Annex Post November 2021

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2021 TOP LAWYERS LIST THE MOST RESPECTED COUNSEL IN TORONTO AS SELECTED BY THEIR PEERS

Did your lawyer make the list? homicide up 10%

auto theft up 8%

assault up 3%

break-ins down 18%

robbery down 28%

T.O. was recently ranked the 2nd safest city in the world out of 60 major hubs, but do we have a problem with homicides and auto thefts?

NOVEMBER 2021 · VOLUME 4 · ISSUE 11

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2021

Welcome to this month’s Post.

Sit back & enjoy.

PENTHOUSES THAT PACK A PUNCH Three spectacular units that are at the top, literally

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LUG OF MY LIFE Jeanne Beker on the season’s hottest chunky boots

DYNAMIC DIWALI DUO Joshna Maharaj and Sangita Patel on the most delicious way to celebrate

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T.O.’S CULINARY POWER COUPLE The duo behind Fonda Balam on their first date and chefing together

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OUR ANNUAL CRIME REPORT T.O. was recently ranked the 2nd safest city in the world out of 60 major hubs

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CITYSCAPE

THE POST INTERVIEW

Randy Bachman’s true T.O. crime story

NEWS

BY THE NUMBERS

We intro our crime issue with the legendary guitarist from The Guess Who and BTO who made headlines recently with the incredible tale of being reunited with his first Gretsch guitar, with the help of YouTube, Google and a Japanese musician named Takeshi

45 The number worn by Toronto Raptors rookie Dalano Banton, the number of the Kipling bus he would ride from his Rexdale home.

10,000 The number of downloads, and counting, for Pawmates, a Tinder-style meet-up app for dogs created by a Toronto resident.

Randy Bachman with a Gretsch guitar he plans to trade to Japanese artist Takeshi for one that was stolen from him 45 years ago

basically Googled every orange Gretsch guitar sold in the world over the Internet in the last 20 years. And he said he’d found it in Japan belonging to a guy named Takeshi.

How did they do it?

And how did he react when you told him?

They said there was a gang that had been hitting all the motels. They made a deal with the hotel maid. They go into your room to clean it, and if you're down having your free breakfast, you have an extra key in the room, and they throw it out the window. The gang gets the key and goes to the front lobby. He phones the room. If it rings and rings and rings, he knows you're either paying your bill or you're having your free breakfast. He's got an opportunity to go to your room, knock on the door. If you're checking out, everything's at the door, your suitcases, your briefcase or your guitar. They open the door, grab whatever is close to the door, walk out to the end of the hall downstairs, and it's into their truck and gone.

So we emailed them. This guy is quite famous in Japan. He's written songs for all the Japanese idols and he’s sold like 30 to 40 million records, and it took a few months before they read it. Then we get a note back saying, “Well, is this really your guitar? We know who you are, Randy Bachman. Tell me what songs this was on.” I told him and he goes, “My goodness, this is amazing. And so we do a Zoom, and he brings the guitar into the zoom camera, just like about a year ago. When I see the guitar, I can't move. I'm basically … I'm in tears.

And someone stole it in Toronto?

So what happened recently?

We were at a studio in Toronto, I think Phase One. We were doing BTO’s, I think, seventh album in 1977, and the guitar was stolen out of the hotel room, and it absolutely shattered me because I'd had this since I was a young kid. So when it was stolen, I called the Toronto police. I called the OPP, the Mounties. I checked every pawn shop on Yonge Street. There was no Internet or anything. So you basically had to go there. I went and did it, and all they said was, “Look we're gonna

I was doing a YouTube live with my son Tal, and you know there are comments that come up on the side of the screen, and one read, “I found your Gretsch guitar.” So we get this guy’s name, William Long, who lives in White Rock, and we got a hold of him.

How did he find it?

He told me that he was working out of his house and had some free time so he started doing facial recognition of the Gretsch. So he

He agreed to sell it back to you?

Well, I said the guitar was stolen in ’77. And he goes, “I was born to get your guitar and look after it for you. I will trade it back to you.” He said, “I don't want a new guitar, I want his [Gretsch] sister. We are guitar brothers.” So when I go there to meet Takeshi, we're going to go to the Gretsch factory there and do a concert. Then I'm going to go to the nightclub where he plays in a video that led to us finding the guitar and do a performance and trade the guitars. Then I am going to bring the guitar home. It's a real Cinderella story.

—Ron Johnson

1 Toronto’s ranking in a list of the most rat-infested cities in Ontario, surprising no one.

70 The height, in feet, of Untitled, a new public art installation unveiled at the corner of Bay and Adelaide last month as part of ArtworxTO.

30 The date in November by which Toronto police officers must be vaccinated or be placed on indefinite unpaid absence.

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And where did you get it?

I would go downtown to Portage Avenue.

Everybody went to the Bay and walked along Portage to Eatons. In between there were clothing stores, record stores and music stores.

And I would go and look in the window and look at this orange Gretsch guitar that Chet Atkins played, Duane Eddy played, Eddie Cochran played, Chuck Berry even played one on American Bandstand. And I would stand there next to Neil Young and look at this orange guitar and dream about having an orange guitar like that. Finally, I had enough money to go and buy the guitar, and Neil Young bought one at the same place.

tell you the truth about your guitar. It’s probably out of the country driven over to Buffalo or Rochester or something, and it's gone. It wouldn't be around here.”

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So tell us about the guitar.

I bought it way back in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

I must have been about — I don't know — 18 or 19. And that guitar was my guitar. For everything I wrote and played: “Laughing,” “These Eyes,” “American Woman.” It’s on every one of those songs.

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The developer is planning to replace a parking lot with six townhomes

Laneways units behind heritage homes?

Plan calls for six Annex townhouses

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A developer is proposing to build six townhouses in an Annex laneway after earlier plans to build an apartment building had to be scrapped.

The proposal for 661–665 Huron St. by Originate Developments, calls for six threebedroom townhouses behind two buildings that have been protected by the city due to a heritage designation.

The site would hold 25 units total when the 19 units from the two heritage buildings are taken into consideration.

That number is down from an originally proposed 48 units within a four-storey building that would have replaced the heritage homes if it weren’t for their designation late last year.

The community rallied to save the homes with an online petition that received 7,700 signatures.

According to the petition, the two homes were used to house hundreds of girls from the U.K. who emigrated to Canada between 1923 to 1932.

“It is a historically significant building representing an important period in Canada’s early development as a nation,” the petition reads.

Due to the designation, the developer is now proposing to replace a parking lot in the back with townhouses and leave the heritage homes intact.

Although the City of Toronto

has made it easier for homeowners to create laneway housing by removing the need for rezoning or gaining approval by the city’s Committee of Adjustment, local councillor Mike Layton said that this project is not considered laneway housing, and so it does require rezoning.

Usually, there is one laneway house to one “parent” house, but this project would see three of them per “parent,” Layton said.

“But certainly it’s in keeping with the spirit of the laneway houses,” he said. “I don’t see anything else working on the site, given city planning has said you can’t demolish the building.”

However, local residents are still concerned there won’t be enough space in the back alley given the removal of the parking lot.

“There’s not a lot of room back there,” said Terry Montgomery, the vice chair of the Annex Residents’ Association (ARA).

“Our concern is with it being a bit crowded.”

Montgomery said that the project will remove a number of trees, but there won’t be room to replace them, and there is also concern over garbage removal.

The project should receive a report by city planners in the next six months or so, according to Layton, and then it will go before Toronto and East York Community Council.

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said. “We’ve reached a breaking point.”

She said that the shadows cast from the two towers, along with two other towers proposed for 2323 Yonge St., will blanket the field from noon onwards — one of the few green spaces in the neighbourhood for residents.

She also has no idea where construction trucks will go during the building phase, predicting they will end up on Roehampton and Broadway, which she said are already very narrow.

“The community has an absolute right to be upset.”

“Then, when everything is completed, with thousands of unit holders pouring onto the streets … think of what it’s going to mean for those corners,” she said. “It’s a tipping point for our community.”

The proposal for 2345 Yonge can’t be viewed on its own, though, but as the latest entry in a number of development applications for the area, including a five-tower proposal at Canada Square that features heights between 45 and 70 storeys and up to 2,700 condos.

The concern is that the infrastructure will not be able to keep up with the density,

according to local councillor Josh Matlow.

“The growth has exceeded the pace of social services, parks and infrastructure in that neighborhood,” he said, noting that schools in the area are hitting capacities.

Matlow said the root of the problem lies with provincial legislation, which doesn’t ensure that infrastructure will keep up with the growth after the city’s Midtown in Focus plan was changed by Premier Doug Ford’s government in 2019.

“They took out a lot of core focuses of ours on quality of life,” he said. “The community has an absolute right to be upset.”

Matlow is concerned that the area will become a “condo canyon” and places the blame squarely on Ford for putting the interests of developers before the communities. He said the province trumps the city in final say for planning, something that is baked into Canada’s constitution.

“It’s a screwed up system, and it doesn’t work,” he said.

The height at 2345 Yonge has even outstripped the expanded height guidelines of 30 storeys that the province set.

“They're already ignoring even the provincial version of the secondary plan, never mind the city’s version,” Matlow said. “So that's not a good start.”

When asked what can be done to fix these problems, Matlow had a simple answer.

“Get rid of Doug Ford.”

—Eric Stober

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Two towers equal to 70 storeys may challenge infrastructure A new two-tower development is being proposed in the quickly densifying Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue neighbourhood, but residents say the area is at a “tipping point” due to the number of condos planned.

The proposal from developer RioCan for 2345 Yonge St. is for two towers standing at 34- and 36-storeys and connected by a seven-storey podium with a curved “central oculus” design.

The towers would hold 648 residential units, 312 of which will be rental units and the rest condos, and there would be 12,610 square metres of nonresidential gross floor area, according to the application.

The development would replace a Shoppers Drug Mart facing Yonge Street and a 10storey office building setback and would loom over the North Toronto Collegiate field to the east.

Residents, though, are worked up over the proposal and the growing number of developments in the area.

Geri Berholz is the co-chair of the Republic Residents’ Association (RRA), which represents the vertical communities at 25 Broadway Ave. and 70 Roehampton Ave., as well as North Toronto Collegiate Institute (NTCI) students, parents and staff and the interests of residents at buildings adjacent to NTCI. “No one could have anticipated the extent of development that has ensued over the last eight years,” Berholz

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also tackled iceberg homes

City tries to chip away at iceberg home trend

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Toronto City Council has voted to further investigate the impacts of “iceberg homes,” a new trend in Toronto real estate.

Council voted in favour of a motion from councillor Jaye Robinson for a report on “strategies to address the impacts” of iceberg homes, including a review of how such developments affect soil permeability and erosion, mature trees, storm water drainage and neighbouring properties.

The motion comes after an estimated 250-year-old tree was cut down in the Hogg’s Hollow neighbourhood to make room for a new home with a huge, multilevel basement (the iceberg) featuring a basketball court, a karaoke bar, a stage with a golf simulator, three bedrooms, four bathrooms and a five-car garage.

The term iceberg home refers to mansions that have an often massive underground living area that is much larger than the above-ground portion.

Hogg’s Hollow residents protested the project at 7 Knightswood Rd., but the development was approved despite City of Toronto, Urban Forestry Management recommending against it and the fact that Hogg’s Hollow sits within a floodplain.

There are few laws around iceberg homes in Toronto given their novelty, Robinson

explained, which led her to introduce her motion. However, in London, England, laws have been introduced to limit how far they extend underground and to restrict them to a single-storey basement after reports of neighbouring properties’ foundations being affected.

“The city hasn’t sat down and designated any rules for [iceberg homes],” said luxury home developer Paul Miklas of Valleymede Building Corp.

“So right now, the subterranean is wide open — if you’ve got something that works, [the city] is just letting people go.”

Miklas has just finished his first iceberg home in the Bridle Path neighbourhood. For this build, he constructed a golf simulator and a basketball court that were 23 feet below a carport.

He said he was inspired by the trend in England and felt it was necessary to not disturb his client’s backyard.

“I think [iceberg homes] are amazing,” he said. “It really does help add space without actually adding more surface dwellings or structures.”

Miklas said he does feel that the city should introduce laws around them to help protect mature trees and ensure that neighbouring structures aren’t affected, and he said their construction can be “challenging” and require a reputable builder.

SEWELL ON CITY HALL

NEWS

Toronto needs to look to everything including rooming houses when tackling the housing crisis

An issue that could derail Tory's run brought in to clear three parks, removing 57 people — a majority of whom have returned to living rough — at a cost of $2 million, or about $30,000 per homeless person, which surely could have been spent in better ways. (In mid-October I counted 11 tents in Allan Gardens.)

And some 300 people have been arrested for opposing those evictions, some for weapons offences, the weapons (according to the police) being bottles of water. There’s a big cost to bringing these people to trial, as well. What a boondoggle.

It might be a sacrilege to mention this idea, but here goes.

