Subscribe

reopening 2021

"After the show, a lot of us cried happy tears": What it's like for a National Ballet dancer to be back onstage

“After the show, a lot of us cried happy tears”: What it’s like for a National Ballet dancer to be back onstage

"Big jetés and tours require a great deal of physical power, and it took a while to build up the strength to execute those moves again"

We laughed, we cried, we hugged our grandparents. True tales from the summer's reopening

We laughed, we cried, we hugged our grandparents. True tales from the summer’s reopening

A series of memoirs from the people who lived it

"The first day, we had people lined up around the block": AGO director Stephan Jost on reopening his museum

“The first day, we had people lined up around the block”: AGO director Stephan Jost on reopening his museum

"The Warhol show had to be hung virtually. We invented a whole new system using virtual couriers"

"We set up our synagogue in the park wading pool": This rabbi held in-person services for the first time in nine months

“We set up our synagogue in the park wading pool”: This rabbi held in-person services for the first time in nine months

"I must have said, ‘It’s so great to see you!’ dozens of times—and I meant each one"

"There wasn't a dry eye the whole night": This couple finally got married after rescheduling five times

“There wasn’t a dry eye the whole night”: This couple finally got married after rescheduling five times

"We made four separate guest lists because we didn’t know how many would be allowed on the day"

"We haven't sold this much high-end wine in a long, long time": Restaurateur Charles Khabouth has reopened his night spots and rehired hundreds of people

“We haven’t sold this much high-end wine in a long, long time”: Restaurateur Charles Khabouth has reopened his night spots and rehired hundreds of people

He had to lay off 98 per cent of his 2,000-person staff at the beginning of the pandemic

"It was such a thrill to hear our voices echo through the cathedral again": This 16-year-old reunited with his choir after a year apart

“It was such a thrill to hear our voices echo through the cathedral again”: This 16-year-old reunited with his choir after a year apart

"In the school’s auditorium, we sang in clear, three-sided booths built from pipes and plexiglass"

"We rehearsed through rain, heat and strong winds": How Stratford staged A Midsummer Night's Dream in a covered parking lot

“We rehearsed through rain, heat and strong winds”: How Stratford staged A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a covered parking lot

"One particularly powerful gust sent hundreds of pages of scripts flying, and the the entire company chased after them"

When we reopened our sports league, we brought back 1,250 teams, 15,000 players and even a couple of Arkells

When we reopened our sports league, we brought back 1,250 teams, 15,000 players and even a couple of Arkells

"After teams scored, there were a lot of elbow bumps instead of high-fives"

I was hired in 2019 to lead the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. After almost three years, I'm finally making my official onstage debut

I was hired in 2019 to lead the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. After almost three years, I’m finally making my official onstage debut

"Playing together again reminded us of who we are and what we love to do"

"I made 8,000 candles in my apartment": How one woman transformed her Instagram side hustle into a bricks-and-mortar store

“I made 8,000 candles in my apartment”: How one woman transformed her Instagram side hustle into a bricks-and-mortar store

"When we opened registration for our first candle-making class, it sold out in half an hour"

"It was like a big party": What it's like for a hair salon owner to reopen her business

“It was like a big party”: What it’s like for a hair salon owner to reopen her business

My regulars come in and say, 'We’re home at last!'

"She showed them her new shoes and her big-girl backpack": This seven-year-old reunited with her grandparents after nearly two years of separation

“She showed them her new shoes and her big-girl backpack”: This seven-year-old reunited with her grandparents after nearly two years of separation

They threw her a llama-themed birthday party

We bought a ramshackle 1970s motel in Thornbury for $1.2 million. Now it's a boutique roadside destination

We bought a ramshackle 1970s motel in Thornbury for $1.2 million. Now it’s a boutique roadside destination

"The first night, my eyes welled up with tears. I was seeing this vision come to life"

"Our director dialled into rehearsals on Zoom": After six months of delays, this theatre producer finally opened his show

“Our director dialled into rehearsals on Zoom”: After six months of delays, this theatre producer finally opened his show

"Each audience member downloads an app and listens to the dialogue on their headphones"

I transformed a parking lot rooftop into a full-service gym

I transformed a parking lot rooftop into a full-service gym

"Clients have showed up with champagne and doughnuts. One even brought us a new Nespresso coffee machine"

"It's pretty magical to be here": Scenes from Canada's Wonderland, which is open again after almost two years

“It’s pretty magical to be here”: Scenes from Canada’s Wonderland, which is open again after almost two years

People drove in from across Ontario to hit up the Leviathan and Behemoth

"It was like a first date. I had butterflies": 20 Victoria's Chris White on starting fresh after closing Brothers Food & Wine mid-pandemic

“It was like a first date. I had butterflies”: 20 Victoria’s Chris White on starting fresh after closing Brothers Food & Wine mid-pandemic

"We’ve just been waiting—we didn’t want our first impression to be in boxed form"

Private School Guide

The Private and Independent School Directory Spring 2025

The Private and Independent School Directory Spring 2025

Big Stories

Dancing Queens: Patrons, staff and performers share their wildest memories of Crews and Tangos, Toronto’s most storied drag bar

