Flat out fabulous: Jeanne Beker picks Toronto’s best flats

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3:15 pm

Put a spring in your step with Jeanne Beker’s selection of colourful flats for running around town in style.

WINNER: Best foot forward
GEOX, TOWN SHOES, 95 BLOOR ST. W, $150
“These are fun; they’re shiny; they’re colourful, happy shoes! Ultra-comfortable, and patent leather is always lovely to wear this time of year, especially if you worry about getting your shoes wet! A forward take on a classic penny loafer.”

Let’s get digital
ALDO, HILLCREST MALL, $70
“We saw these types of digital prints last year, and they’re just as strong this season. This is a smoking slipper, which has a loungy effect, but you could even wear it in the evening with a silk pant or cocktail short.”

Haute hybrid
ROCK & CANDY, THE SHOE COMPANY, 2355 YONGE ST., $47.99
“Florals are really popular this season. They really speak of the warm weather. I like these because they’re sort of a cross between a ballet flat and a sneaker. Really feminine and fun and great for kicking around cottage country or running down the city streets!”

The white stuff
RON WHITE, YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE, $275
“I love these driving shoes. The silver detailing is so chic. Metallics are very hot this season. The leather is sumptuous. There’s a rich feel to these shoes — perfect for strolling down the boardwalk in Saint-Tropez!”

Cat’s meow
CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA, DAVIDS FOOTWEAR, BAYVIEW VILLAGE, $695
“There is always a great sense of whimsy in Charlotte Olympia footwear, and this pair is no exception. The embroidered cat face on the toe is just so sweet. They’re a classic slipper style with a fabulous detail.”

Cheap & cheerful
JOE FRESH, 396 ST CLAIR AVE. W., $19
“These ballet flats have a nice open cut, so you will get some toe cleavage, which always makes shoes sexier. The Missoni-inspired print looks incredibly chic and fashionable.”

European flair
SEYCHELLES, LITTLE BURGUNDY, SHOPS AT DON MILLS, $80
“These have a real European vibe to them. The coral leather screams ‘style.’ They have a beautiful quality to them, a nice amount of craftsmanship has gone into these shoes.”

Gender bender
MIISTA, CAPEZIO, PROMENADE SHOPPING CENTRE, $189
“These printed satin shoes are a wonderful mix between feminine and masculine. If you love that menswear style but still want to show that you’re all woman, this is a great oxford for you. Fun with white jeans or shorts.”

Q&A: Francisco Alejandri on tacos, Kensington Market and opening his own restaurant

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1:39 pm

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Francisco Alejandri is back. The chef shuttered his famed Kensington Market food stand, Agave y Agucate, last summer, but he has since partnered up with furniture designer Keyvan Foroughi to bring the brand to Baldwin Village in full restaurant form. We caught up with Alejandri to find out more about his upcoming venture.

What was the winter like for you? You dropped off the radar for a bit.
Things started a bit slow. We were trying to get to know each other — myself and my partner — and looking for locations. That took a while. We’ve been doing this for eight months already.

How did you end up meeting your partner?
He’s a furniture designer and an architect. He came to my place, to Kensington, several times. He used to come very often. One day he asked me why I didn’t have a restaurant, and he asked if it was OK for us to have a meeting, no commitments, no nothing. So we got together and then everything started from there.

So you’re 50/50 partners?
Yes.

And what’s the new restaraurant going to be like?
We’ve kept the same name. It will be a little more refined than the booth, with the same vision. The prices will be slightly higher because it is a restaurant, and the food will be a little better, I can say.

Are we going to see any favourites from the food stand?
Yes, that’s for sure. I’m going to bring flank steak salad, the meatball sandwich, the tinga tostada, the green tostada — people still ask me about those items. The lime charlotte. But I’m not going to have them all for opening day, I’ll be spreading them out over the seasons. And I want to introduce people to new items, some more challenging than others, like pig’s trotters and things like that.

