An iconic cocktail bar featured in a Margaret Atwood novel is finally set to reopen

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3:12 pm

The Park Hyatt, one of Yorkville’s swankiest and best-known luxury hotels and cocktail bars, is set to reopen in September following a multi-year restoration project.

The former 18th-floor cocktail lounge of the Park Hyatt Toronto is well-known to literary fans. The iconic rooftop bar was featured in Margaret Atwood’s Cat’s Eye (1988) and has long been a meeting place for writers and agents. The lounge has been closed while undergoing significant renovations. It will reopen to the public this coming September with a tiny change — the iconic bar is now located on the 17th floor.

The popular bar has been aptly named the ‘Writers Room’ and has been a beloved spot frequented by Canadian literary giants including Atwood, Adrienne Clarkson, and Mordecai Richler. The cocktail bar has been redesigned to mimic a classic cocktail bar, complete with all the hues and skyline views you’d expect when sipping scotch and discussing life’s details.

The bar was also home to legendary bartender Joe Gomes, likely the best-known mixologist in the city for decades. At last count, he’d been at the bar for 53 years.

The hotel will also announce a new culinary destination in the coming weeks.

“We felt a deep sense of obligation to create a destination that not only respects and embraces Park Hyatt Toronto’s storied history, but one that also reflects Toronto’s emergence as a truly global city,” said Tyler Seaman, head of hotels and multi-residential, North America, at Oxford Properties. “This project is a celebration of the best of Canada. It’s reflected in its design palette, which is influenced by the Group of Seven, the curated art on display, and right down to the materials we used including limestone-flooring from Owen Sound. It will be one of the best hotel experiences in Canada and the finest address in the city to live at.”

Cocktail bars aside, the newly designed hotel will also feature 65 guest suites and luxury rental apartments in the building’s historic south tower. The main building will include 219 guest rooms and 40 luxury suites. Twenty thousand square feet of retail space above the south tower will also help kickstart the city’s economy and be a shopping destination for tourists and locals.

The new retail space will stretch 100-feet along Bloor Street and Avenue Road and span two floors in South Tower. A newly renovated spa and wellness centre is also part of the redesign and will include luxury offerings for guests or day-trippers.

Guests will be greeted by a permanent art collection that includes work from Indigenous and Canadian artists. The newly restored hotel will open this coming September.

Popular downtown restaurant gets a new patio

By

Jessica Huras

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2:35 pm

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Much-loved King West hangout Petty Cash has debuted its long-awaited revamped summer patio Parkette. Parkette initially launched last November as a heated winter patio but outdoor dining shutdowns abruptly forced it to close only a few weeks into its run. Fortunately for fans of the patio (or those who missed their chance to check it out during its sadly short-lived fall opening), Parkette has shifted gears again and transformed into a warm-weather retreat.

The new patio has a relaxed, summery vibe, decorated with a mix of comfy bench and picnic table seating and plenty of greenery. An overhead misting system provides relief from the heat on particularly scorching days, while a partial tent covering and heaters offer protection from cooler temps and light rain.

Parkette’s food menu features the same style of approachable but well-executed fare Petty Cash is known for, including a lengthy list of pizzas paired with ranch or habanero infused honey dipping sauces. Heartier mains like maple bourbon fried chicken are balanced by lighter options like the fiesta salad with a refreshing lime leaf vinaigrette and lemon grass.

Created in partnership with Grey Goose and Bacardi, the rotating cocktail menu features easy-drinking summer sippers like the Staycation cocktail with Bacardi Superior, Sombra mezcal, watermelon and pineapple.

Brown spirits may not be a traditional warm-weather choice, but the Venti cocktail is worth making the exception for, featuring Teeling small batch whiskey, Amaro Montenegro, Domaine de Canton and house-made chai tea syrup (plus it comes with a playful image of the Petty Cash mascot pig stylized as the Starbucks mermaid).

Weekly martini cocktail-making classes are in the works, as well as additional programming themed around the summer long weekend holidays. Keep an eye on Petty Cash’s Instagram for updates on what’s happening at Parkette in the coming weeks. Parkette is set to run until the end of October.

