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The Guy Who Stole Your (and Everyone Else’s) Bike in Toronto

contact — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:05:52 +0000

From nyt:

“What exactly was he planning to do with 2,865 bicycles?

“The police are baffled by what Igor Kenk planned to do with such a surplus of bikes.

That is just one of many questions the police and others have been puzzling over since the arrest last month of Igor Kenk, the owner of a used-bike shop here.

Mr. Kenk’s legacy now fills a former police garage with a leaky roof. Organized by brand name and mostly resting on their handlebars, wheels pointed upward, are 2,396 of the bicycles that police say Mr. Kenk either stole or arranged to have stolen.

The jumbled collection of bicycles suggests that Mr. Kenk is the unofficial world champion of bicycle thieves. But as he awaits trial next month on 58 charges related to theft and drug possession, the biggest mysteries of all are Mr. Kenk’s motives and his ultimate plan for the armada of steel, rubber and aluminum he amassed.

“He’s easily the most hated man in Toronto,” said Alex Jansen, a filmmaker who has been working on a documentary about Mr. Kenk for more than a year as part of a study of his rundown neighborhood’s transition to hipsterdom. “But I just found that it’s not as black and white as I originally thought.”

Mr. Kenk was something of an informal social worker, Mr. Jansen explained, giving work to street people and outpatients from a nearby mental health institution. Of course, the police say some of that work involved stealing bicycles.

The arrest has provoked an outpouring of anger and publicity in a city renowned as one of the most bicycle-friendly places in the world. About 15,000 hopeful cyclists, some teary-eyed, have scoured the Kenk collection in search of their missing bicycles. But only 469 bicycles had been returned as of Thursday morning, when 17 more days of public viewings began.

The public reaction “was staggering,” said Ruth White, the superintendent of 14 Division, the police unit that made the arrest. “I’ve never seen anything like it in 30 years.”

Oddly enough, the police and many bicyclists were aware that Mr. Kenk’s little shop, the Bicycle Clinic, appeared to be a black hole that consumed stolen bicycles. Bike theft victims regularly discovered their missing bicycles there, and were often able to recover them, either through vigorous argument or a payment of $30 or $40.

While he had been arrested once before, Mr. Kenk was acquitted because prosecutors could not prove that he knew that the bicycles in his possession had been stolen. After that, the police lost interest in pursuing him, and many in the neighborhood came to tolerate or avoid him and his shop.

“It had become the culture in his neighborhood to visit Igor to get your bike; people accepted it,” Ms. White said.

The only reason Mr. Kenk was arrested was that bicycle thefts rose sharply in June, prompting 14 Division to start a general effort to trap the thieves by planting bicycles on the streets and waiting to see who took them.

As plainclothes officers watched on the afternoon of July 16, Mr. Kenk and another man passed the bait with no display of interest. But Mr. Kenk soon directed his companion, who has a history of mental illness, to cut the locks on two other bicycles — not ones planted by the police — and they then rode off on them.

“It was God’s way of saying, ‘It’s time to put a stop to this,’ ” said Inspector Bryce Evans of 14 Division.

When the police subsequently raided the Bicycle Clinic, the Fire Department at first blocked them from entering for safety reasons. The building was so crammed with bicycles and bike parts that a Fire Department rescue squad had to remove the upper-floor windows and lower the bicycles by rope.

That was just the beginning. An additional 200 bikes were seized in Mr. Kenk’s home. Ten landlords around the city reported that their garages had been rented by Mr. Kenk and were bulging with bicycles. As the police gathered the mounds of bikes, they also found cocaine, crack cocaine, about 15 pounds of marijuana and a stolen bronze sculpture of a centaur and a snake in battle.

Ms. White is among those baffled by it all, though she noted, “He made a lot of money off it, judging by where he was living.” While his shop was a shambles, Mr. Kenk shared a rented house in Yorkville, a fashionable and expensive neighborhood, with his partner, Jeanie Chung.

An accomplished pianist, Ms. Chung, who also faces charges for drugs and possession of stolen goods, turned herself in after returning from two performances in Banff, Alberta. (Ms. Chung’s lawyer did not respond to requests for comment.)

Since Mr. Kenk’s arrest, theories about his hoarding have proliferated. Because Mr. Kenk held a scrap metal dealer’s license, Inspector Evans speculates that he was playing the commodities markets, waiting for another spike in metals prices before melting down the bicycles.

In the past, Mr. Kenk has said that he was accumulating bicycles in preparation for a severe oil shortage. But in a somewhat disjointed interview in July for a radio documentary, portions of which were published by The Globe and Mail, a Toronto daily newspaper, Mr. Kenk portrayed himself as a crusader against theft and a protector of cast-off bicycles.

Mr. Kenk holds a passport from Slovenia and has claimed he was a police officer and a former K.G.B. agent. He has shed little light since his arrest. After one court session, he told reporters, “I’m a dead man.”

In a brief interview, Mr. Kenk’s lawyer, Lon G. Rose, declined to elaborate or offer any information about Mr. Kenk’s past, before saying: “The public reaction is a bit extreme and knee jerk.”

Mr. Jansen, the filmmaker, and others found Mr. Kenk to be a charismatic, if sometimes misguided, neighborhood philosopher. Mr. Jansen, who lives near the shop, said Mr. Kenk was a link to an era before street signs in the once-rundown area declared it to be the Art and Design District.

“You just get pulled completely in when you start talking to him,” Mr. Jansen said. “With the changing neighborhood, I knew that it would culminate in Igor being pushed out. I’m just shocked at the number of bikes and storage facilities, and the quantity of drugs is just ridiculous.”

There is no discernible pattern to the bicycles in the Kenk collection, which includes several children’s bicycle trailers and at least one toddler-size tricycle. But not everything is old, incomplete or damaged. Along two walls of the garage are dozens of packing cases filled with a product that is either appropriate or preposterous, given the circumstances: new bicycle locks.”

University of Toronto and IBM are Launching a Supercomputer

contact — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:07:23 +0000

From reuters:

“The University of Toronto and IBM Corp (IBM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) are building Canada’s most powerful supercomputer, a mammoth machine that will need its own building for storage and will be capable of performing 360 trillion calculations per second.

It’s expected the system will be among the top 20 fastest supercomputers in the world and the largest outside the United States. It will be able to store data equivalent to that held by one million regular DVDs.

The entire budget of the project, which includes construction and operating costs, is just under C$50 million ($47 million) over five years.

Its power is roughly equivalent to “30,000 to 40,000 home computers linked together,” said Chris Pratt, strategic initiatives executive at IBM Canada.

“The kind of interconnect between parts of the system will allow the equivalent of two full-length feature DVD movies to be moved around in the space of a second,” he said.

It will be a big boost to scientists at the University of Toronto and its associated research hospitals, as it will help tackle projects in an array of areas from aerospace and astrophysics to climate change prediction and medical imaging.

Among the research, the system will be used to explore the modern scientific mystery of why matter has mass and what constitutes the mass of the universe.

Funding is being provided by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, in partnership with the province of Ontario and the university.

Building the supercomputer will involve the largest implementation of IBM’s iDataPlex system, which holds twice as many processors per unit as standard systems and is entirely water-cooled. More than 4,000 servers will be linked together.

“Every aspect of the system has been put together to be the most powerful and yet the most energy-efficient,” Pratt said.

A data center will be built just north of Toronto. Installation will begin in the autumn and it’s expected the supercomputer will be fully operational by next summer.”

Feast of Fields’ Bio Dynamic Organic Wine

contact — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:06:52 +0000

First Things First: What is Bio Dynamic Farming?
Biodynamic farming and gardening looks upon the soil and the farm as living organisms. It regards maintenance and furtherance of soil life as a basic necessity if the soil is to be preserved for generations, and it regards the farm as being true to its essential nature if it can be conceived of as a kind of individual entity in itself – a self-contained individuality. It begins with the ideal concept of the necessary self-containedness of the farm and works with furthering the life of the soil as a primary means by which a farm can become a kind of individuality that progresses and evolves.

Biodynamic agriculture is a way of living, working and relating to nature and the vocations of agriculture based on good common-sense practices, a consciousness of the uniqueness of each landscape, and the inner development of each and every practitioner.

Common-sense practices include striving to be self-sufficient in energy, fertilizers, plants, and animals; structuring our activities based on working with nature’s rhythms; using diversity in plant, fertilizers, and animals as building blocks of a healthy operation; being professional in our approach to reliability, cleanliness, order, focus on observation, and attention to detail; and being prompt and up-to-date in doing one’s job.

The concern with the uniqueness of a particular landscape includes developing an understanding of the geology, soils, climate, plant, and animal life; human ecology; and economy of one’s bioregion.

Biodynamic farming and gardening combines common-sense agriculture, an understanding of ecology, and the specific environment of a given place with a new spiritual scientific approach to the concepts, principles, and practices of agriculture. From biodynamics.ca

Feast of Fields farm has been certified biodynamic by Demeter Canada since 1996. The Biodynamic method goes beyond organic in a sincere effort to enliven the farm entity through growing in harmony with nature and working towards the goal of a self sufficient farm entity.

During the growing season, visit Feast of Fields at Riverdale Park Farmers Market on Tuesday 3-7 pm, Dufferin Grove Thursdays from 3-7pm, The Brickworks Saturday 8 -1 am or Withrow Park Saturdays from 9-1 pm. Feast of Fields also maintains a B&B cottage.

Feast of Fields Biodynamic Vineyard
RR # 1 St Catharines
Ontario Canada L2R 6P7
email: laura-sabourin@sympatico.ca

Public Transportation

contact — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:08:31 +0000

Public Transportation in Toronto is one of the world class leaders in affordability and comfort. When traveling here on business or leisure, it makes the most sense to take the GO Trains or buses or ferries. Once within the metro area you will be impressed by the efficient combination of subway, bus, and streetcar to get you where you want to go. Need information on maps, routes and generally how to get from point A to point B? The TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) routes are online, and you can also feel free to telephone them for further information. From traveling to and from the airport, to downloading and printing schedules and map routes, all you need to do is go online to the TTC website.

Check it out here

Kosher Restaurants

contact — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:11:05 +0000

First Things First: What is Kosher?
“Kosher” refers to Jewish law that regulates permissible foods. Kosher foods must adhere to the complex requirements of Jewish law, and a supervising Rabbi verifies that such is the case for a given food item or serving location. Criteria is based on: 1) how animals are slaughtered; 2) rules and regulations for purity in the processing of foods; 3) careful inspection of vegetables for insects; 4) and the required temperatures in the cleansing of utensils and equipment. Additionally, Kosher laws require full disclosure of all ingredients on the packaging. With Kosher Certified foods consumers are fully aware of all ingredients. There should be no MSG, artificial flavors, fillers. or by-products.

Products and cooking equipment under kosher supervision are given regular inspections to ensure rigorous compliance with the Kashruth laws. A person known as the mashgiach does the actual supervision. A Hechsher (certifying mark) can be found to identify kosher foods and serving locations.

Below you’ll find some of the best kosher restaurants in Toronto (D=Dairy M=Meat P=Parve):

Central

Brooklyn Pizza (D), 3016 B Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6B3B6, 416.789.4085
Colonel Wong Restaurant (M), 2825 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6B3A4, 416.784.9664
The Fortune Cookie (M), 2835 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6B 3A4
HaKotel (M), 1045 Steeles Ave W Toronto Ontario M2R2S9, 416.736.7227
Kosher Pizza Delight (formerly Jerusalem One) (D), 3028 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6B3B6, 416.256.7115
King David Pizza, Bourekas, Falafel (D), 3020 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6B3B6
Noam Malka (M), Lawrence/Bathurst Plaza-Hot Dog Cart Toronto Ontario
Not Just Yogurt (D), 2997 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6B3B3, 416.783.7604
Omni 2 – Jewellery & Java (D), 2793 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6B3A7
Perl’s Bais Burger (M), 3015 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario, 416.787-.4234
Shalom Shanghai (M), 3022 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6B3B6

Downtown

Oasis Cafe & Health Bar (D), 2 First Canadian Place, Exchange Tower, Toronto ON M5X1A6, 416.368.8805
Olde Spadina Ave (M), Air Canada Center & Rogers Center, Toronto Ontario, 416.823.6313

Midtown

Bistro Grande (D), 1000 Eglinton Ave W Toronto Ontario M6C2C5
Gladstones Bar & Grill (M – formal), 398 Eglinton Ave W Toronto Ontario M5N1A2, 416.487.9500

North York

Amazing Donuts (P), 3772 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M3H3M6, 416.398.7546
Baycrest Cafeterias (D, M), 3560 Bathurst St Ontario, 416.789.5131
Chicken Nest (M), 3038 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6B4K2
Dairy Treats European Cafe/Bakery (D), 3522 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6A2C6, 416.787.0309
Isaac’s Bakery & Cafe (D), 221 Wilmington Ave Toronto Ontario 416.630.1678; and
3390 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6A2B9, 416.789.7587
King David/Country Style Coffee (D), 219 Wilmington Ave Toronto Ontario M3H5J9, 416.636.3456
King Solomons Table (M – formal), 3705 Chesswood Dr Toronto Ontario M3J2P6, 416.630.1666
King Kosher Pizza, Burekas & Falafel (D), 3774 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M3H3M6
Marky’s Restaurant & Deli (M), 280 Wilson Ave Toronto Ontario M3H1S8, 416.638.1081
Milk ‘n Honey Restaurant (D), 3457 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M6A2C5, 416.789.7651
Rachel’s Centre Cafe (D), Bathurst Jewish Centre 4588 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M2R1W6
Second Cup (Baycrest) (D), 3560 Bathurst St ext 2871 Toronto Ontario M6A2E1
Second Cup (BJC) (D, 4588 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M2R1W6, 416.636.1880

Uptown

Country Style Kosher Coffee (D), Winter’s College, York University 4700 Keele St Toronto Ontario
Tov-Li Pizza & Falafel Ltd (D), 5982 Bathurst St Toronto Ontario M2R1Z1, 416.650.9800

North

Cafe Sheli (D), 7700 Bathurst St Thornhill Ontario L4J7Y3, 905.762.0640
Cookoos Inc (M), 7241 Bathurst St Thornhill Ontario L4J3W1
Fine Touch Catering (M), 927 Clark Ave W Thornhill Ontario L4J8G6, 905.889.2690
Golden Chopsticks Chinese Food (M), 7000 Bathurst St Unit C-6 Thornhill Ontario L4J7L1, 905.760.2786
King David Pizza, Bourekas, Falafel (D), 531 Atkinson Ave Unit 3 Thornhill Ontario L4J8L7, 905.771.7077
Kosher King (M), 7000 Bathurst St Unit C1 Thornhill Ontario L4J7P2, 905.760.1118
Miami Grill (M), 441 Clark Ave W Thornhill Ontario L4J6W7, 905.709.0096
My Zaidy’s Pizza (D), 441 Clark Ave W Thornhill Ontario L4J6W8
Not Just Yogurt (D), 7117 Bathurst St Unit 109 Thornhill Ontario L4J2J6, 905.889.1598
Yehudale’s Falafel & Pizza (D), 7241 Bathurst St Thornhill Ontario L4J3W1, 905.889.1400

Karma Co-op

contact — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:06:31 +0000

Karma Co-op is a member-owned non-profit grocery store. Shopping at Karma is a friendly experience, without the Muzak, gimmickry or hard-sell tactics of supermarkets. You can hang up your coat, mind your child in the membership room, meet your neighbours who have similar interests and make a phone call. It’s our store. And nobody profits from it except the members.

What can you buy?

- Fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, dairy products and free-range eggs
- Bulk grains, flours, seeds, spreads, dried fruits and nuts
- Frozen foods,including organically raised meat
- Renett-free cheese
- Bulk grains, dried fruits & nuts
- Coffees and teas, coffee substitutes, herbal teas and fresh spices
- Canned and packaged foods
- Household and personal care items (dental and skin care products, supplements)
- Environment-friendly cleaning products

Interested in becoming a member? Only members can shop at Karma Co-op. But you can do a one-time trial shop to try us out before joining (payment in cash only). Join Karma

Karma Coop
739 Palmerston Avenue
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6G 2R3
(416) 534-1470
Hours: M: 11am-7pm; T,W,Th: 11am-9pm; F: 10am-9pm; Sa: 10am-6pm; Su: 11am-5pm

My Favorite Movie Theatre: Bloor Cinema

contact — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:05:55 +0000

Bloor Cinema rules. It is a real, traditional, old school movie theatre for true movie buffs – showing classic favorite movies. If you’ve never been to an old theater and want to experience what your parents or grandparents experienced, check out Bloor. Its wonderful sticky floors, movie classics as well as more obscure gems, cheap tickets, squeeky seats, more than 800 seats, true movie house smells, gummy worms… will just make you sigh. In a good way. What is NOT to like about this place!? Tell me.

