2018 Toronto Magazine by Destination Toronto

COMP LIMENTARY / INSIDE i INNOVATION & TECH | SHOPPING SPREES | SPORTS SECRETS | STYLISH BITES

2018 | #SEETORONTONOW

BEHIND THE SCENES

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INSIDER TAKES ON ARTS, FOOD, FASHION AND MORE

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: DISCOVER URBAN GEMS SHOWS, @SeeTorontoNow EVENTS & FESTIVALS / ART & CULTURE ACROSS THE 2018 CITYTORONTO

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CHELSEA KNOWS From shopping and sporting events to the city’s hottest attractions; our concierge team can advise you on places to go and how to show your room key to get discounts along the way. As Toronto’s urban resort, Chelsea Hotel, Toronto features multiple dining options, an adult only pool & fi tness area and Family Fun Zone including downtown Toronto’s only indoor water slide and resident bunnies! Let Chelsea show you what’s happening in the city, our rooms are just the beginning.

chelseatoronto.com / 1-800-CHELSEA (243-5732) 33 @SeeTorontoNow Gerrard Street West.@SeeTorontoNow Toronto, ON M5G IZ4

2018 TORONTO

WELCOME

What’s online Explore SeeTorontoNow.com for more info, resources and news you can use to make the most of your visit.

Plus!

v Hop aboard our bus for an exclusive, street-scene tour of downtown Toronto. SeeTorontoNow.com/ CoverVideo.

v Planning a family visit? Have the kids research our Yo-Toronto.com site. v Search our calendar for hot events and cool happenings across the city.

Welcome to Toronto!

We are delighted you’re here, and excited about sharing the region’s finest attractions with you in the 2018 edition of Toronto magazine. We’ve packed a lot of information and inspiration into these pages, all so you can make the most of your time in Toronto. Toronto is an exciting, dynamic city, where unique and eclectic events and activities are happening around every corner. Whether you’re here for a family vacation, business trip, couple’s escape or friends’ getaway, we’ve got you covered with plenty to eat, see and discover! We’ve also provided the lowdown on transportation and getting around the city with ease, to help make your trip a seamless one. The 2018 edition of our magazine is jammed full of ideas so you can curate your own adventure, at your own pace. So, turn the page and plan your visit down to the hour… or simply pick a neighbourhood and start wandering! Either way, you’ll find classic and contemporary Canadian experiences in all their cultural and ethnic diversity. Explore it all by walking, cycling, taking public transit—or even by paddling, if you’re so inclined. Besides being “Canada’s Downtown,” Toronto is the gateway to a vast region that includes world-famous Niagara Falls, the pristine lakes and forests of Muskoka and the Kawarthas, and the nation’s capital region. Toronto is an ideal base for a day trip or overnight stay. Right next door are the cities of Mississauga and Brampton, each with its own compelling heritage and big-city amenities like shopping, arts and dining. Over 315,000 dedicated individuals work in tourism and hospitality, and we’re all here to make your visit one you’ll never forget. WELCOME!

v Love design? Check out our Style & Design mini-magazine at SeeTorontoNow.com/ StyleandDesign. v Chow down on Toronto’s best. Check out our Food & Drink mini-magazine at SeeTorontoNow.com/ FoodandDrink.

Johanne R. Bélanger President and CEO, Tourism Toronto Share your

CONNECT WITH US Toronto experience. Get social here:

@SeeTorontoNow facebook.com/VisitToronto youtube.com/SeeTorontoNow @SeeTorontoNow

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2018 TORONTO

Contents DEPARTMENTS 03 WELCOME

08 CONTRIBUTORS 12 NEW IN 2018 Fresh finds from across the city. 92 GETTING AROUND Find the info you need to help you explore. 94 LAST WORD Insider intel on Toronto’s most famous sandwich— and food market.

UPFRONT 11 FOOD, ARTS, CULTURE & MORE The latest and greatest for 2018.

30 BACKSTAGE WONDERS Meet the behind-the-scenes maestros who make three of Toronto’s most colourful cultural events and institutions shine. 34 INCUBATOR CITY Toronto’s incubators nudge Canada’s most dynamic start ups toward success. 38 BUILDINGS THAT BROKE THE RULES Feast your eyes on five iconic buildings that changed the way Torontonians view urban architecture.

42 WINTER MAGIC Our fave holiday events, city lights and winter happenings from the ’gram.

52 LOOK + LISTEN Our curated fashion playlists combine the best of two fave passions.

44 FIRST SIGHT Indigenous art from Canada is making waves in the global art scene. Here’s a primer on this dynamic and evolving milieu.

56 CHOOSE YOUR GROOVE Every live-music lover has a favourite venue type. Here’s where you’ll find yours in Toronto.

48 BEHIND-THE-SCENES MVPS Get the lowdown on Toronto’s other sports MVPs.

58 ACTION CENTRAL! Discover, defy, explore and uncover—wow everyone with these family adventures!

ON THE COVER Shot on location in the entertainment district, John and Richmond Streets, aboard a City Sightseeing Toronto tour bus. PHOTOGRAPH BY DANIEL EHRENWORTH

TORONTO 2018

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

COVER: LUISA DURAN (HAIR AND MAKE-UP); NIKKI KRAVSHIK (ST YLIST/PLUTINO); BRADLEY, BRIANNA, RYAN, SHARLENE (MODELS/PLUTINO); THIS PAGE: PAIGE LINDSAY

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

Toronto is waiting. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take you there. PHOTO: TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTTKTK

Air Canada offers the most non-stop flights to Toronto. Experience our award-winning service and Canadian hospitality from over 200 destinations around the globe. Book at aircanada.com or contact your travel agent.

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2018 TORONTO

Contents

84 FOOD & DRINK

COMPASS

62 EAT IN STYLE Three leading restaurateurs spill the beans on what goes into a successful restaurant concept and design.

72 NEIGHBOURHOOD EXPEDITIONS Hop onto public transit, hail a cab, rent a bike or lace up your walking shoes—there’s so much to discover in our City of Neighbourhoods.

66 ICE ICE BABY Treat yourself to seven refreshing takes on Toronto’s frosty-good ice cream scene. 68 PROOFING GROUNDS Toronto’s micro-distilleries are blazing new drink trails, one bottle at a time. 69 DRINKING STORIES From beloved parks to legendary Blue Jays, here’s the local inspiration for five of the city’s best microbrews.

TORONTO 2018

84 BRAMPTON Explore Flower City’s natural attractions and multi cultural mosaic. 86 MISSISSAUGA Toronto’s booming neighbour combines big-city energy with old-world charm. 88 IT’S GO TIME Explore Ontario’s best getaways. www.SeeTorontoNow.com

K AROLINA KURAS (18); HUBERT K ANG (84); JENNIFER ROBERTS (62)

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2018 TORONTO

CONTRIBUTORS Barry&Kirn PHOTOGRAPHERS: “ICE ICE BABY,” PAGE 66 Food-loving photogs Barry and Kirn are a tag-team duo who’ve been shooting together for over a decade. Their work has appeared in magazines like Forbes, ESPN the Magazine and Toronto Life. FAVE TORONTO SECRET: “Trillium Park. The cool little waterfront green space is really quiet and chill.”

TOURISM TORONTO

Operations Production Director Joelle Irvine

Chair of the Board Peter Doyle

Production Manager Felipe Batista Nunes

President & CEO Johanne R. Bélanger Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Weir Editorial Director: Director, Brand Content Paula Port Managing Editor: Content Manager Cathy Riches

Lara Ceroni WRITER: “BACKSTAGE WONDERS,” PAGE 30 Ceroni is a writer-editor whose work has been featured in Elle Canada, the Globe and Mail, the National Post, Nuvo, Canadian Living, Best Health and Hello! Canada. FAVE TORONTO SECRET: “This won’t stay a secret for long, but Mahjong Bar, a “secret” cocktail bar on Dundas West. It’s a cult hangout that feels like you’re stepping into Narnia or Twin Peaks. It’s incredibly cool.”

Camilla Cornell WRITER: “INCUBATOR CITY,” PAGE 34 National Magazine Award–winning writer Cornell has written for the Globe and Mail, the Financial Post, Destinations, Today’s Parent, Reader’s Digest and Profit. FAVE TORONTO SECRET: “Grab yourself a coffee at the Rooster and hunker down on the hill at Riverdale Park for sunset. You’ll get a great view of the Toronto skyline silhouetted against the changing light.”

Daniel Ehrenworth PHOTOGRAPHER: COVER Ehrenworth’s photography has been featured in New York, Bloomberg Businessweek, Toronto Life, Cottage Life and The Fader. FAVE TORONTO SECRET: “Cedarvale Park: It’s such a wonderful place to be with friends and family on a weekend. It’s right in the middle of the city, yet you feel like you’re on a hiking trail. Truly wonderful.”

Clayton Windatt WRITER: “FIRST SIGHT,” PAGE 44 Windatt is a Métis multidisciplinary artist, as well as a curator, writer and filmmaker. His work has been featured in the Toronto International Film Festival, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and various art spaces across Canada. As a journalist, he has been published in Muskrat Magazine. Windatt is the executive director of the Aboriginal Curatorial Collective. FAVE TORONTO SECRET: “Buddies in Bad Times Theatre— it always has great shows playing.” 8

TORONTO 2018

Director, Partnerships Sarah Jarvis BOOKMARK CONTENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Production Manager Edith Sevigny-Martel Ad Production Manager Mary Shaw Ad Production Coordinator Joanna Forbes Sales Media Director Laura Maurice Senior Account Manager Natalie Hope Account Management Associate Account Director Jacklyn Denise McCann

Editorial Executive Editor Amanda Eaton Deputy Editor Yuki Hayashi

Account Coordinator Zoë Rice

Editorial Director Elio Iannacci

CEO, Americas Raymond Girard

Proofreaders Jennifer Krissilas Nicole Gottselig

Chairman, Bookmark Niall McBain Vice-President, Content and Creative Strategy Ilana Weitzman

Art Art Director Adam Cholewa Contributing Designer LeeAndra Cianci

Partnership enquiries: 416-203-2600; partnership@torcvb.com Ad sales (Spafax Canada): 416-350-2425 Circulation: 250,000 Published by Tourism Toronto Queen’s Quay Terminal, Suite 405, 207 Queens Quay W., Toronto, ON, Canada, M5J 1A7 Tel: 416-203-2600 Fax: 416-203-6753 Printed in Canada Toronto Magazine © 2018. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. All information is current as of press time. The publisher cannot and does not guarantee the accuracy of all information and will not be responsible for errors, changes or omissions. This publication is printed on FSC® certified stock and is 100% recyclable.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

CONNECTING CULTURES THROUGH THE POWER OF ART DISCOVER

ENGAGE

SHOP |

DINE

4 1 6 .6 4 6 .4 6 77

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AGA KH A N M U S EU M .ORG

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2018 TORONTO

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CANADA'S MOST ICONIC EXPERIENCE ONLY IN NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA

char_morais

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2018 TORONTO

UPFRONT

KOTSY PHOTOGRAPHY

Canadian National Exhibition August 22, 7:54 p.m.

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2018 TORONTO

UPFRONT

NEWS

WHAT’S NEW & EXCITING AROUND TOWN IN 2018

RETAIL THERAPY Just like the calories you consume when you travel, shopping when on vacation “doesn’t count.” Here are some new spots to exercise your credit card.

Nuit Blanche

NIGHT MOVES

Culture vultures, get your fix on the cheap. At the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), enjoy a fun-filled Friday night from spring to fall with guest DJs, food, drink and gallery activations. Spent all your travel money? Then the price is right for you at the Art Gallery of Ontario when they host AGO Free Wednesday Nights! In town in June? Luminato is a don’t-miss with music, dance, visual arts and theatre: there’s truly something for everyone. Finally, for night owls with culture cravings, the annual Nuit Blanche (September) is the answer to your late-night tendencies—creep the downtown core from dusk till dawn as artists get creative with activations.

MAKE IT TO THE MUSEUMS

v Now’s the time to immerse yourself in cultures and art you may never have the chance to experience again. Vikings: The Exhibition, at the Royal Ontario Museum until April 2, 2018, delves into the lives of the Norse people—which we promise is just as fascinating as it appears on Vikings. v At the Aga Khan Museum, never-seen-outside-of-Egypt architectural remains, including panels from bygone palaces of the Fatamid dynasty, will be on display from March 10 to July 2, 2018, at The World of the Fatamids. v The Ontario Science Centre’s POPnology blends fact and sci-fi as it explores the ways pop culture has influenced technology. The interactive exhibition runs from May 17 to August 6, 2018. v Conceptual artist and pop-culture icon Yoko Ono returns to Toronto with her first major exhibit in over a decade, The Riverbed. Expect collaboration, interactivity and community at this Gardiner Museum exhibit (February 22 to June 3, 2018).

TORONTO 2018

v Chanel has unveiled their to-die-for new flagship store in Yorkville. v Iconic American brand Woolrich has set up shop in a 2,800-square-foot space in Yorkdale Shopping Centre. v CF Sherway Gardens shoppers have a bounty of new shops to explore, including a two-level Nordstrom filled with designer clothing and shoes, and a new south wing, where you’ll find stores like Saje, Nike, BonLook and MAC. v At Yorkville Village, style lovers have the newly opened TNT Concept and Belstaff to fill out their wardrobes with. v Tech geeks can trip out on the covetable, high-tech goods at the shiny new Samsung store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre.

GAME ON

v Participants from across Ontario will go for gold as Mississauga hosts the Ontario 55+ Summer Games this summer. More than 1,400 amateur athletes from across the province will compete in the Games, which will take place in more than a dozen venues across the city. v Canada’s star sprinter Andre De Grasse (three-time medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games) joins 600 elite athletes from 31 countries in a quest for gold at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Track and Field Championships (August 10 to 12, 2018). Dubbed Toronto 2018: Track & Field in the 6ix, the event will feature live music, street exhibitions and exclusive athlete photo/signing sessions.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

CLIFTON LI (NUIT BLANCHE); MARSHALGONZ (VIKINGS); INDUSTRYOUS PHOTOGRAPHY (BERCZY PARK); GILLIAN JACKSON (KING EDWARD); DOMINIC DIBBS/ALAMY (YAYOI KUSAMA)

CF Toronto Eaton Centre

PARK AND PLAY

The stellar redux of several of Toronto’s parks would make Leslie Knope proud. Here are four new and improved places worth your recreation time.

BERCZY PARK Quite paw-sibly the cutest fountain you’ll ever see, the water feature at the revamped South Core parkette showcases pups instead of the typical cherubs.

Omni King Edward Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom

GRANGE PARK Now with nearly 200 trees and more

grass and flower beds complementing a new splash pad and dog park, kids, adults and even canines can get a dose of forest bathing at this park behind the Art Gallery of Ontario.

THE BENTWAY Named by popular demand after the support arches of the Gardiner Expressway, which looms overhead (citizens voted on a shortlist of crowdsourced names), this 1.75 km (one mile) stretch of reclaimed urban space includes a skating trail and amphitheatre, just a stone’s throw from Fort York National Historic Site. ONTARIO PLACE The transformation of this lakeside site boasts a 1.3 km (0.8 mile) trail and phenomenal views of the city from Trillium Park. The iconic Cinesphere theatre has been revamped with laser and 70 mm IMAX technology for an immersive movieviewing experience. New event spaces have taken over the former amusement park, engaging visitors in a variety of cultural and innovative experiences.

Berczy Park

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

An injection of newness is breathing fresh life into some of Toronto’s buildings—while maintaining their beautiful heritage. v The Omni King Edward Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom is once again ready for royalty— or you. With an impressive $6.5-million reno, the stunning venue, untouched for the past 40 years, is now decked out with showstopping chandeliers and restored wood carvings, making for a resplendent space where one and all can party like a rock star. v Take a former art colony, the 104-year-old Guild Inn, add a new restaurant and hall— not to mention one stunner of a 4,000-square-foot gazebo— and you’ve got one polished new event venue, with its handsome heritage maintained (look to the art from Guild artists and the original stained glass windows). v You don’t have to be of aristocratic descent to dine at BlueBlood Steakhouse, which has taken over the Oak and Billiard Rooms in Casa Loma. The castle’s architecture holds true while modern art and furnishings build on the space’s

good looks—all of which complements the Wagyu, Kobe beef and some 2,500 bottles on the impressive wine menu. v The Royal Ontario Museum’s entrance update opens up its Weston Entrance on Queen’s Park—complete with glass doors offering a clear view into the Rotunda (replete with its brilliant mosaic ceiling composed of millions of squares of Venetian glass) and through to the Samuel Hall Currelly Gallery. v Occupying prime corner real estate at Saks Fifth Avenue’s art deco palace is Leña, Oliver & Bonacini’s newest restaurant. With four full floors to play with, the designers carved out unique spaces from the beautiful octagonal bar and splendid light fixture at street level to the lower lounge, which will be hard to resist getting cozy in with an old-fashioned in hand.

INFINITE ARTISTRY

Dive into the bright and whimsical world of renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama as her magical kaleidoscope of installations and large-scale paintings drop into Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario—the only Canadian stop of the Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors exhibit tour—from March 3 to May 27, 2018. @SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

2018 TORONTO

UPFRONT

Hot Tickets

Canada Day with the Toronto Blue Jays

In a city known for non-stop festivals, concerts and celebrations, a select few stand out as must-attend events. Here are 10 to plan a vacay around. BY WAHEEDA HARRIS

1 COME FROM AWAY

THE BUZZ: Based on a true story, Mirvish Productions’ breathtaking and Tony Award– winning musical (February to September 2018) returns home after its triumphant Broadway run. TICKETS: MIRVISH.COM

iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards

2 LUMINATO FESTIVAL

THE BUZZ: Locals flock to this annual celebration of cutting-edge visual art, theatre, music and dance, at venues throughout the city (June 2018). TICKETS: LUMINATOFESTIVAL.COM

3 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (TIFF)

THE BUZZ: From world premières, redcarpet galas and star-studded afterparties, TIFF (September 2018) is unique for its accessibility. Devoted movie fans can glimpse celebs like Ryan Gosling and Jessica Chastain during 11 days of movie magic. TICKETS: TIFF.NET

4 JFL42

THE BUZZ: The jokes fly fast and furious during JFL42 (September 2018), at venues

throughout the city. Catch comedy’s brightest standup talent, such as Seth Meyers and Ali Wong. TICKETS: JFL42.COM

5 IHEARTRADIO MUCH MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS

THE BUZZ: Stars like 2017 performers Lorde, Ed Sheeran and Nick Jonas take over Queen and John at this annual awards gala/fan frenzy (June 2018). TICKETS: FOLLOW @MUCH ON TWITTER AND @MUCHMUSIC ON INSTAGRAM FOR WRISTBAND INFO.

