Lockdown Love Stories – Part 3
The pandemic has been hard on everybody, and it has certainly taken its toll on relationships. Romance takes work, and during a lockdown, it also means getting creative and taking care of the little things like making time for your significant other. In our four-part series on lockdown love stories, we check in with 12 local couples who have previously been featured in our How They Met column to ask them how they are managing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what tips they might offer those who are looking for a little bit of relationship help to weather the storm. We hope you like it.
Lisa Berry and Dion Johnstone
Actors Lisa Berry and Dion Johnstone met on the first day of rehearsals for a Stratford Festival production of To Kill A Mockingbird, but the timing wasn’t right for the two of them. Fast-forward a year when Berry walked into that rehearsal hall determined to meet the man standing across the room only to find out it was Johnstone. Full circle. The two share a love of Shakespeare, acting and comic books. But what did they learn from each other during the pandemic?
How have you kept the romance alive during this time?
Lisa: Well, we have a six-month-old, so we’re in the “reinventing our romance” phase.
Dion: Yes, our son pretty much dominates that part of our brains right now. However, we still recognize the things each of us continue to do to take care of ourselves, and a supportive comment here and there helps us feel recognized and loved. We’ve started having family group hugs, and there’s a kind of romance in discovering each other in our new roles of mom and dad.
What is your advice to others in terms of navigating the ups and downs of relationships during the pandemic?
Lisa: Take care of yourself and what you need first. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Dion: Also, really listen to your partner. Listen not only to what they’re expressing through words, but also what they’re expressing through feeling.
What is your favourite guilty pleasure TV show you’ve discovered together and why?
Lisa: Lovecraft Country. This show spoke right to my spirit and let me see myself and the social justice situations clearer all while elevating my opinion of what is possible. Really empowering show!
Dion: Yeah. Lovecraft Country really rocked our world. Shout out to Karen LeBlanc, (a brilliant Toronto-based actor) who plays a pivotal role in probably the most groundbreaking episode of the entire season. You have to see it to believe it!
Naomi Snieckus and Matt Baram
Comedians Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus met at Second City in Toronto. “Love at first laugh,” as Snieckus says. The epic proposal involved Chinese food takeout, pyjamas and a surprise trip to the Soho Hotel. Now, how is this comedic power couple handling life in a pandemic? Let’s find out.
Are you both at home, and if so, how has that impacted your relationship both positively and negatively?
Naomi: We are both at home, positively, we talk more openly about what’s really going on in our relationship.
Matt: Negatively, we talk more openly about what’s really going on in our relationship.
How have you managed to keep the romance alive?
I think it has to be through staying present with each other. Communicating in long sentences, rather than just like blurting out short phrases to each other. And we actually started meditating as well.
What is your advice to others in terms of navigating the ups and downs of relationships during the pandemic?
Naomi: Sometimes you have to find your own space in the same room.
Matt: If after two years of living in a pandemic bubble with your partner, you can still find something to talk about, you’re in good shape.
Naomi: It’s only been 10 months
Matt: ….Really?
What has been hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?
Naomi: Well, when you’re isolated, you have to be everything for each other.
Matt: I have discovered I am not the strongest dentist.
Pooja Handa and Paul Pathak
CP24 Breakfast co-host Pooja Handa met her now spouse, Paul Pathak, at Toronto’s Spoke Club while attending a mutual friend’s birthday party. They had their first date at Terroni a few days later. The Lytton Park couple is squirrelled away at home like the rest of us. So how is the relationship doing now? Pooja tells their story.
How have you kept the romance alive during this time?
Romance? What is that? Kidding. Romance looks different for everyone. For us, we’ve tried to create rituals so we have something to look forward to. During the pandemic we started doing a wine and cheese night on Fridays to celebrate the end of the week and to kick off the weekend. We also take turns making breakfast for one another on weekends, so it’s always exciting to see what the other comes up with. Plus our air fryer and Instant Pot are finally getting used instead of taking up counter space. That’s romance!
What has been your favourite pandemic date night idea?
We have tried games night, but it got too competitive and doing puzzles caused a lot of back and neck pain! Wow we sound so old. But our favourite date night so far has been taking turns playing DJ on our streaming service. We give one another a theme like “one hit wonder” or “best movie soundtrack” and go back and forth listening to music and sharing stories related to that song, in some cases even uncovering some obscure titles. I still don’t know how “Boris the Spider,” by the Who, is a real song!
What is your favourite activity to do at home together?
Our favourite activity is getting out of the house and going for walks in our neighbourhood. It’s been fun discovering new trails, parks and taking in nature, something we only started doing during the pandemic.
