It was the idea and the potential that got my mind enthralled, my mouth salivating and my stomach growling. The potential for a world-renowned chef, Jonathan Waxman and Toronto native, restaurateur and Hollywood director, Ivan Reitman, to transform the void that exists in the entertainment district with such a restaurant; charming, eclectic, upscale but warm and inviting. A destination for both foodies and socialites alike. A new Toronto dining experience is soon to be born.
Cancer has touched all of our lives. As a second cause of death in North America, most of us know someone whose life has been claimed by this deadly disease. Fuelled by this sentience, 10 courageous men and women competed in the charity boxing gala, Fight To End Cancer (FTEC) at Toronto’s historic Old Mill Inn, to help raise money and awareness for The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
Becoming the new executive chef at MoRoCo Chocolate is like “coming home” for Chef Eyal Liebman, according to wife and co-founder of L is For…, Rebecca Meir Liebman. They previously held a series of pop-up dinners including this 6-course chocolate popup dinner, hosted by Abbey Sharp of Abbey’s Kitchen. With this successful team collaborating again on the launch of MoRoCo Chocolat’s new menu on June 11, we were salivating in anticipation.
What an incredible day at Cabana Pool Bar to kick off the summer.
After a long hard winter, summer has finally arrived and patio season has officially begun. Hudson Kitchen is ready to shed its winter guise and bust out their barbeque season menu. Holding a tasting, the restaurant also brought out their secret weapon, mixologist Jay Meyers to formulate some unique blends of cocktails to the mix, getting this patio party started with a bang.
The Luminato Festival kicked off this year’s festivities with another epic opening party featuring a venue unlike any other: a decommissioned, abandoned power generating station called “The Hearn” tucked away on a side road off of Cherry Rd south of the Gardiner. The wonderful and unique venue set the tone for a wonderful Berlin Underground theme.
A breezy early summer evening brought us to the harbour front of Toronto. Docked at the bottom of Bay and Queens Quay, a modest sized ship dubbed the Showboat, one of the many ships of the award-winning Mariposa Cruises, was ready to set sail. We had the pleasure of boarding this vessel for it to take us along the perimeter of Toronto’s scenic Harbourfront and through the Island waterways.
If last year was any indication, this year’s Power Ball was sure to be amazing once again. Held at Canada’s leading contemporary art gallery on June 5th, The Power Plant, Power Ball 2014 welcomed over 1,500 guests who came to support the exhibitions and programs that the Power Plant holds every year.
That was quite a night on May 28, 2014 for the launch party CÎROC Coconut “Le Beat Tropique” presented by CÎROC and Mahiki, a London, UK-based celebrity hotspot.
Once again we’re giving away tickets to the Scrubs in the City soiree! It’s an annual fun soiree in support of SickKids and this time everyone will go into the night dressed in white for a “Soiree Under the Stars”.
Last week I got a preview of the tastes ahead of Luminato Festival’s “Taste of the Beach” taking place tomorrow, Saturday June 7th, 2014.
It was a busy night on Wednesday May 28th, 2014 but the WEST Bar grand opening was definitely a highlight marking the revival of the original trendsetting King West hotspot from the ’90s.
The 2014 SummerWorks Performance Festival kicks off with a two-part bash at the historic Campbell House (160 Queen St. W.) on June 6th. The back-to-back events begins with The SummerWorks Exclusive (6:30 – 9:00pm), where the festival’s lineup will be announced, as well as a special appearance by Suits’ Patrick J. Adams. The night ends with the festival’s official Launch Party & Fundraiser.
With patio season at our doorsteps, Proximo Spirits Canada wanted to usher in the summer in style by hosting an exclusive tequila tasting at El Catrin in the Distillery District on May 27th. Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted with a refreshing glass of margarita.