The Bloor Cinema is a host for gobs of film festivals, movie premieres, special gala events, classic films and Hollywood blockbusters. They showcase a variety of perspectives from across Canada and around the world: independent films, fascinating stories, important documentaries and sometimes just wild, unbridled entertainment.

This historic landmark should be a must-see item on your list when visiting Toronto, whether you go see a movie or not. LOVE this place.

Browsing tonight’s listing, I noticed that Ghost World (with Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Buscemi) is playing. Don’t miss that excellent film!

Bloor Cinema
506 Bloor Street West,
Toronto ON M5S1Y2 Canada
(416) 516-2331

Kid Friendly Pizza Places

contact — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:06:58 +0000

Pizza Restaurants – Anyone who has a kid, or knows a kid for that matter, knows that kids like pizza. Rare is the moment when you meet a kid that hates pizza, so if you’re looking for a pizza place in Toronto, you’re in luck, because there are many really good ones in the city. Here are some suggestions:

Pizza Amato – 380 College Street , Toronto ON M5T1S6, (416) 972-6286

Pizza Banfi – 333B Lonsdale Road, Toronto, ON, M5P1R3, (416) 322-5231

Chico’s Pizza – 701 St. Clair Ave West, Toronto, ON, M6C 1B2, (416) 658-4000

Cora Pizza – 656A Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5S2H7, (416) 922-1188

Magic Oven – 270 Dupont Street, Toronto, ON, M5R1V7, (416) 928-1555 *Uses mostly organic ingredients and is very vegan/vegetarian/lactose-free friendly.

The Big Slice – 385 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, M5B1S1, (416) 977-8451

Kismet Pizza – 1962 Eglinton Avenue West, York, ON, M6E2J9, (416) 782-0782

Massimo Pizza & Pasta – 302 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T1R9, (416) 967-0527

Vesuvio Pizzeria & Spaghetti House – 3014 Dundas Street West , Toronto ON M6P1Z3, (416) 763-4191

Tips, Tools, Rebates to Live Green in Toronto

contact — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:06:23 +0000

Check out Live Green Toronto, a one-stop resource for living friendly and green in our favorite Canadian city. There you willl discover literally hundreds of extremely easy ways to contribute to a healthier, lovelier, greener planet. Get inspired. Get motivated. Get a rebate!

Live Green Toronto

Toronto Meetup Groups

contact — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:06:36 +0000

There are literally hundreds of different groups of people meeting up in and around Toronto. These meetups are a great way to meet new friends and people with similar interests as yours. Some examples of groups are: Addicted to Travel (672 members), 20′s to 30′s Friends (554 members), Compassion For Animals’ Animal Rights / Vegetarians (167 members), Competitive and Recreational Volleyball Social Group (226 members), Documentary and Inspiring Films Social Club (684 members), etc. You’ll find a whole spectrum of interests, some very specific, but certainly there’s something for you. From hobbies to professional interests and sportive groups, you are bound to find your little corner of like-minded people.

Look for your meetup group here

Beating the Heat and Staying Cool in Toronto

contact — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:06:31 +0000

Summer’s in full swing and there’s only one thing to think about for the moment: staying cool. Here are some suggestions of avoiding over heating.

1. Go to Cherry Beach – Cherry Beach is a “blue flag” beach, meaning, it has been deemed safe and environmentally sound. It’s respected and recognized international eco-label. Find this cool lakeside park at the foot of Cherry Street just south of Unwin Avenue. More info.

2. Go swimming – There are many pools around the greater metropolitan Toronto area. Check them out here.

3. Eat the best gelato in Toronto. ‘nuf said.

4. Go to the movies – movie theatres are cool as cucumbers.

5. Water Slide! – at the Delta Chelsea. You have to be a guest at the hotel, however.

6. Go to the mall – There’s always Yorkdale but you have lots o choices.

7. Use Common Sense in the heat – Wear light, loose, comfortable cotton clothes; keep yourself hydrated (drink lots of water and natural fruit juices and cold herb teas); avoid overextenuating activity that can cause heat stroke; never leave children or pets inside a car; wear hats and stay in the shade if outdoors; eat light meals.

The Best Gelateria in Toronto: Dolce Gelato

contact — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:07:34 +0000

Based on the many Torontonians I’ve asked, Dolce Gelato seems to come up ahead by leaps and bounds above most other gelato places. Perhaps not THE best; but definitely excellent. My survey is not official and the results are obviously centered on my friends, family and their friends’ opinions but hey, if more than a few people recommend this place, it’s gotta be pretty good, heh?

Dolce Gelato
697 College St. (Little Italy)
Toronto, ON M6G 1C2 Canada
Telephone: 416-915-0756

Shopping in Toronto: Yorkdale Mall

contact — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:05:55 +0000

A recent $60-million expansion accounted for an additional 40 new stores to Yorkdale, and the fashion centre now offers its shoppers an even more exciting array of retailers, including the Apple Store, H&M, Lululemon, Mango, Sephora and Zara. More than 180,000 square feet of shopping space was added in the redevelopment, and the new section features a soaring 60-foot-high glass atrium.

Go crazy shopping at more than 240 shops. I am a huge fan of H&M and so you’ll see me spend most of my time there, and the Apple Store too.

Yorkdale Mall
1 Yorkdale Road, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario M6A 3A1
Canada
Hours
Monday – Friday: 10am – 9pm
Saturday: 9:30am – 9pm
Sunday: 11am – 6pm
Note: Monday August 4th, 2008 – Civic Day – The Mall is open 10am to 6pm.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre is closed:

Friday March – Good Friday
Sunday March/April – Easter Sunday
May – Victoria Day
July – Canada Day
September – Labour Day
October – Thanksgiving Day
December 25 – Christmas Day
January 1 – New Years Day

Heritage Toronto Walks

contact — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:05:47 +0000

Discover Toronto’s rich and fascinating past by taking a walk. Hey, not only will you get that much needed exercise, you’ll be adding even more knowledge to that noggin of yours.

Today, the walk is through Bâby Point to learn about 10,000 Years of History, but the walk won’t take 10,000 years, rest assured. Explore some of Toronto’s First Nations and French history with this tour of the area named after the estate of James Bâby, an early French settler. Hear about the Seneca village of Teiaiagon, the Carrying Place trail and the first French fort in what is now Toronto. Tours will be offered in English and French. It all begins at 1:30pm today so if you can make it, you won’t regret the last minute plans. The walk will last approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. Meet at the southwest corner of Jane St and Bâby Point Rd/Annette St. You will end your walk near Old Mill Subway Station.

July 26 – 1:00pm – 3pm – you’ll find yourself in the footsteps of black Victorians. In the 19th century, Toronto was a centre of antislavery organizations and Black cultural and political activities. Hear about the men and women of the community as we visit some of the sites known to them. Meet at South St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front St E at Jarvis. End at Mackenzie House, 82 Bond St, S of Dundas St.

August through October

AUGUST
Lambton Mills (Aug 9 2008 – 1:30pm)
African-Canadian Women in Early Toronto (Aug 10 2008 – 1:00pm)
Cabbagetown People: Discoveries of Remarkable Lives (Aug 16 2008 – 1:30pm)
The Royal Alexandra Theatre and Its Neighbourhood (Aug 17 2008 – 11:00am)
Faces on Places: Gargoyles and Other Architectural Ornament (Aug 23 2008 – 1:30pm)
Edwards Gardens and Wilket Creek (Aug 24 2008 – 1:30pm)
Colourful Corktown (Aug 24 2008 – 1:30pm)

SEPTEMBER
Spadina: The Story of an Estate & Its Neighbourhood (Sep 6 2008 – 1:30pm)
The Guild Inn Gardens (Sep 7 2008 – 1:30pm)
Weston Side Story – All Around the Town (Sep 13 2008 – 1:00pm)
Yorkville (Sep 14 2008 – 11:00am)
Imagining Toronto’s Past – CANCELLED (Sep 20 2008 – 1:30pm)
Wellington Place Neighbourhood (Sep 21 2008 – 1:30pm)
Historic Moore Park (Sep 27 2008 – 1:30pm)
Fort York: 200 Years of Lakefront Development (Sep 28 2008 – 1:30pm)

OCTOBER
Exhibition Place: Ghostly Secrets Revealed (Oct 3 2008 – 7:00pm)
Swansea: The Country in the City (Oct 4 2008 – 1:30pm)
Thomson Pioneer Settlement (Oct 5 2008 – 1:30pm)

More information about Heritage Toronto Walks

[via]

Gandhi’s Roti and other Roti Restaurants in Toronto

contact — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:07:06 +0000

A definite hole-in-the-wall favorite roti restaurant of local Torontonians in the know. You’ll find East Indian roti. The butter chicken and chicken jalfrizi rotis are some of the best you’ll sample in Toronto. I’m drooling now.

Gandhi’s Roti
554 Queen West, Toronto
Toronto ON M5V3P2
(416) 504-8155

Other rotis in Toronto: Roti Hut on Pitfield, Tarin Roti Shop on Gerrard east of Parliament in Regent Park, Patty King on the south side of Baldwin, Blue Water on Vic Park n of Eglinton, Island Foods at King and Dufferin, Bacchus and Ali’s on Queen West, and Roti Lady in Parkdale, Drupati’s at 925 Albion Road, Roti Roti on Islington, Alima’s, Village on the Grange on Dundas and University, Don Mills on Don Mills north of Lawrence, Caffeteria at the Bay at Yonge & Queen, Coconut Grove, Dundas east of University, Mona’s in Scarborough, Pam’s Kitchen, Brendan’s Roti Garden, on Hayden just south of Bloor, Ritz Caribbean Food on Yonge Street, Danforth Roti in East York on Danforth, Roti King on Eglington W between Dufferin and Oakwood, Caribbean Queen of Patties on Bloor just east of Lansdowne.

World Premiere in Toronto for the Documentary: UFOs: The Secret History

contact — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:08:29 +0000

The 2-hour feature documentary UFOs: The Secret History, (UFOs and the Politics of Reality), premieres in Canada on History Television, July 15th at 8:00 p.m. EDT with a repeat at 12:00 a.m. midnight EDT.

There will be a public preview screening on July 8th at 7:00 p.m.here:

The Royal Cinema,
608 College St. West
Toronto M6G 1A1
Phone: 416-534-5252

The Royal has recently been renovated and has an High Definition projector so the documentary will be seen on a 40-foot screen.

There’ll be a $6 charge at the door with all proceeds going to the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies.

The doors open at 6:30.

Toronto Jazz Festival Starts June 22

contact — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:05:43 +0000

This festival is not to be missed. Here’s what past festivals looked like

if you’re anywhere in the vicinity of Toronto. Or not. Some highlights from last year featured Al Green, so you must see the Rev (June 19) if you’re tired of being alone, because if anything, he’s still in love with you. Ahmad Jamal will be there (June 23) too! And – A surprising guest, a very old timer in jazz, Dave Brubeck will be kickin it with y’all (July 2) and taking at least 5 minutes to play his signature tune. If you have no idea who he is, you will surely recognize his tunes, and at 88 years old, he will amaze you.

There will be lots of music and lots of artists and venues so the best thing to do is download a schedule and go from there. Get tickets online at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 416-870-8000.

For more information: toronto jazz

Where to find Tea in the Sahara in Toronto

contact — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:05:41 +0000

Finding good quality tea is not really that easy these days but you’ll be happy to know that you can find Tea in the Sahara here in Toronto!

Downtown Toronto

889
889 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4W 2H2
416 925 7206

A Taste Above
74 Richmond Street East
Toronto, ON M5C 1P1
416 203 0396
www.atasteabove.com

Cafe 260
260 Richmond St. East
Toronto, ON M5A 1P4
416-368-9222

Celestin
623 Mt. Pleasant Rd
Toronto, ON M4S 2M9
416 544 1733

The Cheese Boutique
45 Ripley Avenue
Toronto, ON M6S 3P2
(416) 762-6292

The Chiropractic and Health Associates Clinic
1407 Yonge St. Suite 400
Toronto, ON M4T 1Y7
416-924-0777

Divine Scents
151 Harbord Street
Toronto, ON M5S 1H1
416 962 0000

Elixir Organic Spa
766 King Street West, Unit 5
Toronto, ON M5V 1N6
416-203-5261

Flow Nail Spa
753 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M6J 1G1
416 910 2827

Hammam Spa
602 King Street West
Toronto, ON M5V 1M6
416-366-4775

Kahawa Coffeehouse
Nairesiae Kipusi
388 College St
Toronto, M5T 1S7

Lileo
55 Mill Street – Building 35
Toronto, ON M5A 3C4
416 413 1410

The Mercantile
626 College Street
Toronto, ON M6G 1B4
416 531 7563

Niche Coffee & Tea Company
626 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M6J 1E4
416-203-0458

The Outer Layer
577 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5V 2B6
416 869 9889

The Outer Layer
430 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M5S 1X5
416 324 8333

Pure Intent
64 Oxford Street 2nd Floor
Kensington Market
Toronto, ON M5T 1P1
416 466 3237

Red Rocket Cafe
1402B Queen Street East
Toronto, ON M4L 1C9
647-889-2338

Satori Urban Wellness
33 Hazleton Avenue
Toronto, ON M5R 2E3
416-972-9355

Shizen Spa
8 Colbourne Street, 4th Floor
Toronto, ON M5E 1E1
416 350 2424

Summerhill Market
446 Summerhill Avenue
Toronto, ON M4W 2E4
416 921 2714

Upper Village Spa
1112 Eglinton Ave. West
Toronto, ON M6C 2E2
416-782-1539

Verity Spa
111 Queen St E
Toronto, ON M5C 1S2
416-368-6006

Vika Spa
88 Avenue Road
Toronto, ON M5R 2H2
416 929 5509

Water Lily
1984 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4S 1Z7
416 488 4387

North Toronto

Galati Market Fresh
5845 Leslie Street
North York, ON M3H 1J8
416 756-2000

Two Blonds & a Brunette Gift Co.
46 Glen Echo Road, 2nd Floor
Toronto, On M4N 2E3
647 343-3446

West Toronto

Agora
3015 Dundas Street West
Toronto, ON
416-761-9991

Balance Integrated Health
24b Liberty Street
Toronto, ON M4K 1A5
416 588 8282

Peach Tree
2239 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M6S 1N7
416-913-4466

East Toronto

Dark Horse Espresso Bar
682 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON M4M 1G9
647-436-3460

Dash Kitchen
236 Danforth Avenue
Toronto, ON M4K 1N2
416 463 3274

Leslieville Cheese Market
891 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON M4M 1J4
416 465 7143

Sorry We’re Open – Dunec Dentist in Toronto

contact — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:05:42 +0000

You gotta love a dentist with a sense of humor. Let’s hope, however, he’s not like Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors.

Dr. Arthur Dunec
1910 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4S 3B2
416-485-4433

[via]

Street Art in Toronto

contact — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:05:45 +0000

From woostercollective:

I Am Elvis

contact — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:07:13 +0000

No, I’m not really the King, but you’ll find a bunch of Elvis impersonators May 1 at the Gladstone Hotel‘s Melody Bar. Don’t miss tomorrow’s fun event; there will be 5 Elvis Tribute Artists performing live, the youngest of them is only 12 years old!

I Am Elvis
Gladstone Hotel, Toronto
Thursday, May 1, 2008
7-9:30pm
Melody Bar
Free

Clotheslines are IN again – Yay!

contact — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:08:00 +0000

From the torontosun:

“It’s time to get over any hang ups with clotheslines.

Ontario will outlaw clothesline bans by this summer to encourage citizens to use the environmentally friendly option when doing laundry.

