Tom Cruise, Suri cool down at T.O.'s Hotel Gelato

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Tom Cruise and his daughter, Suri, made a surprise stop at Eglinton Avenue’s Hotel Gelato on Monday evening.

According to owner Dan Hoffman, Suri ordered vanilla gelato while her dad, revealing why he still has chiselled abs at 48, opted for a glass of water. Tom’s sister, who paid for everything, enjoyed a couple of gluten-free cookies.

Hoffman said the trio sat at the patio in front of the shop for about a half-hour.

"He was very pleasant, very accommodating," Hoffman told PostCity.com. "He spoke to all of us and the customers."

Cruise is in town while his wife, Katie Holmes, films her role as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in a miniseries for the History Channel.

The family is reportedly renting out a mansion in Toronto’s secluded Hoggs Hollow neighbourhood.

Hoffman, who previously worked as a concierge at the ritzy Windsor Arms Hotel, was in his comfort zone with the Hollywood star and even managed to get this pic.

Get the word on Toronto’s hottest new patio decor

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SUMMER ENTERTAINING is an experience, an atmosphere, a memory in the making. It’s a reason to transform your deck into an outdoor oasis.

This summer the hottest trend in patio furniture is indoor style with outdoor durability. As your nights indoors turn into nights out in the garden, you might wonder how to move the party from the living room to your patio. But don’t fret.

We’ll show you how to attain this summer’s ultimate trend: comfort in any space.

Deep seating has all the comfort and style of a living room, and it’s this summer’s trendiest addition to your patio.

These modular sets with seats centred around low-set coffee tables can be rearranged to suit your soiree, so it’s no surprise they are replacing stiff dining sets.

If you’re worried about the kids spilling ketchup or adults sloshing red wine on warm summer nights, opt for models from Woodard available at Deck and Dock (1200 Castlefield Ave.).

Their cushions are made with Crypton waterproof fabric that resists all kinds of stains and weather, which means you can leave them outside all year round.

Not all cushions are weatherproof, and most of us are likely to leave them exposed to the elements for a night or two. But to keep this season’s cool, new textiles lasting more than one summer you’ll need to store them in a cushion box.

Look for Kingsley-Bate’s teak chests at Sign of the Skier (2794 Yonge St.). They are silicon sealed, to keep your cushions dry, and even have hydraulic hinges to keep your kid’s fingers safe.

Designers are rethinking the standard umbrella for style and convenience.

Try an offset umbrella that hangs over so that you don’t have a pole in the centre of your party. New designs from Tucci,available at Sign of the Skier, are marine grade and won’t tip over, so you don’t sacrifice fashion for function.

Patio furnishing experts have a saying: “If it’s busy above, it’s quiet below.”

This summer,keep large furniture in muted colours and have fun with lights and bright colours overhead. Try pairing a vibrant umbrella with halogen clamp-on lights,available at Deck and Dock, to create a luminescent glow in the evening.

Another chic way to add ambience, light and a little romantic luxury to your patio is an outdoor firepit.

Natural gas or propane powered flames with stone hearths by OW Lee make for a cozy centrepiece to curl up by and can be found at Sign of the Skier.

Curtains are the finishing touch to this season’s trendy patio. Use them to add polish to your outdoor space.Or to create a private paradise in your own backyard, spring for an outdoor pavilion. They introduce a splash of colour, but be sure to have them made of fabrics tested for fade resistance such as Sunbrella, available at Deck and Dock.

Toronto mayoral candidates outline their plans if elected

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SARAH THOMSON, Publisher of Women’s Post

Stop the spending, altogether: “I would meet with all department heads and discuss the changes we could make to the culture of spending. I believe it’s important to give people the option of change.”

Halt the city hall hiring: “Fifty per cent of our workforce will be over the age of 50 in five years. I think we have to slowly transition over from being so dependent on the public sector to being a little bit more dependent on the private.”

Toll the cars and talk transit: “We have to start implementing a funding model to get our transit construction underway. So that’s meeting with the toll road companies and getting a cost-benefit analysis done.”

ROB FORD, Ward 2 councillor

Can the car tax: “It’s just a cash grab. The car registration tax is penalizing everyone. It’s penalizing every driver in the city and it’s not necessary.”

Let the land tax lie down for good: “It’s hurting a lot of people. The land transfer tax is penalizing anyone and everyone who is buying homes in the city, and again it’s not necessary.”

Cut out some councillors: “We have 22 provincial representatives, we have 22 federal representatives, we have 22 school board representatives. Why do we need 44 municipal representatives when all we need is 22?”

