July 2012

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oRONTO oday July 2012

BIKE CITY

ARE WE THERE YET? In short, no. Though we are making surprising progress — except in midtown

The strange long story of

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11 AND DIM DUM An intimate history of Chinese food in Toronto. Seriously.

e’ve heard a lot about Transit City in recent years, but mainly in relation to plans for mass transit in Toronto. Yet a growing number of riders are getting around this city on two wheels. What we have heard about cycling has been mainly negative: fights over installing and removing bike lanes, confrontations with drivers, dangers to pedestrians, and concerns for rider safety. Not to mention Don Cherry’s infamous tirade against “pinko� cyclists at city council’s inauguration. Surprisingly, though, we discover that during the tenure of Mayor Rob Ford (he of “The war against the car is over!�), Toronto has taken strides toward making itself bicyclefriendly. Perhaps we should not be so shocked. Whatever your political stripe, support for biking makes sense. Having more people pedalling, instead of using gas- and electricitypowered vehicles, is good for the environment, for our health, for our pocketbooks, for our convenience and enjoyment of Toronto, for tourism, and for the friendly character of our city. It’s a win-win-win-win... —I’m losing track of how many

Eric McMillan, Editor-in-chief wins there are — scenario. The only significant losses come from perceptions of some car drivers, pedestrians and shop owners that advances for cyclists are at their expense. There is some truth to these perceptions, given the implementation to date. But there are also ways of smoothing out these difficulties. In this issue of Toronto Today we look at the progress to date and the future of Toronto as a bicycling city, particularly from the perspective of midtown residents. TT

4 CLEAR LANES AND ROADBLOCKS Original bike plan is about half fulfilled— but a recent change leaves gaps in midtown 6 THE BUZZ ABOUT DATA Nick Eduard wants to give your organization the information to make better decisions 14 MADE IN THE SHADE Shedding light on how to grow your garden without direct sunshine 18 IT’S PARFAIT! Yonge Street bistro with French theme offers impeccable service and flawless dessert 21 MONTH OF FESTING Festivals from around the world—in town

Plus lots more...

On the cover: Riders flood Jarvis Street to protest removal of bike lanes. Story Page 8. Photo by Francis Crescia/Toronto Today

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urw xus tvuw july 2012 TORONTO TODAY

Clear lanes and roadblocks City’s original bike plan is about half fulfilled—but a recent change of gears leaves holes in midtown

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By Karolyn Coorsh

June heat wave isn’t stopping a steady flow of bikes from zipping by Cyclepath on a Monday morning. Inside the Davisville-area bike shop, the wheels are in motion, too. Testing out his brakes, a young man rolls up the aisle, coming to a hard stop at the front door. A few minutes later, a woman parks her fuscia bicycle in the foyer — she’s having trouble shifting gears, she tells storeowner Mike Wilson, who directs her to the servicing department. It’s not unusual that the shop’s bustling, Wilson says. Local riders tell him they’re fed up with an ever-congested TTC and soaring gas prices so they’ll take the bike to work instead. “We see there’s definitely a trend, I would say, just in the last 18 months,” says Wilson, himself a midtowner who’s been cycling for nearly two decades. Despite that growing appetite, city hall has been accused of dragging its feet on the delivery of cycling infrastructure in Toronto. In the 11 years since the ambitious bike network plan was unveiled, 555 kilometres of bike lanes, off-road paths, signed routes and marked shared-lane routes have been completed — roughly half of the bike plan’s original target. Now, under a new administration, the plan has shifted gears once more, this time with an emphasis on downtown road connectivity and off-road bike trails. There is foreseeable progress. The installation of a bike lane separated physically from other traffic is scheduled for Sherbourne Street this summer — a first for Toronto. But the short-term plan leaves the number of midtown bike lanes largely unchanged for the time being and local cyclists displeased. “They are very disillusioned with their commute, as far as being able to find a safe way to get downtown,” Wilson says. John Taranu, head of local cycling group TCU22, echoes Wilson when he says the midtown network leaves much to be desired. In 2010, Taranu’s group conducted a survey of says local cyclists to gauge community challenges and priorities to determine where to direct lobbying efforts. At the top of the 20-plus respondents wish list was more bike lanes. The comprehensive survey also identified most and least commonly travelled routes in the area. “We found that the routes that people generally avoid are the big arterials because they’re quite dangerous,” says Taranu, who also sits on Cycle Toronto’s board. However, even with residential routes and well-used trails like the Kay Gardner Beltline trail, Taranu says commuter cyclists still often end up travelling on arterials such as

TORONTO TODAY July 2012

Eglinton Avenue, Yonge Street, Avenue Road and Mt. Pleasant Road. These are busy thoroughfares where traffic and speed limits are higher, cyclists run the risk of colliding with an open car door, (commonly referred to as “dooring”), and there’s minimal space between parked cars and travel lanes. Taranu, a seasoned cyclist who often bikes to work in Markham from his home in midtown’s Deer Park, says it can be an unnerving ride. “You’re never going to [find] kids biking to school on Eglinton,” he says. Denzil Minnan-Wong, chair of public works and infrastructure and one of the architects of the 2011 Bikeway Network updated plan, says he is aware of the deficiencies in the system. “I think that there’s not enough connectivity,” he says. “Too many bicycle paths start and stop, begin nowhere and end nowhere.” But the current updated bikeway network, he says, sets ambitious but realistic goals. “We’re trying to do as much as we can within the financial constraints that we have,” he said. Karen Stintz isn’t so sure bike lanes on arterial roads like Yonge are the solution. The EglintonLawrence councillor travels by bike once a week to get downtown to city hall, via the bike lanes on Russell Hill Road. It doesn’t make sense to put bike lanes on streets like Yonge or Mt. Pleasant, she says. “You’d have to take away parking, the street is very narrow, it’s very busy,” she says. “There are better ways to cycle and get downtown.” Wilson agrees that putting lanes on a road like Yonge wouldn’t necessarily solve the problem, but he says there’s more the city could be doing to make better connections on east-west streets. “If you see any great city in the world, bikes and cars share roads,” he says. In the meantime, local cyclists are focused on overcoming local challenges. For instance, TCU22 is lobbying for safer crossings where arterial roads intersect with the beltline trail. The group recently took on illegally parked and idling cars — a big concern for cyclists, as indicated in survey. After speaking with law enforcement and discovering low fines are not a CONTINUED Page 7

Cyclists avoiding the big arterials as too dangerous

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What’s the buzz? The sharing of data, says Nick Eduard, who says it can change the way businesses make decisions

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Q

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A

TORONTO TODAY July 2012

N

ick Eduard was in Toronto by way of England helping put wi-fi on train cars. Then he heard about Buzzdata, a startup that helps companies share data seamlessly across the organization and was inspired. “Let’s make decisions that are informed by data,” he thought. “That’s in everybody’s interest.” He came on board Buzzddata as an angel investor and in September 2011 he got involved in the day-to-day operation as executive vice president of business development and marketing. He recalls one evening watching the traffic on the Buzzdata website and noticing visitors were coming by way of the CBC website. He discovered the page that was sending all the links was a story about the Canadian Border Services Agency and the amount of items they had seized. “Many of the comments were quite partisan,” he said. “But about half way down, someone had posted a link in the comments to a dataset on Buzzdata that listed all the seizures the CBSA had made between 2005 and 2011. All of a sudden the comments started changing from politically motivated to logic based.” This type of data has been around for decades, but in Eduard’s experience, because of the way it was passed around, it was either lost, corrupted or hard to interpret. He likens sending documents back and forth by email to playing a game of broken telephone. What’s become facsinating to Eduard is how people are using Buzzdata to share and communicate. “I’ve stopped trying to guess what type of data people find interesting,” he says. “There is a dataset on a hive that lists the amount of paved roads in Ontario as a percentage of all roads and there is a whole set of dog license data.” Public data like this could be especially useful for communities to make decisions about

