August 2012

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oRONTO oday August 2012

From neophyte to city mover: the evolution of

Karen STINTZ

IN HIS LIFE Sir Jerry: The children’s performer, writer, director and lawyer who’s still best known for having met a Beatle in 1969 Special supplement on the people

of our most storied community

FOREST HILL TODAY

own T CRIER www.MyTownCrier.ca

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21 ART FOR ALL AGES Take a trip to this art gallery north of Toronto that the kids’ll love too

continual topic of debate on the staff of Toronto Today concerns what our boundaries are. Not our personal boundaries (though perhaps such a discussion would be useful) but the borders of the geographical area within which we cover stories and distribute our magazine.

We consider ourselves based in midtown Toronto where many of our most established residential communities are found. Somewhere between Bloor Street and Highway 401, between Dufferin Street and the Don Valley Parkway. It’s a jagged coastline, as we follow the inlets and peninsulas of neighbourhoods.

And issues themselves often take us beyond the fringe. “Midtown Toronto� can shrink to a few blocks or sprawl across the metropolis.

Our local politcians can have this affect on us too.

Take Karen Stintz, the councillor for Ward 16, Eglinton-Lawrence, for example. Here’s a midtown resident with no previous municipal experience who got into civic politics nearly a decade ago by responding to a ratepayers’ ad about a local development issue in a community newspaper (yes, the Town Crier).

Eric McMillan, Editor-in-chief As outlined in the feature on the following pages, Stintz in recent years has become a lightning rod for both praise and criticism from across the city for her involvement in issues related to her position as TTC chair.

Transit is an issue that profoundly affects both the city as a whole and every little neighbourhood within it.

Stintz has grown politically to appreciate the wider Toronto picture.

But a certain tension between local and global interests remain.

They say all politics is local. If only it were that simple. TT

4 STINTZ TAKES CONTROL The midtown councillor’s road to becoming one of the city’s top movers 6 TEQUILA SUNRISE Former Forest Hill boy behind launch of the authentic Mexican beverage 9 FOREST HILL TODAY Starting a section about the people of one of our most established neighbourhoods 18 DRINKING IS GOOD FOR YOU If you follow our healthy recipes for antioxidant summer coolers 25 WORLD BEARERS Kids from local neighbourhoods got a boost at basketball tournament in Austria

Plus lots more...

On the cover: Sir Jerry — one persona of the man who met the walrus. Story Page 7.

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Taking control Karolyn Coorsh/Toronto today

Looking back at how Karen Stintz’s trip from neophyte councillor to one of the city’s top movers has changed her outlook and political relationships

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By Karolyn Coorsh

p to two years ago, the biggest political battle of Karen Stintz’s career was over the proposed development of an open square at the corner of Yonge and Eglinton.

A contentious matter indeed, but it pales in comparison to what was in store for this midtown rep.

Fast forward to summer 2012 and TTC chair Stintz has emerged as the rebel leader in one of the most heated debates of this era: a battle royale over transit planning that commanded attention from every neighbourhood in the city.

The Karen Stintz of today appears emboldened and more assured in her abilities than in 2003, when she won the council gig in an election upset over longtime Eglinton-Lawrence rep Anne Johnston.

No longer the political neophyte, the councillor has boosted her profile tenfold in just the past seven months, creating alliances with strategic maneuvering that has sparked talk about her possibly running for mayor in 2014.

She agrees she is light years from where she began.

“It’s hard to comment because I was so clueless when I started and so now I’ve just got the benefit of nine years to better understand issues, to better understand the way to get things done at city hall.”

Get things done, indeed.

Team Stintz first appeared in February, when she called a special meeting of council that resulted in the resurrection of the Transit City plan, declared dead by subway proponent Mayor Rob Ford after the 2010 election.

Despite a TTC commissioner shakeup, she retained her chairmanship and followed up in June

TORONTO TODAY AUGUST 2012

by unveiling OneCity, a $30-billion transit expansion plan, the likes of which city hall had yet to see in one package.

Thrust into the spotlight for taking ownership of the controversial transit file and defecting from the mayor’s inner circle, Stintz has been riding a wave of newfound support, notably among council colleagues from whom she had felt previously alienated.

“I think I have better relationships on council,” she says of the left-leaning councillors. “I had not had a good working relationship with Joe Mihevc or Glenn de Baeremaeker or Paula Fletcher or Pam McConnell.”

Fellow midtown rep Mihevc can attest to that.

In previous terms when Stintz was leading the opposition against then-mayor David Miller, they didn’t see eye to eye on most issues, Mihevc says.

The former TTC vice-chair says he was pleasantly surprised when Stintz took him up on his offer for advice and help shortly after her appointment.

“I have found her to be a very good chair, an honest broker trying to balance all the different interests,” he says. “I find her to be focused on the task ahead, which is to build a great public transit system.

“That doesn’t mean I agree with every decision or direction.”

She has also scored brownie points outside of city hall. Peter Baker, co-chair of the Federation of North Toronto Residents’ Associations says her handling of the transit file since February demonstrated the work of an independent decision-maker.

“I think she’s able to articulate very well the

issues — I think she’s appealing to a lot of people,” he says.

For her part, Stintz says her decisions on council are made on an issue-by-issue basis. She stands firm, for instance, on her fiscally conservative approach to budget matters.

While Stintz may still fall in line with fellow conservative Ford on some — maybe most — bigticket issues, it would seem the transit file caused an irreparable rift between Stintz and the city’s top politician, who called her out publicly for supposedly stabbing him in the back over transit.

Deputy mayor Doug Holyday says while he sees eye to eye with Stintz on most matters, he disagreed with her handling of the transit debate and felt she rocked the boat unnecessarily.

“She’s ended up getting the support of some and alienating others,” he said. “Sometimes that’s what does happen in politics but it has to be avoided if you can, and I think in this instance, it might have been avoided.

“I don’t know that’s she’s accomplished a lot.”

Stintz contends she had little choice but to proceed as she did. When she was appointed chair, there was never a discussion over pressing planning matters.

“Perhaps I didn’t ask enough questions at the beginning,” she says. “It was not clear to me what the plan was when they asked me to be chair. I don’t think it was clear to [the Ford administration], because once Transit City was cancelled, I don’t think anyone knew what that meant.”

She took matters into her own hands, though the overall message became muddled during the transit

debate, Stintz says.

But if she was on a roll then, it was tempered somewhat with the unveiling of OneCity, a plan composed of 170 kilometres of new bus routes, rail and subway track, intended to send a clear, concrete message of unity from council to other levels of government.

Instead OneCity received a cool reception from councillors who questioned the proposed funding model and expressed reservations about pushing an expansive Toronto-centric transit strategy.

Though her plan was to introduce OneCity for study at July council, Stintz retreated.

But she still emerged again looking like a thoughtful leader with a big, bold idea for transit.

