Not Quite Ready for Prime Time, Apparently

From today's Weekend Edition National Public Radio program in the U.S. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105064968

"Close your eyes and imagine a perfect vacation. Where you would choose to go if money, distance and time were no limitation? Paris and/or Provence? Rio or Hong Kong? The peaks of New Zealand? Or the pastas, porcinis and vinos of Tuscany? A recent poll says you'd go to Canada. An online survey of people in 20 countries shows that Canada is the place most people would choose to visit if Loonies — were no limitation. Host Scott Simon speaks with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Michael Enright about the new study."

At last! The recognition we deserve! Surely listeners from around the world will come and spend their tourist dollars in Canada this summer!

But wait a minute. What's Michael Enright's first comment upon hearing the news about Canada's standing in this poll? Laughing, he says "my first reaction, being a Canadian of course, is I have to apologize to all the other countries. You see, that's part of our national charater, so I'm really sorry to those folks. "

He goes on to describe "the perfect week in Canada." On Ontario? "Hmm, if you like fishing and hunting and shooting and killing small animals, I suppose Ontario is ok. Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world, the food is varied and interesting." About BC? "Now BC is very interesting because the people who live there know that they've got it made, and they have probably the most beautiful geography in the country, and they never stop talking about it, but they don't tell you about the rain and as you know, it rains all the time." No mention at all of the Canadian rockies. He mainly praised Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, but even there "you set the clock half an hour ahead, 1956."

I should have known better. The story's headline on the NPR website reads, "Your Top Vacation Spot? Canada, Apparently."

If You Have To Say It... What Does It Say?

As Toronto celebrates its 175th year, I'm detecting a bit of a shift in the rhetoric about its standing as a city from an odd combination of self-conscious insecurity and righteous indignation, to the realization that, by jove, we are terrific and we shouldn't apologize for it.

Exhibit D*, from an article about the local literary scene in the Official Guide to Doors Open Toronto (which is celebrating its 10th year and a wonderful way to experience the city - more on that later):

"In the greater scheme of things, Toronto is still a bit of an adolescent. But the confidence that our writers now have to set their work in Toronto and to find their inspiration in Toronto speaks to a city that's coming of age, wanting to be real, not trying to be a Paris or London or New York or wherever." Jane French, Project Manager, Doors Open Toronto

"In the past, we've had this compulsion to compare ourselves to other cities - to say that literature matters if it comes from New York or Chicago or Mumbai or London or Dublin, but if it comes from Toronto it's provincial and parochial and doesn't matter as much. That's been part of the problem. What's changed is that we've started measuring the city against its own merits." Amy Lavender Harris, Geography Professor, York University

*This exhibit business began in my April 9 post:
http://yyzine.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-new-hobby.html

And the Winner is...

A few weeks ago, I threw out the challenge: "I'm anxiously waiting for the day when an article in a popular media outlet boldy praises Toronto without apologizing, looking backwards or making comparisons."

And the winner is... The New York Times. In a travel article on Toronto, posted today but dated for Sunday's issue:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/travel/17hours.html?hpw

My favourite line is about the Frank Gehry-designed renovation of the AGO: "It’s a stunning homecoming for an architect credited with helping other cities flourish, not that Toronto needs a hand."

There's a pretty nice slideshow too (can you guess the location of the photo above?)

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/05/17/travel/0517-toronto_14.html

Bumptious Yankee Alert

Exhibit C, From today's Globe and Mail:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090514.BARBER14ART2258/TPStory/?query=toronto

On Richard Florida, "tireless promoter of the so-called 'creative economy,' best-selling economist and famous would-be Canadian":

"Clearly, this man will never fit in to Toronto, no matter how hard he tries...He is relentlessly positive about the city and its prospects. He's all silver linings, no clouds. He's so American!That's what makes him such a great catch for Toronto, despite any eye-rolling that mention of the "creative class" might now inspire among hype-weary locals. The city needs a regular infusion of bumptious Yankees. It wouldn't be Toronto without them."

Well, having just reviewed the definitions of bumptious available online, I'm not going to count myself as one of them. A great catch, maybe!