6 CANADA DAY WITH THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS

THE BUZZ: Celebrate Canada Day (July 2018) with the nation’s MLB baseball team. The two-time World Series winners will electrify their fans, while corporate sponsors amp up the fun with cool giveaways and prizes. TICKETS: MLB.COM

JANUARY v Toronto Design Offsite Festival v Interior Design Show v Toronto International Boat Show v Toronto Light Festival JANUARY – MARCH v W interlicious JANUARY – FEBRUARY

FEBRUARY v T he Artist Project Contemporary Art Fair v B loor-Yorkville Icefest v Canadian International AutoShow v Toronto Black Film Festival v W interfolk Blues and Roots Music Festival

TORONTO 2018

MARCH v C anada Blooms: The Flower and Garden Festival v National Home Show v O ne of a Kind Spring Show & Sale MARCH – APRIL v St. Patrick’s Day Parade v T IFF Kids International Film Festival v Toronto Comicon v Toronto Sportsmen’s Show

APRIL v Creativ Festival v Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival APRIL – MAY

MAY v C anadian Music Week v C arassauga: Mississauga’s Festival of Cultures v Doors Open Toronto v G oodLife Fitness Toronto Marathon v Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival MAY – JUNE v Mississauga Marathon v S cotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival v Toronto Jewish Film Festival v Woofstock

JUNE v CeleBRAMPTON

v I deacity v Luminato Festival v Mississauga Waterfront Festival v North by Northeast v Ontario Craft Beer Week v Pepsi North America Cup v Toronto Pride v Q ueen’s Plate v Redpath Waterfront Festival v The Streetsville Founders’ Bread and Honey Festival v T he Taste of Little Italy v Tastemaker Toronto v T D Toronto Jazz Festival

JULY v B eaches International Jazz Festival www.SeeTorontoNow.com

EXIMAGES/ALAMY (IHEARTRADIO); TOM SZCZERBOWSKI/GETT Y IMAGES (BLUE JAYS)

2018 EVENTS

Rogers Cup

7 HOCKEY HALL OF FAME INDUCTION WEEKEND

THE BUZZ: Rink royalty is honoured at the Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Weekend (November 2018). Autograph sessions, the Legends Classic exhibition game, a regular-season NHL game and induction ceremony provide ops for fans to meet their hockey heroes. TICKETS: HHOF.COM

8 TORONTO WOMEN’S FASHION WEEK

@SeeTorontoNow

JOAO LUIZ DE FRANCO/ZUMA WIRE/ALAMY (ROGERS CUP); THIERRY FRANCO (LUMINATO)

Tartan, Lucian Matis and panelist JeanPaul Gaultier. TICKETS: TW-FW.COM

9 ROGERS CUP

THE BUZZ: Scope out the upcoming season’s hottest looks and coolest Canadian labels. Toronto Women’s Fashion Week (October 2018) comprises runway shows, showrooms, pop-ups and panel discussions. Featured designers have included Pink

v B ud Light Digital Dreams Music Festival v C anada Day Brampton Chinguacousy Park v Canada Day Mississauga Celebration Square v C anada Day Nathan Phillips Square v C arabram: Brampton’s Multicultural Festival v Honda Indy Toronto v Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival JULY – AUGUST v R BC Canadian Open v Summerlicious v T D Salsa in Toronto Festival v T he Toronto Fringe Festival v Toronto’s Festival of Beer

Luminato Festival

THE BUZZ: Tennis greats Serena Williams and Andy Murray are among the past champions of the Rogers Cup. At this year’s event (August 2018), keep an eye out for homegrown superstar Milos Raonic, as the men’s event returns to centre court. TICKETS: ROGERSCUP.COM

v Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

AUGUST v Canadian National Exhibition AUGUST – SEPTEMBER v Fan Expo Canada AUGUST – SEPTEMBER v GreekTown Taste of the Danforth v Rogers Cup v TD Mosaic 2018: South Asian Festival of Mississauga v V ELD Music Festival

SEPTEMBER v B uffer Festival v JFL42 v Nuit Blanche Toronto

@SeeTorontoNow

10 THE BUZZ: SHANIA TWAIN AT AIR CANADA CENTRE*

When the biggest musical acts in the world come to town, they play at the Air Canada Centre, the busiest indoor arena in the country. One of the most highly anticipated shows of the summer? Pop-country superstar Shania Twain’s Now tour (July 2018), the Ontario native’s first time on the road since 2015. TICKETS: TICKETMASTER.CA *TO BE RENAMED SCOTIABANK ARENA IN JULY 2018.

v Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle Blues & Jazz Festival v Toronto Beer Week v Toronto International BuskerFest for Epilepsy AUGUST – SEPTEMBER v Toronto International Film Festival v T he Word On The Street Toronto

OCTOBER v A rt Toronto: Toronto International Art Fair v Creativ Festival v Halloween on Church v International Festival of Authors v Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival

v S cotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

NOVEMBER v Cavalcade of Lights v Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Weekend v O ne of a Kind Show & Sale NOVEMBER – DECEMBER v T he Royal Agricultural Winter Fair v T he Santa Claus Parade

DECEMBER vT he Nutcracker v Toronto Christmas Market NOVEMBER – DECEMBER v New Year’s Eve at Nathan Phillips Square 2018 TORONTO

UPFRONT

Meet the makers

Manzer Guitars

BY CHRISTY WRIGHT AND JENNIFER KRISSILAS Toronto may be a resolutely modern metropolis, but it’s also home to artisans and designers who work the old-fashioned way. Here are five local makers who prove the secret to quality rests in mantras like one-of-a-kind, small batch and custom.

passionate about domestic woods—each is so different and comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. We love that it supports the local economy and is harvested in a sustainable way.” –Devin Schaffner, co-founder

ABEL MUÑOZ

At GUILD, handcrafted comes with serious sartorial cred. Frames are designed by local artists, and are milled, tumbled, polished and assembled by hand. Result: Fierce looks like the femme fatale Bardots or the Iris Apfel–worthy Royals.

Maker’s remark: “What I love about designing shoes is the combination of both the creative and the technical. Turning a concept into a wearable, finished product is amazing.” –Abel Muñoz

REKINDLE

Rekindle design studio uses high-quality local materials— mostly wood, like walnut and maple—to produce heirlooms in the making. Maker’s remark: “We’re

Maker’s remark: “Being a small, local manufacturer enables us to have an undiluted design vision. It’s just the designer and the person they are designing for.” –Rod Fitzsimmons Frey, founder

BROTHERS DRESSLER

Furniture makers (and twin brothers) Lars and Jason Dressler create sustainably bespoke pieces, including

Brothers Dressler

wooden chandeliers. Crafted with discarded extras from local mills and salvaged city trees, they are simultaneously rustic and upscale. Maker’s remark: “Crafting by hand allows us to explore the creative potential of the wood, to take the time to bring out its beauty and usefulness.” –Lars Dressler, co-founder

GUILD Eyewear

MANZER GUITARS

A former folk singer, Linda Manzer is renowned for her one-of-a-kind guitars, the preferred choice of Carlos Santana, Pat Metheny and Bruce Cockburn. Manzer hand-constructs each instrument using the finest materials, including aged rosewood, curly maple and ebony. Maker’s remark: “After seeing Joni Mitchell play a dulcimer at the Mariposa folk festival on the Toronto Islands in 1968,

TORONTO 2018

Abel Muñoz I became interested in making musical instruments. When I first strummed a dulcimer I’d assembled myself, I was shocked at the sublime joy I felt—it was like I’d given life to something inanimate.” –Linda Manzer www.SeeTorontoNow.com

MARK BURST YN (REKINDLE); NORM BETTS (MANZER); RICHARD MICHAEL L. GONZALES (DRESSLER)

The darling of Vogue Italia, Muñoz’s shoe collections are designed here and handmade in Italy. His style footprint? Impeccable workmanship and attention to detail.

GUILD EYEWEAR

IMAGINENATIVE FILM + MEDIA ARTS FESTIVAL OCTOBER 2018

Showcasing Indigenous filmmakers and media artists from across Canada and around the world, this global festival includes screenings and panel discussions that touch on a variety of cultural and social themes.

TORONTO AFTER DARK FESTIVAL OCTOBER 2018

If serial killers and sci-fi are your jam, then so is this festival, run by fans for fans, featuring frightful filmmakers from around the world—leading up to Halloween, of course.

CINÉFRANCO FRANCOPHONE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OCTOBER 2018

TIFF

Get movie-ing

Whatever genre you favour, the city’s long list of film festivals offers something for every cinephile. BY SARAH DANIEL

TORONTO BLACK FILM FESTIVAL

TORONTO JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

Running during Black History Month, this festival includes film screenings in several genres, such as shorts, docs, animations and features, workshops and panel discussions. Academy Award–winner Louis Gossett Jr. was recently honoured with a lifetime achievement award.

With screenings of features, docs and shorts, this film fest of the Jewish diaspora covers the globe. Last year’s lineup included films from India and Argentina, in addition to work from Canada and Israel. TJFF celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2017.

TIFF KIDS

INSIDE OUT LGBT FILM FESTIVAL

Raising the next Xavier Dolan or Sofia Coppola? Bring them to the TIFF Bell Lightbox, one of Toronto’s hottest cultural hubs, for a film-fest for all ages, from toddler to tween.

The largest LGBTQ film fest in Canada, Inside Out launched in 1991 and has grown exponentially over the years. It now screens nearly 200 films over 11 days, drawing 35,000 film buffs each year.

HOT DOCS CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

FEBRUARY 2018

DPA PICTURE ALLIANCE/ALAMY (TIFF); AF ARCHIVE/ALAMY (SUITS)

MARCH 2018

MAY TO JUNE 2018

APRIL TO MAY 2018

Documentary buffs flock to this socially aware festival (organizers achieved near-gender parity among the 2017 selections), held at cinemas across the city. Its HQ: Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in the city’s beloved Annex neighbourhood, where fans can watch docs all year round. @SeeTorontoNow

MAY 2018

@SeeTorontoNow

SEPTEMBER 2018

Who doesn’t look forward to the 10-day-long Toronto International Film Festival? A-list celebs like Johnny Depp and Nicole Kidman descend on the city, glamorous red-carpet premières happen every night, and the area around the TIFF Bell Lightbox at King and John streets becomes the centre of the cinematic universe.

Enjoy the very best of Canadian and international French-language features, short films, Q&As and panel discussions at this week-long festival that has been running for two decades.

REEL ASIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 2018

Contemporary Asian cinema is celebrated at this annual event founded 20-plus years ago. Each lineup includes featurelength narratives, docs, shorts and animation by international artists, as well as Canadian filmmakers of East-, South- and Southeast-Asian heritage.

SUIT YOURSELF

Watching an episode of Suits can double as a round of “spot the Toronto landmark disguised as a Manhattan landmark.” If you want to power-lunch like Harvey or blow off steam over drinks like Mike, book a reservation at one of these on-set locations.

v Colette Grand Café

v Locale Mercatto

v La Société

v Hy’s Steakhouse

550 Wellington St. W. 330 Bay St. 131 Bloor St. W.

120 Adelaide St. W.

v Momofuku Daishō v Blowfish Third floor, 668 King St. W. 190 University Ave.

2018 TORONTO

UPFRONT

Toronto’s theatre scene truly sparkles each winter, with dazzling holiday performances for all ages. BY KAT TANCOCK Winter is when Toronto’s live theatre and performance scene reaches its familyfriendly peak. Take The Nutcracker, The National Ballet of Canada’s perennial December hit. This version, by local choreographic icon James Kudelka, is set in Tsarist Russia and is resplendent with lavish sets and costumes. A fun tradition is guest appear ances by local personalities (think mayors, athletes and TV stars) as the Cannon Dolls. The Nutcracker

STORYTELLING MAGIC

Soulpepper Theatre’s Family Festival is another December tradition. The awardwinning company’s seasonal lineup ranges from adaptations of the classics (like A Christmas Carol or Peter Pan) to concerts, magic shows and musicals. Bonus: It all takes place in The Distillery Historic District, so you can pair your show with a trip to the Toronto Christmas Market.

Another Toronto must-see is a musical by Mirvish Productions, whose 2018 season includes the Broadway hit Come From Away and an adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. Kids will love this version of the beloved book and its headline character who, of course, “speaks for the trees.”

ALL-AGES ARTISTRY

A n annua l favourite for many years, Disney on Ice combi nes compel l i n g stor y t elling and ice-skating artistr y. Shows typically run the last week of December. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra offers family programming in the lead-up to the holiday season (November to December); past performances have included holiday films accompanied by the orchestra and a choir. But when it comes to kid-friendly entertainment , Young People’s Theatre (YPT) and Ross Snow White Petty Productions s et themselves apart w ith shows t a r geted exclusively at yout h. Y P T ’s winter 2018 shows include The Secret Garden, for ages six and up, and One T hing Lea d s to Another, a n awa r dwinning work created for babies. Staged only during the Christmas season, Ross Petty’s shows are always a fun-filled spectacle in the British pantomime tradition. With a humorous take on classic tales like Snow White or Beauty and the Beast, these shows are sure to enthra ll the young and young at heart.

A Christmas Carol

TORONTO 2018

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

K AROLINA KURAS (THE NUTCRACKER); RACHEAL MCCAIG (SNOW WHITE); NATHAN KELLY (A CHRISTMAS CAROL)

Don’t-miss holiday shows

3:36PM The moment you arrived to your essential Toronto experience.

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With its downtown location, rich character and history, grand conference spaces, and legendary Fairmont service, Fairmont Royal York is the essential Toronto hotel. And with total renewal across the property in 2018, from lobby to rooms to a fresh new culinary experience, the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential destination is entering a whole new era.

Gateway to your Toronto moment. fairmont.com/royal-york-toronto @SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

2018 TORONTO

UPFRONT

TOP BOOKSHOPS Get a read on the city’s best places to indulge your habit.

Scott Pilgrim

All lit up

Toronto may play the stand-in for American cities in television and film, but when it comes to literature, it takes a starring role. Here’s some great literary fiction that explores our urban roots. BY HEATHER CAMLOT

BUILDING A CITY

Michael Redhill’s Consolation draws an evocative portrait of 19th-century Toronto. Leaping between 1855 and 1997, the novel centres on priceless photographs of the young city, rumoured to be on a sunken ship beneath modern-day downtown. Michael Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion also documents a burgeoning city, focusing on the conditions of migrant workers who were key in building infrastructural

LITERARY FESTIVALS v THE WORD ON THE STREET TORONTO

Attend speaker events, wander the booths, and shop, shop, shop during this free event celebrating the written word. Harbourfront Centre, September 2018.

v INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS

Internationally renowned writers converge on Toronto for readings, book signings and round tables. Harbourfront Centre, October 2018.

TORONTO 2018

landmarks the Prince Edward Viaduct and R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant in the early 20th century (which can still be seen today).

COMING OF AGE

In 1954, Hurricane Hazel tore through Toronto, damaging homes, bridges and roads. The Carnivore by Mark Sinnett recalls the chaos—as a backdrop to a failing marriage in 2004. Margaret Atwood has set a multitude of novels in Toronto; Cat’s Eye stands out for its description of a changing city, from the 1940s through the 1980s, with nods to the ravines, Yorkville and Queen West. All of which feel miles away from the laneways of Little Portugal in Anthony De Sa’s dramatic crime thriller, Kicking the Sky, set in the summer of 1977.

LIVING THE NOW

Toronto is the fifth major character in Dionne Brand’s What We All Long For, which revolves around four racially diverse friends struggling to find their identity and purpose. The opening chapter perfectly captures the multicultural city during an early-spring commute. Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim graphic-novel series also features the 20-something set, with slacker Pilgrim passing by or making his way into iconic institutions like Lee’s Palace, Sneaky Dee’s and Honest Ed’s. For a completely different perspective, the title characters in André Alexis’s Fifteen Dogs offer their impressions of the city via their new-found power of language. The novel even provides maps of The Beaches and High Park neighbourhoods.

v MABEL’S FABLES BOOKSTORE 662 MOUNT PLEASANT RD. Fantastic curated collection of children’s lit, with a cheerful staff that reads, reviews and recommends. v A GOOD READ 341 RONCESVALLES AVE. Elegant treasure trove of first and signed editions, along with secondhand and remaindered books. v TYPE BOOKS 883 QUEEN ST. W. 427 SPADINA RD. Cool, general-interest stores small in size but big in heart and knowledge. v THE MONKEY’S PAW 1267 BLOOR ST. W. Expect the unexpected and celebrate the eccentric at this antiquarian shop. Pop a toonie ($2 coin) into the BiblioMat, a vending machine full of surprising books. v GLAD DAY 499 CHURCH ST. The legendary LGBTQ bookshop—North America’s oldest—was revamped in 2016 to include a coffee shop, cocktail bar and dance club.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

v ELIOT’S BOOKSHOP 584 YONGE ST. Three floors of fascination, with secondhand and hardto-find books of all genres. Perfect for treasure hunters.

AWAR D- WINNING L ANDM A RK TOURI S T DES T I N ATION

TOP MUSEUM/ART GALLERY/HISTORIC SITE

CASA LOMA

BLUEBLOOD STEAKHOUSE

PRE MI ER DI NING ES TABLISHMENT S

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CIBO WINE BAR

KING W | YONGE | YORKVILLE

DON ALFONSO 1890

SPICE ROUTE

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

COMING SPRING 2018

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

100 Best Italian Restaurants in Canada for 2017

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Toronto Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex | Rosewater Room Miami Cibo Wine Bar Coral Gables | Cibo Wine Bar South Beach Coral Gables Country Club | Coral Gables Athletic Club @SeeTorontoNow @SeeTorontoNow

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UPFRONT interior perfect for newparent meet-ups. vW est Queen West’s live arts hub/incubator, Theatre Centre, which has a quiet café with automatic doors and strong shots of Rufino beans.

GLOBAL LOCAVARIAN

You love it when global and local meet. And that’s a multicultural sweet spot that Toronto excels at, especially where coffee is involved.

Get your fix at:

Coffee, your way

The city is abuzz with cafés to suit every javaphile’s taste. BY SIMONE OLIVERO Whether you like your morning jolt topped with artistically frothed milk, or the science behind the brewing is what really gets you into high gear, the perfect cup is waiting. Here’s where to find it.

INDIE AFICIONADO

For you, coffee is a deeply personal experience. You want to know who’s making your coffee, and the provenance of the beans.

Get your fix at:

vC hinatown’s Bond, which serves Bullet espresso from Oakville’s Reunion Island. vC orktown’s Tandem, where co-owners Eugene Fung and Michie Yamamoto work the

TORONTO 2018

bar themselves, brewing from a rotating roster of local roasters, including Pig Iron, Cut Coffee and Detour. vE tobicoke’s Black Goat, where sweets are baked in-house to accompany the fair trade, organic beans roasted nearby.

AVID ’GRAMMER

Your friends—and your 1,000-plus Instagram followers—know you as the expert of the #coffeegram. Taste and good looks—your coffee has to have it all.

Get your fix at:

vO ld Town’s Versus Coffee, a millennial mainstay for its rainbow-coloured latte art and perf natural lighting.

vW est Queen West’s Bu’na, where the Ethiopian coffeebrewing ceremony includes roasting fresh beans. vT he Entertainment District’s Republic, where traditional Lebanese coffee is served in a customary copper pot. vU ptown’s de Mello Palheta Coffee Roasters, which sources from farmers across the globe, offering new roasts by the season. A supplier to many local cafés. vB loordale Village’s Baddies, which offers classic froth hearts and delectable snacks (like ’gram-worthy avocado toast) served on dishes speckled with fresh flowers. vS ummerhill Station’s Nutbar has a superfood-focused menu, but it’s the colourfully branded cups that have ’grammers scrambling.

SLEEPY PARENT

Single estate, artisanal…what? For you, coffee has become a lifeline more than a lifestyle. Bring on the rocket fuel, stat! (And room to navigate the stroller, please.)

Get your fix at:

vT he Beaches’ Bud’s Coffee Bar, which has the perfect nononsense counter serving up double espresso shots from a classic La Marzocco machine. vO ld Town’s Neo Coffee Bar for its roomy, stroller-friendly

TECH GEEK

For you, life is about innovation. Coffee’s been around for over a millennium, but for you, nothing is tastier than the thrill of the new.

Get your fix at:

vT he Entertainment District’s The Alternative Café, which boasts a Japanese cold-brew tower that resembles something out of a high-school chemistry lab. v Pilot Coffee Roasters (multiple locations), where coffee is cold-water brewed, transferred to a keg and served on tap with a blast of nitrogen to produce a frothy head at two of its locations: Te Aro and The Tasting Bar. vR iverside’s Boxcar Social, where “flash” cold-brew involves blasting hot coffee over ice and then serving it up on tap. www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Love this? Try that!

Dig into Toronto’s out-of-this-world international food scene. Find your fave dishes below, then read on for how to broaden your culinary territory. BY LIORA IPSUM

LOVE SUSHI?

LOVE GREEK SOUVLAKI?

LOVE TACOS?

TRY

Salvadoran pupusas!

Philippine pancit!

Afghan kebobs!

