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Keeping Louisville Weird: the Cherokee Art Fair

09 May 2011 - Toulouse LeTrek

View of Art Fair from Sparky's house

It was a week before the famed Kentucky Derby and I was in Louisville, visiting my “show dog” whippet friend, Sparky, in the Highlands (more on him in a later post). Sparky told me I was just in time for his big front yard party of over a thousand guests, two hundred artisans and tonnes of grilled food, ice cream and beer. I told him he didn’t have to go to all the trouble.

Well, he really didn’t, because Sparky lives on Cherokee Parkway and every April (a week before the derby) art lovers and artisans make their annual pilgrimage to this beautiful historic neighborhood, lined with mature sycamore, oak and maple trees. Thousands of people inundated Sparky’s elegant neighborhood to attend the 40th annual Cherokee Triangle Art Fair–right outside Sparky’s doorway! Some came from as far away as California…and Canada! Known for its large Victorian homes and eclectic architecture, Cherokee Triangle Historic District is a short walk away from funky Bardstown Road, home to a rich diversity of cool cafés, trendy restaurants, movie theatres, boutiques, and antique stores.

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Sparky's front yard!

The beautiful homes on Sparky’s street and in the Triangle reflect an eclectic mix of architectural styles like Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque, Neoclassical, Tudor Revival, Beaux Arts, among others. Sparky’s street lies next to Cherokee Park and Willow Park, which provide an urban oasis for cycling, picnics and—of course—walking your dog (more on Cherokee Park below).

The Cherokee Triangle Art Fair began in 1972 as a neighborhood plant exchange, organized by neighbors, friends and businesses. Profits from artist booth fees, food and drink and plant sales are invested back into community projects like restoring Willow Park, free summer concerts, and other worthy community activities.

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The entrance to Cherokee Park

This year over 220 artisan booths lined both sides of Cherokee Parkway and its adjacent lane, selling original eclectic arts and crafts that included pottery, clothing, leatherworks and metal works, kites, glass art, paintings, photography, furniture, and original jewelry made from exotic sources ranging from seeds and wood to rocks and old silverware. The fair also featured homemade spices, confectionaries, soaps, and other body products.

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Joann with her funky art

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Colorful spoons of Fountains and Funktinis

Joann Rawley of Fountains and Funktinis from Westlake Ohio featured colorful hand painted funky glassware, cutlery and other fun household items. Cappi Phillips of Moe’s Ache Studio in Bloomington Indiana featured beautiful mosaic tile work as wall art, sculptures and jewelry. Melissa Oesch of Re-Imagined was selling upcycled handmade journals, sketchbooks, and notebooks created from handmade paper and imaginative leather covers. I thought her use of old classic book covers that sandwiched blank paper—to write your own version of a classic—was a piece of creative genius. I picked up an old copy of “The Essentials of an Enduring Victory” and flipped through the blank pages, whiskers twitching with victorious possibilities. What a clever girl that Melissa was!

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A beaming Melissa shows Toulouse her cool books

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Barbara and Mellissa with cool purses

The mother and daughter team of Barbara and Mellissa Diersing of Designs by Mellississippi, created lovely accessories, such as purses and clocks, from classic cigar boxes with exotic satin interiors. “Accessorizing is the spice of life!” Mellissa said cheerfully. I heartily agreed. As we ambled away, I had to smile as Sparky leaned over and said, “I wonder what they did with all the cigars?”

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Rich Kolb with his prize horse

Rich Kolb of Yardbirds Classic in Louisville cannibalizes old bike and car parts (to name a few sources) to create funky metal art and useful garden and household items like the splendid race horse he is standing next to. I looked over from a creative wine rack using a bicycle chain to where Sparky was pointing to a paperweight-card holder made from a spark plug. Sparky tilted his head at me with his signature toothy grin and I chuckled. Good find, Sparks! I thought.

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Cappi stands by her mosaic tile art

Diane and Chuck Geier of The New Homestead are silverware artists, who’ve taken old silverware and converted them into funky artful household items, mobile art, necklaces and other fanciful jewelry. I examined exotic pendants as teapots swung in the wind above me, and felt a bit like Alice…

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High stepping to Cosa Seria

I was starting to think I should have taken the red pill when I bumped into Sparky who’d come to a dead halt. He sniffed the air as if he was tasting it; or devouring it…

I thought he’d spotted one of the bazillion squirrels that live in luxury squirrel condos in this posh neighborhood but there was no squirrel in site. “Do you smell that?” he asked me. Then he grinned that famous whippet grin of his. “Food!”

