After a much-anticipated wait, Janet Zuccarini’s Gusto 54 restaurant group has announced it is opening its new Middle Eastern restaurant later this year at 96 Ossington Ave. The group teamed up with well-known Toronto chef Stuart Cameron (Mira, Patria, and Byblos) for this eatery which was first announced back in 2019. Cameron will focus on traditional Middle Eastern fare along with a wood-burning bread-baking oven.
The menu at the new restaurant, Azhar Kitchen & Bar, includes house-made pepper pastes, hand-rolled couscous, homemade halloumi, skewered meats, and fire-grilled seafood. Azhar will feature locally-sourced produce and imported traditional spices for an authentic and responsible take on old-world Middle Eastern cuisine.
“The wood oven at the heart of Azhar is the cornerstone of everything that will happen in the kitchen — the entire menu will be formed around it. Cooking with fire kindles a primal feeling in all of us and is something that we hope will come across in all of the dishes,” says Cameron.
Azhar’s bar will include tea syrups, dried florals, and house-made fermentations to go along with the restaurant’s traditional menu.
The new restaurant is slated to open later this year and will include dinner service Tuesday to Sunday and a weekend brunch menu (pending COVID-19 guidelines for indoor dining in restaurants). Takeout will also be an option, as well as at-home dining experiences which have become a mainstay at Toronto restaurants due to the ongoing pandemic.
There’s no word on an exact date yet, but Azhar will join a slew of the city’s most popular dining experiences on the Ossington strip.
“Having a restaurant on the Ossington strip has always been a dream for me and it’s a great honour to be part of one of the most celebrated culinary scenes in the city,” says Zuccarini, CEO of Gusto 54. “To be in great company alongside this incredible community of restaurants is something I’m grateful for during these challenging times.”
Although COVID-19 has led to unconventional post-secondary education experiences this year, students are still being recognized for their achievements within and outside of their high schools. These four Toronto 2020 high school graduates are some of the students who have earned scholarships to support them in their post-secondary endeavours.
NAME: Senaida Ng GRADUATED: Havergal College ATTENDING: New York University’s Clive Davis Institute for Recorded Music at the Tisch School for the Arts RECEIVED: 2020 NSHSS Performing Arts Music Scholarship
Although Senaida Ng plans on focusing on music production and music technology at the Tisch School for the Arts, she says what got her started on the music path was playing classical piano at age four.
“I always kind of knew that I wanted to go into music,” Ng says.
She played in bands inside and outside of school and learned more instruments, including guitar and alto saxophone. But it was when she reached Grade 10 at Havergal College that she started to learn about music production.
“I started teaching myself how to produce music through YouTube videos. I loved the creation process of writing my own songs and singing and recording and producing them,” she says.
In July 2020, she released her first EP, First Love.
Ng received the 2020 NSHSS Performing Arts Music Scholarship, which recognizes students with exemplary skill or interest in music. She says that even though pursuing music so seriously has meant that she’s had a limited social life, she wouldn’t want it any other way.
“Music is the only thing that I really, really want to do in life. I’ll never get bored of it,” she says.
Hayley Monson
NAME: Hayley Monson GRADUATED: Toronto Prep School ATTENDING: McMaster University RECEIVED: Schulich Leader Scholarship
Hayley Monson says she’s known she loves math ever since she was a young child and has been finding ways to incorporate it into all parts of her life ever since. She’s voluntarily entered math contests, chosen STEM-related extracurricular activities and even tutored elementary school kids in math.
Monson knows that it might be uncommon to find anyone truly passionate about math, but she thinks there’s a lot of “fog” surrounding math and what it comprises.
“I think that it’s a little bit mystical to people,” she says. “But I don’t believe that there are math people and not math people. I think it’s something that everyone can like.”
She says it probably helps that she comes from a family that has been so supportive of her love for math, with lots of women who have gone into STEM.
“But at school, math clubs were always predominantly male. So I sort of had to work hard to prove myself as a girl because people don’t necessarily expect as much of you,” she says.
