Kingwest Magazine

PHOTO: (KAREN VON HAHN) MANGO STUDIOS

EDITOR S LETTER rowing up, as I did, in sleepy ‘60s Toronto, nobody went “downtown” for any purpose other than to meet Dad at his office or get a passport renewed. It wasn’t fear that kept us north of Bloor Street, there was, in truth, little to be afraid of. But down downtown also had little to recommend it. With the exception of seeing a play at the Royal Alex or going to Ed’s Warehouse for a roast beef dinner, there was no real reason to venture into the windswept, no-man’s land that King Street turned into after dark every night and on weekends.

It wasn’t until I was in high school and set out to explore the city on my own that I came upon the lovely old Victorian brick warehouses and factories of King West, even then in transition from being places of heavy manufacturing and industry to funky offices and artists’ spaces. The moody, largely abandoned architecture so suggestive of an earlier, almost Dickensian Toronto felt a bit like a stage set for a play that hadn’t yet been written. And as it turned out, there was a story there that was yet to unfold.

King West today isn’t only one of the city’s fastest-growing downtown neighbourhoods. It is also a vital and exciting new urban quarter with its own distinct and emerging lifestyle and sensibility. A real community where downtown-minded people not only work—but eat, sleep, work out, shop, stop in for an artisanal coffee, walk their dogs in the park and play.

At the centre of it all is the new Thompson Hotel, which not only functions as a hotspot for stylish A-listers from around the globe, but also as a cultural clubhouse of sorts for the neighbourhood—and one that is quickly making its presence felt within today’s larger, significantly more cosmopolitan Toronto.

At one of the photo shoots for our Style Smackdown feature (p.44) in this issue, our subject Mark Wadden, who hails from Cape Breton and has been a committed King Westian since buying his first condo here in 2002, told me that his parents were gobsmacked by the neighbourhood on a recent visit. “Being Maritimers, they think of downtown Toronto as cold and unfriendly,” Wadden explained. “But everywhere we went, we couldn’t take a step without bumping into somebody we knew and stopping to chat for a while. My father was literally thrown for a loop. ‘Son,’ he said, ‘this is worse than Cape Breton.’”

We at King West feel privileged to be able to document and celebrate the emerging lore and lifestyle of this young, vibrant neighbourhood. In this issue, communications maven Anne O’Hagan introduces us to King West’s newest neighbour, TIFF Bell Lightbox; writer Leanne Delap shops for seafood with Wabora’s Min Soo Kim; and curator and author Rachel Gotlieb pins a critical eye on design legend and 75 Portland designer Philippe Starck.

In the bold spirit of reclaiming and re-imagining the city’s downtown as a true community, we hope that you new urban pioneers will share your latest discoveries, insights and stories with us. This is a pivotal moment for the new, old downtown Toronto. Let the conversation begin.

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CHRIS NICHOLLS Renowned fashion photographer Chris Nicholls, who shot our “Power Play” story for this issue, plans to spend the holidays “with my lovely wife and three wonderful children. I love the holidays; it’s quiet and relaxing.

We indulge in delicious food, hang out under the glowing light of the tree and we love to go snowboarding and tobogganing…that is, if there is snow…bring the snow!”

LEANNE DELAP Writer and style maven Leanne Delap, who drove out to a fish depot at two in the morning in the name of research for the article on Wabora in this issue, calls herself “a big Christmas tree fan.” She elaborates: “Best day of the year is the day the tree goes up: My kids and I go through the box of treasures, ornaments from my Mum and Gram and Great Aunt Lil, and some queer stuff like a band of mariachi players with sombreros. I firmly dislike designer trees. I’m all about spray-painted macaroni from when kids were in kindergarten. I also have an alarming number of hot pink disco balls.”

ANNE O’HAGAN Writer and communications strategist Anne O’Hagan, who wrote about the TIFF Bell Lightbox in this issue, wants clementines in her Christmas stocking. “Because what’s a stocking without clementines? And that includes the Droste chocolate version as well, vintage egg cups and perhaps a monogrammed collar for Ivy from Le Chic du Chien chez Maison Goyard on rue Saint-Honoré in Paris. But, in truth, I’d be happy with a cheque for the Woodgreen Red Door Family Shelter.”

FRANCO DELEO Toronto photographer Franco DeLeo, who was busy running around King West taking pictures for this issue, is looking forward to chowing down over the holidays. “Without a doubt, eggplant parmigiana is my favourite holiday dish. I think about its succulent layered goodness 365 days a year yet only get to indulge in this holy dish about four times a year. It’s especially delicious the way my mom makes it with besciamella sauce and a lot of love!

Mom, if you’re reading this…enough said.”

RACHEL GOTLIEB Design writer, author, educator and curator Rachel Gotlieb, who shared her insights on designer Philippe Starck in this issue, plans to hightail it out of town the moment her two children are finished school. “I will be spending the holidays up north with my family on Mary Lake, just south of Huntsville. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”

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Corrado’s Barber Shop

mec.ca W. / St.

162 Bathurst St. / 416.703.1125

A neighbourhood fixture long before we knew what a condo was, Corrado’s Barber Shop reminds us of King West’s past life. Still standing on Bathurst Street, almost frozen in time, the shop’s original painted windows, mint green chairs and faded ’50s pin-up posters recall the tastes and mores of a prior generation of new Canadians. Born and raised in Sicily, Corrado Accaputo and his family immigrated to Canada in 1957 when Corrado was just 17. Within weeks of his arrival, he began cutting hair at the barber shop that would eventually bear his name. In the early days, Corrado’s was the go-to barber shop for factory workers and garmentos, but as he buzzed, trimmed and mop-topped his way through the years, and the styles changed, so too did the neighbourhood. Industrial factories were replaced with residential high-rises and a new fashion-forward demographic moved in. A master of both the scissors and barber chair chatter, Corrado, now 70, happily offers even the latest Beiber bobs to his new customers still at basic barbershop prices. At $20 per head, Corrado proudly boasts that he has the cheapest cuts around. – Kate Gertner

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THE BODEGA

506 Adelaide St. W. 416.848.0057 / lamerceria.ca

Tiny, tasteful La Merceria reminds us that style and substance can be one and the same. Sandra RojasChinni, a former product developer for Caban, and her Argentine husband, Marcelo Chinni, opened the storefront oasis in 2008 as an extension of their home and personal style. One-part Argentinean cafe, one-part decorator’s dream, this peaceful hideaway is a chic resource for a carefully curated selection of small, stylish goods for the home—from handpicked glassware to candles and table linens to stationery—as well as a unique pit stop for artisanal coffees and fresh homemade Argentinean pastries baked by none other than Marcelo’s mother. Everything in the boutique-cum-cafe exudes a luxurious rusticity that aligns with the couple’s refined yet simple aesthetic. Indeed, Sandra and Marcelo refuse to stock anything in the store that they wouldn’t have in their nearby King West abode. Truly a place for the neighbourhood, in the neighbourhood, the Chinnis have brought us a sweet South American bodega with a European feel—and we don’t even need a passport to visit. – KG 24 /

PHOTOS: FRANCO DELEO

La Merceria

THE WALL DOCTORS The Art Stylists

PHOTOS: (ART STYLISTS) FRANCO DELEO, (CRANGLE’S) PATRICK CUMMINS, (THOMPSON) CLAYTON BUDD

488 Wellington St. W. / 416.546.3683 / artstylists.com Powerhouse couple Manny Neubacher and Anya Shor watched their peers purchase homes and carefully agonize over every detail. They saw a flawless transition from Ikea to Knoll and Behr to Benjamin Moore, but when it came to replacing yellowing rock posters, Neubacher and Shor observed their friends dumbfounded. “What is it about art that is so intimidating?” was the question that led Neubacher, a longtime artist and gallerist, and Shor, a stylist, to develop a new business venture hell-bent on bridging the gap between art-world darlings whose work commands six figures and framed prints from college. Opened in April, The Art Stylists dress blank walls with sophisticated, style-savvy paintings, photos and illustrations that complement their clients’ space and work within their budgets. With a soft spot for emerging Canadian artists, Neubacher and Shor work closely with local and international galleries to promote young talent—an effort that supports emerging artists while meeting their clients’ bottom line. – KG

& NOW

CRANGLE’S COLLISION, 1983

THEN

Hermes Crystal Adage Decanter Price available upon request hermes.com

550 Wellington Street

THOMPSON TORONTO, 2010

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DESIGN

LOVE HIM

or loathe him PHILIPPE STARCK

was the first DESIGNER ROCK STAR

BY RACHEL GOTLIEB

The STA RCK timel i ne

DESIGN

et’s start with stating the obvious: Philippe Starck is one of the most celebrated and most controversial designers of our time. His important contribution was to reintroduce emotion and fantasy to design at the end of the 20th century. Despite this exceptional achievement, Starck is often dismissed as a prolific showman—and one who’s largely responsible for the superficial practice of marrying design with frivolous fashion trends for status-seeking consumers. At a highly publicized TED talk, Starck confessed, half-joking in his Franglais accent à la Inspector Clouseau: “My job is useless and I feel like shiiit.”

Denouncing his legacy in public—serious or not—doesn’t help matters.

For better or worse, Starck gave us the designer as rock star.

But no matter where you stand in the Starck debate, you can’t help but marvel at the sheer volume of stuff he has created over the last 40 years.

You have to wonder, is there anything left that he hasn’t touched? He’s given design-lifts to appliances, electronics, food, furniture, fashion, interiors, spaceports, teakettles, toothbrushes, wind turbines, vehicles and yachts—and that’s just the alphabetical version. His clients are both high and low, from elite Alessi to mass-market Target. There aren’t many designers who can create an entire world with their own product but Starck is one of them. Patricia Urquiola and Marcel Wanders are on their way to achieving this level of productivity, while Karim Rashid is nearly there. (Interestingly, Rashid elicits the same love/hate reactions as Starck.)

Starck started his career in the mid-1960s and, like many young designers of that time, created inflatable “blow-up” furniture for the happening youth market. In the ’70s Starck began designing interiors for Parisian nightclubs, developing his signature flair for drama and theatricality.

He then joined Pierre Cardin as art director, where he learned that successful design is linked to fashion and branding.

With the arrival of the Designer Decade, in the ’80s, Starck became a star. After a brief, albeit severe economic recession in 1983, boom and prosperity set in and Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher’s neo-conservative politics and supply side economics (i.e., de-regulation, privatization and leveraged buy-outs—sound familiar?) swept the globe. “Greed is good” became the infamous mantra, van Gogh’s Sunflowers sold for $39.9 million, breaking all records, and Yuppies arrived wanting Jordache designer jeans, Michael Graves designer sheets and, of course, Philippe Starck designer everything.

Two interior projects brought Starck to the world stage: the 1982 suite of interiors at the Elysée Palace for then French

Prime Minister Francois Mitterand, and Café Costes of 1984 located in Paris’ Les Halles. With these commissions, Starck revealed his skill at fusing the luxury French tradition of Art Deco with contemporary industrial materials and non-conventional forms. Entering Café Costes was like entering a cinematic set: A grand central staircase leading to an oversized monumental clock dominated the open two-level interior, which he accented with dark-coloured wood furniture and lacquered steel finishes. And the washrooms were something else—communal glass waterfall sinks were often mistaken for urinals, requiring Ne pas uriner signs to be installed. The proprietor, Jean-Louis Costes, announced that it was “Le premier café moderne de Paris” and indeed the glamorous spot became the destination to see and be seen.