By Mathieu Yuill

their neighbourhoods when asked for public input. Eduard points to a flyer he received in his mailbox announcing what should be done about potential development at a park near his house. “The meeting was on a weekday evening for two or three hours,” he says. “As it was, that meeting would have happened, people would have had their say and everyone would have gone home. What I would have liked to see is a Buzzdata link with all the data so the community could see how the park is being used, when it’s busy and how many people visit it. “That could have been my pre-reading and I could have shown up with intelligent thoughts on the matter to discuss.” Eduard isn’t new to the start-up game and based on his past success Buzzdata has a better than average chance at making it. He thinks there are few points would-be entrepreneurs should consider when starting a company. “Be very clear about the problem you’re solving,” he says. “There’s a lot of companies that I see are really building features and not companies.” He also recommends testing, testing and more testing. Knowing what question you’re going to answer is and then tracking the results of each test. If you’re not getting the response you’re expecting then you need to test again with different marketing initiatives, wording and more. Finally he draws on his time working for telecomms. There is a need to hone in. “In the telecomm industry we would call it signal to noise ratio,” he says. “You need to tune out the noise. Unless you’re getting the results back that you expect you need to change course — cut out the noise.” TT

‘I’ve stopped trying to guess what type of data people find interesting.’

Off-road trails underway By Sarah Taguiam

A

decade from now, Toronto’s offroad bike trail system will be superior to the current one, according to the city’s ambitious Bikeway Implementation Plan. The plan proposes to revamp old trails and develop 26 new ones, adding 77 kilometres to Toronto’s 286-km bike trail system. Ron Hart of the North York Cycling and Pedestrian Committee, who was previously frustrated over the closure of some bike lanes, welcomed the news. “More bike trails is always good but in the current climate, I’m happy to see anything,� he said. Hart, an avid cyclist, is looking forward to the construction of the CN Leaside North and South Connection. “Hopefully, with this new connection, there will be less congestion,� he said. Another major trail in the works is the East Don Trail, which the city’s plan calls the “largest and most complex project.� The trail system will connect East Don Valley lands to east-end communities

along the Gatineu Hydro Corridor Trail all the way to the Rouge Park Area. The trail is slated to cost $17 million as it requires bridge canopies, tunnels structures, and riverbank protections. In addition to the new trails, the city will spend approximately $1.5 million on upgrading the drainage, signage, and lighting on major streets on its older trails, including the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail, said transportation and cycling service manager Daniel Egan. Hart said he hopes the bikeways wouldn’t disregard the needs of cyclists. “[Off-road trails] are generally safer than bike lanes since mishaps are not as serious as what happens on the road,� he said. “But there tends to be too much anarchy sometimes since you’re sharing them with dog walkers and runners.� Hart urged the city to solve the system’s problems, including lack of winter cleanup and direct routes. “Though they’re great for attractions, most bike trails are designed for meandering and not straight commute,� he said. TT

Cont. from Page 5

deterrent, TCU22 lobbied local councillor Josh Matlow, who brought the matter to council. Eventually, council voted to increase the fine. Also tops on the group’s list is planning for the surface of Eglinton as construction for the Scarborough-Eglinton Crosstown light rail line gets underway. “It’s basically a oncein-a-generation opportunity to reshape how the street is going to work,� Taranu says. “We’re going to be changing the surface of Eglinton, new stations, [surface] buses decreasing possibly to zero.� Cyclists are advocating for a “complete streets� approach to planning for Eglinton’s surface. It’s an idea originating in the U.S. that promotes the concept of mid-urban and suburban arterials as accessible for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians. Taranu says the city needs to explore all options, including minimal car parking, bike lanes, and connectiv-

Fine Cigars & Tobacconist ity to off-road trails along Eglinton’s various neighbourhoods. Daniel Egan, the city’s point person for pedestrian and cycling infrastructure says his department is heavily involved in the

planning for Eglinton. “We’re looking at all the options at this point, it’s way too early to say what the final outcome will be but we are looking seriously at bike lanes on the street.� TT

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TORONTO TODAY July 2012

TEST RUN: Journalist Karolyn Coorsh found herself worried for her safety several times during her ride across the city centre with an experienced cyclist.

City cycling not so easy, midtown newbie discovers By Karolyn Coorsh

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eaving a downtown party a few weeks ago, I pulled out my Metropass for a bus ride home. I glanced back expecting to see three friends doing the same, but instead found them putting on helmets. Oh, right. They ride bicycles. It dawned on me that in the two years since moving from North York to midtown, I’d not once hopped on a bike. It was time to discover my adopted neighbourhood on two wheels. A morning two weeks later, I’m slowly cycling down Yonge Street, north of Davisville, with cycling enthusiast Ken Brown as my guide. City cycling is not easy, I soon learn. As cars pass me, I feel slightly intimidated and instinctively linger near the curb, pedalling cautiously. We’ve covered only a few blocks before Ken hangs a right onto Imperial Street. I follow, relieved to be off Yonge. So is Ken, who tells me he tries to avoid Yonge where it starts to narrow and traffic picks up north of St. Clair Avenue. Things are moving smoothly as Ken and I sail along side streets. On Chaplin Crescent approaching Lascelles Boulevard, I start to relax. Suddenly, Ken is hand signalling and easing into vehicular traffic, safely positioning himself for a left turn onto Lascelles. Ack, I’m still near the right curb, how do I get over there? With traffic pouring in from east and west, I panic, pull up to the curb and wait for an opening that doesn’t come. “That’s OK, sometimes I do that too,� Ken offers after I sheepishly dismount the bike, walk it to the stop sign, and cross the intersection by foot. From there we make our way to the

Beltline, enjoying the shade and a break from cars. Though he’s an experienced cyclist, Ken says he dislikes cycling on main roads. If he can avoid it, he will. “I don’t take the shortest route, I take the safest route,� the 67-year-old Summerhill resident says. That means streets with bike lanes or off-road trails, wherever possible. His favourite lanes are on St. George Street, because they remind him of cyclefriendly Amsterdam. “I love cycling when there’s lots of other cyclists,� he says. Ken takes his bike everywhere, it seems. At one point, he shows me the route he takes to get to his dentist. After an hour of riding, it’s time to head back, but not before attempting Eglinton Avenue W. for a few blocks. Ken tells me to be alert around parked cars and the possibility of doors being flung open as we pass by. We make it along Eglinton alright, but then on Duplex Avenue, I spot up ahead a parked black car with its fourway signals on — somebody inside could potentially open a door right in my path. Do I circle widely around the car and move into another lane to completely eliminate my chances of being doored, or just slow down and proceed with caution? I do the latter. By the time we get back to where we started from, I’m pretty hot and wishing I had ridden the bike through a lawn sprinkler I’d spotted back on Lascelles. It was a great (and slightly anxietyinducing) first ride in midtown. So, will I swap the TTC for the titanium? Probably not just yet, but I am keeping an eye out for bike sales. TT

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Designer Fashions and Accessories For Ladies and Men Francis Crescia/toronto today

PEDDLED PRODUCT: Despite being in high demand after their first year of operation, Bixi Bikes will not be expanding until the fall.

