Drink This: the smoked apple cocktail at the Trump Tower’s Suits Lobby Lounge

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10:34 am

Tucked into a corner of the Trump Tower, Suits Lobby Lounge is decked out with tufted banquettes, gold Louis XVI chairs and an extravagant crystal chandelier. Playing to the Bay Street crowd, this just-opened bar — which has large picture windows perfect for spying on work arch-nemeses puttering about — is all about the brown spirits, focusing on heavy-hitters such as Ardbeg scotch.

In addition to offering the goods neat, bartender Chris MacNeil has put together a set of five cocktails to tempt those who like a little less intensity with their after-work drink.

The smoked apple cocktail ($16) starts off with the apple itself: hunks of Granny Smith that are smoked over oak. A couple of spoonfuls of it are muddled and topped with Glenmorangie Original Scotch whisky and some Berentzen Apfelkorn apple liqueur, resulting in a cocktail that’s both warm and fruity, with notes of vanilla.

Suits Lobby Lounge, 325 Bay St., 416-637-5536

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Five totally tubular Toronto events that celebrate the ’90s

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In the ’90s, the Rogers Centre was the SkyDome, Joe Carter was da bomb, the Leafs were still playing at Maple Leaf Gardens (and making the playoffs), the skyline wasn’t riddled with high rise condos and Mel Lastman ruled the new megacity with a Bad Boy iron fist. So for those feeling nostalgic, the ’90s will be making a return to our city in the form of these five upcoming events.

Party Like It’s 1999

There were a lot of memorable couples from the ’90s, both in real life and in television: Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder, Kelly Kapowski and Zack Morris and Topanga Lawrence and Cory Matthews. Those who thought these pairings should have lived happily ever after should head down to ’90s Party: Couples Edition at The Annex Wreck Room this Friday. Best costume gets a $200 prize.

I don’t wanna wait… for another Trivia Night at the Gladstone

You may be into more intellectual activities now, but let’s face it, the ’90s was all about TV. After all, there was no YouTube or DVD boxed sets. So come show off your knowledge of ’90s TV at The Gladstone Hotel, which will be holding various trivia events on the cheesiest shows of the era (like Dawson’s Creek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

Hangin’ Tough with the boy bands

Even though these are now technically “man” bands instead of boy bands, New Kids on the Block, 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men still hold a special place in our hearts. Well, maybe NKOTB and Boyz II Men. For 98 Degrees, we just remember Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson’s tuna fish of a marriage. Regardless, the three groups are getting together for a tour starting in May with a stopover in Toronto on June 7.

Keanu “Whoa” Reeves

Though TIFF’s Keanu Reeves film retrospective will also include some work from the ’80s, his best work was probably done in the ’90s, starting with Speed and ending with The Matrix (though an honourable mention goes to Point Break). If you’re a fan of his ’90s work, stop by the TIFF Bell Lightbox for some popcorn, memories and 11 films of static facial expressions.

Spice up your life

As much as we’d like to groan at the thought of seeing a Spice Girls tribute band, we have to admit that there’s a 99 per cent chance we’d actually sing along if we were at the show. Wannabe: The Spice Girls Tribute Band is gearing up for a show this weekend at The Great Hall. But don’t mistake this for an impromptu karaoke session: the five members have been practicing for months and are accompanied by a full band.

Toronto Style Radar: Urban Outfitters, Ana Bodganovic, Mod Club, Miracle Thieves, Midnight Mrkt

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Every Tuesday, we round up the best events from the city’s fashion scene. In this edition: student discounts at Urban Outfitters, a local jewellery designer at Black Box Boutique, a late-night market on King West and more.

Urban Outfitters College/University Night

When: Jan. 31, 4-8 p.m.
Where: participating Urban Outfitters locations
Details: We’re not sure if we fully understood just how great the perks of a student discount were until it was too late to fully take advantage. If you’re lucky enough to still have one, head to Urban Outfitters to score 10 per cent off full-price merch, and 30 per cent off sale items.

