Issue 2 | Toronto Edition

www.danier.com

P R E F A C E

After exploring the artists, entrepreneurs, musicians, and designers of Montreal, we knew we needed to further discover what other Canadian metropolises had to offer. As the city with the largest population in Canada, Toronto was the obvious choice; its diverse neighbourhoods that each boast their own character and distinctive architecture hint at a population with equally varied souls.

On our quest to uncover each city’s unique urbanity, the Dream Team set off on our first road trip in our trusty (and rusty) mini van. It’s a miracle we managed to fit five humans armed with luggage and film equipment into one car, but that’s the benefit of trading style for comfort, right?

In our second edition, we spoke exclusively with Toronto’s urban culture curators to get a better understanding of the city and the people who call it home.

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From Kensington Market to the Distillery District to Yonge and Dundas, Toronto has no shortage of amazing talents and experiences; we partied with DJ Miss Tara on Canada Day (which also happened to be her birthday!), chilled in a ball pit with Lovebot’s Matthew Del Degan, drank a watermelon keg with School House Booze, and took home custom artwork from Nirun and Jimmy Chiale.

In the end, the 15-hour workdays, torrential downpours, and multiple parking tickets were worth every second, because they resulted in a collection of amazing content that we can’t wait to share with you. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it!

Rachel & Romain Co-Founders

/təˈrɒntəʊ/

As Canada’s largest, most populated city, Toronto is as diverse as it is flourishing; in fact, it’s been called “the city of neighbourhoods,” due to its 239 unique boroughs. Home to more than 140 languages and dialects, over 1500 parks, and 66 per cent more artists than any other city in Canada, Toronto is the place to be, whether you’re just finding your way in the world or already established in your career. In fact, it’s even been ranked by The Economist as the number one city to live in based on safety, livability, business environment rankings, democracy, food security, and cost of living.

photo: Soteeoh

DECOMPOZ TEAM

TORONTO ISSUE TEAM

CONTENT DIRECTOR Romain Dupont

VIDEOGRAPHERS Brandon Mercer Jacek Kiejko Ali Khakpour

FOUNDERS Romain Dupont Rachel Machalani

CREATIVE & MARKETING DIRECTOR Rachel Machalani DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION Edouard Coune MEDIA & ART DIRECTOR Mazda Alinia CONTENT ASSISTANT & COPY EDITOR Jordan Yeager MARKETING & WEB Decompoz Publishing MAGAZINE LAYOUT Rachel Machalani COVER ILLUSTRATION Nirun DECOMPOZ HEADQUARTERS 417 rue Saint-Nicolas, Suite 300 Montreal, Quebec H2Y 2P4, Canada decompoz.com DISTRIBUTOR Messageries Dynamiques INQUIRIES ads@decompoz.com All rights reserved. The entire content is a copyright of Decompoz Magazine and cannot be reproduced without written authorization of Decompoz Publishing (9321-2884 Québec inc.)

ISSN 2369-4068 (Print) ISSN 2369-4076 (Online)

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VIDEOGRAPHER IN CHIEF & EDITOR Mazda Alinia

PHOTOGRAPHER Kelly Stock INTERVIEWER Jordan Yeager WRITERS Chris Perrin Michael D’Alimonte Kelly Stock Jordan Yeager Edward Ian Cibula

Sara Kloepfer Sarah Carter Andrea Kristensen Peter Marrack Colt Sweetland

MODEL Dylan Ottley WARDROBE FOR MISS TARA Danier Leather & Sachika Boutique A SPECIAL THANKS TO: Royal Ontario Museum| Nadine Batchasingh, Jesika Arseneau Gladstone Hotel| Christina Zeidler, Justin Maguire, Laura Weber Peace Collective| Yanal Dhailieh, Tricka Bicomong, John Molina, 76 Scollard School House Booze| Rachel & Ashley Steven Moxley Unity Charity| Matthew Jones (Testament), Damien Nelson, Michael Prosserman, Cecile Ferandier Mascot Beer Garden| Jared Brenzel Aryse| Jawid Yaseen Nirun| Navaneethan Sivabalaviknarajah 416 Gallery| Jimmy Chiale Lovebot| Matthew Del Degan DJ Miss Tara| Tara Mobayen Studio 207| Mario Miotti

CONTRIBUTORS PETER MARRACK JORDAN YEAGER Jordan Yeager is a 22-year-old Concordia graduate who was born and raised on the west coast; while she loves the nature and relaxed lifestyle her hometown boasts, it was Montreal’s eclectic cultural scene that really drew her in. When she’s not watching embarrassing (but impressive) amounts of TV, she spends her days exploring the city, reading, and trying to find cheap sushi. She likes to write about music, culture, art, and fashion, and she’ll never turn down the opportunity to write an opinions piece.

