Ringing in the new year might make you want to make some changes — find a new hobby, set a resolution for the year or switch up your style. Whether you’ve lived in the same place for years or have just moved in, maybe you’ll want to do the same for your home. Toronto luxury interior designer Michael London shares his best tips for sprucing up your home for the new year and what trends he predicts will be big in 2022.
What are some home design trends that are on their way out?
Greys, greys and more greys are making their way out in 2022. After year two of pandemic living, greys feel colder and lacking in distinction. The use of colours like beiges, off whites, golds mixed with light browns and caramels are warmer, cozier and a classic neutral base option for accent colours and accessories.
What trends are here to stay?
Mid-century modern design and furniture are here to stay due to the clean lines and style elements. Those who prefer a more transitional space are finding modern spaces easier to transition to, as it’s less fussy, and some traditional or transitional elements can be added as accents to the space.
Sustainability is also a trend moving closer to the forefront in interior design. Creating luxurious, high-quality design with low environmental impact is key.
What are the top trends of 2022?
Digital environment: Certain luxuries that seemed to be only “wants,” like intelligent toilets, smart home systems for lighting, blind controls and digital locks, are now becoming “needs.” All of which are providing forms of personal comfort, stress relief and the ease of life.
Bronze tones: We’re looking toward one more year of light bronze tones in metals, faucets and hardware. We are slowly seeing the shift back to the classic chrome, brushed nickel and even polished nickel, which is subtle and still lends well to the warm tones.
Home offices: The shift to work-from-home spaces in 2021 will carry over to 2022, as the work from home option has become essential. Those with both smaller closet-style work spaces or larger dens are opting to have the ability to close off the space to hide work after hours. Converting guest rooms or bedrooms into offices or homework rooms for the children is also essential.
Custom printed wallpaper: Subtle graphics in custom wallpaper makes an impact, which helps to show personality in the space, similar to adding artwork.
What are the best ways to keep your home design up to date but timeless?
Keep away from trendy finishes and details.
Decoratively, homeowners can paint walls in more neutral tones that can adapt to either a warm or cool palette. Accents and accessories can always be updated, but having the mindset of keeping the home livable will help in having a classic environment.
Architecturally, adjusting structural elements can become costly, but adding applied mouldings to walls in a dining or living room adds details and gives the room character.
Hundreds of new restaurants have popped up in the city since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While indoor dining remains temporarily closed, plenty of restaurants are offering take-out, as well as “dine-in” options on their heated patios.
We recruited Toronto’s best chefs and asked them a simple question: what’s on your 2022 must-try list?
Atai Bistro – Takeout options available
Judge Massimo Capra: “I am intrigued by the Moroccan/French cuisine, and I noticed that they are breaking barriers in their flavour profile and ingredients. The menu looks interesting, and I am always looking for a new culinary experience.”
POST CITY’S TAKE: At Atai Bistro, chef de cuisine Meaghan Foster is putting her own spin on traditional regional Moroccan recipes using French cooking techniques. The menu at the inviting Junction area restaurant emphasizes sharing-style meals, including beautiful mezze platters; savoury flatbreads, such as the Bresaola topped with fennel, harissa, ricotta, za’atar and pomegranate; and dips like hummus with Urfa chili oil. Cocktails also draw inspiration from the north African nation with the Aube Marocaine, for example, made with a blend of light bourbon, mint, spice syrup, Moroccan tea and Peychaud bitters. There’s also a brief list of French wines, local and international beers and, true to Morocco’s dining culture, plenty of loose leaf teaoptions. In addition to its dine-in menu, Atai Bistro also offers an extensive selection of house-made pantry items like a za’atar spice blend, chili oil and smoked almonds. 3047 Dundas St. W.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK: Smoked Eggplant Flatbread, $16
Crosley’s – Curbside pickup available
POST CITY’S TAKE: Run by internationally renowned chef and sommelier J. P. Adamo (co-owner of Bar Piquette), Crosley’s restaurant officially opened in January 2021. The changing menu of small share plates is simple and distinctly Canadian with a European-inspired twist. Chef Joachim (Joe) Hayward previously worked as the head chef at the now-closed Brothers Food & Wine in Yorkville, where he met fellow Crosley’s chef Myles Harrison. Their partnering with J.P. and Laura Adamo has the end result of a personalized approach to fine dining. The seasonal menu is rife with distinctly Canadian, nationally sourced items with an international twist, courtesy of tasting trips to London, Italy and Paris. Recent dishes have included Albacore tuna filet topped with caper berries, bone marrow croutons guindilla peppers, tomato and fresh rosemary, as well as the treviso radicchio salad mixed with grilled grapes, chestnuts and ricotta salata with a red wine vinegar dressing. In true Canadian fashion, less commonly seen meats have also made their way onto the menu, with dishes like the rabbit terrine and sweetbreads done with sun choke and onion soubise, pickled maitake mushrooms and roasted pearl onions glazed in chicken stock recently on offer. 214 Ossington Ave.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK: Menu changes daily, call ahead for takeout options.
Pai Uptown – Takeout and delivery options available
Image by: Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
Judge Craig Wong:“When you come across people as genuine and kind [as Jeff and Nuit] that produce such delicious food, it’s an honour to call them friends,” says Wong. “I love spicy flavours, and at Pai, they do it right, serving up authentic spicy Thai flavour.
