Metrosexual and proud of it: manly spa comes to Yorkville

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2:26 pm

Daniel Rodrigues had a dream. He dreamed of a big, beautiful (but rugged) spa where men could proudly get a pedicure or waxing job without facing the scrutinizing eyes of female clientele.

Then Rodrigues woke up from that dream. It was 3:30 a.m. and he had a business plan.

"I told my wife to get the laptop, before I forgot everything," Rodrigues recalls. While he talked, she wrote. By the end he had a name for the salon, in addition to most of his business plan. "She looked at me and said, ‘this is brilliant, what are you going to do with it?’" Rodrigues says. He replied that he had no idea.

Fast forward a year and a half and all that has changed. His Yorkville spa for men, Metrosexual, is set to open any day now. It offers a gamut of services such as a hair studio, pedicure stop, dental hygiene suite, spray tanning room, fat-reduction room, laser hair removal suite, massage room and all the other bells and whistles that go with today’s metro maintenance routine.

The best part? No girls allowed. "At least for now," says Rodrigues.

Metrosexual, 91 Scollard St, 647-342-8525

Labatt rolls out Rolling Rock to Ontario

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1:15 pm

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For most of its decades-long history, Rolling Rock beer hasn’t been available in Canada. Anyone in Toronto who wanted a taste of the American lager – which has garnered a bit of a cult following – would have had to head to Buffalo. That was until recently, when Labatt Breweries surreptitiously brought Rolling Rock to Ontario.

According to Marketing Magazine, Rolling Rock was launched at 100 bars in Ontario this past January. Labatt tells us that by April, the LCBO and the Beer Store will begin stocking it (cans only; no old-school green bottles just yet).

Toronto’s Duke of Kent plans to feature the beer in March, and tells us the announcement on their Facebook page has been creating major buzz from lager lovers.

Rolling Rock is known for its distinct, retro bottle, reasonable price and general drinkability. The bottles feature a mysterious number 33, which some say is a reference to the year when prohibition was lifted in the U.S.

Labatt wants to see how well the product does in Ontario outlets before deciding to make it available in other parts of Canada. Stay tuned.

[Marketing Magazine]

Maple syrup: out of the breakfast and into the beer

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12:04 pm

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Drinking local, mico-brewed beer is all the rage in Toronto these days, but how about beer injected with pure Canadiana? (And no, we don’t mean poutine.) According to The Star, a Danish beer that arrived on LCBO shelves last week is infused with Ontario maple syrup.

Known as La Granja Espresso Stout, the dark beer also contains another breakfast staple, coffee beans, which makes us think this could replace Colt 45 as our morning libation of choice. Maple syrup is added after fermentation, resulting in a beer with “an aroma of coffee and a hint of maple,” the Star says. Judging from the ingredients, we probably could have inferred that, but the beer sounds interesting nonetheless. And Ontario is apparently the only place in the world with the maple syrup version of the beer.

All of this has us wondering how much street cred we could earn by drinking this. What’s more Canadian: Mike Duggan‘s or Maple syrup?

[Toronto Star]

How T.O. became a hip hop hotbed

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10:31 am

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At this month’s Grammys, two of the leading Toronto contenders are Melanie Fiona and Forest Hill phenom Drake. Both have a good chance to win, and both are products of the city’s burgeoning hip hop scene.

But Toronto wasn’t always such fertile creative ground for young hip hop artists. It took a few breakout artists to pay their dues and break new ground.

One of the early innovators was Maestro Fresh Wes, whose mega-hit “Let Your Backbone Slide” is still shaking cabooses on iPod playlists from the Bridle Path to Burlington. Wes, now in his 40s and pursuing an acting career, is considered the grandfather of Canadian hip hop, and his album Symphony in Effect remains a classic.

Michie Mee (Michelle McCullock) was the first prominent female rapper in the city to garner significant acclaim. A dynamic performer and lyricist, Mee hit the stage running back in 1985 when she performed with legendary American hip hop icons Boogie Down Productions at a concert in Toronto, and she went on to become the first Canadian rapper to be signed to an American record label. Her debut album, Jamaican Funk: Canadian Style, sold 60,000 copies in the U.S., and she was nominated for a Juno Award.

The Dream Warriors (Louis Robinson and Frank Allert), with roots in Willowdale and Jane-Finch, were a pioneering hip hop group in the early ’90s then managed to achieve early crossover success with their popular song “My Definition.” Part of the so-called “golden era” of hip hop, Dream Warriors demonstrated hip hop could be more than just posturing and bluster through their intelligent, progressive lyrics.

Other pioneers include reggae-style rapper Snow with his worldwide smash hit “Informer,” as well as Choclair and Kardinal Offishall.

Of special note, Dream Warriors and Michie Mee both hit the stage as part of a special pre–Juno Awards concert on Feb. 5 at the Horseshoe Tavern. And don’t forget to watch Drake and Fiona at the Grammys on Feb. 13.