@SeeTorontoNow

The Filipino culinary lexicon features dozens of variations of this communal comfort food, including pancit bihon, thin rice noodles stir-fried with soy sauce, citrus, fish sauce, veggies, cabbage and sausage. FIND IT AT Lasa by Lamesa, Platito and Lola’s Kusina

TRY

These flame-licked, grilled skewers of lamb, tikka-spiced chicken, kofta (ground beef) and chapli (minced meat patties) are nestled into hot-from-the-clay-oven naan or packed onto platters of rice and chopped salad. FIND IT AT Bamiyan Kabob, Pamier Kabob and Kandahar Kabab

@SeeTorontoNow

LOVE PAD THAI?

TRY

Like puffy griddled tortillas stuffed with combinations of beans, cheese, veggies and meat, pupusas are customarily served with curtido, a spicy cabbage slaw, and hot sauce for added kick. FIND IT AT Tacos el Asador, Emporium Latino and La Pupusa Loka

TRY

LOVE INDIAN CURRIES AND KORMAS?

Polynesian poke!

Poke is a raw tuna- or salmon-based salad, dressed in soy sauce and mirin, with a sprinkling of inamona, scallions or seaweed (or both!), but in Toronto you’ll often find it served over sticky rice, or with chips for scooping. FIND IT AT Calii Love, Miss Thing’s and SŪ&BŪ

TRY

Ethiopian bayanetu!

Often listed as a combo platter, this sampling of braised meats, vegetables and lentils is served over injera, a sour and spongy flatbread that’s meant to be ripped apart and used in lieu of utensils. FIND IT AT Rendez-Vous, Nazareth and Nunu

2018 TORONTO

UPFRONT

Urban legends

Myth-busting the most prevalent tall tales about our city’s iconic buildings. BY JAMIE BRADBURN ILLUSTRATIONS BY MATTHEW BILLINGTON

UNION STATION HAS A SHOOTING RANGE.

ROYAL BANK PLAZA IS MADE OUT OF GOLD.

ROBARTS LIBRARY IS SINKING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF ITS BOOKS.

A COIN DROPPED FROM THE CN TOWER REACHES FATAL SPEEDS.

THERE’S A GHOST IN THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME.

THE BEACON ON TOP OF THE CANADA LIFE BUILDING REPORTS THE WEATHER.

Not anymore. In 1927, space was set aside on the seventh floor for railway police to practise their shooting skills. Later opened to the public, it remained in use until 2008, when Toronto city council prohibited shooting ranges on city property.

Despite what urban legends suggest about skyscrapers in general, if a coin were dropped from the tower’s EdgeWalk, its 356 metre (1,168 feet) flight down wouldn’t be deadly. As small, flat objects, coins experience plenty of air resistance, quickly causing them to fall at a constant, non-fatal speed. (Whew!) 24

TORONTO 2018

When the bank towers were built during the 1970s, all of its 14,000 windows were coated with a layer of 24-karat gold. The gold has aesthetic and practical purposes—it makes the towers shimmer in the sun and provides excellent insulation, reducing heating bills.

There have been many accounts of flickering lights, phantom hands on shoulders, moving chairs and other spooky occurrences in the former Bank of Montreal building. The spirit is said to be a young teller, named Dorothy, who died under mysterious circumstances in 1953, possibly following a failed love affair.

The University of Toronto is one of many academic institutions rumoured to have sinking libraries, a general myth which has its own Snopes page. In Robarts’s case, its concrete shell is far heavier than the material it contains.

Debuting in 1951, the colourful light patterns provide a forecast updated four times daily. The main column of lights rises or falls with the temperature, while the beacon indicates rain (flashing red), snow (flashing white), clouds (solid red) and clear skies (solid green). www.SeeTorontoNow.com

ON YOUR MARK Score a personal best at one of the city’s most exciting road races!

1. MISSISSAUGA MARATHON Family friendly events, from kids’ 2K to full marathon. May 2018 2. GOODLIFE FITNESS TORONTO MARATHON Fast downhill course nets many Boston Marathon qualifiers. May 2018

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3. SPORTING LIFE 10K Huge (22,400 runners) charity run down iconic Yonge Street. May 2018

Run this city

trail perfection, from the Oak Ridges Moraine to Lake Ontario.

Run happy on these 5 great routes. BY BEN KAPLAN

BILL BROOKS/ALAMY (HIGH PARK AND LESLIE STREET); DOUG BROWN (WATERFRONT MARATHON)

HIGH PARK

This hilly, trail-strewn wonder is Toronto’s answer to New York’s Central Park. With a mix of road, wood chip and dirt, you can choose your own running adventure through 400 acres of parkland.

CASA LOMA

A neighbourhood run through the streets surrounding Toronto’s famed castle must include repeats of the Baldwin Steps, located on Spadina Road, just north of Davenport Road.

Tackle the steep, twisting staircase, and you’ll be rewarded with sweeping city views and beautiful gardens.

MARTIN GOODMAN TRAIL

A total of 56 km (35 miles) of paved waterfront heaven, spanning Lake Ontario, from the east side to the west side.

DON RIVER VALLEY TRAILS

Alongside the Don Valley Parkway, 32 km (20 miles) of

LESLIE STREET SPIT

A good 5 km (three miles) long in one direction, at Leslie Street south of Lakeshore Boulevard East, this paved east end path is a haven for wildlife, speed work and views.

RUN + DISCOVER Turn your run into a sightseeing tour. City Running Tours’ experienced guide Dan Grant offers routes based around interests like rock history or historical battles.

4. PRIDE AND REMEMBRANCE 5K A wet (water guns), wonderful Pride Day run. June 2018 5. WATERFRONT 10K Scenic course, Lululemon swag and bangin’ after-party. June 2018 6. BEACHES JAZZ RUN Family-friendly 5K, 10K and half-marathon, plus free photos. July 2018 7. B&O YORKVILLE 5K Incredible swag and upscale midtown race course. September 2018 8. OASIS ZOO RUN Run past camels and jaguars in this exotic race. September 2018 9. TORONTO WOMEN’S RUN Seasonal series with 5K to half-marathon, with firefighters and chocolate. May, August and October 2018 10. SCOTIABANK TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON, HALF AND 5K Massive event, ultra-fast runners and big crowds. October 2018

GET YOUR GEAR HERE! BLACKTOE RUNNING This cool downtown boutique offers expert fitting services, including biomechanical analysis for the perfect fit.

@SeeTorontoNow

RUNNING ROOM The Beaches location of this Canadian-founded chain is beloved for its popular run clinics and speaker series.

NIKE RUNNING When it comes to new sneakers arriving every day, you can’t beat Nike’s CF Toronto Eaton Centre location.

@SeeTorontoNow

THE RUNNERS SHOP Toronto’s oldest running store is known for personal attention and staff expertise.

BOND RUNNING This hip running hub offers a curated selection of cool brands and—true to its Kensington Market locale— on-point coffee.

2018 TORONTO

UPFRONT

BY SARAH DANIEL

Fashion lawyer Anjli Patel and emergency room physician and serendipitous model Parambir Keila are hands down one of Toronto’s most stylish couples. And while they love international labels—current faves include a Haider Ackermann reversible bomber, which they share (#couplegoals)— they’re big supporters of Toronto’s style scene. What are your favourite local shops? Anjli Patel: We’re renovating our home

right now, so our minds have been on furnishings and décor. We really like Caviar20. The owner, Troy [Seidman], has great taste and a nice selection of Canadian art and objets. For fashion, I like Ewanika, where you can find under-the-radar labels like Pairs in Paris and Mirit Weinstock. Parambir Keila: For interiors, there’s also Porch Modern, which has a great selection of curated and vintage pieces. I also like Want Apothecary. They have furnishings, perfume and clothing, including contemporary European brands, like Acne.

Toronto Women’s Fashion Week

is nice at lunchtime for a tartine and a glass of rosé on the secluded patio. For dinner, we’re loving La Banane. The food is incredible and they have this epic Ziggy Stardust Disco Egg for dessert. We like Café Cancan as well. It’s an intimate space that’s beautifully decorated, and the staff is wonderful.

is Youth Group, by a good friend of ours, Shayne Stephens. He finds pieces from vintage stores and personalizes them by drawing on them or cutting them up. He doesn’t sell them—he makes the clothes for himself—but if you ask him really nicely, he’ll give you something. AP: We’re both big fans of Sid Neigum. And Vejas is a great unisex label. The designer [Vejas Kruszewski] won the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton special prize in 2016. Two of my favourite Toronto brands are Beaufille and Opelle—they sum up exactly how I want to dress right now.

what city you’re in. AP: Always!

Want Apothecary

La Banane

Do we have a signature style? PK: There is a very defined view of

FASHION SHOWS AND FESTIVALS

FASHION ART TORONTO The best of fashion, film, art and photography collide in this week-long event, featuring 200 Canadian and international designers and artists. April 2018 MASS EXODUS FASHION WEEK Ryerson School of Fashion’s graduating class shows its

TORONTO 2018

Would you dress differently for a night out here versus in another city? PK: Always bring your A game, no matter

What Toronto-made labels are hanging in your closet? PK: One of my favourites

TORONTO MEN’S FASHION WEEK See menswear design talent like Kollar and Rani Kim, up-and-comers who have rocked the runway in the past. March 2018

what fashion is in cities like Miami and London. But in Toronto, there is no singular aesthetic, and I like that—I think that’s our strength.

work before seeking fame and fortune, like alums Erdem Moralioglu and Todd Lynn. April 2018 AFRICAN FASHION WEEK Designers from countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, St. Lucia, England and many others will show their collections. August 2018 INTERNATIONAL MODEST FASHION AND DESIGN FESTIVAL Islamic fashion designers and hijabi bloggers from across the globe gather to

celebrate modest fashion. August 2018 START UP FASHION WEEK Silicon Valley meets Project Runway: designers show off their digital savvy, and experts talk trends like wearable tech and 3-D printing. October 2018 TORONTO WOMEN’S FASHION WEEK Catch Canada’s most iconic womenswear labels and brightest rising stars at runway shows, pop-up shops and showrooms. October 2018 www.SeeTorontoNow.com

GEORGE PIMENTEL (PATEL AND KEILA); RICK O’BRIEN (LA BANANE); CHE ROSALES/LARAWAN (FASHION WEEK)

Double stitch

What are some stylish eateries? AP: Chabrol in Yorkville

10 up-and-coming galleries

Toronto’s gallery scene has something for every art hound. These ones are known for their support of early and mid-career artists. BY SAMRA HABIB

ARASH MOALLEMI (MOCA); PAUL P., CIVILIZATION COORDINATES, (2015-16). IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST, SCRAP METAL AND MAUREEN PALEY (SCRAP METAL GALLERY); CHARLES PACHTER (MOOSE FACTORY)

DANIEL FARIA GALLERY

This New York Times– approved gallery in semiindustrial Bloordale Village features works by some of Canada’s most celebrated artists. Program notes:

An exhibition by author and artist Douglas Coupland solidified its reputation.

YOUNGER THAN BEYONCÉ GALLERY

This nomadic gallery showcases work by emerging artists engaged with socio political, economic and community issues. Program notes: The gallery addresses a pop-culture-loving, feminist, LGBTQ-positive audience.

MOCA

The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada features Canadian and global artists. It’s reopening in spring in the Junction’s iconic Tower Automotive Building. Program notes: The museum has featured work by the likes of multi disciplinary artist @SeeTorontoNow

Luis Jacob and projection/text artist Jenny Holzer.

Program notes: The gallery exhibits Pachter’s paintings, sculptures and drawings.

CANADIAN SCULPTURE CENTRE

The 25-year-old Canadian Sculpture Centre is focused on fostering emerging talent. Program notes: Solo exhibitors this year will include Peter Alexander Por and John Clinton, as well as a two-person show by J.Mac and Peter Shoebridge, exploring human form and nature.

SCRAP METAL GALLERY

Located in the trendy Bloor and Lansdowne area, this gallery is more a labour of love than a commercial endeavor. Program notes:

Star Collection, 292,000 iconic black-and-white photographs of personalities, historic events and 20th-century conflicts.

BAU-XI GALLERY AND BAU-XI PHOTO

Bau-Xi and sister gallery Bau-Xi Photo feature contemporary Canadian and international artists working in a variety of media.

Past shows have featured Canadian talent like conceptual arts collective General Idea.

Program notes: Solo shows have included painters Robert Marchessault and photographer Katrin Korfmann.

RYERSON IMAGE CENTRE

Affiliated with Ryerson University, this gallery features politically and socially charged work. Program notes: It houses the famous Black

@SeeTorontoNow

MOOSE FACTORY

In 1996, iconic Canadian pop artist Charles Pachter bought a former funeral home in Chinatown, converting it to a studio and gallery.

401 RICHMOND

An indoor arts complex, 401 Richmond is home to numerous galleries and artist spaces. Program notes: Must-sees include Gallery 44, a contemporary photography gallery; artist-run A Space Gallery, which has been showing politically engaged work since 1971; and Trinity Square Video, which supports emerging and mid-career video artists.

PAUL PETRO CONTEMPORARY ART

A West Queen West institution since 2001, Paul Petro Contemporary Art exhibits Canadian and international artists. Program notes: Previous shows have included visual artist Will Munro, multi disciplinary artist Stephen Andrews and mixed-media artist/filmmaker Joyce Wieland. 2018 TORONTO

A UNIQUE VIEW ON CANADIAN DINING

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Join Executive Chef John Morris and Restaurateur Cameron Dryburgh at 360 Restaurant. Savour inspired Canadian cuisine featuring locally-sourced seasonal ingredients while feasting on spectacular 360-degree revolving views of Toronto. With a wide selection of wines from Ontario, Canada and the world to suit your meal, and complimentary elevation with a prix fixe, your fine dining experience at 360 is sure to find you saying, “Oh Canada.”

To make a reservation visit cntower.ca/360 or call 416-362-5411 @SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

SHAHEEN K AROLIA

Air Canada Centre January 13, 8:12 p.m.

@SeeTorontoNow

2018 TORONTO

A senior costumer at Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival (one of the world’s biggest carnivals!). A production designer at the legendary National Ballet of Canada. A senior curator at the Bata Shoe Museum. Meet the behind-the-scenes maestros who make three of Toronto’s most colourful cultural institutions shine. BY LARA CERONI

TORONTO 2018

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

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BACKSTAGE WONDERS

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

A “

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lthough Caribbean Carnival is a parade and celebratory in nature, it’s also a fierce competition: each mas band competes with one another and is judged on costumes, energy and creativity. The bandleader decides on the particular theme – it can be historical, satirical, political or fantasy—and the band is led by a King, Queen or both, who appear in our most lavish and innovative costumes. Each band can have five to 16 sections, with 50 to 400 people per section, all wearing similar costumes within each section for consistency. Our job is to craft a cohesive band theme across all of the costumes in the different sections so the audience can immediately understand what story we’re trying to tell. In 2017, one theme we worked on is ‘Oh, Canada,’ with costumes ranging from ‘Magic Within Niagara Falls’ to a tribute to women of the armed forces, as well as ‘The Gift,’ representing Carnival as the ‘gift’ to Canada from 1967 to 2017. We start building the large costumes around the first week of May, after we’ve showcased our section costumes to the general public, and each masquerader purchases their costume. Up to 20 people at a time come into ‘camp,’ which usually goes till August, to work on the costumes. It’s a big family affair: people bring food, we play music, barbecue and have children running around! During camp, we’re in production on the section costumes till the end of July. Materials vary, from fabrics, jewels, feathers and beads. We use a lot of wire, and often pool noodles from the dollar store to craft our incredible headpieces—some of which can be three feet high. For the King and Queen costumes, which can be up to 20 feet high and weigh up to 300 pounds, we build steel tripod-like frames on three wheels. Once we’ve built the costume and constructed the frame, we attach parts of the costume to the frame. It takes a lot of foam, spandex, mesh and other materials to make this costume look as realistic as possible. We’ve worked on costumes from $200 all the way up to $10,000. DEBORAH CHANG After Carnival is over, some participants keep their KIT-MINOTT headpieces, but some of the bigger costumes will go SENIOR COSTUME DESIGNER, PEEKS into storage if they’re being displayed at another TORONTO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL event, and the frames are kept and reused each year. Usually, the bigger costumes aren’t reused, as the The annual Peeks Toronto Caribbean themes could be wildly different next year. I have given Carnival is North America’s biggest outparts of some costumes to a high-school drama departdoor festival, drawing over two million ment, and there is talk of donating costumes for Black people each summer. The five-week-long History Month as well. event culminates in a Grand Parade world-renowned for its steelpan bands This is a job that goes so much further than just and jaw-dropping costumes. Here’s being interested in crafts. It’s a real community, and how Deborah Chang Kit-Minott, we’re committed to sharing our stories with Toronto a senior costume designer, helps bring its trademark splendour to life. and the world. We’re like the storytellers of a movie, except this movie plays out on the streets.” @SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

“

ELIZABETH SEMMELHACK SENIOR CURATOR AT THE BATA SHOE MUSEUM

Siberia, Alaska and Greenland. We’ve also conducted field studies in Asia and Europe. We have a full-time conservator and a collections manager to manage and oversee our two massive subterranean storage rooms: one houses our Western and global fashion; the second houses our polar collection from the Arctic as well as one of the largest moccasin collections in the world. Both have to be at the exact right temperature and humidity control to preserve the footwear and prevent any damage. We of ten get asked if we refresh or refurbish our footwear f inds, and my answer is simple: absolutely not. Footwear is about the people who wear them and, in essence, wear them down. If they have evidence of wear, we want to preserve that. We would never freshen them up, as we want to ensure that the history still lives on in that shoe. I don’t have favourites. It’s impossible to choose. Each shoe I study has so many stories embedded into it—the story of the maker, the materials, the salesperson, the buyer and the wearer.”

JAIME HOGGE (ALL PORTRAITS); PREVIOUS PAGE: SHAWN GOLDBERG/ALAMY (CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL); THIS PAGE: TORONTONIAN/ALAMY (BATA)

Every shoe has a story. Slip into the social, cultural and fashion history behind footwear at the Bata Shoe Museum (BSM). This unique museum is housed in an award-winning, shoebox-inspired building. Here’s how senior curator Elizabeth Semmelhack does her legwork: educating, researching and (#lifegoals) adding to the museum’s collection.

ost of the artifacts at the BSM are shoes, with 600 to 1,000 on display daily, and over 13,000 in our entire collection. Our shoes come to us in myriad ways: from auction houses to fashion designer donations, and even donations from people finding an unusual pair of shoes in their attic, which they know nothing about, that turn out to be something absolutely exciting. I sometimes laugh when I’m asked what a typical day is for me at the office, because there isn’t one. I’m a shoe historian, but I f ield calls, research current fashion trends, work with designers to design our exhibition spaces, do interviews, and sometimes even help police in the dating of shoes found on unidentified bodies. Right now, I’m working on a big travelling exhibit with Manolo Blahnik for May 2018. We have funded various trips to collect and research footwear in areas where traditions are changing rapidly, whether that’s North American Indigenous cultures or circumpolar groups in Canada,

TORONTO 2018

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storage, plus a welding shop, carpentry shop, paint shop and props shop. Logistically, setting the stage is complicated. Our director of production manages this process. We load everything from our Sca rboroug h production faci l ity t o t h e Fo u r S e a s o n s C e nt r e f o r t h e Performing Arts in downtown Toronto. We bring our own lighting, staging and equipment, piece by piece. We transport anywhere from five to 13 trailers of equipment at one time. What the departments create is nothing short of spectacular. We used to stage tours around the production facility, and I remember how ma ny v isitors were floored at the process and the details, once they were up close to a tree or the layers upon layers of tulle in a tutu. That’s what I love and what I find daily inspiration from in my work: understanding (and respecting!) all the infinitesimal details that go into creating a stage, a scene or a costume. If someone can watch a performance and appreciate it for its grandeur and beauty, then we’ve done our jobs right. We’re making dreams happen on that stage, and what job is better than that?”