POST CITY’S TAKE: With more than five successful restaurants under her belt, Pai Uptown is the latest culinary venture from Thai chef Nuit Regular and her husband and business partner, Jeff Regular. The original Pai restaurant, located at 18 Duncan St., is named after a small town in northern Thailand where Nuit and Jeff met. Pai Uptown is bold and bright and represents the culinary couple’s biggest restaurant to date, with a 12,000-square-foot space that is spread across two storeys. Despite the new neighbourhood, the menu at the midtown spot still features the unadulterated version of Thai cooking that Regular is known for. Expect to find a selection of delicious curries, like the gaeng kiaw wan (green curry), served with bamboo shoots, makrut lime leaves, basil leaves and coconut milk, and other Thai staples like chef Nuit’s famous pad Thai, cooked in her house-made tamarind–palm sugar sauce, and the khao soi (fresh egg noodles stirred into a thick, golden coconut curry). 2335 Yonge St.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK:Chef Nuit Pad Thai, $17.50
Yasu – Takeout options available
POST CITY’S TAKE: Earning its stripes as Canada’s first-ever omakase sushi bar, Yasu is a prix fixe Japanese restaurant that is committed to using only the finest, freshest fish that’s flown in from fish markets from around the world. Yasu takes pride in using simple, traditional cooking methods that draw out the natural umami (flavour) profile of each fish. On any given night, patrons seated at the sushi bar will find head chef and owner, Yasuhisa Ouchi, expertly slicing each piece of fish by hand before carefully balancing it atop a warm bed of rice. Yasu only offers one menu, which is done omakase style. Omakase is a Japanese tradition which can be loosely translated as “chef’s pick.” Using what’s freshest and most readily available, chef Ouchi, who was born in Osaka, Japan, and opened Yasu in 2014, creates a unique tasting menu that changes daily and features beautiful cuts of fish that can be enjoyed simply as sushi or sashimi or in rolls that are often garnished with edible flowers or other intricate ingredients. Previous menu items have included the toro roll (fatty tuna) anago (saltwater eel), sablefish and uni (sea urchin). 81 Harbord St.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK: Menu changes daily, call ahead for takeout options.
Afrobeat Kitchen – Takeout and delivery options available
Judge Suzanne Barr:“The flavours stand tall and intentional as they represent the power, tradition and essence of Nigerian cuisine. Afrobeat Kitchen is a movement that brings you to the table.”
POST CITY’S TAKE: Specializing in modern west African cuisine with a particular spotlight on Nigerian food, Afrobeat Kitchen is a Black-owned business and private catering project from chef Victor Uguweke. Although this tiny eatery is slightly hidden from view, as it’s located inside the Caravan Cafe & Tea House, the menu from this pop-up kitchen is anything but shy, featuring bold flavours and colourful ingredients known to traditional west African cuisine. Popular dishes include the party jollof, a mashup of sensationally spicy, smoky paella-style rice that’s slow cooked in a sofrito reduction with lemon grass, star anise and smoked crayfish. Plenty of light bites, like the kelewele tostones, featuring twice-cooked smashed plantains tossed in thyme and spices or the sticky suya chicken wings tossed in hot honey with yaaji spice (ginger peanut BBQ rub) also make for the perfect afternoon snack. 1165 Bloor St. W.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK:Party Jollof, $19
Antler
POST CITY’S TAKE: Drawing inspiration from his childhood spent in the Canadian wilderness, wild game hunter and chef Michael Hunter opened Antler Kitchen and Bar in 2015 with the goal of bringing forest-to-table dining to fruition. Focusing on ingredients that honour the age-old traditions of hunting, fishing and foraging, Hunter has designed a seasonal menu that celebrates the culinary delights of Canada year-round. Entrees shine a spotlight on plenty of Canadian game meat, seen in popular dishes like the game burger, made using a three-mix blend of freshly ground wild boar, bison and venison and garnished with pickle, tomato, lettuce and cheddar. As well there are more recent menu features like the bison filet mignon served with pommes boulangère (crispy sliced potatoes) crispy ox tongue, sauteed chanterelles from British Columbia and house-made jus. Plenty of fresh pastas are also available, including the pappardelle with braised rabbit, buttered leeks, verjus apricot preserve and Parmesan cheese, or the bison tenderloin ragout made from hand-cut pappardelle, chanterelles and spinach and finished with red wine, cream and Parmesan cheese. For lighter bites, there are such offerings as Antler’s nose-to-tail charcuterie boards. Antler’s cocktail program focuses on foraged cocktails made with aromatic ingredients like sprigs of fresh cedar, rhubarb bitters and edible florals. 1454 Dundas St. W., takeout and delivery options available.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK:Game Burger and Fries, $24
Osteria Giulia – Takeout options available
Judge Julie Marteleira: “I’m used to working in a large restaurant, so I usually tend to gravitate toward smaller and more intimate places when I go out. From what I’ve seen online, the dishes look classic, approachable but still very elegant.”
POST CITY’S TAKE:Osteria Giulia, owned by former Top Chef Canada contestant and chef Rob Rossi, brings coastal northern Italian fare (and flair) to Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood. Designed by Guido Costantino, Osteria’s interior is hyper minimalist, featuring natural wood and wicker dining chairs, pale hardwood floors and a modern wood-panelled bar that’s stocked with spirits from around the world. According to Rossi, the inspiration for the seasonal menu was to breathe new life into some classic Italian dishes but still keep them very simple and honest. The anchovy and whipped butter toast, for example, is a nod to traditional bruschetta and is topped with roasted garlic and crispy capers instead of diced tomatoes. Over at the bar, Iain Codona has created a cocktail program that aims to highlight the same fresh approach Rossi has taken with the food menu. The Messicano, for example, Osteria Giulia’s top seller, is a tequila-based cocktail that blends green Chartreuse, mint and basil cordial, a hint of lime juice and a refreshing piece of sliced cucumber. 134 Avenue Rd.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK: Risotto ai Funghi, $38
Ten – Takeout options available
POST CITY’S TAKE: Serving 10 people at a time from a 10- (or sometimes five-) course tasting menu, Ten is a vegetable-forward restaurant located in the heart of the Brockton village neighbourhood of Toronto. This Canadian restaurant, helmed by chef Julian Bentivegna, brings a progressive approach to fine vegetarian dining with a menu that is constantly changing, accounting for the seasonality and availability of ingredients. No matter what time of the year it is, though, Ten Restaurant will always be vegetable forward, with some fish options served. The space has an enviable esthetic with a white exposed brick wall behind the chef’s counter, which has just ten seats, and a mosaic mural of flowers on another wall. Ten Restaurant has achieved its goal of unpretentious fine dining that is both intensely creative and delicious while being sustainably sourced. Currently, Ten offers a tasting menu priced at $140 per person. Some of the dishes on offer include a roasted carrot crudo infused with flavours of orange and chestnut and the grilled rutabaga and romesco. Even the dessert menu is vegetable focused, with the introduction of unconventional sweet treats like the new beet and lime tart. 1132 College St.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK: Menu changes daily, call ahead for takeout options.