Jean-Louis Costes and his brother Gilbert are often described as the Ian Schrager and the late Steve Rubell of Paris, so it’s not surprising that Schrager and Rubell soon came knocking on Starck’s door and, as they say, the rest is history. Together they mainstreamed the boutique designer hotel: The Royalton in 1988, The Paramount in 1990 and the Hudson in 2000 were the Manhattan trio, and outside New York, the Delano in Miami, the Mondrian in Los Angeles and St. Martin’s in London followed. What these hotels have in common is that they are all retrofits of older buildings and fairly discreet on the exterior but once you are inside Starck’s Gesamkuntswork—a total work of art. Take The Royalton, his first: Starck bestowed the two-story open lobby, bar and restaurant with his own surreal creations of sculptural

Juicy Salif 1989 Asahi Beer Hall 1986

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ILLUSTRATION: CASSIE ZHEN PHOTOS: (75 PORTLAND) ROGER EBILIA, (HOT BERTAA) BERGO DESIGNS, STARCK NETWORK

75 PORTLAND, TORONTO

Hot Bertaa 1989

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DESIGN

90s

THE SANDERSON HOTEL, LONDON

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As with interiors, Starck introduced fantasy and personality to everyday utilitarian objects. Dr. Glob Chair and Miss Balu Table, his breakout products for Kartell, the Italian manufacturer of high-end plastic furniture, reference cartoon names and cartoonish high-tech moulded shapes. Max Le Chinois Colander, produced by Alessi, is a politically incorrect favourite. In addition to visual puns, Starck loved to promote himself, even posing for photos wearing such Starck signatures as his Ara lamp as devil horns.

One of Starck’s most talked-about products is the Juicy Salif designed for Alessi in 1990. Its novel shape—is it a rocket, a lobster or an elongated spider?—and comparatively expensive price tag made it a hot topic for critics and curators who elevated it to a cultural representation of the pretentiousness and excess of the late 20th century. The rationalists weighed in, too, complaining that the juice squirts all over your shirt and there’s no strainer for the pips. Starck’s Hot Bertaa kettle is similar fodder for the pro-functionalists who concede that although the design is charged with personality, it’s impossible to use.

Never one to shy away from controversy, Starck further provokes his critics with claims that he invented “democratic design” because he makes designer products that cost less than $20. The elegant Dr. Kiss translucent toothbrush, the playful Dr. Skud freestanding fly swatter, and the wondrous Excalibur Toilet Brush bring ritual and meaning to mundane household chores. As British design critic and curator Steven Bayley remarked, “The Excalibur Toilet Brush is a triumph. With a handle like a fencing sword’s, [it] was simple, practical and perfectly expressed the adversarial relationship between human and lavatory.”

Starck’s strangest work to date is his Flos Guns Collection of 2005 that sells at elite stores like Moss in New York’s Soho. The limited-edition gold-plated floor lamps are cast from real Berettas (symbolizing the responsibility of Western Europe), Kalashnikovs (for the suffering caused by the Soviet Union) and the M16 (signifying the chaos in the United States). According to Starck, “The Guns Collection is nothing but a sign of the times. We get the symbols we deserve.” Are the gold gun lights for real, or a joke? It’s hard to know for sure, but one thing that’s certain is that Starck is always ahead of trend. His collection anticipated the vogue for ghoulish and military motifs and is a precursor to Damien Hirst’s notorious sculpture of a diamond-encrusted skull. Part of the profits from the Guns Collection does go to charity, but, more tellingly, the work reflects Starck’s own insecurity and ambivalence about contemporary design and his contribution to its current state.

PHOTOS: (COLANDER) BERGO DESIGNS, STARCK NETWORK

velvet poufs resting on horn-shaped legs, as well as conical lighting, vast sculptural pillars and runway carpets. Recalling the beauty and luxury of steamship travel—and yet strangely dreamy—The Royalton immediately became the popular haunt of insiders and celebrities—Tina Brown and Anna Wintour made it their ground zero for power breakfasts and lunches and Madonna and Karl Lagerfeld slept in the theatrical suites.

(Sadly, The Royalton, as with The Paramount, its design-on-a-budget sister hotel, were recently renovated and most of Starck’s vision and detailing are gone, reflecting the transient and ephemeral nature of interior design, as well as marking the end of an era. (Schrager explained in a 2006 New York Times interview, “No one was going to get excited about another Schrager hotel designed by Philippe Starck.”)

Time to move on. In 1998 Starck cofounded yoo to develop luxury residential condos and residences around the world, which recently joined forces with Freed Development here in King West, giving us 75 Portland condominiums with the Starck design imprimatur.

Max Le Chinois Colander 1993

Archimoon Soft Lamp 1998

Attila Stool Table 1999

STARCK SAYS

75 PORTLAND, TORONTO

Always the agent provocateur, Philippe Starck loves to make outrageous observations.

Here are 7 of his greatest quips: 1. “…one of the most the most positive things a designer can do is refuse to do anything.” (Designing the 21st Century, 2001)

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PHOTOS: (75 PORTLAND) ROGER EBILIA, STARCK NETWORK

Now in his sixties, Starck has been married four times, has more than a dozen houses and claims to work on 200 projects at a time. It’s true that he’s focusing on windmills and other alternative energy products, but he hasn’t truly jumped on the eco and humanitarian design bandwagon because, from his perspective, he’s been doing it all along, just without the labels. Last year, he starred in his own reality TV show, Design for Life, produced by BBC2. Based on The Apprentice,, 12 aspiring design students compete for a position at his studio. The show hasn’t helped his reputation, particularly in the UK, where the press vilified him and dismissed him as a (French) buffoon.

The fact remains that Starck is, quite simply, a great designer. The Louis Ghost Chair for Kartell from 2002 is a testament to his artistry.

Based on a Louis-XV-style chair, he reduced the gilded style into a whisper of its former baroque self in clear plastic. The design not only popularized the neo-baroque trend but also was a technical tour de force using polycarbonate injection in a single mould, unprecedented at that time. Ultimately, Starck’s legacy is significant for renewing strong style, individual expression and glamour to design—and, of course, as he and his work continually remind us, not to take ourselves so damn seriously.

Louis Ghost Chair 2002

2. “…I don’t think about the toothbrush. I think, what will be the effect of the brush in the mouth? And to understand what will be the effect of the toothbrush in the mouth, I must imagine: Who owns this mouth? What is the life of the owner of this mouth? In what society does this guy live? What civilization creates this society? What animal species creates this civilization? When I arrive—(and I take one minute, I am not so intelligent)—when I arrive at the level of animal species, that becomes real interesting.”

(TED Talks, March 2007) 3. “Everything I have created is absolutely unnecessary.

Design, structurally seen, is absolutely void of usefulness. A useful profession would be to be an astronomer, a biologist or something of that kind. Design really is nothing. I have tried to install my designs with a sense of meaning and energy, and even when I tried to give my best it was still in vain.”

(DIE ZEIT, 2008) 4. “I prefer to make a very good chair in the best polycarbonate than make any shit in wood that will be in the trash one year later.” (Wired, 2008) 5. “This world will explode in four billion years. We have time, but not so much.” (Wired, 2008) 6. “The weapon of design is not enough of a weapon. We need to invent a better weapon.” (Designophy, 2009) 7. “You don’t make good design if you think about design. You make good design if you speak about life, sex, flesh, sweat.”

(Design for Life, BBC2, 2009)

Crystal Clear Digi 2008 Ballantyne Fashion Collection 2009

55 Stewart Street

Paramedic and Pilot 1,265 square feet

Danielle, a pilot with Air Canada, and Mark, an emergency paramedic, did all the work on their southwest-facing corner unit themselves. Their key words were modern and comfortable. “We really wanted it to look modern but at the same time feel comfortable to just hang around in,” says Danielle, who adds that whether it’s one friend or 20, the couple have people over “almost every night.”

To facilitate entertaining, the Waddens moved the island a foot-and-a-half closer to the kitchen workspace. “It opened up the room wonderfully,” says Mark, who does all the cooking. “I think what really made a difference was that we replaced the dark wood floors with lighter-coloured oak flooring.”The kitchen workspace is given further decorative ambience with the couple’s selection of river-coloured glass tiles for the backsplash, which enliven the space by reflecting the apartment’s abundant natural light. Says Danielle, “the one thing we love best about this place is that it’s all light.”

The couple chose a neutral lavender wall colour for their light-filled unit, which is further defined with three sets of hanging fixtures: an industrial trio over the kitchen island, a black baroque modern chandelier chosen by Danielle over the dining area, and a contemporary silver pendant in the sitting area that was Mark’s pick. “We agree that we want things modern and comfortable,” laughs Mark, “but we don’t always agree on what that means.”

Continued on page 107 44 /

PHOTOS: FRANCO DELEO

Mark & Danielle Wadden + Asha

Rajiv Gandhi 55 Stewart Street

Orthopaedic Surgeon 1,265 square feet

Dr. Rajiv Gandhi is a surgeon, not a decorator, which is why he hired Jessie Kelly to design his southwest-facing apartment. “I have certain talents and there’s some I don’t have,” Rajiv says. “Jess knows what I like—everything totally seamless and clean lines.”

Over dinner at Buca, Jessie presented her design plan. Picking up on the architecture of the building, the walls would be an industrially inspired cement-grey envelope. With an eye on maintaining the view and not blocking any of the windows, the floor plan would be designed for multi-functionality.

The pocket door between the office and the open living/dining room would be replaced with a brand new custom-built wall that could hold a TV and full entertainment unit so that Rajiv, a sports fan, could watch TV in the open-concept living space. The idea, says Rajiv, “was to have everything in the entertainment wall designed to be seamlessly flush and completely wireless, so that when you walk in, you don’t see anything blocking your view.”

When it came to furnishing this chic pied-à-terre for a busy urban bachelor, Jessie describes her central concept as ”rugged sophistication.” Hence a custom-built lounge designed by Jessie and upholstered in a manly grey wool flannel with Western-inspired nailhead detailing, a custom-built slate-topped, counter-height console with upholstered stools that can double as extra seating or as a dining table, and an elegant, rustic cowhide carpet on the dark wood-stained floor.

Continued on page 107

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VER THE PAST FEW YEARS, DESIGN IN TORONTO HAS MATURED BEYOND THE PROSAIC INTERIORS OF HOUSESWAPPING MAKEOVER REALITY TV AND HOW-TO DÉCOR MAGAZINES.

SHOWSTOPPERS The inside scoop on the Interior Design Show by the ultimate insider, IDS co-founder and director Shauna Levy

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Today, it’s about hip, independent design studios, curated design shops, design districts, boutique hotels and designer condos. Best of all, we have a discerning consumer who can appreciate the value of design and knows the difference between authentic design and a knockoff.

Certainly we owe more than a nod to print media and the web for this, but also, I would certainly argue, to an entity that has grown into an annual institution— the Interior Design Show, or as known to many, IDS, Canada’s largest contemporary design fair.

Since its inception in 1998, IDS has exposed us to the next generation of Canadian designers, shown us the most exciting design products and spaces, and introduced us to the work of the world’s most recognized interior designers and architects.

Today, IDS continues to deliver a unique snapshot of what is happening on the international design scene, while providing an unrivalled platform for Canadian designers and manufacturers to strut their stuff to thousands of design professionals, consumers and media.

Over the years, international design celebrities and starchitects—from design superstar Marcel Wanders (think rope chair and condom vase) to Wallpaper founder Tyler Brulé to Cool Brittania designer Tom Dixon and the hot-blooded Spanish design diva Patricia Urquiola—have graced the stage, shook hands with fans and autographed furniture. For IDS11, this impressive roster is joined by Paris-based designeron-demand Jean-Marie Massaud, British-born Hong Kong–based industrial designer Michael Young, and Pritzker award winner Thom Mayne of Morphosis.

A fine balance is struck every year between big and small, established and new. The celebrated concept

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FAULHABER PR

spaces have featured the likes of Karim Rashid, II by IV Design, The Design Agency and Lynda Reeves but have also thrown a spotlight on new and emerging design talent. This year’s theme of Sibling Revelry brings together four teams of designing sibs— Brothers Dressler, David Dixon and Glenn Dixon, Montreal-based My + Thien Ta-Trung of Periphere, and Sarah Richardson and her New York–based brother Theo Richardson.

Over the past 13 years, such iconic designs as Karim Rashid’s pre-fab Kit 24 spaceship, the 20-foot red dress by Will Alsop, Castor Design’s tongue-in-cheek Winnebago, Brian Gluckstein’s Kohler bathroom and the dazzling Crystal Clear installation by Swarovksi have been created exclusively for the show. At IDS11, new design feats will be made again with an exhibit in support of Casey House for which 20 designers— including 3rd Uncle Design, Katherine Newman, Cecconi Simone, Johnson Chou and Bruce Mau Design—will work their magic on the iconic Vitra Panton Chair.

