Working with Artistic Director Jorn Weisbrodt and Manager, Exhibitions and Institutional Information Robert VanderBerg, Chef and Curator Joshna Maharaj has developed a line-up focused on diversity and Canadian products, which at once welcomes a number of new participants alongside returning favourites: “This year we’ve invited our guest chefs to focus on their fond childhood memories of food, and to create a delightful collection of beautiful flavours from the kitchens in our city,” says Maharaj.

Returning to its original home, the President’s Choice® 1000 Tastes Of Toronto™ event will take over The Distillery Historic District, its inaugural venue. Guest chefs have been tasked to recreate treasured recipes from their childhoods, each priced at $5, which can be complemented with ‘grown-up’ wine or beer pairings. This event is fun for all ages, encouraging families to celebrate the diversity of Toronto’s food scene.

President’s Choice® 1000 Tastes Of Toronto™ street food event will also feature a weekend of programming: interactive panels, Q&A sessions and discussions with key players in Toronto’s food community to discuss the food scene–both inside and outside of restaurants. View the Facebook event.

Chefs and restaurants representing Toronto’s many diverse food cultures will be present, including:

Bent Restaurant
The Boiler House
Brick Street Bakery
Café Uno
Chippy’s Fish & Chips Inc.
Chocosol
Dufflet Pastries
EDO
EnVille Catering & Event Design
Hey Meatball
jk frites
Khao San Road
La Bruschetta Restaurant
Le Petit Dejeuner
Lee Restaurant
Local Kitchen and Wine Bar
LPK’s Culinary Groove
Luma
Mad Mexican
Milagro Cantina
Mis Amigos Festival Catering
President’s Choice® Cooking School
Pure Spirits Oyster Bar and Restaurant
Queen Margherita Pizza
Rodney’s Oyster House
Santaguida Fine Foods
Seventh Heaven
Southern Accent
Tappo Wine Bar and Restaurant
The Sweet Escape Patisserie
Torito Tapas Bar
Vertical Restaurant
WOODLOT

The President’s Choice® 1000 Tastes of Toronto™ street food event runs Saturday, June 9 (NOON–9:00 PM) and Sunday, June 10 (NOON–9:00 PM) at The Distillery Historic District. Free to attend. All food items $5 each.

Austrian artist Rainer Prohaska’s festival-long Toronto Carretilla Initiative will be assembled alongside the President’s Choice® 1000 Tastes of Toronto™ street food event. Toronto Carretilla Initiative links Luminato’s visual arts program with the food program, and reflects on how we collaboratively create food and consume it.

Additionally, as part of Luminato’s 2012 partnership with The New Yorker, two of the magazine’s most celebrated writers, Calvin Trillin and Adam Gopnik, will be discussing Canadian cuisine on Sunday, June 10 at 11:00 AM. Tickets $30, visit luminato.com for details.

The sixth edition of Luminato takes place from June 8–17, 2012. For event details and tickets for all Luminato 2012 programs, please visit luminato.com.

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About Luminato

Luminato is Toronto’s fifth season when the festival stages the best of our city and invites the world to celebrate and transform it with us. Luminato is an annual multi-disciplinary celebration of theatre, dance, music, literature, food, visual arts, film, magic, and more. For more information, please visit luminato.com.

Luminato gratefully acknowledges the generous support and vision of its Founding Luminaries, SuperNova donors, and Patron Circle Members. The Festival would not be possible without the support of our Partner in Creativity, L’Oréal Canada. Luminato also acknowledges the support of its Founding Government Partner, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and the City of Toronto.

Luminato Partners: L’Oréal Canada, TELUS, Kia Canada, President’s Choice, Manulife Financial, National Bank, VISA Infinite.

Major Media Partners: Toronto Star, CBC, The Globe and Mail, Cineplex Media, St. Joseph Communications.

Media Contact: Knot PR, 416-532-9035, knotpr.com, Tatiana Read, tvr@knotpr.com or Danyel McLachlan, Coordinator, Luminato Public Relations, 416-368-3100 X242, pr.coordinator@luminato.com

Media Downloads: www.luminato.com/media-downloads

Here are FIVE helpful ways to get to know and recognize someone in media when starting out in the PR industry:

Name

Your day will be sure to start off with an abundance of names. Whether it be in your email inbox or someone leaving a voicemail for your bosses (ABF & TVR). Your first job is to learn, recognize and to become familiar with these names because they will definitely appear again down the road. The names may surface up again on an RSVP list for an event or as a contributor on the front page of the Globe and mail.