I was a little annoyed that he’d beaten me to it. He is a sight hound, after all; not a scent hound. We followed the tantalizing smoky aroma of grilled pork and beef BBC brisket to Willow Park where I downed several bratwursts with European mustard on rye bread and Sparky gobbled his BBQ brisket.

Cosa Seria

The meals slid down easily with a couple of mimosas as we watched locals high-step to the energetic tunes of Cosa Seria, an 8-piece Latin powerhouse of Salsa-Timba fusion and other contemporary Latin rhythms from Cuba, the U.S. and Panama.

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Highland squirrel's cozy condo suite

Considering the scenic 400-acre park, tree-filled classy neighborhood and general amenities, I’ve decided to come back in my next life as a squirrel in the Highlands! Meow… :-3

Contact Info:

Designs by Mellississippi: www.cigarboxart.net

Fountains and Funktinis: www.bejoart.com; funktini@yahoo.com

Re-Imagined: www.reimagindonline.com; reimaginedbyluna@gmail.com

Moe’s Ache Studio: www.MoesAche.com

Yardbirds Original Whimsy Classic: customerservice@yardbirds.info

The New Homestead: www.thenwewhomestead.com

Cherokee Park and the tornado Super Outbreak:

Cherokee Park

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the 409-acre park, which includes Beargrass Creek (a tributary of the Ohio River) was severely damaged in April of 1974 by the tornado Super Outbreak, an F4 on the Fujita scale. A massive re-planting effort was undertaken to replace the thousands of mature trees destroyed by the tornado. The Super Outbreak is the second largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period. 148 tornadoes were confirmed in 13 US states over a two day period.

Six F5 and 24 F4 tornadoes swept over Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and New York. Even the Canadian province of Ontario was affected. The tornadoes cut a swath over 2,600 miles. Frustrated forecasters in Indiana, unable to keep up with all of the simultaneous tornado activity, put the entire state of Indiana under a blanket tornado warning, making it the first and only time in U.S. history that an entire state was under a tornado warning.

This site is powered by donations. For your reading pleasure I do not clutter it with advertizing; nor do I charge any of these fine establishments, events, places or people for my reviews. If you are a patron who enjoys my articles or at the receiving end of one of my reviews you can show your appreciation with a donation (see right top sidebar).

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Romania’s Brâncusi in Paris and New York

19 Feb 2011 - Toulouse LeTrek

Brancusi's Sleeping Muse

“Ce qui est réel n’est pas l’apparence mais l’idée, l’essence des choses.”—Constantin Brâncusi

Today Google is celebrating the 135th birthday of Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncusi (1876-1957) with a doodle that features seven of his sculptures.

Brancusi was born February 19, 1876 in Romania and died March 16, 1957 in Paris, my hometown.Brâncusi is considered one of the founding figures of modern sculpture and one of the most original artists of the twentieth-century. His groundbreaking carvings introduced abstraction and primitivism into sculpture for the first time, and were as important as Picasso’s paintings to the development of modern art.

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Brancusi's sculptures googled

Brâncusi grew up in the village of Hobisa Romania, close to Romania’s Carpathian Mountains, an area rich in a tradition of folk crafts, particularly woodcarving. Geometric patterns of the region are can be seen in his later works.

His parents were poor peasants who earned a meager living through hard labor. As a boy Constantin herded the family’s flock of sheep. He showed talent for carving objects out of wood, and often ran away from home to escape the bullying of his father and older brothers.

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Constantin Brancusi

Brâncusi trained initially as a carpenter and stonemason. When Brâncusi was 18, an industrialist, impressed by Brâncusi’s talent for carving, entered him in the Craiova School of Arts and Crafts (Scoala de meserii), where he pursued his love for woodworking. He graduated with honors in 1898, then enrolled in the Bucharest School of Fine Arts, where he received academic training in sculpture. One of his earliest surviving works, under the guidance of his anatomy teacher, Dimitrie Gerota, is a masterfully rendered écorché (statue of a man with skin removed to reveal the muscles underneath) which was exhibited at the Romanian Athenaeum in 1903. Though just an anatomical study, it foreshadowed the sculptor’s later efforts to reveal essence rather than merely copy outward appearance.