Phamilyeats is the place for homemade patties and pot pies in this Toronto neighbourhood

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Ron Johnson

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12:38 pm

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New Leaside patty and pot pie purveyor Phamilyeats has been a labour of love for owner Peter Pham. After years of working as a cook for restaurants like Gusto 101 and Buca on King St. W., Peter Pham pivoted to take a break from the industry. He started working in construction and demolition, continuing to cook on the side to fuel his passion for great food.

“I started trying to recreate my mom’s pot pies. They were so nostalgic and full of memories, and I was telling my coworkers and friends about it,” he says. “That’s kind of what got it going.”

When the pandemic hit, Pham was laid off from his construction job for two weeks. When a friend of his who had moved to PEI requested that he send her some of his beef patties to assuage her pregnancy cravings, Pham suggested they meet over Zoom so he could walk her through the process of making them herself.

“That was the moment I fell in love with making beef patties, the whole process, making the filling, the pastry aspect, and I don’t know, something clicked in my heart and mind and I just fell in love with it,” he says.

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Pham continued making Phamilyeats patties out of his condo, and over time his side hustle snowballed into a phenomenon. He split his days between working full-time in construction while prepping and delivering orders after hours.

“It kept spreading like wildfire, friends gifted it to their friends and family members, and it continued on and on, and after about six months it had grown into something so crazy,” Pham says. “In hindsight, everything aligned perfectly but while I was doing it, I just knew I loved doing it and I didn’t have expectations. I just kept doing it to see where it would go.”

By December 2020, the owner of Conspiracy Pizza Dan Rios had reached out asking to sell some of Pham’s patties in his shop, which was previously located in a shared space with Adamson Barbecue. Due to safety concerns associated with Adamson Barbecue’s refusal to cooperate with pandemic restrictions, Conspiracy Pizza was forced to close, so Pham asked Rios to help him out at a new rental kitchen near Yonge and Lawrence.

Around the same time, Pham began working out of the rental kitchen, and a media site got his story out, and within two days, he had 1,500 orders.

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“The phone just kept going off,” he says. “At first I was like, this is so cool and then it kept going all day and I was like what am I going to do? It went on like that for a week, and then I thought maybe I can do this full time, let’s see where it goes.”

He quit his job later that week. When Rios reopened Conspiracy Pizza, he made it part of his mission to help incubate small businesses, so along with Churnt Up, Pham’s Phamilyeats is now open for business at Laird and Eglinton Ave. Pham held the restaurant’s grand opening on Saturday, and he says so far, the community’s response has been positive and welcoming.

“In January I was making patties out of my condo and now I’m here, so it’s been great,” Pham says. “We want to be family-oriented and involved with the community, and this area has a strong sense of community. The customers have been telling us they’re happy we’re here and they’re happy to support.”

Visitors can choose from beef (mild, spicy, or extra spicy) or vegetarian patties as well as homestyle pot pies filled with meat and vegetables. Pham says down the line, he hopes to collaborate with his mother, who previously ran a restaurant, and also experiment with sweet pastries.

Adult playgrounds popping up across the city

By

Megan Gallant

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9:36 am

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Reset at Artscape Wychwood Barns — Artscape Wychwood Barns

After the last year and a half, we all deserve a little fun. That’s why Reset Organization is launching a summer series of 50 pop-up playgrounds for adults across the city.

The Pop-Up Playground is an outdoor audio experience designed to contribute to social recovery by encouraging individuals to develop a deep connection with others. It was put together by a selection of artists, community organizers, and volunteers as a way for individuals to just have fun and “un-adult together,” as the Reset website suggests.

“The last year has had an enormous impact on our mental health and community well-being, which we will continue to experience even as things open back up,” said Adil Dhalla, Reset’s director of community. “We need to be intentional about our social recovery and we are really passionate about bringing Reset’s expertise around adult play into the city.”

Since 2015, Reset has hosted several multi-day adult camps focused on play through experiential art. But with the 2020 cancellation due to COVID-19 restrictions, Camp Reset has taken the chance to bring fun to more people in the city.

Participants will receive sanitized headphones for the 30-minute experience, which will be socially distant in groups of no more than 10 individuals. It’s described as something akin to guided meditation, only those involved will be guided towards each other in a safe way not towards solitude. It’s an exercise in mental wellness.