“OneCity was a vision for building a network and funding it,” she says. “It was our attempt to bring two concepts together. I think we’ve set a path and I think we will get a transit plan and we will arrive at some funding tool.”

Stintz says she’s still got her hands full. There’s much more work to be done revitalizing and modernizing the much-maligned TTC and addressing a chronic lack of funding for operating costs, she says.

“We have a good commission, which is a great support and [new TTC chief Andy Byford] is doing a great job and there’s a good team there, so I feel confident that we’re going to get through the issues.”

Even her once-frosty relationship with TTC union head Bob Kinnear has improved.

In late 2011, the president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 said he was disappointed at Stintz’s unwillingness to meet with him regularly to discuss transit operations. Stintz said she disagreed with his expectations, as her job as chair was to set policy, not to get involved in bargaining negotiations.

But it seems Stintz was willing to meet away from the bargaining table.

Right before the transit showdown, Stintz appeared disguised as a TTC staff worker in an episode of the television show Undercover Boss Canada. She worked in a variety of departments within the TTC. It helped bridge the communication gap, Stintz says.

“Certainly, I learned more about what they do on a day-to-day basis and I think that experience also helped improve my relationship with Bob Kinnear,” she said. “He is recognizing that customer service improvements are as much on his end as on our end.”

Kinnear agrees the working relationship is better, as he’s had opportunities to sit down with Stintz, but more recently, he’s been disillusioned by the commissioners’ recent proposal to contract out a number of TTC maintenance jobs, he said.

“It’s a bit of a contradiction for Ms. Stintz on one hand when she’s on a television show to talk about how valuable the employees are and then, on the other hand, give a directive to the TTC to contract out those very jobs.”

Perhaps the one criticism Stintz is facing as a councillor in midtown is exactly what she’s being praised for elsewhere: being a devoted transit leader.

Whatever strides she makes are hard-fought — and time-consuming, says Baker, who doesn’t live in Stintz’s ward but works closely with Ward 16 ratepayer associations. He criticized Stintz for taking a backseat on the most prominent issue in the ward: a surge in development applications at the Yonge and Eglinton corridor.

“To fill that void there’s been an effort on the part of (local reps Josh Matlow and Jaye Robinson) to try to develop a concerted leadership to address Yonge and Eglinton issues,” he says.

STRAINED Page 8

STINTZ HANDLES QUESTIONS ABOUT RUNNING FOR MAYOR: Why are you so adamant about no mayoral run in 2014?

Rob is the mayor, we have a mayor, and he’s not even halfway through his mandate, and so I had pledged in the last election that I would work with the mayor and I’m still trying to do that.

Have you ruled it out completely in 2014?

Yeah, I’m not going to run against Rob Ford.

If he doesn’t run?

There’s so much work that I want to get done, and I don’t want it to be clouded by any discussion about whether I’m running for mayor because that’s not my plan.

But have you ruled it out for 2014?

That’s not my plan.

To run in 2014?

Right.

Given what’s happened, you do realize that speculation about a mayoral run will follow your every move from now until 2014. Thoughts on that?

[Laughs] Yeah, and I’d like to change that narrative too, because there’s lots of work that has to get done and it has nothing to do with 2014.

— Karolyn Coorsh

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Business

Altogether now: ‘Tequila!’

Forest Hill boy revives Mexico’s authentic drink

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By Ann Ruppenstein

Kathleen Timmis

Linett & Timmis Personal Injury Lawyers 1867 Yonge St., Suite 1004, Toronto

416-366-5100 1-800-363-5100 ktimmis@linett-timmis.com

Q

: I have a disability plan which is supposed to pay me a monthly benefit if I can’t work. About 6 months ago, I experienced a major depression and I had to go off work. I am seeing a psychiatrist and taking medication. The insurance company has refused to pay me my benefit. The adjuster says there is no objective evidence that I am ill.

Can they do this?

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:By their very nature, psychiatric illnesses such as depression are not capable of such “objective” evidence as an x-ray of a broken bone. However, they can be as or more disabling than physical illnesses or injuries.

Insurance companies often seem to apply different or more rigorous standards when confronted with a psychiatric claim. Depending on the wording of the insurance contract, this is likely inappropriate. It will be important for a lawyer to look at the terms of your specific policy to determine the test of disability you are required to meet and the type of evidence necessary to meet that test.

Everyone reads Toronto Today

Call News or Advertising at416-785-4300 TORONTO TODAY AUGUST 2012

hen Eric Brass and his Australian and Mexican colleagues were preparing to launch Tequila Tromba at the Sydney BarShow in 2010 they ran into a slight problem.

“We didn’t have any products,” he says. “We missed the last container to go to Australia in November, so we were in trouble.

Everything in Mexico takes over and above the time it should.”

The idea for Tequila Tromba, which hit LCBO shelves earlier this year for $49.95, started brewing after Brass returned home from a student exchange in Jalisco, Mexico. It was then he realized something was lacking in the local tequila market.

“I saw that when I went to a bar I had two options usually,” he says. “I had the option for a poor quality rail tequila or I had the option for uber expensive ultra premium tequila.”

After coming up with the concept for a premium quality, yet affordable, tequila, Brass and his former classmate pitched the idea to their friend’s father, Marco Cedano, a master distiller with years of experience at Don Julio tequila. Not only did he agree to be their master distiller but he also wanted to be a founding member of the team.

“That’s when we knew we had something,” Brass says. “Because before it was a couple of gringos, myself and my Australian partners trying to do this and there’s no pedigree, but when we had one of the best master distillers in the world making our product and being part of the brand we knew we had something that we could run with.”

Brass, who grew up in Forest Hill where his parents still reside, says in addition to their tradi-

ann ruppenstein/toronto today

GRINGO DISTILLER: Eric Brass introduces his company’s Tequila Tromba at Playa Cabana on Dupont Street.

tional boutique Blanco tequila produced in small batches they also have a Reposado available through private order, which is aged in Jack Daniel’s barrels.

“That misconception that I had about tequila was totally changed when I tried premium 100 percent agave tequila for the first time,” he says, adding it’s smoother and sweeter. “The tequila I was used to and most people use to shoot back at the bar — that’s not 100 percent tequila, that’s 51 percent tequila, 49 percent sugar distillate corn syrup and caramel.”

As for the Sydney show, he says, the launch went off without

a hitch after a plan was devised for one of the partners, who will remain anonymous, to fly to L.A. to meet a Mexican colleague and pick up a batch of Tromba to smuggle back down under, despite the fact they had yet to taste the finished product.

“I remember talking to him in his hotel room and I said ‘don’t you want to try it?’ and he said, ‘If it’s bad how am I going to sit through a 14-hour plane ride back to Australia?’ ” Brass says.

