The Courvoisier Collective

Have you noticed the silhouette of Napoleon incorporated into a scannable QR code around billboards in Downtown Toronto? For those of you oblivious to advertisements, please see the photo above (courtesy of Media in Canada).

While QR Codes are exciting at first, their novelty wears off pretty quickly. Wouldn't it be a lot more interesting to stare at a piece of art done by a local Torontonian, while stuck in traffic on Adelaide Street West?

I think it would and so do the masterminds behind The Courvoisier Collective, a contest for local artists to submit pieces that explore the theme of "renewal" in relation to the revolutionary role of art.

Artists can either explore the capacity of art to revolutionize its own content and form, or, they can express art's potential to challenge the status quo, something which Napoleon succeeded in.

Courvoisier, a cognac devoted to craftsmanship and innovation, has always prided itself on revolutionizing the art of making cognac without compromising its nature. You can bet that the judging panel expects to see the same passion and revolutionary spirit in the winning artwork.

Art can be submitted through http://www.courvoisiercollective.com/ and voted on to gain billboard or gallery status!

The public can vote online for their favourite pieces, begining on July 15th and ending on August 5th.

Here are some more important dates:

July 8th: Deadline for submissions in order to be considered for "Billboard showcase" and prizing.

July 15th: Deadline for "Gallery Award" submissions. Submissions chosen by the public and judging panel will be included in an exhibit at Gallery 1313

July 15th - August 5th: Online public voting for the "Gallery Award" submissions. Voting can be done by visiting http://www.courvoisiercollective.com/

August 1st - 26th: Three winning "Billboard showcase" submissions displayed on high traffic Toronto billboards

August 5th - 8th: "Gallery Award" winners selected for display at Gallery 1313 in Parkdale

August 11th - September 4th: "Gallery Award" Exhibition at Gallery 1313

Submitted artwork can use such media as photography, painting, mixed media and printmaking. Submissions can easily be made by uploading an image in digital JPG, GIF, TIF, or PNG format.

Below are a few of my favourite pieces so far.

Make sure to visit http://www.courvoisiercollective.com/ and vote for your favourites too!

Artwork by Rob Mclelland

Artwork by Justin Broadbent
Artwork by Lynn Soehner

Bicycle Wine Rack

The perfect gift for the eco-conscience oenophile is finally here and just in time for Summer! This handmade leather bicycle rack makes it easy to buy wine on your way home from work without worrying about it breaking in your basket or bag.

Perfect for a romantic ride to the park, followed by a picnic in the grass, watching the sunset with your unscathed bottle of wine. Just make sure that you're not wobbly when you get back on your bike for the journey home!

The Bicycle Wine Rack is made in Montreal from recycled oil-treated vegetable tanned leather that gets better with age; hopefully the same can be said about the wine its holding. Available to puchase on Etsy.com for $30.

Basil Fawlty

In a recent post I talked about my adoration for summer beverages, specifically the Caesar, and my appreciation for inventive bartenders that add creative twists to classic concoctions. About a week after being smitten by the Caprese Caesar, I encountered the Basil Fawlty, which also left me utterly impressed, amused and a little bit buzzed...
The Basil Fawlty, named after John Cleese's character from the sitcom Fawlty Towers, may look like a minty mojito, but is actually comprised of gin instead of rum. It also contains orange blossom flower, lime juice and of course, plenty of fresh basil.

Drinking this beverage felt like frolicking in an English Garden and left me thirsty for more adventure. Fortunately, I was dining at Black Hoof, known for boundary pushing cuisine and deliciously daring drinks.

Another green summer drink worth sipping if you're not in the mood for alcohol, is Lemon & Green Tea from MangaJo, a company based out of the U.K.

I normally opt for water instead of flavoured beverages since the latter tend to be jam packed with sugar and artificial flavours. MangaJo's products however, have no added sugar and provide a refreshing way to quench your thirst on a hot summer's day.

Lemon & Green Tea are a delightful combo that provide antioxidants and caffeine to sharpen your mind when the sun casts its sluggish spell. Not to mention that the bottle is adorable and made out of glass instead of no good plastic. MangaJo also has other tasty flavours like Pomegranite & Green Tea, Acai- Berry & Green Tea and Goji-Berry and Green Tea. They're sold at Pusateri's in Toronto and retail for around $2.

It's Fiddlehead Season!

WooHoo! It's Fiddlehead season and to celebrate I made a salad based on a recipe from this month's LCBO Magazine. The recipe called for fresh fiddleheads (I got mine from the Sorauren Farmer's Market), feta and edamame. I added olives since they go so well with feta and offer a nice colour contrast to all the green. Pine Nuts would also act as a nice accompaniment.

Fiddleheads are an aquired taste (sort of like Asparagus) and to be frank they're not my #1 choice when it comes to green veggies but they look so cool and are really healthy so why not pick some up well they're in season? They also add a great hue to soups and pair well with leeks.

The Caprese Caesar

The Caprese Caesar, which I ordered at the bar on the 2nd floor of the Bell TIFF Lightbox, combines my favourite salad with my favourite drink, perfect for a pre-dinner meal (to wade off starvation) or any time you're craving cheese, as the drink is garnished with a bocconcini skewer, drizzled with balsamic and loaded with pieces of fresh basil!

Kudos to the barstaff at TIFF for extending the organization's mission of creativity to its beverages. The food at the bar was pretty good too.

If I come across anymore exciting variations of the classic caesar, I'll be sure to take some photos and keep you posted.









Photo taken using The Instagram app for the iPhone.

Ketel One Vodka

Two years ago, while living in Boston, a friend brought me a bottle of Ketel One Vodka, which he excitingly described as tasting better than Grey Goose but not being as expensive. I had heard about Ketel One and seen it at certain bars in the States, but was not too familiar with the product.

