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For his part, Ian has bought a bike to get around his new neighbourhood and to business meetings downtown, which both frightens and thrills his family.
Ryan likes to mix up old, new and industrial elements. The vintage lockers are from Queen West Antiques. The hanging pendant and miner’s lights are from Metropolis.
He also finds he is learning a lot from the next generation. “Not just restaurant recommendations, though they do fill us in on all the hot new places,” Ian says. “More surprisingly, it has been a revelation watching the new ways in which young people do business. And how they mix their lives with their business. Things are more integrated.” It has been a big switch, Lynn says, and not one she initially embraced. “But I’ve completely changed my mind. I love being down here and feeling a part of things. We had to pare things way down, and life is much more efficient.” Not that they are cramped in their 2,500-squarefoot three-bedroom on Wellington with floor-to-ceiling windows. “Now, I put on a backpack and head out to walk down to St. Lawrence Market,” Lynn says. “I’ve even started taking the streetcar.” For his part, Ian has bought a bike to get around his new neighbourhood and to business meetings downtown, which both frightens and thrills his family. As for Ryan, living across the street from work has been a godsend running SPiN, a 12,000-square-foot hipster funhouse packed out with corporate parties, DJs and little orange ping-pong balls zinging everywhere. Carrie works at SPiN and lives in the Junction with her husband. “We are all closer than we have been in years,” Ryan says. “It is a great surprise every time to bump into each other—which is a lot.” Yes, it is a bit of a bubble, he says. “And I rarely go as far as Yonge Street! But by the same token, living in a condo I’m free to go farther without worrying. I like that I can leave for weeks on end and not think about security or anything.” Ryan’s open-concept, industrially styled one-bedroom in Fashion House features a choice view of the CN Tower, which gives him a reassuring sense of place. “It’s definitely got a great design, and the rooftop pool is one of the best spots in the city, hands down,” says Ryan of his new crib.“It’s a building with a buzz for sure. I know several people my age with places here, so it’s nice that it’s so social, too.” The Fishers have an unusual set of conflicting neighbourhood concerns to discuss around their dining rooms table(s). As businesspeople, the family loves the droves that flock to KW for the scene. But as residents, they find themselves on a different side of the issue. “Thursday remains Bay Street night,” Ryan says. “And the ad people nearby go out right after work then head home for 9.” Weekends are more challenging. “It’s Friday and Saturday that have gained the clubby part of the neighbourhood a bad rep,” Lynn says. “When the suburban crowd comes in and jams the sidewalks to get into clubs. And, of course, the noise into the night.” Things are changing, the Fishers feel, as more people and different demographics moving into the neighbourhood stake their claim in the western fringe of the entertainment district. Sunday nights, especially, the neighbourhood belongs to the people who live there. “Ian and I went to a community meeting recently,” Lynn says, “and there is just naturally a larger proportion of people from the posher condos showing up. We are older. We’ve been around the block a few times. We have more time, and we want to protect our investment. It is our turn to get involved, to make sure the expansion is handled right, that building heights aren’t excessive and noise restrictions are enforced. Every day I see more pugs and prams on the streets. That is how liveable neighbourhoods are built.” Look at the crowd at SPiN, Ryan says: “We get people from 18 to 80 in there.” Lynn adds, “You can be a fantastic player or total crap and it is all fine. You can show up in a ball gown and no one blinks an eye. That is the nature of this neighbourhood that makes us believe in the future.” Former FASHION editor and gal about town Leanne Delap writes about everything from beauty to fashion to food for the Toronto Star and magazines across the country.
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TORONTO’S URBAN EXPERTS:
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212 KING ST W SOLD: $37M IN 2013
220 KING ST W SOLD: $19M IN 2014
224 KING ST W RETAIL SOLD: $10.6M IN 2010
613 KING ST W FOR SALE
425 KING ST W ACQUIRED FOR ALLIED PROPERTIES
489-499 KING ST W SOLD AS PORTFOLIO $30M
443 KING ST W ACQUIRED FOR ALLIED PROPERTIES
478 KING ST W VICTORY CONDOS DEVELOPMENT LAND SOLD
500-522 KING ST W
180,000 SF BUILDING ACQUIRED FOR ALLIED PROPERTIES
545 KING ST W SOLD: $11.5M LEASED: 45,000 SF
560 KING ST W RETAIL LEASED ON BEHALF OF FREED
468 KING ST W ACQUIRED FOR ALLIED PROPERTIES
620 KING ST W DEVELOPMENT LAND SOLD: $21.87M
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A Wall created for Lanehouse Lofts Toronto to mimic original brick (circa 1880’s)
A qUICk q&A WITH MICHAEL RYGIEL (CEO/fOUNDER) What is the product?
What are your goals for 2015?
It’s a brick veneer system that is made to look like century old brick walls. It’s lightweight and DIY-friendly so it can be installed in hours.
We plan on penetrating the condo market and getting our brick into as many places as possible. We believe we have the most authentic and realistic brick veneer product in the market.
What makes it eco friendly?
We manufacture it here in Toronto and it’s made from the same material found in drywall. We use very little energy and water compared to real brick.
How many styles and colours do you manufacture? We have many colours and styles to choose from. Check them out at RediscoverBrick.com
What were your highlights in 2014? We had our best year ever and we were involved with major commercial and residential projects in and around the city. We were also featured on Property Brothers, Income Property, Love It Or List It, and Tackle My Reno.
“Century Architexture have provided us with an excellent authentic reproduction brick for our stores and I highly recommend them.” –Nelson Costa, VP of Construction, Pita Pit
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How much is it? We can brick & install a 14ft x 8ft wall for around $1,500.
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TMTM
2014-11-26 4:02 PM
PSR congratulates Kingwest Magazine, the voice of Toronto’s coolest neighbourhood, on a stunning Issue 10.
416 360 0688 | psrbrokerage.com
Special FeATURE
Seriously, we love King West. As PSR’s President and Broker-of-Record, Eric Kuzuian, says: “Torontonians in this neighbourhood do things a little differently. We live, work and play without the commute. We spend more time doing things than getting there.” Which is why we specifically chose this area to put down our roots.
And why not? Down the street, our local press club plays host to some
With our flagship location nestled in on the south side of King at
of the world’s coolest annual events, like Nikki Beach and Rockstar Hotel;
Portland, we’re situated right in the heart of the neighbourhood, and
our annual film festival draws flocks of Hollywood’s elite; and there are
as a contemporary, tech-savvy real estate boutique, it just made sense.
the oh-so-many local spots that serve a seriously world-class Americano
The property here is to-die-for-cool—from reinvented brick and steel
(Note: Bar Buca is right next door to our offices, keeping us caffeinated
industrial lofts, to ultra-modern condos and townhouses. We ‘get’ our
and happy all day.) And let’s not gloss over the gastronomical
clients because we’re of the same mind: we know it’s as important to
opportunities; if you’re into food (and we are) it’s all here—from the best
have dozens of green spots to walk your dog as it is to have dozens of
of Italy to Mexican fusion. You can trip over the options for getting the
celebrity mixologists to help you ring in happy hour.
best fish tacos you’ve ever had without even having to change into your winter boots.
Often compared (by out-of-towners) to New York’s SoHo district, King West Village has evolved as the in-spot for a new breed of urban
PSR’s love affair with King West began seven years ago and is still going
professionals. Formerly an industrial haven and Toronto’s garment
strong. Hosting our work/live spaces and acting as the cornerstone for
district, the area has really come into its own over the past five years,
our real estate philosophy, we can’t wait to see what the next 10 years
with happy sellers getting asking prices on increasing values, and
will bring for this awesome neighbourhood.
lined-up buyers itching to own a piece of this luxe-but-pedestrianfriendly zone. With high demand for property that’s a pretty even split between owners and renters and a demographic breakdown that hangs out the welcome sign to both savvy creatives and hip suits—it’s clear that everyone wants in.
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Visionary
Rodney Clark, the owner of Rodney’s Oyster House, has been teaching Toronto to slurp since 1987 when he opened his first restaurant.
Every city has an oyster house—New York has Grand Central, London has Wiltons. When I came to Toronto from PEI in the late ’70s there wasn’t an oyster house here. The city was so uptight I had to bring the silver pitchfork out from down east to get the pickle out of its ass. When we moved to King West in 2000 there was nothing here. The only other establishment on the street was For Your Eyes Only. But you don’t need to be in a position of location for an oyster house. Rodney’s is a destination. 469 King is a perfect venue for the oyster house. It used to be the basement of the 1903 Dominion Paper Box Company. The beams are from the Ottawa Valley and the rocks in the foundation are from the Credit Valley. With the rent I’ve paid over the years I could have bought the building three times over. Rodney’s isn’t a bar. It’s an oyster house. The reason I called it an oyster house and not a restaurant is because if I ever came to your house I wouldn’t bitch about the service. I’m very proud of 27 years. The dynamics of oystering on King Street is that it’s an evolution. Most of the other oyster houses in the city are run by people who came from Rodney’s. Last year this place moved 1.76 million pieces of oyster. We have our own oyster farm in PEI and I buy a lot of our fish in San Francisco and New Zealand. We have a plane or truck arriving every day of the week except Sundays. The best way to eat an oyster is with knowledge. You should always chew your oysters; you’re looking at the oyster to give you something. Take a little bit of lemon for the citric acid, to balance the salt, just a couple of drops. You free it up a bit. There should be a blast of cold and salt, salt and cold, and then you get a blast of sweetness. Foreplay is nice. A good oyster is expensive, so you shouldn’t rush it. That’s the interesting thing about an oyster house: It can slow you down. It should slow you down. You’re eating something alive. Seconds to eat and years to grow. Condiments are like lingerie: never too much and never too little. You don’t want to have an oyster that’s loaded with sauce. I’m a binge eater. I don’t count ’em. I look at the amount of liquid that has to be consumed with them and try to figure out what’s going to work with it. I could eat 200-300 oysters a sitting but I spread it out over half a day with a case of beer or some wine. I don’t necessarily eat oysters every day of the week. What’s a good oyster eater? A person who colours with all the crayons in the box. Rip Torn is a tremendously knowledgeable oyster eater. Helen Mirren was here with John Malkovich and she ate 36 oysters! The great thing about an oyster house is that the demographics are wild. It’s the Switzerland of eating. Most restaurants cater to a demographic. Rodney’s caters to oyster eaters. Oysters are the only honest food. What’s neat about them is that people will tell you things over oysters they never normally would. A German banker came in and I was trying to get her to eat a really large east coast oyster. And I said: “Come on, you must have eaten a large oyster before.” And she said: “Never that cold and never that white.” My son Eamon, who works here, is a six-time Canadian oystershucking champion. My daughter’s out in Calgary building an 8,000-square-foot Rodney’s that will open in the new year. The millennium. This fella phones me up from Berlin and wants to bring his company to Toronto to celebrate the millennium. He brings 60 Germans and most of them didn’t know English. When midnight rolled around, out came the German firecrackers. They brought their own explosives! We went outside and lit the firecrackers. They all fell over and went on the street and set off under cars. That was an oyster night!
PHOTO: arash moallemi
RODNEY “OYSTERMAN” CLARK
ON-THE-GO? DON’T MISS OUT
OWN IT
ON DIGITAL HD
© 2014 Home Box Office, Inc. All righs reserved. HBO® and related service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. Distributed by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. © 2014 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.
