Nadège has been a Toronto fave since 2009 when the owners opened their first shop downtown, making a name for themselves with the city’s best cakes, macarons and more. With summer here, patrons can sample their luxurious soft serve at the Yorkdale and Rosedale locations. The dessert destination also has a new draw — ice cream with miniature macarons. Newly added scooped ice cream is currently only available at the Trinity Bellwoods flagship location, where it serves 16 new ice cream and sorbet flavours, such as baked caramel crunch, lemon meringue tart and mojito sorbet. Enjoy a scoop or two loaded up into a house-made waffle cone, or go all out and treat yourself to a scoop sandwiched between two chocolate chip wafers.
Sex ed for grown-ups — what you should know
As the debate over school-based sex education continues across the city (and beyond), parents on both sides of the aisle question whether their kids may, in fact, know more than they do about sex. Most people are familiar with the basics, but if your formal sex education stopped when you graduated, an update is likely well overdue.
First and foremost, you ought to be familiar with the anatomy involved in sexual pleasure. Obviously you’re aware of the general genitalia, but do you really know the vulva, clitoris, G-spot, frenulum and prostate?
The vulva is comprised of everything on the outside, including the outer and inner lips, clitoral head and hood, vestibule and pubic mound. It’s essential to pleasure because many women reach orgasm from rubbing and grinding on the outside, which stimulates the inner bulbs, shaft and legs of the clitoris on the inside.
Speaking of the clitoris, this orgasmic powerhouse is more than just a tiny nodule at the top of where the lips meet on the outside. That little pearl-like structure, which is often referred to as the clitoris is actually only its head. Beneath the surface, it also has two legs, bulbs, foreskin and a shaft which becomes erect when aroused. If it sounds to you an awful lot like the penis, you’re onto something.
As for the G-spot, this is an area comprised of sensitive nerve pathways and tissues that can be stimulated through the upper vaginal wall (toward the stomach), but it’s not located inside the vagina. It is believed to communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve, which is why it’s associated with full-body orgasms and female ejaculation.
The prostate in men is often compared to the female G-spot and is located between the bladder and the pelvic floor against the front wall of the anus (also toward the stomach). Composed of smooth muscle fibres and tissue, it produces fluid that helps to carry and sustain sperm and is a source of orgasmic pleasure for those in the know. The frenulum, a little notch of tissue located on the underside of the penis where the head meets the shaft (and connects the foreskin if uncircumcised) is also highly responsive to light touch and a source of intense pleasure for many.
Beyond anatomy, all adults should be aware of sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk, as transmission rates are on the rise, and safer sex practices decline with age. If you’re sexually active, safer sex practices include regular testing (bear in mind that monogamous couples have the same STI rates as those who are non-monogamous), the use of barrier methods (e.g., condoms and dental dams) and a good quality lubricant.
Once you’ve covered the anatomical and safer sex basics, it’s time to move on to the science of pleasure and orgasm. You likely learned about ejaculation when you were younger, but did you know that orgasm and ejaculation can be distinct processes?
Before and during orgasm, the brain responds with multiple activations resulting in the release of dopamine, endorphins, oxytocin and vasopressin. The body responds with increases in blood pressure, heart rate and muscular contractions culminating in a pleasurable sense of release referred to as an orgasm. Ejaculation refers to fluid expulsion via spinal reflex, and though orgasm and ejaculation often occur together (especially in men), they are sometimes experienced separately — both purposely and incidentally.
You don’t need to memorize the details, but the understanding that sex is both an emotional and physical experience can help you tailor your approach to make it more satisfying. Fantasizing, building anticipation, talking about sex and exploring taboos can feed the sexual brain while slowing down, touching the entire body and toning your pelvic floor can intensify the physical experience.
Men are more likely to have orgasms than women, with 95 per cent of straight men reporting that they usually or always climax versus only 65 per cent of straight women and 86 per cent of lesbian women.
The discrepancy between orgasm rates for straight and lesbian women suggests that to close the gender-based orgasm gap, straight couples ought to reconsider which approaches, techniques and sex acts prioritize reciprocal pleasure.
Finally, adult sex education must also address a key relational and subjective element of sex: playfulness. Remember your younger days when you snuck around to find a place to make out? The furtive and subversive nature of the process likely enhanced the thrill. As we age, however, we tend to bemoan that which once thrilled us. Rather than delighting in the need to sneak around, we use the fear of waking our kids as an excuse to avoid sex (and intimacy) altogether. You can choose to appreciate your sexual freedoms, prioritize sex and inject playfulness into your daily routines, or you can opt to make excuses for not doing so. It’s ultimately your sexual loss or gain.
Toronto Fringe Festival preview: Shows on boats, improv, and a pair of clowns
This year's 30th edition of the Toronto Fringe Festival features almost 160 shows over 12 days, extending farther across the city than ever. We dug through the program for suggestions that reflect the incredible variety the Fringe offers, from clown shows and dramas to musicals, kids shows and improv.
Cheri, Al Green Theatre
Sky Gilbert, a prolific playwright over four decades, is debuting a new play based on the novel Chéri. As the aging ex-courtesan Lea, Gilbert has cast Theresa Tova, best known for her extensive TV and film work. She’s had a busy run on Toronto stages in the past year, appearing in Mikvah and The Jazz Singer at the Toronto Centre For The Arts, as well as the Dora-nominated Tough Jews, and the chamber musical Music Music Life Death Music. It’s a reunion for the two artistic creators: Tova’s first professional role in Toronto was in Gilbert’s Torch Song, back in 1980..