One of Toronto’s top barbecue joints is reopening
The smoker at Earlscourt BBQ will be back up and running next month after a temporary closure that stretched on for over a year. The Corso Italia restaurant initially shuttered its doors in the wake of a fire in December 2019. In the ensuing months, owner Jason Rees says the restaurant encountered difficulties securing its insurance policy payout to cover the necessary repairs. Their challenges were further compounded when the pandemic hit a few months later.
“In the last eight weeks, we’ve managed to get a little bit of financing and apply for some grants,” says Rees, adding that the restaurant’s landlord has also been accommodating in working out a plan with them. “We have just enough money to get the kitchen finished and to reopen now,” he says.
First opened in 2017, Earlscourt BBQ specializes in Southern-style barbecue made with seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers. The restaurant quickly became a popular Corso Italia community hub, also known for its local craft beer and wine program.
Rees says the restaurant’s reopening will see the return of many menu favourites.
“All the classics will still be there,” he says. “You’ll still be able to buy our locally sourced sustainable meats and our classic sides like mac and cheese will never go away.” He adds, however, that he’s adapting the menu to fit a more takeout-friendly format. “I’ve got some new, fun things coming that are going to be designed to last well for takeout and reheating,” he hints.
If the dine-in closure persists, Rees sees Earlscourt BBQ following in the footsteps of many other local restaurants and pivoting to a market and bottle shop concept.
“I’m kind of blessed that I’ve been able to talk with other restaurant owners to see what’s worked for them in the last year,” he says. He’s also hopeful that outdoor dining will be permitted in the spring, which would allow the restaurant to serve diners on its 40-seat patio.
Earlscourt BBQ is set to reopen in March. Keep an eye on their Instagram page for further updates.
How to make Lambo’s Deli’s meatballs
“This dish is inspired by my father’s famous meatballs,” says Justin Leon of Lambo’s Deli‘s meatball recipe. “Pre-COVID-19, my dad would host Sunday dinner at his house, and his meatballs were always the talk of the table. He uses a blend of beef, pork and veal, combined with Wonder Bread soaked in milk, to create a soft and supple meatball.”
Ingredients
- 1 769 ml can of whole plum tomatoes
- ½ white onion (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup of olive oil
- 1 bunch of basil
- 1 kg mixed ground beef, pork and veal
- 4 slices Wonder Bread (or any white bread)
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 eggs
- 3 cloves garlic, microplaned or finely chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped parsley
- 1½ tsp salt (Diamond Kosher is best)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp of dried chili flakes
Method
- Heat a medium saucepan on low. Add olive oil and simmer sliced onion and garlic in oil for 25 minutes or right before the onions start to turn brown. Add whole plum tomatoes and bring to a boil. Drop down to a simmer and add basil and salt. Cook on medium-low for an hour, stirring frequently to break up the tomatoes.
- While the sauce is bubbling gently, pulse bread in a food processor until the slices have broken down to a fine crumb. Soak bread crumbs in milk for 10 minutes. Once the milk is absorbed, add the remaining ingredients and mix by hand. Shape into balls.
- Place balls in the oven on a sheet pan lined with parchment and roast at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway. Place balls into sauce and simmer for at least 30 minutes (preferably up to 3 hours), partially covered on medium-low.
Lockdown Love Stories – Part 2
The pandemic has been hard on everybody, and it has certainly taken its toll on relationships. Romance takes work, and during a lockdown, it also means getting creative and taking care of the little things like making time for your significant other. In our four-part series on lockdown love stories, we check in with 12 local couples who have previously been featured in our How They Met column to ask them how they are managing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what tips they might offer those who are looking for a little bit of relationship help to weather the storm. We hope you like it.
Samara Shuter and Emily Krouse
Samara Shuter is best known for her larger-than-life paintings of headless men wearing everything from tailored suits to motorcycle jackets. She met and had the first date with her partner Emily Krouse, a lawyer, on the same day when Sam flew to Washington, D.C., to meet in person. The rest is history. They married in 2015. Sam talked to us about the creative ways they are dealing with the impact of the pandemic on their relationship.
How have you kept the romance alive during this time?