Bixi pleased with first year By SARAH TAGUIAM

B

ixi bikes, which just turned one year old in Toronto, are in high demand in Toronto but expansion won’t be considered until fall, a representative says. “Our first year in Toronto was a success,� said Michel Philibert, spokesperson for Public Bike System which developed the Bixi network. “Torontonians have embraced the system very well and fast.� Since May 2011, Bixi has drawn 5,000 members, who have taken more than 556,000 bike trips averaging 25 minutes and 5 kilometres per trip. But though bike-sharing is booming, some residents say they need more bikes placed in more suburban areas as the service is too concentrated on the downtown core. Councillors including Mike Layton (Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina) and Mary Fragedakis (Ward 29 TorontoDanforth) have been in talks with the city and Bixi to extend bike-sharing in their wards. The Toronto Cyclists Union has

also launched a petition to increase the number of bikes and locations. The group is asking for 3,000 new bikes spread around a larger service area. The decision to expand, however, is not on Bixi’s hands. Philibert said the city decides how the bike-share system will grow, the location of new stations, and the number of bicycles to be added. Last November, Bixi relocated 17 stations west on Euclid and east in the Distillery District to accommodate snow removal and serve high-traffic locations outside the original service area. Talks to officially expand the service, however, won’t begin until next fall according to Philibert. He added that Montreal, which has 5,120 bikes and 411 stations, is in the same situation. “It’s not enough for the demand and the councillors who want to have Bixi stations and bikes in their boroughs,� Philibert said. “They put pressure on us and put pressure on the city.� TT

Education key to cycling safety

C

courses that teach cyclists skills like anticipating traffic dynamics, road hazards, and collisionavoidance techniques. Courses range from Learn to Ride for those who cannot ride a bike

to CAN-Bike 2, which is required advanced training for those who cycle on the job. For more information, or to register for a course, visit www. toronto.ca/cycling/canbike.

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FRANCIS CRESCIA/TORONTO TODAY

SADDLE UP: Don Valley East councillor Shelly Carroll encourages about 500 cyclists at Allen Gardens on June 13 before their downtown ride to protest city council’s planned removal of bike lines from Jarvis Street.

Last stand on Jarvis By Karolyn Coorsh

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ycling advocates are ramping up last-ditch efforts to keep the Jarvis Street bike lanes intact. Advocacy group Cycle Toronto, formerly known as the Toronto Cyclists Union, is putting the pressure on council to reverse a July 2011 decision to remove the two-kilometre stretch of dedicated bike lanes from Queen Street to Charles Street. In June, hundreds of cyclists joined Cycle Toronto for a Save Jarvis bike rally that ended in front of city hall. At the heart of the issue is a disagreement between those who want to protect the bike lanes, and others who say the reduction of a car lane on Jarvis causes unnecessary congestion. Denzil Minnan-Wong, chair of public works and infrastructure, says he supports the bike lane removal because Jarvis is one of a limited amount of

arterial roads that effectively moves automotive traffic in the downtown area. “I believe certain roads should be exclusively used for cars and then other roads can be used for cycling,” he said. Once built, a separated bike lane on nearby Sherbourne Street will be sufficient local infrastructure for cyclists in the area, he added. Construction along Sherbourne is expected to begin this summer. “We’re going to recognize the priority for motor vehicles but we’re also going to recognize on Sherbourne Street the priority for cycling,” he said. “The two can co-exist.” Jared Kolb, Cycle Toronto’s director of outreach, says the removal of the Jarvis lanes, first installed in July 2010, is a step backward. “The 2001 bike plan identifies that

all streets in Toronto are bike streets and we need to add infrastructure — and in this case just keep infrastructure — to increase the safety of our most vulnerable road users.” Kolb points to an initial review on Jarvis that saw collision rates decrease since the installation of the bike lanes. According to another city report, motorist travel time along Jarvis has increased by two minutes since the lanes were installed. That report also indicates that while the volume of motorists in an eight hour period has remained unchanged, the number of cyclists has tripled, from about 290 pre-lane installation to 890 post-installation. Kolb noted the decision to remove the lanes was made after a snap motion introduced on the floor of council last July, leaving no opportunity for public consultation.

“What we’re saying is that if you’re going to tear them out, you’ve got to do it on the public record,” he said. Cycle Toronto is also calling on the province to review the Jarvis lane removal, along with several other city projects that affect cyclists. The other piece of the argument against removal is its $272,000 price tag — “which is a colossal waste of money,” Kolb says. If nothing changes, the Jarvis lanes’ removal is set to coincide with the completion of the Sherbourne Street separated lane construction. Kolb said Cycle Toronto is cautiously optimistic councillors will reopen the issue at council and reverse the decision to remove the lanes. “Council looks a lot different today certainly, than it did this time last year,” he said. “There’s certainly been a power shift.” TT

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10 TORONTO TODAY July 2012

A tasty history Chinese immigrants and the restaurant business

A

By Paula Sanderson

rlene Chan stands before the North Toronto Historical Society. Behind her is a picture of her parent’s Chinese restaurant, Kwong Chow Restaurant, on Elizabeth Street. “My exposure to Chinese restaurants started when I was very young,� she says. “As kids, we worked at my parents’ restaurant during the weekends and especially in the summertime.� Although no longer working in the restaurant, the Chinese-Canadian historian, who published The Chinese in Toronto from 1878: From Outside to Inside the Circle in 2011, still has a passion for Chinese food. Many Chinese came to Canada to work on the Canadian Pacific Railway across western Canada but did not move east until the completion of the railway in 1885. Sam Ching, who owned a Chinese laundry at 9 Adelaide St., is the first recorded person of Chinese descent living in Toronto in 1878. Historians believe Ching came to Toronto from the United States. As more Chinese joined Ching in Toronto, more

laundries were opened. “With that increase in population there was a real demand for someone to wash clothes,â€? says Chan. “What the Chinese did was they found a niche that no one else wanted.â€? With very little money, experience or equipment, Chinese newcomers could start a business but had to work 16–18 hours a day, seven days a week for small monetary returns. Early Chinese immigrants got into the restaurant business for similar reasons they had opened laundries: more people coming into the city meant they needed a place to eat. Although a restaurant startup cost more than a laundry, you could make more money. When they first opened up there were two streams of Chinese restaurants: those in Chinatown that catered to their fellow Chinese and western-style restaurants like diners and cafĂŠs. “For 15–20 cents you could get a full threecourse meal that was soup, Salisbury steak and as much bread as you wanted to eat because they were all stacked up on the counter,â€? says Chan smiling. “I remember going to some of these places when CONTINUED Page 12

DIM SUM is an authentic taste of Chinese cuisine.