The Grass Is Greenest at the Houston Astrodome, Freedom Factory Gallery
Michael Ross Albert has two plays at the Fringe. In The Grass Is Greenest at the Houston Astrodome, a clash of wills erupts when art is vandalized at a gallery. The play received rave reviews at the New York Fringe Festival. His other play is Anywhere, in which an Airbnb guest and her host contend for control.
Morro And Jasp: Save the Date, Tarragon Theatre Mainspace
Clown sisters Morro and Jasp (Heather Marie Annis and Amy Lee) have literally grown up at the Toronto Fringe. They started out in the KidsFringe before moving to the main festival with their adolescence-themed shows. For their latest, the award-winning duo is tackling an especially grown-up topic: matrimony.
#KanderAndEbb, The Annex Theatre
Cabaret crackerjack Ryan G. Hinds, the 2018 Stage West-Canadian Actor’s Equity Emerging Artist winner, has had many brushes with fame over his extensive career, which includes stints in Hedweg and The Angry Inch (on stage, and on screen), and a recent turn in We Will Rock You. He’s compiled some of his best celebrity encounter stories in this, his follow-up to the 2015 Fringe hit Starry Notions, organized around his love for prolific Broadway composers John Kander and Fred Ebb.
Entrances And Exits, Factory Theatre Mainspace
There are many improvised shows in the 2018 Fringe program, but the one we’re most excited for is Entrances and Exits. A collaboration between the Howland Company (Punk Rock, Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons) and Bad Dog, it’s noteworthy due to the challenge they’re setting themselves of improvising a “slamming doors” farce (which are notoriously difficult to stage well) and due to their special guest for multiple shows: Colin Mochrie.
Shadow Kingdom, George Ignatieff Theatre
This projection puppet show, by the Mochinosha Puppet Company, uses old-fashioned fairy-tale tropes (young girl in a strange fantasyland) to tackle a 21st century problem: an insomniac tween addicted to her smartphone. The Tokyo-based company previewed this show and its more adult Space Hippo last winter in Toronto, and having seen those, we’re confident they’ll be breakout hits at this year’s Fringe.
Flooded: A Show and Sail Around the Toronto Islands, Pirate Life
This year, the Fringe’s metro Toronto footprint is larger than ever, with site-specific shows from Parkdale to the Danforth. But one show will take audiences even farther. Flooded is a comedic dance piece for 35 passengers at a time, aboard the Pirate Life Boat as it sails the islands.
I, Idiot, Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace
A late editions to the festival, Jem Rolls, the man "who’s done more Fringes than anyone on Earth," was already coming to Toronto to perform a five-show run at the Red Sandcastle Theatre. Now, the storyteller/poet/ranter will be extending the run of his latest show at the Fringe, replacing a show that dropped out. No stranger to hyperbole (you learn how to sell yourself when you travel to Fringes around the world), he’s boasting that he’s created a new genre of performance with this show — “verbal bouffon."
Bikeface, Annex Theatre
Playwright Natalie Frijia has criss-crossed Canada and beyond, travelling solo on her bicycle, and wrote Bikeface about her experiences. Frijia has already performed it herself, but for the Toronto Fringe, she’ll be busy behind the scenes on the Hardy Boys spoof A Kev n’ Cal Mystery and The Circus Shop Of Horrors (both in the same venue as Bikeface), so she’s handed over the role to Clare Blackwood.
The Preposterous Predicament of Polly Peel (Act 1), Tarragon Theatre Mainspace
Winner of the Toronto Fringe’s 2018 Paul O’Sullivan Prize for Musical Theatre, this show features music and lyrics by The Associate Artistic Director of the Musical Stage Company, Kevin Wong (Recurring John); a book by Julie Tepperman, co-creator of the Dora-winning Brantwood; and a starring turn by the young Hannah Levinson, a Toronto Theatre Critics Awards winner (and Dora nominee) for her recent role in the musical Fun Home. Rather than present a condensed version of the whole show at the Fringe, the producers have chosen to present the first act in full — but if it becomes a future hit such as Come From Away, you’ll be able to say you saw the first half first.
A celebrity guide to getting out of Hogtown
QUIRKY KAWARTHA
Actor Yannick Bisson on his new-found cottage persona
For Yannick Bisson, who spends much of his time on the period sets of CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries where he stars as William Murdoch, escaping the city (whether it’s the historic version or today’s) is a priority. So he and his wife Shantelle bought a little shack in the woods in North Kawartha last summer and have been building their dream cottage since. “We kept it manageable with two bedrooms and two baths. We love bringing the outdoors in, so we designed the cottage with all windows being floor to ceiling and facing the lake,” Bisson says.
With their busy work schedules in Toronto, the couple’s favourite aspect of cottage life is simply the opportunity to sit and relax. “Because our life is so social and busy in Toronto, when we go to the cottage, we tend to cook all our meals. We bring up fresh, organic food and cook for ourselves. But, on a rainy morning you’ll find us at Swiss Bear Restaurant & Bakery, which reminds us of eating at Shantelle’s late German grandmother’s house,” he says.
Bisson’s cottage persona is also as far as possible from William Murdoch. “I rarely have a shirt on, whereas in character I live in a three-piece suit. Shantelle never wears any makeup or even does her hair. We both walk around barefoot and use the opportunity to connect our bodies back to the earth,” he says. Although Bisson’s most frequent pit stop on the drive up is the Home Hardware in Apsley, he recommends taking Highway 28 and stopping in Burleigh Falls. “There is a charming little market, some lovely restaurants and cafés. And for sure you must head over to the Barn Chefs in Coe Hill. The owner is an Italian chef who has worked in some of the most elegant restaurants in the world and makes everything from scratch.”
