Annex Post November 2023

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RARE FINDS CHEF ANTHONY ROSE TAKES A BITE OUT OF THE CITY’S BEST STEAK SANDWICHES

VOL. 6 · ISSUE 11

T.O. HEADED FOR AIRBNB BAN?

HOW SAFE IS THE ANNEX? Our 2023 crime report shows a 30% rise in car thefts and a 20% surge in break-ins citywide.

Find out what the data reveals about crime at the neighbourhood level.

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CONTENTS Welcome to the November edition of the Post. Sit back & enjoy!

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29

Our 2023 crime report shows a dramatic rise in break-ins and car thefts. Find out what the data reveals about crime at the neighbourhood level

17 Jeanne Beker has scoured the city to find the hottest boots of the season so you can strut from day to night with ease

23 Ontario power couple, musician Shawnee Kish and rugby Olympian Jen Kish, on winning the hearts of their 1 million social media followers

29 Toronto has burst onto the culinary scene with five Michelin-recognized Mexican restaurants, from plant-forward eateries to local gems

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| NOVEMBER 2023

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© Chris Boucher Instagram/@slimmduck

BY THE NUMBERS

Toronto Raptors player Chris Boucher is ready for a new season

The lone Canadian left on the Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors season just got underway. There are some new faces and a new energy. We spoke with the lone remaining Canadian on the team, Chris Boucher, about the coming season and a few of his favourite Toronto things.

team in the NBA has their own plan and so do we. Continuity is something that works for us, especially with the guys that we have over here.

What do you think will surprise fans the most this season about the team?

Where would you take visitors to the city the first time?

38 The ranking of the Annex in a list of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods.

+152 The odds (not good) of the Toronto Raptors making the NBA playoffs, but you could profit $152 on a $100 bet.

Probably on a boat if it's the summer — bring them on a boat just to see the city from the water.

Favourite restaurant and why?

The ball movement. I think doing every- Akira Back, wagyu tacos. thing together should help. That’s something that they didn't see a lot. So that What do you do to get away from it all?

Obviously, I miss Dalano and Khem, they’re should be surprising to them — just seeing Play video games. my boys. But I'm just trying to be under- how fast we got together.

What’s your fave? standing and grateful of the opportunity that Call of Duty.

How’s the new coach, what’s I'm still with the team.

How does it feel to now be the lone Canadian with Dalano Banton and Khem Birch gone?

1 Canada’s ranking on a list of the top work destinations in the world.

the biggest difference there?

Oh, how much he cares, I think, how much What is your idea of perfect happiness? he cares about the players. The way he talks Health and family. I think health is definitely to them and keeps communication with happiness.

Yeah, obviously. Not on purpose, but I think them, I think that really helps.

What is your greatest fear? it just worked out that way. Being here for a God long time, there's just a lot of stuff that I And tell me a little bit about your know better. And it feels good to just, you impressions of Gradey Dick so far. know, give my peace and what I know to the He's really nice. He wants to learn, and he Which person do you most admire? can really shoot the ball. He's really good My mom. young guys. with attention to detail. And I think that's What makes you most excited something that's going to help him and the When and where were you happiest? about the coming season? confidence that he has. Just a great kid to Maybe 2019, the year of our [NBA] championship, or the year after, during those times.

Just playing different, having different have around. schemes, a different defensive mindset, a difWhich talent would you like to have? ferent image. Taking the new coach’s style Now for the short answer questions: I’d like to be able to read minds. will help us to play a different brand of bas- what was your first job?

In a restaurant washing dishes, waiting ketball.

What is your greatest regret tables.

Not starting basketball sooner. (He was 19.)

What do the Raptors have to do Are you taking a leadership role, being one of the longest serving Raptors on the team?

What’s the worst piece of

I think we just have to keep the focus on the career advice you’ve received? right thing and focus on ourselves. Every Chase the money.

What is your personal motto?

Grind now, shine later.

6 The age at which Drake's son Adonis released his first rap video.

| NOVEMBER 2023

to make an impact this season?

19 The October date when a commemorative Donald Sutherland stamp was released by Canada Post.

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NEWS SECTION Some Toronto condos are teeming with short-term rental units such as the Parade Towers at CityPlace

Is a NYC-style Airbnb crackdown coming to Toronto? towers, according to non-profit organization Fairbnb Canada Network’s recent analysis of City of Toronto data.

“That adds an influx of people that makes our life miserable,” said Bhoutika.

That’s also the most Airbnbs in any single condo project in the city, though some other buildings — which Fairbnb has dubbed “ghost hotels” — aren’t far off. In the past, the city has tightened regulations to address the proliferation of such short-term rentals, which it defines as “all or part of a dwelling unit rented out for less than 28 consecutive days in exchange for payment.”

For example, municipal rules put in place in 2020 limit shortterm rentals, which must be licensed through the city to principal residences where the host resides and a maximum of 180 days per year. In practice, however, a significant number of Airbnb hosts are surely flouting the rules by claiming secondary investment units as principal residences.

“The concentration of shortterm rentals in these [downtown]

buildings poses the question of whether these actually are principal residences or not,” said Thorben Wieditz, executive director of the Fairbnb Network Canada, which pushes for short-term rental regulations and oversight. “

I think the city should enforce it in a big way.”

The trend is troubling because, as the argument goes, it takes desperately needed apartments off the market for locals and drives up the cost of long-term rentals by reducing housing stock.

“These units are not available to long-term tenants or people who look for long-term housing, and that very much has an impact amidst the housing crisis, when everyone knows how difficult it is to access housing,” said Wieditz, who is one of the advocates calling on the city to take a tougher stance on enforcement.

More than one CityPlace resident recently shared horror stories

with Post City about short-term owners.

Wieditz of Fairbnb agreed the rentals that appear to be operating city has to do more to verify the illegally.

“I feel like I live in a hotel,” said principal residence status of proSam Arfeem, who owns a condo posed short-term rentals. “There at 151 Dan Leckie Way, which is needs to be a way to double-check connected to 21 Iceboat Terr. “It’s that,” he said.

And maybe that is changing. chaos.”

A statement from the City of Arfeem said he’s fortunate to live on the third floor. Otherwise, Toronto, Municipal Licensing & he’d have trouble with the el- Standards explained that it has reevators, which are often congested voked licenses for 846 short-term — as is the lobby — with out-of- rentals over the last three years. According to the statement, nine town visitors.

“They’re harassing security at all bylaw enforcement officers investitimes of the day trying to figure gate short-term rental complaints, out things about their short-term which can be made through 311 Toronto, and four staff members rental,” he said.

Worse yet, the amenity spaces are assigned to audit registered aren’t respected. Visitors will break units.

“This is a new type of enforcethe rules, such as bringing glass to the pool area and crowd spaces ment for the city, and staff are almeant for residents. Bhoutika is ways learning, adjusting the among those who say that the city approach and working through any needs to crack down more on challenges that come with introducing new regulations,” the staterogue Airbnb hosts.

“I think the city should enforce ment reads.

Hopefully this trend continues it in a big way,” he said, referring to the principal residence rule in par- and the city benefits from an inticular. He explained that there are creased housing stock and lower three Airbnb suites on his floor rents for residents.

—Josh Sherman 7 alone, and he’s never seen the | NOVEMBER 2023

Over a month ago, New York City’s new Airbnb and short-term rental rules came into effect — a move that is likely to dramatically decrease the more than 40,000 such units available and, in so doing, massively increase the rental stock in a city grappling with housing affordability.

It’s a situation that is playing out in many major cities including Toronto, where there are some 12,000 units available on Airbnb.

Is it time this city cracks down as well? With sky-high rental prices, a shortage of units and a pledge by the new mayor to make affordable housing a priority, the answer is yes.

Kris Bhoutika lives in a downtown condo that is swarming with Airbnb short-term renters. Any time there’s a major event going on downtown, he expects trouble inside his highrise tower that he’s called home since 2018.

“It can get quite crazy,” he said.

The building, located at 21 Iceboat Terr., is part of the Parade Towers, a CityPlace condo complex that has a whopping 280 registered Airbnb rentals across four

NEWS OPINION

N

Here’s why Ontario should take over the TTC right now There is no question that the City of Toronto cannot continue to finance its operations on the property tax base alone, and while there have been many "productive" discussions between the provincial and federal levels of government there have been few solutions offered to solve that problem.

The impact of the budgetary shortfall is already on full display for the TTC. The order for new subway cars that are required for the Bloor-Danforth line have been cancelled due to lack of funding, and the Scarborough RT has been permanently closed. The new Tuesday to Thursday work week feels more permanent than temporary, which means less riders going downtown each week and less ridership revenues.

Quite simply, the city can no longer afford to operate the TTC. Over the years there has been chatter about the province taking over operations of the

which would be a major benefit for riders.

If the Crosstown ever opens, the province has an agreement to fund the operations of the line for a 30-year term, and the same will be true of the Ontario line.

It makes sense to pay for the operation of the whole system, instead of disparate parts.

Assuming control of the TTC would be better for riders throughout the GTA and ease one of the city’s most significant budget pressures.

Toronto can’t afford to keep funding the TTC in its current form This budget pressure will only intensify next year as the transit TTC. but those talks were side- tems so that transit routes could union negotiates a new contract. lined by elections and city resist- be better integrated and support The union is no longer considance. Now is the time to restart transit riders that crossed munic- ered an essential service so can those discussions in earnest. ipal borders. The government hold out for higher wages or Once the Yonge-University has already announced fare in- threaten a strike. A strike would Spadina line extended to York tegration for GO Transit cus- be devastating for the system.

Region, the TTC was no longer tomers who use the TTC by the While at one time there may a local transit system, but rather end of this year, but if Metrolinx have been a constituency that a provider of transit to the operated the TTC, there would argued for local control of the Greater Toronto Area. Metro- be opportunities for zone fares system, those times have linx implemented the Presto and further fare integration be- changed. The vast majority of card across municipal transit sys- tween municipal transit systems, TTC riders just want clean, reli-

able and safe service. The city is not providing that value proposition, so it is time for the province to step in.

That being said, if Metrolinx were to take over the TTC, the entire board needs to be replaced.