Why doesn’t the provincial government pass a Ministerial Zoning Order (as it has done to assist various developers in the province) to put the rooming house bylaw in place throughout the city? It seems the perfect case of intervening in the public interest when the municipal council is shirking its duty.

But the chance of that happening is non-existent. The Ford government seems to disregard the interests of those at the bottom of the economic heap, as seen in its recent move to increase the minimum wage by 10 cents an hour — 80 cents a day or $4.00 a week.

The picture is made even gloomier by the recent Supreme Court of Canada decision on Bill 5, in which the provincial government, in the midst of the 2018 municipal election, chopped the number of wards from 47 to

25. Cities like Toronto have no protection against provincial intrusions.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath has promised that if she forms the government she will pass legislation giving Toronto 47 wards, but that misses the point.

She should be talking about making an agreement with Toronto (and other large Ontario cities) about the powers they need and then taking that agreement to the federal government for approval under Section 43 of the Constitution, which permits a single province amendment to be passed with only a majority vote of the Canadian government.

Yet it is not the doomsday scenario. There are eight city councillors, mostly from the former city of Toronto, who can be considered progressive and eager to deal with the issues of both homelessness and city powers. With a municipal election just over a year away, they might be able to cut the issues in such a way as to get someone elected mayor who wishes to lead, as well as more councillors of the same opinion.

JOHN SEWELL

Post City Magazines’ columnist John Sewell is a former mayor of Toronto and the author of a number of urban planning books, including The Shape of the Suburbs.

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Quote of the month: “What’s the point of being mayor if you are not willing to lead? What is the point of being a councillor if you are not willing to represent and serve everyone in your ward? If you do not take your duty to protect the dignity and human rights of each and every person living in Toronto seriously, you are in the wrong job.”

These words are from Alan Broadbent of the Maytree Foundation, on the motion by Mayor John Tory to yet again push off to 2022 discussion of and decision on a staff report recommending that rooming houses be licensed and permitted in Scarborough, North York and Etobicoke. (Rooming houses are already permitted in the former city of Toronto.)

Rooming houses have two advantages. They provide lowcost housing for small or singleperson households, something very much in demand in Toronto.

And they provide extra income for a homeowner who wants to rent out a room or two. Many councillors appear to think these advantages are outweighed by the fact that it would mean that lower-income residents find their way into middle-income neighbourhoods. The horror!

The mayor and everyone else are clearly aware of the housing crisis in Toronto, such a crisis that there are people living in parks and under bridges and in ravines for fear of the overcrowded and unpleasant shelters. Police were

| POST |

A solution to help combat homelessness that needs consideration

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NEIGHBOURHOOD BUSINESS

An uptown speakeasy Plus a new midnight cookie joint, a famous streetwear shop and more

Plus is known for their exclusive luxury streetwear selection

A hair salon–turned-speakeasy is turning Forest Hill into the coolest area in town. Ergys Studio, at 1005 Eglinton Ave. W., has opened Ergy’s Coffee Till Cocktail, a coffee shop by day, cocktail bar by night. Located at the back of the hair studio, this funky new bar is making the most of its square footage, with three services in one.

At night, the entire location, hair salon included, is transformed into a fancy cocktail-serving, fun, music-playing lounge and bar.

| POST | N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

After American eyewear company See Eyewear closed down its only Canadian store in Yorkville this year, a new brand is coming in to take its place. Moscot Eyewear, a New York–based eyewear company, with shops in the U.S., Italy, France and South Korea, has smartly swept up See Eyewear’s previous location at 153 Cumberland St. and will be officially moving in by the end of the year. Moscot might be able to snatch up some of the previous resident’s customers with that move!

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Upscale skin care store Aesop is making the move from Yonge and Rosedale to a new Yorkville location at 94 Cumberland St. The Australian brand has found great success in Canada so far since its arrival in 2015. Despite the somewhat pricier selection, diehard fans of the company swear by its vegan formulas. With 25millilitre serums that cost $73, expect to shell out a fair bit if you’re visiting the new location — but maybe it’s worth it for the neutraltoned, esthetically pleasing labels.

Well-known streetwear store Plus, an acronym for People Like Us, opened up its first downtown Toronto location this October.

Known for its excellent consignment streetwear selection, including popular brands like Supreme and Off-White, Plus is a luxury shopping alternative to second-hand shops like F as in Frank and Black Market Vintage.

The company has moved into the Eaton Centre, where you can find its sleek white exterior and standout logo.

The former Bar Buca has been replaced by everyone’s favourite vegan joint, Fresh Restaurants.

The plant-based restaurant chain, which started as a raw and cold pressed juices spot, has opened its newest location at 101 Eglinton Ave. E., right across from the chain’s original location at 90 Eglinton Ave. E. This spot will be offering the same vegan menu, including gluten-free options, remaining one of the ideal spots in the city for food-filled outings with friends with all sorts of allergies!

One of the city’s most popular late night cookie shops has opened its very first Toronto storefront in Leaside. Sharing space with Conspiracy Pizza and Churnt Up, the fast-growing business is now located at 858 Eglinton Ave. E. as part of a new concept shop called East York Eats. For those new to the brand, Midnight Cookie serves up late night snacks from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday to Sunday, perfect for when those sweet cravings hit.

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Feeding birds, even pigeons, is good for mental health

Does T.O. have a pigeon problem? common and only feast on one pigeon every few days.

Pigeon populations have been a major discussion point this summer after Ward 13 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam put forward a motion to ban bird feeding in both public and private spaces in the city. Bylaws prohibit people from feeding wildlife in a city park, though there are no further restrictions on spaces outside of parks.

The motion outlines several concerns with public bird feeding, stating that it causes an interference of enjoyment in a

“The population is just expanding.” public space, the attraction of unwanted wildlife and vermin and property damage and unsanitary conditions.

“Every single bird is going to suffer from this,” said Erika Wilson, pigeon rehabber at the Pigeon Nest, a rescue and rehabilitation organization she founded.

Although the motion only aims to control pigeon populations, Wilson said it will be hard to feed one type of bird and shoo another away. She’s already seen the repercussions and effects on other species just with the cut back in public bird feeding in anticipation of the ban. “[This motion] is not the solution,” she added.

Wilson helped start a petition fighting against the ban.

“In the wintertime, pigeons rely one hundred per cent on humans to feed them,” she said. “Because there’s no food, there’s snow, it’s cold, everything is dead, and they don’t eat berries. So they cannot live without us.”

Bird feeding has also proved to be good for mental health — as seen throughout the pandemic — and for seniors suffering from memory loss and dementia.

Preventative measures will keep pigeons from coming back.

Ismail said restricting pigeon feeding wouldn’t even cause a drastic change in the pigeon population.

For the public areas in the city, Wilson suggests artificial breeding facilities (ABFs) that are used to control dove populations in Europe.

“We don’t want to remove [the pigeons]. We want to reduce them,” says Wilson. “They’re part of our city. In the places where they’re heavily populated and there’s a problem, we can control their populations without harming the entire ecosystem and without stopping people from feeding their birds.”

Other less harmful ways of reducing population, Wilson explained, would be birth control seeds.

“We should try other solutions in reducing populations first before killing off thousands of animals with starvation and harming a lot of humans in the process. Let’s just try,” she said.

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N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

Toronto might just match New York City’s reputation for sharing the streets with an abundance of pests — only our “pests” roam a little higher than N.Y.C.’s vermin.

Dubbed “rats with wings,” pigeons have started overpopulating the city: they waddle around Bathurst subway station, scavenge for crumbs in Queen’s Park and drop feces on just about every balcony in the city. Despite their poor reputation, it’s easy to forget they’re there because there’s so many of them.

It begs the question, does Toronto have a pigeon overpopulation problem?

According to Rui Ismail, it undoubtedly does. Ismail is the CEO of VPRS Toronto, a leading wildlife and bird control service in the city. He cites pigeon problems as accounting for 99 per cent of his business, which doubles in size each year.

“We’re starting to see them in buildings where we haven’t seen them before,” said Ismail. “The population is just expanding.”

Most of Ismail’s work comes from pigeon complaints in residential condominiums where the balconies and construction areas make for a prime nesting location. “It’s a perfect habitat for them because they’re able to enclose themselves from the bad weather and hop on the railings to see their enemies and food sources,” said Ismail.

Additionally, populations continue to grow because the few predators that pigeons have, like the peregrine falcon, are not very

by Megan Gallant

| POST |

The answer is more complex than one might think

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POST CITY X NICOLA WEALTH

So Thoughtful of You How to ensure your charitable giving goes a very long way Even after we’ve reached the point of financial independence—when we’ve accumulated sufficient wealth to cover our family’s needs for the rest of our lives—we may still practice smart money management. We may steward our wealth so as to maximize returns while minimizing risk as well as fees and taxes. That’s how we got here; why change now?

People tend to be less conscientious, however, when it comes to giving wealth away.

We’ll respond, often generously, when a person or charity we know and trust makes the ask. But we don’t necessarily think through how to maximize the impact of our donations. The fact of the matter is how you give can be just as important to the outcome as how much you give, says Ron Haik, a senior financial advisor with Nicola Wealth in Toronto.

Would you believe it could be possible to contribute $100,000 to a charity of your choice at a net cost to you of less than $10,000? Residents of Ontario can, Haik insists, but before we get into exactly how, you need a better understanding of giving strategically—both now and after your passing.

Consider that, when you die, there will be three possible beneficiaries of your estate: your family, your designated charities and government.

If you could choose two of the three to receive all your wealth, what would they be? Virtually no one chooses government.

As an old Morgan Stanley slogan goes, “You must pay taxes. But there’s no law that says you gotta leave a tip.”

CUTTING THE TAXMAN’S TAKE

| POST | N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

So how can you keep from leaving money on the table? One way is the strategic use of life insurance. Consider two high earners, Mr. Brown and Ms. Smith. Both are 50 years old, with earnings of $750,000 per year. Mr. Brown takes his annual savings of $250,000 and plows it into a corporate investment account. Ms. Smith splits hers between investments and a participating whole life insurance policy.

14

Now consider what happens should either of these individuals die upon retirement at age 70.

The corporate assets are subject to multiple levels of taxation paid both by the estate and the beneficiaries. But Ms. Smith’s estate receives a tax-efficient death benefit that brings her beneficiaries some five times what Mr. Brown left behind.

This is not to say every high net-worth individual should follow Ms. Smith’s example. Each person will have their own priorities and they won’t all be about the bottom line.

That’s why it’s important to work with your advisor to develop an integrated financial plan that incorporates not only retirement saving but tax planning, succession planning for your business if you have one, estate planning and charitable giving, so that “all of these things are moving in tandem,” Haik says.

There are multiple ways you can leave a gift to a family member or charity. You can leave a bequest in your will for a fixed amount or a percentage of the estate to be given to a particular beneficiary. Or you can list a charity directly as the beneficiary of your RRSP or RRIF account or life insurance policy.

If the charities you support are unaccustomed to non-cash donations, or you just want more of a say in how the monies get spent, consider creating a private charitable foundation. Any registered charity can set up a donor-advised fund for you with guidelines of your choosing. Some specialize in this.

Nicola Wealth offers clients the opportunity to set up their own fund within its Private Giving Foundation at no cost to either the donor or the recipients—they absorb the administration costs. It’s all part of the firm’s belief in doing well to do good, and vice versa.

DONATIONS IN KIND Another way to reduce the tax take is to give assets in kind rather than cash. Say you bought stocks years ago for $10,000 that are now worth $50,000. If you sell them to raise the cash for your donation, the sum will be whittled down by the capital-gains tax you must pay. But if you give the securities themselves, there’s no capital gain, no tax paid and you still get a tax receipt for the full $50,000 amount. “This is a better outcome from the client’s perspective and from the charity’s perspective,” Haik says.

This brings us back to the challenge of make a donation for a certain dollar amount at a fraction of the cost. The strategy involves buying flow-through shares in a junior mining or energy company that takes advantage of the Canadian Exploration Expense tax credit from the federal government as well as a similar incentive from the Ontario government. The donor then donates shares to a charity, which promptly sells them to a pre-arranged third party.

The charity gets the full value of the shares while the donor gets to claim investment tax credits in addition to charitable donation credits that reduce their taxes on oth-

er income. A purchase of about $422,000 of flow through shares ends up costing the donor $9,950 after all tax credits and cash received back upon the sale of those shares. This net amount includes a donation to the charity of $100,000.

This arrangement will not suit every donor, but it gives you a glimpse of the possibilities when you combine the expertise of your accountant and financial advisor to harmonize your financial plan and leverage your giving to greatest effect. You’ve worked too hard to let your legacy get diminished now and after you’re gone.

This material contains the current opinions of the author and such opinions are subject to change without notice. This material is distributed for informational purposes only. Forecasts, estimates, and certain information contained herein are based upon proprietary research and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Nicola Wealth is registered as a Portfolio Manager, Exempt Market Dealer and Investment Fund Manager with the required provincial securities commissions.

