This year’s Live Green Toronto Festival stacked with musical talent

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The Live Green Toronto Festival at Yonge-Dundas Square this weekend will welcome all the peace, love and environmental friendliness you’d expect, but with an uncharacteristically stacked roster of musical talent. On July 16, both advice and entertainment will be doled out to Toronto residents looking to lead an environmentally compatible lifestyle.

The line-up early in the day is mainly Toronto-bred pop, with pop-rock groups Done with Dolls, Neverest and Tyler Medeiros (cousin of Shawn Desman and Danny Fernandes). The Junos’ Best New Artist, Meaghan Smith (singer of The Pixies cover “Here comes your man”), is up next.

Then, internationally-recognized Crash Test Dummies and indie rockers Hollerado will be followed by an acoustic performance from Toronto’s Lowest of the Low and pop-rock group These Kids Wear Crowns, who are touring Europe in October.

The festival’s urban music will include NXNE’s jazz-hip hop-R&B stand-out God Made Me Funky in the afternoon, with veteran rapper Classified and DJ Skratch Bastid (a hip hop-head legend who has put on shows all across North America) closing it out at night.

Like many environmental festivals, Live Green Toronto will provide all kinds of energetic activities for kids and their parents, but there will be ample opportunity for an education (which is what we’re really heading over there for anyway, right?).

Community Animators will be on hand with information about how to make your neighbourhood more green; representatives of Live Green Toronto will offer information on incentives, resources and funding for Toronto residents, and the Inorganic Market invites people to drop off their unwanted electronics (phones, mp3 players, laptop, wires, etc.).

Live Green Toronto is a government-run organization that orchestrates and encourages environmental initiatives all over the city.

Live Green Toronto Festival, Yonge-Dundas Square, July 16

An all-natural cosmetics shop pops up on Queen West

10:15 am

Everyone wants to give off a flawless natural look — even if it means not going au natural — and Toronto’s Melanie Cruickshank wants to help you do that with DaLish Cosmetics. Her animal-friendly brand started out as a kitchen-sink experiment and has since grown into a product that’s sold across North America. Yesterday, Cruickshank kicked off a DaLish pop-up shop at the Jessica Jensen studio in the Burroughes Building to test the waters for a potential standalone location.

“DaLish is a word I’ve been using forever,” she says. “It’s the word I use for everything fabulous.”

While the product has grown over the past couple years, Cruickshank doesn’t stray far from where she started. “I still mix everything in my kitchen when it comes to trying out new formulations. Once I get the formulation nailed down, I then work with a bigger plant to mass produce.”

Cruickshank studied the trade under Jan Benham at Aromatherapy. After learning how to do the cosmetic formulations herself, she was then able to develop all the DaLish products.

Bees wax, shea butter, vitamin E and grapefruit seed extract are some of the main ingredients that you’ll find in DaLish products. “It’s just really good things that you can find, and I only use food grade or better,” she says. The products are currently all-natural and will soon become vegan.

DaLish products are mostly sold online, but can also be found in stores like Blossom, Lush and Lavish and more. Shopping will remain primarily online, but come the new year, DaLish will hopefully have a space to call its own. “We are going to do appointments Monday through Friday and maybe be open Saturdays to the public. It’s really going to be a space for our interns, the media, photographers and for people to come and see everything at once,” she says.

This is the first DaLish pop-up shop. It’s open from 11:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m until Sunday, July 17.

T.O. Sales Roundup: trés chic, trés cheap

8:57 am

With yesterday’s celebration of Bastille Day and the Tour de France still going strong, we’re feeling pretty French lately. For this week’s sales roundup, we’ve selected classic pieces that will immediately inject some joie de vivre into your wardrobe. Because, if there’s anything the French can do amazingly well (besides produce awesome wines and cheese), it’s looking trés chic in a very effortless way.