Meet The Designer: Ana Bogdanovic

When: Jan. 31, 6-9 p.m.
Where: Black Box Boutique, 106 Yorkville Ave., Second Floor
Details: Meet the Toronto designer behind jewellery brand M.W.L. (that’s Made With Love), Ana Bogdanovic, on Thursday night. Bogdanovic will be in-store creating one-of-a-kind pieces as well as showcasing her collections. Receive 15 per cent off Made With Love pieces with any purchase from Black Box Boutique.

AdBall’s ‘Great Gatsby’ Fundraiser

When: Jan. 31, 8 p.m. –12 a.m.
Where: Mod Club, 722 College St.
Details: In support of Ad Women’s mentorship programs, AdBall returns for its fourth year running with a party themed after F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel. Expect to find flapper-style tap dancers, treats by Daniel et Daniel, and musical performances by Dr. Drew and Defunk DJ. Pull out your drop waist fringe dresses and fedoras, and get your tickets before they sell out:

Walk-In Closet with Courtney Madison

When: Feb. 1-3, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: Miracle Thieves, 249 Crawford St.
Details: Shopping through a friend’s closet can be great, but shopping the closet of a professional buyer and stylist could be even better. If the idea sparks your interest, mark your calendar and line up early for Courtney Madison’s walk-in closet at Miracle Thieves. Her styling talent led her to work on films such as Total Recall, and it also led to her current post dressing the stars of NBC show Suits. We can only imagine the goodies she’s accumulated over the years!

Midnight Mrkt

When: Feb. 1, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Where: Second Floor Events, 461 King St. W.
Details: What more could you want from a Friday night than music, drinks and street food paired with some of the city’s best artists, designers and collectors? Don’t miss the launch of Midnight MRKT, this first in a new monthly “market” series that will smoothly transition into a full-blown party as the night creeps on. Expect music by Lucie Tic and Johnny Hockin, along with goods from vendors such as Rack and Ramble, O.C.D., and many more.

Gracie Carroll is a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in ELLE UK, ELLEcanada.com, Plaid magazine and FILLER magazine. Keep up with her daily blog at www.graciecarroll.com.

Six things to know about Disney’s Aladdin before the musical hits Toronto

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For those who feel that seeing live theatre is akin to riding a magic carpet, you may be interested to know that a stage musical version of Aladdin is coming to Toronto this November, making its world premiere at the Ed Mirvish Theatre. But before you dust off your VHS tapes to have Aladdin show you the world, here are six fun facts you may not have known about the 1992 animated flick.

The character of Aladdin was based on a mash-up of celebrities, including Michael J. Fox, Tom Cruise and MC Hammer. Originally, the character of Aladdin was more similar to Fox, but he was eventually beefed up to resemble Cruise. MC Hammer’s inspiration came into play with the baggy trousers that Aladdin sports on the streets of Agrabah.
Princess Jasmine was the first non-Caucasian Disney princess. Weirdly, while the film is full of other Arabian characters, Aladdin and Jasmine — the two protagonists — are among the few characters to possess Westernized-American accents.
The role of Jafar was originally offered to Patrick Stewart, but he turned it down due to scheduling conflicts with Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The pop version of “A Whole New World” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1993. It was the first song from a Disney animated feature to do so.
Robin Williams, who played the Genie, improvised 16 hours of material during his recording sessions. Because so many of his lines were improvised, Aladdin’s script was turned down for a Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award nomination.
The Genie's celebrity impersonations include Ed Sullivan, Robert De Niro and Arsenio Hall; among the impressions that didn’t make the cut were George Bush Sr., John Wayne and Walter Cronkite.

This Week in Sound: Mounties, Half Moon Run, Coachella, Skydiggers, Born Ruffians, The Sadies

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Every Monday, we round up the most exciting music news happening in Toronto. In this edition, Mounties are Canada’s newest supergroup, Skydiggers celebrate their 25th anniversary, The Sadies are featured on Hockey Night in Canada and more.