We’re both romantic in the traditional sense. We love little wins like candles, music and making dinner together a priority — but to be honest, we’ve been so busy (in both of our careers), and with my studio move, condo sale, house purchase and now renos…the most romantic thing we’ve done lately is decide against a dog. LOL. We hope to expand our family one day, and we know in our gut that not only would we not be able to give a dog our full attention now, but that our relationship would suffer. We’re coming off of a high of an extremely stressful year. We’re getting better at supporting each other’s needs in the healthiest way possible, and trying to be mindful of our precious time. We have a tendency to do everything at once…all or nothing. For two “Type A” personalities, finding the grey area is tough. So, to be able to be honest about these things and respect each other for it… feels pretty romantic.
What has been your favourite pandemic date night idea?
Emily and I LOVE a project. We feel great when we’ve tackled something we’ve been meaning to do or experience together. Unless it’s a show we truly love, we don’t typically binge television or enjoy sitting in front of the TV nightly. I’d say it’s a toss-up between a great bottle of wine and sifting through memory boxes or old photos (having been together for 13.5 years), or the same — always have to have a great bottle of wine — and a dedicated movie night to watch something we’ve been looking forward to.
And what have you learned about your relationship?
Emily and I work on our relationship quite a bit, so we were already hyper-aware of each other’s habits, but what this has done is really bring our traits to the surface. I am a very social/extroverted person, and so I recognized that I had been compensating for that by reaching out and connecting with family and friends often to maintain a sense of normalcy (to the point of it getting in the way of other priorities), whereas Emily has actually thrived: not having to formally dress and commute to work and has been able to make time for many projects she’s never been able to schedule, etc. To put it lightly … it helped us discover a lack of balance in our universe, and going forward we’d like to try and map out more time for just each other.
What is your advice to others in terms of navigating the ups and downs of relationships during the lockdown?
Oh dear. Patience. Empathy. Respect. Forgiveness, and quick! This has been a tumultuous year! Some of our greatest fears and anxieties bubbled up to the surface! There have been moments where I’ve thought “if nothing resumes, then I fear I have not reached my potential”, or “if nothing resumes, I did my best”, at what? On the basis of? So many of life’s big questions arise when our habits are forced to shift, and that internal dialogue is extremely personal and tied into your subconscious… so… patience. Kindness. Love and support are huge, too. In a way, I find it insightful, enlightening and cathartic to navigate through this together, and hope for the best!
Andrew and Caro Chang
Andrew Chang met his wife Caro at a chemistry party in Montreal — she was studying for her master’s degree. He proposed alongside a lake in Mont Tremblant. The couple and their two kids moved to Toronto when Chang became the co-host of CBC’s The National, and they eventually settled in the Yonge and Eglinton neighbourhood. Chang, now at home with his family in a condo, talked to us about navigating the cramped quarters amidst a global pandemic.
What has been hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?
I wouldn’t say this has been hard per se, but I think we have really tried focusing on being respectful of each other’s workloads. Having both our young kids at home all day (one in virtual school) has really amplified how busy we both are. So we’ve each been keeping in mind that we both feel like we’re the busiest people in the world, and that’s OK. We just have to remember the other person feels the same way!
And what have you learned?
That we’ve truly got each other’s backs, that we’re both susceptible to all those pesky human things like getting frustrated or exhausted but that we’re both ready, willing and able to cover for each other. And you’d better believe we count on that every day!
What has been your favourite lockdown date night idea?
Ironically, despite being big board game fans, we haven’t yet sat down to an actual game of Pandemic. Maybe it’s too soon! Haha. But we’re huge gamers, and for us, date night isn’t a glass of wine and a movie. It’s teaming up and fighting virtual zombies or flying giant pterodactyls over a swampy wasteland.
How have you kept the romance alive during this time?
Well, we’ve actually spent far more time together this past year than we would otherwise — thank you, coronavirus — so this pandemic has actually helped remove one of the big work-life-balance hurdles that my job has a tendency to repeatedly lay in front of us. But that being said, I think “romance” and pandemic “romance” are two slightly different things … and a family of four packed into a small condo doesn’t give any of us all that much alone time! Haha.
Erica Ehm and Terry Moshenberg
Erica Ehm met her future partner Terry Moshenberg while she was still at MuchMusic, and he worked in computers. They met thanks to a Jewish matchmaker who neither of them hired. But it worked out just fine. Now, Ehm has a thriving media business that includes her new podcast Reinvention of the VJ, and Moshenberg has moved on to real estate. They are always adapting and trying new things, but how are they dealing with the biggest change of all — COVID-19? Let’s find out.
What has been hardest on your relationship during the lockdown?
Both of us being cut off by our social networks has put a lot of pressure on each other to fill that gap. And as we all know, no one person can be your everything. So it’s been tough on us.
What have you learned about your relationship?
We know to give each other space without taking it personally.