Sacre Bleu

Try two French fashion classics (capri pants and nautical) in a single look with these comfortably stylish cadet cropped pants in navy, on sale for $40 at Guess.
306 Yonge Street, 416-506-8882

Oh Là là

French women ooze sex appeal, but in a very discreet way. Dare to bare with this lace mesh top, on sale for $50 from French Connection (which, for the record, isn’t actually from France).
11 Bloor Street West, 416-925-9020

Laissez-Faire

What sets French fashionistas apart is their ability to turn something casual into something incredibly chic, like this slouchy-but-cool crew sweater at Jonathan and Olivia. It’s on sale for $199.
49 Ossington Avenue, 416-849-5956

Carte Blanche

Every French woman has a perfectly tailored blazer (or two) in their closet. Grab this one from Zara in one of the season’s hottest colours: white.
341 Queen Street West, 647-288-0545

Allons-y Attaché

For French women, an outfit is not complete without a classic, highly structured handbag in a neutral palette. We like this one from Danier, on sale for $129.
66 Wellington Street West, 416-598-1159

This summer, take your date to the movies. On a boat

2:53 pm

As one of the world’s most expensive cities (59th, apparently, according to a Mercer survey), Toronto has surpassed Vancouver as Canada’s priciest place to live. One of the key indicators used in the survey: the cost of movie tickets. We did the math, and a date night at the movies —including popcorn and soda — runs close to $50.00. Yikes! With that kind of expense, films might as well be showing on a fancy yacht. Enter the Toronto Port Authority.

From August 18-20, the TPA will celebrate its 100th Anniversary with North America’s first Sail-in Cinema. Best part is, the tickets are free. Once the sun goes down (approximately 9 p.m.) films with an aquatic theme will play on a 28-foot, two-sided screen on a gorge in Toronto harbour’s Corus Quay. It’ll be visible to boats anchored in the harbour and to people cozying up on the sands of Sugar Beach. Tickets are limited, and landlubbing viewers will need a stub. They’ll be made available online in early August on a first come, first serve basis.

As an added bonus, the TPA is giving viewers the chance to recommend the featured films. Before July 22, email [email protected] with your requests. Films will be announced at the end of the month. Just for kicks, here’s our list of five water-themed films best suited for the event.

1. Finding Nemo. We have it on good port authority that this film will most likely be shown. Who can resist this cartoon classic featuring schools of talking fish and a vegetarian shark?

2. Titanic. Even though it’s hard to believe that Leonardo DiCaprio would be able to overcome the sinking Titanic and save his lover, it’s a touching story, nonetheless. Especially if you’re 14.

3. The Perfect Storm. Undoubtedly smelling of fish, George Clooney and Mark Walberg set sail on their fishing boat in this aqua-thriller to try and defy the sea’s killer waves.

4. Deep Blue. This BBC documentary takes viewers under water to discover the history of the ocean floor, and explore never before seen deep sea creatures. It’s boatloads of fun!

5. Water For Elephants. Okay, so it’s not really about water, but this heart wrenching love story, taking place in a 1930s traveling circus, is occasionally about providing water to the animals.

Sail-in Cinema, Toronto Waterfront, August 18-20

Q&A: "Weird Al" Yankovic, playing two shows at Massey Hall this weekend

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It may be unusual for someone to credit a guy by the name of Dr. Demento for launching his career, but then again, "Weird Al" Yankovic isn’t just a regular guy. As an awkward teenager in California, he would do parodies of pop songs for the amusement of his friends. On a whim, he sent in a very amateur recording to the Dr. Demento radio show. Dr. Demento liked it, and that was all the nudge Yankovic needed.

Before he finished his architecture degree in university, Yankovic had two national singles. Now, his 30-plus-year career has seen him sell more than 12 million records and win three Grammy Awards. With a new album in hand, Alpocalypse, Yankovic returns to Toronto to play two shows on July 16 at Massey Hall.

Why is now the perfect time for the grand return of Weird Al?
People were running and screaming in the streets and on the verge of rioting for the past five years since I last released a record. As my public duty to prevent civil unrest, I decided to put out an album.

The lead single is a parody of a Lady Gaga song. Someone in her camp initially balked at the idea. What turned her around?
Well, as it turns out, she never balked. It was her manager supposedly acting in her best interests. She found out about the parody and immediately approved it…. It was definitely an awful experience for everyone involved, but it had a happy ending.

