Every year, Toronto Life Magazine acknowledges the city’s most inspirational leaders and impresarios through a curated list of the 50 most influential people in Toronto. From rap artists to politicians, media moguls to tech giants, the rankings in a way reflects the political and cultural climate of the year as viewed by the publication.
For the Toronto International Film Festival’s annual fundraising party, the theme at this year’s BOOMBOX party was Fame-inspired.
This season, a holiday shopping trip to Square One Shopping Centre is even more worth the drive, especially if you have a soft spot for all things sparkly and bright.
The Ontario Science Center held its 10th annual RBC Innovators’ Ball on November 7th, 2017. This beautiful night is held once a year to fundraise for the Ontario Science Centre while celebrating science and the power of curiosity. During the cocktail reception, unique exhibits were showcased featuring technologies of young innovators as well as from the evening’s sponsors.
The 26th annual Cathay Ball, a charity gala in support of the Mon Sheong Foundation was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Saturday November 4th. This year’s theme ‘Under the Northern Lights’ had stunning performances that accompanied the night’s affairs, echoing the sentiments of Canadian’s beauty and aspirations for the future as Canada continues its Canada 150 celebrations. Twenty luck recipients received a commemorative Canada 150 silver coin produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.
The crowd stayed late at the launch party for Landen Wakil’s debut novel Some Place Better Than Here, held on Thursday, October 26 at Dundas West spot Nightowl.
On November 6th, 2017, Best of Toronto was invited to dine at the launch of June’s – the first HIV+ Eatery pop-up in the world.
Always one of the greatest parties in Toronto, you don’t want to miss this year’s BOOMBOX.
The exciting grand opening day started with a free community family friendly event throughout the afternoon on Saturday, October 21st.
Screemers is back, unleashing terrors for their 25th anniversary, a horror staple in Toronto located at the Exhibition Place. The haunted scream park features 7 haunted houses and carnival rides, while ghosts and ghouls roam the property.
For 3 days, a group of over 70 young strangers got together to collaborate and pitch their innovative ideas to get people outside with the help of MEC.
Weeks ahead of the scariest holiday of the year, the Art Gallery of Ontario launches Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters, a biographical exhibition with the atmosphere of a haunted house, co-curated by Jim Shedden of the AGO, Britt Salvesen of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and Matthew Welch of Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). Expect no cheap thrills or jump scares. Here, you face paintings of dark, ominous scenes and life-size sculptures of mythical creatures and disfigured humans, the images of which might stay with you and haunt you in your dream state. As del Toro ends his audio tour, “May the monsters follow you home.” At Home with Monsters explores eight themes in eight rooms that dominate Guillermo del Toro’s filmography. It combines elements from the filmmaker’s work—full scale models, videoclip compilations, storyboard art, costume—with items from his personal museum. With a wide range of media from comics to ancient artifacts, the show captures the broad scope of his inspiration from various genres and complements it with pieces from the permanent collections of the institutions involved, handpicked by del Toro himself, including ten cabinets of curiosities from Mia. There is no shortage of sculptures of nightmarish characters, busts of prolific genre authors, horror movie memorabilia, comics, and other collected artwork. The full collection creates the quintessential cabinet of curiosities. This exhibition goes beyond simply showcasing a remarkable collection of nearly 500 objects that are key to del Toro’s career. Never mind the clean, pristine white walls and minimal spotlights of traditional galleries. Walls are painted crimson and covered with Gothic wallpaper, wrought iron suspension lamps, candelabras, and flameless LED candles set the mood, and area rugs borrowed from Grange House carpet the floor of the exhibition. The excellent ambiance is thoughtfully crafted by Katy Chey, Exhibition Designer at the AGO. It’s