Following a wildly successful pop up at 410 Adelaide Street West, GoodGood has found a permanent St. Lawrence set up.
The local brand is co-founded by Ritual alum and Robert Kim and Kris Linney. Their first sit-down café and wine bar offers a little bit of everything, including a full coffee bar with pastries, as well as both takeout dine in lunches, beer and wine. The grocery portion that drew local interest on Adelaide is still a big portion of the St. Lawrence iteration, bringing together curated items, local hard-to-find favourites, and specialty snacks. “People don’t have to go to different specialty websites to get what they’re looking for,” says Linney. “They can get all of these unique local goodies in one place.”
Pantry items at GoodGood.
The 40-seat cafe serves eight rotating beers and an extensive selection of wine to be paired with meals or to enjoy after work in a sleek, modern environment with graphic wallpaper and plenty of natural light. As for the grocery store, the ever-changing selection of curated Canadian goods include City Seltzer, Barbet, Honey’s Ice Cream, Comeback Snacks, Heartbeat Hot Sauce, Marben, and more. ““GoodGood has something for everyone, and has carefully curated their products to show support to emerging makers and trending items,” says Barbet co-founder Andrea Grand. “These past few years have taught us to shop local and buy from small-businesses, and GoodGood makes that easy.”
The cafe at GoodGood.
The business model allows for in-person shopping as well as a quick local delivery service. Within five kilometres of the 140A The Esplanade shop, delivery is guaranteed within an hour, though Linney notes that GoodGood usually averages about 32 minutes. For those outside the immediate radius, same-day or next-day delivery is available.
GoodGood has big plans for the future, too, with locations on St. Clair and Queen West slated to open next month, and a midtown location coming in April. There are also immediate plans to launch an app in the coming weeks, where a rewards program similar to Sephora’s is available to customers, and coffee prices come down to $1 for drip, $2 for espresso-based beverages, and $3 for specialty beverages.
UPDATE: Randy’s Patties announced on Instagram that they will close, sending shockwaves across the city of Toronto. It seems that Drake’s offer to buy them went unanswered.
For four decades, the family-owned Jamaican patty restaurant has been generating around-the-block lineups, enticing hungry customers with their iconic beef patties, the stuff of Toronto legend.
Randy’s Patties on Instagram.
But, the pandemic is giving them a hassle–not because customers stopped coming or because rent skyrocketed, but because of supply issues. It’s forced them to permanently close.
The news came after television personality Tyrone Edwards, of e-talk CTV fame, posted an article on his Instagram, clearly upset that Randy’s was facing a permanent closure. He tagged the eatery as well as basketball star and Brampton native Tristan Thompson in the post.
His post was widely shared on other famous Torontonians’ Instagram stories, and garnered a lot of comments from locals, sharing stories of nostalgia and what Randy’s meant to them and their families. It even got the attention of one of the most famous Toronto natives ever–rapper Drake.
“I’ll buy Randy’s right now,” the crooner and former Degrassi star commented, using his handle @champagnepapi. “And give it back to them.”
@champagnepapi
Drake, of course, has nothing but love for the city, and grew up in the area. He even attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute just up the street from Randy’s, which is located at 1569 Eglinton Avenue West. So, if anyone was going to step up to save an iconic eatery within hours, it would be the rap star who often nods to Toronto and growing up in the area in his music as well as his videos.
Sadly, not even Drake could save one of the most iconic Jamaican institutions in Toronto from supply chain issues–ones that expand well beyond beef patties and the food industry as a whole.
Craving a little nostalgia? Dreaming of a bygone era where the classic diners offered simple menus with
comfort food classics of the early aughts? Imagine sitting in a comfortable plastic booth or spinning on a
metal swivel chair at a long table, sipping on thick, frothy milkshakes and strong drip coffee, ordering
burgers and fries for lunch or dinner. Turns out it’s easier than you’d think to take a trip back in time. All
you have to do is head to Toby’s Good Eats in Hamilton and bask in the old-timey bliss.
