[Show slideshow]

Beverly Thomson
Co-Host, Canada Am

FAVOURITE BALLET?
The Nutcracker, because of what it has meant over time to families bringing children to the arts and exposing them to something that’s within reach of their understanding. It’s one of the most memorable for me because you get to see the joy on everybody’s face.

PREFERRED WINTER ACTIVITY?
Sun Peaks Resort in B.C. is fantastic. Nancy Greene and her husband Al Raine live there in the village centre at Cahilty Lodge, and we ski with them. It’s just the most wonderful family ski resort you could ask for, and it seems to me that every time I’m there it gets 10 centimetres of fresh powder every night. It’s the greatest family activity because you ski during the day then get together in a chalet at night to play cards and watch movies.

LOCAL LUNCHTIME SPOT?
Soho Bistro. It’s a little tiny place but it’s cheerful and lovely and neighbourhood-friendly. It has a wonderful selection of homemade food.

MEMORABLE CHARITY EVENT?
The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. I had decided to take up running while I was going through chemo and I said to myself that when I was better I was going to run the 5K. I wasn’t a runner so it sounded pretty daunting, but it was something I wanted to do. The absolute passion of the people that are involved, the people that ran that day — it was hard to even see the pavement through my tears. Everybody was running for someone. That to me has been a salient moment in my life every year since because it stands for all the reasons that I got involved with a community that is so dedicated to creating a future without
breast cancer.
canadaam.ctvnews.ca

Peter Oundjian
Music Director,
Toronto Symphony Orchestra

GO-TO BOUTIQUE FOR SUITS?
Rosemarie Umetsu designs my concert attire. As a former musician herself, she understands the intricacies of designing fashionable clothing that also must move with me on stage. Hugo Boss for everything else.

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR INSPIRATION?
I love studying scores while looking out on the lake at our cottage in Connecticut. The calm water with ever-changing colours brings a serenity of mind that is ideal for inspiring creative thinking.

WHAT CHARITY/FOUNDATION IS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
The Hospital for Sick Children — it saved my life when I was a baby. We are very fortunate to have one of the world’s best hospitals for kids right here in Toronto.

FAVOURITE WINTER GETAWAY?
Mont-Tremblant. Great skiing, fun shops and restaurants. It’s a little slice of the Alps nearby.

MOST COVETED AUTO?
My favourite car right now is my “new” 1963 Triumph TR4 convertible. When I was a young boy, that car represented the height of cool to me. Being able to drive one now brings back a lot of happy childhood memories.
www.tso.ca

Michael Steh
Executive Chef, The Chase and
The Chase Fish & Oyster

BEST PLACE IN THE CITY FOR FRESH, ORGANIC FOOD?
Fiesta Farms and Wychwood Barns. Both focus on local purveyors and amazing ingredients in season. I go home with some great seasonal fruits and veggies, Lake Erie pickerel, Rowe Farms chicken or beef, great Italian dried pastas and Harmony Dairy Milk for the kids.

FAVOURITE HOLIDAY MEMORY?
We used to own a Christmas tree farm when I was a kid. One of the greatest memories was when my brother, sister and I, me being around 10 at the time, went out after midnight and hunted for our own tree under the moonlight in what seemed like at the time several feet of fluffy snow and a really cold night. Cutting the pine tree down using the hand saw, trekking through the fields of the close to 60-acre farm and hauling it onto our truck, we brought our Christmas tree home and set it up in front of the warmth of the fireplace. Sounds like a postcard, right? I was a very lucky kid.

AFTER A LONG DAY AT WORK, WHAT DO YOU DO TO UNWIND?
I rush home to enjoy a glass of wine and hit the sack by 2 a.m. If I were to go out, there’s a great swing and jazz club down on Wellington. The place is small with people dancing every night to live music. Takes you back to a different time.

WHERE DO YOU GO ON YOUR DAY OFF?
Back to my hometown in Oshawa for some open-country driving down long stretches out in farm towns. There’s something so soothing about the wind blowing and the complete silence. It’s a nice change from the craziness of the kitchen.
www.thechasetoronto.com

Emmanuelle Vaugier
Actress, Lost Girl and Csi: Ny

FAVOURITE FOOD AND CITY TO GET IT?
In Toronto, one of my favourite places to eat Italian is Sotto Sotto. In Vancouver, it’s Don Francesco. The Little Door in Los Angeles for French food has been a favourite of mine for at least 10 years.

BEST COFFEE IN TOWN?
L’Espresso Bar Mercurio. I usually order an Americano and drink it black. They have a great dog-friendly patio where my two furry best friends, Jack and Isabelle, are welcome to join me.

WHERE DO YOU GO ON YOUR DAY OFF?
I love going horseback riding. I recently went on a beautiful trail ride with a friend at Sunnybrook Stables in Toronto. I find it so relaxing, and always come away from the experience in a great headspace, well, unless I get bucked off, in which case, the next stop is the Stillwater Spa at the Park Hyatt.
www.emmanuellevaugier.com

Dani Reiss
Entrepreneur, President & Ceo of Canada Goose Inc.

TREASURED HOLIDAY MEMORY?
One of the most unforgettable moments took place two years ago when I spent New Year’s Eve in Antarctica. Unfortunately I wasn’t with my family, but I got to experience first-hand just how cold -40 C degrees can feel. I rang in the new year with a box of wine — probably the best box of wine I’ve ever had.

PREFERRED WINTER ACTIVITY?
I prefer extreme adventures or locales, like travelling to the South Pole or up to Northern Canada. This year, I had the pleasure of going to Alaska and participating in the running with the reindeer event, which is just what it sounds like.

FAVORITE CUISINE?
Chinese would definitely be a top choice, and dim sum at the Pearl Harbourfront is amazing. For an exceptional piece of meat, I go to Jacob & Co. or Weslodge.

AFTER A LONG DAY AT WORK, WHERE DO YOU GO TO UNWIND?
You can find me most often at the Air Canada Centre. I love hockey and watching the Leafs, but I’m an even bigger basketball fan. There’s nothing like the energy of sitting courtside — it’s palpable, and it’s really where I feel at home.
www.canada-goose.com