The latest edition of Toronto Fashion Week got off to a great start yesterday as Sid Neigum, Sunny Fong (VAWK), Mikhael Kale, Line Knitwear and Beaufille all graced the runway. Afterwards, many headed to Soho House to unwind and celebrate what's sure to be a whirlwind week to come.
Check out all the looks in our Style section.
The first day of Toronto Fashion Week is always a flurry of activity. This time, on the opening night of the fall/winter 2014 shows, it was slowed slightly by the unseasonably cold air; volunteers' teeth were chattering, and even the best-dressed in attendance were refusing to doff their winter coats.
But when the evening rolled around and the first run of shows hit the runway, that deep freeze seemed almost a world away. Between the bursts of spring-worthy colour at LINE Knitwear and Mikhael Kale, space-age structure at Sid Neigum, and flowing, dramatic tailoring at Beaufille and VAWK, I almost wished we could just skip straight ahead to fall. (Almost.)
Missed out on the first night of the shows? Here's what happened on the runway and off.
Today in Toronto The AGO presents a screening of filmmaker John Maybury's biopic Love is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon, starring Derek Jacobi, Daniel Craig, and Tilda Swinton. NY groovers Snarky Puppy play Adelaide Hall where bodies will be moving, and Artscape Youngplace hosts the opening of Stitched, an exhibition made up of OCADU artists that centres around textiles as the medium of choice. For more events, click on over to our events section.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
Still from Love is the Devil
This Week in Fashion rounds up the week's style news, store openings and closings, pop-up shops, sales and upcoming fashion and design events in Toronto. Find it here every Wednesday morning.
NEWS
This Sunday (March 23), head to select Target stores across Canada to find an exclusive, limited-edition womenswear line designed by Sarah Stevenson, one of Toronto's very own. The Toronto Fashion Incubator New Labels Competition winner brought rich hues, girly florals, and sophisticated silhouettes to the discount retail giant - with price points ranging from $30 - $60 and a major collaboration under her belt, it's all uphill from here for the emerging designer.
SOOP SOOP, a vintage clothing boutique formerly located at 168 Gladstone Avenue, has officially opened its new store further west on Dundas (1315 Dundas St W). Stop by to check out the new digs and peruse the same down-to-earth, wearable treasures as before.
EVENTS
Toast to the arrival of Oliver Spencer Spring/Summer 2014 tomorrow (March 20) from 6 pm until 11 pm at the Toronto location (962 Queen St W). Inspired by neo-expressionist painter Jean-Michel Basquiat, the new collection will be available for a peruse and purchase alongside complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres.
As World MasterCard Fashion Week comes to an end, leave it to Guy Gerber to spin at an awesome closing party at Maison Mercer (15 Mercer St) this Friday (March 21). With an extended license, you can you get your drink on and shimmy in your fancy getup until 4 am. Advance tickets are available online for $20.
This Saturday (March 22), meet Eran Elfassy and Elisa Dahan, the designers behind leather empire Mackage. From 2pm until 4pm, they'll be moseying around their special trunk show of handbags and outerwear at Holt Renfrew Bloor (50 Bloor St W) - so stop by and say hi so you can finally put a face to those fur-collared down coats you keep seeing everywhere.
WORN Fashion Journal's Outer Space Glitter Face launch party is just around the corner! To celebrate their 18th issue, snag a 10 advanced ticket or pay $15 at the door this Saturday (March 22). Wear your best galaxy-themed ensemble, rock one of their sparkly headbands, and get jiggy to all the best oldies for ample fun at The Dovercourt House (805 Dovercourt Rd) from 9pm until 2am.
The Toronto Vintage Clothing Show is back! This Sunday (March 23) from 10 am until 5 pm, head down to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (255 Front St W) to roam around a room brimming with one-of-a-kind clothing, shoes, and accessories from a whole slew of independent fashion retailers. Then, parade around in your statement find and wow everyone around you! Admission is $10 at the door.