Highlights include the launch of fashion legend Alfred Sung’s new line of outdoor furniture. Klaus Nienkämper II will present his own eponymous line in collaboration with Toronto’s Patty Johnson and Brooklyn-based Jason Miller. Avenue Road will debut the GlasItalia line by Jean-Marie Massaud. And German bath-fixture trendsetter Duravit will show pieces by Philippe Starck recently launched in Milan.

At the same time, IDS will feature Canadian talent to watch, including designer, artist and curator Alex Jowett/Atelier 688, Michael Greenwood/Greenwood Studio, and custom furniture designer Heidi Ernshaw.

As the city’s skyline continues to be filled with cranes and its hot market targeted by international brands, designers and developers, Toronto’s love affair with design continues to thrive.

January 27-30, 2011 / Metro Toronto Convention Centre interiordesignshow.com

JEAN-MARIE MASSAUD

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FASHION

POWER

PLAY Photo stor y by Chris Nicholls

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CREATIVE DIRECTION 64TH AND QUEEN

PHOTO RE-TOUCHING Lorca Moore

STYLIST Rita Liefhebber Ford Artists

MAKE-UP ARTIST Simone Otis Page One Management

MODELS Emily Fox Dayana Arango Milan Krouzil PUSH

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4 WOMEN’S JOAN OF ARCTIC SOREL BOOTS

7 ARAN-KNIT HOT WATER BOTTLE

Wrap it up in softness by Montreal designer Dimitri Chris. $325 / Gotstyle / 60 Bathurst St. / gsmen.com

Put your best foot forward in these adorable— and waterproof—faux-fur-trimmed boots. $180 / Browns Shoes / brownsshoes.com

Keep cozy in style. $25 / Indigo / 142 John St. / indigo.ca

2 HBC’S SIGNATURE COYOTE-LINED AVIATOR

5 SHEEPSKIN GLOVES

Turn heads while staying warm. $495 / Hudson’s Bay Company / 176 Yonge St. hbc.com

Keep those digits toasty in the colour of toast. $80 / Perfect Leather / 555 King St. W. perfectleathergoods.com

Hoser chic in a range of hues. $30 / Drake Hotel General Store thedrakehotel.ca/dgs

3 CASHMERE SLIPPERS FROM HERMES

6 THE GOOD DOG EXTRA-LONG MATCHES

The ultimate in indoor indulgence. $675 per pair / hermes.com

Light one up. $5 / Drake Hotel General Store 82A Bathurst St. / thedrakehotel.ca/dgs

8 PENFIELD TOQUES

PHOTOS: FRANCO DELEO

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9 ELANOR PUP JACKET WITH FUR

11 ROAM FIREPLACE

14 HBC SIGNATURE MULTI-STRIPED PILLOW

Chic and eco-friendly, this doggie’s parka is made in Canada from recycled materials. $80 (medium) / PetPod / 766 King. St. W. 416.815.8188

Odorless, ventless, plug in and go! $519 / Living Lighting / 624 King St. W. livinglighting.com

Make an indoor fort with a pillow to match. $50 / Hudson’s Bay Company / hbc.com

12 HBC POPCORN TIN

10 STOKKE XPLORY WINTER KIT

Snack in style on three flavours: caramelcoated, white cheddar and butter. $20 / Hudson’s Bay Company / hbc.com

Get foxy in 100% lambswool. $155 / Drake Hotel General Store thedrakehotel.ca/dgs

An insulated hood, storm cover and drivers’ sheepskin-trimmed handmuff make winter a walk in the park. $320 / Ella & Elliot / 188 Stachan Ave. ellaandelliot.com

13 HBC SIGNATURE 4-POINT BLANKET

Snuggle up with the all-time Canadian classic. $325 (double) / Hudson’s Bay Company / hbc.com

15 DONNA WILSON FOX CUSHION

16 GRANTED’S HAND-KNIT COWICHAN

A new twist on the Canuck icon , this zipster is made in Vancouver from 100% wool. $290 / Drake Hotel General Store thedrakehotel.ca/dgs

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KINGTIFF STREET GETS LIT BELL LIGHTBOX BRINGS CULTURE, DESIGN SAVVY AND REPERTORY CINEMA TO THE ‘HOOD

BY ANNE O’HAGAN

CULTURE

Tiff Bell Lightbox is like the new girl in town: Everybody notices her, but no one really knows her yet. Is she flash or substance? Fun or bookish? Betty or Veronica? Finding out is what the city of Toronto has to look forward to...

CULTURE

O&B CANTEEN AND LUMA TAKE IT WELL BEYOND POPCORN

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f course, there are several constituencies of people who are already in the know: the city’s film cognoscenti, dedicated festival patrons, the inner circle and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) board of directors who have struggled for a decade to get TIFF Bell Lightbox built, and possibly even the long-suffering merchants on King Street who have had front-row seats watching it come to life.

During its annual 10-day juggernaut in September, the film festival’s red-carpet action would have also alerted the devotees of E Talk and the tabloid junkies that TIFF has a new home. And any resident of Toronto could hardly have missed its debut on September 12. Opening its doors to the public for the day, TIFF threw a street party with a performance by K’naan, a bouncy castle, free cupcakes and, for some, traffic headaches. But now that the party is over and the guests have all gone home, there are those who may still be wondering what just landed on King Street—and what the fuss is all about.

“At its very core, it’s a movie house—a first-run movie theatre for artistically minded films,” says Noah Cowan, artistic director of TIFF Bell Lightbox. But just walk in the doors and it’s clear you’re a long way from the Carlton Cineplex. The five-story Lightbox may be TIFF’s new “home,” but it feels like a museum, functions like a gallery and offers five plush, state-of-the-art cinemas that double as musical venues, learning studios and multimedia platforms. It also houses, on its upper levels, TIFF’s assets that the public does not see: the Film Reference Library, industry archives and TIFF’s permanent staff.

Thanks to its big-name architect, Bruce Kuwabara of KPMB Architects, TIFF’s new home shows like a spread in Architectural Digest. It also feeds and waters its visitors in style, thanks to local restaurateurs Peter Oliver and Michael Bonacini. There’s even some retail therapy. So while the Lightbox allows TIFF to extend festival-style programming year-round—a concept that isn’t hard to grasp—its broader, more highminded mandate is not so neatly encapsulated. Nor is its journey to life.

TIFF’s ambition to become more than an annual 10-day film festival

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dates back 20 years when it took over the Ontario Film Institute (now TIFF Cinematheque). To develop its future audiences, and cultivate talent, the festival had to grow. And with that mandate, it launched the Film Circuit (a travelling mini-cinematheque that brings art and foreign films to smaller communities), added the Film Reference Library and the Sprockets Festival for Children. As a result, a sense began to develop by the late ’90s that there was a physical need—even “an urgency,” says Cowan—to put a roof over their heads.

In his travels, long-standing TIFF director Piers Handling had visited the world’s venerated film centres such as the British Film Institute and the Film Society of Lincoln Center. But when it was time to get serious about developing the concept for a Toronto-based film centre, it was a collective effort. Cowan gives full credit to the TIFF board for carrying the torch through the years. It was very courageous of the board to take it on, agrees Helga Stephenson, a force on the city’s cultural scene who played key roles in the festival organization over a span of 14 years.

Institutionalizing the festival was important to protect it, she adds, which hinged on an alignment of stars.

It’s hard to imagine how destiny didn’t play a role in the creation of the Lightbox, now that it’s built and open. In fact, it’s a bit stunning: How did a Canadian not-for-profit cultural organization manage to pull off this feat? Not without overcoming obstacles—with fundraising at the top of the list. And yet in the 10 years since Handling and TIFF executive director Michèle Maheux began the process, they succeeded in rustling up enough support to develop a $140-million facility and getting it built and opened in time for the 35th edition of the festival.

Just like in the movies, it wouldn’t have come together quite so well without certain appropriately cast characters in leading roles. John Daniels is said to have written the very first cheque in support of the film festival. Now the patriarch of the Daniels Corporation, his firm stepped up to design and build both the Lightbox and the 46-story condo tower that sprouts up from it. And director-producer Ivan Reitman

PHOTOS: (PREVIOUS AND OPPOSITE PAGES) MARIS MEZULIS, (RESTAURANTS) ALLISON WOO

“Just like in the movies, it wouldn’t have come together quite so well without certain appropriately cast characters in leading roles.”

CULTURE

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“It feels like a museum, functions like a gallery and offers five plush, state-of-the-art cinemas.” / 61

CULTURE

LIGHTBOX LOWDOWN HOW TO ENJOY OUR CITY’S NEWEST CULTURAL LANDMARK:

BOOK IT:

CONSUME IT:

SEE IT:

‹Tim Burton Blue Girl with Wine private collection

BUY IT:

350 King St. W. (at John St.), 416.599.TIFF (8433) Box Office Hours: 10 am to 10 pm daily Pick up a programme guide. Or check screening times and order tickets online at tiff.net/tiffbelllightbox Before, after or even instead of films, you can eat, drink and people-watch at…

O&B Canteen – cafe and bakery / oliverbonacini.com/Canteen.aspx, 647.288.4710 Blackberry Lounge – cocktails, light bites and a charger bar!

Luma – reservations required, / oliverbonacini.com/Luma.aspx, 647.288.4715 Essential 100 Cinema The 100 greatest films screened in the best cinema ever. For a complete list and showtimes: tiff.net/essential/about/essential100 Essential 100 Cinema Exhibition From cinema artifacts (see Robert De Niro’s actual cab license from Taxi Driver!) to specially commissioned sound and art installations, this permanent exhibition is essential viewing for film buffs. Free admission.

Tim Burton (until April 17, 2011) A major exhibition of drawings, sculptures, maquettes, videos and sculptural commissions that firmly establishes Burton as one of the most important creative forces in modern cinema.

Film-themed gifts, books, DVDs, exhibition catalogues and TIFF special collections.

(Ghostbusters) and his sisters, whose family owned the old Farb’s Car Wash at King and John where the Lightbox now stands, donated the land. In tribute, a short documentary film runs on a continuous loop on the ground floor of the building. It tells the story of the Reitman family’s escape from the Nazis, their flight from wartime Czechoslovakia to Canada, their struggle and eventual success. Even in an art house, a touch of Hollywood-style symmetry doesn’t hurt.

Dream big, build big—and in the case of the Lightbox, some say too big. In The Globe and Mail, Lisa Rochon was critical of the scale, calling it “King Kong on John,” while on the street perplexed passersby ask whether it’s not “a bit overblown for two weeks of the year.” Architect Bruce Kuwabara says that’s a “misconception” on various levels. Beyond TIFF’s actual physical needs, which the design addressed, Kuwabara senses that the question is freighted in propriety. “Why does TIFF need a home? Well, why not? They earned it!” he says. And when you consider that TIFF generates $170 million annually for the local economy, it does seem obvious. As TIFF’s value to the city increases, so does its cultural relevance. It’s very Toronto.

During the 20 years since the idea of a film centre was first floated around a TIFF boardroom table, the concept has morphed. It had to: trends emerge, technologies develop. In the ’90s, as the film and art worlds grew closer together and film exhibitions started taking off, gallery space became an imperative. And one need only walk into the lobby of the Lightbox and look up at the large red-framed glass box seemingly suspended overhead to grasp the transformative power of technology. From this central command, every single moving image that appears in the building is controlled.

But technology will spare the Lightbox no downtime. “Staying ahead of the curve will be one of our biggest challenges,” says Cowan (whose business card may read artistic director but who seems to be responsible for the facility’s every moving part). So will growing its market. “Less of a love story than a marriage” is how Cowan describes the likely evolution of the Lightbox’s relationship with its potential audiences.

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“We’re still working on ways to encourage Toronto’s population to visit,” he adds.

For Richard Florida, director of the Martin Prosperity Institute and a professor at the Rotman School of Management, that challenge isn’t just about marketing. The author of The Rise of the Creative Class and Who’s Your City? says that engaging new audiences among communities beyond the economically advantaged and culturally astute will be essential for the Lightbox. “It’s not enough for cities to have opera, ballet and symphonies to stay vibrant,” he says. “They need to be balanced with street-level culture.” The Lightbox has the opportunity to “break down barriers,” he says, because film, a young art, “navigates those two worlds.”

