Karen’s Diner and its rude staff are coming to Toronto tomorrow

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11:00 am

A celebrated, upscale steak house has opened in Toronto by way of Vancouver, with plans to “bring excitement” to the downtown core.

Black+Blue is a hip and bustling restaurant on Alberni Street, considered to be the Rodeo Drive of Vancouver, and is owned by the Glowbal Restaurant Group. Known for its modern takes on the classic steak house, chic carnivores have continued to descend upon the three-level space since it first opened more than a decade ago.

The incoming Toronto location is in prime steak land — First Canadian Place in the city’s bustling Financial District. For Emad Yacoub, CEO and founder of Glowbal Restaurant Group, the opening is a homecoming of sorts.

“A few things most people may not know about Glowbal Group’s early beginnings is that my first venture was actually in Toronto,”he says. “I opened a café on Yonge
Street — Brownstone Bistro in 1999.”

He believes that although Toronto has always been the Mecca of food, the downtown core is lacking in steak houses. He hopes Black+Blue will fill that void.

Offering diners the golden age of steak — “the magic of the 1950s, the charm and dazzle of ladies and gentlemen with big cocktails and cigars in hand” — Yacoub says the restaurant’s design is old meets new.

“Everything from the music and style of service will make you feel as if you are in a classic restaurant, however it is modernized,” he says. “Being able to seamlessly do both is a difficult and delicate balance, and we’re proud we can accomplish this magic.”

The 9,000-square-foot two-storey space will also include a 2,000-square-foot patio.

The menu features the crème de la crème of meats including A5 and Miyazaki wagyu, certified Kobe beef, as well as a premium selection of steaks that are aged in Black+Blue’s salt cooler — the only restaurant in Canada that treats its meat in this style. Chef curated seafood options are also in abundance including selections of sushi.

Black+Blue is located at 130 King St. W. and officially opened on April 20.

Nick Nurse fired as Raptors coach

By

Ron Johnson

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10:26 am

Nick Nurse is no longer the coach of the Toronto Raptors. The announcement of Nurse’s dismissal came just before Raptors head honcho Masai Ujiri was scheduled to hold his year-end media session.

“The decision to make a change like this is never arrived at easily or taken lightly, especially when it comes to a person who has been an integral part of this franchise’s most historic accomplishments, and who has been a steady leader through some of our team’s most challenging times,” Ujiri said in a statement. “As we reflect on Nick’s many successes, we thank him and his family, and wish them the best in future.”

“This is an opportunity for us to reset, to refocus, to put into place the personnel and the players who will help us reach our goal of winning our next championship,” Ujiri added.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, former Celtics coach Ime Udoka is a leading candidate in the search for a new Raptors bench boss.

Wojnarowski said, Nurse had one year and $8M-plus left on his deal, sources said.

Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka is expected to be a serious candidate to replace Nurse, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/L15nmpkxVo

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 21, 2023

Nurse has spend five years with the team as head coach in addition to five years as an assistant under Dwayne Casey, now coach of the Detroit Pistons. Nurse coached the team to its first NBA Championship in 2019 and made the playoffs three of the last five years. But, something had to give as the team underperformed this season, missing the playoffs after losing the play-in game to the Chicago Bulls.

Nurse is a highly regarded coach and tactician, and a former NBA Coach of the Year. He is rumoured to be one of the frontrunners for the Houston Rockets head coaching job.

T.O.’s dining scene gets creative with communal table under a highway

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12:23 pm

289469947_377006891078544_2022098648406735092_n — The Bentway/Instagram

While dining under a highway might not be an ideal way to spend a summer evening, the folks over at The Bentway just might change your mind. They’re setting up huge communal tables under the Gardiner Expressway so you can dine al fresco all summer long with food on offer from some of Toronto’s most exciting culinary talents.

Part of The Bentway’s new summer season entitled ‘Beyond Concrete” the event runs from May 26 to September 24 and will also include a collection of artworks, performances, parties and conversation, including the first North American commission by Filipino artist Leeroy New as well as the North American premiere of Brazilian choreographer Clarice Lima.

“The Gardiner is so much more than the concrete, traffic, and debates we’ve become used to; in fact, The Bentway has already helped reveal that,” says Anna Gallagher-Ross, Senior Manager of Programming at The Bentway. “We’re excited to be working with artists from Toronto and around the world to consider, in the midst of a rapidly changing climate, the ways in which urban nature and the built environment can co-exist, entangle, even collaborate.”

