FRANKIE’S FAVOURITE EATERIES 

Is it worth the drive to Hamilton to eat?

I never thought I would say this but YES, 100% 

The newest Italian hotspot has arrived and it's in downtown Hamilton and it's exceptional. 

Last week, a friend of mine said he was buddies with Ricky from the Trailer Park Boys show and was going to meet him in Hamilton (I'm a huge fan and obsessed with comedy BTW). I then said I have a buddy who just opened an Italian restaurant in Hamilton. We combined the ideas, and we had a night. 

Hamilton was not where I expected to have some of the best Italian food I've ever had but I guess I should have known better because I've had some pretty amazing Italian food in Sault St. Marie. 

The owner of Parma and his son in law have curated a menu that blows your mind. First of all, the bread is all made fresh that day at the restaurant (my son would love it - very Carbone esque). We had a charcuterie board to start and apparently all of the cold cuts have been flown in from Italy. 

Crispy calamari with a batter that was so light, so so so light. Appetizers check ✔️

I paired my foods with cognac (back to my old obsession) and some red wine (🍷 delicious). We then ordered a ton of mains and shared them in the middle. 

Gnocchi anyone? OMG! Like pillows, pasta vongole - stop, how are your clams so fresh?  Veal Milanese? I'm talking best I've ever tried. 

I can assure you that the company I had that evening was amazing, my friend Magic even outshined Ricky when it came to jokes. But I can tell you that the highlight of the night was the food. 

This restaurant is truly a reason to come to Hamilton. No joke. This spot is the real deal, and it even has a little grab and go attached to the restaurant, I overheard someone say it has veal sandwiches that were beyond good. 

Check it out!

TECH SPOTLIGHT

Ever stumbled upon the perfect Reel — only to lose it forever in the endless scroll? Instagram’s got your back! Their brand-new “Watch History” feature lets you revisit every Reel you’ve watched (yes, even that cat doing parkour).

Now you can find the videos you accidentally skipped, closed mid-call, or meant to save but didn’t. Just head to Profile → Settings → Your Activity → Watch History and relive your best scrolls — organized by date, author, or even mood (okay, not mood… yet).

It’s about time, Instagram — our thumbs thank you. 🌀 

Check it out!

REAL ESTATE SPOTLIGHT

Here is a great little one if you're looking to be near the coolest street in Toronto "Ossington"... 

put 100k and clean this puppy up and you’re the hipster you always wanted to be. 

Check it out!

REAL ESTATE SPOTLIGHT - PT 2

Step into the charm of 239 Empress Avenue, a cozy 2-storey home nestled in the heart of Willowdale East. With its sunny south-facing lot and warm hardwood floors throughout, this 3+1 bedroom gem is perfect for families or anyone looking to settle into one of Toronto’s most sought-after neighbourhoods. Enjoy evenings by the fireplace, strolls to Yonge Street’s shops and cafés, or quick subway rides downtown. Whether you’re dreaming of a renovation or building your forever home, this property is a beautiful blank canvas brimming with potential — and just waiting for its next story to begin. ✨🏡

Check it out!

WORD OF THE WEEK

Acerbic

What It Means

Something described as acerbic is sharply or bitingly critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone.

UNTAMED PODCAST

WATCH BELOW

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

The Chris O Show - YouTube

Superfrankiedisco - YouTube

FRANKIE’S SONG OF THE WEEK

What a nice song... Thanks Magic for the send.  

Listen Here! - Spotify

Listen Here! - Apple Music

100 WEEKS OF POSITIVE MESSAGES

Frankie did 100 days of positive messages 3 years ago. He wanted to center them around mental health and positivity. We will post them each week for 100 weeks.

“Counting your steps is a simple and great way to measure your fitness goals.

But for me, the step is much more than just fitness.

One step forward is basically my entire mantra.

Every decision you make involves one little step forward followed by another one.

There are times in your life where you will go back three, four, or sometimes even twenty steps, BUT just never forget to wake up and make that little step forward again.

Your rise should be bigger than your fall.

In little ways, I attribute everything good that has ever happened to me with steps or walking.

I strongly believe walking helps with my mental health.

I strongly believe it is great for our business to walk around and met people.

I strongly believe walking with my wife is probably my favourite part of any day.