HBO0048_KingWestAd2.indd 1
12/1/14 9:02
10 PUBLISHER KING WEST MEDIA LTD. PRESIDENT PETER FREED
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KAREN VON HAHN
CREATIVE AGENCY portland stewart
CREATIVE DIRECTOR alice unger MANAGING EDITOR RONNILYN PUSTIL
ASSOCIATE EDITOR DIANE PETERS CREATIVE TEAM MIKE BOZ DAINA DUROFIL VISHANA LODHIA
CONTRIBUTORS ADRIAN ARMSTRONG LORETTA CHIN LEANNE DELAP Layla PEREIRA DA SILVA CAROLYN DREBIN NAOMI FINLAY ROBERT GRAVELLE MATTHEW HAGUE JOE HOWELL CHRISTOPHER HUME CHRIS JOHNS NICK KOZAK BECCA LEMIRE ARASH MOALLEMI anne O’Hagan MARILISA RACCO RUSSELL SMITH ANDREW SOULE MURRAY WHYTE
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MORAD REID AFFIFI
King West Media Ltd. 552 WELLINGTON ST. W. PENTHOUSE SUITE 1500 TORONTO, ON M5V 2V5 KINGWESTMAG.CA
0 TOC-v6.indd 13
CONTENTS 14 EDITOR’S LETTER 16 CONTRIBUTORS 23 PROCLAIMER
Micro-Trend: Butchers’ Block, The List: From Bjork to Warhol, Mr. Smith’s Good Times Guide by Russell Smith
41 “10”
Reasons to love where you live
48 STATION MASTERS
Christopher Hume on the new Union Station
52 FAIR GAME
The debut of Feature Art Fair by Murray Whyte
55 LOCAL TALENT
Artist John Coburn draws KW
56 SKY WALKERS
Taking fashion to new heights Photography by Andrew Soule
68 DRESS CODE
Jeanne Beker gives KW a private tour by Anne O’Hagan
73 THE SHINING
5 designers light the way by Matthew Hague
76 HOME ALONE
10 reasons to call in sick by Loretta Chin
78 FRENCH IMMERSION Chris Johns eats and tells
82 THE POUR HERE AND ON THE COVER KRISTEN MURPHY OF ANITA NORRIS MODELS PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANDREW SOULE STYLIST: RANDY SMITH HAIR & MAKEUP: DAVID ALLEN JONES/JUDYINC.COM OUTFIT HERE: PETER PILOTTO DRESS, CELINE FUR MUFF, BOTH AT HOLTRENFREW.COM COVER: SEE PAGE 56
Budget bubblies by Robert Gravelle
89 ON THE TOWN
Nights in KW, The Playing Field by Marilisa Racco, Word on the Street: We ♥ KW, Kingstagram: KVH snaps Fashion Week; Test Drive: Fitness Clubs, Real Estate: The Fishers on King
112 VISIONARY
Q&A with Rodney “Oysterman” Clark
2014-12-15 10:40 AM
At the risk of sounding self-congratulatory, after five years, and 10 packed and glorious issues, I can’t resist a shout-out to both this magazine and the wonderful neighbourhood it represents. How much have we both grown, in assurance and complexity! Our mutual development speaks to the kind of creativity and commitment that is being shared by a new generation of city dwellers who are transforming urban centres all over the world. Documenting this shift has been quite an adventure. Five years ago, we felt like cultural anthropologists: Story meetings were like digs where we were uncovering the practices and values of a previously unknown tribe. Ten issues later, it’s just pure celebration at how far we’ve come. To mark this occasion, we commissioned local artist John Coburn (himself a downtown pioneer as a former CITY-TV reporter in the bad, old early days of that network) to give us his pen-and-ink perspective of where the hood is at now in its rapid transformation (p. 55). Getting the job done required John to spend hours out on the roof of Fashion House (also where we shot our fashion story “Sky Walkers,” p. 56) in rather challenging November conditions, but as far as we’re concerned, his sublime streetscape was well worth the effort. As every host knows, the secret to a good party is in the guest list. Which is why in this special issue we decided to invite the very people who live, work and play here to tell us what draws them to this neighbourhood. What do they love about King West? Their wonderful and inspiring answers are listed in “10” (p. 41) and in “We ♥ KW” (p. 94). Even if you have other faves on your own Top 10 list, we hope ours will inspire further explorations of all the area now has to offer. This is what makes my own heart sing about KW: I love the action around King and Portland, which used to be a dead zone, of restaurant-goers and people walking home from work and pretty young things making the scene at a gallery opening or on an outdoor patio on a hot summer night. I love the dynamic views of the changing cityscape from the rooftops of the Thompson Hotel and the Spoke Club where you can bask in the glow of the city’s lights at night. I love the pizza at Buca that comes with scissors, the tiny sandwiches at Delysees, and the biscotti at Forno Cultura. And I adore the neighbourhood’s mix of new and old: the warmth of the red-brick industrial warehouses reflected in the sleek glass of the new towers; the old-school bars and businesses still tucked away in the lanes next to the city’s new hot spots. Most of all, however, I love the now tight-knit gang I get to work with each spring and fall as we put out another, better issue. Smart and savvy and dedicated to making it happen, we are a ragtag group of visual visionaries and word people, editorial newbies and hardened veterans, all united as a team through our mutual love of a glorious, if endangered, art form—the print magazine. Truly, if you enjoy reading it even half as much as we do putting it together, it’s a joy all round.
KAREN VON HAHN
Ed Note_RLP-8.indd 14
PHOTO: NAOMI FINLAY
WAY TO GO KING WEST!
2014-12-15 10:43 AM
contri Alice Unger
RONNILYN PUSTIL
VISHANA LODHIA
Creative director Alice Unger celebrates KW ’s 10th issue with our dramatic cover and fashion spreads shot on the roof of chic Fashion House overlooking King Street. Alice is just as at home on a photography set as she is in her perfect, minimal glass condo in downtown Toronto.
RonniLyn Pustil takes her job as managing editor of KW quite seriously. So when she’s not spending time with her two young daughters (one a budding artist behind this portrait of her mother), organizing her pop-up marketplace Gluten Free Garage or working on other editorial projects, she can be found wandering King Street— and inevitably eating something along the way— to find the latest gems.
Freshly back from Berlin, Vishana Lodhia has worked her magic at various design agencies and on numerous publications. Currently she’s freelancing between Toronto and Berlin.
Why I ♥ KW: The pizza at Forno Cultura, the fish sandwich at The One That Got Away, the artichoke salad at Bar Buca. The best, and most fun, hood for food in the city.
PANOS KATSIGIANNIS Panos Katsigiannis has spent over a decade in the design and creative fields. As creative director at Portland Stewart, he oversees the production of KW. A food lover who loves to check out new restaurants, he posts and shares on Instagram (@ponsywonsy). Why I ♥ KW: I can walk it all in one coffee. I love the food, the coffee and most of all the energy! There are countless entrepreneurs in this hood, and you can just sense that in the air here.
Why I ♥ KW: It’s all about the food! And my two favourite places to get lost in downtown TO— TIFF Bell Lightbox and Body Blitz Spa.
Why I ♥ KW: I am really drawn to Forno Cultura for its urban design and minimalist look. I feel like I’m walking into an edible gallery. It’s so cute I want to buy everything.
MIKE BOZ Mike Boz is a graphic designer who enjoys cycling in the city, travelling and all types of board sports. Why I ♥ KW: The highcalibre experiences that businesses are bringing to the table. Whether it’s the bakeries, restaurants or shops, everyone is upping the ante to provide luxe levels of service.
DIANE PETERS KW associate editor Diane Peters teaches feature writing at Ryerson and is also a freelance writer who has contributed to such publications as The Globe and Mail and Chatelaine. Diane is equally addicted to tennis, yoga, Masterpiece and reading real books on paper. Why I ♥ KW: King West is the city’s most fully formed playground. Whether you’re heading here for an event or just to wander the streets, you always feel like you’re going somewhere that’s going to be fun, fashionable and delicious.
butors
the art of change
Coming soon
Lofts + Condos on Yonge at Eglinton from the $200’s Every once in a while, something comes along that makes you rethink all your expectations. Welcome to the Art Shoppe* lofts and condos on Yonge at Eglinton. This changes everything.
Be part of the transformation Register at ArtShoppeCondos.com *Registered trademark of Art Shoppe Limited. 2292446 Ontario Limited is an authorized licensee of such trademark. PRIVATE SERVICE REALTY LTD. EXCLUSIVE LISTING BROKER. BROKERS PROTECTED. PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WItHOUT NOTICE. E. & O.E. ILLUSTRATaIONS ARE ARTIST’S IMPRESSIONS. www. PSRBROKERAGE.COM.
ADIDAS ALICE & OLIVIA ALIMENTO ALLSAINTS AMERICAN APPAREL ANDREWS APPLE ARITZIA ATHLETA AVEDA BAKERBERRY’S BANANA REPUBLIC BAREBURGER BEBE BEN MCNALLY BOOKS BEN SHERMAN BRANT HOUSE BRASSAI BROOKS BROTHERS C LOUNGE CC LOUNGE CALVIN KLEIN UNDERWEAR CIPRIANI CLUB MONACO CRUSH WINE BAR DESIGN WITHIN REACH DIESEL DRYBAR ESTEE LAUDER FIG & OLIVE FINE WINE RESERVE FIONN MACCOOL’S FOREVER 21 FORNO CULTURA FREED SALES CENTRE GAP GUCCI GUESS H&M HERMES INTERMIX J.CREW JAMES PERSE JACQUES TORRES JOE’S JEANS JOHN VARVATOS JOHNNY WAS KIEHL’S KING WEST BIER MARKT L’OCCITANE EN PROVENCE LULULEMON ATHLETICA MAC COSMETICS MADEWELL MAJE MARMOT MAX STUDIO MICHAEL KORS MICHAEL STARS MITCHELL GOLD + BOB WILLIAMS MOMOFUKU NOBU OAKLEY OLD NAVY PATAGONIA PENGUIN PIPERLIME PRAVDA VODKA BAR PRET A MANGER RAG & BONE RALPH LAUREN REEBOK RIMOWA RODNEY’S OYSTER HOUSE SAINT LAURENT SAM EDELMAN SANDRO SECOND CUP SHOPPERS DRUG MART SOLARIS JEWELERS SOMA CHOCOLATEMAKER SONY SQUEEZE JUICE BAR STACARO STARBUCKS SWAROVSKI THE ACTON LEATHER COMPANY THE CAPITAL GRILLE THE CARLU THE FRYE COMPANY TOPSHOP WEST LOUNGE WINNERS WVRST ZADIG & VOLTAIRE ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS
From King Street to Fifth Avenue and Rodeo Drive, RKF is transforming the RETAIL landscape. For more information, contact Steven Alikakos , President, Canada | Broker of Record at salikakos@rkf.com or 416.599.3700.
Some highlighted brands were involved in transactions with members of the Canadian team prior to their affiliation with RKF.
RKF.COM RKF GROUP CANADA REALTY, a Real Estate Brokerage
YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD HANG OUT
FOOD • COCKTAILS • LIVE MUSIC • SPORTS
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After 14 years on Queen West we’re moving around the corner.