SARA KLOEPFER Sara Kloepfer is from San Francisco, California, and recently completed her undergraduate degree in English at McGill. She is drawn to contemporary art, particularly film and photography. In her writing, she focuses on individuals with innovative ideas, those who shift the cultural landscape.

SARAH CARTER Sarah Carter recently graduated with an MA in Art History and Visual Culture. She specialised in eighteenth-century British art and explored the dark and sometimes perverse corners of Romanticism. Her ongoing fascination with the past informs her approach to contemporary art, and her writing aims to explore the connections between visual experience and urban life.

JACEK KIEJKO Film director and the cinematographer from Poland. He deals with the professional accomplishment of fashion movies, video lookbooks, backstage, advertising spots and music videos. He specializes in the creative manufacturing of the production and postproduction processes, as well as creating scripts, photographs, etc.

MICHAEL D’ALIMONTE Obsessed with narratives of every sort, Michael D’Alimonte is a man of words who really only wants to tell stories. Easily ensnared by anyone with a compelling tale to tell, Michael’s interests and written work are eclectic, if not too varied to categorize. What truly matters to Michael is an engaging account propelled by individuals who wish to make a difference in their own unique manner. These are the pieces of history he hopes to chronicle: the stories of regular people creating exceptional change in the world

EDWARD IAN CIBULA E. Ian Cibula is a transplanted Montrealer. A graduate of Concordia University, he makes his living as a freelance writer so that he can pick which hours he'd like to work, and which to spend by the water. Ian enjoys covering all things Montreal, best of all its main religious institution, the Habs.

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Peter Marrack is a 26-year-old writer, journalist and artist based out of Toronto, who mostly writes about hip-hop, rock ‘n’ roll, movies, art, urban culture, sports, news, travel, crime, pornography, politics and himself, among other things. He also writes poetry and is about to drop his first official zine entitled Corpse, which explores death. In his spare time he enjoys playing tennis, working with children and making snow angels. Vote for him.

COLT SWEETLAND Often known as a personable, yet daring, thrill-seeker, Colt has experience in breaking news reporting, web design and content management. Currently, he channels the adrenalizing minds of extreme sports enthusiasts with whom he instinctively connects and writes about. Recently graduated from university studies in journalism near Seattle, he is beginning life anew in Montreal. Thanks to his yearlong studies abroad at Bishop’s and Laval University, it has been a peaceful transition in la belle province.

CHRIS PERRIN After assembling the most unfocused CV possible, Chris took 2 years off and went surfing around the Pacific (he played some guitar there too). Having decided to get a ‘real job,’ Chris runs the Fetishes & Fantasy philosophy blog and contributes to exiting new projects like DECOMPOZ, writing about alternative culture and sports that are more spiritual than competitive.

BRANDON MERCER Brandon Mercer is an independent filmmaker from St. John’s. His first successful short film “ Donna & The Wolf “ has been screened in Film festivals in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia & Toronto. Brandon explores his passion for Music, Cinematography, and Art Direction by collaborating and directing a slew of music videos for local artists with the use of DSLR videography, which has allowed him to discover his visual signature. Brandon is proven to cement himself as a filmmaker who engages his audience visually with a kinetic flare. “

KELLY STOCK Kelly is an arts and culture writer, and photographer, who is passionate about exploring the work of creatives from around the world and sharing their stories. Originally from Australia, she has a bachelor in journalism and a master’s in publishing. Her interests include: art in all its forms, short stories, dachshunds, and capturing reality through artistic practice.

ANDREA KRISTENSEN Andrea Kristensen has worked as a freelance blogger, editor and copywriter since graduating from Concordia University in Montreal with a Major in English Literature and a Minor in Professional Writing. She loves a good laugh and has a fascination with psychology. Andrea has her own blog, Awkward Journeys, and lives in the Montreal area with her family.