“Anyway he tried it for the first time at the show and said thank God because it was absolutely sensational.” TT

Ask the experts Please write to our experts: If you would like to take advantage of their years of experience, send your questions to “Ask the Experts” and they will be happy to reply to you in this space. By E-mail: adsales@mytowncrier.ca, by Fax: 416-488-3671 or write: Ask the Experts, c/o Town Crier, 101 Wingold Ave., Toronto, ON, M6B 1P8.

Kathleen Timmis, a partner in the personal injury law firm of Linett & Timmis, has been practicing accident and insurance litigation in Toronto for over 20 years. Her firm has established a solid reputation, representing thousands of injured victims and their families throughout Ontario.

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DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T CALL HIM SIR NOW: Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performer â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and lawyer/writer/filmmaker â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jerry Levitan, when heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not dresssed as his character Sir Jerry.

After the walrus Still known as the kid who met the Beatle, Jerry Levitanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done a lot since then

J

By Ann Ruppenstein

erry Levitan may best be known for something that happened 43 years ago.

In 1969, at the age of 14, the avid Beatles fan decided to find a way to meet his hero John Lennon a day before the bed-in for peace began. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To make a very long story short I went to the King Edward Hotel early in the morning, went to the top floor and started knocking on every door until I actually found John and Yoko and they thought it was funny that I found them and let me hang with them for the day,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I got in I pretended to be a reporter.

I knocked on the door and I said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Jerry Levitan, Canadian Newsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the door opened and I just barged in but it was pretty obvious once I got in that I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a reporter.â&#x20AC;?

In 2008 he turned the day that changed his life into an Oscar nominated and Daytime Emmy award winning film called I Met The Walrus, which led to a book deal with Harp-

erCollins, and is currently working on turning the experience into a liveaction movie. Both I Met The Walrus, and My Hometown, the short film he co-produced and directed, which was written and narrated by Yoko Ono, aired during the North By Northeast festival in June. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It totally defines me and it will for the rest of my life,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no question about it.â&#x20AC;?

These days when heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not working as a litigation lawyer for nightclubs, bars and restaurants, Levitan is also known as childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performer Sir Jerry, complete with a vintage top hat, tails, a bowtie and red spectacles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of what you see in kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; performing is geared towards the kids and the parents get out of the room and do whatever,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But what I hope people get out of Sir Jerry is itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something that stimulates the family, that kids would like it, that parents would like it and older kids.â&#x20AC;?

CONTINUED Page 8

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FATEFUL MEETING: As shown in the picture that his later documentary film, I Met the Walrus, was based on, Jerry Levitan talks with John Lennon in 1969 — a meeting that has affected Levitan’s life ever since.

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Levitan, who grew up in Bathurst Manor and then lived in Forest Hill for many years at the corner of Russell Hill and Kilbarry roads before relocating downtown, produced three albums to date including, “Bees, Butterflies & Bugs,” “Sir Jerry’s World” and “Time Machine,” and is hoping to turn his act into a TV series.

“I want people to laugh,” he says.

“That’s basically what it’s all about.

I don’t teach kids how to brush their teeth or things like that. It’s more about music, there’s a lot of music in it, and there’s a lot of fun and a lot of wackiness.”

Going from law, where he’s set many precedents such as winning the case for bookstores and video stores to be open on Sundays, to entertainment wasn’t a big leap as he’d already taken up acting for commercials and TV shows, he says.

“I never went into law to be a lawyer, I went into law because I ultimately wanted to go into politics and

almost went into politics for the Liberal Party a number of times and at the last minute decided not to,” he says. “I was on The West Wing, I was on crazy sci-fi movies and did that sort of thing so it has never been unusual for me as a lawyer to do things that are out of the norm and in the artistic field.”

The decision to go into children’s music came after a former rock and roll manager client heard him play a song he’d penned for his daughter and convinced him to record it, which quickly led to an entire album, frequent gigs at the Drake Hotel and touring Ontario.

“Many people think I’ve stopped being a lawyer but that’s not true,” he says.

“I know when I started doing the Sir Jerry stuff and my film work and all the rest of it a lot of people thought I went nuts, you know, ‘what is he doing running around with young musicians and artists and all that kind of stuff?’ that all changed when I was nominated for an Oscar.” TT

Strained relations easing Cont. from Page 5

Franz Peters, president of the Avenue Road Eglinton Community Association in Stintz’s ward, is a bit more forgiving, given Stintz’s profile.

The group and the councillor have had strained relations in the past over contentious developments, but things seem to be picking up.

“I think she’s doing a good job on the TTC and, as a result, she may not be able to come to our local meetings whenever we want her to come, but I have been in contact with her staff … and they keep me informed of what’s going on,” said Peters.

“We’re trying to move forward.” TT

FOREST HILL Today

Hometown Harvest Picking the fruit that’s often forgotten

Seeing Stars

Famous folk from our backyard

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AUGUST 2012 TORONTO TODAY

Forgotten fruit

Food really

francis crescia/forest hill today

POSTER GIRL: Laura Reinsborough founded Not Far From the Tree in 2008 to harvest the tonnes of fruit in Toronto that was going unpicked.

D

id you know that in spite of its urban nature Toronto grows 680 tonnes of fruit each year?

Unfortunately, much of that bounty has been left to rot as tree owners don’t bother to collect it.

Enter Laura Reinsborough.

In 2008, Reinsborough founded Not Far From the Tree to harvest and distribute fruit for those who are unable or unwilling to collect the produce themselves.

The charitable organization takes the fruit it gathers

Not Far From the Tree’s Laura Reinsborough • BY Leigh Cavanaugh and splits it three ways: a third to the owner of the tree, a third to the volunteers and third to local food banks.

“I think it’s important that every Torontonian knows and experiences the amazing delicious fruit that grows in our city,” Reinsborough says.

When Reinsborough was 25, she picked her first fruit at Spadina Museum’s orchard. This experience planted the seed that grew into Not Far From the Tree.

For the resident near St. Clair Avenue W. and Christie Street, the organization allowed her to see Toronto in a different way.

“I put on my fruit goggles and … began to see the greenery and fruit that was all around the city,” she says. “I didn’t know that fresh apricots grew in the city until I started Not Far From the Tree.”

But apricots are not the only unusual fruit thriving in Toronto. The temperate version of the Mediterra-

", -/Ê Ê 1, Ê- / Ê 1 Learn to skate at any age!

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10 TORONTO TODAY AUGUST 2012

does grow on trees nean fruit quince can also be found here. But the three most common fruits harvested by the group are apples, cherries and pears.

For Reinsborough, the organization also allows her to tackle issues like poverty, climate change and hunger, on a local level.

“If you can translate these big global issues in a hands-on, local and neighbourhood-focused way, it starts to make more sense to people and it becomes more attainable.”

While it took Reinsborough 25 years to fall in love with fruit, it’s something she has passed on to her son at an early age. Having just turned two, he sometimes accompanies her on picks and is beginning to identify the different types of fruit trees.

