Everything turned out so well for me. Even if my mother and I had a troubled life at the beginning and then we really needed me to succeed as an actress, you understand that those obstacles that life put in front of you were what pushed you to make something of your life,” says Loren.

“Nothing comes easily in life. When we moved to Rome after coming from a small town like Pozzuoli, it was like entering a jungle, where everything is so strange and forbidding. I was only 15 years old, and it was like starting my life over again. But looking back and thinking about the enormous sacrifices my mother and I made and how it was a fight to live, I still have to say that things turned out very well, no?”

It’s a remark one finds hard to disagree with. Loren is nothing less than an icon and trailblazer — the first person in film history to win an Academy Award for a foreign-language performance.

“It’s been wonderful, extraordinary in every sense,” she says. “I always saw things positively. And I have not stopped thinking that way. I’ve always been a simple person, who has been

open to enjoying the finer things that life has had to offer. I’ve also had the ability to dismiss the nasty things in life and always try to move forward and think about what I can accomplish in the future.

“When you have accomplished certain things and reached levels you could never even dream of, it is very difficult to judge who you have become and what you have experienced. Today, I can say that I am aware of having lived a very full life and lived very intensely. I don’t think I could have lived with any more passion than I have.”

Even today, relishing her return to the world of 10-hour shifts on set and long days of getting the perfect take under the watchful eye of her son Edoardo, Loren remains as effervescent and vivacious as ever.

“Life is life,” she laughs. “You should enjoy your time here, and aging is part of that time. So, enjoy it, too. Take care of yourself.

“What’s going to happen will happen, but your happiness is up to you.

And that affects everything. I’m not particularly fond of getting older, but I can still fake being 15 years younger. I like to live my life, I like to have my children, I like to get old, I like to look younger. Why not? Is that a sin? No.” www.mycitylife.ca SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR THE TRAILER OF SOPHIA LOREN’S NEW POIGNANT FILM “THE LIFE AHEAD” (LA VITA DAVANTI A SÉ)

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PHOTO BY ALYSSA RAE

PHOTO COURTESY OF JANE STOLLE

Home Organization

Organizing goes beyond making sure your shirts are colour coded. Being organized can help you put thoughts and ideas, both large and small, into action

ORGANIZED JANE:

A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER MAKES HER MARK From organizing friends’ closets as a young girl, entrepreneur Jane Stoller discusses how an organized space can save time and increase positivity INTERVIEW BY MICHELLE ZERILLO-SOSA

Q. What is your definition of organized chaos?

A. For organizing the items you want to keep, you need to have a healthy perspective and prioritize items based on your lifestyle. This means getting really clear on what your current lifestyle is — not someone else’s and definitely not what you see in magazines.

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time is spent and where you know you are losing time and efficiency. Then, make it a priority to improve those areas of your space.

Q. How can one keep their closets organized?

A. One of my mantras in life is that a laser-focused closet will also ensure that you are on the way to a structured, system-driven office space. Wasting even 10 minutes a day in your closet

due to clutter adds up to 2.5 days a year — over 60 hours.

HERE ARE A FEW TIPS: • Commit to regularly evaluating and tossing things as needed, as opposed to only doing yearly decluttering cleanouts. Your commitment to constant decluttering versus one-time binges will also drastically help with keeping track of new purchases, taking inventory of www.mycitylife.ca

what you already have and avoiding overbuying.

• Determine a strategy for how to make closet decluttering a habit. For example, schedule quarterly decluttering sessions on your calendar to stay on track.

• Compartmentalize categories to start with, rather than your entire closet.

This will be less stressful and give you a sense of accomplishment. Think about tackling your work clothes, then your shoes, handbags, winter gear, etc. Little by little, you will see progress.

• Avoid immediately replacing items due to the potential “empty closet syndrome.” Decluttering your closet can make you feel lighter and more organized, but it won’t immediately change your purchasing habits.

Make sure you stay mindful in your decluttering habits to avoid impulsive purchases from the post-closet overhaul.

• Envision the rewards of not only how much time you will save in your closet, but also how much better you will feel with the carefully selected pieces that remain. Having a carefully curated closet helps you feel appreciative of the items you own. Knowing exactly what you have will also encourage you to take better care of your clothes.

I have more fun tips, exercises and guides available at www.organizedjane.com and on my Instagram feed at @organizedjane.

Q. What are some of the advantages of getting dressed from an organized closet?

A. This step goes deeper than just time saving while looking for clothes.

Especially for women, one major productivity waster can be attributed to the amount of time we spend worrying about what we are wearing, instead of focusing on our business. We want to look put together in business settings (yes, even on Zoom), and if you know that your wrinkled skirt is really going to bother you, you need to find a way to ensure your bottoms will not be wrinkled to avoid this distraction (or if you feel uncomfortable in a blouse, because you could not find the one www.mycitylife.ca

you usually wear). These examples can lead to obsessing over our appearance, instead of whatever work it is you’re meant to be doing, which can be avoided by having a laser-focused closet to begin with.

Q. What benefits do you think people gain from an organized space?

A. Too many to list, with the main ones being reduced stress, increased happiness and boosted productivity.

Q. Tell us a bit about your childhood.

A. I grew up on a dairy farm in Seeley’s Bay, Ont., and I organized everything — even my pet cats. I remember being continually frustrated when my cats would not stay put. I then began to field a steady stream of requests to help friends clean and organize their closets and I would always happily oblige, because organizing is my passion. I would follow up each organizing session with detailed letters outlining what my friends could do to sustain the sense of order I’d created. I also dreamed of the big city life when I was a kid and I wanted to be a lawyer and write books about organizing. Turns out, I’m much more passionate about business than law, but the book dreams have come to fruition.