Dancing Queens: Patrons, staff and performers share their wildest memories of Crews and Tangos, Toronto’s most storied drag bar

Crews and Tangos has been enforcing the rules of the Village for more than 30 years: wear what you want, kiss who you want, but don’t forget to tip the drag queens. With a condo development looming, we asked around for tales from the iconic spot

The Joy of Sex with Strangers: A Toronto hotwife’s adventures in ethical non-monogamy

The Joy of Sex with Strangers: A Toronto hotwife’s adventures in ethical non-monogamy

Three months ago, I was a suburban mom in a monogamous relationship. Now I’m sleeping with people I meet online—with my husband’s blessing—and we’ve never been happier. Don’t judge us until you’ve read our story

The Scandal, the Firing and the Fallout: Anatomy of a Bay Street fiasco at RBC

The Scandal, the Firing and the Fallout: Anatomy of a Bay Street fiasco at RBC

Nadine Ahn was a high-ranking executive at the bank. Ken Mason, her subordinate, was rapidly promoted. Then someone claimed to see them canoodling at the Royal York, tipped off HR and triggered an inquisition

Edward the Conqueror: The unlikely ascent of Canada’s telecom king

Edward the Conqueror: The unlikely ascent of Canada’s telecom king

Edward Rogers was dismissed as a meddling nepo baby—until he muscled out his siblings, acquired his competitors, cornered the telecom market and became the dominant force in Canadian sports

Lady Parts: Inside Meredith MacNeill and Jennifer Whalen’s new show, Small Achievable Goals

Lady Parts: Inside Meredith MacNeill and Jennifer Whalen’s new show, Small Achievable Goals

The Baroness von Sketch Show alumnae have elevated joking about women’s issues to an art. Their new show takes aim at menopause. How funny is that?

Murder in the Blue Mountains: The story behind the killing of Ashley Schwalm

Murder in the Blue Mountains: The story behind the killing of Ashley Schwalm

Ashley and James Schwalm had what seemed like a fairy tale life—two wonderful children, fulfilling careers and a gorgeous home close to the private ski club where they’d fallen in love. Then Ashley’s remains turned up in a burned-out car at the bottom of a ditch, and all signs pointed to her husband

Dark Horse: Inside the fall of Eric Lamaze, Canada’s most famous equestrian

Dark Horse: Inside the fall of Eric Lamaze, Canada’s most famous equestrian

For years, Lamaze was the world’s top-ranked show jumper, living an enviable life filled with fancy cars, international travel and adoring fans—the kind of life a person might do anything to protect

Dividing Line: How the Bloor Street bike lane turned the city into a battlefield

Dividing Line: How the Bloor Street bike lane turned the city into a battlefield

A few kilometres along Bloor has become Toronto’s most contested strip of concrete, igniting fights over congestion, safety and the future of downtown

The Chosen One: At just 23, Scottie Barnes is the new face of the Raptors—and the team’s best chance of salvation

The Chosen One: At just 23, Scottie Barnes is the new face of the Raptors—and the team’s best chance of salvation

Barnes is shouldering the weight of an impatient, basketball-mad city, a hit-and-miss team, and his own colossal ambitions. Does he look worried?

Almost Famous: Inside the Beaches’ rise to rock stardom

Almost Famous: Inside the Beaches’ rise to rock stardom

A viral earworm about a breakup turned the Beaches into Toronto’s hottest export. Now, the panty-throwing, stage-diving, all-girl rock band is seducing fans around the world

"I was nearly beaten to death by my partner. The case was dismissed because it took too long to get to trial"

“I was nearly beaten to death by my partner. The case was dismissed because it took too long to get to trial”

How an overburdened justice system is failing survivors of intimate partner violence

Brave New Year: The ultimate try-anything-once bucket list for 2025

Brave New Year: The ultimate try-anything-once bucket list for 2025

For inspiration on wonderful, wild and even some slightly reckless experiences to enjoy in the year ahead

The stars of the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres on finally having a league of their own

The stars of the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres on finally having a league of their own

After kicking off a new chapter for hockey with the PWHL, Natalie Spooner, Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull are blazing a trail for women in sports

The 50 Most Influential Torontonians of 2024

The 50 Most Influential Torontonians of 2024

Our annual ranking of the people whose courage, smarts and clout are changing the world as we know it

Buy Canadian

The US tariffs are coming for your espresso martini

The US tariffs are coming for your espresso martini

With Kahlúa no longer available at the LCBO, Toronto bartenders are getting creative

These Ontario-made booze collaborations are coming to a restaurant near you

These Ontario-made booze collaborations are coming to a restaurant near you

Toronto bars and restaurants are partnering with their favourite distillers, winemakers and brewers to produce custom-made drinks. Here, nine crushable new concoctions

"We have over 100 cases of American wine trapped at the LCBO": Toronto's Grape Witches on what it's like to run a bottle shop during a trade war

“We have over 100 cases of American wine trapped at the LCBO”: Toronto’s Grape Witches on what it’s like to run a bottle shop during a trade war

It’s not as simple as taking sides when you’re a small business

Six Toronto restaurants serving up all-Canadian menus

Six Toronto restaurants serving up all-Canadian menus

With a trade war upon us, our city’s chefs are taking a stand