Time magazine’s recent issue has raised all kinds of controversy (while putting a whole different spin on “got milk?”). We don’t know about you, but we prefer to repress our breastfeeding memories. That’s why we’re giving props to these pro-bottle-feeding moms from 1947. Still, regardless of how you were fed as an infant, don’t forget to tell your mom how awesome she is on Sunday with a big ol’ brunch.
Victoria Vaccher — of Tori’s Bakeshop — shows us how to make a flaky, buttery and totally vegan pie crust
Victoria Vaccher, owner and chief baker at Tori’s Bakeshop, knows a thing or two about pie crust. Part of a pie-centric clan (her family, that is), it’s no surprise that Vaccher chose to share a “flaky crust” recipe with us this week. Herewith, Vaccher’s recipe for a vegan pie crust — to be baked with a filling (sweet or savoury) of your choice.
Says Vaccher:
“Growing up, whenever there was a family gathering, you would find multiple types of pies. Everyone has their favourite. My mother’s is pecan, my father’s is bumbleberry, my older brother’s is lemon meringue, my younger brother’s is blueberry and, well, I have many more members in my family, so you can see how the list would go on and on.
It is hard to believe but we would have as many pies as there were people most of the time. That many pies can only come from a love of baking. Each family member would have their own specialty, other than my grandmother — every pie she made was perfect. Although my grandmother was the master baker, everyone would take part in the baking. My family loves to be in the kitchen.
With so many pies to make, you can see why I fell in love with the art of pie crust. The perfect crust is not found too often, but when you find it, there is nothing like it. It’s flaky, buttery and light in flavour, but can hold any filling. My pie crust was inspired by all my family members and their love for pie.
I have tried multiple ingredients and techniques, and it has always come back to simplicity. A short list of ingredients and care in each step has given me the perfect flaky crust. I hope you agree!”
Flaky vegan pie dough
Ingredients:
4 ½ cups unbleached organic hard flour
2 ½ cups non-hydrogenated shortening (I use Earth Balance)
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. organic light brown sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners, a fair trade organic sugar)
250 ml cold water
Directions:
1. Using a measuring cup, measure out 250 ml cold water and place it in the fridge (this will guarantee you have very cold water).
2. Sift flour into large bowl. Mix in salt.
3. Cut shortening into flour until you have medium pea-size balls (you can use whatever tool you have on hand, two knives or forks or better yet a pastry cutter. I recommend not using your hands — you want to keep the dough as cold as possible).
4. Take water out of fridge and whisk in brown sugar till partially dissolved.
5. Mix cold water into flour mixture. At first you can use a wooden spoon to mix together, then when dough starts to form you can use your hand to help combine everything (just make sure you are working fairly quickly — you do not want the shortening to start melting).
8. When ball is almost formed, flip onto a tabletop and lightly knead into a ball, making sure you are not overworking the dough.
9. Once the ball is formed, divide into two balls, cover and place in fridge.
Tips
– Keep everything cold. If you have to step away from making the dough make sure you pop everything into the fridge.
– Do not overwork the dough. You want all those little buttery, pea-sized balls to stay that shape for as long as possible. That way, when the pie is baking, all these amazing butter pockets will make your dough nice and flaky.
– Use care with the dough. If you show your food love while you are making it then there is no way it will not turn out lovely in the end.
Grab of the Week: a pair of chandelier-esque earrings, complete with porcupine quills
For quite some time now, the dainty stud has dominated earlobes. The fash pack, it seems, favours the oversized statement necklace (and plenty of arm candy) over flashy earrings. But fashion works in a cycle, and when our desires for high-impact ear wear washes out, it is sure to come right back in again.
There’s just something that feels oh-so-right about reintroducing “the statement earring” into our wardrobe this season. But the challenge, when dealing with chandelier-esque style, is to make it look fresh and cool: meaning, we don’t recommend reaching for just any old pair you’ve still got lying around.
The girls behind Toronto-based jewellery label Blackbird agree, and have filled their latest collection with covetable earrings to boot. Most notably, we can’t take our eyes off these dagger earrings, a Navajo-inspired pair that combines black plexiglass with natural porcupine quills.
To quote the girls, they’re a “weapon of choice.”
