One of Canada’s top drag stars and the Trocks dance into Toronto
Hey fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the inimitable Brooke Lynn Hytes is coming to Toronto for an exclusive appearance on the Winter Garden Theatre stage, along with the all-male dance company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. It all goes down March 7 and 8, and will be the first time Hytes rejoins the ballet company after leaving in 2012 to pursue drag full-time.
The ballet company, affectionately known as the Trocks, is renowned for its absurd onstage antics along with renditions of beloved ballet classics such as Swan Lake. The Trocks formed in the 1970s in New York as part of the gay liberation movement.
Hytes was born in Toronto and began studying ballet at the National Ballet School of Canada at age 15. She joined the Trocks in 2008 and performed with the ensemble for four years. In 2019, Hytes became the first Canadian to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race. She finished second in the eleventh season of the show, and is also a permanent judge on Drag Race Canada.
The Trocks are in town for three performances taking place at 8 p.m. on March 7, and at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on March 8 at the Winter Garden Theatre. Hytes will make her guest appearance in all three Toronto performances. Those heading to the show can expect to see the company’s perennial mainstay Swan Lake, as well as Go for Barocco and Dying Swan. The Trocks will also perform a contemporary work titled Walpurgisnacht. This piece was inspired by the Bolshoi Ballet and includes music from the opera Faust. And that’s not all, other performances and modern works will be announced onstage during the show.
The unique element behind the all-male dance company is that while the dancers are performing classic and contemporary ballet works, they are also injecting comedy into the routines. Expect the dancers to exaggerate foibles and accidents throughout each performance to keep the audience laughing.
Tickets start at $35 each and are available at ticketking.com.
Toronto residents fight to save popular drag bar from condo development
Crews & Tangos, Toronto’s favourite drag bar, is facing off against a possible development, and fans of the club are joining in to support the Village mainstay.
According to the Church and Wellesley Neighbourhood Association [CWNA], Graywood Group (the developer that owns Crews & Tangos’ location, along with surrounding properties) is looking into submitting a proposal to turn the queer landmark into a mixed-use condominium development. Over 200 people have reacted to the CWNA’s Facebook post, and most commenters expressed their dismay at the news.
Hearing the news about the potential redevelopment of Crews&Tangos, and thinking back to the time I snuck out of home and went to my first gay bar with stars in my eyes. It was a safe space and a welcome mat to the village, and still is. #crewsandtangos pic.twitter.com/nN4R7RK4UB
— Alex Corey (@acoreyheritage) March 3, 2020
According to representatives from Graywood, the proposed change wouldn’t happen for at least two years, as the company recently signed a new lease with Crews & Tangos.
Crews & Tangos is just the latest LGBTQ+ institution to face being replaced by incoming developments and rising rents, which have been particularly visible in the Church and Wellesley area. The club Fly 2.0 shut down last summer, while Zippers was forced to close in 2016. Another club, Blyss, was forced to shut down after just eight months in 2017.
As of Thursday morning, more than 18,000 people have already signed a Change.org petition to prevent the development from going forward.
According to the petition, “The village is a safe haven for LGBT folk to be ourselves, moving our spaces to the ‘entertainment district’ and mixing us in with non-LGBT crowds will not make us feel safe, put us at actual risk for physical violence from outsiders.”
Ward 13 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam responded to the news with a statement on her website, saying, “As the only openly gay Toronto City Councillor and as someone who previously owned a small business in the Church Wellesley Village, I know personally how important safe, culturally significant small LGBTQ2S+ businesses are as gathering spaces for our community.”
The statement continues, “With the support of local stakeholders, such as the Church Wellesley Village BIA and the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association, I am working hard to protect the character of the Village in light of numerous Ontario Municipal Board approvals that have overturned City Council decisions.”
It remains to be seen whether Crews & Tangos will be yet another victim of development, or if the community pushback will save it.
Crews & Tangos, 508 Church St.
HGTV host Kortney Wilson’s five-step guide to a successful reno
Having renovated over 125 houses, I thought I had the process of home renovation down. That is until I took on an extensive renovation project in my own home. When the project is very personal, there is more pressure. In fact, as I’ve recently started renovating houses for our latest TV show on HGTV Canada called Making It Home, I’ve felt a similar pressure in making decisions for other people. But whether I am flipping a house for a buyer who is yet to be determined, renovating a house for a specific family or taking on my own personal projects, the steps are the same.
