With almost 12 million Canadians making the move towards a vegetarian diet, there is an expectation that Toronto restaurants cater to these patrons in the menu options. Stalwart favourites like The Hogtown Vegan and Fresh, compete with Doomies and Awai; and foodies are just as likely to eat nose to tail charcuterie as they are artichoke ravioli.

But The Imperative insists that Veganism is more than a diet, it’s a lifestyle. With the millennial drive to conscious consumption, many fashion fans are turning away from Prada bags – not because of the aesthetic, but because of the hide.

Depending on the day, staff may greet you with a vibrant smile, or the contempt of a yoga hoser who has to work instead of going to a Grade 12 party. Still, the items are carefully curated. Like a tiny department store, The Imperative hosts an impressive collection of wares, beauty products, clothes and footwear.

Vegan lipstick and nail polish causes one to pause, and shudder, while wondering what the hell is in lipstick that’s not vegan.

Trendy parkas by HoodLamb come with fake fur hoods and collars, and you would swear coats by Vaute are made of a wool/cashmere blend. Pleather is no longer the laughable poor cousin of leather, but has come into its own, with biker jackets, minis, and gorgeous laser-cut crop tops by Cara Cheung. While some of the clothes are made in China, they are made in factories where workers are paid a fair wage. The style is minimalist – these are core pieces to build a wardrobe on, not fads for disposable, fast fashion.

Mechaly bags are bold and refined – with embossed skulls adding a subtle punk element. Downstairs the shoes and boots offer cool classic looks – pumps, brogues and sneakers could snuggle up to Cole Haan, but are way more affordable in price points hovering around $120.00.

Located at 1332 Queen St W, The Imperative is worth a look, even if you’ll be headed to the Black Hoof afterwards!

The post Cruelty Free Fashion at The Imperative Vegan Store in Toronto appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

You’re a busy person but that’s no excuse to take care of yourself, right? From head-to-toe our city is full of fast and speedy services from wax bars to nail salons and our gyms are just around the corner from the office these days. Now say hello to Toronto’s first facial bar! Blitz Facial Bar (from the owners of the successful Body Blitz Spa) has opened up two shiny locations to cater to our busy lifestyles and we took notice!

I had recently returned from soaking up the sun on vacation and felt I needed a good facial when I had returned to the city. After all, the sun, surf and sand wreak havoc on my skin. However, I knew timing would be a challenge as I transitioned back into the reality of life. As much as I would love to spend several hours in a serene spa, I knew I couldn’t fit that in right now. A facial at my usual spa meant taking more time and the desire to linger in a lounge where I could peacefully nosh on some goodies and sip some zen tea while catching up on the latest tabloid trash. There’s a time and a place for that.

I had a couple of meetings downtown and knew that Blitz Facial Bar locations were accessible (Leslieville and Trinity-Bellwood). I wanted to give it a try so I checked myself in. By the way, walk-ins are also welcomed. They’ve had a steady business since they’ve opened in May this year and it’s no surprise since they already have a loyal following with their Body Blitz Spas.

When you walk in to the Blitz Facial Bar space you’ll notice that there are open-air facial stations for the treatments so you can get right to your service without having to change into a robe. The most popular service is the Express Facial #BlitzandGlow ($48) — a half-hour service that is ideal for ongoing maintenance. This facial takes care of all the essentials including cleanse, exfoliation, toning, serum massage on face, arms and neck area. There are other signature express facials (and yes, they do extractions) and the qualified esthetician can help you figure out what your personal skincare needs are. If you have discolouration and want to smooth skin out evenly you’ll be happy to know that they also do microdermabrasion. My esthetician  told me that the products they use are created by the Blitz owners and exclusive to them. I was pleased to hear this as I’ve enjoyed their body products (hello, Mint Lime Body Lotion & Wash). The skin care products are made with natural ingredients sourced in Canada.