almost as if you’re browsing curious, otherworldly possessions in a Victorian home where the host is away and where perhaps you’re not quite welcomed. The dark ambiance is intentional. At Home with Monsters is an approximation of Bleak House, del Toro’s LA home studio. To the beloved genre filmmaker, “It’s everything. It’s the single thing that I have done that expresses me the most completely, more than any of my films. Bleak House is the best thing I’ve done.” For him, it is “a compression chamber for imagination.” The exhibition includes a recreation of del Toro’s favourite space to work, a childhood dream come true to have a room where it rains 24 hours a day. A sculpture of Edgar Allan Poe sits in the Rain Room in front of false windows that are rigged with special effects to simulate a perpetual thunderstorm. One piece that cannot be missed is British-born, LA-based artist Mike Hill’s portrait of Dr. Frankenstein’s Monster, which normally looms at the entrance of Bleak House. He is “the ultimate patron saint of Bleak House.” This impressive seven foot portrait sculpture welcomes you into the final room, devoted to perhaps the most recognizable monster, a tragically misunderstood creature with whom, among all the monsters, del Toro feels the deepest connection. Nearby is a tableau, also sculpted by Mike Hill, that depicts the final scene of Bride of Frankenstein, in which the Bride rebuffs the desolate monster and he cries “She hate me! Like others.” His search for companionship is all too human. On the other end of the spectrum, the first full scale monster to greet visitors is that of the Pale Man from Pan’s Labyrinth. With displaced eyes and a face that resembles the belly of a manta ray, it is a vaguely human looking monster that scares even del Toro, its creator. The Pale Man devours children and his callous appetite stands in for the inevitable loss of innocence. Del Toro does not shy away from the dark reality behind fairy tales and fantasies. Children are central to many of his works, and not even they are sheltered from the grotesque. Co-curator Jim Shedden states, “Guillermo del Toro believes that we need monsters.” Del Toro is empathetic towards the tragic monster, an outsider like Frankenstein’s monster, but is still fascinated by the unrelentingly terrifying monsters like the Pale Man. The underlying appeal of monsters is their imperfection as obvious outcasts defined immediately by their appearance. Del Toro knows perfection is unattainable and is sometimes frustrated by the world that demands it. He takes comfort in the presence of these strange creatures. Monsters make up his family, and Bleak House is their home. Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters offers audiences a rare glimpse into the monster-filled mind of the revered writer, filmmaker, and artist. After exhibiting at LACMA and Mia earlier this year, At Home with Monsters makes its last stop in Toronto at the AGO and runs from September 30, 2017 to January 7, 2018. Timed-entry tickets are $25 for adults, $16.50 for students and youth, $21.50 for seniors, and free for AGO members and are available online at AGO.ca, in person, and by phone. To extend your exhibition experience, the AGO is also hosting a series of screenings of five beloved films by del Toro as well as ten most terrifying horror movies chosen by the director at the Jackman Hall cinema. Photos by Amy Bae for Best of Toronto except where indicated.
For those who believe that a better future can be created through design, there’s an ambitions upcoming event that explores profound undertakings of global impact.
There’s a new kid on the block when it comes to a view-filled place to play and stay in Toronto. As of September 4th, The Bisha is officially open for business – and she’s a beauty. Already, the sleek, breathtaking 44th-storey KOST restaurant (open to the public for breakfast, lunch, and dinner) has become a quick go-to for Toronto’s in-the-know cocktail-sipping set.
Celebrating TIFF at Yorkville Village hosted by Re:Luxe with a fashion show and some luxury artistic furniture by Troy Smith Designs. Relaxing with a drink in hand, food, music, cars and art during the busy Toronto International Film Festival.
As soon as the Monday workday ended for the 9-5ers, some famous faces hit Soho House’s third floor Pretzel bar for a low-key cocktail to fete their Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) film My Days of Mercy.
