Pool the Family Together

When the weather is warm, the last thing you want to see is your children staring at a screen. But with one parent working late and the other taking the oldest to soccer practice, bringing the family together can be trying. Canadian summers are short, so get the family together to enjoy your home’s outdoor space with a swimming pool from GR Pools.

“For children, it’s a source of fun, no doubt about it,” says Carlo Riccardi, co-owner of GR Pools. With years of experience, he recognizes the liberating transformation felt by customers once they start splashing around in their new backyard oasis. “Once you fix your backyard properly with a nice pool, you’ll find that you’ll be spending a lot of time in the backyard. It definitely brings the family closer together.”
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The Pros and Cons of Business

He’s a venture capitalist known to crack the core of a begging entrepreneur with a swift and slicing speech; an established brand-builder in the industries of education, computer software and finance, and an overconfident capitalist that once went head-to-head with the berating and uncompromising nature of the late Steve Jobs. He respects his money just as much as he loves the freedom that comes with it, and will never yield to what won’t generate profit.

As co-host of CBC’s The Lang and O’Leary Exchange and unassailable personality on business reality shows Dragons’ Den and its American adaptation Shark Tank, Kevin O’Leary is now offering a start-up investment of $100,000 to the frontrunner of his latest venture, Redemption Inc. The prime-time series judges 10 Canadian ex-convicts on their potential to become legitimate entrepreneurs in challenging business settings. Read more

Simple is Best

During our childhood in northern Italy, my brother Dante and I were brought up on our mother’s homemade cooking. Her version of Italian food was simple and healthy, always using fresh and local ingredients. When we first opened Piola restaurant in 1986, our goal was to share our mother’s style of cooking in an environment that showcased Italy’s cultural esthetic.

From the very beginning, we wanted Piola’s kitchens to duplicate the way we cook at home with our family and friends. Our mother always told us, “Simple is best,” and I think too many chefs these days are complicating Italian cuisine. When we eat at home we don’t have excessive garnishes on the plate, so why would we do that in a restaurant? Cooking should be simple. We use the best produce straight from local farms, with the least amount of intervention before presenting it to customers. Read more

Yael Cohen

Don’t let Yael Cohen’s clean image and faultless features fool you. The founder of F*** Cancer is as poised and self-assured as a heavyweight champion. And when your non-profit’s name is that direct and controversial, you would certainly have to be.

“I’m very proud of what we do,” says Cohen. “We’ve been successful because of our authenticity, our rawness and because of our name. It’s memorable. You see it once and you won’t forget it.”

While some may feel that employing such a racy, candid title is brash and immature, for Cohen, there was no better way to sum up the confusion, anxiety and anger she felt when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. Read more

Super Bowl Bonanza

The New York Giants and the New England Patriots gear up to test their mettle at Super Bowl XLVI. Having previously confronted each other in 2008’s Super Bowl XLII, the rematch has fans waiting in anticipation.

Besides the grit and grime of what is considered the biggest sporting event of the year, the Super Bowl also provides a platform of exposure for a multitude of corporations. Millions of dollars are invested in advertising campaigns, promotions, products and apparel, with this year’s record-breaking cost for a 30-second commercial on NBC priced at an average of US$3.5 million. Whether you like football or not, an expected 100 million people will be tuning in for the halftime show action, with veteran pop star Madonna performing alongside M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj.

The Patriots, led by the legendary Tom Brady, enter the competition having won 10 straight games, with an overall record of 15-3. The Giants, with quarterback Eli Manning shouldering the outcome, are currently at 12-7 games, with five consecutive victories.
www.superbowl.com

Super Bowl XLVI airs Sunday Feb. 5 at 6:30 EST

Audio One Celebrates 25 Years of Success

On Oct. 12, 2011, Audio One blasted its sleek stereos and opened its showroom doors to loyal customers, suppliers and friends that have shown support through 25 years of success in business. Founding brothers Gino D’Ascanio, Carlo D’Ascanio and Anthony D’Ascanio celebrated their silver anniversary with Read more

Porter Airlines CEO, Robert Deluce

Robert Deluce shows no signs of jet lag after touching down in Toronto just before sunrise. His red eye from California was preceded by a long day of aircraft-fuelled meetings neither distracted nor tempted by the Golden State. When we meet in his office at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport later that afternoon, it becomes apparent that the CEO and president of Porter Airlines isn’t the type of man that mixes business with pleasure, but a man who paradoxically puts forth a company that does.

Deluce gestures warmly towards his office where to the left of his uncluttered desk rests a pile of framed portraits that chronicle his roots and achievements in the aviation industry. Despite their significance, they emit an unpretentious display as they rest on the floor stacked against the walls. Read more

City Life Holiday Gift Guide

Bells are ringing, lights are glowing and the snow is falling – the holiday season is upon us once again. As the city transforms into a winter wonderland, filling your heart with that holiday cheer, it’s also time to dive into those crowded malls in search of smile-inducing gifts.

No doubt you’ve probably already embarked on several of these adventures, crossing friends and family members off your list; but there always seems to be that one person you can’t find the right gift for – that finicky friend or special someone who needs the perfect present.

Finding those final gifts can be a challenge, but not to worry. We’ve explored the city to put together our yearly Holiday Wish List to help you wrap your way through the Holidays! Read more

Inspire: Reflect on Life and Commit to Change

“BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.” – Mahatma Gandhi

The end of the year often calls on us to reflect on our life and commit to change. But while our trivial promises to eat healthy or become active may serve personal goals, there are those who look to expending positive change to the world around them. Whether or not you conceive or forget your resolutions, the following list of individuals and organizations will inspire you to do more – to be that change that Gandhi asks of all of us.

1.  Robin Sharma
Authoring 11 bestsellers and the founder of Sharma Leadership International Inc., Robin Sharma delivers inspiring and motivational talks to rooms filled with employees from Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft and Nike. Read more

Marshall Jay Kaplan, Reaches for the Stars

It’s 3 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon and Marshall Jay Kaplan is in the middle of reviewing an episode of My House Your Money for the W Network, one of five shows he’s produced in recent years, which  includes TLC’s Brides of Beverly Hills and TVTropolis’ Instant Cash. A few hours earlier he received a phone call from a Canadian Forces corporal who wanted to inform him that the base loves his reality show Totally Tracked Down, where Kaplan himself heads to Hollywood and hunts down celebrities from the ’80s and ’90s like Cloris Leachman and Doris Roberts. If we can learn anything from this Vaughan, Ont. resident, it’s that we’re all capable of drawing our own destinies.

Most people would go on to become a doctor after getting a double degree in microbiology and biochemistry, but as you’ll soon discover, Read more

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