When was the last time someone said no to you?
Prior to this, probably James Blunt. I made a version of “You’re Beautiful” called “You’re Pitiful.” Blunt openly approved, but the record label decided it didn’t want the parody out. I’ve never seen a record label do that before. When I do parody, the song always sells more copies. They should have been thrilled.

You’re playing two shows here in Toronto. What are your impressions of our fair city?
Not to be overtly kissing up, but it truly is one of my favourite places in the world. In the ’90s, I was there doing a lot of specials for MuchMusic. I really love it, and playing Massey Hall, it is such a beautiful place. When we decided to do our TV special there, we had several options of locations, but we chose Massey Hall. It’ll be a real treat.

So the show will be taped for broadcast? Yeah, we’ll be taping it, but I can’t say what network it’ll be shown on yet because the ink isn’t quite dry on the contract.

Everyone seems to love the polka mixes you put on each album. When will that music finally go mainstream?
Well, I contend it just never went away. Polka is the true alternative music. It is such a big subculture. It’ll be going mainstream any minute.

What was the first song you parodied?
I couldn’t tell you the first one. I had a lot of really bad parodies when I was eight years old. But the first one of note was “My Bologna,” the Knack parody in 1979.

"Weird Al" Yankovic, Massey Hall, July 16

Toronto's 80s arts scene rekindled with Paradise Now

12:42 pm

Toronto artists of the 80s are getting their time to shine once again. "Paradise Now," a series of events and exhibitions along the once-underground cultural hub of Queen West, is honouring them as well as young up-and-coming artists. The first installment of the 80s expo is "This Is Paradise," an art exhibit at the MOCCA gallery, which runs until August 21.

Showcasing work solely from Toronto artists in the 80s, This Is Paradise is “creating an archive for younger generations to explore,” says Henrjeta Mece, one of two project directors for Paradise Now.

This Friday, Rivoli — once an integral part of the 80s scene on Queen West — will be hosting Paradise Now’s wearable art fashion show. Through the creative works of Julius Poncelet Manapul and York University fine arts graduate Natalie Viecili, the fashion show will attempt to expose society’s consumerist culture.

“Clothes will be made out of mass-produced products like Starbucks cups and garbage bags,” Viecili says of her runway pieces. Other than being a good recycling method, Viecili’s art represents “the irony of commodity fetishism.” Thanks to advertising and consumerism, modern society has become based around a constant want to have the most expensive, shiny, often useless thing. “I want to present those ideas in a different light,” says Viecili.

Where Viecili’s work will try to show an obsession with consumer goods, Manapul’s will focus more on pop culture. By using only paper, Manapul will re-create outfits worn by some legendary icons. Audrey Hepburn’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s wardrobe and Marilyn Monroe‘s unforgettable white dress will both be worn on the runway, but in paper-made versions.

Along with Rivoli, The Cameron House, which was the original 80s hub for upcoming artists and alternative rebels in Toronto, will also host some of Paradise Now’s events. Both venues have generously provided their space for free.

On July 16, The Cameron House will be showing work from Sketch, a space that gives opportunities to poverty-stricken teens and young adults. On July 21, Rivoli will play live music and screen music videos from Toronto’s 80s scene.

“Something faded in the 90s due to globalization," Mece says of Queen Street West’s erstwhile arts circle. "But once, there was a community there."

Check out more Paradise Now events here.

Ready, set, Joe: three Joe Fresh stores coming to Toronto

11:43 am

Budget-conscious fashionistas take note: three Joe Fresh stores are coming soon to Toronto. The best part? They’ll be standalone, meaning no grocery store multitasking while scouting for T-shirts. The stores are pure Joe — clothes only.

Folks in Scarborough get first dibs, with an opening at the Golden Mile Shoping Centre by Victoria Park and Eglinton in a few weeks time.

By fall, two more standalone stores will open, one on Queen West, taking up the current vacant lot at 589 Queen by Portland, and the other is set to open in the former Maple Leaf Gardens.

Loblaw hasn’t announced the exact dates of the openings, but keep watch: 20 per cent discounts are promised for opening weekend.