Ministry of Supply - a menswear brand for tech-savvy businessmen - is coming to Toronto for a one-day pop-up shop at the Drake Hotel (1150 Queen St W). From 11am until 8pm, sip on a seasonal cocktail as you gander at their technology-infused garments - and take advantage of the free tailoring they're offering for the day's customers! RSVP online for guaranteed access to the event.
Next week (March 26 - 30), the One of a Kind Show is returning for its spring edition. Held at the Exhibition Place, the event is essentially a large convention of all crafty buyable art, photography, clothing, jewellery, food, makeup, toys, and more from about 450 vendors. This year, the Etsy section is back for its second round, bringing the e-commerce website to real life with a lineup of 50 emerging Etsy sellers. Tickets are $14 (or $12 if purchased online) for adults, $7 for seniors and youth, and free for children under 12 years old.
SALES
Style Democracy is throwing their first sale of the season with an impressive designer pop-up shop. From today (March 19) through Sunday (March 23), 758 Queen Street West will be filled to the brim with coveted brands like Helmut Lang, Rag and Bone, J Brand, and more - all for up to 80% off.
All sale merchandise from every TNT store is available to rummage at the outlet location (388 Eglinton Ave W) for a bit over a week, meaning you still have a fighting chance at finding that one ridiculous coat you wanted last season in the right size. Everything's going for 70% - 80% off until March 31st, so be sure to head over ASAP to avoid missing out.
WHAT WE GOT UP TO THIS WEEK
Roncesvalles has a new cafe in the former Gurts/Queen of Tarts space, providing yet another spot for caffeine on what is a busy stretch. Perhaps better than the good coffee (which can also be found elsewhere) is that there's now more real estate for camping out and watching the street scene. Oh, and the baked goods are darn nice, too.
Read my review of Extra Butter in the cafes section.
Cider in Ontario is currently experiencing something of a boom and, while there are plenty of Toronto bars providing ciders that are made nearby, surprisingly, there aren't yet any cider companies actually based here in the city. But that's about to change.
The Brickworks Ciderhouse is looking to be Toronto's first craft cider and, as you might have guessed, they're looking to make their home at the Evergreen Brick Works.
As CEO Chris Noll told me, the decision to bring a craft cidery to the Brick Works has as much to do with the current tenant's philosophies as it does the area's past.
"We donate 5% of our profit back to Evergreen to help keep cities in Canada green. We chose Evergreen for their vision on sustainability," he says, telling me that none of the ingredients used in the production of their ciders travel any further than 300 km to the cider house.
Additionally, the area enjoys some historical precedent for cider making.
"The Don Valley used to be an orchard that was harvested by early Torontonians for cider -- until the trees were cut down in the early 1900s because of prohibition," he says. "If you walk it you can still find some of the trees that hung around." And that historical tie is not only good for a marketing angle, but also something that Noll hopes will prove useful from a practical standpoint.
"We would actually like to use these trees to graft a [new] orchard if possible," he says, telling me of his lofty plans to start a working orchard in the Don Valley from which to harvest apples. "We're thinking right across the river from the Evergreen Brick Works," he says. "There are open fields there."
As is a common refrain when it comes to the sale of beverage alcohol in Ontario, Noll's plans don't come without some degree of red tape. Current laws, for example, state that in order to have an on-site retail store, Brickworks Ciderhouse will need five acres of fruit trees attached to the property. While that might sound crazy, he's optimistic that his Don Valley orchard will someday help him meet that requirement, but it will take a full five years before any orchard is ready for production and his plan can start to....uh...bear fruit (sorry).
"We are currently working with the city to try and make this a reality," he says. "Just Imagine, apple picking in downtown Toronto."
And so Noll is working toward a cider house in the Brickworks that he hopes will stand as a flagship for craft ciders in Canada. There will be a small menu of local food available that pairs with the different ciders, a small general store, and, of course, an onsite cidery. The plan is to get started this winter in order to open the doors for the spring of 2015.