Above, left to right: Wes Williams a.k.a. Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee, Choclair

Kim Cattrall to seduce Toronto in Private Lives

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4:17 pm

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No word on what kind of shoes will be involved, but Kim Cattrall (also known as Samantha of Sex and the City fame) will once again be playing a lustful, conflicted middle-ager with excellent hair in her latest project. And she’s coming to Toronto to do it as the lead in Noël Coward’s stage comedy, Private Lives.

Previously, Cattrall played the role in a London staging of the show. Now, Toronto’s Mirvish Productions has announced its 2011-2012 lineup, which includes the notorious play, running from September to October before it heads to Broadway.

Cattrall plays Amanda, a bewitching divorcee who finds herself on a honeymoon on the French Riviera with her new husband. Things heat up when she discovers her “rich and reckless” ex-husband is staying in the room next door. Zoinks!

[Playbill]

Why beer batter is the bomb

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12:25 pm

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We’ve long wondered why beer is considered an ideal batter ingredient, and the discerning eye of science has finally come to our rescue. Scientific American has done a thorough breakdown of what makes beer batter better, which is a good thing, because properly done fish and chips should never be taken for granted. Below, our breakdown of Scientific American’s breakdown.

1. Beer is bubbly: When a batter mixed with beer is put into the fryer, the bubbles froth up and expand the batter, giving it a better texture. Beer’s creamy head ensures the bubbles don’t burst immediately.

2. Foam is a good insulator: The foam in beer tends to absorb the oil’s heat better, allowing the batter to heat up to around 130 degrees Celsius (perfect for Maillard reactions, which are responsible for golden brown-ness), while the food cooks gently inside.

3. Beer cooks faster: Because alcohol evaporates quickly, beer batter doesn’t have to cook as long as a batter made with water or milk. That means the batter gets crisp faster, with less of a risk of overcooking the food.

[Scientific American]

Romagna Mia to transform, open salumi factory

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10:47 am

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Joanne Kates once said that nothing changes at Romagna Mia restaurant, and until recently, she was right. For the past 13 years, patrons have been packing themselves in for chef Gabriele Paganelli’s famed house-made salumi, decadent risotto and other Italian fare. But sometimes change is necessary – and big changes are on the horizon.

On March 6, Romagna Mia will host a raucous party – complete with a seven-course tasting menu – before closing its doors for good. Then, the renovations take place. “The next day, we’re coming in with a jackhammer and tearing everything down,” says co-owner Alexandre Lussier. The plan is for a “12-day extreme makeover,” after which Romagna Mia will re-emerge as Paganelli’s Enoteca and Osteria, set for a soft opening on March 19.

In addition to new décor and the inclusion of pizza served by the foot, Paganelli’s will feature a new wine bar, where patrons can sample 40-50 wines by the glass, ranging from the affordable to the luxurious, like Amarone and Barolo.

Also added will be a take-out deli counter, stocked with salumi like pancetta, guanciale, salami and bresaola, as well as paninis and prepared pastas. And by this summer, much of that product will be made at new, 3,000 square foot salumi factory near Scarborough, which will produce wholesale artisan, all-natural salumi under Paganelli’s name. Potential retailers of the product could include spots like The Cheese Boutique.

To complete the expansion of the Paganelli brand, it will be franchising. Two new restaurants are in the works – with similar quality, cuisine and atmosphere – one in Woodbridge, and the other in a yet-to-be-disclosed location.

All of this has us wondering if anything will remain of the Romagna Mia we’ve known for so long, and the answer is yes. Romagna Mia’s big menu items will stay put, but will be portioned out for family-style sharing. And yes, that includes the house-made pasta and the risotto from a wheel of parmesan.

Hollywood to get a taste of organic Uxbridge lip balm

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8:00 am

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When this year’s Grammy nominees hear their names called out at Sunday’s ceremony and lean over to kiss their dates, there’s a good chance their lips will be Friggin moisturized. That’s because Uxbridge’s Ginny van Veghel, creator of Elemi Organics, will be on hand to pass out some of her organic body care products at a swag party the night before the Feb. 13 music awards. Her swag includes four lip balm flavours ($6.50 each) and a tattoo balm ($9.95), which helps heal new tattoos and renew older ones. We thought it’d be fun to match Grammy nominees with the product best suited for them.

Ink Balm: This would be perfect to smooth over John Mayer’s plethora of tattoos, and we’re sure he could find a lucky lady (or two) to help him out.

Friggin lip balm Orange: Sweet scent and a bright colour? That’s got multiple nominee Katy Perry’s name kissed all over it.

Friggin lip balm Cinnamon: We can definitely see Lady Gaga going gaga over this spicy and fun flavour.

