Natalie Preddie is a travel and lifestyle writer, speaker and guest expert on Cityline, Your Morning and Global’s The Morning Show.
This September is especially hectic with a number of uncertainties, but one thing is for certain: you will need a weekend away from the madness. You will need a real change of scenery, a getaway in one of Ontario’s most unusual accommodations.
For the glampers, one of the more popular trends is staying in a yurt. Not only are they a unique structure, they are affordable, eco-friendly and, as of late, very luxurious. Yurts offer the comfort of a conventional hotel while still allowing for a taste of the wild.
Over in beautiful Rossport, Ont., and overlooking Lake Superior, is a charming and luxurious yurt that can be found on GlampingHub. This stylish yurt can accommodate up to four people with a queen bed and a luscious pullout sofa. Secluded and romantic, this yurt also boasts a fully equipped private bathroom space with a revitalizing sauna, a kitchenette for meal prep and a propane stove that’s perfect for snuggling beside, with an adult beverage. In the winter, snowshoes are also available.
One can spend the days hiking, biking, searching for wildlife or enjoying sparkling Lake Superior swimming, kayaking or simply bobbing in the water.
A bedroom in the home dedicated to Wes Anderson films
Should becoming a Tenenbaum be on one’s list of to-dos, this unique home — currently located in Picton, Ont., but will be moving to a new location later this year — is perfect. The Wes Anderson Film–Themed Century House in Prince Edward County is described by the owner as a “Love letter to [Wes Anderson] and an ever-evolving design project.”
Each room is dedicated to a different Wes Anderson movie, from the Darjeeling Tea Room to Margot’s bedroom, Grand Budapest bathroom and the S.S. Belafonte sitting room. The large fenced-in private backyard is perfect for stargazing in one’s own Camp Ivanhoe.
This eccentric property has been featured in Lonely Planet, IndieWire, HGTV Canada, W Magazine, PopSugar UK, Mashable, Elle Decor, Hello Giggles and Travel + Leisure.
The Wes Anderson House sleeps four comfortably, and isn’t that a much better way to spend the night?
Finally, what could be more exciting than a weekend spent in a riverside teepee on the edge of the Amable du Fond River? Situated in Ontario’s stunning Algonquin Park, this 18-foot, custom-built teepee is the ultimate in Canadian glamping. Teepees were originally a portable home for the Indigenous people of the plains, a necessity for their mobile way of life. Originally four to six metres in diameter, these tents were built in cone shapes with smoke holes in the top to allow for indoor fires.
This giant teepee boasts insulated floors. The property is equipped with everything one would need for a rustic yet comfortable weekend away. Days can be spent hiking, biking, wildlife watching or on the water in a canoe or kayak. At the end of the day, unwind next to the firepit, watching the stars and listening to the sounds of nature. This destination is the ultimate Ontario getaway.
Destination Toronto has announced a diverse and unprecedented fall restaurant program called DineOutTO, which aims to give ailing eateries a leg up in the COVID-19-hampered restaurant industry.
The program will run from Sept. 23 to Oct. 30, with restaurants listing their special offers, signature dishes and unique culinary experiences on DineOutTO’s website.
As far as special offers go, diners can expect anything from complimentary appetizers to kids eat free promotions. Signature dishes will feature what the given restaurant has identified as a ‘must-try,’ while unique culinary experiences could include prix-fixe menus or a seat at the chef’s table.
This effort will hopefully provide an economic boost to an industry that has been hit hard by the pandemic. Fortunately for both our tastebuds and the roughly 125,000 hospitality workers in the city, Destination Toronto is committed to lending a hand.
“As restaurants are incredibly important to the vitality and livability of our neighbourhoods, they are critical to Toronto’s economic recovery,” Destination Toronto stated in a letter sent out to potential participants in the program.
Though the program sounds similar to Winterlicious, it is not quite the same. While Winterlicious tends to focus on higher-end establishments, DineOutTO is open to everyone from food trucks to fine dining.
“The program is designed to showcase the wide array of businesses that make up Toronto’s diverse culinary scene,” says Destination Toronto in the letter.
For eateries that choose to participate, there is no charge to register a restaurant, and no commission or fee will be taken by Destination Toronto or any other organization affiliated with the project.
“The promotion has one goal,” says Destination Toronto, “to inspire and encourage Toronto residents to discover new culinary experiences and visit more of the food scene throughout the entire city.”