It is completely unacceptable that no opening date for the Crosstown has been established or communicated. The board is supposed to provide accountability and oversight for Metrolinx and has utterly failed with respect to the Crosslink, which has caused reputational harm to the organization. This must be addressed.

The region needs a strong and viable transit system, and the only way for this to happen is for the province to take over the operations of the TTC. KAREN STINTZ is a former city councillor and was a chair of the TTC.

NEWS OPINION

The Ontario government has bungled transit projects to the detriment of the city

My mistake was to think I could drive along Finch Avenue West as a normal street. It is, as someone remarked, Toronto’s most significant obstacle course.

Metrolinx is responsible for building the Finch West Light rail line, and it has made a mess of it over the past five years. Vast stretches of the roadway are reduced to one lane, with construction debris on all sides, with work on the roadway, the sidewalks and the half-built LRT itself most often uncompleted, just sitting there abandoned.

The patches where construction workers are doing things are the exception, not the rule.

Thank goodness I was not a pedestrian. Sidewalks are nonexistent. One walks through broken concrete and dust, never in a straight line. Buses have a difficult time negotiating the roadway and then finding a place to collect riders.

Metrolinx has a lot to answer for on Finch West. They don’t seem to care about the many residents who are forced to deal with this continuing disruption.

It would be useless to ask Metrolinx when the street will return to reasonable functionality and when the LRT will be running. As we know from the Crosstown on Eglinton, another Metrolinx project, there’s no real timeline on when work will be done. Phil Verster, the chief ex-

ecutive officer of Metrolinx, had the audacity to hold a press conference at the end of September where he announced he still couldn’t say when the Crosstown will be running — a project already more than three years late and far over budget.

Metrolinx is a provincial agency, and Premier Doug Ford was so impressed with Verster’s announcement on the Crosstown that the very next day he renewed the man’s contract for a further year at the handsome sum of $850,000.

Metrolinx has just begun work on the Ontario line, closing Queen from Bay to Yonge for an estimated five years — surely an underestimate.

South Riverdale will then be disrupted, then the Distillery District and Queen between Sherbourne and Bathurst. The mayhem already affects the whole of the central city with the rerouting of the heavily used Queen streetcar.

One wishes the province would get its nose out of the city and attend to its own issues — such as ensuring that hospitals are well enough funded that sitting in an emergency room is not an all-day affair.

Metrolinx relies on Infrastructure Ontario to arrange construction contracts, which means Public Private Partnerships are hired to perform the

needed work. That’s a fancy way of pushing government work off to a consortium of private companies that argue among themselves about who is responsible for delays. A study a few years ago of PPP contracts for hospitals in Ontario showed that the average contract cost was 18 per cent higher than if governments did the work themselves.

We lose in two ways: the work is more expensive, and it never gets done on time. If Metrolinx seems little interested in doing things any differently — why would well-paid Philip Verster want to rock the boat?

Some have argued that Premier Ford simply hates Toronto and is willing to cause as much disruption as he can. The list of his interventions here is long: transit, Ontario Place, the fossil fuel–burning Portland electricity plant being expanded against the express wishes of Toronto City Council, the failure of the new court house because of staff underfunding and on and on.

You could conclude the residents of Finch Avenue West aren’t being discriminated against: they are simply being treated as badly as other Torontonians.

JOHN SEWELL is a former mayor of Toronto.

| NOVEMBER 2023

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In a recent development, The One, an 85-storey luxury condo development project currently under construction at Yonge Street and Bloor Street, faces receivership as confirmed by court documents.

Alvarez & Marsal Canada Inc., a consulting firm, has been appointed as the receiver for all project assets.

The decision to place The One into receivership comes as a response to a series of economic challenges facing the project, including the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and unforeseen work stoppages.

These factors have led to significant cost overruns and extended construction timelines, according to a statement by Alvarez & Marsal Canada Inc. on its website.

The receiver will have access to $315 million to ensure the continuation of construction on the property, as outlined in court documents.

Mizrahi Inc. will maintain its role as the general contractor, operating under the supervision of the receiver.

The mixed commercial and residential skyscraper was envisioned by developer Sam Miz-

rahi and Jenny Coco. Originally, it was slated for completion last year.

Instead of achieving its full completion, more than eight years since the project commenced, The One is currently less than half built.

Legal documents filed this week reveal that only the first 40 floors have received concrete columns and walls.

In a statement, Sam Mizrahi responded to the decision by saying that it is “welcome” and that the move into receivership will allow for the successful completion of The One “under the continued leadership of Sam Mizrahi and Mizrahi Developments.”

“At the request of the project’s senior lender, the court has appointed a limited scope receiver to overcome an ongoing governance issue that has caused significant project delays,” the statement read.

“As part of this arrangement, the receiver has requested that Sam Mizrahi and his company remain as the Developer and General Contractor to oversee completion of The One. Mr. Mizrahi maintains his equity position in the project.”

—Ron Johnson

NEWS

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Finally, a plan for Avenue Road In a significant development last month, the City of Toronto unveiled new designs for Avenue Road at an open house event, signalling progress in addressing the long-standing issues. The designs aim to transform Avenue Road into a more pedestrian-friendly, people-friendly environment, prioritizing safety, comfort and connectivity.

Avenue Road, a prominent thoroughfare in midtown Toronto, has long been a source of concern for local residents and community associations. The sixlane stretch, particularly south of St. Clair Avenue, has raised ongoing alarms due to safety issues for vulnerable road users. It has seen multiple accidents over the years, leading to calls for substantial improvements and changes.

“As you're aware, we've been campaigning for several years to initiate change that would make Avenue Road safe for all road users,” said Brock Howes, of the Avenue Road Safety Coalition (ARSC). “While tweaks may be necessary, the city's proposal shows they have been listening and is a huge step in the right direction.”

Howes got involved with the coalition after he was hit at an intersection along Avenue Road while riding his bicycle.

Brock Howes was cycling along Cottingham Avenue in the summer when the incident oc-

curred. Cottingham is a small two-lane residential street that runs east-west and ends at Avenue Road.

The ARSC's Arlene Desjardins, in a prior interview, emphasized the severity of the issue, noting that the intersection at Avenue and Davenport Road has one of the highest collision rates within 53 Division. However, the pace of change has been disappointingly slow, even as concerns have mounted over the years.

“The city’s proposal shows they have been listening.”

The root of Avenue Road's problems lies in its history.

The road was expanded to its current six-lane configuration over six decades ago, and since then, it has been associated with high-speed traffic. As vehicles descend from St. Clair Avenue into the downtown core, speeds increase significantly, posing heightened risks for pedestrians and cyclists. Tragically, this history includes fatalities, such as the unfortunate loss of a teenage cyclist named Miguel Escanan in 2021.

Advocates have consistently stressed the need for a transfor-

mative approach to Avenue Road.

They envision a revamped Avenue Road with four lanes, broader sidewalks and protected bike lanes physically separated from vehicular traffic. These changes aim not only to enhance safety, but also to improve overall comfort and accessibility for all users.

The ARSC has been a persistent advocate for change, pushing for improvements for at least six years. These efforts are underpinned by sobering data showing that a significant 85 per cent of vehicles on Avenue Road travel at or above the posted speed limit, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.

“We are excited that near-term improvements are so close, making pedestrians and cyclists safer while keeping traffic flow very reasonable,” Howes said. “The city estimates travel times on Avenue will be increased by ‘approximately 1 min.’ during peak travel times and much less so at other times.”

Avenue Road is at a pivotal moment, with the unveiling of new designs representing a positive step forward. It is a clear sign that the city is taking residents' concerns to heart and is moving toward creating a safer, more inclusive and people-focused Avenue Road for the future.

—Ron Johnson

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Some local residents are up in arms over a locked gateway that they say denies them access to a long-beloved walking and jogging route in midtown Toronto’s South Hill neighbourhood.

On one of his regular runs in April 2022, Annex resident Edward R. Anderson, 77, was surprised to find that the normally open entrance to Clarendon Crescent at Poplar Plains Road was padlocked shut with signage posted that warned against trespassing. The small enclave of heritage homes had been a shortcut on the scenic route Anderson had been jogging for about 30 years, he said.

Clarendon Crescent homeowners decided to put up a padlock last year.

“It was ridiculous that they should lock it,” said Anderson, who last August created a website to rally against the decision.

“They’ve got no right.”

Coun. Josh Matlow, who represents Ward 12, has publicly denounced the decision to keep the gate — which Anderson says has been upgraded with a keypad lock — closed.

“I think it’s sad and shameful that property owners have decided to block access to a neighbourhood street to local residents. It appears this is an

anomaly in the city of Toronto, where the street itself is private property,” reads an email statement to Post City attributed to Matlow. The councillor’s office has contacted city staff to look deeper into Clarendon Crescent’s status as a private street.

“In the meantime, I encourage the owners of Clarendon Crescent to reopen the street for public access.”

In an email, a city spokesperson, who confirmed that Matlow’s office had been in contact with City of Toronto, Transportation Services, said that the municipality’s legal team has confirmed that the street, which is still accessible at one end via Clarendon Avenue, is, in fact, private property.

Although the city handles garbage collection on the street, Clarendon Crescent homeowners are on the hook financially for upkeep such as snow removal and pothole repairs.

Although Anderson’s website, titled Fortress Clarendon Crescent, has received support, some in the comments section sympathize with the homeowners. “I’m sorry, but I do agree with the residents of this neighborhood. Leave them alone. There are lots of places to walk,” reads one, in part.

—Josh Sherman

CRIME NEWS

TORONTO BREAK-INS WHERE

OCT. 1

CRANBROOKE AVE. AND AVENUE RD.

8 A.M.

LEONA DR. AND LYNDALE DR.

1 P.M.

YONGE ST. AND DONCASTER AVE.

2 P.M.

BATHURST ST. AND DEWLANE DR.

2 P.M.

BLYTH HILL RD. AND BLYTH DALE RD.

8 P.M.

DUPONT ST. AND HURON ST.

9 P.M.

HANNA RD. AND PARKLEA DR.

9 P.M.

BLANCHARD RD. AND DALE RD.

4 P.M.

EGLINTON AVE. E. AND LILLIAN ST.

