Holiday gift ideas from Toronto jewellery makers

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10:43 am

Holiday gift ideas from Toronto jewellery makers are the perfect way to make someone feel special during the holidays. From stunning accent pieces to timeless diamonds and family rings, each of these unique designs will be sure to bring some sparkle this season.

Here are our top picks.

An elegant ring from Secrett Jewel Salon

The Secrett Jewel Salon, location in Yorkville, has a large collection of fine jewellery ranges from the latest designs to the most classic with an amazing choice of gemstones and pearls. This beautiful 18k white gold ruby and pave diamond ring makes the perfect gift for someone special.

A necklace from Lafia Jewellery

Lafia Jewellery is a Canadian designed and manufactured fine jewellery brand. Beautiful collections from classic to modern are all crafted in 14k gold. This perfect for the holidays Diamond Baguette Paperclip Necklace is the ultimate gift. The baguette diamond is set on a 14k gold small paperclip chain and finished with the signature Lafia clasp. Retail $3,000. All pieces are made to order just for you.

A stunning family ring from Engage Studio

For this Holiday season why not commemorate your family jewels with a family reversible ring? The concept was designed to be able to be worn in reversible fashion: diamonds up or gemstones up. Whether your family is just starting out or is set in stone, Engage Studio creates these beautiful designs to represent each one of your treasures.

A diamond bangle from Jewellery made by Varouj

Surprise someone special with this custom-made diamond bangle, hand-crafted by award-winning designer and goldsmith Varouj. This one-of-a-kind 14k white gold bracelet is adorned with 10 dazzling baguette diamonds and 114 brilliant cut diamonds. Jewellery made by Varouj is created with a passion for timeless beauty and unsurpassed workmanship.

A luxurious ring from Cynthia Findlay Fine Jewellery & Antiques

A stunning Art Deco 18kt yellow gold with silver top mill grain ring from Cynthia Findlay Fine Jewellery & Antiques that features 1 old European cut diamond, 28 French single cut diamonds, and 14 square and straight baguette deep green emeralds.

Timeless diamond stud earrings fromVan Rijk Jewellers

These diamond studs from Van Rijk Jewellers are a timeless expression of love and beauty, and are the perfect gift to show that special someone that you care. Available in many sizes and price ranges, diamond stud earrings are the perfect accessory that will go with everything.

Massey Hall redevelopment adds new space for emerging artists

By

Ron Johnson

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10:15 am

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With so many live music venues shuttered in the city, it’s a special day when news comes of progress on Toronto’s most storied concert hall.

Massey Hall was closed down to undergo a massive redevelopment well before the pandemic even hit. The venue recently announced that a new seven-storey tower addition, currently in construction, will soon be home to a “creative urban workspace.”

Called the Allied Music Centre, it’s being created in partnership with developer Allied Properties and will host a number of spaces and venues for emerging artists.

“We’re truly grateful for the opportunity to partner with historic Massey Hall,” said Michael Emory, Allied CEO and president. “This partnership will enable us to contribute meaningfully to our communities. It will also enable us to propel our vision over an extended period of time and to enrich the experience of the many creative organizations and people who use our urban workspace across the country.”

The gorgeous facade of Massey Hall was uncovered recently (Photo: Salina Kassam)

The new space will include a 100-seat capacity theatre where emerging artists can perform and learn, complete with retractable seats similar to those currently also being installed in Massey Hall’s renovation.

In addition, the Allied Music Centre will contain a studio for professional recordings and education, an artists’ lab that will give musicians the “modern tools needed to develop their craft,” such as audio workstations and practice rooms, as well as a lounge for casual meet-ups for the music community and concert-goers.

The tower, designed by KPMB Architects, was previously unveiled in October 2017 and will also include a new 500-capacity club with sightlines of the city.

“In Allied, we have found a partner who shares our values, believes in our mission, and from day one wanted to know what they could do to make the Massey Hall Revitalization even more impactful to the community,” said Jesse Kumagai, president and CEO of the Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall.