“This is something that is a part of who he is and how he sees the world,” she says.

Not Far From the Tree has been an integral part in starting other similar organizations across the world, including Melbourne, Australia.

In the future, Reinsborough plans to expand her group’s reach. So far, the group is collecting within 14 Toronto communities, but hopes to move into more of Scarborough, North York and Etobicoke in the coming years.

“I’m rarely out on picks these days, so I also want to eat more fruit.”

Leigh cavanaugh/forest hill today

ANNUAL HAUL: The amount picked by Not Far From the Tree peaked in 2010 with close to 9,000 tonnes being collected. The fruit is split into thirds with shares going to the trees’ owners, the pickers and food banks.

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AUGUST 2012 TORONTO TODAY 11

Famous faces

On and off stage

F

Actor and director Jajube Mandiela â&#x20AC;˘ BY Sarah Taguiam

orest Hill resident Jajube Mandiela has been a staple on Canadian TV but sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trading the spotlight for a new role: sitting on the directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chair.

Best known for her eight-year stint on Degrassi: The Next Generation as Chantay Black, Mandielaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in directing was piqued when she took a stage direction class in 2009. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Directing is a passion I developed in the past few years,â&#x20AC;? says Mandiela, who previously directed All of Him and Biography Past and whose most recent work is the critically acclaimed family play Tick.

Named after protagonist 10-year-old Tickaila, a.k.a. Tick, the play follows the girl and her friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; journey to save their local library, an issue that hits close to home, the born-and-raised Torontonian says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With all the different cuts in the government, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really timely and more relevant to Toronto kids,â&#x20AC;? Mandiela says.

Having finished a successful run in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fringe Festival, the play is back Aug 7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12 as part of Best of FringeKids.

Although Mandiela is enjoying success off stage, she maintains sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still very much an actor, she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love acting and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to give up.â&#x20AC;?

The sole catch is fitting both in her busy schedule.

After Tickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s August run, Mandiela will be performing in a travelling show touring different Ontario high schools. Next spring, she will be collaborating with Young Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre, photo courtesy jajube mandiela she says.

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12 TORONTO TODAY AUGUST 2012

A real character

M

Actor Max Topplin • BY Sarah Taguiam

ax Topplin couldn’t decide what he wanted to do when he grew up.

So he figured he’d do everything.

“I thought I might as well choose all of them through acting,” he says.

A self-proclaimed character actor, the 22-year-old Forest Hill native has been a chess champion, a racer and most recently naïve rookie associate Harold Jakowski of popular legal drama Suits.

Topplin says he’s fortunate to be chosen for the role and adds the series being shot mainly in Toronto is a bonus.

However, he admits Harold isn’t his most favourite character nor has he found a role he fully identifies with.

“There are aspects of Harold that are wonderful but some that are not so much,” Topplin says. “I want to play someone confident in the future.”

But with several projects lined up, he thinks it won’t be long until his ideal role becomes a reality.

Topplin will star in horror flicks The Barrens and Carrie, a remake of the 1976 hit based on the Stephen King novel.

When he isn’t on camera, Topplin will be producing Welcome to Mainstage, a mockumentary about a theatre company for convicted minors, and shooting music videos with Toronto talent such as hiphop duo Roney and Nani.

An accomplished photographer, he will also be going on his fourth trip photographing Haiti.

Photo courtesy Max Topplin

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14 TORONTO TODAY AUGUST 2012

Monkeying around

I

Amanda Rose

Josh Title of Cate & Levi Collection

Davenport Kitchens 592 Mount Pleasant Rd Toronto, ON M4S 2M8 phone:416-544-1103 www.davenportkitchens.com Info@davenportkitchens.com

• BY Ann Ruppenstein

t was 6:30 a.m. when toymaker Josh Title realized his latest Cate & Levi Collection prototype — a stuffed monkey his son calls Freddy — would be a success.

“When he comes into my room in the morning dragging Freddy by his hand, when he’s got 40 other animals on his bed, I just know that we have a hit on our hands,” he says. “Having children at the ages of five and two is a huge help.”

The Forest Hill resident’s line of one-of-a-kind stuffed animals, puppets, clothes and wall art, which are handmade from reclaimed materials like wool sweaters, were featured on The Marilyn Denis Show when Elton John used one of their monkey puppets for an on-air monologue.

It also landed Title on The Martha Stewart Show.

“It was very nerve wracking. It doesn’t totally fit my personality but I’m glad that I did it,” he says. “[Stewart] is a true crafter and really just wanted to talk about the product and the design and the making of it and it was really an amazing experience.”

Since the company launched three and a half years ago, Cate & Levi gained international distribution, has a successful e-store and is available in over 500 stores.

Most recently it teamed up with Los Angeles-based American Apparel for a new line of cotton products.

“They’re now sending us their scraps from their hooded sweatshirts, which is a beautiful soft cotton material and amazing bright colours,” he says. “Now it’s a question of, well, what other companies are out there that are throwing out what they think is waste but which we could turn into gold.”

We are pleased to announce that the winner of Cabico’s Design of the Month Contest for August 2012 is:

Ann Ruppenstein/forest hill today

CUDDLY CRITTERS: Entrepreneur Josh Title has made a name for himself with Cate & Levi Collection’s stuffed animals and puppets.

Title, who studied law but changed career paths, came up with the idea for the business after his first son was born.

“I was inspired again to get creative and I thought it would be really cool to make unique one-of-a-kind items that I would want to give to him and then it sort of started from there with just a small collection of stuffed animals,” he says.

Title enjoys the creative process of developing new products and working in his studio, which he picked largely because he’s close enough to bike home from work to see his kids for lunch.

“Levi is my son and Cate was his friend at the time when we started the business,” he says. “And then we had another son, Harry, so one day we’ll definitely have to work Harry into the picture.”

Main Floor Makeover With the children moved away this couple was looking to The designer used an open concept layout and incorporated a large island with multiple seating to keep guests comfortable. To show some contrast between areas the kitchen uses the 8065/N door with custom white paint and the dining & entertainment area uses the 205/C door in cherry with Venice stain.

WWW.CABICO.COM

Did you know?

Fun facts about Forest Hill

H

• BY Daniel Rosen

ow well do you think you know Forest Hill? Expand your knowledge with these fun historical facts. Deer and garbage collection may not define the community, but they sure do make for interesting tidbits about our community’s past.

• Before it was Forest Hill, the area was known as Spadina Heights, a village separate from the City of Toronto. Spadina came from the Ojibwe word ishapadenha, meaning hill.

• The name Forest Hill comes from the summer home of a man named John Wickson. Wickson named the house fairly literally as it was built on a forested hill.

• The village of Forest Hill did

not have a mayor. The municipal leader of the village was instead known as a reeve. Traditionally, a reeve was an elected official who was responsible for overseeing local issues under the crown or landlord. However, in Forest Hill the reeve was similar to a mayor.