Clandestinos

Lovebot

Spreading love & street art

Concrete doesn’t have to be cold

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16 Tess Parks Staring down the crossroads

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Nirun

The man behind complex faces

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Soulful Urbanity 16 22 24 32 34 38

Lovebot Jeff Blackburn Clandestinos Tess Parks Aryse Nirun

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Miss Tara Wayvy Baby Jimmy Chiale Soteeoh Royal Ontario Museum Artists’ Spread

DJ Miss Tara

R.O.M.

beauty 44There’s in uncertainty

Curating Canadian life: How the R.O.M balances past and present in Toronto

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Peace Collective

Steven Moxley

Toronto vs.

Everybody

BMX, social media, and keeping it fresh

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Gladstone Hotel

Jimmy Chiale Creative trance, acrylic dreams

Toronto boutique art hotel

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Business Avant-Gardiste

Daring Wisemen

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The Remix Project Gladstone Hotel School House Booze Unity Charity Mascot Beer Garden Peace Collective

Nirmit Gire Oasis Skateboard Factory Steven Moxley

CONCRETE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE COLD Picture yourself walking through the downtown core of essentially any big city, alone in a sea of people walking briskly to their destinations with no regard for their surroundings; the feeling within your imaginary self is likely somewhat withdrawn and introspective, rather than joyous, open, and loving. Matthew Del Degan, the creator of Lovebot, noticed the same thing, and decided to add some heart to the cold concrete of the city to get people out of their heads.

words Jordan Yeager photos Kelly Stock, Rachel Machalani & lovebot.com ISSUE 2

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Founder Matthew Del Degan sketching a LOVEBOT for Decompoz Magazine

“I was sitting on the streetcar in Toronto and thinking to myself, ‘the people are so robotic,’” said Del Degan.

“They weren’t talking to each other; they were all faceless and looking at their screens. I thought, ‘We all have the ability to love and be positive and be kind to one another, so why aren’t we?’”

Right then, Del Degan decided to do something about it, and Lovebot was born. In its first incarnation, Lovebot was a designer toy made of clay, created for a class project in industrial design; since then, it’s been featured on stickers, posters, murals, and a series of concrete installation pieces placed strategically around the city. It’s these sculptures that separate Lovebot from most street art, giving it a tangible form and a physical presence.

“The concrete is representative of the concrete jungle, or the architecture of Toronto’s past,” Del Degan

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explained. “They use brutalism, which is an architectural movement, so there’s a lot of old concrete here.

Lovebot actually represents kind of a dark message – people don’t know that, because it’s always about positivity, and the way it’s presented is approachable for everybody. But the truth behind the matter is that it was about people not being positive enough. Concrete is a cold material, and I like to give warmth to it; in the robot’s grey body, there’s that red focal point of the heart, which does give that positive vibe and energy.”

Citizens of any given city have one fundamental thing in common – they’re all part of a community. But community is a concept that people seem to have forgotten. Sometimes, the best reminder is stumbling across something unexpected that interrupts the continuity of the concrete jungle. Through Lovebot, Del Degan hopes to remind Torontonians of both their sense of community and their own humanity.

“Lovebot was created by the people, for the people; it’s very much of Toronto,” he said. “In the beginning, I had three or four names for it, but people kept calling it Lovebot when they would see it on the street, so I guess the people named it as well. Not everybody knows that part. So it was definitely a product of the city, and kind of a young man’s love letter to the people of that city.

When somebody comes up to me and says that Lovebot is a coping mechanism for them in a very overwhelming city and that it gives them support – that’s huge. My biggest accomplishments are the people I’ve supported.”

Lovebot has already been taking over the streets of Toronto for almost seven years, and the love movement is only just beginning – Del Degan has since launched a line of Lovebot products, including hats, keychains, stickers, and a designer toy, and has even opened a storefront in the Distillery District.

“These products are an extension to grow my global movement of love and positivity,” he said. “The amazing thing about Lovebot is it’s not just a part of my life – it is my life. One of the quotes that I like the most is

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when Walt Disney said, ‘Never forget that this company started with a mouse.’ It’s nice to think of a business in those terms. Like, yeah, you can make a little robot toy, but then you can take it in any direction.”

“In the long-term, I’m going to try to turn Lovebot into a mecca of magic and wonder,” he continued. “The ultimate, overarching mission of my life is to add wonder and positivity to people’s lives, to instil a childlike wonderment in their wide-eyed expressions, and to make them feel more alive. And when you’re walking down the street and you see a little robot, it does do that. Lovebot illuminates the kind acts in the city and inspires people to be more positive and kind to each other.” _ Website: lovebot.com Instagram: @lovebottherobot

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JEFF BLACKBURN

copy Jordan Yeager photos Jeff Blackburn

DZ: Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up and how did you get into art?

