Canadian ballet legend Karen Kain honoured with commemorative Canada Post stamp

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3:15 pm

The artistic director of Canada’s National Ballet Karen Kain has spearheaded the country’s dance world for decades as a leader, innovator and champion of the arts. Today, Canada Post is honouring her longstanding commitment and dedication with the release of a new commemorative stamp, coinciding with International Dance Day.

Kain’s dance career began when she joined the National Ballet of Canada in 1969. She was promoted to principal dancer in 1971, performing starring roles in several classical and modern ballets including Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and Sleeping Beauty.

Designed in classic black and white and finished with metallic gold accents, the stamp depicts Kain wearing an elegant black tutu while performing in Swan Lake. Canada Post has also released a stamp in honour of the former co-artistic director of Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de Montréal, Fernand Nault.

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“I am deeply touched that Canada Post has chosen to honour Canadian ballet with stamps featuring myself and the renowned dancer and choreographer Fernand Nault,” Kain says. “This country has a rich dance history and it is wonderful to see the art form celebrated this way.”

Serving as artistic director of the National Ballet since 2005, Kain has held the role longer than anyone else in the organization, save for its founder Celia Franca. Over the years, she’s garnered several awards and accolades, including the status of a Companion of the Order of Canada and an Officier of France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. She was also the subject of one of Andy Warhol’s portraits from 1980, a coloured screenprint based off a polaroid photo.

In a recent update on the National Ballet’s website, Kain notes the pandemic has been the most severe obstacle faced by the performing arts community in her lifetime. Although the 2020/21 season has been cancelled, the company continues to perform virtually with dance films through the Spotlight Series and Expansive Dances.

“We will return to the stage when it is safe to do so stronger than ever and until then, we will continue to share the artistry of our dancers virtually and, when possible, in socially distanced live performances,” Kain writes in the update.

Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.

CaféTO outdoor dining program gearing up ahead of possible end to stay-at-home order

By

Ron Johnson

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10:49 am

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Although there is a giant question mark over the next month or two, the city of Toronto has confirmed it is moving ahead with curb lane installations for its CaféTO outdoor dining program with construction to begin May 8.

“We know at some point, we will be able to reopen again and we want to make sure we are doing everything as a City to help businesses be ready to safely welcome customers at the earliest date possible,” said Mayor John Tory, in a press release. “They need these extra outdoor seats to start earning back revenue lost during the pandemic. Keeping these installations on track in May will ensure that the street patios are ready to go in hundreds of locations when public health officials determine the measures can change and outdoor dining can be allowed again.”

The CaféTO program allows for the creation of outdoor dining on Toronto streets for use by restaurants and bars that have signed up with the city. Installing these locations on schedule ensures that they will be immediately available to operators when public health orders permit outdoor dining.

It will take several weeks to get all the installations done, according to the city. At that point, restaurant operators will be asked to ensure the areas are not used for “congregation, public seating, or dining purposes” while the stay-at-home order is in place.

At this time, 720 curb lane cafés and 71 public parklet locations are being reviewed for placement during the first phase of installation.

“CaféTO was a vitally important program for many restaurant operators in Toronto last summer, and it will be just as important and just as urgent this year for restaurants across the city, including downtown and in suburban areas,” said Tory. “Traffic volumes remain significantly lower than normal and we need to be ready to support restaurant owners with street, sidewalk and parklet space as soon as health orders allow.”

According to the city, hundreds more applications have been received in the latest registration period which ended yesterday.

In addition, when provincial orders allow for outdoor dining, operators who register and are approved for CaféTO will be permitted to set up safe and accessible sidewalk cafés as soon as possible.

In 2020, CaféTO supported a total of 801 restaurants in 62 BIAs, as well as 96 restaurants outside of BIAs.

Founder of Café Diplomatico dies at 88

By

Jessica Huras

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3:03 pm

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The founder of the beloved Café Diplomatico, or “the Dip” as it’s known by locals, Rocco Mastrangelo Sr., has passed away at the age of 88. He leaves behind his wife of 62 years, three children and six grandchildren.