In addition to the star power-filled films, red carpets and parties, another major ingredient to the Toronto International Film Fest (TIFF) are the gifting suites. Being blessed with big screen-worthy looks and acting chops comes with the added perk of getting showered with all kinds of noteworthy products like the stars do. Speaking of a perk of the job, the media gets to partake in the suite life of TIFF as well – we even have a lounge dedicated specifically for us. Along the way we met some cool people and discovered notable products; these are some of our favourites. The Stylist Box‘s Stylist Suite made the lives easier for talent throughout the festival by offering a massive “closet” of Canadian-designed clothing and accessories to borrow, red carpet-ready hairstyling from the experts at Salon Daniel & Spa and makeup from the beauty experts at P1M. Guests also left the suite armed with fully stocked gift bags containing everything from gift certificates to Salon Daniel, PearlMD Rejuvenation (Dr. Jennifer Pearlman was also on-site to offer treatments) and new dress rental spot Boro, to a LED Cinema Lightbox from My Cinema Lightbox (which was probably the coolest swag gift we took home throughout the festival). Check out more at #stylistsuite5. Back for its eight year, EGPR’s goodness-packed Essentials Lounge returned to treat the media to memorable (and much appreciated) swag and services on the eve of the festival. This included mini facials from Skinceuticals, eyelash extensions from Winks Boutique, makeup touchups from Dior Makeup and manicures by Tweezerman, who also gifted engraved Tweezers (if you don’t own a pair of their magic-making Tweezers, you need to ASAP). Other highlights included an assortment of kicks from Keds (including a Kate Spade collaboration, which I scooped up), “Toronto” t-shirts from Tuck Shop Trading Co, engraved Michael Kors Sexy Ruby perfume and an assortment of products from Loreal. Gift bags included the Dior Diorshow Pump n Volume mascara, which is hands-down the best I have ever owned; it turns your lashes into a work of art. Check out more at #essentialslounge8 Back for the ninth year, the Bask-It Style suite by Glo Communications popped up in the Thompson Hotel to showcase some notable brands like Studio1098, HP (and their handheld printers) Kobo, Pureology, Yardley London, Maredesso, Barefoot Venus and much more. The HP Sprocket handheld printers caught our eye. Serving as the modern day instant camera, it lets you wirelessly and instantly print mini 2 x 3-inch photos. Other notable talking points included the prettiest tea that you ever did see from DAVIDSsTEA (the “Glitter and Gold” tea featured TIFF-appropriate stars), the talking point-heavy Diamond Graphic Collection from Studio 1098 and red carpet-worthy hair touchups from Pureology. Check out more at #baskitstyle Rock-it Promotions welcomed media and talent into their airy, newly renovated headquarters for Tastemakers Presents: Suite on the SIXth, held September 6 to 8. Showcasing brands like Peoni, Perth Soap Co., InBalance Smoothie Cubes, McGregor Socks, Ink & Water Tattoo (who offered on-site fine-line tattooing) and Hudson’s Bay Company (plus more), the gifting suite left guests clad with Hudson’s Bay bags (that feature the brand’s iconic stripes) packed with well-received products. One of the most notable discoveries was the art of Michelle Vella that decorated the space. Check out more at #suiteonthesixth Decidedly one of the most celeb-frequented gifting suites was the[fix} luxury retreat lounge. After posting pictures of countless A-listers on Instagram, the magic maker behind it, Dr. Liza Egbogah joked in a post that it was easier to list the stars who didn’t show up. At this lounge – conveniently located in the press junket and interview-filled InterContinental Hotel, at this suite, celebs can sip on Havana Club cocktails, pick out a new pair of Sorel boots, get a massage from Dr. Liza herself (select stars got to take home her uber comfortable Dr. Liza pump) and eat as much candy as their hearts desire. Gift bags included Pommies Cider, Refreshsht spray and Station cold brew coffee. Check out more at #thefixtiff Back for the second year, NKPR has collaborated with Scott Brothers Entertainment (you know, those easy-on-the-eyes twins from “Brother vs. Brother,” “Property Brothers at Home”) to transform a two-story hub at Richmond and Peter into the IT House x Producers Ball. Here, talent can have their portrait taken at one of two celebrity photo studios – one with Nylon Magazine and another with The Coveteur. To complete red carpet-worthy looks, Swarovski was on site gift the stars with some sparkly swag. IT House also partnered with rock & roll gallery, Analogue Gallery, to feature notable works throughout the space, with a portion of all sales going back to APJ. Check out more at #nkprit17