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It’s listed for $7.3 million with Royal LePage/J&D Division.

| POST |

UNBEATABLE VIEWS

N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

ROSEDALE

BEDFORD PARK

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| POST | N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

Welcome to the second safest city in the world (sort of ) T.O. was recently ranked the second safest city in the world out of 60 major hubs, but do we have a problem with homicides and auto thefts?

About Toronto’s second safest city in the world ranking

Luxury car theft on the rise, one Midtowner’s personal story VanNest said that areas along the 401 are mostly targeted by thieves as it provides an easy escape route.

VanNest said it typically takes thieves about seven minutes to take control of a vehicle and many are taking advantage of electronic key fob systems now to get the vehicle started. He said that thieves can get a hold of a “diagnostic tool” that car repair shops carry, plug it into a “diagnostic portal” underneath the dashboard, then override the signal from the owner’s fob to have the car then “talk” to a blank fob they possess.

He recommends preventative measures such as putting your car in a garage whenever possible; using a secondary alarm, as thieves often override the primary alarm, and also to have a secondary GPS system to track the car; and finally, using a good old-fashioned steering wheel club to “slow down” the stealing process.

“They’re going to look at that and say, ‘OK, now I don’t have a hacksaw’ … and so they might move on to another vehicle,” VanNest said. “The best step is to prevent the access to the vehicle in the first place.”

Adam himself is taking that advice — he will now exclusively park his car in the garage.

—Eric Stober

York Regional Police (YRP) made a huge stolen vehicle bust as police warn residents to take precautions with their Local residents have long known that, despite some drawbacks vehicles to avoid theft. such as the high cost of real estate, Toronto is one of the best YRP seized 28 stolen vehicles worth more than $1.5 large cities in the world. The city possesses a unique charm million and charged six people as part of an ongoing inand is home to a diverse population hailing from around the vestigation into car thefts, officials said in a statement on world. And now there is one more thing to crow about.

Oct. 14. The bust came as police said thieves are now using Toronto is also one of the safest cities in the world. more sophisticated methods to retrieve cars.

The Intelligence Unit of the Economist magazine released One Bathurst and Eglinton resident, Adam, who wished the fourth edition of its research project The Safe Cities Index not to share his last name, was the victim of a recent car 2021. The findings rank 60 cities on 76 markers based on digtheft in late September, which occurred around 4 a.m. ital, health, infrastructure, personal and environmental safety.

“The car was parked in the driveway. Two guys rolled Toronto ranks second in the world after Copenhagen. in, just walked up the driveway and had the car out The city scored 82.2 points out of 100, a close runof there in under five minutes,” he said. “They ner-up to Copenhagen’s 82.4 points. Toronto, Amunlocked it immediately, hopped in, pulled out sterdam, Melbourne and Sydney, year after year, the tracker from the trunk and were gone.” figure among the top 10.

Adam said he has heard of many thefts World cities are graded by five pillars of safety THE INCREASE IN AUTO THEFTS happening in his neighbourhood over the last — digital security, health security, infrastructure six months, including one neighbour who had IN MIDTOWN’S 53 DIVISION security and environmental security — that are detwo cars taken and another who lost the same FROM 2020 TO 2021 fined by indicators such as privacy policy, universal car twice after getting it back the first time. health-care coverage, hazard monitoring, threats to “I was really surprised,” Adam said of the theft personal safety such as military conflict or civil unrest of his Range Rover. “My wife felt much more violated and a sustainability master plan. and was sad and upset.”

York Police said that there has been an increase of thefts “There is an increasing whole-of-city approach to safety. of Toyota and Lexus SUVs over the last few years, and One thing we learned during the pandemic is that you can do thefts often occur between midnight and 6 a.m. your most effective job, by far, if everybody is involved in safety Det. Sgt. Jesse VanNest, of Toronto’s 43 Division, which — in particular grassroots community organisations,” Mayor covers just south of Highway 401 in Scarborough, said that John Tory stated in the Safe Cities Index report. car theft in the city “ebbs and flows,” though there was a Toronto placed seventh in health security with 80.0 points. surge over the summer.

The city also performed notably well in the categories infraIn July, Toronto reported 20 car thefts over five weeks, structure security and environmental security, in which the city with 15 of those happening in one week. ranked fourth and second. Toronto comes in at 14 in digital “That gives you an idea how rapid it could be,” he said. security, after Sydney, Singapore, Los Angeles and more.

At that point, VanNest decided to do a media release to —Tara Monfaredi warn the public and give advice on how to prevent a theft.

49%

Lexus SUVS are a sought-after item for car thieves

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(14 & 53 Division)

BRIAR HILL-BELGRAVIA CASA LOMA

(13 Division)

(13 & 53 Division)

DOVERCOURT-WALLACE EMERSON FOREST HILL NORTH & SOUTH

(13 & 14)

(13 & 53 Division)

Stats from the TPS Open Data Portal Jan. 1 – Oct. 17 2021

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CONTINUED ON NEXT SPREAD

N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

CRIME STATS

Da

| POST |

BREAK & ENTERS

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COVER STORY

CRIME

Toronto's organized crime expert has a warning

Yorkville shop owners on why their storefronts have become targets for vandalism

You could say Peter Edwards is so knowledgeable raphy, and there’s a very strong Ontario, B.C. and about organized crime in Canada that he could author Quebec presence,” said Edwards. “When you see most an encyclopedia on the subject matter, and he did just of the world through a screen, it’s easier to stay anonythat in 2012, teaming up with Michel Auger to pen a mous, which is very hard for the police to fight.”

In recent months, Yorkville’s Lisa Gozlan Jewellery, SoulCycle book that looked at everyone from Captain Kidd to Back in 2012, the Wolfpack Alliance made headand Kiton Toronto have all had their storefront windows Mom Boucher. lines when its members were involved in the execusmashed in acts of vandalism. Why does there seem to be an He’s also been a reporter with the crime, courts and tion-style murder of Johnny Raposo at the Sicilian emerging pattern in this Toronto neighbourhood that is home justice team at the Toronto Star for the last 30 years Sidewalk Café on College Street in Toronto. Since to some of the city’s wealthiest people and where luxury-good and has authored 16 books, then, the group has continued stores line the streets? most of them bestsellers to wreak havoc across the “It wasn’t someone who was coming to rob us,” said Ryan with a few even country as well as overseas Gozlan, co-owner of Yorkville’s Lisa Gozlan Jewelry. “He adapted for the with some members found wanted to wreak havoc.” small screen. (alive or dead) as far away as Gozlan said he believes increased vandalism in the And sure, writColumbia, Germany and community is a symptom of the pandemic. ing about Greece.

As Gozlan related, at 8:42 p.m., after the store was THE INCREASE IN TOTAL CRIME Canada’s dead“There’s a hitman in the locked up on Sept. 11, witnesses saw a man throw a IN THE YONGE & ST. CLAIR liest Mafia famiWolfpack who is just a bored large rock through the window of Lisa Gozlan JewNEIGHBOURHOOD FROM lies, Hells Angels, kid from the Toronto suburbs,” elry at Bay Street and Bloor Street West.

2020 TO 2021 gangsters and susaid Edwards. “Back in the The man was seen “running in and out of the street perspies might be a ’80s, Mafia homes were quite and knocking over Canada Post boxes,” said Lisa Gozlan. little dangerous, but modest, but now they want to “I feel like we were just in his line of fire.”

Peter takes it all with ease. live like rock stars.”

The couple described the experience as scary and inconvenient.

“Growing up in the small Although the police have “Being new to retail, this was a new experience for us,” said [250 residents] village of picked off some of the smartest Lisa. Ryan added that they have heard from friends, family and Lytton, B.C., I never thought and most dangerous members, community members that having their storefront window vanthat anyone was ever going and rivals have picked off dalized in this way was a “rite of passage into Yorkville.” to do anything all that bad to many more, Edwards believes They expect it to me and I sort of just kept that the Wolfpack is the model happen again and are that feeling,” he said. for a new generation of mobbetter prepared now Well, there was that one sters, one that ignores borders, that they have installed time a razor blade showed up is Internet driven and is very a film on the window.

Peter Edwards new book at the Toronto Star Building good with encryption.

“We’re really lucky on organized crime after Edwards had written “In the past, police would try they replaced our glass about an illegal business that and dry up their money, but in a matter of days. A cost a big mafia family a government grant. Not how do you do that today when money can be translot of people struggled frightening at all. ferred so quickly.” because it takes forever His latest offering, The Wolfpack: The Millennial On a personal level, what Edwards said what he to get your windows reMobsters Who Brought Chaos and Cartels to the Cana- would like to see come from the book is more money placed,” said Lisa. dian Underworld, which he co-authored with Mexican going into drug treatment.

Lisa and Ryan journalist, Luis Nájera, is a fascinating read about an “We wrote this book during the pandemic, and I filed a report with alliance of young gangsters who are far different than thought (rather naively) that since the borders were Toronto Police Service’s their predecessors: multi-ethnic and more educated, shut down, the drugs would just stop, and the addicts 53 Division. this tech-savvy association is impulsive and has a sense would have time to get their lives under control,” he — TM of entitlement. said. “And that just didn’t happen. These guys are too Yorkville is dealing with a spate “They connect through the Internet and not geog- good at what they do.”

—Jennifer Schembri of smashed store windows

85%

BREAK & ENTERS

CRIME STATS

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Stats from the TPS Open Data Portal Jan. 1 – Oct. 17 2021

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COVER STORY

CRIME

Toronto’s true crime podcaster generating leads in local cold cases

Local popularity of FB Marketplace creates need for safe zones

Police units across the GTA are establishing safe zones for residents True crime podcasting continues to prove not only popto safely exchange goods when buying or selling to someone met onular, but at times effective. For instance, Toronto’s David line.

Ridgen has helmed numerous investigations for CBCThe zones have been established to curb the chance of theft or fraud TV news segments, and for the past several years, via and are monitored by surveillance cameras. Typically, the zones are set podcasting. up in the parking lots of police stations in the GTA. His latest project is the CBC podcast The Next Call.

Some participating police services include Vaughan, Peel and HalThe format has Ridgen unspool cold cases through good, ton — the latter only establishing their buy and sell exchange zone old-fashioned phone calls from one person to the late this summer. next. The first season, an investigation into the One of the first police forces to pioneer the system was 25-year-old disappearance of Ontario woman Peel Regional Police. Running at each Peel Police facility Melanie Ethier has produced numerous tips in Mississauga and Brampton, the zones are used widely to the police, including one that had the by those seeking to safely sell to people they meet online.

OPP combing through a wooded area lookAccording to Const. Akhil Mooken, the exchange THE NUMBER OF HOMICIDES ing for evidence just last month. zones are utilized by members of the community and IN YORK UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, “When COVID came along, it kind of have generally been very successful among residents in THE MOST OF ANY TORONTO offered the perfect moment to pitch the idea Peel. “It has worked tremendously for us,” he said.

NEIGHBOURHOOD [for The Next Call] because everybody was on He added that sometimes buyers and sellers can be victhe phone anyway,” said Ridgen. “I think people tims of fraud when participating in transactions from online have now become more open on the phone. So it's sales even at regular public exchange locations such as a coffee been quite successful on that front in the first season.” shop.

Although Ridgen doesn’t refer to The Next Call as true “There were some unfortunate incidents where people were victims crime, he said he understands the enduring popularity of of a crime as a result of people trying to steal their property, not pay, the genre and the benefits of social media when it comes whatever the case may be,” said Mooken. “So we set these up as a soto cold cases. But it’s a double-edged sword. lution to try and alleviate those types of issues.”

“I think that there can be benefits to social media inHe said that the vast majority volvement, that sort of citizen sleuth business and people of these sales do not usually end getting out and trying to solve cases on their own,” he exup in fraud but that the zones plained. “But sometimes it can get in the way of things provide extra safety to avoid any too. It can lead to false leads, false tips.” misconduct. But there’s one For season two of The Next Call, Ridgen will investigate crime that Const. Mooken said occurs more often than others: the buying and selling of cellphones.

He added that people are being victimized less and less as word gets around about the poAccording to Toronto Police Service (TPS), in the lice-run zones. evening hours of Oct. 21, a man suffering from gun“The police facilities always shot wounds was located in the parking lot of a plaza have police officers in them, near Highway 401 and Morningside Drive. It’s an 24/7,” he said. “We have had no area where there is a popular cinema as well as an incidents, so it’s clearly a safe LCBO store amongst other amenities. place for people to do their transSafe zones in Peel have Although TPS offices arrived on the scene and peractions.”

—Keena Alwahaidi proven successful formed life-saving measures before the victim was

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The second season of David Ridgen’s podcast ‘The Next Call’ premieres this month

the 2002 murder of Terrie Ann Dauphinais, a Métis, 24year-old mother of three young children.

He said the rewards for his work come in a lot of unexpected places.

“I find rewards in lots of places in all the cases I’ve worked on, from the relationships with the family members to the courage that I’ve seen in people coming forward and speaking the truth that they know,” he said.