8 P.M.

ROYAL PALM DR. AND HILDA AVE.

4 A.M.

GLENGROVE AVE. AND ALEXANDRA WOOD

1 P.M.

HARPER WAY AND HARRIS WAY

2 P.M.

PEMBERTON AVE. AND KENNETH AVE.

9 P.M.

FINCH AVE. E. AND STRAWFLOWER MEWS

12 A.M.

GLENCAIRN AVE. AND MONA DR.

3 A.M.

BAYVIEW AVE. AND STEELES AVE. E.

7 P.M.

MOORE AVE. AND CORNISH RD.

8 P.M.

BAYVIEW AVE. AND SUTHERLAND DR.

2 A.M.

LIMCOMBE DR. AND LAURELEAF RD.

10 A.M.

EGLINTON AVE. E. AND BRENTCLIFFE RD.

7 P.M.

YONGE ST. AND BROADWAY AVE.

9 P.M.

EGLINTON AVE. E. AND BROWNLOW AVE.

1 A.M.

CEDARWOOD AVE. AND BEECHWOOD AVE.

1 A.M.

CALEDONIA RD. AND SAMOR RD.

11 A.M.

BRENTCLIFFE RD. AND RYKERT CRES.

3 P.M.

YONGE ST. AND FAIRLAWN AVE.

7 P.M.

DUNSLER AVE. AND DE VERE GDNS.

8 P.M.

YONGE ST. AND ERSKINE AVE.

11 P.M.

BURNCREST DR. AND KELSO AVE.

12 A.M.

CALEDONIA RD. AND CARTWRIGHT AVE.

3 A.M.

KINGSDALE AVE. AND DUDLEY AVE.

3 A.M.

GLENVALE BLVD. AND BRENTCLIFFE RD.

5 P.M.

DOUGLAS AVE. AND AVENUE RD.

10 P.M.

STEELES AVE. W. AND BRIGHTON PL.

10 P.M.

LOWTHER AVE. AND BEDFORD RD.

11 A.M.

EGLINTON AVE. E. AND REDPATH AVE.

12 A.M.

YONGE ST. AND CLARK AVE.

2 A.M.

GLENDORA AVE. AND CRAIGMORE CRES.

2 A.M.

KATERINA AVE. AND MALKA GATE

2 A.M.

YONGE ST. AND SNOWDON AVE.

3 A.M.

OCT. 2

OCT. 3

OCT. 4

OCT. 5

OCT. 6

OCT. 7

OCT. 8

OCT. 9

OCT. 10

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With the September numbers in, we are seeing a noticeable shift in the market. With inventory building & prices starting to come off, we feel that this trend is likely to continue through the remainder of 2023 & into 2024.

The new luxury tax affecting homes over $3 million is likely to exacerbate the situation. If you are planning to sell then we feel now is the best time to avoid uncertainty in 2024.

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Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. Independently owned and operated. Not intended to solicit Buyers or Sellers already under contract.

REAL ESTATE NEWS mortgages as more of a “marketing move” where sellers might not be thinking through all of the risks.

“Sellers should be aware of the quality of the pool of buyers they’re attracting by advertising a VTB option,” Daniel said. “If they’re interested in this kind of solution, that means they’re having an issue getting an institutional mortgage.”

Daniel said that if a seller does agree to this loan, they should be cognizant of property value. “There’s been a downward trend in property value, so they have to be very careful what loan-to-value ratio they are providing in this mortgage.”

She also noted that if a buyer can’t qualify for a loan now, that will mean a seller’s equity will be locked up for longer. “Your buyer might not have an exit strategy next year.”

Jackson said that buyers should beware, when it comes to agreeing to a VTB too, L-R: Sellers are offering mortgage help for potential buyers, Toronto realtor Krisztina Daniel mortgage.

“There could be a clause within a VTB contract that a buyer can’t do any renovations, or other restrictions, until the loan is paid off,” he said. For a buyer who A detached three-bedroom home in help them purchase the property, the come.

“It’s essentially an incentive to sweeten is looking for the relief of finally owning a Danforth village, a two-bedroom loft in VTB mortgage has been largely forLittle Portugal, a family home with three gotten over the last decade of low interest the deal for the buyer,” Foster Jackson, a home, this kind of loan could delay that bedrooms in Lawrence Park north — a rates. But as Canada’s interest rate has realtor with Homewise Real Estate, said. feeling. “But that may be worth it for your He currently has two listings on the dream house that you wouldn’t otherwise year ago, all of these properties might been raised again and again over the past have seemed out of reach for the average year, leading to an overflow of new list- market where sellers asked to offer a be able to afford.”

The terms are definitely tempting — Toronto buyer short on cash. But with ings in Toronto and fewer sales, sellers VTB mortgage as an option. Jackson sees sustained high interest rates and a fall trying their best to sell and buyers des- these mortgages as a sort of “hidden gem” Jackson said that for his two-bedroom season of growing inventory and low perate to afford a mortgage are consid- to combat the state of the current market. condo listing in South Riverdale right now, “Once interest rates come down, they the seller is offering a VTB mortgage of up sales, sellers of all three of these homes are ering the VTB mortgage way. to $85,000 for zero per cent for 18 months.

There are currently around 24 listings may start to phase out.” open to a new financing option — the “It’s all about pushing that deal across But Krisztina Daniel, a realtor with on the Toronto Regional Real Estate vendor take back (VTB ) mortgage.

A financing agreement where the seller Board that offer VTB mortgages as an Right at Home Realty and mortgage the finish line,” he said.

—Julia Mastroianni of a property lends money to the buyer to option for buyers, and likely more to agent with Chartered Finance, sees VTB

Vendor take backs return with a vengeance

This past summer, parts of Ontario's cottage country saw real estate prices drop significantly, including in popular places like Muskoka. But with the heady days of summer behind us, many cottage-goers might wonder how the winter cottage market is faring now that the summer cottage season is coming to a close.

Referring to data provided by the Lakelands Association of Realtors, Karen Willison, of Royal LePage Locations North, is noticing a more balanced market, with recreational properties in the Collingwood region trading at levels similar to 2017.

“Inventory was the lowest it has ever been in 2020 in my 20-year career. Inventory levels are now robust, and demand is down,” Willison said. “We certainly have more sellers than buyers.”

She also sees properties taking longer to sell, with an average of 60 to 90 days on the market. For luxury residences, the number goes up to 180 days.

“There are many more price reductions during the course of the listing period, as sellers resist the new reality of the market value,” Willison said.

In Haliburton, Karen Nimigon, of Century 21 Granite Realty, has also noticed a stabilizing market compared to the highs and lows of recent years.

“The market is more balanced,” Nimigon said. “Inventory levels are lower than past years, and time on the market has increased. The number of sales are down by 50 per cent — although sale prices are similar to 2021 pricing.”

With a combination of limited supply and high interest rates fuelling the market slowdown, Nimigon expects that cottage prices will remain level until the end of 2023.

She also foresees generational ownership increasing in the region. “We anticipate succeeding generations to have more opportunities to purchase recreational properties due to the intergenerational transfer of wealth.”

And Willison believes some buyers will still be enticed

to buy moving into the winter.

“Following Thanksgiving, we usually experience the final sales push for the year with our snow lovers,” Willison explained. “They have either rented and are now ready to buy or they are buying for the lifestyle and are transitioning into retirement or reinventing themselves from a [downtown] corporate life.”

Comparing chalets and traditional cottages in her region, Willison sees them at par.

“They’re just a different use — mountainside to waterfront,” Willison said. "[Although] waterfront does command overall higher prices for the land portion.”Nimigon sees autumn as a period of new listings throughout Haliburton, with buyers seeking four-season cottages.

“Buyers [are] looking to secure a cottage after months of waiting for a deal,” Nimigon said, "[whereas] sellers who have had their last summer at the cottage are ready —Rebecca Hesse to sell.”

