presse agent Ivy Ackerman

as someone who makes it a professional mission to bring travelers and locals to the same table in Toronto and NYC (Montreal, Chicago and Miami coming soon!), i know how solo dining can be a source of stress.  as a self-professed food snob, i refuse to sacrifice an extraordinary dining experience for a meal on the go, a Whole Foods buffet or – shudder – room service.  just because i’m alone, does not mean i don’t want to enjoy a three-course dinner at a local haunt with a great atmosphere.  that being said, finding the right dining establishment is everything.  in seeking out restaurants, i often consider a few criteria: 1) is there bar seating with a full menu offered? 2) when is the restaurant at its buzz-iest? (never ideal to be the ONLY one at the bar) and 3) does the restaurant offer a fun, neighbourly vibe?

Here are a few favorite solo dining spots:

Toronto:  Pizzeria Libretto, County General, Campagnolo & Harbord Room

NYC:   Danji, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Rubirosa & Buvette – the perfect neighbourhood gastrotheque in the West Village

Chicago:  Slurping Turtle, Lillie’s Q BBQ, Big Star & Publican Quality Meats

from my experience, bar dining has always been an easy way to meet fellow foodies. however, it also presents an opportunity to chat with friendly bartenders, managers and restaurant owners about the local food scene. and the biggest benefit of all: there is usually always one spot open at the bar!

photo courtesy of Butter and Egg Road

morning treadmill run (5k baby!) in PUBLIC‘s sweet gym…taxi to River North district to The Doughnut Vault (forget bagels and cupcakes, this town is all about the doughnut) only to see a sold out sign on the door (they open at 9:30 and serve until all stock is gone. it was 11.)…after a solid confirmation that we are in the wrong business, Ivy and i hopped back in a cab and were off to Logan Square…frowns turned upside down when we settled in for brunch at Longman & Eagle (the special? made-from-scratch maple and fig doughnuts!)…tucked into a Sunny Side Duck Egg Hash that was one of the best breakfast plates ever…walked around the historic district and checked out shops and other lovely places to eat – Lula Cafe and La Boulangerie…given a grand tour of the super cool six-room boutique hotel at Longman & Eagle (thanks Elizabeth!)…over to Bucktown and Wicker Park (two hoods that combine to offer awesome shops and restos)…Roslyn (nice chat with the owner), The Edit (great for the ladies), and Riley (lovely locally-made jewellery), with a stop at BUZZ: Killer Espresso in the middle…back to hotel to chill…back at it and back to Wicker Park for a pre-dinner snack at Lillie’s Q (loved the beer and shrimp salad, while Ivy raved after every bite of her Shrimp & Grits)…delish sushi dinner at Arami in the Ukranian Village…exhausted so, after a good gossip session, we call it a night.

Sunday started with a taxi over to the Lakeview hood to brunch  at Glenn’s Diner (featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives)…crab cakes for me, and Apple Jacks and pancakes for her (service with a smile)…fueled up and back to Bucktown…this time we stopped at all of the above shops again, with an organic juice break at Green Corner, then came across Apartment Number 9 (so good for the guys!), and the most amazing Marc Jacobs store (bought a cute iPad case here)…have no resistance against carrot cake and had to have a slice from the Goddess and Grocer…Ivy was off to the airport, so i wrapped up my day with a walk around the Gold Coast (where PUBLIC hotel is located) to admire the grand homes that line Astor and State Streets…perfect sleep before my Monday departure.

completely missed out on hitting major shopping the Magnificent Mile, but it was a jam-packed weekend. many thanks to my girl Ivy who really knows Chi-Town like the back of her hand!

Friday, April 27

after checking into PUBLIC and lunching at the famed Pump Room, we walked along State towards The Magnificent Mile…stopped in at the Shops at 900 to check out a curated collection of goods at space 519 (bought the perfect light grey nail polish by RGB)…Bloomingdale’s for a sports bra and yummy fro-yo from their Forty Carrots Café…walked back to hotel to chill and catch up on emails…snooze…Ivy had done some sweet talking in advance to land a coveted reservation at The Aviary, so we hopped in a taxi bound for the West Loop district…The Aviary’s cocktail menu changes seasonally, but at present it includes the best of the best of el Bulli (now closed, the restaurant was well known as the best in the world) – think big flavours in teeny tiny packages…treated like queens all night long by Marlon and his associates who, like the fantastical cocktails made in a state-of-the-art drink kitchen, have service down to a science…midnight McDonald’s run because, in my book, it’s not a good night unless it ends with fries and a chocolate milkshake.