The Pop-Up Playground is scheduled to run every Thursday through Saturday from July 15 to September 19. The first six playgrounds will be hosted at Artscapes Wychwood Barns as it searches for potential spaces for its next pop-ups. Tickets are available online at a sliding scale rate.

Also open for viewing at the Wychwood Barns site is a new art exhibit dedicated to honouring the Great Lakes.

Fans across Toronto celebrated Italy’s historic Euro Cup win

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Julia Mastroianni

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5:28 pm

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213838286_1217043062075898_2738577759503097989_n — Jonathan Gazze @jgazze

Soccer fans from across Toronto and the GTA came together on Sunday to celebrate Italy’s second Euro cup win after defeating England, filling streets, patios, and city centres.

Many in Toronto watched as Europe’s top teams faced off at Wembley Stadium in London for the nail-biting final match of the 2020 tournament— delayed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

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A post shared by Jonathan | Photographer/Artist (@jgazze)

The festivities continued well into the night in Little Italy with fans chanting “Italia” as they filled College Street, across from Cafe Diplomatico.

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Corso Italia was also closed due to the celebrations as the Italian team made history as the first team to win by penalty shootouts twice in the same tournament.

Little Italy en folie ? à Toronto pic.twitter.com/dY2Py77AMC

— Djoko X Losc Fan (@rcarettelma) July 12, 2021

Areas of Toronto— including St. Clair West— were livened up by music and dancing, with fans singing songs in Italian and English together.

#Italia #italy st Clair #toronto saint Clair pic.twitter.com/b3Ky3RDwol

— francisco javier (@Regjav88) July 12, 2021

Fans north of Toronto flocked to Market Lane in Woodbridge to celebrate Italy’s European championship title, while others flooded the streets of Little Italy downtown.

Forza Azzurri!!!

Market Lane?? pic.twitter.com/J2Ugp2Vauq

— Jerry Mancini (@jmancini8) July 12, 2021

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Following an overtime score of 1-1, the Euro final ended in Italy’s victory over England in penalty shootouts with a 3-2 score. The Euro Cup went home to Italy for the first time since 1968.

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Family and friends from across the GTA were brought together for the tournament, as well as the celebrations which followed. The celebrations were long awaited—offering a much needed dose of cheer to the summer.

The ultimate neighbourhood guide to Little India

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Dorothy Chudzinski

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2:47 am

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Little India can be found in Toronto’s east end, starting on Gerrard Street East, between Coxwell Avenue and Greenwood Avenue. The neighbourhood is easily accessible by taking the Bloor-Danforth subway line and exiting at Coxwell Station, and then walking roughly 15 minutes south along Coxwell Avenue.

Little India is affectionately known as the Gerrard India Bazaar, and for good reason. Although it represents a relatively small stretch, with Greektown beginning just a few blocks away, this eclectic neighbourhood is home to more than 125 small businesses, including boutiques, art shops and studios, and of course, restaurants selling mouth-watering South Asian specialties.

Celebrate

Little India is also home to two major street festivals, which each run annually. The TD Festival of South Asia, launched in 2002, packs literary arts, visual arts, special performances, open-air Bollywood film screenings, live music and delicious food into one weekend. Last year, for the first time ever, the TD Festival was held virtually for one week starting October 4. During Diwali festivities (November 2-6), Little India comes ablaze in colours and lights. Prior to COVID-19, every year, Little India’s Diwali street festival attracted street performers and dancers, all dressed in traditional attire, celebrating with music, fireworks and food.

Eat

If you plan on exploring Little India, come hungry! From slow-cooked Northern Pakistani delicacies to deep-fried Indian fast food, there’s no shortage of hearty curries, flavourful tikka masalas, warm naan breads and more to enjoy.

Of the many restaurants that make up the neighbourhood, a great deal of them are also known for their vegetarian and vegan options. Udupi Palace is one such place. This simple yet humble joint offers traditional Indian fare at a reasonable price, with the majority of complete meals priced for under $10. The vegetarian samosas are the perfect starting appetizer for those who have never sampled Indian cuisine, while the restaurant’s South India Thali plate is perfect for those with a more experienced palate.