Toronto chef Michael Hunter is partnering up with Café Boulud’s chef de cuisine Nicholas Trosien for a special seasonal dinner on Sept. 30.
Aptly dubbed By the Books, the event menu will draw inspiration from chef Daniel Boulud’s respected cookbook DANIEL, as well as Hunter’s upcoming book, the Hunter Chef, which will be available in early October.
Hunter’s Dundas West restaurant Antler is known for its focus on wild and foraged foods. It therefore comes as no surprise that this collaboration dinner will highlight local, seasonal fare.
“I’m so excited to be cooking alongside chef Nicholas and the Café Boulud team,” said Hunter in a press release. “Fall also happens to be my favourite season for Ontario harvest vegetables and game.”
Café Boulud interior
Bison striploin with raisin steak sauce and rabbit ballotine with black truffle celeriac and chestnut ravioli are among the dishes guests can expect on the four-course menu.
Tickets for By the Books are priced at 120 per person (excluding tax and gratuity), which includes a whiskey cocktail pairing with each course.
“Our team has always been committed to partnering with local talent and celebrating seasonality and culinary creativity. By the Books is a perfect example of this,” said Trosien in the release.
Café Boulud reopened on Aug. 5 after several months of closure amid the pandemic. Guests will receive a temperature check upon arrival at the restaurant.
The event takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 30. Reservations are required and can be made online or by phone.
Kiin, chef Nuit Regular’s beautiful Thai restaurant in the Entertainment District, is reopening this Friday after six months of temporary closure amid the pandemic. The restaurant specializes in royal Thai cuisine — an elaborate, artfully-plated style of cooking that was once served to Thai sovereigns.
Kiin’s return sees the restaurant serving prix-fixe menus on Friday and Saturday nights. The five-course meal is priced at $125 per person, which also covers a glass of cava, tip, and taxes. There’s also an option to add wine pairings for an additional $50.
Handmade dumplings, tom yum lobster soup with konjac noodles, and banana leaf roasted sea bream are among the dishes featured on Kiin’s relaunch menu. According to Kiin’s website, the restaurant can accommodate groups of between 2-8 guests seated at physically-distanced tables.
Since late August, the Kiin space has been hosting the By Chef Nuit pop-up.
In contrast to Kiin’s Thai fine-dining menu, By Chef Nuit focuses on unfussy Thai comfort food dishes like massaman beef sandwiches and pad thai wings.
By Chef Nuit will continue to operate out of the Kiin space from Tuesday to Sunday, while the Kiin prix-fixe menu will be offered on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Kiin relaunch kicks off this Friday. There are two nightly seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., which can be booked through the restaurant’s site.
One of Canada’s most trusted authorities on style and fashion, Jeanne Beker has covered the industry for more than 30 years. Now watch her in her current style editor role on TSC’s Style Matters with Jeanne Beker or tune into her new podcast Beyond Style Matters, available wherever you get your podcasts.
Back-to-school and dipping temperatures can only mean one thing — it’s time for fall fashion. We asked Jeanne Beker to pick the season’s three must-have items to give your autumn wardrobe the perfect dose of style.
DENIM DAZE
A) BOMBER CHIC
“We all love a bomber jacket, but we don’t often see one in denim. I love that it’s worn in and faded.” IntermixOnline.com, $345
B) PRETTY IN PINK
“This is a very classic denim jacket, except that it’s pink. So it’s very fresh and feminine and unexpected.” TheBay.com, $128
C) DOUBLE DUTY
“I love the faded denim on the jacket, and the ivory knit sleeves add a touch of class to it.” HoltRenfrew.com, $1,605
LONG AND LUXE
D) WRAPPED IN RUFFLES
“I love this wrap skirt with ruffles, which are huge for this season. This whole voluminous look is a great trend.” TheBay.com, $340
E) RAVISHING RUST
“I really love this pleated skirt. There’s something very slimming about it, and this rust colour is beautiful.” IntermixOnline.com, $825.50
F) LOVELY LIZARD
“This lizard print is cool, and I love the colours and this high waist, not to mention the front and back slits.” TNTFashion.ca, $136
BEAUTIFUL BOOTS
G) PATENT PERFECTION
“I really love these Rag & Bone boots. They’re like a cross between a cowboy and a lace-up boot, and they’re very cool.” SportingLife.ca, $431.94
H) BROGUE MEETS BOOT
“These McQueen boots are stunning. They’re a hybrid leather brogue and a combat boot, and they’re very funky.” HoltRenfrew.com, $409
I) RED-Y OR NOT
“This little red bootie is adorable. I love the platform, and this red is going to give a great boost to any outfit.” TheBay.com, $340
The Barberian family has served the city of Toronto through generations and fostered arguably the most famous steak cuisine in all of Canada since 1959. It is a staple in the city and favourite to locals and tourists alike, with not only their steak house but also their wine cellar and former spin-off sandwich stop. Unfortunately, like many other local restaurants, Barberian’s Steak House was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the onset of the pandemic the steak house — also the go-to-spot for celebrities, politicians, and notable athletes — closed shop to adhere to the country’s lockdown regulations. As a temporary solution and response to remain afloat during these difficult times for local restaurants, the Barberian’s Steak House opened an impromptu butcher shop in May.