Title

Job descriptions are always important to learn and to understand. Familiarise yourself with the different roles and titles in the PR world and learn what each role entails. You can do this by reading through the contact database (we use Batchbook as our CRM), which I’m sure you will become very familiar with soon.

Some basic essential job titles to start you off: Reporter, Columnist, Contributor, Editor..+

Tags

This is a way of categorizing people into groups with common similarities. Whether it be based off their job descriptions (reporter) or topics they write about (lifestyle), tags are an arrangement between people with common identities based off their daily roles.

Here are a few examples of some popular tags: Media, Fashion, Blogger, Food, Publicist..+

(Tags are similar to hashtags on twitter which brings me to my next point.)

Social Media

In PR you will become very familiar and very fast with all the different aspects of social media. Make sure to stay on top of all the current trends because there are always new programs and websites being developed. As well, get to know the top bloggers in the industry and learn to recognize them on a virtual level.

Some essential social media personalities to have: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest..+

Face to Face

The final step in this 5 part method for being in the PR industry and recognizing someone in media is when you are finally able to meet the person, face to face. At this stage you will be able to associate a name, title, category and online personality to the lovely face in front of you.

]]> http://knotpr.com/en/article-type/spotted-a-pr-starter-guide-to-identifying-media/feed 0 http://knotpr.com/en/article-type/notes-from-a-future-pr-girl http://knotpr.com/en/article-type/notes-from-a-future-pr-girl#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 16:52:06 +0000 EKH http://knotpr.com/en/?p=10552 It may have only been a little over a week since I started my internship here at Knot PR, but I think it’s safe to say that I love it! I have already learned more than I could have imagined in such a short period of time – about PR, our clients (read below for some of my faves!), and how organization can be king in this industry – and I already know that I will never be the same again.

As a student entering my final year of university this upcoming September, this internship is more than just a little opportunity for me. In a few short months I’m about to step into the real world and look for (gasp!) a real job!

So, to fast forward a little, I want to take you through some of my goals for the next four months.

Bonus! Spot me in the photo above, literally looking into my future!

#1 PR – the real definition

pub·lic re·la·tions

1. The professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization or a famous person
2. The state of the relationship between the public and a company or other organization or a famous person

Status: Prior to starting at Knot PR, I barely had an ounce of knowledge as to what PR really was. My definition of PR was basically all that I saw on TV, but my better judgment told me that there was more to the PR story.

The Next Step: As much as I love Kell on Earth, there is nothing like the behind-the-scenes, hands-on experience that happens in the office. I’ve also learned that it’s always about building on what you already know, with all the resources around you. Some of my starting points are this and that.

In 4 Months: With a few more notches of experience on my belt, I will more than just know the definition of PR, I’ll have lived it! Then, once I finish my final year of university I’ll be ready to jump into the real world with my PR portfolio, a (fingers-crossed) great reference from TVR, and I’ll have left Knot PR with having made some great connections with other professionals in the industry.

#2 The client dictionary

Status: Knowledge is power. So, naturally, one of the top things on my list is to know our clients inside and out. It helps that I’m actually interested in our clients’ field of work – looking up Biko, Karir, and Elsa Corsi is more like a mini shopping break than work; while drooling over the menu options at Maléna, Tori’s Bakeshop, and Parts & Labour have me pondering my weekend dining options!

The Next Step: Getting familiar with our clients’ social media accounts has only been the beginning. Always scanning newspapers, magazines, blogs and Google has become a regular musing of mine, looking for anything client-related.

In 4 Months: I will be an information bank, knowing the in’s and out’s of our clients whereabouts in the media, while being able to add my two cents about local happenings and market trends. And of course, there is a bonus in knowing who’s who of the media world, especially in the lifestyle and arts field – it’s like spotting a local celebrity when reading a newspaper!

#3 Old skills, meet new skills

Status: I may have come in thinking I knew all there was about Google and Facebook – boy, was I wrong. This internship is definitely not about going on coffee runs (though there are occasional battery runs), but about revamping my current social media and researching skills, while introducing new programs and technologies to bring my skill set to a whole new level.

The Next Step: The learning tutorials by TVR and ABF have boosted my knowledge of cloud programs, Gmail, media monitoring, and more. There is also the added value of being able to delve right into these programs to be able to explore them for myself. Making mistakes can be intimidating, but sometimes there is no better way to learn.