K AROPHOTO (THE NUTCRACKER)

“

etting the proverbial stage on a National Ballet of Canada production always starts with Karen Kain, our Artistic Director. She has a vision for the company, so she chooses the repertoire, along with the particular choreographers she wants to work with. The choreographers, in consultation with Karen, pick their own design team. These conversations happen well in advance of us seeing anything. From there, it becomes a collaborative effort. Each production has a dedicated design team that confers with the choreographer to decide what the show will look like. Next, the designs get presented to us — a ma ssive depa r tment that includes myself, our head carpenter, head scenic artist, electricians, props department, director of production, wardrobe, @SeeTorontoNow

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rental coordinators, seamstresses and our costuming department. The design team supplies us with as much background information, reference materials and inspiration as they can, so we can brainstorm concepts and get to work. In the case of Alice in Wonderland, for example, the team specifically wanted to work with choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, so that was a base point from which we started to build the narrative and look of the production. There are a lot of questions and back and forth. Depending on the size of the production, we typically have three to 12 months to create the sets. Up a t o u r p r o d u c t i o n f a c i l i t y i n Scarborough, we have a full-time staff of seven, plus me and any additional staff we recruit, such as union welders and carpenters. We have about 65 productions in

YVETTE DRUMGOLD

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION, THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA

Established in 1951, The National Ballet of Canada presents classical ballets by the world’s most celebrated 20th- and 21st-century masters—about 10 productions each year. Here’s how backstage artists like Yvette Drumgold, associate director of production, create sets worthy of the country’s finest dancers.

2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

INCUBATOR CITY From animation to aviation, fashion to film, there’s an incubator ready to support Canada’s most dynamic startups. BY CAMILA CORNELL

MaRS Discovery District 34

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hen Bruno Santiago started looking for a place to launch his startup, he knew exactly what he wanted: a country with a welcoming business climate and an open door for budding entrepreneurs. When the Brazilian was offered space in a Toronto business incubator in 2016, he knew he’d found it. Santiago set up shop in Toronto in August 2016, joining an accelerator run by technology venture capital firm Extreme Venture Partners. Santiago’s business idea—an e-commerce platform for private jet solutions—has taken root, alongside his passion for his new home. “Canada is just fantastic when setting the groundwork for entrepreneurs,” says Santiago. “I love the business orientation of Toronto—it’s very dynamic. There is an event for startups every day if you can fit it into your agenda.” Indeed, Extreme Accelerator is just one of some 64 incubators, accelerators and technology hubs in the city—many established in the last five to 10 years—contributing to Toronto’s reputation as a vibrant launching pad for local and international talent.

HOLLY SISSON (MARS); MARK BLINCH (DMZ)

INCUBATORS, ACCELERATORS AND HUBS

The basic concept behind incubators, accelerators and tech hubs is this: just as prenat a l i ncubator s nu r tu re f ra g i le newborns until they can survive on their own, all three aim to help fledgling enterprises in economic sectors as diverse as technology, food, fashion, f ilm, social enterprise, financial services, music, retail and design get off the ground. “They’re there to support startups, no matter whether they’re at the idea stage or they’ve gained some market traction and they’re scaling up,” says Chris Rickett, manager of entrepreneurship services for the City of Toronto. Entrepreneurs and talent usually apply for a spot in a specific program, and competition can be fierce. But once accepted, they can generally access a range of perks, from shared working space to equipment, staff members with business and technical acumen, mentors who are accomplished entrepreneurs themselves, and matchmaking events between startups, talent, potential investors and customers. But while there are many similarities between incubators, accelerators and tech hubs, there are some key differences as well. Here are some examples. @SeeTorontoNow

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DMZ v Incubators tend to focus on early stage

busi nesses a nd generate revenue by charging fees for their programs. But they may also be subsidized—sometimes heavily—by government or larger corporations. “The businesses can usually stay for as long as they need to, up to a point,” says Sunil Sharma, chair of the Canadian Acceleration and Business Incubation (CABI) and managing director of Techstars Toronto (an accelerator). v Accelerators are often run by venture capital funds that take a stake in the startups as payment for their services. “With an accelerator, companies join in a batch or cohort, and there’s a defined start date and end date,” says Sharma. v Innovation hubs act more as a catalyst b et we en i nve s t or s a nd r e s e a r c her s (often with universities and hospitals) who seek to turn great ideas into tangible, useful products. Although their motivations may be different, incubators, accelerators and hubs all have a vested interest in seeing startup enterprises survive, whether to increase Canada’s competitiveness, provide jobs or simply make some cash.

AN OPEN DOOR TO TALENT

Canada, and particularly Toronto, offers a welcoming atmosphere for talented individuals looking for a safe launching pad. In an attempt to spur innovation and job creation, Canada’s Start-up Visa Program offers permanent resident status to foreign-born entrepreneurs, as long as a Canadian venture capital fund or angel investor group commits financially to their business or

they have the support of a business incubator. Significantly, about 48 percent of the members of startup teams in Toronto come from other countries. Once here, Santiago points out, Toronto has all the elements a startup needs to grow, from a highly skilled workforce a n d a c o s m o p o l it a n at m o s p h e r e t o e c o nom ic s t abi l it y a nd a bu s i ne s sfriendly culture that actively encourages entrepreneurship. Rickett couldn’t agree more. The City of Toronto has been involved in incubation for about 30 years, and Rickett and his team make it their mission to help people start new businesses in the city, provide support for incubators and accelerators, develop new incubators to support key sectors, and lead collaborative projects between incubators and accelerators. “Toronto tends to f ly under the radar because we don’t talk enough about how awesome we are,” he says. “But we have a diverse and deep startup ecosystem.” Here’s just a small sampling of the kinds of incubators, accelerators and incubation hubs you’ll find.

MARS DISCOVERY DISTRICT

What do the producer of a new ADHD drug, an innovative solar panel developer and a medical company exploring technologies to aid in brain surgery have in common? The answer: They’re all being nurtured by MaRS Discovery District. MaRS’ 1.5 million square-foot innovation centre in the heart of Toronto ranks as the world’s largest urban innovation hub. Its goal: To help to commercialize the 2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL cutting-edge research being performed in the hospitals, businesses and university labs that surround it. “Our startups are tackling some of the most complex global challenges, from innovative cancer therapies to advanced energy storage,” says Karen Greve Young, vice-president of corporate development and partnerships at MaRS. To that end, MaRS offers space, mentoring and matchmaking events for startups with investors, customers and talent. It also works with corporations and government to help them adopt innovation in four main sectors, namely, energy and t he env i ron ment (i.e., “clea n tech”), finance and commerce, health, and work and learning. “Innovation is the most powerful driver of positive economic and social change,” says Greve Young. “We like to say that MaRS is not just about creating billion-dollar companies, but touching a billion lives.”

TORONTO FASHION INCUBATOR

Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) ranks as the first official fashion incubator in the world. Launched in 1987, to spotlight and support the next generation of Canadian fashion designers and entrepreneurs, it has prompted copycat programs in over 30 global cities, including London, Paris, New York, Milan, Amsterdam, Melbourne and Chicago. TFI’s resident designers get 24/7 access to a work studio, high-end sewing machines and industrial irons, and a resource centre where they can check out costly trendforecasting services gratis. Among the successful alumni are Sunny Fong of Project Runway Canada fame; Joeffer Caoc who established first Misura and then Joeffer Caoc; U.K. designer Todd Lynn; Pina Ferlisi, once the creative director of Marc by Marc Jacobs and McQ and now the creative director of Henri Bendel; as well as the labels Line Knitwear, David Dixon and Smythe.

DIGITAL MEDIA ZONE

In the eight years since it opened its doors, the DMZ (Digital Media Zone) at Ryerson University has become the top-ranked university-based incubator in Nor th America, and third in the world, according to UBI Global—a leader in performance analysis of business incubators. Just over 300 startups sprang to life in the DMZ, garnering more than $380 million in funding among them. 36

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Noteworthy grads include employee communication platform SoapBox; medical photo-sharing app Figure 1 (used to crowdsource diagnoses to complex and rare conditions); and robotics company Drea mQi i, wh ich launched Ca nada’s most successful startup crowdfunding campaign ever three years ago, raising $2.5 million for its PlexiDrone product. The DMZ’s reach extends far beyond Canada’s borders as well, with partnerships in the U.S., India, South Africa, the U.K. and Tunisia. A recently opened space in New York City should “allow DMZ ventures in Toronto to explore the market opportunities in the U.S.,” says Rickett. “That’s the next step in helping companies built in Toronto to scale globally.”

CANADIAN MUSIC THEATRE PROJECT

When the Canadian musical Come From Away launched on Broadway back in March 2017, it took New York by storm, garnering glowing reviews and a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. The heart-warming production was based on the true story of how the town of Gander, Newfoundland, welcomed 6,579 people who arrived on their doorstep after 38 planes were forced to land on September 11, 2001. What few people know is that the musical was originally developed and produced by Sheridan College and the Canadian Music Theatre Project (CMTP), Canada’s first incubator for the development of new musical theatre works. Launched in 2011, the incubator offers chosen writers, lyricists and composers a writer’s fee and an opportunity to hone and perfect their work. They can make full use of a professional director, a music director and a cast of fourth-year Sheridan students to workshop the material, bringing the characters to life. So far, CMTP has workshopped 19 musicals, including Brantwood, which won the 2015 Dora Mavor Moore Audience Choice Award, and The Theory of Relativity, which ran Off West End in London, England. “The very best in the business will tell you that what makes it onstage is probably draft 472, not draft one,” says Michael Rubinoff, producing artistic director of CMTP and Theatre Sheridan. Like all of Toronto’s incubators—whether they focus on upstart businesses, arts ventures or social enterprises—CMTP provides the support creators need to help them get to that polished draft, prototype or launch.

TORONTO CONFERENCES BY THE NUMBERS Toronto is the top Canadian domestic business travel destination and the most popular choice for American association meetings outside the U.S. Here’s why.

200

Approximate number of members of Toronto’s innovative Leaders Circle. With expertise in such areas as academia, medical/life science, leading-edge technologies, natural resources and commerce, Leaders Circle promotes Toronto as a host city for significant international meetings. Members can get complimentary support to take them right through from strategic conference bid to site inspections.

3,260,000 Square footage of meeting space at five major convention centres

40,000 Number of hotel rooms in more than 230 hotels in Toronto.

50+

Percentage of the U.S. and Canadian population that lives within a 90-minute flight from Toronto, which ranks as the fourth-largest city in North America, after Mexico City, New York and Los Angeles.

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BUILDINGS THAT BROKE THE RULES

CITY HALL 1965

ARCHITECTS: Viljo Revell with John B. Parkin Associates

During the international competition to design Toronto’s new City Hall in the late 1950s, architects were asked to create “a symbol of Toronto, a source of pride and pleasure to its citizens.” From more than 500 entries submitted, the jury selected Finnish architect Viljo Revell’s futuristic complex. Beyond its unusual curving form and extensive use of concrete, City Hall was 38

TORONTO 2018

unique in placing the flying saucerlike council chamber at its core and councillor offices along its front side, creating a sense that politicians couldn’t hide from the public. When City Hall opened in September 1965, fears it would be a financial white elephant quickly vanished as Toronto nians immediately embraced their new landmark. “It gives the metropolis a focus,” the Toronto Star declared. “It is the heart of Toronto’s future. It is the symbol of the new Toronto and we can rejoice in what that means.” That prediction of City Hall’s future proved accurate. Its success encouraged

further architectural experimentation during the downtown building boom, which followed its opening. Its symbolic power of representing the hopes of the city is reflected by its use in the official city logo. Most of all, combined with Nathan Phillips Square, it succeeds as a place for Torontonians to gather to have fun, celebrate our triumphs, reflect on injustices and remember public figures. As critic Alex Bozikovic observes in Toronto Architecture: A City Guide, City Hall remains “one of Toronto’s very best buildings, and one of the boldest leaps forward in the city’s history.” www.SeeTorontoNow.com

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When a groundbreaking structure comes along, people notice. Some, like City Hall, are immediate faves, while others take longer to win hearts. Meet five modern icons that changed the way Torontonians view urban architecture. BY JAMIE BRADBURN

TORONTO-DOMINION CENTRE 1963–69

ARCHITECTS: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, John B. Parkin Associates and Bregman & Hamann

The modernist, black glass Toronto-Dominion Centre was the first of the wave of skyscrapers that dominate downtown today. Mies van der Rohe’s design was one of the first Toronto buildings to earn international praise. Its minimalist appearance was a change from the ornate details most financial institutions had favoured. “Mies’s signature black tower,” writer John Martins-Manteiga noted in his book Mean City, “is to architecture what Chanel’s little black dress is to fashion.” Within a few years, it was joined by the Commerce Court complex, followed by mid- and late1970s giants First Canadian

Place and Royal Bank Plaza. Beyond the distinctive look of the original two towers, and its single-storey banking pavilion on King Street, the Toronto-Dominion Centre changed how downtown workers went about their day. Its air-conditioned underground shopping concourse was, as an early ad boasted, “planned for people—for work and enterprise, for inspiration, for recreation.” It evolved into one of the original pieces of the PATH underground system. While it has been added onto several times since its original phase, it retains its distinctive appearance, adding mid-century elegance to the neighbourhood.

JOHN P. ROBARTS RESEARCH LIBRARY 1971–73

CANADA /ALAMY (CIT Y HALL)

ARCHITECTS: Warner Burns Toan & Lunde with Mathers & Haldenby

That Robarts Library stood out in its neighbourhood when it opened in 1973 is an understatement. There was its 14-storey height, dwarfing anything else that was existing on the University of Toronto’s central campus. There was its unique shape, compared when viewed from above to a maple leaf or peacock. Most of all, there was its brutalist form, clothed in 100,000 cubic yards of concrete. Little wonder it quickly earned the nickname Fort Book. Early on, it drew as much controversy for a decision, later overturned, to only allow graduate students access to its book stacks as it did for its boundarypushing, stark appearance. “Robarts is unsettling,” architecture professor Mary Lou Lobsinger observed in the book Concrete Toronto. “It resists the comfortable familiarity expected of a building over time.” Author Umberto Eco was rumoured to be inspired by its almost-medieval appearance when creating the library in his novel The Name of the Rose. Over time, younger generations of architects appreciated Robarts as a fine example of brutalism, reflected by the heritage protection it received in the late 1990s. “Even the harshest of critics had to admit that the building was well-constructed and beautifully detailed,” Lobsinger noted. @SeeTorontoNow

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2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL SHARP CENTRE FOR DESIGN AT OCAD UNIVERSITY 2004

ARCHITECTS: Will Alsop, with Robbie/Young+Wright

When the Ontario College of Art and Design (now OCAD University) looked to expand its downtown campus in the early 2000s, it could have gone a conventional route and slightly modified existing buildings or built on a nearby parking lot. “But there’s no magic in that,” British architect Will Alsop told the New York Times. What Alsop devised was far more audaciously appropriate for an art college. Above the school’s core building, he designed what has been called a “tabletop” or a “shoebox in the sky.” Sitting atop colourful steel pipe stilts rising 26.8 metres (88 feet) above the

ground, the structure allowed nearby residents to maintain their view of Grange Park and created space for the park to be enlarged. “Few buildings have dominated Toronto’s conversation like this one,” Bozikovic observes. The Sharp Centre received plenty of international praise and awards. In 2015, it was included in Azure magazine’s roundup of 10 buildings around the globe that showed how cities could be transformed by architecture. Azure observed that everything about Alsop’s creation “screams to be heard, seen and loved, which it most certainly is.”

MICHAEL LEE-CHIN CRYSTAL AT THE ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM (ROM) 2007

If you want to engage a Torontonian in an animated conversation about architecture, just say “ROM Crystal.” It’s hard to run across anyone who feels indifferent about Daniel Libeskind’s renegade design. Originally sketched on a napkin, it appeared at a time when Toronto experienced a renaissance of cultural institution revamps by starchitects like Will Alsop and Frank Gehry. Those who chose the Cr ystal over competing designs felt it would show that the ROM was ready to be at the forefront of contemporary architectural trends. “Libeskind’s design was that one idea that could fundamentally transform our city, both physically and symbolically,” ROM board of governors chair Rob Pierce told the Toronto Star. Beyond its eye-grabbing design, the ROM Crystal allowed the museum to open a larger entrance area off Bloor Street. It also created a better flow for visitors to enjoy over 300,000 square feet of new or revamped exhibition and public space. As for winning over any remaining naysayers, that may just be a matter of time. While locals will happily argue its merits, visitors have fully embraced it— according to TripAdvisor users, the ROM is among the top five attractions in Toronto. 40

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TOM ARBAN (OCAD); CLIFTON LI (ROM)

ARCHITECTS: Daniel Libeskind with B+H Architects

MINUTES AWAY, WORLDS APART. Just a 30-minute drive from Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downtown and within easy reach for day trips to Niagara Falls.

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discovermississauga.ca

1,200 RESTAURANTS / 2,800 RETAIL SHOPS / 11 VILLAGES / 500 PARKS

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Port Credit Village in Mississauga 2018 TORONTO 1

CITY CONFIDENTIAL @rabbit_hearts Toronto Light Festival

@lifelightlens Cavalcade of Lights

@shannonhoude Hudson’s Bay holiday windows

WINTER MAGIC

The first frost kicks off a city-wide warming trend as holiday events, city lights and winter happenings make Toronto sizzle. Here’s the best from Instagram.

@songyeon_annie Toronto Christmas Market

@roof_topper Cavalcade of Lights

@rabbit_hearts Toronto Light Festival

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@the.416.life Nathan Phillips Square

@hollyqian1228 Toronto Christmas Market @senia_aarij Nathan Phillips Square

@jesseytheelf Distillery Historic District

@smeetpandya Harbourfront Centre

@robharrisphotography Toronto Christmas Market

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2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

FIRST SIGHT Canadian Indigenous art is a major part of the nation’s contemporary art scene. Here’s a primer on this dynamic and evolving milieu. BY CLAYTON WINDATT Created from descendants of the original inhabitants of this land, Indigenous art occupies a vital position within Canadian art. Indigenous people do not form one homogenous cultural group, and there are strong regiona l identities among First Nations, Métis and Inuit communi ties, bands and tribes. W hen viewing Indigenous art, understanding the cul tural context it was produced within will provide you with a deeper appreciation of the artist and their work. Toronto’s Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and the McMichael Canadian Art Col lection, just north of the city, showcase many of Canada’s leading modern and contemporary Indigenous artists. Here is an overview of the most inf luential Indigenous art movements, as represented by seven leading artists, most of whom either have work in the collections of these galleries or have exhibited at them.

THE WOODLAND SCHOOL & BEYOND

Ojibway painter Norval Morrisseau was one of the first Indigenous artists to achieve mainstream success during the 1960s. Considered the leader of the Woodland School of art, Morrisseau is known for a visual aesthetic of bright colours and what came to be known as “Indian” stylization, with thick lines connecting people, places and creatures together. Morrisseau’s works depict—among other messages—transformation, captur ing the power coming from within the land, water and animals. Morrisseau was a residential school survivor who lived through the suppression of native culture and language during the early half of the 1900s, and his stylized paintings are as p ol it ic a l a s t he y a r e s y mb ol ic: t he y declare ownership over territor y and claim agency for his culture. 44

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Today, the Woodland School and its iconic imagery retain their cultural signif icance, reimagined by younger artists. Contemporary visual artist Christian Chapman’s work Elvis Changing into a ’77 Ford Thunderbird (2014) is a pop-culturetinged riff on Norval Morrisseau’s Man C h a n g i n g i n t o T h u n d e r b i r d ( 1 9 7 7 ). Chapman’s works often explore the inter section between Indigenous and nonIndigenous society. They also tell a story of heritage and identity, preser ving the evolving Anishinabe culture he is a part of.