Are you both at home, and if so, how has that impacted your relationship both positively and negatively?
We’ve always both worked from home. Sometimes we step on each other’s toes, but we make it work. The harder part is having the kids home all the time.
What did you learn about your partner that you didn’t know before the pandemic?
His fortitude to pivot. He became a licensed realtor in less than a year while in lockdown.
What is the first thing you plan on doing as a couple once the pandemic is behind us?
Throwing a party for our friends at my cottage.
Ten Toronto restaurants offering sweet Valentine’s Day takeout dinners
Valentine’s Day is here again, but this year things are a bit different. While you can’t book a reservation at your favourite restaurant, you can order a fantastic meal to takeout from almost any restaurant in town. Plus, you get to snuggle up with your sweetheart in comfortable clothes on what might be one of the coldest days of the year (doesn’t sound so bad!).
Toronto chefs have gotten very creative this Valentine’s Day, and many are offering takeout meals for two that are both plentiful and inventive. Here are our top picks.
Constantine
Why eat a nice meal when you can make one too? Constantine’s Valentine’s Day kit comes with beetroot and smoked trout, wood-fired pita, tortellini in brodo, cod en croute, a melange of mushrooms, and a maple and cranberry eclair to finish it all off ($125). But Constantine is going one step further with a live cooking class hosted by chef Craig Harding that will take place on Valentine’s Day.
Manita
Lobster spaghetti and flourless chocolate cake are part of the Valentine’s Day deal at Manita, but that’s not all — Manita is also sending fresh cut flowers and a bottle of Prosecco to anyone ordering their Valentine’s Day option (delivery to the downtown core is free). We can’t think of a simpler way to give someone you love a floral gift while also enjoying a decadent lobster meal!
Ufficio
This popular spot is getting in on the Valentine’s Day takeout spirit with a dinner for two, including a choice of pasta, sides, and tiramisu ($150). Looking for a vegan Valentine’s Day option? In that case, Ufficio also has a plant-based menu featuring risotto, rapini, arancini, and other classic Italian options with a tempting vegan tiramisu to end the meal ($140). These meals go on sale this Friday.
Marben
We love the Valentine’s Day takeout menu from Marben, entirely inspired by the 1980s. Enjoy chicken roulade cordon bleu, pizza rolls, big Caesar salad, twice-baked potatoes, and a Sixteen Candles layer cake (chocolate sponge cake with raspberry filling) for $180. You can also order a “Shot Through the Heart” box of pre-made shots. Orders must be made 72-hours in advance.
Maple Leaf Tavern
Sometimes you have to go with the classics, and few restaurants do those famous dishes better than the Maple Leaf Tavern. This Valentine’s Day, you can order a dinner for two that includes oysters Rockefeller croquettes, porcini mushroom soup, surf and turf, beef short rib en croute, grilled shrimp, potato and onion gratin, and a flourless chocolate cake. Our stomachs are happily full just thinking about this meal! Dinner for two from Maple Leaf Tavern is $150. Order takeout by emailing your details and pickup time to [email protected].
Cafe Boulud
Enjoy a three-course meal from the famous Cafe Boulud, including a choice between veal cheek à la bourguignonne or whole rotisserie duck for two, an appetizer of tuna chaud-froid, and a jasmine and raspberry St. Honoré (caramelized puff pastry, jasmine cream, raspberry whipped ganache) for dessert. You can also add a caviar or cheese plate to the mix, along with some fantastic wine pairings. If you want to grab an edible gift simultaneously, Cafe Boulud also offers various options, including a chocolate heart, a box of chocolates, a homemade chocolate bar, and a tower of macarons. The main meal is $80 per person, and add-ons are priced accordingly.
Lee
Anything from Lee is bound to be unique, but the restaurant went all out this Valentine’s Day with salmon sashimi, duck confit bao, squash and onion ravioli, adobo-braised short ribs, and bacon-wrapped scallops. Sides include garlic mash, creamed corn, and Singapore slaw, but what’s Valentine’s Day without dessert? Lee doesn’t disappoint with coconut panna cotta, caramel corn and chocolate strawberries, and passionfruit gelle — all layered together to create a dessert that we’re already drooling over. This takeout meal for two is $250 and must be ordered 24 hours in advance.
George
This Valentine’s Day, George restaurant is giving patrons quite a few takeout options that range from seafood to plant-based. You can even choose your dessert and mix-and-match main dish choices according to meal preferences — we haven’t yet seen a menu as vast as this one. Vegetarian date? No problem! Serious meat-eaters? George has you covered there too. Just make sure that you book soon to get your meal on time for the big day ($125 per person).