“We want you to feel comfortable, wherever you happen to live in the province of Ontario, to put up a clothesline and to let mother nature, let the wind and the sun, dry your clothing,” Premier Dalton McGuinty said yesterday.

Homeowners would no longer be subject to municipal bylaws or homebuilder agreements that ban the lines.

Electric clothes dryers account for about 6% of a home’s energy consumption, and cutting use by 25% would save consumers about $30 per year.

Toronto Hydro’s Take A Load Off program is offering citizens a free retractable clothesline and cold water washing detergent.

At the official launch of the program yesterday, Energy Minister Gerry Phillips was wearing a shirt that had been hung out to dry.

“I think it’s safe to say that outdoor clothes-hanging season’s now with us,” Phillips said.”

House in Toronto for Sale – It’s $1

contact — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:05:42 +0000

From cbc:

“Toronto’s resale housing market may be cooling off, but at least one enterprising owner has found a way to get his home noticed.

He put it on the market for $1.

The Canadian Real Estate Association says existing homes sales across the country tumbled 13 per cent for the first three months of the year compared with last year.

The group says much of the slide was tied to lower activity in Toronto during February and March. The city accounts for about a quarter of the country’s sales in major markets.

Toronto saw its residential unit sales drop 13.4 per cent, though new listings were also down by seven per cent.

The $1 listing comes from Omar Ibrahim, who put his two-storey house on the market for less than the cost of a litre of gas.

He told CBC News the listing is “basically to see whether or not we can get an offer and something reasonable, letting the market determine … what the value of this house is.”

The house at 93 Badgerow Ave., a semi in the city’s Riverdale neighbourhood, shows well. It has three bedrooms, new flooring, appliances, fresh paint and a finished basement.

Ibrahim is not trying to give the house away and won’t let it go for the asking price. It’s a marketing strategy.

Tony Bassels, the real estate broker, remembers another house in Willowdale that was listed for $1 in 2004.

“It sold in 16 days for about $960,000 and that was listed for a dollar. And again multiple interest drove the price up to there,” he said.

Ibrahim buys homes, renovates and sells them. He bought 93 Badgerow Ave. in January 2008 for $342,000. He’ll find out Monday night when he opens the offers if his strategy will pay off.”

CN Tower Gets a New Glass Floor Elevator

contact — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:07:23 +0000

From canoe.ca:

“After losing its 32-year status as the tallest freestanding structure on the planet, Toronto’s iconic CN Tower has something new to brag about: the world’s highest glass-floor elevator that offers visitors a thrilling perspective of the city.

Shooting upwards at 22 kilometres per hour, visitors can now watch the ground below them fall away as the elevator soars 346 metres in just 58 seconds.

For those who dare to stand atop one of the elevator’s two narrow glass floor panels – each a little more than five centimetres thick – the trip is perhaps even more harrowing on the way down.

Plunging down the concrete elevator shaft with a view of some of the…”

Full article

Pho Hung – Great Vietnamese Food in Toronto

contact — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:07:42 +0000

Despite the Laughing Cow logo on the restaurant, this gem in Toronto will make you say “Cheese.” Ok, that didn’t work. I meant that Pho Hung will make you smile. You’ll find simply delicious Vietnamese food.

This is my personal favorite for their “pho,” which will quite possibly be your next preferred comfort food. But it’ll be GOOD for you kind of comfort food. Pho is heavenly bowls filled with fragrant soup broth (anis seed or fresh cilantro or lemongrass) and packed with yummy meats, veggies, bean sprouts and noodles. Garnish with herbs and hot sauce (if desired). Gobble down a bowl and you’re good for the whole day; not only that, you’ll feel good in general, PLUS, you’ll be happy you’ve eaten a healthy meal.

Pho Hung
200 Bloor Street West
Another location: 350 Spadina Avenue in Chinatown
Toronto Canada
(416) 963-5080

2008 Earth Hour Toronto

contact — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:06:15 +0000

Yesterday’s turn out in Toronto for Earth Hour. Check it out at Treehugger.

First Eyeball Tattoo is in Toronto

contact — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:07:36 +0000

It’s so weird that I suspect this eyeball tattoo is a hoax but it’s still fascinating; the things people invent! Real or imagined.

Apparently, a guy from Toronto is the first person EVER to get an eyeball tatoo. I get weak knees thinking about it.

The photos are a bit scary so I’m not going to post them here. Check them out at the inventorspot.

Featured City: Toronto

contact — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:06:31 +0000

Make sure to head over to concierge where they’ve featured our favorite Canadian city of Toronto. Here’s what they say about Toronto in a nutshell:

“* It’s a chowhound’s paradise, with everything from Nigerian to Laotian, Moroccan to Azerbaijani food

* An architectural renaissance is transforming the skyline with additions by Daniel Libeskind and native son Frank Gehry

* Toronto has become one of the most ethnically diverse cities on the continent, with lively neighborhoods, festivals, and restaurants to match

* The Eaton Centre. It’s a big suburban-style mall with all the wrong kinds of shopping

* When to go to Toronto: May, June, September, October”

More here

Upcoming Beer Events in Toronto

contact — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 22:11:45 +0000

From beerbeatsbites:

Time to quench your insatiable thirst at the following upcoming beer dinner events in our great city of Toronto. Enjoy.

“Monday, March 24th
Easter Beer Dinner
Abbot On The Hill, 1276 Yonge Street
$65 – call 416.920.9074 for reservations
A special Easter Monday dinner pairing five Belgian beers from import agents Roland & Russell – Margriet, St Martin Blonde, St Martin Brune, Gouden Carolus Easter Beer & Boscoulis – paired with a five-course meal, including a main course of Rabbit Fricassee with Apricot Preserves & Spiced Pecans.

Tuesday, April 8th
Fuller’s Dinner with John Keeling
Duke of Westminster, First Canadian Place, 77 Adelaide Street West
$45 – call 416.368.2761 for reservations
Premier Brands presents a dinner with John Keeling, Brewing Director of Fuller’s Brewery, Chiswick, London, UK. Beers to be served include Fuller’s London Pride, Fuller’s ESB, Fuller’s London Porter & Fuller’s Organic Honey Dew.

Friday, April 11th
The Brewer’s Table
The Church at Berkeley, 315 Queen Street East
$150 – call 416.644-1012 to reserve
A benefit for Green Enterprise Toronto, co-presented by Local Food Plus and Slow Food Toronto. This first annual event celebrates slow food, local-sustainable food and farming, and import substitution in the winter/spring season in the Toronto region. Featuring finely crafted beers from Mill Street, Cameron’s, Wellington, Church Key, Steam Whistle and Black Oak to compliment dishes from Jamie Kennedy Kitchens, La Palette, Veritas, Cowbell, Gladstone Hotel and Rebel House, as well as variety of individual food artisans, oysters from Oyster Boy, and live jazz bands.

Friday, April 25th
Southern Tier Beer Dinner
The Academy of Spherical Arts, One Snooker Street
ticket info t.b.a.
Roland & Russell presents a dinner with Southern Tier’s Phin DeMink to celebrate the arrival of Southern Tier IPA at the LCBO. There will also be a more casual “meet & greet” with Phin on Saturday, April 26th at Volo. Further details t.b.a.

April (date t.b.a.)
Bavaria/La Trappe Beer Dinner
Abbot On The Hill, 1276 Yonge Street
ticket info t.b.a.
Premier Brands presents a three-course dinner to mark the arrival of Bavaria on draught for the first time in Canada, and La Trappe (Koningshoeven) Bock for the first time in the Western Hemisphere. Further details t.b.a.

Wednesday, May 28th
Dogfish Head Beer Dinner
beerbistro, 18 King Street East
$100 – tickets on sale May 1st
A dinner with Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, featuring the beer cuisine of beerbistro chef Brian Morin paired with a number of DFH beers, some available for the first time in Ontario. Further details t.b.a.”

The Metropolitan Hotel, Great for Business Travelers

contact — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:06:47 +0000

When you stay at The Metropolitan Hotel you’ll find yourself just a few convenient minutes from the Financial District.

The hotel boasts a 24-hour business center and in-room amenities such as large work space on desks, fax/modem hookups, and cordless two-line phones.

There are favorite restaurants among the business crowd here: Hemispheres and Lai Wah Heen will be ideal for your power lunches.

The Metropolitan Hotel
108 Chestnut Street
Toronto, ON M5G 1R3, Canada
(416) 977-5000

Arsenic in the Pear Juice

contact — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:06:52 +0000

From the canadian press:

“OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Loblaws Inc. have warned the public not to consume certain pear juices for toddlers that may be contaminated with arsenic.

The CFIA says in a news release that there have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of the products.

The two products listed in the warning are the one-litre President’s Choice Organics Pear Juice from Concentrate for Toddlers and the 128-millilitre Beech Nut Pear Juice from concentrate with Vitamin C added.

The products have been distributed across the country, the agency says.

Arsenic is a toxic heavy metal that may be carcinogenic and may pose developmental risks to children.

Loblaws Inc, has voluntarily recalled the affected products and the CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall, the release says.”

Canada Blooms Starts Today / The Toronto Flower & Garden Festival, March 12 – 16, 2008

contact — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:12:32 +0000

Canada Blooms has grown to be one of Toronto’s most successful events, drawing volunteers, visitors and participants from all across Canada and the United States. Already a popular destination with tour groups, gardeners from Bermuda, France, the United Kingdom and the United States now rank Canada Blooms as being one of the top five shows of its kind.

Canada Blooms
Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC)
South Building
222 Bremner Blvd.
Toronto, Ontario

Design Within Reach – Grand Opening March 13, 6-9pm

contact — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:08:36 +0000

DWR invites you to stop by and say hello during their Grand Opening Event on Thursday, March 13. Plus, from March 13 through 19, they’ll donate 10% of all Toronto Studio sales to Design Exchange. A museum and cultural center, Design Exchange, like DWR, is committed to raising awareness and understanding of design.

About DWR from their Site
The Toronto Studio – our first international foray – is an anchor to the revitalized King Street West area. Bordering both the city’s entertainment and fashion districts, our light-filled Studio occupies nearly 5,000 square-feet on the ground floor of a heritage building. The interior architecture includes exposed brick, original beams and high ceilings, all of which create an open, airy space for you to experience the best in modern design. The Studio is within walking distance to the Sky Dome and CN Tower, and offers a welcome respite from the pace of downtown life. Proprietor Clay A. Wright leads a dynamic team with diverse backgrounds in the field of design. Visit the Toronto Studio for personalized service and expertise.

Design Within Reach
435 King Street West (at Spadina Avenue)
Toronto, ON M5V 1K4
Phone: 416.977.4003

Eco Wedding & Lifestyle Show, Toronto

contact — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:06:05 +0000

The Eco Wedding & Lifestyle Show will help the discerning couple make purchasing choices that have a lighter impact on the environment without sacriﬁcing style and joy. It’ll provide couples with a place to meet both non-traditional vendors who offer these alternatives, and established, traditional vendors who are excited about the changes being made in their organizations to create a sustainable example.

Eco Wedding/Bridal Show
March 1 & 2, 2008
at the Design Exchange
234 Bay Street
Toronto Ontario M5K 1B2 Canada
10am to 7pm
Website: Eco Wedding Show

11,000 Video Camera Eyes Will Be Watching You

contact — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:06:15 +0000

From the star:

“Surveillance cameras make TTC riders feel safer and the plan to dramatically expand their numbers is okay with Ann Cavoukian, Ontario’s privacy commissioner.

“Installing 11,000 cameras on buses, streetcars, subway cars and in stations complies with privacy standards, Cavoukian said yesterday when she released the results of her investigation.

But the TTC must make some changes to ensure the network of seeing eyes is used only for legitimate purposes and never for voyeurism, as has happened in other cities, she said.

Cavoukian urged that the TTC:

Delete video data after three days unless it’s needed for a police investigation.
Conduct annual audits to make sure privacy rules are followed.
Test a privacy-enhancing technology, under development at University of Toronto, that automatically encrypts people’s images.
The recommendations are meant to balance the legitimate needs for transit system safety and passenger privacy, Cavoukian stated.

TTC chair Adam Giambrone endorsed her findings and said his staff will be coming back with a plan for implementing them.

Privacy International, the London-based organization whose complaint trigged Cavoukian’s investigation, was less pleased.

“It is clear … the Commissioner has given up the ghost of privacy and become resigned to the inevitability of video surveillance technology,” the group said on its website.

The group argues there is no public-interest justification for the $21 million security system….”

Continue

Nightclubs Must Stop Scanning Driver’s Licenses

contact — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:05:55 +0000

From cbc:

“Alberta’s privacy commissioner has ordered a Calgary nightclub to stop scanning patrons’ driver’s licences, disputing the bar owner’s stance that the practice curbs violent behaviour.

Nyall Engfield filed a complaint to the office in August 2005 after his driver’s licence was scanned before he could enter the Tantra Nightclub at 3rd Street and 10th Avenue S.W. He claimed his personal information was collected without his permission.

Tantra and its parent company, Penny Lane Entertainment Group, argued the scanning system was for their customers’ safety and discouraged troublemakers from entering.

In a ruling released Wednesday, Frank Work, Alberta’s information and privacy commissioner wrote: “The organization did not provide any evidence to establish that collecting the complainant’s driver’s licence information, or that of other patrons, is in any way a deterrent to violent behaviour.”

Work ordered Tantra to cease scanning licences because “it has no reasonable purpose for doing so,” and to destroy the information it’s already collected from other patrons.

The Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission said it would…”

Continue

Toronto Power Company

contact — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:06:14 +0000

From vanishing point:

“Imagine a tunnel more than ten storeys underground, a hundred years old, bricklined, wet, and completely inaccessible save by descending through a narrow slit in its ceiling thirty feet above the floor, and then returning up the same rope you came down.

Now imagine that this tunnel flows into Niagara Falls, emerging behind the pummeling curtain of water that nearly everyone in North America journeys to see at some point in their lives.

This tunnel exists. In the autumn of 2004, thanks to the work of two people with the experience and equipment to make it happen, I had the chance to feel Niagara Falls.

Hydroelectric generating stations work by capturing the kinetic energy of falling water and converting it into mechanical energy using a turbine and then into electricity in a generator mounted at the other end of the turbine. At the beginning of the twentieth century, this technology had just begun to reach industrial maturity, and something of a race developed among competing private interests to capture the gravitational potential of the most spectacular water feature in Eastern North America, Niagara Falls….”

Continue

[Via]

Rest in peace: Canadian blues guitarist Jeff Healey

contact — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:08:08 +0000

From ctv.ca:

“Legendary blues and jazz guitarist Jeff Healey has died, his publicist said Sunday. The Canadian musician had battled cancer his entire life.

“It was something he fought with considerable bravery,” his publicist, Richard Flohil, told Newsnet late Sunday.

Healey, 41, had lost his eyesight to a rare form of the disease, retinoblastoma, at the age of one.

The musician had performed with such acclaimed guitar players as B. B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins and George Harrison.

His full name was Norman Jeffrey Healey and he passed away Sunday in the city of his birth, Toronto, at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Healey first began playing guitar at the age of three and formed his first band while still a teenager, according to his website. He played with a very distinctive style, laying his guitar on his lap….

Article

Canadian Official Threatens Obama and Clinton With Cutting Off Tar Sands Oil

contact — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:06:50 +0000

From treehugger:

“Why worry about keeping church and state separate when oil and automobiles already poison North American political culture? Here’s the latest dustup:- a trade war threat by a Canadian official against US presidential candidates. Analysis by category.

Car Making
Canada exports numerous cars that are designed in the US, assembled in Canada, and then sold in the US, bringing many jobs and sustaining a positive balance of trade for Canada (which does not want things messed up by challenges to NAFTA by US Democrats).

Lobbying
Neither do the Detroit-based car companies and the US oil companies operating in Alberta, all of which seem to have positive relationships with the present US Federal and the Canadian National Governments. Tactical similarities between national leaders of the US and Canada are remarkable:- see: Prime Minister Mini-Me Cans Science Advisor

US Politics
On the campaign trail, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both have been trash talking NAFTA a bit lately, taking a populist stance toward jobs and health and environmental protection. For Ohio’s sake.

Canadian Politics….”