Yannick Bisson wearing his Apsley cap while enjoying the view with his wife Shantelle and pet pooch
MEMORIES OF MINDEN
CBC sportscaster Scott Russell’s cottage is where he spent summers camping as a teen
“Some of the guys I went to summer camp with 40 years ago now have cottages there, and that’s what drew me to the lake, was that group of people I grew up with as a kid,” says Russell. This year, he and his wife will have owned the cottage — which has been dubbed Carluke after his grandfather’s birthplace — for eight summers. He describes the Haliburton Highlands as a relaxed retreat. Russell counts canoeing, paddle boarding, cycling and fishing among his favourite activities on the lake.
Scott Russell and his pup
ROSEDALE TO WARKWORTH
T.O.’s fashion icon gives us the goods on where to grab some whimsical gifts and tasty treats in Northumberland County
Two years ago, Jeanne Beker and her partner Iain bought a century home in Warkworth. “I got turned on to Northumberland County 18 years ago. I have a farm in a nearby village called Roseneath,” she says. Now she’s been able to watch Warkworth grow into a burgeoning arts hub. She says the main strip is full of fab finds from the whimsical gifts in The General store to the locally sourced beauty products at Sunday’s Company and little works of art at Frantic Farms Clay and Glass Gallery. Beker also rocks a more laid-back style in town. “I wear ripped jeans here although I would never wear them in the city,” she says and laughs. Her insider tip is to visit Jeannine’s Backtalk Cafe. “It’s a very authentic place that was here before all the chic shops opened up. It’s got one big long table in the middle where the local artists and farmers get to really mingle.” To satisfy your sweet tooth, Beker recommends Centre & Main Chocolate Co. and then to burn off all those calories, go for a stroll on the Millennium Lilac Trail just off Main Street.
Jeanne Beker rocking her ripped jeans
FONTHILL FAIRY TALE
Shakespeare in High Park actor Jason Cadieux works in the big city, but nothing beats his summer home in Fonthill
Two decades ago, Jason Cadieux and his wife Stephanie decided to buy an old house in her hometown of Fonthill, Ont. In 2011, after their daughters moved out, the pair did a major reno on the place, and it’s now a haven where they spend their summers. “Niagara is a gorgeous region. You really get that small-town feeling,” he says. The pair frequent the new performing arts centre in St. Catharines and the Shaw Festival. “The wineries for sure are gorgeous. I’m a cyclist and there’s great cycling out here, too.” Though Cadieux notes that the area is going through a growth spurt. “A part of me wishes it would stay small, but I also know it’s a good thing.”
Jason Cadieux, and his wife Stephanie with their granddaughter Daphne
HEAVENLY HALIBURTON
Colin and Justin have become the cottage decor experts of Ontario
Home decor experts Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan bought their Haliburton cottage six years ago while cottaging with friends on Drag Lake. They bid on a basically abandoned abode and were able to nab their little diamond in the rough. “‘Halifornia,’ as we call it, is substantially more affordable than Muskoka, but the topography is virtually identical: all towering trees, crystal clear waters and fabulous Canadian Shield outcroppings,” says McAllister. With the cottage in their possession, they got to work on their renovations. “The former ‘slanty shanty’ was riddled with rot and animal infestation, and there wasn’t an airtight window anywhere, so we rolled up our sleeves and set to work,” says Ryan. When it comes to finding cottage decor in town, the pair loves Up River Trading Co. The shop has a café within and “The iced lemon poppy seed cake is off the charts,” says McAllister. Although they have spent much of their time busy with renovations (they redid the basement, added a sunroom, 2,000-square-foot deck, guest house, carport, hot tub and sauna, etc.), the pair has now decided to sell the space. They’ve bought several new properties all on the same lake and are about to dive into renovations on those. It seems like they are always renovating or filming (their new show, Great Canadian Cottages, will air this fall), but they do get some downtime here and there. “The swimming here is amazing, so as soon as it’s warm enough, we’re rarely out of the lake, and the hiking trails are amazing,” says McAllister. And they follow that up with scarfing down meals like fish and chips at Baked & Battered and family-style morning fare at the Kosy Korner on the high street.
L–R: Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan overhauled their Haliburton waterfront cottage
YORKVILLE TO THORNBURY
Chef Mark McEwan’s tips for a perfect day in his favourite place, Georgian Bay
“Make a reservation at one of the restaurants. In August you can come to mine,” he says. McEwan is opening a restaurant this summer in the old Sisi Thornbury spot. He says Bruce Wine Bar is also great, or the Orchid for a good old-fashioned breakfast. “You have to hit the water and rent a paddle board or bring your bike up and go for a bike tour in Beaver Valley. It has one of those beautiful long views. If you’re a golfer, come to Lora Bay. It’s a world-class 18-hole golf course.”
FROM LA-LA LAND TO PICTON
Actor Cara Gee on her fave towns in eastern Ontario
Cara Gee has always been drawn to big cities, even when growing up in the tiniest of towns. She hails from sleepy Nogies Creek just outside Bobcaygeon, which is just about as small as it sounds. Nowadays, the Toronto actor has recently transplanted to Los Angeles. But she will be back in town this fall to film the fourth season of sci-fi series The Expanse. When she’s returned to the good side of the border, Gee likes to unwind in Brighton, Ont., and nearby Picton in the Prince Edward County region.