Toby’s Good Eats was founded in 1983 with a simple, diner-style interior and a unique menu boasting
quality ingredients. Though the last standing Toby’s is newly renovated, it has maintained all of the
original design elements to preserve its vintage charm.
Toby’s Good Eats on Facebook.
The new look keeps true to Toby’s identity with bright red seats accented with dark grain wood, new tile
flooring and an updated logo. Beyond that, the last standing Hamilton location has updated kitchen
facilities, lights, a speaker system and much more.
“We want people to know that we really care about our business and that we are here to stay. People
have definitely noticed the difference and enjoy the new look,” says a representative from Toby’s Good
Eats.
Old-meets-new at Toby’s Hamilton with several revisions to the menu in order to remain on trend with
changing consumer palates. Like, for example, the addition of a beyond meat burger for plant-based
clientele.
Toby’s Good Eats vegan burger via Instagram.
But those who may remember the better days when Toby’s Good Eats had over 10 location across
Toronto and the GTA need not worry – the restaurant still offers their quintessential “popularity” and
“truck stop” burgers as well as the chunky fries and cheese sauce that shot them to local diner fame
back in the day. And, would it be a diner without a pot of coffee in near-constant rotation? “We have been using the same coffee supplier since the start of the business. It is a quality coffee blend that customers really enjoy,” the representative said.
In true classic diner fashion, patrons can also order up typical brunch and lunch items like the bacon and
eggs breakfast, clubhouse sandwich or fish and chips. Opt for the fried chicken or pork chop meal if
you’re looking for a bestseller that won’t disappoint.
The menu is large and, in keeping with Toby’s original promise, quality is not swapped for quantity. Take
for example, the soups, which are all made fresh in-house. Beyond that, patrons can choose from a ton
of vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian options.
Currently family owned and operated, Toby’s Hamilton’s head chef has been at the helm of the kitchen
for over a decade. “In our culture, food is love. So every time somebody comes to Toby’s, we want them to feel that love too,” the representative said.
Go back in time by visiting the 110 King Street West spot in Hamilton on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m., and Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9:00a.m. to 8:00p.m.
Mark is a craftsman, woodworker, and social media personality with a passion for empowering others to “Do It Themselves.” He has catapulted his way into the DIY/ Home Reno world, becoming a credible online content creator known for sharing the creative tips and tricks he has picked up throughout his carpentry journey. Follow him at @remarkableworks to discover new ideas and inspiration.
Winter is in full swing, and while you look for family-friendly outdoor activities, why not tackle an outdoor rink in your very own backyard to make the most of the last few weeks of winter? Of course, working with a backyard ice rink manufacturer is always an option, though, with the right advice and materials, anyone can build their own and enjoy the season in style. Here are my tips and steps for building an outdoor rink.
Location, location, location
It is key to find a perfect location before building a backyard ice rink. Look for an area close to a water source while being mindful of how the water will melt away from the surface in the spring. Ensuring the water can drain away from houses or other structures can help avoid possible flooding or water damage. The surface should be as flat as possible – check for any slopes that may impact the surface of your rink.
It’s all about that base
Photo Courtesy: Remarkable Woodworks
Your rink will need a solid base to hold the water and the weight of skaters. Try to fill any low spots or depressions with gravel or dirt to avoid excessive amounts of water pooling. Be sure to remove rocks, leaves and sticks as they can create a rough surface and could potentially rip the tarp that you will need to place before starting your rink (more about that later…).
The frame game
While many like the aesthetic of rounded corners – like you see on a professional ice rink – a square structure is stronger and ensures an easy to maintain and clean surface. Once you have landed on a size for your ice rink, place four stakes in the ground and attach a string between each to form a rectangle or square. This will allow you to visualize the rink in its true shape before moving on to the next step. From there, use 90-degree corner brackets – or triangular wood corner brackets – to create square corners and strong joints.
One of the most important things to consider when planning your frame is the material. Opting for a pressure treated wood like MicroPro Sienna not only creates a strong and resistant frame, it uses an eco-friendly treatment process that ultimately reduces the environmental footprint. The best part? The warm, brown colour complements the snow perfectly. Opt for 16-foot 2×12 boards that you can cut into smaller pieces depending on the final size of your rink.