GEORGE SMITHERMAN, Former MPP, Toronto Centre

Get the budget back in gear: “I would make myself a member of the city’s budget committee. The motivation here is that the city projects itself each year as broke and bankrupt. I’m not interested in that going forward.”

See subway succeed: “I’m very focused on what we can deliver by way of transportation in time for the Pan Am Games. For instance, getting the Spadina subway expansion to York University completed in time.” Put customer service in order, pronTO!: “This is about working with tens of thousands of civic employees to create a new sense of customer service delivery around a model I call PronTO. The TO is for Toronto.”

JOE PANTALONE, Deputy mayor

A transportation tête-à-tête: “I would quickly get in touch with Premier McGuinty and have a heart-to-heart discussion because transportation is the biggest problem facing not only Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, but Ontario.”

Get Toronto online and twittering: “Things like Internet voting for the coming election … also setting up a process of engaging Torontonians by using the newer information process, like social networking, etc.”

Up the employment: “Create more jobs in Toronto by using models that I have successfully led in the past. That’s the way we can guarantee a better future for Torontonians, to make sure we have job creation.”

Anne Murray and Louise Pitre attend Windsor Arms bash

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12:28 pm

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The Sisterhood Soiree, a special evening of celebration to recognize the sisterhood of women who have joined together to help move their fellow Canadian women out of poverty, took place recently at the historic Windsor Arms Hotel.

On hand was Canadian music legend Anne Murray, to receive the first Canadian Women’s Foundation Honorary Leadership Award for the indelible mark she has made on Canadian culture.

If you have an event you would like to tell us about please email [email protected]

Toronto's best spots to pig out on pig's face

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It kind of looks like bacon, it kind of tastes like bacon, but it's not quite bacon. Whether you call it testina or you call it what it is, pig's face has become a popular pick at the handful of Toronto restaurants. Here’s PostCity.com’s roundup of the best places to pig out on pig’s face.

Marben

At Marben, the testina offers diners an alternative to the homemade sausages on the brunch menu. The pork comes as two, disc-shaped slices when served as a $3 side to the traditional breakfast, which includes two eggs, fried potatoes and salad. Served alone, three slices sell for $5.

In the kitchen, Chef Carl Heinrich uses a days-long process to treat the pork, which is poached and then fried. Sausage mix made from the shoulder, with meatier pieces taken from the face, is rolled up in the skin before it's fried and sliced.

"It's almost like bacon meets sausage," says Heinrich.

Marben buys all of its animals whole, directly from farmers.

"It's a great challenge for the kitchen," says Heinrich. "We don't waste anything."

488 Wellington St. West, Suite 102, 416-979-1990

Parts & Labour

At Parts & Labour, the fried pig's face is served as a $14 appetizer.

On the plate, you get three head cheese croquettes, accompanied by mustard pickles, cornichons, lemon zest and carrot tops in a demi-glace and sauce gribiche.

Chef Matty Matheson describes it as deep fried molten pork because of its soft and smooth texture. Whatever reservations some may have about trying pig's face, the dish has been one of Parts & Labour's top sellers.

"It's kind of like a picnic on a plate," says Matheson.

He included the fried pig's face on the menu because it's easy to make and it tastes great.

1566 Queen St. West, 416-588-7750

Hoof Café

At the Hoof Café, Chef Geoff Hopgood cooks smoked pig's head at a low temperature overnight and then smokes and sears it. He uses the cheek as a medallion in the centre of what looks like pancetta. The smoked pig's head is served during brunch and lunch as a $12 dish and is accompanied by a green bean salad with a ranch-style dressing, served with fried shallots, fried bread and pickled ramps.

"It's a really balanced dish because you have a very rich piece of meat but then you have a nice, cool, clean salad that kind of refreshes you while you're eating it," says Hopgood.

He added the smoked pig's head to Hoof Cafe's menu about a month ago because he likes using different parts of the pig and says the face is one that's underused. The dish will likely remain on the menu for another month or so.

923 Dundas St. West, 416-551-8854

The Source: Toronto's top sales this weekend

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Shopping — and the air-conditioned boutiques that come with it — may be the perfect way to break from this weekend’s summer heat. And with all the summer sales on around Hogtown, it’s also your bank account’s turn to rest easy. Here is PostCity.com’s round up of the best sales in the city this weekend.