In the meantime, Brickworks Ciderhouse is using a blend of apples from Georgian bay and Niagara region micro-climates and is crafting its cider at a commercial cidery in North Toronto. Their first release, Batch 1904, is a UK-style dry cider, and is named after the fire of 1904 that burned Toronto to the ground.
The name is intended to honour the city's ability to continue to stand tall in the 100 years since that fire (interestingly, most of the bricks that were used to rebuild Toronto after that fire were made at the cidery's future home, the Brick Works).
But you won't have to wait until the Brickworks Ciderhouse opens to try Batch 1904. Noll tells me he's on track for a product launch during the May 2-4 long weekend when you'll be able to find 473mL cans of his cider for $3.10/can in most LCBOs. He also says he expects to be available in Toronto pubs and bars, so if you like Batch 1904, you'll have plenty of places to get it while you wait for the city's first cidery to open its doors.
Ben Johnson also writes about all things alcoholic over on Ben's Beer Blog. Follow him on twitter @Ben_T_Johnson. Or else.
Joe Mimran's name may not be on the label, but the Canadian fashion industry veteran just might be the best-known designer in the country. As the creative director behind ubiquitous fashion chain Joe Fresh, and the founder of upscale-basics line Club Monaco, Mimran's had a hand in creating closet staples beloved by Canadians coast to coast.
It's a testament to Mimran's design savvy, showmanship and crowd-pleasing appeal that Joe Fresh is the hottest ticket, season after season, at Toronto's fashion week. This season's collection hits the World MasterCard Fashion Week runway at 8 p.m. tonight (back-to-back with Pink Tartan, the retro-modern womenswear line spearheaded by his wife, Kimberly Newport-Mimran). I caught up with Mimran via email to discuss his favourite hangouts and his thoughts on the city's fashion scene.
Who's the best-dressed person in Toronto?
Kim, my wife.
Do you feel that Toronto has an identifiable style of its own?
I get a lot of inspiration from Toronto street style. I love seeing how people pull together looks with their own individual flair. And there is also a unique food culture found only in Toronto.
What was it like growing up in Toronto?
Fulfilling. It is a great place to grow up and having access to the diversity of Toronto's active cultural experiences, restaurants and museums. There is a tremendous amount of beautiful art and architecture in this city, that certainly played a role in shaping my future as a designer.
What are your favourite Toronto restaurants?
Sotto Sotto, Harbord Room and Scaramouche.
What do you have planned for your show this season?
The fall/winter collection is themed "Fresh Expedition," inspired by Canada's great outdoors and a spirit of winter adventure. From that starting point, outerwear really took centre stage as an important focus. I played with volume and proportion in coats that alternate between oversize or shrunken, and trapeze or ankle-length.
I used a lot of faux fur, including one that's based on a teddy bear. The volume of the coats contrasts with the narrow silhouette on bottom, where there are a lot of athletic references, such as slim trainer pants and skinny pants...Overall, the collection melds a sense of urban sophistication with a more rugged, natural element.
What changes would you like to see made to Fashion Week?
I wouldn't! I think it's is a great opportunity for Canadian designers and new and upcoming designers to show their collections on an international platform.
In what ways has Fashion Week changed since IMG took over the reins?
IMG runs a great organization; it was wonderful to have them lend their expertise from running successful fashion weeks around the world to Toronto. IMG was instrumental in bringing on great corporate sponsors and allowing Toronto Fashion Week to become a world player in the fashion community.
What's next for you after Fashion Week?
We have recently signed some very exciting plans for global expansion, so I am looking forward to bringing my designs to new markets around the world. My next stop is South Korea, where I am planning a fashion show.
This takeout spot specializes in cheap and hearty homestyle cooking. With a rotating selection of daily specials, the array of cuisines on offer here is impressive and unique. On any given day, the kitchen will take inspiration from Jamaican, Italian, Korean, German (and more) culinary traditions.
Read my review of Charmaine's Place in the restaurants section.
So far this week in and around the tents at David Pecault Square one theme that stands out during this awkward time between the Winter/Spring shift is colour in the form of bright, often furry coats. A move away from greys and blacks is certainly one way to fight the never-ending winter.
