My recent guilty pleasure (one of many)

In today's episode of Mat leave life in Mimico, I have decided to share a secret that I'm terribly embarrassed of. File this under: Things that I'm fascinated and annoyed by ALL AT THE SAME TIME

Lately in the past month, I can't get enough of Susur Lee's sons.

susur lee

susur lee

Huh what? Yes that's right. It's a very odd contradictory fascination that I can't get enough of.  I'm fascinated and can't stop absorbing every little detail they share about themselves, but at the same time I'm also disgusted by myself because they seem to stand for so many things I'm against: nepotism, arrogance, entitlement, an over the top gratuitous lifestyle, etc.  Every time Dan catches me watching their YT videos, he always groans "THEY'RE SO DOUCHEY!!!"

AND YET I CAN'T STOP WATCHING THEIR YOUTUBE VIDEOS! IT'S A SICKNESS.

First: Who is Susur Lee? He's a famous Toronto chef that's opened up a bunch of notable restaurants around the city. He's also media famous and has appeared on Top Chef Canada and a bunch of other Food Network TV shows. Anyways, if you've ever lived in Toronto and ever experienced his Singapore Slaw, you know the impact he's had on the city :)

We even met him once when we were dining at Bent and he was coming around the tables saying hi to peeps and asking if they liked dinner (we did!).  I noticed Susur because I thought a) he's pretty good looking for an old guy and b) where did he get his super nice sweater from? It's definitely cashmere. I wonder if it would be weird if I asked if I could touch his sweater...

Anyways his sons rose to quasi Toronto fame because they

1) Opened up Frings with their good friend Drake

2) Are pretty good looking but in an entitled douchey kinda way

3) Lead a pretty ridiculously privileged life (i.e. designer goods, luxury cars, baller homes, etc)

Fringe Restaurant opening held on sept 21 in Toronto - Photos George Pimentel

Fringe Restaurant opening held on sept 21 in Toronto - Photos George Pimentel

Both of them have their own YouTube channel and lately I can't stop watching the videos they post - which are oddly compelling considering they're about NOTHING.

I invite you to join me in this terrible guilty pleasure:

First off - we have the middle son Kai Bent Lee, YT channel found here .

I haven't seen all of his videos because almost all of them are about designer shopping, shoes and cars, but here are some notable ones I've enjoyed:

Homeboy has a BALLER condo in Yorkville (which apparently he's selling). Check out the video here where he does a home tour. It's HUGE! There's a private elevator that takes you straight to the unit. Apparently it's currently being listed for $5MM+ and is part of the same ultra exclusive condo that... wait for it... Mark Wahlberg owns a penthouse to. Marky Mark!

This condo is CRAZY nice. If I had an extra $5MM laying around, I would totally consider buying it.

36A

36A

kaws

kaws

Day In The Lifevideo which is honestly about NOTHING and yet I watched the whole entire thing (and hate myself for it). Things gleaned from this video include:

  • Major laser sneaker head; dislikes Yeezys IMMENSELY

  • Has a hot doctor friend who looks just as douchey as he does BUT seems a bit more normal

  • Drives a super nice car

Thrift shoppingvideo - this one is oddly compelling because homeboy has SO many videos about high end shopping and what his closet is full of, and yet this one is about him slumming it on Queen West to find some used threads.  Also his youngest bro Jet is featured in this video, and I can't stop thinking that this kid has a future in male modeling if he wanted to. He's tall, lanky and has an angular androgynous look that looks editorial don't you think? Below is a younger pic of him with their mom who comprises the "Bent" of their last name, and is also the person who is responsible for the interior design of most of their restaurants!

Also the pic serves to remind me that Asian genes are STRONG because even though they're mixed kids, these Bent Lee boys look hella pure Asian.

jetty

jetty

I also dig the Thrift Shop video because it features Kensington Market - he goes to the same shop to get a beef patty that I use to go to (when I use to live downtown *tear*).  Also - reminds me how much I love beef patties!

Ok ENOUGH about Kai, lets move on to the oldest son Levi. Pictured below, Levi clearly takes his exercise regime VERY seriously.

levi

levi

This is a good article that features a lot of the over the top images they post on Instagram (luxury vacations, fast cars, models, etc).

If it was a contest btwn which videos are more annoying/compelling, I'm going to give the award to Levi. I've watched way more videos of his than Kai's but I hate myself more when I do.

Note - he shares his channel with his girlfriend who is a "DJ" named Mercedes but I think her DJ name is "Unimerce".

Pic below, she looks like she's a very talented and skilled DJ.  She also doesn't believe in pants.

unimerce

unimerce

This is a video I enjoy because it features Susur Lee paying for their family dinner at one of my favourite restaurants... FISHMAN LOBSTER HOUSE! God, I would LOVE to go back to that restaurant again.

Here's Levi's Day In The Life video which if you don't watch any of it, just watch the first few mins because it features his dogs which he loves. Sidebar : am I the only one who thinks that if a person doesn't like dogs, that there's definitely something suspicious about them?

A lot of his videos are mostly about his luxury trips he takes around the world (first class obv) which I haven't really watched, but the more interesting ones I've seen feat him spending time with his dad and also a Q&A with him and his gf which is actually pretty funny because they cover and answer a broad range of questions that have been on people's mind (including how much plastic surgery she's had and why their brother Jet seems mute).

It's really hard to explain why I keep watching their channel, and the only way to describe it is like the equivalent of eating an entire box of Mac N Cheese. You know you shouldn't, you know the bright orange colour is gross, you know it's made of fake cheese and it's hella bad for you... but you still can't help yourself and end up eating the ENTIRE BOX. Afterwards - you're groaning in pain from a stomach ache and you hate yourself for what you've done.  Fast forward to next month when YOU DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.

Anyways, if anyone is interested in mindless entertainment I would invite you to just watch ONE of their videos and tell me you don't find it weirdly compelling but annoying all at the same time.