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Toulouse relaxes by the Seine with Notre Dame behind

Eventually Brâncusi traveled to Munich and then settled in Paris in 1904, where the avant-garde community of intellectuals and artists openly welcomed him. He worked for two years in the workshop of Antonin Mercié of the École des Beaux-Arts, and was invited to enter the workshop of Auguste Rodin. Even though he admired the eminent Rodin he left the Rodin studio after only two months, saying, “Nothing can grow under big trees.”

Drawing inspiration from African and oriental art in addition to Rodin’s work, Brâncusi found his own unique voice in the simple form. Reminiscent of the clean poetic strokes of Canadian Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris, Brâncusi was a “purist” who sought to reduce his art to a few basic elements. His art was subtle yet complex, like a deep pool waiting to embrace you. Complexity lay coiled inside each polished piece, poised to reveal the poetry of its deepest intimacy. “Witness the studied serenity and distilled eroticism of Sleeping Muse,” proclaimed Nicola Hodge and Libby Anson in their book World’s Greatest and Most Popular Artists and Their Works. This 1910 bronze (pictured above) can be viewed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York—another one of my favorite places—and maybe one of yours.

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Toulouse enjoys the Met in NYC

A reconstruction of Brâncusi’s studio in Paris is open to the public. The Brâncusi Atelier lies near the Pompidou Centre, in the rue Rambuteau. It’s worth a trip and while you’re at it, check out the Pompidou Centre.

Brâncusi’s sculptures are very fetching; what I mean is they fetch a great deal! In 2002, one of his sculptures named Danaide sold for $18.1 million. It was the highest that a sculpture piece had ever sold for at auction. In May 2005 one of his pieces from Bird in Space broke that record, selling for $27.5 million in a Christie’s auction. Then in February 2009 in the Yves Saint Laurent/Pierre Bergé sale his sculpture Madame L.R. sold for €29.185 million ($37.2 million), setting a new historical record. Well, don’t look at me. I didn’t buy it…(but I know who did…meow)!

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Brancusi's Le Baiser (The Kiss)

I’m Toulouse LeTrek, the COOL Travel Cat! Meow…

“Munceste ca un sclav, porunceste ca un rege, creeazs ca un zeu.” (work like a slave, command like a king, create like a god)– Constantin Brâncusi

This site is powered by donations. For your reading pleasure I do not clutter it with advertizing; nor do I charge any of these fine establishments, events or places for my reviews. If you are a patron who enjoys my articles or at the receiving end of one of my reviews you can show your appreciation with a donation (see right top sidebar).

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Hal-Con and the Classy Lord Nelson Hotel

03 Nov 2010 - Toulouse LeTrek

Lobby of the Lord Nelson Hotel

I spent last weekend at the elegant Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax, transformed for one fantastical weekend into a galactic royal palace. You see, the Lord Nelson Hotel hosted Hal-Con , Halifax’s prime science fiction / fantasy / comic & gaming convention, which has returned this year—after an over-decade hiatus—to a sell-out crowd of enthusiastic fans.

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Boba Fett, Carmen Sandiego and various jedi warriors mingle in the lobby

Over 1,200 fans poured into the spacious lobby on Halloween Friday night, forming a moving sea of elaborately costumed SF and Fantasy characters beneath its sparkling chandeliers. It looked like Premiere night at the Hollywood Bowl only on Antilles Seven. Throughout the entire weekend, characters from Doctor Who, Star Wars,

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"Enterprise" Babes look after Toulouse

Star Trek, and Iron Man—just to name a few universes— milled about, entertaining hotel guests in the elevators, hallways, lobbies and pub. The staff joyfully embraced these strange and wonderful “aliens” with their typical charming maritime hospitality.