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july 2012 TORONTO TODAY 11

Cont. from Page 11

I was a kid growing up and you would get a desert like a piece of pie or something, including your drink. It was a really good deal and they became really popular because it was very reasonable — especially compared to other restaurants.” As the years went on, Chop Suey became an integral dish in Chinese food in Toronto. “There are various stories as to where Chop Suey originated from,” says Chan. “One is that it was an authentic Chinese peasant dish from early immigrants who came from China. Chop Suey is a dish that is made up of various ingredients — whatever you happen to have on hand you throw it in and stir-fry it and then you have a dish.” The other two stories are very similar. “The other, again we are talking about the late 1800s, that in the States there was a Chinese dignitary visiting so these American chefs threw in ingredients that they thought were Chinese and threw them together and called it Chop Suey,” says Chan. “And then another version is that an American dignitary as visiting China, so these cooks threw something together to present to this American dignitary.” Whatever its origin, Chop Suey caught on with diners. “It was in the States that it became really really popular, and so people started asking when they went to a Chinese restaurant for Chop Suey. Then that fad moved up to Canada and it became so popular that restaurants wanted to include ‘Chop Suey’ in their name,” says

Want authentic? T

he first Chinese restaurant workers in Toronto didn’t have much skill, but as the years went on, more skilled immigrants came over and the Chinese cuisine became more and more authentic, says Canson Tsang, director of Chinese food Chan. “It was a very popular name to attract western people, not Chinese people, to their restaurants. VJ Day on Aug. 15, 1945 was a major turning point in Chinese Canadian history. “From 1923 to 1947 Canada had an Chinese Exclusion Act which prohibited any Chinese from coming into Canada because the vision for Canada was a white Canada and Chinese didn’t figure into that vision,”

operations at Lai Wah Heen restaurant, In 1997 when Hong Kong was handed to China, many of the rich people from the former colony immigrated to Canada, Tsang says. When they arrived they wanted authentic Chinese cuisine. Lai Wah Heen restaurant caters to that authentic market.

explains Chan. “[This changed after the war] because about 600 Chinese Canadians volunteered to serve in the armed forces and because of the Chinese Canadians incredible effort in raising money and helping during the war as far as war relief and buying victory bonds and volunteering to help out wherever they could. That made a really good impression and that was a turning point in the Canadian perspective of Chinese Canadians

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Try dim sum

Tsang recommends trying dim sum if you want to experience Chinese food. It is served in bite-size pieces and you can try many different types. As the cart comes around, you can just pick what looks good. The best way to try dim sum is to come with a group of people — that way you can try even more, he adds. and Chinese living in Canada.” The end of the Exclusion Act brought about the right to vote and the ability to become citizens. “Because they were looked on more favourably, people became more interested in things that were Chinese,” says Chan. “Up until the end the war, if you weren’t Chinese you didn’t go into Chinatown.” As more people went to Chinatown, the neighbourhood became more geared to western customers. The big four restaurants: Kwong Chow Restaurant, Si Wu Restaurant, Nanking Restaurant and Lichee Garden opened up. “They were so different from the ones that had been opened up until that time,” says Chan. “These new restaurants seated a lot of people, they had white table cloths and you could tell they were really geared for non-Chinese diners. They really made Chinatown a tourist attraction rather than a ‘Don’t go to China town unless your Chinese’ sort of thing.” Torontonians of all stripes dined at these four restaurants. “These four restaurants developed menus that were Chinese food but used Canadian ingredients and aimed to really suit the western palate,” says Chan. “You wouldn’t have anything too unusual or anything too adventurous because you wanted the western clientele coming into your restaurant.” These restaurants were the example for other Chinese food restaurants in Toronto. In 1972 when US president Richard Nixon went to China, he had a nine-course banquet and the owner of Si Yu restaurant, Bill When, decided to bring that concept to his restaurant. “Then of course other restaurants started serving the nine-course banquet as well,” says Chan. Dim sum was also introduced by these restaurants. “It was such a new thing you could only get up to a dozen items and had to order things off the menu,” says Chan. In 1967 when Canada introduced the immigration points system, the first major influx of Chinese immigrants came from Hong Kong. “They not only brought a large consumer group who wanted to eat Chinese food, but among these immigrants were dim Sum chefs and master chefs that not only worked in restaurants but opened up restau-

rants,” says Chan. “That’s when the face of dim sum really started changing. That’s when you started seeing people push the carts around and you could chose your Dim Sum.” These restaurant owners were not only food pioneers, but local leaders as well. “They were not only running very successful business but they were also very prominent in the community,” Chan says. “I think these four restaurants, because they were really attractive and really wanted the non-Chinese clientele, really helped break down all these barriers and helped get rid of all the stereotypes and anti-Chinese discrimination that was so accepted until the end of the war.”. When McDonald’s opened its first Canadian restaurant in 1967, the Chinese community saw another

restaurant opportunity. “The Chinese are resilient and have an ability to adapt and go with the flow and not get left behind,” says Chan. “So the Chinese started opening up all these fast food places and buffet restaurants. They also opened up places where not only could you eat in, you can take out. Whatever was going on with the western fast food, the Chinese did that as well.” That’s when restaurants like Mandarin, Ho Lee Chow and Manchu Wok opened up. Chan says Chinese food in Toronto has come a long way. Today Toronto Chinese food restaurants offer come from a wide range of regions and is as diverse as the Chinese community. “We have so much variety (in Toronto),” she says. “I think it’s a reflection of the diversity of the Chinese community.” TT

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City Gardening

Lorraine Flanigan

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rban gardens are often shaded by mature trees, towering buildings and, let’s face it, yet another monster home that looms over the site of a former, more demure, bungalow. These are facts of city life that pose difficulties for those of us whose yards are sun-challenged. But lusting after light will get us nowhere, whereas embracing shade can produce some astonishing results. That was brought home to me on a recent garden tour where one of the most beautiful gardens was made in the shade — it could have been a primer in shade gardening 101. So, here’s what I learned from that wonderful garden. Limber up Although surrounded by deciduous trees, an arborist had been hard at work in this garden, pruning out all of the lower branches to allow softly filtered light to spill over the garden. Slender trunks soared into the air, branching out only at the treetops. This had the effect of raising the “ceiling” so that the garden felt open rather than enclosed and bright rather than dim. Follow the sun When sunshine is at a premium, the trick is to make the most of what little you have. This is difficult to do unless you know where the sun shines at all times of the day. Site plants such as morning glories to catch the early morning rays; position roses in the one place where the sun strikes from noon to mid-afternoon; and be sure to place tall perennials, shrubs or small trees (Joe-Pye weed, Carolina spicebush, magnolias and redbuds) where their foliage can be backlit or underlit by the low, setting sun.

‘Embracing shade can produce some astonishing results.’

Play with light It’s lighter than you think in a shady garden, and you can amplify what light there is by bouncing it off plants with golden or chartreuse foliage. In the garden showcased on this tour, the most stunning specimen was a full moon maple positioned where its golden leaves shimmered under a single splash of sunshine. The background was very dark, and the surroundings sparse and simple, which enhanced the spotlight effect. Light can be magnified not only by bouncing it off foliage, but it can be reflected off light coloured walls and grey flagstone pathways, too.