As a recipient of the Schulich Leader Scholarship, Monson says she’s very grateful to be connected to a network of Schulich leaders.
“The people I’ve met have been so amazing, and I expect that they’ll be a very valuable resource to me as I continue on in university,” she says.
Anjalee Narenthiren
NAME: Anjalee Narenthiren GRADUATED: University of Toronto Schools RECEIVED: TD Scholarship for Community Leadership
Anjalee Narenthiren started learning to code earlier than most. She was just nine years old, participating in a robotics competition for young children called FIRST Lego League, which involved building robots out of Lego.
That early start led to Narenthiren’s robotics team in high school at University of Toronto Schools becoming world champions in Grade 11. It also prompted her to found TechExplore.com, with the goal of bringing tech education to young kids across the city.
“I realized that most students my age don’t get that kind of exposure early on to tech and robotics, and as a result, most people just never realized that this is something that is a possibility for them,” she says.
By Grade 12, Narenthiren realized that the entrepreneurial skills she learned running TechExplore were ones you couldn’t get in school.
“I realized they are fundamentally leadership skills,” she says. “So if I were to make that accessible to other students, I could unlock so much potential and so much growth.”
Narenthiren’s response to this revelation was to found Startup Dojo, a company that will bring business and entrepreneurship education to students ages 12 to 16. Receiving the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership has given Narenthiren the freedom to fully pursue this passion of hers during her gap year.
“I can take some time now to build things that I care about,” she says.
Fatima Ahmed
NAME: Fatima Ahmed GRADUATED: Monarch Park Collegiate Institute ATTENDING: Ryerson University RECEIVED: TD Scholarship for Community Leadership
Fatima Ahmed says that as someone who grew up in a more diverse, low-income neighbourhood it was attending a high school in a middle- to high-income area that encouraged her to get involved in community leadership.
“I was made very aware of differences in the opportunities that youth in my community had access to, in comparison to other areas,” Ahmed says.
She helped found Our Voices Out Loud, which involves workshops on topics including bullying and harassment in her school and community. She worked with Pathways to Education Regent Park to found Girls Untitled, a safe space for young women of colour to discuss resilience strategies and topics surrounding identity and mental health. Ahmed also joined Regent Park Health Centre’s youth advisory committee.
“I became involved in leadership opportunities by following the lead of other amazing mentors and leaders in the Regent Park community,” she says. “I owe a lot of my success to other leaders around me.”
She says the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership has given her the opportunity to pursue a field of study she’s interested in, rather than something “practical” due to financial burden. She’s also considering graduate studies now, thanks to the scholarship.
“I’m able to apply my passion and interests to something that I enjoy, which is a huge privilege,” she says.
Catch Brian Gluckstein on Cityline, where he is a regular guest expert, shop his collection, GlucksteinHome, at Hudson’s Bay and follow him @briangluckstein on Instagram.
A change in seasons is always an inspiring time to make some changes for a fresh new start. When it comes to the home, cooler temperatures mean more time indoors, so cosy up and tweak your space to get it just right for the season ahead.
For fall, there are a ton of great trends out there, but it can be overwhelming to know which to incorporate into your space. Here I’ve highlighted five of my favourite fad-free fall trends, as a designer who always seeks to create timelessly stylish spaces that will be loved for the long haul.
Deep saturated colours
Rich colours — especially in the form of jewel tones — are big this season, and if you’re someone who loves a bit of glamour, this trend could be just right for you. Saturated colours have such an inviting, luxurious appeal, and they work especially well on textured materials like velvet and silk. A richly hued velvet sofa paired with colour-co-ordinated walls, drapery and trim creates such a cosy, cocoon-like feel to a room. Mix in shiny metals to add even more glamour to the space.
Monochrome spaces have been big for a while now, but lately we’ve seen a shift to a starker contrast of black and white: be it a graphic tile pattern, black-framed windows or doors paired with creamy white walls, or simply an intriguing mix of black and white furniture and decor. I love how much drama and soulfulness this trend can add to the home, and it’s great for someone who loves a look with high impact.