Americans Aren't Helping Matters

Since taking up my new hobby (http://yyzine.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-new-hobby.html) I'm noticing that Americans aren't helping matters. On the cover of the May 2009 issue of Conde Nast Traveler magazine appears a prominent "CANADA NOW! 16-PAGE PULLOUT EXTRA" which actually prompts me to buy it (well, that and I happen to be in the US where it's cheaper). What's the first line? "Move over, New York. Step aside, LA. These days, the continent's hottest metropolises are north of the border. Welcome to the new Canada!" The section on Toronto begins "Peter Ustinov once quipped that Toronto is New York run by the Swiss. It was meant as a compliment, but Canada's largest city seems to be on a mission to shrug off its staid reputation by giving itself an architectural makeover."

I'm anxiously waiting for the day when an article in a popular media outlet boldy praises Toronto without apologizing, looking backwards or making comparisons. If you're aware of any, please let me know!

A Big Brother We Can Believe In

I just want to put in a plug for the Toronto Public Space Committee (TPSC). A self-appointed watchdog of sights and sounds in the public sphere, TPSC first drew my attention with its campaign to rid the city of ugly chain link fences, framing its work in terms of community development: "A self-imposed rusty barrier between neighbours, properties surrounded by chain link look more like jailyards than homes. Fences create feelings of isolation and detachment. By taking them down, we encourage a process of community building." Other campaigns include the "billboard battalion" to hold the city accountable for its strict rules about outdoor advertising (already on the books, but inconsistently enforced) and "city for sale" that is working to ensure that names of city parks, subway stations, libraries, community centres and other public spaces are not sold off and that ethics guidelines are established to inform decisions about corporate sponsorships and donations. Please join me in donating or volunteering to this worthy cause.

http://www.publicspace.ca

My New Hobby

I really feel terrible doing this, but I just can't help myself. I've recently started a new hobby I'm tentatively calling "the insecurity project." I've been living in Toronto for nearly two years, and I'm totally in love with this city. But the longer I live here, the more evident it is that this city, and in many ways this country, suffers from a serious self-esteem problem - frequently framed in comparison to other places, and always viewing itself as "lesser than". I've started to collect documentation of this phenomenon - mainly from newspaper clippings and online articles so far - and have amassed quite a pile on my office floor in a very short period of time. Actually, I have two piles - one just for pieces by or about Richard Florida. I'm not quite ready to offer theories to explain it - but I am fascinated by it.

Exhibit A, from the August 19, 2008 issue of The Star: "Toronto gets spot on world Monopoly game. But Hogtown takes over for Virginia Ave., while Montreal lands Boardwalk position and Vancouver subs for New York Ave. Well, we're not quite Baltic Ave. - but we're a long way from passing Go. And it looks like Torontonians will have to stroll along Montreal's boardwalk if they want to get there. Hasbro Inc. has announced the top 22 global cities that will make up the first world edition of Monopoly. More than 5.6 million votes were cast for 70 contenders over a six-week period earlier this year, to determine which cities would be featured in the game. And as a nation we can puff our community chests - with three cities on board, Canada tied China for the most representation in the new edition." If we're on the Monopoly board, we must be world-class, right?

Exhibit B, from the January 3, 2009 issue of the National Post. The headline catches my eye: "As the new year begins, so, too, does our 26-part alphabetic accounting of what makes this city special. We start with the visual arts..." I scroll down to the first installment expecting to read an upbeat account, but what do I find? "When it comes to art, Toronto is not New York or London; nor is it Tokyo, Berlin, Paris or even Miami. If you like your art playful and a little wild, be thankful. Some would sniff about Toronto's second-or third-tier position in the visual arts. Others, however, recognize that Toronto offers something none of these other cities can: An arts scene as a study of a work in progress; a place where the challenge is to realize unrealized possibilities -- an unfinished canvas, if you will."

To be continued...

