Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Toronto with mariachi bands and more

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met gala to — Left: Courtesy @GQSports/Twitter Middle: Courtesy @instadanjlevy/Instagram Right: Courtesy @nina/Instagram

The Met Gala is the fashion industry’s prom. Every year, high fashion labels partner with celebrities to shock the world with exquisite fits, all (ideally) tailored to themes determined by each year’s co-chairs. This year, tennis legend Roger Federer, actors Michaela Cole and Penelope Cruz, artist Duo Lipa and fashion editorial icon Anna Wintour set their gaze on “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.”

Controversial designer Karl Lagerfeld died in 2019, but his influence on fashion certainly lives on. Renowned for his time reviving Chanel with the infamous “CC” logo and rejuvenating Fendi with his lust for furs, Lagerfeld’s envelope-pushing design philosophy is what guests will attempt to embody this year.

While the gala serves as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute, its function is often trumped by the bizarre and dazzling outfits flaunted on the red carpet. Ahead of the 2023 event, happening Monday at 6 p.m. (you can watch the Vogue livestream here), here are eight Torontonians with Met Gala looks that we’re still talking about.

The Weeknd

The Weeknd made his Met Gala debut in 2016 while accompanied by then-girlfriend Bella Hadid. The Weeknd arguably didn’t go all out when it came to this year’s theme, which was “Manus x Machina: Fashion in the Age of Technology.” However, the couple at the time made plenty of headlines for their coordinating outfits and chemistry, and he strutted across the red carpet in a sophisticated, well-tailored black suit which put the “fun” in funeral.

Rachel McAdams

McAdams made her rounds in fashion blogs and tabloids for her looks in 2014 and 2016. Her first look was a Ralph Lauren pale pink dress which substituted straps for extra fabric that acted as inlets. When standing, the additional fabric stayed stagnant. However, when she took flight across the carpet her dress followed suit, ruffling as she moved through the crowds.

Shawn Mendes

Mendes and Tommy Hilfiger have a longstanding, pretty successful relationship when it comes to Met Gala outfits. In 2022, matching the “Gilded Glamour” theme, Mendes pulled up in a jacket straight out of Count Dracula’s closet. The exterior had us playing the gold and white or blue and black game as we guessed whether it was purple or blue. Regardless, his upcycled look was certainly glamorous, and he topped off this statement jacket with pointed-toe Chelsea boots and on-trend painted nails.

Justin Bieber

His intentions might have been to support his wife, Hailey, but in 2021, Justin Bieber stole the show. The theme of the year was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” which Bieber interpreted as Run-DMC meets new school. He wore a suit designed by his own label, Drew, which took a mullet-style approach to design. Bieber was all business on top, exposing his neck tattoo under a crisp white dress shirt and tailored black jacket. On the bottom was a wide-legged, bellbottom dress pant that sat overtop custom Nike Air Force 1s.

Nina Dobrev

Nina Dobrev linked up with Zac Posen in 2019 to 3D print her Met Gala look in order to fit her exact dimensions. Posen said in an interview with Glamour that the dress was designed to look like “a glass slipper, perfume bottle, rock crystal interpreted through my draping.” The result was a perfectly symmetrical, and fitting, mini dress that stood out among Posen’s designs.

Dan Levy

If you thought Shawn Mendes had some wild Met Gala looks, take a peek at Dan Levy. The Schitt’s Creek actor took to the red carpet in 2021 in a powerful look designed by J.W. Anderson. Anderson has been known for pushing the norms in fashion in recent years and stopped at nothing to do so with Levy’s look. Two men were kissing on Levy’s torso, stitched in black overtop a map — Levy said at the time he wanted the design to celebrate queer love and queer visibility, drawing inspiration from two of American artist and AIDS activist David Wojnarowicz’s works. His show-stopping outfit was rounded out by, well, rounded, frilly sleeves that made a statement at the time but would look right at home on any runway in 2023.