Join us Fall 2014 in our all-new two level showroom at 78 Ossington Avenue
TORONTO | 78 OSSINGTON AVENUE | 416.534.4343 VANCOUVER | 124 WEST HASTINGS STREET | 604.558.4343 STYLEGARAGE.COM
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THE INK
Black line Studio
Call it Neighbourhood, Ink: Black Line Studio, the eight-yearold custom tattoo salon, gallery and retail concept shop is a creative hub where, according to owner Ion Nicolae, “a lot of talented artists have started their careers.” Johnny Depp and Justin Bieber are among the stars who have had a mark left on them here. Clientele run the gamut from Toronto FC, Jays and Leafs players (and their wives) to “70-year-old ladies who come in to get something done to remember their husbands.” Indeed, the open-concept gallery space, which features both local artists and a curated jewellery collection (labels such as Italy’s Millefiori, Potluck Paris and the rock ’n’ roll–inspired Double Cross and Barcelona’s Unode50), conveys a chill vibe that is also remarkably focused. Staff artists are all variously conversant in recent tattoo trends, from mandalas to watercolour techniques. But all is not local: Tat enthusiasts follow the Black Line feed for news of visits from some of the body art world’s biggest names. “Fans follow artists internationally like they are next door,” says Nicolae, who welcomes “the exchange of ideas and creativity.” Check the Black Line blog for upcoming guest artists in residence. —Leanne Delap 577 King St. W. / 416.850.8227 / blacklinestudio.com
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Black Line Studio’s Ion Nicolae
PHOTOS: (Previous Page) Adrian Armstrong, (cufflinks) courtesy holt renfrew, (drapery) courtesy knoLL textiles, (JUMPSUIT) COURTESY PINK TARTAN
Trading on both Toronto’s art and commerce movements and the global obsession for style declarations through hosiery comes Huely (huely.com). The brainchild of entrepreneur Dan Demsky and self-described “trans-media” artist Nate Kogan, Huely elevates the humble sock to collectible commodity. The local duo’s venture aligns a trifecta of marketing strategies, offering a collection of eight patterns, plus up to three “secret” limited-run designs with each series produced. The Canadian-made socks feature original designs by an impressive roster of street artists (Poser, Answr, Uber 5000) who have used the sock as their canvas. Each $20 pair is sold “blind-boxed” and, like the surprise in a Cracker Jack box or hockey trading cards, you don’t know which quirky, wearable piece of signed art you’ve received until you open the shiny vacu-pak emblazoned with the Huely (Kogan’s middle name) logo. Add in the chance to score a random bonus prize, and a pair of these socks is as much fun to get as it is to wear. —Loretta Chin
PROCLAIMER
THE SUIT
Indochino
Thanks to globalization and the Internet, the biggest recent trend in how Canadian men dress has been the move to made-to-measure. We are no longer content to pay over $1,000 for a mass-produced suit. Vancouver-based Indochino started its made-to-measure suit business online in 2007, offering incredible deals if you were willing to take a risk on a fabric swatch you couldn’t actually touch and feel. Their improved business model: open showrooms in big city neighbourhoods like King West with the suit models on display. Book an appointment with a trained and rather hip advisor; he takes 15 measurements and spends an hour going over your choices. You place your order—for suit, shirts and ties, too—and it comes back from Shanghai a mere four weeks later. Fabrics range from practical solid navy and charcoal to daring plaids; details like surgeon’s cuffs and contrasting buttonholes are no extra charge. Prices still beat similarly fashionable off-the-rack looks: The basic quality two-piece suit is $489; premium fabric is $789. Best of all is that it’s right at the corner of King and Spadina. —Russell Smith
PHOTOS: (socks) Adrian Armstrong, (nicolae) Nick Kozak, (indochino) courtesy indochino, (hotel) courtesy gladstone hotel
425 King St. W. / 416.260.6665 / indochino.com
Now Then
GLADSTONE Hotel
If these walls could talk: Wish the Gladstone happy 125th! The 60-room hotel at Queen and Gladstone debuted in 1889 as a stopover for the wellheeled arriving from the nearby South Parkdale station or out-of-town visitors heading to the (then-classy) CNE. “The only safe place for one’s great aunt to stay alone,” it glibly marketed itself. By mid-20th century, the Romanesque Revival building had lost its sheen, becoming a weekly-rate hotel and downscale music venue. A 2005 reno spearheaded by Christina Zeidler snapped it back into fashion. Now, the boutique-hotel-cum-arts-venue, with its chic rooms, stellar menus and nonstop events calendar, is set up to linger for another century or so. To mark the occasion, street artist Shepard Fairey of Obama campaign fame composed a mural now gracing the building’s venerable rear-end. —Diane Peters 1214 Queen St. W. / 416.531.4635 / gladstonehotel.com
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PROCLAIMER THE BALM
Her Majesty’s Pleasure
If your vision of paradise involves kind minions buffing your nails and fixing your hair whilst bringing you delicate French pastries and artisanal cocktails, former investment banker Jeffrey Armstrong and his wife Sara Kardan, an aspiring architect, have the place for you. In one dreamy destination elegantly appointed by Drake Hotel designer John Tong, Her Majesty’s Pleasure manages to fuse the convenience of a nail salon and blow-dry bar with the conviviality of a café—and cocktail bar—into one very modern hybrid concept. Says Kardan, “I love getting my hair and my nails done but there’s no real experience around it.” Here, a woodframed “pop-up shop” within the space serves as both concierge desk and boutique stocked with high-end organic beauty products and fetching accessories; a cold-pressed juice bar will soon share floor space with the thriving storefront café. “What we came upon was the idea of a single destination that curates all these experiences into something unique and unexpected,” Kardan says. Mornings see neighbourhood gallerists and ad world creatives talking shop over tea and tiny Delysees sandwiches; after work, girls getting ready for a night on the town sip champagne cocktails while having their nails done; after dinner, couples who aren’t in a hurry to call it a night end up side-by-side in Adirondack-style lounges with their toes soaking in Japanese resin tubs. This much novelty can be a bit confusing to passersby: “At least three times a day somebody walks in and asks, ‘What is this?’” Kardan says. “And even after we explain everything that’s going on here, they say, ‘Can I live here? I want this to be my condo.’” —KVH 556 King St. W. / 416.546.4991 hermajestyspleasure.ca
THE HACK
KW AT YOUR SERVICE
3 smart ways to make life in the core a breeze Honk Mobile
Coins are so over. Use this app to pay for parking in hundreds of lots across the city (many of them in King West!) with just a tap of your phone. Kindly, it will alert you when you’re out of time and you can top up the “meter” remotely. A boon to long lunches and extra drying time at the spa. Look for the Honk logo when parking or check the app to find a participating lot.
honkmobile.com
Hive Storage
Too much stuff and the mother-in-law is visiting? Hive delivers a portable closet, you pack it, they take it away and store it for you for as long as you like (for $60 a month). A perfect solution for those who don’t have a car or never want to step inside one of those desolate storage places again.
hivestorage.ca
Can’t see your beautiful clothes through the mess? Help is but a short drive away. Grab a Zipcar (zipcar.ca), and zap up to this 10,000-square-foot showroom in Vaughan, a one-stop shop for everything from fully kitted-out custom closets to entertainment units to sleek built-in home offices. Complete the look of your built-in with some Artware, the store’s premium line of hardware in bronze, Murano glass or even Swarovski crystal.
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organizedinteriors.com
PHOTOS: naomi finlay
Organized Interiors
PROCLAIMER
LIBATIONS
Rarefied Pear
Warm it up for the season: Scotch is the ultimate cold-weather libation, and local apples and pears are at their mellow peak here in Ontario in December. As an added bonus, Glenfiddich 12 already has lovely pear notes and the pyrotechnics of the flaming cinnamon are very NYE 2015. 1 oz Glenfiddich 12 Year ¼ oz Calvados 1½ oz pear juice ¼ oz honey water 2 dashes Malagasy Chocolate bitters 1 pinch of torched cinnamon
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Horn Players (1983), coming to the AGO.
Combine everything but the cinnamon in an iced cocktail shaker. Shake briskly and strain into a rocks glass. Top with ice and ignite a pinch of cinnamon over the drink with a brûlée torch.
THE LIST
WHAT NOT TO MISS
Now – Mar 15
Joe Howell is the head bartender at the members-only Spoke Club. thespokeclub.com
Warhol Mania / Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Jan 22 – 25
Interior Design Show Metro Toronto Convention Centre Jan 22 – Feb 1
Sundance Film Festival / Park City, Utah Jan 29 – Feb 1
Art Los Angeles Contemporary The Barker Hangar Jan 31 – April 26
DOUGLAS COUPLAND: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything PHOTOS: (COCKTAIL) Joanna Balcerak, (el mocambo) Rick MCgrath, (basquiat) Douglas m. Parker studio
MOCCA and ROM, Toronto Way to go, Dragon! A sign beside the legendary neon one outside the music venue that’s been home on the road to everyone from Elvis Costello to the Stones now reads: “Thank you, Michael Wekerle, for keeping the El Mo rocking.” In a drama worthy of TV, the night before the beloved club’s final closing, the Dragon’s Den star—who came for the neon sign—ending up buying the club. And saving both for the rest of us.
Feb 7 – May 10
jean-michel Basquiat: now’s the time AGO, Toronto Feb 15
NBA All-Star Game Madison Square Garden, NYC Feb 19 – 22
South Beach Wine & Food Festival / Miami Feb 26 – Mar 1
The Whisper Opera / Theatre Centre, Toronto Feb 27 – 28
Magic and Loss: A Tribute to Lou Reed Harbourfront Centre Theatre, Toronto March 4 – 11
Paris Fashion Week March 7 – June 7 Bjork / MoMA, NYC
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PROCLAIMER
MICRO-TREND
Butchers’ Block
Here in Hogtown, we have a storied relationship with the meat we eat. But today’s food emporia are a far cry from the sawdust-strewn shops of our sepia’d past. Local, organic, sustainable and small-farm raised are the new buzzwords for the next generation of local butchers, transforming both the shopping experience and how and what we want to enjoy at the centre of our plates. By Carolyn Drebin
Bernadette Calpito
St. Andrew Poultry
For over 50 years, St. Andrew has been the one-stop chicken shop for countless restaurants and home cooks. In 2012, owner Jerry Jesin was looking to refresh the place—and the vibe. Enter exec chef and head butcher Bernadette Calpito. Formerly of Mercatto and Kultura, Calpito honed her chops working with celeb chefs from Massimo to Mooking. No wonder St. Andrew now moves as much grab ’n’ go as raw meat. Alberta Beef, Blue Goose poultry and house-aged cuts are on offer for those looking for traditional butchery. A takeout window fronts the open kitchen where specials like Joy Fried Chicken, Malta Ribs and Shawarma (both chicken and medium-rare lamb) practically fly out the door. Chef Calpito even makes her own filler-free gourmet dog food. With daily Supper Club specials and pop-up dinners on the horizon, there will be more than chicken at this coop. 17 St. Andrew St. / 416.596.7305 standrewpoultry.com / @standrewpoultry
Yamchops
YamChops is a vegetarian butcher shop. You read that right: Everything from the Tuna-less Tuna to the Coconut Ba-con to the Chick’n Shawarma is made up entirely of plant-based foods. Michael Abramson, a 40-year vegan veteran and Cordon Vert chef, runs the place with his wife, Toni, and daughter Jess, creator of AuJus cold-pressed juices. They’ve created a thriving lunch counter and superbly curated grocery store. With hard-to-find animal-free products and all-organic, non-GMO pantry items, YamChops aims to please the most ethical eaters. Most famous is its Carrot Lox: Add a shmear of (vegan) cream cheese, a couple of capers and a sliver of onion, and even the most die-hard deli devotees might find it hard to resist. Yamchops’ burgeoning catering and delivery service proves the demand is out there for meatless cuts; Abramson’s “happy wall” boasts over 100 requests from fans the world over for more shops. The meatless main may be the cut of the future. 705 College St. / 416.645.0117 yamchops.com / @YamChopsTO
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PHOTOS: naomi finlay
Michael and Jess Abramson
PROCLAIMER
Elliott Dawson
The Healthy Butcher
With so much gastronomic creativity coming out of the city’s west end, it was only a matter of time before Cumbrae’s “farm-to-fork” philosophy made it to the hood. In fact, having been around since 1994, owner and third-generation butcher Stephen Alexander looks at the new Queen West locale as “the evolution of Cumbrae’s—and the perfect 20th-anniversary gift to the company.” At its roots, Cumbrae’s is still a hardcore butcher shop. Inside the slick new space, a full-production kitchen creates custom-made and take-home sides to complement the meat, some of which can be seen aging in the onsite locker. Beef is the best-selling main attraction but may soon be eclipsed: A ham bar offers various breeds of heritage pork and wild boar, and the sandwich counter features everything from braised lamb to rotisserie chicken. The new spot is already such a hit with local carnivores, we expect Cumbrae’s has more evolutionary developments in the works.
The Healthy Butcher—one of the first downtown shops to push local, nose-to-tail cuts of meat— turns 10 in 2015. With more than 70 varieties of handmade sausages and burgers, its longevity comes as no surprise. Working with farmers on everything from breed selection, pasture rotation and even animal transport has resulted in what cofounder Mario Fiorucci calls “the perfect intersection between health and gourmet.” Take a step inside, and that’s obvious: Specialty knives and cooks’ tools line the walls alongside artisanal products and ready-to-go foods made with “real ingredients” by “passionate chefs.” As dining habits change, so too does the way people shop. And with The Healthy Butcher’s newly launched RealFoodToronto.com, stay-at-home shoppers can have their organic and hormone-free meat and eat it, too.
714 Queen St. W. / 416.681.1111 cumbraes.com / @Cumbraes
565 Queen St. W. / 416.674.2642 thehealthybutcher.com / @healthybutcher
Jack Clarke
Cumbrae’s
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PROCLAIMER
THE BITE
WHat’s Cooking? We asked 3 of KW’s top-drawer
food gurus what they plan to eat and cook in 2015. Here’s a taste of what’s to come: Rob Bragagnolo Executive chef, Marben Restaurant In 2015 we’ll be delving into the exotic and aromatic flavours of North Africa, specifically Morocco and Tunisia. I lived and cooked on the Spanish island of Mallorca, where you see a lot of Moorish influences in cooking and culture. I’m in love with the rich depth of flavour in North African cuisine.
Andrea Mastrandrea Owner and baker, Forno Cultura
Stuart Cameron, Chef, Byblos Bread is one of my main focuses at the moment. I’m working on a whole bunch of Middle Eastern–type breads. We’re already making barbari bread. Another bread I’m working on is called sangak, which is cooked on pebbles in a wood-fired oven.
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(Back) Shontelle Pinch, Dennis Tay, Coulson Armstrong, Grant Van Gameren, Alexandra Feswick (Front) Dustin Gallagher, Chuck Ortiz, Amanda Ray, Sean Santos
the FOODRUNNErS
Late nights behind a hot stove take a toll on the bod. Enter the Foodrunners, a group of TO’s top chefs who have joined forces with Nike and Acquired Taste magazine to kick it up a notch and take some of that energy out to the street. Post-run, the cooked chefs toast their efforts to get fit and fabulous with that latest food trend—a fresh-pressed juice.
PHOTOS: (foodrunners) franco deleo
I’m looking forward to eating more Middle Eastern cuisine. I’m obsessed with the new landscape of spices—saffron, za’atar, sumac, baharat and cumin. At the bakery, we’ve been exploring what we can do with secondary and tertiary material—fennel stems, skins from apples and lemons. Overall, I’m becoming a traditionalist when it comes to cooking and eating. I’m more interested in the past and understanding its true inherent complexity, which is where we find real simplicity.