In 4 Months: Batchbook is already my new best friend. Next up, mastering the art of tagging. There is also a lot to be learned about how I can use Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, and every other social media app that seems to be popping up on the Internet. Most importantly, being completely organized and being able to prioritize my hundreds of tasks will be skills that I will carry forth for quite a long time.

Though the catering menu is distinct from what guests have come to expect at Parts & Labour Restaurant, they will recognize Matty’s signature principles: using local ingredients, taking care in preparation and making approachable food that people crave. Matty, along with Catering Chef, Laura Matthews, whose international experience includes time at Noma, and Catering Coordinator Tara Sachs are the team behind P&L Catering. It’s their own desire to eat good food, have a good time, and throw great parties that connects them to their audience. Says Matty:

“Catering should be relatively easy, it doesn’t have to be fancy. We love to be do big parties and help people have the best time they can.”

The catering company is the latest hospitality venture for partners Jesse Girard, Richard Lambert, Kei Ng and Brian Richer. Girard and Lambert have been bringing people together since 2004, when they first built up a loyal clientele on Queen West with The Social. In 2010, they partnered with Designers and Restaurateurs Ng and Richer of multidisciplinary design studio Castor and Oddfellows Restaurant, to launch Parts & Labour. The destination restaurant was an instant hit and remains a Parkdale favourite, most recently featured in Wallpaper* City Guide Toronto.

In 2011, Girard and Lambert launched The Hoxton–a live-music venue and events space–and the demand for full service event management followed suit. P&L Catering began as the in-house caterer for The Hoxton, and quickly expanded their book of business to include private parties, venue spaces, non-profits and corporate events. P&L Catering is now a preferred caterer at TIFF Bell Lightbox and is excited to strengthen relationships with venues and event planners across Toronto.

Contact

Parts & Labour Catering: Tara Sachs, Catering Coordinator, tara@partsandlabour.ca

Events (Parts & Labour / The Hoxton): Julia Rogers, Event Coordinator, julia@thehoxton.ca

Video & Photography Credit: Brought To You By

About Parts & Labour Catering

Parts & Labour Catering is Toronto’s newest catering service. P&L Catering brings people together for good times and food they crave, serving up a menu of international street food classics. Executive Chef Matty Matheson and his catering team take great care in preparing delicious food with local ingredients. Download the P&L Catering Menu or visit partsandlabour.ca/catering.

“I’m proud that we’ve created a comfortable, environmentally responsible space for people to hang out, drink a great coffee and have a delicious treat. Since opening I’ve felt such support from local residents and businesses–it’s wonderful to be part of The Beach community.”

A “Family” Business

Tori finds inspiration in her supportive family–her parents are the hardest working people she knows and motivated her to take the leap into entrepreneurship at just 26 years of age. Her interest in baking was encouraged by her grandmother, who mentored Tori from a young age: “I got my start in baking the first time my grandma let me stick my fingers in the bowl,” she recalls. Countless bake-offs (Grandma still has the touch) and a Cross-Canada road trip later, Tori found herself re-considering the impact of her eating habits on the environment and ultimately chose to live a vegan lifestyle. Tori endeavoured to “veganize” her Grandmother’s beloved recipes–discovering how natural ingredients such as flax, coconut oil and agave come together to create whole proteins and foods that simply taste and feel better.

Tori’s Bakeshop offers a repertoire of thoughtfully-crafted, delicious, cholesterol-free vegan baked goods that are preservative-free and refined sugar free (with a wide selection of gluten-free items): croissants, cinnamon buns, chocolate bars, cupcakes, brownies, tea biscuits, pies, cookies, and loaves. Tarts, chocolates, cheesecakes and cookies are among the raw selection, which will increase over the summer months.

Tori’s Bakeshop: Let Them Eat Green!

Exhaustive tours of New York City’s better baking establishments helped Tori connect her ideas and develop a strong vision for her own bakery. Tori’s Bakeshop cheerfully marries industrial design elements, such as oversized whisk pendant lights, with romantic touches: salvaged wood tables (built by Tori herself) and interior reclaimed windows–a favourite feature that give café guests an opportunity to enjoy a view of the kitchen. The design statement is accented with pops of mint green; from the Organic hemp and cotton staff uniforms, inspired by 1940s general store stock clerk uniforms and designed by talented local costume designer Claire Levick, to the Elektra K. coffee machine and patterned wallpaper. The bakery’s signature hue also acts as a playful reminder of Tori’s ‘green’ commitment.

