The unique lobster restaurant and caterer Smoke and Cracked at 516 Mt. Pleasant by Millwood Rd. has closed. The circumstances are not too clear but the owners, Mike Kash and Ron Raymer, appear to be heading off on different roads. Mike is promoting his new business, MK Catering on the Facebook page. Sad to see them go. It was goood lobster. Local lobster house conceived over two bottles of Guinness
OPP public relations sergeant Kerry Schmidt is tweeting Sunday that he has some plates off a Maserati being driven by boy 17 at 150 km/hr in Mississauga. Don’t ask. But the plates were “unlawfully attached” to the Maserati. Police are asking the owner — Mr. Sexy — if he wants the plates back. They must be traceable of course but the effort is good for a smile. An amusing story about off-colour and misbegotten licenses places is here.
Faces of women in the news this Sunday begins with Asia Bibi (left) the Christian woman recently spared death by hanging in Pakistan for her beliefs. It is said Canada is trying to bring her here but that is not settled and extremists continue to call for her death in her homeland. At centre is Shin Ok-ju, pastor of the cult-like South Korean Grace Road Church. She is under arrest in Fiji, where the church has transplanted itself. The Fijians don’t like the growing foreign presence or its violent ways. Then at the right, artist Delphine Boel, reputedly the love child of the former King of Belgium, Albert II and Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps. Albert is refusing to take a DNA test to prove his paternity. But a Brussels court is insisting
One person has been found dead after a home was destroyed in an explosion this morning in Caledon Village. OPP at the scene on Maple Grove Road say the call came in just before 6:30 a.m. OPP Const. Ian Michael tells City News the age and gender of the victim is unknown and police say they have not determined if there are other victims as it’s too dangerous to go inside. City News
There is one winning ticket for Saturday night’s Lotto 649 jackpot of just under $33.4 million, and it was sold somewhere in Ontario. An Ontario ticket holder also claimed the draw’s guaranteed $1 million prize. The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw on Feb. 6 will be approximately $5 million.
Michael Bublé has an amusing role as a spokesperson for the Pepi sparkling water Bubly. You can see the silliness coming. And then a look at the science of how they measure in advance whether a Super Bowl ad is likely to please you. Each 30 seconds is worth $5.5 million US so there is a lot of pressure to get it right. Interesting piece from CBS.
Somewhat warmer weather will help speed snow removal although this great snow-eater will be in limited supply anywhere except main arteries.
McDonald’s has lost its trademark for its Big Mac burger in the European Union. The EU Intellectual Property Office ruled this month that McDonald’s had not been using the trademark in accordance with EU law. The ruling takes effect immediately. The new freedom to use the Big Mac name has prompted Burger King to launch a “Not a Big Mac” campaign across Europe. Video is below at left. Quite funny. McDonald’s has promised to pursue a vigorous appeal. An Irish restaurant chain called Supermac’s brought the case before the regulator two years ago. It accused McDonald’s of “trademark bullying.” McDonald’s had been using its trademark on Big Mac to stop the company from trademarking its own name in the EU, which would help it expand beyond Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The boutique grocer Farm Boy is open Saturday at Leslie St. and Lake Shore Blvd with a grand opening ceremony until 2 p.m. This is Farm Boy’s first foray into central Toronto. Some previous Bulldog stories tell the Farm Boy story. It is owned by Empire Company, owners of Sobey’s.
A ticket sold in Quebec claimed Friday night’s $26.6 million Lotto Max jackpot. That means the jackpot for the next Lotto Max draw on Feb. 8 will be approximately $10 million.
Education Minister Thompson has backtracked on her position of three days ago which seemed to waffle on the future of all-day kindergarten. Friday she said the government is “absolutely committed to full-day learning” for kindergarteners. She released the statement, after days of increasing concern. During an event on Tuesday, Thompson revealed the government would be holding consultations to determine whether the policy was working. She would only commit to the program for the 2019-2020 school year.
Ron Joyce, a man born of serious poverty who became the first Tim Hortons franchisee and ultimately the firm’s owner, has died at the age of 88. Mr. Joyce is credited with the urban coffee watchword “double double” meaning double sugar and double cream. This report from Richard Southern is most interesting and well beyond the routine notices of Mr. Joyce’s death.