| NOVEMBER 2023

Cottage vs. chalet: Vacation home prices back to 2017 levels

15

COVER STORY

2023 CRIME REPORT Find out what this year’s data reveals at the neighbourhood level

MAJOR CRIME INDICATORS

20 DI

VI

TORONTO NEIGHBOURHOODS

SI

AUTO THEFT CH 23

AS

SA

ON

AN

GE

UL TS

20 FR

OM

23

20

BREAK & ENTER CH

AU

TO

TH

22

AN

EF

HOMICIDE

20

23

GE

FR

CH

BR

EA

OM

TS

K

20

&

AN

GE

EN

TE

20 FR

OM

RS

22

20

ROBBERY CH

23

HO

M

IC

22

AN

ID

GE

20 FR

ES

OM

20

CH 23

RO

BB

22

AN

ER

IE

GE

FR

OM

S

20

22

ANNEX

14/53

291

+3%

51

0%

110

-12%

0

N/C

44

+42%

AVONDALE

32

43

+65%

20

+100%

15

+200%

0

N/C

3

0%

BATHURST MANOR

32

66

+35%

62

+7%

31

+131%

0

N/C

15

+36%

BAYVIEW VILLAGE

33

99

+9%

78

+100%

45

+165%

0

N/C

7

+16%

BEDFORD PARK-NORTOWN

32/53

40

+5%

197

+95%

85

+93%

0

N/C

9

-9%

BRIDLE PATH-SUNNYBROOK-YORK MILLS

32/33/53

36

+44%

68

+74%

57

+84%

0

N/C

3

0%

CASA LOMA

13/53

48

+14%

36

+157%

32

+146%

0

N/C

14

+133%

27

0%

29

+61%

1

N/C

16

+129%

CORSO ITALIA-DAVENPORT

13

107

+34%

DOVERCOURT VILLAGE

14

76

-2%

17

-5%

33

+14%

0

N/C

17

+143%

DUFFERIN GROVE

11/14

112

+58%

13

+86%

30

+36%

0

N/C

24

+60%

FOREST HILL NORTH

13/53

54

+59%

46

+77%

35

+289%

0

N/C

6

-14%

FOREST HILL SOUTH

13/53

35

+75%

84

+35%

50

+212%

0

N/C

0

N/C

HUMEWOOD-CEDARVALE

13

39

+18%

43

+7%

28

+16%

0

N/C

1

+80%

27

-20%

60

+30%

0

N/C

12

-8%

JUNCTION-WALLACE EMERSON

11/13

197

+99%

LANSING-WESTGATE

32

65

+30%

92

+100%

37

+48%

0

N/C

14

+27%

LAWRENCE PARK NORTH

32

24

-4%

67

+22%

28

+12%

0

N/C

5

-17%

LAWRENCE PARK SOUTH

53

28

+17%

101

+83%

40

+43%

0

N/C

7

+16%

LEASIDE-BENNINGTON

53

28

+8%

93

+50%

43

+3%

0

N/C

2

0%

MOUNT PLEASANT EAST

53

67

+46%

49

+20%

12

-48%

0

N/C

6

+100%

NORTH TORONTO

53

82

-20%

13

+62%

21

-46%

0

N/C

12

+71%

19

+111%

27

+28%

0

N/C

3

-75%

SOUTH EGLINTON-DAVISVILLE

53

78

-28%

WILLOWDALE EAST

32

42

-12%

70

+119%

52

+93%

0

N/C

10

-9%

WILLOWDALE WEST

32

92

-8%

52

+86%

31

+29%

0

N/C

38

+1117%

WYCHWOOD

13

78

+18%

22

+5%

31

+24%

0

N/C

18

+260%

YONGE-DORIS

32

74

+23%

38

+15%

13

0%

0

N/C

9

+50%

YONGE-EGLINTON

53

78

-21%

33

+32%

28

+4%

0

N/C

9

+200%

YONGE-ST. CLAIR

53

31

-14%

23

0%

23

+15%

0

N/C

2

-71%

MARKHAM

5

906

+9%

981

+129%

432

+20%

2

-33%

97

+9%

RICHMOND HILL

2

791

+20%

572

+103%

283

+15%

1

0%

74

+23%

VAUGHAN

4

1297

+11%

1750

+48%

571

+57%

3

-25%

137

+12%

YORK REGION NEIGHBOURHOODS

2023 year-to-date statistics from the TPS and YRP Open Data Portals, as of Oct. 16, 2023

| NOVEMBER 2023

ASSAULT

STORY CONTINUED ON NEXT SPREAD 17

COVER STORY: 2023 CRIME REPORT

A massive surge in vehicle thefts In response to the surge in luxury car thefts in Toronto, York Regional Police launched Operation Auto Guard on Sept. 26. Collaborating with Toronto Police Service (TPS), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and other GTA police services, this crime prevention campaign stems from a nearly 50 per cent increase in vehicle thefts compared to last year, projecting a staggering 200 per cent rise from 2019, with almost 3,300 vehicles stolen in 2023.

Operation Auto Guard prioritizes community involvement and distributed Faraday bags, key tools blocking signals to thwart keyless entry system exploitation. The unexpected success led to a temporary depletion of Faraday bag stocks, with reinforcements expected at York Regional Police districts shortly.

A CBC News investigation revealed the global scope of the issue, tracing stolen INCREASE IN luxury cars from Toronto to AUTO THEFTS West Africa. Criminal netCITYWIDE works employ sophisticated techniques in this transnational crime, including relay attacks and reprogramming.

Chief Supt. Paul Mackey of the OPP emphasizes the gravity of carjackings, leading to assaults and homicides.

"To evade police, thieves may drive dangerously and recklessly, putting lives in danger. The OPP and partners will investigate and hold anyone involved in violent auto theft accountable," he said.

In response, a Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force (PCJTF), co-led by TPS and the OPP, takes centre stage. With collaboration from police services across the GTA and external agencies like the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario (CISO), PCJTF

HOW SAFE IS TORONTO?

30%

MONTREAL Canada’s second largest city, Montreal, with a population of 1.7 million, had 41 homicides in 2022, a slight increase. Half of the homicides in the city involved firearms, and 60 per cent of attempted homicides involved firearms.

CHICAGO Chicago is a city of 2.5 million people as well as a hub of finance and culture.

Last year, the Windy City had a 14 per cent drop in homicides to 695. It also had a 102 per cent increase in car theft with 21,425 reported in 2022.

LONDON London, with a population of 8.8 million, saw its homicide rate drop 12 per cent to 112 homicides during the 2022/23 reporting year. The capital of England also saw an increase in “knife offences” up about 10 per cent.

LOS ANGELES Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the United States, with a population of 3.8 million. The City of Angels is seeing a huge spike in car thefts, with more than 25,000 stolen in 2022 — an increase of 10,000 cars since 2019.

Car theft is up 50 per cent in York Region

aims to disrupt networks involved in high-risk auto thefts, particularly those marked by violence and weapon use. The task force ensures a coordinated response by working collaboratively with local police services to investigate violent auto crimes.

Supt. Steve Watts of TPS underscores the commitment to resident safety. "The violence associated with auto thefts in Toronto and across the GTA is concerning and traumatic for victims. TPS is committed to the safety and well-being of residents, working around the clock with the OPP and other policing partners to address this issue and hold criminals accountable."

Break-ins up 20 per cent The alarming surge in break-ins in Toronto this year, tants were present. He remained within the property up by a staggering 20 per cent, was grimly exemplified for a considerable period, estimated at "a couple of by a recent incident where a man unlawfully entered a hours," prior to being discovered by the residents. midtown Toronto home and lingered for Despite the presence of occupants, the hours, only to be confronted by its occususpect managed to flee the scene on foot, pants. evading immediate capture.

Toronto Police Service (TPS) brought As break-ins continue to rise, Toronto INCREASE IN attention to this unsettling development residents are being urged to secure their BREAK-INS revealing that they had received a report of doors and windows diligently to safeCITYWIDE a break-in transpiring on Aug. 29 in the guard their homes against potential inarea of Avenue Road and Chaplin Crestruders. cent, located just south of Eglinton AveThis incident serves as a stark reminder nue West. of the importance of home security in the face of an Investigators disclosed that a man gained illicit entry escalating trend of property invasions across the city. to the residence during the evening, while its inhabi-

| NOVEMBER 2023

20%

18

Be diligent to protect your home from break-ins

COVER STORY: 2023 CRIME REPORT

Home renovation scams on the rise When a roofer appeared on Anna Butt’s doorstep and informed her that he had noticed some damage to her roof while working on another job down the street near Christie Pits Park, she thought nothing of it.

“He said, ‘Perhaps we could go up on your roof, inspect it, and since we're already mixing some glue for shingles, we could easily do some patching,’” Butt said. “Seemed harmless enough, so we said OK.” Butt heard the roofer and his two colleagues rustling around on the roof, and then he came back down and showed her a video of her roof — in it, shingles were flapping and some were missing. He said they could patch it up for $500, and Butt agreed.

But when they returned to the roof, Butt heard more banging and shuffling. “I began to get a bit alarmed as a lot of shingles seemed to be falling in between the houses,” she said.

The trio then began pushing Butt and her husband to sign a contract, telling them there was extensive damage upon further inspection and the whole roof repair would cost $20,000.

Home renovation and construction scammers are storytellers who prey on a perceived need, said David Coffey, a detective with Toronto Police Service, Financial Crimes Unit — and they’re on the rise.

“From Sept. 13 to Oct. 15, there are at least 20 to 25 reports that have been made with a value of $600,000.”

Most scams are small scale, around $3,000 to $5,000, Coffey said, but there are a few larger ones as well: since May 1, the unit has received 120 reports with damages of $1.3 million.

Even though Butt and her husband got wise to the scam before handing over any money, the damage

Shootings are down in Toronto In Toronto, statistics regarding homicides are comparable to last year with one difference. There is a marked decrease in the number of reported shootings in the city, while stabbings have spiked.

For instance, Toronto’s most recent homicide investigation stems from a tragic incident that transpired on Oct. 15.

Police received a distress call regarding an individual brandishing a knife in the vicinity of Davenport Road and Uxbridge Avenue. The sequence of events is as follows: Witnesses reported a man carrying a knife in the area. Police promptly responded, leading to the identification and subsequent arrest of the individual. Subsequent inquiries unveiled the discovery of a DECREASE woman at a residence loIN HOMICIDES cated near Rogers Road and CITYWIDE Old Weston Road. Regrettably, the woman had sustained multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 46-year-old man from Toronto has been apprehended and charged with second-degree murder.

Earlier this fall, on Sept. 24, another stabbing incident in North York near Yonge Street and Finch Avenue resulted in the tragic death of a 23-yearold Toronto resident. In this incident, a youth was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

7%

Home renovation scams can be costly

came out to $5,400 out of pocket to repair what the scammers had caused.

“When they were pushing the contract, I got a bad feeling — I was feeling sick to my stomach,” she said.

Coffey said that for repairs and renovations on the roof, the chimney or other hard to reach areas, it’s difficult to verify the damage.

“Talk to your neighbours,” Coffey said. “And don’t respond to the pressure; take the time to ask for company verification and look up reviews online.”

Troubling spike in retail theft A growing retail theft trend has sparked concern and shared responsibility, and our Service is committed to spurred Toronto Police Service into action with a new collaborating with the public and our partners." He campaign. highlighted the critical role of the public in identifyLed by Chief Myron Demkiw, the It Costs Us All ing and reporting individuals involved in retail theft.

– Organized Retail Crime Awareness Campaign is The campaign's motto, "See It, Say It, Stop It. a proactive effort to raise awareness about Doing What's Right Is Its Own Reward," the pressing issue of organized retail theft, encapsulates the core message. particularly as the holiday shopping season Sean Gladney, with nearly three decapproaches. ades of investigative experience under his INCREASE IN This not only marks an increase in belt, shed light on the underlying chalTHEFT OVER $5K criminal activities, but a growing societal lenges faced by retailers grappling with SHOPLIFTING acceptance, with instances of theft often colossal annual losses that tally up to a CITYWIDE celebrated on social media platforms like staggering $5 billion in Canada.

Facebook.