Shai-Gilgeous Alexander

.@shaiglalex is having a pretty killer fashion week pic.twitter.com/BqwY0Q6FfT

— GQ Sports (@GQSports) September 14, 2021

Athletes can dress up too! Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star guard Shai-Gilgeous Alexander arrived at the 2021 Met Gala in a flashy suit that was meant for the spotlight. His metallic, paisley jacket was paired with a pair of salmon pink trousers, and white Chelsea boots finished off the look. The S in VVS must stand for Shai as the basketball player spared no expense with a tennis bracelet, diamond ring, iced-out Cuban chain and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch.

Simu Liu

Simu Liu has played a Marvel superhero, the loveable Jung Kim on Kim’s Convenience, and a soon-to-be Ken doll in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie. However, the one role he hasn’t embodied is the role of 007. In 2021, Liu did his best to channel his inner Bond as he entered the Met Gala in an eggshell white suit jacket with black stitching to mimic pop art designs. A pair of patent leather dress shoes or even Converse might have really topped off the look; nonetheless, his look was cohesive and fundamentally Liu.

Sleek Annex wine bar has some of the best bottles in the city

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286121089_1376473092866919_5378858708700654576_n — @looplinewine/Instagram

Loop Line Wine & Food is a bottle shop and restaurant that is a haven for wine lovers.

Currently run by general manager, Nicole Richie, and co-owner Charles Baker, the snug restaurant is the perfect spot to swing by for a bottle of wine or wind down with a glass while enjoying a snack. Originally, the plan was always to have a wine bar in the Annex neighbourhood, but due to the ever-changing, unpredictable nature of the pandemic, the concept began to shift.

“Our concept evolved into something loosely based on an Italian enoteca,” Baker says. “Somewhere you can go to have a bite and a drink and then take a bottle home. We wanted to bring a concept that exists in all corners of the world except Ontario to Ontario.”

A wine bar first, Loop Line Wine & Food carries a diverse collection of small grower and artisan wines from across the wine world.

“Our list definitely sways more classical in style, but we have something for everyone, we even have a couple options for the traditional drinker that’s flirting with the idea of natural wine,” explains Richie. From fantastic Ontario producers to small batch producers, Loop aims to present plenty of options to its guests, whether they’re staying for a glass or looking to bring a bottle home.

As far as food goes, chef Sheyla Thurler da Silva has created a tapas-style menu that infuses her Brazilian heritage into classic bistro snacks. Along with a rotating list of charcuterie and cheese, spreads and house-made pickles, the menu focuses on hearty yet snackable items that are great for sharing. “It’s comfort food with a little edge,” Richie says.

As bottle shops continue to open in scores across the city, Richie says Loop is gearing up for an exciting spring and summer season, with wine education, producer tastings and more.

“At our core we are a wine bar, but we’re also a wine hub for the community,” Richie says.

Guests come in looking to chat about the different bottles we carry and we are able to guide them into finding something they love as well as nurturing their curiosity about wine. Loop Line is a space that’s intimate enough to build a community around and that’s what we intend to do.”

Loop Line Wine & Food is located at 643 Dupont St. and is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

T.O. ‘Godfather’ of AI quits Google, says he regrets his life’s work

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It was at the University of Toronto in 2012 that artificial intelligence researcher Dr. Geoffrey Hinton created the intellectual foundation for the AI systems that are taking over the tech industry and beyond today.

But now, Hinton has announced his resignation from his role as lead researcher in AI developments at Google, citing concerns over the future of this fast-moving technology and its ethical implications.

“It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things,” Hinton said in an interview with The New York Times on Monday.

Hinton, who is originally from Britain, came to Toronto in the 1980s to pursue research about “neural networks” — a system that can analyze data to teach itself skills. In 2012, Hinton and two Toronto graduate students, Ilya Sutskever and Alex Krishevsky, built a neural network that analysed thousands of photos to teach itself to identify common objects such as flowers and dogs.

It was that system that prompted Google to spend $44 million to buy the company led by Hinton, Sutskever and Krishevsky. That neural network served as the foundation for powerful AI technologies today, such as ChatGPT. But when companies including Google started building neural networks that learn from digital texts, Hinton eventually became concerned that these systems might become smarter than the human brain in some ways. He is now worried about where AI will take us in the coming years.