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Toulouse and Wolverine talk "hair"

Named after England’s greatest naval hero, Horatio Nelson, the Lord Nelson is Halifax’s most historic hotel and frequently hosts royalty, politicians and celebrities from all over the world. Besides the galactic celebrities such as Doctor Who, Boba Fett, Darth Vader and Princess Leia, the hotel has seen its share of Earthly celebrities like the

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Sterling, Dalek, Ramona and Milan discuss Dr. Who with Toulouse

Rolling Stones, Keith Urban, Anne Murray, Jerry Seinfeld, Ozzy Osbourne and Paul McCartney. The walls of the Lord Nelson were built of bluenose brick with an ornate frame and Nova Scotia trip. The hotel closest in style to the Lord Nelson Hotel at the time of construction was the Van Curler Hotel at Schenectady, New York, which was built for the General Electric Company.

As I wandered the hallways and the

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Toulouse jokes with the Good Ferry to bemused Trecky

splendid lobby of the hotel, I met up with old friends and made new ones. I met Ramona and her two sons, Sterling and Milan—both gifted writers and illustrators from Nova Scotia—at the book fair. We met at the Nova Scotia Writer’s Federation table, where Nina was selling her books, and ended up at the Victoria Arms Pub to discuss fascinating topics like the role of the artist, Schumann’s Resonance, Halo 3, and why green smoothies are good for you.

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Walter Koenig mugs with Toulouse

Good friend Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov in the original Star Trek series, found me sampling some of the delightful hors d’oeuvres in the Georgian Room during the VIP event. We talked about his new project with Bluewater Comics to create a cool comic series called “Things to Come”. I asked him how he felt about it. “I’m very pleased,” Koenig said. “I anticipate an exciting professional relationship and the opportunity to tell stories with style and artistry.” He told me that the comic mini-series will provide a fresh perspective on a post-apocalyptic world in which vampires are the dominant species.

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Toulouse in a pickle

Many hors d’oeuvres later, several of us headed into the Victoria Arms Pub to have a drink. As we approached it, a rabble of storm troopers spilled out of the pub.

“Look at this Cool Cat!” One of them pointed at me. A greasy smile slid across his face… Well, I imagined the smile through his helmet from his surly voice… “Wonder what would happen to it if we flushed it into space?” He turned to his cronies with a guffaw. “Would it blow up?”

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Robert and Toulouse discuss how "size matters not"

“Nothing would happen,” I said, betraying a huffy voice at being called an ‘it’. “I’m a stuffed cat.” Then I added under my breath, “moron.”

He must have had enhanced hearing through his helmet, because his head jerked forward…Oops… Before I knew it, I was facing the muzzle of his gun.

“What did you say?…” he growled.

Luckily for me, Robert Maillet (the big guy in Sherlock Holmes) loomed up from nowhere and plucked me out of the brute’s grasp.

“Excusez moi,” he said in lyrical French. “C’est mon ami, qui je n’ai pas vu dans longtemps!” Then, with a bow, he offered to escort me into the restaurant. The storm troopers, who were a little short compared to Robert, quickly shuffled aside with lame smiles. Robert is easily seven feet tall and looks fierce at the best of times.

Once seated at the bar, he looked down at me with a curious smile.

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The Victoria Arms Pub

“You have a propensity to incite disturbance,” he said. “I remember Paris.”

I smiled in silence at his reference to our university days at the Sorbonne and ordered a Guinness for everyone. Yes, Paris, my favorite city… After a few beers, we were joyfully discussing the cosmology of diversity and how this elegant hotel served as a nexus for a motley gathering of galactic characters, all celebrating life in all its facets. Even storm troopers… :-3

We spent three days in the alternate reality of sci-fi/fantasy; visiting, eating, drinking, learning about anime and cosplay, playing Geek Jeopardy and discussing galactic politics over red wine. It was all great fun. I met so many old friends and new ones too in an atmosphere of great camaraderie.

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Toulouse enjoys gourmet soup at the Victoria Arms

Special guests also included Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbet, P.J. Haarsma, Coner McCreery, Drakina Muse, Matthew LeDrew, Kenneth Tam, Ellen Curtis, David C. Rhind, Sherry Ramsey and my friend Nina Munteanu, who gave a lecture on “the Hero’s Journey” and talked about “following your bliss”. She also launched her new book Angel of Chaos at Hal-Con. Congratulations, Nina! After her launch reception in which she handed out Bliss Chocolates, Nina and I met in the pub and shared a few Guinness beers and a splendid cream of cauliflower and roasted bacon soup accompanied with the Arms’ signature homestyle biscuits.