Little Sister Food Bar – Takeout and delivery options available
Judge Roger Mooking: “I grew up eating krupuk [a type of deep-fried prawn cracker] as a snack while waiting for the rest of the meal. It is not only a delicious treat, but a cherished memory, which I look forward to every time.”
POST CITY’S TAKE: Dutch-Indonesian fare can be quite hard to find in Toronto, and after opening its doors for the very first time back in 2014, owners Mike Van Den Winkel and Jennifer Gittens have also successfully opened a location on Portland Street. All of the dishes at Little Sister shine a light on cuisine that’s enjoyed on the Indonesian islands. The menu is expertly divided into satay skewers, snacks and sides, most of which can be eaten with one’s hands in street food style. The Sumatra spiced beef croquettes and the babi guling (a crispy Balinese pulled pork lettuce wrap), for example, are perfect for sharing, and larger traditional dishes, like the udang kari (a turmeric coconut shrimp curry), make for a hearty main. Although grilled meats, like chicken and beef, dominate the menu, Little Sister also has plenty of vegetarian options on offer as well, like the refreshing urab salad, done with green beans, Chinese broccoli, coconut sambal goreng and lime leaf. 2031 Yonge St.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK: Balinese Shredded Chicken Taco (x1), $6.50
Mamakas Taverna – Takeout and delivery options available
POST CITY’S TAKE: Founded in 2014 by owner and operator Thanos Tripi, Mamakas Taverna is a Mediterranean restaurant that serves up authentic Aegean cuisine with a modern twist. Using only the freshest available ingredients, the menu at Mamakas takes an elevated, rustic approach to Mediterranean cuisine using tried-and-true recipes passed down from generations gone by. Starters like the spanakopita, for example, use traditional ingredients like feta cheese and spinach wrapped in a spiral phyllo pastry, but the addition of honey on top gives this snack a sweet finish. House-made dips, like tzatziki, and other small plates like olives and keftedes (lamb meatballs), make for the perfect sharing plate, as do a selection of house salads, like the horiatiki, which features tomato, cucumber, red onion, olive tapenade and oregano. A selection of grilled meat and seafood can be ordered as entrees or plates. Popular dishes include the oktapódi (grilled octopus served with Santorini fava and caper leaves, the lavraki (whole grilled Mediterranean sea bass) and païdakiá (grilled Ontario lamb chops) done on an open flame. For dessert, don’t miss the traditional baklava topped with walnuts and pistachios and served with vanilla bean ice cream or the galatopita (semolina custard with mulled wine–poached pear, rose hazelnut nougat and raspberry rose salt). 80 Ossington Ave.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK:Keftedes (lamb meatballs), $18
Cà Phê Rang –Takeout options available
Judge Nuit Regular:“Jeff and I often go out for Vietnamese food, so I really want to try this new spot. Their beef and brisket pho looks so appetizing and comforting — it’ll be perfect to warm me up this winter!”
POST CITY’S TAKE: Located in Chinatown at the corner of Spadina Avenue and Richmond Street West, Cà Phê Rang is Toronto’s newest bánh mì restaurant. The humble Vietnamese eatery is a new collaboration between renowned chefs Matty Matheson, the familiar face behind smash burger spot Matty’s Patty’s Burger Club and Maker Pizza, and Rang Nguyen, former head chef at Le Sèlect Bistro. With winter weather in full swing, Cà Phê Rang is the go-to spot for warm pho soups and bánh mì sandwiches. Start by sipping a savoury bowl of beef and brisket pho garnished with crisp bean sprouts, diced green onions and red chilies. Next, bite into a slow-cooked beef brisket topped with fresh slices of cucumber and sprigs of parsley, and don’t forget to dunk it in one of the eatery’s many homemade sauces. Like any good snack bar, Cà Phê Rang also serves a small selection of sides, like bite-sized khai vi (spring rolls) that can be ordered in prawn or shiitake mushroom varieties, among others. 147 Spadina Ave.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK: Rare Beef and Brisket Pho, $17
White Lily Diner – Takeout options available
POST CITY’S TAKE: Combining a respect for local provenance with greasy spoon ambitions, the White Lily Diner has been serving up doughnuts, brunch and classic diner fare from its humble Riverside abode since 2016. Back in the summer of this year, owners Ben Denham and Ashley Lloyd purchased a 40-acre working farm in Uxbridge, Ont., and ever since, a great deal of the produce found on the menu at the diner comes from the newly christened White Lily Farms. The diner’s all-day menu features a great range of shareables, like the buttermilk biscuits or the pimento cheese and cracker spread, as well as a selection of refreshing salads, like the White Lily Farms salad, which features seasonal greens, radish, fermented onion, cucumber toasted hemp seed and a soft-boiled egg finished with a house dressing. The all-day menu also includes all-day breakfast with favourites like triple-stack buttermilk griddle cakes or the Southern breakfast (eggs, bacon, grits and gravy, fermented greens and a buttermilk biscuit) available any day of the week. Classic sandwiches, like the turkey bacon club, grilled cheese and pastrami on rye, make the White Lily Diner the perfect spot for breakfast, lunch, or anywhere in between. The White Lily Diner is currently offering its all-day menu as well as alcohol, fresh bread and provisions. 678 Queen St. E.
POST CITY’S TAKEOUT PICK: Smoked Turkey Club, $16
Thank you to our judges!