Michael Budman, cofounder of Roots and a major donor to TIFF Bell Lightbox, would agree with Florida’s view on the importance of developing non-elite audiences. He believes that while a city needs a strong cultural foundation, and visionaries and philanthropists to support it, the Lightbox must stay true to the festival’s roots as a public event. “Torontonians have shown they love the festival and filmmakers love coming here for that reason,” he says. “It’s important to keep it that way.”

If Nuit Blanche is any kind of an indicator, then it looks like the Lightbox will indeed be keeping it real. With close to a million people roaming the city in search of visual stimulation on the evening of October 2, the Lightbox made its post-TIFF debut featuring four distinctly different installations that drew a total attendance of 12,000. One of those, by the way, was a screening of vintage trailers for horror and exploitation films—in the programmer’s words: “A cinematic celebration of the weird, the wild and the wonderful, balanced on the border between art and trash.”

And that’s about as close to trashy as the Lightbox will likely ever get.

Airy and elegant, sophisticated and inviting, TIFF Bell Lightbox is the new girl worth getting to know. What is clear is that she has already made her mark on King West—and elevated Toronto’s game.

PHOTOS: GEORGE PIMENTEL

FIND IT:

Shopping for seafood at 2 am with Wabora’s sushi master Min Soo Kim

BY LEANNE DELAP

T

he teens pulling up in the tricked-out Trans Am to buy smokes at the Esso station in deepest Scarborough at 2 o’clock on a Monday morning look like mullet-headed spawn of Dog the Bounty Hunter.

Thankfully, just then a black Range Rover Sport pulls up. I get the c’mon sign from the driver’s side, turn on my ignition and tail him like I’m working undercover.

We wend together through the industrial parkland and pull up in front of a loading dock splayed with bloody ice.

A Korean guy in an Ed Hardy cap jumps out of the black Rover.

“Nice ride,” I say.

“It doesn’t smell too good,” Min Soo Kim says as he cracks open a side door. I half expect a secret handshake.

“It smells like the inside of here,” he gestures, as we are hit with a wave of stinky fish.

Here does indeed smell of the ghosts of 20 years of fish guts. For it is here that every Sunday night trucks pull in fully loaded with the prize of the Marshall Islands seafood catch—tuna—fresh off the plane.

The bluefin season has just ended, but the ocean is still giving up big eye monsters: grey slimy specimens up to 600 pounds.

A guy named Samuel in a rubber apron holds a great big knife. In the business of getting raw fish to your mouth, there are a series of very sharp knives. Samuel rents his, weirdly, considering the number of beasts he carves up like butter each week. I guess after a 12-hour overnight shift the last thing he wants to do is hit the hone.

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By 5 or 6 am, the place will be teeming with the city’s top sushi chefs and restaurant owners. Min Soo Kim will have none of that: He is a catch-the-worm kind of guy. He gets to the shop by 2 to wait for the trucks and pick his week’s bounty.

“The price is the same,” Kim explains. “No matter what the quality.” He demonstrates how a neat triangular test chunk is cut out of the tail. “You wait until it oxygenates, and then check the colour. You want to see a nice rich red. See this one? It has grey in it. No good.”

Before the other chefs are awake, Kim will already be halfway to Muskoka with some smelly new friends. This is after he has long dropped the cream of his catch at the back door of the kitchen at Wabora, his spanking-new haute sushi shack in the Thompson Hotel. Yes, his first location is in Bracebridge. Which makes more sense than it seems, if you follow through here to the end of Kim’s story.

How he got to a Scarborough loading dock from Seoul has to do with his pitching arm. Kim was a pro ballplayer in his native Korea, where he returned to pitch after playing ball at college in Texas.

His family emigrated to Toronto when he was 15 or so. The family owned dry cleaners, supermarkets, coffee shops and a Canadianstyle restaurant in Brampton.

Kim spent his last pro-ball season back here with the Quebec City Capitals. When he retired at age 29 (he is now 35), he made a couple of investments. One was a property in Gravenhurst, the other was a stint learning to be a sushi chef in Korea, where he met

PHOTOS: MANGO STUDIOS

FOOD

FOOD

and married his wife, Esther. The pair has two sons, ages 3 and 4.

The decision to open a serious high-end sushi place in Bracebridge (also called Wabora) makes more sense than it sounds. First, he has little local competition in the healthy food department, so the millionaires lining miles of primo shoreline flocked to his doors when he opened three years ago. He also did a pop-up shop at Windermere House in Muskoka for a couple of years, where he grabbed a big chunk of the luxe catering market. And while he is proudest of converting cottage country locals to the joys of raw fish, he was canny to realize the connections he could make in Ontario’s upper-crust playground.

It was, in fact, loyal customer Peter Freed, who was then building the Thompson Hotel, who opened the doors to Toronto to Kim. Freed was looking for another restaurant to round out the swank Italian Scarpetta with celebrity chef Scott Conant and the 24-hour Counter diner (both are owned and run by the hotel, and Wabora is Kim’s own).

The room seats 180 and has very high ceilings above the small, simple traditional sushi tables, an immediate signal that this is a mix of old world and new. The groups of tables are widely spaced and the lighting is most pleasant.

An open kitchen looks on to some of the 60-odd sushi chefs Kim has working for him between his two locations, all of whom he brought from Korea. An LED light changes colours under the robata bar, but there is more understatement than flash here.

“We have 60 rolls,” Kim says, as a series of menu highlights hits the table. There are also some fusion plates—in the footsteps of Nobu, no Japanese place with high-falutin’ intentions would skip a blackened cod; indeed Kim’s version is light and uncloying. So too is the saucing on a kobe robata skewer.

Kim makes all of his sauces with his aunt Joanne, from secret family recipes—all classic Japanese sauces with what he winks is a twist.

The rolls are hootin’ big, and elaborate (see below). “I have to tell

my staff to allow customers a chance to get through a bite before they approach a table,” says Wabora’s C.C. Simmons, a sommelier who began his career at the storied (and now defunct) 21 Club in New York City, followed by a stint as food/beverage manager at Rockefeller Center; the Canadian native returned home to open C5 at the ROM. Simmons pours a terrific simple Bordeaux. His list is remarkable for the wide and thoughtful mix of bottles wherein Canadians are comfortably nestled beside French, Italians and Australians.

And comfortably priced: The markups are remarkably low, with a whole lot of labels hitting 50 bucks and under.

There are some 20 serious sakes, and in the first month of business, the champagne crowd has lived up to its name (and for the champers sugar daddies out there, please note you will not find a cheaper Cristal than the $395 cover price here).

Thus far the crowd is an exuberant mix. Bright young things all fashioned out. Some Bay Street shooters and their molls. Blue of blood families familiar with the brand from their summer manses near Bracebridge. And a remarkable number of deuces: Still new to the scene, this is a hot date-night place.

After all, the booze is reasonably priced. And if your date is still keen after he’s seen you with a jumbo slice of handroll in your mouth, you are good to go.

Kim cleans up real nice from his fish-shopping sloppies. He works his room, and anyone he hasn’t greeted is being loved up by his mum or aunt Joanne.

The long bar along the front is hopping, as indeed bottles of refreshingly priced bubbly are popping left and right.

A long way from the pitching mounds of Seoul, from the shores of Bracebridge, yes.

But furthest still from the way Min Soo Kim started this day, up to his elbows in fish guts in a strip mall in Scarborough.

The tuna cleaned up real nice, too.

HOW TO... HURRICANE ROLL

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Place nori sheet on counter and spread evenly with sushi rice.

Flip nori sheet over so rice is on bottom (to make an inside-out roll). Place avocado slices, cream cheese, marinated crabmeat and shrimp tempura on seaweed. Roll up lengthwise to look like one big log. Firm up roll with bamboo mat.

Take thin slices of fresh tuna and white tuna and drape them diagonally over top of sushi roll. Place plastic wrap and bamboo mat around roll to firm it up again. Slice roll into bite-sized segments with a very sharp knife.

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Line sushi segments in a row on long rectangular plate. Drizzle spicy mayo and Louisiana red-hot sauce over top. Sprinkle with finely chopped cucumber, white radish and caviar. Finish with fine drizzle of Japanese mayo.

Place in open mouth and enjoy.

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HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING

CHEESE, PLEASE! THE SEASON’S BEST OOEY GOOEY GOODNESS Just in time to celebrate, Alex Farm orders in 150 extra-special seasonal cheeses. Rinat Boudinov, the cheese guru at the St. Lawrence Market location for the last eight years, recommends his favourite VIP fromages.

VACHERIN MONT D’OR

RACLETTE

This soft, rich seasonal cheese is made from cow’s milk in villages of the Jura region in France and Switzerland.

It comes in round boxes made of spruce. You can eat this fully authentic cheese at room temperature but it is best served heated in its box (in the oven for about 15 minutes at 180°C). To kick it up a notch, wrap the cheese in tin foil, prick the surface with a fork, pour a cup of dry white wine over it and bake for 15 minutes.

Boudinov says: “It’s a very unusual, unique flavour. It’s exceptionally rare for people to say they don’t like it.”

This semi-firm, buttery Swiss cheese has a golden interior with a few small holes and a rough grey-brown rind. With a full and fruity flavour similar to Gruyère, it is designed for melting. The word raclette means “to scrape,” and that is how the cheese is eaten. To serve warm: Slice a four-ounce portion of cheese for each serving. Remove the rind and place cheese on an ovenproof plate, then put in a preheated 450°F oven until melted and almost liquid. Serve over cooked new unpeeled potatoes, bread and assorted pickles.

Boudinov says: “There is nothing better on a winter weekend than raclette. It’s a dish and entertainment in one, depending on how you serve it.”

STILTON With magical blue veins radiating from its centre, Britain’s most famous cheese has a less aggressive flavour than many other blues and is less salty. Only six dairies in the world are licensed to make Stilton from locally produced cow’s milk that has been pasteurized before use. With its slightly open texture and creamy background, Stilton can be crumbled into dips, soups or salads or served at room temperature with port wine—a little goes a long way. Look for higher-quality Colston Basset Stilton at holiday time.

Boudinov says: “One of the world’s best blue cheeses. It’s very traditional for Christmas. For Englishmen not to serve Stilton at Christmas is a crime.”

COMTÉ The Montbeliard cow is the only breed of cattle whose milk is authorized for making Comté. This ancient French gourmet cheese is hard and straw-coloured, contains some medium-sized holes and tends to crack on cutting. With a floral aroma and nutty fudge flavours developing in the more mature cheese, Comté has a lovely long and salty finish. Best served with a chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

Boudinov says: “In France, Comté is one of the best-selling cheeses.

French Canadians love it and always have it on their table.”

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MOLITERNO Produced on the island of Sardinia off the coast of Italy, Pecorino Moliterno al Tartufo is a raw sheep’s milk cheese shot through with thick veins of truffle.

This truffle element is added post-production and after some aging has taken place by injecting the cheese with a paste made of black truffles, which allows it to develop its own flavours and for the texture to break down.

During the five-month maturation period, the wheels are rubbed with vinegar and local olive oil. These flavours, combined with the truffle, spread throughout the cheese, balancing the rich, earthy notes of the sheep’s milk. Pair it with big hearty wines but avoid anything too tannic, as it will overshadow the nuance of the cheese.

Boudinov says: “Moliterno became popular in the last three to four years. It has the sharpness of pecorino and tastes like truffles (not the chocolate kind).”

Alex Farm St. Lawrence Market 93 Front St. E. / 416 368 2415

HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING

WINE PICKS BY ROBERT GRAVELLE Winter’s social calendar heats up with dinner engagements and cocktail parties, and with the chilly weather, the fare is hearty and the wine invariably will include some big red selections. Here are some of my choice bottles:

Catena Alta Malbec 2007 / $49.95 – LCBO 982355 Malbec seems to be particularly in vogue as of late and one the finest producers is the Catena family of Mendoza. The Catena Alta Malbec 2007 is an excellent example of what Argentina can do. This wine has loads of dark berry fruit flavors and firm tannin and begs to be served with beef, a classic Argentine pairing.

Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 $139.95 – LCBO 711663

My pick in the super-premium red wine category is Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2007. This is a wine that never fails to impress even the most elitist of wine snobs. Deep and concentrated flavors of cassis, espresso and cigar box with ample, soft tannins.