FORNO CULTURA Tues to Sat 7.30am to 9.30pm & Sun 8am to 6pm 609 King Street West Toronto, ON M5V1M5 416.603.8305 TF 855.603.8305 fornocultura.com
Photography tonylanzphoto.com FORNO CULTURA
NEwS FOR FOODIES
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The Keg on King West
Taco heaven at Wilbur Mexicana
PHOTOS: PHOTOS: (foodrunners) (Wilbur) naomi franco finlay,deleo (the keg) courtesy the keg
The Keg’s latest flagship, housed like the original Mansion in the 19th-century brick façade of the former Silver Plate Building, is already a hot draw for the hood: They come for the steaks they know and love but stay for the hot vibe that’s pure KW…Next door at Fashion House, Wilbur Mexicana serves up some south-of-the-border heat in a modern, kitsch-free tacqueria. Check your sombrero at the door, this is authentic Mexican, with a downtown TO spin…Awardwinning mixologist Nishan shakes things up at the newly expanded Blowfish with custom cocktails just in time for the holiday season. Post-reno expect private dining, a slick new sushi bar and a rooftop patio…Sweet news for suits: Nadège, famed for the city’s best macarons, has set up shop in the PATH…It’s a pop-up! It’s a diner! No, it’s Nana, the latest spinoff from Khao San Road’s Monte Wan. Now that the mystery signs have finally come down, the secret’s out—and it’s edgy, authentic Thai food… Looking for a late-night salumi? Look no further than Ovest Cucina e Vineria, a modern take on the Say hola to Wilbur Mexicana! classic Italian wine bar…Critical darling Jonathan Poon of Chantecler is cooking up snacks on the side. New venture Bar Fancy is anything but, just a local spot featuring plates small and large… Fancy The Chase without the commitment? Sister resto Little Fin has arrived, offering seaside snacks for those not on Maritime time…ExAcadia chef Matt Blondin and The Food Dudes are heading west with a new collab, to be called Junk—a late-night people-pleasing snack stop with a menu engineered for sharing. Or not… Speaking of snacks, new to the Ossington strip is Borealia, featuring modern interpretations of historic dishes of Native Canadians and early settlers…At long last, Buca has opened up its Yorkville outpost. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Buca Osteria & Bar features a seafoodheavy menu with all the panache Buca lovers have come to expect…2015 heralds the Porchetta/Libretto combo platter we’ve been waiting for at King and Portland. Hungry foodies will find Porchetta up front and Pizzeria Libretto in the back. Happy New Year indeed! —Carolyn Drebin
KEG SIZE
YOUR EVENING.
The Keg is the perfect place to start your night. Whether you’re joining us for a signature cocktail or sharing a few appetizers, you’ll always have a great time. While you’re here, keep the night going as you enjoy a tender steak with friends. So come stop by the King West Keg or one of our other downtown locations nearby.
kegsteakhouse.com 560 King Street West | (416) 364-7227
THE READ
Coffee Table Book Club We put together the dream
book club with the coolest members and got their picks for what you should have on your coffee table this season. Gallerist Stephen Bulger recommends:
American Artifacts
by Phil Bergerson
designer AND ART AFFICIONADO Jeremy Laing recommends:
by Dominique Ansel
by Dave Hickey
The inventor of the Cronut takes us inside his magical mind and on a full-colour romp through the do-able (Popcorn Chouquettes) to the breathtaking (Sweet Potato Mont Blanc)—and, yes, there’s even The At-Home Cronut Pastry (though it will take you four hours over the span of three days to complete). Chapters run from “Time is an Ingredient” (so true!) to “Everything But the Flavor,” in which Ansel explains his appreciation for treats like s’mores. Recipes begin with his inspiration—a New York heat wave led to his Frozen S’Mores: a marshmallow filled with soft vanilla ice cream spun with chocolatecovered feuillentine before being skewered by smoked willow branches and torched to order. Ansel’s passion, humour and creativity run throughout this gorgeous hardcover, through personal stories and the in-house mechanisms behind his singular recipes. He loves what he does, and it shows on every page.
This collection of “essays on taste” by one of America’s great cultural critics has many more words than most coffee table books and a lot less pictures. However, each of the thorny pieces it contains—collected from sources as disparate as Rolling Stone and Art Forum—can be read in about the same amount of time it would take to flip through a colourful monograph or collection of interiors, and yet they provide much more insight into our material culture.
The Secret Recipes
Interior designer Theresa Casey recommends:
Old Buildings, New Forms
by Francoise Bollack
Opposites attract! This book is my inspiration for a project I am presently designing for a musician— a contemporary bungalow married to a performance space in an 1850s stone farmhouse. Here, we see careful interventions of modern architecture intersecting in surprising and subtle ways with quirky historic buildings. The result is a volume full of inspiration from around the world, with texts referencing some of my heroes: Jane Jacobs, Anne Carson and Robert Venturi. This is a rich read that furthers the evolution of new and creative possible ways to preserve the past and embrace the future.
Pirates and Farmers
Media VP and architecture buff Raymond Girard recommends:
The Lego Architecture Studio
Who needs another coffee table book about architecture? If it’s a book about contemporary architecture, I tire of it within a year or two. And how many books about Palladio can I get? The decidedly “adult” coffee table book contained in the Lego Architecture Studio is a serious book about serious architecture—and, bonus, you actually get to build the buildings you’re reading about with the 1,200 white bricks included. All of the greatest hits of contemporary architecture are here—from Wright to Mies. It’s also a book of serious yet approachable architecture theory, presented and commented upon by the likes of Moshe Safdie, Sou Fujimoto, SOM and MAD Architects. And if all you want is a greatlooking book for your coffee table, you won’t be disappointed either. Hell, you could build your own coffee table if you want. Interviews by Diane Peters
PHOTOS: ADRIAN ARMSTRONG
American Artifacts is a complex and poetic photographic portrait of America as it simmered its way through the first decade of the 21st century—that span of years some have called the “lost” decade. The book is a personal exploration by an empathetic neighbour—the Canadian documentary photographer Phil Bergerson, whose active imagination and a genuine love for his subject matter shine through his work. Bergerson is a master of colour and composition with a square frame, and his photographs ponder current attitudes that we’ve inherited from the previous generation. His father was a commercial sign painter, and so I see his work as a collaboration between what people leave behind and what Bergerson is able to find and capture.
food and travel writer Amy Rosen recommends:
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PROCLAIMER
Mr. Smith’s Good Times GuidE 5 Things Making Me Happy Right Now
1. Karelia Kitchen. If someone asked you where to find the best Scandinavian takeout, you might think they were talking in a novel poking fun of pretentious city life. But trust this food-mad city to come up with just that—smorgasbord, poached salmon and dill, meatballs, meats and fish smoked in-house, all available at a small outpost of Scandinavia at Bloor and Dufferin. Despite its cafeteria aesthetic, the little place is a real sit-down restaurant too, with the sweet deal of a $25 three-course prix-fixe, and no corkage fee on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so you can bring your own wine. The seared duck breast with a blueberry red wine sauce is exquisite, as are the French cakes and tarts made there by pastry chef Donna Ashley. 1194 Bloor St. W. 2. Ellen In Pieces by Caroline Adderson. A book of short stories about a single, somewhat loopy and frequently irritated Vancouver mom— yeah, OK, I know, sounds awfully women’s magazine, right? But it’s not at all. Ellen is funny, refreshingly horny and impatient with men who are not horny enough. And the West Coast scene described is so contemporary, the details so telling—people obsess over screenplays, pottery and long-distance cycling rehydration systems—it might even be seen as satire. Both fun and moving…who knew this about Canlit? 3. The Crazy Corktown Park. Well, the official name is Corktown Common, but it’s such a vast lunar landscape and such a start-from-zero urban experiment, it’s like no other part of this city or any other I’ve seen. On 18 acres of the empty brown lands of the West Don—an abandoned industrial area in the southeast—apparently peyote-eating planners envisioned and built a kids’ play area under a highway overpass, then a sprawl of humpy meadow and pond, pathways and giant slides, spraying nozzles and bike paths, a community kitchen and a real marsh. It cost $135 million to build. It blows my mind. It’s also futuristic in that it exists in the centre of a whole new city—a forest of gleaming condos that have sprouted in the past five years where there was once nothing but railways and lead-poisoned soil. This new town is probably about the population of Whitehorse. Like European public housing projects of the ’50s, it’s planned density on an untested scale. It’s a city on Mars.
4. Syro by Aphex Twin. Electronic ambient music is the nexus of pop, jazz and classical. It’s abstract: There are no songs, no words (unless they are sampled fragments, repeated as texture), and you listen not for hummable melodies but for textures, cool new sounds, the cold moods you don’t get from human voices—the slow transmogrifications of the minimal melodies that are there, for their iterations. And maybe, too, you just listen because you are part of the cult of Aphex Twin, the kind of nerdy person who knows that there are no twins behind this project, just a somewhat reclusive middle-aged guy named Richard D. James who lives in a small town in Scotland, whose multiple techno personas changed ordinary dance floors into freaky weirdo raves in the ’90s, and that he hasn’t put out an album since 2001, so this is kind of a big deal.
5. Bright underwear. For guys, I mean. I am sick of grey and black cotton-knit boxers. I want to see azure, pomegranate, lemon and damask. You can be brave and wear a Brazilian-flag pattern over your bum—no one will see it. The knowledge that you are secretly blazing colour will fill you with confidence for the day: Think of it as a private energy store. Make sure they are a cotton-poly or microfibre blend, too, rather than baggy, for the superhero costume feel. Get them at Calvin Klein or The Bay or American Apparel, they are all over the place these days. (Here, Paul Smith’s trunks in a mosaic print from Gravity Pope, from $45, gravitypope.com) Russell Smith writes novels set in Toronto. His latest is Girl Crazy. He also writes an art column for The Globe and Mail and is one of the founders of the online men’s magazine DailyXY.com
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Supperclub
-
TORONTO
GET YOUR 5-DAY ACCESS PASS AT HCFTO.COM 382 Yonge Street, 4th Floor - Aura at Yonge & Gerrard - 416.979.1645
FOREVER21
H&M
MARSHALLS
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dufferinmall.ca +
PULSINELLI
THE
LOFT
Nike engaged Pulsinelli to design The Loft - Nike's new Running home in Toronto, located in the Queen West area. This is the home of runners and it has been designed to truly reflect and connect with the community of a neighborhood that is like no other, characterized by charming exaggerations, attractions and graffiti. Nino Pulsinelli, principal of the Toronto based interior design firm Pulsinelli, says: “The design aesthetic has been defined by the needs of preserving the original character of the building along with a desire to capture the spirit of authenticity and create a running space that offers a cool and unique experience to guests.� www.pulsinelli.com
Design communicates. Great design influences. portlandstewart.com
How do we love King West? To mark our 10th issue, the people who live, work and play here count the ways.
