Innehållsförteckning för July 2023 från Toronto Life

DIGITAL EDITION FREE FOR PRINT SUBSCRIBERS Your Toronto Life subscription now includes free access to the Toronto Life and FASHION digital editions. In your digital newsstand store, search “toronto life” and “fashion magazine,” download/open the apps, and follow the prompts. SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRY To find out when your current subscription expires, check the mailing label. BILLING AND RENEWAL NOTICE Invoice and renewal notices are printed one week before they are mailed to you. With delivery time, it’s possible that your payment or renewal order will cross in the mail with our invoice or renewal notice. FRAGRANCE-FREE ISSUES Some issues of Toronto Life include perfume strips. If you prefer to receive your copy without perfume strips, write to us at the address listed below. MAIL PREFERENCE On occasion, subscriber names and addresses…

Mel Lastman 1998 to 2004 THE PLAN: Sheppard Subway FIRST PROPOSED: 1985 EXPECTED COMPLETION DATE: 1993 (first phase); 2009 (second phase) ACTUAL COMPLETION DATE: A scaled-back phase one was completed in 2002; phase two never materialized PROPOSED BUDGET: $1.2 billion ACTUAL BUDGET: $930 million WHAT HE PROMISED: Lastman championed a subway line along Sheppard East when he was mayor of North York. It was nearly cancelled when then-premier Mike Harris stopped funding Toronto transit, but Lastman’s bulldog lobbying saved the line. The city projected over 15 million riders per year. WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED: Only 11 million riders showed up, earning Sheppard its unfortunate nickname, “the line to nowhere.” But give Lastman some credit: he oversaw the delivery of a subway line, which is more than most Toronto mayors can say.…

On April 17, 2022 At around 9 p.m., Shamsa Al-Balushi is pushed onto the tracks while waiting at Bloor–Yonge station. She survives but suffers serious injuries. April 19, 2022 A 30-year-old man is chatting with a friend at St. George station when another man stabs him, unprovoked, in the neck. He survives, and his attacker is later sentenced to 18 months in prison. June 17, 2022 Nyima Dolma is on a bus at Kipling station when a man douses her in a flammable liquid and sets her on fire. She sustains second- and third-degree burns and later dies. December 8, 2022 A stranger stabs two women travelling on a subway train near High Park station. One woman survives the attack, but the other, 31-year-old Vanessa Kurpiewska, is killed. January 24,…

Tips From a Show Dog Dad Striker is a world-famous fluff ball who’s won over 100 American Best in Shows and was the runner-up at last year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The most successful Samoyed in history is now retired at age six and living in North Toronto—but he still knows a thing or two about being a pageant pup. We caught up with his co-owner, Marc Ralsky, to talk about the pleasures and perils of raising a show dog How did you come to be the owner of such a famous dog? My wife, Correen, and I have been breeding and showing Siberian huskies for decades. About five years ago, we were at a show in Florida, and a Samoyed breeder named Judi Elford brought a young Striker.…

FOR BLING APPLIQUÉS: Dogfather and Co. 179 Avenue Rd., Toronto For extra-indulgent pet parents who want to give their fur babies a glow-up, this Rosedale boutique and spa offers grooming add-ons like feather extensions and glittery decals. It’s not for every day (or every dog), but it’s a fun way to make a statement at the dog park. The bling is also easily removable, in case someone decides you’re cramping their style. FOR NUTRITION ADVICE: Woofur 661 Chrislea Rd., units 7–9, Vaughan This holistic pet care centre in Vaughan provides daycare and grooming along with homeopathy and osteopathy. It also offers nutrition consultations for owners looking to improve their dog’s overall health. Each consultation involves a 60-minute Zoom call, in which one of Woofur’s experts will assess your pup’s current…

If you’re seeking a brief escape from the pressures of modern life, you might want to visit Thermëa spa village in Whitby, Ont. Open 364 days a year and easily accessible from the 401 or 407 highways, the team at Thermëa knows that relaxation means different things to different people. For some, it’s a solo getaway to pause, breathe, and reflect. For others, it’s a social time to reconnect with their partner, family, or friends. And some people simply like different relaxation options at different times. That’s why guests at Thermëa get to create their own unique adventure, choosing from a wide range of spa experiences each time they visit. It might be a quiet day during the week for some rest, solitude, and recovery on one stay and a…