Wherever possible, Tori’s Bakeshop aims to reduce its footprint, whether it’s using only compostable packaging materials (summer plans include building a backyard compost), local seasonal ingredients, chemical-free cleaning products or a bicycle delivery service (coming soon!). Tori shops for her unprocessed ingredients locally and uses vendors with sustainability mandates such as Merchants of Green Coffee.

Photography Credit: Angie Bird

Store Hours & Location

Tori’s Bakeshop is located at 2188 Queen Street East, in The Beach, Toronto. Open Wednesday through Saturday, from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. and Sundays from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi.

Follow Tori on twitter: @torisbakeshop, Facebook: facebook.com/Toris-Bakeshop, visit Torisbakeshop.ca or call 647 350-6500.

About Tori’s Bakeshop
Tori’s Bakeshop is Toronto’s first eat-in vegan bakery and café. Baker and Proprietor Tori Vaccher celebrates all things natural and organic at Tori’s Bakeshop, offering fresh baked (and raw) treats that radiate goodness. Tori’s delicious vegan and gluten-free goods are made with love in a chemical-free, preservative-free and refined sugar-free environment. Tori Lives and bakes in The Beach. Follow Tori on twitter: @torisbakeshop or visit Torisbakeshop.ca.

For Further Information:
Tatiana Read, tvr@knotpr.com
416 532 9035
Twitter @tatvictoria

Guests will have the option of dining in Maléna Restaurant’s private dining room, The Loft. The Loft seats up to 40 guests in a beautiful secluded setting.
Private dining guests enjoy custom menu and wine consultations.

Sign up for notices from Maléna Restaurant.

“This year’s food program challenges our chefs as we want to focus their attention to Canadian produce and food. Sustainability is a big issue,” said Jorn Weisbrodt, Artistic Director of Luminato. “Food is a part of our daily creativity. Rainer Prohaska’s visual arts project Toronto Carretilla Initiative deals with the communal process of producing meals and defines these as a social sculpture. I am happy that we are presenting this work as an equal part to our food and our visual arts program. These kinds of bridges that help us see things in a different light are the ones that Luminato will build more in the future.”

PRESIDENT’S CHOICE® 1000 TASTES OF TORONTO™
June 9 & 10, The Distillery Historic District
Luminato will take over The Distillery Historic District for the Festival’s opening weekend on June 9 and 10. Returning to its roots, this year’s the President’s Choice® 1000 Tastes of Toronto™ street food event will revisit the success of the long table with an emphasis on community sharing. For 2012, the President’s Choice® 1000 Tastes of Toronto™ event puts a spotlight on the cultural diversity of Toronto’s food scene. Featuring culinary delights from more than 40 of the city’s best and most creative restaurants and chefs, the President’s Choice® 1000 Tastes of Toronto™ event offers a diverse range of gourmet street food focusing on Canadian products.

Details on participating restaurants to come, check luminato.com for updates.

TORONTO CARRETILLA INITIATIVE
June 8–17, The Distillery Historic District and various other locations throughout the city
For Austrian-born artist Rainer Prohaska, preparing and consuming food is a fine art. The Toronto Carretilla Initiative sets to boldly immerse audiences in the process of cooking across the city. The project marks the first time that Luminato’s Food Program will include an experience that marries elements of visual arts with culinary craft. The Toronto Carretilla Initiative will launch on Luminato’s opening weekend at The Distillery District and is part of an ongoing series of thought-provoking food performance pieces Prohaska has orchestrated across the world. Once the meal has been consumed, the kitchen is dismantled, leaving just a flavourful memory in the mind, and on the palate.

Throughout the festival, check luminato.com for daily routes and sites of the cart sculptures.

THE NEW YORKER AT LUMINATO
Additionally, as part of Luminato’s 2012 partnership with The New Yorker, two of the magazine’s most celebrated writers, Calvin Trillin and Adam Gopnik, will be discussing Canadian cuisine. In addition to the acclaim he has earned as a poet, novelist, humorist and journalist, Trillin is renowned for his food writing and has published four gastro-memoirs. Raised in Montreal, Gopnick is also well versed in the culinary arts and, earlier this year, published The Table Comes First: Family, France, and the Meaning of Food. More details on The New Yorker at Luminato program are available in a separate release.

The President’s Choice® 1000 Tastes of Toronto™ runs Saturday, June 9 (NOON–9:00 PM) and Sunday, June 10 (NOON–9:00 PM) at The Distillery Historic District. Free to attend. All food items $5 each.