Romain Avril formerly Neruda Suzanne BarrWall of Chefs Victor Barry Piano Piano Mitch Bates Oji Seichi Michael Bonacini O&B Restaurants Stuart Cameron Azhar Ryan Campbell Il Covo Zane Caplansky Caplansky’s Deli Massimo Capra Capra’s Kitchen Haan Palcu-Chang SoSo Food Club Kate Chomyshyn Fonda Balam Anna Chen Alma Craig Harding La Palma Elia Herrera Colibri Michael Hunter Antler Ann Kim Donna’s Zach Kolomeir Dreyfus Didier Leroy Domaine Mamo Curt Martin General Assembly Rosa Marinuzzi 7 Numbers Julie Marteleira Leña Restaurant Laura Maxwell Drake Hotel Roger Mooking Food Network Canada Ryusuke Nakagawa Aburi Hana David Neinstein Barque Nadège Nourian Nadège Patisserie Matthew Ravenscroft Gia Nuit Regular Pai Uptown Rob Rossi Giulietta Elias Salazar Waska Peruvian Chicken David Salt Drifter’s Solace David Schwartz MIMI Chinese Jordan Sclare Chotto Matte Tricia Soo Soos Rafaelle Ventrone Oretta Craig Wong Patois Janet ZuccariniTop Chef Canada
Torquil Campbell (second from left) and his Stars bandmates
The pandemic has been hard on everyone, but some more than others. One segment that is having a seriously difficult time, but is pretty much ignored by the masses is the performing arts: theatre, dance, and music for example.
For musicians, already dealing with the soul-destroying Spotify and a vinyl shortage, the pandemic has taken away the ability to tour — one of the last remaining ways to make any money. For Torquil Campbell, of well-known Canadian band Stars, it was enough to wake him up at 6 a.m. with a panic attack. This, from a musician with decades of experience, a loyal audience, fresh off playing some live shows, and with an album on the way this year.
But — silver lining — his panic attack got him thinking, and he struck upon an idea to put himself out there as a songwriter in search of commissions.
“There were many, many compounding factors that led to me lying in bed at six in the morning having a panic attack. And my mind went back to a thing that a guy called Momus did when we were first starting out in the business. He made a record called Stars Forever, which was 30 commissioned songs about people, which he then put out on an album,” Campbell says. “And so I thought, well, maybe that would work. Maybe I’d get a few commissions, you know, maybe a few people would want me to do that for them. So I tweeted out this, this tweet saying, I’m available to hire to write a song about you. And what followed was an unbelievable response that I didn’t expect.”
For $1,000 one of Canada’s best-known songwriters will write a song for you, about whatever you’d like, and it is yours to keep, rights and all.
Campbell was born in Toronto and has had a long career in the arts. He was a founding member of Stars in 2000, which has turned out nine studio albums and has been nominated for two Juno Awards and two Polaris Music Prizes. He has also been involved in many theatre projects as an actor, writer, or director.
Once Campbell announced the move on social media, the response was sudden and swift.
“I have 40 commissions or so,” Campbell says. “I don’t really know how I’m gonna pull this off. But it’s incredibly exciting to think about, and it when it started happening, and people started writing to me, I was like, well, this is also kind of a fascinating artistic project.”
Campbell expresses a passionate interest in rekindling that space between artist and audience that has been lost by streaming services creating a disconnect that continues to do a disservice to music and to music lovers. This project is showing that maybe all is not lost to the world of analytics.
“I think that the artist and the listener have lost touch over the last couple of decades with the interference of technology into the way we consume music,” he says. “I think people have gotten further and further away from the notion of knowing who makes the music they listen to, and having a kind of active conversation with them. And, you know, getting letters from people and saying, I want you to write about my wife, or I want you to write about my brother or my dog that I lost or I’m you know, I’m having a certain birthday, suddenly, there was this opportunity to write not from a confessional place, but from an empathetic place, and from a place of wanting to see people in a deeper way. And so that that aspect of it is what really excites me about it right now.”
The process is simple enough. Someone gets in touch via Twitter DM and says they want a commission. Campbell reaches out and a conversation ensues about what the song should be about, and if there are any deadlines. Then, money is exchanged upon receipt of the song.”
“That’s it really, I’ll send them a copy of the song and I’ll send them a postcard saying that they own the song forever. And that’s it. They have it,” he says.
So far, the subject matter runs the gamut from songs about loved ones to dogs, to a romance novelist who wanted a song about characters in her novel. Some simply wanted a neon-lit song about the night. Now, Campbell has a pretty sizable workload ahead.
“Oh my god, yeah, absolutely, but you know, I wrote like 60 songs last year, I write a lot,” he says. “And I think too that for me, that’s another wonderful aspect of it is I am excited by the notion that songs are just small things, you know, they really are. And there used to be people like Irving Berlin and lots of people who, who wrote hundreds of songs a year.”
Although he’s happy with how the project turned out. He advises people to think locally when it comes to art and music. To think beyond the big tech, legacy media, and corporate world that has actually made a mint during the pandemic while so many have suffered.
“You have to ask yourself whether or not that’s an economy that really gives a shit about you,” Campbell says. “And if the answer is no, then maybe we need to look to each other more and start thinking more about the possibility that we can trade with each other in a fair, respectful, trustworthy way that doesn’t involve some kind of pimp in the middle of it a digital pimp, whether it’s Amazon or Spotify, or whatever it is.”
His recommendation, if you want some art, if you want to support this work that means so much, gives so much back to us, and makes our city and other cities so incredible, go to the artists.
“We’ve gotten so far away in the creative economy from the actual connection between work and getting paid for it, that people actually are like, oh, right, you can pay artists, I don’t have to pay a third party, who then pays an artist,” he says. “You can just go straight to the artist and pay them and they’ll give you some art, I guarantee it.”
To check out what Campbell is doing, catch him on Twitter here.