Balzac’s
If you’re looking for a unique takeout option, Balzac’s will send you coffee, protein pancake mix, and a bottle of maple syrup. Breakfast in bed, anyone?
Clockwork Bar
Who says that dessert is not a meal? Not us! The Clockwork Bar at The Fairmont sells a sweetheart box and bubbles package that includes a box of desserts made in-house along with a classic bottle of Moet for $149.
Luxury interior designer Michael London on his climb to the top
Before luxury interior designer Michael London knew anything about interior design, his goal was to become an architect. But it was his Grade 12 co-op placement at renowned design firm Gluckstein Design that exposed him to the world of interior design, and after that, he never looked back. London completed the interior design program at Humber College and was hired quickly after back at Gluckstein Design.
“Initially, I was doing all these sort of odds and ends as a junior [designer], working to the first project that I did on my own, which was the Four Seasons presentation centre, not the hotel side, but the presentation centre for the residences above the hotel in Toronto,” he says. “And from that point, that’s where my former boss… I caught his attention at that moment because the design elements were all sort of higher end.”
From there, London says he continued to refine his design style, developing his own take on interior design.
“I realized that for a sort of a transitional to modern sort of style, I like taking traditional details and elements that are the norm in the industry and sort of flipping it upside down,” he says.
When London opened his own design firm in 2019, Michael London Design, he carried that approach with him to his new projects. His most recent one, condos at 10 Prince Arthur Ave., involved elements that are “luxurious and cool,” but unexpected at the same time.
“That’s one of the things that have stood out in my design, neutral backgrounds with shots of colour. At 10 Prince Arthur, there I used neutral backgrounds with a blush pink sofa,” he says.
London says he wanted to open his own firm because he wanted to set himself apart from the work he did while at Gluckstein and create his own path. But forging that path has come with its own set of challenges for London as one of few Black interior designers, let alone luxury interior designers, in the field.
“There’s so many stories,” he says of the discrimination he’s faced in the field. “I’ve had past experiences where you’re assigned to a project and you meet the client for the first time, and the client would say, ‘You’re Michael London?’ ”
“You kind of sense the lack of trust. Working through to the end, I would hear comments like, ‘I didn’t know you had it in you, the space is gorgeous, but I didn’t know you had that in you,’ ” he says.
He says he experienced this with consultants too; he would go into a consultants’ meeting and face incredulity when he would say he’s Michael London. It was only about 10 years into his career that he gained some respect because people knew his work.
“The talent and the design speaks for itself in the end,” he says.
London notes that while there are designers of colour at low- to mid- level design, he has always felt very alone as a Black designer at the luxury interior design level.
“And in Toronto, we’re not like in the USA — Atlanta or Texas — where there are a number of Black interior designers that are owners and they have their own sort of a network to gain support, whether it be for clients, or for materials, or suppliers or Black artists,” he says. “So I’m always seeking out to find young designers, young Black designers and artists to support.”
For those young Black designers out there, he recommends finding a mentor you can trust who you can relate to in some way.
“Trust your ability and be open to growing; be a sponge and soak up as much information from designers as possible,” he says.
Lockdown Love Stories – Part 1
The pandemic has been hard on everybody, and it has certainly taken its toll on relationships. Romance takes work, and during a lockdown, it also means getting creative and taking care of the little things like making time for your significant other. In our four-part series on lockdown love stories, we check in with 12 local couples who have previously been featured in our How They Met column to ask them how they are managing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what tips they might offer those who are looking for a little bit of relationship help to weather the storm. We hope you like it.
Sangita Patel and Sam Patel
Sangita Patel has been gracing television screens across the city as an entertainment reporter for Entertainment Tonight Canada for more than seven years. Known for her envious BFF relationship with Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. the Rock), she is also crazy about CrossFit — a fitness obsession she shares with her husband Samir (Sam) Patel who is chief of radiology at Guelph General Hospital. But can those who CrossFit together stay together even during a pandemic?
What has been the hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?
Sangita: Where to start (laughs)! It’s been hard to find one-on-one time, with the kids always at home. It’s important to make time for date nights. Sometimes it’s just the little things, like when Sam takes my spot on the sofa!
What did you learn about your partner that you didn’t know before the pandemic?
Samir: That she is a very slow walker (laughs)! We have been going for frequent walks and we definitely have a different pace.
How have you kept the romance alive during this time?
Samir: Taking time to talk and eat meals together, even with a full house.