Slipcovered seating
Slipcovered sofas and chairs add a beautifully relaxed quality to the living, dining, or even the bedroom. This trend is great if you’re someone who likes a softer, more laid-back look, and embraces the soft wrinkles of the fabric on the skirt and cushions. Slipcovered sofas and chairs work especially well in lighter-coloured fabrics like creams and greys, since they keep a space feeling light and airy with all that material.
I love this trend because I love the cosiness and texture that upholstered walls bring to a space. They’re especially great in apartments or attached homes as they are great for insulating and soundproofing your home. You can create a custom upholstered wall to perfectly fit the size of your space or find an upholstered headboard for a more restful bedroom. If you want to add some softness to your space, this trend is just what you need.
Caning and wicker
These earthy materials are having a major resurgence since they were last seen popping up everywhere in ’90s homes. There are so many ways to incorporate this trend on any budget, from smaller decor to larger pieces of furniture, and it’s perfect if you love a more natural, organic look. I especially love the added texture and warmth of these materials whether it be a cane-backed chair, wicker baskets or even a light fixture.
“I get whole smoked pork racks from the Butcher Shoppe, and it’s to die for. Starting with an already exceptional product is key,” says Anthony Rose of this Big Crow classic.
BRINE
1 L water
6 tbsp kosher salt
6 tbsp brown sugar
10 juniper berries
10 bay leaves
3 L ice water
1 Frenched pork rack
1 cup pickled chilies
METHOD
Combine the salt, sugar, juniper berries and bay leaves with 1 L of water in a large pot. Bring it to a boil, then pour it into a large container along with 3 L of ice water to chill it immediately.
Submerge your pork rack in the brine, and let it sit for 2 to 3 days.
After a few days, remove your pork from the brine. If you have a smoker, prepare it according to the manufacturer’s instructions and heat it to 225°F. Dry your pork rack well and smoke for 4 to 6 hours, until it has an internal temp of 160°F.
Let your pork rest for 20 minutes, then cut into chops and cover with pickled chilies.
Note: If you don’t have a smoker, you can buy a pre-smoked pork rack at a butcher shop. Ask your butcher if you can pick it up fresh out of the smoker. If not, wrap it in foil and gently warm it in a 250°F oven for about 1 hour.
COUNTRY GREEK SALAD
1 English cucumber
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
½ red onion, diced small
3 oz kalamata olives, chopped
1 cup cooked chickpeas (see note)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp rubbed Greek oregano
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 oz crumbled goat feta
METHOD
Quarter the cucumbers lengthwise, and then cut into 3/4 inch pieces.
Mix the cucumbers with the tomatoes, onion, olives and chickpeas in a large bowl. Season with salt, oregano and lemon juice. Let this marinate for about 10 minutes, mixing every couple of minutes.
Add the olive oil and toss well.
Serve on a platter and cover with the crumbled feta.
Note: If using canned chickpeas, rinse very well before using.
There’s no need to cancel Halloween this year, according to Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, as long as trick-or-treaters respect the new normals of the pandemic.
While mayors across the GTA are calling on the province to provide “one clear public health message,” Dr. Tam, while addressing a briefing in Ottawa on Tuesdays morning, encouraged creative and safe ideas for those wanting to participate in Halloween this year. She advised parents and kids to maintain physical distancing while trick-or-treating outside, as well as sticking to pre-packaged treats, and to having hand sanitizer available.
“There are some really interesting ideas where people are handing out treats at the end of a hockey stick or something, using a pool noodle to tell your kids how far they should be standing apart from each other,” she said. “So, there are ways to actually manage this outdoors.”
With just two weeks away remaining before one of Toronto’s favourite holidays, most residents are already brainstorming new ways to keep the Halloween spirit buzzing in the new normal. The St. Clair West Residents Group on Facebook, for instance, has come up with the unique idea of hosting “candy chutes” to ensure the safe passage of goodies to trick-or-treaters while still keeping the perils of COVID-19 in mind.