• When Forest Hill was annexed into Toronto in 1967, residents were promised the ability to have their garbage picked up from the doorstep rather than the curb. This was discontinued in 1993, after the rest of the city complained about the unfairness.

• Forest Hill used to have very specific building codes, including the law that all houses were to be designed by an architect and needed to have a tree in

forest hill today file

OH DEER: The crest of the old Village of Forest Hill featured a stag with an arrow through its neck.

the front yard.

• The Forest Hill crest, designed by artist Scott Carter in 1923, depicted a deer being shot in the neck with an arrow. The arrow was later removed, but the seal, which can now be seen on top of the Eglinton Avenue fire station, still shows the deer sticking out its tongue.

• Deer may not be associated with Forest Hill anymore, but long before it was ever a village, the Iroquois favoured the area as a campsite due to the large number of deer in the forests.

AUGUST 2012 TORONTO TODAY 15

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16 TORONTO TODAY AUGUST 2012

Dining&Food

Think Global, eat local Liz Campbell

G

lobal Bazaar definitely takes the funky decor award. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the first time Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen shoes used as a dĂŠcor statement and in one corner a sign proclaims â&#x20AC;&#x153;Psychic Readings Here.â&#x20AC;?

Also, hanging from the ceiling is the wildest â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and biggest â&#x20AC;&#x201D; light fixture Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen. Just a few months old, Global is the latest venture of Hemant Bhagwani, the creative mind behind the Amaya chain.

Funkiness aside, the first thing my guest says is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kid comfy. I could see us bringing our little girl here.â&#x20AC;?

Footprints dance up the walls and across the ceiling and their message is reflected in the peripatetic menu. Virtually every continent is covered under headings like Snacks and Street Food, Tasty Bowls, and Not so Neapolitan Pizza Margharita.

We start with two street food selections. Manchurian cauliflower, Hakka Chinese in origin, proves to be enough battered florets to rebuild a whole cauliflower, deep fried and tossed with herbs and sesame seeds ($11). The batter of rice and corn flours isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heavy and we keep going back to nibble at the mound throughout the meal. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no use, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

finish it all.

The taco trio ($14) covers two continents: Korean bulgogi is a spicy barbecue but â&#x20AC;&#x153;the kind of heat that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sting, it creeps up on you afterwards,â&#x20AC;? my guest says. Shrimp ceviche is overstuffed with plump shrimp, salsa and cooling guacamole. Green chili chicken, while a little salty, has great zing.

The portions are so generous, we could almost stop now, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ordered two more dishes.

From the Tasty Bowls section, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve asked for barbecued duck pita which comes with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;green weedsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a salad of fresh mixed greens, tomatoes, radish and crunchy sprouts ($17). Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not served in a bowl, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely tasty. In fact, the waiter points out that this is made with habaneros but they can adjust the spice if I prefer. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. I get the full force of Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest fire starter. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s absolutely delicious â&#x20AC;&#x201D; slightly sweet, very zesty, a mouth-filling experience. And the generous bowl of salad cools the palate nicely.

My guestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Middle Eastern pizza is big enough to qualify as â&#x20AC;&#x153;largeâ&#x20AC;? at a fast food pizzeria. Its description says it has ground lamb, haloumi (a mild, salty cheese), zattar (a regional spice blend), olive oil, and fresh mint ($16). Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tasty, but to both our palates, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way too much zattar.

It may be a flavour one appreciates when one grows up with it, but I feel it overwhelms all the other ingredients, even the lamb. The mint

leaves add a nice tang but there are only three.

The only homemade dessert is Nutella pizza, so we pass, though my guestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vanilla coconut milkshake ($5) is so rich and creamy, it makes for a sweet finish.

I want to return to Global Bazaar.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family friendly and the prices wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break the bank. I love the eclectic approach to food and the whole multicultural vibe. The wait

staff wears T-shirts emblazoned with Being Human, a reference to the foundation the restaurant supports; it provides education for street kids in India. Next time Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to try the butter chicken pizza ($2 from every order goes to Being Human).

Global Bazaar, 692 Mount Pleasant Ave. 647-748-9100. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s handicapped accessible and they have an online reservation system, www. globalbazaar.ca. TT

ENJOY A LITTLE MORE LOVE

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photos liz campbell/toronto today

WORLDLY TACOS: Triple serving at Global Bazaar offers tastes from two continents in generous portions that could make an entire meal.

% %" * % (+$ "" **

*Buy five (5) medium chilled beverages (as listed on Second Cup chilled menu panel) and receive the sixth (6th) medium chilled beverage of equal or lesser value free. Excludes all bottled beverages. Valid only at the indicated below location. Free beverage must be redeemed at the time of purchase and each redemption shall be marked on this card by a Second Cup employee. Second Cup reserves the right to revoke this card and/or suspend the offer at any time. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Valid until August 31, 2012, only at 518 Eglinton West, Toronto (at Heddington)

AUGUST 2012 TORONTO TODAY 17

Punch it up in the shade Smooth summer drinks — and healthy too

T

By Liz Campbell

his summer, instead of the usual beer or wine spritzer, why not drink to your health? Imbibe a beverage loaded with antioxidants and vitamins and, yes, alcohol.

According to one recent study, adding alcohol may actually increase the antioxidant powers of fruit.

With so much fruit available at this time of the year, why not muddle some into your drink? Muddling is a traditional bartending technique where herbs and/or fruit are crushed, releasing their full flavor into a cocktail. Instead of just juice, add the fruit itself to your drinks for a burst of flavour and healthy vitamins.

Michelle Hunt and Laura Panter created The Martini Club International (www.martiniclub.com) to promote their passion: cocktails, with or without the alcohol. They suggest thinking outside the box.

“Aim for something light in the summer,” Hunt recommends. “Watermelon, and superfruits like acai, blueberries, and cranberries work really well with summer drinks, and we’re adding fresh herbs — tarragon, basil, lemongrass — for a beautiful flavour and aroma.”

Mint is probably the classic herb — think mojito or julep. But try muddling fresh basil with the strawberries in a daiquiri; Hunt suggests

a sprinkle of cracked pepper to top it off. Or imagine the classic lime margarita with some fresh sage for a whole new flavour profile. And lemongrass can make an ordinary citrus drink exotic.

and garnish with a peach slice.

KIWI ‘N GINGER There’s nothing more refreshing than ginger in the summer; did you know it has anti-inflammatory properties? It can be helpful for stiff joints after exercise. So try this one after tennis or golf. And kiwis are an excellent source of both Vitamin C and dietary fibre. This is an LCBO recipe. Check their website for others.