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” 2007 / $76.95 – LCBO 951475 As a contrast to the bold and structured wines listed above, there is the Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” 2007.

This wine from one of my favourite Châteauneuf-du-Pape producers is truly sublime—raspberry verging on blueberry flavors, full body and a luxuriously soft mouth feel. Enjoy this wine as an accompaniment to a rich braise on a frosty evening.

Madrigal Vineyards Petite Sirah 2006 / $23.95 - LCBO 71803 My value pick of the month is a wine that really delivers. The Madrigal Petite Sirah 2006 is a delicious offering from Napa Valley. Not to be confused with Syrah, Petite Sirah is a different variety that goes by the alias of Durif in the south of France. This wine is deeply pigmented, well structured and loaded with black current, vanilla and anise flavors.

PHOTO: (WINE STOPPERS) FRANCO DELEO

The Château du Busca Ténarèze Armagnac Hors d’Age 15 years / $99.95 - LCBO 200293 Offering a digestif to your guests can be a lovely way to extend afterdinner conversation. The Château du Busca Ténarèze Armagnac Hors d’Age 15 years is a delicious and unique alternative to the predictable Cognac and Port options. Armagnac is a grape-based distillate like Cognac but has just a bit more character. Expect notes of caramel, nuts and spice, with a rich, warm finish.

Robert Gravelle is the general manager/wine director for Jacobs and Co. Steakhouse and an instructor for the International Sommelier Guild.

GIFTS FOR WINOS RABBIT AERATING POURER

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The Rabbit Aerating pourer aerates red wine as you pour. Improves flavour and bouquet. No decanter needed. BPA-free. $29.95 / The Wine Establishment thewineestablishment.com

TRUDEAU WINE CHILLER This wine chiller opens automatically when the bottle is lifted and closes when the bottle is inserted. Two integrated freeze packs maintain the temperature of your wine without the mess and condensation from traditional coolers. $44.95 / The Wine Establishment thewineestablishment.com

ANIMAL WINE STOPPERS Save the last precious drops of last night’s wine with these oddly compelling zoologically themed wine stoppers. Choose your Chinese birth year from a tiger, dog, monkey or horse. $15 ea / Drake Hotel General Store 82A Bathurst St. thedrakehotel.ca/dgs

SOAK IN THE CITY Carolyn Drebin gets Blitzed

PHOTO: LEWIS MIRRETT

TUCKED AWAY ON ADELAIDE STREET, IN A BRICK ROW OF FORMER WAREHOUSE STOREFRONTS, IS BODY BLITZ SPA. You might mistake its discreet commercial entrance for a printing house, bike shop or a random office space.

But step through the doors, inhale the therapeutic, aromatic and somewhat chlorinated air and you’re already on your way to experiencing Body Blitz’s mantra of “health by water.”

A modern take on the ancient healing, detoxifying and relaxing powers of water, Body Blitz is a clothing-optional, state-of-the-art, ladies-only day spa that is somewhat like a downtown water park for grown-ups. At its core is a series of attractive pools, steam and sauna rooms set at different temperatures. Patrons are encouraged to experience the Body Blitz “waters circuit”—a routine by which you dip in and out from pool to steam to pool—giving a whole new meaning to “Madge, you’re soaking in it.”

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ESCAPE

As I hung up my coat I faced the big question of the day: bikini or bareback?

At check-in we are advised that iPhones and crackberries are relegated to our lockers, and frosty, tasty protein shakes or calming herbal teas can be ordered for poolside sipping. You can “take the waters” and limit your visit to pool hopping, as many gals do, or you can combine the circuit with one of the various treatments the spa provides. My date for the day chose a traditional aromatherapy massage, while I went for The Works—90 minutes of Body Blitz bliss for the body, face and hair.

The first stop on this head-to-toe adventure is the Scrub ’n Mud Bar in the reception area.

No ordinary glassed-in display, the bar provides an all-access pass to sniff and sample. Along with the signature mint-lime house line are several aromatic blends for the face and body. After practically fingerpainting with all of it, I went for the Eucalyptus Mineral Scrub. Loaded with mud and minerals, it seemed the perfect combo platter for my upcoming treatment.

Next, a quick tour of the main attraction: the Waters themselves. In a softly lit, exposed-brick oasis, pools and waterfalls—surrounded by sculptural red loungers for post-soak flaking out on—subtly stream and bubble. We were eager to drop trou’ and get on with it.

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After receiving size-appropriate flip-flops, we unloaded in the locker room. And it was just that: a simple room full of lockers. No groovy mod cons like TVs or iPods. Just a wall of light wood cubbies with one of the spa’s signature (and surprisingly flattering) red, blue or orange cotton robes inside.

As I hung up my coat I faced the big question of the day: bikini or bareback?

No one wants to be the only nude girl in the room, but the handful of chicas we’d seen were all immersed to their shoulders. My friend wore what was, essentially, a waterproof tennis dress. Strategic arm placement and towel-dropping became de rigueur as I opted to go buff.

As instructed on our laminated circuit route map, we started with a visit to the showers. After rinsing off our outside life, we hopped into the Warm Sea Salt Pool. The perks include stress reduction, muscle relaxation and improvement in blood flow—check, check and check!

Next we hit the aromatherapy Steam Room. Think of every cliché about heat—Hell, Hades, tandoori oven—this was hotter. We’re talking burn-away-nose-hair hot. Deep breathing wasn’t an option here. Not that it mattered: Sinuses are instantly cleared and that much sweat must be good for a couple of pounds in lost water weight.

ESCAPE

Staggering out red-faced and drenched, we headed for the Cold Plunge.

This is the one pool where everyone’s super friendly. Maybe because no one can bear to go it alone, given that it’s like a swim in Lake Nippissing—in November.

But Blitzing is about the waters, all of ’em. So we took the plunge. Some of the benefits of cold—no, frigid—water include tightened pores and a re-energized body. And it was true, everything was tightening in this pool: fists, jaws and parts in between. Emerging after 60 seconds we definitely felt the rush of being alive—and living through it.

(No wonder this place is women only. No guy would subject his precious package to such shriveling exhilaration as this.)

Luckily the infrared sauna is there to defrost. While traditional saunas warm the body indirectly, these hot boxes emit heat that gets right to your core without having to depend on steam or even air. Which makes it one of the best ways apparently to rid oneself of toxins and pollutants.

The final stop on the circuit is the Green Tea Pool, with its healing and antioxidant benefits. This is not your average herbal bath. Big in Japan, it’s like steeping in a giant teapot. Once reserved solely for emperors, now we common folk can soak up the royal treatment. Just don’t drink it.

After teatime, my treatment specialist, Ann, arrives to take me away from all this. With her hand at the small of my back, she gently guides me into a quiet, labyrinthine series of hallways that is calmly institutional.

Once inside the scrub room, Ann straps on her waterproof apron and readies the tools of her trade (i.e. the shower-headed hose). The scene could be straight out of HBO’s Dexter: clinical room, solitary waterproofed bed in the centre, suspended lighting, strategically placed floor drains. While Ann dims the overhead heat lamp, I don a disposable thong and hop onto the orange padded bed. Thoughts of serial killers are washed away as Ann gets down to business with the scrub mitt and body gel, lathering up, hosing down and getting right in between the toes.

A quick flip, and it’s scrub time. Often a salt scrub can sting, in a good way, but this was the perfect blend of rough and smooth. Ann’s strong

hands made that muddy scrub sing! For the body finale, mint-lime moisturizer is massaged, massaged, massaaaaah…

It’s almost impossible not to fall asleep during The Works. Concentrating on the tingling scalp serum helps. As it sets, my face is exfoliated to revitalize the skin, followed by yet more mud in the form of a mask. Random voices and splashing from adjacent rooms threaten to call me back from nirvana, but a relaxing scalp massage is great for improving my concentration—and blocking out external nonmusical sounds.

A shampoo and conditioning treatment washes away any bits of mud and salt from my hair, while the magical elixir known as Argan Oil is smoothed across my face. Known for its anti-aging qualities and high concentration of vitamin E, its application marks the end (all too soon!) of The Works. With Ann’s support, I try to delicately alight from the table. After such an intense and decadent scrub down, my skin is aglow from top to tail, but my legs are like noodles.

Sadly, my mate did not fare as well with her treatment. The lavender aromatherapy massage was all aroma and not enough therapy. Her RMT seemed a bit junior and she was missing the luxuries of your more typical day spa.

Then again, Body Blitz is hardly typical. Rather than focusing on the outside—eye-popping signage, cutting-edge décor or fancy amenities like extra towels—it’s all about the inside. Behind its pedestrian façade is the perfect place for an inner-city escape, a girly get-together or a purifying body overhaul. A well-known local secret, the place is packed by lunchtime every day of the week. Bottoms on or boobs out, everyone in the know comes here to get Blitzed.

Carolyn Drebin is a writer of page and screen, an amateur gourmand and the mother of three young boys. When not working for her kids, she can be found ranting and raving on her website: motherofallmavens.com

SPA AT HOME

PHOTOS: (PRODUCTS) FRANCO DELEO, (SPA) COURTESY OF BODY BLITZ

Nourish your bliss with these product picks

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1. SCRUB MITT. Use it weekly to slough away dead skin cells and improve circulation. $10.

2. MINT LIME BODY LOTION. Refreshes, moisturizes and conditions the skin. $22.

3. ARGAN OIL FACE SERUM. This “liquid gold” has phenomenal anti-aging and skin-protecting qualities. $65.

4. EUCALYPTUS MINERAL SCRUB. Helps stimulate circulation and enhance skin’s appearance. With 100% moor mud, eucalyptus and rosemary. $32.

(1-4 from Body Blitz Spa, 471 Adelaide St. W., 416.364.0400, bodyblitzspa.com) 5. UGG FLUFFIE FLIP-FLOPS. For your winter pedi. $58. Hudson’s Bay Company, 176 Yonge St., hbc.com 6. THYMES FRASIER FIR POURED CANDLE. Smells like a walk in the forest. $30. Indigo, 142 John St., indigo.ca 7. DR. HAUSCHKA LEMON BATH. Energizing and uplifting as sunshine for your morning soak. $33. Pure+simple, 725 King St. W., pureandsimple.ca 8. COMFORT ZONE TRANQUILITY SPRAY. Lets you zone out with the touch of a button. $32. Hammam Spa, 602 King St. W., hammamspa.ca

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PROBLEM SOLVED WE ASKED 5 LOCAL IDEA GURUS: HOW TO GIFT TO IMPRESS

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You’re going to your partner’s parents for the holidays. It’s your first time meeting them. What’s the perfect gift to win them over?

David Rosenberg Chief Creative Officer, Bensimon Byrne Advertising

Hunter Tura President & CEO, Bruce Mau Design

Joe Paonessa Founder & Creative Director, Salt & Pepper

Alex Wigington Principal, Creative Director, Oxygen Design Agency

Dawna Henderson President & CEO, Henderson Bas

“If I’m really desperate to make a good impression, I don’t go at all. I send an imposter—a better-looking version of myself. But he’s not just better looking; he’s more successful, too.

He’s a neurosurgeon and male supermodel/astronaut who has just started a new global fund to help fund all the funds that desperately need more funding. After having just delivered hot Christmas meals to war veterans, he parks his hybrid and arrives with a tree sapling and a case of wine from his own organic vineyard, located less than 100 miles away. Oh, and he has hair. Lots of hair.”

“The first time I met my in-laws I went with a safe choice—a tasteful fruit bowl.

To this day, I still don’t know if they like it. Recently, I’ve been bringing a small wooden Gorilla designed

by David Weeks. There’s a whole series of different creatures made from sustainably harvested beech wood. It’s something unusual and unexpected and it always generates an honest reaction.”

“My first piece of advice... do your homework! These people have loved, been more patient with and spent at least half their net worth on this person you now claim to love.

Finesse Mom with tasteful flowers in a simple red vase. Bring an abundance of delectable croissants and heavenly bread from Petite Thuet. And never forget the conversation starters—great bottles of wine accompanied by a very special bottle of Daddy’s favourite! Keep in mind that all alcohol is replaceable with tins of Tim Hortons.”

“A warm blanket makes a great holiday gift for anyone.