The candy chute has turned into a fundraiser for the Daily Bread food bank
The mastermind behind the idea is Geoff Burke, who is known in some of the city’s community Facebook groups for posting plumbing tips. Burke has turned the initiative into a fundraiser, asking locals to contribute funds to the Daily Bread Food Bank in return for a custom chute that he and his company Watermark Plumbing Services will provide and install.
“We’ve decided to put our plumbing skills to good use (outside of your home this time). We are trying to give twice in this campaign: First, providing much needed support for the Daily Bread Food Bank in these critical times, and second, helping to facilitate a safer Halloween!” Burke posted in an Annex Facebook group this weekend.
“For a minimum $25 donation, we are going to be running around the neighbourhood, providing and installing decorated candy chutes on the railings outside of the homes of anyone who would like one! We hope to help provide a safe way to trick-or-treat this year, while also giving back to the community.”
The structure is simple to assemble and decorate for anyone who is keen on welcoming the spooky season to this new reality. And to quote Dr. Tam, the aim is “finding that balance of trying to provide some degree of normality, even though it is actually different from any other year.”
If you hear of any other creative Halloween ideas, please let us know!
Penthouse 1204 at 29 Queens Quay E. is the peak of luxury that sits on the edge of Lake Ontario. The building was crafted by architect Peter Clewes and this unit’s interior was envisioned by the Toronto-based design firm Studio Munge. It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a terrace overlooking the water.
Residents living here can enjoy some luxe amenities. It comes with both an outdoor and indoor pool, high-end fitness centre and movie theatre. The building’s close proximity to downtown and its prime location along the waterfront earned it a listing price of $2.995 million, and it sold conditionally after only a few days on the market.
Here is a look at the front entryway:
Down the hall from the entryway is the dining room. This open concept living space is partially divided with a three-sided fireplace.
A formal living room sits on the other side of the fireplace. The condo is airy thanks to the 10-foot ceilings carrying throughout.
There are two more seating areas next to the floor-to-ceiling windows and exposed steel frame beams.
The custom kitchen is designed with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and two pendant lights hanging over the island.
It features leather quartz countertops and comes equipped with Miele appliances.
Tucked in the corner of the penthouse is the family room, which features custom library shelves and gallery wall lighting.
The master bedroom boasts waterfront views and direct access to the terrace.
Marble flooring and a large bathtub stand out in the ensuite bathroom.
Here’s a look at the spacious walk-in closet.
The second bedroom also has floor-to-ceiling windows.
It comes with its own four-piece ensuite bathroom.
The third bedroom is loft-styled and comes designed with steel beams and a ladder. Underneath, there’s built-in cabinetry and an entertainment centre.
It’s right across from another bathroom and laundry nook.
The balcony spans over 30 feet and provides panoramic views of the water.
With the recent announcement that indoor dining rooms in Toronto will be closed for at least the next 28 days, it’s more important than ever to support local restaurants by ordering takeout. One bright spot for diners is that restaurants across the city have been continuing to adapt their menus to create takeout-friendly formats over the past few months, which means our to-go dining options have never been more varied. Here are some of our new favourite offerings to add to your takeout night rotation.
This casual concept from the team behind acclaimed restaurant Dreyfus aims to be Queen West’s new neighbourhood go-to for lunch and dinner. The menu at Taverne Bernhardt’s, which changes daily, features beautiful salads bursting with local veggies, which are made to be paired with the restaurant’s pièce de résistance: rotisserie-cooked White Rock chicken served with coleslaw, pickles, a sesame milk bun, and gravy, as well as a choice of fries or roasted potatoes. The menu was developed with takeout in mind, so you can rest assured that everything travels well.
Aburi Restaurants Canada, the hospitality group behind Toronto restaurants like Miku, Tora and Aburi Hana, recently debuted its new to-go program: Aburi at Home. The platform streamlines ordering from the group’s restaurants by highlighting their various pick-up and delivery options. With restaurants ranging from Tora’s bang-for-your-buck sushi to Aburi Hana’s splurge-worthy Japanese cuisine, Aburi at Home offers solid options for various budgets.
