Quantcast
Channel: blogTO
Viewing all 47899 articles
Browse latest View live

The 5 worst things about Presto

0
0

Presto is officially the sole fare system of the TTC, and it's safe to say that the Metrolinx-managed smartcard has its flaws. From the Presto readers down to basic card functions, it feels like commuters have to deal with glitches on the daily. Maybe we should have listened to the TTC Union and let Metropasses stick around a bit longer.

Here are the five worst things about Presto. 

The 24-hour rule

At this point, we've all heard about (or experienced) what happens if you lose a card—nothing.

Until 24 hours later, that is, when Presto and all the other GTHA agencies can update their systems. Which means that is someone finds your card, they have a full day to use up the funds on it, even if you've already reported it missing and cancelled it.

And that's only if your money has even gone through: it also takes 24 hours for online payments to load onto your card. The only way to avoid the wait is to make your way over to the self-serve Reload Machines inside the TTC stations, or set up an auto-load.

But, with auto-load, if someone gets their hands on your Presto card, their only limit is your credit limit.

Presto machinery

Whether it's the card readers, the gates, or the re-loading machines, it always feels like there's at least one piece of Presto equipment not quite performing to par. 

Sure, malfunctioning card readers in streetcars might equal a free subway ride, but is that what we really want for our transit system? And don't get us started on the loading machines at St. Andrew station.

Plus, the Presto gates inside subway stations always seem to open up one beat slower than necessary for seamless exiting, which is a major cramp in Toronto's commuter style. 

Not showing the balance

There's nothing worse than tapping your card and realizing you don't have enough money left for a trip.

It would save us the sweaty palms if every card reader could tell you how much is remaining on your balance every time to you use it—that's what the Octopus card in Hong Kong does (and many others). 

Plus you'd be able to track whether you're still in a two-hour transfer window, or on a continuous trip, because that can get confusing.

The Presto mobile app

Yes, we finally have one, but it's still in beta mode—so we actually don't. When it's finalized, you'll reportedly be able to view your transaction history, load your card via NFC (if you're an Android user), and receive a reminder every time your balance is running low.

In the meantime, you'll have to sign into your account via the clunky web browser. 

The cost to buy it

It costs $6 to buy a Presto card. It may not seem like much, but consider this: you've already paid an equivalent of two Presto TTC trips (it's $3 per ride for adults) without going anywhere. If you're a tourist or someone living on a tight budget, it may not be that affordable after all. 


You will soon need to be licensed and sober to fly a drone in Canada

0
0

The federal government just announced new rules for drone pilots—and they're pretty extensive.

First off, and most importantly, drones will not be allowed too close to airspace reserved for airports and security vehicles, and they won't be allowed to fly over scenes of emergency.

Much like your car, drones will now have to be registered and tagged with a number, and those operating them will have to be at least 14 years of age (or supervised by someone who is). Also, the operator cannot be high or drunk (no drunk droning!)

Registration is required for any drone between 250 grams and 25 kilograms. Those over the 25-kilogram limit require special rules and permissions from the feds. 

Drones must be piloted under an altitude of 122 metres (about 400 feet) and cannot carry living things, explosives, or firearms. 

If you're a drone flyer, enthusiast, or in a career that requires you to fly a drone for work, heed the news, as the new rules will come into effect on June 1 of this year. 

This is what a $2,250 apartment looks like in Toronto right now

0
0

Renting might be more cost-effective than buying a place in Toronto right now, but that doesn't make it cheap. With the average cost of a one-bedroom now at $2,260 per month and Ontario scrapping rent control for new units, the market is scary—but don't fear. You can still find places in the city for around the average going rate.... however sketchy, small or remote they may be.

Here's what a $2,250 apartment looks like in Toronto right now.

A standard sky box with no rent control

Terms like "brand new!" and "never lived in before!" were attractive in real estate listings prior to November of 2018, when rent control restrictions were lifted for newly occupied units. This 1 bedroom condo is in a great location for Ryerson students, but the layout is truly dime-a-dozen and prices could shoot up anytime.

Three bedrooms above a "spa" in the Junction 

toronto apartmentsIt's nothing fancy, but this one bathroom, three-bedroom apartment has en-suite laundry and newly-installed stainless steel appliances in an excellent neighbourhood. It is, however, located directly above a holistic health spa that bills "aroma" as one of its services, so... I hope you're not sensitive to smells.

