Nearly 3,000 people packed into the sold-out Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, Canada, to witness Roman Catholic convert Tony Blair and charismatic, cancer-stricken skeptic Christopher Hitchens engage in a philosophical debate on whether “religion is a…

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Hitchens Beats Blair in Religion Debate

Nearly 3,000 people packed into the sold-out Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, Canada, to witness Roman Catholic convert Tony Blair and charismatic, cancer-stricken skeptic Christopher Hitchens engage in a philosophical debate on whether “religion is a…

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Hitchens Beats Blair in Religion Debate

Take that, Saw IV. Danny Boyle’s film about the hiker who rescued himself by amputating his own arm has been causing viewers to faint. Two faintings were reported at screenings of 127 Hours, which stars James Franco, at Telluride; three at Toronto; one…

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127 Hours Causes Audiences to Faint

How an iconic Canadian parka company is taking their handmade parkas in a new direction Nothing quite signifies cold like the image of a bundled-up kid with arms splayed to the sides. For those who’d rather minimize the bulk and unnatural limb positions, Canada Goose is in the midst of reinventing their typically function-over-fashion parka with more street-ready style. When the brand recently invited Cool Hunting on a tour of its factory in Toronto, we went along to learn all about their iconic parkas. Canada Goose’s appeal rests on two pertinent facts—the jackets are made entirely on Canadian soil by Canadian hands and the quality is irrefutable—a process we saw first-hand on Canada Goose’s factory floor. Starting in the design room, cutting patterns are developed and prototypes are stored. The jackets are cut out of Canada Goose’s proprietary blend of Arctic-Tech fabric, in one of their several heritage colors. They’re then stitched by hand and filled with different combinations of goose and duck down, using an ingenious device invented by former Canada Goose owner David Reiss that measures down by volume instead of weight. After finishing touches, quilting and trimming with coyote fur, the jackets are packaged, and shipped all over the globe from one of Canada Goose’s eight factories. Each jacket features Canada Goose’s signature design features, implemented for function in an Arctic environment—reflective tape, coyote fur, and grab loops on the neck and shoulders. Their parkas are standard wear among everyone who has to work in extreme temperatures, from Hollywood grips who stay on set all night to the champion dog-musher Lance Mackey , whose custom-designed parka has extra water bottle pockets on the interior and an extra-large ruff. Their reputation for quality—as well as their luxury prices—have made the jacket something of a status symbol among those in colder climes. Along with the police officers and park rangers whom the parka was originally intended for, Canada Goose also includes club bouncers among its fans, and its street appeal spread from there. With that in mind, Canada Goose has started developing different branches for this year, including jackets by acclaimed Japanese menswear designer Yuki Matsuda (pictured below) and a new Hybridge line, which we previously featured for its distinct gender-specific insulation. Prices range from $400 for the Hybridge line to several thousand for the Yuki Matsuda collection. Canada Goose parkas sell online or at select locations .

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Canada Goose Factory Tour

A Toronto anaesthetist is accused of sexually assaulting 29 women under his care, police in the Canadian city say.

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Canada doctor faces sex charges

An ex-beauty queen’s kidnapping and cloning escapades in Errol Morris’ latest doc With a former beauty queen accused of kidnapping and rape as a subject, Errol Morris’ latest documentary, ” Tabloid ,” has all the makings of an episode of “America’s Most Wanted.” But those familiar with Morris’ work (Vernon, Florida, The Thin Blue Line, Fast, Cheap and Out of Control) know that the auteur is interested in more than the sensationally lurid details of a story. Instead, Morris’ film is a portrait of Joyce McKinney, a woman who first made headlines when she attempted to rescue her husband from Mormons and later came in the public eye for cloning her dog. If McKinney strikes you as bizarre character, you’re not alone and Tabloid delights in her zany personality, cutting her interview (she compares a women raping a man to “putting a marshmallow in a parking meter”) with other first-person accounts, archival photos, animation and found footage in trademark Morris wink-wink-nudge-nudge style. Like with all his films, this one suggests the classic narratives at play, touching on the role of the press, insanity, fame, love, obsession and everything in between. Recently screened at Telluride’s and Toronto’s Film Festivals, it heads to the BFI London Film Festival next.