Posh pub the Parlour recently expanded its takeout offerings with a new vegan menu called the Game Changer. The menu features veganized versions of some of the restaurant’s most popular pizzas, including the Goldmember, which is topped with cashew burrata, caramelized onion, roasted mushrooms, yukon gold potatoes, truffle oil and mushroom dust. The Parlour also offers gluten-free dough or you can stick to their standard dough, which is made in-house daily through a 36-hour process that results in a light, crispy crust.
The Chase Fish and Oyster has rebranded as Planta Cocina, a new plant-based concept that’s cooking up easy-going Mexican eats. The menu includes brightly-flavoured dishes like wild mushroom and spinach quesadillas, and sweet corn and poblano tacos that are sure to break you out of a takeout rut. All of the dishes are vegan-friendly, but fans of Planta restaurants know that their fare is equally beloved by omnivores.
Nuit Regular’s pop-up in the Kiin space has allowed the chef to experiment with playful riffs on classic Thai dishes. By Chef Nuit‘s unfussy menu merges bold Thai flavours with comfort food favourites. The result is soul-warming mashups like pad Thai chicken wings and a pad gra prow burger made with holy basil, aged cheddar, and a fried egg.
Apres Wine Bar chef-owner Jeff Kang has already made a series of pivots amid the pandemic, including hosting the successful Kang Bang Furaidochikin pop-up and making the tough decision to permanently close sister restaurant Canis. The chef’s newest pop-up concept inside Apres, Ikune by Apres, focuses on Japanese cuisine, including sushi and chirashi bowls, as well as hot dishes like Japanese-style sandwiches and savoury dumplings.
Designer Hayley Elsaesser’s latest capsule collection, titled Champion the Truth, launched online last week, and she says her inspiration came from her grandfather.
“I often say that newspapers are in my blood and it’s true! My Opa was actually the owner and publisher of a local community newspaper in British Columbia for many years, so I know first-hand the immense impact that newspapers can have on a community and the important role they play in providing local content that cannot be found anywhere else,” says Elsaesser who partnered with News Media Canada to bring this collection to life.
The collection includes T-shirts, tote bags and the hottest item of 2020 — face masks. Each piece features the words news and truth in several different languages.
“I certainly took the current climate into consideration when coming up with this design, but even more so, I wanted the collection to truly represent what Canadian newspapers and news media stand for,” says Elsaesser. “We had a lot of great discussions around this during the design process and in the end, the words “news” and “truth” really stood out to me as representing newspapers.”
Hayley Elsaesser
The languages included in the print cover English and French as well as Indigenous languages and several other international languages that are commonly spoken in Canada.
The collection is available from now until the end of the year on Elsaesser’s website and all proceeds will be donated to Canadian Journalists for Free Expression. CJFE is an NGO that defends the rights of journalists and contributes to the development of press freedom across the world.
Apart from this capsule collection, Elsaesser says she has a few more projects in the works for 2020 with a focus on special one-of-a-kind items with sustainability in mind, and more local production.
“The pandemic has been a trying time for all Canadians, especially small businesses. As a designer, it’s been important to maintain resiliency to weather the storm,” she says. “While it has been challenging, I’ve adapted very well. I now have an amazing studio set up in Hamilton that has certainly been helpful for creating in a social distanced time and I’m feeling a lot more creative freedom which has been amazing for my soul.”
There’s no doubt Halloween will look a little bit different this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still get your creep on — in a safe and socially distant manner, of course. Although haunted houses and packed clubs may be a no go, there are still plenty of ghoulish activities to keep you busy this Halloween weekend, including a local road trip to one of Ontario’s spookiest haunted towns.
With its rich historical narrative and smattering of eerie edifices like jails, schools and haunted homes, the province is rife with towns totally worthy of an episode of Stranger Things. Who needs a Halloween party this year. Hop in the car and explore one of these Ontario ghost towns instead.