To make it original, I would hand cut the family name or the parents’ initials out of an amazing fabric and sew the letters onto the blanket near a bottom edge. Or I would seek out a very cool statement-piece vessel at a vintage store, like an old silver urn vase or a graphic tin can, and fill it with pine branches, fresh white lilies and red berry branches. The personal touch beats just a store-bought gift. It’s all in the creativity of putting a new take on the expected and delighting someone with something a little different.”

“The best thing you can bring to someone’s house during the holidays is homemade Scottish shortbread.

It’s buttery, comforting and I do not know anyone who doesn’t love this baked treat.

If you don’t have the time or skill to make it, Walkers’ Shortbread is the best storebought shortbread you can buy. It is the real deal.”

IT’S A WRAP LET AN EXPERT DO YOUR HOLIDAY HEAVY LIFTING CE / $15

YEAR-OLD NIE

FOR YOUR 6-

in style nnies a lesson Make saving pe pretty pink (in nk Ba y g Pigg with this Flyin lver). or this shiny si m

.co spottedzebragifts Spotted Zebra /

FOR YOUR (NEW) GIRLFRIEND / $98 You can’t go wrong with one of Toronto artist Virginia Johnson’s charming 100% wool chain stitch pouches, adapted from her watercolour illustrations of flora and fauna. In navy, burntorange, turquoise, violet, mocha and brown.

Spotted Zebra / spottedzebragifts.com

FOR YOUR GURU / $350 Say namaste with this New-Age-meets-Deco crystal quartz Iciclez necklace by Toronto jeweler Jane Apor.

J. Rox Originals / janeapor.com

/ $98 FOR YOUR NEIGHBOUR with this rustic and Keep your doors open all Doorstop. nautical-inspired Ropeb King St. W. / dwr.com Design Within Reach / 435

PHOTOS: FRANCO DELEO, (BOOK) NEIL LEIFER GOAT/TASCHEN, FLIP SCHULKE

FOR YOUR MENTOR / $945 The ultimate in executive des k bling, Tom Binn’s 24-karat gold-plated brass letter opener says thank you in a big way.

Hudson’s Bay Company / 176 Yonge St. / hbc.com

FOR YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW / $175 Greatest of All Time: A Tribute to Muhammad Ali (Taschen, 2010). Weighing in at just under 15 pounds, and 652 pages, this champ is a magnificent document to social change, the art of photography and our memories of the Greatest.

Spotted Zebra / spottedzebragifts.com

FOR YOUR BROTHER WHO HAS EVERYTHING / $90 Nobody is too cool for school to sport these stylin’ and high-quality WeSC Tambourine headphones.

Adrift Skate Shop / 116 Spadina Ave. / adriftonline.com

Juditha Sakinofsky is the owner of Spotted Zebra gift services.

She has been shopping for a diverse clientele since 1995. / 75

ON THE TOWN

NIGHTS IN THE ’HOOD THOMPSON HOTELS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Ellen Barkin and Julianne Moore at the The Kids are All Right premiere at Plein Sud, Smyth Tribeca. Fabien Lepaitre (Thompson manager), Ed Westwick and Jason Pomeranc (Thompson owner) at the Toro opening at Smyth Tribeca. Sports Illustrated model Irina Shayk at Prabal Gurung’s show at Smyth Tribeca for NYC Fashion Week. Jared Leto at the Chelsea Handler after-party/Florence and the Machine at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Moby at the Michel Gondry event at the Thompson Lower East Side. Katie Cassidy of Gossip Girl at the Toro opening at Smyth Tribeca. Edward Norton at the The Kids are All Right premiere at Plein Sud, Smyth Tribeca.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THOMPSON HOTELS

TIFF

THOMPSON TORONTO

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Molly Sims, Terrence Howard, James Franco, Kevin Spacey, Hilary Swank, Keanu Reeves and Anthony Hopkins.

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PHOTOS: GEORGE PIMENTEL PHOTOGRAPHY

BOOBY BALL

ON THE TOWN

PHOTOS: MICHAEL ULLMAN

MAISON GRAND OPENING

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Wallis Giunta (ensemble studio member) and Kevin Drew (lead singer, Broken Social Scene). Fayaz Dossa (co-chair and COC board member). Claire Kennedy (co-chair) and Phil Deck (COC president). Julia Bass, David Hamilton (publisher, Hello! Canada), Barry Avrich (COC board member) and Melissa Manly. Trinity Jackman (COC board member), Bruce Kuwabara, Victoria Jackman. Helen Burstyn, Jeanne Beker (VIP dinner host) and Barry Flatman. Broken Social Scene. Jeffrey Remedios (Arts & Crafts) and Faith Orfus. Daniel Johnson and Aliya-Jasmine Sovani (MTV VJ).

PHOTOS: eyecontact photography

OPERANATION

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: C. Gardiner Cranston (co-founder, TCHAD Quarterly), Khalil Azan (co-owner, Azan’s hair salon) and George Sully (co-founder, TCHAD Quarterly).

Boobyball committee. Daytona B Itch. Alexa Bothwell (committee member) and lounge lizard. Natalie Gee and Celene Gee (GEE Beauty). Sarah O’Regan (honorary co-chair) and MJ Decocteau (founder and executive director, Rethink Breast Cancer). Alison Gordon (VP, Rethink Breast Cancer) and Michelle Rothstein (Breast Fest Film Festival). Yellowtail Bubbles Atmosphere. DJ Vaneska.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Antonio Tadrissi and Celine Tadrissi. Simone Eccleton, Marie Danielle and Charlotte Positano. Miss Universe Canada Elena Semikina, Andrew Lopez and friend. Zark Fatah and Rachelle Goulding. DJ Tito and Jed Dadson. Traci Melchor and Tania Kim (eTalk). Ronnie Madra and friends.

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ACCO

ILLUSTRATION: CASSIE ZHEN & CLAYTON BUDD

ILISA R R A M BY hey say Toronto is a melting pot of cultures. And it is. There’s cocktail culture, club culture and pub culture. Bay Street culture, hipster culture and it’s-not-Toronto-if-it’s-north-of-Bloor culture. There’s opera culture, indie rock culture and the-guy-whoplays-the-bagpipes-on-Yonge culture. (Sadly, there’s no accordion culture, though I’m pretty sure there’s a guy playing a washboard somewhere.) Yet despite the abundance of beliefs, principles, morals and hairstyles each of these cultures embrace, there is one common thread weaving through the fabric of our city that unites them all.

And that thread is sex.

Make no mistake, men and women alike are eager to get it on in this town. And considering the array of neighbourhoods here, there’s a virtual goldmine of nookie around every corner. But as working girls and real estate agents know all too well, exactly which corner (location, location!) is key. Although I can’t guarantee that your next outing will result in a notch on the ol’ bedpost, I can help you decide where to set your sights.

The Yonge and Eglinton area—commonly known as Young and Eligible—attracts newly minted professionals for its bevy of bars, chain restaurants and promising moniker. For many recent grads of smalltown universities, this is their first Toronto experience. This means domestic beer chased with Jager shots, and the resulting bleary-eyed belief that the blonde at the bar is looking at them. Once their single 20s give way to single 30s, these same types, a little thinner in the hairline, a little fatter in the pocketbook, head south (sorry) to the Summerhill ’hood, where the hip restaurants offering $25 burgers, organic local wines and recently divorced lawyers are plentiful.

Beware of baby strollers, as the neighbourhood also plays host to new moneyed families—be even more aware of wedding-ring tan lines.

Same-sex sex usually unfolds in the Church and Wellesley ’hood.

I’m not qualified to speak about this area in much detail except to say that for girls who like boys, it’s heartbreaking to see the sheer number of sculpted and stylishly dressed men here. File under life isn’t fair.

Ossington and Queen West are home to Toronto’s hipsters. Here the artfully disheveled gather to compare iPod playlists while trading stories about sex with disgraced American Apparel CEO Dov Charney. They sport tight jeans, mustaches and fluorescent sunglasses (at night, natch) and exude a studied insouciance that took years to perfect and which says: “I put a lot of time into not caring

what you think.” This set gets their cardio zipping around the city on their skateboards and vintage Schwinn cruisers. Although exercise isn’t as much of a focus, seeing as they favour Bud Light and Pabst Blue Ribbon, which are low in calories but high in irony.

BUT ALL OF TORONTO’S SINGLES LANES INEVITABLY CONVERGE ON KING STREET. Known as the Entertainment District, it offers an endless supply of same—both free and paid for. From the theatres that showcase world-class stage productions to the scantily clad girls shivering in the lineups outside the clubs in February to the pros who dance at For Your Eyes Only, King has something for everyone.

Bankers like to flaunt their bloated paychecks with designer bottle service and an after-hours uniform of jeans, untucked shirts and tight blazers, while scanning the crowd for the bustiest blond in the room—who, it bears noting, is ubiquitous. Grown-up frat boys opt for one of the strip’s pubs, usually a place where the word beer figures into its name—brews and babes sum up their modus operandi— although they also fall prey to the packs of cougars that gather here to hunt young bucks when the sun goes down. Presumably, everyone goes home happy.

I, for one, appreciate King Street’s complexity. If I feel like being civilized, I can go to the swanky Thompson Hotel to rub elbows with visiting filmmakers and assorted glitterati. If, however, I am feeling feisty, I hunt down the frat boys and begin pushing sensitive buttons; bankers don’t stand a chance against me.

Nor did the unsuspecting Brit who tried to chat me up one night at a King West beer bar, where in full battle mode, I called the poor guy out on every tired cliché he fed me. No, I didn’t have my own TV show. Yes, I was aware that many women find accents sexy, and no, I wasn’t one of them. A few drinks later, he tried to grab my ass and I tried to break his arm. But soon we were trading quotes from The Simpsons and air-guitaring to Led Zeppelin. I’m not saying there was a love connection, or that I can even remember his name, but everyone went home that night with fully functioning limbs and a somewhat milder aversion to British accents.

That’s the beauty of King Street, it’s an Anything Goes culture here, and happily, for Toronto, it usually does. I like to think of it as our cultural melting pot’s boiling point.

Marilisa Racco is a Toronto-based fashion and beauty writer who prefers the company of her dog, Floyd.

/85

TEST DRIVE

FITNESS REGIMENS MICHAEL CRAM WORKS IT OUT

PHOTOS: LEWIS MIRRETT

With all-too comfy winter upon us, what better time to try a fresh new workout routine? Actor and King Westian Michael Cram test-drives three trendy fitness regimens in the ’hood so you don’t have to.

86 /

TEST DRIVE

445 King St. W., Suite 101 416.979.2449 / totum.ca

580 King St. W. 416.203.1811 / quadspin.com

577 Wellington St. W. 416.361.3033 / mokshayogadowntown.com

BOXING AT TOTUM LIFE SCIENCE

SPINNING AT QUAD

HOT YOGA AT MOKSHA

While not a member, I’ve been coming here for deep tissue massage for years with my favourite RMT, Antonio. So, wasn’t I surprised when he turned out to be tonight’s boxing instructor! Boxing workouts can range from boxercise-type circuit training to full-on heavybag workouts with loads of push-ups, burpies and skipping. Word on Antonio is that he’s relentless. This means I won’t be allowed to flail about in the back.

Studio: An 11,000-square-foot designer loft space with soaring ceilings, this boutique-style gym is clean and well equipped. The men’s change room looks a little lived in but spotless and nicely designed. Plus, there’s a steam room.

Vibe: Friendly helpful staff, lots of intermember conversation, plus Antonio personally greeted everyone (and even hugged some of us) before class.

Instructor: Antonio worked us to the bonio!

He’s a natural motivator with great sense of humour.

Class: That was tough! A fantastic full-body workout with lots of heavy-bag action, skipping intervals and even a little light one-on-one with Antonio!

Max heart rate: About 15 minutes into the onehour class I was up around 175 bpm—pretty good for an old(ish) guy!

Recovery: I was high on endorphins immediately following class, and my shoulders and core muscles ached proudly for two days.

Antonio says: “Welcome to my Mexican torture chamber!”

Bonus! The sports medicine clinic downstairs offers physio, chiropractic, acupuncture and nutritional guidance.