“Watching somebody who was afraid to talk immediately sort of open up and seem to see the life change happening in them as they talk to me.”

Season two of the The Next Call premieres on Nov. 9.

—Ron Johnson

Heading for a record? City records 66th homicide.

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we

be

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52

Mon

Jul/Sep

56

Fri

Feb/Jul

17

Sat

Jun

106

Thu/Sat

Jan

UNIVERSITY

(0 Division)

25

Tue/Wed

Jan

8

Wed/Sat

Sep

7

Mon/Tue

Oct

78

Wed

Jul

WYCHWOOD

(13 Division)

26

Mon

Apr/Aug

9

Tue

Mar

5

Mon/Tue

Jan/Feb

48

Thu

Jun

YONGE-EGLINTON

(53 Division)

24

Tue

Jan/Sep

16

Fri/Sun

May

3

Wed/Thu

Aug

44

Tue

May

YONGE-ST. CLAIR

(53 Division)

25

Mon

Sep

12

Thu

Apr/Oct

5

Sun

Feb

44

Mon/Wed

Aug

Stats from the TPS Open Data Portal Jan. 1 – Oct. 17 2021

N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

CRIME STATS

Da

| POST |

BREAK & ENTERS

transported to a local hospital, the victim was pronounced deceased.

Craig Macdonald, 43, was identified as the city’s 66th homicide.

TPS crime stats indicate homicides in the city of Toronto are up 10 per cent and quickly approaching the 71 murders on record in 2020 with two months left of the year.

—RJ

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FASHION PROFILE

© Bryan Whitley

The GTA’s new generation of models

CURRENTS

Mannequins no longer: the Gen Z of fashion comes with fresh looks, an impeccable sense of style and a ton of personality

Instagram modelling is changing the face of the industry

The twins suggest that being scouted on Instagram is a reflection of the future of the modelling industry as a whole, one that is leaning away from a models-as-mannequins ethos and toward a desire for models with their own personalities.

The key to Instagram scouting, too, is that prospective models can take a different and notably more accessible path into the industry.

Modelling previously would have been a realistic career path for only a select few, namely those with wealth and connections. But as

more modelling agencies are looking to social media presence and personality to scout new models, a noticeably more diverse generation of models is forming.

It’s a long overdue development in one of the most notorious industries for touting rigid beauty standards that exclude almost anyone who is not white, thin, cisgender, older and non-disabled.

“We had the supermodels of the ‘90s, and then I feel like we got to a point in the 2010s where models became like mannequins again,” Whak says. “Now we're having a resurgence of models having personality. The world wants more than people with a pretty face.”

Tré Akula, a model with Niwa Models in Toronto, says that she’s recently been able to use modelling as one of her most secure streams of income. That has come with more control over her career and where she wants to take it.

“For me, that kind of took me out of the passenger seat and put me into the driver's seat. I'm steering my own career,” she says.

Models in the past might have felt obligated to effectively be mannequins out of a desire to keep their careers moving forward. But the consequences of being seen as objects first, people second are obvious — placed in uncomfortable scenarios or facing discrimination, they would feel the pressure to keep quiet and just deal with it.

“In the past, I would go on set

and it would be a majority white people and that would make me uncomfortable thinking about how they might be expecting me to act as a model,” Akula says.

“Now, I can make the choice to step onto sets where I feel more seen; the hairstylists there will know how to lay down my edges and work with Black hair.”

Agencies are looking to recruit the cool kids with personalities

Newer models are allowing themselves to “be their own bosses,” resulting in a greater sense of self — something agencies are actively looking for.

The Nyongs say their agency is looking for something specific as they recruit new models — the cool kids.

“Right now, they’re doing a great job of getting the new cool kids in Toronto,” Mo explains.

What’s a cool kid, you ask? The Nyongs say it’s people with a real sense of style and a passion for fashion.

“Most of the newer models we know, they were fashionheads first before they even started working,” Mo says.

“We actually care about the clothes, and we’re friends with the designers. There’s more of a genuine connection than I think there was in the past,” Mo says.

Opening up the industry to “fashionheads” has also expanded the definition of a model and, crucially, has begun to include a

more diverse range of faces and bodies.

With greater creativity comes greater diversity

Akula, who moved from Vancouver to Toronto over a year ago, notes that this is a major difference she’s seen between the two cities. “There's more diversity in Toronto and there's also more people of colour in higher places,” she says. “There's still a lot of white people in powerful positions, but I find that there's at least someone holding the gate open for others of colour to come in.”

But Brittnee Blair, a plus-sized model who has been in the industry since she was as young as seven and has modelled in both Canada and the U.S., says that diversity in Toronto is limited in some ways, at least in comparison to cities like New York.

“The reason I went to the U.S. is because, to this day, there aren’t a ton of plus-sized brands that hire curvaceous models,” she explains.

“I think Canada still has that highfashion mentality, that there has to be a certain look and a certain size to a model.”

Of course, the industry as a whole has certainly come a long way from even just five or 10 years ago. This year, Aaron Rose Philip, the first Black, trans and disabled model to sign for a leading agency, made her runway debut for Moschino. Precious Lee broke barriers as the first plus-sized

model, along with Jill Kortleve and Alva Claire, to ever walk the runway for Versace in 2020. And although the examples are still few and far between, individual agencies are taking notice and attempting to diversify their rosters from the start.

Toronto-based model Mars Alexander was signed this year to one of the first dedicated nonbinary rosters in North America with B&M Models, a sign of a slowly shifting awareness of the need for gender diversity.

Alexander, who is trans and uses they/them and she/her pronouns, says they originally felt unwelcome in the industry as a young queer person who didn’t see herself in the fashion models on screen.

“But when I entered the industry, it was kind of a moment of clarity for me because it was around the time diversity was becoming a real conversation, and I thought maybe I could actually do this,” they say.

Alexander credits this new conversation to an acknowledgement of a constantly expanding definition of beauty.

“People are generally realizing that there's such a wide lens to beauty, more than just skinny, tall, cis white people in weird positions,” they say.

“As long as we keep pushing for diversity, navigating this industry won't be as difficult as it was for people as opposed to maybe three, four years ago,” Alexander says.

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If you happen upon Mokutimabasi Nyong and Uwakmfonabasi Nyong’s Instagram (also known as Whak and Mo, respectively), the first thing you’ll see is their bio: “Shifting Paradigms.”

A quick scroll through their photos will prove exactly what they mean by that. It’s their active and unconventional social media presence that got them scouted by their current agency, Next Models Canada, one of the biggest modelling agencies in Toronto.

The duo was declared Best Dressed by the Globe and Mail’s annual Best Dressed list in 2021, and a recent shoot they did with artist Jorian Charlton was featured on a massive 70-foot-tall art installation in the Financial District as part of Toronto’s ArtworxTO project.

Clockwise from left: Models Whak and Mo, Mars Alexander and Brittnee Blair

| POST |

© Trudie Lee

by Julia Mastroianni

23

Canadian Bicycle Recycling

CURRENTS

GREAT ESCAPES

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Anchor Bar is home to the original Buffalo wings

The Buff is back baby From art to food, four great spots for a gentle return to the U.S.A. The U.S./Canada land border opens in November for nonessential trips by vaccinated travellers, and for many, it can’t come soon enough. For those in search of a short trip stateside, Buffalo, New York, is an ideal destination. Shopping, the Buffalo Bills and the Cheesecake Factory aside, there are many reasons to visit our neighbour to the south.

Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House

77 Charles St W #804, Toronto ON – For Sale $3,100,000

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Toronto's premier boutique condo address, a short walk from chic Yorkville, overlooking the serenity and calm of the university campus. Expansive and elegant foyer welcomes you to southwest exposure from all rooms with stunning views of the city skyline, Queen's Park, & Vic College historic architecture. Professionally designed feat. 100 foot private balcony w/gas line, ten-foot detailed ceilings, Viking Appliances, Downsview Kitchen, elegant and contemporary millwork, closets, fixtures, extensive concierge services w/24 hour valet by Forest Hill Group. Gym & boardroom amenities. 2 car parking w/adjacent 8×8 1/2' appointed storage room with electrical.

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Internationally known as one of the most important figures in 20th-century architecture and design, Martin House in Buffalo is a prime example of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s work. Martin House highlights Wright’s ability to beautifully connect the natural world to built structures.

Martin House, designed between 1903 and 1905, offers guided group tours and selfguided tours, as well as virtual tours, architectural photography workshops and, seasonally, candlelight tours.

Enjoy the original Buffalo wings at Anchor Bar

Anchor Bar is home to the original Buffalo-style chicken wing. When bartender Dominic Bellissimo and his mother, Teresa, deep-fried wings and coated them with homemade hot sauce in 1964, they had no idea that they were creating a worldwide phenomenon. People have been flocking to Buffalo’s Anchor Bar ever since to devour what have

been called the “Best Wings in The World.” Since then, the secret sauce has been bottled and distributed worldwide. But nothing can top the original.

Take in world-renowned art at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery

As one of the oldest art galleries in the United States, the AlbrightKnox is known as a museum collecting, conserving and exhibiting modern and contemporary art. The museum works with artists to display unique pieces from the last 150 years.

Peruse beautiful impressionist and postimpressionist work from Degas, Renoir and Monet or take in the work of 20th-century revolutionary artists like Kahlo, Matisse and O’Keefe. Even current artists such as Tara Donovan, Cindy Sherman and Jeff Wall can be seen here.

Admire Horseshoe Falls

As Canadians, we know that Horseshoe Falls is the superior of the Niagara Falls. The best view of said waterfall, however, is from Buffalo. Enjoy the majesty of our unrivalled waterfall from the U.S. of A. NATALIE PREDDIE

Natalie Preddie is a travel and lifestyle writer, speaker and guest expert on Cityline, Your Morning and Global’s The Morning Show.

David Suzuki on the great CBD gummy scam Media literacy must combat misinformation Would you buy cannabis gummies from me? Apparently, hundreds of people would. Only trouble is, I don’t sell them, and I’m not looking for business opportunities. But recent online memes, stories and other disinformation had me selling and endorsing CBD gummies.

People see the bogus information, click through to a realistic product page, submit their personal and financial information and order the products. It appears they most often find the pitches on Facebook.

I’m saddened that anyone would spend money hoping to purchase products they thought I manufactured or recommended.

The scam is still tricking innocent people. They contact the David Suzuki Foundation daily.

This got me reflecting on how and where people receive and process information. I’ve been a science communicator for more than half a century, so I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to get through to people. How do we ensure as many as possible have access to accurate, credible information so we can make informed decisions on issues that matter?

I’ve been fortunate to have worked many years at the CBC, and as a public broadcaster, it has helped me earn credibility as a communicator.

Today, I compare that type of

relationship — one based on accurate and fair communication of relatively diverse types of evidence and viewpoints — to what I see online, on social media, and it’s shocking. False information and scams abound, along with the worst political polarization in recent memory.

Fraud and misinformation have been around as long as we have, and perpetrators have always seized on the best available technologies to reach people. But in under 30 years, the Internet has become our main information source, and the ubiquity of social media has given rise to effective, inexpensive ways to spread information, from bad to good and everything in between.

Close to 60 per cent of the world’s population — 4.66 billion people — are active Internet users, most accessing it through mobile devices. It infiltrates and informs every aspect of our lives.

As these systems evolve and become more powerful, complex and efficient, so, too, must our collective ability to understand and use them.

As we receive more information online — from recipes to weather forecasts, product info to politics — how can we make sure it’s reliable, that we can trust it enough to make good decisions? If we’re wrong, what’s at stake? Many

people search for or are fed information that confirms their beliefs rather than that which could help them better understand an issue. And, as recent vaccine opposition reveals, much of it promotes “personal freedom” while ignoring the responsibility that goes with it.

In today’s digital society, media literacy levels must match the sophistication of mass communication methods and big tech. But this isn’t the case, and we’re seeing the consequences, from increasing polarization to revelations about how platforms like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp foment division and conflict in the name of profit.

Environmentalists encounter the misinformation problem often. In 2021, a dwindling minority still reject the validity of climate science, despite an astounding amount of evidence proving the crisis is upon us and massive international scientific consensus regarding the urgent and necessary path forward.

How can we come together, have informed conversations and enjoy the benefits of evidencebased decision making? It’s clearer than ever that a democracy works best when people have access to accurate, credible information.

We must see our information systems — news media, social media, etc. — as the foundations of democracy that they are, and we must insist on keeping them, and the people who use them, healthy.

We should invest more public resources in ensuring our media industry is healthy, social media is properly regulated and most people are media literate enough to consume online information safely and responsibly. And we must take responsibility and get better at synthesizing information, considering various perspectives and uniting behind solutions to the world’s biggest problems.

It all begins with productive, respectful conversations based on good information. (And maybe some CBD — but not from me!)

DAVID SUZUKI

David Suzuki is the host of the CBC’s The Nature of Things and author of more than 30 books on ecology (with files from Brendan Glauser).