To continue business and serve the demands of steak lovers citywide, barberiansbutchershop.com served as a convenient online shop for steaks, spirits, and wines. Barberian’s patrons were given the option of receiving their beloved rib steaks through in-person pick-ups or delivered straight to their doorsteps.
Once received there was some cooking involved, as the butcher shop was not a hot food service. Barberian’s in-house butchers would cut steaks for backyard grill and kitchen pleasures, to allow customers a taste of the steak house from the comfort of their home.
Now, with the recent Stage 3 reopening of Ontario’s economy, restaurants are welcoming limited indoor dining. As a result, Barberian’s Steak House is reopening the esteemed restaurant to the public this month. Indoor dining resumed on Sept. 8 and patrons can call the restaurant at 416-597-0335 to book a table from Tuesday to Saturday starting at 5 p.m. The Barberian’s team has been working diligently to provide the best dine-in experience reminiscent of pre-COVID while maintaing physical distancing and all health and safety protocols.
Artist Anni Albers once said, “Art is something that makes you breathe with a different kind of happiness.”
During these difficult times, the opportunity to head into a gallery, and immerse oneself in works of art is something to be cherished. It is something that can provide some solace in these trying times. With COVID measures firmly in place, galleries across the city are opening their doors for in-person experiences this fall. So, don that face mask, read up on best practices (policies differ; opening hours may have changed) and head on over to one of these great exhibits.
There’s a lot going on at the Museum of Contemporary Art this fall, featuring both local and international artists such as Fatma Bucak, Yazan Khalili, Mika Rottenberg, Krista Belle Stewart and Michael Lin.
Commissioned by MOCA, painter Michael Lin’s vivid archipelago island mural takes over the entrance floor from October to February as a direct response to today’s social distancing practices. Palestine-based artist Yazan Khalili’s unsettling work “Medusa” (Sept. 3 – Nov. 15) is also a timely response to facial recognition technology that was created before the pandemic, now presenting another layer of meaning in these masked times. The practices of Kurdish-Turkish Fatma Bucak and Krista Belle Stewart, a member of the Upper Nicola Band of the Nsyilxcen Nation in British Columbia, combine in “Arts of Erasure” (Oct. 1 – Jan. 3) to create a dialogue around history, heritage and identity as their distinct interpretations of borderline experience speak to similar themes. And, Argentinian-American Mika Rottenberg’s first showcase in Toronto, “Spaghetti Blockchain” (Nov. 12 – Mar. 21), addresses “hyper-capitalism” through installations of film, architecture and sculpture, within an angle of sustainability. If you can’t make it in person, check out MOCA’s online platform, “Shift Key” (Sept. to Dec.), with video works that touch upon ideas of slowness, collective narratives and memory, as selected by independent curator, Daisy Desrosiers.
Current hours of operation include Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the first hour of each day reserved for seniors and those at a greater health risk.
Billed as Canada’s biggest art fair, Art Toronto is for the first time in its 21-year history launching as both a physical event and an online experience. From Oct. 28 to Nov. 8, instead of its usual large digs of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the in-person part of the fair will take place in smaller, satellite galleries spread out across the country, in Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal as well as Toronto. Led by director Mia Nielsen, exhibitors have yet to be announced, but visitors can expect the extensive mix of modern and contemporary work from Canadian and international artists that Art Toronto has consistently presented over the last two decades – now accessible to art lovers nation-wide.