Taking place weekly, the dining program, “Communal Table” begins on June 29. Offering enchanted foodie experiences, guests are invited to dine with friends or to make new ones at family-style seating every Thursday night. In previous years, dining experiences included everything from Mexican cuisine to Syrian home cooking.

If you’re looking for a fun outdoor summer activity, SUSO Skate Co.’s roller rink will also be returning to The Bentway. Beginning June 14, they will be offering roller skate rentals by the hour, Wednesdays to Sundays.

While tickets for Communal Table don’t go on sale until May 16, tickets for The Bentway’s opening night party are on sale now. For just $20, you can dance the night away with architects, botanists, designers, and neighbours with food trucks and bar service on site.

An Ontario model was named Sports Illustrated’s first queer, plus-size rookie

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11:04 am

Model, entrepreneur and former fashion editor from Ontario, Lauren Chan, was just given one of the highest honours in fashion – Sports Illustrated Swimsuit‘s rookie of the year. The announcement means Chan is breaking a few barriers: she is the first plus-size model to be named a Sports Illustrated rookie and, in choosing the Swimsuit issue to come out as a lesbian, she is also the first openly queer Sports Illustrated rookie.

Chan, who grew up in Brantford and went to school at the University of Western Ontario, said in an Instagram post, “Atop the list of things I never thought I’d do: be in [Sports Illustrated Swimsuit], be gay, and come out to the world in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.”

The model is a true multi-hyphenate; she previously worked as an editor at Glamour with a focus on plus-size fashion, collaborated with designers including Vera Wang, Christian Siriano, Valentino and Chanel, founded her own luxury fashion brand Henning, serves as an ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association and sits on the advisory board for the Model Alliance.

Now, she’s breaking new ground by coming out in the new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, a choice that she made for an important reason. “Here feels like the right place to celebrate my hard fought pride, relate to other folks in my position, and perhaps change some people’s view of the queer community,” she wrote in a personal essay on the magazine’s website. “In the current political climate, with a record 400-plus anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced across the United States this year to date, SI Swimsuit felt like a platform whose reach could make a real difference at a pivotal time.”

Chan, who is in her 30s, details in her essay how she came to realize she’s queer while still married to a man. The story will sound familiar to many queer people — it was when everything paused during the pandemic and work stopped that she had time to sit with her feelings and started to uncover some truths about her identity in therapy. “I discovered that something in my mental code had caused me to repress my feelings, and therefore, my sexuality,” she wrote. “In hindsight, I think the rare connections I had with men were ones of deep friendship or chosen family, which I mistook for sexual or romantic attraction. If I’d ever felt attraction toward a woman, I didn’t clock it as intimate, I just figured it was because I worked in an industry that trained me to appreciate female beauty.”

Chan has received plenty of love from fellow models, influencers and fashion heavyweights so far, including Christian Siriano, Iskra Lawrence, Sasha Exeter and Aurora James.

5 places to shop for vintage and secondhand prom dresses in Toronto

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1:38 pm

It’s hard to believe, but it’s already prom season in Toronto. Sure, the actual prom might be months away, but for anyone who has a teenager or has ever been a teenager, you know that the planning starts early. That’s especially the case for finding a prom dress — many students scour shops in every corner of Toronto (and beyond!) once the new year begins looking for the perfect one. If you’re someone who’s looking for a more unique — and considerably more sustainable — look, shopping secondhand is the way to go! Toronto is home to a few different stores, from vintage to consignment to dress rentals, that offer up one-of-a-kind secondhand finds.

The Fitzroy

Since opening in 2016, The Fitzroy has been the go-to place for party goers who don’t feel like shelling out hundreds of dollars for one night of fun. The store offers a dress rental service for all kinds of formal events, including prom, weddings, red carpet events and even options for brides. Pricing depends on how many days you want to keep the dress (you can rent for four days or eight days) and range from $110 to $150 for most prom dresses. You’ll find designer dresses in all sizes and styles, including this draped satin look from Sau Lee, this Mac Duggal floral gown and even this shimmery jumpsuit by Gemy Maalouf.

Tribal Rhythm Vintage

For the true vintage lovers, there are a few vintage spots in Toronto that offer up a curated selection of prom-ready dresses. Tribal Rhythm is one of them; both their locations on Queen West and in Kensington Market offer a selection of dresses from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and beyond that might have even been worn to an actual prom back in the day! Visit in store to browse the full selection; they recently featured a goth true ’90s velvet dress on their Instagram along with these coordinating ruffled ’80s finds.