JB: I grew up in Kitchener, about an hour and a half west of Toronto. Before I could drive, my parents would constantly be bringing me and some buddies to Toronto and dropping us off to roam the streets, looking for comic book stores and record shops. Through these trips, I was able to wander alleys and become saturated and inspired by Toronto graffiti. It was due to these walls that I first saw the possibility of creating entire stylized universes through painting. The streets were alive with the animated characters and landscapes created by artists like Elicser, OMEN, and Rhek, and I soon became fixated on developing a graphic world of my own.

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DZ: Art is linked to its location. A city and its culture must both have an impact on your work; could you describe this relationship?

JB: I moved to Toronto 12 years ago, and I owe a lot to this city and the wonderful people who call it home. In 2008, I got a job at the Drake Hotel and was part of my first official gallery group show at a nowgone west end gallery. The Drake became my second home for a number of years, and the people I met there and worked alongside were one hell of an ambitious and inspiring group. Actors, musicians, chefs, photographers, etc. were all under one roof, putting full-time hours in at the hotel and an equal or greater number of hours into their side hustles. I managed to figure out my place in this world with these kids over post-work beers in the park while racing against the rising sun. If you ISSUE 2

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ever want to see the city at its best, head to the Bathurst Street Bridge around 5 or 6 a.m. and watch Toronto wake up. The raccoons and street cleaners will be the only things on the quiet roads when you’re heading there, but by the time you leave, everything will be in full chaos mode.

DZ: Could you describe your creation process? What inspires you, and where do your ideas come from?

JB: I graduated from York University’s Studio Arts program in 2007, specializing in drawing, painting, and photography.

In the years since, I have spent countless weeks and months on photographic excursions around the urban centers of North America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia.

A lot of the work I create now references photos and memories from those travels.

DZ: What do you try to convey through your work?

JB: In my work’s most deconstructed form, I’m trying to create characters and situations that exist in a believable reality not too far from our own. The figures are meant to be kernels of a story and spark some imagination in the viewer. Even with stationary characters, I try to give enough information in a piece (through pose, dress, surroundings, etc.) that, without thinking too hard, the audience will start piecing a narrative together and giving life to what is otherwise just some colourful splotches on a surface.

Growing up – and to this day – I was constantly giving backstories to houses, trees, toys, basically anything and everything. I suppose I’m still doing that on some level, but now I’m allowing the viewer an opportunity to do the same.

DZ: In your opinion, what is the role of an artist in today’s society?

JB: Artists play several roles within soci-

ety; one may selflessly point out social injustices through intricate murals, another might selfishly scrawl their name on a wall, and so on. All forms on the spectrum are equally valid, provided the artist is honestly following their own set of beliefs. I think the moment an audience tries to compartmentalize an artist into one category or another (or assign a particular role to an artist), any evolution of the work immediately becomes lost on the viewer. If you’re the character guy who occasionally does some dark or strange shit out of left field, it’s easier to not be assigned just one role.

All this goes to say, I like to keep my options open regarding what I paint next and where I go from here.

DZ: What accomplishment are you most proud of to date?

JB: I’m not sure how lame this is going to sound, but the accomplishment I’m most proud of is getting to a level of technical competence with my work where my friends and peers ask me to collaborate with them. Many of my colleagues from the Drake have gone on to open restaurants,

tour with bands, and generally do cool shit, and there’s no better feeling than having them ask me to play some part within their success. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have shown work beside some of my artistic heroes, and again, no specific project is ever going to top the feeling of mutual respect from someone I admire.

DZ: What are your plans for the future?

JB: This whole freelance thing doesn’t exactly lend itself to too much future planning. At any given time, I have four to 10 projects of various sizes on the go; these days, my future goals stay pretty short-sighted. I’m still quite early in this art career though, so I plan to keep my head down for the next little while. It would be rad to get back to creating solo shows, and a bit more travelling would be nice too, I suppose. _ Website: www.framesonthefridge.com Instagram: @blackburnjeff 23

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SOULFUL URBANITY

SPREADING LOVE & STREET ART

words Kelly Stock photos Shalak & Smoky It’s the dream of many creatives to make a living off their art and to be recognized for their hard work and vision. For Toronto-based husband and wife artists, known as Shalak Attack (Elisa Monreal) and Bruno Smoky (Bruno Sant’Angelo Revitte), it’s more than a dream – they’re doing just that. Shalak and Smoky work on art projects around the world, both separately and as members of various art collectives – together, they’re known as the Clandestinos.