As far as supergroups go, it doesn’t get more Canadian than Mounties. Earlier this month, Hawksley Workman revealed that he would be teaming up with Steve Bays (of Hot Hot Heat) and Ryan Dahle (of Limblifter and Age of Electric) to form a new band. They’ve been very mysterious so far, but this weekend Mounties dropped what is probably one of the best music videos of all time for their debut song, “Headphones.”

It’s been a big year for Montreal’s Half Moon Run. Their debut full-length, Dark Eyes (think Radiohead meets My Morning Jacket) has garnered international attention and has landed them opening gigs for Metric and Patrick Watson. Last week, the band confirmed that they will be touring Europe with Mumford & Sons, and they were just named a top band to see at SXSW. Don’t worry, they’re also playing closer to home, at the Horseshoe Tavern, on March 8.

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blur, Wu-Tang Clan, The Stone Roses, Moby — no, you have not stepped out of a time machine. It’s Coachella. The lineup for the annual music fest in California was recently announced, and we have to admit, it’s a tad dated. Fortunately, some Canuck talent made the roster, hopefully salvaging the seriously prehistoric catalog of bands. Okay, so it’s not all that bad, but here’s hoping fellow Canadians Divine Fits, Japandroids, Stars, Grimes and Purity Ring will make that road trip worthwhile.

There’s some new music from local bands to check out this week: Born Ruffians’ “With Her Shadow,” Young Galaxy’s “Pretty Boy,” and Ra Ra Riot’s “Beta Love” (below).

This year marks the 25th anniversary for Skydiggers, Toronto’s resident roots rock band. To celebrate, they will be dropping four sets of seasonal releases this year. First up will be All of Our Dreaming: Skydiggers Live, 1988, 2000 and 2012, slated for release on March 5. The triple-disc package includes live versions of Spadina Hotel and There & Back, as well as a DVD of a Glenn Gould Studio set.

Sadly, the New York Rangers dominated the Leafs this weekend. But, local alt-country group The Sadies were featured on Saturday night’s episode of Hockey Night in Canada. This inspiring video for “Whispering Circles” almost makes up for such a devastating loss. Almost.

Friday Restaurant Recap: Porzia, The Red Bench, Bellwoods Brewery, Ryoji Izakaya, The Burger’s Priest

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Friday Restaurant Recap rounds up the week’s Toronto restaurant news. In this edition: a long-awaited Italian restaurant finally opens, a frozen yogurt shop opens in January, an old brunch favourite returns to Dundas West and more.

Opening soon

Chef Cory Vitiello, owner of The Harbord Room, is slated to open a new restaurant in mid-April. Taking over Messis’ former spot, the restaurant will house 65 seats inside and 60 seats on the outdoor corner patio. Though the name is yet to be announced, Vitello promises an “accessible neighbourhood theme.” We hope that means a delectable brunch. [National Post]
The Burger’s Priest is going for a hat trick. Owner Shant Mardirosian is opening a third Priest location on Queen Street West, right across from Banh Mi Boys. But there won’t be any turf war here: Mardirosian told Now Magazine that he “asked [Banh Mi Boys] for permission before he signed the lease.” The plan is for a mid-May opening. [Now Magazine]

Newly opened

After many delays, Porzia has finally opened its doors. Chef Basilio Pesce serves up dishes such as eggplant involtini, capicola cotto and pork belly with cannellini beans. What would Italian cuisine be without a few dishes us commoners can’t pronounce? [Porzia]
Moving into the former Double Deuce Saloon space on Queen West is Happy Child, a new resto-bar with heavy throwbacks to fast-food culture. Happy Child’s menu should produce happy adults; everything on it is $10. [Read our post here]
If there was one month when someone shouldn’t open a frozen yogurt shop in Toronto, it was this one, when temperatures dropped to a two-year low. And if frozen yogurt was the Red Bench’s sole M.O., it may have been in trouble. Thankfully, The Red Bench also serves up loose leaf tea and made-to-order cookies in addition to the frozen treat. [BlogTO]
Replacing Vecchio Frak is Ryoji Ramen and Izakaya. Though the brand already has 11 locations in Okinawa, Japan, Toronto is the first international location. [Read our post here]
Following in the footsteps of other local breweries, Ossington’s Bellwoods Brewery has opened up its own retail store. The swanky alternative to the LCBO or The Beer Store is open seven days a week, from noon to 11 p.m., except on Sundays (when it closes at 6 p.m.). [Bellwoods Brewery]