VSP Consignment

Willing to shell out a bit more cash for an investment designer piece that will last you a lifetime? VSP Consignment has a great selection of designer dresses (we’re talking Norma Kamali and Alexander Wang) that would really make a statement on prom night. Their online collection shows prices ranging from $125 to over $1,000 for the more high end runway looks, so there’s something for almost every budget. This orange ruched $125 Norma Kamali dress would stand out even in the most darkly-lit prom crowd. Same goes for this $295 Rotate dress with a short hemline and stunning puffed sleeves. This $395 Alexander Wang dress is ideal for a more classic all-black look. And if you’ve got the budget for it, this $795 Zimmerman gradient dress will never go out of style.

Mama Loves You Vintage

Mama Loves You is a favourite vintage shop in Toronto for a reason — the shop sources pieces from as far back as the 1880s and all the way to the 1990s so that customers can shop every style and every era. You’ll find a large dress section at the back of the shop, and many of them would be an ideal prom statement piece for those with a penchant for vintage looks. Since these are true vintage pieces and often in pristine condition, expect to pay a bit more for what you find (though often still less than the average prom dress these days). Grab this 1950s party dress on sale for $196 or this floor-length 1940s black gown for $316 and be the belle of the prom.

Siberia Vintage

Bloor Street’s Siberia Vintage is also known for their extensive vintage collection covering a wide range of decades, and their dress selection and pretty amazing. We spotted a few Sixteen Candles-style pink ’80s dresses on the rack, along with some more classic gowns, such as this stunning 1950s yellow dress for $110 or this super cool vintage Holt Renfrew dress from the ’80s for $90.

New Hangar District offering pop-up drive-in movie experiences all next month

By

Ron Johnson

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1:04 pm

The Hangar District, Toronto’s first neighbourhood soon to arrive on the massive Downsview Airport lands, is generating some buzz about the building to come by hosting Drive-In Downsview: A Pop-up Film Experience, every weekend in May.

“After the success of past outdoor activations, including Play on the Runway, the festive Light Up Downsview drone show and more recently Hangar Skate, Northcrest is thrilled to welcome residents to the start of our summer programming,” says Mitchell Marcus, executive director at Northcrest Developments. “Creating community is at the heart of The Hangar District. Events like Drive-In Downsview allow us to bring families, residents and community groups in the area together.”

Family and friends are encouraged to carpool or bring lawn chairs to enjoy a classic movie experience under the stars. The diverse selection of family-friendly films were voted on and chosen by the public based on a shortlist curated by community partners. Admission for each screening is by a pay-what-you-can donation, with all funds going to a series of local charities

The Hangar District got its name for the creative reuse of the soon-to-be decommissioned airport’s hangars. It’s the first phase of Northcrest and Canada Lands Company’s ambitious 520-acre id8 Downsview project. The inaugural phase would incorporate 1.5 million square feet of new studio space and offices in the aerospace facilities in addition to delivering 2,800 residential units in future buildings up to 14 storeys.

A rendering of the repurposed airplane hangars at Downsview

If the development is completed as envisioned, by 2051 it would encompass close to 50,000 units and attract a workforce of about 45,000, resulting in a daytime population of approximately 120,000 people.

“It’s the same size as Guelph,” said Chris Eby, executive vice-president of Northcrest. “We will be a mid-sized Ontario city, if you like,” he added. “We’re really talking about a city within a city.”

Here’s where to find the best congee in Toronto

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2:44 pm

121698213_187089352917809_5490899517385090993_n — House of Gourmet/Instagram

Wether you’re looking to warm up, coming down with a cold or just want something delicious to eat, nothing warms the soul more than indulging in a bowl of congee, the ultimate comfort food. The rice porridge dish which hails form China, is simply made by boiling rice in water or broth until it reaches a pudding-like consistency. While congee may seem like a humble dish, it’s super versatile and can be enjoyed anytime of the day served plain or loaded with toppings.

From traditional spots to modern takes, these five restaurants are serving up some of the most delicious and satisfying bowls of congee.

Yin Hu Chang Fen

Yin Ji Chang Fen, located in the heart of Toronto’s Chinatown and around the GTA, has been serving up some of the best congee in the city for over a decade. The restaurant specializes in chang fen, rice noodle rolls often served alongside congee. But it’s the congee that keeps customers coming back for more. Yin Ji Chang Fen’s comforting congee is garnished with fresh herbs and spices and can be customized with toppings like preserved eggs and sliced meats. The cozy and casual atmosphere, along with a selection of traditional Chinese desserts, make Yin Ji Chang Fen the perfect spot for a quick and satisfying meal. 369 Spadina Ave.