1
Bar Buca makes great coffee. I have my double espresso there. Then I head over to Forno Cultura and get my breakfast and eat on the go. —Luigi Carrubba, creative director
They make a special coffee for me at Forno Cultura. They call it The Robin. It’s a cappuccino but made in a special way. —Robin Kay, president, Fashion Design Council of Canada I try to only have one coffee a day, so the coffee I have has to be “the one” to keep me going all day. It used to be between Thor and Jimmy’s but now I’m in love with Colette’s rich brew. —Melissa Austria, owner, Gotstyle
PHOTOs: (bar buca) rick o’brien, (susur lee) Jason Finestone
the coffee
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2
the restaurants
The kale salad at Gusto 101 is mindblowing. The whole place smells like a wood fire. Also, the rooftop patio with its retractable glass ceiling is a design experience. —Karen von Hahn, editor, KingWest
Buca has great atmosphere and perfectly attentive service without being overbearing. —Susur Lee, executive chef and owner, Lee, Bent, and Luckee Susur Lee is an amazing chef and I love his interpretation of classic Asian cuisine at Lee. —Joe Mimran, founder and creative director, Joe Fresh
Soho House not only has the best salad bar for lunch, but it is a community of the creative and I feel inspired by the buzz in the room. I also often get to see many familiar faces and clients and that’s a bonus. —Debra Goldblatt, president and founder, rock-it promotions
3
The Thompson Diner has good energy, a good mix of people and is very convenient. It’s comfort food. I always get the soup and salad combo. —Peter Freed, developer and entrepreneur
the power lunches
4
the workouts
There is nothing in the world that parallels a run or ride along the lakeshore, especially at sunrise. —Shauna Levy, president, Design Exchange
the culture
As far as I’m concerned, arts on King West starts at TIFF Bell Lightbox (of course), but extends to everything from the magnificent Princess of Wales Theatre to bands at The Hoxton. —Cameron Bailey, artistic director, TIFF I get excited by the innovative work of the dynamic Canadian artists represented at Katherine Mulherin. —Hunter Tura, president and CEO, Bruce Mau Design Georgia Scherman is a great dealer and she has an excellent portfolio of artists, including my favourite, Jesse Harris. —Richard Lambert, co-owner, The Hoxton and Parts & Labour
The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) has excellent curated exhibits by both Canadian and international artists. —Joe Mimran, founder and creative director, Joe Fresh Douglas Coupland, Brilliant Information Overload Pop Head (2010)
PHOTOS: (Coupland art) Rachel Topham, (Gotstyle) Courtesy Gotstyle
5
Studio Fitness on Bathurst is a great studio. My trainer, Mike, is a really motivating guy. Even when you’re hung over, he keeps pushing you. —Luigi Carrubba, creative director
6
the brunches
CULTURE
I’m a sucker for huevos rancheros and fresh-squeezed beet juice at Sadie’s Diner.—Morad Affifi, partner, Portland Stewart
I love having brunch at Fresh—and not just for the name! I start every morning with a green juice, and Fresh has a great selection. —Joe Mimran, founder and creative director, Joe Fresh
Le Select is my favourite. They have great Caesars and sausage and eggs. I’ve been going there for 15 years. —Richard Lambert, co-owner, The Hoxton and Parts & Labour There’s a darling boutique in the Thompson Hotel called The Patron Saint. They have adorable gifts and accessories. I bought the most wonderful “shoelry” there. When I walk the dog, I stop in to get myself something. That’s my indulgence. —Robin Kay, president, Fashion Design Council of Canada The owners of La Merceria are amazing buyers with a keen eye for beautiful housewares and unique gifts. Plus they have incredible coffee and alfajores. —Karen von Hahn, editor, KingWest
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Gotstyle has such great men’s clothing and the staff are so courteous and genuine. —Morad Affifi, partner, Portland Stewart
the boutiques
Gotstyle
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8
the landmarks
Hands down the Wheat Sheaf. —Anwar Mekhayech, partner, DesignAgency
I’ve always been fascinated by Draper Street. It’s a row of Victorian townhouses from the 1880s that’s been totally preserved in its original state. It’s a glimpse into what this part of town used to look like and it’s interesting, as it has shared common spaces that are still a relevant urban model today. —Hunter Tura, president and CEO, Bruce Mau Design I’m obviously biased but I see the original building that housed Susur at 601 King West as a landmark (it now houses Lee). Any original building that’s still standing gets a nod from me. —Interior designer Brenda Bent
From the 54th floor of the TD Tower, the noise and congestion of the city is muted and all you are left with is a beautiful, ephemeral appreciation of the lights and the architecture. —Shauna Levy, president, Design Exchange My favourite view is from our head office on the penthouse floor of the Thompson. Looking east, back at the city, you can see the whole downtown core all the way up to Yorkville. Early in the morning I watch the city come alive: planes taking off from Porter, trains coming in, cars driving into the city along the Gardiner. It’s basically planes, trains and automobiles…and boats in the summer. —Peter Freed, developer and entrepreneur
9 the views
PHOTOS: (wheat sheaf) courtesy of city-of-toronto.blogspot.ca, (skyline) Michael weber, (west) nicholas ‘nik nik’ nowitski
\git as milluptassus dolum volupta tiuntius eniminullora vel esequi aut es sam, sum invenitam vendita spiet, sam ipsuntTiae nonse licipitias modignis dipideni doluptatem re ne cum autem quam et quunt autTo dolupta quis et andelenti dolenihit, es ad quibero endi dusam, quidell aboribus evendero dolente p Busandunt qui dolupti blaut es aut doluptatem rectur as quiscimus aciderrovit fugit as milluptassus dolum volupta tiuntius eniminullora vel esequi aut es sam, sum invenitam vendita spiet, sam ipsuntTiae non\git as milluptassus dolum volupta tiuntius eniminullora vel esequi aut es sam, sum invenitam vendita spiet, sam ipsuntTiae nonse licipitias modignis dipideni doluptatem re ne cum autem quam et quunt autTo dolupta quis et andelenti dolenihit, es ad quibero endi dusam, quidell aboribus evendero dolente p Busandunt qui dolupti blaut es aut doluptatem rectur as quiscimus aciderrovit fugit as milluptassus dolum volupta tiuntius eniminullora vel esequi aut es sam, sum invenitam vendita spiet, sam ipsuntTiae nonse licipitias modignis dipideni doluptatem re ne cum autem quam et quunt autTo dolupta quis et andelenti dolenihit, es ad quibero endi dusam, quidell aboribus evendero dolente pedignimod magnihilis eos repudanditae nulparum duciur a ipsam fugiam cusam sa verecto voluptatur? Quis dem inim quatestio volorectur? Quidelestius eicimos delest quas remqui conem. edignimod magnihilis eos repudanditae nulparum duciur a ipsam fugiam cusam sa verecto voluptatur? Quis dem inim quatestio volorectur? Quidelestius eicimos delest quas remqui West Bar
the late-night hangouts
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The Spoke rooftop on a hot summer night. —Anwar Mekhayech, partner, DesignAgency 416 Snack Bar. For the hand rolls, of course. Maggie Chu is the greatest server there. —Richard Lambert, co-owner, The Hoxton and Parts & Labour
West Bar is a hidden gem, offering a great alternative to the hyper dance clubs and traditional pubs on the King West strip. —Glen Baxter, photographer and broadcaster SpiritHouse. Drinking scotch is a cultural thing, isn’t it? —Melissa Austria, owner, Gotstyle
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u ARCHITECTURE
48
nI station masters The new Union Station is on the right track By Christopher Hume
union station
is a train terminal in the same way City Hall is an office tower. Both serve the most practical of purposes but each does double duty as an architectural icon that defines Toronto. The station, constructed between 1914 and 1921, is a temple of transportation, the finest and most opulent ever built in Canada. Nearly a century later, the vast Beaux-Arts masterpiece is the city’s main commuter hub and still the grand entranceway into Toronto. Its vast colonnaded front façade—lined with 22 enormous limestone columns each standing 12 metres (40 feet) high—speaks unabashedly of a city of wealth, sophistication, confidence and optimism. Though its history has not always been happy—it was open seven years before tracks were finally added—Union Station has never played a larger role in the life of Toronto than it does today. Travellers use the facility more than 250,000 times every day, which makes it the busiest inter-regional and multi-modal transportation facility in Canada. It handles double the number of passengers as Pearson International Airport. Last year, GO Transit alone provided about 65 million rides. In addition to that, people come and go to Union Station by subway, bus and streetcar. When planning of the terminal began early in the last century, train travel seemed the way of the future. Toronto’s existing railway infrastructure could no longer meet the needs of the growing city; a larger structure was needed. Union Station was born. Today, Union is primarily a commuter hub located at the centre of a regional transit system that extends across the Greater Toronto Area and, ultimately, to the rest of Canada and the world. When the longawaited Union-Pearson Express finally begins service in the summer of 2015, city and airport will be connected as never before. The Express is just one element of a massive five-year $800-million remake now underway at Union Station. The main players—including the provincial transportation authority, Metrolinx, the Toronto Transit Commission and the City of Toronto—each has a huge stake in the project. Though there have been complaints about delays and cost overruns, inevitable on a project of this complexity, it will not only restore the magnificent neo-classical structure to its full architectural glory, but it will also bring the complex into the 21st century. Threatened with demolition in the 1960s and ’70s, Union station has has since been declared a National Historic Site, the highest heritage zdesignation in Canada. Station revitalization won’t be completed until 2016 but some improvements have already been put into service. The biggest so far is the new subway platform, which opened last summer. As any regular Red Rocket rider will confirm, the difference between the old and new is startling, and for all the right reasons. For the first time in its 93-year history, the TTC has designed and built something that doesn’t have the look and feel of a public washroom. The new subway station is an open, light-filled space that verges on elegance, a quality conspicuously absent at most other stops underground. No one will miss the narrow platforms and stairwells that made getting around Union Station subway so difficult and occasionally even dangerous. Other platforms will come on line in the years ahead, but the new direction is already clear; the intention now is to make mass transit more appealing, accessible and convenient. The original Union Station was designed to amaze. Anyone who arrived by train could see immediately
that Toronto was a city to be reckoned with. The materials—Indiana limestone, Tennessee marble, Guastavino tiles—were the finest. With its coffered vault ceiling and monumental arched windows, the Great Hall still ranks as the most impressive interior in Toronto, perhaps the country. As Edward, the Prince of Wales, said at the official opening of Union Station in 1927: “You build your train stations like we build our cathedrals.” In the 21st century, however, the goal is more comfort and convenience than shucks and awe. When finished, the station will be a pedestrian haven, and not just a place to walk through but a place to be. The big gesture is a new subterranean floor below the GO Concourse. It will be dedicated to shops, bars and restaurants, a destination as well as a terminal. The idea is to create a place where people can spend time—and money—whether or not they’re waiting for the train. Given the number of people who pass through the station every day, and its proximity to the downtown core, this underground mall seems a no-brainer. And compared to what’s available at great train stations such as New York’s Grand Central Terminal or St. Pancras in London, Union Station has never come close to realizing its full retail potential. Modern train stations, like international airports, have morphed into giant shopping centres with as much on offer as any suburban mall. But the most dramatic part of the renovation is the new train shed roof that will “float” high above the tracks and platforms directly behind the station. Designed by Zeidler Partnership Architects of Toronto, the striking 5,000-square-metre glass-and-steel atrium will soar above the station like a giant transparent tabletop. The massive box will allow light into a part of the complex where it hasn’t been seen in decades. Sections of the original roof at the west and east ends of the train shed, designated heritage structures, will be retained, restored and returned to their full 1920s finery. Walking past Union Station on Front, Bay or York, the most dramatic change will be visible in the “moats,” which are being enlarged, opened up and capped with protective glass canopies. Most impressive, however, will be the station’s restored exteriors. Scrubbed clean of years of dirt, the soft beige surfaces will regain the warmth so characteristic of limestone. In the meantime, the streets around Union Station resemble a war zone. Traffic crawls along more slowly than usual and even pedestrians must deal with congestion. Making the project that much worse is the fact that the station must stay open during the work. Daily commuters are confused by the constantly changing spatial configurations. As Union Station infrastructure director Mike Wolczyk describes it, “It’s like trying to do surgery on a patient while they’re running a marathon.” The race is grueling and has a long way to go. But this remake is crucial to the future of transit in Toronto. By the time it’s over, everyone will be a winner. Christopher Hume is the veteran architecture critic and urban issues columnist with the Toronto Star.
PHOTO: Courtesy Metrolinx
ARCHITECTURE
the original union station was designed to amaze, but the new direction is already clear; the intention now is to make mass transit more appealing, accessible and convenient.
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cfaal 384 (2013) by Jessica Eaton at Jessica Bradley
FAIR GAME
A new entry into the city’s fine art market turns the trade Show into an art form
by Murray Whyte
Balimidor (2014) by Jen Aitken at Battat Contemporary
In his tidy, angular booth at the Feature Art Fair, Clint Roenisch was having a ball. Collectors and artists milled in and out, looking and then looking again at works by of-the-moment artists Niall McClelland, Tony Romano and Dorian FitzGerald, and inside the cozy exposed brick of the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, a clubby atmosphere of close-knit familiarity prevailed. Which, of course, was the point. Feature, an upstart fair launched the very same fall weekend as Art Toronto— the big, blustery, everyone-in-the-pool affair a few blocks west inside the decidedly less intimate concrete caverns of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre—was designed to be different. How different? Roenisch, in a note to clients and friends the previous week, put it thusly: “Toronto needs a smaller, tighter fair in a fresh venue, which is leaner and more discerning than what Art Toronto tries to be.” The truth be told, art fairs, in general, tend to fall outside the clubby art world’s comfort zone in a number of ways. Galleries traditionally build cozy relationships with collectors over time, and those collectors, in turn, invest time, emotion—and, of course, money—both in the gallery’s well-being and in the careers of the artists with whom they feel a powerful, almost intimate connection. Art fairs work in the exact opposite way. Dozens, if not hundreds, of galleries are crammed shoulder to shoulder under a single roof, with the clock ticking
(fairs last three to four days, tops) and the pressure, first and foremost, is to sell. It’s the art-world equivalent of a trade fair, trotting out new models for the masses in hopes that some might bite. The art business likes to distance itself from such vulgarities, or at least it used to, and Feature Art Fair, an exclusive and intentionally intimate affair imported from Montreal for its debut here, did its best to do exactly that. For years, a handful of galleries here had groused that Art Toronto, an ungainly beast of a fair that lays the commercial realities of fairdom at their most bare, was too broad, too indiscriminate and too sprawling for them to represent themselves or their artists in the best possible light. For a viable alternative, they looked to Montreal, where a small, cozy fair called Papier, launched seven years earlier and devoted to works on paper, had proved a big draw for a number of Toronto galleries, impressed by its tighter focus and intimacy. The takeaway was: Why can’t we do a version of that here? “It was developed at the start as a collaboration with these galleries,” said Julie Lacroix, who runs both Feature and Papier. “I asked them: If you could design a fair, what would it look like?” Not surprisingly, Feature looks like everything Art Toronto doesn’t—focused, cozy and clique-y: You had the sense that this was where the cool kids hung out
ART
New Chiefs (2014) by Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun at Macaulay & Co.