Ever wonder how food trends come and go? Why did some foods like chia seeds become so popular recently, when they already had their 15 minutes back in the 80’s? How did certain foods like the now ubiquitous cupcake take off to win mass appeal? And what the heck are superfoods anyways? David Sax explains all this and explores the evolutionary journeys of food trends in his new book, The Tastemakers: Why We’re Crazy for Cupcakes but Fed Up with Fondue.
It was a long but rewarding day at the One x One Million Meals charity event starting with a “meal packing party” at the Kool Haus followed by a reception and star-studded concert at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.
The goal of this new initiative is to kick start the packing of a million meals for hungry underprivileged children across North America. It starts with 100,000 meals packed at this event and spreading the message that anyone can make a difference for just one dollar.
Put on that sunscreen and grab your favourite pair of shades! Get ready for Arts & Crafts’ Field Trip at the historic Fort York & Garrison Common on June 7th and 8th. Join us for this unforgettable two-day music and arts festival in the core of our city.
Ring the alarm! Ladies (and gentlemen), please get ready for the hottest show of the year…the annual Toronto Firefighter Calendar Event. Hosted at Tattoo on Queen St. W., on June 11th, this highly anticipated affair brings some of the sexiest firefighters from the Toronto area to support the fight against cancer.
Boasting to be Canada’s leading online shoe retailer: ShoeMe.ca is a great shoe shopping destination without having to leave your home to deal with crowds in malls and eventually succumbing to crappy food court food.
June is Italian Heritage month and the festivities are not to be missed supporting Toronto’s lively Italian communities.
To kick things off, Liberty Entertainment Group will be launching a “Castello Italia” event where the majestic Casa Loma Gardens are boasted to be transformed into an authentic “Italian Piazza” experience.
Taking place next week on Thursday, June 5, 2014: we’re looking forward to celebrating an uber-event encompassing multi-disciplinary art performances and installations, culinary delights, and philanthropy blended into a seamless concoction of “epicness” in one night.
Celebrating the 49th year in operation, Street Haven’s fundraising event, “Gala of Light”, helped to shine a light once again on homeless and marginalized women in need in Toronto.
Get your forks and tickets ready because it’s happening in just a few short days. The annual Toronto Taste is an epic culinary event featuring 70 gourmet food and beverage stations available for sampling. Attendees will get a chance to mix and mingle with celebrity chefs lakeside at the gorgeous Corus Quay venue.
Last summer, we attended Ubisoft Canada’s launch event for Splinter Cell: Blacklist. This time Ubisoft Canada is launching its next game and next-generation franchise, Watch Dogs. Fortunately for us, once again Toronto took part in the festivities.
Spring has finally arrived, and summer is just around the corner. Is your hair in check from the imminent frizz-inducing humidity? Fortunately, Aveda Canada is launching its new Smooth Infusion™ Naturally Straight styling crème in June. This brand new hair saviour, along with Ray Civello’s promotional photo exhibit were unveiled at Hotel Ocho last week.
It’s everything skinny jeans with rocker attitude and moto-details in the Hudson Jeans Fall/Winter 2014 preview for men and women’s denim and more at Brassaii.
The swanky inaugural soiree benefitting Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders Canada took place at Downtown Porsche on the evening of March 14, 2014.
The evening was emceed by Anne Mroczkowski and Mike Chalut. The menu of hors d’oeuvres was designed by chef David Rocco in conjunction with Pusateri’s Fine Foods corporate chef, Tony Cammalleri.
On an evening of dark gray skies and pouring rain, the Peacebuilders International Spring for Peace charitable gala helped to shine a ray of light on the futures of many young people with troubled pasts.
Most of us have lost loved ones, and have had fleeting thoughts about our own mortality. Perhaps a morbid topic for most of us, but confronting these accounts sometimes enables us to see the brighter side of life and the world. This was concept behind the latest one-woman show, playing at The Theatre Center called we are not afraid of the dark, inspired by the late award-winning Canadian actress Tracy Wright.
Taking place at the new Byblos Restaurant in the Story’s Building, I was one of a small group who got the opportunity to learn about the myriads of possibilities when customizing your Belvedere Vodka martini.