Celebrating the TIFF premiere of the film Stronger, Jake Gyllenhaal arrived to the after party at Soho House last night on September 8, 2017. The film centres on the memoir of Boston marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman (pictured above). We sipped on cocktails and nibbled on bites while admiring how Jake looks the same as he does on the big screen. He was all smiles as he mingled with guests. We spotted Tatiana Maslany greeting him and take a photo with him as well. Also in attendance were lead actors from the film Richard Lane Jr and Miranda Richardson as well as Stanley Tucci and Armie Hammer. Thanks to Grey Goose for the invite to the private party. Photos by Getty Images
Helmets on, safety restraints in place, clutch in, in gear, green light, go go go! The excitement and exhilaration of driving a Corvette Z06 on the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Grand Prix track makes for one sweet afternoon.
Step aside escape rooms and board game cafes; virtual reality may just be the “future of entertainment” wherein one can immerse themselves into another world. The arcade, bordering the uptown area of Toronto, combines high quality technology with the social aspect of gaming with friends, which intrigues both avid gamers and newcomers alike. One can take on a variety of games to their heart’s content or have a glimpse of the VR world at booths that are pre-setup by tech connoisseurs. Located at the “World on Yonge” plaza, “VR Zone” recently opened in June by a joint collaboration between an economics and a computer science graduate. After testing out a handful of VR equipment, Ray and his partner, opted for the HTC Vive for its high calibration and ease of mobility. The smooth performance (featuring a GTX 1080 Ti) creates a realistic visual and acoustic ambiance that allows players to feel as if they have been teleported to a different dimension. Most impressively, VR Zone has Canada’s first ever fully wirelessly controlled game system. Currently, the 18 games available at VR Zone are divided into five categories: 1. First Person Shooter First person shooter is without a doubt a popular pick due to its high-intensity and adrenaline-inducing gun-play. “Mercenary” exercises swift tactile skills for dodging bullets and target accuracy. “Space Pirate Trainer” has a more breath-taking view where you shoot down flying droids on a spaceship horizon to get the highest score. 2. Recreation You can have your own customizable avatar at “The Rec Room”, a dorm-style lounge that allows you to interact with other real-time users globally, and play various PVP games such as dodgeball, disc golf, and charades. I also enjoyed “Audioshield” where you hold two different-coloured deflectors and shield incoming beats from your song-of-choice. 3. Experience “The Lab” is a pocket universe which holds a collection of Valve’s experiments and games in varying worlds. “Tilt Brush” brings drawing to a 3D context. The brush allows you to unleash your creativity with a life-sized canvas and animated brush strokes. 4. Strategy I enjoyed “Vacate the Room” which is a virtual escape room with a definite ending to your puzzle-solving achievements. 5. Horror For the braver adventure-seekers, “Arizona Sunshine” places you in a survival mode during the zombie apocalypse. “The Brookhaven Experiment” will also be sure to make your skin crawl where monsters pop up from the darkness. Alongside The Rec Room and Arizona Sunshine, “Battle Dome” and “Raw Data Arcade” are more co-op games where you can team up with your friends, which comes in handy when hosting birthday or bachelor parties. What makes VR Zone different from other Virtual Reality Arcades is the self-serving aspect. In many other places, the user would require to seek the assistance of the employee in order to manually switch games. Aside from receiving assistance for putting on the headgear and game recommendations from the knowledgeable employees, you decide how long you’d want to play each game for with minimal supervision. Additionally, the projection of blue-grid indicators into the game allows for awareness of the outside world. They are in the works of developing more Steam games, such as “Super Hot” into a virtual-reality format, so expect more new games upon your visit. Unsurprisingly, VR Zone’s efficient self-service experience is already receiving franchising proposals to implement their convenient system globally. The owners also hope to expand the use of VR to bring a more educational purpose (ie. biology demonstrations) to future clients. Photos Courtesy of VR Zone Book online at: https://www.vrzone.ca/ 7181 Yonge St #31 Instagram: @torontovrzone Facebook: /TorontoVRZone
A secret location; elegance in white; a 29 year old tradition; soiree outdoors – It was an exciting and glamorous evening among good friends and also new acquaintances against the backdrop of Toronto’s beautiful skyline.
