TORONTO – Bisha Hotel Toronto designer Alessandro Munge of Toronto’s highly successful Studio Munge is talking about his relationship with Bisha owner and developer Charles Khabouth. Munge has been friends with the Toronto nightclub and entertainment impresario for two dozen years and knows what he likes and what pushes his buttons. “It’s a constant push for quality, quality, quality,” Munge told a group of journalists on a preview tour Wednesday afternoon. “If it’s exciting, he’s okay with it. But if not, well, ….” I’m no designer, but I’ve seen a lot of hotels in my day and I can safely Read more
Canada
Okay, that headline is a bit dramatic. I mean, Canada has cities like Vancouver and mountains like the Rockies. Not to mention Quebec City. But I’ve felt for years that the people and culture of our Maritime provinces and Newfoundland (I think I’m supposed to call it Atlantic Canada) are perhaps the most unique part of this country, and an area we should be pushing much, much harder. I have ideas about a lot of things, as my family can attest. But one thing that’s often struck me is how different Atlantic Canada is from the USA’s New England. They’re Read more
A former snowboarding champion turned celebrity chef who wants to use a uniquely Canadian snack as part of his menu at a posh new downtown Toronto hotel. Akira Back is not your typical chef, and his restaurant at the coming Bisha Hotel Toronto promises to be just as fun and quirky. In a telephone chat on a day when he was getting ready to fly to Korea, Back told me he’d like to use ketchup-flavoured potato chips in one of the dishes at the Bisha Hotel Toronto, which is set to open sometime in October and will be home to Read more
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE – Alan Doyle is mugging for the audience at the Jackson-Triggs Ampitheatre on a warm summer night under a full moon. “I started playing this one when I was touring with Great Big Sea, back in 1951,” he says with a laugh. His new band, The Beautiful Gypsies, immediately launches into a frenzied, Newfoundland-meets-Nashville tune with powerful guitars, a splendid violin and a swirling accordion backed by drums and bass. Doyle has perfected the “aw shucks” Canadian approach, and it suits him well. Toss in a generous dash of Maritimes/Newfoundland music with lyrics about lost fishermen signing their goodbyes Read more
Banff is beautiful. Montreal is marvellous. And Whistler is wonderful. Everyone knows about those places. But what about the nitty gritty places, the out of the way towns and goofy sights that folks like to explore? I’ve been a full-time travel writer in Canada for nearly nine years, and in that time I’ve had the chance to check out more than a few out-of-the-way or lesser known spots. With that in mind, here’s a look at some Canadian alternative spots for great food or goofy Instagram photos or just plain good times. Because it’s our 150th birthday on Saturday, I’m Read more
