Latest news with #LittleItaly
National Post
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- National Post
Man yells 'F--- the Jews!' at Dave Portnoy reviewing pizza in Toronto
Dave Portnoy, creator of media company Barstool Sports, was in Toronto trying different pizza spots for his online series, One Bite Pizza Reviews. Article content In a video posted online on June 2, he's guided around Toronto by a local called Bill the Greek. One of the places they visit is Terrazza, a restaurant in the Little Italy neighbourhood. Portnoy meets with Terrazza owner Frankie Lasagna and sees the inside of the restaurant before walking out with a fresh pie. A group of on-lookers watch, some filming, as Portnoy does his review on the street. Article content 'See? There we go,' says Portnoy, as he throws one arm up in the air. Article content He stares at the group until they stop laughing. 'Exactly,' he says. Article content Article content Article content Then he continues on with the review for a moment, before remarking: 'What is that Toronto hospitality?' Article content On Wednesday, the restaurant said in a statement to National Post that it was 'deeply saddened and angered by the hate that was directed at one of our guests from a passing car outside our restaurant.' Article content The statement continued: 'These actions have no place in our community. Terrazza is a family-run restaurant, and our foundation is built on the values we live by every day: kindness, respect, inclusion, and the belief that everyone deserves to feel safe and welcome at our table.' Article content Meanwhile, a clip of the review that included the antisemitic slur has been circulating online. It was shared by Jewish advocate, public speaker and author Jonny Daniels. He visited Toronto last year to help Canadian Holocaust survivors restore a Torah that was hidden in Poland during the Second World War. Article content Article content He shared the clip of Portnoy on Tuesday with his roughly 84,600 followers on Instagram. The captions reads: 'Toronto, 2025. Listen to what this man screams at Dave Portnoy.' Article content Article content In a statement to National Post on Wednesday, Daniels explained why he wanted to share the video on his account. Article content 'With this unbelievable rise in antisemitism that we are seeing all around the world, I feel it's important that people see it and are aware of how normalized and accepted it's become,' he said. 'The video of Dave shook us up not just because of the nonchalant manner in which the abuse was screamed, but rather the way in which those around laughed at it.' Article content He added that Toronto and Canada at large have become a 'hotbed of antisemitism with Jew hatred absolutely normalized.' Article content He said his hope is that by sharing such videos, those in leadership positions can see and understand 'that something needs to be done, before it's too late.'
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Vertical integration changes the real estate game
When Pusateri's Fine Foods cancelled its lease at 899 College St., after filing for bankruptcy just days before its grand opening, Loblaw Cos. Ltd. jumped at the chance to occupy prime real estate on the western edge of Toronto's Little Italy. At 15,000 square feet, the commercial property – owned by Toronto-based Clifton Blake Group – was ideal for a small-format No Frills, a new concept that Loblaw began rolling out last year to deliver discounted groceries in a leaner layout. But there was a catch. Loblaw wanted to hit the ground running with a refit. That gave Clifton Blake a 24-hour window to study Loblaw's blueprints and begin customizing the space for the new tenant on a compressed deadline. Most real estate companies don't have the agility to turn on a dime like that – even when a long-term lease with a triple-A tenant is at stake. For Clifton Blake – a developer and private real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in boutique, purpose-built rental mid-rises anchored by street-level commercial property – adapting to changing circumstances quickly and delivering timely design solutions is a core strength. 'Back at the office, we huddled with our in-house construction team and Navy SEALed the situation within hours,' says Wes Myles, president and chief investment officer at Clifton Blake, whose other commercial tenants include Shoppers Drug Mart, LCBO and WeWork. 'If you're not able to tailor solutions rapidly for prospective tenants with a demanding schedule and significant dollars at play, they will usually vote with their feet and walk.' The reason Clifton Blake says it was able to 'Navy SEAL' the Loblaw situation so handily is because it has taken the vertical integration of its operations to the next level by combining property development and construction. Unlike many of its competitors, which rely on independent construction companies, Clifton Blake maintains full control over its developments, eliminating the need to co-ordinate with multiple subcontractors that may be juggling several construction jobs at the same time, says Mr. Myles. Clifton Blake's REIT has nearly $1.6-billion in assets either under management or in the pipeline, with 1,500 rental suites and more than 300,000 square feet of retail and commercial space outside Toronto's downtown core. Vertical integration has allowed it to achieve fast and flexible delivery of real-estate projects. It has also improved quality control and profit margins through reduced labour and financing costs that come with a shorter construction cycle. For Clifton Blake, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place a year ago, when it partnered with Toronto's Wilkinson Construction to create a new division called CB Wilkinson – a fully integrated real estate company with crews of carpenters, drywallers and framers. 