Have you changed your stance on tacos? Some people think Agave y Aguacate was a taqueria, but you never sold tacos, correct?
I know! I wasn’t pleased with that. I can’t find the right tortillas. I’ve been looking for a good tortilla everywhere, everywhere. I might not find it. Tacos right now are a trend, but it is part of our culture. I’ve been talking to a guy who’s been making tortillas here, and he says he can make them to my specifications. If that’s the case, and if they are good, I would make one taco, I think. Lobster, or fish, or something.

You’re known for your extremely high standards. Are we going to see the same thing at this new restaurant?
It will be the exact same thing, if not more. The reason why it was hard for me at Kensington Market is because I was doing everything. I was doing food costs, I was doing everything, and I missed things because I just couldn’t do it. Now, it will be more structured. We have an accountant, we have a kitchen consultant. I have my staff. But yes, I am demanding, and I’m lucky and quite happy because my partner is the same way. I think we have a bit of OCD, which is OK for us.

When is the restaurant going to open?
I think six to eight weeks. Our goal will be to open by June. It might be hard, but that’s our goal. It’s a big place; it seats 110 people. It has a front and a back patio, a second floor — that’s going to be our main dining room — and then downstairs is a bar. Downstairs will be walk-ins, upstairs reservations.

Did you learn any lessons from your experience in Kensington?
Yes, I did. I think the most important lesson is that I have to respect the numbers and percentages. Without that, without money, passion ends. Without money, there’s nothing, plain and simple.

Agave y Aguacate, 35 Baldwin St.

Is smoking weed really that bad for you?

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11:38 am

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A recent survey conducted by UNICEF revealed that Canadian youngsters smoke more marijuana than kids anywhere else in the developed world. We talked to toxicologist and drug safety researcher at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Dr. David Juurlink, about this report and about the effects of marijuana.

This recent UNICEF report has ranked our country first out of 29 developed countries for youth marijuana use. What are your thoughts on this?
I’m not surprised by the high prevalence of cannabis use in kids. Marijuana has been around for a long time, and attitudes toward the drug in general are more relaxed than they were 25 years ago. I am, however, encouraged that Canada ranks third-lowest in terms of cigarette smoking by children. I would argue that cigarette smoking is far more dangerous to health than occasional marijuana use.

Are there carcinogenic effects with marijuana use?
There’s very limited data on that. Some evidence suggests that cannabis smoking may be a risk factor for lung cancer, but it’s not clear how much of the increased risk reflects tobacco use among individuals who smoke marijuana.

What are the acute effects of the drug?
That depends on the amount consumed and the type of plant. Unlike a lot of other recreational drugs, cannabis isn’t readily classified as a depressant, hallucinogen or stimulant. For example, alcohol is a depressant, cocaine is a stimulant and magic mushrooms are hallucinogens. Cannabis can exhibit all of those features to a degree. The most prominent effects will be an altered perception of time, increased appetite and motor incoordination.

Could a teen who is using medical marijuana become easily addicted to it?
No. Cannabis is a much less addictive substance than, say, alcohol or nicotine. And, the health consequences of its use are far less serious. I would argue that even caffeine is more habit-forming than cannabis. When we say something is addictive, what we mean is people have intense cravings [and] they use it despite the knowledge that it’s harmful, and when they stop using it, they experience withdrawal. It may be that cannabis is one of the least addictive recreational drugs out there.

Are there any long-term effects from smoking marijuana?
Very few. It’s a hard thing to research because it’s illegal. But, there is genuine uncertainty about the effects of long-term marijuana use on either the brain or the lungs, and those are the two organs that most people would anticipate could be damaged by long-term use of the drug. There’s really very little data to suggest that is the case.