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lorraine flanagan/toronto today

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Let fresh air into your home without unwelcome insects or glare of direct sunlight. Designed for doors, windows and large openings, Phantom Screens remain out of sight until you need them. Call your local Authorized Distributor at 1-888-PHANTOM (742-6866) www.phantomscreens.ca

CAN YOU SEE THE LIGHT? There are various ways to tackle building a garden in the shaded part of your yard, including creating vignettes and opting for plants that thrive without strong light. Cont. from Page 15

Create vignettes Plants growing in shade have a hard enough time putting on a good show without gardeners demanding that the show go on and on. Although many plants try their best to cope with such high expectations by providing year-round interest through colourful foliage, bright berries or elegant forms, they can’t carry the show on their own. They need some props, for heaven’s sake. A bistro set painted in a primary colour can take centre stage when the feathery plumes of astilbes have faded from the limelight; a pathway set with decorative tiles can complement a past their bloomtime hellebores; and ornate obelisks can support the languishing vines of a shade-tolerant Clematis recta purpurea. Give them more of what you’ve got A wise landscape designer once gave me good advice about growing plants in the shade. To make up for the lack of sunlight, she recommends giving them more of the other conditions they need for good growth: soil, food and water. So, make sure the soil is rich in nutrients and light and airy in texture so that roots are able to access the minerals and nutrients they need. And install irrigation so plants are able to absorb those nutrients and stay hydrated, too, especially if they’re growing near the competing roots of trees. Best plants for shady places No matter how faithfully you adhere to the guide-

lines outlined in this brief primer, the overriding rule for success is to select plants that tolerate shade. And believe it or not, there are lots to choose from. Here are ten of my favourites: 1. Siberian bugloss, especially Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ 2. Japanese painted ferns 3. Barrenworts, or Epimedium species and cultivars to give them their botanical name (there are many, but you need to seek them out) 4. Hostas (you probably have a garden full of these, and I hope you have the best one: ‘June’) 5. ‘Golden Shadows’ dogwood — ’nuff said. 6. Hellebores (tough as nails, gorgeous long-lasting blooms, and very shade tolerant) 7. European ginger (The groundcovering Asarumeuropaeum has darker, shinier leaves than our native wild A. canadense.) 8. Bugbanes and snakeroots (Now sold under the name of Actaea, some nurseries still list them as Cimicifuga. ‘Chocolate’ and ‘Brunette’ are irresistible.) 9. Masterworts (Astrantia major — ‘Sunningdale Variegated’ is unsurpassed for the shade garden by any other variety.) 10. Clematis — don’t let anyone tell you there are none for shade. ‘Summer Snow’ is the best and I wouldn’t be without the sprawling Clematis recta purpurea (it needs support to climb). Basking in the shade, Lorraine Flanigan writes from her shady garden in the South Eglinton neighbourhood of Toronto. TT

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16 TORONTO TODAY July 2012

Lavender

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An all-purpose plant By Mary Fran McQuade

ou can cook with it, wash with it, scent your linens with it — even put it in your favourite beverage. What is it? Good old-fashioned, garden-grown lavender. We’re talking about the real thing here, not the overpowering, sticky-sweet dried stuff sold in plastic bags at fairs and exhibitions. Lavender isn’t one of those ohso-pure native plants that everyone’s talking about. In fact, it started out in the bleak hills of the western Mediterranean, then was carried by the Romans to Europe. Even so, lavender fits right into our Canadian gardens. It doesn’t spread all over the place. You don’t need to water it after its first year in the garden. It’s happy in full sun and sandy or gravelly soil, And you can skip the fertilizer. Besides that, it looks good, with slender, silvery-grey leaves, and it blooms right around now with wonderfully scented lavender-blue flowers on long stalks. A royal favourite Although it’s a modest-looking plant, lavender has a back-story of legend and romance. The Romans used it for wounds and bathing. (The name lavender comes from the Latin lavare “to wash.”) It was also prized by a mixed bag of historical celebrities: Charlemagne, Queen Elizabeth I, France’s Louis XIV and Madame

de Pompadour and Queen Victoria. It’s said Cleopatra used lavender oil to seduce her men, and remnants of lavender were found in one of King Tut’s perfume jars. Peace, love and hygiene What’s the big attraction? Back in the stinky old days, lavender’s clean, fresh scent helped clear the general, um, atmosphere. People believed it promoted sleep, happiness, peace, long life and love. Practical folks used its oil to clean wounds and keep away pesky things like bedbugs. That was back in the dark ages, but those princes and peasants may have hit on something. During the First World War, lavender products were used in Britain as an antibiotic and disinfectant in hospitals. Modern scientists have found that lavender oil destroys tuberculosis bacilli within 12 hrs of exposure. Today’s trendy lavender Recently, lavender has made something of a comeback. You can now buy lavender coffee, ice cream, shortbread, lemonade and other goodies. Upscale home stores carry lavender laundry spray for your linens. If you look, you can find lavender lemonade and lavender martinis. Of course, if you grow your own lavender, you can find recipes for all those things on the internet. Even if you don’t want lavender in your

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Best kinds to grow If you choose the right kinds, lavender isn’t hard to grow. Just remember that only a few lavenders will survive our winters. Best choices are ‘Munstead’ and ‘Hidcote’, which are two varieties of English lavender, **Lavandula angustifolia.** They’ll take temperatures as low as about -25C (lower if they’re mulched). You

can find these at Richters herbs in Goodwood and good garden centres. Brand-new are some varieties being developed in the fields near Niagara-on-the-Lake by Neob Lavender (neob = Niagara essential oils and blends). ‘Massuet’ is a cross between English lavender and lavandin, another lavender hybrid. It’s winter-hardy and highly scented. Other crosses are on the way, says co-owner Robert Achal. If you do plant lavender, may you enjoy what one 1917 writer called “the odour of the domestic virtues and the symbolic perfume of a quiet life.” TT

Lavender tours & tastings Neob lavender farm & boutique holds its Taste of Niagara Lavender Festival on July 14 and 15, 10 a.m–6 p.m. A $5 ticket gains entry to tours, seminars and tastings at Neob and three participating locations (restaurants, wineries). For a little more money, you can visit 12 locations and enjoy a catered lavenderthemed lunch. Visit www.neoblavender.com or call 905-682-0171 for info. SPECIAL: Go to www.secretpage.neoblavender.com and clink on the link to receive two free $5 tickets to the event.

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Dining&Food

Great service at this Bistro Liz Campbell

T

he scent of steakfrites grabs me with the first step into Steakfrites Bistro. Charles Aznavour’s Sur Ma Vie is playing in the background. The posters are French and so is the maitre d’. Parfait! In French fashion, we start with wine — a Rothschild Merlot for my guest and a Canadian Riesling for me ($8.50 each). Neither is remarkable but comfortable wines for the occasion. The menu adds its French emphasis: Moules Marseillaise, Fish soup St. Tropez and my guest’s choice of appetizer, Onion Tart Alsacienne ($12.95). A large slice of tart is loaded with onions in a béchamel sauce and topped with a scoop of peppery chevre. He pronounces it “Incredible. It melts in your mouth.” I have to agree. It’s a great start. Unfortunately, my choice of escargots à la Bourguignonne ($9.50) makes less impact. Instead of a sauce, the snails are served in a small bowl, swimming in a soupy broth. I might not mind this — more sauce to sop up with the bread — but the concoction is bland. I never add salt to food, but I do here in a vain attempt to revive a dying sauce. I fail. As I near the bottom, the onion and garlic at the bottom finally make a feeble attempt at resuscitation. Duck confit ($19.95) goes a long way to restoring my faith in this chef. Crisp skin and tender flesh get raves from my guest. It’s easy to overcook this dish, but this one is just right. It comes with roasted 18 TORONTO TODAY July 2012

liz campbell/toronto today

WELL DONE: The Onion Tart Alsacienne, left, and onglet steak Bordelaise are spot on, notes our dining columnist during her trip to Steakfrites Bistro on Yonge Street.