The Aga Khan Museum stands 3 years strong as a prominent landmark in the North York area, comprised of 3 beautifully integrated components: the museum, the park, and Ismaili Centre (a Muslim prayer hall). Aside from their permanent collection in the museum, which features over 1000 artifacts from the 18th to 20th century, Aga Khan opens up temporary exhibits such as the past Syrian Symphony: New Compositions in Light and Sounds, which sheds light on the Syrian culture and brings hope in lieu of recent tragedies. The Aga Khan museum’s well-orchestrated exhibits allow us to connect on a deeper level, and also a global scale by bringing together collaborators, musicians, artists, and visitors. Individually, the park at Aga Khan appeals to the five senses: touch (gravel), sight (multi-coloured lights), hearing (water), smell (lavender), and taste (berries). Speaking of taste, the open-concept restaurant, Diwan, is also quite breath-taking itself, from their inviting patio to the gorgeous interior – complete with intricate wooden panels tracing back from the 18th century. Having their menu curated by the McEwan Group, it is no surprised that this 65-seater space was quite the hotspot for Summerlicious this year. A new summer-menu was recently launched that highlights Middle Eastern flavours and their respective Silk Route spices. Their dishes range from healthier fare including the Grilled Octopus with Chickpea Salad, to more comforting options like the Advieh Spiced Calamari. Having a preference for any variation of poutine, I would recommend the Masala Spiced Fries, which are generously coated with a heart-warming garlic aioli and tamarind ketchup. Many of the dishes have such a complex and indescribable array of flavours that fulfill one’s appetite with content. Either way, these aromatic spices would perfectly pair with their refreshing pulp-filled strawberry guava mocktails. With a few weeks of summer vacation life, the Aga Khan Museum provides activities that would accommodate the family. Experience the museum, take an evening stroll around the beautiful park, or catch an upcomingFilms Under the Stars event. Photos by Janey Tso 77 Wynford Drive https://www.agakhanmuseum.org/ Instagram: @agakhanmuseum Twitter: @AgaKhanMuseum Facebook: /agakhanmuseumtoronto
Get ready for the return of Toronto’s most talked about end-of-summer carnival. Ontop of yearly customs (such as junk foods, amusement park rides, and Canadian International Air Shows), 2017 debuts new events and exhibits; The CNE Gaming Garage, MZ Lazer Illusion Experience, and East Coast Kitchen Party to name a few. One of these new features is located at the Heritage Court of the Enercare Centre. The Unity Pole is commissioned by Ojibway artist, Kris Nahrgang, who took 6 months to carve and paint the 25 foot cedar tree. It majestically stands with symbolism that each represent his personal artistic and spiritual quest for unity. The root of the tree is a turtle, which alludes to Mother Nature and the indigenous creation story. 9 more animals fulfill the rest of the totem pole, with a soaring eagle at the top, indicating an existing connection between the spiritual and mutable worlds. My favourite show of CNE last year was the ice-skating show, and the revamped version this year, “Oh Canada! Aerial Acrobatics & Ice Skating Show”, commemorates Canada 150 with iconic red and white costumery. The spectacle is headlined by Olympic Champion Elvis Stojko, who is sure to rock the crowd with his impressive moves and speedy spins. Also, the Ricoh Coliseum is a great place to cool off after a whole day out in the heat! A highlight of this year’s food festivities will be their new “East Coast Kitchen Party”, where one can watch a world-class oyster shucker or Caesar-building competition, get a taste of the Maritimes, and participate