A sun-filled palace at Parklawn and Lakeshore

apartments in torontoThis bright, 1,000-square-foot, two-storey penthouse is what downtown dreams are made of. Sadly, it'll take you nearly an hour to get there by public transit. If you're cool with commuting 22 minutes by car, however, it's a decent price on a stunning unit in an up-and-coming community along Toronto's western waterfront.

A 450-square-foot studio smack dab downtown 

toronto apartment pricesThis little pad would work for a single human with very few possessions who likes being in the heart of the action. You can't get anymore downtown than this: the building falls right between City Hall and the Eaton Centre. If you find that to be a good thing (and don't mind sleeping next to your kitchen table), voila. 

The ugliest place in the fanciest neighbourhood

toronto apartment pricesIf proximity to Whole Foods is more important to you than on-site laundry, modern appliances or natural light, consider this cube of an apartment on Avenue Road in Yorkville. Pigeon netting has already been installed across its tiny, yellowing balcony, and Hazleton Lanes is just steps away!

The Apple store in Toronto's Eaton Centre might be expanding

0
0

Love it or hate it, the crowded Apple store in the Eaton Centre is a formidable presence. But, if rumours are true, it could soon be moving within the mall.

According to sources at MacRumors, a site that tracks trends in the technology company's world, the Apple store is too crowded. The company is hoping for a bigger venue and might even have its eyes on the old Abercrombie & Fitch space, as the clothing brand has recently moved.

Another Apple rumour comes in the form of a message from the developers of The One—you know, the large condo building being erected at Yonge and Bloor. 

A line of text from a CRBE Real Estate brochure suggests that rumours about a new Apple flagship store being built at Yonge and Bloor are true: it says the site will be "the future home of Apple." 

What's next for Apple in Toronto isn't certain, but when you're getting ready to line up for the next iPhone it may be in a new location.

Win an Ezra Brooks Bourbon prize pack

20 restaurants to eat at during Winterlicious 2019

0
0

Winterlicious 2019 gives us an excuse to ball out between New Year’s and Valentine’s without breaking the bank, with prix fixe lunches and dinners available at a whopping 192 restaurants.

Restaurants begin taking reservations on January 10 for seating from January 25 through to February 7.

New and Notable

These restaurants may have just started taking part in Winterlicious recently, but still boast some of the best prix fixe menus of the event.

Oretta ($28/$43)

Beef carpaccio, burrata and pizza are just some of the choices on lunch and dinner prix fixe menus at this King West restaurant.

Wynona ($43)

The prix fixe dinner from this Leslieville restaurant has options like carpaccio, branzino, agnolotti and cavatelli.

Noce ($33/$53)

Lunch or dinner at this restaurant across from Trinity Bellwoods might include beef carpaccio, tagliatelle or wood-fired arctic char.

Figures ($53)

Start with poke bites then move on to vegan curry or salmon poached in olive oil on a prix fixe dinner menu at this Yorkville restaurant.

Kost ($28/$43)

This 44th floor restaurant in the Entertainment District is doing lunch and dinner with options like carrot and avocado salad, beef tartare tostadas, and grilled sea bream.

Hot Tickets

Always wanted to sample the menu at a fancy restaurant in town, but never had the budget? Winterlicious prix fixe menus give diners an opportunity to try out somewhere great for a bargain.

Pukka ($33)

St. Clair West has this upscale Indian restaurant doing a prix fixe dinner menu with options like South Indian fried chicken, butter chicken, chaat and pakoras.

Auberge du Pommier ($33/$53)

Be wowed by first courses of duck terrine or smoked salmon followed by classy plates of albacore, steelhead trout, tenderloin or Cornish hen on menus at this North York French restaurant.

Montgomery’s ($43)

Prix fixe dinner at this Queen and Ossington is all about house-made items like sourdough bread, butter, charcuterie and tagliatelle.

Cheap(er) and Cheerful

A $23 lunch is just as satisfying at any of these great restaurants as a splashy $53 three-course dinner.

King Taps ($23/$33)

This central restaurant with a wide beer selection is doing lunch and dinner menus packed with great bar food options like pizza and burgers.

Liberty Commons ($23/$33)

Big Rock’s brewpub in Liberty Village is doing smoked salmon pate, squash soup, burgers and pot pie for lunch and dinner.