For a quick bite, head on over to the Bombay Chowpatty, which specializes in street food. Bombay Chowpatty honours the traditional flavours of the city of Bombay and specializes in chaat delicacies, an addictive fried potato street food snack (essentially the Indian version of Canada’s beloved poutine). Other tasty street snacks from Bombay Chowpatty include the crispy vegetarian pakura (a mixture of onions, potatoes and spices served with sweet and spicy chutneys for dipping) and, when the days are hot, grab a kulfi to go—a light frozen dairy dessert made with khoya (condensed milk), that resembles a popsicle.

For more of a fine dining experience, venture over to Lahore Tikka House. The Little India neighbourhood briefly intertwines with Little Pakistan, and this restaurant offers the best flavours of both cultures. The grilled lamb, beef, or chicken kebabs and the house specialty biryani (a combination of spices, basmati rice, meat or vegetable) are not to be missed.

Explore

Tucked away amongst the restaurants are also a wide range of clothing, homewares and textile shops. Neelam Silk, located right on Gerrard Street, showcases hand-woven silk clothing and goods, like brightly-coloured embroidered sarees and wedding attire.

Housed in a turquoise and magenta building that’s impossible to miss, Chandan Fashion is another clothing boutique waiting to be explored that boasts an incredible selection of sarees, bridal accessories and dresses, bridal couture for men, party wear and jewellery.

If it’s decor you’re hoping to find, Rang Home Decor sells a wide range of furnishings, including colourful silk, embroidered and beaded pillows, beaded and printed fabrics, beddings, and even delicately woven footstools and carved wooden ottomans. Lastly, a trip to BJ Supermarket is sure to make any visitor to Little India feel as though they’ve been transported to Asia, where brightly coloured spices, sweets, canned products and produce imported straight from India await.

Matty Matheson’s Mexican pop-up lands new permanent location

By

Ron Johnson

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8:54 am

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Matty Matheson fonda balam — Birria Balam Instagram

If you’ve been loving Birria Balam, Canadian star chef Matty Matheson’s latest pop-up on Spadina Avenue featuring the classic meat stew of Mexico’s Jalisco region, then you’ll be thrilled to know he’s about to make it permanent.

Matheson, alongside former Quetzal chefs and couple Julio Guajardo and Kate Chomyshyn — who, together, spearheaded Birria Balam — will be transforming the concept into a full-fledged restaurant called Fonda Balam, which will be located at 802 Dundas St. W. at Palmerston.

The space will feature much of the same menu — meaning those mouth-watering birria tacos — and a whole lot more, naturally. It will also be in the style of a casual diner, with a dash of sophistication, as this threesome can always be trusted to bring.

But this isn’t just a new development brought about by the massive success of Birria Balam. Matheson, Guajardo, and Chomyshyn have been planning it all along — well before COVID-19.

“We got started before the pandemic began,” says Guajardo. “But obviously the pandemic kind of slowed things down. So we decided to start with a pop-up, and now our original space is ready and we’re just about to move. We’re going to have indoor dining, a patio, and we’re also going to continue with takeout. It’ll be a lot like Mexican bistros and tortillerias, with the same vibe as Birria Balam and a lot of classics from Mexico thrown in.”

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That vibrant branding will also remain the same with its bright colours and signature jaguar, though it might take a slight tonal shift. If you’ve been a Birria Balam regular, you’ll have no trouble recognizing it.

The trio has managed to secure pretty prime territory, situated right on a corner, with a stunning side patio, tons of foot traffic — and a nearby park.

Matheson, Guajardo and Chomyshyn worked together previously on an early incarnation of Birria Balam, as vendors at 2019’s MattyFest, Matheson’s own food festival. They dubbed themselves simply “Balam” and offered up none other than tacos.

As for the budding — and delicious — working relationship between Matheson, Guajardo, and Chomyshyn?

“It’s been amazing,” says Guajardo. “You know, it all started two years ago out of conversations about food on Instagram. Then we went out to eat a couple of times and we really hit it off talking about Mexican food. Matty visits L.A. and Chicago, where they have a lot of great Mexican food, so he’s always been a fan. From there came the idea of opening the pop-up, and now Fonda Balam, and it’s been just so great. I think we make a pretty nice team.”