“I love Picton,” she says. “What a beautiful, cool little town. It’s very cosy and very friendly, and there is a hub of artists and a really interesting gallery.” Amongst her favourite Picton spots are the Kingston Olive Oil Company, which imports fine olive oils from around the world and has a unique tasting room, as well as the Books & Company bookstore that offers a wonderful curated collection. And Coriander Girl, which started on Queen West in Toronto, has also opened a nice shop there, she says. But, her real insider secret is the Lake on the Mountain resort.
“It’s this geological phenomenon where there is this lake on the mountain that doesn’t make any sense, but it’s considered to be a very sacred site,” she says. “And if you go there, you can feel it, there is an energy to it that gets right into your bones. And there is a beautiful restaurant right there as well. I love it. It’s a really cool little spot.”
Nearer to Brighton, the area is a natural wonderland and home to Presqu’ile Provincial Park on Lake Ontario. “There is a beautiful lighthouse there and a lot of history about the ships that have crashed near there because it gets really narrow,” she says. “It’s probably haunted.”
Cara Gee and the Miller House restaurant at the Lake on the Mountain resort
SUDBURY’S LITTLE ITALY
Nathan Dales, one of the stars of ‘Letterkenny’ which is filmed in Sudbury, is something of a professional hick
“Sudbury is actually pretty awesome,” Nathan Dales says. “The main lake in the city is Ramsey Lake, and it’s got bike paths and you can boat on it and fish in it. And there are tiny lakes everywhere.” The city is well-known for its large Italian community and Dales says there is no shortage of good food as a result. “Sudbury actually has some of the best Italian food I’ve had in Ontario,” he says. “There are a number of quite high-end Italian restaurants (Di Gusto and Bella Vita Cucina, for example) and some middle of the road places too.” The fifth season of Letterkenny is scheduled for release on June 29, and Hulu has picked up the first two seasons to air in the U.S.
Nathan Dales plays bumpkin Daryl on ‘Letterkenny’
SMALL-TOWN MUSICAL HAUNTS
Whether putting down new roots or returning to old ones, these musicians dish on how they escape the city
BEYOND BELLWOODS
Singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith arrived in sleepy Stratford, Ont., last year and has now bid adieu to his Trinity Bellwoods home. He starts his day with a walk along the Avon River and a coffee at Revel Caffe. He often heads to Soup Surreal. “It’s this little unpretentious shack where they just serve soup with a piece of toast.” Sexsmith will perform in August in the town’s concert series.
Ron Sexsmith
SAWDUST CITY TUNES
Musician Miranda Mulholland has a long history with Gravenhurst, Ont. “I’ve basically been going up there every summer since I was an embryo.” Mulholland started the Sawdust City Music Festival. It will take place in town from Aug. 3 to 5. She says the Chelsea buns from The Bakery are a must-try, as well as a meal at Oar & Paddle. “One of the best restaurants in Muskoka by far.”
Miranda Mulholland
COUNTY ESCAPE
Having grown up in the Junction, Juno Award-winner Justin Rutledge has always known Prince Edward County as a welcome reprieve. “Last year, I found a beautiful place in Picton, built in 1890, so I bought that.” The area’s wealth of wineries is a big draw. The Old Third Vineyard and Grange Winery are two of his favourites. Catch him at the Wolfe Island Music Festival in Kingston.
Justin Rutledge
© Outside Music
How to get the L.A. woman look
A) CLASSIC CUTOFFS
Want, 1788 Avenue Rd., $239.95,
“These could be a real summer staple.”
B) HOLLYWOOD GLAM
Thursdays, 1130 Yonge St., $155,
“With the mirrored lenses, these look really late ’50s early ’60s glamour.”
C) COOL & CASUAL
(Shirt) Intermix, 130 Bloor St. W., $395; (Hat) Guess, Promenade mall, $29;
“This looks like a poor-boy sweater from the ’60s plus a great little baseball cap.”
D) ACCESSORIZE
(Mackage Bag) Andrews, Bayview Village, $320; (Sunglasses) Cloakroom, 1177 Yonge St., #17, $98
E) PRETTY IN PINK
Andrews, Bayview Village, $358,
“It’s like a tribute to the old boyfriend jacket but done in this beautiful feminine print.”
F) COOL CO-ORDINATES
Over The Rainbow, 101 Yorkville Ave., $178,
“It’s a real ’40s kind of vibe to wear these as a great pulled together look.”
G) PANELLED PANTS
Canopy Blue, 2582 Yonge St., $137,
“The patchwork trend is really hot. You can appreciate all the different types of denim. There’s a real story going on.”
H) BEACH TIME
(Romper) Guess, Promenade mall, $108; (Hat) Thursdays, 1130 Yonge St., $98;
“Great for running around the streets or a visit to the beach.”
I) BELL BOTTOMS
Parpar, 1766 Avenue Rd., $138,
“The wide bottoms give these a real bell-bottom flow, but they are cropped. These just look like so much fun.”
J) MALIBU MUSE
Andrews, Bayview Village, $375,
“Equipment always makes a great shirt, and I absolutely adore this print.”
K) SANTA ANA STRUT
Snapdragon, 604 Mt. Pleasant Rd., $155,
“A beautiful woven fabrication with a folkloric feel like you picked these up at some bazaar.”