$140. Available at Blackbird’s online store
Grace Carroll is a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in ELLE UK, ELLEcanada.com, Plaid magazine and FILLER magazine. Keep up with her daily blog at www.graciecarroll.com.
Theatre Review: High
There’s only one reason audiences are going to head to the Royal Alexandra Theatre to watch High, and thats to see Kathleen Turner. Which is just as well, really, since the story itself is a pretty depressing affair.
Turner puts in a fine perfomance as Sister Jamison Connelly, a hard-talking, cussin’, recovering-alcoholic-turned-nun on a mission to save other addicts from themselves. Armed only with a set of rosary beads and an unshakeable belief in miracles, she is coerced by her boss (Father Michael DelPapp, played in trendy-young-priest style by Tim Altmeyer) into taking on the case of Cody Randall (Evan Jonigkeit), a teenage hustler, meth addict and general bad piece of work.
With a cast of just three and a stark set comprising a few sticks of office furniture, High leans heavily on playwright Matthew Lombardo’s script, which sadly is rather cliché-laden. There’s more than a whiff of made-for-TV drama about the three characters, who spend a lot of time shouting and slamming one of the set’s two doors as they wrestle with demons from their past.
Although lightened with zippy one-liners, which Turner delivers in superb deadpan fashion, the play seems determined to cram all of humanity’s darker traits into its two hours on stage, taking in rape, addiction, prostitution, child abuse, more rape and murder. There’s also a heavy emphasis on the power of the Catholic faith to heal addiction. While Turner's Connelly is a modern nun who wears a Jesus badge instead of a habit, she pins her faith to her sleeve and rarely misses an opportunity to throw out a Hail Mary or Our Father, which gets a little tiring by the second half.
With a more delicate touch, High could have been an interesting — if devastating — look at the fraught relationships between faith and recovery, human frailty and human compassion. Instead, it smothers a delicate subject under a heavy hand.
High, Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. W., 416-872-1212. To May 13.
Morning Throwback: this was the face of disease prevention in 1940s Toronto
Getting “inoculated” in 1942 was basically a form of hazing for dudes, which included bending and stretching and performing some fancy dance moves, shirtless. The guys thought it was all in the name of fratolerance, and in a way, they were right: they were straight up illin’, but just not in the way they thought. The whole thing was an audition for the musical Pal Joey. Four of the guys didn't make the cut.
How to wow on Mother’s Day
You want Mother’s Day to be perfect, but breakfast in bed and a basket of scented soaps (enough already!) just don’t have the same appeal year after year. Not to worry: we’ve planned a unique day for every kind of mom — including a guaranteed-to-impress event, a memorable experience she can share with the family and, of course, a meal she doesn’t have to prepare (for a change)!
Artsy mom
From painting on weekends to taking in an interpretive dance performance, she’s crafty and creative with an eye for beauty.
Event: The Real World? takes a look at the art behind theatre. The question of whether playwrights should “write what they know” is analyzed through a one-act play about art, autobiography and family. Tickets start at $21 for a 2:30 p.m. show at the Tarragon Theatre.
Experience: Get creative at the Glaze Craze. The studio has lots of pottery to paint, along with glass fusing, fabric painting and mosaic art.
Dining: Terra Restaurant’s textured walls, house wine bottles, fresco-like paintings and stained glass set the mood. Aesthetically pleasing plates of miso- and maple-glazed black cod or a juicy steak on the Sunday‘licious’ menu make it an easy choice for the mom who loves beautiful things.
Soccer mom
Whether she’s going for a run, teaching the little ones to catch a ball or cheering louder than anyone else on the sidelines, the soccer mom is always on the move.
Event: Bring It On: The Musical has elements of competition and impressive athletic choreography. On at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Ed Mirvish Theatre. Tickets start at $45.
Experience: Pack up a soccer ball and a Frisbee and head out to an outdoor space, such as Eglinton Park, where Mom can be the sports star.
Dining: WEGZ Stadium Bar in Vaughan boasts games, interactive activities and off-track betting. The menu has roasted wings and build-your-own pizzas and burgers.
Kid-inside mom
This mommy never gets tired of playing with the kids; she truly enjoys getting dirty, stuffing her face with candy and watching Disney movies.
Event: Through puppetry, masks and percussion comes a West African–inspired story about an ancient baobab tree that gives birth to a little boy who goes on a quest to bring water to his village. The Young People’s Theatre has two showings on Sunday, at 11 a.m. (pay what you can) and 2 p.m. ($15-$20).