Sangita: Romance? What is that (laughs)? There isn’t really the normal romantic gesture during a pandemic, but it’s about rediscovering our relationship on a different level. Seeing him more often and realizing I still check him out!
Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod
Not surprisingly, Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod, of BodyBreak fame, met at the gym when Johnson walked up to McLeod, who was on the pec deck, and asked, “Can I work out with you?” We asked Hal to talk about their love-in-lockdown experience.
What would you suggest in terms of advice for other people who are going through this for the first time during a pandemic?
I guess a simple statement is ‘know your lane?’ Know what you do, like I do plumbing and electrical, and Joanne does the finishing and the woodwork. So let them have their space in their lane and their expertise and trust them. That’s one of the things, we don’t offer our opinion until we’re asked for advice on things.
What has been your favourite kind of pandemic date night idea?
Hal: Skating on the lake. I built a lake two weeks ago, a very large lake, very large rink. And so she said, “Oh, yeah, we’ll have date night on the lake.” And so we did that. We skated around the lake the other night. It was so nice.
What’s the first thing you plan on doing as a couple once the pandemic is behind us?
Travel. I think that’s what most people will do. And we want to go to New Zealand, Iceland. And the first thing we’re going to do is go to the East Coast Trail in St. John’s and hike it.
Marilyn Denis and Jim Helman
Local star Marilyn Denis, host of The Marilyn Denis Show and 104.5 FM morning show co-host, first met Jim Helman in the Grade 8 homeroom at Ingomar Junior High School. Their first date was at their high school junior prom. She eloped in the summer of 2018 with her high school prom date. Here, they talk about navigating the pandemic together.
What is your favourite activity to do at home together?
We love to hang out in our basement and watch college and NFL football and catch up on our favourite Crave and HBO Canada series. GO STEELERS — well, maybe next year.
What has been hardest on your relationship during the pandemic?
Not being able to travel. We can’t wait to get on a plane and go somewhere, anywhere!
And what have you learned about your relationship?
Jim: How much I love and appreciate the joy and passion Marilyn brings to our relationship. She is a voice of reason moderating my occasional naive optimism.
Marilyn: I agree with Jim. I am the voice of reason!
What has been your favourite pandemic date night idea?
Ordering burritos and watching a movie together. We like to keep it simple.
How have you kept the romance alive during this time?
None of your business. 😉
Marc Thuet opens a new cafe in Leslieville
Petite Thuet in Toronto is reminiscent of the bustling boulangeries of Paris, serving fresh bread, croissants, and pastries.
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Before the pandemic, owner and chef Marc Thuet was mainly known for his bread. Now, he’s known for pulling off an improbable expansion. Pre-pandemic Thuet ran a production bakery on Carlaw Avenue and a small café in Rosedale. He had nailed down a successful wholesale-retail combination that featured two income-generating entities working hand in hand to support each other.
When the restaurant and hospitality industry started feeling the pain, his clients (which include the CN Tower, King Edward Hotel and Fairmont Royal York) saw gross reductions in demand for his bread. Thuet could have folded, instead, he decided to expand.
Born from a “brainstorming session over [a] Sunday night family dinner,” according to Thuet’s daughter, Jane, the idea for a secondary location for the café Petite Thuet emerged.
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Jane, a realtor, was able to secure a retail location across the street from the Thuet’s wholesale bakery, however the space needed renovations. The Thuet family also recruited local artist Jacqueline Poirier to create a custom “selfie wall.” Two days before 2021 officially started, Petite Thuet opened in Leslieville.
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Serving everything from breakfast sandwiches to hot beverages and artisanal breads, the Paris-inspired café at 284 Carlaw Ave. has gotten off to a great start.
By bucking the industrial trend and diving further into the industry during its most vulnerable year on record, the Thuet family capitalized on a market that is now newly emboldened to support local. In short, they turned their pain into pain.
Winterlicious restaurant promotion put on hold by the city this year
Every year, the City of Toronto helps promote restaurants through its Winterlicious and Summerlicious programming. This year, Winterlicious is on hold due to COVID-19 despite the devastating impact of the pandemic on Toronto restaurants.
“As a result of the pandemic, Winterlicious will not be held this year. However, the city continues to examine how it can best support Toronto’s restaurant sector and promote Toronto as a culinary destination when it is safe to do so again,” said Erin George, a city spokesperson. “This includes a review of how to make the Winterlicious and Summerlicious programs as impactful as possible to help the industry address the lingering effects of the pandemic.”