Why do you think this popular notion exists that marijuana is a gateway drug?
The notion that marijuana itself leads to the use of other drugs is silly. The majority of people who use marijuana do not end up shooting heroine or snorting cocaine. It’s true that people who use marijuana are more likely to use hard drugs than non-users of marijuana, but that is almost certainly a function of the individual and [a result of] certain social and other factors, rather than a direct effect of marijuana itself. Marijuana is no more a gateway drug than nicotine.

What is the most harmful aspect of marijuana use?
There’s very good data that recent use of cannabis is a risk factor for motor vehicle accidents. It’s on the same order of driving while impaired by alcohol. I don’t want to give the impression that this is an innocuous drug. Most people realize that driving under the influence of alcohol is a bad idea, but driving under the influence of marijuana is a bad idea as well. This is certainly one aspect of marijuana use that the public should appreciate.

Chef Eric Wood is heading up the kitchen at The Beverley, an upcoming hotel and restaurant on Queen West

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3:54 pm

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Last month, chef Eric Wood announced that he was leaving Hawthorne Food and Drink to work at an upcoming “boutique hotel” on Queen West, the name of which he did not reveal at the time. Well, if a recent job posting on Craiglist is any indication, he’s now heading up the kitchen at The Beverley Hotel, a new venue that’s opening up on Queen West.

We got in touch with Wood to find out more, but he indicated he wasn’t at liberty to communicate further details about the hotel. But another Craigslist ad, along with a liquor licence application, reveals more. The venue will be located at 335 Queen West, and it will have a 70-seat restaurant and lounge, a 20-person private dining area, a 70-person rooftop patio and 18 hotel rooms. According to the Globe, architect Steven Fong is affiliated with the project.

Back in April, when Wood announced his departure from Hawthorne, he hinted that the upcoming hotel would be opening in mid-May, so we’re hopeful that the venue will be open soon.

The Beverley Hotel, 335 Queen St. W.

Sewell: casino divides city, fight takes flight

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3:00 pm

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It is entirely unexpected that a proposal for a downtown casino would become such a watershed issue for Toronto. When first proposed last year, it was seen as a divisive issue, and best thinking was that the vote on city council would be close, perhaps dividing the downtown councillors from those representing the suburbs. The No Casino Toronto group was seen as insular and ineffective.

But now, as spring is finally bursting over the city, it is astonishing to find that those who support a casino in the downtown are few in number — and well out of the mainstream. The ethos of the city is clearly opposed to a casino, and people like Mayor Rob Ford and brother Doug look quite out of step and unrepresentative of Toronto’s basic values.

I realized how much city residents spoke with one voice when in early April I asked Rod Phillips, the proponent (with Paul Godfrey) through the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, if he could give me contacts for five or 10 community leaders supporting the casino. Since we had heard so much from those opposed, I thought we should hear from those in favour.

I was sent a list of seven people, including the head of the Carpenters’ Union local, which could expect construction jobs; the head of the union local representing hotel and food workers; the head of Tourism Toronto; and the head of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association. All with a financial interest in the casino proceeding.

There were three other names on the list. One was Matthew McGuire of the Toronto Taxpayers Coalition, which rides the dead horse claiming that casino revenues will fund needed transit improvements. (Sorry, but $100 million a year, if generated from a casino, funds about a 10th of what is needed.) Another was the deputy chair of one of the largest brokerage companies in Toronto, but he never returned my call. The third was restaurateur Mark McEwan, who thinks that the larger American tourist base that a big casino would bring expands the number of restaurant opportunities here, although some have argued that casinos “capture” patrons and they don’t venture into the city.

In short, few community leaders favour a large casino in downtown Toronto. As one can see from the ads placed in the daily papers by No Casino Toronto, virtually everyone who cares about the city and participates in its public life is opposed. They come from every sector. When faith leaders made their public announcement of opposition, they proved a lively crew in their different religious outfits and said this was one of the first times they had spoken out as a group.