Can anyone even see his name without humming along with that chubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff? Winnie-the-Pooh is indeed a classic and he’s coming to the Royal Ontario Museum (Sept. 1 to Jan. 17). Yes, with Tigger, too. Organized by London, UK’s Victoria and Albert Museum, this family-friendly exhibit will explore Pooh’s Canadian connection, as well as the origins of A.A. Milne’s beloved stories about the Hundred Acre Wood and its timeless, magical inhabitants. This exhibit was forced to close in March due to the pandemic lockdown but has now been able to re-open after meeting new health and safety measures. Interactivity within the exhibit is offered in various formats to meet visitor comfort levels, from digital to hands-on.
Other opportunities for exploration within the museum include The Cloth that Changed the World: India’s Painted and Printed Cottons (opening Sept. 12) and Egyptian Mummies: Ancient Lives. New Discoveries (opening Sept. 19). Note that the Bat Cave, CIBC Discovery Gallery, Patrick and Barbara Keenan Family Gallery of Hands-on Biodiversity, and coat check all remain closed.
The ROM is currently open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and visitors need to book timed tickets online in advance.
A direct result of self-isolation, Edward Burtynsky’s latest photo collection, “Natural Order,” was shot in the forests of Grey County, Ontario, and comes to Nicholas Metivier Gallery from Sept. 3-26 (in-person and online). This international debut from the landscape legend marks his return to the region, as Burtynsky first photographed Grey County almost 40 years ago. In his large-scale photographs, nature’s detail and density are amplified through the ordered chaos of winter’s transition into spring.
Ten selections from the exhibit have been made into a special boxed portfolio and book, proceeds of which will be donated to the Art Gallery of Ontario and Ryerson Image Centre in Toronto to help acquire the works of emerging to mid-career Canadian photographic artists.
Current summer hours include Tuesday to Friday, 12-5 p.m, and appointments are advised for private viewings.
A series of haunting landscape paintings by Order of Canada recipient Takao Tanabe comes to Mira Godard Gallery from Sept. 19 to Oct. 10. Tanabe, a former artist-in-residence at the Banff Centre, has been an active Canadian painter and printmaker for 70 years, and has worked with Mira Godard Gallery for 55 years. Located in Toronto’s tony Yorkville neighbourhood, the gallery offers three floors of exhibition space and is also presenting works by Michael Thompson’s collection of new drawings, “Studies in Sunlight” (Sept. 12 – Oct. 10).
Hours of operation include Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, or by appointment.
Two new photography collections coming to the Art Gallery of Ontario in October deal with the question of what a photograph can actually document. “Documents, 1960s – 1970s” highlights times of social change from Bamako to Mumbai, Pretoria to Toronto. “Dawoud Bey, John Edmonds and Wardell Milan” presents the three contemporary African-American artists as they examine Black representation and experience from their respective generations (Bey, b. 1953, Edmonds, b. 1990, and Milan, b. 1977). Part of the 2020 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, these two collections were postponed due to COVID-19, but will now run from Oct. 31 to April 18. Other exhibitions currently on at the AGO include “Illusions: the Art of Magic” and “Diane Arbus: Photographs, 1956-1971” (both close Nov. 8).
Hours of operation include Thursday to Sunday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ontario’s number of active COVID-19 cases has risen to the highest level in four weeks. There have been clusters of the virus across the GTA, and some of the positive cases have been identified in Toronto malls and restaurants.
On Aug. 31, Yorkdale mall management was notified by JOEY restaurant that someone at their location had tested positive for the virus. This came just two days following the closure of a Foot Locker store in the same mall after two of its employees tested positive.
The mall implemented health and safety practices when it reopened as part of Stage 2, such as offering hand sanitizer and hand-washing stations throughout the mall, signage for traffic flow and physical distancing, however cases have still occurred.
On Sept. 1, Sherway Gardens mall in Etobicoke confirmed two positive COVID-19 cases. One case was in the JOEY location and the other was in The Keg Steakhouse.
In a statement, Cadillac Fairview said: “The affected clients had acted quickly and responsibly by immediately contacting the mall authorities and public health. We have taken necessary actions as advised by public health by arranging a deep-clean of the client space. CF will continue extra cleaning of all elevator banks, food court tables, common area seating, doors and stair railings, and all other high-touch points in the complex. At this point in time public health has advised that no further action is required and the building can remain open for business.”