Fonda Balam will be ready to serve in the first week of September, so start salivating now.

Toronto restaurants that opened this week

By

Ron Johnson

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1:20 pm

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Vela restaurant opening — Vela banquettes (photo by Jonathan Friedman / PARTISANS)

The Black Pony Café and Bar is now serving up a little bit of everything at 1481 Gerrard East: croissants, cocktails, schnitzel, smash burgers, and sundaes. A relaxed vibe and broad, casual menu make this spot the perfect crowd-pleaser.

Mother Cocktail Bar and Patron tequila are running a bespoke cocktail pop-up, Dahlia, inspired by the Mexican national flower (874 Queen West). The miniature drink menu features fresh summer ingredients like pine mist, citrus, bee pollen, and eucalyptus. You can also order octopus or pulled pork portobello mushroom and black bean tacos alongside your cocktail.

Domaine Mamo, a French-Italian fusion restaurant, is now open at 581 Mount Pleasant. This collaboration between Toronto restauranteur Robert Prete and chef Didier Leroy specializes in Mediterranean coastline cuisine. Amidst a generous selection of soups, salads, pastas and pizzas, the highlights are the montage, which include dishes from the Maritime Alps. Think tartare de boeuf (beef tenderloin, cornichons, capers, grainy mustard) or porc xxl (breaded pork chop, olive tapenade, tarragon vinegar).

Myth has re-emerged at 522 King West after the closure of its original Danforth location. UNIQ Hospitality has paired with chefs Sergio Abrunho and Tulio Lessa to create a menu centered around meses, or Mediterranean appetizers. The spacious, Grecian inspired interior is also sure to attract crowds when indoor dining resumes.

The team behind Queen West’s Shameful Tiki Room has launched Port Light on Bloor, a nautical tropical cocktail bar (946 Bloor West). Renowned mixologist Alana Nogueda has created a boatload of signature cocktails, including the port of Busan (hennessy, aged Martinique rum, fassionola syrup, Korea gochujang, sweet red fruits) and Gillman’s Gulp (cachaca, white rum, matcha sake, pistachio orgeat, lemon juice), as well as reinterpretations of classic cocktails like the shark’s tooth and the captain’s grog.

Robin Goodfellow and Amanda Bradley have teamed up to create Vela, a sustainable but classic hotel-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar on King and Portland (90 Portland Street). Think wedge salads, shrimp cocktails, branzino, and strip loin steak.

Vaughan gets a fancy new plant-based burger emporium

By

Ron Johnson

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11:44 am

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Odd Burger, formerly Globally Local Fast Food, is set to launch its first burger joint in Vaughan this Saturday at 9960 Dufferin St.

Despite the name, Odd Burger serves more than just patties and buns.

The entire menu revolves around plant-based protein and dairy alternatives, but Odd Burger seeks to replicate the fast-food experience through more than just taste. Self-checkout kiosks, automated machinery, and ‘smart kitchens’ designed for delivery and takeout allow Odd Burger to mimic successful fast food strategies while reducing their environmental impact.

Start your day with chia French toast, a bacun breakfast sandwich or a faconator. Sides include fries, onion rings, hash browns, and mac and cheese. Plus, vegan milkshakes made with coconut soft-serve and organic soy milk. For your main, go for the one that started it all: the famous burger made with house-made chickpea patties.

Odd Burger is the latest step in a journey that company founder James McInnes began in 2014, seeking to connect organic farmers with more customers in their local communities. From there, McInnes and his wife Vasiliki developed vegan meal kits and launched their vegan burger at London’s Ribfest. The first Globally Local vegan fast food restaurant launched in 2017 and has now expanded into a full manufacturing centre.

“The Vaughan location is an incredible milestone for us, because it is the first location to launch under the Odd Burger brand,” said McInnes. “This location is also the first to fully implement our smart kitchen design, which will be used as a template for future locations and will help us to scale quickly and effectively.”