The Mastrangelo family posted a statement on the café’s Instagram page, noting he was a passionate advocate for Italian culture, and that Café Diplomatico was one of his proudest life accomplishments.

Along with his father and younger brother Paul, Mastrangelo founded the restaurant at Bathurst and College in 1968 with a vision of creating a classic Italian bar serving biscotti, gelato and coffee. He spent most of his life working alongside his family at the café, passing his strong work ethic and eye for quality along to his family and the restaurant’s staff.

The family’s statement also notes Mastrangelo favoured table #19 at the café, where he would often sit for lunch to ensure everything was running smoothly. As a landmark destination in the Little Italy neighbourhood for decades, Café Diplomatico and the Mastrangelo family helped to usher in the booming restaurant scene the area is known for today.

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“In 1968 alongside his father and brothers, he worked hard to introduce the café culture that we have all come to know and love on College St. today,” the statement reads.

When the café first opened in 1968, restaurant patios were a rarity in the city. Café Diplomatico helped to set the standard for outdoor dining in Toronto and over time the trend caught on, leading to more restaurants in the area opening patios during the warmer months.

Under the direction of Rocco Mastrangelo Jr. and his wife Connie, the café continues to provide the community with daily breakfast specials, lunch, dinner, catering and delivery. The café will be temporarily closed for takeout and delivery until Friday at 3 p.m.

The visitation and service will take place privately due to COVID restrictions, but the funeral mass and cemetery committal service will be livestreamed Friday, April 30, 2021 at 10:30 a.m.

Toronto artist STORRY’s epic tale of redemption

By

Ron Johnson

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2:14 pm

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Toronto-born artist STORRY received her second Juno nomination last month for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year for her debut album CH III: The Come Up. The new honour followed on the heels of her first nomination in 2020 for Reggae Recording of the Year for her song “Another Man.”

STORRY said that being nominated for another music award just like her childhood idols, including Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette and Whitney Houston, was an incredible and affirming moment in her career.

“I was just thrilled. It took away part of this feeling of being an imposter,” she says. “The last Juno nomination I had gotten, I didn’t produce the record, and the people who did, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, are huge producers in Jamaica, so I figured that was the reason.”

STORRY also released her second project of 2020 last September, the EP Interlude-19, influenced by the great pause caused by the pandemic.

“We’re in reflection, in limbo. We’re waiting and are uncertain of what the world will be after all. It can feel like purgatory, springing up a multitude of emotions. It’s an interruption from our ‘busy’ness and our frenzied state of ego and consumption,” she says. “We are now forced to either look at ourselves, at our world, or otherwise attempt to drown ourselves with frivolous distractions. But this time, these months, this year, though seemingly endless, is but a blip in time. A flash in the pan. So, I decided to call this record Interlude-19.”

With CH III: The Come Up, she explores the parallels between the sex industry and the music industry, and STORRY says it ultimately serves to dismantle the shame and stigma attached to sex work. She recorded the album in six days with a four-person band and a limited budget she saved by working as a stripper before COVID-19.

With a small budget and no outside funding, STORRY directed most of her music videos and learned how to edit on Adobe Premiere Pro. Her claymation music video for her song “Up” won several awards, including the Best Editing award at the Montreal International Wreath Film Festival and Best Animated Music Video at jellyFEST.

STORRY offers a blend of musical styles that are hard to fit into a box. A melting pot of soul, reggae and pop, with flashes of her classical training on every extended note and melody.

Her classical roots stem from her time studying opera at the University of Toronto and classical music at Vanier College in Quebec, where she first developed her unique voice.

STORRY came up with her artist name as an alternative persona after leaving an abusive relationship and re-entering the music industry.

“STORRY is this badass, boss woman who doesn’t let anybody get in her way. She is resilient, and she got me out of a lot of really hard times,” she says.

STORRY met her abuser when she was 19 years old while attending the University of Toronto. Their relationship began under the guise of him being a music producer, and it quickly turned dark. Her contact with her family was limited, she had no access to social media, and her music and finances were entangled with him.