Every month, TL Insiders enjoy terrific experiences and events across the city. More than 1,000 Torontonians have already signed up, and you can too! Members get front-of-the-line access to cultural events and private dining experiences plus exclusive invitations to Toronto Life’s salon-like discussion series. Membership is only $75 a year—so sign up today and rediscover the city as a member. Don’t miss out. Sign up at: members.torontolife.com El Dorado Rum Tasting and Dinner: At Miss Likklemore’s, one of Toronto Life’s best new restaurants of 2023, TL Insiders were treated to Caribbean-inspired dishes and a guided tour of premium El Dorado Rum with their master distiller. Guests learned about the rich history of El Dorado distilling and the intensive process used to create their international award–winning barrel-aged rums. JOIN NOW! $75/year FOR…

On May 15, Toronto Life held its iconic Best Restaurants event, presented by Uber Eats, at the Evergreen Brick Works. More than 20 restaurants and a thousand hungry guests came together to celebrate the city’s diverse culinary scene. THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT PARTNERS FOR FULL PARTY COVERAGE, SCAN THIS ↓…

“If you’re not selling out the house at Stratford, you’re not doing your job”—Paul Gross, p. 26 If all goes to plan, the Canadian Pacific Building—one of the city’s grandest old office towers—will soon be converted into 127 condo units. It makes sense: 15 per cent of downtown offices are empty, and housing supply is at an all-time low. So why aren’t more property owners getting in on the action? It’s true that upgrading workspaces with sufficient plumbing, electrical and natural light is expensive. But the real problem lies in outdated policies: the city’s 25-year Downtown Plan mandates that any lost office space in the Financial District be replaced, an edict conceived when vacancies were almost non-existent. With a potential treasure trove of apartments and condos out there, opportunity is…

IT HAPPENED LAST MONTH: A LOOSE CHRONOLOGY…

$600 Fine levied against Greenbelt activist Casey Hatherly for her topless protest at the Juno Awards in March. Hatherly says that she and advocacy group On2Ottawa are planning more demonstrations. $140,000 Annual operational deficit the Toronto Fringe Festival is carrying into its 2023 season. Executive director Lucy Eveleigh will need to raise $500,000 this year or cut 2024’s programming in half. $4,100,000 Total value of university scholarships offered to Jane Forrest, a 17-year-old Etobicoke School of the Arts student who produced over a hundred paintings, wrote 40 entrance essays and applied to 62 post-secondary institutions. $51,000,000 Money allocated by Queen’s Park to fight auto theft over the next three years. According to police stats, a car is stolen in Ontario every 48 minutes, often ending up on a shipping container…

NORTH The on-again, off-again Eglinton plan 1985: The city proposes a dedicated bus lane along Eglinton West. Politicians in York and Etobicoke are miffed, questioning why North York should get a subway along Sheppard while all they get is a measly busway. 1994: Premier Bob Rae tries to appease everyone by beginning construction on a five-stop subway line along Eglinton, matching the length of the Sheppard route. 1995: Mike Harris moves into Queen’s Park and cancels the project, infuriating former TTC chair Mike Colle, who says, “[The Conservatives] are going to put their money where they’re going to get their political returns. And their political returns are not in some poor part of Metro.” 2007: Mayor David Miller resurrects an Eglinton West line, this time in the form of light-rail…

JULY 2023 | TRUENORTHLIVING.CA @MediaplanetCA @TrueNorthLiving_CA Please recycle Plan your dream Ontario road trip this summer with Attractions Ontario Scan the QR code to learn more! Q & A WITH MAX KERMAN OF ARKELLS Mediaplanet sat down with Arkells frontman, Max Kerman, to talk about their new tour dates and how the band will spend their summer. How does summer touring differ from the rest of the year? We’re mostly working on the weekends and most of the shows are outside, so if the weather is good, the nights have a magic to them. Canadians really appreciate a perfect summer night. Canadian’s have long awaited these warm summer months, what are some of your favourite summertime activities to do when you’re not performing? I love the summer in the city.…