CN Tower Timelapse

contact — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:06:41 +0000

Click here to see it

Science for Peace – February 29, 2008

contact — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:07:14 +0000

Science for Peace- An Environmental Forum
Feb. 29, 2008 – 1pm to 5pm
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Oise Auditorium
252 Bloor Street W (at St. George Subway)

Science for Peace is a charitable Canadian-based organization of natural scientists, engineers, social scientists, scholars in the humanities and lay people throughout the world. It brings together professors, graduate students and first degree students who are concerned about peace, justice and making an environmentally sustainable future. SfP has NGO status at the United Nations.

Speakers for the event: Tony Clarke, winnter of Alternative Nobel Peace Prize and tar, sands, water and anti-corporation campaigner, Peter Victor, Bill Vanderburg, Eduardo Sousa, Jocelyn Thorpe, Lois Wilson

For more information: 416.535.6605

Toronto could be debt-free by 2010

contact — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:05:52 +0000

From the National Post:

The City of Toronto, which has insisted for years it cannot escape a fiscal straightjacket created by the province, could be debt-free by 2010, according to an independent panel whose recommendations include tolling expressways, taxing parking lots, streamlining city operations, beefing up the mayor’s powers and studying the sale of assets including Toronto Hydro, the Toronto Parking Authority and Enwave.

Authored by six eminent Torontonians hand-selected by the Mayor, the report identifies up to $3.5-billion that could be squeezed out of city assets — either by selling them or finding other ways to extract more money from them — and urges council to axe $50-million in spending this year and $150-million in future years.

“Ultimately, if you could implement this and you had the will to implement this, you could get to a situation where Toronto is debt-free and [has] a balanced budget … within three years,” said panelist Paul Massara, the president of Genesis Capital Corporation, in a meeting with the National Post’s editorial board. “The question is, is there the political will?”

At the top of the panel’s wish list is fixing the “broken” …

The Living Wall in Toronto

contact — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:07:09 +0000

“The air-purification system at the new University of Guelph-Humber building in Toronto is anything but industry-standard.

And when visitors spot the four-storey wall of plants dominating one side of a light-filled atrium, the reaction is universally “Wow”, says vice-provost Michael Nightingale.

But while the lush array that includes orchids, ferns, ivy and hibiscus is impressive, the truly innovative part of the biofilter – which has been operating for less than a year – is its capacity to break down hundreds of different kinds of contaminants found in indoor air.

Thanks to the action of microbes that live on the plant roots, common pollutants such as formaldehyde, toluene and benzene are transformed into harmless water and carbon dioxide. While the plants themselves have little impact on contaminants, they provide the environment for the microbes to work efficiently…”

Thompson Hotel Toronto With Pool and Ice Rink! Coming Soon

contact — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:07:04 +0000

Set to open during the summer of 2009, the Thompson Hotel will feature a rooftop pool and bar with amazing views of Lake Ontario, Fort York and the CN Tower, all completely unobstructed; 102 rooms and 340 residential units; 42-inch plasma TVs, private 40-seat screening rooms; an outdoor skating rink with an rink-side lounge!

Thompson Hotel Toronto
550 Wellington Street W
Toronto ON M5V Canada
Telephone: 212.204.5010 (for info)

[via]

Valentine’s Day for Singles: Toronto Dance Clubs

contact — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:05:42 +0000

On your own tonight? Lots of people are date-less on Valentine’s Day; there’s no need to be ashamed or anything. Go have a great time dancing the night away. Invite some other solo Valentine’s friends and have a blast burning off some calories and listening to fun music:

Ba Ba Lu’u
136 Yorkville Ave., Telephone: 416-515-0587

Bovine Sex Club
542 Queen St. W., Telephone: 416-504-4239

Cira
126 John St., Toronto, Telephone: 416-979-0044

Courthouse
57 Adelaide St., Telephone: 416-214-9379

The Dance Cave
529 Bloor St. W., 2nd floor

Devil’s Martini
473 Adelaide St. W., Toronto, Telephone: 416-603-9300

The Docks
11 Polson St., Toronto, Telephone: 416-469-5655

El Convento Rico
750 College St., Telephone: 416-588-7800

The 5th Social Club
225 Richmond St. W., Toronto, Telephone: 416-979-3000

Fluid Lounge
217 Richmond St. W., Telephone: 416-593-6116

Funhaus
526 Queen St. W., Toronto, Telephone: 416-703-4999

The Guvernment/Koolhaus
32 Queens Quay E., Telephone: 416-869-0045

Hotel Boutique Bar
7 Peter St. Telephone: 416-345-8585

Inside
218 Richmond St. W., Telephone: 416-591-0009

Limelight Nightclub
250 Adelaide St. W., Telephone: 416-593-6126

Muzik
15 Saskatchewan Rd., Toronto, Telephone: 416-595-9998

Shallow Groove Lounge
559 College St., Telephone: 416-944-8998

This is London
364 Richmond St. W., Telephone: 416-351-1100

Tonic
117 Peter St., Telephone: 416-204-9200

[source]

Scenes of Toronto in Movies

contact — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:11:45 +0000

Milla Jovovich climbing down the wall of City Hall, helicopters and approaching zombies, and Toronto being nuked in Resident Evil – Apocalypse.

Brinks truck blowing up in Nathan Phillips Square in The Kidnapping of the President.

Train crashing through a wall of Union Station in Silver Streak.

Santa Claus with a gun pushing his way down an escalator in the Eaton Centre in Silent Partner.

Danny DeVito climbing over cars in traffic jam in Other People’s Money.

Claude Van Damme’s chase through the Zanzibar strip club and down Yonge Street in Maximum Risk.

Crowds rushing out of the University cinema in Strange Brew.

Racing car chase along University Avenue and Molson Indy in Driven.

Exploding bomb at Woodbine race track in Bait.

Geena Davis standing across from Honest Ed’s sign in The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Rock band Lighthouse playing at U of T in Frankenstein on Campus. Other bands that have had acting rolls include Rough Trade, Bare Naked Ladies, and The Tragically Hip.

Man alone in the world in the future shot at the new Science Centre, Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future.

Crowd outside of the CN tower in the climax of Canadian Bacon.

A TD bank tower containing a drug bank in Half Baked.

Casa Loma as the school for training the X-Men.

U of T in so many films like The Skulls, Superstar, Good Will Hunting, PCU and horror ones.

[Source: FIT]

Dim Sum in Toronto

contact — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:09:05 +0000

For an out-of-this-world Cantonese inspired dim sum in Toronto, make a bee-line over to Lai Wah Heen Restaurant, which is housed inside the Metropolitan Hotel. Dim sum is served during lunch, seven days a week.

Dim sum chef Terence Chan is the mastermind behind the offerings at Lai Wah Heen. With his finger on the pulse of the most recent trends in Chinese cuisine, Chef Chan offers the most delectable shrimp, pork and vegetable dishes perfectly seasoned with exotic herbs and spices from the Pacific Rim.

NEVER leave this place, either, without trying the desserts! Here’s what’s available:

-Mini cream custard freshly baked in a puff pastry shell
-Sweetened cream roulade filled with hawthorn fruit paste
-Deep-fried dumpling of banana & sweet potato
-Deep-fried cream custard in a puffy cocoon
-Steamed mini soft cake flavored with honey-glazed walnut
-Tower of coffee & espresso pudding
-Deep-fried bun filled with mango & cream
-Baked puff pastry of sweet squash paste & almond
-Chilled duo tea pudding of lychee & jasmine flavor

To see the Dim Sum menu click here

Lai Wah Heen Restaurant
Metropolitan Hotel Toronto
108 Chestnut Street
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1R3 Canada
Telephone: 416.977.9899

Can’t Sleep? Head Over to the Insomnia Cafe

contact — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 22:06:08 +0000

I’ll join you because I can’t sleep either. This is a perfect place to hang out in the middle of the night, when most Torontonians are getting their much needed zzzzz’s. The decor won’t make you go too insane as it’s rather sparse decorated in a mix of funky styles. Grab a late night snack or light meal. What are some things on the menu? Fried calamari with tzatziki dipping sauce. Don’t like it fried? Have it grilled with a side of salad. Or have a crostini with hummus or roasted garlic and brie. Looking for something more substantial? Have Fries! or steamed mussels, quesadillas, soup & salad and more. I’m hungry now.

By the way, the folks at Insomnia run a bar, so if you’d rather fill up on “liquids” try their yummy mcyumyum martinis.

Insomnia Internet Cafe
563 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M5S 1Y6, Canada
Tel: 416.588.3907
Sun-Wed 11:00am-2:00am, Fri & Sat 11:00am-4:00am

February Beer Events in Toronto

contact — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:05:51 +0000

Hart House Beer Academy with Mirella Amato – Hart House presents an evening of Craft Beer Tasting with Mirella Amato, tour guide for the Beer Lover’s Tour Company and host of the beer segments on legourmet.tv. – on Thursday, February 21, 2008 from 7pm to 10pm in the Music Room. Featuring yummilicious pub food and samplings of 9 specialty craft beers – Hart House, Music Room, 7 Hart House Circle, $45 – call 416.978.8849 to reserve

Gouden Carolus Dinner – Friday and Saturday, February 22 and 23, 2008 – This event is a 3-course Belgian menu fixe ($40) menu with your choice of Gouden Carolus, Gouden Carolus Tripel or Gouden Carolus Ambrio. The Abbot On The Hill, Abbot on the Hill, 1276 Yonge Street, call 416.920.9074 to reserve

Canadians want to vote in U.S. election

contact — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:06:48 +0000

From cbc:

Fifteen per cent of Canadians would give up their ballot in Canada’s next federal election to vote in the U.S. election, a new poll co-sponsored by the CBC has found.

The poll, done by the Canadian polling company Environics Research on behalf of the Simons Foundation, the CBC, the Environics Institute, the Globe and Mail and Le Devoir, asked 2,001 Canadians over the age of 15 questions about how they perceive their role, and Canada’s role, in the world.

Forty-six per cent of those surveyed in January by telephone said it matters a great deal to Canada who wins the November 2008 U.S. presidential election. Another 35 per cent said it mattered somewhat, while only eight per cent said it doesn’t matter at all.

Keith Neuman of Environics told CBCNews.ca that the fact that nearly one in six Canadians said they would vote in the American election over the Canadian election shows just how important they think the United States is.

“What they’re saying is that in the whole scheme of things, the race will have impact on the world and Canada,” said Neuman, Environic’s group vice-president, public affairs.

“The U.S. is a big global superpower and it carries a lot of weight.”
While 34 per cent of those surveyed said they would like to see a Democrat win the next election and five per cent said a Republican, a whopping 56 per cent surveyed said it makes no difference to them whether the next president is a Republican or a Democrat.

“That’s notable,” Neuman said. “Canadians are not knee-jerk partisans when it comes to American politics.”

Neuman noted that this indifferent response may have been partially due to the fact that the survey was done Jan. 9 to Jan. 22, when the race to pick the next Democratic and Republican presidential nominees was only just heating up.

The poll was done on behalf of Canada’s World, a citizen’s initiative focused on the roles Canada and Canadians play in the world. The principal sponsor was The Simons Foundation, with additional support from the Environics Institute, the CBC and the Globe and Mail.

The survey has a margin of error of 2.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

U.S. cited as negative force in the world

While Canadians see the United States as important, when asked what countries stand out as being a negative force in the world, 52 per cent of respondents named the U.S.

The next most common answers were Iran (22 per cent), Iraq (19 per cent) and China (13 per cent)…

Toronto Teen Wins $1.4 Million

contact — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 22:06:18 +0000

WATERLOO, Ontario, Feb. 4 (UPI) — An 18-year-old Canadian man with just six months background playing poker has earned $1.4 million in a German tournament.

Mike McDonald of Waterloo, Ontario, northwest of Toronto, is too young to legally play in most Canadian provinces and the United States, but since turning 18 in September, has racked up some impressive wins in London, Prague, Macau and Aruba, his mother told the Waterloo Record.

Saturday night was the biggest win for McDonald, who saw through repeated bluffs by German poker veteran Andreas Gulunay in Dortmund, the report said.

Speaking to the newspaper by telephone, the teenager said he’ll continue playing until he’s had enough.

“I see these guys who are playing 60 hours a week when they’re old, and none of them seem very happy,” McDonald said. “I don’t want to make this my long-term career … I might like to go back to school and get a real job.”

He said he’d also like to buy a used car, although he hasn’t got his drivers license yet, the report said.

The Dirt on Toronto: Garbage Facts

contact — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 22:09:03 +0000

From toronto.ca:

General

From January to August 2007, on average, 74 truck loads per day of solid waste (approximately 441,363 tonnes) went to Michigan landfill…down from 142 daily truck loads in 2003. This includes waste the City collects from residents, ICI (Industrial, Commercial, Institutional), ABC&Ds (Agency, Boards, Commissions, Divisions) and schools.

Toronto sent approximately 696,327 tonnes of waste to Michigan landfill in 2006.

Toronto’s waste disposal contract with the Carlton Farms Landfill in Michigan expires at the end of 2010.

Effective April 2, 2007, the City of Toronto became official owners of the Green Lane Landfill Site located in Southwold Township in the County of Elgin, southwest of the City of London, about 200 km from downtown Toronto. The Site features the latest technology including onsite treatment of leachate and a methane gas collection and flaring systems.

As of mid-April 2007 through to the end of August 2007, Toronto sent on average, three loads per day of solid waste to Green Lane Landfill, an amount equal to approximately 11,735 tonnes.

Green Bin organics are collected once a week and recyclables and residual waste are collected on alternating weeks.

Solid Waste Management Services has the following facilities

-seven Transfer Stations
-one Organic Processing Facility
-six HHW depots (Household Hazardous Waste)
-wo MRFs (Material Recovery Facility for sorting recyclables)
-three Maintenance Yards
-one Landfill (Green Lane Landfill Site)

Current waste diversion statistics

In 2006, 42% of Toronto’s residential waste was diverted thanks to the Blue/Grey box, Green Bin and Yard Waste composting programs. This means 375,621 tonnes of garbage was kept off Michigan trucks.

In 2006, multi-unit dwellings (apartments and condos) recycled only 13% of their garbage. The City, looking to improve that statistic, is launching a new volume-based rate structure in 2008 to enhance recycling rates. The results from piloting various waste diversion programs in select multi-unit buildings will be used to implement new programs.

In 2007, Toronto City Council approved the “Getting to 70% waste diversion from landfill plan”, which lays out the plan to increase waste diversion to 70% by 2010 and the funding model by which this goal can be achieved.

Environmental benefits of achieving 70% diversion from landfill

By achieving 70 % diversion, Solid Waste will reduce its GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by an additional 25 per cent, which is equal to taking over 100,000 cars off the road.

With 70 % diversion, Toronto will recycle 240,000 tonnes of paper annually, to save 4.5 million trees a year.

Diverting 70% of its waste means Toronto will recycle enough Blue Box materials to save 900 million kWh (kilowatt hours) of energy annually, which is enough to supply all the electrical needs for 170,000 homes.

Green Bin Organics collection

The Green Bin Program, which collects and processes household organic waste so it can be turned into finished compost, is now available to all 510,000 single-family households across Toronto.

With city-wide single-family household participation, approximately 100,000 tonnes of waste is diverted from landfill annually (resulting in 2,750 fewer trucks to Michigan each year).

It is estimated that each single-family home on the Green Bin Program contributes more than 200 kilograms of organic waste annually to the program.

30% of all residential garbage is “wet” waste or organic waste.

The Green Bin Program has a 90% participation rate.

Blue/Grey Box Combined

In 2006, Toronto recycled 163,385 tonnes of residential blue/grey box recyclables (resulting in 4,805 fewer trucks to Michigan).

In 2005, the Program expanded to include tubs and lids (e.g., margarine containers and yogurt tubs) and in 2006, cardboard cans (refrigerated dough, frozen juice, chip, nut, powder drink mix and powdered cleanser containers – minus peal-off seal or pull-off strip) were added to the Blue Box Program.

Toronto residents now combine Blue Box and Grey Box recyclables together in one container for more efficient collection and processing (effective Spring 2005).

Recycling not only saves money, it helps saves electricity via energy savings

75% less energy and 50% less water is used to make paper from recycled paper versus raw wood fibre.