An interview with Corey Sax, Lawyer at Diamond and Diamond
Drinking and driving is a dangerous practice demonstrated by people from all walks of life, and the holidays often result in more drinking, and unfortunately, more driving under the influence. Diamond and Diamond Lawyers is a personal injury firm with 60+ lawyers across Canada and Florida, USA. Naturally, the firm’s leadership team discourages any type of driving under the influence as it can cause devastating loss of life, injuries, and legal issues. Diamond and Diamond Lawyer, Corey Sax, shares some insight on what happens to your insurance when you drink and drive.
What happens if you are hit by a drunk driver? Does insurance cover you?
“As long as the driver who’s drinking and driving has a full driver’s license, like a G, they’re still going to be covered by their liability insurer.” A common misconception is that a drunk driver’s insurance policy is voided since they chose to drink and drive, but Corey assures clients that “as long as the driver’s fully licensed, and you’re a victim, you can still sue them and their insurance coverage will still kick in and cover your losses.” If the driver is not fully licensed you will either have to go to your own insurance, or attempt to sue the at-fault driver individually, but such cases are exceedingly rare.
What types of criminal charges can drunk drivers expect?
Drunk driving is never acceptable, but for those who decide to do it anyway, be aware that the holidays, especially on weekends, bring increased police presence, and there’s a very high chance that you will be pulled over by patrol cars or a ride program. Drivers that are caught driving under the influence can expect license suspensions of varying lengths, mainly depending on mitigating or aggravating factors, such as; how many times you’ve been caught drunk driving or how fast you were going. For more serious cases, Corey Explains, “Many times we’ve seen significant criminal charges involved with drinking and driving, especially in the serious cases where people are killed or severely injured. One could be charged with careless driving causing death, all kinds of significant criminal charges, which make it a no-brainer not to drink and drive.”
How does Diamond and Diamond prevent drunk driving among their employees?
While the topic of the liability employers and establishments have for ensuring that their guests or patrons don’t drink and drive falls under commercial host liability, a separate field of law, there are still moral and legal responsibilities employers maintain when throwing holiday parties. Corey expresses that “At Diamond & Diamond Law’s annual holiday party, we encourage our employees to leave their vehicles at home, and we cover their transportation back home to ensure that there are zero reasons to get behind the wheel intoxicated.” For those who wonder what they should do if they’re with a friend or family member who plans on driving while under the influence, their best course of action is to take their keys and tell them that you’ll be purchasing them a taxi or Uber from your phone. This ensures that you know they got into the vehicle and they can’t complain that they don’t want to spend the money on transportation.
In conclusion, the cost of life, and financial costs are never worth the time or money one ‘saves’ from driving drunk. Be safe these holidays!
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.
It’s a new year, and we Torontonians finds ourselves sheltering indoors once again as we ride out the Omicron variant and consequent government restrictions. Since we’re all at home and living on the internet anyway, now is a great time to absorb style inspiration in preparation of yet another return to the streets.
Here are 14 cool locals sharing their unique outfits on Instagram that will have you re-inspired to get dressed.
Elise (@retsiortesile)
Elisa is a vintage curator with @secondcousinv on Instagram and a fashion designer at Retsiort Esile. On the Retsiort Esile website, Elise describes her brand as “clothing that celebrates the nuances of modern femininity. Soft, sultry shapes are grounded by functional uniform pieces that emphasize the female form.”
How do you describe your personal style? “Early 2000s Italian Man.”
Emma (@macarthuremma) and Luke (@lukevanny)
Emma and Luke are partners and co-creators of clothing line and vintage outlet Apple Bab Shop in Toronto. The brand features handmade clothes with funky and fun prints, trends reflected in the couple’s personal style.
Summer (@baby___bria)
Summer is the owner of vintage store @clothofthecurb on Instagram.
How do you describe your personal style? “I would describe my personal style as enigmatic or beyond classification; its quite difficult to pinpoint. I don’t really set any boundaries for myself or stick to anything in particular. I love vibrant colours but I also love earth tones. I like mixing patterns and eras within a single outfit. Anything that makes me feel like myself or brings me confidence, because that is really the key to any outfit.”
Andy (@lanklooks)
Andy is a vintage reseller whose current seller’s profile on Vestiare Collective includes a Pucci top, Chloé mini dress and a Moschino skirt. Follow Andy for elegant silhouettes, vintage designer styles and outfits that are sure to inspire you to push yourself out of your comfort zone.
Rebecca (@rebeccaramsdale)
Rebecca is a blogger and owns private nail studio @rebeccaramsdale on Instagram. Pictured with partner Pat (@chilligansisland) above, Rebecca writes on her Instagram that she has always been inspired by men’s clothing and outfitting. Her outfits also depend on her mood.
Angie (@bby_aj)
Angie is a part-time stylist and registered nurse, and her Instagram fit pictures are always sure to inspire, from avant-garde, impeccably styled photoshoots to casual selfies.
Dorian (@dorianwho)
Dorian is the founder, creative director and designer behind the Dorian Who clothing brand, which boasts a line of slow-made, “seasonless avant-garde streetwear” that is based in Toronto.
Jackie (@goodgyaljj)
Jackie is a photographer and director who has worked on art and photography for Bully Magazine, Toronto brand Mary Young and more.
How do you describe your style? “I’d say vintage/athleisure.”
Ingrid (@unhappy_rabbit_)
Ingrid is the visual merchandiser for Black Market Vintage.
How do you describe your personal style? “That’s a tough one. I would say I just wear things that make me happy while majorly sticking to vintage and secondhand items. I take inspo from things like my friends, other fashionable people I follow, vintage magazines and designer shows.”
Yoshabel (@itsyoshabel)
Yoshabel is a freelance stylist and owner of Depop shop @bellacovello.
How do you describe your personal style? “Grunge meets cyber punk. I love playing with dark elements, shapes and textures. My style is a reflection of my personality.”
Sashagi (@flawsofcouture)
Sashagi had a huge year with her size-inclusive brand, Flaws of Couture. Her design for the SHEIN X competition won over 30 other designers on a show that included Christian Siriano as a mentor, earning her $100,000 and a full fall/winter collection she released with SHEIN. Her Instagram is devoted to her brand along with bright and stylish outfit pics.