The sixth edition of Luminato takes place from June 8–17, 2012. Tickets for all Luminato 2012 programs will be available for sale on April 14. For details, please visit luminato.com.

ABOUT LUMINATO
Luminato is Toronto’s fifth season when the festival stages the best of our city and invites the world to celebrate and transform it with us. Luminato is an annual multi-disciplinary celebration of theatre, dance, music, literature, food, visual arts, film, magic, and more. For more information, please visit luminato.com.

Luminato gratefully acknowledges the generous support and vision of its Founding Luminaries, SuperNova donors, and Patron Circle Members. The Festival would not be possible without the support of our Partner in Creativity, L’Oréal Canada. Luminato also acknowledges the support of its Founding Government Partner, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and the City of Toronto.

Luminato Partners: L’Oréal Canada, TELUS, Kia Canada, President’s Choice, National Bank, Manulife Financial, VISA Infinite.

Major Media Partners: Toronto Star, CBC, The Globe and Mail, Cineplex Media, St. Joseph Communications.
List represents commitments as of March 14, 2012.

Image Credit: 2012 Luminato Festival (Rainer Prohaska will launch the TORONTO CARRETILLA INITIATIVE, Rainer Prohaska and carretilla prototype picture)

Media Contact: Knot PR, 416-532-9035, knotpr.com, Tatiana Read, tvr@knotpr.com or
Danyel McLachlan, Coordinator, Luminato Public Relations, 416-368-3100 X242, pr.coordinator@luminato.com
Media Downloads: www.luminato.com/media-downloads

“Glasses are the first accessory you notice on a person – you’ve got to make sure they’re the right fit”, says Bob Karir. “They’re an extension of your personality – you, as the wearer, make them your own.”

Karir Eyewear has celebrated over 30 years in the business of bringing eyewear trends to the Toronto market. Bi-annual trips to the Paris and Milan eyewear shows for the past 25+ years ensure Bob Karir stays ahead of the curve. The October trip to Paris strengthened long-established relationships, uncovered new designers, and identified emerging international trends for spring.

Top Trends

1. Shapes
Chunky frames are evolving into more flattering styles, geared towards the wearer’s features.

Line Spotlight: Oliver Peoples: With references to Old Hollywood, Oliver Peoples’ spring collection is a mix of beloved classic styles, timeless construction and soft shapes, the frames and sunglasses blend classic with modern for the contemporary customer. Prices range from $272 to $450.

2. Materials
As new shapes take center stage, technological leaps are redefining the industry: from coloured titanium, to acetate, to leather inlaid in wood, the future of eyewear is in the materials.

Line Spotlight: Mykita Mylon: Lightweight and durable, Mykita Mylon frames redefine the borders between the worlds of sports and fashion. Made of patented polyamide-based material that stems from Selective Laser Sintering (the printing of three dimensional objects), the frames are stylish, agile and built to last. Frames retail for $631.

3. Colour
Bold colours take center stage for spring and this season, the more saturated–the better.

Line Spotlight: Kirk Originals: Kirk Originals frames are designed in London and produced by hand in France. Their company mandate is to bring eyewear to life, and their vivacious tones reflect the personalities of the wearer. Kirk Originals range in price form $395 to $450.

Latest Happenings

Giving Back to Guyana
On February 14, Bob Karir returned from a week-long volunteer trip to Guyana to provide free eye care to rural areas. Throughout the year, 4000-6000 glasses are collected, cleaned up and labelled, to be given out to the people, in addition to eye exams and medical assistance. 2012 marks Karir’s fourth year participating in the Canadian Vision Care – Guyana Team trip; The Vision Council of Canada has been organizing this trip for over 20 years.

Spring/Summer 2012

Downloads

Download Collection Images (High + Low-Res) via Dropbox >> http://db.tt/PoWSSbPN
Download Printable Version (PDF) via Dropbox >> http://db.tt/CHl0TgbB

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About Karir Eyewear

Karir Eyewear is recognized for its design integrity, self-expression and signature inspired shopping experience. Traveling the globe to source the latest designers and collections, Karir prides itself on offering customers an extensive international product range suitable for all personalities. Karir Eyewear locations in Toronto include: Yorkville (138 Cumberland Street), Yorkdale and First Canadian Place. Each location is staffed with professional opticians and the Karir lab offers precision finishing using the most technologically advanced lens available. karireyewear.com

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Media Contact

Tatiana Read
Tel (416) 532 9035

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View the entire collection on Flickr