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N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

David Suzuki is not, in fact, selling and endorsing CBD gummies

CURRENTS

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DAILY PLANET

25

CURRENTS

LOCAL GRADUATES

Joining the ranks of Erica Ehm and Strombo Meet the VJ with 3.3 million TikTok likes who is ushering in the new era of MuchMusic Toronto-born Kwesi Kwarko-Fosu is living a dream he didn’t even know he had. This summer, he was added on as one of the VJs for the iconic Canadian MuchMusic network, which was relaunched back in July. As a VJ, Kwarko-Fosu will be hosting the program’s Intimate and Interactive concert series while also creating content for the network’s multiple social media platforms.

Kwarko-Fosu got the role of a lifetime through his own viral posts on TikTok. He has been on the platform since March of 2020, posting music and relatable Toronto lifestyle content. His videos have gained him 75.2 thousand followers and 3.3 million likes.

But if you had asked him while he was growing up what he wanted to be, his first answer wouldn’t have been a content creator.

“I've been creating content for years,” he says. “But it's funny because you never really think about that as content creation back

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Kwesi Kwarko-Fosu GRADUATED:

York Mills Collegiate Institute BEST SUBJECT:

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MuchMusic VJ

Kwesi Kwarko-Fosu will host MuchMusic’s new socials-only platform

in the day. You're just uploading videos to YouTube but never really take it as a career because it wasn't really seen as a career until recently.”

That’s why being a VJ is different now than it was during MuchMusic’s original run from 1984 to 2011 when the network officially rebranded and dropped

the “Music” in its name. Although the content will be much like what we saw in the good ol’ days of the early 2000s, with popular segments like MuchMusic Spotlight, this time MuchMusic will be exclusive to social media platforms instead of on TV. “It’s the same exact format as it was back in the day,” Kwarko-Fosu

by Megan Gallant

says, “just condensed for a new generation. There’s so much information that we consume so fast nowadays, especially for youth.

We don’t know if they’ll stay tuned in for an hour-long show.”

Kwarko-Fosu recalls growing up on the original MuchMusic network, where he particularly enjoyed episodes of RapCity battles and Video on Trial. Now that he’s creating his own content, he still can’t quite believe it.

“I never thought I would be in this position,” he says. “You watch it back in the day and think they’re so cool for doing that — and then boom.”

At the same time, while attending high school at York Mills Collegiate, Kwarko-Fosu was creating content without knowing what content creation was. He recalls making viral dance videos like the trendy Moving Like Bernie dances. In the days before TikTok, Kwarko-Fosu was making six-second clips on Vine and reacting to music videos on

YouTube. He says he got up to 24,000 subscribers before his account was shut down.

Even while attending the University of Toronto, KwarkoFosu organized and planned a school-wide production of the Harlem Shake dance for a YouTube video.

He says he’s excited to get out and work in the studios once the pandemic restrictions lift.

“We’re only at 10 per cent of our potential right now because we’re working from home. So once we’re able to get real access, we’re going to get crazy videos and crazy interviews. I’m excited. I’m just very excited.”

Kwarko-Fosu will be hosting the Intimate and Interactive concert series, a 30-year-old program, which will include a lineup of performances from iconic Canadian artists. The show will be featured on MuchMusic’s TikTok account, which has become the number 2 most followed Canadian brand on the platform.

POST CITY X CAREGIVER SERVICES

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How Family Dynamics Affect Caregiving

26

We all have unique family dynamics. When one of our loved ones needs a caregiver, and multiple family members are involved in the process, these unique dynamics can make managing care dayto-day very challenging.

Every care situation is unique as well, and there is rarely a perfect care solution. Families are making decisions between imperfect options which always include trade-offs: do they need 24-hour awake or live-in care; overnight, full daytime care or just a visit for the afternoons? Would a facility be better than home given the care needs? How hard do you push if your relative resists care but really needs it? How many trips to the hospital after a fall before you insist they have home care?

In many cases, Power of Attorney for Property and Personal Care are with different family members which means one decides on care and another decides whether to pay for it or not. This can be challenging to manage.

Another, often more serious complication, is that one or more of the family members helping may have cognitive, emotional or physical difficulties as well, which

can have significant impact on managing care needs.

Needing care also brings forward financial concerns: how to share responsibilities among family members, disagreements on what is best for the person needing care, and different perspectives on whether the caregivers are a good “fit”.

As a hands-on owner of a caregiving business, helping to manage family dynamics is critical to what we do, particularly when care is starting or when there are crises that must be dealt with.

One of the key benefits of working with an owner operated firm is that the owner is fully involved in managing the care as well as finding ways to work productively with all family members. There is no answering service. There is the owner and his key staff who can be reached 24/7.

There are a number of things you can do, however, to reduce the risk that family dynamics complicate the care plan.

Talk with your care provider about the types of decisions that are typically needed throughout the caregiving process so the family can discuss them up front.

Waiting until the next crisis means making decisions under pressure

which few of us respond well to.

• Is the home they live in appropriate for the future if mobility or cognitive issues become serious. If not, what are their wishes and are they affordable?

• If care is needed 24/7, can the family provide some of that care or is the expectation to hire professional caregivers and how will it be paid for?

• How will supplies, food and household needs be managed?

Discuss with your loved one what their wishes are for care, treatment and related financial issues so that when the time comes, and they may not be able to share their wishes, you and your family only need to agree on what your loved one wants, not what each other thinks is best.

Make clear who the POAs are and what process will be used to make decisions that affect care and finances if there are disagreements between family members.

Make sure there is a Living Will and a decision on a Do Not Resuscitate order.

Given any physical, cognitive, emotional or time limitations that

family members may have, agree upfront who is involved in what parts of the care process.

Develop a daily care journal to track how each day is going, to learn about your loved one’s needs and to have an objective record of what actually goes on when family isn’t around. Clients receiving care often behave differently when they are alone or with a caregiver than they do when they are with family.

Providing care for a loved one is a serious undertaking with very unique needs for each situation.

Making sure you ask the right questions now and have a plan in place with your family can help ease the transition to care for your loved ones and help manage any challenging family dynamics.

Owner/Operator of Caregiver Services Ltd.

HOW THEY MET

CURRENTS

Laguna de Bacalar in Mexico. He gave me a beautiful Mexican fire opal ring. The second was at Ek Balam, an ancient Mayan archeological site. This time we were both there, and it was a beautiful place and moment.

That is part of the reason we decided to call our brand Balam.

The cats

No kids, just two cats named Tepeztate and Tobala (after wild agaves used to produce Mezcal).

Balancing career and marriage

The duo behind the new Fonda Balam talk the first date and working together under pressure In the Toronto food scene, Kate Chomyshyn and Julio Guajardo are pretty much royalty. They’ve been behind some of the best Mexican restaurants the city has seen, including Quetzal, Rosalinda, pop-up Birria Balam and their new permanent location, Fonda Balam, in partnership with Matty Matheson. We spoke to the pair about how they met and the joys and challenges of working together so closely.

How they met

We met at cooking school in Ottawa, Le Cordon Bleu, in 2004. He was talking to one of my friends, so I went over to chat and introduce myself because I thought he was handsome. As I walked away they started speaking Spanish, and I realized Julio was Mexican. I remember that moment very clearly. I had no idea that this handsome man would change my life or how much Mexican culture would enrich my life.

The first date

One night we were at a party at a

small club and we danced together all night. Julio is a very good dancer (I am not). As we were leaving, he asked me to go home with him in Spanish (sorry, not very romantic!) and we have never really left each other’s side since then. We were really young,

“I had no idea that this handsome man would change my life.”

19 and 21 years old, and we moved in together really quickly!

When cooking school was over, we moved to Montreal and cooked there for 12 years before coming to Toronto to open restaurants.

The proposal

Julio has actually proposed twice and we aren't officially married! I said yes both times, obviously, and one day we'll throw a big party to celebrate our love! The first was a video he made for me at La

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Working together

I think a big part of our success in our industry is that we are both competitive perfectionists and we have always pushed each other to be better. We started our first company, a small paleta (Mexican popsicle) company called LA CaTRINA out of our apartment while both working 60-hour-a-week cook jobs out of our need to express our creativity.

That need brought us all the way to Toronto and now to opening Fonda Balam. I don't think either of us would have made it here without the support of the other.

We really balance each other in the kitchen. Julio is very organized, clean and meticulous, while I'm a little more hectic and love building flavour and technique into food and sourcing great products. Together we come up with all of our menus and are each other’s harshest critics. Since that paleta company, our shared goal of representing Mexican culture in Canada has been at the core of everything we do.

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The secret to success

I'm not sure that we have any secrets. After 17 years we have certainly had great and not so great moments. I think, even through the rough moments, we always love each other, and I guess that's the not so secret secret. Love.

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N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

Meet Toronto’s culinary power couple

The GTA condo market is hotter than ever.

| POST |

Julio Guajardo and Kate Chomyshyn just opened their fifth Toronto restaurant

It’s a loaded thing to think about three weeks into opening a new restaurant. Balance is a hard thing for all chefs, but when you share all your projects, it's definitely hard to take any time off. I would say it's not easy, and the fact that we have just opened our fifth restaurant in Toronto together and are still best friends is a testament to how much we like each other. There are definitely tough moments, but in the end we just try to focus on our shared goals.

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27

2021

WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL REGISTRY

T.O.’S TOP PROFESSIONALS

WOMEN & DIVORCE

Cheryl Goldhart – Expert Family Law Lawyer, Mediator and Arbitrator

BIO Cheryl Goldhart is a certified specialist in Family Law with over 30 years of experience practicing exclusively in the field. She specializes in complex, high conflict and high net worth cases. She is an accomplished lawyer, OAFM accredited family law mediator and a certified family law arbitrator by the ADR Institute of Ontario.

In the past, it was unusual for a woman to work outside the home. Women were primarily responsible for caring for children, and running the household, whereas men were the primary breadwinners, supporting the family financially.

Our society has changed a lot since those days, and women now make up a significant part of the workforce. Nevertheless, post-separation, women experience greater reductions in income than men, they typically continue to shoulder the lion's share of responsibility with respect to raising children post separation, and they are less likely than men to remarry or re-partner, which puts them at a financial disadvantage, leaving them without benefits of income pooling later in life.

Since women are more likely to be (and remain) financially dependent upon their spouse both before and after separation, it is extremely important that they understand their legal rights and entitlements before they negotiate any settlement. The following are important considerations for anybody experiencing a separation and/or divorce: Legal Fees - If you are financially dependent upon your spouse, it will be important to ensure you have access to money to retain a lawyer who will work for you directly, and give you independent legal advice. If you don't have your own money, it may be a good idea

to ask a relative or a friend for a loan to help you cover these costs until you can repay them (be sure to document this loan so you can prove to the court your need for financial resources).

Financial Information - The success (or failure) of your claims for support and property division will depend on the quality of the financial information you can access. Taking time early on in your case to gather as much information about your and your spouse's financial circumstances (while ensuring that you are only collecting documents you have permission to access) will be key to your success.

Child & Spousal Support - Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to receive child and/or spousal support from your partner. These payments, once set out in either a court order or separation agreement, whether temporary or final, are considered "income" by lending institutions and/or landlords, and can be relied upon to help you in securing a mortgage for a new home, or renting new accommodations.

Whatever your situation, upon separation, a consultation with a lawyer to understand your legal rights is essential.

CONTACT Goldhart & Associates 20 Eglinton Ave. W. Suite 1305

416-967-6111 www.goldhartlaw.com

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WHY YOUR PARENT’S CARE SHOULD BE MANAGED BY A NURSE

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Lisa Wiseman

BIO Lisa Wiseman is the President and founder of Eldercare Home Health Inc. Lisa is Gerontological Nurse Certified (Canada) GNC(C) through the Canadian Nurses Association. Eldercare Home Health has been providing PSW care, that is actively case managed by Nurses, to Seniors in Toronto for over 25 years. Call us today to learn more!

Your mom is finally going back home, but the hospital’s saying she’s going to need help.

Now what? How do you find the right home health care provider?

If your parent is in the hospital or is being discharged from the hospital, has Parkinson’s, dementia or has had a stroke, or is taking medications, it’s important that the care they receive is supervised and case managed by a Registered Nurse, or Registered Practical Nurse.

PSW (Personal Support Worker) caregivers are key team members in the provision of care, but they do not have the education or credentials to manage your parent’s more complex care needs.

It’s important that an experienced, qualified Nurse be available day or night, weekends and holidays to answer any questions from, and provide direction to, the PSW caregivers who are providing the hands-on care to your parent.

It’s especially important that a Nurse be available should your parent’s health status unexpectedly change. The Nurse can determine and implement the correct course of action.

Nurses understand the difference from both a process point of view, and medically, between what

is happening and what should be happening. They see the big picture, including the impact of different medications, treatment options and therapies, and can help advocate for your parent on a professional level.