After years of abuse and months of building up the resources and courage to leave, STORRY got onto the winding path that led her to become the artist she is today.

“When I left him, I wasn’t going to make music anymore. My ex had taken all the hard drives. He took all the studio equipment. He took everything,” she says.

In 2015, she dramatically altered her career path and ventured to India to become a yoga instructor. She planned to teach yoga and open a vegan restaurant with her aunt upon her return.

During her three-month trip to India, STORRY couldn’t shake her love of music. She was still that kid who had sung her ABCs into a microphone as a toddler.

“There was this tipping point when a guy in my yoga training said, ‘You don’t have a voice, you have a story to tell, and you have lives to change,’ ” she says.

She returned to Canada and called up her old friend Yotam Baum, a musician and professor at Bishop University, and they co-wrote CH III: The Come Up.

And now, STORRY is awaiting the day she can safely perform her music on tour, is set to make a huge mark on the Canadian music scene and beyond.

“Creating this album and putting it out was my way of being my own superhero,” she says. “I realized that nobody was going to help me, no one was going to save me, and I had to save myself.”

Toronto’s top sustainable restaurants

By

Jessica Huras

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1:01 pm

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There are plenty of small adjustments you can make in your eating habits that support a greener tomorrow, including incorporating more plant-based dishes, purchasing produce from local farmers and supporting restaurants with eco-friendly business models. In honour of Earth Month, here are our top picks for sustainable restaurants in Toronto.

Antler Kitchen & Bar

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Owner and Red Seal Executive chef Michael Hunter’s sustainable approach to cuisine comes through Antler’s celebration of seasonal, regional ingredients. Cocktails are crafted from foraged ingredients like rhubarb bitters and cedar, while all of the meats are wild game and sometimes roasted over an open fire pit. Housemade charcuterie boards are often “nose to tail,” meaning various parts of the entire animal are used, which further amplifies Antler’s devotion to cutting back on food waste. Antler is currently open for takeout and delivery from Wednesday to Saturday. The restaurant is also promoting a selection of Cook At Home boxes with a series of entrees, as well as an assortment of protein boxes featuring fine game meats.

Avling

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Canadian flavours and locally-sourced ingredients are the focus at Avling, a sustainable farm-to-table restaurant and brewpub located in the Leslieville neighbourhood. Perhaps Avling’s biggest claim to sustainable fame is its 4,000 sq. ft. rooftop farm, where a variety of herb and vegetable crops are planted year-round and incorporated into the restaurant’s seasonal menus. Avling’s farm runs using ecological practices that include composting, planting organic seeds and using natural fertilizers. Inside the restaurant, Avling offers a selection of ready-made items from its kitchen, like housemade baked goods, as well as lunch-to-go Monday through Friday, pizzas Wednesday through Saturday and weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

Côte de Boef

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Inspired by Parisian cuisine, this bistro in the Trinity-Bellwoods neighbourhood only uses locally-sourced beef which is butchered on-site by hand. Côte de Boeuf‘s Butcher Shop sells côte de boeuf, rib eye, NY strip, tenderloin, fresh ground beef as well as pork chops, bacon and house sausages — all of which are made fresh every week. The takeout menu currently offers a variety of hot and cold sandwiches, cheese boards featuring locally-sourced cheeses and honey and a“Butcher’s BBQ Box.” Available for two ($59.99) or four ($99), the box includes six dry-aged burger patties, BBQ sausages, vegetables, potato salad and dessert.

The Goods

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With a culinary philosophy centred on a healthy diet and nutrition, the Goods is a fully vegan, gluten-free and organic restaurant operating in the Leslieville neighbourhood. Currently open for takeout and delivery, all of the menu items also incorporate healing ingredients. The restaurant also caters to those with allergies or dietary restrictions by offering gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free and sesame-free options as well. Healthy salad bowls and soups make up the majority of the takeout menu, such as the Sweet Heat, a smooth curried coconut potato blend; and the Tricky Tahini, a mixed greens salad with tahini dressing. The Goods also has a Take Home Meal Delivery program that allows customers to choose from prepared foods, pantry favourites or five meal kits that range in price from $39.99 to $52.99. All delivery boxes are packed in paper containers, and beverages, like the green smoothie, are stored in recyclable glass bottles.