I strongly believe that it is the littlest steps forward when you cannot see a blue horizon that are the ones that will get you there.

When you see a massive obstacle in front of you and no way of overcoming i, I would just make one little positive step forward each day followed by another.

Most problems can be solved within 100 days, and I could assure you that if you did a 20-minute walk with a friend every other day you could take on the world, solve most emotional problems and build a great business, if you were so inclined.

Your steps will keep that little computer behind your brain charged.

So, what is your average daily step count for the month? Mine is 15k, I’m a bit low.”

🧠A Weekly Dose of Psychology You Didn’t Know You Needed 🧠

Hi everyone! I’m Maya, I hold an Honours Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science and Psychology (basically, I can analyze both a crime scene and your overly complicated coffee order). I’m also an incoming Master of Arts candidate in Counselling Psychology, which means I spend a lot of time thinking about how the human brain works, and why it sometimes does the exact opposite of what we want it to do.

Psych Fact #17: Your brain overthinks because it’s trying to protect you — it just isn’t very good at it.

When you replay a conversation in your head or spiral about what might go wrong, it’s easy to feel like your brain is working against you. But overthinking actually comes from a survival mechanism called error prediction — the brain’s way of scanning for mistakes before they happen.

The catch? Your brain doesn’t always know when to stop. Once that system gets activated, especially under stress or uncertainty, it can loop endlessly, analyzing every possible outcome to “prepare” you — even when there’s nothing left to solve.

The trick isn’t to fight the thoughts but to remind your brain that you’re safe and nothing needs fixing right now. Doing something physical, like going for a walk or focusing on your senses, helps pull your brain back to the present moment where it can finally hit pause.

So next time you catch yourself spiraling, remember: your brain isn’t broken — it’s just a little overprotective.

Until next time,
Maya 🧠✨

OTHER POSH THINGS

Frieze 2025: A Feast for the Eyes!

There’s something about Frieze that I just love — it’s not just sight, but taste, memory, curiosity. It feels like a visual banquet, especially for someone like me who can happily get lost in front of a still life.

At Frieze Masters, I was completely mesmerised by the glorious 17th-century still life by Flemish artist Osias Beert the Elder — a mouth watering depiction of a platter of oysters, bright oranges, fresh peaches and a cut lemon with glistening cherries, and most gorgeous of all was crystal glassware arranged so beautifully it felt more banquet than painting. I could almost take a sip. The fruit, the shine, the precision — every detail painted centuries ago yet so lifelike it could’ve been captured on an iPhone this morning. That’s the magic I love: when art makes the past feel like now.

Nearby hung Dutch artist Floris van Dijck’s Still Life with Cheese — one of only fourteen known to exist — another masterpiece that feels both humble, delicious and decadent at once.

Still Life with Cups, Saucers and Fruit by Swedish artist Agnes Wieslander's colour and light burst makes it feel like breakfast might just be waiting around the corner...

I also absolutely loved the vibrant, expressionistic use of color (deep coral, apricot, and soft lilac) in British artist Sir Matthew Smith’s Peaches in a Striped Dish. It’s not a precise, photographic still life — it’s emotional, almost sensual. What makes it so irresistible is the imperfection — the visible brushstrokes, the energy in every curve of paint. It reminds me that great still life isn’t about perfection, it’s about feeling.

Moving on from food..

Harold Harvey’s Morning Sunshine, Sir John Lavery’s The Hall, Argyll House, and George Clausen's The Visit all capture the gentle rhythm of social life, the kind of scenes that make you want to lean in and listen. They each feel like quiet conversations paused mid-sentence: women bathed in morning light, a hallway humming with footsteps and chatter, a visit unfolding over tea and whispers. There’s a warmth to them — a softness that speaks of community, routine, and connection. I love how they make me want to step inside and catch the gossip, to feel that fleeting, intimate buzz of ordinary life beautifully preserved in paint.

Over at Frieze London, the mood shifted — bolder, louder, and full of surprise. I was instantly drawn to Australian artist, Alex Seton’s soft, pale-pink marble sculpture (A Tender Rind), which looked like a blanket draped across stone yet felt almost weightless. Korean artist, Lee Bae’s Brushstroke was hypnotic — sweeping black-and-white energy caught mid-motion, like thought turned into movement. Then there was Greek artist Jannis Varelas’ Segretario in Piedi, an optical illusion that toyed with perception, and the exuberant, large-scale collage by contemporary American Lauren Halsey — a patchwork of people, colour, and rhythm that felt like standing inside a living mural.