Experience: Indulge her sweet tooth with a Tasty Tours walking tour in Kensington Market. Every Sunday, groups are introduced to bakeries, chocolatiers and more.
Dining: Uncle Betty’s offers comfort food for the youngster inside each of us. Their ultimate grilled cheese comes with mac ’n’ cheese, meat loaf or pulled pork and garlic aïoli.
Daredevil mom
With endless energy brewing within, she’s an adrenaline junkie who loves to take risks.
Event: Watch the National Chinese Acrobats perform heart-stopping acts while serenaded by the Kitchener-Waterloo symphony on Saturday. Mom will be on the edge of her seat at the Sony Centre. Tickets start at $38.
Experience: Go on an indoor rock climbing adventure at True North Climbing, with lots of wall space and bouldering.
Dining: Take her to Amaya Indian Room and order the tasting menu. Tell the server to keep the lineup a secret and let her enjoy the surprise of every rich flavour on the table.
The Canadian Opera Company's Semele
Finer-things mom
An old soul, but never a snob, she can tell the difference between great and top-notch.
Event: The COC’s performance of Handel’s Semele is a Greek myth fused with a contemporary story of a Chinese love triangle. From $45.
Experience: Head to the Bata Shoe Museum and let her soak up the endless number of wearable art no woman can resist: shoes. The little ones (aged three to nine) can partake in weekend family fun, including treasure hunts and dress-up.
Dining: Where else would you take a lady who appreciates quality? Mom will love the skyline view from one of Scaramouche’s highly coveted window tables. (It’s Joanne Kates’ top-ranked restaurant!)
Eco mom
Whether cooking an organic meal or trying to get a solar panel on the roof, this mom is always doing things to make the earth a little happier.
Event: Take her to the Make Mom Proud! cooking class at Great Cooks on Saturday at 11:30 a.m.. The school uses local, organic ingredients and sells products in eco-friendly packaging. Cost is $110 per person.
Experience: Grab your bikes and go for a ride on the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail where you can watch spring bud and blossom.
Dining: Cafe Belong at the Evergreen Brick Works serves up local, sustainable, organic grub. She’ll be star-struck by chef and owner Brad Long, who is also a TV personality on the Food Network.
Rocker-chic mom
A lover of music and the occasional crazy night out, this mama likes to let her hair down once in a while.
Event: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes rock out at the Kool Haus. Tickets start at $29.50 before fees. Doors open at 8 p.m.
Experience: Pull out the guitar and have a singalong with the family in an inspiring location, such as Edwards Gardens.
Dining: Every Sunday, Bier Markt has Rock und Roll Brunch with local musicians. Start off the day right at the newest Shops at Don Mills location.
Nerdy mom
Always one to help the kids with their homework, she’s a science buff who chooses comic books over fashion mags and may even own a superhero T-shirt.
Event: The Avengers is out and making it big at the box office. Take her to the movie that brings together superheroes from five previous Marvel Comics movies — in 3-D.
Experience: The ROM is temporarily housing 30 specimens from Vesta, the second-largest asteroid in our solar system. The exhibit celebrates NASA’s first major mission to study asteroids in detail.
Dining: Unwind for lunch in the Lee-Chin crystal of the ROM at c5. Celeb chef Corbin Tomaszeski serves amped-up classics, such as a lobster BLT salad and truffle potato chips.
Band of the Week: Baio
Vampire Weekend fans have another reason to celebrate: Chris Baio, who also goes by his DJ moniker, Baio, recently announced he will release his solo EP, Sunburn, on May 21. If there was ever any proof that good things come in small packages, this is it: the EP is only three tracks, and his mini-tour of just five shows happens to include Toronto.
Clearly drawing on influences from Vampire Weekend, Baio’s vibe is reminiscent of a surf-pop electro artist who was raised in a tribal Jamaican village. Littered with steel drums and vocals courtesy of Chilean techno singer Matias Aguayo, Sunburn is adequately named — and prompts daydreams of lazing in a hammock on a torrid beach, being served ice cold drinks by a cabana boy (or is that last part just me?)
We anticipate his set will have hipsters tearing up Wrongbar's dance floor this Saturday night. Herewith, Baio gives us the skinny on the new album launch and how he just wants to make people dance.