The casino has created a new and fresh political alignment in the city. I suspect it will spill over to the other big issues that now swirl around the city. One is the announcement by Porter Airlines that it wants to bring jets to the Island airport and extend the runway. One can see the same people who opposed the casino exercising their new political clout on this issue, arguing that the centre of a crowded downtown neighbourhood is hardly the place for a big airport. Mayor Ford has already said he supports the expansion, so the lines are drawn. It will also spill over to the question of finding new revenue for needed transit.

Premier Kathleen Wynne has taken a strong leadership position in favour of new revenue sources. So has the Toronto Region Board of Trade and CivicAction. And, since it was Wynne who dashed the hopes of casino supporters by saying there would be no special revenue deal for the casino in Toronto, it is quite possible the transit revenue cause will be able to harness the anti-casino crowd.

The other big issue is the extraordinary amount of new development. City planners say there are applications for dozens of new condo developments along Yonge Street south of Eglinton. The city has no plan to deal with all of this growth.

Maybe the anti-casino crowd will provide some political muscle to ensure the city benefits from the pressure of growth rather than just survive it.

Who would have thought a casino application for the downtown would have such positive results?

Post City Magazines’ columnist John Sewell is a former mayor of Toronto and the author of a number of urban planning books.

Recent win spurs future plans for Thornlea

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2:13 pm

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Two clashing plans, each one outlining its own vision for the future of Thornhill’s Thornlea neighbourhood, were presented to the Markham City Council — and, concluding a two-year-long study, one has been adopted.

The Thornlea Revitalization Study was initiated to create a strategic plan for Thornlea, which encompasses residential homes as well as light industrial and manufacturing sites such as auto body shops.

The area was also once the site of the former Canac Kitchens factory. Residents living nearby claimed the factory was to blame for noxious odours in the neighbourhood, which locals alleged lead to serious health complications.

The two reports — one authoured by a consultant and another by a working group made up of local residents and councillor Howard Shore — aimed to tackle past problems and ensure a future for the area. Both sought to explore striking a balance between existing family residences and the nearby employment areas.

In the end, the working group’s recommendations found favour with council.

Except for the Canac site, the development services committee and council directed staff to prohibit manufacturing, assembly and warehousing businesses in the area, as well as auto body and repair shops, other than where no certificate of approval is required from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

According to Coun. Shore, such businesses that already exist will be grandfathered into the area and will not be forced to move.

The former Canac factory property will be slated to provide a space for future mixed-use residential developments, including low dwellings and street-level commercial, retail and office uses.

Uses would be limited to pedestrian-friendly facilities such as offices, small retail and other businesses. Automobile-related services, such as gas stations and parking lots, would not be allowed.

In addition, Shore proposed to consider the area for a community improvement plan (CIP), which would create an improved neighbourhood image by directing signage, lighting and streetscapes. The matter must still be considered by council.

Alena Gotz, a long-time resident of the area and former Aileen-Willowbrook Ratepayers’ Association member, called the decision to go with the working group’s report a definite win for the community.

She was particularly proud that residents accepted no compromises when it came to their health.

“People lose hope easily and do not understand that the most important thing when fighting government bureaucracy is to possess unshakable staying power based on a strong conviction that in the end the government will have to do the right thing,” she said. “To never go away no matter how hard they fight back.”

The consultant’s report, prepared by Meridian Planning, took a softer approach to future industry in the area. It suggested allowing certain auto-related uses, parking and manufacturing in the area.

Too Close to Call: Playa Cabana vs. La Carnita

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12:31 pm

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In honour of the May 5th Mexican holiday, we visit the artisanal Playa Cabana and the street-savvy La Carnita. Whose guac is greater? Whose peppers pack the biggest punch? You decide.