Recycling one tonne of old newspapers saves 19 trees (Toronto typically recycles 100,000 tonnes of newspapers annually giving more than two million trees a tomorrow).

30% less energy is used to make glass from recycled crushed glass (cullet) versus new resources.

A 74% energy reduction is achieved by reusing steel cans and every tonne of recycled steel cans saves 1.36 tonnes of iron ore.

When scrap iron is used instead of iron ore to make steel, mining wastes are reduced by 97%, air pollution effluents by 80% and water pollution by 76%.

A 33% energy reduction is seen when new products are made from recyclable plastics.

95% less energy is used to make new aluminum cans out of old ones. Recycling just one pop can saves enough energy to power a television for three hours. Throwing away a single aluminum can is like pouring out six ounces of gasoline.

[source]

Dr. Horror, the Kidney Harvester Lives in Toronto! EEEEEE!

contact — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:06:13 +0000

From the star:

“While police forces around the world search for the Indian doctor who scammed hundreds out of their kidneys, his wife and children remain barricaded behind security doors at their Brampton home.

Interpol, the international police organization, last week issued a rarely used “red notice” warrant for Dr. Amit Kumar requesting his arrest anywhere on the planet.

Kumar, dubbed “Dr. Horror” by the Indian media where his story has led to nationwide revulsion, is alleged to be the kingpin of an underground kidney trafficking ring. Indian police believe the ring illegally harvested kidneys from as many as 500 unsuspecting Indians.

Most of the kidneys came from Indian labourers or farmers who say they were either duped, or forced at gunpoint, to give up a kidney.

The organs were then transplanted into wealthy clients, Indian or foreigners, in well-equipped underground clinics in residential areas.

It is illegal in India to sell a kidney; the Interpol warrant charges Kumar with “crimes against life and health” and being part of a criminal enterprise.

“If he has done what police say he did, I hope he gets punished severely,” a Brampton neighbour told the Star.

Neighbours said Kumar, his wife Poonam Ameet, and their two boys, 5 and 4, moved into the area last …”

More Cupcakes!

contact — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:08:10 +0000

Yes more yummy, yummy cupcakes!

About Flour Girls (cute fun play on words all over the place!) – from their site:
flourgirls is an old-fashioned bakeshop with a stylish twist. It all began with the caring, giving spirit of owner Susy and her team of helpers. Their fun-loving nature, zest for life, and passion for all things sweet (not to mention talent!) are the main ingredients behind flourgirls. Using only the finest and freshest products, all of flourgirls’ melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes, beautifully decorated cookies, ultra-decadent brownies, delectable cakes, lovely loaves and more are made from scratch with a huge helping of love.
Everything is tailored to your occasion, whether simple and elegant or wild and whimsical, and made to order just for you—a personal touch that’s hard to come by these days.

At flourgirls, we offer plenty of delectable ways to mark special occasions, reward jobs well done and end meals memorably. So for your next dinner party, birthday celebration, shower or sugar craving, remember flourgirls can provide that finishing touch.
Life is sweet…especially with extra smiles on top!

Cupcake Flavors
Lemon Zinger: Vanilla cupcake base topped with lemony buttercream
Curious George: Chocolate buttermilk cupcake base topped with banana buttercream
A touch of Pink: Vanilla cupcake base topped with raspberry buttercream
Nutella Dreams: Vanilla cupcake base topped with hazelnut buttercream
Mocha Madness: Chocolate or vanilla cupcake base (your choice) topped with mocha buttercream
Canadiana: Vanilla cupcake base topped with maple buttercream
Orange You Glad: Chocolate buttermilk cupcake base topped with orange-chocolate buttercream
Chocolate Goodness: Vanilla cupcake base topped with chocolate buttercream
Chocolate Overload: Chocolate buttermilk base topped with chocolate buttercream
Ms.Plain Jane: Vanilla cupcake base topped with vanilla buttercream
Going Coconuts *: Moist coconut cake topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with coconut
The Boston Cream Cupcake *: Vanilla cupcake base with custard filling and topped with chocolate buttercream
Pass the Carrots Please *: Carrot cake base topped with whipped cream-cheese frosting

Flourgirls
14 Mill Street Unit 103
Milton, ON Canada
6 cupcakes sell for $13.65 (tax included)

Related: Cupcakes in Toronto

[via]

Dessert Trends Patisserie & Café Toronto

contact — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:10:40 +0000

Dessert Trends Patisserie & Café in Toronto was voted the best place for wedding cakes so if you’re looking, check them out. But for me, just this photo of a pastry makes me go here. You won’t be disappointed by their beautiful patisseries; you might just not want to eat something so gorgeous. JUST kidding.

Dessert Trends Patisserie & Café also serves breakfast and lunch.

Dessert Trends Patisserie & Café
154 Harbord Street
NE corner of Harbord and Brunswick
Toronto Canada
Tel: 416.916.8155

Gluten Free Restaurants in Toronto

contact — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:06:53 +0000

From ryerson.ca:

Annapurna, 1085 Bathurst Street (south of Dupont), Toronto, Ontario, M5R 3G8, 416.537.8513

Annapurna is a South Indian/Sri Lankan vegetarian restaurant inspired by Sri Chinmoy. Its specializes in Southern Indian poori-based vegetarian dishes, an amazing number of which are gluten-free. Annapurna is an economical and very casual restaurant that also offers take-out and catering. Masala Dosai, made of rice and lentil flours, is only $5.99. All milk ingredients are clearly indicated, and many of the dishes are dairy-free. The staff is able to provide accurate information about ingredients, and could even answer my question about cross-contamination of fried foods.

Biryani House, 25 Wellesley Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 2S9 & 6 Roy’s Square, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 2Y2, 416.927.9340

Now Magazine says: “this hole in the wall has morphed into an almost classy boite dishing up some of the best Indian food south of the 401…and it’s still dirt cheap.” Biryani House has opened a new location just just off Yonge Street, at Wellesley, and has kept it Roy’s Square location. The food is really excellent, and I have been able to confirm ingredients with no trouble. In my experience, none of the curries contain any wheat. As usual, please ask.

Café Next Door, 790 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, 416.469.1971

Café Next Door is operated by Magic Over (see listing below). The owner informed me that the menu features vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and wheat-free options for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

Le Commensal, 655 Bay Street (at Elm Street), Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2K4, 416.595.9364; fax 416.596.9365

Le Commensal is a pay-by-the-weight vegetarian restaurant in downtown Toronto. The menu promises no preservatives or additives, and dishes are labeled V (vegan), O (egg), and L (dairy). The wait staff has a list of gluten-free items, and happily walked me through the buffet to show me which dishes were gluten-free. Ingredients like wheat and dairy are also indicated on the back of the dish label. For eat-in buffet menu, take-out menu, Toronto.com editorial, and review click here.

Il Fornello (several Toronto and area locations)

Il Fornello offers selections from an Alternative Menu: gluten-free pasta, gluten-free pizza crust, and gluten-free bruschetta are available, but call ahead because selections differ at each location.

Fox and Fiddle, 535 Danforth Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 1P7, 416.462.9830; fax 416.462.3132

The Fox and Fiddle Pub used to be owned and operated by Dennis Hansen, a Celiac. They used to prepare a range of gluten-free items, such as chicken wings and fish and chips in a dedicated deep fryer. I am unsure about the status of the menu now that he is no longer the owner.

Fressen, 478 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2B2, 416.504.5127

Fressen offers a completely vegetarian cuisine sensitive to many food allergies and intolerances. Several GF menu items were available during my visit (I really should go back, ’cause it’s been a while). Please note that Fressen also serves the usual fair of gluten-laden items. Editorial profile and review at Toronto.com.

Indian Flavour, 595 Bay Street (at Dundas, in the Atrium on Bay), Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C2, 416.408.2799; fax 416.408.3651; cell 416.885.5080

As with the majority of Indian restaurants, most of the food is wheat-free and gluten-free. I have confirmed this on my visits. Indian Flavour uses no commercially-prepared sauces, and avoids MSG and other additives. The menu includes a good selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. The most popular option is probably the lunch buffet, which offers a minimum of seven dishes. Toronto Life calls Indian Flavour ” Toronto’s most successful Indian self-serve.” ZagatSurvey gives praise for this restaurant’s “great vegetarian menu.”

Indian Rice Factory, 414 Dupont Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1V9, 416.961.3472

The menu asks customers to advise wait staff of any allergies. Pakoras are made with 100% chick pea flour; Papadums are made with 100% lentil flour; no wheat products are present in any curry or sauce (please verify this information when you call the restaurant: you may also want to inquire about cross-contamination). The Factory has a small, but nice, patio out back. See Toronto.com for description or Tordine.com for a brief review.

Island Grill, 3434 Weston Road (at Finch), Toronto, Ontario, M9M 2W1, 416.742.9200

Thank you to Randy for telling me about the Island Grill, a Jamaican restaurant with several gluten-free dishes. Although some dishes contain wheat four, most of the beef, pork, chicken, and fish dishes are GF, and apparently quite good too. The restaurant is owned by Patrick Lyn.

Juice for Life (now called Fresh by Juice for Life) 336 Queen Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2A2, 416.599.4442; 894 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, 416-913-2720; 521 Bloor Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1Y4, 416.531.2635

Good for juice and shakes, but not so good for food. Juice for Life is a completely vegetarian juice bar with food counter. Milk and cheese products are clearly labeled, and the menu promises no hidden milk ingredients in any dishes. Unfortunately, most dishes–even Rice Bowls–contain wheat products (usually tamari or soy sauce). You can find a few gluten-free items, especially salads, but the choices are slim. The vast array of juices and shakes, however, may make Juice for Life useful. You may be able to make a special request for a rice bowl without the offending ingredients.

Kensington Natural Bakery, 460 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1X8, 416.534.1294

Kensington Natural Bakery (in business since 1980) is a pay-by-weight vegetarian cafe offering dishes free of sugar and preservatives. You may choose from a variety of pre-made dishes in the display case, which are then heated in a microwave. Many dishes are gluten-free. Almost everything would be gluten-free but for the presence of barley syrup or malt syrup (used as sugar substitutes) in many dishes. Despite this, there are several GF dishes to choose from. The cafe also specializes in dairy-free, wheat-free, and yeast-free baking, but keep in mind that none of its baked products are gluten-free. Freshly squeezed juices and herbal teas are also available.

Magic Oven (2 locations): 788 Broadview Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2P7, 416.466.0111; and 127 Jefferson Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6K 3E4 416.539.0555, feedback@magicoven.com

Described as the “best pizza this side of Italy” by the National Post, and among the city’s best by Toronto Life, Magic Oven offers a gluten-free rice flour pizza crust – now available by the slice. The restaurant also caters to other dietary requirements by offering a wheat-free (but not gluten-free) spelt crust, a yeast-free whole wheat crust, as well as dairy-free and organic cheeses. A large selection of vegetarian toppings are available. Magic Oven delivers to the Danforth, Riverdale, Cabbagetown, and Rosedale areas and to Liberty Village, Parkdale, Harbourfront, Downtown, Annex, and Roncesvalles from its Jefferson Ave location. See catering section, below, for Magical Catering.

Magic Oven has recently opened Café Next Door. See listing above for more details.

Megas Restaurant, 402 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 1P3, 416.466.7771

This is a recommendation from Rod. He syas: “The Greek food is excellent and there are many gf choices as well as lactose free meals possible.” I haven’t been there yet.

Messis, 97 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1G4, 416.920.2186

Messis is located very close to the University of Toronto’s downtown campus. I have managed to get a gluten-free meal every time I have dined there. I doubt if there are ever any vegetarian gluten-free items, but you may want to check. See a brief description at Tordine.com.

Mong-Kut Thai, 596 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 1R1, 416.463.2667; fax 416.463.2678

Mong-Kut, located in Greek Town, offers eat-in, take-out, and delivery. I have never visited this restaurant, but the owner has asked me to ad it to this page. If you dine there, please tell me about your experience. The website has a full menu.

New York Fries, various locations, including two in the Eaton Centre.

NYF is my emergency lunch (when I haven’t brought anything and I am rushed for time). According to Celiac Canada’s Fast Food Fries list, which includes some information on toppings, NYF are fine. I think the staff at the Eaton Centre’s north location is beginning to recognize me. A listing of Ontario locations is available here.

El Palenque, 653 St. Clair Avenue West (east of Christie), Toronto, Ontario M6C 1A7, 416.656.0725; fax 416.656.3757

El Palenque, a family-owned business, bills itself as an “Authentic Mexican Restaurant.” While the waitress was not familiar with Celiac Disease or gluten, she was able to confirm the ingredients of several dishes. Reservations are recommended, but just be sure not to accept a seat in the basement. Even if you are not afflicted from claustrophobia, you’ll run away screaming and agitated before you ever get to taste the food. (There is a second location, which I have never visited: 9 Milvan Avenue (Weston Road and Finch), Toronto, 416-740-9718). Now has a lengthy review. See my recent (short) post on my blog about this place.

Royal Thai Garden Restaurant, 524 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1Y3, 416.536.6868

I have ordered from this restaurant many times, usually when we are too tired to cook. Verifying ingredients may be a challenge, depending on when you call and if the person who answers speaks English well-enough. If you can get “no wheat” written on your order, you should be fine. You may get a better explanation while dining in, but I haven’t done that in a very long time. A brief review is available here.

Salad King, 335 Yonge Street (entrance off Gould), Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1R7, 416.971.7041, asyliu@yahoo.com

This Thai restaurant is a frantically busy operation, because it sits on the fringe of the Ryerson University Campus, and is close to Yonge & Dundas, Toronto’s busiest intersection. Salad King recently renovated, so it is no longer quite so loud and uncomfortable. I include it because I can see it from my office window Both the menu and a large red sign at the cash ask customers to alert staff to any food allergies. In my experience, the staff are aware of ingredients and can make recommendations. If you want to talk to the chef, you would be advised to go as early as possible, or wait for the small drop in traffic after lunch and before the evening students descend. You might want to read my recent entry on the blog about Thai food.

Swiss Chalet, (various locations: try SW’s Restaurant Locator), 1.800.860.4082

Swiss Chalet operates more than 180 restaurants in Canada and selected parts of the USA. The menu focuses on rotisserie chicken, but other dishes are available. Please read the Allergy Information fact sheet before dining. The allergy information seems comprehensive (it includes nuts, dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat & glutens, sesame, and sulphites) but you may want to make further inquires when you arrive.

Tiger Lily’s Noodle House, 257 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1Z4, 416.977.5499

Tiger Lily’s is located on the east end of the trendy Queen Street West area, a few steps from the City-tv headquarters. The restaurant is able to make most of its dishes GF by substituting rice noodles and GF Tamari. When I visited, the wait staff serving my table was friendly and knowledgeable about gluten. Eye has a short review. Here is another short review.

Town Grill, 243 Carlton Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 2L2, 416.963.9433; fax 416.963.9303

As reported in the March 2002 issue of the Gluten-Free Press (newsletter of the Canadian Celiac Association’s Toronto Chapter), David McGann, chef of the Town Grill, spoke about the difficulties in preparing GF meals and some important issues in food preparation that we should be aware of. The good news is that he is eager to serve Celiacs and welcomes us at his restaurant–called one of the best in Toronto, by Cabbagetown Corners

El Trompo, 277A Augusta Avenue (at Oxford), Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2L4, 416-260-0097

Hilary recommended this Mexican restaurant in Kensington Market. Now recently gave this restaurant three Ns (out of five), saying that it “pumps out first-rate southern Mexican street food without the Tex-Mex watering-down.”

Sushi Restaurants
Toronto has dozens of Japanese restaurants. I have only listed the two that I am most familiar with. Your best strategy is to follow the advice on Japanese restaurants in Jax Peters Lowell book, Against the Grain. For those requiring more information, I recommend that you read this extremely interesting posting on the Celiac Listserv regarding Sushi and gluten. There are probably better Japanese restaurants in Toronto, but I haven’t visited them yet.

Dr. Sushi, 26 Roy’s Square (Yonge & Bloor), M4Y 2W2, 416.929.3435; fax 416.929.9262

Dr Sushi is a tiny hole-in-the-wall near the busy corner of Yonge & Bloor. This place is small and unattractive, but the food is good, and it is close to where I work. In the summer, you can find a table in Roy’s Square. Dr. Sushi also delivers. As you know, bring your own wheat-free soy or tamari sauce.