in Newfoundland’s tradition of ‘kiss a cod and get screeched in’. Other recognizable events include French’s Food Truck Frenzy, the Craft Beer Fest, and CNE’s 9th annual Ribfest. The food is hands-down the talk of the town because the most outrageous culinary combinations come to life. Many of the items from the Food Building are picture-worthy and are sure to satisfy an empty stomach with underlying themes of indulgent fried goods, stacks of sweetness, or daring flavours. These foods range from Strawberry Shortsteak (Philthy Philly’s) to the All-Canadian Red Hot Burger (Bacon Nation) to Sugar Mountain (Cake Shack) – a pile of sweets and dessert. The Deep Fried Chicken Feet (Coco Concessions), Deep Fried Frog Legs (Farm to Fryer) and the Cricket Cone (Bug Bistro) are not for the faint of heart. A few of the charcoal trends made an appearance; Black Velvet Funnel Cake as well as the Charcoal Lemonade (both from Bacon Nation). When it comes to carnival food, food inventions are sure to bring a wow-factor to the crowds at CNE. However, even the simpler food creations such as the Deep Fried Cheese Curds (The Great Canadian), and the Dragon’s Breath Crepe (Eative), deserve an equal amount of recognition for innovation in terms of deliciousness. Either way, be prepared for a long day filled with events to “see-and-eat” at CNE. It runs from August 18th to September 4th! For more information: 210 Princes’ Blvd. http://www.theex.com/ Instagram: @letsgototheex Twitter: @letsgototheex Facebook: /TheEx
It was an evening filled with inspiration, in celebrating the art of celebrating each other. Celebrity designer Nate Berkus and Michelin-trained Chef Patrick Kriss of Canada’s top-rated restaurant Alo, teamed up with Stella Artois in hosting a most extraordinary garden party and inspirational dining experience.
Presented by Weizmann Canada’s Women and Science committee, the annual event celebrates and inspires through an accomplished panel of women from various industries.
Think of Cigar Company + Gentleman’s Barbershop as the equivalent to what one of its four partners, Orion Armstrong, calls a “man spa,” offering a refined boys’ day out that won’t soon be forgotten.
This year we celebrated The Best of Toronto’s 5th Year Anniversary at Brassaii Restaurant & Lounge, and what a grand celebration it was. We had stellar performances from some of Toronto’s newest up and coming artists, delicious canapes, along with featured cocktails from Knoxx & Dunn and Lost Craft Brewery. Guests were treated to the ultimate VIP experience with professional hair and make-up touch ups from BSIDE Beauty Bar and Vasanti Cosmetics. Of course no event is complete without gift bags, and our standout gift bags were the talk of the event.
Modus Ristorante launched their summer menu recently. Modus is an upscale Italian restaurant, located in the center of Financial District. Fitting for its location, along with its giant chandelier and textured wallpapers, the restaurant creates Italian classics with a touch of class.
MEC wants Canadians to get outside this summer – and is making it easier than ever to do so (to the point where, really, you have no excuses).
The country’s longtime go-to spot for outdoor gear and inspiration kicked off summer with the launch of www.goodtimesoutside.ca, a new website that inspires and enables users to get outside. Helping your fresh air cause, it sorts activities by vibe, ability, location and duration.
When it comes to healthcare facilities, design is just as important as the services offered within their walls.
This point was driven home at Recovery Brunch, a cocktail, breakfast and photo-op-filled affair held within Momofuko and on its breezy Daisho terrace. Think, the ultimate Sunday funday, complete with a DJ, auction items and mimosas and Bloody Caesars – all for a good cause.