Some Toronto restaurants and food shops are starting to shut down takeout operations

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10:59 am

toronto restaurant closings rasa — The Food Dudes' Rasa is temporarily closed

With the latest stay-at-home order in effect, Torontonians’ dining options have been limited to delivery and takeout, similar to the measures enacted over the December holidays and at the beginning of the pandemic last year.

This time, though, with COVID-19 cases soaring to record highs across the province, restaurant and food shop owners and managers are taking extra precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their staff. And that has led to a new trend that sees restaurants and other food operations shutting down takeout and delivery operations.

The latest is midtown’s Summerhill Market, a popular and growing food shop, which issued a message on social media yesterday stating that it was slowing down operations at its off-site commissary location because the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has made it “too challenging to provide a safe work environment for our staff and their families.”

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A post shared by Summerhill Market (@summerhillmkt)

The statement on Summerhill Market’s Instagram feed goes on to explain that they will be rebuilding with a much smaller team with enhanced safety measures once it is safe to do so. Retail locations, where rapid testing of employees has been implemented, have been unaffected. However, the message does state that some product shortages are expected.

Down the street, Leaside’s popular Olde Yorke Fish & Chips, has closed for the month of April to keep their staff members safe.

“We’re hoping that, during this time, our staff can get a vaccination, seeing as they are frontline workers,” states the message on the restaurant’s voicemail. “Hopefully, when the numbers come down and the staff get a vaccination, we can open at the end of April.”

The Leaside restaurant is owned and operated by the Feather family, who are taking a proactive stance in light of the rapid increase in new cases across the city.

The Feathers are not the only people choosing to shut down takeout operations at their restaurant. Adrian Niman and Adam Minster of The Food Dudes also ceased takeout operations for two of their restaurants, Sara and Rasa.

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A post shared by RASA (@rasarestaurantto)

“Throughout the pandemic, safety for our staff and customers has always been the most important concern for us as a restaurant group. We followed all the rules and preventative measures at all our establishments,” Minster says.

“We decided to give our staff a much-deserved break for their mental health,” Niman adds, noting that takeout and delivery options were necessary to survive the last year, but constant changes in the rules have made The Food Dudes rethink their strategy.

Chef Ivan Castro also ceased all operations at his Mexican restaurant, La Bartola, which opened in Little Italy last summer, calling the most recent lockdown “financially, physically and emotionally crippling.”

“We know we’re strong, our team (our family) is fantastic, and we’ll rise back up,” read a post on the restaurant’s Instagram page. “But we need to retreat for a minute and tend to our wounds to come back stronger.”

Olde Yorke Fish & Chips, for one, is receiving support for their decision to close for employee safety.

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A post shared by Olde Yorke Fish & Chips (@oldeyorke)

“We sincerely hope you all remain safe. Kudos to you for taking this step to protect everyone! We look forward to supporting you upon return,” wrote one Facebook user on the restaurant’s page.

“Thank you for all that you and your staff do for the community. The best fish and chips anywhere,” wrote another. “We will be back when you are. Take care of yourselves and your families. Thanks for taking care of your staff.”

As it stands, restaurant employees are given priority in Phase Two of the province’s vaccination plan, which began in April, behind teachers and school staff, agriculture workers, border officers, funeral home staff and others.

But until then, the city might see more restaurants following this trend.

Toronto restaurant openings, closings and coming soons: April 10 – April 16

By

Jessica Huras

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10:42 am

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Toronto restaurants that closed this week

Unable to weather yet another dine-in lockdown, Ivan Castro’s La Bartola has temporarily closed until restrictions are lifted. In an emotional Instagram post, the team behind the innovative vegan Mexican hotspot said “if you have a friend or relative working in the hospitality industry, you have witnessed how hard it has been hit. We come from hardworking ancestors, and we’re not afraid of a fight.”

Influential farm-to-table restaurant Montgomery’s is closing shop this month. Check out their online store where they are selling off their remaining products and ingredients.

The Food Dudes’ trendy tapas bar and restaurant Rasa is also closing for the duration of the lockdown. However, they’re allowing their chefs to use the space as a ghost kitchen until reopening. Check out their Instagram for Davin Shearer and Erik Coomber’s “Virtual Culinary Cocktail Experience” and pop-ups like Cory’s Smokehouse, which will be serving Southern classics including beef brisket and smoked wings out of the Rasa kitchen.