while the masses, blissfully ignorant, thronged the big fair down the road. Roenisch wasn’t alone in jumping on board. Clustered around him at Feature was a certain elite of Toronto dealers: Jessica Bradley, Susan Hobbs, Stephen Bulger, Georgia Scherman. Some, like Hobbs and Bradley, hadn’t shown up for Art Toronto in years, in a form of quiet protest to the same dynamic Roenisch chose to voice publicly. For its part, Art Toronto didn’t seem to miss a beat. Inside the vaulted concrete beams of the convention centre, opening night was bright, busy and upbeat, and Susannah Rosenstock, the fair’s director, expressed a mild optimism about Feature’s debut. “We have different goals,” she said, over a bite-sized lobster risotto being doled out at one of the fair’s various food stands. Rosenstock stood near a giant carousel cobbled from industrial crowd-control barriers bashed together into functional form by the Quebec-based artistic trio BGL, who just happen to be representing Canada at the Venice Biennale in 2015. If she saw Feature as a threat, she wasn’t letting on. “It just shows how much the Canadian art market has grown and matured since we started 15 years ago,” she said. It was true: Art Toronto, with its vast tracts of booths showing every kind of art imaginable—you don’t have to look hard to find abstract painting, conceptual sculpture and overly pretty decorative landscapes, all under one roof—didn’t look much like Feature. Then again, Feature, with its aggressively contemporary focus, wasn’t for everybody. The bigger question was whether or not it had to be: In recent years, as many as a half-dozen fairs have taken root in Toronto alone, playing to different audiences, and with different goals (there are already two aimed exclusively at neophyte art buyers, the Artist Project in February and Love Art in May). That being the case, it
You had the sense that this was where the cool kids hung out while the masses, blissfully ignorant, thronged the big fair down the road.
leaves one to wonder if Art Toronto, with its departmentstore approach, wasn’t in danger of being beaten out by an increasingly boutique model of fair-staging. Wil Kucey, the owner of LE Gallery, put it best, likening Art Toronto to a Sears, while Feature “was more like a Zara or an H&M.” I don’t think the mall-fashion metaphor was unintentional. Let’s face it: Big or small, broad or focused, most in the art world would agree that fairs aren’t the best place to see art. New Yorker critic Peter Schjeldahl once likened viewing art at a fair to seeing “puppies at a pound,” each whimpering to be picked up and taken home. It’s not my idea of an ideal art experience, but those with money to spend seem to disagree. In recent years, art fairs continue to pop up all over the world and by the dozen, from Miami to London to Shanghai, and the world’s moneyed collectors seem only too happy to follow along. Whether it’s the packed grids of Art Toronto or the unconventional wedges of Feature, art fairs, whatever their stripe, inevitably lay bare the business end of the art world. As a dealer I know once frankly put it, “We [art dealers] are ultimately in the high-priced luxury goods business,” and nowhere is that more evident than an art fair. Nonetheless, I like to think art aims for something a little loftier than a Maserati or B&B Italia sofa. So do artists, for the most part. Size matters, or so they say; but if it’s enlightenment you’re looking for, you’re just as likely to find it at Feature Fair as you are at Art Toronto. Murray Whyte is the Toronto Star’s art critic. He has written about art (and other things) for The New York Times, Details, The Walrus, Canadian Art, ARTNews and a bunch of other publications.
Ruishi Tower (2014) by Gwenessa Lam at Republic
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Local Talent
18thstreet.com
photography by andrew soule creative direction by alice unger styling by randy smith hair & Makeup by david allen jones
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2014-12-15 11:18 AM
(OPENING SPREAD) DRIES VAN NOTEN JACKET, VALENTINO PANTS, BOTH AT HOLTRENFREW.COM; H&M TIGHTS, HM.COM; BOOTIES, B2 AT BROWNS, BROWNSSHOES.COM (OPPOSITE PAGE) MARC JACOBS DRESS, HOLTRENFREW.COM; H&M TURTLENECK, HM.COM (THIS PAGE) LANVIN TOP, GIVENCHY LEGGINGS, BOTH AT HOLTRENFREW.COM; COMME DES GARÇONS SKIRT, CREATURES OF COMFORT GLOVES, TRIPPEN BOOTIES, ALL AT GRAVITYPOPE.COM
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2014-12-15 10:53 AM
marni coat, Blak.i shirt, both at holtrenfrew.com
Burberry Jacket, burberry skirt, burberry booties, all at holtrenfrew.com
max mara Fur Coat, blak.i shirt, both at holtrenfrew.com (on him) Tiger Of Sweden coat and Pants, tigerofsweden.com
sid neigum Metallic Dress, SIDNEIGUM.COM; maison matthew gallagher cape, MAISONmATTHEWGALLAGHER.COM; H&M Belt, HM.COM; Giuseppe Zanotti BOOTIES, BrownsSHOES.COM
PHOTOs: (this page) EuGen SakHNENKO, (jeanne beker) Nick Kozak
FASHION
dress code Fashion pundit Jeanne Beker gives Kingwest a private tour of her show at the Design Exchange By Anne O’Hagan
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PHOTOs: EuGen SakHNENKO, (Buttons) Nick Kozak
“He was one of us, look at his jeans!” Jeanne Beker exclaims, pointing at an image of a nattily dressed Pierre Elliot Trudeau at the Politics of Fashion/Fashion of Politics exhibition, which Beker guest curated for the Design Exchange. “The Canadian tuxedo, double denim,” she says, giving it a current spin. “Just seeing a PM wearing jeans at that time, it made you feel good about the possibilities. You’d think, here’s a real guy, he sees the world the way we do.” Seeing the world through the lens of fashion is Beker’s expertise. She’s an interpreter with serious cred. As the host of Fashion Television for more than 25 years, Jeanne Beker has spent the better part of her journalistic career documenting firsthand the evolution and democratization of the applied arts and the establishment of today’s fashion industry. Reporting from ateliers and runways, engaging backstage with the rare birds at fashion’s highest level, Beker was instrumental in turning designers, from Karl Lagerfeld to Alexander McQueen, into household names. But she’s also a raconteur nonpareil, whose enthusiasm for her subject flows in a mighty stream of insights and superlatives, deepening the relevance quotient and humanizing a topic that, for many, is recreational. What the Design Exchange attempts with this exhibition is to get past the easy “10 Celebrity Looks” mentality and examine fashion as a force for political expression, a means for communicating identity. Starting with the rocking ’60s, the exhibition attempts to link designers and the social movements that shaped their work, as well as the politicians for whom personal style became a powerful vehicle for communication. In Beker’s words, “It’s not just what you wear, but how you move through the world in it.” “Vivienne Westwood has a brilliant intellectual sensibility; she’s the thinking person’s designer,” says Beker as we approach the first display. Dame Vivienne Westwood is the grande dame of politically minded fashion designers (and, conveniently, she is so titled). “She has a gorgeous irreverence, challenging concepts and subverting sensibilities,” Beker says. It was Westwood—with her bondage suits and defaced tartan, a neo-collaboration with her then-partner Malcolm McLaren of Sex Pistols’ fame—who gave birth to the punk movement back in the ’70s, and she’s never let up the fight. Now focusing on the environment, Westwood’s pieces in the show are sombre, utilitarian. A mannequin in shorts and a Climate Change protest T-shirt accessorized with a gas mask sets the tone. A cape is made of raw, unfinished fabric, a statement in post-apocalyptic chic. “Chanting, screaming, picket lines in the Tuileries: Some of the most impassioned displays I’ve seen in the fashion arena have been about animal rights,” says Beker as we take in the Murder Coat, a faux blood-splattered fur, courtesy of the animal rights group PETA. “I remember when they stormed the runway at Gaultier,” Beker says. “He had his security people standing by at the ready and the minute it started they threw enormous fur coats over the protestors and dragged them off the runway— adding insult to injury.” “Who had ever heard of a black drag queen representing a makeup line?” Beker asks as we approach a vision in red vinyl—the outfit that RuPaul wore in 1995 for his debut as MAC Cosmetics’ spokesperson. “But there he was, marching down the runway at Fashion Cares, yelling ‘Feel the love, feel the love,’ and we couldn’t believe the power this man had. He was spectacular.” The red vinyl jumpsuit and platform boots seem almost quaint today now that transgender actor Laverne Cox has been on the cover of
Time, but imagining the six-foot-tall RuPaul against the backdrop of the minimalist ’90s offers a reality check on how far we have come, in no small part due to fashion activism. “I absolutely adore Jeremy Scott,” says Beker, referring to the American designer now heading up Moschino, whose signature is extreme irony. “He makes commentaries on consumerism, on racism, on the absurdity of war.” And, notably, gun control, too. From his 2007 Right to Bear Arms collection, a mannequin sports a long, sexy sweater in shades of vanilla—emblazoned with a cute Care Bear wielding a machine gun. From his Arab Spring collection, there is Scott’s notorious sequined leopard-print burqa and a skirt with a metal machine-gun-shaped fringe. Notes Beker: “This got a lot of bad press in the Arab world.” “In all my years in fashion, the headiest discussions I ever had were with Hussein Chalayan,” Beker confides, as we take in a video of the designer’s 2000 collection, After Words. It’s a commentary on displacement in which Chalayan, a Turkish Cypriot and himself an immigrant, has solemn-faced models take slipcovers off chairs and then don them, disassembling the chairs and packing them up into suitcases. “You always walked out with this feeling of gra-vi-tas,” says Beker, drawing out the word. “But his clothes are beautiful, they exist on that plane as well.” “Now, talk about the fashion of politics,” Beker exclaims as we enter into the Trudeaus. “Margaret was incredibly controversial,” she says, as we take in images of those clear, wide eyes, that open face. “And she was my heroine! A wild child who married the most powerful man in the country”—and in a gown, here on display, the child bride made herself. In Beker’s view, however, it’s the late prime minister who made the real fashion statements. Pierre Trudeau favoured haute couture: Christian Dior, specifically. “He wore this cape to the 1970 Grey Cup—extremely glamorous,” Beker notes. “I mean, wow, a prime minister who wears a cape to a football game—that’s enough to me.” It’s the late Alexander McQueen who strikes the strongest emotional chord with Beker. “He was just such a master storyteller. An artist who understood theatre, understood fashion’s transformational abilities, what it told you about class distinction.” A prodigy from a working-class background, McQueen, who took his life in 2010, was “the most passionate, sensitive, poetic designer and a brilliant technician,” says Beker, adding, “it’s amazing he lasted as long as he did.” McQueen’s best-known and most political work—his 1995 Highland Rape collection—isn’t in the show. Still, the pieces that are included—a fabulously feathered black fur coat and an armoured gold metal bolero in brass paillettes displayed against a blown-up black and white image of overflowing dumpsters—are evocative enough to affect Beker. “Fashion for me really changed after he left the scene.” On my way out the door, it strikes me that for all the exceptional pieces in this show the must-sees aren’t necessarily exceptional as fashion per se. It’s the monokini, designed by a taboo-breaking WWII refugee named Rudi Gernreich; a paper dress bearing Robert Kennedy Jr.’s image from his ill-fated 1968 campaign; or the simple two-piece ensemble that Margaret Trudeau wore to the White House in 1976 instead of a gown, shocking the Establishment. The Politics of Fashion may be about the power of dress but it’s also social history.
Anne O’Hagan is a communications strategist and magazine writer who last wrote about Porter Airlines for KW.
Politics of Fashion/Fashion of Politics runs until January 25, 2015 at the Design Exchange (dx.org).
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The Shining 5 Designers who lighT up our lives by matthew hague
Bright ideas like this Palindrome fixture (from $1,900, lightform.ca) put T.O.-born, Brooklyn-based Theo Richardson’s Rich Brilliant Willing collective atop the global design map. On the next page, we turn the spotlight on four Toronto designers hoping to be the next to turn us on.
DESIGN
Mischa Couvrette
studied marine biology at Dalhousie University but discovered a passion for woodworking while building a boat with some friends (one that they later sailed to Guatemala). Maybe that’s why his furniture and lighting, created under the banner of Hollis+Morris, all have such an elegant economy. Compact and ultra-efficient, his pieces would fit just as nicely into the confines of a yacht cabin as they would in one of Toronto’s compact condos. The Bennington Pendant is a sublime inversion of one of the lighting world’s great albatrosses— the fluorescent tube. Fortunately, the buzzing lamp so common in big box stores only provides the shape. Couvrette’s pendant is composed of an oak or walnut dowel, hollowed out then inset with a crisp LED strip. A frosted acrylic plate diffuses the light into a soft glow. $1,800 / hollismorris.com
Derek McLeod
turns conventionality on its head, adding a wink to everyday materials and objects. For his Tufted Bench, for example, he carved walnut to look like pillowed, puckered fabric. Or for the otherwise-ordinary Frill Table, he laser-cut the edges of the brass top to look like a cutesy tablecloth. It’s an aesthetic he’s been developing since his 2004 graduation from OCAD and which has been making waves at design shows around the world, including New York’s ICFF and Toronto’s IDS. McLeod can’t remember when or how he first learned of the dodecahedron—a 12-sided, soccer ball-esque thing—but he knows what attracted him to the form. Although it’s perfectly symmetrical, it’s also a shape shifter, appearing completely different depending on the viewer’s perspective. His Dodeca Light captures the complexity with 19 LEDs—one at each corner— highlighting the form’s ever-unfolding geometries. $4,500 / derekmcleod.com
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Alissa Coe
has been elevating slip-casting clay into galleryworthy art. Ceramics tend to be crafty, the domain of bored retirees or grade-school kids at March break camp. But since she graduated from OCAD in 2005, Coe has co-created a piece for the 2013 Venice Biennale with artist Shary Boyle and designed the ethereal Dandelion sculpture for Yabu Pushelberg’s lobby in Toronto’s Four Seasons hotel. Composed of white porcelain seed heads, it floats gracefully above the front desk.