Bala
The Bala Bay Inn in Bala, Muskoka, is rife with ghost stories. Built 110 years ago, the inn is still home to the so-called “ghost lounge,” where the original proprietor’s body remained for days after he died in 1916. The room in which he died is still said to be the source of strange tapping noises and paranormal activities like televisions turning on and off by themselves. The inn is currently closed to the public.
Peterborough
The town of Peterborough definitely isn’t short on ghost stories. Visitors of the Peterborough Theatre Guild have claimed to have been ushered inside by a kind, elderly caretaker who has been dead for years and now haunts the building.
Port Perry
If you happen to find yourself in Port Perry and fancy a haunted evening, be sure to visit the Jester’s Court — an unassuming pub that is said to be the source of much paranormal activity, including taps turning on and off by themselves, salt shakers being thrown across the table and even paintings that spin around on the walls.
Hamilton
Hamilton is another Ontario town that’s rife with ghost stories, one of which involves a pair of forbidden lovers — Jane Riley and Joseph Rousseau. The couple was in love, but when Joseph’s mother didn’t approve of the couple, Jane flung herself off a cliff near Albion Falls and, as a result, the cliff was dubbed Lover’s Leap. As the story goes, her ghost later visited Joseph’s mother right before she died.
London
London is home to multiple haunted locales worthy of a visit. Of the more noteworthy hangouts for local London ghosts is the Middlesex County Courthouse, where some of the 15 criminals that were sent to the gallows still allegedly haunt the building today.
St. Catharines
If you’re looking for one of the most haunted buildings in St. Catharines, look no further than 12 Yates St., which today is known as the Whitehouse of Rock and the home of 610 CKTB radio. Rumour has it the building is the source of much paranormal activity, including random cold spots, doors opening and closing on their own and, well, actual ghost sightings.
Cooper’s Falls
Snap the perfect creepy Halloween Instagram pic when you visit this ghostly abandoned town in Simcoe County. First settled in the mid-19th century by Thomas and Emma Cooper, the town has been dubbed a “ghost town” since the 1960s because of its eerie, largely abandoned vibe.
Toronto’s beauty and wellness scene just got a new hub complete with its own broth bar and it’s called Good Goddess: The Nest.
As city dwellers yearn for health, balance and a little magic in their lives amidst the heaviness of current events, the wellness revolution continues to gain momentum. From juiceries to meditation centres, people are increasingly turning towards health-focused businesses to stay grounded and bring some lightness into their daily routines.
The latest haven for Toronto’s wellness junkies? Good Goddess: The Nest—a multi-brand concept shop combining natural spray tanning by Glo Organic, wellness, lifestyle and nutrition goodies by the Good Goddess and a brothel—yes, you read that right, and no, not that kind of brothel.
Good Goddess in Yorkville
Created by Alexandra Baird of Ripe Nutrition, the brothel component of The Nest is a broth bar serving up options like super mushroom vegan broth with an adaptogenic formula, liquid gold broth made from shredded chicken bones and grass-fed pho beef broth with fresh vegetables. Whether you’re sipping it from one of their stylish hot pink to-go cups or adding noodles to make it a hearty meal, the broth is rich in nutrients, minerals and protein that can help promote weight loss, glowing skin and hair, a strong immune system, improved digestion and much more.
All these amazing benefits aside, a comforting cup of broth is the perfect way to warm up as the weather cools down. But the broth bar is just one element of The Nest’s unique offering—which seamlessly blends equal parts beauty, wellness, nutrition and style.
Cup of healthy broth from the broth bar
Baird says the concept for The Nest came together organically over time, but it all began after she and Natasha Geddes, the founder of contemporary wellness brand Good Goddess, met up and chatted all things nutrition and wellness over a bulletproof coffee.
“Even a couple of years ago specialty stuff like bulletproof coffee wasn’t as popular, so we really bonded over that,” she says. “We connected and it all just sort of came together naturally from there.”