“As a result, their insightful and meaningful investment is not only bringing Massey Hall a significant step closer to reopening but also serving as the catalyst for expanded scope, adding a new performance venue and dedicated spaces for artist development and music education. We are immeasurably grateful for this remarkable gift to Canada’s music scene!”

The revitalization of Massey Hall’s interior and exterior is scheduled to be complete in 2021.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Tracy Moore

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lindsaylow

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9:40 am

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The Television Host

Tracy Moore has been the host of Cityline since 2008 and is the first Black woman to host a national daytime show in Canada. This year she also launched the #CitylineRealonRace podcast which featured leading voices on Black trans lives, the Black queer experience, white privilege, Black activism, police brutality, Black resistance, misogynoir and microaggressions from a Canadian perspective.

By Karlyn Percil | CITYLINE LIFESTYLE EXPERT

I met Tracy shortly after I moved here from the Caribbean. Being new here without a network, it was inspiring to meet a woman who looked like me who went on to host a national daytime show. This level of visibility and acknowledgement of her expertise inspired me and other Black women immensely.

Working with Tracy on Cityline is like working with your fairy godmother who also happens to be your friend, who is also silly and fun — I feel incredibly lucky to have that privilege. In the Caribbean, we often use the saying, “What you see is what you get.” That is our way of defining authenticity, and that is Tracy.

She embraces all of who she is and is not afraid to share her stumbles and the obstacles in her path. By being brave enough to be herself, she has given every woman — especially Black women — a huge permission slip to do the same in their own perfectly imperfect way. She is a humble hero who quietly changes the world simply by being who she is.

She’s aware of her privilege and trades it every day to lift others as she climbs. She will cheer you on from the sidelines and get in the trenches with you to wipe your tears or cry with you. Then she’ll yell at you to get back up — because she believes in you enough to know that you can.

She is a warrior who will fight for what is right, who will trade vulnerability and her emotional discomfort for impactful and lasting change. Her commitment to leave this world much better than she found it inspires us all to do the same. She’s a trailblazer, and this world is a better place because of her.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Marci Ien

By

lindsaylow

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9:39 am

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The Politician

Marci Ien is a journalist and broadcaster who most recently was a co-host on CTV’s The Social. This year, after leaving her role on The Social, she was elected as the MP for Toronto Centre.

By Cynthia Loyst | CO-HOST, CTV’S THE SOCIAL

Like so many people across Canada, I felt like I knew Marci Ien even before I met her. After all, she had been captivating audiences for decades — first as a bright-eyed young girl on the series Circle Square and then as a news anchor on Canada AM.

When she began co-hosting CTV’s The Social, one of the things that immediately captivated me was her ability to focus on others. No matter how busy she was or what was going on in her life, she was always able to make those around her feel as though she had all the time in the world for them. Her focused presence was extended to everyone, from the producers to the security guards to the studio audience and even as far as a group of students at Dene High School in La Loche, Saskatchewan.

Under the critical and often vicious public eye (and with the added pressure of being often the first and the only) Marci never became bitter or disenchanted. Instead, she saw everything as an opportunity: to challenge, to enlighten and to uplift. Although many assume that strength is shown through the loudest and most combative, Marci’s calm and quiet strength in the midst of what could often be overwhelming vitriol has always been a reminder of the incredible power of kindness.

Marci is a woman who cares deeply. She feels the fear and makes the leap anyway. She shows us that at any age we can make bold life transitions in our relationships, in our careers, in our attitudes and that those transitions are meant to be woven into the rich tapestry of our lives. Canada is lucky to have Marci Ien.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Annamie Paul

By

lindsaylow

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9:38 am

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The Leader

Annamie Paul became the leader of the Green Party of Canada in October of this year. This achievement made her the first Black Canadian and the first Jewish woman to be elected leader of a major federal party in Canada.

