Taste of Toronto

True foodies will tell you that of all the many food festivals that Toronto has to offer, Taste of Toronto is by far the best. What's in store at the festival? The crème de la crème of Toronto's chefs will be serving their world class cuisine al fresco, master classes will be offered and muscicians will entertainer festival-goers. 

Celebrity chefs Alvin Leung of Master Chef Canada, Lynn Crawford of Ruby Watchco, Carl Heinrich of Richmond Station and many more chefs will be at the festival this year to impress you with their culinary delights. Feast on a choice of 50 menu items including Splendido's braised pork belly, Byblos' charcoal-grilled lamb and Montecito's vanilla panna cotta. With an array of scrumptious dishes to choose from, Taste of Toronto will be sure to tantalize your taste buds! 

Taste of Toronto comes to town on Thursday, July 2 and runs until Sunday, July 5 at Fort York. Tickets are $19 - $25 in advance and $30 at the door. 

For further information and to purchase tickets, visit tasteoftoronto.com. 

Woman to Woman Lunch in the Garden

The Toronto Botanical Garden celebrated its 5th annual Woman to Woman Lunch in the Gardenparty and the event was quite a fancy affair. The TBG provided a lush and gorgeous setting for the fundraising soiree. The elegant and dynamic Tre Armstrong hosted the event and encouraged female bonding and sisterhood. 

Women looked lovely in their fanciest frocks, fashionable fascinators and larger than life hats. 

Some ladies even made their own creations and competed in the Hat and Fascinator Competition. Partygoers bid on luxurious items, like overnight getaways and fashion accessories at the silent auction. 

I mingled with other women and enjoyed refreshing summer cocktails. 

I feasted on delectable hors d'oeuvres and delicate desserts at the Heathbridge Dessert Lounge. My favourite bites included the floating dessert spoons and pineapple cake.

Sunny weather made for an enjoyable afternoon at the TBG. I plan on exploring more of the TBG, which spans nearly four acres and offers garden tours, nature day camps and has an extensive horticultural library. This summer, visit the TBG and be inspired by the beauty of nature and its peaceful surroundings.

To learn more about the Toronto Botanical Garden, please visit torontobotanicalgarden.ca.

Taste of Little Italy

What I love most about summertime in Toronto is the variety of festivals that our vibrant city hosts. Whether you are a music, food or book lover, there are a number of interesting festivals that will cater to your interests. 

Summer is just around the corner and the Barilla Taste of Little Italy begins on June 19. This year, the festival will be combined with the CHIN Picnic. In addition to snacking on delicious Italian dishes, visitors can enjoy live bands featuring Italian, Portuguese, Brazilian and Spanish music. Artisans will delight visitors by showcasing their crafts and products.

Enjoy samples of Barilla pasta, celebrate Italian culture and live 'la dolce vita' at the Taste of Little Italy! 

The Barilla Taste of Little Italy runs from June 19 - 21 outdoors on College Street between Bathurst Street and Shaw Street. 

For further information, visit tasteoflittleitaly.com.   

The Stop's Night Market

Photo: The Stop's Night Market

On Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17, The Stop Community Food Centre will host its annual Night Market fundraising event to support its crucial anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs. With gourmet food and drink being served mixed with live musical entertainment, The Stop Night Market promises to be a great success. 

Over 48 food and beverage vendors will be available to serve eager ticketholders. I am most looking forward to sampling culinary creations and libations from Dailo, Momofuku Shoto, Whippoorwill and Mailvoire Wine. 

The Stop's Night Market will be held in the Junction at 181 Sterling Road. Tickets are available online for $100 plus tax, which include unlimited food and drink.

Celebrate the best of Toronto's food scene and street entertainment while supporting a noble cause. 

Vegan and vegetarian friendly event. 
Must be 19+. 
To purchase tickets and for more information, visit: nightmarket.thestop.org.

Theatre Review - Titanic: The Musical

I remember watching James Cameron's blockbuster film, Titanic and being awestruck by the sheer magnitude of the disaster that befell its passengers. It truly was a film of epic proportions with a classic love story and I was curious to see how the Tony-Award winning show, Titanic: The Musical would be staged. Jack and Rose are not part of the musical's storyline, but the legend has inspired many films, books, and plays. 

Written and composed by Maury Yeston, Titanic: The Musical is haunting and evokes great emotion. The RMS Titanic was thought to be unsinkable and many wealthy families wanted to be among the first to sail on her maiden voyage. One of the fictional passengers, Alice (Celia Graham) from a second class cabin tries desperately to hobnob with society's upper crust. As a bubbly storyteller and gossip, she gives us the background of each wealthy couple. 

A star of the operatic stage, Ben Heppner plays Isidor Straus, one of the many ill-fated passengers on the ship. He was the co-owner of Macy's department store and a prominent politician. Heppner possesses a commanding presence and his extraordinary vocal ability is impressive. I also enjoyedClaire Marlowe's performance. Marlowe plays a rich, young lady named Caroline, who is running away to America with a man significantly less well off than she is. The tone of her voice is crystal clear and she exudes elegance and charm. 

Strangers from the third class cabin introduce themselves to each other and sing about their anticipation and excitement to immigrate to America, where "the streets are paved with gold". At the start of the show, there is an infectious spirit of enthusiasm and excitement as we learn of the hopes and dreams of both rich and poor. Love stories of newfound romance among youth and devotion and loyalty displayed by the elderly are very touching and celebrate the human condition. Towards the tragic ending, there is a sense of great urgency among the crew and passengers and is also ever present as a musical motif in the Yeston's brilliant score. 

While the heart of the story is compelling with actors delivering strong performances, some of the production values, including the set and costumes, were lacking in refinement and creativity. I did not get the sense that Titanic was a grand, sprawling floating city. The lacklustre, barebones set includes three ladders and a second level deck on stage. There is very little variety among costumes and the garments of the first-class passengers are far from extravagant. However, the musical showcases a myriad of raw emotions that the real victims and survivors of the disastrous voyage must have experienced. The vocal ability of the cast is among the most impressive I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. 

There is a lot of nautical jargon used by the ship's commander, Captain Smith (Philip­ Rham) and owner, Ismay (Simon Green). My father, who accompanied me to the show, sailed as a marine engineer on cargo ships and was able to explain a lot of the terminology to me. Ismay tells Captain Smith that he wants to have the Titanic reach its destination of New York ahead of schedule to generate press for the remarkable vessel. To Captain Smith's dismay, he requests that the ship's speed be increased to 22.5 knots per hour. My father mentioned that even the most sophisticated and modern ships that he has sailed on do not travel at such high speeds. I was able to better comprehend the severity of how the Titanic collided with the iceberg.

Titanic: The Musical is emotionally stirring and a day after I saw the show, I was still thinking about the victims, survivors and the harrowing ordeal that they endured. You will experience a flurry of emotions as you see this show and listen to the cast's powerful voices as they singing Yeston's haunting score. 

Titanic: The Musical plays at the Princess of Wales Theatre until June 21, 2015.

Directed by: Thom Southerland

Written by: Maury Yeston

Book by: Peter Stone

Photos by: Cylla von Tiedemann