Grown on the island of Santorini on vines that date back 50 to 200 years, this wine, made from two local Assyrtiko and Athiri varieties, reminded me of a Viognier. Golden straw in colour, you can smell its volcanic soil behind the melon and citrus aromas. It’s richly extracted, with an unctuous mouth feel and flavours of melon and peach, that finishes dry.
Who needs a $99,000 built-on-unicorn-tears custom bed in your hotel suite when you can squeeze into the same dumpy one with your brother and have your personal lumberjack mini-bar.
It’s a big night for Toronto. Not only is TIFF launching tonight, but it’s the night of the first-ever Toronto edition of Fashion’s Night Out. The citywide shopping event will unite style-setters like never before with extended hours, fashionable freebies and, of course, some bubbly. So ready your wallets and head down to our top five events of the night.
A roadie strategically placed fresh towels around the stage before Divine Fits played their sold-out show at Lee’s Palace last night, foreshadowing the sweaty mess that was about to follow.
Each German city specializes in its own style of beer. Remarkably, most of them are lagers, which to the brewer means beer that’s bottom-fermented at cool temperatures and then kept in cool storage. To the drinker, it means clear and crisp flavours. Düsseldorf’s altbier is a sort of hybrid exception to this rule, so it makes sense that when Creemore Springs decided to brew its first ale, it was an alt.
John Hardy wanted to take Toronto by storm. The American expat was confident that he’d make his mark on the city’s barbecue scene; he even opened his restaurant, Hardys: a Hogtown Brasserie, a stone’s throw from barbecue stalwart The Stockyards. One year later, though, the restaurant has closed.
There’s never a better excuse to buy a new clutch than TIFF. After all, it’ll be the bag that’s clung to your arm, and won’t leave your side, for a solid 10 days straight. When else does a clutch get that much use, unless you’re a Kardashian sister?
After catching word on Twitter that Queen West’s Banh Mi Boys would be opening a second location at the Eaton Centre, we called co-owner David Chau to find out more. He confirmed that a second location is in the works at the Eaton Centre’s Urban Eatery. The best part: while the menu will be largely the same, Chau said there will likely be a few surprises, too. The new location is expected to open early next year.
Forget Kristen Stewart. Back in the day, Toronto’s own Mary Pickford was America’s first sweetheart, and this year she’s even making a comeback at TIFF — proving that you’re never too old, or too dead, for Hollywood.
Holt Renfrew may be celebrating 175 years of style and service, but it still knows how to party. Starting this week, Holts is hitting the road with its mobile fashion tour across Canada, including stops in Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. The travelling couture caravan — called Hot@175 — will kick off in Toronto on Sept. 7, but fashionistas can get a sneak peek tomorrow night.
As if you didn’t already know, TIFF is upon us (less than 24 hours and counting). When we’re not holed up in theatres watching movies all day, we definitely want to be out schmoozing and celebrity-gazing because, hey, it only happens once a year (and the Gosinator isn’t married yet). Below, our 2012 TIFF Party Primer.