Marben

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Marben is a sustainable restaurant in Toronto featuring British-Canadian eats with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. In 2020, Marben launched Marben Market, which sells everything from meal kits, produce and frozen meals to cocktail kits to enjoy at home. Everything in Marben Market is prepared fresh in-house or sourced from an ethical farmer or supplier. Marben is currently open for pick-up and delivery, and the menu features sustainable eats like free-run and pasture-raised meat-based entrees and appetizers, organic salads with locally-sourced greens and berries and a selection of Ontario beers, ciders and wines.

How to make chef Charlotte Langley’s Dilled Trout Quiche

By

lindsaylow

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12:00 pm

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“The Dilled Trout Quiche featuring the responsibly sourced Ontario Trout with Dill is a personal favourite of mine as it packs a punch in herbaceous flavour,” says chef Charlotte Langley. “What’s more, it’s so versatile that it can be enjoyed with a glass of cava at breakfast or brunch, and is still delicious and satiating when paired with salads and sides for dinner or supper. It’s a dish that can be enjoyed around the clock!”

Ingredients

1 basic pie crust recipe, or store-bought
8 eggs
1/2 cup 10% cream
pinch of salt
1/2 cup ricotta
2 tbsp fresh dill
2 cups mixed microgreens
2 tins of high-quality trout (such as Scout Canning’s Ontario Trout with Dill)
1 lemon

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Roll out pie crust and lay it into a medium deep pie plate.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk eggs and 10% cream together, season with salt.
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust and place in oven for 20 minutes or until the eggs have just started to set.
Once set, pull out of oven and top with ricotta, fresh dill and Scout’s Ontario Trout with Dill (save the oil).
Return to oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
Toss the microgreens in the dilled trout oil and add zest and juice of 1 lemon, garnish quiche and serve.

Water safety tips for families

By

Jarrod Daley

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8:30 am

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See all posts by Diamond and Diamond Lawyers

The warm weather is here and with it brings water activities – like swimming in the lake, going boating, or lounging by the pool. As advocates of community safety, leading personal injury firm, Diamond and Diamond, encourages everyone to practice proper water safety. The firm’s dynamic leadership team, Jeremy Diamond, Sandra Zisckind and her brother Isaac Ziskind share how to stay safe around the water this summer:

Always wear a Life Jacket / Personal Flotation Device

When you’re out on the water in a boat, it’s important to wear a lifejacket. These devices can save you when you’re participating in ANY activities on or near the water. As Jeremy Diamond says, “wearing a life jacket saves lives.” For helpful information on proper maintenance and sizing of life jackets, visit the Canadian Red Cross website.

Avoid going out on the water while under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Just like operating a vehicle under the influence, consuming drugs or alcohol before going near the water can be very dangerous. It’s essential to avoid going out on the water while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Isaac Ziskind of Diamond and Diamond says “being out on the water or at the cottage is an enjoyable time for everyone, but mixing it with drugs or alcohol can be life-threatening.” It’s important to remember that any activity in the water is dangerous when under the influence – not just operating a boat, canoe, kayak, paddleboard or Seadoo.

Be sure to follow best practices for operating a device on the water (boats, kayaks, canoe, paddleboards, tube, etc)

It’s important to make sure that you adhere to the best practices for operating any device on the water whether that be a boat, kayak, canoe, paddleboard, Seadoo, etc. Sandra Zisckind of Diamond and Diamond says “just like operating a car, there are many rules and guidelines in place regarding the safe operation of a device on the water.” For additional information, please refer to the Government of Canada’s Office of Boating Safety website.

Supervise children when they are in the water

Another essential aspect of water safety is ensuring the proper supervision of children while they’re in the water. Parents should always be within an arm’s reach of young children at all times. This includes older children as well – even though they may be more confident swimmers, it’s still important to make sure that you’re supervising them when they’re in the water (lakes and pools alike). Isaac Zisckind of Diamond and Diamond says “it’s essential to make sure that swimmers are supervised whether they’re in a pool, pond, or a lake.”