How did you get started as a DJ?
I knew I wanted to be involved in music, so I got really into college radio when I was 19. With that, there was an opportunity to go and DJ around campus and I really enjoyed playing parties and making people dance. It was more just playing songs I really enjoyed. Then the band stuff [with Vampire Weekend] started picking up and that went on the back burner for a little bit. Starting in 2009, I realized I wanted to start picking it up again and taking it more seriously, so while on tour, whenever I got the chance I’d go and DJ at a party or anywhere people were willing to have me.
How does it compare to playing bass with Vampire Weekend?
It’s lonelier! [Laughs.] There’s a different pace and energy to it. I enjoy that a lot of it is just about sharing music that I'm excited about with other people, and trying to figure out a way to present it to make them excited about it. It’s very, very different from playing in the band. There’s an element of performance in both and I love both, but yeah, it’s absolutely different.
How would you describe the Sunburn sound?
A lot of it is house-influenced. I’m kind of direct and innate about that, but I find it's really building blocks to make tracks on. There’s some element of tropical-ness in terms of the sound I’m using, but there's also a bit of somberness in its tone.
Did signing with Greco-Roman help develop your electro side?
I think they’re a really neat label, with really good taste, run by three guys including Joe Goddard from Hot Chip. I love their label, they put out really neat and interesting stuff, and they've been able to develop and build artists in the electronic world over the past few years, so we're not totally just extinct dinosaurs. It's thrilling for me they want to put out my music.
“Tanto” has a few instruments — the steel drums and vocals, too — how does the production of that type of song translate for just one person?
I usually play it in the middle of the set. That song is a compilation of programming and sampling; I play a bit of piano on it and have a piano in my apartment. The vocals are Matias Aguayo. He’s such an incredible musician and has an incredible body of work. As far as right now, it’s not like a live electronic music set, that would be years away. I can’t do that with an EP yet!
Well, on that note, can we expect a full-length anytime soon?
I would love to do a full-length of just my own material at some point, but right now there are no plans. I work on music every day, I work on tracks every day. I definitely want to put out more EPs and singles in the near future. But doing a full-length, I feel like I’m still developing as a producer, doing mostly instrumental and electronic stuff, and this EP, I feel, is my first step into that world.
If you absolutely had to choose, which do you prefer: slapping bass with VW or spinning behind a booth?
If I had to, you’re saying gun to my head? I would have to choose playing bass in the band. But I absolutely love both. That’s like a Sophie's Choice thing for me as far as music goes [laughs].
What can we expect from the set at Wrongbar this weekend?
A good time, good energy. I had a really wonderful time and played at The Hoxton right around TIFF. I love Toronto and I had such a wonderful time going out. Hopefully it will be a really good party, which is what I try to provide every time I DJ.
Chef Profile: Guy Rawlings reinvents the brew-pub experience at Bellwoods Brewery
Guy Rawlings, formerly of the buzzy Brockton General on Dundas West and now the menu consultant for the newly opened brew-pub Bellwoods Brewery on Ossington, is one of the city’s most celebrated young chefs. And now he says he has found a new interest: beer. Or, at least, good beer.
“I’m big time enjoying learning about beer,” he says, “I drank s*** beer all my life, and people made fun of me. I hadn’t known much about the process, the ingredients or different flavours, and this is opening my eyes hugely.”
Opened last month by former Amsterdam Brewery brewers Mike Clark and Luke Pestl, Bellwoods is a space for lovers of craft beer to enjoy a drink that, for the most part, is brewed in-house.
To accompany the beer, Rawlings has crafted a menu that includes a sampling of the kind of simple-yet-standout dishes he’s become known for: lamb tongue on a skewer; whipped trout with cauliflower, celery and hop shoots; and crispy beef and pork with pea shoots, rehydrated peanuts and mustard sauce.
By bringing on board a chef of Rawlings’ creativity and stature, Pestl says he knew the food would equal the beer and complement the flavourings.
“He’s brought some very experimental bar snack items, to get people to experience new flavours with beers,” Pestl says.
Friends since childhood, Pestl says that, aside from having an easy rapport with Rawlings, he also knew that the chef felt about food the way he and Clark felt about beer. As for Rawlings, he says that when Pestl and Clark gave him the book The Brewmaster’s Table as a gift at the beginning of this venture, he was hooked. He says he might eventually try to brew a batch of his own to pair with food.