Sam’s Congee Delight

Sam’s Congee Delight in Markham is a hidden gem for congee lovers. The restaurant’s specialty is its smooth and creamy congee made with high-quality ingredients and a touch of homemade goodness. The congee is served hot and garnished with fresh herbs and spices, adding an extra layer of flavour to every bite. The restaurant also offers a variety of sides and toppings, such as fried dough and pickled vegetables, to complement the congee. With its cozy atmosphere and friendly service, Sam’s Congee Delight is a must-visit spot for a satisfying and comforting meal. 7354 Woodbine Ave, Markham

Congee Queen

Congee Queen has been a go-to spot for comforting Chinese cuisine in the GTA for over two decades. With multiple locations across the city, including a new one at Yonge and Dundas, Congee Queen continues to impress with its delicious congee and more. In addition to their signature dish, Congee Queen also serves up delicious BBQ pork and noodle dishes. With its cozy atmosphere and friendly staff, Congee Queen is the perfect spot for a casual meal with friends or family. 362 Yonge St.

Congee Wong

With multiple locations across the city, Congee Wong offers a vast menu of traditional Chinese dishes, including stir-fries, noodle soups, and dim sum. Their congee menu alone boasts 30 options, from classic plain congee to more adventurous combinations. Portions are generous and prices are reasonable, making Congee Wong a popular spot for both casual and celebratory meals. Don’t miss out on their delectable egg tarts for dessert. Finch and Leslie Square, North York

House of Gourmet

Located on Dundas in Chinatown, House of Gourmet is a go-to spot for delicious congee in Toronto. While the menu has an array of Chinese dishes, their congee is a standout favourite. Whether you prefer classic pork and preserved egg, seafood, or something more adventurous like pork with jellyfish, House of Gourmet has got you covered. Don’t forget to try their other dishes, such as the tasty and crispy Peking duck. House of Gourmet is a must-visit spot for any congee lover in the city. 484 Dundas St. W.

These T.O. YouTubers just collabed with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau & Jill Biden

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2:14 pm

A new collab just dropped, and it’s arguably bigger than Drake and The Weeknd. Toronto-based YouTubers called The Sorry Girls are known for their lifestyle, home design, thrifting and makeover videos that regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of views. But their most recent video released on Tuesday was more in the realm of political diplomacy — they sat down with Mme. Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to discuss how they each make their historic residences feel like home.

The video marks the first joint YouTube creator collaboration for Grégoire Trudeau and Biden, and it’s pretty exciting that they chose these Toronto creators to do it!

The Sorry Girls get their name from the classic Canadian overly-apologetic stereotype, and the brand was originally founded by Becky Wright and Kelsey MacDermaid in 2010 before Rachael Nyhuus joined in 2021.

“It was a once in a lifetime experience to not only meet The First Lady and Mme. Grégoire Trudeau, but also to collaborate with them on a video, and share stories on the importance of creating spaces that are welcoming and feel communal,” says MacDermaid, who sat down with Biden and Grégoire Trudeau in the video alongside junior producer Rochelle Gracey. “They were both so open and honest, and gave us a peek into how they build comfortable spaces for themselves and loved ones to recharge and reconnect.”

Grégoire Trudeau and Biden shared their design tips and talked about how they’ve approached making their historic homes, the Rideau Cottage and The White House, respectively, their own.

The pair both said they have pieces in their home passed down from ancestors and family members when MacDermaid asked whether they decorate their homes with secondhand or thrifted pieces — including a desk that belonged to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s father, Pierre Trudeau, from when he was prime minister.

Grégoire Trudeau referred to her and Trudeau’s three children and explained how she designs the space is impacted by having young kids. “As long as there’s comfy spaces, places to cuddle, places to tumble on the ground . . . our surroundings have to reflect our values,” she said.

Biden said she draws on the five senses when designing a space, noting that she has a scented candle by the front door so that visitors immediately have a positive reaction when they enter the space. Grégoire Trudeau agreed, saying she lights a candle and puts on music every morning as part of her routine.

The video is available to watch on The Sorry Girls’ YouTube channel — since posting it this afternoon, it’s already at over 7,000 views.

This Toronto TikTok chef has the second most viewed video in Canada

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11:58 am

313861086_1872566879747321_2204375769877250484_n — Wallace Wong/Instagram

More than 144 million people have watched Toronto’s Wallace Wong, a.k.a Six Pack Chef chop, well, just about everything. Walnuts, chocolate chips and even sprinkles stand no chance when Wong gets a knife in his hands.