Tahir Mahmood
arrived from Pakistan in 2007. Like many new Canadians he was told that he lacked local experience. He couldn’t find the type of work he did in Lahore as an art director or graphic designer. But a brief meeting with Karim Rashid after a lecture at OCAD inspired him to start his own industrial studio. His singular pieces more than launched his career here. He even helped art direct Deepa Mehta’s adaption of the Salman Rushdie novel Midnight’s Children.
Simple things inspired Coe’s Porcelain + Brass table lamps: everyday geometries (circles and squares) and high-contrast materials (weighty metal and weightless porcelain). But it all comes together so harmoniously: When illuminated, the light shimmers off the brass, creating a warm, ember-like glow through the porcelain shade that looks like a burning Japanese lantern. $4,800 / caviar20.com
After Mahmood moved to Toronto, one of the first jobs he had was at a lighting store. The experience gave him a sense of how fixtures are assembled and inspired him to make his own. His Tinga series of floor lamps epitomizes Mahmood’s style, which could be characterized as Bauhaus by way of Lahore. The cylindrical body is minimally but exquisitely crafted from hand-cast ceramic rings. The colours, which can be customized, add South Asian flair. $975 / caviar20.com
Matthew Hague writes about interior design, architecture and furniture. He contributes regularly to Toronto Life and The Globe and Mail.
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DESIGN
HOME ALONE
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10 reasons to CALL IN SICK
By Loretta Chin
KICK BACK Polka dot dipped mugs by Jennifer Graham, $45, easytigergoods.com; Black + White Striped Slippers, $46, westelm.com; Richard Nixon Alpaca Throw by Jonathan Adler, $380, holtrenfrew.com
SOAK IT UP Pinky! Pink Himalayan Mineral Salt, $20, thecureapothecary.com; Santa Maria Novella Melograno Olio Da Bagno, $90, jacobandsebastian.com; Boar Bristle Tree Brush, $12, jacobandsebastian.com
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WARM UP “Niki” Lazy Pants, $80, shoplazypants.com; Verner Houndstooth Throw, $100, eq3.com; Grey enamel teapot, $36, lamerceria.ca
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GET GAME Hand-carved wooden dominos, $39, lamerceria.ca
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PHOTOs: Adrian Armstrong
BE MINDFUL Future Mint Birch Candle, $38, drakegeneralstore.ca; “Take Epic Chances” Motto Journal, $12, westelm.com; Fortnum and Mason Explorers’ Biscuit Selection, $38, holtrenfrew.com
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TUCK IN Donald PJ set by Shared, $198, drakegeneralstore.ca; Faux Fur Eye Mask, $19, westelm.com
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FALL BACK Embroidered snow leopard pillow cover, $34; Circle-studded pillow cover, $46, both at westelm.com (inserts sold separately, $10)
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COZY UP Corriedale Wool Blanket, $1,300, stylegarage.com
JUST BREATHE Mariage Frères My Beautiful Teapot, $365, holtrenfrew.com; Muse d’or Candle by Jonathan Adler, $95, holtrenfrew.com; Saje AromaOm Ultrasonic Nebulizer, $80, saje.ca
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GET COOKING Toronto Cooks by Amy Rosen, $38, chapters.indigo.ca; Herdmar Cronos 4-piece cutlery set, $58, drakegeneralstore.ca
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FOOD
french immersion
Colette Grand CafĂŠ brings
Colette Grand CafĂŠ brings Parisian panache panache to to the the Thompson Parisian Thompson By Chris Johns By Chris Johns photography by naomi finlay
photography by naomi finlay
s
carpetta never clicked. Maybe it was because the clubby, masculine room didn’t fit with the changing clientele in this part of town. Perhaps it was because Torontonians are already spoiled for choice when it comes to good Italian restaurants, helmed by homegrown chefs. Whatever the reason, less than four years after opening, Scarpetta is gone and in its place a bright new space with a crowd-pleasing concept from the group behind the sizzling-hot The Chase. Colette, Toronto’s answer to Balthazar by way of City Bakery, seems a natural fit: Hungry, young, local restaurant group partners with hotel chain that’s fresh off a change of ownership (Thompson Hotels is now owned by Commune Hotels) and everyone benefits. At least that’s the plan. Scarpetta closed in March and construction on Colette Grand Café began almost immediately. “We wanted to transform the space almost into the complete opposite of what it was before,” says chef Michael Steh. “It was so dark and such a weird use of space that we wanted to open it right up and brighten it.” The decision to block off direct access from the lobby—a hallway still joins the spaces—was an aesthetic one (the dark, cool lobby and the bright, warm restaurant would have clashed) but also a business one. “We have a close relationship with the Thompson,” Steh notes, “but we wanted to differentiate ourselves as well. We wanted to redirect the front entrance so people didn’t have to come through the hotel. And we wanted a really dramatic kind of look to the Wellington Street facade.” Now the room is awash in light. A large marble bar anchors the room. Soft white walls are accented by powder blue banquettes and tiles in bold hits of yellow. “The restaurant is divided into various sections,” says Chase Hospitality Group president Steven Salm. “The café and bakery get the morning sun and are such a great morning experience. Beside that is the library and bar, then the colonnade, the marble indoor space that’s right up against the south glass retaining wall, and then there’s the main dining room.” Owing to a number of factors—the makeup of the neighbourhood, the chef ’s natural affinity for the cuisine, and the space itself—there was little question that Colette would focus on French food. The company knew that the area was already a draw for a full variety of dining experiences, but felt that—Le Select notwithstanding—there was still a big opportunity for its take on French cuisine. “King Street is a very different place now,” Steh says. “Our clientele is primarily women, and so we gravitated to lighter food from different parts of France rather than the heavier Lyon style.” Salm envisioned the café—the first all-day service restaurant in the group’s portfolio—as somewhere people would want to pop into any time: “If I wake up at seven in the morning and I want to come into the bakery in pyjamas and get a croissant to go, I can. If I want to go for an afternoon stroll with my dog and come in and get a bag of dog treats and a sandwich for myself, I can. If I want to come in for drinks with my business partner at two o’clock in the afternoon, it’s a perfect environment to do
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so on the patio or in the library. And if I want to come in for an anniversary dinner with my wife and sit at a beautiful corner table in the dining room, it’s a great place to do that. To have that at your doorstep is really unique to the neighbourhood and also to the city.” Except for the PJs and the dog, I made a point of experiencing the restaurant in nearly the exact way Salm suggested. Early one morning, before the yoga pants crowd descended, I dragged myself down to the bakery. Yves Montand was playing on the stereo, and that, in combination with the bright yellow counter and delicious smell emanating from the bakery, made for a delightful way to wake up. While the pastries, especially the crisp, slightly decadent croissants, are among the city’s best, the coffee, scalded beyond all recognition, does them no favours. I perched at the bar and watched the swish business crowd power lunch. No one even seemed to mind that the veal tartare with fresh herb pistou, a beautiful, layered disc topped with a sunny chop of hard boiled eggs, was barely seasoned and a little viscous. They happily munched away on the delicious sounding Crabe de Saigon, green curry crab and grilled pork terrine, that’s little more than a few wet and sweet banh mi sliders. The happiest among them, working at slices of deeply flavourful flat iron steak, pink and red from its basil-and-chile compound butter, or savouring the ethereal goat cheese soufflé with warm beets. At dinner one night I settled into a corner booth with a glass of sparkling wine and a date. It was good to see a large group of impeccably accessorized women make short work of a large platter of oysters and dispatch whole fish with aplomb. My meal, however, was a bit uneven. The plump, little breaded and fried frogs legs were a smash, thanks largely to their earthy mushroom sauce made magic with the addition of black garlic. Less impressive was La Petite Tour de Colette, essentially a seafood tower, which should be a showstopper but appeared only to offer but a few limp shrimp, some cooked mussels and couple of crab legs heavily augmented with pickles and sliced vegetables for $27. But, then, it’s still early days for the kitchen. Solid desserts, like a rich and sweet rice pudding and warm profiteroles (who doesn’t love profiteroles?), make sure the final impression is a good one. There’s no question Colette is a civilized addition, relaxed and elegant in a way we associate with a Gallic style of good living. And already it feels more a part of the hotel and the neighbourhood than the previous restaurant ever did. For his part, Salm is delighted and even a little surprised with the warm welcome Colette has already received. “We have a wonderful concept that really complements the neighbourhood,” he says. “I just think that the food, the service, the experience, the design is what the neighbourhood needs.” Chris Johns is an award-winning food and travel writer. His work appears regularly in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Life, enRoute and a host of other publications. Follow him on Twitter @chrisandvinegar
“King Street is a very different place now. Our clientele is primarily women, and so we gravitated to lighter food from different parts of France rather than the heavier Lyon style.�
O P P THE POUR
CULTURE
THE POP OF THE CHAMPAGNE CORK HAS LONG SYMBOLIZED CELEBRATION AND HAPPINESS. SADLY, THE PRICE TAG PREVENTS US FROM POPPING THOSE CORKS AS OFTEN AS WE’D LIKE. HERE ARE SOME SPARKLING WINE ALTERNATIVES THAT WON’T BREAK THE BANK. HAPPY 10TH, KINGWEST. CHEERS!
BLUE MOUNTAIN BRUT NV, VQA, 12% Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $27.95 Available from Rogers & Company /rogcowines.com Blue Mountain is arguably one of the finest producers of traditional method sparkling wines in Canada. This one offers toasty, lemony notes on the palate with a crisp finish. HINTERLAND “BOREALIS” CHARMAT ROSÉ 2013, 12% Prince Edward County, Ontario $22 Available direct from the winery / hinterlandwine.com The Borealis Rosé has a biscuit-y, yeasty “champagnelike” nose and an appetizing pinky hue without the “champagne-like” investment.
BY ROBERT GRAVELLE
JANSZ PREMIUM CUVÉE NV, 12% Tazmania, Australia $29.95 Available from B&W Wines / bwwines.com This chilly growing region is one of the most southern in the world. Yet, the growing conditions “down under” in Tasmania are quite similar to those in northerly Champagne. Elegance and finesse are the hallmarks of this delicious bubbly. FERRARI BRUT NV, Trento DOC, 12.5% Trentino, Italy $25.95 Available from Philippe Dandurand Wines vinsdandurand.com This lovely sparkler hails from Northern Italy but is made in the same way (and with the same grape varieties) as champagne. Fresh orchard fruit and toasty brioche notes on the nose with lively mousse and refreshing acidity on the palate.
DOMAINE ANDRÉ ET MIREILLE TISSOT CREMANT DE JURA EXTRA BRUT NV, AOC, 12% Jura, France $28 Available from The Living Vine / thelivingvine.ca An interesting sparkling wine from the Jura region of France. A complex nose of citrus and tree fruits, toasty bakery smells and a touch of bacon fat. Dry and sophisticated on the palate.
PHOTOS: ADRIAN ARMSTRONG
Robert Gravelle is the general manager and wine director for Jacobs and Co. Steakhouse and an instructor for the International Sommelier Guild.
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2014-12-15 11:05 AM
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EVENTS
NIGHTS iN KW: As seen by she does the city
PHOTOs: BECCA LEMIRE
DX: RISE UP
(Clockwise from top left) Creative and classy Rana and Richard Florida; throwing shade; MAC founder Frank Toskan and DX CEO Shauna Levy; Parachutist Lorraine Segato rises to the occasion; Nicky Haslam sees double with the Beckerman twins; chief Zoomer Suzanne Boyd; Victoria Webster and friend; Stephen Wong struts his stuff; models in vinyl; Glenna Weddle and Tony Pham; designer Philip Colbert’s models in Rodnick’s Snoopy collection; Rui Amaral, Natalie Kovacs and Jeanne Beker.