My aesthetician noticed that my skin was pretty dehydrated and had recommended a Vitamin C Boost which I agreed whole-heartedly and glad I did. Even a few days after my facial I’ve noticed a difference in texture. Other “Booster Shots” sounded pretty awesome but I didn’t need them this time around. A few other examples; A Skin Renewal Boost is a penetrating mask and rescue serum to help calm rosacea and sensitive skin; Plump It Up offers plumping without filler and uses a deep moisturizing mask and plumping serum; Cold Plunge is a cold jade stone massage that instantly calms redness and close pores.  There’s even a beard oil treatment for the guys. Boosts are add-ons to your facial ($10 each).

The service was great and ideal for us who want a high quality facial but don’t have the time to linger. Staff were friendly, knowledgeable and didn’t rush. Sounds funny right?  I’m happy to find this spot that will offer a great facial and met my needs of rehydrating my skin. And yes, I’m glowing!

Blitz Facial Bar Locations:

1133 Queen Street East

803 Queen Street West

Website for up to date information.

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Launched by Lululemon’s Shannon Wilson and her son JJ Wilson, the Vancouver-based clothing company Kit and Ace opened its very first Toronto shop in November of 2014. Located in the vibrant neighbourhood of Queen West, the store offers casually luxurious street wear to the active men and women looking for comfortable and functional basics they can live in, as shop director Tonya Papanikolov explained.

Kit and Ace is not your average at leisure label.  It offers premium quality clothing made from the company’s trademark ‘technical cashmere’ (also called qemir), a high-tech fabric that is machine-washable, resistant, and unbelievably soft.  Although their aesthetic is very basic, the quality of their fabric makes their T-shirts, tank tops, turtlenecks, and sweatshirts worth every penny (the prices range from $68-$178).

Based on Michael Jensen’s business ideology that “nothing works without integrity”, the company is committed to making clothes that feel amazing and work well for their customers.  They take a real interest in knowing how people feel in their clothes, and are dedicated to improving their designs in order to meet their customers’ lifestyle and standards.

The Toronto shop is in itself warm and welcoming and customers are greeted by a friendly staff.  The store is filled with natural light, contemporary art, photographs, and furniture by local emerging artists.  Hanging from the ceiling, there are special edition copper lighting fixtures designed by Kei Ng and Jonathan Sabine which give a minimalist and modern feel to the place.  On the wall leading to the fitting rooms, you’ll find cute and positive “love notes” by Justin Broadbent and towards the front of the store, you’ll see a large wooden table and chairs designed by Mischa Couvrette, which are a permanent feature in all Kit and Ace shops.

In an effort to celebrate and support local talent, the shop has launched The Wall, where a new piece from different local artists is featured in the store every three months.  “It is really about giving them a new platform to showcase their work”, Tonya Papanikolov said.  Currently featured on The Wall is “I Have An Idea 01”, a bright and fresh artwork by Toronto-based photographer Jackie Beale.

Every month the store also holds “supper clubs” during which local members of the “creative class” gather to enjoy locally-sourced meals, meet new people and play ‘Real Talk Cards’ with them.  The purpose of this game is to bring the guests together and encourage them to interact with each other, Tonya Papanikolov explained.

Kit and Ace shops are very much focused on their local community and the company plans to maintain this store concept as they develop internationally.  The store at 779 Queen Street West is one of the seven Kit and Ace locations across North America and the company aims at opening between 30 and 50 more stores across the US, Europe and Asia in 2015.

For more information on their products, their rotating exhibit, and upcoming supper clubs visit kitandace.com.

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The other day I had ventured to the Queen St. West area. It was a sunny but cold day and I had remembered that Come and Get It! opened a new location about a year ago and I have been wanting to check it out.

Some of you may remember it on Spadina at Queen and how it started as a pop-up sandwich place feeding the masses of the nearby office worker bees and the foot-traffic from tourists and shoppers. It was popular but owner Jon Polubiec wanted to evolve the business. So, he embarked on a mission to serve food that, as he calls it, “same, same but different” and today, it’s more than just a sandwich shop.

The new location at Queen just west of Bathurst gives an easy vibe of a neighbourhood hang out. I can easily tell you that it’s a place where you would feel comfortable eating solo, with a friend or with your family. It’s relaxed feel is welcoming the moment I had stepped through the door. For the record, I went solo on this visit.