ARTISTS’ STATEMENTS

Many Indigenous artists have engaged their practice as a platform for sociopolitical change, a strategy that artists around the world have employed. Ojibway artist Carl Beam frequently explores themes of identity and the impact of colo nization on Indigenous Peoples. His 1985 painting The North American Iceberg (whose title ironically references an Art Gallery of Ontario exhibition of that same

Top: Annie Pootoogook, Man Abusing His Partner, 2001, coloured pencil and ink. Private collection. Bottom: Carl Beam, Sitting Bull and Whale, 1990, etching on Arches paper. Toronto, Art Gallery of Ontario.

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PICTURELIBRARY/ALAMY (MORRISSEAU)

Norval Morrisseau’s Man Changing into Thunderbird, 1977, acrylic on canvas, on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

year, The European Iceberg) was the first work by an Aboriginal artist purchased by the National Gallery of Canada for its con temporary art collection. In Beam’s striking 1990 The Columbus Suite, a series of 12 monumental etchings that are part of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s collection, he examines and reclaims colonialist ideas of discovery and identity, using appropriated photo-reproductions as well as images of himself at various stages of life. In Canada, as elsewhere, conversations about Indigenous rights remain ongoing. This context is a persistent concern for Indigenous artists, as many issues between Indigenous people and non-Indigenous s o c i e t y r e m a i n u n r e s o l v e d . Ye t a s Canadians, we share collective history and geography. That is a perspective explored prominently in the work of Kent Monkman, a Toronto-based, contemporary artist of Cree ancestr y whose queer a lter-ego Miss Chief Eagle Testickle is depicted in painting, film and video works as a counter narrative to conventional colonial history. Monk man’s paintings, in sweeping 19th-century Romantic style, depict a wide range of historical narratives, deconstruct ing existing notions of “Indians” that have been portrayed in historical textbooks @SeeTorontoNow

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“HIS STYLIZED PAINTINGS ARE AS POLITICAL AS THEY ARE SYMBOLIC: THEY DECLARE OWNERSHIP OVER TERRITORY AND CLAIM AGENCY FOR HIS CULTURE” and art over the past few hundred years. Monkman reimagines these works in his own fashion, painting scenes of love and war, appropriating and subverting the conventional. It’s an approach that’s con frontational—and effective. Monkman is one of Canada’s most renow ned con temporary artists, with work featured in Australia’s 2010 Biennale of Sydney festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (now called Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada) and the National Gallery of Canada. His work is also in the permanent collection of Toronto’s Art Gallery of Ontario.

SUBVERSION & RECONCILIATION

While some artists choose to confront the world with images that challenge headon , ot her s a i m for t he s a me i mpac t through subversion.

Inuk artist Annie Pootoogook is known for her ink and coloured pencil drawings. Pootoogook portrayed life in her commu nity, Nor thern Canada’s Cape Dorset (known as Kinngait in Inuktitut). Her rep resentations explore ever yday occur rences, including personal experiences. These include representations of typical, day-to-day life, such as children watching television—or a woman experiencing domestic violence. Pootoogook’s work mixes humour and blunt representations of the disparities found in Indigenous life, making these scenes of “normal” life a point of confrontation. Métis painter Jim Logan works in a sim ilar way, often discussing the church’s rela tionship with Indigenous Peoples. Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, he depicts his experiences as a lay minister in the Kwanlin Dün Village, in the outskirts of Whitehorse, Yukon. Logan employs 2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL A n i sh i n abe a r t i st whose pol it ic a l ly charged work has brought considerable i nter nat iona l accla i m. Bel more wa s Canada’s official representative (and the f irst Indigenous woman to represent Canada) at the 2005 Venice Biennale, and won the 2016 Gershon Iskowitz Prize at the Art Gallery of Ontario (the AGO also has three of her works in its collection.) Known for pushing boundaries, Belmore’s perfor mance art functions as both protest form and coping mechanism. Belmore’s work has raised awareness of violence toward Indigenous people (especially women) and Indigenous rights. Belmore’s work looks at how politics relate to the construction of identity and representation.

A NEW ERA

Jim Logan, Father Dion’s New Car, 2016, acrylic on canvas. Private collection.

humour and tragedy to raise awareness of the cond itions w ithin Ind ige n o u s communities and in Canada’s former residential schools. Pootoogook’s work has been included in prestigious international group exhibi tions, like Germany’s Documenta, and in the permanent collection of the National

Gallery of Canada. Dozens of her pieces can be viewed at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the McMichael Canadian A r t Collection (which staged an exhibition of her work last year). Logan has had a solo exhibition at the McMichael and was a featured artist at Vancouver’s Expo 86. Rebecca Belmore is a multi disciplinary

Although all these artists are unified under the identifying term Indigenous, each retains individual identity coming from d i f ferent places, cu ltu res a nd back grounds. What they share is a connection to the struggle that Indigenous Peoples have faced in Ca nada, as elsewhere. Indigenous art and Indigenous rights will forever be intertwined. That context is the f irst step in appreciating the ground breaking work from creators as varied as Morrisseau to Belmore. With files from Jennifer Krissilas

ARTISTIC LEGACY Here’s where to find even more Indigenous art, all across the city. Four totem poles carved by members of the Nisga’a and Haida communities of the Pacific Northwest tower above the stairways at the Royal Ontario Museum. Don’t miss the ROM’s Daphne Cockwell Gallery of Canada: First Peoples.

The Inukshuk is a sculptural figure that serves as a multifaceted guide to the Inuit, both practically and symbolically. West of Harbourfront, Toronto Inukshuk Park features a 50-tonne mountain rose granite version created by Kellypalik Qimirpik of Nunavut.

The oldest professional Indigenous theatre company in Canada, Native Earth

TORONTO 2018

Performing Arts has a full slate of theatre, dance and multidisciplinary art programming planned for 2018.

The imagineNATIVE film + Media Arts Festival is the world’s biggest presenter of Indigenous screen content. The event celebrates its 19th birthday in 2018.

The Bata Shoe Museum and Gardiner Museum collections both house hand crafted works of historical and cultural significance.

Finally, if you’re souvenir hunting, the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto’s

McMichael Canadian Art Collection gift store sells pieces designed by Indigenous artists and artisans.

Kleinburg’s McMichael Canadian Art Collection is home to one of the country’s foremost collections of contemporary Indigenous art, including photography, mixed

media, installations, performance art and assemblage. The McMichael’s Inuit collection features contemporary work, and is the long-term home to over 100,000 drawings, prints and sculptures from Cape Dorset, Nunavut’s historic West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative artist co-op. –Tara Nolan

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DMITRY ROZHKOV (MCMICHAEL)

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CITY CONFIDENTIAL

BEHIND-THE-SCENES

MVPS Sports superstars like Toronto Blue Jays’ Marcus Stroman and Raptors’ Kyle Lowry delight fans with their incredible gamesmanship, but have you ever wondered about Toronto’s other MVPs? Meet some of the behind-the-scenes players who help our sports teams slam dunk, home run and score. BY TARA NOLAN

RAPTOR TIME!

TORONTO 2018

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He dances, he dunks, he’s a fan-pranking dinosaur with his own Twitter account: The Toronto Raptors’ mascot—the epony mously named The R aptor—stands head and haunches above his rivals. Sports Illustrated ranked him No. 1 among NBA mascots, an honour The Raptor takes in stride. “It was really cool,” says The Raptor. “I made a bunch of copies of the story!” In a feat of longevity unheard of in sport, the same mystery human has worn The Raptor uniform since the team became an NBA franchise in 1995. When The Raptor injured his Achilles tendon during an overly exuberant school appearance in 2013, mascot and human recovered together. “It was the Worst. Thing. Ever. I have a hard time sitting still, but the doctors told me I had to. I said, ‘Have you met me?’” recounts The Raptor. His differently costumed cousin, Stripes, filled in during his six-month recovery. Entering his 23rd season last year, The Raptor had made close to 6,000 international appearances. Does he have a pre-game strategy? “I usually have something specific to do, such as the skits during the timeouts, but as far as everything else, it’s a spur-of-the-moment type of thing,” he says. The Raptor says the best thing about his job isn’t the courtside action, the fame or the glory. “It might sound cliché—look at me, a dinosaur that uses big words!—but it’s the fans. We have the best fans anywhere, and they make each game and appearance I go to the most amazing time. So if you’re reading this: Thank you!”

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WHY THE GRASS IS GREENER AT BMO FIELD Watching grass grow is literally part of Robert Heggie’s job description. Heggie is head groundskeeper of BMO Field and Kia Training Ground at Downsview Park, part of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE). Until last year, Heggie maintained a single focus: keeping Toronto FC soccer club’s soccer pitch—a mix of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass—in top shape. But following a facilities agreement with the Toronto Argonauts, the BMO Field playing field was to convert from soccer pitch to football field, and back again throughout the playing season. Heggie tackles this task multiple times each season with a team of 11 full-time staff. In a typical conversion, problem spots are repaired, goal posts are removed or installed, and new field markings are drawn (or removed). The busiest-turnaround field conversion took place in June 2017, with Friday night soccer to Sunday football to Tuesday soccer to Friday football. The result? “You’d be hard pressed to tell there was another event. We’ve got changing down to an art,” says Heggie.

FROM FREE THROWS TO FACE OFFS RON TURENNE/NBAE/GETT Y IMAGES (RAPTORS); DOUG BROWN (TORONTO FC); DANIEL LEA /CSM/ALAMY (ARGOS); KEVIN SOUSA /CSM/ALAMY (LEAFS PLAYER AND FAN); LOUIS AU (BASKETBALL COURT)

Throughout the playing season, Air Canada Centre (to be renamed Scotiabank Arena in July 2018) transforms overnight from the Toronto Raptors’ basketball court to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ hockey rink. Here are the stats behind the swap.

,000 665 SQUARE FEET

Average conversions/month

Size of Air Canada Centre Ice surface

26 METRES X 61 METRES (85’ X 200’)

Basketball court

15 METRES X 29 METRES (50’ X 95’) Basketball

,800 19SEATS

185 TO 200

Hours it takes to do a conversion Hockey

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Conversion happens between

10 P.M. AND 6 A.M. @SeeTorontoNow

20 TO 25

Conversions/year (includes basketball, hockey, lacrosse + live entertainment)

6 – 8

,800 18SEATS

Number of staff it takes to make the changeover

Number of months the ice is in place

AT LEAST 7

4 DAYS

Time it takes to rebuild the ice in September

2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

MAJOR LEAGUES Cheer on one of our home teams— there are plenty to choose from! Two-time World Series champs

13 Stanley Cups

Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) FOUNDED 1917

Toronto Blue Jays (MLB)

FOUNDED 1976

Four-time Atlantic Division winners

Music helps set the scene for victory, pumping up crowds and rallying players. DJ Jed Harper rocks it for Toronto Blue Jays’ home games at Rogers Centre. Marnie Starkman, the team’s VP of marketing, talks about two of the team’s strongest assets: a killer DJ and can’t-miss tunes. “Jed gets songs before they even hit the air. He brings new music in every month and makes sure it’s relevant. We keep it fresh and updated on a regular basis. With 81 home games, we don’t want people hearing the same thing game after game. “During the seventh-inning stretch, we’ve played ‘OK Blue Jays’ since the 1980s. Every game. Fans have said ‘no chance’ when we talk about removing it. “We take a lot of requests on weekends. Fans also tweet in requests. Jed plays fan requests throughout the games. And each player requests the music they come up to bat to. Our pitchers have music, too. (Editor’s note: The Blue Jays athlete playlist can be found on the MLB.com Ballpark app.) “You know you have a good track when the fans are up and dancing—I see it on the video board.”

WINGMAN TO THE CUP Check the dictionary: under dream job, we’re pretty sure you’ll find a photo of Mike Bolt with the Stanley Cup. Since 2000, Bolt has been one of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s four Keepers of the Cup. Here’s the scoop on one heck of a day job. What’s your official job description? We’re handlers. We shine it, keep it clean and keep it safe. We get the Cup from A to B— it’s on the road over 150 days a year.

TORONTO 2018

Does the Stanley Cup get its own plane seat? We check it. Once it goes down the conveyor belt, you have to trust the airline. We have one or two hiccups a year, tops. What do you pack it in? It has a customdesigned case. I’ve wheeled it right out of Toronto Pearson International Airport and onto the UP Express train, through Union Station to the

Hockey Hall of Fame. If only people knew I was pushing the Cup! When is the original Stanley Cup in the Hockey Hall of Fame? A replica is in place when the Presentation Cup is on the road. But the Presentation Cup is always there on Hall of Fame weekend.

Toronto Raptors (NBA) FOUNDED 1995

Toronto Argonauts (CFL) FOUNDED 1873

6 Champion’s Cups

2017 MLS Cup champs

Toronto FC (MLS)

FOUNDED 2006

Toronto Wolfpack (RFL) FOUNDED 2016

Toronto Rock (NLL)

FOUNDED 1998 2017 Kingstone Press League 1 champions

PRO TEAMS Smaller venues let you get closer to the action. Check out tomorrow’s stars, now playing for these minor-league teams.

TORONTO MARLIES (AHL)

MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS (OHL)

BRAMPTON BEAST (ECHL)

RAPTORS 905 (NBA G)

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MICHELLE PRATA (VIDEO SCREEN); WENN LTD/ALAMY (MIKE BOLT)

MUSIC OF SUMMER

17 Grey Cups

GAME PLAYING. TRIP PLANNING.

THEY WONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. Find neighbourhood scavenger hunts, outrageous ice cream, puzzles and more in Yo Toronto, The Magazine.

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ATE ULTIM VERS O SLEEP 2018 TORONTO

LOOK + LISTEN Our curated fashion playlists combine the best of two fave passions. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAVIER LOVERA

STYLING BY JANICE MEREDITH WISMER

ON HIM Urban Outfitters, Winners

URBAN CASUAL

ON HER Hudson’s Bay, Winners, Browns

Keep your cool in hot athleisure looks set to a hip-hop or pop-rock beat. SHOP THE LOOK Find your favourite brands at the city’s best destination malls. Yorkdale Shopping Centre power players include Drake’s flagship October’s Very Own shop, AllSaints, and House of Hoops by Foot Locker for special edition kicks. CF Sherway Gardens boasts Sporting Life, French Connection and Abercrombie & Fitch. Just west of the city, Mississauga’s Square One Shopping Centre is home to 320-plus shops and services, including top brands like Ben Sherman, Topshop/Topman and Urban Outfitters, while Brampton’s Bramalea City Centre includes Ecko Unltd., Forever 21 and Soul Underground. Head north of the city to top outlet mall Vaughan Mills, where you’ll find steals on Adidas, Armani Exchange, Champs Sports and more.

TORONTO 2018

CITY PLAYLIST Drake The Weeknd Alessia Cara Maestro Fresh Wes

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

cation Shot on lo oom, B c ni at So rges t Canada ’s la t record independen ializing store, spec in viny l from e. ever y genr ON HER Hudson’s Bay

CITY PLAYLIST Isabel Bayrakdarian Glenn Gould J.J. Bui Emily D’Angelo

HAIR AND MAKE-UP: OLIVIA COLACCI/JUDY INC.; MODELS: CAMILA, JOEY, MARCUS (PLUTINO)

BLACK TIE

Suit up for an elegant night at the opera or symphony. ON HIM Hugo Boss, Hudson’s Bay

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SHOP THE LOOK For the best in designer and luxury brands, hit BloorYorkville, home to Holt Renfrew, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Prada and Tiffany & Co. Tony indoor mall Yorkville Village has Cop. Copine, Belstaff and Italian heritage shop Eleventy. For no-holds-barred gala dressing, head down to CF Toronto Eaton Centre at Queen and Yonge for Hudson’s Bay’s fabled The Room for Balmain, Lanvin, Erdem, Proenza Schouler and more, plus a shoe studio boasting the likes of Nicholas Kirkwood, Sophia Webster and Gianvito Rossi. The shopping centre also features a Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and upscale men’s clothier Harry Rosen.

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2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

ON HER House of Vintage

ON HIM Topman

FRIDAY NIGHT

Get creative with workwear that goes from Monday meetings to Friday night jazz. SHOP THE LOOK Punch up your wardrobe with unique finds and splurges. Holt Renfrew carries designer fashion, accessories and shoes from the likes of Paul Smith, Theory, Thomas Mason, Pink Tartan, Etro, Brunello Cucinelli and more. CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre both feature careeroriented retailers like Banana Republic and Club Monaco. The Financial Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garrison Bespoke is the place to go for hand-tailored suits, shirts and formalwear. Head to The Distillery Historic District to shop night-out looks at Gotstyle.

TORONTO 2018

CITY PLAYLIST Oscar Peterson Allison Au Rich Brown BadBadNotGood

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CITY PLAYLIST Metric Rush Neil Young Feist

ON HER Anthropologie

STREET STYLE

Hip festival looks are for every season, whether or not your fave indie bands are on tour. SHOP THE LOOK Get a one-of-a-kind look for guys and gals at the city’s best vintage and independent shops. Kensington Market is Toronto’s vintage HQ, with mainstays like Courage My Love and Exile. Another vintage hot spot is the Queen Street West strip, for Pearls and Pockets and Philistine. Keep browsing westward on Queen, until you hit the Vogue-approved West Queen West strip near Ossington Avenue, where you’ll find #streetstyle faves at gravitypope and Tiger of Sweden.

2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

CHOOSE YOUR GROOVE

Every live-music lover has a favourite venue. Sure, you probably catch shows at all kinds of places, but there’s one sweet spot—whether a tiny neighbourhood bar or a gargantuan stadium—that delivers your ideal concert experience. Listen up: here’s where you’ll find it in Toronto. BY ERNIE OURIQUE

BIG BANG SEEKER

Everyone knows it: stadium shows rock. The crowds, the energy, the booming sound. Catch the arena rock fever (don’t worry, there’s plenty of R&B, hip hop and country, too) at Toronto’s largest concert venues.

GET YOUR GROOVE ON AT:

vB udweiser Stage—the outdoor venue is a breezy waterfront location that draws top acts like Drake, Green Day and Megadeth. v T he Entertainment District’s Air Canada Centre (to be renamed Scotiabank Arena in July 2018), where you can scream your love to A-listers like Ariana Grande, Red Hot Chili Peppers or The Weeknd, with 20,000 fellow fans. v Toronto’s biggest megastadium, Rogers Centre, for today’s biggest arena rock acts. U2. Coldplay. Bruce Springsteen. Metallica. Madonna. ‘Nuff said.

The Weeknd performs at Air Canada Centre

For you, smaller is better. You’re happiest catching talented performers before their breakthrough success, up close and personal, in an intimate club setting. The interaction, the low-key vibe, the company of a small group of cognoscenti— that’s what makes you hum. 56

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GET YOUR GROOVE ON AT:

v Ossington Village’s Dakota Tavern, where you’ll find bluegrass, country and folk most nights, as well as a local fave: Saturday and Sunday Bluegrass Brunch. v Parkdale’s two indie hotels/ cultural hubs, Drake Hotel, for rock and DJ beats, and the Gladstone Hotel, for an eclectic mix of rock, pop, world beat, jazz and folk.

v Queen Street West’s Horseshoe Tavern— holy ground to roots, rockabilly and alt-country fans. Past performers include iconic Canadian bands Tragically Hip, Sheepdogs and Blue Rodeo.

Dakota Tavern

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INDIE AFICIONADO

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

AUDITORIUM AUDIOPHILE

Superior acoustics, excellent sightlines, comfortable seats, inspiring architecture and design—all the hallmarks of a fine concert hall. If you’re looking for a night out that feels like a special event, here are venues worth dressing up for.

GET YOUR GROOVE ON AT:

v T he Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, home of the Canadian Opera Company, located in the Entertainment District. v T he Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, located in historic Old Town, and host to a variety of musical performances, ranging from rock and classical to children’s programming.

Koerner Hall

BOBBY SINGH/ALAMY (THE WEEKND); LISA SAKULENSK Y (KOERNER HALL); ANNA ENCHEVA (LULA LOUNGE)

LOUNGE LIZARD

vM assey Hall, a venerable downtown institution known for hosting music’s greatest acts from all genres, including the legendary 1953 ensemble jazz performance of Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Bud Powell and Max Roach. v T he Royal Conservatory’s Koerner Hall, known for its incomparable acoustics and eclectic programming, ranging from classical and opera to jazz and pop.