Sushi on Bloor, 515 Bloor Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1Y4, 416.516.3456

An extremely popular and very busy sushi restaurant in the Annex. A reservation is recommended (update: they have just expanded and opened up the second floor). Delivery is available. Sushi on Bloor offers a casual dining experience. If you sit at the back, you can watch the chefs prepare the food, and maybe even have a conversation with them. Read Toronto.com’s editorial and review.

Ice Cream

Baskin-Robbins, (various locations around the city)

Publishes LifeStyles 2000 Consumer Information Guide, an eight panel pamphlet that addresses special diet needs and nutrition, food sensitivities and allergies. Baskin-Robbins claims to be the first Canadian retailer of ice cream, and other frozen desserts, to offer customers the Canadian Diabetes Association Food Choice Value symbols. Each product is labeled with an information strip containing important ingredient details. Wheat and gluten content is indicated along with egg, sulfites, nuts, lactose, etc. The symbol for wheat and gluten indicates the presence of “flour, wheat, oats, oatmeal, oat bran, graham, wheat germ, starch, malt and derived ingredients.” (Each BR location usually has one sorbet that is dairy-free & gluten free). An independent laboratory prepares all of the nutritional information. More information is available by calling 1.800.268.4923.

Dairy Queen, (various locations; try DQ’s store locator); contact address in Canada is: 905 Century Drive, Burlington, Ontario,
L7L 5J8, 905.639.1492

DQ has an allergy information page, including a short page about gluten in its products. It is probably wise to discuss ingredients in your local franchise.

Catering

The Big Carrot, Natural Food Market, 348 Danforth Ave., Toronto, Ontario M4K 1N8, 416.466.2129, fax 416.466.2366 (see retail store listings for description).

The Big Carrot can cater a gluten-free lunch or dinner buffet. A description is available on its catering page.

In Her Hands Vegetarian Cooking Service, 416.696.6566; vegmeals@idirect.ca

Prepares low fat, low salt foods free of peanuts, eggs, dairy, gluten and vinegar.

Just Eat It Vegetarian Cooking Service, 905.881.9463

Provides low fat meals that can be vegan and gluten-free.

Kilgour’s Party Platters, 220 Industrial Parkway South, Aurora, Ontario, L4G 3V6, 905.751.1455; fax 905.713.1715; info@kilgours.com

This company will cater all kinds of parties and social gatherings. It offers standard party platters and can provide gluten-free platters as well. Visit their website for lots more information.

Kosher, Naturally, 905.770.0646; fax 905.770.3623; kosher@rogers.com

All dishes are dairy-free, nut-free, kosher, and mostly organic. They can accommodate special diets for those with allergies or food sensitivities. I am unsure if this includes gluten-free.

Magical Catering, 788 Broadview Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2P7, 416.466.0111, event@magicalcatering.com

From the Magic Oven people, this catering service can supply “organic foods, gluten or wheat free foods, vegan or religious requirements.”

Vegan Delights, 416.491.6781

Makes baked vegan food with no hydrogenated fats or refined sugars. Many items are wheat free, but I am not sure if this means gluten-free.

Wholly Macro Food, 416.463.1467

Prepares organic vegan meals. Wholly Macro is sensitive to allergies and food intolerances.

[source: ryerson.ca]

Puppy’s death prompts rabies scare

contact — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:06:06 +0000

From UPI:

The recent rabies death of a puppy has led to a major scare in Toronto, where at least 20 people have since been vaccinated against the disease.

Toronto Public Health Spokeswoman Susan Sperling said that since a puppy purchased at a flea market died of rabies, local health officials have been inundated with calls from concerned citizens, The Globe and Mail in Toronto reported Saturday.

“We’ve had 500 calls to date, but no human cases so far. We’ve also managed to recover some of the other puppies,” Sperling said.

The border collie puppy died at the Toronto Humane Society last week, prompting health officials to recommend that anyone who came in contact with the animal to call for a medical assessment.

The Canadian newspaper said the dog’s former owner will likely not face charges in Toronto due to the fact the vendor operates outside the Ontario city and a lack of provincial regulations regarding dog sales or breeding.

Cattle Call to Star as Maria in `Sound of Music’

contact — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:13:43 +0000

From AP:

The Canadian airwaves will soon be alive with “The Sound of Music” when a TV reality show begins auditions to cast the role of Maria in an upcoming Toronto production of the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is producing its own version of the hit BBC series “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?,” which garnered the 2007 International Emmy Award for best non-scripted entertainment program.

Auditions began Friday in Toronto to start a seven-city, cross-country audition tour, from Vancouver, British Columbia, to St. John’s, Newfoundland, that will run through Feb. 9.

About 200 hopefuls will be invited for callbacks in Toronto, and about 50 finalists will attend the “Maria School” for further training.

The 8-part TV series set to air this summer will follow the “Marias” as they go through auditions, training sessions and evaluations.

Canadian viewers will vote to determine their choice to play Maria von Trapp, the singing and dancing nun-turned-governess made famous by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film.

The winner will join the cast of a production of “The Sound of Music” premiering in October at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian and David Mirvish.

“I am delighted that `How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?’ is coming to Canada,” Lloyd Webber, the famed British composer and impresario, said in a CBC news release.

“It was an enormous success in the…

Read more

New Book: Toronto 2008: With Niagara Falls & the Niagara Wine Region

contact — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:06:33 +0000

You might be happy to know that the new book about Toronto and nearby attraction, Fodor’s Toronto 2008: With Niagara Falls & the Niagara Wine Region (Fodor’s Gold Guides) will be released on February 5, 2008. You can pre-order yours for only $11.53, a savings of 32%.

Pre-order your book now (before the sale disappears)
————
Here are more books about Toronto you might be interested in:

1. Lonely Planet Toronto – This comprehensive guide is your entree to its many facets: the culinary scene is as deliciously diverse as its population, the artistic community breaks conventions on a daily basis and its great outdoors are awash with options – from cycling and skiing to hiking and hockey. Socially enlightened, multicultural and uniquely Canadian.

2. Top 10 Toronto – Whether you’re looking for the finest cuisine or the least expensive places to eat, the most luxurious hotels or the best deals on places to stay, Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides provide useful information by local experts to find the best of everything at each destination.

3. Secret Toronto: The Unique Guidebook to Toronto’s Hidden Sites – For the traveler in search of something completely different when visiting Toronto. This detailed guide leads travelers far from the beaten path to uncover Toronto’s best-kept secrets. From obscure museums and overlooked neighborhood treasures to tucked-away green spaces and exotic ethnic cuisine, these little-known destinations yield big rewards for the more adventurous traveler. The soul of this cosmopolitan city is highlighted by hotspots where visitors can learn Latin dancing at night, disco after hours, and rent a private dungeon at an S&M bed-and breakfast.

4. Toronto for Dummies – This book is so great for people traveling to Toronto for the very first time AND for people who really are newbies to this great Canadian City. It’s a fun, very thorough guide about Toronto and the surrounding areas you might want to visit. From the view atop the CN Tower to its electric nightlife to it’s global cuisine, Toronto offers its visitors an unforgettable travel experience. And with Niagara Falls and Stratford just quick trips away, there’s no shortage of things to see and do. With this friendly guide, you’ll plan a vacation that’s perfect for you.

This is a down-to-earth trip planner comes with very handy Post-it flags for you to mark your favorite pages! Priced at a bargain basement price of $11 (plus some change), you’ll get your money’s worth and more with all of its 336 pages.

Global Village Backpackers Youth Hostel

contact — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:06:09 +0000

Global Village Backpackers Youth Hostel was voted the best hostel in Toronto last year. But. How MANY hostels are there exactly in Toronto? One?! Just kidding. Anyway, I have a feeling this place is fun and a place where people aren’t focused on “rest and relaxation” if you know what I mean.

Formerly The Spadina Hotel, back in the glory days the place hosted celebs like Jack Nicholson and The Rolling Stones. Fast forward to today and the hostel has hosted the likes of future famous people. Maybe.

Because of its downtown location, once you arrive in Toronto, you’ll know you won’t have to lug a huge backpack to get to your accommodations. Also, this youth hostel is conveniently near Toronto’s main sights, which is a traveler’s dream come true. There are also some package tours and day trips (Niagara Falls, Brewery Tours, Hockey Fan Tours, Moose Trips, etc.) available so check them out at the front desk.

Global Village Backpackers is the largest youth hostel in Toronto, offering: 24-hr reception, swipe-card security, air conditioning, free wi-fi, huge common areas, outdoor patio and Toronto’s only Backpackers Bar.

Sounds fun, huh?

Rates (Canadian dollars): $27 Dorm Bed (6-10 beds per room); $29.99 Quad Bed (4 beds per room); $72.50 Private Room (1 double bed) – and a buck or toonie off if you reserve online. Note: $10 linen & key deposit required upon check-in and refunded when linen & key are returned at checkout

Global Village Backpackers Youth Hostel
460 King St. West (NW corner of King & Spadina)
Toronto, On, Canada
M5V 1L7
Tel: 1.888.844.7875 (North America only) or 416.703.8540

Get Your Sneakers and Shoes Painted!

contact — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 22:09:33 +0000

Oh the treasures you will find at the fabulous Etsy site! Ndeur, a Parisian-born graphic artist based in Toronto offers you these wonderful painted shoes. The sneakers are so cute! I have some white vans that seriously need something with a bit more character and color and I think that something is chez Ndeur. The beauty of this is that all you need to do is look down at your shoes to see art; and traveling art at that!

You can choose from a myriad of designs so you’re bound to find something that suits your personality. His style seems inspired by street art and it’s mixed with fun and whimsy topped with a splash of modern art. It’s as though he was a street tagger that decided to channel his creative energy and work onto something smaller: shoes. That way, he doesn’t risk getting arrested by police whilst trying to escape their pursuit after getting caught tagging a train. You know. It’s safer but with less exercise and way less toxic fumes.

Back to his shoes. You can order the shoes and designs from Ndeur or you can send him your own shoes to have them painted. This is not only an ingenious business idea, but it’s just plain cool and fun.

Ndeur Shoes (at Etsy)
Ndeur MySpace – you can see his other art here

Green Earth Organics – Fresh Organic Food Delivered to Your Home or Office

contact — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 23:06:28 +0000

Green Earth Organics offers up an excellent and amazing service. Once or twice a week, they deliver to your home or office boxes of organic fruits and vegetables and other organic foods. There are three box sizes to choose from Harvest $36, Family Harvest $46, and Super Harvest $60. The contents of the boxes change on a weekly basis (due to seasonal changes). But you can also call the weekend hotline at 416-285-5300 or visit their website, to hear what is in your box ahead of time and make any substitutions you’d like when available. A great and obvious option: when you sign up for their service you can let them know which items you never want to receive, and order items you prefer.

All deliveries are done on the same day every week. Deliveries take place in the evening, 2pm. – 9pm.

Green Earth Organics buys locally grown produce whenever possible and 10% of their profits go to various non-profit groups around Toronto.

Give them a call or sign up online so you can order organic food and have it delivered to your door.

Green Earth Organics
3 – 70 Wade Ave
Toronto,Ontario
Canada. M6H 1P6
Tel: 416.285.5300
24 Hour Hotline: 416.532.2713

Great Breakfast in Toronto: Sunset Grill

contact — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:07:05 +0000

There’s nothing better than eating a ginormous breakfast. All Day. Ok, I don’t eat breakfast all day ONLY because I’d be a freakin’ pig, eating that much. But I don’t mind eating a huge, hearty and very tasty breakfast in the a.m. or lunch when I have time to digest it and maybe exercise later. But sometimes I do have a need for breakfast for dinner. Anyway, back to this post.

Sunset Grill is an all day breakfast joint. LOVE those kinds of places! So, you can eat breakfast at any time of the day here. Using the freshest ingredients available, Sunset Grill will be able to offer you a repast you’ll always remember. Enjoy old style three-egg breakfasts, fluffy pancakes, thick and yummy French toast – or create your own omelets, or much on the best burgers and sandwiches in town.

Here are the Toronto locations:

Beaches
2006 Queen St. East., Toronto, ON M4L 1J3
(416) 690-9985
Monday to Friday 7 AM to 4 PM
Saturday & Sunday 7 AM to 5 PM

Bloor West Village
2200 Bloor St. West, Toronto, ON M6S 1N4
(416) 763-1444
Open Daily 7 AM to 4 PM
Danforth Village
1602 Danforth Ave., Toronto, ON M4C 1H6
(416) 466-0648
Monday to Friday 7 AM to 4 PM
Saturday & Sunday 7 AM to 5 PM

Dundas and Dufferin
1422 Dundas St. West, Toronto, ON M6J 1Y5
(416) 532-1571
Open Daily 7 AM to 4 PM

Yonge and Eglington
2313 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4P 2C6
(416) 482-4229
Open Daily 7 AM to 4 PM

Yonge and Richmond
1 Richmond St. West, Toronto, ON M5H 3W4
(416) 861-0514
Open Daily 7 AM to 4 PM

Yonge and Wellesley
543 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4Y 1Y5
(416) 968-9696
Open Daily 7 AM to 4 PM

Toronto’s Best Bars: Lily Lounge

contact — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:05:54 +0000

You won’t feel like a stranger upon entering Li’ly Lounge in Toronto’s popular district, “Little Italy.”

Work up an appetite before heading to Li’ly Lounge because their menu is to die for with their bold, international tapas and delectable gourmet meals. It’s one of the best places to chill, to sample great food, listen to good music, dance to an in-house DJ and to meet new people. Oh, and relax with a drink or two.

li’ly Resto Lounge
656 College Street West (College and Grace Street)
M6G 1B8 Toronto ON Canada
Tel: 416.532.0419

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 6pm to 2am; Mondays reserved for private events

What to do When it’s Cold Outside: Bowling

contact — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:05:56 +0000

Not the most glam activity but it’s a fun thing to do when you need to get out of the house but not go outside in the wicked cold. Grab some friends or your kids and head out to Danforth Bowl. Take the subway and exit at Coxwell.

Danforth Bowl
1554 Danforth Avenue, Toronto
Northwest corner of Danforth at Coxwell, across the street from Coxwell Subway Station.
Tel: 416.463.3000

Tasty Kosher Falafels and Pizza in Toronto – King David

contact — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 23:06:01 +0000

David Hazan, the owner of Kind David’s says that the secret to his success is his ability to bring the flavor of Middle Eastern food to the consumer making sure that all of his food is fresh, visually appealing and as tasty as it looks.

To aliven your taste buds try a falafel or hummus and techina. A falafel, which is ground chick peas fried to the size of small meat balls and stuffed into pita bread with all kinds of different salads and toppings is not only a full meal but a true food gourmet’s healthy experience. There is also humus mixed with techina which when eaten with pita bread makes you feel as if you are on a food expedition traveling through an exotic country.

Believe it or not the kosher establishment is famous for it kosher pizzas, too. There are a large variety of pizzas with various combinations of crusts and toppings. There is not only your standard double cheese pizza but also vegetarian and pepperoni pizza. There is also a wonderful pizza with a sesame seed crust.

2 Locations in Toronto:

King David Bakery Cafe Pizzaria and Falafel
3020 Bathurst St.(South of Lawrence Ave.)
Tel: 416.781.1326

241 Wilmington St.(Dufferin St. & Finch St.)
Tel: 416.636.3456

Cupcakes in Toronto!

contact — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:06:12 +0000

Cupcakes are not the trend right now. They’ve ALWAYS been in fashion! But until recently, cupcake shops were hard to find. Thankfully, more and more are popping up here and there in great cities across North America. Toronto is no exception. The Cupcake Shoppe, situated in a bustling area of Toronto, offers cupcake lovers a total of 17 beautiful, nut-free flavors, with nine of their yummilicious flavors available in-store every single day. YAY. All cupcakes come with cute, unusual names, chosen by the staff, and your favorites will be easy to remember. All the cupcakes, including (my favorite) Yonge ’n’ Eligible featuring vanilla buttercream on a vanilla or chocolate cake, the chocolate buttercream on chocolate cake James Brown, and their marble Frost Me cupcake topped with vanilla frosting – changes color seasonally, and are baked daily from the freshest ingredients. Additionally, The Cupcake Shoppe offers custom cupcakes, mini cupcakes and cakes illustrated by hand to suit your special celebrations. Toronto’s first cupcake bakery, the Cupcake Shoppe knows how much fun a cupcake can be.