The truth, as Glenny said, is that these As investigator Sean Gladney put it, "It's becoming losses ultimately find their way into the wallets of socially acceptable to steal at grocery stores, and we've regular Torontonians. “The retailer is going to put the witnessed a significant uptick.… It's on the rise." cost of the loss someplace,” he said. “And it usually Chief Demkiw underscored the importance of com- goes back to me and you.” munity collaboration, stating, "Community safety is a

| NOVEMBER 2023

46%

Retail theft costs everyone 19

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THE BIG TICKETS

CURRENTS SECTION L-R: Depeche Mode at Scotiabank Arena, Tanya Tagaq at the Royal Ontario Museum

MUSIC 1. Go to Depeche Mode

Toronto, get ready for an unforgettable evening with the iconic Depeche Mode.

This celebrated new wave band has been shaping the music landscape for decades, and their 2023 North American tour promises to be a must-see event. They're returning to Toronto on Nov. 5 for a rare concert appearance at the Scotiabank Arena. Depeche Mode's music has transcended generations, and their electrifying live performances are known for their energy and timeless hits. Depeche Mode's latest album, Memento Mori, marks their first release since the passing of keyboardist Andy "Fletch" Fletcher.

FILM 2. See the Reel Asian Film Fest The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival is back for 2023, aiming to connect cultures and foster community through the power of cinema. The festival will kick off with the debut feature, The Queen of My Dreams, directed by Fawzia Mirza, a Canadian filmmaker.

Scheduled from Nov. 8 to 19, this year's festival includes an exciting array of 15

feature films and 57 shorts from various countries. Deanna Wong, executive director of Reel Asian, expressed the importance of sharing Asian stories in a global context. Highlighs include The Taste of Mango, Okiku and the World, Small Fry, In Flames, River and We Will Be Brave. For the complete festival program and schedule, please visit reelasian.com. Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival continues its mission to bring diverse and impactful stories to the forefront. The festival takes place at six downtown venues including the TIFF Bell Lightbox and the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.

the inspirations behind their latest project, an immersive film titled Ajagutaq/Parhelion. This film will have its North American debut as a part of this program. The evening also features a performance by Tagaq alongside Inuit performers Nancy Mike, Varna Marianne Nielsen Apaloo and Charlotte Qamainq.

MUSIC 4. Go to The Bright Divide The Bright Divide is an intriguing concert experience that presents Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel and the world premiere of Mark by Cecilia Livingston, featuring original text by Duncan McFarlane. This artistic endeavour draws its inspiration from two influential figures in the world of art and music: Mark Rothko, an iconic 20th-century painter, and Morton Feldman, a significant composer of the same era. The event will take place at the TD Music Hall on Nov. 10 as part of the Soundstreams immersive music series.

MUSIC 3. See Tanya Tagaq Critically acclaimed Inuk improvisational singer, artist, author and avantgarde composer Tanya Tagaq will be performing as part of the Royal Ontario Museum’s 16th annual Eva Holtby Program on Contemporary Culture on Nov. 14. The program begins with a moderated discussion between Tanya Tagaq and multimedia artist Omar Rivera, who operates under the moniker FESTIVAL 5. Go to Good Mourning Fest Driftnote. Together, they will delve into Evergreen Brick Works presents its in-

augural Good Mourning Festival on Nov. 4 and 5, offering two distinct yet interconnected days of reflection and celebration. The festival aims to unite diverse communities and cultures to honour and share their experiences of death and grief, reaffirming that these emotions are a vital part of life. The first day encourages open conversations and explorations of the universal themes of grief and death. The program offers an array of interactive installations, workshops for meaningful dialogues and artistic creations celebrating the human experience. On Day 2 Evergreen's beloved Day of the Dead festivities return, highlighting Mexican and Latin American culture. This day is a vibrant explosion of colour, featuring activities for all ages, traditional celebrations, an artisan market and mouth-watering food and drinks. This joyful event will bring communities together through music, dance, storytelling and cultural sharing. The festival offers a special opportunity to come together and reflect on the profound aspects of our existence in a supportive and inclusive atmosphere.

| NOVEMBER 2023

Top 5 events with Depeche Mode, Tanya Tagaq and more

21

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Ron White, $645, 55 Bloor St. W. "This is a really unexpected direction for fall and winter; it makes a cool statement and speaks to a kind of luxury."

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STRUT FROM DAY TO NIGHT These boots are made for walking — no matter the time of day! Jeanne Beker has scoured the city to find the hottest boots of the season so you're dressed to impress 24/7.

NIGHT

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RED STILETTO STYLE

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STAY CLASSIC

Aldo, $220, 1 Bass Pro Mills Dr. "This is classic styling and has a great chunky heel for stability. If you need a nice chocolate brown boot, this certainly does it."

TSC, $278, tsc.ca "What a fabulous statement; red is a great colour. This heel is fairly thin but not as high as some of the others. It has such a beautiful line!"

John Fluevog, $859, 4 Trinity St. "This has a super chunky heel and platform, and the floral print has great colours for winter. So whimsical, definitely a conversation piece!"

La Canadienne, $598, 138 Cumberland St. "This has a nice flat heel, and it's never going to go out of style. That pointy toe and the riding boot feel — great for the country or city!"

YOLO BOOT

Brother Vellies, $1,800, brothervellies.com "Green is so strong for this season. There's a beautiful, elegant, classic line to this boot. It's so sexy! Such a statement shoe."

Jeanne Beker | One of Canada’s most trusted authorities on fashion, now watch her on TSC or tune in to her podcast Beyond Style Matters.

Invest In Your Home With These Simple Renovations

Renovating the kitchen or adding another bathroom can raise a home’s value significantly.

But, what about other spaces inside and outside of the home? Here are two areas that are often neglected, where both the return and the experience is worth the effort.

The Garage You don’t have to go as lavish as hoops icon Shaquille O’Neal did with his Atlanta garage renovation (below). But you can add up to 10% to your home’s value (source: Vesta) with a garage upgrade, such as installing a modular garage organization system with flooring.

The quality is top choice.

I have another garage I’m building, but I don’t need any gifts, because I’m going to buy!

Shaquille O’Neal, on his NewAge garage setup.

The Outdoor Kitchen

While your current garage space may be used to simply store hockey equipment, tools or household supplies, installing a garage organization system opens up many other possibilities. It transforms a nonprioritized space into one of the highlights of your home: an exercise room, workshop, studio, man cave or second office – a flex space to make your own.

According to a recent Royal LePage survey of 340 real estate professionals, renovating an outdoor entertainment space can also raise property value by as much as 10%.

Where to Begin?

An outdoor living space can also be an unexpected driver in property value – not to mention a wonderful space to create memories with family and friends.

The average two-car garage can account for as much as one-sixth of the home’s square footage; re-thinking and maximizing this space can contribute to the overall worth of any house.

Homeowners in the GTA can visit the NewAge Products Experience Centre, a 11,000 square foot home renovation haven of premium products and knowledgeable, personable product experts.

Previously, if you wanted a dream outdoor space, you’d have to spend upwards of $30,000 or more. Today, premium modular solutions offer homeowners the chance to customize their ideal outdoor kitchen – without the astronomical price.

You can select your preferred cabinet size and material, along with the cooking appliances that are built to fit. No architect or designer needed.

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FASHION NEWS ferred. They continued sourcing pieces together until they took the leap to do it full-time. Maxamenko dropped out of his program after the first year, the pair found a place, and since then, their businesses have grown exponentially.

“The amount of time we put into sourcing is unholy,” says Maxamenko.

“We’re doing auctions and bidding four to six hours a day, every day.”

They both sell on Grailed, and Maxamenko sells his collection on Instagram (with a website in the works), and Ferguson has his own website, Archive Threads.

“Together, we hit a broader audience,” Maxamenko says. “I lean more toward vintage and streetwear, but Christian really hones in on hyper niche luxury pieces and sometimes more expensive gear than I sell. It’s a balancing act, and it helps draw in the majority of our overall audience.”

L-R: Christian Ferguson and Alex Maxamenko, a 1991 Versace denim jacket They've hosted multiple pop-up events at Messy House in Toronto this year, with 1,500 pieces for sale at their last one. As for shoppers, Ferguson and Maxamenko have seen a larger and larger turnout at biker jacket and a 2001 Jean Paul Gaut- day about business,” says Ferguson.

They’ve been best friends ever since. each event. And they’re not surprised — ier sweater depicting Marlene Dietrich.

Their mutual interest in clothes col- In their teenage years, they often sourced the pair say there is no other vendor in lided when they first met at the ages of inventory in Toronto and would meet up Canada selling rare archival pieces at this 11 and 12. Ferguson had just spent the with stylists, but they found that people scale. Pieces can sell as low as $20, while entirety of his bank account on his sec- in the industry didn’t take them seriously more rare items, such as a 2008 Maison ond archival purchase ever and had se- because of their age. “They respected our Margiela leather jacket, reach five figures.

Their next goal is to use the profits cured a trade for a piece of even higher work but didn't respect the fact that we value. But then he realized he was given were 15- and 16-year-old kids at the from their pop-ups to open a retail storefront in Toronto. For now, they offer a fake. Maxamenko reached out, when time,” Maxamenko says.

When it came time to pursue post shopping and rental appointments out of he heard what had happened, and the pair began swapping insights about secondary education, Maxamenko en- a private studio and accept bookings and sourcing practices and market prices. rolled in a business degree program, to inquiries through Instagram.

—Emma Johnston-Wheeler “Eventually we were texting almost every appease his parents, and Ferguson de-

Best friends bring rare designer finds to T.O. There’s something thrilling about finding the perfect vintage wardrobe piece after searching through racks of clothes and eBay listings. And for a pair of Toronto best friends, chasing that thrill is now a full-time job.

Twenty-year-old Alex Maxamenko and 18-year old Christian Ferguson are archival fashion resellers with nearly 200,000 Instagram followers between them. Last year, they dropped out of university to move in with each other and pursue their businesses full-time, where they sell rare pieces like a $1,500 Dior

If you’ve visited Ossington recently, you’ll notice a sleek new shop on the strip — well, newish. A menswear institution in the west end for Toronto’s most stylish residents, Lost & Found has moved into a new home just a few doors down from its last one, and the new space is bigger and better than ever.

Since opening in 2011, the store has been a go-to spot for fashion lovers looking for quality, timeless pieces. It’s clear there’s real demand for long-lasting menswear, because the move down the street was prompted by co-owners Justin Veiga and Jonathan Elias noticing they needed more space to meet the increased demand from customers.