'Having direct control over the entire process ensures a shared vision trickles down from the boardroom all the way to the foreman and trades working on the ground,' says Mr. Myles, who is also CEO of CB Wilkinson. Many developers claim to be vertically integrated, but few – apart from industry giants such as Great Gulf and Tridel Group of Cos. – have the capability to tweak floor plans and make design changes without costly delays and budget overruns while construction is under way, says Mr. Myles. 'Mobilizing and demobilizing is a big cost that's normally controlled by subcontractors and they will nail you on charges if you need to pivot,' says Mr. Myles, who points to miscommunication as a major reason why projects are either pushed over budget or held up. Despite the need for last-minute changes, neither of those scenarios happened during the initial refit of Pusateri's at 899 College St. To make the space workable, CB Wilkinson customized a number of elements that have been retained by Loblaw's No Frills, including a loading dock at the side of the building to minimize disruption to residential tenants. 'In recent years, rising material and labour costs have strained relations in the construction industry,' says Jeff Wilkinson, president of CB Wilkinson, whose father started Wilkinson Construction in the 1960s. 'Having the developer and construction manager on the same team is a huge help in keeping those costs from spinning out of control.' Another advantage of vertical integration is that the developer gets reliable construction budgeting and scheduling information from day one of property acquisition. 'Most developers don't get that kind of feedback until they begin drawing up detailed plans,' Mr. Wilkinson adds. When completed later this year, Clifton Blake's Pacific Residences – a cubist-inspired, mixed-use mid-rise situated in Toronto's Junction neighbourhood – will have three commercial tenants and 120 purpose-built rental suites, partially framed by a heritage façade that's more than 100 years old. The fit-out posed a number of challenges, with BMO requiring vault-like security and Starbucks asking for an unexpected boost in electrical power. But a trickier problem was creating seamless access from the street to the second floor for a third commercial tenant in the health and fitness business. The solution was to alter the building's design midstream by adding small retail frontage at street level with decorative stairs next to an elevator. 'On a typical condo project, you don't even talk about retail until it's almost finished,' says Mr. Wilkinson, noting his company's customization always happens in tandem with the residential build and requires the management of many moving pieces. 'As long-term owners, delivering a complete building that fits into a community is always a priority,' Mr. Myles says. 'The goal is street activation to get people out walking and biking.' He expects to shave as much as 12 weeks from what would otherwise be a construction schedule of about 128 weeks for Pacific Residences, thanks to the benefits that come from vertical integration. The associated cost savings of 10 per cent to 15 per cent will partly be passed on to commercial tenants. A potential downside of integration is carrying idle crews in a slower market, but for CB Wilkinson, having total control of an asset under development far outweighs that consideration. 'Most developers have depth not breadth,' Mr. Myles says. 'We have both, which is especially important for mixed-use projects where you're dealing with an eclectic blend of end users.'
Toronto Star
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
2025 Toronto influencers: Here's where the city's top creators eat, drink and hang out