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As a team, the duo works on themes related to socio-cultural values, introducing their Latin American heritage, as well as environmental issues. They’ve collaborated on murals not only in Toronto, but also around the world; it was in Rio de Janeiro that Shalak and Smoky met in 2010. After being introduced by a friend, Smoky asked Shalak to work on a mural with him in the Jacarezinho favela – it was to be the first of much artistic collaboration to come.

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SOULFUL URBANITY

DJ DJMISS MISSTARA TARA THERE’S BEAUTY IN UNCERTAINTY THERE’S BEAUTY IN UNCERTAINTY

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Little is comparable to the feeling of freedom that summertime brings – after months of stress-inducing study sessions, the arrival of summer’s drawn-out days and hazy nights lifts a weight off your shoulders and replaces it with a newfound sense of freedom and invincibility.

Miss Tara is summertime, personified; her music, which she describes as “uplifting and sexy,” not only makes its listeners dance, but also makes them feel good about themselves. Making music with upbeat, energetic vibes means she’s versatile, yet reliable – you can always count on her for a good time, regardless of whether you’re at a rooftop soirée, an upscale event, or even a pool party.

For Miss Tara, life has been a series of unexpected events. Born in Shiraz, Iran, she moved to Canada at the age of 18 to study astrophysics in university – unbeknownst to her, though, she’d be making her name not as an aspiring astrophysicist, but rather as an international, award-winning DJ. Clearly, music production wasn’t always in the cards; sometimes, though, the unexpected can be what you never knew you needed all along.

“I went to Paris for a modelling job, but one thing led to another and I ended up having three brain surgeries,” said Miss Tara. “I couldn’t leave France by plane for a

words Jordan Yeager photo Rachel Machalani

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words Sarah Carter photos Kelly Stock Jimmy Chiale grew up in Paris, where, as a young child, he imagined living in the perplexing and beautiful world of Pablo Picasso. He moved to Toronto in 2006, where he began to pursue a career as a professional artist. At a young age, Chiale was drawn to the sophisticated abstraction of modern art, and an interest in lines has continued to be a fundamental part of his process. Picasso dismantled the conventions of linear perspective that had been a tenet of artistic practice since the Renaissance; it was a bold move that continues to ripple in the water of contemporary art.

Like the modern artist, Chiale relies on strong lines to create form, and although he never formally studied art, there is a Cubist propensity to deconstruct evident in his approach to painting. There is a surrealist element, too, in which the inner world of the psyche is revealed as a series of complex linear movements. Chiale describes his work as psychedelic, in that it explores the peripheries of human consciousness in visual terms and questions the boundaries between dreams, hallucinations and perceived realities.

CREATIVE TRANCE, ACRYLIC DREAMS

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SOTEEOH FINDING ORDER IN CHAOS

words Jordan Yeager photos Soteeoh

If Wes Anderson were to abandon his penchant for pastel palettes and set his sights on urbanity’s steel structures, his films would look something like Soteeoh’s photos do – symmetrical, strategic, and instantly recognizable. Soteeoh is a photographer born and raised in Toronto, the city that inspires all of his work not only through its architecture, but also through its citizens; he describes his work as “street based,” as his inspiration comes from “the urban environment” and its inherent contrast between “the order of the city grid and the absolute chaos in anything that involves people.”

With the permanence of the urban grid comes the spontaneity and unpredictability intrinsic in human nature. Soteeoh uses this juxtaposition to his advantage, capturing moments in a calculated way that allows him to tell a story. This distinguishes his work from other street photographers, who tend to emphasize the candid qualities of daily life – instead, Soteeoh carefully composes his images, compelling the viewer to alter their perceptions about things they see every day and might otherwise never think twice about.

Soteeoh has always been an artist, having previously worked in such mediums as painting, video making, and even tattooing. But, perhaps surprisingly, he “didn’t

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really get serious about photography until 2012.” His immediate connection with the medium was formed out of admiration for its “instant nature” and communicative powers, and drove him to pursue photography as a career. Now, Soteeoh does commercial work, exhibits his private collection in galleries, and works with youth from underprivileged communities in an attempt “to use the arts as a method of engagement.”

Soteeoh’s rise to success has been rapid and punctuated by personal successes. His proudest achievement so far, a solo exhibition called “6: STREET,” took place just this past May. He noted that exhibiting his work was an entirely different process than publishing projects online or doing commercial work – this may be attributed to the fact that he hand-mounted and finished all the prints himself, making sure to prioritize the hands-on nature of his work over convenience.