Momo San ($23/$33)

This Baldwin Village sushi restaurant is taking their offerings to the next level with lunch and dinner menus that have options like Japanese-style ceviche and platters of sushi and oshizushi.

Tabule ($23/$33)

This restaurant near Yonge and Eglinton is doing dependable platters of hummus, falafel, baba ghanouj and tabule as well as kebabs. 

Casa Manila ($23/$33)

If Filipino is what you crave, this Don Mills restaurant is doing a lunch and dinner with choices like spring rolls, mango salad, kare kare, adobo and sisig.

Southern Accent ($33)

If Cajun and Creole soul cuisine is your thing, head to this Little Italy restaurant doing a dinner menu of options like blackened livers, jambalaya and bouillabaisse. 

7 Numbers ($33)

A dinner menu at this Danforth restaurant starts off with Italian classics like spiducci and arancini before moving on half a dozen pasta options with a choice of side.

Veggie-Friendly

Vegetarian options at these places are given equal footing alongside meatier choices.

Aanch ($23/$33)

This Indian restaurant on Wellington is doing a lunch and diner of tandoori and curry options.

Fabbrica ($28/$43)

Don Mills has this Mark McEwan restaurant with minestrone, pizza and cacio e pepe on both lunch and dinner prix fixe menus.

Amano ($23/$33)

Handmade tagliatelle is available on both lunch and dinner menus at this Union station restaurant, with options for starters like pickled white anchovy crostini, stracciatella and crispy smelts.

Maple Leaf Tavern ($43)

A cheeseburger and veggie burger are just as good on this Leslieville restaurant’s prix fixe dinner menu, or go for chicken cassoulet, sauteed perch or wood-grilled pork tenderloin.

Chez’s ($33)

This Little Italy restaurant is doing a dinner for Winterlicious with confit pork belly, trout, and vegetarian linguine options for mains.

Netflix wants to open a major film and TV studio in Toronto

0
0

One of the world's leading entertainment brands is ramping up production in its quest to satisfy the insatiable beast that is your remote control—and Hollywood North could benefit big time.

I mean, where better for Netflix to make a whole bunch of new films and TV shows than in Toronto? With its wealth of talent, tax credits and buildings that look like they could be American?

The streaming content juggernaut is considering it, according to Toronto Mayor John Tory. So seriously, in fact, that the city is already working with local industry unions to bolster their labour forces in anticipation of future productions.

"I have a very high level of confidence, without betraying confidences that aren't yet concrete, that they’re going to," said Tory on Tuesday when asked if Netflix was setting up shop in Toronto.

"They've been in active discussions with our industry, with me, about wanting to create one of their hubs here."

Tory, who was speaking at the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards gala, also said he'd met with representatives from Netflix in Los Angeles last March, to discuss the matter.

"We've talked to them from here a number of times and they certainly know how much we would like to have them here," said Tory to the Canadian Press. When asked if he knew when Netflix might create a production hub in Toronto he said no, but also that "If I knew I wouldn't tell you."

Coy as the mayor wants to play it, an expansion into Toronto makes sense for Netflix.

The American company has been producing more and more original content in recent years, much of it with viewership numbers to rival that of any major cable network. It took home five Golden Globe awards for its original content on Sunday alone, more than any other network or streaming service.

Meanwhile, Toronto's film and TV production industry is booming. Several new studios, including one owned by CBS Television, are slated to open here within the next few years and, on top of that, Netflix recently committed $500 million toward the creation and distribution of original productions in Canada.

Currently, the company's only main production facility is in Los Angeles, but it plans to build new hubs in Madrid and Albuquerque. Could Toronto be next?

In the words of Tory himself, "fingers crossed."

Ice caves near Toronto ranked one of the top places to visit in the world

0
0

The New York Times just dropped its ultra prestigious annual list of "52 Places to Go" in the world, and one of the spots to make the cut is right in your own backyard... relatively speaking.

Aside from Calgary, the scenic ice caves along Lake Superior's northern shore are the only destination in Canada to have made NYT's influential travel guide this year.

"The ice caves that emerge from the winds and waves that pound the north shore of Lake Superior have always been somewhat ephemeral," writes Ian Austen for The Times. "But climate change has now brought an element of doubt into their future."

Well that's sad, but for now visitors can still enjoy caves made of snow and ice in varying sizes, shapes and colours.