Closing

It’s only been a few short months since its big renovation, but Prague European Kitchen has closed (again). New owners are taking over the place on Feb. 1. [Toronto Life]

Change-ups

Around The Corner, the sister restaurant to The Village Butcher, is closing for a few weeks due to renovations. Owner Mark Ali says he’s unsure when the quaint organic breakfast spot will reopen its doors.
Winterlicious isn’t the only thing going on at Kultura. The restaraunt has added 22 new items (15 of them tapas) to the menu. [Kultura]
The Hoof Café has returned in the form of a “permanent pop-up” at Hoof Raw Bar, much to the delight of anyone visiting the Dundas West area. Sit down for some new concoctions like the octo and grits ($16), but stay for the breakfast cocktails. [Read our story here]

A sneak peek at the innovative exhibits at the Interior Design Show

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Despite the frigid temperatures, Toronto is in in the midst of a design fever. With various design-centric events taking over the city, now is the time to stretch the mind with the latest innovations from the design world. The biggest of the bunch is the Interior Design Show (IDS). Ringing in its 15th year, IDS13 has 300 exhibitors filling out the Convention Centre. We got a sneak peak at what to expect over the weekend.

Welcoming visitors to the show is As Luck Would Have It, a colourful suspended sculpture by multimedia artist Willy Chyr. The designer notes that it’s his largest installation to date — it involves some 1,600 balloons and took him four days to assemble. Also up front and centre are a series of KIA cars decked out in designs from five noteworthy names including Douglas Coupland, but we fell for Karim Rashid’s playful contribution.

At the MCLV Lounge, the heritage log cabin has been examined from a different perspective, with sleek, plaid-accented benches and undulating walls, the result of steam-bending wood. Naturally, Molson Canadian beer cocktails are served, giving showgoers the full Canuck experience.

In addition to his wrapped car, Douglas Coupland has put his hand to design elsewhere in the exhibition, launching a boutique furniture collection in collaboration with SwitzerCult Creative. Meant to create a writer’s nook, pieces include the so-called Bento Box Escritore (or a desk, for the rubes) and the stackable Osaka bookshelves.

Designer Sabina Hill is one to watch. Hailing from the West Coast, Hill merges aboriginal artwork with contemporary design, done in collaboration with First Nations artists. Her side tables are composed of tree trunks wrapped in recycled and tanned salmon skins, while her breathtaking Thunderbird chair features aboriginal motifs on the sides.

The section titled Studio North takes over a sizable portion of the exhibition space, featuring various compact displays from up-and-coming Canadian design talents. We liked Atelier Cocotte’s reverse-teardrop light fixtures, done in thin strips of ash wood, Geof Ramsay’s You Are Here table, featuring a map-like grid on the base, and Six Point Un’s chipper side tables. Bettie Cott’s floating shelves incorporated the silhouette of a house, while Ryan Taylor’s Babylon Light was a veritable climbing garden with lights peeking through the foliage.

In the How Do You Work? concept space, design firms had to work with a 200-square-foot shipping container, creating a workable environment within its limitations. Montreal’s Igloodgn was inspired by botany for their contribution, meant to allow for both work and play; Dubbeldam Architecture + Design’s module allows users to recombine the units into five different renditions; blackLAB Architects’ colourful entry featured a wall studded with coloured pencils.

New this year is an actual retail space, dubbed the Designboom Mart. There, exhibition goers can actually purchase some nifty pieces of design, ranging in price from $1 to $100. We like Susan Rowe Harrison’s colour-in tape ($15).

Those keen on Canuck design should check out some of the other stuff adding to the city’s design fever. The Toronto Design Offsite Festival features contributions up the wazoo: the Brothers Dressler have opened up their studio to prying eyes (and have window installations at both The Beau and the Bauble and Articulations); Design Republic features collaborative works from Sheridan students; Do Design takes over part of Dundas Street West, the perfect excuse to explore the ‘hood.