Tallulah (@tallucutelewks)
Tallulah is a creative director, stylist and fashion communications student.
How do you describe your personal style? “I would say my taste channels playfulness and femininity; I’m inspired by femininity in minimalism and the playfulness in maximalism. A minimalist maximalist. In the last few years I’ve curated my closet to be sustainable, local or secondhand.”
Kate (@readwritethrift)
Kate has amassed over 20,000 followers on Instagram for her thrifted fashion and style content, including a Depop store where she resells clothes from her own closet with almost 4,000 followers. Her outfits are always colourful and layered to perfection.
Biba (@rightmood)
Biba is an artist, model and stylist who works between Toronto and Montreal. Biba has already worked with some big names, including styling for Rupi Kaur and SSENSE.
Carlo’s Bakery has opened its first-ever flagship store in Port Credit.
Most famously known after being featured in TLC’s Cake Boss, Carlo’s Bakery is a family-run bakery that first opened in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1910.
Originally owned and operated by Carlo Guastaferro, in 1964, Bartolo Valastro Sr. took over Carlo’s, and ran the bakery until his death in 1994. Since then, the Valastro family, including fourth-generation master baker Bartolo Jr. “Buddy” Valastro, have made a name for themselves in the baking world, thanks to Buddy’s intricate cake designs and whimsical creations, which have been featured in major publications as well as television shows.
Over the years, Carlo’s Bakery has become synonymous with designing stunning, one-of-a-kind cakes.
The chocolate rainbow cake.
With 12 locations in the U.S., Carlo’s is a household name south of the border.
The company also installed a series of cake ATMs across the Greater Toronto Area, mostly in shopping centres, including inside The Toronto Eaton Centre, Yorkdale Shopping Centre, and Scarborough Town Centre.
The new location is about double the size of the original Hoboken location, which is about a five-minute walk to the trains into New York City. The Port Credit location, though, offers something that the original location–and no other location in the United States, for that matter–has: it offers pizza, sandwiches and other savoury treats, with tomato sauce, focaccia and Jersey mutz (the colloquial saying for New Jersey’s famous mozzarella).
A selection of cookies from Carlo’s Bake Shop.
Like all of the other locations, though, Carlo’s Bake Shop offers decadent treats from rainbow cakes to beaver tails to cookies and pies, and even has a custom cake section that has an indoor takeout window with a green wall.
Inside the new Carlo’s Bakery.
Complete with Instagram-worthy decorations, from a central chandelier to a neon sign to a cardboard cutout of Buddy Valastro holding a cake, Canada’s only Carlo’s Bake Shop, enclosed in a white-painted brick building, stands out at the corner of Lakeshore Boulevard and Mississauga Road, joining a trendy area in Port Credit brimming with restaurants, bakeries, and bars.
Carlo’s Bakery’s first-ever Canadian location is located at 167 Lakeshore Road West, and is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Whether you want to spend the weekend celebrating a belated New Year through festivities with friends, taking in some art or tearing up an ice rink, you have your pick of fun things to do in the city this weekend – here are seven of the best events to check out.
Go for a skate at one of Toronto’s outdoor rinks
The Porch is voted one of the best rooftops in the city, and they’ve brought back Sky Skate, which allows patrons to glide around while taking in an awesome view of the CN Tower. They also have a full food and drink menu that can be enjoyed during skate time. For more family-focused skating rinks, famous free skates at Evergreen Brick Works are back and the next opportunity is scheduled for Jan. 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Bentway Skate Trail, right underneath the Gardiner Expressway, is open and free daily, too, with skate hours from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the weekends.
Enjoy the last weekend of Winter Wonders at Royal Botanical Gardens
Though the event has been modified because of new government restrictions, the Royal Botanical Gardens’ Winter Wonders event is still running its closing weekend festivities through Jan. 9. The experience includes 1.5 hour walk through the picturesque grounds of the RBG, adorned with festive lights and displays that tell stories of seven winter wonderlands. Activities run both day and night with timed tickets.
Attend a children’s book exhibit at the library
The Toronto Public Library is running a whimsical exhibition at the Lillian H. Smith Library at 239 College St. The Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books, on the fourth floor of the library, takes readers of all ages through well and lesser-known children’s books series, from Anne of Green Gables to Franklin the Turtle. Admission is free.
Go on an island bike tour
In the summer, Toronto Island runs rampant with tourists looking to take in the beaches and attractions. But this bike tour runs in the winter and offers a guided ride through the sights on the island, allowing guests to take in the island from a new perspective, hitting all of the historical landmarks, viewpoints and even one of the largest car-free communities in North America. The ferry ticket is included in the $85 admission price. Bike ponchos are also provided for warmth.
Break the ice with a cold exposure workshop
Unbounded offers outdoor cold exposure workshops that include breathwork and cold exposure therapy. An introductory class costs $30, but a returning visit costs $24, and each class is led by a certified Unbounded facilitator. Day passes are also available. The experience is designed to push your threshold and challenge your limits.
Attend or host a virtual tasting
EatingThroughTO offers virtual tasting classes with a variety of subjects, including cocktail making classes, chocolate tasting, coffee tasting and craft beer tasting. Private events with 12 people or more can be booked online, but public events are also available through Shake it Up Saturday (which only allows up to 12 people), and this week’s offering is the RUM Virtual Classic Cocktail Workshop. Eating Through TO’s resident mixologist teaches guests how to craft three classic rum cocktails: a mojito, daiquiri and a Jungle Bird, as well as a bonus Spiced Orange Ginger Ale for you to enjoy at home.
Hong Shing's Colin Li (centre). Photo: @joshteewhy for Hong Shing
Recently, a video went viral showing an employee of a popular late-night Chinese food destination, Hong Shing Chinese Restaurant, picking up spilled food from the ground with his hands and depositing it into a container, and now, owner Colin Li is speaking out to set the record straight.