Holt Renfrew

What is the summer sun without that pair of Prada sunglasses you’ve had your eye on? Or maybe you’re after that Alexander Wang breezy tee and the Helmut Lang jeans to match. What if you accessorized the outfit with a deal? This weekend, selected fashions and accessories at Holt Renfrew are 60 per cent off. With those savings, you may even want a bag to match.

50 Bloor Street West, 416-922-2333

Bayview Village

The annual summer sale is on and with so many boutiques to choose from, this sale offers just about something for anyone. Doing some summer redecorating? Head to the Bombay Company, where items are up to 50 per cent off. You can finally purchase that canopy bed and sleep well knowing you got a deal.

2901 Bayview Avenue, 416-499-8338

Eleven

While the store is still just a baby (barely a year old), the deals this weekend are almost mammoth. The spring collection by designers Joeffer Caoc, Thien Le, and Linda Lundström are all 30 to 50 per cent off, and accessories are up to 70 per cent off. With the savings, you might even want to venture to the second floor of the shop, where the haute items strut their stuff.

111 Yorkville Avenue, 416-935-0111

Specchio Shoes

Yes, you can tell the difference between a well-made shoe and that pair of $15 sandals from H&M. At least your feet can tell the difference, especially if you’ve spent all day shopping. Now, with a summer sale enough to make any well-heeled girl giddy, you can get 50 to 70 per cent off that perfect pair of Dries van Noten. Not only will you make your feet happy, but your wallet will thank you too.

1240 Bay Street, 416-961-7989

Sporting Life

If shopping causes you to sweat, Sporting Life may be the place for you. With all spring Adidas clothing and sportswear up to 50 per cent off, a sweat-resistant outfit is a perfectly viable option. You might even find the items so comfortable, you’ll want to venture out for a mid-day jog.

2665 Yonge Street, 416-485-1611

Strombo & Sandie Rinaldo put best foot forward at gala

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12:34 pm

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The White Knight Gala, an initiative of shoe entrepreneur Ron White, took place again this year at the MacDonald family’s Bridle Path estate.

White summer cocktail attire was mandatory, highlighted by the guests’ most colourful and outrageous shoes.

Ben Mulroney was the white carpet host, Leslie Roberts the emcee, and George Stroumboulopoulos the live auctioneer. Proceeds support Free The Children’s youth empowerment program.

If you have an event you would like to tell us about please email [email protected]

This Weekend: Beaches Jazz Festival, Honda Indy Toronto, Indian, Brazilian and South Asian festivals

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One thing’s for certain, Torontonians love their festivals. This weekend, celebrate Toronto’s diversity with festivals showcasing the best of Indian, Brazilian, and South Asian culture. If you’re looking for some action, head to the Honda Indy for some good ol’ fashioned racing or take in the cool vibes of the Beaches Jazz Festival.

Beaches Jazz Festival

If you weren’t able to catch the Toronto Jazz Festival, make up for it this weekend by heading down to the beaches. At Woodbine Park, catch 5 After 4 and CaneFire this Saturday and Elmer Ferrer and Alejandra Ribera on Sunday.

July 16-25, Woodbine Park, 2010

Honda Indy Toronto

Don’t let the name change fool you, this year’s IndyCar Series race promises to be bigger and better than ever. Catch Danica Patrick, Helio Castroneves, Paul Tracy and Marco Andretti maneuvering their way around the 2.84 km track this Sunday.

July 16-18, Exhibition Place

Festival of India

The 38th annual Festival of India kicks off this Saturday with a dynamic, high-energy parade down Yonge Street. The celebrations then move to Centre Island for two days of festivities.

July 17 and 18, Yonge Street and Centre Island

TD Festival of South Asia

Arrive hungry for this two day festival featuring the best in South Asian cuisine. Work off the butter chicken and biryani by getting down to the bhangra beats on the festival stage.

July 17 and 18, Gerrard India Bazaar

Expressions of Brazil Festival

Carnival comes to Toronto with the best in Brazilian music and dance. Make sure to check out the Batucada Carioca Samba Group on Friday night.

July 16-18, Harbourfront Centre

Mixologists battle for bragging rights at Queen Street's Bar Chef

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3:21 pm

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Six of Canada’s top mixologists did battle Tuesday night in the National Bar Chef Competition, fittingly hosted at Bar Chef (472 Queen Street West).

It was a veritable who’s who of the Canadian mixology scene, as contestants from Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal crafted their cocktails in front of an informed crowd of off-duty bar chefs, foodies, and semi-pro drinkers.

Each contestant had roughly eight minutes to create their signature cocktail from start to finish, during which they were able to offer their inspiration and give technical insight into their technique and ingredients.