Dreaming and naming
I name all of my projects. Not like, Pam or Elizabeth, more like, Colourful Queen Annie. It helps define the direction so that everything flows from room to room. Start an inspiration board and add pictures, fabric colours, paint swatches and furniture that you love. You will start to see common denominators, and you might be surprised at what you like. For example, you may love white on white or neutral colours, but everything you post has a bright kitchen island or blue lower cabinets. Don’t limit yourself.
Due diligence
Budgeting can always bring down the party, but what you don’t know may kill the project later. Interview at least three contractors. Get prices, push back. If they are annoyed by the number of questions you have during this process, they may not be a good match. If you have spent time going through every detail of the project only to get back a budget that ignored those finer details, that could be a red flag. Use your instincts and check references. Your kid’s basketball coach’s brother may be amazing, but ask for references and check out the job site.
Payment
I hear horror stories all the time from people who have paid in full before the project is done. There are lots of great contractors and tradespeople out there, but there are a lot of shady people too. A great contractor will never require payment in full. They will likely want money in installments that should be laid out and connected to the work done in a contract before you start the project.
Setting goals
I always love to set very realistic goals. Did you hear me, y’all? Realistic! I have yet to hit a project deadline on time without having to compromise something. It’s the nature of the beast, so go ahead and set a goal with the contractor and the trades. Then extend the timeline to see what it would look like for you. It may feel daunting to consider this, but by understanding the worst-case scenario, you are also preparing for it. Do this with the budget as well. Speak with your realtor to understand at which point you are overinvesting and where you can get a greater return. Knowing what potential buyers are willing to pay in your neighbourhood for the upgrades you are about to invest in will help you make decisions.
Live it up
So the house is done and now you don’t want anyone to touch anything. Set some rules about bringing clutter into the house, but in the end, the house is meant to be lived in. After all, the memories you make by making your house function better will erase any of the hiccups along the way.
Catch Kortney Wilson on her new HGTV Canada show Making It Home with Kortney & Dave on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m.
The El Mocambo is set to relaunch this spring (for real this time)
Iconic live music venue the El Mocambo is set to make its long-awaited relaunch at Spadina and College this spring. Originally opened in 1948, the El Mo was known for hosting some of the biggest names in music in its heyday, from the Rolling Stones and Blondie to Jimi Hendrix and Muddy Waters.
After closing in early 2014, the venue was snapped up by merchant banker and television personality Michael Wekerle with a plan to recapture its glory days. Since then, however, it’s been stranded in an ongoing state of construction with numerous opening delays.
On the heels of a media sneak peek inside the venue this week, however, the El Mocambo seems poised to finally reopen for real. The once two-storey building has been gutted and expanded out to include an additional storey and a large basement.
Together, the venue’s two performance spaces can hold up to 700 people, and they’ve been soundproofed so musicians can play simultaneously in both. The recording studio-level soundproofing is only the beginning of the venue’s new high-tech features. The whole space is hooked up for video and audio streaming, with plans in the works for live performance broadcasts.
Although the nuts and bolts of the revamped El Mocambo are ultra-modern, the decor has a ’70s rock-and-roll vibe. The original palm leaf sign has been butterflied into two pieces that frame the second floor stage, while the surrounding acoustic panels are covered with blown-up photos of musicians that have played in the space.
Neon signage is dotted throughout the hallways, while the staircases are stenciled with names of previous performers.
During the media tour, Wekerle stated that the El Mocambo is tentatively set to open April 1. He joked, however, that this way he can always play it off as an April Fool’s Day prank if the launch is delayed yet again.
El Mocambo, 464 Spadina Ave.
Where to find Italy on a plate
TRNTO chats with one of Vivo Pizza + Pasta’s many talented chefs, Luigi Maresca, who moved here from Sorrento, Italy in 2011. Vivo creates affordable Italian comfort food with fresh ingredients at reasonable prices and are opening four new restaurants this year (there’s already eight in Toronto & the GTA).
What makes “real” Italian food?
Maresca: Real ingredients are the first thing. The food has to taste fresh and authentic. We never cut corners and always offer the very best ingredients in all of our locations.
I think diners would be interested to know about your background. Can you tell us where you’re from and how you first fell in love with food?
Maresca: Like many of our chefs, I learned how to cook when I was very young. In my village, everyone cooks. You can smell the sauces in the street.
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How does that connect to the dishes you serve at Vivo?
Maresca: There’s nothing I would serve to our customers that I wouldn’t feed to my family. We have to be proud of each dish that we serve.
And can you be specific about the types of food that you serve?