Additionally, the Gladstone Hotel once again plays weekend host to a series of playful installations for the always-rammed Come Up To My Room. And across town at the Design Exchange, The Happy Show by graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister is bound to quash those January blues. For design geeks, things don’t get much better.

The Interior Design Show, Metro Convention Centre, 255 Front St. W., 416-585-8000. Jan. 24-27

Great Scot! Seven things everyone should know about Robbie Burns

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People all over the world celebrate Robbie Burns Day today. But what is the source of the man’s immortal appeal? According to a BBC documentary, “Robert Burns achieved more with his poetry than any writer since Shakespeare.” In celebration of his 254th birthday, we answer some questions about the freedom-loving Scottish bard (though we’ll always wonder why he gave an ode to a mouse or why he gave an address to a haggis.)

Is Robert Burns the greatest Scot of all time? Yes, according to a 2009 survey of STV viewers. Not bad, considering he was up against the likes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, J.K. Rowling, Andrew Carnegie, Sir Alexander Fleming, Sir William Wallace, Annie Lennox and Sir Sean Connery.
What language did Burns use? Burns said of English, “I have not that command of the language that I have of my native tongue.” Scots, his native tongue, is not “funny-sounding English;” it is a language that developed alongside and eventually separately from English.
Didn’t he play for the Chicago Blackhawks? Yes, yes he did.
With a name like Burns, was he a destructive force? Well let’s see. A few days after his birth, Jan. 25, 1759, a storm tears apart his home. Next thing you know, the composer Handel dies. A few months later, General Wolfe dies on the Plains of Abraham. Less than 20 years after that, the American Revolution. Then the French are storming the Bastille and heads are rolling. But look what happens when Burns dies in 1796, whaddaya know, suddenly the Americans and the Ottoman Empire are shaking hands over the Treaty of Tripoli, and everybody calms down.
What did he wear under his kilt? Burns was forever kiltless, because during his lifetime it was illegal to wear a kilt! You know Robbie Burns would have supported Idle No More!
What’s taking so long for Gerard Butler to get his Robert Burns movie made? Well, come on; they just made a movie about Robbie Burns in 1930. Isn’t it a bit soon to be making another one?
This guy’s good. Where can I see him in Toronto? There’s a statue of “the Ploughman Poet” on the east side of Allan Gardens. If you see people in kilts reading poetry around that area today, that’s where the statue is.

Evan Andrew Mackay is a Toronto playwright and humorist who writes about culture and social justice.

Grab of the Week: a Stevie Nicks inspired mug from a local artist

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Everyone has that song. The one that helped them through a hard time or the one that evokes memories. So when Huntclub (a new studio and gallery space in the city) asked a group of local artists to create a typography project inspired by songs that got them through rough times, artist Robin Orbeta-Lacambra turned to Stevie Nicks.

Fittingly, Orbeta-Lacambra decided to create her pieces using mugs, because when else do you need a good cuppa than when you're feeling a little low? Although there are three different designs in her #stevieknickssays series, our personal favourite is “Wild Heart,” mainly because it doubles as an awesome Valentine's Day gift.

#stevieknickssays mugs by Robin Orbeta-Lacambra, $15 each or $30 for a set of three. Available at Huntclub Studio

Gracie Carroll is a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in ELLE UK, ELLEcanada.com, Plaid magazine and FILLER magazine. Keep up with her daily blog at www.graciecarroll.com.

Weekend Warrior: Soundgarden, Big Smoke Festival, Girlesque, Winterlicious, Toronto Design Offsite Festival, BeerProv

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Big Sound

Soundgarden is making a quick two-day stop at Sound Academy this Friday and Saturday, and while tickets are currently sold out (we checked), we have a feeling that diehard fans will find a way to score some. As an alternative, if you're the type that supports the local indie scene, the second annual Big Smoke Music Festival is hosting quite the lineup (like Graydon James and the Young Novelists and Kira May) at Tallboys Craft Beer House.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Festivals and concerts are nice, but sometimes you just want to have some good old fashioned adult entertainment, and we do mean old fashioned. Girlesque celebrates international and local stars of burlesque in a three-day showcase. Stay away from the front rows though, lest you get high-kicked by the chorus line during all the excitement.