Both the restaurants are now open following a temporary closure.
Nevertheless, as an added measure, Toronto Public Health staff will be heading out to inspect shopping malls in the coming days. In a statement, the city said public health inspectors will ensure malls and retail spaces are complying with guidelines.
“Those shopping in person are encouraged to shop at times when stores may be less busy or to try shopping online, when possible,” the city said. “Residents should wear a mask and keep a physical distance while shopping, and always wash or sanitize their hands after being in a store or public place and not go out if they are feeling ill.”
The city’s medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa too has urged citizens to be extra vigilant. During a press briefing at city hall on Sept. 2, she warned of an estimated resurrection in new cases, while Toronto Public Health officials confirmed a spike of new infections with a total of 123 new cases in the last week.
“The recent COVID-19 cases are due to people bursting their social bubbles, bending rules and socializing indoors without masks on,” said Dr. de Villa. “Just this week we identified new infections amongst people socializing indoors without masks and at close distance. These are exactly the kind of situations that are contributing to the spread of the virus.”
Whether facing a global pandemic or the annual flu season, it is always important to have processes, protocols and practices in place to ensure the health and safety of all employees in your workplace.
Diamond & Diamond Lawyers, Canada’s leading personal injury law firm, advocates for protecting their 40+ lawyers and dozens of support staff. The family-run business takes steps to protect not only those at their workplace who are vulnerable but also their family members. “We have always recognized that when our employees go home from the office, they may have children, elderly or people with health conditions living with them in the home or in their extended circles of friends and family” shares Sandra Ziskind, Managing Partner.
Diamond and Diamond’s leadership team, Sandra Ziskind, Isaac Ziskind and Jeremy Diamond share their tips to maintain a clean and safe workplace:
Develop Return To Work Plans
Before your office reopens, it’s important to develop a “readiness plan”. This document should be circulated amongst your entire staff to communicate the safety steps your organization has taken. A readiness plan helps team members feel safe and gets everyone on the same page about what is required on their part once the office doors open.
Clean Hands Are a Must!
Hand washing or sanitizing after coughing, sneezing, using the bathroom, or touching any high-touch areas like door knobs or elevator buttons should be encouraged. Have plenty of hand sanitizer throughout your offices for employees and visitors – especially at the entrances of your building – and discourage hand-to-hand contact.
Communicate Your Policies Through Visible Signage
If you require masks, gloves, or the use of hand sanitizer, make sure that your signs are visible and clearly communicate the requirements for entering your office. Small table tents and easels for larger poster board signs are available at many office supply stores.
Keep It Fun!
Keeping the new regulations fun can help put your employees’ minds at ease. Consider logoed masks for your team, or encourage your employees to express their personalities through the designs on their masks.
“We suggest approaching reopening with sensitivity but also with a sense of humor. After all, people are excited to be back and you want them to feel welcome” shares Isaac Ziskind.
Self-Screening & Sign-In When You Enter and Exit
All employees and visitors must sign in and out whenever they visit the office. This is crucial for contact tracing in case someone contracts a serious illness. Create a sign-in station with sanitizer, pen and paper for each visitor to use. Ensure the team is aware of this protocol so that they can remind their clients or visitors of this requirement too.
Continue Work From Home Policies When Needed
More important than ever, when illnesses are circulating and if childcare services are restricted or schools are closed, the option to work from home is going to be essential for employees – ensure that option is available so that everyone, despite their health status or whether they have children at home, has an equal opportunity to return to work
“We’re all in this together. Having concrete policies in place to ensure your employees, clients and their families stay safe makes for a happier, trusting environment for everyone” shares Jeremy Diamond.
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.
For months now, travel across the Canada-U.S. border has been limited to essential trips, meaning the Travel Niagara-Buffalo Board and Buffalo’s business and tourism community have had to refocus their operations as Torontonians and southern Ontarians remain north of the border.
Even this weekend, droves of Toronto’s NFL fans would have been driving down to Buffalo to catch the Bills game at Ralph Wilson stadium if it weren’t for the pandemic.
Mary Roberts, the executive director of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, says she expected 2020 to be a banner year, but now she’s simply happy to have 25 per cent of what normal traffic would have been. The Martin House has been under restoration for 20 years, finished landscaping last year, and installed a public art initiative and exhibit that opened this June. Like Toronto attractions, they’ve had to adapt and are now offering virtual tours and recently introduced small private tours.