Always check in on local weather reports regarding the condition of the water and the weather

Another essential aspect of water safety is the condition of the water. On a hot summer day, all water may be tempting to jump into. However, it’s essential to do your homework to make sure that there are no special statements regarding blue-green algae in natural bodies of water. Jeremy Diamond says, “before I go to any natural bodies of water I always check in on local reports to see if there have been any issues reported with the quality of the water.” For helpful tips on how to identify and avoid blue-green algae, please refer to the Government of Ontario’s website. It’s also essential to check in on any special weather statements before you decide to head out on the water. Storms can develop at any time and it’s important to make sure you’re not on or near the water when this happens.

Don’t swim beyond your skill level

Lastly, it’s important to swim at your skill level whether in a pool, a lake or a pond. When it comes to natural bodies of water, there are a lot more unknowns that should be taken into consideration before you venture too far away from shore. The conditions can always change in natural bodies of water and the depth is very difficult to judge. Therefore, swimmers must stick within their skill level before jumping into swimming that they weren’t prepared or ready for. As Sandra Ziskind says, “it’s important to consider the depth of the water, the current weather, and your swimming skill level before you decide to jump in.”

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.

Jumbo Empanadas in Kensington Market reopens

By

Jessica Huras

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12:34 pm

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Jumbo Empanadas has been serving up authentic Chilean cuisine in Kensington Market for 30 years. In 2020, the restaurant was forced to close first because of the pandemic, and then again later in the year due to a fire next door, which damaged its wall, ceiling and floors.

The restaurant’s owner Irene Morales was finally able to reopen on April 9, after battling with her insurance company and raising enough funds to pay the contractor. The Kensington community also rallied to help Morales reopen with a GoFundMe campaign that raised over $12,000 for the restaurant’s renovations.

“Of course, we were happy to finally reopen,” Morales says. “You can imagine the reaction of the customers. They’re so excited and happy because some people thought we were never going to reopen. Almost six months we were closed.”

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After 30 years of running her business, Morales says she has witnessed the Kensington Market area change dramatically over time/

“Years ago, it was more like a market, there weren’t too many restaurants,” she says. “There was only Amadeu’s and myself. There were vegetable stores, fish stores, European meats. All those people are gone now.”

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Morales first learned to cook with her mother while growing up in Chile. She credits the longstanding success of Jumbo Empanadas to the authenticity of the cuisine, her friendly staff and the tricks of the trade she learned from her mother.

“She was a very good cook,” Morales says. “People really love the food. They say there’s nothing like this place.”

Morales’s mother passed away in March, and she wasn’t able to fly back to Chile because of COVID restrictions.

“There were no flights and it wasn’t worth the risk,” she says. “The technology now is so amazing, though, I said goodbye through the camera.”

New Riverside Smokehouse ghost kitchen might become a permanent fixture

By

Ron Johnson

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9:56 am

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“Smoked food is unpretentious, delicious and perfect for grab and go,” says Afron Mitari, operations manager for Aidan Hospitality. That’s why, in a pandemic pivot, Aidan Hospitality decided that Prohibition Social House at Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue would open the Riverside Smokehouse inside of the temporarily shuttered Prohibition space.

Prohibition Gastrohouse is known for its curated list of beer and comfort food classics, including mac and cheese, nachos and breakfast poutine. “At Prohibition, we have always had a few menu items featuring smoked food, so we thought now would be a perfect time for our chef and kitchen team to really show off our barbecue,” Mitari says. “Also, we have one of the biggest — if not the biggest — smoker in the entire city, so we wanted to put it to good use.”

Prohibition and Riverside Smokehouse’s chef Kiru has a background in making smoked meat, which has allowed the team to hit the ground running. The menu features barbecue favourites, including pulled pork and beef brisket, as well as nachos, coleslaw and brisket poutine. Beverage wise, the takeout options include a DIY New York Sour Cocktail Kit as well as a selection of beers.