Warm Your Bellies

We hope you have an appetite because Toronto’s popular winter food festival, Winterlicious, kicks off this weekend, running until Feb. 7. Although some restaurants may already be booked to capacity, there are certainly some choice culinary cuisines with open tables if you have the stomach to call around.

Designer’s Paradise

Coinciding with the Toronto Design Offsite Festival is two new design exhibitions: the Interior Design Show and Come Up To My Room, which open this weekend. For those who love to follow the trends, the Interior Design Show at the Metro Convention Centre showcases the latest and greatest in interior, architectural and industrial design. For a more intimate experience, head over to the Gladstone Hotel, where the Come Up To My Room exhibition allows their artists to decorate each space to their heart's content.

Beer It

BeerProv has everything to do with improv and little to do with beer, though combining the two makes for an entertaining night. Head over to Comedy Bar for this monthly show, where 12 performers participate in classic improv games for the chance to be crowned BeerProv Champion. And what could more Canadian than the winner drinking from the BeerProv Mug of Champions? Move over, Lord Stanley.

Shop Talk: Nowhereland pops-up in Kensington Market

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Shopping in Kensington Market is often a seek-and-ye-shall-find scenario: the harder you look, the more rewarding items you’ll come across. Along that same vein, nestled away in the back space of vintage clothing store Pretty Freedom is Nowhereland’s pop-up shop, which opened earlier this month.

This is Nowhereland’s fourth pop-up location, having popped up here and there along Queen Street West since its inception as an online boutique in 2012. The stylish trifecta behind the store — Andrea Ciurria, Jessica Sack-Tina and Trish Padlan — decided to open pop-up shops in response to their customers’ request to see and feel the store’s funky clothing in person before purchasing their merchandise online.

Although some unisex items are available, Nowhereland stocks mostly women’s fashion for those described as “bad and beautiful.” The store is stocked with labels such as Dime Piece from Los Angeles, Shown to Scale from New York, Cameo from Australia and Cargo Collective from Montreal.

Lovers of metallics and funky prints should head down to Augusta Avenue soon; Nowhereland’s pop-up at Pretty Freedom will close its doors in March.

Nowhereland, 165 Augusta Ave.

Shop Talk: Mint Boutique opens in the Distillery District

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Lisa Anderson has a varied and interesting history. She’s studied archaeology; she’s had various stints in retail and she’s worked at the Gardiner Museum. So it comes as no surprise that her new retail store, Mint Boutique, houses a wide selection of items from a sizeable range of designers and companies. In her words, it’s a boutique that’s “traditional but contemporary.”

Opened on Dec. 1, this 600-square-foot shop in the Distillery District houses fashion staples, home décor and gifts. The shop itself has a modern loft feel with concrete walls and floors, but it keeps in step with the rustic nature of the Distillery District by using 150-year-old wood beams as shelving.

Anderson prides herself on stocking her shelves with unique pieces, including hand-blown glass containers by Ny Cruets — designed to elegantly house oil and vinegar ($75-$90) — or cheese boards by Nova Scotia’s The Toy Maker of Lunenberg, which are actually made from reclaimed parts of the Bluenose II ($58).

Several fashion items are also on display, such as a 100 per cent silk blouse by Rebecca Taylor that’s misty grey and tangerine orange ($298). Mint Boutique also carries some brands that are currently exclusive to Toronto, such as MZ Wallace, which makes fashionable bags with Italian leather fixtures and Teflon-coated nylon ($175-$395).

The store is tucked away a little past the heart of the Distillery District, but with a new store and a new restaurant planning to open up nearby, the area should start getting some newfound attention soon.

Mint Boutique, 6 Rack House Mews, 416-368-6468