Rawlings is also fond of the space Bellwoods Brewery inhabits. The micropub was designed to be minimalistic, but it has a cozy appeal with a long wooden bar and rustic tables. The brewery is the focal point of the space, with big, silver tanks reaching up to high ceilings.
“I like the feel — the physicality of it,” says Rawlings. “For me, few restaurants in Toronto have the physical dimensions of it — that kind of industrial feel — a working space where you can see work is being done and it’s not hidden.”
The kitchen is crammed into a tiny space, but that doesn’t phase the chef who says he’s used to making the most of limited resources. At Brockton General, Rawlings was by himself in the kitchen with just a dishwasher for company, so he learned how to keep his food creations simple. “It was a good challenge in terms of cooking,” he says. “The kitchen there was insanely minimal, and I would cook by myself for 45 people — so it taught me how to simplify and make things tasty. We had only three frying pans in the kitchen.”
Rawling’s menu at Bellwoods features elevated bar snacks
Rawlings says he has always been attracted to working at places like Bellwoods Brewery and Brockton General because he is able to have more creative control over his menu rather than follow someone else’s vision.
“For me, the best part is being creative, and I have always been able to do that — in every kitchen I’ve had the opportunity to create,” Rawlings says. “It’s nice when you’re able to explore your mind and work that muscle and, overall, I’ve always strived to work at places that have allowed me to do that.”
Born in Buckinghamshire, England, Rawlings moved to Toronto with his parents and older brother when he was three years old. Growing up in North York, he started working in restaurants as a dishwasher at the age of 17 and never left the industry.
A friend of his hooked him up with a cooking job after high school, and from there he was accepted into a two-year culinary program at George Brown College, which he left after one year.
“I demoted myself to graduate after a year,” he says about the experience. I found working a better way to learn than school.”
So, Rawlings found a job as a cook at Italian restaurant Il Mulino and worked his way up to sous chef over two years. He then travelled to the Cumbria countryside in England and took a job as a cook at the high profile restaurant L’Enclume, where he worked under famed chef Simon Rogan.
“It’s in an intense place,” he says of L’Enclume. “You work long days there — you start at 9 a.m. and work into the night.”
After about a year, Rawlings returned to Toronto where he helped open Cowbell on Queen Street West as its sous chef and, later, as chef de cuisine. But, feeling restless and wanting to continue moving forward, he relocated to New York City.
He worked for free at the molecular gastronomy hot spot wd~50, under the pastry chef for a short stint. Shortly afterwards, he moved on to Beijing. He says he was lucky to find work there and to make connections even though he didn’t speak the language, and the experience made him realize how underrepresented Chinese food is in Toronto.
Rawlings plans to continue exploring the different food cultures of the world in June when he plans to head back to England, then Copenhagen and Berlin.
As for opening a restaurant of his own, Rawlings is not so sure.
“I don’t know, in the end, that it will give me what I want,” he says. “I want to have a kitchen properly set up with the right resources… I used to think I could only do that in a restaurant format, but I would like to explore different avenues.”
Rawlings has experimented with opening an invite-only restaurant, Apt. 303, from his home, in an attempt to get away from a traditional venue.
“While I don’t necessarily want to work in a restaurant, I want to create food,” he says.
And that should make Toronto foodies look forward to Rawlings’ return.
What I Wore: the West 49 challenge
Remember the days when being a skate kid was cool? Then you probably also remember when Avril Lavigne came rolling along and ruined the entire culture for everyone. Luckily, after enduring way too many years of the white tank top and black tie combo, it seems that the Avril effect has finally phased out.
Even mega skate chains, such as West 49, have switched back to their bohemian roots to catch up with their trendy teen clientele. Thanks to the Internet (and all the social media outlets that come with it) the style of our younger generation is maturing, and evolving, faster than ever. Thankfully, the latest slew of cool role models include girls like Vanessa Hudgens, Kristen Stewart and Emma Roberts, who appear less in the tabloids stumbling out of blacked-out SUVs and more at hot-spots of cool, such as Coachella.