Tourism is the mainstay of Buffalo, New York and is fuelled by more than three million Canadians visiting retailers, restaurants, and popular attractions the city offers annually. A popular destination for catching sports games and deals south of the border, many industries in the city are supported by visitors — especially from Toronto.
The City of Buffalo also caters to the annual visitor traffic. Over the last 10 years, significant investments have been made to revitalize the city’s brand including the redevelopment of its waterfront that now serves as a local and tourist attraction. In recent years, the city has had a burgeoning restaurant and brewery scene that caters to photo-seeking tourists.
Patrick Kaler, president and CEO of Visit Niagara, describes Buffalo as a destination that has seen hard times but is resilient to the challenges. Kaler expressed that right now, the focus is still on safety and this needs to be prioritized for both visitors and local businesses.
Kaler and Roberts are both optimistic that the tourist numbers will gradually rise and slowly return to 2019 numbers. In the meantime, Kaler says, “The concern is how to keep Buffalo on the forefront of people’s minds.”
Kaler also expressed concern about who among the business community will be able to remain afloat.
Canadian tourists are deeply missed right now, says Kaler, stressing the importance of the Canadian market to Buffalo’s tourism industry. Buffalo is certainly looking forward to welcoming Canadians back when it is safe to do so.
School is in session, the fall season looms, and COVID-era struggles are still an ever-present reality for small business owners in Toronto’s restaurant industry. Here are five of the city’s most recent (and reluctant) farewells.
Greg’s Ice Cream
When you think ice cream in Toronto, many think of Greg’s. This is thanks in part to the fact that the company has been scooping for almost 40 years now, but it’s also because the 100+ rotating flavours — always sweetly scrawled on a small whiteboard — were hard to beat no matter which new players hit the scene over the decades. Known for their wide range of fresh-tasting and enticing flavour combos — grape nut, masala chai, and roasted marshmallow — the small Bloor and Spadina storefront was an Annex favourite and news of its permanent closure hit hard.
Bake Shoppe, a gem in Little Italy’s crown for 11 years now, announced that they’ll be closing permanently at the end of September. The bakery spent the first half of its decade on College Street building a reputation as one of the go-to spots for custom wedding cakes and moved into a much wider offering of their scrumptious baked goods over its final five years. It’s not all bad news, though, as the Instagram announcement also states that they’ll run on extended hours until shuttering “to get you as many treats as possible,” and that the coming weeks will bring “very exciting announcements.” So, it might be safe to pause the heartbreak for now…just in case we’ll be celebrating a new venture from the team soon.
Nomads Restobar at Broadview and Queen has closed. The spot was known for a menu that had a little something for everyone (from everywhere), from Peruvian cassava fries to Italian arancini, Korean bao, Cuban slow-roasted pork, American chicken and waffles, Jamaican jerk chicken drumsticks and beyond. The restaurant broke hearts along the Danforth when they moved to this Queen East location in 2019, and now that this one has permanently shuttered, fans will have to venture out to the last remaining location in Port Credit if they’re craving chef David Araya’s worldly eats.
Genghis Khan Mongolian Grill is now permanently closed after nearly 15 years in business. It’s been nearly half a year since COVID changed everything, and even as cities reach varying stages of reopening, one restaurant model is suffering for obvious reasons: buffets. While the grill’s closure, like most, was meant to be temporary as of late-March, it’s becoming increasingly clear to many in the business that even as restaurants scramble to offer new programming (take-out, at-home cooking boxes, grocery/supplies, makeshift patios, etc.) all-you-can eat/serve yourself models are still too risky for pandemic-addled times.
The Ossington
The Ossington’s last day will be Sept. 26. The bar quickly became a community hub on the Ossington strip thanks to its wide range of event programming (everything from DJs to comedians and campaign launches), phenomenal staff, and its steadfastly welcoming vibe. The spot opened in 2008, and while this COVID-era closing brings its 12-year run at 61 Ossington Ave. to an end, an announcement on the official Instagram page signs off on a promising note: “We can’t wait to see you all when we return at a new location […] we’ll see you soon at our new home.” So, while the Ossington strip loses one for the history books at the end of this month, a new era of casual cocktails, eclectic programming, and community building might not be too far off.
One of Canada’s most trusted authorities on style and fashion, 
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 