"Large waves before they freeze up — on Superior they can reach upward of 20 feet — are the essential ingredient for large caverns," explains Austen of the rare phenomena near Sault Ste. Marie. "The wind, shifts in the ice and the effects of the sun constantly remake the formations. February is the most reliable month for a visit."

The caves a bit of a hike from Toronto, but still way closer than most of the other destinations on this year's list of 52 places (like Uzbekistan, The Azores and Chongli, China.)

That said, if you're down for an eight or nine hour drive, you likely won't regret the trip.

You can access the network of icy fortresses from the Trans-Canada Highway. Alona Bay and Coppermine Point are said to be two of the more popular entry points, but the fine folks at Stokely Creek Lodge can tell you which caves are the coolest and most accessible on any given day.


How to find free and cheap parking spots in Toronto

0
0

Free parking in Toronto is like a rare unicorn whose elusive capture involves getting a massive fine, or being towed away from the downtown core. That being said, time is money—if you don’t want to waste hours circling the streets to find the cheapest parking options, there’s a few apps and sites that’ll guide you to the best spots in town.

Here’s how to find free and cheap parking spots in Toronto.

HonkMobile

Definitely the most popular Toronto-based parking app in the city right now, Honk allows you to scan through all sorts of parking options with ease, and sometimes even lets you reserve spots.

Type in your destination and enter your time window: it’ll show you the best prices and even offers a street view of what the area looks like.

Rover

Making use of under-utilized residential parking spots, this app describes itself as "the AirBnB of parking." You can connect with owners of listed parking spots through the app, and you also have the option of extending your session if needed.

ParkWhiz

If you’re heading to any major attractions like the CN Tower or Roy Thompson Hall, there’s no better app than this one. This NYC-based app lets you reserve and pre-pay for parking spaces in big garages and lots.

Just get past the automated barrier by scanning the parking pass on your phone and you’re good to park.

Toronto Free Parking

According to this basic website, free parking does exist—but be careful, it can be risky.

It's unclear how often the map is updated,  but it does appear to provide some up-to-date pins that let you know what kind of free parking is available, from one-hour limit spots to ones that don’t really have any official indication. As always, parking discretion is advised.

Toronto issues first extreme cold weather alert of the year

0
0

The forecasted cold snap we've all been dreading has finally touched down in Toronto, and I'm sorry to say it'll likely be sticking around for more than a weekend.

Toronto's Medical Officer of Health has just issued an extreme cold weather alert for the city that will be in effect "until further notice" based on information from Environment Canada.

Such alerts are issued whenever the federal weather agency predicts a temperature below -15 C, or a wind chill of -20 C. 

It'll feel like -24 C in Toronto tonight, according to EnviroCan, pushing us well into "don't leave the house because it's bad for your health" territory.

toronto cold weather

Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa issued an extreme cold weather alert for the City of Toronto on January 10.

Temperatures of -6 C are being recorded at Toronto Pearson International Airport as of Thursday morning, though things are expected to drop off sharply with a low of - 15 C expected overnight (plus the aforementioned -24 C wind chill).

The warmest it'll get outside all weekend, in fact, is on Saturday, which has a forecasted high of -4 C, with a chance of flurries.

We'll see a bit of a reprieve on Monday and Tuesday, which have forecasted highs of - 1 C, but Toronto won't be back in the positives until... well, beyond Environment Canada's current weather outlook.

Bundle up, buttercup. This is Canada and it sometimes it sucks.

Win a winter getaway to Mount St. Louis Moonstone

Airbnb listings have doubled in Toronto over the past two years

0
0

A report by an organizational coalition says that new city laws on short term rentals could add about 6,500 homes to Toronto's housing stock. 

Fairbnb, a group that comprises 15 separate organizations, is concerned that Airbnb and other short term rental companies are eating up too much of the housing market, taking much-needed homes from those in need, in favour of tourist accommodations. 

According to their report, the number of properties listed as short term rentals has doubled in only a couple years, as more and more people dedicate their properties to the lucrative home-sharing economy. 

"Returning even a fraction of these homes to the city's housing market would make a difference to thousands of families seeking permanent homes in Toronto," reads the report. 

The implementation of new rules on short term rentals has been delayed in Toronto, but officials are hopeful they will eventually help curb the problem. 