“We took over at Prohibition during the start of the pandemic, around June,” says Mitari. “While we anticipated the pandemic to be going on for a while, nobody expected this. While the community has been supportive, we found that people don’t want to pay restaurant prices for takeout.”

“By creating a ghost kitchen, we were able to focus on the takeout without changing our Prohibition brand, but continuing to offer our community great quality products at affordable prices,” he adds.

As dining restrictions persist and Riverside Smokehouse continues to garner a fanbase, Mitari and Aidan Hospitality are rethinking their original idea for the ghost kitchen.

“Initially our plan was to halt it when Prohibition reopens, but I think the Riverside community would be so sad to see it go,” he says.

ActiveTO is coming back this weekend with two major road closures

By

Nikki Gill

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4:28 pm

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ActiveTO, a plan introduced by the City of Toronto last May, is back with its first weekend road closures of 2021. The program provides more walking and cycling space for Toronto residents while maintaining physical distance. Today, Mayor John Tory announced that the first road closures will be along Bayview Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard East.

“We are committed to giving people more places to get outside safely to get fresh air and exercise, and ActiveTO has proven a successful way to do that,” said Tory. “I encourage everyone to get outside with members of their own household, and to keep their distance from others while doing so.”

Tory also thanked city staff for getting ActiveTO road closures underway quickly to provide a safe way for Torontonians to get outside while the city is experiences high daily COVID-19 case counts in this third wave of the pandemic.

The upcoming road closures will begin on Saturday, May 1 at 6 a.m. and run until Sunday, May 2 at 9 p.m. Bayview Avenue will be closed to vehicles from Front Street East to Rosedale Valley Road. River Street will be closed between Bayview Avenue and Spruce Street. Lake Shore Boulevard East will be closed between Leslie Street and Woodbine Avenue; this closure will affect the eastbound lanes only.

“The return of ActiveTO weekend road closures means even more space available in our city for people to get outside and get active,” said Councillor Jennifer McKelvie who is also chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee. “Opening roads for people will help to complement Toronto’s vast number of trails, parks, paths and ravines that remain accessible and available to everyone for fresh air and physical activity.”

The city is also asking residents to only access these areas by bike or as a pedestrian because nearby parking is limited and no onsite parking will be available. If residents do not live near the road closures, the city is suggested alternate places for outdoor activity such as The Meadoway in Scarborough, the Humber Valley Trail in Etobicoke or the Finch Hydro Corridor in North York.

The program is also set to expand to include Allen Road starting June 6, with additional possible closures in the works for Black Creek Drive and roads within Exhibition Place.

Toronto artist sells digital house for $512,000

By

Erin Neilly

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3:54 pm

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Mars House, a digital home designed by local artist Krista Kim, was just sold on a NFT (non-fungible token) marketplace for 288 Ether (a cryptocurrency), which is equal to $512,000. NFTs are unique digital files that are non-interchangeable, which means, when you purchase a piece of art made with them, you’re investing in the artist who created it, similar to buying their stock.

Kim started the project during the pandemic in April 2020 as a way to design her dream home. She hired a freelance 3D rendering technician to render her ideas and create a home that heals through the power of art. She says Mars House is a sneak peek into the future as it can go beyond a 2D artwork on your computer to a 3D digital home that can be enjoyed as an immersive experience in augmented reality. We caught up with the artist to learn more about the project.

When did you first become interested in crypto art?

I began to study Bitcoin and ETH as personal investment strategies. Decentralization and the crypto revolution attracted me as an investor and a humanist. I believe every legacy systems from the industrial revolution, such as economics, politics, education, medicine, art, etc. will be decentralized. Co-creation and collaboration will be the central themes of all industry. I then researched decentralized blockchain art, seeing the advantages as an art medium, when I discovered NFTs.

What was your inspiration for Mars House?