This has resulted in an overall positive effect in terms of style, for both teens and the retailer. I’ve openly written about my past as a “skater girl” and my undying dream of one day becoming a professional surfer who lives in L.A. (even though I’ve never surfed in my life). Another important style motto of mine (which may or may not have come across so far) is that I. Will. Shop. Anywhere.
So when West 49 called to tell me about their new, revamped girl’s collection, they challenged me to check it out and see if I could style myself in a Gracie Carroll-ified outfit (that I would actually wear). If I would shop from Wang to Wal-Mart, why not West 49 too?
Upon arrival, there is no doubt that West 49’s Avril girl is long gone. In her place is a cool, beachy girl-next-door. It is clear that everyone from the staff to the customers is ecstatic about the change.
And why wouldn’t they be? Even I find myself getting giddy over the super-cute floral printed rompers from Billabong that retail for a mere $44. A frill-hem and a cut-out back? Yes please! What better item to wear while frolicking on the beach, pretending to take a rest from my hardcore surf session earlier that morning?
It isn’t often that you’ll catch me without an extra layering piece stashed in my bag during the spring and summer months (hey, it gets cold at night!), which is why I fell in love with Element’s printed Eva tunic at a reasonable $50. Rocking print-on-print has become a bit of a signature for me, and I love how these two pieces work together as much as I love each one separately.
This is an ideal summer outfit because I can see myself wearing it everywhere, from the park to the cottage to the beach. The white cat-eye sunglasses also give the overall look a splash of ’90s that, combined with the surfy-babe look, really captures my ideal me quite well.
What I Wore: floral playsuit by Billabong $44 at West 49, Eva tunic by Element $50 at West 49, sunglasses from Buffalo Exchange in Brooklyn, shoes by Cacharel, puppy from a friend.
Grace Carroll is a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in ELLE UK, ELLEcanada.com, Plaid magazine and FILLER magazine. Keep up with her daily blog at www.graciecarroll.com.
Karim Rashid: The designer behind mailboxes and modern art
Although his name may not be familiar to those outside of the design world, it’s very likely many Torontonians walk by Karim Rashid’s work every day.
That Canada Post mailbox outside your door? Rashid designed that. The seat on your next Via Rail voyage? Rashid. The majestic kiosk in the centre of Union Station? Oh yes, he designed that, too.
Rashid has designed an array of memorable and innovative pieces globally, including the Oh Chair and the Garbino garbage can, both from Umbra, as well as everyday items such as cellphone protectors, radiators, door handles and appliances. With approximately 300 awards and three doctorates from three universities, Rashid is a bona fide design superstar. And now he’s honouring Canada, his former home, by naming a new collection for Danish furniture retailer BoConcept after our capital city.
Born in Cairo, the globetrotting design star moved to Canada with his family as a child, eventually settling in Toronto as a teenager. Though now a New York City dweller for the past 19 years, Rashid’s time in Canada had a profound effect on his career as a designer. “Canada was a really progressive country in my teens when it came to design and technology,” says Rashid during a recent visit to Toronto to promote his new project.
“When we came to Canada, I was mesmerized with Expo ’67. When we first arrived, the Italian Pavilion [at Expo ’67] was housing avant-garde furniture, so that was the most eye-opening and inspiring moment for me [as a designer].”
Of course, growing up in Toronto in the ’70s also had its awe-inspiring moments.
“When we moved to Toronto, I saw Ontario Place and City Hall and Roy Thomson Hall coming up. I watched the CN Tower being built. It was a time of very inspiring and positive energy for progress and design. It was an inspiring and memorable time, watching the city turn into a contemporary and cosmopolitan place. It changed drastically from the ’60s, and so I think that’s the most overriding experience for me.”
Even as a child, Rashid was mesmerized by design.
“I was fascinated with drawing objects. I was drawing my mom’s high heels, the telephone, you name it. I liked the idea of designing everything we all use.”
Rashid 101 (from left): Atlantis “Ego” vase, a piece from the BoConcept “Ottawa” collection, Morimoto restaurant in Philadelpha
His love for functional design took him to Ottawa’s Carleton University where he studied industrial design before returning to Toronto to attend the Ontario College of Art and Design followed by post-graduate courses and his first paid gigs in Italy. He returned home for a few years to work for an industrial design firm prior to moving to New York City in 1993.