garlic potatoes and a selection of vegetables, including carrots, baby bok choy, and mange tout peas. I feel obliged to try the eponymous dish. My onglet (skirt steak) steak Bordelaise ($18.50) is as tender and delicious as one could wish, blessed with a gorgeous red wine and shallot sauce. The frites are thinly sliced and fried to crisp perfection. I too have the selection of vegetables and they are the only false note in an otherwise wonderful main course. That’s because the vegetables on both plates have been liberally sprinkled with thyme. I like thyme but it’s one of those herbs that cries out for moderation. It dominates. And here it introduces a false note to a beautiful sauce wherever it comes in contact with it. I must add in fairness, that my guest doesn’t mind it. But his confit has no sauce. Nonetheless, it’s a small sin. The dessert list is tempting but we decide to share a crème caramel ($7.95). This is a great marker dish for food writers

as it requires finesse to make it well — too much caramelization of the sugar or overcooking the custard to rubbery consistency, and the dish is spoiled. Not here. This crème caramel has just a hint of the sugar’s browning without any bitterness. And the custard is creamy and smooth. It’s simply flawless. Service at Steakfrites is impeccably attentive — water glasses are refilled, empty plates whisked away, smiling queries about the meal offered. It’s not surprising. It is the sister to Bloor West’s Merlot, another French gem. Make a reservation — it’s a busy spot.

‘The custard is creamy and smooth. It’s simply flawless.’

Steakfrites Bistro, 3185 Yonge St. 416488-0081. Website: www.steakfritesbistro. com. TT

You’ll scream... ...for ice cream — in a can and homemade

M

By Liz Campbell

y friend Lori Waldbrook, who happens to be with Parks Canada, takes her commitment to the outdoors seriously. So does her brother-in-law, Bob. An annual camping trip is part of their family tradition. “On one camping trip, Bob brought along a new, cool way to make ice cream,â€? explains Waldbrook. “It can be done in any campground, requires no electricity and uses simple ingredients easily brought from home. And the boys had so much fun.â€? She calls it camping ice cream but you can do this in your own backyard or better still, take it along on a trip this summer to one of the many parks and historic sites administered by Parks Canada or Ontario Parks. Nothing says summer like ice cream and this is a great way to ensure your family is getting fresh, local ingredients and no additives in their favourite frozen treat. There are two ways to make camping ice cream. There’s an easy way: just buy a Play & Freeze ice cream ball, available online from Amazon, L.L. Bean and from Bed, Bath & Beyond in Canada ($24.95–32.95). Or you can do it the serious camper way. For this, you require two containers. Bob, a committed coffee consumer, used one- and three-pound coffee cans. You simply fill the smaller can with the ice cream ingredients. Seal it tightly using duct tape to ensure it cannot come open no matter how rough things get. Place it inside the larger can, and fill that with ice and rock salt. It too, is sealed with duct tape. Now comes the fun part. Either toss or roll the can (or the Play and Freeze) back and forth for 8–10 minutes. The full can is quite heavy so it’s a good workout and it helps to have a few extra people involved to share in the effort. Ingredients: 1 pint of half and half (milk or unflavoured yogurt can be used instead) 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/4 cup of pureed berries, peaches or your favourite fruit Method: Add all of the above ingredients to the onepound coffee can and mix well. Put the lid on the coffee can and completely enclose it with duct tape. Place the onepound coffee can inside of the three-pound coffee can. Fill the larger can with crushed ice and rock salt and place the lid onto the three-pound coffee can. Duct tape that lid as well. Be sure to check the ice cream after eight minutes of play as it can harden very quickly, and then you have to let it soften before it can be gobbled up. If the ice cream is not hard enough, re-seal and roll for longer. Serves four to six people. TT

liz campbell/toronto today

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Travel

Toe die for Bizarre cocktail is a highlight of trip to the Yukon

I

By Liz Campbell

s there any depths a food writer won’t plumb for a story? Apparently not. I’m finding it hard to believe, but I’m actually about to drink neat gin containing a toe. Yes, a real human toe. No, I haven’t turned cannibal or discovered some new crazy sect. Well, perhaps crazy isn’t an entirely unapt description of a community that not only embraces this drink, but also offers a dog ball high ball (ingredients obvious if you think about it for a minute) each year in March. This canine cocktail celebrates the beginning of the winter thaw and is sold to raise funds for the Humane Society in Dawson City, Yukon. Why am I going to drink a Sourtoe Cocktail? To prove I’m not simply a Cheechako (incomer to the Yukon) but I have the grit in me to be a real Sourdough (Yukoner). Proving you’ve got the stuff to be a true Sourdough is a tradition that goes back a long way. In 1906, “Stroller” White, editor of the Whitehorse Star, desperate for something to fill the pages of his newspaper, waxed poetic about ice worms. In response, a local bar created an ice worm cocktail, containing an actual worm. Yukon’s bard, Robert Service, who could never resist a joke, made the drink legendary in a poem about a hapless major from England who was bullied into drinking one containing a four-inch long ice worm. In the words of Service: “And with a roar the mob proclaimed: ‘Cheechako, Major Brown, Reveal that you’re of Sourdough stuff, and drink your cocktail down’.” The major did, but didn’t keep it down. And Service reveals the truth in the final lines of his poem: “For that ice-worm (so they told him) of such formidable size Was — a stick of stained spaghetti with two red ink spots for eyes.” However, while the ice worm is a fake, the toe currently confronting me is very real. Its own history started with a prospector (this is, after all, the home of the Klondike Gold Rush) who lost his

20 TORONTO TODAY July 2012

big toe to frostbite — a not uncommon occurrence. But he dropped his into a bottle of rum to preserve it. After he died, the next owner of his small cabin, Cap’n Dick Stevenson, who had migrated here from New Brunswick, found himself with a pickled toe. And this, folks, is where Northern insanity takes over. His friends bet him that he wouldn’t drink a cocktail with the toe in it. He did and a tradition, the Sourtoe Cocktail, was born. Stevenson printed up a bunch of certificates and offered the challenge to any visitors to the bar who wanted to qualify as a real Sourdough. One has to admire the entrepreneurial spirit of the good captain. For $5 he lets you add the toe to your drink — which must be neat alcohol — and presents you with a certificate of achievement. The only qualifier is the toe must touch your lips. In a land where the ground remains firmly entrenched in permafrost, and the sun hardly shines for at least half the year, such apparent lunacy doesn’t seem quite as mad. It’s only later, when I return to Toronto and tell friends about it, that I realize just how crazy it is. And if the inherent lunacy of consuming this drink isn’t enough, consider this. While the original toe is long gone, (there’s a story that someone actually swallowed it!), many others have donated their own frostbitten toes to the cause. When I visit the charming little cemetery outside town, I find myself wondering which of its inhabitants are minus a big toe. So here I am, in the Downtown Bar in Dawson City, with my own Sourtoe Cocktail, about to accept the challenge. Apparently I’m in good company. More than 40,000 people have downed one of these — my certificate says I’m no. 44,120. Add up those $5 bills 40,000 times and you can see that one needn’t dredge the earth for gold in the Yukon. What’s a Sourtoe Cocktail like? Frankly, the neat gin is far more distasteful than the toe which does, indeed, touch my lips. When his turn comes, another customer holds it

liz campbell/toronto today

WHAT A SOURDOUGH! Our travel writer takes a swig of gin with a human toe in the glass (pictured above), making her a true Yukoner.