During the height of the global COVID-19 lockdown last April, I decided to create my dream home. I wanted to create a home that heals through the power of art. I believe that we should install LED substrates for the walls, ceilings and floors of our homes to display digital art collections, so I began drawing my concepts and hired a freelance 3D rendering technician. I was influenced by Zen design while living in Japan, having had an epiphany at the Ryoanji Temple Zen Garden — one of the oldest in the world. I learned that the garden’s empty space is mirrored into my subconscious, therefore bringing me into a state of Zen. I wanted to update Zen for the digital age, so I create meditative artwork using the light of the screen as a mechanism for healing and Zen.

krista kim

Is this the first time you’ve sold your work as an NFT?

In the NFT space, we call our first minted artworks ‘Genesis’ pieces. This is an apt name for the symbolic new beginning of the NFT artist’s entry into a new arena — a new paradigm of art.

What is your vision for how Mars House will be enjoyed?

Mars House is a sneak peek to the future, as the first 3D digital home that can be experienced as an immersive experience in augmented reality (AR). It can be uploaded to a Metaverse, and by 2022 we will be able to experience Mars House in real space with our friends. I even have a wedding planner who wants to host AR weddings in Mars House. The possibilities are endless for the future of fashion, music and art.

The current NFT marketing is very early and limited in its capability and parameters. The NFT can go beyond a 2D artwork on your computer screen. The next generation of NFTs will be programmable, 3D digital assets that you can mint and buy in real time AR on an app called Superworld. The world will be interfaced in AR on the app, which allows us to purchase virtual real estate based on actual real estate, and we can upload 3D interactive NFTs that we can all experience at the same time in our real environments. NFTs will be displayed as virtual 3D pieces for homes and outdoor spaces, but they can also float in the sky or be placed in our bodies. We will adorn ourselves with digital fashion, accessories and art that reacts to our moods and our words. The future will be very creative and self expressive.

What Cadence Weapon is reading, watching and listening to right now

By

Erin Neilly

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3:02 pm

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Cadence Weapon is a Toronto-based and Edmonton-born artist and writer. He has a new album out on April 30 titled Parallel World. The new record continues Cadence’s mission to spark change and conversation through sonic messaging blending an array of old school and contemporary elements. He is also working on a book about his career called Bedroom Rapper, to be published by McClelland & Stewart in Spring 2022.

For this column, Cadence Weapon outlines what he’s been enjoying while at home during the pandemic.

READING

Reading has been one of my greatest joys over the past year. I just finished What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez, and it really blew me away. She’s one of my favourite contemporary writers. She ties together cultural and literary references in a unique way that I can’t get enough of. I recently read Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankine, and I found it powerful. A series of remarkable essays about being Black in America that includes some poetic moments where she plays for form and technique in ways that I hadn’t seen before. I’m currently reading The Gentrification of the Mind: Witness to a Lost Imagination by Sarah Schulman. It’s by far the most succinct description of the social and creative costs of gentrification I’ve ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone who has seen their community change for the worse and wondered why and how it happened.

WATCHING

Over the last 365 days, I’m pretty sure I’ve watched every show ever made. I really enjoyed The One and Behind Her Eyes on Netflix. The Investigation on HBO was amazing. We crushed the new season of Search Party in less than 48 hours. Over the last few months, my partner and I have pivoted to reality TV in a big way. Shows that are “about something” are too intense for us lately. She got me into The Bachelor franchise. That led to Love Island and Temptation Island. Recently, we ripped through the newest seasons of Shahs of Sunset and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which were both ridiculously chaotic. We’ve started on the most recent season of Love & Hip Hop: New York. We’re watching the final season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and we’ve even branched off into Flip It Like Disick. Please send help.

LISTENING

I’ve been spending more time than ever digging for new music over the last few months. I put my favourite individual tracks on my playlist every Friday, but I’ve also been enjoying some albums this year. Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra has been a balm for my spirit. It’s soothing futuristic ambient jazz. CFCF’s memoryland is probably my favourite album of the year so far. It’s an electronic record that mines all these different music styles from the ’90s. I wrote an essay about it in my newsletter recently. Conflict of Interest by U.K. rapper Ghetts is probably my favourite rap-adjacent album this year so far. It has such a unique mood where it’s chill, dark and banging at the same time.

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