Though his beginnings were humble when he first arrived in the Big Apple, after a few lucky breaks with internationally renowned companies such as Umbra and Nombe, Rashid was able to open his own private design studio. Since then, Rashid has created award-winning designs, including luxury goods for Christofle, Veuve Clicquot and Alessi, as well as designed interiors for such global hot spots as the Morimoto restaurant in Philadelphia and the Semiramis hotel in Athens. Then there are the 20 permanent collections showcasing his work worldwide.
Explaining his eclectic portfolio, Rashid says, “I don’t really believe in specializing in anything. I look at things more broadly. Everything in our physical lives is part of our daily experience. My inspiration is shaping human experience. It’s about us at the end of the day. In design culture, we tend to isolate the person.
“When you see photographs of products, we don’t see anyone there, just the product — which is strange. A philosopher said we shouldn’t have anything in the physical world if it’s not giving us an experience. So design inspires me with the human interface, using something, engaging something, that’s what I’m looking at. I’m looking at the experience.”
In a lot of ways, Rashid has come full circle with his BoConcept collaboration.
He was not only inspired by his early Canadian roots, but his Ottawa collection works with his desire to form an experience using his design: a focus on dining, one of the most communal experiences humans have in the physical world.
“I started with BoConcept two years ago,” says Rashid. “When I first started the project, I went to Carleton University to do a lecture, and while I was there, I thought there was a similar nature, same foliage, same colours, same smell between Ottawa and Denmark. So I dedicated the collection to Ottawa, where I did my undergraduate.”
The Ottawa collection consists of a table, chairs, a sideboard, a room divider and a collection of accessories.
Recently in Toronto to promote the newly launched line at the BoConcept store (230 Adelaide St. E.), Rashid says he enjoys taking in a meal at the County General (939 Queen St.) or taking his mother to lunch at the Holts Café in Holt Renfrew. Walking along Bloor Street West and Queen and Claremont are among his favourite haunts.
Though he’s come a long way from designing mailboxes, Rashid says he still has plenty of creative fire left: “Frankly, I feel I’m just starting.”
Morning Throwback: this old-school TTC worker definitely wasn’t a vampire
Before the start of every shift, this TTC worker would give himself a pep talk in the mirror: “Your old man was a pro bus driver. But he never made it this far. You’ve got a real chance to be the best damn bus driver in the city. The next time you see sky, it’ll be looking out from a bus. The next time you take a lady home, it’ll be because it’s your job. Your passengers only think of themselves. But they gotta do what’s right for them ‘cause it’s their time. Their time out there. Right here, it’s your time. It’s your time right here.”
Guillermo del Toro gives a masterclass on how to revere Hitchcock’s films
School is open at the TIFF Bell Lightbox this week as filmmaker Guillermo del Toro gives a series of masterclasses on the work of Alfred Hitchcock.
The classes are a one-of-a-kind experience for any film buff: one legendary filmmaker examining the work of another, creating an exciting and inspiring look at the culture of the films.
Del Toro is one of the most prolific and exciting filmmakers of his generation. Though he is known for the fantastical movies like Cronos, Hellboy, The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth, all his monsters have a soul, making his films visually and emotionally stunning. British-born director Alfred Hitchcock was the most influential director of his generation, who was fascinated by thrilling his audience by any means necessary. From the iconic Psycho to the stylish North by Northwest, no other director’s unique style has crossed genre boundaries to create an untouchable canon of classics.
Del Toro held his first class last night and chose the 1946 romantic thriller Notorious, which stars Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman as lovers in a dangerous time who learn that love may be the most tricky game of all. To a theatre packed with a diverse audience of young and old, fan boys and TIFF members, del Toro kicked off with an hour-long introduction to the film before taking a seat in the audiece to enjoy the movie. After the credits rolled, the director held a talk-back session with the audience, which he said reminded him of the film clubs he used to attend as a young man in Mexico.
If last night’s masterclass is anything to go by, audiences are in for a wide-ranging look at Hitchcock’s work: del Toro touched on the film’s advanced technical aspects, its complex way of dealing with the traditional love story as well as the abandoment felt by many in the post-war period.
Del Toro’s masterclasses will re-invigorate your love of film in the way only real passion can. Limited tickets still available for Frenzy (May 8), Shadow of a Doubt (May) and North by Northwest (May 16).
Hitchcock masterclasses, TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St. W., 416-599-8433. To May 16.