They had no idea I was going…but within minutes of my mango jerk chicken naan wrap arriving, Jon had already spotted my instagram upload and turned around to me with his mobile device with a big warm smile and said “Niiiiiice pic!”  Then he came over and introduced himself.  He ended up sitting down and we had a chat — that’s what I mean about easy neighbourhood feel.  It’s familiar, relaxed and unhurried…even Jon seems familiar to me.

So, what’s with this “same, same but different” thing? Jon explained that the restaurant’s philosophy is built on dishes that you may be familiar with, but are approached in a slightly different way.  An example would be caesar salad – an internationally known dish and well, as Jon, mentioned so predictable and boring. Here, they have taken it up several notches by offering unique twists with different ingredients. There are also dishes, like a recent brunch special, where duck confit was served in a coconut crêpe with poached eggs. It was a real hit among diners.

The menu has an interesting twist as well.  First, you decide on your format – bun, wrap, poutine or salad (dinner menu offers more). Then, what type of flavour you’d like, for example Mango Jerk Chicken, Ol’ el Paso, Hawaiian Pork Belly and others. Then,  you pick a side dish – choices are salad, fries or poutine…leave the dressing part to the chef as the restaurant’s strength is flavour pairings. However, you can choose if you insist…but I would strongly suggest you leave it open for the chef to decide.

The lunch, dinner and brunch menus vary slightly. Weekend brunch offers the same flavours only presented in brunchy types of dishes. For example, my jerk chicken wrap morphs into a brunch menu dish as a frittata with house-made cheese tots!  There are daily specials and vegetarian options available as well.

Daily “snacky hour” happens daily from 5pm-7pm and offers a free bite or slider with a cocktail, craft beer or wine glass order.  Bites and sliders? Yes, Jon explained that this concept came from the desire to socialize and wind down at the end of the work day. The menu items are designed for socializing.  For dinner service, the menu is inviting for a build your own tasting menu and is perfect for sharing, or not.

“I wanted the restaurant and the food to be approachable. It’s food that people understand. It’s not pretentious but I want the food to be creative, ” said Jon.

The cocktail list is equally as strong as the food selection. Jon mentioned that he had challenged the bartender to keep within the philosophy of  “same, same but different” by using complimentary flavour profiles and an interesting play on ingredients. I need to go back with a drinking buddy.

Local bands and DJs can also be found in-house from time to time and in the summer months the patio will open to seat up to 30 people.

Come and Get It! celebrates their one year anniversary next week (starting March 3) offering daily lunch sandwiches and other special surprises. Check their Facebook page for updates. Catering and delivery also available.

Come and Get It! is located at 676 Queen Street West.  No reservations.

The post Come and Get It! on Queen St. West in Toronto appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Fonda Lola’s Signature Handheld Caesar Salad (Yes, the Caesar originated in Mexico!)

Jalapeno Candied Bacon:

-3 jalapenos, cut in half (without the stems)
-1/2 cup maple syrup (the real stuff!)
-About 15 slices of bacon

How to:

-Blend maple syrup and jalapenos in a food processor for about a minute. Lay bacon slices on baking pans and pour the jalapeno syrup mixture over them. Bake at 275F for an hour, then flip the bacon and bake for two more hours. Remove the bacon and cool it on paper towel. Once cool, break bacon up into half-strips.

Avocado Mousse:

-3 cloves minced garlic
-3 ripe, peeled avocados
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan
-1/4 cup olive oil
-Juice of 2- 3 lemons
-Salt + black pepper

How to:

-Blend garlic, avocados (without the pits!), Parmesan, lemon juice and oil in a food processor, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Salad:

-8 cups shredded romaine
-Avocado mousse

How to:

Toss shredded romaine in a bowl with about 1/2 cup of the avocado mousse.

To Finish:

-Lay out Boston lettuce leaves (wash, dry and separate them first)
-Place a big spoonful of the salad, a couple of strips of bacon and some Parmesan cheese shavings on each leaf.
-Roll them up and devour!

Fonda Lola is open daily for lunch and dinner and on Sundays for brunch.

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