One of the most fascinating installations was by French artist Marguerite Humeau, titled The World Turned Inside Out — a surreal bathroom made entirely of translucent grey mesh. It was eerie, delicate, and strangely beautiful, as if you’d stepped inside a ghost of a domestic space. I loved how it blurred reality, structure, and imagination all at once.And between all that noise and colour were quieter gems: British artist Glenn Brown’s upside-down reinterpretation Searched Hard for You and Your Special Ways and Swiss artist, Felix Vallotton’s serene Baigneuse vue de dos (Bather Seen from the Back), and Sir William Nicholson’s Mrs Ben Nicholson all with moments of stillness amid the energy.

For me, colour alone can feed the soul. Whether it’s the glow of an orange, the blur of a figure, or a dizzying swirl of paint, I’m drawn to art that makes me feel something instantly. I love paintings that flirt with photography — so detailed, so precise, yet pulsing with the warmth of a human hand.

In the end, it’s all about the taste of fruit, the smell of paint, and the quiet stories caught in colour — little reminders of why I fall in love with art, again and again.

By Nirit Sumeruk Abbou

TRIVIA

Category: 2005 Facts!

CHRIS’ CORNER

Blue Jays mask Other Toronto Teams’ Woes

Okay, Blue Jays!!!

So, due to my deadline, you’re either reading this as we’re World Series Champions, or getting ready for Game 7, or . . . let’s not put that “or” into the universe.

Now, much like all of you, I’ve been loving this Blue Jays postseason and all the good energy it has created nationwide.

I’ve loved watching (or listening to) the games with my family and friends. It’s brought back so many wonderful memories of ’92 and ’93 while making new ones in 2025.

But, since my background in the media includes a health stint in the Ottawa Sun sports department, I’m always paying attention to what else is happening to teams we cheer for.

Other than the wonderful AFC Toronto professional women’s soccer team, who kicks off their inaugural playoff season this weekend, the other teams are not quite up to snuff when it comes to results.

Toronto FC, despite playing much harder and better in the last two months of the season, missed the playoffs yet again and started to release even solid performers while once again looking ahead to next year. Yeah, I know there is a decent base to build around, but until I see at least one Italian or Argentinian on the pitch who is the right fit for TFC and MLS, I won’t be enthusiastic.

The team they share home field with also missed the playoffs, a year after hoisting the Grey Cup, as the Argonauts only managed a 5-13 record in the CFL this season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs can’t string together two decent performances and sat at 5-5-1 at the time of this writing, having just dropped a 6-3 game to the Columbus Blue Jackets. As the kids say these days, “the Leafs are mid.” My buddy Manny keeps half-joking he’s going to be $100 they miss the playoffs this season.

The Toronto Raptors were 1-4 at the time of this article, having lost four straight since winning the opener. They didn’t look bad in every game, and everyone is getting spanked by the Wembycorn (credit the Bill Simmons podcast for the moniker), but still a 1-4 start is nothing to be excited about. I’m still bullish on the Raptors and believe they’ll be a playoff team this season, but it would have been nice to see a 3-2 start to the year.

By Chris Occhiuzzi

UPCOMING SPORTS EVENTS

WEATHER THIS WEEK

TORONTO

MIAMI

PARIS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Avoiding stupidity is easier than seeking brilliance.”

-SFD

CONTRIBUTIONS

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Thank you

- Frankie

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Super Frankie is lazy. He loves technology because it makes life more simple. Technology is spawned from ideas that make life easier. He is the founder of Busys.ca which is a company that sells/leases and services printers, laptops, document management software, copiers, IT services, and phone systems throughout North America and Europe.

LET’S CONNECT

*These articles, jokes, and stories are written by individuals handpicked by SFD for their unique way of thinking and writing. While SFD appreciates their styles, he does not necessarily endorse their opinions. This newsletter is designed to bring a smile to your face. If you prefer not to receive this weekly newsletter, please feel free to unsubscribe. You will be missed.