Lula Lounge

There’s a reason why old-timey lounges have never gone out of style: hardcore music fans know sometimes the best way to soak up your fave sounds is to relax, sip a cocktail then get up and dance the night away.

GET YOUR GROOVE ON AT:

v Queen Street West’s legendary Rex Jazz & Blues Bar, for the heppest cool cats performing live every night of the week. vL ula Lounge, in up-andcoming Little Portugal. Enjoy dinner and show—usually salsa, Latin jazz, African, and World Beat—or make a beeline to Sunday brunch, which features Cuban bands and free salsa lessons. vU niun, an Entertainment District mainstay for its celeb DJs spinning EDM, hip hop and house; state-of-the-art sound system; and LED visuals.

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2018 TORONTO

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

TORONTO 2018

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P S S S S T!

Check ou t Yo -Toronto .com for more To ronto secret s, pl us cool videos , ga lleries and jokes!

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2018 TORONTO

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IT’S THE OPPOSITE OF A COOKBOOK.

Find 100s of delicious places to dine out in Canada’s Downtown at

SeeTorontoNow.com/FoodandDrink @SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

2018 TORONTO

FOOD & DRINK King Street West

LODOE LAURA

July 17, 9:37 p.m.

@SeeTorontoNow

2018 TORONTO

EAT IN FOOD & DRINK

A great restaurant meal is equal parts cuisine and dining environment. Three leading restaurateurs share insider intel on the planning that goes into a successful restaurant concept and design. BY IVY KNIGHT PHOTOGRAPHS BY JENNIFER ROBERTS

ANTHONY WALSH

CORPORATE EXECUTIVE CHEF, LEÑA

In the early stages, this space was possibly going to be named after one of the founders of Saks. Yet here we are sitting in an Argentine restaurant inspired by your motherin-law. What happened? There was always a natural tie-in to Saks Fifth Avenue, as the space is connected and the art deco elements were inspiration for a Californian concept. At the zero hour, I said, you know what, I’m not feeling passionate about the concept. So they said OK, what do you want to do? I sat down with the marketing team and the South American thing came up. I kept talking about my mother-in-law, Elena. Her nickname is Lala, which is the name of the downstairs bar within Leña. Leña means “f irewood embers” or “smouldering.” Which suits the restaurant, because this food is cooked using lots of fire and smoke. Tell us about your working relationship with the interior designer. Matt Davis and I worked ver y closely together. He’s totally into food and I love 62

TORONTO 2018

Leña Anthony Walsh

design. He brought in swatches, and one of them was the same wallpaper I have at home, a very rare Hermès print that we ended up using. It was an eerie mind meld. Was it a challenge to bring this type of restaurant to this neighbourhood? Were they ready for it? We were lucky to stick with a concept that came from a real place. It wasn’t manufactured—that’s important. And it shows, because the customers welcomed the

d i f ference; they were totally ready for something like this. They want a restaurant where they can bring people to and say this is the coolest place. I wanted the concept to be different from what is currently offered in the area—a place that would have life and buzz—and fortunately the beautiful space has helped to create this. Can you tell us about the executive chef, Julie Marteleira, who is running Leña day to day? Julie and I were always talking about doing this sort of food, and there was nobody else whom I wanted to work with on this project. I respect her so much as a great chef, as a creative person. She understands that this style of South American cooking, with its Spanish and Italian influences, is rooted in home cooking, so the presentation is more organic, not “tweezery” or too particular. Empanadas, smoked jamón croquettes, house-cured olives—this is the kind of food that your mom or your grandmother would make to warm you up and make you feel good. www.SeeTorontoNow.com

NICK WONG (WALSH)

Anthony Walsh, corporate executive chef for the Oliver & Bonacini group of restaurants, has created a light-filled, marblepanelled ode to his mother-in-law in the most incongruous of places: a three-story corner nook of Saks Fifth Avenue, which incorporates the historic retail palace’s iconic former front doors.

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STYLE

@SeeTorontoNow

2018 TORONTO LeÃ±a 63

FOOD & DRINK ZAC SCHWARTZ

GENERAL MANAGER AND PARTNER, LAKE INEZ

Nostalgic and cozy, Lake Inez is a panAsian gastropub located in Little India. Its menu puts a seasonal, locavore twist on Filipino, Japanese and Chinese street food dishes. Neither you nor your partners have design backgrounds. How did the design concept for Lake Inez come together? Dennis [Kimeda], Patrick [Ciappara] and I were calling it old-world B&B with 10 years of decay. We didn’t make any modern choices, no industrial chic. We wanted warmth and hominess and a cottage vibe.

We’re just scrappy people tr ying to make something nice out of what we had. The décor is a little bit campy, a little bit tacky, but in a way that’s familiar. And then, with some of the glass touches and the arches, we wanted to play with religious iconography, but do it in a whimsical way. I think there’s a nostalgic element that fits with [chef] Robbie Hojilla’s menu, because it’s street and comfort food. Tell us a bit about chef Robbie Hojilla’s menu and how it works with this design. We wanted a menu that challenges the palate a little bit, but in a way that’s still accessible. And we found that in Robbie’s

food. This is his first opportunity to explore different Asian flavours with every dish, uncensored and unfettered, like Korean kalbi short rib lettuce wraps—he loves the build-your-own-taco format, which is what this dish is all about: a modernist technique applied to a dish that is a pillar of Korean cuisine. And “Spam” Oshizushi, a Filipino-style breakfast dish of garlic fried rice, egg yolk and furikake. He gets what we’re doing here, he has a term for it—“sneaky good.” That’s where you realize, after the fact, that you had a really good dining experience. So I guess we’re scrappy people attempting to be sneaky good! Who created the stained glass mosaic on the back wall? I work with stained glass and the mural is my two high priestesses: Virginia Woolf and Kate Bush, in the Hounds of Love era. It took two brutal months, and I gave my body and spirit to it.

Patrick Ciappara, Zac Schwartz and Dennis Kimeda

Lake Inez

TORONTO 2018

Tell us about this neighbourhood and how your restaurant fits into it. Little India is a rare gem. The buildings are all painted very boldly, with the textiles and patterns and the smell of curry wafting through the air. There’s a romance here that we feel a part of. Dennis and I both live in Little India and there are a lot of young families here, because it’s one of the last places in the city where you can buy a house at a somewhat reasonable price point. Honestly, at the end of the day, we were just, like, “Little India or bust.”

Lake Inez

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Piano Piano

NIKKI LEIGH MCKEAN

CO-OWNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PIANO PIANO

Piano Piano stands out on the Harbord Street strip with its distinctive pink walls and bright flower mural. The exuberant fun continues inside, with an Italian menu that puts a playful spin on traditional Italian. You took one of the city’s most venerated fine dining establishments, Splendido, where your husband, Victor Barry, built his rep as a top-calibre chef, and turned it into a pizza joint with one of the most talked about designs in the city. How did that change come about? I love Splendido, but it was dark and heavy, a nd I a lways i mag i ned cha ng ing t he space. Vic was very sentimental. It was like trying to change your grandmother’s house: Why change it when it’s perfect? I got diagnosed with cancer and I said to him, here’s our chance. We always say cancer was the best gift, because it forced us to change things and make a restaurant around business decisions and not our own personal passion project. We needed a restaurant that’s kickass, that we love, and that’s also going to make money if we’re not there. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. @SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

Piano Piano

Why did you decide to open up the kitchen for Piano Piano? I wanted to make it fun, make it interactive. And people want to see him: it’s sort of a dinner show. The Victor you see in that kitchen cooking gritty, delicious, tasty food is the Vic I know at home.

Nikki Leigh McKean

How did you find your designer? I knew we had to hire Tiffany Pratt because I had worked with her on a couple of projects as a photographer and just love her. I think a lot of times we want to do things, like paint a pink wall with flowers, but we’re so busy with what other people might think, and her thing is “Who cares? Just do it.”

Did social media influence your design at all? Social media was a huge thing for me, especially as a photographer. It’s a platform that everyone’s using. And people take tons of pictures of that pink wall. What dish fully embodies what you’re doing at Piano Piano? The veal parm is bone-in, looks pretty on a plate, and it’s delicious. The canestri alla vodka is beautiful, like eating soft fluffy clouds in the sky mixed with rainbows. And the carrot cake… we can’t take it off the menu. A big bowl of pasta, a big piece of cake—it’s food that fills your heart. 2018 TORONTO

FOOD & DRINK

ICE ICE BABY

It’s no secret this city thrives on devouring the next big food trend. These refreshing remixes of the frosty treat prove our ice cream scene is anything but old-fashioned. BY SIMONE OLIVERO PHOTOGRAPH BY BARRY&KIRN

SWEET HART KITCHEN

JUNKED FOOD CO.

The raw/vegan/gluten-free crowds get their sweet fix at this plant-based Kensington bakery, where cashew-andcoconut-milk-based ice cream is wedged between two chewy cookies.

Gooey cookie dough (with or without soft serve) takes the place of traditional scoops at this Chinatown junk food emporium with toppings like Reese’s Pieces, Skittles, rainbow sprinkles and crushed or whole Oreo cookies.

MOMOFUKU MILK BAR

David Chang’s downtown noodle bar makes soft serve that tastes like the milk at the bottom of your cereal bowl, topped with a cornflake crunch.

EVA’S ORIGINAL CHIMNEYS

Hungarian kürtöskalács, or “chimney cakes,” serve as the base for these delectable treats, baked fresh in The Annex on a rotisserie and filled with real-cream soft serve and toppings like berry compote and salted caramel brownie.

BANG BANG ICE CREAM AND BAKERY

Hong Kong–style waffles are wrapped around scoops of small-batch ice cream in flavours like avocado, peanut butter with Concord grape jelly and matcha tiramisu at this Ossington institution.

IHALO KRUNCH

Satiate your sweet tooth while you “detox” at this Trinity Bellwoods ice cream parlour, where jet-black soft serve comes in house-made black cones, both of which have been infused with activated charcoal.

BRETT’S ICE CREAM

Colourful cake batter cones in flavours like red velvet and birthday cake are packed with Muskoka’s all-natural Belly ice cream at this popular parlour in The Beaches.

FOOD ST YLING: ANDREW BULLIS/JUDY INC.

2018 TORONTO

FOOD & DRINK Spirit of York Distillery Co.

Yongehurst Distillery Co.

Ontario Spring Water Sake Company

PROOFING GROUNDS LAST STRAW DISTILLERY

Last Straw Distillery in Vaughan makes the Greater Toronto Area’s only blackstrap rum. Aficionados know that blackstrap molasses is difficult to work with—co-founder Mike Hook concedes “It’s a nightmare”— but the pain is worth the sipping pleasure. TASTING NOTES: Last Straw’s extra-smallbatch Blackstrap Rum is the stuff of legend. Double distilled and aged for one year in toasted European oak, it entices with dark licorice and sweet vanilla notes. Sold out? Dark Side of the Moonshine is a classic moonshine crafted from Ontario corn and aged for over one year, bursting with barrel 68

TORONTO 2018

char, walnut, pepper and toffee notes. FIND IT AT: The Caledonian, The Oakwood Hardware and The Embassy Bar

YONGEHURST DISTILLERY CO.

This Dupont and Dovercourt microdistillery channels a distinctly indie spirit. Partners Rocco Panacci and John-Paul Sacco’s painstaking oversight results in hot-ticket, small-batch grappa, rums, gins and vodkas of limited availability. Take their “Libation Lab” spirits: each is a seasonal or one-off experiment, so blink and you’ll miss ’em. TASTING NOTES: Milk Whey Vodka is a heady hooch crafted from fermented milk

Last Straw Distillery

whey from Monforte Dairy. It’s the first of its kind in North America. FIND IT AT: Yongehurst Distillery Co., Northern Maverick Brewing Co. and The 47

ONTARIO SPRING WATER SAKE COMPANY

Eastern North America’s first sake brewery opened in 2011, priding itself on a globallocal take that marries traditional Japanese methods with pristine Muskoka spring water. Consulting master sake brewer Yoshiko Takahashi is an award-winning brewmaster based in Nagano, Japan. TASTING NOTES: The brewery’s standout is Izumi Nama Nama, an unpasteurized, just-pressed sake you can only buy to take home from the brewery’s Distillery www.SeeTorontoNow.com

K AYLA ROCCA (SPIRIT OF YORK)

From just-pressed raw sake to artisanal moonshine, Toronto’s micro-distilleries are blazing new drink trails, one bottle at a time. BY LARA CERONI

DRINKING STORIES From beloved parks to legendary Blue Jays, here’s the local inspiration for five of the city’s best microbrews. BY JORDAN ST. JOHN Toronto loves beer and the craft brewery scene loves Toronto back. According to the Ontario Beverage Network, 36 independent breweries operate within city limits, with 16 more planning to open in the near future. Many of the breweries choose to emphasize their geographic allegiance. Here are five that stand out for their civic pride.

Still Waters Distillery

Historic District HQ. The tasting bar/shop offers five “Junmai” (pure rice) style sakes, plus special edition blends. FIND IT AT: Momofuko, Ki Modern Japanese + Bar and Miku

LEFT FIELD BREWERY

36 WAGSTAFF DR.

BELLWOODS BREWERY 124 OSSINGTON AVE.

SPIRIT OF YORK DISTILLERY CO.

Appropriately located in The Distillery Historic District, Spirit of York is a craft distillery with a swanky bitters bar. Small batches of gin and vodka are teased out from local ingredients: rye grown in nearby farm country, Ontario spring water and curated strains of distiller’s yeast. TASTING NOTES: Spirit of York vodka offers subtle nuttiness with hints of spice and butter. Spirit of York gin’s complex character is redolent of cinnamon, angelica root and other botanicals. FIND IT AT: LCBO stores

Located in—and named after—the trendy Trinity Bellwoods neighbourhood, this stylish brewpub is considered by many to be the crown jewel of Toronto’s craft beer scene. Demand for the label’s limited-edition brews has sometimes outstripped supply, hence the brewery’s new production brewery in North York. The slightly acidic, refreshingly tart Jelly King and its fruited variants make for light, quenching summer fare.

SHACKLANDS BREWING CO. 100 SYMES RD.

Located in the up-and-coming Stockyards community, Shacklands is named after the ramshackle housing of the area’s early immigrants (which also influenced some of the taproom design). Brewer Jason Tremblay’s sometimes-experimental takes on traditional Belgian-style beers frequently result in compelling and unique flavours.

CELINE KIM (BELLWOODS); JUSTIN SPENCER (LEFT FIELD)

STILL WATERS DISTILLERY

Barry Stein and Barry Bernstein’s Concord distillery has been recognized with multiple awards since opening in 2009. Pioneers of T.O.’s micro-distilling movement, the Barries are known as local whisky wizards. TASTING NOTES: Stalk & Barrel Canadian whiskies are extraordinarily smooth, with a mix of sweet malted barley, corn and plump locally grown Ontario rye—also the star ingredient of their Stalk & Barrel Rye Whisky. Mashed, fermented and distilled by hand in a small copper pot still, the Rye Whisky and Stalk & Barrel Single Malt Whisky are aged in old bourbon casks for a minimum of three years. FIND IT AT: Char No. 5 Whisky Bar, BarChef

Located in the city’s east end, this baseballthemed brewery’s Sunlight Park summer seasonal brew was inspired by the eponymous park, home of Toronto’s first baseball stadium. Left Field features a welcoming taproom that is well populated during Blue Jays games. The Cannonball Helles Lager is named after the legendary Toronto Maple Leafs (the minor-league baseball team, not the NHL hockey team) pitcher Ed “Cannonball” Crane.

AMSTERDAM BREWHOUSE 245 QUEENS QUAY W.

STEAM WHISTLE BREWING

Amsterdam Brewing Co.’s bustling lakefront patio is a summer must-visit. Taking its inspiration (and label design cues) from Toronto’s population of devoted cyclists, Amsterdam’s Boneshaker is an outsize IPA with a significant grapefruit and pine bitterness over a nutty, caramel body.

255 BREMNER BLVD.

Steam Whistle is Toronto’s iconic Pilsner. Less bitter than traditional Czech Pilsners, the hay and pepper hop aromas play over a gently sweet grain body. The brewery name pays homage to the “quittingtime sounds” of the steampowered factory whistles of the 1950s. Bonus: It’s located in a historic train roundhouse, worth a visit in itself, next to the CN Tower.

and Rush Lane & Co. @SeeTorontoNow

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2018 TORONTO

E X P E R I E N C E A R T S A N D C U LT U R E IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BRAMPTON

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Big talent. Intimate stage.

ENJOY THE BEST IN THEATRE, DANCE, COMEDY AND CONCERTS IN AN EXTRAORDINARY SETTING AT THE ROSE. 1 THEATRE LANE, BRAMPTON // 905.874.2800 // R O S E T H E A T R E . C A @SeeTorontoNow

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2018 TORONTO

COMPASS

Toronto Island Ferry HENRY LEE

August 12, 8:12 p.m.

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2018 TORONTO

12 THERE’S MORE TO BRAMPTON

13 11

MISSISSAUGA HAS MORE TO OFFER

NEIGHBOURHOOD EXPEDITIONS Toronto is a collection of dynamic neighbourhoods, each with its own distinctive character. Some predate the modern city, while others are so new their paint has barely dried. What they have in common are friendly faces, a welcoming vibe and plenty to offer the curious traveller. So hop onto public transit, hail a cab, rent a bike or lace up your walking shoes—there’s so much to discover! 72

TORONTO 2018

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

MORE SCARBOROUGH THIS WAY

TORONTO IS TALLER THAN YOU THINK

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4 1 6 3

9 UPTOWN

Explore Toronto’s heritage and green space, with cultural attractions and food

10 SCARBOROUGH The east is filled with surprises, from the exciting zoo to the best ethnic food

1 CITY CENTRE

6 EASTSIDE

The central business district heats up the urban core with its busy, buzzy vibe

Ethnic enclaves, delicious food and a hip up-and-coming vibe can be found in Toronto’s east end

11 ETOBICOKE

7 DON VALLEY

12 BRAMPTON

Head north to uncover Toronto’s hidden natural attractions and cultural gems

Discover and savour this exciting and growing multicultural city

8 HIGH PARK

13 MISSISSAUGA

Go west for family-friendly restaurants, shopping and parks galore

This vibrant city offers trendy shopping and delicious dining

2 MIDTOWN Leafy streets and cultural attractions beckon in the area surrounding the University of Toronto

3 OLD TOWN The roots of modern Toronto start here, in the city’s historic heart @SeeTorontoNow

4 WESTSIDE Trendy, dynamic and open late, here’s where locals head to have a good time

5 WATERFRONT & ISLANDS Arts, culture and milliondollar views combine along the beautiful Lake Ontario waterfront

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This quiet, park-filled area shines with natural attractions and restaurants

2018 TORONTO

COMPASS

City Centre

Energetic. Occasionally frenetic. The pace of City Centre appeals to people on the go who want to make the most of their urban getaway. Located in the heart of the action, City Centre includes some of Toronto’s most dynamic areas. Broker some deals or sit down for a power lunch in the downtown Financial District. Catch a Broadway-style show, then hit the dance floor in an Entertainment District nightclub or lounge. The Yonge Street corridor offers prime shopping, as well as Yonge-Dundas Square’s cultural events. Church-Wellesley Village is the unofficial headquarters of Toronto’s LGBTQ community—not to mention a great place for people of all stripes to enjoy a mean martini.

CN Tower and Rogers Centre Toronto Pride

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada

DON’T MISS

v T he Toronto Symphony Orchestra performing at Roy Thomson Hall v Shopping at CF Toronto Eaton Centre v Strolling among the stars on Canada’s Walk of Fame v A Broadway-style musical at a Mirvish Productions theatre v The CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada and the revitalized Union Station

v The Raptors at Air Canada Centre (to be renamed Scotia bank Arena in July 2018) or the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre v Film fever during the Toronto International Film Festival and year-round at the TIFF Bell Lightbox v A spectacular production by the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

5 BICYCLEFRIENDLY ’HOODS Explore five cyclist-friendly Toronto neighbourhoods by rental bike. Look for convenient Toronto Bike Share stands throughout the city.