After 8 years, Toronto Popcorn Company has closed its flagship Kensington Market location. You can still find unique flavours like bacon cheddar and creamy peri-peri at their Beaches store.

Ziba Berlin Doner has permanently closed both its Queen East and Church Street locations. The once-bustling chain served European and Middle Eastern fusions, including kapsalon (Dutch poutine with doner meat) as well as pide and lavash doner.

Toronto restaurant openings/coming soon

Cops Coffee and Doughnuts now has a second location in East Room at 4 Matilda Street. Check out their weekly specials like matcha coconut and lemon poppyseed, in addition to traditional flavours such as cinnamon sugar and sour cream glaze.

Another smash burger restaurant is born! GG’s Burgers is now open at 1681 Lake Shore East. This hippie-inspired joint is serving burgers, crispy and Nashville hot chicken, hot dogs, veggies burgers, fries, onion rings, ice cream, beer and cocktails. Goodness gracious!

Kensington Market favourite Jumbo Empanadas has reopened after a fire in neighbouring Emporium Latino caused extensive damage last fall. While Emporium Latino sadly didn’t survive the hit, Jumbo Empanadas held on thanks in part to a successful GoFundMe campaign.

Momo House has opened a third location at 685 Queen Street West. Along with their signature Tibetan momos, Momo House also serves flavour fusions such as butter chicken, kurkure and tandoori momos.

Calgary’s much-loved Pigot’s Burger Club launched this week and sold out on its first day. Pre-order if you want to get your hands on one of their seven options seasoned with Chef Pigot’s secret spice blend.

Eating, Drinking, and Streaming with musician Joseph Shabason

By

Ron Johnson

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10:30 am

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Toronto saxophonist Joseph Shabason is set to release his new instrumental album The Fellowship on April 30 via Telephone Explosion and Western Vinyl. The ambient jazz album follows a chronological arc that spans three generations covering his parents’ early lives, his own spiritual and physical adolescence, and his subsequent struggle to eschew the problematic habituations of such a conflicted past.

In addition to his solo work, Shabason has contributed to bands such as DIANA, Destroyer and The War on Drugs.

For our new column, we asked the musician and new father to tell us what he has been consuming at his Toronto home during the pandemic.

EATING: For this one, I am gonna have to rep my local pizza and Italian food spot, Mattachioni. Besides having incredible pizza, delicious sandwiches and salads and easily the best sourdough in the city they also treat you in a way that I have only experienced in European restaurants. For whatever reason Canadian restaurants are all business: “Here’s your food. Have a great day.” When you go to Mattachioni they treat you like a friend. They make sure you get what you ordered but they also ask you about your day, give your kid a free cookie and insist on you taking home a loaf of bread that might go to waste if it isn’t eaten. The last time I went there they gave me a bottle of champagne because we had just had a new baby and a free beer in a coffee cup for the walk home. They are as committed to making you feel valued as they are to making amazing food. Every time I leave that restaurant I feel better than when I went in.

DRINKING: We do one of two things these days. First, Blood Brothers. Man oh man is this beer very good. The Shumei is my favourite IPA in the city and Blood Light is so crisp and drinkable. But they also have such an assortment of weird and interesting beers that taste like nothing else I’ve ever tried. Whether it’s beer staples or left-field gronkers, I think they make the best beer in Toronto. Second, Bittern Wine Delivery. When we are feeling like we need something special in our life we get Bittern Wine Delivery to drop off three weirdo natural wines at our house. They curate what you drink and we have yet to be disappointed. It’s insane that only one LCBO in Toronto carries natural wine so until they up their game we’ll just keep getting it delivered.