Having Nurse case managers who are actively involved in your parent’s care means that potential medical issues can be recognized sooner and action can be taken proactively, avoiding trips to the hospital.

Nurses can help dramatically and positively impact your parent’s overall health and wellbeing, and recovery from illness and surgery.

Hiring a home health care company that provides PSW care that is actively case managed by Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses is probably the single most impactful decision you can make when arranging care for your elderly parent.

CONTACT 234 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 207, Toronto Phone: 647-792-4036

www.eldercarehomehealth.com/postcity wiseman@eldercarehomehealth.com

THE BIG TICKETS

CURRENTS

FALL FILM FESTIVALS FOR MOVIE BUFFS Toronto Silent Film Festival Founded in 2009, the Toronto Silent Film Festival returns to Revue Cinema, showcasing adored and acclaimed silent films.

Unlike previous years, where the festival ran from Friday to Monday, the event will comprise three minifestivals over three weekends in November, December, and January. The six screenings will be accompanied by live music in the cinema. On Nov. 6, the festival will showcase 1000 Laffs Comedy Shorts, featuring the works of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. On Sunday, Nov. 7, the festival will be screening Moulin Rouge (1928 UK).

L-R: Picasso’s ‘The Blue Room,’ one of many works on display at the AGO’s new Picasso: Painting the Blue Period; Gordon Lightfoot will reopen Massey Hall

From masterful artists and Massey Hall moments to immersive experiences Six of the best shows to check out in Toronto this month Picasso is a fascinating figure, and the Art Gallery of Ontario has created an enjoyable and immersive deep dive into an important period in his life. Picasso: Painting the Blue Period runs until Jan. 16, 2022.

2. Gordon Lightfoot

More than three years ago, the venerable Massey Hall shut down for a massive renovation that happened to coincide with a global pandemic. Now, the grand old dame of Shuter Street is set to reopen this month with a series of concerts featuring the same artist that played the last shows before it closed — Gordon Lightfoot. The iconic folk musician returns to the Massey Stage for three shows Nov. 25–27.

3. No Change in the Weather

The first fully staged musical since the start of the pandemic to hit the CAA Theatre in downtown Toronto is No Change in the Weather: A Newfoundland Musical. The Terra Bruce Productions hit show unwinds the tale billed as the “personal and political shenanigans of Canada’s youngest province.” The Canadians cast includes a slew of seasoned East Coast artists. No Change in the Weather runs from Nov. 19 to 27 in a limited run of 10 performances, so get your tickets now.

4. Klimt Immersive

The immersive and large-scale arts thing continues this month with the opening of

Immersive Klimt: Revolution. Produced by the team behind Immersive Van Gogh, the show follows Klimt’s evolution as an artist, showcasing everything from a series of handdrawn sketches to his best-known works such as The Kiss and Tree of Life. Immersive Klimt: Revolution will be on display at the Lighthouse Immersive Art Space at 1 Yonge St. until Nov. 28.

5. Draw Me Close

Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre Company and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) are presenting the Canadian premiere of Draw Me Close, a critically acclaimed immersive experience by award-winning playwright and filmmaker Jordan Tannahill. Draw Me Close will be the first opportunity for audiences to return to Soulpepper’s theatre since the industry shut down. The show runs from Nov. 2 to Dec. 12.

Sci-Fi Film Festival The Great Canadian Sci-Fi Film Festival is part of a series that runs at the Royal Cinema on College St. Watch their self-proclaimed “out of this world” short films and take photos on the red carpet on Nov. 5.

Toronto Irish Film Festival This festival, which celebrates Irish cinema in Canada, is holding a pop-up event at Bell TIFF Lightbox on Nov. 20. Details will be announced soon.

6. The Spectator’s Odyssey

T.O. Live and DopoLavoro Teatrale present The Spectators’ Odyssey, billed as an immersive, contemporary multimedia theatrical experience inspired by Homer’s Odyssey and Dante’s Inferno. Two shows take the audience behind the scenes of two of Toronto’s most iconic buildings: backstage at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and through neighbouring streets to after-hours St. Lawrence Market.

Audiences can choose one adventure or do both in one night. It runs Nov. 2 to 14.

Image above left: Pablo Picasso, The Blue Room, 1901, Oil on canvas, 50.5 x 61.6 cm. The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC. Acquired 1927 © The Estate of Pablo Picasso / SOCAN (2021)

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As far as exhibitions go, Picasso: Painting the Blue Period is a very big deal. The AGO's hotly anticipated new show is open now to gallery members and will open to the general public on Oct. 26.

Picasso: Painting the Blue Period has more than 100 objects from 15 countries and is coorganized by the AGO and the Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C., with the support of the Musée national Picasso-Paris.

Picasso is, without dispute, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and is well-known for his founding of the cubist movement. This exhibition takes a look at the early works of the master concentrating on his Blue Period, in the very early 20th century from 1901 to 1904 as the artist was just starting out and developing his characteristic style.

The show begins with two rooms dedicated to Picasso's early works: Becoming a Modern Artist and Depicting the Nude, both with works from 1901. The signature work in the first segment of the exhibition is The Blue Room.

The exhibition kicks it up a notch over the next few rooms when the significant works of the Blue Period come to bear, including pieces such as Woman in Blue Shawl (1902), Two Women at a Bar (1902), Barcelona Rooftops and La Soupe, all from 1902. The final rooms show Picasso's progression as an artist and his burgeoning interest in issues related to the plight of humanity.

Reel Asian Film Festival’s ‘Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss’

| POST |

1. Picasso: Painting the Blue Period

Reel Asian Film Festival The 25th Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival takes place Nov. 10-19. The opening night presentation is an in-person screening of Islands on Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Head down early for pre-screening music provided

by Ricky Tillo at 7 p.m. For the full lineup, check the festival site at Reelasian.com.

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KIDS

PARENT TO PARENT

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ind h human uman : kkind In e every very endea endeavour, vour, we we ccommit ommit tto o engaging e every very person person ss full humanity humanity..

Point out specific dangers and ask questions instead of lecturing

Turning kids into their own risk managers

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Let’s remove the useless phrase, Be careful!, and let kids learn by experience

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A Age ge 2 tto oG Grade rade 12 in TTor Toronto oronto b bayviewglen.ca ayviewglen.ca bayviewglen bayviewglen

b bayviewglen_toronto ayviewglen_toronto bayviewglen @bayviewglen @

If I had a toonie for every time I said, “Be careful!” to my kids, it could add up to a long weekend in Paris. And I haven’t stopped.

With two adult offspring who both have their own kids and have so far neither set fires nor crashed cars, I still harass them to be careful.

Do they listen?

Never.

Did they ever listen to that?

Never.

And yet I persist. Let’s name that for what it is: Parental anxiety. From the moment our kids are born, we worry for their safety. And speak to them based on that worry. Not based on what they might be able to actually hear, take in and act on. We know that starting soon after the terrible twos, kids tend toward self-determination and autonomy. Which are both fancy words for not wanting to do what their parents tell them.

How, then, can we be heard by our kids when we fear for their safety? First off, let’s expunge

those two words from our kid lexicon. No more, “Be careful.”

Because it’s too general, lacking specifics, and to them it sounds like: “I don’t trust you to make good decisions.” Because there’s no other info coming with that injunction. It would be far more useful to say, “Please don’t jump off the roof! You could get really hurt.” At least that’s specific.

But as a parental instruction, it doesn’t go far enough into the territory where kids will be able to learn from it. If, before we instruct our kids, we stop and think about how kids learn best, we might strive for a more respectful way of warning them about dangers. Like asking questions: how we would say it to a peer. In my experience, that language lands better with kids.

And helps them think. An important goal.

For example, if a small child is running fast on the sidewalk, and you fear they may run onto the street into the path of cars, instead of “Be careful,” what

happens if you say, “Can we talk a second? I notice you’re running really fast and I’m worried if you ran on the road, a car might come and hit you. What do you think about that?”

Or let’s say when snow happens your child wants to toboggan down a hill that you think is too steep or has a fence to bang into? Let’s think longer term than today. How about growing a child who is a semiprofessional risk manager? As in: you teach them to assess their own risk and make appropriate decisions.

On the tobogganing hill, this parenting pedagogy sounds like: “Do you feel safe going down this hill? How about that fence down there? Do you think you can stop before it?”

Then close your mouth. Zip it.

In my experience as a mother, grandmother and camp director, this is the hardest thing to do. I love to lecture. Because I desperately want to keep them safe — all of them — by telling them what experience has taught me. But over and over, I am reminded by their behaviour that most humans have to learn the hard way — by experience.

It seems to help them learn when we introduce them to the idea of risk, and of consent, by gently pointing out specific dangers and asking questions.

Let’s say they’re playing with hockey sticks. You could say, “That hockey stick is pretty long.

Do you have enough room to swing it without hitting anyone?”

Or they’re playing a little rough: “Are you still having fun, or is this a little too rough? If it feels too rough, make sure you tell the other kids.”

It’s ironic that the hardest thing to do in so many of these parenting situations is to use our own impulse control and struggle to say less. Ironic why? Because the very thing we’re trying to teach our kids is to stop and think before they act. So it’s just another parenting opportunity to practise that old adage: Monkey see, monkey do.

JOANNE KATES

Parenting columnist Joanne Kates is an expert educator in the areas of conflict mediation, self-esteem and anti-bullying, and she is the director of Camp Arowhon in Algonquin Park.

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TASTE TEST

FOOD

DYNAMIC DIWALI DUO To celebrate the start of Diwali on Nov. 4, chef and author Joshna Maharaj samples several bowls of butter chicken, while ET Canada weekend host Sangita Patel tastes some of the city’s best vegetable samosas.

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“The dried fenugreek leaves give this a distinct, speckled look. The magic is in the gravy. This is the most homestyle-tasting one.”

“The chicken is perfectly tender with a good, solid marination. The entire dish is harmonious.”

“You can taste the melted down onion, garlic and ginger.

This is a very good butter chicken that’s thick enough to dip naan into.”

“That creamy, reddy-pink colour we know and love in tandoori food is here. The sauce is great, with lots of flavour.”

“There’s a lot of sweetness in this butter chicken, with big chunks of meat.

I like the generosity of this dish.”

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“These samosas take me back to the way my mom used to make it! You can smell the cumin in these right away.”

“These have a balanced mix of vegetables and a little ‘kick,’ which I love. The pastry is softer with a subtle flavour.”

“These were the smallest of the samosas with a much thicker pastry. They had less filling, but they’re still very tasty.”

“There were such big portions for these, it was practically a meal! They creatively put the chutney on the samosa, so you don’t need to dip them.”

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WINNER

| POST |

“The filling for these samosas seemed to focus on cubed potatoes and not the conventional smashed vegetables.

They have a mild flavour.”

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POST CITY X TWO SISTERS VINEYARDS

This Canadian winery is inviting wine lovers to ‘Open Up’ with a bottle of wine and card game to inspire meaningful conversation

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Sisters Angela and Melissa, coproprietors of Two Sisters Vineyards in Niagara, founded their premium winery on the principle of bringing people together. As mothers & wives who work with their family (both literally and metaphorically - they work alongside their relatives, and their small, close-knit staff have become kin in their own right), the sisters’ approach to wine is unlike any other premium winery: the bottle is as much about the people you’re drinking it with as it is about what’s inside.

As a predominantly COVID-safe option for those eager to resume their pre-pandemic activities, winery tours saw increased foot traffic over the summer season and have given Ontario’s wine regions a welcome boost in tourism. Two Sisters Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake has gained popularity as a premium offering in the area with a beautiful, Italian-inspired backdrop and a wealth of outdoor terraces and patios sprinkled

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throughout, making it the perfect place to enjoy award-winning wines and superior culinary experiences.

online as a gift with purchase while quantities last at twosistersvineyards.com/openup using code TSVOpenUp.

Two Sisters Vineyards introduces ‘Open Up’, the first card game designed to enhance the wine drinking experience After a year and half in isolation, many Canadians have reported experiencing anxiety over a return to 'normal life' and reconnecting with others. As experts in the art of bringing people together, Two Sisters used the pandemic as a time to regroup and reflect on what they truly want wine lovers to experience when they uncork a bottle - opening up in an entirely new way. The Open Up card game encourages wine drinkers to create meaningful conversations, where reconnection is the name of the game, to open up to each other.

Without giving too much away, this game is perfect for your next night in with friends and family.

The card game is now available

Plan a visit to the winery If you are planning a trip to the Niagara region, the vineyard is a must-visit. Whether it’s an elaborate wedding set against a gorgeous vineyard backdrop, an intimate family dinner to celebrate a milestone anniversary, a customized corporate dinner or simply a Wednesday evening where friends are coming together to catch up, the sisters prioritize a premium experience for guests. A variety of tasting options are available throughout the vineyard. This fall they are also launching an exciting masterclass series, including one with Canada's premier cheese expert Afrim Pristine on November 20, tickets available online at twosistersvineyards.com/events.