THE SUMMER MELON Here’s a recipe Hunt shared. Try this when you’re ready for some healthy refreshment. Melon and mint are delicious partners in this summer refresher made with Spiced Rum shaken with lemon, mint and crushed watermelon garnished with a mint sprig.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 1/2 oz. Spiced rum,1/2 oz. lemon juice, 1/2 oz. simple syrup,* 12 mint leaves and 1/2 cup chopped fresh watermelon. Shake sharply to break up the watermelon and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

PEACH PUNCH Use fresh Ontario peaches for this gorgeous punch created by Panter and Hunt. I’ve made this one without

the rum for children.

For each serving, combine in a blender 1 cup ice, 1 oz. vanilla rum, 1 oz. cranberry juice, 1/2 cup fresh peaches, peeled and diced, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice and 1 tsp grenadine.

Blend and pour into a wine goblet

Muddle chopped 1/2 of a fresh kiwi, 1/2 oz. lemon juice and1/2 oz. simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.

Add 1/4 oz ginger juice which can be found in health food stores and in Asian markets. Alternatively, you can press peeled fresh ginger through a garlic press or purée it in a mini chopper, to extract the juice.

Fill the shaker with ice and add 11/2 oz. vodka and 2 oz. white cranberry juice. Shake and strain into a martini glass and garnish with a kiwi slice. *Simple syrup: equal parts sugar and boiling water. Stir until sugar dissolved and chill. Can be stored covered for one to two weeks. TT

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Home&Garden

City Gardening

Lorraine Flanigan

Return of the native species A

grow,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But ever since theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been coming back better and better. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The trick to establishing them is to water well the first year and use worm castings as fertilizer, says Harpell.

Now more than ever, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of information and resources available to help you select the right native plants for your garden conditions. The Evergreen Native Plant Database at nativeplants.evergreen.ca is a great resource, Harpell says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has planting guides and suggested plant combinations,â&#x20AC;? he says. The shop at the Evergreen Garden Market also carries Lorraine Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100 Easy to Grow Native Plants for CanadianGardens, a book Harpell says started him off growing native plants.

The meadows at the Brickworks are also filled with native plants, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good place to go if you want to see what they look like. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And on Tuesday nights, our volunteer gardening groups work with the plants â&#x20AC;&#x201D; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best way to learn about them,â&#x20AC;? Harpell says.

(To find out how to become a Garden Market Greener, visit the website at info.evergreen.ca/en/get-involved/ volunteer/garden-market-greener.)

And of course, the Evergreen Garden Market is one of the best places in the city to find native plants.

To get you started, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Harpellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top 10 native plants to know and grow: 1. Red osier dogwood (Cornussericea) 2. Cup plant (Silphiumperfoliatum var. perfoliatum) 3. Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemumvirginianum) 4. Beebalm (Monarda spp.)

5. Verbena (Verbena hastata and V. stricta) 6. Prairie smoke (Geumtriflorum) 7. Redbud (Cerciscanadensis) 8. Red oak (Quercusrubra) 9. Trembling aspen (Populustremuloides) 10. Bush honeysuckle (Diervillalonicera) So plant them for their beauty, plant them for their ease of care, plant them

for their sustainability, but most of all, plant them for the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you plant natives,â&#x20AC;? says Harpell, â&#x20AC;&#x153;youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re planting for longevity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not disposable, like annuals.â&#x20AC;?

Pondering where to plant a redbud, Lorraine Flanigan writes from her garden in the South Eglinton neighbourhood of Toronto.

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s yet another crane signifies the construction of even more soaring condominiums, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to imagine what Toronto looked like before such enterprising civilization took possession of our lakeshores, riverbanks and ravines.

The highest skyscraper might have been a mighty black oak; instead of dog strangling vine, the banks of the Humber River were most likely blanketed in baneberries and red osier dogwoods; and our ravines, now smothered by invasive Norway maples, cloaked in stands of birch as well as both staghorn and fragrant sumacs.

Toronto is on the fringe of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s known as the Carolinian Forest, a deciduous forest of stunning beauty where redbuds burst into frothy pink bloom each spring, Kentucky coffee trees produce their pendant pods in summertime and the leaves of tulip trees turn golden in the fall. Back in the day, we might have been picking up pawpaws, sniffing the spicy fragrance of sassafrass or marvelling at the flowers of the green dragon, a jackin-the-pulpit cousin once found on our floodplains.

While itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to replace the present with the past, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s merit in re-introducing native species into our modern gardens. For the most part, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pretty tough. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They can look after themselves,â&#x20AC;? says Aaron Harpell, manager of the Evergreen GardenMarket at the Brickworks. And while thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no such thing as a maintenance-free garden, he cautions, native plants are low-maintenance alternatives to many garden variety plants that require constant watering and feeding.

With a self-sufficient nature that fits our busy lives, native plants are good problem-solvers, too. Harpell gardens in East York where his backyard is dry and shady.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s planted maidenhair ferns (donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be fooled by their delicate looks â&#x20AC;&#x201D; these maidens are made of iron), black snake root and mayapples. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The first year they were slow to

Lorraine flanagan/toronto today

NATIVE GUIDE: Aaron Harpell, Evergreen GardenMarket manager, has advice for re-introducing plants originally found in this part of Toronto.

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AUGUST 2012 TORONTO TODAY 19

Texan-style cookout

W

By Mary Fran McQuade

Big-D dress-up Party dress, of course is jeans, checked shirts and Stetsons. Ladies (that’s Texas talk) can dress up in full white or gingham skirts and tank tops or lacy blouses.

Boots are the proper footwear for everyone, but sandals or running shoes could be a mite more comfortable.

Dig out some recorded country music or persuade a friend with a guitar to strum some tunes for atmosphere. And don’t forget, as one Texas barbecue joint says, “It ain’t no sin to git sauce on your chin.” TT

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Traditional touches You may not have a wood smoker the size of a small locomotive, or even an oil drum cut in half and hinged.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a Dallas barbecue party in your backyard this summer. Picnic tables and patios are the traditional venue, but if you prefer comfy metal or wicker furniture, that don’t make no never mind.

(I’m getting you into the mood here.)

You can also bend the rules a bit and throw a nice T-bone on your shiny propane rig if you want to. Chicken is fine, but skip the hot dogs in favour of fat local sausages with some real taste to them. For a rack of ribs, follow an old timer’s tip and boil them in a big pot for about an hour before you put them on the grill. They’ll cook faster and be more tender that way.

All the trimmings Traditional Dallas-type side dishes are simple: pinto (kidney) beans, potato salad, coleslaw and bread. Some add pickles and sliced onion to the plate.

(Sweet Vidalia or Texas 1015 are best to eat raw.) Set out sauce on the side.

If you must, grill some burgers for the kids. It’s not authentic but you can bring on some Tex-Mex with nachos or corn chips and guacamole. (The dip’s dead easy to make with avocadoes, garlic, onions, a bit of tomato, a dash of chilli powder and a squeeze of lemon.)