Friggin lip balm Peppermint: Squeaky clean but always minty fresh; gotta be the Bieber’s taste.

Friggin lip balm Natural: Who better to go au naturel than natural beauty Beyoncé?

Elemi Organics, Uxbridge, 905-852-5575

Reason to avoid junk food #1,501: it lowers IQ

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1:54 pm

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Harbour no illusions about the perils of Twinkies: new studies indicate that the over-consumption of junk food not only makes you fat, it makes you stupid. Results gleaned from a study by the Avon Longitudinal Institute of Parents and Children indicate that young kids who consume a diet high in sugars, fats and processed foods mature with a lower IQ. Conversely, those kiddies who are fed a nutrient-rich diet laden with vitamins grow up to exhibit higher levels of intelligence.

Apparently, the low IQ encouraged by lousy eating habits in early childhood is irreversible. Between the ages of four and seven, dietary patterns left no impact on IQ. The brain experiences its most prolific growth in the first three years of life, and it needs to be fed appropriately during this formative time. “It is possible that good nutrition during this period may encourage optimal brain growth,” researchers told CTV.

Really, this all seems like common sense anyway. After all, there must be grains of benevolence lodged in the ritual parent-child battle waged over daily vegetable consumption. Still, a general awareness of junk food’s evils is trickling down through the system. The City of Toronto plans to banish all pop and energy drinks from vending machines operated on city property by 2014 – especially in youth-oriented hubs like arenas and community centres – in the hopes that cutting sugary options will help encourage a healthier lifestyle in its citizens. Looks like it could encourage a more intelligent population, too.

[CTV]

Aperol: Italy’s beloved aperitif seduces Toronto

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8:10 am

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What’s refreshing, electric orange in hue, and popping up all over Toronto’s cocktail lists? Aperol, an herb-laced Italian aperitif originated in 1919 by the Barbieri company of Padua. It’s like Campari’s sweeter, less alcoholic cousin.

Flavoured with ingredients like bitter orange, rhubarb, gentian root and cinchona, Aperol boasts a modest alcohol content of 11 per cent, making it an ideal mixing agent. Its crisp complexity is quickly earning North American notoriety. Aperol was rated in the 90-95 category by the Wine Enthusiast in 2007, and awarded a double-gold medal – top honours – last year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Easily potable on the rocks, Aperol is featured most famously in the spritz, a bittersweet twist on the traditional Venetian white wine spritzer. The bubbly blend of Aperol, Prosecco, soda and fresh orange caused quite a stir with Italians after its post-war inception in the 1950s. Now offered on cocktail menus from St. Lawrence’s Lucien to Queen West’s ever-popular Terroni, where bottles of the enticingly labeled liqueur line the walls, the spritz is a light segue into a heavy meal, or extremely chain-drinkable on its own.

With a sexy contemporary campaign under its belt, expect to see an increase of vermillion cocktails in the city – especially when we manage to conquer Snowmageddon and break on through to sunny, patio-strewn Toronto that we all know and love.

Wild oysters nearly extinct, romantics seek new non-aphrodisiac

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2:24 pm

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Not too long ago, Patrick McMurray of Starfish looked into the wild-versus-farmed seafood debate for PostCity.com. That debate has just gotten even more pertinent. According to a new study published in BioScience, wild oysters are “functionally extinct” in many parts of the world.

Scientists from the Univesity of California found that overfishing, disease, oil spills and modern fishing methods such as dredging have left wild oyster populations at a fraction of what they once were. One scientist told the Independent that they could disappear within a generation if nothing is done to protect them.

Of course, the implications of vastly reduced oyster populations go well beyond the culinary. Oysters are some of the best filters of nitrogen – one of the most harmful aquatic pollutants – in nature. According to the Economist, one oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. Their shells also help build coral reefs.

These days, most oysters consumed in restaurants are farmed rather than wild (though wild oysters are still caught in the Gulf of Mexico). Still, as a symbolic gesture, it might be worth switching up on aphrodisiacs this Valentine’s Day. In the unproven department, chocolate holds up pretty well.

[Independent]

Nightclub + ping pong = SPiN, coming soon to Toronto

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11:46 am

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First it was board games, then it was bowling. Now, ping pong is coming to Toronto. The team that first brought ping pong social club SPiN to New York in 2009 is in the midst of opening a 12,000 square foot branch near King and Spadina, set to open this summer.

In a similar vein to The Ballroom, the club will feature bars, a cocktail menu, a food menu and, of course, 12-15 ping pong tables, according to its website. And, like The Ballroom, the fun doesn’t come cheap: walk-in rates for non-members are $20 per hour before 6pm, $30 after. Member rates are half price.

Currently, SPiN has other locations in NYC, Milwaukee and Hollywood, so the founders – including actress Susan Sarandon – seem to have hit on something popular. Yet all of this has us wondering: what’s next, shuffleboard?