Under the new policies, owners of short term rental spaces would have to register them with the city and there would be an 180-day limit on how often they could be rented out. And, perhaps most crucial, owners would be prevented from listing multiple properties—a common practice. 

A new tribunal is scheduled to discuss these policies in August of this year. 

Huge chunk of ice just fell from plane into Mississauga home

0
0

If you think you had a rough morning trying to get out of bed on this cold Thursday, you're probably still better off than one Mississauga couple. 

Camela and Michael Caccavo were woken up yesterday after a boulder made of ice fell through their roof and into their bedroom closet. 

It's believed that the giant chunk of debris, which amounts to about five pounds of solid ice, fell from an airliner passing overhead. 

Luckily, no one was hurt. But the Caccavos are worried about the huge hole ripped through their ceiling—and the heavy repair cost. 

Transport Canada has said they are taking the matter seriously, and will investigate to see if the ice chunk is in fact from a passing airliner. 

The top 50 brunch restaurants in Toronto

0
0

The best brunch in Toronto depends on who you ask and what you're looking for. There's no shortage of brunch spots in Toronto, which makes navigating the endless egg options and fervid crowds a pretty daunting pre-caffeine feat. Luckily we've rounded up essential Toronto brunch destinations to get your fix, no matter what you're craving.

Police can now breathalyze Canadians at home and in bars

0
0

Civil rights lawyers are crying foul this week over new rules that give police in Canada the power not only to test your breath for alcohol without reasonable cause while you're driving, but to do it in homes, bars, restaurants, stores or anywhere else you may have been within two hours of operating a vehicle.

I'm dead serious. Under the Canadian government's newly-implemented stricter impaired driving rules, cops could theoretically come to your house and demand that you take a breathalyzer test on the spot.

It doesn't matter if you cracked a bottle of wine after you got home; blowing over the legal limit within 120 minutes of being spotted in a car could lead to thousands of dollars in fines (if not a night in jail).

And if you refuse to take the test? You could be arrested, charged with a criminal offence, have your license suspended and still have to pay the mandatory minimum $2,000 fine, either way.

It's all part of federal Bill C-46, which saw fines and mandatory minimum prison sentences shoot up across the country last month in an effort to curb impaired driving, which has been found to kill about four people per day in Canada on average.

Other changes to the Criminal Code under this bill include giving police sweeping powers to get breath samples from anyone who might be driving impaired, regardless of whether or not there's evidence to suggest that they are.

"These new regulations are an egregious abuse of power and infringe upon our rights and freedoms" wrote Toronto activist Sarah Beech on Twitter this week in response to news of a Mississauga man getting breathalyzed at the Beer Store while returning empties.

"This is terrifying, absolutely ridiculous, and only the beginning of the issues stemming from Bill C46," wrote Canadian criminal defence lawyer Brooke Johnson of the same story.

Toronto-based lawyer Michael Engel said in an interview with Global News this week that the new police powers represent "a serious erosion of civil liberties."

Someone could be unjustly targeted, he says, by a disgruntled coworker or family member who calls the police with a fake complaint of wonky driving.

"Husbands or wives in the course of separations would drop the dime on their partner," he said to Global, noting that a person would have no recourse should an officer come to their home and demand a breath sample.

Put more simply by Dan Fielding: "If you want to intimidate or harass someone, it is now possible to get the police to go to their home and breath test them by claiming you saw them driving oddly."

Concerns about how these powers could be abused aside, the new stricter DUI laws are actually being seen by many as a step in the right direction.

"Research suggests that up to 50 per cent of drivers with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit are not detected at roadside checkpoints," said Sgt. Brett Moore of the Toronto Police Service in a news release when the new rules were coming into effect.

"Mandatory alcohol screening will assist in deterring individuals impaired by alcohol from driving as well as better detect those who do."

You can check out Canada's new, harsher penalties for driving while under the influence on the Department of Justice's website now—and probably should, if you smoke weed at all. The new DUI rules also apply to how much THC someone can have in their system within two hours of getting behind the wheel (spoiler: it's not very much).