In today’s wellness-conscious era, there’s no shortage of expertly marketed products and promises for improving one’s health and mental well-being. But before there were rose quartz facial rollers and pricey superfood powders, there was the great outdoors — a time-honoured way to leave the stress of city living behind, rejuvenate your mental state, and stop burnout in its tracks. You can always take a day trip to a local park, but there’s an even better way to venture into nature’s playground. For adventurers who still enjoy some of the comforts of home on the road, an RV or recreational vehicle is essentially a sanctuary on wheels. And fortunately for Canadians, there’s a free, one-stop-shop resource for RV enthusiasts — whether they’ve never stepped foot in one before or are seasoned…

COCONUT IS a classic summer cocktail ingredient. The tropical mix-in adds that salty-sweet creaminess to a piña colada and masks the punchy taste of rum in a painkiller. But the palm fruit (which is actually a drupe, not a nut) isn’t just for super-sugary beach bar drinks. These days, the city’s mixologists are shoehorning coconut into bright spritzes and bracing nightcaps. Case in point: it’s surprisingly at home in a manhattan. At Short Turn, the sleek new sister spot of 416 Snack Bar, Michelle’s Manhattan (an ode to recipe developer Michelle Rabin’s famous Miso Banana Upside Down Cake) is made with whiskey fat-washed with coconut oil, miso and a drop of banana tincture. Coconut even goes well with brandy. The boozy Punch Lafitte at Evangeline, the Ace Hotel’s dreamy rooftop…

YANNIS LOBAINA Author, filmmaker and photographer SCARBOROUGH BY CATHERINE HERNANDEZ “In this breathtaking novel, Hernandez weaves together stories of families from low-income, immigrant and multicultural backgrounds. The author takes readers beyond the stereotypes we see on TV to a place full of love, art and community connection.” JAEL RICHARDSON Founder and executive director of the Festival of Literary Diversity THE MELANCHOLY OF SUMMER BY LOUISA ONOMÉ “Louisa Onomé’s new book has everything you want in a great summer read. It’s a coming-of-age story about a Nigerian teen who finds herself in the care of a cousin she barely knows. She’s a compelling main character facing big stakes and hard questions.” ADRIAN FUOCO Vice-president of marketing at Pizza Pizza MIDNIGHT RUN (CRAVE) “I taped this movie on TV when I was…

A Train Bound for Nowhere The London Underground features 272 stations. New York’s system has 472. Both cities have problems, but getting people from point A to B isn’t foremost among them. Toronto’s feeble yellow U and green slash, by contrast, are dotted with 75 stops plus a smattering of above-ground stations, many of them in various states of decrepitude. If a city overflows with great restaurants, museums, parks and concert halls, but you can’t get to them without tearing your hair out, what’s the point? In this politically polarizing era, few issues find public consensus. Bad transit is one of them. The woeful state of affairs holds Toronto back in just about every category: economic activity, tourism, productivity, quality of life, reputation and more. Torontonians have become inured to…

The Royal Treatment After more than two decades, Paul Gross is back at Stratford, this time playing theatre’s most conflicted retiree, King Lear. He’s never been more ready It’s been a while since audiences have seen you on screens. What have you been up to? I was writing a play when Covid hit. My wife, Martha, and I have a place outside the city. Once we got there, we realized how many of our friends, particularly young people in the industry, were stuck indoors. We ended up building an artists’ retreat on our property, with all these tiny houses for people to live in and work on their scripts. That’s cool! This is the first I’ve heard about it. This year has been a bit complicated. I’ve been in Stratford…

GUEST WORK The managers of Toronto’s hottest hotels on raiding mini bars, bed-making tips and fulfilling impossible requests GEORGE SOVATZIS THE DRAKE HOTEL What you do: “I hire great people and then get out of the way.” Celebrity doppelgänger: “I get asked regularly on the street if I’m education minister Stephen Lecce.” Secret to a well-made bed: “How you tuck the linen—it has to be crisp, with all corners even.” Toronto gem you recommend to visitors: “Roncesvalles. It’s within walking distance of the Drake, and it’s like a little town within the city.” Travel light or pack everything but the kitchen sink: “I pack the entire kitchen.” Dream vacation destination: “Always Greece.” Your summer reading includes… “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus. I’ve been meaning to read it for years.” Best…