The McInnes’ show no signs of slowing down, as Odd Burger locations are slated to open in August in London and Waterloo, followed by a Hamilton outpost in September, another TO location on Broadview in October, and a recently announced NYC flagship, Odd Burger’s first venture into the US market. They also made history as the world’s first publicly traded vegan-fast food chain in April of this year.

But back to the food. With tempeh bacun (tempeh slow-cooked in a smoky marinade), breakfast sausage (seitan, chickpeas, soy sauce, dark fancy molasses), and crispy chickun (seitan, oats, chickpeas), you can feel good about your next meal on the go.

Renowned Don Alfonso 1890 restaurant returns to Casa Loma for pop-up series

By

Ron Johnson

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2:35 pm

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Don Alfonso 1890, one of Toronto’s most acclaimed fine dining restaurants, is preparing for a glamorous return to the city this month featuring the Michelin cuisine of Alfonso and Ernesto Iaccarino.

The restaurant wowed the city when it opened downtown on Toronto Street bringing with it a revered Michelin-starred chef from Italy and a world-class tasting menu.

The Toronto Street space was permanently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Nick Di Donato of Liberty Entertainment Group knows he has something special and unique to the city in Don Alfonso 1890 and is bringing it back as a pop-up at Casa Loma until a new permanent location can be found.

Liberty Entertainment Group manages Casa Loma, which is also home to the high-end steakhouse Blue Blood.

“Casa Loma is one of the iconic venues in Toronto,” Di Donato says. “And since we’re looking for a temporary location till we have a permanent spot for Don Alfonso, we felt that the Casa Loma conservatory, which is one of the most spectacular rooms in all of the castle, would be so appropriate to be able to host the Alfonso dinners.”

Don Alfonso 1890 at Casa Loma (Liberty Group)

Currently, reservations are open starting July 21 and the plan is to run the pop-up Don Alfonso dinners until November. With current health regulations, the capacity of the restaurant is set at 60.

The conservatory, constructed in 1914, with its stunning McCausland stained-glass dome ceiling and arched windows is one of the most iconic in Casa Loma and has served as the perfect backdrop to many illustrious weddings. Since large events were not possible at this time, according to Di Donato, the opportunity presented itself to keep the Don Alfonso 1890 brand alive.

“We are committed to the Don Alfonso brand, it is one of the best restaurants in the world,” he says. “We were extremely successful at what we were doing in a very short time.”

Don Alfonso landed in the city following Di Donato’s global travels intent on finding that perfect chef to create a Michelin-starred quality experience in his hometown of Toronto, what he calls his “Michelin mission.”

That mission took him across South America and Europe before finding what he was looking for in Italy.

“I landed in St. Agatha on the Amalfi Coast. And what impressed me most was this restaurant called Don Alfonso 1890, which got its name because the property was owned by the family since 1890,” he says. “In the late 1980s, Alfonso (Iaccarino) was the first three-star Michelin chef in southern Italy. And, you know, what he had done at the time, which was very novel, was farm-to-table. This was unique at the time. The Michelin-style restaurants were mostly French cuisine, you know, with heavy butter and so on. This was a whole new movement in his mind, which now is exactly what people are doing.”

Don Alfonso 1890 is now an internationally recognized award-winning concept with locations in Sant’Agata, Amalfi Coast, Italy; Levello, Basilicata, Italy; Helena Bay, New Zealand; Macau, China, and Toronto.

When Di Donato looked into the restaurant, he found that Alfonso’s son Ernesto had followed in his father’s footsteps. And thus began the working relationship that brought Don Alfonso 1890 to Toronto.

“Ernesto is our chef and he works with us and creates these menus and trains people in Don Alfonso in Italy. And then they come here,” Di Donato explains. “So our chef is from Italy. Daniele Corona, who is our chef here, is a true Michelin chef and has worked in only Michelin restaurants.”

Since opening in 2018, the restaurant has been ranked as the “2nd Best Italian Restaurant in the World” by 50 Top Italy, and “Best Italian Restaurant in Canada” and “Top Ten of All Restaurants in Canada 2020” by La Liste, amongst many other honours.

The pop-up restaurant at Casa Loma is likely to offer both a tasting menu and a la carte service. For more information or to book a table go to Don Alfonso Toronto.