The new shop’s sprawling interior is meticulously organized and seemingly always photo-ready with a ’70sinspired colour palette, cosy lighting and beautiful clothing displays.

Longtime Lost & Found fans will know that foot-

wear is an important part of the shop, and a peek inside the new store proves that — head to the back for a bright yellow wall displaying all the dress shoes of your dreams, including a few from highly sought-after Paraboot. There’s also a snazzy sneaker display down the middle of the store, where you can shop some of the cooler New Balance colourways, a whole host of Nike Air Max styles and plenty of other retro options.

For a local shop, Lost & Found’s inventory never fails to impress and certainly holds its own against larger department stores in the city — they stock upwards of 70 brands, including The Real McCoy’s. The iconic Japanese brand is known for its detailed reproductions of vintage apparel from the 1930s to 1950s, including utility jackets, trousers and an incredibly stylish welder jacket for a cool $1,195.

That jacket is one of a few pricier items in the store, alongside a Junya Watanabe embroidered cardigan

currently on sale and a pair of Margaret Howell single pleat trousers as well a whole host of The Real McCoy’s leather and fur jackets. Otherwise, you can expect the usual slower fashion prices (around $100 to $500 for most denim, collared shirts and knits), along with a constantly rotating sale section. And don’t miss the Artist Series — a collection of white T-shirts designed by local artists to give your basics collection some flair.

Menswear fashion will be anything but predictable after a visit to the shop — and that’s exactly what Lost & Found is going for. With knowledgeable staff who are happy to chat about trends and consult on your purchases, this spacious new location will hopefully succeed in drawing more Torontonians into the world of always cool, never boring menswear.

—Julia Mastroianni

| NOVEMBER 2023

Lost & Found has found a new home (no pun intended)

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CURRENTS ENVIRONMENT

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When one person has more ment climate and other environmoney than entire nations and mental legislation. Support for 81 billionaires have more wealth the plaintiffs reads like a list of than 50 per cent of the human U.S. climate science denial orpopulation, there’s something ganizations, including the wrong with the system. How can Buckeye Institute, Cato Institute, we sustain a global economy that Competitive Enterprise Institute rewards rampant consumerism, and others, many funded by orwaste, profit for its own sake and ganizations connected to the oil disregard for the natural pro- billionaire Koch family. cesses that keep us alive?

Although much is centred in At the nexus of all that’s the U.S., the fossil fuel behemoth wrong with the human experi- is international. Here in Canada, ment is the fossil fuel industry: we have Australia’s richest pergas, oil and coal. son — mining company owner Industrialists who have built and climate science denier Gina their obscene fortunes on gas, oil Rhinehart — trying to get the and coal have also amassed un- Alberta government to let her told power. To maintain their companies mine coal on the grip, they’ve put enormous eastern Rocky Mountain slopes. amounts of money into front Why these billionaires insist groups, industry organizations, on causing more destruction just political campaigns and pol- to add more to their already iticians, PR companies and overflowing coffers is beyond media — often deliberately de- comprehension. It’s also unfathceiving the public about the omable why we put up with their damage their products cause. excessive power and wealth and This includes not just down- the toll their products are taking playing or denying the evidence on us all and passively accept the that burning fossil fuels is plung- inevitable toil and ever-widening ing us into climate catastrophe, wealth gap a fossil-fuelled conbut also lobbying and paying off sumer economy stokes. politicians to make the reguThe consumerist, fossil fuel latory environment more con- era must end. We need systemic ducive to their lucrative activities. change.

Consider a case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court DAVID SUZUKI with from senior editor that could make it more difficult files Ian Hanington. for federal agencies to imple-

CURRENTS ADVICE

Dear Sangita: I keep dreaming about my ex. Is it a sign?

Dear Sangita: As a kid, there was someone I grew up with who everyone thought I was meant to be with. But neither of us had interest in pursuing anything. Ten years later, I ran into him and now I have been constantly dreaming about him. Is it a sign?

—Mixed dream signals

Dear Sangita: Last month, my

wise to create an environment where you don’t want to pick up the slack for each other.

Be aware that a sick day could be a mental health day — maybe your co-worker needed a mental health day off, and maybe that meant they needed to go to Niagara Falls. And maybe a pet did die, and they ended up going to a spa day because they needed to relax. Everyone handles things differently. You might be in bed if you’re sick, but some people need to be next to water or go for a walk. You’re judging that your co-worker is out for the day, but you don’t know their situation — and telling on them could backfire if that’s the case.

Dear Mixed: It depends on what

boss told me my co-worker called in sick — but they posted a bunch of Instagram stories of them travelling around Niagara Falls. Last week, I was told they called in sick again because their pet died. But I saw them posting stories at a spa all day! Now I’m tempted to snitch.

Should I? —Tattle temptation

the dreams are! Are you dreaming about being with this person or just dreaming about the fact that he's back in your life? It’s possible it’s just the nostalgia of being brought up together through your childhood and that seeing him is bringing back those great memories that you had together. I think there's a lot more to this, because it's not just seeing someone you used to know — it's someone from your childhood and there was this whole idea from other people who expected the two of you to be together. So if you’re thinking

Dear Tattle: It’s definitely a mistake on your co-worker’s part to put all of that on their Instagram stories — you don’t need to share everything on there! But I don’t think you’re in a position to tell your employer, unless you’re a manager. If your co-worker is calling in sick too much, that’s for the manager to decide, not you. Have a relationship or life question Of course, you’re going to call in for Sangita? Send it to sick one day, too, and then your advice@postcity.com. co-worker is going to have to take care of the work that you’re SANGITA PATEL is our new doing. Ultimately, you have to advice columnist and previously was an ET Canada host. work as a team, and it wouldn’t be

about him, and if those emotions are leading to this type of feeling, why not go for it? If you’re single and he’s single, why not? The fact that you’re asking this question, it seems to me that maybe there was something there that the two of you didn’t ever pursue. The person that you can trust the most is often the person who knows your history,

and knows who you are as a person. So yes, get it!

I have a friend who was in a similar situation. She and this guy were family friends. They both went off to university, and they ended up in medical school together. This was 15 or so years ago, and they’re married with two kids now! Anything can happen.

CURRENTS GROWING UP T.O.

FAST FACTS NAME:

Jade McLeod FAVE PLACE IN THE CITY:

Greektown BEST T.O. MEMORY:

Watching underground live music shows FAVE T.O. ARTIST:

New West CURRENT JOB:

Theatre actor

Jade McLeod plays Jo in jukebox musical ‘Jagged Little Pill’

| NOVEMBER 2023

Local actor stars in Alanis Morissette play

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There’s landing a big role on your first Broadway tour — and then there’s landing a big role in the Alanis Morissette–inspired musical, where you’ll be singing “You Oughta Know’ every night onstage and sometimes in front of Morissette herself.

That was Jade McLeod’s experience when they landed the role of Jo in Jagged Little Pill — the jukebox musical inspired by Morissette’s album of the same name — which arrived in Toronto on Oct. 24 and runs until Nov. 26.

“Singing in front of her for the first time was wild,” McLeod says. “Now, when I’m faced with a hard thing, I say, ‘You sang “You Oughta Know” in front of Alanis herself. You can do anything.’”

But McLeod says Morissette was always supportive. “She is the most lovely, grounded human being. She sat the company down for a conversation, and she told me, ‘The audience is in the palm of your hand,’” they recall. “That completely changed how I did everything!”

Growing up surrounded by family members who worked in science and medicine, McLeod says they were always the “odd duck.” Pursuing the arts was something that they say was more about finding a place where they belonged than falling in love with the art itself.

And McLeod wasn’t sure they would pursue a career in musical theatre at first — “Everyone said you’d never make any money!” — until they got bitten by the Broadway dream bug.

“I worked in Canada, and I was getting hired, but never for leading roles, and I started giving up on the idea of making an actual career out of this,” they say.

“And then Jagged happened.”

In this version of the show, Jo is non-binary, and getting to bring their own life experience to the character as a non-binary actor has “meant everything” to McLeod. “Taking this show across North America and interacting with queer kids in the audience who have never seen themselves onstage before is incredible,” they say.

McLeod says audience members constantly reach out to share what it meant to them to see Jo onstage. “I don’t take it lightly, and that’s the nature of this show in general,” they say.

“It’s a very cathartic piece of art.”

McLeod also has brought this character to audience members who have never met a non-binary person before. “If I've done my job, they'll have laughed with me, cried with me and fallen in love with me as a human being.

That’s the important part — I’m just existing. I’m not advocating.

I’m just being me.”

— Julia Mastroianni

CURRENTS HOW THEY MET

Celebrity couple followed by almost 1 million on social media Shawnee and Jen Kish are an Ontario power couple. With over 800,000 TikTok followers, twospirit Mohawk musician Shawnee has been delighting fans with her powerful music, and former Canadian rugby player Jen has gone from leading her team to an Olympic bronze medal in 2016 to an inspiring career in mental health advocacy. Now, following the release of Revolution, Shawnee’s most vulnerable album yet, the pair share how destiny helped them find love together.

How they met

Jen: Shawnee and I first connected online back in 2015.

Shawnee was performing nearby while I was playing rugby at the Pan Am Games. Destiny works in mysterious ways because in 2019 we reconnected online, and it was like no time had passed at all. A few months later, we both decided to do what many lesbians do — we grabbed a UHaul together!

I think, looking back, is what drew me to her so strongly. Her proposal was no surprise to me, seeing as within the first few months she stated that marrying me was her intention and spending our lives together was the plan.

The wedding and honeymoon

Jen: The ceremony took place at Alexander Circle in Glenora [in Edmonton] on a Saturday, May 15, 2021. We had the privilege of having former Alberta premier, Shawnee and Jen Kish reconnected four years after meeting Rachel Notley, officiate the ceremony. Due to the COVID, we The courtship creates such special memories and postponed our honeymoon and travelled to Mexico one year later.

Jen: One of the most amazing ex- adventures with each other.