cigar style, between his teeth. But I’m content with my small effort ... and my certificate. The point of this tale isn’t simply to boast of my achievement; well, perhaps it is, just a little. But it’s a small illustration of the sorts of wacky and wonderful characters you will find in a kind of distillation from every part of the world. In a population that numbers less than 2,000 in winter and quadruples when the sun warms the place up and the summer staff and tourists fill the town, Dawson boasts more than its reasonable share of eccentrics. And meeting them is a large part of the fun of a visit. In the shops around town, I meet incomers from Holland, Germany, Switzerland, the US and other parts of Canada. Each has a unique and often hilarious reason for being in the Yukon, and each invariably adds in

some form, “I love living here. There’s nowhere else on earth like it.” I visit the little, two-room cabin, once inhabited by Robert Service. Here, Canada’s bard immortalized the characters of the Gold Rush, most of whom went home with pockets filled with iron pyrite (fool’s gold). I sit in Service’s rustic wooden chair on the front porch and read The Cremation of Sam McGee. It’s an entertaining tale but, beware, most of it is also pure pyrite — only believed by fools. But Dawson itself is pure gold — a treasure trove of characters, history and some of the most spectacular scenery in Canada. And then there’s the fact that this is the only place you can test your mettle on a genuine Sourtoe Cocktail. Can you do it? TT

Calendar

Lots of summer fun

WHERE TO SEE IT: Caribana map can be downloaded from torontocaribbeancarnival.com.

The local world

Tour the globe without actually leaving Toronto this month

T

By Liz Campbell

his month we invite you to take a trip around the world in 31 days and celebrate Toronto’s vibrant multicultural community. All you need is the TTC to get you to all the sights and sounds of South Asia, the Carribean and South America, no passport required. Encourage your kids to taste something new, take a spin on the dance floor and learn some new moves and then shop for a little piece of someone else’s home to take back to yours. First stop: India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bengal AND Sri Lanka Head east on Gerrard on July 7 and 8 and don’t stop until you find the explosion of color that is the TD Festival of South Asia. The street will be closed to traffic from noon until midnight so the party can move in. A stage will feature live performances and the South Asia’s Got talent show for youth. Based on the reality show, it will showcase Toronto performers in dance, singing, drama, magic and more. South Asian cuisine will be plentiful from 20 different restaurants, priced at only $1–$6. Come hungry and be sure to let your children delight at the array of Indian sweets inside the stores. July 7-8, Noon–midnight, Gerrard Street E. from Greenwood Avenue to Coxwell Avenue. www.festivalofsouthasia.com.

Next up, the warm sun of the Caribbean If you haven’t been yet, make this the year you take your family to the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival (formerly known as Caribana). People come from all over North America to join the three-week celebration of Caribbean music, cuisine, visual and performing arts. Dance to the rhythms of Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Hip Hop, and more. The event culminates with the King and Queen showcase and parade on Saturday, August 4, a must-see for all. Your children won’t believe their eyes when the see the elaborate costumes, specifically designed to move with the dancers. The live steel bands and theatrical mas band displays, bursting with color will take your breath away. And what party is complete without food? The grills will be hot, preparing mouth-watering Caribbean fare for all. July 17–August 5, various times and locations. For a complete list of events, visit www. torontocaribbeancarnival.com. Time for a drink in Brazil: caipirinha for the moms and dads Toronto’s vibrant Brazilian community will share their exuberant culture for one and all at the 9th annual Toronto International BrazilFest on July 22. Enjoy sizzling sambas on the festival stage

with live musicians and dancers. Make like the Brazilians and bring a whistle to toot in time to the beat of the music. Escola de Samba de Toronto will perform Carnaval music from Rio and Sao Paulo while Banda Iluminada will keep the audience hopping with their mix of Brazil’s classic instrumental music mixed with standards. Taste some delicious churrasco barbeque and other Brazilian treats. When the hot summer sun has you looking for a drink, and maybe something to take the edge off from the work week, try Brazil’s national cocktail: Caipirinha made with lime, sugar and cachaca, a Brazilian spirit. July 22, 12–10 p.m., Earlscourt Park. www.brazilfest. ca. Touch down back in our home and native land Toronto kids of all ages who are in the know will be in YongeDundas Square on July 22 for Youth Day 2012. Kids take center stage with live music and dance performances by youth age 14–24. A live fashion show will showcase the work of youth and mentor designers with styles for all ages and sizes. Be inspired as you stroll through the Youth Gallery full of the art and photography of very talented kids. July 22, 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Yonge-Dundas Square. www. youthdaytoronto.com. TT

Tuesday, July 3–Friday, Aug. 31 Camp Pal-O-Mine Summer Day Camp, Central Eglinton Community Centre, 160 Eglinton Ave. E. 10 a.m. Camp Pal-OMine features games, arts and crafts, two trips per week, swimming and more. For ages 4–12. Weekly registration periods. $145 per week plus community centre membership fee of $35. Extended hours for additional fee. 416-392-0511. Wednesdays, July 4–Aug. 29 Shared Advice Summer Program, Central Eglinton Community Centre, 160 Eglinton Ave. E. 2:15 p.m. Want to add something new to your life? Want to make a change? Join our welcoming group as we engage in health related discussions, with weekly themes. Call Sherri Bulmer at 416-392-0511 ext. 228 for more info such as changes in schedule. Free. Wednesdays, July 11–25 Summer Dance Festival 2012, Ballroom On Bayview, 1578 Bayview Ave., Suite 3. Noon. Mark your calendar and get ready to dance, dress up and win prizes.

$20 per person. Check our website www. ballroomonbayview. com for updates. Thursday, July 12–Friday, July 13 A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Driftwood Theatre, Todmorden Mills, 67 Pottery Rd. 7:30 p.m. Join Driftwood Theatre on a magical, musical journey into an enchanted forest, where four young lovers and one hapless weaver fall victim to the whimsies of a mischievous creature armed with a very powerful flower. Admission: pay-whatyou-can (suggested $15/person). www. driftwoodtheatre.com. Thursdays July 24– Aug. 28 Osteo Exercise, Central Eglinton Community Centre, 160 Eglinton Ave. E. 1:30 p.m. This exercise is composed of gentle resistance/strength training and postural exercises, using small weights and stretch bands. Sign up at 416392-0511 ext. 228 for a complete session, or drop-in. Located on the ground floor. $45 for full session or $8 drop-in. To place your event in our Community Calendar please visit our website at www. mytowncrier.ca.