Art Surprise

Many past disappointments with large art shows have led us to arrive with very low expectations. Usually, we quickly walk up and down the aisles, whispering quips to each other about an artist's evident mental illness or personal vision that should be kept to themselves. We're lucky if one or two artists stand out as having genuine talent and worth lingering over. But our experience last night at the Liberty Grand was entirely different. From the moment we walked into the 1926 Beaux Arts building and spotted a few paintings at the entrance to the Artist Project Toronto, our spirits lifted. (Actually, I already had high hopes from my preview of the show website. When I saw two artists whose work we had seen and admired at galleries around town, I figured not only was it worth going to, but I had better measure the wall in our living room just in case...). The cocktail party atmosphere - with jazz music playing and people admiring the art while sipping wine - made for a delightful escape from the pouring rain. We left with a stack of business cards and a newfound optimism not only about finding a piece for our living room, but about contemporary art in general.

The Artist Project Toronto: www.theartistprojecttoronto.com

Artists of note:

Nava Waxman: www.navawaxman.com

Nahum Flores: http://www.nahumflores.com

Mina Dela Cruz: www.minadelacruz.com

Jessica Rode: www.jessicarode.com

Tammy Ratcliff: www.tammyratcliff.com

Rose Hirano: www.rosehirano.com

Wenyun Hua: www.huawenyun.com

John Ovcacik: www.ovcacik.com

Paul Roorda: www.paulroorda.com

Heidi Barkun: www.heidibarkun.com

Greg Shegler: www.gregshegler.com

Liberty Grand at Exhibition Place: http://www.libertygrand.com/

I Take it All Back

This photo is not from Toronto

When we were packing up to move from Seattle, I got distracted by a pile of old Gourmet magazines stashed in a closet. When I came across the May 2005 issue on street food from all over the world, I remember opening it in anticipation of what foods it would highlight from my soon-to-be-home city, the most diverse in North America. Wait a minute...I don't see any entries on Toronto...nothing here on any city in Canada! I was disappointed, I was angry. Surely Gourmet magazine was guilty of a terrible oversight! I nearly fired off an email complaint to the editor (she even went to high school in Montreal!) but decided to wait until I had specific places and dishes to recommend.

Well, I've been living here almost two years now and I still haven't sent that email. I take it all back. Gourmet was right.

I've come to learn that Toronto has some of the tightest restrictions in the world on street food. Basically, all that can be served is hot dogs. The city has recently unveiled new regulations intended to encourage diverse offerings, but they are so onerous and expensive, change doesn't look like it's coming anytime soon.

http://www.toronto.ca/alacart/

http://www.thestar.com/article/573295

Where Have You Been All My Life?

I don't mean to be obnoxious, but let's face it. How many Americans can even name an artist from Canada, never mind the Group of Seven? I lived in Washington DC for 6 years for Christ's sake and can't recall one Canadian painting in the whole Smithsonian! We stumbled upon an Emily Carr exhibit one weekend in Vancouver, but it just didn't register.

Enter the McMichael Collection in Kleinburg (just north of Toronto) and the AGO. In the hands of Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris, AY Jackson, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, JEH MacDonald and Frederick Varley in the 1920s (that would be the Group of Seven), the Canadian landscape comes alive. Tom Thomson, inspired by the beauty of Algonquin Park, influenced the group's development. Emily Carr, influenced by the First Nation's communities of the Pacific Northwest coast, was also closely associated with the group. They uniquely capture the color and light of the beauty that surrounds us.

My favourite of the group's contemporaries is David Milne, whose paintings were clearly shaped by living in New York City in his formative years and less reminiscent of the French Impressionists. The New York Times in 1912 called them "violently alive" and in 2005, reviewing a major retrospective at the Met, described his "delicate yet direct watercolors" as "dazzling." Two rooms off the AGO's gorgeous Galleria Italia are devoted to his work and they're just a tease as far as I'm concerned. A google search reveals no movement to start a museum in his honour, but I'd donate to such a cause.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_of_Seven_(artists)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Milne_(artist)

http://www.mcmichael.com/

http://www.ago.net/

http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={CE2E3C4A-4EAF-4104-B5FF-63294D65232D}

Frankly Speaking

C5 sets a high bar for museum restaurants (http://yyzine.blogspot.com/2008/02/crystal-as-restaurant-thumbs-up-as.html) and I expected FRANK, the restaurant at the newly re-opened Art Gallery of Ontario to be of the same genre of stunning design, fabulous food and hip atmosphere. Based on my first dining experience there, it's less a destination and more a convenient pit-stop.