Hot tip: Ensure you use exterior screws to join the wood together and place support stakes along each side of your square/rectangle to stop the frame from bowing out.
Placing the tarp
Photo Courtesy: Remarkable Woodworks
Did you know that a coloured tarp will retain heat on sunny days and potentially damage the ice? With this in mind, use a white tarp to ensure the ice freezes properly and maintains its quality. The tarp should be larger than the rink, as this will allow you to drape the tarp over the frame and secure it on the exterior. Once the tarp has been stretched over the rink frame, place a holding tack in each corner. From there, add a layer of warm water, being careful not to surpass three inches at a time. After the first layer is frozen, attach the tarp firmly around the entire frame with staples spaced six to eight inches apart.
The finishing touches
Once the tarp is secure, continue to add layers of water – two to three inches at a time – until it gets to your desired thickness. Keep in mind that the rink will need a minimum of six to eight inches of ice to support skating. So be sure to wait until the ice is solid before adding the next layer.
Maintenance is key
To avoid an uneven, rough surface, shovel snow off the ice rink after a snowfall and add thin layers of warm water after you’re finished skating for the day.
Now that you’ve got a rink, make it extra special by adding fairy lights, benches or even a fishing net between two beams for some pick up hockey.
For the 37th straight year, the city is celebrating Jamaican cuisine, culture and its connection to the city with Jamaican Patty Day, held annually on February 23.
“The people of Toronto are very passionate about this Jamaican staple; everyone has an opinion about who makes the best beef patty in town. It’s also a great opportunity to support your favourite local patty vendor,” said Angella Bennett, the Regional Director of the Canada, Jamaica Tourist Board. “We encourage all Torontonians to celebrate Jamaican Patty Day in Toronto and savour a taste of the island here at home.”
Jamaican Patty via Chubby’s on Instagram.
In February 1985, Toronto hosted the now-historic “Patty Wars.” City food inspectors and Jamaican vendors got into a dispute after the city officials protested the vendors’ use of the phrase “beef patties.” Both groups negotiated and, of course, the vendors won. February 23’s festival is a celebration of their victory.
The celebration even has a political fan base. “The City of Toronto is home to a vibrant Jamaican population whose unique contributions to food, music, and art enrich our city’s diverse culture,” wrote mayor John Tory in a letter of greeting. “As one of the world’s most diverse cities and home to people from all over the world, the valued contributions of diverse communities strengthen our society and contribute to our city’s motto, ‘Diversity Our Strength.'”
The food holiday celebrates Jamaica’s culture, impact and positive influence on the city of Toronto, selecting one of the most iconic traditional dishes to celebrate. There are many Jamaican patty places across the city, including the decades-old Randy’s Take Out, a family-owned eatery serving up patties so good there’s often a lineup around the corner.
From Elora’s newest spa to Tweed’s one-couple resort, paradise is just a few hours’ drive from the GTA. We rounded up seven of the best weekend getaways you’ll want to escape to this year — whether you’re seeking a stylish spot with retro decor, high-end spa, or a quiet place where you can get back to nature. These cool spots are just a quick jaunt north of the city.
Vintage motel’s chic makeover
The June Motel wine lobby (Lauren Miller)
Picton | 2.5 hours
The County is known for many things: wine, gorgeous sandy beaches, local food. Now it can add being the epicentre of a retro motel renaissance. PEC is now home to not one, but two vintage drive-in lodges revamped as hip havens for visitors. The latest to open is the Drake Motor Inn, which offers amenities that include a curated vending machine, games to borrow and complimentary morning coffee and tea. The property is located a stone’s throw from Lake Ontario, all those wonderful vineyards and its sister property, the Drake Devonshire. Rooms feature original artwork and hip Drake touches such as quilts by Brooklyn-based designer Cold Picnic. Guests even get complimentary vintage Polaroid cameras to borrow for their stay. Picton’s June Motel took over the the Sportsman Motel site that formerly catered to the sport fishing crowd. Now, the revamped motor lodge offers 16 gorgeous rooms with carefully curated guest experiences, from yoga and detox to romantic getaways, as well as six bikes available to rent — the best way to tour the wineries.