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EVENTS
(Clockwise from top left) Simone Osborne, COC’s Alexander Neef and Clare Christensen; April Wozny and Odessa Paloma Parker; Operanation fundraisers; Jill Wilson, Monika Birski and Shayla Schipper; José Lourencl, Natalie Petozzi and John Ortved; Jeremy Laing, Anita Clarke and Frank Griggs; Michael Seater and Paula Brancati; Diana Lynn Vandermeulen and Corrie Jackson; Stefania Yarhi; Daniel Faria and Rui Amaral; Jean Francois, Yelle and Franck; Calvin Klein promo models.
PHOTOs: BECCA LEMIRE
OPERANATION
(Clockwise from top left) Suzanne Boyd; Jane Apor and Anne O’Hagan; host Joe Mimran and guest DJ Solange Knolwes; Kirk Pickersgill; Solange mixes it up; Joe Mimran, Kimberley Newport Mimran and George Stroumboulopoulos; Irina Shek and Joe Arnio; party-perfect Glen Dixon, Suzanne Rogers and David Dixon; raising the roof; Catherine Nugent and Bruce Bailey; Amanda Laine, Janel Forden and Dauphine.
PHOTOs: Georege pimental
PHOTOs: BECCA LEMIRE
Joe Fresh fashion week
INDUSTRY TUESDAYS
PLAYING FIELD
Can’t Buy Me Love But, boy, do I ever
wish you coulD sometimes
You guys, brace yourselves, because I’m about to write the least feminist thing since Barbie told us that math is hard: I wish I was a gold digger. (Incidentally, math is hard.) I’m not talking Anna Nicole Smith levels here, just a base-model gold digger. My requirements would be a cool mil in the bank, a house in a nice neighbourhood where panhandlers don’t point out your visible panty line when you don’t give them money (it was laundry day!), and a cavernous wine cellar stocked with fine vintages. Like, if Anna Nicole were the luxury sports car of gold diggers, I’d want to be an SUV: reliable and resilient, yet shockingly expensive to gas up. There are a multitude of reasons why I’d make a lousy gold digger (not the least of which is that I have accrued a wardrobe heavy on sweatpants and oversized cardigans, which I blame on years of working from home). Forgive me for being so clichéd, but I think we can all agree that the gold digger is a type that can be painted with fairly broad strokes. She typically dresses like a cross between Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian, which is to say her outfit is expensive and surface-level classy, but should the situation turn dire, a nip could easily be slipped. I’ve known this woman personally. She’s the type who makes a rich man feel like he’s the only one-percent in the room. She fixes him with her gaze, smiles coyly and finds him immensely interesting. She has Millionaire Matchmaker bleached teeth and sleek, gleaming hair. She does not have a lot of female friends. And if she attended the Beijing Moral Education Center for Women, she is also trained in applying millionaire-bait makeup and pouring tea like a lady. (I’ll bet you anything that I pour like a whore.) Founded in 2010 by Shao Tong, the school, which is listed on Facebook as a “university” (quotations mine), was established to “nurture internal qualities
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and develop potential,” Tong told Reuters. For roughly $3,000, moneyhungry women receive a 30-hour-long course study that basically adds up to a finishing school for gold diggers. At the end, these women are presented to eligible millionaires and billionaires in a cotillion-like ceremony where, yes, they wear wedding gowns. In a country where the economic growth is steadily creating a marked disparity in the classes, this is particularly egregious. Tong said the school had successfully matched 30 couples in the first year that went on to marry. No word on how inescapably miserable everyone is today. There’s nothing wrong with liking money or desiring the comfort it can afford. Of all people, that concept is not lost on me—a person who has dedicated her formative adult years to a profession where hard work and tenacity are largely rewarded with loose change and the privilege of seeing my name in print. I have a mortgage to pay and a handbag collection to build upon, too! But there is something terribly wrong with altering who you are in order to attract it. The idea of sitting through a dinner with an insufferable man who will likely feel that his credit card affords him carte blanche to my lady bits after dessert—and feeling forced to feign enjoyment—is my own personal hell. It’s not a given that every rich man is an entitled douchebag, though, just as the opposite shouldn’t be assumed either. I’ve dated plenty a poor douchebag— it would seem that’s not really contingent on a chequing account. But the reports I’ve received from the women I’ve known to have a propensity for a man with deep pockets tend to skew to the collective assumptions on the topic. You know the cliché: Rich men tend to be flush with money, power, arrogance and, oftentimes, a not-quite-finalized divorce on the side. And it rarely works out in the end. Those gals sure do get some nice handbags out of the deal, though. I just wish I wanted those bags as badly as they do.
PHOTO: NAOMI FINLAY
Marilisa Racco is a Toronto-based fashion and beauty writer who prefers the company of her dog, Floyd.
KINGSTA KVH snaps T.O. Fashion Week @karenvonhahn
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WORD ON THE STREET
WE KW Love letters from the hood
“The diversity is so great. There are parks, restaurants, shops and hotels— and so many interesting people living and working here. It’s so lively!” —Susur Lee, executive chef and owner, Lee, Bent, and Luckee
“We opened the store almost 10 years ago and everyone said I was crazy. I just knew it was going to become what it is now: a community where people live, work and play. Way back in the day, going to places like 606 and then Roxy Blu, I thought they were in the middle of nowhere. And now KW is the centre of my universe.” —Melissa Austria, owner, Gotstyle
“I love what intensification has done for the hood— it has become a hip residential area in the heart of the downtown core.” —Joe Mimran, founder and creative director, Joe Fresh
“I’ve lived at King and Bathurst for 15 years now. I love the way this area has grown organically. People ask me if I ever get tired of living in the same neighbourhood. It doesn’t feel like the same hood I moved into a decade and a half ago.” —Glen Baxter, photographer and broadcaster
“The energy and the people, that’s what makes King West what it is. There’s a great, diverse demographic and it’s alive. It just feels good.” —Peter Freed, developer and entrepreneur
“Honestly, I think it’s one of the world’s great urban neighbourhoods. I love cities like Munich, London and Seoul that bring together tradition and innovation in terms of the architecture, have a 24-hour street life and combine culture and commerce in their tenant mix, as well as have great restaurants, clubs and experiences. King West certainly has all of that.” —Hunter Tura, president and CEO, Bruce Mau Design
“We’ve been in the neighbourhood for three decades. I love how it’s become so vibrant, so alive and urban. The Thompson Hotel really started it for me. It’s so great to have a world-class hotel in the neighbourhood.”—Interior designer Brenda Bent “Look what the area has to offer: music venues like The Hoxton, incredible dining at Buca or Lee, and a hidden gem park on Wellington. You could be getting your hair cut at Steinberg, sitting on the patio at Portland Variety, or literally just standing at the corner of King and Portland and you’d see a really stylish, diverse snapshot of Toronto.”—Morad Affifi, partner, Portland Stewart
“We work long hours in the summer preparing for the film festival. I love finishing a long day at the office around two in the morning and stepping out onto a King Street that’s still buzzing with nightlife. That’s when I think this is my city.” —Cameron Bailey, artistic director, TIFF “It’s a creative hub for design, branding and architecture. It’s got a great sense of community and is surrounded by all the other key neighbourhoods that you need to access. It also doesn’t hurt that Porter is around the corner so we can be in New York in two hours!” —Anwar Mekhayech, partner, DesignAgency
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OVER 30 YEARS OF LUXURY FOR LESS
TORONTO'S CHOICE FOR DESIGNER EYEWEAR AT WHOLESALE PRICES IS IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
TEST DRIVE
MY WORKOUT PLAYLIST
1. Walking On a Dream (Empire of the Sun) 2. Helena Beat (Foster the People) 3. Time Of Your Life (Kid Ink) 4. Midnight City (M83) 5. Electric Feel (MGMT) 6. Girls Like You (The Naked And Famous) 7. Sweet Disposition (The Temper Trap) 8. Can’t do Without You (Caribou) 9. I Follow Rivers (Lykkie Li) 10. Tennis Court (Lorde)
SWEAT FACTOR PHOTO: NAOMI FINLAY
Gourmet b1tch SHONTELLE PINCH GETS RIPPED
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TEST DRIVE
STUDIO LAGREE
IMPRINT PILATES
HARD CANDY FITNESS
Studio: Sweetly housed on the second level of a heritage KW building with high ceilings and abundant natural light, Lagree is open concept. A punch of red in the décor adds energy and there’s a welcoming attitude—even for latecomers. Changeroom: The women’s changeroom is well equipped with all the key essentials (hair ties, makeup remover, deodorant, etc.) The lockers are keyless, which is always convenient, and the showers are well stocked with towels. Instructor: Laurie is a drill sergeant who’s expecting her second child and still teaching. She’s a no-bull kind of gal who reminds us to “slow down and pay attention.” Class: The M3 Fusion class consists of cardio, strength and core movements on a ramped-up Pilates reformer, which provides resistance and levels of difficulty using springs and pulleys. This was 50 minutes of go time and no slacking accepted, but they call you out in the most positive way. Tunes: Upbeat, fun and definitely motivational. Sweat factor: For someone who typically doesn’t sweat, I got good and sweaty! Recovery: This is a creeper. I had a hard time walking down the stairs after class! Overheard: “It never gets easier.”
Studio: Two studios in one and on two levels. On the main, private classes and health services— nutrition, massage, acupuncture—are on offer. Group Pilates classes are on the second floor, along with restorative and flow yoga. Changeroom: Simple, clean and accommodating. Take note, there are no showers. Instructor: Co-owner and instructor Anita is such a pro. She works with you to determine your personal goals. She is soothing, patient and uber-motivating—a perfect combo for a Pilates newbie. And she made me hurt in places I never knew could hurt. Vibe: A calming and peaceful oasis from the hood. The second floor is open and airy; candles create a very Zen atmosphere. Class: I had a one-on-one Pilates session and no matter how in shape I think I am, just learning how to breathe properly was a challenge on its own. Tunes: There is no music and you don’t actually miss it, as you’re too busy listening to your breath. Sweat factor: None (hence the lack of showers), but that doesn’t mean I didn’t get a workout. Recovery: It took a few days. I felt parts of my abdomen I never knew existed. Tip: No runners required. The practice is done with or without socks.
Studio: 42,000 square feet with 19-foot floorto-ceiling windows, Hard Candy is the cream of the crop. Over 60 group classes to choose from, an onsite nutritionist and massages, as well as a juice/ espresso lounge and a wraparound rooftop terrace to soak up the rays. The Energy studio, where most classes are held, looks like a dance studio complete with a high-quality sound system so you can daydream that you are a backup dancer to Madonna herself! Changeroom: Spa heaven! The space is run like the Shangri-La, with a steam room and sauna, along with all of the necessities and towel service. Instructor: Group fitness coordinator Lori, who taught my transformer class, means business. Vibe: Part health club, part nightclub, with young, stylish professionals who just wanna have fun with their workout. Class: I did a total body, metabolic-boosting and core marathon class on the Pilates reformer. The six-person class is both a blessing and a curse. There’s definitely no slacking here. Tunes: 100% high energy. Check your peace and serenity at the door. Sweat factor: Maximum. In all my 38 years, I’ve never sweat like this. Recovery: 48 hours is standard. Overheard: “F**k!” (including yours truly).
788 King St. W. / 416.901.4788 studiolagree.com
101 Spadina Ave. Suite 103 / 416.939.9545 imprintpilates.com
382 Yonge St. / 416.979.1645 hardcandyfitnesstoronto.com
Shontelle Pinch is the owner of Gourmet B1tches Food Truck and Pinch Hot Sauce coming soon.
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DESIGN
t
the fishers of king street THESE FOLKS TAKE FAMILY BONDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL By Leanne Delap photos by arash moallemi
he usual order of things involves kids moving away from the sleepy suburban home into the fray of condo living in the big lights of the city. But what happens when your folks follow you down and decide to move around the corner? When it comes to two generations of the Fisher family, King West is both their home and their workplace. Dad Ian Fisher and mom Lynn raised son Ryan and daughter Carrie at Avenue Road and Lawrence, which is where they landed in town when they emigrated from their native South Africa. The empty-nest parents first moved on to Thornhill, deeper into what Lynn calls “a very contented life away from the rush.” The kids, Ryan, now 36 and Carrie, 34, proceeded to try out spots all around the core, from the Distillery District to the Junction. This past May, Ryan moved into Fashion House at 560 King West. His business, the ping-pong place SPiN Galactic, is right across the street in the Brassaii alley at 461. Hospitality runs in the family: Ian is co-owner of Firkin Pubs— remember “a firkin’ good time”? Since the first one opened at Yonge and Eglinton in 1987, the Fishers have been serving pints to the city, including at their King West branch, Firkin on King, also at 461. Ian and Lynn live at the boutique condo residence at 500 Wellington, which boasts just 17 units with private elevators. “A big part of moving this far south was to be around the kids,” Ian says. “We do see a lot more of each other. And the visits are a lot less planned.”
(Left to right) Daughter Carrie, son Ryan and parents Ian and Lynn Fisher gather in Ryan’s open-concept one-bedroom condo at Fashion House. The sectional and coffee table are from Urban Mode and the pendant fixture is from Living Lighting.
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