The entries were judged by an Iron-Chef-esque panel of three judges– Bar Chef proprietor and globally-respected cocktail genius, Frankie Solarik, Food Network personality Kevin Brauch, aka The Thirsty Traveler (does anybody have a better job than Kevin Brauch?), and a guest judge representing the event’s main sponsor, Ketel One Vodka. All cocktails were required to feature Ketel One Vodka.

In the end, Vancouver’s David Wolowidnyk earned top honours and a free trip to Amsterdam with his "Sichuan Punch" (see recipe below).

David wowed the judges with his esoteric ingredients and thorough knowledge base. Did you know that the word punch is derived from the Hindi word panch for the number five, because it is made of five ingredients?

Have you ever heard of the Sichuan Button, an African flower bud used in the manufacture of candy that "creates a strong tingling sensation in the mouth and a sudden increase in salivation?"

Well it appeared that most of the judges hadn’t either, and David’s "Sichuan Punch" featured this obscure yellow prize that he described as giving an "explosive, Pop Rocks effect".

Lauren Mote, also of Vancouver, took second place with her riff on a Perfect Martini which she titled a "Nolet Prat." She cleansed judges’ palettes with quenelles of lemon curd formed in liquid nitrogen (always a crowd pleaser), and then built her cocktail from some fascinating concoctions called Orgeat, Smaak van Noyaux, and Vermouth Van Kersen, with a dash of quince vinegar for good measure.

Perhaps not one to be replicated in the home kitchen, but she scored with the judges for her presentation, her complex infusions and high degree of difficulty.

There was a tie for third between Montreal’s Fabian Maillard and Toronto’s Nishantha Nepulangoda.

Fabian created a daringly simple but perfectly executed drink he called a "Martini de Provence," incorporating muddled cherry tomatoes, fresh oregano, Pernod, and Ketel One – imagine a precocious love child between a vodka martini and a bloody mary.

Nish’s Snowbird (delightfully named after the Canadian Forces 431 Air Demonstration Squadron) displayed exemplary creativity and presentation, and Nish deserves a special mention for using by far the largest muddler of the competition.

A collegial and celebratory atmosphere carried through the night, and while free-flowing libations have a way of creating such a vibe, it is clear that this small but growing community of talented bar chefs are excited about advancing their craft. As they should be: last night all six chefs achieved the delicate balance of creativity, technique, and respect for ingredients that is usually reserved to the best kitchens.

These bar chefs are driving one of the fastest growing and most exciting developments in gastronomy: let’s raise a glass to that.    

David Wolowidnyk’s Sichuan Punch

2 oz Ketel One Vodka infused with Sichuan Buttons
3/4 oz "Paris-Singapore" syrup (a tea blend from TWG)
3/4 oz Fresh lemon juice
1 dash "Scrappy’s" Cardamom Bitters (from Seattle)
1 1/2 oz House made Ginger Beer
1 Sichuan Button for garnish

Muddle 20 Sichuan Button flower buds until well macerated then use to infuse one 750ml bottle of Ketel One Vodka. Let stand for 2 weeks. Strain off solids and re-bottle the Ketel One infisuion. Steep a very strong tea from the exclusive blended "Paris-Singapore" tea, at a ratio of two parts sugar to one part tea. Simmer until fully dissolved.

Add all liquid ingredients except the ginger beer into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake hard to chill. Strain contents into an old fashion glass over new ice, top with ginger beer, and garnish with a Sichuan Button.

Style File: Smashin' fashion in the Village

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PostCity.com tracked down two Toronto trendsetters in the Village and asked them to reveal the secrets to their style.

Name: Diane Harris

Occupation: Retired

What are you wearing: My necklace is by Judith Ripka, the dress I bought in Thailand, Marc Jacobs purse from Florida, shoes I got in California, David Yurman bracelet in Florida, and my Cartier watch I bought in Toronto

Describe your style in two words: Trendy eclectic

What’s your favourite article of clothing in your wardrobe: Nothing in particular, I just put on what’s comfortable

A purchase you couldn’t justify at the time but bought anyway: A gown for my daughter’s wedding that I actually ended up never wearing. It was from Florida – I do a lot of shopping in Florida. It was beautiful, it was the right colour, but it was just too big and unfortunately I couldn’t get it altered properly.

Name: Ivanka Katrushenko

Occupation: Health promotions

What are you wearing: My flats are from H & M and were around $20, shorts from Aritizia were $40, the belt I got in Thailand, the shirt is from a vintage store, sweater from Urban outfitters. My Coach bag is from New York, my ring was a gift from my mother and my earrings are from Tiffany’s.