Toronto Restaurant Openings: Pastiche, GB Hand-Pulled Noodles, Ziba Berlin Doner

0
0

Toronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest food news in Toronto and gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now
  • Pastiche, a “noshery,” is now open at 59 Ossington Avenue.
  • Apres Wine Bar, sibling to Canis restaurant, is now open at 1166 Queen Street West.
  • Her Chef replaces The Pocha (and Big Tuna Poke before that) at 599 Bloor Street West in Koreatown.
  • Chinese Hakka spot Chopstick on Bloor has opened at 561 Bloor Street West in the Annex.
  • Shi Miaodao, a Yunnan rice noodle restaurant that serves "crossing-the-bridge" noodles, is now open in the former Jackpot Chicken Rice space at 318 Spadina Avenue in Chinatown.
  • A licensed location of the rapidly expanding My Roti Place has opened where Bacchus Roti previously presided at 1376 Queen Street West in Parkdale.
  • Kinoya, a sushi restaurant and bar, is now open in what was previously Maki My Way at 293 King Street West in the Entertainment District.
  • Pho Pas Social Bistro, a French-Vietnamese restaurant with a raw bar and live music, opened yesterday at 480 Parliament Street in Cabbagetown.
  • A second location of GB Hand-Pulled Noodles has replaced the short-lived Golden Noodle Bar at 1024 Gerrard Street East (at Marjory Avenue).
Recently reviewed
Opening soon
Closed

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to editors@blogto.com.

The top 10 new restaurants in Toronto to impress an out-of-towner

0
0

Taking out-of-towners to new Toronto restaurants will impress not only by showing off your local knowledge of what’s cutting edge, but also with great food that’s perfect for sharing. Wow parents, friends, long distance lovers and visiting business partners alike at these places.

Here are my picks for the top new restaurants in Toronto to impress an out-of-towner.

Byblos Uptown

Dreamy surroundings and heavenly Mediterranean food can be counted on from this new incarnation of the familiar Byblos concept in the Yonge and Eglinton area.

Casa La Palma

Make guests in the city feel cool by showing them a hidden counterpart of already-impressive La Palma on Dundas West, accessed by a secret staircase. Precious seafood and veggie sharing plates and cozy vibes abound with a fireplace and cushy seating.

Bar Buca Eglinton

Outposts of Bar Buca across town have long been go-to’s for out-of-towners, so take them somewhere familiar yet novel by heading to this most recently opened location near Yonge and Eglinton.

Donna’s

If your guests are around the west end, don’t trek downtown to Momofuku. Instead, opt for this unassuming restaurant at Lansdowne and Wallace where the kitchen is run by people who used to work there. Share a ham plate and some wine and catch up.

Mother Tongue

As the name suggests, there’s lots of fun stuff to do in the Entertainment District, so before or after the fun, show visitors you know where to go. You’ll look super cool guiding them under the Templar Hotel into this moody Filipino-influenced restaurant and cocktail bar.

Quetzal

Out-of-towners may have heard of Grant van Gameren and even visited Bar Raval or Bar Isabel before, so them to a concept of his they’ve likely never been to before, where they’ll also get the experience of traditionally made house tortillas and an open grill, right in Little Italy.

Seoul Shakers

Even Toronto natives might walk right by this Bloordale spot if they didn’t know what was inside. Beyond metal grates and graffiti there’s a snuggly neon-lit bar serving mind-blowing Korean snacks and teapots of makgeoli to share.

Viaggio

There are lots of Italian places to go in Toronto that aren’t Terroni when looking for somewhere new to take out-of-towners, but this Brockton Village spot is an easy choice with an elegant setting and sophisticated plates.

Mezu

Share a ssam lettuce wrap plate at this new corner spot that’s won over its Dundas West neighbourhood, and is sure to do the same with visitors.

Kojin

The noodle bar underneath this Entertainment District restaurant has been a must-visit for visitors to Toronto for years, so show them there’s more to Toronto’s part of the David Chang empire by heading upstairs to this newly opened Colombian-influenced restaurant.

Popular Montreal vegan restaurant opening Toronto location

0
0

Lov, one of Montreal’s most adored vegetarian and vegan spots, will be opening a Toronto location this spring.

Slated to open at King and Portland in May, the restaurant is known for its menu of vegetarian burgers, tacos and brunch accompanied by organic wine and beer, botanical cocktails and artisanal Quebecois spirits.

There are already three locations open in Montreal spreading Lov’s philosophy of scratch cooking and local sourcing.

There’s stiff competition with a ton of great vegetarian restaurants already operating here in Toronto, but if the Montreal-based brand’s reputation precedes it, something tells me it’ll be Lov at first sight.