STREAMING: Again, this falls into two camps. First, trashy reality TV.When we have been working and taking care of two kids all day and just need to turn our minds off we usually go for The Bachelor, but I have grown increasingly disillusioned at how mind-numbingly stupid it’s become. Brutal even by The Bachelor standards. But there is a way forward and that way is Temptation Island. It’s like everything The Bachelor used to be only hornier with more attractive contestants. This show delivers! And the second is comedy. We just had a baby so most days I only have enough energy to look at Instagram for 30 minutes and fall asleep, but I did get really into Detroiters and man oh man did I ever love it. The two main characters are Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson and in my mind, they are probably the best living comedy duo out there. Pure magic. The writing is also incredible and they don’t shy away from some seriously edgy and weird plot lines. Can’t recommend it enough. I was laughing out loud every episode and often laughed until I cried…so that is something!

For more of our new column click here.

The best white pizza in Toronto

By

Jessica Huras

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4:34 pm

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White pizza, also known as pizza bianca, is a traditional Italian pizza that doesn’t use red tomato sauce. With one of the most flavourful elements of the pizza completely out of the equation, the secret to an incredible white pie isn’t in the sauce but instead, is a balanced mixture of olive oil, garlic, salt and cheese. Whether you’re a tomato-hater or just want to change up your go-to pizza order, we’ve got you covered with our picks for the best white pizza in Toronto.

Maker Pizza

Most famously known for those tiny pepperonis that are cooked just right and their soft, doughy sesame crusts, Maker Pizza offers three white pizzas, which are available in small and large sizes and range in price from $21 to $37. The Frank’s Best uses a three-cheese blend of goat’s cheese, parmesan and organic mozzarella, and features caramelized onions, honey, rosemary and sea salt for toppings. The Final Return of the Mac is a vegetarian white pizza that puts a cheesy twist on a famous fast-food burger: Impossible Foods vegan meat, dill pickles and secret sauce are loaded on a blend of mozzarella and cheddar.

North of Brooklyn

With four locations across the city, North of Brooklyn is a top spot for white pizza, offering medium-sized pies (14”) for $18 and large-sized pies (18”) for $26. There are three white pizzas to choose from, including the Kale and Bacon, which is mozzarella and garlic oil-based with pecorino, double-smoked bacon, and kale on top. A special white pizza, called Green Out, is back for a limited time, and uses salsa verde, mozzarella, spring cream, spinach, semi-dried tomatoes and pecorino.

Blondies

Unmistakable thanks to its bubblegum pink exterior, Blondie’s is known for some of the best white pizza in Toronto, affectionately referring to them as “blondes.” All blonde pizzas feature an Alfredo-style sauce and full-fat mozzarella (yay for extra stretchy cheese!). There are six blonde pizzas on the menu, ranging in price from $17 for a 13” to $27 for a 16”. Blondies offers two vegetarian white pizzas, including My Friend The Model, which is topped with a blend of pistachio, red onion and Grana Padano cheese. The remaining four white pizzas feature a variety of meats including Venetian salami, chicken sausage, pancetta and pepperoni, and a range of cheeses, like smoked mozzarella, provolone and parmesan, alongside toppings like bitter greens, fennel, pecorino and arugula.

The Parlour

With nearly 20 pizzas on the menu, the Parlour puts an unconventional spin on its selection of white pizzas. Available in one size only, ranging from $23 to $27, all of the Parlour’s doughs are vegan-friendly and there are vegan pizzas, too, made from ingredients like cashew burrata cheese and Beyond Meat sausage. All doughs can also be made gluten-free for an extra charge. Our white pizza pick is the Goldmember, which features cashew burrata, caramelized onion, roasted mushrooms, Yukon Gold potato, truffle oil and mushroom dust.

Terroni

Terroni is home to 28 pizzas, four of which are white-sauced pies. The Puzza is a simple white pizza, featuring Italian shaved ham, a three-cheese blend of mascarpone, mozzarella and gorgonzola cheese, plus mushrooms. A more adventurous white pie is the C’T Mang, featuring mozzarella, gorgonzola, fresh slices of pear, walnuts, strips of smoked prosciutto and honey.

How to add native plants, trees and shrubs to your garden this spring

By

lindsaylow

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2:34 pm

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native plants rosedale — © Platinum Vista

Janet Rosenberg Studio Inc. is an award-winning landscape architecture firm. Her most recent project is No. 7 Dale, an ultra-luxury residence in Rosedale.