TORONTO 2018

HARBOURFRONT

Rent your bike at the Toronto Bike Share (TBS) stand at York and Queens Quay. Cycle west along the Martin Goodman Trail from Harbourfront Centre to Marilyn Bell Park, on the Lake Ontario waterfront at the south end of Parkdale.

QUEEN WEST

Cycle west along Queen Street from the TBS stand at City Hall, to the intersection of Queen and Shaw. Explore the designer shops and hipster coffee houses on Queen—and the laid-back vibe of Trinity Bellwoods Park.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

SCOTT CORMAN (PRIDE); CLIFTON LI (CYCLIST); PAIGE LINDSAY (YORK VILLE AND CASA LOMA); TORONTONIAN/ALAMY (ROM)

Yorkville

Casa Loma

DON’T MISS

Midtown

Arts, culture, shopping and fine dining—exploring doesn’t get much better than this! Best part? This walkable neighbourhood has something for every budget, from micro to mega. Midtown contains a certifiably eclectic array of districts. There’s tony Bloor-Yorkville with its luxury boutiques, high-end spas and exclusive restaurants. Then there’s the youthful boho vibe of the University of Toronto (U of T) and Annex community, home to many of the city’s students, profs and cultural cognoscenti. Avid foodies and in-the-know shoppers head to Korea Town for its barbecue restaurants and K-beauty boutiques. Midtown is also where you’ll find the Ontario Legislature at Queen’s Park.

THE ANNEX

Grab a bike at Madison and Bloor for a relaxing eastbound ride on the barrier-protected stretch of Bloor, east of Spadina, then through the biker-friendly University of Toronto campus, directly south on St. George Street.

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CHURCH-WELLESLEY VILLAGE

Royal Ontario Museum

From the TBS stand at Church and Alexander—in the heart of Toronto’s gaybourhood— cycle north along Church Street, stopping to enjoy the LGBTQ-friendly cafés, pubs and shops.

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v Dinosaurs, a bat cave and unsurpassed collections of Asian art, architecture and artifacts at the Royal Ontario Museum v Cool ceramic art at the Gardiner Museum v A musical performance at Koerner Hall, known for its impeccable acoustics vP hilosopher’s Walk or strolling through a tree-lined street on the U of T campus v A saunter along the Bloor Street Culture Corridor, with close to 20 arts and cultural landmarks and attractions packed on Bloor Street between Bathurst and Bay vC asa Loma, an authentic castle, complete with turrets, secret passages and escape room mystery games

MARTIN GOODMAN TRAIL

This scenic multi-use trail spans a 20 km (12 mile) stretch of Toronto’s waterfront from the west end’s Humber Bay Bridge to the east end’s Balmy Beach Park. To bike an eastern portion not far from the city core, cycle from the TBS stand at Dockside Drive and Queens Quay East, heading east to Cherry Street, heading south about a mile to cheery Cherry Beach. – Doug O’Neill

2018 TORONTO

COMPASS

Old Town

Historic Old Town is a unique celebration of Toronto’s past, while forward-thinking design shops and an innovative skate park add a contemporary feel. The Distillery Historic District

The birthplace of Toronto, this central locale includes the original 10 blocks that comprised the Town of York. The historic St. Lawrence Market zone brims with beautiful architecture and an eponymous food market, considered one of the best in the world. A short walk from here is The Distillery Historic District, an artsy enclave of galleries and cafés housed within Canada’s largest complex of Victorian-era industrial architecture. Up-and-coming Corktown, also part of this community, is home to unique indie shops and cafés.

DON’T MISS

v Shopping the exclusive boutiques of the King East Design District v Eating a peameal bacon sandwich from St. Lawrence Market or browsing collectibles at its Sunday Antique Market v Watching a stellar performance at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts or St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts

v Instagramming the iconic Gooderham “Flatiron” building v Don’t miss Underpass Park: the innovative space—for skateboarders, b-ballers and street-art enthusiasts—is located under the Eastern Avenue, Richmond and Adelaide overpasses, and is a great place to wander with your takeout latte

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Gooderham “Flatiron” Building

Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

TORONTO 2018

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Art Gallery of Ontario

Westside

CLIFTON LI (DISTILLERY); LODOE LAURA (SONY CENTRE); KHRISTEL STECHER (FLATIRON); DOUG BROWN (AGO); ROSEMARIE STENNULL/ALAMY (KENSINGTON); PORTIS IMAGING/ALAMY (FORT YORK)

Hipsters, artists and young professionals form the main demographic of Westside. Trendy eateries, cafés and live-music venues are plentiful—big-box stores are not. This trendy part of town is where you’ll find some of the city’s hottest haunts, including Queen Street West, with its clubs, lounges, cafés, restaurants and bar scene. Popular Ossington Village beckons with its hipster craft-cocktail bars, as does the patio-heavy Liberty Village. Little Portugal combines a classic ethnic enclave with millennial revitalization, resulting in an eclectic and exciting mix of gift shops, salons, cafés, bars and restaurants. Westside is also the location of the arty, iconoclastic West Queen West, deemed by Vogue magazine to be the second-coolest district in the world, thanks to its galleries, coffee shops, dynamic food choices and indie retail scene. Finally, Toronto is known for having five Chinatowns, and Westside is where you’ll find the bestknown, most central and most Instagram-friendly one. @SeeTorontoNow

DON’T MISS

v T he western section of the waterfront’s Martin Goodman Trail: perfect for a run or bike ride v T he chic dining and nightlife scene of King Street West v T he hip College Street vibe around Little Italy, where 20-somethings and families alike enjoy late-night meals and bustling street life v T he Art Gallery of Ontario, for its unrivalled Canadian Collection, featuring First Nations and Inuit artists, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, and an emphasis on the art of Toronto and Ontario v T he chance to nosh on empanadas, pupusas and other international foods or shop for vintage clothing in Kensington Market v A music or food festival at Fort York National Historic Site, a War of 1812-era armament

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Kensington Market

Fort York National Historic Site

2018 TORONTO

COMPASS

Waterfront & Toronto Islands

The Waterfront boasts relaxed, laid-back ambience—and there’s more to explore, thanks to years of successful urban revitalization efforts. Ditto for the Toronto Islands’ beaches and car-free roads. The redesigned Queens Quay strip makes the Lake Ontario waterfront a stroller’s paradise. The Waterfront offers a dynamic mix of parks, arts and culture, shops and restaurants, all connected by the Water’s Edge Promenade. Hop a ferry over to the nearby Toronto Islands, where beaches, a family amusement park and car-free paved trails await.

WaveDeck

Toronto Islands

v Sitting under an umbrella and chilling amid the urban vibe of Sugar Beach v Checking out the arts and culture festivals that light up Harbourfront Centre year-round v Renting a bike and cycling from one end of the Toronto Islands to the other v V isiting the water sculptures at Sherbourne Common v Looking at cutting-edge international contemporary art at The Power Plant v Snapping photos at HTO Park and the Simcoe, Rees and Spadina WaveDecks on Queens Quay West

5 STREETCAR FRIENDLY ’HOODS

Explore five great neighbourhoods on foot. But first, catch a streetcar for a scenic Red Rocket ride from your downtown hotel. After all, getting there is part of the tour!

TORONTO 2018

Sugar Beach

LITTLE INDIA

Catch the eastbound 506 Carlton streetcar at Yonge and College. It will eventually meander to Gerrard Street East, a.k.a. Little India. Get off at Woodfield, in the middle of Gerrard India Bazaar.

THE BEACHES

Take the 501 Queen streetcar eastbound from Yonge and Queen and get off at Lee Avenue, in front of bucolic Kew Gardens. It’s a five-minute stroll to a 3.5 km (two mile) beachside boardwalk.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

DANIELLE PETTI (WAVE DECK); BERT HOFERICHTER/ALAMY (TORONTO ISLANDS)

DON’T MISS

The Beaches

Gerrard India Bazaar

GreekTown

PAUL MCKINNON/ALAMY (DE GRASSI STREET)

Eastside

DON’T MISS

A hip, emerging community that encompasses a dazzling array of neighbourhoods, Eastside is best explored over a couple of days. After all, you’ll want to make room for the culinary adventures awaiting in Little India, also known as Gerrard India Bazaar, and bustling GreekTown. The Beaches area is another draw, with its laid-back boutiques, casual restaurants, pubs, patios and Blue Flag–certified swimming beaches. For prime retail and brunch therapy, don’t miss Leslieville, known for its indie boutiques, cafés and restaurants.

v Trying saganaki in Greek Town: the cheese dish comes to your table in flames v Biking, running or strolling along The Beaches boardwalk, especially at dusk or dawn v Taking photos of the famous De Grassi Street sign in Riverside v Loading up on gorgeous saris and jewelry in Gerrard India Bazaar v Checking out a local farmers’ market or food festival in Riverside

PARKDALE

HIGH PARK/RONCESVALLES VILLAGE

It won’t take long for multicultural Eastside to charm you with its Greek, Indian and, even, Irish culture, foods and traditions.

From Yonge and Queen, ride the westbound 501 Queen streetcar to Dufferin Street. Get off and travel farther west on foot, exploring Parkdale’s artsy café, gallery and boutique scene.

@SeeTorontoNow

CHINATOWN

The northbound 510A Spadina from Union Station glides along Harbourfront before heading north on Spadina Avenue. Get off at Dundas Street to explore the Asian shops and restaurants of Chinatown.

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De Grassi Street

From University and King, take the westbound 504 King, which travels along King Street West, and then north along Roncesvalles. Get off at Roncesvalles and Howard Park. Walk 10 minutes west to High Park, or explore the part Polish, part hipster Roncesvalles neighbourhood, by walking south along “Roncy.” – Doug O’Neill

2018 TORONTO

COMPASS

Don Valley

Based around the Don River, this relaxed and outdoorsy region is home to brunch-y neighbourhoods, beautiful public gardens and family-friendly cultural attractions galore.

Don Valley Ontario Science Centre

Aga Khan Museum

TORONTO 2018

DON’T MISS

v Quaint Riverdale Farm, with its heritage-breed hens, pigs, goats and cows v T he locavore food, farmers’ market and winter skating rink at Evergreen Brick Works v Islamic artifacts and fine arts at the expansive Aga Khan Museum, with its beautifully photogenic grounds v Hands-on scientific discovery for the kids at the Ontario Science Centre v Seasonal blooms at Edwards Gardens and the Toronto Botanical Gardens

JACK LANDAU (AGA KHAN); LAURA LODOE (DON VALLEY)

East and north of City Centre, the Don Valley region is verdant and peaceful. It’s host to historic Cabbagetown, where mom-and-pop shops share the streetscape with multicultural restaurants and cafés. Bring a book and hunker down at either a cozy tea shop or a tranquil spot in a leafy park.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

High Park

Some High Park neighbourhoods are in the midst of heady rejuvenation as others retain their time-honoured identities— the perfect hybrid of trendy and traditional. Once a pleasantly sleepy community of European immigrants, the High Park area has evolved over the past couple of decades into an enclave for educated, affluent gen-Xers and millennials to raise their families in befittingly organic style. For visitors, that means Roncesvalles Village’s trove of foodie-approved casual restaurants, health food stores and gourmet shops. Roncy is also known for its indie gift shops, fashion boutiques and yoga studios. Farther north, The Junction is another hit with smart, young Torontonians, but with an edgier, artier vibe, and replete

with small galleries, vintage shops and coffee bars. The heart of the neighbourhood is the sprawling, leafy High Park, home to a small zoo, an extensive trail network, adventure playgrounds, an off-leash dog park and a scenic pond.

High Park

DON’T MISS

v T he European bakeries and dessert cafés of Bloor West Village v T he sunrise at Humber Bay v Instagramming the beautifully restored Jazz Age bathing pavilion at Sunnyside Beach v T he cherry trees of High Park, a top city attraction during peak bloom

Sunnyside Beach

ADISESHAN SHANK AR/ALAMY (HIGH PARK); HUBERT K ANG (SUNNYSIDE); OAO LUIZ DE FRANCO/ALAMY (ROGERS CUP)

Uptown

Urban professionals and families populate the leafy side streets and newly minted condo towers throughout Uptown. After-work cocktail bars, family-friendly restaurants and fine shopping will appeal to locals and visitors alike. Spread your sightseeing wings in this sprawling region of North Toronto, which includes everything from premium shopping and fine dining along the Yonge-Eglinton strip to the Black Creek Pioneer Village site, and the grassy mid-century mod campus of York University.

DON’T MISS

Rogers Cup

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v Top chains and Canada’s luxury department store, Holt Renfrew, at Yorkdale Shopping Centre v T he espresso bars and cool

boutiques, sushi and burger joints along the YongeEglinton strip (known colloquially as “Young and Eligible” for its young professional demographic) v Live theatre at North York’s Toronto Centre for the Arts v Peaceful Mount Pleasant Cemetery, the perfect spot for a mindful walk v Digging for interior design inspiration in the Castlefield Design District v Period Christmas programming and special events at Black Creek Pioneer Village 2018 TORONTO

COMPASS

Scarborough

From breathtaking natural attractions to appetite-whetting food options, this east-end enclave is worth the drive or public transit commute. the Toronto Zoo. Don’t miss the polar bears, whose five-acre habitat includes an underwater viewing area.

DON’T MISS

Toronto Zoo

v S ampling the world-class ethnic food scene, with standout Filipino, Sri Lankan, Lebanese, Persian, Hakka Chinese and Chinese Muslim Uighur cuisine v Brushing up on your local history at the Scarborough Museum v Posing for photos at the Guild Park and Gardens sculpture park v T he opportunity to chow down—or get down—at The Taste of Lawrence International Food, Music and Cultural Festival.

Woodbine Racetrack

Scarborough Bluffs

Etobicoke

Ethnically rich areas (with authentic restaurants) and family-friendly entertainment complexes woo visitors eager for retail therapy and the chance to explore new neighbourhoods. A west-end community known for its quiet charm, Etobicoke (the k is silent) packs a lot of punch into its neighbourhoods. Albion Islington Square is a unique shopping district that is home to Toronto’s highest concentration of jewellers who specialize in 22- and 24-karat gold and diamond designer jewelry. You’ll also find a variety of shops, salons and multi cultural restaurants, including ones that offer South Asian and Caribbean delicacies. 82

TORONTO 2018

DON’T MISS

v Horse racing or slots at Woodbine Racetrack v Trade shows and conferences at the Toronto Congress Centre v Walking, biking or paddling along the Humber River v Afternoon tea at the luxurious Old Mill Toronto v Top North American retailers at CF Sherway Gardens shopping mall

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MORGAN WILDLIFE/ALAMY (ZOO); DANIEL TRAN (SCARBOROUGH BLUFFS); REIMAR/ALAMY (WOODBINE)

Multicultural, up and coming and full of natural beauty, Scarborough is an east-end community that boasts some of the Greater Toronto Area’s best (and some of the country’s best) ethnic food, dished out in unassuming little strip mall restos. It’s also home to wildly scenic locales like the lakeside Scarborough Bluffs (great for year-round exploring and summer swimming) and Rouge National Urban Park, Canada’s only national urban park, complete with camping, hiking trails, beaches, farms and 10,000 years of human history. Scarborough’s most beloved residents are probably the 5,000 animals (from 460-plus species) who live at

SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS SKY HIGH Get an eye-opening, mind-blowing new perspective on the most spectacular views in Toronto with our new ﬂoor-to-ceiling panoramic Window Walls. With award-winning dining and EdgeWalk, the world’s highest hands-free outdoor walk 116 stories up, the CN Tower is sure to satisfy any appetite.

Visit cntower.ca to purchase tickets and plan your visit.

Photo credit: Gregg (Scooter) Korek

SOLD HERE

2018

ALL EVENTS FREE WITH ADMISSION*

17 3

TORONTO CANADA *Does not include Rides or Sky Ride

COMPASS

BRAMPTON Originally renowned for its garden splendour, this city to the west has truly come into its own as a hotbed of arts, culture and outdoor activities. Brampton is also unique for its sophisticated multiculturalism, thanks to the 200-plus ethnic backgrounds who call it home. Eat, see and explore—it’s all a short drive from the city.

CULTURAL IMMERSION

With an 860-seat horseshoe-shaped mainstage and a 100-seat secondary hall, Rose Theatre Brampton programs a full yearround season of live music, comedy and theatre. Adjacent Garden Square has become a bustling, active area of downtown, with movies on the big screen, music, events, markets and more. Another popular feature of the square is the Brampton Arts Walk of Fame, a tribute to homegrown stars like actor and comedian Russell Peters, actor and comedian Scott Thompson, novelist Rohinton Mistry, singer-songwriter Keshia Chanté, actors Michael Cera and Scott Lale, and watercolour artist Jack Reid. The nearby Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives—better known as PAMA— is a vital and multifaceted space housed in historic buildings that once served as a Gage Park

TORONTO 2018

courthouse, registry office and jail. PAMA presents contemporary art exhibitions, hosts museum exhibits on topics as wide r a n g i n g a s s p or t s a nd f a s h ion , a nd showcases local history and culture in all its forms. Brampton’s diverse cultural makeup— especially its robust South Asian population—brings a wealth of international programming, particularly in the area of cinema. The city hosts components of the exhilarating combined BMO International Film Festival of South Asia (IFFSA) and BMO Punjabi International Film Festival (PIFF) (May 2018). The 12-plus day celebration, which has quickly grown into the largest South Asian film festival in North America, includes international feature film screenings, as well as documentaries and short films, plus a lavish cavalcade of concerts, parties, seminars and workshops across the Greater Toronto Area.

RINKS AND LINKS

You don’t have to go far afield to enjoy nature in Flower City: just try a local park! Brampton’s winter wonderland is Gage Park, located at the southwest corner of Main Street South and Wellington Street West, where visitors and residents make the most of the chilly season by gliding on the picturesque ice trail alongside the trees, delighting in a holiday light show and enjoying a free New Year’s Eve celebration. The park is also the home of annual events such as the Rotary Rib ’n’ Roll (May 2018), a weekend of sizzling barbecue and family entertainment. Claireville Conservation Area draws birdwatchers and horseback riders, while Eldorado Park is a family favourite for its outdoor swimming pool and picnic areas. Donald M. Gordon Chinguacousy Park, at Central Park Drive and Queen Street East, offers an astonishing array of facilities for active fun: year-round tennis, beach volleyball, mini-putt golf, formal gardens, paddleboats, a petting zoo, a BMX/skateboard park and a snow hill for skiing, snowboarding and inner tubing— just to name a few. Professor’s Lake, a former quarry, is now a spring-fed lake where you can rent canoes, kayaks and other watercraft. It’s a popular haunt for tri athletes in training.

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Explore Flower City’s natural attractions and multicultural mosaic. BY SARAH B. HOOD

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Garden Square

CAN’T-MISS BRAMPTON ATTRACTIONS

Ziplines and treetop climbs are in order at Treetop Trekking in the lovely Heart Lake Conservation Area.

A 19th-century farmhouse is preserved as a fascinating museum at Historic Bovaird House—with a haunted nursery! The gift shop offers an enticing selection of handmade craftworks; locals eagerly await the Mother’s Day tea and Victorian Christmas open house and gift sale.

There’s always time for shopping, and Bramalea City Centre is one of Canada’s largest malls, with more than 300 shops and services, anchored by Hudson’s Bay. The mall has a free electric vehicle charging station.

For three days, the city’s diverse communities go all out to impress “passport”-holding visitors at pavilions representing international food, culture, music and dance at Carabram ( July 2018).