L) ROPE WALK
Thursdays, 1130 Yonge St., $85,
“I love the rope at the bottom with that espadrille feel.”
M) LAGUNA LINES
Want, 1788 Avenue Rd., $139.95,
“Beautiful lacing up the front so that it’s sexy and playful at the same time. If that doesn’t say L.A., I don’t know what does.”
N) SUMMER STRIPES
Parpar, 1766 Avenue Rd., $88,
“I love these gaucho pants. That’s what we used to call them back in the ’80s, but hey, the ’80s are back.”
O) VENICE BEACH BAG
Snapdragon, 604 Mt. Pleasant Rd., $215
“A great straw bag with a chicness to it with the stripes and the frayed fringe.”
Restaurant news: July’s hot openings and sad farewells
big opens
Finally, the space that formerly housed Shōtō and Daishō has reopened! MOMOFUKU KOJIN (190 University Ave.) — named after a Japanese deity of fire and the hearth — is inspired by the young executive chef Paula Navarrete’s childhood in Colombia and features local meats and seasonal produce cooked over an open flame.
Serving dishes influenced by the cuisine of N.Y. and L.A., CITY BETTY (1352 Danforth Ave.) bills itself as an “American bicoastal” kitchen. Chef Alex Molitz’s menu, based on seven micro-seasons, is packed with local farm-to-table goodness.
The crew that brought us Baro is now opening PETTY CASH (487 Adelaide St. W.), a hip hangout chock full of fancy drinks and bar snacks. Chef Steven Gonzalez (Baro) and chef Nate Middleton (Home of the Brave) helm the kitchen, so expect some high-calibre collaborations.
coming soon
Young and Lawrence gets an authentic Turkish dining experience with A LA TURK (3443 Yonge St.), which serves up, among other specialties, lahmucan (Turkish pizza) made with a round dough crust and minced meat.
Soon Mount Pleasant will have a new rockin’ live music venue and watering hole. MOUNT PLEASANT ROSE (744 Mount Pleasant Rd.) is taking root at the site that was formerly Chick’N’Deli.
Dentists are thrilled (not.) that sugar-filled food fest SWEETERY returns for another year. On Aug. 11 and 12, head to David Pecaut Square to down everything from churros to waffles from some of T.O.’s treacliest spots.
On Aug. 11, the ROSÉ PICNIC (111 Princes’ Blvd., Exhibition Place) returns to fill the lawns of the Stanley Barracks and the new Hotel X Toronto with flower crowns, pink champagne and, of course, rosé. So grab some eats courtesy of Mark McEwan and enjoy the live music and summer vibes.
foodie finds
Grab a seat on the patio at WYNONA (819 Gerrard St. E.), the much-anticipated Italian resto with a killer wine list. Have a glass (or bottle) while you enjoy chef and owner Jeff Bovis’s small plates of delicately cooked fish and buttery handmade pasta.
BAR ALTURA (571 Queen St. W.) has crept onto the scene with something remarkably fresh –– and we’re not just referring to the pasta. The owners of Kay Pacha and executive chef Marco Zandona offer nonna-approved modern Italian fare, like spring lamb carpaccio, poached tomatoes caprese and stunning cocktails to pair.
Now you can find your Italian faves both uptown and underground with FABBRICA’s new location in the PATH (66 Wellington St. W.), with grab-and-go options for the lunch crowd.
Moving into the space that the Contender once occupied, the trendy SOSO FOOD CLUB (1166 Dundas St. W.) is set to become a west end go-to for ethically sourced and sustainable dumplings and noodles, not to mention tasty tipples.
Mississauga is a bit of a jaunt along the 401, but it’s worth it to check out Hemant Bhagwani’s new resto KOLKATA CLUB (488 Eglinton Ave. W.) with a menu and esthetic that hearken back to the opulence of Raj cuisine in colonial India.
sad to see you go
Zut alors! Delicious French resto and Bayview fave AVENUE BISTRO (formerly L’Avenue) has closed its doors, maybe this time for good.
Suzanne Barr recently announced that KID CHOCOLATE’s opening, which had been delayed for a year due to red tape, will be postponed indefinitely. However, Barr tweeted that the Kid Chocolate name will remain as a design and lifestyle brand.
Tap, beats and the importance of tradition
Tony Award–winning dancer Savion Glover has been called a virtuoso, a prodigy, a superstar, a living legend and “the Michael Jordan of Tap.” But he says he doesn’t put much stock in labels.
“I don’t necessarily pay attention to those adjectives, if you will,” he says.
Glover will be performing alongside exciting young drummer Marcus Gilmore on June 26 at Koerner Hall as part of the Toronto Jazz Festival. The two engaging and energetic artists play off one another, creating an instrumental dialogue that is beyond compare.
Glover, who has breathed new life into the art of tap dancing with his modern style, first learned of his passion for music and rhythm through drumming lessons as a child growing up in Newark, N. J.
“I started off as a drummer. I got into drumming when I was like five years old. My mother signed me up for local music school. We all went there for lessons or theory or to study some type of instrument, and that’s where that started,” he says.
He later ventured into tap dancing. At first, Glover thought of tap as just another recreational pastime, but he soon learned that his love for the art form went much deeper than he had ever anticipated.
“At first, I guess it was just something to do,” he says. “It wasn’t until I met the masters, as they’re referred to, Jimmy Slyde, Gregory Hines, these people sort of changed my life. Not sort of, but changed my life and gave me a why and a reason to tap dance. I guess that was the turning point, when I met these men.”