By Hon. Jody Wilson-Raybould | MP FOR VANCOUVER GRANVILLE

Annamie Paul is a Princeton-educated lawyer and the leader of the Green Party of Canada — Canada’s first Black federal party leader. Annamie Paul has inspired women and girls across Canada this year — including me. As Canada’s first Black federal leader and the first Jewish woman to lead a federal party, her leadership and dedication serve as an example to all Canadians.

Like me, Annamie is a lawyer who decided to use her legal training in a different but complementary way to mine, working on the front lines of the climate movement in the EU and internationally at the International Criminal Court. I feel a strong sense of self from Annamie and have an appreciation of the importance she places on family and our interconnectedness as a society.

She is a mother of two, and I know I join many Canadians in seeing how she and how we need to see our country’s top political issues through a generational lens: in essence, what we do now will have a direct impact on our children and those generations to come.

Annamie Paul is an activist and advocate who, in her passionate approach to politics, has already been inspiring and lifting up communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. I look forward to watching what she will do in 2021.

I trust her candour, non-partisan approach and thoughtfulness will continue to pave her way. I look forward to working with her as we all continue to work toward our common goal of ultimately improving the quality of lives for Canadians.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Sasha Exeter

By

lindsaylow

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9:37 am

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The Influencer

Sasha Exeter is a former elite athlete turned social media influencer and entrepreneur who works with brands such as Ela handbags, Joe Fresh and Activia among many others. Her work can be found on her personal website at SoSasha.com, where she covers all topics from fitness to motherhood and more. Exeter has used her platform to address anti-Black racism in Toronto and beyond, and also to promote Black-owned businesses.

By Carly Burnett | FOUNDER, TKEES

Having been friends with Sasha for over 20 years, I can unequivocally state, “What you see is what you get.” And if I was pressed to sum Sasha up in one word, it would be “genuine.”

Always a “we” person, Sasha’s approach, both on and off the camera, is always focused on the collective as opposed to the individual. Her willingness to open her personal world up to everyone is merely a reflection of that.

When Sasha speaks, her words resonate in a way few others can. They wake you up, inspire you and open your eyes to things you might otherwise dismiss. In short, when Sasha speaks, people listen.

Sasha is willing to put herself out there without fear of criticism. Sasha’s opinion matters and her friends, family and community have all taken notice. Undaunted by the challenges of being a single, working mother, Sasha meets us all, without fail, every day and inspires us to share our point of view, work harder and to take care of ourselves so we can take care of those around us.

I thanked Sasha the other day for something she did, only for her to reply, “We’re in this together.” In that moment it struck me — online or offline with Sasha — we’re all in this together, experiencing things together, with her as our guide.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Haviah Mighty

By

lindsaylow

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9:36 am

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The Musician

Haviah Mighty is a rapper who has been releasing music since 2009. A decade later in 2019, she was awarded the Polaris Prize for her album, 13th Floor. Mighty and her album made history as the first Black woman to receive the award, and the first hip hop record to win.

By TiKA | MUSICIAN

Many moons ago, I met Haviah Mighty at a charity event. She is one of the most beautiful, kind-hearted and down-to-earth womxn I have ever met.

She is unabashed in voicing her opinion on political issues regarding race and the mistreatment of artists in the music business, and she would literally put her entire family on a pedestal with her if she could.

With a last name like Mighty, Haviah lives up to her name and more. It’s no secret that Black womxn can literally do everything. Haviah is an incredible rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, amongst many other talents I’m sure are hiding under her belt. She spits bars as fast and as precise as any male counterpart, publicly addresses issues regarding colourism and still manages to bring her community together.

I wasn’t surprised when she won the Polaris Prize and that she was the first Black womxn to make it happen. I felt that it was her birthright, considering how loudly she advocated for herself, her family, her Blackness and her community. It was a loud indication of the shift that desperately needed to happen during a very loud Toronto renaissance.