As my eyes swept the pub, gleaming with happy “alien life”, I was

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Toulouse thoroughly enjoys his Guinness

reminded of the Cantina scene in Star Wars that featured a bevy of wild and wonderful creatures drinking and cavorting.

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Dayna and Jenny take good care of Lord Nelson guests

I’m definitely coming back here, perhaps when the place has returned to Earth. Meow…

But for now, I’m the COOL Galactic Travel Cat…

May the Force be With You… Moew… :-3

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Toronto Adventures: The McMichael Art Gallery and the Group of Seven in Kleinburg

10 Sep 2010 - Toulouse LeTrek

Main Street Kleinburg

Are these new Canadian painters crazy?—Bridle, Canadian Courier 1920

I was looking for adventure away from the typical tourist route and borrowed a ride north on Islington Avenue all the way to the village of Kleinburg, about 50 km northwest of Toronto. This charming tourist destination forms a pleasant lacework of outdoor cafés, bistros, and ice cream parlors guaranteed to taunt, titillate and treat. I decided to taste my way along Main Street, ambling from café to gift shop and café again.

The village nestles amid rolling hills between two branches of the Humber River and is surrounded by agricultural land. John Kline, a German/Canadian settler, founded Kleinburg, which translates to “small town.” In truth, Kleinburg could equally be named after its landscape (in which case it would have to be spelled “Kleinberg” for “small mountain”). Kleinburg’s annual fall festival called Binder Twine has its roots in the town’s agricultural history and draws 25,000 people each year. The village has attracted many affluent visitors and residents, including Canadian author Pierre Burton and Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. Kleinburg is also the home of Toronto International Film Studios and a popular locationAugustus

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A.Y. Jackson's Red Maple

for shooting films and TV shows.

On the south end of town I steered off Main Street along a winding road through lush forest to the cloistered McMichael Art Gallery. The gallery is devoted to Canadian art and is the spiritual home of the Group of Seven. It was founded by Robert and Signe McMichael, who began collecting paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries in 1955.

I entered the high-ceilinged lobby where master native carver Don Yeomans had created an eclectic totem pole entitled “Where Cultures Meet”. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that he’d carved a laptop as the “foundation” of the totem.

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White Pine by Tom Thomson

Whiskers tingling, I passed the glass doors into the Group of Seven exhibit and stilled my breaths: I was in the presence of magnificence. There they were: the sweeping, bold strokes of Lawren S. Harris, J.E.H. MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, Frederick Varley, Frank Johnston, Franklin Carmichael and A.Y. Jackson.

The Group of Seven contributed significantly to the identity of “Canadian Art” during the early 20^th Century. They clearly helped define the Canadian “persona” and its rugged landscape when their “exotic” art exploded to equal applause and condemnation in a May 1920 exhibit in Toronto—not unlike the reception received by the French Impressionists in the late 19^th Century when their art first appeared in Paris. The Group was initially drawn together by a common sense of frustration with the conservative and imitative quality of most Canadian art at the time. As with the European fin de siècle symbolists and post-impressionists, the Group rebelled against the constraints of 19th-century naturalism in Canada.

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Mountain by Lawren Harris

Just as with the Impressionists before them, The Group shifted their emphasis from the conservative imitation of the natural towards the expression of their feelings for the natural.

The Group of Seven blended the palettes of Art Nouveau, Neo-Impressionism, and Fauvism into a genuine celebration of the unique Canadian wilderness. It was a kind of “primitive” style that matched the equally primitive landscape they had chosen to capture. They used broad brush strokes with liberal application of paint to portray the wild beauty and vibrant color of the Ontario landscape. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the art of Tom Thomson, who died in 1917 (before the inaugural Group of Seven exhibit) but who has remained synonymous with the Group of Seven. An avid outdoorsman, Thompson incited A.Y. Jackson, Frederick Varley and Arthur Lismer, to paint the unkempt and unruly part of Canada with bold displays of feeling.

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A hard choice for Toulouse!

With time, Harris, MacDonald, Carmichael and even Varley simplified their colors and layouts, using thin pigment and stylized designs. By the mid-1920s Harris had simplified his paintings into monochromatic forms and ventured into abstraction soon after.