A massive three-storey patio overlooking Lake Ontario is now open

By

Ron Johnson

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11:20 am

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Summer House is a summer-long pop-up that embodies the word “staycation.” Hotel X’s latest project, a summer destination for Torontonians and visitors alike, is now open. The 75,000 square foot space, spread out over a three-level rooftop, is divided into five distinct zones, offering guests the opportunity to dine, hang out and play.

“New Yorkers escape to the Hamptons to get away from the city,” says Bria Weaver of Hotel X’s latest endeavour Summer House. “We wanted to create that space right within Toronto.”

“It is a getaway within the city, offering luxury and fun for locals and visitors,” Weaver says. “We offer amazing food and drinks, stellar views and entertainment and classes by leading fitness experts throughout the week.”

The menu, designed by Food Dudes, is divided into four parts: share plates, proteins, sides, and desserts.

Adrian Niman, of Food Dudes, is taking standout dishes from his Toronto restaurants, including Rasa and Sara, to the two restaurants at Summer House: The Peak and Prime Grill.

Summer House Poached Lobster (photo Kalila Snow)

Niman, who created the menu, calls the Summer House dining experience a “modern take on a steakhouse.”

“We brown butter poach the steak before putting it on the grill, which is very unique,” he explains. Other menu options include a whole branzino, mushroom burrata flatbread, chopped salad, truffle potatoes, and a chocolate sundae that, according to Niman, “brings you back to your childhood.”

Food Dudes will be responsible for the food options for each event at the Summer House pop up, which will be bustling activities over the summer.

“Offerings include Canada’s largest spin studio, Spinco, hosting daily outdoor classes and on Saturdays, Solis Movement in collaboration with 10XTO, will host revitalizing yoga classes,” Weaver says. “As well, we’ll be announcing more partnerships throughout the summer.”

The project, which Weaver describes as a “staycation hub and lifestyle destination,” has been in development since January, and features pools with views of Lake Ontario, huge patios, colourful flora, and modern decor to accommodate each zone and mood.

Summer House at Hotel X will remain open until late summer and is located at 111 Princes’ Boulevard, just off of the Lakeshore.

AGO is back with a popping new Andy Warhol exhibit

By

Megan Gallant

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8:50 am

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Mark your calendars because following eight long months, the Art Gallery of Ontario is finally reopening on July 21 with a massive new Andy Warhol exhibit. After weeks of preparations, the Gallery is back and better than ever before with a brand-new patio, several new exhibits, and a must-see Pop Art summer phenomenon.

“This time has served as a powerful reminder that art and culture are vital to our collective sense of wellbeing,” said Stephan Jost, AGO’s Michael and Sonja Koerner Director and CEO, in a press release. “I can’t wait to welcome our visitors in person again to see great art and reconnect with the ideas that inspire us.”

Pending approval from the province and Toronto Public Health, AGO is able to safely reopen under the health regulations of step three in Ontario’s re-opening plan.

To celebrate the much-anticipated grand re-opening, the gallery will be showcasing an exciting summer exhibit featuring iconic pop artist Andy Warhol. Warhol is one of the world’s most famous 20th-century artists who led the Pop Art movement.

Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych, 1962. Acrylic paint on canvas, 205.4 x 144.8 x 2 cm. Purchased 1980. Tate © 2021 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc / SOCAN (2021). © Tate, London 2020

The exhibit will explore the political, social, and personal influences on Warhol’s art and feature more than 250 pieces spanning the artist’s four-decade career, including paintings, photographs, and films. Iconic portraits include Dolly Parton, Elvis, Karen Main, Wayne Gretzky, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Also included is an experimental multimedia installation combining film projections, disco balls, and the sounds of iconic musical group The Velvet Underground, as well as an immersive installation for visitors to play with metallic pillows floating around the gallery.

Andy Warhol is available to members and pass holders from July 21 to July 25, while single-ticket visitors can attend beginning July 27. Tickets are available online.

Other exhibits opening at the AGO July 21 include Ben Woolfitt: Rhythms and Series; Meditation and the Medieval Mind; and Shuvinai Ashoona: Beyond the Visible.

Also opening July 21 is AGO’s on-site store and bistro, including a brand-new patio at the corner of Dundas and McCaul Street.