““Look at how it was five years ago and how it is now,” he said. “Take the difference and propagate it forwards. That’s scary.”

Hinton told The New York Times he’s concerned about the influx of false photos, videos and text that will spread across the internet and make it difficult for a person to distinguish between what is true and what isn’t. He’s also worried about how AI technologies will impact the job market, and notes that they could pose a threat to humanity in the future if companies allow AI systems to create and run their own computer code.

Hinton is certainly not the first to raise concerns about the ethics of AI technology — a coalition of over 500 technologists, engineers and ethicists signed a letter in March urging AI labs to pause training on all AI systems more powerful than GPT-4 for at least six months, stating the technologies could pose “profound risks to society and humanity.” However, once the letter was signed, it came with its own controversy — there were a few false signatories, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and some of the signatories criticized the letter after it was published. AI experts have said that the letter furthers “AI hype,” which ultimately helps those building AI sell the products. Emily M. Bender, co-author of the first paper the letter cites, broke this down in a thread on Twitter.

“The risks and harms have never been about ‘too powerful AI,'” she writes in the thread. “Instead: They’re about concentration of power in the hands of people, about reproducing systems of oppression, about damage to the information ecosystem, and about damage to the natural ecosystem (through profligate use of energy resources).”

Now, with Hinton voicing his own concerns and stepping away from his work on AI with Google, the debate over the future of AI will surely continue.

At new stock exchange bar in Toronto prices change based on demand

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Don’t expect a basic dining experience at CKTL & Co. You see, at Toronto’s first stock market–themed cocktail lounge and restaurant, you’ll find a menu that’s based on a stock market simulation that adjusts drink prices based on supply and demand.

“Screens and tickertape are stationed around the bar to allow guests to track the price of items in real time to see what’s “in the red” or “in the green” and choose whether they want to ‘buy in,’” says Kushal Shah, director of business development at CKTL & Co. “The price of our cocktails never goes above the listed price on our menu, so guests will always get a deal.”

Fittingly located in Toronto’s own stock exchange neighbourhood — the Financial District — everything, from the design of the menu (meant to mimic printed dollar bills) to the names of the cocktails, are inspired by money.

“Our Manhattan menu features classic and famous derivatives of the manhattan cocktail, including the Black Market (whisky, sweet vermouth, coffee liqueur, dark chocolate bitters, dried orange and smoke) and the Bay Street (rye, sweet vermouth, amaro and angostura bitters) a Toronto-centric take on the classic cocktail,” says Shah. “You’ll also see our classic, signature and non-alcoholic cocktails named to reflect monetary and financial themes including Old Money, Initial Product Offerings and Counterfeit,” he says.

Under the helm of chef Keile Singer, the food menu consists of shareable bar snacks, appetizers, flatbreads, salads and bowls along with hand-helds and entrees.

Standout items include the grilled lamb chop, served with potato purée, pomegranate jus and roasted root vegetables, and the grilled flank steak, served with poached asparagus, rosemary roasted potatoes and tarragon browned butter.

When it comes to weekly specials, diners are told to ask their “broker” what’s on offer.

Along with the aforementioned ticker tape and screens, the open concept design of the restaurant draws inspiration from a stock exchange trading floor and design elements that include green banker lamps and stock exchange–inspired art.

CKTL & Co. is located at 330 Bay St. and is open Monday to Wednesday from 11 a..m .to 11 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. and Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Where Toronto’s Michelin-recognized chefs eat cheap: Anna Chen — Alma

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Although inflation has caused the cost of dining out to soar, there are many standout restaurants in the city with quality food at reasonable prices. And when it comes to restaurant recommendations, who better to trust than a chef — and a Michelin chef to boot!

Chef Anna Chen, recently awarded a Bib Gourmand for Alma— a modern Chinese restaurant with a highly elegant take on comfort food, — recently shared her favourite affordable restaurant in Toronto where two can dine with wine for under $100. Read on to find out which spot she selected.