More than 200 restaurants participated in Winterlicious 2020, and the event is usually a big money-maker for the hospitality industry. The closure of restaurant dining rooms makes programs like this one more difficult, but not impossible.
La Poutine Week recently went virtual across the country with much success. New York City turned its famed Restaurant Week into Restaurant Week To Go by encouraging the more than 600 participating restaurants to offer prix-fixe takeout menus — the program drew record-breaking numbers of participating restaurants prompting expansion into February.
Some neighbourhoods across the globe are skirting city restaurant campaigns entirely and creating neighbourhood-centric restaurant weeks, including the Brooklyn borough of Prospect Heights that recently launched a highly successful Facebook group-based restaurant week.
While Toronto is not following suit by pivoting to a Winterlicious takeout option, the city recommends that residents look to Destination Toronto’s ToGoToronto.com campaign for restaurants offering takeout and delivery meals.
“Restaurants are encouraged to participate in Destination Toronto’s current ToGoToronto.com campaign and sign up for this free, promoted online listing. On this site, residents can find restaurants that are open for safe takeout and delivery and support their favourite local restaurant when possible,” George explained.
The city is also working on revised CaféTO plans that are likely to move forward this summer with the hopes of helping struggling restaurant owners.
“The City of Toronto is doing everything it can,” said George, “often in partnership with other levels of government as well as the business and non-profit sectors, to support local businesses and residents through the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Jeanne Beker on robes fit for a valentine
One of C
anada’s most trusted authorities on style and fashion, Jeanne Beker has covered the industry for more than 30 years. Now watch her in her current style editor role on TSC’s Style Matters with Jeanne Beker or tune into her new podcast Beyond Style Matters, available wherever you get your podcasts.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we asked our resident fashion columnist to pick the cosiest yet romantic gift for couples during lockdown — a swanky robe. Whether it’s a gift for you or your partner, these high-fashion housecoats offer everything from artsy elegance to sporty warmth.
A) Silky smooth
“This one is dramatic, fun and spirited. It’s a luxurious 100 per cent silk robe. I love the mix of the prints, animal meets floral.” HoltRenfrew.com, $835
B) Quilted comfort
“Talk about a great housecoat. The next best thing to being under a duvet is to be wearing a duvet robe. I’ve never seen a quilted housecoat of this nature.” StoleMyHeart.ca, $329
C) Perfectly plaid
“This Scotch plaid flannel robe is a real classic, with an almost retro feel to it. I always love this plaid. It speaks to the Scottish girl in me.” LLBean.ca, $115
D) Get in the ring
“This Muhammad Ali-inspired robe with his Truth poem embroidered will make you feel empowered.” Gravitypope.com, $255
E) Check it out
“I like this plush check one. It’s the kind of robe I could see my guy hanging out in. It’s a great no-nonsense robe.” TheBay.com, $62.99
F) Sporty style
“This rugby robe has a sporty motif with the banded cuffs. It looks cosy and warm and perfect for a young guy or one that’s young at heart.” LLBean.ca, $159
G) Sultry satin
“Christine is such a great Canadian label. This satin robe has a very delicate, hand-painted feel with the black and white design.” ChristineLingerie.com, $159
H) Seeing stars
“UGG really knows how to produce great comfort wear. I like that this cuddly robe is shorter, and I love the stars on this soft dove grey.” Nordstrom.ca, $155
New Age Selling: The business marketing strategies that yielded big results in 2020
Jeremy Diamond: Business Marketing Strategies During COVID-19
The year 2020 has been challenging for countless business owners. Many business owners had to restructure amid COVID-19 concerns. The world’s economies reflected the effects of those changes. Yet, some clever marketing strategies are helping business owners succeed in this tumultuous time.
You may have experienced some hardship due to the obstacles that presented themselves. Taking advantage of effective marketing strategies in 2020 can help you turn things around for your business. Let’s review some of the simple yet powerful strategies companies are using and see which of them can work for you.
Personalization
One of the most effective marketing strategies in 2020 is personalization. Marketing strategies that yield results in 2020 do so because they understand the psychology of clients. People tend to want to do business where they feel a connection.
Diamond and Diamond Lawyers is one business that has applied that understanding to their marketing strategy this year. Diamond and Diamond Lawyers started as a personal injury firm and is now a full-service law firm.
We took a serious look at improving customer loyalty through personalization. To do that, we used digital marketing tools and services, including sharing informative videos, creating engaging social media content, and providing our personal phone numbers to clients.
Managing Partner at Diamond and Diamond Lawyers, Jeremy Diamond, reflected on the most powerful marketing strategies that are seeing results right now.
