Ici Paris celebrates 50 years of providing professional nature-based skin and body care services in Toronto

posted Friday, February 27, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Health & Beauty

Since February 1976, ICI PARIS has led the way in skin care routines and developments by blending medical expertise with Parisian elegance. Fifty years later, one of Toronto’s original skin care clinics continues to adapt to trend-setting techniques, while providing value to clients with sound science and nature-based skin care solutions. Current Owner/Spa Director, Gordana […]

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Cassette: new retro-inspired restaurant and venue opens at Gladstone House (Toronto)

posted Friday, February 20, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Hospitality (Food & Beverage)

Cassette, a new retro-inspired restaurant and venue recently opened at 1214 Queen Street W., taking over the former Melody Bar space inside the iconic Gladstone House. Designed to feel intimate and effortlessly stylish, Cassette will blend nostalgic soul with modern energy, serving as a place to gather, celebrate, and stay late. More than just a […]

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Ontario Pink Paper on Health data shows access doesn’t equal equity within the LGBTQ+ community

posted Friday, February 20, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Activism, Community

Ontario-specific findings from the Pink Paper on Health reveal that while Ontario benefits from a higher concentration of 2SLGBTQIA+-specific health services in Toronto and Ottawa, significant gaps persist – particularly in mental health care and rural access. Ontario findings highlight: Greater access to specialist and gender-affirming providers compared to other provinces Continued dissatisfaction with mental health services […]

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Disco Witches of Fire Island – gay fantasy romance about finding magic, love, and family in the face of tragedy

posted Tuesday, February 17, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

Disco Witches of Fire Island begins in 1989, when Joe Agabian and his best friend Ronnie set out to spend their first summer working in the hedonistic gay paradise of Fire Island Pines. Joe is desperate to let loose and finally move beyond the heartbreak of having lost his boyfriend to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The […]

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Favorites Thai – speakeasy communal open-concept dining vibe, with sharable plates and hand-crafted cocktails (Toronto)

posted Friday, February 13, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Dining, Hospitality (Food & Beverage)

Favorites Thai—often referred to as “Faves”—is a vibrant, contemporary Thai restaurant in Toronto’s Ossington neighbourhood. A collaboration between restaurateurs Jonathan Poon and Monte Wan, the restaurant was conceived as a passion project dedicated to exploring Thai cuisine with depth, respect, and individuality. Since opening, Favorites Thai has earned four MICHELIN Bib Gourmand distinctions. Known for its […]

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The Royal We – Faith No More’s Roddy Bottum shares his life story as a queer rock musician growing up in 1980s San Francisco

posted Thursday, February 12, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

THE ROYAL WE is a poetic survey of a time set in a magical city that once was and is no more. It is a memoir written by Roddy Bottum, a musician and artist, that documents his coming of age and out of the closet in 1980s San Francisco, a charged era of bicycle messengers, […]

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Valentine’s Date and Dine Options in Toronto

posted Wednesday, February 11, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Dining, Hospitality (Food & Beverage)

This Valentine’s Day, celebrate with some of Toronto’s most compelling dining destinations—including award-winning and MICHELIN-recognized restaurants—each offering thoughtfully crafted menus and elevated experiences designed for the occasion. From refined tasting menus and seasonal pairings to intimate, ingredient-driven dinners, Minami Toronto, Miku Toronto, Radici, No Vacancy,  Lyla, Antler, Aburi Tora, and Favorites Thai invite guests to […]

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AIRE Ancient Baths – Experience A Romantic Escape Hidden Inside One of Toronto’s Most Historic Buildings

posted Tuesday, February 10, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Health & Beauty, Lifestyle, Spirituality

Celebrated around the world for its candlelit baths and quietly romantic atmosphere, AIRE Ancient Baths arrives just in time for Valentine’s Day. Rooted in the tradition of ancient Roman, Greek, and Ottoman baths, the Spanish wellness brand now counts Toronto among its ten global destinations alongside Barcelona, Sevilla, London, Copenhagen, New York, and Chicago. For […]

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Queen Ester – John Irving’s latest novel revisits his classic “The Cider House Rules”

posted Monday, February 2, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

Queen Ester sees John Irving return to the world of his bestselling classic novel and Academy Award winner The Cider House Rules, revisiting the orphanage in St. Cloud’s, Maine, where Dr. Larch takes in Esther, a three-year-old Jew whose life is shaped by anti-Semitism. Esther Nacht is born in Vienna in 1905. Her father dies on […]

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Insomnia – the inside story of Robbie Robertson and Martin Scorsese’s lifelong creative collaborations

posted Sunday, February 1, 2026

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

Insomnia is the story of rock legend Robbie Robertson‘s wild ride with Martin Scorsese—as friends, adventure-seekers, and boundary-pushing collaborators. For four decades, Robbie Robertson produced music for Martin Scorsese’s films, a relationship that began when Robertson convinced Scorsese to direct The Last Waltz, the iconic film of the Band’s farewell performance at the Winterland Ballroom on […]

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