See all the looks in our Style section.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford held a glass pipe to his mouth, moved a burning lighter in a circular motion, and inhaled what appeared to be a "narcotic" vapour, according to an official police description of the now infamous drug video ordered released this morning.
The document describes the 1-minute film in detail. It tells how Ford, sitting in a room with Mohamed Siad and convicted cocaine trafficker Elena Basso, was covertly filmed smoking crack. Near the end, "Ford appears to look into the recording device. He then drops the glass cylinder on a table next to him; he briefly points at the camera and asks if it is on."
Another 25-second video, the existence of which was made public by police last year, shows Siad talking to the camera, detailing how to surreptitiously film someone without drawing their attention. He says that's how to "catch a mayor smoking crack."
The documents say there are three other short videos that appear to be failed attempts to film Ford.
The ITO, which stands for Information to Obtain, also confirms that the investigation into Rob Ford is active and ongoing. It alleges his meetings with Sandro Lisi, a friend facing drug and extortion charges related to the crack video, were "indicative to that of drug trafficking" and details a beating at the Basso home by an "unknown male" in the days after the crack story broke.
An Ontario Superior Court judge ordered the release of the documents, which were used to obtain arrest warrants in Project Brazen 2, the months-long police investigation into allegations Ford had been filmed smoking crack, after hearing arguments from lawyers representing a number of Toronto media organizations earlier this morning.
The previous stack of ITO papers contained photographs of the mayor meeting with Lisi and concerns from Ford's city hall staff that he was abusing drugs and alcohol. The countless lurid details led city council to remove many of Ford's powers and responsibilities.
Police Chief Bill Blair announced in October last year that investigators had recovered a deleted copy of the video from a hard drive seized during an anti-gang raid at a Dixon Road high rise complex.
None of the allegations in the ITOs have been proven in court.
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Photo: Chris Bateman/blogTO
The best chef's tables in Toronto put diners right in the heart of all the action. Sometimes situated inside the kitchen or at a vantage point looking in, a kitchen with a chef's table acknowledges that curious diners want more than just eating: they want a glimpse of the creative process and cooking, with a dash of conversation or a celebrity chef sighting on the side.
Here are the best chef's tables in Toronto.
See also
The Best Tasting Menus in Toronto
The Best Omakase in Toronto
Avenue Road, Toronto's most redundantly named street, spans about nine kilometres from Bloor St. to just north of Highway 401. An extension of University Avenue, along with Queen's Park, it used to make up a sizeable chunk of what was once referred to as Highway 11A. Back in the 1930s, the idea was to divert traffic from Yonge Street (Highway 11) to improve access to downtown Toronto.
Looking at photos from the 1940s, one sees 11A split west from Yonge via the Hogg's Hollow bridge. That bridge is still in use to this day, though it has been designated as part of Highway 401 since the early '50s. Now Avenue Road terminates just north of the 401 at Bombay Avenue in Armour Heights. Believe it or not, the 11A highway designation stayed in place all the way until 1997 before it was ultimately abandoned. There are even a few markers left out there if you pay attention.
That's the route info, but what about the name? Well, aside from some ridiculous theory that a city planner (some peg John Graves Simcoe) once uttered "Let's 'av a new road" at the southern tip of the street, no one really knows the surefire etymology of the term. In all likelihood it has to do with British usage conflating avenue with tree-lined street, a description that matches the thoroughfare in its earliest iteration as an extension of University Avenue (check out the 1930 photo below, which also features the old gates at Avenue and Bloor).
In the late 1950s, Avenue Road was widened to accommodate growing vehicular traffic in Toronto. Widespread efforts to make the city more car-friendly had commenced in the early '40s, but it was still possible to add lanes here on account of the relatively low density north of Davenport Road. They made due to the south as well, but walk by the Church of Redeemer today and you'll notice just how close it gets to the roadway. There's no room to spare.