Let them eat toast: how one group of Torontonians is tackling street food by grilling bread

2:06 pm

Winnie Yip is attempting to give street food a makeunder. Tired of forking over five (or even ten) dollars for streetside nosh, Yip banded together a group of rogue street food enthusiasts (conveniently, her friends) — and started making, and selling, toast. Yes, toast.

Calling their thick, grilled, white-bread-and-toppings concoctions “grilled specialty toasts,” Yip’s group of Hong Kong expats (four women in total, including a former Metropolitan Hotel chef) set up shop at the Taste of Asia Festival a few weeks ago. They wound up selling almost 3,000 portions of these Taiwanese-inspired, snack-sized treats.

“Street food is getting more and more expensive,” says Yip, taking a quick break from her marketing day job. “You can easily pay eight dollars or more for a sandwich or pork bun at these street festivals. So we wanted to keep the price low, but still keep the food delicious.”

Offering six flavour options (including green tea and red bean, cheese ‘n’ bacon and chocolate-Oreo), and already working on a few new sweet and savoury combinations, Yip says the most expensive specialty toast clocks in at $2. The majority of toasts, though, go for a mere $1.

“We’ve had lots of repeat customers,” she says, adding that one Taste of Asia reveler visited her street food booth a half-dozen times. “We also make it easy for people to go from booth to booth — to sample. If you think about it, you really shouldn’t need a knife and fork to eat street food, right?”

Building on their initial success, Yip and her crew enjoyed another successful run last week at Taste of Lawrence. Oh, and fear not, toast lovers: the toastmasters will also make a four-night appearance next week at the T & T Waterfront Night Market (July 21 to 24).

Toronto bars offer up a taste of Brazil’s national pride (and occasional auto fuel), cachaca

10:00 am

After being punched in the face by my first whiff of Brazil’s national dram, cachaca, I was mystified as to why anyone would want to ingest something that bore such an intense olfactory parallel to rubbing alcohol; something that once, according to legend, powered up an automobile (a Ford Fairlane, to be exact). Then, I was taught how to make a caipirinha — a strong and simple mixture of muddled limes, sugar and cachaca — and everything started to make sense.

The caipirinha’s central ingredient dates back hundreds of years, when Portuguese settlers in Brazil discovered that sun-baked sugar cane dregs naturally produced the spirit. Today, cachaca is identified by hundreds of native pet-terms and has been elevated to a symbol of Brazilian national identity. It remains the single most popular spirit in its home country, where 1.5 billion litres are guzzled annually.

Unlike its more nebulous, molasses-based relative, rum, cachaca is distilled from the first press of fresh, high-quality sugar cane juice. So refined is this hot-blooded spirit that some of its best producers will carefully discard up to 80 per cent of a batch in order to filter out impurities and ensure excellence. Aging of what is traditionally known as aguardiente de caña can take over a decade, taking place in casks of oak and various indigenous woods. The result is a clear, rather ether-esque spirit (many cachacas boast an alcohol content upwards of 40 per cent) that stars in Brazil’s (in)famous national cocktail.

The simplicity of the caipirinha speaks to its name, which translates loosely to “country bumpkin,” a reference to its unrefined preparation, which takes place in the same glass in which it’s served. It’s refreshing, with an obvious kick, while fresh fruit like berries, pineapple, orange and sometimes splashes of tropical juice are often added to enhance she sipping experience. Crushed ice is key not only for its cool, slushy effect, but for steady dilution of this extremely stiff cocktail.

If you’re looking for a great excuse to try something new, Pitú ($24.95) and Leblon ($30.15) cachacas — full-blown liquors at forty per cent alcohol — are on promotion at the LCBO. If the thought of crushing your own ice seems too daunting in the thick of Toronto’s mid-summer mugginess, enjoy caipirinhas at Souz Dal, College Street’s comfy, ambient watering hole ($7.25), or at Queen West’s Brazilian eatery, Cajú ($8).

Souz Dal, 636 College Street, 416-537-1883; Cajú, 922 Queen St. W., 416-532-2550

Band of the Week: Junior Battles

8:28 am

Toronto’s Junior Battles are a hard working band. In the last three years they’ve released three 7-inch records, toured extensively through Ontario, Quebec and the Eastern United States and recently released a full-length record, Idle Ages, on the upcoming American label Paper + Plastick.