Toronto vinyl shop and live music venue is closing

0
0

Toronto's hardcore music scene is about to take a hit with the loss of performance venue, record store and community gathering space Faith / Void.

But not yet. The roughly four-year-old business in Little Italy won't be closing its doors at 894 College Street until the end of February, though it did already host its final show (S.H.I.T.mas!) at the end of December.

It was during that gig that store owner Ryan Tong reportedly confirmed rumours of Faith / Void's closure while onstage performing with his hardcore punk band S.H.I.T.

Tong had previously co-founded the DIY hardcore venue S.H.I.B.G.B's on Geary Avenue, which, while popular, shut down after half a year in 2015 on account of municipal zoning bylaws.

It looks like Faith / Void is falling victim to the same sort of regulatory restrictions, with months of noise complaints triggering bylaw infractions that prompted Tong's decision to close.

Hey everyone! I want to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who attended this year’s S.H.I.T.mas celebration. I don’t think I could have hoped for a better final gig in a place that I have dedicated the last four years of my life to. At the end of the night, we raised an amazing $2664 at the door, which will be split equally amongst the following three local organizations: Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape, Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto, and Planned Parenthood Toronto. THANK YOU to the folks in WASTELAND, PERFECT BLUE, TOMB MOLD and my bandmates in S.H.I.T. for giving their time and energy. THANK YOU to Alexandra Gutnik, Alexandra Marangone, Chris Colohan, Matt FInner, Arina Moiseychenko, Harold Lawrence Matias and Andrew Pham for lending a helping hand that night. Finally, UNENDING GRATITUDE to Kimberly Lum and Will Bustin for making this insane vision a reality - S.H.I.T.mas literally would not have happened without their patience, dedication and hard work.
 Although this was the last official gig at the space, FAITH / VOID will be at 894 College till the end of February. We have plans to continue the shop online at faithvoidshop.com afterwards. MERRY S.H.I.T.MAS AND HAPPY NEW FEAR TO ALL.

A post shared by FAITH / VOID (@faithvoidshop) on

"I want to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who attended this year's S.H.I.T.mas celebration. I don't think I could have hoped for a better final gig in a place that I have dedicated the last four years of my life to," reads a post on the business's Instagram account from earlier this week.

"Although this was the last official gig at the space, FAITH / VOID will be at 894 College till the end of February," it concludes.

"We have plans to continue the shop online at faithvoidshop.com afterwards. MERRY S.H.I.T.MAS AND HAPPY NEW FEAR TO ALL."

Check out the store's famously solid inventory for the last time in person while you can until the end of February on College near Dovercourt.

Toronto rowing club tries to rebuild after devastating flood

0
0

Toronto's historic rowing club is raising money to renovate their headquarters after intense flooding completely destroyed the lower level of their facility. 

Sitting right on the Western Beaches by Lake Shore Blvd. West and Jameson Ave., the Argonaut Rowing Club has been fundraising for nearly two years since incurring significant damage from the flooding that wrecked the city in 2017

rowing club toronto

The first floor of the Argonauts Rowing Club was completely flooded, causing black mould to spread on the walls. Photo courtesy of the Argonauts Rowing Club.

Devastated by rising water levels that surpassed break walls and sand bags, the first floor bathroom facilities of the old 1960s-era building were ruined, as were the walls, where black mould ensued. 

"We are expecting flooding to happen again, because the water levels have been pretty high the past decade ago," says Brianne Misner-Bartolini, the club's communications director. 

Now the club—which was founded in 1872 and has been home to multiple Olympian rowing teams—is trying to raise $1.2 million to future-proof its facility. 

To move its change rooms to the second floor and convert its first floor into boat storage, the club hopes to equip its aging three-storey building with an elevator system in order to accommodate its significant para-rowing membership. 

So far, Misner-Bartolini says the club has raised a few hundred thousand dollars over the past year and some. 

To try and reach its goal, club members will be hosting an intense 24-hour ergathon this Saturday. (For non-rowers: that's a 24-hour non-stop hours on an indoor rowing machine, also known as an erg, to raise sponsorship money). 

One of the two rowers will be trying to break the record for longest ergometer session, rowing from Saturday at 9 a.m. until Sunday at 9 a.m.

While my legs and arms hurt just thinking about it, don't worry: ten minute breaks are allowed every hour to still qualify, for drinks and trips to the washroom. 

Viewing all 47899 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images