Maresca: We focus on traditional wholesome Italian food with simple flavours and the best ingredients. Tagliere di Salumi, Penne Arrabbiata con Salsiccia, traditional Neapolitan pizza with many different toppings. My favourite is pizza with prosciutto that we import right from Italy.
Does that set you apart from other Italian restaurants in Toronto?
Maresca: Almost all of our products come directly from Italy. You can’t serve food more authentic than us. It’s what we eat. How we live and what we love. It’s family, right?
Last thoughts to hungry diners who may be en route to your restaurants?
Maresca: We can’t wait for you to be part of our Vivo family.
1832 Bloor St W + (416) 604-7477.
A love story in the wings of a hot new Toronto musical
A play inspired by one of the world’s most famous paintings is opening in Toronto this week. Sunday in the Park with George is a musical inspired by French painter Georges Seurat and his painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.”
The play features a fictionalized version of Seurat in the months leading up to the completion of his most famous painting. Drama ensues as he becomes consumed by his need to finish it while alienating the French bourgeoisie, spurning his fellow artists and neglecting his lover Dot.
The play is presented by the Eclipse Theatre Company and only runs until March 8 at the Jam Factory. The cast includes Evan Buliung as George and Tess Benger as his lover Dot. It seems love is abound both on and off the stage as two couples are also members of the cast. Actors Jamie Cudicio (who plays Betty) and Josh Alcantara (who plays a solider) are a couple, as well as Taran Kim (who plays Billy) and Kaitlyn Post (who plays Celeste).
We caught up with Kim and Post to find out a little more about their off-stage love story. The pair met while studying in the theatre and drama program at Sheridan College and hit it off.
The first date
Kim: I knew Kaitlyn was the queen of comedy so I thought a perfect first date would be to go see a Second City show. I bought a package online that included a dinner at Wayne Gretzky’s right before the show. I didn’t tell her what the date was until we got to the building. She was very excited. I was pleased with myself.
Memorable moments
Kim: There were many. I think the gist of it would have to be that I was crazy about Kait, but the thought of our seven-year age difference scared her, so we went through a whole saga before she admitted to being in love with me.
Shared hobbies
Post: We love cooking together. I make the bacon and Taran makes the eggs because Taran always burns the bacon but he cooks eggs like Gordon Ramsay.
Secret of success
Post: We feel like it might be a little premature to call ourselves a success just yet, but if there’s one thing we just try to practice every day, it would be communication.
Catch Sunday in the Park with George at the Jam Factory at 2 Matilda St. until March 8.
Could Tessa Virtue and Morgan Rielly be Canada’s new power couple?
Sports fans across Canada are going crazy over rumours that two of the country’s star athletes may in fact be dating. Retired ice dancer Tessa Virtue and Toronto Maple Leafs’ player Morgan Rielly are believed to be in a relationship. And while the two stars haven’t confirmed the news, fans across the Internet are in a tizzy over the supposed couple.
It all started when Virtue left a heart eyes emoji on one of Rielly’s Instagram photos.
Yeah. They’re definitely a thing guys. Hockey and figure skating Twitter can rejoice.
I ship Morgan Reilly and Tessa Virtue. pic.twitter.com/0F7qCzeWTQ
— Ryan Hancock (@ryanhancock9) February 24, 2020
Fellow Leafs player Auston Matthews added further fuel to the fire in a recent podcast interview, where he accused Rielly of disappearing into a new relationship.
“I haven’t really spent any time with him this year, he’s got a girlfriend now, so I never see him …” complained Matthews. “I was pretty upset with him for a while and I would chirp him and stuff like that because he kind of kept it quiet, he didn’t come out and say it.”
However Matthews said he eventually changed his mind about the relationship.
“Then I met her and she’s an absolute sweetheart. And I was like, alright I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt now. She’s cool,” said Matthews.
Fans all over social media are hyping the pair, calling them “the Canadian royal couple” and speculating on the athletic prowess of any children that could result from their alleged union. They seem to have a one hundred per cent approval rating, with almost every fan raving over the news.
You follow Meghan and Harry, I follow Tessa and Morgan. We are not the same. pic.twitter.com/9SYRcDEMgv
— Laura☃️Duarte (@duarteelauraa) January 10, 2020
Virtue and her ice dancing partner, Scott Moir, recently retired from their record-breaking ice dancing career after 22 years of skating together. The pair were third-time world champions and twice-Olympic gold medalists, and remain the most decorated figure skaters in the history of the Olympics.
morgan rielly and tessa virtue… what a goddam power couple
— tanya (@tanyahgee) February 27, 2020
Rielly is currently the alternate captain for the Leafs, along with his regular role as a defenceman. He’s currently out with a fractured foot, so he’ll have plenty of time to spend with Virtue if they are actually dating.