Dessert, of course, is watermelon (sprinkled with salt as in Texas).

Wine is just plain revolting with barbecue. Serve beer, iced tea and lemonade instead. Texas ruby red grapefruit juice fits with the theme, too.

A Lone Star flag makes a bold decoration (NEVER as a tablecloth, y’all).

The state flag is red, white and blue, so streamers in those colours, along with silver stars, look good, too.

BEST I

oo-hoo! Dallas is back on the air and the Ewings are still as nasty as a rattlesnake with a boot on its tail.

But isn’t this glorified soap opera a guilty pleasure for all of us? Boots and barns and cowboy hats. Good-hearted women and fightin’-mad men. It all seems a little crazy to us Canadians, but Texans are chock-full of passionate hates and loves. Take it from me — I grew up down there.

One thing they’re passionate about is barbecue (also known as bar-b-q or bar-b-que). Texas Monthly magazine offers a free BBQ Finder app, and lists the “top BBQ joints” in every city. You can find recipes and a video on barbecuing at www.texasmonthly. com.

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Travel

Artful fun Kleinburg’s McMichael Collection is worth the visit for all ages

I

By Liz Campbell

t starts as soon as Isla (nearly 3 years old) spots three bronze wolves near the entrance. She heads straight over to make friends, climbing on the back of one. Our visit to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection is already a success.

Further along the path to the entrance, it takes only a minute of studying Bill Vazan’s pictographic granite block for her to find an enormous turtle image on its surface. She’s intrigued. And right in front of the gallery, she comments the mama bear is talking to the baby.

The sculptures leading to the gallery’s front doors have already captured this little girl’s interest.

Capturing the hearts of children and adults is the point here. Set in beautiful natural surroundings visible from many of the gallery’s large win-

dows, the McMichael has to be one of Canada’s most scenic art venues. And the massive wooden entry hall continues the natural theme.

We head straight up the ramp to the current exhibition, “Fashionality, Dress and Identity in Contemporary Canadian Art.” It’s a big topic for a little girl, but Isla finds lots to see and discuss. The display covers everything from a display of dozens of aprons assembled by Newfoundland artist, Barbara Hunt, to three pairs of shoes — a man’s, a woman’s and a child’s — that mechanically tip tap as if there were feet inside them (a big favourite as she tries to emulate them).

And a giant shirt and single sock next door have her thinking about size.

In a world where nearly everything is too big for her, she’s amazed to find something too big for daddy.

photos liz campbell/vaughan today

A WOOLLY, WOOLLY GOOD EXHIBIT: When you’re at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, don’t forget to check out the wall of knitted sweaters.

But probably most intriguing for Isla is a wall of with hundreds of tiny woollen sweaters, knitted by Ontariobased artist Michele Karch-Ackerman and several volunteers, in commemoration of Canadian soldiers who fell in World War I. Titled “The Lost Boys”, a reminder of Peter Pan’s companions, the idea is that these fallen too, will never grow old. Seeing a small child next to this display is particularly poignant for me.

Children and art galleries are a great mixture. And nowhere is this more significant than at the McMichael. The colour and vibrancy of the paintings of the Group of Seven and those of artists like native artist, Norval Morriseau, are particularly appealing to children. And through their eyes, we can often see colours, shapes and patterns we might have missed.

As we inspected A.Y. Jackson’s painting “Red Maple”, Isla casually comments, “Look, there’s lots of water.”

And I was just looking at the maple!

I watched a grandmother standing in front of the same painting with a fiveyear-old in tow ask the child, “Do you think that’s summer time?” The little girl looked carefully and pronounced firmly, “No, it’s the fall. See, those leaves are red.”

The point is that children can develop an early appreciation of art if we take the time to expose them to it. The McMichael makes a special effort to include families in their programming.

Family Sundays — usually the second Sunday of each month — offers family activities like guided nature walks, building a campsite, painting in the woods, and more. There are even per-

formances — this weekend, Duffelbag Theatre presented Robin Hood. These are all free with admission.

In August, Family Sunday is part of the Toronto IndigenUs Festival and will include an Aboriginal ceremony, storytelling by an Anishinabe elder, and canoe rides (weather permitting).

While the ages of children vary for different activities, they are undoubtedly a wonderful way to introduce little people to art and the process by which art is created. Indeed, if you choose a Sunday when the Ontario Plein Air Society set up their easels on the McMichael grounds and paint, (Aug. 26 this month), your family can watch artists in action.

Become a member of McMichael and you can return to the grounds and gallery as often as you like. A cool walk through the colourful galleries is a wonderful weekend activity on a hot summer day. And these paintings can toss a palette of colours into the bleakest winter day.

A family membership ($85) provides unlimited free parking and access to all the galleries and many programs for two adults and up to four children for a whole year.

At the end of our visit, Isla stops again at the three wolves. She’s patently taken with these three huge sculptures, and announces gravely, “I want to stay with the woofs.”

McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 10365 Islington Ave. Kleinberg.

905-893-1121.

Check at www.mcmichael.com for exhibition and activity information.

Note that the Fashionality exhibit is only on until Sept. 3. TT AUGUST 2012 TORONTO TODAY 21

CoolStuff

Must-haves Items to help you beat the summer scorch

By Liz Campbell

T

his month we mean cool literally. Staying cool is a priority in the summer months, so check out these products that definitely qualify as cool. Not only do they make heat more comfortable, but they are planet-friendly options.

I confess I was skeptical about PURE Glass Bottles. Most water bottles made of metal, plastic, even the super-safe plastics, impart a distinct taste to the water. And I hate the waste factor with bottled water.

Let’s face it, nothing beats a glass bottle. Now there’s a glass bottle you can take along safely. The patent pending “SafeShell” creates a clear protective coating on the outside of the PURE glass bottle. If it does break, the coating encapsulates all the glass and liquid – no mess, no cuts and easily recycled. The bottle is shatter-resistant and much tougher to break than standard glass and the wide mouth design makes it easy to add ice, flavouring, etc. to your beverage. Both the 17.5-ounce Traveler; and the 25-ounce Explorer come with a selection of convenient tops and handles.

The bottles can be purchased for $19.95 at www.PUREglassbottle. com.

Their name comes from the eucalyptus tree, often the only shade in the harsh Australian outback. Sun protective clothing is now a must in Australia, and Coolibar’s SUNTECT brand has created innovative new fabrics that protect against UVA and UVB. Testing includes more than 100 washes after which they still perform well. Approved by the American Academy of Dermatology, The Skin Cancer Foundation, and the Melanoma International Foundation, they offer a wide range of clothing for men, women and children, as well as organic sunscreens. All great, but I fell in love with their hats: sharp looking and great sun protection.

North American prices range from $29–49 at their website: www.coolibar.com or at Amazon.

Coldfront advertises itself as help for menopausal women experiencing hot flashes.