Viewing art always makes me hungry. I celebrated my tour of the Group of Seven with a fine lunch on the patio of the Gallery Café, where waiter Sayima Kaya served me a tender and flavorful maple-pommery glazed Atlantic salmon, served on buttery mashed potatoes and garnished with roasted green beans. I selected a Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, whose intense aroma and sparkling taste of Golden Delicious apples danced a wonderful tango with the wild salmon dish.

From the gallery, I strolled along Main Street and something made me stop at Desserts of Distinction. Of course, my superior nose and whiskers had steered me right. Maria Montinaro, the owner of the café, served me a decent Americano and a raspberry and chocolate mousse tart with

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Toulouse emerges with his Prize

cassis (black currant) nappage gélatine. The Black currant glaze topping was drizzled with white chocolate drops and fresh berries. I sipped my Americano and savored the cassis tart, which had my whiskers stand on end. The tart was not overly sweet, which allowed the vivacious notes of black currant and fresh raspberry to emerge through the creamy chocolate. The chocolate mousse tart was only one of many delectable pastries, tarts and pies offered at Desserts of Distinction.

The quaint village of Kleinburg provides a full day of Canadian fine art and culture, augmented with a pleasant stroll through history and a fine dining experience. Don’t miss the dessert!

See, taste and linger. And tell Maria that Toulouse sent you!

Contact Information: Desserts of Distinction is located on 10462 Islington Avenue, #3, Kleinburg, Ontario; www.dolcini.ca

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Toronto Adventures: Get Sizzling at the Hot House Café

28 Aug 2010 - Toulouse LeTrek

The Hot House Cafe with view of Flatiron Building

Shortly after I reached Toronto, I looked up an old British friend of mine, Pigcat—now residing near High Park in West Toronto. She invited me to the Hothouse Café next to the St. Lawrence market in downtown Toronto for lunch and to reminisce over a classy “hot” meal; she knew my tastes in food!

Pigcat isn’t her real name. Her human companion, Vanessa, calls her “Cat Teddy”. But Vanessa doesn’t know about Pigcat’s old friendship with me, and the endearing nickname she’d come by in her community due to the obvious…(little cat grin). I’d met Pigcat during my travels, when she was still in the UK, living in Brighton, West Sussex, where our mutual passion for travel, fine dining and dark chocolate cemented a long-lasting friendship. I was overjoyed to see her again here in Toronto.

Elinor, the smartly-dressed and graceful Maitre-d and general manager, welcomed us with a warm smile and took us to

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Toulouse meets an old friend

our seats in the enclosed patio beneath one of the colorful umbrellas with a view of the historic Saint Lawrence neighborhood. After a lively discussion about cats, loyal companions and Stonehenge, Elinor left us to make our choices.

As Pigcat peered intensely at her menu, I gazed past the diaphanous fan of black locust trees to the rust-colored four and a half-storey Gooderham Building (Flatiron building), a wedge-shaped work of art that stands at the apex of Front, Wellington and Church Streets like the bow of a great ship. Designed by architect David Roberts Jr., the building was erected in 1892 to house the headquarters of George Gooderham’s large industrial and commercial empire. This Victorian building reflects a gothic revival and Romanesque style and predates the iconic Flatiron Building in New York by a decade. It is arguably the most photographed building in Toronto. Prominent features include the copper roof, decorative dormers, tower with ogee arch windows, textured façade and zig-zag fire escape stairway, which reminded me of the Chelsea district of New York City. My eyes were drawn to the contrasting but pleasing backdrop of the modern Toronto skyscraper skyline with the trendy retro funk of Old Town, one of the best-preserved 19^th century commercial blocks in the city. What an ideal place to dine, I thought, and was reminded of a café’ I used to frequent at Place Saint-Michel in Paris with a view past plane trees to the fountain of Saint-Michel slaying the devil.