Chef Chen wants to eat at: Midfield Wine Bar

“For food, the Welsh rarebit is my fave! It’s cheesy goodness!! It’s a great standby,” she recently told us. “The chef also runs his own organic farm.” 1434 Dundas St. W.

Midfield Wine Bar

In 2011, while looking to open his own establishment, Giuseppe Anile (who, before this venture, owned Marquee Video and is a former manager at Bar Italia), ran into his future business partner who was looking to open a wine bar, and that collaborative project became Midfield Wine Bar. The restaurant features a wide selection of wine by the glass or bottle (more than 350!). As for the food, expect modern Canadian cuisine designed for sharing focused on seasonality, layers of flavour, elegance and whimsy. Standout dishes on the current menu include dry aged coho salmon served with fermented fennel, cultured cream and braised onions and braised beef cheek accompanied by hakurai turnip, rhubarb umeboshi and long pepper. 1434 Dundas St W.

If you want to know where chef Steven Molnar of Quetzal eats cheap, click here, for Rob Rossi of Osteria Guilia click here. And to find out where chefs Kate Chomyshyn and Julio Guajardo of Fonda Balam get an affordable meal, click here.

Succession’s ‘quiet luxury’ trend is here to stay in Toronto

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succession still — Kendall, Shiv and Roman Roy in Succession. (Courtesy Bell Media/The Lede)

With the final season of everyone’s favourite dysfunctional family dramedy on HBO, Succession, airing this month, tongues have been wagging in fashion circles. This might surprise you if you’ve ever watched an episode of the series — the Roy family often favours baseball caps, unassuming T-shirts and vests. But if you look closely, there’s something else going on: as an uber-wealthy family, it’s all about quiet luxury.

Also known as “stealth wealth,” the trend refers to luxury fashion that doesn’t immediately appear to be luxury (read: expensive). That means no logos, no overt branding and often neutral, subdued shapes and colours.

Videos about the trend have received over 78 million views on TikTok, but Carolyn Wright, senior vice-president of product and planning for Holt Renfrew in Toronto, says it’s not new.

@amyodellwriter What is stealth wealth? What is quiet luxury? Tom’s reaction to Greg’s date’s bag in Succession’s season 4 premiere explains it. #succession #successionhbo #tv #tvshow #fashion #fashiontok #fashiontiktok #tiktokfashion #stealthwealth #stealth #luxury #luxuryhandbag #luxuryfashion #burberry #handbag #handbagtiktok #handbags #cousingreg ♬ Witch Familiar (Classical) [Classic](143628) – dice

“It’s more of an attitude and a way of life versus a trend,” she says. “It’s been around for a long time, because a lot of these brands that we point to as part of the strength in this attitude have been around for a long time as well.”

However, Wright notes that the increasing popularity of quiet luxury also has to do with our current time period. “You’re seeing people react to the economic uncertainty with a greater population moving toward stealth wealth,” she says. Wright also believes the pandemic advanced thinking around sustainability: “This trend speaks to investing in more long-lasting pieces, and the idea of it being better to buy less and buy better.”

Lest you exclude yourself from the trend because you don’t feel like dropping thousands on a pair of sunglasses, Wright says that quiet luxury doesn’t necessarily need to include expensive clothes — it can be achieved at any price point. “It’s really a design esthetic: sort of cleaned up, understated, subtle — a little more classic,” she says.

Wright has noticed that, although not all brands are moving in the direction of quiet luxury, the particularly logo-driven ones are starting to shift their offerings. “Brands are intentionally making moves to evolve their products to advance and evolve their fashion perspectives.”

As for brands that are gaining popularity for their stealth wealth sensibilities, Wright points to Todd’s, Prada, the Row, Brunello Cucinelli and Ferragamo.

Try 119 Corbò in Yorkville for logo-less, neutral apparel that will have you fitting right in with the Roys, or Kotn on Queen Street for well-fitting basics that don’t come with the designer price tags.