The video, which was uploaded to popular media platform, 6ixbuzzTV, received more than 600,000 views in 24 hours, before it was removed.
In response, Hong Shing took to their Instagram account (which has more than 10,000 followers) to release a statement which included that they were “disappointed that we still have to address issues and stories such as this recent post on 6ixBuzz where they continue the discriminatory narrative of Chinese restaurants being unsanitary and did not reach out to us to fact check or find out how the product was disposed of.”
Li, who took over the family business six years ago, said that they had not received an apology from 6ixBuzz over the video, nor had they reached out for any context before posting it.
“It [the incident] happened during a busy dinner rush last week where one of our suppliers arrived at Hong Shing to drop off the hot sauce we ordered for the week,” Li says. “Currently, our street is under construction, so our supplier had to park at the parking lot behind our building.”
According to Li, a Hong Shing employee (the individual depicted in the video) was instructed to receive the product from the supplier. After placing the hot sauce buckets on the trolley, he slipped, and one of the buckets spilled onto the ground as a result.
“Our employee was trying to clean up the mess as fast as he could because he saw incoming traffic and he didn’t want anyone else to slip from the mess he created, especially when the condo next door is full of pet owners,” Li explains. “He quickly cleaned it up with his gloves and brought it back to the restaurant to notify our management of what happened. Upon hearing of the incident, our management team decided that all six buckets of hot sauce were considered contaminated and not for use, so we marked it for disposal and told him to clean up the remainder of the spill and throw away anything he used to clean it up.”
In the original video posted to 6ixBuzz, the commentator alleges that the employee had plans to still serve the contaminated sauce, going so far as to call it “secret sauce.” But fans and loyal customers of Hong Shing were quick to clap back, and an outpouring of support for the restaurant quickly followed suit.
“It is really heartwarming at a time like this to see the community come together and support us,” Li says. “We had a lot of people come through our doors just to let us know how they feel about it and gave encouragement to us to keep being who we are. We are thankful to have met a lot of people who showed support to us the past several weeks.”
Hong Shing is currently upgrading their dining space and renovating their VIP room after a kitchen fire temporarily closed the restaurant back in November 2021. They will also be introducing a new bar program, themed dinner menus and DJ nights.
And, to celebrate 25 years in operation, there will be an anniversary event on March 10 which will include the launch of a small batch of blended whisky.
Hong Shing is located at 195 Dundas St. West and is currently open for takeout.
Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood has welcomed a New York City institution on Cumberland Street. Moscot Eyewear opened its doors in a compact storefront in December, rubbing shoulders with Nespresso and Lululemon.
The NYC-based company has been family owned and operated since 1915, founded by Hyman Moscot, who arrived from Eastern Europe in 1899 and began selling ready-made eyeglasses from a pushcart on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Over the years, the company has been passed down through generations of the Moscot family, while amassing 17 shops across the UK, Europe and now Canada, bringing these fashion-forward frames right to your own backyard.
With over 106 years in business, the brand has cultivated a cult-like following of superfans, including celebrities like Paul Rudd, Jenny Slate and Adrien Brody – all of whom have been snapped donning their frames.
The Moscot brand offers two distinct collections: Moscot Originals and Moscot Spirit. The original styles are looks based on Moscot family archives and celebrate timeless design. You may recognize the LEMTOSH style, one of their most iconic designs featuring a rounded shape, from Netflix comedy-drama Living With Yourself, worn by Paul Rudd himself.
Frames from the 107-year-old brand come in at around $400 per pair.
Interested in getting a pair of your own? You can book a virtual frame fitting and styling appointment with someone from their NYC shop or you can head down to the new 153 Cumberland St. spot to see for yourself.
One of the walls on display behind actor Andrew Phung, sitting in his home office deep in the heart of East York, is dedicated to sneakers, hundreds of sneakers. The other, wrestling belts. And it’s the latter that gives an indication of the direction of Phung’s new show Run The Burbs on CBC-TV. It is over-the-top in the best possible way.
Phung will be well known to fans of the hit comedy Kim’s Convenience, on which he played best buddy Kimchee. A role that earned him four Canadian Screen Awards (2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021).
On the new show, Phung portrays, well, Andrew, a stay-at-home dad, who is married to Camille and lives in the suburbs with their kids.
“Andrew embraces that stay-at-home dad role,” Phung says. “And they are an inseparable couple. They found each other at such a young age. They’re best friends, they make each other laugh, but they’ve had to grow up together.”
In the first two episodes alone, there are both serious and silly subjects, including a speed limit drag race, sleepaway camp parenting anxiety, and getting hip-hop icon and neighbour Kardinal Offishall to play a community backyard BBQ. Phung and his family embrace suburban life with gusto. Like Kim’s Convenience, the show is at once very suburban Toronto but also has that universality that any good sitcom needs. And make no mistake this is a good sitcom.
“That’s the vibe, Kim’s Convenience did that so well,” Phung says. “It was one of those things where you could watch it and you knew it was Toronto and if you live in Toronto you loved it for those reasons. But then it was also a thing where it could have been any urban city centre. Like, I would be in Saskatoon with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Appa on Kim’s Convenience) and people are coming up and they’re like they love Appa because there’s a convenience store down the block in their small town and so the idea of being specific, but also being very relatable opens up the show”
Phung’s character on the show is married to Camille (Rakhee Mozaria), who is also a writer on the show, and they have two kids (Zoriah Wong and Roman Pesino), a mini-van, and like many suburbanites really want to get to know the neighbours with the pool. Phung says Camille is Andrew’s ride-or-die and their close relationship gets them through the endless zany antics and situations that arise.
“Andrew and Camille met in university. They had a child when they’re really young. And I think that in a way that decision narratively, kind of informed their outlook on being parents,” Phung explains. “And how Andrew became the stay-at-home dad because Camille went back to school and she’s the one who went into the workforce, Andrew embraces that stay-at-home dad role. And so they are, they’re like inseparable.”