Q. When did you know you wanted to enter this field?

A. For a long time, I struggled to step outside my comfort zone and overcome my belief that I needed to become a corporate CEO to be successful and downplayed my passion for helping people and businesses get more organized.

For me, the biggest challenges were overcoming confidence problems and that my passion was not a “real job.”

Once I overcame my confidence issue, I was able to turn my passion into a real business.

Q. How do your friends describe you? (In three words.)

A. Action-taker, positive and kind.

Q. How has your role with your customers changed during this pandemic?

A. Before the pandemic hit, I shared my tips and advice at large, in-person

speaking and networking events. This has now shifted to virtual, which was daunting at first, but I quickly realized I am now reaching an incredible global audience that might not have had access to me at in-person events.

I am currently helping my clients organize the back end of their businesses, since most of them had to change some, if not all, aspects of their business operational processes to fit the new realities the pandemic has brought on.

Q. What mistakes have you made in the past that you wish you could change?

A. Initial reactions from a select group of corporate mentors scared me enough that, instead of seeking out advice from a variety of sources (which is what I should have done), I just got discouraged. Looking back, I cringe when thinking about how quickly I gave up the first time I launched my business. If I’d had the support that’s so much more readily available today, from Girl Boss empowerment coaches and online communities of successful entrepreneurs, or if I’d been proactive enough to look for that support back then, I probably wouldn’t have given up. Everyone needs a good network to support them, and I’m no exception. I owe so much of my current success to the wonderful and inspiring growth of lifestyle businesses, so many of which are led by amazing men and women, driven by an insatiable need to make the world a better, more welcoming place.

Q. What message do you want to share with our readers about the relationship between stress and organization?

A. Organizing goes beyond making sure your shirts are colour coded. I believe it also relates to life’s bigger picture.

It’s important to have lifetime goals, which you can plan for by incorporating smaller goals into your daily and weekly life. Being organized can help you put thoughts and ideas, both large and small, into action.

To sum it up, my favourite quote is from Benjamin Franklin: “For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.” www.organizedjane.com @organizedjane Nov/Dec 2020

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VARIETY OF LIFE

LaSt WoRd

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With food, fashion and design, City Life has you covered WRITTEN BY RICK MULLER

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1. PIERCED METAL SPHERE: This perforated design pendant light sparkles in any room. www.primalighting.ca 2. BRIO SODA: Bubbly bittersweet but always delightfully refreshing. www.auroraimporting.com 3. SOPHISTICATION: A casually stylish look for almost any occasion. www.perlui.com 4. FOR THE HALIBUT: Pan-seared fillet, tomato confit and olive salsa. @zafferano_ristorante 5. DESIGN FORWARD: Pine Valley — a masterful ravine community of exquisite detached homes. www.goldparkhomes.com 6. EYE CANDY: Feast on a treat that just can’t be beat. @lollipop.lala 7. SIMPLY SWEET: All-natural ingredients create a tasty collection of gluten-free, low-carb breads for breakfast. www.sliceoflifefoods.ca 8. SAVOURY DELIGHTS: A day with pastry is a day enjoyed. www.amadeuspatisserie.com

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RE/MAX Agent Lino Arci Earns RE/MAX’s highest honour Lino Arci with RE/MAX Hallmark Lino Arci Group Realty, has been awarded the RE/MAX Luminary of Distinction Award. The Luminary of Distinction Award honours highly successful agents who have served their clients in an exemplary way demonstrating a clear dedication to positively impacting the lives of the people and have completed 20 years of service with the company. The award is the highest level of achievement in the network’s career awards. “The Luminary of Distinction Award is a significant accomplishment and we’re extremely proud that Lino is a member of the RE/MAX Network and continues to raise the bar in real estate,” says Christopher Alexander, Executive Vice President & Regional Director, RE/MAX INTEGRA, Ontario-Atlantic Canada.

Lino Arci’s hard work, excellent standards and constant drive over 34 years has delivered exemplary service to both buyers and sellers.

Lino Arci with Christopher Alexander, Executive vice president & regional director, RE/MAX INTEGRA, Ontario-Atlantic Canada

Lino Arci CEO and Sales Representative

*Seller and Lino Arci must agree on price and closing date

IN THE HEART OF VELLORE VILLAGE

POPULAR EAST WOODBRIDGE

69 Terme Ave Vaughan, ON

34 Lime Drive Vaughan, ON

Gorgeous New Renovations Hardwood Floors, Pot Lights, Theatre Room 3 + 1 Large Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms Approx. 2200 Square Feet

Premium Deep Lot, Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen Professionally Finished Basement Apartment 3 + 1 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms Approx. 2400 Square Feet

$1,159,000

$1,338,800

LUXURY 2-STOREY PENTHOUSE

220 George St, Penthouse #1 Downtown Toronto, ON

Tastefully & Masterfully Designed Exquisite Custom Imported Modern Features & Finishes 3 Bedrooms + Den, 4 Bathrooms 2 Private Parking, 2732 Square Feet

$2,288,800

RE/MAX Hallmark Lino Arci Group Realty 416.571.2724 (ARCI) | www.linoarciteam.com 3420 Major MacKenzie Dr. W, Unit #103, Vaughan, ON @LinoArciTeam www.mycitylife.ca Proud Sponsor of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Nov/Dec 2020

CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

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CITY LIFE MAGAZINE

Nov/Dec 2020

www.mycitylife.ca