A luxury spa cut into a cliff
The Elora Mill Hotel (Taylor Jackson Photography)
Elora | 1.5 hours
Elora is positively overflowing with small-town Canadiana, and with the addition of a fancy new hotel and spa, it has become an ideal weekend getaway destination. The Grand River meanders through town before plunging over the rocks at the site of the old Elora Mill, now the swanky Elora Mill Hotel & Spa, which reopened last year after a massive renovation. The mill itself dates back 175 years, so expect oodles of ambience to pair with the ultra-luxe amenities, such as the stunning spa cut into the side of a cliff with fitness and yoga studios, saunas and steam rooms. Out on the viewing deck overlooking the river sits an infinity pool and hot tub for peak Zen. There is a lot of stone in Elora, and it is a huge part of what makes this sleepy picturesque town north of Guelph work. The stone, limestone to be exact, forms gorgeous historic buildings now filled with boutiques, galleries and gourmet food shops that line the main streets. It came from the old quarry in town that was closed many years ago and has since been converted into a drop-dead gorgeous, two-acre swimming area.
A boutique Niagara hotel with history
The Oban Inn
Niagara-on-the-Lake | 2 hours
Dating back to 1824, when Captain Duncan Milloy of Oban, Scotland, built his personal home on this very property, the Oban Inn is a charming and well-appointed CAA four-diamond boutique hotel in the historic core of Niagara-on-the-Lake. If one should ever want to leave such decadence, this is an ideal spot from which to explore the wineries, cuisine and culture of the Niagara Region for the weekend. Guests can enjoy the luxurious spa, dedicated to well-being and vitality, or enjoy the outdoor lap pool, hot spring or steam room. The Oban Inn also overlooks the oldest golf course in Canada. There are dozens of wineries just minutes away, including landmark wineries such as Trius, Konzelman Estate and Chateau des Charmes. As well, there are popular new grape-forward additions, including Hare Wine Co., and top-flight culinary destinations, such as the Pearl Morissette, recently ranked as one of the top 10 restaurants in Canada. And, of course, the Oban Inn restaurant offers a gourmet, regionally focused menu as well. The quaint village of Niagara-on-the-Lake is also home to the venerable Shaw Festival, offering a season of engaging theatre in three theatres.
A historic Muskoka hotel
Overlooking Lake Rosseau
Muskoka | 3 hours
Muskoka is home to numerous gorgeous luxury hotels, old and new, including the Rousseau, just around the bay from the historic Clevelands House resort, and the golf resort Taboo. For dining, it’s hard to find better than the Oar & Paddle in Gravenhurst, Spencer’s Tall Trees in Huntsville and Crossroads in Rosseau, also home to a sweet farmers market every Friday. Worth noting, in recent years, the area has returned to its music roots with the Sawdust City Music Festival in Gravenhurst. It’s one of the many charming sides to Ontario’s premier cottage country destination that many don’t know about. Nowhere is that more clear than in the tiny town of Bala, home to the Kee to Bala. This legendary live music venue dates back more than 70 years to when it was Dunn’s Pavilion and played host to the biggest names on the big band circuit such as Louis Armstrong. It is hard to top a night listening to Blue Rodeo on the shores of Lake Muskoka. There are the barge concerts in Gravenhurst and the New Orleans jazz band that plays on a boat motoring slowly along the Moon River. Heaven.
A resort for one couple at a time
Love locks at Black River Retreat
Tweed | 2.5 hours
Before guests leave the Black River Retreat near Tweed two hours northeast of Toronto, they take a “love lock,” provided by the host, adorn it with names or initials just like they do in Paris, and secure it to the chain of similar locks strung from tree to tree in the backyard “love garden.” And with that, ends one of the best kept getaway secrets in this part of the world — a luxury resort that caters to one couple at a time. The gorgeous woodland retreat sits on the banks of the gently flowing Black River. Guests can borrow a kayak and explore the river by day or perhaps just swing from one of the hammocks before returning home for a four-course gourmet dinner, prepared by a personal chef, followed by a good soak in the cedar hot tub. Later,they can sit by a roaring, romantic bonfire before retiring to the oversized log bed. Other features of the retreat include a beautiful great room with stone fireplace, opulent dining room and Wild West saloon–style games room. A gourmet breakfast the next morning is also included before couples head back to reality.