We asked this year's top 10 influencer s to share their favourite spots and hidden gems in Toronto. You'll want to bookmark this one. What's your favourite Toronto restaurant? 'Bar Sugo (1279 Bloor St. W.) – I love their 'Little Italy' pizza.' – Shriya Agnihotri The List These are Toronto's Top 10 influencers of 2025. They shape how millions of us shop, eat and live. Who are you following? Together these social media stars have nearly 13 million fans on TikTok and Instagram. Peek behind the scenes to see why. The List These are Toronto's Top 10 influencers of 2025. They shape how millions of us shop, eat and live. Who are you following? Together these social media stars have nearly 13 million fans on TikTok and Instagram. Peek behind the scenes to see why. 'Hands down, Favorite's Thai BBQ (141 Ossington Ave.). You have to do the chef's tasting menu or you're living wrong. It is my favourite spot in the entire city.' – Emily Durham ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'Lee Restaurant (497 Richmond St. W.) – honestly anything on the menu, but the salad (chef Susur Lee's signature Singapore style slaw) – oof, just thinking of it. Most delicious salad in the world.' – Tara Sigari 'The spaghetti al limone from Terroni (57 Adelaide St. E.).' – Spencer West 'Congee Queen (362 Yonge St.) – consistent, large quantities and good prices. My number one dish there is 干炒牛河 – dry fried beef noodle.' – Clement Leung 'Bar Ardo (169 King St. E.). I love the chickpea fritters appetizer they serve.' – Lisa Corbo 'Burger Drops (116 Atlantic Ave.). You can't go wrong.' – Brendan Carpenter 'Pad see ew from Chiang Mai (353 Danforth Ave.). I lived in Thailand for five months, and this is the closest thing I can find to authentic Thai food in Toronto.' – Reni Odetoyinbo 'I'm basic, I'm easy. Cactus Club (77 Adelaide St. W.). I love their steak and their mashed potatoes are so, so good.' – Abdullah Zaidi 'The club sandwich from George's Deli (795 Bathurst St.). It's at Bathurst Station and it rips. The owner Agatha is the nicest lady. I like it on vibes alone.' – Jacob Balshi ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Bar Sugo is the newest Italian-American restaurant in town and is on Bloor near Ossington. Richard Lautens / Toronto Star What's your favourite café and what do you order? 'Tsuchi Cafe (688 College St.). It's a Japanese vegan café and they have some really great bites there, and they do a caramel miso latte.' – Shriya Agnihotri 'Daily Dose (125 John St.). I get an iced Americano, splash of almond milk. The trick – two pumps of their marshmallow syrup.' – Emily Durham 'Paris Baguette (110 Bloor St. W.) has this sticky bread — so good.' – Tara Sigari 'Fresh Start Bakery Cafe (595 Bay St.). It's in the Bay Street atrium, run by a Turkish family. Great Turkish coffee, and lots of great gluten-free bakery options. It's the best baklava I've ever had.' – Clement Leung 'Quantum (482 Front St. W.). I just order black coffee or an Americano.' – Brendan Carpenter 'I like Café 23 (728 Queen St. W.) in the fall. It's very busy, very touristy. I also like the café inside the AGO.' – Abdullah Zaidi ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW What's your favourite store? 'The Cocktail Emporium (20 Kensington Ave.). It's got anything you'd ever want to make cocktails with. All the gadgets, the mixes, incredible glassware — really cool stuff.' – Spencer West 'Without a doubt, my favourite spot in the city is On Third Thought (6 Markham St.). They're a locally owned gelato bar, but not only is there gelato dairy-free, they also do wine and gelato pairings.' – Emily Durham 'I'm so basic. I like LuluLemon. I shop there all the time.' – Shriya Agnihotri 'Can I say Hermès (100 Bloor St. W.)?' – Tara Sigari 'I really like going to T&T Supermarket (297 College St.), and buying food. – Clement Leung 'Mine & Yours (79 Yorkville Ave.). I'm an accessory junkie, and they have incredible vintage accessories.' – Lisa Corbo 'There's this flower shop called Cumberland Flowers (2 Bloor St. E.). It's also in Yorkville. It's a little flower shop. The lady (who works there) and I chat a lot.' – Abdullah Zaidi ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Favourite hidden gem 'There's a place called Taqueria Vegana (1543 Dupont St.) — they do vegan tacos. I kid you not, they make the best vegan birria tacos — even my boyfriend who eats meat loves them.' – Shriya Agnihotri 'Accent and Co. (8 Spadina Ave.) in the Well – am I on the Well's payroll? – it's a shop that (curates products) from locall -owned businesses. It's a perfect spot to pick up a little something for yourself or a loved one.' – Emily Durham 'Han Moto (2 Lakeview Ave.). It's this hole-in-the-wall Asian fusion restaurant.' – Tara Sigari The exterior of the Drake Hotel on Queen Street in Toronto. Courtesy of Doublespace photography 'The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen St. E.) has this corner bar in the new lobby that they built. It's tucked away and people don't really notice it. My partner and I love to go have a drink there sometimes after work or on the weekend.' – Spencer West 'Hong Kong Bistro Café (472 Dundas St. W.) in Chinatown, on the second floor. It serves up classic Hong Kong diner style food – a byproduct of the British era of Hong Kong, it has the Western influence and Chinese influence in one dish.' – Clement Leung 'Rick's Good Eats (6660 Kennedy R. #1) in Mississauga. It is chef's kiss. It's Indian fusion food, so Indian and Canadian combined. So, think butter chicken poutine, butter chicken burgers.' Reni – Odetoyinbo ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Whats your favourite touristy thing to do? 