The Cupcake Shoppe
2417 Yonge Street
Tel. 416.322.6648
2 blocks north of Eglinton Avenue,
on the east side of Yonge.

Hours
Monday to Friday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm

Lakeview Victorian Bed and Breakfast, Toronto

contact — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:11:20 +0000

Located on the former Dovercourt Estate Property, Lakeview Victorian Bed & Breakfast is a stately Victorian (1886) home located in a safe residential community in downtown Toronto.

Marie couldn’t be a more perfect hostess. She provides very so much information in necessary detail, and suggests some Toronto sights and shopping only a local would know. She’s also very attentive to guest needs and acts accordingly. It’s a really great choice for a bed and breakfast in downtown Toronto.

Lakeview Victorian b & b is a clean, comfortable and friendly place. A homemade breakfast will be waiting for you every morning along with advice on where to go, how to get there, and how to find the best deals. In other words, she suggests places that do not cater to tourists: the traps! Yay her.

Lakeview Victorian Bed & Breakfast
42 Lakeview Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
Canada, M6J 3B3
Tel: 416.821.6316

Sugar Mountain

contact — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:13:38 +0000

Sugarholics, rejoice! Especially those of you who like sweet retrolicious candy goodness.

Sugar Mountain is a chain of specialty candy and confectionery stores, which got its humble start in 1992 as an open-air booth in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The original booth quickly outgrew demand and the first Sugar Mountain retail store opened its doors on Richmond Street West in late 1995.

From the first sight of the bright purple interior, to the multiplicity of confectionery and novelty items, Sugar Mountain stores capitalize on a youthful notion that is created via a carefully selected product offering, within a nostalgic environment that is reminiscent of one’s childhood. Specializing in retro and nostalgic confectionery, it is not uncommon that Sugar Mountain customers exclaim, “Wow, I haven’t seen this in years”. Sugar Mountain has become a nationally recognized institution and has established itself as the leading Canadian retailer of imported and nostalgic confectionery.

2 Locations in Toronto!

Sugar Mountain
2299 Yonge Street (at Eglinton)
M4P 2C3 Toronto Canada
Tel: 416.486.9321

320 Richmond Street West
M5V 1X2 Torotno Canada
Tel: 416.204.9544

Quotes About Torontonians

contact — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:06:01 +0000

“I like Toronto; the people are really chill.” ~ Rihanna

Improv in Toronto’s Viral Video

contact — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:54:47 +0000

Free WiFi at These Toronto Public Libraries

contact — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 23:08:18 +0000

When you’re traveling, the last place you’d think you’d visit would be the public library, but don’t knock it! You can find travel books and magazines there to peruse (and be up to date with current news by reading newspapers) but it’s also a great place to catch up on email or do work online, while you’re in our great Canadian city. So if your accommodations don’t, by chance, have any internet accessibility, here are the public library locations in Toronto where you can access the internet for free via Wifi:

Agincourt – 155 Bonis Ave. Toronto, Ont. M1T 3W6, T: 416-396-8943
Albion – 1515 Albion Rd.Toronto, ON,M9V 1B2 T:416-394-5170
Albert Campbell – 496 Birchmount Rd. Toronto, ON, M1K 1N8 T: 416-396-8890
Bridlewood – 2900 Warden Ave. Toronto, ON, M1W 2S8 T: 416-396-8960
Centennial – 578 Finch Ave. West Toronto, ON, M2R 1N7 T: 416-395-5490
Eatonville – 430 Burnhamthorpe Rd. Toronto, ON, M9B 2B1 T: 416-394-5270
Flemingdon Park – 29 St. Dennis Dr. Toronto, ON, M3C 3J3 T: 416-395-5820
Gerrard/Ashdale – 29 St. Dennis Dr. Toronto, ON, M3C 3J3 T: 416-395-5820
Lillian H. Smith – 239 College St. Toronto, ON, M5T 1R5 T: 416-393-7746
Mimico – 47 Station Rd. Toronto, ON, M8V 2R1 T: 416-394-5330
Morningside – 4279 Lawrence Ave. East Toronto, ON, M1E 2S8 T: 416-396-8881
North York Central Library – 5120 Yonge St. Toronto, ON, M2N 5N9 T: 416-395-5535
Parkdale – 1303 Queen St. West Toronto, ON, M6K 1L6 T: 416-393-7686
Parliament – 269 Gerrard St. East Toronto, ON, M5A 2G3 T: 416-393-7663
Richview – 1806 Islington Avenue Toronto, ON, M9P 3N3 T: 416-394-5120
Riverdale – 370 Broadview Ave. Toronto ON M4K 2M8 T: 416-393-7720
Toronto Reference Library – 789 Yonge St. Toronto, ON, M4W 2G8 T: 416-395-5577
Woodside Square – 1571 Sandhurst Circle Toronto, ON, M1V 1V2T: 416-396-8979
York Woods – 1785 Finch Ave. West Toronto, ON, M3N 1M6 T: 416-395-5980

For more information

The Power Plant

contact — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:07:46 +0000

Toronto’s contemporary art museum, The Power Plant, is worth a visit and will make for a wonderful day spent perusing modern art. The museum itself has 3 major exhibition galleries and smaller, adjacent indoor and outdoor sites which lend themselves to virtually any presentation circumstance.

The interior of The Power Plant is made up of 3 major gallery spaces. The 2 largest, named the Royal LePage and J. S. McLean Galleries, are designed for maximum flexibility and for the diversity of contemporary art. The ceilings are nine meters high they have an adjustable grid lighting system. The third, named the Canadian Tire Gallery features three-meter high ceilings. In addition to the galleries, which share approximately 650 square meters, the Fleck Clerestory, a central corridor with a glassed roof, lobby and exterior spaces are also designated for exhibition purposes.

The Power Plant is wheelchair accessible. An elevator connects the visitor to both levels.

The Power Plant
231 Queens Quay West
Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5J 2G8
T: 416.973.4949

Regular Hours

Tuesday to Sunday | 12-6 pm
Wednesday | 12-8 pm
Closed Monday
Open Holiday Monday | 12-6 pm

HOLIDAY 2007-08 HOURS

24, 25, 26, 31 December 2007 | Closed
01 January 2008 | Closed

ADMISSION
$5 | Adults
$3 | Seniors & Students

How Many Languages are Spoken in Toronto?

contact — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 23:07:45 +0000

From World66:

Over 180 languages are spoken in Toronto! There are large numbers of people from China, India, Jamaica, Greek, The British Isles, The Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Somalia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Nigeria, Germany, Korea, etc.

Gay Toronto

contact — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:09:23 +0000

As the largest city in Canada, you would definitely expect that there’d be a gay scene in Toronto. You’re right. The gay scene in Toronto is called The Village, or Church Street. It’s located along Church and Yonge between Alexander and Wellesley, and the Wellesley subway stop.

In the Village, a great kickoff would be to start at Woody’s, a massive complex of bars that is one of the most popular hangouts in the city for many years. (Many scenes from Queer as Folk were filmed here.) Next, check out Babylon Martini and Musique Boutique. Babylon has over 250 types of martinis! Pimblett’s Pub is a cozy joint, and is the oldest gay bar in Toronto. The Volcano Room is a new spot that has become insanely popular. Zipperz is a traditional piano bar, as is Trax 5. El Convento Rico pulls in the Latino crowd, while Ciao Edie is a funky retro bar. Pegasus Bar is an all time favorite, with video games, pool tables and the largest projection TV in Toronto. Remington’s is the place everyone goes to watch cute go-go boys disrobe. Lesbians hang out at Slack Alice, Pope Joan, and The House of Parlaiment Pub. The leather crowd favors The Black Eagle, The Toolbox, and The Barn and Stables.

You’ll also find that another area, called the Queer West Village, has grow in the West Toronto suburbs. It’s a conglomeration of communities where gays are completely and seamlessly integrated into a mixed district. A more tolerant mindset than most others anywhere, there is no discrimination based on sexual identity. You don’t go out there to party. If you’re looking party, go to the Village. You go to Queer West Village for mingling with gay rights and community related issues.

In the summer, you can get an all-over tan at Hanlans Point Beach on Toronto Island, or closer to town on Scarborough Beach.

When Gay Toronto needs to get its dance on, it heads to Fly. This is the big dance club you’ll recognize from Queer as Folk. On Saturdays, it thumps until well after sunrise. 5ive is more upscale and chic. Lust is where people head to on Fridays. On other nights it’s mostly mixed.

For restaurants, go to Zelda’s, an American/Mexican/Italian eatery. It’s massively popular during Sunday brunch, and its bar is one of the biggest gathering places for gay Toronto. Less tread establishments are: Tantra, the V3 Lounge, PJ Mellons, and Byzantium. For a quieter bar scene, head to Living Well, which has been a favorite with the gay community forever. The Looking Glass is another fave, with its four fireplaces and pan-cultural menu. The Village Rainbow is a Village standard establishment. Fire on the East Side’s Southern-inspired menu will not only pique your interest but it’ll also do the same to your tastebuds.

Toronto has several gay B&Bs. A few of these bed and breakfast places are located right smack in the middle of the Village: The Dundonald House, a charming guesthouse owned by legally-married gay couple Warren and Dave; Cawthra Square, a collection of three upscale B&Bs all side by side to each other, and the recipient of several gay travel awards; The Banting House, an Edwardian residence whose guests rave about it’s central location as well as its marvelous gardens. Bears and leather fans can bed down at The Bearfoot Inn. If you’re searching for a transvestite-friendly place, slide on over to the Wildside Hotel. Other unique, gay-owned properties in the immediate area are The Toronto Townehouse, B R Guest, the Toronto Downtown B&B (a luxury B&B), A Seaton Dream, the Lavender Rose, the House on McGill, and the Burwood Inn.

Pride Toronto is Canada’s largest gay event, and takes place in late June. Folsom Fair North is an extension of San Francisco’s famed leather celebration. It takes place in mid-July. [source]

The Toronto Marathon

contact — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:06:57 +0000

I know it’s a bit early! The Toronto Marathon takes place this year on October 18, 2008, but don’t you need time to train for it? THAT’S why I’m telling you about it so early!! If 26 miles isn’t your style, try the half-marathon or the 5k run.

For more information and to register

Winter Activity in Toronto: SURFING!

contact — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:06:05 +0000

From Blogto:

Canada is brutally cold in the winter. This weekend Toronto had one massive winter storm. 30cm (about a foot) of snow accumulation, gusting winds creating wind chills of -20°C (sub 0°F) and complete road carnage were enough to keep most of us in the city holed up in our homes this weekend. The closest I came to “surfing” was when, in my pajamas, I sank into the couch with a mug of fresh coffee and remote control in hand, and flipped through the channels looking for something to watch on TV.

Hardcore Toronto surfers Mark Karvonen, Walter Tuokkola, and Geoff Johnson, on the other hand, got suited in their neoprene wetsuits, waxed their boards, and headed down to Ashbridge’s Bay to ride the wicked waves of Lake Ontario.

Nuts, I say. NUTS! These guys surfed up a….

Continue reading the whole article

The Magic Oven

contact — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:06:06 +0000

Yummy pizzas in Toronto. Period. They offer organic spelt pizzas, wholewheat pizzas with sprouted grains, gluten free riceflour pizzas with vegan and lactose free cheese. Yay!

About the Magic Oven
Magic Oven was born in 1997. The first location at Broadview and Danforth in Toronto was a huge success. Winning the Best Pizza, Best New Restaurant and Favourite Lunch Place in the NOW Magazine’s Readers poll. That was just the start of the media attention Magic Oven has received. Further coverage by CityTV, Rogers Cable, As The World Turns, National Post, Toronto Star, Toronto Life, Cheap Eats, WHERE Toronto, Globe and Mail, CBC Television, Entertainment Tonight, Breakfast Television, FoodTv Canada, Rogers Daytime, Toronto Dining, Patron Picks, Get Stuffed in Toronto, Vitality Magazine has kept Magic Oven in the news.

Magic Oven was featured on the cover of the Canadian Pizza Magazine and Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine billed it as – The Innovator – in its Pizza Section.

Fresh food, free of additives and preservatives has been the mainstay of the menu. Frequent menu changes with upgraded ingredients is a given. The concept, over its 10 year existence is still fresh and poised for expansion and growth.

The husband and wife team of Tony and Abby Sabherwal are the founding principals of Magic Oven. It was their passion for good food, good service and great people relations that drove the first Magic Oven to its success.

The people of Magic Oven have always been an integral part of its success. They are creative, hard working team players who thrive on challenge and learning.

Magic Oven has always been an equal opportunity employer. The turnover is a lot lower than industry averages. The staff of more than 75 works well in self-managing teams and reflects the commitment to quality and customer service.

The last few years have seen growth for Magic Oven. The concept has grown to five locations. A Cafe has been added to the Broadview location and Magical Catering has grown to hosting events for 000′s of guests.

The Magic Oven
798 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, ON
M4J 1L6
T: 416.462.0333

Happy New Year Toronto!

contact — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 23:07:22 +0000

Have the best year, ever.

Made in Tieland

contact — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 23:08:46 +0000

Bags from recycyled ties! Made in Tieland

Heated Waterslide at the Delta Chelsea Hotel

contact — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 23:07:00 +0000

I can’ really recommend the actual hotel or condition of the Delta Chelsea Hotel. What I can mention here and want to share with you is the very awesome 130-foot heated indoor waterslide! Pretty neat.

Delta Chelsea Hotel
33 Gerrard Street West
Toronto (Downtown), Ontario
M5G 1Z4
Tel: 416-595-1975

Radioactive Waste Found in Ontario Groundwater

contact — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:07:06 +0000

From Canada Environment:

Ontario Ministry of Environment officials are downplaying the discovery of high levels of a radioactive substance called tritium (radioactive waste) found recently in the groundwater of a Pembroke landfill.

“While there was tritium in the ground water at the site, [it was] well below our ministry standards,” said Ministry spokesperson Kate Jordan. “We don’t feel that they pose a risk to the community or to the environment.”

Tritium is widely used in nuclear weapons for boosting a fission bomb or the fission primary of a thermonuclear weapon.

The highest level found in the dump’s groundwater was 1,000 Becquerel/Litre – which is 7 times lower than the level considered “safe” under Ontario law.

Not very reassuring when you consider that the the European Union’s “safe” level of Tritium concentrations in water is 100 Becquerel/Litre. In California the allowable level of Tritium in groundwater is 15 Bq/Litre.

Toronto Says Goodbye to a Legend: Oscar Peterson

contact — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:07:26 +0000

Canadian jazz piano virtuoso, Oscar Peterson, died on Sunday at the age of 82. A gentle giant of a man, Peterson set the standard for taste and invention and shaped the jazz scene indelibly in the history of music.

Although his greatest influence was undoubtedly Art Tatum, he incorporated elements of Nat King Cole and Teddy Wilson into his own inimitable sound. Norman Granz discovered him in 1949 and put him to work in his Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts.

In the early 1950s, Peterson began performing with Ray Brown and Charlie Smith as the Oscar Peterson Trio. Shortly afterward the drummer Smith was replaced by guitarist Irving Ashby, formerly of the Nat King Cole Trio.

Since the late 1950s, when Oscar Peterson gained worldwide recognition as one of the leading pianists in jazz, he played in a variety of settings: solo, duo, trio, quartet, small bands, and big bands. However, his solo piano recitals, as well as his solo piano recordings were rare, until he chose to make a series of solo albums titled “Exclusively for my friends.” This solo piano sessions, made for the MPS label, were Peterson’s response to the emergence of such stars as Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner.

Oscar Peterson also taught piano and improvisation in Canada, mainly in Toronto. He also published his original jazz piano etudes for practice. However, he asked his students to study the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, especially the Well Tempered Clavier, the Goldberg Variations, and the The Art of Fugue, considering this piano pieces essential for every serious pianist. [source]

Love Handles

contact — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:08:41 +0000

Love Handles is a hand-crafted handbag company based out of a Toronto bedroom. The handles are hand-made and wooden and the fabric is organic or vintage. Since it is all found in charity shops, there is a real variety of patterns and colors, from little girl to Scandinavian and a variety of choices in between.