Clearly, he takes his role of photographer seriously, and for good reason – he believes that photographers have a responsibility not only to “help convey messages and ideas,” but also to “preserve this era in a historical sense.” In a digital culture where information can be lost and replaced in seconds, preservation is paramount – in this way, “exhibitions become like time capsules,” and photographers like Soteeoh hold the key.

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_ Instagram: @soteeoh

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R OYAL O NTARIO M USEUM CURATING CANADIAN LIFE: HOW THE R.O.M. BALANCES PAST AND PRESENT IN TORONTO

words Edward Ian Cibula photos Royal Ontario Museum

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Museums, at their core, are all about curation. What gets selected and displayed indicates the values of the community that supports them. At first mention, the Royal Ontario Museum’s sophisticated name might bring to mind images of a dusty archive. One look at its façade, though, will convince visitors otherwise.

Even before one sets foot in the museum, it’s clear that this place is here to shatter stereotypes and reimagine the idea of what a museum is. The ROM brings together contrasting architectural styles that seem as if they want to clash, but simply can’t find it in them to do so. The magnificent architectural feat of smashing two buildings together to make something greater than either one would be alone is a solid foundation for what the museum holds inside.

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MASCOT BEER GARDEN MASCOT BREWERY: BEERS, BRATWURSTS, AND BEATS

words Kelly Stock photos Kelly Stock Summer doesn’t get much better than when you’re on a rooftop terrace, soaking up the sunshine and sipping on an ice-cold beverage. Add to that some locally brewed beers and a Bavarian inspired food truck, and you have the makings of a great time.

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Think yellow umbrellas, picnic tables, AstroTurf, white picket fences and a BBQ grill, and you’ll picture the scene at Mascot. Since opening just over a month ago, managing partner Jared Brenzel said it’s already attracting locals with its relaxed, backyard BBQ atmosphere and its location in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district. As we discovered when the Decompoz team stopped by on Canada Day, Mascot is like a relaxing summer oasis, surrounded by a sea of concrete and skyscrapers.

Mascot’s biggest draw card is its wide selection of beers – both its own brews, and those it brings in from other local microbreweries. Mascot currently has two of its own brews: a German pilsner and a German hefeweizen. The pilsner is made with 100 per cent German two-row pilsner malt and imported Hallertau hops and yeast. The hefeweizen, on the other hand, is a traditional southern German style wheat beer, which is unfiltered and has hints of banana and clove. Though Mascot is currently sub-contracting its brewing to Duggan’s, it plans to produce its own beers in house by the end of the summer.

It also serves local Torontonian microbrews from companies like Woodhouse Brewing Co. and Amsterdam Brewing Co. Further adding to the rooftop’s picnic vibe, large groups can order five-litre kegs right at their table, which is a unique take on traditional bottle service.

_ Instagram: @mascotbrewery Facebook: facebook.com/MascotBrewery

From the food truck (which had to be dropped onto the roof by crane), chef Rory McGouran, formerly of 416 Snack Bar, offers a variety of German inspired classics. The eight-item menu is cooked primarily on the BBQ grill and served on disposable plates. Some of the most popular dishes include a pork and veal bratwurst which is poached in the Mascot pilsner and served with sauerkraut; pretzels covered in a sweet house-made mustard; and Albacore tuna ceviche with avocado, tomato, taro chips, and a cilantro and ginger marinade.

The food truck also serves a weekend brunch menu, and the team creates special dishes for events like Canada Day. When we were there, the chef was serving Alberta Black Angus burgers and Quebec-style poutine.

For those who aren’t into beer, Mascot also has a full range of drinks, and even offers cocktails on tap; they are all made in-house from scratch, but in large quantities so they can be served quickly to patrons. The bar serves classic cocktails like Daiquiris and Cobble Hills, as well as its own one-of-a-kind creations like Fool the Devil, which is a mix of tequila, Blue Curacao, passion fruit, pineapple, and soda.

_ Mascot is open Tuesday through Sunday, and accepts bookings for large groups as well as walk-ins. It also hosts parties and local DJs, and with its close proximity to the Rogers Centre and its convenient downtown location, there’s no doubt that it will continue its popularity with locals and tourists alike.

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STEVEN MOXLEY GETS IT WIRED BMX, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND KEEPING IT FRESH

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