'Visit Kandl in Yorkville (88 Avenue Rd.). Last time I went I made a candle and named it ' Fire and Desire ' after one of my favourite Drake songs.' – Shriya Agnihotri A Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias, flies along the shore at the Leslie Street Spit. Steve Russell / Toronto Star 'I enjoy going to Leslie Street Spit (1 Leslie St.). Lots of cool nature, birds and great for riding bikes.' – Clement Leung 'The City Sightseeing Tour. My family came to visit me last year, and they've never been to Toronto, so I got to show them around on the hop-on hop off bus, and it was so much fun. I've lived here my whole life and It was my first time seeing Toronto as a tourist, and I learned so much!' – Reni Odetoyinbo Where do you find inspiration? 'Walking the streets of West Queen West – you're surrounded by people with incredible and unique fashion sense.' – Emily Durham 'I spend a lot of my time at home, hanging out with my dog and just chilling.' – Shriya Agnihotri 'This is going to sound weird, but sometimes I actually just drive down Major Mac and Dufferin (in Vaughan). When I was young, I lived there, and I still get inspired by that kid who really wanted it all and was just doing everything in life to make it happen. Sometimes I like to drive in that area just to remind myself, give myself a little push.' – Tara Sigari ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'I'll usually just go for a stroll in the city with no direction in mind, and see where I end up.' – Spencer West. 'I like to go to Kensington Market, but mainly to meet with other creators. We have coffee, we jam on things – that's where I get inspiration.' – Clement Leung 'It has to be the Ossington-Dundas neighborhood. It's just good people watching, it's more eclectic than being in a downtown Toronto neighbourhood. There's great food there. It has a very kind of inner city vibe without feeling stuffy.' – Lisa Corbo 'I like to sit in the park and stare at people.' – Jacob Balshin 'Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge-Dundas Square) is so much fun. There's so much going on in every corner.' – Abdullah Zaidi 'The waterfront. You can clear your mind if you're having a bad day, or even if you're having a good day: just sitting there, people watching and enjoying the scenery. The waves keep on rolling and you gotta too.' – Brendan Carpenter
Associated Press
4 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Statement by Minister Guilbeault on Italian Heritage Month
Government of Canada issues statement to mark Italian Heritage Month. OTTAWA, ON, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - In June, we celebrate Italian Heritage Month. People of Italian descent have been in Canada since the 1880s and are an integral part of our society, making it more dynamic. Our country's first Italian community numbered around 2,000 people at the end of the 19th century. In the 2021 census, more than 1.5 million people claimed Italian origins. Home to one of the largest Italian diasporas in the world, Canada is proud of this community's vibrant, shared culture. For generations, people of Italian descent have enriched Canadian society, thanks in part to the Little Italy neighbourhoods in many major Canadian cities that have helped make our country more diverse and more open to the world. The contributions made by people of Italian descent don't stop at the gates of these neighbourhoods. They have also made notable impacts in finance, politics, cuisine, music, entrepreneurship, education, science and many other fields. Italian Heritage Month is a time to recognize the rich culture and traditions of Italian Canadians and to celebrate the spirit of community that brings us together. Let's take this opportunity to come together and learn about the heritage of our neighbours of Italian ancestry! Happy Italian Heritage Month everyone! SOURCE Canadian Heritage
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Statement by Minister Guilbeault on Italian Heritage Month
Government of Canada issues statement to mark Italian Heritage Month. OTTAWA, ON, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - In June, we celebrate Italian Heritage Month. People of Italian descent have been in Canada since the 1880s and are an integral part of our society, making it more dynamic. Our country's first Italian community numbered around 2,000 people at the end of the 19th century. In the 2021 census, more than 1.5 million people claimed Italian origins. Home to one of the largest Italian diasporas in the world, Canada is proud of this community's vibrant, shared culture. For generations, people of Italian descent have enriched Canadian society, thanks in part to the Little Italy neighbourhoods in many major Canadian cities that have helped make our country more diverse and more open to the world. The contributions made by people of Italian descent don't stop at the gates of these neighbourhoods. They have also made notable impacts in finance, politics, cuisine, music, entrepreneurship, education, science and many other fields. Italian Heritage Month is a time to recognize the rich culture and traditions of Italian Canadians and to celebrate the spirit of community that brings us together. Let's take this opportunity to come together and learn about the heritage of our neighbours of Italian ancestry! Happy Italian Heritage Month everyone! SOURCE Canadian Heritage View original content: Sign in to access your portfolio