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By Mathieu Yuill

t wouldn’t matter if you were looking at a 911 designed in 1963, the year of its launch, or in 2012. You’d know you’re looking at a 911. It’s Porsche’s simple philosophy of engineering the vehicle first and then letting the design play catch up to the mechanics. It was the grandfather of automaker Ferdinand Alexander Porsche himself who said, “If you analyze the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious.” And it appears they’ve gotten the function down pat which makes the 911’s design just a beautiful as it is to drive. The recently released 911 — denoted the 991 after the previous 997 — has the same sleek, quick look every generation of 911 has had. But it looks quicker at a standstill than ever before, thanks in part to the longer wheel base and overall increased length. It doesn’t just look faster than the previous generation. It is faster. The Carrera and the Carrera S reach 100 km/h at 4.4 and 4.1 seconds respectively using the same time and fuel. Combined city/highway fuel consumption is rated at 8.7 L/100 km for both and a week in this vehicle showed actual fuel economy was actually quite close. Transmission is a choice of either a seven-speed manual transmission or a splendid PDK tranny that is so efficient it’s a wonder anyone orders a Porsche with a stick anymore.

The 911 is now equipped with electro-mechanical power steering assist system that replaces the previous hydraulic power assist. Porsche points to fuel savings but they’re also quick to point out it’s more efficient and precise than any other on the market. The 911 goes where you point it and gets there quickly. Taking the Carerra S around corners is an absolute treat. There are a handful of vehicles on within the reach of common man that can dart in and out of the pylons and leave a smile on your face but none like the 911. Granted, with a base price of $110,000 the definition of common man might need to be relaxed. But if there is a supercar in reach, it’s the 911. The awesome handling is due in part to the redeveloped Dynamic Chassis Control. This allows the vehicle to maintain a higher speed in corners while the same time improves vehicle stability. Nowhere is this more evident than when the option g-meter is engaged on the dash and you can watch the little ball throw itself from side to side as you abruptly turn the steering wheel 180 degrees in the opposite direction. The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S make driving fun. If you’re in a position to put a car like this in your driveway — make sure you do. TT

CoolStuff

Cool ideas for hot days S By Liz Campbell

ummer’s here and with it comes the downside: heat and bugs, as well as the good part, plenty of summer memories captured by your camera. Here are products to help deal with all three effectively.

As temperatures climb, you can sleep cool with ChiliTechnology’s wireless, thermostat control mattress cover pads. The ChiliPad uses an innovative water circulation system to regulate the temperature of the sleeping surface in either single or dual zones. The control unit heats or cools regular water to a set temperature and circulates it through the pad or mattress, to temperatures between 55 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit (13 and 43 degrees Celsius) on the bed surface — so you can keep toasty in winter too. Designed to fit all standard and extra thick mattresses, the washable poly/cotton pad uses soft medical grade silicone tubing to circulate regular water through it. Dual-zone ChiliPads have separate tubing and independent control units for each side. Prices are $399–$999. You can buy online at www.chilitechnology. com.

Bugs bite and the bites swell and itch. Therapik, a small, hand-held device delivers relief from the bites and stings of mosquitoes, bees, wasps, hornets, black flies, ants, fleas, ticks, chiggers, jellyfish and even stinging nettle. It’s based on a simple principle: most insect venom is thermolabile, or sensitive to heat. Therapik delivers heat in the precise temperature range necessary to deactivate the venom from over 20,000 different species of insects and sea creatures. As the heat neutralizes the venom and increases blood flow to the affected area, there is a marked reduction in swelling, redness, pain and itching. You can reapply until you get relief, but most find that one 20- to 30-second application is enough to stop the itch and pain permanently. Small, lightweight and battery-powered, Therapik sells for $12.95 and is available at www.therapik.com.

Got some great summer photos you’re planning to mount? Family photos or even that great shot of the sunset in Muskoka can really stand out on your wall. Aluminyze.com lets you upload any photo and have it embedded into specialized “aluminyzed” metal for a uniquely creative, rich look — adding depth and dimension to an otherwise flat surface. Unlike with a traditional paper photo, the image doesn’t just sit on the paper, making it two-dimensional. Instead, the surface coating of aluminium functions as a translucent layer through which the image appears three-dimensional. And because the photo is embedded, it can’t be scratched off, making it more durable than paper. You don’t even need glass to protect it. Prices start at $24.95 for 8x10 inches to $79.99 for a large 16x20 inches. See it at www.aluminyze.com. july 2012 TORONTO TODAY 25

Toronto Today wins big Former columnist Brian Baker wins provincial award

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By Gordon Cameron

hat a night it was for the Toronto Today and its sister publications the Town Crier newspapers and Vaughan Today magazine as the publications received a personal best 10 awards in seven different categories at the annual Ontario Community Newspapers Association Better Newspapers Awards. Taking Columnist of the Year honours was former Toronto Today sports editor Brian Baker, who won for his Game Fixer column in this magazine. The three submissions, which discussed local sporting issues, were described as “persuasive, colourful and smartly written,” by judge Julie McCann. “Whether he is writing about a misunderstood ad campaign or street hockey bylaws gone wrong, he owns his material — and his reader.” Our website www.mytorontotoday.ca took home first place in the member-judged Surfers Selection category. Vaughan Today’s site www.vaughantoday. ca came third. Toronto Today staff also took first place in the Arts & Entertainment writing, first, third and honourable mention in the Health & Wellness category, third in Business writing, and honourable mentions in the Feature writing and Education writing categories. Congratulations to all the reporters, photographers, designers and editors who helped to uphold the tradition of journalistic excellence for which Toronto Today is known across the province. TT

26 TORONTO TODAY July 2012

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ACROSS 1. Really angry 6. Belonging to a member of a popular ’80s rap group 10. Audio levelling component 14. Run off and wed 15. Europe’s direction from here 16. Opposite the wind side 17. Well known comedy troupe 19. Latvian capital 20. Sam’s last name? 21. Added result 22. Well known visual artists 29. French castle, Chateau de ___ 30. Mom’s man 31. Big Bang Theory pal 34. Says 36. Columnist Landers 37. Top notch 38. Well known nationalist song from the War of 1812 41. Big Apple awards for up and coming comedians, acr. 42. It comes in veggie, too 43. Grown ups 44. Drunk 45. Rock city, abbr. 46. Greek excellence 47. Well known film director

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51. One way to eat butter 54. Student helpers, acr. 55. TTC spokesman Brad 56. Well known folk singer 63. Change for accuracy 64. Roof overhang 65. Exit 66. Michigan cities and investigators, abbr. 67. Hull part 68. Allowable

DOWN 1. Innovative bass player Claypool 2. French island 3. Singer, abbr. 4. Company’s first stock sale 5. Bear’s home 6. Coffee without kick 7. Mars 8. Setting for Regina’s clocks 9. Pig’s digs 10. Snoopy’s nemesis, the Red ___ 11. Was on fire 12. ___ Genesis 13. Navy member 18. One-time Black Sabbath vocalist 21. He had an excellent adventure

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22. Backside muscles 23. Military supply sompany 24. Appearance 25. “Best before” 26. Christie Pits-area restaurant and lounge 27. The Simpsons teacher Krabappel 28. Wheel of Fortune co-host 31. One who instigates 32. Red food colouring plant 33. Actor Ackles 35. Sleep lightly 36. Major knee ligament 37. Burn up 39. Extremely important 40. Eve’s partner 45. Bit 47. Jokes 48. Oven 49. Desert vehicle? 50. Poisonous snake 51. Wilma’s husband 52. Went on a bike 53. “___ me you’re looking for?” 56. Swedish money, abbr. 57. ___ Kwon Do 58. Sick 59. Born 60. “You’re it!” 61. Eggs 62. Brooks or Lastman

Check www.MyTorontoToday.ca for the answers.

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