Toronto’s chef incubator (a.k.a. The Black Hoof) is seeing the exodus of one more righteous chef and, in turn, is welcoming new talent. According to The Black Hoof’s website, Brandon Olsen is calling it quits after running the show at the Dundas West institution for about a year and a half, and Jesse Grasso is taking the reins.
Grasso has had stints at Vancouver’s La Quercia and Bao Bei, and he apparently “knows his offal” (a Black Hoof requirement, no doubt). Olsen, meanwhile, is taking some time off to travel.
“Even though it’s hard to say goodbye, it’s easy to welcome our new chef,” owner Jen Agg wrote on the restaurant’s website. “He is just brimming with Hoofish menu ideas and his enthusiasm is contagious.”
Every week, we round up the best events from the city’s fashion scene. In this edition: Sauvage celebrates its new permanent store location, a movie wardrobe sale, Adrian Wu’s official Toronto Fashion Week Party and more.
When: Oct. 22, 10 p.m. Where: The rooftop lounge at The Thompson Hotel Details: Fashion Week parties are generally not open to the public, and the same goes for the rooftop lounge at The Thompson. Newbie designer Adrian Wu, however, is offering to help you get in, and get up. To his own party at least. Just make sure you RSVP and arrive early.
When: Oct. 16, 6-9 p.m. Where: Stock Network Media Building, 65 George St. Details: Laura Ford Designs and several local designers, including Bionic by Mark Foreman, invite you to shop their fashion and jewellery creations at a fashionably happy hour. Not only will you get to shop the styles, but you can also enjoy delicious desserts and a wine tasting while you’re at it. Not bad for a Tuesday night.
We Are Here To Stay
When: Oct. 17, 6-10 p.m. Where:Sauvage, 644 Queen St. W. Details: After a summer-long pop-up shop in the Burroughes Building, accessories-focused boutique Sauvage is moving a couple blocks west on Queen Street to a permanent store location. They’re throwing a party to celebrate and everyone is invited! Enjoy 15 per cent off all merchandise, along with complimentary drinks, eats and giveaways, along with DJ tunes by HUGGS. Friends welcome, but be sure to RSVP to [email protected].
When: Oct. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Where:Oz Studios, 134 Ossington Ave. Details: If you’re dying to check out a Fashion Week show without the hassle, be sure to see the debut collection of local designer Paria Shirvani. Having previously assisted Jeremy Scott and worked on the design team of Joe Fresh for the past three years, Shirvani is not only taking the leap to do her own thing for the first time, but she’s opening the doors to her show for all to see.
When: Oct. 18, 8-11 p.m. Where:The Mascot, 1267 Queen St. W. Details: What better way to welcome the first collection of OSC Cross than with a rockin’ party? These handsome winter coats will keep you toastier than ever this winter, and, better yet, each one is made right in here in Toronto. The launch party will feature a live performance, a DJ and drinks to boot, so cheers to that!
When: Oct. 20, 9-5 p.m. Where:Pinewood Toronto Studios, 225 Commissioners St. Details: All of those fabulous clothes that make actors and actresses look, well, fabulous, don’t get returned after the wrap. Instead, they get put up for grabs at the massive Movie Wardrobe Sale blowout, which only comes around a couple times each year. Word on the street is that there will be even more $5-$10 racks then ever before. Think Prada, Marc Jacobs, Armani and more, for almost nothing.
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.
It would only be too easy for Rush to rest on their laurels. With more than 40 years worth of music to fall back on, the hometown prog-rock trio of frontman Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart could spend three hours cranking out old reliable hits in their sleep. But as Sunday night’s sold-out ACC performance proved, the newly-minted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees are far from being a nostalgia act.
The band’s three-hour set opened with some momentum-building favourites, including “Subdivisions” and “The Big Money,” to set up a first half that leaned heavily on material from the ’80s and ’90s. An energized Peart drum solo sent the show into a 20-minute intermission, and the well-lubricated crowd of over 12,000 — including many a father-son duo — started making its way back to the beer lines.
Once the lights went down again, fans were treated to a dramatic change of pace as Lee and company welcomed an eight-piece string band to the stage for nine songs from their new album, Clockwork Angels. While certain crowds may greet introductions of new material as a chance to head for the exits, those in attendance showed appreciation for the still-active icons and stayed readily-engaged throughout the new tracks. Among them, the hard-edged “Headlong Flight,” underscored by plenty of pyro, seemed to garner the biggest reaction.
Lee, for his part, was almost apologetic for the band’s bold risk of leaning heavily on new material and for the distinctly un-Rush-like orchestra. At one point, he mentioned that they “just want to play one more new one and then we’ll get back to some of the old stuff.” The proclamation was met by only tepid applause, largely because the fans didn’t seem to be in any hurry to move away from the new offerings.