Ski bum scene goes high-end
The Scandinave Spa (Solmaz | @thecuriouscreature)
Collingwood | 2 hours
More than a decade ago, Collingwood’s luxury accommodations amounted to the Blue Mountain Inn and a series of tired motels. Now boutique properties such as the VanderMarck offer swanky suites adorned with fine linens, and handcrafted bath products beckon guests to downtown. While the Westin Trillium House leads the way in the plush lodging department at the base of the hill, Base Camp at Blue, a vacation rental that is a stone’s throw from the mountain, boasts stunning interior design and fine amenities, including a hot tub and fireplace. Since the arrival of the Blue Mountain Village, the region has evolved into a four-season luxury adventure hot spot, with the summer getting more attention than the snowy season, thanks to a plethora of fancy golf courses, lift-serviced downhill mountain biking and Georgian Bay itself, beckoning water babies. As Torontonians scoop up vacation properties, the area has moved decidedly upscale. Fine restaurants such as the Tremont Cafe and the picture-perfect Italian bistro Azzurra cater to the foodie set, and other luxury services, such as Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain, offer a unique day of pampering.
The Bard plus funky new bistros
The Bruce Hotel
Stratford | 2.5 hours
Actor Paul Gross once declared of Stratford, “There are only two things to do in this town, act and drink.” That was then, but over the past decade, the sleepy town has become something of a culinary and cultural hub. Visitors can stay at one of many stately accommodations including the decadent Bruce Hotel, an ideal jumping-off point to a sophisticated dining scene with funky gems, such as Red Rabbit and the Common, and more upscale restaurants, such as Bijou or the Restaurant at the Bruce as well as the myriad of small galleries and artisan shops that line the streets of the town’s historic core. But let’s not sleep on one of the top theatre festivals in the world. A weekend Stratford getaway is ideal for immersion into some of the best theatre, both classical and contemporary, being produced anywhere in the country. The hottest tickets so far this year include the new production of the musical Billy Elliott and one of the Bard’s finest, Othello, along with hidden gems such as Birds of a Kind, by acclaimed Canadian playwright Wajdi Mouawad, and cult classic musical Little Shop of Horrors.
Toronto’s very own Gavan Knox is adding Canadian television star to his resume this March. The award-winning baker, writer and food collaborator will be appearing as a contestant on theFood Network’s new show, Great Chocolate Showdown, to flex his creativity in the kitchen for the chance at $50,000.
Selected from thousands across Canada and the US, Gavan will be one of 10 home bakers to go head-to-head in the indulgent world of chocolate in a range of creative and exciting chocolate-based challenges. As a parent, member of the LGBTQ2S+ community and the only contender representing all of Eastern Canada, Knox serves as an inspiration for tons of chocolate aficionados and aspiring bakers tuning in. The gravity of this is not lost on him.
No stranger to the industry, Knox has worked with the likes of confectionery company Hope & Greenwood, Station Cold Brew Coffee Co. and Red Tape Brewery delivering tailor-made recipes. He was also previously featured on Global TV news and in The Guardian’s travel section.
In the UK, his home until 5 years ago, Knox guest appeared on daytime show Mel & Sue (hosted by the original presenters of The Great British Bake Off), baking one of his signature “unexpected” flavour combinations: limoncello frosted blueberry, black garlic, and coriander seed cupcakes.
Although Knox always loved experimenting in the kitchen, his love of baking and confectionary really blossomed after 2014, when he decided to leave his successful job as an architect to raise his children.
Gavan Knox on Instagram.
“It was through this that I started baking for bake sales at my children’s school. I’ve always had a passion and love for cooking and baking. Some of my earliest memories are of tinkering around in the kitchen under the watchful eye of my mom,” remarks Knox.