This #TessaTuesday…#TessaVirtue playing hockey ? on a frozen pond. So cute! ☺️ pic.twitter.com/T2YFEaMh8k
— Ann ❄️ Ice (@icetalking) March 3, 2020
It remains to be seen whether Virtue and Rielly will confirm the relationship, but fans can keep their eyes peeled online in the meantime.
The best shows in Toronto this month, from Pearl Jam to a giant immersive theatre festival
Pearl Jam is one of the last great rock bands standing. Its legions of fans were thrilled to hear Eddie Vedder and the boys were releasing a new album, Gigaton, out March 27, accompanied by a massive tour that checks into Scotiabank Arena on March 18. Pearl Jam is, of course, one of the most successful bands to come out of grunge-era Seattle in the ’90s, thanks to such massive hits as “Even Flow” and “Alive,” amongst many others. Expect a blistering old school rock show. And if tickets can’t be found for this date, there is always the Hamilton show on March 24.
The Boy Friend
This new production stars Kelsey Grammar. Yes, TV’s lovable psychiatrist Frasier Crane will be tromping the boards of the Princess of Wales theatre in a Sandy Wilson musical that first premiered back in 1954. The Boy friend is set in Madame Dubonnet’s finishing school in the south of France, where apparently perfect young ladies burst into song at the least provocation and forbidden boyfriends are forever popping through the French windows to sing and dance with them. The Boy Friend runs March 29 to May 3.
Toronto Sketch Festival
The city continues to be a comedy mecca, and sketch comedy, in particular, has been our thing going back 40 years to the creation of Second City and SCTV. Each year, the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival celebrates the best in the sketch comedy game with 12 days of performances, parties and professional development. Audiences will see some of the best comedy troupes around such as the Tita Collective. The festival runs March 4 to 15 at Comedy Bar, the Theatre Centre, and Streetcar Crowsnest.
All the Little Animals I Have Eaten
This play from playwright Karen Hines (The Pochsy Plays, Crawlspace) is billed as a “biting meditation on capitalism, consumption, precarity and hope in her latest dark comedy.” So, it sounds kinda perfect. It’s set in the extraordinarily modern bistro of an all-women’s condominium, and it “follows a tender-hearted young server on the most harrowing shift of her life.” What could be better than a Toronto play about the fleeting dream of real estate ownership? For more information, go to Crowstheatre.com.
Skydiggers celebrates 30th anniversary
Popular hometown folksters the Skydiggers celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band’s first self-titled album with two special club shows at the Monarch Tavern on March 14. Peter Cash and the band will play the album, which includes such classics as “Monday Morning” and “I Will Give You Everything,” in its entirety. This is a very rare opportunity to catch a legendary Toronto band at a very intimate venue. Don’t miss out. Go to Skydiggers.com for more information.
James Rhodes
One of today’s most inspiring and original pianists, James Rhodes is coming to Toronto to make his Canadian debut at Koerner Hall on March 5. His story is almost as remarkable as his talent and originality: a tragic and abusive childhood, no formal training before he was 14, at 18 he quit playing entirely for a decade. Now, he’s one of the most celebrated pianists on the planet. For this concert, Rhodes will be playing three Beethoven piano sonatas. For more information, go to Glenngould.ca.
Romeo and Juliet
The National Ballet of Canada’s production of Romeo and Juliet, stunningly adapted for the ballet stage by Alexei Ratmansky, is set to premiere at the Four Seasons Centre on March 11. For more information, go to National.Ballet.ca.
The Wow Collection immersive theatre festival
A new theatre festival is dedicated to putting audiences right in the show. Running March 18 to May 17, the Wow Collection is an immersive theatre festival showcasing numerous productions set in a variety of non-traditional venues, including a library, a public bus and the patron’s own hotel room during an overnight stay. Go to thewowcollection.ca for a full rundown, but here are a few that caught our eye.
Curious Voyage: The festival’s flagship production takes place over two days, beginning in Barrie and travelling to Toronto, including a one-night hotel stay. Sounds epic. Tickets are $180, which includes the hotel.
A Grimm Night: TranscenDance Project’s latest creation stars Canadian dance legend, Evelyn Hart. This world premiere production sees audiences welcomed, masked and set free in a mysterious building on Dupont.