With the arrival of spring comes that wonderful sense that everything is coming back to life. As weather warms and our deciduous trees slowly begin to leaf out, we become immediately aware of their visual impact on our landscapes. But we are also reminded of the critical role they play in the function of our ecosystem. Trees are the lifeblood of Toronto’s landscapes.

Maintaining and restoring our native and heritage trees is critical to preserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecological function in our urban spaces. Native trees provide a myriad of benefits, including creating habitat for birds, insects and animals; creating shade and cooling temperatures in summer; producing oxygen and absorbing CO2; reducing erosion; and managing storm water runoff.

They support the growth of other native plant material, require less water, fertilizer or pesticides and are more resilient to extreme weather events.

Esthetically, they are beautiful. They have incredible size, seasonal colour, gorgeous branching structure and unparalleled character. Some of my favourites are the American beech, sugar maple and black locust.

A new generation of growers and foresters are studying Toronto’s historical native trees and using them to grow native trees that can be reintroduced into the environment.

Wilder Ventures is at the forefront of this work, and the team, led by Eric Davies, has successfully started Toronto’s first native tree nursery, providing a seed bank and tree supply for trees that have proven to survive and thrive in the GTA. The DNA of these “ecological elders” is being valued, harnessed and reintroduced to the landscape, and I think it’s brilliant.

As you get into the garden this season, ask your local nursery about indigenous plants, trees and shrubs that you can incorporate into your space, especially if you’re near the ravine system.

Understanding and valuing that your garden is part of the city’s natural ecosystem is critical, and it’s something I focus on in all of my projects.

At my most recent project in Rosedale, No. 7 Dale Residences, it was a key priority of ours to preserve and protect some of the majestic heritage trees on site, which lend significant character, presence and privacy to the property.

We worked with Hariri Pontarini Architects early on in the process to site the proposed residential building outside of the tree root zone of several large specimens in order to ensure that they are protected for the duration of construction.

We’ve also added native trees throughout the landscape, which gently feathers down into the ravine. The future owners of these residences will now be able to enjoy the natural beauty and benefits of these trees and the ravine landscape.

I am excited about this work because in a place where we are otherwise seeing a decline in the quality of the ravine landscape ecology, as well as a natural end to the lifespan of many trees originally planted when Rosedale was developed well over a hundred years ago, we have an opportunity to consciously plant with hardy native species that will thrive and bring biodiversity back to the area. It’s important for our firm to work with clients and design teams that place significant value on native and heritage trees to protect the historic architecture and lush greenery of the development site.

We are at a critical juncture where policy decisions and public opinion will have a tremendous impact on the future of our urban forest and ultimately how we brace for climate change. We have an opportunity now to make informed decisions that make sense economically, ecologically and esthetically and for that reason, when possible and appropriate, we will be planting native.

Top Toronto cheese shop set to open new offshoot

By

Jessica Huras

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1:57 pm

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Foodie favourite the Cheese Boutique is continuing its dairy domination of the Ripley Avenue area. According to its new Instagram account, CB Bottega is poised to open at 29 Ripley Ave., three doors down from the main shop at 45 Ripley Ave.

Until recently, the space at 29 Ripley Ave. housed the Cheese Boutique’s cookware department, carrying knives, BBQs and kitchen essentials from brands like Le Creuset, Wusthof and Staub. CB Bottega’s Instagram hints that the store is in the midst of a makeover and, along with cookware, it will soon expand its offerings to feature a cafe, bakery and gelateria.

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A post shared by CB Bottega (@cb_bottega)

On-and-off lockdowns don’t appear to have slowed down the Cheese Boutique and its owner/maître fromager Afrim Pristine. In addition to the upcoming CB Bottega launch, the Bloor West Village shop has hosted a series of pop-ups with top Toronto chefs in recent months.

The pop-ups see Pristine offering up the Cheese Boutique’s on-site food truck, which is located across from the shop at 8 Ripley Ave., to a rotating line-up of chefs and restaurant menus.

The series, which is set to continue until August, has already hosted pop-ups from chefs such as Trevor Lui, Victor Barry, and Leña chef Julie Marteleira. Pristine also recently partnered with La Palma chef Craig Harding to launch plant-based cheese company the Future of Cheese.

Aside from a few sneak peek photos shared via Instagram, further details and an opening date for CB Bottega have yet to be announced. Keep an eye on their Instagram for updates.