The closest thing they have to a business model eschews traditional, dogmatic paradigms held by the mainstream music industry: they’ve released all of their music for free online. Sonically, the band piles epic gang vocals on top of melodic guitars and speedy drums. The result is a sense of nostalgia as your inner 16-year-old punk rocker rejoices, but the music remains competent and engaging enough that the cynical adult in you doesn’t need to be embarrassed.

This week, the band is playing Warped Tour. We caught up with vocalist and guitarist Sam Sutherland to talk about music, growing up and the joys of vinyl.

So you guys just released an album, let’s talk about that a bit. Where’d you record it? How long did it take? Is it everything you dreamed it would be? How has the response been so far?
We recorded the album at Drive Studios with Steve Rizun. Steve is an old friend and lovable curmudgeon, and he was invaluable in helping us make the record sound how we wanted it to sound. Because we’re total pricks about picking different tones for each song, and then layering a mess of weird sound on top, the process lasted from the beginning of December until the end of March. By the end, I thought I had lost my mind, but I think the final product is worth it. You never know if you’ll ever get to make another full-length record, so we all felt like this had to be our grand statement. I think it is, and I’m incredibly proud of it. As for outside responses, so far, so good. People have been very kind.

You’re releasing this on CD as well as vinyl, and you’ve put out vinyl before. What is it about vinyl that draws you to the format?
I think a lot of geeks my age will agree that, as music becomes an increasingly digital art form, it’s important to claw back some element of the physical aspect. Records and tapes help you connect with music the way you did when you were a kid, and the offer something extra, either the fidelity of analog or the collectability of variations.

How was it working with Paper + Plastick for this?
Paper + Plastick has been amazing to work with. [Label owner] Vinnie is simultaneously trusting and supportive, and eager to explore new ideas in terms of how a label can run. He didn’t bat an eyelash when we told him we wanted the record to be available for free online, which isn’t very common amongst label folks. We’ve been fortunate enough to always work with people who see the big picture of the way the distribution and collection of music has changed, and Paper + Plastick is another great group of people who are willing to work the way we want to work, while offering us the extra support, ideas, and enthusiasm of a label of their size. It’s a pretty ideal relationship.

You guys are touring a lot in support of the record. How has that been? You’re heading into the States a lot, any plans for more Canadian dates?
I just got back from our first weekend out, and it was great. We’re doing something called the Weekend Warrior Tour; basically a different state or province every weekend for the whole summer. Next weekend we’re playing around Ontario, which is the extent of our planned Canadian shows this summer. We’re hoping to do more come fall.

For some reason when I listen to your record I keep thinking of the movie Suburbia starring Giovanni Rabishi. You invoke a lot of youthful imagery in your music and I’m just wondering where that comes from.
This rules. Yes, you are exactly right. After writing the first few songs, it became pretty clear that both myself and Aaron, the other lyricist in the band, were hitting on a lot of the same ideas, struggling with the idea of growing up and adapting our youthful sense of self into an adult set of responsibilities. We weren’t trying to invoke a feeling of nostalgia, but more of that intangible sense that you are changing in some way and you’re not sure how you feel about it.

Can you talk a bit about how the band got together?
We all had played together at various points in a band that had tried and not quite succeeded at being our first "go for it" project. It left us all a little burned and disinterested in being serious about music, so we started the band as a way to hang out and play loud music and get some drink tickets. At some point, we realized we really loved what we were doing and actually started putting time into writing and practicing. Now, we own a van and have performance visas for the U.S. The world sometimes has different plans for you.

And what’s next for the band?
We’re playing a run of Ontario shows starting in a few days, including our first-ever appearance at Warped Tour, which is a bizarre childhood notch in my belt. We have a lot more dates in the States over the rest of the summer, and we’ll be playing Fest in Gainesville again this October. The biggest thing for us right now is getting this record out into the world. We spent months under a pile of snow trying to make this big sound that we had in our heads, and now we have a chance to play those songs for people and see if anyone connects with it. It’s an exciting time.