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Toulouse savors his delicious meal

Krystel, our waitress, took our order. I chose the Sicilian Gnocchi, elegant hand-made potato dumplings with cremini mushrooms and pancetta bacon, swimming in a gorgonzola cream sauce that married elegant flavors with the zest of garlic and basil. The gnocchi came with a colorful mixed vegetable dish, cooked to perfect texture. I selected a 2008 Fontamara Pinot Griggio (Abruzzo, Italy) from their eclectic wine list. The Fontamara, with its sweet aroma and notes of peach and apple on a fresh acidic backbone, was ideal for the warm sunny day. Pigcat ordered the Black Aberdeen Angus Rib Eye steak, grilled to her exact specification and topped with a slab of porcini butter. She wisely chose a Guinness with it. I had fun watching her meow little sighing breaths with each juicy bite she took. It was the best steak she’d had in years—possibly ever! declared Pigcat. The café staff pride themselves on the consistent excellence of its signature soups, salads, entrés, pastas, gourmet pizettes, sandwiches and burgers and vegetarian dishes. Oh, and exquisite deserts and coffees!

Five minutes later, the suave and charming owner of the cafe, Andrew Laffey—a young Cary Grant look-a-like —arrived with a beaming smile.

“I just had to meet Toulouse!” he said, extending his hand in greeting.

Between the main course and dessert, he and wife, Elinor, the general manager of the café, treated me to a tour of their cool—well, hot!— restaurant.

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Owners Andrew, hostess Aaron and Elinor enjoy lively discussion with Toulouse

They had commissioned architect Dermet Sweeny to create the Hot House Café with a spacious art-nouveau European look, including multi-levels and high ceilings with drop lights and hardwood floors. The café was brightly elegant, from the stylized “clean”art of Russian artist Leon Belsky on the walls to the avant-garde interior design of Mary Winefield that included displays of vintage wines and spices, rich furniture and colours with clean lines. The place blended nicely into the “persona” of the trendy Old Town/art-nouveau look of the St Lawrence Market neighborhood.

During my tour, Elinor took me round to the back of the restaurant, which housed several elegant rooms used for lunch meetings , workshops and mini-conferences. We then sidled past the bar run by the indominable Kevin, who can serve up practically anything from a Taylor Fladgate 20 year old Tawny Port to a HotHouse Martini, which consists of pomegranate and green tea liqueurs, pomegranate blueberry juice and fresh lemonade. Now, that’s HOT!

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Elinor gives Toulouse the special tour

Returned to the patio, I rejoined the patient Pigcat and we rounded out our culinary experience with a coffee and dessert. I ordered an espresso with the dessert we decided to share. It was a toss up between the tiramisu and the molten chocolate cake and guess which won out. Yup. Drizzled with fresh raspberries and a fudge sauce, Pigcat and I proceeded to dig into our delicious chocolate “volcano”. The inside scintillated with a molten chocolate lava that flowed over dark cake into a sea of fudge. OMG! … Meow… :-3

Now I know why it’s called the Hot House Café! The Hot House Café is open for lunch, dinner and late nights, serving up consistently wonderful food and an eclectic choice of wines and beers by friendly and efficient staff. Known particularly for their awesome Sunday brunches and pasta dishes and desserts, their clientele ranges from the Bay Street set to Leafs fans, area residents & theatre patrons. What’s there not to like! Go check it out and agree… meow… Oh, and say hi to Andrew, Elinor, Aaron and Krystel for me!

toulouse dessert espresso edited 1 web 300x199 Toronto Adventures: Get Sizzling at the Hot House Café

Toulouse enjoys a "molten" experience

I’m Toulouse LeTrek, the COOL Travel Cat!

Contact Information: The Hot House Café is located on the corner of Church and Front Street in Market Square (35 Church Street) Toronto, Ontario; 416-366-7800; www.hothousecafe.com. The Hot House Café is open from 11 am

toulouse pigcat dessert cropped web 284x300 Toronto Adventures: Get Sizzling at the Hot House Café

Toulouse shares molten ambrosia with Pigcat

until 11 pm on weekdays and 1:00 am on weekends, including from brunch (9:30 am) to 11 pm on Sundays.

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Archive for the Category » Art and Culture «

Keeping Louisville Weird: the Cherokee Art Fair

Romania’s Brâncusi in Paris and New York

Hal-Con and the Classy Lord Nelson Hotel

Toronto Adventures: The McMichael Art Gallery and the Group of Seven in Kleinburg

Toronto Adventures: Get Sizzling at the Hot House Café

Help Send Toulouse To Patagonia

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