Caitlin Cronenberg launches a crypto art series that blends fashion, beauty and tech

By

Nikki Gill

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11:16 am

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cronenberg crypto art — Caitlin Cronenberg and Amy Harper

A new photography series is putting a tongue-in-cheek spin on crypto art — an emerging art form made up of non-fungible tokens or NFTs. The tokens 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.

The ongoing series, Words of Mouth, consists of four images launched Monday in both print and NFT form. The photographer known for shooting the cover art for Drake’s “Views” and Dan Levy for People Magazine, Caitlin Cronenberg, partnered with makeup artist Amy Harper to create the series, which depicts close-up shots of mouths holding bold words between their teeth like nude, divine, chaos and loser.

“The juxtaposition of a word like ‘loser’ displayed in bubblegum pink or the unexpected elegance of a perfectly lined lip holding together the ‘CHAOS’ within adds complexity to the beauty,” Harper says.

Cronenberg says that for her and Harper, the project provided a welcome opportunity to combine their passions and get creative during the pandemic.

“Words of Mouth combines my passion for art and beauty with my fascination with tech,” says Cronenberg. “It’s Amy’s and my version of a ‘pandemic pivot’ — an outlet to stretch our creative muscles and work together on something we’re both excited about while embracing new innovations in art distribution.”

According to Cronenberg, crypto art is the way of the future, and she’s excited to see it gaining momentum in the art world.

“Crypto art is blowing up and I see its potential as a catalyst for positive change in the landscape for creators,” she says. “It’s the art investing of the future.”

Part of the proceeds from the series will be donated to Greenpeace to help offset the environmental impact of NFTs. Prints can be purchased at shop.caitlincronenberg.com, and for Crypto Wallet holders, the works can be found on the blockchain in runs of 1/1, 1/10, and 1/100 editions, some of which also come with physical prints.

Marital stress is the unexpected COVID side effect

By

lindsaylow

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10:46 am

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Parenting columnist Joanne Kates is an expert educator in the areas of conflict mediation, self-esteem and anti-bullying, and she is the director of Camp Arowhon in Algonquin Park

The most wonderful thing in the world is to look at your children, your partner by your side, and bask in loving them together. Knowing that the two of you adore these beings with all your heart, and you’re in it together.

Until you’re not.

It turns out that one of the unexpected side effects of COVID is marital stress and a resulting rising divorce rate. Pre-COVID statistics told us that the relationship between spouses suffers when they have kids, and yet the likelihood of them divorcing declines! They stay together for the kids.

That was pre-COVID.

Add new stresses to the marital mix, and it can turn sour.

Imagine if I had told you a year ago that both parents would be working from home, schools would be mostly closed and your kids would be doing remote learning, and summer camps and extracurriculars would be mostly closed so your kids would really be stuck at home.

Oh, and they can’t hang out with their friends. Or mark major life events in any meaningful way.

And your child care arrangements go to hell in a handbasket. And the grandparents can’t get near them to help take care of them. And nobody can go away on vacation.

It’s no wonder that kids are depressed, lonely and anxious.

What does all this mean for parenting?

It means that COVID has made an already challenging job about 10 times harder. There is so much more for parents to disagree about.

Let’s take remote schooling. We know this is way too challenging for a great many kids, that they’re having trouble doing their schoolwork, struggling to concentrate and focus in online classes, and that many kids are falling behind in school.

This is the perfect parenting minefield because it’s almost impossible for any two people to agree on the strategy for dealing with a kid who is struggling that way. The situation sets the stage for a perfect storm, for parenting World War 3.

Stated baldly, the two extremes are the laissez-faire relaxed parent who wants to let it go. This sounds like: “All the kids are in the same boat, let’s not worry about it. You’re stressing too much and making the kids even more uptight.”

Versus the other parent who says: “These are academic losses that matter to their future. It’s fine for you to say it doesn’t matter — you’re not the one who thinks about that stuff. I’m the one who helps with homework.”

Notice the judgment and hostility thrown in on both sides. This is the stuff of which true marital discord is made.

