High Roller

It’s too high for me; look at it! It hurts my neck,” says Vaughan resident Jimmy Leone as he sizes up Canada’s Wonderland’s towering new ride from a coffee shop at the corner of Jane Street and Major Mackenzie Drive. A young man a few seats away has a different point of view. “I’ll go this summer. Why not? It’s fun, it’s exciting.” Suddenly, all that’s heard is a group of people echoing the back-and-forth dialogue that began when news broke last August that a 306-foot roller coaster was coming to town. Stretching far beyond the city, thrill-seekers and evaders are dogmatic about whether or not they will strap themselves into the prodigious seafoam green Leviathan, set to debut this May.
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Equestrian Dreams

Pay homage to the heyday of design with fashion and décor that will woo even the wildest horses.

Horseshoe
These boots aren’t just made for walking. You can line dance in them, too. Pezzella’s soft leather cutout Foxglove Boots are right on trend for the warm season ahead.
www.anthropologie.com

Mounted
Anchor your home with striking ironwork inspired by the equestrian life. Anthropologie’s Stable Hook is a subtle detail that no one will be able to overlook.
www.anthropologie.com

Take the Reins
A throwback to the saddlebag, J.W. Hulme Co.’s Legacy Shoulder Bag is great for the girl on the go. If you need a purse that will come along for the ride, the lifetime guarantee offers added insurance.
www.steelespaint.com
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Centre Stage with Aubrey Dan of Dancap Productions

First impressions mean everything to Canadian impresario Aubrey Dan. It’s all about foreshadowing – priming the audience for an unforgettable experience – even if it means asking your staff to find palm trees in the middle of a harsh Canadian winter so they can feel the warm rays of the sun long before the first act of South Pacific. “That emotional connection is critical,” says the eccentric president of Dancap Productions Inc.

As he strides into an empty boardroom on the 17th floor of his company’s North York headquarters, he proves that the cardinal rule of first impressions doesn’t just apply to theatre. Extending his arm for a firm handshake, he carefully presents his business card that features the brand’s trademark fedora logo, a silhouette nearly identical to the real-life wide-brimmed Borsalino version he’s wearing today. Read more

A Day in the Life of Emmanuelle Gattuso

A private express elevator glides to the 20th storey of a Cumberland Street condo, opening up to Emmanuelle Gattuso’s immaculate oasis in the sky. The stark white walls of wonder act as blank canvases for contemporary artists like Tim Whiten and Barbara Steinman, leading the way to a self-fulfilling great room. It’s 10 a.m. on a mid-January morning and a thick billow of morning fog is dampening the impact of 11 foot-high floor-to-ceiling windows, which on any given Sunday would offer an unrivalled Yorkvillian view.

What starts to feel like trespassing after-hours at an art gallery is quickly curtailed by the raucous voices of Gattuso’s poodles, which protectively ensure that not a single soul slips by. “This is James and this is Stewart,” she says, stepping out of her office. It’s not what you think. While she may have a wonderful life, the pups Read more

Toronto’s LG Fashion Week

Photo 1: Klaxon Howl’s Queen Street West shop has managed to achieve commercial success while maintaining its Canadian roots with vintage and military menswear pieces. www.klaxonhowl.com

Photo 2: Inspired by New York City’s club culture, Sid Neigum shows a dark, avant-garde collection this SS12 season. www.sidneigum.com

Photo 3: Proving that home décor and haute couture go hand-in-hand, Korhani shows off a Canadian Made Innovation SS12 indoor rug in Rabbit print. www.korhani.com

Photo 4: Korhani continues to sweep us off our feet with its innovative rug runway fashion show. Model is wearing Korhani’s SS12 reversible outdoor patio rug in China Flower print. Read more

Homelessness: The Good Neighbours’ Club [w/video]

South of Toronto’s Queen Street, at Shuter and Jarvis, an elderly man is tickling the ivories to the tune of Freddie Mercury’s Bohemian Rhapsody. He isn’t singing along, but it’s easy to hear the lyrics as he pours his soul into the second floor of The Good Neighbours’ Club. Is this real life? Is this just a fantasy? The windows are slightly cracked, letting a grand talent anonymously infiltrate the outside world. Based on the crowd he’s garnered, there’s a sense that this centre for homeless and marginally housed men over 50 offers a lot more than food and shelter.

The Piano Man is surrounded by some of the city’s most imaginative minds: members like Ronald Reeve who joined in 2004 and spends his days drawing cartoons and comics that highlight socio-political issues within his community. His preferred pen is sparkly, but specialty ink is running low these days. Read more

David Chilton: The Wealthy Barber Returns [w/video]

When David Chilton self-published The Wealthy Barber during the economic slump of 1989, he had an unassuming goal of selling 10,000 copies and helping Canadians live fiscally solvent lives. The 25-year-old did slightly better. Chilton’s humorous approach resonated with more than two million North Americans by breaking the banal textbook paradigm of personal finance paperbacks. His common sense hit an entire dartboard of demographics, with a novel style that made readers feel like they were having a latte with a financially savvy friend who spoke colloquially about credit cards, real estate and RRSPs.

You can imagine the surreal experience of enjoying that cup of coffee with Chilton a day after the official launch of his long-awaited follow-up, The Wealthy Barber Returns. The conversation coincidentally takes place amongst a backdrop Read more

Keep Your Cool: Men’s Style Tips

City Life magazine helps you prepare before stepping out into in the brisk fall air.

A COG IN THE MACHINE
In a world where self-improvement is ubiquitous, author Max Barry elevates us to the wryest pinnacle with Machine Man. www.maxbarry.com

PLAY THE FIELD
Blue like the sea, this polyamide Cottonfield Marston_H jacket will look hot on those ice-cold days. www.iccompanys.com

I WANT YOU
Travel luggage that takes you through the terminal in style. Want Les Essentiels de la Vie’s Da Vinci 72 HR Carry-On Read more

Canstructions: A Movement Towards Ending World Hunger

Canstruction is proof that the fight against hunger can be won if you’re willing to think outside the box. The non-profit organization hosts annual competitions across North America, where people design and build innovative life-size structures using canned food as a creative conduit to end hunger. Some of last year’s inventive can creations include a skyrocket titled One Giant Meal for Mankind by H.H. Angus and Associates, and a bicycle with a stop sign in the background titled Stop the Cycle of Hunger by Turner Fleischer Architects Inc. In total, over 2 million pounds of food was raised last year, enough to provide 1.5 million meals to the hungry. Since its inception in 1992, the charity has donated 15 million pounds of hope to community food banks. Canstruction 2011 will be coming to Toronto’s Dominion Centre on Nov. 8th, 2011. Read more

The Terry Fox National School Run Day

The name Terry Fox has become synonymous with hope, perseverance and goodwill. His determination to fight cancer and prove that every dream is a step away from reality makes him a symbol of strength for Canadians and citizens of the world.

Losing his leg to bone cancer in 1977 at 18 didn’t deter Terry Fox from striving to raise money for cancer research and inspiring people with his 143-day Marathon of Hope, in which he ran more than 5,000 kilometres. Fox’s race ended when cancer was found in his lungs, but his legacy continues to this day through those that participate in the annual Terry Fox Run around the globe. September 18, 2011 marked the 31st run; to date more than $550 million has been raised. Read more

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