Tales of an Urban Indian: This is a semi-autobiographical story of Simon Douglas, a contemporary Indigenous man, as told by the artist himself while on a bus between Toronto and Barrie. It stars Brendan Chandler as Simon.
Someone is trying to lock dogs out of this off-leash park in Toronto
It appears as though a local resident took dog park patrolling to an entirely new level last weekend by actually attaching two cheap bicycle locks to the gates of the Wychwood puppy palace to keep canines out.
The issue came to light following a post on a local community Facebook group by Chris Quinn.
“I was walking my German Shepherd puppy, Chuck, on Saturday night (Feb. 29) and stopped by the Wychwood dog park to let him run around and wrestle with other dogs. I was surprised to see it was empty as I approached but when I got closer I saw why,” he told Post City. “Both gates had dollar store bike locks on them. At first, I thought maybe the city had closed it but there was no signage and they weren’t the locks you would see on park gates.”
The off-leash area is located at the Wychwood Barns Park near the corner of Christie and St. Clair. After the post circulated, the completely unconfirmed or corroborated consensus was that the locks were put on by a local resident who lives across the street and has been very vocal over her displeasure with the canine set in the ’hood.
“I posted on the community group to see if anyone knew what happened. Pretty quickly it was a clear and angry local resident had a habit of locking the park,” Quinn explained. “Even my wife had said that was likely who it was. She had been at the park with Chuck and the woman across the street in the condo building would play loud barking sound effects to bother the dogs.”
Quinn said, the off-leash park already has very limited hours compared to other dog parks.
“It is tough for us since we don’t have outdoor space in our home so all the local dog parks are key to raising a happy healthy dog,” he said.
Quinn confirmed that he did not contact the city, but that the locks were already removed the next time he visited the park the following day.
One of the commenters on the original post confirmed that they had indeed cut the locks off, stating that “We live across the street, we brought over our pups and cut them off lol. Happy parking everyone!”
The city is currently studying dog parks, including public consultations, the results of which will be directed at improving Toronto’s existing 73 off-leash facilities.
Meet the Toronto chef who is making Monday the best night of the week for dining out
As restaurants struggle to keep up with ballooning rent prices, one chef may have found the solution to carving out a sustainable culinary career: don’t have a restaurant.
Chef Ken Yau has been running K.Dinners, a Monday night pop-up dinner series hosted at Fiorentina restaurant for more than two years.
Yau started his career working in the kitchens at Nota Bene and Scaramouche, before moving to the UK to cook under Heston Blumenthal at Michelin-starred restaurant the Fat Duck. He returned to Toronto and launched K.Dinners in late 2017.
The K.Dinners series offers a blind tasting of 10-12 courses that are typically Asian-influenced and seafood-centric. ““I like working with seafood because it’s versatile in textures and flavours,” says Yau. Some dishes are mainstays of the series, but Yau usually introduces a new dish to the menu line-up every month or so.
For drink pairings, it’s BYOWine (a cost-saving bonus for those who want to avoid the often steep added price of wine pairings at a typical tasting dinner). Yau releases recommended wines on the K.Dinners site every month, which are available at the LCBO a short walk from Fiorentina. Diners are also free to bring a different bottle of their own choosing.
Yau’s interactive approach to each course sets this dining experience apart from any dry, multi-course dinners that may have failed to capture your attention in the past.
Yau says the Flavour Bomb has been on the menu since the beginning of the series. The single, intense bite unfolds in waves of salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and spicy sensations. “It captures all the different senses that your palate can detect,” says Yau of the dish, which combines pear, chili, salted plum, bitter melon, and lemon.
Diners are invited to sniff cards scented with yuzu fruit essential oil before slurping a PEI oyster. Highlighting the role smell plays in our eating experience, the technique creates the impression that the oyster has a slight fruity flavour.
Yau’s take on McNuggets are presented in a McDonald’s-esque takeout box. Deboned chicken wings are cooked in duck fat and coated in prawn crackers, deep fried and finally dusted with Sichuan peppercorn spice. They’re served with lobster ketchup and smoked lumpfish caviar.
Dessert is taiyaki filled with salted duck egg yolk mixed with kumquat. It’s paired with panna cotta made with yakult and topped with a wasabi meringue.
The dozen or so diners at each event are seated together to “promote a sense of community and showcase how food can bring people together,” according to Yau.
“But you aren’t forced to interact with the people around you,” he jokes.