Phung says he takes a lot of inspiration from his own life as a parent, as well as growing up in the suburbs of Calgary, where he cut his teeth as a comedic actor for years. He was still working in Calgary when Kim’s Convenience creator, Ins Choi, came to see him in a Fringe Festival show. It took him a couple of seasons before he and his family made the leap to Toronto.
“We rented a spot in Toronto and to give it a go, and [the family] all fell in love with the city,” Phung says. “We felt so comfortable here.”
Now Phung is happily tucked away in East York with his own family and a sizable collection of aforementioned sneakers. He says, growing up in the ’90s influenced his obsession with sneakers. Since then, whenever he travels, since he doesn’t drink alcohol, when his friends go out at night, he would go sneaker shopping.
He says he has about 400 pairs at his home and another hundred or so back in Calgary.
Run The Burbs premieres on CBC-TV on Jan. 5, and Phung is suitably excited to release the show into a world that certainly needs a few laughs.
“I’m so excited for them to see it for the first time because this show is so full of life and energy,” he says. “And I think it’s really reflective of today’s parents. And I think that’s something that’s been missing from television seeing what parenting today looks like.”
A modern bath house, a social club and a house of transformation. All terms used to describe Othership, a 50-person sauna, ice bath and tea room located at 425 Adelaide St. W.
Co-founder and CEO Robbie Bent said the space will offer guided facilitation for the hot + cold circuit, social hour and performances like breathwork, sound experiences and body-based movement. “We’ve created a healthy social experience that can serve as a substitute for bars that is both fun and accessible,” Bent states on his LinkedIn page.
“Othership started as a side project – my close friends and I hosting ice-bath/sauna/meditation sessions in my backyard and then garage, ” Bent wrote on Twitter.
After three years spent working on this vision with many COVID-driven delays, the 3,000 square foot space set to open in early January is what Bent calls, “the first healthy social space in North American to work on experiencing positive emotions in a group.”
So, what exactly does all of this mean?
According to their website, Othership is a “vessel for transformation that invites us to collectively explore our extra-sensory faculties through the practicality and potency of the elements.”
Still not quite sure?
Guests will have the “chance to see and be seen” by opting for the 120 minute ‘Evening Social’ gathering, which will feature music and performances. There’s also a 75 minute ‘Free Flow’ class where participants alternate between hot and cold therapy for the chance to cultivate “the potential for insight and creating space to consciously shift shapes.” In addition, 60 minute classes will encompass a group sauna and ice bath experience with the purpose to “shift emotional states.”
Introductory pricing for new ‘journeyers’ is available at $99 for three sessions, while single drop-in visits are $55. Guided classes including breathwork will also be available. Under the new Ontario restrictions, saunas are closed, though personal care services are still able to operate at 50 per cent. It’s unclear what that will mean for Othership, which offers personal care options outside of the sauna.
This new physical space comes after the company’s recent launch of a breathwork app which includes more than 250 techno music tracks to help the user “wake up, wind down, regulate emotions, reduce anxiety and get trippy.”
At Othership, we believe peak experiences like breathwork, saunas and ice baths can create space for state-shifting. Breath by breath we become less reactive to life’s unending stimulus and more responsive to life and living.
While wellness trends have grown in popularity for a few years now, the pandemic has certainly solidified their places in our vocabulary. Traditional gym settings have expanded to include other “self-care” offerings on-site, such as luxury gym boutique Sweat and Tonic, which includes a workspace, café, bar and spa alongside regular fitness classes.
Othership, with its mission to expand traditional wellness activities to include social and “transformational” opportunities, might be capitalizing on this self-care trend.
The Government of Ontario is temporarily limiting the service fees that third-party delivery companies, like Uber Eats charge to restaurants.
The move comes after an announcement was made earlier this week that introduced new pandemic-related restrictions, including a ban on indoor dining.
Effective immediately, any restaurant’s service fees, before taxes, will not exceed 20 per cent for orders delivered by a third-party delivery person using the Uber Eats platform.
Restaurant service fees, before taxes, will also not exceed 10 per cent for pickup orders, and will not exceed 15 per cent for orders placed through the restaurant’s website and delivered by a third-party delivery person using the Uber Eats platform.
These new service fees will apply until the relevant restrictions are lifted and indoor dining is permitted again. Currently, this could be as early as Jan. 17, based on the Ontario government’s recent lockdown mandate.
The temporary cap is specific to independent restaurants, that normally have indoor dining, with less than 10 locations across Canada.
This temporary change will apply to Ontario restaurants with nine or fewer locations under the same or substantially the same name across Canada, regardless of ownership.
The change does not apply to virtual restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, and other retail merchants that are not dine-in restaurants. Once indoor dining resumes, fees will return to what they were previously.
Judge Massimo Capra: “I am intrigued by the Moroccan/French cuisine, and I noticed that they are breaking barriers in their flavour profile and ingredients. The menu looks interesting, and I am always looking for a new culinary experience.” 
Judge Craig Wong: “When you come across people as genuine and kind [as Jeff and Nuit] that produce such delicious food, it’s an honour to call them friends,” says Wong. “I love spicy flavours, and at Pai, they do it right, serving up authentic spicy Thai flavour.
Judge Suzanne Barr: “The flavours stand tall and intentional as they represent the power, tradition and essence of Nigerian cuisine. Afrobeat Kitchen is a movement that brings you to the table.”
Judge Julie Marteleira: “I’m used to working in a large restaurant, so I usually tend to gravitate toward smaller and more intimate places when I go out. From what I’ve seen online, the dishes look classic, approachable but still very elegant.”
Judge Roger Mooking: “I grew up eating krupuk [a type of deep-fried prawn cracker] as a snack while waiting for the rest of the meal. It is not only a delicious treat, but a cherished memory, which I look forward to every time.”
Judge Nuit Regular: “Jeff and I often go out for Vietnamese food, so I really want to try this new spot. Their beef and brisket pho looks so appetizing and comforting — it’ll be perfect to warm me up this winter!”
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 