Celebrity style icon: Jennifer Aniston or Natalie Portman

Describe your style in two words: Classy casual

Favourite item in your wardrobe: A grey wool blazer from Aritizia

I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing: A fur coat or a bra that clashes with my shirt.

Most outrageous purchase: My prom dress from BCBG – it’s skinny at the top and the skirt area poofs out, it’s sort of 50s style – black with white polka dots. It was around $600.

Best places for the perfect pie in Toronto

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It’s true, nothing beats the smell of a home-baked pie wafting through summer air. However, if you think learning how to flute a pie crust involves playing a musical instrument, don’t fear — Postcity.com has picked Toronto’s top three pie shops.

So turn your oven off, and be prepared to get the perk without the work.

Wanda’s Pie in the Sky

Perhaps no one knows the rewards of a fresh baked pie more than Wanda Beaver, a Niagara-region transplant who has been in the pie business for 25 years. Her most recent shop in Kensington market offers between 30 to 40 different pie flavours, all made with natural ingredients. We recommend the award-winning Peach Praline Pie.

What makes Wanda’s pies so good? We asked the pie-master herself: "They’re the real thing. The pastry is made by hand and it’s finished by hand. The pies are deep, just like your grandmother used to make, and there’s a lot of filling and it’s fresh."

$4.25 for a slice, 287 Augusta Avenue, 416-236-7585

The Pie Shack

While there’s nothing quite like cottage eating — a picnic table, barbecued everything, and a slice of pie and ice-cream to top it off — a treat at Toronto’s Pie Shack is a pretty close second. Walk inside the Beaches pie shop and you’ll feel like you’re at the cottage: summer reading on the bookshelves, an array of board games for rainy days, and pies, pies, pies.

Tim McConvey, the advertising salesman turned pieman, works with the help of his neighbours and Cordon Bleu trained chefs Erez and Karen Hadad. We asked McConvey what the pie of the moment is. His answer: a Bumbleberry Pie that uses blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and peaches. Another perk? You can satisfy your late-night pie craving on Thursday, Friday and Saturday — the shop stays open until midnight.

$5 for a slice, 2305 Queen Street East, 647-351-1411

The Flaky Tart

Madelaine Sperry knows there’s nothing like a home-baked pie. Which is why the former Rosedale Golf Club pastry chef is doing her best to help locals step up their dessert offerings: she’s happy to have you bring in your own favourite pie plate that she’ll use to bake a fresh tart just in time for a dinner party. Sperry says her secret is in the ingredients.

"We peel all our own fruit and use fruit from the farmers," she says. Her pies don’t use a lot of sugar, and The Flaky Tart offers both sugar-free and wheat-free options. While many of the pie offerings are seasonal, there are usually an apple and a sour cherry on the counter. Our tart pick? It’s a tie between a Wild Blueberry Pie with wild blueberries from Quebec, and a Sweet Cherry Apricot Pie.

$5 for the Sweetie Pie – a tart made for two, 711 Mount Pleasant Road, 416-484-8278

My Toronto: Acclaimed singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge on his west end ’hood

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THERE WERE CERTAIN corners of High Park Avenue that smelled of almonds in the summertime.

In all my time growing up in that tree-ridden neighbourhood, I’ve never seen a single almond on a tree or on the sidewalk, but when the cicadas sang on the sweaty corner of Glenlake and Oakmount, all I could smell were almonds. I’ll be damned.

Just around the corner from the scent of almonds, I knew a Polish girl who had memorized every rung on the Eiffel Tower.

When her parents took her away to Hawaii for vacations, I’d sit on the grass beneath her bedroom window, which was on the second floor of an apartment building. I loved the way she loved the Eiffel Tower, and I’d tell her so while she was sunning herself on white sand thousands of miles away.

The bullies weren’t so bad.When I was in Grade 7, I was dating a girl from the public school next door.

She was in Grade 5, but she was older than me. I actually found it an interesting challenge finding different routes home after school, trying to avoid all the hormonal prepubescent boys who wanted to beat me up with bats and chains in order to prove that I was an inconsistent 12-year-old lover.

I wonder where those boys with chains are these days.… I return to the old neighbourhood often.There are more people there, but many of them I still know and recognize.The sidewalks are still the same, but some of the old trees have been cut down. In the summertime I don’t smell almonds any more.

Justin Rutledge’s latest album is The Early Widows. Go to www.justinrutledge.com for details.