Over the last two years, the professional chef, TV personality, fitness athlete and overall social media cyclone (w2sixpackcheff) has amassed a legion of fans online, all for his short snappy videos on how to chop small bites, cook healthy meals and even tune in to his journey on becoming a Guinness World Record holder (166 cucumber slices in 20 seconds while blindfolded!)

So just how did Wallace Wong, a Top Chef finalist, who once worked at some of the world’s most elite restaurants including Alinea in Chicago and Denmark’s gastronomic mecca, Noma leave the industry eight years ago to become the branded version of himself: Six Pack Chef?

“It just didn’t align with what I wanted from life, it’s not the healthiest environment,” he said. “Being a chef at the top of the industry, and being a cancer survivor, I decided to leave the industry while still showing people that you can be a chef without being on the front line.

Armed with an arsenal of cooking knowledge and fitness experience — he’s also a national level bodybuilder — Wong shows viewers that you can have your cake, eat it too and get a bunch of abs while doing it!

Built on three simple pillars: eat good, look great and live great, Wong shares what he does on the daily with his 1.9 million TikTok followers.

“I always see my food as my way of talking to people, it’s my way of communicating,” he explained. “I’m a very extroverted introvert and during COVID, I wasn’t able to meet anyone and food videos were my way to do so with people all around the world.”

@w2sixpackchef Reply to @roblox_fanas The end tho? #knifeskills #foodchallenge #cucumber #cucumberchallenge #asmr #asmrsound #asmrfood #satisfying #sosatisfying #oddlysatisfying #oddlysatisfyingvideo #didyouknow #tiktokfood #sustainability ♬ Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono – moshimo sound design

The self-taught content creator began to shoot videos of himself cutting things really fast which catapulted him to chopping stardom.

‘If you’re a foodie, you might be interested in the incredible ingredients I cut and if you’re someone just looking for entertainment, people watch my videos and they’re like, ‘what the hell did he just do,’” he said.

Along with his phenomenally successful videos, Wong is also the co-founder of Spatula Foods, a restaurant-quality frozen meal company, works as a private chef, is a successful cookbook author, does culinary consulting, offers cooking classes and somehow still finds time to sleep.

Going forward, Six Pack Chef plans to keep cranking out videos that has his fans coming back.

“I get messages from people who tell me that they were having a really rough day, but then they watched all of my videos and it made them feel so much better,” he said. “That’s something I don’t really share with people often, but it’s a big reason why I do what I do.”

AI creates a Drake song featuring The Weeknd and fans are loving it

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11:07 am

Sorry music fans. If you happened to stumble upon a new collab between two of Toronto’s greatest exports, Drake and the Weeknd, just a few days ago, we’ve got some bad news for you. Turns out the song, called “Heart on My Sleeve” was a fake. The one-minute snippet that went viral over the weekend, was generated entirely by artificial intelligence by a TiktTokker known as @ghostwriter.

“This is just the beginning,” they wrote under the song’s YouTube video.

In just a few days the song – which was removed yesterday by Universal Music Group (UMG) — had ben viewed more than 15 million times on TikTok, received 275,000 YouTube views, and 600,000 Spotify streams.

The song opens with piano and a booming base, as AI Drake sings a rap verse; “I came in with my ex like Selena to flex/Bumpin’ Justin Bieber the fever ain’t left.”

The AI Weeknd responds with a verse when he “alleges” Gomez cheated on him before their 2017 breakup. The song also includes a shout-out to award-winning producer Metro Boomin who has worked with artists like Kanye West and Nicki Manaj.

In an interview with Billboard Magazine, a rep from UMG said that they believe companies are have been using music to “train” their software.

“The training of generative AI using our artists’ music (which represents both a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law) as well as the availability of infringing content created with generative AI on DSPs (digital service providers) begs the questions as to which side of history all stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on: the side of artists, fans and human creative expression, or on the side of deep fakes, fraud and denying artists their due compensation.”

@piped.r9 Replying to @6foot3darkskin_ this one sound like him but don’t at the same time #drake #ai ♬ original sound – AiVoiced

While neither artist has publicly responded to the AI-generated song, just last week, Drake expressed his contempt at his voice being cloned on a fan-made video in which he appeared to be rapping on Ice Spice’s song Munch.

“This is the final draw AI,” he posted on Instagram.

There are many websites that give fans the opportunity to create new songs using voices that sound just like the real deal.

Recently David Guetta used a site called uberduck.ai to initiate the voice of Eminem on an instrumental track and Kanye West made headlines again when a AI-generated track of him singing “Hey There, Delilah” went viral.

Meet Toronto’s biggest sports superfans, from the Maple Leafs to the Jays

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10:19 am