To receive updates from the vineyard and invitations to all exciting upcoming events, be sure to sign

up for the Two Sisters newsletter.

Enjoy Two Sisters Vineyards wine from the comfort of your home For the committed wine drinkers, Two Sisters Vineyards offers a twotiered wine club service - VIP Club and Cellar240 - that gives you a mixed, six or twelve-bottle case per quarter along with exclusive privileges including complimentary tastings, special pricing on winery tours and events, unique opportunities to receive special releases and winemaker blends, and invitations to Wine Club exclusive events. For those who prefer to stay true to their favourite varietals and blends, Two Sisters also offers monthly subscriptions by which wine lovers can receive three bottles of premium rosé, red or white shipped to their door every month.

Whether you choose to enjoy the vineyard in person or sip Unoaked Chardonnay with your family and friends at home, opening up with a bottle of Two Sisters is this fall’s can’t-miss experience.

Brought to you by

FOOD © Jenna Marie Wakani

PROFILE

Drinks with T.O.’s most influential restaurateur Jen Agg thinks the restaurant scene is going through a changing of the guard, how she’s coping and where we’re headed

by Ben Kaplan

leaving the business. The bad behavior in the industry, most recently exemplified in the Buca empire — where bad pay, brutal hours and demeaning bosses were tolerated, if not exalted, for years — has cast a dark spell over the once-glamorous profession. In addition, the recent bankruptcy filings of major multimilliondollar corporations, like the McEwan Group, show that restaurants aren’t really doing that well.

“Turns out, they’re not that good businessmen. Maybe that’s the problem. Maybe the finance bros made some bad bets,” says Agg, who uses the term “bro,” dismissively, to describe the abusive culture and people she’s been rallying against for years.

“If a company is $46 million in debt, maybe they’re not that good at this, but the fact that they could blatantly get away with it for so long is proof of what we value culturally and the kind of people we’re willing to support and lift up. For a long time, it was white dudes — especially in this industry.”

The industry is no doubt going through changes, and this is both a response to COVID-19 and a changing of the guard.

Popularized by Anthony

Bourdain, who loved Agg’s restaurant and whom Agg loved — she can recite his writings by heart — the rock star chef created a new food culture. Agg benefited, as did Bourdain, but the imitators dragged restaurants down and brought with it — or made more pronounced — a toxic stench. Agg knows that culture shifts. Perhaps restaurants were always due for a comeuppance.

“How the art world dominated pop culture in the ’80s happened

she says, to prophesize what’s next, she believes that neighbourhood spots are in danger.

“Fine dining is busier than ever.

Grey Gardens is packed every single night, and rich people are still rich, maybe even richer, but it’s the smaller restaurants that are in trouble,” she says, citing the local pub or great Ethiopian place as smaller businesses who might miss out on the new dining trend.

“I’m really worried about the

“If one person quits at any of our restaurants, we’re so close to the precipice that everything would fall apart.” with restaurants in the early 2000s,” explains Agg, “but there was always going to be a time when people were rolling their eyes at chefs they used to think were cool. I’m rolling my eyes and have been for a long time.”

Heading into the holiday season in unprecedented times, Agg thinks the big dining trend will be luxe. She says her average bills per table are going up — “People are balling out on wine” — and although it brings her no pleasure,

casual restaurants, but I’m not worried about the chains — they’ll be fine, a few of those links will always stay floating around.”

Trends that Agg sees floating around in the Toronto dining ether are sweetbreads and less of an emphasis on vegetables. As she once made charcuterie ubiquitous in Toronto, she now says that overall food programs have evolved.

“Vegetables were ignored for a long time and then vegetarian

food was cool and good for the planet and everyone’s serving plates of vegetables, which is wonderful, but it was a trend vibe and I feel like that’s waning,” she says. “This decade, we’re moving away from that and, sadly, I think luxury and opulence are the next big thing.”

As big things come and go, Agg remains dedicated to her passion, despite bad actors, for restaurants and food. Later this evening, she’s going to Scaramouche, Keith Froggett’s fine dining restaurant that she used to enjoy with her parents and where she hosted a reception after losing her mom.

Restaurants still mean everything to her. She goes to Foxley and Imanishi, often by herself, and she sees opening places as her lifeblood.

“I don’t have active plans to open another restaurant, but I always want to open another restaurant,” she says, with a laugh.

Next up for Agg could be another book, another restaurant or shepherding in the next great food star, trend or pop culture moment. But she’s not changing her approach.

“Are there any other patios you could recommend?” the man in front of Vendetta asks her. “No,” she says, “Only this one.”

| POST |

Jen Agg sits on the patio outside her Bar Vendetta and, when a guy walks by asking her if the food here is any good, she says, “It’s OK. I think there’s a few good things on the menu.”

What Agg doesn’t do — what she never does — is pander, not to the press, not to her colleagues and not to potential customers. Agg is arguably the most influential, and most famous restaurateur in Toronto. Author of I Hear She’s a Real Bitch, Agg launched the Black Hoof in 2008 and has since launched Rhum Corner, Cocktail Bar and Grey Gardens. Along the way, she helped make Grant van Gameren, her original chef, into a star.

Today, sitting out on her patio over a glass of wine, Agg says the restaurant scene in Toronto is in dire straits.

“There’s no shortage of people who want to dine in restaurants right now, but there’s a huge staffing problem,” she says, mentioning the roughly 180,000 people in Canada who’ve left the restaurant industry since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

“If one person quits at any of our restaurants, we’re so close to the precipice that everything would fall apart.”

There are reasons why folks are

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Clockwise from left: Bar Vendetta in before COVID times; Jen Agg says staffing is such an issue that her restaurants are one resignation away from serious trouble; Bar Vendetta’s spaghetti pomodoro

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Pictured: Black Bean Basil Chinese Eggplant

The Holy Duck: A single beef patty topped with seared Quebec foie gras, double smoked bacon, white truffle oil, pure Canadian maple syrup

Hand Cut Crispy Fries | Crispy Sweet Potato Fries Creamy Feta Fries | Panko Crusted Onion Rings NEW Waffle Fries

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Pictured: Pork Souvlaki

Our location at 1450 Yonge Street is now open for Pick-Up, Take-Out & Online Delivery. Holy Chuck would like to thank all of our loyal customers for their support over the past few months. All of our locations are taking additional safety measures to ensure the safety of all of our customers and employees.

There is no need to travel to Greece for the authentic cuisine, simply go online to www.karbouzi.com.

A Toronto restaurant tradition for over 50 years, Karbouzi Greek Taverna has become a staple on Avenue Road known for the warm atmosphere, the friendly service, and of course, the delicious home cooking! Karbouzi boasts a menu filled with traditional Greek delicacies from Souvlaki to Moussaka to flaming Saganaki.

And don’t forget to try our much loved Tzaziki!

Special Fried Rice

C’est Bon would like to thank all of our customers for their continued support during this period.

All our staff are taking additional safety measures to ensure the safety of both staff and all of our customers.

Order Direct Online

www.cestbonrestaurant.com or call 416-932-2811

or Call Us Direct for Pick-Up & Take Out

Call direct or order online at www.karbouzi.com

FEATURE

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FOOD

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MEATBALLS ARE HAVING A MOMENT The city’s chefs are reinventing meatballs and the public can’t get enough.

Check out our guide to four fab creations.

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MEATBALL FRITES

THE BIG BALL

Open since the summer of 2020, Street Kitchen by Basil Box has been bringing yummy Thai-inspired eats to the streets of Toronto. The Thai beef meatballs (a blend of beef and cheese) are no exception, and can be loaded onto a plate of fries with your choice of sweet chili mayo or yuzu mayo, then loaded with pickled veggies, crispy shallots, super seeds and fresh herbs. If french fries aren’t your thing, you can order the same Thai beef meatballs with all the fixings as a bao bun for $11.45. Each order comes with two baos. $8.95, streetkitchenbybasilbox.com 5607 Yonge St.

Scaddabush’s Straight Up Meatball is just that — one big, saucy meatball served in a simmering red tomato sauce and basil oil and topped with fresh mozzarella, shaved Grana Padano and fresh basil. If you’re not too full from this signature dish, mop up the leftover sauce with the included focaccia crostini. Get it as a starter to share with your table, or have it all to yourself as a main. Another option is to add it to an order of any one of Scaddabush’s fresh pastas, like the San Marzano Spaghetti, which can be ordered as a regular portion ($18.87) or a social portion ($35.95). $15.23, scaddabush.com 200 Front St. W., Unit G001

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SWEDISH SAMMIE

MEATBALL ’ZA

European snacks are all the rage at the Alpine, located in the Junction neighbourhood. So it goes without saying that the meatball sandwich isn’t anything like your regular meatball sub. The Alpine's Swedish meatball sandwich ditches the rules for the classic Italian meatball version, instead using a mix of pork and beef meatballs, melted Gruyere cheese and sour cream gravy. This sandwich is definitely a two-hander and comes served on a freshly baked pretzel bun that’s slathered in cranberry spread and served with your choice of fries, green salad or a heaping portion of potato salad. $20, thealpine.ca 2872 Dundas St. W.

It’s not uncommon to find spaghetti and meatballs in Little Italy. Seeing a meatball lasagna is slightly less common, but a meatball pizza is almost too good to be true! At Ferro Bar Café in Little Italy, the restaurant’s meatball bianco pizza swaps a traditional red tomato sauce for bianco sauce and is done with creamy fior di latte mozzarella, slow-cooked braised veal meatballs, pickled jalapeno and diced white onions. Available in one size only, you can also substitute the bianco sauce for a spicy diavolo sauce or add vegan mozzarella for an additional charge. $18.95, ferrobarcafe.ca 769 St. Clair Ave. W.

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by Christine Hogg

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FOOD

FIRST LOOK

Sharing plates a plenty at the Wood Owl

The Wood Owl might be the city’s cosiest new wine bar It’s run by owners of sister resto, The Wren

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L U X U RY M O V E M A N A G E M E N T. C O M

A new wine bar has made its way to Owl has an impressive wine list Toronto’s east end. that includes international white The Wood Owl is the latest next and red wines from Italy, France, door venture from the same team Spain, Austria and Germany. behind Danforth favourite the Orange wine, sparkling wines and Wren. The cosy interior of the new rose wines by the glass and bottle spot has a retro feel to it, thanks to are also available, as are three the wood-panelled walls signature cocktails: The Girona reminiscent of the 1970s. There’s Spritz ($16, grapefruit, sweet also burgundy velvet patterned vermouth, simple syrup and cava), wallpaper. A series of tan-coloured the Negroni Bianco ($14, gin, leather bar stools are stationed at lilliet, Veccio Amara del Capo); and the bar, which is also done in wood the Adonis ($14, Oloroso sherry, panelling. Colourful glass lamps sweet vermouth, orange bitters). that are suspended from brass There’s also a rotating selection chains cast a warm glow in of draught beer from Ontario the evenings, and, true to breweries that can be the restaurant’s name, found posted on the ON THE MENU brass owl lamps have mirror board.

Light bites, nestled their way into “These lists will also charcuterie boards, the decor. constantly be in flux. sharing plates and All of the food on But here’s where we’re imported wines. the Wood Owl’s starting. Darryl’s made compact menu was a solid list that’s a nice designed to complement the reflection of his philosophy wine list. It features seasonal light as a sommelier and wine lover,” the bites and mains, as well as nightly Wood Owl writes in an Instagram specials. For those looking for a post. “They’re bottles from quick bite to eat, the ever-changing producers just off the beaten path, cheese and charcuterie boards from slightly lesser-known regions, should do the trick. Or, for because he’s confident he can find something different, try the the same quality wines you’d find in eggplant frites served with tahini more famous regions, but for better and onion jam. According to a value.” recent post on the restaurant’s The Wood Owl is located at Instagram page, the dishes will 1380 Danforth Ave. and is change depending on the seasonal currently open at 5 p.m. from availability of the ingredients or Tuesday to Thursday. No when the chef thinks the menu reservations are available, as it’s needs a fresh approach. walk-in only and on a first-come, As far as the drinks go, the Wood first-served basis. —Christine Hogg

NEWS

FOOD

Tomyum is a Thai fusion– inspired wine bar

Oretta Midtown likes the new youthful vibrancy happening in North Toronto

Midtown is getting a giant new Italian eatery The doors will open at Yonge & Eglinton in mid-autumn by Christine Hogg Opening mid-November or early December of 2021, Oretta Midtown will be located in the lower level of the Art Shoppe Lofts and Condos. The new spot will feature a patio on the south side, complete with heaters for comfortable outdoor dining when autumn evenings turn chilly.

“Opening Oretta at the Art Shoppe was a leap of faith that I truly believed in,” says owner Salvatore Mele (who also owns Capocaccia Trattoria in Summerhill). “The last 19 months have been challenging for everyone in the hospitality space, but Oretta has managed to forge ahead. I am excited about our brand and our new location.” The increase in condo development has brought an influx of young people and families to the area, which brand manager for Oretta, Ana Altamira, says is one of the reasons the team decided on this new spot.