Last night I attended a vodka taste test at Kultura in Toronto, where I was informed that Ketel One is quite popular in America, extremely popular in London, England, but has only entered the Canadian market recently.

Since I"m the type to only drink vodka with Red Bull, I have never been able to distinguish between different vodkas and usually just buy Absolut, Smirnoff or Iceberg because they're all reasonably priced. So, I was very excited to attend a vodka taste test, especially since it was at the beautiful Kultura where the food looks and tastes even more outstanding than the gorgeous 2nd floor room in which we were seated.

We were told to smell each of the three vodkas presented in front of us before tasting them. The first one was Ketel One and it smelled like alcohol and had a slight burn.

The second vodka was Grey Goose which had an even stronger smell and stronger burn. Strange, I thought, since Grey Goose has always been marketed as an expensive, uber-premium vodka for the high rolling set.

Finally we tried Absolut, which didn't really smell like alcohol at all, but had a wretched taste accompanied by an intense burn that I needed to wash down with my complimentary Cosmo.

Once I could think clearly again, four important thoughts surfaced:

1) Thank God I had a chaser nearby

2) Never drinking Absolut again - it tastes like poison

3) Grey Goose has a genius marketing department

4) I'd like another Ketel One Cosmo, please

It's funny to think of all the extra money big spenders throw away on premium names like Grey Goose when they really aren't getting the best bang for their buck. That's not to say that Ketel One is cheap. It's still pricey but less expensive than Grey Goose and much better tasting.

Settling for nothing less than perfection, a member of the Nolet family (the family that started brand over 300 years ago) always tastes each batch of vodka to approve its release and its right to bear the Ketel One name.

As someone who cares about health and well being, its nice to know that what I'm putting into my body has been tried before and is regulated to meet high quality standards. Hopefully this equates to less of a hangover the following morning.

It would've been interesting to have been able to compare Ketel One with other high class vodkas like Belvedere, Pravda and organic labels. Until I do, I highly recommend drinking Ketel One, especially if you enjoy the finer things in life.

Matchstick Marketing, the company responsible for the vodka tasting event, is looking for feedback from anyone who may have seen my posting about Ketel One Vodka. If you click on the link below and complete the survey, you will be helping them by donating $2.00 to the Redwood Women's Shelter. Please click here to take their short feedback survey.

Thanks!

Organic Comfort Food

Sold at The Healthy Butcher, (2 locations in Toronto) this organic mac & cheese is one of the best out there.

I've eaten a lot of mac & cheese in my life and this one wins the award for interesting ingredients that don't detract from the original taste as many fancy mac & cheeses tend to do. Rather, the natural tastiness of mixing pasta with cheese is enhanced by using different smoky cheeses, organic bacon bits, caramalized onions, sun-dried tomatoes and crisp bread crumbs.

Absolutely delicious! At a reasonable price of $4.95 a portion, this mac & cheese is sure to please.

The Football Factory

Heads up soccer fans, The Football Factory is on its way to downtown Toronto.

What is The Football Factory? A google search indicated that it was a 2004 film based on an award winning novel. It is also the name of a bar/restaurant opening up down the street from where I live. The space is small and looks upscale with logos of a soccer ball dipped in a martini glass.

The interesting thing about this place is that there are no other bars located right near it. Sure you can walk north or south and be on either Queen or King Street but it is rare to see a nice looking bar on Bathurst sandwiched in between tiny houses and a homeless shelter.

Also, with a name like The Football Factory, it's hard to tell what image the bar is going for. They are still renovating the space but by peering through the window it appears to be an upscale lounge. Will The Football Factory be the first high end sports bar in Toronto? Is this the start of a new niche market? As an avid sports fan and martini drinker, I think that this combo is a wonderful idea and hope that it takes off.

I'll keep you posted on further developments when I return from my vacation in Montreal.

Celeb Spotlight

OK, so I'm not really into celebrity gossip but I have to admit that last night I was feeling a bit star struck after I ran into Scott Speedman! He was looking absolutely beautiful with his scruffy features, bright blue eyes and contagious smile. We spoke briefly about the club we were both at, his role on Felicity and why Toronto is better than L.A.

Where did I spot this attractive actor? I'm not telling. Apparently he goes to this club a lot and I don't want to give away his safe haven to any stalkers out there. However, if you do read my blog on a regular basis, you should be able to figure out where we were, as it's a club that I frequent quite often and always has very talented DJ's spinning.





Earlier in the evening, I had a taste for curly haired hotness while at an event with the Toronto celebrity chef, Jamie Kennedy. Also, a blue eyed beauty, this renowned restauranteur, was preparing a large meal made from all local and organic ingredients to benefit the development of Brickworks, an environmental oasis where he will be opening another restaurant.


His current empire includes: The Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar, Jamie Kennedy Gardiner (at the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art) and Gilead, a new cafe in Toronto's King East neighbourhood. Unfortunately I forgot to ask him what his new eatery will be called, but it will be more of a casual joint, in order to fit in with the community vibe that Brickworks is going for.

Quizno's Goes Greek!

Other than the all day beach parties and breathtaking scenery, my favourite part of Greece was the food. Gyros, Greek Salads and crepes kept my tummy satisfied and provided a solid foundation for shots of Ouzo.

You can probably imagine my delight when Quizno's, my favourite fast food joint, came out with the Tzatziki Chicken sandwich. I tried one today and for a fleeting moment, felt like I was back in that blissful Mediterranean paradise. Lucky for me, there's a Quizno's within a 2 minute walk of my kitchen. Opa!