His unique creations that combine unlikely ingredients garnered tons of compliments and special requests over the years, prompting him to start his own baking business back in London. On this side of the pond Knox is back to at-home baking and is extremely active on Instagram (@crumbsinmybeardyyz) sharing all of his delicious creations online with stunning, magazine-worthy photography.
As for having an edge against his Food Network competition? Knox believes his former career as an architect will help set him apart.
“My technical background allows me to examine a recipe, deconstruct it and think about what ingredients or methods could be substituted to add extra layers of interest,” he says.
Beyond that, he hopes to serve as inspiration for those who are a little different.
“Like pretty much everything about me – even down to the way I look, I don’t think I follow the idea of what people typically think a baker should be. I aim to use that to my advantage.”
Be sure to check Gavan Knox out on Chocolate Showdown on March 1 at 9:00p.m. ET/PT on Food Network CanadaFood Network Canada.
Sports broadcaster Andi Petrillo, who has spent the last two weeks keeping Canada up to date on the 2022 Olympics with CBC Sports, met her husband, former Toronto FC goalkeeper and current coach Jon Conway, while he was the keeper for the team.
How they met
I was the sideline reporter for the TFC. The first time I saw Jon was on one of our road trips. We were heading to Salt Lake City for a game, and we were on the tiniest charter you could imagine! I couldn’t stop laughing watching Jon, who is six-foot-five-inches by the way, try to get comfortable in this tiny plane. The next day we ran into each other in the hotel lobby, and I decided to introduce myself. He was very aloof, which I later learned was because he actually fancied me right away but didn’t want me to know. It would be months before we actually spoke to each other again.
The growing romance
Before Jon got traded to Chicago, he lived in a condo near the Air Canada Centre. I was at the ACC nightly because I worked every Leafs and Raptors home game. I would host a show on the concourse at gate five. The set is right by a massive window that looks out onto Maple Leafs Square. Jon knew when I would be working, and he would stop by the window on his way to the grocery store, bang on it to get my attention, wave and then be on his way. He did this practically every night. I couldn’t help but think, “How much does this guy eat that he needs to go grocery shopping every night?” Jon would later admit that he just walked by with his grocery bag to make me believe he was getting food when in fact he just wanted to see me. One night, I couldn’t hear him knocking, and he must have been standing there for quite some time, because my floor director said, “Andi, there’s a big scary guy banging on the window trying to get your attention. Should I call security?” There was Jon, in the dead of winter standing outside with his massive winter coat, hat, boots and gloves on, with a scarf wrapped around his face.
The proposal
Five months into our relationship we knew we wanted to marry each other. After his year in Chicago, Jon retired and moved to Toronto. It was March, St. Patrick’s Day weekend, and we were in Montreal. We took in a soccer match and a hockey game. Our kind of weekend! We were getting ready for dinner, and after I got dressed, I asked Jon if he liked what I was wearing. He said it was nice, but it was missing something. That’s when I saw his reflection behind me go down on one knee. I wish I could tell you what he said, but my heart was pounding so quickly I swear I went blind and deaf at the same time.
The wedding
We were married on Sept. 7, 2012, in Kleinberg, Ont. We got married at the beautiful Doctor’s House. We had our ceremony in the old chapel and danced the night away. The very next day we left for our honeymoon to Bali, Indonesia.
Bitbuy’s reputation precedes it — as Canada’s first and largest cryptocurrency trading platform and now as the latest acquisition of Kevin O’Leary–backed platform WonderFi. But just a few years ago, Bitbuy was just a young tech startup that chief operating officer Jordan Anderson left everything and risked it all to build from the ground up.
Bitbuy, formerly known as Monitex Inc., began in 2016 with founders Tommy Dolan, Ademar Gonzalez, Adam Goldman and Jeremy Murray. By 2018, First Ledger Corp., co-founded by Anderson, bought Bitbuy for $330,000 after the former shareholders were parting ways.
“I had the opportunity to basically join from the ground level when there were only four people,” Anderson explains. “It was definitely scary and a huge risk, but I had a pretty strong conviction in cryptocurrency after I had done a lot of research on it while working at Yahoo. That was a big bet that I made on the cryptocurrency space, but also on myself.”