Playa Cabana	vs.	La Carnita
Dave Sidhu, 2011.	Owner(s) & year opened:	Andrew Richmond and Amin Todai, 2012.
Tromba Anejo. Right now, there’s only one bottle in Canada, and we’ve got it!	Best tequila in the house:	Tequila Don Julio, 1942.
Habaneros. We dice them up really fine and let them sit in olive oil, lime juice and salt to make our salsa.	What’s the hottest pepper you use?	The ghost chili. We use it in our murder sauce for all the “tough” guys that come in.
Our tacos de carnitas with slow-roasted pork.	Which taco will make vegetarians run screaming?	Our taco de lengua — it’s braised and shaved beef tongue.
Last year during Cinco de Mayo we made about 1,200.	Most tacos turned out in a day:	About 1,000.
LWe often cook for Laurence Fishburne. He has the ancho-braised short rib–brisket tacos. Susur Lee’s eaten them, too.	Biggest celeb to mow down:	Famke Janssen — she joins us all the time. She’s a strict vegetarian, so eats our crispy avocado and frijoles taco with the avocado mango salad.
Andrew from La Carnita!	Who would you most like to cook for?	My family.
We’re having a big party at both locations, with mariachis and plenty of free tequila shots!	What’s happening on Cinco de Mayo?	We actually celebrate Gringo de Mayo on the 20th. Kidding! We’ll be doing some special menu items for the 5th.

Coming soon to Chinatown: a new board game café

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12:49 pm

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Board games and lattes are a popular combination in Toronto. With Parkdale’s Go Lounge and the Annex’s Snakes & Lattes showing no signs of slowing down, a new competitor is adding itself into the mix. Castle Board Game Café is opening soon at Spadina and College in the former Saigon Palace space.

The approximately 3,400-square-feet venue will seat about 90 people and will offer games like Cards Against Humanity and Blokus.

“Games bring people together,” says owner Gwen von Harten.

Castle will also have a communal table that seats about 14 people and will feature a different board game every week (Castle Panic will be the first one featured when the café opens up).

Von Harten is aiming for a mid-May opening.

Castle Board Game Café 454 Spadina Ave., 647-748-1955

Tony Aspler’s Weekly Wine Pick: a delicious blend of seven grapes from a Niagara winery

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9:14 am

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A real fruit salad of a wine — a blend of Chardonnay, Chardonnay Musqué, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. Medium straw in colour with an apple and lychee nose; complex flavours of grapefruit, apple and lychee. A well-balanced, medium-bodied wine.

Food match: trout in almonds, chicken paprika.

Creekside Laura’s White 2010, Niagara Peninsula, $18.95. Vintages #121764

Post City Magazines’ wine columnist, Tony Aspler, has written 14 books on wine and food. Tony also created the Ontario Wine Awards and has been inducted into the New York Media Wine Writers’ Hall of Fame. He can be heard on 680News.

Weekend Warrior: Contact Photography Festival, Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert, Jane's Walk, Sportcard & Memorabilia Expo

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4:53 pm

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It’s Thursday, and the weekend is fast approaching. Need stuff to see or do? We’ve got you covered. In this edition, a month-long photography festival, two world-famous chefs at the Sony Centre, an artisan market at the Gladstone and more.

Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival

When: May 1-31
Where: Multiple locations
Details: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the Contact Photography Festival will have everyone talking. The annual festival takes place throughout the month of May to promote the art and profession of photography. Considered the largest photography festival in the world, with over 1,500 artists and photographers, it aims to celebrate photography at the level of other visual arts. Featured exhibits include Jonathan Hobin’s In the Playroom, which is showing at the Gladstone Hotel.

An Evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert

When: May 4
Where: Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E.
Details: Chef, author and television personality Anthony Bourdain joins forces with Eric Ripert, chef at New York’s triple-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin, for one night of storytelling and lessons learned from the restaurant business. We expect them to bring some stimulating conversations to the table.

Jane’s Walk

When: May 3-5 and May 25-26
Where: Multiple locations
Details: Jane’s Walk is a volunteer-driven organization that promotes free neighbourhood walking tours organized and led by locals. Inspired by urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs, Jane’s Walk has spread around the world to 19 countries and 93 cities since it began in Toronto in 2007. Offering insights into our neighbourhoods, and with a multitude of themes to choose from, each walk offers a unique experience— from an urban wilderness walk to a ghost tour to a walk centered around Jack Layton’s life and work in Toronto.