“Yonge and Eglinton has turned into more of a family area, and a lot of young people have moved here, and we thought it was the

perfect spot for a second location,” she says.

Once again, the team at Oretta has enlisted the help of Commute Design (who designed the first location), the same team behind restaurants like Byblos, Patria, Tabüle and Little Sister. Guests can expect to find soaring archways and an abundance of vivid colours throughout the restaurant, starting with the tiled floors which will showcase warm salmon pinks and vibrant mustard yellows, all the way to the private wine cellar, which will house a large selection of bottles imported from Italy.

Heading up Oretta Midtown’s kitchen are executive chef Gabriele di Marco and chef de cuisine Darren Couto. Although the new menu won’t be an exact replica of Oretta King West, much of the signature pizzas and pastas will remain.

“We are working on a few surprises at the moment and testing dishes at our King Street location,” Altamira says. “Guests can look forward to grigliata mista, which is a mixed

grilled board to share.”

A selection of signature cocktails will also be available, as will be a selection of beer on tap and by the bottle.

Oretta Midtown will feature an open concept kitchen, so that guests are front and centre for a memorable dining experience and can watch Oretta’s pizza chefs toss pizza dough by hand. servizio al tavolo will also be available, where pasta for two is served tableside and a server brings the Parmesan wheel right to the table and mixes the dish. Another addition to the midtown location that Oretta King currently doesn’t have? A projector for showing all of the major sports games throughout the year.

“We’re Italian, and during the Euro Cup, we had a lot of people calling the King Street location and asking if we had a giant TV to watch the game,” Altamira says. “Now, we have one, and while it won’t be on every day, it will be there for when all of the sports fans need a place to go.”

Currently in soft-launch mode, the grand opening of Tomyum Wine Bar was tentatively set for Oct. 20. Located at 21 Grenville St. near College subway station, former accountant-turned-chef and owner, Andy Page, was inspired to open Tomyum after living in Europe and travelling across Southeast Asia.

He’s joined by sous chef Carl Recolaso, from wildly popular Saskatoonbased restaurant Ayden Kitchen and Bar; Jonathan Kim, former lead bar chef at Toronto’s JaBistro, a sushi spot in the Entertainment District; and Petra Taylor, who handles all things front of house. The chef trio takes popular Eurocentric dishes, like Spanish garlic shrimp, fusing them with staple Asian spices, garnishes and sides, like Thai basil, green curry, tom yum and rice.

Swing by for small plates stacked with southeast Asian flavour, like the whimsical sounding Wizard of Oz dish. Aptly named for its multi-dimensional green hues, this unique twist on a standard seaweed salad includes beans, house-made yuzu cream and chia seeds. Looking for something heartier? Tomyum’s most popular dish, Little Bird Nest is inspired by traditional Thai dish pad krapow moo and is artfully plated to show off a colourful mosaic of pink running eggs, purple rice and ground pork.

Dining is indoors only but features a highly Instagrammable interior, blending street art with southeast Asian influence through several mural-adorned walls. When you’re done snapping pictures, order a glass of ultra-exclusive Old World wine like the Black Mont Rubi, a young and lively sip with an intense purple hue and blackberry finish. There are only five cases of this Spanish red available in Canada, and Tomyum scored four of them. You can come by for a dimly lit dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to late. —Raquel Farrington

Pink Sky is King West’s new Milos-style resto Feast on a mix of raw bar platters and fresh fish

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mussels, lobster and other off-the-boat fare, served either raw or grilled with a simple finish of lemon, olive oil and sea salt. The menu is rounded out by delicately flavoured desserts. Many cocktails, like Pink Sky’s Caribbean Sazerac, are a playful spin on classic drinks.The approachable wine list is designed to pair well with seafood. There are also a handful of international beers on tap.

Pink Sky’s roomy interior is sophisticated yet welcoming. Large windows running along the front of the restaurant offer views of the King West strip, and the rear of the space features a sparkling open kitchen framed by a display of fresh seafood. There’s a private dining area on the second level that overlooks the main floor.

Live DJs perform on Friday and Saturday nights.

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© Lindsay Rosset

Pink Sky is an inviting seafood restaurant that takes over the King West home of Weslodge, another Scale Hospitality venture that’s set to reopen in a new location. Co-founder Hanif Harji says Pink Sky draws inspiration from the sea-to-fork restaurants that are ubiquitous across the eastern coasts of Canada and the U.S. “I fell in love with the fresh seafood and their approach to food,” says Harji of visiting these shoreline destinations. “Charles [Khabouth, co-owner] and I both felt that Toronto could use a really fresh, casual seafood restaurant in the downtown core.”

Pink Sky’s thoughtful, pared-down approach to seafood shines the spotlight on the natural flavours of its high-quality ingredients.

The raw bar menu, which changes daily based on what’s freshest, features beautiful platters and towers piled with oysters, shrimp,

by Jessica Huras

Spanish garlic shrimp at Tomyum

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FOOD

NEWS

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Du Hsiao Yueh has been doling out delicious noodles for 126 years

100-year-old noodle chain comes to the 905

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Du Hsiao Yueh specializes in danzai noodles

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On Sept. 18, Du Hsiao Yueh Hsiao Yueh was born. Sometimes Canada opened in Markham, called Slack Season Ta-a marking the 126-year-old noodle Noodles, the general recipe calls chain’s first venture into the for bean sprouts, garlic, coriander, Canadian market. and seasoned shrimp in a shrimp Located at 7040 Warden Ave., broth. The dish is usually served the first-ever Du Hsiao Yueh was as a snack, but can be eaten in originally founded in 1895 by larger portions as a main.

Hung Yu Tou, an ancestor of the Currently still in soft opening Hung clan. Yu Tou invented a mode, Du Hsiao Yueh has new style of noodles during the limited indoor seating available. low season, when the seas were No official grand opening has yet rough, and Yu Tou could not go been announced. On the menu, fishing.

Collectively, the you can expect to find a selection fishermen referred to this time of shareable favourites, period as “Hsiao yueh”, including meat dishes hence the name of the like the Tainan minced eatery. pork taro cakes, What started out torched Taiwanese ON THE MENU as a one-person sausage, red The Da-a Noodles operation selling Vinasse fried features seasoned homemade noodles chicken, and the shrimp, noodles, bean on the streets of Du Hsiao Yueh sprouts and garlic.

Taiwan has evolved braised ham hock, as into a successful well as a selection of fourth-generation business. vegetarian dishes like the There are six Du Hsiao Yueh stir-fried garlic pea shoots, or locations in Taiwan, including the the marinated squash in original restaurant, and roughly passionfruit syrup. Of course, 30 franchises scattered there are plenty of danzai noodle throughout North and Eastern dishes to choose from, including China. Currently, Canada is the the Da-a Noodle which only international market for the highlights the classic ingredients brand. of shrimp, minced pork, garlic The reasonably-priced menu sauce, bean sprouts, and noodles. offers a wide range of traditional Du Hsiao Yueh is currently Taiwanese dishes, but highlights open Thursday to Tuesday from danzai noodles, which is a type of 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is Chinese wheat noodle soup that located inside the T&T originated in Southern Taiwan Supermarket. As space is limited, roughly 130 years ago, around the booking a reservation in advance same time the concept of Du is recommended. — CH

NEWS

FOOD

FINE JEWELRY UP TO 40% OFF SALE

Chef Rob Rossi of Osteria Giulia says his favourite new drink is the Marsala Cobbler

New Italian osteria opens in Yorkville Rob Rossi’s menu charms with classic dishes approach Rossi has taken with the food menu.

“It’s definitely in keeping with Rob’s philosophy of taking good ingredients and treating them with respect and preparing them simply with the guest in mind,” Codona says. “There’s a lot going on in our cocktail program, but they’re all plays on classics,” Rossi adds. “My favourite is actually the Marsala Cobbler: it’s fresh and classic, with beautiful flavours.”

The Messicano, Osteria Giulia’s top seller, is a tequila-based cocktail that blends white tequila, green Chartreuse, mint and basil cordial, a hint of lime juice and served with refreshing sliced cucumber.

Osteria Giulia is open Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30 to 10:30.

Walk-ins are limited, so be sure to book a reservation in advance.

—Christine Hogg

T.O.’s coolest Korean resto goes big in midtown Neon Tiger opened on Oct. 28 at 14 Dupont St., offering a Korean-inspired menu complete with boldly flavoured snacks and fun cocktails.

The new spot comes from the same owner of OddSeoul, a staple on the Ossington strip that’s known for its small plates and chill vibe.

You may recognize the new venue as the former Playa Cabana Hacienda, a popular two-storey taco place known for its massive 90-seat patio and festive decor. David Sidhu of the Playa Cabana empire became a good friend of the OddSeoul team during the height of COVID-19, prompting the sale of the venue.

“We were waiting for the right time and the right climate to open. Our hope is to create a new legacy for this legendary location and make Playa Hacienda proud,” says Naveen Chakravarti, owner of OddSeoul and Neon Tiger.

Starting with dinner service and moving to offer brunch and lunch in early 2022, the new spot is spacious, with 90 seats indoors and up to 130 available on the patio. Neon Tiger echoes the same chill energy you would find at OddSeoul, with good music and that relaxed, effortlessly cool feel you might find at a dive bar – but now with a ton more space.

As far as food goes, eager patrons can expect a carefully curated menu of fun and approachable food and drink options that fuse Asian flavours with classic comfort food staples. Executive chef and food industry veteran Wes Haines, whose culinary credits include Gusto 101, Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, Bar Centrale and Little Portugal pizza place Prohibition Pie, is running the show in the Neon Tiger kitchen. He hopes the new spot serves as a nod to the hipster charm of OddSeoul, bringing some of that same energy just north of Bloor.

—Raquel Farrington

Thursday November 18 10-5 Friday November 19 10-5

Saturday November 20 10-5 Sunday November 21 12-5

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Call or visit NiceDiggz.com for our full range of services N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1

food and the people being the accents. The inspiration for the food was to bring back some Italian classics, breathing new life into the dishes but still keeping them very simple and honest,” Rossi says.

The menu will also rotate different dishes, as ingredients come and go with the seasons.

"Cooking Italian is all about using local ingredients, so we try to do that as much as possible here to create great Italian dishes,” Rossi said.

The grilled calamari is one of Osteria Giulia’s most popular dishes. It brings some heat, thanks to a sauce that blends chilli garlic, white wine, parsley, oregano, lemon and capers.

Over at the bar, which seats eight, bartender Iain Codona has created a cocktail program that aims to highlight the same fresh

571 St. Clair Ave. W. • 416 546-6999 midtown@nicediggz.com

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Following the massive success of opening their first restaurant together, Giulietta, in the spring of 2018, chef Rob Rossi has once again partnered with David Minicucci to bring a taste of Northern Italian fare to Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood.

Osteria Giulia opened on Oct. 2 at 134 Avenue Rd. Designed by Guido Costantino, Osteria’s interior is hyper minimalist, featuring natural wood and wicker dining chairs, pale hardwood floors, and a modern woodpanelled bar that’s stocked with spirits from around the world.

“Osteria Giulia is a Northern Italian coastal restaurant that’s very heavily focused on seafood, pastas, vegetables and risotto,” Rossi says. “We wanted to keep the restaurant very simple, minimalist and clean and let the room speak for itself, with the

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LOOKING BACK You’ve reached the end of the November 2021 issue. Before you go, don’t forget to set your clocks back on Nov. 7.

Of note, Ontario’s attorney general says this may be our final daylight savings time if other jurisdictions, like Quebec and New York State, agree.

Imagine how relieved the people in charge of adjusting the time on the city’s historical clocks, shown below, will be.

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NOVEMBER 2021 EDITION

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Old City Hall has Toronto’s second oldest clock. At three hundred feet above the city street, it has been telling time and making its mark on the city’s skyline since 1900.

Kents Jewelers, which specilized in both jewelry and watches, had a beautiful clock outside of their store located at 168 Yonge St. seen in this photo taken in 1923.

Torontonians have been keeping time with Yorkville’s fire hall clock since 1889. The clock was originally part of the Yorkville town hall until a fire destroyed the building in 1941.

Thornhill’s earliest public clock was a bell atop the Thornhill Hotel in 1891, which rang at 7 a.m., noon and 6 p.m., to let locals know when to wake up, eat and end their workday.

O’Keefe’s Beverages Limited kept the city safe and on time with its neon rooftop sign that both sported a helpful reminder and housed a digital clock.

Constructed in 1850, the Gothic Revival– styled St. James Cathedral, on the corner of Church and King streets in downtown Toronto, houses the city’s oldest clock.

This iconic clock, situated in front of Union Station when it opened in 1927, now sports the words ‘Union Station’ on its face instead of numbers after its restoration in 2015.

North York’s oldest clock, built in 1942, was once part of North York’s first fire hall. The clock tower and archway entrance are all that remain at Yonge and Empress Avenue.

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