Skip the trip to Paris with Toronto’s best French bistros

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201838104_394663935149132_1467671470029386857_n — Restaurant Pompette/Instagram

How They Met: Fashion Art Toronto founder on navigating love in style

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1:57 pm

Despite being one of the world’s most fashionable cities, Toronto has a rocky relationship with Fashion Week. But from all the commotion around the fall of the original Toronto Fashion Week over the loss of sponsor IMG, a scrappier, more forward-thinking Fashion Week emerged — Fashion Art Toronto (also known as FAT).

Founded by Vanja Vasic in 2005, it has filled a gap in Toronto’s fashion scene, offering an opportunity for both up-and-coming and established Canadian designers to showcase their work. It’s also a hybrid arts event — visitors can peruse fashion-inspired art installations and film as well as grab a drink at the bar while a DJ plays. And in an industry that is notoriously exclusive, FAT is a true celebration of designers and models with diverse body types, gender identities and backgrounds.

Ahead of FAT’s spring 2023 event this April, we caught up with Vanja to hear how she met her partner, Angel Vilela Gonzalez, and how fashion plays a big role in their relationship.

How they met

Angel: We met at Toronto club El Convento Rico. I saw her dancing from across the room when I first walked in, and I was instantly drawn to her.

Vanja: He offered me his hand to dance, and I was hypnotized by his eyes and his charm. We spent the night dancing and flirting.

The first date

We spent a lot of time texting and getting to know each other before our first date. We went on a date two weeks after we first met. He took me to Barrio Coreano for dinner and drinks. I remember the butterflies I had when I first saw him waiting for me outside of the restaurant before I arrived. He was such a gentleman and very gorgeous. We could hardly eat our food, we were so consumed in each other.

The courtship

We’ve had a very strong chemistry with each other since the beginning, and we’ve had lots of memorable moments since then. In the first months that we met we were doing in-person model castings for Fashion Art Toronto, and I made him try out as a model. He impressed the judges and ended up walking in a few shows that year. When the pandemic hit and Fashion Art Toronto had to go virtual, we would location scout together in some incredible places. We got to go on private tours of the ROM, the Science Centre, Ripley’s Aquarium and Union Station when they were completely empty of people and tourists. It was a very bonding experience.

The kids

Vanja: I have a daughter from my previous relationship.

Balancing careers and a relationship

We have a great schedule where we set aside time each week to be with each other and we always make our dates intentional. The rest of our time is spent on our work, his schooling and our families.

Shared hobbies and interests

We both love fashion and dressing up. He loves the big fashion brands, and I’m into local Canadian designers. We love exploring and going on road trips, discovering restaurants and wineries together, dancing and listening to music and, of course, shopping.

Fashion as a couple

We’ll check in with each other about our outfits, especially for big events. Just to get the, “Looks good” or “Maybe try it with this necklace.” But we have our own individual and very distinct style, which is one of the reasons we work so well together. We appreciate that about each other. He’s definitely more sporty in his approach to fashion and I’m more sleek. Sometimes we’ll co-ordinate our outfits to match just for an extra bit of fun and playfulness when we go out.

The secret to success

We have great chemistry and passion, which keeps the romance alive. We support each other in our daily life with work and family. We make time for lots of cuddles and laughter.

Drake officially announces two Toronto shows for North American tour

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Ron Johnson

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5:06 pm

Drake has recently expanded his It’s All A Blur tour by adding 12 fresh dates, which include two shows in his hometown of Toronto. The rapper will perform at Scotiabank Arena on Oct. 5 and 7.

While the rapper is scheduled to perform across North America during the summer, some of his concert dates have been rearranged. Apart from his Canadian stops in Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto, Drake, who has won five Grammy Awards, has also included new tour stops in several American cities such as Brooklyn, Inglewood, Memphis, and Denver.

Drake is a well-known Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and producer. He first gained recognition for his role as Jimmy Brooks on the television series “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” He later transitioned to music and has since become one of the most successful hip-hop artists of all time.

With numerous chart-topping hits, Drake has won multiple awards, including five Grammy Awards and 51 nominations, and has sold over 170 million records worldwide. He is known for his unique blend of rap and R&B and his introspective and personal lyrics, which have resonated with fans around the world.