Shawnee: I feel like we planned periences I had with Shawnee three weddings and tossed ideas was when we decided to unplug The proposal for Christmas 2019. I sponta- Jen: We actually got engaged in upon ideas back and forth. We neously hopped on a flight to To- April 2020, right in the midst of came down to the realization that ronto, and it turned out to be the the pandemic. It was a really spe- we only needed each other and it most incredible Christmas I've cial moment because we were just would be special for its intimacy. ever had. That was the moment lying in bed, having a nice chat, when I realized she was the per- when I suddenly felt like it was Balancing careers and a relationship the perfect time to ask her. son I had been searching for.

Shawnee: What a Christmas! We Shawnee: Jen is the most hopeless Shawnee: One of the things I are always up for spontaneity that romantic I have ever met. Which love about our relationship is how

ambitious we both are. We both are caregivers to my stroke-surviving mom, and that comes with a lot of physical demands on us both. We are also currently fully self-renoing a home to fit our family's needs. There is a lot that pulls on the relationship, but taking time to get dressed up, laugh, connect and be silly together is so crucial to this relationship. We schedule it in, if we have to, and the busy life requires us to plan for that time together.

The future

Jen: We talk about our future all the time. We imagine a close-knit family, growing older together as we support our future child in pursuing their ambitions. Amidst it all, we embark on crazy journeys around the world, while Shawnee captivates audiences with her heartfelt music.

Shawnee: Jen forgot to mention wheelchair racing. She promised me we would do wheelchair races in our old age.

POST CITY X THE COTTAGE CHEESE

Indian resto brings cosy cottage vibe to Kensington Imagine stepping into an Indian restaurant that transports you to the charm of a quaint cottage. The moment you enter, a warm, inviting ambiance greets you, reminiscent of a rustic cabin with its exposed wooden beams strung with lights, soft natural lighting and comfortable nooks.

The scent of aromatic spices and freshly baked bread wafts through the air, promising a delightful culinary journey. The atmosphere and hospitality make you feel right at home, inviting you to settle in and savour the hearty flavours of Indian cuisine in an approachable, familiar setting.

Last year, Pratik Parmar stumbled upon a snug brick building in Kensington Market. “It was cosy, green, airy, bright, eclectic and warm,” he recalls, at the time thinking it reminded him of a classic cottage. “Canadians are very fond of

cottage living; many have fantastic memories with their friends and families over a great meal, regardless of the season.” A businessperson and self-proclaimed foodie at heart, he had come to Canada in 2019 from Mumbai, India with the goal of opening his own restaurant.

And so, The Cottage Cheese was born.

Opened in November 2022, The Cottage Cheese is a contemporary, Michelin-quality Indian restaurant that’s becoming something of a namesake in the city thanks to its reputation for elevated fare and warm hospitality. “We serve Indian cuisine with a strong overlay of urban, sensorial influences through taste and presentation, to enjoy statement dining,” says Parmar.

Using ingredients that are meticulously sourced from local suppliers, the menu at The Cottage Cheese is approachable

and familiar, but possesses an elegant slant that works to preserve the legacy of true Indian cuisine.

From the simplicity of a humble butter chicken to the sublime coastal flavours that shape seafood delicacies like the kingfish marinated in yogurt with fresh lime juice, everything has been diligently planned, prepared and delivered.

Every curry, sauce and marinade is made from scratch. Doughs are lovingly hand-rolled, kneaded and shaped, and an array of vegan breads are baked daily in a clay oven.

“We take pride in serving Indian bread that is fresh to the core,” says Parmar. “They’ll be one of the softest you’ll find in Toronto.”

Similar to the food menu, the cocktail program spotlights drinks infused by fruit syrups that are made from scratch, like the hibiscus kissed margarita, or the vegan

mango lassi—packed with probiotics, this gut-friendly beverage also aids in digestion. A selection of organic and international wines and beers by the bottle or tap are also available, as is a well-rounded mocktail and digestif list.

Whether you're looking for vegetarian or non-vegetarian fare, the extensive menu options cater to all preferences. Moreover, the warm hospitality and inviting ambiance at The Cottage Cheese will make you want to visit, time and time again.

“Every customer who walks into the restaurant is treated with the utmost care and attention, to ensure that the dining experience not only matches, but supersedes your expectations,” Pratik concludes.

The Cottage Cheese is located at 64 Oxford St. and is open daily from 12 to 10:30 p.m.

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FEATURE

FOOD

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FROM TAMALES TO TRES LECHES Toronto, not traditionally a hot spot for Mexican cuisine due to its distance, has burst onto the scene with five Michelin-recognized Mexican restaurants. These picks highlight both plant-forward eateries and establishments led by industry veterans. by Jennifer Schembri

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FONDA BALAM

QUETZAL

CAMPECHANO

PUERTO BRAVO

Matty Matheson strikes culinary gold once again with Fonda Balam, a Toronto hot spot that effortlessly lures in the city's laid-back crowd. In collaboration with life and business partners, Kate Chomyshyn and Julio Guajardo, the trio has curated a menu featuring diverse tacos and a concise but standout dessert menu. The vibe is easygoing, with outdoor picnic tables, plastic tray service and a noreservations policy.

MUST-TRY DISH: The birria taco, a fresh corn tortilla generously topped with succulent beef birria, onion, aromatic cilantro and both red and green salsa.

802 Dundas St. W.

In Toronto's food scene, Quetzal stands as the lone Mexican eatery with a coveted Michelin star. Led by chef Steven Molnar, the restaurant is rooted in Oaxacan traditions and beautifully merges authentic Mexican ingredients with local flair.

The wood-burning fire at the chef's table adds a touch of romance, while each dish — from ceviche to tres leches cake — showcases Molnar’s culinary prowess. Quetzal remains a beacon for authentic and elevated Mexican cuisine.

MUST-TRY DISH: The empanada Oaxaqueña, a tantalizing blend of lamb barbacoa, salsa molcajete, Valentine radish and salsa de ajo.

419 College St.

True to its roots since Daniel Roe and Raina Fisher founded it in 2015, Campechano has stuck to its mission of delivering simple and authentic Mexican food. They import corn from Mexico, grind fresh masa daily and grill each tortilla to order, ensuring top-notch tacos. The menu is simple — tacos, guac, ceviche and dessert, complemented by margaritas, fun cocktails and a selection of classic and craft beers.

MUST-TRY DISH: The Pescado, a crispy and delicious beer-battered fish taco filled with haddock, red cabbage and salsa morita.

504 Adelaide St. W.

Nestled in Little India, this spot is a local gem, credited to Luis Bautista and Viridiana Cano.

They swiftly gathered a following for their succinct menu, inspired by the flavours of Tampico on the Gulf of Mexico.

The current menu is refreshingly uncomplicated yet inventive, featuring a mix of botanas, tacos, tostadas and expertly crafted desserts. Recently venturing into brunch territory, the restaurant now offers more of the same goodness all day long.

MUST-TRY DISH: The Wera tostada, packed with octopus, shrimp, macha mayonnaise, pico de gallo, avocado and a kick of salsa macha.

1425 Gerrard St. E.

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LA BARTOLA Calling all vegan enthusiasts!

La Bartola, led by chef and owner Ivan Castro, is a meatfree haven that's anything but simple. Drawing culinary inspiration from his mom and grandma, acclaimed as his world-class cooking teachers, Ivan crafted a menu that pays homage to the incredible Mexican women revolutionizing the kitchen. Despite being meatless, La Bartola doesn't compromise on flavour, offering favourites like herbed guacamole and sweet or savoury tamales.

MUST-TRY DISH: The braised hibiscus taco featuring wild mushrooms, caramelized onions and salsa Macha.

588 College St. 31 | NOVEMBER 2023

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FOOD TASTE TEST

THE STEAKS ARE HIGH There’s nothing quite like a steak dinner, but sometimes you just want something less formal.

Chef Anthony Rose provides an unpretentious guide to the city’s seven best steak sandwiches.

WINNER

Beyond t he b

un

CUT ABOVE THE REST “This is a good-looking sandwich, and I love this bun; it’s so soft and gushy!

The steak is tender and the aïoli is a nice touch.

It’s very good overall.”

Top Gun Burgers, 251 Augusta Ave., Eagle Sandwich, $17.99

RUNNER-UP

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND “Very steak-housey steak. I wish the bread had a bit more flavour to it, but this is a great cut of meat and I could totally eat this whole thing.”

Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar, 365 Bay St., $36.75

TANGO OF TASTE “The flank steak is cooked very well, and it’s a nice choice for a sandwich. The chimichurri is homemade and delicious. I really like the simplicity of it.”

BEAR Steak Sandwiches, 550 College St., $18

HERE’S THE BEEF “This is really great beef and I really like this bun. I like that this is served cold but I find the barbecue sauce is very overpowering.”

Black Camel, 4 Crescent Rd., $12.75

The

tea k es

s

SIZZLING SIRLOIN “I like the hot garlic toast and this top sirloin tastes really good. The meat is well-seasoned and well cooked. It’s really simple. It would be nice if it had a horseradish or horseradish cream with it.”

Bardi’s Steak House, 56 York St., $33

cape

CLASSIC KAISER “This reminds me of eating at a Greek diner. This tastes exactly as it should — it’s great, not fussy but just a decent sandwich.”

Golden Star, 7123 Yonge St., Thornill, $13.75

| NOVEMBER 2023

Arugu l

ning e k a w aa

NO-FRILLS GRILL “This is a cool looking sandwich. The steak is really good. I like the flavours and the pickles and fried onions, but I wish they were cooked a bit more.”

The Burger Shack 15 233 Eglinton Ave. W., $13.15

ANTHONY ROSE Post City’s tasting chef is the Michelinrecommended visionary behind Fat Pasha, Schmaltz and Fet Zun.

33

34

| NOVEMBER 2023

FOOD

Japan’s top curry spot hits Toronto

L-R: The Interior of Sadelle’s, the diner’s classic French toast

An upscale diner debuts in Yorkville Kith has opened its flagship store in Toronto, marking its debut in the Canadian market. The two-storey space seamlessly combines fashion and food in a beautifully designed space by Ronnie Fieg, the CEO/founder/creative director.

The first floor features premium men’s and women’s apparel, and the second floor houses footwear, an exclusive Kith Kids collection and the ultimate go-to for food enthusiasts — Sadelle’s and Kith Treats.