Once the “old stuff” did resume, the crowd showed that they still had plenty of steam left. “Manhattan Project,” “Red Sector A” and “YYZ” got the crowd on their feet, while “Spirit of the Radio” resulted in a spontaneous, crowd-initiated rhythmic clap-along. The night, of course, was not complete without an encore highlighted by “Tom Sawyer.”
But the night wasn’t just about dusting off the oldies. It served as proof that talented, creative musicians never stop making music – even when they may be on their way to rock and roll immortality.
If you’re looking for a new spot to shuck some oysters and hang with some buddies, Hopgood’s Foodliner has you covered — come November at least. The restaurant plans to open its back room for private seafood feasts for groups of 15 people or less.
With a large table in the middle — equipped with an ice trough for shellfish — along with old lobster traps and string lights, the room will embody a traditional by-the-sea oyster shack, offering a few different options for customers.
“We’re going to have some fun with it,” says owner-chef Geoff Hopgood.
Whether it’s a night filled with oyster-eating and wine-drinking or a more extravagant event (whippin’ out the lobster crackers and crab mallets), Hopgood says he’ll offer “anything under the sun, or under the sea.”
After almost a decade, the Historica-Dominion Institute is bringing back the Heritage Minutes, beginning tonight at 6 p.m. First introduced in 1991, the one-minute short films were the ultimate Coles Notes of Canadian history, highlighting iconic Canuck milestones — from the naming of Canada to the 1972 Summit Series — and holding a special place in Canadians’ hearts (mostly because of all the bragging rights). Below, our five favourite minutes from the past.
Sam Steele bars an unruly American from entering the Yukon
Admittedly, we’re still not even sure who Sam Steele is, but we do know he was one badass mofo who stared guns down with his piercing — one might say, even steel — gaze, and made us proud that we were living on this side of the border.
Jennie Trout becomes Canada’s first woman doctor
Dr. Jennie Trout proved she had brains as well as brawn (and kinda scared the bejesus out of us, especially with that rip!). We still think it’s pretty funny how these guys called women “the weaker sex” but got all scared when she threatened to tell their wives on them.
Dr. Wilder Penfield makes important discoveries in neuroscience
We know Dr. Penfield’s discovery was amazing, but the nostalgia of growing up chanting “burnt toast…I smell burnt toast!” to our annoyed parents means a little more to us. (Also, we like to think that this clip was the precursor to Nic Cage’s burnt toast freakout.)
Laura Secord aids the British in the War of 1812
Let’s face it: without this heritage minute, we’d still be thinking that Laura Secord was just the chocolate store where your grandma bought those giant creme eggs at Easter time.
Joe Shuster creates Superman
It was a pretty cool moment for us when we realized the Man of Steel was a Canadian creation. Through Joe Shuster’s palpable excitement and vision for his caped crusader, we could feel the thrill of the possibility for our own so-called outlandish dreams coming true.
The folks in the Canadian Comedy Award-winning Slap Happy don’t perform together much anymore, which is a shame because when they do, things can get, well, a little slap happy during their long-form improv sets. Luckily for us, they’ll be performing tonight as part of the Big City Improv Festival launch tonight. We chatted with member Dave Pearce about open-mouthed kissing, Xenu and getting stranded in Belgium.
How did you guys come together? We were all students together at The Second City, looking for places to play, when Sandy [Jobin-Bevans] found out that the Peterborough Fringe Festival (now defunct) had a ridiculously low entry fee. We didn’t have to work to connect or be funny. Improv should feel easy, and we could relax onstage.
What do each of you bring to the table? At the beginning, Sandy brought danger to the stage, Kerry [Griffin] grounded scenes, Tab brought character and relationships and I was physical. But after 15 years, we’re all more grounded, more emotional, more willing to risk. And I’m real old, like decrepit. So [they] just move me from spot to spot on the stage.
How would you describe your brand of comedy? We tried a lot of different things over the years: bigger production values, costumes, a DJ or dueling guitarists as musical directors, but we always come back to telling a story, playing at the absolute top of our intelligence, and open-mouthed kissing.
Where do you get your inspiration from? Xenu. Suck it, Tom Cruise.
What's the most outrageous thing that's ever happened on stage? Toronto Improv Jamboree, 2006: Sandy picked Kerry up, “ate” him, and passed him through his digestive tract. Like I said, “Top of our intelligence.”
You used to guest on CBC’s Metro Morning, providing a satirical look at the news. What do you think is the funniest thing that’s been in the news recently? Everything’s infuriating. Our job was to find the funny in it. But I really wish we’d been on the air for the Rob Ford circus. He’s our Sarah Palin.
