Valentine’s Day is that wonderful event that allows us all to indulge in all kinds of things, like chocolates and flowers and gifts, just because. Unfortunately, for many of us, it’s also a chance to indulge in procrastination. You know what we mean. Here’s a last minute guide to some of the best gifts in the city for your lover (or yourself).
A young girl’s battle with leukemia turns into a fantastical, musical journey as she battles to get her health back.
Theatre Passe Muraille, Backspace,16 Ryerson Ave., 416-504-7529. Feb. 16 – March 4.
I do not get to experience New York City and Broadway as often as I would like, but I was in Manhattan over a year ago to visit my daughter and had the pleasure of seeing In the Heights with her. It was a sweet, high-quality musical about Hispanic immigrants in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan, above Harlem, most of them from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
In what might be the most exciting news in fast-fashion collaborations since, well, Marni for H&M, The Bay has announced the launch of Mary Katrantzou’s collection for Topshop, set to hit Canada in early March.
Since its opening in 2007, Yorkville’s contemporary and fashion-forward UPC Boutique has acted as one of our very best retail friends. So it’s with great sadness to report that UPC’s doors will be closing this Monday.
Kathleen Edwards and her new album Voyageur are making a big splash south of the border. Sure, her association with Justin Vernon, of Grammy-nominated Bon Iver fame has surely helped. But, don’t kid yourselves, this is a solid record on its own with or without Vernon twiddling the dials in the control room — a very Kathleen Edwards record.
Every week, we gather our favourite tweets from in and around Toronto’s fashion scene. This week we’ve got Nathalie Atkinson’s two cents on Uncle Karl’s loose lips, gift ideas for your Valentine from Holt Renfrew and new spring-forward styling ideas from Diane Kruger.
This Northern Rhône style-wine has a smoky blackberry nose with an herbal note; it’s full on the palate, dry and savoury with a bitter chocolate finish. Lively acidity and full-bodied. Food match: beef casserole, old cheddar.
Years ago, a laid-back, musically-inclined dude from Barrie, Ont. named Afie Jurvanen moved to Toronto. Sure, he could have been a star out of the gate, but he was too damn busy backing up other local musicians such as Jason Collett and Leslie Feist.
First, The Clone Wars was animated. Now, The Phantom Menace has been released in 3-D, and we’re powerless against George Lucas‘ jedi mind trick (ahem, cash grab). Starting tomorrow, geeks, nerds and dorks will unite to witness the re-release of Episode I in all its three-dimensional glory. Expect the pod racing scene and lightsaber duels to be worth the hype, but losing Qui-Gon Jinn again in 3-D? Not so much.
Though patrons may be tempted to tiptoe their way into Church Aperitivo Bar, the atmosphere is grounded — with a few heavenly touches. Taking over a Slavic Pentecostal church (as far as the owners know) longtime friends Sandra Cassaro and David Beddia wanted to open a social place that spoke to their Italian backgrounds.
If you don’t know Corin Raymond’s music, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with his face. Over the last few weeks he has graced the pages of newspapers and appeared on network news channels. And it’s no wonder his latest endeavour is capturing people’s imagination: much like his music, it’s steeped in Canadian tradition that’s thicker than maple syrup. This songster has set out to fund his upcoming live album with fan-donated Canadian Tire money.