Add to this the marital conflict over how much screen time COVID kids should be allowed, how much to try to control their (potentially contagious) contact with their friends and then throw in a dash of anger over who’s doing the parental heavy lifting. Here too we’ve got statistics.

Apparently COVID has exaggerated the already unequal time that men and women put into parenting, with women doing even more than they were pre-COVID.

All of which is resulting in increased stress on marriages and thus a pandemic-fuelled increase in marital separation and divorce.

How could it not?

And what is to be done? Is there a fix? This depends on how much credit remains in each person’s “emotional bank.”

If there’s no gas in the tank and spouses have given up on each other and have decided that their partner is not worth fighting for, it’s game over.

If there’s emotional credit in the great ATM of marriage, then there’s hope.

The Zoom marriage counsellors are open for business. Get one.

This 905 bakery is bringing Japanese-style bread to the GTA

By

Jessica Huras

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4:22 pm

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The latest bakery to open in the 905 is serving the best thing since sliced bread: shokupan, a fluffy style of bread popular in Japan. Launched in mid-March, Iki Shokupan is taking orders via Instagram DM and typically sells out a week in advance.

A technique called the Yudane method, which involves mixing bread flour with boiling water, differentiates shokupan from your run-of-the-mill white bread loaf. The boiling water gelatinizes the starch, resulting in a softer, moister, sweeter bread with an almost mochi-like texture. From French toast to sandwiches, shokupan can be enjoyed like traditional bread but it’s also flavourful enough to be eaten on its own.

Owner Jing Yang has been a hobby baker for years but, like many people, found herself reevaluating her priorities and recommitting to her passions amid the pandemic, according to Albert Yamada Hsueh, who is handling marketing for the bakery. “She’s always been into baking, but now she’s had a chance to explore the shokupan recipe and everybody has been blown away,” he says.

Yang’s shokupan, which is made from scratch using natural ingredients and no preservatives, is free of sugar and eggs. It also features distinctive swirl patterns, which Hsueh says are created as it rises on the baking rack.

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A post shared by iki shokupan by j. (@iki.shokupan)

“Everything is uncertain with COVID, but one thing that doesn’t stop is we have to eat,” says Hsueh, adding Iku Shokupan aims to offer a delicious but healthy option.

Yang is currently making about 24 loaves per day in her Markham-area kitchen. Hsueh says that the home-based bakery’s long-term goal is to acquire a commercial storefront. He adds that, unlike in Canada, where customers often expect a varied menu, it’s common for shops in Japan to focus on perfecting a single product, which is their current goal with Iki Shokupan.

Yang does plan to slowly introduce different varieties of shokupan, such as whole wheat and honey. Hsueh says the bakery might also offer limited-edition flavours for holidays like Mother’s Day.

The shokupan is currently available for pick-up only and orders can be placed through Iki Shokupan’s Instagram.

How to help your team deal with work-related stress

By

Jarrod Daley

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2:25 pm

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See all posts by Diamond and Diamond Lawyers

When it comes to work-related tasks, sometimes employees’ plates can become very full. As a result, the importance of helping your team manage their workload and ward off stress is important. Leading personal injury law firm, Diamond and Diamond, takes stress management very seriously. Although the legal profession can be very demanding, under the leadership of Sandra Zisckind, husband Jeremy Diamond, and brother Isaac Zisckind, Diamond and Diamond is able to ensure that their team keeps stress to a minimum while working from home. The leadership team shares some tips:

Encouraging breaks when needed is vital to stress management. As Sandra Zisckind says, “incorporating breaks into a work day is very important – breaks allow employees to get some fresh air and refocus, and are a great way to step away from any stress that work may be causing.” Diamond and Diamond encourages employees to take regular breaks throughout the workday – this is especially important when working from home. Boundary lines can be blurred in virtual work environments, so it’s important for leadership at organizations to reinforce the mental and physical benefits of taking regular breaks.

Task prioritization and setting clear expectations is another important aspect to managing stress. As Isaac Zisckind says, “at Diamond and Diamond, we believe in the importance of making sure our employees have a clear understanding of what tasks they are responsible for and when these tasks need to be completed.” By setting clear expectations, this allows employees to budget their time and focus on what needs to be done immediately.