With expectations adjusted downwards, FRANK is a pleasant place to meet friends for a bite before, during or after a tour through the gallery. Our table for three at brunch last weekend enjoyed views of the clean and pristine open kitchen, a wall of wine bottles and the curious Frank Stella sculpture dangling from the ceiling (which sadly is not completely visible from any one vantage point, limiting its effect). The menu offered tasty options to satisfy all manner of brunch cravings, which in our case turned out to be sweet, savoury or sandwichy:

*Vanilla French toast with Monforte fresh ricotta, poached apricots, late harvest Vidal syrup and toasted almonds (a reward to cap off 2 weeks on South Beach)

*Twice-baked souffle with caramelized shallots and Maple Dale 4-year-old cheddar, served with beluga lentil and roasted baby carrot salad (called beluga because they're small, black and resemble caviar after cooking).

*The club sandwich of the day (whose ingredients I need my friend to verify since it's not on the online menu...but I can say he enjoyed it).

I'll give FRANK another chance to impress at dinner, but I don't have high hopes from a design standpoint. Although I'm sure the food will be fine, the room just doesn't offer the artistic and architectural drama I'd expect from a restaurant in "an international landmark and Canada’s newest cultural destination."

FRANK Restaurant

Art Gallery of Ontario
317 Dundas Street W

http://www.ago.net/frank

Carts No More!

I've always had mixed feelings about ordering dim sum from those little carts they wheel around. Usually I'm there for a reason: I have an insatiable craving for steamed shrimp dumplings and nothing else will do. If I'm lucky, the cart with all the steamed items comes rolling by just when I sit down. But most of the time, it's total frustration as carts pass by with every possible alternative.

Well, there's no reason to wait for those carts anymore...

Cha Liu's intimate space overlooks bustling Yonge Street near the corner of Eglinton. It would have been easy to walk right by the place, but the byline "dim sum shop" caught our attention just as we started musing over take-out places for dinner that night. Cha Liu's menu has over 20 steamed and 18 fried and pan seared items. Twenty minutes later, we were out the door with two orders of steamed shrimp dumplings (4 pieces per order at $4.50), one order of steamed shrimp, scallop and asparagus dumplings (3 pieces at $4.50) and one order of beef sui mai (4 pieces at $3.50). We weren't sure how well they'd survive the trip home so we decided not to go overboard in ordering. Turns out they travel very well! But to be honest, I prefer a table by the window during lunch time.

Dynasty's large bustling dining room overlooks Bloor Street between Bay Street and Avenue Road. When you sit down, all of the options are laid out in front of you: a regular menu with several pages of entrees, and a dim sum menu with check-boxes beside nearly 75 choices of varying sizes (S, M, L, XL and XXL), and a pen. The first item listed? Steamed shrimp dumplings. Hmmm... this is looking very promising indeed!

We took the menu by storm and nearly every dish impressed. Besides three orders of you know what, we sampled steamed seafood dumplings with chive, pan fried beef buns, crispy shrimp rolls, steamed BBQ pork buns, deep fried octopus fingers, baby bok choy in supreme broth and a few others I can't remember. I usually frown at Chinese desserts (if it doesn't have chocolate, what's the point?) but the steamed sweet egg yolk buns were a sweet way to end the meal and helped ease the sting of the bill ($35 per person on our first trip; $20 per person on our second).

Both places are dangerous if you have frequent cravings for dim sum...easy to get to, open all day and consistently good! Oh, and at dinner, Dynasty delivers...

Cha Liu Dim Sum Shop

2352 Yonge Street, 2nd Floor

http://www.chaliu.com/

Dynasty Chinese Cuisine

131 Bloor St W, 2nd Floor

www.toronto.com/dynasty

It's What's Inside That Counts

Street appeal is over-rated. Toronto is filled with hole-in-the-wall looking joints that belie the culinary delights within. Case in point: Cafe California, at 538 Church Street. I'm sure I would have walked right by it had I been in charge of picking a lunch spot (even it's website has no photos of the exterior...). Turns out my friend is neighbours with the owner and has eaten there many times, so that's where we went.