So much still needs to shift in terms of Black womxn being at the forefront in Toronto, but with the existence of artists like Haviah, I have high hopes for a better future. She matters so much, and I’m elated to give the queen her flowers — yesterday, today and tomorrow.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa

By

lindsaylow

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9:35 am

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The Doctor

Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa is a physician who graduated from the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine in the spring. She was the first Black woman to be named the sole valedictorian of her graduating class, as elected by her classmates. She is currently continuing her training in psychiatry. She is also a poet and was recently named to Indigo’s board of directors.

By Trevor Young | DEAN, TEMERTY FACULTY OF MEDICINE, U of T

We ask many things of doctors. Not only do we expect them to be scholars and scientists, but also to mindfully serve the public interest.

Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa’s passionate advocacy and committed humanitarian work do exactly this. When Dr. Oriuwa began her medical studies at U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine in 2016, she was the only Black student in her class. She has spoken about the challenges and stresses this caused her.

But rather than be daunted by this, she was determined to help address the chronic under-representation of Black communities in the medical profession. Dr. Oriuwa used her skills, which include persuasive leadership, to help us launch the Black Student Application Program. This year, more than 20 Black students entered the first year of our MD program.

When Dr. Oriuwa graduated this spring — with both a medical degree and a master’s degree in health system leadership and innovation — she was elected valedictorian by her classmates. Dr. Oriuwa has ceaseless energy and a gift for poetry. She is involved in many organizations, including the editorial board of Healthy Debate and Indigo’s board of directors, in addition to continuing her training in psychiatry.

Dr. Oriuwa brings creativity, compassion and insights to her roles, as well as a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Kayla Grey

By

lindsaylow

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9:34 am

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The Sportscaster

Kayla Grey is an award-winning journalist who is currently an anchor on TSN’s Sportscentre. Grey is the first Black woman to host a flagship sports highlight show in Canada. She has also appeared on CTV’s The Social, Your Morning, CP24 and The Marilyn Denis Show among others.

By Brandon Gonez | REPORTER, CP24

Kayla Grey is an amazing mother, a talented journalist and a dear friend, but the one word I most often use to describe her is “inspiration.”

Kayla has been a positive force and a role model since she began her career in broadcasting by moving to western Canada to work in places where she was always the only Black woman in her newsroom. There is immense pressure that comes with being the “only,” including the responsibility to be a positive representation for women who are like her and the pressure to break stereotypes.

In the face of that pressure, Kayla has continued to shatter the glass ceiling. She has cemented herself in the history books at TSN as the first Black woman to anchor a national sports show in Canada. That is no easy accomplishment. But for Kayla, breaking new ground is her destiny.

Even when she was a child, Kayla was never one to fall in line. Instead, she created the line. Despite facing many challenges in her past, Kayla never allowed them to define her. Rather, she used those challenges as motivation to aim higher.

Part of that drive means using her platform to speak truth to power. This is at the core of who Kayla is. It’s why her voice resonates not just in the sports world, but far beyond. That’s what makes Kayla Grey so inspiring. Because not only can Black women see themselves in her, but all women can as well.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Suzanne Barr

By

lindsaylow

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9:33 am

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The Chef

Suzanne Barr is a respected Toronto chef with a flair for Afro Caribbean, soulful comfort food. Her culinary repertoire includes owner of Saturday Dinette; inaugural chef-in residence at the Gladstone Hotel; resident judge on Food Network Canada’s series ‘Wall of Chefs;’ and partner and executive chef at True True Diner, which permanently closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Ivy Knight | JOURNALIST

Suzanne Barr and I were both in The Heat, a Netflix documentary that delves into sexism in restaurants and profiles women who are succeeding in spite of the chef-bro culture that works to uphold the patriarchy every single day.

The work I’ve watched her do boggles the mind. To give you an idea — the job of a chef/owner is already two full-time gigs in one. To also be an advocate, mentor and human rights activist on top of that, while putting together new menus that change with the seasons and keep customers happy, is literally impossible.