Mondo Bazaar Spring Craft Market

When: May 4
Where: Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W.
Details: Mondo Bazaar is an annual shopping event that brings in Toronto artisans and their local, handcrafted products. Many of the items on sale are eco-friendly and up-cycled, like accessories from Heart’s Haven and artwork by Upmade. Also available are clothing, jewellery and housewares from the 30-plus vendors.

Sportcard & Memorabilia Expo

When: May 3-5
Where: International Centre, 6900 Airport Rd.
Details: With the Leafs in the playoffs and all eyes on the Blue Jays this year, sports fans will be scrambling for sports collectibles at the 43rd Sportcard & Memorabilia Expo. Buy, sell and trade items with over 200 international dealers. Featured at the expo is an Upper Deck raffle of autographed memorabilia from the 2013-2014 NHL Double Rookie Class.

Chef Matthew Sullivan is out at Skin+Bones

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2:29 pm

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It was announced today that chef Matthew Sullivan is no longer associated with Skin+Bones, the Leslieville restaurant that opened shop in November of last year. Daniel Clarke, who owns the wine bar along with Harry Wareham, says that it came down to a difference of philosophy.

Sullivan also cited “creative differences” as a cause for the split. For now, he has various projects on the go, including plans to bring back his Boxed pop-up restaurant. A tour of Europe is also in the books, as is a potential stage at a restaurant across the pond.

The restaurant is currently seeking a new chef. Until then, the sous chef will be running the kitchen.

Rootsy revivalists The Lumineers hit Toronto

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1:04 pm

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“I think the trajectory we are on isn't really common,” says Neyla Pekarek, of folk rock band The Lumineers, in town this month for two shows at the Sound Academy. “I think we’re processing a lot of what is happening after the fact.”

That is an understatement of monumental proportions and part of the charm of a band that was playing to a handful of plaid-shirted, bearded Coloradans just a year ago; a band that is currently headlining major festivals around the world on the back of a massive hit song dubbed “Ho Hey.”

A few years ago, the two founding members of the band, Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites, left New York City and moved to Denver to work on their music in isolation. They added a few new band members, including cellist Neyla Pekarek, played club shows, sold albums off the stage and wrote that little ditty, among others. Then everything changed.

“Up until then, for the most part, it was pretty DIY (do it yourself),” explains Pekarek. “We were booking our own tours, playing really small rooms. But even if there were just four people, it didn’t matter. We just kept doing it.”

The band crafted songs that are interactive and they earned a reputation for putting on engaging shows characterized by their call-and-response songs that got the crowd involved and on their feet.

It wasn’t long before management and record companies started calling, and in December 2011, their debut album was released. “Ho Hey” went crazy on social media, they started selling out shows and their album peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200. And the band hasn’t slowed down.

An opening slot for Dave Matthews tumbled into a gig on Saturday Night Live, an appearance at the Grammys and European and Australian tours.

“I never really thought I’d do any of those things,” says Pekarek. “But Saturday Night Live was really a big highlight for me. It was super-fun, and it is just this really iconic thing. And we got to bring some friends out to come and watch.”

The band’s timing is uncanny, as both the United States and Canada are in the throes of a roots music revival led by bands such as Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers, among many others.

When Pekareak first met Schultz and Fraites, she was impressed by their commitment to the music.

“They were pretty neat and had a lot of friends in the music scene,” she says. “There was nothing pretentious about them. I knew a lot of people in bands and it was a lot about succeeding — but not about making music. These guys were really into writing songs, and really serious about making it their career.”

The band’s last appearance in Toronto was a club show as part of the North by Northeast music festival. This week, they play two sold-out shows at the Sound Academy followed by a headlining gig at Edgefest this summer.