He noticed that personalization had a huge positive outcome for the business world so far. Building the firm’s marketing on a personalized approach was helpful because it led to lasting connections with our customers.
Those relationships were reflected in the business’s growth this year. So, how can you make personalization work for your company? Offer tailored services. For example, we pride ourselves on making each client feel seen and heard, so in addition to handing out our personal phone numbers, we also offer home visits.
Don’t be afraid to infuse your marketing campaigns with interactive and engaging elements. Share a relevant, humorous meme or ask an interesting question on social media. In general, the idea is to connect with your audience and find commonalities with them.
Consistent Quality Content Marketing
Effective marketing strategies rely on consistency to achieve results. With a content marketing plan, for example, staying consistent with content is key. Sharing quality content that your audience can relate to helps you to build a relationship with potential clients.
Consistent content marketing also establishes credibility, authority, and reliability. When you are known as a source of relevant and useful information, it positions you as an expert in your field and makes your potential clients more likely to trust you. That trust can be the bridge from a relatable social media post to your next sale.
If you are struggling to develop content ideas, here are some things to consider. Think about the subjects that your audience would be interested in. What will grab the attention of your customer? Keep that in mind as you plan your content across various platforms.
Video Marketing
Another of the marketing strategies that yield results right now is video marketing. Many platforms in 2020 support video content. It’s a remarkable resource for business owners. People are spending a majority of their time at home, and video content is benefitting from the lack of entertainment options that the average person once enjoyed.
People have turned to streaming media to entertain themselves during the lockdown. Video content can be affordably produced and has a multitude of benefits. Creative video marketing can be shared widely on social media and has the potential to go viral.
People absorb video marketing more readily than written content and are more likely to recall the content’s brand later on than if they were reading print material. Let your creative instincts flourish. Entertain your audience as you inform them about all the value that your business has to offer.
Diamond & Diamond Lawyers on the Benefits of Localized SEO
Although video marketing has a wealth of advantages, the written word is still quite necessary.
Jeremy Diamond noticed exponential growth at the firm when we boosted our local SEO efforts. As we expanded our services, localized SEO campaigns remained a crucial component in our marketing campaigns. We focus on local keywords, local listings, and a compelling GMB profile as the backbone to our SEO strategy.
We have found that the local element steers new clients in our direction. That, combined with the use of GMB, marries effective SEO with convenience, making a significant difference in our ability to serve new clients.
Voice Search Technology
Any successful marketing campaign right now will take advantage of technological developments, like using voice search technology. As mobile phones and computers become more integral to our personal lives and our businesses, voice search technology is more reliable and prevalent than ever.
These days it’s normal to call out a voice command to one of several devices throughout your home or in your pocket. This technology is gaining popularity, and businesses could see tremendous growth from optimizing for voice search.
There are many simple changes that you can make that will have a transformative effect on your voice search optimization. You can optimize by tailoring your content to the kinds of questions that your ideal customer might ask, making sure your website is mobile friendly and anticipating prospective queries with conversational content.
Share Your Knowledge
You have something that speaks to a need in your target market, but don’t let your value end with your product or service; you possess related knowledge that you can share with your audience as well. Starting a podcast or hosting a tutorial or a webinar are all marvellous ways to get started.
You can go live on a social media platform or use a low-cost set up to start a podcast from the comfort of your home or office. You can share tips for your clients, new services your company offers, and even interviews with other industry leaders. Sharing your knowledge is an excellent way to engage with your audience and demonstrate your subject matter expertise.
You can amplify others that have served as sources of information for you, create custom content, or both. There are myriad avenues that you can take to showcase the information you hold after working for years in your field.
Engage in Social Media
Social media gives business owners access to vast audiences and the opportunity to interact with customers in a multitude of unique ways. When you connect with potential clients on social media, you appear more accessible, and you grow your network.
That kind of personal attention to the relationships in your network can create a strong base for customer loyalty.
Transcend and Adapt
Although 2020 has presented unique challenges, it has also provided us with the chance to more readily connect with our ideal clients. Rise above your perceived limitations by using your resources creatively and consistently.
Advertising your services with personalized marketing can improve customer loyalty. Video marketing and voice search optimization can help you stand out among the competition. And written content is the backbone of any marketing strategy. When planned and executed well, these tools can propel your business to even greater heights.
About Jeremy Diamond
Jeremy Diamond is a lawyer and member of both Ontario and Florida Bars. Jeremy practices in the area of Plaintiff personal injury litigation. Click here to learn more about Jeremy Diamond.
