Toronto & Muskoka, Ontario
From the quiet lakes of Muskoka to the cellars and lounges of Toronto — Issue 1 explores the rituals, makers and mastery woven into life in Ontario.
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■ Articles in This Issue
Library Bar: A Book and Toast
A hidden book-lined room off the Fairmont Royal York lobby, once the hotel's reading room and now one of North America's 50 Best Bars. The menu is organized by literary chapter rather than base spirit.
A Closer Look at Koko's Cookies
Earthy gas, Chem lineage and a session tied directly to place made Koko's Cookies one of those cultivars inseparable from the memory of where we smoked it.
The Porch at Casa del Humidor
A barely-spotted sign and a last-minute U-turn led us to Casa del Humidor, one of the finest cigar sessions of the trip, smoked under a covered porch while the rain pounded everything around us.
Wine, Rain, and Muskoka
By the time we pulled into Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery the sky had opened up. Inside, warm wood, fogged windows and wines that tasted like the land outside, tart and wild and unmistakably northern.
A Farm-to-Glass Surprise: Quayle's Brewery
One name came up twice from locals in Muskoka, and that kind of repetition always catches our attention. Quayle's Brewery is a farm-to-glass experience inside a four-story musical barn in Oro-Medonte.
Down the Alley: A Night at The Griffin
Near Bracebridge, a basic search for nearby pubs led us down an alley and through a red door into one of the best unplanned evenings of the entire trip.
The Rama Way
Situated on one of the oldest pieces of land in Ontario, Rama Cannabis carries on an Ojibwe tradition of sharing medicinal knowledge, with a warmth that stays with you long after you leave.
The Kensington Market
A hundred years of immigrant arrivals, counterculture roots and relentless creative expression have made Kensington Market a reminder that connoisseurship was never meant for the elite.
Hallways of Contrast: A Day Inside the AGO
A quick stop at the Art Gallery of Ontario turned into almost two hours of wandering, and we still could have spent another four. Every time we thought we were done, another hallway opened up.
The Boardroom Consumption Lounge: A Place to Puff
In a city with the highest number of cannabis dispensaries in the country, one of the hardest things to find is a place to sit, roll, relax and actually enjoy a puff. The Boardroom changes that.
Copperhead Distillery: The North in Every Sip
Less than a day into Canada we were already heading into the forests of northern Ontario looking for whiskey. Copperhead Distillery in the Almaguin Highlands delivered everything the drive promised.
Muskoka Grown: Cultivating the Spirit of Muskoka
Deep in Canadian cottage country, the Muskoka Grown/Dank Craft facility is home to a team intent on producing high-quality craft cannabis, and they gave us a full behind-the-scenes tour.
Muskoka Brewery: Craft Beer Done Right
In the sleepy town of Bracebridge you will find a bar stool just your size at Muskoka Brewery, known province-wide for some of the most unique beers on the market and a staple of Muskoka culture.
Sugarbush Hill Farm: A Maple Masterpiece in Muskoka
Nestled into the rocky landscape of Huntsville, Sugarbush Hill Farm is more than a maple syrup producer. It is a showcase of heritage, legacy and a craft practiced at the highest level outside Quebec.
Hidden Histories and Towering Views: Inside Toronto's Iconic Fairmont Royal York
Coming from Las Vegas, I thought I had seen luxury. The Fairmont Royal York showed me something different, less spectacle and more substance, behind a century of hidden rooms and royal suites.
Where There's Smoke, There's Flavor: A Stop at The Smokin' Birds BBQ
Two classically trained fine-dining chefs drove north to Muskoka and built a BBQ operation that passes every test, including the Kansas City Barbeque Society's.
Subtext Coffee Roasters: Pursuit of Clarity
At Subtext Coffee Roasters in the Junction Triangle, founder Alex Castellani is treating coffee the way serious winemakers treat grapes, as agriculture first and everything else second.
Behind the Unmarked Door: The Story of Correnti Cigars
Hidden above Spadina Avenue, Frank Correnti Cigars is Canada's last handmade cigar factory, still rolling the same way it always has.