Together with Kiersten Barbara, the CEO and founder of Glo Organic, the three women closed their nearby solo locations and joined forces to officially open The Nest on Oct. 1 as a one-stop-shop for anyone looking to attain beauty from the inside out.
More than just soup!
With its cheeky neon signs, an abundance of plants and crystals and a somewhat hidden location down a flight of stairs from Yorkville Avenue, The Nest is the secret goddess club we all need in our lives right now. Whether you’re drawn in by the broth, the whimsical athleisure, or the need for a tan as fall closes in on us, you’ll stay for the vibes.
The Medley has a vintage supper club vibe with a speakeasy atmosphere and comes with everything you’d expect from live music, comedy, and theatre performances with modern pandemic-conscious measures in place. Toronto’s new supper club at 2026 Yonge St. may be exactly what the city needs right now.
Co-owner Joseph Patrick is no stranger to theatre, having managed theatrical venues before developing plans to open The Medley last February. When COVID-19 hit, Patrick and partners rode the wave and pivoted to a socially-distanced club where people can relax and enjoy live entertainment without fear of contamination.
“We knew we had something special, so we held onto it through the pandemic, and we were very excited to finally open in September,” he says. “With many folks happy to go to restaurants, and others keen to see live performances again, it could just be the perfect time for our new supper club and show lounge.”
The Medley menu features tasty throwbacks like chicken scallopini, caesar salad, and coconut shrimp with a cocktail list paying homage to the 1930s l(Negronis, Mint Juleps, and Boulevardiers). The supper club welcomes up to 50 socially-distanced guests with tables seating two, four, or six people. While the club can seat more people, tables are far apart to adhere to the city’s social distancing rules.
“There’s a lot of space between tables,” Patrick says.
Automated temperature checks, hydrostatic sanitation, UV air filtration, hand sanitizer stations, touchless handwashing, disposal or virtual menus, touchless payment, and a plethora of other safety measures are also in place at The Medley.
When asked if he’s concerned about possible COVID-19 closures, Patrick was optimistic that the club is doing more than its share to keep patrons safe and adhere to any recommended city guidelines.
“We have a comprehensive safety protocol in place, much more than most even, but we would still follow the recommendations of Public Health and not try to skirt any closure,” he says. “We’re doing our part to provide a safe venue, and we encourage others to do their part to help.”
Currently on stage at The Medley is Motherhood The Musical with a lineup of variety shows, a tribute to Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland (A Night With Frank and Judy), live music, and other performances on deck. Tickets for Motherhood The Musical are $35 and can be booked directly through the club’s website.
“You’re going to have a lot of fun here,” Patrick says, “we have a lot of great entertainment scheduled, and we have taken numerous steps to help keep you safe.”
A ton of living space is packed into this classic Victorian home. Located in Harbord Village, the house at 25 Borden St. spans 2,500 square feet across two and a half storeys. While the home is move-in ready, there is potential for future owners to renovate a rooftop patio on the third level.
This semi-detached home has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a functional basement. It’s a short walk away from Kensington Market and listed for a cool $1.999 million.
Here is the living room, complete with bay windows and a fireplace:
A wooden accent wall beside the staircase breaks from the mostly white interior.
Soaring ceilings open up this area, with a 10-foot mosaic glass window making a statement.
The spacious dining room can be accessed through a set of double doors.
There’s no shortage of storage and counter space in the eat-in kitchen.
If you don’t want to eat in the kitchen or formal dining room, this bright breakfast room is also a nice spot. The room features high ceilings and a showstopping skylight with four windows.
Dark wood tones can be found in the master bedroom.
Here’s a look at the ensuite bathroom. It has double sinks and a walk-in shower designed with a funky floral pattern.
Another mosaic glass window appears in this second bedroom, which currently works as a home office.
There’s a walk-in shower in this bathroom.
This massive bedroom lives on the third level. Sliding doors in this bedroom open to the unfinished patio, which is currently partially bordered.
Here’s a look at the large laundry room in the basement.