Recommended track: "Seventeen"

Junior Battles are:
Sam Sutherland – Vocals, guitar
Aaron Zorgel – Vocals, guitar
Justin Taylor – Bass, vocals
Joel Dickau – Drums, vocals

Coming Soon: Tosho Knife Arts, bringing Japanese knives worthy of samurai to downtown Toronto

3:00 pm

Most people are oblivious to the intricacies of Japanese knives, but chef Ivan Fonseca (of Messis) and Olivia Go intend to change that with their upcoming store, Tosho Knife Arts. Japanese knives are considered an art form; traditionally, there is a knife for every task — like peeling chestnuts, say — unlike European knives, which are less specialized. Tosho, currently an online store, sells samurai-sword quality knives from Blacksmith Takeda and Konosuke-Sakai.

“Anyone who loves cooking can appreciate them. They outlive people,” Go says.

While most of Tosho’s knives range from $100 to $300, some require a bit more dough. The Konosuke Yanagiba Honyaki Lacquer, for example, costs a whopping $3,500. The knife takes time and patience to make — the lacquer takes eight months to apply — and the single layer blade makes the knife thinner than most (though it can easily crack if not used by a specialist). It’s a sushi chef’s best friend.

For an everyday knife, Go chooses the Konosuke Sakai Gyuto ($270). The simple, seamless design is “thin and can cut quickly.” She also favors the Takeda Kogatana ($100). Meant for woodworking and crafting, the handleless knife is also good for butchering.

The biggest mistake when it comes to knife-maintenance, Go says, is letting the blade get too dull. “Not keeping knives sharp makes the knife slip while cutting.” Along with creating the possibility of injury or a bloody fish, a dull knife bruises food, making it lose its integrity. When it comes to knife grip, you have to “Hold it like you own it,” says Go.

Still, it is difficult to maintain a knife’s natural shape, and it takes experience and a special eye to know which sharpening stone to use for which knife. Go offers classes at the Good Egg, but be ready to plan in advance; the waiting list is long and growing. The classes, which will likely take place in the store after it opens, focus on sharpening and the basics of cutting.

Tosho Knife Arts, which has been online-only since last January, will be opening its first physical location on Markham Street on July 24, with any luck. Along with knives, it will sell sharpening stones, oil (to stop rusting) and wooden Saya ($30-$40) covers. All knives and stones will be imported from Japan.

Tosho Knife Arts, 602 Markham St.

The Beer Necessities: Muskoka Brewery’s Mad Tom IPA

12:24 pm

Although I don’t know who Mad Tom is, or why he’s got his dander up, I do enjoy Muskoka Brewery’s new India Pale Ale named in his honour. Mad Tom is billed as a traditional India Pale Ale, meaning a full-flavoured, lip-smacking romp through hop-ville. In this case, a dry hopping with Cascade and Centennial varieties is used to help complement the citrus and floral notes.

In the past, India Pale Ales were fortified with extra flavour, aroma and alcohol to survive the trip from England to India. And, in keeping with this tradition, Mad Tom boasts 6.4 per cent alcohol content and 64 on the IBU meter. With the American hops, and high bitterness, it is safe to describe Mad Tom as a fine example of an American IPA, and one of the better ones you might find in the province.

On first pour, Mad Tom packs an aromatic punch with a clear copper appearance and a slight cloudiness. The first taste is sharp on the tongue, with lingering citrus notes that provide a flavourful and dry finish. Mad Tom would make an ideal match with a spicy little number on the grill this summer: think Thai shrimp, or a nice peppercorn steak.

“We’re not concerned about selling volume,” explains Mike Laba of the brewery. “We chose to make a beer with flavour respecting the IPA tradition.”

Sold in six packs of 355 ml bottles and available through the LCBO and The Beer Store, Mad Tom is the fourth product offering from Muskoka Brewery, established in the cottage country town of Bracebridge in 1996. Other craft beers produced by Muskoka include a solid lager and cream ale.

The Beer Necessities is a bi-weekly column by Ron Johnson, editor of Post City Magazines.

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