From the '60s onwards, the photos below tend to capture the general vibe of the street that remains to this day, even if the hodgepodge of retail shops has slowly given way to a more corporate makeup, particularly north of Lawrence. Oh, and should you be looking to get straight downtown from the 401, it's still a way faster option that Yonge St.
PHOTOS
Bloor and Avenue Road street signs, 1908
Bloor and Avenue Road, 1924
The ROM in 1930
Avenue Road aerial north of Eglinton, 1930
Avenue Road and Brookdale, 1961
Avenue Road north of Elwood, 1961
Avenue Road and Lowther, 1933
Avenue Road south to St. Clair, 1937
Avenue Road north of Yorkville, 1938
Avenue Road looking north from Davenport, 1938
Avenue and Wilson looking toward the Highway 11A Hogg's Hollow Bridge in 1949, eventually assumed by the 401
Avenue looking north towards Farnham, 1952
Avenue Road widening south of St. Clair, 1959
Now looking north, 1959
Avenue Road and Dupont looking north, 1959
Avenue Road south of De La Salle College post-widening, 1960
Avenue Road looking north of Davenport, 1960
Avenue Road and Lawrence, 1961
Avenue Road and Fairlawn, 1961
Avenue Road south of Roselawn, 1961
Avenue Road north of Lawrence, 1961
Avenue Road and Dunblaine, 1961
Entrance to Museum Station, 1963
Glendale Cinema (Avenue north of Lawrence), 1969
Avenue Road looking south to Bloor, 1970
Near Avenue Road and Dupont, 1974
Bloor and Avenue Road (Church of the Redeemer), 1980s
The Beaches International Jazz Festival, an 10-day event which draws hundreds of thousands of people to Queen Street East each year, is scrambling to revamp its plans for 2014 after being denied funding from the Celebrate Ontario program. The recipient of $75,000 in each of the last seven years, the festival was overlooked this year in part due to competition from other events looking for a piece of the pie.
Beaches-East York MPP Michael Prue wants Premier Kathleen Wynne to reverse the decision based on the size and popularity of the event. In a press release issued today, he notes that the 26 year old festival put $65 million into the Toronto economy last year and brought 500,000 to the Beaches area. With provincial funding accounting for roughly 20 per cent of the festival's budget, the event itself does not appear to be in danger. Director Lido does, however, warn that there will be major scale backs should the festival not recoup that money.
Some performers have already been dropped from the schedule and there will be a reduction in the number of stages. Both Prue and Chilleli have sounded alarm bells about the festival's long term future in the absence of provincial funds.
Photo by Scott Snider
Food truck owners are in a better mood this morning thanks to new food truck rules drafted yesterday by the Licensing and Standards Committee at City Hall. A number of changes were made to the controversial city staff report that will make it easier for food trucks to serve up fish tacos, pulled pork sandwiches and gourmet cupcakes next to the sidewalk on bustling city streets.
Key revisions made to the staff report include:
While food truck owners were overall very happy with the changes, there are still some components of the report that are less than ideal.
There was no movement on the recommended $5,000 licensing fee, and food trucks would still be required to park at least 50 metres away from a restaurant. But as Tom Antonarakis, owner of Buster's Sea Cove, told us at least the fee is manageable if food trucks are allowed to park street-side all across the city.
The report goes before City Council on April 1st and, if approved, will take effect this Spring.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
Photo of TWRP by Logan Attwood from Facebook
The top spring music festivals in Toronto for 2014 aren't going to let us chill on the whole music-chaos-wtf-should-I-wear are-rainboots-still-in thing until summer rolls in. Upcoming fests include the usual heavy-hitters like mass industry conference CMW and Canada's answer to Austin's SXSW, NXNE. I can gripe about certain bands not getting bookings, recognition, or the humane treatment they deserve as artists at these types of fests but the fact remains that the public, who at times view bands like Starbucks punch cards, are overjoyed just to mark some hot ticket artists off their lists of must-sees without leaving the city.
Then there's the more laid back fests like Foundry and Field Trip, plus adult (does that mean family?) friendly affairs like Luminato and CBC Music Festival.