Sadelle’s, a nod to New York’s all-day dining tradition, has gained prominent status since its 2016 launch in SoHo. With its posh vibe and standout menu,

Sadelle’s is now bringing Toronto into the mix, featuring classics like bagels, freshsliced salmon, chopped salads and famous French toast.

Three exclusive sandwiches, crafted by Jeff Zalaznick, pay tribute to the children of Ronnie Fieg and celeb chef Mario Carbone, adding a personal touch to the lineup.

Adjacent to Sadelle’s is the Kith Treats bar, where diners can indulge in customizable swirls, milkshakes and a cereal soft serve bar featuring classic American cereals like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cheerios, Lucky Charms and Froot

Loops. For added sweetness, options like brownie bites, M&Ms, Kit Kat and Twix Bars are available to be added in.

Standout menu items at Kith Treats include The Bam Bam by Action Bronson, which features Rice Krispie treats,Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Kit Kat crushed Oreos and Marshmallow Charms.

Although the flagship will certainly gain attention for its fashion and culinary offerings, a representative from Kith hints at exciting developments in beverages in the coming months.

Sadelles’s and Kith Treats is located at —JS 78 Yorkville Ave.

Toronto's food scene is buzzing with excitement as Maji Curry, a beloved Japanese restaurant, makes its mark in the Annex.

Hailing from Kanda, Tokyo, Maji Curry gained global acclaim by winning the 2018 Kanda Curry Championship, a triumph repeated in 2022.

"I realized there was indeed no authentic Japanese curry cuisine in [the city],” Jane Yang, the owner of the city's first franchise, says. “I also have an affection for Japanese curry as it was an easy but healthy lunchtime meal for my kids."

At the heart of Maji Curry's success is its proprietary curry roux — a rich, flavourful base meticulously crafted over a decade by the founder, Ken Takagi.

“Ken loved curry since childhood and traveled around the world looking for various curries,” Yang says. “He encountered the unique spice cultures of each country and wanted to fuse them with traditional Japanese curry.”

The restaurant offers traditional favourites like hamburger steak and chicken cutlet, along with unique options such as fried prawn curry and eggplant curry.

Maji Curry is located at 515 Bloor St. W. —Jemicah Colleen Marasigan

Toronto's Queen West district is now home to an exciting new addition — Bar Prima. Culinary director Craig Harding and executive chef Julian D’Ippolito have joined forces to bring a unique blend of old-world charm and modern flair to the city's dining scene.

Bar Prima is more than a restaurant; it's an expression of the chefs' love for the art of dining. Inspired by their globetrotting adventures, Harding and D’Ippolito wanted to create an exclusive yet timeless setting, a place where you feel undeniably special.

Under the expert guidance of chef de cuisine Nicholas Iaboni, Bar Prima's kitchen promises a polished journey through Italian classics with cheeky yet calculated twists.

The menu takes a modern/minimal approach to Italian cuisine, focusing on handmade pasta and carefully curated mains. Be prepared for a tantalizing "Rockefeller," featuring East Coast diver scallops and other modern takes on Italian American classics.

“I’ll never forget the time I dined at Truffles at the old Four Seasons, when I was a kid. It was formal, fun and unforgettable,” says

Harding. “We wanted to emulate some of our favourite dining experiences from old taverns in New York City to Sunday red sauce dinners at our nonna’s house.”

Step into Bar Prima, and you step into a different era. Designed

by FutureStudio with branding by Biography Design, the restaurant exudes old-world glamour with mahogany finishes, Klein blue leather and a striking marble inlay floor. The amber glass facade, handmade in Murano, Italy, welcomes you into a world of molten gold leaf ceilings and timeless white tablecloths.

“From the bartender shaking martinis in a bow tie to truffles shaved tableside by our chefs, we try to have fun and put a little bit of theatre into what we do,” says D’Ippolito.

For those visiting the restaurant for the first time, the Bar Prima team suggests putting your best (fashion) foot forward.

“Get dressed up! After all that we have been through in the last few years, it’s time to celebrate!”

Bar Prima is located at 1136 Queen St. W. —Jennifer Schembri

| NOVEMBER 2023

Bar Prima opens its doors on Queen West

Bar Prima’s tournedos Rossini 35

FOOD

F

DONATE TODAY An array of dishes from Centre Street Deli

Centre Street Deli debuts downtown

JEWISHTORONTO.COM

After 35 years as Thornhill's goto lunch spot and a symbol for the Jewish community, Centre Street Deli is now granting the 905 its long-awaited wish — a second location. But this time, it's in the heart of downtown.

Centre Street Deli Express is located on Bay Street, just north of Wellesley, and one might assume the overdue expansion aims to draw in new downtown customers, but co-owner Thavapalan N. clarifies that it's actually for the opposite reason.

“A lot of our longtime customers — especially the younger crowd — are moving to downtown condos, so they are always

asking to establish a presence in that area."

Since 2015, Thavapalan N. has co-owned Centre Street Deli with his business partner, Nana Grande. His connection with the establishment goes back to its opening in 1988, where he has been working ever since.

The only noticeable distinction at the express location is the limited seating, with the menu and quality of meats remaining uncompromised. The restaurant will continue to uphold its commitment to traditional recipes that have remained unchanged since its opening.

The express location will fea-

ture familiar sandwich options, E including turkey clubs, corned beef, roast beef and hamburgers.

Although some menu items will be made from scratch, soups and salads will be prepared at the original Thornhill location and transported to Bay Street due to the larger kitchen space there.

If the goal of Centre Street Deli is to keep alive the traditional recipes and flavours of Jewish cooking, the expansion of one of Toronto’s last remaining delis to the bustling downtown core is certainly a good way to do it.

Centre St. Deli Express is located at 995 Bay St. —Megan Gallant

| NOVEMBER 2023

Big food names open Italian eatery

36

Patrick Groves, Jessie Mak and Mike Vieira recently made waves in Toronto’s culinary scene with the launch of Contrada, a sophisticated Italian restaurant that opened its doors in Little Italy in October.

Bringing a wealth of experience from top Toronto establishments, including Alo, Giuletta and Aburi Hana, this dynamic trio is all about creating a local haven for exceptional food and wine.

Contrada takes its cues from the Palio di Siena horse race and Sicily's Mount Etna, embracing rich Italian traditions. Assistant general manager and lead designer Jessie Mak's vision transforms the former Dog and Tiger pub into an elegant space that strikes the perfect balance between refinement and whimsy, blending modern finishes with vintage charm.

Chef de cuisine Mike Vieira curates a menu

that reflects his passion for Italian cuisine and Toronto's unique culinary vibe. Sous chef Lif Kalikutty, fresh from Giulietta, adds pasta-making expertise to the mix.

"Using Italian techniques and ingredients inspired by both classical Italian and Italian–North American sources, combined with the use of Ontario’s bounty of beautiful local ingredients has allowed us to create a menu we’re really proud of,” says Vieira.

Whether you're indulging in crostini and marinated olives at the bar or savouring housemade pasta and indulgent mains like veal sweetbreads Marsala in the dining room, Contrada promises an authentic and elevated dining experience.

Contrada is located at 537 College St. —Jennifer Schembri

FOOD

Swanky Greek hot spot opens near Mink Mile

The sophisticated interior by Toronto-based Lisa Ho Studio

Tucked away just off of Old York Lane on York- on the classic, thanks to a sesame-crusted block ville Ave., a piece of Greece awaits, complete with of feta stacked on top. an open-air patio decked out in miniature olive Other sides include lightly battered zucchini trees, sprawling magenta bougainvillea and house frites and the show-stopping saganaki (grilled music reminiscent of long, lazy nights on the is- cheese), which, of course, includes an Instagramland of Paros. worthy tableside fire show.

Designed by Lisa Ho Studio, the interior of Mains include juicy lamb chops served with Paros features a coastal colour palette — Paros sauce (packed with mint and other think cream-coloured walls, wooden herbs), a branzino fillet with salsa verde, tables and chairs and ambient the wagyu flatiron steak served in a lighting in the form of backlit piping hot skillet, and charred, BOTTOMS UP arches. jumbo shrimp drizzled with For an authentically Drawing inspiration from lemon.

Greek sip, try the Bloo authentic Greek culinary traDuring dinner, sink back in Bere Lemonada with ditions, the newest restaurant your chair with a cocktail and ouzo, gin, blueberries in Yorkville seeks to bring a enjoy a series of live performances, and lemonade. taste of the Greek islands to Toincluding fire and interpretive ronto with a menu that features dancers. plenty of charcoal-grilled meat and In addition to craft cocktails created seafood, as well as recognizable favouby head bartender Josh Duchesne and rites. time-honoured Executive chef Jack Connacher and the talGreek wines and beers, those looking to conented team have curated an à la carte menu using tinue their evening can opt for bottle service with fresh and local ingredients. premium bubbles and liquor.

To start, share a dip trio — which includes a Paros is located at 119 Yorkville Ave., and is roasted eggplant spread and homemade tzatziki open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Sun— or opt for the Greek salad, which puts a twist day from 11 a.m. to late.

—Christine Hogg

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41

LOOKING BACK Before you go... take a gander at some of the city’s historical November moments!

| NOVEMBER 2023

NOVEMBER 2023 EDITION

42

On Nov. 22, 1922, the first Royal Agricultural Winter Fair commenced, marking the beginning of a cherished Canadian tradition celebrating agriculture, livestock and rural life.

On Nov. 3, 1928, Toronto's Uptown Theatre made Maple Leaf Gardens launched its iconic history cinematic history with the city's first-ever on Nov. 12, 1931, with a thrilling hockey showdown sound film screening, revolutionizing how between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Torontonians experienced movies.

Chicago Black Hawks.

On Nov. 9, 1861, the University of Toronto hosted the first documented Canadian football game, a significant event in the history of Canadian sports.

On Nov. 11, 1918, Toronto, alongside all of Canada, celebrated the Armistice signing, now observed as Remembrance Day to honour those who served in the First World War.

In November 1906, a groundbreaking achievement saw electricity generated at Niagara Falls start flowing to power the city of Toronto, heralding a new era of energy supply.

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