while it is true that Toronto has an abundance of incredible artists, there is no one quite like Christine Flynn. her incredibly successful shop on Queen Street East – Love The Design – celebrated its 1 year anniversary the other day, so i was among the first to see Christine’s latest series of work, titled Urban Journey. LTD’s new subway sign pillow collection and super cool art stools were also on display. Christine takes her passion for photography, and fuses it with her artistic genius to create custom works of art. these are attention-grabbing pieces that enhance any space.  so much savvy industrial chic i can hardly stand it…i want everything. adding to the urban vibe, Rock Lobster Food Co. was there serving up tacos, poutine and lobster rolls. my guy was loving the latter, as well as Beau’s all natural brews. when you go you might not be able to sip on a cocktail, but you won’t leave 1362 Queen Street East without getting drunk on some seriously inspired art!

photo credits to Love The Design & Best PR Boutique

presse agent Asad Mecci

earlier this month i was hired by Princess Cruise Lines to perform my HypnoHype show. our first stop was Ocho Rios, Jamaica. it was an uncharacteristically gloomy day in the destination, so my lovely assistant Jessica and i decided to spend the day at the Sandals Royal Plantation.  we had learned from our good friend Rob (one of the fine bartenders aboard the Island Princess, and a native to the Island) that RP is the preferred retreat of NBA players and hip hop stars alike. easy to see why – the grounds were incredibly lush with bright green vegetation.  just as immaculately maintained as the staff were at the ready with excellent service.

we started off our rainy morning at the resort with a decadent lobster stuffed tomato. thankfully the weather started to clear, and we decided to have a couple’s massage on the beach. nothing beats getting a massage a la plage. the calming sound of the waves kept us entranced…i think we might have said two words to each other the entire time.

check out Asad’s stop-gap in Cartagena

“Ian Schrager has taken the best from the luxury segment, boutique hotels and select service to create a new genre of hotel where everything has been rethought and every original idea updated.” – www.publichotels.com

i have been in Chicago for the weekend to taste and tour around various neighbourhoods with Butter And Egg Road’s Ivy Ackerman. this is her second, and my very first stay at PUBLIC. the hotel opened, in the city’s Gold Coast district, last September with an m.o. to offer luxe at an affordable price. a superlative experience that is available for everyone. indeed, we noticed a variety of guests in the Living Room (their term for lobby) … some enjoying a sexy weekend with their partner; a few days with the fam; girls on a getaway; many on business. Ivy even spied SNL‘s Rachel Dratch checking in with her hubby and kiddy. on our tour of the property, we learned this place is definitely no stranger to celebs. as the reinvented Ambassador East Hotel (that used to be two buildings connect by an underground tunnel) PUBLIC continues to be a social place where boldfaced names come to stay and/or dine at the famed Pump Room. there’s plenty of photographic evidence to prove the likes of Liz Taylor and Lucille Ball were there. adding to the drama of the property’s former life, is the rumour that Marilyn Monroe and JFK used to canoodle in that underground tunnel.

and since we came to eat, when the invitation was extended to lunch at the Pump Room, Ivy and i happily accepted. after all, who could say no to a menu created by James Beard award winning chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten? starting with whole wheat flatbread topped with black truffle and fontina cheese, we sampled crab toast, yellow fin tuna tartare, herb french fries, a market veg Greek salad, and the grilled chicken chopped salad. the verdict? the resto is a must whether you are staying at the hotel or not. and if you’re not, it would be worth popping by to see how Schrager retained the original architecture, as well as the OMG gorgeous chandelier at the entrance. locals love this place. the Library and Back Room host the stylish set almost every night of the week. the latter then flips to screen cartoons for the kids on weekend mornings (complimentary cereal included). on Sunday evening, the scene shifts for those who want to watch ABC’s Mad Men - with an old fashioned in hand, of course.

as far as the rooms go, not only did the above quote intrigue me, but i was curious about their ‘no colour’ colour palette description. checked into my loft suite and, in a word: genius. in a colour: white. in a feeling: serene. in a picture: well, see below.

many thanks to PUBLIC execs Sarah Bundy and Larry Tsoumas, as well as Elena Gaudino at Brandman PR.