You can order online or shop at these stores:

LEFT FEET @ 88 Nassau St
Located in Kensington Market, Toronto Ontario.
(a sweet Vegan Shoe store you should check out either way)

Heart on Your Sleeve @ 61a Bellevue Ave
a sustainable boutique… that includes organic cottons & reused/reworked clothes!
(corner of Nassau & Bellevue… attached to Left Feet!)

The Bag Boutique @ 1018 Queen St. West
Located just west of Ossington.

Love Handles

Merry Christmas Toronto!

contact — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 23:09:15 +0000

Lunatic Adventures – Sustainable Living Tours

contact — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 23:06:36 +0000

Lunatic Adventures is a wilderness guiding company committed to developing environmental awareness through the provision of safe, informative, and enjoyable wilderness experiences. From canoeing to snowshoeing, our guides will provide you with the skills, knowledge & confidence needed to make the most out of your next wilderness adventure

The LUNA Project is an alternative learning center that provides opportunities for people to develop and reflect on their values and to consider how they might take an active role in creating a healthier environment for future generations.

Lunatic Adventures Inc.
250 The East Mall
Suite #1691
Toronto, Ontario
M9B 6L3 Canada

Solar Powered Car Wash in Toronto

contact — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 23:07:55 +0000

Solarco has completed the installation of twenty solar thermal panels at the Wash N’ Go Car Wash, located at 4000 Dundas St West in Toronto. The system pre-heats process hot water used for washing cars. Awesome.

WashNGo
4000 Dundas Street West
Toronto, Canada
416.766.7024

Toronto’s Littlest House is for Sale! Again.

contact — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:09:48 +0000

This most adorable teeny tiny abode squished between two seemingly ginormous buildings is the littlest house in Toronto, a 300-square-foot home. It was originally meant to be an alleyway.

But guess what? It’s up for sale in Toronto, effective December 18, 2007! Built in 1912, it was bought and renovated this year, and is back on the market for $173,000 (Canadian dollars, which is equivalent to $172,000 USD).

Any takers? I kind of want it. Badly.

The Little House

Toronto Neighborhoods

contact — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 23:06:13 +0000

Thought this might come in handy if you’re trying to get a feel for Toronto. Here are the neighborhoods and their names:

In-town
Annex
Beaches
Cabbagetown
Danforth
Dufferin Grove
Downtown
Kensington Market / Chinatown
Little India
Little Italy
High Park
Queen Street West
Riverdale
St. Clair West
Yonge St. (central)
Yonge & Eglinton
Yorkville

Suburbs
Etobicoke
North York
Scarborough
West of Toronto
North of Toronto

The Gift of Glenn Gould

contact — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:09:19 +0000

For the longest time, I couldn’t listen to The Goldberg Variations without thinking about Hannibal (The Cannibal) Lechter from Silence of the Lambs – let alone eat fava beans.

It made me sad because I love this recording by Glenn Gould. Luckily, I did overcome it and disassociated the two. Finally. Yay.

My baggage aside, one of the best things you can do for your life, is to stop everything and JUST listen to beautiful music for a while. You don’t have to spend the entire day doing this; just spend some allotted time to step away from the chaos of life, and just…chill. And chilling with music rules. Some of you are so used to multi-tasking and always doing a million things at the same time. You know I’m talking about you. Your days are filled with a continuous string of tasks back to back to back sans cesse, if you know what I mean. Calm, serenity, quiet, peaceful – well, these words do not exist in your life’s vocabulary.

Cut it out!

Do yourself a favor and find great music, like Glenn Gould: The Complete Original Jacket Collection

So…..WHY am I writing about Glenn Gould on this Toronto blog? I thought you’d never ask. Glenn Gould was born in Toronto on September 25, 1932. Thought you’d like that bit of trivia.

About Glenn Gould: The Complete Original Jacket Collection
Each of the 60 single and 9 double CDs consists of the exact recordings as first issued on vinyl and looks like a miniaturised form of the original disc: the CDs are in cardboard slipcases in the original design, and the CD itself is designed to look like a LP.

Supplemented by two bonus CDs, the limited “Glenn Gould Complete Jacket Collection” comprises 80 CDs mounted in a high-quality display case with a booklet of more than 240 pages. This booklet contains a new, detailed essay by the German Gould specialist Michael Stegemann on Glenn Gould and the LP recording era along with texts and repertoire details to all recordings in the edition, plus a listing and depiction of the records with reissue dates for repertoire that has appeared before.

The bonus CDs include the last great interview that Glenn Gould gave the American journalist Tim Page in 1981 and an essay on Johann Sebastian Bach and the fugue that Gould recorded in 1972 for a bonus LP. They also feature a number of late recordings that never appeared on vinyl: fragments of the “Italian Album” and Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll in its orchestral version — Gould’s recording debut as conductor and his last recording of all, made on 8 September 1982 with members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Another rarity is Gould’s own film music to George Roy Hill’s Slaughterhouse Five from 1972.

Tiger Bar

contact — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:08:35 +0000

From an article in toronto.com

If you’ve ever dreamed of a Guitar Hero battle in the midst of a safari disco dance party, you’re in luck. With its painted jungle décor, basement vibe and some of the city’s hottest weekly events, Tiger Bar is bringing out College Street’s wild side.

If you have no idea where Tiger Bar is on College Street, you’re not alone. Although its parties have been on everyone’s lips as of late, the venue itself is as hidden as a hidden gem could be, with two completely hidden entrances and no signage. One entrance is in the alleyway behind popular brunch spot Aunties and Uncles on Lippincott Street, while the second is tucked inside the brightly lit, cafeteria-esque College Street Diner. In fact, the only way you’ll find it is if you look for the handwritten sign simply stating “Bar.”

But don’t expect Tiger Bar to look anything like the above bar College Street Diner. Tiger Bar is dark and appropriately dressed like a…

National Film Board, Toronto Mediatheque

contact — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 23:06:51 +0000

This gem is THE place to watch the best in Canadian animated, documentary, short and feature films in the state-of-the-art personal viewing stations. There are always new titles added monthly to a growing database of 1500+ films.

Free admission.

Weekend animation workshops for kids ages 3-13; $5 per child with guardian. Mon.-Tue. 1-7p.m.; Wed. 10a.m.-7p.m.; Thu.-Sat. 10a.m.-10p.m.; Sun. 12-5p.m.

Mediateque
150 John St (at Richmond St W)
Toronto (Osgoode subway station)
M5V 3C3 Canada
416.973.3012

Hours of Operation
Monday & Tuesday, 1 – 7 pm
Wednesday, 10 am – 7 pm
Thursday – Saturday, 10 am – 10 pm
Sunday, Noon – 5 pm

Fees for Digital Viewing Stations
Unlimited Day Pass – $2
Annual Unlimited Pass – $12
Annual Unlimited Family Pass – $15
Red Carpet Pass – $50

Soundscapes for Discerning Music Lovers

contact — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 23:17:33 +0000

From their site:

Soundscapes is an independent CD and music book retailer located in the Little Italy neighbourhood of downtown Toronto. The shop was founded with the simple intent of carrying the best music of all styles and persuasions. Our inventory includes (but is not limited to) folk, jazz, world, psych, garage, prog, blues, soul, reggae, classical, experimental, noise, americana/country, electronic, hip-hop, R&B, metal and pop/rock. We also devote our energies to finding the best in reissues of all genres and imports from across the pond. Finally, our store has one of the city’s best selections of local indie artists.

Soundscapes is a ticket outlet for many independent promoters and we regularly provide tickets for the town’s cornerstone venues, such as The Horseshoe Tavern, Lee’s Palace, The Mod Club, The Music Gallery and The Opera House, among others. A long-time supporter of Toronto’s independent music scene, we have a large consignment section and a seven-year relationship with local indie club night Wavelength (the breeding ground for Broken Social Scene, The Constantines, Royal City and Do Make Say Think to name a few).

Since its birth in August of 1999, the store has quickly grown into one of Toronto’s most-respected and loved music shops. Most importantly, our shelves are stocked not only by the tastes of our staff, but also through suggestions of many a regular customer. We pride ourselves on a relationship with our clientele that is based on respect and a mutual love of music.

In August 1999, Greg Davis first opened the doors on a modest shop in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood. The space used to be a children’s clothing store. Now it was a fledgling CD shop called Soundscapes. Greg had arrived at this place in a very un-rock n’ roll way. Although a native son of nearby Burlington, he had spent the previous two years as an accountant living in San Diego. Like a lot of number-crunchers he found his job profitable but boring. Unlike the majority of his cohorts, he decided to do something about it.

Greg’s record-store-owner-by-way-of-accountant history was unconventional and so was his approach to the indie record shop. Instead of the cluttered bins and surly attitudes depicted in High Fidelity, he favoured clean lines, broad genre stocking, and wide-eyed enthusiasm. The idea was that while he was a huge fan of music himself, he had as much to learn as the next person. Soundscapes was to be a meeting place of like open minds, where the customer had as much to say about the stocking of the shelves as the owner himself.

When the shop first started, it had no more than a couple thousand titles and Greg was the only employee: day in, day out. In the years since, the store has greatly expanded with an inventory of some 20,000 CDs, books and DVDs, as well as over a dozen employees. The shop’s well-chosen, always-improving stock ranges from folk, pop, rock and soul to jazz, classical and experimental, not to mention numerous reissues and import titles.

Soundscapes
572 College Street
Little Italy
Toronto, Ontario
M6G 1B3 Canada
ph: (416) 537-1620

Sunday-Thursday:
10AM-11PM
Friday-Saturday:
10AM-midnight

Gems of Hope, Toronto – Supporting Women’s Development

contact — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:06:56 +0000

This is the best time of year to be thinking about giving to a charity in your area. Gems of Hope is a a Toronto-based charity with a global focus.

Gems of Hope is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization whose mandate is to advance the standard of living for marginalized women in developing countries. To that end, Gems, in partnership with local non-profit agencies from various countries, implements women’s initiatives that empower women to break the cycle of poverty for good.

Development projects of Gems of Hope provide impoverished women with the following:

* Access to micro-credit for initiation or expansion of their small enterprises
* Skills development
* Human Development
* Basic health services
* Education on health and sanitation

With the support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and our generous donors, we have helped over tens of thousands of women to build a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Donate online now

You can also donate with a cheque. Please make your cheque payable to Gems of Hope and mail to:
675 King Street West
Suite 304, Toronto, ON,
Canada, M5V 1M9.

Post-dated cheques are also accepted. A receipt will be issued after your funds have been deposited.

Time Lapse Video of Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum’s Crystal

contact — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:07:15 +0000

From May 2003 to November 2007 this time lapse video was produced through a series of still images taken at 1pm every day during the construction of The Michael Lee Chin Crystal at Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum. Later images were captured every 10 minutes during the building’s opening week.

It is amazing.

Watch the video

[via]

Upcoming Toronto Beer Events

contact — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 23:06:33 +0000

These are not your every day, ordinary codswallop or run-o-the-mill kind of brew. We’re talking quality liquid gold elixir. Anyway. I had to look up some beer lingo. Can ya tell?! Back to this post. Here are a couple of not to be missed beer events in the Toronto area. Happy chugalug! (just kidding.) DON’T chugalug for your liquid sleep. Ok, I’ll stop now.

Fri Jan 25 and Sat Jan 26 2008
Robbie Burns Night
Granite Brewery

2008 (date t.b.a.)
Dogfish Head Beer Dinner with Sam Calagione
beerbistro

[via the bar towel]

The Spice Trader, Toronto – Organic Spices

contact — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:07:09 +0000

You’ll never need to get your spices anywhere else in Toronto. The Spice Trader has about 150 different kinds of spices that adorn the shelves yummily. All spices are organic or wild-harvested, and you can even try them before you buy them. I love Spice Trader!

Sometimes you try unusual recipes that call for uncommon spices. You inevitably just forget about the recipe unless you can find the spices. If you’ve ever been stumped trying to find Ras Al Hanout or quality reverse osmosis cando twigs from antarctica (ok. I made that one up.), look no further. It’ll be a rare occasion that you don’t find what you’re looking for. To note: there’s an excellent selection of salt, from hand-gathered, flaky Welsh Halen Mon to Pacific Alderwood Smoked Salt. Also try the shop’s signature spice blends—including a dill-fennel salt for fish—and assorted dry rubs.

That’s not all. There’s a good variety of accessories, too, from quality spice grinders (Peugeot grinders, graters mortars and pestles, etc.) to frying pans. You might even turn your nose up at William’s Sonoma! Maybe.

The Spice Trader regularly creates new blends, coming up with different ways of using traditional flavours. There are also The Spice Traders own blended salts and herb spice infusions.

The gift boxes make wonderful presents for those who have everything. There are starter kits, salt samplers, and custom gift boxes.

The Spice Trader
805 Queen St. W. (at Niagara St.)
Main level
Toronto, Ontario M6J 1G1
647.430.7085

Speak Easy

contact — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 23:06:26 +0000

SpeakEasy is a Toronto gathering event, a way for students, creative pros, curious onlookers, well, just about everyone is welcome. Eight times a year, meet new people, mingle and exhibit some of your creations. This is a great way to get some exposure for your art, crafts, jewelry if you are trying to become a creative professional.

Where and When?
SpeakEasy
8 times a year on the first Thursday of the month
from 8pm-Midnight
The Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen West, Toronto
Admission is “Pay What You Can” ($4 Suggested)

Toronto’s Best Bars: Melody Bar

contact — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:06:18 +0000

Speaking of the Gladstone Hotel, I want to expound a bit on their awesome bar, The Melody Bar.

It was voted among The Top 10 Bars List in the World ’07 by Conde Nast. This is what they had to say about Melody Bar:

With walls paneled in rich wood, alabaster lamps hanging from the 10-foot ceilings, fat Romanesque pillars, and an original 1930s wooden bar, the Melody Bar isn’t so much nouveau retro as a rollicking saloon. Weekend karaoke nights have become the stuff of legend, with the host brandishing a giant APPLAUSE sign to stoke the crowd—an interesting hodgepodge of expertly coiffed hipsters, ad execs, pixie punk girls, and dust-caked construction workers.

Could it be their fabulous burgers? Maybe their rockin’ karaoke (Thursday through Saturday)? Or their famous Hump Day Bump Wednesday night party? Go there and tell me about it!

Open 11am – 2am Daily. No Cover.

To Note: Holiday Hours
Dec 24 Cafe open until 4pm – Brunch Menu | Melody Bar closed
Dec 25 Cafe + Melody Bar Closed
Dec 26 Cafe open at 8am – Brunch Menu | Melody Bar open at 5pm
Dec 31 Serving bubbly till 3am
Jan 1 Cafe open at 8am – Brunch Menu | Melody Bar normal hours

Melody Bar
Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto ON M6J 1J6
416 531 4635

Gladstone Hotel

contact — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:07:04 +0000

The Gladstone is more than just a boutique hotel; It’s a unique hotel that, in essence, is an ongoing experiment in melding cultural entrepreneurship and urban development. They even have a Green Policy. Yay them!

The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto is an urban hotel providing both travelers and Torontonians with a truly authentic experience of the local creative culture. Our historic landmark hotel features artist designed hotel rooms and suites, affordable short-term artist studios, exhibition spaces, and versatile event and conference venues. The hotel also offers great food and drink in the Ballroom Cafe and Melody Bar. Visitors can experience Toronto from within the comforts of the hotel’s thirty-seven artist designed guest rooms, eat, drink, attend art related, social, or corporate events held within the historic landmark architecture, and then step out into the heart of the city’s vibrant art and design neighbourhood.

This isn’t just a place to stay overnight. The Gladstone is more than a hotel. It is a place where local artists exhibit their work and perform and more importantly a place where artists and regular neighbourhood patrons come just to hang out. From cabaret performances to film screenings, art exhibitions to wedding parties the Gladstone hosts events for a vast range of artists, community groups, businesses and individuals.

Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON Canada M6J 1J6
Canada
416.531.4635