When Anderson was in high school at Northern Secondary School, crypto wasn’t on his mind — it hadn’t even been invented yet. Instead, he says he “struggled” with school until he started playing on Northern’s Red Knights football team.
“I feel like it just gave me more discipline and more regimen,” he says. “I remember my coach at the time said that if I don’t get my marks together, he’d kick me off the team. I think that’s what finally prompted me to work harder in school.”
Anderson studied business at Western University, where he developed his entrepreneurial spirit growing his own painting business.
“I very much had a sales mentality of just going door to door and getting jobs,” he says.
That led to him selling digital advertising products with Yahoo, and he says working at a large tech firm drove him toward wanting to work at a tech startup.
“In the first two years at Bitbuy, a lot of people were interested in crypto and Bitcoin, so I was very much focused on growth,” Anderson says. “Those first two years, 2018 and 2019, there wasn’t much growth. But when the pandemic hit, we started getting a huge influx of new customers.”
A study from Investopedia found interest in Bitcoin surged 90 per cent over the pandemic as investors looked for decentralized market alternatives.
“We were very well positioned for that growth in the sense that we had built a really good product, with our engineering team had set up really good marketing channels,” Anderson says. “And so the past two years we’ve faced a new set of challenges — scaling up the business, building business systems and processes to help automate that so that we rely less on people to process customers and more on technology.”
Anderson says the company has since put some resources into education about cryptocurrency, because he knows the field can be daunting to enter at first. He’s mostly just excited to see how the platform will continue to grow. “I never thought I’d be in the position where I’d be running a 100-person company.”
Back in December 2021, a new quick service restaurant set up shop inside Toronto’s sprawling Maple Leaf Gardens Loblaws. Globōl, the brand new in-store concept at 60 Carlton Street, offers a vast menu inspired by global cuisine you can order for takeout or delivery right inside the downtown grocery store.
“Our menu is inspired by the stories of international street food legends, hardworking farmers and passionate mothers and fathers whose cooking methods have been shaped by generations in their homeland and who personify the spirit of each dish,” say Pierre Jutras and Nipun Sharma, the two-person team that founded the concept and veterans of the food industry. Sharma was even behind other local restaurants including Rose City Kitchen, Smash Juice Bar and Rasoee the Indian Kitchen.
Through this pilot, the duo hope aim to bring a world of flavoursto Toronto in one convenient, quick service spot.
Patrons can expect a variety of bold flavours at Globōl, with a menu that features something for even the pickiest palate, including pad Thai, butter chicken, general Tao, burritos, shawarma and jerk chicken.
Jutras and Sharma describeGlobōl as a next-generation restaurant with a sustainability-focused core philosophy, animated by passionate employees. Beyond that, the food is meant to be a celebration of the cuisine, history, culture and environments of each of the geographic regions featured on its menu.
Globol on Instagram.
Thepickup and delivery counter inside Loblawsalso features a ‘dinner theatre’ component: wok cooking, where patrons can see the chefs at work.
“Dedicated customers, amazing infrastructure and a captive audience make the iconic Maple Leaf GardensMaple Leaf Gardens location the ideal spot to pilot this restaurant concept,” say Jutras and Sharma. Expansion plansare already in the works.
Globōlwill soon launch a grab & go line, catering department and meal subscription service. The founders are also in talks to open two new locations inside otherLoblaws grocery stores, so keep an eye out for those and in the meantime, swing by the 60 Carlton Street grocerant.
A view of the Markville Mall Saks OFF 5TH location. Photo Courtesy: Chuan Chee
Just four years after celebrating its grand opening in Markville Mall, Saks OFF 5TH will be closing its Markham location.
This is following a slew of recent closures involving Saks OFF 5TH and Saks Fifth Avenue locations across Canada. Last month, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior exited the Saks Fifth Avenue Queen Street location, following suit with other COVID-19-related closures in the retail space. Saks OFF 5TH will also be closing locations in Calgary’s CF Market Mall and South Edmonton Common this year.