Here are five can't-miss spring music fests, plus a few more, to mark on your calendars.
Foundry
On now, Foundry's electronic music series is in its second year in Toronto, bringing together an array of international and homegrown talent for a month of dancefloor ecstasy between March 14th - April 6th. Boasting enough producers and DJs to send one into a weeklong YouTube vortex such as DJ Harvey and Shed (not to, we've picked ten unmissable acts (five Canadian and five international) that you'll want to catch over the course of the festival: check out the preview here and grab the full line up and ticket info here.
CMW
Corp-y Toronto music festival Canadian Music Week is entering its 32nd year. Between May 6-10th over 1,000 international bands and musicians of all backgrounds (from the securely established to the naive and hopeless) will perform and hustle at showcases around the city. CMW also hosts panels and conferences, a film fest, a comedy fest, and award shows. If you're career hungry and the words "music industry" don't leave a funny little taste in your mouth, get ready to shmooze. If not, it's still an opportunity to see acts like M.I.A., Tegan and Sara, City and Colour, Tasha the Amazon, and Neko Case (or to troll the city all night for yet undiscovered bands -- not to suggest many people actually do that). Buy tickets or wristbands here.
Luminato
Massive and dripping with happy-go-lucky corporate ooze (and free-for-all usage of the word "culture," naturally) Luminato does bring a lot of worthy programming to Toronto each spring, and will span from June 6 - 15 this year. Aside from installations, parties, and art, dance, and theatre events the weeks will have a large, if tame, music portion -- last year's performers included Serena Ryder, k-os, and Patrick Watson. This year's line up is TBA.
Field Trip
Of course Field Trip is coming back for year two: Arts & Craftsmade tons of people happy last year at Fork York Garrison Common. Field Trip will return to the same sod June 7th & 8th, and Broken Social Scene are playing again - shocking, I know - along with Interpol, The Kills, The Constantines (back together!), Chvches, Shad, Austra, A Tribe Called Red, and more. Field Trip also promises the most free hugs per non-EDM festival in the GTA. Various ticket packages are available here.
NXNE
North by North East (like SXSW but Canadian, but possibly with the same amount of flannel shirts) will pull a ton of bands into TO from June 13 - 22, including Spoon, St. Vincent, Ryan Hemsworth, Le1f, Swans, Perfect Pussy, Spiritualized, and way more for a week of multi-venue concerts here and the usual big free shows at Yonge and Dundas Square. Festivals of this scale can be a delirious and curious experience (why would anyone book the Pizza Underground? Who are all of these no-name SonicBids bands playing shows without sound engineers?), but that's what alcohol is for. There will also be interactive panels, film, comedy, and art. Learn all about tickets and wristbands here.
Bonus Round
Photo by Roger Cullman
Toronto's historic Massey Hall will begin a new live concert film series this spring, titled (predictably, but how could they not have gone this direction) Live at Massey Hall. The first two concerts to be filmed are planned for late May and will feature, respectively, folksy trio Timber Timbre with soulful Cold Specks opening, then French-Canadian singer-songwriter Cœur de Pirate with special guest Bry Webb.
Massey Hall was built in 1894, so tickets to the show, which you can grab here, are selling for $18.94 exactly. It's a pretty decent deal to see these acts in such a lovely space and be a part of Toronto music history. The Live at Massey Hall films will appear as 30-minute episodes, and while there's no word next on who's next, a noisy night of METZ matched with, dare I hope for it, a second Induced Labour reunion could serve to shake things up from the venue's rather tame first-run.
The first gig with Timbre Timbre will happen Friday, May 23rd, and the second with Coeur de Pirate is Saturday, May 31st. Tickets on sale this Saturday at 12pm.
Photo by Craig in TO via the blogTO Flickr group
Toronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest restaurant openings and closings in Toronto and also gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.
OPEN NOW
RECENTLY REVIEWED
OPENING SOON
CLOSING
Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to liora@blogto.com
Photo from La Creole