When the pandemic hit and she lost her brand new restaurant — an homage to the original diner sit-ins staged across the South that launched the civil rights movement — she had no idea what a blessing that would be or that a new civil rights movement was about to galvanize the world, and her story of loss by her white business partners leaving her high and dry would prove to be inspiration for a whole new chapter.

Suzanne has grown up to be this country’s most recognized Black chef. A star on Wall of Chefs and the author of the soon to be published Homecoming, we need her message right now, far more than her menus.

She believes in a brave new world: where cooks and servers are valued and paid a living wage, where everyone is treated with respect and where issues of harassment, racism and mental health are talked about openly. Free of the kitchen, she’s able to tell it like it is, and her former customers turned fans are here for it.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Ginella Massa

By

lindsaylow

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9:32 am

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The Broadcaster

Ginella Massa is an on-air reporter and anchor. She became Canada’s first hijab-wearing television reporter in 2015, and the first hijab-wearing news anchor in 2016 when she anchored the 11 p.m. newscast for CityNews. She recently joined CBC News where she will host a weeknight primetime program on CBC News Network.

By Maleeha Sheikh | CITYNEWS REPORTER

Ginella Massa not only tells the headlines but makes the headlines as well. She is Canada’s first hijab-wearing TV news personality.

In an industry where you are judged for your appearance, Ginella never let the fact that no one looked like her stop her from pursuing her dream. She made it happen and has become a role model for other little girls in hijab. They now know they too can be whatever they want to be with determination.

She started off as a video journalist in Kitchener. Barely over five feet, she was lugging around a 30-pound camera plus a tripod, all over the city — interviewing people and putting together stories. Her hard work paid off, as she soon landed a job in Toronto on CityNews — grabbing worldwide attention once she anchored her very first newscast in 2016.

From local TV to national, Ginella Massa will now have her very own show on the CBC News Network as a prime-time host. Her goal has always been to include diverse voices in her storytelling. Both behind the scenes and on-air, she is often the only one who looks like her in whichever newsroom she works in. She tries to bring in her unique perspective by including different races, religions and people’s voices, which may not otherwise be heard.

Yes, Ginella Massa is a Black woman who has broken many barriers, but first and foremost, she is an incredible journalist, a critical thinker, asks the tough questions and cares about every single story that makes it to air. We need her smart voice and perspective at a time when diversity and inclusion are more important than ever.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.

Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020: Eternity Martis

By

lindsaylow

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9:31 am

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The Author

Eternity Martis is an award-winning journalist who published her bestselling debut memoir this year. She is also the course developer and instructor of “Reporting On Race: Black Communities in the Media” at Ryerson’s school of journalism. It is the first course of its kind in Canada.

By Minelle Mahtani | ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UBC

When I first received the proofs of Eternity Martis’s book last year, I excitedly tore open the envelope. I couldn’t wait to read her memoir, They Said This Would be Fun: Race, Campus Life, and Growing Up. But what stopped me in my tracks, even before I read the manuscript, was the handwritten card inside.

Eternity had taken the time to write me a kind and heartfelt note, and this gesture would exemplify everything I would come to know about her as a colleague and friend.

Years before we met, I had heard of Eternity’s work through her pieces at Xtra where she was a senior editor. Her talents as a journalist are unparalleled. She had won several awards, including a gold medal for her work on anti-Black racism from the Canadian Online Publishing Awards, as well as awards from the Association for LGBTQ Journalists, and has been a finalist for a National Magazine Award.

Eternity marries a commitment to telling compelling stories with precision along with her unwavering dedication to social justice. She embodies the generosity of spirit at every turn and offers all of us this generosity with her important and gripping memoir. I firmly believe it should be required reading for all those who are preparing to head to a Canadian university — and to those who head them up.

She also made significant contributions as a producer at CBC’s Metro Morning, and did I mention she is an extraordinary university professor in journalism as well? Simply put, she is a star and rightly so.

See our full list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2020 here.