Saks OFF 5TH is an offshoot of Saks Fifth Avenue, a luxury storefront that came to Toronto in February of 2016. The outlet, touting designer brands at a major discount, entered Toronto’s retail space just after, in March, with plans to open up about 25 Canadian locations by the end of 2018. Due to faltering sales, plans to expand were halted. Today, there are eight Saks OFF 5TH locations throughout the GTA and 17 in Canada, including the three locations that are slated to close.
Both Saks OFF 5TH and Saks Fifth Avenue were acquired by the Hudson’s Bay Company back in 2013. In June of 2021, the Hudson’s Bay Company announced plans to transition the Saks OFF 5TH website into a standalone business, separating online operations from that of physical storefronts.
In a press release, the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Governor, Executive Chairman and CEO, Richard Baker, stated the thought process behind this move: “As a true off-price business with a superior merchandise offering, Saks Off 5th has a significant opportunity to capture additional market share by further expanding its digital capabilities.”
In addition to the new and improved e-commerce side of things, the brand will still have a presence in Canada’s physical retail space. GTA shoppers can still access locations in Vaughan Mills, Toronto Premium Outlets, Pickering Town Centre, Sherway and the Outlet Collection at Niagara.
The Markville Mall location that’s slated to close will still be open to the public until April.
The brand’s parent company, Saks Fifth Avenue, will maintain business as usual in the CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Sherway Gardens.
The Toronto Black Film Festival gets underway this week, and amongst the many incredible films is the documentary With Wonder by Toronto filmmaker Sharon Lewis.
With Wonder takes an intimate look at the journey of members of the Queer, Christian community of colour and their attempts to answer the question: Can you be both Christian and Queer? The feature-length documentary is described as a love letter to God from the LGBTQI+ community of colour.
According to Lewis, the documentary took shape while she was making another documentary about a Black and openly gay music conductor.
“He started talking about his experiences in the church,” Lewis says. “And I wanted to sort of delve into that area of being in the church and being queer.”
When she started to research what she saw was that there was a really specific experience for gay people of colour in the church.
“They had a whole history of colonialism that they were dealing with,” she says. “And, you know, the church was often kind of forced upon the culture that they were in.”
The backbone of With Wonder, Lewis explains, is the story of Jamaican activist Maurice Tomlinson, and his attempt to put on the first gay pride march in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
“And I was like, here’s somebody who comes from the church is going to — I’m Jamaican, and Trinidad — a place that is very unsafe to be publicly queer, and march. And so I started following him.”
In addition to Tomlinson, With Wonder tells the stories of four other main characters including, amongst others, D’Lo, who is Sri Lankan and Trans as well as Serena, who is Asian and brought up very deep in the church and has found a way to be Christian and queer.
Lewis’s ambition, in asking the question of whether or not one can be Christian and queer, is that viewers can take hope from the film and the stories of its genuine subjects.
“I think oftentimes when our lives are chronicled in terms of coming out, and, you know, the homophobia from the church is often seen as a very despairing,” she explains. “I really wanted to present people in a full, complex way talking about how they fall in love and how they’re grappling with this issue.”
In making the film, Lewis was surprised by the humour in the stories she was telling and the people she met along the way.
“I learned that you can make a documentary about homophobia and the church and coming out and the terror and still, belly laugh,” she says.
The film garnered nominations for Standout Writer, Standout Producer, and Standout Director at Reelworld Film Festival 2021.
Lewis started her career as an actor, co-hosting counterSpin on CBC-TV in 2001 and portraying the mother of Jimmy Brooks (played by a fairly well-known rapper by the name of Drake) on Degrassi: The Next Generation, before switching to filmmaking. She has been recognized with six Canadian Screen Award nominations and won a CSA for Best Direction of a Factual Series.
Up next for the talented Toronto resident is a directing gig with Netflix where she will helm episodes for the popular series Ginny & Georgia.
“It’s about a young biracial girl and her white mom and they move to a very white town and how they’re sort of navigating their life,” she says. “I love it. I absolutely love it.”
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