TTC LEADERSHIP Rick Leary Chief executive officer WHAT HE DOES: Provides overall leadership to the system’s 14,000 employees, answers to the board and lobbies for funding SALARY: $473,440 Fortunato Monaco Chief operations and infrastructure officer WHAT HE DOES: Responsible for the maintenance and operation of stations, tracks, tunnels, yards and more SALARY: $257,207 Gary Downie Chief capital officer WHAT HE DOES: Oversees the planning and execution of the TTC’s most significant and expensive projects, including new lines and subway extensions SALARY: $338,078 Joan Taylor Chief of staff WHAT SHE DOES: A behind-the-scenes problem solver who acts as a liaison between the TTC’s C-suite and board and external stakeholders, including the city and Metrolinx SALARY: $248,179 Richard Wong Chief transportation and vehicles officer WHAT HE DOES: Responsible for procuring subways, streetcars…

A BACKYARD OR A NEIGHBOURHOOD PARK? AN HOUR ON THE GO OR A 15-MINUTE WALK TO WORK? A MICRO-CONDO OR A ROOMY DETACHED? BUYING A HOME OR RENTING FOR LIFE? Deciding where to live in the GTA was fraught even before sky-high prices and rock-bottom supply turned searching for real estate into a battle royale. Everyone wants a prime location, a good deal and ample space, but absent a Roy family–sized trust fund, we usually have to cave on one or two must-haves. Want that big yard and second bathroom? Better be ready to move off the subway line. Dreaming of a downtown dwelling close to work and surrounded by restaurants? Get used to the condo elevator and the sounds of bickering neighbours through the walls. And yet, despite the…

Much has changed since Jack and Ila Crowe bought a small dairy in Bobcaygeon in 1937, but one important part has remained the same — Kawartha Dairy continues to be a family-run business that makes ice cream the traditional way. They use fresh milk and cream that arrives daily from local farms mostly within a 100km radius from the plant. It’s then turned into rich, creamy ice cream within 36 hours of its arrival. Their delicious ice cream has gained Ontariowide fame — it’s an intrinsic part of people’s summer adventures. Products can now be purchased at any of their 10 Retail Stores, partner scoop shops or at most Grocery Stores in Ontario. Aside from their incredible ice cream and dairy products, it’s Kawartha Dairy’s customer service that truly sets…

A NOSTALGIC PARKSIDE CANTEEN Park Snacks, 161 Winchester St. THIS CHARMING Cabbagetown café is straight out of a Hallmark movie set. Up for grabs: an abundance of picnic-perfect goodies, should one choose to spend the day in Riverdale Park. Since 1998, Bernard Dunford has been operating Park Snacks from April to October, serving burgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers, ice cream cones and scratch-baked treats to the neighbourhood’s kids and kids at heart. For those seeking something even more caloric, his Hungry Canuck Poutine—handcut fries covered with cheese curds, gravy and hunks of Hungarian debrazzini sausage—is the thing to get. Wood-fired pizza from a tucked-away food truck Fuoco Mio, 100 Symes Rd., @fuoco_mio_to Toronto’s so-called Ale Yards is a trio of breweries—Shacklands, Rainhard and Junction—hidden behind a maze of industrial buildings and…

ALOETTE’S SOUTHSIDE FIZZ Channelling another canonical summer classic—the mojito—Aloette’s new offering mashes up London Dry gin, lime, mint and a kick of cucumber. No glassware, ice or muddling required. $2.95. fizzbyaloette.com BLOOD BROTHERS BREWING’S HOLY GHOST This beachy-keen, off-dry five per cent ABV seltzer—made using a ferment of mango and pineapple—is for beer drinkers on island time. $3.25. bloodbrothersbrewing.com WILLIBALD’S PIÑA COLADA SELTZER What this bright, buzzy hard seltzer lacks in rum (it’s vodka based) and garnishes (though a pineapple wedge wouldn’t hurt), it makes up for in park-picnic convenience. $2.88. drinkwillibald.com…

WHEN I WAS 13, I LEARNED that I was a bad kid. In the fifth grade, I had switched from a public school to an all-girls private school in Toronto, and I didn’t fit in. It took some time, but I eventually made friends. I was hanging out after class with one of them and a boy from a nearby school when my friend suggested that we sneak into the grad lounge. The grad lounge was a hallowed space reserved for 12th graders. I’d never been inside. We entered the school, and I slowly opened the lounge door to find a room filled with mismatched couches, blazers strewn about. The feeling of being where we weren’t allowed was exhilarating, but before we could drink it all in, a 12th grader…