*photos of the Library & Screening Room courtesy of PUBLIC

in my book there’s are not many things better than when good wine and good people come together at the end of the day. and last night was no exception. in fact, it was a completely novel way to bring the two together – and people was definitely the operative word. when i got the invitation to attend The Urban Symphony, I was thrilled to see that the lovely ladies at The Society Global had partnered with The People’s Wine. and as i have a good relationship with both the former and the latter, i replied with a very enthusiastic yes!

let me explain.

first, while visiting my family in New Zealand in May of last year, my brother Ted and i discovered a lovely Pinot Noir with an awesome label. the price was very reasonable, so it was no big gamble to divert from our usual weekday red. i’ll cut to the  important part and tell you that the Graham’s are now very loyal to The People’s Wine … to the tune of 3/4 bottles per week. don’t judge.

second, i’ve known Ashleigh and Amanda for ages, and am proud to say was one of the founding members of The Society when they launched in 2006. i actually worked on the team for a stretch, and have a lot of respect for their creativity, and their ability to pull off events that connect members with culturally current brands. Love to Martina, Annie, Yvonne and Nicole!

and so it goes that last night’s soiree paired The People’s Wine wine with the drama of a string quartet from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO). matching music note for tasting note. it was a very stylish way to kick off the season.

photo credits: Arthur Mola

Toronto to Brazil in 20 minutes. it’s true! and while you won’t come back with that covetable tan, you will be beach-ready. i’m speaking in metaphors about the services offered at Toronto’s newest spa concept Waxon Waxbar. the brains behind the operation, that caters to both women and men (Manzilian, anyone?),  is the gorgeous Lexi Miles. what she has created is an anomaly in a city filled with cheap and dirty depots to do the defuzzing deeds. the stylish space takes up a corner of posh Summerhill, but keeps prices in check (and in some cases lower) than the competition. every detail has been considered. technicians wear pink gloves and are trained to treat cleanliness as a top priority (no double dipping!). there is even a back door entrance for the see-and-be-seen set that want to do it on the d-l.

now, i’ve been waxing since i was 15 and have never been through a procedure so pristine, systematic, and relatively painless, as when dropped in to Waxon last Tuesday. cleansers, oils, powder and two types of wax were used to get me to where i needed to go. the spa has the exclusive on Oprah-approved princereigns – a serum that eliminates ingrown hairs, dark spots and other nasty skin irritations- and an application of it is the very last part of the waxing service.  so as i set off on my way, the lovely Nicole reminds me that if i book my next appointment before leaving i’ll be rewarded with 100 points ($1). refer a friend? 500 points. all of which are recorded on my file to use towards future services. it’s all Brazilliant to me!

Evergreen Brick Works was the site of a throwdown involving some of America’s street art royalty, DJs (that provided awesome throwback tunes), and La Carnita’s Mexican-inspired street food. while incredibly long lines prevented indulging in the latter at UNO, we managed to secure a Muskoka beer (on tap!) and pretty sure i scored the very last glass of  Open Merlot. yes. we were set to take in the environment that felt like a much more civilized version of the all-night warehouse parties i used to go to. totally impressed by the artists’ work in the “gallery”… our take home was going to be the print by Doublenaut, but will have to figure out another way to get it as we were headed to dinner and did not want to wreck it. overall really enjoyed the vibe and hope this turns into an annual thing. judging from the 500-strong (at least) crowd waiting to get in when we left, i don’t doubt it will.

and that dinner? we were wanting to stay on theme so it was decided to try Playa Cabana. the place has been open just a year and am baffled at how my restaurant radar totally missed it! i had only stumbled upon it after walking by a few times after recent appointments in the area.it was never open at the time so my curiosity only increased. well, once we settled in, i knew we’d found our new regular. from the mojitos and made-to-order guac, to the crab cakes and fish tacos, everything was amazing. you can see from their web site that attention is paid to making Mex healthy (no trans-fats; gluten-free tacos), but be assured no taste is sacrificed. as the very last table on a Friday night, the staff informed us that we had to do a shot of Tequila with them. gladly. and it won’t be the last time either.

presse agent Mackenzie Duncan

while on a few fashion assignments in Paris, i’ve been taking photos of the city as she swings into Spring. includes a stroll through the city’s largest cemetery, and the resting place of  Jim Morrison – Pere La Chaise. the day ended on a cheerier note with an indoor picnic in the Marais.

for these shots, Mackenzie used the Hipstamatic app on his iPhone. more of his travel photos… Rome Paris Amsterdam Venice & Costa Rica … for his fashion, commercial and motion work check out mackenzieduncan.com