But it’s a great way to cool down after a summer bike ride or even a heavy duty hike. The basic package includes two cooling palm packs in a fashionable carrying case about the size of a sunglass case you can take along conveniently.

Also inside is an absorbent, reusable, quick drying cloth to wipe away any moisture left behind. After 12 hours in the freezer, it’s ready to apply wherever cooling relief is needed.

Find it at www.mycoldfront.com 22 TORONTO TODAY AUGUST 2012

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Sports

On the world stage Games in Austria gave boost to local kids from mixed neighbourhoods

T

By Perry King

o bring together boys and girls from priority and affluent neighbourhoods, teach them the game of basketball, and give them the chance to see new things is a bold vision.

That’s what Steven Ambrose has done, and the United World Games was the perfect opportunity for his kids to bloom.

Ambrose, the director of midtown Toronto’s Canadian Basketball Academy, brought together two co-ed teams to represent Canada in Klagenfurt, Austria. They included seven kids from Lawrence Heights, Jane and Finch, Rosedale, and Forest Hill.

“They didn’t have any money to put towards the trip, they don’t even have lunch a lot of times at the program, or bus fare,” said Ambrose.

But, $28,000 was raised for those kids who needed the funding.

This was the first time Canada had competed at the kid-oriented United World Games, and they were successful. The under-12 team, who won all their games, took the gold medal, while the under-14 team won bronze.

For some of the kids, it was their first time traveling to Europe. For others, their first time on a plane, including John Jonathan, who hails from Lawrence Heights.

“To me it was one of the best experiences in my life,” said Jonathan, who competed with the under-14 team.

“We won a lot of games but when it came to the playoffs we had a little bit of struggle because I wasn’t producing, and that to me does a big roll on the team. I think I contributed well for this team [to take] them to the playoffs,” said Jonathan, who begins high school this fall.

The under-12 basketball team won all their games, by significant margins.

The under-14 team, apart of Group B, tied for first in the preliminary stage with a 4–1 record.

After losing to a team from Bosnia and Herzegovina in the semifinals, they won their bronze medal match against Austria. “[Winning] was a goal on the kids’ minds. I thought it was icing on the cake, frankly. But, on the kids’ minds, they thought they would go there and try to win,” said Donald Bur, whose children, Sebastian and Olivia, competed on the under-12 team.

The experience was not confined to the court.

The team and the parents, a group of 58, remained tightly knit between practices, games, and meals.

They were able to see parts of Austria, Italy, and Germany before and after the tournament.

With the tight practice and playing schedule, the teams spent a large amount of time with each other.

Photos courtesy Brock Hodgkinson

SUCCESS: Making their first appearance at the United World Games in Austria, the Under-12 basketball team of midtown’s Canadian Basketball Academy won gold, and the Under-14 team received bronze.

“The one downside of the whole thing, and maybe it was asking too much to ask for more than that, is we didn’t have much time with the other players of the other teams,” said Bur. But the kids retained many enduring memories of the trip.

“The best thing to me in Europe was the ice cream, we would tour around and would always stop to get ice cream,” said Jonathan. “The people there are friendly, they would always come to me and ask for pictures and scream ‘OMG!’ or something similar in their own language.

Sometimes it would get annoying but it’s still funny when I look back at it.

“Overall it was a great experience, and next time we’re going to come back with gold, because our players are going to be better, faster and bigger.”

It is Jonathan’s ambition that Ambrose had envisioned for his kids. The Canadian Basketball Academy, created in 2010, continues to provide a unique experience for its kids.

“I do that because I came from a priority neighbourhood,” said Ambrose, who created the academy in 2010. “That really changed me, really helped to rise above my circumstances.” TT

‘To me it was one of the best experiences in my life’

AUGUST 2012 TORONTO TODAY 25

Things to Do

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Of note

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By Shawn Star

By Sue Wakefield

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tep right up and don’t miss out. The summer is starting to slip away and so too are some exciting attractions that have been visiting Toronto for the last few months.

Get to know Picasso August is your last chance to see Picasso’s private collection of paintings at the Art Gallery of Ontario before they return to their newly renovated home in at the Musee National Picasso in Paris. The AGO has created special resources and attractions just for kids. Before you head to the museum, download the Family Fun Guide available at the AGO’s website with special activities to complete during your gallery tour. Until Aug. 26. Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St. W. Free for AGO members, $25 adults, $16.50 youth (6–17), free children (5 and under), $62.50 family pass (2 adults, up to 5 youth). www.ago.net.

Twist, juggle and save the planet If you have a child who thinks science is “boring” get them to the Ontario Science Centre fast. Circus!

— an exhibition that explores the science behind all those colorful big top antics will roll out of town at the end of the month. The show is free with Science Centre Admission and runs daily at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Both events run now until Sept. 3. Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Rd. $22 adults, $16 youth (13–17), $13 child (4–12), free infants (3 and under). www.ontariosciencecentre.ca.

Go to the Ex This Toronto institution is a mustattend summer tradition that your kids will remember for years to come.

This year is a watershed one for the CNE as they become an independent, not-for-profit organization, outside the umbrella of the City of Toronto and Exhibition Place for the first time. Buy your tickets before opening day and save up to 30 percent. Aug. 17–Sept. 3.

CNE Fairgrounds, 210 Princes’ Blvd. $16 general admission, $12 youth (5– 13), free children (4 and under), $48 family pass (2 adults, 2 kids or 1 adult, 3 kids). www.theex.com Hit the streets The biggest buskerfest in North America is coming to Toronto this month and whether it is your family’s first or 10th time going, you can be sure you will see something new. Aug. 23–26, see the website for times each day. Front Street between Jarvis and Scott streets. www.torontobuskerfest. com. TT 26 TORONTO TODAY AUGUST 2012

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5. Jack, who could eat no fat 10. Piece of data 14. Indian lentil stew 15. Top class 16. Hue 17. Java mix-up?

19. Surface measurement 20. Major music label 21. Oppose, with “against” 22. Tobacco residue 24. Older style 26. Spray painted billboard?

31. Muslim honorific 33. Curved structure 34. Actress Thurman 35. Middle Eastern resident 38. Darken 41. Quick 43. Barry Gibb’s facelift?

46. ___ better than none 47. Common gift flower 48. Other name for Chechen people 49. Wager 50. Ocean 52. Train depot, abbr.

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12. Chemical suffix 13. Afternoon drink 18. Prince, previously

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40. Prefix for new age 42. ___ di pepe 44. German city 45. Symbols for Iron 51. Orders 53. Local grp. focused on home sale trends 55. Donald’s girl 56. Helpers 57. Fantastic 59. Phone and dog 60. Frat house clothing items 61. Type of leather 64. Still 66. Garden tool 67. Councillor Bailao 68. Notes after Do 70. Sistrum player 71. Exist

Check www.MyTorontoToday.ca for the answers.

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