Glover’s career as an artist began with a starring role in the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid when he was just 11. But he is perhaps best known for the 1996 Tony Award–nominated musical Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk, which really introduced Glover to the world.
He also appeared in the film Tap, starring two other tap legends — Hines and Sammy Davis Jr.
As a former protege himself, Glover says passing the tradition of dance on to younger generations is one of his main priorities as an artist.
He founded the Savion Glover School of Dance and hopes to encourage young artists just as he was encouraged.
“It’s very important to me because this is what was taught and given to me,” he says. “We strengthen the mind and encourage the spirit. This is how I was raised and this is what I continue to do through the school.”
Pussy Riot artist in T.O. for Luminato
It’s been more than four years since Maria Alyokhina of the Russian punk art collective Pussy Riot was released from prison, where she spent two years, and it seems the artist and activist has only grown stronger and more resilient from the experience.
In 2012, the anti-Putinist rock band made waves when members Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova performed the song “Punk Prayer” in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and were later arrested and charged with “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.”
Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina were released from prison on an amnesty law in December 2013 and since then, have made it their mission to campaign for other political prisoners and persecuted artists around the world.
Now, in 2018, Alyokhina has joined forces with Belarus Free Theatre to produce Burning Doors — a play showcasing the brutal conditions political prisoners face and the censorship of artists in non-democratic societies. The play draws on the real experiences of Alyokhina, Russian performance artist Petr Pavlensky and Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who was sentenced to 20 years in a Russian prison in 2015 and is currently on a hunger strike.
Alyokhina, who is living in Moscow, says her story of persecution, injustice and resistance is just one of thousands of others across the globe.
“It’s a story of resistance and mine is just one of them,” she says. “The main one is the story of Oleg, who is Ukrainian, who is now in prison and is now on a hunger strike. That’s one of the reasons why we are doing this show. To tell the stories, to campaign for freedom for Oleg.”
For Alyokhina, art is just one of the vehicles she and other protestors use to resist political injustices. She’s open to all forms of activism and has spent most of her life fighting for freedom of speech, LGBT rights, feminism and environmentalism.
Despite the work Alyokhina and many others have been doing to raise awareness and fight oppression, the artist says nothing has changed and that her time in prison only opened her eyes more to the desperate need for freedom in the world.
“No, it’s not getting better. It’s getting worse unfortunately,” she says. “It was just an experience, and for me, it was a very important experience. I learned a lot about freedom there because this is a space where everything is taken away, so you learn how to resist there.”
Natalia Kaliada, co-founder and artistic director of Belarus Free Theatre, created the underground theatre with her husband, Nikolai Khalezin, in 2005 because the Belarus government had censored other forms of expression.
“By that point, we had tried everything else. My husband was editor-in-chief for three major independent newspapers in Belarus, and all of them had been closed down,” she says. “We knew that it would go underground. I personally think that art equals humanity, and when we do art and contemporary theatre, it is the only way for us to stay human.”
Kaliada says the theatre’s productions put a spotlight on the experiences of persecuted artists like Alyokhina and Sentsov.
“Living under dictatorship, we have very high sensitivity to any form of control, and we really want to share that experience with our audience in different parts of the world,” she says.
Burning Doors, plays June 20 to 24 as part of the Luminato Festival.
Summer’s hottest sneakers
A) THE OG GUCCI
$690: “The Gucci look has wildly reinvented itself, but these classic logo runners hearken back to a simpler,
stylish time in Gucci’s past.”
Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor St. W.
B) MAKING ME BLUSH
$475: “This is gorgeous, it’s so feminine. It’s almost like frayed silk ribbon that’s been woven. So elegant with a vintage vibe.”
Davids, 66 Bloor St. W.
C) FOR THE LOVE OF LOGOS
$1,085: “The fabulous letters on this Fendi pair are very playful and very whimsical, and the logo trend is back in a big way.”
Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor St. W.
D) METALLIC MOOD
$395: “I love this design concept where you have to lace them up once and then you get in and out with the zipper.”
Ron White, 2901 Bayview Village
E) FLAMING HOT
$800: “These Ferragamos look crazy comfortable, and they’re so much fun with this Mary Jane look.”
Sporting Life, 2665 Yonge St.
F) HAUTE TOPS
$210: “When you get up close, you see this fun and iconic heart motif that Comme des Garçons is known for.”
Gravitypope, 1010 Queen St. W.
G) SCUBA SUAVE
$175: “These look like diver boots with this scuba fabric. You’ve got to love the Day-Glo orange colour.”
Gravitypope, 1010 Queen St. W.
H) THOSE PEARLY EYES
$125: “These are great. They’re Keds. They’re Kate Spade. They’re slip-ons, and they have pearls on them!”
Hudson’s Bay, Hillcrest mall
I) SUPERSTAR
$825: “I love these star bursts all along the platform and the beautiful fiery embroidered design from Aquazzura.”
Davids, 66 Bloor St. W.
J) PRETTY PETALS
$430: “It does say Rag & Bone, but very subtle. So if you’re not into logos, this is for you. It’s very feminine.”
Sporting Life, 2665 Yonge St.
K) MOON WALKING
$925: “These Golden Goose ones are a work of art. You can see the craters of the moon and that subtle glitter.”
Specchio, 1240 Bay St.
L) GOING BANANAS
$245: “These are beautiful with the charm on the back, and the fact that you can individualize them is great.”
Coach, Yorkdale mall
M) SOCK-ETTE TO ME
$745: “This fabulously opulent bit of sparkle on the toe looks like it’s a collaboration with Swarovski.”