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Tabloid

Director Danny Boyle’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire receives positive reviews at the Toronto Film Festival.

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Boyle film gets positive reaction

Two Toronto restaurants serving up charcuterie and other meaty delights by John Ortved Charcuterie may not be what first springs to mind when thinking about Toronto, but Canada’s major metropolis is quickly becoming a destination point for carnivores seeking fresh cured meats. Two restaurants making their individual marks, The Black Hoof and Marben, stand out for not just what they’re accomplishing local. The Black Hoof (known by locals as simply “The Hoof”) was opened in 2008 by Jenn Agg, who bemoaned the city’s lack of a welcoming spot where meat cured in-house could be served alongside cocktails. Her search for a charcutier/garde manger led her to Grant van Gameron, who became the executive chef and co-owner. At candle-lit wooden tables, fans of savory meats can delight in elegantly-presented tongue on brioche—served end-to-end—smoked sweetbreads or the raw horse sammy—an equine tribute to steak tartar. Bone marrow comes as a side dish and, combined with Agg’s special touch with a cocktail shaker (her Manhattan is one of the best I’ve tasted), she can almost wrangle in the most rigid of vegans. “Since we opened every casual and fine dining restaurant now has charcuterie in some form, but not house-made.” says Agg. The Black Hoof’s success has allowed Agg to open up a brunch spot, The Hoof Cafe, just across the street. Along the western reaches of Wellington Street, there’s Simon Benstead’s Marben , a farmhouse restaurant boasting a head butcher—Ryan Donovan—as well as a head chef—Daniel Boulud-trained Carl Heinrich. Buying whole cows, they use all but one percent of the animal, embracing responsible and ethical means of food preparation. Heinrich and Donovan have taken great care to cultivate relationships with their producers, constantly visiting the farms and personally investigating their sources. “The beef represents our closest relationship with a single family,” says Donovan. “We use the Harrisons—Dennis and Denise. They have six kids and a small farm north of the city.” He appreciates the care the Harrisons put into pasturing, as well as the fact that they live a very close distance to the slaughterhouse (its not uncommon for animals to travel 50 hours before slaughter) and dry-age their meat whole. The result is delectable comfort classics, like John’s Burger—stuffed with braised ribs, topped with local cheddar and decorated with Branston pickles—and Denise’s Pork Belly—served atop delicate cucumber salad and scallions. Photo at top left of The Black Hoof by VB Photography

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New Restaurants for Meatheads

An underground Toronto salon where blow outs (of the 420 variety) are included by John Ortved We’ve all heard of BC bud (for those who haven’t, it’s the especially potent marijuana grown in Canada’s British Columbia province), but how about BC bangs or a BC bowl cut? At Lightheaded, a new secret salon in Toronto, hairstylist Uli sits customers down for a cut and a toke from her high-end vaporizer, all for the bargain price of $30. Tall, gorgeous, and sporting a dimpled grin (no photo of Uli because while selling marijuana in Canada is almost legal, that’s a big “almost”), the unaccredited hairstylist—who is also an artist, musician and costume designer—got the idea sitting around stoned with her roommate, coming up joke business names. Then it occurred to her, this could really work. Launched last October, she currently boasts a roster of approximately 30 regulars—mostly men. Uli cuts hair in the living room of the house she shares with her husband, which also serves as an event space for art shows, concerts, screenings and stand-up comedy. Customers sit among set pieces, musical instruments and half-made puppets. (During my last visit a hand-made, life-size werewolf costume kept us company). The marijuana she serves is potent, but a distinctly relaxing variety. She tells Now Magazine , “Guys don’t necessarily enjoy going to the salon because the atmosphere isn’t chilled out. It can be uptight. My goal was to provide a low-key alternative to the salon.”

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Lightheaded