I started spinning about 10 years ago and consider myself something of an expert. My very first instructor, Micheline Wedderburn, taught a strong foundation of technique while working me out as hard as I’ve ever experienced. Along with partner Martin Dzatko, she now runs her own spin studio here. I was happy to see Micheline was teaching my class.

After a brief reunion, she tossed me a look over her shoulder and said with an evil grin: “I hope you’re ready for this.”

Studio: With its unadorned downtown brick and concrete interior, Quad is like a dimly lit Zen spin factory, with a maximum capacity of over 60 bikes. The change room is clean, cool and just big enough that you needn’t knock nasties with your naked neighbours.

Vibe: Downtown and upbeat, this is a real community club and these are the people in your neighbourhood.

Instructor: Get lean and mean with Micheline!

With her genuine enthusiasm and intensity, it’s impossible not to be inspired.

Class: A good hardcore spin like this turns into a kind of meditation when it’s done right.

Hands down, the best spin class I’ve taken since Micheline first taught me years ago.

Max heart rate: I was in my high range for most of the 45-minute spin, maxing out at 176 bpm. Prepare to sweat!

Recovery: After the spin, we did 15 minutes of stretching. Quad has a separate space for extra stretching if you need it…and you’ll need it.

Micheline says: “Close your eyes, zone out, go inside and connect with the music.”

Bonus! Special themed spins and live DJ classes.

I’ve always wanted to be a yoga guy except I’m supremely inflexible and lacking in patience.

Not to mention I suffer from First-Timer Anxiety Syndrome (FATS), a disorder characterized by a deep fear of the unknown and a passiveaggressive need to be the best at something before ever having tried it.

Studio: The first thing I notice is the calm quiet, or is it the lukewarm humidity? The men’s change room is pretty small, but there are showers and a couple of storage cubicles.

Vibe: There wasn’t much talking going on, just a lot of peaceful smiles. I was prepared to feel like a newbie interloper, but Moksha’s instructors and students were warm and welcoming.

Instructor: Rachael, Rachael, Rachael. You always remember your first.

Class: Moksha Yoga is practiced in a heated studio to allow for deeper stretches and help detoxify the system. I got a little nervy when people set up their mats so close to me, but once class began, I focused on Rachael’s lilting voice calling out the poses and the rest seemed to take care of itself. Don’t get me wrong, I suck at this. But I felt challenged by the poses that required strength and balance. My mind was too occupied to be self-conscious—I wasn’t even conscious of the 90-plus minutes it took to do the class.

Max heart rate: Who needs a heart rate when you’re one with the universe? It was surprisingly strenuous at times, especially as my body temperature rose.

Recovery: Just breathe. And water, water, water.

Rachael says: “Create space with your breath.

It could be in your hips or your back, or maybe in your mind. Commit to being present.”

Bonus! An in-house spa.

Actor/musician Michael Cram plays the character “Wordy” on CTV’s Flashpoint and may one day be a yoga guy.

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I heard him being interviewed on CBC, and he reminds me of Chris Farley playing a motivational speaker— it’s so ridiculous it’s scary. I just hope that through this, people will wake up; that the worse it gets, the more people will take action and be more involved with politics and social change.”

— Jess Lemon, 27, yoga instructor

King West Weighs In On:

ROB FORD Interviews by Geneva Bokowski

.

od e’ll be go . I hope h l be able to k he’l s don’t ity. I thin c e th r ouncillor c fo r e th o n on done if rack dow c to get stuff g and in . He’s go e unions block him anagement of th ck.” ism ck on tra all the m them ba t e 41, g y ll Stewart, hopefu — Brian er tion work construc

I’m in favour of anyone who’s going to cut a little bit of spending; spending has increased 50 percent over the last seven years. I don’t think he’s going to ruin the city because he’s one vote on council; there are a lot of checks and balances, it’s not like he can run rampant. He needs cooperation from other councillors, so in the end I think we’re going to be just fine.”

— Eric Johanssen, 28, flight attendant

dian Cana voted a t o ’m n dn’t have what use I beca but I woul cused on er.” ett n, t fo citize . He’s no develop b t d r o uden t o for F elp Toron cal st i d e 27, m will h d A., a G —

Rob Ford, but I do think it’s interesting that he wants to reduce the number of councillors at City Hall.

I think that’s a great idea because I believe in less government and I think he’s really trying to streamline how money is spent. I’ve also heard that he wants to implement a transparency system, publish bank statements online so people can see money coming in, money going out.”

— Melissa Munro, 41, photographer

88 /

ILLUSTRATION: CASSIE ZHEN

and I don’t think he’ll be good for Toronto. I think there’s way too mu ch focus on saving mone y and not actually building the culture of the city.

I’m worried that Toronto is going to go back to the way it used to be, which is jus t sort of a financial hu b, and lose the life and the vit ality of the city.”

— Lindsay P., 30, medic al resident

vote for Rob Fo rd. I don’t thin good for the ci k he’ll be ty. I heard som not balancing ething about hi his campaign m budget, he’s lik hundred thou sand dollars in e a few debt now—co that was his pl nsidering atform, I think that’s really po heard a radio or. I also interview on C BC where he rude. He was was incredibly not focused, he was insensitive that’s a terrib , and I think le image for th e city.”

— Christie D., 26, operations manager

KATE MULLIN, 24 | Creative director and publicist, The Fashion Collective Spotted at: Portland and Stewart KW: What are you doing here today?

I’m on my way to the Thompson Hotel for some meetings. I basically work out of the Thompson.

KW: How would you describe your style?

Right now...“boho grunge,” influenced by the ’90s. I try to stay in the effortless chic category. When you mix hard and soft it allows you to have fun. I like to play with edge and flow.

KW: What inspired your outfit?

I saw Angus and Julia Stone last night at The Opera House. Today I woke up and felt pretty, very much like how I feel when I listen to their music. I wanted to wear something stylish, sexy and confident,

PHOTO: FRANCO DELEO

like Julia Stone.

KW: What are you wearing?

Danier leather skirt. Cropped bomber jacket by Wilfred. LD Tuttle shoes from Chasse Gardee. Bracelet from my travels in Mexico. Satin Burgundy sheer nails.

Vintage silk scarf from my mom.

/ 89

THE DEAL

THE LOWDOWN: » 987-sq-ft southwest-facing unit at 552 Wellington St. » Bought April 2007 for $400/sq ft. » Sold October 2010 for over $600/sq ft. » On the market for three weeks.

Robin Kay’s King West Coup

“Smart woman has an idea, buys this place, flips it, makes a bunch of money, buys another place.” -R.K. PHOTO BY FRANCO DELEO

KW: What drew you to 552 Wellington?

I was one of the first people to buy here, before they even broke ground.

I bought the condo because it’s a hotel, which means services—parking, room service, concierge—and because I could bring my dogs, Lulu and Grace Kelly, and it’s right on the park.

KW: Did you make any changes to it?

I threw a lot of money at it. It was supposed to be a two-bedroom but I took out the walls wherever I could and turned it into a one-bedroom.

I got all the upgrades I could. The floor—bleached-out wood, I love the whole white thing—was the most expensive thing. The kitchen is fancy.

The bathroom fixtures were all upgrades. I moved in last May. KW: So why did you decide to move?

I needed to spread out. I was lying in bed one night, and I don’t know how I flashed on it, but I wondered if there was a roomier unit available upstairs. The next day I called the sales centre. And there was— directly above this place. Four people were bidding on it. I went in right on asking and got it.

KW: What’s the new place like?

A little bit more than double the size of the old one. It has very, very dark wood floors, which I’ve never lived with but I’m going to try. It’s divided into living quarters—very large, it’s all about the view—and then there’s another wing for the laundry room and the bedrooms. And it’s got lots of drawers and cupboards.

90 /

KW: How do you see the move from an investment perspective?

When you buy a more expensive place, you’re making an investment.

I paid off my mortgage for the first condo, but for the new condo I have a considerable mortgage. If I’m aggressive over the next five years, my mortgage will be paid off, which is pretty fantastic. I’m also buying a third place, a tiny unit over at the Thompson Residences on King Street. From my experience, anybody who can park a reasonable chunk of money for a couple of years with a builder who they trust and respect, and either live there or sell it after they’ve decorated it is making a good move.

KW: You obviously like the neighbourhood.

I just love it. I even moved my office onto Maud Street; it’s so close, the dogs and I walk to work. There are a lot of historical properties. And it’s very fun. I order quite a bit from The Counter downstairs—chocolate cake at four in the morning with whipped cream. And the concierge people here are wonderful and the boys at the front door all know me.

I used to joke and say this is my version of Baycrest.

THE TAKE-HOME: It’s a good message for women to know that you don’t always have to be a little lady. We have the ability to make decisions about things that are larger than a toaster. I’m a woman on my own. And when you’re a woman on your own making decisions, the decision process is totally different. I’ve had a couple of husbands, and it’s just a whole different thing because you don’t have to compromise.

K I N G

W E S T ’ S

P R E M I E R

R E A L

E S TAT E

B R O K E R A G E

Private Service Realty Ltd. is a niche brokerage that aims to exceed clients’ expectations in a unique, urban environment, with premium service in all elements of the real estate market.

First-time buyers, seasoned investors and everyone in between, our dedicated real estate professionals take the time to understand your goals and will find the perfect fit within the Toronto market.

KING WEST’S REAL ESTATE

6 0 0 K I N G S T R E E T W E S T, M A I N L E V E L

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TEL 416 360 0688

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Not intended to solicit properties currently listed for sale or lease or individuals currently working with or who have signed a buyer representation agreement with another brokerage.

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OUR EXPERTS F YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS.

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500 WELLINGTON ST. #802 $1,899,900 The word desire comes to mind when you talk about living at five hundred wellington west. Privately positioned in a very stylish niche in the coveted central king west neighbourhood - this definition in designer living is now available for a privileged few. An intimate building, just 10 storeys and home to just 17 ultimately luxurious, penthouse-sized loft suites- full floor and half floor.

Gorgeous cabana terraces sprawling 500 Sq. Ft.

75 PORTLAND ST. #420 $472,400

55 STEWART ST. #606 $269,900

Brand new in central King West! Two storey condo with great southwest views, 15 Foot balcony. Parking & locker included. Engineered hardwood flooring throughout. Steps away from public transit, restaurants & Victoria Memorial Park. Easy access to QEW.

City living at its best in the new Thompson Hotel. Open concept junior one bedroom w/balcony, 9ft exposed concrete ceilings and floor to ceiling windows. Building amenities include a gym membership, rooftop pool access and 24 hour concierge. Pay per use services include valet parking, housekeeping, room service, dog walker, car service and much more. Steps to public transit and Victoria Memorial Park.

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350 WELLINGTON ST. W. #318 $2,100 / Month

78 HARRISON GARDEN BLVD. #2501 $522,000

Live at the chic and luxurious Soho Hotel and Condominiums. Fully furnished, spacious bright, one bedroom unit with wall to wall windows and new concrete floors. Granite counters in large kitchen and spa like marble bath. The access to the soho fitness centre with swimming pool and steam room. Great location in the downtown core, walk to financial district.

One of the exclusive penthouse series an oversized 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom corner suite with spectacular views.

High ceilings, large principle spaces, marble floor in foyer, fireplace and balconies. Eat in kitchen with breakfast bar and clear views. Two parking and locker included. Close to transit, Yonge Street shops and restaurants. Easy to get to and from.

550 FRONT ST. #432 $1,600 / Month

66 PORTLAND ST. #802 $2,250 / Month

Attention renters! Fully furnished, open concept 9ft ceilings, private balcony, fireplace, 42’ lcd tv wall mounted, part of living turned into office space, lg bedroom, outstanding location in a quaint downtown area within minutes of King & Queen restaurants, shopping, Portland Park Village, Rogers Centre, ACC, theatre district, financial district and more! This is an all inclusive rental w/parking, only extra cost is for cable and phone.

One bedroom loft at 66 Portland with sunny south exposure. This unit boasts 10 Ft. exposed concrete ceilings, hardwood floors throughout, stainless steel appliances, gas line to balcony for bbq. This boutique building is in the heart of king west and is walking distance to public trnasportation. The entertainment and financial districts and Victoria Memorial Park.