Studio D, 2570 Yonge St.
A beginner’s guide to the naturist movement
The sun is out and you’ve already started peeling back the layers to enjoy the warmth, but how comfortable are you in your bare skin? Can you enjoy every curve and crevice your body has earned over the years? And are you willing to relax and indulge in your nudity?
If you’re already uncomfortable, it’s even more important to consider it.
Stripping down and revelling in your own nudity — on your own or in public — can prove to be a challenging task, as most of the messages you receive with regard to your body are rather disparaging. You’re taught that you have problem areas that you should use clothes to conceal or downplay. You’re told that you should make regular adjustments to conform to the latest (Eurocentric) trends. And you’re indoctrinated with the belief that the way you dress ought to be indicative of your personality, success, confidence and status.
But what if you were to strip away the adornments and spend some time in your natural state?
The result, according to research and naturists themselves, would be an improvement in body image and overall confidence.
“We use clothing as a shield to project a certain image. We believe so strongly in the power of what we wear that we are never fully comfortable with our true self,” explains Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park owner and host of The Naturist Living Show podcast, Stéphane Deschênes.
“When nude, we are forced to accept who we really are. And we eventually realize that there is no ideal. With that new self-confidence, we present our authentic selves and accept others more easily for who they are.”
When you cover up in response to body insecurity, you exacerbate the problem because you avoid confronting it. So if you want to really love your body, consider getting naked with one of the many options in the GTA.
A naturist park like Bare Oaks, located just north of Toronto in East Gwillimbury, may be the best place to start for first-timers. The park’s policies and underlying philosophy mandate respect and safety. Sexual activity and advances are strictly forbidden. Staring and unauthorized photography are disallowed. Harassment of any kind is immediately addressed, and members ensure a welcoming, safe environment. And though it’s a distinctly non-sexual experience, as you spend more time naked, you’ll likely find that your sex life improves, as people with a better body image have more frequent and satisfying sex.
Bare Oaks attracts both naturists and nudists. The former tends to refer to a life philosophy that emphasizes respect for self, others and nature. Being nude is an important component of this philosophy along with minimizing the impact on the environment. Nudists may practise nudism more recreationally but not embrace naturism as a life philosophy.
Downtown residents Miguel and Claudia explain that they were shy at first but decided to visit a nudist park eight years ago out of curiosity.
“The people were regular folks leading normal lives and with various types of bodies,” explains Miguel. “We found that being in the nude placed us all on the same level and that being naked in front of others made us feel very comfortable and proud of our bodies. We worried less about the labels and clothes that everyone had on and paid more attention to the people themselves and the environment we were in.”
If you prefer to stay closer to home, consider connecting with naturist groups like the GTA Skinnydippers, who arrange nude swims at both indoor and outdoor facilities, or the Toronto Area Naturist Sports and Swims (TANS) group, which co-ordinates nude volleyball matches and more. The World Naked Bike Ride takes place in Toronto on June 9, starting at Coronation Park with socializing and body painting.
Multiple private enterprises like saunas, bathhouses and spas also allow nudity, and though nudity is not inherently sexual, several clubs combine clothing-optional environments with erotic events and entertainment. The pool at Oasis Aqualounge, for example, is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m., and some people report that visiting after dark can help to ease them into the experience.
You can also explore clothing-optional spaces on your own by visiting Hanlan’s Point or the unofficial areas of Beechgrove beach (East Point Park) and the west end of the beach in the Scarborough Bluffs. If you’re not comfortable stripping down at first, that’s OK. Just be sure to be respectful of those in the buff. Don’t stare, gawk, make comments or take photos.
Even spending a few minutes naked in the privacy of your home is a good start to achieving some of the goals of the naturist philosophy: acceptance of self, respect for others and living a more natural life.
French restaurants with a certain je ne sais quoi
50 CHEFS PICK TORONTO’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS
No. 18
CAFÉ CANCAN
Café Cancan is a happy place. With its picture-perfect interior acting as backdrop, chef Victor Barry, wife Nikki McKean and co-owner Brendan Piunno have created a magical realm where it’s always oysters and rosé o’clock. Brunch is popular with their spiffy patrons who, yes, did match their dress to the bistro prior to tucking into truffle-scented scrambled eggs. For dîner, watch the bubbly crowd order from the foie gras section of the menu (ha!) before chomping on Barry’s gourmet burger (an ode to the space’s former life as the Harbord Room) or gnocchi that’s gone Parisian with asparagus and morels. Do note that now there’s both a front and a back patio, for those who like their eats in the sun.
89 Harbord St.
No. 39
CHANTECLER
Walk by this Parkdale space after dusk on a weekday and the scene recalls something you’d see in a nostalgic flick starring Cate Blanchett. With floor-to-ceiling windows opened up, the bistro’s insides feature a wraparound bar and teeny kitchen. Since chef Jon Poon went off to focus on his fancy bars, Jacob Wharton-Shukster, the other half of the original duo, has tightened up the French focus of the space. Chef Peter Robson doles out briny oysters with mignonette sauce, wild buttermilk-fried ‘shrooms gussied up with cheese and lettuce, and super-moist duck done two ways (breast and leg) that will leave the entire party happy.
1320 Queen St. W.
See the rest of the Chef’s Top 50 list…
Post City 100: The best restaurants in Toronto
This year in the Post City 100 we combine two unique and dynamic top 50 lists into one incredible restaurant resource.