You’ve also been in a number of festivals over the years. Any funny road trip stories? Coming back from a festival in Belgium, our plane had pulled from the gate, then stopped. Tab saw a mechanic climb onto the engine and hit it with a hammer a couple times. Then the pilot announced we’d be going back to the gate due to a “small fire.” That was at 9 a.m. At 5 p.m., three of us finally boarded a flight to Toronto, via the UK, which arrived the next morning, without our luggage. All except [myself]. [I] demanded the airline get [me] to Holland to meet [my] wife, and ended up taking a taxi from Brussels to Amsterdam on KLM’s dime. That’s the only one we can share that won't get us arrested or sued.
Who’s been a favourite guest performer of yours, and why? Toronto Improv Fest in 2004. We joined up with Joe Bill and Mark Sutton of Bassprov to do a midnight set at the Bad Dog: BassHappy. We didn’t worry about structure; we just trusted, let go and had a riot on stage… and beers.
Who would you love to perform with? Each other. We don’t get to do it much together any more.
You’ve been together for a long time. What keeps you doing it? Nostalgia.
Friday Restaurant Recap rounds up the week’s Toronto restaurant news. In this edition: gourmet hot dogs, a barbecue food truck, Japanese tapas, a brewery in the Junction and more.
Opening soon
Japas, a Japanese tapas and oyster bar, is set to open soon in Camto’s former location at Bloor and Clinton.
Chef Matthew Sullivan (Boxed) will be heading up the menu at a new Leslieville restaurant called Skin and Bones. It’s set to open in November at 980 Queen Street East.
Newly opened
Fancy Franks brings gourmet hot dogs to Toronto, along with some other crazy creations. [BlogTO]
The Urban Smoke Fusion BBQ food truck is bringing its barbecue to you. (You’ll need napkins.)
Indie Alehouse is a new brewing operation in the Junction, equipped with a restaurant, bar and retail store.
From the Rubino brothers, Strada 241 brings the cuisine of Salerno, Italy to Spadina and Dundas. [Toronto Life]
King West welcomes a new Spanish-themed restaurant, Patria, to the neighborhood. [Twitter]
Top Chef Canada winner Carl Heinrich and his business partner, Ryan Donovan, have opened their much anticipated Richmond Station. [The Grid]
A new steakhouse has opened in the financial district. Michael’s on Simcoe is the project of Micael Dabic, the former general manager at Harbour Sixty.
Change-ups
Jean Paul Lourdes, the opening chef for the Shangri-La’s Bosk restaurant, has already left the gig. [Toronto Life]
Every fall and winter, three in five Toronto men succumb to "everything black" syndrome — an affliction that leads to wearing dark colours as the weather gets colder. But, there is hope.
Pull on a pair of Officine's creative burnished leather boots, available at Sydney's on Queen Street. The supple tobacco horsehide leather has been washed to create a unique and discoloured look. The ankle and boot are relatively fitted and are furnished with polished leather lining throughout, making the ankle pull tab handy. The horsehide leather soles have also been kitted with an injected rubber tread, which is a new process coming out of Italy, and is perfect for those who enjoy the flexibility of rawhide, but can't sacrifice grip.
With these to anchor your late-year looks, you'll find yourself pulling off colour even in the drabbest of months. While they'd pair perfectly with last week's navy pea coat, mix in anything from burgundy to mustard and set yourself apart from the crowd.
We were pretty disappointed when we weren’t able to snag a ticket to Argo when it screened here at TIFF last month. Based on real events, the dramatic thriller chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans during the Iranian hostage crisis. The film got rave reviews (unfortunately Ben Affleck’s shaggy ‘do did not).
Thankfully, the film (which is also directed by Affleck) opens in wide-release today, and we’re pretty stoked. Though we are disappointed that the movie takes plenty of liberties with one of Canada’s proudest legends, we’re still excited to watch Bryan “Walter White” Cranston on the big screen with a full head of hair, and we’re also loving Affleck as a bona fide director (though we wish he couldn’t cast himself all the time in his own movies — he’s still no Matt Damon). Plus, the pre-Oscar buzz surrounding the flick (a Best Picture nom is pretty much a sure thing) will only help our chances in the office Oscar pool come February.
The Toronto Garlic Festival is happening this weekend, but come on, what’s so great about garlic? It’s a fad. It’s only been in use for a few… thousand years. But seriously, what is it good for? Turns out, garlic does just about everything. We’ve listed 10 uses below.
Prevent colds. Warning: it may cause garlic breath, but…