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COMPASS

MISSISSAUGA Toronto’s booming neighbour combines big-city energy with old-world charm. BY JANELLE REED WITH

ADDITIONAL RESEARCH BY SARAH B. HOOD & HILARY MARCHILDON Canada’s sixth-largest city, Mississauga offers epic shopping, massive street parties and traditional festivals galore. Just a stone’s throw f rom Toronto Pea rson International Airport and about 40 minutes west of Union Station by train, the city attracts people looking for lakefront views, decadent dining and leisurely strolls.

HEART OF THE NEW CITY

For more than 40 years, the Streetsville Founders’ Bread and Honey Festival (June 2018), named in honour of the local mills and apiaries, has been the community’s benchmark family outing, loved for its petting zoo, musical performances, carnival rides and popular Bread and Honey Parade.

PORT CREDIT

The lakefront village of Port Credit is a relaxing retreat within the city, a pedestrian-friendly enclave of restaurants, boutiques and a scenic boardwalk. At Port Credit Memorial Park, the annual Mississauga Waterfront Festival (June 2018) draws more than 65,000 people to Port Credit during the three-day event. Live performances by Canadian stars have included Sam Roberts, Jann Arden and Jim Cuddy. In September, the park hosts the Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle Blues & Jazz Festival (September 2018), Port Credit’s weekend blues and jazz festival, which has featured the likes of Dr. Hook, Elvin

Celebration Square

Early settlement hugged the lakeshore, but today Mississauga is centred at Bu r n h a mt hor pe R oad Ea st bet ween Hurontario Street and Confederation Parkway, with a cluster of key destinations: the postmodern Mississauga Civic Centre, a performing arts centre, a public square, an art gallery and the massive Square One Shopping Centre, a l l w ith in sig ht of Absolute World, the eye-catching condos nicknamed the Marilyn Monroe Towers for their curvy forms. Here, the beautifully revitalized 6.6-acre Mississauga Celebration Square is home to more than 150 free festivals, public performances and activities annually. This state-of-the art multimedia destination includes an amphitheatre and an interactive water fountain that becomes the city’s largest free outdoor skating rink each winter. The Art Gallery of Mississauga is a free-admission public gallery located across from Mississauga Celebration Square. Exhibitions range from historical to contemporary art, photography, design and crafts. The Living Arts Centre features performance venues, studio spaces and exhibit display areas. It’s a hub for all things creative.

STREETSVILLE

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For an old-fashioned Ontario main-street e x p er ienc e, s t r ol l t h r ou g h h i s t or ic Streetsville, known as The Village in the City, where you can relax in a tea room and browse charming boutiques. Check out Streetsville Village Square on Main Street, for a pretty promenade and a canopied space for public celebrations. www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Port Credit

Waterfront Festival

PREVIOUS SPREAD: MIKE POCHWAT (TREETOP TREKKING); THIS PAGE: KHRISTEL STECHER (STREETSVILLE, PORT CREDIT AND WATERFRONT)

Streetsville

Bishop and Mavis Staples on multiple stages. Don’t miss the food trucks, beer gardens or Mississauga’s biggest street party. Mississauga’s lakefront and parkland retreats offer numerous possibilities for cyclists, birdwatchers and other out door aficionados to explore. Lakefront Promenade Park blends protected natural areas and spaces for outdoor recreation, including boating at the Mississauga Sailing Club, the Port Credit Yacht Club and the Lakefront Promenade Marina. Mississauga also offers outstanding urban angling. The Credit River is known for its excellent catch-and-release ops, for Chinook salmon, plus rainbow, brook and brown trout and more, thanks to the conservation work of local anglers. The stretch of river between Norval and Streetsville is legendary for non-stop steelie strikes during the month of May. Check craa.on.ca for current fishing regulations.

SENSATIONAL SHOPPING

Topping any shopaholic’s must-visit list is Square One Shopping Centre. With more than 350 stores and services like Apple, Michael Kors, Zara and W hole Foods Market, it’s Ontario’s biggest mall. After a recent renovation and expansion project, it recently added the first Ontario outlet of Quebec’s La Maison Simons in a lavish two-storey location, a 120,000-square-foot Holt Renfrew and celebrity chef Jamie @SeeTorontoNow

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Oliver’s Jamie’s Italian restaurant. Busy Erin Mills Town Centre recently completed a $100-million nip and tuck. Between shopping your way through stores like H&M, Indigo and Old Navy, grab some lunch at the spiffy new food court with 26-foot-tall windows overlooking the city. Or when the sun’s out, dine alfresco on the patio. CF Sherway Gardens, at Highway 427 and the QEW, completed its $550-million expansion and makeover, which included the 150,000-square-foot Saks Fifth Avenue location, featuring the upscale grocery store Pusateri’s Fine Foods. Bargain hunters will delight in Dixie Outlet Mall, at the QEW and Dixie Road, featuring more than 120 stores, including

bra nd-na me out let s such a s Tom my Hilfiger, Levi’s and Guess.

TAKE IN THE TOWN

There are 70 different cultures showing off their food and traditions at close to 30 pav i l ions across Mississauga dur ing Carassauga (May 2018), a festival that tips its hat to the area’s ethnic diversity. Mississauga programs more than 70 free special events highlighting the city’s visual and performing arts talent during the n at io n a l Cu ltu r e Day s c e l e b r at io n (September 2018). A highlight is Doors Open (September 2018), which offers an inside view of more than 35 heritage spaces like historic houses, churches and gardens that are generally closed to the public. 2018 TORONTO

COMPASS

IT’S GO TIME Explore Ontario’s best getaways. BY ALIYAH SHAMSHER, WITH ADDITIONAL

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RESEARCH BY SARAH B. HOOD

Niagara Falls

TORONTO 2018

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

1. NIAGARA FALLS

THE DRIVE: 128 km (80 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: Hornblower Niagara Cruises’ Canadian Falls tours—light dining on board is now an option! Tour at the whirlpool, ride the jet boat, or stroll through Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens. EAT LOCAL: Casually upscale, newly opened Weinkeller is Niagara Falls’ first winery-restaurant. Sip your way through the offerings and enjoy a glass with fresh oysters. For the best value, it’s tough to beat the $25 Grand Buffet at Fallsview Casino Resort.

white sand, Wasaga Beach has drawn summer visitors to the shores of Nottawasaga Bay for more than a century. Nearby golf courses, hiking trails, bike paths and cross-country skiing and snowmobile routes keep people busy all year round. EAT LOCAL: Catch 22 Fresh Market Grill is a TripAdvisor fave. Locally farmed ingredients pepper a menu heavy on populist hits: steak, seafood, pasta and a different lunch burger featured each day.

5. MUSKOKA

THE DRIVE: 165 km (103 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: National Geographic Traveler editors chose Muskoka as the No. 1 summer destination in the world for its 1,600 lakes, artistically gnarled pine trees and granite cliffs carved out of the Canadian Shield. EAT LOCAL: Rub shoulders with such high-profile guests as Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson at The Rosseau Grill at Windermere House.

2. NIAGARA WINE REGION

THE DRIVE: 132 km (82 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: Encompassing the quaint villages and scenic vineyards of Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Niagara Peninsula and Twenty Valley, the Niagara wine region offers dozens of wineries to tour and taste at. Niagara-on-the-Lake is home to the Shaw Festival, a worldrenowned annual theatre festival showcasing works by George Bernard Shaw and other playwrights. Drive the quiet country roads or, better yet, park the car, rent a bike and explore them at your leisure. EAT LOCAL: Executive chef Jason Parsons, who works with winemaker Katie Dickieson to showcase wines in his seasonal menus, leads Zagat winner Peller Estates Winery Restaurant.

GOH IROMOTO (NIAGARA FALLS); JOEY PANETTA (MUSKOK A)

3. BLUE MOUNTAIN

THE DRIVE: 160 km (99 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: Nestled between the Niagara Escarpment and Georgian Bay, Blue Mountain is a ski and snowboard megaresort destination. But it also has plenty of green-season sports to keep fitness freaks happy, including a mountain-bike park, mountain tours and an adventure park with a Timber Challenge high-ropes course. EAT LOCAL: Blue Mountain Village’s Kaytoo offers representative dishes from across Canada, like Alberta beef, Saskatoon berry pie, Montreal smoked meat and East Coast lobster. Canadian campfire-cooked s’mores end winter meals on a sweet note.

Blue Mountain Village

4. WASAGA BEACH

THE DRIVE: 133 km (83 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: With its 14 km (8.7 miles) of @SeeTorontoNow

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Muskoka

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COMPASS 9. STRATFORD

THE DRIVE: 149 km (93 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: The town’s architecture reflects its Victorian past, but many come for the Justin Bieber hometown tour. The Stratford Festival enjoys international acclaim, particularly for its Shakespearean productions. EAT LOCAL: At Rundles, a favourite pre-theatre spot among locals, choose the River Room for formal dining or the Garden Room to try chef Neil Baxter’s take on casual French haute cuisine. The Chocolate Trail—25 shops offering everything chocolate, from shortbread to chocolate mint tea—provides the ultimate sweet finish.

10. POINT PELEE Point Pelee

THE DRIVE: 450 km (280 miles); approximately four hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: As Canada’s capital, this dynamic city with more than 1.3 million residents is always buzzing. Visit Parliament Hill or one of several national museums, as well as galleries and theatre companies, or take in the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. EAT LOCAL: Canadian ingredients marry with the finest French culinary techniques at Le Cordon Bleu’s Signatures Restaurant, located at the North American HQ of the famous cooking academy. Head to the historical ByWard Market district for restaurants, cafés and specialty food shops featuring local ingredients, or explore the Ottawa region’s impressive craft beer scene at a brewpub.

8. TOBERMORY

THE DRIVE: 297 km (185 miles); approximately four hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: Calling all hikers, divers, kayakers, golfers and art lovers: hike the majestic cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment or scuba dive in Fathom Five National Marine Park. EAT LOCAL: Follow the locals to The Fish & Chip Place. Grab a prime spot on the front patio and enjoy crispy, battered Georgian Bay whitefish while overlooking Little Tub Harbour.

7. PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

THE DRIVE: 203 km (126 miles); approximately two hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: The newest wine region in Ontario makes for a great excursion, with award-winning wineries and Chowhound-pleasing eateries and artisan food producers. The Globe and Mail newspaper recently named the area the “gastronomic capital” of Ontario. EAT LOCAL: A top choice among Toronto chefs, East & Main Bistro had the smart idea to combine luxury comfort food with fresh, local ingredients, paired with an outstanding selection of County wines. 90

TORONTO 2018

For more great Ontario getaways, visit ontariotravel.net

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JOEY PANETTA (POINT PELEE)

6. OTTAWA

THE DRIVE: 360 km (224 miles); approximately four hours from Toronto. WHAT WE LOVE: Mainland Canada’s southernmost tip, Point Pelee National Park is celebrated for its world-renowned bird sanctuary and has captivated visitors who marvel at the migration of birds and butterflies. EAT LOCAL: First sip, then dine at nearby Pelee Island Winery, known for its Pinot Noir, where an in-depth look at the winemaking process is followed by a tasting.

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COMPASS

GETTING AROUND What you need to know for wherever you want to go.

TRAVELLING BY BUS

v Toronto Coach Terminal is

the main intercity bus depot, located downtown at 610 Bay St. It serves such bus companies as Greyhound, Coach Canada/Trentway-Wagar/ Megabus and Ontario Northland. v Union Station Bus

Terminal is located at 141 Bay St. (south of Front Street and just east of Union Station). It is the hub for GO Transit buses servicing inter-region travel in and around the Greater Toronto Area. For more information, call 1-888-GET-ON-GO or 416-869-3200 or visit gotransit.com.

TRAVELLING BY TRAIN

v All trains arrive and depart

AIRPORT 411

v Toronto Pearson

International Airport (code YYZ) is the main point of landing for most domestic and international flights. Toronto Pearson is 27 km (17 miles) west of downtown (about a halfhour drive). To get from the airport to downtown, you can: 1. TAKE THE UP (UNION PEARSON) EXPRESS: The new dedicated express rail service, which departs every 15 minutes, travels between Union Station and Toronto Pearson in 25 minutes and costs as little as $9 one way.

IMPORTANT FYIs

2. TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT: Ride the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) 192 Airport Rocket bus to Kipling subway station or take the 52A Lawrence West bus to Lawrence West subway station. Both TTC stations are on subway lines serving the downtown core. Visit ttc.ca for fare information. 3. HIRE A TAXI OR AN AIRPORT LIMO: Look for the lineup signs for taxis. The average cost into the city is about $60. 4. CATCH A SHUTTLE BUS: Many hotels offer airport shuttles, so check whether yours does.

v Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): All visa-exempt foreign fly-in visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). American citizens and travellers with valid visas are exempt, as are visitors who arrive by land or sea. v The legal drinking age is 19. Licensed establishments serve alcohol between 11 a.m. and 2 a.m. v To get married in Ontario, consenting partners age 18 and older must first obtain a marriage licence. If you submit the

TORONTO 2018

5. RENT A CAR: You’ll find major car-rental outfits at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. Most are open daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Find detailed directions to the city at torontopearson.com. v Billy Bishop Toronto City

Airport (code YTZ), located on the Toronto Islands, serves domestic, chartered and select U.S. flights. Passengers can walk to or from Billy Bishop via a pedestrian tunnel or take a short ferry ride to Toronto’s Harbourfront district, with taxi and public transit connections from there.

v GO Transit services

inter-region travel in and around the Greater Toronto Area. GO’s green-and-white trains also operate from Union Station. For more information, call 1-888-GET-ON-GO or 416-869-3200 or visit gotransit.com.

application (available online) with two pieces of valid ID, along with the $140 fee, the licence can generally be processed within a day, after which it’s valid for 90 days. Same-sex marriage has been legal here since 2003. Find more info (including the application form) at settlement.org. v General retail hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with some malls offering extended hours and some smaller boutiques closing earlier. Most shops and malls close earlier on Sundays.

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KHRISTEL STECHER (UP EXPRESS)

Union Pearson Express

from Union Station (65 Front St. W.). VIA Rail handles most of Canada’s intercity routes and connects to the U.S. via Amtrak. The Amtrak/VIA Maple Leaf route runs between New York City and Toronto daily and takes about 13 hours, depending on the border wait. For more information: 1-888-VIA-RAIL and viarail.ca; 1-800-USA-RAIL and amtrak.com.

TTC streetcar

EXPLORING THE CITY v BY TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION (TTC): With four lines and 69 stations, Toronto’s subway system is

easy to navigate. Maps are displayed on all subway cars and are available at station ticket booths. Subway stops connect to streetcar or bus routes that weave throughout the city and extend to the Greater Toronto Area. Single fare is $3.25 (adults), $2.10 (seniors/students) and free for children under 13. Note that drivers don’t provide change, and hold on to your paper transfer for free connections and as proof of payment (failing to provide proof of payment, or POP, on streetcar routes may result in a fine). Save money by buying multiple tokens or tickets or a daily, weekly or monthly transit pass. The new PRESTO card, which is valid on GO Transit, UP Express and other transit systems in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), can also be used on the TTC. Passengers use credit or debit cards to load the cards for multiple fares. Using PRESTO, single fares are $3 (adults), $2.05 (seniors/students) and free for children under 13. Visit ttc.ca or call 416-393-INFO for more info.

v BY REGIONAL TRANSIT: Visiting

Mississauga? Go to the Click n’ Ride route planner on mississauga.ca, type in your origin and destination, and the website will map out your best route. For route information in Brampton, visit Brampton Transit at brampton.ca. v BY GO TRANSIT: For routes

from Toronto to the suburbs and neighbouring regions, check GO Transit bus and train schedules at gotransit.com. v BY TAXI: Toronto has numer-

ous cab companies, and all charge the same base rate of $3.25 plus $1.75 per kilometre ($1.09 per mile) or 52 cents a minute. The easiest cab number to remember is 416-TAXICAB, which connects you to all taxi and airport-limo companies. Fares from Toronto Pearson International @SeeTorontoNow

Airport are regulated by zone and are non-negotiable. For a pre-approved flat rate, please ask the driver for a rate sheet. v BY UBER OR LYFT: Uber and

Lyft also operate in Toronto. Visit uber.com and lyft.com to download the apps to your smartphone and learn how the ride-hailing services work. v BY BIKE: Renting a bike is easy.

Keep your eyes peeled for automated bike stands throughout the city. Bike rentals are ideal for shorter rides and are a great alternative to taxi jaunts. Grab a bike at one stand and return it to another. Visit toronto.ca for an online Toronto cycling map, or pick up a free paper copy at a civic or community centre, library or bicycle shop. v BY FOOT: Toronto is a safe and

walkable city. Look for trails

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throughout the parks, gardens and beaches; routes are outlined at toronto.ca. Explore PATH’s underground walkways and shopping arcades that runs beneath the downtown core. The 30 km (19 mile) PATH connects six subway stations, major hotels and several attractions, including Union Station, Roy Thomson Hall, Air Canada Centre (to be renamed Scotiabank Arena in July 2018), CN Tower, CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Queens Quay and City Hall. A map is available at toronto.ca. v BY WATER: Visit the city’s

largest parkland, the Toronto Islands, just minutes from the downtown core. You can board Toronto’s ferries hourly to get to and from the islands. Buy your tickets in person or book online at toronto.ca/ferry.

GET INSIDER ADVICE The Toronto Greeters program will send a volunteer to welcome visitors. By pairing guests and greeters with similar interests, the program offers newcomers a chance to connect with Toronto— and Torontonians—on a personal level and to tap into the pulse of the city. Call 416-33TAPTO (338-2786) or email tapto@toronto.ca for more info.

MORE QUESTIONS? Call 311 Toronto at 416-392-CITY (2489), or dial 311 within city limits, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

TOURIST INFO + SERVICES FIND INFO: Visit the Ontario Travel Information Centre at the west end of Union Station (65 Front St. W.) in the Main Hall, near the Skywalk. Specialists at the Toronto desk can provide information to help you get the most out of your visit to Toronto.

2018 TORONTO

LAST WORD Co-owners Robert (left) and Maurice Biancolin

BRINGING HOME THE BACON

Carousel Bakery co-owner Robert Biancolin on the city's most iconic sandwich—and food market. BY DOUG O’NEILL PHOTOGRAPH BY JAIME HOGGE

TORONTO 2018

arousel Bakery has been a St. Lawrence Market mainstay for 40 years, renowned for an iconic peameal bacon sandwich that is considered among the country’s best and has tantalized the taste buds of such famous clientele as Catherine Zeta-Jones and chefs Anthony Bourdain, Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay. Carousel co-owner Robert Biancolin shares his insider’s take on the enduring appeal of the city’s historic food market— and of Toronto’s signature dish. “The demographics of our customers at the St. Lawrence Market have changed a bit over the years. On Saturdays, we used to get lots of older Europeans coming at 5 a.m. The Saturday crowd is still regional, but now we’re seeing more of the neighbourhood condo-dwellers coming in almost daily to shop. They chat with the vendors at their favourite stalls and get a sense of where their food is coming from—which has become increasingly important to consumers. And we’re a destination stop for tourists, too. I was a teenager when I cooked my first bacon sandwich. My father was in the butcher business in Toronto, and he cured his own peameal bacon. My brother, Maurice, who co-owns Carousel Bakery with me, and I know there are two important things about making peameal bacon sandwiches: always cook bacon on a griddle (we started doing that a long time ago), and always, always source the best-quality bacon. Be just as picky about the bun. You don’t want it overly dry or too crunchy. Aim for a nice body, good moisture and not too flimsy. For the last 25 years, we’ve been using a Portuguese country-style bun that has the right body to complement the meat. Of our condiments, mustard is the most popular. Sweet mustard, just like applesauce on your pork chops, complements bacon nicely. But I urge customers to try it plain, at least once, to get the true essence of the bacon sandwich. People sometimes refer to peameal as a Canadian dish, but in truth it’s uniquely Torontonian. The peameal bacon sandwich is to Toronto what Philly steak is to Philadelphia. After all, peameal bacon was invented here in the 1800s by an enterprising pork processor named William Davies, who originally set up shop in the market. It led to our nickname: Hogtown.” www.SeeTorontoNow.com

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O F

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2018 TORONTO