Developing and maintaining a regular schedule is another important key to stress management – especially when working from home. Hosting a virtual standup meeting with your team each morning is a great way to start the day and understand each team member’s priorities. However, this is not where it ends – as an organization you need to encourage your employees to develop a schedule and create a routine to ensure productivity and work-life balance. As Jeremy Diamond says, “having a routine has really helped our team members get settled into working from home and set clear expectations for online/offline hours.”

It is vital that employees ask questions in order to understand full direction before completing tasks. This will help stymie any stress that may result from uncertainty relating to a particular task. Isaac Zisckind says, “at Diamond and Diamond, we encourage employees to ask questions whenever they have them. This is critical to ensuring tasks are completed correctly.” On the flip side, leaders and management must be open and receptive to questions via email and phone.

Lastly, encourage your employees to seek professional help if stress has become an issue. Providing your employees with resources is an important aspect of helping your team deal with stress and ensuring your remote work environment is a safe one. As Sandra Zisckind says, “at Diamond and Diamond we take the mental health of our employees very seriously. We actively encourage employees to seek help if they’re going through a difficult time. Our door is always open to discuss these issues.”

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.

Local designer Hilary MacMillan teams up with body positivity champion on self-love jacket

By

Nikki Gill

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12:14 pm

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When digital creator Sarah Nicole Landry of the Birds Papaya stumbled upon the phrase “not made to be subtle” earlier this year, she knew it would resonate with others just as deeply as it resonated with her. With messages of body positivity, confidence and self-love among the overarching themes of her online platform, Landry had the idea to include the empowering phrase on a new limited-edition jacket she designed in collaboration with Canadian designer Hilary MacMillan.

“Each year, I try and think of something to remind myself of and reflect on, and this year, it was to not minimize myself, my voice, my being,” Landry says. “Collaborating with Hilary feels so special. These Varsity jackets worn by me, my children and my friends serve as a reminder to all of us to not minimize ourselves, our dreams and our greatness in this walk we call life.”

Landry and MacMillan first met at a pop-up event and have been supporting each other as women creatives ever since. The designer says partnering with Landry on the jacket as an extension of her legacy Varsity Collection was a no-brainer.

“Sarah is an inspiration to me,” MacMillan says. “She carves out fierce space in the social landscape through honesty and self-love, which is authentic and raw. I knew right away when redesigning the Varsity Collection for 2021 that I wanted to partner with her and build a jacket around the theme of self-empowerment and authenticity.”

Available in both adult and youth sizes in both black and pink, the jacket is an extension of the designer’s noteworthy Varsity Collection, which serves as a way for people to make bold statements and tell their stories through fashion.

“The Varsity Collection creates space for individuals to be seen, using fashion to spark dialogues, express values, build narratives and connect communities,” MacMillan says.

The exclusive jacket is set to launch on MacMillan’s e-commerce platform on April 19 at $165 for adults, and $100 for youth. To join the wait list for early access, visit hilarymacmillan.com.

Mira Mira opens new funky diner in the Beach

By

Ron Johnson

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6:22 pm

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The team at Mira Mira headquartered in Leslieville has opened a new outpost one neighbourhood to the east in the Beach.

The diner specializes in some seriously decadent sandwich options offering a touch of fusion cuisine and a heap of comfort. Menu items include a crispy haddock fish sandwich with lemongrass aioli and a teriyaki steak melt to honey kimchi chicken and a jerk banh mi.

There is also an ice cream bar. The key addition to any good Beach dining option.

In addition to the new Beach as well as the Leslieville shops, Mira Mira also has a takeout counter at the Assembly Food Hall in the Financial District.

Polished diner vibe at Mira Mira’s new outlet in the Beach

The Beach outlet is at the corner of Queen Street East and Kenilworth Avenue at the former location of a series of now-defunct eateries. It includes a large patio space on the west side along Kenilworth.

The interior is a fun, bright affair reminiscent of an old-timey diner or soda fountain but with a bit more style. There are high ceilings with swirling ceiling fangs, and light wood finishes including a half-dozen gleaming stools lining a countertop that will soon (Hopefully!) be filled with hungry Beachers.

There are outdoor patio heaters lined up ready to go once dining al fresco is once again given the okay by the powers-that-be.