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55 STEWART ST. #539 $1,375,000 One of a kind contemporary space in the new chic Thompson Hotel. Over 2100 Sq. Ft. custom floor plan with 3 balconies overlooking victoria memorial park and the city skyline. This unique space boasts large upgraded marble tiles throughout with upgraded hardwood in the bedrooms. Unparalleled use of design with gourmet kitchen, modern spa style bathrooms, with 2 separate rain showers and free standing bathtub in master ensuite, a true urban lifestyle experience.

SOLD

24 NOBLE ST. #402 $335,000

55 STEWART ST. #701 $619,900

Amazing corner unit with great sunsets!!! High ceilings.

Post and beam with exposed brick. The building has 20 first come first serve parking spots. Great neighborhood, close to the gladstone hotel and many other shops and restaurants.

Approximately 1209 Sq. Ft. of open concept new loft space at the thompson hotel & residences. This suite boasts exposed concrete ceilings, stainless steel appliances, poggen pohl kitchens with soft close drawers and pre-engineered hardwood flooring through-out. Just steps to victoria memorial park & king west restaurants.

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55 STEWART ST. #924 $769,900

75 PORTLAND ST. #309 $431,000

The Thompson Hotel & Residences. Open concept 2 bedroom + den, suite is approximately 1468 Sq. Ft. + balcony.

Suite boasts exposed concrete ceilings, stainless steel appliances, Poggen Pohl German kitchen with soft close drawers and large island. Engineered hardwood flooring through-out, frosted glass c-living partition doors for bedroom and closets. Steps to Victoria Memorial Park & King West restaurants.

Yoo by Starck building. Open concept one bedroom / one washroom suite, approximately 743 Sq. Ft. + large terrace w/gas line. Suite boasts 9ft exposed concrete ceilings, Scavolini Italian kitchen w/built-in wine fridge, engineered hardwood flooring throughout, frosted glass c-living partition doors for bedroom closets and gas range. Steps to public transit, Victoria Memorial Park, and King West restaurants. http://www.Obeo.com/621174

80 CUMBERLAND ST. #202 $2,200 / Month

75 PORTLAND ST. #406 $414,900

Location, location, location, beautiful furnished suite in Yorkville! Quiet boutique with 24 hour concierge. Brand new 5’ hardwood floors, glass enclosed stand up shower, newly painted and updated suite with 2 separate balconies and large walk in closet. No car needed, public transit and subway at your doorstep and the city’s best restaurants and shops only a walk away! Don’t miss this great opportunity to live in the city’s best neighbourhood.

Yoo by Starck building. Open concept one bedroom + den suite, approximately 733 Sq. Ft. ft unit boasts 9ft exposed concrete ceilings, Scavolini Italian kitchen, engineered hardwood flooring throughout, frosted glass c-living partition doors for bedrooms and closets, and frameless glass balcony railing. Building amenities included are part time concierge & starck courtyard. Steps to public transit, and Victoria Memorial Park. Parking included in purchase price!

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75 PORTLAND ST. #902 $489,900

4 ELSINORE PATH #207 $199,900

Yoo by Starck building, open concept one bedroom + den, 2 storey sub penthouse suite, approximately 925 Sq. Ft. unit boasts 9ft exposed concrete ceilings, Scavolini italian kitchen, engineered hardwood flooring throughout, frosted glass c-living partition doors for bedrooms and closets.

And framless glass balcony. Building amenities included are part time concierge & starck courtyard. Steps to public transit, Victoria Memorial Park and King West restaurants.

This is an incredible opportunity to live in Lakeshore Village! Approx 640 Sq. Ft., 1+den with two(2) parking spaces for less than $200k. South facing over the park, ready for your immediate occupancy. Easy access to public transportation, major highways, colleges, parks and more!

Enjoy the downtown lifestyle without the downtown prices!

SOLD

168 KING ST. E. #1111 $1,750 / Month

4 LOWTHER AVE. #603 $862,500

Spacious one bedroom and den with parking and locker at King George Square. Over 700 Sq. Ft. of well-designed space nestled conveniently close to the St. Lawrence Market, Distillery and financial districts. Public transportation and major highways are extremely close making this the perfect option to get in or out of the city.

An extraordinary living experience. Across from Yorkville.

A small intimate building. Close to shopping, restaurants + whole foods grocery. Big rooms + open spaces. Loads of storage. Valet parking, 24hr concierge. Indoor pool, fitness center + party room.

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360 DAVENPORT $2,995,000 Here is your opportunity to own one of the most pretigious live/work buildings in the most desirable area of downtown Toronto.

Over 6700 Sq. Ft. of beautifully renovated contemporary space, with 2 stylish penthouses above prestige retail perfectly positioned between Toronto’s most affluent neighbourhoods of Yorkville & Forest Hill in designers walk. Suites finished with top of the line appliances & finishes, huge rooftop patio, 3 parking spaces plus plus plus.

2287 LAKE SHORE BLVD W. #507 $424,900

11 BRUNEL CRT. #1115 $439,900

Completely renovated two bedroom condo with stunning lake views. This unit has been professionally designed and boasts new hardwood flooring, custom window coverings, renovated washrooms and a modernized kitchen. The efficient layout maximizes and separates the living and dining space for the urban professional who loves to entertain.

The master bedroom is a sanctuary to retreat and relax.

Parking and locker are included in the purchase price.

Spectacular 2 bedroom and den condo at West One! This unit boasts approximately 930 Sq. Ft. of sun-drenched space with an efficient design and layout. Get downtown and out of town from this conveniently located building with public transportation, major highways, the financial district and king west all a short distance away. Relax and enjoy the extensive building amenities including a pool, gym, concierge, party room and more. Parking and locker included.

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552 WELLINGTON ST. #1202 $605,000

75 PORTLAND ST. #428 $420,000

Luxury living at the Thompson Toronto Exclusive Hotel tower loft with unobstructed south west views. Professionally designed suite boasts 10 Ft. exposed concrete ceilings, stainless steel appliances, Poggen Pohl German kitchen w/ soft close drawers, wide plank engineered hardwood flooring, c-living partition doors for bedroom/closets, and much more! Building amenities included are gym membership, rooftop pool access and 24 hour concierge.

Brand new in central King West! Two storey condo with great southwest views, 15 Foot balcony. Parking & locker included. Engineered hardwood flooring throughout. Steps away from public transit, restaurants & Victoria Memorial Park. Easy access to QEW.

SOLD

55 STEWART ST. #121 $847,400

225 SHERWAY GARDENS RD. #1601 $277,000

The Thompson Hotel & Residences. Open concept 2 bedroom + den, suite is approximately 1722 Sq. Ft. + balcony.

Suite boasts exposed concrete ceilings, stainless steel appliances, poggen pohl german kitchen with soft close drawers and large island. Engineered hardwood flooring through-out, frosted glass c-living partition doors for bedroom and closets. Steps to victoria memorial park & king west restaurants.

Gorgeous 1 bedroom + den located in a highly desirable area, across from upscale sherway gardens mall and close to Gardiner / 427 hwy. Minutes to downtown, hospital, public transit & restaurants. Nice high floor with amazing view, oak floors throughout. Very functional layout. Window blinds included, walk-in closet in the bedroom. Lots of closet space.

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55 STEWART ST. #725 $769,900

438 KING ST. W. #2002 $699,900

*1418 Sq. Ft. /south unobstructed view of park/access to Thompson Hotel amenities/light & airy color palette/2 walk-outs to balconies/every room has walk-in closets/den can be used as a 3rd bdrm./Exposed concrete ceilings/ loft living/island kitchen, complete open concept/nowasted space, best floor plan, best view/luxury living in the heart of King West.

Welcome to The Hudson. A rare corner suite. 2 Bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 parking, 2 lockers + den and balcony. Floor to ceiling windows. Great layout with designer finishes such as hardwood floors throughout, upgraded kitchen + bathrooms. Large open kitchen with island, perfect for entertaining. Great amenities. Central location - walk to work and play.

LEASED

20 STEWART ST. #306 $3,600 / Month

619 KING ST. $24 SQ/FT

Intimate boutique building built by Freed Developments.

Open concept 1 bedroom + den floor plan with north exposure and large balcony. Suite boasts stainless steel appliances, hardwood flooring throughout, exposed 10 Ft. concrete ceiling, floor to ceiling windows, modern euro style kitchen. Steps to public transit and Victoria Memorial Park.

Rare opportunity to lease a small stand alone building in the heart of King Street West. Two storey brick and beam structure with high ceilings and architectural character. Excellent for restaurant, showroom or retail store.

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Continued from page 44

Continued from page 45

MARK AND DANIELLE WADDEN’S WINE STORAGE FRIDGE

RAJIV GANDHI’S ENTERTAINMENT WALL

Charmingly tucked between the supporting columns is a chic and cozy dining area the couple fashioned from a sofa from their old apartment, an expandable glass-topped dining table, and new wood-frame chairs that provide ample seating for their frequent guests. The addition of vivid silk throw cushions in accenting blues and greens provide an energizing jolt of colour. A sectional sofa solved the puzzle of maximizing lounging space in the living room’s open seating area. The black yarn carpet was chosen for how well it would disguise Asha’s hairs. Another clever solution is the wine fridge Mark and Danielle installed in a hollow discovered above the built-in refrigerator. “Sometimes at night when we’re out on the balcony, people walk by and we can hear them say, ‘Hey, look what those people did with that space over the fridge.’”

The result of this unconventional plan is maximized flexibility, while the decorative solutions also manage to express the owner’s personal tastes and style.

“When my guy friends come over to watch sports, we hang out at the kitchen island or by the window,” Rajiv says. “But if it’s a more formal event, like a dinner party, I just pull the table out into the room and set the stools around it.”

For Rajiv, what was essential was that was everything made calm, orderly and effortless. “I work long hours and I’m often on call at the hospital,” he says. “Everything here is seamlessly organised, so I can relax and recharge.”

Kitchen fixture, West Elm; living and dining room fixtures, Ultra Lighting; expandable

Coffee table, West Elm; pendant fixtures, Living Lighting; Brindle cowhide rug, the

dining table, Cecconi Simone; yarn carpet, Urban Barn

Raw Hide Company

JOHN BRUNTON When I was a little boy, I wanted to be an explorer like Christopher Columbus and go places nobody had ever seen before.

TV was this magical thing that came across the border from Buffalo; I didn’t think that it was possible in Canada to actually work in television.

My favourite show was probably The Honeymooners. One of the reasons I loved it was because I would watch it with my father and he would be in fits of laughter. I remember thinking, “Great, Jackie Gleason’s coming on, my father’s going to feel good.”

My first job in television, I was hanging around being everybody’s assistant trying to get them to hire me, and I heard that they needed a screening room.

I told them, “Hey, I’m an excellent carpenter. I can build you a screening room.”

Of course, I didn’t even know how to hang a door.

The most star-struck I’ve ever been was when I was introduced to Muhammed Ali. I thought I was going to collapse. I couldn’t breathe. As far as I was concerned, he was the strongest, most beautiful boxer the world had ever seen.

He had even said “no” to Vietnam. Of course he was absolutely everything I imagined—and funny too.

When we first moved our offices to King West the area was really an extension of the rag trade. Charlie’s was the one restaurant around. It was a greasy spoon, with hot hamburgers and shitty coffee. People who would come in for meetings thought we were crazy. But it was cheap, and we thought all the brick-and-beam buildings with their high ceilings and giant windows were cool.

I’m a Tina Fey fanatic, I can’t help it. I think she’s the funniest person. So of course I’m a big 30 Rock fan. I also love Mad Men, and my kids have sucked me in to True Blood and Entourage.

I think reality TV is here to stay, particularly the good established shows like Survivor. It’s all about the idea of the competition. It’s very complicated to play the game and win. But sitcoms are back now. And remember mini-series? They used to be dead, and now they’re back again.

My dream show is a miniseries on the origins of Greenpeace. Here in Canada, it’s our civil-rights movement, our Chicago 7—a social movement that started here and changed things everywhere. We’ve already secured the rights to one of the co-founders’ stories.

PHOTO: MANGO STUDIOS

John Brunton is president and CEO of King West–based Insight Productions, the creative force behind such award-winning television as Canadian Idol, the Juno Awards, Project Runway Canada and Battle of the Blades.