Inside, we found a light-filled and colourful space with the pleasant scents of oregano, garlic and smoked paprika in the air. I had their "signature" Chicken Santa Barbara Salad, a delicious mixture of fresh greens with roasted pine nuts, raisins and mushrooms tossed in a sun-dried tomato and basil pesto vinaigrette and topped with a sliced grilled marinated chicken breast ($16). The generously sized portion could have easily fed two.

The owner stopped by to say hello and we chatted for a while. He moved from Spain and opened the restaurant 20 years ago and hopes to return to Spain in a few years when he retires. When we asked how the economic downturn was affecting the restaurant business, his take was that high-end spots would be hurt the most, but "good value" places like his would survive. Judging from Boba's recent closure and business on this mid-day afternoon, he could be right.

Cafe California, 538 Church Street, http://www.dine.to/cafecalifornia

Bulldog Boycott & Kahawa Karma

I took another chance on Bulldog Coffee this afternoon - and the barista (a different guy than last time) was even meaner than the first!

http://yyzine.blogspot.com/2008/02/bulldog-barista-is-anything-but.html

He was ok with me (no sneers or snide remarks), but he yelled at a couple for not standing in the right spot in line, and when the woman in front of me (who had ordered three drinks: 2 lattes and a chai latte) asked if the drink he had just plunked down in front of her was the chai latte, he answered snarkily "The chai latte will be the one that DOESN'T have espresso in it."

OK, that's it. I'm now officially boycotting the place!

Contrast that experience with my impromptu stop at Kahawa Coffee House on College Street. Fully planning to caffeinate at Manic Coffee (http://yyzine.blogspot.com/2007/09/manic-mania.html), I have to admit Kahawa's sign on the street with its bold statement about organic, fair trade beans roasted on-site caught my attention and the next thing I knew I was ordering a latte and chatting up the barista. Originally from Vancouver, where he learned his tricks of the trade, he was recently brought on board as manager and roaster. He sounded relieved that Toronto was finally becoming a world class city as far as coffee is concerned. Judging from the drink he made me, I'd have to agree.

Kahawa* Coffee House

388 College Street

http://www.kahawacoffeehouse.com/

*Swahili for coffee

Carnivore's Delight

I don't even know where to begin in describing the delightful evening we had last night at Cowbell. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed into this cozy space on Queen W and encouraged to relax and savour a meal made from organic locally grown and raised ingredients.


We started with a glass of sparkling riesling and a toast to the New Year. As we caught up with friends we hadn't seen in a while, it struck us that our waiter (who we later learned was Dining Room Manager Neal Murphy) gave us all the time and space we needed. No annoying interruptions to the conversation to see if we were ready to order, no exasperated looks trying to hurry us along. When nodrog casually mentioned "we should think about ordering," Neal suddenly appeared, ready to explain each dish in detail so we'd be sure to make an informed choice.

Selecting from the 6 appetizers and 8 mains(right) proved to be a challenge, as everything sounded so good. By the time we turned to ordering, several items had already been wiped off the chalkboard. My country duck terrine was terrific and well paired with the honey saffron pear, but I was regretted not trying the many options served on the charcuterie plate. The burger, served medium rare and topped with smoked venison salami, was juicy and delicious.

Cowbell practices "whole animal cooking," using all parts of an animal in the interests of thrift and culinary exploration. When we were told that the meat served on the menu is butchered, smoked and cured just a floor below the dining room, we half-jokingly inquired about taking a tour. "Oh sure, I'll ask Chef to stop by later" was the reply.

What elevated the experience from a meal worthy of return visits to a memorable event was the personal tour of the kitchen, prep area and meat locker with none other than chef/owner Mark Cutrara. For amateur foodies like ourselves, the chance to schmooze with Mark about his cooking philosophy, sous vide, what it takes to run a successful restaurant, and his picks for places to eat in Toronto were an extra special treat! (no, I'm not telling).

Cowbell
1564 Queen Street West @ Sorauren
416-849-1095
www.cowbellrestaurant.ca