In part one, we publish our top 50 places to eat under $50 penned by acclaimed food writer Corey Mintz. For part two, we enlist 50 of the city’s top chefs such as Claudio Aprilé, Massimo Capra and Nuit Regular as our judges and guides en route to proclaiming our Chefs’ Top 50 list of Toronto’s finest restaurants.
Only here will you find a restaurant such as Alo — home to a $125 tasting menu that is revered throughout the land — share equal billing with Scarborough’s Hopper Hut, which has a fiery crab curry with roti for dipping which could be the most satisfying inexpensive meal in the GTA.
No matter your taste, destination or budget, we have you covered with the new-and-improved Post City 100. Bon appétit.
50 CHEFS PICK TORONTO’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS
No. 1
ALO
CHEF’S PICK:
Elia Herrera, of Los Colibris and El Caballito, is one of the
chefs who placed Alo on her list of top T.O. restaurants.
POST CITY’S TAKE: There is a reason (OK, many reasons) why Alo was selected as the top restaurant by our panel of culinary experts. Elegance and discipline are the name of the game at this semi-hidden third floor Chinatown retreat. If, somehow, you manage to get a seat here, go all out. Order one of the tasting menus and let the meticulous chef, Patrick Kriss, treat you to a parade of sublime French (yet Japanese-influenced) dishes like pork belly, fresh scallops and foie gras terrine paired with expertly selected wine. Plus John Bunner’s cocktail menu is a must-sip in its own right.
No. 2
BAR ISABEL
CHEF’S PICK:
Stuart Cameron, of Byblos, Patria and Mira, is one of the chefs
who placed Bar Isabel on his list of top T.O. restaurants.
POST CITY’S TAKE: It’s hard to believe that Bar Isabel, Grant van Gameren’s first post–Black Hoof eatery, opened back in 2013. But let’s not get all misty-eyed — let’s just focus on the eats. It’s easy to load up on jamón and manchego and the marinated mussels escabeche, but always save room for the octopus. A menu mainstay since day one, the whole octo (or half or quarter) boasts fork-tender grilled tentacles, jazzed with grilled dandelion greens and smoky pimentón. Sip on a Rusty Peach — a buzzy tipple with gin, manzanilla sherry, the wonderfully named RinQuinQuin peach liqueur and hits of ginger — and be transported to a bustling eve in Barcelona.
No. 3
DAILO
CHEF’S PICK:
Massimo Capra, of Mistura and Capra’s Kitchen, is one of the
chefs who placed DaiLo on his list of top T.O. restaurants.
POST CITY’S TAKE: Toronto is the perfect city for a restaurant like DaiLo — where ancient recipes are given new life, traditional Asian flavours are married to modern ones, and adventurous diners are open to new experiences. Chef Nick Liu draws on cuisines from Hakka to Singaporean to Chinese for his intriguing menu. The best way to try the full breadth of flavours is to order the DaiLo’s Choice tasting menu and have the chef send out selections. At just $65, the price belies the quality of the meal, which could include everything from torched tamari glazed beef carpaccio to a whole fried giggie trout.
See the rest of the Chef’s Top 50 list…
COREY MINTZ’S 50 UNDER $50
No. 1
HOPPER HUT
There are so many good (and filling) things to eat at Hopper Hut that it’s disrespectful to come here without a crew. Start with hoppers, a crepe-like batter cooked into a bowl shape, eaten with chili/coconut chutneys and curries. From there, get a bowl of mild mutton curry and blast furnace-spicy crab curry, with roti for dipping. Then move on to kothu roti, a griddle-fried hash of roti, onion, chili, egg and meat. You can order most of the dishes with a choice of mutton, beef, chicken, squid or shrimp. For the lamprais (bindle-sized packages of rice, vegetables, curry, egg and dried fish wrapped in banana leaf), whatever meat you choose will be dwarfed by the remaining ingredients.
No. 2
P.G. CLUCKS
If you’re going to do one thing, do it well. Pawel Grezlikowski took that to heart and has done his thing, fried chicken sandwiches, exceedingly well. Starting with whole legs, Grezlikowski removes the bones before brining the meat, then soaking it in buttermilk. Despite demand at the high-volume, small space (his shop is 200 square feet), he won’t pre-cook the chicken in batches for quick service. Instead, each piece is fried to order for approximately six and a half minutes. The shop makes their own fermented hot sauce and buttermilk sauce. The only parts of the sandwich that are outsourced are the pickles (Vlasic bread & butter) and buns (Thuet Bakery), which are intentionally just the right size to be held in one hand while the ample chicken spills out over the side. In a town ripe with the low-hanging, trendy fruit of fried chicken sandwiches, Cluck’s stands out for a product with superior consistency, integrity, quality and taste. There’s no room to sit. But the sandwiches are available for delivery to your table next door at craft beer mecca Birreria Volo.
No. 3
LION CITY
The long menu at Lion City reflects the influence of the regions that surround Singapore: gado gado (salad of blanched vegetables with peanut dressing) and rendang (meat simmered in coconut milk, then pounded and fried) from Indonesia; various Thai curries; rojak (fruit salad with spicy shrimp paste dressing), hokkien mee (fried noodles) and chili crab from Singapore; nasi lemak (coconut rice served with dried anchovies and a fried egg, usually eaten for breakfast) and char kway teow (lard-fried flat noodles with shrimp and eggs) from Malaysia and Singapore. With so many rewarding choices, it’s impossible not to order too much here. But go ahead. You’ll take the leftovers home.