Last month, when Drake announced his tour in support of his latest album, Her Loss, a collaboration with 21 Savage, there were no Toronto dates mentioned, and Champagne Papi fans were shook.

On July 14, the tour will make a stop at the Bell Centre in Montreal, followed by a performance at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Aug. 28.

None of the Canadian shows will include 21 Savage.

Wrongful death lawsuits and personal injury law

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Jarrod Daley

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1:52 pm

See all posts by Diamond and Diamond Lawyers

The passing of a loved one is never easy, but when their death occurred because of the negligence of another person, it can further complicate the already difficult grieving process. While there are many interchangeable terms, a wrongful death can be described as any death that occurred as a result of negligence from a third party, that wouldn’t have otherwise occurred. Michael Blois, a Partner at Diamond and Diamond Lawyers discusses some of the nuances associated with wrongful death lawsuits in Ontario.

Who can file a wrongful death lawsuit?

The immediate family of a deceased person can file a wrongful death lawsuit:

Spouses
Parents
Children
Siblings
Grandparents
Grandchildren

In some cases, other family members who had an extraordinary relationship with the deceased, like a cousin, might be able to file a wrongful death claim, however, these are typically much harder to make.

If a death occurs in the workplace, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) bars direct dependents from suing the deceased person’s employer, regardless of whether the death was a result of negligence. WSIB has mechanisms in place to support the dependents of workers who die on the job, but oftentimes the amount of compensation received is limited and far less than what could be awarded in a successful lawsuit.

Oftentimes when a wrongful death lawsuit is filed following a death in the workplace, the defendant will bring an application to stop the lawsuit, arguing that the claimant is a dependent and must go through WSIB instead. At this point, the matter will go to a Tribunal, which will decide whether the claim can proceed.

“We see instances where the WSIB tells the spouse of a deceased person that they cannot file a lawsuit, and that’s the end of it. These cases are highly complicated, and it’s always a good idea to speak to a lawyer to fully understand your options,” says Michael Blois.

What type of situations do wrongful death lawsuits arise from?

Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of wrongful death lawsuits, but they can also stem from product defects, assaults, or typically any situation where the deceased would have been entitled to damages following a personal injury claim had they survived the incident. A wrongful death lawsuit can arise from any situation where the defendant owed the deceased a duty of care, failed to meet that duty of care, and a loss of life occurred as a direct or indirect result of their negligence.

Are there any situations where you can’t sue for wrongful death?

If the claimant’s loved one lost their life in a high-risk situation where there was a reasonable possibility of being severely injured, possibly resulting in death, a wrongful death lawsuit is not likely to succeed. “When you’re jumping from a plane with nothing but a parachute, you’re knowingly and willingly assuming a huge deal of risk – with or without a waiver. It’s not impossible for a wrongful death lawsuit to be successful in these instances, but it’s really, really, unlikely,” says Michael Blois.

What type of damages can you recover in a wrongful death lawsuit?

When a death is found to have been wrongful, the deceased person’s loved ones can recover damages to help cover medical expenses, loss of income as a result of the death, therapy, funeral expenses, and general pain and suffering.

“First and foremost, what you’re suing for is the loss of guidance, care, and companionship. No amount of money will be enough, but you’re seeking compensation for the relationship that could have been had the death not occurred,” says Michael Blois.

“The death of a loved one is an incredibly tough situation to go through. No matter how someone dies, if you have concerns about the manner or circumstances of their death, it’s always best to speak to a lawyer to learn what your rights are following a loss,” shares Michael Blois. While it’s helpful to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible, this can be a difficult first step to take while grieving. Your lawyer will work with you and will collect the relevant information, files, and records on your behalf to determine if you have a case.

If you or a loved one have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, it’s important to speak with a lawyer to understand your rights. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Diamond and Diamond at 1-800-567-HURT to schedule a free consultation.

About Jeremy Diamond

Jeremy Diamond is a lawyer and member of both Ontario and Florida Bars. Jeremy practices in the area of Plaintiff personal injury litigation. Click here to learn more about Jeremy Diamond.

The team behind 416 Snack Bar open a streetcar-inspired cocktail spot

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