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Mom’s Basement: For Nerds and Nostalgia
The rush of warm air greets customers’ rosy cheeks as they step into the bar from the winter’s chill on Danforth Avenue. The glow from the fluorescent lights and TVs playing classic ‘80s movies surround the patrons as “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus echoes through the room on the sound system. The bartender says a friendly “hello” and welcomes them to Mom’s Basement; from then on, they’re home. Derek Van Dyken and Jon Bratt worked in the service industry for years and always talked about how one day they would own their own business. All it took was “a bad day” in early 2019 for them to realize that they were…
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A Bookshop For Change
How one man and his backpack became a pillar of Toronto’s Queer community
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6 Ways to Get Your Country Fix in Toronto
Sometimes when you’re born and bred in Toronto, you’re left with a longing to get back to the simple things in life. You start listening to Conway Twitty, Tim McGraw, and you think you’ve found those who understand you most. To you, life is all about boots, bourbon, pickup trucks, and rain. It’s clear you’re an ex-country dweller who’s missing the saloons and experiences of home. Below is a list of things to do in the big ol’ city to get your country fix for whatever reason. Rock ‘n’ Horse Shake it, country girl! Shake it any day of the week with this saloon! Every night this downtown bar has…
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Does The Danforth Have An Identity Crisis?
Nestled between a Starbucks and Holy Name Catholic Church is St. Irene Chrisovalantou Greek Orthodox Church. A former body shop, the space was converted into a church in 1974 in response to members of the Greek community who wanted a place to preserve their culture. However, you would literally miss it in a blink of an eye. “It’s always been off to the side,” said Katy Haralampidis, 42, whose Danforth experience started in the church. The church remains accessible to Greeks who live in the area; however, there is a string of disappointment in its lack of structural development over the years. “I remember going to play with my friends…
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5 Places You Can Go to Escape Your Cellphone
In this day and age, we live by the internet and especially through social media. We eat with it, we sleep with it, and we even walk our dogs with it. For many, it takes as much as the inability to connect—being physically unable to access social media—to make us log offline. Below is a list of places and events in Toronto that either do not allow for the use of cellphones or simply do not have WiFi or connection signals, giving you the ability to escape from your cellphone, even for just a few minutes (or hours). The Subway For just $3.00, you can travel underground on Toronto’s subway…
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A Splash in the Molecular World
BY BERNARD TONEY Over the years cocktail mixology has changed. What started with mixing spirits with juices and soda has evolved into using different tools and science techniques to create something more unique. We’re now in the age of molecular mixology, a fusion of science and cocktail techniques. It involves the practice of molecular gastronomy along with scientific equipment and methods used create this new breed of cocktails. Toronto-based Chef John Placko makes molecular delights with his product Power For Texture. Placko’s career started in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. He now promotes the awareness and education of molecular cuisine as an instructor with the Modern Culinary Academy. Recently,…
